Andrew Paddison and Kine Olsen
The aim of this paper is to explore, through exploratory qualitative research, how perceptions of involvement and risk, for female consumers, influences their information search…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to explore, through exploratory qualitative research, how perceptions of involvement and risk, for female consumers, influences their information search and product evaluation decision‐making for over‐the‐counter (OTC) painkillers.
Design/methodology/approach
In‐depth interviews were conducted amongst 25 female OTC painkiller purchasers from one pharmacy. Females are more engaged with and have a greater likelihood to use OTC medication. Despite the benefits of applying qualitative approaches when researching self‐medication, there are few self‐care qualitative studies.
Findings
Despite the greater availability and awareness of OTC medicines, the purchasing process is still underpinned by inherent risk. Alongside base levels of involvement, painkillers had situational importance with there being unease as to the risk involved. Consumers felt uncertainty as to the worth of their knowledge and this was compounded by a lack of informational clarity. Finally, the risk of side‐effects and the relative importance of subjective beliefs often took precedence during evaluation.
Research limitations/implications
Information needs to be made more accessible, whilst there is scope to capitalise upon family history as interpersonal sources were deemed to be empathetic. As the study was conducted once in a “local” setting, the time span and level of interactivity could be extended by studying consumers “lived experiences”. Triangulated research amongst related parties, such as pharmacists, could build on this exploratory study.
Originality/value
OTC medicine sales have grown with self‐medicating consumers purchasing painkillers the most frequently. Previous research has stemmed from medical sociology, pharmacy practice and public policy, and there is a lack of contemporary (UK) consumer behaviour research on OTC painkiller purchasing.
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Kine Mari Karlsen, Petter Olsen and Kathryn Anne‐Marie Donnelly
The purpose of this study is to examine where product, process and traceability information is systematically lost at a mineral water bottling plant. It aims to highlight areas…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine where product, process and traceability information is systematically lost at a mineral water bottling plant. It aims to highlight areas where traceability could be improved and to suggest changes that could be made to improve traceability. It also aims to examine the implications of these changes for the current system.
Design/methodology/approach
Process mapping was carried out at a mineral water bottling plant to investigate the flow of material and information. The results were analyzed to identify the critical traceability points (CTPs) in the production process where information is lost.
Findings
One of the CTPs at the mineral water bottling plant was the lack of a link between product, process and traceability information for the screw caps.
Research limitations/implications
This is a study of an individual case, which limits the generalizations that can be made.
Practical implications
Procedures need to be established at the mineral water bottling plant in order to achieve traceability. All the information about the resources used in production could be linked to a “best before” date on each mineral water bottle.
Originality/value
The authors have found few similar case studies in the published literature. This case study can be of value to other research institutes and industries where the focus is on traceability. It could also be of interest to researchers working with information technology systems, ontology/metadata schemes, cost/benefits analyses and the impacts of traceability. The implications of traceability highlighted in this paper can be of use to regulatory authorities in their decision making processes.
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Kathryn Anne‐Marie Donnelly, Kine Mari Karlsen and Bent Dreyer
This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of current traceability systems in five food sectors: dairy, fish, red meat, fruit and vegetable, and grain. Products were bought…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of current traceability systems in five food sectors: dairy, fish, red meat, fruit and vegetable, and grain. Products were bought within Norway, with national and international origins.
Design/methodology/approach
The method used structured interviews and questionnaires at each link in the production and supply chain of 30 products in order to discover the ability to identify the origin of product, the size of batches used during production, the potential product and process information available and the estimated time of recall in an emergency situation.
Findings
The results showed that it was possible to trace 53 percent of the products bought through their supply chains to their origin. The results demonstrated that mixing transformations create challenges for traceability that are more severe than other types of transformations. Company motivation is an important factor in creating the conditions for a successful tracing event.
Social implications
The study presents findings that can be used by the food producing industry and regulators that will aid in improving the ability to track and trace food effectively. This will aid the food producing industry in providing society with better food information so that consumers can make informed choices.
