Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Treatment Decisions of Patients Treated by Hematologists in Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND: As on March 12, 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 as a global pandemic. Its rapid spread has posed major challenges to the management of health-care systems. Patients with hematological disorders, being immunocompromised in more ways than one, face a lot of challenges. Most of these patients require frequent visits to health-care facilities for transfusion support, infusions, surveillance, and follow-ups, which increase the risk of exposure and hence infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. AIM: We assessed the impact of the pandemic on the decisions of hematologists in Saudi Arabia. Method(s): An online survey was done through questionnaires, to understand the decisions and course of clinical treatments taken. 45 hematologist answered 20-questions structured questionnaires through online link. RESULT(S): The majority of hematologist have used virtual clinics in managing patients and have delayed or canceled well visits. Although some hematologist delayed treatment in stable patients like autologous stem cell transplantation for myeloma patients, the majority did not delay induction or consolidation therapies for patients with leukemia with curative intent plans. CONCLUSION(S): The crisis brought along with it challenges and opportunities to improve patient care through research and clinical practice. Telemedicine was sought for supporting outpatients. Malignancies were taken care of, with due precautions. Observations of decisions of hematologists resulted in the patients still being closely followed up and urgent treatments being attended to. The hematologists expressed satisfaction with the use of telemedicine. Online consultations and monitoring of patients could probably be taken as an alternative resource in such situations.Copyright © 2023 Journal of Applied Hematology Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow.

The impact of procurement digitalization on supply chain resilience: empirical evidence from Finland

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the role of procurement digitalization in reducing uncertainty in the supply chain (SC) and how it relates to mitigating SC risks and improving SC resilience (SCRES).Design/methodology/approachBased on survey data collected from the procurement functions of 147 Finnish firms, this study conceptualizes data analytics, information sharing and procurement process digitalization as drivers of procurement digitalization and investigates their impact on SC risk management and SCRES by using partial least squares path modeling.FindingsProcurement digitalization through data analytics and digital process maturity requires effective information sharing among SC partners and SC risk management to be able to improve SCRES. Procurement digitalization increases information-processing capacities and reduces uncertainty in the SC.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the understanding on the relationships between procurement digitalization and SCRES.

Higher education leadership and curricular design in industry 5.0 environment: a cursory glance

PurposeTo offer an insight into post-COVID-19 Industry 5.0 environment, educational responses that are being made by Higher Education institutions (HEIs), and leadership qualities that appear to be effective in this environment. Also, to develop a conceptual model of causal relationships between the identified constructs in producing educational curricular outcomes.Design/methodology/approachInterpretative review was conducted identifying, analyzing and synthesizing the relevant literature on the relationships between post-COVID-19 Industry 5.0 environment, HEI's leadership characteristics, their decision-making bases and curricular design outcomes.FindingsThe literature showed that in unpredictable post-COVID-19 Industry 5.0 environment, thriving HEIs are found to have leaders who are perceptive, visionary and agile with effective communication and navigation skills;embracing change culture;and able to learn from concrete experiences. Responding to the pandemic and Industry 5.0's disruptive technology, these leaders are accelerating university–industry engagement and developing more flexible, student-centered, work-based curricula. Synthesis of the literature resulted in developing a conceptual model that shows that environmental turbulence is likely to influence curriculum design through leaders' decision bases, and that leaders' characteristics and industry engagement may interact with leaders' decision bases to strengthen this influence.Originality/valueA different lens was offered of the type of leadership that is seen to be effective in the turbulent and HE post-COVID-19 Industry 5.0 environment, and a novel conceptual model of relationships was developed which has potential impacts for HE leadership theory and practice.

Resilience Regulation Strategy for Container Port Supply Chain under Disruptive Events

There are many inevitable disruptive events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters and geopolitical conflicts, during the operation of the container port supply chain (CPSC). These events bring ship delays, port congestion and turnover inefficiency. In order to enhance the resilience of the CPSC, a modified two-stage CPSC system containing a container pretreatment system (CPS) and a container handling system (CHS) is built. A two-dimensional resilience index is designed to measure its affordability and recovery. An adaptive fuzzy double-feedback adjustment (AFDA) strategy is proposed to mitigate the disruptive effects and regulate its dynamicity. The AFDA strategy consists of the first-level fuzzy logic control system and the second-level adaptive fuzzy adjustment system. Simulations show the AFDA strategy outperforms the original system, PID, and two pipelines for improved dynamic response and augmented resilience. This study effectively supports the operations manager in determining the proper control policies and resilience management with respect to indeterminate container waiting delay and allocation delay due to disruptive effects.

