The Role of Electronic Services in Transformational Government: A Unified Services Theory Perspective and Implications for Trust

A major difficulty in deriving practical managerial insights from the transformational government perspective is that in the existing literature ‘transformation’ is usually expressed in terms of desirable qualities rather than concrete transformation of structures and processes. Although it is possible to address transformational government issues from diverse areas such as Customer Relationship Management, Business Process Management, Management of Information Systems, and so forth, the adoption of an integrative theoretical basis that could accommodate different perspectives around ‘service’, the core subject of interest, would certainly facilitate generation of useful managerial insights and approaches in the area. The main purpose of this conceptual paper is to fill this gap by presenting a Unified Services Theory (UST) perspective of issues concerning the development of electronic services in the transformational government area. The paper will focus upon customer orientation and process standardisation issues

The applicability of industrial symbiosis praxis to improving the environmental sustainability of supply chains

The environmental impact of supply chains is a complex problem which involves interconnected and interdependent organisations from different industries, sectors and geographical areas. Finding ways of involving the parts of a supply chain system in synergistic relationships aimed at minimising the overall impact of the whole system on the environment is likely to achieve better results than each part trying to do its best in isolation. The adoption of sustainable practices in supply chains is a daunting task. Even when players in the supply system try to be consistent, it is very difficult to do it at a global level. This implies that to integrate sustainability in supply chains it is imperative to understand the mutual relationships among the players in the supply system. Moreover, the ecological paradigm for supply chain management demands extended integration of sustainability values, where responsible management is a key function. To delimit the discussion, the paper will focus upon the food supply chain. The environmental and social consequences of the food industry and its supply chain activities represent a global challenge which requires innovative sustainable practices that are effectively achievable to the organisations involved. The food sector as a whole faces considerable challenges imposed by the limited availability of arable land and natural resources for food production on the one hand, and the continuous increase of food consumption dictated by the exponential growth of populations and livestock on the other hand. In 2008, the Cabinet Office pointed out the pressures of climate change on food production and the impact of food chains on the environment as some of the major challenges which need to be addressed before long. In general, the paper will critically discuss and identify potential links that can integrate cross-industry processes through the application of industrial symbiosis concepts and practices. The managerial implications here addressed will consider how organisations involved in a food supply chain system can get engaged in symbiotic relationships that can potentially improve not only their own environmental sustainability performance, but also the performance of the supply chain system they are part of

Information sharing in e-government initiatives: Freedom of Information and Data Protection issues concerning local government

In e-government initiatives, the sharing of information is crucial for empowering citizens and boosting joined-up services. The lack of clear guidance on how to share government data can potentially harm Freedom of Information and or Data Protection rights. This article addresses this issue by drawing from the main concerns governments have when dealing with Freedom of Information and Data Protection issues. As illustration, we comment on the findings of a case study we have conducted in a Local Authority in the United Kingdom (UK). Our findings show that local government managers might be struggling to adequately implement Freedom of Information and Data Protection aspects. Cultural aspects are subtly present in this context, as managers’ values and beliefs regarding public access to information might be biased toward either information disclosure or information withholding

Sustainability of food supply chains – mapping food waste and by-product synergies

Purpose: This conceptual paper introduces the theoretical and methodological basis of an analytical framework conceived with the purpose of bringing industrial ecology perspectives into the core of the underlying disciplines supporting studies concerned with environmental sustainability aspects beyond product life cycle boundaries in a supply chain. Research Approach: To develop the framework, we draw from a previous LCA-driven methodological approach applied to investigate industrial activities with the purpose of defining industrial ecology strategies for the development of ‘eco-industrial clusters’. We expand on this approach by combining it with the waste model for the food sector to classify the inventory of food waste and by-products generated in different stages of a food supply chain. Finally, food waste and by-product flows are considered with basis on the European waste hierarchy model and core industrial symbiosis concepts. These flows depict two time-related scenarios: 1. Present scenarios showing the status quo of current waste and by-product flows, and 2. Future scenarios pointing out potential food waste and by-product synergies along the supply chain. Findings and Originality: Different ecosystems scenarios are expected to emerge from the analysis applied in different industrial stages of a food supply chain: Farming, manufacturing, and retailing. The scenarios are the main outcomes of the analysis process and they ultimately describe potential food waste and by-product synergies not only within and between core industrial activities of the supply chain being studied, but also potential industrial linkages with organisations outside the supply chain that are nonetheless located in areas adjacent to the core industries in the supply chain being analyzed. Research Impact: By bringing industrial ecology perspectives into the analytical framework developed, the paper provides a valuable and innovative contribution to the wider debate on how supply chains meet the challenges of sustainability. Given the pressing challenges faced by the food sector, the framework focuses upon waste minimization through industrial linkages in food supply chains. The combination of industrial ecology practice with basic LCA elements, the waste hierarchy model, and the spatial scale of industrial symbiosis allows the standardization of qualitative analyses and associated outcomes. Such standardization enables comparative analysis not only between different stages of a supply chain, but also between different supply chains. Practical Impact: The analytical approach proposed contributes more coherently to the wider circular economy aspiration of optimizing the flow of goods to get the most out of raw materials and cuts wastes to a minimum. The transition to a circular economy based upon circular design and production, new circular business models involving reverse cycles and cascading of products, by-products and waste, as well as cross-cycle and cross-sector collaborations beyond traditional supply chain boundaries, requires a refreshed understanding of more current circular supply chain archetypes

