Search Results (29)

Human resource management (HRM) plays a critical role in shaping public administration by ensuring the efficiency, effectiveness, and adaptability of public institutions. In post-socialist European countries, HRM reforms have been central to broader public sector transformations aimed at increasing transparency, meritocracy, and efficiency. However, these reform processes are often hindered by institutional inertia, political influences, and resistance to change. This study examines how reform requirements and resistance to change influence the transformation of HRM practices in public administration across post-socialist European countries. Using a structured literature review approach, this study systematically analyzes peer-reviewed academic research published in quality journals indexed in the Web of Science database. A purposive and criterion-based sampling strategy was applied to select relevant studies that address HRM reforms, institutional challenges, and governance dynamics within the post-socialist context. Findings indicate that historical legacies, politicization, and institutional resistance remain significant barriers to the successful implementation of HRM reforms. This study also highlights that while legal and procedural adjustments have been made, many public administrations struggle with the practical application of reform policies due to entrenched bureaucratic cultures and limited professionalization of HRM functions. By providing a structured synthesis of existing research, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of HRM transformation in post-socialist public administrations. It also identifies areas wherein further empirical research is needed to explore potential strategies for overcoming barriers to reform. Full article

This paper puts forward a selection principle and an optimization configuration method for short-circuit current-limiting measures to address the increasingly severe short-circuit current-exceeding problem brought about by the high-speed development of large power grids. Firstly, we introduce the function principle and the advantages and disadvantages of various short-circuit current-limiting measures in the power system and give the selection conditions of generalized short-circuit current-limiting measures. Then, we adopt the hierarchical analysis method (AHP) and entropy weighting method (EWM) to evaluate the weights of the indicators of the short-circuit current level, the line-loading level, the active loss, and the economic cost; perform the selection of multiple short-circuit current-limiting schemes after the combination of the assigned weights; and describe the generalized process of engineering used to solve the problem of short-circuit currents exceeding limits. We then provide a generalized process with which to solve the short-circuit current-exceeding problem in engineering. Finally, we take the actual large-scale power grid as an example, propose multiple short-circuit current-limiting schemes for a 220 kV power grid, and carry out the selection of optimal schemes to verify the validity and reliability of the study. The results show that this process plays an important role in controlling the short-circuit current of the power system, maintaining the safe and stable operation of the power system and improving the power system’s grid structure. Full article

Previous research has shown that schools often justify student performance differences using meritocratic ideals. One potential consequence of such ideals is the legitimization of outcome inequalities across various spheres, including those traditionally associated with equality and redistribution. In this study, we argue that the promotion of meritocratic values during school age can shape students’ beliefs about meritocracy and influence their views on market-based access to health, pensions, and education. Using data from the 2017 National Study of Civic Education in Chile, which includes 5047 eighth-grade students from 231 schools, we estimated a series of multilevel models (lme4 library, R version 4.1.3) to test our hypotheses. Our findings show that a significant proportion of Chilean students agree with market justice principles—more so than adults. Most students endorse meritocratic views, particularly the notion that effort should be rewarded, which strongly correlates with market justice preferences: students who believe in meritocracy are more likely to justify inequalities based on financial capacity. At the school level, market justice preferences are higher in high-status schools but lower in schools with higher academic achievement. Furthermore, the conditional influence of meritocratic beliefs diminishes in schools with higher socioeconomic status and performance levels. These results suggest that the association between meritocratic beliefs and market justice preferences is already established at school age and is shaped by the school environment. Full article

This paper utilizes a composite counterstory to address how Latinx first-generation-to-college, low-income students describe what ‘success’ looks like within their college decision-making processes and counter traditional perspectives on what should matter as they contemplate whether and where to pursue higher education. Building upon calls within college decision-making literature that better encompass the social ecologies of marginalized students, this study centers the voices of 14 Latinx students who apply to college and, oftentimes, challenge educators and mainstream narratives about how they should select which institution to attend. What I found is that students’ decision-making processes cannot be explained through mainstream narratives such as meritocracy, undermatching theory, or the importance of school prestige; rather, these discourses, when perpetuated by educators and peers, can be incredibly discouraging and cause dissonance among students. Instead, students portray the importance of family and collective well-being when considering where to pursue college, showing the non-academic prioritizations that shape students’ perspectives on ‘success’. Overall, this study provides an essential counterstory against deficit perspectives surrounding Latinx first-generation, low-income students’ college decision-making and encourages further exploration of how government funding and initiatives can support students regardless of what institution they attend. Full article

