Search Results (217)

Continuous transformations, which have been observed more and more in recent years, require an increase in the effectiveness of measures in the state regulation of the labour market, which is possible only with a clear understanding and realistic assessment of its condition and existing trends of changes. For this purpose, guided by the data of the Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the country’s labour market was monitored, and the key factors that played a significant role in its formation were identified. Using these factors as a basis, vector autoregression (VAR) models were built to analyse dynamic relationships between economic variables. The choice of stationary variables ensured the adequacy of the model, which was confirmed by diagnostic tests such as the ADF test, Jarque–Bera test, and Ljung–Box test. Impulse response functions (IRFs) were used to assess the effect of shocks on each variable and other system variables. All results were visualised as graphs illustrating the dynamics of the impact over ten times. The modelling results showed that the changes are interrelated: shocks to youth unemployment (YUR) have the most significant impact on the total unemployment (UR) and the unemployed population (U), while outward migration (NM) has a short-run effect mainly on the economically active population (EA). The model confirmed that the labour market is indifferent to changes in youth unemployment, a key indicator for forming an effective employment policy. The study’s practical significance lies in its potential to inform the government, international organisations, and business communities about the state of the labour market and the necessary vectors of social policy. This will ensure economic growth and improve citizens’ quality of life in light of the changing nature of the labour market. Full article

Traffic congestion is becoming an increasing problem due to the rapid growth of the population. In the current situation, the mode choice of the people has a direct impact on traffic density. For this reason, many studies have been carried out by researchers and planners to reduce the number of vehicles on the road. Various strategies have been proposed, such as incentives for public transport, parking restrictions, parking pricing and car sharing. It is very important that these strategies are implemented by the institutions in order to reduce traffic during the commuting hours, which coincide with the rush hour. Especially in areas such as shipyards and industrial zones, which are far from the city center and relatively difficult to reach but which provide employment opportunities for thousands of people, a shuttle service is one of the most preferred strategies to discourage employees from using private cars. However, in companies with thousands of employees, this situation generates costs that cannot be ignored. The examined case study similarly needs to optimize and reduce operational costs related to fuel consumption, maintenance and tax expenses by optimizing the number of two different types of service vehicles required for employee transportation at the Yalova Shipyard. For this aim, a dynamic linear programming (DLP) model was used to achieve a cost-effective, sustainable and demand-responsive shuttle service. According to the analysis results, it was concluded that the annual fuel cost of the vehicles will be reduced by 33.9%, the maintenance cost by 35.2% and the annual tax cost by 49.3% by disposing of the unneeded vehicles (27%) in the studied Yalova Shipyard. Taking all these positive improvements into account, it is clear that the optimization study significantly reduces the costs incurred by the service. Full article

The role of General Practice Pharmacists (GPPs) has expanded in response to increasing demands on primary care services, particularly in managing chronic conditions. While GPPs are recognised for their contributions to medication optimisation and patient care, challenges such as role clarity, workload pressures, and confidence in clinical decision-making remain underexplored. This study aims to investigate the tasks, professional identity, confidence levels, and challenges faced by GPPs in Northern Ireland. A mixed-methods design was employed, incorporating a questionnaire distributed to GPPs across Northern Ireland. The questionnaire comprised 20 multiple-choice questions and 5 open-ended questions, focusing on demographics, tasks, confidence levels, role clarity, and professional challenges. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative responses underwent thematic analysis using NVIVO software. A total of 44 GPPs participated, with a majority being female and aged 34–39 years. Most participants had 4–6 years of experience as GPPs. Quantitative findings revealed significant correlations between clinical confidence and factors such as years of experience, age, and employment type. Qualitative analysis revealed key themes: clinical confidence was enhanced by training and experience, but workload pressures often limited time for patient care. Variability in role integration and the lack of public awareness were highlighted as barriers to maximising the GPP role. This study highlights the key challenges of workload distribution and role ambiguity in the GPP role. Delegating administrative tasks and developing clear frameworks for role integration could address these barriers. Additionally, targeted training programs and public education campaigns are essential to enhance the impact of GPPs in primary care. Full article

