Establishing communication challenges and preferences among clinical trial participants in an under-resourced setting to improve adherence to study visits and participant retention

Background Ensuring protocol visit compliance and maintaining high participant retention remain critical elements of clinical trials. In the HVTN 702 HIV vaccine trial, Setshaba Research Centre in Soshanguve, Tshwane, South Africa, experienced challenges in communicating with participants to remind them about their study visits. In order to improve participants adhering to their study visits, and study retention, we aimed to identify challenges in mobile communication, and to establish preferences in communication methods and interest in receiving study information via cellphones. Methods We conducted a paper-based survey among HVTN 702 HIV vaccine trial participants at Setshaba Research Centre. The survey comprised of dichotomous and scale questions and was completed voluntarily and anonymously. The questions included those on their primary form of communication (calling, SMS and WhatsApp), the best time of day for the site to communicate with them, whether they were interested in receiving regular general study information updates via their cellular phone, how often they changed their cellular phones and/or network, whether they experienced any challenges with their cellular phones and what these challenges were, if any. All participants scheduled to visit the clinic from February to May 2019 were invited to participate. Thus, 90 of 380 (24%) participants enrolled by May 2019 were surveyed. Results The majority (68%) of participants were 26−35 years old and almost three-quarters (73%) were female. Almost all participants (99%) had a personal cellphone. Half of the participants experienced some challenge related to cellphones, these being poor network signal at home (12%), battery running flat frequently (11%), sharing their phone (9%), lack of data (9%), challenges with use of applications (6%) and their cellphones being unreliable (3%). Annually, 20% of participants made a single or multiple network changes. Communication preferences were calls by site staff (80%), SMS (16%) and WhatsApp (3%). Most preferred to be contacted in the morning (49%) or afternoon (31%). Site contact was rated as ‘very helpful’ (87%), and 97% were interested in receiving regular general study information updates via their cellphone. Conclusion Despite participants owning cellphones, there are still technical challenges, for example, network signals, battery-charging and applications. The majority of participants preferred being called rather than communicating by text messages or WhatsApp. Future studies need to include addressing participant challenges in maintaining contact and training of participants on use of cellphone applications to optimise communication. Noting the preferred time of day for participants to be called might improve the likelihood of making contact with them. The willingness to receive updates will aid in keeping participant interest high and enhance retention.

SMS Based Exam Schedule Information Unit Link Using Data Protocol Method

SMS from these various considerations is feasible to use. The level of ownership of cellular phones and affordable costs are considerations that support the adoption of this technology to be widely applied for the application of information system development in the present and in the future.Distance and long time are no longer a problem that can hinder obtaining information about the exam schedule, the SMS received does not come directly from the sender, but comes from the SMS Center. So, before the SMS reaches the recipient, the SMS actually enters the SMS Center first,The PDU contains not only the message, but also a lot of information about the sender. Starting from the sender's number, the sender's SMSC number, the validity time of the SMS, and so on. Everything is built in the form of hexadecimal numbers. SMS-based student exam scheduling using AT Command GSM which is used as a command in communication with the serial port. Scheduling with the AT command technique is very effective as information for students.

ASEAN Economic Community and its impacts: Opportunities, challenges, and implications for higher education

The vision of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) envisaged as a global ASEAN has impacts on all sectors, including higher education (HE), a key driver to the goal. However, it is still debatable whether HE can achieve it. This study aimed to draw insights into its impacts with a focus on opportunities, challenges, and implications for HE. This study employed qualitative, comparative, interpretive, and in-depth analysis of documents. The findings revealed that the progress of AEC has a great impact on HE in three areas. Prospective opportunities comprise the services sector and internal cooperation and collaboration. The sector accounted for approximately 50% of the real output in 2018. The top three countries were Singapore (68.9%), Thailand (59.9%), and the Philippines (57.8%). However, a crucial challenge is an inequitable access to digital-driven education due to inequitable access to the Internet among member countries. The gaps of subscribers and cellular phones lie between 94.6 and 33.1 and between 180.2 and 51.9 respectively. Singapore, the regions’ best education and labor mobility destination, has the highest rates of subscribers (100) and cellular phone usage (88.2). For implications, policymakers should foster interconnectivity and digitalization through innovation-driven education. A feasible roadmap for strategic management is also proposed for AEC engagement.

Operational Strategies of Online Food Delivery Businesses in Camarines Norte, Philippines

This research determined the operational strategies of online food delivery businesses in Camarines Norte, Philippines. It assessed the profile of the online food delivery businesses in terms of number of riders, initial capitalization, form of business organization, commonly used digital platform and average weekly deliveries; the operational strategies being implemented and the problems encountered on the aspects of resources and processes. Findings revealed that majority of online food delivery businesses have 11 to 15 riders, under sole proprietorship, uses social media platform, with 201 and above weekly deliveries. The operational strategies of online food delivery businesses include: monitoring of riders’ performances, use of cellular phones, desktop, tablet and laptop for monitoring customer needs; optimizing marketing budget through utilization of low-cost marketing campaigns and promotions; promotion using various social media platforms; and updating customers with their transactions from time-to-time via chat or Short Message Service (SMS). The problems encountered by online food delivery businesses are shortage of available riders during peak hours and threat of new entrants. The study recommended for food delivery business owners to revisit the human resource plans and create operations manual to provide clear guidelines and processes in implementing their operational strategies which are significant to their daily operations.

