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1 – 10 of 437Manpreet Kailay, Kamalpreet Kaur Paposa and Priyanka Chhibber
The present study was designed to explore the major challenges being faced by the Indian nurses' pre-post pandemic period affecting their well-being (WB) and identify factors that…
Abstract
Purpose
The present study was designed to explore the major challenges being faced by the Indian nurses' pre-post pandemic period affecting their well-being (WB) and identify factors that motivated them to perform their service wholeheartedly during the pandemic. The study also tries to bridge the gap in the study area by providing various ways that can help maintain the WB of health care professionals.
Design/methodology/approach
A descriptive exploratory qualitative design involving semi-structured interviews was conducted during December–January 2021 with 30 nurses from hospitals in Punjab Qualitative and thematic data analysis technique were adopted. In addition, a literature review was also conducted to study the various factors that affect the WB of health care professionals.
Findings
There are various themes and subthemes that were identified by the health care professionals, such as (1) psychological WB, (2) social WB and (3) workplace WB and (4) key motivators. This research work has identified various managerial implications that can play a huge rolein strengthening the healthcare sector of the entire world economy, paving the way toward the better WB of healthcare professionals (HCPs).
Originality/value
Firstly, it is probably the only study that is performed on nursing staff to evaluate their personal experiences during crucial times. It has successfully compared the factors affecting WB pre- and post-pandemic, leading to the emergence of many new factors that have originated due to the pandemic and are the cause of the poor WB of HCPs (Figures 2, 4). Secondly, it is the only study that targeted only those nurses who have provided their services in both scenarios. Finally, the study has been a pioneer in identifying the importance of maintaining the WB of HCPs at hospitals.
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Martin Beaulieu, Jacques Roy, Denis Chênevert, Claudia Rebolledo and Sylvain Landry
The Covid-19 pandemic generated significant changes in the operating methods of hospital logistics departments. The objective of this research is to understand how these changes…
Abstract
Purpose
The Covid-19 pandemic generated significant changes in the operating methods of hospital logistics departments. The objective of this research is to understand how these changes took place, what collaboration mechanisms were developed with clinical authorities and, to what extent, logistics and clinical care activities should be decoupled to maximize each area's contribution?
Design/methodology/approach
The case study is selected to investigate practices implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic in hospitals in Canada. The pandemic presented an opportunity to contrast practices implemented in response to this crisis with those historically used in this environment.
Findings
The strategy of decoupling logistical tasks of an operational nature from clinical activities is well-founded and helps free clinical staff from tasks for which they are not trained. However, the decoupling of operational tasks should be combined with an integration of the clinical information flow to the logistics hub players. With this clinical information, the logistics hub can generate its full potential enabling better inventory management decisions to be made.
Originality/value
The concept of decoupling is studied to identify configurations that offer the best benefits for clinical staff.
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Chris Roberts and Thomas Maier
The purpose of this paper is to explore the distinction between human-delivered service and technology-based, automated customer assistance.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the distinction between human-delivered service and technology-based, automated customer assistance.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a conceptual paper. There is no methodology.
Findings
The concept of service is primarily delivered when a human helps another. When technology is infused into the process and becomes the major component of delivering the aid that is requested, the process is automated customer assistance. Thus, “self-service” is not service. It is automated customer assistance.
Research limitations/implications
The definition of service is refined to describe the process of a human helping another person. When technology is used to provide the needed aid, it is no longer a service. Instead, it is automated customer assistance. The implication is that researchers should closely examine how users assess and perceive the two separate approaches to providing the needed aid.
Practical implications
The definition of service is refined to describe the process of a human helping another person. When technology is used to provide the needed aid, it is no longer a service. Instead, it is automated customer assistance. Researchers should closely examine how users assess and perceive the two separate approaches. Industry professionals should be mindful of the distinction between the delivery of service, which requires staff, and the provisioning of technology to provide assistance, which requires little to no staff. Intentionality should drive when customers are better helped by a human or by technology.
Originality/value
The value provided helps both providers create and users express when human-based service is needed versus assistance provided by technology.
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Dung Phuong Hoang, Dang Nguyen Hai, Vy Thanh Ngoc Nguyen, Hieu Trung Nong, Phong Tran Pham and Tam Minh Tran
Modernization and the rise of living standards have introduced new variants of traditional foods, from their tastes to the way they are enjoyed. This study aims to explore and…
Abstract
Purpose
Modernization and the rise of living standards have introduced new variants of traditional foods, from their tastes to the way they are enjoyed. This study aims to explore and examine the impacts of both traditional and modern marketing stimuli on restaurant choice intention for experiencing culinary traditions, hence answering the question of how traditional and modern aspects live together to bring about the most desirable experience for customers of traditional cuisine.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the stimuli-organism-response (S-O-R) theory and mixed research methods, a model linking service quality dimensions, perceived value and restaurant choice intention is formulated and tested on quantitative data from 431 customers of Gen Y and Gen Z, given the case of Vietnamese Pho.
