Ida Merete Enholm, Emmanouil Papagiannidis, Patrick Mikalef
et al.
AbstractArtificial Intelligence (AI) are a wide-ranging set of technologies that promise several advantages for organizations in terms off added business value. Over the past few years, organizations are increasingly turning to AI in order to gain business value following a deluge of data and a strong increase in computational capacity. Nevertheless, organizations are still struggling to adopt and leverage AI in their operations. The lack of a coherent understanding of how AI technologies create business value, and what type of business value is expected, therefore necessitates a holistic understanding. This study provides a systematic literature review that attempts to explain how organizations can leverage AI technologies in their operations and elucidate the value-generating mechanisms. Our analysis synthesizes the current literature and highlights: (1) the key enablers and inhibitors of AI adoption and use; (2) the typologies of AI use in the organizational setting; and (3) the first- and second-order effects of AI. The paper concludes with an identification of the gaps in the literature and develops a research agenda that identifies areas that need to be addressed by future studies.
The influence of peers could play an important role in the take up of social programs. However, estimating peer effects has proven challenging given the problems of reflection, correlated unobservables, and endogenous group membership. We overcome these identification issues in the context of paid paternity leave in Norway using a regression discontinuity design. Our approach differs from existing literature which attempts to measure peer effects by exploiting random assignment to peer groups; in contrast, we study peer effects in naturally occurring peer groups, but exploit random variation in the "price" of a social program for a subset of individuals. Fathers of children born after April 1, 1993 in Norway were eligible for one month of governmental paid paternity leave, while fathers of children born before this cutoff were not. There is a sharp increase in fathers taking paternity leave immediately after the reform, with take up rising from 3% to 35%. While this quasi-random variation changed the cost of paternity leave for some fathers and not others, it did not directly affect the cost for the father's coworkers or brothers. Therefore, any effect on the brother or the coworker can be attributed to the influence of the peer father in their network. Our key findings on peer effects are four-fold. First, we find strong evidence for substantial peer effects of program participation in both workplace and family networks. Coworkers and brothers are 11 and 15 percentage points, respectively, more likely to take paternity leave if their peer father was induced to take up leave by the reform. Second, the most likely mechanism is information transmission about costs and benefits, including increased knowledge of how an employer will react. Third, there is essential heterogeneity in the size of the peer effect depending on the strength of ties between peers, highlighting the importance of duration, intensity, and frequency of social interactions. Fourth, the estimated peer effect gets amplified over time, with each subsequent birth exhibiting a snowball effect as the original peer father's influence cascades through a firm. Our findings demonstrate that peer effects can lead to long-run equilibrium participation rates which are substantially higher than would otherwise be expected.
Abstract This study is motivated by the prospect of needing to harness significant flows of investment and finance, along with private sector commitment, towards decarbonizing passenger transport in Europe. It asks: what types of actors and stakeholder groups, business models, and resulting innovation activity systems might vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology create or accelerate? Based primarily on qualitative research interviews and focus groups in five countries—Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, and a comprehensive literature review, the study assess stakeholder perceptions of primary and secondary business models for V2G. It identifies at least twelve meaningful stakeholder types and corresponding business markets: automotive manufacturers, battery manufacturers, vehicle owners, energy suppliers, transmission and distribution system operators, fleets, aggregators, mobility-as-a-service providers, renewable electricity independent power providers, public transit operators, secondhand markets and secondary markets. These business models fall into the five clusters of equipment, grid services, aggregation, bundling, and secondary markets. We then examine how these business models differ by innovation activity systems—that is, by content, structure, and governance. We lastly translate these findings into policy recommendations of relevance for all types of countries.
The production and distribution of food are among the hot topics debated in the context of sustainable development. Short food supply chains (SFSCs) are now widely believed to be more sustainable in comparison to mass food delivery systems. To date, very little quantitative evidence exists on the impacts of various types of food supply chains. Using a cross-sectional quantitative approach, this study assesses the sustainability of distribution channels in short and long food supply chains based on 208 food producers across seven countries: France, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Poland, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam. Ten distribution channel types are used in this study. To provide a comprehensive sustainability assessment, a set of economic, social, and environmental indicators are applied. Indicators commonly used in the literature are used, supported by original indicators constructed specifically for the present study. In total, 486 chains are examined and the study confirms that individual producers participate simultaneously in several, short and long chains. Participation in SFSCs is beneficial for producers from an economic perspective. SFSCs allow producers to capture a large proportion of margin otherwise absorbed by different intermediaries. It appears, however, that ’longer’ supply channels generate lower environmental impacts per unit of production when measured in terms of food miles and carbon footprint. Finally, ambiguous results are found regarding social dimension, with significant differences across types of chains.