Use of Basic Technological Devices and Student’s Academic Performance

Technology has always flourished for the gain of mankind. Broadly speaking, all cellular phones, laptops and computers belong to technological devices. Thus, students used these devices for learning. This quantitative inquiry investigated the use of technological devices of students and its relationship to their academic performance. Hence, a researcher-made questionnaire was utilized to answer the descriptive and inferential questions. It was found out that there is no significant difference between the use of technological devices and the academic performance of students. But there was a significant relationship found between the two variables. A recommendation on the use of both traditional method and use of technological devices was made to augment and improve the learning needs of the students.

INFLUENCE OF ELECTRONIC WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IN KENYA. A CRITICAL LITERATURE REVIEW.

Purpose: There is a variety of electronic waste found in the country ranging from computers, cellular phones, televisions sets, refrigerators, and entertainment electronics amongst others. The general objective of the study was access the influence of electronic waste management systems in Kenya. A critical literature review Methodology: The paper used a desk study review methodology where relevant empirical literature was reviewed to identify main themes and to extract knowledge gaps. Findings: The study concludes that the methods employed in e-waste management were still inadequate. Most importers disposed of the undistributed computers and mobile phone at a discounted price to retailers and consumers. Very few importers used extended ·producer responsibility. In addition, majority of the end users used auctioning as a method of e-waste management. Recommendations: The study suggested that there is a need for the manufacturer to design a system which provides incentives to consumers to bring back products to the appropriate collection points. The incentives can be used in the beginning of the collection scheme as a way of advertising the scheme and when the scheme is well established the manufacturer can review and determine if there is need for incentives. Keywords: influence, electronic waste, management systems, Kenya

Opini Member Mengenai Personal Selling Sales Moka Pos dalam Memasarkan Produk

Large companies application cash Moka POS is one of business competitors in the online. Moka POS system is the point of sales. The point of sales arranged to present information business. If a cafe, then output is menu and price. The output of cash application was sent digitally through sms to customers cellular phones. Moka POS through personal selling post, sell their products use of the executive marketers sales which aims to affect consumer to purchase. On Moka POS sometimes frequent mistake by sales or communication on the application cashier online itself. To the Moka POS give to briefing sales. However sales was not able to practice so they cannot give satisfaction for their customers, this can be seen in figure a customer complaint. The purpose of research to know a member opinion about salesmanship sales, negotiating, marketing sales relationship Moka POS heading in markets better for you products. A method of descriptive with the sampling method of who used in research is the total sampling. The sample collection as many as 95 visitors. Based on the research done, shows that a member opinion about salesmanship sales, negotiating, relationship marketing Moka POS heading in markets better for you products sales could be said to be good because any product Moka POS offer will be able to understand, the manner of serving salesmanship sales, negotiating, relationship marketing to consumer good so consumers business operators become a member of the application of these Moka POS. Abstrak. Perusahaan besar aplikasi kasir online yaitu Moka POS adalah salah satu pesaing bisnis dalam bidang online. Moka POS merupakan aplikasi sistem Point of Sales. Sistem Point of Sales diatur agar dapat menyajikan informasi usaha. Apabila pada sebuah kafe, maka output-nya adalah daftar menu dan harga. Output dari aplikasi kasir tersebut dikirimkan secara digital melalui SMS ke ponsel pelanggan. Moka POS melalui personal selling, memasarkan produknya menggunakan tenaga pemasar yaitu Sales Executive yang bertujuan untuk mempengaruhi konsumen agar melakukan pembelian. Pada Moka POS terkadang juga sering terjadi kesalahan komunikasi oleh sales ataupun pada aplikasi kasir online itu sendiri. Untuk meminimalis keluhan-keluhan tersebut, Moka POS memberikan pembekalan kepada sales. Namun ternyata sales tersebut belum mampu mempraktekannya sehingga mereka tidak dapat memberikan kepuasan bagi pelanggannya, hal ini dapat dilihat pada gambar keluhan pelanggan. Tujuan penelitian untuk mengetahui opini member mengenai salesmanship sales, negotiating, relationship marketing sales Moka POS dalam memasarkan produk. Metode deskriptif dengan sampling yang digunakan dalam penelitian adalah total sampling. Pengambilan sampel sebanyak 95 orang. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, menunjukkan bahwa opini member mengenai salesmanship sales, negotiating, relationship marketing sales Moka POS dalam memasarkan produk bisa dikatakan baik karena setiap produk Moka POS yang di tawarkan dapat di mengerti, cara melayani salesmanship sales, negotiating, relationship marketing terhadap konsumen baik sehingga konsumen pelaku usaha menjadi member dari aplikasi Moka POS tersebut.