WorldWideScience

Sample records for field service sector

  1. The Evaluation of Innovation in the IT Service Sector: Methodological and Empirical Aspects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eglė Kazlauskienė

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Purpose — Nowadays services are comprehended as the key factor for economic activity, growth and employment. Developed economies are service-dominated though little is known about the innovation details in the service sector and this study field has been neglected for a while. The innovation in service sector activities needs to be thoroughly evaluated because innovation is an interconnected process and cannot be defined using one or few indicators. IT services are an integral part of contemporary life, particularly for business. It can be introduced and implemented in all fields, especially when the world is becoming more multidimensional. Innovation performance in the IT sector has been under-researched, despite the fact that IT service sector plays the innovation disseminator role in other sectors by appliance of IT products. Design/methodology/approach — Based on scientific literature and methodological aspects analyses, an empirical research methodology was designed and the qualitative research on innovation in information technology service sector was accomplished. Findings — The article presents methodological aspects of innovation evaluation in service sector and empirical aspects on innovation implementation and development in the IT service companies in Lithuania. Research limitations/implications — For more comprehensive understanding of innovation in service sector, especially in IT services, the theory of service innovation is necessary. Deeper understanding and perspectives on how innovation benefits the information technology sector should be revealed in further researches and the multi-country analysis is needed. Practical implications — The finding of the paper can be used to improve the development of innovation in information technology service companies and create a model for more exhaustive multi-country empirical researches. Originality/value — The impact of innovation and its development in information

  2. Study the Effect of Value-Added of Services Sector on Forecasting of Electricity Demand in Services Sector due to Price Reform

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sayed Mahdi Mostafavi

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Electrical energy is as one of the important effective factors on economic growth and development. In recent decades, numerous studies in different countries to estimate and forecast electricity demand in different parts of the economy have been made. In this paper, using the method ARDL, estimation and forecasting of electricity demand in the services sector of Iran are determined for the time period from 1983 to 2012. Estimated equations show that the added value of the services sector and a significant positive impact on the demand for electricity in this sector. The price elasticity for services sector is smaller than 1 due to low electricity prices and subsidized electricity. Hence, electricity prices have little impact on the demand for electricity. The results of the estimate represents a long-term relationship between the variables in the services sector. In this paper, based on amendments to the law on subsidies and estimated values, anticipated electricity demand until the end of the fifth development plan was carried out. The results indicate an increase in power consumption in the services sector.

  3. Services Sector Development and Improving Production Network in ASEAN

    OpenAIRE

    Yose Rizal Damuri

    2014-01-01

    While the importance of services sector in creating value added and employment has been recognized, the role of services as providers of major inputs to production sector are often forgotten and overlooked. This paper stresses the importance of services sector in supporting economic activities in general; the role that has become increasingly more critical in the wake of global production network. It argues that development of the services sector is crucial to supporting an economy’s partic...

  4. Government services: sector skills assessment 2012

    OpenAIRE

    Parry, Jon; Ojo, Adegbola

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this report is to provide authoritative labour market intelligence (LMI) for the Government Services sector to inform the strategic decision making of national governments in the development of employment and skills policy. It is one of 15 UK Sector Skills Assessment (SSA) reports produced by Sector Skills Councils and the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.

  5. The Implementation of Minimum Service Standards (MMS on Public Service for Health Services Sector in Bondowoso, Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Untung Kuzairi

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available One of heatlh policies implemented by the hospital is the minimum service standards (MSS. MSS is a benchmark of hospital service quality in providing services to the public. Talking about health service quality problem, it was found out as the field fact that the achievement of MSS indicator in General Hospital of Dr. H. Koesnadi Bondowoso, Indonesia in 2016 still did not fulfill target of standard hospital service (type B and  minimum service standard (MSS of hospital. This fact shows that the quality of health services in general hospital of  dr. H. Koesnadi Bondowoso is still low. So, this research aims to describe the policy implementation of minimum service standard and to analyze the obstacles in the implementation of MSS policy at general hospital of  dr. H. Koesnadi Bondowoso. So, this research would discuss the policy implementation of minimum service standards by using Edward III concept as a tool to analyze it. This research employed qualitative research with phenomenological approach. The results showed that the implementation of MSS policy of dr. H. Koesnadi Bondowoso general hospital still did not run well. This was due to several factors  such as communication, bureaucratic structure, sources, dispositions (attitude and leadership in sectoral ego control. Sectoral ego can be shaped from educational background of specialist doctors who still adhered seniority and lack of individual role of implementor in building interpersonal communication and conflict management.

  6. Public Service Motivation and Attraction to Public Versus Private Sector Employment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Mogens Jin

    2013-01-01

    of economics, political science, and law, this article tests (1) the relationship between PSM and attraction to public versus private sector employment, and (2) the moderating effect on this relationship of students’ academic field of study (i.e., their profession once graduated). Overall, results underscore...... the multidimensionality of the PSM construct, as the PSM dimension of “public interest” is positively associated with attraction to public sector employment and negatively associated with attraction to private sector employment, while the PSM dimension of “compassion” is unrelated to both. Importantly, however......Despite extensive public service motivation (PSM) research, our knowledge of PSM’s influence on individuals’ sector employment preferences is limited. Few studies examine this relationship by suitable research designs and the empirical findings are mixed. Using a sample of 718 Danish students...

  7. Awareness of occupational skin disease in the service sector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holness, D L; Kudla, I; Brown, J; Miller, S

    2017-06-01

    Occupational skin disease (OSD) is a common occupational disease. Although primary prevention strategies are known, OSDs remain prevalent in a variety of work environments including the service sector (restaurant/food services, retail/wholesale, tourism/hospitality and vehicle sales and service). To obtain information about awareness and prevention of OSD in the service sector. Focus groups and a survey were conducted with two groups. The first consisted of staff of the provincial health and safety association for the service sector and the second group comprised representatives from sector employers. Focus groups highlighted key issues to inform the survey that obtained information about perceptions of awareness and prevention of OSD and barriers to awareness and prevention. Both provincial health and safety association staff and sector employer representatives highlighted low awareness and a low level of knowledge of OSD in the sector. Barriers to awareness and prevention included a low reported incidence of OSD, low priority, lack of training materials, lack of time and cost of training, lack of management support and workplace culture. A starting point for improving prevention of OSD in the service sector is increased awareness. Identification of the barriers to awareness and prevention will help to shape an awareness campaign and prevention strategies. Building on existing experience in Europe will be important. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

  8. Service-sector Competition, Innovation and R&D

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tingvall, Patrick Gustavsson; Karpaty, Patrik

    2011-01-01

    The central prediction of the Aghion, Bloom, Blundell and Howitt model is an inverted U-shaped relationship between innovation and competition. The model is built on the assumption of a product market and has not yet been tested on the service sector. Using detailed firm-level data on Swedish...... service-sector firms, we find evidence of an inverse U-shaped relationship for exporting service-sector firms. A further breakdown of innovation expenditures shows that the inverse U-shaped pattern holds for intramural R&D and training, but not for extramural R&D. Finally, the results indicate...... that as competition increases, small firms tend to seek strategic alliances with competitors, whereas large firms tend to reduce collaboration with competitors. The behavior of large firms can partly be due to their superior capacity to handle innovation projects internally, which will become more important...

  9. Marketing strategy for the BC oil and gas service sector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2004-10-29

    The British Columbia (BC) oil and gas service sector is collaborating with the BC Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) to enhance the competitiveness of oil and gas service providers in Northeast BC. The MEM agreed to provide one-time funding to develop this marketing strategy for the oil and gas sector, particularly for small to medium-sized companies with limited resources. This document is also a resource tool for suppliers in the sector that have developed and are implementing their own marketing plans and wish to enhance elements of their own plans. The strategy also outlines the potential role of associations in Northeast BC that represent the service sector. It links their marketing activities with the activities of individual service providers. Local service providers (LSP) include companies in a wide range of businesses such as drilling support, transportation, health and safety services, and construction. Six issues that directly impact the competitiveness of LSPs were also presented along with recommendations for participants in the service sector, associations and individual companies. tabs., figs., 11 appendices.

  10. Marketing strategy for the BC oil and gas service sector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2004-01-01

    The British Columbia (BC) oil and gas service sector is collaborating with the BC Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) to enhance the competitiveness of oil and gas service providers in Northeast BC. The MEM agreed to provide one-time funding to develop this marketing strategy for the oil and gas sector, particularly for small to medium-sized companies with limited resources. This document is also a resource tool for suppliers in the sector that have developed and are implementing their own marketing plans and wish to enhance elements of their own plans. The strategy also outlines the potential role of associations in Northeast BC that represent the service sector. It links their marketing activities with the activities of individual service providers. Local service providers (LSP) include companies in a wide range of businesses such as drilling support, transportation, health and safety services, and construction. Six issues that directly impact the competitiveness of LSPs were also presented along with recommendations for participants in the service sector, associations and individual companies. tabs., figs., 11 appendices

  11. Financial Sector Competition, Service Trade, and Growth

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    J.F. François (Joseph); F.W. Eschenbach

    2002-01-01

    textabstractWe explore dynamic linkages between financial/banking sector openness, financial sector competition, and growth. We first develop an analytical model, highlighting links between long-run economic performance and services trade, through scale economies and market and cost structures in

  12. Intra- and Inter-Channel Competition in Local-Service Sectors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    K. Cleeren; M.G. Dekimpe (Marnik); F. Verboven

    2005-01-01

    textabstractAlthough economically very important, local-service sectors have received little attention in the extensive literature on competitive interactions. Detailed data gathering in these sectors is hard, not only because of the multitude of local players, but also because key service

  13. E-commerce application study and complementary services in the sector of laboratory diagnostics based on consumers' opinion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kontis, Alexios-Patapios; Siassiakos, Konstantinos; Kaimakamis, Georgios; Lazakidou, Athina

    2010-01-01

    The field of the Laboratory Diagnostics (in vitro), a sector of the field of health services, constitutes an industrial market that includes activities of research, development, production and products distribution that are designated for laboratory use. These products are defined as techno-medical products including various categories of products such as simple medicines, advanced technological systems, etc. Despite the high performance, the enlargement and the increasing trends of the field, it is not recorded the expected progress in the methods and the ways of promotion, trading and supporting of these products in the market. The present paper aims at the investigation of the consumers' opinion and the specification of those services that are possible to be implemented in electronic services and commerce for a strongly competitive advantage for the enterprises of the sector. The analysis of the findings from the Consumer Purchase Decision Centres (CPDC) shows how important it is to implement web-based applications in the proposed services.

  14. Impact of Knowledge Intensive Business Services on Economic Performance of Sectors and Regions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laurenţiu Tăchiciu

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The role of knowledge intensive services in today's economy are among the topics most frequently addressed in recent years by researchers. The major interest is targeting in particular services provided to enterprises, known internationally as knowledge intensive business services or, by abbreviation, KIBS. As a sector of the economy, KIBS consists of enterprises specializing in providing to other businesses services that require intensive use of advanced knowledge, thus characterized by the fact that intellectual input has a decisive share in the value added. Usually are considered part of this sector undertakings which have as object of activity the provision of services in the fields of research and development, design and technical assistance in implementing of new technologies including information and communication, training, management consulting, marketing and advertising, quality assurance and certification, accounting and auditing, legal consulting and assistance, architecture and construction engineering. According to the statistical classification NACE rev2, much of KIBS can be found in divisions 62, 63, 69, 71-74.

  15. Costs and utilization of public sector family planning services in Pakistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abbas, Khadija; Khan, Adnan Ahmad; Khan, Ayesha

    2013-04-01

    The public sector provides a third of family planning (FP) services in Pakistan. However, these services are viewed as being underutilized and expensive. We explored the utilization patterns and costs of FP services in the public sector. We used overall budgets and time allocation by health and population departments to estimate the total costs of FP by these departments, costs per woman served, and costs per couple-year of protection (CYP). The public sector is the predominant provider of FP to the poorest and is the main provider of female sterilization services. The overall costs of FP in the public sector are USD 55 per woman served, annually (USD 17 per CYP). Within the public sector, the population welfare departments provide services at USD 72 per woman served, annually (USD 17 per CYP) and the health departments at USD 39 per woman per year (USD 29 per CYP). While the public sector has a critical niche in serving the poor and providing female sterilization, its services are considerably more expensive compared to international and even some Pakistani non-government organization (NGO) costs. This reflects inefficiencies in services provided, client mistrust in the quality of services provided, and inadequate referrals, and will require specific actions for improving referrals and the quality of services.

  16. Key economic sectors and services

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Arent, Douglas J.; Tol, Richard S.J.; Faust, Eberhard; Hella, Joseph P.; Kumar, Surender; Strzepek, Kenneth M.; Tóth, Ferenc L.; Yan, Denghua; Abdulla, Amjad; Kheshgi, Haroon; Xu, He; Ngeh, Julius

    2015-01-01

    Introduction and Context This chapter discusses the implications of climate change on key economic sectors and services, for example, economic activity. Other chapters discuss impacts from a physical, chemical, biological, or social perspective. Economic impacts cannot be isolated; therefore, there

  17. Sector and Occupational Differences in Public Service Motivation: A Qualitative Study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kjeldsen, Anne Mette

    2012-01-01

    The relationship between employment sector and public service motivation remains unclear since previous studies fail to control for the occupation of the investigated employees. Based on 32 semi-structured interviews with Danish nurses and nursing assistants working in the public or private health...... sector, this study shows that occupation and employment sector have very different relationships with the separate dimensions of public service motivation. This suggests that future studies of sector differences in public service motivation should pay attention to employees' occupation as an important...... control variable, and the benefits of using a qualitative approach to measure public service motivation....

  18. Cross-sector Service Provision in Health and Social Care: An Umbrella Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winters, Shannon; Magalhaes, Lilian; Anne Kinsella, Elizabeth; Kothari, Anita

    2016-04-08

    Meeting the complex health needs of people often requires interaction among numerous different sectors. No one service can adequately respond to the diverse care needs of consumers. Providers working more effectively together is frequently touted as the solution. Cross-sector service provision is defined as independent, yet interconnected sectors working together to better meet the needs of consumers and improve the quality and effectiveness of service provision. Cross-sector service provision is expected, yet much remains unknown about how it is conceptualised or its impact on health status. This umbrella review aims to clarify the critical attributes that shape cross-sector service provision by presenting the current state of the literature and building on the findings of the 2004 review by Sloper. Literature related to cross-sector service provision is immense, which poses a challenge for decision makers wishing to make evidence-informed decisions. An umbrella review was conducted to articulate the overall state of cross-sector service provision literature and examine the evidence to allow for the discovery of consistencies and discrepancies across the published knowledge base. Sixteen reviews met the inclusion criteria. Seven themes emerged: Focusing on the consumer, developing a shared vision of care, leadership involvement, service provision across the boundaries, adequately resourcing the arrangement, developing novel arrangements or aligning with existing relationships, and strengthening connections between sectors. Future research from a cross-organisational, rather than individual provider, perspective is needed to better understand what shapes cross-sector service provision at the boundaries. Findings aligned closely with the work done by Sloper and raise red flags related to reinventing what is already known. Future researchers should look to explore novel areas rather than looking into areas that have been explored at length. Evaluations of out

  19. Opportunities of creating multi-agent systems in the service sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shatsky A.A.

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available the paper seeks to examine opportunities to create multi-agent systems (MAS in the service sector. Using methods of theoretical analysis and synthesis, the author attempts to apply a multi-agent technology to description of the socio-economic system, such as the service sector. As a result, the author identifies three types of MAS in the service sector based on different types of architecture of intelligent information systems. The research shows that the problem posed by the author requires further study and clarification of results

  20. Service Innovation and Sustainability in the Danish Logistics Sector

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gammelgaard, Britta; Prockl, Günter; Thordardottir, Kristin

    2012-01-01

    in the logistics sector, but also that a sustainability profile is not used as a driver for marketing new sustainable logistics services. The customers, on the other hand, are focused on price, geographical coverage and reliability of delivery. This study reports a portion of survey results that cover more issues......Sustainability in the logistics sector is much talked about, but at the same time there is little overview of the current activities. This paper provides an input to such an overview of logistics services provided in the Danish logistics sector in 2011. The purpose of the study is also...... to investigate driving forces of development towards sustainable logistics services from the industry. The paper is descriptive and based on an online survey sent to managing directors of 201 companies in the Danish logistics sector. The survey questions were developed on the basis of literature studies...

  1. Polar cap geomagnetic field responses to solar sector changes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Campbell, W.H.

    1976-01-01

    I made a computerized analysis of digitized magnetograms from Alert, Thule, Resolute Bay, Mould Bay, and Godhavn for 1965 and from Thule and Vostok for 1967 to determine the characteristic features of the day-to-day geomagnetic field variations related to the interplanetary solar sector field direction. Higher invariant latitude stations showed the sector effects most clearly. A sector-related phase shift in the characteristic diurnal variation of the field occurred principally for the dayside vertical geomagnetic component. The amplitude of this diurnal variation was related to Ap and could not be used to identify the sector direction. The quiet nighttime level of field Z component rose and fell on days when the interplanetary magnetic field was directed toward or away from the sun, respectively. When a station's base level field was determined from quiet magnetospheric conditions by using days with low values of Dst and AE indices, the mean field level of the Z component for the whole day increased or decreased (often over 100 γ) from this level as the solar sector direction was toward or away, respectively. With respect to the earth's main field direction the souther polar station field level changes were opposite those at the northern stations. This level shift corresponded with the two solar field directions during the summer months at polar stations for about 70% of the days in 1965 and 88% of the days in 1967. In 1967 the standoff locations of the magnetopause and magnetoshock boundaries were abotu 1 R/sub E/ more distant from the earth for the average toward sector days than for the away sector days

  2. Environment-adjusted total-factor energy efficiency of Taiwan's service sectors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fang, Chin-Yi; Hu, Jin-Li; Lou, Tze-Kai

    2013-01-01

    This study computes the pure technical efficiency (PTE) and energy-saving target of Taiwan's service sectors during 2001–2008 by using the input-oriented data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach with the assumption of a variable returns-to-scale (VRS) situation. This paper further investigates the effects of industry characteristics on the energy-saving target by applying the four-stage DEA proposed by Fried et al. (1999). We also calculate the pre-adjusted and environment-adjusted total-factor energy efficiency (TFEE) scores in these service sectors. There are three inputs (labor, capital stock, and energy consumption) and a single output (real GDP) in the DEA model. The most energy efficient service sector is finance, insurance and real estate, which has an average TFEE of 0.994 and an environment-adjusted TFEE (EATFEE) of 0.807. The study utilizes the panel-data, random-effects Tobit regression model with the energy-saving target (EST) as the dependent variable. Those service industries with a larger GDP output have greater excess use of energy. The capital–labor ratio has a significantly positive effect while the time trend variable has a significantly negative impact on the EST, suggesting that future new capital investment should also be accompanied with energy-saving technology in the service sectors. - Highlights: • The technical efficiency and energy-saving target of service sectors are assessed. • The pre-adjusted and environment-adjusted total-factor energy efficiency scores in services are assessed. • The industrial characteristic differences are examined by the panel-data, random-effects Tobit regression model. • Labor, capital, and energy and an output (GDP) are included in the DEA model. • Future new capital investment should also be accompanied with energy-saving technology in the service sectors

  3. Service and obligations of public service in the electrical sector law; Servicio universal y obligaciones de servicio publico en la Ley del Sector Electrico

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cuetara Martinez, J.M. de la; Gonzalez Sanfiel, A.

    1998-12-01

    Our article starts from the need of reconsidering the traditional public service concept; to this goal, the new categories universal service and public service obligations are useful instruments. After defining its notes, we identify them as different kinds of a common gender and separate then from other next categories, as are general interest services and policy obligations. Finally, we applied the obtained findings to the Electricity Sector, identifying an universal service in the supply of electrical energy to all the claimants and various concrete public service obligations in its principal sub sectors (production, transportation, distribution, trading and supply). (Author)

  4. Cross-sector Service Provision in Health and Social Care: An Umbrella Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shannon Winters

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Meeting the complex health needs of people often requires interaction among numerous different sectors. No one service can adequately respond to the diverse care needs of consumers. Providers working more effectively together is frequently touted as the solution. Cross-sector service provision is defined as independent, yet interconnected sectors working together to better meet the needs of consumers and improve the quality and effectiveness of service provision. Cross-sector service provision is expected, yet much remains unknown about how it is conceptualised or its impact on health status. This umbrella review aims to clarify the critical attributes that shape cross-sector service provision by presenting the current state of the literature and building on the findings of the 2004 review by Sloper. Methods: Literature related to cross-sector service provision is immense, which poses a challenge for decision makers wishing to make evidence-informed decisions. An umbrella review was conducted to articulate the overall state of cross-sector service provision literature and examine the evidence to allow for the discovery of consistencies and discrepancies across the published knowledge base. Findings: Sixteen reviews met the inclusion criteria. Seven themes emerged: Focusing on the consumer, developing a shared vision of care, leadership involvement, service provision across the boundaries, adequately resourcing the arrangement, developing novel arrangements or aligning with existing relationships, and strengthening connections between sectors. Future research from a cross-organisational, rather than individual provider, perspective is needed to better understand what shapes cross-sector service provision at the boundaries. Conclusion: Findings aligned closely with the work done by Sloper and raise red flags related to reinventing what is already known. Future researchers should look to explore novel areas rather than looking into

  5. Elements affecting food waste in the food service sector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heikkilä, Lotta; Reinikainen, Anu; Katajajuuri, Juha-Matti; Silvennoinen, Kirsi; Hartikainen, Hanna

    2016-10-01

    Avoidable food waste is produced in the food service sector, with significant ecological and economical impacts. In order to understand and explain better the complex issue of food waste a qualitative study was conducted on the reasons for its generation in restaurants and catering businesses. Research data were collected during three participatory workshops for personnel from three different catering sector companies in Finland. Based on synthesized qualitative content analysis, eight elements influencing production and reduction of food waste were identified. Results revealed the diversity of managing food waste in the food service sector and how a holistic approach is required to prevent and reduce it. It is crucial to understand that food waste is manageable and should be an integral component of the management system. The model of eight factors provides a framework for recognition and management of food waste in the food service sector. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Strengthening linkages of the financial services and real sectors of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Strengthening linkages of the financial services and real sectors of the ... policy, financial sector credit and capital market activities have impacted on the real sector growth. ... sector as a result such financial crimes like misappropriation of funds. ... better results; more investment instruments such as derivatives, convertibles, ...

  7. “Crossing over”: appropriate private sector principles, to operate more reliable public sector water services

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kevin Wall

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available Private sector institutions utilise many different business methods, some of which can selectively be adapted for use by organisations outside the private sector, to the benefit of their service delivery responsibilities. But the best of the appropriate practices from the private sector have often “not crossed over”. The Water Research Commission (WRC of South Africa, working in collaboration with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR, finds that the concept of franchising, so successfully used by the private sector to deliver many goods and services, if applied to water services operation and maintenance, could alleviate and address many challenges in the management of water services. At the same time, franchising could provide an ideal stimulus to support the development of local enterprises, all within the municipal service delivery environment. Franchisee water service providers, dependent for their livelihood on the success of their business, would have a strong incentive to perform, and would also enjoy the benefit of the franchisor’s expert guidance and quality assurance. Some areas for potential franchising include meter management, billing, plumbing, pressure management, sewer maintenance, and wastewater treatment processes. The help from the franchisor would be of particular value to water services authorities at a distance from the major urban centres. Few of these authorities can afford to employ competent qualified staff, and often non-compliance with the laid down performance standards is a direct consequence of this lack. Significant improvements would soon be seen if the generally under-qualified and under-resourced water services staff could have this ongoing support, mentoring and quality control — or if the authority could enter into partnerships with small local enterprises or NGOs which would, through franchising, enjoy the necessary ongoing support, mentoring and quality control, and would have

  8. Promoting Innovation in the Services Sector: Toward Productivity ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    The services sector is increasingly important to the economies of Latin America and ... innovative strategies implemented by various firms and then determining the ... a comparative analysis of private-public intervention in service innovation for ...

  9. The Services Sector and Economic Growth in Mauritius. A Bounds ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This paper examines the long run and short run impact of the services sector on economic growth in Mauritius. Using an augmented aggregate production function growth model, we apply the bounds testing approach to cointegration to assess the impact of different activities in the services sector on economic performance ...

  10. Reducing barriers to energy efficiency in the German energy service companies sector. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koewener, D.; Schleich, J.

    2000-12-01

    This report describes the empirical research conducted in the German energy service sector to assess to what extent energy service companies (ESCOs) can help overcome the barriers to energy in the higher education, brewing and mechanical engineering sectors. This report complements the sector for Germany within the BARRIERS project (Sorrell et al., 2000; Schleich/Boede 2000a; Schleich/Boede 2000b; Schleich et al., 2000). The report characterises the German energy service sector, contains a description and analysis of four case studies in the energy service sector, identifies the main barriers and chances for ESCOs in the higher education, brewery and mechanical engineering sectors, and concludes with brief recommendations on how these barriers may be overcome. The results of the study are summarised here under the following headings: Characterising the energy service sector in Germany; - Case studies of energy service companies in Germany; - The role of ESCOs in the case-study sectors; - Policy implications. (orig.)

  11. Historic trends in the service sector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1992-01-01

    Across regions, the service sector accounts for a relatively small share of final energy use: about 10% in the OECD countries, 5% in the Former East Bloc, and even less in most LDCs. In all of the above groups, however, it accounts for a larger share of electricity than of energy use: about 25% in the OECD countries, and about 13% in the LDC. In the United States and Japan, and in some of the wealthier LDCs, its electricity use is driving peak demand. Service-sector energy use in nine OECD countries increased by 15% between 1973 and 1988, but the aggregate energy intensity declined by around 25%. The trends were very different for fuel intensity, which fell by approximately 40%, and for electricity intensity, which rose slightly. The drop in fuel intensity was mainly due to considerable retrofitting of buildings and improved energy management practices, though entry of new, more energy-efficient buildings into the stock also played a role. There was also a trend away from fuel-based to electric heating in some countries. Electricity intensity was primarily shaped by two forces working in opposite directions. Addition of more office equipment pushed upward on intensity, while improvements in end-use efficiency, especially for lighting, pushed downward. The service sector accounts for only a small share of total energy use in the Former East Bloc and the LDCs. In the USSR, there is some evidence of a slight decline in fuel intensity and an increase in electricity intensity, although the latter is quite low by Western standards. Services electricity intensity has risen considerably in most LDCs due largely to addition of modern, air-conditioned buildings. 4 refs., 6 figs., 5 tabs

  12. An analysis of present and future trends of the service sector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bechmann, G.; Brosi, G.; Japp, K.P.; Paschen, H.

    1976-07-01

    In this report problems of forecasting in the service sector are discussed. Main emphasis is placed on a critical analysis of attempts at measuring the 'productivity' of services and their 'contribution to the gross national product'. Quantitative forecasting methods are then compared with a social-science approach at assesssing structural trends, esp. in the public sector. Starting from an analysis of constraints and their impact on different goals and objectives in the public service sector restrictions on modernisation strategies are described and alternative policies for rationalisation discussed. (orig.) [de

  13. Using a service sector segmented approach to identify community stakeholders who can improve access to suicide prevention services for veterans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matthieu, Monica M; Gardiner, Giovanina; Ziegemeier, Ellen; Buxton, Miranda

    2014-04-01

    Veterans in need of social services may access many different community agencies within the public and private sectors. Each of these settings has the potential to be a pipeline for attaining needed health, mental health, and benefits services; however, many service providers lack information on how to conceptualize where Veterans go for services within their local community. This article describes a conceptual framework for outreach that uses a service sector segmented approach. This framework was developed to aid recruitment of a provider-based sample of stakeholders (N = 70) for a study on improving access to the Department of Veterans Affairs and community-based suicide prevention services. Results indicate that although there are statistically significant differences in the percent of Veterans served by the different service sectors (F(9, 55) = 2.71, p = 0.04), exposure to suicidal Veterans and providers' referral behavior is consistent across the sectors. Challenges to using this framework include isolating the appropriate sectors for targeted outreach efforts. The service sector segmented approach holds promise for identifying and referring at-risk Veterans in need of services. Reprint & Copyright © 2014 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

  14. The Development of Service Sector in the Economy of Ukraine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melnyk Tetyana M.

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The article is concerned with the topical issue of the importance of the service sector in economy of Ukraine with the purpose of identification of directions of promoting the national services in foreign markets. Consideration of this issue is carried out on the basis of studying tendencies of foreign trade in services in Ukraine in comparison with global tendencies. The review of scientific sources in this direction indicates that discussions about the prospects of development of tertiary sector in the context of groups of countries according to the level of economic development are being held among scholars. The article characterizes the current trends in the development of world trade in services, assesses the proportion of individual groups of countries in the foreign trade in services. The geographical structure of exports of services of Ukraine was analyzed. Tendencies of trade in information-communication services were researched. The contribution of certain economic activities to the formation of GVA has been evaluated. The reserves for expansion of potential of service sector in the economy of Ukraine have been defined. The prospective direction of further scientific researches in this direction is identification of instruments of promotion of exports of national services to foreign markets.

  15. “Crossing over”: appropriate private sector principles, to operate more reliable public sector water services

    OpenAIRE

    Kevin Wall

    2008-01-01

    Private sector institutions utilise many different business methods, some of which can selectively be adapted for use by organisations outside the private sector, to the benefit of their service delivery responsibilities. But the best of the appropriate practices from the private sector have often “not crossed over”. The Water Research Commission (WRC) of South Africa, working in collaboration with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), finds that the concept of franch...

  16. Ghost sector of vacuum string field theory and the projection equation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Potting, Robertus; Raeymaekers, Joris

    2002-01-01

    We study the ghost sector of vacuum string field theory where the BRST operator Q is given by the midpoint insertion proposed by Gaiotto, Rastelli, Sen and Zwiebach. We introduce a convenient basis of half-string modes in terms of which Q takes a particularly simple form. We show that there exists a field redefinition which reduces the ghost sector field equation to a pure projection equation for string fields satisfying the constraint that the ghost number is equally divided over the left- and right halves of the string. When this constraint is imposed, vacuum string field theory can be reformulated as a U(∞) cubic matrix model. Ghost sector solutions can be constructed from projection operators on half-string Hilbert space just as in the matter sector. We construct the ghost sector equivalent of various well-known matter sector projectors such as the sliver, butterfly and nothing states. (author)

  17. Incorporating Multifaceted Mental Health Prevention Services in Community Sectors-of-Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gewirtz, Abigail H.; August, Gerald J.

    2008-01-01

    This article proposes a framework for embedding prevention services into community sectors-of-care. Community sectors-of-care include both formal and grassroot organizations distributed throughout a community that provide various resources and services to at-risk children and their families. Though the child population served by these…

  18. Ingerop - Nuclear sector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2016-01-01

    As regards the nuclear sector, Ingerop has acquired along the decades extensive experience in designing and calculating complex structures for nuclear facilities. Since 2002, Ingerop focused on more system- and process-oriented projects in this field. Nowadays, Ingerop offers integrated services based on its sound know-how, top-notch expertise and insight into the management of nuclear projects, for both revamping and new build activities. Ingerop has made the development of the energy sector one of its top priorities in particular for the nuclear sector along with NucAdvisor, the first French engineering practice specialising in civil nuclear power. NucAdvisor's main mission is to assist governments or their representatives in developing their nuclear programs offering expertise and consulting services on specific topics like siting, licensing and operation of nuclear power plants, as well as decommissioning and dismantling and radioactive waste management. In January 2016, a new subsidiary has been created - INGEROP Contracting - which provides a global EPC/turnkey offer covering all fields of energy and industry. Its goal is to deliver projects from the design up to the commissioning, while taking a clear commitment on the overall cost and schedule. This brochure presents the Ingerop Company, its offer of services and main fields of intervention, its IT tools for 3D modeling and design, its activities and main references in the nuclear sector

  19. A portrait of trading firms in the services sectors: Comparable evidence from four EU countries

    OpenAIRE

    Haller, Stefanie A.; Damijan, Jože; Kaitila, Ville; Kostevc, Črt; Maliranta, Mika; Milet, Emmanuel; Mirza, Daniel; Rojec, Matija

    2012-01-01

    We establish a set of stylised facts for trade and trading firms in five market services sectors using comparable firm-level and services data from four EU countries. Our analysis shows that exports account for much lower shares of overall sales in the services sectors than in manufacturing. In line with this there are also fewer firms engaged in trade in the services sectors than in manufacturing; trade intensities, in turn, vary by services sector and country. Trade by services firms is som...

  20. Opportunities for business and partnership : services sector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mendoza Fernandez, J.

    1999-01-01

    Mexico is one of the countries with the highest industrial growth in Latin America. This is due to its geographical location, its vast oil and gas reserves, its membership in NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), and mainly because of its modern economic policies. Mexico is a country in which many opportunities for private investment in the energy sector exist. This paper discussed Bufete Industrial Construcciones' involvement and experiences in the fields of petroleum, electricity and natural gas. The goals to be achieved in the various areas of the energy sector for the 2000-2006 period were summarized for the electric sector, the natural gas sector and the oil and gas extraction sector. The 4 mega projects currently underway include the Cantarell, the Burgos, the Ku-Maloob Zaap and the Delta del Grijalva projects

  1. Changed Role of Service Sector And Enhanced Service Tax Revenue An Introspection

    OpenAIRE

    Balachandran, Dr. V; Malini, K Hema

    2013-01-01

    The present paper attempts to evaluate the performance of service tax in India in terms of revenue generation, assessee base and its share in the total tax kitty of India. In addition, the relative position of the share of service sector and service tax in relation to GDP and total tax revenue of the country has also analyzed. The analysis of data reveals that service tax in India is progressing faster in terms of revenue collection, assesse base and even service tax collection per assesse an...

  2. The Services Sector and Economic Growth in Mauritius. A Bounds ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Nafiisah

    stability of the relationship between services sector development and economic ... sector on the economic growth of the small island economy of Mauritius. ...... significant structural instability (The figures are presented in the Appendix). 6.

  3. The third sector, user involvement and public service reform: a case study in the co-governance of health service provision.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Graham P

    2011-01-01

    The ‘modernization’ of British public services seeks to broaden public sector governance networks, bringing the views of third sector organizations, the public and service users (among others) to the design, management and delivery of welfare. Building on previous analyses of the contradictions generated by these roles, this paper draws on longitudinal qualitative research to enunciate the challenges faced by one third-sector organization in facilitating service user influence in a UK National Health Service (NHS) pilot programme, alongside other roles in tension with this advocacy function. The analysis highlights limits in the extent to which lateral governance networks pluralize stakeholder involvement. The ‘framing’ of governance may mean that traditional concerns outweigh the views of new stakeholders such as the third sector and service users. Rather than prioritizing wider stakeholders' views in the design and delivery of public services, placing third sector organizations at the centre of governance networks may do more to co-opt these organizations in reproducing predominant priorities.

  4. An Investigation into Customer Service Policies and Practices within the Scottish College Library Sector: A Comparison between the Customer Service Exemplars from the Retail Sector with Current Scottish College Library Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paterson, Neil

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this research project was to investigate the customer care methods within the Scottish college library sector. The researcher sought to compare examples of the customer care and service policies and practices from the sector with exemplars of good customer service from the retail sector. A qualitative, grounded theory approach was…

  5. An analysis of the Dutch service sector. Energy consumption and trends

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ramirez, A.; Patel, M.; Blok, K.

    2002-09-01

    Energy efficiency and its implications for a decrease in carbon dioxide emissions have been a main force behind the current debate on energy issues. Until now, the attention of policy-makers and scientists has been mainly focused on the industrial and residential sectors, although the transport sector has gained relevance in the fast few years. The service sector, on the other hand, has remained at the bottom of the priority list. The main goal of this paper is to explore patterns of energy consumption and energy intensity in the Dutch service sector in the last 15 years. This paper is divided into two parts. The first part deals with developments for the whole sector, including a decomposition analysis, and the second part analyses sectoral developments for five sub-sectors: Wholesale and retail trade, hotels and restaurants; Financial institutes; Real estate renting and business activities; Education and Hospitals. At the aggregate level we have found a strong increase in energy consumption, especially in electricity. Furthermore, we found no evidence of significant decrease in energy intensity in the last decade. Furthermore, the decomposition analysis showed that (a) the activity effect (value added) has been the main driving force behind the increase of energy consumption of the service sector, (b) an increase in labour intensity has also boosted energy consumption and (c) energy intensity (in terms of energy per employee) did not have a significant role on decreasing energy use. At the subsectoral level the picture is blurred, especially due to the lack of good quality data. With exception of the sector Real estate renting and business activities which showed a decrease in energy intensity of about 20% between 1993 and 1999, the decrease in energy intensity is quite low. Hence, the results point towards a failure of actual energy policies to address the service sector. This is in contrast to the fact that, due to the high share of electricity consumption and

  6. Service quality, patient satisfaction and loyalty in the Bangladesh healthcare sector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Selim; Tarique, Kazi Md; Arif, Ishtiaque

    2017-06-12

    Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate service quality, patient satisfaction and loyalty in Bangladesh's healthcare sector. It identifies healthcare quality conformance, patient satisfaction and loyalty based on demographics such as gender, age and marital status. It examines the differences between public and private healthcare sectors regarding service quality, patient satisfaction and loyalty. Design/methodology/approach The authors distributed 450 self-administered questionnaires to hospital patients resulting in 204 useful responses (45.3 per cent response rate). Data were analysed based on reliability analysis, exploratory factor analysis, independent samples t-tests, ANOVA and discriminant analysis using SPSS version 23. Findings Findings indicate that single patients perceive tangibles, reliability, empathy and loyalty higher compared to married patients. Young patients (⩽20 years) have a higher tangibles, empathy and loyalty scores compared to other age groups. The authors observed that private hospital patients perceive healthcare service quality performance higher compared to patients in public hospitals. Research limitations/implications The authors focussed solely on the Bangladesh health sector, so the results might not be applicable to other countries. Originality/value The findings provide guidelines for enhancing service quality, patient satisfaction and loyalty in the Bangladesh healthcare sector and other countries.

  7. Use Of Ict In Smes Management Within The Sector Of Services

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Plumb Ion

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available This study investigates how the use of ICT could contribute to the success of small and medium enterprises (SMEs within the sector of services. Within the knowledge-based economy, SMEs are facing both opportunities and challenges due to the information and communication technologies development. We consider that ICT should be used in small business management within the sector of services because ICT are key tools in management processes and could improve managerial practices. The study is based on evidence provided by articles and research reports. The research question was answered by analysing published sources and interpreting evidence. Another way of approaching this question could be collecting and analysing empirical data from the SMEs within the sector of services and comparing the results with the findings of this study.

  8. Governance and innovation in public sector services

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Scupola, Ada; Zanfei, Antonello

    2015-01-01

    Based on a longitudinal case study of ICT adoption and e-services development in a Danish library, we examine how governance modes affect technical and organizational change in the public sector. We contribute to extant literature on the links between governance and innovation by highlighting three...

  9. Model projections and policy reviews for energy saving in China's service sector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Lin

    2013-01-01

    Energy efficiency of buildings in the service sector is becoming increasingly important in China due to the structural shift of the economy from industry to services. This paper employs a bottom-up cohort model to simulate current energy saving policies and to make projections for future energy use and CO 2 emissions for the period 2000–2030 in the Chinese service sector. The analysis shows that energy demand in the service sector will approximately triple in 2030, far beyond the target of quadrupling GDP while only doubling energy use. However, it is feasible to achieve the target of emission reduction by 40% in 2020 even under the poor state of compliance rate of building standard. This paper also highlights four crucial aspects of designing optimal energy saving policies for China's service sector based on the model results. - Highlights: • Government energy saving target cannot realize with current policies in services. • Energy savings policies for new buildings are crucial than building retrofitting. • Cooling energy use increases significantly to reach equal weight as heating. • CO 2 tax can contribute to change in fuel mix, and thus emission reductions. • Low compliance rate limits further energy saving, hence green fund is required

  10. Public Service Motivation and Employment Sector: Attraction or Socialization?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kjeldsen, Anne Mette; Jacobsen, Christian Bøtcher

    2013-01-01

    Numerous studies have shown that public service motivation (PSM) is positively associated with public sector employment. However, the question of whether PSM influences or is influenced by employment decisions remains open, since previous studies have mostly relied on cross-sectional samples...... with experienced employees. This article investigates the relationship between PSM and employment sector in pre-entry and post-entry settings using data from a panel of Danish physiotherapy students surveyed before and after their first job in the public or private sector. The analyses show that PSM is neither...

  11. Implementing relationship marketing in the service sector – An ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This paper provides a comprehensive review on the concept of relationship marketing in the service sector of Mauritius, its foundation as well as its development. The various implications of using market segmentation and customer loyalty in these service companies as relational strategies are also discussed. The research ...

  12. Superstring field theory equivalence: Ramond sector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kroyter, Michael

    2009-01-01

    We prove that the finite gauge transformation of the Ramond sector of the modified cubic superstring field theory is ill-defined due to collisions of picture changing operators. Despite this problem we study to what extent could a bijective classical correspondence between this theory and the (presumably consistent) non-polynomial theory exist. We find that the classical equivalence between these two theories can almost be extended to the Ramond sector: We construct mappings between the string fields (NS and Ramond, including Chan-Paton factors and the various GSO sectors) of the two theories that send solutions to solutions in a way that respects the linearized gauge symmetries in both sides and keeps the action of the solutions invariant. The perturbative spectrum around equivalent solutions is also isomorphic. The problem with the cubic theory implies that the correspondence of the linearized gauge symmetries cannot be extended to a correspondence of the finite gauge symmetries. Hence, our equivalence is only formal, since it relates a consistent theory to an inconsistent one. Nonetheless, we believe that the fact that the equivalence formally works suggests that a consistent modification of the cubic theory exists. We construct a theory that can be considered as a first step towards a consistent RNS cubic theory.

  13. Spatial Evolution of Producer Service Sectors and Its Influencing Factors in Cities: A Case Study of Hangzhou, China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yizhou Wu

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Producer service industries are an important feature in the current development of a metropolis. Researchers from different countries are increasingly concerned about location changes and the motives of producer service sectors in cities. Given the rapid development of producer service sectors in developing countries, this study examines changes in the distribution of producer service sectors over the past decade and factors influencing them in a case study using the city of Hangzhou in China. Results show that Hangzhou’s producer service sector is still mainly concentrated in the central business district (CBD. However, a distinct trend of diffusion to suburban areas was observed, which formed several secondary clusters on the periphery of the city. Locations of the CBD, sub-centers, and professional clusters of producer service sectors established by the government are the most important factors that affect the spatial distribution of producer service sectors. The main influencing factors for the spatial evolution of producer service sectors are: (1 the high development cost and residential suburbanization of the central areas of the city promote the development of producer service sectors toward the periphery; (2 city planning has guided the clustering of producer service sectors on the city’s CBD and secondary city centers; (3 city renewal has provided personalized and diversified development space for producer service sectors; (4 incentive policies introduced by the government, such as rentals, and taxes have enhanced the orderly aggregation of producer service sectors.

  14. Climate services in the tourism sector - examples and market research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Damm, Andrea; Köberl, Judith; Prettenthaler, Franz; Kortschak, Dominik; Hofer, Marianne; Winkler, Claudia

    2017-04-01

    Tourism is one of the most weather-sensitive sectors. Hence, dealing with weather and climate risks is an important part of operational risk management. WEDDA® (WEather Driven Demand Analysis), developed by Joanneum Research, represents a comprehensive and flexible toolbox for managing weather and climate risks. Modelling the demand for products or services of a particular economic sector or company and its weather and climate sensitivity usually forms the starting and central point of WEDDA®. Coupling the calibrated demand models to either long-term climate scenarios or short-term weather forecasts enables the use of WEDDA® for the following areas of application: (i) implementing short-term forecasting systems for the prediction of the considered indicator; (ii) quantifying the weather risk of a particular economic sector or company using parameters from finance (e.g. Value-at-Risk); (iii) assessing the potential impacts of changing climatic conditions on a particular economic sector or company. WEDDA® for short-term forecasts on the demand for products or services is currently used by various tourism businesses, such as open-air swimming pools, ski areas, and restaurants. It supports tourism and recreation facilities to better cope with (increasing) weather variability by optimizing the disposability of staff, resources and merchandise according to expected demand. Since coping with increasing weather variability forms one of the challenges with respect to climate change, WEDDA® may become an important component within a whole pool of weather and climate services designed to support tourism and recreation facilities to adapt to climate change. Climate change impact assessments at European scale, as conducted in the EU-FP7 project IMPACT2C, provide basic information of climate change impacts on tourism demand not only for individual tourism businesses, but also for regional and national tourism planners and policy makers interested in benchmarks for the

  15. Public Sector/Private Sector Interaction in Providing Information Services. Report to the NCLIS from the Public Sector/Private Sector Task Force.

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, Washington, DC.

    The results of a 2-year study on the interactions between government and private sector information activities are presented in terms of principles and guidelines for federal policy to support the development and use of information resources, products, and services, and to implement the principles. Discussions address sources of conflict between…

  16. Operation without benefit in the services sector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brunner, C. U.; Nipkow, J.; Brechbuehl, B.; Glauser, H.; Steinemann, U.

    2009-01-01

    This final report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) discusses the unnecessary operation of electrical equipment. This preliminary study examined in a top-down manner the electrical grid loads at night in Switzerland and attempts to identify unnecessary loads. The results of a bottom-up analysis of seven buildings in the service sector was made. One large complex was also used to identify the sources of night-time loads. Together, these two approaches allowed a first appreciation and a rough quantification of the load caused by the unnecessary operation of equipment in the Swiss electricity grid. The services sector has an estimated share of some 2.4 TWh/a caused by unnecessary operation. In a follow-up project the reduction of unnecessary loads is to be studied in more detail. This second analysis will also have to include loads caused by unnecessary operation during the daytime. The goal of the project is eventually to reduce any unnecessary electric loads and, as a result, the entire electricity demands of Switzerland

  17. RELACIÓN ENTRE CALIDAD Y PRODUCTIVIDAD EN LAS PYMEs DEL SECTOR SERVICIO // RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN QUALITY AND PRODUCTIVITY IN SERVICES SECTOR SMEs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roxana Martínez Sánchez

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Service sector has become the most important aspect in advanced economies, in terms of production volume such as employment, with a significant increase since the 70s worldwide. In service organizations, unlike the manufacturing sector, efectively in organization depends on productivity and quality which are seen as inseparable phenomena. In this exploratory paper, we made an analysis on research productivity and quality in services based on various authors, in order to show the relationship between productivity and quality in the services sector SMEs, and how the characteristics of SMEs become more important the relationship between the two. As a result identifies five aspects that relate quality and productivity in Services Sector SMEs expressed in use of external and internal indicators for measuring, effect of variations in inputs controlled by the organization, impact of interactions between customer and service provider and mutual understanding developed in these interactions, the importance of customer involvement as co-producer of service, and relevance of intangibles in evaluating the same.// RESUMEN El sector servicios se ha convertido en el más importante en las economías avanzadas, tanto en términos de producción como en el volumen de empleo, con un incremento notable desde los años 70 a nivel mundial. En las organizaciones de servicios, a diferencia del sector manufacturero, para ser efectivas, la productividad y la calidad son percibidas como fenómenos inseparables. En el presente trabajo de tipo exploratorio, se realizó un análisis de investigaciones sobre productividad y calidad en servicios bas andose en varios autores, con el fin de mostrar la relación entre la productividad y la calidad en las PYMEs del sector servicios, y cómo las características de estas empresas hacen más importante la relación entre ambas. Como resultado se identifican cinco aspectos que relacionan la calidad y la productividad en las PYMEs

  18. Innovation, Management and Sustainability - change processes in the food service sector

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kristensen, Niels Heine; Dahl, Astrid; Mikkelsen, Bent Egberg

    2005-01-01

    Kristensen NH, Thorsen AV, Dahl A, Engelund EH, Mikkelsen BE (2005): Innovation, Management and Sustainability - change processes in the food service sector. Chapter in "Culinary Arts and Sciences V - Global and National Perspectives". Bournemouth University. ISBN 1-85899-179-X......Kristensen NH, Thorsen AV, Dahl A, Engelund EH, Mikkelsen BE (2005): Innovation, Management and Sustainability - change processes in the food service sector. Chapter in "Culinary Arts and Sciences V - Global and National Perspectives". Bournemouth University. ISBN 1-85899-179-X...

  19. Sectoral transitions - modeling the development from agrarian to service economies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lutz, Raphael; Spies, Michael; Reusser, Dominik E.; Kropp, Jürgen P.; Rybski, Diego

    2013-04-01

    We consider the sectoral composition of a country's GDP, i.e the partitioning into agrarian, industrial, and service sectors. Exploring a simple system of differential equations we characterise the transfer of GDP shares between the sectors in the course of economic development. The model fits for the majority of countries providing 4 country-specific parameters. Relating the agrarian with the industrial sector, a data collapse over all countries and all years supports the applicability of our approach. Depending on the parameter ranges, country development exhibits different transfer properties. Most countries follow 3 of 8 characteristic paths. The types are not random but show distinct geographic and development patterns.

  20. Work-related threats and violence in human service sectors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Lars Peter Sønderbo; Hogh, Annie; Biering, Karin

    2018-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Threats and violence at work are major concerns for employees in many human service sectors. The prevention of work-related violence is a major challenge for employees and management. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify prospective associations between psycho-social w......BACKGROUND: Threats and violence at work are major concerns for employees in many human service sectors. The prevention of work-related violence is a major challenge for employees and management. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify prospective associations between psycho...... rewards at work, low role clarity, many role conflicts, many work-family conflicts and low organizational justice had statistically significant associations with high levels of work-related threats. Furthermore, high emotional demands, low predictability, low role clarity, many role conflicts, many work......-family conflicts, low supervisor quality and low support from nearest supervisor had statistically significant associations with high levels of work-related violence. Finally, across the four sectors both similar and different associations between psycho-social work environment and work-related violence...

  1. Small distributed generation versus centralised supply: a social cost-benefit analysis in the residential and service sectors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gulli, Francesco

    2006-01-01

    This paper aims at measuring the social benefits of small CHP distributed generation (DG) in the residential and service sectors. We do this by comparing the social costs of decentralised and centralised supplies, simulating 'ideal' situations in which any source of allocative inefficiencies is eliminated. This comparison focuses on assessing internal and external costs. The internal costs are calculated by simulating the optimal prices of the electricity and gas inputs. The external costs are estimated by using and elaborating the results of the dissemination process of the ExternE project, one of the most recent and accurate methodologies in this field. The analysis takes into account the main sources of uncertainty about the parameter values, including uncertainty about external cost estimations. Despite these sources of uncertainty, the paper concludes that centralised supply is still preferable to small DG. In fact, the overall range of DG social competitiveness is restricted, even considering further remarkable improvements in DG electrical efficiency and investment costs. The results are particularly unfavourable for the residential sector, whereas, in the service sector, the performance of DG technologies is slightly better

  2. Energy in the market services sector in 2011: uses differentiated according to activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martin, Jean-Philippe

    2015-04-01

    In 2011, average energy consumption in the market services sector (excluding transport) was 266 kWh/ m 2 . This is greater than the consumption for residential buildings, which reached 186 kWh/m2. Indeed, activities in certain service-sector establishments sometimes require specific uses that do not exist in the residential sector or are more intensive, such as cooking, intensive computing, laundering or refrigeration. Businesses employing at least one person could be divided into five groups depending on their energy mix and energy uses. (author)

  3. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND THE COMPANY PERFORMANCE IN THE SECTOR OF SERVICES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    BOZGA LIVIU

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Presently, the weight of services sector is increasing in all economies and represents the main element of the gross domestic product in the developed countries. Consequently, in the last decennia, this sector captured the interest of researchers, both in academic and business media. Information Technology (IT represents one of the most dynamic factors contributing to the technical progress in the design, process and supply of all categories of services. The theoretical and practical investigations already demonstrated the potential of the Information Systems adoption and implementation, to improve the organization performances (efficiency, productivity, organization competitiveness and development etc.. However, this potential is not always fully valued. The best performances could be achieved when the IT investments are aligned with internal capabilities and organizational processes within company strategy. The aim of this contribution is to review main published studies investigating the direct and indirect potential effects of IT on company performance in the service sector. There are also addressed issues regarding the measurement difficulties of the IT impacts on organization performance and the limitations generated by the service diversity and the fast dynamics of their market.

  4. Characteristics of occupational musculoskeletal disorders of five sectors in service industry between 2004 and 2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Hyun-Woo; Kim, Young-Ki; Kang, Dong-Mug; Kim, Jong-Eun; Jang, Bo-Young

    2017-01-01

    ' Work related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs)' have been mostly reported in the manufacturing industry but recently the occurrence of industrial injuries has been constantly increasing in the service industry. This research is going to analyze the data about workers' compensation for WRMSDs in five different service sectors and identify characteristics of occupations with the highest approved occupations. According to the data released from the Korea Worker's Compensation & Welfare Service, the overview of 12,730 cases of workers' compensation for WRMSDs in five service sectors from 2004 to 2013 is going to be analyzed and the source data is going to be classified by the Korean Standard Classification of Occupations to select the top five occupations that have the highest number of approval. After selecting each five occupations from the service sector that have work related musculoskeletal disorders, the result showed that the occupation with the highest number of approval in the health and social care sector were the early childhood educators, cooks in the school canteens in education services sector, garbage collectors in the sanitation and similar services sector, deliverymen in wholesale and retail, consumer goods repair and building cleaners in general management businesses such as those in building maintenance. The major event observed in the top five occupations was the overexertion and reaction as a cause of WRMSDs. The day when the WRMSDs mostly occurred was on Monday and the most likely time was 10 am. The median days away from work and lost working days are 29-90 days and 0-50 days respectively. The difference in each occupation was observed in year of service, age, and gender. 83.21% of the approved cases of workers' compensation for WRMSDs occurred in the top 25 occupations in all of the five service sectors, which meant that the approval of workers' compensation is concentrated in specific occupations. This research is going to suggest

  5. Role of the private sector in the provision of immunization services in low- and middle-income countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levin, Ann; Kaddar, Miloud

    2011-07-01

    The authors conducted a literature review on the role of the private sector in low- and middle-income countries. The review indicated that relatively few studies have researched the role of the private sector in immunization service delivery in these countries. The studies suggest that the private sector is playing different roles and functions according to economic development levels, the governance structure and the general presence of the private sector in the health sector. In some countries, generally low-income countries, the private for-profit sector is contributing to immunization service delivery and helping to improve access to traditional EPI vaccines. In other countries, particularly middle-income countries, the private for-profit sector often acts to facilitate early adoption of new vaccines and technologies before introduction and generalization by the public sector. The not-for-profit sector plays an important role in extending access to traditional EPI vaccines, particularly in low-income countries. Not-for-profit facilities are situated in rural as well as urban areas and are more likely to be coordinated with public services than the private for-profit sector. Although numerous studies on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) suggest that the extent of NGO provision of immunization services in low- and middle-income countries is substantial, the contribution of this sector is poorly documented, leading to a lack of recognition of its role at national and global levels. Studies on quality of immunization service provision at private health facilities suggest that it is sometimes inadequate and needs to be monitored. Although some articles on public-private collaboration exist, little was found on the extent to which governments are effectively interacting with and regulating the private sector. The review revealed many geographical and thematic gaps in the literature on the role and regulation of the private sector in the delivery of immunization

  6. Determinants of energy demand in the French service sector: A decomposition analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mairet, Nicolas; Decellas, Fabrice

    2009-01-01

    This paper analyzes the changes in the energy consumption of the service sector in France over the period 1995-2006, using the logarithmic mean Divisia index I (LMDI I) decomposition method. The analysis is carried out at various disaggregation levels to highlight the specifics of each sub-sector and end-use according to their respective determinants. The results show that in this period the economic growth of the service sector was the main factor that led to the increase in total energy consumption. Structure, productivity, substitution and intensity effects restricted this growth, but with limited effect. By analyzing each end-use, this paper enables a more precise understanding of the impact of these factors. The activity effect was the main determinant of the increase in energy consumption for all end-uses except for air conditioning, for which the equipment rate effect was the main factor. Structural changes in the service sector primarily impacted energy consumption for space heating and cooking. Improvements in productivity limited the growth of energy consumption for all end-uses except for cooking. Finally, energy efficiency improvements mainly affected space-heating energy use.

