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1 – 10 of over 3000
Article
Publication date: 21 June 2021

Yuan Meng, Li Dong, Rui Guan and Yan Zhang

The study aims to find out the university students' health information service needs in post-COVID-19 age and then consider how to do the health information services well and…

Abstract

Purpose

The study aims to find out the university students' health information service needs in post-COVID-19 age and then consider how to do the health information services well and promote it in further work.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses Kano model to design a questionnaire about university students' health information service needs from academic library and investigates 243 students from seven universities in China. The data generated were analyzed using a statistical tool and presented in tables.

Findings

The results show the students' different requirements level of health information services from academic library as must-be requirements, one-dimensional requirements, attractive quality attributes and indifferent quality in post-COVID-19 age.

Research limitations/implications

The questionnaire design and the scale of respondents have limitation, such as only focus on Chinese university, have not characteristically research on different group of students. It could optimize to cover more worldwide university students and refer to different groups of students' needs in further research.

Originality/value

The paper expands and deepens the theory about university library health information service and provides a practical reference and proposes some suggestions for academic libraries on how to carry out health information services and give the social health institutions inspiration on how to promote the health services, especially in post-COVID-19 age.

Details

Library Hi Tech, vol. 39 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0737-8831

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 July 2022

Jingkuang Liu, Yuqing Li, Ying Li, Chen Zibo, Xiaotong Lian and Yingyi Zhang

The purpose of this study is to discuss the principles and factors that influence the site selection of emergency medical facilities for public health emergencies. This paper…

398

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to discuss the principles and factors that influence the site selection of emergency medical facilities for public health emergencies. This paper discusses the selection of the best facilities from the available facilities, proposes the capacity of new facilities, presents a logistic regression model and establishes a site selection model for emergency medical facilities for public health emergencies in megacities.

Design/methodology/approach

Using Guangzhou City as the research object, seven alternative facility points and the points' capacities were preset. Nine demand points were determined, and two facility locations were selected using genetic algorithms (GAs) in MATLAB for programing simulation and operational analysis.

Findings

Comparing the results of the improved GA, the results show that the improved model has fewer evolutionary generations and a faster operation speed, and that the model outperforms the traditional P-center model. The GA provides a theoretical foundation for determining the construction location of emergency medical facilities in megacities in the event of a public health emergency.

Research limitations/implications

First, in this case study, there is no scientific assessment of the establishment of the capacity of the facility point, but that is a subjective method based on the assumption of the capacity of the surrounding existing hospitals. Second, because this is a theoretical analysis, the model developed in this study does not consider the actual driving speed and driving distance, but the speed of the unified average driving distance and the driving distance to take the average of multiple distances.

Practical implications

The results show that the method increases the selection space of decision-makers, provides them with stable technical support, helps them quickly determine the location of emergency medical facilities to respond to disaster relief work and provides better action plans for decision makers.

Social implications

The results show that the algorithm performs well, which verifies the applicability of this model. When the solution results of the improved GA are compared, the results show that the improved model has fewer evolutionary generations, faster operation speed and better model than the intermediate model GA. This model can more successfully find the optimal location decision scheme, making that more suitable for the location problem of megacities in the case of public health emergencies.

Originality/value

The research findings provide a theoretical and decision-making basis for the location of government emergency medical facilities, as well as guidance for enterprises constructing emergency medical facilities.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 30 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 February 2022

Ya-Yuan Chang and Ching-Chan Cheng

Consumers prefer to choose restaurants that value hygiene and safety; therefore, appropriate epidemic prevention measures could restore 30% of lost customers and enhance a…

1166

Abstract

Purpose

Consumers prefer to choose restaurants that value hygiene and safety; therefore, appropriate epidemic prevention measures could restore 30% of lost customers and enhance a restaurant’s reputation during infectious disease outbreaks. Providing customers with safe epidemic prevention service quality is an important mission of the restaurant industry during an epidemic. This study aims to construct an epidemic prevention service quality scale for restaurants (REP-SERV scale).

Design/methodology/approach

The REP-SERV scale was constructed through internet big data analytics and qualitative and quantitative research procedures.

