Search results for: top management support

Authors: Mahtab Talafian

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With the advent of technology over the last decades, participation in online communities and discussion forums has become increasingly popular. Many studies have been done on the negative role of the online world on human beings’ psychological well-being and mental health, while relatively less attention has been given to the potentially positive role of technology in promoting mental health. Miscarriage is a common and emotionally challenging experience for women, and online communities seem to be a potential source of support for them. This study aimed to firstly find the most common types of support communicated in online communities of women who have miscarried and, secondly, investigate if there is a relationship between participation in online communities and mental health outcomes after miscarriage. In this study, three research methodologies, including content analysis, survey and interview, were employed to answer the research questions. With the analysis of 158 messages, including postings and comments in the online community of Mumsnet, it can be concluded that informational support and emotional support are the most prevalent types of support women share in the online community. Analysis of data gathered from the survey of 19 women who had experienced a miscarriage during the last year showed that participation in online communities makes a significant improvement in their mental health. Interviews also highlighted the helpful role of the online community in relieving emotional disorders, such as trauma, hopelessness, loneliness, stress, depression and anxiety about miscarriage.

Keywords: mental health, miscarriage, online community, support

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Authors: Saeideh Lotfi Nikoo, Azadeh Ghaheri, Reza Omani Samani

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Context: In most cultures around the globe, infertility is recognized as a crisis and exposed infertile couples are under psychosocial pressure. Indeed, the quality of life (QoL) for infertile women is lower in comparison with fertile control. Objective, The purpose of this study, was to investigate the impact of social support and hope on QoL in women undergoing infertility treatment. Methods: A cross-sectional study. Patient(s): In this cross-sectional study, 350 infertile women were recruited who were referred to an infertility clinic for the first time and had no history of Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) failure. Intervention(s): Questionnaires on the Fertility Quality of Life (FertiQoL), Multi-dimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (family and friends), and Snyder Hope Scale (pathway and agency) were used to collect data. Data analysis was done by univariate and multivariate analysis. P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Result(s): Multivariate analysis indicated that infertile women with a higher score of social support (by family & friends) (b= 0.59 (CI 95%: 0.03, 1.15) (P = 0.040), b= 0.61 (CI 95%: 0.17, 1.04) (P = 0.006)) and hope (pathway & agency) (b= 0.94 (CI 95%: 0.29, 1.59) (P = 0.005), b= 1.13 (CI 95%: 0.45, 1.82) (P = 0.001) respectively) have significantly better Core FertiQoL. The result revealed that social support and hope are significantly and positively associated with other subscales of FertiQoL as well. Conclusions: According to the results, lifestyle interventions such as receiving social support, building a sound family with effective communication, and providing appropriate health education are of crucial importance to address psychological distress and improve the fertility QoL of women experiencing fertility problems.

Keywords: inertility, social support, infertile women, hope

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Authors: A. Gagat-Matuła

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The article is concerned in the issue of social support and quality of life of youth suffering from cerebral palsy, who are temporarily orphaned due to the emigration of a parent. Migration causes multi-aspect consequences in various spheres of life. They are particularly severe for the functioning of families. Temporal parting of parents and children, especially the disabled, is a difficult situation. In this case, the family structure is changed, as well as the quality of life of its members. Children can handle migration parting in a better or worse way; these can be divided into properly functioning and manifesting behaviour disorders. In conditions of the progressing phenomenon of labour migration of Poles and a wide spectrum of consequences for the whole social life, it is essential to undertake actions aimed at support of migrants and their families. This article focuses mainly on social support and quality of families members, of which, are the labour migrants perceived by youth suffering from cerebral palsy. The quantitative method was used in this study. In the study, the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) by Diener, was used. The analysed group consisted of 50 persons (37 girls and 13 boys), aged 16 years to 18 years, whose parents are labour migrants. The results indicate that the quality of life and social support for youth suffering from cerebral palsy who are temporarily orphaned is at a low and average level.

Keywords: social support, quality of life, migration, cerebral palsy

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Authors: Fouad Abdulameer Salman, Aziz Bin Deraman, Masita Binti Abdul Jalil

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Usability evaluation is essential for developing usable software systems, yet its integration within agile software development remains a challenging interdisciplinary endeavour. In this paper, the authors present a study to investigate obstacles of such integration from the management perspective. The study incorporates two methods, namely an online questionnaire survey and a series of interviews with participants that answered the questionnaire. Based on the obtained results, a unified approach is proposed for enabling coordinate the efforts of agile developers and usability engineers to produce usable software systems.

