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Showing papers on "Service provider published in 2015"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors engaged in an international and interdisciplinary research effort to identify research priorities that have the potential to advance the service field and benefit customers, organizations, and society.
Abstract: The context in which service is delivered and experienced has, in many respects, fundamentally changed. For instance, advances in technology, especially information technology, are leading to a proliferation of revolutionary services and changing how customers serve themselves before, during, and after purchase. To understand this changing landscape, the authors engaged in an international and interdisciplinary research effort to identify research priorities that have the potential to advance the service field and benefit customers, organizations, and society. The priority-setting process was informed by roundtable discussions with researchers affiliated with service research centers and networks located around the world and resulted in the following 12 service research priorities: • stimulating service innovation, • facilitating servitization, service infusion, and solutions, • understanding organization and employee issues relevant to successful service, • developing service networks and systems, • leveraging service design, • using big data to advance service, • understanding value creation, • enhancing the service experience, • improving well-being through transformative service, • measuring and optimizing service performance and impact, • understanding service in a global context, and • leveraging technology to advance service. For each priority, the authors identified important specific service topics and related research questions. Then, through an online survey, service researchers assessed the subtopics’ perceived importance and the service field’s extant knowledge about them. Although all the priorities and related topics were deemed important, the results show that topics related to transformative service and measuring and optimizing service performance are particularly important for advancing the service field along with big data, which had the largest gap between importance and current knowledge of the field. The authors present key challenges that should be addressed to move the field forward and conclude with a discussion of the need for additional interdisciplinary research.

1,168 citations


Patent
Martin Birk1, Paul Shala Henry1
21 Oct 2015
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors describe a system for exchanging electrical signals and guided electromagnetic waves between customer premises equipment and service provider equipment to provide uplink and/or downlink communication services.
Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system for exchanging electrical signals and guided electromagnetic waves between customer premises equipment and service provider equipment to provide uplink and/or downlink communication services. Other embodiments are disclosed.

277 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify three service-led growth trajectories: becoming an availability provider, becoming a performance provider, which resembles project-based sales and implies an even greater differentiation of what customers are offered; and, becoming an industrializer, which is about standardizing previously customized solutions to promote repeatability and scalability.

268 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The proposed scheme provides security and convenience for mobile users to access multiple mobile cloud computing services from multiple service providers using only a single private key.
Abstract: In modern societies, the number of mobile users has dramatically risen in recent years. In this paper, an efficient authentication scheme for distributed mobile cloud computing services is proposed. The proposed scheme provides security and convenience for mobile users to access multiple mobile cloud computing services from multiple service providers using only a single private key. The security strength of the proposed scheme is based on bilinear pairing cryptosystem and dynamic nonce generation. In addition, the scheme supports mutual authentication, key exchange, user anonymity, and user untraceability. From system implementation point of view, verification tables are not required for the trusted smart card generator (SCG) service and cloud computing service providers when adopting the proposed scheme. In consequence, this scheme reduces the usage of memory spaces on these corresponding service providers. In one mobile user authentication session, only the targeted cloud service provider needs to interact with the service requestor (user). The trusted SCG serves as the secure key distributor for distributed cloud service providers and mobile clients. In the proposed scheme, the trusted SCG service is not involved in individual user authentication process. With this design, our scheme reduces authentication processing time required by communication and computation between cloud service providers and traditional trusted third party service. Formal security proof and performance analyses are conducted to show that the scheme is both secure and efficient.

237 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper categorizes computation offloading into three modes: remote cloud service mode, connected ad hoc cloudletService mode, and opportunistic ad hocCloudlet service mode and conducts a detailed analytic study for the proposed three modes of computation offload at ad hoccloudlet.
Abstract: As mobile devices are equipped with more memory and computational capability, a novel peer-to-peer communication model for mobile cloud computing is proposed to interconnect nearby mobile devices through various short range radio communication technologies to form mobile cloudlets, where every mobile device works as either a computational service provider or a client of a service requester. Though this kind of computation offloading benefits compute-intensive applications, the corresponding service models and analytics tools are remaining open issues. In this paper we categorize computation offloading into three modes: remote cloud service mode, connected ad hoc cloudlet service mode, and opportunistic ad hoc cloudlet service mode. We also conduct a detailed analytic study for the proposed three modes of computation offloading at ad hoc cloudlet.