  7. Short- and long-run elasticities of electricity demand in the Korean service sector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lim, Kyoung-Min; Lim, Seul-Ye; Yoo, Seung-Hoon

    2014-01-01

    This paper attempts to examine the electricity demand function in the Korean service sector using the annual data covering the period 1970–2011. The short- and long-run elasticities of electricity demand with respect to price and income are empirically estimated using a co-integration and error-correction model. The short- and long-run price elasticities are estimated to be −0.421 and −1.002, respectively. The short- and long-run income elasticities are computed to be 0.855 and 1.090, respectively. Electricity demand in the service sector is inelastic to changes in both price and income in the short-run, but elastic in the long-run. Therefore, it appears that a pricing policy is more effective than the direct regulation of reducing electricity demand in the long-run in order to stabilize the electricity demand in the service sector. Moreover, it is necessary to encourage a more efficient use of electricity to cope with increasing demand for electricity following economic growth because the electricity demand in the service sector is income-elastic in the long-run. - Highlights: • We examine the electricity demand function in the Korean service sector. • We use the annual data covering the period 1970–2011. • The demand function is estimated using a co-integration and error-correction model. • The short- and long-run price elasticities are −0.421 and −1.002, respectively. • The short- and long-run income elasticities are 0.855 and 1.090, respectively

  8. Significant components of service brand equity in healthcare sector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chahal, Hardeep; Bala, Madhu

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of the study is to examine three significant components of service brand equity--i.e. perceived service quality, brand loyalty, and brand image--and analyze relationships among the components of brand equity and also their relationship with brand equity, which is still to be theorized and developed in the healthcare literature. Effective responses were received from 206 respondents, selected conveniently from the localities of Jammu city. After scale item analysis, the data were analyzed using factor analysis, correlations, t-tests, multiple regression analysis and path modeling using SEM. The findings of the study support that service brand equity in the healthcare sector is greatly influenced by brand loyalty and perceived quality. However, brand image has an indirect effect on service brand equity through brand loyalty (mediating variable). The research can be criticized on the ground that data were selected conveniently from respondents residing in the city of Jammu, India. But at the same time the respondents were appropriate for the study as they have adequate knowledge about the hospitals, and were associated with the selected hospital for more than four years. Furthermore, the validity and reliability of the data are strong enough to take care of the limitations of the convenience sampling selection method. The study has unique value addition to the service marketing vis-à-vis healthcare literature, from both theoretical and managerial perspectives. The study establishes a direct and significant relationship between service brand equity and its two components, i.e. perceived service quality and brand loyalty in the healthcare sector. It also provides directions to healthcare service providers in creating, enhancing, and maintaining service brand equity through service quality and brand loyalty, to sustain competitive advantage.

  9. European scale climate information services for water use sectors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vliet, van M.T.H.; Donnelly, Chantal; Strömbäck, Lena; Capell, René; Ludwig, Fulco

    2015-01-01

    This study demonstrates a climate information service for pan-European water use sectors that are vulnerable to climate change induced hydrological changes, including risk and safety (disaster preparedness), agriculture, energy (hydropower and cooling water use for thermoelectric power) and

  10. The quality of family planning services and client satisfaction in the public and private sectors in Kenya.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agha, Sohail; Do, Mai

    2009-04-01

    To compare the quality of family planning services delivered at public and private facilities in Kenya. Data from the 2004 Kenya Service Provision Assessment were analysed. The Kenya Service Provision Assessment is a representative sample of health facilities in the public and private sectors, and comprises data obtained from a facility inventory, service provider interviews, observations of client-provider interactions and exit interviews. Quality-of-care indicators are compared between the public and private sectors along three dimensions: structure, process and outcome. Private facilities were superior to public sector facilities in terms of physical infrastructure and the availability of services. Public sector facilities were more likely to have management systems in place. There was no difference between public and private providers in the technical quality of care provided. Private providers were better at managing interpersonal aspects of care. The higher level of client satisfaction at private facilities could not be explained by differences between public and private facilities in structural and process aspects of care. Formal private sector facilities providing family planning services exhibit greater readiness to provide services and greater attention to client needs than public sector facilities in Kenya. Consistent with this, client satisfaction is much higher at private facilities. Technical quality of care provided is similar in public and private facilities.

  11. Co-production, new public governance and third sector social services in Europe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Victor Pestoff

    2011-01-01

    political and economic challenges facing the welfare state in the 21st century. Co-production provides a model for the mix of public service agents and citizens who contribute to the provision of a public service. New Public Governance (NPG puts much greater emphasis on citizen participation and third sector provision of social services than either traditional public administration or New Public Management. Co-production is a core element of NPG that promotes the mix of public service agents and citizens who contribute to the provis ionof a public service. This paper explores the implications of two comparative studies of paren tparticipation in preschool services in Europe. They observe that citizen participation clearly varies between different providers of social services, as too does client and staff influence. This empirical overview concludes that some third sector providers can facilitate greater citizen participation, while a 'glass ceiling' for participation exists in municipal and for-profit preschool services. These findings can contribute to a better understanding of the emerging paradigm of New Public Governance.

  12. Field services experiences

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Colflesh, J.A.; Kruse, P.W.; Merluzzi, R.A.

    1985-01-01

    Combustion Engineering (C-E) is a large diversified manufacturer of products and services for the energy field. At this time, C-E has supplied the nuclear steam supply systems for eleven operating nuclear power plants with two additional units currently undergoing start-up testing. The focus of C-E's commitment in the nuclear power plant services area is the Nuclear Services organization within the Nuclear Power Systems Division. The Nuclear Services organization provides services on a timely cost efficient basis; and dedicates resources to developing new products and services which are truly responsive to the needs of operating power plants world wide. In the paper, C-E's capabilities and experience in the field of nuclear services are described. Highlighted are our capabilities in the areas of transition management services, operating services and engineering services

  13. Role of the private sector in vaccination service delivery in India: evidence from private-sector vaccine sales data, 2009-12.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Abhishek; Kaplan, Warren A; Chokshi, Maulik; Zodpey, Sanjay P

    2016-09-01

    India's Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) provides basic vaccines free-of-cost in the public sector, yet national vaccination coverage is poor. The Government of India has urged an expanded role for the private sector to help achieve universal immunization coverage. We conducted a state-by-state analysis of the role of the private sector in vaccinating Indian children against each of the six primary childhood diseases covered under India's UIP. We analyzed IMS Health data on Indian private-sector vaccine sales, 2011 Indian Census data and national household surveys (DHS/NFHS 2005-06 and UNICEF CES 2009) to estimate the percentage of vaccinated children among the 2009-12 birth cohort who received a given vaccine in the private sector in 16 Indian states. We also analyzed the estimated private-sector vaccine shares as function of state-specific socio-economic status. Overall in 16 states, the private sector contributed 4.7% towards tuberculosis (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)), 3.5% towards measles, 2.3% towards diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus (DPT3) and 7.6% towards polio (OPV3) overall (both public and private sectors) vaccination coverage. Certain low income states (Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Assam and Bihar) have low private as well as public sector vaccination coverage. The private sector's role has been limited primarily to the high income states as opposed to these low income states where the majority of Indian children live. Urban areas with good access to the private sector and the ability to pay increases the Indian population's willingness to access private-sector vaccination services. In India, the public sector offers vaccination services to the majority of the population but the private sector should not be neglected as it could potentially improve overall vaccination coverage. The government could train and incentivize a wider range of private-sector health professionals to help deliver the vaccines, especially in the low

  14. Staff and bed distribution in public sector mental health services in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background. The Eastern Cape Province of South Africa is a resource-limited province with a fragmented mental health service. Objective. To determine the current context of public sector mental health services in terms of staff and bed distribution, and how this corresponds to the population distribution in the province.

  15. Ecosystem services: foundations, opportunities, and challenges for the forest products sector

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trista M. Patterson; Dana L. Coelho

    2009-01-01

    The ecosystem service concept has been proposed as a meaningful framework for natural resource management. In theory, it holds concomitant benefit and consequence for the forest product sector. However, numerous barriers impede practitioners from developing concrete and enduring responses to emerging ecosystem service markets, policies, and initiatives. Principal among...

  16. Private sector participation in agricultural extension service in nigeria

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The issue of who is to undertake and sustain an efficient agricultural extension service delivery between the public and private sectors in sub-saharan Africa has continued to feature prominently among the extension stakeholders and professionals. This has become pertinent, especially in recent times where government's ...

  17. Perceived service delivery and productivity in the food and beverage sector in Potchefstroom / Adam Herman Viljoen

    OpenAIRE

    Viljoen, Adam Herman

    2012-01-01

    The importance of management in the food and beverage sector as well as managing food and beverage service employees are crucial aspects that influence quality service delivery. The food and beverage sector is a large service orientated segment of the greater tourism industry, and effective management of employees is therefore necessary since employees are regarded as the primary resource through which establishments deliver services. One might further argue that an employee is...

  18. Information and adaptation in a public service sector: The example of the Dutch Public housing sector

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Koolma, H.M.

    2013-01-01

    A public service sector can be conceived as a multi agent system subordinated to a principal, mostly a department of a national government. The agents are relative autonomous and have decisional discretion, as long as they respect the boundaries setup by law and legislation. The hierarchy is less

  19. Service management for senior citizens by third sector organizations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miguel Arantes Normanha Filho

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available This  study  intends  to  investigate  factors  related to  social  gerontology  and  the  new  society  conformation. The objective is to identify the current relation  between  third  sector  and  Brazilian population aging process (considering economical, demographic,  social, cultural and  familiar relation characteristics,  and service management  for the third age. For data collecting internet research was used, trying to identify third sector institutions that work which third age inside São Paulo City. Other kind  of  data  was  collected  through  interviews with  people  using  a  specific  script.  Researches on media, documental and bibliographic analysis complete the work. The results have showed that the third sector actions are incipient and this opens a new area for deeper studies

  20. Danish energy-sector exports. Products and consulting services

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wolter, H.C.

    2000-06-01

    Danish Energy Agency has previously carried out studies of Danish energy-sector exports. The latest results were published in the report, Energisektorens eksport. Produkter og raadgivning. Danish Energy Agency, September 1998. The present survey is an update of the earlier studies, and includes 1998 exports. As previously, the study, carried out in cooperation with the Confederation of Danish Industries and the Danish Council of Consulting Architects and Engineers, is based on questionnaires sent to relevant companies. In addition, information has been obtained from companies that do not belong to these organisations. On the basis of the answers received, 58 Danish companies exported products to a value of approximately DKK 16,000 million, and 22 consulting firms exported consulting services to a value of approximately DKK 370 million. These exports of approximately DKK 16.5 billion accounted for 5% of all Danish exports in 1998. In comparison with 1996, energy-sector exports have risen by more than 40% in a period in which Danish exports in general have risen by an average of 8%. Energy sector exports provide employment for more than 18,000 persons in Denmark - approximately 17,500 employees in companies that export products, and approximately 600 persons in consulting firms. To this must be added a presumably significantly larger number of persons employed by sub-suppliers to the above companies computed by value, 80% of the exports come from relatively few companies, i.e. 13 companies with products, and five offering consulting services. Energy-sector exports fall within the following product areas: 1) Wind turbines (25%). 2) District heating and combined heat and power (CHP) (21%). 3) Energy savings and control (20%). 4) Oil and natural gas (13%). 5) Electricity plants and power supply (13%). 6) Other (8%). 67% of the exports go to Western Europe, 18% to Asia, 7% to Eastern and Central Europe, and 8% to other parts of the world. (EHS)

  1. A study of atypical employment in the service sector in Ireland

    OpenAIRE

    McGreevy, Sharon Mann

    1995-01-01

    The primary research has been based on the Irish services sector with specific reference to the hotel, tourism and hospital sectors. Comparisons will be drawn with the UK and where appropriate other European Countries. There are four main aims of the research: firstly, to establish a profile of atypical employees: secondly, to establish the terms and conditions of such employees; thirdly, to consider management perspectives which address issues relevant to peripheral employees; and finally, t...

  2. Labor markets and employment insecurity: impacts of globalization on service and healthcare-sector workforces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ostry, Aleck S; Spiegel, Jerry M

    2004-01-01

    Global changes in the economies of most developed nations have impacted the way healthcare is organized, even within largely public systems, and the working conditions of healthcare workers. Since the acceleration of globalization in the 1970s, service-sector workers in developed nations have faced high unemployment, increased skill requirements for most jobs, and a rise in non-traditional work arrangements. These secular shifts in service-sector labor markets have occurred against the background of an erosion of the welfare state and growing income inequality. As well, many healthcare systems, including Canada's, were severely downsized and restructured in the 1990s, exacerbating the underlying negative secular trends in the service sector, and worsening the working conditions for many healthcare workers. Globalization has altered the labor market and shifted working conditions in ways that have been unfavorable to many healthcare workers.

  3. Precarity in the Nonprofit Employment Services Sector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fanelli, Carlo; Rudman, Debbie Laliberté; Aldrich, Rebecca M

    2017-08-01

    Drawing on interview and focus group data, this article explores research undertaken as part of a larger research project exploring precarity in the nonprofit employment services sector in a mid-sized Canadian city. We critically survey major legislative changes to Canadian employment and income security policies and programs, including the restructuring of work and labor relations, growth of performance-based contracting-out, erosion of intergovernmental transfers, worker stress, and emotional tolls. Our study's results demonstrate how employment precarity in the nonprofit employment services sector is amplified by top-down and centralized relationships with funding partners and policymaking divorced from the employment experiences of frontline staff. We make the case that it is important to work against rising workplace precarity to strengthen organizational and workplace conditions, as well as build environments more supportive of optimal employment support services. En se fondant sur des entretiens et des données découlant de groupes témoins, cet article présente des explorations entreprises dans une recherche plus large étudiant la précarité dans le secteur des emplois de service dans une ville canadienne de taille moyenne. Nous faisons une revue critique de changements importants intervenus dans la législation portant sur l'emploi au Canada et les politiques et programmes de la sécurité du revenu, incluant la restructuration du travail et des relations de travail, l'augmentation de la privatisation se fondant sur la performance, la diminution des transferts intergouvernementaux, le stress au travail et les conséquences émotionnelles. Les résultats de notre recherche démontrent comment la précarité de l'emploi dans les secteurs des services à but non lucratif est amplifiée par des relations allant du haut vers le bas et centralisée avec des partenaires et des politiques séparés de l'expérience des travailleurs sur le terrain. Nous d

  4. INVESTIGATING A QUALITY OF SERVICES IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR: EVIDENCE FROM NORTHERN CYPRUS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ovgu Cidar Iyikal

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The current study aims is to investigate the service quality delivered by public enterprises in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC and level of customer satisfaction as well as word of mouth (WOM in return. A convenient sampling method has been employed by using the service quality (SERVQUAL instrument which is used to gather customers’ excellent public service and compared those with their perceptions of the service delivered by Public Sectors which are operating in TRNC. Results of the study revealed that dimensions of reliability and assurance exert positively significant effects on Customer Satisfaction in the public sector. Moreover, the level of Customer Satisfaction from public services exerts positively significant effect on positive word of mouth. Finally, with the light of findings, the current study will also attempt to provide some recommendations about possible quality reforms and rearrangements to the policy makers for the public enterprises in TRNC.

  5. Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES Exploratory Data & Analytic Services Private Sector Pilot Project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Schull

    2017-04-01

    ICES was able to work with private sector organizations without compromising the three principles. Based on the evaluation of the private sector pilot, and the findings from the focus groups, ICES will begin offering limited analytic services to private sector researchers beginning June 2016 under ICES’ existing corporate structure, and bring recommendations regarding ongoing operations to the ICES Board in June 2017.

  6. Sectoral linkages of financial services as channels of economic development—An input–output analysis of the Nigerian and Kenyan economies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreas Freytag

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Sectoral linkages of financial services of the Nigerian and Kenyan economies are evaluated by means of an input–output analysis for 2007, 2009 and 2011. Backward linkages, forward linkages, multiplier effects and variation indices for the financial services sectors are determined. Due to the increasing importance of mobile money, we additionally investigate these linkages for the communication sector. We find high forward and backward linkages for the Nigerian financial services sector only. Here, changes in final demand for or primary input into the financial sector have a wide and evenly spread impact on the rest of the economy classifying the financial sector as a key sector. Regarding Kenya, however, the sectoral linkages of the financial services sector are lower. This may be due to the well-developed mobile financial market in Kenya. But results for the communication sector, however, yield rather low linkage values and multiplier effects for both economies. All results are confirmed by a robustness test. Nonetheless, they could have been influenced by a lack of data coverage especially with regard to mobile money and a high degree of informal financial transactions. Still, our findings confirm the significance of financial services as channels of economic development for both the economies.

  7. Public Service Motivation as a Predictor of Attraction to the Public Sector

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carpenter, Jacqueline; Doverspike, Dennis; Miguel, Rosanna F.

    2012-01-01

    According to public service motivation theory, individuals with a strong public service orientation are attracted to government jobs. This proposition was investigated in three studies by measuring public sector motivation at a pre-entry level as an individual difference variable affecting perceptions of fit and organizational attraction. Results…

  8. Quality management standards for facility services in the Italian health care sector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cesarotti, Vittorio; Di Silvio, Bruna

    2006-01-01

    Health care, one of the most dynamic sectors in Italy, is studied with a particular focus on outsourcing non-core activities such as facility management (FM) services. The project's goals are to define national standards to balance and control facility service evolution, and to drive FM services towards organisational excellence. The authors, in cooperation with a pool of facility service providers and hospitals managers, studied cleaning services--one of the most critical areas. This article describes the research steps and findings following definition and publication of the Italian standard and its application to an international benchmarking process. The method chosen for developing the Italian standard was to merge technical, strategic and organisational aspects with the goal of standardising the contracting system, giving service providers the chance to improve efficiency and quality, while helping healthcare organisations gain from a better, more reliable and less expensive service. The Italian standard not only improved services but also provided adequate control systems for outsourcing organisations. In this win-win context, it is hoped to continually drive FM services towards organisational excellence. This study is specific to the Italian national healthcare system. However, the strategic dynamics described are common to many other contexts. A systematic method for improving hospital FM services is presented. The authors believe that lessons learned from their Italian case study can be used to better understand and drive similar services in other countries or in other FM service outsourcing sectors.

  9. Gatekeepers in the healthcare sector: Knowledge and Bourdieu's concept of field.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Collyer, Fran M; Willis, Karen F; Lewis, Sophie

    2017-08-01

    Choice is an imperative for patients in the Australian healthcare system. The complexity of this healthcare 'maze', however, means that successfully navigating and making choices depends not only on the decisions of patients, but also other key players in the healthcare sector. Utilising Bourdieu's concepts of capital, habitus and field, we analyse the role of gatekeepers (i.e., those who control access to resources, services and knowledge) in shaping patients' experiences of healthcare, and producing opportunities to enable or constrain their choices. Indepth interviews were conducted with 41 gatekeepers (GPs, specialists, nurses, hospital administrators and policymakers), exploring how they acquire and use knowledge within the healthcare system. Our findings reveal a hierarchy of knowledges and power within the healthcare field which determines the forms of knowledge that are legitimate and can operate as capital within this complex and dynamic arena. As a consequence, forms of knowledge which can operate as capital, are unequally distributed and strategically controlled, ensuring democratic 'reform' remains difficult and 'choices' limited to those beneficial to private medicine. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Private Sector An Important But Not Dominant Provider Of Key Health Services In Low- And Middle-Income Countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grépin, Karen A

    2016-07-01

    There is debate about the role of the private sector in providing services in the health systems of low- and middle-income countries and about how the private sector could help achieve the goal of universal health coverage. Yet the role that the private sector plays in the delivery of health services is poorly understood. Using data for the period 1990-2013 from 205 Demographic and Health Surveys in seventy low- and middle-income countries, I analyzed the use of the private sector for the treatment of diarrhea and of fever or cough in children, for antenatal care, for institutional deliveries, and as a source of modern contraception for women. I found that private providers were the dominant source of treatment for childhood illnesses but not for the other services. I also found no evidence of increased use of the private sector over time. There is tremendous variation in use of the private sector across countries and health services. Urban and wealthier women disproportionately use the private sector, compared to rural and poorer women. The private sector plays an important role in providing coverage, but strategies to further engage the sector, if they are to be effective, will need to take into consideration the variation in its use. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

  11. A decision Enhancement Service for Stakeholder Analysis to Achieve Transformations in the Public Sector

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Knol, Arjan; Janssen, Marijn; Sol, H G

    2015-01-01

    Sourcing has become a popular practice for public sector managers aiming for transformations to save costs and improve service delivery. Nevertheless, public sector sourcing often fails due to stakeholder resistance and power struggles, stressing the need for stakeholder analysis. This paper

  12. THE TRADE POSITION OF POLAND IN THE ICT SERVICES SECTOR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sylwia Talar

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The paper includes analysis and assessment of trade in the ICT services performance of Poland. This study is looked at the trade position, essentially on the basis of the share in the world ICT services exports, revealed comparative advantage (RCA, and trade coverage ratio. It also identifies trends of the world trade in the ICT services. The statistics are derived from the basis of UNCTAD and Eurostat. International trade in the ICT ser-vices sector has specific characteristics and the interpretation of results of this trade is to take account of the particular nature of the ICT services. Poland is currently not revealed comparative advantage in the ICT services exports, but has had positive balance. Practically all trade indicators for Poland show very strong growth, which indicate a significant improvement in its ICT services trade position.

  13. Food waste volume and origin: Case studies in the Finnish food service sector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silvennoinen, Kirsi; Heikkilä, Lotta; Katajajuuri, Juha-Matti; Reinikainen, Anu

    2015-12-01

    We carried out a project to map the volume and composition of food waste in the Finnish food service sector. The amount, type and origin of avoidable food waste were investigated in 51 food service outlets, including schools, day-care centres, workplace canteens, petrol stations, restaurants and diners. Food service outlet personnel kept diaries and weighed the food produced and wasted during a one-week or one-day period. For weighing and sorting, the food waste was divided into two categories: originally edible (OE) food waste was separated from originally inedible (OIE) waste, such as vegetable peelings, bones and coffee grounds. In addition, food waste (OE) was divided into three categories in accordance with its origins: kitchen waste, service waste and customer leftovers. According to the results, about 20% of all food handled and prepared in the sector was wasted. The findings also suggest that the main drivers of wasted food are buffet services and overproduction. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Energy Efficiency Services Sector: Workforce Education and Training Needs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Goldman, Charles A.; Peters, Jane S.; Albers, Nathaniel; Stuart, Elizabeth; Fuller, Merrian C.

    2010-03-19

    This report provides a baseline assessment of the current state of energy efficiency-related education and training programs and analyzes training and education needs to support expected growth in the energy efficiency services workforce. In the last year, there has been a significant increase in funding for 'green job' training and workforce development (including energy efficiency), through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Key segments of the energy efficiency services sector (EESS) have experienced significant growth during the past several years, and this growth is projected to continue and accelerate over the next decade. In a companion study (Goldman et al. 2009), our research team estimated that the EESS will increase two- to four-fold by 2020, to 220,000 person-years of employment (PYE) (low-growth scenario) or up to 380,000 PYE (high-growth scenario), which may represent as many as 1.3 million individuals. In assessing energy efficiency workforce education and training needs, we focus on energy-efficiency services-related jobs that are required to improve the efficiency of residential and nonresidential buildings. Figure ES-1 shows the market value chain for the EESS, sub-sectors included in this study, as well as the types of market players and specific occupations. Our assessment does not include the manufacturing, wholesale, and retail distribution subsectors, or energy efficiency-focused operations and maintenance performed by facility managers.

  15. INTERNAL MARKETING IN PUBLIC SERVICE SECTOR AND ITS EFFECT ON JOB SATISFACTION

    OpenAIRE

    DÜLGEROĞLU, İsmail; TAŞKIN, Çağatan

    2015-01-01

    Internal marketing can be interpreted to applicate marketing practices to the organization’s employees. Internal marketing is very important and related to almost any organization. Satisfying employees result in motivation so that the service quality of service provider is going to be higher and service output is going to be increased. The aim of this paper is to analyze internal marketing in public service sector in Bursa and to propose internal marketing strategies for managers based on ...

  16. Comparing private sector family planning services to government and NGO services in Ethiopia and Pakistan: how do social franchises compare across quality, equity and cost?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Nirali M; Wang, Wenjuan; Bishai, David M

    2011-01-01

    Policy makers in developing countries need to assess how public health programmes function across both public and private sectors. We propose an evaluation framework to assist in simultaneously tracking performance on efficiency, quality and access by the poor in family planning services. We apply this framework to field data from family planning programmes in Ethiopia and Pakistan, comparing (1) independent private sector providers; (2) social franchises of private providers; (3) non-government organization (NGO) providers; and (4) government providers on these three factors. Franchised private clinics have higher quality than non-franchised private clinics in both countries. In Pakistan, the costs per client and the proportion of poorest clients showed no differences between franchised and non-franchised private clinics, whereas in Ethiopia, franchised clinics had higher costs and fewer clients from the poorest quintile. Our results highlight that there are trade-offs between access, cost and quality of care that must be balanced as competing priorities. The relative programme performance of various service arrangements on each metric will be context specific. PMID:21729919

  17. Comparing private sector family planning services to government and NGO services in Ethiopia and Pakistan: how do social franchises compare across quality, equity and cost?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Nirali M; Wang, Wenjuan; Bishai, David M

    2011-07-01

    Policy makers in developing countries need to assess how public health programmes function across both public and private sectors. We propose an evaluation framework to assist in simultaneously tracking performance on efficiency, quality and access by the poor in family planning services. We apply this framework to field data from family planning programmes in Ethiopia and Pakistan, comparing (1) independent private sector providers; (2) social franchises of private providers; (3) non-government organization (NGO) providers; and (4) government providers on these three factors. Franchised private clinics have higher quality than non-franchised private clinics in both countries. In Pakistan, the costs per client and the proportion of poorest clients showed no differences between franchised and non-franchised private clinics, whereas in Ethiopia, franchised clinics had higher costs and fewer clients from the poorest quintile. Our results highlight that there are trade-offs between access, cost and quality of care that must be balanced as competing priorities. The relative programme performance of various service arrangements on each metric will be context specific.

  18. Accelerating Innovation in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in the ICT Services Sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Vicente García Manjón

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available This work is aimed at establishing key organizational strategies that push small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs in the information and communication technologies (ICT services sector to be more innovative. Following an input and output approach, a theoretical model is built that helps determine such key factors. Then the model is validated with fieldwork carried out on a representative sample in Castile-Leon region (Spain. According to this model, the decision to innovate (and the trigger for research and development [R&D] activities in SMEs in the ICT services sector is the result of needs that are presented by customers (public or private sector in tailored projects. All the same, the factors leading to innovation are in order of importance, the technological level of the company, the effort made by the company in R&D, and finally, systems of incentives.

  19. Women's experiences seeking informal sector abortion services in Cape Town, South Africa: a descriptive study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerdts, Caitlin; Raifman, Sarah; Daskilewicz, Kristen; Momberg, Mariette; Roberts, Sarah; Harries, Jane

    2017-10-02

    In settings where abortion is legally restricted, or permitted but not widely accessible, women face significant barriers to abortion access, sometimes leading them to seek services outside legal facilities. The advent of medication abortion has further increased the prevalence of informal sector abortion. This study investigates the reasons for attempting self-induction, methods used, complications, and sources of information about informal sector abortion, and tests a specific recruitment method which could lead to improved estimates of informal sector abortion prevalence among an at-risk population. We recruited women who have sought informal sector abortion services in Cape Town, South Africa using respondent driven sampling (RDS). An initial seed recruiter was responsible for initiating recruitment using a structured coupon system. Participants completed face-to-face questionnaires, which included information about demographics, informal sector abortion seeking, and safe abortion access needs. We enrolled 42 women, nearly one-third of whom reported they were sex workers. Thirty-four women (81%) reported having had one informal sector abortion within the past 5 years, 14% reported having had two, and 5% reported having had three. These women consumed home remedies, herbal mixtures from traditional healers, or tablets from an unregistered provider. Twelve sought additional care for potential warning signs of complications. Privacy and fear of mistreatment at public sector facilities were among the main reported reasons for attempting informal sector abortion. Most women (67%) cited other community members as their source of information about informal sector abortion; posted signs and fliers in public spaces also served as an important source of information. Women are attempting informal sector abortion because they seek privacy and fear mistreatment and stigma in health facilities. Some were unaware how or where to seek formal sector services, or believed the

  20. Developing a long-term condition's information service in collaboration with third sector organisations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McShane, Lesley; Greenwell, Kate; Corbett, Sally; Walker, Richard

    2014-06-01

    People with long-term conditions need to be signposted to high quality information and advice to understand and manage their condition. Information seeking tools combined with third sector information could help address their information needs. To describe the development and implementation of an information service for people living with long-term conditions at one NHS acute trust in the Northeast of England. An information service was trialled using bespoke information models for three long-term conditions in collaboration with third sector organisations. These guided people to relevant, timely and reliable information. Both clinician and service user questionnaires were used to evaluate satisfaction with the service. Appropriately designed information models can be used interchangeably across all services. Between 75% and 91% of users agreed that they were satisfied with various aspects of the service. Generally, users received relevant, understandable and high quality information at the right time. Nearly all health professionals (94-100%) felt the service was accessible, provided high quality information and did not significantly impact on their consultation time. The developed information service was well received by service users and health professionals. Specifically, the use of information prescriptions and menus facilitated access to information for people with long-term conditions. © 2014 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2014 Health Libraries Group.

  1. Microeconomic principles in the health sector: The demand for health services in the Republic of Serbia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stošić Sanja

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Health has become a dominant economic and political issue over the past years, where many nations experience rapid rises in health care spending. The main reason why the health care sector does not operate entirely in accordance with economic market principles is the fact that inequalities in health and access to health care are understood as the lack of humanity and justice. Health care demands might seem as quite inelastic, but because of the health insurance, it shows a certain degree of price, income, cross - price and time elasticity. The subject of this study was the demand for health services in the Republic of Serbia in order to assess the ability of the public sector to meet the demand for providing these services. The underlying assumption was that public health can not adequately meet the needs of citizens due to insufficient investment in the sector and inefficient allocation of resources. To confirm this assumption, basic characteristics of health care market and the factors affecting the supply and demand for health services were discussed. Based on the analysis of investment in the health sector, the existing capacity and organization of health services, our research has shown that the public health system in the Republic of Serbia is not able to adequately meet the demand for health services. In the current economic situation in the Republic of Serbia, which already spends a significant portion of its GDP on health, there is no realistic possibility of increased spending on public health care system, although it can be expected that there will be increasing demand for health services and increase of costs. The health sector is not, and does not have the ability to be a perfectly competitive market, and the questions of its financing, rational and efficient organization is extremely delicate. However, health care economists and experts in health economics should give a significantly higher contribution in organizing health sector

  2. Is the Magnetic Field in the Heliosheath Sector Region and in the Outer Heliosheath Laminar?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Opher, M.; Drake, J. F.; Swisdak, M. M.; Toth, G.

    2010-12-01

    All the current global models of the heliosphere are based on the assumption that the magnetic field in the outer heliosheath close to the heliopause is laminar. We argue that in the outer heliosheath the heliospheric magnetic field is not laminar but instead consists of nested magnetic islands. Recently, we proposed (Drake et al. 2009) that the annihilation of the ``sectored'' magnetic field within the heliosheath as it is compressed on its approach to the heliopause produces the anomalous cosmic rays (ACRs) and also energetic electrons. As a product of the annihilation of the sectored magnetic field, densly-packed magnetic islands are produced. These magnetic islands will be convected with the ambient flows as the sector boundary is carried to higher latitudes filling the outer heliosheath. We further argue that the magnetic islands will develop upstream (but still within the heliosheath) where collisionless reconnection is unfavorable -- large perturbations of the sector structure near the heliopause will cause compressions of the current sheet upstream, triggering reconnection. As a result, the magnetic field in the heliosheath sector region will be disordered well upstream of the heliopause. We present a 3D MHD simulation with unprecedent numerical resolution that captures the sector boundary. We show that due to the high pressure of the interstellar magnetic field the disordered sectored region fills a large portion of the northern part of the heliosphere with a smaller extension in the southern hemisphere. We test these ideas with observations of energetic electrons, which because of their high velocity are most sensitive to the structure of the magnetic field. We suggest that within our scenario we can explain two significant anomalies in the observations of energetic electrons in the outer heliosphere: the sudden decrease in the intensity of low energy electrons (0.02-1.5MeV) from the LECP instrument on Voyager 2 in 2008 (Decker 2010); and the dramatic

  3. Optimizing Bus Passenger Complaint Service through Big Data Analysis: Systematized Analysis for Improved Public Sector Management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Weng-Kun Liu

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available With the advances in industry and commerce, passengers have become more accepting of environmental sustainability issues; thus, more people now choose to travel by bus. Government administration constitutes an important part of bus transportation services as the government gives the right-of-way to transportation companies allowing them to provide services. When these services are of poor quality, passengers may lodge complaints. The increase in consumer awareness and developments in wireless communication technologies have made it possible for passengers to easily and immediately submit complaints about transportation companies to government institutions, which has brought drastic changes to the supply–demand chain comprised of the public sector, transportation companies, and passengers. This study proposed the use of big data analysis technology including systematized case assignment and data visualization to improve management processes in the public sector and optimize customer complaint services. Taichung City, Taiwan, was selected as the research area. There, the customer complaint management process in public sector was improved, effectively solving such issues as station-skipping, allowing the public sector to fully grasp the service level of transportation companies, improving the sustainability of bus operations, and supporting the sustainable development of the public sector–transportation company–passenger supply chain.

  4. A Study On Measuring The Service Quality Gap of Banking Sector

    OpenAIRE

    Dr. S. Saravanan; M. Madhunica Priyadharshini

    2018-01-01

    Service quality in banking sector is the most important criteria and asset for evaluating the satisfying customers. This study was carried with the objective of understanding the gap exist between the customer expectation and perception. This paper attempts to make comparative analysis of customer satisfaction between the public and private bank in Thanjavur district. To compare the service quality between customer perception and expectation, SERVQUAL modal is used to analysis the gap by usin...

  5. Employability of offshore service sector workers in the Philippines: opportunities for upward labour mobility or dead-end jobs?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beerepoot, N.; Hendriks, M.

    2013-01-01

    Critical concerns have been raised about the quality of employment in the offshore service sector in developing countries, suggesting that many activities have an inherent paradox of highly educated workers performing low-skilled jobs. Based on empirical data collected in the offshore service sector

  6. Harmonisation efforts in the field of accounting of public sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milena Otavová

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Increasing requirements for financial reporting of public sector led to a need to create a system that would provide relevant and reliable information for management of accounting entities of public sector and also to increase the quality of accounting and financial statements of public institutions. The International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB is therefore creating high-quality financial reporting standards for public sector (IPSAS. Paper points out the ongoing reform of accounting in the field of public finances in the Czech Republic, where there are substantial changes in accounting rules and it also introduces new accounting methods. Regarding the fact that accounting of public sector is nowadays accounting system perhaps with the greatest potential of development, paper highlights the differences in financial reporting in accordance with Czech legislation and IPSAS system. It tries to catch the essential differences that arise from the financial legislation, the accounting basis and also from the content of financial statements. The paper also indicates the difference between Czech Accounting Standards for selected accounting entities that maintain accounts in accordance with Decree No. 410/2009 Coll. and International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS. There is also recommended approach to the creation of national standards with regard to international harmonization.

  7. The Relative Importance of the Service Sector in the Mexican Economy: A Time Series Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Alberto Flores

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available We conduct a study of the secondary and tertiary sectors with the goal of highlighting the relative im-portance of services in the Mexican economy. We consider a time series analysis approach designed to identify the stochastic nature of the series, as well as to define their long-run and-short run relationships with Gross Domestic Product (GDP. The results of cointegration tests suggest that, for the most part, activities in the secondary and tertiary sectors share a common trend with GDP. Interestingly, the long-run elasticities of GDP with respect to services are on average larger than those with respect to secondary activities. Common cycle tests results identify the existence of common cycles between GDP and the disaggregated sectors, as well as with manufacturing, commerce, real estate and transportation. In this case, the short-run elasticities of secondary activities are on average larger than those corresponding to services.

  8. Improving service quality in NHS Trust hospitals: lessons from the hotel sector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Desombre, T; Eccles, G

    1998-01-01

    This article looks to review recent practice undertaken within the UK hotel sector to improve customer service, and suggests ideals that could be implemented within National Health (NHS) Trust hospitals. At a time of increasing competition, hotel firms are using service enhancement as a means to gain competitive advantage, and therefore developing a range of techniques to measure levels of service quality improvement. With continued change in the health service, where greater focus now lies with patient satisfaction, so there is a requirement for managers to adapt techniques presently being offered in other service industries to improve levels of customer service and ensure patients are targeted to define their levels of satisfaction.

  9. Human Trafficking Identification and Service Provision in the Medical and Social Service Sectors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwarz, Corinne; Unruh, Erik; Cronin, Katie; Evans-Simpson, Sarah; Britton, Hannah; Ramaswamy, Megha

    2016-06-01

    The medical sector presents a unique opportunity for identification and service to victims of human trafficking. In this article, we describe local and site-specific efforts to develop an intervention tool to be used in an urban hospital's emergency department in the midwestern United States. In the development of our tool, we focused on both identification and intervention to assist trafficked persons, through a largely collaborative process in which we engaged local stakeholders for developing site-specific points of intervention. In the process of developing our intervention, we highlight the importance of using existing resources and services in a specific community to address critical gaps in coverage for trafficked persons. For example, we focus on those who are victims of labor trafficking, in addition to those who are victims of sex trafficking. We offer a framework informed by rights-based approaches to anti-trafficking efforts that addresses the practical challenges of human trafficking victim identification while simultaneously working to provide resources and disseminate services to those victims.

  10. The US Public Sector and Its Adoption of Service Oriented Technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coleman, David W.

    2012-01-01

    Information Technology (IT) provides public sector organizations the capability to provide real increases in organizational effectiveness by aiding in the efficient exchange of information. Adoption of advanced IT such as service oriented environments, Web 2.0, and bespoke systems such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) promises to markedly…

  11. Public Service Motivation, User Orientation and Job Satisfaction: A Question of Employment Sector?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Lotte Bøgh; Kjeldsen, Anne Mette

    2013-01-01

    not differ significantly between the private and public sector, while the user orientation/job satisfaction association is strongest for private employees. This suggests that to understand the relationships between pro-social motivation, employment sector and job satisfaction, future studies could fruitfully...... satisfaction. Second, the relationship between job satisfaction and these two types of pro-social motivation, PSM and user orientation, may also be found in the private sector. This study tests whether job satisfaction is associated with PSM and user orientation, and whether these associations differ between......Public service motivation (PSM) has been shown to be positively related to job satisfaction in the public sector, but there are two gaps in the literature. First, not only PSM but also pro-social motivation directed towards helping specific others (called user orientation) may affect job...

  12. Professional greens: environmental services show growth and staying power as a creative business sector to watch

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jaremko, G.

    1998-01-01

    Environmental protection was described as a growth sector in the oil and gas industry. Two major companies involved in this field, FX and Canadian Crude Separators Inc., (CCS) and some of their current or recent projects have been summarized to illustrate the growing importance and the opportunities avaialable in this field. FX specializes in a field generally referred to as 'remediation'. There are an estimated 30,000 abandoned oil and gas wells, plus contaminated real estate like former service station sites waiting to be cleaned up. A newly emerging service that is offered by FX is cleaning up after new oil and gas wells have been completed. Canadian Crude Separators are doing a $100 million a year business in oilfield waste disposal at 11 sites in Alberta and Saskatchewan. The company has 225 employees and a network of contractors such as truckers. The newest of CCS's services involves burying waste from heavy oil wells 1,000 to 1,500 metres underground. The garbage goes down via injection wells into a vast salt cavern left behind after years of production by the Sifto organization. Beyond these more mundane but essential services, companies like FX and CCS also perform ecological studies prior to drilling site selection to preserve as much as possible the local flora and fauna. They help operating companies with early detection of environmental concerns and anticipate government action. Being able to undertake voluntary early compliance programs, the companies involved not only benefit from acquiring a 'greener' image, they also improve their chances and credibility to influence the processes of government and future regulation

  13. Energy consumption of public administration and the services sector in the Netherlands, 1995; Energieverbruik van openbaar bestuur en dienstverlening, 1995

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1999-07-01

    In 1995 the energy consumption of the sectors public administration, defence and mandatory social insurance was investigated. Also attention was paid to the energy consumption in the sectors environmental services, organizations for employees, employers and professions, and other non-profit and political organizations, cultural, sports and recreational sectors, and other services. The investigation concerned the use of natural gas, electricity, district heating, and domestic fuel oil.

  14. Environmental costs os service sector and new economy; Los costes ambientales del sector servicios y la nueva economia: entre la desmaterializacion y efecto rebote

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carpintero, O.

    2003-07-01

    The growing size of the service sector in developed countries and the recent emergence of the new economy have contributed to extend a controversial message: the service sector and the Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) are less intensive in energy and materials use than industrial and agricultural activities. then, it is possible to maintain the current pattern of economic growth without taking into account its environmental costs. This paper explores the truthfulness, of those arguments, paying particular attention to some empirical evidences. These facts invite to caution when it comes to evaluating the green influence of ICTs in the reduction of the environmental costs of industrial economies. (Author)

  15. Determination of consumption biogenic solid fuels in the commercial sector, trade, services (tertiary sector). Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Viehmann, Cornelia; Westerkamp, Tanja; Schwenker, Andre; Schenker, Marian; Thraen, Daniela; Lenz, Volker; Ebert, Marcel

    2012-01-01

    The policy has both national and European level ambitious program aimed at expansion of renewable energy and related to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. In the national action plan for renewable energy of the Federal Republic of Germany these goals are defined by 2020. The share of renewable energy in the provision of heat and cold should therefore rise from 6.6% to 15.5% of gross final energy consumption. According to the increasing importance of solar-thermal, near-surface and geothermal heat, the relative share of biomass is decreasing. However biomass makes with those listed in the national action plan with 79% an essential amount in regenerative heat market [BMU 2010]. For the pursuit of goals and reviews, the support measures and packages of measures which are initiated in this context, a regular and timely reporting on the development of the above objectives is mandatory. The diverse and growing reporting requirements such as in the EU directive on the promotion of renewable energy, require, however well-founded knowledge of the sector-specific energy consumption from renewable sources. While the data available for use of biogenic solid fuels in the sectors household and industry has improved significantly in recent years, for the sector commercial sector, trade, services (tertiary sector) reliable figures are still lacking. Against this background, the objective is to present study, in close cooperation with the Federal Environment Agency (UBA), the determination of the final energy consumption biogenic solid fuels in the tertiary sector in Germany for the year 2008. The basis is, in addition to the development of the current knowledge of the energy and heat consumption, the delimitation and characterization of the sector and the development of an extrapolation tools. The demand for this tool is its expandability and update possibility. From the industry-nonspecific and industry-specific input data can be derived, collecting for the extrapolation

  16. Critical success factors for business intelligence in the South African financial services sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lionel Dawson

    2013-06-01

    Objectives: This research aimed to determine which CSFs are the most important in the financial services sector of South Africa. Method: The authors used a Delphi-technique approach with key project stakeholders in three BI projects in different business units of a leading South African financial services group. Results: Authors regarded CSF categories of ‘committed management support and champion’,‘business vision’, ‘user involvement’ and ‘data quality’ as the most critical for BI success. Conclusions: Researchers in the BI field should note that the ranking of CSFs in this study only correlate partially with those a European study uncovered. However, the five factors the authors postulated in their theoretical framework ranked in the seven highest CSFs. Therefore, they provide a very strong validation of the framework. Research in other industries and other emerging economies may discover similar differences and partial similarities. Of special interest would be the degree of correlation between this study and future, and similar emerging market studies. Practitioners, especially BI project managers, would do well to check that they address the CSFs the authors uncovered before undertaking BI projects.

  17. Service oriented product innovation for improved environmental performance. An an exploratory case study of the air conditioning and cooling sector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cook, M.; Maggs, H.; Neame, C.; Lemon, M. [The School of Applied Sciences, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire (United Kingdom)

    2006-09-15

    The need to improve the environmental performance of production and consumption practices within advanced industrialised nations is widely accepted. Finding ways to satisfy demand using far fewer resources is central to research in this field. For many, the trajectories of service orientated products are thought to provide an opportunity to address this need and anticipate futures in which economic growth is de-coupled from resource use. This paper presents the findings of exploratory research in the air-conditioning and cooling sector, which sought to understand how these benefits might be realised. It suggests that these benefits will not arise as a result of economic restructuring but rather that a deeper understanding of the process of service innovation, which underpins trajectories of service orientated products, is required to develop effective policy.

  18. Exploring the value of a design for service approach to develop public services in the Community Voluntary Sector: a comparative analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Warwick, Laura; Young, Robert; Lievesley, Matthew

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents the findings from two action research case studies that explore the value of using a ‘design for service’ approach to develop public services in the community voluntary sector (CVS). Each case study was conducted within a CVS organisation that was developing or offering public services. Both were local charities that are part of UK federations; the first offering mental health and wellbeing services, the second providing community education services. \\ud \\ud The paper will...

  19. MANAGING SERVICE QUALITY

    OpenAIRE

    Andreea BUDEANU

    2015-01-01

    Services are today the dominant sector of the economic activity both in terms of economic performance and labor utilization. Becoming an essential part of today’s society, they are considered the basis of a healthy economy, fact that has increased the importance of services and the research in the field. One of the biggest challenges regarding this sector is the evaluation and assurance of quality. There is still a lack of unanimity regarding the definitions, measurement procedures and the a...

  20. The Flexible Care Service: a third-sector service for older people with mental health needs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryder, Elaine

    2015-01-01

    Demographic patterns indicate that by 2030, one in five people in England will be over 65. Together with the fact that as people age they are more likely to suffer from comorbidities, it is of paramount importance that local services are designed to meet the needs of individual older people. The Flexible Care Service is a resource for older people with mental health problems. Through the use of client case studies, the Department of Health's 'six Cs' (care, compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment) are used as a framework to demonstrate how a third-sector service such as Flexible Care can offer a person-centred approach in order to meet the diverse needs of individual clients. The framework is also used to demonstrate the high level of skills needed by flexible carers in order to provide this support.

  1. Energy Efficiency Sector in Russia. Market Survey of Equipment and Services

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2006-02-01

    The aim of the present Survey is to give an insight of energy efficiency (EE) in Russia and to assess the demand for EE equipment and services in the energy sector. In the Survey the term 'Energy Efficiency' means the efficient generation, distribution and consumption of heat and power. The main EE measures are classified as recovery of sources of energy, measuring and controlling systems, optimal use of the equipment, modernisation, in-house energy generation and renewable energy sources. Chapter 3 gives an overview of the current situation of the Russian energy sector. The term 'energy sector' is used in the context of generation, distribution and consumption of heat and power. The infrastructure and the ownership of the energy sector are examined. In this chapter special attention is paid to the Power Sector Reform and how the Reform affects the development of EE in the Russian energy sector. Chapter 4 describes the current situation in EE, giving the reasons of inefficiency in energy use and possible solutions for improving. Chapter 5 presents a market research of equipment that could make a great input into EE development. The research has shown that the most promising opportunities for suppliers of EE equipment lie in the heat sector (generation, distribution, consumption). This chapter also describes the development of ESCOs (Energy Service Companies) in Russia. Chapter 6 gives an overview of domestic and foreign capital available to finance EE development. According to conventional market based incentives, end users invest into increasing their profits more intensively than into projects aiming at energy saving. That is mostly because energy is relatively cheap in Russia and the federal governmental policy does not stimulate EE development either. Chapter 7 on the market approach advises on steps that have to be taken and risks that need to be avoided in order to enter the Russian market successfully. It warns of the possible pitfalls on this way. Chapter 8

  2. Applying a Total Market Lens: Increased IUD Service Delivery Through Complementary Public- and Private-Sector Interventions in 4 Countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Julia N; Corker, Jamaica

    2016-08-11

    Increasing access to the intrauterine device (IUD), as part of a comprehensive method mix, is a key strategy for reducing unintended pregnancy and maternal mortality in low-income countries. To expand access to IUDs within the framework of informed choice, Population Services International (PSI) has historically supported increased IUD service delivery through private providers. In applying a total market lens to better understand the family planning market and address major market gaps, PSI identified a lack of high-quality public provision of IUDs. In 2013, PSI started a pilot in 4 countries (Guatemala, Laos, Mali, and Uganda) to grow public-provider IUD service delivery through increased public-sector engagement while maintaining its ongoing focus on private providers. In collaboration with country governments, PSI affiliates carried out family planning market analyses in the 4 pilot countries to identify gaps in IUD service delivery and create sustainable strategies for scaling up IUD services in the public sector. Country-specific interventions to increase service delivery were implemented across all levels of the public health system, including targeted advocacy at the national level to promote government ownership and program sustainability. Mechanisms to ensure government ownership were built into the program design, including a proof-of-concept approach to convince governments of the feasibility and value of taking over and scaling up interventions. In the first 2 years of the pilot (2013-2014), 102,055 IUD services were provided to women at 417 targeted public-sector facilities. These preliminary results suggest that there is untapped demand for IUD service delivery in the public sector that can be met in part through greater participation of the public sector in family planning and IUD provision. © White et al.

  3. Applying a Total Market Lens: Increased IUD Service Delivery Through Complementary Public- and Private-Sector Interventions in 4 Countries

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Julia N; Corker, Jamaica

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Increasing access to the intrauterine device (IUD), as part of a comprehensive method mix, is a key strategy for reducing unintended pregnancy and maternal mortality in low-income countries. To expand access to IUDs within the framework of informed choice, Population Services International (PSI) has historically supported increased IUD service delivery through private providers. In applying a total market lens to better understand the family planning market and address major market gaps, PSI identified a lack of high-quality public provision of IUDs. In 2013, PSI started a pilot in 4 countries (Guatemala, Laos, Mali, and Uganda) to grow public-provider IUD service delivery through increased public-sector engagement while maintaining its ongoing focus on private providers. In collaboration with country governments, PSI affiliates carried out family planning market analyses in the 4 pilot countries to identify gaps in IUD service delivery and create sustainable strategies for scaling up IUD services in the public sector. Country-specific interventions to increase service delivery were implemented across all levels of the public health system, including targeted advocacy at the national level to promote government ownership and program sustainability. Mechanisms to ensure government ownership were built into the program design, including a proof-of-concept approach to convince governments of the feasibility and value of taking over and scaling up interventions. In the first 2 years of the pilot (2013–2014), 102,055 IUD services were provided to women at 417 targeted public-sector facilities. These preliminary results suggest that there is untapped demand for IUD service delivery in the public sector that can be met in part through greater participation of the public sector in family planning and IUD provision. PMID:27540122

  4. Promoting successful collaborations between domestic violence and substance abuse treatment service sectors: a review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macy, Rebecca J; Goodbourn, Melissa

    2012-10-01

    Women who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization are more likely to struggle with substance abuse problems than are women who do not experience IPV. Given the connection between IPV victimization and substance abuse, recommended practices urge collaboration between domestic violence service agencies and substance abuse treatment agencies to provide comprehensive services for women with these co-occurring problems. However, domestic violence and substance abuse services have unique histories of development that have led to distinct ways of service delivery. To promote successful collaborations, service providers and researchers are developing strategies to foster relationships across the two service sectors. The authors conducted a review of this emerging body of knowledge with the aim of assembling recommendations for strategies to foster collaboration between domestic violence and substance abuse services. The authors identified 15 documents for review inclusion and our analysis established 5 categories of documents. Findings yield key collaboration strategies and recommended service models. In addition, the review determined the existence of considerable challenges to promoting collaborative relationships between domestic violence and substance abuse treatment service sectors.

  5. Investigating nurse practitioners in the private sector: a theoretically informed research protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, Margaret; Gardner, Glenn; Yates, Patsy

    2017-06-01

    To report a study protocol and the theoretical framework normalisation process theory that informs this protocol for a case study investigation of private sector nurse practitioners. Most research evaluating nurse practitioner service is focused on public, mainly acute care environments where nurse practitioner service is well established with strong structures for governance and sustainability. Conversely, there is lack of clarity in governance for emerging models in the private sector. In a climate of healthcare reform, nurse practitioner service is extending beyond the familiar public health sector. Further research is required to inform knowledge of the practice, operational framework and governance of new nurse practitioner models. The proposed research will use a multiple exploratory case study design to examine private sector nurse practitioner service. Data collection includes interviews, surveys and audits. A sequential mixed method approach to analysis of each case will be conducted. Findings from within-case analysis will lead to a meta-synthesis across all four cases to gain a holistic understanding of the cases under study, private sector nurse practitioner service. Normalisation process theory will be used to guide the research process, specifically coding and analysis of data using theory constructs and the relevant components associated with those constructs. This article provides a blueprint for the research and describes a theoretical framework, normalisation process theory in terms of its flexibility as an analytical framework. Consistent with the goals of best research practice, this study protocol will inform the research community in the field of primary health care about emerging research in this field. Publishing a study protocol ensures researcher fidelity to the analysis plan and supports research collaboration across teams. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Developing an operational capabilities index of the emergency services sector.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Collins, M.J.; Eaton, L.K.; Shoemaker, Z.M.; Fisher, R.E.; Veselka, S.N.; Wallace, K.E.; Petit, F.D. (Decision and Information Sciences)

    2012-02-20

    In order to enhance the resilience of the Nation and its ability to protect itself in the face of natural and human-caused hazards, the ability of the critical infrastructure (CI) system to withstand specific threats and return to normal operations after degradation must be determined. To fully analyze the resilience of a region and the CI that resides within it, both the actual resilience of the individual CI and the capability of the Emergency Services Sector (ESS) to protect against and respond to potential hazards need to be considered. Thus, a regional resilience approach requires the comprehensive consideration of all parts of the CI system as well as the characterization of emergency services. This characterization must generate reproducible results that can support decision making with regard to risk management, disaster response, business continuity, and community planning and management. To address these issues, Argonne National Laboratory, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Sector Specific Agency - Executive Management Office, developed a comprehensive methodology to create an Emergency Services Sector Capabilities Index (ESSCI). The ESSCI is a performance metric that ranges from 0 (low level of capabilities) to 100 (high). Because an emergency services program has a high ESSCI, however, does not mean that a specific event would not be able to affect a region or cause severe consequences. And because a program has a low ESSCI does not mean that a disruptive event would automatically lead to serious consequences in a region. Moreover, a score of 100 on the ESSCI is not the level of capability expected of emergency services programs; rather, it represents an optimal program that would rarely be observed. The ESSCI characterizes the state of preparedness of a jurisdiction in terms of emergency and risk management. Perhaps the index's primary benefit is that it can systematically capture, at a given point in time, the

  7. Public sector leadership: Transforming the market for efficient products and services

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Harris, Jeffrey [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, CA (United States); Aebischer, Bernard [Swiss Federal Inst. of Technology, Zurich (Switzerland); Glickman, Joan [Federal Energy Management Program, Washington, DC (United States); Magnin, Gerard [Energie-Cites, Besancon (France); Meier, Alan [International Energy Agency, Paris (France); Viegand, Jan [Jan Viegand Analysis and Information, Copenhagen (Denmark)

    2005-07-01

    The public sector represents a significant share of all economic activity (15-25%) in Europe's industrial and transition economies. Government agencies, often the largest energy users and the biggest buyers of energy-using equipment, have significant potential to reduce energy use in their facilities and operations, while also saving taxpayer dollars and avoiding emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases. Public sector leadership can be the first step toward market transformation, as government creates entry markets and sets an example for other sectors to adopt efficient technologies and practices. While public sector energy efficiency has not been highlighted in EU or IEA policy compilations, many government agencies from the national to the municipal level have acted to reduce their own energy use, stimulate market demand, and provide an example to others through intergovernmental networking. Several EU projects have addressed the use of government buying power to help commercialize new technologies and to increase the market share of efficient appliances. However, additional steps are needed in order to establish public sector energy efficiency as a core element of energy and climate change policy in Europe. Based on a selected review of public sector energy efficiency activities in the EU we define five program categories: Policies and targets (energy/cost savings; pollution/CO{sub 2} reductions; measurement and verification; tracking and reporting); Public buildings (energy-saving retrofit and operation of existing facilities, as well as sustainability in new construction); Energy-efficient government procurement; Efficiency and renewable energy use in public infrastructure (transit, roads, water, and other public services); Information, training, incentives, and recognition of leadership by agencies and individuals; We discuss examples of program success, lessons learned, and future initiatives to strengthen these activities through increased

  8. Public sector leadership: Transforming the market for efficient products and services

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harris, Jeffrey; Aebischer, Bernard; Glickman, Joan; Magnin, Gerard; Meier, Alan; Viegand, Jan

    2005-01-01

    The public sector represents a significant share of all economic activity (15-25%) in Europe's industrial and transition economies. Government agencies, often the largest energy users and the biggest buyers of energy-using equipment, have significant potential to reduce energy use in their facilities and operations, while also saving taxpayer dollars and avoiding emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases. Public sector leadership can be the first step toward market transformation, as government creates entry markets and sets an example for other sectors to adopt efficient technologies and practices. While public sector energy efficiency has not been highlighted in EU or IEA policy compilations, many government agencies from the national to the municipal level have acted to reduce their own energy use, stimulate market demand, and provide an example to others through intergovernmental networking. Several EU projects have addressed the use of government buying power to help commercialize new technologies and to increase the market share of efficient appliances. However, additional steps are needed in order to establish public sector energy efficiency as a core element of energy and climate change policy in Europe. Based on a selected review of public sector energy efficiency activities in the EU we define five program categories: Policies and targets (energy/cost savings; pollution/CO 2 reductions; measurement and verification; tracking and reporting); Public buildings (energy-saving retrofit and operation of existing facilities, as well as sustainability in new construction); Energy-efficient government procurement; Efficiency and renewable energy use in public infrastructure (transit, roads, water, and other public services); Information, training, incentives, and recognition of leadership by agencies and individuals; We discuss examples of program success, lessons learned, and future initiatives to strengthen these activities through increased recognition

  9. Sq field characteristics at Phu Thuy, Vietnam, during solar cycle 23: comparisons with Sq field in other longitude sectors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pham Thi Thu, H.; Amory-Mazaudier, C.; Le Huy, M.