Keywords: usability, usability evaluation, software development process, usability management

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Authors: Mona M. Salem, Khaled S. Al-Hagla, Hany M. Ayad

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The concept of urban metabolism has increasingly been employed in a diverse range of disciplines as a mean to analyze and theorize the city. Urban ecology has a particular focus on the implications of applying the metabolism concept to the urban realm. This approach has been developed by a few researchers, though it has rarely if ever been used in policy development for city planning. The aim of this research is to use ecologically informed urban planning interventions to increase the sustainability of urban metabolism; with special focus on land stock as a most important city resource by developing a system dynamic based DSS. This model identifies two critical management strategy variables for the Strategic Urban Plan Alexandria SUP 2032. As a result, this comprehensive and precise quantitative approach is needed to monitor, measure, evaluate and observe dynamic urban changes working as a decision support system (DSS) for policy making.

Keywords: ecology, land resource, LULCC, management, metabolism, model, scenarios, system dynamics, urban development

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Authors: Sadia Bibi, Karim Ullah

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Islamic banks have excess liquidity, which needs proper management to earn a high rate of return on them to remain competitive. However, they lack assets-backed avenues and rely on a few sukuks, which led them to liquidity management issues. Financial engineering comes forward to innovate and develop instruments for the requisite financial problem. Still, they face many challenges, explored in the context of liquidity management in Islamic banks. The rigorous literature review shows that Shariah compliance, competition from the conventional banks, lack of sufficient instruments, derivatives are still not accepted as legitimate products, the inter-bank market being less developed, and no possibility of lender of last resort is the six significant constraints to financial engineering for liquidity management of Islamic banks. To further explore the problem, a multiple case study strategy is used to extend and develop the theory with the philosophical stance of social constructivism. Narrative in-depth interviews over the telephone are conducted with key personnel at treasury departments of selected banks. Data is segregated and displayed using NVivo 11 software, and the thematic analysis approach identifies themes related to the constraints. The exploration of further constraints to financial engineering for liquidity management of Islamic banks achieves the research aim. The theory is further developed by the addition of three more constraints to the theoretical framework, which are i) lack of skilled human resources, ii) lack of unified vision, and iii) lack of government support to the Islamic banks. These study findings are fruitful for the use of the government, regulatory authorities of the banking sector, the State Bank of Pakistan (Central Bank), and the product design & development division of Islamic banks to make the financial engineering process feasible and resolve liquidity management issues of Islamic banks.

Keywords: financial engineering, liquidity management, Islamic banks, shariah compliance

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Authors: David de Oliveira Costa, Miguel Ângelo Lellis Moreira, Carlos Francisco Simões Gomes, Daniel Augusto de Moura Pereira, Marcos dos Santos

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Strategic management is a fundamental process for global companies that intend to remain competitive in an increasingly dynamic and complex market. To do so, it is necessary to maintain alignment with their principles and values. The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) proposes to ensure that the overall business performance is based on different perspectives (financial, customer, internal processes, and learning and growth). However, relying solely on the BSC may not be enough to ensure the success of strategic management. It is essential that companies also evaluate and prioritize strategic projects that need to be implemented to ensure they are aligned with the business vision and contribute to achieving established goals and objectives. In this context, the proposition involves the incorporation of the SAPEVO-M multicriteria method to indicate the degree of relevance between different perspectives. Thus, the strategic objectives linked to these perspectives have greater weight in the classification of structural projects. Additionally, it is proposed to apply the concept of the Impact & Probability Matrix (I&PM) to structure and ensure that strategic projects are evaluated according to their relevance and impact on the business. By structuring the business's strategic management in this way, alignment and prioritization of projects and actions related to strategic planning are ensured. This ensures that resources are directed towards the most relevant and impactful initiatives. Therefore, the objective of this article is to present the proposal for integrating the BSC methodology, the SAPEVO-M multicriteria method, and the prioritization matrix to establish a concrete weighting of strategic planning and obtain coherence in defining strategic projects aligned with the business vision. This ensures a robust decision-making support process.

Keywords: MCDA process, prioritization problematic, corporate strategy, multicriteria method

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Authors: Rahat Zaman

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The present study was conducted to investigate psychological well-being and positive and negative affect among adults. The sample comprised 221 adults; the sample was collected from all over Pakistan. Psychological well-being was measured with the help of the psychological well-being scale developed by Ryff and Keyes (1995). Lifestyle was measured with the help of the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile Scale developed by Walker et al. (1995). Positive and negative effects were measured by PANAS, developed by Watson, Clark, and Tellegen (1998). To check the properties of scale, the alpha reliability coefficient was calculated. To test the hypotheses of the research, correlation, independent sample t-rest, and ANOVA were computed. It was hypothesized that there would be a positive relationship between psychological well-being and lifestyles and positive affect. The results show that psychological well-being, lifestyle, and positive affect are positively related. This also supports our hypothesis. The research also searched for relationships in the study variables according to the demographics of the sample. The respondents varied according to their dominant affect levels with respect to their psychological well-being and lifestyles. The research found significant differences for the genders in life appreciation, nutrition, and negative affect. Single and married individuals differed significantly on autonomy, environmental mastery, life appreciation, nutrition, and stress management. Individuals showed significant differences with respect to their living situation, joint and nuclear family members showed significant differences in personal growth, autonomy, health responsibilities, social support, physical activities, and stress management. The sample showed significant differences in environmental mastery, personal growth, purpose in life, life appreciation, health responsibilities, physical activities, stress management, and negative affect when divided in socioeconomic status. Age-wise analysis showed significant differences in autonomy, personal growth, purpose in life, life appreciation, nutrition, and stress management. Provincially significant differences were found in life appreciation, nutrition, social support, physical activities, and stress management, and both positive and negative effects were experienced. Implications of the results are discussed.