Findings
The findings show that food quality demonstrates the strongest impact on restaurant choice intention, followed by authenticity and nostalgia marketing. These relationships are partially mediated by perceived value. Hygiene risks and perceived value are also found to directly affect restaurant choice intention. Nevertheless, our findings are quite different between Gen Y and Gen Z customers.
Practical implications
This research provides crucial strategic implications for restaurant managers when it comes to serving traditional foods for different generations.
Originality/value
This study responds to the existing gap by examining and comparing the impacts of traditional and modern marketing stimuli on restaurant choice intention through the mediating role of perceived value. Our study also actively contributes to the ongoing multigenerational research stream by affirming the moderation role of generations (Gen Y and Gen Z) in those relationships.
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Leander Luiz Klein, José Moyano-Fuentes, Kelmara Mendes Vieira and Diego Russowsky Marçal
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the causal relationship between Lean practices and team performance. Specifically, the authors tried to demonstrate which practices act as…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the causal relationship between Lean practices and team performance. Specifically, the authors tried to demonstrate which practices act as enablers of continuous improvement and waste elimination and what is their impact on team performance.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was carried out in a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in Southern Brazil. The authors obtained a sample of 785 respondents. The data analysis procedures involved confirmatory factor analysis and structural equations modeling.
Findings
The results of the research provided support for the positive influence of continuous improvement on waste elimination and of these two practices on team performance. In addition, empirical support was obtained for the effect of leadership support, employee involvement and internal process customers on continuous improvement.
Research limitations/implications
Data collection was carried out online, so we were not able to maintain full control of the research respondents. This research generates relevant insights for decision-makers in the HEI environment, especially concerning Lean practices and team performance. The effects analyzed are even more relevant given the pandemic context.
Practical implications
This study shows how some higher education Lean practices can positively affect continuous improvement and better team performance. The results raise important insights for decision-makers to offer better higher education public services, especially given the context and changes imposed by the pandemic situation.
Originality/value
This paper initiates the discussion about enablers of continuous improvement and waste elimination in HEI and demonstrates their impact on team performance.
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Amruta Rout, Golak Bihari Mahanta, Bibhuti Bhusan Biswal, Renin Francy T., Sri Vardhan Raj and Deepak B.B.V.L.
The purpose of this study is to plan and develop a cost-effective health-care robot for assisting and observing the patients in an accurate and effective way during pandemic…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to plan and develop a cost-effective health-care robot for assisting and observing the patients in an accurate and effective way during pandemic situation like COVID-19. The purposed research work can help in better management of pandemic situations in rural areas as well as developing countries where medical facility is not easily available.
Design/methodology/approach
It becomes very difficult for the medical staff to have a continuous check on patient’s condition in terms of symptoms and critical parameters during pandemic situations. For dealing with these situations, a service mobile robot with multiple sensors for measuring patients bodily indicators has been proposed and the prototype for the same has been developed that can monitor and aid the patient using the robotic arm. The fuzzy controller has also been incorporated with the mobile robot through which decisions on patient monitoring can be taken automatically. Mamdani implication method has been utilized for formulating mathematical expression of M number of “if and then condition based rules” with defined input Xj (j = 1, 2, ………. s), and output yi. The inputs and output variables are formed by the membership functions µAij(xj) and µCi(yi) to execute the Fuzzy Inference System controller. Here, Aij and Ci are the developed fuzzy sets.
Findings
The fuzzy-based prediction model has been tested with the output of medicines for the initial 27 runs and was validated by the correlation of predicted and actual values. The correlation coefficient has been found to be 0.989 with a mean square error value of 0.000174, signifying a strong relationship between the predicted values and the actual values. The proposed research work can handle multiple tasks like online consulting, continuous patient condition monitoring in general wards and ICUs, telemedicine services, hospital waste disposal and providing service to patients at regular time intervals.
Originality/value
The novelty of the proposed research work lies in the integration of artificial intelligence techniques like fuzzy logic with the multi-sensor-based service robot for easy decision-making and continuous patient monitoring in hospitals in rural areas and to reduce the work stress on medical staff during pandemic situation.