Findings

A total of 16 key service factors for restaurant epidemic prevention were extracted through internet big data analytics. The REP-SERV scale contained 28 items in six dimensions, including hygiene, empathy, flexible service, support service, personnel management and body temperature and seating arrangement.

Practical implications

The REP-SERV scale can help many restaurant operators clearly determine the deficiencies and risks of restaurant epidemic prevention services.

Originality/value

The findings can provide references to effectively measure and improve the epidemic prevention service quality in restaurants, thereby providing customers with a comfortable and safe dining environment.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 34 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 February 2022

Fangju Jia, Dong-dong Wang and Lianshui Li

The COVID-19 epidemic is still spreading globally and will not be completely over in a short time. Wearing a mask is an effective means to combat the spread of COVID-19. However…

Abstract

Purpose

The COVID-19 epidemic is still spreading globally and will not be completely over in a short time. Wearing a mask is an effective means to combat the spread of COVID-19. However, whether the public wear a mask for epidemic prevention and control will be affected by stochastic factors such as vaccination, cultural differences and irrational emotions, which bring a high degree of uncertainty to the prevention and control of the epidemic. The purpose of this study is to explore and analyze the epidemic prevention and control strategies of the public in an uncertain environment.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the stochastic evolutionary game model of the Moran process, the study discusses the epidemic prevention and control strategies of the public under the conditions of the dominance of stochastic factors, expected benefits and super-expected benefits.

Findings

The research shows that the strategic evolution of the public mainly depends on stochastic factors, cost-benefit and the number of the public. When the stochastic factors are dominant, the greater the perceived benefit, the lower the cost and the greater the penalty for not wearing masks, the public will choose to wear a mask. Under the dominance of expected benefits and super-expected benefits, when the number of the public is greater than a certain threshold, the mask-wearing strategy will become an evolutionary stable strategy. From the evolutionary process, the government’s punishment measures will slow down the speed of the public choosing the strategy of not wearing masks. The speed of the public evolving to the stable strategy under the dominance of super-expected benefits is faster than that under the dominance of expected benefits.

Practical implications

The study considers the impact of stochastic factors on public prevention and control strategies and provides decision-making support and theoretical guidance for the scientific prevention of the normalized public.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no research has considered the impact of different stochastic interference intensities on public prevention and control strategies. Therefore, this paper can be seen as a valuable resource in this field.

Article
Publication date: 6 September 2022

Jui-Hung Chang, Chi-Jane Wang, Hua-Xu Zhong, Pei-Wen Chen, Ai-Jou Pan and Po-Sheng Chiu

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the Perceptions of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) questionnaire and the Information System Success Questionnaire on…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the Perceptions of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) questionnaire and the Information System Success Questionnaire on students when using the school's COVID-19 epidemic prevention website. The study is aimed toward analyzing both questionnaires as well as evaluating an epidemic prevention website.

Design/methodology/approach

The school's COVID-19 prevention website and two questionnaires (Perceptions of COVID-19 and the Information System Success Questionnaire) are examined in order to investigate 73 students' COVID-19 perceptions. An open-ended question was used as the qualitative data to support quantitative data and evaluate a university's COVID-19 epidemic prevention website from a southern university in Taiwan.

Findings

The findings indicated that most students evaluated the school's COVID-19 website positively and were satisfied. In the open-ended questions, the majority of students rated the quality of the system positively and the need to fix some defects. Students have different COVID-19 perceptions and social distance compliance based on their current situations.

Practical implications

This study provides researchers and website developers a broader understanding of the construction of the school's COVID-19 prevention website and a better understanding of student's COVID-19 perceptions.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study examining a school's epidemic prevention website, which is measured by the Information Success Questionnaire and the Perceptions of COVID-19 Questionnaire for college students.

Details

Library Hi Tech, vol. 41 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0737-8831

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 16 April 2018

Siriyaporn Sittisarn, Pilasinee Wongnuch, Pussadee Laor, Chadaporn Inta and Tawatchai Apidechkul

Hand foot mouth disease (HFMD) is an emerging disease caused by Enterovirus. HFMD usually occurs in South-East Asian countries including Thailand. Thailand has been indicated as…

4025

Abstract

Purpose

Hand foot mouth disease (HFMD) is an emerging disease caused by Enterovirus. HFMD usually occurs in South-East Asian countries including Thailand. Thailand has been indicated as one of the countries having high epidemic rate in children less than five years of age, particularly in the northern regions. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative method was used to extract information from 48 informants from two different areas; high and low epidemic areas of HFMD. Question guidelines were developed from literature review and viewed by three external experts in the field before use. Interviews took place in a private and confidential room. Each interview lasted approximately 50 minutes.

