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Communication training towards the year 2000: A management perspective

There can be no doubt that communication forms a golden thread throughout all other management functions and contexts in the modern organisation. Although this has, In fact, been the case for many de cades, it is only during the last two decades that a growing awareness of this has developed in most or ganisations. In this context, It seems fair to ask what is being done in the field of communication training from a management training perspective. This paper discusses the develop ment and importance of communica tion as a management function, and presents an overview of traditional approaches to and recent develop ments in management or business communication training, as well as four sets of empirical data on man- po agement communication training practices. Finally, a framework is proposed for the training of man agement communication In the economic and sciences curriculum. managemen

Statistical methods and epidemiology of chronic conditions in the field of general practice and family medicine

The field of general practice and family medicine is diverse and has to deal with several complex health problems. Essential characteristics of general practitioner (GP) services cover among others a comprehensive, patient-focused care and the coordination of treatment through the wider health care system to sufficiently meet the patients’ needs. By providing primary health care for all, GP services may contribute to a more coherent level of care across different population groups. The focus of this dissertation was on analyzing patterns and determinants of major topics on chronic conditions in relation to social discrepancies in the German population. Our results show that the coexistence of multiple chronic conditions - referred to as multimorbidity - was not only more prevalent but also occurred earlier in age in socially deprived groups, which requires appropriate management. More advanced methods are vital to analyze trends and developments over time to adequately capture the population needs. Accordingly, an algorithm for modeling time-varying coefficients in discrete time-to-event settings by recursive partitioning was proposed. It was shown that the proposed algorithm can be useful in applications in medical and social science

The application of research in organisational communication

As with most other forms of communication, the most pressing problems of organisational communication can be localised within the limits of the two basic human communication prerequisites of anticipation and feedback: establishing the identity and nature of your receiver(s) as a basis for message formulation, and establishing the receiver reaction (in its broadest sense) on the message as a basis for continued communication. This paper proposes a number of basic research applications as possible solutions to these problems

Kommunikasienavorsing in Suid-Afrika: 1974-1984

THE article represents an overview of com-munication research undertaken in South Africa during the period 1974-1984. Be- cause of the relatively short history of the discipline in this country, a penetrating ana- lysis is hardly possible. Some interesting trends with regard to the distribution pat- terns of the research purposes (degree/ non-degree) and the emphases within specific subdisciplines, could however be Identified

Constructing a Sophistication Index as a Method of Market Segmentation of Commercial Farming Businesses in South Africa

This study investigates the process of index construction as a means of measuring a hypothetical construct that can typically not be measured by a single question or item and applying it as a method of market segmentation. The availability of incidental secondary data provided a relevant quantitative basis to illustrate this process by constructing a commercial farming sophistication index for South Africa. It was evident that this approach offers an appropriate and useful means of segmenting a market. Several factors contribute to the appeal of this approach. Among others, it addresses important priorities in the area of future segmentation research. By offering classification rules based on characteristics that can easily be observed or elicited through asking a few key questions, new or potential buyers can be grouped by buying behaviour segment. Furthermore, the multi-step process that was employed provides a systematic and structured multivariate approach to segmentation. It also facilitates replication of the process when conducting future studies. Lastly, the outcome of this type of segmentation method offers researchers and marketing practitioners a procedure, in the form of an equation, to calculate index scores and provide rules to segment the market based on predefined intervals. Hence, the challenge to replicate segment formation across independent future studies is addressed.Keywords: Agribusiness, Commercial Farming, Index Construction, Segmentation, Sophisticatio

The impact of diabetes on multiple avoidable admissions: a cross-sectional study

Background Multiple admissions for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC) are responsible for an important proportion of health care expenditures. Diabetes is one of the conditions consensually classified as an ACSC being considered a major public health concern. The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of diabetes on the occurrence of multiple admissions for ACSC. Methods We analysed inpatient data of all public Portuguese NHS hospitals from 2013 to 2015 on multiple admissions for ACSC among adults aged 18 or older. Multiple ACSC users were identified if they had two or more admissions for any ACSC during the period of analysis. Two logistic regression models were computed. A baseline model where a logistic regression was performed to assess the association between multiple admissions and the presence of diabetes, adjusting for age and sex. A full model to test if diabetes had no constant association with multiple admissions by any ACSC across age groups. Results Among 301,334 ACSC admissions, 144,209 (47.9%) were classified as multiple admissions and from those, 59,436 had diabetes diagnosis, which corresponded to 23,692 patients. Patients with diabetes were 1.49 times (p < 0,001) more likely to be admitted multiple times for any ACSC than patients without diabetes. Younger adults with diabetes (18–39 years old) were more likely to become multiple users. Conclusion Diabetes increases the risk of multiple admissions for ACSC, especially in younger adults. Diabetes presence is associated with a higher resource utilization, which highlights the need for the implementation of adequate management of chronic diseases policies.NOVASaudeinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Risk assessment, eradication, and biological control: global efforts to limit Australian acacia invasions

Aim? Many Australian Acacia species have been planted around the world, some are highly valued, some are invasive, and some are both highly valued and invasive. We review global efforts to minimize the risk and limit the impact of invasions in this widely used plant group. Location? Global. Methods? Using information from literature sources, knowledge and experience of the authors, and the responses from a questionnaire sent to experts around the world, we reviewed: (1) a generalized life cycle of Australian acacias and how to control each life stage, (2) different management approaches and (3) what is required to help limit or prevent invasions. Results? Relatively few Australian acacias have been introduced in large numbers, but all species with a long and extensive history of planting have become invasive somewhere. Australian acacias, as a group, have a high risk of becoming invasive and causing significant impacts as determined by existing assessment schemes. Moreover, in most situations, long-lived seed banks mean it is very difficult to control established infestations. Control has focused almost exclusively on widespread invaders, and eradication has rarely been attempted. Classical biological control is being used in South Africa with increasing success. Main conclusions? A greater emphasis on pro-active rather than reactive management is required given the difficulties managing established invasions of Australian acacias. Adverse effects of proposed new introductions can be minimized by conducting detailed risk assessments in advance, planning for on-going monitoring and management, and ensuring resources are in place for long-term mitigation. Benign alternatives (e.g. sterile hybrids) could be developed to replace existing utilized taxa. Eradication should be set as a management goal more often to reduce the invasion debt. Introducing classical biological control agents that have a successful track-record in South Africa to other regions and identifying new agents (notably vegetative feeders) can help mitigate existing widespread invasions. Trans-boundary sharing of information will assist efforts to limit future invasions, in particular, management strategies need to be better evaluated, monitored, published and publicised so that global best-practice procedures can be developed. (Résumé d'auteur