The increasing risk of mortality in breast cancer: A socioeconomic analysis between countries

Abstract. The risk of mortality in breast cancer among women is a critical health issue worldwide. Scholars argue that breast cancer mortality rates have decreased in many advanced countries overall. However, about 50% of world population in 2017 was in poor and developing countries (more than 3,652 million with 50.24% female) and breast cancer mortality rates differ among nations also because of socioeconomic factors. This study investigates, at global level, breast cancer mortality in association with breast cancer incidence and some factors of socioeconomic ecosystem between poor and rich countries, to explain trends that can be used to gain insights into country-level “best practices” for health improvement. Global data regarding breast cancer incidence and mortality as the age standardized rate per 100,000 population in 78low-to-middle income countries (LMICs), 50 upper-to-middle-income countries (UMICs) and 63 high income countries (HCIs) were obtained from IARC/WHO for 2012 and 2018. Data regarding GDP per capita, population and mammography (MMG) were obtained from World Bank, United Nations and WHO. Data, transformed in log scale to have normal distribution, were analyzed with descriptive statistics, partial correlation, regression analyses and paired-Samples T Test procedure to assess the statistical significance of increase or decrease of mortality and incidence in breast cancer from 2012 to 2018.Results reveal that a 1% higher level of breast cancer incidence, increases the expected mortality by 0.79% (p-value < .001) in LMICs, by 0.50% (p-value <.001) in UMICs and by 0.31% (p-value < .008) in HICs. These results, confirmed by other analyses here, seem to suggest that breast cancer mortality is increasing over time worldwide in rich and in particular developing countries. The global analysis here reveals that though an improvement of wealth and wellbeing worldwide, the risk of incidence and mortality in breast cancer is increasing. This result suggests that situational factors in the ecosystem of countries support the growing increase and mortality of breast cancer that improvement in healthcare and medicine of the last 40 years are not been sufficient to slowdown. These conclusions need for much more detailed research to investigate into the interaction between factors of socioeconomic systems, health improvement, and breast cancer causes.Keywords. Breast cancer, Wealth of nations, Epidemiology.JEL. I14, I15, I18, I39, O10, O3, O55, Q50

Social cleavages, Deras and politics in Eastern Punjab: A study of Dera Sacha Sauda

Abstract. The vicious conflicts erupted between the followers of Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh, the head of Dera Sacha Sauda, and fundamentalist Sikhs reveals that the violence not only deepen social cleavages but also enhances the cleavages in Sikh dominated society in Eastern Punjab. The paper’s argument is that the social cleavages in the political society of Punjab give birth to religious sects (Deras) which in turn feed on them in a vicious circle. Dera as an idea and institution is itself cleavages based which gives impetus to political articulation of a given subdued culture to come forth as a challenge to the mainstream socio-cultural and religious discourse. The Deras formed distinct religious symbols, cultural traits, daily code of conduct, rituals and prayers for their followers which dreaming them an egalitarian utopian society or social space. However, by doing so the Deras are enhancing the cleavages in the society instead the elimination of the cleavages. The Dera Sacha Sauda is taken as reference for the study.Keywords. Dera, Sacha Sauda, Cleavage, Politics, Punjab, Sikh, Society.JEL. Z12, Z13, Y40

User acceptance of cloud based hospital information system

Abstract. In this study, it is aimed to determine the factors that affect system use of the IT specialists. Accordingly, it is aimed to analyze,through web-based survey and Technology Acceptance Model, the factors that influence the cloudbasedsystem usage of the 150 IT specialists, who work for state hospitals, The results related to the structural model developed fromTechnology Acceptance Modelhave been analyzed with AMOS - Analyis of Moment Structures programme and the accordance of the statistical results have been analyzed by using Structural Equation Modelling method on model.According to analysis results, the effects of the factors related to the IT specialists’ perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use on the applicability of this technology with their advantages and disadvantages havealso been discussed, thanks to the data gathered from the users. The Structural model has been confirmed with the statistical results and confirmed hypotheses have been evaluated separately. Suggestions have been offered to the researchers about making prevalent of the cloud based Hospital Information System as a software service, required substructure, its components and applicability. Standards and legal status has also been examined.Keywords. Cloud computing, Technology acceptance model, Cloud basedhospital information system, Structural equation model.JEL. J24, O15, M12, M51, M55

Dynamic capabilities and entrepreneurial management: A review of selected works of David J. Teece

