Search Results (40)

Osteoporosis therapy is a crucial component of fragility fracture patients’ care. A Quality Improvement Project (QIP) was undertaken to review and improve such bone protection practice within a busy UK hospital orthopaedic department. Full-loop audit cycles, totalling 216 patients, were conducted before and after the implementation of a single-page checklist. This intervention significantly increased consultant-led osteoporosis plans by 37%, enhanced bone-sparing treatment administration by 20%, and eliminated unsafe prescriptions. Provision timeliness was not affected, but the communication of correct discharge information was significantly improved by 27%, and staff surveys showed the checklist was well-received, easy-to-use, and educational. Hopefully this will encourage other orthogeriatric teams to utilise a similarly effective and simple QI strategy. Full article

This study aims to present an integrated approach to customer experience, which was developed considering the identification and application of essential factors from the product life cycle. The study was conducted in the automotive industry and may be transferable to other products with high complexity and medium–long in-service use. The main goal is to identify the determining factors and perform a regression analysis of the effect of attribute-level performance on overall customer satisfaction through the customer’s entire journey during the product development phase. This study is based on a generic example that is meant to capture trends influencing customer satisfaction in the launch of a new product vehicle, focusing on factors that influence each stage of the process, from planning–exploration, design and development, and manufacturing and validation to performance measurement and after-sales assistance. Based on multiple surveys that were used as the main instruments for measuring the level of customer satisfaction at defined touchpoints, the product life cycle was followed through several stages: prospecting survey, upstream survey, launch preparation survey, post-launch investigation, life cycle survey, and after-sales support. Three meta-factors were identified—design, price, and durability—for which the ordinal regression demonstrated that they are significant predictors of customer experience in general. The approach may be transferable to other sectors by identifying relevant attributes and adapting tools for measuring customer satisfaction, customer experience, and consumer concerns, which act as key vectors influencing the product life cycle and, by extension, business sustainability. Full article

Intelligent construction, as a crucial driving force for the transformation and upgrading of the construction industry, is currently reshaping the production processes and management models throughout the entire life cycle of buildings. Nevertheless, construction enterprises are confronted with issues, such as great difficulties in system integration, complexity in multi-field collaboration, mismatch of technological requirements, and disharmony between standards and management processes during the process of promoting intelligent construction, which have restricted its in-depth application. This paper adopts a combination of questionnaire surveys and text mining methods to accurately gain insights into the actual situation of the application of intelligent construction in Chinese corporations. Cite Space is utilized to conduct keyword co-occurrence and clustering analyses and to construct the correlation atlas of the intelligent construction system, which are used to conduct in-depth analyses of its development trends and internal correlations. The research results demonstrate that aspects, such as building information modeling (BIM), smart construction sites, intelligent equipment, and prefabricated construction, exhibit significant development trends in the field of intelligent construction. Moreover, the precise matching between technology and the business needs of enterprises is of vital importance for the efficient implementation of intelligent construction. This research provides clear technological and management paths for intelligent construction in Chinese corporations, aiming to promote the standardization process of intelligent construction for enterprises and the industry and to facilitate the digital transformation and upgrading of the construction industry. Full article

Biocomposite materials respond to market trends and regulatory pressures for environmentally friendly packaging. Few studies have assessed the social life cycle assessment (SLCA) using stakeholder indicators across the entire supply chain. The objective of this study is to provide reliable indicators and data to compare the SLCA of jar lid biocomposites filled with post-harvest banana fibers (BFs) in Colombia. Methodologies from the United Nations Environment Programme, the relevant literature, and Colombian regulations were used to select indicators. A comprehensive survey involved all stakeholders in the supply chain and consumer responsibility during the use phase. The data collected were integrated, scored, and weighted. This approach aimed to reduce uncertainty in comparing different scenarios and contribute to the standardization and integration of SLCA methods. The study highlights the significant benefits of incorporating banana fibers (BFs) into jar lids. Lids composed of 40% BFs provide notable social advantages, particularly within the agricultural sector. They contribute to improving the economic income and quality of life for farmers, transporters, and intermediaries while promoting equity among them. Additionally, these lids help preserve cultural heritage in local communities. From a corporate perspective, beyond financial gains, companies enhance their sustainability visibility by offering a product that is environmentally friendly, naturally sourced, and directly connected to farmers. Furthermore, these lids strengthen the overall social impact of the supply chain and business sector by utilizing renewable and locally available resources. Full article

