Suchergebnisse

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to develop an integrated approach to evaluating corporate foresight (CF) studies at all stages of its implementation and to test this approach using the example of a Russian state-owned corporation.


Design/methodology/approach
The use of foresight by companies as a part of their strategic activities is growing but still rather limited. To increase the effectiveness of foresight at the corporate level and ensure its justification, special approaches and criteria for its evaluation should be developed. To develop the approach to evaluation of CF which would be useful at all stages of foresight realization, at first, the authors focused the authors' attention on identification of main challenges, problem and barriers, which arise during foresight process on the one hand, and exploring success factors and lessons learnt from different case studies on the other hand. On the basis of this literature analysis, the authors have formed a long list of evaluation criteria, which reflect accumulated experience in the field and all-important aspects to make foresight project successful and effective. On the next step, the authors related these criteria with stages of foresight realization and evaluation category. For pilot testing of this methodology, the authors used a case of Russian state-owned corporation.


Findings
This paper has presented an integrated approach to the evaluation of CF projects. The logic of the evaluation process of CF at all stages of its implementation is proposed; key evaluation topics (concept, objectives, project team, design of the project, project methodology, stakeholders, implementation, resources, results and its dissemination, effects and impact and barriers) are identified, and the corresponding sets of criteria are formed.


Originality/value
The originality of the work lies in using a wide experience of national foresight studies evaluation for corporations. The suggested approach could be used as a framework for CF evaluation. It was tested on the Russian state-owned company RussX.

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to apply Foresight methodology to the area of nanotechnologies and new materials within the framework of Russian S&T Foresight 2030 aimed at revelation of major trends, most promising products and technologies.


Design/methodology/approach
To achieve this goal, best international practice was analyzed that provided a solid basis for Russian S&T Foresight 2030 (section "Nanotechnology and new materials"). The study used a wide range of advanced Foresight methods adapted to Russian circumstances. During the Foresight study, the authors integrated "market pull" and research "technology push" approaches including both traditional methods (priority-setting, roadmaps, global challenges analysis) and relatively new approaches (horizon scanning, weak signals, wild cards, etc.).


Findings
Using the methods of the Foresight, the authors identified trends with the greatest impact on the sphere of nanotechnology and new materials, promising markets, product groups and potential areas of demand for Russian innovation technologies and developments in this field. The authors assessed the state-of-the-art of the domestic research in the area of nanotechnologies and new materials to identify "white spots", as well as parity zone and leadership, which can be the basis for integration into international alliances and positioning of Russia as a center of global technological development in this field.


Originality/value
The results of applying Foresight methodology toward revelation of the most prospective S&T areas in the field of nanotechnologies and new materials can be used by a variety of stakeholders including federal and regional authorities, technology platforms and innovation and industrial clusters, leading universities and scientific organizations in formulation of their research and strategic agenda. Russian businesses including both large companies and small and medium-sized enterprises can use results of the study in creating their strategic R&D programs and finding appropriate partners.

Purpose
This paper aims to provide a detailed case study of a corporate foresight for innovation (CFI) project done by the Higher School of Economics' (HSE) (Moscow, Russia) corporate foresight (CF) unit for a large state-owned Russian service company. It demonstrates how CFI methods lead to recommendations and how these recommendations result in decisions.


Design/methodology/approach
Drawing from being part of the project team, review of the project documents and interviews, the case describes a multi-phased CFI project which incorporated several CF methods. Techniques used for the project itself included grand challenges and trend analysis, analysis of best practices through use of benchmarking and horizon scanning, interviews, expert panels, wild card and weak signals analysis, cross impact analysis, SWOT and backcasting. The project used a broad-base of secondary information, expert panels consisting of company experts and HSE CF team personnel, interviews with senior management and an extensive literature review using HSE's propriety iFORA system.


Findings
In all 17 CFI recommendation and over 100 implementation recommendations were made; 94 per cent of the CFI recommendations were accepted with most implemented at the time this case was written. The case also identifies five enabling factors that collectively both helped the CFI project and led to a high rate of recommendation acceptance and one factor that hindered CFI project success.


Practical implications
The case study provides detailed information and insight that can help others in conducting CF for innovation projects and establishes a link between CF methods and innovation-based recommendations and subsequent decisions.


Originality/value
In-depth case studies that show academe and practitioners how CFI leads to recommendations and is linked to subsequent decisions have been identified as a gap in the literature. This paper therefore seeks to address this need by presenting a detailed CF case for a corporate innovation project.

The complicated nature of organizing tenders requires creating new means and instruments which are designed to improve the choice efficiency and reduce the term of decision making.

