👫🏽 IMSPARK: Unity in the Americas Through Multilateralism👫🏽

👫🏽 Imagine... Unity in the Americas Through Multilateralism👫🏽

💡 Imagined Endstate: 

A future where the Americas thrive through strengthened multilateral partnerships, fostering peace, economic growth, and shared prosperity across the region.

🔗Link: 

Multilateralism in the Americas

📚Source: 

Wilson Quarterly. (2024). Multilateralism in the Americas. Retrieved from https://www.wilsonquarterly.com/quarterly/the-new-multilateralism/multilateralism-in-the-americas

💥 What’s the Big Deal: 

Multilateralism is critical to addressing complex global challenges such as climate change, economic inequality, and political instability🛡️. With their rich diversity and shared interests, the Americas are uniquely positioned to lead by example in fostering collaborative efforts📊. Through strengthened multilateral partnerships, countries in the Americas can leverage collective resources, knowledge, and innovations to tackle common issues more effectively. 

🌎 This approach promotes peace and stability and enhances economic growth by creating a unified market and encouraging cross-border investments. 🤝 By prioritizing multilateralism, the Americas can ensure that no nation is left behind, fostering an environment where all countries can thrive together.  This vision of unity and collaboration is essential for the region's resilient and prosperous future.

#Multilateralism, #AmericasUnity, #GlobalPartnerships, #EconomicGrowth, #SustainableDevelopment, #RegionalCooperation, #FutureProsperity, #GlobalLeadership, #IMSPARK 

🏦IMSPARK: Pacific’s Startup Boom: A New Era of Innovation 🏦

🏦Imagine... Pacific’s Startup Boom: A New Era of Innovation 🏦

💡 Imagined Endstate: 

The Pacific’s startup ecosystem thrives with robust support from venture capital, driving innovation and sustainable economic growth in the Pacific.

🔗Link: 

Venture Capital Fund Aims to Help Hawaii’s Startups

📚Source: 

BizJournals. (2024, July 10). Venture Capital Fund Aims to Help Hawaii’s Startups. 

💥 What’s the Big Deal: 

Launching a new venture capital fund to support Hawaii’s startups marks a significant milestone for the region’s economic development. This fund aims to provide new entrepreneurs with critical financial resources and mentorship, enabling them to scale their innovative ideas into viable businesses. By fostering a vibrant startup culture, this initiative not only boosts local job creation and economic diversification 🌱 but also positions Hawaii as a hub for technological advancement 🌊 in the Pacific.

This investment in innovation will drive sustainable economic growth 🚀, attracting talent and retaining local innovators who might otherwise seek opportunities elsewhere. It navigates the way forward for advancements in technology 💡, renewable energy, healthcare, and other vital sectors, making Hawaii a beacon of progress in the Pacific region. The ripple effect of this support extends beyond financial growth 🏢, contributing to community resilience 🤝, education, and a more robust, innovation-driven economy. This venture capital fund is a crucial step towards creating a self-sustaining ecosystem where local startups can thrive, compete globally, and bring transformative solutions to the market💼. 

#PacificInnovation, #StartupSupport, #VentureCapital, #PacificGrowth, #EconomicDevelopment, #TechAdvancement, #CommunityResilience,#IMSPARK, #AccessToCapital,  

💼 IMSPARK: Unleashing the Power of Lagniappe in Your Career💼

💼 Imagine.... Unleashing the Power of Lagniappe in Your Career💼

💡 Imagined Endstate: 

A future where veterans and professionals leverage their unique ‘lagniappe’ to excel in their careers and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

🔗Link: 

What’s Your Lagniappe?

📚Source: 

Military.com. (2024). What’s Your Lagniappe? 

💥 What’s the Big Deal: 

Discovering and harnessing your ‘lagniappe’—that little extra something you bring to the table—can transform your career and personal growth💼. For veterans, this concept is especially powerful, highlighting the unique skills and experiences they bring to the civilian workforce🎯. ‘Lagniappe’ can set you apart, driving career success and fulfillment🏅. Embracing this mindset fosters resilience, innovation, and community impact, crucial in today’s competitive job market. By recognizing and cultivating your ‘lagniappe’, you can unlock new opportunities and achieve greater satisfaction in your career journey✨. 

