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The “patient journey” technique is one that has been used by health care providers to investigate the strengths and weaknesses of their service delivery. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the experience of adapting this approach for use in an atypical context – the comparison of two systems for managing health care complaints and notifications. It highlights a number of relevant considerations and provides suggestions for similar studies.

The design and methods of the study are described, with commentary on the success of key aspects and challenges encountered. To enable comparison between the two systems, this study had a “paired” design, in which examples were selected from each system so that they matched on basic, prescribed, criteria. Data about each matter’s journey were then collected from administrative records.

While, overall, the technique provided rich data on the processes of the systems under investigation, the type of data collected (related to administrative/communicative events) and the study’s comparative purpose required consideration and management of a number of issues. These included the implications of using administrative records and the impact of differences between the systems on the paired design.

This paper describes an attempt to apply the “journey” approach in a context that is uncommon in two ways: first, in its focus on regulatory processes (complaint/notification handling), rather than care provision to an individual patient; and second, in its objective of comparing two different systems. It is hoped this account will assist in further development of this technique.

This study presents evidence concerning the effects of affective and cognitive rhetoric on the underpricing of firms at the time of their initial public offering. It is suggested that firms that use less affective, and more cognitively oriented discourse in their IPO prospectus will experience better underpricing outcomes. We examine these assertions using a sample of young high-tech IPO firms where investors rely on prospectuses as accurate and informative firm communications. Results from a robust five-year time span observe initial support for the hypothesized effects. Moreover, the signaling of a higher degree of entrepreneurial orientation in the firm prospectus is found to worsen the negative effects of affective discourse

Stroke patients with low and very low functional movement are not usually considered suitable for rehabilitation. Without therapy the more-affected side will not improve and may lose any residual function. Poor movement ability reduces independence and limits the social engagement of such patients. The purpose of this paper was to investigate whether Wii-based Movement Therapy was suitable and beneficial for stroke patients with low and very low movement ability.

In total, 13 patients aged 22-77 years and three months to 21 years post-stroke completed the standardised 14-day protocol of Wii-based Movement Therapy. Therapy is a structured and targeted programme, tailored to the individual needs and deficits of each patient. Functional ability was assessed using a suite of tools. Increased use of the more-affected hand and arm in everyday life was assessed using the Quality of Movement subscale of the Motor Activity Log.

Functional movement of the more-affected hand and arm improved by 40 per cent on the Fugl-Meyer Assessment. Hand-use in everyday tasks more than doubled and improvements were also seen in lower-limb function, balance, and cardiovascular function. Qualitative improvements in psychological status were also noted.

The paper demonstrates that stroke patients with low and very low movement ability post-stroke can benefit from upper-limb rehabilitation. Wii-based Movement Therapy is a viable and effective option with high patient compliance.

The patients in this study became less disabled. Improving movement ability of stroke survivors will not only increase their independence in activities of daily living but will also reduce the burden of care on patients, their families and the community.

Palliative care is a complex environment in which teams of healthcare professionals are constantly challenged to match the configuration of care delivery to suit the dynamics of the patient's bio‐medical, social and spiritual situations as they change during the end‐of‐life process. In such an environment these teams need to engage in ongoing interaction between different professional disciplines, incremental improvement in care delivery, learning and radical innovation. This is aimed at combining operational effectiveness, strategic flexibility, exploitation and exploration, in a way that ensures the best possible care for the patient. This paper examines previous research on the management competences and the organisational capabilities necessary for continuous innovation, and analyses evidence emerging from a study of palliative care. Work on the relationships between innovation capacities, organisational capabilities and team‐based competence is drawn together. Evidence is presented from research into the management of innovation in palliative care.

The People's Republic of China (PRC) is well known as the world's most populous country and the third largest in geographical mass. China is also viewed as one of the fastest growing economies in the world, with annual growth in real Gross National Product (GNP) averaging nine per cent to 1992 (Economist, 1992) and 12.5% each year between the end of 1992 and 1995 (CEWC, 1995). In view of this, and despite the western backlash which followed the events in Tienanmen Square in 1989, American and European companies have not been reluctant to invest in China, both directly and through joint ventures.

