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The Impact of Subjective Factors on Performance Evaluation: The Applied Case of Outsourced Call Centres in Egypt Based on Neural Networks Approach
Get PDFThe operations efficiency, service quality and resources productivity, are the core
aspects of the call centres competitive advantage in massive market competition.
Thus, subjective evaluation is the leniency, perception and bias in performance
evaluation which impact the efficiency of the operations and leads to frustrated
customers. The study aims to determine the subjective performance evaluation in call
centres to get a more objective measurement. It can be achieved by identifying
factors affecting resources performance evaluation through the development of a
conceptual model to reduce or eliminate the effect of subjective factors contained in
the performance evaluation.
The research approach is based on quantitative methodology through cross-sectional
self-reports for 224 participants’ work in eight outsource call centres located in Egypt.
The research aims to determine the subjective evaluation factors biases the true
performance. It is followed by a machine learning practical application using neural
networks for auto-detection the subjective context in the recorded calls to be
considered through the evaluation process.
The key findings of the study are nine subjective factors out of fifteen that have a
direct influence on subjective performance evaluation. The actual performance is the
performance evaluation after eliminating the subjective performance. Two different
methods have concluded the actual performance. The first method excludes the
subjective factors from the resulting evaluation to determine the actual performance.
The second method is a prediction model defining subjectivity percent as a call centre
baseline for future performance evaluation. Furthermore, the study highlights the
potential subjective variables and the degree of influence for each variable.
The theoretical contribution is determining the subjective factor and proposing the
model to measure and predict the subjectivity in the call centre. The study
recommended a restatement for the resource-based theory considering the
subjective evaluation effect on performance evaluation. The practical application
contribution is based on automating the detection and prediction of subjectivity using
a machine learning approach through cascaded Convolutional Neural Networks,
which achieved 75% accuracy in classifying the subjectivity for two study constructs:
agents and customer behaviour
Pleiotropic Effects of Proopiomelanocortin and VGF Nerve Growth Factor Inducible Neuropeptides for the Long-Term Regulation of Energy Balance
Get PDFYesSeasonal rhythms in energy balance are well documented across temperate and equatorial zones animals. The long-term regulated changes in seasonal physiology consists of a rheostatic system that is essential to successful time annual cycles in reproduction, hibernation, torpor, and migration. Most animals use the annual change in photoperiod as a reliable and robust environmental cue to entrain endogenous (i.e. circannual) rhythms. Research over the past few decades has predominantly examined the role of first order neuroendocrine peptides for the rheostatic changes in energy balance. These anorexigenic and orexigenic neuropeptides in the arcuate nucleus include neuropeptide y (Npy), agouti-related peptide (Agrp), cocaine and amphetamine related transcript (Cart) and pro-opiomelanocortin (Pomc). Recent studies also indicate that VGF nerve growth factor inducible (Vgf) in the arcuate nucleus is involved in the seasonal regulation of energy balance. In situ hybridization, qPCR and RNA-sequencing studies have identified that Pomc expression across fish, avian and mammalian species, is a neuroendocrine marker that reflects seasonal energetic states. Here we highlight that long-term changes in arcuate Pomc and Vgf expression is conserved across species and may provide rheostatic regulation of seasonal energy balance.Academy of Medical Sciences, Leverhulme Trus
Being Sherlock Holmes Can we sense empathy from a brief sample of behaviour
Get PDFYesMentalizing (otherwise known as ‘theory of mind’) involves a special process that is adapted for predicting and explaining the behaviour of others (targets) based on inferences about targets’ beliefs and character. This research investigated how well participants made inferences about an especially apposite aspect of character, empathy. Participants were invited to make inferences of self‐rated empathy after watching or listening to an unfamiliar target for a few seconds telling a scripted joke (or answering questions about him/herself or reading aloud a paragraph of promotional material). Across three studies, participants were good at identifying targets with low and high self‐rated empathy but not good at identifying those who are average. Such inferences, especially of high self‐rated empathy, seemed to be based mainly on clues in the target's behaviour, presented either in a video, a still photograph or in an audio track. However, participants were not as effective in guessing which targets had low or average self‐rated empathy from a still photograph showing a neutral pose or from an audio track. We conclude with discussion of the scope and the adaptive value of this inferential ability
