An innovative framework for implementing lean principles in product- service system

The aim of this research project is to develop an innovative framework to implement lean principles in Product-Service System (PSS) with the capability of assessing the leanness level of the services offering process. The framework comprises three implementation phases namely: assessment of the current state, developing a future state, and stabilising the new way of operations. Additionally, the framework covers the enablers, factors, and appropriate lean tools required for the successful implementation of lean practices in Product-Service System (PSS), as well as, the challenges that may obstacle the implementation process. The proposed framework has integrated an assessment model that provides a quantifiable measure of the leanness level of Product-Service System (PSS). Five main enablers and thirty three factors emerging from these main enablers deemed to be critical for the successful implementation of lean practices in Product-Service System (PSS). Moreover, a series of eight inhibitors appeared to block the implementation process. The Product-Service System leanness assessment model was developed upon three main levels, namely: enablers, criteria, and attributes. The first level contains five enablers. These enablers are supplier relationship, management leanness, workforce leanness, process excellence, and customer relationship. In the second level there are twenty one criteria such as: supplier delivery, culture of management and process optimisation. Finally, the third level consists of seventy three attributes. By using multi-grade fuzzy approach the PSS leanness index was computed and areas for further improvement were identified. A combination of research methodology approaches has been employed in this research. Firstly, an extensive literature review related to lean and PSS was conducted. Secondly, the qualitative approach and the case study were selected as an appropriate methodology for this research, using semi-structured and structured interview techniques to gather the required data from experts who are involved in lean projects in their companies. Finally, validation of the results was carried out using real life industrial case studies and experts judgment. Case studies demonstrate that the framework provides guidelines for manufacturing companies that aim to implement lean principles in Product-Service System (PSS). The framework enables manufacturing companies to better satisfy their customers’ needs through responding quickly to their changing demands; to improve the service offering process through reducing the creation of wastes and non-value added activities; and to improve competitiveness through increasing customers’ value. Additionally, the PSS leanness index is useful for improving the service offering process. The index provides manufacturing companies with a real insight into the leanness level of their service offering, as well as, it provides managers with a quantifiable measure of how lean their PSS is. The index identifies the gap between the current state and the future state and this helps in determining areas for further improvement

A conceptual model for evaluating product-service systems leanness in UK manufacturing companies

The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual model that can be used in measuring the degree of Product-Service System (PSS) leanness in UK manufacturing companies. The model will assess Product-Service System leanness based on five lean enablers (supplier relationship, management leanness, workforce leanness, process excellence, and customer relationship), 21 criteria (supplier delivery, culture of management, process optimisation, etc.) and finally 73 attributes. This proposed model will be the base of developing an index used as quantitative measure of the degree of Product-Service System leanness in manufacturing companies

Pengaruh Sosialisasi Cara Pemanfaatan Perpustakaan Terhadap Peningkatan Keterampilan Pemustaka Dalam Pemanfaatan Koleksi Perpustakaan Universitas Bengkulu

This studyis about the influence of socialization on how to use the library to improve users’skills in the usage of the collection at UNIB library. The aim of this study is to analyze users’ skillsto find information in the library, and to know barriers faced by users to use the library’s facilities provided by UNIB library. The respondent of this research was 7 faculties, every faculties was took 10 students as the samples. There are two data used in this study; primary and secondary data. The primary data come from questionnaire survey, and the secondary data is supporting data from the interview and observation. The reaction of respondent about locker facility is 57%, the respondent not understand the usage of OPAC is 21%, the respondent that understand the usage of OPAC is 57%, confuse the usage of internet is 47%, understand the usage of internet is 23%, the respondent know how to search the collection in the shelf, including title, subject and author 34%, respondent know there is an photo copy is 27% and not 46%. The respondent that know the role of borrow and return the books 14%, do not know 51%, the respondent that know how to use library 64% because have good situation, for the right and the users’ obligation in the library, the respondent gives 69%. Understand the reference of service is 60% and not 17%, very understand the reference of service 23%, and the respondent still confused of socialization of environment in the library is 57%, its mean the librarians should guiding the user so that the user of library know every room of the library.

