Organizational culture and knowledge management success at project and organizational levels in contracting firms

Author name used in this publication: Patrick S. W. Fong2009-2010 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalAccepted ManuscriptPublishe

The Impact of IT Usage on Collaborative New Product Development Performance

Fast introduction of new products at low cost is essential for being successful in today’s industrial business environment. New product development (NPD) practitioners increasingly rely on information technology (IT) aiming to achieve lower costs, higher quality, and greater speed to market. A little is known about the effect of various IT tools on NPD performance and exploring this would ease effective deployment of IT resources in innovation programmes. This study uses data collected in Product Development Management Association’s 2012 Comparative Performance Assessment Study, from 453 firms across different countries and industries. Direct and indirect effects of four types of IT tools on financial and time performance of NPD projects are examined using partial least squares path analysis. Results suggest that three IT types indirectly improve NPD performance by increasing collaboration, although no direct impact tested is significant. The study implies that extensive use of IT tools significantly contributes to improve collaboration which is vital for reducing development times and increasing financial returns of NPD projects.falsePublishedAuckland, New Zealan

The Role of ICT in Collaborative Product Development: A Conceptual Model Based on Information Processing Theory

Manufacturing firms are increasingly adopting collaborative product development (CPD) as a strategy to achieve competitive advantage through joint synergies in introducing new products to market. Substantial increase in use of information and communication technology (ICT) in CPD is evidenced recently, as a result of extended spans between collaborative partners and enhanced collaboration effectiveness. Since using ICT is a highly cost intensive task, uncovering a detailed picture of the effect of ICT usage on CPD performance would be immensely useful for effective management ICT in CPD. This study develops a conceptual model (measurement considerations included) to comprehensively examine the role of ICT in CPD. Organizational information processing theory (OIPT) is adopted as the key methodology to draw the relationship between ICT usage and tangible and intangible outcomes of CPD. The model guides testing of hypotheses concerning direct and moderated effects of ICT usage on CPD performance considering project characteristics (complexity, uncertainty, and urgency) as moderators. Key insights from the model suggest that utilization of ICT resources and capabilities based on the information processing requirement generated by the characteristics of a project would provide better results in terms of both collaborative and new product performance.fals

Nocturnal oscillations: Understanding the brain through sleep

This thesis explores the nature of sleep oscillations using behavioral and neurophysiological measures. The first experiment examines how the magnitude of different spectral frequencies in the sleep electroencephalography affect individual’s subjective emotional experience of positive and negative moods, as well as the emotional detriment associated with a full night of sleep deprivation, and its recovery after a daytime nap. The change in positive and negative moods across a night’s sleep is predicted by the magnitude of different oscillatory activity during rapid-eye-movement (REM) and non-REM (NREM) sleep. Experiment 2 uses EEG with simultaneous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal changes associated with sleep stage changes, and specifically investigates the functional connectivity changes within the basal ganglia network that occur across an early, slow-wave-rich sleep cycle. In NREM sleep, the functional connectivity of the globus pallidus and the striatum (composed of the putamen and caudate nucleus) show patterns supporting the tripartite division model, and lend support to existing studies of information processing during sleep, especially in the motor domain. Experiment 3 seeks to validate the hypothesis that different frequencies of oscillatory activity within the brain will differentially modulate the spatial profile of BOLD activity. This is achieved with applying transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) during fMRI acquisition, by artificially inducing oscillations of different frequencies in the brain while measuring the BOLD signal changes associated with the oscillatory activity. Stimulation to the primary visual cortex led to BOLD activity increases, relative to baseline, in different neural networks depending on the frequency of stimulation. The three experiments presented in the thesis shed light on the nature of neural network modulations caused by ongoing oscillatory activity, and bridge the gap between electrophysiological and haemodynamic findings of sleep-dependent information processing

Manual therapy in addition to physiotherapy does not improve clinical or economic outcomes after ankle fracture

Objective: The primary aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of adding manual therapy to a physiotherapy programme for ankle fracture. Design: Assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial. Participants: Ninety-four adults were recruited within one week of cast removal for isolated ankle fracture. Inclusion criteria were: they were able to weight-bear as tolerated or partial weight-bear, were referred for physiotherapy, and experienced pain. Ninety-one participants completed the study. Methods: Participants were randomly allocated to receive manual therapy (anterior-posterior joint mobilization over the talus) plus a standard physiotherapy programme (experimental), or the standard physiotherapy programme only (control). They were assessed by a blinded assessor at baseline, and at 4, 12 and 24 weeks. The main outcomes were activity limitation and quality of life. Information on costs and healthcare utilization was collected every 4 weeks up to 24 weeks. Results: There were no clinically worthwhile differences in activity limitation or quality of life between groups at any time-point. There was also no between-group difference in quality-adjusted life-years, but the experimental group incurred higher out-of-pocket costs (mean between-group difference = AU$200, 95% confidence interval 26-432). Conclusion: When provided in addition to a physiotherapy programme, manual therapy did not enhance outcome in adults after ankle fracture. © 2008 Foundation of Rehabilitation Information

Promotion of collaboration between medical and dental professionals

Includes bibliographical references (p. 25-26).published_or_final_versio

Safe schools for teens: preventing sexual abuse of urban poor teens, proof-of-concept study:Improving teachers' and students’ knowledge, skills and attitudes

