Comparing and contrasting the evolution through time of organizational sustainability initiatives

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 296-315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rocio Rodriguez ◽  
Göran Svensson ◽  
David Eriksson

Purpose The purpose of this study is to compare private and public hospitals’ sustainability actions, as well as to contrast their organizational evolution over time (i.e. past, present and expected future) in the Spanish health-care sector. Sustainability initiatives refer to organizations’ economic, social and environmental actions. Design/methodology/approach This study applies an inductive approach based on judgmental sampling and in-depth interviews of key informants at private and public hospitals in the Spanish health-care sector. Data were gathered from the executive in charge of corporate social responsibility in public hospitals and the directors of communication at private hospitals. Findings Although the private and public hospitals studied are in the same health-care industry and run similar operations, their organizational sustainability initiatives in the past, present and expected future differ. The scope of sustainability initiatives between private and public hospitals is different, compared through time. Who was and who is promoting, as well as who is going to promote sustainability initiatives, also differs between private and public hospitals. Research limitations/implications One limitation of this study is that it was undertaken exclusively in Spanish organizations from one industry, but this is also a benefit, as it enables a comparison and contrast of the evolution between private and public hospitals. Future research could focus on the evolution of organizational sustainability initiatives in other industries and countries. Practical implications The reported comparison of empirical findings between private and public hospitals, as well as the subsequent discussion contrasting these findings, yields various managerial implications in terms of the scope and promotor of sustainable actions. Originality/value This study differs from previous ones by exploring the evolutionary details of the organizational sustainability initiatives through time in both private and public hospitals. This study also makes a contribution by revealing common denominators and differentiators between private and public hospitals that operate in the same health-care industry.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Attia Aman-Ullah ◽  
Azelin Aziz ◽  
Hadziroh Ibrahim ◽  
Waqas Mehmood ◽  
Yasir Abdullah Abbas

Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of job security on doctors’ retention, with job satisfaction and job embeddedness as the mediators. In doing so, the authors seek to contribute to the existing literature by providing additional empirical evidence on the links between job security, job satisfaction, job embeddedness and employee retention by using social exchange theory. Design/methodology/approach An empirical study was conducted on doctors working in public hospitals in Pakistan. Data from selected public hospitals were collected using semi-structured questionnaires. The simple random sampling method was applied for participant selection and partial least squares-structural equation modelling was used for data analysis purposes. Findings The findings confirmed the direct and mediation relationships. Thus, all of this study’s hypotheses are supported. The results indicate that job security can improve doctors’ retention. Further, job satisfaction and job embeddedness play crucial roles in mediating the direct relationship. Originality/value This study elaborates job security in health-care sector of Pakistan and also provides empirical evidence of the antecedents and mediators of doctors’ intention to continue working in the health-care industry.


Author(s):  
Abdussamet Polater ◽  
Osman Demirdogen

Purpose This study aims to focus on the impact of supply chain (SC) integration, demand forecasting and supplier performance on patient responsiveness at public hospitals through the mediating role of SC flexibility. Design/methodology/approach To measure the above stated correlation, a Likert scale with five points and 23 items was used and structural equation modeling was applied. The scale was applied to public hospitals. Statistical software programs (SPSS 18 and LISREL 8.8) were used to analyze the data. The analysis of reported statistics is based on a sample of 129 logistics and SC specialists at public hospitals in the cities representing different regions of Turkey. Findings The research hypotheses are supported as a result of the analysis. The research reveals that SC flexibility has a mediation effect between SC integration, demand forecasting, supplier performance and patient responsiveness. Practical implications The increasing number of population, geopolitical position, migration waves, man-made and natural disasters lead Turkish health-care industry to have effective SC plans to satisfy the patients’ needs successfully and reduce the effects of these fatal events. In this sense, SC flexibility is an important factor for health-care industry in responding changing patient demands. At this juncture, the main point is to bring required resources together in the right place and at the right time. Otherwise, health-care institutions cannot serve the affected people because of the non-availability of supply. To achieve it, public health-care institutions should give more importance to the SC principles. Originality/value Success in SC flexibility in health care can directly affect patient welfare. Thus, focusing on the patient responsiveness is an important aim of the health-care industry. However, it was determined that less attention has been given to understanding patient satisfaction as a result of SC operations. The results indicate that patient responsiveness improvement should be included into strategic plans, and SC efforts should be used as a means of satisfying patient needs quickly. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study investigating the mentioned relationships at public hospitals. Findings of this paper will have a significant contribution for researchers and health-care professionals in understanding the impact of SC to patient responsiveness.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 597-633 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Vaishnavi ◽  
M. Suresh