Keywords: wellbeing, healthy lifestyle, self acceptance, positive

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Authors: R. Setino, I. M. Ambe, J. A Badenhorst-Weiss

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The South African government supply chain management system is not adequately implemented in State Owned Enterprises (SOEs). There are weaknesses in the SOEs SCM enablers, strategies and policies. In addition, top management of SOEs still do not see SCM as strategic enough to deserve their attention, and therefore, there is very little support from top management, thus making it even difficult for SCM practitioners to execute their day to day functions, let alone delivering the letter and spirit of the relevant legislations. Supply chain strategies lack buy in from the top, and as a result senior SCM practitioners has not been involved in the corporate strategy. This has resulted in supply chain and corporate strategies being misaligned. Due to service delivery backlog, high level of corruption and continuous strikes across the country for better services it is inevitable that government leaders be more strategic about how South Africa can use SCM as a tool to improve service delivery. Consequently, there is a need to close the gap between the strategic level dealt by top management and the application of operational SCM concepts: the use of SCM concepts and, therefore, supply chain strategies – should be aligned with the corporate and business strategies in order to ensure the achievement of top level business objectives. This paper aims to explore supply chain practices in State Owned Enterprises (SOEs). The paper based on a conceptual review provides the status, trends and development and suggests a framework for aligning supply chain strategies and organizational strategies in an SOE environment.

Keywords: alignment, strategies, state owned enterprises, supply chain management, South Africa

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Authors: Mahmoud Mohamed Emam, Yasser Fathy Hendawy Al-Mahdy

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Higher education institutions (HEIs) in Arab countries have witnessed large scope transformations as a result of embracing globalised practices. The introduction of program academic accreditation in HEIs in the Arab context has been regarded as a change enterprise that has proponents and opponents. In essence, introducing new systems or practices trigger changes that may shatter employees at a given organization. Therefore, it is argued that the interaction between organizational, contextual, and individual-related variables are likely to determine how the organization succeeds in facing resistance to change. This study investigated a mediated-effects model of organizational support and citizenship behavior. The model proposes organizational support as an antecedent of citizenship behavior and commitment to change as a mediator in the organizational support–citizenship behavior relationship. Survey data were collected and analyzed from university faculty (n=221) using structural equation modeling. Findings showed that organizational support significantly contributes to increasedcitizenshipbehaviour and the commitment of university faculty to program accreditation as a change enterprise, which has a significant and direct impact on their citizenship behaviour. We conclude that university-level organizational support shapes faculty’s commitment to change both directly and indirectly. The findings have significant practical implications for HEIs in Arab countries when they introduce new practices that aim at improving institutional effectiveness.

Keywords: organizational support, accreditation, commitment, citizenship behaviour

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Authors: Maria Janet, Anita David, P. Vijayasamundeeswarimaria

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Introduction: The main purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of web-based and blended learning on Paediatric Basic Life Support on competency among undergraduate nursing students in selected nursing colleges in Chennai. Materials and methods: A descriptive pre-test and post-test study design were used for this study. Samples of 100 Fourth year B.Sc., nursing students at Sri Ramachandra Faculty of Nursing SRIHER, Chennai, 100 Fourth year B.Sc., nursing students at Apollo College of Nursing, Chennai, were selected by purposive sampling technique. The instrument used for data collection was Knowledge Questionnaire on Paediatric Basic Life Support (PBLS). It consists of 29 questions on the general expansion of Basic Life Support and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Prerequisites of Basic Life Support, and Knowledge on Paediatric Basic Life Support in which each question has four multiple choices answers, each right answer carrying one mark and no negative scoring. This questionnaire was formed with reference to AHA 2020 (American Heart Association) revised guidelines. Results: After the post-test, in the web-based learning group, 58.8% of the students had an inadequate level of objective performance score, while 41.1% of them had an adequate level of objective performance score. In the blended learning group, 26.5% of the students had an inadequate level of an objective performance score, and 73.4% of the students had an adequate level of an objective performance score. There was an association between the post-test level of knowledge and the demographic variables of undergraduate nursing students undergoing blended learning. The age was significant at a p-value of 0.01, and the performance of BLS before was significant at a p-value of 0.05. The results show that there was a significant positive correlation between knowledge and objective performance score of undergraduate nursing students undergoing web-based learning on paediatric basic life support.

