Framework of a process laboratory for the operational control of service processes

Service processes such as financial advice, booking a business trip or conducting a consulting project have emerged as units of analysis of high interest for the business process and service management communities in practice and academia. While the transactional nature of production processes is relatively well understood and deployed, the less predictable and highly interactive nature of service processes still lacks in many areas appropriate methodological grounding. This paper proposes a framework of a process laboratory as a new IT artefact in order to facilitate the holistic analysis and simulation of such service processes. Using financial services as an example, it will be shown how such a process laboratory can be used to reduce the complexity of service process analysis and facilitate operational service process control.

Understanding and impacting the practice of business process management

This presentation will explore how BPM research can seamlessly combine the academic requirement of rigor with the aim to impact the practice of Business Process Management. After a brief introduction into the research agendas as they are perceived by different BPM communities, two research projects will be discussed that illustrate how empirically-informed quantitative and qualitative research, combined with design science, can lead to outcomes that BPM practitioners are willing to adopt. The first project studies the practice of process modeling using Information Systems theory, and demonstrates how a better understanding of this practice can inform the design of modeling notations and methods. The second project studies the adoption of process management within organizations, and leads to models of how organizations can incrementally transition to greater levels of BPM maturity. The presentation will conclude with recommendations for how the BPM research and practitioner communities can increasingly benefit from each other.

Alternate healing and medicine : the roles of naturopathy, homeopathy, osteopathy, chiropractic and medical practice in the health system

This thesis is concerned with understanding the roles of four alternate healing systems and medical practice in the community's health behaviour. The four alternate systems are naturopathy, homoeopathy, osteopathy and chiropractic. The research reported developed from work supported by the Committee of Inquiry into Chiropractic, Osteopathy, Homoeopathy and Naturopathy conducted under the chairmanship of Professor E. C. Webb set up by the Australian Government in 1975. The study concentrates on the factors which influence individual clients in their decisions to consult healers for treatment. An underlying assumption is that an analysis of the processes that effect such decisions will lead to further knowledge of the community's attitudes towards the functions of alternate healing and medicine. A review of the historical backgrounds and current status of the four alternate healing systems leads to the conclusion that they differ in a variety of areas. These areas include treatment modalities, historical backgrounds, occupational development and rapprochement with medicine. Homoeopathy, osteopathy and chiropractic emerged as distinct approaches to healing late in the nineteenth century. Naturopathy tends to be a philosophy or style of life as much as a health system in its own right. Their relationships with medicine also vary; osteopathy and naturopathy receive some acceptance, some homoeopaths are tolerated, whilst chiropractic is ostracised and vilified. A common paradigm of treatment underlies all four alternate approaches to healing. They all eschew the use of synthetic pharmaceuticals and invasive treatments and accept an indigenous theory of disease and a belief in the vis medicatrix naturae or the healing power of nature. An inevitable concomitant of this paradigm is that they believe that healing and health must be self-engendered. They rest within the client and his or her actions, not within the hands, skills or power of the healer. It is these characteristics combined with the alternate healers ' claims to espouse a similar scientific rationale for their approaches, and their functioning as parallel healers to medicine, that establishes their special relationship with medicine. This relationship become s more problematic in the face of medicine's hegemony and claim to unique legitimacy as the community's sole healing system. The interaction between these systems and medical practice can be gauged through articles related to the four alternate healing systems that have appeared in the medical literature. Interest has been cyclical but appears to have markedly increased in the past two decades. In this period it has included exploratory and descriptive writing; concern with controlling and/or eradicating the healers; desire to protect an ignorant and vulnerable public and. finally understanding and exploration of what the alternate healers might have to offer. At the same time, the public or institutionalized role has been one of denial and suppression through ostracism and legal constraints. In spite of medicine's position the alternate healing systems have found growing community acceptance so that it is problematical and probably unacceptable now to consider their use as a 'deviant ' health action. Increasing interest in the characteristics of clients has provided a consensus that they are similar to the adult population and are more likely to suffer from musculoskeletal and chronic illnesses. They are no more likely to be neurotic or gullible than the general community, but probably more practical and more oriented towards an active involvement in the healing process. The impact of these issues is explored, through comparing the strategies taken into account when choosing a treatment. These include attending one of the alternate healers exclusively for a condition; attending an alternate healer and a medical practitioner for the same problem; attending a medical practitioner solely or not consulting any healer. Respondents from surveys of alternate healer clients and the general community were classified according to their use of these four strategies, and the influences on their decisions at different stages of the treatment decision making process were compared.

