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1 – 10 of 92Sónia Duarte Silva and Ana Fonseca
The purpose of this paper is to apply quality management tools and practices in the design of an integrated accreditation model for Local Health Trusts, in order to contribute to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to apply quality management tools and practices in the design of an integrated accreditation model for Local Health Trusts, in order to contribute to the sustainability of the Portuguese Primary HealthCare Service. Following the guidelines of the Portuguese Health Quality Strategy, the proposed model is an adaptation of the model from Agencia para la Calidad Sanitaria de Andaluzia.
Design/methodology/approach
The development of the integrated accreditation model was based on a literature review, complemented with observation and analysis of the usual working methods in a Local Health Trust (Western Oporto Health Trust).
Findings
Local Health Trusts include not only clinical management units but also non-clinical administrative units. Therefore, the National Model for Accreditation of HealthCare Institutions is not easily or directly applicable to them. To overcome this problem, the model proposed in this study incorporates ISO 9001 principles, widely accepted regarding organizational management. The success of the application of this model is highly dependent on the ability of public Primary HealthCare organizations to deal with potential problems such as resistance to change, lack of leadership and inadequate people management and involvement.
Originality/value
The integrated accreditation model proposed in this research is expected to promote the cohesion of Local Health Trust units, encouraging integrated quality management practices and continuous improvement strategies, leading Local Health Trusts, Primary Care and HealthCare in a global perspective toward sustainability.
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Focusing on the conditional cash transfers (CCTs) first created and implemented in Brazil and Mexico, this article takes a new look at the factors facilitating the creation of…
Abstract
Purpose
Focusing on the conditional cash transfers (CCTs) first created and implemented in Brazil and Mexico, this article takes a new look at the factors facilitating the creation of these innovative policies. In order to shed light on the continuous struggles that are faced when pioneering, formulating and adopting these anti-poverty policies, the authors analyze three types of ambiguities: axiological, partisan and electoral.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a gradual institutional change approach within the advocacy coalition framework, the authors conduct a qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews, official public administration archives and newspapers.
Findings
This article demonstrates that advocacy coalitions (for human capital, basic income and food security) and the quest for electoral gains are viable contexts for exploring the complex processes involved in setting up CCTs, of which Brazil's Bolsa-Família and Mexico's Progresa-Oportunidades-Prospera (POP) provide emblematic examples.
Originality/value
The findings contribute to comparative social policy research and institutional change analysis. The coalitions and ambiguous consensuses studied here expand the perspectives with a more detailed understanding of the chaotic processes involved in developing social policies.
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Ana Carla de Souza Gomes dos Santos, Augusto da Cunha Reis, Cristina Gomes de Souza, Igor Leão dos Santos and Letícia Ali Figueiredo Ferreira
Several authors have examined the lean healthcare literature, but besides all efforts made, articles comparing conceptual and analytical studies were not found. Thus, a systematic…
Abstract
Purpose
Several authors have examined the lean healthcare literature, but besides all efforts made, articles comparing conceptual and analytical studies were not found. Thus, a systematic review is conducted aiming to understand the state of the art of lean healthcare by investigating and comparing how conceptual and analytical articles address tools/methods, application fields, implementation barriers and facilitators and positive and negative impacts.
Design/methodology/approach
Articles in English about lean healthcare, published in journals in the last ten years (2009–2018) and indexed in Web of Science (WoS) or Scopus were examined and assessed by following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes (PRISMA) protocol. A qualitative content analysis on the eligible articles was conducted, and results from the conceptual and analytical studies were compared.
Findings
There is a literature gap regarding tools/methods in both conceptual and analytical approaches once they prioritize for different items. Barriers, facilitators and negative impacts are perceived differently within both categories and might require more extensive analysis. The same items prevail in both conceptual and analytical categories when analyzing healthcare fields and positive impacts.
Originality/value
There is a lack of articles comparing conceptual and analytical studies concerning lean healthcare. So, this study's relevance is in identifying theoretical and applied research gaps to strengthen the lean healthcare state of the art and to integrate theoretical-applied knowledge. For healthcare professionals, it might provide an overview of the key factors that can promote lean implementation.
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Luís César Ferreira Motta Barbosa, Otávio José de Oliveira, Marcio Cardoso Machado, Ana Clara Tomaz Morais, Patrícia Maria Bozola and Manuel Gilberto Freitas Santos
This study used a qualitative approach on five case studies in Brazilian industrial companies. The research used interviews, document analysis and on-site visits to collect and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study used a qualitative approach on five case studies in Brazilian industrial companies. The research used interviews, document analysis and on-site visits to collect and analyze data. The companies were selected based on the following criteria: operating in the industrial sector, updating their quality management system (QMS) process to ISO 9001: 2015 and agreeing to participate in this study.
Design/methodology/approach
This article aims to investigate the strategies of industrial companies adopted for ISO-9001:2015 certification in light of the six major advances concerning the previous version. Thus, QMS of other organizations can incorporate identified lessons learned, whether certified or not.
Findings
The main finding of the research is the systematization of a set of lessons learned in the experiences of implementing the six significant advances of ISO 9001 concerning the previous version by industrial companies in the State of São Paulo in Brazil. These lessons can and should be used by other organizations to improve their QMSs.
Practical implications
The practices identified in this empirical research can serve as benchmarking to assist quality managers from other companies in QMS certification based on ISO 9001: 2015 or even those not certified but interested in updating their QMSs. Therefore, lessons learned can significantly minimize efforts to improve your projects, processes, products and services. These findings can also help industrial companies improve their production efficiency and effectiveness through quality improvement.
