Community accessibility of health information and the consequent impact for translation into community languages

This paper reports on a research project that investigated the accessibility of health information and the consequent impact for translation into community languages. This is a critical aspect of the mediation of intercultural and interlingual communication in the domain of public health information and yet very little research has been undertaken to address such issues. The project was carried out in collaboration with the New South Wales Multicultural Health Communication Service (MHCS), which provides advice and services to state-based health professionals aiming to communicate with non-English speaking communities. The research employed a mixed-method and action research based approach involving two phases. The primary focus of this paper is to discuss major quantitative findings from the first pilot phase, which indicated that there is much room to improve the way in which health information is written in English for effective community-wide communication within a multilingual society.

Management of services differentiation and guarantee in IEEE 802.11e wireless LANs

In this paper, we study the management and control of service differentiation and guarantee based on enhanced distributed function coordination (EDCF) in IEEE 802.11e wireless LANs. Backoff-based priority schemes are the major mechanism for Quality of Service (QoS) provisioning in EDCF. However, control and management of the backoff-based priority scheme are still challenging problems. We have analysed the impacts of backoff and Inter-frame Space (IFS) parameters of EDCF on saturation throughput and service differentiation. A centralised QoS management and control scheme is proposed. The configuration of backoff parameters and admission control are studied in the management scheme. The special role of access point (AP) and the impact of traffic load are also considered in the scheme. The backoff parameters are adaptively re-configured to increase the levels of bandwidth guarantee and fairness on sharing bandwidth. The proposed management scheme is evaluated by OPNET. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the analytical model based admission control scheme. ©2005 IEEE.

Performance measurement of intensive care services in hospitals:The case of Barbados

The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) being one of those vital areas of a hospital providing clinical care, the quality of service rendered must be monitored and measured quantitatively. It is, therefore, essential to know the performance of an ICU, in order to identify any deficits and enable the service providers to improve the quality of service. Although there have been many attempts to do this with the help of illness severity scoring systems, the relative lack of success using these methods has led to the search for a form of measurement, which would encompass all the different aspects of an ICU in a holistic manner. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), a multiple-attribute, decision-making technique is utilised in this study to evolve a system to measure the performance of ICU services reliably. This tool has been applied to a surgical ICU in Barbados; we recommend AHP as a valuable tool to quantify the performance of an ICU. Copyright © 2004 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

A model of transactional and transformational leadership for services personnel

This paper is concerned with the effects that leadership styles (i.e., transactional and transformational) can have upon the level of front-line employees’ service delivery quality. Previous literature has mostly looked at leadership and its effects upon subordinates within a sales, psychology, or human resources context. However, due to the idiosyncrasies inherent in services (i.e., intangibility, heterogeneity, perishability, and inseparability), it is likely that, in such a context, different leadership styles will effect performance outcomes. Consequently, this paper seeks to expand the services marketing literature by developing a conceptual framework of leadership style effects adapted to the field of services marketing. Of particular importance are the effects that leadership styles have upon front-line employee “motivators” and service-related job outcomes. Specific hypotheses are developed and future research directions are also presented for consideration.

Diabetes service provision:a qualitative study of newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes patients' experiences and views

Aims: To explore newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes patients' views about Scottish diabetes services at a time when these services are undergoing a major reorganization. To provide recommendations to maximize opportunities brought by the devolvement of services from secondary to primary healthcare settings. Methods: Qualitative panel study with 40 patients newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, recruited from hospital clinics and general practices in Lothian, Scotland. Patients were interviewed three times over 1 year. The study was informed by grounded theory, which involves concurrent data collection and analysis. Results: Patients were generally satisfied with diabetes services irrespective of the types of care received. Most wanted their future care/review to be based in general practice for reasons of convenience and accessibility, although they dis-liked it when appointments were scheduled for different days. Many said they lacked the knowledge/confidence to know how to manage their diabetes in particular situations, and needed access to healthcare professionals who could answer their questions promptly. Patients expressed a need for primary care professionals who had diabetes expertise, but who had more time and were more accessible than general practitioners. Patients who had encountered practice lead nurses for diabetes spoke particularly positively of these professionals. Conclusions: Nurses with diabetes training are particularly well placed to provide information and support to patients in primary care. Ideally, practices should run 'one-stop' diabetes clinics to provide structured care, with easily accessible dietetics, podiatry and retinopathy screening. Newly diagnosed patients may benefit from being made more aware of specific services provided by charitable organizations such as Diabetes UK. © 2005 Diabetes UK.

