A replication and extension of quality management into the supply chain

As competition moves beyond a single firm into the supply chain, researchers are beginning to explore quality management (QM) in a supply chain context. The literature suggests that supply chain management (SCM) consists of internal practices, which are contained within a firm, and external practices, which cross organizational boundaries integrating a firm with its customers and suppliers. Supplier quality management and customer focus are two QM practices that are also clearly in the domain of SCM. In this study we investigate how these two supply chain management-related quality practices lead to improved performance and examine the practices that precede and mediate those relationships. In doing so, we replicate and extend the relationships among the QM practices and their effects on firm performance suggested in Kaynak [Kaynak, H., 2003. The relationship between total quality management practices and their effects on firm performance. Journal of Operations Management 21, 405–435] using survey data gathered from firms operating in the U.S. The inclusion of customer focus and supplier quality management in the QM model supports the importance of internal and external integration for quality performance. Implications of the results for researchers and practitioners are discussed, and further research implications are suggested.     

Vertical Innovation and Catching-Up: Implications of EU Integration for CEECs-5

We analyze the role of vertical innovation in trade patterns for developing economies trading with technologically advanced countries. A model is presented where the international diffusion of knowledge, promoted by economic integration, is the source of a technological catching up and leads to a convergence in the quality of traded goods, with a positive effect on exports. We then turn our attention on the evolution of trade between the Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs-5) and their European Union partner countries, assessing whether economic integration has increase the quality of the goods produced. For the period 1995–2005, we find evidence of the increasing role of intra-industry trade and vertical differentiation and a process of specialization in higher quality products, especially in the medium- and high-skill sectors.

噪声交易与市场质量

本文通过行业、规模、负债和成长能力的配对,建立起32家上证50成份股上市公司的控制样本,然后运用合理的计量方法,首次估计出符合我国股市微观结构的噪声交易高频时间序列,在此基础上深入分析噪声交易与信息不对称、流动性、波动性和有效性等市场质量指标之间的经验关系,发现:我国股市私人信息具有较高的相关性和持久性;噪声交易提高了交投活跃程度,同时却扩大了执行成本和价格波动幅度;噪声交易与信息不对称的关系不大;噪声交易使实际价差缩小,进而削弱了市场有效性。由此可见,噪声交易是一把"双刃剑",只有继续改革价格形成机制、增强价值投资力量、引导长期资金入市、完善信息披露制度并强化交易监控,才能进一步提高我国股市的质量。     

Evaluating the length of stay and value of time in a pediatric emergency department with two models by comparing two different albuterol delivery systems

Abstract

Objective:

Asthma is one of the most common childhood illnesses and accounts for a substantial amount of pediatric emergency department visits. Historically, acute exacerbations are treated with a beta agonist via nebulizer therapy (NEB). However, with the advent of the spacer, the medication can be delivered via a metered dose inhaler (MDI?+?S) with the same efficacy for mild-to-moderate asthma exacerbations. To date, no study has been done to evaluate emergency department (ED) length of stay (LOS) and opportunity cost between nebulized vs MDI?+?S. The objective of this study was to compare ED LOS and associated opportunity cost among children who present with a mild asthma exacerbation according to the delivery mode of albuterol: MDI?+?S vs NEB.

Methods:

A structured, retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted. Medical records were reviewed from children aged 1–18 years treated at an urban pediatric ED from July 2007 to June 2008 with a discharge diagnosis International Classification of Disease-9 of asthma. Length of stay was defined: time from initial triage until the time of the guardian signature on the discharge instructions. An operational definition was used to define a mild asthma exacerbation; those patients requiring only one standard weight based albuterol treatment. Emergency department throughput time points, demographic data, treatment course, and delivery method of albuterol were recorded.

Results:

Three hundred and four patients were analyzed: 94 in the MDI?+?S group and 209 in the NEB group. Mean age in years for the MDI?+?S group was 9.57 vs 5.07 for the NEB group (p?<?0.001). The percentage of patients that received oral corticosteroids was 39.4% in the MDI?+?S group vs 61.7% in the NEB group (p?<?0.001). There was no difference between groups in: race, insurance status, gender, or chest radiographs. The mean ED LOS for patients in the MDI?+?S group was 170 minutes compared to 205 minutes in the NEB group. On average, there was a 25.1 minute time savings per patient in ED treatment time (p?<?0.001; 95% CI?=?3.8–31.7). Significant predictors of outcome for treatment time were chest radiograph, steroids, and treatment mode. Opportunity cost analysis estimated a potential cost savings of $213,532 annually using MDI?+?S vs NEB.