Background. Breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related death among women, with genetic mutations playing a key role. While high-penetrance mutations are well-studied, moderate-to-low-penetrance mutations, which present challenges in clinical decision-making and patient outcomes, are less understood. This study explores the quality of life of breast cancer patients with moderate-penetrance mutations, focusing on the psychosocial and physical consequences of mastectomy and reconstruction to improve patient-centered care. Materials and Methods. A cohort of 620 breast cancer patients treated at Regina Maria Private Health Network, Bucharest, between January 2022 and July 2024 was identified. From this group, 61 patients were selected based on the following criteria: (1) meeting NCCN genetic testing guidelines, (2) carrying moderate-to-low-penetrance mutations, (3) undergoing bilateral mastectomy with double reconstruction, and (4) agreeing to complete a modified version of the BREAST-Q questionnaire. Genetic testing was performed using a 125-gene next-generation sequencing panel. Statistical analyses included non-parametric tests to examine group differences and correlations. Results. Significant correlations were found between several factors. Emotional distress was positively correlated with concerns for family, while couple relationships and financial burden showed a strong positive association. Negative correlations were found between couple relationships and self-concept. Distress levels varied, with “Interference with personal relationships” causing more distress than “Impact on employment”, and financial burden causing more distressing than impact on sexuality. Conclusions. Prophylactic mastectomy significantly reduces cancer risk for women with moderate-penetrance mutations. This study highlights the relationship between surgical choices and quality-of-life factors, advancing personalized prevention strategies and emphasizing patient-centered care. Full article

Background: While previous studies have shown that occupational choices are influenced by traditional gender perceptions, little is known about gender’s role in choosing self-employment among family physicians. Family medicine, with its emphasis on holistic and integrative attitudes that align with independent practice characteristics, presents a unique context for examining gender-related decisions in choosing self-employment. Objectives: To examine the role of gender in family physicians’ transition to self-employed practice, focusing on gender differences in motivations and considerations for this career choice, and to analyze how traditional gender roles manifest in professional decision-making among highly educated medical professionals. Methods: A qualitative study based on in-depth interviews was conducted with 27 self-employed family physicians in Israel who recently chose to start independent practice rather than remaining salaried physicians in Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs). Interviews were analyzed using thematic content analysis with a gender-sensitive approach. Results: Despite their advanced education and professional status, female family physicians tended to maintain traditional gender patterns in their professional choices. Women emphasized work–family flexibility as a primary consideration and expressed less confidence in financial management self-efficacy, often delegating these responsibilities to their spouses. In contrast, male family physicians displayed traditionally “feminine” characteristics in their professional approach, including emphasis on holistic care and family involvement. Male physicians also cited work–life balance and the opportunity for a more comprehensive, biopsychosocial approach to patient care as key factors in choosing family medicine and self-employment. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate the complexity of gender roles in family physicians’ professional choices, revealing both persistence of traditional gender roles among women and different patterns among men. While male physicians displayed characteristics traditionally identified as feminine, these patterns may reflect both gender role evolution and generational shifts towards work–family integration and collaborative patient care. This study highlights how gender and generational factors shape career decisions in primary care, with implications for medical education and healthcare organization policies. Full article

Background/Objectives: The global nursing shortage encompasses issues such as the uneven nurse distribution in low- and middle-income countries, nurse outflow to other countries, and nurse retirement in developed countries, necessitating effective retention strategies. Our objective was to clarify the changes in facility selection reasons among Japanese nurses after changing jobs and the personal attributes influencing facility selection. Methods: In January 2023, an online survey was conducted among licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, midwives, and public health nurses in Japan. The survey items included personal attributes (age and sex), information on ≤five employment facilities, and facility selection reasons. The variations in facility selection reasons by facility number were analyzed using a generalized linear model with a binomial distribution. A logistic regression analysis was conducted with personal attributes and reasons for workplace selection as the independent and dependent variables, respectively. Results: In total, 721 participants were included; 90.8% selected hospitals as their first place of employment. As nurses changed jobs, they increasingly selected non-hospital facilities, including nursing homes, nursery schools, and government agencies. With multiple job changes, the facility selection reasons included “good location for commuting”, “good salary”, and “convenient working style”. Among personal attributes, “age”, “sex”, “age at employment at the facility”, “educational background”, “number of children”, and “living alone” influenced workplace choice reasons. Conclusions: Considering the study results, country-specific demographic trends, medical policy changes, and nursing-shortage-related causes, medical facility managers and policymakers should devise appropriate employment conditions and develop recruitment strategies, especially for situations with severe nursing shortages. Nurses can learn from the career choices of others to manage their own careers. Full article

