The perceptions of newly qualified nurses on the guidance by preceptors towards becoming experts in nursing

Background: The new role as professional nurse can be a difficult transition for the new qualified nurses. During this time, factors such as not being well prepared, working without supervision and a lack of guidance can be the result of a difficult transition.Objectives: The purpose of this study is to assess the perceptions of newly qualified nurses on the guidance given by their preceptors towards becoming experts in practice at a Level II regional hospital in the Western Cape.Method: A non-experimental quantitative descriptive design was followed. Collection of data was done by means of a questionnaire, designed by the researcher, using a cross-sectional research method. Non-probability sampling produced a sample of 162 nurses comprising registered nurses (48.2%), enrolled nurses (32.7%), and enrolled nursing auxiliaries (19.1%). Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Analysis System (SAS), version 9.3.Results: The results of the research study indicated that respondents had more positive experiences than negative ones. The respondents indicated that for the role and characteristics of the preceptor, expectations were met for knowledgeability, professionalism and contribution to team work. Furthermore, the results indicated that the respondents would recommend preceptorship.Conclusion: Preceptorship is one of the major interventions available to support newly qualified nurses by easing the transition from student to practicing nurse and reducing the theory-practice gap. The findings emphasised the importance of ongoing support programmes for nurses after obtaining a new qualification or/and being a new nurse.

Use of capital budgeting practices: an integrative review

This article aimed to highlight the relationships between these characteristics and the use ofcapital budgeting practices. For the selection of articles published on “capital budgeting” it wasused the Proknow-C tool. It was found that the theory-practice gap is both related with the organizationaland managerial characteristics from the practical point of view, but requires a reviewby academicians. Organizations should seek professionals with experience in capital projectsappraisal and who are familiar with and knowledgeable in the use of adequate practices for decision-making. This research contributes by indicating the research gaps that need to be explored by researchers and by trying to identify the difficulties found by managers that interfere in the capital budgeting results.

Analytics Capability in Marketing Education: A Practice-Informed Model

As marketing continues to be transformed by technology and the explosion of big data, academic research has identified a significant need for analytics skills in marketing education. However, it is unclear whether current curriculum approaches to marketing analytics equip students with the skills employers need and prepare them effectively for data-driven marketing roles. This study identifies the knowledge and skills marketing graduates require for analytics practice to bridge the theory-practice gap and increase students’ employability. Our research reveals that a blend of knowledge, soft and technical skills is needed, and that the ability to communicate insights from data to stakeholders is critical. We offer a practice-informed model which demonstrates that conceptual knowledge, technical skills, tools skills and soft skills are required to develop holistic analytics capability for marketing practice. Actionable takeaways for how educators can embed holistic analytics teaching in marketing education are also provided.

Solutions to bridge the theory-practice gap in nursing education in the UAE: a qualitative study

Background The theoretical knowledge of nursing underpins the practice, while the practice environment determines the circumstances within which the theoretical knowledge is applied. The biggest challenge facing nursing as an academic field is the theory-practice gap, which is a universal issue in nursing. This study aimed to raise solutions to close the gap between theory and practice in nursing education through the eyes of nursing students in UAE. Methods A qualitative descriptive approach was followed; whereby 25 Emirati nursing students were interviewed. Results Two main themes are discussed in this study: ‘Clinical Culture Creation’ and ‘Curriculum Content Reformation’. The students suggested to decreased the loud and stress on their clinical educators. They also suggested creating synchronization between what is taught in classrooms and labs and what is offered in the clinical training. Moreover, some of the students expected to have more benefit if they get their clinical training in health institutions owned by their college. On the other side, many of the participants suggested to move from the integration system to the block system. Another interesting suggestion includes having the same college staff to teach the theory and the clinical. The final suggestion includes decreasing the paper work during clinical training. Conclusions This study explored the solutions to bridge the theory-practice gap in nursing education in the UAE. The study has implications for nursing education and practice within the UAE and is imperative for graduating workplace ready professional nurses within the country.

Artificial intelligence for supply chain resilience: learning from Covid-19

PurposeMany supply chains have faced disruption during Covid-19. Artificial intelligence (AI) is one mechanism that can be used to improve supply chain resilience by developing business continuity capabilities. This study examines how firms employ AI and consider the opportunities for AI to enhance supply chain resilience by developing visibility, risk, sourcing and distribution capabilities.Design/methodology/approachThe authors have gathered rich data by conducting semistructured interviews with 35 experts from the e-commerce supply chain. The authors have adopted a systematic approach of coding using open, axial and selective methods to map and identify the themes that represent the critical elements of AI-enabled supply chain resilience.FindingsThe results of the study highlight the emergence of five critical areas where AI can contribute to enhanced supply chain resilience; (1) transparency, (2) ensuring last-mile delivery, (3) offering personalized solutions to both upstream and downstream supply chain stakeholders, (4) minimizing the impact of disruption and (5) facilitating an agile procurement strategy.Research limitations/implicationsThe study offers interesting implications for bridging the theory–practice gap by drawing on contemporary empirical data to demonstrate how enhancing dynamic capabilities via AI technologies further strengthens supply chain resilience. The study also offers suggestions for utilizing the findings and proposes a framework to strengthen supply chain resilience through AI.Originality/valueThe study presents the dynamic capabilities for supply chain resilience through the employment of AI. AI can contribute to readying supply chains to reduce their risk of disruption through enhanced resilience.

Ethnography in Health Services Research: Oscillation Between Theory and Practice

The well-known divergence between what policy and protocol look like on paper, and what happens in the actual practice of daily life remains a central challenge in health services provision and research. This disparity is usually referred to as the theory–practice gap and contributes to concerns that scientific evidence fails to make substantial impacts on the processes of service delivery. In this article, we present an argument for the inclusion of ethnographic methods in health services research and show that this approach enables researchers to address this divergence by working within it. We trace how ethnography, through generative processes of oscillation, can take us beyond lamenting the gap and capture the relational dynamics of people working together in complex systemic arrangements. By moving from example to methodological reflection, to principle of research, we demonstrate how the oscillation of ethnographic research between theory and practice can productively contribute to the field of health service research.

Value-Sensitive Design of Unmanned Aerial Systems

What happens when an engineer attempts to address the value-neutral paradigm and the holistic deficits in engineering science? This paper sets out to account for the interplay between an unmanned aerial system engineer acting as a “champion” of value sensitive design (VSD) and their more objectivist research organization. Action research methods are used by the authors in an attempt to implement VSD in a real-world research organization and thereby bridge the theory-practice gap. Primary empirical data are collected which indicate the engineer has internalized and often utilizes a VSD approach. Both barriers and catalysts to wider adoption of VSD within the organization are experienced, and recommendations for overcoming paradigmatic, strategic, structural, and cultural barriers are addressed. This work demonstrates how action research can be used to shift engineering away from a value-neutral paradigm towards the value-sensitive approach advocated by the authors.