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TEA-IS: A hybrid DEA-TOPSIS approach for assessing performance and synergy in Chinese health care
Get PDFYesThis paper presents an assessment of the Chinese healthcare system in 31 provinces for a 10-year period in light of relevant physical and human resource variables. First, a novel TEA-IS (Trigonometric Envelopment Analysis for Ideal Solutions) model is developed to assess healthcare efficiency at the province level. Machine learning methods are also employed to predict high-low performance and the synergistic Chinese healthcare province in terms of contextual variables. The results indicate that synergy has played a pivotal role in the Chinese healthcare systems, not only by triggering higher performance levels due to the progressive adoption of best practices over the course of time, but also by being closely related to different socioeconomic and demographic variables, such as the illiteracy rate. It is possible to claim that healthcare performance has remained stable in China over the past two decades, performance and synergy at the province level are still heterogeneous
Dynamic network data envelopment analysis with a sequential structure and behavioural-causal analysis: Application to the Chinese banking industry
Get PDFYesThe current study contributes to the literature in efficiency analysis in two ways: 1) we build on the existing studies in Dynamic Network Data Envelopment Analysis (DNDEA) by proposing a sequential structure incorporating dual-role characteristics of the production factors; 2) we initiate the efforts to complement the proposal of our innovative sequential DNDEA through a behavioural-causal analysis. The proposal of this statistical analysis is very important considering it does not only validate the proposal of the efficiency analysis but also our practice can be generalized to the future studies dealing with designing innovative production process. Finally, we apply these two different analyses to the banking industry. Using a sample of 43 Chinese commercial banks including five different ownership types (state-owned, joint-stock, city, rural, and foreign banks) between 2010 and 2018, we find that the inefficiency level is around 0.14, although slight volatility has been observed. We find that the highest efficiency is dominated by state-owned banks, and although foreign banks are less efficient than joint-stock banks, they are more efficient than city banks. Finally, we find that rural banks have the highest inefficiency
Estimating market power under a nonparametric analysis: evidence from the Chinese real estate sector
Get PDFYesThe traditional Lerner index is limited in its capacity to estimate the level of competition in the economic sector from the perspective that it mainly focuses on the overall level of market power for each individual decision-making unit. Recently, Fukuyama and Tan (J Oper Res Soc, 73:445–453, 2022) estimated the Lerner index by applying the nonparametric data envelopment analysis (DEA) to calculate the marginal cost, which is an important component in the estimation of the Lerner index. Our study further extends the study of Fukuyama and Tan (J Oper Res Soc, 73:445–453, 2022) by estimating the marginal cost under the DEA in a multi-product setting. Our proposed methodology benefits from the ability to find positive marginal costs for all the products and specifies all decision-making units are profit maximizers. In order to achieve this, the marginal cost is estimated by referring to the nearest point on the best practice cost-efficient frontier for the profit-maximizing firms. We then apply our innovative method to the Chinese real estate industry. The result shows that the Chinese real estate industry has higher market power in the residential commodity housing market than that in the commodity housing market. This is also the case for different geographical areas in China. Overall, for both of these two different markets, the level of market power experiences a level of volatility
Developing a heritage BIM shared library for two case studies in Jordan's heritage: The House of Art in Amman and the Qaqish House in the World Heritage City of As-Salt
No full textYesInternational research is moving towards the development of BIM (Building Information Modelling) libraries applied to the built heritage where one of the main issues to be addressed is the modelling of complex or unique shapes that represent the specific construction components of every single asset. This perspective addresses the generation of parametric families of representative architectural geometry in the context of the management and representation of a building of heritage value. Jordan's architectural heritage has gone through a long period of evolution and development: the result is a mixture of influences and traditions, making a great stride to conserve its buildings and Historical Heritage but has never adopted advanced digital technologies such as Building Information Modelling. In this framework, the present research aims to bridge the gap in Jordan by applying digital technologies to support heritage conservation plans by creating a 3D library of BIM objects related to typical elements of Jordanian and Arabic architecture, specifically in two cases of study. Co-production and collaboration with diverse stakeholders were central to the development of the methodology and design of the research.As a result, the first open-access HBIM shared library of historical features of Jordanian built heritage will be consolidated; this is crucial because it will set a precedent for the further documentation and conservation of the heritage of traditional cities in Jordan, MENA countries and internationally by promoting social cohesion, economic and technological development, tourism and the awareness of Jordan's cultural heritage
Machine Learning for improving total burn surface area estimation
Get PDFBurn injuries are a common presentation to the accident and emergency
department in the UK and account for a significant cost to the NHS. The
accurate assessment of these injuries by determining area and depth can
ensure the patient receives the most appropriate treatment. If these
assessments are incorrect, it can result in inadequate treatment or
unnecessary transfer to specialists' centres causing distress to the patient and
a significant cost to the NHS. The accuracy of the initial assessment can vary
depending on the experience of the assessor.
