Category: Innovation

Background

Tokyo is considered to be one of the most innovative places in the world. In 2021, it managed to wrestle the title from its previous holder, Boston (SmartCitiesWorld, 2021). It was accredited for its strong application of technologies, increased digitalization of life, and its performance against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic (SmartCitiesWorld, 2021). The purpose of this paper is to analyze the literature available on Tokyos technological wonder, highlight the issues to be focused on in future research, and formulate research questions based on them.

Literature Review

Tokyos innovation efforts are largely associated with three major areas  robotics, Internet-of-Things (IoT) and med-tech. In many ways, these vectors are interconnected. For example, Tokyo saw a mass application of robots in the middle of the pandemic (Asada et al., 2021). Automated machinery is meant to assist its citizens with mobility assistance, guidance, security, and transport (Asada et al., 2021). An example of such technology would be the NewMe, developed by Avatarin Inc., which was used to allow personnel not engaged in manual labor to be distantly present at their workspaces and fulfill their duties without being put in danger.

Tokyos application of the IoT technology saw a massive boom when hosting the 2020 Olympics. Because of the massive influx of individuals not speaking Japanese, the local orientation, transport, and logistics system was promising to struggle (Kassens-Noor and Fukushige, 2018). In order to alleviate that struggle, an array of IoT was implemented, allowing individuals to navigate their roots while also observing and tracking millions of people, allowing for transportation system optimization, better resource planning, and overall improvements.

Finally, there is Tokyo Citys med-tech research and application, which became prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic. The local healthcare system was promising to be overrun by new patients, prompting for technological application across the entire system (While et al., 2021). Automated systems capable of being operated by patients helped reduce the workloads on overworked and understaffed facilities. Robots were used to take some of the less-intensive practices, and preventative surveying and care allowed for Tokyos hospitals to maintain one of the highest recovery rates in the world. These technologies were heavily-sponsored by Japans tech-giants and corporations, showing meaningful partnerships between city governments and businesses (Hansen, 2020). These advances, their sheer scale, and effectiveness won Tokyo the title of the technological capital of the world.

Main Issues of Focus

The main issues to be explored in the scope of the proposed research are as follows:

1. The first issue to be researched is that of how robotics have been applied in Tokyo, with the focus on day-to-day performance addressing the populations needs;
2. The second issue to be researched is the continuous application of the IoT in Tokyo;
3. The third issue is the advancement of med-tech to counter COVID-19 and other threats to public healthcare.

Research Questions

The research questions, based on the issues stated above, are as follows:

• What are the main areas of Tokyo life that have been roboticized and what models are the most prevalent in day-to-day lives of its citizens?
• How was IoT applied during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and how is it applied today?
• What specific medical technologies have been used to address COVID-19 and associated diseases, and how effective were they?

Answering these questions will allow to holistically analyze Tokyo as an example of a technological city and use its experience to enhance life in other places.

References

Asada, K., Komatsu, M., Shimoyama, R., Takasawa, K., Shinkai, N., Sakai, A.,& & Hamamoto, R. (2021). Application of artificial intelligence in COVID-19 diagnosis and therapeutics. Journal of Personalized Medicine, 11(9), 886-890.

Hansen, P. (2020). Tokyo listening: Sound and sense in a contemporary city. Asian Ethnology, 79(1), 191-192.

Kassens-Noor, E., & Fukushige, T. (2018). Olympic technologies: Tokyo 2020 and beyond: The urban technology metropolis. Journal of Urban Technology, 25(3), 83-104.

SmartCitiesWorld. (2021). Tokyo named most innovative city in annual ranking. Web.

While, A. H., Marvin, S., & Kovacic, M. (2021). Urban robotic experimentation: San Francisco, Tokyo and Dubai. Urban Studies, 58(4), 769-786.

Description

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), popularly known as drones, have revolutionized modern-day wars and the approach that is used to collect data, especially in locations deemed unsafe for military personnel. When a country goes to war, the primary goal, besides winning the war, is to minimize casualties to its soldiers as much as possible. With the invention of surface-to-air missiles and airborne aircraft destroyers, it is not safe to use pilots to launch attacks in territories controlled by the enemy. As such, advanced military units such as those of the United States, Russia, and some European countries rely on drones. This innovative military concept makes it possible to launch an attack and gather intelligence using smaller aircraft that cannot be easily detected and do not need pilots to fly. In this study, the focus will be on General Atomics and Northrop Grumman drones

General Atomics Drones

General Atomics, according to Scheff, is a firm that specializes in nuclear physics, often conducting research and manufacturing of military hardware and software meant for combat or intelligence gathering (45). Started in 1955 in San Diego, the firm has expanded rapidly and it is currently one of the main defense contractors not only to the United States government but also in other countries around the world. The firm is known to produce Predator drones, which are effective on battlefields. One of their drones, which has gained massive popularity is the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper shown in figure 1 below. This drone is different from its predecessors because of its capacity to carry larger weapons and to fly long distances to deliver bombs. With a 950-shaft horsepower turboprop, its speed is also impressive, especially when executing an ambush (Chandler 34). The company has other models of military drones meant for combat and intelligence gathering.

Northrop Grumman Drones

Northrop Grumman is an aerospace and defense technology firm that was founded in 1994 following Northrops acquisition of Grumman (Cortright et al. 76). The firm has achieved massive success while working closely with the United States military and THE National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Its products are classified into four categories, Aerospace Systems, Innovation Systems, Technology and Service, Mission Systems. In this paper, the focus will be on unmanned aerial vehicles used by the military forces. One of its popular drones is the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk (Faust 75). It is specifically meant for military intelligence gathering. One of the unique characteristics of this drone that sets it apart from others is its capacity to survey large areas within a short time. It is reported that RQ-4, shown in figure 2 below, can survey 40,000 square miles of terrain within a day (Masutti and Tomasello 112).

The Evolution of Military Drones

It is crucial to analyze this invention to understand its genesis and relevance in modern society. According to Grundvig, the Austrian forces developed the first concept of a military drone in 1849 when trying to take control of Venice (39). The Austrian military was keen on invading the enemy without using its soldiers. It was considered a safer way of fighting a formidable enemy. The fact that these first aerial unmanned vehicles were in the form of balloons, relied on wind speed and direction, which was its main undoing. Although the balloon carrier was not as successful as was expected, it was the beginning of the development of modern-day drones. Dayton-Wright Airplane Company was one of the earliest companies to focus on large-scale production of military drones, the aerial torpedo (Cooke 64). However, the invention was not very effective in aggressive battles, making the military jets more preferable during World War I and World War II (Kreps 28).

After the Second World War, the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) focused on the production of war-efficient drones as a way of reducing risks to their pilots. The vehicle was also more effective in spying in foreign countries or collecting intelligence within the borders. Many firms are now specializing in the production of both military and civilian drones. The underlying goal of this invention was to make it easy for the defense forces to deliver bombs without using pilots. It meant that even if the enemy shot down the drone within their territory, the explosives would go off and cause some form of damage. Modern-day drones such as the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk and General Atomic MQ-9 Reaper are highly advanced.

Background

When the United States gained independence in 1776, most of the European colonizers were keen to explore new territories while protecting the new ones. One of the territorial wars fought in Europe before the First World War was the War of Gradisca (Scheff 81). In this fight, Austrian soldiers got the support of the Spanish forces to fight Venetians who were believed to be pirates. Venetians sought the support of the Dutch and English forces to protect their territory. When the Austrians realized that their forces were outnumbered, they sought innovative ways of fighting the enemy. They realized that they could not use their soldiers to launch attacks. As such, they developed balloon carriers meant to transport explosives from their territory to the targeted locations occupied by the enemy (Chandler 42).

The condition that the Austrian soldiers faced (limited number of well-trained soldiers) meant that they could not win in a conventional war. They had to be innovative to win the war. The concept did not succeed in killing a large number of the enemy as was intended. However, it had a profound effect (Faust 36). The Austrians had demonstrated their advanced technology on the battlefield, which caused fear in the enemy camps. They won the war, and the invention was refined to what it is today. It was a clear demonstration that with advanced technology, the number of soldiers on the battlefield does not define the winner. Companies such as General Atomics and Northrop Grumman have taken this technology to the next level.

Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk was invented primarily to gather intelligence. The designers had to deliver a vehicle that could travel long distances, collect aerial data without detection, and transmit the information in real-time. In case the drone is shot down or it develops mechanical problems before traveling back to the base, the information will be available to the relevant agency. On the other hand, General Atomic MQ-9 Reaper was meant to destroy enemy establishments. Grundvig explains that it was meant to play a zero-sum game with the enemy (36). If the enemy fails to detect the plane, the bomb will be dropped on the target. In case they detect it and decide to bring it down anyway, the explosives will still go off and cause some damage.

