Looks at the Royal Mail’s implementation of total quality to improvecustomer satisfaction. Describes it through the European Foundation forQuality Management model. Regards…
Abstract
Looks at the Royal Mail’s implementation of total quality to improve customer satisfaction. Describes it through the European Foundation for Quality Management model. Regards customer satisfaction as an organizational focus and highlights various ways of measuring organizational performance as it impinges on customer satisfaction. Also identifies and elaborates on three key business processes for further development.
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Describes how Royal Mail recognized the need to embark on a totalquality programme to improve the service given and to upgrade customerperception of Royal Mail. Shows how Royal…
Abstract
Describes how Royal Mail recognized the need to embark on a total quality programme to improve the service given and to upgrade customer perception of Royal Mail. Shows how Royal Mail set about developing a “Customer First” strategy, initiating training and instigating a continuous improvement ethic. The programme involved all levels of staff from the managing director through to front‐line employees and established a quality support network in the process. A total of 120,000 people took part at various Royal Mail sites throughout the UK. Gives details of workshop content, the training programme itself and describes how pilot activity was measured and improvements carried out. Concludes that the strategy has been implemented successfully with positive results for the period 1988 to date.
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Organizations devote a great deal of attention to the cultivation and deployment of competencies which support their mission and vision. Of equal importance, but less‐attended to…
Abstract
Organizations devote a great deal of attention to the cultivation and deployment of competencies which support their mission and vision. Of equal importance, but less‐attended to, are core values ‐ for cultures and economies rise and fall on the basis of these foundations. One core value which is consistently included in the criteria of various international quality prizes is that of employee empowerment. Coupled with enabling competencies and profound trust, fully deployed core values allow empowerment to be taken to its extreme logical conclusion ‐ systemic leadership, wherein all members of an organization share the burdens, privileges, and rewards of leadership. Leadership is regarded as a key enabler of business excellence. Leadership as developed in this paper fuses ethical core values, competencies, and empowerment. Effective deployment results in systemic leadership that is marked by unity of purpose, which in turn facilitates the journey to business excellence.
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Gigih Udi Atmo, Colin Duffield, Lihai Zhang and David Ian Wilson
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the outcomes of Indonesian power projects as representative projects of Asian emerging economies that were procured via public-private…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the outcomes of Indonesian power projects as representative projects of Asian emerging economies that were procured via public-private partnerships (PPPs) and traditional public sector procurement. Power generation infrastructure delivery in emerging economies frequently seeks private participation via PPPs as one of the key mechanisms to attract private finance. Undertaking a comparative benchmark study of the outcomes of Indonesian power projects provides an opportunity to explore the historic evidence as to whether PPPs deliver better outcomes than traditional public procurement in emerging economies.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reports on a study of the performance of 56 Indonesian power projects procured via either PPPs or traditional procurement. First, it focusses on project time and cost outcomes of power plant facility during construction and commissioning and then extends this comparison to consider the operating availability of power plants during their first two years of operation.
Findings
The results indicate that PPP projects had superior time and operating availability to those procured traditionally whereas no significant differences were identified in the cost performance between PPPs and traditionally procured projects. These findings highlight the importance of adopting policies that are supported by broader sources of international financiers and high quality power plant developers.
Research limitations/implications
The quality performance analyses of projects (based on equivalent available factor indices) were limited to the power plants in the Java-Bali region where the majority of projects are large scale power plants.
Practical implications
This study provides an empirical basis for governments of emerging economies to select the most beneficial procurement strategy for power plant projects. It highlights the importance of selecting experienced providers and to adopt policies that attract high quality international project financiers and power plant developers. This includes the need to ensure the commercial viability of projects and to seriously consider the use of cleaner power technologies.
Originality/value
This study is the first to compare the outcomes of power projects in Asian emerging economies delivered via PPPs against those delivered by traditional public procurement that includes consideration of the quality of the delivered product.
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Aarhus Kommunes Biblioteker (Teknisk Bibliotek), Ingerslevs Plads 7, Aarhus, Denmark. Representative: V. NEDERGAARD PEDERSEN (Librarian).
Stephen Clift and Ian Morrison
This paper aims to describe the development and evaluation of an innovative community singing initiative with mental health services users and supporters in East Kent, UK.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to describe the development and evaluation of an innovative community singing initiative with mental health services users and supporters in East Kent, UK.
Design/methodology/approach
A network of seven singing groups was established between September 2009 and June 2010. The choirs met weekly in three terms with breaks for Christmas and Easter, and joined together for two public performances in February and June 2010. In total, 137 participants were involved in the evaluation processes over this period. Of these, 42 provided complete data on the CORE questionnaire, a widely used clinical measure of mental distress, at baseline and eight months later.
Findings
Clinically significant improvements were observed in response to the CORE. These changes, together with qualitative feedback from participants, demonstrate that group singing can have substantial benefits in aiding the recovery of people with a history of serious and enduring mental health problems. A limited body of research has also shown that singing can be helpful for people with existing mental and physical health problems.
Originality/value
The research finds marked improvements in mental wellbeing on a clinically validated measure for people with a range of enduring mental health issues participating in a network of small choirs. Qualitative evidence indicates that group singing can offer a wide range of emotional and social benefits for mental health service users.
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Laetitia Livesey, Ian Morrison, Stephen Clift and Paul Camic
The aim of this study is to explore the benefits of choral singing for mental wellbeing and health as perceived by a cross‐national sample of amateur choral singers.
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to explore the benefits of choral singing for mental wellbeing and health as perceived by a cross‐national sample of amateur choral singers.
Design/methodology/approach
Data consisted of written responses to open‐ended questions. These were derived from 169 participants selected from a larger dataset reporting high and low levels of emotional wellbeing on the WHOQOL‐BREF questionnaire. A majority of participants were female and aged over 50. A thematic analysis was followed by a content analysis and Pearson chi square analyses. Comparisons were made between different ages, genders and nationalities and participants with high and low reported emotional wellbeing.
Findings
The analysis revealed multiple themes covering perceived benefits in social, emotional, physical, and cognitive domains. There were no significant differences in frequency of themes across any of the participant sociodemographic and wellbeing categories. The results indicate that benefits of singing may be experienced similarly irrespective of age, gender, nationality or wellbeing status.
Research limitations/implications
Implications for further research include future use of validated instruments to measure outcomes and research into the benefits of singing in other cultures. The results of this study suggest that choral singing could be used to promote mental health and treat mental illness.
Originality/value
This study examines a cross‐national sample which is larger than previous studies in this area. These findings contribute to understanding of the complex and interacting factors which might contribute to wellbeing and health, as well as specific benefits of singing.