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Article
Publication date: 11 December 2007

Nicole Hickey, Tami Kramer and M Garralda

The role of the primary mental health worker (PMHW) is relatively new within child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). Different organisational structures have emerged…

Abstract

The role of the primary mental health worker (PMHW) is relatively new within child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). Different organisational structures have emerged and it is important to study the advantages and disadvantages associated with different PMHW practice models. The current study uses a large, representative sample of PMHWs and operationalises practice models according to the PMHWs' self‐reported location and team alignment thus identifying three models (namely CAMHS outreach, primary care based, and dedicated PMHW team). Comparisons between the models are made in relation to organisation and management, inter‐agency links, and job satisfaction with the aim of exploring the strengths and weaknesses of each model. The results suggest that each model meets the aims of the role and there is greater similarity than dissimilarity between models. However, it also indicates that attention should be paid to improving the working environments and training and development opportunities for all PMHWs irrespective of model, but with particular consideration given to improving the support available to PMHWs working in primary care based models.

Details

The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice, vol. 2 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1755-6228

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 1996

Carol Davies, Joy Fletcher, Ala Szczepura and John Wilmot

Since 1990, the changes introduced in UK general practice, such as fund holding and national incentives, have altered the process of care. Audit, defined as “the systematic…

792

Abstract

Since 1990, the changes introduced in UK general practice, such as fund holding and national incentives, have altered the process of care. Audit, defined as “the systematic critical analysis of the quality of medical care, including the procedures used for diagnosis and treatment, the use of resources, and the resulting outcome and quality of life for patients”, is one method of monitoring change and raising standards. Presents a successful co‐ordinated audit in Warwickshire, 1991‐1993, involving 53 general practices. Highlights the influence of attitudes and communications within practices on the success of audit strategies. Associates aspects of practice culture, such as team working and decision‐making processes, with successful audit. Postulates six descriptive practice types, largely related to cultural factors. Suggests that if cultural factors within practices are identified, external assistance with audit may be more focused and effective.

Details

International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, vol. 9 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0952-6862

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Article
Publication date: 24 February 2022

Dwi Agustina Kurniawati, Asfin Handoko, Rajesh Piplani and Rianna Rosdiahti

This paper aims to optimize the halal product distribution by minimizing the transportation cost while ensuring halal integrity of the product. The problem is considered as a…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to optimize the halal product distribution by minimizing the transportation cost while ensuring halal integrity of the product. The problem is considered as a capacitated vehicle routing problem (CVRP), based on the assumption that two different types of vehicles are used for distribution: vehicles dedicated for halal product distribution and vehicles dedicated for nonhalal products distribution. The problem is modeled as an integer linear program (ILP), termed CVRP-halal and nonhalal products distribution (CVRP-HNPD). It is solved using tabu-search (TS)-based algorithm and is suitable for application to real-life sized halal product distribution.

Design/methodology/approach

Two approaches are used in solving the problem: exact approach (integer-linear program) and approximate approach (TS). First, the problem is modeled as ILP and solved using CPLEX Solver. To solve life-sized problems, a TS-based algorithm is developed and run using MATLAB.

Findings

The experiments on numerical data and life-sized instances validate the proposed model and algorithm and show that cost-minimizing routes for HNPD are developed while ensuring the halal integrity of the products.

Practical implications

The proposed model and algorithm are suitable as decision support tools for managers responsible for distribution of halal products as they facilitate the development of minimum cost distribution routes for halal and nonhalal products while maintaining the integrity of halal products. The model and algorithm provide a low transportation cost strategy at the operational level of halal products distribution while fulfilling the halal logistics requirement.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study that specifically deals with the CVRP of halal products distribution by proposing CVRP-HNPD model and TS-CVRP-HNPD algorithm. The proposed model and algorithm ensure the integrity of halal products along the distribution chain, from the warehouse (distribution center) to the retailer, while achieving lowest transportation cost.

Details

Journal of Islamic Marketing, vol. 14 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1759-0833

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Article
Publication date: 11 April 2016

Amrita Gangotra and Ravi Shankar

There are various risks that can derail the adoption of business analytics (BA) practice in a telecom service provider (TSP) thereby jeopardising the possibility to increase…

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Abstract

Purpose

There are various risks that can derail the adoption of business analytics (BA) practice in a telecom service provider (TSP) thereby jeopardising the possibility to increase profitability and improved customer experience. The purpose of this paper is to analyse different associated risks using situation-actor-process, learnings-actions-performance (SAP-LAP) model and build mitigation strategies for the adoption. Also the risks are ranked using the interactive ranking process (IRP) methodology and the dominating matrix provides insight to the actions and actors that need attention to improve the processes and performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study of a TSP (X1) was analysed through close interactions with experts within the company and externals involved in setting up the BA practice in X1. Using the SAP-LAP framework risks were identified and then the IRP was used to rank the actors w.r.t performance and actions w.r.t processes.

