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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the behaviors of India’s information technology (IT) and business process outsourcing (BPO) employees in relation to diet, exercise, sleep, stress, and social habits.

This was a qualitative research study, using in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Descriptive data were collected from a two-stage purposive sample of 28 IT-BPO employees from three IT companies and two BPOs in Bangalore, India.

The majority of interviewees reported having an unhealthy diet and/or sedentary lifestyle. Lack of time due to demanding work schedules was the largest barrier to diet and exercise. Call-centers were described as a social environment with a young workforce.

Given the qualitative study design and limited sampling frame, results may not be generalizable. However, the qualitative data suggests that India’s young IT-BPO employees may be at greater risk of lifestyle-related diseases than the general population. The data also suggests that interventions incorporating social influence may be a promising solution, particularly at international call centers.

There is a lack of literature on the lifestyle of IT-BPO employees in India. The results from this study provide qualitative insight on the motives for health behaviors of IT-BPO employees, as well as the barriers and facilitators for leading a healthy lifestyle in this industry. The findings provide the framework for future workplace wellness interventions.

Identifying and addressing poor nutritional status in school-aged children is often not prioritized relative to HIV/AIDS treatment. The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the benefits of integrating nutrition (assessment and culturally acceptable food supplement intervention) in the treatment strategy for this target group.

The authors conducted a randomized, double blind pre-/post-intervention trial with 201 HIV-positive children (six to 15 years) in Botswana. Eligibility included CD4 cell counts < 700/mm3 (a marker for the severity of HIV infection), documented treatment with antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, and no reported evidence of taking supplemental food products with one or more added nutrients in the six-month period prior to the study. The intervention (12 months) consisted of two food supplements for ethical reason, one with a higher protein content, bean (bean-sorghum based) group (n=97) and a cereal (sorghum) group (n=104) both of which contained added energy- and micro- nutrients. Anthropometric and biochemical nutritional status indicators (stunting, wasting, underweight, skinfolds for fat and muscle protein reserves, and hemoglobin levels) were compared within and between the bean and the cereal groups pre- and post-intervention separately for children six to nine years and ten to 15 years.

Older children (ten to 15 years) fared worse overall compared to those who were younger (six to nine years) children in anthropometric and protein status indicators both at baseline and post-intervention. Among children six to nine years, the mid arm circumference and blood hemoglobin levels improved significantly in both the bean and cereal groups (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). Although the BMI for age z-score and the triceps skinfold decreased significantly in the bean group, the post-intervention subscapular skinfold (fat stores) was significantly higher for the bean group compared to the cereal group (p < 0.05). Among children ten to 15 years, both the bean and the cereal groups also showed improvement in mid arm circumference (p < 0.001), but only those in the bean group showed improvement in hemoglobin (p < 0.01) post-intervention.

Similar significant nutritional status findings and trends were found for both food interventions and age within group pre- vs post-comparisons, except hemoglobin in the older children. Post-intervention hemoglobin levels for the type food supplement was higher for the “bean” vs the “cereal” food in the younger age group. The fact that all children, but especially those who were older were in poor nutritional status supports the need for nutrition intervention in conjunction with ARV treatment in children with HIV/AIDS, perhaps using a scaled up future approach to enhance desired outcomes.

This paper aims to examine the three dynamics of customer relationship management (CRM), namely, service quality (SQ), customer satisfaction (CS) and customer loyalty (CL) (long‐term relationship) in the healthcare sector. It specifically investigates the effects of physical environment quality (PEQ) and interaction quality (IQ) and significant components of SQ on outcome SQ dimensions, namely, CS and CL.

A total of 400 indoor patients from departments such as, general medicine, pediatrics, general surgery, gynecology, ENT and orthopedics were selected using proportionate stratified random sampling from May‐August 2007. Personal contact approach was used for contacting the respondents. Data validity and reliability were duly assessed using exploratory factor analysis. The data were then analyzed using structural equation modeling through AMOS.

Based on data analysis, the direct effect of CRM dynamics, i.e. PEQ and IQ on SQ and their ultimate effect on CS and CL is found to be significant. However, the model fit values came out poor as p (CMIN) (0.000), CMIN/DF (2,605.41), RMSEA (0.263), NFI (0.076), RFI (−0.066), IFI (0.078), TLI (−0.069) and CFI (0.074).

The cross‐sectional research design of the study does not offer nearly the same insight into the dynamics of CR as a longitudinal design study. The study analysed overall CS and CL as the major focus of the study was on the PEQ and IQ to understand impact of SQ on CRM outcomes and has ignored some antecedents that could help and explain customer perception more concretely. Further future studies could consider broader organization image typologies and measures in understanding CRM dynamics such as organizational excellence and customer value. This could become the future agenda for the upcoming studies.

PEQ needs to be improved by focusing on cleanliness of wards and toilets, peaceful atmosphere, supportive and additional facilities, clean drinking water, clean beddings, special services to the needy. IQ hospitals should organize training programmes to inculcate better attitudinal and behavioural skills to understand patients, giving them proper care, listening to and answering their queries. For better process quality, hospitals need to focus on effective administration functioning. The study concludes that there is need to improve CRM dynamics (PEQ and IQ) in the public healthcare to accomplish CRM objectives (CS and CL).

This study provides some important insights for CRM theory and practice. An understanding of SQ, CS and loyalty dynamics is a first step toward effective service management and the retention of customers in the long term. Three‐way interactions between the main effects of SQ, CS and loyalty yield additional insight into the relative importance of physical environment and IQ in customers' decision to be loyal, and that can provide a pave way for accomplishing CRM objectives.