scholarly journals Mystery shoppers: an evaluation of their use in monitoring performance

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 705-715 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Douglas
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mystery Shopping ◽  
Mystery Shoppers ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Monitoring Performance ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine what mystery shopping is, why it is used and how mystery customers are trained and how the information collected is fed back to the client organisation. Design/methodology/approach – The approach was to use an online survey of mystery shoppers compares the reality of the situation with the best practice identified from the extant literature. Findings – The main outcome was that results identify good and bad practices in all areas of the process and guidelines for the recruitment, training and monitoring of mystery shoppers are proposed including in-depth training in all aspects of the job. Research limitations/implications – A sample of 85 mystery shoppers was used and only in the UK. It would be interesting to widen this out internationally. Practical implications – Mystery shoppers are used worldwide by services to evaluate the performance of their front-line people and processes but are their evaluations valid and reliable? This research identifies good and bad practice which should help managers to design their training for mystery shoppers. Originality/value – The paper addresses a gap in the literature on the perceptions of mystery shoppers.

OCIE issues risk alert on the most frequently identified advisory fee and expense compliance issues

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Robert Van Grover
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Investment Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Informed Decisions ◽  
Policies And Procedures ◽  
The Us ◽  
Investment Advisers ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose To summarize and interpret a Risk Alert issued on April 12, 2018 by the US SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) on the most frequent advisory fee and expense compliance issues identified in recent examinations of investment advisers. Design/methodology/approach Summarizes deficiencies identified by the OCIE staff pertaining to advisory fees and expenses in the following categories: fee billing based on incorrect account valuations, billing fees in advance or with improper frequency, applying incorrect fee rates, omitting rebates and applying discounts incorrectly, disclosure issues involving advisory fees, and adviser expense misallocations. Findings In the Risk Alert, OCIE staff emphasized the importance of disclosures regarding advisory fees and expenses to the ability of clients to make informed decisions, including whether or not to engage or retain an adviser. Practical implications In light of the issues identified in the Risk Alert, advisers should assess the accuracy of disclosures and adequacy of policies and procedures regarding advisory fee billing and expenses. As a matter of best practice, advisers should implement periodic forensic reviews of billing practices to identify and correct issues relating to fee billing and expenses. Originality/value Expert guidance from experienced investment management lawyer.

scholarly journals Implications of divergences in adult protection legislation

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 149-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorna Montgomery ◽  
Janet Anand ◽  
Kathryn Mackay ◽  
Brian Taylor ◽  
Katherine C. Pearson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Elder Abuse ◽  
Consensus Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Legal Responses ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Protection Legislation ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Adult Protection

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the similarities and differences of legal responses to older adults who may be at risk of harm or abuse in the UK, Ireland, Australia and the USA. Design/methodology/approach – The authors draw upon a review of elder abuse and adult protection undertaken on behalf of the commissioner for older people in Northern Ireland. This paper focusses on the desk top mapping of the different legal approaches and draws upon wider literature to frame the discussion of the relative strengths and weaknesses of the different legal responses. Findings – Arguments exist both for and against each legal approach. Differences in defining the scope and powers of adult protection legislation in the UK and internationally are highlighted. Research limitations/implications – This review was undertaken in late 2013; while the authors have updated the mapping to take account of subsequent changes, some statutory guidance is not yet available. While the expertise of a group of experienced professionals in the field of adult safeguarding was utilized, it was not feasible to employ a formal survey or consensus model. Practical implications – Some countries have already introduced APL and others are considering doing so. The potential advantages and challenges of introducing APL are highlighted. Social implications – The introduction of legislation may give professionals increased powers to prevent and reduce abuse of adults, but this would also change the dynamic of relationships within families and between families and professionals. Originality/value – This paper provides an accessible discussion of APL across the UK and internationally which to date has been lacking from the literature.

scholarly journals How the information use environment influences search activities

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 435-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Rutter ◽  
Paul David Clough ◽  
Elaine G. Toms
Keyword(s):  
Primary Schools ◽  
Value Of Information ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
National Curriculum ◽  
Information Use ◽  
Search Process ◽  
Search Activity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The information use environment (IUE) – the context within which the search activity takes place – is critical to understanding the search process as this will affect how the value of information is determined. The purpose of this paper is to investigate what factors influence search in English primary schools (children aged 4–11) and how information found is subsequently used. Design/methodology/approach Ten teachers, selected using maximal variation sampling, describe search-related activities within the classroom. The resulting interview data were analysed thematically for the influence of the environment on search and different information uses. The findings were then validated against three classroom observations. Findings 12 categories of information use were identified, and 5 aspects of the environment (the national curriculum, best practice, different skills of children and teachers, keeping children safe, and limited time and resource) combine to influence and shape search in this setting. Research limitations/implications Findings support the argument that it is the IUE that is the key influence of search activity. What makes children a distinct user group is linked to the environment within which they use information rather than age, as advocated in previous studies. Practical implications The features of search systems and practical guidance for teachers and children should be designed to support information use within the IUE. Originality/value As far as the authors are aware, this is the first study to consider the influence of the IUE on how search is enacted within primary schools.

