Showing papers on "Quality (business) published in 2003"

Pharmaceutical industry sponsorship and research outcome and quality: systematic review

Abstract: Objective To investigate whether funding of drug studies by the pharmaceutical industry is associated with outcomes that are favourable to the funder and whether the methods of trials funded by pharmaceutical companies differ from the methods in trials with other sources of support Methods Medline (January 1966 to December 2002) and Embase (January 1980 to December 2002) searches were supplemented with material identified in the references and in the authors' personal files Data were independently abstracted by three of the authors and disagreements were resolved by consensus Results 30 studies were included Research funded by drug companies was less likely to be published than research funded by other sources Studies sponsored by pharmaceutical companies were more likely to have outcomes favouring the sponsor than were studies with other sponsors (odds ratio 405; 95% confidence interval 298 to 551; 18 comparisons) None of the 13 studies that analysed methods reported that studies funded by industry was of poorer quality Conclusion Systematic bias favours products which are made by the company funding the research Explanations include the selection of an inappropriate comparator to the product being investigated and publication bias

E‐service quality: a model of virtual service quality dimensions

Abstract: Service quality is increasingly recognised as an important aspect of electronic commerce (e‐commerce). Because the online comparison of the technical features of products is essentially costless, feasible, and easier than comparisons of products through traditional channels, service quality is the key determinant for successful e‐commerce. A conceptual model of the determinants of e‐service quality is proposed and discussed. Given the exploratory nature of this research, focus groups are used to investigate e‐service quality dimensions. It is proposed that e‐service quality has incubative and active dimensions for increasing hit rates, stickiness, and customer retention. The incubative dimension consists of: ease of use, appearance, linkage, structure and layout, and content. The active dimension consists of reliability, efficiency, support, communication, security, and incentives. The importance and implications of each determinant are presented.

The STARD Statement for Reporting Studies of Diagnostic Accuracy: Explanation and Elaboration

Abstract: The quality of reporting of studies of diagnostic accuracy is less than optimal. Complete and accurate reporting is necessary to enable readers to assess the potential for bias in the study and to evaluate the generalisability of the results. A group of scientists and editors has developed the STARD (Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy) statement to improve the reporting the quality of reporting of studies of diagnostic accuracy. The statement consists of a checklist of 25 items and flow diagram that authors can use to ensure that all relevant information is present. This explanatory document aims to facilitate the use, understanding and dissemination of the checklist. The document contains a clarification of the meaning, rationale and optimal use of each item on the checklist, as well as a short summary of the available evidence on bias and applicability. The STARD statement, checklist, flowchart and this explanation and elaboration document should be useful resources to improve reporting of diagnostic accuracy studies. Complete and informative reporting can only lead to better decisions in healthcare.

Predicting surface roughness in machining: a review

Abstract: The general manufacturing problem can be described as the achievement of a predefined product quality with given equipment, cost and time constraints. Unfortunately, for some quality characteristics of a product such as surface roughness it is hard to ensure that these requirements will be met. This paper aims at presenting the various methodologies and practices that are being employed for the prediction of surface roughness. The resulting benefits allow for the manufacturing process to become more productive and competitive and at the same time to reduce any re-processing of the machined workpiece so as to satisfy the technical specifications. Each approach with its advantages and disadvantages is outlined and the present and future trends are discussed. The approaches are classified into those based on machining theory, experimental investigation, designed experiments and artificial intelligence (AI).

Comprehensive School Reform and Achievement: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract: This meta-analysis reviews research on the achievement effects of comprehensive school reform (CSR) and summarizes the specific effects of 29 widely implemented models. There are limitations on the overall quantity and quality of the research base, but the overall effects of CSR appear promising. The combined quantity, quality, and statistical significance of evidence from three models, in particular, set them apart. Whether evaluations are conducted by developers or by third-party evaluators and whether evaluators use one-group pre-post designs or control groups are important factors for understanding differences in CSR effects. Schools that implemented CSR models for 5 years or more showed particularly strong effects, and the benefits were consistent across schools of varying poverty levels. A long-term commitment to research-proven educational reform is needed to establish a strong marketplace of scientifically based CSR models.

