bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The potential of al-Wasatiyyah value concept for human sustainability (HS) in civil service
Authors: Syed Ismail Sharifah Hayaati , Abd Ghani Azmi Ilhaamie , Syed Kadir al-Haddad Sharifah latifah , Basir Siti Arni , Nayan Idris
Published: March 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to discuss the potential of al-Wasatiyyah (hereafter, AW) value concept for human sustainability (hereafter, HS) values and its applicability to civil service practice (CSP) in Malaysia. AW is a derivative of an Arabic word that means excellent, moderate, just and professional.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper explains the potential of AW concept for HS both in epistemological and ontological perspectives with a focus on CSP. It focuses on the AW value concept according to Ibn Miskawaih and its applicability in CSP in Malaysia. Using content analysis and “integration perspective” between AW and contemporary Malaysia CSP practice, several questions were unlocked in this paper. They include the following: what are AW values for HS? What is the standard of value for sustainable CSP in Malaysia? And how HS from AW perspective can generate quality CSP in Malaysia?

Findings

It is found that AW can extend and enrich the meaning of value for HS and subsequently the civil service quality in Malaysia. Findings showed that AW can offer a holistic approach through four AW core values. The study also showed that AW is embedded indirectly in Malaysia CSP before it was highlighted under Najib Razak administration. This study suggests continuous emphasis on AW values in three service areas, namely, service requirements (SR), service priorities (SP) and service quality (SQ).

Research limitations/implications

The limitation is to bring the value concept into the HS parameters. HS is indexed by quantitative indicators including economy, health and education achievements, rather than value concept. This study tries to expand the potential and importance of value as an indicator for HS. That is through a concept named as AW.

Practical implications

AW values and approaches are perceived to be a potential focus system for HS and resource building in Malaysian civil service.

Social implications

Extending the meaning of HS through the application of AW concept is perceived to enrich social values and development.

Originality/value

This paper argues that current discussion on HS is not fit for all purposes because it lacks human great values. This paper subsequently argues AW concept as potential HS values, especially for CSP, in Malaysia.
Malaysian Islamic quality management system MS1900
Authors: Basir Siti Arni , Abdul Ghani Azmi Ilhaamie , Syed Ismail Sharifah Hayaati , Ibrahim Patmawati , Mohamed Hasan Albanna
Published: March 2017

Purpose

This study aims to explore the steps carried out in the implementation of Islamic Quality Management System (QMS) MS 1900 in Malacca zakat institution.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study strategy was used to explore the process of MS 1900 implementation at Malacca Zakat Center (MZC). Semi-structured interview with Top Management Officers, Managers, Shar’iah Officer, Quality Systems Officers and Auditors was used as main data collection method, and it was triangulated with data collected from documents and observations. The data were analysed by employing thematic analysis method.

Findings

The study found that there are 12 steps involved in MS 1900 implementation at MZC, namely, identifying gaps, understanding MS 1900, outlined quality policies and objectives, team work establishment, management representative establishment, management commitment, documentations, determining the quality scope system, implementing the MS 1900, internal audit, evaluating QMS performance and surveillance audit. All steps were carried out effectively with the cooperation of management and employees at MZC.

Research limitations/implications

The findings from this study can be employed by managers who intend to implement MS 1900 effectively in their organizations.

Originality/value

This study adds to the knowledge of the emergence of the first ever Islamic QMS MS 1900. It also contributes meticulous insights into the MS 1900 implementation particularly in the zakat centre.
Periodicity analysis and a model structure for consumer behavior on hotel online search interest in the US
Authors: Liu Juan , Li Xue , Guo Ya
Published: March 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze and model consumer behavior on hotel online search interest in the USA.

Design/methodology/approach

Discrete Fourier transform was used to analyze the periodicity of hotel search behavior in the USA by using Google Trends data. Based on the obtained frequency components, a model structure was proposed to describe the search interest. A separable nonlinear least squares algorithm was developed to fit the data.

Findings

It was found that the major dynamics of the search interest was composed of nine frequency components. The developed separable nonlinear least squares algorithm significantly reduced the number of model parameters that needed to be estimated. The fitting results indicated that the model structure could fit the data well (average error 0.575 per cent).

Practical implications

Knowledge of consumer behavior on online search is critical to marketing decision because search engine has become an important tool for customers to find hotels. This work is thus very useful to marketing strategy.