The association between adolescent self-reported physical activity and wellness : the missing piece for youth wellness programs

Purpose Potential positive associations between youth physical activity and wellness scores could emphasize the value of youth physical activity engagement and promotion interventions, beyond the many established physiological and psychological benefits of increased physical activity. The purpose of this study was to explore the associations between adolescents' self-reported physical activity and wellness. Methods This investigation included 493 adolescents (165 males and 328 females) aged between 12 and 15 years. The participants were recruited from six secondary schools of varying socioeconomic status within a metropolitan area. Students were administered the Five-Factor Wellness Inventory and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents to assess both wellness and physical activity, respectively. Results Data indicated that significant associations between physical activity and wellness existed. Self-reported physical activity was shown to be positively associated with four dimensions including friendship, gender identity, spirituality, and exercise—the higher order factor physical self and total wellness, and negatively associated with self-care, self-worth, love, and cultural identity. Conclusion This study suggests that relationships exist between self-reported physical activity and various elements of wellness. Future research should use controlled trials of physical activity and wellness to establish causal links among youth populations. Understanding the nature of these relationships, including causality, has implications for the justification of youth physical activity promotion interventions and the development of youth physical activity engagement programs.

Stop and revive? The effectiveness of nap and active rest breaks for reducing drivers sleepiness

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two commonly utilised sleepiness countermeasures: a nap break and an active rest break. The effects of the countermeasures were evaluated by physiological (EEG), subjective, and driving performance measures. Participants completed two hours of simulated driving, followed by a 15 minute nap break or a 15 minute active rest break then completed the final hour of simulated driving. The nap break reduced EEG and subjective sleepiness. The active rest break did not reduce EEG sleepiness, with sleepiness levels eventually increasing, and resulted in an immediate reduction of subjective sleepiness. No difference was found between the two breaks for the driving performance measure. The immediate reduction of subjective sleepiness after the active rest break could leave drivers with erroneous perceptions of their sleepiness, particularly with increases of physiological sleepiness after the break.

Randomized trial of a clinic-based, community-supported, lifestyle intervention to improve physical activity and diet : The North Carolina enhanced WISEWOMAN project

Objective To determine if a clinic-based behavioral intervention program for low-income mid-life women that emphasizes use of community resources will increase moderate intensity physical activity (PA) and improve dietary intake. Methods Randomized trial conducted from May 2003 to December 2004 at one community health center in Wilmington, NC. A total of 236 women, ages 40–64, were randomized to receive an Enhanced Intervention (EI) or Minimal Intervention (MI). The EI consisted of an intensive phase (6 months) including 2 individual counseling sessions, 3 group sessions, and 3 phone calls from a peer counselor followed by a maintenance phase (6 months) including 1 individual counseling session and 7 monthly peer counselor calls. Both phases included efforts to increase participants' use of community resources that promote positive lifestyle change. The MI consisted of a one-time mailing of pamphlets on diet and PA. Outcomes, measured at 6 and 12 months, included the comparison of moderate intensity PA between study groups as assessed by accelerometer (primary outcome) and questionnaire, and dietary intake assessed by questionnaire and serum carotenoids (6 months only). Results For accelerometer outcomes, follow-up was 75% at 6 months and 73% at 12 months. Though moderate intensity PA increased in the EI and decreased in the MI, the difference between groups was not statistically significant (p = 0.45; multivariate model, p = 0.08); however, moderate intensity PA assessed by questionnaire (92% follow-up at 6 months and 75% at 12 months) was greater in the EI (p = 0.01; multivariate model, p = 0.001). For dietary outcomes, follow-up was 90% for questionnaire and 92% for serum carotenoids at 6 months and 74% for questionnaire at 12 months. Dietary intake improved more in the EI compared to the MI (questionnaire at 6 and 12 months, p < 0.001; serum carotenoid index, p = 0.05; multivariate model, p = 0.03). Conclusion The EI did not improve objectively measured PA, but was associated with improved self-reported and objective measures of dietary intake.