Players

General Atomics is responsible for the production of the MQ-9 Reaper, which is specifically meant for military combat. The firm often sells these drones to the United States Department of Defense. On the other hand, Northrop Grumman is responsible for the production of RQ-4, which is meant for intelligence gathering. The United States Air Force was responsible for developing the prototype and the first drone meant for monitoring geographic information of a given area. However, USAF later handed over the project to Northrop Grumman as a way of enhancing its efficiency. Its main clients are the United States government and other selected foreign governments, especially in Western Europe. It is important to note that other businesses around the world also produce drones performing similar services even if the performance capacity may vary. Boeing Co. (BA), Lockheed Martin Corp., and Yuneec International are some of the top global players in the business of designing and manufacturing drones (Masutti and Tomasello 44). It is necessary to mention that most of these global rivals specialize in drones meant for civilian use. These drones can be used to deliver letters, small parcels, or to conduct a non-military survey.

Major Reasons Why the Innovation Has Been Successful

The innovation has been a huge success around the world, and Cooke notes that it is destined to be one of the biggest industries in the coming years (73). One of the reasons why this innovation has been successful in the military sector is that it enables the military to fight an enemy without sending troops to the hostile territory. The fact that these drones can execute an aerial attack means that a small military unit can fight a large army and realize success. The traditional approach of gathering intelligence required the physical presence of officers in the enemy territory, which exposed them to a serious threat. However, the ability to use these drones to survey the activities of the enemy in a given location makes the process of gathering intelligence simple and safe. The support from different players, especially the government of the United States, has also made it achieve success, as discussed in the section below. The continued wars in the Middle East and the emergence of organized terror groups such as ISIS and Al Qaeda have help in increasing the demand for these products.

Backing

MQ-9 Reaper and RQ-4 are some of the most advanced drones currently in use in the armed forces. The projects of developing these two drones were by each of the companies as a business venture. General Atomics as a military contractor that specializes in nuclear physics, needed to develop a drone with a high capacity and greater efficiency than those that were existing at that time. With support from the United States government, the company invested its resources into the project and developed a drone superior to those in the same category. Northrop Grumman was also interested in meeting the emerging needs in intelligence gathering.

The company funded the production of RQ-4 after acquiring it from the United States Air Force, which was responsible for the design of the project and the initial productions. Both companies also got direct support from their customers. The fact that these customers have been purchasing these drones since their inception means that the companies have the financial capacity and goodwill in the market to continue with the production. As Kreps notes, a firm can only continue with its productions if there is a market for the products (62). The demand for MQ-9 Reaper and RQ-4 is growing, which gives these firms an incentive to continue with their production.

Estimated Total Cost of the Innovation

The cost of designing and producing an unmanned aerial vehicle varies depending on its purpose, size, and any other special request that a customer may make. The unit cost of Northrop Grumman RQ-4, which also includes the cost of research, is the US $ 222.7 million. The firm has been selling these products to the United States Air Force, NATO, and NASA. Since its inception in 1998, the firm has spent over the US $ 10 billion in the production of these drones. It is important to note that RQ-4 was originally designed and produced by the United States Air Force. The cost indicated above includes what the government spent while running the project until 2014 when it was officially handed over to Northrop Grumman. The current manufacturer has met the cost of production of these drones since then. The unit cost of producing General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper is the US $ 16.9 million. From 2001 when the program was started to date, the company has spent over the US $ 11.8 billion in the construction of these drones.

Process

Innovative projects often go through various processes, from the idea stage to the final phase when the product is realized. RQ-4 was a concept that was developed by the United States Air Force. During the 1990s, the United States was involved in various wars, some of which were outside the American continent. They included the Gulf War, War in Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, and Kosovo (Scheff 78). The government was keen on avoiding a repeat of the heavy loss of lives experienced during the Vietnam War. It was necessary to conduct thorough surveillance to identify enemies strongholds and their activities before launching attacks. As such, it was necessary to develop an aerial surveillance system that did not require human piloting. They developed RQ-3 Dark Star and RQ-4 Global Hawk to help in gathering intelligence. The RQ-4 was favored over RQ-3 because it was more advanced. The Air Force continued with the production until the project was handed over to Northrop Grumman in 2014 to enhance efficiency.

During the same period discussed above, it was necessary for the United States to engage directly in these wars. However, it was necessary to reduce the number of soldiers in extremely hostile areas, and as such, MQ-9 Reaper became critical. In 2001 when the United States and allied forces declared war on Afghanistan after the Al Qaeda attack, the United States Air Force signed a deal with General Atomics for the production of Predator Bs. They were meant to facilitate the attack on the enemy without relying on pilots. It significantly reduced casualties among American soldiers in the foreign land. The drone has been disseminated to friendly forces, especially NATO member states to help in their aerial defense.

Operating Challenges and Annual Sales

General Atomics and Northrop Grumman have faced various challenges in their normal operations. Kreps explains that firms that produce military drones face similar challenges (59). One of these challenges is the possibility of these unmanned aerial vehicles landing in the hands of enemies. In the recent past, ISIS and Al Qaeda forces have been seen using sophisticated weapons meant for a friendly government. When these products are sold to corrupt or weak governments, especially those in the Middle East, criminal gangs, and terror groups can easily have access to them. The drones are meant to protect the United States and its allies. However, without proper check, enemies can use it against the country or its troops sent to fight in the foreign land. Such cases may affect the sale of these products in the global market.

It is also important to note that General Atomic MQ-9 Reaper is currently meant to launch missiles. It means that during times of peace, the demand for the product can drop significantly. A strict government policy is another issue. These firms can only sell their products to institutions approved by the government. The sensitive nature of these military drones makes it difficult for the public to know annual sales made by the companies because sometimes the information is classified. However, the continued growth of these companies shows that they are making impressive sales. The financial records provided by the companies show their overall annual performance without specifying the annual sales of the drones discussed above.

Impact

The invention of drones has transformed the modern-day battlefield and intelligence gathering. The value of this innovation has always and will remain to be efficiency and safety in military combat and intelligence gathering. It is important to ensure that the United States military and other pertinent government agencies such as the Central Investigation Agency (CIA) and Federal Investigation Bureau (FBI) have the capacity to gather critical information meant to protect the country and its allies. Using spies is still popular, but technology is proving effective in gathering facts about physical activities taking place in a given location. Without exposing intelligence agents to harm, these agencies can determine the physical plans of the enemy and the ability to strike the country using different types of weapons. Counteractive measures can then be taken within the right time to ensure that civilians and property are protected. The current value was anticipated beforehand. The desire to be invisible on the battlefield has been realized by these drones.

Future Social and Commercial Impact

Military drones will continue to have an impact on global society. From a social angle, the global society is set to enjoy peace when these drones are used constructively. Criminal activities will be monitored with ease and corrective measures taken to protect Americans. The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 caused serious social unrest in the United States, as the government could not monitor the activities of the enemy effectively despite being a neighboring country. However, these drones will solve the problem. The innovation will also have commercial implications. Currently, these firms only focus on producing drones meant for use by military forces. The impressive performance of these firms means that they are making a positive impact on the economy through the tax they pay and the employment they create in the country. They can have a great commercial impact if they can find products that can be sold to civilian institutions.

Works Cited

Chandler, Matt. Military Drones. Oxford University Press, 2017.

Cooke, Tim. A Timeline of Military Robots and Drones. Capstone Press, 2018.

Cortright, David, et al., editors. Drones and the Future of Armed Conflict: Ethical, Legal, and Strategic Implications. The University of Chicago Press, 2015.

Faust, Daniel R. Military Drones. PowerKids Press, 2016.

Grundvig, James. Dolphin Drone: A Military Thriller. Skyhorse Publishing, 2016.

Kreps, Sarah. Drones: What Everyone Needs to Know. Oxford university press, 2016.

Masutti, Anna, and Filippo Tomasello, editors. International Regulation of Non-Military Drones. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, 2018.

Scheff, Matt. Military Drones. Oxford University Press, 2019.

Technology advancements have transformed how humans work, socialize, cook, and even seek medical care. Between 1945 and 2,000, different scientists invented tools and appliances that shape the life of many people in 21^st century. One of the major discoveries is the Internet, which over 50% of the global population use on daily basis. For instance, people use the Internet to share pictures with friends over messaging applications, buying goods online, and communicating with friends who are far away in real time. The microwave is another technological innovation that makes heating food in the kitchen much easier. There are also industrial microwaves, which are widely used in various manufacturing sectors. On the same note, healthcare research specialists developed the electronic medical records (EMR) technology to track patients affairs, such as changes in health condition, treatments, and medications. The bottom line is that humankinds desire for interconnected, healthy, and luxurious lifestyle inspired the development of sophisticated innovations between 1945 and 2000 that are currently indispensable necessities in communication, cooking, and healthcare industries.

