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The present paper aims to address challenges associated with path planning and obstacle avoidance in mobile robotics. It introduces a pioneering solution called the Bi-directional Adaptive Enhanced A* (BAEA*) algorithm, which uses a new bidirectional search strategy. This approach facilitates simultaneous exploration from both the starting and target nodes and improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the algorithm in navigation environments. By using the heuristic knowledge A*, the algorithm avoids unproductive blind exploration, helps to obtain more efficient data for identifying optimal solutions. The simulation results demonstrate the superior performance of the BAEA* algorithm in achieving rapid convergence towards an optimal action strategy compared to existing methods.

The paper adopts a careful design focusing on the development and evaluation of the BAEA* for mobile robot path planning, based on the reference [18]. The algorithm has remarkable adaptability to dynamically changing environments and ensures robust navigation in the context of environmental changes. Its scale further enhances its applicability in large and complex environments, which means it has flexibility for various practical applications. The rigorous evaluation of our proposed BAEA* algorithm with the Bidirectional adaptive A* (BAA*) algorithm [18] in five different environments demonstrates the superiority of the BAEA* algorithm. The BAEA* algorithm consistently outperforms BAA*, demonstrating its ability to plan shorter and more stable paths and achieve higher success rates in all environments.

The paper adopts a careful design focusing on the development and evaluation of the BAEA* for mobile robot path planning, based on the reference [18]. The algorithm has remarkable adaptability to dynamically changing environments and ensures robust navigation in the context of environmental changes. Its scale further enhances its applicability in large and complex environments, which means it has flexibility for various practical applications. The rigorous evaluation of our proposed BAEA* algorithm with the Bi-directional adaptive A* (BAA*) algorithm [18] in five different environments demonstrates the superiority of the BAEA* algorithm.

The rigorous evaluation of our proposed BAEA* algorithm with the BAA* algorithm [18] in five different environments demonstrates the superiority of the BAEA* algorithm. The BAEA* algorithm consistently outperforms BAA*, demonstrating its ability to plan shorter and more stable paths and achieve higher success rates in all environments.

The originality of this paper lies in the introduction of the bidirectional adaptive enhancing A* algorithm (BAEA*) as a novel solution for path planning for mobile robots. This algorithm is characterized by its unique characteristics that distinguish it from others in this field. First, BAEA* uses a unique bidirectional search strategy, allowing to explore the same path from both the initial node and the target node. This approach significantly improves efficiency by quickly converging to the best paths and using A* heuristic knowledge. In particular, the algorithm shows remarkable capabilities to quickly recognize shorter and more stable paths while ensuring higher success rates, which is an important feature for time-sensitive applications. In addition, BAEA* shows adaptability and robustness in dynamically changing environments, not only avoiding obstacles but also respecting various constraints, ensuring safe path selection. Its scale further increases its versatility by seamlessly applying it to extensive and complex environments, making it a versatile solution for a wide range of practical applications. The rigorous assessment against established algorithms such as BAA* consistently shows the superior performance of BAEA* in planning shorter paths, achieving higher success rates in different environments and cementing its importance in complex and challenging environments. This originality marks BAEA* as a pioneering contribution, increasing the efficiency, adaptability and applicability of mobile robot path planning methods.

In response to environmental uncertainty, organizations rely on independent, empowered teams to increase their responsiveness to change. The purpose of this paper is to analyze how objectives and key results (OKRs) can contribute to creating a shared vision which keeps the different, empowered teams aligned.

Through a qualitative study, this paper develops a conceptual model of how OKRs lead to a shared vision. The authors interview professionals in nine organizations differing in size and industry who recently introduced agile, focusing on the main hurdles encountered and benefits obtained from the methodology.

The findings confirm that OKRs are an effective goal-setting methodology and suggest that their successful implementation builds on the new ways of organizing introduced by the agile methods. Moreover, the findings suggest that OKRs contribute to developing a shared vision and increase the alignment: first, the organizational vision becomes clear and its definition is participatory; second at the team level, individuals align around a shared team vision through participative definition of objectives.

The contribution of the paper is two-fold: this study provide an overview on the methodology, which is diffused from a practice perspective, but has not yet been addressed from a theoretical point of view. And this study connects OKRs to extant theory on goal-setting and vision development. This study shows they act as a coupling mechanism which helps empowered and independent teams together.

