Purpose - There is a knowledge gap in the literature on how firms initiate the manufacturing relocation process and how decision-makers can adopt a more proactive approach to relocation. This paper aims to address these gaps by presenting a conceptual model for the initiation of the manufacturing relocation process.

Design/methodology/approach - The conceptual model is developed by integrating literature on relocation decision-making with related topics such as operations strategies, internationalisation and sourcing decision-making.

Findings - The proposed conceptual model consists of five stages, including firms’ strategies, awareness, incubation, triggers/tipping points and initial evaluation. To show how the model could be applied in practice, we provide insight into four different pathways for initiation. Furthermore, the paper suggests an approach for practitioners on how to work proactively with the initiation, where scenario building is strongly recommended as part of this process.

Research limitations/implications - As this is a conceptual paper, its main limitation is the absence of original empirical evidence. Instead, the arguments and ideas presented are grounded in prior empirical studies identified in the literature. Another limitation concerns the availability of relevant literature, which is addressed by drawing on insights from adjacent fields. These limitations highlight the need for future research to further develop and validate the proposed conceptual model from both empirical and theoretical perspectives.

Originality/value - The proposed conceptual model makes a valuable contribution to both research and practice by establishing a foundation for understanding and advancing the topic. As the first extensive model on the initiation phase, it provides novel insights and a basis for further development. In addition, the paper outlines promising avenues for future research, particularly emphasising the need for empirical validation and continued refinement of the four pathways.

This dissertation explores the professional narrative identity work of the emerging profession of regional LGBTQ certifiers tasked with changing heteronormative norms and values within healthcare organizations. It  focuses on how these change agents  understand, negotiate and justify themselves as certain kinds of professionals. Previous research has demonstrated how the professional identity work of change agents is shaped by dilemmas, paradoxes and contradictions (Carollo & Guerci, 2017). The dilemmas appear in change agents’ negotiations of societal and organizational norms, values and interests, and in their personal values and morals regarding change and how to challenge status quo within organizations (Blanchard, 2022). 

As a continued exploration into these research areas, this dissertation builds on a focused ethnographic approach (Knoblauch, 2005) including interviews with regional LGBTQ certifiers and observations of these actors’ professional network meetings. The analysis draws on a narrative-as-practice approach (De Fina, 2020) to professional narrative identity, conceptualizing identity as emergent, situational and relational (Mishler, 1999) and focuses on identity positioning in narrative interaction (Bamberg, 2011). 

The results demonstrate how the regional LGBTQ certifiers’ professional narrative identity work is constructed from an activist professional ethos drawing on master narratives of LGBTQ rights as a battle, and on heteronormativity and neoliberalism as a threat. The certifiers make these relevant in relation to healthcare organizations and professionals who are constructed as accountable both for the certification process and for committing to the promotion of  LGBTQ rights. The results show how the certifiers engage in various educational processes aimed to ensure the commitment of healthcare organizations and professionals to the political cause of promoting LGBTQ rights. This sheds light on a moral dimension of the certifiers’ professional narrative identity work which is conducted in relation to the dilemmas of accountability and resistance appearing in the certifiers’ narration of their professional practice. Moreover, the results show how the regional LGBTQ certifiers are constructing and co-constructing their professional narrative identities drawing on a norm critical discourse offering the certifiers guidance in their moral assessments of healthcare organizations and professionals as being in need of guidance and of each other as agents of change. 

Rapporten redovisar en interventionsstudie som har undersökt hur ny belysning, ny inredning och kombinationen av dessa påverkar undervisning och lärande i två svenska högstadieskolor. Studien genomfördes i årskurs 9 inom ämnet svenska. Den bygger på en mixed methods design med elevenkäter, lärarloggar, lärarintervjuer och sensordata. Projektet genomfördes i samproduktion mellan forskare och företagen Fagerhult och Lekolar. Den övergripande frågan var hur innovativa konfigurationer av belysning och inredning kan göra lärmiljöer mer användarvänliga och mer stödjande för innovativ pedagogik. Ett särskilt fokus låg på 21st century skills, det vill säga framtidsinriktade förmågor som i rapporten sammanfattas som 4K (4C): kommunikation, samarbete, kreativitet och kritiskt tänkande.

