Search results

The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of moral distress in particular as it impacts on the pediatric intensive care nurse caught between caring for infants and children who would not otherwise be alive were it not for the advances of modern medical technology, and their personal beliefs concerning the societal value of life at any cost.

Describes cases and real incidents to illustrate the moral distress experienced by these nurses caught between caring for the children and at the same time interacting with the families. Such families are too often living on hope, with a profound faith in the ever advancing world of medical technology to keep loved ones alive with little thought to the consequences.

Suggests that the impact of moral distress on pediatric nurses, particularly as it relates to burnout, may well jeoparidize their ability to deliver effective care and is another unrecognized cost in the medical world.

Suggests that an ethical approach to care is necessary through hard to answer questions. Due to the fact that such questions are not often addressed, the author suggests consideration be given to medical ethicists to mediate and assist those caught in this dilemma.

This paper will be of value to those concerned with how medical and life‐saving technologies are outstripping our human abilities to comprehend and live with the consequences, and some of the ethical issues that arise.

Administering healthcare within developing contexts of Africa presents a myriad of challenges. This includes competing priorities, cultural differences, language barriers, resource limitations, supply chain management disruptions, and an infinite array of ever-changing political, social, environmental, and economic dynamics. However, leadership and more specifically, intentional relationship development grounded in strategic diffusion networks have the potential to mitigate these challenges and maximize the adoption of life-saving technologies, pharmaceuticals, and treatment plans. This chapter provides context for the systemic healthcare challenges facing developing contexts across Africa, utilizes the theoretical frameworks of adaptive leadership and complexity leadership to create a holistic approach to relationship-building within these contexts, and illuminates the strategic influence, agency, and adoption and diffusion strategies that ultimately have the potential to create pathways to promise and save lives within underserved and under-resourced communities.

Mountaineering and related activities are increasingly becoming popular and are accompanied by an increase in medical incidents. Emergency operations in mountainous terrain are time-critical and often pose major logistical challenges for rescuers. Drones are expected to improve the operational performance of mountain rescuers. However, they are not yet widely used in mountain rescue missions. This paper examines the determinants that drive the behavioral intention of mountain rescuers to adopt drones in rescue missions.

This is a behavioral study that builds upon an extended model of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) and investigates the relationship between individual attitudes, perceptions, and intentions for drone adoption. Original survey data of 146 mountain rescuers were analyzed using moderated ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analysis.

Results indicate that the behavioral intention to use drones in mountain rescue missions is driven by the expected performance gains and facilitating conditions. Favorable supporting conditions and experience with drones further moderate the relationship between performance expectancy and behavioral intention. The effects for effort expectancy, social influence, and demonstrations were not significant.

Rescue organizations and stakeholders are recommended to consider the identified determinants in the implementation of drones in emergency logistics. Drone manufacturers targeting mountain rescue organizations are advised to focus on operational performance, provide sufficient support and training, and promote the gathering of practical experience.

A tailored-model that provides first empirical results on the relevance of personal and environmental factors for the acceptance of drones in emergency logistics is presented.

The purpose of this paper is to address the root causes of rising imbalances in the US economy. There is the view that the dominance of the liberal economic philosophy among the American decision makers and business elite resulted in marginalization of the role of the economic government. As a result, the US economy is facing problems in many sectors and might be poorly prepared to face the challenge of globalization in the knowledge‐based industries.

The paper provides review and critique of the contemporary literature of “declininists” proclaiming the end of the American Empire.

In order to restore the strength of the US economy and utilize its potential, Americans must consider a new generation of politicians and legislators capable of reforming the tax system, stepping up the supervision of the financial sector, eliminating inequality in education and reforming the electoral system.

America is at a turning point. The problems of the American economy are home‐made, but their implications are international. In the last two decades the USA pursued a dysfunctional dual dependence on imports of manufactured goods and capital. Allowing the dollar devaluation has been a short‐sighted policy which will have dire consequences on import‐dependent economy and the USA's position in the world economy. Liberal prescriptions of self‐regulating markets cannot replace long‐term government economic strategy which America badly needs today.

Since the liberal wishful‐thinking failed, economists, politicians and legislators should stop evoking conservative liberal mantras and start working on responsible economic policy solutions before the US economy plunges into a deep recession and years of damaging pessimism.

Rather than repeating arguments of the authors proclaiming the end of American Empire, the paper looks for chances and opportunities for the US economy's rejuvenation in the future.

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the outcomes of the RED (Routing on Empirical Data) Project, a three year cross‐jurisdictional collaborative undertaking in the State of California that significantly improved the efficiency of the State's wireless 9‐1‐1 emergency communications system.

The Project's approach looked at historical wireless call data over a three‐year period and created accurate jurisdictional shapefiles to identify actual call origination and determine statistically which Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) should receive wireless 9‐1‐1 calls routed to a particular wireless sector.

The findings or outcomes of the project were that busy signals previously in the 9‐1‐1 system were dramatically reduced to 2.3 per cent of total call volume in 2011 from 42.4 per cent of total call volume in 2007. This occurred with a concurrent 29 per cent increase in call volume over the same time period.

The practical and social implications for improvement in public safety are significant given the improvements in emergency response time that the project's outcome provides. Exponential increases in wireless phone usage over the past decade makes review of emergency communication infrastructure essential to ensure expeditious delivery of emergency services to the 9‐1‐1 calling public. Whether fire, ambulance or law enforcement response is required, when delay is inserted into the process of answering 9‐1‐1 calls, a reduction in the likelihood of a positive outcome occurs.