227 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: An updated regulatory framework is suggested that is sufficiently flexible to allow software platforms to operate and deliver their benefits, while ensuring that service providers, users and third parties are adequately protected from harms that may arise.
Abstract: New software platforms use modern information technology, including full-featured web sites and mobile apps, to allow service providers and consumers to transact with relative ease and increased trust. These platforms provide notable benefits including reducing transaction costs, improving allocation of resources, and information and pricing efficiencies. Yet they also raise questions of regulation, including how regulation should adapt to new services and capabilities, and how to correct market failures that may arise. We explore these challenges and suggest an updated regulatory framework that is sufficiently flexible to allow software platforms to operate and deliver their benefits, while ensuring that service providers, users and third parties are adequately protected from harms that may arise.

212 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A novel roadside unit (RSU) cloud, a vehicular cloud, as the operational backbone of the vehicle grid in the Internet of Vehicles (IoV), and an efficient heuristic approach to minimize the reconfiguration costs is proposed.
Abstract: We propose a novel roadside unit (RSU) cloud, a vehicular cloud, as the operational backbone of the vehicle grid in the Internet of Vehicles (IoV). The architecture of the proposed RSU cloud consists of traditional and specialized RSUs employing software-defined networking (SDN) to dynamically instantiate, replicate, and/or migrate services. We leverage the deep programmability of SDN to dynamically reconfigure the services hosted in the network and their data forwarding information to efficiently serve the underlying demand from the vehicle grid. We then present a detailed reconfiguration overhead analysis to reduce reconfigurations, which are costly for service providers. We use the reconfiguration cost analysis to design and formulate an integer linear programming (ILP) problem to model our novel RSU cloud resource management (CRM). We begin by solving for the Pareto optimal frontier (POF) of nondominated solutions, such that each solution is a configuration that minimizes either the number of service instances or the RSU cloud infrastructure delay, for a given average demand. Then, we design an efficient heuristic to minimize the reconfiguration costs. A fundamental contribution of our heuristic approach is the use of reinforcement learning to select configurations that minimize reconfiguration costs in the network over the long term. We perform reconfiguration cost analysis and compare the results of our CRM formulation and heuristic. We also show the reduction in reconfiguration costs when using reinforcement learning in comparison to a myopic approach. We show significant improvement in the reconfigurations costs and infrastructure delay when compared to purist service installations.

210 citations


Proceedings ArticleDOI
18 Apr 2015
TL;DR: The motivational models implicit in providers' explanations of their systems' designs do not match well with what really seems to motivate users, and this has design implications for peer system providers.
Abstract: This paper reports on a study of motivations for the use of peer-to-peer or sharing economy services. We interviewed both users and providers of these systems to obtain different perspectives and to determine if providers are matching their system designs to the most important drivers of use. We found that the motivational models implicit in providers' explanations of their systems' designs do not match well with what really seems to motivate users. Providers place great emphasis on idealistic motivations such as creating a better community and increasing sustainability. Users, on the other hand are looking for services that provide what they need whilst increasing value and convenience. We discuss the divergent models of providers and users and offer design implications for peer system providers.

196 citations


Posted Content
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provide an overarching framework to synthesize current findings in mobile advertising, as well as a research agenda to stimulate additional work in this nascent field, and provide an overview of the research agenda.
Abstract: Mobile advertising allows retailers, service providers, and manufacturers to provide consumers with increasingly relevant offers. The success of such campaigns depends on an ever better understanding of environmental, consumer, and technological context variables; a strong focus on advertising goals; accounting for market factors related to the nature of stakeholders and market environment; and the use of appropriate mobile ad elements to improve relevant outcome metrics. This article provides an overarching framework to synthesize current findings in mobile advertising, as well as a research agenda to stimulate additional work in this nascent field.