This study explores if machine learning methods can aid in a more accurate
diagnosis of these burn injuries which may in future help to develop models
that can be used in clinical practise to aid clinicians.
The initial stage will assess how accurately specialists can assess burn injuries
compared to a true calculated body surface area. The second stage will assess
if a new model can be created to determine the difference between images of
normal skin and a burn injury. This will be through a deep learning approach.
The third stage will assess if a model can be created to determine the difference between full thickness burns, partial thickness burns and normal
skin. Finally, we will determine if a code can be created to extract the burn from
an image of burn and normal skin.
Initial results have shown that specialist burn surgeons have a tendency to overestimate
burns. We have also been able to develop a model that is able to
accurately place a burn into the correct category 97% of the time when
compared to images of normal skin.Plastic Surgery and Burns Research Unit (PSBRU
Policy Statement: Mental Well-being among Anthropologists at Universities: A Call for System Transformation
No full textNoThe Anthropology of Mental Health Interest Group affirms that the state of mental health in Academic Anthropology needs serious attention and transformation. We respond to structural inequities in academia that exacerbate mental distress among graduate students and other anthropologists who experience oppression, by putting forward a policy statement with recommendations to create more equitable learning and working environments
Examining the Influence of Multiple Dimensions of Authentic Dining Experiences
Get PDFYesThis study aimed to test multiple constructs of authenticity (i.e., true-to-ideal, true-to-fact, and true-to-self) and examine the structural relationships among authenticity perception, perceived value, positive emotions, and revisit intentions. Gilmore and Pine’s authenticity model suggests that authenticity is strongly related to customers’ trust. Customers perceive chain restaurants as more credible than independent ones. Thus, this model contradicts the widespread argument that independent organizations reflect authenticity. Further investigation is needed to verify the relationship between restaurant ownership type and authenticity perception. Data were collected from 491 Chinese ethnic diners and analyzed using structural modeling analysis. All three authenticity dimensions have significant influence on overall authenticity perceptions. Furthermore, individuals’ authenticity perceptions affect revisit intentions through perceived value and positive emotions. Additionally, the ownership type of ethnic restaurants moderates the effects of the three authenticity dimensions on overall authentic dining experiences. Thus, ethnic restaurateurs should emphasize different authenticity dimensions for uniquely positioned restaurants
The effect of government support on bureaucracy, COVID-19 resilience and export intensity: Evidence from North Africa
Get PDFYesThe literature on the imperativeness of government support for firm survival since the onset of COVID-19 is vast, but scholars have scarcely considered the impact of such assistance on managers' time, nor the extent to which support measures induce resilience and export activity. Accordingly, this study assesses the impact of government support on (1) bureaucracy and (2) resilience using data from 535 Moroccan SMEs. It further evaluates the influence of resilience on direct versus indirect exports, and espouses the institutional voids, resource-based and strategy-creation view to explain the associations through a contingency lens. The results demonstrate that (1) government support increases bureaucracy which, (2) surprisingly triggers and enhances resilience. Furthermore, (3) resilience has a positive impact on direct exports but (4) adversely affects indirect exports. Theoretically, the findings acquiesce extant calls for measurement specificity in export performance. Practically, stakeholders' attention is drawn to the value of managers' time well spent
Towards the development of an integrated case-finding tool to facilitate the review of anticholinergic prescribing for frail older people
Get PDFBackground: The cumulative effect of taking anticholinergic medicines (anticholinergic burden) is associated with adverse outcomes for older people. Prevalence of anticholinergic prescribing is increasing, and there is a need for tools to proactively identify at-risk patients for medication reviews.
Aim: To explore the need for, and feasibility of, an integrated case-finding tool that predicts risks using electronic health records (EHRs), facilitating the review of anticholinergic medicines for frail older people.
Methods: Mixed methods, adopting a pragmatic approach. A systematic review, prediction modelling of cohort study data, and qualitative interviews were undertaken.
Results: The systematic review found anticholinergic exposure was associated with adverse outcomes for the frail; poorer physical function, falls, and mortality, indicating a need for a risk reducing intervention. In the prediction modelling study, predicting risks using composite measures of anticholinergic burden and frailty indicated limited feasibility. Neither enhanced the performance of best subset models using cohort study data. Their predictive utility needs to be investigated using EHR data, to determine their feasibility within primary care. The qualitative study found healthcare professionals needed a proactive tool, supporting risk prediction as a feasible approach. Factors influencing future implementation were; upskilling requirements, deprescribing confidence, patient reluctance, motivation, holistic care, interoperability, trust in risk prediction, remuneration, among other barriers and facilitators.
Conclusions: Through identifying a need, and potential feasibility, foundations towards the future developments of a case-finding tool have been provided, informing an early tool prototype (AC-FRAIL). Recommendations for further work suggest a roadmap ahead, to maximise the potential for integrated solutions to proactively reduce anticholinergic risks.NIHR Yorkshire and Humber Patient Safety Translational Research Centre (NIHR YHPSTRC