Richard Boateng, Richard Heeks, Alemayehu Molla and Robert Hinson
E‐commerce is diffusing into developing countries (DCs), and is assumed to help deliver the international development agenda. But how can the connection between e‐commerce and…
Abstract
Purpose
E‐commerce is diffusing into developing countries (DCs), and is assumed to help deliver the international development agenda. But how can the connection between e‐commerce and socio‐economic development be conceptualised? The aim of this paper is to analyse that connection by drawing from the development studies discipline to take a broader perspective on e‐commerce than that so far provided by firm‐level research.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors adopt a literature survey approach, drawing their conceptual foundations from development studies, and supplementing this from the e‐commerce literature.
Findings
The paper develops a new, integrated model that explains the way in which e‐commerce can contribute to socio‐economic development.
Research limitations/implications
This new model can help provide a foundation for future research on e‐commerce in DCs; research on e‐commerce policy as well as impact assessment research.
Practical implications
The discussion and model provide development agencies, governments, consultants and business people working in DCs with a clearer sense of the contribution e‐commerce can make; assisting them in prioritization, planning, and evaluation of e‐commerce projects.
Originality/value
The paper provides the first integrated perspective on the broader contribution of e‐commerce to the growth and development of DCs.
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Glass House is a play about the relationship between two young women Phumla and Linda. According to Dike the play was specifically written to show the clashing of two cultures and…
Abstract
Glass House is a play about the relationship between two young women Phumla and Linda. According to Dike the play was specifically written to show the clashing of two cultures and how white people could not understand the pain of black people. Glass House provides testimony as to how women suffered physical and mental violence whilst in detention, and this play clearly highlights how, for women, becoming part of the struggle meant surviving the acts of aggression and detention by the security forces. In Glass House Dike exposes the agony and survival techniques of women who have had to endure periods in detention desperately struggling to cope in adverse conditions and, on their release from detention, having to contend with the suspicions of their community thinking that they were informers spying for the government.
Phil Woods, Val Reed and Mick Collins
One of the challenging facets of mental health care can be that of trying to deal with a patient's level of insight. Problems that seem apparent to assessing practitioners are…
Abstract
One of the challenging facets of mental health care can be that of trying to deal with a patient's level of insight. Problems that seem apparent to assessing practitioners are sometimes not regarded in the same way by the patient. Measuring a concept like insight is not easy. The Behavioural Status Index (BSI) breaks insight into components and measurable criteria. Such a measurement instrument provides opportunities for detailed analysis of function, opportunity for very specific interventions, further detailed assessment and measurement of progress. This paper begins with a theoretical introduction to the concept of insight and a description of the BSI. Data analysis then follows for the BSI insight subscale. Data were collected, using a repeated measures method from a sample of 503 individual patients in two high‐security mental health hospitals. Results are reported for the central tendency and spread of items; the differences between the Mental Health Act 1983 classifications of mental illness, psychopathic disorder and learning disabilities, patient‐ward dependency level and gender; and the relationship between items, within the subscale. The relationship between items suggests two distinct groupings of acceptive (the ability to recognise and differentiate inner feelings of tension or anger) and cognitional (conscious awareness of inner states) behaviours.
Kwame McKenzie, Andrew Tuck and Marianne S. Noh
This paper aims to describe Caribbean traditional medicine and to consider whether and how it could be integrated into health systems in Canada.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to describe Caribbean traditional medicine and to consider whether and how it could be integrated into health systems in Canada.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper employs a literature review and synthesis.
Findings
Caribbean traditional healing takes a variety of forms reflecting the diversity of histories of the people of the Caribbean. A number of arguments including quality, equity, cost, and social climate will be important factors in facilitating or hindering the expansion of these complementary therapies. However, linking an expansion of therapies to other policy imperatives such as developing stronger communities and expansion of trade may make success more likely.
Research limitations/implications
This is a narrative and document review. It is an argument which aims to produce discussion rather than empirical research.
Practical implications
Taking a discursive narrative approach to difficult policy issues may help in considering strategies for promoting change.
Originality/value
This is the first study which has attempted to consider traditional Caribbean medicine in the Canadian context. It is also the first to consider the strategies for convincing health systems to adopt this form of complementary medicine.
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Examines the use of acoustic emission techniques for monitoring partmating during the assembly process. The frequency recorded during a peginsertion is compared with known…
Abstract
Examines the use of acoustic emission techniques for monitoring part mating during the assembly process. The frequency recorded during a peg insertion is compared with known frequencies of successful peg insertion by a microcomputer. This allows unsuccessful alignment to be readjusted which being monitored by a digital sound analyzer. Outlines the concept of part mating which is based on the peg‐in‐hole theory developed by Simunovic and describes an acoustic emission monitoring system. Concludes that acoustic monitoring provides a relatively low cost, low complexity system for part mating monitoring but may have limitation in manufacturing environments where there is excessive background noise or machine part vibration.
