Galina Berjozkina and Rasoul Karami
The paper aims to explore the potential for using 3D printing technology as a more sustainable tool in various areas of the tourism and hospitality industry in Cyprus.
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to explore the potential for using 3D printing technology as a more sustainable tool in various areas of the tourism and hospitality industry in Cyprus.
Design/methodology/approach
For the purpose of this study, qualitative research was conducted to explore the potential for 3D printing technology deployment in Cyprus and specifically in tourism and hospitality settings. Interviews were conducted with industry professionals and practitioners using a snowball sampling method.
Findings
The tourism and hospitality industry currently uses 3D printing technology mainly to assist with the restoration of cultural heritage, sites but there is significant potential to implement 3D printing more widely in support of other building work, souvenirs and food items.
Originality/value
The paper explores current applications and the wider potential for using 3D technology in building, restoration of cultural heritage, souvenirs and food-related printing that together could contribute to a more sustainable tourism and hospitality industry in Cyprus.
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Satar Rezaei, Behzad Karami Matin, Mohammad Hajizadeh, Ali Soroush, Zahra Mohammadi, Maryam Babakhany and Khadije Jamshidi
Education is a human right and access to high quality education is key to sustainable socioeconomic development. Improving the quality of higher education institutes is essential…
Abstract
Purpose
Education is a human right and access to high quality education is key to sustainable socioeconomic development. Improving the quality of higher education institutes is essential for generating the productive human resources. Assessing the quality of higher education from the students’ perspective can be considered a crucial factor in the monitoring of service quality in universities. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the quality of educational services in a higher education institute, the Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (KUMS), in the west of Iran.
Design/methodology/approach
A multistage sampling method was used to select 346 students from the KUMS, who were enrolled in the second semester of the academic year 2015-2016. The SERVQUAL questionnaire was used to gather data on students’ perceptions and their expectations about the quality of educational services. The authors used a statistical significance level of 0.05 to examine the gap between the students’ expectations and their perceptions of service quality in five dimensions, namely tangibles, responsiveness, reliability, empathy and assurance.
Findings
The results showed that there was a negative service quality gap in all five dimensions. The overall mean score of students’ expectations and their perceptions was 3.19±0.44 and 2.4±0.45, respectively. The score gap between the overall mean score of perceptions and expectations of students was −0.79, which was statistically significant (p<0.0001). The highest and lowest quality gaps were related to the assurance (−0.84) and tangible (−0.70) dimensions, respectively.
Originality/value
The study indicated that the quality of educational services provided in the KUMS did not meet students’ expectations in five dimensions of service quality. Thus, it warrants further investigations to determine how to improve the quality of educational services in higher education institutes such as the KUMS.
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Mohammad Reza Shokouhi, Mohammad Torabi, Rasoul Salimi and Parisa Hajiloo
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers are often faced with a range of ethical dilemmas in their line of work that require moral courage to make a quick and ethical decision…
Abstract
Purpose
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers are often faced with a range of ethical dilemmas in their line of work that require moral courage to make a quick and ethical decision. The purpose of this study is to investigate the level of professional moral courage (PMC) in EMS providers and its relationship with their demographic characteristics.
Design/methodology/approach
In 2022, a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 175 EMS providers at the Hamadan Emergency Medical Center. The study utilized an available sampling method. Data was collected using a demographic information form and Sekerka's moral courage questionnaire, which was distributed electronically. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS 26 software with descriptive and analytic tests.
Findings
According to the findings, the average age of the participants was 34.57 ± 3.46 years. The majority of participants were married (50.3%), had work experience ranging from 8 to 14 years (49.7%), and held a degree in emergency medicine (52.6%). The participants displayed a high level of PMC, with an average score of 62.5 ± 8.14. Notably, age, work experience, educational level, and employment status were all found to have a significant relationship with moral courage (p < 0.05) among the demographic characteristics.
Research limitations/implications
The study has a limitation in terms of the sampling method employed, which may impact the generalizability of the results. Another limitation, by a narrow margin, is that the sample size is smaller than what was estimated. Furthermore, using various measurement tools to assess PMC might lead to varying outcomes. Consequently, it is recommended that future research incorporates random sampling and devises a dedicated psychometric instrument to assess the PMC of EMS providers.
Originality/value
The results revealed a positive correlation between work experience and PMC among providers. This can be attributed to the challenges and outcomes they have encountered throughout their careers. Moreover, EMS providers with higher educational qualifications and job stability demonstrated higher levels of moral courage.
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Rasoul Tabari-Khomeiran, Elham Ehsani-Chimeh, Ali Davoudi Kiakalayeh, Enayatollah Homaie Rad and Sajad Delavari
Equal distribution of health human resources is a major issue to achieve human rights in healthcare. Rural family physicians (RFPs) as a part of health human resources play an…
Abstract
Purpose
Equal distribution of health human resources is a major issue to achieve human rights in healthcare. Rural family physicians (RFPs) as a part of health human resources play an important role in delivering health services, so the purpose of this paper is to calculate amount of inequity in distribution of RFPs in Iran.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, the authors tried to find inequity in the distribution of RFPs in the provinces of Iran. For this purpose, inequity indices containing concentration curves and indices were calculated by ranking health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE). Furthermore, a regression model was estimated to find the pattern and influencing factors of inequity in the distribution of RFPs.
Findings
The number of male RFPs was significantly higher in Sistan va Baloochestan, and in the same line, the number of female RFPs was higher in Zanjan province. Concentration index of total RFPs was 0.0568 (not significant) (males= 0.041, females= 0.0718). The results of regression model showed that HALE and per capita GDP did not have any significant relationship with RFPs distribution (HALE p=0.753, GDP p=0.792).
