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In the recent climate of consumerism and consumer focused care, health and social care needs to be more responsive than ever before. Consumer needs and preferences can be elicited with accepted validity and reliability only by strict methodological control, customerisation of the questionnaire and skilled interpretation. To construct, conduct, interpret and implement improved service provision, requires a trained work force and infrastructure. This article aims to appraise various aspects of consumer surveys and to assess their value as effective service improvement tools.

The customer is the sole reason organisations exist. Consumer surveys are used worldwide as service and quality of care improvement tools by all types of service providers including health service providers. The article critically appraises the value of consumer surveys as service improvement tools in health services tool and its future applications.

No one type of survey is the best or ideal. The key is the selection of the correct survey methodology, unique and customised for the particular type/aspect of care being evaluated. The method used should reflect the importance of the information required.

Methodological rigor is essential for the effectiveness of consumer surveys as service improvement tools. Unfortunately so far there is no universal consensus on superiority of one particular methodology over another or any benefit of one specific methodology in a given situation. More training and some dedicated resource allocation is required to develop consumer surveys. More research is needed to develop specific survey methodology and evaluation techniques for improved validity and reliability of the surveys as service improvement tools. Measurement of consumer preferences/priorities, evaluation of services and key performance scores, is not easy.

Consumer surveys seem impressive tools as they provide the customer a voice for change or modification. However, from a scientific point‐of‐view their credibility in service improvement in terms of reproducibility, reliability and validity, has remained debatable.

This artcile is a critical appraisal of the value of consumer surveys as a service improvement tool in health services – a lesson which needs to be learnt.

The purpose of this study is to explore the determinants influencing industrial adoption of green hydrogen amidst the global transition towards sustainability. Recognizing green hydrogen as a pivotal clean energy alternative for industrial applications is critical for understanding its potential integration into sustainable practices.

This research examines the impact of factors such as innovativeness, perceived ease of use, user comfort, optimism and governmental policies on the industrial intention towards green hydrogen usage. Using responses from 227 Indian industry professionals and conducting analysis via the SmartPLS software, the study reveals a discernible discomfort among industrial workers pertaining to the daily application of green hydrogen.

The research presents an array of policy recommendations for stakeholders. Emphasized strategies include the introduction of green hydrogen certificates, sustainable public procurement mechanisms, tax incentives, green labelling protocols and the establishment of a dedicated hydrogen skill development council, all of which can significantly influence the trajectory of green hydrogen adoption within the industrial sector.

This research synthesizes various elements, from industry perception and challenges to policy implications, presenting a holistic view of green hydrogen’s potential role in industry decarbonization and SDG realization. In essence, this study deepens not only the empirical understanding but also pioneers fresh theoretical frameworks, setting a precedent for subsequent academic endeavours.

This paper aims to identify barriers toward the adoption of blockchain (BC) technology in Indian health-care industry and also examines the significant issues of BC applications in health-care industry.

The barriers of the study are identified by two phases including the review of literature and semistructured interviews with hospital staff and administration operating in India. The experts (N = 15) are being taken from top-level management, IT experts and patients from the hospitals. The study implemented integrated total interpretative structural modeling-FUZZY-Cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification (TISM-FUZZY-MICMAC) methods for identifying the interrelationship among the barriers.

A total of 15 barriers have been determined in the Indian health-care industry through discussion with the selected experts. TISM is applied to develop multilevel structure for BC barriers. Further, FUZZY-MICMAC has been used to compute driving and dependent barriers. The findings suggest that low awareness related to legal issues and low support from high level of management have maximum driving power.

The present study applies multicriterion approach to identify the limited barriers in BC adoption in health care. Future studies may develop the relationship and mark down the steps for implementation of BC in health-care setting of a developing economy. Empirical study can be conducted to verify the results along with selected case studies.

The present study identifies the BC adoption barriers in health-care industry. The study examines the pertinent issues in context to major support required, bottlenecks in adoption, key benefits of adoption planning and activities. The technology adoption practices are expected to provide applications such as distributed, secured medical and clinical data and patient centric systems that will enhance the efficiency of the health-care industry.

The study is among few primary studies that identify and analyze the BC adoption in health-care industry.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a practical integrated overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) framework that encompasses the core characteristics of OEE.

The paper reviewed the backgrounds of OEE and improvement frameworks and explored the limitations. An integrated OEE framework was developed by synergizing the strengths of OEE and improvement frameworks to complement the shortcomings. This new framework underlies the OEE concepts and provides structural improvement steps. It was applied to systematically assist and guide OEE practitioners in a case study.

The review of OEE literature found that there is a lack of improvement frameworks with systematic steps specifically developed for OEE implementation. Conversely, a review on improvement frameworks of different methodologies revealed that they do not fully capitalize on the use of performance measures as benchmarks and improvement drivers. An integrated framework that incorporated the advantages of both OEE and conventional improvement frameworks was developed and validated through a case study over a period of 38 weeks. The OEE performance before the improvements was low (73.4 percent) due to high availability losses (76.5 percent). Both OEE and availability achieved the target of 76.5 percent and 80 percent, respectively, after using the framework for improvements.

The reviewed papers represent a sample of papers present in the literature and were selected based on relevancy. A greater number of papers incorporated into the literature review would certainly bring out a more comprehensive study.

