IMPACT ASSESSMENT RESEARCH IN BRAZIL: ACHIEVEMENTS, GAPS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS

2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (01) ◽  
pp. 1550009 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARCELO MONTAÑO ◽  
MARCELO PEREIRA DE SOUZA
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Environmental Governance ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Systematic Research ◽  
Systematic Assessment ◽  
Training And Research ◽  
Definition Of

This paper provides an overview of current IA research in Brazil, considering its extension, lessons learned and the quality of its practice, as well as barriers to research, current gaps and future research endeavours. Despite the big effort devoted to IA research in the country, there is a small number of groups dedicated to the systematic research of IA instruments, its procedures and methods, the assessment of its effectiveness and the evidence to support good practice, the study of the organization of IA systems and their influence on decision-making. In our opinion, the lack of a well structured and distinct field of training and research is one of the major barriers to IA research. Similar to other countries, IA research is not recognised by scientific agencies/committees as a proper field of research, which means the majority of IA research grants is being evaluated/approved by committees with a small or no background in IA. There is, however, a significant contribution to be offered by research to foster IA development in Brazil. Besides the systematic assessment of IA effectiveness and the definition of procedures, methods and approaches to fill the currently well-described gaps, future research efforts should include the study of learning processes through IA practice and their influence in decision-making, the connections between IA and planning, and the benchmarks to environmental governance coming from IA practice.

scholarly journals Lessons Learned From an Early Hotspot During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 000313482199475
Author(s):  
Brett M. Chapman ◽  
George M. Fuhrman
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Surgical Education ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Educational Environment ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Residency Programs ◽  
Surgical Residency ◽  
The Impact

The Covid-19 pandemic has provided challenges for surgical residency programs demanding fluid decision making focused on providing care for our patients, maintaining an educational environment, and protecting the well-being of our residents. This brief report summarizes the impact of the impact on our residency programs clinical care and education. We have identified opportunities to improve our program using videoconferencing, managing recruitment, and maintaining a satisfactory caseload to ensure the highest possible quality of surgical education.

Governmental Service Transformation through Cost Scenarios Simulation

2012 ◽  
pp. 791-805
Author(s):  
Yannis Charalabidis
Keyword(s):  
Cost Estimation ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Cost Model ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Activity Based Costing ◽  
Cost Calculations ◽  
System Interoperability ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Office System

Formal methods for measuring the impact of interoperability on digital public services is emerging as an important research challenge in electronic government. The eGOVSIM model that is described in this chapter aims to provide administrations with a tool to calculate the gains from digitising and making interoperable services for citizens and businesses. The chapter presents existing methods for calculating the cost of services for the administration and the service consumers, such as the Standard Cost Model (SCM) and the Activity Based Costing (ABC). Then it goes on presenting a toolset for analytical cost calculations based on the various process steps and the information needs of each governmental service. The eGOVSIM toolset supports the definition of several service provision scenarios, such as front/back office system interoperability, cross-system or cross-organisational interoperability allowing the calculation of time, effort and cost elements, and relevant gains from the application of each scenario. Application results for two cases / scenarios are also presented, so that the reader can see the applicability and overall value of the approach. Lessons learned and future research directions for service cost estimation are also described.

scholarly journals Evaluation of benefits and harms of surgical treatments for post-radical prostatectomy urinary incontinence: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

F1000Research ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 1155
Author(s):  
Roselyne Choiniere ◽  
Patrick O. Richard ◽  
Melanie Morin ◽  
Le-Mai Tu ◽  
Gordon H. Guyatt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Urinary Incontinence ◽  
Radical Prostatectomy ◽  
Clinical Decision Making ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Bulking Agents

Background: Post-radical prostatectomy urinary incontinence (PPI) is a frequent and feared complication that can affect approximately 25% of patients. Between 1 and 10% of patients suffering from PPI will require surgery. The effectiveness of the available surgical interventions has only been compared in a few randomized controlled trials and the available reviews have important limitations regarding both benefits and harms that make them insufficient to inform decision-making. The aim of the study is to provide systematic summaries of benefits and harms of contemporary surgical treatment options for PPI through systematic review and meta-analysis using GRADE methodology and reporting in accord with the PRISMA-P statement. Methods: Studies pertaining to bulking agents, male synthetic slings, compressive balloon systems (ProACT) or artificial urinary sphincters (AUS) used for the treatment of patients suffering from PPI will be included. A systematic search will be conducted using the OVID and PubMED platforms in MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane databases, and reference lists of relevant reviews and guidelines. Trained independent reviewers will conduct study selection and data extraction. Outcomes will include the number of pads used per day, the 24-h pad weight test, the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) and the Incontinence Quality of Life (IQOL) as possible benefits and the reoperations, the Clavien-Dindo complications and the other reported adverse events as the harms. When possible, pooled analyses will be completed. Risk of bias will be assessed using the CLARITY tools and a new tool for the before-and-after studies without a control group. Finally, study heterogeneity will be assessed, publication bias will be evaluated with funnel plots and quality of evidence rated for each outcome. Discussion: Our study will address patient-important outcomes and will be useful in clinical decision-making as well as identifying key elements for future research. Study registration: PROSPERO: CRD42018073923 05/12/2018