#VeteranCareers, #CareerGrowth, #Lagniappe, #UniqueSkills, #VeteranSuccess, #ProfessionalDevelopment, #CommunityImpact, #IMSPARK,

🏝️IMSPARK: A Future-Ready Pacific Through Tourism🏝️

🏝️Imagine... A Future-Ready Pacific Through Tourism🏝️

💡 Imagined Endstate: 

A thriving Pacific region where tourism is powered by advanced education and diversified strategies, ensuring sustainable growth and resilience.

🔗 Link: 

Education and Diversification Recognized as Key to Future of Tourism in Asia and the Pacific

📚 Source: 

UNWTO. (2024). Education and Diversification Recognized as Key to Future of Tourism in Asia and the Pacific. 

💥 What’s the Big Deal: 

The recent UNWTO report highlights the critical role of education and diversification in shaping the future of tourism in Asia and the Pacific🌏. For Pacific Island nations, this means equipping local communities with the necessary skills and knowledge to enhance tourism services and experiences💼. By diversifying tourism strategies, these nations can reduce dependency on traditional markets and create more resilient tourism sectors. This approach not only boosts economic growth but also preserves cultural heritage and natural environments🌿. Embracing innovative educational programs and diversified tourism models ensures that the Pacific remains a top global destination while fostering sustainable development and inclusive growth🔍. The focus on education and diversification will empower local communities, promote cultural exchange, and drive economic prosperity, making the Pacific a beacon of sustainable tourism.

#PacificTourism, #SustainableGrowth, #TourismInnovation, #EducationForAll, #CulturalHeritage, #EconomicDiversification, #FutureReadyPacific,#GlobalLeadership, #ECTM

🌏 IMSPARK: Elevating Pacific Innovation 🌏

🌏 Imagine... Elevating Pacific Innovation 🌏

💡 Imagined Endstate: 

A Pacific region thriving with technological advancements and global competitiveness, driven by robust AI strategies and innovative practices.

🔗 Link: 

URL Here

📚 Source: 

Deloitte. (2024). “State of General AI Report Q2”. Retrieved from https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/consulting/us-state-of-gen-ai-report-q2.pdf?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

💥 What’s the Big Deal: 

The “State of General AI Report Q2” emphasizes the transformative power of AI across various sectors🤖. For the Pacific region, adopting AI-driven solutions can address critical challenges such as climate change, healthcare accessibility, and economic diversification🌊. By fostering a culture of innovation and investing in AI research and development, Pacific nations can enhance their global standing and resilience. This involves not only leveraging AI for immediate technological gains but also ensuring sustainable development through improved disaster response systems, advanced agricultural techniques, and enhanced educational tools💼. The report underscores the importance of collaboration between governments, private sectors, and educational institutions to build a robust AI ecosystem🔍. Embracing these strategies ensures that the Pacific region is not left behind but rather becomes a beacon of innovation, setting new benchmarks in sustainable and inclusive growth.

#PacificInnovation, #AIRevolution,#SustainableGrowth, #TechLeadership, #GlobalCompetitiveness, #FutureReady,#PacificTech,#IMSPARK, 

🌐IMSPARK: Pacific Harnessing AI for Medical Innovation🌐

🌐Imagine.... Pacific Harnessing AI for Medical Innovation🌐

💡 Imagined Endstate: 

In a future where AI-driven healthcare transforms medical practices across the Pacific, ensuring all communities have access to cutting-edge health solutions.

🔗Link: 

Read the full article here

📚Source: 

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2024). Hackathon harnesses AI for health innovation. Retrieved from https://news.va.gov/132565/hackathon-harnesses-ai-for-health-innovation/

💥 What’s the Big Deal: 

The recent hackathon hosted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs showcased the power of AI in transforming healthcare, highlighting innovations that can be pivotal for the Pacific region🌊. By leveraging AI, medical professionals can enhance diagnostic accuracy, personalize treatment plans, and streamline administrative processes. The integration of AI in healthcare can significantly improve patient outcomes🤖, reduce costs, and increase access to medical services, especially in remote and underserved Pacific communities🤝. This initiative not only demonstrates the potential of AI in revolutionizing healthcare but also emphasizes the importance of collaborative efforts to bring these innovations to life. As the Pacific region faces unique healthcare challenges🏥, such as geographic isolation and limited resources, the adoption of AI technologies can bridge these gaps and ensure a healthier future for all.

#HealthInnovation, #AIHealthcare, #Pacific, #MedicalAdvances, #FutureOfHealth, #TechForGood, #CollaborativeInnovation,#VeteranCare,#IMSPARK,

👥IMSPARK: Hawai'i Prioritizing Civic Education 👥

👥Imagine... Hawai'i Prioritizing Civic Education 👥

💡 Imagined Endstate: 

A Hawaii where civic education is prioritized, ensuring that every citizen is informed, engaged, and empowered to contribute to the community’s future.