Lay perceptions of type 2 diabetes in Scotland:bringing health services back in

The growing prevalence of type 2 diabetes is placing Scottish health services under considerable strain. Consequently, diabetes services are undergoing a major process of reorganisation, including the devolvement of routine diabetes care/diabetic review from secondary to primary healthcare settings. This qualitative study was devised to explore newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients' perceptions of their disease and the health services they receive at a time when this restructuring of services is taking place. The sample comprised 40 patients resident in Lothian, Scotland, who had diverse experiences of services, some receiving GP-based care only, others having varying contact with hospital diabetes clinics. In-depth interviews were undertaken with patients, three times at six monthly intervals over 1 year, enabling their experiences to be tracked at critical junctures during the post-diagnostic period. Disease perceptions and health service delivery were found to be mutually informing and effecting. Not only did (different types of) health service delivery influence the ways in which patients thought about and self-managed their disease, over time patients' disease perceptions also informed their expectations of, and preferences for, diabetes services. We thus argue that there is a need for a reconceptualisation within the medical social sciences to take into account the context of healthcare and the economic/policy factors that inform health service delivery when looking at patients' disease perceptions. We also discuss the logistical and ethical challenges of drawing upon patients' perspectives, preferences and views in the design and delivery of future health services. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stereotypes of Taiwanese salespeople at the services interface

Stereotypes of salespeople are common currency in US media outlets and research suggests that these stereotypes are uniformly negative. However, there is no reason to expect that stereotypes will be consistent across cultures. The present paper provides the first empirical examination of salesperson stereotypes in an Asian country, specifically Taiwan. Using accepted psychological methods, Taiwanese salesperson stereotypes are found to be twofold, with a negative stereotype being quite congruent with existing US stereotypes, but also a positive stereotype, which may be related to the specific culture of Taiwan.

Uptake of dental services

Previous research has indicated that the majority of the UK dentate population suffers from dental disease. This problem was examined in terms of the supply of, and demand for, dental treatment: how might the uptake of dental services be increased and dental health improved? The target population for the main survey was adolescents among whom demand for dental treatment has decreased. In 524 adolescents surveyed, fear of pain was the major deterrent to regular dental visits. The theoretical literature was explored for illuminating and practical approaches to the problem. The theory of reasoned action developed by Fishbein seemed the most promising. This theory was tested and validated on the adolescent sample identifying clear differences between regular and irregular dental attenders which could be usefully exploited by dental health education. A repertory grid analysis study further illuminated perceptions of dental treatment. A survey of a random sample of 716 dentists revealed that most dentists were in favour of delegating work to auxiliary help but few could do so. Auxiliary help would increase supply of services: data revealed an encouraging trend for younger dentists to be more in favour of delegation than older dentists. A survey was carried out of computer systems available for dentists suggesting that this might reduce the need for clerical assistance but would not ususally affect the supply of treatment. However in some dental practices computerisation might increase demand. For example a personalised reminder was developed and evaluated in a controlled study of 938 appointments demonstrating an uptake in dental services. Conclusions are that demand for treatment can be increased in various ways especially by teaching dentists' behavioural strategies to deal with fear and pain. Various recommendations on this are made. If demand were to outstrip supply increased delegation to auxiliary help could provide a viable way of increasing supply.

Accessibility indices and linked trips: a case study of the elderly

The confusion over the concept of accessibility in transport planning and the deficiencies of existing accessibility indices are examined by developing a conceptual framework of accessibility with a fundamental distinction being drawn between the, often conflicting, theoretical and practical dimensions. The theoretical validity of alternative indices is assessed with reference to the problems and assumptions implicit in defining, measuring, valuing and aggregating the variables and components comprising accessibility. The major deficiencies of existing indices are identified as the inability of indices to take account of the potential to link trips between more than one activity location and the level of assumptions implicit in valuing and aggregating accessibility information. In this context, it is argued that accessibility information is more appropriately expressed on a comparative basis in the form of a profile rather than as a composite single-unit index and that the present confines of accessibility measurement must be extended in line with current developments in disaggregate travel and activity modelling. The sensitivity of accessibility levels to the use of alternative value judgements, alternative forms and levels of aggregation and the inclusion of information on the potential to link trips is examined by undertaking a case study. Accessibility profiles are developed for 23 zones in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham showing the accessibility of the elderly to post offices and grocers. In a practical context, the profiles assist in identifying areas and individuals with relatively poor accessibility. The incidence and nature of linked trip-making and its significance and implications for accessibility measurement are explored further by analysing the results of a survey of the elderly's travel patterns. It is concluded that future accessibility analysis should be undertaken at a disaggregate level, taking account of the potential opportunity available from nonhome as well as home origins.

