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Article
Publication date: 30 September 2014

Federica Pascale, Nabil Achour, Andrew D.F. Price and Francesco Polverino

This paper aims to evaluate emergency department (ED) design space planning approaches and draw lessons for developing more resilient and integrated ED guidelines. Two key…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to evaluate emergency department (ED) design space planning approaches and draw lessons for developing more resilient and integrated ED guidelines. Two key objectives have been set; these include: exploring potential factors affecting the ED performance, and investigate how ED space planning is addressed internationally through the evaluation of international case studies and design guidelines.

Design/methodology/approach

A robust research method has been adopted including comprehensive literature review in addition to 76 case studies from Italy and the USA.

Findings

Findings show that the important factors in defining ED space requirements are attendance variability, vulnerable groups and mass casualty events. The study concludes that current design guidelines and approaches need to be updated to meet with the current and future demand by taking into account design performance: effectiveness, efficiency and resilience, to avoid underestimating ED space; and that the US EDs are in a better position, than Italian EDs, to increase capacity when needed.

Originality/value

The contribution of this study is in providing a tangible “understanding” of factors influencing ED design and prepares a firm ground to develop more resilient and integrated design guidelines, able to meet current, exceptional and long-term needs of EDs. The study also shows that research can provide a valuable contribution to improve ED design which needs to feed more in practice to improve design process and guidelines.

Article
Publication date: 4 September 2009

Uri Gabbay and Michael Bukchin

Nurse shortage and rising healthcare resource burdens mean that appropriate workforce use is imperative. This paper aims to evaluate whether daily nursing staffing meets ward…

1715

Abstract

Purpose

Nurse shortage and rising healthcare resource burdens mean that appropriate workforce use is imperative. This paper aims to evaluate whether daily nursing staffing meets ward workload needs.

Design/methodology/approach

Nurse attendance and daily nurses' workload capacity in three hospitals were evaluated. Statistical process control was used to evaluate intra‐ward nurse workload capacity and day‐to‐day variations. Statistical process control is a statistics‐based method for process monitoring that uses charts with predefined target measure and control limits. Standardization was performed for inter‐ward analysis by converting ward‐specific crude measures to ward‐specific relative measures by dividing observed/expected. Two charts: acceptable and tolerable daily nurse workload intensity, were defined. Appropriate staffing indicators were defined as those exceeding predefined rates within acceptable and tolerable limits (50 percent and 80 percent respectively).

Findings

A total of 42 percent of the overall days fell within acceptable control limits and 71 percent within tolerable control limits. Appropriate staffing indicators were met in only 33 percent of wards regarding acceptable nurse workload intensity and in only 45 percent of wards regarding tolerable workloads.

Research limitations/implications

The study work did not differentiate crude nurse attendance and it did not take into account patient severity since crude bed occupancy was used. Double statistical process control charts and certain staffing indicators were used, which is open to debate.

Practical implications

Wards that met appropriate staffing indicators prove the method's feasibility. Wards that did not meet appropriate staffing indicators prove the importance and the need for process evaluations and monitoring. Methods presented for monitoring daily staffing appropriateness are simple to implement either for intra‐ward day‐to‐day variation by using nurse workload capacity statistical process control charts or for inter‐ward evaluation using standardized measure of nurse workload intensity. The real challenge will be to develop planning systems and implement corrective interventions such as dynamic and flexible daily staffing, which will face difficulties and barriers.

Originality/value

The paper fulfils the need for workforce utilization evaluation. A simple method using available data for daily staffing appropriateness evaluation, which is easy to implement and operate, is presented. The statistical process control method enables intra‐ward evaluation, while standardization by converting crude into relative measures enables inter‐ward analysis. The staffing indicator definitions enable performance evaluation. This original study uses statistical process control to develop simple standardization methods and applies straightforward statistical tools. This method is not limited to crude measures, rather it uses weighted workload measures such as nursing acuity or weighted nurse level (i.e. grade/band).

Details

International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, vol. 22 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0952-6862

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 July 2021

Randa Diab-Bahman, Abrar Al-Enzi, Wael Sharafeddine and Sapheya Aftimos

This paper aims to examine the correlation between academic performance and attendance of e-learning, away from the conventional classroom setting.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the correlation between academic performance and attendance of e-learning, away from the conventional classroom setting.

Design/methodology/approach

The study investigates the impact of attendance in the final grades of 389 undergraduate first- and second-year undergraduates taking Business Management classes online for the first time over the span of three consecutive academic semesters during an academic year.

