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1 – 10 of over 5000The paper aims to provide a simulation optimization solution to improve patient scheduling that accounts for varying ancillary service time such as x-ray to minimize patient wait…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to provide a simulation optimization solution to improve patient scheduling that accounts for varying ancillary service time such as x-ray to minimize patient wait time.
Design/methodology/approach
The two-step approach is to: identify patients' needs for ancillary services while scheduling appointments; and propose an algorithm to determine ancillary service time via simulation optimization. The main aim is to provide sufficient time between arrival at the clinic and the actual examination time for a patient to complete pre-visit activities without contributing significantly to patient wait time. Two case studies are included to demonstrate the approach.
Findings
Triaging at the appointment-scheduling time saves an average 17 minutes for physician's first consultation in a clinic day, and a 7 percent reduction on current average patient wait time for case 1. Case 2 results in a 9 percent reduction on average patient wait time. The scheduled ancillary service time depends on the frequency and the ancillary service time, and appointment slot design.
Research limitations/implications
One limitation is the impact of modeling error on the account of ancillary service times and the modeling assumptions.
Practical implications
The proposed approach provides a studying method for clinic staff to account for ancillary services prior to physicians' visits for a better patient care. Two case studies demonstrated the practicability and promising results on reducing patient waiting.
Originality/value
This article presents a unique approach to considering the required ancillary services in outpatient scheduling system that minimizes patient wait times. The approach will strengthen the existing scheduling methods to allow the time for ancillary services.
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Recently, ancillary services' (e.g. bag processing, preferred seating) contribution to the overall air travel revenues has become substantial. Yet, no study to date has addressed…
Abstract
Purpose
Recently, ancillary services' (e.g. bag processing, preferred seating) contribution to the overall air travel revenues has become substantial. Yet, no study to date has addressed how these services are purchased. This study aims to investigate air travelers' adoption of mobile phones to purchase ancillary air travel services.
Design/methodology/approach
A comprehensive structural model was developed based on the Technology Acceptance Model and augmented with constructs like trust, privacy, security, innovativeness, and personalization. The model was validated using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equations modeling.
Findings
The model explained 84 percent of the variability in intentions to use mobile phones to purchase air travel ancillary services. The strongest predictor of attitudes was perceived usefulness, followed by perceived ease of use and trust.
Research limitations/implications
First, this study's extended theoretical framework was well supported, as it captures relevant system perceptions (e.g. usefulness, ease of use) and personal traits of consumers (e.g. innovativeness), thus extending the classic paradigmatic approach to technology adoption beyond system beliefs. Second, the study explains the relationships among trust, security, and privacy in m-commerce. Third, this study explicates the roles of innovativeness and personalization, which have not been examined in the context of m-commerce in travel.
Practical implications
This study offers managers an understanding of factors leading to adoption of mobile phones for purchasing air travel ancillary services.
Originality/value
This study provides a first theoretical perspective on the purchasing behavior of services that have not been studied so far, but have an increasingly substantial financial significance for the airline industry.
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William E. Baker, Donald Sciglimpaglia and Massoud Saghafi
After the sale of a primary product, firms often have the opportunity to sell ancillary products or services in support of the primary brand. These add‐ons or services may be…
Abstract
Purpose
After the sale of a primary product, firms often have the opportunity to sell ancillary products or services in support of the primary brand. These add‐ons or services may be offered in a generic or in a branded form. The aim of the this paper is to study the demand for add‐on services in the mobile communications industry and to detail a methodology that can be employed to make this assessment.
Design/methodology/approach
A field experimental design approach using two‐brand manipulations, four‐price points and six content applications was employed. The study was fielded at a mall intercept facility in a major urban center. Interviews with 389 mobile phone users between the ages 18‐31 were conducted.
Findings
Results extend brand equity theory into the context of ancillary product sales and demonstrate that branded ancillary services can command a price premium and are less sensitive to price increases than unbranded alternatives.