Findings

X1 has taken initiatives for setting up the BA practice in order to improve the profitability and customer experience through data insights. The suggested conceptual SAP-LAP model helps to address risk mitigation strategies for its adoption and the IRP frameworks helps in understanding the prioritisation matrix (using the ranking) to be considered to mitigate the risks.

Research limitations/implications

The IRP framework is limited to certain relationships between actors, w.r.t processes and actions w.r.t performance for the prioritisation matrix of identified risks. This has scope to be further expanded to other relationships and therefore refining the findings. Also this approach could be used to study other industries too.

Practical implications

SAP-LAP model identifies the risks in adopting the BA practice in a TSP. The synthesis of SAP leads to LAP, which bridges the gap by suggesting improvement actions based on the learning from the present situation, actors and processes. IRP provides the prioritisation matrix for mitigating the risks by identifying the dominating factors.

Originality/value

BA practice plays a dominant role in a TSP. An approach to study the risks of its adoption using the SAP-LAP and IRP framework bridges the gap between the academic and corporate world. This paper is very relevant to managers involved in setting up a BA practice. For the academic, use of research model validates the identification of risks that are recognised in the corporate world and prioritising the risks that need to be addressed.

Details

Journal of Enterprise Information Management, vol. 29 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0398

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 May 2014

Philip Beske and Stefan Seuring

The aim of this paper is to identify key categories of Sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) and related practices that are required to fulfill the demands of sustainability…

24901

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to identify key categories of Sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) and related practices that are required to fulfill the demands of sustainability and, therefore, contributing to sustainability performance. As part of this, the authors will identify different approaches in practice implementation in SSCM and supply chain management (SCM). SSCM has become a topic of great interest and is linked to the assumption that a more sustainable performance for businesses would be achieved on its implementation. Such performance has to be achieved with respect to all three dimensions of sustainability.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is conceptual in nature. The authors draw from literature on SSCM and examine frameworks and critical accounts on the topic. This allows identifying key aspects of SSCM and pointing out differences and overlaps with SCM.

Findings

The authors identify five key categories which are of high importance for the sustainable management of supply chains: orientation toward SCM and sustainability, continuity, collaboration, risk management and proactivity. In a second step, the authors describe distinctive practices which allow organizations to follow the goals formulated in the five key categories. Finally, they highlight issues preventing companies that follow a rather “conventional” approach to SCM to reach the level where it can be called SSCM, i.e. how to reach sustainability performance in SCM.

Research limitations/implications

The work presented is conceptual in nature. It would be required to operationalize respective categories and, therefore, test them in empirical research.

Practical implications

The categories and practices identified within the framework can be used for guiding managers toward the implementation of SSCM. This is the case when management takes performance implication into account without solely considering rather simplistic indicators. At the same time, differentiating a company based on the implementation of sustainability practices has become more difficult, due to the proliferation of sustainability in a wider field.

Social implications

Social aspects are integrated into the framework on the same level as environmental and economic aspects, emphasizing the triple bottom line orientation.

Originality/value

While all practices applied in SSCM have originally been identified and described by researchers for the case of “conventional” SCM, their particular interrelation and joint implementation makes up SSCM and ensures a contribution to sustainability performance.

Details

Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, vol. 19 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1359-8546

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Article
Publication date: 14 September 2015

Joel Hietanen and Joonas Rokka

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the growing marketing literature that investigates markets as “configurations”, i.e. networks of market actors engaged in…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the growing marketing literature that investigates markets as “configurations”, i.e. networks of market actors engaged in market-shaping practices and performances. As this pioneering work has been largely focused on established mainstream markets and industries driven by large multi-national companies, the present article extends practice-based market theorizing to countercultural market emergence and also to unconventional market practices shaping it.

Design/methodology/approach

Insights are drawn from a four-year multi-sited ethnographic study of a rapidly expanding electronic music scene that serves as an illustrative example of emergent countercultural market.

Findings

In contrast to mainstream consumer or industrial markets, the authors identify a distinctive dynamic underlying market emergence. Countercultural markets as well as their appeal and longevity largely depend on an inherent authenticity paradox that focal market actors need to sustain and negotiate through ongoing market-shaping and market-restricting practices.

Practical implications

From a practitioner perspective, the authors discuss the implications for market actors wishing to build on countercultural authenticity. They highlight the fragility of countercultural markets and point out practices sustaining them, and also possibilities and challenges in tapping into them.

Originality/value

The study contributes by theorizing the tensions that energize and drive countercultural market emergence. In particular, the authors address the important role of market-restricting practices in facilitating countercultural appeal that has not received explicit attention in prior marketing literature.

