Stochastic Optimal Control for Staffing and Backlog Policies in a Two‐Stage Customized Service Supply Chain

Motivated by an oilfield services industry case study, we investigate the dynamic behavior of customized service supply chains by developing a two‐stage serial staffing model. Each stage holds no finished goods inventory, but rather only backlogs that can be managed by adjusting staffing levels. We develop optimal control policies to balance backlog costs against hiring and firing personnel costs'assuming shared backlog information—under both centralized and decentralized control. We examine when there is sufficient economic incentive for two completely decentralized stages to begin: (1) to share backlog information without centralizing control, or (2) to completely centralize control. These switching points are determined by the relative service and personnel costs of the two stages. From these results, we show that decentralizing control in many cases does not materially worsen performance, so long as information is shared. Moreover, in some cases, even sharing information is of only marginal benefit.     

The development of anti-cancer programs in Canada for the geriatric population: an integrated nursing and medical approach

Cancer control in Canada refers to the development of comprehensive programs utilising modern techniques, tools and approaches that actively prevent, cure or manage cancer. The scope of such programs is quite vast. They range from prevention, early detection and screening, comprehensive treatment both curative and palliative to comprehensive palliative care. Cancer is a disease associated with the aging population, and as the population ages the incidence of cancer would be expected to rise as well. This in itself poses a great challenge. In addition, the aging population demographics with the projected rise in the numbers of senior citizens, especially the over 80 group in the next decade, poses its own creative challenges to health planners. In Canada, health care is centrally administered, and controlled by the provincial governments of Canada, under the Canada Health Act. The challenge of developing comprehensive programs for the geriatric population requires changes in the care models and care pathways. The patient-centred models that have been adapted require a multidisciplinary approach to the clientele and their families that integrates cancer therapy and geriatric care and realities. This requires changes in the nursing and medical approach, as well as education in the subtleties of the two intersecting medical realities.     

护士执业资格考试与护理人才培养的探讨

通过护士执业资格考试是毕业生从事临床护理工作的基本条件,护士执业资格证书关系着学生就业。以全国护士执业资格考试为切入点,探讨推进护理专业教育教学改革,加强职业院校护士执业资格考试培训,提高考试过关率,提升学生职业综合能力的途径。     

全国英语专业四级考试过级率与英语师资配备的分析——以湛江师范学院为例

学校规模的扩大、教学层次的提高,使师资的配备不断发生变化。文章主要运用灰色关联分析法对TEM4过级率与师资的配备之间的关系进行分析,通过揭示教师的职称结构、学历结构及师生比对TEM4过级率的影响,为优化学校师资队伍建设提出相应对策。     

略论护士素质

本文从职业道德角度简要探讨了护士素质培养问题     

The Modern Call Center: A Multi‐Disciplinary Perspective on Operations Management Research

Call centers are an increasingly important part of today's business world, employing millions of agents across the globe and serving as a primary customer‐facing channel for firms in many different industries. Call centers have been a fertile area for operations management researchers in several domains, including forecasting, capacity planning, queueing, and personnel scheduling. In addition, as telecommunications and information technology have advanced over the past several years, the operational challenges faced by call center managers have become more complicated. Issues associated with human resources management, sales, and marketing have also become increasingly relevant to call center operations and associated academic research. In this paper, we provide a survey of the recent literature on call center operations management. Along with traditional research areas, we pay special attention to new management challenges that have been caused by emerging technologies, to behavioral issues associated with both call center agents and customers, and to the interface between call center operations and sales and marketing. We identify a handful of broad themes for future investigation while also pointing out several very specific research opportunities.     

Outcry Consistency and Prosecutorial Decisions in Child Sexual Abuse Cases

This study examines the correlation between the consistency in a child’s sexual abuse outcry and the prosecutorial decision to accept or reject cases of child sexual abuse. Case-specific information was obtained from one Texas Children’s Advocacy Center on all cases from 2010 to 2013. After the needed deletion, the total number of cases included in the analysis was 309. An outcry was defined as a sexual abuse disclosure. Consistency was measured at both the forensic interview and the sexual assault exam. Logistic regression was used to evaluate whether a correlation existed between disclosure and prosecutorial decisions. Disclosure was statistically significant. Partial disclosure (disclosure at one point in time and denial at another) versus full disclosure (disclosure at two points in time) had a statistically significant odds ratio of 4.801. Implications are discussed, specifically, how the different disciplines involved in child protection should take advantage of the expertise of both forensic interviewers and forensic nurses to inform their decisions.     

The Determinants of the Boundary-spanning Functions of Japanese Self-initiated Expatriates in Japanese Subsidiaries in China: Individual Skills and Human Resource Management

Self-initiated expatriates (SIEs) who work for a subsidiary of a multinational enterprise from their country of origin and hence are familiar with both countries' language and culture can be expected to act as boundary-spanners between the assigned expatriates sent from the parent country and host country nationals, and between the headquarters and the subsidiary. We develop a new model of boundary-spanning that encompasses both individual and organizational antecedents and validate the model using survey data from Japanese-affiliated companies in China. We find that familiarity with Chinese language and culture and the potential dual allegiance of SIEs contribute to enhancing their boundary-spanning behavior. We also find that relationships of trust among the parties concerned (social capital) and global career opportunities for such self-initiated expatriates (geocentric staffing) have positive influences on their dual allegiance. Finally, normative and systems integration of human resource management are associated with increasing levels of social capital and geocentric staffing.     

新形势下专科护生临床实习存在的问题及对策

由于护理模式及市场环境的转变,护生实习期间存在管理制度不够健全、实践技能操作机会不多、沟通能力有待加强、生活保障不到位、对自己的个人发展设计欠缺等问题。为此,可以采取以下对策应对存在的问题：通过树立服务意识,强化沟通能力的培养;加强对临床带教的管理,共建实训基地;规划职业生涯,丰富择业途径等。