The three-dimensional (3D) path planning problem of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) considering the effect of environmental wind in a dense city is investigated in this paper. The mission of the UAV is to fly from its initial position to its destination while ensuring safe flight. The dense obstacle avoidance and the energy consumption in 3D space need to be considered during the mission, which are often ignored in common studies. To solve these problems, an improved Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) path planning algorithm based on Double Deep Q-Network (DDQN) is proposed in this paper. Among the algorithms, the random obstacle training method is first proposed to make the algorithm consider various flight scenarios more globally and comprehensively and improve the algorithm’s robustness and adaptability. Then, the linear soft update strategy is employed to realize the smooth neural network parameter update, which enhances the stability and convergence of the training. In addition, the wind disturbances are integrated into the energy consumption model and reward function, which can effectively describe the wind disturbances during the UAV mission to achieve the minimum drag flight. To prevent the neural network from interfering with training failures, the meritocracy mechanism is proposed to enhance the algorithm’s stability. The effectiveness and applicability of the proposed method are verified through simulation analysis and comparative studies. The UAV based on this algorithm has good autonomy and adaptability, which provides a new way to solve the UAV path planning problem in dense urban scenes. Full article

This paper looks into the determinants of national innovation performance from the perspective of policy regime and establishes a theoretical model on how a country’s dual Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) policy regimes, democratic and meritocratic, and national absorptive capacity (NAC) jointly determine its national innovation performance. A democratic STI policy regime promotes innovation through channels of freedom, social equality, and public participation. A meritocratic STI policy regime promotes innovation through channels of good governance and rational policymaking. The model further proposes that the relationships between STI policy regimes and national innovation performance are moderated by potential NAC (PNAC) and realized NAC (RNAC) in opposing directions. The fixed-effects panel regression of OECD countries confirms that both democratic and meritocratic STI policy regimes have positive effects on national innovation performance. Moreover, the democratic effect is positively moderated by PNAC but negatively moderated by RNAC. In contrast, the meritocratic effect is positively moderated by RNAC but negatively moderated by PNAC. The major contribution of this paper is to highlight the importance of a country’s STI policy regimes as the bedrock and NAC as the leverage to generate more homegrown innovations. Full article

Ecological thought and practice have a longstanding presence in the Daoist tradition, yet these principles are not adequately upheld in contemporary times. This can be attributed to two primary factors: firstly, adverse environmental conditions due to economic reasons have hindered the maintenance of a viable interconnection between humans and nature. Secondly, intense competition has impeded the preservation of human-to-human interconnections. In this regard, it is inappropriate to place the blame for ecological threats solely on the Daoist cultural sphere. Prior research has predominantly focused on Daoist ecological thought, often neglecting the real problems concerning ecological responsibilities and potential solutions. To address this, two theoretical bases were proposed. First, attention was given to the Daoist concept of “connection”, which emphasizes the relationship between humans and nature, and among humans themselves. As “connection” is a universal human concept, it carries significant weight even when discussed from a Daoist perspective. Second, through a critical reflection on “the myth of meritocracy” prevalent in Western discourse and the application of a “social model of disability”, understanding and assistance from developed countries were solicited. These theoretical underpinnings form the basis for advocating improvements within the fragile ecology of the Daoist sphere. Before criticizing the Daoist cultural sphere—often perceived as a global factory—it is crucial to confront the realities faced by both developed and developing countries and the disparities between corporate headquarters and impoverished factories. This study suggests that a portion of excessive profits should be invested in ecological improvement initiatives. This would enable entities within the Daoist cultural sphere to uphold its ecological thoughts and practices independently—an ethos deeply rooted in their long-standing practice of being one with nature. This philosophy is increasingly vital given our interconnected existence on Earth. Full article