Det centrala resultatet är att den fysiska klassrumsmiljön inte kan förstås som en neutral bakgrund till undervisningen. Den verkar snarare som en aktiv del av undervisningens villkor. Elevernas svar visar att både belysning och inredning påverkade deras upplevelse av fokus. Effekten blev särskilt tydlig när interventionerna infördes och när de drogs tillbaka. När den flexibla inredningen togs bort sjönk resultaten. När ny belysning och inredning kombinerades förbättrades resultaten igen. Kontrollgrupperna visade inte samma rörelser, vilket stärker tolkningen att förändringarna hänger samman med interventionerna.

Den nya inredningen framstår som mest direkt kopplad till undervisningens organisering, och ökade möjligheterna till grupparbete, individuellt arbete med lärarstöd, rörelse i rummet och mer varierade arbetsformer. Lärare beskrev hur det blev lättare att nå elever, sätta sig nära, skapa mindre arbetszoner och anpassa rummet efter aktivitet. Här blir kopplingen till 4C tydlig. Kommunikation och samarbete förutsätter att elever kan mötas, se varandra, samtala och arbeta tillsammans utan att rummet skapar motstånd. Kritiskt tänkande stöds när lärare kan komma nära eleverna när de för resonemang, och kreativitet gynnas när rummet erbjuder variation och valmöjligheter.

Belysningen påverkade framför allt atmosfär, ork, visuell komfort och övergångar mellan aktiviteter. Ljusmiljön blev ett pedagogiskt verktyg, men också en hygienfaktor. Den gjorde klassrummet mindre tröttande och mer uthålligt. Elevers förmåga att samarbeta, kommunicera eller tänka kritiskt på ett uthålligt sätt försämras om miljön skapar huvudvärk, trötthet eller visuell ansträngning. Belysningen är därför också en grundläggande förutsättning för de arbetsformer där 4C tränas.

En viktig implikation är att skolans fysiska miljö bör behandlas som en del av undervisningens infrastruktur. Belysning, akustik, ergonomi och rumslig flexibilitet är inte extra kvalitet. De är basala villkor för fokus, arbetsro och deltagande. När dessa villkor brister flyttas problemet lätt över på läraren. Det blir då en fråga om ledarskap, ordning eller metod, trots att rummet i sig skapar motstånd. I relation till 4C innebär detta att de styrande inte bara kan efterfråga mer kommunikation, samarbete, kreativitet och kritiskt tänkande. De måste också skapa miljöer där sådana arbetsformer stödjs.

Samtidigt visar rapporten att miljön inte automatiskt förändrar pedagogiken även om den ger möjligheter till det. När lärare får tid, stöd och möjlighet till kollegialt utbyte främjas utvecklingen av en medveten rumslig pedagogik, där flexibilitet balanseras med struktur. Klassrum får inte överlastas med elever och möbler, eftersom flexibiliteten då blir retorisk snarare än faktisk. Grupparbete, samtal, kreativt arbete och kritisk bearbetning kräver också genomtänkta uppgifter, tydliga ramaroch lärare som ser rummets möjligheter.

Den övergripande implikationen är skarp: framtida skolmiljöer bör planeras i nära anslutning till undervisningens innehåll, lärares arbete och elevers varierade behov. Design, pedagogik och organisering måste arbeta samman, så att innovation inte reduceras till enbart nytt material. Då missas rapportens viktigaste poäng. Rummet undervisar inte av sig självt, men det formar vad undervisning kan bli. När målet är att utveckla kommunikation, samarbete, kreativitet och kritiskt tänkande blir detta särskilt viktigt. Dessa förmågor är också beroende av vilka rumsliga, materiella och organisatoriska villkor skolan ger undervisningen.

Objective

High frequency/chronic migraine is a disabling pain disorder requiring both pharmacological and nonpharmacological strategies. Although multimodal behaviour approaches are increasingly used, there is limited qualitative research exploring patients′ perceived experience of participating in such interventions. We implemented a migraine patients′ school (MPS) based on the hypothesis that well-informed patients can better self-manage their migraine disorder.

Aim

This study is aimed at exploring how patients with severe migraine perceived their experiences of participating in the intervention MPS.

