bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Perceived service quality
Authors: Kyoon Yoo Dong , Ah Park Jeong 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to show how firms can enhance their service quality to increase customer satisfaction and thus financial performance? In answer to this question, four factors (i.e. employees, perceived service quality, customers, and financial performance) are critical to the success of service firms. The purpose of this research is to provide a research framework that examines relationships among employees, perceived service quality, customers, and financial performance.Design/methodology/approachThis research develops valid and reliable instruments to measure employee training, a shared understanding, perceived service quality, customer satisfaction, and financial performance. Structural equation modelling is employed to test hypotheses following the research framework.FindingsDrawing on a sample of 129 hotels, the results of this research show that employee training has an influence on perceived service quality. A shared understanding among employees plays a critical role in enhancing perceived service quality. In addition, customer satisfaction mediates between perceived service quality and financial performance.Originality/valueThis research illustrates that management may keep the consistency and reliability of perceived service quality by increasing the capability of employees through training and a shared understanding. In the literature, the relationship between perceived service quality and financial performance has shown a mixed picture; both positive and negative influences. This research provides empirical evidence that customer satisfaction mediates between perceived service quality and financial performance. This research may help service firms understand how the important elements (i.e. employees, customers, perceived service quality, and financial performance) interact to influence the overall performance.
Understanding egovernment and egovernance: stakeholders, partnerships and CSR
Authors: Wong K. , Fearon C. , Philip G. 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assist in understanding that eGovernment is more than the implementation of IT. There are changes to the fundamental mechanisms of public governance including roles of citizens, organisations and government. This study explores the views, roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in promoting eGovernance, with a focus on countries that are in the early stages of developing their ICT strategies.Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory case study approach is used based on the Malaysian experience. A combination of interviews and comments from questionnaires are used to examine government and citizens' viewpoints concerning eGovernment development.FindingsWhile these are preliminary, the qualitative findings are intended for reflection, as well as, suggestions for action. They include: creating eCitizen partnerships; narrowing the digital divide; finding consensus on structures and roles in an eGovernment strategy. The discussion calls for collective stakeholder involvement of government and citizens as partners in order to promote social inclusion.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is exploratory and the findings cannot be considered as representative. However, they indicate areas for improvement. A second more robust empirical study is envisaged with more emphasis on application of stakeholder theory and techniques.Originality/valueThe debate is about collective social responsibility, arguing for social inclusion through the development of eGovernance for the national good which promotes concepts such as eDemocracy and eCommunity through stakeholder participation and partnership.
Towards a holistic approach to logistics quality deficiencies
Authors: Forslund Helena 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThe first purpose of this paper is to define the relevant types of logistics quality deficiencies (LQDs) in the dyadic order fulfillment process. The second purpose is to find the variables for measuring the different types of LQDs.Design/methodology/approachThis conceptual paper is based on a literature review.FindingsApproaching LQDs means an expanded application for quality deficiencies in two ways. First, processes are addressed instead of products. Second, the narrow internal scope is widened to encompass also the customer. This implies an expansion of quality deficiency approaches. The established typology of external and internal quality deficiencies was found to be insufficient when an inter‐organizational process in a dyad was addressed. New inter‐organizational logistics quality deficiencies were found.Research limitations/implicationsThe implications of this paper are mainly theoretical, conceptualizing a phenomenon and providing a foundation for further theoretical and empirical research.Practical implicationsThis article has shown the complex interplay of a number of performance and accomplishment LQDs. The first foundation for empirical measurement of LQDs in the dyadic order fulfillment process is laid.Originality/valueConceptual frameworks for logistics quality deficiencies are seldom found.
Failure mode and effects analysis based on fuzzy utility cost estimation
Authors: Dong Chensong 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThis paper aims to provide a cost effective failure mode and effects analysis tool to overcome the disadvantages of the traditional FMEA that the cost due to failure is not defined.Design/methodology/approachThe method presented in this paper is based on the fuzzy utility theory. It uses utility theory and fuzzy membership functions for the assessment of severity, occurrence, and detection. The utility theory accounts for the nonlinear relationship between the cost due to failure and the ordinal ranking. The application of fuzzy membership functions better represents the team opinions. The Risk Priority Index (RPI) is developed for the prioritization of failure modes.FindingsThe advantages of the FUT‐based FMEA are demonstrated through cases studies. It shows that it can take the cost due to failure into account when prioritizing failure modes.Originality/valueThe FUT‐based FMEA presented in this paper provides a convenient cost‐effective tool for failure analysis. It improves the performance FMEA in the risk and failure analysis for product design and manufacturing/assembly process.