Keywords: basic life support, paediatric basic life support, web-based learning, blended learning

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Authors: Prakash Singh

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Far-reaching organizational and structural changes are required to address the severe imbalances in the provision and strong bureaucratic controls in many organizations at all levels. Transformational collegial leadership (TCL) is a collective action generated by transforming leadership which empowers all individuals who participate in this process, whether it is in business or education, or in any other organization. Recent research is strongly supportive of collegiality as a key factor in transforming traditional bureaucratic management practices (TBMPs) in organizations. The primary objective of this study was therefore to gauge the extent to which organizations have affected a shift from TBMPs towards TCL and how this can affect the development of human resources. This qualitative study investigated the impact of TCL on developing human resources in two organizations which were purposively selected to participate in this study. The findings of this study affirm that human resource development and TCL embrace the values of collaboration, confrontation, authenticity, trust, support and openness. In order to overcome TBMPs, a clear sense of direction must be communicated by collegial leaders throughout their organizations so that lower-level employees can initiate actions without the same degree of vulnerability. The TCL approach must respond to needs amongst followers and must look for motives, extrinsic and intrinsic, to satisfy those needs by enhancing opportunities, empowering people and giving more freedom, performance evaluation and the full support of the leader. Evidently, the collegial model emphasizes the valuing of individuals where there is a breadth of leadership and an absence of hierarchy.

Keywords: bureaucratic management model, human resource development, transformational collegial leadership model, transforming leader

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Authors: Teresa Leary Handy

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As awareness of the importance of diversity has increased in society, higher education has also begun to recognize the importance of supporting faculty of color. In the university setting, faculty women of color specifically encounter barriers that impact their level of job satisfaction, retention rates, and pedagogical practices. These barriers and challenges not only undermine faculty diversity efforts but also hinder the ability of colleges and universities to provide a supportive environment that fosters students' academic success and sense of belonging. Faculty who are marginalized and on the periphery in higher education institutions need support so that they can feel confident in building a student’s sense of belonging which can impact a student’s academic success and goal of earning a college degree. This study examined and sought to understand the importance of supporting faculty of color, specifically women faculty of color, and how this type of faculty support can impact student academic success and a student’s sense of belonging. The study furthered original research on strategies to move an institution forward on the equity spectrum to support belonging and inclusions as core culture elements.

Keywords: equity, inclusion, belonging, women, faculty support

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Authors: Florenda B. Cardinoza

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This study was conducted to determine the determinants of Grade III and grade VI pupils’ performance in the National Achievement Test in the Division of Cavite City, School Year 2011-2012. Specifically, the research aimed to: (1) describe the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of age, sex, birth order, family size, family income, and occupation of parents; (2) determine the level of attitude towards NAT; and (3) describe the degree of relationship between the following variables: school support, teachers’ support, and lastly family support for the pupils’ performance in 2012 NAT. The study used the descriptive-correlation research method to investigate the determinants of pupils’ performance in the National Achievement Test of Public Elementary Schools in the Division of Cavite City. The instrument used in data gathering was a self-structured survey. The NAT result for SY 2011-2012 provided by NETRC and DepEd Cavite City was also utilized. The statistical tools used to process and analyze the data were frequency distribution, percentage, mean, standard deviation, Kruskall Wallis, Mann-Whitney, t-test for independent samples, One-way ANOVA, and Spearman Rank Correlational Coefficient. Results revealed that there were more female students than males in the Division of Cavite City; out of 659 respondents, 345 were 11 years old and above; 390 were females; 283 were categorized as first child in the family; 371 of the respondents were from small family; 327 had Php5000 and below family income; 450 of the fathers’ respondents were non professionals; and 431 of the mothers respondents had no occupation. The attitude towards NAT, with a mean of 1.65 and SD of .485, shows that respondents considered NAT important. The school support towards NAT, with a mean of 1.89 and SD of .520, shows that respondents received school support. The pupils had a very high attitude towards teachers’ support in NAT with a mean of 1.60 and SD of .572. Family support, with t-test of 16.201 with a p-value of 0.006, shows significant at 5 percent level. Thus, the determinants of pupils’ performance in NAT in terms of family support for NAT preparation is not significant according to their family income. The grade level, with the t-test is 4.420 and a p-value of 0.000, is significant at 5 percent level. Therefore, the determinants of pupils’ performance in NAT in terms of grade level for NAT preparation vary according to their grade level. For the determinants of pupils’ performance of NAT sample test for attitude towards NAT, school support, teachers’ support, and family support were noted highly significant with a p value of 0.000.

Keywords: achievement, determinants, national, performance, public, pupils', test

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Authors: Hotlan Siagian, Han Tae Hee

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This study aims to examine the effect of supplier trust and top management involvement on the supply chain risk management through buyer-supplier relationship. The population of the research is 44 Korean companies domiciled in East and Central Java of Indonesia. The respondent consists of a top management level from each company. Data collection used a questionnaire designed with five-item Likert scale. Collected data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) technique with SmartPLS software version 3.0 to examine the hypotheses. The result revealed that supplier trust has an effect on supply chain risk management, top management involvement affects supply chain risk management, supplier trust influences buyer-supplier relationship, top management involvement affects the buyer-supplier relationship, and buyer-supplier relationship affects supply chain risk management. The last finding is that buyer-supplier relationship empirically mediates the effect of supplier trust and top management involvement.