The proposed integrated OEE framework provides OEE practitioners with systematic directions and steps combined with benchmarking and loss prioritization features for effective improvement efforts. In addition, it provides overview for the practitioners to make better decisions in project management. This helps address the common issues of practitioners not sure of what the next improvement step is. A case study using the proposed framework at a semiconductor company had successfully achieved the OEE benchmarks and set target for conversion time.

This paper provides a new integrated OEE framework offering a systematic approach toward implementing OEE improvements.

Indian patients have different medicine systems available at the service that alter their healthseeking behaviour (HSB). This study aims to examine the beliefs and behaviour of patients in India towards the healthcare system and how it affects their intention to use healthcare chatbots.

A survey instrument was developed from standard scales and validated by experts. The data was collected from 397 respondents in an urban area and tested using a structural equation model in SAS JMP software.

The study found that awareness and perception of chatbots and distrust on doctors and health systems impact trust in a chatbot. The results show that trust in chatbots influences the intention to use chatbots. The belief in alternative medicine systems and HSB also influence the intention to use chatbots. The study findings also imply that health-care chatbots should cater to HSB and the belief in alternative medicine.

The study was conducted only among the urban population because services based on technology are more available in metro cities. Bengaluru is considered the representative population of urban India.

The level of disruption that chatbots can provide to the healthcare system makes this study significant. The study findings will help to manage the factors that can enable chatbot inclusivity, as the current system is inaccessible to many patients.

This paper addresses an identified need to study patients’ trust in the Indian healthcare system and their intention to use chatbots. The level of disruptions these chatbots can cause in the health-care system is undeniable and patients’ trust in these chatbots will eventually transform the health-care sector.

This review paper delves into the comprehensive understanding of Ashwagandha, spanning its botanic occurrence, conventional applications, extraction techniques and pivotal role in addressing various disorders.

Introduction Ashwagandha, also known as Withania somnifera, is a remarkable botanical resource with a rich history of use in traditional medicine.

In botany, Withania somnifera thrives in diverse ecosystems, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. Its extensive distribution across regions, the Canary Islands, South Africa, the Middle East, Sri Lanka, India and China underscores its adaptability and resilience. The traditional uses of Ashwagandha in Ayurvedic and indigenous medicine systems have persisted for over 3,000 years. With over 6,000 plant species utilized historically, India, often regarded as the “botanical garden of the world,” has firmly established Ashwagandha as a cornerstone in traditional healing practices.

Extraction methods play a pivotal role in harnessing the therapeutic potential of Ashwagandha. Ultrasonic-assisted extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography are among the techniques employed to obtain the key bioactive compounds. Ashwagandha’s significance in modern medicine is underscored by its potential to address a spectrum of health issues. The multifaceted bioactivity of Ashwagandha is attributed to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, heart conditions, metabolic disorders, renal ailments, hepatic diseases and adaptogenic properties, making it a subject of increasing interest in contemporary medical research. This review synthesizes the assorted perspectives of Ashwagandha, from its botanical roots and conventional employments to its advanced extraction strategies and its intention to basic well-being challenges, advertising important bits of knowledge for analysts, specialists and healthcare experts alike.

The study investigates the effect of uncertainty on gender equality and examines the policies and institutional qualities that matter for mitigating the effect.

The research employs a Generalized Method of Moment model and data from 45 developing countries covering the period between 2005 and 2021. The estimation covers a wide range of specifications.

The study finds that uncertainty undermines gender equality. However, economic management policies, public sector management and institutions and policies for social inclusion and equity directly promote gender equality, and indirectly moderate the effect of uncertainty on gender equality. The result also establishes the existence of a Gender Kuznets Hypothesis.

The study offers pioneering evidence on the nexus between uncertainty, gender equality, public policies and institutional qualities. It explores the direct and indirect relationship between these variables using 18 different measures. The study offers interesting insights and implications for the gender economics literature.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-11-2023-0892

Implementing food safety measures (FSMs) have become a prerequisite for food firms looking to export internationally. Many exporters find it difficult to comply with multiple regulations, and their consignments are often rejected at borders due to food safety concerns. Hence, harmonization in food safety standards is arguably the most contentious topic regarding the export market since it affects international trade. Accordingly, the paper uses the case of Indian seafood exporters to identify key FSMs, investigate stringency associated with them and rank international markets based on degree of stringency for selected FSMs.

First, the authors identify the key FSMs by using the Delphi method. Then, the authors apply the Fuzzy analytical hierarchical process (FAHP) method to calculate weights of the FSMs as criteria. Lastly, the authors apply the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) approach to rank markets. To compute fuzzy TOPSIS, weights are derived from fuzzy AHP.

This study’s findings suggest that product and process standards, traceability requirements and tolerance limits for residues are the most stringent FSMs, among others. Besides, the overall ranking of markets reveal that the European Union (EU), the USA and Japan ranked lowest and perceived to have the most stringent food safety requirements.

The paper offers guidance to firms and policymakers to manage their efforts and resources during food safety implementation by focussing on critical FSMs. Researchers will get insights about FSMs for further empirical investigation. To the authors’ knowledge, no study examined the stringency associated with various FSMs in the seafood industry.