Michael Clark, David Jolley, Susan Mary Benbow, Nicola Greaves and Ian Greaves
The scaling up of promising, innovative integration projects presents challenges to social and health care systems. Evidence that a new service provides (cost) effective care in a…
Abstract
Purpose
The scaling up of promising, innovative integration projects presents challenges to social and health care systems. Evidence that a new service provides (cost) effective care in a (pilot) locality can often leave us some way from understanding how the innovation worked and what was crucial about the context to achieve the goals evidenced when applied to other localities. Even unpacking the “black box” of the innovation can still leave gaps in understanding with regard to scaling it up. Theory-led approaches are increasingly proposed as a means of helping to address this knowledge gap in understanding implementation. Our particular interest here is exploring the potential use of theory to help with understanding scaling up integration models across sites. The theory under consideration is Normalisation Process Theory (NPT).
Design/methodology/approach
The article draws on a natural experiment providing a range of data from two sites working to scale up a well-thought-of, innovative integrated, primary care-based dementia service to other primary care sites. This provided an opportunity to use NPT as a means of framing understanding to explore what the theory adds to considering issues contributing to the success or failure of such a scaling up project.
Findings
NPT offers a framework to potentially develop greater consistency in understanding the roll out of models of integrated care. The knowledge gained here and through further application of NPT could be applied to inform evaluation and planning of scaling-up programmes in the future.
Research limitations/implications
The research was limited in the data collected from the case study; nevertheless, in the context of an exploration of the use of the theory, the observations provided a practical context in which to begin to examine the usefulness of NPT prior to embarking on its use in more expensive, larger-scale studies.
Practical implications
NPT provides a promising framework to better understand the detail of integrated service models from the point of view of what may contribute to their successful scaling up.
Social implications
NPT potentially provides a helpful framework to understand and manage efforts to have new integrated service models more widely adopted in practice and to help ensure that models which are effective in the small scale develop effectively when scaled up.
Originality/value
This paper examines the use of NPT as a theory to guide understanding of scaling up promising innovative integration service models.
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Michael Clark, Neil Moreland, Ian Greaves, Nicola Greaves and David Jolley
The purpose of this article is to discuss the policy developments of integration and personalisation within the context of Primary Care, specifically an innovative Memory Service…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to discuss the policy developments of integration and personalisation within the context of Primary Care, specifically an innovative Memory Service provided within a General Practice. It examines how these policies work together in this context to deliver a high quality service that is responsive to individual needs in an area of care: memory disorder or dementia, which has often relied heavily on secondary care services.
Design/methodology/approach
The article is a case study analysis of integration and personalisation in Primary Care, allowing for examination and elaboration of both concepts as applied in this setting; and their contribution to a better quality care Memory Service. The analysis is produced by independent researchers (MC and NM), background and facts by service personnel (IG, NG and DJ).
Findings
The innovative Memory Service operates as a person‐centred facility, integrating into the surgery, expertise that would traditionally be locked into secondary care health services. It makes maximum use of locally available knowledge of the patient, their family and formal and informal sources of support and therapy through links which cross agency boundaries. These links are identified and utilised in tailored support for individuals by the practice‐based Dementia Advisor. Outcomes include improved dynamics of identification, diagnosis and after care, high satisfaction amongst patients and families and reduced utilisation and expenditure of other healthcare facilities.
Practical implications
Personalisation and integration can be united in the development of innovative and improved Memory Services centred in Primary Care.
Social implications
Maintaining a focus on the needs of people within their social contexts (being person‐centred) is a powerful means of driving better integrated care in Primary Care for people living with dementia and related disorders.
Originality/value
This is the first examination of personalisation and integration as coupled concepts to lead the improvement of care, specifically a Memory Service, in Primary Care.
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Nicola Greaves and Heather Skinner
The Forest of Dean attracts relatively low numbers of staying visitors and low visitor spend. The paper aims to explore the image of this destination and identify the potential to…
Abstract
Purpose
The Forest of Dean attracts relatively low numbers of staying visitors and low visitor spend. The paper aims to explore the image of this destination and identify the potential to visit along with any underlying factors that may deter visitors.
Design/methodology/approach
A mix of qualitative and quantitative methods were used to gather and analyse responses to an online survey. Respondents offered a range of words and pictures from which they were asked to select those they felt best represented the destination, and also then asked to explain their selection. Quantitative data were also analysed for frequency of occurrence. A content analysis of qualitative data was conducted to generate destination image clusters of the Forest of Dean.
Findings
The findings show there is a very positive and unique image associated with the Forest of Dean among previous visitors, with many expressing an intention to visiting the area again.
Research limitations/implications
Although response rates are relatively low, and results are heavily concentrated on actual visitors, the research provides very broad ranging and meaningful data that have offered a deeper and richer insight into the image of the Forest of Dean.
