Testing the Integrative Quality Care Assessment Tool (INQUAT)

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 120-144
Author(s):  
Rebecca Amati ◽  
Tommaso Bellandi ◽  
Amer A. Kaissi ◽  
Annegret F. Hannawa
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Continuity Of Care ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Quality Care ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Care Assessment ◽  
Quality Aspects ◽  
The Us

Purpose Identifying the factors that contribute or hinder the provision of good quality care within healthcare institutions, from the managers’ perspective, is important for the success of quality improvement initiatives. The purpose of this paper is to test the Integrative Quality Care Assessment Tool (INQUAT) that was previously developed with a sample of healthcare managers in the USA. Design/methodology/approach Written narratives of 69 good and poor quality care episodes were collected from 37 managers in Italy. A quantitative content analysis was conducted using the INQUAT coding scheme, to compare the results of the US-based study to the new Italian sample. Findings The core frame of the INQUAT was replicated and the meta-categories showed similar distributions compared to the US data. Structure (i.e. organizational, staff and facility resources) covered 8 percent of all the coded units related to quality aspects; context (i.e. clinical factors and patient factors) 10 percent; process (i.e. communication, professional diligence, timeliness, errors and continuity of care) 49 percent; and outcome (i.e. process- and short-term outcomes) 32 percent. However, compared to the US results, Italian managers attributed more importance to different categories’ subcomponents, possibly due to the specificity of each sample. For example, professional diligence, errors and continuity of care acquired more weight, to the detriment of communication. Furthermore, the data showed that process subcomponents were associated to perceived quality more than outcomes. Research limitations/implications The major limitation of this investigation was the small sample size. Further studies are needed to test the reliability and validity of the INQUAT. Originality/value The INQUAT is proposed as a tool to systematically conduct in depth analyses of successful and unsuccessful healthcare events, allowing to better understand the factors that contribute to good quality and to identify specific areas that may need to be targeted in quality improvement initiatives.

Does the indicator of relative need (IoRN2) tool improve inter-professional conversations?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy Barron ◽  
Elaine Gifford ◽  
Peter Knight ◽  
Helen Rainey
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Transformational Change ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
System Level ◽  
Professional Relationships ◽  
Total Quality ◽  
Improvement Project ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Improvement

PurposeThis paper provides an overview of an improvement project that explored whether the implementation of IoRN2, a validated freely available tool designed for any health or social care professional to use, resulted in improved conversations across professions within an integrated rehabilitative reablement service.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative descriptive evaluative approach was applied underpinned by quality improvement Lean and Total Quality Management (TQM) to capture perceptions, variables and IoRN2 value-add. Professionals' (N = 8) across Nursing, Allied Health Professions, Social Work, Quality Improvement and Support Workers participated in one-to-one semi-structured <1 h interviews. Recurring themes and experiences were identified.FindingsIoRN2 improved collaborative conversations. The evaluation of the tool demonstrated greatest impact when all professionals were IoRN2 trained. Participants, regardless of profession, believed that their conversations, professional relationships and outcomes improved when using IoRN2. When differing judgments arose with colleagues who were not IoRN2 trained, fear and tension emerged around trust, cultural manners and power play causing disconnects. Incorporating IoRN2 led to psychologically safe environments where trust, confidence and motivation to explore new creative conversations enhanced strength-based outcomes and helped to generate transformational change.Research limitations/implicationsThe small sample size offered transferable learning worthy of larger future study. The project lead was also the reablement service manager, which may have generated unintended influence.Originality/valueIoRN2 has the potential to improve how HSC professionals converse, acting as a catalytic tool for system-level integration, transformation and sustainable improvement.

scholarly journals Matching organizational frame of reference and business strategy with contemporary marketing practices

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 533-549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allam Abu Farha
Keyword(s):  
Business Strategy ◽  
Survey Methodology ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Frame Of Reference ◽  
Partial Least Square ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Marketing Practice ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate diversity of marketing practices of firms operating in the same environment, by identifying how management perception and business strategy (BS) fits with the choice of the marketing practice. Design/methodology/approach A model was developed and tested using survey methodology based on three well-validated research instruments. Data were analyzed using the partial least square approach. Findings The results showed that different marketing practice were coupled with different frame of reference, as well as different BS. These forces were found to be inter related, and internally coherent, resulting in viable configurational profiles. Research limitations/implications The research is unique and exploratory, and was conducted in three Arabic countries with a small sample size. For these reasons, generalizability is somewhat constrained. Practical implications The findings would help managers to carefully examine the internal logic of their marketing-related profiling; it can be used as an assessment tool, where performance should be enhanced if the variables are coherent. Originality/value To author’s knowledge this is the first study that inspect three variables that had been associated with decision making, but not integrated together in a holistic framework to explain marketing diversity. Additionally it identified four viable types of marketing practices with its corresponding frame of reference and BS. Therefore, the paper reports a work in an area not previously researched.