With the growing emphasis on sustainability, awareness of the environmental impacts and negative potential inherent in current business systems has increased. The circular economy (CE) represents an innovative approach that transforms the traditional linear economy into a restorative system, focussing on extending the life cycle of materials through continuous circulation. The Circular B project aims to develop an international framework that considers multiple facets of the CE, including material and asset management and the use of components in the built environment throughout the entire life cycle of the value chain. The primary objective of the CE is to eliminate waste and pollution (e.g., carbon reduction) and strengthen the resilience of the value chain. However, the current implementation of circular strategies has not yet been found to be effective, with several challenges that cause adverse impacts. This study focuses on investigating and analyzing these challenges, particularly in the cultural and societal domains, using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The scope of the questionnaire was to identify (1) awareness and understanding, (2) cultural attitude, (3) barriers to adoption, (4) incentives and motivations, (5) participation and engagement, and (6) education and training. A questionnaire was distributed to 270 respondents, with anonymous responses collected. The survey included eight questions specifically designed to address cultural and societal challenges. The survey was conducted with participants from various sectors, including academia, local authorities, industry professionals, consultants, and others collected from all over the world, ensuring diverse perspectives. The main weaknesses found based on this survey are related to (1) budget constraints due to high costs of reintegrating in the loop of materials or components due to the complexity of circular processes, (2) applicability on the market remains still limited, (3) the importance of planning and design in the initial phases, (4) the importance of establishing a comprehensive network to enhance collaboration among stakeholders, and (5) inadequate policies. The insights gained from this study will help stakeholders, such as constructors, maintainers, engineers, designers, and consultants, across various organizations in the value chain to develop practical solutions to mitigate these challenges and improve the overall business system. Full article

One of the most fundamental values that businesses must ensure to enhance sustainable production and productivity is the satisfaction of their internal customers. It is anticipated that an increase in the satisfaction levels of internal customers will lead to improved work performance, creating a cycle linked to the services and values provided to employees by the organization. This study aims to uncover the impact of the quality of internal services offered by manufacturing companies, as well as the ethical leadership approach, on employee performance. The data obtained from surveys conducted with 412 employees of clothing and textile companies in Van, Turkey, were analyzed using the SPSS program. The results indicate that internal service quality, particularly its dimensions of responsiveness and assurance, positively affects employee performance. Furthermore, it was observed that ethical leadership generally has a negative effect on employee performance, but the ethicality and justice dimensions and task clarity dimensions of ethical leadership affect employee performance positively. Full article

Resource consumption in the construction industry is expected to increase globally in the coming years. Additionally, construction and demolition waste (CDW) remains a significant priority within numerous global policies due to its vast volume and the inefficiencies in its management. This situation results in substantial environmental repercussions, primarily due to the low rates of material recovery in the manufacturing processes for new building materials. In response, the concept of the circular economy (CE) emerges as a promising solution across various sectors. CE promotes more resource- and energy-efficient practices, reducing waste generation and mitigating the environmental impacts associated with product life cycles while also unlocking potential economic opportunities. The primary aim of this study is to identify and assess the design practices influencing the adoption of CE principles within the Italian architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) sector. The study’s main contribution lies in a survey of 77 Italian designers to explore the core strategies driving the development of comprehensive circular approaches. This investigation seeks to understand the constraints and opportunities for CE implementation. The findings will assist in decision-making, inform policy, promote literacy around the CE topic, enable new quality standards, and serve as a baseline reference for businesses regarding sustainability investment indexes and markets. Full article

Today’s companies operate in a dynamic, constantly evolving, and highly competitive environment. The globalization of markets has significantly changed the economy, where companies operate within increasingly complex supply chains. The ever-increasing expectations of customers and company stakeholders, as well as the need to incorporate a comprehensive approach to the life cycle of manufactured products in corporate strategies, expose companies to a whole range of risks. The research was based on the need of organizations operating in the (automotive) industry to manage the dynamics of the business environment. This was accomplished using an appropriate model that, through its universality, would help to ensure the effective risk management in a holistic approach, protecting their performance and meeting the needs of the relevant stakeholders. The main idea of the research was to create and implement a dynamic model of risk management in the environment of a production organization based on the use of available methods such as SWOT, PESTLE, brainstorming, affinity diagrams, risk matrix, SIPOC diagram, risk, and the results of questionnaire surveys. The research was conducted in two directions: (1) designing the structure of the dynamic risk management model for the strategic management process; and (2) verifying the effectiveness of the proposed model in specific cases and evaluating the technical and economic benefits. To support the dynamics of the model, three basic management tools have been proposed: process review, internal audit, and management review, enriched with features that support the concept of risk-based thinking. Full article