Keywords: buyer supplier relationship, supplier trust, supply chain risk management, top management involvement

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Authors: Birgit Reime, Sonja Gscheidle, Toni Hübener, Lara Hübener

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Suicide in individuals under 30 years is a global public health concern. The objective of this study was to identify strategies for the prevention of suicide and suicidal behavior preferred by adolescents and young adults who are vulnerable to suicidal behavior and by relevant experts. Using semi-structured interviews with n= 17 adolescents and young adults (18-25 years of age) and with n= 11 experts from relevant fields, we have applied an inductive approach and applied thematic content analysis. Six strategies for suicide prevention in young individuals were reported. These were digital solutions with appealing designs, anonymous support, trained peer support, spiritual support, improving existing structures, and raising suicide literacy. Accessibility of anonymous digital support may contribute to suicide prevention in young people.

Keywords: suicide prevention, adolescents, E-health, Germany

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Authors: Tomas Mitkus, Vaida Nedzinskaitė-Mitkė

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The objective of this study is to identify and explore how adequate is modern innovation support mechanism to developed creative industries. We argue that current development and support strategy for creative industries, although acknowledge high correlation between innovation and creativity, do not seek to improve conditions to promote systematic innovation development in the creative sector. Using the Lithuanian animation industry as a case study, this paper will examine innovation contribution to creativity and, for that matter, the competitiveness of animation enterprises. This paper proposes insights that contribute to theoretical and practical discussions on how creative profile companies build national and international competitiveness through innovations. The conclusions suggest that development of creative industries could greatly benefit if policymakers would implement tools that would encourage creative profile enterprises to invest in to development of innovation at a constant rate.

Keywords: creative industries, innovation policy, innovation, management

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Authors: Evgeniya Ivanova

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Nowadays, in the literature, there is still no fixed definition of knowledge management that often remains only as an academic discipline. The current market situation is changing very quickly, the need of new technologies is high, and knowledge management is the area that ensures that the know-how has not been lost during market development and adoption. The study examines how knowledge management is being leveraged and practiced in the management consultancy companies and provides not only the tips and best practices of applied knowledge management approaches but also the validation matrix for its successful or unsuccessful implementation. Different knowledge management approaches are explored on the basis of their practical implementation, including related challenges, knowledge sharing process, and barriers that are typical for consulting firms mostly driven by the agile working culture. The relevance of proposed topic is confirmed by the finding that corporate working culture and the exponentially developing technologies have a direct impact on the success of practical implementation of knowledge management.

Keywords: knowledge management, knowledge management in practice, consulting firm, knowledge management success

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Authors: Kyngäs Helvi, Patala-Pudas, Kaakinen Pirjo

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It has been reported that COPD -patients may experience much emotional distress, which can compromise positive health outcomes. The aim of this study was to explore disease-related uncertainty as reported by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients. Uncertainty was defined as a lack of confidence; negative feelings; a sense of confidence; and awareness of the sources of uncertainty. Research design was a non-experimental cross-sectional survey. The data (n=141) was collected by validated questionnaire during COPD -patients’ visits or admissions to a tertiary hospital. The response rate was 62%. The data was analyzed by statistical methods. Around 70% of the participants were male with COPD diagnosed many years ago. Fifty-four percent were under 65 years and used an electronic respiratory aid apparatus (52%) (oxygen concentrator, ventilator or electronic inhalation device). Forty-one percent of the participants smoked. Disease-related uncertainty was widely reported. Seventy-three percent of the participants had uncertainty about their knowledge of the disease, the pulmonary medication and nutrition. One-quarter (25%) did not feel sure about managing COPD exacerbation. About forty percent (43%) reported that they did not have a written exacerbation decision aid indicating how to act in relation to COPD symptoms. Over half of the respondents were uncertain about self-management behavior related to health habits such as exercise and nutrition. Over a third of the participants (37%) felt uncertain about self-management skills related to giving up smoking. Support from the care providers was correlated significantly with the patients’ sense of confidence. COPD -patients who felt no confidence stated that they received significantly less support in care. Disease-related uncertainty should be considered more closely and broadly in the patient care context, and those strategies within patient education that enhance adherence should be strengthened and incorporated into standard practice.

Keywords: adherence, COPD, disease-management, uncertainty

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Authors: P. Mormile, M. Rippa, G. Bonanomi, F. Scala, Changrong Yan, L. Petti

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Photo-reflective films represent, in the panorama of agricultural films, a valid support for Spring and Summer cultivations, both in open field and under greenhouse. In fact, thanks to the high reflectivity of these films, thermal aggression, that causes serious problems to plants when traditional black mulch films are used, is avoided. Yellow or silver colored photo-reflective films protect plants from damages, assure the mulching effect, give a valid support to Integrated Pest Management and, according to recent trials, greatly contribute in saving water. This further advantage is determined by the high water condensation under the mulch film and this gives rise to reduction of irrigation. Water saving means also energy saving for electric system of water circulation. Trials performed at different geographic and ambient context confirm that the use of photo-reflective mulch films during the hot season allows to save water up to 30%.