190 citations


Proceedings ArticleDOI
23 Mar 2015
TL;DR: The proposed methodology for resource estimation and management has taken into account these factors and formulate resource management on the basis of fluctuating relinquish probability of the customer, service type, service price, and variance of the relinquish probabilities.
Abstract: Lately, pervasive and ubiquitous computing services have been under focus of not only the research community, but developers as well. Different devices generate different types of data with different frequencies. Emergency, healthcare, and latency sensitive services require real-time response. Also, it is necessary to decide what type of data is to be uploaded in the cloud, without burdening the core network and the cloud. For this purpose, Fog computing plays an important role. Fog resides between underlying IoTs and the cloud. Its purpose is to manage resources, perform data filtration, preprocessing, and security measures. For this purpose, Fog requires an effective and efficient resource management framework, which we provide in this paper. Moreover, since Fog has to deal with mobile nodes and IoTs, which involves objects and devices of different types, having a fluctuating connectivity behavior. All such types of service customers have an unpredictable relinquish probability, since any object or device can quit resource utilization at any moment. In our proposed methodology for resource estimation and management, we have taken into account these factors and formulate resource management on the basis of fluctuating relinquish probability of the customer, service type, service price, and variance of the relinquish probability. Implementation of our system was done using Java, while evaluation was done on CloudSim toolkit. The discussion and results show that these factors can help service provider estimate the right amount of resources, according to each type of service customers.

188 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The study posits that information and communication technologies can be leveraged to bridge the service divide to enhance the capabilities of service-disadvantaged segments of society, but such service delivery requires an innovative assembly of ICT as well as non-ICT resources.
Abstract: The digital divide is usually conceptualized through goods-dominant logic, where bridging the divide entails providing digital goods to disadvantaged segments of the population. This is expected to enhance their digital capabilities and thus to have a positive influence on the digital outcomes (or services) experienced. In contrast, this study is anchored in an alternative service-dominant logic and posits that viewing the divide from a service perspective might be better suited to the context of developing countries, where there is a huge divide across societal segments in accessing basic services such as healthcare and education. This research views the prevailing differences in the level of services consumed by different population segments (service divide) as the key issue to be addressed by innovative digital tools in developing countries. The study posits that information and communication technologies (ICTs) can be leveraged to bridge the service divide to enhance the capabilities of service-disadvantaged segments of society. But such service delivery requires an innovative assembly of ICT as well as non-ICT resources. Building on concepts from service-dominant logic and service science, this paper aims to understand how such service innovation efforts can be orchestrated. Specifically, adopting a process view, two Indian enterprises that have developed sustainable telemedicine healthcare service delivery models for the rural population in India are examined. The study traces the configurations of three interactional resources--knowledge, technology, and institutions--through which value-creating user-centric objectives of increasing geographical access and reducing cost are achieved. The theoretical contributions are largely associated with unearthing and understanding how the three interactional resources were orchestrated for service-centric value creation in different combinative patterns as resource exploitation, resource combination, and value reinforcement. The analysis also reveals the three distinct stages of service innovation evolution (idea and launch, infancy and early growth, and late growth and expansion), with a distinct shift in the dominant resource for each stage. Through an inductive process, the study also identifies four key enablers for successfully implementing these ICT-enabled service innovations: obsessive customer empathy, belief in the transformational power of ICT, continuous recursive learning, and efficient network orchestration.

