ITSM ProcessGuide – a longitudinal and multi-method field study for real-world DSR artifact evaluation

Process guidance supports users to increase their process model understanding, process execution effectiveness as well as efficiency, and process compliance performance. This paper presents a research in progress encompassing our ongoing DSR project on Process Guidance Systems and a field evaluation of the resulting artifact in cooperation with a company. Building on three theory-grounded design principles, a Process Guidance System artifact for the company’s IT service ticketing process is developed, deployed and used. Fol-lowing a multi-method approach, we plan to evaluate the artifact in a longitudinal field study. Thereby, we will not only gather self-reported but also real usage data. This article describes the development of the artifact and discusses an innovative evaluation approach.

Application of Methods of Multi-criteria Evaluation in Choosing a Method of Compression as a Means of Heightening the Information Security of System and Applied Objects

In this paper is proposed a model for researching the capability to influence, by selected methods’ groups of compression, to the co-efficient of information security of selected objects’ groups, exposed to selected attacks’ groups. With the help of methods for multi-criteria evaluation are chosen the methods’ groups with the lowest risk with respect to the information security. Recommendations for future investigations are proposed.

Will the application of spatial multi criteria evaluation technique enhance the quality of decision-making to resolve boundary conflicts in the Philippines?

Systematic studies that evaluate the quality of decision-making processes are relatively rare. Using the literature on decision quality, this research develops a framework to assess the quality of decision-making processes for resolving boundary conflicts in the Philippines. The evaluation framework breaks down the decision-making process into three components (the decision procedure, the decision method, and the decision unit) and is applied to two ex-post (one resolved and one unresolved) and one ex-ante cases. The evaluation results from the resolved and the unresolved cases show that the choice of decision method plays a minor role in resolving boundary conflicts whereas the choice of decision procedure is more influential. In the end, a decision unit can choose a simple method to resolve the conflict. The ex-ante case presents a follow-up intended to resolve the unresolved case for a changing decision-making process in which the associated decision unit plans to apply the spatial multi criteria evaluation (SMCE) tool as a decision method. The evaluation results from the ex-ante case confirm that the SMCE has the potential to enhance the decision quality because: a) it provides high quality as a decision method in this changing process, and b) the weaknesses associated with the decision unit and the decision procedure of the unresolved case were found to be eliminated in this process.

Job satisfaction of preventive medicine workers in northern Vietnam : a multi-method approach

In the health care industry, Job Satisfaction (JS) is linked with work performance, psychological well-being and employee turnover. Although research into JS among health professionals has a long history worldwide, there has been very little analysis in Vietnam. No study has addressed JS of preventive medicine workers in Vietnam, and there is no reliable and valid instrument in Vietnamese language and context for evaluation of JS in this group. This project was conducted to fill these gaps. The findings contribute evidence regarding factors that influence JS in this sector of the health industry that should be applied to personnel management policies and practices in Vietnam.

Researching employment relations : a self-reflexive analysis of a multi-method, school-based project

Drawing on primary data and adjunct material, this article adopts a critical self-reflexive approach to a three-year, Australian Research Council-funded projectthat explored themes around 'employment citizenship'for high school students in Queensland. The article addresses three overlapping areas that reflect some of the central dilemmas and challenges arising through the project- consent in the context of research ethics, questionnaire administration in schools, and focus group research practice. It contributes to the broader methodological literature addressing research with young people by canvassing pragmatic suggestions for future school-based research, and research addressing adolescent employment.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) in the north of Vietnam : a multi-method approach