Keywords: photo-selective mulches, saving water, water circulation, irrigation

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Authors: Matthew Fleet, Savannah Elliott

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Background: This study investigates the use of teaching and learning to meet the needs of deaf children in the UK PE curriculum. Research has illustrated that deaf students in mainstream schools do not receive sufficient support from teachers in lessons. This research examines the impact of different types of hearing loss and its implications within Physical Education (PE) in secondary schools. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to highlight challenges PE teachers face and make recommendations for more inclusive learning environments for deaf students. The aims and objectives of this research are: to critically analyse the current situation for deaf students accessing the PE curriculum, by identifying barriers deaf students face; to identify the challenges for PE teachers in providing appropriate support for deaf students; to provide recommendations for deaf awareness training, to enhance PE teachers’ understanding and knowledge. Method: Semi-structured interviews collected data from both PE teachers and deaf students, to examine: the support available and coping mechanisms deaf students use when they do not receive support; strategies PE teachers use to provide support for deaf students; areas for improvement and potential strategies PE teachers can apply to their practice. Results & Conclusion: The findings from the study concluded that PE teachers were inconsistent in providing appropriate support for deaf students in PE lessons. Evidence illustrated that PE teachers had limited exposure to deaf awareness training. This impacted on their ability to support deaf students effectively. Communication was a frequent barrier for deaf students, affecting their ability to retain and learn information. Also, the use of assistive technology was found to be compromised in practical PE lessons.

Keywords: physical education, deaf, inclusion, education

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Authors: B. Suresh Reddy

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The over dependence on chemical fertilizers for nutrient management in crop production for the last few decades has led to several problems affecting soil health, environment and farmers themselves. Based on the field work done in 2012-13 with 1080 farmers of different size-classes in semi-arid regions of Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh states of India, this paper reveals that the farmers in semi-arid regions of India are actively managing soil fertility and other soil properties through a wide range of practices that are based on local resources and knowledge. It also highlights the socio-economic web woven around these soil fertility management practices. This study highlights the contribution of organic matter by traditional soil fertility management practices in maintaining the soil health. Livestock has profound influence on the soil fertility enhancement through supply of organic manure. Empirical data of this study has clearly revealed how farmers’ soil fertility management options are being undermined by government policies that give more priority to chemical fertiliser-based strategies. Based on the findings it is argued that there should be a 'level playing field' for both organic and inorganic soil fertility management methods by promoting and supporting farmers in using organic methods. There is a need to provide credit to farmers for adopting his choice of soil fertility management methods which suits his socio-economic conditions and that best suits the long term productivity of soils. The study suggests that the government policies related to soil fertility management must be enabling, creating the conditions for development based more on locally available resources and local skills and knowledge. This will not only keep Indian soils in healthy condition but also support the livelihoods of millions of people, especially the small and marginal farmers.

Keywords: livestock, organic matter, small farmers, soil fertility

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Authors: Rabab Makki, Deputy Chief Dietitian

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Malnutrition is commonly seen in Liver Disease patients. Prevalence of malnutrition in cirrhosis, is as high as 65-90%. Protein depletion and reduced muscle function are common. There are many mechanisms of malnutrition in liver cirrhosis e.g. insulin resistance, low respiratory quotient, increased glucogenesis etc. Nutrition support improves outcome in patients unable to maintain an intake of 35-40 Kcal/kg and 1.2-1.5 gm/kg/day. Simple methods of assessment such as subjective global assessment, calorie counting, MMC are useful. The value of BCAAs remains uncertain despite a considerable number of studies. Normal protein diets have been given safely to patients with hepatic encephalopathy. Restriction of protein not more than 48 hours pre- and pro-biotic, glutamine, fish oil etc are all part of the latest advanced techniques used.

Keywords: liver cirrhosis, omega 3 for liver disease, nutrition management, malnutrition

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Authors: Jan-Philipp Schiele, Karsten Schlinkmeier

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Allocation of scarce resources is a core process of traditional project portfolio management. However, with the popularity of agile methodology, established concepts and methods of portfolio management are reaching their limits and need to be adapted. Consequently, the question arises of how the process of resource allocation can be managed appropriately in scaled agile environments. The prevailing framework SAFe offers Weightest Shortest Job First (WSJF) as a prioritization technique, butestablished companies are still looking for methodical adaptions to apply WSJF for prioritization in portfolios in a more goal-oriented way and aligned for their needs in practice. In this paper, the relevant problem of prioritization in portfolios is conceptualized from the perspective of coordination and related mechanisms to support resource allocation. Further, an Action Design Research (ADR) project with case studies in a finance company is outlined to develop a practically applicable yet scientifically sound prioritization method based on coordination theory. The ADR project will be flanked by consortium research with various practitioners from the financial and insurance industry. Preliminary design requirements indicate that the use of a feedback loop leads to better team and executive level coordination in the prioritization process.

