When Australian construction SME implementing TQM

Statistics show that construction industry contributes steadily and significantly to the national economy and SME always plays a major role. In order to offer "value for money" to the client and lower the operating cost, practising quality program is crucial. The aim of this paper is to investigate, via extensive literature reviews, how Australian construction SME should manage when implementing TQM strategy in the business model. In summary, there are four management implications: construction management, knowledge management, supply chain management and marketing management, which can enhance competitive advantage and favor commercial viability. One can reasonably conclude that quality improvements will lead to long term commercial advantages.

Qualitative synthesis and systematic review in health professions education

Context  Formal qualitative synthesis is the process of pooling qualitative and mixed-method research data, and then drawing conclusions regarding the collective meaning of the research. Qualitative synthesis is regularly used within systematic reviews in the health professions literature, although such use has been heavily debated in the general literature. This controversy arises in part from the inherent tensions found when generalisations are derived from in-depth studies that are heavily context-dependent.Methods  We explore three representative qualitative synthesis methodologies: thematic analysis; meta-ethnography, and realist synthesis. These can be understood across two dimensions: integrative to interpretative, and idealist to realist. Three examples are used to illustrate the relative strengths and limitations of these approaches.Discussion  Against a backdrop of controversy and diverse methodologies, readers must take a critical stand when reading literature reviews that use qualitative synthesis to derive their findings. We argue that notions of qualitative rigour such as transparency and acknowledgment of the researchers’ stance should be applied to qualitative synthesis.

On exploratory factor analysis: a review of recent evidence, an assessment of current practice, and recommendations for future use

Exploratory factor analysis (hereafter, factor analysis) is a complex statistical method that is integral to many fields of research. Using factor analysis requires researchers to make several decisions, each of which affects the solutions generated. In this paper, we focus on five major decisions that are made in conducting factor analysis: (i) establishing how large the sample needs to be, (ii) choosing between factor analysis and principal components analysis, (iii) determining the number of factors to retain, (iv) selecting a method of data extraction, and (v) deciding upon the methods of factor rotation. The purpose of this paper is threefold: (i) to review the literature with respect to these five decisions, (ii) to assess current practices in nursing research, and (iii) to offer recommendations for future use. The literature reviews illustrate that factor analysis remains a dynamic field of study, with recent research having practical implications for those who use this statistical method. The assessment was conducted on 54 factor analysis (and principal components analysis) solutions presented in the results sections of 28 papers published in the 2012 volumes of the 10 highest ranked nursing journals, based on their 5-year impact factors. The main findings from the assessment were that researchers commonly used (a) participants-to-items ratios for determining sample sizes (used for 43% of solutions), (b) principal components analysis (61%) rather than factor analysis (39%), (c) the eigenvalues greater than one rule and screen tests to decide upon the numbers of factors/components to retain (61% and 46%, respectively), (d) principal components analysis and unweighted least squares as methods of data extraction (61% and 19%, respectively), and (e) the Varimax method of rotation (44%). In general, well-established, but out-dated, heuristics and practices informed decision making with respect to the performance of factor analysis in nursing studies. Based on the findings from factor analysis research, it seems likely that the use of such methods may have had a material, adverse effect on the solutions generated. We offer recommendations for future practice with respect to each of the five decisions discussed in this paper.

Tackling 'wicked' health promotion problems: a New Zealand case study

This paper reports on a complex environmental approach to addressing 'wicked' health promotion problems devised to inform policy for enhancing food security and physical activity among Māori, Pacific and low-income people in New Zealand. This multi-phase research utilized literature reviews, focus groups, stakeholder workshops and key informant interviews. Participants included members of affected communities, policy-makers and academics. Results suggest that food security and physical activity 'emerge' from complex systems. Key areas for intervention include availability of money within households; the cost of food; improvements in urban design and culturally specific physical activity programmes. Seventeen prioritized intervention areas were explored in-depth and recommendations for action identified. These include healthy food subsidies, increasing the statutory minimum wage rate and enhancing open space and connectivity in communities. This approach has moved away from seeking individual solutions to complex social problems. In doing so, it has enabled the mapping of the relevant systems and the identification of a range of interventions while taking account of the views of affected communities and the concerns of policy-makers. The complex environmental approach used in this research provides a method to identify how to intervene in complex systems that may be relevant to other 'wicked' health promotion problems.