This paper describes how a pre-service teacher’s knowledge and pedagogy changed as she documented her reflective practice while teaching arts-integrated lessons in a fifth-grade classroom during her pre-service teacher preparation program. The pre-service teacher spent three-months conducting an action research project in collaboration with a university mentor.

This paper explores what she and her mentor learned as she prepared arts-integrated lesson plans based on the four studio structures for learning and analyzed them along with identifying and documenting evidence of deep learning through field notes and video recordings.

Analysis of field notes, video recordings and lesson plans led the authors to take a deeper look at where the four studio structures for learning overlapped in the teaching event. In the data the intersections of the four studio structures shared a pattern of increased evidence of deep learning for the students. This paper describes the phenomenon in the classroom at various points of intersection.

This action research study is preliminary, and the findings are suggestive of further research that would require indexing what deep learning looks like and gathering and analyzing student data.

It is recommended that teachers use the four studio structures to integrate the arts in their classrooms and to enhance and encourage creativity, communication, critical thinking, collaboration, character and culture and as teachers work toward deep learning for students.

This case shows how a university partnership provides fertile ground for educators of all skills and experience to participate in the expansion of the field of education as well as personal and professional development.

Older people living in nursing homes have complex care needs and frequently need specialists’ advice and support that can be challenging to deliver in a rural setting. The aim of this paper is to describe a model of integrated care in a rural area supported by a nurse case manager.

A real-world evidence study of people living in Ribes de Freser nursing home, was conducted between specific timeframes in 2019 and 2022, comparing the casemix and outcomes of a traditional care model with the integrated interdisciplinary model.

The integrated care model led to a significant reduction in transfers to the emergency department, hospitalisations, outpatient medical visits and a reduction in the number of medicines. In addition, the number of residents receiving end-of-life care at the nursing home showed a substantial increase.

This case study contributes valuable evidence supporting the implementation of an integrated model of nurse case manager support in nursing homes, particularly in the rural contexts, where access to specialist medical staff may be limited. The findings highlight the potential benefits of person-centred integrated care for older adults, addressing their complex needs and improving end-of-life care in nursing home settings.

Failed deliveries (i.e. deliveries not accomplished due to the absence of customers) represent a critical issue in B2C (Business-to-consumer) e-commerce last-mile deliveries, implying high costs for e-commerce players and negatively affecting customer satisfaction. A promising option to reduce them would be scheduling deliveries based on the probability to find customers at home. This work proposes a solution based on presence data (gathered through Internet of Things [IoT] devices) to organise the delivery tours, which aims to both minimise the travelled distance and maximise the probability to find customers at home.

The adopted methodology is a multi-method approach, based on interviews with practitioners. A model is developed and applied to Milan (Italy) to compare the performance of the proposed innovative solution with traditional home deliveries (both in terms of cost and delivery success rate).

The proposed solution implies a significant reduction of missed deliveries if compared to the traditional operating mode. Accordingly, even if allocating the customers to time windows based on their availability profiles (APs) entails an increase in the total travel time, the average delivery cost per parcel decreases.

On the academic side, this work proposes and evaluates an innovative last-mile delivery (LMD) solution that exploits new AI (Artificial Intelligence)-based technological trends. On the managerial side, it proposes an efficient and effective novel option for scheduling last-mile deliveries based on the use of smart home devices, which has a significant impact in reducing costs and increasing the service level.

Current literature argues that citizen engagement platforms must be used to gather citizens’ feedback to provide improved quality of services to citizens. However, limited studies consider the challenges faced by practitioners at the local level during the incorporation of those feedback for continuous service improvement. As a result, these services fail to fulfil the need of citizens. The purpose of this study is to structure the relationship between citizens’ feedback and continuous service improvement to meet the need of citizens.

Design science research methodology has been adapted under which a case study approach has been followed to investigate one of the citizens’ engagement platforms in Ireland.

The results from this study highlighted that practitioners faced challenges (e.g. capacity, risk and constraints) in terms of fulfilling the needs of citizens and there is a lack of structured approach to continuously provide improved services to them.

This study provides a structured approach in the form of a process model to showcase how citizens’ feedback can be incorporated for continuously providing improved services to the citizens.

This research provides a prescriptive view to assist municipalities during the incorporation of citizens’ feedback for continuous service improvement while addressing the challenges they face during this process.

This paper proposes a process model based on the guidelines of the open group architecture framework enterprise architecture and the collaboration with practitioners that would assist local authorities in continuously providing improved services to the citizens.