Purpose This paper aims to identify, analyze and categorize the major readiness factors for implementing Lean Six Sigma (LSS) in health-care organizations using total interpretive structural modelling technique. The readiness factors are identified would help the managers to recognize the areas that lack and provide importance to the successful implementation of LSS in those areas. The paper further intends to understand the hierarchical interrelationships among the readiness factors identified using dependence and driving power. Design/methodology/approach In total, 16 readiness factors are identified from the literature review and expert opinions are collected from hospitals. The scheduled interview is conducted based on a questionnaire survey in hospitals in the Indian context to identify the relevance of the relations among the readiness factors. The expert opinions are used in the initial reachability matrix and interpretative interaction matrix. Matrix impact cross multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC) analysis uses dependence and driving power to understand the hierarchical relationship among the readiness factors identified. Findings The result indicates that customer-oriented and goal management cultures are the key readiness factors for LSS. The execution technique and training are given according to the current demand of customers and goal change of organization. The manager needs to concentrate more on readiness factors to formulate the execution process of LSS for continuous improvement of the health-care organization. The readiness level helps the manager to identify the target area for LSS execution. Research limitations/implications This research focuses mainly on readiness factors for the implementation of LSS in the health-care industry. Practical implications This study would be useful for researchers and practitioners to understand the readiness factors before starting the implementation process of LSS. Originality/value Many research studies are being done on the success and failure rate of implementation of factors. The present study identifies the readiness factors related to LSS, especially for the health-care industry.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manu Sharma ◽  
Sudhanshu Joshi

Purpose This paper aims to identify barriers toward the adoption of blockchain (BC) technology in Indian health-care industry and also examines the significant issues of BC applications in health-care industry. Design/methodology/approach The barriers of the study are identified by two phases including the review of literature and semistructured interviews with hospital staff and administration operating in India. The experts (N = 15) are being taken from top-level management, IT experts and patients from the hospitals. The study implemented integrated total interpretative structural modeling-FUZZY-Cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification (TISM-FUZZY-MICMAC) methods for identifying the interrelationship among the barriers. Findings A total of 15 barriers have been determined in the Indian health-care industry through discussion with the selected experts. TISM is applied to develop multilevel structure for BC barriers. Further, FUZZY-MICMAC has been used to compute driving and dependent barriers. The findings suggest that low awareness related to legal issues and low support from high level of management have maximum driving power. Research limitations/implications The present study applies multicriterion approach to identify the limited barriers in BC adoption in health care. Future studies may develop the relationship and mark down the steps for implementation of BC in health-care setting of a developing economy. Empirical study can be conducted to verify the results along with selected case studies. Practical implications The present study identifies the BC adoption barriers in health-care industry. The study examines the pertinent issues in context to major support required, bottlenecks in adoption, key benefits of adoption planning and activities. The technology adoption practices are expected to provide applications such as distributed, secured medical and clinical data and patient centric systems that will enhance the efficiency of the health-care industry. Originality/value The study is among few primary studies that identify and analyze the BC adoption in health-care industry.


2015 ◽  
Vol 53 (5) ◽  
pp. 1023-1044 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasir Fadol ◽  
Belal Barhem ◽  
Said Elbanna

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to improve the understanding of the mediating role of the extensiveness of strategic planning on the relationship between slack resources and organizational performance. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses empirical data gathered from 102 usable replies from private and also public hospitals in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Findings – The findings indicate the existence of a positive relationship between slack resources and organizational performance and show that the extensiveness of strategic planning plays a mediating role in this relationship. Research limitations/implications – The authors highlight the exploratory nature of the study considering its unusual setting, namely, the UAE’s health care sector. Practical implications – Several implications of the findings for managerial and policy practices in the UAE health care sector are discussed. Originality/value – This study contributes to the existing literature on management, health care, and developing countries by examining the role of the extensiveness of strategic planning in mediating the relationship between slack resources and organizational performance in the health care industry of a developing country.


2015 ◽  
Vol 41 (10) ◽  
pp. 1059-1076 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffery Scott Bredthauer ◽  
Brian C. Payne ◽  
Jiri Tresl ◽  
Gordon V. Karels

