Tailoring reveals information requirements: the case of anaesthesia alarms

We discuss the phenomenon of system tailoring in the context of data from an observational study of anaesthesia. We found that anaesthetists tailor their monitoring equipment so that the auditory alarms are more informative. However, the occurrence of tailoring by anaesthetists in the operating theatre was infrequent, even though the flexibility to tailor exists on many of the patient monitoring systems used in the study. We present an influence diagram to explain how alarm tailoring can increase situation awareness in the operating theatre but why factors inhibiting tailoring prevent widespread use. Extending the influence diagram, we discuss ways that more informative displays could achieve the results sought by anaesthetists when they tailor their alarm systems. In particular, we argue that we should improve our designs rather than simply provide more flexible tailoring systems. because users often find tailoring a complex task. We conclude that properly designed auditory displays may benefit anaesthetists in achieving greater patient situation awareness and that designers should consider carefully how factors promoting and inhibiting tailoring will affect the end-users' likelihood of conducting tailoring. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Equity market linkage and multinational trade accords: The case of NAFTA

This paper examines the impact of multinational trade accords on the degree of stock market linkage using NAFTA as a case study. Besides liberalizing trade among the U.S., Canada and Mexico, NAFTA has also sought to strengthen linkage among stock markets of these countries. If successful, this could lessen the appeal of asset diversification across the North American region and promote a higher degree of market efficiency. We assess the possible impact of NAFTA on market linkage using cross-correlations, multivariate price cointegrating systems, speed of convergence, and generalized variance decompositions of unexpected stock returns. The evidence proves robust and consistently indicates intensified equity market linkage since the NAFTA accord. The results also suggest that interdependent goods markets in the region are a primary reason behind the stronger equity market linkage observed in the post-NAFTA period. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cognitive fit between conceptual schemas and internal problem representations: The case of geospatio-temporal conceptual schema comprehension

Geospatio-temporal conceptual models provide a mechanism to explicitly represent geospatial and temporal aspects of applications. Such models, which focus on both what and when/where, need to be more expressive than conventional conceptual models (e.g., the ER model), which primarily focus on what is important for a given application. In this study, we view conceptual schema comprehension of geospatio-temporal data semantics in terms of matching the external problem representation (that is, the conceptual schema) to the problem-solving task (that is, syntactic and semantic comprehension tasks), an argument based on the theory of cognitive fit. Our theory suggests that an external problem representation that matches the problem solver's internal task representation will enhance performance, for example, in comprehending such schemas. To assess performance on geospatio-temporal schema comprehension tasks, we conducted a laboratory experiment using two semantically identical conceptual schemas, one of which mapped closely to the internal task representation while the other did not. As expected, we found that the geospatio-temporal conceptual schema that corresponded to the internal representation of the task enhanced the accuracy of schema comprehension; comprehension time was equivalent for both. Cognitive fit between the internal representation of the task and conceptual schemas with geospatio-temporal annotations was, therefore, manifested in accuracy of schema comprehension and not in time for problem solution. Our findings suggest that the annotated schemas facilitate understanding of data semantics represented on the schema.

Short-Term Perturbations and Tourism Effects: The case of SARS in China

In China, protected areas are one of the main destinations attracting tourists and homeland for many poor people living in and around them. Based on a case study, the paper focuses on correlation between tourism and poverty alleviation by tracing the cash flows to the local poor. It also reviews the social and environmental effects of tourism on local area. The case study is conducted in a group of protected areas in Qinling Mountain Region in Shaanxi, a western province in China. Qinling Mountain is one of the most important distribution zones for Giant Panda and some other endangered wildlife such as Golden Takin and Golden Monkey. The tourism development in the region is happening. Research indicates that there is 29.33%, of tourist expenditure is going to local households, directly or indirectly. Tourist spends US$7.11 (13.67%) in food and beverage, and US$6.39 (12.23%) in accommodation service, which are the greatest contributors to local households in terms of tourism benefits. Local households can get US$8.15 from food/beverage and accommodation sectors, taking 56.64% of total income from tourism. Generally, tourism development benefits all stakeholders. However, poor people get less benefit. The paper analyses the barriers for the poor to be involved in tourism development, and discusses the government roles, major issues in implementation of Sustainable Tourism-Eliminating Poverty (ST-EP) model.

The role of technology in the shift towards open innovation: the case of Procter & Gamble

As with all new ideas, the concept of Open Innovation requires extensive empirical investigation, testing and development. This paper analyzes Procter and Gamble's 'Connect and Develop' strategy as a case study of the major organizational and technological changes associated with open innovation. It argues that although some of the organizational changes accompanying open innovation are beginning to be described in the literature, more analysis is warranted into the ways technological changes have facilitated open innovation strategies, particularly related to new product development. Information and communications technologies enable the exchange of distributed sources of information in the open innovation process. The case study shows that furthermore a suite of new technologies for data mining, simulation, prototyping and visual representation, what we call 'innovation technology', help to support open innovation in Procter and Gamble. The paper concludes with a suggested research agenda for furthering understanding of the role played by and consequences of this technology.