Originality/value

This research is the first work on analyzing and modeling consumer behavior on hotel online search interest.
Person–environment fit and its effects on employees’ emotions and self-rated/supervisor-rated performances
Authors: Lee Yong-Ki , Kim Soon-Ho , Kim Min-Seong , Kim Ho-Seok
Published: March 2017

Purpose

Seeking to build a deeper understanding of a higher level of hospitality in terms of employee task performance, this study aimed to explore different person–environment (P–E) fit types and the corresponding effects on hotel employees’ emotions and task performance, evaluated by both the employees themselves and their supervisors.

Design/methodology/approach

Frequency analysis, reliability analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis and structural equation modeling method.

Findings

The results indicated that person–organization fit was associated with emotions toward the organization, the team and the job. However, this study did not provide empirical support for hypotheses that person-team fit affected emotions. Person–job fit was also associated with positive emotions toward the organization and the job, unlike with the team. Organization emotion had positive effects on both task performances, whereas no effect was reported between team emotion and task performances.

Practical implications

The study suggests that hotels’ human resource administrators may want to focus on developing and strengthening P–E fit and emotional responses.

Originality/value

This research illustrates the impact of three types of P–E fit on self-rated and supervisor-rated performance and examines the significant mediating role of three types of emotion.
Clustering benefits for upscale urban hotels
Authors: Urtasun Ainhoa , Gutiérrez Isabel
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The aim of this paper is twofold. First, clustering patterns of urban hotels are explored, and, second, clustering effects on performance for upscale urban hotels are estimated.

Design/methodology/approach

Local indicators of spatial association (LISA) were computed using geographic information system (GIS) techniques. Clustering for the entire population of hotels in Madrid was explored visualizing LISA statistics. Then, a system generalized method of moments regression was applied to test a set of hypotheses about the performance effects of LISA statistics for a sample of upscale urban hotels.

Findings

Two significantly distinct types of clusters are identified: dense “cold spots” or clusters containing many low-priced hotels and quiet “hot spots” or clusters only containing a few high-priced hotels. And, estimates confirmed two important results: evidence of adverse selection when clustering and evidence of positive location economies for upscale hotels.

Practical implications

This study has a number of relevant implications for making better hotel location decisions. Specifically, the paper shows the applicability of GIS to find statistically significant clustering in the data. In the hotel sector, knowing exactly where hotel clustering occurs and of what type is of vital importance.

Originality/value

This paper’s novel application of LISA based on GIS techniques for hotel clustering sheds light on the effects of clustering on performance to convey the subtle nuances of the relationship for upscale urban hotels.
Customer relationship management (people, process and technology) and organisational culture in hotels
Authors: Rahimi Roya
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of four organisational cultural traits of adaptability, consistency, involvement and mission on the three components of customer relationship management (CRM), namely, people, process and technology, in the context of the hotel industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Required data are collected with a quantitative approach and a questionnaire adapted from the Denison organisational culture survey and the Mendoza CRM model. The questionnaire was distributed among 364 managers of a chain hotel in the UK and gathered data were examined using the structural equation modelling method.

Findings

The results of this study reveal that the four traits of organisational culture (adaptability, consistency, involvement and mission) have positive and significant impacts on the three components of CRM (people, process and technology). A set of theoretical contributions and practical implications was also discussed.

Research limitations/implications

The study is conducted with a case study approach; hence, the findings cannot be generalised to a larger population, and the results might be different for other industries. Because of the limitation of access to all employees, only managers were selected as the sample, and future studies with all employees may show different results.

Practical implications

Current study helps hotel managers to understand the role and importance of organisational cultural traits in successful implementation of their CRM strategy components.

Originality/value

The position taken in this study recognises the need to enhance the understanding of organisational culture’s impact on implementing CRM components. Organisational cultural traits have different levels of impact on CRM implementation, and this is the first study to investigate the detailed impacts of the four traits of adaptability, consistency, involvement and mission on the three components of CRM, namely, people, process and technology.
Efficiency of winemaking in developing countries
Authors: Goncharuk Anatoliy G. , Figurek Aleksandra
Published: March 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to the evaluation and comparison of the efficiency of winemaking in two developing countries (Ukraine and Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H)) from the perspective of their development.