Originality/value
This study presents data on multi sector traceability, which is not only valuable because of its uniqueness, but also because of the possibility to use this in future studies for comparison and measurement of progress. This study is highly valuable to food producing industries, regulators and researchers as it presents new and unique data, regarding recall times and sector specific challenges.
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This survey covers civil, electrical and electronics, energy, environment, general, materials, mechanical, and traffic and transportation engineering. Areas such as biomedical and…
Abstract
This survey covers civil, electrical and electronics, energy, environment, general, materials, mechanical, and traffic and transportation engineering. Areas such as biomedical and chemical engineering will be dealt with in future issues. Readers may find that the classifications included in this survey are not mutually exclusive but do occasionally overlap with one another. For instance, the section on environmental engineering includes a review of a book on the environmental impact of nuclear power plants, which might as easily have been part of the section on energy technology. Before we go into a discussion of data bases and indexes, I would like to note in this introductory section some recent bibliographic aids published during the period surveyed. Most engineering libraries will find them very valuable in their reference and acquisition functions. Since normal review sources will cover these books, I am merely listing them below: Malinowski, Harold Robert, Richard A. Gray and Dorothy A. Gray. Science and Engineering Literature. 2d ed., Littleton, Colorado, Libraries Unlimited, 1976. 368p. LC 76–17794 ISBN 0–87287–098–7. $13.30; Mildren, K. W., ed. Use of Engineering Literature. Woburn, Mass., Butterworths, 1976. 621p. ISBN 0–408–70714–3. $37.95. Mount, Ellis. Guide to Basic Information Sources in Engineering. New York, Wiley, Halsted Press, 1976. 196p. LC 75–43261 ISBN 0–47070–15013–0. $11.95 and Guide to European Sources of Technical Information. 4th ed., edited by Ann Pernet. Guernsey, Eng., F. Hodgson, 1976. 415p. ISBN 0–85280–161–0. $52.00.
Christian Gadolin, Maria Skyvell Nilsson, Axel Ros and Marianne Törner
The purpose of this paper is to inductively explore the context-specific preconditions for nurses' perceived organizational support (POS) in healthcare organizations.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to inductively explore the context-specific preconditions for nurses' perceived organizational support (POS) in healthcare organizations.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative interview study was performed, based on the critical incident technique (CIT), with 24 registered nurses in different specialities of hospital care.
Findings
The nurses perceived three actors as essential for their POS: the first-line manager, the overarching organization and their college. The preconditions affecting the nurses’ perceptions of organizational support were supportive structuring and structures at work, as well as individual recognition and professional acknowledgement.
Originality/value
Previous studies of POS have mostly had a quantitative outset. In this paper, context-specific preconditions for nurses' POS are described in depth, enabled by the qualitative approach of the study. The findings may be used to guide healthcare organizations and managers aiming to foster nurses' POS, and thereby, benefit nurses' well-being and retention, as well as healthcare quality and efficiency.
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Kunthi Afrilinda Kusumawardani, Maria Jacinta Arquisola, Grace Amin and Meta Restiawati
COVID-19 pandemic underlines the need for effective leadership to resolve the crisis. This study aims to examine the impact of inclusive leadership on safety behaviours via the…
Abstract
Purpose
COVID-19 pandemic underlines the need for effective leadership to resolve the crisis. This study aims to examine the impact of inclusive leadership on safety behaviours via the mediating role of the safety climate.
Design/methodology/approach
This research studied and compared two of the industries most affected by the pandemic, specifically banking and education. The questionnaire was undertaken among 111 from the education sector and 159 from the banking sector. Structural equation modelling – partial least square (SEM – PLS) was used to analyse the results.
Findings
The study suggested that inclusive behaviour shaped the safety behaviours among employees through the safety climate. However, the influence of inclusive leadership on the safety environment and safety behaviours of education staff in the company was not as powerful as in the banking sector.
