Current Issue : July - September Volume : 2011 Issue Number : 3 Articles : 6 Articles
The purpose of this study was to investigate how knowledge retention may be enhanced at the University of Zambia (UNZA). A quantitative case study design employing a triangulation of data collection methods was used. Data were collected using interviews and questionnaires. Purposive sampling was used to determine participants for the interviews whilst stratified random sampling was employed to select the respondents for the questionnaire. The quantitative and qualitative data that was analysed using SPSS�® indicates that UNZA lacked certain knowledge retention practices that might enable it to retain operational relevant knowledge. In view of the findings, the study recommends the adoption of a knowledge retention framework that could be embedded in UNZAâ��s knowledge management policy....
Consumerââ?¬â?¢s satisfaction is vital for the tourism companies. Leaving aside the fact that it is associated by the marketing specialists with the outcome of the purchasing and consumption processes, with consumersââ?¬â?¢ loyalty and with company profitability, the satisfaction degree of the tourism services consumers derives from the highest wishes, of accomplishing the cultural, artistic needs of communion with the nature, of rest, relaxation, of being beside those who share the same hobbies with us. This is why, both the producers, the tourism services providers, and the suppliers are particularly interested in the way in which the clients perceive the overall tourism product, but also each of the services encompassed by the service package.\r\nThe exact evaluation of the clientsââ?¬â?¢ satisfaction has become a central element of the marketing policies, next to the quality policy. The enhancement of the satisfaction stands at the basis of the loyalty raising policies and aims the clients, but also the employees, the shareholders and the suppliers. \r\nThe paper presents the results of the research performed between 01.01.2010 and 01.09.2010. The matter under study consists of two distinct samples: 180 clients chosen randomly of the data bank held by 3 companies in the field of tourism (hotel, restaurant and tourism agency) and a sample of 50 employees, who are employees with the 3 analysed companies, residing in Romania, in the N-E region. The research method consists in making a poll, measuring opinions on an ordinal Likert scale, and in processing the information. \r\nThe results reflect the concern for the thorough evaluation of the consumerââ?¬â?¢s satisfaction and its enhancement. Our study emphasises the importance of tourism services in Romania North-East, in order to absorb labour force and to ensure consumersââ?¬â?¢ high satisfaction, for leisure time and for refill ââ?¬Å?the batteriesââ?¬Â for working activities....
The poor in low and middle income countries have limited access to health services due to limited purchasing power, residence in underserved areas, and inadequate health literacy. This produces significant gaps in health care delivery among a population that has a disproportionately large burden of disease. They frequently use the private health sector, due to perceived or actual gaps in public services. A subset of private health organizations, some called social enterprises, have developed novel approaches to increase the availability, affordability and quality of health care services to the poor through innovative health service delivery models. This study aims to characterize these models and identify areas of innovation that have led to effective provision of care for the poor.\nAn environmental scan of peer-reviewed and grey literature was conducted to select exemplars of innovation. A case series of organizations was then purposively sampled to maximize variation. These cases were examined using content analysis and constant comparison to characterize their strategies, focusing on business processes.\nAfter an initial sample of 46 studies, 10 case studies of exemplars were developed spanning different geography, disease areas and health service delivery models. These ten organizations had innovations in their marketing, financing, and operating strategies. These included approaches such a social marketing, cross-subsidy, high-volume, low cost models, and process reengineering. They tended to have a narrow clinical focus, which facilitates standardizing processes of care, and experimentation with novel delivery models. Despite being well-known, information on the social impact of these organizations was variable, with more data on availability and affordability and less on quality of care.\nThese private sector organizations demonstrate a range of innovations in health service delivery that have the potential to better serve the poor's health needs and be replicated. There is a growing interest in investing in social enterprises, like the ones profiled here. However, more rigorous evaluations are needed to investigate the impact and quality of the health services provided and determine the effectiveness of particular strategies....
The study reported here explores the relationship between managerial selfperceptions and perceptions of others (the managerââ?¬â?¢s direct supervisor, peers and subordinates) with regard to leadership effectiveness (LE) in a group of managers in the context of a South African university undergoing a merging process.\nThe purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of selfperception accuracy amongst the managers and to explore the patterns of interaction between self-perception accuracy (regarding their leadership behaviour) and perceived transformational leadership behaviour (as measured by composite ââ?¬Ë?otherââ?¬â?¢-ratings).\nStatistically significant discrepancies were found between self- and observer ratings on all five leadership dimensions, indicating a probable overestimation of their own capabilities. Results further provide evidence that perceived leadership effectiveness on three of the five transformational leadership practices varied as a function of the self-perceptions of managers....
Medical tourism is a growing phenomenon with policy implications for health systems, particularly of destination countries. Private actors and governments in Southeast Asia are promoting the medical tourist industry, but the potential impact on health systems, particularly in terms of equity in access and availability for local consumers, is unclear. This article presents a conceptual framework that outlines the policy implications of medical tourism's growth for health systems, drawing on the cases of Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, three regional hubs for medical tourism, via an extensive review of academic and grey literature. Variables for further analysis of the potential impact of medical tourism on health systems are also identified. The framework can provide a basis for empirical, in country studies weighing the benefits and disadvantages of medical tourism for health systems. The policy implications described are of particular relevance for policymakers and industry practitioners in other Southeast Asian countries with similar health systems where governments have expressed interest in facilitating the growth of the medical tourist industry. This article calls for a universal definition of medical tourism and medical tourists to be enunciated, as well as concerted data collection efforts, to be undertaken prior to any meaningful empirical analysis of medical tourism's impact on health systems....
Globalisation has prompted countries to evaluate their position on trade in health services. However, this is often done from a multi-lateral, rather than a regional or bi-lateral perspective. In a previous review, we concluded that most of the issues raised could be better addressed from a bi-lateral relationship. We report here\nthe results of a qualitative exercise to assess stakeholdersââ?¬â?¢ perceptions on the prospects for such a bi-lateral system, and its ability to address concerns associated with medical tourism.\n30 semi-structured interviews were carried out with stakeholders, 20 in India and 10 in the UK, to assess their views on the potential offered by a bi-lateral relationship on medical tourism between both countries. Issues discussed include data availability, origin of medical tourists, quality and continuity of care, regulation and litigation, barriers to medical tourism, policy changes needed, and prospects for such a bi-lateral relationship.\nThe majority of stakeholders were concerned about the quality of health services patients would receive abroad, regulation and litigation procedures, lack of continuity of care, and the effect of such trade on the\nhealthcare available to the local population in India. However, when considering trade from a bi-lateral point of\nview, there was disagreement on how these issues would apply. There was further disagreement on the importance of the Diaspora and the validity of the UKââ?¬â?¢s ââ?¬Ë?ruleââ?¬â?¢ that patients should not fly more than three hours to obtain care. Although the opinion on the prospects for an India-UK bi-lateral relationship was varied, there was no consensus on what policy changes would be needed for such a relationship to take place.\nWhilst the literature review previously carried out suggested that a bi-lateral relationship would be best-placed to address the concerns regarding medical tourism, there was scepticism from the analysis provided in this paper based on the over-riding feeling that the political ââ?¬Ë?costââ?¬â?¢ involved was likely to be the major impediment. This makes the need for better evidence even more acute, as much of the current policy process could well be based on entrenched ideological positions, rather than secure evidence of impact....
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