Keywords: scaled agility, portfolio management, prioritization, business-IT alignment

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Authors: R. Tariq, R. Lee

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Background: Heywood, Middleton & Rochdale Urgent Community Care Team (UCCT)1 is a great example of using a multidisciplinary team to cope with demand. The service reduces unnecessary admissions to hospitals and ensures that patients can leave the hospital quicker by making care more readily available within the community and patient’s homes. The team comprises nurses, community practitioners, and allied health professions, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, pharmacy, and GPs. The main challenge for a team with a range of experiences and skill sets is to maintain consistency of care, which technology can help address. Allied healthcare professionals (HCPs) are often used in expanded roles with duties mainly involving patient consultations and decision making to ease pressure on doctors. The Clinical Reasoning Platform (CRP) Dem Dx is used to support new as well as experienced professionals in the decision making process. By guiding HCPs through diagnosing patients from an expansive directory of differential diagnoses, patients can receive quality care in the community. Actions on the platform are determined using NICE guidelines along with local guidance influencing the assessment and management of a patient. Objective: To compare the clinical assessment, decisions, and actions taken by the UCCT multidisciplinary team in the community and Dem Dx, using retrospective clinical cases. Methodology: Dem Dx was used to analyse 192 anonymised cases provided by the HMR UCCT. The team’s performance was compared with Dem Dx regarding the quality of the documentation of the clinical assessment and the next steps on the patient’s journey, including the initial management, actions, and any onward referrals made. The cases were audited by two medical doctors. Results: The study found that the actions outlined by the Dem Dx platform were appropriate in almost 87% of cases. When in a direct comparison between DemDX and the actions taken by the clinical team, it was found that the platform was suitable 83% (p<0.001) of the time and could lead to a potential improvement of 66% in the assessment and management of cases. Dem Dx also served to highlight the importance of comprehensive and high quality clinical documentation. The quality of documentation of cases by UCCT can be improved to provide a detailed account of the assessment and management process. By providing step-by-step guidance and documentation at every stage, Dem Dx may ensure that legal accountability has been fulfilled. Conclusion: With the ever expanding workforce in the NHS, technology has become a key component in driving healthcare outcomes. To improve healthcare provision and clinical reasoning, a decision support platform can be integrated into HCPs’ clinical practice. Potential assistance with clinical assessments, the most appropriate next step and actions in a patient’s care, and improvements in the documentation was highlighted by this retrospective study. A further study has been planned to ascertain the effectiveness of improving outcomes using the clinical reasoning platform within the clinical setting by clinicians.

Keywords: allied health professional, assessment, clinical reasoning, clinical records, clinical decision-making, ocumentation

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Authors: Elzbieta Sikorska-Simmons

Abstract:

Dementia is a progressive terminal disease. Despite this recognition, research shows that most family caregivers do not know it, and it is unclear how this knowledge affects the quality of patient care. The aim of this qualitative study of 20 family caregivers for patients with advanced dementia is to examine how the caregiver's knowledge about dementia affects the quality of patient care in the context of healthcare decision-making, advanced care planning, and access to adequate support systems. Knowledge about dementia implies family caregivers' understanding of dementia trajectories, common symptoms/complications, and alternative treatment options (e.g., comfort feeding versus tube feeding). Data were collected in semi-structured interviews with 20 family caregivers. The interviews were conducted in person by the author and designed to elicit rich descriptions of family caregivers' experiences with healthcare decision-making and the management of common symptoms/complications of end-stage dementia as patient healthcare proxies. The study findings suggest that caregivers who recognize that dementia is a terminal disease are less likely to opt for life-extending treatments during the advanced stages. They are also more likely to seek palliative/hospice care, and consequently, they are better able to avoid unnecessary hospitalizations or medical procedures. For example, those who know that dementia is a terminal disease tend to opt for "comfort feeding" rather than "tube feeding" in managing the swallowing difficulties that accompany advanced dementia. In the context of advance care planning, family caregivers who know that dementia is a terminal disease tend to have more meaningful advance directives (e.g., Power of Attorney and Do Not Resuscitate orders). They are better prepared to anticipate common problems and pursue treatments that foster the best quality of patient life and care. Greater knowledge about advanced dementia helps them make more informed decisions that focus on enhancing the quality of patient life rather than just survival. In addition, those who know that dementia is a terminal disease are more likely to establish adequate support systems to help them cope with the complex demands of caregiving. For example, they are more likely to seek dementia-oriented primary care programs that offer house visits or respite services. Based on the study findings, knowledge about dementia as a terminal disease is critical in the optimal management of patient care needs and the establishment of adequate support systems. More research is needed to better understand what caregivers need to know to better prepare them for the complex demands of dementia caregiving.

