bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Developing criteria for elderly nursing homes: the case of Lebanon
Authors: Nasser Ramzi , Doumit Jacqueline 
Published: March 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to establish a set of measurable criteria for elderly nursing homes (ENHs) in Lebanon. Donabedian's model known by structure/process/outcome was used as the driving conceptual framework for the study.Design/methodology/approachThe study reports on a panel discussion where administrators, caregivers and specialists, separately established and exchanged key information on best practice approach. The work was carried out in the summer of 2008, using the consensus panel method. A group of expert opinions (Dalkey) made up of elderly home administrators and caregivers, policy makers, and academics discussed specific key issues related to elderly health and quality of life.FindingsA total of 40 criteria were retained along seven main dimensions: types of elderly homes; funding; health services; boarding services; activities; structures; and elderly rights.Research limitations/implicationsA major limitation in this study is that elderly were not part of the consensus making process. Thus, including elderly in the process would have substantiated and added validity to the established criteria.Practical implicationsThe criteria developed in this study can be turned into key performance standards for elderly homes in Lebanon, other Mediterranean and Arab countries. These criteria would greatly benefit elderly homes if validated and used as guidelines for quality care.Originality/valueThe study is original in the sense that it seeks to establish measures for criteria, a blueprint, and benchmarks for ENH standards.
Predictors of satisfaction with child birth services in public hospitals in Ghana
Authors: Sika Avortri Gertrude , Beke Andy , Abekah‐Nkrumah Gordon 
Published: March 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the association between experiences during childbirth and satisfaction with childbirth services.Design/methodology/approachA cross‐sectional analytical approach using a structured questionnaire and exit interviews was employed to gather data from 885 women who delivered vaginally in two public hospitals. Data were analysed by generating frequencies and chi‐square which was used in running a binary logistic regression using a stepwise backward elimination approach.FindingsWith a response rate of 78.75 percent the key predictor variables of satisfaction with care were: friendliness of staff (OR=15.12, p=0.00); the amount of information provided on the condition and treatment of women (OR=9.3857, p=0.007); the feeling of being treated with respect (OR=3.5581, p=0.023); and the provision of information about channels of complaint about care (OR=50.0839, p=0.000). It is therefore recommended that steps be instituted to improve client‐/health worker interpersonal relationships, to improve the amount and quality of information provided to clients, and also to establish formal structures for complaint management in hospitals.Research limitations/implicationsThe study sampled only women with vaginal deliveries, considering the fact that women with caesarean deliveries have different experiences. Thus views of those with caesarean deliveries are excluded.Originality/valueSeveral studies have been conducted in Ghana on issues of health service satisfaction and quality, but this is about the first, critically looking at satisfaction with child birth services in Ghana.
Comparison of medication error rates and clinical effects in three medication prescription‐dispensation systems
Authors: Belén Jiménez Muñoz Ana , Muiño Miguez Antonio , Paz Rodriguez Pérez María , Esther Durán Garcia María , Sanjurjo Saez María 
Published: March 2011

PurposeMedication errors (MEs) are important in terms of their magnitude and severity, and there are numerous systems in place to reduce their occurrence. However, the ideal system has not yet been identified. The authors' institution uses three different medication prescription‐dispensation systems which operate simultaneously. ME rates were compared, overall and by phase (prescription, transcription and administration) and their overall and specific clinical impact.Design/methodology/approachThe administration of medicinal products was observed directly and compared with medical and nursing prescriptions. Errors and adverse events were classified by a consensus of experts.FindingsIn the traditional system the error prevalence rate was 13.59 per cent, (99 per cent CI, 12.15‐14.61 per cent), in the single dose system it was 6.43 per cent (99 per cent CI, 5.53‐7.32) and in the electronic prescription system it was 8.86 per cent (99 per cent CI, 7.33‐10.17). The highest error rates in all phases were found in the traditional system. The phase affected by most errors in all three models was transcription, and the least affected was administration, except for the single dose system, in which prescription was the worst. The effects of errors in the administration phase are greater, although less so than with the automated system.Research limitations/implicationsThe dispensation phase was not analyzed.Practical implicationsA study of errors will enable us to reduce their occurrence if we know the most frequent types and in which phase they are produced, we will be able to prioritise the areas in which to work and select the necessary preventive measures.Originality/valueIt is possible that automated medication dispensation systems reduce error rates and the severity of their effects.