The outcomes of the RED Project show that Local and State government collaboration using empirical data studies can ensure emergency communication systems are optimized and ready for Next Generation technologies.

Body-worn cameras (BWCs) are quickly becoming standardized police equipment. Axon Enterprise, a United States company based in Scottsdale, Arizona, is currently the worldwide purveyor of BWCs having near-complete control over the police body camera market. In 2012, the company launched their Axon Flex body camera alongside claims about the efficacy of these devices. While the research is expanding, scholarship has yet to explore the role that stakeholders like Axon may play in the implementation of body cameras across police services. This empirical chapter examines claims made by Axon in media in relation to the efficacy of their body cameras over a six-year period (2012–2018). Three themes relative to our analysis of Axon claims emerged: officer and community safety; cost and officer efficiency; and accountability and transparency. A basic finding that cut across all three themes is that most of Axon's claims appear to be shaped by beliefs and assumptions. We also found that Axon's claims were mostly predicated on the market (i.e., financial considerations), rather than say scientifically or legally grounded. Some suggestions for future research are noted.

The purpose of this study is to examine various data sources to identify trends and themes in humanitarian supply chain management (HSCM) in the digital age.

In this study, various data sources such as published literature and social media content from Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs and forums are used to identify trending topics and themes on HSCM using topic modelling.

The study examined 33 published literature and more than 94,000 documents, including tweets and expert opinions, and identified eight themes related to HSCM in the digital age namely “Digital technology enabled global partnerships”, “Digital tech enabled sustainability”, “Digital tech enabled risk reduction for climate changes and uncertainties”, “Digital tech enabled preparedness, response and resilience”, “Digital tech enabled health system enhancement”, “Digital tech enabled food system enhancement”, “Digital tech enabled ethical process and systems” and “Digital tech enabled humanitarian logistics”. The study also proposed a framework of drivers, processes and impacts for each theme and directions for future research.

Previous research has predominantly relied on published literature to identify emerging themes and trends on a particular topic. This study is unique because it examines the ability of social media sources such as blogs, websites, forums and published literature to reveal evolving patterns and trends in HSCM in the digital age.

Maternal mortality is an acute problem for many countries around the world, particularly those at the bottom of the pyramid (BoP). Most remote locations in these underdeveloped nations, for instance, in Africa, have to cope with the problem of interrupted electricity supply making healthcare practitioners often experience a helpless compulsion to compromise in providing quality medical attention, especially during childbirth. Along with many public, private and nongovernment initiatives, WE CARE Solar (hereafter WCS) – a social innovation venture comes with an idea of developing portable solar suitcases to respond to this intransigent problem.

This paper introduces a social enterprise that established its operation in Africa and so far has served in more than 30 similarly impoverished economies. Data was collected, analyzed using documentary research method. The authors have also collected and correlated the statements from the founder of WCS to complement the authors’ findings. With this paper, the authors intend to establish the type of innovation tools that are needed to provide value with a social innovation initiative in the health sector in the least developed country perspective. To facilitate better social outcomes and to ensure greater good, innovation requires to be accompanied by stakeholders’ involvement.

The findings indicate that WE CARE Solar has a positive social contribution toward ensuring safe motherhood and childbirth in underdeveloped countries by providing access to reliable solar power sources. The six-step social innovation process can be adopted by other social ventures to propose innovative solutions to social needs. Analyzing WCS's service delivery from the perspective of the 4As framework and value co-creation model, it is suggested that sustainable social change can be established with value co-creation through community engagement with multiple stakeholders.

This research was solely focused on one organization alone. Future research could look into the model to ascertain its acceptability in similar social innovation in healthcare initiatives.

This paper attempts to address a gap in social innovation in healthcare and its adaptability using the 4As framework with the value co-creation model. The authors propose this model from the data accumulated throughout the research, which could also serve to assist organizations looking for scalable and sustainable change.

The learning outcomes of this paper is as follows: to analyse the drivers, mediators and threats of commoditisation. To critically evaluate the merits of different marketing options that may be employed to avoid commoditisation. To critically assess the branding-focussed or customer-focussed strategies that could be used. To develop appropriate strategies for Biotronik SA to counter commoditisation in the future.

The case begins with the protagonist and managing director of Biotronik SA, Robbie Nel, brewing over a new industry development. One of the leading private hospital groups has sent an open invitation to medical device suppliers to tender, where the lowest-priced products will win shelf space in their cathlabs. Robbie has to decide whether to sacrifice Biotronik SA’s profit margins to win the tender or risk not being stocked in their cathlabs. Or, he must find an alternative non-price-based strategy to pursue. The medical device industry is facing increasing price pressures from various stakeholders in the device-purchasing process. The decision to purchase is no longer the responsibility of specialist physicians alone. International and local market trends indicate that the medical device industry is threatened by commoditisation. Robbie has to make a decision on changing the Biotronik SA business model and strategy in response to these macro trends.

This teaching case is aimed at postgraduate students, particularly those pursuing MBA, EMBA and Postgraduate Diploma programmes, as well as specialist masters and executive education. The students should have some work experience to comprehend and assess the case from a practical perspective.

Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

CSS 8: Marketing.