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Article
Publication date: 22 May 2009

Bahman Bahrami

Most debates concerning outsourcing offshore in recent years have been politically oriented and based on casual observations. The purpose of this paper is to provide a clear…

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Abstract

Purpose

Most debates concerning outsourcing offshore in recent years have been politically oriented and based on casual observations. The purpose of this paper is to provide a clear economic understanding of the subject and to present offshoring in the context of globalization and in a more integrated world economy.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is designed in a coherent way to provide the reader with an overview, scope, benefits, and costs of outsourcing offshore and suggest some appropriate policies to navigate in a globally interdependent and competitive environment.

Findings

Outsourcing offshore is largely irreversible and the USA or other countries must invest heavily in ways to boost domestic workers' productivity and to manage workers' transitions to more competitive employment. This paper also provides evidence that, in the long run, outsourcing offshore is beneficial for the economy as a whole.

Originality/value

This paper delineates that outsourcing offshore is consistent with the theory of comparative advantage and value maximizing objectives of firms. It also provides insights for politicians and casual observers about critical aspects of outsourcing offshore.

Details

Competitiveness Review: An International Business Journal, vol. 19 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1059-5422

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Article
Publication date: 9 April 2019

Mina Bahrami, Makan Cheraghpour, Sima Jafarirad, Pejman Alavinejad and Bahman Cheraghian

Metabolic syndrome contains metabolic disorders that have association with other chronic diseases. Melatonin is a bioactive compound which is found in plants and also produced in…

347

Abstract

Purpose

Metabolic syndrome contains metabolic disorders that have association with other chronic diseases. Melatonin is a bioactive compound which is found in plants and also produced in the body. The purpose of this paper is to assess the effect of melatonin supplement on metabolic syndrome components, also leptin and adiponectin blood concentrations in patients with metabolic syndrome.

Design/methodology/approach

A double blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial was conducted on 70 subjects with metabolic syndrome. Participants received 6 mg/day melatonin or placebo before bedtime for 12 weeks. At the beginning and end of treatment period, blood samples were collected and biochemical parameters were measured. In addition, blood pressure and anthropometric indices were examined before and after the supplementation. Independent sample t-test was used to compare changes in metabolic syndrome components between the two study groups.

Findings

Results showed a significant reduction in waist circumference (−1.54 vs −0.04 cm; p = 0.036), systolic blood pressure (−3.52 vs 0.79 mmHg; p = 0.020), diastolic blood pressure (−1.50 vs 1.73 mmHg; p = 0.014), serum leptin concentration (−2.54 vs 0.27ng/ml; p = 0.041) and an elevation in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (2.19 vs −0.79 mg/dl; p = 0.038) in the melatonin group compared to the placebo.

Research limitations/implications

If insulin concentration had been measured, it might have revealed better interpretation of melatonin effect on fasting blood glucose.

Originality/value

This study showed that melatonin as a nutritional supplement improved most metabolic syndrome components and concentration of leptin in the melatonin group compared to the placebo.

Details

Nutrition & Food Science , vol. 49 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0034-6659

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Article
Publication date: 23 July 2024

Francis Kamewor Tetteh, Kwame Owusu Kwateng and William Tani

The COVID-19 epidemic caused significant disruptions to numerous supply chains. In order to enhance the resilience of supply chains, Collaboration (CO), Information Alignment…

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Abstract

Purpose

The COVID-19 epidemic caused significant disruptions to numerous supply chains. In order to enhance the resilience of supply chains, Collaboration (CO), Information Alignment (IA), and Big Data Analytics Capability (BDAC) have emerged as contemporary strategies within the humanitarian context. This study was conducted to explore the mechanism via which the effect of BDAC, IA and CO on Humanitarian Supply Chain Resilience (HSCR) in the humanitarian space could be optimized through Organizational Flexibility (OF).

Design/methodology/approach

A model of six hypotheses was developed based on the Organizational Information Processing Theory (OIPT). Data from 127 supply chain managers in humanitarian organizations were used to test the hypotheses. The analysis employed both descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS version 26 and Smart-PLS version 3.