    2011-01-01

    Quiet days variations in the Earth's magnetic field (the Sq current system) are compared and contrasted for the Asian, African and American sectors using a new dataset from Vietnam. This is the first presentation of the variation of the Earth's magnetic field (Sq), during the solar cycle 23, at Phu Thuy, Vietnam (geographic latitudes 21.03° N and longitude: 105.95° E). Phu Thuy observatory is located below the crest of the equatorial fountain in the Asian longitude sector of the Northern Hemisphere. The morphology of the Sq daily variation is presented as a function of solar cycle and seasons. The diurnal variation of Phu Thuy is compared to those obtained in different magnetic observatories over the world to highlight the characteristics of the Phu Thuy observations. In other longitude sectors we find different patterns. At Phu Thuy the solar cycle variation of the amplitude of the daily variation of the X component is correlated to the F.10.7 cm solar radiation (~0.74). This correlation factor is greater than the correlation factor obtained in two observatories located at the same magnetic latitudes in other longitude sectors: at Tamanrasset in the African sector (~0.42, geographic latitude ~22.79) and San Juan in the American sector (~0.03, geographic latitude ~18.38). At Phu Thuy, the Sq field exhibits an equinoctial and a diurnal asymmetry: - The seasonal variation of the monthly mean of X component exhibits the well known semiannual pattern with 2 equinox maxima, but the X component is larger in spring than in autumn. Depending of the phase of the sunspot cycle, the maximum amplitude of the X component varies in spring from 30 nT to 75 nT and in autumn from 20 nT to 60 nT. The maximum amplitude of the X component exhibits roughly the same variation in both solstices, varying from about ~20 nT to 50 nT, depending on the position into the solar cycle. - In all seasons, the mean equinoctial diurnal Y component has a morning maximum Larger than the afternoon

  10. Sq field characteristics at Phu Thuy, Vietnam, during solar cycle 23: comparisons with Sq field in other longitude sectors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Pham Thi Thu

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Quiet days variations in the Earth's magnetic field (the Sq current system are compared and contrasted for the Asian, African and American sectors using a new dataset from Vietnam. This is the first presentation of the variation of the Earth's magnetic field (Sq, during the solar cycle 23, at Phu Thuy, Vietnam (geographic latitudes 21.03° N and longitude: 105.95° E. Phu Thuy observatory is located below the crest of the equatorial fountain in the Asian longitude sector of the Northern Hemisphere. The morphology of the Sq daily variation is presented as a function of solar cycle and seasons. The diurnal variation of Phu Thuy is compared to those obtained in different magnetic observatories over the world to highlight the characteristics of the Phu Thuy observations. In other longitude sectors we find different patterns. At Phu Thuy the solar cycle variation of the amplitude of the daily variation of the X component is correlated to the F.10.7 cm solar radiation (~0.74. This correlation factor is greater than the correlation factor obtained in two observatories located at the same magnetic latitudes in other longitude sectors: at Tamanrasset in the African sector (~0.42, geographic latitude ~22.79 and San Juan in the American sector (~0.03, geographic latitude ~18.38. At Phu Thuy, the Sq field exhibits an equinoctial and a diurnal asymmetry: – The seasonal variation of the monthly mean of X component exhibits the well known semiannual pattern with 2 equinox maxima, but the X component is larger in spring than in autumn. Depending of the phase of the sunspot cycle, the maximum amplitude of the X component varies in spring from 30 nT to 75 nT and in autumn from 20 nT to 60 nT. The maximum amplitude of the X component exhibits roughly the same variation in both solstices, varying from about ~20 nT to 50 nT, depending on the position into the solar cycle. – In all seasons, the mean equinoctial diurnal Y component has a morning maximum Larger

  11. MANAGING SERVICE QUALITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreea BUDEANU

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Services are today the dominant sector of the economic activity both in terms of economic performance and labor utilization. Becoming an essential part of today’s society, they are considered the basis of a healthy economy, fact that has increased the importance of services and the research in the field. One of the biggest challenges regarding this sector is the evaluation and assurance of quality. There is still a lack of unanimity regarding the definitions, measurement procedures and the aspects that need to be provided and measured. Through this article we intend to treat these subjects and provide a broad perspective on this topic. Thus, we hope to highlight some practices and directions that could be relevant for the organizations in this field.

  12. Corporate governance of public health services: lessons from New Zealand for the state sector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perkins, R; Barnett, P; Powell, M

    2000-01-01

    New Zealand public hospitals and related services were grouped into 23 Crown Health Enterprises and registered as companies in 1993. Integral to this change was the introduction of corporate governance. New directors, largely from the business sector, were appointed to govern these organisations as efficient and effective businesses. This article presents the results of a survey of directors of New Zealand publicly-owned health provider organisations. Although directors thought they performed well in business systems development, they acknowledged their shortcomings in meeting government expectations in respect to financial performance and social responsibility. Changes in public health sector provider performance indicators have resulted in a mixed report card for the sector six years after corporate governance was instituted.

  13. Third sector as a social actor: a possibility on social gerontology field

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miguel Arantes Normanha Filho

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available This article searches to enlarge the knowledge about the third sector, in a constantly changing world. In this analysis there is another factor to be considered: the aging process in a society that, resulting from factors as the better economic conditions, the increase of the medicaments efficiency, among others, result in an increase of the life expectation. Within this perspective, the third sector may perform in the next years a strategic role in services management for the aged population. The relevance of this article is linked to the phenomenon of the quick populational aging process and to the unavailability of adequate solutions for attending the demands and necessities of aged people – both at the State context and at the Civil Society – a situation that will permit to the third sector offer its portion of contribution and help to promote the social inclusion of the aged people.

  14. The emergence of the marketing mix in the banking sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melnic Elena- Lidia

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available This article explains the emergence of the marketing mix in the banking sector and the specificity of this field. Research has shown that the evolution of the marketing mix in banking is closely related to the evolution of the marketing mix for services. The modern approach of the marketing mix for services comes from Booms and Bitner, from 1981. They filled the traditional 4Ps of the marketing mix (coming from products: price, product, placement (distribution and promotion with specific intangible services components: personnel, presence (physical evidence and process. For the banking sector, the development of those three components nowadays represents the main challenge because they represent the most important way to differentiate from the competition and to deliver superior services to the customers who are more sophisticated and demanding

  15. Health resources in a 200,000 urban Indian population argues the need for a policy on private sector health services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Furtado, Kheya Melo; Kar, Anita

    2014-04-01

    There are limited primary data on the number of urban health care providers in private practice in developing countries like India. These data are needed to construct and test models that measure the efficacy of public stewardship of private sector health services. This study reports the number and characteristics of health resources in a 200 000 urban population in Pune. Data on health providers were collected by walking through the 15.46 sq km study area. Enumerated data were compared with existing data sources. Mapping was carried out using a Global Positioning System device. Metrics and characteristics of health resources were analyzed using ArcGIS 10.0 and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, Version 16.0 software. Private sector health facilities constituted the majority (424/426, 99.5%) of health care services. Official data sources were only 39% complete. Doctor to population ratios were 2.8 and 0.03 per 1000 persons respectively in the private and public sector, and the nurse to doctor ratio was 0.24 and 0.71, respectively. There was an uneven distribution of private sector health services across the area (2-118 clinics per square kilometre). Bed strength was forty-fold higher in the private sector. Mandatory registration of private sector health services needs to be implemented which will provide an opportunity for public health planners to utilize these health resources to achieve urban health goals.

  16. THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN THE SECTOR OF COMMERCIAL SERVICES IN PRICING PROCESS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simon O. Iskajyan

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The article deals with the role of the government in tariff design process. Due to advances in science and technology the sector of services provides more than 80% of GDP in several countries, thus the stable development of this sector is considered to be one of the most essential purposes. The state has three groups of tools through which it influences market processes: monetary, fiscal and administrative. Each group differently influences the tariff design process, but all of them are considered to be external factors of pricing and they are not always stable the market processes as it’s needed.

  17. Community/hospital indicators in South African public sector mental health services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lund, Crick; Flisher, Alan J

    2003-12-01

    The need to balance resources between community and hospital-based mental health services in the post-deinstitutionalisation era has been well-documented. However, few indicators have been developed to monitor the relationship between community and hospital services, in either developed or developing countries. There is a particular need for such indicators in the South African context, with its history of inequitable services based in custodial institutions under apartheid, and a new policy that proposes the development of more equitable community-based care. Indicators are needed to measure the distribution of resources and the relative utilisation of community and hospital-based services during the reform process. These indicators are potentially useful for assessing the implementation of policy objectives over time. To develop and document community/hospital indicators in public sector mental health services in South Africa. A questionnaire was distributed to provincial mental health coordinators requesting numbers of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff who provide mental health care at all service levels, annual patient admissions to hospitals and annual patient attendances at ambulatory care facilities. The information was supplemented by consultations with mental health coordinators in each of the 9 provinces. Population data were obtained from preliminary findings of the 1996 census. The community/hospital indicator measuring staff distribution was defined as the ratio of staff employed in community settings to all staff, expressed as a percentage. The community/hospital indicator measuring patient service utilisation was defined as the ratio of the annual ambulatory care attendance rate per 100,000 population to the sum of this rate and the annual hospital admission rate per 100,000 population, expressed as a percentage. Of psychiatric public sector staff, 25% are located in community settings in South Africa (provincial range: 11-70%). If hospital outpatient

  18. The price effects of enhancing services sector competition in a large open economy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    P.A.D. Cavelaars

    2003-01-01

    textabstractThis paper studies the price e?ects of shocks to the degree of competition. It is motivated by initiatives to enhance competition in services in the European Union. The paper shows that a higher degree of competition in the nontradable goods sector may have adverse implications for

  19. The art of the possible. On the necessary conditions for cross-sector cooperation in a New Public Management oriented health service

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Høgsgaard, Ditte Merete

    2017-01-01

    Despite the current mantra that cross-sector teamwork and communication are the decisive factors in any attempt at creating an integrated and holistically oriented health service, the current institutional structures and conditions seem to actively stymie such cooperation. A high powered debate...... on the necessity of properly functioning cross-sector cooperation in the health service proceeds in its own isolated context and is also challenged at its very roots by the New Public Management (NPM) creed that has informed health service management in recent decades. The aim here is to investigate how tension...... and paradoxes in that cross-sector teamwork impact upon the ability of healthcare professionals across the relevant sectors to work together effectively towards the discharge of a patient. All this with a view to creating an integrated and holistic process for that patient....

  20. Psychosocial safety climate: a multilevel theory of work stress in the health and community service sector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dollard, M F; McTernan, W

    2011-12-01

    Work stress is widely thought to be a significant problem in the health and community services sector. We reviewed evidence from a range of different data sources that confirms this belief. High levels of psychosocial risk factors, psychological health problems and workers compensation claims for stress are found in the sector. We propose a multilevel theoretical model of work stress to account for the results. Psychosocial safety climate (PSC) refers to a climate for psychological health and safety. It reflects the balance of concern by management about psychological health v. productivity. By extending the health erosion and motivational paths of the Job Demands-Resources model we propose that PSC within work organisations predicts work conditions and in turn psychological health and engagement. Over and above this, however, we expect that the external environment of the sector particularly government policies, driven by economic rationalist ideology, is increasing work pressure and exhaustion. These conditions are likely to lead to a reduced quality of service, errors and mistakes.

  1. Service Recovery, Satisfaction and Customers’ Post Service Behavior in the Malaysian Banking Sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shaheen MANSORI

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Financial services sector has become so competitive after Malaysia government’s liberalization policy. In order to address this intense competition, banks have shifted their strategy from product-centered to a customer-centered strategy. This study is to test a model related to the relationship between the service recovery, customer satisfaction and the after purchase behavior by the customers. To test the proposed model, 370 self-administered questionnaires were distributed. The analyses based on Structural Equation Modeling (SEM reveal that there are direct relationships between perceived distributive justice, perceived procedural justice, perceived interactional justice and customer satisfaction in regard to service recovery. The results also show that customer satisfaction increases the level of trust among customers. There is also a high possibility that satisfied customers will spread positive word of mouth that can reinforce the good reputation of the service provider. Bootstrap is used to examine the mediation effects of satisfaction and the results show that customer satisfaction fully mediates the relationship between perceived interactional justice and word of mouth. The results also indicate that customer satisfaction partially mediate the following relationships; perceived distributive justice with word of mouth, perceived procedural justice with word of mouth and perceived interactional justice with perceive trust. However, the fact that this study is conducted by using cross sectional method, focuses on banking industry and covers a small area of the country should be taken into consideration for any generalization of results.

  2. Public service motivation and job performance of public sector employees in the Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Leisink, P.L.M.; Steijn, B.

    2009-01-01

    This article contributes in three ways to our understanding of public service motivation (PSM) and its effects. In the first place, it applies an abridged version of Perry's measurement scale in the Dutch public sector. Although the results of the analysis show that PSM is a valid concept in this

  3. Near-field multiple traps of paraxial acoustic vortices with strengthened gradient force generated by sector transducer array

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Qingdong; Li, Yuzhi; Ma, Qingyu; Guo, Gepu; Tu, Juan; Zhang, Dong

    2018-01-01

    In order to improve the capability of particle trapping close to the source plane, theoretical and experimental studies on near-field multiple traps of paraxial acoustic vortices (AVs) with a strengthened acoustic gradient force (AGF) generated by a sector transducer array were conducted. By applying the integration of point source radiation, numerical simulations for the acoustic fields generated by the sector transducer array were conducted and compared with those produced by the circular transducer array. It was proved that strengthened AGFs of near-field multiple AVs with higher peak pressures and smaller vortex radii could be produced by the sector transducer array with a small topological charge. The axial distributions of the equivalent potential gradient indicated that the AGFs of paraxial AVs in the near field were much higher than those in the far field, and the distances at the near-field vortex antinodes were also proved to be the ideal trapping positions with relatively higher AGFs. With the established 8-channel AV generation system, theoretical studies were also verified by the experimental measurements of pressure and phase for AVs with various topological charges. The formation of near-field multiple paraxial AVs was verified by the cross-sectional circular pressure distributions with perfect phase spirals around central pressure nulls, and was also proved by the vortex nodes and antinodes along the center axis. The favorable results demonstrated the feasibility of generating near-field multiple traps of paraxial AVs with strengthened AGF using the sector transducer array, and suggested the potential applications of close-range particle trapping in biomedical engineering.

  4. Multi-sectoral action for child safety-a European study exploring implicated sectors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scholtes, Beatrice; Schröder-Bäck, Peter; Förster, Katharina; MacKay, Morag; Vincenten, Joanne; Brand, Helmut

    2017-06-01

    Injury to children in Europe, resulting in both death and disability, constitutes a significant burden on individuals, families and society. Inequalities between high and low-income countries are growing. The World Health Organisation Health 2020 strategy calls for inter-sectoral collaboration to address injury in Europe and advocates the whole of government and whole of society approaches to wicked problems. In this study we explore which sectors (e.g. health, transport, education) are relevant for four domains of child safety (intentional injury, water, road and home safety). We used the organigraph methodology, originally developed to demonstrate how organizations work, to describe the governance of child safety interventions. Members of the European Child Safety Alliance, working in the field of child safety in 24 European countries, drew organigraphs of evidence-based interventions. They included the different actors involved and the processes between them. We analyzed the organigraphs by counting the actors presented and categorizing them into sectors using a pre-defined analysis framework. We received 44 organigraphs from participants in 24 countries. Twenty-seven sectors were identified across the four domains. Nine of the 27 identified sectors were classified as 'core sectors' (education, health, home affairs, justice, media, recreation, research, social/welfare services and consumers). This study reveals the multi-sectoral nature of child safety in practice. It provides information for stakeholders working in child safety to help them implement inter-sectoral child safety interventions taking a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to health governance. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

  5. The slow search for solutions: Lessons from historical energy transitions by sector and service

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fouquet, Roger

    2010-01-01

    This paper reviews past energy transitions by sector and service to identify features that may be useful for future transitions. Although often considered a single event, the transition from traditional energy sources to fossil fuels involved numerous services and sectors at different times between 1500 and 1920. The main economic drivers identified for energy transitions were the opportunities to produce cheaper or better energy services. The existence of a niche market willing to pay more for these characteristics enabled new energy sources and technologies to be refined gradually until they could compete with the incumbent energy source. Nevertheless, this implied that, on average, the whole innovation chain took more than 100 years and the diffusion phase nearly 50 years. In the same way, low-carbon energy sources and technologies offer an additional characteristic (i.e. low carbon impact), which might be able to develop gradually in a niche market until they can compete with fossil fuels. However, because of consumers' tendency to free-ride, a successful transition will need governments to provide protection of this niche market-possibly for decades. Based on past experiences, a complete transition to a low carbon economy is likely to be very slow.

  6. ASSESSING CUSTOMERS’ PERCEIVED SERVICE QUALITY IN PRIVATE SECTOR BANKS IN INDIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajeev Kumar Panda

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims at constructing a measure of service quality for Indian private sector banks. The SERVQUAL model was used. In total 28 variables were considered to find their relative importance from customers’ point of view. Factor analysis was used to reduce redundant variables and finally four dimensions were identified that are the dependability with facility, guarantee, security with value added services and compassion with cordialness. Then RIDIT test was done to identify the prioritization pattern that customers assign to different variables. The result shows that customers believe that bank’s effort in instill confidence in customers, the bank’s concern for customers’ best interest and safety standards in transactions are vital factors for improving customer satisfaction.

  7. Economic foundation and importance of non-state security sector within the national security system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anđelković Slobodan

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The main purpose of this paper was to present the causes (for, role (played by and the growing importance of the non-state actors within the national security sector, while analyzing the economic interest of individuals, organizations and the state itself that were favoring such a development. In the course of our research we established how, as the state narrowed its activities down to more vital and more dangerous fields of work, this opened up space for independent contractors to enter those fields which carried less systemic risk. Such change was made possible in the post-Cold War context, when many of the former service members were hired by private companies. The economic motive had a role to play as well, given the need for additional security going beyond what state offered to its citizens, as many doubted the ability (efficiency of state to provide it in the first place; and private sector's willingness to provide it for a price. In Serbia, position of non-state security sector is still very much limited by the traditional notion of security as well as the division of competences, both left-overs from socialist times. This goes against positive tendencies within the sector itself (improvement of types and specialization of the security as service; strengthening of legal regulation; flexibility of services being offered. By conducting its basic service and improving the security of its clients, representatives of non-state security sector are - indirectly - improving the security of society as a whole, ensuring economic stability, which presents one of key national interests.

  8. Expansion in the private sector provision of institutional delivery services and horizontal equity: evidence from Nepal and Bangladesh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hotchkiss, David R; Godha, Deepali; Do, Mai

    2014-07-01

    Wealth-related inequity in the use of maternal healthcare services continues to be a substantial problem in most low- and middle-income countries. One strategic approach to increase the use of appropriate maternal healthcare services is to encourage the expansion of the role of the private sector. However, critics of such an approach argue that increasing the role of the private sector will lead to increased inequity in the use of maternal healthcare services. This article explores this issue in two South Asian countries that have traditionally had high rates of maternal mortality-Nepal and Bangladesh. The study is based on multiple rounds of nationally representative household survey data collected in Nepal and Bangladesh from 1996 to 2011. The methodology involves estimating a concentration index for each survey to assess changes in wealth-related inequity in the use of institutional delivery assistance over time. The results of the study suggest that the expansion of private sector supply of institutional-based delivery services in Nepal and Bangladesh has not led to increased horizontal inequity. In fact, in both countries, inequity was shown to have decreased over the study period. The study findings also suggest that the provision of government delivery services to the poor protects against increased wealth-related inequity in service use. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2014; all rights reserved.

  9. Dark sector impact on gravitational collapse of an electrically charged scalar field

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakonieczna, Anna [Institute of Physics, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University,Plac Marii Curie-Skłodowskiej 1, 20-031 Lublin (Poland); Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences,Doświadczalna 4, 20-290 Lublin (Poland); Rogatko, Marek [Institute of Physics, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University,Plac Marii Curie-Skłodowskiej 1, 20-031 Lublin (Poland); Nakonieczny, Łukasz [Institute of Theoretical Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw,Pasteura 5, 02-093 Warszawa (Poland)

    2015-11-04

    Dark matter and dark energy are dominating components of the Universe. Their presence affects the course and results of processes, which are driven by the gravitational interaction. The objective of the paper was to examine the influence of the dark sector on the gravitational collapse of an electrically charged scalar field. A phantom scalar field was used as a model of dark energy in the system. Dark matter was modeled by a complex scalar field with a quartic potential, charged under a U(1)-gauge field. The dark components were coupled to the electrically charged scalar field via the exponential coupling and the gauge field-Maxwell field kinetic mixing, respectively. Complete non-linear simulations of the investigated process were performed. They were conducted from regular initial data to the end state, which was the matter dispersal or a singularity formation in a spacetime. During the collapse in the presence of dark energy dynamical wormholes and naked singularities were formed in emerging spacetimes. The wormhole throats were stabilized by the violation of the null energy condition, which occurred due to a significant increase of a value of the phantom scalar field function in its vicinity. The square of mass parameter of the dark matter scalar field potential controlled the formation of a Cauchy horizon or wormhole throats in the spacetime. The joint impact of dark energy and dark matter on the examined process indicated that the former decides what type of an object forms, while the latter controls the amount of time needed for the object to form. Additionally, the dark sector suppresses the natural tendency of an electrically charged scalar field to form a dynamical Reissner-Nordström spacetime during the gravitational collapse.

  10. Staff and bed distribution in public sector mental health services in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kiran Sukeri

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Background. The Eastern Cape Province of South Africa is a resource-limited province with a fragmented mental health service.  Objective. To determine the current context of public sector mental health services in terms of staff and bed distribution, and how this corresponds to the population distribution in the province. Method. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, an audit questionnaire was submitted to all public sector mental health facilities. Norms and indicators were calculated at provincial and district level. This article investigates staff and bed distribution only. Results. Results demonstrated that within the province, only three of its seven districts have acute beds above the national baseline norm requirement of 13/100 000. The private mental health sector provides approximately double the number of medium- to long-stay beds available in the public sector. Only two regions have staff/population ratios above the baseline norm of 20/100 000. However, there are significant differences in this ratio among specific staff categories. There is an inequitable distribution of resources between the eastern and western regions of the province. When compared with the western regions, the eastern regions have poorer access to mental health facilities, human resources and non-governmental organisations.  Conclusion. Owing to the inequitable distribution of resources, the provincial authorities urgently need to develop an equitable model of service delivery. The province has to address the absence of a reliable mental health information system.

  11. Impact of Affirmative Action on Quality of Service Delivery in the Public Service Sector of Kenya: A Comparative Case Study of the Ministry of State in the Office of the President and Ministry of Higher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kilonzo, Evans Mbuthi; Ikamari, Lawrence

    2015-01-01

    This study was carried out to determine the impact of affirmative action policy on the quality service delivery in the public service sector of Kenya. The study was carried out on the premise that there is a relationship between affirmative Action implementation and the quality of service delivery in the public service sector of Kenya. A lot of…

  12. Guide to resource conservation and cost savings opportunities in the food service sector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1998-03-01

    Opportunities for conserving energy and water, as well as reducing waste, within the 24,000 establishment-strong food service sector in Ontario are identified. Operators are encouraged to take advantage of these opportunities to lower their costs while conserving valuable resources at the same time. In preparing this guide, site visits were carried out at six food service facilities in Ontario. Information about how much money is generally spent on energy, water and waste management by food service operators is provided. The amount and type of waste generated by these facilities is also described. The volatility of the commercial food service market place was identified as one of the major impediments to energy conservation. It was found that most owners of the food service facilities make business decisions based on the lowest first costs, irrespective of longer-term energy efficiency and operating costs. 31 refs., 13 tabs., 9 figs., 4 appendices.

  13. The Impact of Institutions on the Destandardization of Female Employment Patterns in the Services Sector

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Leschke, Janine

    Increasing female labour market participation is arguably one of the decisive factors in explaining a destandardisation of the European employment model. Due to a lack in institutions that allow combining wage and care work and in light of unequal gender distribution of care work women...... of women in specific occupations with the services sector. This paper makes use of the cross-country variation in terms of destandardisation of female employment as compared to male employment and tries to explain the country differences by way of institutions (particularly child- and elderly care but also...... at the country level the OECD family data base is used. Besides presenting descriptive statistics on the gender gaps in the services sector with regard to flexible forms of work, including their overlaps, the paper also makes use of multilevel analysis to explain the country differences in the gender gaps...

  14. Determinants of Shift Work impacting Job Satisfaction: A study on Service Sector Organizations in Pakistan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wasim Abbas Awan

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to investigate the impact of determinants of shift work on job satisfaction in service sector organizations of Pakistan. History reveals that the invention of Thomas Edison brought the change in working environment and industrial revolution results in the birth of shift works. A great number of theories in Management are there to define Job satisfaction. All of them show the relationship between ability to perform and the productivity. In order to investigate their impact descriptive study is taken in to account in which survey research method is used to collect data. On the basis of quantitative analysis this study reveals that determinants of shift work has positive impact on job satisfaction. Finally recommendations are made to increase shift work in service sector organizations of Pakistan so that people may upraise their standards of living.

  15. Electricity consumption and ICT in the French service sector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Collard, Fabrice [Toulouse Univ., (GREMAQ-CNRS, IDEI), Toulouse (France); Feve, Patrick [GREMAQ-Univ. de Toulouse 1, Toulouse, 31 (France); Portier, Franck [Toulouse Univ., (GREMAQ, LEERNA, IDEI, IUF, CEPR), Toulouse (France)

    2005-05-01

    The paper documents the evolution of electricity use and the development of information and communication (IC) technologies in the French service sector. To that purpose, we put together two data sets documenting electricity consumption and the diffusion of IC capital goods. Using a simple factor demand model, we estimate the structural parameters of the model using both the time series and the cross-sectional dimension of the data, and allow for a specific effect of IC capital goods on the efficiency of electricity in production. We obtain robust results showing that, once controlled for technical progress, prices, and heated areas, electricity intensity of production increases with computers and software, while it decreases with the diffusion of communication device. (Author)

  16. Optimisation oriented lean six sigma development for maintenance management in service sector

    OpenAIRE

    Alsubaie, Barrak Hamdan

    2016-01-01

    This thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University London This research deals with the optimization of preventive maintenance (PM) and process improvement for maintenance management in service sector. To stay competitive and sustain long-term profitability, process improvement methodologies have become strategically important for maintenance management in recent years. These include well-known approaches such as Total Quality Management (TQ...

  17. Economic Multipliers and Sectoral Linkages: Ghana and the New Oil Sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dennis Nchor

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The study seeks to assess the structure of the economy of Ghana in terms of changes in the economic structure before and after the production of oil in commercial quantities. This is viewed with regards to economic multipliers, sectoral interdependence and trade concentration. The results show that changes occurred with regards to multipliers and sectoral interdependence. The output multipliers of most sectors have declined. The results also show that the agricultural sector experienced an initial decline in its growth while industry experienced an increase. The performance of the services sector was relatively stable for the period covered by the study. There is a decline in the level of trade concentration though on a whole the concentration index is still high. The study employed input-output modeling techniques and the data was obtained from the Ghana statistical service and the World Development Indicators.

  18. The MSSM without gluinos; an effective field theory for the stop sector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aebischer, Jason; Greub, Christoph [University of Bern, Albert Einstein Center for Fundamental Physics, Institute for Theoretical Physics, Bern (Switzerland); Crivellin, Andreas [Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland); Yamada, Youichi [Tohoku University, Department of Physics, Sendai (Japan)

    2017-11-15

    In this article we study the MSSM with stops and Higgs scalars much lighter than gluinos and squarks of the first two generations. In this setup, one should use an effective field theory with partial supersymmetry in which the gluino and heavy squarks are integrated out in order to connect SUSY parameters (given at a high scale) to observables in the stop sector. In the construction of this effective theory, valid below the gluino mass scale, we take into account O(α{sub 3}) and O(Y{sub t,b}{sup 2}) effects and calculate the matching as well as the renormalization group evolution. As a result, the running of the parameters for the stop sector is modified with respect to the full MSSM and SUSY relations between parameters are broken. We show that for some couplings sizable numerical differences exist between the effective field theory approach and the naive calculation based on the MSSM running. (orig.)

  19. The Impact of Robotics on Employment and Motivation of Employees in the Service Sector, with Special Reference to Health Care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammed Owais Qureshi

    2014-12-01

    Conclusion: Replacing employees with robots is an inevitable choice for organizations in the service sector, more so in the health care sector because of the challenging and sometimes unhealthy working environments, but, at the same time, the researchers propose that it should be done in a manner that helps in improving the employment and motivation of employees in this sector.

  20. An evaluation of the public sector optometric service provided within the health districts in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moraka E. Maake

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: In South Africa, optometry has been traditionally positioned within the private sector. The situation has gradually changed over the past two decades, with optometry being introduced into the public sector in many parts of the country. Despite the growing numbers, optometrists are still new within the public health sector, motivating this study to evaluate the eye care services they provide. Methods: A cross-sectional, retrospective, descriptive study was undertaken. Stratified random selection was applied to select the study sites, and systematic sampling was used to select patients’ files. A saturated sample of public sector optometrists employed in the selected districts completed study questionnaires. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, Version 21. Results: A total of 2968 records were reviewed, and gender distribution was 67.6% female and 32.4% male. Refraction (86.73% was the most frequently conducted test, followed by ophthalmoscopy (74.73%, colour vision (0.07% and gonioscopy (0.03%. The response rate for the questionnaires was 64.7%. Optometric outreach services were conducted by 54.5% of optometrists, and the majority (83.3% reported that the farthest outreach facility was more than 50 km from their base hospital. The availability of equipment at outreach facilities was less as compared to base hospitals, while some reported not having the necessary equipment even at base hospitals. None of the optometrists did contact lens fitting at outreach facilities. A lack of equipment was cited as one of the reasons for not providing this service by 100% of optometrists. Most optometrists (63.6% believed that more than 30% of their referrals might have been avoided if they had prescribed therapeutic agents to manage ocular conditions. Conclusion: Introducing optometrists within the public sector improves access to services for rural communities. However, the minimum standard of optometric care

  1. 'Where is the public health sector?' Public and private sector healthcare provision in Madhya Pradesh, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Costa, Ayesha; Diwan, Vinod

    2007-12-01

    This paper aims to empirically demonstrate the size and composition of the private health care sector in one of India's largest provinces, Madhya Pradesh. It is based on a field survey of all health care providers in Madhya Pradesh (60.4 million in 52,117 villages and 394 towns). Seventy-five percent of the population is rural and 37% live below poverty line. This survey was done as part of the development of a health management information system. The distribution of health care providers in the province with regard to sector of work (public/private), rural-urban location, qualification, commercial orientation and institutional set-up are described. Of the 24,807 qualified doctors mapped in the survey, 18,757 (75.6%) work in the private sector. Fifteen thousand one hundred forty-two (80%) of these private physicians work in urban areas. The 72.1% (67793) of all qualified paramedical staff work in the private sector, mostly in rural areas. The paper empirically demonstrates the dominant heterogeneous private health sector and the overall the disparity in healthcare provision in rural and urban areas. It argues for a new role for the public health sector, one of constructive oversight over the entire health sector (public and private) balanced with direct provision of services where necessary. It emphasizes the need to build strong public private partnerships to ensure equitable access to healthcare for all.

  2. Speedy changes in energy sector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kazlauskas, J.

    1998-01-01

    Status of the reforms in Lithuania's energy sector and preparation of updated Energy Strategy is presented in this article. The new Strategy has been worked out considering the conclusions of different studies as well as the changes that have taken place in Lithuania and restructuring of its energy sector, the guidelines of the European Union. The principal objectives of the country's energy sector consists in reliable and safe energy supply with minimum expenses, increasing efficiency of energy utilisation, introducing principles of market economy within the sector, reducing environmental impacts, preparing Lithuania's energy sector for integration into the EU. In the field of nuclear energy the top priority is to ensure the safety of Ignalina NPP. Ignalina NPP will only be operated if and as long as it is safe. Two most likely scenarios for the future operation of Ignalina NPP are analysed in the draft Strategy. According to scenario 1, reactor 1 and 2 are to be operated half of the design service life, until 2005 and 2010 respectively, i.e. until the gap between the graphite and fuel channels reaches the critical margin. In accordance with the second scenario, the fuel channels are to be replaced as envisaged in the design, after which the reactors may be operated for another 10 - 15 years

  3. Enabling the maximum number of people to access essential services will not be possible without private sector involvement and appropriate pricing of the services concerned

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luc Rigouzzo

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Private sector provision of basic services (water, energy, financial services and housing for people in developing countries is a necessity if we really want to try to curb poverty. However, ‘traditional’ private funding is not spontaneously directed towards these sectors, largely as a result of rejecting the idea that poor population groups should ‘pay’ for essential services; an issue that has often been the subject of opposition campaigns mounted by social stakeholders. Nevertheless, there are many, many examples to show that given the impact of these services on their quality of life, consumers in these countries - and especially those at the ‘bottom of the pyramid’ - are prepared to pay for them as long as they have access to a high-quality service. In these sectors, the nominal cost of the service concerned matters much less than its opportunity cost and the impact it will have on the lives of those who benefit from it. Very often, this service may even be paid for in advance as a way of enabling families to gain greater control over the expenditure they can devote to obtaining it.It is, however, important to distinguish between the supply of essential services and those of consumer goods, and - of course - to avoid abuses. In any event, the possibility of building financially-balanced models is what governs the process of securing sufficient funding from local and international financial institutions. In this area, as in others, the way forward is probably the happy medium: avoiding the excesses of overpricing, but accepting the need to maintain profitable economic models. These should enable investors to receive a level of profit that encourages them to continue and increase their investment, thereby increasing the number of recipients as quickly as possible. Aspiring to build social models that reject the ambition to achieve a reasonable profit and rule out any distribution of dividends to shareholders is to condemn the

  4. Lorentz Violation of the Photon Sector in Field Theory Models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lingli Zhou

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available We compare the Lorentz violation terms of the pure photon sector between two field theory models, namely, the minimal standard model extension (SME and the standard model supplement (SMS. From the requirement of the identity of the intersection for the two models, we find that the free photon sector of the SMS can be a subset of the photon sector of the minimal SME. We not only obtain some relations between the SME parameters but also get some constraints on the SMS parameters from the SME parameters. The CPT-odd coefficients (kAFα of the SME are predicted to be zero. There are 15 degrees of freedom in the Lorentz violation matrix Δαβ of free photons of the SMS related with the same number of degrees of freedom in the tensor coefficients (kFαβμν, which are independent from each other in the minimal SME but are interrelated in the intersection of the SMS and the minimal SME. With the related degrees of freedom, we obtain the conservative constraints (2σ on the elements of the photon Lorentz violation matrix. The detailed structure of the photon Lorentz violation matrix suggests some applications to the Lorentz violation experiments for photons.

  5. [Materials for construction sector].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macchia, C

    2012-01-01

    The construction sector is characterized by high complexity due to several factors. There are a lot of processes within the building sites and they need the use of different materials with the help of appropriate technologies. Traditional materials have evolved and diversified, meanwhile new products and materials appeared and still appear, offering services which meet user needs, but that often involve risks to the health of workers. Research in the field of materials, promoted and carried out at various levels, has led to interesting results, encoded in the form of rules and laws.

  6. Use of family planning and child health services in the private sector: an equity analysis of 12 DHS surveys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakraborty, Nirali M; Sprockett, Andrea

    2018-04-24

    A key component of universal health coverage is the ability to access quality healthcare without financial hardship. Poorer individuals are less likely to receive care than wealthier individuals, leading to important differences in health outcomes, and a needed focus on equity. To improve access to healthcare while minimizing financial hardships or inequitable service delivery we need to understand where individuals of different wealth seek care. To ensure progress toward SDG 3, we need to specifically understand where individuals seek reproductive, maternal, and child health services. We analyzed Demographic and Health Survey data from Bangladesh, Cambodia, DRC, Dominican Republic, Ghana, Haiti, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and Zambia. We conducted weighted descriptive analyses on current users of modern FP and the youngest household child under age 5 to understand and compare country-specific care seeking patterns in use of public or private facilities based on urban/rural residence and wealth quintile. Modern contraceptive prevalence rate ranged from 8.1% to 52.6% across countries, generally rising with increasing wealth within countries. For relatively wealthy women in all countries except Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Senegal and Zambia, the private sector was the dominant source. Source of FP and type of method sought across facilities types differed widely across countries. Across all countries women were more likely to use the public sector for permanent and long-acting reversible contraceptive methods. Wealthier women demonstrated greater use of the private sector for FP services than poorer women. Overall prevalence rates for diarrhea and fever/ARI were similar, and generally not associated with wealth. The majority of sick children in Haiti did not seek treatment for either diarrhea or fever/ARI, while over 40% of children with cough or fever did not seek treatment in DRC, Haiti, Mali, and Senegal. Of all children who sought care for diarrhea, more

  7. The Information Sector: Definition and Measurement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Porat, Marc U.

    In the last 20 years the U.S. economy had changed as a result of the increase in production, processing, and distribution of information goods and services. Three information sectors--the primary sector producing information goods and services, the private bureaucracy, and the public bureaucracy--are part of a six-sector economy. Today,…

  8. Innovation and the English National Health Service: a qualitative study of the independent sector treatment centre programme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turner, Simon; Allen, Pauline; Bartlett, Will; Pérotin, Virginie

    2011-08-01

    Over the past two decades, an international trend of exposing public health services to different forms of economic organisation has emerged. In the English National Health Service (NHS), care is currently provided through a quasi-market including 'diverse' providers from the private and third sector. The predominant scheme through which private sector companies have been awarded NHS contracts is the Independent Sector Treatment Centre (ISTC) programme. ISTCs were designed to produce innovative models of service delivery for elective care and stimulate innovation among incumbent NHS providers. This paper investigates these claims using qualitative data on the impact of an ISTC upon a local health economy (LHE) composed of NHS organisations in England. Using the case of elective orthopaedic surgery, we conducted semi-structured interviews with senior managers from incumbent NHS providers and an ISTC in 2009. We show that ISTCs exhibit a different relationship with frontline clinicians because they counteract the power of professional communities associated with the NHS. This has positive and negative consequences for innovation. ISTCs have introduced new routines unencumbered by the extant norms of professional communities, but they appear to represent weaker learning environments and do not reproduce cooperation across organisational boundaries to the same extent as incumbent NHS providers. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. A Blockchain Ecosystem for Digital Identity: Improving Service Delivery in Canada’s Public and Private Sectors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Greg Wolfond

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Blockchain-based solutions have the potential to make government operations more efficient and improve the delivery of services in the public and private sectors. Identity verification and authentication technologies, as one of the applications of blockchain-based solutions – and the focus of our own efforts at SecureKey Technologies – have been critical components in service delivery in both sectors due to their power to increase trust between citizens and the services they access. To convert trust into solid value added, identities must be validated through highly-reliable technologies, such as blockchain, that have the capacity to reduce cost and fraud and to simplify the experience for customers while also keeping out the bad actors. With identities migrating to digital platforms, organizations and citizens need to be able to transact with reduced friction even as more counter-bound services move to online delivery. In this article, drawing on our own experiences with an ecosystem approach to digital identity, we describe the potential value of using blockchain technology to address the present and future challenges of identity verification and authentication within a Canadian context.

  10. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS BETWEEN THE INDUSTRIAL AND SERVICE SECTORS: A LITERATURE REVIEW OF THE IMPROVEMENTS OBTAINED THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF LEAN SIX SIGMA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Carolina Martins Rosa

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The present work is a review of literature, to identify the improvements acquired from the application of the Lean Six Sigma methodology in the industrial and service sectors in different countries. The PRISMA methodology was used to select relevant articles to the topic of work, and the bibliographic databases used for the research were the Google Scholar, SciELO, ScienceDirect, Taylor & Francis and Web of Science. The study counted on 27 articles to better exemplify these points, being 11 focused on the industrial sector and 16 on the services sector. It was evident that in both sectors the variability of the process and its waste were reduced, by eliminating non-value-added activities, improving process quality, productivity, efficiency, the service provided, increasing customer satisfaction, reducing costs and generating savings. It has been found that Lean Six Sigma is a versatile tool that can be adapted and applied in any segment, allowing potential opportunities for new research and applications.

  11. Procurement of construction services: a case study on bidding competition in Singapore public sector contracts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oo, B. L.; Yan, Y.

    2018-04-01

    There are many variables that public clients need to consider in their bidding procedure to enhance efficiency in their procurement for construction services. This paper focusses on the competitive bidding process for public sector procurement of construction services in Singapore. A distinctive feature of the Singapore government competitive bidding process is that full bidding feedback information is released to all competing bidders (and public). The specific objectives are: (i) to examine the degree of competition in the construction markets; and (ii) to examine the bidding performance of competing bidders. Based on a collection of bidding data for a 15-month period, the results show the market environment of the Singapore public sector construction contracting is highly competitive with long bidder lists. In selection of contractors, only 50% of the contracts were awarded to lowest bidders. The results also show that the competing contractors can be broadly classified into three groups based on their bidding performance in terms of number of bidding attempts, bidding success rate and bidding competitiveness. These results provide a useful insight into the bidding competition in the Singapore public sector construction contracting, especially to new market entrants and foreign contractors who want to bid for jobs in Singapore.

  12. Exploring the impact of customer relational benefit on relationship commitment in health service sectors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weng, Rhay-Hung; Huang, Jin-An; Huang, Ching-Yuan; Huang, Shih-Chang

    2010-01-01

    An increasing number of health service sectors have begun to implement relationship marketing to try to establish long-term relationship with customers. Customer relational benefit has been an important subject for relationship marketing researchers. This study was conducted to investigate how customer relational benefit might influence relationship commitment in health service sectors. The research used a questionnaire survey that retrieved a total number of 403 valid questionnaires. The data were collected by way of personal visits and investigations of outpatients in three regional hospitals in Taiwan. After the reliability and the validity of the questionnaire sample were examined, the data were verified by using hierarchical regression analysis. Results showed that confidence benefit constituted the most pronounced factor for hospital customers. Confidence benefit, social benefit, and special treatment benefit were perceived by customers as the key factors that have a positive influence on relationship commitment. In particular, customers placing greater emphasis on confidence benefit tended to be less willing to establish relationship commitment. When health service managers develop marketing strategies using customer relational benefit, they will still need to enhance customer confidence benefit as one of the main ways of achieving future improvements. In the event where health service managers seek to install resources for establishing and maintaining a good relationship commitment with customers, the crucial factors of social and special treatment benefits should not be ignored when seeking to enhance the customers' perception of confidence benefit.

  13. The African Field Epidemiology Network-Networking for effective field epidemiology capacity building and service delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gitta, Sheba Nakacubo; Mukanga, David; Babirye, Rebecca; Dahlke, Melissa; Tshimanga, Mufuta; Nsubuga, Peter

    2011-01-01

    Networks are a catalyst for promoting common goals and objectives of their membership. Public Health networks in Africa are crucial, because of the severe resource limitations that nations face in dealing with priority public health problems. For a long time, networks have existed on the continent and globally, but many of these are disease-specific with a narrow scope. The African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) is a public health network established in 2005 as a non-profit networking alliance of Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programs (FELTPs) and Field Epidemiology Training Programs (FETPs) in Africa. AFENET is dedicated to helping ministries of health in Africa build strong, effective and sustainable programs and capacity to improve public health systems by partnering with global public health experts. The Network's goal is to strengthen field epidemiology and public health laboratory capacity to contribute effectively to addressing epidemics and other major public health problems in Africa. AFENET currently networks 12 FELTPs and FETPs in sub-Saharan Africa with operations in 20 countries. AFENET has a unique tripartite working relationship with government technocrats from human health and animal sectors, academicians from partner universities, and development partners, presenting the Network with a distinct vantage point. Through the Network, African nations are making strides in strengthening their health systems. Members are able to: leverage resources to support field epidemiology and public health laboratory training and service delivery notably in the area of outbreak investigation and response as well as disease surveillance; by-pass government bureaucracies that often hinder and frustrate development partners; and consolidate efforts of different partners channelled through the FELTPs by networking graduates through alumni associations and calling on them to offer technical support in various public health capacities as the need arises

  14. Marketing strategies: Study in travel agencies and tourism sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aléssio Bessa Sarquis

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available The tourism sector has an important economic and social role and marketing strategies can help improve the market performance of service organizations. Thus, the study analyzed the marketing strategies applied in the travel agency services sector in the state of Santa Catarina and, therefore, a quantitative, descriptive inconclusive and in the form of field survey (survey was applied with self-administered questionnaires available in the Google Docs platform for a sample of 109 emissive agencies of small and medium. Statistical analyzes were performed by means, frequency, stand-ard deviation and hypothesis testing as the measurement scales applied. The results show that the vast majority of the surveyed agencies use internal marketing strategies, external, interactive and relationship management with clients and midsize agencies use more often most measured marketing strategies.

  15. Linking private, for-profit providers to public sector services for HIV and tuberculosis co-infected patients: A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hudson, Mollie; Rutherford, George W; Weiser, Sheri; Fair, Elizabeth

    2018-01-01

    Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of infectious disease deaths worldwide and is the leading cause of death among people with HIV. The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for collaboration between public and private healthcare providers to maximize integration of TB/HIV services and minimize costs. We systematically reviewed published models of public-private sector diagnostic and referral services for TB/HIV co-infected patients. We searched PubMed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Google Scholar, Science Direct, CINAHL and Web of Science. We included studies that discussed programs that linked private and public providers for TB/HIV concurrent diagnostic and referral services and used Review Manager (Version 5.3, 2015) for meta-analysis. We found 1,218 unduplicated potentially relevant articles and abstracts; three met our eligibility criteria. All three described public-private TB/HIV diagnostic/referral services with varying degrees of integration. In Kenya private practitioners were able to test for both TB and HIV and offer state-subsidized TB medication, but they could not provide state-subsidized antiretroviral therapy (ART) to co-infected patients. In India private practitioners not contractually engaged with the public sector offered TB/HIV services inconsistently and on a subjective basis. Those partnered with the state, however, could test for both TB and HIV and offer state-subsidized medications. In Nigeria some private providers had access to both state-subsidized medications and diagnostic tests; others required patients to pay out-of-pocket for testing and/or treatment. In a meta-analysis of the two quantitative reports, TB patients who sought care in the public sector were almost twice as likely to have been tested for HIV than TB patients who sought care in the private sector (risk ratio [RR] 1.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.88-2.08). However, HIV-infected TB patients who sought care in the public sector were

  16. Linking private, for-profit providers to public sector services for HIV and tuberculosis co-infected patients: A systematic review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hudson, Mollie; Rutherford, George W.; Weiser, Sheri; Fair, Elizabeth

    2018-01-01

    Background Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of infectious disease deaths worldwide and is the leading cause of death among people with HIV. The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for collaboration between public and private healthcare providers to maximize integration of TB/HIV services and minimize costs. We systematically reviewed published models of public-private sector diagnostic and referral services for TB/HIV co-infected patients. Methods We searched PubMed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Google Scholar, Science Direct, CINAHL and Web of Science. We included studies that discussed programs that linked private and public providers for TB/HIV concurrent diagnostic and referral services and used Review Manager (Version 5.3, 2015) for meta-analysis. Results We found 1,218 unduplicated potentially relevant articles and abstracts; three met our eligibility criteria. All three described public-private TB/HIV diagnostic/referral services with varying degrees of integration. In Kenya private practitioners were able to test for both TB and HIV and offer state-subsidized TB medication, but they could not provide state-subsidized antiretroviral therapy (ART) to co-infected patients. In India private practitioners not contractually engaged with the public sector offered TB/HIV services inconsistently and on a subjective basis. Those partnered with the state, however, could test for both TB and HIV and offer state-subsidized medications. In Nigeria some private providers had access to both state-subsidized medications and diagnostic tests; others required patients to pay out-of-pocket for testing and/or treatment. In a meta-analysis of the two quantitative reports, TB patients who sought care in the public sector were almost twice as likely to have been tested for HIV than TB patients who sought care in the private sector (risk ratio [RR] 1.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.88–2.08). However, HIV-infected TB patients who sought care

  17. SECTORAL SHARES AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ahmad, Nisar; Naveed, Amjad; Naz, Amber

    2013-01-01

    believe that structural change is an unimportant side effect of the economic development. On the contrary, economists associated with the World Bank and some others posit that growth is brought about by the changes in sectoral composition. The objective of this study is to empirically test...... the relationship between sectoral shares and economic growth by using the panel data for 20 developed countries. The results of the granger causality suggest that both services and agriculture sectors do granger cause economic growth, whereas industrial sector does not granger cause growth. Reverse causality does...... not hold for any of the three sectors. The results of Barro and Non-Barro regressions along with the set of control variables have suggested that services sector is negatively affecting growth, whereas both industrial and agriculture shares are positively affect economic growth....

  18. Private Sector and Enterprise Development

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Ministry of Technical Education and Vocational Training ..... and ..structures that offer services to private sector enterprises and represent .... investment climate reform and the adoption of good governance practices. ..... Over two-thirds of the labour force in Jordan, the West Bank & Gaza, Iraq and Syria is in the service sector.

  19. Qualitative study investigating the commissioning process for older people's services provided by third sector organisations: SOPRANO study protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sands, Gina; Chadborn, Neil; Craig, Chris; Gladman, John

    2016-05-18

    The commissioning of third sector services for older people may influence the quality, availability and coordination of services for older people. The SOPRANO study aims to understand the relationships between and processes of commissioning bodies and third sector organisations providing health and social care services for older people. This qualitative study will be based in the East Midlands region of England. An initial scoping survey of commissioners will give an overview of services to maintain the health and well-being of older people in the community that are commissioned. Following this, semistructured interviews will be conducted with 4 sample groups: health and social care commissioners, service provider managers, service provider case workers and older service users. A sample size of 10-15 participants in each of the 4 groups is expected to be sufficient to reach data saturation, resulting in a final expected sample size of 40-60 participants. Informed consent will be gained from all participants, and those unable to provide informed consent will be excluded. The interview data will be analysed by 2 researchers using framework content analysis. Approval for the study has been gained from the University of Nottingham School of Medicine ethical review board, and the relevant approvals have been gained from the National Health Service (NHS) research and development departments for interviewing NHS staff. Early engagement with a wide range of stakeholders will ensure that the research findings are extensively disseminated to relevant stakeholders (including commissioners and third sector providers) in an accessible format using the extensive communication networks available to the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care CLAHRCs (applied health research organisations covering all of England). The study will also be disseminated through academic routes such as conference presentations and

  20. Third sector primary care for vulnerable populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crampton, P; Dowell, A; Woodward, A

    2001-12-01

    This paper aims to describe and explain the development of third sector primary care organisations in New Zealand. The third sector is the non-government, non-profit sector. International literature suggests that this sector fulfils an important role in democratic societies with market-based economies, providing services otherwise neglected by the government and private for-profit sectors. Third sector organisations provided a range of social services throughout New Zealand's colonial history. However, it was not until the 1980s that third sector organisations providing comprehensive primary medical and related services started having a significant presence in New Zealand. In 1994 a range of union health centres, tribally based Mäori health providers, and community-based primary care providers established a formal network -- Health Care Aotearoa. While not representing all third sector primary care providers in New Zealand, Health Care Aotearoa was the best-developed example of a grouping of third sector primary care organisations. Member organisations served populations that were largely non-European and lived in deprived areas, and tended to adopt population approaches to funding and provision of services. The development of Health Care Aotearoa has been consistent with international experience of third sector involvement -- there were perceived "failures" in government policies for funding primary care and private sector responses to these policies, resulting in lack of universal funding and provision of primary care and continuing patient co-payments. The principal policy implication concerns the role of the third sector in providing primary care services for vulnerable populations as a partial alternative to universal funding and provision of primary care. Such an alternative may be convenient for proponents of reduced state involvement in funding and provision of health care, but may not be desirable from the point of view of equity and social cohesion

  1. From Public to Private Sector: Motives and Explanations for Sector Switching

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Jesper Rosenberg

    2014-01-01

    Sector switching is interesting in relation to understanding how to get and keep people working in the public sector as well as to understand public and private differences. This paper focuses on why public employees leave public organizations to work in the private sector. We use a design studying...... higher educated Danish employees who recently worked in the state, comparing those who shift job to another public organization with those who switch to the private sector. We focus on different motives for job shifts which may influence sector switching such as salary, job security, organizational...... characteristics and public service motivation....

  2. The Free Trade Agreement and the Mexican health sector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laurell, A C; Ortega, M E

    1992-01-01

    This article presents a discussion of the probable implications for the Mexican health sector of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The authors argue that the FTA should be seen as part of neoliberal policies adopted by the Mexican government in 1983 that are based on large-scale privatization and deregulation of labor relations. In this general context the health sector, which traditionally has been dominated by public institutions, is undergoing a deep restructuring. The main trends are the decapitalization of the public sector and a selective process of privatization that tends to constitute the private health sector in a field of capital accumulation. The FTA is likely to force a change in Mexican health legislation, which includes health services in the public social security system and recognizes the right to health, and to accelerate selective privatization. The U.S. insurance industry and hospital corporations are interested in promoting these changes in order to gain access to the Mexican market, estimated at 20 to 25 million persons. This would lead to further deterioration of the public institutions, increasing inequalities in health and strengthening the private sector. The historical trend toward the integration of a National Health Service in Mexico would be interrupted in favor of formation of a dual private-public system.

  3. Medicaid Waivers and Public Sector Mental Health Service Penetration Rates for Youth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graaf, Genevieve; Snowden, Lonnie

    2018-01-22

    To assist families of youth with serious emotional disturbance in financing youth's comprehensive care, some states have sought and received Medicaid waivers. Medicaid waivers waive or relax the Medicaid means test for eligibility to provide insurance coverage to nonpoor families for expensive, otherwise out-of-reach treatment for youth with Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED). Waivers promote treatment access for the most troubled youth, and the present study investigated whether any of several Medicaid waiver options-and those that completely omit the means test in particular-are associated with higher state-wide public sector treatment penetration rates. The investigators obtained data from the U.S. Census, SAMHSA's Uniform Reporting System, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Analysis employed random intercept and random slope linear regression models, controlling for a variety of state demographic and fiscal variables, to determine whether a relationship between Medicaid waiver policies and state-level public sector penetration rates could be observed. Findings indicate that, whether relaxing or completely waiving Medicaid's qualifying income limits, waivers increase public sector penetration rates, particularly for youth under age 17. However, completely waiving Medicaid income limits did not uniquely contribute to penetration rate increases. States offering Medicaid waivers that either relax or completely waive Medicaid's means test to qualify for health coverage present higher public sector treatment rates for youth with behavioral health care needs. There is no evidence that restricting the program to waiving the means test for accessing Medicaid would increase treatment access. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  4. The emergence of the marketing mix in the banking sector

    OpenAIRE

    Melnic Elena- Lidia

    2018-01-01

    This article explains the emergence of the marketing mix in the banking sector and the specificity of this field. Research has shown that the evolution of the marketing mix in banking is closely related to the evolution of the marketing mix for services. The modern approach of the marketing mix for services comes from Booms and Bitner, from 1981. They filled the traditional 4Ps of the marketing mix (coming from products): price, product, placement (distribu...

  5. Key Factors of Quality in the Sector of Tourism Services Providers: Case Study: Czech Republic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ida Vajčnerová

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper summarizes main results of partial research aimed at detection of the key factors affecting quality in the sector of tourism services providers, namely tour operators and travel agencies. A primary questionnaire survey was conducted; the researched factors were distributed in the context of service quality dimensions (Grönroos model; the dimensions were tested in relation to sex, age and education of the respondents (ANOVA; Brown-Forsythe test. Assurance was identified as the most important dimension. The output of the study is determining the significance of individual quality factors from the perspective of a potential customer when selecting a service provider.

  6. Forming Social Partnership Policy in Vocational Training of Service Sector Specialists in Germany and Austria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kredenets, Nadiya

    2016-01-01

    The article deals with the problem of forming social partnership policy in vocational training of service sector specialists in Germany and Austria. The foreign and domestic pedagogical experience in establishing an effective system of social partnership in vocational education has been analyzed. The author has considered main factors of social…

  7. Tertiary Student Transitions: Sectors, Fields, Impacts of and Reasons for Study--Support Document

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fredman, Nick

    2012-01-01

    This paper examines the relationships between post-school educational fields and sectors and labour market considerations that appear to shape students' study decisions. It was found that pathways taken vary considerably by age, suggesting changes over time to patterns in tertiary education towards greater participation overall, a greater extent…

  8. Service robotics: an emergent technology field at the interface between industry and services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ott, Ingrid

    2012-12-01

    The paper at hand analyzes the economic implications of service robots as expected important future technology. The considerations are embedded into global trends, focusing on the interdependencies between services and industry not only in the context of the provision of services but already starting at the level of the innovation process. It is argued that due to the various interdependencies combined with heterogenous application fields, the resulting implications need to be contextualized. Concerning the net labor market effects, it is reasonable to assume that the field of service robotics will generate overall job creation that goes along with increasing skill requirements demanded from involved employees. It is analyzed which challenges arise in evaluating and further developing the new technology field and some policy recommendations are given.

  9. A Look at Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions in Two Service Sectors from Romania

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carmen Andreea Vrânceanu

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The economic literature on culture has mainly focused on the influence of national culture and its role in determining the organizational culture. Hofstede has demonstrated in his research the importance of culture in determining human relations in the workplace. People can comply with both organizational rules and cultural norms, but truly give priority to the latter. Differences between organizational rules may appear depending on the organizations’ activity or depending on the employees’ professions. These differences between industries and professions remain little explored in literature. As a result, the article presents Hofstede’s model of the first five dimensions of national culture in th e Romanian service industry (individualism/collectivism, power distance, long/short term orientation, masculinity/femininity and uncertainty avoidance, by comparing the results obtained in two different domains: the hotel industry and the consultancy serv ices industry. The findings are interesting, as they reflect employees’ work values in two sectors of the service industry. Furthermore, the article discusses whether the national culture has a direct impact on the culture developed in a specific activity sector. Also, the article debates if the organizational culture is more powerful than the national culture by comparing the values obtained at national level and the values obtained at organizational level through Hofstede’s model. Another objective of the research is to point out the differences in cultural dimensions between the workers from the hotel industry and workers from the consultancy services industry. The implications of the conclusions are discussed, considering the limitations of the empirical study presented and the future research directions.