The Internet is a critical infrastructure in the modern business and communication sectors. Back in 1960s, the US initiated the development of a communication platform that the military and government agencies could use to transmit information securely. The research led to the invention of the packet-switched computer network in 1969, which later evolved into modern day internet technology (Popkova & Sergi, 2021). Some of the popular uses of the Internet include facilitating access to search engines, social media platforms, and online shopping websites. In addition, people looking for love use the Internet to search companions on dating websites. On the other hand, businesses use the Internet to engage clients directly on their social media pages and websites. Many entrepreneurs establish online businesses to access worldwide market, as well as use artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor customers activities on their websites. The information helps businesses to improve sales by providing clients with customized services or visual aids for accessing their desired products (Moruzzi, 2019). Following the broad application of the Internet in business, social interaction, and e-commerce, the usage of the technology will keep growing in the next two decades.

Microwaves are devices that produce electromagnetic waves used in a various modern industries. In 1941, Percy LeBaron Spencer discovered that the magnetrons he was testing for making aircraft radar emitted heated that could be tapped for cooking and industrial application. Spencer filed a patent for the microwave technology in 1945, and proceeded to manufacture the first prototype in 1947 (Ross, 2017). Presently, microwave technology is used in a broad range of industries such as communications, remote sensing, biomedical, and navigation. Ross (2017) asserts that microwave heating is one of the most popular cooking appliances in the US. Over 90% of American households own consumer microwave ovens used to defrost frozen foods, boil water, and heat food. The appliances make cooking easier, and allow more downtime for engaging in other activities. Besides, there are thousands of cookbooks with recipes one can prepare using microwaves (Ross, 2017). Considering the widespread use of the microwaves in domestic and industrial sectors, the popularity of microwave ovens will keep growing in the next two decades.

Automating the health records is critical in the modern world to keep pace with the complicated healthcare systems. Traditionally, physicians stored medical records on paper files, which were marked with unique information such as social security number and the surname of clients. Unfortunately, the system was inefficient because doctors could hardly share diagnoses of their patients with other medical experts. For that reason, medical accidents were rampant before the automation of health records because physicians frequently prescribed unsuitable drugs, or even misdiagnosed clients. In the 1960s, Larry Weed invented the idea of collecting and recording patients data electronically. Recently, EMR has evolved into EHR, which is a comprehensive healthcare information database shared among healthcare providers worldwide  a client moves with previous diagnosis and treatment history to nursing homes, specialists, and hospitals (Benedictis et al., 2020). Therefore, EMR technology usage will continue growing in the next 20 years since it improves treatment accuracy while reducing healthcare expenses because doctors will not need to repeat screen tests that a client had already taken previously.

Overall, humans frequently improve the internet, microwave, and EMR technology applications to attain healthy, luxurious, and interconnected lifestyle associated with the advancement of technological innovations invented in the twentieth century. The Internet is a disruptive technology with a broad range of applications ranging from communication, social interactions, to running e-commerce. Other critical internet applications that will increase the Internet usage in the next couple of decades include online banking and schooling. In the year 2020, many schools turned to online education in the height of international lockdown instigated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, microwaves have redefined modern kitchens, as they offer fast and convenient means of cooking. The appliance is handy in the age of refrigerated food because people can defrost food in minutes. Lastly, the EMR has taken the center stage in improving healthcare data by providing physicians with a shared database of patients health information. Therefore, the application of the technology will grow steadily in the future.

References

Benedictis, A., Lettieri, E., Gastaldi, L., Masella, C., Urgu, A., &Tartaglini, D. (2020) Electronic Medical Records implementation in hospital: An empirical investigation of individual and organizational determinants. PLoS ONE, 15(6): e0234108. Web.

Moruzzi, M. (2019). The Internet ideology: From A as in advertising to Z as in zipcar. Massimo

Popkova, E. G., &Sergi, B. S. (2021). Smart technologies for society, state and economy.Springer.

Ross, R. (2017). Who invented the microwave oven? Live Science. Web.

Social Innovation (SIs) can be portrayed as exercises, perspectives, and working approaches that help add to social change. They will be utilized such that colonial government assistance, equity, consideration, and contribution to ecological issues would be equivalent or significant to focus on benefits (Alao et al., 2017). Digital Social Innovation can hence be characterized as priorities that utilize, create, or depend on advanced advances to address social and ecological issues. They incorporate a general gathering of advanced stages that work with shared associations and the assembly of individuals to settle social and natural problems. This paper will discuss a top to bottom examination of the significance of digital innovation and its relations to social development.

Digital social innovation empowers organizations, NGOs, government offices, and social business visionaries to use advanced innovations to create positive social effects (Bhatt et al., 2021). These elements can work together utilizing cutting-edge advances to co-make information and answers to talk about the broad scope of social requirements in burdened and minimized bunches at a level that was incredible before the ascent of web empowered advances.

As of late, digital innovations have tested all parts of fashionable plans of action, upsetting, changing, and supplanting them with new designs routinely (Qureshi et al., 2021). The changes have appeared in more ways than one. Innovation clever organizations have constructed stages or utilities taking advantage of web-based foundations to expand the speed of advancement. These computerized developments prompted a change in perspective in how innovation is utilized to create esteem as represented by the shared economy, cooperative utilization gig work and publicly supporting (Liu et al., 2020).

Cultural results of advanced developments are, best case scenario, blended, as featured in protection and security concerns, reconnaissance, abusive and dishonest results of calculations separation, and double-dealing in sharing economy stages.

Contrasted with business utilization of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs), the computerized change in the communal position has been less sensational, particularly in utilizing innovation to take care of underhanded social issues. Thus, even though there is the probability for utilizing the arising ICTs to resolve social issues, that possibility remains significantly unfulfilled, amounting to opportunities that create social values through digital social innovation.

Social qualities structure the essence of the UNs sustainable development goals that focus on a calm and prosperous presence for everybody in the general public. Notwithstanding, social issues depicted as a feature of the UNs sustainable development goals present a rundown of relentless, fundamental, and unmanageable issues that require imaginative and socially installed arrangements that influence computerized innovation (Zuboff, 2019). With the job and funds of legislatures contracting in numerous nations and NGOs battling to raise reserves, the devilish friendly issues recognized under the sustainable development goals cant be tended to without the support of each fragment of society, including organizations, business experts, and scholastics.

Digital social innovations are especially appropriate for municipal activity: activating massive networks, sharing assets, and spreading power. A developing project of technological business people and trendsetters in everyday society creates advanced moving arrangements to social difficulties. These vary from informal organizations for those living with persistent wellbeing states to online stages for resident interest in policy-making.

Nesta, subsidized by the European Commission, drove a big examination project into digital social innovation in the most recent year and a half. The venture looked to characterize and get the capability of digital social innovation and plan the computerized social trendsetters. The venture could also look at the undertakings and organizations and foster proposals on how the EUs policymakers can take advantage of digital social innovation to the city level. In addition, numerous advancements could be perceived as appearances of four principle mechanical patterns: Open Networks, Open Hardware, Open Data, and Open Knowledge.

Open Hardware projects were created by the worldwide DIY creator development and the producer spaces spread. Advanced equipment is made accessible for individuals to adjust, hack and mold into instruments for social change. Safecast, a task that empowers residents to catch and share estimations on radiation levels, is one illustration of the capability of available equipment. It was established in March 2011 as a reaction to the mishap at the Fukushima Daiichi thermal energy station in Japan and dissatisfaction over the absence of government straightforwardness about neighborhood radiation levels.

Utilizing the Arduino, an open equipment circuit board with a chip, Safecast assembled their own Geiger counters, which were given to nearby volunteers who used the counters to make massive available datasets on radiation levels in Japan. All information is plotted on a guide that envisions radiation levels in a given topographical region and is accessible for anybody. Safecast has caught over 15 million relevant informative elements.

Open Knowledge alludes to enormous gatherings of residents meeting up through internet-based stages to significantly examine information, create and break down new kinds of information, or micro patronage social ventures. It is the piece of advanced social development where one can see the most action, from stages. One good example is FixMyStreet, which empowers residents to crowd map neighborhood matters like potholes and broken street lamps, to co-composing and re-appealing to on thoughts for how to develop society further.

An illustration of the possibility of activating residents to make and examine information is the job carried out by Cancer Research UK on their resident science stage Cell slider. Regularly over-troubled scholarly divisions lack the time or the assets to deal with enormous datasets, and probably the primary accessible data is in structures that PCs actually cannot process. Cell slider attempts to address this by connecting massive internet-based networks of individuals in investigating research pictures of malignant growth cells.

Recently, Cell slider has recruited over 200,000 volunteers in dissecting multiple million malignant growth pictures (Gaggioli, 2017). Different models incorporate the process Open Ministry stage has engaged over250, 000 Finns in co-composing and deciding on resident drove strategy recommendations, putting five to vote in the Finnish parliament.

