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The a priori identification and development of army personnel competencies are necessary to enable effective and efficient responses to rapidly changing climate conditions. Accordingly, this study aims to identify the performance requirements of a military flood responder and the competencies (knowledge, skills and abilities) required to perform it.

Using an abductive approach, the authors conducted both secondary and primary research to generate a validated framework of performance criteria and competencies for army personnel responding to floods. This literature review integrated both the peer-reviewed academic literature and public sector grey literature. Using the critical incident technique, the authors then conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) who had previously been tasked with flood response operations. Participants were asked about the tasks required while conducting flood response operations. Interview transcripts were then content analysed to identify themes regarding those tasks, and the competencies needed to perform those tasks were then extracted and contrasted with the literature review findings. Inter-rater reliability for the analysis was established via iterative discussion between the two co-authors.

The primary data reinforced and expanded the list of performance expectations that the authors deductively identified from the integrated literature review, adding granularity to each. It also identified competencies (including both hard and soft skills) and highlighted previously neglected contextual antecedents of military flood response effectiveness.

though knowledge saturation was achieved from the 15 interviews conducted, further research with larger samples could more deeply ground the evidence discovered in this study. Nevertheless, the competencies identified in this paper could serve as a starting guide to staffing and/or training interventions targeted at improving these competencies for personnel responding to flood scenarios.

The theoretical findings also have immediate practical relevance to training for flood response operations. In particular, the subtle challenges in competency crossover from military operations to flood response operations may facilitate not only more efficient, targeted training (that could improve the effectiveness of army personnel involved in humanitarian roles), but could be applied to the selection of army personnel as well. This study may also help provincial/municipal operators and emergency planners by better communicating the strengths and limitations of army personnel in addressing civilian military cooperation for humanitarian operations. Thus, the findings of this research study represent an important first step in prompting attention to the strategic human resource planning studies required to make all responders more efficient and effective in their respective division of labour within the humanitarian domain.

Peering a little beyond these research findings, human-induced climate change is expected to continue increasing the frequency of such events (IPCC, 2021), and a timely, national force is likely to be increasingly required for Canadians impacted by major disasters stemming from natural hazards when local resources become overwhelmed. Yet, there is some concern from the CAF that increasing responsiveness to disaster operations will affect their military readiness (Leuprecht and Kasurak, 2020). One can indeed envision a paradox whereby the CAF is both a “force of last resort” while increasingly becoming a “first choice for domestic disaster and emergency assistance”. The practical implications from this research also suggest that military personnel, while fully capable of successfully conducting flood response operations, may become overburdened and less able to adopt yet greater capacity and training for other additional humanitarian work. Nevertheless, the competencies highlighted by participants can help inform the next flood response operation in Canada.

Most literature in the field of emergency response focuses on cooperation between civilian and military resources and other strategic-level themes. The findings address critical granularity missing at the operational and tactical levels of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief research. The authors also draw implications beyond the military context, including for local/regional governmental players (operators and emergency planners) as well as for volunteers in flood response roles.

Heritage building management serves as a potent catalyst for sustainability, yet it poses a distinctive set of challenges. Achieving a harmonious balance between conserving the building's historical and cultural value and ensuring modern functionality and safety remains a primary concern. The present work proposes a socio-technical approach to the development and use of a digital twin (DT) that will integrate social data related to the use of heritage buildings with building and environmental data.

The paper presents a logical and systematic joined-up management framework to the targeted heritage buildings, according to a “Whole Building” approach. Our approach is informed by the underpinning assumption that a heritage building and even more a heritage neighborhood is a socio-technical, complex and dynamic system, the change of which depends on the dynamic interconnections of materials, competences, resources, values, space/environment, senses and time.

A heritage dynamics approach is adopted to unfold the dynamic nature of heritage and to better inform decisions that can be made in the present and future, achieving people-centered and place-based heritage management. This proposition underlines the heritage transformation as a complex systemic process that consists of nonlinear interconnections of multiple heterogeneous factors (values, senses, attitudes, spaces and resources).

This paper presents a multi-level framework of DTs that interact hierarchically to comprehensively understand, assimilate and seamlessly integrate intricate contexts, even when faced with conflicting conditions from diverse cultural heritage entities. This paper outlines the importance of the iterative system dynamics (SD) approach, which enables adaptive management and ensures the resilience of cultural heritage over time.

Intersectionality addresses complex avenues of oppression that emanate at the intersections of one’s identities. However, the intersectional framework assumes static identities, which are increasingly being acknowledged for their fluidity. This research explored the extent of the fluidity of social identities to draw implications for the application of the framework in research.

27 participants from a post-graduate elective course on diversity and inclusion identified their significant social identities, and submitted a write-up using hermeneutic phenomenology in which the participants shared their lived experiences of the fluidity of their social identities in different spaces they occupy or find themselves in.