  10. THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE AGRIFOOD SECTOR FROM THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA IN THE FIELD OF ALIMENTARY PRODUCTS OF PLANT AND ANIMAL ORIGIN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena SCERBACOV

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Competitiveness is a category that expresses the economic, technical, scientific, production,managerial, organizational, marketing, etc. possibilities of an enterprise, branch, country's economy,which is focused on goods and services, both on the domestic markets and on external ones. This workaims to analyze the competitiveness of the agrifood sector of the Republic of Moldova through the prism oftrade with food products of vegetable and animal origin. In the investigation process there were usedmethods of analysis, synthesis and comparison, and the informational base constituted recent works fromthe field as well as statistical reports of the NBS. The obtained results show that the fruits and nuts,cereals, oilseeds and oleaginous fruits predominate in Moldovan export of food products of vegetableorigin. The reduction in the import of the food products of animal origin during the analyzed period isexplained by the fact that the livestock sector has suffered from droughts from the recent years and manyfarmers have had to sacrifice a part of cattle and poultry livestock.

  11. Product-Service System Design Approach for the Base of the Pyramid Markets: Practical Evidence from the Energy Sector in the Brazilian Context

    OpenAIRE

    Da Costa Junior, J.; Diehl, J.C.

    2013-01-01

    In Emerging Markets, the product-service system (PSS) design approach may represent a promising solution as a socially and environmentally sound path to economic development. In addition, the energy sector has a major role for the social-economic development and is central to poverty alleviation. Therefore, this study aims to analyse the challenges of increasing the well-being of the lowincome population by means of proposing functional systems of products and services for the energy sector w...

  12. IMPACT OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND FIRM-LEVEL CONTROL VARIABLES ON DIVIDEND POLICY OF SERVICE TRADE SECTOR OF MALAYSIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agha Jahanzeb

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper empirically investigates the impact of corporate governance factors (i.e. board size, board independence and CEO ownership and firm-level control variables (i.e. firm size, firm growth and firm profitability on the dividend payout policy among the service sector companies of Malaysia that are listed on Bursa Malaysia. Ordinary least square model was used to estimate the results. Sample consisted of 113 service sector firms from the period of 2009 to 2013. The results show that the profitable companies with large boards and less growth tend to pay higher dividends. Findings can be interpreted as that the profitable companies are sharing their profits with their shareholders in terms of dividends to give positive message to the market.

  13. The Evolving Contingency Contracting Market: Private Sector Self regulation and United States Government Monitoring of Procurement of Stability Operations Services

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-01-01

    statements of work would be useful in ensuring ethical govern- ment procurement practices. Conclusions The United States conducts diplomatic, defense...THE EVOLVING CONTINGENCY CONTRACTING MARKET: PRIVATE SECTOR SELF-REGULATION AND UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT MONITORING OF PROCUREMENT OF STABILITY...MARKET: PRIVATE SECTOR SELF-REGULATION AND UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT MONITORING OF PROCUREMENT OF STABILITY OPERATIONS SERVICES Whitney Grespin January

  14. Operation without benefit in the services sector; Betrieb ohne Nutzen. BoN im Dienstleistungssektor - Schlussbericht

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brunner, C. U.; Nipkow, J. [S.A.F.E., Zuerich (Switzerland); Brechbuehl, B. [Universitaet Zuerich, Zuerich (Switzerland); Glauser, H. [ea si, Windisch (Switzerland); Steinemann, U. [Ingenieurbuero US, Wollerau (Switzerland)

    2009-01-15

    This final report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) discusses the unnecessary operation of electrical equipment. This preliminary study examined in a top-down manner the electrical grid loads at night in Switzerland and attempts to identify unnecessary loads. The results of a bottom-up analysis of seven buildings in the service sector was made. One large complex was also used to identify the sources of night-time loads. Together, these two approaches allowed a first appreciation and a rough quantification of the load caused by the unnecessary operation of equipment in the Swiss electricity grid. The services sector has an estimated share of some 2.4 TWh/a caused by unnecessary operation. In a follow-up project the reduction of unnecessary loads is to be studied in more detail. This second analysis will also have to include loads caused by unnecessary operation during the daytime. The goal of the project is eventually to reduce any unnecessary electric loads and, as a result, the entire electricity demands of Switzerland

  15. Opportunities and challenges for private sector entrepreneurship and investment in biodiversity, ecosystem services and nature conservation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lambooy, T.E.; Levashova, Y.

    2011-01-01

    Private companies and investors can profit from the enhancement of nature in general and from specific investments allocated to improve biodiversity and ecosystem services (BES). The question is: What is the incentive, from a private sector point of view, to invest in nature, and what are the

  16. Energy Efficiency Services Sector: Workforce Size and Expectations for Growth

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Goldman, Charles; Fuller, Merrian C.; Stuart, Elizabeth; Peters, Jane S.; McRae, Marjorie; Albers, Nathaniel; Lutzenhiser, Susan; Spahic, Mersiha

    2010-03-22

    The energy efficiency services sector (EESS) is poised to become an increasingly important part of the U.S. economy. Climate change and energy supply concerns, volatile and increasing energy prices, and a desire for greater energy independence have led many state and national leaders to support an increasingly prominent role for energy efficiency in U.S. energy policy. The national economic recession has also helped to boost the visibility of energy efficiency, as part of a strategy to support economic recovery. We expect investment in energy efficiency to increase dramatically both in the near-term and through 2020 and beyond. This increase will come both from public support, such as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and significant increases in utility ratepayer funds directed toward efficiency, and also from increased private spending due to codes and standards, increasing energy prices, and voluntary standards for industry. Given the growing attention on energy efficiency, there is a concern among policy makers, program administrators, and others that there is an insufficiently trained workforce in place to meet the energy efficiency goals being put in place by local, state, and federal policy. To understand the likelihood of a potential workforce gap and appropriate response strategies, one needs to understand the size, composition, and potential for growth of the EESS. We use a bottom-up approach based upon almost 300 interviews with program administrators, education and training providers, and a variety of EESS employers and trade associations; communications with over 50 sector experts; as well as an extensive literature review. We attempt to provide insight into key aspects of the EESS by describing the current job composition, the current workforce size, our projections for sector growth through 2020, and key issues that may limit this growth.

  17. Sectoral Innovation Watch Biotechnology Sector. Final sector report

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Enzing, C.

    2011-01-01

    Biotechnology has evolved from a single set of technologies in the mid 1970s into a full grown technological field that is the driving force in innovation processes in many industrial sectors (pharmaceutical, medical, agriculture, food, chemical, environment, instruments). Nowadays, biotechnology is

  18. Assessing the Effects of Service Quality of Government and Student Satisfaction in Education’s Field

    Science.gov (United States)

    Purwaningsih, D.

    2017-03-01

    The aim of the research is to analyze how the service quality of Indonesian government affect student’s satisfaction in the education field. Data collection was conducted in September 2016 through distributing questionnaires to 132 students at private universities in south Tangerang city. Sampling used incidental sampling method, while data analysis is descriptive, qualitative and quantitative, which were analyzed with the Importance Performance Analysis. The survey results revealed that the satisfaction level of the students of South Tangerang good enough to service of the Government in higher education sector with a value of 83.61 using Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI). Nevertheless, there are several factors that should be prioritized for immediate enhanced, namely: government’s ability to respond effectively to solve the problems in the academic world, fairness of the government in providing assistance to both state and private universities and attention of the government to higher education.

  19. Willingness to pay for private primary care services in Hong Kong: are elderly ready to move from the public sector?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Su; Yam, Carrie H K; Huang, Olivia H Y; Griffiths, Sian M

    2013-10-01

    How to provide better primary care and achieve the right level of public-private balance in doing so is at the centre of many healthcare reforms around the world. In a healthcare system like Hong Kong, where inpatient services are largely funded through general taxation and ambulatory services out of pocket, the family doctor model of primary care is underdeveloped. Since 2008, the Government has taken forward various initiatives to promote primary care and encourage more use of private services. However, little is known in Hong Kong or elsewhere about consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for private services when care is available in the public sector. This study assessed willingness of the Hong Kong elderly to pay for specific primary care and preventive services in the private sector, through a cross-sectional in-person questionnaire survey and focus group discussions among respondents. The survey revealed that the WTP for private services in general was low among the elderly; particularly, reported WTP for chronic conditions and preventive care both fell below the current market prices. Sub-group analysis showed higher WTP among healthier and more affluent elderly. Among other things, concerns over affordability and uncertainty (of price and quality) in the private sector were associated with this low level of WTP. These results suggest that most elderly, who are heavy users of public health services but with limited income, may not use more private services without seeing significant reduction in price. Financial incentives for consumers alone may not be enough to promote primary care or public-private partnership. Public education on the value of prevention and primary care, as well as supply-side interventions should both be considered. Hong Kong's policy-making process of the initiative studied here may also provide lessons for other countries with ongoing healthcare reforms.

  20. Private sector delivery of health services in developing countries: a mixed-methods study on quality assurance in social franchises

    OpenAIRE

    Schlein, Karen; De La Cruz, Anna York; Gopalakrishnan, Tisha; Montagu, Dominic

    2013-01-01

    Abstract Background Across the developing world health care services are most often delivered in the private sector and social franchising has emerged, over the past decade, as an increasingly popular method of private sector health care delivery. Social franchising aims to strengthen business practices through economies of scale: branding clinics and purchasing drugs in bulk at wholesale prices. While quality is one of the established goals of social...

  1. Summary of Climate Services for the Water Sector

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ludwig, F.

    2014-01-01

    Climate change has a significant impact on the water sector. Global warming can potentially change the amount, distribution and intensity of precipitation. These changes can have large impacts on water availability and flood risks. The water sector is increasingly concerned about climate change and

  2. Provision of prehospital emergency medical services in Punjab, Pakistan: Case study of a public sector provider.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sriram, Veena M; Naseer, Rizwan; Hyder, Adnan A

    2017-12-01

    The availability and quality of emergency medical services in low- and middle-income countries, including Pakistan, are extremely limited. New models for prehospital emergency medical services provision have recently emerged across multiple sectors, and research on these models is urgently needed to inform current and future emergency medical services systems in low-resource settings. The objective of this case study was to provide a comprehensive description of the organizational structure and service delivery model of a public sector provider in the Punjab Province of Pakistan, Rescue 1122, with a focus on operations in Lahore. We used case study methodology to systematically describe the organizational model of Rescue 1122. Qualitative data were collected during an in-person site visit to Lahore in June 2013. Three sources were utilized-semi-structured in-depth interviews, document review, and nonparticipant observation. Data were analyzed according to the health system "building blocks" proposed by the World Health Organization. Rescue 1122 is based on a legal framework that provides public financing for EMS, resulting in financial stability for the service. The organization has also reportedly taken positive steps in engaging with communities, and in coordinating across EMS, fire and rescue. We noted benefits and challenges in scaling up the service to all districts in Punjab. Finally, some areas of improvement include supply chain management and expanded data utilization. Our case study highlights key components of the model, areas for strengthening, and opportunities for further research. Rescue 1122 provides an example of a government-financed and operated emergency medical system in a low-resource setting. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  3. The Only Game in Town: Public Private Partnerships in the Irish Water Services Sector

    OpenAIRE

    Eoin Reeves

    2011-01-01

    peer-reviewed This paper was obtained through PEER (Publishing and the Ecology of European Research) http://www.peerproject.eu Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) transfer significant responsibility for infrastructure and public service delivery to the private sector. This raises questions in relation to accountability in the context of PPP. An important accountability mechanism is the Value for Money (VFM) assessment which procuring authorities in Ireland must conduct prior to adopti...

  4. Private sector joins family planning effort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1989-12-01

    Projects supported by the Directorate for Population (S&T/POP) of the U.S. Agency for International Development and aimed at increasing for-profit private sector involvement in providing family planning services and products are described. Making products commercially available through social-marketing partnerships with the commercial sector, USAID has saved $1.1 million in commodity costs from Brazil, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Indonesia, and Peru. Active private sector involvement benefits companies, consumers, and donors through increased corporate profits, healthier employees, improved consumer access at lower cost, and the possibility of sustained family planning programs. Moreover, private, for-profit companies will be able to meet service demands over the next 20 years where traditional government and donor agency sources would fail. Using employee surveys and cost-benefit analyses to demonstrate expected financial and health benefits for businesses and work forces, S&T/POP's Technical Information on Population for the Private Sector (TIPPS) project encourages private companies in developing countries to invest in family planning and maternal/child health care for their employees. 36 companies in 9 countries have responded thus far, which examples provided from Peru and Zimbabwe. The Enterprise program's objectives are also to increase the involvement of for-profit companies in delivering family planning services, and to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of private volunteer organizations in providing services. Projects have been started with mines, factories, banks, insurance companies, and parastatals in 27 countries, with examples cited from Ghana and Indonesia. Finally, the Social Marketing for Change project (SOMARC) builds demand and distributes low-cost contraceptives through commercial channels especially to low-income audiences. Partnerships have been initiated with the private sector in 17 developing countries, with examples provided from

  5. ASSESSMENT OF E-COMMERCE USAGE FOR EFFECTIVE SERVICE DELIVERY IN NIGERIA BANKING SECTOR

    OpenAIRE

    Soneye Gbolade Michael

    2017-01-01

    This study assessed the extent of e-commerce usage for effective service delivery in Nigeria banking sector. Four research questions and four null hypotheses guided the study. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The study covered 64 microfinance banks in Oyo State, South-West, Nigeria. The population was made up of 1275 staffs from the 64 microfinance banks. The sample size consisted of 28 microfinance banks of which 280 staffs were purposively selected. A 28-item st...

  6. [The Unified National Health System and the third sector: Characterization of non-hospital facilities providing basic health care services in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Canabrava, Claudia Marques; Andrade, Eli Iôla Gurgel; Janones, Fúlvio Alves; Alves, Thiago Andrade; Cherchiglia, Mariangela Leal

    2007-01-01

    In Brazil, nonprofit or charitable organizations are the oldest and most traditional and institutionalized form of relationship between the third sector and the state. Despite the historical importance of charitable hospital care, little research has been done on the participation of the nonprofit sector in basic health care in the country. This article identifies and describes non-hospital nonprofit facilities providing systematically organized basic health care in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, in 2004. The research focused on the facilities registered with the National Council on Social Work, using computer-assisted telephone and semi-structured interviews. Identification and description of these organizations showed that the charitable segment of the third sector conducts organized and systematic basic health care services but is not recognized by the Unified National Health System as a potential partner, even though it receives referrals from basic government services. The study showed spatial and temporal overlapping of government and third-sector services in the same target population.

  7. Work Motivation and Incentives in the Public Sector

    OpenAIRE

    Zoutenbier, Robin

    2015-01-01

    markdownabstractThe public sector makes up for an important part of our economy. According to estimates by the OECD (2008) a large share of the labor force in OECD countries is employed by the public sector. These public sector workers provide a wide range of goods and services to the public. Examples of services that are publicly provided range from education, health care, transport, garbage collection, to public safety. This large variety in public services suggests that all people, at some...

  8. Workplace violence in service sectors with implications for the education sector : issues, solutions and resources

    OpenAIRE

    Verdugo, Richard; Vere, Anamaria

    2003-01-01

    Examines the causes of workplace violence and stress and investigates the scope of violence and stress in the education sector and its impact on the sector and its workforce. Explores strategies to remedy the problem.

  9. Determination of the Regional Economy Leading Sectors in Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fitri Amalia

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Economic growth and its process are the main condition for the sustainability of the regional economic development. Because of the continuing population growth means economic needs also increase so that additional revenue required each year. This can be obtained by the increase in aggregate output (goods and services or the Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP each year. To carry out development with limited resources as a consequence should be focused to develop the sectors that provide great multiplier effect on other sectors or the whole economy. This research is focused to determine the regional leading sector of Bone Bolango as the information and considerations in planning economic development. Location Quotient (LQ and Shift Share are tools of analysis. Location Quotient analysis indicates agriculture, manufacture, finance, leasing and corporate services are base sectors in the Bone Bolango district. Shift Share analysis indicates that the competitive sectors are finance, leasing and corporate services. The results of the analysis based on three analysis tools indicate that the leading sector with the criteria developed, base, and competitive is finance and services sector.

  10. After Abitur, First an Apprenticeship and then University? Why German Abitur Holders Are Taking Vocational Training in the Financial Services Sector

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pilz, Matthias

    2009-01-01

    In the financial services sector in Germany the proportion of trainees qualified to go on to university is particularly high. But what induces school leavers not to go (straight) to university? A written survey of over 500 trainees in the banking and insurance sectors examined the motivations for the choice of educational pathway. Only some of the…

  11. The Italian energy sector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1997-01-01

    The energy sector in Italy, as in Europe and in many other areas of the world, is undergoing rapid and profound changes. The 1986 ratification of the European Single Act was intended to create a European internal market, where circulation of people, capital, goods, and services would reach the highest possible liberalization. In 1988, in the document The Energy Internal Market, the European Union (EU) commission stressed the need for creation of an internal energy market--free of obstacles--to increase security of supply, to reduce costs, and to strengthen the competitiveness of the European economic system. In 1990, the Community Council adopted directives to implement the EU energy sector. This article describes Italy's role as part of the EU energy sector. It covers the following topics: the Italian energy sector; electricity vs gas transportation; project finance; recent developments advance Italian power industry; specifying powerplant components -- Italian stype; buyers' guide to Italian equipment, services

  12. Strategic Factors in the Capital Structure of the Services and Communication Sectors in Mexico

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Gaytán Cortés

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this research was to identify the strategic factors of the country and the companies, to incorporate long term debt in the capital structure of the companies of services and the communication sector that they quoted on the Mexican Stock Exchange in the periods 2000-2012. The mathematical model and the factors used in this empirical study were used in the investigations that were analyzed in the theoretical framework.

  13. How to Enhance the Impact of Training on Service Quality? Evidence from Malaysian Public Sector Context

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zumrah, Abdul Rahim

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to highlight the importance role of transfer of training as a mediator in the relationship between training and service quality. Design/methodology/approach: The data of this study were collected from three sources: the employees of public sector organizations in Malaysia who participated in a Basic Financial…

  14. [The productive sector].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santolaria, Encarna; Fernández, Alberto; Daponte, Antonio; Aguilera, I

    2004-05-01

    In the last 25 years, the production sector in Spain has undergone important changes. Among these changes, the important growth of the services sector at the expense of the primary sector, the increasing flexibility of the labour market, and the rise in the female workforce could be considered as the most relevant ones. Spanish women have higher rates of unemployment, temporary jobs and part time contracts than Spanish men. Moreover, job access and work conditions are highly related to gender and social class. Because women are forced to compensate for the scarcity of social services for caring for young children and for dependent elderly, they become informal and socially unrecognised caregivers, preventing them from getting or holding a job, and significantly limiting their opportunities for professional development. These social conditions are closely related with the fact that work conditions for women involve higher temporality rates and shorter contracts than those of men, given the sectors and jobs in which they tend to work (due to segregation). Similarly, workers of the less privileged social classes have poorer work conditions. Thus, women of the lower income class are mainly suffering the worst job contracts and the poorest work conditions. More social services are needed to make it possible to attend to family needs and still be able to access and maintain a job contract. Policies tending to conciliate labour and family life are indispensable and should incorporate measures to equally distribute the house keeping activities between women and men.

  15. Going private: clinicians' experience of working in UK independent sector treatment centres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waring, Justin; Bishop, Simon

    2012-02-01

    With increased possibility that public healthcare services in the UK will be outsourced to the private sector, this study investigates how clinicians working in Independent Sector Treatment Centres perceive the differences between public and private sectors. Qualitative interviews with 35 clinicians recruited from two ISTCs. All participants were transferred to the independent sector from the public National Health Service. Interview data were analysed to identify shared experience about the variable organisation and delivery of services. Clinicians perceived differences between public and independent sectors in the areas of 'environment and facilities', 'management', 'work organisation and care delivery', and 'patient experience'. The independent sector was described as offering a positive alternative to public services in regard to service environment and patient experience, but there were concerns about management priorities and the reconfiguration of work. Clinicians' experience of moving between sectors reveals mixed experiences. Although some improvements might legitimise the growing role of the independent sector, there remain doubts about the commercialisation of services, the motives of managers and the impact of clinical roles and capabilities. With policies looking to expand the mixed economy of public healthcare services, the study suggests clinicians will not automatically embrace a move between sectors. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. The Public-Private Sector Pay Gap in Ireland: What Lies Beneath?

    OpenAIRE

    Kelly, Elish; McGuinness, Seamus; O'Connell, Philip J.

    2009-01-01

    This paper provides a sub-sectoral analysis of changes in the public-private sector pay gap in Ireland between 2003 and 2006. We find that between March 2003 and October 2006 the public sector pay premium increased from 14 to 26 per cent and that there was substantial variation between subsectors of the public service. Within the public service the premium in 2006 was highest in Education and Security Services and lowest in the Civil Service and Local Authorities. In the private sector the pa...

  17. Manual for the energy consultant: Sector profiles: Part 3: Non Food and other services; Handboek voor de energieconsulent: Brancheprofielen: Deel 3: Non Food en overige dienstverlening

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1995-06-01

    At the Information Center for the Built Environment of the Netherlands Agency for Energy and Environment (NOVEM) in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, manuals are available in the following categories: (1) Basic Information (f.e. indicators, climate data, calculation factors and examples); (2) Information on Energy Management (`seven-steps plan`, tasks for the energy consultant and the client, aftercare); (3) Information of the Target Groups (overall characteristics, energy conservation options, methods and approaches); and (4) sector profiles. The aim of this manual is to support the energy consultant in developing an energy strategy for the non-food and service sector. Special attention is paid to the home furnishing sector, the textile retail trade, service stations, repair services, beauty parlors, do-it-yourself stores, and dry-cleaners

  18. Economic planning and equilibrium growth of human resources and capital in health-care sector: Case study of Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahboobi-Ardakan, Payman; Kazemian, Mahmood; Mehraban, Sattar

    2017-01-01

    During different planning periods, human resources factor has been considerably increased in the health-care sector. The main goal is to determine economic planning conditions and equilibrium growth for services level and specialized workforce resources in health-care sector and also to determine the gap between levels of health-care services and specialized workforce resources in the equilibrium growth conditions and their available levels during the periods of the first to fourth development plansin Iran. In the study after data collection, econometric methods and EViews version 8.0 were used for data processing. The used model was based on neoclassical economic growth model. The results indicated that during the former planning periods, although specialized workforce has been increased significantly in health-care sector, lack of attention to equilibrium growth conditions caused imbalance conditions for product level and specialized workforce in health-care sector. In the past development plans for health services, equilibrium conditions based on the full employment in the capital stock, and specialized labor are not considered. The government could act by choosing policies determined by the growth model to achieve equilibrium level in the field of human resources and services during the next planning periods.

  19. 8th International Conference on Field and Service Robotics

    CERN Document Server

    Tadokoro, Satoshi

    2014-01-01

    FSR, the International Conference on Field and Service Robotics, is the leading single track conference of robotics for field and service applications. This book presents the results of FSR2012, the eighth conference of Field and Service Robotics, which was originally planned for 2011 with the venue of Matsushima in Tohoku region of Japan. However, on March 11, 2011, a magnitude M9.0 earthquake occurred off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, and a large-scale disaster was caused by the Tsunami which resulted, therefore the conference was postponed by one year to July, 2012. In fact, this earthquake raised issues concerning the contribution of field and service robotics technology to emergency scenarios. A number of precious lessons were learned from operation of robots in the resulting, very real and challenging, disaster environments. Up-to-date study on disaster response, relief and recovery was then featured in the conference. This book offers 43 papers on a broad range of topics including: Disaster Response, Se...

  20. Bureaucratic reform, informal sector and welfare

    OpenAIRE

    Chaudhuri, Sarbajit; Mandal, Biswajit

    2012-01-01

    In this paper we formulate a three-sector general equilibrium model where one sector produces a service or good used as an intermediate input in two other sectors. Intermediate input here resembles bureaucratic (in)efficiency/control, red-tapism etc. in light of these concerns we introduce informal sector where wage is determined through competitive mechanism. We show that informal wage must go up if bureaucratic efficiency increases in general or if informal sector becomes less prone to bure...

  1. 10th FSR (Field and Service Robotics)

    CERN Document Server

    Barfoot, Timothy

    2016-01-01

    This book contains the proceedings of the 10th FSR, (Field and Service Robotics) which is the leading single-track conference on applications of robotics in challenging environments. The 10th FSR was held in Toronto, Canada from 23-26 June 2015. The book contains 42 full-length, peer-reviewed papers organized into a variety of topics: Aquatic, Vision, Planetary, Aerial, Underground, and Systems. The goal of the book and the conference is to report and encourage the development and experimental evaluation of field and service robots, and to generate a vibrant exchange and discussion in the community. Field robots are non-factory robots, typically mobile, that operate in complex and dynamic environments: on the ground (Earth or other planets), under the ground, underwater, in the air or in space. Service robots are those that work closely with humans to help them with their lives. The first FSR was held in Canberra, Australia, in 1997. Since that first meeting, FSR has been held roughly every two years, cycling...

  2. Is the cosmological dark sector better modeled by a generalized Chaplygin gas or by a scalar field?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Campo, Sergio del; Herrera, Ramon [Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso, Instituto de Fisica, Valparaiso (Chile); Fabris, Julio C. [Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo, Departamento de Fisica, Vitoria, Espirito Santo (Brazil); National Research Nuclear University ' ' MEPhI' ' , Moscow (Russian Federation); Zimdahl, Winfried [Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo, Departamento de Fisica, Vitoria, Espirito Santo (Brazil)

    2017-07-15

    Both scalar fields and (generalized) Chaplygin gases have been widely used separately to characterize the dark sector of the universe. Here we investigate the cosmological background dynamics for a mixture of both these components and quantify the fractional abundances that are admitted by observational data from supernovae of type Ia and from the evolution of the Hubble rate. Moreover, we study how the growth rate of (baryonic) matter perturbations is affected by the dark-sector perturbations. (orig.)

  3. Industry sector analysis, Mexico: Oil and gas field machinery and equipment. Export Trade Information

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1990-04-01

    The Industry Sector Analyses (I.S.A.) for oil and gas field machinery and equipment contains statistical and narrative information on projected market demand, end-users, receptivity of Mexican consumers to U.S. products, the competitive situation - Mexican production, total import market, U.S. market position, foreign competition, and competitive factors, and market access - Mexican tariffs, non-tariff barriers, standards, taxes and distribution channels. The I.S.A. provides the United States industry with meaningful information regarding the Mexican market for oil and gas field machinery and equipment

  4. Employment performance by sector in Hidalgo, County, Texas, 2007–2011

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodrigo Vera Vázquez

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available This article examines the sectoral performance of the economy of Hidalgo County, Texas, using as reference the 2007–2011 recession period of the U.S. economy. The results of the investigation show that Hidalgo County avoided the contraction of the U.S. employment rate of –4.4%, as evidenced by a positive local employment rate of 5.2%. This recession–proof profile is explained by its orientation toward a service economy, including the public administration sector as a strategic field for correcting market failures. The shift–share technique was applied to provide an account of sectoral performance, supplied with data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data obtained are discussed in the framework of the theoretical discussion related to the implementation of Keynesian–style active policies.

  5. INNOVATIONS IN SMES IN THE SERVICE SECTOR IN ROMANIA BETWEEN 2000 AND 2008 AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS APPLICATION WITH SOME OUTPUTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicolov Mirela

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available In the present paper we study how we can measure innovation in SMEs per total and in the sector of services .We present here a study done on the values of the share of turnover of innovative productbusiness with innovations from the total turnover of innovative enterprises by size, class and economic activity expressed in percentage . The values used in the present study are for Romania in the period 2000 and 2008, when were the first registration for these types of data. We study the following cases: products unchanged or partiallychanged, new or significantly improved products, new business and new or significantly improved products, newmarket. Studies are made for total, small and medium SMEs and for the service sector.

  6. Medical and health care sector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ainul Hayati Daud; Hazmimi Kasim

    2010-01-01

    The medical and health care sector in general supplies products and provides services that can be categorized as diagnostic radiology, therapeutic application and nuclear medicine (both, diagnostic and/ or therapeutic). The institutions offer different categories of services. Some provide only one category of service, for example, diagnostic radiology. Others may provide more than one categories, for example, diagnostic nuclear medicine and therapeutic nuclear medicine services. A total of 90 entities comprising 65 public agencies and 34 private companies were selected in this study for this sector. The majority of the entities, 75.6 %, operate in Peninsular Malaysia. The remainders operate in Sabah and Sarawak. The findings of the study on both public agencies and private companies are presented in subsequent sections of this chapter. (author)

  7. Logit Model of Computer-Based Data-Driven Creative Idea Generation in the Industry and Service Sectors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. N. Hojjati

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Organizational creativity and employee idea generation have become important and essential elements of an organization’s success, as creativity results to increased performance. The need of increased creativity is evident in industrial and service companies. The main idea behind this paper is to analyze and demonstrate if accessing various types of data in certain ways and/or situations affects creative idea generation by the people involved in different industrial/service sectors, considering that now most of the employees use digital data. The current paper discusses how seven different factors are related to digital data affect creativity.

  8. 48 CFR 37.112 - Government use of private sector temporaries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... use of private sector temporaries. Contracting officers may enter into contracts with temporary help service firms for the brief or intermittent use of the skills of private sector temporaries. Services... part 300, subpart E, Use of Private Sector Temporaries, and agency procedures. [56 FR 55380, Oct. 25...

  9. The elderly care and domestic services sector during the recent economic crisis. The case of Italy, Spain and France.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sara Picchi

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Over the past ten years in Italy, Spain and France, the demographic pressure and the increasing women’s participation in labour market have fuelled the expansion of the private provision of domestic and care services. In order to ensure the difficult balance between affordability, quality and job creation, each countries’ response has been different. France has developed policies to sustain the demand side introducing instruments such as vouchers and fiscal schemes, since the mid of the 2000s. Massive public funding has contributed to foster a regular market of domestic and care services and France is often presented as a “best practices” of those policies aimed at encouraging a regular private sector. Conversely in Italy and Spain, the development of a private domestic and care market has been mostly uncontrolled and without a coherent institutional design: the osmosis between a large informal market and the regular private care sector has been ensured on the supply side by migrant workers’ regularizations or the introduction of new employment regulations . The analysis presented in this paper aims to describe the response of these different policies to the challenges imposed by the current economic crisis. In dealing with the retrenchment of public expenditure and the reduced households’ purchasing power, Italy, Spain and France are experiencing greater difficulties in ensuring a regular private sector of domestic and care services. In light of that, the paper analyses the recent economic conjuncture presenting some assumptions about the future risk of deeper inequalities rising along with the increase of the process of marketization of domestic and care services in all the countries under analysis.    

  10. Feasibility study for private-sector treatment services for alpha-contaminated low-level mixed wastes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bloom, R.R.; Rodriguez, R.R.

    1995-01-01

    Rust Federal Services, under contract to the United States Department of Energy (DOE), Idaho Operations Office, performed a study to develop and evaluate the feasibility of a suggested private sector solution for the treatment of alpha-contaminated low-level mixed waste (ALLMW) stored or produced at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). The feasibility study is an initial step in the potential procurement of privatized treatment services for these wastes. Rust's derived objective of the feasibility study was to define an optimal treatment system and analyze the feasibility of that system for accomplishing the processing objectives specified by DOE. All aspects of the selected treatment system were addressed in the feasibility study, including technical, regulatory, public involvement, and financial considerations. Two central elements of the study were a technology screening task to select the optimal treatment system and an analysis of the institutional, business, financial, and contractual issues that are likely to accompany the privatization of treatment services for DOE

  11. Alternative agricultures: Emphasis in contributions of the people of field of southwestern sector of Colombia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mejia Gutierrez, M.

    1995-01-01

    It offers a definition of alternative agricultures. Some antecedents are mentioned about the evolution of the Colombian movements from the chemical agriculture toward alternative forms. Some Colombian experiences are enumerated, making emphasis in people of field of the southwestern sector of the country contributions. Some conclusions settle down

  12. El sector productivo The productive sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Encarna Santolaria

    2004-05-01

    Full Text Available El crecimiento del sector servicios en detrimento del sector primario, la flexibilidad del mercado laboral y la progresiva incorporación de la mujer a dicho mercado son los cambios más destacados del sector productivo español en los últimos 25 años. Las mujeres en España presentan tasas de desempleo, trabajo temporal y a tiempo parcial mucho mayores que los hombres. Además, las condiciones de acceso al mercado de trabajo y las condiciones en las que éste se desempeña están también muy relacionadas con la clase social. Las mujeres cubren la escasez de servicios públicos destinados al cuidado de las criaturas pequeñas y de las personas mayores o dependientes, y realizan una labor de cuidadoras informales sin reconocimiento social, lo cual les impide el acceso a un puesto de trabajo o su mantenimiento y limita de forma decisiva las posibilidades de desarrollo y progreso profesional. Todo ello indica una clara diferencia con respecto a los hombres en cuanto a la frecuencia de contratos temporales y de tiempo parcial, así como en la segregación laboral, tanto horizontal como vertical. Estos aspectos de segregación son más evidentes en las mujeres de clases sociales menos privilegiadas, en las que se concentran las peores condiciones de acceso al mercado laboral y de trabajo. En España es imprescindible llevar a cabo políticas que ofrezcan servicios que permitan compatibilizar la vida laboral y familiar en condiciones de mayor equidad, tanto en razón de género como de clase social.In the last 25 years, the production sector in Spain has undergone important changes. Among these changes, the important growth of the services sector at the expense of the primary sector, the increasing flexibility of the labour market, and the rise in the female workforce could be considered as the most relevant ones. Spanish women have higher rates of unemployment, temporary jobs and part time contracts than Spanish men. Moreover, job access and work

  13. Cost of delivering secondary-level health care services through public sector district hospitals in India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prinja, Shankar; Balasubramanian, Deepak; Jeet, Gursimer; Verma, Ramesh; Kumar, Dinesh; Bahuguna, Pankaj; Kaur, Manmeet; Kumar, Rajesh

    2017-01-01

    Background & objectives: Despite an impetus for strengthening public sector district hospitals for provision of secondary health care in India, there is lack of robust evidence on cost of services provided through these district hospitals. In this study, an attempt was made to determine the unit cost of an outpatient visit consultation, inpatient bed-day of hospitalization, surgical procedure and overall per-capita cost of providing secondary care through district hospitals. Methods: Economic costing of five randomly selected district hospitals in two north Indian States - Haryana and Punjab, was undertaken. Cost analysis was done using a health system perspective and employing bottom-up costing methodology. Quantity of all resources - capital or recurrent, used for delivering services was measured and valued. Median unit costs were estimated along with their 95 per cent confidence intervals. Sensitivity analysis was undertaken to assess the effect of uncertainties in prices and other assumptions; and to generalize the findings for Indian set-up. Results: The overall annual cost of delivering secondary-level health care services through a public sector district hospital in north India was 11,44,13,282 [US Dollars (USD) 2,103,185]. Human resources accounted for 53 per cent of the overall cost. The unit cost of an inpatient bed-day, surgical procedure and outpatient consultation was 844 (USD 15.5), i; 3481 (USD 64) and 170 (USD 3.1), respectively. With the current set of resource allocation, per-capita cost of providing health care through district hospitals in north India was 139 (USD 2.5). Interpretation & conclusions: The estimates obtained in our study can be used for Fiscal planning of scaling up secondary-level health services. Further, these may be particularly useful for future research such as benefit-incidence analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis and national health accounts including disease-specific accounts in India. PMID:29355142

  14. Cost of delivering secondary-level health care services through public sector district hospitals in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prinja, Shankar; Balasubramanian, Deepak; Jeet, Gursimer; Verma, Ramesh; Kumar, Dinesh; Bahuguna, Pankaj; Kaur, Manmeet; Kumar, Rajesh

    2017-09-01

    Despite an impetus for strengthening public sector district hospitals for provision of secondary health care in India, there is lack of robust evidence on cost of services provided through these district hospitals. In this study, an attempt was made to determine the unit cost of an outpatient visit consultation, inpatient bed-day of hospitalization, surgical procedure and overall per-capita cost of providing secondary care through district hospitals. Economic costing of five randomly selected district hospitals in two north Indian States - Haryana and Punjab, was undertaken. Cost analysis was done using a health system perspective and employing bottom-up costing methodology. Quantity of all resources - capital or recurrent, used for delivering services was measured and valued. Median unit costs were estimated along with their 95 per cent confidence intervals. Sensitivity analysis was undertaken to assess the effect of uncertainties in prices and other assumptions; and to generalize the findings for Indian set-up. The overall annual cost of delivering secondary-level health care services through a public sector district hospital in north India was ' 11,44,13,282 [US Dollars (USD) 2,103,185]. Human resources accounted for 53 per cent of the overall cost. The unit cost of an inpatient bed-day, surgical procedure and outpatient consultation was ' 844 (USD 15.5), ' 3481 (USD 64) and ' 170 (USD 3.1), respectively. With the current set of resource allocation, per-capita cost of providing health care through district hospitals in north India was ' 139 (USD 2.5). The estimates obtained in our study can be used for Fiscal planning of scaling up secondary-level health services. Further, these may be particularly useful for future research such as benefit-incidence analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis and national health accounts including disease-specific accounts in India.

  15. Using caregivers’ perceptions of rehabilitation services for children with Cerebral Palsy at public sector hospitals to identify the components of an appropriate service

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G.M. Saloojee

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Despite  a  growing  body  of  evidence  favouring  a  family-centred approach to rehabilitation services for children with cerebral palsy (cp, the essential components for a quality service for children with disabilities and their families living in poorly-resourced South African (SA settings  remains unknown.  The  study  aimed  to  identify  key  components of  an appropriate  rehabilitation  service  which  would  meet  the  needs of children  with  CP  and  their  caregivers  at  SA  public  sector  hospitals. This cross-sectional descriptive study used the modified Measure of processes of care (Mpoc-20 questionnaire together with two open-endedquestions with  a  convenience  sample  of  caregivers attending therapy  at  CP  Clinics in gauteng and limpopo hospitals. A total of 263 caregivers attending cerebral palsy clinics at 31 public sector hospitals in gauteng and limpopo were interviewed. Kind and caring attitudes, exercises or “training” for the child,  and  practical  assistance  (handling  ideas  and suggestions,  assistive devices, food supplements, nappies, advice were components of care most valued. The most frustration was caused by long queues waiting for files or at the pharmacy and being treated disrespectfully whilst providing caregivers with information and explanations regarding treatment choice were services that could be improved.  Key components for  an  appropriate  therapy  service  include  caring  and respectful  attitudes,  hands-on  therapy,  handling  suggestions and practical assistance. Logistical and administrative procedures together with disrespectul and unhelpful attitudes negatively impact rehabilitation service delivery.

  16. Collaboration across private and public sector primary health care services: benefits, costs and policy implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDonald, Julie; Powell Davies, Gawaine; Jayasuriya, Rohan; Fort Harris, Mark

    2011-07-01

    Ongoing care for chronic conditions is best provided by interprofessional teams. There are challenges in achieving this where teams cross organisational boundaries. This article explores the influence of organisational factors on collaboration between private and public sector primary and community health services involved in diabetes care. It involved a case study using qualitative methods. Forty-five participants from 20 organisations were purposively recruited. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and from content analysis of documents. Thematic analysis was used employing a two-level coding system and cross case comparisons. The patterns of collaborative patient care were influenced by a combination of factors relating to the benefits and costs of collaboration and the influence of support mechanisms. Benefits lay in achieving common or complementary health or organisational goals. Costs were incurred in bridging differences in organisational size, structure, complexity and culture. Collaboration was easier between private sector organisations than between private and public sectors. Financial incentives were not sufficient to overcome organisational barriers. To achieve more coordinated primary and community health care structural changes are also needed to better align funding mechanisms, priorities and accountabilities of the different organisations.

  17. 9th International Conference on Field and Service Robotics

    CERN Document Server

    Corke, Peter; Roberts, Jonathan

    2015-01-01

    FSR, the International Conference on Field and Service Robotics, is a robotics Symposium which has established over the past ten years the latest research and practical results towards the use of field and service robotics in the community with particular focus on proven technology. The first meeting was held in Canberra, Australia, in 1997. Since then the meeting has been held every two years in the pattern Asia, America, Europe.   Field robots are non-factory robots, typically mobile, that operate in complex, and dynamic environments; on the ground (of earth or planets), under the ground, underwater, in the air or in space. Service robots are those that work closely with humans to help them with their lives. This book present the results of the ninth edition of Field and Service Robotics, FSR13, held in Brisbane, Australia on 9th-11th December 2013. The conference provided a forum for researchers, professionals, and robot manufactures to exchange up-to-date technical knowledge and experience. This book off...

  18. Study the Customers’ Perception towards Banking Services: A Research Report on Indian Public Sector Banks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shailesh Limbad

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study is to measure the customer satisfaction and to identify the shortfall areas for improving the services of public banking sector. For this research paper past research survey were studied. The main concept is measuring customer satisfaction by customer satisfaction index method. All the factors related to banks were taken by personal interview with the banks’ manager which influences customer satisfaction. To collect the information non-probability sampling method is used. 100 services users of two different banks in bardoli region were contacted with face-to-face personal interview method through questionnaire. “Customer Satisfaction Index” method was used to measure the customer satisfaction. The study represents the result of a survey among the customers in the bardoli region of two public sector banks. Study proved that the STATE BANKS OF INDIA’S customers are more satisfied (82.55> 81.79 than BANK OF INDIA’S customers. There were parameters are found out which are more important to increasing the satisfaction rate. The results of this study provide very important information in formulating competitive marketing strategies. It shows the critical points where the limited resources of the banks should be allocated to improve satisfaction and loyalty and provides information about the weaknesses and strengths of the banks from the eyes of its customers. With getting the valuable information and found out the reason of dissatisfaction these banks can put more efforts to improving the standards of services and make the customers more satisfied.

  19. Development of oil and gas service as organizational form of entrepreneurship in post-industrial economy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Н. В. Василенко

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The article is devoted to the problem of development of oil and gas service. The transformation of the oil and gas sector with the separation of independent enterprises and organizations providing services in the oil and gas service sector is compared by the author with the trend of rapid development of the service sector in the postindustrial economy. The purpose of the study is to identify the general and specific characteristics of modern oil and gas services and to determine the directions for the transformation of organizational forms of entrepreneurship in the sphere under consideration. The growth of quantitative parameters of the oil and gas services market has been analyzed. The classification of this market is proposed depending on the place of services in a single technological cycle in relation to the main oil production process. The positive consequences of the development of oil and gas services for the development of oil and gas production have been systematized. Basic organizational models of entrepreneurship development in oil and gas service are generalized and substantiated. It is shown that the main influence in the market of services is taken by vertically integrated national oil and gas companies, as well as by international companies that provide service support for the work of Russian oil and gas companies. The results of a comparative analysis of advantages and disadvantages of organizational models of entrepreneurship in the field of oil and gas services are presented. It is proved that oil and gas service as an organizational form of entrepreneurship in its development reflects the general trends of the post-industrial economy. Specific features of oil and gas service in Russia are singled out. The revealed directions of transformation of organizational forms of entrepreneurship in the sphere of oil and gas service in current conditions can be used in the formation of state programs in the field of industrial

  20. Norwegian supply of goods and services to the British offshore sector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heide, M.; Noedland, S.I.

    1991-02-01

    Representatives from ten Norwegian companies in the offshore supplies industry were interviewed to explore the opportunities and barriers they had experienced in their effort to enter the British offshore sector. The interviews revealed that there are mainly four reasons why British sector is regarded as a favorable market: British sector is a natural homemarket, buyers operate both on the British and the Norwegian sector, the British sector can be a ''door-opener'' to the rest of the English speaking world, and finally the British sector is a market of considerable size. The companies had mainly encountered three types of barriers: British culture/communication problems, heavy competition from British suppliers, and protectionism. The report is concluded by summarizing what we believe are the critical success factors for entering the British sector. Directions for further research are also given

  1. Brazilian healthcare in the context of austerity: private sector dominant, government sector failing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, Nilson do Rosário

    2017-04-01

    This paper presents the arguments in favor of government intervention in financing and regulation of health in Brazil. It describes the organizational arrangement of the Brazilian health system, for the purpose of reflection on the austerity agenda proposed for the country. Based on the literature in health economics, it discusses the hypothesis that the health sector in Brazil functions under the dominance of the private sector. The categories employed for analysis are those of the national health spending figures. An international comparison of indicators of health expenses shows that Brazilian public spending is a low proportion of total spending on Brazilian health. Expenditure on individuals' health by out-of-pocket payments is high, and this works against equitability. The private health services sector plays a crucial role in provision, and financing. Contrary to the belief put forward by the austerity agenda, public expenditure cannot be constrained because the government has failed in adequate provision of services to the poor. This paper argues that, since the Constitution did not veto activity by the private sector segment of the market, those interests that have the greatest capacity to vocalize have been successful in imposing their preferences in the configuration of the sector.

  2. Impact of private sector credit on the real sector of Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aliyu Mamman, Ph.D

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available The real sector is a strategic component of an economy because it produces and distributes tangible goods and services required to satisfy aggregate demand in the economy. For this reason, there is the need for adequate credit flow from the banking industry to the real sector, which in the Nigerian case, the credit flow has been grossly inadequate. This study is carried out to examine the impact of credit to private sector (CPS on the real sector of Nigeria with a view to assess the significant contribution of CPS to real sector growth in Nigeria. The study used aggregate time series data from 1986 to 2010, which was drawn from central bank of Nigeria (CBN statistical bulletin and CBN annual report and statement of accounts. The data was analysed using multiple regression and based on the coefficient of determination (R square, the study reveals a 96.1% variation between the CPS and real sector growth in Nigeria. The study cocludes that there is a statistically significant impact of credit to private sector on the real sector of Nigeria. This, suggest that the performance of the real sector is greatly influence by credit to private sector. The study recommends that the federal government of Nigeria through the central bank of Nigeria (CBN should enhance the financing of the real sector as well as improve credit flow to the sector because of its strategic importance in creating and generating growth of the economy.

  3. Staff training in hospitality sector as benefit for improved service quality

    OpenAIRE

    Ivanka Nestoroska; Irina Petrovska

    2014-01-01

    Contemporary hotel industry is facing many challenges which are closely connected to the changes that occur both in the field of tourist demand and tourist supply. The changes refer to quality of services at first place, since the needs of tourists change rapidly towards higher quality and different products. Having in mind the character of the activities in hospitality industry where a direct contact between employees and guests is necessary for providing and realizing the services, the succ...

  4. Design decisions in the front office - back office issue: A Study of Trade-offs in the Financial Services Sector

    OpenAIRE

    Zomerdijk, L.G.

    2005-01-01

    This dissertation presents the results of a research study that involved the development of a framework that provides insight in and so supports design decisions regarding front office and back office activities in service delivery processes. Building on the evidence from five case studies in the financial services sector, three design decisions have been elaborated. They are the definition of front office and back office activities, the decoupling decisions and organizational arrangements. T...

  5. Economic planning and equilibrium growth of human resources and capital in health-care sector: Case study of Iran

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahboobi-Ardakan, Payman; Kazemian, Mahmood; Mehraban, Sattar

    2017-01-01

    CONTEXT: During different planning periods, human resources factor has been considerably increased in the health-care sector. AIMS: The main goal is to determine economic planning conditions and equilibrium growth for services level and specialized workforce resources in health-care sector and also to determine the gap between levels of health-care services and specialized workforce resources in the equilibrium growth conditions and their available levels during the periods of the first to fourth development plansin Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the study after data collection, econometric methods and EViews version 8.0 were used for data processing. The used model was based on neoclassical economic growth model. RESULTS: The results indicated that during the former planning periods, although specialized workforce has been increased significantly in health-care sector, lack of attention to equilibrium growth conditions caused imbalance conditions for product level and specialized workforce in health-care sector. CONCLUSIONS: In the past development plans for health services, equilibrium conditions based on the full employment in the capital stock, and specialized labor are not considered. The government could act by choosing policies determined by the growth model to achieve equilibrium level in the field of human resources and services during the next planning periods. PMID:28616419

  6. Progress in customer relationship management adoption: a cross-sector study

    OpenAIRE

    Meadows, Maureen; Dibb, Sally

    2012-01-01

    Although customer relationship management (CRM) is widely used by organizations to capture and manage customer data, the process of implementation can be problematic. This article takes a multi-sector view of CRM implementation in three areas of the UK services sector: banking and finance; professional services; and the government/public sector. The study captures variations in CRM practice and implementation across these sectors, applying an existing framework of CRM implementation to tease ...

  7. On an effect of the interplanetary magnetic field sector structure on the upper Earth's ionosphere

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kolomijtsev, O.P.; Livshits, M.A.; Soboleva, T.N.

    1985-01-01

    According to the data from vertical probing stations, changes are studied in the critical frequency and height of the ionosphere F2 layer after the Earth crosses the boundaries of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) sectors in the periods of equinox during decreases in the solar activity. A reversal of the IMF sign causes ionospheric effects, which in some cases are comparable, as to the value, with the effects observed in the presence of flares and strong geomagnetic perturbations. The IMF sector sign reversal is a key momentum, stimulating such changes in the Earth's magnetosphere state which result in the rearrangement of the ionosphere structure near the maximum of electron concentration on the planetary scale

  8. Utilization of skilled birth attendants in public and private sectors in Vietnam.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Do, Mai

    2009-05-01

    The private sector in health care in Vietnam has been increasingly competing with the government in primary health care services. However, little is known about the use of skilled birth attendance or about choice of public and private sectors among those who opt for skilled attendants. Using data from the Vietnam 2002 Demographic and Health Survey, this study examines factors related to women's decision-making of whether to have a skilled birth attendant at a recent childbirth, and if they did, whether it was a public or private sector provider. The study indicates that the use of the private sector for delivery services was significant. Women's household wealth, education, antenatal care and community's wealth were positively related to skilled birth attendance, while ethnicity and order of childbirth were negatively related. Order of childbirth was positively associated with skilled birth attendance in the private sector. Among service environment factors, increased access to public sector health centres was associated with an increased likelihood of skilled birth attendance in general, but a lowered chance of that in the private sector. Further studies are needed to assess the current situation in the private sector, the demand for delivery services in the private sector, and its readiness to provide quality services.

  9. A case for increased private sector involvement in Ireland's national animal health services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    More, Simon J

    2008-02-01

    Non-regulatory animal health issues, such as Johne's disease, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) and mastitis will become increasing important, with ongoing globalisation of markets in animals and animal products. In response, Ireland may need to broaden the scope of its national animal health services. However, there have been concerns about the respective roles and responsibilities (both financial and otherwise) of government and industry in any such moves. This paper argues the case for increased private sector involvement in Ireland's national animal health services, based both on theoretical considerations and country case studies (the Netherlands and Australia). The Dutch and Australian case studies present examples of successful partnerships between government and industry, including systems and processes to address non-regulatory animal health issues. In each case, the roles and responsibilities of government are clear, as are the principles underpinning government involvement. Furthermore, the roles and responsibilities (financial and otherwise) of the Dutch and Australian industry are determined through enabling legislation, providing both legitimacy and accountability. There are constraints on the use of EU and national government funds to support non-regulatory animal health services in EU member states (such as Ireland and the Netherlands).

  10. A case for increased private sector involvement in ireland's national animal health services

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    More Simon J

    2008-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Non-regulatory animal health issues, such as Johne's disease, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR and mastitis will become increasing important, with ongoing globalisation of markets in animals and animal products. In response, Ireland may need to broaden the scope of its national animal health services. However, there have been concerns about the respective roles and responsibilities (both financial and otherwise of government and industry in any such moves. This paper argues the case for increased private sector involvement in Ireland's national animal health services, based both on theoretical considerations and country case studies (the Netherlands and Australia. The Dutch and Australian case studies present examples of successful partnerships between government and industry, including systems and processes to address non-regulatory animal health issues. In each case, the roles and responsibilities of government are clear, as are the principles underpinning government involvement. Furthermore, the roles and responsibilities (financial and otherwise of the Dutch and Australian industry are determined through enabling legislation, providing both legitimacy and accountability. There are constraints on the use of EU and national government funds to support non-regulatory animal health services in EU member states (such as Ireland and the Netherlands.

  11. [Organization and technology in the catering sector].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tinarelli, Arnaldo

    2014-01-01

    The catering industry is a service characterized by a contract between customer and supplier. In institutional catering industry, the customer is represented by public administration; in private catering industry, the customer is represented by privates. The annual catering trades size is about 6.74 billions of euros, equally distributed between health sector (hospitals, nursing homes), school sector and business sector (ivorkplace food service), with the participation of nearly 1.200 firms and 70.000 workers. Major services include off-premises catering (food prepared away from the location where it's served) and on-premises catering (meals prepared and served at the same place). Several tools and machineries are used during both warehousing and food refrigerating operations, and during preparation, cooking, packaging and transport of meals. In this sector, injuries, rarely resulting serious or deadly, show a downward trend in the last years. On the contrary, the number of occupational diseases shows an upward trend. About the near future, the firms should become global outsourcer, able to provide other services as cleaning, transport and maintenance. In addition, they should invest in innovation: from tools and machineries technology to work organization; from factory lay-out to safely and health in the workplaces.

  12. Embodied energy use in China's industrial sectors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Zhu; Geng Yong; Lindner, Soeren; Zhao Hongyan; Fujita, Tsuyoshi; Guan Dabo

    2012-01-01

    As the world’s top energy consumer, China is facing a great challenge to solve its energy supply issue. In this paper energy use from all industrial sectors in China’s economy of 2007 was explored by conducting an extended environmental input–output analysis. We compare the energy consumption embodied in the final demand for goods and services from 29 sectors with the energy demand required for the actual production process in each sector. Two different viewpoints for sectoral energy use have been presented: energy use is directly allocated to the producer entity, and energy use is reallocated to sector’s supply chain from consumption perspective. Our results show that considerable amount of energy use is embodied in the supply chain, especially for “Construction” and “Other Service Activities” sectors, which is not detected if energy use is allocated on a production basis. When further dividing embodied energy consumption into direct energy consumption and indirect energy consumption, total indirect energy consumption is much higher than that of total direct energy consumption, accounting for 80.6% of total embodied energy consumption in 2007. Our results provide a more holistic picture on sectoral energy consumption and therefore can help decision-makers make more appropriate policies. - Highlights: ► A hybrid IO-LCA model was employed to analyze China’s energy use at sectoral level. ► A case study on China’s sectoral energy consumption is done. ► Construction and service sectors are actually energy intensive from the supply chain perspectives. ► Upstream and downstream ectoral collaboration along the whole supply chain is necessary. ► Energy conservation policies should be based upon a comprehensive analysis on sectoral energy use.

  13. [Harassment in the public sector].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puech, Paloma; Pitcho, Benjamin

    2013-01-01

    The French Labour Code, which provides full protection against moral and sexual harassment, is not applicable to public sector workers. The public hospital is however not exempt from such behaviour, which could go unpunished. Public sector workers are therefore protected by the French General Civil Service Regulations and the penal code.

  14. Public-Private Partnerships in China’s Urban Water Sector

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mol, Arthur P. J.; Fu, Tao

    2008-01-01

    During the past decades, the traditional state monopoly in urban water management has been debated heavily, resulting in different forms and degrees of private sector involvement across the globe. Since the 1990s, China has also started experiments with new modes of urban water service management and governance in which the private sector is involved. It is premature to conclude whether the various forms of private sector involvement will successfully overcome the major problems (capital shortage, inefficient operation, and service quality) in China’s water sector. But at the same time, private sector involvement in water provisioning and waste water treatments seems to have become mainstream in transitional China. PMID:18256780

  15. Examining the Relationship between Perceived Organizational Support, Transfer of Training and Service Quality in the Malaysian Public Sector

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zumrah, Abdul Rahim

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: This study aims to investigate the relationships among perceived organizational support (POS), transfer of training outcomes to the workplace and service quality in the context of public sector organizations in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach: The data for this study have been collected from three sources, the employees of public…

  16. The implementation of computerized cognitive behavioural therapies in a service user-led, third sector self help clinic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cavanagh, Kate; Seccombe, Nick; Lidbetter, Nicky

    2011-07-01

    The efficacy and effectiveness of a computerized cognitive behavioural therapy (CCBT) package, Beating the Blues, has been demonstrated in a large randomized controlled trial and several pragmatic studies in the National Health Service (NHS). The current study tests the generalizability of this finding to the implementation of CCBT in a service user-led, third sector Self Help Clinic. 510 referrals for the Beating the Blues program were received over a 16 month period in routine care. The Patient Health Questionnaire Depression (PHQ-9) and Anxiety (GAD-7) Scales were administered pre-treatment and during each treatment session. The 10-item Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure (CORE-OM), Work and Social Adjustment Scale and Patient Experience Questionnaire were also administered pre-treatment and immediately on completing treatment. More than two-thirds of referrals were suitable for treatment and completed a baseline assessment; 84% of these started the Beating the Blues program. Two-hundred and twenty-six people meeting caseness criteria at baseline completed at least two sessions of CCBT. Of these, 50% met recovery criteria at their final point of measurement. Completer and intention-to-treat analysis also demonstrated statistically and clinically significant improvements on key outcome measures. CCBT can be effectively implemented in a service user-led, third sector Self Help Clinic, increasing access to psychological therapies to meet local needs for tier two interventions for depression and anxiety.

