Using non-personal computers for eLearning: Sri Lankan experience

Communal Internet access facilities or telecentres are considered a good way to provide connectivity to people who do not possess home connectivity. Attempts are underway to utilize telecentres as eLearning centres providing access to learning materials to students who would otherwise not be able to take up eLearning. This paper reports on the findings of qualitative interviews conducted with 18 undergraduate students from two Sri Lankan universities on their eLearning experiences using communal Internet access centres. The findings suggest that despite the efforts by telecentres to provide a good service to eLearners, there are various problems faced by students including: costs, logistics, scarcity of resources, connectivity speeds, excessive procedures, and lack of support. The experiences of these Sri Lankan students suggest that there is much that needs to be understood about user perspectives in using telecentres, which could help formulate better policies and strategies to support eLearners who depend on communal access facilities.

A conceptual framework of patient satisfaction with a pharmacy adherence service

Background Patients do not adhere to their medicines for a host of reasons which can include their underlying beliefs as well as the quality of their interactions with healthcare professionals. One way of measuring the outcome of pharmacy adherence services is to assess patient satisfaction but no questionnaire exists that truly captures patients' experiences with these relatively new services. Objective Our objective was to develop a conceptual framework specific to patient satisfaction with a community pharmacy adherence service based on criteria used by patients themselves. Setting The study was based in community pharmacies in one large geographical area of the UK (Surrey). All the work was conducted between October 2008 and September 2010. Methods This study involved qualitative non-participant observation and semi-structured interviewing. We observed the recruitment of patients to the Medicines Use Review (MUR) service and also actual MUR consultations (7). We also interviewed patients (15). Data collection continued until no new themes were identified during analysis. We analysed interviews to firstly create a comprehensive account of themes which had significance within the transcripts, then created sub-themes within super-ordinate categories. We used a structure-process-outcome approach to develop a conceptual framework relating to patient satisfaction with the MUR. Favourable ethical opinion for this study was received from the NHS Surrey Research Ethics Committee on 2nd June 2008. Results Five super-ordinate themes linked to patient satisfaction with the MUR service were identified, including relationships with healthcare providers; attitudes towards healthcare providers; patients' experience of health, healthcare and medicines; patients' views of the MUR service; the logistics of the MUR service. In the conceptual framework, structure was conceptualised as existing relationships, environment, and time; process was conceptualised as related to recruitment and consultation stages; and outcome as two concepts of immediate patient outcomes and satisfaction on reflection. Conclusion We identified and highlighted factors that can influence patient satisfaction with the MUR service and this led to the development of a conceptual framework of patient satisfaction with the MUR service. This can form the basis for developing a questionnaire for measuring patient satisfaction with this and similar pharmacy adherence services. Impact of findings on practice * Pharmacists and researchers can access the relevant ideas presented here in relation to patient satisfaction with pharmacy adherence services. * Researcher can use the conceptual framework as a basis for measuring the quality of pharmacy adherence services. * Community pharmacists can improve the quality of healthcare they provide by realizing concepts relevant to patient satisfaction with adherence services.

Evaluation frameworks for information systems integration: from a semiotic lens

Information systems integration aims at the interaction, information exchange and interoperability between information systems, devices and units. Research efforts have contributed in evaluation of information systems integration on the development of evaluation frameworks. To improve the usability and measurability of evaluation, a review of existing evaluation frameworks including their evolution and classifications of different interoperability levels is conducted. The theory of organisational semiotics is used for a comparative analysis of the frameworks and future work.

An ontological approach to personalized medical knowledge recommendation

Knowledge recommendation has become a promising method in supporting the clinicians decisions and improving the quality of medical services in the constantly changing clinical environment. However, current medical knowledge management systems cannot understand users requirements accurately and realize personalized recommendation. Therefore this paper proposes an ontological approach based on semiotic principles to personalized medical knowledge recommendations. In particular, healthcare domain knowledge is conceptualized and an ontology-based user profile is built. Furthermore, the personalized recommendation mechanism is illustrated.

An ontological approach to personalized medical knowledge matching

Knowledge management has become a promising method in supporting the clinicians′ decisions and improving the quality of medical services in the constantly changing clinical environment. However, current medical knowledge management systems cannot understand users′ requirements accurately and realize personalized matching. Therefore this paper proposes an ontological approach based on semiotic principles to personalized medical knowledge matching. In particular, healthcare domain knowledge is conceptualized and an ontology-based user profile is built. Furthmore, the personalized matching mechanism and algorithm are illustrated.

Persuasive technology and users acceptance of e-commerce: exploring perceived persuasiveness

This paper reviews theories and models of users’ acceptance and use in relation to “persuasive technology”, to justify the need to add consideration of ‘perceived persuasiveness’. We conclude by identifying variables associated with perceived persuasiveness, and highlight important future research directions in this domain.