Abstract Due to the increasing integration of renewable forms of generation, ageing network infrastructure, and rapid increase in peak load demand, flexibility is becoming economically more viable and hence significant role player in the future power system. There is vast amount of literature on flexibility covering research, demonstration and validation activities. Nevertheless, there is still no unifying definition of the term "flexibility" and consistent characterizing terms for "flexibility resources". The lack of clarity in definitions and concepts may undermine information exchange amongst stakeholders imposing hurdles on the transition from mature technology to investment decisions and deployment. System operators, for example, require better clarity for the techno-economic evaluation of flexibility resources in their planning processes. This paper, by reviewing prominent flexibility-related publications, proposes a comprehensive flexibility definition and unified characterizing terms for flexibility resources. Furthermore, the paper proposes a taxonomy method which is applied to classify flexibility resources. The presented taxonomy method clears the confusion on "what-is-what" under the concept of flexibility. This paper also presents the benefits of unified characterizing terms in mapping flexibility resources to ancillary services. The benefits are illustrated by considering a realistic use case in a Norwegian distribution network.
Ieva Salkauskiene, Samita Wilson, May Gresdahl
et al.
This literature review evaluates extant research on children’s experiences of collaborative relationship with Norwegian child welfare and protection professionals. Sixteen qualitative research publications from January 2011 to February 2023 were analysed using thematic analysis. The review identified research gaps in understanding children’s perspectives, particularly those aged 0–12, on participation and collaboration with NCWP. This underscores the need to use direct and indirect approaches, such as interviews and observational studies, to better comprehend and support all children involved in NCWP. The findings highlight the significance of trust-building with NCWP professionals, enabling children’s participation and providing emotional support. Children stress the importance of being informed and included in child welfare and protection proceedings through dialogical communication. However, their voices are often unheard, leading to exclusion from decision-making. Additionally, contact with CWP negatively affects children’s self-perception and often causes self-blame. This article suggests that a collaborative relationship characterized by trust-building, dialogical communication, and emotional connection can address these issues.
Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology, Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
Phenolics and extracted phenolic compounds of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and Norway spruce (Picea abies) show antibacterial activity against several bacteria. The majority of phenolic compounds are stilbenes, flavonoids, proanthocyanidins, phenolic acids, and lignans that are biosynthesized in the wood through the phenylpropanoid pathway. In Scots pine (P. sylvestris), the most abundant phenolic and antibacterial compounds are pinosylvin-type stilbenes and flavonol- and dihydroflavonol-type flavonoids, such as kaempferol, quercetin, and taxifolin and their derivatives. In Norway spruce (P. abies) on the other hand, the main stilbene is resveratrol and the major flavonoids are quercetin and myricetin. In general, when the results from the literature regarding the activities of flavonoid glycosides and their aglycones against a total of twenty-one microorganisms are summarized, it was found that phenolic glycosides are less active than the corresponding aglycones, although a number of exceptions are also known. The aglycones in plants respond to various kinds of biotic stress. Synergistic effects between aglycones and their glycosides have been observed. Minimum inhibition concentrations of below 10 mg L−1 against bacteria have been reported for gallic acid, apigenin, and several methylated and acylated flavonols present in these industrially important trees. In general, the phenolic compounds are more active against Gram-positive bacteria, but apigenin is reported to exhibit strong activity against Gram-negative bacteria. The present review lists some of the biosynthesis pathways for the antibacterial phenolic metabolites found in Scots pine (P. sylvestris) and Norway spruce (P. abies). The antimicrobial activity of the compounds is collected and compared to gather information about the most effective secondary metabolites.