Design/methodology/approach

In this research study, four models of data envelopment analysis (DEA), correlation and other tools of the data analysis are used to analyze the efficiency of wineries in two developing countries. Returns to scale, scale efficiency, super-efficiency and some other indicators are examined. The research is based on the sample, including 33 wineries of Ukraine and B&H.

Findings

Characterized by the same average efficiency and number of leaders, in Ukraine, medium and large wineries are developing more efficiently than small ones, whereas the opposite is true for B&H. The authors found the high potential growth of efficiency on Ukrainian (up to 28.9 per cent) and Bosnian wineries (up to 28.3 per cent). The ways for its realization were suggested. Cross-country efficiency analysis enabled us to find inter-country leaders of wine industry. The authors grouped inefficient wineries, calculated the potential for inputs reduction and found the main directions for the improvement of efficiency for each group.

Research limitations/implications

The research is limited to a single industry in only two developing countries. Future studies can be devoted to the comparison of the efficiency of wineries in developed and developing countries. The results can determine which countries can be leaders in the global wine market in the future.

Practical implications

This study provides useful information for: researchers of wine market in developing countries enabling them to understand the current state, basic problems and efficiency levels of wineries in Ukraine and B&H; domestic policy-makers- to improve regulation of wine industry as to make it more competitive and efficient; wine producers in these countries- to find the benchmarks using the best practices to adapt them in own business and to increase an efficiency.

Originality/value

On the example of Ukraine and B&H, this study has shown that each respective country has its own conditions of doing wine business. This is the first paper that compares the efficiency of wine industry in Ukraine and B&H.
Why users purchase virtual products in MMORPG? An integrative perspective of social presence and user engagement
Authors: Jin Wei , Sun Yongqiang , Wang Nan , Zhang Xi
Published: March 2017

Purpose

Prior studies on virtual product purchase have focused on external technological factor but have paid less attention to internal user factors. Thus, drawing upon the social presence and user engagement theories, the purpose of this paper is to develop a research model considering both technological factors and user factors and empirically examine the validity of the proposed research model.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey from 214 World of Warcraft players was conducted to test the proposed research model, and structural equation modelling approach (specifically, PLS) was used to test the proposed hypotheses.

Findings

The data analysis results suggest that both social presence and user engagement positively influence the intention to purchase virtual products. Furthermore, two technological factors, interactivity and sociability, are found to affect social presence, and two social factors, social ties and social identity, are found to affect user engagement.

Originality/value

This study proposes a dual factor framework (i.e. technological and user factors) to investigate the factors influencing the intention to purchase by integrating the social presence perspective and user engagement perspective. The findings would be beneficial for service provider of massively multiplayer online role-playing games to recognize that triggering user demand is of equal importance with offering better technologies and suggest new ways to promote users’ virtual product purchase intentions.
An approach to initiating eWOM intentions
Authors: Lo Louis Yi-Shih , Lin Sheng-Wei
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects that reference prices and associated information sources (websites that consumers use to explore and their friends who have similar perspectives on value) have on deal evaluation and intention to disseminate electronic word of mouth (eWOM).

Design/methodology/approach

A stratified survey is conducted to empirically test the relations between reference prices, associated information sources (the top five Consumer-to-consumer (C2C) websites and top five Facebook friends with similar perspectives and values on consumption), deal evaluation, and eWOM intention. The study uses a Facebook API to help participants pick five Facebook friends to act as their favorite sources for advice on shopping.

Findings

The results suggest that consumers’ deal evaluations (as shaped by the recency effects of previous exposure to prices and the influence of Facebook friends and C2C websites) have carry-over effects on their eWOM intentions. The influence of Facebook friends and C2C websites on deal evaluation is as powerful as that of reference price, especially concerning the mean and the lowest prices.

Practical implications

The findings encourage marketers to invest their resources in targeting online groups, and suggest that C2C website marketers should set their offer prices between the mean and the lowest prices.

Originality/value

This study extends prior research on the motives for eWOM dissemination and elaborates an approach to initiate eWOM intention through deal evaluation.
Instructional leadership structure in Singapore: a co-existence of hierarchy and heterarchy
Authors: Nguyen Dong Thanh , Ng David , Yap Pui San
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the instructional leadership practices and structure in Singapore primary schools.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs a qualitative approach. Data were collected from interviews of 30 Singapore primary school principals and 25 working-day observations of five principals. A grounded theory method was utilized to analyze the qualitative data.