This paper aims to examine the stability of dividend policy using a unique data set.

The paper is based on the Lintner model that is used to test the dividend smoothing behavior. The specific econometric method used for panel data is Tobit regression.

The evidence shows that Omani firms adopt a policy of smoothing dividends. This stability of dividends does not support the predictions suggested by the high bank leverage, absence of taxes, and the variability of dividend payments in Oman.

This study highlights the need for further research in order to examine whether these results have any effect on dividend initiations and omissions in Oman.

The findings of this study show that there are differences in dividend policies between the Omani companies and those in developed markets. Potential investors in the Omani market should be aware about these differences in making their investment decisions.

This paper examines stability of dividend policy in a unique environment where firms distribute almost 100 percent of their profits in dividends, firms are highly levered mainly through bank loans, there are no taxes on dividends and capital gains, and there is variability in cash dividend payments. These factors suggest a diminished role of dividend stability in Oman. It is an empirical issue to examine whether this is indeed true. The authors are not aware of any other study on dividend stability using data with these unique factors.

The texturalcentric model of non‐attribute‐based visual and tactile response to textural fabric surfaces was used to elicit definitive qualities or dimensions of textural fabric surfaces. Multidimensional scaling analysis permitted subjects to provide numeric judgements of fabrics rather than using words with individuals' historic definitions of those terms, or without understanding some terms. Objectives of the study included validating the attributes identified by college students, and ascertaining the persistence of attributes that contribute to visual and tactile perception of adult women (25–45 years of age) and older women (60 years of age and older). One‐hundred‐and‐twenty subjects (50 per cent adult, 50 per cent older) provided visual or tactile ratings of the similarities of 30 fabrics. Data were subjected to multidimensional scaling analysis and coefficients of congruence were calculated. Dimensions or characteristics of fabrics were named using bipolar adjectives: rough to smooth, plane to depth, irregular to regular surface units, shiny to matt, fine to coarse, lightweight to heavyweight, simple to complex, hard to soft compressibility, pliable to stiff, harsh to slippery, small units to large units, open to compact, and soft to bumpy‐rough. From these, a schema for the textural perception of fabric surfaces, was modelled.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a country‐level consideration of the relationship between entrepreneurship, immigration and education. In contrast to studies that report on immigration and entrepreneurship in a region or single country, the authors seek to determine whether levels of immigration, and the level of education obtained by the immigrants, are predictive of levels of entrepreneurship activity. A common set of variables and data from developed countries are used to test the hypothesized relationships.

Using data on 21 OECD countries and five measures of entrepreneurship from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor project, the authors assess the significance of immigration and education level on entrepreneurial activity using regression analysis.

The stock of immigrants in a country was found to be predictive of the proportion of that country's population involved in starting and managing a new business (early stage entrepreneurship), as well as the growth expectations held by those early‐stage entrepreneurs. Also, levels of high growth and high growth expectation entrepreneurship were predicted by the proportion of more highly‐educated immigrants.

This study provides national‐level comparative evidence linking entrepreneurial activity to immigration and to the level of education obtained by those immigrants, thereby adding to our understanding of immigration, education and entrepreneurship. The results have implications for the immigration policies of countries seeking to add to their economic base by encouraging entrepreneurship and job creation.

Within the agri-food sectors of Western countries, there is an increasing interest in alternative food, i.e., organic, local and regional food, artisanal food, short-supply chains, slow food etc. Innovation in food processing is a significant element both in alternative food and conventional food strategies. Alternatives are based on competition on qualities rather than price. A main question in this chapter is to address how alternative qualities are embedded into food products? This question is explored using a study of two alternative cases within the dairy sectors of Norway and Wales. A model of the different modes of designed qualities of food is developed and discussed to explore the complex issue of quality. We find space and technology especially relevant as dimensions of qualities. Our conclusion is that there is a need to nuance the discussion about quality and food. Firms may develop as hybrids within a conventional vs. alternative perspective, and a strong emphasis on the conventional and alternative as a dichotomy tends to give a static and restrictive perspective.