This study examines the relationship between the business sentiment of Japanese companies regarding promising or potential countries for investment and macroeconomic statistics, such as economic or population growth in Thailand, using data from the Survey Report on Overseas Business Operations by Japanese Manufacturing Companies from 1992 to 2022. Although investing in Thailand has been popular among Japanese companies since the late 1980s, it has seemingly become relatively inactive in recent years. The present study’s results are summarized as follows: First, the business sentiment of Japanese companies has some relationships with relatively short-term economic growth and the business cycle in the short run. Second, business sentiment depends on long-term trends, and this stance may have changed after 2020. Third, other elements, such as minimum wage or fewer young people, do not necessarily have a relationship with business sentiment. Although more studies including capital accumulation or the global value chain should be conducted, improving the sentiments of Japanese businesspersons is desirable. Full article

In general, circular economy development is about a system-level change towards significantly enhanced circularity and sustainability encompassing both biological and technical cycles. This study aimed at exploring, identifying, analyzing and synthesizing how companies in the Kymenlaakso region perceive circular economy management, assessment and reporting. This study applied a qualitative research approach using a questionnaire survey as the specific method. The responding companies are of many sizes and represent multiple sectors such as industry, construction and various services. This study addressed a clear gap in research on company-level perspectives. The results indicate that recycling and recovery of materials are perceived as particularly important by companies. In addition, the principles of CE (10Rs) are considered to be important by most companies. Essential management approaches encompass, for example, CE strategy and goals, business ecosystems and development of markets for recycled and recovered products and parts. Companies considered that recycling, recovery, waste minimization and utilization of waste as a raw material, as well as an increase in recycled content in products, reduction in disposable products and prevention of premature obsolescence, are important CE assessment and measurement approaches. For example, continuous reporting of CE as a part of online communication of companies (i.a. sustainability and responsibility), the definition of best practices and best available techniques for CE, and reporting in the whole supply and value chain were perceived as important ways to report CE. However, it is noteworthy that many of the studied aspects of CE were not perceived to be important by companies. Overall, this study contributes to a better understanding of the current state of and future outlook on circular economy development in the studied region and also highlights relevant management, assessment and reporting aspects from the perspective of local companies. Full article

This article explores the important role of traditional shipyards in the global maritime industry, covering aspects of construction, repair, and maintenance. With the advent of faster manufacturing techniques, traditional shipyards face important challenges, such as planning errors, coordination problems, delivery delays, and underutilization of technology, which results in high costs, reduced productivity, and prolonged projects. The application of Manufacturing Cycle Efficiency (MCE) emerged as an important solution to significantly increase production efficiency. MCE empowers shipyards to deal effectively with waste, bottlenecks, and disruptions, thereby increasing performance, competitiveness, and profitability. Using a comprehensive approach that uses both qualitative and quantitative methods, including field surveys, and in-depth interviews in the traditional shipyard industry, this research identifies Nonvalue-Added (NVA) processes, conducts process mapping, and calculates MCE. The findings reported in this article underscore the significant wastage in the production process, indicating an urgent need for improvement, given the current average MCE value of 67.08%, indicating considerable room for improvement. This article provides innovative perspectives on optimizing the traditional shipyard industry through production cycle efficiencies while offering actionable recommendations. Key focus areas include integrating management systems, adopting advanced technologies, and implementing sustainable strategies to improve MCE, especially by reducing nonvalue-added time wastage, such as inspection and storage. By implementing strategies that optimize production, minimize waste, and overcome the challenges of global competition, this research contributes to improving MCE. In conclusion, this study is an invaluable guide for industry stakeholders, enabling them to enhance their competitiveness and adapt effectively to a dynamic business environment. Full article