Originality/value
The main novelty of the research is the consolidation of theoretical and practical analysis of the main changes in the latest version of the ISO 9001 standards. The efforts to fulfill those changes result in lessons learned. The “lessons learned” will form a new block of knowledge that will subsidize theoretical (new research) and practical (formulation of a new ISO 9001 standard and helps quality managers improve their systems).
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Ana Maria Ramalho Correia, Marília da Luz Fonseca, N. Sykes and F.E. Wood
Since 1983. CITI (Centro de Informação Técnica para a Indústria/Centre for Technical Information for Industry) at LNETI (Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia e Tecnologia…
Abstract
Since 1983. CITI (Centro de Informação Técnica para a Indústria/Centre for Technical Information for Industry) at LNETI (Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia e Tecnologia Industrial) has been providing online information searching to researchers, academia, industry and business in Portugal, to support R&D activities, innovation and transfer of technology and to contribute to the competitiveness of Portuguese industry in world markets. This paper presents an analysis of the use of this service from 1986 to 1990 and highlights the most often searched databases, as well as the subjects most searched, by type of user. Information is also presented on the online costs and trends in costs over the period. Despite the increased use of this service throughout the period analysed, there is considerable scope for improvement in the way it is marketed as an effective and efficient way to retrieve relevant information and, consequently, in how it can enhance the productivity of scientists, engineers and business personnel.
Leonardo Fonseca Maciel, Ana Lúcia de Souza Madureira Felício and Elisa Yoko Hirooka
Many factors can influence the bioactive compounds in cocoa beans. The purpose of this paper is to characterize the bioactive compound profile of 12 cocoa bean clones produced in…
Abstract
Purpose
Many factors can influence the bioactive compounds in cocoa beans. The purpose of this paper is to characterize the bioactive compound profile of 12 cocoa bean clones produced in Bahia’s Southern region.
Design/methodology/approach
Total phenolic content, total flavonoids and total anthocyanins were determined using spectrophotometric methods. Caffeic acid, caffeine, theobromine, catechin and epicatechin contents were determined using Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography with a Photodiode Array Detector. Principal component analysis (PCA) was carried out using to determine the variability of the results found in relation to the clones studied.
Findings
The authors observed variations in the bioactive compound content between the analyzed cocoa clones. The SRN clone showed the highest levels of phenolic content, flavonoids, caffeine, catechin, and epicatechin. PCA showed that all the clones had unique characteristics related to the composition of their bioactive compounds content, classifying each clone in a well-defined manner.
Originality/value
This work is an important contribution for the characterization of new cocoa bean clones in relation to their content of bioactive compounds. The information reported in this paper can be decisive in the choice of the variety of cocoa in the production of chocolate with high bioactive compounds content and claim of functional property.
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Filipe A.P. Duarte, Maria José Madeira, Susana Maria Fonseca, Dulcineia Catarina Moura and Ana Teresa Bernardo Guia
The purpose of this paper is to explore the effects of R&D investment as a determinant of ongoing or abandoned innovation activities. The literature review focuses especially…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the effects of R&D investment as a determinant of ongoing or abandoned innovation activities. The literature review focuses especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that deploy R&D investment as a way of developing innovation processes.
Design/methodology/approach
This study’s design used a sample of 4,229 Portuguese SMEs to analyse the effects R&D investment has on the innovation activities; the results obtained demonstrate the great importance of firms investing in R&D internal activities for the development of their innovation process.
Findings
The most important findings highlight the types of activities that emerge as relevant to innovation processes susceptible for development to avoid abandoning and maintaining ongoing innovation activities. Among them, the authors would highlight the design of products or services, the introduction of innovations to the market and the acquisition of machinery, equipment and specific software, among others.
Originality/value
In addition, other types of activities emerge as relevant to innovation processes susceptible for development to avoid abandoning and maintaining ongoing innovation activities. This research adds value to the current literature mainly showing several determinants related to R&D, which could be used by SMEs to improve and develop their activities of innovation.
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Ana Zorio-Grima, Laura Sierra-García and Maria A. Garcia-Benau
The purpose of this research is to identify the combinations of factors leading to experience in sustainability reporting by Spanish public universities.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to identify the combinations of factors leading to experience in sustainability reporting by Spanish public universities.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a sample of 49 public universities in Spain, this paper identifies the combinations of factors on innovation profile, political and internal factors that explain the different degree of corporate social reporting experience with fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis.
Findings
The study’s findings are a contribution to existing literature as the results obtained point out three different configurations leading to this expertise, with a combination of different conditions based on innovation profile, political and internal factors. Also, the results reveal new characteristics of sustainable development strategies by universities, such as devoting a specific sustainability reporting section in the university website, creating a sustainability body in the university structure or submitting the sustainability report to external assurance.
Research limitations/implications
This study refers only to Spanish public universities. In the future, new studies can enlarge the sample and analyse country effects and impact of public versus private status of universities on sustainability reporting strategies.
Practical implications
The study’s findings are important for university community, regulators and other stakeholders to start considering the need to somehow promote further sustainability reporting and assurance practices by universities, especially in a context of budget restrictions.
Originality/value
This paper opens up a new line of research on sustainability experience using an innovative methodology (fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis) useful with small sample sizes, and provides a complete picture of sustainability reporting by Spanish public universities.
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