Under the background of global climate change and sustainable development, low-carbon transformation has become an inevitable choice for China and even global economic development. As the cornerstone of social stability and the key to people’s well-being, employment is facing profound changes brought about by low-carbon development. Based on the micro perspective of enterprise behavior change, this paper takes the implementation of China’s low-carbon city pilot policy as an exogenous policy shock and constructs a time-varying difference-in-differences (DID) model to test the impact of the low-carbon city pilot policy on enterprise employment, based on the data of China’s A-share listed enterprises from 2008–2021. The results show that the implementation of low-carbon city pilot policies significantly expands the employment scale of enterprises and increases overall employment by about 6.77%. From the perspective of employment skill structure, it can promote the employment of high-skilled and low-skilled workers. From the perspective of employment position structure, it can promote the employment of production operations personnel, technology research and development personnel, and service and management personnel. These results are still valid after a series of robustness tests. The policy effect is due to the deepening of enterprise capital integration, green investment, technological innovation and vertical specialization. In addition, it is also affected by the differences of enterprise ownership, enterprise scale, industry pollution degree, regional environmental regulation, and market competition degree. Further research shows that low-carbon city pilot policies significantly reduce the share of labor income of employees in heavily polluting enterprises, resulting in the loss of employee welfare. From the perspective of employment, this paper provides more theoretical support and empirical evidence for low-carbon policies to drive changes in micro-enterprise behavior, so as to achieve the sustainable goals of “double carbon” and “stable employment”. Full article

The construction industry faces significant challenges including a critical skill shortage and an aging workforce, threatening the industry’s productivity, resilience, and knowledge retention. To address this issue, it becomes critical to attract, hire, and retain younger generations, particularly Generation Z (Gen Z), who are projected to become a dominant workforce by 2030. To this end, this study explores the employer preferences of Gen Z students joining the USA construction industry, providing valuable insights into their priorities and expectations. The study evaluates 27 employer of choice (EOC) factors to identify key criteria influencing Gen Z’s choice of employers. Analyses were conducted across various demographic and experiential categories, including gender, racial/ethnic backgrounds, first-generation status, those with loans, family influence, prior industry experience, intimidation by macho culture, and shifts in perspectives due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings reveal that Gen Z prioritizes respect, work–life balance, and job security, and values flexibility in work schedules and hybrid work environments. The findings were also used to propose eight recommendations for employers to become EOCs. Insights from this research serve a dual purpose by offering a foundation for further academic exploration and equipping industry practitioners with the data needed to tailor their recruitment and retention strategies to Gen Z. Full article

The DECIDE project entitled “Career choices competencies for the post-pandemic future using multicriteria decision-making”, aimed to empower young individuals in their career decision-making by providing them with personalised learning sources and tools to monitor the development of essential career competencies. This paper presents the findings from evaluating two key components of the DECIDE project: an e-guide for developing career competencies and a web-based application that monitors individuals’ progress in competency development. These tools help young people identify the skills and knowledge they lack to meet the demands of employers for sustainable and innovative career paths. The e-guide was designed as a self-learning programme that guides users through interactive models focused on building the competencies required for sustainable and innovative career profiles. Pre-tests and post-tests were developed to assess the effectiveness of the e-guide and measure the participants’ competency levels before and after engaging with the learning content. The application utilises advanced algorithms and visualisation techniques to analyse pre-test and post-test data, identify competency gaps, and provide users with a clear understanding of their competency development progress and areas for further improvements. The results of the testing and user feedback indicate that the developed tools positively impacted the development of career competencies. The study reveals that the e-guide provided educational value and effectively supported self-directed learning. At the same time, the web-based application offered a valuable tool for self-assessment and identifying competency gaps in career decision-making. Full article