Abstract Background Mental health disorders are common among people in prison, but their prevalence in the Scandinavian prison population remain unclear. In this multinational register study, we examined the prevalence of mental health disorders and the comorbidity of substance use disorders (SUDs) with other mental health disorders in this population. Further, we investigated how the prevalence of mental disorders at prison entry had changed in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden over the study period. Methods The three study cohorts included all individuals, aged 19 or older, whom had been imprisoned in Norway (2010–2019), Denmark (2011–2018), and Sweden (2010–2013). Mental disorders were defined as ICD-10 diagnoses (F-codes) registered in the national patient registers. The study prevalence was estimated based on recorded diagnoses during the entire study follow-up period in each respective country. The one-year prevalence of mental disorders was estimated for each calendar year for individuals entering prison during that year. Results The Scandinavian prison cohorts included 119 507 individuals released 191 549 times during the study period. Across all three countries a high proportion of both women (61.3%-74.4%) and men (49.6%-57.9%) had at least one mental health disorder during the observation period. The most prevalent disorders were SUDs (39.1%-44.0%), depressive disorder (8.1%-17.5%), and stress related disorder (8.8%-17.1%). Women (31.8%-41.1%) had higher levels of mental health and substance use comorbidities compared to men (20.8%-27.6%). The one-year prevalence of any mental health disorder increased over time with a 33% relative increase in Norway, 8% in Denmark, and 10% in Sweden. The proportion of individuals entering prison with a comorbid SUD and other mental disorder had also increased. Conclusions While the incarceration rate has been decreasing during the past decade in the Scandinavian countries, an increasing proportion of people entering prison have a diagnosed mental health disorder. Our results suggest that prisons should provide adequate treatment and scale up services to accommodate the increasing proportion of people with complex health needs among incarcerated people.
Abstract Enhanced performance of floating PV due to water cooling is widely claimed, but poorly quantified and documented in the scientific literature. In this work, we assess the effect of water cooling for a specific technology developed by Ocean Sun AS, consisting of a floating membrane with horizontally mounted PV modules allowing for thermal contact between the modules and the water. The impact of thermal contact with water on energy yield is quantified using production data from a well-instrumented 6.48 kW installation at Skafta, Norway. In addition, we apply a thermal model that incorporates the effect of heat transport from the module to the water to estimate the module temperature. By comparing a module string in thermal contact with water with a module string with an air gap between the water and the modules, we find that the water-cooled string had on average 5–6% higher yield compared to the air-cooled string. Also, we find that the system in thermal contact with water has a U-value of approximately 70–80 W/m2K, and that it is necessary to consider the water temperature for a more accurate calculation of the module temperature.
Abstract Electric vehicles are perceived as a key alternate to internal combustion engine vehicles for a transition to a decarbonized society. However, this transition towards the electrification of transport has not made equal progress globally, and faced several impediments to consumer adoption of EVs across the Nordic region and beyond. While there has been a multitude of reasons provided in the literature, we aim to characterize the barriers that remain to electrification today, as well as their perceived interconnections and futures. To provide insight into this query, the authors conducted 227 semi-structured interviews with transportation and electricity experts from 201 institutions across seventeen cities in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. The qualitative results and consequent cluster analysis show that common barriers like range, price and charging infrastructure continue to persist, despite technological advancements over the recent years. At the same time, results also show that barriers are highly interconnected and are commonly connected to consumer knowledge and experience. The article concludes with a discussion of policy implications of the findings and potential future research.
Aims: There are signs of increased stress at work among Norwegian physicians over the last decades, not least among general practitioners (GPs). In this review, we identify trends in both occupational stress and adverse work-related predictors of such stress and burnout in Norwegian physicians. Methods: We performed an extensive literature search using MEDLINE, Embase and PsycINFO. We included prospective and repeated cross-sectional studies of work stress among Norwegian physicians published in 2007–2019. Results: Nine studies with observation periods of 1–20 years were included. Occupational stress (global measure) among all doctors decreased gradually from medical school to 20 years later. The prevalence of an effort–reward imbalance increased fourfold among GPs during the period 2010–2019. Five studies reported higher levels of occupational stress among female physicians than among their male colleagues. Work–home conflict levels increased after graduation until 10 years after leaving medical school and plateaued thereafter. Physicians who graduated in a later cohort reported lower levels of work–home conflict and less workplace violence. Work–home conflict, low colleague support, number of work hours and workload/low autonomy were all independent predictors of occupational stress. Conclusions: The reduction in occupational stress during the years after leaving medical school may result from increased competency in clinical work and decreased on-call work. The Co-ordination Act implemented in 2012 may explain the increase in occupational stress among GPs. These findings suggest that both reducing work–home conflict and increasing colleague support are important for doctors’ well-being.
Labour market stratification and discrimination of disabled people remains a less researched topic compared to other minorities despite being a notably disadvantaged group. This article explores the employer side of discrimination against disabled jobseekers by using a field experiment conducted in Norway as its point of departure. Through qualitative follow-up interviews, this article investigates employers’ assessments of equally qualified mobility-impaired candidates in a field experiment. The article employs the theoretical perspective of the ideal worker to shed light on how employers evaluate disabled jobseekers against an able-bodied ideal. Although previous literature on disability and the ideal worker has shown the imperative of asserting productivity, the findings in the current article reveal a stronger emphasis on social considerations as grounds for exclusion. The findings show how tacit constructions of the ideal worker not only relate to productivity but also to the creation of the socially integrated workplace.