Fluidity-triggering stimuli in different environments and their associations with identity-related motives were uncovered using thematic analysis. Stimuli operating at micro-, meso- and macro-levels rationally explained identity fluidity. However, in addition to types, intensity and frequency of stimuli, psychological factors, such as identity status, were decisive in determining the degree of generalization of stimuli across individuals and spaces that significantly influenced identity fluidity.

This research explored the extent of the fluidity of social identities to draw implications for the application of the intersectional framework in research. The findings contribute to future research by identifying limitations of the intersectional framework based on the fluidity of social identities arising from environmental stimuli that operate at micro-, meso- and macro-levels, and the extent of psychological generalization of these stimuli across spaces.

To address complex societal challenges, particularly in the context of climate change, there is a growing interest in employing interdisciplinary ethnographic research (IER). This paper examines the experiences associated with participating in IER, drawing insights from a collaboration project that integrates organization studies with energy management research.

Within the context of a three-year interdisciplinary collaboration, the paper focuses on the performance of an interview and the analysis thereof. It draws from this example to highlight the difficulties in translating discipline-specific language and understanding failures in IER. Including an exploration of the process of recovery, involving analyzing research results and the subsequent collaborative writing of a paper.

The primary findings revolve around the challenges inherent in ethnography as an interdisciplinary method. These challenges include language barriers between disciplines and the complexities of comprehending and learning from failures in interdisciplinary research.

The contribution lies in its exploration of abductive reasoning in IER, shedding light on the complexities and opportunities associated with interdisciplinary collaboration in the making. By emphasizing the importance of going into the field before negotiating common ground, the approach presented provides a unique perspective that not only addresses challenges but also facilitates the development of involved disciplines and scholars through self-reflection.

1. The paper shows the importance of both expertise and experience knowledge in interdisciplinary ethnographic research.

2. By using different writing styles, the importance of language and translations between disciplines is exemplified.

3. The paper provides an example of how to engage in abductive reasoning in interdisciplinary ethnographic research.

4. The paper calls for a broad understanding of failure and success in interdisciplinary ethnographic research.

The paper shows the importance of both expertise and experience knowledge in interdisciplinary ethnographic research.

By using different writing styles, the importance of language and translations between disciplines is exemplified.

The paper provides an example of how to engage in abductive reasoning in interdisciplinary ethnographic research.

The paper calls for a broad understanding of failure and success in interdisciplinary ethnographic research.

The present paper aims to highlight how manufacturing expansions under conditions of increasing returns, which involve the growth of intermediate goods specializations, support advanced service employment. In addition, the increasing use of manufacturing products in services highlights additional, new service sector employment opportunities.

This paper investigates (1) the manufacturing and service interactions and (2) the investment behaviour in manufacturing using Auto-Regressive Distributed lags (ARDL) and Vector Autoregressive (VAR) models. The models allow for different specifications to study whether investment behaviour in manufacturing supports dynamic manufacturing and service interactions.

The results underpin how Kaldorian manufacturing as an engine of growth is still relevant in Indian growth and is key to achieving higher advanced employment, export-orientation and services and manufacturing nexus outcomes. What matters, though, is that manufacturing investments are to be guided mainly by intermediate goods specializations. The slowdown of these specializations, explaining the slowdown of manufacturing investment, is therefore, a concern.

A reinterpretation of manufacturing as an engine of growth in which primacy is given to investment behaviour in technical progress functions that can support the growth of specializations in manufacturing and such specialized service employment.

This research explores the role of concrete 3D printing (C3DP) in the development of culturally appropriate housing in Indigenous Reserves in Canada through the design, building and evaluation of the Star Lodge project located in the Siksika Nation of Alberta, Canada. The project aims to assess the potential of C3DP in addressing the escalating housing demands in Indigenous communities in Canada.

The research involved a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach, engaging Blackfoot Elders, Knowledge Keepers from the Siksika Nation, Siksika Housing and Nidus3D. Central to this was the design, build and documentation of the Star Lodge project to analyse the advantages and challenges, guided by weekly meetings and site visits.

The project harnessed C3DP to streamline construction, enhance durability, reduce maintenance costs and enhance the energy performance of the homes. Notable time savings were achieved compared to conventional construction methods. Challenges included developing strategies to overcome extreme cold weather conditions, achieving a consistent concrete mix and integrating conventional construction elements such as drywall construction in interiors. The project served as a platform for collaboration and community participation, shaping the design and construction process while raising awareness of innovative construction techniques in the community.

This study provides an evidence-based framework for the evaluation of C3DP technology by analysing the Star Lodge Project, the first C3DP project in Alberta and the largest of its kind in Canada. By addressing housing challenges in Indigenous communities, the research holds broader implications for sustainable development and Indigenous empowerment across Canada.

The aim of this paper is to determine whether the dominant integrated water resources management (IWRM) paradigm within which the Pra River Basin is managed holds the key to address the current water security and sustainability issues in Southwestern Ghana.

