The influence of relational capability and marketing capabilities on the export performance of emerging market firms

Purpose - Drawing on the resource based view this study focuses on the influence of relational capability and marketing capabilities on export performance. The study also examines the interaction effects of relational capability on the marketing capabilities - export performance relationships. Design/ methodology/ approach - A stratified random sample of 1,047 exporting firms were approached. Survey data was collected from 333 Vietnamese exporting firms and analysed using hierarchical moderated regression. Findings - The results reveal that a firm’s relational capability not only strengthens the efficiency of the export pricing capability – performance, marketing intelligence capability – performance, and marketing communication capability - performance relationships, but is also the strongest predictor of export performance amongst those capabilities identified. Whilst engagement in market intelligence, product development, price setting and promotional activities have a positive payoff, our findings confirm there is less need for exporters to engage in after-sales service and distribution capabilities. Originality/value - The study introduces the notion of relational capability alongside export marketing capabilities as predictors of export performance. We also examine the moderating influence of relational capability on the link between export marketing capabilities and export performance. By focusing on Vietnam, the study provides fresh insights surrounding the development pathway for firms in emerging markets. Keywords: Relational capability, marketing capabilities, moderating impact, export performance, the resource-based view, emerging markets, Vietnam

The utility of implantable loop recorders in patient management: an age- and indication-stratified study in the outpatient-implant era

INTRODUCTION: Implantable loop recorders (ILR) are now routinely implanted for long-term cardiac monitoring in the clinic setting. This study examined the real-world performance of these devices, focusing on the management decision changes made in response to ILR-recorded data. METHODS AND RESULTS: This was a single centre, prospective observational study of consecutive patients undergoing ILR implantation. All patients who underwent implantation of a Medtronic Reveal LINQ device from September 2017 to June 2019 at Barts Heart Centre were included.501 patients were included. 302 (60%) patients underwent ILR implantation for an indication of pre-syncope/syncope, 96 (19%) for palpitations, 72 (14%) for atrial fibrillation (AF) detection with a history of cryptogenic stroke and 31 (6%) for patients deemed to be high risk of serious cardiac arrhythmia.The primary outcome of this study was that an ILR-derived diagnosis altered management in 110 (22%) of patients. Secondary outcomes concerned sub-group analyses by indication: in patients who presented with syncope/presyncope, a change in management resulting from ILR data was positively associated with age (HR: 1.04 [95%CI 1.02-1.06]; p < 0.001) and negatively associated with a normal ECG at baseline (HR 0.54 [0.31-0.93]; p = 0.03). Few patients (1/57, 2%) aged < 40 years in this group underwent device implantation, compared to 19/62 patients (31%) aged 75 years and over (p = 0.0024). 22/183 (12%) of patients in the 40-74 age range had a device implanted.In patients who underwent ILR insertion following cryptogenic stroke, 13/72 patients (18%) had AF detected leading to a decision to commence anticoagulation. CONCLUSION: These results inform the utility of ILR in the clinical setting. Diagnoses provided by ILR that lead to changes in management are rare in patients under age 40, particularly following syncope, presyncope or palpitations. In older patients new diagnoses are frequently made and trigger important changes in treatment

Biodiversity inventories in high gear: DNA barcoding facilitates a rapid biotic survey of a temperate nature reserve

Comprehensive biotic surveys, or ‘all taxon biodiversity inventories’ (ATBI), have traditionally been limited in scale or scope due to the complications surrounding specimen sorting and species identification. To circumvent these issues, several ATBI projects have successfully integrated DNA barcoding into their identification procedures and witnessed acceleration in their surveys and subsequent increase in project scope and scale. The Biodiversity Institute of Ontario partnered with the rare Charitable Research Reserve and delegates of the 6th International Barcode of Life Conference to complete its own rapid, barcode-assisted ATBI of an established land trust in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

Effectiveness of a national quality improvement programme to improve survival after emergency abdominal surgery (EPOCH): a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial

Background: Emergency abdominal surgery is associated with poor patient outcomes. We studied the effectiveness of a national quality improvement (QI) programme to implement a care pathway to improve survival for these patients. Methods: We did a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial of patients aged 40 years or older undergoing emergency open major abdominal surgery. Eligible UK National Health Service (NHS) hospitals (those that had an emergency general surgical service, a substantial volume of emergency abdominal surgery cases, and contributed data to the National Emergency Laparotomy Audit) were organised into 15 geographical clusters and commenced the QI programme in a random order, based on a computer-generated random sequence, over an 85-week period with one geographical cluster commencing the intervention every 5 weeks from the second to the 16th time period. Patients were masked to the study group, but it was not possible to mask hospital staff or investigators. The primary outcome measure was mortality within 90 days of surgery. Analyses were done on an intention-to-treat basis. This study is registered with the ISRCTN registry, number ISRCTN80682973. Findings: Treatment took place between March 3, 2014, and Oct 19, 2015. 22 754 patients were assessed for elegibility. Of 15 873 eligible patients from 93 NHS hospitals, primary outcome data were analysed for 8482 patients in the usual care group and 7374 in the QI group. Eight patients in the usual care group and nine patients in the QI group were not included in the analysis because of missing primary outcome data. The primary outcome of 90-day mortality occurred in 1210 (16%) patients in the QI group compared with 1393 (16%) patients in the usual care group (HR 1·11, 0·96–1·28). Interpretation: No survival benefit was observed from this QI programme to implement a care pathway for patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery. Future QI programmes should ensure that teams have both the time and resources needed to improve patient care. Funding: National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research Programme

Effectiveness of a national quality improvement programme to improve survival after emergency abdominal surgery (EPOCH): a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial

BACKGROUND: Emergency abdominal surgery is associated with poor patient outcomes. We studied the effectiveness of a national quality improvement (QI) programme to implement a care pathway to improve survival for these patients. METHODS: We did a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial of patients aged 40 years or older undergoing emergency open major abdominal surgery. Eligible UK National Health Service (NHS) hospitals (those that had an emergency general surgical service, a substantial volume of emergency abdominal surgery cases, and contributed data to the National Emergency Laparotomy Audit) were organised into 15 geographical clusters and commenced the QI programme in a random order, based on a computer-generated random sequence, over an 85-week period with one geographical cluster commencing the intervention every 5 weeks from the second to the 16th time period. Patients were masked to the study group, but it was not possible to mask hospital staff or investigators. The primary outcome measure was mortality within 90 days of surgery. Analyses were done on an intention-to-treat basis. This study is registered with the ISRCTN registry, number ISRCTN80682973. FINDINGS: Treatment took place between March 3, 2014, and Oct 19, 2015. 22 754 patients were assessed for elegibility. Of 15 873 eligible patients from 93 NHS hospitals, primary outcome data were analysed for 8482 patients in the usual care group and 7374 in the QI group. Eight patients in the usual care group and nine patients in the QI group were not included in the analysis because of missing primary outcome data. The primary outcome of 90-day mortality occurred in 1210 (16%) patients in the QI group compared with 1393 (16%) patients in the usual care group (HR 1·11, 0·96-1·28). INTERPRETATION: No survival benefit was observed from this QI programme to implement a care pathway for patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery. Future QI programmes should ensure that teams have both the time and resources needed to improve patient care. FUNDING: National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research Programme