Methods

Patients attending the MPS at the Department of Neurology, Karolinska University Hospital, Sweden during the period 2014–2015 were invited to an interview evaluation of the programme 12 weeks after completion of the intervention. The MPS consisted of a multimodal behavioural intervention combined with migraine education and physiotherapy with applied relaxation and Basic Body Awareness Therapy (BBAT). Semistructured group interviews (three to four participants per interview group) were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using inductive content analysis to capture experiences of both the programme components and the programme as a whole.

Results

Out of 24 participants, 10 completed the MPS agreed to be interviewed. The interviews identified three subthemes and eight categories: physical aspects (body awareness, relaxation, physical activity), mental aspects (emotional balance, thought patterns, self-compassion), and interactions with family and colleagues.

Conclusions

Participants described gaining new perspectives, strategies, and a sense of hope from the MPS. This exploratory qualitative study highlights patient experiences that may guide the future development and evaluation of multimodal behavioural programmes for migraine. Such interventions may help patients handle their condition, improve their life situation and make more informed decisions regarding their migraine.

AbstractThe internationalization of business-to-business (B2B) professional services is being reshaped by generative artificial intelligence (GenAI). Despite its potential to enhance productivity and reduce export uncertainty, existing research has focused on B2C contexts, leaving a gap in understanding how B2B experts perceive and exploit this technology. This research, using a Q methodology, seeks to explore the discursive framework of experts’ mindsets regarding exploitation of GenAI to develop B2B professional services exports. Using 32 experts from five countries (Iran, United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and India), four mindsets were identified: (1) Human–GenAI Synergy, (2) Export Innovation Catalyst, (3) Facilitator of Managerial Mindset, and (4) Moral Hazard Paradox. By conceptualizing mindsets as intangible resources within the Resource-Based View (RBV) and interpreting their role through the Uppsala model, this study makes three contributions: enriching theory through discourse-based analysis of expert mindsets, extending Q methodology to B2B export research, and providing practical insights for human–GenAI collaboration, export innovation, and ethical governance. The findings indicate that successful GenAI-enabled export development depends not only on technological capabilities but also on how experts interpret, adopt, and utilize the technology. The results highlight the need to balance innovation with ethical risks to achieve export growth.

ArticleAuthorsMetricsCommentsMedia CoverageAbstract1. Introduction2. Method3. Results4. DiscussionsAcknowledgmentsReferencesReader CommentsFigures

AbstractThis longitudinal study explored the perceptions of psychosocial work factors, work-related health, and job satisfaction of 745 professional service staff, working in a higher education setting in Sweden, during the transition from full remote work to a hybrid work arrangement over 12-months. The study also explored whether these perceptions differed due to gender and household composition. The questionnaire data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models with estimated marginal means and Bonferroni-adjusted pairwise comparisons. The results showed that while overall perceptions of psychosocial work factors showed modest changes during the transition, except for social support from colleagues, which significantly increased over time. Professional service staff reported higher levels of stress and exhaustion during the transition, while job satisfaction remained unchanged. The results also highlighted significant gender differences during the transition, as women reported less favourable perceptions of psychosocial work factors and higher levels of stress, while men’s perceptions remained largely stable across these outcomes. Significant overall differences in household composition were also observed, as individuals living in single-person households and in single-parent households reported less favourable perceptions of psychosocial work factors and their work-related health compared to cohabitants and cohabitants with children, though all household groups followed similar trajectories during the transition. The findings suggest that higher education institutions should implement action plans for gender equality and family-supportive practices in hybrid work arrangements to ensure that the benefits of hybrid work are accessible to all employees.

The literature on Industry 4.0 adoption has predominantly focused on large enterprises in developed economies, with limited empirical evidence from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in developing economies, where organizational preparedness and resource constraints hinder technology incorporation. This study investigates the role of awareness, challenges, perceived benefits, and readiness in the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies and their contribution to industrial sustainability among manufacturing SMEs in Pakistan. The objectives are to assess the relative influence of these factors on adoption status and to provide strategic recommendations for enhancing sustainable production and competitiveness. A descriptive cross-sectional research design was employed, and data were collected through an online survey of 200 SME managers in the manufacturing sector. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS to examine relationships between variables. The results indicate that awareness and understanding significantly influence the adoption of Industry 4.0, whereas challenges and perceived benefits show lower direct effects on adoption. The overall regression model explains 49.1% of the variance in adoption status, highlighting awareness as the primary driver. The findings emphasize the potential of Industry 4.0 to improve operational efficiency, optimize resource utilization, and support sustainable manufacturing in SMEs. The study offers actionable insights for policymakers and stakeholders by identifying low-cost, high-impact interventions such as targeted awareness campaigns, capacity building, and institutional support systems to accelerate digital transformation in developing economies.