New Business Models Enabled by Digital Technologies:A perspective from the fashion sector

Challenging the sceptical view that consumers would not buy apparel and accessories without feeling the fabric and testing for size and look, online fashion sales is growing fast. Yet, the myriad of recent business model developments in the sector depicts a disorderly environment lacking frameworks and typologies to facilitate understanding and explain different business propositions. This document reports the findings of a sectoral exploratory study that was developed in the fashion retail sector. The main objective of the project was to provide the parent project NEMODE with a perspective of new business model developments and improvements that emerged in the fashion retail sector through developments in the digital economy. The report points out example cases showing business model innovations in the sector, the core functionalities the models implement and key digital technologies and platforms enabling the core functionalities of the business models. The project was an exploratory investigation that was developed in a short period of time (3 months). Thus, an exploratory approach involving environmental scanning was the investigation method used to identify business model innovations in the sector. The environmental scanning comprised searches on the internet, literature review of academic journals, business reports and press articles, and visits to fashion retailers in the UK. The study focused upon business models in the fashion retail sector which are using digital technologies to implement conceptual models based upon personal subscription, mass customisation, social merchandising and collaborative consumption concepts and functionalities. The main findings of the study show a widespread adoption of customer-oriented and social networking concepts and practices across different business models in the sector, which now faces a more complex scenario of relationships to manage. The study also shows that many fashion retailers are using digital technologies to “dematerialize” fitting or dressing rooms in form of “virtual fitting rooms” or “interactive mirrors” in order to create optimum value/cost outcomes. On the other hand, the “materialization” of customised designs through 3D printers is liberating people from constraints of time, space, actor and constellation. It is also possible to notice different degrees of technological mobilisations (i.e. different technological densities) created by different fashion retailers and these densities seem to be gradually shaping new “time-space-actor-constellations” models in the fashion retail sector where digital technologies play a vital role

E-voting in Brazil - the risks to democracy

Literature has shown that countries with strong democratic traditions, such as the United States and Canada, are not yet using electronic voting systems intensively, due to the concern for and emphasis on security. It has revealed that there is no such thing as an error-free computer system, let alone an electronic voting system, and that existing technology does not offer the conditions necessary for a reliable, accurate and secure electronic voting system. In this context, then, what are the risks of e-voting to democracy? In what ways, if at all, can more fragile, less mature democracies be buttressed with e-voting systems? As a key component of e-democracy, it seems that e-voting technologies are to become more secure and increasingly reliable in the near future and will indeed be adopted in many countries. In what ways, if at all, will the introduction of such systems increase voter confidence in the political system, promote citizen engagement in political life, and nurture the evolution of democracy? If both e-voting and edemocracy are emerging based on popular demand - that is, as a demand-driven alternative to current processes, then there is no doubt that they are likely to enhance and improve the efficiency of traditional democracy. However, if e-voting technology is being introduced based on a supply-driven fashion - the technology exists therefore it should and must be implemented - then the implications for democracy should be considered. Brazil's introduction of e-voting offers a cautionary tale of supply-driven technological implication. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how the introduction of e-voting in Brazil is highly risky to democracy due to the lack of emphasis on security and the lack of a sociallyinformed and socially driven approach to technological innovation. The Brazilian example illustrates the democratic implications of a market-driven approach. The lack of a technology strategy designed to promote and extend democratic principles is not surprising given the closed door, market-based negotiations that led to the adoption of e-voting in Brazil. The promise, and indeed, the imperative of a democratic, voter-centered approach as an alternative for the development of an electronic voting system, is explored in the paper

The emergence of relationship-based retailing – a perspective from the fashion sector