Findings

The study revealed that BDAC, IA, and CO individually influence supply chain resilience in the humanitarian setting while OF did not moderate the relationship between BDAC, IA, CO, and HSCR.

Practical implications

It is essential that humanitarian stakeholders prioritize factors that could increase supply chain resilience by employing contemporary BDA technologies, effective information flow, and collaborative strategies to set up a robust humanitarian SC system that could help lessen the impact of disasters.

Originality/value

This presents interesting insights that advance theoretical debates on how CO, IA, and BDAC under varying levels of OF could influence SCR in the humanitarian context. The paper further offers some useful guidance to managers in relief organizations who desire to build resilient supply chains by leveraging BDAC, collaboration and information alignment. Finally, the paper may also provoke future humanitarian scholars to replicate the study using different approaches.

Details

Benchmarking: An International Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-5771

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Article
Publication date: 8 March 2022

Bahman Ahadinezhad, Omid Khosravizadeh, Sima Rafiei and Aisa Maleki

It can be said that the most important function of the health system is to provide health-care services. This directly affects society’s health and justice. To the best of the…

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Abstract

Purpose

It can be said that the most important function of the health system is to provide health-care services. This directly affects society’s health and justice. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first study that has meta-analyzed the percentage of health services utilization among Iranians to answer this question “How much is the percentage of health-care services utilization in Iran?”

Design/methodology/approach

This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis conducted in 2020. The literature review was done by searching the databases of Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, SID, Magiran and Irandoc from January 2010 to August 2020. Pooled utilization percentage (UP) was estimated by STATA 15 through random-effects meta-analysis with 95% confidence interval. The I2 statistic was used to investigate the possibility of heterogeneity of articles (I2 ≥ 50% indicate heterogeneity). A forest plot was applied to report the results. A funnel plot exploited due to publication bias assessment.

Findings

Approximately 22% of the reviewed articles have been done at the national level of Iran. Most studies have examined the utilization of outpatient and inpatient services. Based on the random effects method, the pooled value of UP was obtained at 47.82%, (95% CI: 39.33–56.31). Also, the pooled percentage of utilization was statistically significant (Test of UP = 0, Z = 456.44, p = 0.000).

Practical implications

Policymakers can improve the level of utilization from health services by expanding universal coverage, expanding insurance coverage and removing direct and indirect barriers.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first systematic review and meta-analysis on health services utilization in Iran that completely considers the utilization rate in all health services and states the practical solutions to cope with utilization deficiencies and barriers.

Details

International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare, vol. 16 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-4902

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Article
Publication date: 9 October 2017

Sadegh Ahmadi Kashkoli, Ehsan Zarei, Abbas Daneshkohan and Soheila Khodakarim

Hospital responsiveness to the patient expectations of non-medical aspect of care can lead to patient satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship…

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Abstract

Purpose

Hospital responsiveness to the patient expectations of non-medical aspect of care can lead to patient satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between the eight dimensions of responsiveness and overall patient satisfaction in public and private hospitals in Tehran, Iran.

Design/methodology/approach

This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2015. In all, 500 patients were selected by the convenient sampling method from two public and three private hospitals. All data were collected using a valid and reliable questionnaire consisted of 32 items to assess the responsiveness of hospitals across eight dimensions and four items to assess the level of overall patient satisfaction. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and multivariate regression was performed by SPSS 18.

Findings

The mean score of hospital responsiveness and patient satisfaction was 3.48±0.69 and 3.54±0.97 out of 5, respectively. Based on the regression analysis, around 65 percent of the variance in overall satisfaction can be explained by dimensions of responsiveness. Seven independent variables had a positive impact on patient satisfaction; the quality of basic amenities and respect for human dignity were the most powerful factors influencing overall patient satisfaction.

Originality/value

Hospital responsiveness had a strong effect on overall patient satisfaction. Health care facilities should consider including efforts to responsiveness improvement in their strategic plans. It is recommended that patients should be involved in their treatment processes and have the right to choose their physician.

Details

International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, vol. 30 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0952-6862

Keywords

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