The antiretroviral therapy (ART) program for People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) in Vietnam has been scaled up rapidly in recent years (from 50 clients in 2003 to almost 38,000 in 2009). ART success is highly dependent on the ability of the patients to fully adhere to the prescribed treatment regimen. Despite the remarkable extension of ART programs in Vietnam, HIV/AIDS program managers still have little reliable data on levels of ART adherence and factors that might promote or reduce adherence. Several previous studies in Vietnam estimated extremely high levels of ART adherence among their samples, although there are reasons to question the veracity of the conclusion that adherence is nearly perfect. Further, no study has quantitatively assessed the factors influencing ART adherence. In order to reduce these gaps, this study was designed to include several phases and used a multi-method approach to examine levels of ART non-adherence and its relationship to a range of demographic, clinical, social and psychological factors. The study began with an exploratory qualitative phase employing four focus group discussions and 30 in-depth interviews with PLHIV, peer educators, carers and health care providers (HCPs). Survey interviews were completed with 615 PLHIV in five rural and urban out-patient clinics in northern Vietnam using an Audio Computer Assisted Self-Interview (ACASI) and clinical records extraction. The survey instrument was carefully developed through a systematic procedure to ensure its reliability and validity. Cultural appropriateness was considered in the design and implementation of both the qualitative study and the cross sectional survey. The qualitative study uncovered several contrary perceptions between health care providers and HIV/AIDS patients regarding the true levels of ART adherence. Health care providers often stated that most of their patients closely adhered to their regimens, while PLHIV and their peers reported that “it is not easy” to do so. The quantitative survey findings supported the PLHIV and their peers’ point of view in the qualitative study, because non-adherence to ART was relatively common among the study sample. Using the ACASI technique, the estimated prevalence of onemonth non-adherence measured by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was 24.9% and the prevalence of four-day not-on-time-adherence using the modified Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Group (AACTG) instrument was 29%. Observed agreement between the two measures was 84% and kappa coefficient was 0.60 (SE=0.04 and p<0.0001). The good agreement between the two measures in the current study is consistent with those found in previous research and provides evidence of cross-validation of the estimated adherence levels. The qualitative study was also valuable in suggesting important variables for the survey conceptual framework and instrument development. The survey confirmed significant correlations between two measures of ART adherence (i.e. dose adherence and time adherence) and many factors identified in the qualitative study, but failed to find evidence of significant correlations of some other factors and ART adherence. Non-adherence to ART was significantly associated with untreated depression, heavy alcohol use, illicit drug use, experiences with medication side-effects, chance health locus of control, low quality of information from HCPs, low satisfaction with received support and poor social connectedness. No multivariate association was observed between ART adherence and age, gender, education, duration of ART, the use of adherence aids, disclosure of ART, patients’ ability to initiate communication with HCPs or distance between clinic and patients’ residence. This is the largest study yet reported in Asia to examine non-adherence to ART and its possible determinants. The evidence strongly supports recent calls from other developing nations for HIV/AIDS services to provide screening, counseling and treatment for patients with depressive symptoms, heavy use of alcohol and substance use. Counseling should also address fatalistic beliefs about chance or luck determining health outcomes. The data suggest that adherence could be enhanced by regularly providing information on ART and assisting patients to maintain social connectedness with their family and the community. This study highlights the benefits of using a multi-method approach in examining complex barriers and facilitators of medication adherence. It also demonstrated the utility of the ACASI interview method to enhance open disclosure by people living with HIV/AIDS and thus, increase the veracity of self-reported data.

Analysis of rural activity spaces and transport disadvantage using a multi-method approach

Current knowledge about the relationship between transport disadvantage and activity space size is limited to urban areas, and as a result, very little is known about this link in a rural context. In addition, although research has identified transport disadvantaged groups based on their size of activity space, these studies have, however, not empirically explained such differences and the result is often a poor identification of the problems facing disadvantaged groups. Research has shown that transport disadvantage varies over time. The static nature of analysis using the activity space concept in previous research studies has lacked the ability to identify transport disadvantage in time. Activity space is a dynamic concept; and therefore possesses a great potential in capturing temporal variations in behaviour and access opportunities. This research derives measures of the size and fullness of activity spaces for 157 individuals for weekdays, weekends, and for a week using weekly activity-travel diary data from three case study areas located in rural Northern Ireland. Four focus groups were also conducted in order to triangulate quantitative findings and to explain the differences between different socio-spatial groups. The findings of this research show that despite having a smaller sized activity space, individuals were not disadvantaged because they were able to access their required activities locally. Car-ownership was found to be an important life line in rural areas. Temporal disaggregation of the data reveals that this is true only on weekends due to a lack of public transport services. In addition, despite activity spaces being at a similar size, the fullness of activity spaces of low-income individuals was found to be significantly lower compared to their high-income counterparts. Focus group data shows that financial constraint, poor connections both between public transport services and between transport routes and opportunities forced individuals to participate in activities located along the main transport corridors.