How perceived brand globalness creates brand value

Abstract: In today's multinational marketplace, it is increasingly important to understand why some consumers prefer global brands to local brands We delineate three pathways through which perceived brand globalness (PBG) influences the likelihood of brand purchase Using consumer data from the USA and Korea, we find that PBG is positively related to both perceived brand quality and prestige and, through them, to purchase likelihood The effect through perceived quality is strongest PBG effects are weaker for more ethnocentric consumers

Research methods used in developing and applying quality indicators in primary care

Abstract: Before we can take steps to improve the quality of health care, we need to define what quality care means. This article describes how to make best use of available evidence and reach a consensus on quality indicators

Measuring the quality of relationships in consumer services: an empirical study

Abstract: Increasingly, firms are recognizing the value of establishing close relationships with their customers as a means of retaining existing customers. Also, firms are realizing that the intangible aspects of a relationship are not easily duplicated by competition, thus providing a sustainable competitive advantage to the firm. In this paper, we provide firms with a scale for measuring the quality of these intangible relationships between service firms and their customers. We then test this scale against the related, yet dissimilar scale for service quality to determine whether the relationship quality (RQ) scale adds any further explanation of behavioral intentions. Our results indicate that relationship quality is a distinct construct from service quality and that RQ is a better predictor of behavioral intentions than service quality.

Innovation and learning

Abstract: Due to external challenges necessitating high degrees of innovation and customisation without sacrificing cost and quality, many industrial firms need to transform their entire approach to product development. Traditionally, industrial firms have adopted a singular approach to product development based on theories that deal with the development of individual products, individual projects and their management, individual designers and developers, and so on. However, in order to mass-customise products and services - whilst, at the same time, standardising and streamlining a product platform internally - it is necessary to transform product development theory and praxis towards a perception called Multiple Product Development.

Evidence-based practice: beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors of physical therapists.

Abstract: Background and Purpose. Little research has been done regarding the attitudes and behaviors of physical therapists relative to the use of evidence in practice. The purposes of this study were to describe the beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors of physical therapist members of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) as they relate to evidence-based practice (EBP) and to generate hypotheses about the relationship between these attributes and personal and practice characteristics of the respondents. Methods. A survey of a random sample of physical therapist members of APTA resulted in a 48.8% return rate and a sample of 488 that was fairly representative of the national membership. Participants completed a questionnaire designed to determine beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors regarding EBP, as well as demographic information about themselves and their practice settings. Responses were summarized for each item, and logistic regression analyses were used to examine relationships among variables. Results. Respondents agreed that the use of evidence in practice was necessary, that the literature was helpful in their practices, and that quality of patient care was better when evidence was used. Training, familiarity with and confidence in search strategies, use of databases, and critical appraisal tended to be associated with younger therapists with fewer years since they were licensed. Seventeen percent of the respondents stated they read fewer than 2 articles in a typical month, and one quarter of the respondents stated they used literature in their clinical decision making less than twice per month. The majority of the respondents had access to online information, although more had access at home than at work. According to the respondents, the primary barrier to implementing EBP was lack of time. Discussion and Conclusion. Physical therapists stated they had a positive attitude about EBP and were interested in learning or improving the skills necessary to implement EBP. They noted that they needed to increase the use of evidence in their daily practice.

The Effect of Information on Product Quality: Evidence from Restaurant Hygiene Grade Cards

Abstract: This study examines the effect of an increase in product quality information to consumers on e rms’ choices of product quality. In 1998 Los Angeles County introduced hygiene quality grade cards to be displayed in restaurant windows. We show that the grade cards cause (i) restaurant health inspection scores to increase, (ii) consumer demand to become sensitive to changes in restaurants’ hygiene quality, and (iii) the number of foodborne illness hospitalizations to decrease. We also provide evidence that this improvement in health outcomes is not fully explained by consumers substituting from poor hygiene restaurants to good hygiene restaurants. These results imply that the grade cards cause restaurants to make hygiene quality improvements.