Open data alludes to imaginative approaches to unfolding, catching, utilizing, breaking down, and deciphering available information. Open Corporates (OC) gives a simple illustration of the open doors in public communication. Following the monetary emergency, it was set up to make data about organizations and the corporate world more straightforward and honest. It has since developed into the most significant available information base of organizations on the planet, with about 60 million organizations and their auxiliaries.

Open Corporates have had the option to make accessible guides and perceptions of perplexing corporate designs. The guides regularly delineate the layers of control across worldwide associations, at times showing many auxiliaries by opening up data about organizations and coordinating information on companies from states all over the planet.

One investigation of the design of Goldman Sachs in light of information from the US, Luxembourg, the Cayman Islands, New Zealand, and the UK distinguished 739 in the Caymans alone, and 1,475 auxiliaries enrolled in the US. Open Corporates is broadly utilized by writers and state-run administrations looking to get worldwide corporate constructions. One more illustration of this potential is how Vienna, a city in Austria, has created over 160 datasets on everything from planning to the arrangement of data. This has driven nearby business people to foster over 109 applications around the city and its occupants.

Open Networks portrays how residents are growing new organizations and foundations, for example, sensor organizations, where they associate their gadgets like telephones and web modems, to aggregately share assets and take care of issues. Guifi.net is an example established in 2000 due to the absence of broadband web in rustic Catalonia, where business internet services were not giving an association. The thought was to assemble a network where every individual in the organization utilized a miniature radio transmitter that capacities like a remote switch to turn into a hub in the Guifi.net.

Just a single node should be associated with the web. The association is distributed remotely with all others in its area, who again share the association remotely with those nearest to them. With over 23,000 nodes, Guifi has been portrayed as the most extensive lattice network on the planet and gives web association with the individuals who might somehow or another not have the option to get to it.

Extensively, five fundamental ways policymakers and state-run administrations can uphold advanced social innovation include;

1. Make it simpler to create new digital social innovation via administrative and subsidizing means explicitly designated to support digital social innovation. This attention could be on four vital areas of chance in digital social innovation.

1. 1. Cooperative economy sharing instruments and stages.
   2. Advanced social development in savvy urban areas.
   3. Urban wellbeing.
   4. Resident science.

Expanding on current plans, for example, the organizations with more excellent media communications companies on creating shrewd urban areas plan, this could include making it more straightforward for urban areas, districts, wellbeing specialists, and colleges to steer enormous scope digital social innovation tests around urban wellbeing, residents science, cooperative economy and base up shrewd city arrangements and offering monetary help for these trials.

Inside the advanced single market, it ought to be simpler for digital social innovation like the cooperative economy and crowdfunding stages to oversee and convey resources (monetary and non-monetary) between residents in various EU nations.

2. Make it more straightforward to develop and spread digital social innovation through open obtainment, support for proof age, standard guidelines, and incorporation with public administrations.

Digital social innovation has the fantastic chance to work on open administrations, reduce costs and further develop the environment. Simple obtainment could be a course proportional and more significant effect  this requires consideration to the subtleties of how the acquisition is coordinated (for example, to make it more straightforward for more modest associations to win contracts), yet additionally substantially more precise arrangement of commercial centers uniting suppliers and expected purchasers. For instance, the Fukushima prefecture in Japan guides the Safe cast information on its site. In Reykjavik, Iceland, the city chamber accepts and discusses peoples priorities, a stage with resident views for working on the city.

Specifically, government acquisition techniques should look to help digital social innovation through the following:

1. 1. Zeroing in on the economic and social effect (for example, wellbeing results, prosperity, and so on) while obtaining administrations. Especially for digital social innovation, this could incorporate esteeming the organizations impact and advanced commitment of clients offered by accepted types of assistance.
   2. Make it more straightforward for more modest digital social innovation associations or consortia to rival media communications partnerships for citizens agreements.
   3. Champion the scaling of digital social innovation through reuse and reusing of existing arrangements by empowering (and where conceivable commanding) any freely subsidized assistance or item to be publicly released as well as authorized under Creative Commons.
   4. Joint appointing by open groups of digital social innovation.

3. Increment the expected worth of digital social innovation (making accessible information, ubiquitous broadband, open norms, and supporting development spaces).

The potential for digital social innovation can be expanded by putting resources into a portion of the central parts of most digital social innovation, like open information and pervasive broadband. The fact that available makes are much the same way as it assessed Knowledge could offer billions in benefit for the private area, admittance to open information, alongside other distinct advantages. For example, pervasive broadband is an expository driver for digital social innovation. This includes how the arrival of more than 160 datasets in Vienna empowered nearby business people to foster more than 109 applications for the city. Essentially, the opening up of information from the whole public financial plan by the Estonian government empowered the non-benefit Praxis to create MeieRaha.EU (Our Money in Estonian) is an intelligent representation of the financial plan that made direct public spending.

Urban areas and states could additionally build the potential for digital social innovation by putting resources into a portion of the spaces and designer networks from where digital social innovation frequently arises. Examples of urban communities previously focusing on this are how the City of Shanghai has proposed to fund over a hundred producer spaces throughout the city with six opened to date, to empower the citys ability to make digital social organization in practice. Barcelona is exploring different avenues regarding turning into a Fabcity, working decisively with creator spaces in the city to foster answers for metropolitan difficulties.

4. Empower a portion of the revolutionary and troublesome advancements arising from digital social innovation  like new ways to deal with cash, utilization, schooling, and wellbeing.

As in different areas, a portion of the developments in this field has extreme ramifications  e.g., for the eventual fate of cash or training. Policymakers need to give space to more revolutionary thoughts to be tried out in towns and urban areas across Europe, utilizing information regarding how fundamental advancement can best be coordinated.

Now and again, a significant venture will be expected to help developments through to maintainability  similarly as in business, where a considerable lot of the most ground-breaking advancements required numerous long periods of the patient, enormous scope speculation before they conveyed returns.

5. Extend the European digital social innovation organization and put resources into improving skills and ability to do digital social innovation.

Perhaps the most significant obstruction to benefiting as much as possible from digital social innovation is the massive hole in the abilities and ability to explore different avenues regarding and foster new advanced social developments. In nations where digital social innovation is somewhat exceptional, for example, the Netherlands and the UK, most digital social innovation is created by new associations, with fewer officeholders, for instance, laid out causes investigating this potential. Whats more, our crowd map of digital social innovation occurring across the EU shows that while there is relatively high movement in Western and Southern Europe, Eastern Europe is explicitly lingering behind. To address this, policymakers ought to do the following:

1. Increment beginning phase seed-subsidizing programs and different kinds of non-monetary help that are indispensable in assisting business people in exploring other avenues regarding and fostering digital social innovation projects. The hatchery program run by the UKs Open Data Institute and the digital social innovation gas pedal program run by Bethnal Green Ventures has exhibited the capability of how models created to help beginning phase organizations can be adjusted to support and develop digital social innovation projects through coaching, subsidizing and fabricating advanced abilities.
2. Support programs that will assist individuals and associations with fostering their abilities to chip away at advanced social development, for example, getting computerized capabilities on the educational plan in schools and helping common society associations explore different avenues regarding the improvement of advanced arrangements.
3. One illustration of the previous is the cross country Estonian NutiLabor drive which shows kids (seven to 19 years of age) to code at school.
4. Assist with developing digital social innovation limits in Eastern Europe by cooperating with laid out digital social innovation organizations and associations from the EU. Recognize explicit social difficulties (wellbeing, business, metropolitan recovery care, and so on) confronting nations in Eastern Europe and put resources into pilots investigating how advanced social arrangements could address these.

In synopsis, the digital social innovation research system should be visible as a method for getting sorted out different surges of examination being directed to see how computerized advancements and stages can be utilized to resolve different social issues remembered for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This system likewise gives a chance to coordinate different hypothetical points of view, for example, social intermediation, ability approach, and institutional works. Ideally, the digital social innovation research system and the articles remembered for the unique topic will animate more interest in socially applicable and significant exploration.

References

Alao, A., Lwoga, T., & Chigona, W. (2017). Telecentres use in rural communities and women empowerment: Case of Western Cape. In Information and Communication Technologies for Development (pp. 119134). Springer, Cham.

Bhatt, B., Qureshi, I., & Riaz, S. (2019). Social entrepreneurship in non-munificent institutional environments and implications for institutional work: Insights from China. Journal of Business Ethics, 154(3), 605630.

Gaggioli, A. (2017). Digital social innovation. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 20(11), 723-723.

Liu, Q., Du, Q., Hong, Y., Fan, W., & Wu, S. (2020). User idea implementation in open innovation communities: Evidence from a new product development crowdsourcing community. Information Systems Journal, 30(5), 899927.

Zuboff, P. S. (2019). The age of surveillance capitalism: The fight for a human future at the new frontier of power. Profile Books.

Introduction

The world has entered the stage of its rapid evolution under the impact of technological advances and the emergence of new devices. The high speed of digitalization resulted in the formation of a new environment characterized by the dominance of innovative solutions and attempts to increase the effectiveness of various processes by introducing new approaches. All existing spheres of human activity are impacted by the mass use of technologies.

