Ranjeet Agarwala, Carlos J. Anciano, Joshua Stevens, Robert Allen Chin and Preston Sparks
The purpose of the paper was to present a specific case study of how 3D printing was introduced in the chest wall construction process of a specific patient with unique medical…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the paper was to present a specific case study of how 3D printing was introduced in the chest wall construction process of a specific patient with unique medical condition. A life-size 3D model of the patient’s chest wall was 3D printed for pre-surgical planning. The intent was to eliminate the need for operative exposure to map the pathological area. The model was used for preoperative visualization and formation of a 1-mm thick titanium plate implant, which was placed in the patient during chest wall reconstructive surgery. The purpose of the surgery was to relive debilitating chronic pain due to right scapular entrapment.
Design/methodology/approach
The patient was born with a twisted spine. Over time, it progressed to severe and debilitating scoliosis, which required the use of a thoracic brace. Computerized tomography (CT) data were converted to a 3D printed model. The model was used to size and form a 1-mm thick titanium plate implant. It was also used to determine the ideal location for placement of the plate during thoracotomy preoperatively.
Findings
The surgery, aided by the model, was successful and resulted in a significantly smaller incision. The techniques reduced invasiveness and enabled the doctors to conduct the procedure efficiently and decreased surgery time. The patient experienced relief of the chronic debilitating pain and no longer need the thoracic brace.
Originality/value
The 3D model facilitated pre-operative planning and modeling of the implant. It also enabled accurate incision locations of the thoracotomy site and placement of the implant. Although chest wall reconstruction surgeries have been undertaken, this paper documents a specific case study of chest wall construction fora specific patient with unique pathological conditions.
Details
Keywords
Bonita Betters-Reed and Elise Porter
Leadership, organizational behavior, entrepreneurship.
Abstract
Subject area
Leadership, organizational behavior, entrepreneurship.
Study level/applicability
This case study is intended for undergraduate and graduate levels.
Case overview
This is a leadership case about Agnes Jean Brugger, founder of the A.J. Brugger Education Project (also known as the A.J. Brugger Foundation (AJBF)) in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. It is the story of how and why she and Chris Berry co-founded this unique non-profit foundation in tandem with Piedras Y Olas: Pelican Eyes Resort (PEPO) in the late 1990s. The case focuses on how her identity and values shape the origins of AJBF and how the organization evolves in the context of the Nicaraguan and Anglo-American cultures. “Devoted to assisting Nicaragua through education and development of one of the country's most valuable and treasured resources: its young people”, the vision for AJBF was a cutting edge socially conscious venture that grew to meet the needs of the community that had captured Jean's heart and mind. The case ends in early 2009 on the precipice of the biggest economic down-turn the US economy has experienced in recent history. Standing at the edge of this cliff, Jean contemplates the numerous successful accomplishments of the foundation, while reflecting on the many leadership and organizational problems she, as Founder and Chair of the Board, faces.
Expected learning outcomes
The case will help participants to: evaluate and discuss leadership effectiveness, identifying responses to opportunities and challenges; explain cross-cultural identity from the Globe Study model and how it impacts organizational interactions; explore successful models of cross-cultural leadership through the lens of gendered theory; explore the ways in which social entrepreneurship can be seen as an extension of socially-minded leadership; describe how socially-minded entrepreneurship is different from traditional forms of entrepreneurship; describe social identity and evaluate its impact on leadership; and discuss the rich historical and community context that influences interpersonal and organizational dynamics.
Supplementary materials
Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or e-mail support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.
Details
Keywords
Oscar A. Martínez-Martínez, Carlos Andrade Guzmán, Javier Reyes-Martínez, Claudia Campillo-Toledano and María Beatriz Romero-González
Mexico is going through an accelerated increment of the older adults population, which added to the conditions of poverty, places them in a high degree of vulnerability. Bearing…
Abstract
Purpose
Mexico is going through an accelerated increment of the older adults population, which added to the conditions of poverty, places them in a high degree of vulnerability. Bearing this in mind, the aim of this paper is to identify which categories or factors generate the perception of subjective well-being (SWB) in older adults in Mexico.
Design/methodology/approach
This qualitative study was carried out in four Mexican states: Mexico City, Tamaulipas, State of Mexico and Oaxaca. Each state presents different levels of social well-being. The study participants were selected using the snowball method. In total, 41 in-depth interviews were carried out, which were analyzed with a thematic analysis approach.
Findings
Results show that older people’s SWB is related to different elements like family bonds, having good physical and mental health, personal development and practicing religion.
Research limitations/implications
Results represent experiences only for people interviewed in the states in which interviews were conducted, not representing national scope. Future studies can expand the territorial scope to have a higher comprehension regarding SWB in older adults.
Originality/value
These findings have implications in the design of public policies and programs, for improving the delivery of social and economic services to older adults within the Mexican context.
Details
Keywords
Carlos Serrano-Cinca and Jose Felix Muñoz-Soro
The purpose of this paper is to analyse if citizens’ searches on the internet coincide with the services that municipal websites offer. In addition, the authors examine municipal…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse if citizens’ searches on the internet coincide with the services that municipal websites offer. In addition, the authors examine municipal webpage rankings in search engines and the factors explaining them.
Design/methodology/approach
The empirical study, conducted through a sample of Spanish city councils, contrasted if the information that can be found on a municipal website fits with citizens’ demands. This has been done by comparing the most-searched keywords with the contents of municipal websites.
Findings
A positive relationship between the supply and demand of municipal information on the internet has been found, but much can still be improved. Analysed administrations rank the basic data of the organisation, as well as some of the fundamental competences thereof, at the top in search engines, but the results are not entirely effective with some keywords still highly demanded by citizens, such as those related to employment or tourism. Factors explaining internet ranking include the number of pages of the municipal website, its presence in social networks and an indicator designed to measure the difficulty of ranking the municipal place-name.
Originality/value
The results obtained from this study provide valuable information for municipal managers. Municipal websites should not only include information in which citizens are interested, but achieve accessibility standards, have a responsive web design, and follow the rules of web usability. Additionally, they should be findable, which also requires improvement in terms of the design of the municipal website thinking in search engines, particularly in terms of certain technical characteristics that improve findability. A municipal website that wants to have a good positioning should increase its contents and attain the maximum degree possible of visibility in social networks.