Healthcare providers use revenue cycle management (RCM) to track patient billing and revenue. The revenue cycle collects data from various systems and compiles it into a single RCM system connected to payers. Effective system integration improves revenue and financial stability. The aim is to assess RCM feasibility in Saudi Arabia’s governmental hospitals, examine financial management, and recommend practical implementation. In this study, healthcare leaders were interviewed face-to-face and via audio recording to collect qualitative data in response to semi-structured questions. Key informants from seven main hospitals were interviewed. Respondents understood RCM and identified internal and external challenges in hospital financial management. Government hospitals face accountability obstacles. Two of the seven surveyed hospitals operate business clinics using a fee-for-service model. The billing system is not integrated with the information system. The RCM system faces challenges such as unclear vision, lack of accountability, staff resistance, process redesign, and importance of project management. Despite these challenges, respondents still value RCM and recognize its importance in improving hospital revenue management. Effective implementation of RCM requires significant transformational processes, including vision, governance, accountability, proper training, and effective monitoring and evaluation processes. Communication should also be emphasized, and the patient’s perspective must be brought into focus. Involving all stakeholders can create direct and holistic patient benefits; therefore, bringing them on board is crucial. New approaches are required to enhance healthcare in Saudi Arabia, addressing gaps in revenue optimization and RCM. Future research should evaluate the move from government-funded to self-operated hospitals, providing a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities. Full article

Today, building maintenance and repair (M&R) is a neglected aspect of the construction business throughout a building’s entire life cycle. Selecting appropriate M&R strategies is crucial, particularly for emerging economies like Iraq with severely constrained resources. This study seeks to identify the primary selection criteria for M&R methods of healthcare building facilities (HBFs) in Iraq. A comprehensive desktop literature analysis was undertaken to extract and determine the essential selection criteria for the most suited M&R approaches to buildings in general. Then, two rounds of the Delphi survey were conducted to consolidate the specific selection criteria to suit the circumstances of Iraq and HBFs. A total of 21 sub-criteria were identified and divided into six main groups. The main criteria and the associated sub-criteria were then analyzed and ranked using the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) technique. The ranking of the various main criteria revealed that the “cost” criterion was ranked first in terms of importance, followed by the “human resources” and “quality” criteria. The fourth, fifth, and sixth main criteria are “reliability/flexibility”, “safety/risk/environment”, and “facilities/technology”, respectively. The overall ranking of the sub-criteria placed “optimization and cost reduction” in the first position and “extending the life of the equipment and preserving their initial quality” in the bottom place. It is anticipated that the key findings and effective recommendations of this study will considerably contribute to the improvement of building maintenance and repair management practices in developing nations while enhancing different stakeholders’ understanding of the most important selection criteria for M&R methods, particularly with regard to healthcare building facilities in Iraq. Full article

Environmental turbulence refers to the unpredictable changes, developments, and uncertainties in a firm’s external environment. Environmental turbulence consists of market turbulence, technological turbulence, and competition intensity. It causes a shortening of firms’ product life cycles, changes in customer demands, and rapid technological developments. Companies do not control the changes in their external environment. In addition, they cannot manage change by using traditional methods where environmental factors are constantly changing. Thus, environmental turbulence and strategic plans might be reconsidered in today’s business world. This article examines the intensity of environmental turbulence from the strategic agility and innovativeness perspective. The study was conducted using data from Turkey, including medium-high or high technology firms that were located in a technopark or had an R&D center. The survey method was used to collect data for the study and the SPSS Process macro was used to analyze the effects of moderator variables on the relationship between strategic agility and firm innovativeness. Findings indicate that strategic agility positively affects firm innovativeness and that this effect might decrease due to increases in turbulence intensity. Moreover, firm innovativeness positively affects performance, and this effect becomes more robust with increases in turbulence intensity. This study provides practical implications for companies and researchers depending on environmental turbulence diversity. Full article

MSMEs were facing major challenges driven by uncontrollable macro-environmental factors caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper shows the strategies that a sample of Colombian start-ups developed for their survival in the first months of the COVID-19 crisis and the close relationship between these strategies and the aid policies deployed by the Colombian government. This study involved 220 Colombian enterprises from different sectors of the economy (agriculture, commerce, services, and industry) and different stages of the life cycle. Our statistical analysis was based on a deep survey of highly significant rank correlation, the qualitative association between variables, a structural equation model, and mediation analysis. Among our results, we highlight a high dependence on ICT technologies, varied access to economic aid, and strong dependence on negative crisis impacts with the need for aid and deep business changes. Concerning the last conclusion, we found a significant mediating effect of the adaptability of the start-ups in order to explain why older, bigger, and more necessary enterprises were the ones that obtained aid. Full article