  17. Investigation on the Relationship owth of Agricultural Sector’s Growth with Growth of Industrial and Service Sectors (Commerce, Transportation, Telecommunication in Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    yaghoob zeraatkish

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Agriculture has always been considerd as one of the important sectors in domestic and international economy .Based on the Central Bank Statistics; agriculture’s share in the Iranian GDP at the constant price of the year 1998 was 13 percent of the GDP in the year 2007. Therefore, studies on the role of agriculture in an economy and its interactions with other economic sectors should be considered with a special attention. This paper aimed at surveying the effects of growth of value-added in agriculture on the value-added of different sectors of industry, services as well as subordinate sectors of transportation, communication and commerce. In this regard, the status of the period between 1967 to 2009 is used. To determine the relationship among the study variables, some econometric techniques such as VAR were used. The results of VAR technique proves that there is a positive relation among the growth of value-added in the agricultural sector with the growth of industrial sector and the growth of sub-sectors of communication, transportation and commerce. Among the mentioned sectors and sub-sectors, the growth of commerce has maximum effect on the agricultural growth. Furthermore, in the short term, the growth variant of trading sector presented the largest share in explaining the variants of the agriculture sector . The growth variant of communication sector is trivial

  18. Service Learning as a Transition into Foundation Field

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nancy P. Kropf

    2002-05-01

    Full Text Available Service learning is a pedagogical method to bridge classroom and community experiences for students. Although social work education has historically emphasized this connection through internship experiences, service learning can fill a different function within the curriculum. This article proposes a service learning experience to assist graduate students with the transition into their foundation field placement. Beneficial outcomes of using service learning as an educational bridge are discussed for students, faculty, and the social work program.

  19. Funding for universal service obligations in electricity sector: the case of green power development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Favard, P.; Mirabel, F.; Poudou, J.Ch.

    2002-07-01

    The process of deregulation in network industries, in particular in the electric sector, raises the problem of financing the Universal Service Obligations (USO) corresponding to the production, transport and distribution operations. In this paper, we study three ways of funding for an USO of production, especially the 'green' electricity development; the financing with cross-subsidies, the implementation of a fund (financing by a tax) and finally a voluntary funding system by direct subscriptions of consumers. We notably show that this last one Pareto dominates mostly, from a welfare point of view, the other scenarios. (authors)

  20. Third-order transfer matrices calculated for an electrostatic toroidal sector condenser including fringing-field effects

    CERN Document Server

    Mordik, S N

    2002-01-01

    The third-order transfer matrices are calculated for an electrostatic toroidal sector condenser using a rigorously conserved matrix method that implies the conservation of the beam phase volume at each step in the calculations. The transfer matrices (matrizants) obtained, include the fringing-field effect due to the stray fields. In the case of a rectangular distribution of the field components along the optical axis, the analytical expressions for all aberration coefficients, including the dispersion ones, are derived accurate to the third-order terms. In simulations of real fields with the stray field width other than zero, a smooth distribution of the field components is used for which similar aberration coefficients were calculated by means of the conserved numerical method . It has been found that for a smooth model, as the stray field width tends to zero, the aberration coefficients approach the corresponding aberration values in the rectangular model.

  1. Third-order transfer matrices calculated for an electrostatic toroidal sector condenser including fringing-field effects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mordik, S.N.; Ponomarev, A.G.

    2002-01-01

    The third-order transfer matrices are calculated for an electrostatic toroidal sector condenser using a rigorously conserved matrix method that implies the conservation of the beam phase volume at each step in the calculations. The transfer matrices (matrizants) obtained, include the fringing-field effect due to the stray fields. In the case of a rectangular distribution of the field components along the optical axis, the analytical expressions for all aberration coefficients, including the dispersion ones, are derived accurate to the third-order terms. In simulations of real fields with the stray field width other than zero, a smooth distribution of the field components is used for which similar aberration coefficients were calculated by means of the conserved numerical method . It has been found that for a smooth model, as the stray field width tends to zero, the aberration coefficients approach the corresponding aberration values in the rectangular model

  2. Divided care and the Third Way: user involvement in statutory and voluntary sector cancer services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tritter, J Q; Barley, V; Daykin, N; Evans, Simon; McNeill, Judith; Rimmer, James; Sanidas, M; Turton, Pat

    2003-07-01

    In health care, as in much of the public sphere, the voluntary sector is playing an increasingly large role in the funding, provision and delivery of services and nowhere is this more apparent than in cancer care. Simultaneously the growth of privatisation, marketisation and consumerism has engendered a rise in the promotion of 'user involvement' in health care. These changes in the organisation and delivery of health care, in part inspired by the 'Third Way' and the promotion of public and citizen participation, are particularly apparent in the British National Health Service. This paper presents initial findings from a three-year study of user involvement in cancer services. Using both case study and survey data, we explore the variation in the definition, aims, usefulness and mechanisms for involving users in the evaluation and development of cancer services across three Health Authorities in South West England. The findings have important implications for understanding shifts in power, autonomy and responsibility between patients, carers, clinicians and health service managers. The absence of any common definition of user involvement or its purpose underlines the limited trust between the different actors in the system and highlights the potentially negative impact of a Third Way health service.

  3. Managing customization in health care: a framework derived from the services sector literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minvielle, Etienne; Waelli, Mathias; Sicotte, Claude; Kimberly, John R

    2014-08-01

    Organizations that provide health services are increasingly in need of systems and approaches that will enable them to be more responsive to the needs and wishes of their clients. Two recent trends, namely, patient-centered care (PCC) and personalized medicine, are first steps in the customization of care. PCC shifts the focus away from the disease to the patient. Personalized medicine, which relies heavily on genetics, promises significant improvements in the quality of healthcare through the development of tailored and targeted drugs. We need to understand how these two trends can be related to customization in healthcare delivery and, because customization often entails extra costs, to define new business models. This article analyze how customization of the care process can be developed and managed in healthcare. Drawing on relevant literature from various services sectors, we have developed a framework for the implementation of customization by the hospital managers and caregivers involved in care pathways. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  4. The Relationship Between Organizational Culture and Organizational Commitment: An Empirical Research on Employees of Service Sector

    OpenAIRE

    Altin Gulova, Asena; Demirsoy, Ozge

    2012-01-01

    This study investigated the relationship between organizational culture and organizational commitment. Two different scales (Organizational Culture Scales and Organizational Commitment Scales) were used as data gathering instrument. The research was conducted on employees of service sector working in call center in the city of Kayseri and working in insurance company in İzmir (n=181). In this research correlation analysis was made to describe the link between subscales of organizational cultu...

  5. Industrial sector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ainul Hayati Daud; Hazmimi Kasim

    2010-01-01

    The industrial sector is categorized as related to among others, the provision of technical and engineering services, supply of products, testing and troubleshooting of parts, systems and industrial plants, quality control and assurance as well as manufacturing and processing. A total of 161 entities comprising 47 public agencies and 114 private companies were selected for the study in this sector. The majority of the public agencies, 87 %, operate in Peninsular Malaysia. The remainders were located in Sabah and Sarawak. The findings of the study on both public agencies and private companies are presented in subsequent sections of this chapter. (author)

  6. [University-external sector linkage: a managerial strategy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campos, Gilberto

    2004-06-01

    The University-External Sector vinculation is an increasing phenomenon in Latin America as in the rest of the world. The universities through its investigation processes actively participate in the creation and incorporation of science and technology to produce technological processes, to bring foreign technology into national reality, and also to create and transmit innovation for the productive sector. In those ways these institutions achieve bonds with the external sector which provide them with additional income and allows them to have certain relief for their tight teaching and investigation budgets. Several studies in university organizations have been made to identify the motivations and barriers for de adequate development of the interaction between the university and the external sector. The lack of vinculation between these institutions could be due in part to the lack of knowledge that the external sector has of the possibility to obtain services from the university, and also the lack of knowledge that the university has about the needs of potential users of their services. The goals achieved by public Venezuelan universities, in the last years, in their search of a vinculation with the external sector could grow and consolidate through an adequate strategic management plan that allows a mayor diffusion and promotion of the results of their investigations and services, to reach in a wider and more direct way, and to a greater number of potential clients.

  7. Experimental assessment of ecosystem services in agriculture

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sandhu, Harpinder; Porter, John Roy; Wratten, Steve

    2013-01-01

    Ecosystem services are the resources and processes supplied by natural ecosystems which benefit humankind (for example, pollination of crops by insects, or water filtration by wetlands). They underpin life on earth, provide major inputs to many economic sectors and support our lifestyles. Agricul......Ecosystem services are the resources and processes supplied by natural ecosystems which benefit humankind (for example, pollination of crops by insects, or water filtration by wetlands). They underpin life on earth, provide major inputs to many economic sectors and support our lifestyles....... Agricultural and urban areas are by far the largest users of ecosystems and their services and (for the first time) this book explores the role that ecosystem services play in these managed environments. The book also explores methods of evaluating ecosystem services, and discusses how these services can...... be maintained and enhanced in our farmlands and cities. This book will be useful to students and researchers from a variety of fields, including applied ecology, environmental economics, agriculture and forestry, and also to local and regional planners and policy makers....

  8. Achieving growth within the UK's Domestic Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Services sector, practitioner experiences and strategies moving forward

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gooding, Luke; Gul, Mehreen S.

    2017-01-01

    The adoption of the UK Green Deal policy provided an unprecedented change within the policy arena of domestic retrofit. Government financial support present within previous policy regimes was reduced and private industry was enlisted to provide finance, delivery mechanisms and management schemes for national domestic low carbon retrofit. Consequently, the Energy Efficiency Retrofit Services (EERS) sector needed to grow capacity and deliver retrofit at a larger scale. This research focuses on assessing the present EERS sector industry and its strategy to increase retrofit activity. This paper provides findings from on the ground interviews with UK EERS sector practitioners with relation to their experience of working with the Green Deal, and also their suggested strategies progressing forward now the Green Deal is no longer operational. Key findings suggest that UK EERS sector practitioners were unprepared to professionally deal with the expectation of the Green Deal, in terms of business administration and also dealing with the policy itself. Moving forward an emphasis is suggested which focused on training, to enable an increase in EERS sector capabilities, and to also enable an improvement of the quality and variety of work completed. Additionally, findings detail the requirement for enhanced communication between clients and policy administrators, to increase clarity in policy implementation and stakeholder expectation. - Highlights: • Assessment of Green Deal from supply chain perspective. • Highlighting of strategies utilised by retrofit practitioners to implement policy. • Indication of possible routes forward for domestic retrofit policy.

  9. Determinants of Shift Work impacting Job Satisfaction: A study on Service Sector Organizations in Pakistan

    OpenAIRE

    Wasim Abbas Awan

    2013-01-01

    This study aims to investigate the impact of determinants of shift work on job satisfaction in service sector organizations of Pakistan. History reveals that the invention of Thomas Edison brought the change in working environment and industrial revolution results in the birth of shift works. A great number of theories in Management are there to define Job satisfaction. All of them show the relationship between ability to perform and the productivity. In order to investigate their impact d...

  10. Improving the effectiveness of service delivery in the public healthcare sector: the case of ophthalmology services in Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foo, Chee Yoong; Lim, Ka Keat; Sivasampu, Sheamini; Dahian, Kamilah Binti; Goh, Pik Pin

    2015-08-28

    Rising demand of ophthalmology care is increasingly straining Malaysia's public healthcare sector due to its limited human and financial resources. Improving the effectiveness of ophthalmology service delivery can promote national policy goals of population health improvement and system sustainability. This study examined the performance variation of public ophthalmology service in Malaysia, estimated the potential output gain and investigated several factors that might explain the differential performance. Data for 2011 and 2012 on 36 ophthalmology centres operating in the Ministry of Health hospitals were used in this analysis. We first consulted a panel of ophthalmology service managers to understand the production of ophthalmology services and to verify the production model. We then assessed the relative performance of these centres using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Efficiency scores (ES) were decomposed into technical, scale, and congestion component. Potential increase in service output was estimated. Sensitivity analysis of model changes was performed and stability of the result was assessed using bootstrap approach. Second stage Tobit regression was conducted to determine if hospital type, availability of day services and population characteristics were related to the DEA scores. In 2011, 33% of the ophthalmology centres were found to have ES > 1 (mean ES = 1.10). Potential output gains were 10% (SE ± 2.92), 7.4% (SE ± 2.06), 6.9% (SE ± 1.97) if the centres could overcome their technical, scale and congestion inefficiencies. More centres moved to the performance frontier in 2012 (mean ES = 1.07), with lower potential output gain. The model used has good stability. Robustness checks show that the DEA correctly identified low performing centres. Being in state hospital was significantly associated with better performance. Using DEA to benchmarking service performance of ophthalmology care could provide insights for policy

  11. Determinants of Management Innovation in the Ghanaian Construction Consulting Sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    De-Graft Owusu-Manu

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Determinants of management innovation (MI within the Ghanaian construction consulting sector are examined. A sample of 70 consulting firms is surveyed using self-administered questionnaires. Data are analysed using descriptive statistics and factor analysis. Findings indicate that determinants of MI were interwoven among seven principal factors viz: community and market demands; financial and business management practices; human resource policies; creativity and organizational strategies; corporate social responsibility; prevailing conditions; and competitive leverage. The study adds to the discourse on evolution of innovation within the global consulting sector generally, while providing reference for practitioners and academics in the field with respect to MI determinants more specifically. It is envisaged that practitioners who adopt these findings in the construction consultancy sector would enhance their ability to provide innovative services to clients. Study recommendations include that future research should explore how innovation is diffused within consulting enterprises’ value chains. Paper Type: Research article

  12. Higgs Portal into Hidden Sectors

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN. Geneva

    2007-01-01

    Several attractive theoretical ideas suggest the existence of one or more 'hidden sectors' consisting of standard model singlet fields, some of which may not be too heavy. There is a profound reason to think that the Higgs sector might provide the first access to these hidden sectors. This scenario could affect Higgs phenomenology in drastic ways.

  13. Differences in public and private sector adoption of telemedicine: Indian case study for sectoral adoption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sood, Sanjay P; Negash, Solomon; Mbarika, Victor W A; Kifle, Mengistu; Prakash, Nupur

    2007-01-01

    Telemedicine is the use of communication networks to exchange medical information for providing healthcare services and medical education from one site to another. The application of telemedicine is more promising in economically developing countries with agrarian societies. The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) identifies three healthcare services: clinical medical services, health and medical education, and consumer health information. However, it is not clear how these services can be adopted by different sectors: public and private. This paper looks at four Indian case studies, two each in public and private sectors to understand two research questions: Are there differences in telemedicine adoption between public and private hospitals. If there are differences: What are the differences in telemedicine adoption between public and private sectors? Authors have used the extant literature in telemedicine and healthcare to frame theoretical background, describe the research setting, present the case studies, and provide discussion and conclusions about their findings. Authors believe that as India continues to develop its telemedicine infrastructures, especially with continued government support through subsidies to private telemedicine initiatives, its upward trend in healthcare will continue. This is expected to put India on the path to increase its life expectancy rates, especially for it rural community which constitute over 70% of its populace.

  14. Improving Outcomes in the Nigeria Healthcare Sector through Public ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    PPP) model in the Country's healthcare sector. Public - Private Interaction offers opportunity of leveraging private sector investment in the sector and further enhances improvements in service delivery as well as increases access to quality ...

  15. Towards a climate service for the Tunisian tourism industry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henia, Latifa; Hlaoui, Zouhaier

    2013-04-01

    Until today's Tunisia, there is little communication between generators of meteorological or climatological data and stakeholders in the tourism sector. However: - A recent survey shows that professionals in the tourism sector are aware of the importance of integrating relevant climate information in their tourism management and development strategies. - Tunisia has expertise in the field of meteorology and climatology which meets the demand of the tourism sector in relevant climate information. The program CLIM RUN has created a framework allowing the introduction of a climate service in the Tunisian tourism sector. It identified the needs of the sector in climate information as well as examined together with specialized services and trained researchers the possibility of responding to these needs. The "GREVACHOT" research unit based at the University of Tunis and partner of the CLIM RUN program has developed one of the products for which great demand was formulated by tourism stakeholders: this is climate-tourism comfort indices (ICT) at regional and local scales. We here present: - The Tunisian experience in identifying climate information needs of the tourism sector, - The approach method to the development, study, mapping of ICT and results.

  16. The impact of robotics on employment and motivation of employees in the service sector, with special reference to health care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qureshi, Mohammed Owais; Syed, Rumaiya Sajjad

    2014-12-01

    The economy is being lifted by the new concept of robotics, but we cannot be sure of all the possible benefits. At this early stage, it therefore becomes important to find out the possible benefits/limitations associated with robotics, so that the positives can be capitalized, established, and developed further for the employment and motivation of employees in the health care sector, for overall economic development. The negatives should also be further studied and mitigated. This study is an exploratory research, based on secondary data, such as books on topics related to robotics, websites, public websites of concerned departments for data and statistics, journals, newspapers and magazines, websites of health care providers, and different printed materials (brochures, etc). The impact of robotics has both positive and negative impacts on the employment and motivation of employees in the retail sector. So far, there has been no substantial research done into robotics, especially in the health care sector. Replacing employees with robots is an inevitable choice for organizations in the service sector, more so in the health care sector because of the challenging and sometimes unhealthy working environments, but, at the same time, the researchers propose that it should be done in a manner that helps in improving the employment and motivation of employees in this sector.

  17. TOURISM, TRADE, EXTERNALITIES, AND PUBLIC GOODS IN A THREE-SECTOR GROWTH MODEL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei-Bin Zhang

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to introduce tourism, externalities, and public goods to a small-open growth with endogenous wealth and public goods supply. We develop the model on the basis of the Solow-Uzawa growth model, the neoclassical neoclassical growth theory with externalities, and ideas from tourism economics. The economy consists of three – service, industrial, and public - sectors. The production side is based on the traditional growth theories, while the household behavior is described by an alternative utility function proposed by Zhang. We introduce endogenous land distribution between housing and supply of services. The industrial and service sectors are perfectly competitive subject to the government’s taxation. The public sector is financially supported by the government. We introduce taxes not only on producers, but also on consumers’ incomes from wage, land, and interest of wealth, consumption of goods and services, and housing. We simulate the motion of the national economy and show the existence of a unique stable equilibrium. We carry out comparative dynamic analysis with regard to the rate of interest in the global market, the total productivity of the service sector, tax rate on the service sector, tax rate on consumption of services, human capital, the propensity to consume services, and the impact of public services on the productivity of the industrial sector. The comparative dynamic analysis provides some important insights into the complexity of open economies with endogenous wealth, public goods, and externalities.

  18. RECOVERY STRATEGIES FOR SERVICE FAILURES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Budeanu Andreea

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Internationally, services represent the most important sector of the economy both in terms of economic performance and labor utilization. Becoming essential part of today society, they are considered the basis of a healthy economy, fact that has increased the importance of services and the research in the field.T hrough this work we intend to address a number of issues that require clarification and are relevant to this sector. Increased competition and customers higher demands lead to difficulties in service delivery, so managers of service organizations must work hard towards developing appropiate strategies that can lead to improved customers satisfaction and to increased efficiency. Because it is inevitably for service providers to face situations in which service failure occurs and their customers are not satisfied, understanding the nature of service failures and the ways in which an organization can recover after a failure are considered key factors for achieving customer satisfaction. Since the data suggests that over 50% of customers who are facing problems are not satisfied with the way they were resolved, we consider appropriate to approach this topic. We intend to draw attention to service providers to the importance of proper management of service failure. They can find ways to recover from these failures and even to turn them into some very pleasant situations that can contribute to customer loyalty. This paper begins by highlighting the various features specific to services which contribute to the increased chances of failure, it continues by presenting the concepts of service failure and service recovery and then it presents some links that exist between service recovery and other aspects of providing services that are demonstrated in the literature. We hope that this paper will significantly contribute to the knowledge and development of the sector under analysis and will highlight some practices that will lead to improved

  19. Open environmental data sets - prospect of co-operation between public and private sector in water quality monitoring. Final report of Water Quality Service for Lakes -project; Avoin ympaeristoetieto - yhteistyoen kehittaeminen vesistoejen seurannassa. Jaervien vedenlaatupalvelu -hankkeen loppuraportti

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anttila, S.; Broeckl, M.; Herlevi, A. (and others)

    2012-04-15

    Data sets collected by the public sector are common property and should be freely available. Effective usage of this open data is anticipated to create new information and services, but also to develop welfare for humans. Insufficient usage of public and open environmental data sets in the private sector has been recognized as a problem. Reasons for this can be found from the non-commercial nature of environmental data, the way it is collected and archived, but also from the strong role of public sector in this field. In the Water Quality Service for Lakes -project (Tekes, 2009-2012), we wanted to advance the utilization of the public data sets in the private sector, as well as to promote the co-operation between these two sectors. Starting point was to develop local research infrastructure in the way that collected information would be easily accessible to private companies. This was realized by creating a data base that gathers water quality information from several data sources and provides a standardized interface for the data utilization. In addition, project provided a variety of research results including a questionnaire survey targeted to the users of water quality information, and the methods to increase the accuracy of collected data and to create forecasts from it. A concrete result from the project was also the development of 'laymans' water quality measurement device named as Secchi3000. A digital camera installed in e.g. mobile phones can be used with Secchi3000 device to measure water quality of different natural waters. This new innovation has great potential in e.g. citizen based monitoring. The challenges and opportunities to create business based on the public environmental data were revolved in two work shops. In this publication the prospects of co-operation between public and private sector are discussed based on the results of the Water Quality Service for lakes -project. (orig.)

  20. BENCHMARKING - MANAGEMENT APPROACH FOR PUBLIC SERVICES BASED ON PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

    OpenAIRE

    Elena TUDOSE (IORGA)

    2013-01-01

    Objective assessment of the efficiency/effectiveness of an organization’s activity, based on realistic, measurable indicators, is a fundamental premise for successful strategic planning. Although traditionally associated with the business sector and the concept of economic productivity, benchmarking has become today an important tool used by public agencies in planning their activities and evaluating processes and outcomes. The public utility services sector is one of the fields that require ...

  1. The Kashagan Field: A Test Case for Kazakhstan's Governance of Its Oil and Gas Sector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Campaner, N.; Yenikeyeff, S.

    2008-01-01

    This study focuses on the factors behind Kazakhstan's decision to renegotiate the terms of the existing Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs) with International Oil Companies (IOCs), in the context of the development of the huge Kashagan oil field. The development of Kashagan, one of the largest and most recently discovered oil fields in Kazakhstan, is crucial for Kazakhstan's ambitions of becoming a global oil producer. Kazakhstan, which has the largest oil reserves in the Caspian Sea region, is the second largest regional producer after Russia in the former Soviet Union. The country's potential for oil exports is also strategically significant as a future source of non- OPEC supplies. Amongst the CIS states, Kazakhstan is considered one of the most open countries for foreign investments. International projects in the form of Joint Ventures, Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs) or exploration/field concessions have brought foreign investments into the country's natural resources sector, particularly in the oil and gas industry. However, new developments have recently taken place, which have marked a shift in the Kazakh government's approach towards foreign investment in its energy sector. This study will therefore examine the following issues: - Kazakhstan's plans to abandon the practice of attracting foreign investments in its energy sector through new PSAs. - The recent entry of state-controlled KazMunaiGaz into the consortium operating over the Kashagan field and its impact on IOCs. - The impact of high oil prices on the negotiating power of producer states in the context of Kazakhstan's new stance on PSAs. Specifically, this study will focus on the following key factors, which will seek to further explain the changes in Kazakhstan's attitude toward the Kashagan PSA2: - Operational factors - management of the project, development strategy, cost estimates, levels of production and export markets. - Consortium factors - the relative strength of the investment

  2. Funding for universal service obligations in electricity sector: the case of green power development

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Favard, P.; Mirabel, F.; Poudou, J.Ch

    2002-07-01

    The process of deregulation in network industries, in particular in the electric sector, raises the problem of financing the Universal Service Obligations (USO) corresponding to the production, transport and distribution operations. In this paper, we study three ways of funding for an USO of production, especially the 'green' electricity development; the financing with cross-subsidies, the implementation of a fund (financing by a tax) and finally a voluntary funding system by direct subscriptions of consumers. We notably show that this last one Pareto dominates mostly, from a welfare point of view, the other scenarios. (authors)

  3. Impacts of Regional Integration in Mercosur on the co-operative sector

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Historically, the cooperative sector in Latin America has contributed to job creation, and been a relevant provider of housing, consumer goods, marketing services, financial services, and other goods and services. Despite its significance, however, the sector has not been actively involved in the process of regional economic ...

  4. Facts 2010 - The Norwegian petroleum sector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2010-07-01

    The publication provides a general overview of information regarding the petroleum activities on the Norwegian continental shelf. Content; Foreword; The petroleum sector - Norway's largest industry; Organisation of Norwegian petroleum activity; Government petroleum revenues; Exploration activities; Development and operations; Norwegian gas exports; Decommissioning; Research, technology and industrial development; Environmental considerations in the Norwegian petroleum sector; Petroleum resources; Fields in production; Fields under development; Future developments; Fields where production has ceased; Pipelines and onshore facilities. (AG)

  5. ANALYSIS AND PERSPECTIVES OF PRIVATE POSTAL AND COURIER SERVICES IN ROMANIA DURING 2009-2015

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silviu Dorin GEORGESCU

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Services occupy an important role in a country’s economic development. At present, services sector is under a continuous change and diversification, for this reason theoretical and practical approaches are both difficult and controversial. Services have complex forms of manifestation, being involved in all compartments of economic and social life; have a heterogeneous character (Criveanu, 2009, p.13. The evaluation and measurement of postal services sector through some indicators, such as: the population occupied in this sector and its change in time; internal and international traffic of mail; degree of employees’ burden. The development of postal and courier sector during the period preceding 2009 was influenced by external factors such as the growth of the GDP, the development of niche segments, the ascending trend being a normal consequence of the evolution of the entire national economy. Although the field of postal services has felt the evolution of national economy and the effects of the economic crisis, the strategies adopted by private companies in this sector have demonstrated the necessity of knowing the market, its evolutions and perspectives. The present paper aims at analyzing the evolution of postal and courier services in Romania during 2009-2012, a period marked by the profound economic crisis which affected Romania and the European Union, as well as the perspectives regarding the number of employees in this sector within private companies in Romania during 2013-2015 using statistical methods to forecast the employed population in private companies in this sector.

  6. Service with a smile : service companies are enjoying unconventional gas boom

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lunan, D.

    2005-01-01

    This article presented financial information from Calgary Brokerage House Peters and Co. Ltd. relating to the growth of unconventional gas production in Canada. The long-lived, stable and low-decline resource is expected to offset some of the rapid reservoir decline many producers are experiencing in conventional operations. However, it is anticipated that service companies involved in well drilling, well stimulation and infrastructure needs of the unconventional gas sector will become more profitable than the operations. In an expansive research paper published late last year, the brokerage house also noted that 2004 marked the transition year for coalbed methane (CBM), as the concept moved from experimental to an increasingly important source of natural gas production. It was suggested that CBM activity could represent the biggest growth opportunity for the Canadian oil-field service sector. Companies using newer generations of coiled tubing drilling units were expected to have the greatest success, as the units are extremely agile and can often drill more than one well a day. A review of service companies was presented, with details of financial activities, including revenues, stock market information and economic forecasts. 4 figs

  7. Perspectives on User-Driven Innovation in Public Sector Services

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Langergaard, Luise Li

    2015-01-01

    of citizenship. Thus, we need to be aware of what different perspectives of user involvement imply for citizenship and collaborative innovation in the public sector. The chapter is based on a literature study and uses an empirical case as an example to illustrate and discuss differences in democratic......The chapter presents and discusses how we can conceptualize user involvement in the public sector, as well as users, in very different ways: As consumers, co-producers, lead users or citizens. One important question which is subsequently discussed, is what such different conceptualizations imply...... for citizenship understood in more traditional terms, i.e. defined by political deliberation and rights. This question is important because conceptualizations of users imply certain ideas about the public sector, state and society, which have political implications as well as implications for our understanding...

  8. Relationship between optical coherence tomography sector peripapillary angioflow-density and Octopus visual field cluster mean defect values.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gábor Holló

    Full Text Available To compare the relationship of Octopus perimeter cluster mean-defect (cluster MD values with the spatially corresponding optical coherence tomography (OCT sector peripapillary angioflow vessel-density (PAFD and sector retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT values.High quality PAFD and RNFLT images acquired on the same day with the Angiovue/RTVue-XR Avanti OCT (Optovue Inc., Fremont, USA on 1 eye of 27 stable early-to-moderate glaucoma, 22 medically controlled ocular hypertensive and 13 healthy participants were analyzed. Octopus G2 normal visual field test was made within 3 months from the imaging.Total peripapillary PAFD and RNFLT showed similar strong positive correlation with global mean sensitivity (r-values: 0.6710 and 0.6088, P<0.0001, and similar (P = 0.9614 strong negative correlation (r-values: -0.4462 and -0.4412, P≤0.004 with global MD. Both inferotemporal and superotemporal sector PAFD were significantly (≤0.039 lower in glaucoma than in the other groups. No significant difference between the corresponding inferotemporal and superotemporal parameters was seen. The coefficient of determination (R2 calculated for the relationship between inferotemporal sector PAFD and superotemporal cluster MD (0.5141, P<0.0001 was significantly greater than that between inferotemporal sector RNFLT and superotemporal cluster MD (0.2546, P = 0.0001. The R2 values calculated for the relationships between superotemporal sector PAFD and RNFLT, and inferotemporal cluster MD were similar (0.3747 and 0.4037, respectively, P<0.0001.In the current population the relationship between inferotemporal sector PAFD and superotemporal cluster MD was strong. It was stronger than that between inferotemporal sector RNFLT and superotemporal cluster MD. Further investigations are necessary to clarify if our results are valid for other populations and can be usefully applied for glaucoma research.

  9. Residual Fatigue Properties of Asphalt Pavement after Long-Term Field Service

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peide Cui

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Asphalt pavement is widely used for expressways due to its advantages of flexibility, low cost, and easy maintenance. However, pavement failures, including cracking, raveling, and potholes, will appear after long-term service. This research evaluated the residual fatigue properties of asphalt pavement after long-term field service. Fatigue behavior of specimens with different pavement failure types, traffic load, service time, and layers were collected and characterized. Results indicate that after long-term field service, surface layer has a longer fatigue life under small stress levels, but shorter fatigue life under large stress levels. Longer service time results in greater sensitivity to loading stress, while heavier traffic results in shorter fatigue life. Surface and underneath layers present very close fatigue trend lines in some areas, indicating that the fatigue behavior of asphalt mixture in surface and underneath layers are aged to the same extent after eight to ten years of field service.

  10. Work Motivation and Incentives in the Public Sector

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    R. Zoutenbier (Robin)

    2015-01-01

    markdownabstractThe public sector makes up for an important part of our economy. According to estimates by the OECD (2008) a large share of the labor force in OECD countries is employed by the public sector. These public sector workers provide a wide range of goods and services to the public.

  11. New Technologies to Assist Training in Hospitality Sector

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balta, Sabah

    2007-01-01

    Hospitality sector needs new technological training tools, which can assist to improve sector employees' skills and services quality. The sector might be more interactive when these technological training tools used on the job-training program. This study addresses to issue of illumination of new technologic tools that enforce training in which…

  12. Work-related threats and violence in human service sectors: The importance of the psycho-social work environment examined in a multilevel prospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andersen, Lars Peter; Hogh, Annie; Biering, Karin; Gadegaard, Charlotte Ann

    2018-01-01

    Threats and violence at work are major concerns for employees in many human service sectors. The prevention of work-related violence is a major challenge for employees and management. The purpose of this study was to identify prospective associations between psycho-social work environment and work-related threats and violence in four high risk human service sectors. Questionnaire data was collected from 3011 employees working at psychiatric wards, in the elder sector, in the Prison and Probation Service and at Special Schools. Associations between psycho-social work environment and work-related violence and threats were then studied using a one-year follow-up design and multilevel logistic regression analyses. The analyses showed that quantitative demands, high emotional demands, low level of influence over own work-situation, low predictability, low rewards at work, low role clarity, many role conflicts, many work-family conflicts and low organizational justice had statistically significant associations with high levels of work-related threats. Furthermore, high emotional demands, low predictability, low role clarity, many role conflicts, many work-family conflicts, low supervisor quality and low support from nearest supervisor had statistically significant associations with high levels of work-related violence. Finally, across the four sectors both similar and different associations between psycho-social work environment and work-related violence and threats were found. The results of the study underline the importance of including the psycho-social work environment as a supplement to existing violence prevention methods and interventions aimed at reducing work-related violence and threats.

  13. Facts 2011 - The Norwegian petroleum sector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2011-07-15

    The publication provides a general overview of information regarding the petroleum activities on the Norwegian continental shelf. Content; Foreword; The petroleum sector - Norway's largest industry; Organisation of Norwegian petroleum activity; Government petroleum revenues; Exploration activities; Development and operations; Norwegian gas exports; Decommissioning; Research, technology and industrial development; Environmental considerations in the Norwegian petroleum sector; Petroleum resources; Fields in production; Fields under development; Future developments; Fields where production has ceased; Pipelines and onshore facilities. (AG)

  14. Facts 2010 - The Norwegian petroleum sector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2010-07-01

    The publication provides a general overview of information regarding the petroleum activities on the Norwegian continental shelf. Content; Foreword; The petroleum sector - Norway's largest industry; Organisation of Norwegian petroleum activity; Government petroleum revenues; Exploration activities; Development and operations; Norwegian gas exports; Decommissioning; Research, technology and industrial development; Environmental considerations in the Norwegian petroleum sector; Petroleum resources; Fields in production; Fields under development; Future developments; Fields where production has ceased; Pipelines and onshore facilities. (AG)

  15. ICT and Web Technology Based Innovations in Education Sector

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sangeeta Namdev, Dhamdhere

    2012-01-01

    ICT made real magic and drastic changes in all service sectors along with higher education and library practices and services. The academic environment is changing from formal education to distance and online learning mode because of ICT. Web technology and mobile technology has made great impact on education sector. The role of Open Access,…

  16. Regional transport sector mitigation options

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou, Peter [EECG Consultants, Gaborone (Botswana)

    1998-10-01

    The rationale for conducting climate change mitigation studies in the transport sector is on the premise that: The transport sector is the second largest consumer of fossil fuels in the region; The regional transport sector is an area with high opportunity for infrastructural development under UNFCCC financial mechanism; The regional transport sector is crucial in the SADC region for trade and coupled with the Trade Protocol will play a major role in development hence the need to make it efficient in terms of energy demand and provision of services; The sector offers many mitigation options but with a challenge to evaluate their energy saving and GHG saving potential and yet there is need to quantify possible emission reduction for possible future emission trading. This is also a sector with potential to qualify for financing through Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) recently stipulated in the Kyoto Protocol. (au)

  17. Regional transport sector mitigation options

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, Peter

    1998-01-01

    The rationale for conducting climate change mitigation studies in the transport sector is on the premise that: The transport sector is the second largest consumer of fossil fuels in the region; The regional transport sector is an area with high opportunity for infrastructural development under UNFCCC financial mechanism; The regional transport sector is crucial in the SADC region for trade and coupled with the Trade Protocol will play a major role in development hence the need to make it efficient in terms of energy demand and provision of services; The sector offers many mitigation options but with a challenge to evaluate their energy saving and GHG saving potential and yet there is need to quantify possible emission reduction for possible future emission trading. This is also a sector with potential to qualify for financing through Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) recently stipulated in the Kyoto Protocol. (au)

  18. The Florida Ranchlands Environmental Services Project: Field Testing a Pay-for-Environmental-Services Program

    OpenAIRE

    Lynch, S.; Shabman, L.

    2007-01-01

    The Florida Ranchlands Environmental Services Project (FRESP) was recently launched, which will field test a program to complement the existing restoration programs such as the Lake Okeechobee Protection Plan (LOPP), which uses public funding to build treatment wetlands, drill aquifer storage, and capture rainwater (to delay its arrival downstream). FRESP will pay cattle ranchers to provide environmental services that will benefit the lake. PES-1 (Payments for Environmental Services Associ...

  19. in the health service sector – results of literature study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Irena Sobańska

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to provide a review of the existing literature related to the directions of change from thepoint of view of the influence that lean approach has for management and accounting in health care institutions.The article is an account of the content of the selected 19 papers (from more than 200 analyzed published in thefield within the period 1995–2013. The investigation of the literature was conducted in two basic perspectives:theoretical considerations and results of empirical research (case study, questionnaire survey.The method of literature analysis was applied for the realization of the aim formulated in the paper. Twogroups of articles were the object of the analysis: theoretical and presenting explanatory results of empiricalinvestigations.The lean approach, which originated in the motor industry (production factories, is fully suitable for use inhealthcare organizations operating in various cultural contexts, and for reforming national healthcare systems toincrease their efficiency. The spreading and adoption of the lean concept in the medical services sector has anevolutionary character, similarly to the earlier spread of lean in manufacturing industries.

  20. The role of hemifield sector analysis in multifocal visual evoked potential objective perimetry in the early detection of glaucomatous visual field defects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mousa MF

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Mohammad F Mousa,1 Robert P Cubbidge,2 Fatima Al-Mansouri,1 Abdulbari Bener3,41Department of Ophthalmology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; 2School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK; 3Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Department of Public Health, Weill Cornell Medical College, Doha, Qatar; 4Department Evidence for Population Health Unit, School of Epidemiology and Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UKObjective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a new analysis method of mfVEP objective perimetry in the early detection of glaucomatous visual field defects compared to the gold standard technique.Methods and patients: Three groups were tested in this study; normal controls (38 eyes, glaucoma patients (36 eyes, and glaucoma suspect patients (38 eyes. All subjects underwent two standard 24-2 visual field tests: one with the Humphrey Field Analyzer and a single mfVEP test in one session. Analysis of the mfVEP results was carried out using the new analysis ­protocol: the hemifield sector analysis protocol.Results: Analysis of the mfVEP showed that the signal to noise ratio (SNR difference between superior and inferior hemifields was statistically significant between the three groups (analysis of variance, P < 0.001 with a 95% confidence interval, 2.82, 2.89 for normal group; 2.25, 2.29 for glaucoma suspect group; 1.67, 1.73 for glaucoma group. The difference between superior and inferior hemifield sectors and hemi-rings was statistically significant in 11/11 pair of sectors and hemi-rings in the glaucoma patients group (t-test P < 0.001, statistically significant in 5/11 pairs of sectors and hemi-rings in the glaucoma suspect group (t-test P < 0.01, and only 1/11 pair was statistically significant (t-test P < 0.9. The sensitivity and specificity of the hemifield sector analysis protocol in detecting glaucoma was 97% and 86

  1. Issues affecting therapist workforce and service delivery in the disability sector in rural and remote New South Wales, Australia: perspectives of policy-makers, managers and senior therapists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veitch, Craig; Dew, Angela; Bulkeley, Kim; Lincoln, Michelle; Bundy, Anita; Gallego, Gisselle; Griffiths, Scott

    2012-01-01

    The disability sector encompasses a broad range of conditions and needs, including children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, people with acquired disabilities, and irreversible physical injuries. Allied health professionals (therapists), in the disability sector, work within government and funded or charitable non-government agencies, schools, communities, and private practice. This article reports the findings of a qualitative study of therapist workforce and service delivery in the disability sector in rural and remote New South Wales (NSW), Australia. The aim was to investigate issues of importance to policy-makers, managers and therapists providing services to people with disabilities in rural and remote areas. The project gathered information via semi-structured interviews with individuals and small groups. Head office and regional office policy-makers, along with managers and senior therapists in western NSW were invited to participate. Participants included 12 policy-makers, 28 managers and 10 senior therapists from NSW government agencies and non-government organisations (NGOs) involved in providing services and support to people with disabilities in the region. Information was synthesised prior to using constant comparative analysis within and across data sets to identify issues. Five broad themes resonated across participants' roles, locations and service settings: (1) challenges to implementing policy in rural and remote NSW; (2) the impact of geographic distribution of workforce and clients; (3) workforce issues - recruitment, support, workloads, retention; (4) equity and access issues for rural clients; and (5) the important role of the NGO sector in rural service delivery and support. Although commitment to providing best practice services was universal, policy-related information transfer between organisations and employees was inconsistent. Participants raised some workforce and service delivery issues that are similar to

  2. Can working with the private for-profit sector improve utilization of quality health services by the poor? A systematic review of the literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hanson Kara G

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background There has been a growing interest in the role of the private for-profit sector in health service provision in low- and middle-income countries. The private sector represents an important source of care for all socioeconomic groups, including the poorest and substantial concerns have been raised about the quality of care it provides. Interventions have been developed to address these technical failures and simultaneously take advantage of the potential for involving private providers to achieve public health goals. Limited information is available on the extent to which these interventions have successfully expanded access to quality health services for poor and disadvantaged populations. This paper addresses this knowledge gap by presenting the results of a systematic literature review on the effectiveness of working with private for-profit providers to reach the poor. Methods The search topic of the systematic literature review was the effectiveness of interventions working with the private for-profit sector to improve utilization of quality health services by the poor. Interventions included social marketing, use of vouchers, pre-packaging of drugs, franchising, training, regulation, accreditation and contracting-out. The search for published literature used a series of electronic databases including PubMed, Popline, HMIC and CabHealth Global Health. The search for grey and unpublished literature used documents available on the World Wide Web. We focused on studies which evaluated the impact of interventions on utilization and/or quality of services and which provided information on the socioeconomic status of the beneficiary populations. Results A total of 2483 references were retrieved, of which 52 qualified as impact evaluations. Data were available on the average socioeconomic status of recipient communities for 5 interventions, and on the distribution of benefits across socioeconomic groups for 5 interventions

  3. Can working with the private for-profit sector improve utilization of quality health services by the poor? A systematic review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patouillard, Edith; Goodman, Catherine A; Hanson, Kara G; Mills, Anne J

    2007-11-07

    There has been a growing interest in the role of the private for-profit sector in health service provision in low- and middle-income countries. The private sector represents an important source of care for all socioeconomic groups, including the poorest and substantial concerns have been raised about the quality of care it provides. Interventions have been developed to address these technical failures and simultaneously take advantage of the potential for involving private providers to achieve public health goals. Limited information is available on the extent to which these interventions have successfully expanded access to quality health services for poor and disadvantaged populations. This paper addresses this knowledge gap by presenting the results of a systematic literature review on the effectiveness of working with private for-profit providers to reach the poor. The search topic of the systematic literature review was the effectiveness of interventions working with the private for-profit sector to improve utilization of quality health services by the poor. Interventions included social marketing, use of vouchers, pre-packaging of drugs, franchising, training, regulation, accreditation and contracting-out. The search for published literature used a series of electronic databases including PubMed, Popline, HMIC and CabHealth Global Health. The search for grey and unpublished literature used documents available on the World Wide Web. We focused on studies which evaluated the impact of interventions on utilization and/or quality of services and which provided information on the socioeconomic status of the beneficiary populations. A total of 2483 references were retrieved, of which 52 qualified as impact evaluations. Data were available on the average socioeconomic status of recipient communities for 5 interventions, and on the distribution of benefits across socioeconomic groups for 5 interventions. Few studies provided evidence on the impact of private sector

  4. Can working with the private for-profit sector improve utilization of quality health services by the poor? A systematic review of the literature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patouillard, Edith; Goodman, Catherine A; Hanson, Kara G; Mills, Anne J

    2007-01-01

    Background There has been a growing interest in the role of the private for-profit sector in health service provision in low- and middle-income countries. The private sector represents an important source of care for all socioeconomic groups, including the poorest and substantial concerns have been raised about the quality of care it provides. Interventions have been developed to address these technical failures and simultaneously take advantage of the potential for involving private providers to achieve public health goals. Limited information is available on the extent to which these interventions have successfully expanded access to quality health services for poor and disadvantaged populations. This paper addresses this knowledge gap by presenting the results of a systematic literature review on the effectiveness of working with private for-profit providers to reach the poor. Methods The search topic of the systematic literature review was the effectiveness of interventions working with the private for-profit sector to improve utilization of quality health services by the poor. Interventions included social marketing, use of vouchers, pre-packaging of drugs, franchising, training, regulation, accreditation and contracting-out. The search for published literature used a series of electronic databases including PubMed, Popline, HMIC and CabHealth Global Health. The search for grey and unpublished literature used documents available on the World Wide Web. We focused on studies which evaluated the impact of interventions on utilization and/or quality of services and which provided information on the socioeconomic status of the beneficiary populations. Results A total of 2483 references were retrieved, of which 52 qualified as impact evaluations. Data were available on the average socioeconomic status of recipient communities for 5 interventions, and on the distribution of benefits across socioeconomic groups for 5 interventions. Conclusion Few studies provided

  5. Chiropractic practice in the Danish public health care sector

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Myburgh, Corrie

    2009-01-01

    This commentary offers preliminary considerations around a phenomenological investigation of chiropractic services in a Danish public sector setting. In this narrative description, the main venue for chiropractic public (secondary) sector practice in the Danish context is briefly described...... and defined. Furthermore, a contextually relevant definition of an integral health care service is presented; and the professional importance for chiropractic in providing such services is also discussed. Finally, salient questions requiring empirical investigation in this context are posed; and selected...

  6. Structure changes, the contribution of sectors, income per capita Indonesia in 1990 – 2014

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulina Harun

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Economic development is seen as a process of transition from one phase to another, from simple economic structure (agriculture to the modern economy structure. Economic development is characterized by changes in the structure of the agricultural sector into the modern sector. The changes affect all the matters related thereto. Therefore, a change or transformation of economic activity is referred to as a structural change. This study aims to analyze the structural changes in the national product, and the factors that cause changes in the structure and level of sectoral imbalances as a result of the structural changes. The study was conducted by using the economic sector, divided into four major groups, namely the primary, secondary, utilities and services from 1990 to 2014. Secondary data were collected by the method of sectoral trends, models Chanery Syrquin-Barua, Theil index. The results showed that the sectoral trend has a positive result such as utilities and services sectors, while the primary and secondary sectors tend to be negative. From the model Chenery, Syrquin-Barua shows the per capita income has a positive effect on the primary sector and the utilities, residents have positive effect on the secondary sector, utilities and services. Meanwhile dummy variable has a positive effect on the primary sector, secondary and services. Sectoral inequality occurs in the secondary sector.

  7. Identification the intangibles arising from investments in prevention of occupational risks and their perception in SMEs. Implications in the service sector and the servitization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Máximo Cortés

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Based on the concept of Intellectual Capital and the analysis of component elements, the study aims to identify potential intangibles arising from investments in prevention of occupational risks, analyzing if adequate preventive management helps to increase the value of the company, and establishing a comparative analysis of the industrial and service companies in order to observe specifications for each case. Besides the impact and implications arising thereon due to increased outsourcing and servitization processes in business are determined. Design/methodology: Analysis of the concept and components of Intellectual Capital, intangible generated on preventive action and indicators. Study of the relevant factors servitización and outsourcing, and implications with prevention. Empirical study: Initial study and further study. A comparative analysis considers their impact on the industrial sector relative to the service sector. Analysis of results and conclusions. Findings: This article determines if adequate preventive management helps to improve the image and increase the value of the company. The possible application of the components of Intellectual Capital with respect to intangibles generated in the prevention of occupational hazards is established, outlining the indicators to measure the generation of intangibles in preventive activities.Using both the initial and then further studies, the opinions and evaluation of entrepreneurs in Madrid can be assessed. A comparative analysis considers their impact on the industrial sector relative to the service sector, their particular characteristics, and the observed trend in the awareness of the benefits of prevention, in addition to establishing implications for the progressive increase servitization and outsourcing activities. Originality / Value: The paper provides information and interpretations which confirmed the importance of risk prevention as an intangible asset and a profitable

  8. Private Sector Contracting and Democratic Accountability

    Science.gov (United States)

    DiMartino, Catherine; Scott, Janelle

    2013-01-01

    Public officials are increasingly contracting with the private sector for a range of educational services. With much of the focus on private sector accountability on cost-effectiveness and student performance, less attention has been given to shifts in democratic accountability. Drawing on data from the state of New York, one of the most active…

  9. Public Sector and Europeanization Challenges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucica Matei

    2006-04-01

    Full Text Available The paper emphasises the role of the market-type mechanisms within the activity of the organisations from the public sector. The end of the 20th century was defined by the effects of the public sector reform. The public sector is placed within the cultural and political environment of each country and the reforms have aimed to redefine the structures of the state organisations in the economy and the relationships such as market-government, government-bureaucracy, government- citizens, bureaucracy-citizens, civil servants-politicians-citizens. The public sector reform, achieved at the managerial systems, organisational structures and regulations levels is accompanied by specific and structural reforms. Accepting the market-type mechanisms instead of bureaucratic mechanisms, meaning not the simple provision of public services but the creation of some governmental “actors”, functioning completely on commercial bases, supporting the development of the partnerships between the public and private sector, introducing privatisation is achieved in view of creating “the facilitating state”. We discuss about “facilities” such as citizens and society involvement in public businesses, making public administration more citizen-friendly and the state closer to the public need. The citizens’ involvement, as customers in the flow of the public service contributes to creating an organic ensemble characterised by two fundamental dimensions: level and type of influence of the customers and the private-public dichotomy. Synthesising, the relationships and market mechanisms enable to the public sector to get closer to the public needs and to create a modern administration based on efficiency, effectiveness and openness towards change.

  10. IoT Applications with 5G Connectivity in Medical Tourism Sector Management: Third-Party Service Scenarios.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Psiha, Maria M; Vlamos, Panayiotis

    2017-01-01

    5G is the next generation of mobile communication technology. Current generation of wireless technologies is being evolved toward 5G for better serving end users and transforming our society. Supported by 5G cloud technology, personal devices will extend their capabilities to various applications, supporting smart life. They will have significant role in health, medical tourism, security, safety, and social life applications. The next wave of mobile communication is to mobilize and automate industries and industry processes via Machine-Type Communication (MTC) and Internet of Things (IoT). The current key performance indicators for the 5G infrastructure for the fully connected society are sufficient to satisfy most of the technical requirements in the healthcare sector. Thus, 5G can be considered as a door opener for new possibilities and use cases, many of which are as yet unknown. In this paper we present heterogeneous use cases in medical tourism sector, based on 5G infrastructure technologies and third-party cloud services.

  11. On the algebraic theory of kink sectors: Application to quantum field theory models and collision theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schlingemann, D.

    1996-10-01

    Several two dimensional quantum field theory models have more than one vacuum state. An investigation of super selection sectors in two dimensions from an axiomatic point of view suggests that there should be also states, called soliton or kink states, which interpolate different vacua. Familiar quantum field theory models, for which the existence of kink states have been proven, are the Sine-Gordon and the φ 4 2 -model. In order to establish the existence of kink states for a larger class of models, we investigate the following question: Which are sufficient conditions a pair of vacuum states has to fulfill, such that an interpolating kink state can be constructed? We discuss the problem in the framework of algebraic quantum field theory which includes, for example, the P(φ) 2 -models. We identify a large class of vacuum states, including the vacua of the P(φ) 2 -models, the Yukawa 2 -like models and special types of Wess-Zumino models, for which there is a natural way to construct an interpolating kink state. In two space-time dimensions, massive particle states are kink states. We apply the Haag-Ruelle collision theory to kink sectors in order to analyze the asymptotic scattering states. We show that for special configurations of n kinks the scattering states describe n freely moving non interacting particles. (orig.)

  12. Protection of consumer rights in the field of economic services of general economic interest

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vasile Dinu

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Over the years, the demand for services of general interest and the manner they are provided have evolved significantly. Services that the state would traditionally provide in a direct form have been increasingly outsourced by national, regional and local authorities, and are now often provided by the private sector (with or without profit. This changed approach is driven by the processes of deregulation, the changes in government policies and the changing needs and expectations of users According to its European definition, a general interest service is a service that "public authorities classify as being general interest, and is subject to specific public service obligations". These services were identified as having a central role in the European model of society that the European Union has been built on, because they meet people’s basic needs.

  13. Sectoral Innovation Foresight. Wholesale and Retail Trade Sector. Final Report. Task 2

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Giesecke, S.; Schaper-Rinkel

    2010-01-01

    The internationalization, concentration and differentiation of retailing is challenging the traditional retail and wholesale sector organisation and its distribution structures that firms have employed to get goods and services to market. With the intensification of competition and speed of change

  14. Convergence of carbon dioxide emissions in different sectors in China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Juan; Zhang, Kezhong

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, we analyze differences in per capita carbon dioxide emissions from 1996 to 2010 in six sectors across 28 provinces in China and examine the σ-convergence, stochastic convergence and β-convergence of these emissions. We also investigate the factors that impact the convergence of per capita carbon dioxide emissions in each sector. The results show that per capita carbon dioxide emissions in all sectors converged across provinces from 1996 to 2010. Factors that impact the convergence of per capita carbon dioxide emissions in each sector vary: GDP (gross domestic product) per capita, industrialization process and population density impact convergence in the Industry sector, while GDP per capita and population density impact convergence in the Transportation, Storage, Postal, and Telecommunications Services sector. Aside from GDP per capita and population density, trade openness also impacts convergence in the Wholesale, Retail, Trade, and Catering Service sector. Population density is the only factor that impacts convergence in the Residential Consumption sector. - Highlights: • Analyze differences in CO 2 emissions in six sectors among 28 provinces in China. • Examine the convergence of CO 2 emissions in six sectors. • Investigate factors impact on convergence of CO 2 emissions in each sector. • Factors impact on convergence of per capita CO 2 emissions in each sector vary

  15. Terms of orientation on customer needs in the housing sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rozhentsova Irina

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Currently, the housing and utilities sector is one of the main sectors of the national economy of the Russian Federation, covering diversified industrial and technical complex, the need for products and services which are practically unlimited. Radical transformation carried out in the sector of housing and communal services (HCS, primarily associated with the formation of the new management model, which reflects the market relationship between the subjects and objects of management. The necessity of transition to new management models in housing and communal services is caused by the deregulation of the sector, separation of functions of owner, customer and producers, suppliers of housing and communal services, formation of private ownership of objects of housing and communal services. The relevance of the research topic is dictated by the low quality of management at all levels of the system of housing and communal services of Russia, insufficient knowledge of the specifics of management of the industry, as well as the need to develop ways to improve management efficiency, to ensure its exit from the crisis and further development. Development of system of housing and communal services becomes impossible without the use of new forms, methods of management of organizations. Consequently, the efficiency of management is relevant and very important problem, both for the theory and practice of management in this area of work.

  16. Innovative health service delivery models in low and middle income countries - what can we learn from the private sector?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattacharyya, Onil; Khor, Sara; McGahan, Anita; Dunne, David; Daar, Abdallah S; Singer, Peter A

    2010-07-15

    The poor in low and middle income countries have limited access to health services due to limited purchasing power, residence in underserved areas, and inadequate health literacy. This produces significant gaps in health care delivery among a population that has a disproportionately large burden of disease. They frequently use the private health sector, due to perceived or actual gaps in public services. A subset of private health organizations, some called social enterprises, have developed novel approaches to increase the availability, affordability and quality of health care services to the poor through innovative health service delivery models. This study aims to characterize these models and identify areas of innovation that have led to effective provision of care for the poor. An environmental scan of peer-reviewed and grey literature was conducted to select exemplars of innovation. A case series of organizations was then purposively sampled to maximize variation. These cases were examined using content analysis and constant comparison to characterize their strategies, focusing on business processes. After an initial sample of 46 studies, 10 case studies of exemplars were developed spanning different geography, disease areas and health service delivery models. These ten organizations had innovations in their marketing, financing, and operating strategies. These included approaches such a social marketing, cross-subsidy, high-volume, low cost models, and process reengineering. They tended to have a narrow clinical focus, which facilitates standardizing processes of care, and experimentation with novel delivery models. Despite being well-known, information on the social impact of these organizations was variable, with more data on availability and affordability and less on quality of care. These private sector organizations demonstrate a range of innovations in health service delivery that have the potential to better serve the poor's health needs and be

  17. Innovative health service delivery models in low and middle income countries - what can we learn from the private sector?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daar Abdallah S

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The poor in low and middle income countries have limited access to health services due to limited purchasing power, residence in underserved areas, and inadequate health literacy. This produces significant gaps in health care delivery among a population that has a disproportionately large burden of disease. They frequently use the private health sector, due to perceived or actual gaps in public services. A subset of private health organizations, some called social enterprises, have developed novel approaches to increase the availability, affordability and quality of health care services to the poor through innovative health service delivery models. This study aims to characterize these models and identify areas of innovation that have led to effective provision of care for the poor. Methods An environmental scan of peer-reviewed and grey literature was conducted to select exemplars of innovation. A case series of organizations was then purposively sampled to maximize variation. These cases were examined using content analysis and constant comparison to characterize their strategies, focusing on business processes. Results After an initial sample of 46 studies, 10 case studies of exemplars were developed spanning different geography, disease areas and health service delivery models. These ten organizations had innovations in their marketing, financing, and operating strategies. These included approaches such a social marketing, cross-subsidy, high-volume, low cost models, and process reengineering. They tended to have a narrow clinical focus, which facilitates standardizing processes of care, and experimentation with novel delivery models. Despite being well-known, information on the social impact of these organizations was variable, with more data on availability and affordability and less on quality of care. Conclusions These private sector organizations demonstrate a range of innovations in health service delivery that have

  18. Stakeholder perspectives of wood-pasture ecosystem services

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Garrido, Pablo; Elbakidze, Marine; Angelstam, Per

    2017-01-01

    respondents showed more appreciation for regulating and supporting services, which included biodiversity conservation and climate regulation. Private and public sector respondents appreciated provisioning services more, whereas the civil sector mentioned supporting and regulating services more. For instance......, water regulation was only mentioned by civil and public sector respondents, while genetic resource preservation was only expressed by the private sector. All sectors noted cultural services as key ES. We discuss most mentioned ES by respondents, the co-production nature of ES in wood-pastures, as well...... to describe stakeholders' appreciation of ES from dehesa landscapes in northern Extremadura, Spain. A total of 45 ES were mentioned, and compared among different sectors and levels of governance. At the local level, people appreciated especially provisioning and cultural services. In contrast, regional level...