Multi-method, multi-theoretical, multi-level research in the learning sciences

We examine methodologies and methods that apply to multi-level research in the learning sciences. In so doing we describe how multiple theoretical frameworks informs the use of different methods that apply to social levels involving space-time relationships that are not accessible consciously as social life is enacted. Most of the methods involve analyses of video and audio files. Within a framework of interpretive research we present a methodology of event-oriented social science, which employs video ethnography, narrative, conversation analysis, prosody analysis, and facial expression analysis. We illustrate multi-method research in an examination of the role of emotions in teaching and learning. Conversation and prosody analyses augment facial expression analysis and ethnography. We conclude with an exploration of ways in which multi-level studies can be complemented with neural level analyses.

Focus on opportunities as a boundary condition of the relationship between job control and work engagement: A multi-sample, multi-method study

The concept of focus on opportunities describes how many new goals, options, and possibilities employees believe to have in their personal future at work. In this multi-sample, multi-method study, the authors investigated relationships between focus on opportunities and general and daily work engagement and the moderating role of focus on opportunities on between- and within-person relationships between job control and work engagement. Based on a social cognitive theory framework on the motivating potential of a future temporal focus, it was hypothesized that focus on opportunities is positively related to work engagement. Further, consistent with the notion of compensatory resources, it was expected that job control is not related to work engagement among employees with a high focus on opportunities, whereas job control, as an external resource of the work environment, is positively related to work engagement among employees with a low focus on opportunities. Both a cross-sectional survey study (N=174) and a daily diary study (N=64) supported the hypotheses. The study contributes to research on the job demands-resources model as it emphasizes the role of focus on opportunities as a motivational factor in the relationship between job control and work engagement.

Scientists in Control: a progressive approach to preparing work ready graduates in QC, EQA and method evaluation

Introduction QC, EQA and method evaluation are integral to delivery of quality patient results. To ensure QUT graduates have a solid grounding in these key areas of practice, a theory-to-practice approach is used to progressively develop and consolidate these skills. Methods Using a BCG assay for serum albumin, each student undertakes an eight week project analysing two levels of QC alongside ‘patient’ samples. Results are assessed using both single rules and Multirules. Concomitantly with the QC analyses, an EQA project is undertaken; students analyse two EQA samples, twice in the semester. Results are submitted using cloud software and data for the full ‘peer group’ returned to students in spreadsheets and incomplete Youden plots. Youden plots are completed with target values and calculated ALP values and analysed for ‘lab’ and method performance. The method has a low-level positive bias, which leads to the need to investigate an alternative method. Building directly on the EQA of the first project and using the scenario of a lab that services renal patients, students undertake a method validation comparing BCP and BCG assays in another eight-week project. Precision and patient comparison studies allow students to assess whether the BCP method addresses the proportional bias of the BCG method and overall is a ‘better’ alternative method for analysing serum albumin, accounting for pragmatic factors, such as cost, as well as performance characteristics. Results Students develop understanding of the purpose and importance of QC and EQA in delivering quality results, the need to optimise testing to deliver quality results and importantly, a working knowledge of the analyses that go into ensuring this quality. In parallel to developing these key workplace competencies, students become confident, competent practitioners, able to pipette accurately and precisely and organise themselves in a busy, time pressured work environment.