Findings

The results show that there was a negative correlation between attendance and grades. However, splitting the results by year provided some insightful information as there was a difference between the relationships for first- and second-year students. Therefore, it can be concluded that both attendance and the year of the students did have a statistically significant influence on grades.

Originality/value

Although the impact of students' attendance on their academic performance has not been the subject of extensive research, especially in the field of Management studies and in an online delivery medium, it is likely to be of interest to academics and policymakers as the pandemic continues to make e-learning more popular.

Details

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, vol. 14 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-7003

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 July 2020

Justin Andrew Ehrlich and Joel M. Potter

Sports economists have consistently found that winning positively impacts team revenue fans prefer to allocate their entertainment dollars to winning teams. Previous research has…

Abstract

Purpose

Sports economists have consistently found that winning positively impacts team revenue fans prefer to allocate their entertainment dollars to winning teams. Previous research has also found that fans do not have a preference for how their team wins. However, this research ignores the significant variability in revenue that can exist between teams with similar attendance figures. The authors contribute to the literature by testing whether profit maximizing teams should pay different amounts for different types of production by estimating the marginal revenue product of a win due to offense, defense and pitching.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data from the 2010–2017 Major League Baseball seasons and an Ordinary Least Squares-Fixed Effects approach, the authors test whether a unit of offensive, defensive and pitching production generates differing amounts of team revenue both before and after revenue sharing. The authors then test if team Wins Above Replacement is a good approximation of actual wins while accounting for the previously observed nonlinear relationship between wins and revenue.

Findings

The authors found that marginal revenue product estimates in the postrevenue sharing model for mowar, pwar and dwar are nearly identical to each other. Further, after predicting prerevenue sharing, the authors find that fans have no preference for mowar, pwar or dwar play styles.

Originality/value

The findings illustrate that team decision-makers appear to be acting irrationally by paying more for offense than they do for defense. Thus, the findings suggest that team decision-makers should value defensive wins and pitching wins at the same rate as offensive wins on the free agent market.

Details

Managerial Finance, vol. 47 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0307-4358

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 May 2006

Mahmoud M. Nourayi

The aim of this study is to demonstrate suitability of the continuous improvement framework and use of benchmarking method in the context of sports.

3786

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study is to demonstrate suitability of the continuous improvement framework and use of benchmarking method in the context of sports.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses non‐financial performance measures that are indicative of performance and are closely related to the desired outcomes. Use of such measures seems necessary in the sports and appropriate in relation to professional sports organizations' recruiting, attendance, and profit maximizing objectives. Analyses of this study are based on data of National Basketball Association (NBA) games over three basketball seasons.

Findings

The results indicated significant correlation between attendance and winning percentages. Furthermore, the results suggest that a team can improve its winning percentages by changes in the roster that help it emulate superior teams. Comparing teams that advanced in a given season and reach the playoffs with those that did not, revealed the more important skill factors for success in the NBA. The results also indicated that some players' skills might be more critical for a given team in reaching the playoffs.

Research limitations/implications

The results presented in this paper are influenced by the NBA's basketball rules. Because basketball rules are not the same for all leagues and such rules change over time, the findings are time‐specific and should be considered in that light. Additionally, the research design used in this study must be modified for other professional sports.

Originality/value

This paper provides an example for application of continuous improvement framework to professional sports.

Details

Benchmarking: An International Journal, vol. 13 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-5771

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 May 2010

Toseef Azid and Rana Ejaz Ali Khan

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the demand side determinants of schooling of Pakistani urban children and the factors affecting boys and girls' schooling separately.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the demand side determinants of schooling of Pakistani urban children and the factors affecting boys and girls' schooling separately.

Design/methodology/approach

This is an empirical study using the non‐linear maximum likelihood probability (probit) function on primary data.

Findings

Besides other variables it has been observed that the poverty remains an important determinant of school participation. Poor households keep their children out of school due to their inability to afford the cost of schooling.

Research limitations/implications

On the basis of this study a socio‐economic policy can be formulated for a developing country like Pakistan.

Practical implications

A development policy can be formulated on the basis of this research for the enhancement of human resource development for a developing and an orthodox economy like Pakistan.

Originality/value

The paper is beneficial to the researchers, policy makers, and social scientists for the enhancement of the level of social welfare through its findings.