Background

An increasing age of the workforce necessitates a better understanding of age-related differences in emotions at work to inform age-inclusive workplace policies and practices. This review critically evaluates how age relates to emotion-regulatory strategies at work (emotional labour and emotion regulation), emotional work demands, and associated health and work outcomes.

Methods

Following PRISMA guidelines, we systematically reviewed studies examining relationships between age, emotion-regulatory strategies, emotional work demands, and health/work outcomes. A completed PRISMA 2020 checklist is provided in the Supplementary Materials. Twenty-six studies were included and synthesized narratively.

Results

Across studies, no generalisable pattern of age-related differences emerged. While several studies reported age differences in the associations between emotion-regulatory strategies and health or work outcomes, often indicating comparatively more favourable outcomes among older workers, these findings were not consistently observed across studies, with some studies reporting reversed or null effects. Moreover, studies reporting age differences varied in what aspect these differences reflected, including variation in the frequency or type of strategies used, as well as differences in how these strategies related to outcomes across age. Similarly, associations between emotional work demands and outcomes varied by age in some studies but did not follow a uniform pattern. Overall, the evidence suggests that while age-related differences in these associations are sometimes observed, they are inconsistent, not systematically associated with advantage or disadvantage for any age group, and their underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Conclusion

Age did not emerge as a robust determinant of how emotion-regulatory strategies or emotional work demands relate to health and work outcomes. The findings underscore the need for more integrative, theoretically grounded, and methodologically rigorous approaches that better account for how age, emotional work demands, regulation, and outcomes are linked, while addressing key conceptual and design challenges.

Trial registration

PROSPERO CRD42022300000, published on 10 May 2022.

Background: Temporary employment is widely used in eldercare to address staffing shortages, but heavy reliance on temporary workers may compromise continuity of care, staff workload, and quality of care. Managers are key to how staffing is organised and handled in daily practice. This study examined how managers at different organisational levels perceived the opportunities and challenges of temporary employment in municipal eldercare.

Methods: This qualitative study was based on semi-structured interviews with 16 managers across four organisational levels in Swedish municipal eldercare, including residential care homes, home care services, and higher-level management. The interview guide focused on managers' experiences of temporary employment, staffing practices, care continuity, work environment, and perceived effects on care quality. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Results: Three themes were identified. Balancing staffing on a tightrope describes managers' struggle to ensure continuity in a system that relies on short-term solutions and often prioritising shift coverage over competence. Leading with tied hands captures managers' limited control over recruitment and workforce planning, which reinforced reliance on temporary employment. From rigidity to flexibility highlights managers' suggestions for improving staffing stability. Managers across levels identified similar challenges, but their priorities differed. First-line managers focused on daily staffing, staff well-being, and quality of care, while higher-level managers emphasised long-term planning. Temporary workers helped cover staffing gaps, but also increased permanent employees' workloads and complicated workforce planning. Managers expressed frustration with centralised staffing decisions that prioritised immediate coverage over long-term stability. Temporary workers were often treated as interchangeable rather than integrated team members, reflecting systemic problems in staffing practices.

Conclusion: Temporary workers are essential for keeping eldercare services running, but over-reliance on temporary employment may reinforce reactive staffing practices, increase pressure on permanent staff, and weaken continuity. Managers suggested better onboarding, greater local hiring control, and dedicated staffing pools. Addressing these issues requires both immediate measures to integrate temporary workers into regular teams and longer-term changes in workforce planning, staffing levels, and local managerial influence.

