A model of service design elements to understand innovative service processes

This paper aims to provide an understanding of innovative service design processes by comparing service design logic with the entrepreneurial logics of causation, effectuation and bricolage (CEB). The paper draws upon empirical data to show how both service design logic and entrepreneurship logics may help us to create more innovative service design outcomes. In this process, we hope to understand how the creation of value enters into the service innovation process through co-creation between customers, organisations, ecosystem members and society. Data used within this paper includes deep qualitative interviews with key stakeholders, written documents and participative observation. From our analysis, we develop a model of service innovation design that shows how design logics and entrepreneurial logics influence the development of new and innovative services

Bricolage - a mindset of resourcefulness: stories as a vehicle for mediating means into resources

This study builds on the notion of viewing bricolage as a mindset of resourcefulness rather than seeing it only as a resource integration or resource scarcity. Particularly, we study service innovation processes to shed light on how entrepreneurs use stories of their experience and interactions as a vehicle for mediating means into resources. In order to understand how particular stories contribute to service innovation processes we adopt a process-based methodology (Langley, 1999; Van de Ven & Huber, 1990). Our study shows how a certain knowledge base and a worldview enabled the entrepreneur to understand the power of his own experiences, turn them into opportunities and utilise them as a source for stories of entrepreneurial outcomes. These stories then in turn mediated the available means into resources in various ways

The Economic Feasibility of Producing Pasture Poultry for Limited Resource Farmers in Southeastern North Carolina

This study examines the economic feasibility of two pasture poultry production operations (pasture pen and net range) by limited resource farmers (LRFs) using the Net Present Value (NPV) method of analysis. Results of the NPV method illustrated unacceptable investments for both production operations.Alternative Enterprises, Agricultural Prosperity, Pasture Poultry Production, Limited Resource Farming, Farm Management, Land Economics/Use,

Annual Survey of Virginia Law: Business and Corporate Law

This article reviews recent developments in the law affecting Virginia businesses and corporations. Part II discusses recent judicial decisions in Virginia courts involving businesses and corporations. Part III discusses several acts of the 1995 session of the Virginia General Assembly that amend Virginia\u27s corporate, partnership, limited liability company and securities act statutes

Financial sector workers' experiences of managing suicidal clients

© 2017 Hogrefe Publishing. Background: Financial sector workers interface with indebted clients, who may be distressed and have heightened vulnerability to suicidality. Aim(s): This study examined the experiences of 10 Irish financial sector workers who had experiences of encountering distressed clients who discuss suicide. Method: Semistructured interviews (open-ended questions) were used. Results: Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) identified four themes, namely: (1) avoidance versus confrontation of reality (management of the debt); (2) role conflict (recovering the debt vs. supporting the client); (3) emotional impact and distancing from clients (coping with concerns for client welfare); (4) desire for support (practical and emotional training and support needs). Limitations: The frequency with which such clients were encountered was not assessed. Conclusion: These themes demonstrate the need to provide support to this group, and also the difficulties in providing training to manage suicidal clients in a context where the staff member's goal is to recover debt.Published versio

Microborings in mid Cretaceous fish teeth

Fish teeth and other remains from the British Cretaceous contain abundant evidence for post-mortem colonization by endolithic organisms. The borings are here recognised as occurring in three morphotypes, including a flask-shaped form not previously recorded. There is strong evidence to suggest that each of these boring types shows a strong preference for a particular substrate histology. The damage and destruction of vertebrate remains by microborings is here considered to exert a major taphonomic control on microvertebrate assemblages. The relationships between the intensity of colonization of vertebrate material by endolithic organisms and palaeoenvironment have implications for using these bone microborings as palaeoenvironmental indicators

Draft Genome Sequences of 6 Actinobacterial Strains Isolated from Rock Surfaces Obtained from Indian Stone Ruins in Tamil Nadu, India, and Rocks from New England, United States

Here, we report the draft genome sequences obtained for 6 actinobacterial strains isolated from stone surfaces acquired from New England and Indian ruins. These strains were sequenced to determine their potential functional roles in the stone microbiome. The strains belong to the genera Allobranchiibius, Agrococcus, Dermococcus, Leifsonia, and Mycobacterium