Abstract This study uses proactive work behavior and job demands–resources (JD-R) theories to propose that employees can use two proactive behavioral strategies to improve the internal organizational environment, namely job crafting and playful work design (PWD). Whereas job crafting concerns the proactive adjustment of the job, PWD refers to the active creation of conditions at work that foster play. We hypothesize that individuals perform better on the days they seek job resources and challenges, or design their work to be playful. In addition, we propose that seeking job resources and reducing job demands are most effective when work pressure is high, and that seeking challenges and PWD are most effective when work pressure is low. A total of 77 Norwegian naval cadets completed a diary questionnaire for 30 consecutive days (total N = 2310). Results of multilevel modeling showed that daily seeking job resources, seeking challenges, and playful work design were each positively related to colleague-ratings of job performance. Reducing job demands was negatively related to performance. Furthermore, as hypothesized, seeking challenges and PWD were most effective when the work pressure was low. These findings contribute to the proactive work motivation and JD-R literatures by showing which work strategies are positively related to job performance, and under which conditions.
Employees’ work-related well-being has become one of the most significant interests of researchers and organizations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examines how job characteristics such as mental load and team support, and technology-related factors such as perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and technology acceptance, impact employees’ work engagement as a dimension of work well-being. Data were collected through a sample of 610 academic employees from three Norwegian universities after COVID-19 restrictions were implemented. The structural model estimation showed that mental load, perceived team support, and technology acceptance were significantly related to work engagement. It also showed that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and mental load were significantly related to technology acceptance. Furthermore, the analysis showed that technology acceptance partially mediates the relationship between job characteristics and work engagement, and fully mediates the relationship between technology-related perceptions and work engagement. Building on the technology acceptance model (TAM) and job demands-resources (JD-R) theory, this study provides insights into the effects of job-related and technology-related factors on remote workers’ well-being. By doing so, we contribute to the existing literature by demonstrating how remote working with the use of newly implemented technologies can be related to employees’ well-being during a pandemic.
BACKGROUND Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may be a risk factor for neurodevelopmental deficits and disorders, but evidence is inconsistent. OBJECTIVES We investigated whether prenatal exposure to PFAS were associated with childhood diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHODS This study was based on the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study and included n = 821 ADHD cases, n = 400 ASD cases and n = 980 controls. Diagnostic cases were identified by linkage with the Norwegian Patient Registry. In addition, we used data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. The study included the following PFAS measured in maternal plasma sampled mid-pregnancy: Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). Relationships between individual PFAS and ADHD or ASD diagnoses were examined using multivariable adjusted logistic regression models. We also tested for possible non-linear exposure-outcome associations. Further, we investigated the PFAS mixture associations with ASD and ADHD diagnoses using a quantile-based g-computation approach. RESULTS Odds of ASD was significantly elevated in PFOA quartile 2 [OR = 1.71 (95% CI: 1.20, 2.45)] compared to quartile 1, and PFOA appeared to have a non-linear, inverted U-shaped dose-response relationship with ASD. PFOA was also associated with increased odds of ADHD, mainly in quartile 2 [OR = 1.54 (95% CI: 1.16, 2.04)] compared to quartile 1, and displayed a non-linear relationship in the restricted cubic spline model. Several PFAS (PFUnDA, PFDA, and PFOS) were inversely associated with odds of ADHD and/or ASD. Some of the associations were modified by child sex and maternal education. The overall PFAS mixture was inversely associated with ASD [OR = 0.76 (95% CI: 0.64, 0.90)] as well as the carboxylate mixture [OR = 0.79 (95% CI: 0.68, 0.93)] and the sulfonate mixture [OR = 0.84 (95% CI: 0.73, 0.96)]. CONCLUSION Prenatal exposure to PFOA was associated with increased risk of ASD and ADHD in children. For some PFAS, as well as their mixtures, there were inverse associations with ASD and/or ADHD. However, the inverse associations reported herein should not be interpreted as protective effects, but rather that there could be some unresolved confounding for these relationships. The epidemiologic literature linking PFAS exposures with neurodevelopmental outcomes is still inconclusive, suggesting the need for more research to elucidate the neurotoxicological potential of PFAS during early development.