Employee competences in manufacturing companies – an expert survey

2015 ◽  
Vol 34 (8) ◽  
pp. 1004-1018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerrit Meyer ◽  
Bianca Brünig ◽  
Peter Nyhuis
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Production Management ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Openness To Change ◽  
Future Production ◽  
Quality Awareness ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Very High

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present competences that are highly relevant for manufacturing today and tomorrow. Following a discussion on the concept of “competence”, a variety of competences are presented and classified into the four facets professional, methodological, social, and self-competence. Design/methodology/approach – Using an exploratory method, the paper aims at describing relevant manufacturing-related competences with the help of an online survey. Experts, mostly from the production management or HR departments of manufacturing companies in Germany, were polled and asked to evaluate the relevancy of a list of competences for manufacturing. Findings – For the experts, flawless execution and quality awareness are competences with a very high relevance, whereas analytical abilities have very little meaning. The experts questioned expect openness to change to undergo the strongest increase in importance. Practical implications – This paper shows competences particularly relevant for future production, so that companies can derive specific competence development measures. The findings are descriptive only, but should enable companies to identify specific competence gaps and to select measures to develop competences. Originality/value – This paper attempts to bridge the gap between academics and practice by outlining relevant manufacturing competences that have been evaluated by managers. This is in contrast to most scientific research that classifies manufacturing-related competences as important based on own assessment.

Medical student and psychiatrist perceptions towards a psychiatric career

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 315-323
Author(s):  
Thomas Flamini ◽  
Natasha R. Matthews ◽  
George S. Castle ◽  
Elliot M. Jones-Williams
Keyword(s):  
Medical Student ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Family Life ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate perceptions towards a career in psychiatry among medical students and psychiatrists and identify how recruitment into the specialty may be improved. Design/methodology/approach This study locally compares medical student and psychiatric doctor responses to a structured online survey and structured interviews with key managerial figures in the Humber NHS Foundation Trust. Findings Comparison across two main areas (pre-decision exposure to psychiatry and reasons for considering a psychiatric career) found that both students and doctors were influenced to make a choice about a career in psychiatry during medical school. Medical students found compatibility with family life to be more important when considering psychiatry, whereas doctors cited content-based reasons as significant pull factors. Stigma and fear of being harmed deterred some students from choosing a career in psychiatry. Structured interview responses reiterated the importance of pre-medical school and undergraduate mentorship in bolstering future recruitment to psychiatry. Practical implications Medical students perceive certain career issues differently to their postgraduate counterparts. Widening the content-based appeal of psychiatry and optimising the medical school experience of the specialty via varied and high-quality placements may be a key step towards tackling the national shortfall in qualified psychiatrists. Originality/value This is the first published study comparing medical student and psychiatric doctor perceptions of a career in psychiatry.

scholarly journals Foresight in cities: on the possibility of a “strategic urban intelligence”

foresight ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 469-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joe Ravetz ◽  
Ian Douglas Miles
Keyword(s):  
Complex Systems ◽  
Analytical Method ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work In Progress ◽  
Strategic Policy ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The City ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Practical Recommendations

Purpose This paper aims to review the challenges of urban foresight via an analytical method: apply this to the city demonstrations on the UK Foresight Future of Cities: and explore the implications for ways forward. Design/methodology/approach The methodology is based on the principles of co-evolutionary complex systems, a newly developed toolkit of “synergistic mapping and design”, and its application in a “synergy foresight” method. Findings The UK Foresight Future of Cities is work in progress, but some early lessons are emerging – the need for transparency in foresight method – and the wider context of strategic policy intelligence. Practical implications The paper has practical recommendations, and a set of propositions, (under active discussion in 2015), which are based on the analysis. Originality/value The paper aims to demonstrate an application of “synergy foresight” with wide benefits for cities and the communities within them.