Abstract. Dynamic capabilities framework which is the combination of internal processes, resource utilization and structural transformations that have to be strategically formulated and managed for gaining sustained competitive advantage in rapidly changing environments became largely influential not only in strategic management field but had a significant impact on several areas of management (Di Stefano, et al., 2010, Barreto, 2010). After the introduction of the dynamic capabilities approach, the contributions from the initiator of the approach David J. Teece and several other important strategy and management scholars gave way to the development of a new capabilities theory of the “innovative” firm as well the evolution of the fresh domain of entrepreneurial management. The current review aims to analyze the antecedents of dynamic capabilities and the development of this new theory through the works of David J. Teece and acknowledge his crucial contribution to fields of management, strategy, and entrepreneurship.Keywords. Dynamic capabilities, Entrepreneurial management, Competitive advantage.JEL. L22, L25, L26, M10, M21

Metabolism of public organizations: A case study

Abstract. This study suggests the concept of Metabolism of organization that explains how public organizations use and/or transform inputs (mainly public funding) to produce and supply products and services. This approach is useful for analyzing costs and supporting best practices of management to increase efficiency of organizations. An application of this approach is showed on one of the largest public research organizations in Europe. Results indicate, from 1997 to 2015 period, that the cost of personnel has a very high growth rate (167.87), total cost of CNR has a high one (127.44), whereas total revenue (state subsidy) has a lower growth rate:118.72. This result suggests an imbalance of growth rates between dynamics of total revenue and vital costs within this PRO, generating economic issues and inefficiencies for this organization in the long run. R&D management implications conclude this study.Keywords. Research organizations, R&D funding, Cost management, Cost analysis, Budget system, Metabolism.JEL. N30, O30, O31, I23

Doctor-patient mutual trust, telemedicine quality, and satisfaction: The role of knowledge management

Abstract. Distant medical care satisfaction demands high quality care result. Both quality and satisfaction rely heavily on collective operations on knowledge of and relations between patients and doctors. Thus, knowledge sharing and doctor-patient trust are among the two critical factors that may lead to medical care quality and satisfaction. However, existing literature discussed the abovementioned in a scant fashion and without considering the gap between knowledge of owners in this context (i.e., care offerers such as doctors and receivers like patients). This paper proposes a conceptual model for an integrative discussion of the relationships among knowledge sharing, trust, medical care quality and patient satisfaction, from a fresh perspective of knowledge gap. Theoretical and practical implications are expected to be rich because this conceotual piece offer discussions from a viewpoint that starts from the mnost fundamental factor – collective knowledge attribute in terms of its heterogeneous structure.Keywords. Knowledge sharing, Trust, Distant medical care, Quality, Satisfaction.JEL. D80, D83, D84, D85

Exploring Change Management and Innovation in Strategy-Technology-Management (Stra.Tech.Man) terms

Abstract. The present article explores how the concept of change management evolves within the context of the current restructuring of globalization and, more specifically, how a new approach to the phenomenon of organizational change is built in terms of the Stra.Tech.Man evolutionary triangle (Strategy-Technology-Management). Change management in Stra.Tech.Man terms is a process which can synthesize adaptively the different perspectives of organizational change in order for an organization to innovate effectively. In conclusion, organizational success is articulated in a continuous cycle of five consecutive Stra.Tech.Man steps, where every step has its own conditions of successful innovation and evolution.Keywords. Change management, Organizational change, Evolutionary Stra.Tech.Man triangle, Innovation.JEL. L20, L22, O32

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What is technology and technology change? A new conception with systemic-purposeful perspective for technology analysis

Abstract. The study suggests a new definition of technology with a systemic-purposeful perspective: Technology here is a complex system of artifact, made and/or used by living systems, that is composed of more than one entity or sub-system and a relationship that holds between each entity and at least one other entity in the system, selected considering practical, technical and economic characteristics, to satisfy needs, achieve goals and/or solve problems of users for the purpose of adaptation and/or survival in environment. Technology is formed and evolves with different minor and major innovations. Several examples illustrate these concepts and a simple model operationalizes the proposed definition with a preliminary statistical evidence. Overall, then, technology changes current modes of cognition and action to enable makers and/or users to take advantage of important opportunities or to cope with consequential environmental threats.Keywords. Conception of technology, Nature of technology, Origin of technology, Evolution of technology, Diffusion of technology, Systems approach, Artifacts, Purposeful systems, Product modularity, Coevolution, New caledonian crow, Chimpanzee, Technical change.JEL. O30, O32, O33, B50

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