This study employed a literature review developed based on water security and sustainability studies as well as normative scenarios from the broad scenario planning methodology. The study builds on Wæver’s Theory of Securitization and the Utilitarian theory to protect water bodies through the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

Insights on introducing innovative environmental sustainability technology are presented and propose the Pra-integrated smart water security management decision-making system that uses visual inspections, noise sensors, the potential of hydrogen (pH) probe sensor, real-time collection of hydrological data (streamflow) and wireless transmission of the data in real-time at the basin level. This serves as a robust tool for managing the basin’s sustainable development ecosystem by using AI to protect water bodies against illegal mining.

The proposed innovative environmental technology which is the first of its kind is meant to gain a better understanding of pollution incidents and respond quickly to them by integrating AI and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies with traditional IWRM practices. This addresses water security in the Pra Basin, supports policy development and innovation, strengthens the goal of the government to protect water resources against pollution and contributes to the African Water Vision and the United Nations’ Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 6.

Although it is commonly agreed that prescriptive analytics can benefit organizations by enabling better decision-making, the deployment of prescriptive analytics tools can be challenging. Previous studies have primarily focused on methodological issues rather than the organizational deployment of analytics. However, successful deployment is key to achieving the intended benefits of prescriptive analytics tools. Therefore, this study aims to identify the enablers of successful deployment of prescriptive analytics.

The authors examine the enablers for the successful deployment of prescriptive analytics through five organizational case studies. To provide a comprehensive view of the deployment process, each case includes interviews with users, managers and top management.

The findings suggest the key enablers for successful analytics deployment are strong leadership and management support, sufficient resources, user participation in development and a common dialogue between users, managers and top management. However, contrary to the existing literature, the authors found little evidence of external pressures to develop and deploy analytics. Importantly, the success of deployment in each case was related to the similarity with which different actors within the organization viewed the deployment process. Furthermore, end users tended to highlight user participation, skills and training, whereas managers and top management placed greater emphasis on the importance of organizational changes.

The results will help practitioners ensure that key enablers are in place to increase the likelihood of the successful deployment of prescriptive analytics.

Typhoons, storm surges and sea-level rise pose major risks to life and livelihoods in Southeast Asia and demand state-level action. However, the prominence and frequency of these symptomatic disasters often divert attention from underlying systemic and situational issues. The purpose of this paper is a normative and conceptual one. It makes the case for a grounded and disaggregated human security approach for decoding complex relationships of risk, power, politics, inequality and mistrust that underpin problems we seek to address.

This paper’s approach situates the emergence of the human security paradigm and its connections to human development, sustainable economic growth and rights-based protections in historical context. It then draws on observations across the region over a number of years combined with a review of relevant research to detail how the vulnerability and exposure to disaster of at-risk communities extend beyond random or natural events. Having established that a focus on the immediate characteristics of disaster limits our frames of reference and the utility of subsequent responses, it proceeds to analyse the political, environmental and economic drivers amplifying exposure to disaster in Southeast Asia.

The findings reveal that the vulnerability and insecurity experienced by at-risk communities are not wholly random or exclusively the result of natural, unavoidable events. Exposure to disasters is also shaped by various situational factors, including habitat loss, dispossession, displacement, marginalisation and limited opportunities. Incorporating a more holistic human security perspective can bring into focus the less visible forces and interests that amplify vulnerability to hazard risk for affected individuals and communities in the region.

This is an original paper that underscores the conceptual and methodological importance of a grounded and disaggregated human security approach to grasp the disaster-prone territories of risk in contemporary Southeast Asia and for advancing appropriate responses.

The transition to a circular economy (CE) is a known concern in the context of the textile industry, in which business actors attempt to facilitate circular activities such as textile recycling. However, a lack of established business relationships and networks creates uncertainty for textile circulation. In such business environments, managerial decisions regarding CE may depend not only on normative behaviour but also on heuristics that guide their choices. Since business relationships for textile circularity require interactions between business actors, this study explores how managerial heuristics are shaped in the CE transition within the textile industry and their impact on actors’ interactions within business relationships and networks.

Empirically, this qualitative study is based on interviews with managers representing companies and organisations engaged in business relationships and networks aimed at a CE transition in the textile industry, as well as on publicly available secondary data.

The findings indicate that managerial decisions promoting circularity can be influenced by, besides normative information assessment, factors predominant in (1) the business and regulatory environment, (2) managers’ experience and knowledge obtained during interactions within business networks and (3) the internal strategic approaches of business organisations. This study identifies adaptation, experience, interaction and strategy heuristics that may be utilised by managers in making decisions in the context of uncertainty, such as the industrial transition to a CE.

This study expands the knowledge of heuristics applied to managerial decision making in interacting business firms and institutional organisations aiming to facilitate textile recycling and proposes a heuristics toolbox. The study provides an insight into business actors’ interactions, as well as various factors inside and outside the organisations shaping the managerial decisions. By doing this, the study adds to the literature, highlighting the importance of contextualisation and the interrelation between the individual and business environment levels in business-to-business management.