Intelligent Tool for Decision Making Associated With Hospitalization and Sandstorms for the Optimization of Ambulances

2019 ◽  
pp. 50-61
Author(s):  
Estrella D. Molina-Herrera ◽  
Luis Ernesto Cervera-Gómez ◽  
Carlos Herrera
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
El Paso ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Case Based Reasoning ◽  
Dijkstra Algorithm ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Innovative Model ◽  
Case Based

The shortest path problem is a typical problem of optimization. This chapter presents an innovative model associated with the use of case-based reasoning to solve a problem of routing vehicles in a Hospital of El Paso, United States. In this chapter, diverse components are described to characterize this problem through the use of a knowledge system. The algorithm was developed in Java, thus obtaining a tool which determines the best tracks to the vehicles associated with ambulances. An experiment was realized to probe the validations; the results were used to compare it with the Dijkstra algorithm and determine the quality of the results. The future research of this intelligent tool is to determine an innovative perspective related to episodic knowledge applied to resolution of diverse ambulances, and as this topic is determinative to find and remember the best solutions quickly, additionally the authors compare it with a code from other postgraduate students trying to implement an algorithm similar to logistics but using a shuffled frog leap algorithm.

Quality of Government: Toward a More Complex Definition

2013 ◽  
Vol 107 (3) ◽  
pp. 433-445 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARCUS AGNAFORS
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Rule Of Law ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
Good Decision ◽  
The Rule Of Law ◽  
Moral Content ◽  
Adequate Definition ◽  
Quality Of Governance ◽  
Definition Of

Concepts such as “quality of government” and “good governance” refer to a desired character of the exercise of public authority. Recently the interest in good governance, the quality of government, and similar concepts has increased considerably. However, despite this increasing interest and use, an adequate definition of the concept of quality of government has proved difficult to find. This article criticizes recent attempts at such a definition and proposes an alternative, more complex definition that includes moral content and also encompasses a plurality of values and virtues at its core. An acceptable definition of the quality of governance must be consistent with the demands of a public ethos, the virtues of good decision making and reason giving, the rule of law, efficiency, stability, and a principle of beneficence. The article describes these components in detail and the relations among them.

scholarly journals Measuring Quality of Life in Ovarian Cancer Clinical Trials—Can We Improve Objectivity and Cross Trial Comparisons?

Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 3296
Author(s):  
Gita Bhat ◽  
Katherine Karakasis ◽  
Amit M. Oza
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Psychological Trauma ◽  
Screening Tools ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Treatment Benefit

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) remains a lethal disease for the majority of women diagnosed with it worldwide. For the majority of patients, diagnosis occurs late, in the advanced setting. Disease-induced as well as treatment-related adverse events can negatively impact quality of life (QoL). Research to date has captured these data through use of patient-related outcomes (PROs) and, increasingly, has become an area of increased attention and focus in clinical trial reporting. QoL/PRO measurements in EOC clinical trials at different transition points in a patient’s journey are increasingly being recognized by patients, clinicians and regulatory agencies as the key determinants of treatment benefit. Various context-specific PROs and PRO endpoints have been described for clinical trials in EOC. Standardized approaches and checklists for incorporating PRO endpoints in clinical trials have been proposed. In a real-world clinical practice setting, PRO/QoL measures, which are meaningful, valid, reliable, feasible and acceptable to patients and clinicians, need to be implemented and used. These may assist by serving as screening tools; helping with the identification of patient preferences to aid in decision making; improving patient–provider communication; facilitating shared decision making. Importantly, they may also improve quality of care through an increasingly patient-centered approach. Potential areas of future research include assessment of anxiety, depression and other mental health issues. In good prognostic groups, such as maintenance clinical trials, following patients beyond progression will capture possible downstream effects related to delaying the psychological trauma of relapse, symptoms due to disease progression and side-effects of subsequent chemotherapy. Identifying PRO endpoints in next-generation-targeted therapies (including immunotherapies) also warrants investigation.

Large Infrastructure Projects: A Review of the Quality of Demand Forecasts and Cost Estimations

2007 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 611-625 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bert van Wee
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Cost Estimation ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Strategic Behaviour ◽  
Ex Ante ◽  
Demand Forecasts