THE RELEVANCE OF THE LIBRARY COLLECTION TO THE NEEDS OF VISITORS ON THE UPT PERPUSTAKAAN UNIBTAHUN 2018

Koleksi perpustakaan memiliki peran yang besar dalam keberhasilan suatu  perpustakaan.Banyaknya koleksi belum bisa dijadikan tolak ukur utama bagi idealnya sebuah perpustakaan. Perpustakaan sebaiknya mengadakan koleksi relevansi kebutuhan pemustaka. Rumusan masalah penelitian ini “Relevansi Koleksi Perpustakaan Terhadap Kebutuhan Pemustaka  pada UPT Perpustakaan Universitas Bengkulu”?. Tujuan penelitian yaitu untuk mengetahui “Relevansi Koleksi Perpustakaan Terhadap Kebutuhan Pemustaka  pada UPT Perpustakaan Universitas Bengkulu”?. Manfaat penelitian (a) sebagai masukan informasi tetang pengadaan koleksi dimasa yang akan datang, untuk meningkatkan  kepuasan pemustaka. (b) Hasil penelitian ini diharapkan dapat menjadi kontribusi bagi UPT. Perpustakaan Universitas Bengkulu dalam pengadaan koleksi. Metode penelitian ini adalah “deskriptif kualitatf  sebagai upaya mendapatkan penjelasan, mengenai pengadaan bahan pustaka pada UPT. Perpustakaan Universitas Bengkulu.  Teknik pengumpulan data dengan menyebarkan angket, dan studi pustaka,. Hasil dari penelitian ini yaitu dari 100 responden ada 9,6875% jawaban ari q2-q17 sangat memadai/sesuai, 30,6875% q2-q17 menyatakan buku di perpustakaan memadai/sesuai, 50,75% q2-q17 koleksi buku cukup memadai/cukup sesuai dan 8,875% menyatakan kurang memadai/kurang sesui

Upaya Meningkatkan Layanan Pemustaka di UPT Perpustakaan Universitas Bengkulu

Karya ilmiah ini berjudul “upaya meningkatkan layanan pemustaka di UPT Perpustakaan Universitas Bengkulu’’. Tujuan tulisan ini untuk mengetahui bagaimana upaya dalam meningkatkan layanan pemustaka di UPT Perpustakaan Universitas Bengkulu. Rumusan masalah yaitu untuk mengetahui bagaimana upaya meningkatkan layanan pemuataka di upt perpustakaan universitas bengkulu. Metode yang digunakan yaitu, metode observasi, studi pustaka. Berdasarkan hasil pembahasan yaitu, (1) pustakawan sudah melakukan layanan dengan baik, pemustaka dapat menemukan informasi yang dibutuhkan, (2) penambahan jam layanan perpustakaan dari jam 08.00-14.00-16.30 wib, (3) pustakawan dan staf  berpenampilan menarik, ramah dan sopan, (4) adanya variasi layanan, (5)  pemberian hadiah kepada pemustaka, (6) kelengkapan koleksi dan fasilitas yang mendukung, (7) keamanan dan kenyamanan pemustaka perpustakaan. (8) adanya kerjasama dengan pihak lain. The title of this sciencetific writing is “The effort to increase library service in UPT Library Universitas Bengkulu”. The objective of this writing is to know how is the effort in increasing the service of librarian in UPT Perpustakaan Universitas Bengkulu. The problem in the research is how is the effor in increasing the service of librarian in UPT Perpustakaan Universitas Bengkulu. The method of the reseach is observational method. Based on result and discussion, there are (1) Librarian has done good services that the library user can find the information they need; (2) Adding hour for service in the library from 08-00 to 16.30, (3) The librarian and staf use polite clothes. (4) There are variations of service; (5) Rewards for library user; (6) Supportive facilities and collections. (7) Security and comfortability of the library (8) There is relation with other libraries

Entrepreneurial Intention before and during COVID-19—A Case Study on Portuguese University Students