Improving new product development performance by risk management

2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 418-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehran Salavati ◽  
Milad Tuyserkani ◽  
Seyyede Anahita Mousavi ◽  
Nafiseh Falahi ◽  
Farshid Abdi
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Product Development ◽  
New Product Development ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
New Product ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Total Performance ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Npd Performance

Purpose The principal aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between technological, marketing, organizational and commercialization risk management on new product development (NPD) performance. Design/methodology/approach Based on questionnaire, the data were collected from a sample of general automotive industry in Iran. Based on theoretical considerations, a model was proposed and descriptive statistic and hierarchical regression were used to measure the relationship between risk management factors and NPD performance. Findings Data analysis revealed that if organization can amplify their knowledge and information about risk and main factors that affect NPD process, not only can they do their work better but can also increase their ability to predict future happenings that affect performance. Research limitations/implications First, due to the relatively small sample size, caution should be exercised when interpreting the results. Second, the data were collected from automotive producer in Iran, which may restrict to some extent generalizability of the findings. Practical implications The results suggest that managers should consider more attention to risk management. If managers spread the risk management in all aspects of the NPD project, total performance will be increased and it can develop the probability of NPD success. Also organizations should perform great market research due to best commercialization. Originality/value Past researches have presented complete information about NPD process. But identifying and considering the effect of the risk management parameters that are connected to the NPD process were the main thrusts to perform the study. In this paper, based on past research about risk management of NPD, the extra aspect of process that can improve total performance of NPD has been examined.

The categorization of expatriates and the support offered by host country nationals

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shirley C. Sonesh ◽  
Angelo S. DeNisi
Keyword(s):  
Host Country ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Host Country Nationals ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Expatriate Assignments ◽  
The Right ◽  
National Stereotypes

Purpose – Although several authors have suggested that host country nationals (HCNs) play an important role in the management of expatriates (e.g. Toh and DeNisi, 2003; Farh et al., 2010), research has also suggested that this relationship is not always good, and the flow of critical information to expatriates can be limited. This is especially true when HCNs categorize the expatriates as “out-group” members. The purpose of this paper is to examine potential determinants of categorization decisions as well as potential outcomes related to expatriate socialization. Design/methodology/approach – The paper employs a dyadic survey approach to determine the antecedents to expatriate categorization and HCN socialization behaviors from the perspective of both the expatriate and HCN. Findings – The results of survey data from 65 expatriate-HCN dyads indicated that expatriate ethnocentrism and the salience of the expatriates’ nationality were important predictors of categorization, but that categorization was related to only one dimension of socialization. However, affect was found to play a role in predicting socialization behaviors. Research limitations/implications – There is potential selection bias since expatriates chose HCNs as respondents, but results suggested this was not a serious problem. Other limitations include a relatively small sample size and the fact that a number of contextual issues such as national stereotypes and MNC strategy, are not controlled for. Practical implications – Implications of these findings for the successful management of expatriate assignments include sending over expatriates with the right relational skills, and those low in ethnocentrism, rather than just the right technical skills. Originality/value – The present study was one of the first to empirically test the potential role of categorization in the process of socialization.