Applicability of the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale to educators teaching innovative programs
Authors: Tsigilis Nikolaos , Grammatikopoulos Vasilios , Koustelios Athanasios 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThe purpose of the present study is to examine the applicability of the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES, Tschannen‐Moran and Woolfolk‐Hoy) to educators teaching an innovative program, namely, the Olympic Education Program. TSES applicability was inferred from examination of the TSES factor structure, its internal consistency and its logical, theoretical consistent pattern of relations between TSES and other measures.Design/methodology/approachA total of 175 educators completed a Greek version of the TSES along with the reduced personal accomplishment subscale of the Maslach Burnout Inventory.FindingsExploratory factor analysis showed that TSES can be applied to educators of an innovative educational program to study an overall factor of teachers' sense of competence. Mean values suggested that educators had strong efficacy beliefs. In addition, TSES responses were negatively associated with reduced personal accomplishment scores (r=−0.37).Research limitations/implicationsSelf‐reported strong sense of efficacy may not be well‐grounded or authentic, since a variety of factors (e.g. social desirability) may have influenced educators' responses.Originality/valueThe present study extends the existing evidence of the applicability of the TSES in a cultural context different from that for which it was originally developed, namely, in the Greek educational setting, for assessing educators teaching an innovative educational program.
Promoting safety
Authors: Westbrook Mary T. , Braithwaite Jeffrey , Travaglia Joanne F. , Long Debbi , Jorm Christine , Iedema Rick A. 
Published: October 2007

PurposePatient safety has been addressed since 2002 in the health system of New South Wales, Australia via a Safety Improvement Programme (SIP), which took a system‐wide approach. The programme involved two‐day courses to educate healthcare professionals to monitor and report incidents and analyse adverse events by conducting root cause analysis (RCA). This paper aims to predict that all professions would favour SIP but that their work and educational histories would result in doctors holding the least and nurses the most positive attitudes. Alternative hypotheses were that doctors' relative power and other professions' team‐working skills would advantage the respective groups when conducting RCAs.Design/methodology/approachResponses to a 2005 follow‐up questionnaire survey of doctors (n=53), nurses (209) and allied health staff (59), who had participated in SIP courses, were analysed to compare: their attitudes toward the course; safety skills acquired and applied; perceived benefits of SIP and RCAs; and their experiences conducting RCAs.FindingsSignificant differences existed between professions' responses with nurses being the most and doctors the least affirming. Allied health responses resembled those of nurses more than those of doctors. The professions' experiences conducting RCAs (number conducted, leadership, barriers encountered, findings implemented) were similar.Research limitations/implicationsObservational studies are needed to determine possible professional differences in the conduct of RCAs and any ensuing culture change that this may be eliciting.Practical implicationsThere is strong professional support for SIPs but less endorsement from doctors, who tend not to prefer the knowledge content and multidisciplinary teaching environment considered optimal for safety improvement education. This is a dilemma that needs to be addressed.Originality/valueFew longer‐term SIPs' assessments have been realised and the differences between professional groups have not been well quantified. As a result of this paper, benefits of and barriers to conducting RCAs are now more clearly understood.
Are health systems changing in support of patient safety?
Authors: Braithwaite Jeffrey , Westbrook Mary T. , Travaglia Joanne F. , Iedema Rick , Mallock Nadine A. , Long Debbi , Nugus Peter , Forsyth Rowena , Jorm Christine , Pawsey Marjorie 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of a health system‐wide safety improvement program (SIP) three to four years after initial implementation.Design/methodology/approachThe study employs multi‐methods studies involving questionnaire surveys, focus groups, in‐depth interviews, observational work, ethnographic studies, documentary analysis and literature reviews with regard to the state of New South Wales, Australia, where 90,000 health professionals, under the auspices of the Health Department, provide healthcare to a seven‐million population. After enrolling many participants from various groups, the measurements included: numbers of staff trained and training quality; support for SIP; clinicians' reports of safety skills acquired, work practices changed and barriers to progress; RCAs undertaken; observation of functioning of teams; committees initiated and staff appointed to deal with adverse events; documentation and computer records of reports; and peak‐level responses to adverse events.FindingsA cohort of 4 per cent of the state's health professionals has been trained and now applies safety skills and conducts RCAs. These and other senior professionals strongly support SIP, though many think further culture change is required if its benefits are to be more fully achieved and sustained. Improved information‐handling systems have been adopted. Systems for reporting adverse incidents and conducting RCAs have been instituted, which are co‐ordinated by NSW Health. When the appropriate structures, educational activities and systems are made available in the form of an SIP, measurable systems change might be introduced, as suggested by observations of the attitudes and behaviours of health practitioners and the increased reporting of, and action about, adverse events.Originality/valueFew studies into health systems change employ wide‐ranging research methods and metrics. This study helps to fill this gap.