Findings

The instructional leadership roles of principals can be categorized into four key themes: vision development and implementation, physical and organizational structure, professional development, and leading and managing instruction. Importantly, the study illuminates a hybrid structure of instructional leadership in which both hierarchical and heterarchical elements exist.

Originality/value

The current study expands the global knowledge base on instructional leadership by providing indigenous knowledge of how instructional leadership is enacted in Singapore schools. Simultaneously, this study suggests an agenda for future research on instructional leadership.
Perspectives on principal instructional leadership in Vietnam: a preliminary model
Authors: Hallinger Philip , Walker Allan , Nguyen Dao Thi Hong , Truong Thang , Nguyen Thi Thinh
Published: March 2017

Purpose

Worldwide interest in principal instructional leadership has led to global dissemination of related research findings despite their concentration in a limited set of western cultural contexts. An urgent challenge in educational leadership and management lies in expanding the range of national settings for investigations of instructional leadership. The current study addressed this challenge in the context of Vietnam, a nation with a very limited formal knowledge base in school leadership (Hallinger and Bryant, 2013b; Hallinger and Truong, 2014). The purpose of this paper is to describe the perspectives of Vietnamese primary school principals toward their role as instructional leaders, illuminate instructional leadership practices perceived as important by the principals, and develop a preliminary model of instructional leadership within the Vietnamese education context.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was a qualitative inquiry that sought to illuminate the perspectives of Vietnamese principals toward their role as instructional leaders. The research employed semi-structured interviews with 27 primary school principals. Data analysis employed grounded theory in order to synthesize results gathered from the principals into a preliminary conceptual model.

Findings

The study yielded a preliminary model of principal instructional leadership in Vietnam. The authors’ model evidences similarities to western models of instructional leadership by including dimensions focusing on setting direction, managing curriculum and instruction and developing the school learning climate. Differences also emerged in terms of two additional constructs, building solidarity and managing external relationships. Other distinctive practices of Vietnamese instructional leaders also emerged in the findings which the authors suggest can be linked to the institutional, political and socio-cultural context of education in this society.

Research limitations/implications

Key limitations arise from the focus on primary schools, small size of the sample, absence of data from the Northern region of Vietnam, and lack of verification of principals’ perspectives with data from other stakeholders.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first empirical studies of Vietnamese school leadership submitted for publication in international refereed journals and the first study that has that sought to conceptualize the instructional leadership role of principals in Vietnam. Moreover, the study illustrates how conceptualizations of school leadership are shaped by features of specific societies. This lends credence to scholarly admonitions concerning the lack of universality of leadership theories.
Institutional quality and innovation: some cross-country evidence
Authors: Boudreaux Christopher John
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the cross-country variation in innovation and propose that it can be explained by the presence of market institutions using the Global Innovation Index.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses ordinary least squares with region and OECD fixed effects to test whether more economic freedom is associated with more innovation.

Findings

The findings reveal that the effect of market institutions on innovation is promoted by both knowledge and creativity. When innovation is broken down into its component measures, the results suggest that a high-quality legal system is associated with more creativity and free trade is associated with greater knowledge.

Originality/value

These findings provide evidence that economic freedom matters for innovation through both creativity and knowledge, particularly through the protection of property rights and the legal system and free trade. Policy makers desiring to spur innovation may want to examine the level of freedom in private ownership and the reduction of trade barriers as a prerequisite for innovation policy.
Internal integration in humanitarian supply chain management
Authors: Makepeace David , Tatham Peter , Wu Yong
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compare perspectives on humanitarian logistics (HL) and supply chain management (SCM) among programmes and logistics/support staff.

Design/methodology/approach

Underpinned by services supply chain management (SSCM) theory, a single case study of a leading international non-governmental organisation is presented based on a web-based survey of the organisation’s global operations staff, supplemented by semi-structured interviews conducted with senior representatives.

Findings

The study is believed to be the first to consider the different perspectives of programmes and logistics staff on the interpretation of logistics and SCM. The results indicate both significant divergence between the views of these two cohorts, as well as a general lack of clarity over the concept of SCM, its relationship with logistics and the cross-functional nature of SCM.

Research limitations/implications

Insufficient responses from programme staff limit the generalisability of the findings. Suggestions for future research include further examination of the potential of applying SSCM and demand chain management concepts to the humanitarian context.