Crude oil, crypto-assets and dependence: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThis paper aims to empirically investigate the extent to which interdependence in markets may be driven by COVID-19 effects.Design/methodology/approachThe current global COVID-19 pandemic is adversely affecting the oil market (West Texas Intermediate) and crypto-assets markets.FindingsThe authors find that the dependence structure changes significantly after the global pandemic, providing valuable information on how the COVID-19 crisis affects interdependencies. The results also prove that the performance of digital gold seems to be better compared to stablecoin.Originality/valueThe authors fit copulas to pairs of before and after returns, analyze the observed changes in the dependence structure and discuss asymmetries on propagation of crisis. The authors also use the findings to construct portfolios possessing desirable expected behavior.

Islamic Finance an alternative mode for short term financing – working capital management

PurposeThis paper aims to review and compare the conventional and Islamic perspectives of working capital management (WCM) to devise the best option of financing for managing working capital (WC) in South Asia. The paper also aims to help the business world for running its operations more smoothly by devising an alternative source of financing especially during crises such as the global financial crisis 2008 and the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachThe divergence approach is used for a critical analysis of existing literature to derive the best possible alternative to the conventional system of financing.FindingsThis paper identifies that Islamic financing is an appropriate mode of financing as compared to conventional financing for meeting WC requirements in South Asia. Furthermore, under Islamic financing, the best available alternative way for managing WC needs is the Mudarabah Islamic mode of financing.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a theoretical paper and thus does not include empirical results.Practical implicationsThis paper provides conventional and Islamic perspectives of WCM. The Islamic banks in South Asia may devise policies to encourage and convenience firms for using Mudarabah mode for meeting their WC needs instead of conventional sources. This paper also identifies that small and medium enterprises may be targeted by Islamic banks in Asian markets for providing funds for their smooth operations especially during a financial crisis when conventional banks refuse to lend. This will help managers to run businesses more efficiently and effectively especially during any kind of financial crisis in the future.Originality/valueTo the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first study that studies the relationship between WCM and Islamic financing in comparison to conventional financing. Although prior studies identify an alternative to conventional financing as Islamic financing, no one studied while considering the WC as the main variable. This paper informs practitioners and researchers about a "state of the art” Islamic perspective of WCM.

Application of fuzzy multicriteria decision-making model in selecting pandemic hospital site

One of the most important challenges for decision-makers and investors is location selection, which may be assessed using multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) methodologies. Problems with picking a location include deciding between alternative locations, analyzing alternatives, and identifying the best location for a hospital. Because they analyze options with multiple perspectives in terms of numerous competing criteria, MCDM approaches are useful instruments for solving decision-making challenges. The fuzzy set theory (FST), which represents uncertainty in human beliefs, may be effectively used with MCDM approaches to produce more sensitive, tangible, and accurate findings in this context. A hybrid fuzzy multi-criteria decision model (FMCDM) is proposed to find the optimal location based on a combination of factors. In the first stage, the Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) is used to estimate the relative criteria classification through the evaluation process. In the second stage, the fuzzy technique of order preference using similarities to the perfect solution (FTOPSIS) is applied to rank the possible alternative sites. The findings from this study indicate that integrate FAHP and FTOPSIS is the most often used FMCDM approach in Aleppo for selecting the best location for a new hospital.

Deployment and training for end-users of a decision support system for water resources planning and operations for Greater Sydney

Management, operations, and planning in water resources management are required to respond to a multitude of challenging problems that may arise due to rapid change in climate conditions, extreme weather events, frequent and unforeseen incidents or on the other hand, long-term structured management decisions. This paper reports on deployment of a decision support system (DSS) for Greater Sydney supply systems known as the CARM Greater Sydney Project. Development and deployment of the DSS tool currently being undertaken by WaterNSW is based on integrated hydrological-hydrodynamic water quality models. The system architecture of the tool is underpinned by a set of baseline catchment models developed using eWater's Source modelling suite. Catchment modelling outputs are then fed into reservoir models as input which are housed in the AEM3D (a 3-Dimensional coupled Hydrodynamic- Aquatic Ecosystem Model) platform;providing a set of base cases to represent the fundamental catchment/lake conditions. Mike Workbench - an application developed by DHI is used as the DSS tool. Building on the baseline model, users can generate multiple scenarios with varying complexity by manipulating different parameters of the tool specific to a problem at a scale and level of complexity suited to the problem and needs of decision makers via Mike Workbench. Users can also compare the outcomes between different scenarios, facilitating the decision making for increasingly complex water resources management issues. An integral part of the project is to roll out a suit of comprehensive training on using this tool to different groups of users/stakeholders tailored by their needs and interest. The training and deployment of the new system were started during COVID shutdowns. The paper will provide an overview of the new system and how training was developed as part of the project and embedded through the deployment of the new DSS tool in a fully on-line mode. The lessons learned include providing training specific to user needs, time for practice and one on one support, but also cover planning and integration of the training throughout the project development and deployment. © Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium, HWRS 2022. All rights reserved.