  19. Technological change and salary variation in Mexican regions: Analyzing panel data for the service sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mario Camberos C.

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available In this paper Hypothesis Biased Technological Change is applied for Mexican workers services sector, belonging several Mexican regions. Economics Census microdata, 1998, 2003 and 2008 are used. Hypothesis is proved with technological gaps, under consideration of different index and result statistics consistency by taking account panel analysis. Mayor wages differences at 2008 year were find out between Capital region and South one, about five hundred percent on 1998 year; but it was lower on 2008, two hundred percent. This result is in correspondence with diminishing technological gap, perhaps caused by economic crisis impact.

  20. Sector retinitis pigmentosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Woerkom, Craig; Ferrucci, Steven

    2005-05-01

    Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is one of the most common hereditary retinal dystrophies and causes of visual impairment affecting all age groups. The reported incidence varies, but is considered to be between 1 in 3,000 to 1 in 7,000. Sector retinitis pigmentosa is an atypical form of RP that is characterized by regionalized areas of bone spicule pigmentation, usually in the inferior quadrants of the retina. A 57-year-old Hispanic man with a history of previously diagnosed retinitis pigmentosa came to the clinic with a longstanding symptom of decreased vision at night. Bone spicule pigmentation was found in the nasal and inferior quadrants in each eye. He demonstrated superior and temporal visual-field loss corresponding to the areas of the affected retina. Clinical measurements of visual-field loss, best-corrected visual acuity, and ophthalmoscopic appearance have remained stable during the five years the patient has been followed. Sector retinitis pigmentosa is an atypical form of RP that is characterized by bilateral pigmentary retinopathy, usually isolated to the inferior quadrants. The remainder of the retina appears clinically normal, although studies have found functional abnormalities in these areas as well. Sector RP is generally considered a stationary to slowly progressive disease, with subnormal electro-retinogram findings and visual-field defects corresponding to the involved retinal sectors. Management of RP is very difficult because there are no proven methods of treatment. Studies have shown 15,000 IU of vitamin A palmitate per day may slow the progression, though this result is controversial. Low vision rehabilitation, long wavelength pass filters, and pedigree counseling remain the mainstay of management.

  1. The politics of public sector change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harvey, Peter

    2003-05-01

    As the changes underpinning the Coordinated Care Trials in South Australia have become more apparent, similarities have emerged between the rationalisation of public schooling in the mid 1980s and the transformation of public health in the 1990s. This article aims to discuss the evolution of health services in South Australia and help us answer the question of how best to manage our public and private health infrastructure in a changing economic and social context. Both strategies in education and health share common elements of cost cutting, attempts at improving efficiencies, a flirting with the private sector and the attendant risk of reduced quality of services to the public. This situation in both sectors is indicative of a shift in public policy and a growth in the belief that private management of public sector infrastructure can help resolve the funding crises around our education and health systems.

  2. Spaces of care in the third sector: understanding the effects of professionalization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carey, Gemma; Braunack-Mayer, Annette; Barraket, Jo

    2009-11-01

    Increasingly the health and welfare needs of individuals and communities are being met by third sector, or not-for-profit, organizations. Since the 1980s third sector organizations have been subject to significant, sector-wide changes, such as the development of contractual funding and an increasing need to collaborate with governments and other sectors. In particular, the processes of 'professionalization' and 'bureaucratization' have received significant attention and are now well documented in third sector literature. These processes are often understood to create barriers between organizations and their community groups and neutralize alternative forms of service provision. In this article we provide a case study of an Australian third sector organization undergoing professionalization. The case study draws on ethnographic and qualitative interviews with staff and volunteers at a health-based third sector organization involved in service provision to marginalized community groups. We examine how professionalization alters organizational spaces and dynamics and conclude that professionalized third sector spaces may still be 'community' spaces where individuals may give and receive care and services. Moreover, we suggest that these community spaces hold potential for resisting the neutralizing effects of contracting.

  3. Sectoral analysis of the causal relationship between electricity consumption and real output in Pakistan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang, Chor Foon; Shahbaz, Muhammad

    2013-01-01

    This study uses the annual data from 1972 to 2010 to assess the causal relationship between electricity consumption and real output at the aggregate and sectoral levels in Pakistan. This study covers three main economic sectors in Pakistan namely agricultural, manufacturing and services sectors. Our cointegration results reveal that the variables are cointegrated at the aggregate and sectoral levels. At the aggregate level, we find that there is uni-directional Granger causality running from electricity consumption to real output in Pakistan. At the sectoral level, we find that electricity consumption Granger-causes real output in the manufacturing and services sectors. However, there is no causal relationship between electricity consumption and real output in the agricultural sector. The policy implication of these results is that electricity conservation policies in general would deteriorate the process of economic growth as well as the real output in the manufacturing and services sectors in Pakistan. Nevertheless, we suggest the Pakistani government to implement the electricity conservation policies merely to the agricultural sector because such policies may have less or no adverse impact on its real output. - Highlights: • We assess the electricity-growth nexus in Pakistan at the aggregate and sectoral levels. • The variables are cointegrated at both levels. • We find causality from electricity to output at the aggregate level and services. • We find neutral causality in the agricultural sector. • We find bi-directional causality in the manufacturing sector

  4. Economic Value of Agroecosystem Services within Wheat Fields in Khorasan Razavi Province

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    a Koocheki

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Due to its multifunctional nature agriculture play important roles in ecological processes such as carbon sequestration, flood control, groundwater recharge, nutrient cycling, and purifying water, soil and air in addition to providing food, feed and fiber. These cover almost all ecological services provided by natural ecosystems, including provisioning services, regulating services, supporting services and cultural services (MEA, 2005. Provisioning services are the products obtained from ecosystems, including food, fiber and fuel. Regulating services are the benefits arising from the regulation of ecosystem processes, such as climate regulation, water purification, pollination and the control of pests and diseases. Cultural services are the non-material benefits people obtain from ecosystems, as spiritual enrichment, recreation and aesthetic experiences. Supporting services are those services necessary for the production of all other ecosystem services, such as soil formation and nutrient cycling (Norris et al., 2010. However, most of these services are not recognized and their values are hidden to the society. On the other hand, unlike natural ecosystems that only produce positive ecological services, agro-ecosystems also contribute to some negative externalities e.g. emission of greenhouse gases, leaching of chemicals into soil and water resources and reduction of biodiversity that should be taken into account (Norris et al., 2010. Economic valuation of these services makes them attractive for the society and policymakers to pay more attention towards conservation of ecosystem services. In Iran, studies on ecosystem services are scared and in global scale researches are mainly focused on natural ecosystems. In this study the economic value of ecological services as well as negative environmental externalities of wheat fields were estimated in the Khorasan Razavi province. Materials and methods Information was extracted from

  5. Facilitators and barriers to participation of private sector health facilities in government-led schemes for maternity services in India: a qualitative study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yadav, Vikas; Kumar, Somesh; Balasubramaniam, Sudharsanam; Pallipamula, Suranjeen; Memon, Parvez; Singh, Dinesh; Bhargava, Saurabh; Sunil, Greeshma Ann; Sood, Bulbul

    2017-01-01

    Objective Despite provision of accreditation of private sector health providers in government-led schemes for maternity services in India, their participation has been low. This has led to an underutilisation of their presence, resources and expertise for providing quality maternal and newborn health services. This study explores the perception of various stakeholders on expectations, benefits, barriers and facilitators to private sector participation in government-led schemes—specifically Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)—for maternity service delivery. Design Narrative-based qualitative study. Face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted with study participants. The interviews were transcribed, translated and analysed using a reflexive and inductive approach to allow codes, categories and themes to emerge from within the data. Setting Private obstetricians, government health officials and FOGSI (Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecological Societies of India) members, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, India. Participants Eighteen purposefully selected private obstetricians from 9 cities across states of Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, 11 government health officials and 2 FOGSI members. Results The major factors serving as barriers to participation of private practitioners in JSY—which emerged on thematic analysis—were low reimbursement amounts, delayed reimbursements, process of interaction with the government and administrative issues, previous experiences and trust deficit, lack of clarity on the accreditation process and patient-level barriers. On the other hand, factors which were facilitators to participation of private practitioners were ease of process, better communication, branding, motivation of increasing clientele as well as satisfaction of doing social service. Conclusion Factors such as financial processes and administrative delays, mistrust between the stakeholders, ambiguity in processes, lack of transparency and lack of ease in the process of

  6. The General Agreement on Trade in Services

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francina Esteve García

    1995-07-01

    Full Text Available The conclusion of GATS and its inclusion as an annex in the constitutive Agreement of the World Trade Organization (WTO responds to the need for disposing of a stable juridical instrument which, given the current economic interdependence between States, can be applied to the international trade in services.One of the main new features of this agreement is its field of application given that it includes all service sectors (except those provided for in the name of governmental authorities and the four forms of carrying out trade in services and, as regards the principle of market access and that of national treatment, will be regulated according to those respective obligations which the Members have assumed.In exchange for not accepting the exclusion of any service sector, the negotiations concerning some fundamental sectors could not be totally closed and deadlines were extended in order to unblock the most controversial themes.One of the fundamental principles of the GATS is the most favoured nation clause of inconditional character but its consecration has been attenuated by the possibility of maintaining important exceptions in its application. The principle of transparency is also essential in the field of services, given that this sector is characterised by large public interventionism in access regulation and the exercise of the different economic activities which form it.The balance of the GATS is globally positive given that it includes a multilateral framework of principles and disciplines which is administered in the headquarters of the WTO, which have been accepted by a great majority of States within the international community and which remain subject to the WTO’s mechanism for the solution of differences.However, the opening of the market and the suppression of restrictions which derive from internal regulations have not been achieved given that, orientating itself around the objectives of national politics, liberalization is

  7. About Region 3's Laboratory and Field Services at EPA's Environmental Science Center

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mission & contact information for EPA Region 3's Laboratory and Field Services located at EPA's Environmental Science Center: the Office of Analytical Services and Quality Assurance & Field Inspection Program

  8. E-service quality: An investigation of its key dimensions and the discriminatory power in the residential property sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Justin Beneke

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Research Statement: With an increase in competition within the South African property sector, real estate agencies need to ensure that their channels are as effective as possible. Using the Internet and mobile technologies represents a new means to reach customers and achieve lower operating costs. This study seeks to ascertain which factors potential buyers consider important when perusing residential property in an online environment. Hence, the dimensions of e-service quality, which constitute their online experience, will be explored. In addition, this research explores buyer typologies and probes whether other forms of technology, such as a mobile interface, may be of commercial value to the realtor. Methodology: The empirical analysis was conducted by means of a quantitative survey. A questionnaire was designed to test the application of the e-service quality construct in the South African real-estate sector. Data was obtained from 300 respondents, across the age spectrum, who filled the criteria of being prospective buyers. Convenience sampling was primarily used to collect responses as the researchers were unable to obtain access to a specific database of listed property buyers. Results & Conclusion: As mirrored in other studies of this nature, it was found that trust is paramount when initiating property sales online. All other variables in the construct (site features, information, accessibility, communication, reliability, responsiveness and personalisation also proved significant. A cluster analysis revealed that older respondents preferred a higher level of support - across all attributes of e-service quality - when interacting with online property services. Lastly, the mobile interface appears to appeal to 'students' as well as 'mature workers'. It is surmised that these individuals have access to smart phones capable of being used for accessing property portals. However, the 'young workers' appear less enthusiastic about the

  9. Modern Approaches of the Banking Services in Knowledge Based Economy

    OpenAIRE

    Andreea ZAMFIR

    2007-01-01

    Nowadays, the unprecedented development of the information and communication technologies generates profound and irreversible changes of the entire society. Because of its specific characteristic features, the banking services’ field is one of the most dynamic sectors in the economy. Therefore, the paper presents some issues regarding the development of the electronic banking services and the importance of the creativity and innovation of banking services. The success factors in banking servi...

  10. BUSINESS ACCEPTANCE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES: AN STUDY OF THE SERVICE SECTOR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria José Martín De Hoyos

    2007-05-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to analyse the level of development reached by some Information and Communication Technologies (ICT such as web pages, e-mail, EDI, and business management software in the business world. To this end, we have concentrated on the business behaviour of the service sector. Nevertheless, the technological development demanded changes depending on the activity of the firm, so the mediator effect of the industry has been tested in the process of acceptance of innovations. Our results show the technology acceptance process is influenced by the perception of both the usefulness and the ease of use of such innovation. Moreover, the industry effect mediates the technological behaviour of the firm; meanwhile, if the firms performs a “traditional activity”, there are less incentives to implement the innovation.

  11. Improving Outcomes in the Nigeria Healthcare Sector through Public ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Nigeria's healthcare sector over the years has continued to degenerate with health indicators ... in service delivery as well as increases access to quality healthcare. ... Key words: Nigeria, Healthcare Sector, Health Outcomes, Health Indicators, ...

  12. Blood banking services in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sardana, V N

    1996-01-01

    India's health care sector has made impressive strides toward providing health for all by the year 2000. That progress, however, has not been supported by a modern transfusion services network which continues to improve itself. In India, blood collection, storage, and delivery occur mainly in blood banks attached to hospitals, most of which are under central and state government controls. A significant portion of blood banking activity is also done by voluntary agencies and private sector blood banks. A study found the blood transfusion services infrastructure to be highly decentralized and lacking of many critical resources; an overall shortage of blood, especially from volunteer donors; limited and erratic testing facilities; an extremely limited blood component production/availability/use; and a shortage of health care professionals in the field of transfusion services. Infrastructural modernization and the technical upgrading of skills in the blood banks would, however, provide India with a dynamic transfusion services network. The safety of blood transfusion, the national blood safety program, HIV testing facilities, modernization of blood banks, the rational use of blood, program management, manpower development, the legal framework, voluntary blood donation, and a 1996 Supreme Court judgement on the need to focus greater attention upon the blood program are discussed.

  13. Mergers & Acquisitions in India: A sectoral analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Priya Bhalla

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Globalization, deregulation and technological improvements have resulted in increase in M&A across the globe. There is enormous literature existing in the advanced economies. However, very little information is available regarding M&A in India. Various sectors have witnessed differential involvement in M&A activity indicating higher participation by some. Particularly, certain sectors such as financial services and pharmaceuticals demonstrate higher M&A activity. To emphasise differential importance of sectors in M&A activity, it is necessary to conduct a sector-wise analysis. Accordingly, this study attempts to investigate the differential representation of various sectors in M&A. Further, it explores the role played by India in the rising global M&A activity. In light of this, it specifies the factors driving consolidation in the financial sector globally.

  14. Product-Service System Design Approach for the Base of the Pyramid Markets : Practical Evidence from the Energy Sector in the Brazilian Context

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Da Costa Junior, J.; Diehl, J.C.

    2013-01-01

    In Emerging Markets, the product-service system (PSS) design approach may represent a promising solution as a socially and environmentally sound path to economic development. In addition, the energy sector has a major role for the social-economic development and is central to poverty alleviation.

  15. Sectoral innovation foresight. Biotechnology sector. Final Reeport. Task 2

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Valk, T. van der; Gijsbers, G.W.; Meis, M.

    2010-01-01

    Biotechnology has evolved from a single set of technologies in the mid 1970s (e.g. recombinant DNA technology) into the full grown economic activity of today. The set of technologies that constitute the field of biotechnology thus find their applications in different sectors, most notably in

  16. MEASURING CONSUMER-BASED BRAND EQUITY - EVIDENCE FROM ALBANIAN BANKING SECTOR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shpëtim ÇERRI

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Today brands and branding have gained a lot of attention among academics and practitioners as well, since they are considered crucial for the success of a company. The branding literature, however, has been more focused on goods branding, relatively neglecting the services branding. Branding equity in services, as an important concept of services branding, also has not received the deserved attention from academics and services companies’ managers.The study aims to measure the brand equity in services sector, since brand equity is very important for monitoring of the health of services brands. It has been focused in the banking sector, a well-developed and consolidated sector which employs hundreds of individuals and has a very important role in Albanian economy. Nine banks, which make up more than 98 per cent of the domestic market in banking services (according to the official data of the Bank of Albania, were chosen to be included in the study. 250 bank customers were interviewed, using direct interviews. After an extensive literature review about the branding and services branding, seven measures were chosen and used to measure the services brand equity. The findings of the study gave interesting insights about services branding equity and services branding in general. It has important and useful implications for banks’ managers as well as for academics.

  17. DIAGNOSIS OF TICS IN THE SMALLS OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS POTOSÍ IN THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE SECTOR FOR THE DISSEMINATION OF ITS SERVICES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dubelza B. Oliva-Garza

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available In recent years information and communication technologies are present in all sectors of our lives and the food and drink sector is no exception, so a diagnosis was made in this area in small and medium enterprises in the city of San Luis Potosí in the areas for the management and dissemination of their services, as they are currently at a disadvantage in front of large restaurant chains that have mobile applications, web pages and other applications. The research design applied is descriptive. Thirty-two MSMEs from the food and beverage sector in the city of San Luis Potosí were affiliated with the National Chamber of the restaurant and food industry (Canirac. The variables that were taken into consideration are: Use of computer equipment, ICT specialists, Internet access and use, Social Media, Electronic Commerce. The study found that most SMEs in the restaurant sector, use the social network Facebook as a means of disseminating services and promotions, However, they do not use all the potential that the social tool provides them, due to the lack of knowledge and lack of preparation to interact better with their customers and suppliers. In addition, most of the sample has the need to advertise through electronic means, through mobile phone applications.

  18. QUANTIFYING BARRIERS TO TRADE IN SERVICES THROUGHCOMMERCIAL PRESENCE: SELECTED SERVICES IN MALAYSIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nirwan Noh

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available The services sector in Malaysia is slowlyliberalising in terms of equityownership. However, trade and investment barriers in the services sector aredifficult to measure since it is not easily quantifiable. Previous studies weremainly macro-level, multi-country cross-sectional assessments while there are nocountry level studies over time. This paper has two objectives. The first is tomeasure barriers to trade in services carried out through commercial presence(Mode 3 in Malaysia in several industries over time. The second objective is toassess the policy implications of the measurement obtained.Based on availabledata, the industries covered in this study include communications, construction,distribution, higher education, financial, healthcare, tourism and transportationand logistics services from 2001-2010.This assessment is important asMalaysiahopes to attract more foreign direct investment (FDI intoitsservices sector.Information is gathered throughsurveys, focus group discussions andcontentanalysis ofsecondary sources.Restrictive policies on FDI aretransformed intoanindex to measure the extent of liberalisation for each subsector.Based on theindex, it can be seen that theliberalisationprocessis still slow. To facilitatefurther progress inliberalising the services sector, it is important toliberalisebarriersbeyond mere equityownership.

  19. 5 CFR 300.503 - Conditions for using private sector temporaries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Conditions for using private sector... REGULATIONS EMPLOYMENT (GENERAL) Use of Private Sector Temporaries § 300.503 Conditions for using private... help service firm for the brief or intermittent use of the skills of private sector temporaries, when...

  20. Superselection sectors in low dimensional quantum field theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fredenhagen, K.

    1992-09-01

    The occurence of braid group statistics in low dimensions is reviewed, and an extension of the general theory to solitonic sectors is described where the DHR endomorphisms are replaced by homomorphisms between different extensions of the algebra of observables. (orig.)

  1. [Mechanisms of articulation between the informal and the formal urban sectors].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lomnitz, L

    1978-01-01

    This article utilizes field data from Mexico City squatter settlements and personal interviews with employers to analyze some aspects of social relations between the informal sector and the formal urban sector, and compares the results with findings of other anthropologists in Mexico and elsewhere to derive a series of theoretical generalizations concerning mechanisms of articulation between the marginal sector and the formal economic and political institutions of the society. The formal sector is postulated to consist of the 3 subsectors of power, capital, and labor, which are in permanent conflict among themselves but all of which enjoy labor security and an assured minimal level of income. The marginal or informal sector lacks employment security, a minimal income level, and bargaining power. It is characterized by a small scale economy utilizing intensive familial labor. The informal sector is marginal to the dominant industrial system of production and the state apparatus, although it fulfills functions in terms of the national economy. 2 types of relationships may be distinguished in the social organization of the marginal sector: reciprocal relations between equals which form a network for the exchange of goods and services, or patron/client relations which are used, for example, in the case of petty entrepreneurs utilizing their relatives and acquaintances to create units of production. The functions of reciprocal relations are affected by social, physical, economic, and psychosocial distance or proximity and may result in exchanges of information, labor assistance, loans, services, or moral support. Patron/client relations may be direct, or the "patron" may be an intermediary. Some reciprocal networks display a pattern of incipient asymmetry leading to formation of true patron/client ties and some petty entrepreneurs or intermediaries manage to develop true patron/client networks; case histories are used to illustrate both phenomena. Intermediaries

  2. What are the barriers and facilitators for third sector organisations (non-profits) to evaluate their services? A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bach-Mortensen, Anders Malthe; Montgomery, Paul

    2018-01-22

    The third sector is becoming a more common provider of social and health services, but little is known about how third sector organisations (TSOs) evaluate their activities. Past research has reported that the third sector is under increasing pressure to evaluate its impact and performance by government and other commissioning bodies. However, in responding to this increased pressure to undertake evaluation, research suggests that many TSOs struggle to evaluate their activities following the principles of evidence-based practice (EBP). Yet, there has been no systematic effort to investigate why the third sector is struggling to provide good quality evidence of its effects. This systematic review is reported following the PRISMA guidelines. Ten interdisciplinary databases were searched using a search string developed following best practice and in consultation with an information systems expert. Included studies were primary research of any research design investigating barriers to and facilitators of the evaluation process of TSOs as identified by practitioners. All studies were quality appraised, and the results were synthesised as a thematic summary. Twenty-four studies were included, which mainly investigated TSOs working within health and social services. The thematic summary identified the main barriers for TSOs to undertake evaluation to be related to the (1) lack of financial resources, (2) lack of technical capability and evaluation literacy and (3) challenges around identifying relevant evaluation systems and outcome indicators. Key facilitating factors involved (1) getting the appropriate support, (2) having an organisational culture that supports evaluation and (3) the motivation to be accountable to stakeholders. These findings were robust to study quality. This review constitutes the first systematic effort to synthesise existing literature on factors supporting and preventing evaluation by TSOs. The prevalence of factors revolving around the lack of

  3. Smart grids and the transformation of the electricity sector: ICT firms as potential catalysts for sectoral change

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Erlinghagen, Sabine; Markard, Jochen

    2012-01-01

    The sustainability challenges associated with increasing demand and generation of electricity require a far-reaching transformation of the energy system. Smart grid technologies are expected to play a major role in such sectoral transformation. While a growing body of literature is concerned with the dynamics and particularities of sectoral transformation, most contributions have focused on exogenous shocks or new technological developments as drivers of change. This paper complements the existing perspectives by exploring the role of actors as catalysts for transformation. Within the field of smart grid, we study the transformative influence of ICT firms on the energy sector in Europe. More specifically, we analyze actor participation in 450 European smart grid projects between 2000 and 2011 as well as acquisitions in the field. We find that incumbent firms from the ICT sector have gained influence and drive transformation through the creation of variety, in terms of technology, business models and value chains. As a strategic reaction, electricity sector incumbents have recently acquired many start-ups specialized in ICT technology and thus expanded their competence base. We conclude that entrants from another sector can be important catalysts for sectoral transformation and should be analyzed more systematically in transition studies. - Highlight: ► Entrants from adjacent sectors are important catalysts for sectoral transformation. ► We provide a socio-technical systems perspective on smart grid. ► We analyze actor participation in smart grid projects in Europe 2000–2011. ► ICT firms drive transformation towards a smarter grid.

  4. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL EFFICIENCY. CUSTOMIZE ON HEALTHCARE SECTOR

    OpenAIRE

    CLAUDIU CICEA

    2011-01-01

    Efficiency in health service sector is very important because the health sector is a major consumer of resources (especially financial). In this paper the author aims to analyze the efficiency in a social sector (healthcare system) based on cost-benefit analysis.

  5. Role and services of the Nuclear Energy Unit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmad Tajuddin bin Ali

    1985-01-01

    This article contains the research and development activities planned to be undertaken, and the services to be provided by the Nuclear Energy Unit. The fields of research have been selected to aid the development in the use of Nuclear Science and Technology, whilst the proposed services are geared towards widening the use to this technology in socio-economic development. Objectives in the research fields have been identified following a number of consultations with IAEA, foreign and local experts, and involved careful study of local requirements. The services provided will cater for all, especially institutions involved in nuclear technology both from the public and private sectors. This effort is in line with the role of the Unit as the national promoter and coordinator in the utilization of nuclear technology in the country

  6. Supplier relationship management – anathema for the South African public procurement sector

    OpenAIRE

    Micheline J. Naude; Intaher M. Ambe; René Kling

    2013-01-01

    The public sector is recognised as being one of the most important customer groups for many suppliers and service providers because of the volume of public expenditure. Supplier relationship management (SRM) is a necessary tool on which businesses in the public and private sectors rely. However, in the South African public sector, despite the intention to boost service delivery through efficient and effective supplier-management processes, the development of sound supplier relationships is a ...

  7. The Kashagan Field: A Test Case for Kazakhstan's Governance of Its Oil and Gas Sector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Campaner, N.; Yenikeyeff, S.

    2008-07-01

    This study focuses on the factors behind Kazakhstan's decision to renegotiate the terms of the existing Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs) with International Oil Companies (IOCs), in the context of the development of the huge Kashagan oil field. The development of Kashagan, one of the largest and most recently discovered oil fields in Kazakhstan, is crucial for Kazakhstan's ambitions of becoming a global oil producer. Kazakhstan, which has the largest oil reserves in the Caspian Sea region, is the second largest regional producer after Russia in the former Soviet Union. The country's potential for oil exports is also strategically significant as a future source of non- OPEC supplies. Amongst the CIS states, Kazakhstan is considered one of the most open countries for foreign investments. International projects in the form of Joint Ventures, Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs) or exploration/field concessions have brought foreign investments into the country's natural resources sector, particularly in the oil and gas industry. However, new developments have recently taken place, which have marked a shift in the Kazakh government's approach towards foreign investment in its energy sector. This study will therefore examine the following issues: - Kazakhstan's plans to abandon the practice of attracting foreign investments in its energy sector through new PSAs. - The recent entry of state-controlled KazMunaiGaz into the consortium operating over the Kashagan field and its impact on IOCs. - The impact of high oil prices on the negotiating power of producer states in the context of Kazakhstan's new stance on PSAs. Specifically, this study will focus on the following key factors, which will seek to further explain the changes in Kazakhstan's attitude toward the Kashagan PSA2: - Operational factors - management of the project, development strategy, cost estimates, levels of production and export markets. - Consortium factors - the

  8. Coverage of private sector community midwife services in rural Punjab, Pakistan: development and demand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mumtaz, Zubia; Levay, Adrienne V; Jhangri, Gian S; Bhatti, Afshan

    2015-11-25

    In 2007, the Government of Pakistan introduced a new cadre of community midwives (CMWs) to address low skilled birth attendance rates in rural areas; this workforce is located in the private-sector. There are concerns about the effectiveness of the programme for increasing skilled birth attendance as previous experience from private-sector programmes has been sub-optimal. Indonesia first promoted private sector midwifery care, but the initiative failed to provide universal coverage and reduce maternal mortality rates. A clustered, stratified survey was conducted in the districts of Jhelum and Layyah, Punjab. A total of 1,457 women who gave birth in the 2 years prior to the survey were interviewed. χ(2) analyses were performed to assess variation in coverage of maternal health services between the two districts. Logistic regression models were developed to explore whether differentials in coverage between the two districts could be explained by differential levels of development and demand for skilled birth attendance. Mean cost of childbirth care by type of provider was also calculated. Overall, 7.9% of women surveyed reported a CMW-attended birth. Women in Jhelum were six times more likely to report a CMW-attended birth than women in Layyah. The mean cost of a CMW-attended birth compared favourably with a dai-attended birth. The CMWs were, however, having difficulty garnering community trust. The majority of women, when asked why they had not sought care from their neighbourhood CMW, cited a lack of trust in CMWs' competency and that they wanted a different provider. The CMWs have yet to emerge as a significant maternity care provider in rural Punjab. Levels of overall community development determined uptake and hence coverage of CMW care. The CMWs were able to insert themselves into the maternal health marketplace in Jhelum because of an existing demand. A lower demand in Layyah meant there was less 'space' for the CMWs to enter the market. To ensure universal

  9. Miniguide. Energy efficiency in the public sector; Mini-Wegweiser. Energieeffizienz im oeffentlichen Sektor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kaminski, Birgit; Joest, Steffen; Grimm, Nadia (comps.)

    2010-12-15

    The public sector faces a big challenge if it wants to fulfill its tasks in spite of tight budgets and increasing costs. The focus is on high energy costs and the challenging targets for energy efficiency and climate protection. The contribution under consideration presents a selection of the successfully implemented public projects for energy efficiency as well as an overview on key fields of activity and specific services for decision makers in territorial authorities and public institutions.

  10. [Central purchasing bodies and spending review in health sector].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spampinato, Luigi

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to analyze the new model of centralization of purchases in Italy after the approval of the 2016 Stability Law, with particular reference to the health sector. In fact, the spending review process in Italy in the health sector has had a strong evolution with the 2016 Stability Law, which has introduced the obligation for the institutions of the National Health Service to obtain supplies, exclusively, from aggregators subjects, for certain product categories of the health sector. The legislature, over the years, was mainly characterized by measures to reduce the spending limits for purchases of goods and services or by resetting the fees, including the provision of an obligation for the renegotiation of health goods and services contracts, in order to ensure the effective implementation of the expenditure rationalization by aggregation of goods and services. From 2016, the legislature has provided an innovative model of centralization of purchases based on a new network governance model on several levels, national and regional, which should ensure an efficiency of procurement processes. The proper functioning of the governance model adopted can be an important driver of economic policy in order to understand that it is important not only to spend less, but to spend better. This can be realized in the public administration with a strong innovation process in this administration and also with a strong investment in skills, in order to ensure the same service quality throughout the national territory to the health sector.

  11. Internal Affairs Sector: Towards a new Law on Police

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Radivojević Nenad P.

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available By establishing the Inspector General's Service within the Department of Public Safety in 2001, Serbia became one of the countries that have institutionalized internal control of the police. By the adoption of the Law on Police in 2005, the name of the Service was renamed in the Internal Affairs Sector. Ten years of work of the Internal Affairs Sector revealed the existence of certain problems because of a inadequate and not complete legal framework. That was, among other, the reason for initiating the adoption of the new Law on Police. This paper presents solutions of the Draft Law on Police, in part related to the work of the Sector. The Draft contains some new solutions that could improve the efficiency of the Sector, but some doubts and uncertainties still remain, that will also be explained in this paper.

  12. Organizational Aspects of Innovative Paper Digitization and E-Invoicing Services in the Public Sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nunzio Casalino

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The article tries to describe a model of analysis to evaluate and measure real benefits and organizational effects arising from the process of paper digitization and e-invoicing for the Italian Public Administrations. The analysis is focused also on the interaction between citizens, professionals, companies and the Italian public administrations. The approach at the basis of the investigation highlights several critical traits of the digitization activity and delivers an analysis that displays how those difficulties brought forward by motivational and involvement factors. The digital transformation in the Public sector can give several opportunities from the organizational point of view, but at the same time can propose some complex difficulties for the delivering of effective services and for the innovation development.

  13. Communication, Community, and Disconnection: Pre-Service Teachers in Virtual School Field Experiences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkens, Christian; Eckdahl, Kelli; Morone, Mike; Cook, Vicki; Giblin, Thomas; Coon, Joshua

    2014-01-01

    This study examined the experiences of 11 graduate-level pre-service teachers completing Virtual School Field Experiences (VSFEs) with cooperating teachers in fully online, asynchronous high school courses in New York State. The VSFEs included a 7-week online teacher training course, and a 7-week online field experience. Pre-service teachers…

  14. International Outsourcing and Productivity in Italian Manufacturing Sectors

    OpenAIRE

    Lo Turco Alessia

    2007-01-01

    This paper estimates the effect of international outsourcing of materials and services on productivity in Italian manufacturing sectors during the period 1985-1997. Three different measures of outsourcing are used. Firstly, a "narrow" measure of outsourcing is calculated as the intensity of intermediate inputs that each sector imports from the same sector abroad. Secondly, a "broad" measure of outsourcing of materials is calculated as the intensity of materials imported from non-energy manufa...

  15. Third sector primary health care in New Zealand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crampton, P; Dowell, A C; Bowers, S

    2000-03-24

    To describe key organisational characteristics of selected third sector (non-profit and non-government) primary health care organisations. Data were collected, in 1997 and 1998, from 15 third sector primary care organisations that were members of a network of third sector primary care providers, Health Care Aotearoa (HCA). Data were collected by face-to-face interviews of managers and key informants using a semi-structured interview schedule, and from practice computer information systems. Overall the populations served were young: only 4% of patients were aged 65 years or older, and the ethnicity profile was highly atypical, with 21.8% European, 36% Maori, 22.7% Pacific Island, 12% other, and 7.5% not stated. Community services card holding rates were higher than recorded in other studies, and registered patients tended to live in highly deprived areas. HCA organisations had high patient to doctor ratios, in general over 2000:1, and there were significant differences in management structures between HCA practices and more traditional general practice. Third sector organisations provide services for populations that are disadvantaged in many respects. It is likely that New Zealand will continue to develop a diverse range of primary care organisational arrangements. Effort is now required to measure quality and effectiveness of services provided by different primary care organisations serving comparable populations.

  16. ICT AND WEB TECHNOLOGY BASED INNOVATIONS IN EDUCATION SECTOR

    OpenAIRE

    Dhamdhere SANGEETA NAMDEV,

    2012-01-01

    ICT made real magic and drastic changes in all service sectors along with higher education and library practices and services. The academic environment is changing from formal education to distance and online learning mode because of ICT. Web technology and mobile technology has made great impact on education sector. The role of Open Access, institutional repositories, opens archives and e-publishing trends indicates the shift towards new way of communication on an increasing scale in the stu...

  17. Life-long Services in the Field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT in Romania during 2004-2007

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manuela Sofia Stănculescu

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available This study presents the results of empirical research on life-long services in the domain of information and communication technologies (ICT carried out within the framework of the project Matching educational supply with labour market in ICT sector in Romania: horizon 2015, co-ordinated by Institute of World Economy. Survey sample includes all providers authorised by National Council for Adult Vocational Training (CNFPA, a part of EDCL certification bodies, Microsoft Net Academy (programme implemented by universities, but also by a specialized firm in vocational training selected in survey, Cisco Net Academy, in total 215 vocational training providers from all around the country, out of which 77 (36% are private companies. Empirical research results (52% response rate allowed to analyze the actual state of vocational training supply in Romania in the period 2004-2007, including: (i identifying the main pratices, strategies and problems of vocational training services providers in ICT sector; ii emphasizing the main characteristics of lifelong learning programmes in ICT sector provided between 2004 and 2007; (iii determining the programme types and their target segment of population; and (iv pointing out the mechanisms of adjusting the supply to labour market needs.

  18. GLOBALIZATION IN TOURISM SECTOR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariana LUPAN

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available The paper points to recent developments in the tourism sector and highlights the leading factors of the internationalization of tourists travel and of tourism services, including information technologies, as well as the internationalization of hotel and tourism enterprises. Without neglecting the huge subsector of small and medium-sized enterprises, it describes typical features related to the composition of the labour force and to working conditions. It raises questions concerning the difficulties faced by the sector in attracting and retaining skilled workers in enhancing the skills of newcomers to the labour market in order to stabilize the sector’s labour force, while increasing the productivity of enterprises and the quality of services. Particular emphasis is put on new forms of management entailing new skills requirements, with a general tendency towards increased worker responsibility in an environment of flat hierarchies, multiskilling and teamwork.

  19. Services under siege--the restructuring imperative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roach, S S

    1991-01-01

    Recent job losses in the U.S. service sector do not reflect a temporary recession. Those jobs are gone, the result of a massive restructuring of the sector that is just getting under way. The explanation for the restructuring is quite simple. Until recently, services have been shielded by regulation and confronted by few foreign competitors. They have allowed their white-collar payrolls to become bloated, their investment in information technology to outstrip the paybacks, and their productivity to stagnate. Now competition is heating up and exposing these inefficiencies. Just as intense competition forced the restructuring of Smokestack America in the 1980s, deregulation and foreign direct investment are shaking out service companies that cannot confront their shortcomings. The need for sweeping change in the service sector may come as a great shock to Americans who saw services as the means to continued economic prosperity. But there is a painful irony at work: job creation, the very thing proponents use to demonstrate the U.S. service sector's strength, is in fact a symptom of the sector's chronic neglect of economic efficiency. It is precisely that neglect that makes the service sector vulnerable as the race for market share intensifies and new players shift the terms of competition. Services must respond to the new competitive environment, but not by indiscriminate cost cutting. Instead, they should balance financial discipline with a comprehensive and immediate reexamination of strategy.

  20. Understanding the Public Service Obligation in the Electricity Sector. Lessons for the Contracting Parties of the Energy Community Treaty

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Karova, R. [Energy Community Secretariat, Vienna (Austria)

    2012-01-15

    The paper underlines that the EU energy acquis does not simply require the Contracting Parties to the Energy Community Treaty to liberalize their electricity markets, but it also provides for a 'safety net' to ensure the available of public services through the imposition of Public Service Obligations (PSO). Nevertheless, the paper points out that the present understanding of the PSOs in the Contracting Parties is not in compliance with the conditions provided byArtide 3 of the Electricity Directive. Therefore, it includes some policy recommendations and a proposal for introducing a duty of notification, which should be instructive for the Contracting Parties to improve their understanding of PSO in line with EU law, by thus effectively safeguarding the availability of public services in the electricity sector to their citizens without jeopardizing the effective electricity market liberalization.

  1. MEASURING THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION OF ISLAMIC BANKING SECTOR IN BANGLADESH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hossain Shahid SHOHROWARDHY

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available The banking sector has been playing a significant role in achieving the economic growth of Bangladesh, where contribution of Islamic Banking Sector is remarkable. Islamic Banking Sector shows a substantial growth position in Bangladesh. Customer satisfaction is the most significant affecting phenomenon in determining the banking growth. Thus, this study attempts to measure the existing level of customer satisfaction of Islamic Banks in Bangladesh, using the Structural Equation Model (SEM. This study uses the 22 dimensions of customer satisfaction which used in the earlier studies in different countries for measuring the customer satisfaction of Islamic Banking Sector. A total of 385 samples have been taken from six full pledged Islamic Banks in Bangladesh. It reveals form the study that Human Resources and Systemization Service Delivery is the strongest indicator of customer satisfaction of Islamic Banking Sector in Bangladesh followed by Core Product, Service Capability and Social Responsibility. The findings therefore, may be helpful for policy-makers of banking authorities who have been making serious endeavor to sustain the growth of Islamic Banking Sector in Bangladesh.

  2. Ex Post Regulation as the Method of Sectoral Regulation in Electricity Sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafał Nagaj

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Aim/purpose - The aim of the article is to present the essence of ex post approach to sectoral regulation, to show the advantages and disadvantages of ex post regulation and to answer the question whether it is worth using in the electricity sector. Design/methodology/approach - For this purpose, a critical analysis of expert literature was made and an empirical analysis of countries that have applied ex post regulation in the electricity sector in the European Union. Two research methods were used: a case study and a comparison of changes in price and quality of services. The research period covered the period 2000-2016. Findings - It was found that ex post regulation reduces regulatory costs, does not adversely affect the quality of service and long-term rates, gives businesses the freedom of decision-making and the ability to react quickly to changes in the economy. The main disadvantages of ex post regulation are the tendency for companies to over-estimate bills for consumers, the difficulty of pursuing claims by consumers and the need to shift regulatory risk to consumers. Research implications/limitations - In the paper there was identified a research gap, i.e. the effects of ex post regulation in the electricity sector in European Union countries where such regulation was applied. Identifying the research gap will help us understand what are the advantages and disadvantages of ex post regulation and will create a model for when it is good moment to implement this in the economy. Besides identifying the research gap, further studies will be required over ex post regulation. Originality/value/contribution - The additional value of the paper is the study of ex post regulation, its essence and types. The article analyzed the effects of ex post regulation in the electricity sector and provided valuable insights into the potential risks associated with this approach to economic regulation.

  3. [Mexican] Private-sector petroleum companies and agents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-07-01

    An overview is presented of the Mexican petroleum sector. The sector is largely controlled by the state company PEMEX and is not completely open to foreign participation and supply, however the trend towards privatization and open competition, combined with the drive for competitiveness of PEMEX operations in particular, is creating market opportunities for foreign suppliers of petroleum equipment and services. Detailed profiles are provided of 50 Mexican companies and their primary products and services, specific areas of expertise, client base, international experience, interest in Canada, other relevant information, and a contact person. A less detailed list is also provided of additional Mexican contacts, petroleum industry associations and chambers of commerce

  4. Vocational Study and Public Service Motivation: Disentangling the Socializing Effects of Higher Education

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kjeldsen, Anne Mette

    2012-01-01

    Most studies of Public Service Motivation investigate differences in motivation between public and private sector employees, but how these differences emerge and evolve in a pre-entry setting is still puzzling. Based on cross-sectional survey data with 3,521 Danish students enrolled in different...... vocational studies and at different stages (years) of their educational programs, this article investigates the socializing effects of higher education into different levels of public service motivation. The analysis demonstrates that students’ levels of public service motivation at different stages...... of their educational programs depends on the field of study: The level of public service motivation among students in vocational studies aimed at jobs with core public service delivery stays the same during education, whereas the level of public service motivation among students in other fields increases substantively...

  5. Relationships between Budgetary Participation and Organizational Commitment: Mediated by Reinforcement Contingency Evidence from the Service Sector Industries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mia Selvina

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship, mediated through reinforcement contingency, between (a participation in budgeting, and (b organizational commitment, of those organizations in  the service industry, listed in the Indonesian Stock Exchange and also having their branch offices in Bandar Lampung.  We develop a new construct of  reinforcement contingency, through focus group discussion and several pilot studies, and use it in the main survey. We analyse data from 42 respondents, using SmartPLS. We find that reinforcement contingency as the mediation variable affects the relation between participation in budgeting andn organizational commitment. This study suggests the “no reward and no punishment” system as the appropriate  reinforcement contingency for employees, in order  to enhance their commitment to their organization.Keywords: Participation in Budgeting, Reinforcement Contingency, Organizational Commitment, Service Sector

  6. The first LHC sector is fully interconnected

    CERN Multimedia

    2006-01-01

    Sector 7-8 is the first sector of the LHC to become fully operational. All the magnets, cryogenic line, vacuum chambers and services are interconnected. The cool down of this sector can soon commence. LHC project leader Lyn Evans, the teams from CERN's AT/MCS, AT/VAC and AT/MEL groups, and the members of the IEG consortium celebrate the completion of the first LHC sector. The 10th of November was a red letter day for the LHC accelerator teams, marking the completion of the first sector of the machine. The magnets of sector 7-8, together with the cryogenic line, the vacuum chambers and the distribution feedboxes (DFBs) are now all completely interconnected. Sector 7-8 has thus been closed and is the first LHC sector to become operational. The interconnection work required several thousand electrical, cryogenic and insulating connections to be made on the 210 interfaces between the magnets in the arc, the 30 interfaces between the special magnets and the interfaces with the cryogenic line. 'This represent...

  7. Outlook '98 - Service and Supply

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fisher, R. E.

    1998-01-01

    Prospects in 1998 for the well service and supply sector in Canada''s oilpatch were examined. It was concluded that the relatively good times that the industry experienced during 1996 and 1997, will continue in 1998, not so much by way of expansion but by way of consolidating the gains made in previous years and by focusing on quality of service in order to sustain success. A leveling of the playing field is expected as a result of the recent correction in the stock market that brought prices back to more realistic levels. The service companies that will thrive will be those that go back to their roots and stay focused on what they do best, i.e. maintaining exceptional customer service, taking care of employees, and making a concentrated effort to run a safe operation

  8. Cost system design and cost management in the Spanish public sector

    OpenAIRE

    Boned, Josep Lluís; Bagur, Llorenç; Tayles, Mike

    2006-01-01

    Cost systems have been shown to have developed considerably in recent years and activity-based costing (ABC) has been shown to be a contribution to cost management, particularly in service businesses. The public sector is composed to a very great extent of service functions, yet considerably less has been reported of the use of ABC to support cost management in this sector. In Spain, cost systems are essential for city councils as they are obliged to calculate the cost of the services subject...

  9. The energy sector : an investment in the people and communities of Atlantic Canada

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2008-01-01

    The opportunity for Atlantic Canada to meet the North American demand for more energy and increased security was discussed. Energy accounts for nearly half of all exports from Atlantic Canada. The region delivers oil, natural gas and electricity to its own communities and for export around the continent and is poised to significantly increase its reach, given its proximity to the New England States. Over the past decade, the energy industry in Atlantic Canada has laid the foundation for what has become one of the most significant sectors in the regional economy. It has a diverse mix of traditional thermal and hydroelectric generation with newer technology such as nuclear, wind, bioenergy and tidal. The discovery and development of offshore oil and gs fields at the end of the twentieth century significantly enhanced the regional energy sector and shifted the public policy focus from domestic production to the development of export markets. The projects have brought significant outside investment from a broad range of oil and gas companies. This paper listed the projects and players in the energy sector in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The issue of exporting energy resources and importing human resources was also considered. A list of skilled trades, professional services and support services that will be needed by the Atlantic Canadian energy sector over the next decade was also provided. It was noted that employment growth is driven by demographics, technology and the trend for environmental stewardship. 9 refs., 2 tabs

  10. Long-run sectoral development time series evidence for the German economy

    OpenAIRE

    Dietrich, Andreas; Krüger, Jens J.

    2008-01-01

    In economic development, long-run structural change among the three main sectors of an economy follows a typical pattern with the primary sector (agriculture, mining) first dominating, followed by the secondary sector (manufacturing) and finally by the tertiary sector (services) in terms of employment and value added. We reconsider the verbal theoretical work of Fourastié and build a simple model encompassing its main features, most notably the macroeconomic influences on the sectoral develop...

  11. Energy-economy interactions revisited within a comprehensive sectoral model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hanson, D. A.; Laitner, J. A.

    2000-07-24

    This paper describes a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model with considerable sector and technology detail, the ``All Modular Industry Growth Assessment'' Model (AMIGA). It is argued that a detailed model is important to capture and understand the several rolls that energy plays within the economy. Fundamental consumer and industrial demands are for the services from energy; hence, energy demand is a derived demand based on the need for heating, cooling mechanical, electrical, and transportation services. Technologies that provide energy-services more efficiently (on a life cycle basis), when adopted, result in increased future output of the economy and higher paths of household consumption. The AMIGA model can examine the effects on energy use and economic output of increases in energy prices (e.g., a carbon charge) and other incentive-based policies or energy-efficiency programs. Energy sectors and sub-sector activities included in the model involve energy extraction conversion and transportation. There are business opportunities to produce energy-efficient goods (i.e., appliances, control systems, buildings, automobiles, clean electricity). These activities are represented in the model by characterizing their likely production processes (e.g., lighter weight motor vehicles). Also, multiple industrial processes can produce the same output but with different technologies and inputs. Secondary recovery, i.e., recycling processes, are examples of these multiple processes. Combined heat and power (CHP) is also represented for energy-intensive industries. Other modules represent residential and commercial building technologies to supply energy services. All sectors of the economy command real resources (capital services and labor).

  12. Facilitators and barriers to participation of private sector health facilities in government-led schemes for maternity services in India: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yadav, Vikas; Kumar, Somesh; Balasubramaniam, Sudharsanam; Srivastava, Ashish; Pallipamula, Suranjeen; Memon, Parvez; Singh, Dinesh; Bhargava, Saurabh; Sunil, Greeshma Ann; Sood, Bulbul

    2017-06-22

    Despite provision of accreditation of private sector health providers in government-led schemes for maternity services in India, their participation has been low. This has led to an underutilisation of their presence, resources and expertise for providing quality maternal and newborn health services. This study explores the perception of various stakeholders on expectations, benefits, barriers and facilitators to private sector participation in government-led schemes-specifically Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)-for maternity service delivery. Narrative-based qualitative study. Face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted with study participants. The interviews were transcribed, translated and analysed using a reflexive and inductive approach to allow codes, categories and themes to emerge from within the data. Private obstetricians, government health officials and FOGSI (Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecological Societies of India) members, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, India. Eighteen purposefully selected private obstetricians from 9 cities across states of Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, 11 government health officials and 2 FOGSI members. The major factors serving as barriers to participation of private practitioners in JSY-which emerged on thematic analysis-were low reimbursement amounts, delayed reimbursements, process of interaction with the government and administrative issues, previous experiences and trust deficit, lack of clarity on the accreditation process and patient-level barriers. On the other hand, factors which were facilitators to participation of private practitioners were ease of process, better communication, branding, motivation of increasing clientele as well as satisfaction of doing social service. Factors such as financial processes and administrative delays, mistrust between the stakeholders, ambiguity in processes, lack of transparency and lack of ease in the process of empanelment of private sector are hindering effective public

  13. Age of diagnosis of congenital hearing loss: Private v. public healthcare sector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butler, I R T; Ceronio, D; Swart, T; Joubert, G

    2015-11-01

    The age of diagnosis of congenital hearing loss is one of the most important determinants of communication outcome. A previous study by the lead author had evaluated the performance of the public health services in Bloemfontein, South Africa (SA), in this regard. This study aimed to examine whether the private health services in the same city were any better. To determine whether the age of diagnosis of congenital hearing loss (CHL) in children seen in the private healthcare sector in Bloemfontein, Free State Province, SA, was lower than that in the public healthcare system in the same city. A comparative study design was utilised and a retrospective database review conducted. Data obtained from this study in the private healthcare sector were compared with data from a previous study in the public healthcare sector using the same study design. Forty-eight children aged private healthcare sector during the study period; 33/47 (70.2%) did not undergo hearing screening at birth. The median age of diagnosis of DHI in the private healthcare sector was 2.24 years, and this was statistically significantly lower than the median age of diagnosis of 3.71 years in the public healthcare sector (pprivate healthcare sector was 3.01 years in children who were not screened at birth, and 1.25 years in those who were screened at birth. This difference was statistically significant (pprivate healthcare sector who were not screened at birth (median 3.01 years) with that in children in the public healthcare sector (median 3.71 years). This difference was statistically significant (pprivate healthcare sector than in the public healthcare sector. With the social and economic benefits of early intervention in cases of DHI well established internationally, SA healthcare providers in both the public and private sectors need to develop screening, diagnostic and (re)habilitation services for children with hearing impairment.

  14. Why do Third Sector Employees Intend to Remain or Leave their Workplace?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kirsikka Selander

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Third sector employees have claimed to enjoy high job satisfaction and low turnover intentions because their work is considered intrinsically rewarding. Employees have strong motivation for public service and they consider the organization’s goals as their own. This makes work meaningful and thus reduces turnover intentions. Changes in the third sector institutional environment, however, have intensified the working environment. This probably undermines job quality and thus increases turnover intentions. The analysis conducted among Finnish third sector employees showed that third sector employees report more turnover intentions than their counterparts in the public or private sector. This is mostly because of low job quality. Motivation for public service was not enough to retain employees in the organization if their values were not congruent with those of the employer organization. Thus, connection between public service motivation and turnover intentions is dependent on the organizational context. More important than employees’ desire to help others is their sharing of the employer organization’s values and that the organization provides high job quality.

  15. The International Gravity Field Service (IGFS): Present Day Activities And Future Plans

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barzaghi, R.; Vergos, G. S.

    2016-12-01

    IGFS is a unified "umbrella" IAG service that coordinates the servicing of the geodetic and geophysical community with gravity field related data, software and information. The combined data of the IGFS entities will include global geopotential models, terrestrial, airborne, satellite and marine gravity observations, Earth tide data, GPS/levelling data, digital models of terrain and bathymetry, as well as ocean gravity field and geoid from satellite altimetry. The IGFS structure is based on the Gravity Services, the "operating arms" of IGFS. These Services related to IGFS are: BGI (Bureau Gravimetrique International), Toulouse, France ISG (International Service for the Geoid), Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy IGETS (International Geodynamics and Earth Tides Service), EOST, Strasbourg, France ICGEM (International Center for Global Earth Models), GFZ, Potsdam, Germany IDEMS (International Digital Elevation Model Service), ESRI, Redlands, CA, USA The Central Bureau, hosted at the Aristotle Thessaloniki University, is in charge for all the interactions among the services and the other IAG bodies, particularly GGOS. In this respect, connections with the GGOS Bureaus of Products and Standards and of Networks and Observations have been recently strengthened in order to align the Gravity services to the GGOS standards. IGFS is also strongly involved in the most relevant projects related to the gravity field such as the establishment of the new Global Absolute Gravity Reference System and of the International Height Reference System. These projects, along with the organization of Geoid Schools devoted to methods for gravity and geoid estimate, will play a central role in the IGFS future actions in the framework of GGOS.

  16. A Study on the Information and Telecommunication Services of Ukraine as an Export-Oriented Sector of the Economy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rahman Mahbubur S.

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the article is to study the current status, main problems and prospects for the development of the information and telecommunication services of Ukraine at the domestic and foreign markets as an export-oriented branch of the economy. The statistical indicators of the industry structure in the dynamics at the domestic and foreign markets, the contribution to GDP and employment were analyzed; the matrix and correlation analyses were performed and, on the base of the results, forecast models for the development of indicators for sales, exports and staff costs were constructed. Recommendations on prospective directions of development of IT services and software, use of the key advantages of the industry for the development of the export-oriented sector of the national economy are offered.

  17. economies of private sector participation in solid waste management

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Prince Acheampong

    adopts that definition in the conduct of its censuses and by that, recorded eight .... Since the 1990s, private sector participation in public utilities and service .... The government of Ghana through the Urban Environmental and Sanitation ..... Framework Document: A Survey of Theoretical Issues on Private Sector Participation.

  18. Hydromagnetic theory of solar sectors: slow hydromagnetic waves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suess, S.T.

    1975-01-01

    Magnetic sectors on the sun are a feature, when the solar dipole field is subtracted, reminiscent of grapefruit sections in terms of the boundaries described by the magnetic field polarity change. One possible suggestion for the origin of these sectors is that they are hydromagnetic waves controlled by the rotation, toroidal magnetic field, and stratification within the convection zone of the sun. The merits of this suggestion are evaluated with respect to the observations and a specific theoretical model. 4 figs, 38 refs. (U.S.)

  19. Who's got the balance? A study of satisfaction with the work-family balance among part-time service sector employees in five western European countries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beham, Barbara; Prag, Patrick; Drobnic, Sonja

    2012-01-01

    Working part-time is frequently considered a viable strategy for employees to better combine work and non-work responsibilities. The present study examines differences in satisfaction with work-family balance (SWFB) among professional and non-professional part-time service sector employees in five

  20. Climateurope: a network to support Europe's research and innovation activities in the fields of Earth-System modeling and climate services

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bessembinder, Janette; Kotova, Lola; Manez, Maria; Jacob, Daniela; Hewitt, Chris; Garrett, Natalie; Monfray, Patrick; Doescher, Ralf; Doblas Reyes, Francisco; Joussaume, Sylvie; Toumi, Ralf; Buonocore, Mauro; Gualdi, Silvio; Nickovic, Slobodan

    2017-04-01

    Changes in the climate are affecting many sectors but the audience of decision- and policy-makers is so wide and varied that the requirements from each application can be quite different. There are a growing number of initiatives at the international and European level, from research networks of data providers, operational services, impact assessments, to coordination of government initiatives and provision of policy relevant recommendations; all provided on a wide range of timescales. The landscape of activities is very diverse. Users and providers of climate information currently face significant challenges in understanding this complex landscape. If we are to maximize the benefits of the investments and provide European citizens with the information and technology to develop a climate-smart society, then a mechanism is needed to coordinate the impressive and varied research and innovation effort. The overall concept behind the EU-project Climateurope is to create and manage a framework to coordinate, integrate and support Europe's research and innovation activities in the fields of Earth-System modeling and climate services. The purpose of this concept is to create greater social and economic value for Europe through improved preparation for, and management of, climate-related risks and opportunities arising from making European world-class knowledge more useable and thus more applicable to policy- and decision-making. This value will be felt by a range of actors including the public sector, governments, business and industry. Climateurope will provide a comprehensive overview of all the relevant activities to ensure the society at large can take full advantage of the investment Europe is making in research and innovation and associated development of services. The Climateurope network will facilitate dialog among climate science communities, funding bodies, climate service providers and users. Through the communication and dissemination activities, Climateurope

  1. Productivity in Public Services

    OpenAIRE

    Helen Simpson

    2007-01-01

    This paper discusses issues arising in the measurement of productivity in public services. Compared to measuring productivity in the private sector difficulties arise because the output of public services is often un-priced and because some public services are consumed collectively. A key problem is measuring the full range of outputs and quality improvements delivered by public sector organisations that are valued by society. Without comprehensive measures of output productivity statistics m...