Proceedings ArticleDOI
21 Aug 2015
TL;DR: This work designs an incentive mechanism for each of the three models of crowdsourcing, and proves that these incentive mechanisms are individually rational, budget-balanced, computationally efficient, and truthful.
Abstract: With the prosperity of smart devices, crowdsourcing has emerged as a new computing/networking paradigm. Through the crowdsourcing platform, service requesters can buy service from service providers. An important component of crowdsourcing is its incentive mechanism. We study three models of crowdsourcing, which involve cooperation and competition among the service providers. Our simplest model generalizes the well-known user-centric model studied in a recent Mobicom paper. We design an incentive mechanism for each of the three models, and prove that these incentive mechanisms are individually rational, budget-balanced, computationally efficient, and truthful.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The notion of cloud security assurance is introduced and its growing impact on cloud security approaches is analyzed and some recommendations for the development of next-generation cloud security and assurance solutions are presented.
Abstract: The cloud computing paradigm has become a mainstream solution for the deployment of business processes and applications. In the public cloud vision, infrastructure, platform, and software services are provisioned to tenants (i.e., customers and service providers) on a pay-as-you-go basis. Cloud tenants can use cloud resources at lower prices, and higher performance and flexibility, than traditional on-premises resources, without having to care about infrastructure management. Still, cloud tenants remain concerned with the cloud’s level of service and the nonfunctional properties their applications can count on. In the last few years, the research community has been focusing on the nonfunctional aspects of the cloud paradigm, among which cloud security stands out. Several approaches to security have been described and summarized in general surveys on cloud security techniques. The survey in this article focuses on the interface between cloud security and cloud security assurance. First, we provide an overview of the state of the art on cloud security. Then, we introduce the notion of cloud security assurance and analyze its growing impact on cloud security approaches. Finally, we present some recommendations for the development of next-generation cloud security and assurance solutions.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Case managers or care coordinators who support patient-centred collaborative care are key to successful integration in all cases as are policies that provide funds and support for local initiatives that allow for bottom-up innovation.
Abstract: Background: To address the challenges of caring for a growing number of older people with a mix of both health problems and functional impairment, programmes in different countries have different approaches to integrating health and social service supports. Objective: The goal of this analysis is to identify important lessons for policy makers and service providers to enable better design, implementation and spread of successful integrated care models. Methods: This paper provides a structured cross-case synthesis of seven integrated care programmes in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, the UK and the USA. Key findings: All seven programmes involved bottom-up innovation driven by local needs and included: (1) a single point of entry, (2) holistic care assessments, (3) comprehensive care planning, (4) care co-ordination and (5) a well-connected provider network. The process of achieving successful integration involves collaboration and, although the specific types of collaboration varied considerably across the seven case studies, all involved a care coordinator or case manager. Most programmes were not systematically evaluated but the two with formal external evaluations showed benefit and have been expanded. Conclusions: Case managers or care coordinators who support patient-centred collaborative care are key to successful integration in all our cases as are policies that provide funds and support for local initiatives that allow for bottom-up innovation. However, more robust and systematic evaluation of these initiatives is needed to clarify the ‘business case’ for integrated health and social care and to ensure successful generalization of local successes.

Journal Article
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors extend this knowledge by outlining seven important characteristics of Smart Product-Service Systems (Smart PSSs): consumer empowerment, individualization of services, community feeling, service involvement, product ownership, individual/shared experience and continuous growth.
Abstract: Smart Product-Service Systems (Smart PSSs) integrate smart products and e-services into single solutions. Smart products make use of information and communication technology (ICT) to collect, process and produce information, while e-services are web portals, apps and means alike, which facilitate the communication between service providers and consumers. Smart PSSs are relatively novel in the market but their presence and relevance for consumers is increasing. However, there is limited available information that can help designers be prepared for this new task of integrating products and services. In this article, we extend this knowledge by outlining seven important characteristics of Smart PSSs: consumer empowerment, individualization of services, community feeling, service involvement, product ownership, individual/shared experience and continuous growth. These characteristics were identified by means of two studies. In Study 1, individual in-depth interviews with 16 industrial designers were conducted. During the interviews, participants were asked to analyze 29 commercially available Smart and non-smart PSSs, and to classify them according to their perceived similarities. In Study 2, stakeholder checks were conducted by means of 10 in-depth interviews with professionally experienced designers of Smart PSSs. In this paper, we exemplify the ways in which these characteristics are being implemented, we discuss the potential value of Smart PSSs both for consumers and companies, and we discuss the challenges designers are likely to face when designing this type of offerings.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Two novel algorithms to map NSCs to the network infrastructure while allowing possible decompositions of network functions are proposed based on Integer Linear Programming (ILP) and a heuristic algorithm to solve the scalability issue of the ILP formulation.

Patent
04 Dec 2015
TL;DR: In this paper, a mobile computerized apparatus for use with a roadside assistance program to assist in identifying a service provider, such as a tow truck, is disclosed, and the apparatus transmits relevant information to a remote server.
Abstract: A mobile computerized apparatus for use with a roadside assistance program to assist in identifying a service provider, such as a tow truck, is disclosed. The apparatus transmits relevant information to a remote server. The server in turn provides information about a plurality of service providers available to service the vehicle.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors proposed a method based on QoS evaluation along with the geo-perspective correlation from one cloud service to another for transportation impact analysis, and also insure the veracity of the manufacturing time evaluation by resource availability overtime.
Abstract: Cloud Manufacturing (CMfg) ambitions to create dedicated manufacturing clouds (ie virtual enterprises) for complex manufacturing demands through the association of various service providers’ resources and capabilities In order to insure a dedicated manufacturing cloud to match the level of customer’s requirements, the cloud service selection and composition appear to be a decisive process This study takes common aspects of cloud services into consideration such as quality of service (QoS) parameters but extend the scope to the physical location of the manufacturing resources Unlike the classic service composition, manufacturing brings additional constraints Consequently, we propose a method based on QoS evaluation along with the geo-perspective correlation from one cloud service to another for transportation impact analysis We also insure the veracity of the manufacturing time evaluation by resource availability overtime Since the composition is an exhaustive process in terms of computational time