Practical implications

The results support the notion that a broader, more strategic interpretation of SCM, more clearly distinguished from the practice of HL, may assist in breaking down perceived jurisdictional boundaries, bridging the gap between programmes and logistics teams, and strengthening demand-chain influences and the “voice of the beneficiary”.

Originality/value

By taking into account the views of non-logisticians, a broader, cross-functional interpretation of SCM is offered leading to revised definitions for both SCM and HL within this sector, together with a framework that integrates SCM across humanitarian relief and development contexts.
3PL evaluation and selection using integrated analytical modeling
Authors: Haldar Abhijeet , Qamaruddin Umer , Raut Rakesh , Kamble Sachin , Kharat Manoj Govind , Kamble Sheetal Jaisingh
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework for evaluating and selecting the most optimal third-party logistics (3PL) service provider vendor among the available ones. Selection is done based on the performance values of the vendors on certain predefined criteria.

Design/methodology/approach

An integrated approach involving data envelopment analysis (DEA), technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) and linear programming (LP) problem has been used to develop a new model for the selection of 3PL vendor. First, DEA is used to evaluate the efficiency of each vendor according to the identified criteria. Second, TOPSIS is applied to rank the maximally efficient vendors. Finally, LP problem is stated and solved to ascertain the quantities to be allocated to each maximally efficient vendor in the context of multiple logistics provider. The proposed DEA–TOPSIS–LP (DETOLP) model is finally tested with real-time industry data for 3PL vendor evaluation and selection. The study, thus, proposes a three-step hierarchical technique for selection of 3PL vendor based on the multiple criteria decision-making approach.

Findings

The paper focuses on assessing the performance of 26 vendors using a combined approach of DEA, TOPSIS and LP. It is observed that vendor V4 outperforms all the considered vendors, which exactly corroborates with the present scenario within the company.

Research limitations/implications

Exclusion of qualitative criteria for 3PL vendor selection and the judgment of weights for TOPSIS can be considered as the limitations of the present work. The study has significant practical implications for organizations belonging to any sector or industry. It can help them in evaluating the existing 3PL vendors and selecting the most efficient among them.

Originality/value

This paper deals with a framework modeled for 3PL vendor selection. It is the first attempt to utilize an integrated approach, i.e. DETOLP model for evaluation and selection of 3PL. For assessment of the model, real data from an Indian company has been taken to analyze the result and compare it with the present scenario within the company.
Changes in customer preference heterogeneity patterns: a simulation study
Authors: Sudharshan Devanathan , Mild Andreas
Published: March 2017

Purpose

At the core of the success of any firm is its ability to satisfy customer preferences. It has also been part of managerial wisdom that it is good management practice to treat a market as that comprising several market segments and to serve each segment with a different marketing mix. It thus goes without saying that market segments are believed to be very important to profitability. The purpose of this paper is to contend that preference-based segments form and evolve through social interactions between customers. This argument puts forth the questions: How do they form? How do they evolve?

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used controlled computer simulations to study the patterns of segments that emerge in markets as consumers in them engage in social interactions.

Findings

The simulation results show that market segments emerge across a wide set of assumptions. Further, the paper offers a number of conjectures and propositions for both research and managerial applications, based on the patterns of the emergent segments that were observed.

Research limitations/implications

A research program could/should be developed based on the empirical measurement of preferences, longitudinally, over the life cycle of a product for a fixed sample group, and on the collection of factors about social interaction (ν), social intervention (β) and the propensity to differentiate (α). The results of this study also indicate that further computational work may be able to find the points of criticality where patterns of behavior will change. With the availability of internet data, close empirical examination and operationalization, and refinement of the authors' initial attempts has become possible. For example, data sets that may be applicable are Zafarani and Liu (2009), Leskovec (2012), Newman (2011), and Arenas (2012).

Practical implications

The findings of the study have implications for product line management, conditions under which a first-mover advantage may prevail, and the critical measurements needed to understand segment evolution.

Originality/value

To the authors' knowledge, this paper is the first to study the patterns of emergence of segments over several scenarios.
A data analytics framework for key financial factors
Authors: Huang Jun , Wang Haibo
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify a subset of key financial ratios and factors that provide the best discriminating power to distinguish between creditworthy companies (CWCs) and less creditworthy companies (LCWCs) in the USA with the proposed method.