  2. INDICATOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS OF AGRICULTURAL SECTORS UNDER THE ENVIRONMENTAL MODELING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pruethsan Sutthichaimethee

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this research is to propose an indicator to deal with environmental problems for agricultural sectors caused by goods and services production. The aspects to calculate the real benefit of agricultural sectors and environmental cost for analyzing are natural resources materials, energy and transportation, fertilizer and pesticides, and sanitary and similar service. From the research it was found that the highest environmental cost of natural resources materials was 026: charcoal and fire-wood, while the lowest was 010 coconut. The highest environmental cost for energy and transportation was 024: agricultural services, while the highest environmental cost for fertilizer and pesticides was 011: palm oil. lastly, 017: other agricultural products was found as the highest environmental cost for sanitary and similar service. As a result, 010: coconut gained the highest real benefit, while 024: agricultural services presented as the lowest read benefit for the company. If Thailand using environmental problem indicator, especially with the agricultural sector, it can help to formulate efficient policies and strategies for the country in 3 development areas, which are social, economic, and environmental development.

  3. Public Sector and Europeanization Challenges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucica Matei

    2006-02-01

    Accepting the market-type mechanisms instead of bureaucratic mechanisms, meaning not the simple provision of public services but the creation of some governmental “actors”, functioning completely on commercial bases, supporting the development of the partnerships between the public and private sector, introducing privatisation is achieved in view of creating “the facilitating state”. We discuss about “facilities” such as citizens and society involvement in public businesses, making public administration more citizen-friendly and the state closer to the public need. The citizens’ involvement, as customers in the flow of the public service contributes to creating an organic ensemble characterised by two fundamental dimensions: level and type of influence of the customers and the private-public dichotomy. Synthesising, the relationships and market mechanisms enable to the public sector to get closer to the public needs and to create a modern administration based on efficiency, effectiveness and openness towards change.

  4. KEY FACTORS IN MARKETING FOCUSED SERVICES BUSINESSES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Doris Yohanna Martínez Castrillón

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available This article aims to identify the key success factors in the marketing area and describe them as managerial allies for companies that wish to position themselves in the market under a good sustainable performance , for it has been consulted theoretical references of Marketing as a management partner with collection and integration of data. Methodologically, it is located within the type of descriptive research field, with a design of transactional non-experimental, with an intentional non-probabilistic stratified sample of four reporting units. The findings established fifteen (15 points of influence called "key success factors (FCE in the area of marketing, and managerial allies of service companies in the security, surveillance and protection sector in industrial, commercial and residential sectors. Finally, it is intended that the actions of marketing service companies should focus to the welfare of both the organization, such as users, both in the environment, and economic, social and technological, characterized by ethics, sustainable development and transparency to respond appropriately.

  5. Dark Sectors 2016 Workshop: Community Report

    CERN Document Server

    Alexander, Jim; Echenard, Bertrand; Essig, Rouven; Graham, Matthew; Izaguirre, Eder; Jaros, John; Krnjaic, Gordan; Mardon, Jeremy; Morrissey, David; Nelson, Tim; Perelstein, Maxim; Pyle, Matt; Ritz, Adam; Schuster, Philip; Shuve, Brian; Toro, Natalia; Van De Water, Richard G.; Akerib, Daniel; An, Haipeng; Aniol, Konrad; Arnquist, Isaac J.; Asner, David M.; Back, Henning O.; Baker, Keith; Baltzell, Nathan; Banerjee, Dipanwita; Batell, Brian; Bauer, Daniel; Beacham, James; Benesch, Jay; Bjorken, James; Blinov, Nikita; Boehm, Celine; Bondi, Mariangela; Bonivento, Walter; Bossi, Fabio; Brodsky, Stanley J.; Budnik, Ran; Bueltmann, Stephen; Bukhari, Masroor H.; Bunker, Raymond; Carpinelli, Massimo; Cartaro, Concetta; Cassel, David; Cavoto, Gianluca; Celentano, Andrea; Chaterjee, Animesh; Chaudhuri, Saptarshi; Chiodini, Gabriele; Cho, Hsiao-Mei Sherry; Church, Eric D.; Cooke, D.A.; Cooley, Jodi; Cooper, Robert; Corliss, Ross; Crivelli, Paolo; Curciarello, Francesca; D'Angelo, Annalisa; Davoudiasl, Hooman; De Napoli, Marzio; De Vita, Raffaella; Denig, Achim; deNiverville, Patrick; Deshpande, Abhay; Dharmapalan, Ranjan; Dobrescu, Bogdan; Donskov, Sergey; Dupre, Raphael; Estrada, Juan; Fegan, Stuart; Ferber, Torben; Field, Clive; Figueroa-Feliciano, Enectali; Filippi, Alessandra; Fornal, Bartosz; Freyberger, Arne; Friedland, Alexander; Galon, Iftach; Gardner, Susan; Girod, Francois-Xavier; Gninenko, Sergei; Golutvin, Andrey; Gori, Stefania; Grab, Christoph; Graziani, Enrico; Griffioen, Keith; Haas, Andrew; Harigaya, Keisuke; Hearty, Christopher; Hertel, Scott; Hewett, JoAnne; Hime, Andrew; Hitlin, David; Hochberg, Yonit; Holt, Roy J.; Holtrop, Maurik; Hoppe, Eric W.; Hossbach, Todd W.; Hsu, Lauren; Ilten, Phil; Incandela, Joe; Inguglia, Gianluca; Irwin, Kent; Jaegle, Igal; Johnson, Robert P.; Kahn, Yonatan; Kalicy, Grzegorz; Kang, Zhong-Bo; Khachatryan, Vardan; Kozhuharov, Venelin; Krasnikov, N.V.; Kubarovsky, Valery; Kuflik, Eric; Kurinsky, Noah; Laha, Ranjan; Lanfranchi, Gaia; Li, Dale; Lin, Tongyan; Lisanti, Mariangela; Liu, Kun; Liu, Ming; Loer, Ben; Loomba, Dinesh; Lyubovitskij, Valery E.; Manalaysay, Aaron; Mandaglio, Giuseppe; Mans, Jeremiah; Marciano, W.J.; Markiewicz, Thomas; Marsicano, Luca; Maruyama, Takashi; Matveev, Victor A.; McKeen, David; McKinnon, Bryan; McKinsey, Dan; Merkel, Harald; Mock, Jeremy; Monzani, Maria Elena; Moreno, Omar; Nantais, Corina; Paul, Sebouh; Peskin, Michael; Poliakov, Vladimir; Polosa, Antonio D.; Pospelov, Maxim; Rachek, Igor; Radics, Balint; Raggi, Mauro; Randazzo, Nunzio; Ratcliff, Blair; Rizzo, Alessandro; Rizzo, Thomas; Robinson, Alan; Rubbia, Andre; Rubin, David; Rueter, Dylan; Saab, Tarek; Santopinto, Elena; Schnee, Richard; Shelton, Jessie; Simi, Gabriele; Simonyan, Ani; Sipala, Valeria; Slone, Oren; Smith, Elton; Snowden-Ifft, Daniel; Solt, Matthew; Sorensen, Peter; Soreq, Yotam; Spagnolo, Stefania; Spencer, James; Stepanyan, Stepan; Strube, Jan; Sullivan, Michael; Tadepalli, Arun S.; Tait, Tim; Taiuti, Mauro; Tanedo, Philip; Tayloe, Rex; Thaler, Jesse; Tran, Nhan V.; Tulin, Sean; Tully, Christopher G.; Uemura, Sho; Ungaro, Maurizio; Valente, Paolo; Vance, Holly; Vavra, Jerry; Volansky, Tomer; von Krosigk, Belina; Whitbeck, Andrew; Williams, Mike; Wittich, Peter; Wojtsekhowski, Bogdan; Xue, Wei; Yoon, Jong Min; Yu, Hai-Bo; Yu, Jaehoon; Yu, Tien-Tien; Zhang, Yue; Zhao, Yue; Zhong, Yiming; Zurek, Kathryn

    2016-01-01

    This report, based on the Dark Sectors workshop at SLAC in April 2016, summarizes the scientific importance of searches for dark sector dark matter and forces at masses beneath the weak-scale, the status of this broad international field, the important milestones motivating future exploration, and promising experimental opportunities to reach these milestones over the next 5-10 years.

  6. Dark Sectors 2016 Workshop: Community Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alexander, Jim; et al.

    2016-08-30

    This report, based on the Dark Sectors workshop at SLAC in April 2016, summarizes the scientific importance of searches for dark sector dark matter and forces at masses beneath the weak-scale, the status of this broad international field, the important milestones motivating future exploration, and promising experimental opportunities to reach these milestones over the next 5-10 years.

  7. Value co-creation in high involvement services: the animal healthcare sector

    OpenAIRE

    Pyatt, A.Z.; Wright, G.; Walley, K.; Bleach, E.C.L.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose \\ud This paper investigates the significance of value c\\ud o-creation to the UK animal healthcare sector from \\ud the perspective of the key industry stakeholders: clients, veterinarians and paraprofessionals. \\ud Design \\ud Value co-creation constructs in the sector were identified and measured using a mixed methods approach comprised of qualitative NVivo thematic analysis of depth interviews (n=13) and quantitative Exploratory Factor Analysis n=271). \\ud Findings \\ud Qualitative res...

  8. A brief overview of the history of veterinary field services in South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gideon K. Brückner

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available The historical evolution of veterinary services in South Africa is closely linked to the colonial history of the past and the eventual political formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910, as well as the establishment of a fully democratic South Africa in 1994. The majority of the early pioneering veterinarians had close links to military activities and were originally mostly of British origin. The appointment of the first colonial chief veterinary officers occurred in the late 1800s. These appointments were dictated by the need to combat devastating animal diseases, such as rinderpest and African horse sickness, mainly because they affected draught oxen (used for travel and horses (used in combat. Veterinary field services was established in 1962 as a separate functional entity within government services when M.C. Lambrechts became Director of Veterinary Services of South Africa. In the context of this article, veterinary field services refers to that sphere of veterinary service delivery conducted by government-appointed or seconded veterinarians applying disease control and prevention, as required by animal health legislation. Paging through the history of veterinary field services in South Africa confirms that the problems faced by the veterinary services of today were just as real during the times of our pioneers. The pioneers of veterinary services transformed unknown animal diseases into textbook descriptions still used today and also demonstrated the important link to, and use of, the observations made by farmers, as well as the need for continued basic and applied research on animal diseases. This article provided a brief overview of the evolution of veterinary field services and the important role played by pioneers over the last two centuries to make South Africa relatively free and safe from the most important trade-sensitive and economically important animal diseases.

  9. Analysis of leading sector of Jambi City

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hardiani Hardiani

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to analyze the leading sectors in the city of Jambi. The main data used is GDP data of Jambi City series 2010 for the period of 2012-2014. Analysis tool that is used are Location Quotient, Shift Share, Klassen Typology and Overlay Analysis. The results of the analysis found that of the 14 basic sectors in Jambi City (based on LQ analysis, there are four priority sectors namely electricity and gas procurement, building, large and retail trade, car and motorcycle repairs, health service, and social activities. Keywords: Location Quotient, Shift Share, Klassen Tipology, Overlay Analysis

  10. Transport Sector Energy 2010; Transportsektorns energianvaendning 2010

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2011-04-15

    Today, transport accounts for a quarter of Sweden's energy consumption which consists almost exclusively of fossil fuels. But with the increasing demands for reduced emissions of greenhouse gases, the sector's conversion to other fuels or energy sources will have a major impact the next years. This situation is expected to expand the requirements for statistics of energy consumption of the transport sector. The publication is divided into two parts. Chapter 2 describes the official energy statistics for the transport sector and Chapter 3 presents a breakdown of energy use in passenger and freight services for the respective modes.

  11. Sectoral use of climate information in Europe: A synoptic overview

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marta Bruno Soares

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Society can benefit from usable climate information to better prepare and adapt to the risks and opportunities posed by climate variability and change. An adequate and effective provision of climate information – from historical observations through to seasonal forecasts, and multi-decadal climate change projections – is critical to inform planning and decision-making in climate-sensitive sectors. Central to this are the end-users of climate information and a growing emphasis on tailored climate information and services shaped by user needs. However, knowledge about the use of climate information across European economic sectors is limited. This paper identifies the spectrum of sectoral information requirements across a number of sectors including agriculture, forestry, energy, water, tourism, insurance, health, emergency services and transport sectors, drawing from an online survey (n = 462 and interviews with (potential users of climate information (n = 80. This analysis reveals shared opportunities across sectors including the potential application of decadal climate predictions. In addition, common barriers and enablers to the uptake of climate information were also noted including the format of the information provided, the need for compatibility with existing in-house systems, and the perceived credibility and trust of information providers. This analysis also points towards a perceived increasing fragmentation of available information and the desire amongst end-users for a European body able to centralise and coordinate climate data. We highlight some of the current factors that still need to be adequately addressed in order to enhance the uptake and application of climate information in decision-making across European economic sectors. Keywords: User needs, Climate information, Decision-making, Climate services, Europe

  12. SERVICE QUALITY IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE

    OpenAIRE

    Prabha Ramseook-Munhurrun; Soolakshna D. Lukea-Bhiwajee; Perunjodi Naidoo

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to obtain a better understanding of the extent to which service quality is delivered within the Mauritian public service by drawing on front-line employees (FLE) and customer perceptions of service quality. The paper investigates how closely customer expectations of service and FLE perceptions of customer expectations match. SERVQUAL is used to measure service quality amongst FLE and customers in a major public sector department in Mauritius. The survey captures c...

  13. Evaluating effectiveness and constraints of private sector agricultural extension services of the Green River Project in Imo and Rivers States, Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Onyinyechi I. Ogbonna

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Background: Oil exploration operations decreased the cultivable lands of rural people in the study area, leading to the establishment of the Green River Project (GRP. This study assessed the effectiveness and constraints of private sector extension services of GRP in Imo and Rivers States, Nigeria. Objectives: To analyse the roles and effectiveness of, as well as constraints to, the GRP in the area. Method: A multistage sampling technique was used to select 120 respondents. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis, chi square and t-test were used to analyse the data. Results: Roles of GRP in farming technologies dissemination included training of farmers on fish pond construction technique and maintenance of good pH levels. There was significant improvement in standard of living (X2 = 15.7; p ≤ 0.05 and size of production (t = 6.398; p ≤ 0.05 of the respondents after participation. In terms of the effectiveness of private sector deliveries on public policies, the programme had effect on beneficiaries’ access to credit, education of wards and poverty reduction. But it is worthy to note that the observed changes may not have been solely caused by the GRP, given that there could be many other factors affecting fish farming, either positively or negatively. Serious implementation constraints to effective performance of GRP included organisational, input and sustainability constraints. Conclusion: It was recommended that there should be timely provision of sufficient inputs to farmers and measures to improve organisation of private sector extension services in the area in order to enhance development.

  14. Energy consultancy services for end-user in the housing sector in Poland. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lange, M; Prebensen, K

    1996-08-01

    The idea of establishing consulting service schemes is based on the Polish needs to introduce energy saving measures at different levels. In connection with the financing of energy saving measures whether this is carried out through private banks or Energy Saving Companies (ESCOs) there is a need for an institutional component responsible for standardized procedures for appraisal and supervision of energy saving projects. The objective of the project is to reduce the energy consumption in the municipal and housing sector in Warsaw, Gdansk and Katowice, and subsequently implement the results and experience to a large number of other towns in Poland. Education and training of more than thousand energy consultants within a period of 2 years is planned. The fundamental idea of the project is education and training of Polish professionals, who will perform the subsequent training of Polish consultants within the framework of a Polish National Energy Consultant Scheme. A comprehensive compendium (approximately 500 pages) was worked out in English language. The scope of work for the consultant covers all energy aspects in the housing sector: Individual heat generation; Control systems; Heat distribution in the building and local district heating network; Domestic Hot Water; Electricity; Thermal renovation of the Building Envelope; Energy management; Financial aspects and applications for finance of the energy saving measures. The first training course with 41 participants in Poland took place from 4 to 9 December 1995. (EG)

  15. Comparison of utility sectors in the Netherlands. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuit, M.; Kort, M.B.; Stout, H.D.; Boersma, F.C.; Ten Heuvelhof, E.F.; Kuenneke, R.W.; Van Twist, M.J.W.; Weijnen, M.P.C.

    2000-03-01

    There is a growing need of evaluating experiences with the liberalization of different sectors in the Netherlands. To what extent do the technical, economical and organizational characteristics of a sector determine the options to deal with competition? And to what extent does the type of competition determine whether the aimed for improvement of the efficiency and effectiveness of the service will be realized or not? Thereto, a systematic comparative analysis of infrastructure-related sectors has been carried out. In this report the experiences of the liberalization process in the electric and gas utilities sectors and the public transportation (buses and railway) sector are translated to preliminary conclusions and new research questions with respect to the possibilities to introduce competition in the water supply sector. refs

  16. Information Technology Sector Baseline Risk Assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-08-01

    alternative root be economically advantageous , an actor’s ability to exploit market forces and create an alternative root would be significantly improved...conduct their operations. Therefore, a loss or disruption to Internet services would not be advantageous for the desired outcomes of these syndicates.26... eCommerce Service loss or disruption [C] Traffic Redirection [C] = Undesired consequence Information Technology Sector Baseline Risk Assessment

  17. Development of Eco-Industry Sector

    OpenAIRE

    Mariana Ioviţu

    2012-01-01

    Measures to encourage development of Eco-industries represent an important part of the programs of many countries; analyses of different international organisms reveal a series of advantages of this sector for economy. According to OCDE “The environmental goods and services industry consists of activities which produce goods and services to measure, prevent, limit, minimize or correct environmental damage to water, air and soil, as well as problems related to waste, noise and Eco-systems”. Th...

  18. Sectoral effects of a world oil-price shock: economy-wide linkages to the agricultural sector. Staff report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hanson, K.; Robinson, S.; Schluter, G.

    1991-10-01

    The effects of a world oil price shock on U.S. agriculture are analyzed in an economywide environment. The authors use an input-output model to analyze the direct and indirect cost linkages between energy and other sectors of the economy. Then, to allow sectoral output adjustment and the effects on the U.S. current account, they use the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Economic Research Service Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model to analyze the sectoral effects under three different macro adjustment scenarios. The effects on agriculture are not limited to the direct and indirect energy costs. Exchange rate or foreign borrowing adjustments to higher oil import costs and government support programs for agriculture also matter

  19. CP violation in the baryon sector

    CERN Document Server

    Smith, Eluned Anne

    2017-01-01

    The study of CP violation in the baryon sector is still a relatively new field and offers the possibility to make many CP measurements which could complement those performed in the meson sector. This is especially true of late given the large number of baryons currently being produced at the LHC. Such measurements could help further over-constrain the CKM unitary triangle, as well as furthering our understand of baryongenesis. These proceedings will give an overview of the current state of the search for CP violation in the baryon sector.

  20. Innovations in Rural Financial Services Provision

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ndyetabula, Daniel; Temu, Andrew E.

    2013-01-01

    The aim of at investigating innovations related to financial services for the agri-bussiness sector, suing examples from Tanzania......The aim of at investigating innovations related to financial services for the agri-bussiness sector, suing examples from Tanzania...

  1. The Best and Worst-Paid Sectors in the Czech Republic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bílková Diana

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The present paper deals with the issue of diff erent behaviour of wage distribution of two highest and two lowest-paid sectors of the Czech economy in the period since the beginning of the global economic crisis; the former ones are the sectors of “Financial and Insurance Activities” and “Information and Communication”, the latter ones being those of “Accommodation and Food Service Activities” and “Administrative and Support Service Activities”. The aim is to capture the differences between these two groups of sectors, not only in terms of wage levels, but also as far as the variability and concentration of wage distribution is concerned. The gross (nominal monthly wage in CZK represents a research variable. The paper focuses on diff erent developments of wage distribution of the above sector groups in time, wage level forecasts for 2015 and 2016 being included.

  2. Russian Сonsumer Sector: Methodology of Evaluation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gavriil Aleksandrovich Agarkov

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The article describes the methodology for estimating the Russia’s consumer sector and the effect of its application. The monitoring procedure of the Russian consumer sector groups indicators into two units: the unit of the estimation of consumer goods and the services market estimation unit. The estimation unit of consumer goods is composed of two modules: food products and non-food products. This module offers two components that provide an estimation of the consumer sector: marketing (estimates the accessibility of retail trade and services for end users and production (estimates the domestic manufacture. The results of the estimation show general improvements in the consumer sector in the period of 2000–2014, but overall development is evaluated as low. The analysis revealed that the financing is growing faster than the quality indices of development. As an example, the financing of agriculture has increased by 1.5 times over 15 years (against comparable prices from 2000, while agricultural production has not changed. Another most pressing challenge is the weak differentiation of the Russian economy, as evidenced by the low rates of non-food production (availability of non-foods of own production remains at a low level and averages 20 %. The results of the estimation suggest the need to reform the regulation of the sector primarily concerning priorities for its development and improvement of financial and economic mechanisms to achieve them.

  3. Social Security Reform and Population Ageing in a Two-Sector Growth Model

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Groezen, B.J.A.M.; Meijdam, A.C.; Verbon, H.A.A.

    2002-01-01

    This paper analyses the effects of reducing unfunded social security and population ageing on economic growth and welfare, both for a small open economy and for a closed economy.The economy consists of a service sector and a commodity sector.Productivity growth only occurs in the latter sector and

  4. Contribution of services to economic growth: Kaldor’s fifth law?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adilson Giovanini

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: This study questions whether there is a Kaldor’s fifth law and tests whether the size of the intermediate services sector contributes to the growth of the industrial sector. Originality/Value: The laws proposed by Kaldor consider that the industrial sector contributes to economic growth and affirm that the growth of this sector depends on the existing demand for industrial products. If this new law is corroborated we have the initial evidences that the growth of the service sector contributes to the growth of the industry. Design/methodological/approach: The existence of this new law is tested through the estimation of panel VAR models for eight developed countries in the period 1980-2009. Findings: The growth of the service sector causes Granger to increase industrial productivity, industrial density and economic complexity. The causality test shows that there is a bidirectional causal relationship between the growth of the service sector and the industrial density and between the growth of the service sector and the Economic Complexity Index.

  5. PUBLIC SERVICES AND THE EURO-REGIONAL COOPERATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Badulescu Alina

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Besides the goods and private services, covering the specific needs of individual or groups based on specific mechanisms of demand and supply, human needs can be addressed also through public services. They are designed to meet the general interests of members of a community or society at large and established by public authorities, subject to certain fundamental principles of organization and operation, such as: the principle of efficiency, the principle of equity, the principle of continuity, the principle of movability and the principle of decentralization. In the same time, public services involve in many areas of economic and social life is not just a national issue, but also have characteristics and provision ways at international, regional and euro-regional level. This paper underlines the main areas of euro-regional co-operation interest in the public services sectors, such as: the sectors of environment, agriculture and territorial planning, the sectors of transportation, security and telecommunication, the sector of the economy and labour force, the sector of cross-border populations: social protection and public health, the sectors of education, research and culture.

  6. Gender Equality in Labor Markets: A Survey About the Industry and Service Sectors in Gaziantep

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Berna Balcı İzgi

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the findings of a survey on women labor issues in two different sectors –industry and service sectors- in Gaziantep. The main aim is to modify the structure of women labor in Gaziantep. The main characteristics of women labour market for Gaziantep is that women labor participation is sharply decreased after marriage which is a traditional issue. Inaddition entrepreneurship is very high. Besides working years with insurance is quite low in all levels of education. The promotions system do not change with education. Education is a crucial variable in the analysis. For instance, the positions are not assigned according to the education in most of the times. This creates inefficiency in labor markets. Another important finding that the rate of entrepreneurship is very high related with other cities of Turkey. The topics of wages, working hours, the comparison of the appropriateness of the work according to education, cultural activities, satisfaction, pleasure from working have been considered from the aspect of the relationship between the working life and family life and besides, finance deficiency in entrepreneurship, and sex discrimination not clear are the main problems in different ratios. The work and the education were not found as related. The level of social coverage, trade union membership and salaried work does change with education positively

  7. Service oriented architecture for scientific analysis at W7-X. An example of a field line tracer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bozhenkov, S.A., E-mail: boz@ipp.mpg.de; Geiger, J.; Grahl, M.; Kißlinger, J.; Werner, A.; Wolf, R.C.

    2013-11-15

    Highlights: • We briefly overview available web-service protocols, and explain why SOAP standards are chosen. • We explain the basics of the SOAP technology and give both the usage and development patterns with corresponding examples. • We develop a new W7-X field line tracing service. • The service can calculate Poincaré maps, connection lengths, magnetic coordinates, heat fluxes, etc. with a realistic device geometry. • With the tracer service, we model the influence of 1/1 error field on the W7-X divertor heat loads. -- Abstract: Service oriented architecture based on web-services is a universal method of combining software components. SOAP web-services chosen for W7-X are characterized by strong standards and readily available tools. In this paper the SOAP technology is explained and is illustrated with a new service for field line tracing. The field line tracing package consists of a C++ library and a web-service interface. It features a flexible structure and can handle a realistic machine geometry. The following problems can be solved: getting a field line; making Poincaré maps; calculating flux surface characteristics; calculating heat fluxes to the wall; constructing magnetic coordinates, etc. The service is applied to estimate W7-X divertor loads with an 1/1 error field.

  8. Service oriented architecture for scientific analysis at W7-X. An example of a field line tracer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bozhenkov, S.A.; Geiger, J.; Grahl, M.; Kißlinger, J.; Werner, A.; Wolf, R.C.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • We briefly overview available web-service protocols, and explain why SOAP standards are chosen. • We explain the basics of the SOAP technology and give both the usage and development patterns with corresponding examples. • We develop a new W7-X field line tracing service. • The service can calculate Poincaré maps, connection lengths, magnetic coordinates, heat fluxes, etc. with a realistic device geometry. • With the tracer service, we model the influence of 1/1 error field on the W7-X divertor heat loads. -- Abstract: Service oriented architecture based on web-services is a universal method of combining software components. SOAP web-services chosen for W7-X are characterized by strong standards and readily available tools. In this paper the SOAP technology is explained and is illustrated with a new service for field line tracing. The field line tracing package consists of a C++ library and a web-service interface. It features a flexible structure and can handle a realistic machine geometry. The following problems can be solved: getting a field line; making Poincaré maps; calculating flux surface characteristics; calculating heat fluxes to the wall; constructing magnetic coordinates, etc. The service is applied to estimate W7-X divertor loads with an 1/1 error field

  9. Analysis of 'new physics' in the flavor sector using effective field theory methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dassinger, Benjamin M.

    2010-01-01

    The enormous amount of data collected by the B factories as well as the perspective concerning the upcoming experiments at the LHC provide us with the opportunity to perform high precision tests of the standard model. This dissertation presents two model independent precision tests of the weak sector of the standard model using extensions of the weak currents which are set up using effective field theory methods in order to control the size of the different contributions. Constraints on the coefficients of the terms can then be obtained by comparison with experimental results. The first analysis incorporates a test of the lefthandedness of the weak interaction in the quark sector. By introducing additional weak couplings the differential and total decay rates of the inclusive semileptonic decay anti B → X c l anti ν l are calculated. The calculation includes the computation of the heavy-quark expansion which describes the interaction of the decaying b quark with respect to the background field of the B meson, up to order 1/m b 4 . This has been done in a new, systematic way which does not involve the calculation of gluon matrix elements. Furthermore, radiative corrections have been included up to order O(α s ) including renormalization group running. The second part deals with the introduction of lepton flavor violating operators in the context of leptonic τ decays. These operators give rise to the effective four-fermion vertex τ→ll ' l'' as well as the subsequent radiative decay τ→lγ * →ll '+ l '- . The resulting Dalitz distributions turn out to predict completely different signatures for the radiative and the effective four-fermion vertices and provide the opportunity to check, whether the decay is induced either by a radiative or by an effective four-fermion vertex. Since different models which contain lepton flavor violation are normally more sensitive to one of those decay modes than to the other, the analysis therefore allows the comparison of

  10. Analysis of ''new physics'' in the flavor sector using effective field theory methods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dassinger, Benjamin M

    2010-02-05

    The enormous amount of data collected by the B factories as well as the perspective concerning the upcoming experiments at the LHC provide us with the opportunity to perform high precision tests of the standard model. This dissertation presents two model independent precision tests of the weak sector of the standard model using extensions of the weak currents which are set up using effective field theory methods in order to control the size of the different contributions. Constraints on the coefficients of the terms can then be obtained by comparison with experimental results. The first analysis incorporates a test of the lefthandedness of the weak interaction in the quark sector. By introducing additional weak couplings the differential and total decay rates of the inclusive semileptonic decay anti B {yields} X{sub c}l anti {nu}{sub l} are calculated. The calculation includes the computation of the heavy-quark expansion which describes the interaction of the decaying b quark with respect to the background field of the B meson, up to order 1/m{sub b}{sup 4}. This has been done in a new, systematic way which does not involve the calculation of gluon matrix elements. Furthermore, radiative corrections have been included up to order O({alpha}{sub s}) including renormalization group running. The second part deals with the introduction of lepton flavor violating operators in the context of leptonic {tau} decays. These operators give rise to the effective four-fermion vertex {tau}{yields}ll{sup '}l'' as well as the subsequent radiative decay {tau}{yields}l{gamma}{sup *}{yields}ll{sup '+}l{sup '-}. The resulting Dalitz distributions turn out to predict completely different signatures for the radiative and the effective four-fermion vertices and provide the opportunity to check, whether the decay is induced either by a radiative or by an effective four-fermion vertex. Since different models which contain lepton flavor violation are normally more sensitive to one of those

  11. Effectively engaging the private sector through vouchers and contracting - A case for analysing health governance and context.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nachtnebel, Matthias; O'Mahony, Ashleigh; Pillai, Nandini; Hort, Kris

    2015-11-01

    Health systems of low and middle income countries in the Asia Pacific have been described as mixed, where public and private sector operate in parallel. Gaps in the provision of primary health care (PHC) services have been picked up by the private sector and led to its growth; as can an enabling regulatory environment. The question whether governments should purchase services from the private sector to address gaps in service provision has been fiercely debated. This purposive review draws evidence from systematic reviews, and additional published and grey literature, for input into a policy brief on purchasing PHC-services from the private sector for underserved areas in the Asia Pacific region. Additional published and grey literature on vouchers and contracting as mechanisms to engage the private sector was used to supplement the conclusions from systematic reviews. We analysed the literature through a policy lens, or alternatively, a 'bottom-up' approach which incorporates components of a realist review. Evidence indicates that both vouchers and contracting can improve health service outcomes in underserved areas. These outcomes however are strongly influenced by (1) contextual factors, such as roles and functions attributable to a shared set of key actors (2) the type of delivered services and community demand (3) design of the intervention, notably provider autonomy and trust (4) governance capacity and provision of stewardship. Examining the experience of vouchers and contracting to expand health services through engagement with private sector providers in the Asia Pacific found positive effects with regards to access and utilisation of health services, but more importantly, highlighted the significance of contextual factors, appropriate selection of mechanism for services provided, and governance arrangements and stewardship capacity. In fact, for governments seeking to engage the private sector, analysis of context and capacities are potentially a more

  12. Big data analysis framework for healthcare and social sectors in Korea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Tae-Min; Ryu, Seewon

    2015-01-01

    We reviewed applications of big data analysis of healthcare and social services in developed countries, and subsequently devised a framework for such an analysis in Korea. We reviewed the status of implementing big data analysis of health care and social services in developed countries, and strategies used by the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Korea (Government 3.0). We formulated a conceptual framework of big data in the healthcare and social service sectors at the national level. As a specific case, we designed a process and method of social big data analysis on suicide buzz. Developed countries (e.g., the United States, the UK, Singapore, Australia, and even OECD and EU) are emphasizing the potential of big data, and using it as a tool to solve their long-standing problems. Big data strategies for the healthcare and social service sectors were formulated based on an ICT-based policy of current government and the strategic goals of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. We suggest a framework of big data analysis in the healthcare and welfare service sectors separately and assigned them tentative names: 'health risk analysis center' and 'integrated social welfare service network'. A framework of social big data analysis is presented by applying it to the prevention and proactive detection of suicide in Korea. There are some concerns with the utilization of big data in the healthcare and social welfare sectors. Thus, research on these issues must be conducted so that sophisticated and practical solutions can be reached.

  13. Public Sector IS Maturity Models

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zinner Henriksen, Helle; Andersen, Kim Normann; Medaglia, Rony

    2011-01-01

    Online applications and processing of tax forms, driver licenses, and construction permits are examples of where policy attention and research have been united in efforts aiming to categorize the maturity level of e-services. Less attention has been attributed to policy areas with continuous online...... citizenpublic interaction, such as in public education. In this paper we use a revised version of the Public Sector Process Rebuilding (PPR) maturity model for mapping 200 websites of public primary schools in Denmark. Findings reveal a much less favorable picture of the digitization of the Danish public sector...... compared to the high ranking it has received in the international benchmark studies. This paper aims at closing the gap between the predominant scope of maturity models and the frequency of citizen-public sector interaction, and calls for increased attention to the activities of government where the scale...

  14. Social security reform and population ageing in a two-sector growth model

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Groezen, Bas van; Meijdam, L.; Verbon, H.

    2002-01-01

    This paper analyses the e¤ects of reducing unfunded social security and population ageing on economic growth and welfare, both for a small open economy and for a closed economy. The economy consists of a service sector and a commodity sector. Productivity growth only occurs in the latter sector

  15. Marketization trajectories in the Danish road and park sectors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lindholst, Andrej Christian; Hansen, Morten Balle; Petersen, Ole Helby

    2016-01-01

    (as providers of maintenance services) in the municipal road and park sectors in Denmark over the past 30 years. The study draws theoretically on historical institutionalism as an interpretive framework and empirically on findings from earlier research, register data from municipal accounts as well...... as new survey data. Findings – Marketization within the road and park sectors has historically taken place through gradual changes, in particular by processes of layering and displacement, which has added up to substantial transformations in both sectors. Transformations relate to the levels of private...... sector involvement, the purpose of using private contractors, the extent of competition and the design of contractual arrangements. The road sector has been a frontrunner in this marketization process, while the park sector increasingly has been “catching up.” Originality/value – The paper contributes...

  16. A comparison between antenatal care quality in public and private sector in rural Hebei, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Li; Dai, Yaohua; Zhang, Yanfeng; Wu, Qiong; Rudan, Diana; Saftić, Vanja; van Velthoven, Michelle H M M T; Su, Jianqiang; Tan, Zangwen; Scherpbier, Robert W

    2013-04-01

    To evaluate the quality of antenatal care (ANC) in Hebei Province and compare it between the public and private sector and within the public sector. We conducted a Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Household Survey in 2010 using a two-stage sampling procedure and included 1079 mothers. The quality of ANC was assessed on the basis of the number of ANC visits, the time of the first ANC visit, 16 different ANC procedures, owning a maternal health care booklet, and the type of service provider. Almost all women (98%) received ANC services at least once, 80% at least four times, and 54% at least five times. About half of the women (46%) visited ANC facility within their first trimester. Neither public nor private sector provided all 16 standardized services, but significantly more women in public sector received ANC procedures. Most women received ANC in county or higher-level hospitals (75%) and very few in township hospitals (8%). Significantly fewer women were weighed and tested for HIV/AIDS in township than in county or higher-level hospitals. The quality of ANC in Hebei was poorer than required by China's national and World Health Organization norms. Although the public sector performed better than the private sector, the utilization and quality of care of ANC services in this sector varied and women generally visited county or higher-level health facilities.

  17. Techno-economic evaluation of commercial cogeneration plants for small and medium size companies in the Italian industrial and service sector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Armanasco, Fabio; Colombo, Luigi Pietro Maria; Lucchini, Andrea; Rossetti, Andrea

    2012-01-01

    The liberalization of the electricity market and the concern for energy efficiency have resulted in a surge of interest in cogeneration and distributed power generation. In this regard, companies are encouraged to evaluate the opportunity to build their own cogeneration plant. In Italy, the majority of such companies belong to the industrial or service sector; it is small or medium in size and the electric power ranges between 1 ÷ 10 MW. Commercially available gas turbines are the less expensive option for cogeneration. Particular attention has been given to the possibility of combining an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) with gas turbine, to improve the conversion efficiency. Companies have to account for both technical and economical aspects to assess viability of cogeneration. A techno-economic analysis was performed to identify, in the Italian energy market, which users can take advantage of a cogeneration plant aimed to cover at least part of their energy demand. Since electricity and thermal needs change considerably in the same sector, single product categories have been considered in the analysis. Our work shows that in the industrial sector, independent of the product category, cogeneration is a viable option form a techno-economic perspective. - Highlights: ► The best technologies for 1 ÷ 10 MW distributed generation plant are gas turbine and ORC. ► A variety of commercial cogeneration plants is available to meet user needs. ► Cogeneration is a technical and economical advantage for industrial sector companies.

  18. Balancing work and family in the low-wage service sector: the role of legislated and collectively-bargained norms in Quebec.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernstein, Stéphanie

    2011-01-01

    This paper looks at the role of legislated norms of general application in shaping "family-friendly" workplaces and their interaction with collectively-bargained standards in the retail service sector and more specifically, in a single unionized retail sector in Quebec, Canada. The methodology used is traditional legal research methodology: analysis of laws, collective agreements and case law. The principal norms examined concern parental and family leave, working time and disparities between different employment statuses. A series of legislative provisions have been adopted in Quebec over the last 30 years whose objectives are the improvement of family-related leave and the reduction of working time. Unions have also negotiated provisions in collective agreements with these same goals. In the low-wage retail sector studied, the working time standards negotiated between the unions and the employers reflect the characteristics of the sector, most notably extended opening hours, seven days a week. Predictability of hours also varies according to employment status. Such issues as family-unfriendly working time arrangements (last-minute scheduling, asocial hours, etc.) and the need for flexibility in family-related leave are insufficiently taken into account by the legislated and bargained provisions. A fine analysis and comprehension of existing formal regulation, be it legislated or collectively-bargained, is required to fully understand workers' experiences with work-family balance and to identify the gaps between formal norms and the needs expressed by workers with respect to work-family balance.

  19. The Netherlands: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the cleaning activities sector

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Grünell, M.

    2012-01-01

    The cleaning sector is a small but important sector of the Dutch service economy, employing around 2% of the work force. Employers are organised in one association, the Employer Organisation Cleaning and Business Services, de Ondernemersorganisatie Schoonmaak- en Bedrijfsdiensten, OSB. Employees in

  20. Consumers satisfaction in the energy sector in Kenya

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mutua, John; Ngui, Dianah; Osiolo, Helen; Aligula, Eric; Gachanja, James

    2012-01-01

    This paper analyzes consumer satisfaction in the energy sector in Kenya to assess the quality and level of service delivery. By use of the European Consumer Satisfaction Index (ECSI), the paper estimates consumer satisfaction in biomass, petroleum, electricity and renewable energy subsectors. The findings are that consumer satisfaction is highest in the renewable energy sub sector at 74.7% followed by petroleum at 62.8%. The electricity sub sector has the lowest consumer satisfaction of 53.06%. Further, it is found that the image of renewable energy providers is also the highest at 72.5% followed by that of petroleum companies at 63.1%. In the electricity sub sector, perceived value scored the highest at 64.2%. The paper concludes that image of a service provider, loyalty of consumers, consumer expectations, perceived value, perceived quality and the way complains are handled are very important factors that determine consumer satisfaction levels. It is recommended that for monitoring and evaluation purposes in the performance of the energy sector, the Energy RegulatoryCommission(ERC) could use the consumer satisfaction index level to evaluate whether the regulatory policies and their implementation are bearing fruit where a high index would be associated with good performance and vice versa. - Highlights: ► The paper estimates consumer satisfaction in biomass, petroleum, electricity and renewable energy subsectors. ► Consumer satisfaction is highest in the renewable energy sub sector at 74.7%. ► The electricity sub sector has the lowest consumer satisfaction of 53.06%. ► Image of renewable energy providers is also the highest at 72.5%. ► Factors explaining consumer satisfaction are; Image, consumers’ loyalty, expectations, perceived value, and perceived quality.

  1. The becoming of user-generated reviews: Looking at the past to understand the future of managing reputation in the travel sector

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Baka, Vasiliki

    2015-01-01

    conclusions about products and services. This paper explores how UGC reviews and ratings have intensified the contingency of organizational reputation in the travel sector. The findings are based upon a corpus of data including: a field study at the offices of the largest travel user-generated website, Trip......Advisor, and a netnographic approach. In particular we discuss the shift from Word-Of-Mouth to eWOM, the consequences for the sector and provide a balanced view of the role of reviews, ratings and lists. We are concluding with a conceptual model for managing online reputation in the era of UGC, while acknowledging...

  2. Performance of private sector health care: implications for universal health coverage

    OpenAIRE

    Morgan, R; Ensor, T; Waters, H

    2016-01-01

    Although the private sector is an important health-care provider in many low-income and middle-income countries, its role in progress towards universal health coverage varies. Studies of the performance of the private sector have focused on three main dimensions: quality, equity of access, and efficiency. The characteristics of patients, the structures of both the public and private sectors, and the regulation of the sector influence the types of health services delivered, and outcomes. Combi...

  3. The electric tariff in the residential sector; Tarificacion electrica en el sector residencial

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sheinbaum Pardo, Claudia [Instituto de Ingenieria, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM), Mexico, D. F. (Mexico)

    1997-12-31

    The main objective of this paper is to make an historical revision and analyze the current condition of the electric tariffs in the Mexican residential sector and ask ourselves if the equalization of tariffs generates the possibility that the entire population has access to the electricity service. The document is divided into three parts. The first one presents the history and the tendencies of the tariffs in the domestic sector in Mexico since 1973 until 1996 and the current tariff structure. The second one describes the characteristics of the residential users and mention is made of how the increment of the electric tariffs would affect the various population sectors. The last part of this paper presents some tariff criteria, that take into account energy conservation measures [Espanol] El objetivo principal de este trabajo es hacer una revision historica y analizar la situacion actual de las tarifas electricas en el sector residencial mexicano y preguntarnos si la igualdad de tarifas genera la posibilidad de que toda la poblacion tenga acceso al servicio electrico. El documento se divide en tres partes. La primera presenta la historia y tendencias de las tarifas del sector domestico en Mexico desde 1973 hasta 1996 y la estructura tarifaria actual. La segunda describe las caracteristicas de los usuarios residenciales y se menciona como afectaria el incremento de las tarifas electricas a los distintos sectores de la poblacion. La ultima parte de este trabajo presenta algunos criterios de tarificacion, que toman en cuenta medidas de ahorro de energia

  4. Working toward a Cross-Sector Approach to Systemic Change in Services for Expectant Parents and Families with Infants and Toddlers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nigrelli, Christina; Chacon, Jenifer

    2017-01-01

    Professionals who work with families during the prenatal to 5 years range (p-5) can work with colleagues across various sectors of the field to coordinate and collaborate on behalf of young children and their families. This article explores the efforts of p-5 professionals throughout Los Angeles County to strengthen their capacity to engage in…

  5. Prototype sector magnets for the GeV electron microtron (GEM)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wehrle, R.B.; Norem, J.H.; Praeg, W.F.; Swanstrom, R.H.; Thompson, K.M.

    1983-01-01

    Three prototypes of the sector magnets for GeV Electon Microtron accelerators have been designed. One has been built and two are being constructed. The first is a full scale, 168 ton prototype for one-half of a 2 GeV Double Sided Microtron (DSM) sector magnet. The successful fabrication and testing of the pole pieces for this prototype has demonstrated that their required close tolerances for flatness and parallelism can be met. The second magnet is an approximate two-thirds scale model of one step at the low energy end of the hexatron sector magnet designed for the 4 GeV Electron Microtron (GEM). The measured fields demonstrate that the field falls off faster than an Enge-short-tail and error fields are at low levels and are controllable. A third prototype magnet exactly duplicates the full scale geometry of the first three full orbits of the GEM sector magnet from entrance to exit points. It will permit high precision measurements and corrections of field errors and verify the 3-D computer program, TOSCA

  6. A comparative assessment of tools for ecosystem services quantification and valuation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bagstad, Kenneth J.; Semmens, Darius; Waage, Sissel; Winthrop, Robert

    2013-01-01

    To enter widespread use, ecosystem service assessments need to be quantifiable, replicable, credible, flexible, and affordable. With recent growth in the field of ecosystem services, a variety of decision-support tools has emerged to support more systematic ecosystem services assessment. Despite the growing complexity of the tool landscape, thorough reviews of tools for identifying, assessing, modeling and in some cases monetarily valuing ecosystem services have generally been lacking. In this study, we describe 17 ecosystem services tools and rate their performance against eight evaluative criteria that gauge their readiness for widespread application in public- and private-sector decision making. We describe each of the tools′ intended uses, services modeled, analytical approaches, data requirements, and outputs, as well time requirements to run seven tools in a first comparative concurrent application of multiple tools to a common location – the San Pedro River watershed in southeast Arizona, USA, and northern Sonora, Mexico. Based on this work, we offer conclusions about these tools′ current ‘readiness’ for widespread application within both public- and private-sector decision making processes. Finally, we describe potential pathways forward to reduce the resource requirements for running ecosystem services models, which are essential to facilitate their more widespread use in environmental decision making.

  7. OECD Structural Analysis Databases: Sectoral Principles in the Study of Markets for Goods and Services

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina D. Simonova

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This study focuses on the characteristics of the information database of the OECD structural business statistics in the analysis of markets of goods and services, and macroeconomic trends. The system of indicators of structural statistics is presented in OECD publications and on-line access to a wide range of users. Collected data sources generated by the OECD offices are based on the national statistical offices of country-members, Russia and the BRICS. Data on the development of economic sectors are calculated according to the methodology of individual countries, regional and international standards: annual national accounts of countries, annual industry and business surveys, methodology of short-term indicators, statistics of international trade in goods. Data are aggregated on the basis of complex indicators statements of the enterprises' questionnaire and business surveys. Information system of structural statistics which is available and continuously updated, has certain features. It is composed of several subsystems: Structural Statistics on Industry and Services, EU entrepreneurship statistics, Indicators of Industry and Services, International Trade in Commodities Statistics. The grouping of industries is based on the International standard industrial classification of all economic activities (ISIC. Classification of foreign trade flows is made in accordance with the Harmonized system of description and coding of goods. The structural statistics databases comprise four classes of industries' grouping according to the technology intensity. The paper discusses the main reasons for the non-comparability of data in the subsystems in certain time intervals.

  8. Collaborative Innovation in the Public Sector

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Agger, Annika; Hedensted Lund, Dorthe

    2017-01-01

    Collaborative innovation in the public sector is increasingly used as a strategy for balancing citizens’ rising expectations for public services with limited public resources. This article suggests that public polices construct citizens as clients, consumers, or coproducers and thereby encourage...

  9. Assistive technologies along supply chains in health care and in the social services sector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mayer, Peter; Hauer, Katharina; Schloffer, Evelyn; Leyrer, Barbara

    2015-01-01

    Health care systems in Austria and Slovenia are currently facing challenges due to scarce resources and demographic change which can be seen especially along the supply chains. The main objective of this paper is to present an option to improve the use of assistive technologies. An extensive literature research for the theoretic part as well as a qualitative survey for the empiric part focusing on short-term care were carried out. Results show that there is a lack of information and training on assistive technologies. As a consequence, their full potential cannot be exploited. Therefore a guideline for nursing consultations was developed. To conclude, both the literature research and the qualitative survey show that assistive technologies have high potentials to improve the supply chains in the health care and social services sector, but there is a lot of information and training on them needed.

  10. Consumption of Advanced Internet Services in the Enterprises Sector: the Spread of Telework in the Metropolitan Area of Madrid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Carlos MACÍA ARCE

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available One of the pillars of the technological revolution that began in the seventies was the development of the Internet. This network has evolved in such a way that it now forms a complex structure that radically changed the social and economic dynamics at the end of century XX. Nowadays, new technologies allow anything from communication and information exchange to the realization of complex financial transactions, all from anywhere in the world and almost instantaneously. In spite of the widespread use of the Internet, there are still territories and inhabitants, mostly emplaced in remote rural areas, who live outside of this technological revolution. By contrast, urban areas enjoy a privileged position in the dissemination of the information society by concentrating most of the telecommunications infrastructure and monopolize the most qualified people. But there are many disparities in terms of diffusion of new technologies and these will transfer, in turn, to the enterprise sector which is the subject of this research. The differences in the use of new technologies and more specifically the use of advanced services on the Internet are related to the sector where the population is employed and its level of training. One of the advanced services offered by the Network is teleworking. Nowadays there are companies that offer their employees the opportunity to develop their professional activities outside their headquarters, using their homes as an alternative or call centers enabled with computers and Internet access. The purpose of this research is the study of the consumption of Internet advanced services by companies in the metropolitan area of Madrid, analyzing the spread of telework in more detail,a potential offered by new technologies and which may modify the current pattern of mobility in the main urban areas because it is from here where big companies are guiding the global economy.

  11. STRENGTHENING COMPANY IMAGE IN SERVICE SECTOR BY IMPROVING RELATIONAL CAPITAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jamila Jaganjac

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims to contribute to the theoretical model of managing intellectual capital with an emphasis on the relational capital. Relational capital is especially relevant in the service sector, where differentiation is mostly based on non-price competition. Development of relational capital which strengthens the image through satisfaction of internal and external users encourages innovation and allows each process to be enriched with new knowledge. To illustrate this concept, the paper presents an empirical study of the participants of international students’ conference, coming from nine faculties from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia. Paper intends to define the steps to follow in developing a model of relational capital management at universities, taking in consideration the interaction between students' needs, defined through five levels and relationships with higher education institutions. The aim of research is also to encourage innovative processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina and region, which are not always needed to be directly connected to curricular activities, but are derived from them. The results indicate the motives and motivation of both students and professors at fifth level of interaction. It also presents possible ways to expand cooperation in the fifth stage of interaction between students and higher education institutions. As the image of the company and its employees and clients is interconnected, this research points to elements that can be improved in further interaction, in order to achieve effects on each side.

  12. Between Public - Private Partnerships and public finance in the public infrastructure sector: The water and sanitation sector in Albania

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fjona Zeneli

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available It’s known in the literature that public-private partnerships (PPPs are one the main instruments that permit private collaboration in projects that are public otherwise. It’s also clear that their implementation is different depending on the rules of the countries, their market level of acceptance etc. The first objective of this paper is to revise PPPs projects in the water sector in Albania, seen in the context of alternative financing ways for joint-stock companies of Albanian water sector, due to the nature of the market (a developing emerging market, in the context of bad financial times after 2008 (the start of the international financial crisis. The second objective is to describe the development of the Albanian legislation for management contracts introduced for the first time in the waters and sanitation sector in 2004 and privatization practices in public sector. The main conclusion is that in the developing markets creating possibilities for private sector participation in the infrastructure public services (especially in the drinking water and sanitation sector will be seen with skepticism because of failed previous privatization practices or the sensitivity degree of the water sector related to the penetration level of private factor in the sector. Public finance will be explored as a convenient alternative.

  13. Legal significance of the private security sector in Kosovo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fidair Berisha

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Privatization of the security sector is considered a new phenomenon in the post communist society. The security system has been under a total monopol of the state institutions. Therefore, even the legal adjustment of this system is considered that only state institutions are entitled for provision of the security services, by excluding participation of civic organizations from this activity. Beside this, state enterprises have been obliged to establish its safet structures for property protection and involved employers in enterprises. Immediately after the conflictual period the privatization of the security sector was rapidly increased, including various parts of society. In Kosovo immediately after the conflictual period there was legal gaps, which means that the private security sector has not been adjusted and as a result of this has been uncontrolled and without supervision. Therefore in 2000 the UNMIK administration has undertaken measures and has carried out the first act which has regulated this sector in Kosova. The draft law has undergone significant changes starting from the title. Saying in more common manner, “Draft law for private security” is amended in the LAW no. 04/L-004.2001 for private security services, and this amendment of the private security sector is based in the above mentioned law.

  14. Domestic fuel price and economic sectors in Malaysia: a future of renewable energy?

    OpenAIRE

    Jee, Hui-Siang Brenda; Lau, Evan; Puah, Chin-Hong; Abu Mansor, Shazali

    2010-01-01

    This study empirically examines the relation between the domestic fuel prices with the ten disaggregated economic sectors in Malaysia with the spanning of data from 1990:Q1 to 2007:Q4. We found that only three sectors (agriculture, trade and other services sectors) are cointegrated with the fuel price and fuel price does Granger cause these sectors. Despite the evidence of non-cointegrated in most of the economic sectors, fuel price able to influence these sectors over a longer period. Policy...

  15. The Netherlands: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the cleaning activities sector

    OpenAIRE

    Grünell, M.

    2012-01-01

    The cleaning sector is a small but important sector of the Dutch service economy, employing around 2% of the work force. Employers are organised in one association, the Employer Organisation Cleaning and Business Services, de Ondernemersorganisatie Schoonmaak- en Bedrijfsdiensten, OSB. Employees in the sector are organised, either by the unions of FNV or CNV, the two main employee organisations. These three parties conclude the collective labour agreement on behalf of the 750 members of OSB (...

  16. Sectoral Innovation Watch electrical and Optical Equipment Sector. Final sector report

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Broek, T. van den; Giessen, A.M. van der

    2011-01-01

    The electrical and optical equipment sector is a high-tech manufacturing sector. It is one of the most innovative sectors in Europe with investments and advances in fundamental research, applied R&D and innovation in the actual use of equipment. This sector is also one of the most global sectors

  17. Working in the Public Sector. Introduction to the Thematic Issue

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annette Kamp

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Work in the public sector has been changing dramatically in recent decades. Reforms aimed at increasing the efficiency of public services have been extensive in the Nordic countries and elsewhere since the 1980s. The reforms and changes have to a large extent been associated with so-called New Public Management (NPM principles, emphasizing the market as a central coordination mechanism. Consequently, public institutions have been restructured, their services are standardized and commodified, and market-like relationships between them have been created. In order to create markets and transform citizens into customers on a market, outsourcing and privatization have been stimulated (Blomqvist & Rothstein 2000, Busch et al 2005, Christensen & Lægreid 2007, Greve 2003. At the same time, traditional Weberian bureaucratic principles are still viable and even enhanced within the sector, for instance, as a consequence of the use of contracts as a means of managing public organizations (Greve 2008. Lately, large reforms aimed at centralized coordination of different service providers, such as the integration of the Norwegian welfare administration, have been labeled post-NPM reforms by some researchers. The implication of all these parallel tendencies is that the institutional and organizational landscape surrounding the work situations of employees in the public sector have become increasingly complex, some call them hybrid,  putting a variety of conflicting pressures on the performance of work within the sector (Christensen & Lægreid 2011, Hasselbladh et al. 2008. In this special issue, we explore some of the consequences of these structural and normative changes on the work of public sector employees in different sectors and contexts (...

  18. Characterizing the development of sectoral gross domestic product composition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lutz, Raphael; Spies, Michael; Reusser, Dominik E.; Kropp, Jürgen P.; Rybski, Diego

    2013-07-01

    We consider the sectoral composition of a country's gross domestic product (GDP), i.e., the partitioning into agrarian, industrial, and service sectors. Exploring a simple system of differential equations, we characterize the transfer of GDP shares between the sectors in the course of economic development. The model fits for the majority of countries providing four country-specific parameters. Relating the agrarian with the industrial sector, a data collapse over all countries and all years supports the applicability of our approach. Depending on the parameter ranges, country development exhibits different transfer properties. Most countries follow three of eight characteristic paths. The types are not random but show distinct geographic and development patterns.

  19. The challenges of good governance in the aquatic animal health sector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kahn, S; Mylrea, G; Yaacov, K Bar

    2012-08-01

    Animal health is fundamental to efficient animal production and, therefore, to food security and human health. This holds true for both terrestrial and aquatic animals. Although partnership between producers and governmental services is vital for effective animal health programmes, many key activities are directly carried out by governmental services. Noting the need to improve the governance of such services in many developing countries, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), using the OIE Tool for the Evaluation of Performance of Veterinary Services, conducts assessments of Veterinary Services and Aquatic Animal Health Services (AAHS) to help strengthen governance and support more effective delivery of animal health programmes. While good governance and the tools to improve governance in the aquatic animal sector are largely based on the same principles as those that apply in the terrestrial animal sector, there are some specific challenges in the aquatic sector that have a bearing on the governance of services in this area. For example, the aquaculture industry has experienced rapid growth and the use of novel species is increasing; there are important gaps in scientific knowledge on diseases of aquatic animals; there is a need for more information on sustainable production; the level of participation of the veterinary profession in aquatic animal health is low; and there is a lack of standardisation in the training of aquatic animal health professionals. Aquaculture development can be a means of alleviating poverty and hunger in developing countries. However, animal diseases, adverse environmental impacts and food safety risks threaten to limit this development. Strengthening AAHS governance and, in consequence, aquatic animal health programmes, is the best way to ensure a dynamic and sustainable aquaculture sector in future. This paper discusses the specific challenges to AAHS governance and some OIE initiatives to help Member Countries to address

  20. Scotland's Water Map: Understanding water sector links to support decision making for the Hydro Nation Agenda

    Science.gov (United States)

    Falconer, Ruth E.; Gilmour, Daniel; Duffy, Alison; Isaacs, John; Stojanovic, Vladeta; O'Keeffe, Juliette; Blackwood, David

    2015-04-01

    The value of Scotland's water and sewerage market is projected to grow to £1.24bn by 2016/17. Developing future opportunities must take place alongside maintaining current service provision; however the demand on water and waste water services is constantly evolving. An integrated approach to water management requires an understanding of complex interactions that exist between key actors in the sector to allow water management strategies to exploit inter-sectorial links. Successful integrated analysis of the water sector in Scotland will support management activities key to responding to the Hydro Nation themes of 1) Governance and international development 2) Environmental protection 3) Economic opportunities 4) Research development. In order to deliver on these objectives an approach is required to capture and communicate the scope and scale of the water sector and its interconnectedness. The methodology required to determine scope, scale and interconnectedness of water sector involved the identification and application of an appropriate range of techniques from the Information and Knowledge Management disciplines combined with the Information Visualisation field. Scope and scale of the water sector was identified by a desk based study and this data was visualized using a geographic map. Sector interconnectedness was determined by interviewing key actors. The interviews identified the stakeholders associated with information flows, and the purpose of the information transfer through Reporting/Managing (R/M), Influence and Information sharing (I) or Control (C) activities. Primary information flows were also scored with respect to importance against the 4 key Hydro Nation agenda themes. Many organisations were identified who interact within Scotland's water sector including the Scottish Government and Ministers, the Regulators (WICS, DWQR, SEPA), Scottish Water (core and non-core functions), plus many other stakeholders ranging from research institutions to

  1. Practice Variation in Public Sector Internal Auditing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Arena, Marika; Jeppesen, Kim Klarskov

    2016-01-01

    This article aims to analyze the rise of practice variations in public sector internal auditing (IA), giving special attention to the role of agents’ embeddedness in multiple institutional arrangements. IA's trends of development and the characteristics of the public sector context, in fact, make...... types of IA developed in three case settings, shaped by the agents’ embeddedness in different institutional fields. This article provides a more comprehensive approach to the study of IA adoption and development in public sector organizations than previous literature, and it highlights the relevance...... of the interplay between actors’ contemporary embeddedness in professional systems and the focal social system as a relevant source of practice variation. In this respect, the case of IA can contribute to previous studies of practice variation in the field of management accounting, shedding some light on the types...

