E-HR and employee self-service in a British public sector organisation: an exploratory analysis

The purpose of the paper is to present empirical research on the use of an Employee Self-Service (ESS) system in a British public sector work organization, and issues associated with its introduction. A case study approach, detailing interviews with managers and employees is used. Content analysis and selective coding are employed to analyze data. Results indicate that management and employee perceptions of using ESS differ, and challenges arise in ESS implementation, including: the relevant HR role; cultural/emotional adjustments needed from staff; and those associated with appropriate organizational development/change and project organization/management. The limitations of this study include interviews with a small number of staff, which limits the generalizatility of results. Practical implications and recommendations are provided, namely HR staff need to build a coherent approach regarding ESS implementation. The value of the paper is that it represents new empirical data on ESS in practice, and a critical appraisal of it from remote home workers. Moreover, it contributes to research via contrasting findings with the prescriptive/descriptive consultancy-led literature

Reflections on the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), research methodology, and the case for reform

In this paper I, first, provide an empirical case study of preparations for the forthcoming Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) as a lived experience from the viewpoint of a researcher in Human Resource Management (HRM) at a quality management research department. Second, I surface some issues involved in research methodology that arise from these preparations, namely on the nature of reality (what is seen as ‘quality’ research in HRM), relationships between the knower and known (the role of personal bias and gatekeepers in the process), and the role of values (as a determinant of both research quality and personal bias). Lastly, I make a case for reform of how research quality is both defined and assessed by stakeholders in HRM in future (in terms of validity and reliability). This includes the need for greater transparency, clear criteria of assessment, and the inclusion of all people management stakeholders in the assessment process. (BAM-10151)

What factors affect patients’ access to healthcare? Protocol for an overview of systematic reviews

Background The importance of access to healthcare for all is internationally recognised as a global goal, high on the global agenda. Yet inequalities in health exist within and between countries which are exacerbated by inequalities in access to healthcare. In order to address these inequalities, we need to better understand what drives them. While there exists a wealth of research on access to healthcare in different countries and contexts, and for different patient groups, to date no attempt has been made to bring this evidence together through a global lens. This study aims to address that gap by bringing together evidence of what factors affect patients’ access to healthcare and exploring how those factors vary in different countries and contexts around the world. Methods An overview of reviews will be conducted using a comprehensive search strategy to search four databases: Medline, Embase, Global Health and Cochrane Systematic Reviews. Additional searches will be conducted on the Gates Foundation, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and World Bank websites. Titles and abstracts will be screened against the eligibility criteria and full-text articles will be obtained for all records that meet the inclusion criteria or where there is uncertainty around eligibility. A data extraction table will be developed during the review process and will be piloted and refined before full data extraction commences. Methodological quality/risk of bias will be assessed for each included study using the AMSTAR 2 tool. The quality assessment will be used to inform the narrative synthesis, but a low-quality score will not necessarily lead to study exclusion. Discussion Factors affecting patients’ ability to access healthcare will be identified and analysed according to different country and context characteristics to shed light on the importance of different factors in different settings. Results will be interpreted accounting for the usual challenges associated with conducting such reviews. The results may guide future research in this area and contribute to priority setting for development initiatives aimed at ensuring equitable access to healthcare for all

The effect of 14 weeks of vitamin D3 supplementation on antimicrobial peptides and proteins in athletes

Heavy training is associated with increased respiratory infection risk and antimicrobial proteins are important in defence against oral and respiratory tract infections. We examined the effect of 14 weeks of vitamin D3 supplementation (5000 IU/day) on the resting plasma cathelicidin concentration and the salivary secretion rates of secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA), cathelicidin, lactoferrin and lysozyme in athletes during a winter training period. Blood and saliva were obtained at the start of the study from 39 healthy men who were randomly allocated to vitamin D3 supplement or placebo. Blood samples were also collected at the end of the study; saliva samples were collected after 7 and 14 weeks. Plasma total 25(OH)D concentration increased by 130% in the vitamin D3 group and decreased by 43% in the placebo group (both P=0.001). The percentage change of plasma cathelicidin concentration in the vitamin D3 group was higher than in the placebo group (P=0.025). Only in the vitamin D3 group, the saliva SIgA and cathelicidin secretion rates increased over time (both P=0.03). A daily 5000 IU vitamin D3 supplement has a beneficial effect in up-regulating the expression of SIgA and cathelicidin in athletes during a winter training period which could improve resistance to respiratory infections

Robust adaptation decision-making under uncertainty: Real Options Analysis for water storage

Planning for climate change adaptation is challenging due to the inherent uncertainty associated with future climate changes. Although we have a range of climate projections, even these cannot provide a definitive picture of the future, with little certainty regarding the timing, magnitude and location of change. As a result there is increasing interest in approaches that can accommodate uncertainty better. A range of approaches exist and are being developed across several disciplines. Each has advantages and disadvantages and is suited for different types of decisions. In this study we focus on one of these approaches, Real Options Analysis (ROA), and chose water storage for irrigation as an example to demonstrate its use in uncertain futures

Structural equation model for estimating risk factors in type 2 diabetes mellitus in a Middle Eastern setting: evidence from the STEPS Qatar.

AIMS: Understanding type 2 diabetes mellitus is critical for designing effective diabetes prevention policies in Qatar and the Middle East. METHODS: Using the Qatar 2012 WHO STEPwise approach to surveillance survey, a subsample of 1224 Qatari participants aged 18-64 years was selected. Subjects had their fasting blood glucose levels tested, had not been diagnosed with or treated for diabetes, had a fasting time >12 hours and were not pregnant. We applied a hypothesized structural equation model (SEM) to assess sociodemographic, behavioral, anthropometric and metabolic variables affecting persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus. RESULTS: There is a direct effect of triglyceride levels (0.336) and body mass index (BMI) (0.164) on diabetes status. We also found that physical activity levels negatively affect BMI (-0.148) and positively affect high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (0.106); sociodemographic background negatively affects diet (-0.522) and BMI (-0.352); HDL positively affects total cholesterol (0.230) and has a negative effect on BMI (-0.108), triglycerides (-0.128) and waist circumference (-0.104). Diet has a positive effect on triglycerides (0.281) while family history of diabetes negatively affects total cholesterol (-0.104). BMI has a positive effect on waist circumference (0.788) and mediates the effects of physical activity over diabetes status (-0.028). BMI also mediates the effects that sociodemographic factors (-0.058) and physical activity (-0.024) have on diabetes status. BMI and HDL (-0.002) together mediate the effect of physical activity on diabetes status and similarly HDL and tryglycerides (-0.005) also mediate the effect of physical activity on diabetes status. Finally diet and tryglycerides mediate the effects that sociodemographic factors have on diabetes status (-0.049). CONCLUSIONS: This study's main finding is that triglyceride levels and BMI are the main variables directly affecting diabetes status in the Qatari population