Louisa G. Gordon, Amy J. Spooner, Natasha Booth, Tai-Rae Downer, Adrienne Hudson, Patsy Yates, Alanna Geary, Christopher O’Donnell and Raymond Chan
Nurse navigators (NNs) coordinate patient care, improve care quality and potentially reduce healthcare resource use. The purpose of this paper is to undertake an evaluation of…
Abstract
Purpose
Nurse navigators (NNs) coordinate patient care, improve care quality and potentially reduce healthcare resource use. The purpose of this paper is to undertake an evaluation of hospitalisation outcomes in a new NN programme in Queensland, Australia.
Design/methodology/approach
A matched case-control study was performed. Patients under the care of the NNs were randomly selected (n=100) and were matched to historical (n=300) and concurrent (n=300) comparison groups. The key outcomes of interest were the number and types of hospitalisations, length of hospital stay and number of intensive care unit days. Generalised linear and two-part models were used to determine significant differences in resources across groups.
Findings
The control and NN groups were well matched on socio-economic characteristics, however, groups differed by major disease type and number/type of comorbidities. NN patients had high healthcare needs with 53 per cent having two comorbidities. In adjusted analyses, compared with the control groups, NN patients showed higher proportions of preventable hospitalisations over 12 months, similar days in intensive care and a smaller proportion had overnight stays in hospital. However, the NN patients had significantly more hospitalisations (mean: 6.0 for NN cases, 3.4 for historical group and 3.2 for concurrent group); and emergency visits.
Research limitations/implications
As many factors will affect hospitalisation rates beyond whether patients receive NN care, further research and longer follow-up is required.
Originality/value
A matched case-control study provides a reasonable but insufficient design to compare the NN and non-NN exposed patient outcomes.
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Puteri Sofia Amirnuddin, Thivashini B. Jaya Kumar and Kok Wei Khong
This case concerns a family business in relation to renewable energy, property investment, construction services, civil engineering and mechanical and electrical engineering…
Abstract
This case concerns a family business in relation to renewable energy, property investment, construction services, civil engineering and mechanical and electrical engineering services. The family business was established by two founders who have subsequently appointed their children to handle the management side of the company. The case illustrates the importance of grooming founders' children with technical knowledge and skills in relation to the business area of specialisation. The case also reflects that an autocratic style of management by the founder can form a fragile organisation. When the founder becomes ill, trouble looms as everyone becomes lost when it comes to business direction particularly in times of unprecedented pandemic. This case shows what can happen when there is lack of communication, reasoning and succession planning can do to a family business.
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The purpose of this paper is to review the existing literature on positioning strategies, categorise them as typologies and taxonomies and propose generic positioning strategies…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review the existing literature on positioning strategies, categorise them as typologies and taxonomies and propose generic positioning strategies for organisations from a theoretical viewpoint.
Design/methodology/approach
Typologies and taxonomies are defined and characterised, and then all product or brand positioning strategies are examined. Articles published in reputable marketing and strategic marketing journals from 1969 to 2022 are analysed for this purpose. The analysis was done using qualitative text mining: classification, coding and text analysis.
Findings
The review enables the identification of three generic positioning strategies widely accepted in the literature, as well as the distinction between conceptually derived positioning strategies (typology) and empirically derived positioning strategies( taxonomy).
Research limitations/implications
This study provides a comprehensive overview for researchers who wish to get broad-picture research on generic classifications in positioning strategy. Moreover, most notably for academics, to the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to classify positioning strategies into typologies and taxonomies based on their evolution.
Practical implications
Knowledge of positioning typologies and taxonomies can assist managers in developing and implementing a strategy that allows their company to maximise the potential of its product/brand and achieve better results. The literature review contributes to theory development and helps companies understand their positioning strategies.
Originality/value
Despite considerable interest in positioning research, little effort has been made to examine positioning strategies’ current or future development. Some authors use the term taxonomy to describe their conceptually derived classification of positioning strategies, and it was discovered that authors frequently interchangeably use the terms typologies or taxonomies. When attempting to understand and compare the various classifications, this liberal use of the term’s typology and taxonomy creates misunderstanding and confusion. This paper fills that void.
