The arrival of the personal computer in education did not appear to be greatly significant at first; it did not serve any obvious educational goal, and software was inaccessible…
Abstract
The arrival of the personal computer in education did not appear to be greatly significant at first; it did not serve any obvious educational goal, and software was inaccessible, unappealing and impractical, which decreased the popularity of the use of computers for educational purposes. The same seemed to apply to the use of the Internet for education. Properly tailored multimedia software, however, could open up all kinds of possibilities: telematics could give existing educational software a new dimension. There are seven stages to preparing and developing education in the “telelearning environment”: planning the educational route; formalizing the route and signing up; exchange of information about all aspects of the route to the student; practising and sending in first assignments; processing of the assignment data; evaluating the assignments and distribution of new assignments; and final tests. Although, at this point, none of these stages is yet operative, experiments have already taken place and will continue to take place in this area. All this will enhance drastic changes for everyone involved with education: the traditional and classical educational setting, where all teaching responsibilities ‐ preparation, execution and follow‐up care ‐ were carried out by the teacher himself will be replaced by a new way of teaching, based on paying more attention to the individual student, forcing the teacher to delegate educational responsibilities, and increasing the independence of pupils and their responsibility for their own educational development.
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Haleh Mousavi Isfahani, Sogand Tourani and Hesam Seyedin
In the recent few years, the Lean management has made significant improvements in providing quality service to patients in many health-care centers. Thus, this study aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
In the recent few years, the Lean management has made significant improvements in providing quality service to patients in many health-care centers. Thus, this study aims to systematically review features and results of conducted studies using a lean management approach in hospitals.
Design/methodology/approach
In this systematic review, eight databases, including PubMed, Web of Knowledge, Google Scholar, Scopus, Iranmedex, SID, Magiran and Medlib, were searched using keywords including “Lean principles,” “Lean Six Sigma,” “Lean Process SID,” “Lean thinking,” “Lean Methodology,” “Toyota Production System lean processing,” “lean techniques” and “hospital,” as well as their Persian equivalents. Required data were extracted using an extraction table and were analyzed using content analysis method.
Findings
Out of 967 identified articles, 48 articles were included in the study. Most of the studies have been conducted in developed countries such as America, Britain, The Netherlands and Canada. The highest number of studies has been conducted in the overall hospital and emergency departments. Lean Six Sigma and Lean methodology were the most frequent terms used for lean management. The five-phase Six Sigma methodology was one of the most important methods used for the implementation of the Lean management. Performing the process at the first time (timing) and length of stay had the highest frequencies among indicators assessed in the studies. All indicators assessed in the studies have improved after the implementation of Lean management. Among 150 assessed indicators, 69 were meaningfully improved (p < 0.05) and 12 indicators did not have a meaningful improvement (p > 0.05) and 69 indicators did not show any meaningful changes.
Practical implications
A number of implications are drawn out to aid academics, practitioners and policymakers in improving knowledge and skills. The elimination of production wastes is the most important principle of Lean thinking and paying attention to the clients and increasing the value. This will significantly improve quality of services to the patients and reduce costs and losses through preventing wastes. Suitable metrics in Lean management need to be established. A move to placing greater emphasis on understanding the contexts in which theory is implemented is another application.
Research/limitation
The limitation of this study is selection of studies in English and Persian language, excluding gray literatures and unpublished studies and relying on a relatively limited number of databases for the identification of potentially eligible studies. In addition, because of the enormous heterogeneity in the methods and results of the studies, performing a meta-analysis in this study was not possible.
Originality/value
The results of this study show that there were many dispersions and heterogeneities in the way of implementation and content of Lean management in hospitals.
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Claire Curran, Martin Knapp and Jennifer Beecham
This paper brings together findings from current research into mental health and employment from an economic perspective. The economic impact of reduced employment and…
Abstract
This paper brings together findings from current research into mental health and employment from an economic perspective. The economic impact of reduced employment and productivity for people with mental health problems is described from both individual and societal viewpoints. Interventions reported to have an impact on employment are considered, looking at both clinical interventions that have reported employment outcomes and interventions that have as their primary target the improvement of employment outcomes. The paper also describes the impact of common mental health problems on employment and productivity and reports the findings of some studies in this area. However, the quantity and quality of economic information in this area are limited.
Ian Palmer, Richard Dunford, Thekla Rura‐Polley and Ellen Baker
A common argument is that organizations should adopt new organizational practices, in order to respond to the hyper‐competitive business environment. The assumption underlying…
Abstract
A common argument is that organizations should adopt new organizational practices, in order to respond to the hyper‐competitive business environment. The assumption underlying this argument is that such adoption generally entails the replacement of traditional practices. We suggest, instead, that managers are more likely to be managing simultaneously both new and old organizational practices. We explore our position through an investigation of the use of remote collaboration technologies in film production. In our study of US, UK and Australian film production houses we identify seven organizational dualities which characterize remote collaborations: creative work/routines, freedom/constraint, trust/control, artistic excellence/cost effectiveness, collaboration/competition, emotional/rational and closeness/remoteness. One side of each relationship represents organizational practices commonly associated with traditional forms of organizing, while the other represents those practices commonly associated with new forms of organizing. The coexistence of these dualities suggests that new organizational forms are not replacing traditional forms but rather co‐exist with, and become incorporated into, remolded traditional forms.