Guideline development from an observational study
Authors: Labarere J. , Bosson J‐L. 
Published: October 2007

PurposeIt is unknown whether data from observational studies can assist guideline developers in areas where scientific evidence is lacking. The purpose of this study is to develop a local clinical guideline for prophylaxis against venous thromboembolism based on observational study results.Design/methodology/approachThe authors performed a classification tree analysis on original data from a cross‐sectional study of risk factors, prophylaxis, and prevalence of deep vein thrombosis in 818 medical in‐patients hospitalised in French teaching and community hospitals. The dependent variable was the use of pharmacological prophylaxis. The rate of any deep vein thrombosis detected by routine compression ultrasonography was used as an illustrative variable. Using group consensus of expert panelists, a practice guideline was developed based on the results of this study and a systematic review of the literature.FindingsThe resulting classification tree involved eight terminal subsets. The mean misclassification rate was 31 per cent in tenfold cross‐validation and the area under the ROC curve was 0.75. The classification tree was converted into graded recommendations. According to these recommendations, 455 patients (56 per cent) required prophylaxis. The corresponding rate of deep vein thrombosis was 11 per cent (28/245, [CI = 8‐16]) in 245 prophylaxis users and 11 per cent (23/210, [7‐16]) in 210 prophylaxis non‐users. Conversely, 363 patients (44 per cent) did not require prophylaxis: 63 actually received prophylaxis and six had deep vein thrombosis (2 per cent, [0.6‐4]).Research limitations/implicationsFurther prospective validation of the guideline is important prior to its implementation.Originality/valueIntegrating data from observational studies may be an effective way to develop guidelines when robust scientific evidence is lacking.
When renewing medical equipment is necessary: a case report
Authors: Tavakoli Hassan , Karami Mohsen , Rezai Jalal , Esfandiari Khalil , Khashayar Patricia 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a remarkable medical equipment‐induced adverse event and to suggest ways to prevent similar problems.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses a case study to discuss when it is necessary to renew medical equipment.FindingsThe paper finds that repairing medical equipment using inappropriate parts causes severe iatrogenic problems.Research limitations/implicationsEvents like this may be underestimated because well‐organized reporting strategies in health care units are inappropriate.Practical implicationsDefining expiry dates for medical equipment may prevent unsatisfactory repair, especially when original parts are unavailable.Originality/valueThe paper highlights the fact that simple errors cause severe patient injuries.
Challenging patient safety culture: survey results
Authors: Hellings Johan , Schrooten Ward , Klazinga Niek , Vleugels Arthur 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to measure patient safety culture in five Belgian general hospitals. Safety culture plays an important role in the approach towards greater patient safety in hospitals.Design/methodology/approachThe Patient Safety Culture Hospital questionnaire was distributed hospital‐wide in five general hospitals. It evaluates ten patient safety culture dimensions and two outcomes. The scores were expressed as the percentage of positive answers towards patient safety for each dimension. The survey was conducted from March through November 2005. In total, 3,940 individuals responded (overall response rate = 77 per cent), including 2,813 nurses and assistants, 462 physicians, 397 physiotherapists, laboratory and radiology assistants, social workers and 64 pharmacists and pharmacy assistants.FindingsThe dimensional positive scores were found to be low to average in all the hospitals. The lowest scores were “hospital management support for patient safety” (35 per cent), “non‐punitive response to error” (36 per cent), “hospital transfers and transitions” (36 per cent), “staffing” (38 per cent), and “teamwork across hospital units” (40 per cent). The dimension “teamwork within hospital units” generated the highest score (70 per cent). Although the same dimensions were considered problematic in the different hospitals, important variations between the five hospitals were observed.Practical implicationsA comprehensive and tailor‐made plan to improve patient safety culture in these hospitals can now be developed.Originality/valueResults indicate that important aspects of the patient safety culture in these hospitals need improvement. This is an important challenge to all stakeholders wishing to improve patient safety.