The relationship between TQM practices, quality performance, and innovation performance: An empirical examination

Abstract: This empirical study examines the relationship between total quality management (TQM) and innovation performance and compares the nature of this relationship against quality performance. The empirical data were obtained from a survey of 194 managers in Australian industry encompassing both manufacturing and non‐manufacturing sectors. The structural equation modeling technique was used to examine the relationships between TQM and quality performance as well as innovation performance, simultaneously. The findings suggest that TQM significantly and positively relates to both product quality and product innovation performance although it appears that the magnitude of the relationship is greater against product quality. In addition, significant causal relationships between quality performance and innovation performance were found, suggesting that achievement of one aspect of performance could impact the other.

Firm reputation and applicant pool characteristics

Abstract: Scholars have suggested that a firm's reputation can provide it with a competitive advantage by attracting more, and possibly higher-caliber, applicants. No research has actually investigated this relationship, however, in large part because researchers have not assessed applicant pool characteristics but instead have measured applicants' intentions. Therefore, we conducted two studies to investigate whether organizational reputation influenced the number and the quality of applicants actually seeking positions with firms. Company reputation was operationalized using two different published reputation measures, and applicant quality data were obtained from career services offices at business schools at two universities. Results from both studies supported the previously untested belief that firms with better reputations attract more applicants. Furthermore, some evidence suggested that firms with better reputations could select higher-quality applicants. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Connections between quality measurement and improvement.

Abstract: Background.Measurement is necessary but not sufficient for quality improvement. Because the purpose of the national quality measurement and reporting system (NQMRS) is to improve quality, a discussion of the link between measurement and improvement is critical for ensuring an appropriate system desi

The Rise of Supermarkets in Africa: Implications for Agrifood Systems and the Rural Poor

Abstract: The rise of supermarkets in Africa since the mid-1990s is transforming the food retail sector. Supermarkets have spread fast in Southern and Eastern Africa, already proliferating beyond middle class big-city markets into smaller towns and poorer areas. Supplying supermarkets presents both potentially large opportunities -- and big challenges for producers. Supermarkets' procurement systems involve purchase consolidation, shift to specialized wholesalers, and tough private quality and safety standards. To meet these requirements, producers have to make investments and adopt new practices. That is hardest for small producers, who thus risk exclusion from dynamic urban markets increasingly dominated by supermarkets. There is an urgent need for development programmes and policies to assist them in adopting the new practices that the supermarkets' procurement systems demand.

Is More Information Better? The Effects of 'Report Cards' on Health Care Providers

Abstract: Health care report cards—public disclosure of patient health outcomes at the level of the individual physician or hospital or both—may address important informational asymmetries in markets for health care, but they may also give doctors and hospitals incentives to decline to treat more difficult, severely ill patients. Whether report cards are good for patients and for society depends on whether their financial and health benefits outweigh their costs in terms of the quantity, quality, and appropriateness of medical treatment that they induce. Using national data on Medicare patients at risk for cardiac surgery, we find that cardiac surgery report cards in New York and Pennsylvania led both to selection behavior by providers and to improved matching of patients with hospitals. On net, this led to higher levels of resource use and to worse health outcomes, particularly for sicker patients. We conclude that, at least in the short run, these report cards decreased patient and social welfare.

Public accountability in the age of neo‐liberal governance

Abstract: The practices of accountability and the dispositions they have engendered have changed over time since the mid‐1970s. It will be argued that following the demise of the age of professional accountability a regime of neo‐liberal corporate accountability has dominated the governance of education. The distinctive dimensions of this regime – of consumer choice, of contract efficiency, quality, and capital ownership – have been introduced at different times since 1979. While it is possible to periodize their inception it is necessary to see them as, over time, extending and intensifying into a coherent regime of regulation. Thus understanding of the present modes can only be understood by clarifying the historical and political conditions which have shaped them. Nevertheless, possibilities of change may lie in the contradictions of accountability within the regime of governance.