Individuals' waste separation practice in a relationship with social bonds: a case study of Hanoi, Vietnam

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thi Kim Nhung Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Social Bonds ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Influential Factors ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Household Waste ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sociological Approach ◽  
Waste Separation

PurposeThe paper aims to ascertain whether residents in Nguyen Du ward still sort their waste at source following the end of the 3R project that ended in 2009. Additionally, this paper aims to explore the relationship between waste separation practices and social bonds.Design/methodology/approachThe Travis Hirschi theory of social control was applied, together with the mixed method research design which included a structured questionnaire survey. Twelve semi-structured interviews were also conducted with residents and the data processed by SPSS software, using Chi-Square test, Independent-Samples t-test and Pearson's correlation analysis.FindingsA proportion of respondents has continued practicing waste separation since the 3R project ended. The study also indicated that the greater the involvement in family and neighborhood activities the more the participants were likely to practice waste separation.Research limitations/implicationsThe small sample size limits the extent to which the most influential factors can be determined and therefore the degree to which the findings can be generalized.Practical implicationsThe study includes implications for rerunning the waste separation programs for households as together with community campaigns to improve individuals' attachment and commitment and thus their participation in pro-environmental behaviors.Originality/valueTo the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to take a sociological approach to investigate factors affecting household waste separation, which has attracted little attention in previous studies. Useful information is also provided to local authorities for a policy-making process to implement effective domestic waste policies.

What women want: the effect of health agency advertising on patient-doctor communication

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia Morton ◽  
Sabrina Habib ◽  
Jon Morris
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Health ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Health Agency ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Health Communications ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Women’S Sexual Health ◽  
Doctor Communication

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between women’s sexual health agency and their intent to initiate communications with their doctors. The research questions examined the effect sexual health agency has on patient-doctor communication, women’s emotional responses to health advertisements encouraging patient communication with their doctors, attitude toward the message and behavioral intentions after exposure to the advertising message. Design/methodology/approach An experimental design was implemented via an online questionnaire instrument to test the differences between younger-aged women (25 to 45 years) and mature-aged women (46 to 70 years). It was observed that 188 women who reported their status as single and sexually active in the past 12 months were exposed to a health advertisement that encouraged patient-doctor communication. Analyses were conducted to compare between-group measures on sexual health agency, emotional response and attitude toward the ad and behavioral intention. Findings No statistical difference existed between younger and older women. In general, women expect their doctor to lead conversations about sexual health but are positively reinforced by health messages that encourage their assertiveness as patients. Research limitations/implications The small sample size also may have limited the study’s potential to evaluate differences between age segments. Future research should explore this further. Practical implications The study provides evidence that sexual health advertising can reinforce women’s intent to initiate conversations with doctors regardless of age. Social implications Health communications can bolster women’s sexual health agency and improve patient-initiated conversations with doctors. Originality/value The study is the first to explore advertising messaging’s potential for applying health agency as a communication strategy for encouraging sexual health communications between women and their doctors.

Intensity of perceived stress and control of anger, anxiety and depression of people staying in Polish penitentiary institutions

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kinga Kołodziej ◽  
Anna Kurowska ◽  
Anna Majda
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Prison Population ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Emotional Control ◽  
Coping With Stress ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess the intensity of perceived stress and measure the subjective control of anxiety, anger and depression in a group of women and men staying in Polish penitentiary institutions. Design/methodology/approach The research was carried out in two penitentiary institutions located in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship at the turn of 2019/2020. The study group consisted of 152 prisoners. In the cross-sectional study, two standardised research tools – the Perceived Stress Scale and the Emotional Control Scale – were used. Findings Over half of the prisoners (57.24%) presented a high level of stress. The intensity of the perceived stress did not depend on the gender and age of the convicted persons. The general indicator of emotional control among the respondents averaged 51.82 points (standard deviation = 14.52) and ranged from 22 to 83 points, which means that people detained in penitentiary institutions suppressed their negative emotions at an average level. The prisoners had the best control over fear (M = 18.68), less over anger (M = 16.86) and the least over depression (M = 16.27). Statistical analysis showed a correlation between the level of emotional control and the intensity of perceived stress. Research limitations/implications The small sample size of the group participating in the study and narrowing of the research area means that results can not be generalised across all isolated prison population. Practical implications The results obtained from the study can be used by a multidisciplinary team to develop therapeutic programmes for convicted persons, the aim of which is to evaluate strategies for coping with stress and controlling emotions. Social implications Popularising reliable information related to the issue of experiencing stress and varied emotions in those staying in penitentiary institutions may lead to the elimination of harmful stereotypes functioning in society, as well as reduce the phenomenon of marginalisation of prisoners, and thus contribute to the success of the social rehabilitation process. Originality/value Research on the level of stress intensity in prisoners is important because the rates of mental health disorders among prisoners consistently exceed the rates of such disorders in the general population.