A Conceptual Framework for Servitization in Industry 4.0: Distilling Directions for Future Research

Purpose: This paper focusses on developing further the recent conceptual frameworks of competitive dynamics and business-to-business value ecosystems considering the changing environment of Industry 4.0 and the particular perspective of servitization. Design/Methodology/Approach: This a conceptual paper that reviews and syntheses business model concepts in relation to competitive dynamics, collaborative business ecosystems and supply chain as evolving and reshaping manufacturing and services within Industry 4.0. Findings: The transformation of organizations in light of Industry 4.0 has led to a reframing of business models and practices, such as stakeholder value and supply chain relationships cooperating within a highly dynamic environment. In an attempt to consider the implications that Industry 4.0 has, particularly from the service perspective, this work attempts to distil directions for future research. Originality/Value: Previous studies on Industry 4.0 have articulated the reasoning about the benefits of Industry 4.0, with its paradigm shift to cyber-physical systems and revised business models. The intention of this paper, is to be able to further define collaboration and value ecosystems in order to show the interdependence and integration between organisations as applied to servitization within Industry 4.0. Moreover, this paper seeks to begin to articulate how research can be conducted to determine the degree to which the change and paradigm shift has become a reality

What is the contribution of physician associates in hospital care in England? A mixed methods, multiple case study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the deployment of physician associates (PAs); the factors supporting and inhibiting their employment and their contribution and impact on patients' experience and outcomes and the organisation of services. DESIGN: Mixed methods within a case study design, using interviews, observations, work diaries and documentary analysis. SETTING: Six acute care hospitals in three regions of England in 2016-2017. PARTICIPANTS: 43 PAs, 77 other health professionals, 28 managers, 28 patients and relatives. RESULTS: A key influencing factor supporting the employment of PAs in all settings was a shortage of doctors. PAs were found to be acceptable, appropriate and safe members of the medical/surgical teams by the majority of doctors, managers and nurses. They were mainly deployed to undertake inpatient ward work in the medical/surgical team during core weekday hours. They were reported to positively contribute to: continuity within their medical/surgical team, patient experience and flow, inducting new junior doctors, supporting the medical/surgical teams' workload, which released doctors for more complex patients and their training. The lack of regulation and attendant lack of authority to prescribe was seen as a problem in many but not all specialties. The contribution of PAs to productivity and patient outcomes was not quantifiable separately from other members of the team and wider service organisation. Patients and relatives described PAs positively but most did not understand who and what a PA was, often mistaking them for doctors. CONCLUSIONS: This study offers new insights concerning the deployment and contribution of PAs in medical and surgical specialties in English hospitals. PAs provided a flexible addition to the secondary care workforce without drawing from existing professions. Their utility in the hospital setting is unlikely to be completely realised without the appropriate level of regulation and authority to prescribe medicines and order ionising radiation within their scope of practice

In Vivo Assessment of Water Content, Trans-Epidermial Water Loss and Thickness in Human Facial Skin

Mapping facial skin in terms of its biophysical properties plays a fundamental role in many practical applications, including, among others, forensics, medical and beauty treatments, and cosmetic and restorative surgery. In this paper we present an in vivo evaluation of the water content, trans-epidermial water loss and skin thickness in six areas of the human face: cheeks, chin, forehead, lips, neck and nose. The experiments were performed on a population of healthy subjects through innovative sensing devices which enable fast yet accurate evaluations of the above parameters. A statistical analysis was carried out to determine significant differences between the facial areas investigated and clusters of statistically-indistinguishable areas. We found that water content was higher in the cheeks and neck and lower in the lips, whereas trans-epidermal water loss had higher values for the lips and lower ones for the neck. In terms of thickness the dermis exhibited three clusters, which, from thickest to thinnest were: chin and nose, cheek and forehead and lips and neck. The epidermis showed the same three clusters too, but with a different ordering in term of thickness. Finally, the stratum corneum presented two clusters: the thickest, formed by lips and neck, and the thinnest, formed by all the remaining areas. The results of this investigation can provide valuable guidelines for the evaluation of skin moisturisers and other cosmetic products, and can help guide choices in re-constructive/cosmetic surgery