Towards an operations strategy for the infusion of product-centric services into manufacturing:service systems implementation

The work in this chapter is concerned with product-centric servitization. This is where a portfolio of services are formed and integrated to support product availability and use. Such servitization can be a valuable source of revenue for a manufacturer, yet little attention has been given to the configuration of the wider operations strategy that needs to be in place to deliver integrated products and services successfully. Therefore, the purpose of this chapter is to put forward a generic set of characteristics for such operations. Our intention is that these characteristics will be valuable to practitioners contemplating sophisticated forms of servitization, as they suggest the likely and significant changes that will be needed to the operations strategy of a conventional manufacturing organisation.

Servitization of manufacture:exploring the deployment and skills of people critical to the delivery of advanced services

Purpose - This "research note" sets out to fuel the debate around the practices and technologies within operations that are critical to success with servitization. It presents a study of four companies which are delivering advanced services and reports on the organisation and skill-sets of people within these. Design/methodology/approach - This has been case-based research at four manufacturers leading in their delivery of services. Findings - It describes the desirable behaviour of people in the front-line of service delivery, identifies the supporting skill-sets, how these people are organised, and explains why all these factors are so important. Originality/value - This paper contributes to the understanding of the servitization process and, in particular, the implications to broader operations of the firm. © 2013 Emerald Group Publishing Limited. All rights reserved.

Purchasing green transport and logistics services:implications from the environmental sustainability attitude of 3PLs

Environmental sustainability is an area of increasing importance for third party logistics (3PL) companies. As the design and implementation of services requires interaction between buyer and 3PL, the 3PLs are in a critical position to support the efforts towards greening operations of different supply chain participants. However the literature in this field reflects a gap between the perspectives of buyers and 3PLs. This chapter attempts to fill this void through an explorative case study analysis on the environmental attitude of 3PLs in order to derive implications for buyers’ behavior. The results indicate that the buyer’s role is critical in different ways in the development of green initiatives among 3PLs. An increased orientation towards longer-term contracts and joint development would likely enhance the level of green initiatives. Indirectly, the buyer has the opportunity to influence its 3PLs through interaction with employees on different levels in the company, including top management.

Purchasing green transport and logistics services:implications from the environmental sustainability attitude of 3PLs

Environmental sustainability is an area of increasing importance for third party logistics (3PL) companies. As the design and implementation of services requires interaction between buyer and 3PL, the 3PLs are in a critical position to support the efforts towards greening operations of different supply chain participants. However the literature in this field reflects a gap between the perspectives of buyers and 3PLs. This chapter attempts to fill this void through an explorative case study analysis on the environmental attitude of 3PLs in order to derive implications for buyers’ behavior. The results indicate that the buyer’s role is critical in different ways in the development of green initiatives among 3PLs. An increased orientation towards longer-term contracts and joint development would likely enhance the level of green initiatives. Indirectly, the buyer has the opportunity to influence its 3PLs through interaction with employees on different levels in the company, including top management.

The influence of culture and market orientation on services brands:insights from Irish banking and retail firms

Purpose: This paper aims to examine the influence of the culture of the service firm on its interpretation of the role of the brand and on the development and implementation of its brand values. Design/methodology/approach: A grounded theory approach was used. Interviews were conducted with 20 managers within two leading banking firms in Ireland and two leading grocery retailers in Ireland. Findings: The development of the brand, and its role within the firm, is closely related to the firm's culture. The research shows obstacles and opportunities created by the cultural context of firms wishing to disseminate and embed a set of brand values. The paper presents an "involvement model" of brand values implementation and outlines changes required to implement brand values. Research limitations/implications: The study was bound by access to firms, and managers' availability. The authors sought an insight into the relationship between each firm's culture and its brands. They advocate quantitative research to further investigate the findings within these service sectors and to test proposed antecedents (transformational leadership, employee involvement) and outcomes (employee-based brand equity and consumer-based brand equity) of values adoption. Practical implications: The paper identifies aspects of retail and banking cultures which support or detract from brand development. In particular, it presents the learnings from successful brand values implementation in a clan culture, aspects of which are applicable across other cultures. Originality/value: The paper provides valuable insights into the role of the brand within the service firm and the positive and negative influence of context on brand values and their development and implementation. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

An investigation into the antecedents of goal congruence in retail-service settings

The authors report the results of two studies that model the antecedents of goal congruence in retail-service settings. They draw the antecedents from extant research and propose that goal congruence is related to employees' perceptions of morale, leadership support, fairness in reward allocation, and empowerment. They hypothesize and test direct and indirect relationships between these constructs and goal congruence. Results of structural equations modeling suggest an important mediating role for morale and interesting areas of variation across retail and service settings.