Effective quality systems: implementation in Australian public hospitals

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (8) ◽  
pp. 1044-1057 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra G. Leggat ◽  
Cathy Balding
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Quality Care ◽  
Hospital Staff ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
Quality Systems ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Quality Care ◽  
Self Evaluation ◽  
Focus Group Data

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review the implementation of seven components of quality systems (QSs) linked with quality improvement in a sample of Australian hospitals. Design/methodology/approach The authors completed a systematic review to identify QS components associated with measureable quality improvement. Using mixed methods, the authors then reviewed the current state of these QS components in a sample of eight Australian hospitals. Findings The literature review identified seven essential QS components. Both the self-evaluation and focus group data suggested that none of the hospitals had all of these seven components in place, and that there were some implementation issues with those components that were in use. Although board and senior executives could point to a large number of quality and safety documents that they felt were supporting a vision and framework for safe, high-quality care, middle managers and clinical staff described the QSs as compliance driven and largely irrelevant to their daily pursuit of safe, high-quality care. The authors also found little specific training in quality improvement for staff, lack of useful data for clinicians on the quality of care they provide and confusion about how organisational QSs work. Practical implications This study provides a clearer picture of why QSs are not yet achieving the results that boards and executives want to achieve, and that patients require. Originality/value This is the first study to explore the implementation of QSs in hospitals in-depth from the perspective of hospital staff, linking the findings to the implementation of QS component identified in the literature.

The influence of homeschooling on entrepreneurial activities: a collective case study

2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 706-719 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Jeanne Pannone
Keyword(s):  
Locus Of Control ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Collective Case Study ◽  
Internal Locus Of Control ◽  
Entrepreneurial Characteristics ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activities

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how a homeschool education influences entrepreneurial characteristics and activity. Design/methodology/approach A collective case study design was used to investigate how a homeschool education influences entrepreneurial characteristics and activity. Findings From the participant interviews, surveys, and document analysis, three salient themes emerged. First, participants noted that their home education, at least in later years, was largely self-directed and that this independent, self-motivated type of learning impacted their subsequent entrepreneurial activities. Next, participants also related that they believed the alternative nature of their homeschooling education and its emphasis on being comfortable with being different influenced their entrepreneurial pathway. Finally, the third theme to surface was the idea that homeschooling helped develop an internal locus of control, a belief that is helpful in entrepreneurial undertakings. Research limitations/implications Research limitations included a lack of generalizability due to a small sample size and possible selection bias. Practical implications Despite these shortcomings, however, several implications exist. For example, the findings from this study show that homeschooling may be a viable alternative education method for parents looking to encourage entrepreneurial traits and activities in their children. Social implications Future areas of research were also identified, including a call to research the role locus of control plays in homeschooled students. Originality/value This study addresses an area that, to the knowledge of this researcher, is completely lacking from the research literature.

CEOs’ accounting-based attributes and earnings management strategies under mandatory IFRS adoption

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 608-625 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amel Kouaib ◽  
Anis Jarboui ◽  
Khaireddine Mouakhar
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Moderating Effect ◽  
Audit Committees ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ifrs Adoption ◽  
Experience Education ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on the moderating effect of mandatory International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) adoption on the relationship between chief executive officer (CEO) experience/education and earnings management in European companies. Design/methodology/approach Data from a sample of 302 European firms listed on Stoxx Europe 600 index and 596 CEOs from 2000 to 2014 are used to test the moderation model using moderation regression analysis. Findings Evidence reveals that CEO’s accounting-based attributes are negatively associated with accruals-based earnings management and positively associated with real earnings management (REM). Further, mandatory IFRS adoption significantly moderates the impact of CEO’s accounting-based traits on earnings-management activities. Research limitations/implications A small number of European firms were studied and, given the long study period, many firms with missing data were eliminated. To avoid a small sample size, countries with few observations were included, which leads to an uneven distribution between observations per country. Practical implications Findings from this paper can help: European firms to consider demographic traits when recruiting or promoting executives; the IASB to improve enforcement mechanisms and make IFRS implementation mandatory; and audit committees to effectively monitor REM. Originality/value This study is unique in providing European evidence for the moderating effect of mandatory IFRS adoption on the relationship between CEOs’ accounting experience/education and earnings management activities. This paper is also relevant as it addresses the effectiveness and efficiency of accounting literates.

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