The extent to which fishery ecological protection policy objectives are aligned with fishermen’s preferences is central to their participation in environmental protection behavior and can enhance their utility. In this study, survey data are analyzed from 352 fishing households in Weihai City, China, using the choice experiment method and a random parameter logit model to examine the differences in the fishermen’s target preferences for fishery ecological protection measures and their behavior in terms of participation in environmental protection. The results indicate that incorporating fishery ecological policy objectives into conservation programs significantly increases the fishermen’s enthusiasm for environmental protection and their willingness to participate, reflecting their ecological and social rationality. In addition, the environmental protection behavior of fishermen is influenced by their ecological awareness of fisheries, risk perception, willingness to pay, per capita annual income, employment status, number of laborers, fishery technology training, participation in cooperatives, and education level, in addition to other important factors, including the economic conditions and social background. Therefore, designing fishery ecological protection plans that incorporate various policy objectives from which fishermen can choose provides effective decision support and practical pathways for fishery ecological protection and sustainable development. The effective alignment of policies with fishermen’s preferences can thereby enhance their participation in environmental protection. Full article

The evolving landscape of educational technology has not only affected the design of teaching learning contents but also the employment of methods of delivery. In Vietnam’s language education discipline, research indicates that the integration of educational technology has significantly expanded the range of delivery modalities available to educators. However, whether the existing modalities can effectively cater to the needs of diverse learning styles remains uncertain. To bridge the research gap, this study initially seeks to assess the effectiveness of commonly utilized delivery modalities in K-12 EFL education. Thirty volunteer EFL teachers from across Vietnam, representing the north, central, and south regions, participated in in-depth interviews. These teachers teach English at primary, secondary, and high schools. The main findings include their current ICT competence levels and preferences for instructional design regarding diverse modalities of delivery. Then, grounding on an in-depth analysis of their choices and perspectives, a trichronous model is proposed and innovated to accommodate diverse learning preferences and maximize learning potential. The research findings and proposal are significant for professional development trainers and teacher educators, providing valuable insights for decision-making regarding the increasing use of technology in current EFL research and practice. This study can contribute to shaping a forward-thinking approach to EFL education in an increasingly digitalized world by addressing challenges and identifying more practical practices in language teacher education. Full article

The development of renewable energy is an effective avenue for achieving net zero goals. It requires many energy storage systems (ESSs) for adjusting the unstable power generated by renewable energy. To date, PSH is the most technically mature, economically reasonable, and reliable ESS. Currently, various countries have developed PSH. As of 2022, the global installed capacity of PSH has reached 175,060 MW, with an annual increase of 10,300 MW. This paper addresses several technical considerations in the preliminary design of PSH systems, drawing on extensive design experience. Key factors such as the selection of dam sites, installed capacity, and characteristic water levels are thoroughly discussed. These design choices are influenced by a range of factors, including geological and topographical conditions, hydrological parameters, environmental impacts, sedimentation, submersion areas, and resettlement issues. PSH is highly effective in meeting power demands, regulating frequency and phase, serving as an emergency power reserve, and improving the power factor of electrical networks. It enhances the quality of renewable energy sources such as wind, photovoltaic, and tidal power, which are characterized by intermittent supply. Beyond its technical advantages, PSH also contributes to local employment and tourism and supports pollutant reduction efforts. Compared to other energy storage systems, PSH has a more significant environmental impact and requires a longer construction period. Thus, exploring new forms of PSH is crucial. Innovative approaches such as utilizing constructed reservoirs, lakes, seas, and abandoned pits can reduce both investment and construction time while minimizing the environmental impact. This paper aims to provide some technical references and feasible plans to governments, owners, and engineers during the planning and preliminary design stages of a PSH project. Full article

