How do policy levers shape the quality of a national health system?

Poor quality of care may have a detrimental effect on access and take-up and can become a serious barrier to the universality of health services. This consideration is of particular interest in view of the fact that health systems in many countries must address a growing public-sector deficit and respond to increasing pressures due to COVID-19 and aging population, among other factors. In line with a rapidly emerging literature, we focus on patient satisfaction as a proxy for quality of health care. Drawing on rich longitudinal and cross-sectional data for Spain and multilevel estimation techniques, we show that in addition to individual level differences, policy levers (such as public health spending and the patient-doctor ratio, in particular) exert a considerable influence on the quality of a health care system. Our results suggest that policymakers seeking to enhance the quality of care should be cautious when compromising the level of health resources, and in particular, health personnel, as a response to economic downturns in a sector that traditionally had insufficient human resources in many countries, which have become even more evident in the light of the current health crisis. Additionally, we provide evidence that the increasing reliance on the private health sector may be indicative of inefficiencies in the public system and/or the existence of features of private insurance which are deemed important by patients.     

Reviews

Abstract

Michelle DeMars reviews The Indispensable Academic Librarian: Teaching and Collaborating for Change; Norma Durian reviews The Library Outreach Casebook; Trina Boykin Nolen reviews Licensing Digital Content: A Practical Guide for Librarians, Third Edition.     

Response strategy to environment context factors using a lean and agile approach: Implications for firm performance

Based on the environment-strategy performance perspective and dynamic capabilities framework, we develop a theoretical model and hypotheses specifying how supply chain collaboration as a response to environment context factors – competitive intensity, supply uncertainty, technological turbulence and market turbulence, using a lean and agile strategy may influence firm performance. We test the model using partial least square structural equation modelling on data collected from a field survey with responses from 152 manufacturing firms representing a variety of industries. Empirical findings generally support the relationship between collaboration and firm performance using a lean and agile strategy. Also, for firms in industries that face environments characterised by high supply uncertainty and competitive intensity with, technological turbulence, the study finds evidence of a direct relationship between these environmental factors and supply chain collaboration. The findings provide an initial strategic response framework for appropriately aligning a lean and agile supply chain strategy through collaboration with environment context factors to achieve firm performance improvements.     

学术论文一稿多投的"诊"与"治"

一稿多投是学术界由来已久且难以医治的顽症。究其原因,主要是科研压力之下作者的投机心态、作者投稿经验的匮乏、稿件时效性的压力以及网上投稿的便捷与低成本等因素使然。一稿多投会造成编方人力资源的浪费,容易引发一稿多发,挤占宝贵的版面资源,引起版权纠纷,破坏学术诚信,扰乱科研秩序。要从加强制度建设、加大惩罚力度、利用高科技进行防范、健全监督机制、加强学术道德教育、提高编辑效率等方面,把"他律"与"自律"结合起来,惩防并举,标本兼治,多管齐下,齐抓共管,从根本上规范科研活动,根治一稿多投顽症。     

Formal governance,interfirm coordination,and performance in partnerships: An empirical investigation of a mediation model

This study investigates the extent to which formal governance mechanisms such as contracts and equity ownership affect interfirm coordination and partnership performance. We analysed data from a survey of 301 Korean firms to show that interfirm coordination partially mediates the relationship between contract completeness, defined as the extent to which a contract specifies task operations and contingencies, and partnership performance. Furthermore, we find that more complete contracts can attenuate the negative effects of equity ownership on coordination, and that this effect is particularly strong when partner tasks are interdependent and relational norms are weak.     

汽轮机凝汽器技术状态的故障诊断

介绍了对电站发动机组凝汽器进行状态监测和故障诊断的技术诊断自动化系统的研究和实现，实践证明，开发的系统对改善凝汽器性能、提高电站整体性能具有重要意义。     

关于研究生教育若干问题的思考

研究生教育是高等教育结构中的高层次教育。文章围绕创建科学的研究生教育体系问题 ,从自主招生、导师队伍建设、学位授权点、学术监控以及办学理念等方面进行了探讨     

缩小城乡差距统筹城乡发展问题研究

笔者系统总结了我国城乡差距、城乡关系失调的具体表现,并进一步分析了城乡发展差距过大对国民经济和社会发展的影响以及统筹城乡发展的现实意义,继而从改革城乡分治的管理体制,加快城镇化进程,推动城乡联动的工业化路线等方面提出了统筹城乡发展的对策建议。     

梁启超的理性精神与学术态度

从“不为古人所欺，不为世法所挠”、“我物我格，我理我穷”，以及“除心奴”，反“依傍”三个层次论述了梁启超与西方启蒙主义相通的理性精神与学术态度。从理性精神的角度对众所周知的梁启超一生“多变”作了新的阐释。并认为，梁启超与王国维一样，具有“独立之精神，自由之思想”，只不过表现方式有所不同罢了。     

江右学风与学术——《江右思想家研究》序

江右 (江西古称 )属文章节义之乡 ,不仅是禅宗的腹地和理学的心脏地带 ,而且在经济治术、诗人词客、人文风物等方面 ,皆举世闻名