In Swedish special service housing, support staff are expected to translate rights-based ambitions concerning autonomy and participation into everyday support. In practice, this work often involves negotiating self-determination alongside concerns about protection, routines and organisational responsibility. This study aimed to explore and describe how support staff understand and enact their role in promoting autonomy and participation. A phenomenographic design was employed. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 support staff members working in nine publicly operated special service housing settings across seven municipalities in mid-Sweden. The analysis identified three interrelated ways of understanding this role: supporting a functioning everyday life as a basis for autonomy and participation, enabling autonomy without becoming controlling and working relationally within organisational conditions. Across the categories, autonomy was described as something worked out in everyday interactions: by asking, waiting, encouraging, adapting support and responding to organisational limits. The findings indicate that autonomy-promoting support depends on staff judgement, continuity, team reflection and organisational flexibility.

Purpose: This study aims to identify, classify, and typologize the mental models of civil engineers, the diversity of their perspectives, and their intellectual structures regarding the integration of artificial intelligence in the industry.

Method: The philosophical framework of this research is based on an interpretive-positivist paradigm (Q method) and its application. The 11 participants were selected from individuals with sufficient knowledge, expertise, and experience related to the research topic, and who could provide the necessary information to achieve the study's objectives. The purpose of this sampling is to classify them and identify common mental patterns within a small and targeted group, rather than to generalize the findings to a larger population.

Findings: The results indicate that civil engineers' mental models regarding the applications of artificial intelligence are divided into three categories: hopeful-concerned, black-box thinkers, and results-oriented.

Conclusion: Analyzing the distinct thought patterns among civil engineers reveals significant heterogeneity in the acceptance of AI, highlighting the need for fundamental changes in communication strategies. The study shows that to facilitate use, key information must be delivered through tailored content. For example, for the black-box group, content should emphasize algorithmic transparency and how models work. For the hopeful-concerned group, content should reduce ethical and employment-related concerns. Meanwhile, for the results-oriented group, content should highlight economic returns and proven successes. Ultimately, this approach is essential for effective and successful integration of AI into the infrastructure industry.

Background: Physical activity (PA) has well-documented cardio-respiratory protective effects in individuals with lung diseases. Whilst most studies examining the relationship between PA, lung function and respiratory symptoms have included self-reported PA data, studies assessing PA objectively using accelerometers are scarce.

Aim: To explore the association of sedentary behavior (SED) and moderate-and-vigorous PA (MVPA), assessed using accelerometer data, with lung function and respiratory symptoms, and to compare associations in ever-smokers with never-smokers, within a large sample of middle-aged individuals.

Methods: In the population-based, cross-sectional Swedish CArdioPulmonary BioImage Study (SCAPIS), men and women aged 50 to 64 years were included. PA was assessed from triaxial hip acceleration data processed into PA intensity categories. Time spent in SED and MVPA was used. Dynamic spirometry (FEV1 and FVC) was performed post-bronchodilation and respiratory symptoms were self-reported using a questionnaire.

Results: Complete data were obtained from 25,975 individuals (52% females). Lower lung function and presence of respiratory symptoms were both associated with less MVPA, with stronger associations for lung function. An interaction between lung function and smoking status was found, so that each unit of increase in lung function was associated with a greater increase in MVPA among ever-smokers versus never-smokers.

Conclusion: Lower lung function and presence of respiratory symptoms were both associated with less MVPA in a general middle-aged Swedish population. In addition, the association between lung function and MVPA were stronger among ever-smokers. Further clinical studies are needed to clarify the role of PA in slowing lung function decline and preventing respiratory diseases.