Background/Objectives: One of the most effective strategies to mitigate morbidity associated with preterm birth is the use of human milk. The first choice is the mother’s milk; if that is not available, human milk donated to milk banks is the second choice. The recruitment of milk donors is essential for enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of donation. This study aims to profile the donors of a southern Italian milk bank, examine how maternal and neonatal factors impacted the volume and duration of donation and analyze the trend over the last ten years. Materials and Methods: Data were collected from the milk bank database and hospitalization medical records, encompassing 593 donors and 13 years of activity of the Human Milk Bank from 2010 to 2022. Several variables were assessed: maternal characteristics—maternal age, employment status and the type of profession; pre and perinatal characteristics—type of delivery, parity, previous breastfeeding experience, birth weight and gestational age; milk donation characteristics—volume of milk donated and duration of donation. The trend of the characteristics was studied over time. Statistical correlations were conducted to assess the relationships between variables and the volume and duration of the milk donation. Results: In our cohort of donors, the most prevalent category consists of women over 30 years of age who are multiparous, have prior breastfeeding experience, are workers and have given birth to full-term babies. Maternal age and gestational age significantly influence both the volume and duration of milk donation. The type of delivery and occupation impact the volume of donated milk. There has been a decline in the number of donors over time. However, the trends in both the quantity and duration of milk donations have remained stable over the past decade, with the exception of the year immediately following the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: We have outlined the prevailing average profile of the milk donor to a milk bank in Southern Italy. Factors impacting the volume and duration of donation, such as maternal age, occupation, type of delivery and gestational age, were identified. The volume and duration of donations have remained largely stable, with the exception of 2021, when the pandemic significantly reduced milk donations to the milk bank. Full article

This study investigates the housing preferences and its impact on living conditions of migrant industrial workers in the fringe areas of Bengaluru, India, where rapid urbanization and economic expansion have led to a significant demand for affordable housing. Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), a multi-criteria decision-making framework, this study analyzed key factors influencing housing choices, such as proximity to the workplace, affordability, and access to essential amenities. Data were collected from 400 respondents through a combination of surveys, complimented by field observations and expert consultations. The findings indicate a strong preference for affordable housing close to employment hubs, with “proximity to workplace” emerging as the most critical criterion with a priority weight of 43.36%, followed by “affordability” with a priority weight of 12.47%. However, field insights reveal a trade-off with housing quality and living conditions. Many migrant workers are confined to overcrowded and poorly ventilated rental units, often provided by employers, which compromises their health and well-being. Our results contribute to the understanding of urban housing challenges in rapidly growing economies and emphasize the importance of sustainable, health-oriented housing policies that can mitigate environmental impacts and improve the quality of life for low-income migrant populations. Full article

As early career researchers, postdocs play an irreplaceable and crucial role in scientific research, especially in highly competitive fields. Given the importance of the postdoc community, it is essential to explore their engagement in the academic labor market. Employment in academic departments should be the ideal career choice for postdocs, but this is not always the case. In recent years, an increasing number of postdocs have chosen to leave the ivory tower, which is often the result of a dynamic integration of the work environment and individual cognition. This study is based on the public data from the “Nature 2023 Postdoc Survey” and empirically analyzes the predictive relationship between different dimensions of environmental perception and postdoc academic career choices, as well as whether there are differences in predictive relationships across various fields. Difference analysis suggested that males and those working in their native country tend to have greater satisfaction in their environment perception. Correlation analysis revealed that postdocs’ environmental perception is significantly and positively correlated with academic career choices. Regression results indicated that institutional environment, organizational environment, living environment, and support environment can all predict postdoc academic career choices, with significant disciplinary differences in these predictive effects. It is recommended that mental health, salary and benefits, job security, and professional training be focused on to improve the working environment for early career researchers. Additionally, it is necessary to increase inclusive support for vulnerable postdoc groups and enhance their expectations for academic careers. Full article