SMEs ECT Reality

2009 ◽  
pp. 421-439
Author(s):  
Zakia A. Elsammani
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Electronic Commerce ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Change Agent ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Web Presence ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Development And Management ◽  
Over Time

Lack of strategic planning in e-commerce and subsequently e-business adoption within smallto medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has been strongly reported in literature. This chapter presents SMEs’ Web presence implementation patterns and unravels the reasons behind the lack of strategic planning when adopting Electronic Commerce Technologies (ECT). The chapter presents findings from semi-structured interviews from 11 SMEs in the Northwest of the UK. Findings reflect the difference in development and management practices of Web presence, between the more able Need Pull SMEs that identified the need to adopt ECT, and the less able Technology Push SMEs that were mostly influenced by change agent diffusion and awareness efforts. Over time, each group of SMEs reflect a different pattern in ECT implementation. This chapter depicts the issues that hinder SMEs, particularly in micro and small, in moving beyond Web site adoption.

SMEs ECT Reality

2011 ◽  
pp. 63-87
Author(s):  
Zakia Elsammani
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Electronic Commerce ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Change Agent ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Web Presence ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Development And Management ◽  
Over Time

Lack of strategic planning in e-commerce and subsequently e-business adoption within small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has been strongly reported in literature. This chapter presents SMEs’ Web presence implementation patterns and unravels the reasons behind the lack of strategic planning when adopting Electronic Commerce Technologies (ECT). The chapter presents findings from semi-structured interviews from 11 SMEs in the Northwest of the UK. Findings reflect the difference in development and management practices of Web presence, between the more able Need Pull SMEs that identified the need to adopt ECT, and the less able Technology Push SMEs that were mostly influenced by change agent diffusion and awareness efforts. Over time, each group of SMEs reflect a different pattern in ECT implementation. This chapter depicts the issues that hinder SMEs, particularly in micro and small, in moving beyond Web site adoption.

The Nature of Rent-Controlling Legislation in the UK

1970 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adela A. Nevitt
Keyword(s):  
Social Consequences ◽  
Economic Consequences ◽  
Alternative Methods ◽  
General Question ◽  
Rent Control ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Legal Difficulties ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Over Time ◽  
At Will

The author takes a fresh look at the introduction of rent controls and their justification. She examines the tenants' need for ‘security of tenure’ and considers some of the undesirable social consequences which stem from tenancies ‘at will’. Alternative methods of granting security of tenure are examined to assess their economic consequences, and it is shown that these do not differ very significantly from those which rent controls produce. A general question is posed on the difference between an ‘individual contract’ approach to the legal difficulties of insuring security of tenure over time, as opposed to a statutory contract which covers whole groups in the population. The author makes a plea for bringing together the best of these two legal possibilities and criticises certain aspects of present British rent control machinery.

scholarly journals What do blind people “see” with retinal prostheses? Observations and qualitative reports of epiretinal implant users

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cordelia Erickson-Davis ◽  
Helma Korzybska
Keyword(s):  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Deductive Reasoning ◽  
Artificial Vision ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Natural Vision ◽  
Holistic Understanding ◽  
Few Data ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Electrical Stimuli ◽  
Over Time

