Addressing issues of face validity in the application of a clinical guideline

In 1995, a statewide project to improve the practice of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in the Medicare population was started in Louisiana. A retrospective baseline study found high concurrent utilization of lithium and benzodiazepines, medications considered detrimental to ECT by the second American Psychiatric Association Task Force on ECT. Resistance to a clinical guideline because of lack of face validity by clinicians was used as an opportunity to involve clinicians in using data to evaluate their clinical practices. Results of the first two quarters of the project demonstrated that the strategy was successful.     

Internationalization,Innovation and Institutions: The 3 I's Underpinning the Competitiveness of Emerging Market Firms

The past decade has seen an increase in the extent of research focused on and around emerging market firms (EMFs) and their rising levels of competitiveness in both their home markets and more importantly in the global market place. At the same time, the practitioner-oriented literature has been documenting a growing number of corporate success stories that originate in emerging market economies. We posit that the growing prominence of EMFs is a result of three interrelated phenomena: the fast-paced internationalization of EMFs into both developing and developed market economies; the rapidly increasing extent to which business enterprises in emerging economies are focusing on knowledge-intensive processes and innovation; and the continuous evolution of institutions in these markets, particularly in terms of economic liberalization.     

Alternative estimators for the population totals in multiple characteristic surveys

The problem of estimating the population totals of multiple characteristics using without replacement sampling design is addressed. The alternative estimators for the study characteristics which are unrelated or have the low correlations with the characteristic used in sample selection are suggested. The efficiency of the estimators under two super population models, approximating the situations in which both the characteristics are unrelated and also when they are related, is studed. A numerical investigation is also carried out to get insight into the performance of the estimators in real applications.     

Challenges and Opportunities in HIV/AIDS Counseling: A Case of Jharkhand

The study highlights the challenges and opportunities in HIV/AIDS counseling. The major challenges are recruiting the right individuals and their capacity building and retention. The finding shows that most of the counselors are not befitting in terms of qualification and experience besides motivation, remuneration, and other issues. The study suggests that to ensure the effective counseling to reverse the epidemic, it is important to focus on such issues through appropriate policy interventions.     

Ensemble Habitat Mapping of Invasive Plant Species

Ensemble species distribution models combine the strengths of several species environmental matching models, while minimizing the weakness of any one model. Ensemble models may be particularly useful in risk analysis of recently arrived, harmful invasive species because species may not yet have spread to all suitable habitats, leaving species‐environment relationships difficult to determine. We tested five individual models (logistic regression, boosted regression trees, random forest, multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS), and maximum entropy model or Maxent) and ensemble modeling for selected nonnative plant species in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, Wyoming; Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, California, and areas of interior Alaska. The models are based on field data provided by the park staffs, combined with topographic, climatic, and vegetation predictors derived from satellite data. For the four invasive plant species tested, ensemble models were the only models that ranked in the top three models for both field validation and test data. Ensemble models may be more robust than individual species‐environment matching models for risk analysis.     

The impact of lean practices on operational performance – an empirical investigation of Indian process industries

In deciding to adopt lean manufacturing, it is imperative to investigate where and how lean practices are most needed to influence manufacturing and business performance. Such an investigation becomes indispensable when lean thinking is to be considered in a production arrangement different to the conventional, repetitive, high-volume, stable-demand and discrete-manufacturing environment. This study provides explanations of how performance is improved through the adoption of lean practices in process industries. This is a relatively under-researched area compared to the performance effects associated with the introduction and implementation of lean principles in traditional, discrete manufacturing. Based on a survey of Indian process industries, this study attempts to develop an empirical relationship between lean practices and performance improvement through the use of multivariate statistical analysis. The findings have led to the conclusion that lean practices are positively associated with timely deliveries, productivity, first-pass yield, elimination of waste, reduction in inventory, reduction in costs, reduction in defects and improved demand management. However, within a process-industry context, lean practices related to pull production were found to have a marginal impact on performance improvement. A detailed discussion of the findings along with their theoretical and managerial implications is provided in the paper.     

Evaluating the human resource related soft dimensions in green supply chain management implementation

Because of increased carbon emissions, environmental protection initiatives have gained significant attention at global level. One of the major initiatives taken by the industrial sector to minimize the negative environmental effect of the value chain activities is Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM). In industry, soft (human resource-related) dimensions influence the implementation of GSCM process greatly. In the literature, relatively less discussion is provided on assessing the significance of soft dimensions in efficient GSCM acceptance in industry. The present work is an attempt to construct a structural framework for assessing the significance of the soft dimensions in adopting GSCM concepts by taking a case of automotive company in India. A hybrid approach of Best Worst Method (BWM) and Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) approach is employed in this work. BWM is used to prioritize the GSCM oriented soft dimensions, and DEMATEL is employed to extract interrelationships among them. The result shows that ‘Top management commitment’, ‘Employee involvement’, ‘Organizational culture’ and ‘Teamwork’ are the highly prioritized causal soft dimensions in efficient GSCM adoption. This research work would help industry managers and practitioners to decide where to concentrate for GSCM concepts in context of soft dimensions for sustainable business development.     

The French Nonprofit Sector: A Literature Review

VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations -     

How does family health care use respond to economic shocks? realized and anticipated effects

Review of Economics of the Household - Using two-year panel data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) for 2004 to 2012, we examine how the intra-family allocation of health care...