Factors influencing patient satisfaction in primary healthcare clinics in Kuwait
Authors: Majeed Alhashem Abdul , Alquraini Habib , Chowdhury Rafiqul I. 
Published: March 2011

PurposeTo measure the quality of health care services patient satisfaction is used as one of the most important indicators. The study aims to identify factors affecting patient's satisfaction at primary health care clinics.Design/methodology/approachThe data was collected during January 2007 and May 2007 through a randomly‐distributed questionnaire. The questionnaires were distributed in primary healthcare clinics that represent all heath care regions in Kuwait. A total of 426 completed questionnaires, out of 500, were returned resulting in a response rate of 85.2 percent.FindingsThe majority (87 percent) of the patients responded that the time for communication between physician and patient was not enough. Seventy‐nine‐percent of the surveyed patients said they would go to the emergency room of the hospital in future if needed instead of going to the primary care clinic. Regarding the quality of the communication relationship between physician and patients most of the patients responded negatively. Exploratory factor analysis identified six factors and reliability of overall scale was found to be 0.61.Research limitations/implicationsOne limitation to this study was the exclusion of the private sector.Originality/valueThe authors hope that this study identifies areas of dissatisfaction that can be quickly remedied and ensures enhancement in the areas of satisfaction with ongoing attention and emphasis.
Independent and interdependent self‐views and their influence on clothing consumption
Authors: Millan Elena , Reynolds Jonathan 
Published: March 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of individualism and collectivism at an individual level, in the context of an emergent market economy of Eastern Europe. More specifically, the effects of the psychological constructs of independent/interdependent self on a number of clothing‐related consumer behaviour phenomena are examined.Design/methodology/approachData were collected through a home‐based face‐to‐face survey of some 1,000 Bulgarian respondents.FindingsEvidence was found supporting the notion that the relationship between individualism and collectivism is complex, and individualist and collectivist values do not characterise two opposing cultural dimensions. Additionally, being autonomous or being interrelated with important, others were found to play an important part in consumer preference for self‐ and social‐symbolic meanings of clothing artefacts, as well as on shopping attitudes held and actual purchase behaviour.Research limitations/implicationsConclusions and implications of the research are limited to the factors considered in the conceptual model. The use of face‐to‐face interviews can lead to the interviewer's intentional or unintentional influencing of the survey results. The use of self‐reporting measures in the structured interview can result in acquiescence.Practical implicationsFindings suggest that marketers and retailers will benefit from individualising their activities.Originality/valueThe paper develops further our understanding of the effects of the independent/interdependent self‐concept on diverse consumption phenomena and provides empirical evidence in support of the proposed conceptual model using a nationally representative sample.
Explaining multi‐channel consumer's channel‐migration intention using theory of reasoned action
Authors: Pookulangara Sanjukta , Hawley Jana , Xiao Ge 
Published: March 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine how attitudes and subjective norms predict channel migration across the three channels based on the theory of reasoned action (TRA).Design/methodology/approachA self‐administered questionnaire was administered to the participants comprised of staff, faculty, and students from four different universities in the southern and midwestern USA. The survey instrument was administered online and a total of 503 completed surveys were obtained.FindingsTRA was successful in predicting channel‐migration intention in brick‐and‐mortar stores, catalogues, and the internet. Utilitarian beliefs were more relevant in predicting attitude toward channel migration for all three channels. Normative beliefs for bricks‐and‐mortar stores and catalogues were significant in predicting subjective norms, the relationship was negative. Attitude and subjective norms were the predictors of the channel‐migration intention for all three channels.Research limitations/implicationsThese findings may not be generalizable to the study population because the sample was restricted to a small area. Additionally, the survey was administered online, which made it difficult to calculate the response rate.Originality/valueThe paper adds insights into the subject by examining channel‐migration behaviour using TRA.
Effects of retail employees' behaviours on customers' service evaluation
Authors: Jayawardhena Chanaka , Farrell Andrew M. 