Keywords: dementia education, family caregiver, management of dementia, quality of care

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Authors: Wuqi Yang, Sufeng Li, Linda Zhai, Zhizhong Yuan, Shengli Wang

Abstract:

How to assess and evaluate a not-for-profit (NFP) organisation’s performance should be of concern to all stakeholders because, amongst other things, without correctly evaluating its performance might affect an NFP being not able to continue to meet its service objectives. Given the growing importance of this sector in China, more and more existing and potential donors, governments and others are starting to take an increased interest in the financial conditions and performance of NFPs. However, when these various groups look for ways (methods) to assess the performance of NFPs, they find there has been relatively little research conducted into methods for assessing the performance of NFPs in China. Furthermore, there does not appear to have been any research to date into the performance evaluation of Chinese NFPs. The focus of this paper is to investigate how the Chinese government manages and evaluates not-for-profit (NFP) organisations' performances in China. Through examining and evaluating the NFPs in China from different aspects such as business development, mission fulfillment, financial position and other status, this paper finds some institutional constraints currently facing by the NFPs in China. At the end of this paper, a new regulatory framework is proposed for regulators’ considerations. The research methods are based on a combination of a literature review; using Balanced Scorecard to assess NFPs in China; Case Study method is employed to analyse a charity foundation’s performance in Hebei Province and proposing solutions to resolve the current issues and challenges facing by the NFPs. These solutions include: formulating laws and regulations on NFPs; simplifying management procedures, introducing tax incentives, providing financial support and other incentives to support the development of non-profit organizations in China. This study provides the first step towards a greater understanding of the NFP performance evaluation in China. It is expected that the findings and solutions from this study will be useful to anyone involved with the China NFP sector; particularly CEOs, managers, bankers, independent auditors and government agencies.

Keywords: Chinese non-profit organizations, evaluation, management, supervision

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Authors: O. I. Nkwonta, B. Dzwairo, J. Adeyemo, A. Jaiyola, N. Sawyerr, F. Otieno

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The effective management of water resources is of great importance to ensure the supply of water resources to support changing water requirements over a selected planning horizon and in a sustainable and cost-effective way. Essentially, the purpose of the water resources planning process is to balance the available water resources in a system with the water requirements and losses to which the system is subjected. In such situations, Water resources yield and planning model can be used to solve those difficulties. It has an advantage over other models by managing model runs, developing a representative system network, modelling incremental sub-catchments, creating a variety of standard system features, special modelling features, and run result output options.

Keywords: complex, water resources, planning, cost effective and management

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Authors: Asif Iqbal

Abstract:

Working capital management has its effect on liquidity as well as on profitability of a firm. In this research we have selected a sample of 100 respondents whose firms are listed on Karachi stock exchange. We have studied the effect of different variable s of working capital management. We find that organizations throughout the world as well as in Pakistan have to give immense recognition to the working capital management as it is an effective thing from their long term perspective especially to their shareholders to have a firm confidence over the companies for investment purpose.

Keywords: working capital management, Karachi stock exchange, shareholders, capital management

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Authors: Feride Eskin Bacaksiz, Aytolan Yildirim

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Practices voluntarily performed by organizations for their employees well-being, create an emotional imperative for employees in accordance with reciprocity norm. Changes in desired course occur in organizational outputs and attitudes towards organization among employees perceiving their organizations as virtuous and supportive. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of organizational virtuousness on performance and organizational identification levels of employees and mediating role of perceived organizational support in this relationship. The data of this descriptive and methodological study were collected from 336 nurses working in a public university hospital in 2015. Participant information form, Organizational Virtuousness, Perceived Organizational Support, Organizational Identification, and Employee Performance scales were used to collect the data. Descriptive, correlative, psychometric analyses and Structural Equation Modeling were performed for the data analysis. Most of the participants were female, under 30 years of age, graduated degrees and staff nurse. Mean scores obtained by the participants from scales were calculated as 3.43(SD=.99) for organizational virtuousness, 2.99 (SD=1.16) for perceived organizational support, 3.18 (SD=1.03) for organizational identification and 3.84 (SD=0.66) for employee performance. It was found that correlation between organizational virtuousness and employee performance regressed from r=0.64 to r=-0.01 and correlation between organizational virtuousness and organizational identification regressed from r=0.55 to r=-0.16 and became statistically non-significant (p < 0.05) via mediating role of perceived organizational support. According to the results, perceived organizational support assumes full mediation on the impact of organizational virtues of employee performance and organizational identification levels. Therefore, organizations, which intend to positively affect employees attitudes towards organization and their performance, should both extend organizational virtuous activities and affect perceptions of employees; whereas, employees should perceive that they are supported by their organization.

Keywords: employee performance, organizational identification, organizational virtuousness, perceived organizational support

Procedia PDF Downloads 356