Effective self-management strategies for bipolar disorder: a community-engaged Delphi consensus consultation study

BACKGROUND: Self-management represents an important complement to psychosocial treatments for bipolar disorder (BD), but research is limited. Specifically, little is known about self-management approaches for elevated mood states; this study investigated self-management strategies for: (1) maintaining balance in mood, and (2) stopping progression into hypomania/mania. METHODS: To identify the common components of BD self-management, Delphi Consensus Consultation methods were combined with a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach across five study phases: (1) Qualitative dataset content analysis; (2) Academic/grey literature reviews; (3) Content analysis; (4) Two Delphi rounds (rating strategies on a 5-point Likert scale, Very Unhelpful-Very Helpful), and; (5) Quantitative analysis and interpretation. Participants were people with BD and healthcare providers. RESULTS: Phases 1 and 2 identified 262 and 3940 candidate strategies, respectively; 3709 were discarded as duplicates/unintelligible. The remaining 493 were assessed via Delphi methods in Phase 4: 101 people with BD and 52 healthcare providers participated in Round 1; 83 of the BD panel (82%) and 43 of the healthcare provider panel (83%) participated in Round 2-exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted on Round 2 results. LIMITATIONS: EFA was underpowered and sample was not ethnically diverse, limiting generalizability. DISCUSSION: High concordance was observed in ratings of strategy effectiveness between the two panels. Future research could usefully investigate the provisional discovery here of underlying factors which link individual strategies. For example, 'maintaining hope' underpinned strategies for maintaining balance, and 'decreasing use of stimulants' underpinned strategies to interrupt hypo/manic ascent. There is merit in combining CBPR and Delphi methods.

Research methods in sales ethics: a review of the empirical literature

From a review of the empirical sales ethics literature, this paper reports findings about some of the research methods used to investigate the decision-making of sales practitioners under ethical conditions. The review identifies that several of the methodological deficiencies raised by previous reviewers of the literature have not been adequately addressed by subsequent researchers. The paper primarily reviews quantitative research studies because of their prevalence in the empirical sales ethics literature, and because studies similar to these have contributed much to marketing ethics theory. This discussion also focuses on sampling and data collection methods, the treatment of respondent and non-response bias, the use of instruments and scales, and the application of the scenario technique. Some suggestions are made that would improve the research methods in each of these areas.

Measuring marketing performance: a critique of empirical literature

This paper reviews 46 empirical studies which have assessed performance measurement in marketing. The paper reports on two highly relevant topics in regard to performance measurement: (1) subjective and objective measurement; and (2) financial and non-financial performance measures. Furthermore, the paper provides a tabulated summary of a comprehensive literature review of the types of performance measures utilised in recent literature. Firstly, it was found that there seems to be agreement about the use of a subjective measurement perspective as an acceptable means of measuring performance, and that this is the preferred means of measuring performance by researchers. Secondly, the literature review identified that businesses are no longer defining performance only in terms of the traditional financial measures – they are adopting new frameworks and methodologies. However, this change is not as prominent as might be thought, as financial measures still predominate in research results. Furthermore, this review of performance measures also identified that current measurement selection by researchers is somewhat arbitrary rather than scientific, which is not assisting in the development of a “general performance measure”.

Philosophy and the care of the self: a literature survey

This article reviews a number of recent books and practices that address a renewed interest in the role that philosophy might play in the living of a rich and fulfilling life. The review looks at books addressed to the general public as well as books which discuss such classical and Hellenistic philosophers as took their task to be helping people achieve happiness in life. It then turns to contemporary studies of the self and of wisdom and turns finally to some newly emerging philosophical practices such as philosophical counselling and philosophical discussion groups of various kinds in order to explore whether philosophy can still be a source of consolation or guidance in contemporary life.

Confirming the position of a nasogastric tube what does the literature say?