This multiple regression study investigated the relationship between the political network and the adoption of digital transformation strategy and if moderated by perceived corruption and political ideology of top managers among diverse enterprises in China. The aim of this study is to contribute to strategic management research on non-market factors of digital transformation. The instruments used for the study were political network relationships, digital transformation strategies, perceived corruption, economic conservatism, cultural conservatism, social conservatism, and meritocracy of top managers. A basic regression model is a causality test between the political network and digital transformation. In addition, moderated multiple regression analysis with factor analysis to analyze moderator variables perceived corruption and political ideology and their interaction with the political network and effect on digital transformation. The study included 214 firms as a convenience sample. Practical significance indicates that the firm with a higher level of political network relationships is more likely to conduct digital transformation and the higher level of top manager’s perceived corruption and economic conservatism mitigates the positive impact of the political network on digital transformation, while the higher level of top manager’s meritocracy tendency strengthens the positive impact of the political network on digital transformation. Full article

This paper examines the effects of transitioning from a plutocratic to a meritocratic university admission system on students and society. We develop a theoretical model to predict the socioeconomic impacts of this transition and validate our predictions using simulations and empirical data from Georgia, where education reform shifted university admissions from a plutocratic system to a meritocratic one, providing a natural experiment that enables us to validate predictions of our theoretical model. The findings demonstrate positive outcomes for individuals from low socioeconomic backgrounds, including improved educational attainment and increased labor income. Full article

The knowledge-sharing process in digital startups is under development in current discussions, even though its importance for sustainable economic growth is acknowledged. This paper analyses the connections and traits regarding how knowledge is distinguished and shared at different levels in an emerging economy. Twelve focus groups were conducted with 72 startup founders, managers, and employees, and in-depth interviews reveal that, in contrast to the results from studies about more extensive firms, individuals consider knowledge sharing based on their particular judgment of the absorptive capacity of the recipient and the perceived gains associated with the maturation of individual and organisational image and reputation. Digital cultural factors inherent in this type of enterprise, remote first, meritocracy, and online community participation, have directly influenced the adoption of digital knowledge-sharing systems. Individuals desire to share knowledge for recognition, to establish credibility, and to establish connections with investors and mentors. A communal and collaborative atmosphere can foster the exchange of information among employees, influencing the intention to share knowledge. Knowledge sharing is reinforced when employees perceive knowledge sharers as specialists. Incentives and intra-organisational reward campaigns, talent improvement programs, external training sessions, workshops, and collaborative team assessments can cultivate personal relationships. A theoretical framework has been proposed that can examine digital startups’ effectiveness on micro-level elements. In emerging economies, social rewards are personally more critical than financial achievements. Our empirical statements reinforce the arguments that the digital age, the pandemic, and the migration crisis have substantially changed most aspects of knowledge sharing. Full article

Companies and their executives are concluding that to accomplish their complex tasks and all-encompassing missions and goals, they must step outside the traditional realms of teamwork and partnership and engage in cross-cultural and multinational alliances. One of the principal areas affecting teamwork today, especially in diverse workplaces, is the variety of cultural value orientations that the members relate to. To better prepare students for joining global enterprises, it is necessary to understand their cultural orientations and how those may influence their teamwork interactions. This study used a mixed methods design to characterize computer and information technology undergraduate students’ cultural orientations and their cultural awareness in the context of teamwork experiences. The data for the study was collected in the form of a reflection assignment that was implemented during the first week of classes as a way to promote students’ cultural awareness and how that may play out in their teamwork interactions. The reflection assignment had two parts: (i) a survey and (ii) reflection questions. The study used descriptive statistics and t-tests to analyze the survey (quantitative data), and thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the reflection questions (qualitative data). Our analysis of the quantitative data revealed that students identified the following core values they are Individualism, Equality, Monochronic, Meritocracy, Informality, Personal Efficacy, and Directness, and these values resonated with most of the students in class. Corresponding qualitative themes that emerged regarding students’ beliefs of how those values may play out in their teamwork experience were (a) Treating everyone equally and understanding others, (b) Increasing temporal Awareness, (c) Enacting effective communication, (d) Monitoring the progress of team members and (e) Establishing rules and boundaries. Full article