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present insights from a six-month field operational test (FOT) in Gothenburg, Sweden, during which 195 participants tested the UbiGo mobility service for everyday travel.
Abstract: This paper presents insights from a six-month field operational test (FOT) in Gothenburg, Sweden, during which 195 participants tested the UbiGo mobility service for everyday travel. The service integrates both public and private solutions into a new type of “collective transport”, thereby contributing to Swedish societal goals of a reduction of private car use and ownership. A triangulation approach to data sources and collection methods has been adopted in order to identify matches and mismatches between the expectations and experiences of three stakeholder groups: users (FOT participants/customers), commercial actors (the mobility broker and service providers), and society. Identified matches include the “transportation smorgasbord” concept, reducing private car ownership, and increased pre-trip planning. Identified mismatches relate to the greater than expected reduction in car use; the respective business models of the mobility broker and service providers; back office administration; and the smartphone platform. Gaps include the infeasibility of some trips and the need for more carsharing sites. All in all, the FOT was successful with 93% of participants satisfied with their travel and 97% wanting to continue using UbiGo. However, the mismatches and gaps need to be resolved or at least deliberated upon in order to create a commercially viable mobility service. Based on the experience gained, the authors conclude that truly “collective transport” must involve close cooperation between public and private actors, and the consideration of at least these three, sometimes conflicting, stakeholders’ perspectives in order to create integrated solutions. Furthermore, new business models are needed to address the challenges associated with future, integrated, urban mobility solutions.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the concept of Vehicle as a Resource (VAR) is introduced and shed light on the services a vehicle can potentially provide on the road or parked, including emergency scenarios.
Abstract: Intelligent vehicles are considered key enablers for intelligent transportation systems. They are equipped with resources/components to enable services for vehicle occupants, other vehicles on the road, and third-party recipients. In-vehicle sensors, communication modules, and on-board units with computing and storage capabilities allow the intelligent vehicle to work as a mobile service provider of sensing, data storage, computing, cloud, data relaying, infotainment, and localization services. In this article we introduce the concept of Vehicle as a Resource and shed light on the services a vehicle can potentially provide on the road or parked. We anticipate that an intelligent vehicle can be a significant service provider in a variety of situations, including emergency scenarios.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Wang et al. as mentioned in this paper proposed a triadic model that includes e-retailers, product delivery service providers and customers to achieve synergy and customer satisfaction in the era of the IoT.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results suggest that interdisciplinary, collaborative models of primary healthcare may improve accessibility and quality of care for this population, and that more education about mental health and substance use issues may be needed to support service providers in providing adequate care for their clients.
Abstract: Mental health and/or substance use issues are associated with significant disparities in morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to identify the mechanisms underlying poor primary care access for this population. This was a community-based participatory action qualitative study, in which 85 adults who self-identified as having a serious mental health and/or substance use issue and 17 service providers from various disciplines who worked with this population participated in a semi-structured interview. Client, service provider and health system barriers to access were identified. Client factors, including socioeconomic and psychological barriers, make it difficult for clients to access primary care, keep appointments, and/or prioritize their own health care. Provider factors, including knowledge and personal values related to mental health and substance use, determine the extent to which clients report their specific needs are met in the primary care setting. Health system factors, such as models of primary care delivery, determine the context within which both client and service provider factors operate. This study helps elucidate the mechanisms behind poor primary health care access among people with substance use and/or mental health issues. The results suggest that interdisciplinary, collaborative models of primary healthcare may improve accessibility and quality of care for this population, and that more education about mental health and substance use issues may be needed to support service providers in providing adequate care for their clients.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The main finding from this review is while people may express satisfaction with mental health services, there are still issues around three main themes: acknowledging a mental health problem and seeking help; building relationship through participation and care; and working towards continuity of care.