A creeping crisis when an urgent crisis arises: The reprioritization of plastic pollution issues during COVID‐19

Single‐use plastics (SUPs) are increasingly polluting terrestrial, coastal, and marine habits, contributing to the creeping “plastic crisis.” The COVID‐19 pandemic provided a window of opportunity for decision makers to change the degree of urgency and responsiveness to this crisis and for policy entrepreneurs and industry who are against reducing plastic consumption to influence decision makers to change their position on various plastic‐related issues. Hygiene/health concerns have been used as a justification by governments and industry to increase the use of SUPs resulting in a reversal in, or a reprioritization of, policy decisions. Through the Multiple Streams Framework (MSF), I examine how creeping crises become secondary to urgent crises through agenda setting that is influenced and leveraged by policy entrepreneurs. I explore examples of such plastic policy decisions finding that they have been politically driven and influenced by entrepreneurs and industry rather than being primarily based on health concerns.Related ArticlesDiaz‐Kope, Luisa, and John C. Morris. 2022. “Why Collaborate? Exploring the Role of Organizational Motivations in Cross‐sector Watershed Collaboration.” Politics & Policy 50(3): 516â€"39. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12470.Gerlach, John David, Laron K. Williams, and Colleen E. Forcina. 2013. “The Science‐Natural Resource Policy Relationship: How Aspects of Diffusion Theory Explain Data Selection for Making Biodiversity Management Decisions.” Politics & Policy 41(3): 326â€"54. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12017.Neill, Katharine A., and John C. Morris. 2012. “A Tangled Web of Principals and Agents: Examining the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill through a Principalâ€"Agent Lens.” Politics & Policy 40(4): 629â€"56. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2012.00371.x.Alternate :Una crisis progresiva cuando surge una crisis urgente: La repriorización de los problemas de contaminación plástica durante el COVID‐19Los plásticos de un solo uso (SUP) están contaminando cada vez más los hábitos terrestres, costeros y marinos, lo que contribuye a la progresiva "crisis del plástico". La pandemia de COVID‐19 brindó una ventana de oportunidad para que los tomadores de decisiones cambien el grado de urgencia y capacidad de respuesta a esta crisis y para los empresarios de políticas y la industria que están en contra de reducir el consumo de plástico para influir en los tomadores de decisiones para cambiar su posición sobre varios temas relacionados con el plástico. Los gobiernos y la industria han utilizado las preocupaciones de higiene/salud como justificación para aumentar el uso de SUP, lo que ha dado lugar a una reversión o una nueva priorización de las decisiones políticas. A través del Marco de Corrientes Múltiples (MSF, por sus siglas en inglés), examinamos cómo las crisis progresivas se vuelven secundarias frente a las crisis urgentes a través del establecimiento de una agenda que es influenciada y aprovechada por los empresarios de políticas. Exploramos ejemplos de tales decisiones sobre políticas de plástico y descubrimos que han sido impulsadas políticamente e influenciadas por empresarios y la industria en lugar de basarse principalmente en preocupaciones de salud.Alternate :紧急危机发生时的慢性危机:2019å† çŠ¶ç—…æ¯'病期间塑料污æŸ"问题的优先次序调整一次性塑料(SUP)越来越多地污æŸ"陆地、沿海å'Œæµ·æ´‹çŽ¯å¢ƒï¼Œä¸ºæ…¢æ€§â€œå¡‘料危机”作贡献。2019å† çŠ¶ç—…æ¯'ç—…(COVID‐19)大流行为决策者提供了一个机会之窗，以改变对这场危机的紧迫程度å'Œå"åº”程度，并为反对减少塑料消费的政策企业家å'Œè¡Œä¸šæä¾›æœºä¼šï¼Œä»¥å½±å"å†³ç­–者改变其在不同塑料相关问题上的立场。卫生/健康问题已被政府å'Œè¡Œä¸šç”¨ä½œå¢žåŠ SUP使用的理由，从而导致政策决策发生逆转或优先次序调整。通过使用多源流框架(MSF)，我们分析了慢性危机如何在一个受政策企业家影å"å'Œåˆ©ç”¨çš„议程设置下次于 ´§æ€¥å±æœºã€‚我们探究了这类塑料政策决策的例子，发现决策的制定并非主要基于健康问题，而是受到企业家å'Œè¡Œä¸šçš„政治驱动å'Œå½±å"ã€‚