AbstractIntroduction: Retinal implants have now been approved and commercially available for certain clinical populations for over 5 years, with hundreds of individuals implanted, scores of them closely followed in research trials. Despite these numbers, however, few data are available that would help us answer basic questions regarding the nature and outcomes of artificial vision: what do participants see when the device is turned on for the first time, and how does that change over time?Methods: Semi-structured interviews and observations were undertaken at two sites in France and the UK with 16 participants who had received either the Argus II or IRIS II devices. Data were collected at various time points in the process that implant recipients went through in receiving and learning to use the device, including initial evaluation, implantation, initial activation and systems fitting, re-education and finally post-education. These data were supplemented with data from interviews conducted with vision rehabilitation specialists at the clinical sites and clinical researchers at the device manufacturers (Second Sight and Pixium Vision). Observational and interview data were transcribed, coded and analyzed using an approach guided by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA).Results: Implant recipients described the perceptual experience produced by their epiretinal implants as fundamentally, qualitatively different than natural vision. All used terms that invoked electrical stimuli to describe the appearance of their percepts, yet the characteristics used to describe the percepts varied significantly between participants. Artificial vision for these participants was a highly specific, learned skill-set that combined particular bodily techniques, associative learning and deductive reasoning in order to build a “lexicon of flashes” - a distinct perceptual vocabulary that they then used to decompose, recompose and interpret their surroundings. The percept did not transform over time; rather, the participant became better at interpreting the signals they received. The process of using the device never ceased to be cognitively fatiguing, and did not come without risk or cost to the participant. In exchange, participants received hope and purpose through participation, as well as a new kind of sensory signal that may not have afforded practical or functional use in daily life but, for some, provided a kind of “contemplative perception” that participants tailored to individualized activities.Conclusion: Attending to the qualitative reports of participants regarding the experience of artificial vision provides valuable information not captured by extant clinical outcome measures. These data can both inform device design and rehabilitative techniques, as well as grant a more holistic understanding of the phenomenon of artificial vision.

scholarly journals Patient and befriender experiences of participating in a befriending programme for adults with psychosis: A qualitative study.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Burn ◽  
Agnes Chevalier ◽  
Monica Leverton ◽  
Stefan Priebe
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Patient Interviews ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Conflicting Interests ◽  
Development And Management ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Background Befriending is a popular form of volunteering in health care, and research suggests that it can be beneficial for people with mental illness. This study aimed to explore the experiences of a large sample of volunteer befrienders and patients who participated in the same befriending programme for individuals with psychosis.Methods A series of semi-structured interviews were conducted with 34 befrienders and 28 participating patients. All participants who had participated in at least one befriending session were invited to take part in an ending interview about their experiences. This aimed to include a wide range of views, including those who had withdrawn from the befriending programme. The data was analysed using Thematic Analysis.Results Four broad themes were developed from the analysis of the befriender and patient interviews: 1) Bridging the gap, 2) A genuine relationship that developed over time, 3) A big commitment, 4) A flexible approach.Conclusions The results indicate that a befriending programme for individuals with psychosis can be a worthwhile experience for both befrienders and patients. However it also requires perseverance, flexibility and patience. Different factors have to be considered in the development and management of a befriending programme to provide effective support to both befrienders and patients.Declaration of conflicting interests None

scholarly journals Sheep farmers’ attitudes towards lameness control: Qualitative exploration of factors affecting adoption of the lameness Five-Point Plan

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. e0246798
Author(s):  
Caroline M. Best ◽  
Alison Z. Pyatt ◽  
Janet Roden ◽  
Malgorzata Behnke ◽  
Kate Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Best Practice ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Barriers To Adoption ◽  
Control Plan ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Intrinsic Factors ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Qualitative Exploration ◽  
And Control

In 2014, best-practice recommendations to treat and control lameness in sheep in the UK were consolidated into a national program, the Five-Point Plan (5PP). As recent evidence suggests that only the minority of sheep farmers are implementing all management practices listed in the 5PP, qualitative investigation is vital to ensure future promotion is aligned with psychological and contextual factors affecting farmers’ decision-making. This qualitative study sought to explore farmers’ attitudes and the factors affecting uptake of best-practice measures listed in the 5PP. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in 2019 with 12 sheep farmers from England and Wales. In accordance with Thematic Analysis and the principles of Grounded Theory, data collection and analysis were performed iteratively. Two overarching themes, delineated by subthemes, emerged during analysis; (1) Barriers to adoption of 5PP measures and (2) Motivation to adopt 5PP measures. Various farmer-centric factors and physical resources were identified as key barriers or obstacles that limited farmers’ ability to implement 5PP measures outright, or restricted their ability to make changes to facilitate future adoption. Conversely, internal and external influences were identified to increase farmers’ willingness and motivation to implement practices listed on the 5PP. Heterogeneity in farmer perceptions, attitudes, experiences and circumstances identified in this study highlights the difficulty in promoting a one-size-fits-all lameness control plan, where a unique combination of intrinsic factors, social influences, and physical restrictions affect implementation. Future initiatives should focus on removing barriers by changing farmers’ perceptions and mindset towards lameness control, and building farmers’ confidence in their ability to implement practices. Furthermore, farmers’ social licence to farm and their desire to improve their reputation within society, presents an important opportunity to further engage farmers in implementing control practices. Increasing peer-to-peer knowledge transfer opportunities and effective farmer-veterinarian communication and rapport could help establish 5PP measures as normative behaviours.