Decision making with respect to large infrastructure projects is at least partly based on ex ante evaluations of costs and impacts. Impacts include economic, environmental, and social impacts, sometimes aggregated in a cost-benefit analysis (CBA). For such ex ante evaluations the quality of the related demand and costs forecasts is very important. This paper aims to answer four questions: (1) What is the quality of demand forecasts for large infrastructure projects? (2) What is the quality of cost forecasts for these projects? (3) How can current practices with respect to assessing the demand and cost forecasts be improved? (4) Which implications do the insights have for practice, and which challenges for future research can be derived from the findings? A literature review is used to answer the first three questions. It is concluded that the quality of transport demand and costs forecasts is often very poor, especially for rail projects. This is not so much a lack of adequate forecasting techniques or a matter of insight into the factors determining costs, but more the strategic behaviour of some actors. Improvements therefore should not only be looked for in the area of transport demand and cost-estimation methodologies, but should also focus on the question of how strategic behaviour can be avoided or at least limited. These conclusions are very important for CBA because cost underestimations and demand overestimations have a major impact on the cost-benefit ratio and decrease the potentially positive impact of CBA on the quality of decision making. The paper discusses several challenges for related future research.

scholarly journals Shared decision-making and the lessons learned about decision regret in cancer patients

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariam Chichua ◽  
Eleonora Brivio ◽  
Davide Mazzoni ◽  
Gabriella Pravettoni
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Patient Satisfaction ◽  
Shared Decision Making ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Clinical Settings ◽  
Shared Decision ◽  
Medical Decisions ◽  
Increase Patient Satisfaction

AbstractThe commentary presents reflections on the literature on post-treatment cancer patient regret. Even though a lot of effort has been made to increase patient satisfaction by engaging them in medical decisions, patient regret remains present in clinical settings. In our commentary, we identify three main aspects of shared decision-making that previously have been shown to predict patient regret. Based on these findings, we provide recommendations for physicians involved in the shared decision-making process. In addition, we make methodological suggestions for future research in the field.

scholarly journals Towards a unifying theory of generalization

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Schulz
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Gaussian Process ◽  
Human Behavior ◽  
Sampling Strategy ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Bayesian Optimization ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Function Learning ◽  
Complex Decision Making ◽  
Complex Decision

How do humans generalize from observed to unobserved data? How does generalization support inference, prediction, and decision making? I propose that a big part of human generalization can be explained by a powerful mechanism of function learning. I put forward and assess Gaussian Process regression as a model of human function learning that can unify several psychological theories of generalization. Across 14 experiments and using extensive computational modeling, I show that this model generates testable predictions about human preferences over different levels of complexity, provides a window into compositional inductive biases, and –combined with an optimistic yet efficient sampling strategy– guides human decision making through complex spaces. Chapters 1 and 2 propose that, from a psychological and mathematical perspective, function learning and generalization are close kin. Chapter 3 derives and tests theoretical predictionsof participants’ preferences over differently complex functions. Chapter 4 develops a compositional theory of generalization and extensively probes this theory using 8 experimental paradigms.During the second half of the thesis, I investigate how function learning guides decision making in complex decision making tasks. In particular, Chapter 5 will look at how people search for rewards in various grid worlds where a spatial correlation of rewards provides a context supporting generalization and decision making. Chapter 6 gauges human behavior in contextual multi-armed bandit problems where a function maps features onto expectedrewards. In both Chapter 5 and Chapter 6, I find that the vast majority of subjects are best predicted by a Gaussian Process function learning model combined with an upper confidence bound sampling strategy. Chapter 7 will formally assess the adaptiveness of human generalization in complex decision making tasks using mismatched Bayesian optimization simulations and finds that the empirically observed phenomenon of undergeneralization might rather be a feature than a bug of human behavior. Finally, I summarize the empirical and theoretical lessons learned and lay out a road-map for future research on generalization in Chapter 8.

scholarly journals Cognitive Biases in Negotiation - Literature Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 31-52
Author(s):  
Michał Chmielecki
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Cognitive Biases ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Negotiation Process ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Systematic Assessment ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
New Research ◽  
And Behavior

AbstractObjective: The purpose of this paper is also to thoroughly review those studies in the management literature that focused on bias in negotiation and to ascertain a couple of new research trajectories that could be observed as the result. As a matter of fact, a human’s judgment making capacity and behavior could be greatly influenced by cognitive misperceptions thus affecting decisions in negotiations. Whilst Thompson (2006) analytically examined the effects of biased decision-making processes for negotiations, the intention of this paper is to fill the gap through a systematic assessment of the literature.Methodology: I have provided a theoretical background on decision makers’ cognition in this paper to provide context and introduce the research; after which we take a closer look at the literature and discuss its results. Based on this, I noted that limited research, with alternate results were done based on the interaction between biases bothering on mood, culture, personality as well as education and experience on the negotiators’ judgments. Finally, we suggest that future research trajectories might be on multilateral and integrative negotiations, the role of third parties and a better comprehension of the cognitive bias and how to rise above it in negotiations.Findings: Despite the fact that this topic is considered important, it is surprisingly under-researched. Author was able to identify the void and inadequacies of the literature identified in journal articles systemizing the intersection of negotiation studies, from cognitive biases studies, group decision making and from the decision making and judgment literature.Value Added: This paper showed that there are only a handful of papers that focus on why, how and when cognitive biases influence negotiation process.Recommendations: There is a great need for papers that focus on cognitive biases in the negotiation process.

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