New Parking Lot Selection Approach Based on the Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) Methods: Health Criteria

To find a parking space, valet parking drivers have to travel a lot, which leads to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. In order to reduce these emissions, it is essential to understand a user's needs and criteria when searching for a parking space. Several selection criteria are considered when allocating a parking space. Recent research on parking space management mentions several parameters that have an impact on the choice of a parking space: namely, the traffic situation, the availability of each parking lot in question, and the cost of parking, etc. In this article, we discuss a new criterion: the physical condition of the driver in the management of parking spaces;the identification of the driver's bodily fragility. We also propose MCDM as a parking space allocation model that best meets the cost–benefit convention. This reflection leads us to evaluate MCDM methods in the field of intelligent parking management. Therefore, we conducted a comparison between the most recent multi-criteria decision making methods used by researchers, namely, CODA, EDAS, TOPSIS, and WASPAS. The CRITIC method was used in this paper to objectively determine the weight of each criterion. A new approach is proposed to evaluate and select the best MCDM method. Indeed, we propose a method that computes the "average inter-item correlation SW”, a combination of the "average inter-item correlation” and the SW coefficient. This approach allows us to efficiently compute the correlation between a method and the set of methods while favoring the cells with the best ranking. A case study is presented to illustrate the MCDM approach to parking space allocation and evaluation. The proposed system provides drivers with services such as intelligent parking decisions, taking into account the human aspect while reducing energy consumption, driving time, and traffic congestion caused by searching for available parking spaces.

APPLICATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR MANAGEMENT DECISION MAKING IN THE CONDITIONS OF THE INSTABILITY OF THE EXTERNAL ECONOMIC SPACE

The objective of the article lies in determining the place of information technologies in the process of making management decisions, as well as determining the current level of their implementation with the formation of forecasts for the near-term prospect. Methodology. The assessment of the level of information technology development has been carried out on the basis of Statista (2021) and Gagliodi (2020) data by applying deduction methods, graphical and comparative methods. Results. The analysis of statistical data has revealed that the growth rate of the use of information technology in management decision making has slowed down in 2020-2021. The data obtained show that the IT market is currently focused on the supply of devices and software for remote working. Services on supporting decision-making are used less often, although in the current unstable environment, they should be the ones to pull the focus of leaders onto themselves. © 2022, International Journal for Quality Research. All Rights Reserved.

Impact of operational activities on customer satisfaction in cafes and restaurants: A mediating role of infrastructural elements

After restrictions on community activities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic were lifted, numerous businesses, including restaurants and cafes, have already resumed normal operations. Competition is also unavoidable. Thus, companies should mo-tivate their managers to develop various operational strategies to increase customer satisfaction. This study aims to analyze the relationship between customer satisfaction and operational management activities, including layout, decoration, location, and cleanliness. In addition, it examines human resource management, food quality, and atmosphere as mediating variables. Data were obtained using an online questionnaire conducted between June and December 2021. A total of 1,068 clients of cafes and res-taurants were selected as the participants using purposive random sampling. Data were evaluated using variance-based structural equation modeling. The results showed that operational management activities promote cafes and restaurants (p-value = 0.000). Furthermore, this study indicates the role of infrastructure elements, specifically hu-man resource management, atmosphere, and food quality, as moderating variables on customer satisfaction (p-value = 0.000). Overall, the findings of this empirical study provide a theoretical contribution by emphasizing cafe and restaurant operational strategies that enhance customer satisfaction.