Design/methodology/approach

A proposed framework of Bisection Method Based on Tabu Search + Support Vector Machines (BMTS + SVM) is used to select subset of financial ratios from a pool of candidate ratios. The selected ratios and their corresponding financial factors are considered as the key financial ratios and factors that provide the best discriminating power to distinguish between CWCs and LCWCs. The authors collected financial data for the US companies and then identify the key financial ratios and factors which the selected key financial ratios belong.

Findings

It is found that the four selected financial ratios from the proposed method and eight financial ratios which are used by Standard & Poor for their credit-rating system can be attributed to the same four financial factors, namely, cash flow factor, profitability factor, solvency factor and leverage factor. This result lends support that the proposed method can be applied to identify key financial factors to differentiate CWCs and LCWCs.

Practical implications

This study provides a tool for managers in financial institutions to gain better understanding about the credit risk of their applicants by focusing on a parsimonious model with fewer ratios in the key financial factors. In addition, companies that attempt to borrow money from financial institutions can also use these key financial ratios and factors as reference to attain clearer vision on what are the most important factors for being considered a creditworthy company and thus develop specific strategies to improve their financial performance.

Originality/value

Based on data analytic techniques, this paper identifies key financial ratios and factors for examining the creditworthiness of US companies with the proposed framework using BMTS + SVM method.
Evaluation of success factors for medical device development using grey DEMATEL approach
Authors: Kirkire Milind Shrikant , Rane Santosh B.
Published: March 2017

Purpose

Successful device development brings substantial revenues to medical device manufacturing industries. This paper aims to evaluate factors contributing to the success of medical device development (MDD) using grey DEMATEL (decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory) methodology through an empirical case study.

Design/methodology/approach

The factors are identified through literature review and industry experts’ opinions. Grey-based DEMATEL methodology is used to establish the cause-effect relationship among the factors and develop a structured model. Most significant factors contributing to the success of MDD are identified. An empirical case study of an MDD and manufacturing organisation is presented to demonstrate the use of the grey DEMATEL method. Sensitivity analysis is carried out to check robustness of results.

Findings

The results of applying the grey DEMATEL methodology to evaluate success factors of MDD show that availability of experts and their experience (SF4) is the most prominent cause factor, and active involvement of stakeholders during all stages of MDD (SF3) and complete elicitation of end-user requirements (SF1) are the most prominent effect factors for successful MDD. A sensitivity analysis confirms the reliability of the initial solution.

Practical implications

The findings will greatly help medical device manufacturers to understand the success factors and develop strategies to conduct successful MDD processes.

Originality/value

In the past, few success factors to MDD have been identified by some researchers, but complex inter-relationships among factors are not analysed. Finding direct and indirect effects of these factors on the success of MDD can be a good future research proposition.
Does training change practice? A survey of clinicians and managers one year after training in trauma-informed care
Authors: Williams Theresa Maureen , Smith Geoffrey Paul
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the impact of a trauma-informed care (TIC) training programme on practice at the individual and workplace level in mental health and drug and alcohol services and to examine the implications of using training alone as a strategy for achieving system-level practice change.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 271 clinicians and managers from public mental health and drug and alcohol services in Western Australia who had undertaken TIC training were invited to complete an on-line survey 12 months after training. Individual survey items were based on a five-point Likert scale with opportunity being provided for additional comments from respondents.

Findings

One year post-training, both clinicians and managers reported that training had increased their awareness and knowledge and had a positive impact on their attitudes towards TIC. Clinicians reported a moderate impact on their individual practice and both groups reported very limited success in bringing about change in their workplaces. Workforce development and organisational factors were identified by both clinicians and managers as being barriers to implementation.

Research limitations/implications

Only 30 per cent of the training participants responded to the survey and it is not possible to determine whether they differed from non-respondents. Findings were based on a self-report survey with no objective measure of behaviour change.

Originality/value

This “naturalistic” study examines the longer-term impact of training, from the perspective of clinicians and managers, on changing practice at the individual clinician and workplace level. It highlights the critical importance of understanding and addressing contextual factors where collective, coordinated behaviour change is needed in order to effect organisational change.
Clinician perspectives on recovery and borderline personality disorder
Authors: Donald Fiona , Duff Cameron , Lawrence Katherine , Broadbear Jillian , Rao Sathya
Published: March 2017

Purpose

Recovery is an important concept within mental healthcare policy. There is a growing expectation that clinicians adopt approaches that align with the recovery principles, despite significant disagreements about what recovery-oriented interventions might look like in practice. It is also unclear how recovery may be relevant to personality disorder. This paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 16 clinicians were interviewed at two mental health services in Melbourne, Australia. These clinicians had specialist training and experience in the treatment of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and provided insight regarding the meaning and relevance of the recovery paradigm in the context of BPD. Thematic analysis within a grounded theory approach was used to understand key themes identified from the interview data.