  2. Statistical Compilation of the ICT Sector and Policy Analysis | Page 5 ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    The project is designed to expand the scope of conventional investigation beyond the telecommunications industry to include other vertically integrated components of the ICT sector such as manufacturing and services. ... Statistical Compilation of the ICT Sector and Policy Analysis project : country experiences; Malaysia.

  3. Facts 2009 - The Norwegian petroleum sector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2009-07-01

    The publication provides a general overview of information regarding the petroleum activities on the Norwegian continental shelf. Contents: Foreword; The petroleum sector; Norwegian resource management; Government petroleum revenues; Exploration activities; Development and operations; Norwegian gas exports; Decommissioning; Research, technology; Environmental considerations; Petroleum resources; Fields in production; Fields under development; Future developments; Fields where production has ceased; Pipelines and onshore facilities. (AG)

  4. Big data in Finnish financial services

    OpenAIRE

    Laurila, M. (Mikko)

    2017-01-01

    Abstract This thesis aims to explore the concept of big data, and create understanding of big data maturity in the Finnish financial services industry. The research questions of this thesis are “What kind of big data solutions are being implemented in the Finnish financial services sector?” and “Which factors impede faster implementation of big data solutions in the Finnish financial services sector?”. ...

  5. 20 CFR 641.630 - What private sector training activities are allowable under section 502(e)?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What private sector training activities are... Sector Training Projects Under Section 502(e) of the OAA § 641.630 What private sector training...: (a) Providing participants with services leading to transition to private sector employment...

  6. Facts 2011 - The Norwegian petroleum sector; Fakta 2011 - norsk petroleumsverksemd

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2011-07-15

    The publication provides a general overview of information regarding the petroleum activities on the Norwegian continental shelf. Content; Foreword; The petroleum sector - Norway's largest industry; Organisation of Norwegian petroleum activity; Government petroleum revenues; Exploration activities; Development and operations; Norwegian gas exports; Decommissioning; Research, technology and industrial development; Environmental considerations in the Norwegian petroleum sector; Petroleum resources; Fields in production; Fields under development; Future developments; Fields where production has ceased; Pipelines and onshore facilities. (AG)

  7. Facts 2010 - The Norwegian petroleum sector; Fakta 2010 - norsk petroleumsverksemd

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2010-07-01

    The publication provides a general overview of information regarding the petroleum activities on the Norwegian continental shelf. Content; Foreword; The petroleum sector - Norway's largest industry; Organisation of Norwegian petroleum activity; Government petroleum revenues; Exploration activities; Development and operations; Norwegian gas exports; Decommissioning; Research, technology and industrial development; Environmental considerations in the Norwegian petroleum sector; Petroleum resources; Fields in production; Fields under development; Future developments; Fields where production has ceased; Pipelines and onshore facilities. (AG)

  8. Trade in health services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chanda, Rupa

    2002-01-01

    In light of the increasing globalization of the health sector, this article examines ways in which health services can be traded, using the mode-wise characterization of trade defined in the General Agreement on Trade in Services. The trade modes include cross- border delivery of health services via physical and electronic means, and cross-border movement of consumers, professionals, and capital. An examination of the positive and negative implications of trade in health services for equity, efficiency, quality, and access to health care indicates that health services trade has brought mixed benefits and that there is a clear role for policy measures to mitigate the adverse consequences and facilitate the gains. Some policy measures and priority areas for action are outlined, including steps to address the "brain drain"; increasing investment in the health sector and prioritizing this investment better; and promoting linkages between private and public health care services to ensure equity. Data collection, measures, and studies on health services trade all need to be improved, to assess better the magnitude and potential implications of this trade. In this context, the potential costs and benefits of trade in health services are shaped by the underlying structural conditions and existing regulatory, policy, and infrastructure in the health sector. Thus, appropriate policies and safeguard measures are required to take advantage of globalization in health services. PMID:11953795

  9. Life Cycle Assessment Application to the Wine Sector: A Critical Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carmen Ferrara

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Life Cycle Assessment (LCA is a powerful tool that allows evaluation of the environmental performances of a product, service or process considering the whole life cycle or a part of it. In the wine sector, the application of LCA has grown significantly in recent years and several studies have been carried out about this topic that are similar to other research fields. Nowadays, LCA is an important and acknowledged environmental assessment tool but its application to the wine sector is still in a developing phase. For this reason, the present study proposes a critical review of papers dealing with both the wine sector and LCA. The critical review points out that the main wine hotspots are the viticulture phase (mainly due to fuel, fertilizer and pesticides consumption and the wine primary packaging production (due to glass bottles. Furthermore, the papers taken into consideration have a wide variability in the system boundaries definition as well as a shortage of availability of original and site-specific inventory data. Such key factors are sensitive aspects that have a huge influence on the results of a study and they are also affected by a wide variability: these issues need further scientific contribution through future studies.

  10. Solutions in radiology services management: a literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereira, Aline Garcia; Vergara, Lizandra Garcia Lupi; Merino, Eugenio Andrés Díaz; Wagner, Adriano

    2015-01-01

    The present study was aimed at reviewing the literature to identify solutions for problems observed in radiology services. Basic, qualitative, exploratory literature review at Scopus and SciELO databases, utilizing the Mendeley and Illustrator CC Adobe softwares. In the databases, 565 papers - 120 out of them, pdf free - were identified. Problems observed in the radiology sector are related to procedures scheduling, humanization, lack of training, poor knowledge and use of management techniques, and interaction with users. The design management provides the services with interesting solutions such as Benchmarking, CRM, Lean Approach, ServiceBlueprinting, continued education, among others. Literature review is an important tool to identify problems and respective solutions. However, considering the small number of studies approaching management of radiology services, this is a great field of research for the development of deeper studies.

  11. Hand washing frequencies and procedures used in retail food services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strohbehn, Catherine; Sneed, Jeannie; Paez, Paola; Meyer, Janell

    2008-08-01

    Transmission of viruses, bacteria, and parasites to food by way of improperly washed hands is a major contributing factor in the spread of foodborne illnesses. Field observers have assessed compliance with hand washing regulations, yet few studies have included consideration of frequency and methods used by sectors of the food service industry or have included benchmarks for hand washing. Five 3-h observation periods of employee (n = 80) hand washing behaviors during menu production, service, and cleaning were conducted in 16 food service operations for a total of 240 h of direct observation. Four operations from each of four sectors of the retail food service industry participated in the study: assisted living for the elderly, childcare, restaurants, and schools. A validated observation form, based on 2005 Food Code guidelines, was used by two trained researchers. Researchers noted when hands should have been washed, when hands were washed, and how hands were washed. Overall compliance with Food Code recommendations for frequency during production, service, and cleaning phases ranged from 5% in restaurants to 33% in assisted living facilities. Procedural compliance rates also were low. Proposed benchmarks for the number of times hand washing should occur by each employee for each sector of food service during each phase of operation are seven times per hour for assisted living, nine times per hour for childcare, 29 times per hour for restaurants, and 11 times per hour for schools. These benchmarks are high, especially for restaurant employees. Implementation would mean lost productivity and potential for dermatitis; thus, active managerial control over work assignments is needed. These benchmarks can be used for training and to guide employee hand washing behaviors.

  12. A comparison between antenatal care quality in public and private sector in rural Hebei, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Li; Dai, Yaohua; Zhang, Yanfeng; Wu, Qiong; Rudan, Diana; Saftić, Vanja; van Velthoven, Michelle H.M.M.T.; Su, Jianqiang; Tan, Zangwen; Scherpbier, Robert W.

    2013-01-01

    Aim To evaluate the quality of antenatal care (ANC) in Hebei Province and compare it between the public and private sector and within the public sector. Methods We conducted a Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Household Survey in 2010 using a two-stage sampling procedure and included 1079 mothers. The quality of ANC was assessed on the basis of the number of ANC visits, the time of the first ANC visit, 16 different ANC procedures, owning a maternal health care booklet, and the type of service provider. Results Almost all women (98%) received ANC services at least once, 80% at least four times, and 54% at least five times. About half of the women (46%) visited ANC facility within their first trimester. Neither public nor private sector provided all 16 standardized services, but significantly more women in public sector received ANC procedures. Most women received ANC in county or higher-level hospitals (75%) and very few in township hospitals (8%). Significantly fewer women were weighed and tested for HIV/AIDS in township than in county or higher-level hospitals. Conclusion The quality of ANC in Hebei was poorer than required by China’s national and World Health Organization norms. Although the public sector performed better than the private sector, the utilization and quality of care of ANC services in this sector varied and women generally visited county or higher-level health facilities. PMID:23630142

  13. Attractiveness of employment sectors for physical therapists in Ontario, Canada (1999-2007: implication for the long term care sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Landry Michel D

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Recruiting and retaining health professions remains a high priority for health system planners. Different employment sectors may vary in their appeal to providers. We used the concepts of inflow and stickiness to assess the relative attractiveness of sectors for physical therapists (PTs in Ontario, Canada. Inflow was defined as the percentage of PTs working in a sector who were not there the previous year. Stickiness was defined as the transition probability that a physical therapist will remain in a given employment sector year-to-year. Methods A longitudinal dataset of registered PTs in Ontario (1999-2007 was created, and primary employment sector was categorized as ‘hospital’, ‘community’, ‘long term care’ (LTC or ‘other.’ Inflow and stickiness values were then calculated for each sector, and trends were analyzed. Results There were 5003 PTs in 1999, which grew to 6064 by 2007, representing a 21.2% absolute growth. Inflow grew across all sectors, but the LTC sector had the highest inflow of 32.0%. PTs practicing in hospitals had the highest stickiness, with 87.4% of those who worked in this sector remaining year-to-year. The community and other employment sectors had stickiness values of 78.2% and 86.8% respectively, while the LTC sector had the lowest stickiness of 73.4%. Conclusion Among all employment sectors, LTC had highest inflow but lowest stickiness. Given expected increases in demand for services, understanding provider transitional probabilities and employment preferences may provide a useful policy and planning tool in developing a sustainable health human resource base across all employment sectors.

  14. Attractiveness of employment sectors for physical therapists in Ontario, Canada (1999-2007): implication for the long term care sector

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Background Recruiting and retaining health professions remains a high priority for health system planners. Different employment sectors may vary in their appeal to providers. We used the concepts of inflow and stickiness to assess the relative attractiveness of sectors for physical therapists (PTs) in Ontario, Canada. Inflow was defined as the percentage of PTs working in a sector who were not there the previous year. Stickiness was defined as the transition probability that a physical therapist will remain in a given employment sector year-to-year. Methods A longitudinal dataset of registered PTs in Ontario (1999-2007) was created, and primary employment sector was categorized as ‘hospital’, ‘community’, ‘long term care’ (LTC) or ‘other.’ Inflow and stickiness values were then calculated for each sector, and trends were analyzed. Results There were 5003 PTs in 1999, which grew to 6064 by 2007, representing a 21.2% absolute growth. Inflow grew across all sectors, but the LTC sector had the highest inflow of 32.0%. PTs practicing in hospitals had the highest stickiness, with 87.4% of those who worked in this sector remaining year-to-year. The community and other employment sectors had stickiness values of 78.2% and 86.8% respectively, while the LTC sector had the lowest stickiness of 73.4%. Conclusion Among all employment sectors, LTC had highest inflow but lowest stickiness. Given expected increases in demand for services, understanding provider transitional probabilities and employment preferences may provide a useful policy and planning tool in developing a sustainable health human resource base across all employment sectors. PMID:22643111

  15. Roundtable discussion: what is the future role of the private sector in health?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stallworthy, Guy; Boahene, Kwasi; Ohiri, Kelechi; Pamba, Allan; Knezovich, Jeffrey

    2014-06-24

    The role for the private sector in health remains subject to much debate, especially within the context of achieving universal health coverage.This roundtable discussion offers diverse perspectives from a range of stakeholders--a health funder, a representative from an implementing organization, a national-level policy-maker, and an expert working in a large multi-national company--on what the future may hold for the private sector in health. The first perspective comes from a health funder, who argues that the discussion about the future role of the private sector has been bogged down in language. He argues for a 'both/and' approach rather than an 'either/or' when it comes to talking about health service provision in low- and middle-income countries.The second perspective is offered by an implementer of health insurance in sub-Saharan Africa. The piece examines the comparative roles of public sector actors, private sector actors and funding agencies, suggesting that they must work together to mobilize domestic resources to fund and deliver health services in the longer term.Thirdly, a special advisor working in the federal government of Nigeria considers the situation in that country. He notes that the private sector plays a significant role in funding and delivering health services there, and that the government must engage the private sector or forever be left behind.Finally, a representative from a multi-national pharmaceutical corporation gives an overview of global shifts that are creating opportunities for the private sector in health markets. Overall, the roundtable discussants agree that the private sector will play an important role in future health systems. But we must agree a common language, work together, and identify key issues and gaps that might be more effectively filled by the private sector.

  16. An Assessment of Positive Organizational Behavior in Service Sector of Pakistan: Role of Organization Based Self-Esteem and Global Self-Esteem

    OpenAIRE

    Wafa Khurram; Kamariah Bte Ismail; Syed Khurram Ali Jafri; Khairiah Soehod

    2013-01-01

    This study is an attempt to investigate prevalence of positive organizational behavior in the organizations in the service sector of Pakistan. We tested effects of organization based self-esteem, role stressors (role conflict, role overload and role ambiguity), leader-member exchange and perceived organizational support on positive organizational behavior as well as mediation of organization-based-self-esteem in this regard. Moreover, moderation of global self-esteem was also estimated in rel...

  17. Trends in Private Sector Development in World Bank Education Projects. Policy Research Working Paper Series.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sosale, Shobhana

    The private sector is playing an increasingly important role in financing and providing educational services in many countries. (Often the term "private sector" encompasses households' out-of-pocket expenses rather than describing for-profit or not-for-profit sectors.) Private sector development has not arisen primarily through public…

  18. A Catalan code of best practices for the audiovisual sector

    OpenAIRE

    Teodoro, Emma; Casanovas, Pompeu

    2010-01-01

    In spite of a new general law regarding Audiovisual Communication, the regulatory framework of the audiovisual sector in Spain can still be defined as huge, disperse and obsolete. The first part of this paper provides an overview of the major challenges of the Spanish audiovisual sector as a result of the convergence of platforms, services and operators, paying especial attention to the Audiovisual Sector in Catalonia. In the second part, we will present an example of self-regulation through...

  19. Dynamics of final sectoral energy demand and aggregate energy intensity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lescaroux, Francois

    2011-01-01

    This paper proposes a regional and sectoral model of global final energy demand. For the main end-use sectors of consumption (industrial, commercial and public services, residential and road transportation), per-capita demand is expressed as an S-shaped function of per-capita income. Other variables intervene as well, like energy prices, temperatures and technological trends. This model is applied on a panel of 101 countries and 3 aggregates (covering the whole world) and it explains fairly well past variations in sectoral, final consumption since the beginning of the 2000s. Further, the model is used to analyze the dynamics of final energy demand, by sector and in total. The main conclusion concerns the pattern of change for aggregate energy intensity. The simulations performed show that there is no a priori reason for it to exhibit a bell-shape, as reported in the literature. Depending on initial conditions, the weight of basic needs in total consumption and the availability of modern commercial energy resources, various forms might emerge. - Research Highlights: → The residential sector accounts for most of final energy consumption at low income levels. → Its share drops at the benefit of the industrial, services and road transportation sectors in turn. → Sectoral shares' pattern is affected by changes in geographic, sociologic and economic factors. → Final energy intensity may show various shapes and does not exhibit necessarily a bell-shape.

  20. Engineering in the energy sector. The single market and the engineering sector; Ingenieria en el sector energetico. El mercado unico y el sector de ingenieria

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garcia Rodrigues, A [Empresarios Agrupados, A.I.E., Madrid (Spain)

    1993-12-15

    Projects with large infrastructures, particularly those in the field of energy, provide a strong boost to certain industrial sectors in the country. In the case of Spain, the policy of direct management 'by components' of these projects - hydroelectric power plants, petrochemical plants, thermoelectric plants and nuclear power plants - adopted by the electric utility owners has furthered not only the local equipment manufacturing industry but also the engineering sector. At present, with full implementation of the Single Market in sight, it is particularly interesting for Spain to continue building up a powerful engineering sector, increasing its size and usefulness, and extending its traditional areas of action to other technologies, more on the lines of engineering and consulting firms in the USA than in the rest of Europe. The intention is to endow our equipment and construction companies with the skills necessary to enable them to compete with large European conglomerates in their respective sectors. The structure of these conglomerates usually contains engineering capabilities which are not habitual in our industry. Examples are given, showing how this model has been used to compete and win awards for important international projects. A specific analysis has been made of the position of Spanish engineering and industry in nuclear power generation projects in the former Soviet Union and East European countries, in which large investments are expected to be made. (author)

  1. Sustainable Energy for All and the private sector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bellanca, Raffaella; Wilson, Emma

    2012-06-15

    The UN's Sustainable Energy for All initiative (SE4ALL) has a strong focus on the private sector to deliver universal energy access, improved efficiency and increased investment in renewable energy. Leading private sector associations have bought into SE4ALL, including the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the Global Compact. However, critics argue that SE4ALL is focusing too much on large-scale infrastructure investment and is missing opportunities to stimulate enterprise more locally and to benefit the poorest. The private sector – including large and smaller-scale businesses, both local and international – is keen to get involved in energy access in low-income markets and sees the value of an initiative such as SE4ALL. Yet some feel that SE4ALL is failing to engage all levels of the private sector effectively. To deliver universal energy access, SE4ALL needs to address the lack of finance for enterprises and end users, especially in untested markets; infrastructure and support services for new businesses; local skills, capacity and information about workable models; and favourable policy frameworks. With the right incentives, business can open up low-income markets by providing lifeimproving services to emerging middle class populations who are still excluded from energy access. To reach the poorest SE4ALL can promote private sector partnerships with government and NGOs, encourage corporate responsibility initiatives and support social entrepreneurs.

  2. Sustainable Energy for All and the private sector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bellanca, Raffaella; Wilson, Emma

    2012-06-15

    The UN's Sustainable Energy for All initiative (SE4ALL) has a strong focus on the private sector to deliver universal energy access, improved efficiency and increased investment in renewable energy. Leading private sector associations have bought into SE4ALL, including the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the Global Compact. However, critics argue that SE4ALL is focusing too much on large-scale infrastructure investment and is missing opportunities to stimulate enterprise more locally and to benefit the poorest. The private sector – including large and smaller-scale businesses, both local and international – is keen to get involved in energy access in low-income markets and sees the value of an initiative such as SE4ALL. Yet some feel that SE4ALL is failing to engage all levels of the private sector effectively. To deliver universal energy access, SE4ALL needs to address the lack of finance for enterprises and end users, especially in untested markets; infrastructure and support services for new businesses; local skills, capacity and information about workable models; and favourable policy frameworks. With the right incentives, business can open up low-income markets by providing lifeimproving services to emerging middle class populations who are still excluded from energy access. To reach the poorest SE4ALL can promote private sector partnerships with government and NGOs, encourage corporate responsibility initiatives and support social entrepreneurs.

  3. CO2 emissions in the global supply chains of services: An analysis based on a multi-regional input–output model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Wencheng; Peng, Shuijun; Sun, Chuanwang

    2015-01-01

    As the service sector dominates the economy in developed countries, its environmental impact has become an important issue. Based on a multi-regional input–output model, this paper estimates consumption-based emissions of service sectors of 41 countries and regions, and discusses the emission abatement policy of service sectors. The results indicate that consumption-based emissions of the service sector in most countries and regions are much greater than direct emissions generated by the service sector. Further decomposition by production sources demonstrates that final demand for services in certain countries causes substantial emissions in the other countries. In most countries, major parts of consumption-based emissions of the service sector come from upstream emissions in non-service sectors due to the intermediate consumption of non-service inputs in the service sector. For the US and China, the consumption-based emissions of their service sectors are traced back to different service consumption bundles and production sectors, which enable us to identify service categories and production sectors that play key roles in the impact of service sectors on CO 2 emissions. Finally, policy implications of the results are discussed for the climate effect of the service-oriented economy, global mitigation of climate change, sustainability, and the decarbonization of the service sector. - Highlights: • A consumption perspective for the assessment of the environmental impact of the service sector. • International supply chain effect is analyzed using a global input–output model. • Consumption-based emissions of the service sector are decomposed in two ways. • Policy implications for emissions mitigation in the service-oriented economy.

  4. DECENTRALIZATION OF MUNICIPAL SERVICES – LEARNING BY DOING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina Elena NICOLESCU

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Public services decentralization is a major concern for policy makers when it comes to identifying the optimum model for reorganizing these services, in light of the 3Es of the organizational performance. The field experiences show that this process is different both from one state to another, and depending on the targeted activity sector, out of which the local transport service is distinguished as an ‘institutional orphan’. Taking into account one of the smart-cities’ recognition criteria, the urban mobility, the paper aims at substantiating that, despite the specific incrementalism of the public services decentralization, having a negative impact upon the services’ efficiency, in the case of local transport service, recognizing the right to mobility and the need to ensuring the environment for exercising this right, impels the ‘bureaucratic apparatus’ to accelerate and consolidate the decentralization of this service. Therefore, the paper puts forward a case study on the impact of decentralization upon the local public transport service of Bucharest municipality.

  5. Web-based Service Portal in Healthcare

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silhavy, Petr; Silhavy, Radek; Prokopova, Zdenka

    Information delivery is one the most important task in healthcare. The growing sector of electronic healthcare has an important impact on the information delivery. There are two basic approaches towards information delivering. The first is web portal and second is touch-screen terminal. The aim of this paper is to investigate the web-based service portal. The most important advantage of web-based portal in the field of healthcare is an independent access for patients. This paper deals with the conditions and frameworks for healthcare portals

  6. Problems affecting the operational procurement process: A study of the Zimbabwean public sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abel Dzuke

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Background: The public sector occupies a key role in the economy comprising the appropriation of state revenue to purchase goods and to render services productively, while ensuring the optimum utilisation of available funds and resources to benefit the inhabitants of the country. Problems in the Zimbabwean public procurement sector that detract from service delivery are key contemporary issues. This is evident from the numerous complaints of poor service delivery received by the public that can be attributed to public procurement. Objective: The purpose of this article was to report on a study that investigated problems in the different stages of the operational procurement process in the Zimbabwean public sector that detract from service delivery, the extent of these problems and how the public procurement process can be improved to enhance service delivery. Method: This descriptive and exploratory study followed a quantitative approach. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire administered to all public entities in Zimbabwe. Data were analysed using SPSS. Results: The majority of the identified problems in the public procurement sector that detract from service delivery are found in the advertising, bid evaluation and contract stages. Conclusion: As only a few studies on this topic have been conducted in Zimbabwe, the findings of this research add a significant perspective to the existing body of knowledge and can assist stakeholders with regard to how the public procurement process can be improved in order to enhance service delivery through public procurement process reform and restructuring.

  7. Private sector delivery of health services in developing countries: a mixed-methods study on quality assurance in social franchises

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background Across the developing world health care services are most often delivered in the private sector and social franchising has emerged, over the past decade, as an increasingly popular method of private sector health care delivery. Social franchising aims to strengthen business practices through economies of scale: branding clinics and purchasing drugs in bulk at wholesale prices. While quality is one of the established goals of social franchising, there is no published documentation of how quality levels might be set in the context of franchised private providers, nor what quality assurance measures can or should exist within social franchises. The aim of this study was to better understand the quality assurance systems currently utilized in social franchises, and to determine if there are shared standards for practice or quality outcomes that exist across programs. Methods The study included three data sources and levels of investigation: 1) Self-reported program data; 2) Scoping telephone interviews; and 3) In-depth field interviews and clinic visits. Results Social Franchises conceive of quality assurance not as an independent activity, but rather as a goal that is incorporated into all areas of franchise operations, including recruitment, training, monitoring of provider performance, monitoring of client experience and the provision of feedback. Conclusions These findings are the first evidence to support the 2002 conceptual model of social franchising which proposed that the assurance of quality was one of the three core goals of all social franchises. However, while quality is important to franchise programs, quality assurance systems overall are not reflective of the evidence to-date on quality measurement or quality improvement best practices. Future research in this area is needed to better understand the details of quality assurance systems as applied in social franchise programs, the process by which quality assurance becomes a part of the

  8. Private sector delivery of health services in developing countries: a mixed-methods study on quality assurance in social franchises.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schlein, Karen; De La Cruz, Anna York; Gopalakrishnan, Tisha; Montagu, Dominic

    2013-01-03

    Across the developing world health care services are most often delivered in the private sector and social franchising has emerged, over the past decade, as an increasingly popular method of private sector health care delivery. Social franchising aims to strengthen business practices through economies of scale: branding clinics and purchasing drugs in bulk at wholesale prices. While quality is one of the established goals of social franchising, there is no published documentation of how quality levels might be set in the context of franchised private providers, nor what quality assurance measures can or should exist within social franchises. The aim of this study was to better understand the quality assurance systems currently utilized in social franchises, and to determine if there are shared standards for practice or quality outcomes that exist across programs. The study included three data sources and levels of investigation: 1) Self-reported program data; 2) Scoping telephone interviews; and 3) In-depth field interviews and clinic visits. Social Franchises conceive of quality assurance not as an independent activity, but rather as a goal that is incorporated into all areas of franchise operations, including recruitment, training, monitoring of provider performance, monitoring of client experience and the provision of feedback. These findings are the first evidence to support the 2002 conceptual model of social franchising which proposed that the assurance of quality was one of the three core goals of all social franchises. However, while quality is important to franchise programs, quality assurance systems overall are not reflective of the evidence to-date on quality measurement or quality improvement best practices. Future research in this area is needed to better understand the details of quality assurance systems as applied in social franchise programs, the process by which quality assurance becomes a part of the organizational culture, and the components of

  9. Private sector delivery of health services in developing countries: a mixed-methods study on quality assurance in social franchises

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schlein Karen

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Across the developing world health care services are most often delivered in the private sector and social franchising has emerged, over the past decade, as an increasingly popular method of private sector health care delivery. Social franchising aims to strengthen business practices through economies of scale: branding clinics and purchasing drugs in bulk at wholesale prices. While quality is one of the established goals of social franchising, there is no published documentation of how quality levels might be set in the context of franchised private providers, nor what quality assurance measures can or should exist within social franchises. The aim of this study was to better understand the quality assurance systems currently utilized in social franchises, and to determine if there are shared standards for practice or quality outcomes that exist across programs. Methods The study included three data sources and levels of investigation: 1 Self-reported program data; 2 Scoping telephone interviews; and 3 In-depth field interviews and clinic visits. Results Social Franchises conceive of quality assurance not as an independent activity, but rather as a goal that is incorporated into all areas of franchise operations, including recruitment, training, monitoring of provider performance, monitoring of client experience and the provision of feedback. Conclusions These findings are the first evidence to support the 2002 conceptual model of social franchising which proposed that the assurance of quality was one of the three core goals of all social franchises. However, while quality is important to franchise programs, quality assurance systems overall are not reflective of the evidence to-date on quality measurement or quality improvement best practices. Future research in this area is needed to better understand the details of quality assurance systems as applied in social franchise programs, the process by which quality assurance

  10. The opportunities and barriers of user profiling in the public sector

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pieterson, Willem Jan; Ebbers, Wolfgang E.; van Dijk, Johannes A.G.M.

    2005-01-01

    Like the private sector, the public sector makes more and more use of user profiling to personalize the electronic services that are being offered to citizens. User profiling offers great opportunities to make communication more effective and efficient, to infer and predict citizens’ behavior and to

  11. Tourism innovation in the forestry sector: comparative analysis between Auckland Region (New Zealand) and Trentino (Italy)

    OpenAIRE

    Notaro S; Paletto A; Piffer M

    2012-01-01

    Innovation is a primary aspect of economic growth and development and depends on the ability of entrepreneurs to create economic value by introducing new products or services, designing different production processes or rearranging organisational practices. The spreading of innovation is a key element in all economic sectors, including the forestry sector. Four types of innovation can be found in the forestry sector: product innovations (e.g., wood assortments), service innovations (e.g., bio...

  12. Systematic management of sealed source and nucleonic counting system in field service

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahadi Mustapha; Mohd Fitri Abdul Rahman; Jaafar Abdullah

    2005-01-01

    PAT group have received a lot of service from the oil and gas plant. All the services use sealed source and nucleonic counting system. This paper described the detail of management before going to the field service. This management is important to make sure the job is smoothly done and safe to the radiation worker and public. Furthermore this management in line with the regulation from LPTA. (Author)

  13. Field Tested Service Oriented Robotic Architecture: Case Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flueckiger, Lorenzo; Utz, Hanz

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents the lessons learned from six years of experiments with planetary rover prototypes running the Service Oriented Robotic Architecture (SORA) developed by the Intelligent Robotics Group (IRG) at NASA Ames Research Center. SORA relies on proven software methods and technologies applied to the robotic world. Based on a Service Oriented Architecture and robust middleware, SORA extends its reach beyond the on-board robot controller and supports the full suite of software tools used during mission scenarios from ground control to remote robotic sites. SORA has been field tested in numerous scenarios of robotic lunar and planetary exploration. The results of these high fidelity experiments are illustrated through concrete examples that have shown the benefits of using SORA as well as its limitations.

  14. The relevance of political prestudies for implementation studies of cognitive services in community pharmacies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kaae, Susanne; Traulsen, Janine Marie; Søndergaard, Birthe

    2009-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Studies of cognitive services implementation in the pharmacy sector traditionally focus on individual and/or organizational factors to explain why some pharmacies are successful and others are not. The social and political context of the origins of these services is rarely part...... of the analysis. Researchers and practitioners in the field of pharmacy practice research are increasingly being encouraged to take into account the specific political and societal climate which often plays a defining role in the success or failure of cognitive services implementation in community pharmacies...

  15. Development of a Comprehensive Energy Service Business Model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, S.K. [Korea Energy Economics Institute, Euiwang (Korea)

    2001-11-01

    Traditionally, energy industry has been regarded as supply- oriented and characterized by its vertically integrated structure and monopolized market. In particular, network industries such as electricity, natural gas, and district heating and cooling, because of their large initial capital investments, were inevitably state-owned. As their sizes have ever increased, government-owned corporations are confronted with internal crises such as financial limitations, increasing internal transaction costs, etc. In addition to these internal problems, fundamental changes in the external environment such as advances in communication and modular technologies, globalization, and market liberalization have forced energy industries to undergo a restructuring process. Restructuring in the energy industry is intended to introduce competition in the market by unbundling the energy service into production, transportation, and distribution. The energy service has been vertically as well as horizontally integrated by suppliers. Restructuring, which has been implemented in the United States and the European countries, is now being introduced in Korea. However, energy services have not yet been regulated as a separate industry even in those countries which are well advanced in their restructuring. WTO negotiation is under way to separate the service sector in 'General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade(GATT).' Areas that can be categorized as a service sector are 17 subdivided sub-sectors as dispersed in each sector. Energy service business models expected to be emerged in the restructuring process of energy industry include: transmission/trunk pipeline projects, distribution/local pipeline projects, trading, brokerage, metering service, local distribution of natural gas, to name a few, for electricity and natural gas sectors; rational use of energy such as CES business and ESCOs for district heating and cooling, and energy conservation sector. Rational use of energy, in

  16. General overview of the Mexican energy sector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perez-Jacome, D.

    1999-01-01

    An overview of Mexico's energy sector was presented, with particular focus on the natural gas and electricity sectors. Mexico ranks fifth in oil production, eighth in proven oil reserves, and fourteenth in natural gas reserves. In 1998, the energy sector generated 3.3 per cent of Mexico's gross domestic product (GDP), and oil accounted for 7.5 per cent of total exports. National production of natural gas has been forecasted to grow at a rate of 5.2 per cent annually over the next 10 years. This will be largely due to the increased demand for natural gas to produce electricity. The Mexican government has also taken initiatives to restructure the Mexican energy sector with particular focus on increasing the competitiveness of the electric power industry. Electricity demand is also expected to grow at a rate of 6 per cent annually over the next six years. The objectives of energy reform are to promote more investment from all sectors in order to strengthen the development of the electric power industry and to provide a reliable, high quality service at competitive prices. 9 figs

  17. An Urban-Spatial Analysis of the Women in the Informal Sectors of Greater Guwahati City of Assam, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zona Bhuyan

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available This article reflects the use of urban space by women in urban informal sectors in the city of Guwahati located in North East India. The population influx from across the borders in the aftermath of the partition has huge implications both on polity and on economy of the northeastern states in general and Assam in particular.  Importantly, the urban informal sectors have a sizeable share in terms of its significant contributions towards Gross Domestic Product (GDP as well as generation of employment opportunities largely. Using a feminist perspective, the research is an attempt to investigate the engagement of women in the informal sector in greater Guwahati. Research findings reveal that the occupations of the women workers are location-specific, that is, the manufacturing sectors (textiles, food preparation, printing and skilled service are mainly home/shop based production (fixed locations whereas the service sectors (leisure, caring, elementary construction, elementary sales and cleaning occupation operate at variable locations (construction sites, street pavements, marketplaces and other various locations. Further analysis shows that the informal sector is highly demand dependent and such demands are in the central business areas of the city, therefore informal sector services (skilled services and elementary services are found to be located in and around the central areas of Guwahati city. Women operators in the informal sector are attracted to the central business district because of the many advantages that it enjoys relative to other parts of a city. The paper concludes by calling on policy makers and physical planning agencies to evolve more pragmatic strategies for urban development matters in order that urban informal sector activities can be integrated into urban development plans. Finally, further research is called for on how urban planners could redesign the urban space with appropriate consideration of the informal sector

  18. Invisible axion in the hidden sector of no-scale supergravity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sato, Hikaru

    1987-01-01

    We propose a new axion model which incorporates the U(1) PQ symmetry into a hidden sector, as well as an observable sector, of no-scale supergravity models. The axion is a spin-zero field in the hidden sector. The U(1) PQ symmetry is naturally embedded in the family symmetry of the no-scale models. Invisible axions live in the gravity hidden sector without conflict with the cosmological and astrophysical constraints. (orig.)

  19. Factors on green service industry: Case study at AirAsia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdullah, Muhammad-Azfar; Chew, Boon-Cheong; Hamid, Syaiful-Rizal

    2017-03-01

    Presently service organizations are challenged by fierce global competition, new technology and changing customer demands. These trends force service sectors to adapt environmental factors and places innovation at the core of their competitive strategy. On the other hand, service sectors challenge to deliver value memorable experiences and complete "service solutions" while lowering costs and keep sustainable. Despite, many studies have attempted to explore the factors that help toward environmental sustainability in the manufacturing sector, the service sector has not yet received a considerable attention in all world countries generally and in developing countries particularly. Thus, this paper aims to explore the factors that help to attain environmental sustainability in the service sector. A qualitative case study through semi-structured interview conducted with twenty managers from AirAsia to explore the factors that are related to environmental sustainability and green services. Besides, secondary data from document analysis was reviewed to gain more comprehensive understanding and triangulate the interview data. The finding of this paper emphasizes to three important factors namely institutional factors, process factors and result factors that each factor contain sustainability and innovations to promote competitive green service in the marketplace.

  20. ASPECTS OF SERVICE QUALITY AND ECOLABELLING OF ROMANIAN LODGING SERVICES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomescu Ada Mirela

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Tourism has a significant environmental, economic and socio-cultural impact, which makes it important for environmental initiatives.The Rio Earth Summit (1992 was a milestone for these initiatives, having introduced the concept of sustainable development, its major principles and recommendations of implementation. So, the ecological movement grew globally more and more by widely disseminated actions among various bodies as the governments, associations, businesses, academics, NGOs and communities.In European Union eco-labelling scheme, is a voluntary initiative to promote products and services which have the potential to reduce negative environmental impacts, as compared to the other products and services in the same product or service group, thus contributing to the efficient use of resources and a high level of environmental protection. This shall be pursued through the provision of guidance and accurate, non-deceptive and scientifically based information to consumers on such products and services. In fact this is official approach known as EU-Ecolabel Scheme, launched in 2005.In general, the idea of sustainable development, and eco-attitude of many of the activities carried out in different economic sectors have been encouraged to be certified, and to adopt sustainable practices to improve their environmental practices, and to inform and educate their clients regarding their friendly-environmental policies. The tourism sector adopted all of these.One by one in hospitality industry have emerged new trends, new destinations. Some of these trends are as well connected to environmental policy, eco-initiatives that certify EMS (Environmental Management System and to use of eco-label in hospitality industry.For years, the tourism sector in Romania was declared a strategic sector. Within this framework, we decided to examine this area, the specific topic of eco-labelling and quality of lodging services in Romania. This paper proposes a short

  1. EVALUATION OF COMPETITION CONDITIONS IN THE HOTEL SECTOR IN ISTANBUL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kazım Ozan ÖZER

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The various dimensions of the concept of the competitiveness in service sectors have drawn attention of many researchers. Discipline of business concerns firm, sector and the international dimensions of national level competition. This study focus on explaining the competitiveness of Istanbul Hotel Sector by considering the dynamics connected to the sectoral competitiveness of Tourism. For the analysis, different data collection techniques have been used. As for the secondary data, literature review has been done about Michael Porter’s Five Forces Model that is mostly prefered for this kind of researches. For the primary data, senior managers of hotels in Istanbul Hotel Sector were applied to the interviews and formal interviews. As a result of this study it’s seen that Istanbul Hotel Sector has profitability rates that attract new entrants and the competition conditions are available for new entrants to the Istanbul Hotel Sector.

  2. Editorial Special issue: Operations Management in Service Systems Downloaded from

    OpenAIRE

    Babai , Mohamed Zied; Jouini , Oualid

    2013-01-01

    International audience; The service sector is the largest sector of the economy in most industrialized nations, and is fast becoming the largest sector in developing nations as well. Driven by today's new business environment, including advanced telecommunications, accelerated business globalization, increased automation and highly on-demand and competitive innovations, the complexity of the operations management of service systems is continuously increasing. Managers of service systems are w...

  3. Job Demands, Job Resources, Burnout, Work Engagement, and Their Relationships: An Analysis Across Sectors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van den Broeck, Anja; Elst, Tinne Vander; Baillien, Elfi; Sercu, Maarten; Schouteden, Martijn; De Witte, Hans; Godderis, Lode

    2017-04-01

    The aim of this study was to gain insight in the importance of job demands and resources and the validity of the Job Demands Resources Model across sectors. We used one-way analyses of variance to examine mean differences, and multi-group Structural Equation Modeling analyses to test the strength of the relationships among job demands, resources, burnout, and work engagement across the health care, industry, service, and public sector. The four sectors differed in the experience of job demands, resources, burnout, and work engagement, but they did not vary in how (strongly) job demands and resources associated with burnout and work engagement. More attention is needed to decrease burnout and increase work engagement, particularly in industry, service, and the public sector. The Job Demands-Resources model may be helpful in this regard, as it is valid across sectors.

  4. Understanding care farming as a swiftly developing sector in the Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hassink, J.

    2017-01-01

    Care farming or social farming is a swiftly developing sector across Europe. Care farms combine agricultural production with health and social services. The Netherlands is one of the leading countries in care farming. The aim of this study was to better understand how the new sector of care farming

  5. [The effect of age, gender and socioeconomic status on the use of services for psychological distress symptoms in the general medical sector: Results from the ESA research program on mental health and aging].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Préville, Michel; Gontijo-Guerra, Samantha; Mechakra-Tahiri, Samia-Djemaâ; Vasiliadis, Helen-Maria; Lamoureux-Lamarche, Catherine; Berbiche, Djamal

    2014-01-01

    The objective of this study was, first, to document the psychometric characteristics of a measure of the older adults' socioeconomic status and, secondly, to test the effect of the socioeconomic status on the association between the older adults perceived need to improve their mental health and their use of services in the general medical sector for psychological distress symptoms taking into account the effect of age and gender. Data used in this study come from the ESA study (Enquête sur la santé des ainés) on mental health and aging, conducted in 2005-2008 using a probabilistic sample (n=2811) of the older adult population aged 65 years and over living at home in Quebec. Our results showed that a measurement model of the older adults' socioeconomic status including an individual-level (SES_I) and an area/contextual-level dimension of socioeconomic deprivation (SES_C) was plausible. The reliability of the SES index used in the ESA research program was .92. Our results showed that women (b=-.43) and older people (b=-.16) were more at risk to have a disadvantaged socioeconomic status. However, our results did not show evidence of a significant association between the older adults' socioeconomic status, their perception of a need to improve their mental health and the use of medical services for psychological distress symptoms in the general medical sector in the older adult population in Quebec. Our results do not support the idea suggested in other studies that socioeconomic status has an effect on the older adults use of services for psychological distress symptoms in the general medical sector and suggest that in a context where medical health services are provided under a public insurance programme context, the socioeconomic status does not influence access to services in the general medical sector in the older adult population.

  6. Strategies for engaging the private sector in sexual and reproductive health: how effective are they?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peters, David H; Mirchandani, Gita G; Hansen, Peter M

    2004-10-01

    The private health sector provides a significant portion of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services in developing countries. Yet little is known about which strategies for intervening with private providers can improve quality or coverage of services. We conducted a systematic review of the literature through PubMed from 1980 to 2003 to assess the effectiveness of private sector strategies for SRH services in developing countries. The strategies examined were regulating, contracting, financing, franchising, social marketing, training and collaborating. Over 700 studies were examined, though most were descriptive papers, with only 71 meeting our inclusion criteria of having a private sector strategy for one or more SRH services and the measurement of an outcome in the provider or the beneficiary. Nearly all studies (96%) had at least one positive association between SRH and the private sector strategy. About three-quarters of the studies involved training private providers, though combinations of strategies tended to give better results. Maternity services were most commonly addressed (55% of studies), followed by prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases (32%). Using study design to rate the strength of evidence, we found that the evidence about effectiveness of private sector strategies on SRH services is weak. Most studies did not use comparison groups, or they relied on cross-sectional designs. Nearly all studies examined short-term effects, largely measuring changes in providers rather than changes in health status or other effects on beneficiaries. Five studies with more robust designs (randomized controlled trials) demonstrated that contraceptive use could be increased through supporting private providers, and showed cases where the knowledge and practices of private providers could be improved through training, regulation and incentives. Although tools to work with the private sector offer considerable promise, without stronger research

  7. The new topological sectors associated with quantum electrodynamics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marino, E.C.

    1994-01-01

    A formulation of Quantum Electrodynamics in terms of an antisymmetric-tensor gauge field is presented. In this formulation the topological current of this field appears as a source for the electromagnetic field and the topological charge therefore acts physically as an electric charge. These nontrivial, electrically charged, sectors contain massless states orthogonal to the vacuum which are created by a gauge invariant operator can be interpreted as coherent states of photons. The new states do interact with the charged states of QCD in the usual way. It is argued that if these new sectors are in fact realized in nature then a very intense background electromagnetic field is necessary for the experimental observation of them. The order of magnitude of the intensity threshold is presented. (author). 2 refs

  8. Health sector reform and public sector health worker motivation: a conceptual framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franco, Lynne Miller; Bennett, Sara; Kanfer, Ruth

    2002-04-01

    Motivation in the work context can be defined as an individual's degree of willingness to exert and maintain an effort towards organizational goals. Health sector performance is critically dependent on worker motivation, with service quality, efficiency, and equity, all directly mediated by workers' willingness to apply themselves to their tasks. Resource availability and worker competence are essential but not sufficient to ensure desired worker performance. While financial incentives may be important determinants of worker motivation, they alone cannot and have not resolved all worker motivation problems. Worker motivation is a complex process and crosses many disciplinary boundaries, including economics, psychology, organizational development, human resource management, and sociology. This paper discusses the many layers of influences upon health worker motivation: the internal individual-level determinants, determinants that operate at organizational (work context) level, and determinants stemming from interactions with the broader societal culture. Worker motivation will be affected by health sector reforms which potentially affect organizational culture, reporting structures, human resource management, channels of accountability, types of interactions with clients and communities, etc. The conceptual model described in this paper clarifies ways in which worker motivation is influenced and how health sector reform can positively affect worker motivation. Among others, health sector policy makers can better facilitate goal congruence (between workers and the organizations they work for) and improved worker motivation by considering the following in their design and implementation of health sector reforms: addressing multiple channels for worker motivation, recognizing the importance of communication and leadership for reforms, identifying organizational and cultural values that might facilitate or impede implementation of reforms, and understanding that reforms

  9. Electricity sector prospective 2009-2024; Prospectiva del sector electrico 2009-2024

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Irastorza Trejo, Veronica; Doniz Gonzalez; Virginia; Cue Aguilar; Gumersindo [Secretaria de Energia, Mexico, D.F. (Mexico)

    2009-07-01

    This prospective planning of the electricity sector is comprised of four chapters and covers the 2009-2024 planning horizon. The first chapter describes recent developments in the international market of electric energy, which analyzes trends in global consumption of electrical energy, global installed capacity by technology type and country, sources of primary and secondary energy used to generate electricity in several countries and regions, the projections of fuel consumption and the dynamic construction of new plants and infrastructure using technology that, in both advanced economies and in the emerging strategic trends represent in the context the global fight against climate change, among which the new technology and advanced nuclear reactor technologies applicable to the use of renewable sources like wind, solar, geothermal, mini hydro, and bioenergy, among others. The second chapter presents the structure of the legal and regulatory framework in the electricity sector and regulatory policy instruments applicable in Mexico and saved the state permits issued in the methods considered in the Public Service Law of Electricity. The third chapter analyzes the evolution of the national electricity market in recent years, considering the behavior of domestic electricity consumption, sales to the public service sector, the seasonal behavior of demand and pricing structure. In the fourth chapter presents the path planning of consumption and electricity demand at the national, sectoral and regional levels in order to identify the requirements of capacity and energy for the period 2009-2024. [Spanish] Esta prospectiva de planeacion del sector electrico se integra por cuatro capitulos y abarca el horizonte de planeacion 2009-2024. El primer capitulo describe la evolucion reciente del mercado internacional de la energia electrica, en el cual se analizan las tendencias en el consumo mundial de energia electrica, capacidad mundial instalada por tipo de tecnologia y paises

  10. Transiting topological sectors with the overlap

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Creutz, Michael

    2003-01-01

    The overlap operator provides an elegant definition for the winding number of lattice gauge field configurations. Only for a set of configurations of measure zero is this procedure undefined. Without restrictions on the lattice fields, however, the space of gauge fields is simply connected. I present a simple low dimensional illustration of how the eigenvalues of a truncated overlap operator flow as one travels between different topological sectors

  11. How to improve collaboration between the public health sector and other policy sectors to reduce health inequalities? - A study in sixteen municipalities in the Netherlands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Storm, Ilse; den Hertog, Frank; van Oers, Hans; Schuit, Albertine J

    2016-06-22

    The causes of health inequalities are complex. For the reduction of health inequalities, intersectoral collaboration between the public health sector and both social policy sectors (e.g. youth affairs, education) and physical policy sectors (e.g. housing, spatial planning) is essential, but in local practice difficult to realize. The aim of this study was to examine the collaboration between the sectors in question more closely and to identify opportunities for improvement. A qualitative descriptive analysis of five aspects of collaboration within sixteen Dutch municipalities was performed to examine the collaboration between the public health sector and other policy sectors: 1) involvement of the sectors in the public health policy network, 2) harmonisation of objectives, 3) use of policies by the relevant sectors, 4) formalised collaboration, and 5) previous experience. Empirical data on these collaboration aspects were collected based on document analysis, questionnaires and interviews. The study found that the policy workers of social sectors were more involved in the public health network and more frequently supported the objectives in the field of health inequality reduction. Both social policy sectors and physical policy sectors used policies and activities to reduce health inequalities. More is done to influence the determinants of health inequality through policies aimed at lifestyle and social setting than through policies aimed at socioeconomic factors and the physical environment. Where the physical policy sectors are involved in the public health network, the collaboration follows a very similar pattern as with the social policy sectors. All sectors recognise the importance of good relationships, positive experiences, a common interest in working together and coordinated mechanisms. This study shows that there is scope for improving collaboration in the field of health inequality reduction between the public health sector and both social policy sectors

  12. The Effects on Employment of the Liberalisation Process in the Telecommunications Sector

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Henten, Anders; Wulff, Thomas

    An analysis of the effects of the policies of liberalisation and privatisation in the telecommunications field on the employment development in the telecommunications sector.......An analysis of the effects of the policies of liberalisation and privatisation in the telecommunications field on the employment development in the telecommunications sector....

  13. The oil and gas equipment and services market in India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2002-01-01

    In terms of purchasing power, India represents the fourth largest economy in the world. In the year April 1, 2001-Mar 31, 2002, it was estimated that India had a 5.4 per cent growth in gross domestic product (GDP). Canada experienced a 19.9 per cent increase in exports to India in 2001, reaching 656 million dollars. With the world's six-largest energy consumption, oil demand in India is expected to grow to 179 million tonnes in 2006-2007, while the demand for natural gas is expected to reach 231 million cubic metres per day in the same period. To meet this growing demand, India will require investments in the order of 150 billion dollars over the next 10 to 12 years. The oil and gas industry is being opened to the private sector and foreign direct investment, due to new government policies on exploration, production, distribution, and sales. Foreign involvement in exploration, previously restricted to Indian state-owned firms, is now allowed through the New Exploration Licensing Policy. In exploration and production (E and P) activities, as well as the refinery sector, foreign ownership of up to 100 per cent is now allowed. Two Indian companies which dominate the Indian E and P sector, namely Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Oil India Limited (OIL), will be upgrading their ageing infrastructure, purchasing new equipment and redeveloping existing oil and gas fields, thereby creating opportunities for the supply of equipment and services. Canadian companies possessing the latest technologies and services in exploration, drilling machinery and equipment, directional drilling services, production machinery and equipment, enhanced recovery services, deep-water drilling equipment and services, and equipment for coal methane E and P should benefit from these opportunities. Over 12,000 kilometres of pipelines are being planned across India, as well as private opportunities in the refinery sector which was opened to the private sector in April 2002. Occasional

  14. The energy consumption of the services and farming sectors 1990 - 2035 - Results of scenarios I - IV

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aebischer, B.; Catenazzi, G.

    2007-01-01

    This comprehensive report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) presents four scenarios concerning the development of energy consumption in the services sector and for farming for the period 1990 - 2035. The four scenarios - status quo, increased co-operation between the state and the economy with various levies, global reduction of energy consumption and, finally, scenario IV 'on the way to a 2000-Watt Society' - are briefly described. In particular, the scenarios are examined for various sensitivities: high gross domestic product GDP, CO 2 levy, high prices and warmer climate. The models and methods used are examined and examples of their use are quoted. The results of the sensitivity analyses are compared and discussed and the necessary instruments are examined. This comprehensive report contains a large number of data-tables and graphical representations

  15. Cross-Sector Problems of Collaboration in Psychiatry

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mikkelsen, Elisabeth Naima; Petersen, Anne; Lyager Kaae, Anne Marie

    2013-01-01

    - and community-based services. Results: Staff and management experiencing cross-sector problems of collaboration point to ineffective coordination of services between systems and lack of mutual understanding of how systems other than the staffs’ own systems work. Solutions include specific procedural changes...... existed in Danish psychiatry since the 1980s when mental health service provisions were split into two psychiatric systems. Material and methods: We report from two qualitative studies: STUDY#1 (n = 24) consisted of twenty-four individ­ual, qualitative interviews with the staff and management...

  16. Health sector reform in Brazil: a case study of inequity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almeida, C; Travassos, C; Porto, S; Labra, M E

    2000-01-01

    Health sector reform in Brazil built the Unified Health System according to a dense body of administrative instruments for organizing decentralized service networks and institutionalizing a complex decision-making arena. This article focuses on the equity in health care services. Equity is defined as a principle governing distributive functions designed to reduce or offset socially unjust inequalities, and it is applied to evaluate the distribution of financial resources and the use of health services. Even though in the Constitution the term "equity" refers to equal opportunity of access for equal needs, the implemented policies have not guaranteed these rights. Underfunding, fiscal stress, and lack of priorities for the sector have contributed to a progressive deterioration of health care services, with continuing regressive tax collection and unequal distribution of financial resources among regions. The data suggest that despite regulatory measures to increase efficiency and reduce inequalities, delivery of health care services remains extremely unequal across the country. People in lower income groups experience more difficulties in getting access to health services. Utilization rates vary greatly by type of service among income groups, positions in the labor market, and levels of education.

  17. The building of strategic information service in nuclear field facing to decision making

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Yong; Xue Enjie; Yuan Huibin

    2010-01-01

    Objective: To study the structure of strategic information service system in nuclear field for decision making supporting. Methods: Investigating and studying the strategic information systems at different levels-domestic and overseas, regional and national, governmental and industrial as well as information departmental, putting forward the envisioning of strategic information service system in nuclear field. Results: The system is consisted of three parts: data part, data operating part using IT technology and service function part. The system can produce varied information outputs automatically based on rich information resources and IT technology under mathematical models. The information workers can analyze and study special strategic information needed based on this system. Conclusions: The envisioning for the system structure is feasible and it can be realized at present technology level. The service effect will be visible and the supporting to decision making will be weighty. (authors)

  18. Employment and Skill Configurations in KIBS Sectors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Consoli, Davide; Elche, Dioni; Rullani, Francesco

    2015-01-01

    Knowledge-Intensive Business Services (KIBS) are specialized suppliers of intermediate inputs with expertise in locating, developing, combining, and applying generic knowledge to specific needs. The sectors in which these firms operate have experienced extraordinary growth over the last two decad...

  19. Investigating the effect of the London living wage on the psychological wellbeing of low-wage service sector employees: a feasibility study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flint, Ellen; Cummins, Steven; Wills, Jane

    2014-06-01

    Working poverty has become a major public health concern in recent times, and low-paid, insecure employment has been widely linked to poor psychological wellbeing. The London Living Wage (LLW) campaign aims to ensure employees receive adequate pay. The objective of this study is to investigate whether working for a LLW employer predicted higher levels of psychological wellbeing among low-wage service sector employees. Workplace interviews were conducted with 300 service sector employees in London; 173 of whom were in LLW workplaces. Positive psychological wellbeing was measured using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale. Multivariate linear regression was used to assess whether working for a LLW employer was associated with greater psychological wellbeing, adjusting for hypothesised confounding and mediating factors. After adjustment, respondents working for LLW employers had wellbeing scores 3.9 units higher on average than those who did not (95% CI: 1.8, 6.0). These empirical results are complemented by methodological findings regarding the difficulties associated with accessing the study group. Those who worked for a LLW employer had significantly higher psychological wellbeing on average than those who did not. This was shown to be irrespective of any differences in the socioeconomic or demographic composition of these two groups. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  20. Differentiation, context and teacher education: the changing profile of trainees on in-service initial teacher training programmes in the lifelong learning sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Noel, Penny

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Analysis of initial teacher training (ITT student data relating to the University of Huddersfield part-time in-service Cert Ed/PGCE over a three-year period has revealed significant change in the make-up of trainee cohorts. There has been an increase in younger trainees and in trainees very new to teaching, although more experienced and older trainees do continue to enrol. There has also been a considerable shift in the balance of trainees away from further education (FE college staff. These changes have implications for those who manage and deliver teacher education for the sector. It remains of key importance that the curriculum is not experienced as overly ‘FE-college centric’ and that mentoring arrangements acknowledge the needs of trainees from diverse contexts. It is clear that in the delivery of ITT for the lifelong learning sector, increasingly, one size will not comfortably fit all. Within teacher education much emphasis is placed upon the role of differentiation in regard to trainee practice. The changing trainee profile identified requires that teacher education itself unambiguously models a differentiated approach – and, in relation to teacher education for the lifelong learning sector, differentiation must address workplace context.