Practical implications
Given the growth of demand for non‐voice mobile services, proliferation of such services and the global competition in the industry, marketing managers are under constant pressure to differentiate while achieving revenue goals. This study provides a methodology for managers to calculate the price premium that branded ancillary services may provide over unbranded alternatives and, hence, estimates the worth of potential brand partnerships.
Originality/value
This study extends brand equity theory by recognizing an overlooked scenario: offering branded versus generic ancillary services after the sales of the primary products, through which firms can leverage brand equity benefits.
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G. Kannabiran and P. Dharmalingam
The auto ancillary industry in India has witnessed huge capacity expansion and modernization due to entry of foreign automobile manufacturers in the post liberalization era. In…
Abstract
Purpose
The auto ancillary industry in India has witnessed huge capacity expansion and modernization due to entry of foreign automobile manufacturers in the post liberalization era. In spite of potential benefits, the adoption of advanced IT among small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) is low in India. There are several technological, economical and organizational factors that enable or inhibit the adoption of advanced IT. The primary objective of this research is to identify and evaluate the key factors that are enabling or inhibiting adoption of advanced IT in the Indian auto ancillary SMEs.
Design/methodology/approach
In order to identify and evaluate the enablers and inhibitors, a detailed survey was carried out among registered Indian auto ancillary SMEs during 2010. Out of 584 registered SMEs, 110 owners/top managers of the SMEs responded to the survey. The data collected through the survey were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and multivariate regression to evaluate the influence of enablers and inhibitors of advanced IT adoption by the auto ancillary SMEs.
Findings
The survey findings show that the level of advanced IT adoption in auto ancillaries is low with only 17 per cent of SMEs having adopted technologies. This study reveals that “perceived benefits” and “perceived competitive pressure” enable advanced IT adoption among auto ancillary SMEs in India. However, “lack of financial capacity”, “small scale operation and “lack of in‐house IT manpower” inhibit the adoption. It is also found that enablers such as “changes in business environment”, “IT experience of CEO/owner” and “increased information linkage with OEM/customer” do not have any influence on the adoption. Similarly in the case of inhibitors, “lack of IT Infrastructure” and “lack of information security” do not have significant association with IT adoption. Despite the positive external IT environment and recognition of benefits, advanced IT adoption by SMEs in the auto ancillaries is limited by lack of financial capabilities and in‐house IT human resources.
Originality/value
This is one of the early papers that brings out the enablers and inhibitors of advanced IT adoption by auto ancillaries in India. Further, these factors are systematically analyzed to assess the relative importance with reference to the SMEs. The findings contribute to theory of IT adoption among SMEs, but more importantly to the SMEs in the auto ancillary, and policy makers and IT service providers who are likely to facilitate increased adoption.
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J. Barry Howcroft and John Lavis
Ancillary services as a generic product‐service group represent a key area for growth in the retail banking sector provided their introduction is low and concurrent with culture…
Abstract
Ancillary services as a generic product‐service group represent a key area for growth in the retail banking sector provided their introduction is low and concurrent with culture change within the sector. Ancillary services will absorb surplus staff for marketing purposes; the branch network will evolve towards a newer retailing‐based role, and the selling of integrated packages of services will retain customer contact and reinforce customer loyalty. These services can also boost fee earning and incremental profit, increasing market strength. Changing product design, training, infrastructure (branch design), and management control will aid the shift of the retailing structure towards ancillary services. However, these must not be seen to provide cosmetic solutions to banks' deeper problems, and the strategy should not provide a service far removed from existing operations.
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The purpose of this study is to suggest possible approach which can be applied to estimate the monetary value of the ancillary services in today’s multichannel environment where…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to suggest possible approach which can be applied to estimate the monetary value of the ancillary services in today’s multichannel environment where consumers tend to exhibit cross-channel purchase behavior across the online and offline.