The business sector is not an exception, as being one of the most important fields, it critically demands new ideas and methods to achieve success and generate a competitive advantage. Technological innovation becomes one of the most promising ways to improve the work of various business ventures because of the provision of new opportunities, better performance, automation, and perspectives for future development. At the same time, there are some environmental concerns related to this issue that should be considered.

New Opportunities

One of the most important aspects of technological innovation is that it provides a limitless number of new opportunities for entrepreneurs to start a new business venture and become successful. The constant development of various devices along with software creates the basis for creativity and utilization of unusual approaches that were impossible in the past because of the absence of the needed equipment.

For instance, the modern giant international corporations such as Google, Amazon, Apple, or Facebook emerged due to the technology breakthrough that provided founders of these brands with an opportunity to introduce a new product or service to the market and become popular among the target audience. In such a way, technological innovation can be considered one of the main moving forces of the modern business world as it constantly creates an environment beneficial for the emergence of new ways to interact with clients and generate income.

Better Performance

The ability to achieve better performance levels is another factor that makes technological innovation essential for business. One of the main and relevant features of relations between companies is an extremely high level of rivalry. There are multiple attempts to attract customers and reduce costs to create the basis for further growth. Modern technologies provide an excellent opportunity to achieve this goal.

The fact is that a significant reduction of expenses via the optimization of the working process can be achieved by using new devices or software (Evans 67). Regarding the issues with rivalry mentioned above, it becomes one of the serious advantages of technological innovation (Kotler 56). For instance, the elimination of unnecessary spending can be organized by the use of new analytic and software tools to optimize supply-chain management and achieve better outcomes.

Adherence to innovative schemes that presuppose the extensive use of technologies can help to reduce time spent on essential activities, which is also critical regarding the modern business environment. For instance, digital marketing is widely used by multiple companies with the primary goal to find new clients, broaden the target audience, and popularize some goods or services. This approach helps to save time and expand the client base.

Additionally, special software can be used to work with clients requests or complaints to improve feedback and ensure the preservation of the positive image. In such a way, one realizes the fact that innovation becomes one of the most effective ways to achieve better performance levels via the utilization of new approaches and adherence to creative or unusual schemes.

Automation

Automation of the fundamental processes is another factor that is traditionally associated with technologies in the world of business. There are many spheres that benefit from the use of robots in manufacturing or some other processes. For instance, the automotive industry remains the main customer of industrial robots, with 52% of total sales (Lazar). The number evidences the fact that this technology remains a potent tool to optimize various processes and achieve better outcomes.

The use of robots might have to eliminate mistakes caused by the human factor, reduce the cost of labor, the time needed to create certain objects, improve accuracy, and ensure standardization of ready products (Kotler 89). For this reason, there is a tendency towards the further promotion of automation and its use by various companies with the primary aim to precondition the growth.

Future Prospects

The fact that makes technological innovation even more attractive to the business world is that there are no barriers limiting the future evolution of science and the appearance of new prospects. In other words, companies that invest in the development and implementation of technologies face minimal risks; on the contrary, they contribute to the appearance of long-term perspectives for their evolution. Every day new methods to perform some activities or solve some problems emerge.

That is why it is vital to emphasize the fact that the technology expands existing horizons and cultivates the creative environment characterized by better performance and achievement levels. It becomes critical for the further development of various forms of entrepreneurship that might feel the lack of fresh ideas or tools to solve problems that limit their growth.

There is a direct correlation between scientific progress and the appearance of new approaches and methods to solve the most important tasks any business face. For instance, all companies use electronic or online databases to store information about their clients and their preferences to improve the quality of relations and satisfy their diverse needs. This method replaced the previous one when lists or special folders were created. There is a forecast that in the next ten years, the business sphere will also alter radically because of the further use of technologies (Lazar). It means that the constant emergence of new approaches and strategies should be considered one of the integral parts of technological innovation while speaking about the business world and its future perspectives.

Education

At the same time, innovation remains in direct correlation with education, which also impacts the business sphere and its successful evolution. The modern level of technological development comes from the creation and elaboration of new ideas that appeared due to the deep and extensive knowledge of individuals who are responsible for innovation. However, the level of progress peculiar to modern society also stimulates the educational sphere. In other words, the rise of technological innovation promotes positive changes in the field of education, which is fundamental for the business world (Rakesh).

In accordance with the statistics, the majority of successful entrepreneurs have an appropriate level of education that provides them with an opportunity to correctly analyze the existing market environment and select the strategy that will help to achieve the planned goals in the most effective ways (Rakesh). For this reason, the future evolution of technologies stipulates the rise of education and business.

Environmental Concerns

There are also some environmental problems associated with the further development of technologies and their implementation into the business sphere. The fact is that along with the uprising of science; society is characterized by the high level of pollution produced by various industries. The situation remains complex and continues to become worse, which means that there is a need for some actions to prevent further deterioration.

The development of the business sphere has traditionally been taken as one of the factors that affect the environment negatively. Looking for new resources or areas, corporations might cause substantial harm to locations. At the same time, the need for innovation and new devices means a new stimulus for the evolution of industries that have high pollution levels and are considered the most dangerous to the environment.

Excess power consumption is one of the most frequently mentioned issues associated with technological innovation in the sphere of business. Using various devices in the workplace or in assembly lines, companies contribute to the increased demand for electricity that is mainly generated by fossil or nuclear fuels. It results in a gradual increase in the level of CO2 pollution and other problems with the environment (Dyche 34).

Additionally, technological upgrades mean a larger amount of toxic waste, as replaced or outdated devices contain mercury, lead, and other heavy metals that might deteriorate the state of the environment and precondition serious problems with the health. For this reason, the majority of modern companies try to promote the evolution of ways to reduce the negative impact of resources or tools they utilize to achieve a competitive advantage.

Finally, there are some claims regarding the sustainability of companies that use technologies. That fact is that the reduction of costs can be achieved by replacing workers with robots or utilization of specific software that will help owners to generate more benefits and avoid paying high salaries. This process introduces a serious risk of technological unemployment or a loss of jobs caused by the massive use of innovations (Rakesh).

In its turn, this negative tendency preconditions the deterioration of the quality of peoples lives and the decline of communities. The speed of new devices implementation is high, which means that new fears regarding this problem will appear. It means that companies also look for new methods to guarantee that workers will be provided with guarantees for their evolution and will preserve their jobs to create a sustainable image and cooperate with communities effectively.

Conclusion

Altogether, technological innovation should be taken as an integral parameter of contemporary society. It provides a range of new opportunities for various companies to evolve by reducing their spending and time needed to perform certain activities. Additionally, the use of new devices helps to solve problems and eliminate barriers that have traditionally been restricting entrepreneurs in their attempts to move further.

That is why it is possible to conclude that despite the existence of some environmental concerns, innovations will play a critical role in the development of the business world and utilized by organizations with the primary aim to generate a competitive advantage and hold leading positions. They can also be considered a new phase of the sectors development needed to achieve better outcomes.

Works Cited

Dyche, Jill. The New IT: How Technology Leaders Are Enabling Business Strategy in the Digital Age. McGraw-Hill Education, 2015.

Evans, Alan, et al. Technology In Action Complete. 15th ed., Pearson, 2018.

Kotler, Philip, et al. Marketing 4.0: Moving from Traditional to Digital. Wiley, 2016.

Lazar, Michael. These Small Business Technology Statistics Are Surprising. Insight. 2017. 

Rakesh, Nitin. Every Business Is A Technology Business  Some Just Dont Know It. Forbes. 2018. 

The high degree of development of information technologies provides more opportunities for their use in various areas of human activity, especially in providing various services. Nowadays, the possibility of providing qualified medical care globally has become a reality thanks to the development of telemedicine services. Telehealth is an applied area of medical science that is based on telecommunication technologies with the practice of applying methods of remote medical care to patients. According to Haleem et al. (2021), nearly 75% of all physician and emergency room visits are either unnecessary or can be handled safely and effectively via telephone or video link. Therefore, telemedicine can be effective, helpful, and profitable with the right approach.

Ohannessian et al. (2020) note that several issues can be addressed through the use of telemedicine technologies. Firstly, it compensates for the shortage of medical personnel in remote organizations providing medical care. Secondly, it improves the quality and accessibility of medical care. Thirdly, it provides an opportunity to organize therapeutic and preventive measures at the patients location, including hard-to-reach regions. Fourth, it contributes to the provision of prompt advisory support. Fifthly, it allows the formation of databases for the analysis, monitoring, and forecasting of the populations health status. Thus, telemedicine has many significant advantages.