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Shirley Evans, Matthew Harrison, Natasha Morgan, Cat Kilkenny and Thomas Morton
Community Makers (https://communitymakers.co) is an active UK wide network that evolved rapidly in response to COVID-19 and the negative impact of social isolation and distancing…
Abstract
Purpose
Community Makers (https://communitymakers.co) is an active UK wide network that evolved rapidly in response to COVID-19 and the negative impact of social isolation and distancing on people and families affected by dementia. The network is led by the Alzheimer’s Society, UK Dementia Research Institute Care Research and Technology Centre and The Association for Dementia Studies, at the University of Worcester. This study aims to investigate what works for whom and why and in what circumstances as a basis for the development of an online toolkit for people supporting people affected by dementia to connect and reconnect during the pandemic and beyond.
Design/methodology/approach
The development of the toolkit was informed by an iterative approach of engagement with people affected by dementia, learning from a network of community organisations and a rapid realist literature review.
Findings
Four common factors that combine to make a successful support intervention, regardless of its type, size or location were identified: relationships, purpose, technology and community. The application of the factors, adopted as principles, is illustrated by applying them to three real-world examples.
Social implications
The main output was the online tool kit, which is a resource of creative ideas to inspire groups with different approaches to digital involvement and help reduce social isolation.
Originality/value
This report offers new insight, based on identification of four principles, into how people affected by dementia can be supported online and offline during a pandemic and beyond.
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Michelle Myall, Carl May, Alison Richardson, Sarah Bogle, Natasha Campling, Sally Dace and Susi Lund
The purpose of this paper is to explore what happens when changes to clinical practice are proposed and introduced in healthcare organisations. The authors use the implementation…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore what happens when changes to clinical practice are proposed and introduced in healthcare organisations. The authors use the implementation of Treatment Escalation Plans to explore the dynamics shaping the translational journey of a complex intervention from research into the everyday context of real-world healthcare settings.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative instrumental collective case study design was used. Data were gathered using qualitative interviews (n = 36) and observations (n = 46) in three English acute hospital trusts. Normalisation process theory provided the theoretical lens and informed data collection and analysis.
Findings
While each organisation faced the same translational problem, there was variation between settings regarding adoption and implementation. Successful change was dependent on participants' ability to manage and shape contexts and the work this involved was reliant on individual capacity to create a new, receptive context for change. Managing contexts to facilitate the move from research into clinical practice was a complex interactive and iterative process.
Practical implications
The paper advocates a move away from contextual factors influencing change and adoption, to contextual patterns and processes that accommodate different elements of whole systems and the work required to manage and shape them.
Originality/value
The paper addresses important and timely issues of change in healthcare, particularly for new regulatory and service-oriented processes and practices. Insights and explanations of variations in implementation are revealed which could contribute to conceptual generalisation of context and implementation.
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Melanie Pescud and Simone Pettigrew
– The purpose of this paper is to explore the practice of hiding vegetables among low socioeconomic parents.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the practice of hiding vegetables among low socioeconomic parents.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative longitudinal study involving 37 low socioeconomic Australian parents with at least one overweight or obese child aged five to nine years. Data were obtained with the use of interviews, focus groups, and self-introspections.
Findings
Identified issues relating to the practice of hiding vegetables included: how parents manage hiding vegetables, children's presence in the kitchen during vegetable preparation, the employment of deception when hiding vegetables, the use of cookbooks and blogs, and the alternative views of parents not strongly in favour of hiding vegetables.
Research limitations/implications
Hiding vegetables is a practice used by some parents to increase their children's vegetable intake. Children who are unaware of hidden vegetables in their meals are potentially missing the opportunity to develop an appreciation for vegetables and learn about vegetable preparation and cooking.
Practical implications
The findings are relevant to dietitians, general practitioners, and other health professionals providing advice to parents on appropriate child-feeding strategies.
Originality/value
This appears to be the first study to provide an in-depth account of low socioeconomic parents’ use of hiding vegetables to facilitate higher levels of vegetable consumption.