The purpose of the article is to analyze the essential components of the image of the future of student youth — their social ideals, social expectations, moods and life planning. The authors based their conclusions on the results of an empirical study of third-year Yekaterinburg universities students enrolled in undergraduate programs (N = 2000). According to the results of the study, a reasonably close planning horizon was revealed among students. According to the students themselves, significant uncertainty and variability of the situation prevent them from planning their future for the long term. The authors see the main reasons for the student youth uncertainty in their future processes reflected in the respondents' social phobias — economic risks — fears of becoming poor or unemployed, and political ones — feelings of insecurity from discrimination for political opinion, police violence and corruption of officials. The data revealed found that the image of the social future of Yekaterinburg students has a clearly expressed conflict character: the sharpest contradiction takes place between the social ideals of youth, including the achievement of a high standard of living, economic well-being, respect for human rights, a democratic society, equality and justice, and its social expectations, which are mostly negative — among them are rising prices, inflation, declining living standards, environmental degradation, political unrest and protests, conflicts, deterioration of relations with other countries. At the same time, despite the pessimism in assessments of the probable future of Russian society, the majority of the students surveyed believe that young people have opportunities to influence the development of society and achieve changes for the better. ; Целью статьи является анализ ключевых составляющих образа будущего студенческой молодежи — ее социальных идеалов, социальных ожиданий, настроений и жизненного планирования. Выводы авторов базируются на результатах эмпирического исследования студентов третьего курса вузов Екатеринбурга, обучающихся по программам бакалавриата (N = 2 000). По результатам исследования был выявлен достаточно близкий горизонт планирования у студентов. Согласно мнению самих студентов, молодежи мешает планировать свое будущее на длительный период значительная неопределенность и изменчивость ситуации. Основными причинами неуверенности студенческой молодежи в своем будущем авторы видят процессы, отражающиеся в социальных фобиях респондентов: экономических рисках — опасениях стать бедным или безработным и политических рисках — ощущениях незащищенности от преследований за политические убеждения, произвола правоохранительных органов и произвола чиновников. Обнаружено, что образ социального будущего студентов Екатеринбурга имеет явно выраженный конфликтный характер: основное противоречие развертывается между социальными идеалами молодежи, среди которых достижение высокого жизненного уровня, экономическое благополучие, соблюдение прав человека, демократическое общество, равенство и справедливость, и ее социальными ожиданиями, которые носят, в основном, негативный характер — среди них лидируют рост цен, инфляция, снижение жизненного уровня, ухудшение экологической ситуации, политические беспорядки и протесты, конфликты, ухудшение отношений с другими странами. При этом, несмотря на пессимизм в оценках вероятного будущего российского социума, большинство опрошенных студентов считает, что у молодежи есть возможности повлиять на развитие общества и добиться изменений к лучшему.

Purpose
– Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) were designed to determine the exact location of objects on land, water and air for military purposes. With the opening of the satellite signal for civilian use, the technology created business opportunities for various applications. Today, satellite positioning technology is used by transporters, carriers, motorists, surveyors, builders, foresters, etc. through a wide array of devices like mobile phones or multimedia devices with built-in receiver modules.


Design/methodology/approach
– This paper provides the results of a recently held foresight exercise on the future development of Russia's GLONASS system.


Findings
– The foresight exercise suggested a number niche markets where the GLONASS technology could be of great use, like monitoring of buildings and construction sides or the monitoring of shipments. In addition, in the case of Russia, large-scale government-driven investment programs will be key drivers for GLONASS' growth perspectives.


Originality/value
– The paper provides a comprehensive picture of the development of GNSS for civilian use until 2020.

OBJECTIVES: Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate (SZC) is a novel, highly selective potassium binder currently approved in the United States and European Union for treatment of hyperkalemia. This pilot evaluation explored the efficacy of SZC with insulin and glucose as hyperkalemia treatment in the emergency department (ED). METHODS: This exploratory, phase II, multicenter, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study (NCT03337477) enrolled adult ED patients with blood potassium ≥ 5.8 mmol/L. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive SZC 10 g or placebo, up to three times during a 10‐hour period, with insulin and glucose. The primary efficacy outcome was the mean change in serum potassium (sK(+)) from baseline until 4 hours after start of dosing. RESULTS: Overall, 70 patients were randomized (SZC n = 33, placebo n = 37), of whom 50.0% were male. Their mean (± standard deviation [±SD]) age was 59.0 (±13.8) years and mean initial sK(+) was similar between groups (SZC 6.4 mmol/L, placebo 6.5 mmol/L). The least squares mean (±SD) sK(+) change from baseline to 4 hours was –0.41 (±0.11) mmol/L and –0.27 (±0.10) mmol/L with SZC and placebo, respectively (difference = –0.13 mmol/L, 95% confidence interval [CI] = –0.44 to 0.17). A greater reduction in mean (±SD) sK(+) from baseline occurred with SZC compared with placebo at 2 hours: –0.72 (±0.12) versus –0.36 (±0.11) mmol/L (LSM difference = –0.35 mmol/L, 95% CI = –0.68 to –0.02), respectively. A numerically lower proportion of patients in the SZC group required additional potassium‐lowering therapy due to hyperkalemia at 0 to 4 hours versus placebo (15.6% vs. 30.6%, respectively; odds ratio = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.09 to 1.77). Comparable proportions of patients experienced adverse events in both treatment groups at 0 to 24 hours. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study suggested that SZC with insulin and glucose may provide an incremental benefit in the emergency treatment of hyperkalemia over insulin and glucose alone.

The Altai tradition of manufacturing thin foliate bifacial points and ovoid bifaces demonstrates a clear connection with the culture and subsistence strategies of the most ancient Upper Palaeolithic human population of this region. Today, the issues of cultural and chronological attribution and specificity of this tool category as well as the study of its role in the economic and hunting activities of the population in general require profound studies of the primary source base and generalization of the available information based on new archaeological and natural science data. The authors attempt to systematize the collection of the Upper Paleolithic bifaces from Denisova Cave, which is the most extensive and has not yet been the subject of the special study. We identified and refitted 13 bifacial tools of varying degrees of fragmentation from collections from the Main Chamber, the South Chamber, and the Entryway zone of the cave. All products have been defined as bifacially prepared points and side-scrapers of the biconvex leaf-shaped/ovoid morphological group. The working strategy of most bifaces aimed at producing a symmetrical elongated leaf-like shape suggests that the artifacts were possibily used as points. Parallels for the large and small leaf-like forms from Denisova Cave can be found in the Initial and Early Upper Palaeolithic assemblages of the Northwestern and Central Altai. Occurence of intact ovoid bifaces in the Denisova collection was not confirmed; all the available fragments of rounded outlines correspond to the basal parts of the leaf-shaped bifaces in morphometric parameters.