According to Haleem et al. (2021), on March 6, 2020, Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) expanded access to Medicare telehealth services. Thus, patients can receive a wider range of services from their doctors without visiting a healthcare facility. Several service providers, such as physicians, nurse practitioners, clinical psychologists, and licensed clinical social workers, may offer telemedicine to their patients. Moreover, HHS-OIGs Office ensures healthcare providers the flexibility to reduce or refuse the cost of telehealth visits paid for by federal health programs. Before this denial, Medicare could only pay for telemedicine on a limited basis.

Patients home monitoring saves costs through lower readmissions, but clinical practice will lose money if exam fees do not increase margin and share capture. Thus, if patients and their families pay this cost, the patient receives the costs, while the insurance company can pocket the savings, which cannot create the mass market that these technological advances aim to develop. To accommodate telehealth, insurance companies will need to sell fixed-price per-patient policies to distribute the savings properly, allowing them to be mass-marketed. Membership in health insurance plans with capped payment is another appropriate trend that could help solve the telehealth problem. Nittari et al. (2020) assert that a 26% growth in managed care plan recipients from 2005 to 2011 indicates that these premiums may help increase the use of telehealth technologies. It ensures adequate remuneration for doctors and contributes to improving the quality of medical care.

It is important to consider whether the patient is in parity when determining how to bill for telemedicine. According to Loeb et al. (2020), 29 states and the District of Columbia currently have parity laws that require commercial payers to provide coverage and reimbursement for telehealth services comparable to those covered for personal services. It is a positive aspect for healthcare providers, as it signals that telemedicine will become on par with face-to-face consultations around the world over time.

Shaw et al. (2021) identify three strategies to promote health equity through virtual care. First is the simplification of complex interfaces and workflows. There is a need to implement programs that make devices available to patients who need them to participate in virtual care actively. In turn, it represents a unique cost for healthcare systems with unique implementation considerations. Second is the use of supporting intermediaries. Health systems and stakeholder groups will need to concretize clinical processes and develop effective training in the clinical skills that underpin fair virtual care delivery. It will also require investment in educational programs and curricula changes to enable healthcare providers to use virtual care equitably. Third, the creation of mechanisms through which marginalized community members can make an immediate contribution to the planning and delivery of virtual assistance. The development of educational programs, such as those aimed at initiatives to combat racism and oppression, will increase the level of knowledge about health equity and the capacity of health organizations in general.

Despite the existing but potentially solvable difficulties, it must be recognized that telemedicine is a tool that optimizes the logistics of providing medical care and reduces the financial costs of clinics. It requires the development of a specific workflow, including regulations, work schedules, and forms of protocols, as well as an assessment of the technical condition of medical organizations. Moreover, aspects such as training relevant staff in the field, budgeting, and developing performance criteria are also vital. These activities will bring together geographically disparate but functionally interconnected medical institutions that combine medical, diagnostic, research, and educational opportunities to provide medical care. Furthermore, the introduction of telehealth innovations will ensure continuity in the work of medical organizations at various levels and will create prospects for the formation of a single information space.

References

Haleem, A., Javaid, M., Singh, R.P., & Suman, R. (2021). Telemedicine for healthcare: Capabilities, features, barriers, and applications. Sensors International, 2, 100117. Web.

Loeb, A. E., Rao, S. S., Ficke, J. R., Morris, C. D., Riley, L. H., & Levin, A. S. (2020). Departmental experience and lessons learned with accelerated introduction of telemedicine during the COVID-19 crisis. The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 28(11), 469476. Web.

Nittari, G., Khuman, R., Baldoni, S., Pallotta, G., Battineni, G., Sirignano, A., Amenta, F., & Ricci, G. (2020). Telemedicine practice: Review of the current ethical and legal challenges. Telemedicine Journal and E-Health: The Official Journal of the American Telemedicine Association, 26(12), 14271437. Web.

Ohannessian, R., Duong, T., & Odone, A. (2020). Global telemedicine implementation and integration within health systems to fight the COVID-19 pandemic: A call to action. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2020, 6(2), e18810. Web.

Shaw, J., Brewer, L. C., & Veinot, T. (2021). Recommendations for health equity and virtual care arising from the COVID-19 pandemic: Narrative review. JMIR Formative Research, 5(4), e23233. Web.

Improvements in delivering quality healthcare services are on the agenda of both private and public structures. There are ample margins left for further development towards more efficient health care. A considerable part of the United States gross domestic product devoted to health care does not result in satisfactory outcomes (Ryan et al., 2015). Implementing initiatives through nursing leadership strategies inspired by innovation theories would enhance results both at unit and facility levels.

This paper will compare and contrast two relevant methods, suggesting how to apply one model of innovation in practice, discussing how to improve a common issue in an interventional radiology department at a public hospital. After the analysis of the theories developed by Kurt Lewin and Everett Rogers, the paper will address the insurgence of complications in percutaneous catheter treatments, applying Lewins approach to implement change within the department culture.

Discussion

Though innovation is vital in every healthcare facility, implementing changes is not always smooth, especially when where the planning is poor and inappropriate, the staff is under-motivated, the leadership is weak, and communication is lacking. Hence, it is crucial to resort to reliable and proven change strategies, which include a well-planned approach, adequate resources, and strong management skills (Bender, 2016). Many researchers have investigated how changes occur, developing planning strategies and development models.

Kurt Lewin pioneered the research already in the early 1950s, proposing a Change Theory were the change agents need to identify and implement three steps to make the changes actual. The stages proposed by the model are: unfreezing, moving, and refreezing. The first step analyzes a current situation and highlights the necessity of a change. The moving phase refers to the involvement of the personnel and the actions taken to implement the change. During the last step, the change is solidified, and new routines and equilibrium are established. The work of Lewin was developed and widened by Everett Rogers in his Diffusion of Innovation model.

Rogers identified five steps for coherent and successful innovation: awareness, interest, evaluation, trial, and adoption. Awareness occurs when an unbalanced situation makes clear the need for change. In the following three phases, interest, evaluation, and trial, leadership and other change agents collect data, involve the personnel, develop a coherent plan, and conduct appropriate tests. Finally, innovations that have proven useful and successful become part of the daily routine in the adoption phase.

The theoretical framework of the two models is similar, and their approach to effective change planning is comparable. The recognition of a problem represents the first step in both theories, and their central core aims at taking adequate actions to solve the issue; while Lewin included the possible procedures within the moving step, Rogers provided a more detailed structure. The final phase of both theories relates to the adoption of the change as part of the ordinary routine.

However, the two approaches feature differences that make them suitable for different purposes. Rogers Diffusion of Innovation allows the change agents to deepen the desired implementation, making this model especially suitable for complex problems which involve different professionals or new technologies (Hunt, 2019). The evaluation and trial phases are paramount to select and adopt new machinery and resources. Lewins Change Theory represents a lean model, especially suitable for educational and research purposes (Scott & Thompson, 2019). The theory allows the leadership to draw a picture of the driving and the opposing forces involved in the change, taking the most appropriate actions.

A Practical Application of the Theory of Change

The theory of Lewin can be utilized to influence and change the culture within healthcare facilities to overcome some typical issues. The hypothetical case refers to an interventional radiology department at a public hospital where multiple noninvasive procedures are performed daily. Complications related to the proper use of percutaneous catheters are quite common, especially among home hospitalized patients. They include leakages, removal of the catheter, complaints, obstructions hindering the proper flushing, or problems with the drainage. Most of the cases are not imputable to healthcare personnel but to the lack of know-how among patients who are not able to deal with catheters properly.

Referring to the Theory of Change, the first step, the unfreezing stage, is the recognition of a lack of education that requires problem-solving (Scott & Thompson, 2019). The second step, the moving stage, refers to the introduction and the implementation of a new practice. In this case, the innovation would consist of properly targeted education of patients for adequate home management of catheters and in making the personnel aware of the potential benefits. It is worthy of observing that targeted educational interventions are becoming a frequent practice in the healthcare environment (Fusco, Armando, Storto, & Mussa, 2016). In the last step, the refreezing stage, the change becomes a habit within the personnel.

In the presented case, the subjects involved are the management of the healthcare facility, the nurse leaders, the nurses, and the patients. Successful implementation of a plan for targeted education planning entails a full awareness of the nurses with regard to both the ongoing program and the results of research grounding the project. The main hindrance to change relates to organizational factors (Foster-Jackson, Anderson-Johnson, & Norman-McPherson, 2016). Weak leadership, the inadequacy of the structure, and lack of support from the management are among the most common perceived barriers.

Summing up, nimbleness and flexibility are among the main benefits of the models, while the dependency on structural factors and the need for excellent communication are the weak points of the theory. A strategy to overcome the downsides consists of incremental changes aimed at creating a strong corporate culture. Such planning should result in a solid awareness capable of influencing the management, whereas the leadership is weak and the structural lacking.