🔗Link: 

Civil Beat Article

📚Source: 

Civil Beat. (2023, November 29). Prioritize Civic Education — But They Need More Help. 

💥 What’s the Big Deal: 

Civic education is crucial for nurturing informed and active citizens who can meaningfully participate in democratic processes🗳️. The article highlights the urgent need for enhanced support for civic education programs in Hawai’i🏫. Despite efforts, many students lack the resources and opportunities to fully understand their roles as citizens🌺. By prioritizing civic education, Hawai’i can cultivate a generation of engaged and knowledgeable individuals who can drive positive change and uphold democratic values🌍. This initiative is not just about education; it’s about empowering communities, fostering civic responsibility, and ensuring a resilient democratic society. Comprehensive civic education programs equip students with critical thinking skills, an understanding of governmental structures, and the motivation to participate in civic duties, ultimately fortifying the democratic fabric of society🧠. By investing in these educational foundations, Hawai’i can set a powerful example of community-driven change and inspire other regions to follow suit.

#CivicEducation,#PacificEducation, #CommunityEngagement, #EmpoweredCitizens, #DemocraticValues, #EducationForAll, #SustainableFuture,#IMSPARK,

(IMOA) Open Access: Sometimes Gray is not only Gray

  

(IMOA) Imagine Pacific Original Article 

Open Access: Sometimes Gray is not only Gray 

By James E. Faumuina, MBA, MPA 

Editor, Imagine Pacific Pulse    

7/24/2024

Access to current research is crucial for academic inquiry, with peer review as a hallmark of scholarly rigor. However, it's essential to acknowledge Ph.D. students and academics' challenges in navigating the vast and diverse landscape of literature sources. This discussion aims to shed light on these challenges and explore the roles of peer-reviewed journals, scholarly books, open-source materials, and gray literature in shaping research practices and information dissemination in academia. It leads us to question: is gray literature indeed as gray as its name suggests?

The peer review process equips professional academics with access to current research. However, Ph.D. students face limitations due to barriers to literature access (Marsh, 2015). Acknowledging that journal articles are the foundation for scholarly writing(Kaiser & Presmeg, 2019), articles that have gone through peer review should be utilized (Kelly et al., 2014). This is primarily because academic journals endure the rigor of the peer review process (DePoy & Gitlin, 2020). Lindgren (2014) provides an added benefit of peer review regarding the reliability of information, ensuring that what is taken from the peer-reviewed article is not subject to becoming vapor theory.

Much like the reliability gained by peer-reviewed articles, an added merit and dimension of scholarly books is what Paul & Elder (2004) described as depth. Currently, search tools such as Wikipedia (Lindgren, 2014) provide what Harris (2022) would consider superficial. Books tend to deliver consistency for readership, which Harris (2022) calls flowing. Though Harris attests that the peer review process is less rigorous for books, Paul and Elder provide an additional strength in that books provide structure and systems (Paul & Elder, 2004).

Though open-source and widespread press availability appeal, students risk compromising validity by relying on them for research (Depoy & Gitlin, 2020). Therefore, while it is recommended to use open source during the brainstorming and mapping process (Queirós et al., 2017), limiting its use to peer-reviewed books and chapters might restrict access to new and topical information.

Concerning gray literature, Marsh (2015) offers several examples of formats that can be considered. In the pursuit of a universal definition, these examples provided by Marsh could be described as non-traditional resources, as they do not undergo peer review. These types of literature include research reports, government white papers, and studies. If there is a prevailing benefit of gray literature, it provides additional value to institutional repositories. The promise of open access lies in how it enhances the value of institutional repositories, to the extent that it might even complement or eventually replace the mechanism of peer reviews.

To advocate for access in all forms, open access offers the benefit of serving as what Marsh considers a single source for students, faculty, and academic staff (Marsh, 2015). The drawback of institutional repositories is the reluctance of creators to contribute to the body of literature, potentially diluting the field's most current concerns and contributions.

From the perspective of research into the field of Global Resilience, gray literature holds significance in developing a current body of literature, with work conducted on the Sendai Framework, Economic Inclusion, and Disaster Risk Reduction(Aspen, 2021; United Nations, 2015; Valavanidis, 2023). Open-access articles provide more timely currency in innovation, aligning with what Paul and Elder (2004) would consider an essential exercise of the tenet of relevancy.