The present research aims to compare the entrepreneurial intention of university students before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. For this purpose, some dimensions were analyzed, such as the availability of this target audience to undertake an activity at their own risk, the preference for a future while employed by others, their perception of the values that society places on entrepreneurship, and the entrepreneurial abilities/skillsets. A comparative study of a quantitative nature was used, associating two samples composed of students of higher education in Portugal, the data were obtained before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis of the results permits us to conclude: (1) in the circumstances of macroeconomic changes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, entrepreneurial activity does not decrease; (2) respondents are less interested in being employed by others and more attracted to being entrepreneurs; (3) there is a growing concordance with the values that society places on entrepreneurship; and (4) there is now a greater aptitude for entrepreneurial activity. The present research is original, as it compares data obtained in different contexts of economic and social stability. It contributes to theory and practice, in the sense that it points to conclusions in the opposite direction of other studies carried out in situations of disasters of another nature, and can serve as a reference for the development of strategies to promote entrepreneurship, within higher education institutions and official entities to publicize and promote new public policies.This work was supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology “UIDB/04630/2020”

Knowledge, attitude, and perceptions towards the 2019 Coronavirus Pandemic : A bi-national survey in Africa

Publisher Copyright: Copyright: © 2020 Hager et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.The current Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted and changed lives on a global scale since its emergence and spread from China in late 2019. It has caused millions of infections, and thousands of deaths worldwide. However, the control of this pandemic still remains unachievable in many African countries including Egypt and Nigeria, despite the application of some strict preventive and control measures. Therefore, this study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and perceptions of Egyptians and Nigerians towards the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was designed as a cross-sectional community-based questionnaire survey in both countries. Participants’ demography, knowledge, attitude, and perceptions towards the COVID-19 outbreak were obtained using a convenience sampling technique. Data collected were subjected to descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis. A total of 1437 respondents were included in this preliminary report. The mean knowledge score was 14.7±2.3. The majority of the respondents (61.6%) had a satisfactory knowledge of the disease. Age (18–39 years), education (College/bachelors), and background of respondents were factors influencing knowledge levels. The attitude of most respondents (68.9%) towards instituted preventive measures was satisfactory with an average attitude score of 6.9 ± 1.2. The majority of the respondents (96%) practiced self-isolation and social-distancing but only 36% follow all health recommendations. The perception of most respondents (62.1%) on the global efforts at controlling the virus and preventing further spread was satisfactory with an average score of 10.9 ± 2.7. Only 22% of the respondents were satisfied with their country’s handling of the pandemic. An apprehensive understanding of the current status in Africa through studies like KAP is crucial to avoid Africa being the next epicenter of the pandemic. For the populace to follow standard infection prevention and control measures adequately, governments need to gain the trust of citizens by strengthening the health systems and improving surveillance activities in detecting cases, to offer the optimum health services to their communities.Peer reviewe

Prevalence of Post COVID-19 Condition among Healthcare Workers: Self-Reported Online Survey in Four African Countries, December 2021–January 2022

The impact of Post COVID-19 Condition (PCC) is ongoing despite the declaration that the 2019 COVID-19 pandemic has ended. In this study, we explore the prevalence of PCC among healthcare workers (HCWs) in four African Countries and its influence on their professional performance. This study was conducted as an online cross-sectional survey of healthcare workers from four African countries (Cameroon, Egypt, Nigeria, and Somalia) between the 20th of December 2021 to 12th of January 2022. We determined the prevalence of PCC based on the WHO case definition and assessed variables associated with a higher prevalence of PCC in these countries using univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses. A total of 706 HCWs from four African countries were included in this survey. Most of the HCWs were aged between 18–34 years (75.8%, n = 535). Our findings showed that 19.5% (n = 138) of the HCWs had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. However, 8.4% (n = 59) were symptomatic for COVID-19 but tested negative or were never tested. Two-thirds of the HCWs (66.4%, n = 469) have received a COVID-19 vaccine and 80.6% (n = 378) of those vaccinated had been fully vaccinated. The self-reported awareness rate of PCC among the HCWs was 16.1% (n = 114/706) whereas the awareness rate of PCC among COVID-19-positive HCWs was 55.3% (n = 109/197). The prevalence of PCC among HCWs was 58.8% (n = 116). These changes include the self-reported symptoms of PCC which included headache (58.4%, n = 115), fatigue (58.8%, n = 116), and muscle pain (39.6%, n = 78). Similarly, 30% (n = 59) and 20.8% (n = 41) of the HCWs reported the loss of smell and loss of taste long after their COVID-19 infection, respectively. Some HCWs (42%, n = 83) believed that their work performance has been affected by their ongoing symptoms of PCC. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of PCC among the vaccinated and unvaccinated HCWs (p > 0.05). Of the socio-demographic variables, age (older HCWs between 45–54 years; OR:1.7; 95% CI: 1.06, 10.59; p = 0.001) and location (Egypt; OR:14.57; 95% CI: 2.62, 26.76; p = 0.001) were more likely to have experienced PCC than other age groups and countries respectively. The study revealed a low prevalence of PCC among the surveyed HCWs. In addition, it observed the need for adequate medical and psychological support to HCWs with PCC and improved mass advocacy campaigns on PCC