The impact of Covid-19 on management decision-making: The case within Australian organizations

The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly altered the way leaders in organizations manage their employees, requiring them to adopt a more supportive stance to facilitate employee wellbeing and at the same time maintain productivity. The pandemic has precipitated changes to how organizations manage and communicate with their staff. Because the situation has changed due to the infectious disease of COVID-19, managerial decisions are expected to change, commensurate with the situation. It is within this context that this study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Australian managers’ decision-making approaches. A qualitative method utilizing structured interviews consisting of 11 open ended questions was used to gauge the effect of the pandemic on 55 Australian public service managers. The study reveals that, because of the pandemic, new management approaches were employed and reveals insights into employees’ attitudes toward these new approaches. The research highlights how the use of multiple technological platforms have facilitated organizational communication, despite technical difficulties, to maintain at least a reasonable level of connectivity and helped to facilitate the achievement of organizational goals and objectives.

A Study of the Socio-Economic Background in the Modern Management of Cultural Services

Based on empirical research, the article aims to study the impact of new management tools on cultural services in Kazakh museums in the COVID-19 pandemic. An ecosystem development model of cultural services management in Kazakh museums was developed in the research. The model is based on the conceptual hypothesis of the development of cultural ecosystem services. According to the research carried out in 2020, 62762 tours were carried out in Kazakh museums, and 6972 lectures were presented for listeners. The total number of visitors was 2351.3 thousand people, of which children - 877.2 thousand people or 37.3%. The number of lectures, exhibitions, and tours in museums amounted to 49.8%, 49.1%, and 34.6%, respectively, in relation to 2019. Besides, the number of digitized exhibits amounted to 107.2%, in relation to 2019, and the indicators of providing museums with information and communication technologies (ICTs) also increased. This study proposes new management tools and approaches in the post-pandemic era to increase social efficiency and accessibility of cultural services provided by museums in various regions of Kazakhstan.

Multitemporal Scenic Evaluation of Urban Coastal Sites: A Peruvian Case Study

Along the coast of Peru, intensive urbanization and tourism development were related to coastal scenery deterioration. This investigation carried out a scenery evaluation of 20 urban beaches from the “Circuito de Playas de la Costa Verde” (CPCV), a key beach corridor in Lima (Peru). For this purpose, the Coastal Scenic Evaluation System (CSES) was applied in three different seasons, using fuzzy logic to reduce observer subjectivity and estimate the Evaluation index (D). A total of 26 parameters were evaluated to estimate the D value during summer 2020, winter 2020, and summer 2021, to determine the temporal variability of the landscape of an urban coastal sector, such as the CPCV. The results show that all evaluated beaches are classified as very unattractive sites (Class V). Additionally, no significant differences were found between seasons but between beaches. Litter and disturbance factors (noise) were the main human parameters that had low and variable scores during assessments and influenced the D index value estimate. This scenery assessment proposes further implementations of new beach management strategies and actions focusing on landscaping and conserving coastal ecosystems. Strengthening monitoring to reduce noise and litter disturbance and promoting environmentally friendly coastal usage are vital aspects that must be implemented.

Developing a leadership potential model for the new era of work and organizations

Purpose>Unprecedented transformations to the nature of work and organizations are compelling leadership and organization development scholars and practitioners to reexamine the relevance and utility existing models of leadership potential. While there exist several published leadership potential models, the range and intensity of environmental forces fundamentally changing the nature of work and organizations demands a revision of leadership potential. The purpose of this study is to develop a leadership potential model that reflects the current and emerging nature of work and leadership challenges while also providing organizations a practical tool for talent review processes, succession planning and leadership development practices.Design/methodology/approach>This article presents a field study consisting of semistructured interviews with 45 leaders engaged in a highly complex, volatile and uncertain industry: US healthcare.Findings>Our results illustrate a dynamic two-dimensional model of leadership potential that comprises both cognitive (analytical aptitude and learning agility) and behavioral (people savvy and leadership capability) competencies operating across micro- and macro-levels of influence.Practical implications>The article concludes with a series of recommendations for how leadership and organization development professionals, executive teams and boards may utilize the model for leader assessment and selection practices, talent review and succession planning and talent development initiatives.Originality/value>The proposed model of leadership potential offers several advancements to the field's existing theoretical frameworks. The proposed model highlights the criticality of competencies aligned with the changing nature of work, including collaboration skills, divergent thinking, environmental scanning and evaluating data in ambiguous contexts. The model diverges from the existing theory by establishing leader drive as a motivation to serve others and initiate sustainable changes in business operations.