Conclusion

Though innovation is essential in the nursing environment to deliver updated and quality healthcare services, changes are not always easy to be implemented. Several theoretical models have been proposed to attain innovations successfully, including the Theory of Change and the Diffusion of Innovation methods, developed by Lewin and Rogers, respectively. The two models have a similar theoretical approach to change policies, yet they are suitable for different outcomes.

Particularly, the Diffusion of Innovation includes a series of steps that consent to a thorough analysis of the topic, making the model useful to cope with complex changes that entail the introduction of new technology. The Change Theory has a nimble structure which makes the model more suitable for innovations related to educational and corporate culture changes. The proposed hypothetical case has shown the benefits and disadvantages of Lewins model, highlighting a coherent strategy to control the downsides successfully.

References

Bender, M. (2016). Clinical nurse leader integration into practice: Developing theory to guide best practice. Journal of Professional Nursing, 32(1), 3240. Web.

Foster-Jackson, S., Anderson-Johnson, P., & Norman-McPherson, A. (2016). Perceived barriers to research utilization among registered nurses in an urban hospital in Jamaica. Web.

Fusco, F., Armando T., Storto S, & Mussa M. V., (2016). Efficacy of educational intervention for patients wearing peripherally inserted central catheter. A pilot study. Professioni Infermieristiche, 69(1), 17-26. Web.

Hunt, E. (2019). MSN as informaticist. In B. Scott & M. Thompson (Eds), RN to MSN. Principles of professional role development (107-118). New York, NY: Springer.

Ryan, R. W., Harris, K. K., Mattox, L., Singh, O., Camp, M., & Shirey, M. R. (2015). Nursing leader collaboration to drive quality improvement and implementation science. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 39(3), 229238. Web.

Scott, B., & Thompson, M. (2019). MSN as a change agent. In B. Scott & M. Thompson (Eds), RN to MSN. Principles of professional role development (143-118). New York, NY: Springer.

Literature Review

The last decade has brought multiple opportunities and benefits for the UAE. The main factor contributing to the growth of the states economy was the oil price that has facilitated some rapid increase in assets available for the development of the country. At the same time, the strong dependency on the oil prices is not a positive characteristic of the UAE economy. The active tendency towards diversification has been initiated by the country leaders.

Its main objective is to develop other sources of domestic income for the UAE by means of building up diverse industries. The improvement in the national education system is the major driver of the economic diversification in the state. That is why strengthening and upgrading the current approaches to teaching is an issue of extreme importance in the UAE. In order to elaborate on the role of education in the economic diversification in the country, the approaches to the education improvement, and the trend of building a stronger domestic educational system, five credible sources were chosen.

This paper presents the review of the selected body of literature that is organized in a prismatic manner moving from the sources covering the issue in a more global reference to those that focus on its particular subjects and aspects.

Namely, the article by Knight will represent the review of the bigger picture and the education improvement in the Gulf Region; further, the book by Spraggon and Bodolica focuses on the problems faced individually by the UAE, and the article by Raven will overview the situation within the UAEs workforce that is extremely fragmented due to the high rates of work-related migration. Finally, the two sources focusing on the improvements in the particular aspects of education in the UAE will be reviewed  the article by Al-Darmaki, Hassane, Ahammed, and Abdullah that addressed the education counseling improvement, and the work by Britto, Yoshikawa, and Boller, who discuss the early childhood education in the UAE.

In his article, Knight (2011) explores the distractions that currently persist in the field of education in the Middle East. In particular, how the domestic education improvement strategies are slowed down and frustrated by such influences as the global branding and competitiveness. Due to the distractions posed by the need to compete facilitated by the process of globalization, many countries begin to disregard their unique challenges and problems and instead start to target needless issues that create a more attractive yet shallow façade for their countries images (Knight, 2011).

The author explores a broad perspective comparing the approach to the education improvement and the creation of what is called education hubs in six different countries (Knight, 2011). The six education hubs overviewed by the author include Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Qatar, Bahrain, and the UAE, each of whom are at different stages of development of their hubs. Knight also points out that strategic interests that drive the creation of the educational hubs; they are the recruitment of the foreign high-performing educators, researchers, and students.

Due to the economic, political, social, and cultural peculiarities, their models of education hubs, however, effective and practical, are very individual and difficult to replicate in the other regions and countries. According to Knight (2011), the main issue faced by the UAE in its hopes of becoming an education hub is the fragmented approach practiced differently in each emirate and the lack of a common plan.

The author concludes that becoming an education hub can be more than a brand. However, there is still a challenge of coordination of the knowledge-based economy with the industry and the introduction of innovation into the cycle as both a resource and an outcome for a purpose of building a viable and competitive economy.

The Areas of Focus for the UAE

The book by Spraggon and Bodolica (2014) presents a detailed review of all the areas in the UAE that require development in order to diversify the countrys economy and make it stronger and more competitive on the local, regional, and global levels. The authors point out that over the last decade the UAE has become much more active as an international player and has successfully integrated into the globalization. At the same time, the globalization has produced its own powerful impact on the country making it more compatible and encouraging the UAE to pursue closer interactions with the other countries for a purpose of economic and policies partnership. In the globalizing world, the collaboration and the exchange of resources are the key factors driving the progress.

Besides, the fact that all of the spheres of life in a modern country are tightly intertwined makes education a key element of the future progress in such spheres as health, business, economy, science, to name a few. That way, the development of education represents a way to perform an upstream approach to multiple potential challenges of the future and the contemporary issues. The practicality of the source is in its reliance on the actual scenarios from the past experiences of the country and its successful and unsuccessful attempts to develop various areas.

Emiratization of the Education Sector in the UAE

In his article, Raven (2011) focuses on one of the most well-known issues in the UAE  the workforce imbalance that is recognized as a logical outcome of the rapid development of the country and the need for additional resources as it has become one of the most influential economies in the world within a very short period of time. Due to the high level of fragmentation in the workforce, the operations lose a part of their efficiency. The author states that currently, the local population is a minority in almost any workplace in the country (Raven, 2011). The author seeks an answer to the question how the domestic tertiary education system could be seen as a contributor to this tendency (Raven, 2011).

The method of data collection used by the author is the review of the literature (secondary research articles namely) that explores the issues of employment in the UAE, hiring and selection policies, and the factors that make the employers prefer the expatriate workers and migrant labor to the services of the local population. In turn, the presence of a large number of foreigners on the territory of the country and in all of its workplaces makes the local culture accept and adjust to the multicultural influences.

As a result, this tendency leads to the modernization of the domestic education system and its alteration for a purpose to address the challenges and needs of a multinational society. The author discusses an opinion that the weaknesses in the domestic education slow down the countrys economic development, hence, the need for Emiratization.

Apart from cultural considerations, the UEA modernized education is starting to adopt a learner-centered approach that concentrates on the links between the classroom and real life experiences and connecting the theoretical knowledge gained in schools to the skills and abilities that the graduates would be valued for when they begin to pursue employment. That way, the main challenge of making the provided education relevant and demanded is resolved.

The Spheres in the UAE Education that Require Change and Innovation

The article by Al-Darmaki, Hassane, Ahammed, and Abdullah (2012) presents an example of one of the spheres in the education of the UEA that requires modernization and improvement. Counseling education is a relatively new sphere of education in the country (it only began to be practiced in 2005), and thus it is quite weak and lacks a substantial body of literature, research, and experience that would be applicable to the cultural and societal settings of the Emirates.

The authors emphasize that one of the key differences between the Western approach to mental health and counseling and that appropriate in the UAE is the role of religion and the traditional lifestyle that is extremely meaningful in the Middle East (Al-Darmaki et al., 2012).

As a result, attempting to strengthen this sphere of knowledge, the researcher of the country are to collect their own culturally-relevant data instead of relying on the Western practices that are no aligned with the Middle Easters way of life and worldview. The author shows that the problem has a complex nature as not only the research and academic and practical knowledge are insufficient but also, there is a lack of the social awareness of counseling as a profession and a service.

The example of the relatively new and heavily Westernized spheres of knowledge demonstrates the need for authentic and modern approaches which requires innovative strategies and creative solutions.

The article by Britto, Yoshikawa, and Boller (2011) explore the innovations in another sphere of education  early childhood development (ECD). The authors mention that the importance of this sphere, in particular, is in its cross-disciplinary impact as it often involves the knowledge coming from the spheres of education, healthcare, psychology, and child welfare to name a few (Britto et al., 2011).

As a result, the innovation and modernization in the early childhood education are closely related to the changes in all the other sectors with which it interacts. That way, the solutions to this issue are complicated and finding them may be rather time-consuming.

The authors conclude that there is a need for policy in the UAE in order to facilitate the deployment of innovation and change in the early childhood education. While some of its spheres can be changed locally by the educators alone, the change of the field in general, requires that in the other related spheres of knowledge.

