Softer perspectives on enhancing the patient experience using IS/IT

Purpose – This paper aims to argue that the implementation of the Choose and Book system has failed due to the inability of project sponsors to appreciate the complex and far-reaching softer implications of the implementation, especially in a complex organisation such as the NHS, which has multifarious stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach – The authors use practice-oriented research to try and isolate key parameters. These parameters are compared with existing conventional thinking in a number of focused areas. Findings – Like many previous NHS initiatives, the focus of this system is in its obvious link to patients. However we find that although this project has cultural, social and organisational implications, programme managers and champions of the Connecting for Health programme emphasised the technical domains to IS/IT adoption. Research limitations/implications – This paper has been written in advance of a fully implemented Choose and Book system. Practical implications – The paper requests that more attention be paid to the softer side of IS/IT delivery, implementation, introduction and adoption. Originality/value – The paper shows that patient experience within the UK healthcare sector is still well below what is desired

Intelligence Management: Learning to Manage at the Margins

No business or organisation can remain in ignorance of, or unresponsive to, what is going on its environment and hope to remain successful for very long. This is especially true with regard to the business planning process (Cooke and Slack 1991). Even though a significant amount of decision-making takes place across the boundaries of the organisation concern with the environment within which companies operate is a relatively new phenomenon. Without understanding this environment it is very difficult to be effective at gleaning business intelligence. For this reason, this paper examines the way that organizations manage intelligence from the environment

Student Generated Podcasts: Learning to Cascade Rather than Create

There is currently an explosion of exploratory uses of podcasts in education, but only a few where the students, rather than the staff, produce the podcasts. Where it has been done, it has mainly been for students where the technology itself was also relevant to their studies (e.g. computing science or media studies courses). Here however we report on one of these on a course for ‘non-technical’ students from the faculty of Arts. These students were required to produce a single video podcast for their third-year philosophy course. The requirements to present something useful to fellow students and to master a new and fashionable technology are well designed to augment self-confidence and self-efficacy, to engage students, to equip them with a skill that may enhance their employability, and to foster deeper learning. However a basic reason for student generated content of this kind is that authoring for other students (rather than for marking by a staff member) should give impetus to deeper thought about the content. This would not only cement existing knowledge but also supplement it with new perspectives and considerations. Sceptics might argue differently, claiming it to be a gimmick to boost course numbers. However, crafting a report, essay or regurgitating facts on exam day involve different learning experiences and skills to that of giving a persuasive presentation to a large audience

COMPETITOR INTELLIGENCE: THE REAL VALUE FROM E.R.P. II?

Many organisations have either purchased or are considering the purchase of E.R.P. However, these systems have historically looked inwards to help organisations with their internal systems. In reality the real benefit of these type of systems will be where they interface with the firms’ external business environment – in essence ERP II. To date, several organisations have paid hundreds of millions of pounds for their business intelligence systems. However, it is argued that it is only by taking advantage of modules such as competitor intelligence(CI) where they can in fact realise true benefits from their adoption. This paper focuses on the critical importance of CI for organisations as part of their overall business intelligence(BI) strategy. Purchasing BI software is only stage one. Even though to make better decisions faster, business executives and managers need relevant and useful facts at their ‘finger-tips’ there is often a large gap between the information that decision-makers require and the volumes of data that their businesses collect in their day-to-day business transactions. It will only be those firms that put in place effective and coherent systems, such as CI, that will prosper in today’s turbulent business environment

The implementation of IS/IT projects in service-centric organisations

This study explores the implementation of IS/IT projects in service-centric organisation. The study was carried out to conform to the principles of participatory action research. To undertake the study, a case study is employed. Data is collected from historical document examination and the cross referencing of service themes drawn from literature. Three themes that impact on the implementation of IS/IT in service-centric organisations emerge as being of particular importance to the implementation of IS/IT projects in service-centric organisations

Taming hazardous chemistry in flow: The continuous processing of diazo and diazonium compounds

The synthetic utilities of the diazo and diazonium groups are matched only by their reputation for explosive decomposition. Continuous processing technology offers new opportunities to make and use these versatile intermediates at a range of scales with improved safety over traditional batch processes. In this minireview, the state of the art in the continuous flow processing of reactive diazo and diazonium species is discussed

Synchronicity and alignment of productivity : the real value from service science?

The ability of services to pervade all aspects of productivity creates the need for an interdisciplinary framework of service to be developed. It is however critical that any proposed service framework is developed jointly between the service purveyor and the stakeholders involved. An expected outcome from a focus on productivity in the Services Science arena is that a much closer relationship between the purveyor of a service and the customer is initiated and fostered. This requires a clear focus on the requirements of the customer and the various ways in which the service can be conveyed. This is not too far removed from what is required in other areas such as product specification that should also be carefully crafted from the needs of the customer. The research utilises two case studies to highlight the impact of Services Science as a co-producer of service productivity. We find from the case studies that human factors play an extremely important role in improving service productivity

Scale-up and optimization of a continuous flow synthesis of an α-thio-βchloroacrylamide

Use of continuous flow processing to undertake a multistep chlorination cascade has been achieved with effective inline work-up and end-of-line crystallization in batch leading to isolation of α-thio-β-chloroacrylamide Z-3 in pure form from a complex reaction mixture, exploiting the advantage of efficient heat transfer in flow. During the development of a continuous flow strategy for the production of appreciable quantities of the α-thio-β-chloroacrylamides, difficulties surrounding a labour and resource intensive work-up followed by final product isolation were addressed. A greener solvent choice was applied to the chemical synthesis which enabled inline purification and separation, resulting in the crystallization of pure product directly from the reaction mixture. This process was readily scalable and demonstrated control over impurity formation and removal, which is key in an industrial setting

Raiders of the Lost Mud : The geology behind drilling incidents within the Balder Formation around the Corona Ridge, West of Shetland

This work forms part of the lead author’s PhD research, which is funded by a University of Aberdeen College of Physical Sciences Scholarship. This study originally formed part of a talk delivered to the 2017 Schlumberger SIS Forum. Well log and drilling data interpretation was performed using Schlumberger Techlog* wellbore software platform. We would like to thank numerous staff at Schlumberger SIS in Aberdeen for useful discussions. DW would also like to thank staff at Chevron’s Aberdeen office for important insights on the Rosebank Field, particularly the presence of image logs. Andrew Hurst is thanked for informative discussions regarding smectite clays and their origins. Finally, DW would like to thank members of the VMRC Consortium for helpful feedback on a presentation related to the study, particularly staff at Siccar Point Energy. Two anonymous reviewers are thanked for their detailed reviews which greatly improved the paper.Peer reviewedPostprin

Synthesis of cyclic alpha-diazo-beta-keto sulfoxides in batch and continuous flow

Diazo transfer to beta–keto sulfoxides to form stable isolable alpha-diazo-beta-keto sulfoxides has been achieved for the first time. Both monocyclic and benzofused ketone derived beta-keto sulfoxides were successfully explored as substrates for diazo transfer. Use of continuous flow leads to isolation of the desired compounds in enhanced yields relative to standard batch conditions, with short reaction times, increased safety profile and potential to scale up