Public Health Surveillance for Adverse Events Following COVID-19 Vaccination in Africa

Local, national, and international health agencies have advocated multi-pronged public health strategies to limit infections and prevent deaths. The availability of safe and effective vaccines is critical in the control of a pandemic. Several adverse events have been reported globally following reception of different vaccines, with limited or no data from Africa. This cross-sectional epidemiological study investigated adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination in Africans from April–June, 2021 using a structured online questionnaire. Out of 1200 participants recruited, a total of 80.8% (n = 969) respondents from 35 countries, including 22 African countries and 13 countries where Africans live in the diaspora, reported adverse events. Over half of the vaccinees were male (53.0%) and frontline healthcare workers (55.7%), respectively. A total of 15.6% (n = 151) reported previous exposure to SARS-CoV-2, while about one-fourth, 24.8% (n = 240), reported different underlying health conditions prior to vaccination. Fatal cases were 5.1% (n = 49), while other significant heterogenous events were reported in three categories: very common, common, and uncommon, with the latter including enlarged lymph nodes 2.4% (n = 23), menstrual disorder 0.5% (n = 5), and increased libido 0.2% (n = 2). The study provided useful data for concerned authorities and institutions to prepare plans that will address issues related to COVID-19 vaccines

Will Africans take COVID-19 vaccination?

The economic and humanistic impact of COVID-19 pandemic is enormous globally. No definitive treatment exists, hence accelerated development and approval of COVID-19 vaccines, offers a unique opportunity for COVID-19 prevention and control. Vaccine hesitancy may limit the success of vaccine distribution in Africa, therefore we assessed the potentials for coronavirus vaccine hesitancy and its determinants among Africans. An online crosssectional African-wide survey was administered in Arabic, English, and French languages. Questions on demographics, self-reported health status, vaccine literacy, knowledge and perception on vaccines, past experience, behavior, infection risk, willingness to receive and affordability of the SARS-COV-2 vaccine were asked. Data were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. A total of 5,416 individuals completed the survey. Approximately, 94% were residents of 34 African countries while the other Africans live in the Diaspora. Only 63% of all participants surveyed were willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccination as soon as possible and 79% were worried about its side effects. Thirty-nine percent expressed concerns of vaccine-associated infection. The odds of vaccine hesitancy was 0.28 (95% CI: 0.22, 0.30) among those who believed their risk of infection was very high, compared to those who believed otherwise. The odds of vaccine hesitancy was one-fifth (OR = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.28) among those who believed their risk of falling sick was very high, compared to those who believed their risk of falling very sick was very low. The OR of vaccine hesitancy was 2.72 (95% CI: 2.24, 3.31) among those who have previously refused a vaccine for themselves or their child compared to counterparts with no self-reported history of vaccine hesitancy. Participants want the vaccines to be mandatory (40%), provided free of charge (78%) and distributed in homes and offices (44%). COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is substantial among Africans based on perceived risk of coronavirus infection and past experiences.http://www.plosone.orgam2022Veterinary Tropical Disease