Determinants of Iberian companies’ performance: corporate boards and the nonlinearity of gender diversity

Purpose>This paper aims to analyze the performance determinants of listed companies in the Iberian Peninsula, focusing on the analysis of the effect of gender diversity and the structure of the board of directors.Design/methodology/approach>To achieve this aim, the authors analyzed 97 listed companies, of which 23 are Portuguese and 74 are Spanish, between 2015 and 2019. The authors use Arellano and Bond’s (1991) generalized method of moments system model to test the hypotheses.Findings>The results show an important impact of corporate governance variables on corporate performance. Specifically, board size, average director age and board academic qualifications are crucial to explaining profitability and market value. Moreover, the authors identified a nonlinear relationship between gender diversity and profitability and market value levels due to critical mass theory and quotas that enhance more social justice. The authors concluded that the corporate performance determinants differ depending on the performance measures.Originality/value>To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to analyze the nonlinear effect of gender diversity and board structure (size, educational qualifications and average director age) on the performance of Iberian listed companies as a single market.

Copyright Under COVID-19 in Film and Media Studies

Film and media educators already rip short film clips for teaching purposes, a practice expressly protected in the United States under a "1201" exemption [https://www.federalre gister. gov / documents /2018/10/26/2018-23241/ exemption-to-prohibition-on-circumvention-of-copyright- protection-systems-for-access-control_t) [https://www.federalre gisten gov / documents /2018 /10/26/2018-23241/ exemption-to-prohibition-on-eireumvention-of-eopyright-protection-systems-for-access-control] у the Librarian of Congress, named for the provision of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) that permits circumvention in certain instances. For years, many scholars have looked to the statements of best practices developed by Patricia Aufderheide and the Center for Media and Social Impact [https: / /emsimpaet.org /resources/teaehing-tools /] : today, as we consider the question of whether and how to continue screening media for our online classes, including full-length films, television episodes and games, we must further develop and refine those practices.[#N1] How have faculty approached the legal issues of copyright and compliance across different national contexts? [...]a number of institutions have made the decision to digitize titles from their own media libraries and make them available to students, often limiting access to those enrolled in specific courses via the university's learning management system (LMS). In the UK and US, risk management decisions also play a part in assessing the mixed case law around whether anti-circumvention prohibitions - in the DMCA (in the US), or the Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act (CDPA) (in the UK) - prevent film faculty from otherwise permissible reliance on fair use.

Social & Solidarity Entrepreneurship What About the Responsible Finance Industry? Case of Moroccan Cooperatives

This paper aims to present Social and solidarity entrepreneurship as a credible model for the emergence of new managerial practices for the solidarity economy companies (SSE, now). This model, especially in times of crises (Covid-19 health, economic, etc.) is an "alternative" to other forms of entrepreneurship specific to the traditional economy due to their double and sometimes triple ultimate goal - achieving financial, social and environmental goals. In recent years, innovative financing mechanisms such as guarantees, impact investing, Crowdfunding and complementary currencies have emerged to address these challenges and enable SSE organizations to thrive. Our study realized in between 2018-2019, on the various initiatives and financing mechanisms with a population of 390 Moroccan cooperatives in the Agadir Souss-Massa region, underline that the financing mechanisms are diversified and presented on the one hand, a certain potential to create and preserve decent jobs, create wealth, reduce social inequalities and advance local development. On the other hand, results showed also a deficiency in the management and diversification of these modes of financing.

Benchmarking the assessment of barriers to the admission of management education in India during the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose>This paper proposes a decision-making framework for assessing various dimensions and barriers that have affected the admission process in management educational institutions during the ongoing pandemic. The framework considers the interrelationship between the obstacles and highlights the importance of each barrier.Design/methodology/approach>An integrated method based on decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory and analytical network process is proposed to structure the barrier assessment framework. Results obtained from the study are validated by comparing them against the conventional analytical hierarchy process.Findings>The results obtained from this study indicate four significant dimensions that hinder admission in Indian management institutes, namely, governmental, financial, sectoral, institutional and market. The top five barriers are demand shift towards technical (alternative) skills, acceptance of the graduated students, lack of industry–institute collaboration, lack of long-term vision and opening new Indian Institute of Technologies (IITs) and Indian Institute of Managements (IIMs).Research limitations/implications>During this ongoing pandemic, many educational institutes have been forced to shift from the traditional classroom to a virtual teaching model. In this regard, this study helps identify and assess the barriers to admission in Indian management institutes during this epidemic and thus, contribute to the literature. The findings will assist all stakeholders and policymakers of management institutions design and develop appropriate managerial strategies. The study is conducted in the Indian management educational institute context and can be extended to technical education institutions for deeper insights.Originality/value>The paper develops an assessment framework for analysing the barriers to admission in Indian management institutes during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Research implications are discussed in the context of a developing country.