Claiming that quality assurance in Europe is a growth industry, the paper looks at this development from three angles: Has quality assurance become a science? Is it being…
Abstract
Claiming that quality assurance in Europe is a growth industry, the paper looks at this development from three angles: Has quality assurance become a science? Is it being practised? And how can quality assurance be successfully introduced? The paper concludes that quality assurance cannot yet be considered ‐ nor does it need to become ‐ a science, meeting the usual criteria of a scientific discipline. In spite of this, quality assurance has to be based on sound scientific evidence. There are encouraging signs of this happening: while there is no long research tradition in quality assurance, the number of studies is increasing and their quality is improving. On positive action, the paper finds the situation brighter. There is both political will and professional acceptance. WHO's European member states have accepted as a part of their overall health for all policy a specific target which requests them to build effective mechanisms for ensuring quality of patient care. The increasing professional interest and political will have resulted, among other things, in laws, quality assurance programmes, training programmes, national societies and journals. Views on quality and quality assurance have broadened; consumer views are being accepted as part of quality; the outcomes of care are emphasised; quality assurance is being extended from hospitals to primary care and nursing homes, and from medical care to nursing care and physiotherapy. Based on lessons learned from the past experiences, the last section of the paper makes recommendations for the successful introduction of quality assurance. The importance of demonstrating a need, the involvement of all those concerned and the provision of feedback are emphasised.
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Systematic measurement of patient satisfaction is rather seldom included in routine quality assurance programmes. The dilemma of the professional (i.e. the doctor) prescribing…
Abstract
Systematic measurement of patient satisfaction is rather seldom included in routine quality assurance programmes. The dilemma of the professional (i.e. the doctor) prescribing unilaterally what is good for the patient and the patient having some say in such prescriptions is explored. It is concluded that the patient has such rights and is in a position to express satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the quality of health care provided.
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Introducing quality assurance programmes means change. The author examines what may have to change and suggests a change strategy based on the idea of an equation. He points out…
Abstract
Introducing quality assurance programmes means change. The author examines what may have to change and suggests a change strategy based on the idea of an equation. He points out how the World Health Organisation is supportive of Quality Assurance.
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To what extent can medical care be standardised for certain treatments? It is argued that it can and should be, with illustrations of some model health care programmes in…
Abstract
To what extent can medical care be standardised for certain treatments? It is argued that it can and should be, with illustrations of some model health care programmes in Scandinavia. In this way, the patient can be assured of receiving the same standard of treatment throughout the health system which makes such standardisation very close to the principle of quality assurance.
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The purpose of the paper is to examine commitment to quality assurance within health authorities.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the paper is to examine commitment to quality assurance within health authorities.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper discusses approaches to achieving the requisite changes, including what to change and how to increase readiness for change; motives for change, where to start and prerequisites for change.
Findings
The paper finds that health authorities have a tendency to look at quality assurance as a professional luxury which deals with the subtleties of care rather than with its essence and that a strategy for change is needed.
Originality/value
The paper provides useful information on the development of quality assurance in health care.
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The question as to why it is necessary to evaluate an essentially evaluative exercise ‐ namely quality assurance ‐ is first examined. It is claimed that because quality assurance…
Abstract
The question as to why it is necessary to evaluate an essentially evaluative exercise ‐ namely quality assurance ‐ is first examined. It is claimed that because quality assurance is not merely an assessment of health services but a strategic intervention into patient care and/or health care services there is a requirement to verify and monitor the type of quality assurance system being used. Such a requirement can be legitimised either on ethical grounds or on pragmatic grounds. The former position suggests that it is in fact wrong to employ systems whose efficacy and rigour is unproven and unmonitored while the latter position suggests that the potential fallout from a quality assurance programme that fails is of such magnitude that some form of evaluation ought to be undertaken as a matter of course. There follows an examination of some areas that one may want to consider in such an evaluation. These are based on the tripartite split of the elements of quality assurance found in Donabedian′s early work. Finally the question as to the relative merits of an evaluation contained within the quality assurance programme itself and one external to it is addressed.