Challenging the sceptical view that consumers would not buy apparel and accessories without feeling the fabric and testing for size and look, online fashion sales is growing fast. Yet, the myriad of recent business model developments in the sector depicts a disorderly environment lacking frameworks and typologies to facilitate understanding and explain different business propositions. In this paper, we report the preliminary findings of a work-in-progress study being developed in the fashion retail sector. Initial analysis showed a regular presence of relationship-based functionalities in current business models emerged in the electronic fashion retailing context. It is also possible to notice a widespread adoption of relationship-based functionalities across different business models in the sector. The models are presented under a conceptual framework developed to support and facilitate understanding of the core functionalities they implement. Furthermore, the study also identified click-and-mortar initiatives where fashion retailers integrate online relationship-based functionalities into their conventional brick-and-mortar operations. An interesting aspect observed in the study is the augmented scope of the relationships that fashion retailers are now able to explore. This is mainly due to the positioning of customers’ social networks into the retailers’ reach by the customers themselves, who now have easy access to their social contacts from the online, and sometimes in-store, environments they are interacting with

Manual de procedimentos para notificação de eventos adversos em estudos clínicos : uma proposta de organização

Os estudos clínicos são importantes para a sociedade, contribuem para o avanço da ciência, geram novos conhecimentos, trazem benefícios, melhoria da qualidade de vida e o bem-estar das pessoas. Devem ser realizados de acordo com os princípios éticos e vários agentes devem estar envolvidos: as autoridades regulatórias, o patrocinador, o pesquisador, o participante de pesquisa e o comitê de ética em pesquisa. Os regulamentos e guias internacionais e nacionais relacionados aos estudos clínicos, entre eles a Diretriz de Boas Práticas Clínicas foram implantados principalmente, para proteger e garantir a segurança e integridade dos participantes de pesquisa. No decorrer dos estudos clínicos podem ocorrer eventos adversos, portanto a plena monitorização é fundamental, pois torna o estudo mais seguro para o participante de pesquisa. Este trabalho teve como objetivo elaborar um manual direcionado a pesquisadores visando orientar a notificação de eventos adversos aos órgãos pertinentes. O estudo foi realizado em quatro etapas. Na primeira etapa realizou-se uma revisão da literatura sobre eventos adversos em estudos clínicos. Na segunda etapa, elaborou-se um manual piloto. Na terceira etapa, o material foi qualificado por um Painel de Especialistas formado por cinco pesquisadores do Hospital Universitário Cassiano Antonio Moraes, que analisaram o conteúdo e responderam a um questionário de onze questões. Na quarta etapa, analisou-se as respostas dos questionários e com as sugestões do Painel de Especialistas aprimorou-se o manual e obteve-se a versão denominada Manual de Procedimentos para Notificação de Eventos Adversos em Estudos Clínicos. Após a apreciação final do produto pela banca do mestrado profissional, o manual será disponibilizado em formato eletrônico, para que vários pesquisadores tenham acesso, em especial os pesquisadores que atuam no Hospital Universitário Cassiano Antonio Moraes e nos hospitais vinculados a rede da Empresa Brasileira de Serviços Hospitalares (EBSERH).Clinical studies are important to society. They contribute to the advance of science, generate new knowledge, bring benefits, improve the quality of life and the well-being of people. They must be carried out in accordance with ethical principles and several agents should be involved: the regulatory authorities, the sponsor, the researcher, the research participant and the research ethics committee. International and national regulations and guidelines related to clinical studies, including the Clinical Good Practice Guideline, were primarily implemented to protect and ensure the safety and integrity of the research participants. Adverse events can occur during clinical studies; it means that, full monitoring is critical in order to lead the study safer for the research participant. The aim of this work is to elaborate a manual directed at researchers to guide them on the notification of adverse events process to the government organizations. The study was divided in four steps. In the first step, a bibliographic review on adverse events in clinical studies was done. In the second step, a pilot manual was developed. In the third step, the analyzed material was qualified by a Panel of Experts composed of five University Hospital Cassiano Antonio Moraes’ researchers who analyzed the content and answered a questionnaire of eleven questions. In the fourth step, the analyzed questionnaire as well as the Panel of Expert’s suggestions were used for improving the manual, reaching the version called the Manual of Procedures for Notification of Adverse Events in Clinical Studies. After the final evaluation of the product by the master's degree examining board, the manual will be available in electronic format, so that several researchers will have access, especially researchers working in University Hospital Cassiano Antonio Moraes and hospitals linked to the network of the Brazilian Hospital Services Company (EBSERH)