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Kristen Bell De Tienne and G. Stoney Alder
Employee evaluation and monitoring have been common in America since colonial times. With industrialization, employers have implemented increasingly creative ways to monitor…
Abstract
Employee evaluation and monitoring have been common in America since colonial times. With industrialization, employers have implemented increasingly creative ways to monitor employees. For example, in the early part of this century, Ford Motor Company employed investigators to enter employees' homes to verify that employees were not overly drinking and that their homes were clean
R.B. Lambert and A. Simon
This paper presents an integrated regulatory model to protect depositors in the event of a retail financial institution run or failure. In Australia, many of the factors included…
Abstract
This paper presents an integrated regulatory model to protect depositors in the event of a retail financial institution run or failure. In Australia, many of the factors included in this model are either not in existence, or if in existence have not been fully implemented. A review of regulatory arrangements for retail financial institutions in Australia is warranted in the light of these deficiencies.
To develop the notion of centrality in e‐government (EG) research, and to base the identification of central research areas on that principle. To pave the path towards a more…
Abstract
Purpose
To develop the notion of centrality in e‐government (EG) research, and to base the identification of central research areas on that principle. To pave the path towards a more integrated understanding of EG and its phenomena.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper analyzes which disciplines contribute to EG. It scrutinizes the scope and orientation of disciplines involved and invested EG. Key high‐level variables in EG are derived from the literature. It is analyzed to what extent major EG phenomena are impacted by those variables and their interaction, which leads to the development of the principle of centrality. Central research areas of EG are identified based on the centrality principle. The integrative interdisciplinary research approach in EG is linked to trends in global science.
Findings
The paper finds the areas of transformation, integration, participation, and (information) preservation to be central to EG. It also identifies strong drivers in central EG research towards an integrative interdisciplinary approach.
Research limitations/implications
A systematic review of the extant EG literature is still missing but could be guided by the centrality principle.
Practical implications
When addressing the central areas, EG might manage to develop into an integrative science. In that case, its research results would likely be highly relevant to government practice and academia alike.
Originality/value
The paper develops and defines the principle of centrality in EG research. It identifies central research areas in EG and distinguishes those from non‐central research areas in EG. In so doing, the paper provides guidance and focus, particularly, for integrative EG research.
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Compares experimental (eg. prototyping) and analytical (eg.specifying) approaches in systems design. Derives ′The Principle ofLimited Reduction′. Defines this as: “Relying on an…
Abstract
Compares experimental (eg. prototyping) and analytical (eg. specifying) approaches in systems design. Derives ′The Principle of Limited Reduction′. Defines this as: “Relying on an analytical mode of operation to reduce complexity introduces new sources of uncertainty requiring experimental countermeasures; relying on an experimental mode of operation to reduce complexity introduces new sources of uncertainty requiring analytical countermeasures”. Concludes that a mixed approach is best, but warns that this is as yet (1992) hypothetical.
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Kurukulasuriya Dinesh Udana Devindra Fernando and Nawalage Seneviratne Cooray
Introduction: In the context of Sri Lanka, this study compares how institutions and financial development (FD) affect economic growth (EG) and inclusive growth (IG).Purpose: The…
Abstract
Introduction: In the context of Sri Lanka, this study compares how institutions and financial development (FD) affect economic growth (EG) and inclusive growth (IG).
Purpose: The well-structured administration and judicial system at the provincial level have been established against the socioeconomic vulnerabilities in the country for an extended period. Still, the country as a whole and provincial level is experiencing huge income and social inequality, though there are required provisions for enhancing the well-being of the people.
Methodology: The study consists of data from the nine provinces from 2013 to 2019. The analysis used the Dynamic Spatial Durbin Model (D-SDM) to explore the spatial dependencies between the provinces. Two models were developed: the interaction of the financial service activities (FSA) and insurance, reinsurance, and pension (INPEN), representing the FD with the EG and IG with and without. The IG index was estimated by principal component analysis (PCA) using indicators of the four dimensions. The results indicated spatial dependency among FD’s interaction with EG when provincial tax (PROTAX) and provincial expenses (PROEXP) are the provincial institutions.
Findings: The IG model results showed the IG’s spatial dependency moderated by the FD and only the IG model between the provinces. PROEXP showed a significant positive spillover impact among provinces towards the IG.
Practical Implications: The finding inform economic policy making while identifying weaknesses in existing local governments. Attention must be given to how poverty can be reduced, enhancing the well-being of the people with the proper channelling of finance and government institutional mechanisms.
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Grahame Simpson and Martine Simons
Positive sexual growth is a key developmental challenge for all children and adolescents. An acquired brain injury (ABI) can create major hurdles to achieving this goal. A…
Abstract
Positive sexual growth is a key developmental challenge for all children and adolescents. An acquired brain injury (ABI) can create major hurdles to achieving this goal. A conceptual model will be outlined that suggests sexual growth is achieved by progress across six domains, namely: social competence versus social isolation; identity formation, individuation and independence versus dependence and lack of individual identity; physical development versus physical challenge; sexually informed and educated versus sexually ignorant and uneducated; sexually experienced versus sexually inexperienced; and sexually appropriate behaviour versus sexually inappropriate behaviour. The ability to form successful peer relationships is a key mediating factor in the developmental process. Drawing on this model, a number of strategies will be outlined that support the positive sexual development of children and adolescents after ABI.