Technology Media, Service Innovation and the Shaping of Executive Cognition

The upsurge of information and communication technology innovations around the world has induced the establishment of many technology enterprises, mostly small-medium, that focus on service innovation. Due to the materiality of technology to this enterprise genre, its executive is significantly shaped by technology media, but explanations of technological shaping are low. This paper seeks to address this gap through a study informed by critical realism and media ecology. It argues that executive cognition is shaped because ICT media and service innovation imperatives combine to generate executive internalizations; and it is shaped by service innovation driven internalizations of technology media functions. The paper also discusses theoretical, research and practical implications based on these arguments

Digital platformisation as public sector transformation strategy: A case of Ghana's paperless port

Public sector organisations around the world are deploying digital platforms as part of their transformational strategy. However, prior research has predominantly focused on developed economies with stable institutional environments, while limited studies exist on less developed economies. Notwithstanding the digital divide, institutional voids, economic and development challenges facing less developed economies, digital platformisation as a strategy is fuelling technology leapfrogging in public sector transformation. Drawing on a case study of Ghana’s paperless port digital transformation and the technology affordance theory, we address the research question: “How can digital platformisation facilitate public sector transformation?” Based on the findings and the technology affordance theory, this study develops a transformational affordance framework (TAF) and offers propositions on how digital platforms can enable public sector transformation

Adaptation of the Wound Healing Questionnaire universal-reporter outcome measure for use in global surgery trials (TALON-1 study): mixed-methods study and Rasch analysis

BackgroundThe Bluebelle Wound Healing Questionnaire (WHQ) is a universal-reporter outcome measure developed in the UK for remote detection of surgical-site infection after abdominal surgery. This study aimed to explore cross-cultural equivalence, acceptability, and content validity of the WHQ for use across low- and middle-income countries, and to make recommendations for its adaptation.MethodsThis was a mixed-methods study within a trial (SWAT) embedded in an international randomized trial, conducted according to best practice guidelines, and co-produced with community and patient partners (TALON-1). Structured interviews and focus groups were used to gather data regarding cross-cultural, cross-contextual equivalence of the individual items and scale, and conduct a translatability assessment. Translation was completed into five languages in accordance with Mapi recommendations. Next, data from a prospective cohort (SWAT) were interpreted using Rasch analysis to explore scaling and measurement properties of the WHQ. Finally, qualitative and quantitative data were triangulated using a modified, exploratory, instrumental design model.ResultsIn the qualitative phase, 10 structured interviews and six focus groups took place with a total of 47 investigators across six countries. Themes related to comprehension, response mapping, retrieval, and judgement were identified with rich cross-cultural insights. In the quantitative phase, an exploratory Rasch model was fitted to data from 537 patients (369 excluding extremes). Owing to the number of extreme (floor) values, the overall level of power was low. The single WHQ scale satisfied tests of unidimensionality, indicating validity of the ordinal total WHQ score. There was significant overall model misfit of five items (5, 9, 14, 15, 16) and local dependency in 11 item pairs. The person separation index was estimated as 0.48 suggesting weak discrimination between classes, whereas Cronbach's α was high at 0.86. Triangulation of qualitative data with the Rasch analysis supported recommendations for cross-cultural adaptation of the WHQ items 1 (redness), 3 (clear fluid), 7 (deep wound opening), 10 (pain), 11 (fever), 15 (antibiotics), 16 (debridement), 18 (drainage), and 19 (reoperation). Changes to three item response categories (1, not at all; 2, a little; 3, a lot) were adopted for symptom items 1 to 10, and two categories (0, no; 1, yes) for item 11 (fever).ConclusionThis study made recommendations for cross-cultural adaptation of the WHQ for use in global surgical research and practice, using co-produced mixed-methods data from three continents. Translations are now available for implementation into remote wound assessment pathways