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a difficult form of abuse to detect, with the peak age of reports from 13 to 15 years old. The recent revision of the Philippine school curriculum provided an opportunity to incorporate an educational intervention for prevention of CSA. This study aimed to improve the teachers’ and students’ knowledge, skills and attitudes on disclosure, identification, and reporting of CSA. This research is a two-phase proof-of-concept cross-sectional study of 237 teachers and 1,458 Grade 7 students from 2 public high schools in metro Manila over a two-year period. Phase 1 involved in-service training curriculum for all teachers on the recognizing, recording, reporting, and referral (4R’s) of child abuse and establishment of a referral and support system. Outcome measures included pre- and post-tests and number of CSA reports. Phase 2 involved implementation of eight student modules through the Health and Values Education subjects of the curriculum. Outcome measures were pre- and post-intervention measurement of abuse and module content. Training of teachers resulted in an increase in confidence for identifying CSA from 25% to 57%, and a decrease in apprehension of reporting CSA from 40% to 33%. The Safe Schools for Teens intervention significantly improved self-reported knowledge on abuse, dating violence, and how to help friends as well as on adolescent’s impulse control and emotional clarity. There was a significant decline from pre- to post-intervention in self-reported experiences of dating violence which includes physical, sexual and emotional violence, t(793) = 3.363, p = 001 as well as a significant decline in self-reported experiences of emotional abuse from a dating partner, t(837) = 2.693, p = 0.008. The Safe Schools for Teens intervention increases awareness and reporting of child sexual abuse. The intervention also reduces dating violence highlighting that the mindfulness focused approach in connection with systems strengthening is useful for addressing adolescent violence

The relationship between low back pain and leisure time physical activity in a working population of cleaners - a study with weekly follow-ups for 1 year

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Low back pain (LBP) and leisure time physical activity (LTPA) are considered to be closely related, and clinical guidelines for the treatment of acute LBP recommend patients stay physically active. However, the documentation for this recommendation is sparse and based on studies involving patient populations. The purpose of the study was (1) to investigate the correlation between LBP and LTPA on a weekly basis over the course of a year in a high-risk group of cleaners; and (2) to investigate if maintaining LTPA during an episode of acute LBP has a positive effect on LBP intensity in the subsequent 4 weeks.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>188 cleaners consented to participate in a 52-week text message survey about hours of LTPA and intensity of LBP (from 0 to 9) over the previous 7 days. The correlation between LBP and LTPA was calculated by Pearson correlation coefficient. During an episode of acute LBP, a mixed effect logistic regression model was used to investigate whether cleaners who maintain LTPA have a lower pain intensity and higher probability of returning to initial pain intensity within the following four weeks compared with cleaners who decrease LTPA during acute LBP.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The correlation between weekly LTPA and LBP data was negative, but numerically low (r = -0.069) and statistically insignificant (<it>p </it>= 0.08). Among the 82 cleaners experiencing at least one episode of acute LBP, those maintaining LTPA during an episode of acute LBP did not have a lower pain intensity (average LBP intensity difference between groups of 0.06; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of -0.417 to 0.539) or higher probability of returning to initial pain level (Odds ratio 1,02; 95% CI of 0.50 to 2.09) in the following four weeks compared with cleaners decreasing LTPA during acute LBP.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Hours of LTPA and intensity of LBP measured on a weekly basis throughout a year showed no close correlation. Maintaining LTPA during an episode of acute LBP did not result in a positive effect on LBP in the following 4 weeks. Documentation of LTPA recommendations for acute LBP in working populations is still needed.</p

Consumers’ experiences of back pain in rural Western Australia: Access to information and services, and self-management behaviours.

Background: Coordinated, interdisciplinary services, supported by self-management underpin effective management for chronic low back pain (CLBP). However, a combination of system, provider and consumer-based barriers exist which limit the implementation of such models into practice, particularly in rural areas where unique access issues exist. In order to improve health service delivery for consumers with CLBP, policymakers and service providers require a more in depth understanding of these issues. The objective of this qualitative study was to explore barriers experienced by consumers in rural settings in Western Australia (WA) to accessing information and services and implementing effective self-management behaviours for CLBP. Methods: Fourteen consumers with a history of CLBP from three rural sites in WA participated. Maximum variation sampling was employed to ensure a range of experiences were captured. An interviewer, blinded to quantitative pain history data, conducted semi-structured telephone interviews using a standardised schedule to explore individuals’ access to information and services for CLBP, and self-management behaviours. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim. Inductive analysis techniques were used to derive and refine key themes. Results: Five key themes were identified that affected individuals’ experiences of managing CLBP in a rural setting, including: 1) poor access to information and services in rural settings; 2) inadequate knowledge and skills among local practitioners; 3) feelings of isolation and frustration; 4) psychological burden associated with CLBP; and 5) competing lifestyle demands hindering effective self-management for CLBP.Conclusions: Consumers in rural WA experienced difficulties in knowing where to access relevant information for CLBP and expressed frustration with the lack of service delivery options to access interdisciplinary and specialist services for CLBP. Competing lifestyle demands such as work and family commitments were cited as key barriers to adopting regular self-management practices. Consumer expectations for improved health service coordination and a workforce skilled in pain management are relevant to future service planning, particularly in the contexts of workforce capacity, community health services, and enablers to effective service delivery in primary care