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Barbara Neuhofer, Krzysztof Celuch and Ivana Rihova
Focussing on the perspective of business event leaders, this study aims to explore the future of transformative experience (TE) events, recognising a paradigm shift from…
Abstract
Purpose
Focussing on the perspective of business event leaders, this study aims to explore the future of transformative experience (TE) events, recognising a paradigm shift from organising conventional events to designing and guiding TEs in the meetings, incentives and conferences as exhibitions (MICE) context.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a qualitative interview-based design, insights from 20 international business events industry leaders were gathered and analysed by using thematic analysis through a multi-step process with MAXQDA.
Findings
The findings discuss the future of transformative events by identifying the paradigm shift towards TE in business events and outline key dimensions of the leader’s and team’s mindset and skills. Five design principles for TE events in the MICE sector are identified: design for change; emotionally experiential environments; personal engagement; responsibility; and transformative measurement.
Practical implications
The study offers a snapshot of how transformative events of the future could be designed and suggests a series of practical insights for MICE event leaders and organisers seeking to leverage events as a catalyst for intentional transformation, positive impact and long-lasting change.
Originality/value
The study adds to the emerging body of knowledge on TEs and contributes to an extended stakeholder perspective, namely, that of business event leaders and their teams who are instrumental in facilitating transformative events. An original framework for designing TE MICE events is offered as a theoretical contribution.
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Kumar Srinivasan, Parikshit Sarulkar and Vineet Kumar Yadav
This article aims to focus on implementing Lean Six Sigma (LSS) in steel manufacturing to enhance productivity and quality in the galvanizing process line. In recent trends…
Abstract
Purpose
This article aims to focus on implementing Lean Six Sigma (LSS) in steel manufacturing to enhance productivity and quality in the galvanizing process line. In recent trends, manufacturing organizations have expressed strong interest in the LSS since they attempt to enhance its overall operations without imposing significant financial burdens.
Design/methodology/approach
This article used lean tools and Six Sigma's DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control) with Yin's case study approach. This study tried to implement the LSS for the steel galvanizing process in order to reduce the number of defects using various LSS tools, including 5S, Value stream map (VSM), Pareto chart, cause and effect diagram, Design of experiments (DoE).
Findings
Results revealed a significant reduction in nonvalue-added time in the process, which led to improved productivity and Process cycle efficiency (PCE) attributed to applying lean-Kaizen techniques. By deploying the LSS, the overall PCE improved from 22% to 62%, and lead time was reduced from 1,347 min to 501 min. DoE results showed that the optimum process parameter levels decreased defects per unit steel sheet.
Practical implications
This research demonstrated how successful LSS implementation eliminates waste, improves process performance and accomplishes operational distinction in steel manufacturing.
Originality/value
Since low-cost/high-effect improvement initiatives have not been adequately presented, further research studies on adopting LSS in manufacturing sectors are needed. The cost-effective method of process improvement can be considered as an innovation.
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Shabir Hyder, Muhammad Imran Malik, Saddam Hussain and Adeel Saqib
The aim of this study is to examine the relationships among hotel employees’ creative self-efficacy, co-creation and new service development moderated by collective efficacy in…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to examine the relationships among hotel employees’ creative self-efficacy, co-creation and new service development moderated by collective efficacy in the context of social exchange theory (SET).
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected by using questionnaire from the frontline employees working in hotels in Pakistan. A total of 220 employees participated in the survey. Structural equation modeling has been used.
Findings
Results show that employees’ creative self-efficacy enhances co-creation and helps in new services development. Moreover, collective efficacy moderates the relationship between individual employees’ creative self-efficacy and co-creation.
Practical implications
Hotel managers should focus on building employees' self-efficacy beliefs to enhance their motivation and performance in new service development. Moreover, they should establish platforms for co-creation with customers, involving them in idea generation, feedback and testing, to ensure new services meet customer needs and increase their adoption.
Originality/value
Earlier literature has examined the co-creation and new service development from various perspectives, largely ignoring the social exchange theory. This is the pioneering study that examines these relationships through the lens of social exchange theory. Moreover, most of the literature has analyzed the co-creation separately, i.e. either employees’ co-creation or customers’ co-creation. To understand the phenomenon of co-creation in depth it is believed that co-creation should be analyzed from both these aspects. Therefore, this study examined this phenomenon by including employees’ as well as customers’ co-creation for better understanding. Moreover, the group influence is examined in explaining the new service development through collective efficacy. Therefore, this study is unique in explaining the co-creation and new service development from various angles.
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