In conclusion, the debate surrounding literature access in academic research reveals the critical role of peer-reviewed journals as pillars of reliability and rigor. While scholarly books offer depth and consistency, open-source and gray literature provide valuable supplementary insights but require cautious validation. The advent of open access presents promising opportunities to significantly enhance the accessibility and relevance of research across institutional repositories, potentially reshaping scholarly communication dynamics. As academia navigates these diverse resources, it remains imperative to uphold standards of rigor and integrity, ensuring that research continues to evolve with the highest standards of scholarly practice.

Reference:

Aspen Instute, T. (2021). Building as Inclusive Financial System: A Global Economic & Social Imperative for this Decade. Aspen Institute.

DePoy, E., & Gitlin, L. N. (2020). Introduction to Research (6th ed.). Elsevier Health Sciences.

Harris, S. R. (2022). How to Critique Journal Articles in the Social Sciences. SAGE Publications, Inc. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781071878743

Kaiser, G., & Presmeg, N. (Eds.). (2019). Compendium for Early Career Researchers in Mathematics Education. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15636-7

Kelly, J., Sadeghieh, T., & Adeli, K. (2014). Peer review in scientific publications: Benefits, critiques, & a survival guide. The Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, 25(3), 227–243.

Lindgren, S. (2014). Crowdsourcing Knowledge Interdiscursive Flows from Wikipedia into Scholarly Research. Culture Unbound, 6(3), 609–627. https://doi.org/10.3384/cu.2000.1525.146609

Marsh, R. M. (2015). The role of institutional repositories in developing the communication of scholarly research. OCLC Systems & Services: International Digital Library Perspectives, 31(4), 163–195. https://doi.org/10.1108/OCLC-04-2014-0022

Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2004). And the Art of Close Reading, Part III. Journal of Developmental Education, 28(1), 36–37.

Queirós, A., Faria, D., & Almeida, F. (2017). Strengths And Limitations Of Qualitative And Quantitative Research Methods. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.887089

United Nations. (2015). Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015—2030.

Valavanidis, A. (2023). World Bank Report: Extreme Poverty is Rising Again. Scientific Reviews.

James is the owner of Imagine Pacific Enterprises and the Editor of Imagine Pacific Pulse (IMPULSE). He is a retired Lt Col, Hawaii Air National Guard. Former medical administrator, planner, program manager, and operations officer. Graduated from the USAF Air War College and is currently a Ph.D. student in the in Troy Global Leadership Program. He can be contacted at jfaumuina@troy.edu 

💼 IMSPARK: Diversifying the Pacific’s Economy for Sustainable Growth 💼

💼 Imagine: Diversifying the Pacific’s Economy for Sustainable Growth 💼

💡 Imagined Endstate: 

A future where Hawaii’s economy thrives through diverse industries, ensuring sustainable growth, resilience, and prosperity for all communities.

🔗 Link: 

Read the full report here

📚 Source: 

UHERO. (2024). Potential Opportunities to Diversify the Economy of Hawaii. Retrieved from https://uhero.hawaii.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/PotentialOpportunitiesToDiversifyTheEconomyOfHawaii.pdf

💥 What’s the Big Deal: 

Hawaii’s economy has long been reliant on tourism, which makes it vulnerable to global economic fluctuations and environmental challenges. The UHERO report identifies key opportunities to diversify Hawaii’s economy, including renewable energy, technology, and agriculture 🌿. By investing in these sectors, Hawaii can create sustainable jobs, reduce its carbon footprint, and enhance food security👩‍🌾. Diversifying the economy will not only protect against future economic downturns but also ensure a more resilient and self-sufficient Hawaii.

The renewable energy sector presents vast potential for harnessing Hawaii’s abundant natural resources like solar and wind power, reducing dependence on imported fuels🌞. The technology sector can spur innovation and attract high-tech jobs, fostering a knowledge-based economy. Enhancing the agricultural sector can improve local food production, reduce reliance on imports, and support local farmers. Embracing these opportunities will help build a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable economy that benefits all residents of the Pacific islands🌊. This forward-thinking approach ensures that Hawaii can weather economic storms and lead by example in sustainable development.

#ResilientHawaii, #SustainableGrowth, #EconomicDiversification, #RenewableEnergy,#Innovation, #PacificProsperity,

#UHERO,#IMSPARK