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 37 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

Keywords

Content available
Article
Publication date: 30 September 2014

Joseph Lai

88

Abstract

Details

Facilities, vol. 32 no. 13/14
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-2772

Article
Publication date: 13 February 2019

Yigit Kazancoglu and Yesim Deniz Ozkan-Ozen

This research aims to investigate and define the eight wastes of lean philosophy in higher education institutions (HEIs) by proposing a multi-stage model.

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Abstract

Purpose

This research aims to investigate and define the eight wastes of lean philosophy in higher education institutions (HEIs) by proposing a multi-stage model.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors have used a specific multi-criteria decision-making method, fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory, to investigate the cause–effect relationships and importance order between criteria for wastes in HEIs. In total, 22 criteria were categorized under eight wastes of lean. The study was implemented in a business school with the participation of faculty members from different departments.

Findings

The results showed that the most important wastes in the business school selected were repeated tasks, unnecessary bureaucracy, errors because of misunderstanding/communication problems, excessive number of academic units and creation of an excessive amount of information. Another important result was that all the sub-wastes of talent were in the causes group, while motion and transportation wastes were in the effect group.

Practical implications

A road map to guide lean transformation for HEIs is proposed with a multi-stage model and potential areas for improvement in HEIs were presented.

Originality/value

This study proposes a multi-stage structure by applying multi-criteria decision-making to HEIs, focussing on wastes from a lean perspective.

Details

Quality Assurance in Education, vol. 27 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0968-4883

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 February 2024

Juho Park, Junghwan Cho, Alex C. Gang, Hyun-Woo Lee and Paul M. Pedersen

This study aims to identify an automated machine learning algorithm with high accuracy that sport practitioners can use to identify the specific factors for predicting Major…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to identify an automated machine learning algorithm with high accuracy that sport practitioners can use to identify the specific factors for predicting Major League Baseball (MLB) attendance. Furthermore, by predicting spectators for each league (American League and National League) and division in MLB, the authors will identify the specific factors that increase accuracy, discuss them and provide implications for marketing strategies for academics and practitioners in sport.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used six years of daily MLB game data (2014–2019). All data were collected as predictors, such as game performance, weather and unemployment rate. Also, the attendance rate was obtained as an observation variable. The Random Forest, Lasso regression models and XGBoost were used to build the prediction model, and the analysis was conducted using Python 3.7.

Findings

The RMSE value was 0.14, and the R2 was 0.62 as a consequence of fine-tuning the tuning parameters of the XGBoost model, which had the best performance in forecasting the attendance rate. The most influential variables in the model are “Rank” of 0.247 and “Day of the week”, “Home team” and “Day/Night game” were shown as influential variables in order. The result was shown that the “Unemployment rate”, as a macroeconomic factor, has a value of 0.06 and weather factors were a total value of 0.147.

Originality/value

This research highlights unemployment rate as a determinant affecting MLB game attendance rates. Beyond contextual elements such as climate, the findings of this study underscore the significance of economic factors, particularly unemployment rates, necessitating further investigation into these factors to gain a more comprehensive understanding of game attendance.

Details

International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, vol. 25 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1464-6668

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 September 2012

David Pennington and Jenna Hodgson

Non‐attendance for first appointments in primary care mental health services represents a major service delivery challenge. Previous research identified how invitation type can…

Abstract

Purpose

Non‐attendance for first appointments in primary care mental health services represents a major service delivery challenge. Previous research identified how invitation type can influence attendance rates and a localised study was therefore carried out to examine the most effective invitation method and to inform local service guidelines. This exploratory study aims to consider the rate of non‐attendance to assessment for clients referred for psychological therapy in relation to invitation type.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 521 invitations to initial assessment were sent over a three month period with clients being drawn from a rolling waiting list of referrals and invited to attend initial assessment by letter, telephone, or telephone with a telephone reminder. Non‐attendance rates were examined and findings compared across invitation type.

Findings

The study concluded that telephone invitations followed by a telephone prompting reminder significantly reduced non‐attendance to initial assessment appointments.

Research limitations/implications

The findings highlight how using phone based invitation to assessment with a phone reminder can increase attendance rates and improve service efficiencies locally and more widely. There were several limitations to the research project including key variables not included or controlled for which it is felt may have biased the findings and the small effect size.

Originality/value

The findings of the present study extend and build on previous research in the area of attendance, particularly in relation to the provision of localised evidence from which to develop and improve local, national and international service delivery.

Details

Mental Health Review Journal, vol. 17 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1361-9322

Keywords

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