Details

European Journal of Marketing, vol. 49 no. 9/10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0309-0566

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 March 2007

William Duncombe and Cynthia S. Searcy

School business officials procure goods and services through a variety of methods to deliver educational services in a timely and cost-effective way. Recommended practices by…

Abstract

School business officials procure goods and services through a variety of methods to deliver educational services in a timely and cost-effective way. Recommended practices by professional procurement organizations have changed in recent years to include new technologies aimed at streamlining and cutting costs of traditional procurement methods. Little is known, however, about what procurement practices school districts adopt-new or old. To partially fill this gap, we describe results from a survey of procurement practices of New York State school districts. Our results reveal that despite the potential for new technologies to make certain practices common among all types of districts, competitive bidding laws and enrollment size dictate the procurement methods used most frequently by school districts.

Details

Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, vol. 19 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1096-3367

Article
Publication date: 1 December 2002

Lars Mathiassen

Reports from a systems development research tradition in which emphasis is put on relating research activities to practice and on establishing fruitful collaboration between…

5401

Abstract

Reports from a systems development research tradition in which emphasis is put on relating research activities to practice and on establishing fruitful collaboration between groups of researchers and practitioners. Describes and evaluates a specific research project in which a large group of researchers and practitioners worked together to understand, support, and improve systems development practices in four organisations over a period of three years. Uses the case to reflect on the research goals, approaches, and results involved in this tradition for researching systems development practice. Proposes collaborative practice research as a way to organise and conduct research into systems development practice based on close collaboration between researchers and practitioners. Exemplifies the use of pluralist research methodology by combining action research with experiments and conventional practice studies. Argues that collaborative practice research offers one practical way to strike a useful balance between relevance and rigour. Concludes with a discussion of the implications for the relation between research and practice within the systems development discipline and with lessons on how to design research efforts as collaborations between researchers and practitioners.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. 15 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 17 September 2014

Marcelo Biagio Laquimia and Gabriel Eweje

This study investigates how organizations in Brazil address sustainability concerns through collaborative governance efforts with strategic stakeholders. Organizations from New…

Abstract

Purpose

This study investigates how organizations in Brazil address sustainability concerns through collaborative governance efforts with strategic stakeholders. Organizations from New Zealand were considered as benchmarks for comparison.

Methodology/approach

This study is based on a qualitative exploratory research, supported by semistructured interviews. Ten organizations are interviewed, five from each country. Thematic analysis is used to analyze the interview data. Central management practices adopted by organizations are presented, and the goals, benefits, and limitations associated with collaborative initiatives are investigated.

Findings and practical implications

The findings reveal that organizations in Brazil and in New Zealand are employing similar management and sustainability practices. Companies in both countries observe that collaborative efforts with strategic stakeholders improve their ability to meet market demands and jointly develop innovative solutions toward sustainability goals while exchanging knowledge and enhancing their operational effectiveness. Organizations perceive a number of tangible and nontangible value creation outcomes from sustainability practices, such as brand and reputational gains, improved supply chain management, and risk management attainments. The results also present limitations, such as internal limitations of organizations concerning how their executives and general staff incorporate sustainability issues into their organizations’ strategic planning and operational decisions.

Originality/value of paper

Market pressures toward greener and more responsible operations equally affected organizations in both countries, without differentiation in operation between an emerging country such as Brazil and a developed country such as New Zealand. Directions for future research are presented. These are based on how organizations measure sustainability outcomes of management practices and collaborative alliances, and how organizations map upcoming market demands and opportunities to deliver more value to society as the sustainable development debate continues to evolve.

Details

Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability: Emerging Trends in Developing Economies
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78441-152-7

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 March 1997

Cindy Johnson

A recognition that pockets of business and process excellence existed alongside mediocrity led Texas Instruments to establish a Best Practice Sharing programme under the direction…

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Abstract

A recognition that pockets of business and process excellence existed alongside mediocrity led Texas Instruments to establish a Best Practice Sharing programme under the direction of the Office of Best Practices. The Office of Best Practices, launched in 1994, is a dedicated unit which helps Texas Instruments’ worldwide businesses to identify, access and transfer best practices. TI’s Best Practice Sharing initiative was implemented to provide a mechanism for dialogue between TI leadership and TI employees and to facilitate collaboration based on the company’s strengths and business gaps. The goal is to provide a quicker path to achieving business excellence. In addition to providing these solutions, the Best Practice Sharing project has provided TI employees with a greater sense of the synergies possible across the company and a greater feeling of shared vision. This paper reviews the TI‐BEST programme, the Best Practice Sharing initiative, and examines the lessons learnt and benefits gained from best practices knowledge sharing.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 1 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1367-3270

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