Findings

Thematic analysis suggested that clinicians understand recovery in three distinct ways: as moving towards a satisfying and meaningful life, as different ways of relating to oneself and as remission of symptoms and improved psychosocial functioning. Clinicians also identified ways in which recovery-related interventions in current use were problematic for individuals diagnosed with BPD. Different approaches that may better support recovery were discussed. This study suggests that practices supporting recovery in BPD may need to be tailored to individuals with BPD, with a focus on cultivating agency while acknowledging the creative nature of recovery.

Originality/value

Clinicians are in a strong position to observe recovery. Their insights suggest key refinements that will enhance the ways in which recovery in BPD is conceptualized and can be promoted.
Mental health knowledge and common misconceptions in a master of chiropractic final year cohort
Authors: Ferrari Madeleine , Whillier Stephney
Published: March 2017

Purpose

Given rising incidence rates of mental health concerns in the general population it is important for all primary health care practitioners, including chiropractors, to have knowledge of such presentations. Practitioners frequently need to refer clients to appropriate mental health services, manage the biopsychosocial aspects of all conditions they treat, and work in interdisciplinary teams to ensure optimal patient outcomes. The mental health literacy (MHL) of these practitioners may, however, be influenced by both learnt knowledge and common misconceptions. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the MHL of a final year Master of Chiropractic student cohort.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 89 students completed an online questionnaire assessing mental health knowledge, misconceptions, perceived value of such knowledge for practicing chiropractors and demographic information.

Findings

Student knowledge of the primary symptoms for depression and schizophrenia was competent, similar to community samples. However a high false positive response suggested students were poor at mental health differential diagnosis. A high number of common misconceptions about mental health were also endorsed, particularly in relation to depression, anxiety and suicide. Age and value of such knowledge seemed to predict greater MHL.

Research limitations/implications

The present study offers direction for chiropractic education. In addition to content-based education, MHL may improve through targeting the students’ perceived value of the information for chiropractors and combating common misconceptions. Future research could evaluate the incremental value of these approaches, and assess subsequent behavioural responses such as the students’ confidence in managing patients with mental health concerns, and knowing when to refer on.

Originality/value

Taken together, the current results suggest chiropractic students are able to identify symptoms causing distress; however tend to over-pathologise and endorse false symptoms as indicative of specific mental illnesses. In other words, students are poor at mental health differential diagnosis. Students also seemed to simultaneously hold a large number of misconceptions about mental health in general. It is of great importance to better understand gaps in student knowledge about mental health to prepare them for working with patients in a health setting.
Exploring the “black box” of customer co-creation processes
Authors: Trischler Jakob , Pervan Simon J. , Scott Donald Robert
Published: March 2017

Purpose

Many firms use customer co-creation practices with the aim of benefiting from their customers’ knowledge, skills and resources. This paper aims to explore co-creation processes which involve users with different background characteristics and motivational drivers.

Design/methodology/approach

The study builds on an analysis of data from six teams in which users collaborated with in-house professionals for the development of new service concepts. Observations and open-ended questionnaires provided insights into the teams’ development processes. Independent experts rated the generated concepts. The data were analysed using cross-comparison matrices.

Findings

The findings suggest that the co-creation process and outcomes can be influenced by numerous intra-team factors, including relationship and task conflicts, participation style, team bonding, team identity and cohesiveness and intra-team collaboration. Their occurrence and influence seem to be linked with a specific team composition. A conceptual co-creation process model and six propositions are used to describe the complex relationships between team composition, intra-team factors and key innovation outcomes.

Research limitations/implications

Research that investigates user involvement in teams needs to consider the complexity of intra-team factors affecting the development process and outcomes. The findings are limited to a specific setting, design task and user sample. Future research should replicate this study in different sectors.