Conclusion:

In mild asthma exacerbations, administering albuterol via MDI?+?S decreases ED treatment time when compared to administering nebulized albuterol. A metered dose inhaler with spacer utilization may enhance opportunity cost savings and decrease the left without being seen population with improved throughput.

Limitations:

The key limitations of this study include its retrospective design, the proxy non-standard definition of mild asthma exacerbation, and the opportunity cost calculation, which may over-estimate the value of ED time saved based on ED volume.     

Increasing school quantity versus quality in kenya: impact on children from low-and high-income households

A common dilemma facing educational planners engaged in educational reform in developing countries is the allocation of sharply-reduced resources to the expansion of school facilities versus improvement of existing school facilities (say, by raising the teacher/pupil ratio). The empirical results presented in this paper for Kenya suggest that the two interventions have diametrically opposite effects on poor and nonpoor children. An expansion of school facilities increases the enrollment of children in the poorest expenditure quintiles but has no impact on the enrollment of children in the top quintiles. On the other hand, an improvement in the teacher-pupil ratio increases the enrollment rate of children in the top quintiles, and actually reduces the enrollment of children in the poor quintiles. These findings suggest that in situations where there is less than universal primary enrollment (UPE) and the government has set a time-bound goal of UPE, such as in Kenya, policies that serve to expand the number of school facilities may make more sense than interventions that increase the teacher-pupil ratio.     

浅谈提高人才的培养质量与竞争力

社会对毕业生质量的整体评价,主要是评价毕业生群体能否很好地适应国家、社会、市场的需求。高校提高人才培养质量,就是提高人才培养对社会的适应程度,提高人才培养与培养目标的符合程度。近年来,笔者对本院毕业生的质量进行了跟踪调查,在此基础上提出了提高人才培养质量与人才竞争力的措施与对策。     

组织信任及决策承诺与决策质量之关系探讨

通过关注组织信任在战略决策过程中的作用机制，研究组织成员间的信任与战略决策质量的关系，尤其是受信任影响较大的决策承诺在其中的中介作用。对组织信任、决策承诺和决策质量概念进行了系统的探索性分析和验证性分析，证实了组织信任对战略决策质量有显著的正相关关系，研究结论是组织信任对决策质量的影响主要是通过决策者的决策承诺来传递的。     

公司治理与会计信息质量控制

简要分析了公司治理结构与会计信息质量的关系,并在借鉴国外公司治理经验的基础上,结合中国企业的实际情况,从公司股权结构、公司治理模式、独立董事制度、股票期权激励约束机制以及绩效评价体系等有关公司治理的五个方面提出了若干建议和设想。     

MQS对社会福利和市场结构的影响

一般文献通常假设一国收入水平为均匀分配,且市场完全覆盖,以此分析MQS对社会福利的影响,通常认为MQS会降低一国社会福利。通过拓展一国收入水平呈均匀分配的假设,且假定市场不完全覆盖,以一高收入国和一低收入国为对比,探讨MQS对社会福利以及产业结构的影响。研究发现,MQS对社会福利的影响和一国的富裕程度有关。如果一国收入水平较高,MQS的存在通常会降低其社会福利,MQS数值越大,其社会福利损失越大;反之,如果一国收入水平较低,则MQS通常会提高其社会福利,MQS数值越大,社会福利提升越大。同时,MQS的存在会扩大厂商市场覆盖面,但会降低其利润。较高的MQS可能导致一家厂商退出市场,形成独占市场结构。     

基于顾客忠诚理论的团购营销策略研究

随着电子商务的快速发展,团购营销策略是基于顾客的忠诚而成功的。根据顾客忠诚理论,构建团购营销策略下顾客忠诚度影响因素模型。利用实证研究对团购营销策略下消费者忠诚度进行评估,结果显示:影响团购顾客忠诚的关键因素,包括服务人员的服务质量、企业形象和网站响应性等。