Design/methodology/approach
This study conducts literature reviews to identify ancillary services and discuss their service paths across online and offline channels based on service-dominant logic. It then proposes discrete choice modeling approach with stated preference data to estimating the implicit value of services.
Findings
By examining consumer decision-making process, some ancillary services attached to the products/services that consumers target at are revealed and discussed. By applying the discrete choice modeling approach which have been widely applied in the marketing and transportation area to describe consumers’ multichannel choices, it is believed that the implicit value that consumers are willing to pay for having those ancillary services can be estimated.
Originality/value
Value is generally considered transitory, stochastic and multidimensional and understood imprecisely. Past research recognized the importance of value to the service industry, but failed to give it a widely accepted definition. Issues on the value of time, value of information and value of services have been widely discussed in the literature, but most of them remained unsolved. The approach proposed by this study to estimating the value of services seems practicable and is worth a further validation by empirical study.
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Diana Forrest, Jo Walsworth‐Bell and Lynda Mason
Health at Work in the NHS was launched at the same time as Health of theNation, in July 1992. There is good national and local evidenceidentifying ancillary staff as a priority…
Abstract
Health at Work in the NHS was launched at the same time as Health of the Nation, in July 1992. There is good national and local evidence identifying ancillary staff as a priority for health promotion. Despite the evidence, and a regional drive to make work with ancillary staff a priority, a recent audit made clear that very little has happened. Market testing seems to have excluded ancillary staff health from senior management responsibility. Discusses possible reasons and the implications.
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ROBERT J. ROSENBERG and MARLA S. BECKER
This paper first generally discusses United States bank liquidations under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA), and addresses the…
Abstract
This paper first generally discusses United States bank liquidations under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA), and addresses the purposes and impact upon US financial institutions of FIRREA. It also addresses the role and powers of the FDIC as affected by FIRREA. The second section discusses the use of ancillary bankruptcy petitions in the United States to aid in the liquidations of foreign financial institutions. The paper concludes with a discussion of the availability of plenary bankruptcy relief for foreign bank holding companies and foreign banks not engaged in banking business in the United States.
How do energy consumption, efficiency and economic performance vary between small enterprises belonging to two different product clusters whose production process and technologies…
Abstract
Purpose
How do energy consumption, efficiency and economic performance vary between small enterprises belonging to two different product clusters whose production process and technologies differ?
Design/methodology/approach
The objectives are analyzed based on empirical data gathered from a field survey of small enterprises with reference to auto ancillaries in Shimoga and brick‐making enterprises in Malur of Karnataka State in India. Simple averages, correlation and multiple‐regression techniques are used for the analysis.
Findings
The study brought out that higher energy intensity results in higher share of energy cost in total variable cost. Energy intensity had a negative relationship with value of output. Energy makes a statistically significant contribution to returns to scale. The classification of small enterprises into two groups based on above average energy intensity and below average energy intensity, and the subsequent regression analysis brought out that energy intensity had a positive influence on returns to scale in auto ancillaries whereas a negative influence on returns to scale in bricks enterprises.
Research limitations/implications
The sample‐size formulation could not be done on a scientific basis due to the absence of comprehensive data on all small enterprises operating in the respective clusters and therefore, the findings may not be generalized.
Practical implications
Industry specific characteristics must be taken into account while introducing “energy efficiency improvement” programmes as a means of enhancing competitiveness in “energy intensive” small enterprises.
Originality/value
The paper illustrates the scope for energy conservation and efficiency improvement in Indian small enterprises.
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This practice paper examines the current practice of Hong Kong Lands Department regarding enforcement against breaches of the “user clause” in the Crown (Government) lease. A…
Abstract
This practice paper examines the current practice of Hong Kong Lands Department regarding enforcement against breaches of the “user clause” in the Crown (Government) lease. A total of 26 categories of lease drafting approaches regarding user restrictions are identified. It is argued that unless the relevant lease document expressly pins down the limit of ancillary office uses in industrial premises, as in one of the 26 categories identified, no enforcement of such uses shall be instigated.
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