25,353 research outputs found

    Equity in the Digital Age: How Health Information Technology Can Reduce Disparities

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    While enormous medical and technological advancements have been made over the last century, it is only very recently that there have been similar rates of development in the field of health information technology (HIT).This report examines some of the advancements in HIT and its potential to shape the future health care experiences of consumers. Combined with better data collection, HIT offers signi?cant opportunities to improve access to care, enhance health care quality, and create targeted strategies that help promote health equity. We must also keep in mind that technology gaps exist, particularly among communities of color, immigrants, and people who do not speak English well. HIT implementation must be done in a manner that responds to the needs of all populations to make sure that it enhances access, facilitates enrollment, and improves quality in a way that does not exacerbate existing health disparities for the most marginalized and underserved

    (De)convergence in TV: a comparative analysis of the development of Smart TV

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    Against the backdrop of media convergence, Smart TVs are developing rapidly in large parts of the world. Smart TV refers to the integration of broadband Internet and social media features into TV sets. From a media business perspective, the proliferation of Smart TV services may put pressure on the market structure of the TV landscape, and urge for new business models in order to capture the dynamics of media convergence. By means of a comparative analysis in four European markets (Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom), the development of Smart TV is sketched in terms of viewing patterns, business models and standardization. The conclusion is that national TV markets are evolving quite differently, so that service providers must adapt their marketing strategies to reflect local market conditions. Hence, the success of Smart TV ultimately depends on the local package of value-added services and the amount of strategic partnerships with content owners, TV broadcasters and pay-TV operators

    Niche Markets and Their Lessons

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    Markets are full of nooks and crannies. Out of the glare of the big economies and their public exchanges, markets specializing by financial product, activity, or industry thrive, often attracting little by way of formal regulatory oversight. But there is another kind of specialized market, one which is geographically and politically determined albeit internationally focused. Luxembourg, Ireland, Dubai, Bahrain, Malaysia, Singapore, Switzerland, among others, these are some of the world’s niche markets.It is a hard business being a niche market, operating in a competitive and often unforgiving environment, engaging in constant repositioning and facing inherent limitations on growth. Surprisingly, perhaps, there are lots of niche markets and a very diverse grouping they are, deploying a variety of survival strategies. In all cases, state capitalism, in various guises, supports these markets. In earlier times, reputation, a friendly regulator, and good business practices might have sufficed. Now, there is a new dynamic. This chapter in a new book, International Capital Markets: Law and Institutions (Oxford University Press, 2014), examines the characteristics of niche markets, such as a high tolerance for legal pluralism and the role of state capitalism, the vulnerabilities of niche markets, especially to change, and the secrets of their success

    Managing Equipment for Emergency Obstetric Care in Rural Hospitals

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    In resource poor countries substantial sums of money, from governments and international donors, are used to purchase equipment for health facilities. WHO estimates that 50-80% of such equipment remains non-functional. This article is based on the experiences from various projects in developing countries in Asia and Africa. The key issues in the purchase, distribution, installation, management and maintenance of equipment for emergency obstetric care (EmOC) services are identified and discussed. Some positive examples are described to show how common equipment management problems are solved.

    Print Advertising In The Us And Hong Kong: A Comparative Analysis

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    Given the static condition of the global economy marketers are cutting advertising budgets commensurate with dismal sales. It is a longstanding belief that utilizing a standardized advertising approach not only controls good ideas and provides for a consistent image but it also has the benefit of controlling expenses through economies of scale. With this in mind, the purpose of the study was to determine the degree of standardization or lack thereof in advertising strategies in the cosmetics and fragrances advertising industries in the United States and Hong Kong. The findings of this study suggest that there is a high level of standardization in the advertising for perfumes because Hong Kong belonged to the British for a long time and individuals’ needs and desires for love and acceptance are the same irrespective of geography. On the other hand only a moderate form of standardization was noted in the advertising for cosmetics. This may be attributed to the fact that different beauty concepts are held among different regions. Implications of the findings are also noted.print advertising, standardization, glocalization, cosmetics and fragrance industry

    Aid for Trade: Supporting the Use of Standards

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    As a complementary activity to the WTO’s Doha Round of trade negotiations, the Sixth Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong, China, in 2005 mandated that technical assistance and capacity-building activities needed to be expanded so that developing countries could take better advantage of the opportunities opened up by trade liberalization.With traditional barriers to trade such as tariffs and quotas being progressively eliminated, the ability to comply with technical regulations and use international standards has emerged as a key factor for success in integrating into international markets. This paper focuses on the potential of providing assistance to Governments and businesses for the setting of and complying with product standards as part of the AId for Trade initiative.Aid for Trade, transition economies, product standards
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