Practical implications
There's a connection between inclusive leadership and worker protection. Besides, inclusive leadership and its effect on safety behaviour are culturally based. High levels of collectivism encourage leaders to care deeply for their employees' well-being, as demonstrated in this study by the promotion of a healthy working atmosphere, especially in times of crisis.
Originality/value
This research potentially adds to the current literature on leadership and safety behaviour and offers valuable management recommendations.
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Basak Yanar, Lynda S. Robson, Sabrina K. Tonima and Benjamin C. Amick III
The purpose of this paper is to use a comparative qualitative case study design to better understand how the observed characteristics of an organization correspond to their score…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to use a comparative qualitative case study design to better understand how the observed characteristics of an organization correspond to their score on the organizational performance metric (IWH-OPM), a leading indicator tool designed to measure an organization’s occupational health and safety (OHS) performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Five organizations were recruited based on their diverse IWH-OPM scores obtained in a previous study. Qualitative data were collected from these cases and analyzed with consideration of OHS leadership; OHS culture and climate; employee participation in OHS; OHS policies, procedures and practices; and OHS risk control. Similarities and differences among organizations were examined in relation to these themes.
Findings
Three distinct groups of firms emerged from the cross-case analysis in terms of their overall OHS performance: high, medium and low. Higher firm IWH-OPM scores generally corresponded to better OHS performance in the workplace as observed through qualitative methods.
Originality/value
The findings are a step toward OHS leaders or practitioners eventually being able, based on an organization’s IWH-OPM score, to have a quick understanding of a workplace’s OHS status and of how best to support further improvement.
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Tore Betten, Kristian Vian Pettersen and Eirik Albrechtsen
Learning at the local level is an important contributor to safe and resilient communities. The purpose of this article is therefore to explore what motivates municipalities in…
Abstract
Purpose
Learning at the local level is an important contributor to safe and resilient communities. The purpose of this article is therefore to explore what motivates municipalities in Norway to learn from disasters and how they learn from them. This purpose has been fulfilled by (1) addressing the process of learning from disasters occurring within municipalities, and (2) learning from disasters in other municipalities, in particular from the terrorist incidents that occurred in Oslo on 22 July 2011.
Design/methodology/approach
An interview study was conducted of individuals responsible for municipal emergency preparedness.
Findings
Unwanted events that occur outside municipal borders only trigger learning processes if they are geographically proximate. Events occurring within the geographical borders of the municipality represent greater potential for learning than those occurring outside its borders. Availability of resources for municipal civil protection activities is another factor that has an impact on learning.
Originality/value
The local level plays a key role in generating and maintaining adequate civil protection and emergency preparedness in society. Although the literature on learning from disasters is extensive, learning processes at the local level have been given little attention. This article thus contributes to the existing body of knowledge by studying learning processes following disasters at the local level.
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Nuanan Kurakaew and Bonaventura Hadikusumo
Safety interventions are a crucial component of organizational strategy, which are aimed at mitigating factors that compromise workplace safety. In the construction industry…
Abstract
Purpose
Safety interventions are a crucial component of organizational strategy, which are aimed at mitigating factors that compromise workplace safety. In the construction industry, these interventions are vital owing to the high-risk nature of construction activities. For developing effective safety interventions, the underlying factors that drive the need for these interventions must be understood. This study identifies and analyzes the critical factors driving safety interventions in Thai construction projects, focusing on both situational and organizational factors.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey conducted with a questionnaire among medium- to large-sized building contractors in Bangkok and nearby areas garnered 98 project responses. To validate the constructs of reasons for safety interventions and identify critical safety practices, the data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling.
Findings
The results indicate that organizational factors, positively influenced by situational factors, have a direct effect on safety interventions. Successful safety interventions can be obtained by focusing on five key organizational factors: safety as a core value, continuous improvement plans, leadership and management support, safety strategies and policies and safety committees.
Originality/value
These results provide valuable insights for construction site management, providing guidance on improving safety interventions via the effective utilization of these critical factors.