Practical implications

Key to customer co-creation is the systematic recruitment of users based on their background characteristics and motivational drivers. For instance, the involvement of users with very specific innovation-related benefit expectations can cause conflict, leading to narrowly focused outcomes. This, however, can be mitigated by the form of facilitation and roles adopted by in-house professionals. Understanding intra-team dynamics can allow the firm to assemble and facilitate customer co-creation so that generated outcomes can align with set innovation targets.

Originality/value

This paper provides original insights into the “black box” of the customer co-creation process and the complex relationship between team composition, intra-team factors and key innovation outcomes.
Co-designing services with vulnerable consumers
Authors: Dietrich Timo , Trischler Jakob , Schuster Lisa , Rundle-Thiele Sharyn
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how vulnerable consumers can be involved in transformative service design and how this approach may enhance the design of such services. The study also analyzes how co-design with vulnerable consumers differs from existing user involvement processes with the purpose of developing a co-design framework.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study approach was employed, with six high schools in Australia identified as sites to conduct co-design sessions for a school-based alcohol education program. Adolescents were invited to review and (re)design an existing alcohol education program.

Findings

The study indicates that co-design with vulnerable consumers cannot be approached in the same way as conventional user involvement processes. Based on the insights generated from six co-design sessions as well as the examination of user involvement and co-design literature, the authors propose a six-step co-design framework. The six steps comprise resourcing, planning, recruiting, sensitizing, facilitation and evaluation.

Research limitations/implications

The co-design framework illustrates important differences to conventional user involvement processes. However, the generalizability of the research findings is limited to a specific study setting and a narrowly defined sample. Future research in a different setting is needed to further validate the presented findings.

Practical implications

For service design practice, this study provides guidelines on how co-design activities with vulnerable consumers can be effectively resourced, planned, recruited, sensitized, facilitated and evaluated. The framework outlines how co-design may be applied so that vulnerable consumers can become empowered participants during the design process.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the knowledge in transformative service research – a priority in service research – and service design by extending the boundaries of our understanding of processes and tools for the involvement of vulnerable consumers in transformative service design.
Knowledge search and open innovation performance in an emerging market
Authors: Zhang Dan , Li Shengxiao , Zheng Dengpan
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how knowledge search (KS) affects open innovation performance (OIP) in consideration of appropriability hazard in an emerging market context.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors identify two types of appropriability hazard related to KS activities in the improvement of OIP: partner-related and market-related hazards, and construct a model of KS to the OIP with the government-enterprise relationship and market focus (MF) as moderating factors of the analysis framework, using the hierarchical regression analysis based on a survey sample of 258 Chinese companies.

Findings

The authors find that KS has a stronger positive relationship with OIP in international market-focused enterprises compared with domestic market-focused enterprises. In addition, using a configuration approach, the authors find that KS is more positively related to OIP when enterprises have an international MF and a good relationship with the government, but less in other MF government and enterprises relationship configurations.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to previous research work by identifying two types of appropriability hazard related to KS activities in emerging market countries: partner-related and market-related hazards. The authors argue that a positive relationship between KS and OIP is more likely to occur if these appropriability hazards can be mitigated by export MF and a good relationship with the government which has not been demonstrated in previous research.
A comparison among approaches for recommending learning objects through collaborative filtering algorithms
Authors: dos Santos Henrique Lemos , Cechinel Cristian , Araújo Ricardo Matsumura
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a comparison among three different approaches for recommending learning objects (LO) inside a repository. The comparison focuses not only on prediction errors but also on the coverage of each tested configuration.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors compared the offline evaluation by using pure collaborative filtering (CF) algorithms with two other different combinations of pre-processed data. The first approach for pre-processing data consisted of clustering users according to their disciplines resemblance, while the second approach consisted of clustering LO according to their textual similarity regarding title and description. The three methods were compared with respect to the mean average error between predicted values and real values. Moreover, we evaluated the impact of the number of clusters and neighborhood size on the user-coverage.

Findings

Clustering LO has improved the prediction error measure with a small loss on user-coverage when compared to the pure CF approach. On the other hand, the approach of clustering users failed in both the error and in user-space coverage. It also became clear that the neighborhood size is the most relevant parameter to determine how large the coverage will be.

Research limitations

The methods proposed here were not yet evaluated in a real-world scenario, with real users opinions about the recommendations and their respective learning goals. Future work is still required to evaluate users opinions.

Originality/value

This research provides evidence toward new recommendation methods directed toward LO repositories.