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Hannu Makkonen, Sini Nordberg-Davies and Rami Olkkonen
The article aims to further understanding of purchasing practices in post-outsourcing buyer–supplier relationships, and it provides a holistic approach and onceptualizations with…
Abstract
Purpose
The article aims to further understanding of purchasing practices in post-outsourcing buyer–supplier relationships, and it provides a holistic approach and onceptualizations with which to balance the perspectives of purchasing as an intra-firm operational function and as a strategic activity embedded in relationship and network management.
Design/methodology/approach
The research is based on an inductive-oriented case study. The data comprised 61 thematic interviews conducted at 17 buyer companies (electricity distribution companies), 11 service supplier companies and six third-party organizations. The case features a setting in which a growing number of electricity distribution companies have outsourced operational functions regarding network construction, maintenance and fault repair and purchased these services from service suppliers representing a developing service market.
Findings
The study explicates the role of purchasing as an element with the most impact on post-outsourcing buyer–supplier relationship outcomes and development. The performance of the buyer–supplier relationship either accelerates or inhibits the new service supplier’s entry to the field and motivates or demotivates the electricity distribution companies to outsource their activities. This mechanism links to the respective development of supplier markets and buyer industry transformation.
Originality/value
The focal study provides a holistic approach and conceptualizations with which to balance the perspectives of purchasing as an intra-firm operational function and as a strategic activity embedded in relationship and network management. In particular, the study provides conceptual development on purchasing practices in post-outsourcing relationships and concrete managerial implications for dealing with such circumstances. The focal study includes case notes that facilitate using the study for teaching purposes.
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Sanna Ketonen-Oksi, Jari J. Jussila and Hannu Kärkkäinen
The purpose of this paper is to create an organized picture of the current understanding of social media-based value creation and business models.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to create an organized picture of the current understanding of social media-based value creation and business models.
Design/methodology/approach
Following the process model presented by Fink (2005), a systematic literature review of academic journal articles published between 2005 and 2014 was conducted. The research was grounded on the theoretical foundations of service-dominant logic.
Findings
This study offers detailed descriptions and analyses of the major social media mechanisms affecting how value is created in social media-based value networks and the kinds of impact social media can have on present and future business models.
Research limitations/implications
The study is limited to academic research literature on business organizations, excluding all studies related to public and non-profit organizations.
Practical implications
Attention is given to developing an in-depth understanding of the functions and concrete value creation mechanisms of social media-based co-creation within the different organizational processes (e.g. in product and service development and customer services) and to updating the related practices and knowledge.
Originality/value
This study provides new insight into the challenges related to research models and frameworks commonly used for observing value creation, thus highlighting the need for further studies and updates.
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Tuomas Huikkola, Marko Kohtamäki, Rodrigo Rabetino, Hannu Makkonen and Philipp Holtkamp
The present study intends to foster understanding of how a traditional manufacturer can utilize the “simple rules” approach of managerial heuristics to facilitate its smart…
Abstract
Purpose
The present study intends to foster understanding of how a traditional manufacturer can utilize the “simple rules” approach of managerial heuristics to facilitate its smart solution development (SSD) process.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses an in-depth single case research strategy and 25 senior manager interviews to understand the application of simple rules in smart solution development.
Findings
The findings reveal process, boundary, preference, schedule, and stop rules as the dominant managerial heuristics in the case and identify how the manufacturer applies these rules during the innovation process phases of ideation, incubation, transformation, and industrialization for attaining project outcomes.
Research limitations/implications
The study contributes to the new service development (NSD) literature by shedding light on simple rules and how managers may apply them to facilitate SSD. The main limitations stem from applying the qualitative case study approach and the interpretative nature of the study, which produces novel insights but prevents direct generalization to other empirical cases.
Practical implications
The resulting framework provides guidelines for managers on how to establish formal and clear simple rules that enable industrial solution providers to approach decision-making in smart solution development in a more agile manner.
Originality/value
The study comprises one of the first attempts to investigate managerial heuristics in the context of SSD and puts forward a plea for further NSD research applying psychological conceptualizations to enrich the simple rules perspective.