Originality/value
The RFP plan was successful in enhancing equal access to physician and health care services relatively. However, gender imbalance in distribution of RFPs was high especially in less-developed regions.
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Fahimeh Esnaasharan, Mansour Alizadeh, Parvin Ayremlou and Rasoul Zarrin
The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between pH of water or other daily fluid intake and risk of kidney stones in adult men.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between pH of water or other daily fluid intake and risk of kidney stones in adult men.
Design/methodology/approach
This case–control study included 120 adult men with kidney stones and 240 healthy controls matched by age. Participants were selected from the Urmia Imam Khomeini Educational Hospital in the northwest of Iran by the available sampling method between 2017 and 2018. The mean total daily fluid intake of the subjects over the past one year period was collected using a validated 139-item Food Frequency Questionnaire, and the pH of drinking water samples consumed over the past six months was determined using an electrochemical pH meter. Information on physical activity level and socio-demographic characteristics of all participants was collected.
Findings
The mean pH of daily water consumption was 7.1 ± 250.3 and 7.4%± 250.3 in case and control groups, respectively. In multivariate logistic regression analysis after adjusting for the covariates 25 a significant relationship was detected between the pH of drinking water (not for other fluid intake26) and kidney stone disease (OR = 0.15, CI 0.06–0.4, P > 1. Moreover, no association was found between the volume of total fluid intake and risk of kidney stones.
Originality/value
These findings support potential protective effects of drinking water intake with higher pH level on preventing kidney stones.
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Satar Rezaei, Mohammad Hajizadeh, Mohammad Bazyar, Ali Kazemi Karyani, Behrooz Jahani and Behzad Karami Matin
The Health Sector Evolution Plan (HSEP) is the most recent reform in Iran’s health care system that was launched in May 2014 in all university-affiliated hospitals to reduce…
Abstract
Purpose
The Health Sector Evolution Plan (HSEP) is the most recent reform in Iran’s health care system that was launched in May 2014 in all university-affiliated hospitals to reduce health care expenditure for patients, while improving the efficiency and quality of hospital services. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of the HSEP on the performance of 15 hospitals affiliated with Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (KUMS), located in the western region of Iran.
Design/methodology/approach
The Pabon Lasso model was used to measure the performance of hospitals before and after the implementation of the HSEP in 2013-2014 and 2015-2016, respectively. Three indicators of average length of stay (ALoS), bed occupancy rate (BOR) and bed turnover rate (BTR) were analyzed by the Pabon Lasso model.
Findings
The results showed that the average ALoS, BTR and BOR before the introduction of the HSEP were 2.59 days, 92 times and 57 percent, respectively, and the corresponding figures for these indicators after the implementation of the HSEP were 2.61 days, 98.9 times and 59.9 percent. The results indicated that before the introduction of the HESP, 40 percent of hospitals were in zone 1 (poor performance: low BTR and BOR and high ALoS), 27 percent in zone 2, 20 percent in zone 3 (good performance: high BTR and BOR and low ALoS) and 13 percent in zone 4. After the HSEP, the proportion of hospitals in zones 1-4 was 33, 27, 20 and 20 percent, respectively.
Originality/value
This study is the first to use the Pabon Lasso model technique to evaluate the impact of the HSEP on hospitals affiliated with KUMS.
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Achmad Sani and Vivin Maharani Ekowati
The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of Islamic spirituality toward organizational citizenship behavior from Islamic perspective (OCBIP), influence Islamic…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of Islamic spirituality toward organizational citizenship behavior from Islamic perspective (OCBIP), influence Islamic spirituality toward OCBIP in which spirituality at work and organizational commitment become mediators and influence of OCBIP toward working performance.
Design/methodology/approach
The study was categorized as an explanatory research. The setting of the study was the branch office of BRI Syariah in Malang. The population was employees of the branch office. The samples were 217 employees of BRI Syariah Malang. With an estimated population of 193 individuals and a 5 per cent confidence level, the total samples were 150 employees, including the supervisors. The sampling technique was proportional random sampling, in which all members of the population have an equal chance to become a sample based on proportion per section (Sekaran, 2003). The data were primary data obtained through questionnaires. The questionnaire consisted of question items on Islamic spirituality, workplace spirituality, organizational commitment and OCBIP. The data analysis technique was partial least squares (PLS).
Findings
Islamic spirituality is not directly influencing toward OCBIP, spirituality at work and organizational commitment as moderation variables in the influence of Islamic spirituality toward OCB IP, OCBIP had influence toward working performance. Higher OCBIP would result in better working performance accepted, and at the opposite, lower OCBIP would result in poorer working performance.
Originality/value
There are some limitations of previous studies that examine spirituality relationships with OCB. Nasrudin et al. (2013) and Kazemipour et al. (2012) found significant correlations between spirituality with OCB, but there is an inconsistency of research findings to suggest that spirituality has no direct effect on OCB, but through individual perceptions of organization. As the study of spirituality with OCB is still limited, this study attempts to explain OCB from an Islamic perspective, to propose a framework on Islamic spirituality, spirituality at work as an individual source of OCB and moderation of organizational commitment using Djafri and Noordin’s (2017) and previous empirical studies, with an aim to integrate the spirituality and OCB in a model that can be used to better understand OCB. It is hoped that this model development will reduce the scarcity of literature on spirituality with OCB through organizational commitment. This will help the organization to understand the role of spirituality and organizational commitment to improve OCB of employees that ultimately will improve organizational performance.