Dissemination of a community-based physical activity project: The case of 10,000 steps

This paper describes the use of a web-site for the dissemination of the community-based '10,000 steps' program which was originally developed and evaluated in Rockhampton, Queensland in 2001-2003. The website provides information and interactive activities for individuals, and promotes resources and programs for health promotion professionals. The dissemination activity was assessed in terms of program adoption and implementation. In a 2-year period (May 2004-March 2006) more than 18,000 people registered as users of the web-site (togging more than 8.5 billion steps) and almost 100 workplaces and 13 communities implemented aspects of the 10,000 steps program. These data support the use of the internet as an effective means of disseminating ideas and resources beyond the geographical borders of the original project. Following this preliminary dissemination, there remains a need for the systematic study of different dissemination strategies, so that evidence-based physical activity programs can be translated into more widespread public health practice. (c) 2006 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pre-term delivery and periodontal disease: a case-control study from Croatia

Aim: The aim of this report was to assess the strength and influence of periodontitis as a possible risk factor for pre-term birth (PTB) in a cohort of 81 primiparous Croatian mothers aged 18-39 years. Methods: PTB cases (n=17; mean age 25 +/- 2.9 years; age range 20-33 years) were defined as spontaneous delivery after less than 37 completed weeks of gestation that were followed by spontaneous labour or spontaneous rupture of membranes. Controls (full-time births) were normal births at or after 37 weeks of gestation (n=64; mean age 25 +/- 2.9 years; age range 19-39 years). Information on known risk factors and obstetric factors included the current pregnancy history, maternal age at delivery, pre-natal care, nutritional status, tobacco use, alcohol use, genitourinary infections, vaginosis, gestational age, and birth weight. Full-mouth periodontal examination was performed on all mothers within 2 days of delivery. Results: PTB cases had significantly worse periodontal status than controls (p=0.008). Multivariate logistic regression model, after controlling for other risk factors, demonstrated that periodontal disease is a significant independent risk factor for PTB, with an adjusted odds ratio of 8.13 for the PTB group (95% confidence interval 2.73-45.9). Conclusion: Periodontal disease represents a strong, independent, and clinically significant risk factor for PTB in the studied cohort. There are strong indicators that periodontal therapy should form a part of preventive prenatal care in Croatia.

Risk taking from the participant's perspective: The case of driving and accident risk

Although perceived health risk plays a prominent role in theories of health behavior. its empirical role in risk taking is less clear. In Study 1 (N = 129), 2 measures of drivers' risk-taking behavior were found to be unrelated to self-estimates of accident concern but to be related to self-ratings of driving skill and the perceived thrill of driving. In Study 2 (N = 405), out of a wide range of potential influences, accident concern had the weakest relationship with risk taking. The authors concluded that although health risk is a key feature in many theories of health behavior and a central focus for researchers and policy makers, it may not be such a prominent factor for those actually taking the risk.

Community, connection and conservation: Intangible cultural values in natural heritage - the case of Shirakami-sanchi World Heritage area

Intangible cultural heritage, according to a UNESCO definition, is 'the practices, representations, expressions as well as the knowledge and skills that communities, groups and in some cases individuals recognise as part of their cultural heritage'. Using a case study of Shirakami-sanchi World Heritage Area, this paper illustrates how the local community's conservation commitment was formed through their long-term everyday interactions with nature. Such connectivity is vital to maintaining the authentic integrity of a place that does not exclude humans. An examination of the formation of the community's conservation commitment for Shirakami reveals that it is the community's spiritual connection and place-based identity that have supported conservation, leading to the World Heritage nomination, and it is argued that the recognition of such intangible cultural heritage is vital in conservation. The challenge, then, is how to communicate such spiritual heritage today. Forms of community involvement are discussed in an attempt to answer this question.

Evaluation of economic rent of hydropower: A case of Nepal

Like any other natural resources, hydro resources that are capable of generating electricity at cheaper cost give rise to economic rent. Nepal possesses huge amount of such cheaper hydro resources which is far in excess of the domestic demand. The existing rents levied by the governments are not found to address the potential value of resources. In this study hydro rent is calculated for two types of hydropower projects: (i) domestic demand oriented project and (ii) large and export oriented project. In doing so, the study uses the concept of hydro rent as a measure of cost savings achievable by the use of hydro resources over the least cost alternatives. The WASP-III+ optimisation software developed by IAEA has been used to derive two least cost generation expansion plans i.e. one with and the other without the nominated hydro resource. The difference in the costs of two plans gives the rent of the hydro resource.