Practical implications
The paper has provided important data from which new competitive brand image strategies can be developed for the destination. The paper also provides a first step towards a comprehensive image analysis for the Forest of Dean, from which future promotional strategies can be developed.
Originality/value
Many visitor guides promote UK rural destinations on their superb scenery, relaxation, outdoor leisure activities, quality accommodation, locally‐sourced food, a range of attractions and a full calendar of events and festivals. To date there has been very little research carried out on UK rural destination brands and no academic research carried out on the image or branding of the Forest of Dean as a unique rural destination.
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Ruth Yeoman and Milena Mueller Santos
Organizations are increasingly required to take up extended responsibilities for social and environmental outcomes, including in global value chains. To address these challenges…
Abstract
Organizations are increasingly required to take up extended responsibilities for social and environmental outcomes, including in global value chains. To address these challenges, the organization must call upon stakeholders to engage, contribute, and innovate, and in turn, this requires the organization to have a stronger social basis for its relationships. An integrative model of global value chain management based on social cooperation shifts the focus from corporate reputation to value chain reputation, from a firm-centric view of corporate reputation to a multistakeholder conception of value chain reputation. This approach conceptualizes reputation as a dynamic and potentially vulnerable organizational feature which cannot always be managed by public relations but requires a more stable notion grounded in something more permanent in the organization’s character, history, and the quality of its relationships with stakeholders. We consider the prospects for attending to organizational integrity as a stabilizing force for its public reputation. Integrity may be adopted as a hypernorm for motivating stakeholders who share a concern for the organization’s reputation. Co-creating reputation depends upon a social bond of cooperation developed by stakeholders caring about the organization and in turn, the organization caring about its stakeholders. This socialized understanding of reputation-building is grounded in an ethic of care and manifested through joint purposes, boundary-crossing processes, collaboration practices, and a division of labor into which value chain members are integrated and brought into relation with one another. We propose a model of global value chain management that discusses organizational capabilities required for such an approach.
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Visar Hoxha and Emblema Zeqiraj
The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of emotional intelligence (EI) on the performance of real estate agents in Prishtina, Kosovo. The study also investigated the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of emotional intelligence (EI) on the performance of real estate agents in Prishtina, Kosovo. The study also investigated the relationship of each dimension of emotional intelligence with the real estate agent's performance (REAP) in Prishtina, which is the city with the largest number of real estate agents in Kosovo.
Design/methodology/approach
The present study used quantitative research with the questionnaire used as a research instrument. The questionnaire survey was conducted with 78 real estate agents in Prishtina, Kosovo. The sampling method used in this research was random sampling.
Findings
The findings of this study indicated that emotional intelligence has a significant impact on the job performance of real estate agents. The study also found that relationship management (RM) and social awareness (SOA) have a strong effect on real estate agents' performance, whereas self-awareness (SA) does not seem to have any statistically significant explanatory power over REAP.
Research limitations/implications
This study can be utilized as a landmark for agents of real estate on understanding how the agents can use emotional intelligence in agents' favor by pointing out the prominence of EI in realizing the needs and desires of the potential buyers and the influence EI has on the decision to buy property. Furthermore, through this study, the real estate agencies will be provided with multiple reasons that substantiate the necessity to hire emotionally trained agents, and besides professional preparation, the companies must provide employees with behavioral training.
Originality/value
The present study is the first quantification of the impact of emotional intelligence and dimensions of emotional intelligence on the performance of Prishtina's real estate agents.
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Lara Martin-Vicario, María Eugenia Martínez-Sánchez and Ruben Nicolas-Sans
The aim of this study was to observe how a user’s individual factors in a commercial weight-loss treatment app affect their perceived usefulness of its features and how they…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study was to observe how a user’s individual factors in a commercial weight-loss treatment app affect their perceived usefulness of its features and how they relate to each other.
Design/methodology/approach
The information was obtained from an online survey with a sample of 412 users from a branded app for a commercial weight-loss treatment using body mass index (BMI), self-efficacy, social support and perceived usefulness as variables.
Findings
Users with higher self-efficacy perceived the app’s features as more useful. However, BMI was not a factor except for the psycho-emotional support features, which individuals with obesity perceived as more useful. Likewise, it was found that there weren’t any significant differences in self-efficacy based on their BMI. Lastly, it was found that social support could not be used as a factor to predict self-efficacy.
Research limitations/implications
This study helps understand how individual factors for behavioural change may affect the perceived usefulness of a weight-loss app. Furthermore, the significance of self-efficacy as an influencing factor provides useful information for companies and app developers alike when developing their branded apps.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the body of knowledge on factors affecting user perceptions of weight-loss apps. It also adds to the literature of branded apps as complimentary resources for companies, which has not been studied in detail.