Liquidity effects and FFA returns in the international shipping derivatives market

The study examines the impact of liquidity risk on freight derivatives returns. The Amihud liquidity ratio and bid–ask spreads are utilized to assess the existence of liquidity risk in the freight derivatives market. Other macroeconomic variables are used to control for market risk. Results indicate that liquidity risk is priced and both liquidity measures have a significant role in determining freight derivatives returns. Consistent with expectations, both liquidity measures are found to have positive and significant effects on the returns of freight derivatives. The results have important implications for modeling freight derivatives, and consequently, for trading and risk management purposes.

A new governance perspective on port–hinterland relationships: the Port Hinterland Impact (PHI) matrix

We develop a new governance perspective on port–hinterland linkages and related port impacts. Many stakeholders in a port’s hinterland now demand tangible economic benefits from port activities, as a precondition for supporting port expansion and infrastructural investments. We use a governance lens to assess this farsighted contracting challenge. We find that most contemporary economic impact assessments of port investment projects pay scant attention to the contractual relationship challenges in port-hinterland relationships. In contrast, we focus explicitly on the spatial distribution of such impacts and the related contractual relationship issues facing port authorities or port users and their stakeholders in the port hinterland. We introduce a new concept, the Port Hinterland Impact (PHI) matrix, which focuses explicitly on the spatial distribution of port impacts and related contractual relationship challenges. The PHI matrix offers insight into port impacts using two dimensions: logistics dedicatedness, as an expression of Williamsonian asset specificity in the sphere of logistics contractual relationships, and geographic reach, with a longer reach typically reflecting the need for more complex contacting to overcome ‘distance’ challenges with external stakeholders. We use the PHI matrix in our empirical, governance-based analysis of contractual relationships between the port authorities in Antwerp and Zeebrugge, and their respective stakeholders.

Two-level network design with intermediate facilities: An application to electrical distribution systems

We consider the two-level network design problem with intermediate facilities. This problem consists of designing a minimum cost network respecting some requirements, usually described in terms of the network topology or in terms of a desired flow of commodities between source and destination vertices. Each selected link must receive one of two types of edge facilities and the connection of different edge facilities requires a costly and capacitated vertex facility. We propose a hybrid decomposition approach which heuristically obtains tentative solutions for the vertex facilities number and location and use these solutions to limit the computational burden of a branch-and-cut algorithm. We test our method on instances of the power system secondary distribution network design problem. The results show that the method is efficient both in terms of solution quality and computational times. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An effective recursive partitioning approach for the packing of identical rectangles in a rectangle

In this work, we deal with the problem of packing (orthogonally and without overlapping) identical rectangles in a rectangle. This problem appears in different logistics settings, such as the loading of boxes on pallets, the arrangements of pallets in trucks and the stowing of cargo in ships. We present a recursive partitioning approach combining improved versions of a recursive five-block heuristic and an L-approach for packing rectangles into larger rectangles and L-shaped pieces. The combined approach is able to rapidly find the optimal solutions of all instances of the pallet loading problem sets Cover I and II (more than 50 000 instances). It is also effective for solving the instances of problem set Cover III (almost 100 000 instances) and practical examples of a woodpulp stowage problem, if compared to other methods from the literature. Some theoretical results are also discussed and, based on them, efficient computer implementations are introduced. The computer implementation and the data sets are available for benchmarking purposes. Journal of the Operational Research Society (2010) 61, 306-320. doi: 10.1057/jors.2008.141 Published online 4 February 2009

Bättre utnyttjande av nya och befintliga förrådslokaler på SSAB Tunnplåt

The purpose of this assignment at SSAB Tunnplåt in Borlänge was mainly to investigate and describe the circumstances for the spare parts stored in storage facilities within the area of operation. Even new facilities which could serve as storage rooms and their opportunities for storing spare parts were an important part of the investigation. This because of the need for improved storing of spare parts. Furthermore, market offers where reviewed for storage of spare parts in more tailored designs. The work will culminate in proposals for improvement which is of importance for the development surrounding the storage and handling of spare parts. This is since the design and management of existing storage facilities is not perceived as satisfactory with regards to spare parts characteristics. Moreover, the amount of stock locations is too few in relation to the actual need. The approach used to achieve objectives of the work was an advanced mapping for collection of vital data. The mapping consisted of interviews with involved parties, both internal and external, for the most comprehensive picture of the problems as possible. In addition, a literature survey was conducted to identify possible options for the objectives of the work as well as a personal study of existing and new storage facilities. Furthermore, the market offers for improved conditions in storage rooms were examined. A clear picture of internal logistics and warehouse activities for spare parts at SSAB Tunnplåt has been obtained during this work. From this picture, it is concluded that work in and around storage facilities can be made more efficient. SSAB Tunnplåt should additionally make efforts in the storage facilities for better use of the available storage space. A number of proposals for improvement for each studied storage facility and spare parts management in general have been conducted. These proposals for improvement include presentations to improve the design of the studied storage facilities towards enabling more stock locations. The proposals also include additional equipment for handling spare parts, scrap handling, as well as expansions of the maintenance system which supports activities in the spare parts management.