Published: March 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to test a conceptual model of the effects of customer and service orientation (SO) behaviours of individual retail employees on individual customers' perceptions of service encounter quality (SEQ), service quality (SQ), value, satisfaction, and behavioural intentions (BI).Design/methodology/approachThe sample (n=271) was customers of a supermarket in central India, and they completed questionnaires following mall intercept. To test the hypotheses, structural equation modelling using LISREL 8.7 was employed.FindingsIt was found that: service and customer orientation (CO) behaviours are positively related to SEQ and SQ; SEQ is positively related to SQ and customer satisfaction; SQ is positively related to value perceptions and customer satisfaction; and customer satisfaction is positively related to retail customers' BI. However, value is not related to customer satisfaction.Research limitations/implicationsMore research is needed on customer perceptions of value in non‐Western contexts and service evaluation frameworks in other cross‐cultural contexts.Practical implicationsRetail managers need to train or select retail personnel who are able to perform their roles in a service‐oriented and customer‐oriented way, and value does not appear to be as important to Indian retail customers as it is to Western retail customers.Originality/valueThis paper extends current service evaluation frameworks by including SO and CO as antecedents, and it analyses an Indian retail context.
Using scenarios to explore employee attitudes in retailing
Authors: Foster Carley 
Published: March 2011

PurposeThe aim of the paper is to explore how hypothetical scenarios can be used to study individual employee attitudes towards diversity and equality initiatives in retailing.Design/methodology/approachIn total, 40 semi‐structured interviews were conducted with a range of staff working in three business units belonging to a UK retailer. As part of the interviews, respondents were asked to comment on four work‐based scenarios exploring customer and employee diversity issues.FindingsThe paper proposes that scenarios can be a useful method for exploring the hidden meanings retail employees have towards ethical issues such as diversity management. However, they may not always be useful for furthering knowledge of the area. This is because responses to the scenarios in this study frequently contradicted the respondent's real‐life work experiences explored in the rest of the interview. This suggests that, when commenting on the scenarios, interviewees did not always ground their responses so that they reflected their role in the retailer and their own diversity.Originality/valueThe paper argues that hypothetical scenarios, if used in retail research or for retail training and development purposes, should have ecological validity. In order to obtain an accurate picture of individual attitudes and to tease out what an individual might do (the rhetoric) from what they have actually experienced (the reality), those researching in the retail industry should use a range of qualitative methods to study the same issue.
Addressing dynamic issues in information security management
Authors: Abbas Haider , Magnusson Christer , Yngstrom Louise , Hemani Ahmed 
Published: March 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to address three main problems resulting from uncertainty in information security management: dynamically changing security requirements of an organization; externalities caused by a security system; and obsolete evaluation of security concerns.Design/methodology/approachIn order to address these critical concerns, a framework based on options reasoning borrowed from corporate finance is proposed and adapted to evaluation of security architecture and decision making for handling these issues at organizational level. The adaptation as a methodology is demonstrated by a large case study validating its efficacy.FindingsThe paper shows through three examples that it is possible to have a coherent methodology, building on options theory to deal with uncertainty issues in information security at an organizational level.Practical implicationsTo validate the efficacy of the methodology proposed in this paper, it was applied to the Spridnings‐och Hämtningssystem (SHS: dissemination and retrieval system) system. The paper introduces the methodology, presents its application to the SHS system in detail and compares it to the current practice.Originality/valueThis research is relevant to information security management in organizations, particularly issues on changing requirements and evaluation in uncertain circumstances created by progress in technology.
Personalized cognitive passwords: an exploratory assessment
Authors: Lazar Lior , Tikolsky Omer , Glezer Chanan , Zviran Moshe 
Published: March 2011

PurposeCognitive passwords are typically realized using “one size fits all” fact‐based or opinion‐based questions, and as such are prone to guessing attacks. The purpose of this paper is to propose a method of personalizing cognitive passwords to individual users, to close this loophole, and evaluate its performance against rigid cognitive passwords.Design/methodology/approachA personalized questionnaire formulated by the subjects was benchmarked against a rigid questionnaire in terms of recall and security. The evaluation employed two constructs used extensively in previous research, namely, Recall – the success in remembering a password, and Secrecy – the likelihood that the password cannot be guessed.FindingsWhile the experiment found that personalization increases the recall of cognitive passwords, it showed no improvement in secrecy (reducing guessing rates).Research limitations/implicationsThe study was conducted in an academic environment with young freshmen students thereby limiting external validity. Another problem might stem from the difference in the length of the questionnaires between groups in order to minimize drop‐out rates.Practical implicationsSecrecy was and still is the Achilles heel of the cognitive password mechanism and therefore the results imply that some restrictions should be imposed to prevent selection of over‐simplistic cognitive passwords.Originality/valueThis study is important because it is the first of its kind – benchmarking recall and secrecy of two types of cognitive authentication methods – rigid and personalized.