scholarly journals What do blind people “see” with retinal prostheses? Observations and qualitative reports of epiretinal implant users

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. e0229189
Author(s):  
Cordelia Erickson-Davis ◽  
Helma Korzybska
Keyword(s):  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Deductive Reasoning ◽  
Artificial Vision ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Natural Vision ◽  
Few Data ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Electrical Stimuli ◽  
Individualized Activities ◽  
Over Time

Introduction Retinal implants have now been approved and commercially available for certain clinical populations for over 5 years, with hundreds of individuals implanted, scores of them closely followed in research trials. Despite these numbers, however, few data are available that would help us answer basic questions regarding the nature and outcomes of artificial vision: what do recipients see when the device is turned on for the first time, and how does that change over time? Methods Semi-structured interviews and observations were undertaken at two sites in France and the UK with 16 recipients who had received either the Argus II or IRIS II devices. Data were collected at various time points in the process that implant recipients went through in receiving and learning to use the device, including initial evaluation, implantation, initial activation and systems fitting, re-education and finally post-education. These data were supplemented with data from interviews conducted with vision rehabilitation specialists at the clinical sites and clinical researchers at the device manufacturers (Second Sight and Pixium Vision). Observational and interview data were transcribed, coded and analyzed using an approach guided by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Results Implant recipients described the perceptual experience produced by their epiretinal implants as fundamentally, qualitatively different than natural vision. All used terms that invoked electrical stimuli to describe the appearance of their percepts, yet the characteristics used to describe the percepts varied significantly between recipients. Artificial vision for these recipients was a highly specific, learned skill-set that combined particular bodily techniques, associative learning and deductive reasoning in order to build a “lexicon of flashes”—a distinct perceptual vocabulary that they then used to decompose, recompose and interpret their surroundings. The percept did not transform over time; rather, the recipient became better at interpreting the signals they received, using cognitive techniques. The process of using the device never ceased to be cognitively fatiguing, and did not come without risk or cost to the recipient. In exchange, recipients received hope and purpose through participation, as well as a new kind of sensory signal that may not have afforded practical or functional use in daily life but, for some, provided a kind of “contemplative perception” that recipients tailored to individualized activities. Conclusion Attending to the qualitative reports of implant recipients regarding the experience of artificial vision provides valuable information not captured by extant clinical outcome measures.

scholarly journals Patient and befriender experiences of participating in a befriending programme for adults with psychosis: A qualitative study.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Burn ◽  
Agnes Chevalier ◽  
Monica Leverton ◽  
Stefan Priebe
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Patient Interviews ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Participant Preferences ◽  
Trial Testing ◽  
Conflicting Interests ◽  
Development And Management ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Background Befriending is a popular form of volunteering in healthcare, and research suggests that it can be beneficial for people with mental illness. This study aimed to explore the experiences of a large sample of volunteer befrienders and patients who participated in the VOLUME trial, testing the efficacy of a structured befriending programme for individuals with psychosis. This is the first study to explore the specific challenges and benefits of befriending in both volunteers and patients in this population within the same programme. Methods A series of in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 34 volunteer befrienders and 28 participating patients. All participants who had taken part in at least one befriending session were invited to be interviewed about their experiences with the aim of including a wide range of views, including those who were more or less engaged with the befriending programme. The data were analysed using Thematic Analysis. Results Four broad themes were developed from the analysis of the befriender and patient interviews which, although were largely discrete, captured the overall experiences of participating in the befriending programme: 1) Bridging the gap, 2) A genuine relationship that developed over time, 3) A big commitment, and 4) A flexible approach. Conclusions These results further support that, befriending programmes for individuals with psychosis can be a worthwhile experience for both befrienders and patients. However, participation also requires perseverance and flexibility from both sides. Different factors, such as incorporating participant preferences for frequency of meetings, have to be considered in the development and management of a befriending programme in order to provide effective support to both befrienders and patients. Declaration of conflicting interests None