Findings

There are no policies regarding HFMD control in both high and low epidemic areas of HFMD. The staff at sub-district local government level did not have the necessary qualifications for HFMD control. Additionally, staff were not stable, and there was a lack of a disease control team. Antiseptics for cleaning day care centers (DCC) were not effective for disease control; most DCC use Dettol®, soap, dishwashing liquid, detergent and water for cleaning the environment. These antiseptics do not include chlorine making it ineffective in destroying the virus.

Originality/value

The sub-district local government should be concerned about HFMD control; the staff should have the necessary qualifications suitable for disease control. Standard and practical HFMD control guideline should be set up and used in DCC.

Details

Journal of Health Research, vol. 32 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2586-940X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 June 2022

Zhen Li, Yutong Jin, Wenjing Li, Qingfeng Meng and Xin Hu

The impacts of COVID-19 on construction projects have attracted much attention in the construction management research community. Nevertheless, a systematic review of these…

1989

Abstract

Purpose

The impacts of COVID-19 on construction projects have attracted much attention in the construction management research community. Nevertheless, a systematic review of these studies is still lacking. The purpose of this paper is to systematically analyze the impacts of COVID-19 on the different stages of a project life-cycle, and comprehensively sort out the epidemic response measures adopted by project participants. In addition, the study also attempts to explore the challenges and opportunities faced by project management practitioners under the context of COVID-19.

Design/methodology/approach

This study comprehensively demonstrates the systematic review process of COVID-19 related research in the construction industry, systematically summarizes the research status of the impact of COVID-19 on construction projects, and defines the strategies to deal with COVID-19 in project management; and through the visualization research, determines the current key research topics and future research trends.

Findings

This study identifies 11 construction activities in the project management life cycle that are affected by COVID-19 and finds that the COVID-19 epidemic has the greatest impact on construction workers, construction standards, construction contracts and construction performance. The study further summarizes the six main epidemic countermeasures and mitigation measures taken within the construction industry following the arrival of the epidemic. In addition, the results of this study identify opportunities and future trends in intelligent construction technology, rapid manufacturing engineering and project management in the construction industry in the post-epidemic era through literature results, which also provide ideas for related research.

Practical implications

COVID-19 has brought severe challenges to society. It is of great significance for the future sustainable development of the construction industry to identify the impact of COVID-19 on all phases of the project and to promote the development of coping strategies by project stakeholders.

Originality/value

First of all, there is little study comprehensively reviewing the impacts of COVID-19 on the different stages of construction projects and the strategies to deal with the negative impacts. In addition, from a life cycle perspective, the used articles in this study were grouped into different categories based on project stages. This promotes an integrated and comprehensive understanding of historical studies. Moreover, on the basis of a comprehensive review, this paper puts forward future research directions to promote the sustainable development of the construction sector.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 30 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 November 2021

Shaolong Sun, Fuxin Jiang, Gengzhong Feng, Shouyang Wang and Chengyuan Zhang

The purpose of this study is to provide better service to hotel customers during the COVID-19 era. Specifically, this study focuses on understanding the changes in hotel customer…

3663

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to provide better service to hotel customers during the COVID-19 era. Specifically, this study focuses on understanding the changes in hotel customer satisfaction during the epidemic and formulating effective marketing strategies to satisfy and attract guests.

Design/methodology/approach

As the first victim of the COVID-19 virus, China’s hotel industry has been profoundly affected and customer satisfaction and needs have also changed. Taking 105,635 hotel reviews obtained from Tripadvisor.com in Beijing and Shanghai as samples, this study explores the changes in consumer satisfaction by using text-mining methods.

Findings

The results suggest that there are significant differences in overall ratings, spatial distribution and ratings of different traveller types before and after the epidemic. Generally, customers have higher “tolerance” and are more inclined to give higher ratings and pay more attention to hotel prevention and control measures to reduce health risks after the COVID-19.