Risk analysis methodology used by several small and medium enterprises in the Czech Republic
Authors: Beranek Ladislav 
Published: March 2011

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to present risk analysis procedures which have been successfully applied by Czech small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The methodology, which is based on the modification and combination of two standard methods, aims to accelerate (and make more affordable) the risk analysis process, as compared to other risk analysis methods used for public organizations and major corporations in the Czech Republic.Design/methodology/approachThe paper presents in detail the individual steps the authors used in risk analysis of SMEs in the Czech Republic. The method is based on the facilitated risk analysis process (FRAP) methodology and the BITS recommendation. Modifications of both methodologies are described in detail.FindingsTo perform risk analysis in the SME sector in the Czech Republic, it is necessary to have a broad portfolio of instruments. Besides using the CRAMM methodology, the authors have created a new method based on combining the BITS and FRAP methods. The advantage of this method is its ability to accelerate the risk analysis, especially the identification and asset evaluation phases. Another advantage is that the method produces simple spreadsheet tables, providing the consumer with a tool that is easily editable and may be used for follow‐up procedures.Practical implicationsThe risk analysis method produces benefits for SMEs by speeding up the risk analysis and lowering its cost. Another benefit is that the method is open‐source and can potentially be further modified.Originality/valueThe paper presents in detail an approach to risk analysis based on the modification of the FRAP methodology and the BITS recommendation.
A personalized approach to web privacy: awareness, attitudes and actions
Authors: Wills Craig E. , Zeljkovic Mihajlo 
Published: March 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to take a novel approach to help users better understand and be more aware of what third parties are learning about them as they browse the web.Design/methodology/approachThe approach the authors take is to personalize the awareness by using JavaScript embedded in a web page to examine portions of a user's web‐browser history in order to ascertain web sites that the user has visited. The authors then personalize information reported to the user about what third‐party sites are tracking the user's behavior along with demographic information these sites may be inferring from these visited sites and the user's geographic location.FindingsIt was found that 63 percent of users agreed with a statement of concern for third parties monitoring activities, about half of the respondents agreed with a concern for knowledge about a user's location and a little more than half agreed to concern about inference of demographic information. It was found that females are more concerned about these issues than males. In terms of possible actions, a majority of users report using an ad blocker tool and even more delete cookies at least some amount of time. Using an opt‐out mechanism or removing browser history is done by less than 20 percent of users. Despite expressing more concern for information known by third parties, females are not significantly more likely to take actions that may limit what is leaked to these third parties. A contributor to this discrepancy is that females were much less likely to know their settings for many of the actions, indicating less familiarity with them.Social implicationsWeb privacy is an important social issue so helping users to better understand tracking of their actions, along with what actions can be taken to limit tracking, is important.Originality/valueThe paper takes an original approach to helping users understand what third parties learn about them and follows up that approach with a survey of user attitudes and actions on this important topic.
How can discussion forum questions be effective in online MBA courses?
Authors: Strang Kenneth David 
Published: March 2011

PurposeA quasi‐experiment compared two instructional approaches for an existing MBA online business strategy course at an accredited university to answer the question: how can discussion questions become more effective in online MBA courses? The treatment was an instructional approach that integrated Socratic questioning and conversation theory in a discussion forum. This paper aims to document the research.Design/methodology/approachCorrelation and ANOVA were utilized to test the hypothesis that more online experiential knowledge interactions would increase grade. Quasi‐experimental controls included prior ability and demographic factors (gender, age, ethnic race). The test group used Socratic questions and conversation theory while the control group used the traditional peer interaction. A statistically significant ANOVA model was created, using teaching method as a factor, to measure effect on grade.FindingsThe online interactions of the test group were higher and so was the mean grade. The MANCOVA model was able to pinpoint why. Prior ability was ruled out as a moderating factor.Research limitations/implicationsThe implications were cited as an increasing need to use high quality instructional methods for online courses, which requires student interaction. Experienced faculty are difficult (and expensive) to hire, and thus this represents an important requirement to identify for faculty development and selection during recruiting. The teaching method could work with other online e‐learning courses disciplines.Originality/valueA solid scientific methodology was applied using advanced statistical techniques yet the explanations are very basic and clear. Socratic questioning and conversation theory were integrated as an instructional strategy to improve online MBA course interactions and grades.