Conclusion

The reviewed sources have revealed a substantial body of information concerning multiple areas of education and innovation in the UAE. The authors of all sources have demonstrated an unbiased approach to the needs of their rapidly growing state and the ways to fulfill them. The challenges were expressed and analyzed clearly  the UAE is pursuing economic independence which requires its becoming an education hub and accumulating its own culturally-appropriate body of knowledge in all the spheres. Both older and newer fields require innovation and recent research. Besides, the modernization of the traditional culture of the UEA that occurred due to the influence of globalization requires the improvement in education at every level.

References

Al-Darmaki, F. R., Hassane, S., Ahammed, S., & Abdullah, A. S. (2012). Developing counselor education identity in the United Arab Emirates: Evaluation of an undergraduate program. Journal for International Counselor Education, 4, 1-28. Web.

Britto, P., Yoshikawa, H., & Boller, K. (2011). Quality of Early Childhood Development Programs in Global Contexts: Rationale for Investment, Conceptual Framework and Implications for Equity. Society for Research In Child Development, 25(2), 2-30.

Knight, J. (2011). Education Hubs: A Fad, a Brand, an Innovation? Journal of Studies in International Education, 15(3), 221-240.

Raven, J. (2011). Emiratizing the education sector in the UAE: contextualization and challenges. Education, Business and Society: Contemporary Middle Eastern Issues, 4(2), 134  141.

Spraggon, M., & Bodolica, V. (2014). Future Developmental Prospects of the UAE. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.

As concluded in the literature review, the education in the United Arab Emirates requires modernization and changes at every level. The proposed research will attempt to gather information concerning the modernization in the educational institutions of the UAE that has already been going on for some time and review its effects. The research will attempt to determine what positive and negative outcomes result from the modernization and innovative approach to education in the UAE.

In order to collect all the relevant data, such research methods as content analysis and desk research. The former relies on the publications and broadcast programs, as well as posts online and news releases. The former includes the summaries of the published sources such as journal articles and books. The sources selected for this research will be found using a number of specifically chosen keywords.

There will be several inclusion criteria; for instance, the suitable sources will be published in the 21^st century only, and they will focus on the situation in the UAE but not the other countries. Based on the information found in the sources, the outcomes of the education modernization and innovation will be gathered in two groups based on their quality  positive or negative. Further in the research structure, the discussion of the findings will be presented, and the implications for the field of education and the development of the UAE will be clarified.

Apart from the sources that were discussed in the annotated bibliography and literature review, there will be some more books, articles, and (possibly) websites presenting relevant and important information as to the process of the education modernization and its effects on the stakeholders and the system overall. For instance, the analysis of the review may also divide the sources based on the way they treat the subject  focusing on the bigger picture or studying specific details.

That way, the connection between the education modernization and the economic growth of the UAE explored by Rust, Portnoi, and Bagley (2010) and Abed and Hellyer (2001) could serve as the representation of the general approach. At the same time, the article by Macpherson, Kachelhoffer and El Nemr (2015) that reviews the modifications of leadership in the UAE education could be seen as a source focused on education particularly. Besides, such sources as the article about the issues in counselor education in the UAE by Al-Darmaki, Hassane, Ahammed, and Abdullah (2012) or the one by Britto, Yoshikawa, and Boller (2011) focusing on the early childhood education will be the most specific literature. That way, the positive and negative outcomes may be divided into more general and more specific as well.

Conclusion

This research will help create a better vision of the exact challenges the education system in the UAE has faced since the beginning of its modernization and development. Moreover, the study will locate, process, and include multiple perspectives of different researchers and that will create a space for the critical thinking. Also, the collection of academic and media information will help make the connections between the phenomena studied by the scholars and those reported on the news. Accordingly, the findings of the research will clarify the consequences of the education changes and their viability or clash with the needs of the modern population of the United Arab Emirates.

References

Abed, I., & Hellyer, P. (2001). United Arab Emirates: A New Perspective. London: Trident Press Ltd.

Al-Darmaki, F. R., Hassane, S., Ahammed, S., & Abdullah, A. S. (2012). Developing counselor education identity in the United Arab Emirates: Evaluation of an undergraduate program. Journal for International Counselor Education, 4, 1-28.

Britto, P., Yoshikawa, H., & Boller, K. (2011). Quality of Early Childhood Development Programs in Global Contexts: Rationale for Investment, Conceptual Framework and Implications for Equity. Society for Research In Child Development, 25(2), 2-30.

Macpherson, R., Kachelhoffer, P., & El Nemr, M. (2007). The radical modernization of school and education system leadership in the United Arab Emirates: Towards indigenized and educative leadership. International Studies in Educational Administration, 35(1), 60-77. Web.

Portnoi, L., Rust, V., & Bagley, S. (2010). Higher education, policy, and the global competition phenomenon. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.

Introduction

The last twenty years have witnessed several innovations which have made several implications to the financial sector. There are many instruments that have been employed by financial institutions like banks since 1970. Some of the innovations are: butterfly spreads, Eurobonds, program trading, collateralized mortgage bonds among others. These innovations were developed after a stagnation period in the financial industry (between 1903 and 1960s). There are factors that have facilitated this kind of innovation. However, there are also complaints that are associated with this trend of development of innovations. The purpose of this paper is to find out the factors responsible for this trend, its contribution to the well-being of the people and lastly, to explore the likelihood of future innovations.

Discussion

The modern financial innovations can be attributed to specific factors which have facilitated the growth of this process. One such factor is the shift towards floating exchange rates, this was one of the move adopted by the United States government in the early 1070s. This was as a result of the fluctuations that resulted from the uncertainty in majority of the international transactions. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange reacted to this uncertainty by developing an exchange-traded foreign exchange. This innovation led to the hosting of subsequent products while the exchange rates spread to the interest rates. These exchanges began the process of development on the same time thus, resulting to the diversification of the traditional agricultural market.

Another contributing factor to the high trends of financial innovations is the application of information evolution to the finance industry. Particularly, the use of electronic computers and information technology boosted the speed of financial transactions in the 1970s. However, computers were invented in the early 1950s but they did not have major impacts until the late 1960s. The design of computers with transistorized circulatory begun in the late 1960. This technology resulted to affordable prices for computers and also made such computers effective in designing products like stock index arbitrage. Computers made transactions faster since the number of transactions in institutions like banks were too high thus requiring quick data processors. Thus, computers played this role since they had quick data processing capacitors; this was not a common technology during the stagnation era.

World economic growth and innovation was a major factor that contributed to the burst on the financial innovations in the 1970s. The stagnation period of the early 1960s was characterised with low economic growth; this implied that the demand for commodities was low. This period was followed by another period (1970) when the worlds economy started to grow rapidly; this lead to the demand for various goods increasing at an alarming rate. As a result of this demand, states had to innovate ways to develop modern financial instruments and suitable markets. Most of these innovations were government sponsored. For instance, the United States introduced instruments the Federal Home Administration loan guarantee and the mortgage schemes. With such instruments, civil servants were in better positions to acquire houses on loans. However, private innovations could have grown but they were interrupted by the Second World War in the early 1940s. The Second World War lead to drained man power and resulted to restrictions being imposed in financial transactions with more emphasis on international transactions.

The regulations and deregulations that were imposed during the period between 1943 and 1940 also resulted to the growth of financial innovations. There were rewards that were given to those people who were able to invent around the obstacles that were erected by the governments. This provided an opportunity to major innovations of that time. For instance, swap; this was an innovation whereby, a corporation was in a position to exchange its fixed rate obligation of borrowing for another floating rate of borrowing.

The innovations in the financial industry can be considered as having improved the lives of people. Free market economists argued that these financial products of the 1970s and the 1980s substantially cut down the cost of undertaking many types of financial transactions. An example of the benefits associated with these innovations was the case of a pension funds for employees which were in a common stock that was well diversified. If the high interests for the beneficiaries were to be achieved, such funds could be transferred from the common market to the treasury bills. This procedure could be undertaken by first selling the stock portfolio company while at the same time incurring the commission and the fees. The collected cash proceeds could be put in the treasury bills again, therefore incurring other transaction costs.

However, there are cases that have been raised against these modern financial innovations. One of the major cases against these modern financial instruments is that they lead to short term trade. This is so because, by lowering the costs of transactions, there is the likelihood of over production of commodities. This trend therefore results to a lot of resources being wasted. These complaints can be avoided through mechanisms such as, stock market volatility. This mechanism can be used to avoid disputes between middlemen and speculators through measuring the amount of stock available using the existing data. Volatility if measured as standard deviation of the returns is slightly higher as compared to the cases during the 1960s. Other methods to avoid the complaints associated with the financial innovation instruments are the use of index products and index arbitrage. These mechanisms help in establishing whether the index futures are responsible for an occurrence or the possible crash.

Conclusion

As discussed above, the last 20 years have witnessed a wave of innovations that have heavily impacted on the financial sector. There are possibilities that the modern financial instruments will be exported to other countries and which may or may be not effective. There is need for some research to be undertaken to establish whether the next 20 years will witness such a transformation.