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Jacqueline Glass and Mark Simmonds
The purpose of this paper is to report on the extent to which major contractors are delivering what can be termed “considerate construction”, using case studies of housing and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to report on the extent to which major contractors are delivering what can be termed “considerate construction”, using case studies of housing and education projects in the UK, identify areas for improvement, particularly in the area of community engagement practices used by contractors.
Design/methodology/approach
A list of key themes relating to community engagement is developed and used as a framework for case studies of projects being built by a major, multi‐disciplinary contractor that routinely registers projects with the Considerate Constructors Scheme.
Findings
This research found evidence of a range of effective practices, but there is still scope for improvement. Seemingly better examples were found in projects in which the contractor took a partnered approach with both client and community, retained community relation expertise on staff, and took appropriate, timely action.
Research limitations/implications
The case studies are based in the Southeast of England and focus on housing and educational projects, so the lessons learned may not apply in all instances. Practices may also vary from one contractor to another.
Practical implications
The findings have implications for community engagement procedures used in construction projects. There are specific recommendations relating to the professional training of construction project managers, who need to be better equipped to deal with the local general public.
Originality/value
The research complements the existing academic and industry literature on considerate construction and makes both strategic and practical recommendations to enhance on‐site community engagement practices. Thus it is of interest to both researchers and practitioners.
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Marion Lucille Williams, Alexander Dhoest and Ian Saunderson
The purpose of this paper is to explore social media usage in an academic library in South Africa and the factors influencing its use. The primary goal of the study was to examine…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore social media usage in an academic library in South Africa and the factors influencing its use. The primary goal of the study was to examine perceptions surrounding the impact of non-adoption of social media on morale, and to explore the consequences of digital inequality.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a qualitative method, in-depth interviews were conducted with a small sample comprising six key informants at the University of Limpopo Libraries.
Findings
The findings suggest that non-adoption of social media has a negative influence on morale, and that it is a very necessary tool required for interaction with students as well as promotion and marketing of the library’s resources.
Research limitations/implications
This paper is limited to one academic library in South Africa situated in a rural area. The research suggests that more academic libraries in rural areas be studied to ascertain if geographical location and finance are barriers to social media adoption.
Originality/value
This study addresses non-adoption of social media and suggests ways to improve employee morale and retention. The research contributes to current research.
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Steve Sizmur and Andrew McCulloch
The mental health experience of people from ethnic minorities differs from that of the majority, including differential access to services and treatments. The 2014 National Health…
Abstract
Purpose
The mental health experience of people from ethnic minorities differs from that of the majority, including differential access to services and treatments. The 2014 National Health Service (NHS) Community Mental Health survey gathered data from 13,787 individuals in 57 NHS trusts in England, providing one means of monitoring such experience. The purpose of this paper is to analyse survey variables describing treatments offered to respondents for evidence of differential access or treatment experiences associated with ethnicity.
Design/methodology/approach
Secondary analysis of survey data. Proportions for target variables were modelled using multilevel logit models. Ethnic background, age and gender were entered as independent variables.
Findings
Respondents in most minority groups were more likely to be on the care programme approach (CPA) to provision than white British respondents and less likely to report receiving psychological treatments. Unmet need for psychological treatment was relatively high in certain Asian groups. Medication use was consistently high across respondents, but differences by ethnic background were evident.
Research limitations/implications
The study was dependent on existing survey data of a relatively limited nature, and potentially subject to non-response bias. The survey excludes users of certain types of service, giving an incomplete cross-section.
Originality/value
This represents a novel use of the data from the Community Mental Health survey, and complements evidence from a range of other sources. The findings mostly concur with other evidence but provide important new data in relation to medication, unmet needs in psychotherapy and use of the CPA. They remain suggestive of the complex nature of discrimination and/or unequal access and treatment in mental health services.
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Iulian Warter and Liviu Warter
This chapter intends to reveal the leading questions regarding doing business in Eastern Europe. The chapter uncovers the most important cultural issues applied to business ethics…
Abstract
This chapter intends to reveal the leading questions regarding doing business in Eastern Europe. The chapter uncovers the most important cultural issues applied to business ethics in order to improve the knowledge concerning business in Eastern Europe. We envisage, also, the nexus between intercultural elements and business ethics issues. This chapter aims at practitioners and management scholars, serving as a starting point for deepening the understanding of cultural and ethical issues in Eastern Europe.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the economic, social and political conditions have changed radically, especially in Europe. During the last two decades, Europeanization has become an attractive research area and an integral part of the study of European Union (EU) politics.
National cultural values provide a context for discussing ethics and ethicality, but not an explanation of why there are differences in ethical values. The organizational culture is quite homogeneous among Eastern and Central Europe (ECE) countries, but the national cultures remained different.
Organizational cultures in ECE are characterized by: highly centralized structures, dislike of uncertainty, preferences for formality and strong collectivist attitudes.
Professional ethics is not a special type of ethics but the application of ethical judgement in professional practice. This application can be difficult in business settings as conflicting demands can arise. In areas where professional practitioners are employed, there is potential for a conflict.