scholarly journals Pensions planning in the UK: A gendered challenge

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 345-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liam Foster ◽  
Martin Heneghan
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Family History ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Pension Saving ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Policy Mechanisms

Gender differences in the accumulation of pension savings are well documented. Work in this field has concluded that while differing lifetime work profiles (and family history) explained much of the difference, other factors such as pension knowledge and confidence in decision-making, may also be significant. This research, commissioned by the Fawcett Society and funded by Scottish Widows, explores some of these factors through the use of 30 semi-structured interviews and a focus group with women (aged 24–39) about their attitudes and motivations towards pension saving. It concentrates on discussions around pension knowledge, advice and decision-making, and identifies challenges in relation to women’s pension knowledge and the use of male ‘role models’ in making decisions. The article then explores potential policy mechanisms to enhance women’s pension saving for retirement, including the manner in which information and advice is provided and strategies to improve confidence in pension decision-making.

scholarly journals Little and large: methodological reflections from two qualitative longitudinal policy studies on welfare conditionality

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Dwyer ◽  
Ruth Patrick
Keyword(s):  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Policy Research ◽  
Policy Changes ◽  
Policy Studies ◽  
Distinctive Features ◽  
Longitudinal Methods ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Over Time

This article brings together methodological insight from two policy-focused studies centrally concerned with understanding experiences of, and responses to, rapidly expanding welfare conditionality (that is, making claimants’ eligibility to social welfare rights dependent on engagement with mandatory behavioural responsibilities under threat of sanction for non-compliance), in the UK context. Qualitative longitudinal approaches are ideally suited to seeking a better understanding of the efficacy and consequences of welfare conditionality and enabling an exploration of how the policy assumptions underpinning this approach intersect with (and often contradict) lived experiences. In this article, we detail the approaches we have taken in employing qualitative longitudinal methodologies and explore the similarities and distinctive features of two policy studies with which the authors were involved (Patrick, 2017; WelCond, 2018). Drawing on data from our two studies, we highlight how a focus on time can deepen our understanding of policy changes and their impact on people’s past, present and future lives. We consider the difference in scale of the two studies and the respective possibilities and challenges in working with quite small and very large sample sizes, including the analytical challenge particular to qualitative longitudinal research. Further, we highlight the value of qualitative longitudinal methods for research that seeks to comprehend the varied effects of welfare conditionality on the lives and behaviour of social security benefit recipients over time. Finally, we reflect on the merits of qualitative longitudinal studies for social policy research more broadly.<br /><br />Key messages<br /><ul><li>QLR as a tool for exploring lived experiences of welfare reform.</li><br /><li>Impacts of welfare conditionality over time.</li></ul>

scholarly journals Enthusiasm, trust and its erosion in mediated politics: On fans of Obama and the Liberal Democrats

2012 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cornel Sandvoss
Keyword(s):  
Barack Obama ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Liberal Democrats ◽  
Affective Bond ◽  
The Creation ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Over Time

This article explores the interplay of political enthusiasm as a form of fandom and the creation and disappearance of trust as a result of the evolving relationship between fans and their objects of fandom. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with supporters of Barack Obama and the UK Liberal Democrats, the article illustrates how the bond between fans and their political fan object is built in the highly polysemic environment of convergence media in which audiences actively construct textual boundaries. Based on projective and self-reflective readings, enthusiasts of given political causes, actors or parties thus build an affective attachment to their fan object which allows for the creation of trust in its perceived proximity. If such readings become unsustainable over time, this affective bond and its associated levels of trust are eroded.

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