Abstract: Accessible summary A number of studies have highlighted issues around the relationship between service users and providers. The recovery model is predominant in mental health as is the recognition of the importance of person-centred practice. The authors completed an in-depth search of the literature to answer the question: What are service users' experiences of the mental health service? Three key themes emerged: acknowledging a mental health problem and seeking help; building relationships through participation in care; and working towards continuity of care. The review adds to the current body of knowledge by providing greater detail into the importance of relationships between service users and providers and how these may impact on the delivery of care in the mental health service. The overarching theme that emerged was the importance of the relationship between the service user and provider as a basis for interaction and support. This review has specific implications for mental health nursing. Despite the recognition made in policy documents for change, issues with stigma, poor attitudes and communication persist. There is a need for a fundamental shift in the provider–service user relationship to facilitate true service-user engagement in their care. Abstract The aim of this integrative literature review was to identify mental health service users' experiences of services. The rationale for this review was based on the growing emphasis and requirements for health services to deliver care and support, which recognizes the preferences of individuals. Contemporary models of mental health care strive to promote inclusion and empowerment. This review seeks to add to our current understanding of how service users experience care and support in order to determine to what extent the principles of contemporary models of mental health care are embedded in practice. A robust search of Web of Science, the Cochrane Database, Science Direct, EBSCO host (Academic Search Complete, MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus Full-Text), PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, Social Sciences Full Text and the United Kingdom and Ireland Reference Centre for data published between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2012 was completed. The initial search retrieved 272 609 papers. The authors used a staged approach and the application of predetermined inclusion/exclusion criteria, thus the numbers of papers for inclusion were reduced to 34. Data extraction, quality assessment and thematic analysis were completed for the included studies. Satisfaction with the mental health service was moderately good. However, accessing services could be difficult because of a lack of knowledge and the stigma surrounding mental health. Large surveys document moderate satisfaction ratings; however, feelings of fear regarding how services function and the lack of treatment choice remain. The main finding from this review is while people may express satisfaction with mental health services, there are still issues around three main themes: acknowledging a mental health problem and seeking help; building relationship through participation and care; and working towards continuity of care. Elements of the recovery model appear to be lacking in relation to user involvement, empowerment and decision making. There is a need for a fundamental shift in the context of the provider–service user relationship to fully facilitate service users' engagement in their care.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The case vignettes within inclusive and democratic co-design workshops provided a powerful means for ALT users and their carers to contribute, along with other stakeholders, to technology and service design.
Abstract: © 2015 Wherton et al. Background: The low uptake of telecare and telehealth services by older people may be explained by the limited involvement of users in the design. If the ambition of 'care closer to home' is to be realised, then industry, health and social care providers must evolve ways to work with older people to co-produce useful and useable solutions. Method: We conducted 10 co-design workshops with users of telehealth and telecare, their carers, service providers and technology suppliers. Using vignettes developed from in-depth ethnographic case studies, we explored participants' perspectives on the design features of technologies and services to enable and facilitate the co-production of new care solutions. Workshop discussions were audio recorded, transcribed and analysed thematically. Results: Analysis revealed four main themes. First, there is a need to raise awareness and provide information to potential users of assisted living technologies (ALTs). Second, technologies must be highly customisable and adaptable to accommodate the multiple and changing needs of different users. Third, the service must align closely with the individual's wider social support network. Finally, the service must support a high degree of information sharing and coordination. Conclusions: The case vignettes within inclusive and democratic co-design workshops provided a powerful means for ALT users and their carers to contribute, along with other stakeholders, to technology and service design. The workshops identified a need to focus attention on supporting the social processes that facilitate the collective efforts of formal and informal care networks in ALT delivery and use.