Research limitations/implications

This paper proves the changes in customer satisfaction before and after the COVID-19 at the theoretical level and reveals the changes in customer attention through the topic model and provides a basis for guiding hotel managers to reduce the impact of the COVID-19 crisis.

Practical implications

Empirical findings would provide useful insights into tourism management and improve hotel service quality during the COVID-19 epidemic era.

Originality/value

This research explores the hotel customer satisfaction in the field of hotel management before COVID-19 and after COVID-19, by using text mining to analyse mandarin online reviews. The results of this study will suggest that the hotel industry should continuously adjust its products and services based on the effective information obtained from customer reviews, so as to realize the activation and revitalization of the hotel industry in the epidemic era.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 34 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 August 2021

Lu (Monroe) Meng, Tongmao Li, Xin Huang and Shaobo (Kevin) Li

This paper aims to investigate the impacts of rumors' information characteristics on people's believing and spreading of rumors online.

1160

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the impacts of rumors' information characteristics on people's believing and spreading of rumors online.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed a mixed-methods approach by combining qualitative and quantitative methods. In study 1, the authors explored different types of rumors and their information source characteristics through qualitative research. In study 2, the authors utilized the findings from study 1 to develop an empirical model to verify the impact of these characteristics on the public's behaviors of believing and spreading rumors by content analysis and quantitative research.

Findings

The results show that five information source characteristics – credibility, professionalism, attractiveness, mystery and concreteness – influence the spreading effect of different types of rumors.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to rumor spreading research by deepening the theory of information source characteristics and adding to the emerging literature on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Practical implications

Insights from this research offer important practical implications for policymakers and online-platform operators by highlighting how to suppress the spread of rumors, particularly those associated with COVID-19.

Originality/value

This research introduces the theory of information source characteristics into the field of rumor spreading and adopts a mixed-methods approach, taking COVID-19 rumors as a typical case, which provides a unique perspective for a deeper understanding of rumor spreading's antecedences.

Details

Internet Research, vol. 32 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1066-2243

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 June 2022

Ching-Hung Lee, Dianni Wang, Shupeng Lyu, Richard David Evans and Li Li

Under uncertain circumstances, digital technologies are taken as digital transformation enablers and driving forces to integrate with medical, healthcare and emergency management…

935

Abstract

Purpose

Under uncertain circumstances, digital technologies are taken as digital transformation enablers and driving forces to integrate with medical, healthcare and emergency management research for effective epidemic prevention and control. This study aims to adapt complex systems in emergency management. Thus, a digital transformation-driven and systematic circulation framework is proposed in this study that can utilize the advantages of digital technologies to generate innovative and systematic governance.

Design/methodology/approach

Aiming at adapting complex systems in emergency management, a systematic circulation framework based on the interpretive research is proposed in this study that can utilize the advantages of digital technologies to generate innovative and systematic governance. The framework consists of four phases: (1) analysis of emergency management stages, (2) risk identification in the emergency management stages, (3) digital-enabled response model design for emergency management, and (4) strategy generation for digital emergency governance. A case study in China was illustrated in this study.

Findings

This paper examines the role those digital technologies can play in responding to pandemics and outlines a framework based on four phases of digital technologies for pandemic responses. After the phase-by-phase analysis, a digital technology-enabled emergency management framework, titled “Expected digital-enabled emergency management framework (EDEM framework)” was adapted and proposed. Moreover, the social risks of emergency management phases are identified. Then, three strategies for emergency governance and digital governance from the three perspectives, namely “Strengthening weaknesses for emergency response,” “Enhancing integration for collaborative governance,” and “Engaging foundations for emergency management” that the government can adopt them in the future, fight for public health emergency events.

Originality/value

The novel digital transformation-driven systematic circulation framework for public health risk response and governance was proposed. Meanwhile, an “Expected digital-enabled emergency management framework (EDEM model)” was also proposed to achieve a more effective empirical response for public health risk response and governance and contribute to studies about the government facing the COVID-19 pandemic effectively.

Details

Industrial Management & Data Systems, vol. 123 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-5577

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 3000