The purpose of this study is to identify how the responsibilities and costs of planning, controlling and executing the material, resource and waste flows are shifted between actors when introducing a construction logistics setup (CLS) as a product innovation in a construction project, compared to the traditional way of organizing these activities.

This study is an analytical conceptual research study which aims to bring new insights into a problem through logical relationship building. Empirical data are gathered in two cases where CLSs are used, through observations and interviews regarding how the activities within the order-to-delivery process are performed. The results have been discussed at workshops with suppliers, installation companies, contractor firms and trade unions.

The outcome of this study is a model for illustrating how costs and responsibilities are shifted in the construction project and supply chain when a CLS is introduced. The cost shift is dependent on the activity shift that accompanies the services included in the setup.

The practical contribution of this work is twofold. First, this study provides a methodology of how to evaluate the impact of logistics services on the actors in the construction project. Second, this study shows shifts in costs and responsibilities in logistics activities with the introduction of construction logistics services.

The theoretical contributions of the model and this study lie in the inclusion of a multi-actor perspective in total cost modelling in supply chains.

This study analyzes how tech firms can implement the modern wave of subscription-based business model (SBBM), including value proposition, value creation, value capture and performance. In fact, these elements push tech firms to move from traditional to SBBMs.

To achieve the objectives of this study, we initially construct a theoretical framework for applying SBBM. Subsequently, we employ qualitative research to examine the current implementation of the subscription-based economy within tech firms.

A successful SBBM necessitates capturing value through sustainable revenue transactions and revising aspects of the value proposition, creation and capture. Continuous improvement through business value analysis is imperative. Additionally, an agile operations system is vital to address revenue complexities, enable data collection and enhance value proposition, service innovation, churn rate and customer retention, which are essential for SBBM maintenance.

This study delves into how the subscription-based economy is reshaping the business models of tech firms. Beyond exploring the theoretical foundation of this transformative path, this study offers actionable insights on enhancing the value proposition, creation, capture and business value within subscription-based economy frameworks.

Since the core issue of Chinese economics is to elucidate the logical relationship between socialism and the market economy, it necessitates a robust foundation for microeconomic analysis to uncover the behavioral patterns and characteristics of microeconomic agents in a socialist market economy and identify the conditions and methods for the functioning of market mechanisms.

The core issue of microeconomics with Chinese characteristics is to identify the economic logic of how market mechanisms play a decisive role in resource allocation under the basic socialist economic system based on China's reform.

The core issue in building the foundation of microeconomic analysis of Chinese economics is addressing the compatibility issue between SOEs and a market economy.

In the author’s view, this can be achieved under the logic of classified reform so as to build the microeconomic foundation for the effective functioning of a socialist market economy.

This study aims to present the Chinese entrepreneurial environment and explore Chinese tertiary students’ online-startup motivation on live streaming platforms. Based on the COM-B behaviour changing theory, this paper discovers various influencing factors from environmental opportunity and personal capability aspects. It analyses their effects under the cooperative system established among official departments, industries and universities. Meanwhile, considering social and cultural control, it also refers to the uncertainty-avoidance dimension from the Hofstede cultural theory and re-evaluates its influence on Chinese tertiary students’ online-startup motivation.

The authors analyse 474 responses from online questionnaires through partial least squares path modelling and variance-based structural equation modelling. The paper claims that environmental opportunity and personal capability factors positively affect students’ online-startup motivation, but uncertainty-avoidance thinking plays a negative role. The study also measures the importance-performance map analysis to explore additional findings and discuss managerial implications.

Both platform support and official department support positively impact Chinese tertiary students’ online-startup motivation and entrepreneurial skills learned from universities are beneficial for them to build online-startup confidence. Meanwhile, influenced by the cooperative system implemented among official departments, industries and universities, official department support positively affects platform support and entrepreneurial skills. Conversely, influenced by Chinese traditional Confucian culture, uncertainty-avoidance thinking negatively affects tertiary students’ online-startup motivation.

This paper demonstrates the analysis of Chinese tertiary students’ online-startup motivation drawing on the COM-B behaviour changing and Hofstede cultural theories. Specifically, this study divides influencing factors into three specific aspects as follows: environmental opportunity, personal capability and social and cultural control. Unlike existing research applying traditional research models, the combination of the COM-B behaviour changing theory and the Hofstede cultural theory could be conducive to making the research model reflect influencing factors and present their different relationships.