Managing the unwanted truth: a framework for dissent strategy
Authors: Cox Edmondson Vickie , Munchus George 
Published: October 2007

PurposeAlthough decision makers and their superiors are obliged to be open to bad news, dissent, warnings, and problem signs, employees are often afraid to speak up. The purpose of this paper is to present a framework for the study of organizational dissent strategy used during the decision‐making phase of organizational change.Design/methodology/approachAfter identifying the components of the frame work, it is illustrated by examining two distinct and challenging dissent experiences. Propositions are set forth for further research.FindingsIt is argued that level of trust and sense of urgency will impel employees to voice opposition using four dissent strategies: organizational silence, organizational rumbling, organizational communication, and/or organizational blasting.Originality/valueThe paper is of value by showing that decision makers should be better equipped to identify and manage dissent strategies before they cause harm within their organizations.
Factors influencing organizational change efforts
Authors: Jack Walker H. , Armenakis Achilles A. , Bernerth Jeremy B. 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the integrative influence of content, context, process, and individual differences on organizational change efforts.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from employees involved in a recent de‐merger. Using structural equation modeling, a hypothesized model that integrated individual differences with change content, context, and process factors was tested.FindingsResults led to the acceptance of a model indicating that change context mediated the relationship between individual differences and change process and content. Similarly, change content and process mediated the relationship between change context and organizational change commitment.Research limitations/implicationsOwing to the nature of the study, inferences of causality cannot be made. Additionally, common method bias may be a concern because criterion and response variables were collected at the same time.Practical implicationsAn organization's prior change history (i.e. context) has the potential to negatively influence change success. In order to counteract these effects, change agents should concentrate on clearly communicating the change details (i.e. process) to employees.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first to integrate factors common to all change efforts, i.e. content, context, process and individual differences. Further, it elaborates on how these factors interact to influence change success.
A stages of change perspective on managers' motivation to learn in a leadership development context
Authors: Harris Stanley G. , Cole Michael S. 
Published: October 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the applicability of Prochaska and colleagues' “stages of change model,” which has generated substantial support in the therapeutic literature as a useful framework for understanding the dynamics of motivation to change problem behaviors, in a leadership development context.Design/methodology/approachA group of over 70 supervisors/managers was studied over a period of nine months as they participated in a company‐sponsored leadership development effort.FindingsResults provide initial evidence that the stages of change model has the potential for being reliably and validly assessed in a leadership development context. Participants' stage scores related in meaningful ways to relevant criteria such as job attitudes, perceptions of personal leadership areas needing improvement, and evaluations of actual development module content and presentation over a nine‐month period.Research limitations/implicationsParticipants were drawn from only one organization and this was the first major leadership development effort undertaken by this organization.Practical implicationsStudy results provide support for the appropriateness of applying the stages of change model and its measurement in a leadership development context. Results demonstrate that the stages of change model appears to offer useful and pragmatic insight into motivation to learn and on improving the effectiveness of leadership development activities.Originality/valueThe present study is unique in that makes use of a stages of change model to empirically examine differential patterns of relationships between participants' stages of change and their organizational attitudes, leadership developmental needs, and longitudinal reactions to the development effort.
Organizational unlearning as changes in beliefs and routines in organizations
Authors: Akgün Ali E. , Byrne John C. , Lynn Gary S. , Keskin Halit 
Published: October 2007

PurposeOrganizational learning and unlearning is a popular and important topic in business as well as academia. Even though there is a plethora of studies on organizational learning, surprisingly little is known about the conceptualization and operationalization of organizational unlearning. The purpose of this paper is to discuss organizational unlearning based on the organizational change and memory literature enhancing the organizational learning and change scholarship.Design/methodology/approachIt is argued that unlearning is conceptualized as organizational memory eliminating, and is operationalized as changing beliefs and routines covariates in organizations. This is followed with a discussion of unlearning types, specifically, reinventive, formative, operative and adjustive, which are contingent on the environmental conditions. Finally, future research suggestions are proposed to leverage understanding on unlearning in the literature.FindingsShows that organizations first need to unlearn established beliefs and methods which have created rules and competency traps, in order to be receptive to new market and technology information.Originality/valueThis paper is of value in shedding light on the unlearning concept based on the organizational memory and change literature.