The purpose of this paper is to present research evidence on mobile phone sharing practices in a developing country context.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present research evidence on mobile phone sharing practices in a developing country context.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopted an exploratory approach, using a combination of in‐depth interviews, non‐random surveys and field observations of mobile phone users and mobile payphone service providers.
Findings
The paper finds that there are multiple dimensions to mobile phone sharing and that it is an important means of giving respondents the ability to communicate under different circumstances of need. However, most research respondents preferred or were aspiring to personal phone ownership and a reduction of the need to share. This preference was demonstrated in respondents' attitudes and actual behavior with respect to sharing phones with family and friends, as well as the use of payphones.
Research limitations/implications
Due to the exploratory and largely qualitative research approach, the findings may not be generalizable. The results provide evidence that could feed into the development of hypotheses about mobile phone sharing practices in similar contexts.
Originality/value
The paper investigates ideas about mobile phone sharing using mixed methods. It draws attention to the importance of research‐based evidence for a fuller understanding of user behavior.
Details
Keywords
Mohammad Saadati, Mohammadkarim Bahadori, Ehsan Teymourzadeh, Ramin Ravangard, Khalil Alimohammadzadeh and Seyed Mojtaba Hosseini
Accreditation helps to ensure safe and high-quality services in hospitals. Different occupational groups have various hospital accreditation experiences. The purpose of this paper…
Abstract
Purpose
Accreditation helps to ensure safe and high-quality services in hospitals. Different occupational groups have various hospital accreditation experiences. The purpose of this paper is to investigate nurses’ accreditation experience and its effects on Iranian teaching hospital service quality.
Design/methodology/approach
This was a qualitative study involving a phenomenological approach to studying nurses’ hospital accreditation experience and understanding the effects on Iranian teaching hospital service quality. Data were collected using two focus groups in which nurses were selected using purposive sampling. Transcripts were analyzed using content analysis.
Findings
Nurses’ experiences showed that hospital administrators and nurses had greater role in implementing accreditation than other occupational groups. Accreditation improved patient-centeredness, patient safety, logistics and managerial processes and decision making. However, a weak incentive system, extra documentation and work stress were negative experiences.
Practical implications
Nurse experience, as the most important care team member, reveals accreditation’s strengths and weaknesses and its effects on service quality.
Originality/value
The author used a phenomenology approach to measure accreditation effects on service quality – a valuable tool for understanding a phenomenon among those that experience hospital accreditation processes.