Agency costs in the market for corporate control: evidence from UK takeovers

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward Jones ◽  
Bing Xu ◽  
Konstantin Kamp
Keyword(s):  
Agency Costs ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Corporate Control ◽  
Sales Growth ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Market For Corporate Control ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Theory Framework ◽  
Made In

Purpose This paper aims to examine whether agency costs predict disciplinary takeover likelihood for the UK listed companies between 1986 and 2015. Design/methodology/approach Using survival analysis, the approach is to identify candidates for disciplinary takeover on the basis of Tobin’s Q (TQ), which is consistent with the approach advocated by Manne (1965). This study then examines how indicators of agency costs affect takeover likelihood within the set of disciplinary candidates. Findings This paper provides evidence of the effectiveness of TQ, rather than excess return, in identifying disciplinary takeover candidates. Takeover hazard for disciplinary candidates is higher for companies with higher levels of asset utilization and sales growth in particular. Companies with stronger agency problems are relatively less susceptible to disciplinary takeover. Practical implications Given the UK context of the study, where anti-takeover provisions are disallowed and when compared to findings of US studies, the results imply some support for the effectiveness of an open merger policy. Originality/value While the connection between takeover likelihood and the market for corporate control has been made in previous studies, the study adopts a more explicit agency theory framework than previous studies of takeover likelihood. A key component of the contribution follows from differentiating candidates for disciplinary takeovers from other forms of mergers and acquisitions.

Motivations, barriers and readiness factors for Quality 4.0 implementation: an exploratory study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Sony ◽  
Jiju Antony ◽  
Jacqueline Ann Douglas ◽  
Olivia McDermott
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Study ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Practical Relevance ◽  
Theoretical Base ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeQuality 4.0 is the new buzzword among quality professionals. There has been no empirical study of Quality 4.0 yet. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to investigate what are the motivations, barriers and readiness factors for Quality 4.0 implementation.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses an online survey on senior quality professionals working in leading companies in Europe and America. In total, 50 participants participated in this study.FindingsThis study finds the top five motivating, barriers and readiness factors for Quality 4.0 implementation. These factors are ranked in terms of the order of importance as perceived by senior quality professionals.Research limitations/implicationsThis is the first empirical study on Quality 4.0 that investigates the motivation, barriers and readiness factors of Quality 4.0. This study provides a theoretical base of Quality 4.0 body of knowledge in terms of its practical relevance and adoption in modern-day organizations.Practical implicationsOrganizations can use this study to understand what the motivation and barriers for implementing Quality 4.0. In addition, before implementation of Quality 4.0, the readiness factor for Quality 4.0 can be used by organizations to evaluate their preparedness before the actual implementation of the initiative.Originality/valueThis is the first empirical study on Quality 4.0 that captures the viewpoints of senior quality professionals on the motivation, barriers and readiness factors of Quality 4.0.

Morality in the era of smart devices

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiarui Sui ◽  
Tiantian Mo
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Markets ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Smart Devices ◽  
Moral Foundations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Developed Markets ◽  
Moral Standards ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeDoes using smart devices change people's moral standards? The objective of this paper is to investigate how people's moral behavioral intentions while employing smart devices are modulated by their socioeconomic status (SES; as measured by educational level and income).Design/methodology/approachParticipants were randomly assigned to either the smart devices condition or the non-smart devices condition, and their moral standards was measured by the adapted Moral Foundations Questionnaire. Data were collected from both China and the UK.FindingsIndividuals' SES moderated people's moral standards when using smart devices. Specifically, when employing smart devices (vs non-smart devices), moral standards declined for low-SES individuals. However, the effect of employing smart devices was not significant for high-SES individuals. This suggests that certain demographics may be more inclined to harm others with smart devices.Practical implicationsIn emerging markets, the widespread of smart devices in workplace may lower consumers' and employees' moral standards for certain demographics. Managers and marketers need to be aware of this erosion of morality and employ some preventive measures in advance.Originality/valueThis paper examined morality in the era of smart devices. Even though the use of smart devices has become a norm in developed markets, smart devices usage is still on the rise in emerging markets. The authors findings enhance the understanding of moral behaviors and contribute to the knowledge of how smart devices are changing human behaviors.

London Fire Brigade's screen and treat approach to the Grenfell Tower incident

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig Steel ◽  
Zoe Travers ◽  
Lynette Meredith ◽  
Deborah Lee ◽  
Michael Conti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
Line Managers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health Response ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Post Disaster ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose is to report on the mental health response to the Grenfell incident within the London Fire Brigade (LFB).Design/methodology/approachThe LFB implemented screening for the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at 28 days, 3 months and 6 months for all personnel directly involved in the incident.FindingsThe prevalence of PTSD within frontline personnel was 13.4% at 28 days, falling to 7.6% at 6 months. The LFB's internal Counselling and Wellbeing Service offered treatment to those scoring above the cut-off for PTSD along with accepting self-referral and referrals from line managers and occupational health. There were 139 referrals within the 12-month period following the incident.Research limitations/implicationsThe outcomes for those who engaged in treatment are broadly in line with other studies evaluating post-disaster interventions. Issues for consideration within national guidelines are discussed.Practical implicationsThe screen and treat approach adopted by LFB was shown to be a feasible approach to use within such a scenario.Originality/valueThe current study reports on a screen and treat approach to one of the largest single incidents in the UK in recent years.

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