Anaheim University

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has been heralded by some as a transformational force in education. It is argued to have the potential to reduce inequality and democratize the learning experience, particularly in the Global South. Others warn of the dangers of techno-solutionism, dehumanization of learners, and a widening digital divide. The reality, as so often, may be more complicated than this juxtaposition suggests. In our study, we investigated the ways in which GenAI can contribute to independent language learning in the context of Pakistan. We were particularly interested in the roles of five variables that have been shown to be particularly salient in this and similar contexts: learners' Generative Artificial Intelligence-mediated Informal Digital Learning of English (GenAI-IDLE) participation, AI Literacy, Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE) and Foreign Language Boredom (FLB), and their second language Willingness to Communicate (L2 WTC). Employing a structural equation modelling approach, we surveyed 359 Pakistani English as a foreign language (EFL) learners to investigate their interrelationships between variables. The results demonstrate that EFL learners' GenAI-IDLE activity directly and positively influences AI literacy and FLE. Students' AI literacy and FLE play a chain-mediating role in the relationship between GenAI-IDLE participation and L2 WTC. However, FLB lacks predictive power over L2 WTC. We discuss the implications of these results for language learning, in particular in low-resource contexts.

This research aims to study the influence of small entrepreneurial skills and innovation competencies on the survival of small businesses. The sample group is 364 small business entrepreneurs. The tools used were questionnaires and statistics used in data analysis including frequency, percentage, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling. The research results found that the CFA of all latent variable indicators showed consistency between the research framework and empirical data. In addition, the SEM analysis found that three areas of small entrepreneurial skills, namely digital skills, leadership skills, and management skills, directly influence small business entrepreneurs' innovation competencies, and innovation competencies have a positive direct influence on the survival of small businesses. The finding shows that small entrepreneurial skills lead innovation in small businesses, driving them to expand efficiency, reduce costs, enhance product quality, and improve alignment with consumer demands. By leveraging innovation competencies, small entrepreneurs can anticipate consumer requirements, develop new ideas, and quickly deliver products and services, ultimately ensuring the business's survival and success.

This book review examines Exploring Research Methodology and Research Design: Doing Research Across the Business Disciplines, edited by Peter John Sandiford and Sabine Sch & uuml;hrer. The book is a reflective and practice-based resource for researchers navigating the complexities of methodology and design in business disciplines. It is structured in three parts: foundational perspectives on research, considerations in design and planning, and the realities of conducting research. Through diverse voices and case-based insights, the text challenges linear, formulaic approaches to research and instead promotes critical engagement, methodological flexibility, and reflexivity. The book equips doctoral students and early-career researchers with tools for thoughtful and context-sensitive research practice by addressing philosophical, ethical, and social dimensions.

This essay describes a physician’s perspective of how loneliness affects patients, especially older adults.

Introduction and Objective: Nearly half of US adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) fail to achieve glycemic control (A1c<7%), increasing complication risks. The American Diabetes Association recommends system-level strategies to optimize care delivery, yet the real-world impact of population-based programs on A1c control remains unclear. This study examined the association between three key components of a chronic condition population management program and A1c target achievement within a large integrated health system, stratified by race/ethnicity. Methods: This retrospective nested case-control study utilized Kaiser Permanente Southern California data (2017-2022). Patients (18-75 years) with T2D and baseline A1c≥7% were included. Cases (two consecutive A1c<7%) were matched to controls (1:3 ratio) based on baseline A1c (±0.2%) and follow-up duration. The exposure variable was predominant encounter type, categorized into three levels: 1) Primary Care Physician (PCP), 2) Population-Care Management (PCM), and 3) Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES). Conditional logistic regression assessed the independent effects of predominant encounter type on A1c, adjusting for covariates. Results: The sample included 317,284 patients (94,647 cases) with a median age of 59 years. The sample was 49% Hispanic, 24% White, 13% Asian, 9% Black, and 1% Native Alaskan/Pacific Islander. Median follow-up was 11 months. Patients with DSMES as their predominant care had significantly higher odds of achieving A1c target (OR 1.39, 95%CI 1.35, 1.42), while those with predominantly PCM encounters had lower odds of achieving A1c target (OR 0.78, 95%CI 0.77, 0.80), compared to PCP-led care. Findings were consistent across racial/ethnic groups. Conclusion: DSMES was associated with the most robust effect on A1c target achievement. Further resources devoted to enhancing DSMES reach and effectiveness have the potential to help more patients living with T2D achieve sustained glycemic control and prevent complications in T2D. T. Formagini: None. M. Kim: None. X. Wei: None. S. Tovar: None. A. Salvador: None. R.R. Nanda: None. T. Hsieh: None. J.P. Martin: None. K.J. Coleman: None. B.U. Wu: None. Regional Research Committee of Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KP-RRC-20230403)