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the absolute and risk-adjusted stock return performance of the US health care industry conditional upon the presidential administration’s political party and the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy stance. It evaluates this return behavior across the 60-year time period from 1954 to 2013, and sub-divides this entire period into the pre-Medicare period (1954-1964), Medicare period (1965-1984), and Medicare-plus-high-health-care-inflation period (1985-2013). Design/methodology/approach – The study uses monthly returns to the health care industry and overall market, characterizing each sample month as either having a Republican or Democratic president and either a contractionary or expansionary monetary policy regime determined by whether the Federal Reserve is increasing or decreasing interest rates, respectively. It incorporates univariate and multivariate analysis to quantify the return behavior of both the health care industry and the overall market during the entire period and all three sub-periods. Additionally, it utilizes a common four-factor multivariate regression model and associated hypothesis testing to characterize risk-adjusted excess returns (i.e. α) to the health care industry during the entire period and all three sub-periods. Findings – The health care industry has earned robust, positive risk-adjusted returns with the magnitude of the returns sensitive to the political party of the administration and the monetary policy regime. The authors find that prior to 1965 (1954-1964), when the president was a Republican, during times of monetary contraction, health care earned an excess risk-adjusted return. There was no association between Democratic administrations and excess health care returns prior to 1965. In contrast, the authors find that after 1965 this relationship changes. The authors find that returns to health care were positive for Republicans during times of monetary expansion and positive for Democrats during monetary contraction. The authors also find this relationship has become more pronounced after 1984. Originality/value – The study extends prior literature, which has shown that the health care industry is a priced factor in the US stock market and that it provides significant risk-adjusted returns in the recent past. Uniquely, this study shows that the excess returns to health care vary considerably over the past 60 years, and that these excess returns are quite sensitive to political policy, proxied by the presidential administration party, and monetary policy, as measured using Fed discount rate changes. These findings have implications for management and shareholders of highly regulated and subsidized industries and firms.


2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 531-546 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milla Ratia ◽  
Jussi Myllärniemi ◽  
Nina Helander

Purpose As the health care sector is changing rapidly, there is a growing need to develop new ways to make data-driven decisions, especially at the organizational level. Data utilization, like business intelligence (BI) activities, benefits health care organizations. The purpose of this paper is to study the potential of Big Data and the utilization of BI tools in creating value in the private health care industry in Finland. Design/methodology/approach Intellectual capital (IC) components and Möller et al.’s (2005) work on value capabilities are used as a framework to point out the roles of data utilization and BI tools in value creation. Thematic interviews enable understanding of the value creation based on Big Data potential and utilization of BI tools in the Finnish private health care industry. Findings The findings will provide an understanding of the existing data sources and BI tools used in private health care. In addition, it provides an insight into the future-oriented Big Data potential, which can create new business concepts. The approach provides valuable insights for value identifying the future needs of data utilization and creates an understanding on the current state within the private health care sector. Originality/value Data-driven value creation is one of the most discussed topics in private health care sector. By analyzing the current data-source utilization, challenges with data and BI tool utilization and the future vision and development roadmaps, the authors gain a better understanding of the IC components and value creation capabilities.


2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 283-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hatem Bugshan ◽  
M. Nick Hajli ◽  
Xiaolin Lin ◽  
Mauricio Featherman ◽  
Ivan Cohen

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore in depth how Web 2.0 (focusing on social media) contributes to create a better communication channel to provide information, support and assistance to patients. Social relationships of individuals on the Internet through social media have created added value for many industries. This phenomenon can be an opportunity for the health care industry, which has encountered huge challenges such as increasing demands, budget cuts, growing numbers of patients and more demanding patient expectations. Web 2.0 and social media have the potential value to make possible an increase in the productivity of modern health care and a reduction in cost to the central government. Social media introduces better channels of communication with patients to increase the value of e-health. Social media are building more social communities that empower patients to share their personalized health information and treatments. Design/methodology/approach – Grounded on social support and transaction cost theories, this paper evaluates the current potential of social media to discuss values it can offer for the overall benefit of the health care industry. Findings – The results show how the social relationship of individuals provides online social support and reduction of cost through social media, leading to the development of modern health care. Implications and limitations are discussed at the end of the paper. Originality/value – The analysis results indicated that social media provides strong social support for patients who seek help online. Informational support and emotional support have been confirmed as two main dimensions of social support in online health care. It makes a contribution to the health care literature by extending it to online health care support in the context of social media. It may inform and provide some initial understanding to guide future research. In addition, this study indicates that social support theory and transaction cost are appropriate theoretical foundations for studies of online health care. This finding is very valuable, as it helps researchers to advance the understanding of how social media support online health care.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruti Gafni ◽  
Tal Pavel

Purpose This paper aims to analyze the changes in cyberattacks against the health-care sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach The changes in cyberattacks of the health-care sector are analyzed by examination of the number and essence of published news concerning cybersecurity attacks on the health-care sector during 2019 and compared them to those published during 2020, based on two main websites, which review such incidents. Findings This study found that there was a significant growth in reports of cyberattacks on the health-care sector. Moreover, the number of cyberattacks fit interestingly to the pattern of waves of the disease, which expanded worldwide. During the first wave the number of reports was doubled or even tripled, compared to the same period in 2019, a tendency that was slightly waned afterwards. Practical implications This study helps to deepen the awareness of information security implications of a potential global devastating crisis, even in the cybersecurity domain, and on the health-care sector, among various other affected sectors and domains. Social implications COVID-19 pandemic created long-term wide-range changes that affect every individual and sector, mainly owing to the shift to remote working model, which impose long-term new cybersecurity changes, among them to the health-care industry. Originality/value This paper extends the existing information on implication of remote working model on information security and of the COVID-19 pandemic on the cybersecurity of health-care institutions around the world.


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