Health promotion for dogs and humans : the 10,000 steps Rockhampton dog walking intervention

Purpose This paper describes the implementation and evaluation of an intervention aimed at increasing the dog-walking behaviour of residents from a community of approximately 60,000. This intervention was a sub strategy of the 10 000 Steps Rockhampton project – a community intervention aimed at decreasing sedentary behaviour in the adult population. Methods Brochures and posters were developed that promoted dog walking as a means to improve both human and canine health. The brochures were distributed by the local council to over 8 000 homes with the annual dog-renewal registrations. Results Evaluation of the intervention included a telephone survey of a randomly selected sample of Rockhampton residents (n=420) four-months post intervention. Although 63.6% of participants reported that owning a dog increased their physical activity levels, 40% of dog-owners did not walk their dog at all in the last week. The outcome evaluation of the intervention showed that 20.2% of dog-owners recalled receiving the brochure. Overall 15.3% of respondents with a dog in their household reported an increase in their physical activity levels since the intervention, 8.4% reported a decrease. Conclusions The intervention was an innovative and cost-effective way to tap into a section of the population that can benefit from engaging in regular walking behaviour. It was also a unique and useful way to engage local council in physical activity health promotion as part of a larger ongoing community-wide intervention.

Graduate careers in journalism, media and communications within and outside the sector : early career outcomes, trajectories and capabilities

This chapter addresses the radical paucity of empirical data about the career destinations of journalism, media and communications graduates from degree programs. We report findings from a study of ten years of graduates from Queensland University of Technology’s courses in journalism, media, and communication studies, using a ‘Creative Trident’ lens to analyse micro individual survey data. The study findings engage with creative labour precarity discussions, and also assertions of creative graduate oversupply suggested by national graduate outcome statistics. We describe the graduates’ employment outcomes, characterise their early career movements into and out of embedded and specialist employment, and compare the capability requirements and degree of course relevance reported by graduates employed in the different Trident segments. Given that in general the graduates in this study enjoyed very positive employment outcomes, but that there were systematic differences in reported course relevance by segment of employment and role, we also consider how university programs can best engage with the task of educating students for a surprisingly diverse range of media and communication-related occupational outcomes within and outside the creative industries.

Plasma foundations and nanoscience : the plasma-plasmonics junction

Plasma science and plasmonics are connected by very similar physics, in particular, the notion of collective plasma waves and oscillations. This article provides a brief history of the junction between plasmas and plasmonics as well as highlights a few fundamental physical links.

Before and after the creative city : the politics of urban cultural policy in Austin, Texas

This article examines the politics and practice of urban cultural policy in Austin, Texas. I demonstrate how aspects of the local context frame how local government and cultural sector interests strive to initiate the direction of policy. While larger trends—such as Richard Florida's creative city thesis—influence cultural policy and planning, specific contextual factors including prior economic development and growth management policy, departmental organization, the forum for interaction between municipal actors and non-governmental coalitions, and the character of the city's cultural economy mediate such trends to produce policy outcomes. As this case shows, contemporary urban cultural policy is not simply due to the rise of the creative city discourse, but is an evolving product of past policy structures and shaped by local institutions and actors.

Looking beyond image and tourism : the role of flagship cultural projects in local arts development

State and local governments frequently look to flagship cultural projects to improve the city image and catalyze tourism but, in the process, often overlook their potential to foster local arts development. To better understand this role, the article examines if and how cultural institutions in Los Angeles and San Francisco attract and support arts-related activity. The analysis reveals that cultural flagships have mixed success in generating arts-based development and that their ability may be improved through attention to the local context, facility and institutional characteristics, and the approach of the sponsoring agencies. Such knowledge is useful for planners to enhance their revitalization efforts, particularly as the economic development potential of arts organizations and artists has become more apparent.