Nasogastric tubes are a medical device that can be used for a number of purposes. The process of inserting them however can be complicated. Nurses must therefore use an evidence based approach to confirm the correct position of nasogastric tubes and there are three main techniques described in the literature to do so. To date, one group of authors has published the majority of the studies on these techniques. This paper reviews their work.

Multidisciplinary team developed and implemented protocols to assist mechanical ventilation weaning : a systematic review of literature

Aim: The aim of this review was to determine if ventilation-weaning protocols developed and implemented by multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) reduced the duration of mechanical ventilation in adult intensive care patients compared to usual care.

Method: A systematic review was conducted to review published research studies from January 1999 to June 2009 to identify and analyse the best available evidence on MDT-based weaning protocols in adult intensive care patients. All relevant studies based on electronic searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Registry and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were included. Where possible data were pooled and a meta-analysis performed. A narrative synthesis of data was conducted to provide a critical appraisal of nonrandomised controlled trials included in the review.

Results: Three pre- and postinterventional studies were identified for inclusion in this review. Results show equivocal support for weaning protocols developed and implemented by MDTs for reducing duration of mechanical ventilation.

Conclusion: Communication and organizational processes must be addressed for multidisciplinary protocols to be effective. Due to methodological limitations of included studies, large randomised controlled trials are required to provide high-level evidence of the effects of MDT-based protocols on duration of mechanical ventilation.

Towards a better understanding of how effective IT governance leads to business value : a literature review and future research directions

This paper reviews the existing literature on IT governance to assess whether IT governance has contributed to delivering business value from IT and if so, how. The conducted literature review has shown the scarce number of studies that focus on why and how effective IT governance may lead to business value. By using a structured literature review analysis, the paper has offered a number of insights to the topic of IT governance: a) provided a systematic definition of effective IT governance based on a multi-dimensional framework, b) listed benefits of effective IT governance, and c) identified mechanisms that lead effective IT governance to those benefits. This paper takes a step towards addressing the ‘why’ and ‘how’ knowledge gaps by synthesising the fragmented knowledge to provide the best that is known about the subject and to identify future research directions.

Facilitating students' reflective practice in a medical course: literature review

Introduction:
Reflection and reflective practice is of increasing importance in medical education curricula. The aim of this review is to summarise the literature published around facilitating refection in a medical course, and to answer the question: What is the current evidence regarding learning and development moments across the medical curriculum in developing students' reflective practice?

Methods:
A review of the literature was undertaken using defined databases and the search terms 'medical students', 'medical education', 'reflection', 'reflect*' and 'medicine'. The search was limited to peer-reviewed published material in English and between the years 2001 and 2011, and included research, reviews and opinion pieces. Results: Thirty-six relevant articles were found, identifying enhancing factors and barriers to effectively teaching reflective practice within medical curricula, relating to: The breadth of the meaning of reflection; facilitating reflection by medical educators; using written or web-based portfolios to facilitate reflection; and assessing the reflective work of students.

Discussion:
A variety of reflective purposes was found in this literature review. Evidence indicates that, if students are unclear as to the purpose of reflection and do not see educators modelling reflective behaviours, they are likely to undervalue this important skill regardless of the associated learning and development opportunities embedded in the curriculum.

Understanding faith-based organizations: how FBOs are contrasted with NGOs in international development literature

Organizations with a faith basis play a prominent, sometimes dominant, role within the development sector. In the latter half of the twentieth century, many faith-based organizations (FBOs) – motivated by their religious faith and beliefs – began to work beyond their own borders to improve the material well-being of the world’s poor. However, despite the significant presence of FBOs within the arena of aid and development, little agreement exists within the development literature as to the similarity or distinction between aid agencies that are faith based and secular non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Drawing on approximately 50 studies, this article reviews the existing literature on FBOs in order to analyze how FBOs are understood in relation to NGOs. This article then suggests a number of different typologies that captures these diverse range of views of how FBOs are understood.

Twenty first century literature: opportunities, changes and challenges

Reviews international research that is relevant to the teaching of English, language and literacy. This book locates research within theoretical context, drawing on historical perspectives.