This study presents the development of a robust RF sensing system to address design as well as measurement challenges such as operating bandwidth, gain, near field coupling, and external factors during measurement in industrial ultra-wideband (UWB) applications. The proposed system integrates UWB radio sensors, specialized dielectric loads, and a 3D-printed refractive index lens to enhance overall sensing accuracy and performance. The system was designed, manufactured, and prototyped specifically for non-destructive testing, with a focus on accurately determining the complex refractive index (n + jk) of various industrial materials. The sensors with dielectric loads were experimentally tested to examine the near field response. The lens increases the antenna gain from 3.1 to 4.8 dBi in the azimuth plane and from 2.5 to 4.3 dBi in the elevation plane, resulting in higher received signal strength and an improved signal-to-noise ratio. The system was experimentally validated using solid wood samples with moisture contents ranging from 1% to 11% over the 1.5–2.5 GHz frequency band. The enhanced antenna gain enabled more reliable complex refractive index estimation despite the increased dielectric losses associated with higher moisture content. The lens suppresses near field and coupling effects, such that unbiased values for n and k are obtained. Using the lens gives a moderate decrease in relative error, Δn/n from 0.09 to 0.08, and a significant decrease in Δk/k from 0. 18 to 0.13. Polarimetric measurements were also performed to account for the anisotropic properties of wood. The results demonstrate that the proposed sensing platform provides accurate and repeatable refractive index characterization. For parallel polarization, n ranges from 1.45 to 1.82, while k varies from 0.23 to 0.46. For perpendicular polarization, n ranges from 1.28 to 1.55, and k from 0.10 to 0.36, demonstrating the capability of the proposed system to characterize the anisotropic dielectric properties of wood. The results were further compared with previously reported far-field measurements on solid wood (same samples), where the incident EM waves are approximately planar, demonstrating good agreement and validating the proposed near-field UWB sensing approach.

The management of landfill gas (LFG) is a main issue in the final disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW), as LFG is an important source of greenhouse gas emissions. This management is more challenging in regions with developing countries, such as Latin America, where final disposal sites (FDS) lack adequate practices and infrastructure, although FDS are the main strategy of MSW management. The present study assessed the environmental and economic impact of LFG valorization in 198 sanitary landfills in Mexico, which is a developing country. The valorization scenarios included electricity generation, use as an industrial fuel, and upgrading to bio-compressed natural gas (bio-CNG). The environmental and economic impacts were evaluated for each scenario, using the single-issue method of IPCC 2021 GWP 100a and the net income, respectively. The results indicated that the use of LFG as a replacement for gasoline combined with electricity generation can mitigate up to 0.547 kg of CO2 eq per m3 of captured LFG, which presents the highest environmental gains of all scenarios assessed. The economic evaluation showed negative net income in all scenarios. Sensitivity analyzes were performed to evaluate the influence of some strategies to finance and incentive LFG energy use projects. The results showed a feed-in tariff policy of up to 80% in for the bio-CNG scenario, could more effectively secure the financial feasibility of the projects than an emissions trading system, due to the current context of energy market in Mexico. The findings suggest that Mexico and other developing countries may benefit from the diversification of the energy uses of LFG, contributing to the decarbonization of industry and transport sectors.

One of the most significant research subjects in battery thermal management is the effect of thermodynamic control on performance, reliability, and lifespan, as thermal regulation is indispensable to evade thermal runaway, capacity degradation, and premature aging, issues critically amplified in heavy-duty electric vehicles (HDEVs). This review distinguishes itself through four novel contributions: (i) an HDEV operational framework accounting for sustained high loads (1–3C), continuous 12–24 hour duty cycles, megawatt charging (350–1000+ kW), and extreme conditions (-40 °C to 55 °C); (ii) critical technology benchmarking against real-world scalability, durability, and mass constraints; (iii) identification of prioritized research gaps; and (iv) a strategic roadmap for hybrid and AI-driven architectures. Thermal management technologies are classified into five categories: liquid cooling (500–5000 W/m²·K, >50 W/cm²) offering superior performance but high mass (0.5–1.5 kg/kWh) and complexity; air cooling (10–100 W/m²·K, <5 W/cm²) providing simplicity but thermally inadequate for most HDEVs; phase change materials (100–500 W/m²·K, 5–20 W/cm²) enabling passive peak shaving but saturating during sustained operation; heat pipes (1000–5000 W/m²·K, 20–50 W/cm²) with orientation-dependent performance; and hybrid systems (1000–10,000 W/m²·K, >50 W/cm²) offering best overall performance at highest cost (1.2–1.8 × liquid cooling). Critical analysis reveals no universal solution exists, each 100 kg of cooling mass reduces annual freight revenue by $1000–3000. Six prioritized research gaps impeding deployment are identified: long-term durability data, scalable manufacturing, AI validation standards, environmental assessment, integrated optimization, and field validation. Hybrid liquid-PCM systems combined with AI-driven predictive control represent the most promising pathway. This review provides a decision-support framework for developing thermally efficient, economically viable, and sustainable BTMS solutions for next-generation heavy-duty electric fleets.