Journal Article
TL;DR: This paper found that sexual and gender minority youth are overrepresented among those experiencing homelessness, have been homeless longer and face more mental and physical health problems than other youth, and were more likely to report that transgender youth experienced these problems at higher rates than other children.
Abstract: This report reviews responses from providers of homeless youth services about their experiences working with LGBTQ youth. Homelessness service providers estimate that sexual and gender minority youth are over-represented among those experiencing homelessness, have been homeless longer and face more mental and physical health problems. Providers were more likely to report that transgender youth experienced these problems at higher rates than other youth.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The outcome of the proposed decision-making system helps shopping websites managers and service providers to ascertain the trust level of their websites and adequately allow them to improve the website quality.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The study results indicate that hedonic features have a stronger effect on the flow experience compared with utilitarian features, and imply that when customers experience flow in online hotel booking services, they develop a sense of trust toward the website.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Trans people who identified as men and who resided in major urban areas and those living in smaller communities may have different experiences that were not adequately captured in this analysis, which highlights barriers to accessing AR services for trans people.
Abstract: Study question What are the experiences of trans persons (i.e. those whose gender identity does not match the gender assigned to them at birth) who sought or accessed assisted reproduction (AR) services in Ontario, Canada, between 2007 and 2010? Summary answer The majority of trans persons report negative experiences with AR service providers. What is known already Apart from research examining desire to have children among trans people, most of the literature on this topic has debated the ethics of assisting trans persons to become parents. To-date, all of the published research concerning trans persons' experiences with AR services is solely from the perspective of service providers; no studies have examined the experiences of trans people themselves. Study design, size, duration Secondary qualitative research study of data from nine trans-identified people and their partners (total n = 11) collected as part of a community-based study of access to AR services for sexual and gender minority people between 2010 and 2012. Participants/materials, setting, methods Trans-identified volunteers (and their partners, when applicable) who had used or attempted to access AR services since 2007 from across Ontario, Canada, participated in a 60-90 minute, semi-structured qualitative interview. Qualitative analysis was performed using a descriptive phenomenological approach. Emerging themes were continually checked against the data as part of an iterative process. Main results and the role of chance The data highlight barriers to accessing AR services for trans people. Participant recommendations for improving AR service provision to better meet the needs of this population are presented. These recommendations address the following areas: (i) AR service provider education and training; (ii) service provider and clinic practices and (iii) clinic environment. Limitations, reasons for caution The majority of study participants were trans people who identified as men and who resided in major urban areas; those living in smaller communities may have different experiences that were not adequately captured in this analysis. Wider implications of the findings While existing literature debates the ethics of assisting trans people to become parents through the use of AR, our study demonstrates that they are already accessing or attempting to access these services. This reality necessitates a shift toward exploring the ways in which AR services can be improved to better meet the needs of this population, from the perspectives of both service users and service providers. Study funding/competing interests This project was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research-Institute of Gender and Health, in partnership with the Assisted Human Reproduction Canada: Catalyst Grant: Psychosocial Issues Associated with Assisted Human Reproduction (FRN-103595). S.M. was supported by a Canada Graduate Scholarship from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council, as well as research funding from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University. S.J.-A. was supported by an Ontario Graduate Scholarship funded by the Province of Ontario and the University of Toronto. Trial registration number N/A.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper explores barriers and facilitators to engaging young people from refugee backgrounds with mental health services in Melbourne, Australia and eight key themes emerged: cultural concepts of mental health, illness, and treatment; service accessibility; trust; working with interpreters; engaging family and community; the style and approach ofmental health providers; advocacy; and continuity of care.
Abstract: Refugee young people have been identified as a group with high risk for mental health problems, due to their experience of trauma, forced migration, and stressors associated with settlement. A high prevalence of mental health problems is reported in this group, however some research suggests refugee young people have low rates of mental health service access. There is little information available on barriers and facilitators to mental service delivery for this group. Using data from 15 focus groups and five key informant interviews with a total of 115 service providers from 12 agencies in Melbourne, Australia, this paper explores barriers and facilitators to engaging young people from refugee backgrounds with mental health services. Eight key themes emerged: cultural concepts of mental health, illness, and treatment; service accessibility; trust; working with interpreters; engaging family and community; the style and approach of mental health providers; advocacy; and continuity of care.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Involving service users in designing measures of recovery can lessen the likelihood that researchers develop assessment tools that use inappropriate, contradictory or objectionable outcomes, and ambiguous and unclear language.
Abstract: Aims: To explore how service users’ views of measuring addiction recovery differ from those of service providers. Methods: Five focus groups conducted in two English cities with (i) people currentl...