Performance government : activating and regulating the self-governing capacities of teachers and school leaders

This article analyses ‘performance government’ as an emergent form of rule in advanced liberal democracies. It discloses how teachers and school leaders in Australia are being governed by the practices of performance government which centre on the recently established Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) and are given direction by two major strategies implicit within the exercise of this form of power: activation and regulation. Through an ‘analytics of government’ of these practices, the article unravels the new configurations of corporatized expert and academic knowledge—and their attendant methods of application—by which the self-governing capacities of teachers and school leaders are being activated and regulated in ways that seek to optimize the performance of these professionals. The article concludes by outlining some of the dangers of performance government for the professional freedom of educators and school leaders.

Measuring, modelling and understanding the mechanical behavior of bagasse

In the Australian sugar industry, sugar cane is smashed into a straw like material by hammers before being squeezed between large rollers to extract the sugar juice. The straw like material is initially called prepared cane and then bagasse as it passes through successive roller milling units. The sugar cane materials are highly compressible, have high moisture content, are fibrous, and they resemble some peat soils in both appearance and mechanical behaviour. A promising avenue to improve the performance of milling units for increased throughput and juice extraction, and to reduce costs is by modelling of the crushing process. To achieve this, it is believed necessary that milling models should be able to reproduce measured bagasse behaviour. This investigation sought to measure the mechanical (compression, shear, and volume) behaviour of prepared cane and bagasse, to identify limitations in currently used material models, and to progress towards a material model that can predict bagasse behaviour adequately. Tests were carried out using a modified direct shear test equipment and procedure at most of the large range of pressures occurring in the crushing process. The investigation included an assessment of the performance of the direct shear test for measuring bagasse behaviour. The assessment was carried out using finite element modelling. It was shown that prepared cane and bagasse exhibited critical state behavior similar to that of soils and the magnitudes of material parameters were determined. The measurements were used to identify desirable features for a bagasse material model. It was shown that currently used material models had major limitations for reproducing bagasse behaviour. A model from the soil mechanics literature was modified and shown to achieve improved reproduction while using magnitudes of material parameters that better reflected the measured values. Finally, a typical three roller mill pressure feeder configuration was modelled. The predictions and limitations were assessed by comparison to measured data from a sugar factory.

School libraries, teacher-librarians and student outcomes : presenting and using the evidence

Evidence is required to ensure the future viability of school libraries and teacher-librarians. Education policy makers and school principals need detailed, reliable evidence to support informed decision-making about school library resourcing and staffing. Teacher-librarians need evidence to guide their professional practice and demonstrate their contribution to student learning outcomes. This review, which arises from recent Australian research (Hughes, 2013), collates international and Australian research about the impacts of school libraries and teacher librarians. It strengthens the evidence base, and recommends how this evidence can be best used to advance school libraries and teacher-librarians and enhance student learning.

Stop and revive? The effectiveness of nap and active rest breaks for reducing driver sleepiness

Objectives The purpose for this study was to determine the relative benefit of nap and active rest breaks for reducing driver sleepiness. Methods Participants were 20 healthy young adults (20-25 years), including 8 males and 12 females. A counterbalanced within-subjects design was used such that each participant completed both conditions on separate occasions, a week apart. The effects of the countermeasures were evaluated by established physiological (EEG theta and alpha absolute power), subjective (Karolinska Sleepiness Scale), and driving performance measures (Hazard Perception Task). Participants woke at 5am, and undertook a simulated driving task for two hours; each participant then had either a 15-minute nap opportunity or a 15-minute active rest break that included 10 minutes of brisk walking, followed by another hour of simulated driving. Results The nap break reduced EEG theta and alpha absolute power and eventually reduced subjective sleepiness levels. In contrast, the active rest break did not reduce EEG theta and alpha absolute power levels with the power levels eventually increasing. An immediate reduction of subjective sleepiness was observed, with subjective sleepiness increasing during the final hour of simulated driving. No difference was found between the two breaks for hazard perception performance. Conclusions Only the nap break produced a significant reduction in physiological sleepiness. The immediate reductions of subjective sleepiness following the active rest break could leave drivers with erroneous perceptions of their sleepiness, particularly as physiological sleepiness continued to increase after the break.