Understanding and optimizing multisource feedback

This article integrates the most recent research results on the topic of multisource feedback with what researchers have learned over the years about performance feedback in general. We believe that this review and set of recommendations represent the state of the art at this time. We provide practitioners with new ideas about how to continue to improve the multisource feedback process in their organizations. We also suggest ideas for feedback providers and facilitators about how to maximize the success of the feedback process. Additionally, we provide “food for thought” for researchers concerning ideas for future research. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Sterilization and interest rates

In this note, the effect of a rise in the foreign interest rate on the home rate is considered in a small economy model with a fixed exchange rate. The cases of sterilization annd non-sterilization are considered. The effect of the degree of substitutability beteen domestic and foreign bonds is outlined.     

A new measurement procedure for attitudinal research. Analysis of its psychometric and informational properties

Since measurement errors have strong effects in all relationships (statistical or otherwise) studied, there is an increasing interest in the data quality, which is the major justification for this research. This paper aims to present a new measurement procedure, the letter scale, which avoids many of the problems connected with the response modalities traditionally used in attitudinal research, especially the ordinal categorical scales. This paper analyzes the error composition of the scores obtained with this new measurement procedure. The validity of the procedure is also analyzed and the observed variance is assessed to determine which part of the observed variance is “valid”, which part is random error (attenuating relationships) and which is correlated error (magnifying relationships). Structural equation models will be used to provide estimates of the measurement quality: (i) Reliability, (ii) Construct validity, method effect and residual variance. In addition, this letter scale is evaluated under another different perspective, Information Theory measures are also used to assess the amount of information transmitted. The relative merits of this new measurement procedure as opposed to other common response modalities will be discussed in both cases.     

Technology, markets and the design of women's jobs—the case of the clothing industry

The clothing industry has been saved largely as a result of the introduction of new technology in response to an increasingly competitive market place. But what affect has this restructuring had upon jobs? We explore how women workers have experienced this change and why policy-making should consider job design.     

THE WORK OF THE CONSUMER STANDARDS ADVISORY COMMITTEE

The paper contains a historical survey of consumer representation in the formation of British Standards and the establishment of the present Consumer Standards Advisory Committee (CSAC). The terms of reference and the methods of work are fully described and the importance of the safety aspect of BSI work is emphasized. The work of the CSAC in the formation of international standards is described and the paper ends with a discussion of the information and education activity necessary to ensure the recognition of standards by the consumer.     

Nurses leading the response to the crisis of palliative care for vulnerable populations

All nurses are prepared to be generalists in palliative care. Within the discipline there are nurses who seek advanced educational preparation and develop clinical expertise in palliative care nursing. These are our leaders in palliative care nursing who can exert influence in all health care settings to support nurses providing palliative care. It is nurses and advanced practice nurses in partnership who are capable of developing and advocating for palliative care across settings. The focus of care is the person, not the diagnosis or the setting. The viewpoint that "all nursing care is palliative care" can transform health care with nurses taking the lead.     

Inpatient nursing unit volume, length of stay, cost, and mortality

Nursing unit volume-outcome relationships exist for patients assigned selected DRGs. This finding suggests that, in some cases, aggregating inpatients with similar clinical conditions may result in lower cost of care, shorter length of stay, and fewer hospital deaths.