Effect of Value Chain Management Practices on Performance of Medium and Large Scale Retail Outlets in Nakuru County, Kenya

Current research in the field of strategy suggests that efficient and effective value chain management practices are critical in enhancing organizational performance. However, past empirical studies have not focused on the effect of value chain management practices and organizational performance, particularly in retail outlet sector. The overall objective of this study was to determine the effect of value chain management practices on performance of medium and large scale retail outlets in Nakuru County. The study was based on the resource-based view theory. The study employed correlational research design. The population of the study was 43 medium and large scale retail outlets. Census study was carried out among 43 medium and large scale retail outlets in Nakuru County, Kenya. Primary data was collected using close-ended questionnaires. The results revealed positive and significant relationship between value chain management practices and organizational performance. It is concluded that while internal value chain activities need to be the key vision of value chain management practices in firms, all value chain management practices dimensions should be combined for a greater increase in organizational performance. Keywords: Value chain management practices, Organizational performance, Resource-based view theory, Medium and Large scale retail sector, Kenya. DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/11-14-10 Publication date:May 31st 201

Developing an effective local industrial strategy for the UK

The UK’s poor productivity performance has been the source of much debate and policy focus over the last few years. Without an increase in productivity, we won’t see rising wages or higher standards of living. Against a backdrop of continued wage stagnation and huge variations in productivity across the country, the government has invited local leaders up and down the country to come up with strategies to address sluggish productivity in their areas

Z Generation is Here! Recommendations for Counselor Educators

Generation Z, individuals born between the mid-1990s and mid-2010s, are now enrolling in graduate counseling programs. This article addresses the generation’s unique characteristics, learning needs, and challenges and how they impact the development of counselor soft skills and dispositions. Implications for counselor educators and recommendations for future research are discussed

Identification of pancreatic cancer invasion-related proteins by proteomic analysis

Background – Markers of pancreatic cancer invasion were investigated in two clonal populations of the cell line, MiaPaCa-2, Clone #3 (high invasion) and Clone #8 (low invasion) using proteomic profiling of an in vitro model of pancreatic cancer. Materials and methods – Using 2D-DIGE followed by MALDI-TOF MS, two clonal sub-populations of the pancreatic cancer cell line, MiaPaCa-2 with high and low invasive capacities were incubated on matrigel 24 hours prior to analysis to stimulate cell-ECM contact and mimic in vivo interaction with the basement membrane. Results - Sixty proteins were identified as being differentially expressed (>1.2 fold change and p ≤ 0.05) between Clone #3 and Clone #8. Proteins found to have higher abundance levels in the highly invasive Clone #3 compared to the low invasive Clone #8 include members of the chaperone activity proteins and cytoskeleton constituents whereas metabolism-associated and catalytic proteins had lower abundance levels. Differential protein expression levels of ALDH1A1, VIM, STIP1 and KRT18 and GAPDH were confirmed by immunoblot. Using RNAi technology, STIP1 knockdown significantly reduced invasion and proliferation of the highly invasive Clone #3. Knockdown of another target, VIM by siRNA in Clone #3 cells also resulted in decreased invasion abilities of Clone #3. Elevated expression of STIP1 was observed in pancreatic tumour tissue compared to normal pancreas, whereas ALDH1A1 stained at lower levels in pancreatic tumours, as detected by immunohistochemistry. Conclusion - Identification of targets which play a role in the highly invasive phenotype of pancreatic cancer may help to understand the biological behaviour, the rapid progression of this cancer and may be of importance in the development of new therapeutic strategies for pancreatic cancer

Measuring the State of Disaster Philanthropy 2016: Data to Drive Decisions

This is the third edition of the annual publication Measuring the State of Disaster Philanthropy: Data to Drive Decisions. This report analyzes funding for disasters and humanitarian crises in 2014, the most recent year for which comprehensive data are available. The report examines funding from U.S. foundations, bilateral and multilateral donors, corporations, and smaller donors who give through online platforms

Interfacility Patient Transfers During COVID-19 Pandemic: Mixed-Methods Study

Introduction: The United States lacks a national interfacility patient transfer coordination system. During the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many hospitals were overwhelmed and faced difficulties transferring sick patients, leading some states and cities to form transfer centers intended to assist sending facilities. In this study we aimed to explore clinician experiences with newly implemented transfer coordination centers. Methods: This mixed-methods study used a brief national survey along with in-depth interviews. The American College of Emergency Physicians Emergency Medicine Practice Research Network (EMPRN) administered the national survey in March 2021. From September–December 2021, semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with administrators and rural emergency clinicians in Arizona and New Mexico, two states that started transfer centers during COVID-19. Results: Among 141 respondents (of 765, 18.4% response rate) to the national EMPRN survey, only 30% reported implementation or expansion of a transfer coordination center during COVID-19. Those with new transfer centers reported no change in difficulty of patient transfers during COVID-19 while those without had increased difficulty. The 17 qualitative interviews expanded upon this, revealing four major themes: 1) limited resources for facilitating transfers even before COVID-19; 2) increased number of and distance to transfer partners during the COVID-19 pandemic; 3) generally positive impacts of transfer centers on workflow, and 4) the potential for continued use of centers to facilitate transfers. Conclusion: Transfer centers may have offset pandemic-related transfer challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinicians who frequently need to transfer patients may particularly benefit from ongoing access to such transfer coordination services

Freedom of expression, accountability and development in the Arab region

Mechanisms for ensuring government transparency and accountability have yet to become established in the Arab region, where oil rents and security rents have traditionally enabled governments to provide jobs and services without having to rely heavily, if at all, on raising revenue through personal income tax on citizens. Yet various forms of resource mobilisation, which will be needed in future, are likely to require a greater degree of accountability from those responsible for such mobilisation. This paper considers whether a move in this direction is under way. It reviews government approaches to freedom of expression in the media and among non-governmental organisations. It notes changes that have taken place in this sphere since the start of the 1990s, not all of them positive, and concludes that many more steps remain to be taken if media organisations and NGOs are to exert pressure for accountability on behalf of citizens, and especially the disadvantaged