Signal detection theory in applied tasks: The case of hazard perception in driving

Fuzzy signal detection analysis can be a useful complementary technique to traditional signal detection theory analysis methods, particularly in applied settings. For example, traffic situations are better conceived as being on a continuum from no potential for hazard to high potential, rather than either having potential or not having potential. This study examined the relative contribution of sensitivity and response bias to explaining differences in the hazard perception performance of novices and experienced drivers, and the effect of a training manipulation. Novice drivers and experienced drivers were compared (N = 64). Half the novices received training, while the experienced drivers and half the novices remained untrained. Participants completed a hazard perception test and rated potential for hazard in occluded scenes. The response latency of participants to the hazard perception test replicated previous findings of experienced/novice differences and trained/untrained differences. Fuzzy signal detection analysis of both the hazard perception task and the occluded rating task suggested that response bias may be more central to hazard perception test performance than sensitivity, with trained and experienced drivers responding faster and with a more liberal bias than untrained novices. Implications for driver training and the hazard perception test are discussed.

News framing in different language versions of state-sponsored international media : A case of Russian and English versions in RT and Radio Liberty

The current paper examines the dissimilarities that have occurred in news framing by state-sponsored news outlets in their different language versions. The comparative framing analysis is conducted on the news coverage of the Russian intervention in Syria (2016) in RT and Radio Liberty in Russian and English languages. The certain discrepancies in framing of this event are found in both news outlets. The strongest distinction between Russian and English versions occurred in framing of responsibility and humanitarian crisis in Syria. The study attempts to explain the identified differences in a framework of public diplomacy and propaganda studies. The existing theories explain that political ideology and foreign policy orientation influences principles of state propaganda and state-sponsored international broadcasting. However, the current findings suggest that other influence factors may exist in the field – such as the local news discourse and the journalistic principles. This conclusion is preliminary, as there are not many studies with the comparable research design, which could support the current discussion. The studies of localized strategies of the international media (whether private networks or state-funded channels) can refine the current conclusions and bring a new perspective to global media studies.

Corporate social responsibility reporting in developing countries:the case of Bangladesh

Historically, the study of corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting has largely been within the context of Western economies. However, in the wake of highly publicized incidents such as Bhopal and the struggle of the Ogoni people in Nigeria, many large corporations now claim to be taking steps to improve their environmental and social performance within developing countries. Using the lens of stakeholder theory, this book examines whether the current practice of CSR reporting in developing countries is motivated by a desire to discharge accountability to all relevant stakeholders or whether it is being driven by the imperative of advancing corporate economic interests. While concepts like CSR reporting have become more fashionable, they vary widely in different national contexts; this book therefore clarifies the types and roles of CSR reporting and the underlying corporate motivations. The author considers the current CSR reporting practices in a number of developing countries, with particular attention given to illuminating a case study of Bangladesh.

Facility closure management:the case of Vauxhall Motors Luton

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to present the findings of a study of factory closure management. It details the sequence and the results of the key strategic manufacturing management decisions made from the time of the announcement of the plant closure to the cessation of operations. The paper also includes an analysis of the human resource management (HRM) actions taken during this same time period and their consequences upon all those involved in the closure management process. Design/methodology/approach – The case study methodology consisted of two initial site visits to monitor closure management effectiveness (adherence to plan and the types and frequency of closure management communications). During these visits, documentary evidence of the impact of the closure decision upon production performance was also collected (manufacturing output and quality performance data). Following plant closure, interviews were held with senior business, production and HRM managers and production personnel. A total of 12 interviews were carried out. Findings – The case study findings have informed the development of a conceptual model of facility closure management. Information obtained from the interviews suggests that the facility closure management process consists of five key management activities. The unexpected announcement of a factory closure can cause behavioural changes similar to those of bereavement, particularly by those employees who are its survivors. In addition, similar reactions to the closure announcement may be displayed by those who choose to remain employed by the factory owner throughout the phased closure of the plant. Originality/value – Facility closure management is an insufficiently researched strategic operations management activity. This paper details a recommended procedure for its management. A conceptual model has also been developed to illustrate the links between the key facility closure management tasks and the range of employee changes of behaviour that can be induced by their execution.

Cultural orientations and preference for HRM policies and practices:the case of Oman

This study empirically examines the influence of cultural orientations on employee preferences of human resource management (HRM) policies and practices in Oman. Data were collected from 712 employees working in six large Omani organizations. The findings indicate that there is a number of differences among Omani employees regarding value orientations due especially to age, education and work experience. The findings show a strong orientation towards mastery, harmony, thinking and doing, and a weak orientation towards hierarchy, collectivism, subjugation and human nature-as-evil. The results demonstrate a clear link between value orientations and preferences for particular HRM policies and practices. Group-oriented HRM practices are preferred by those who scored high on collectivism and being orientations, and those who scored low on thinking and doing orientations. Hierarchy-oriented HRM practices are preferred by those scoring high on hierarchy, subjugation and human nature-as-bad orientations, and those scoring low on thinking and mastery orientations. Finally, preference for loose and informal HRM practices was positively associated with being, and negatively associated with thinking, doing and harmony orientations. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed in detail.