Trends in the construction domain, educational enrollment, student graduation, student industry employment, and workforce retention demonstrate that minorities—Hispanics, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans—are often excluded, segregated, or ignored in this domain. A systematic literature review (N = 68) was conducted to investigate the causes and effects of racial disparities produced by systemic racism in the educational and workforce domains of construction. Particularly, this paper focuses on exploring how racial disparities in construction impact minorities, the current state of the racial divide, the practices that perpetuate racial inequities, and the strategies currently used to prevent, in a sustainable manner, such practices. The results of this systematic literature search revealed that exclusionary practices and ideologies cause an underrepresentation of minorities in construction that directly affects employment and industry representation in the United States. Previous studies show that systemic racism in construction has been supported by meritocracy and colorblindness ideologies, creating an unwelcoming environment where racial minorities have difficulties identifying with the construction domain. Furthermore, systemic racism affects students after graduation from construction programs, as industry trends showcase issues with minorities joining or staying in the field. Although racial disparities caused by systemic racism are an existing issue in the education and workforce domains of construction, there are a rising number of publications that strive to understand how to sustainably increase diversity, equity, and the inclusion of racial minorities. An increasing number of available tools, such as anti-bias and awareness training programs, are being used as a sustainable practice in construction education and in the construction industry to mitigate the effects of systemic racism. Ultimately, this paper’s contribution centers on describing the “who”, “how”, and “what” regarding the effect of racial disparities in the construction domain, which reduce the number of minority professionals coming into and staying in the industry. Full article

Consumers and academics alike perceive a status hierarchy among American universities. By this perception, professors are placed in the status hierarchy befitting their scholarly merit. However, a recent study of the archaeology professoriate found no consistent correlation between faculty placement and merit. This essay identifies reasons for the lack of meritocracy, some unique to archaeology and others common to many fields. Archaeology, similar to the American academy at large, ignores class as a bias that handicaps some while favoring others. Notwithstanding challenges of definition and measurement, class should be treated equally with race, gender, and other biases in an academy’s pursuit of true meritocracy. Full article

The Al-Si-Cr-Co-Ni High Entropy Alloy (HEA) with low density (about 5.4 g/cm³) and excellent performance had significant potential in the lightweight engineering material field. To further research and optimize the Al-Si-Cr-Co-Ni system HEA, the influences of element Cr on the microstructures and performances of lightweight AlSi_0.5Cr_xCo_0.2Ni (in mole ratio, x = 1.0, 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, and 1.8) HEAs were investigated. The experiment results manifested that AlSi_0.5Cr_xCo_0.2Ni HEAs were composed of A2 (Cr-rich), B2 (Ni-Al), and Cr₃Si phases, indicating that the addition of Cr did not result in the formation of a new phase. However, ample Cr increased the Cr₃Si phase composition, further ensuring the high hardness (average HV 981.2) of HEAs. Electrochemical tests demonstrated that HEAs with elevated Cr₃Si and A2 phases afforded greater corrosion resistance, and the improvement in corrosion was more pronounced when x > 1.6. This work is crucial in the development of lightweight engineering HEAs, which are of tremendous practical utility in the fields of cutting tools, hard coating, etc. Full article

The COVID crisis has disrupted routine patterns and practices across all spheres of everyday life, rupturing social relations and destabilising our capacity for building coherent selves and communities by recollecting the past and imagining potential futures. Education is a key domain in which these hopes for the future have been dashed for many young people and in which commitments to critical scholarship and pedagogies are being contested. In a world of stark socioeconomic inequality, racism, and other forms of dehumanising othering, the pandemic serves not to disrupt narratives of meritocracy and progress but to expose them as the myths they have always been. This paper will explore forms of political resistance and the (im)possibilities for experimental pedagogies in response to the broken promises and unrealised dreams of (higher) education in the context of the COVID crisis. Reflecting on my own everyday life as a scholar and educator in a South African university, and in dialogue with students’ narratives of experience, I will examine the ways in which the experience of the pandemic has released and mobilised new forms of resistance to historical institutional and pedagogical practices. However, these hopeful threads of alternative narratives are fragile, improvised in the weighty conditions of a status quo resistant to change, and in which the alienation and inequality of the terrain are being exacerbated and deepened through a proliferation of bureaucratic and technicist solutions. Full article