Nano/micro-structures and mechanical properties of ultra-high performance concrete incorporating graphene with different lateral sizes
No full textNoThe performance of cement-based materials can be controlled and tailored by adjusting the characteristics of reinforced nano inclusions. Therefore, the lateral size effect of graphene on the nano/micro-structures of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) was explored, and then the mechanical properties were investigated to analyze the structure-property correlation of composites in this paper. The test results show that due to nucleation site effect and the formation of core-shell elements, incorporating graphene with lateral size of > 50 µm improves the polymerization degree and mean molecule chain length of C-S-H gel by 242.6% and 56.3%, respectively. Meanwhile, the porosity and average pore volume of composites is reduced by 41.4% and 43.4%. Furthermore, graphene can effectively inhibit the initiation and propagation of cracks by crack-bridging, crack-deflection, pinning and being pulled-out effect, and the wrinkling characteristic is conductive to the enhancement of pinning effect. These improvements on nano- and micro- structures result in that the compressive strength, compressive toughness and three-point bending modulus of UHPC are increased by 43.5%, 95.7% and 39.1%, respectively, when graphene with lateral size of > 50 µm and dosage of 0.5% is added. Compared to graphene with lateral size of > 50 µm, graphene with average lateral size of 10 µm has less folds and larger effective size, then reducing the distance between core-shell elements. Hence, the addition of graphene with average lateral size of 10 µm leads to 21.1% reduction for Ca(OH)2 crystal orientation index, as well as 30.0% increase for three-point bending strength. It can be, therefore, concluded that the lateral size of graphene obviously influences the nano/micro-structures of UHPC, thus leading to the significantly different reinforcing effects of graphene on mechanical behaviors of UHPC
Examining the Role of Procurement 4.0 towards Remanufacturing Operations and Circular Economy
Get PDFYesProcurement digitalisation can provide significant opportunities for excellence in remanufacturing operations. The close attention of firms is required during the configuration of procurement 4.0 resources for applying front end and base technologies in order to develop the correct set of these resources. Based on Resource Based View theory, this research examines the role of resources influencing procurement 4.0 for driving productivity in remanufacturing operations and circular economy performance. The survey data for this research was gathered from working professionals in South Africa and results reveal that technological resources are necessary in procurement 4.0, which can in turn improve the productivity in remanufacturing operations. An upsurge in performance in remanufacturing operations can enhance the circular economy outcome. To the best of authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to provide insight for researchers, practitioners and academics with an empirical test of digital procurement on remanufacturing operations and of circular economy performance in an emerging economy like South Africa
Self-healing concrete composites for sustainable infrastructures: a review
No full textYesCracks in concrete composites, whether autogenous or loading-initiated, are almost inevitable and often difficult to detect and repair, posing a threat to safety and durability of concrete infrastructures, especially for those with strict sealing requirements. The sustainable development of infrastructures calls for the birth of self-healing concrete composites, which has the built-in ability to autonomously repair narrow cracks. This paper reviews the fabrication, characterization, mechanisms and performances of autogenous and autonomous healing concretes. Autogenous healing materials such as mineral admixtures, fibers, nanofillers and curing agents, as well as autonomous healing methods such as electrodeposition, shape memory alloys, capsules, vascular and microbial technologies, have been proven to be effective to partially or even fully repair small cracks. As a result, the mechanical properties and durability of concrete infrastructure can be restored to some extent. However, autonomous healing techniques have shown a better performance in healing cracks than most of autogenous healing methods that are limited to healing of cracks having a narrower width than 150 µm. Self-healing concrete with biomimetic features, such as self-healing concrete based on shape memory alloys, capsules, vascular networks or bacteria, is a frontier subject in the field of material science. Self-healing technology provides concrete infrastructures with the ability to adapt and respond to the environment, exhibiting a great potential to facilitate the creation of a wide variety of smart materials and intelligent structures
Exploring variation in the use of feedback from national clinical audits: a realist investigation
Get PDFYesNational Clinical Audits (NCAs) are a well-established quality improvement strategy used in healthcare settings. Significant resources, including clinicians’ time, are invested in participating in NCAs, yet there is variation in the extent to which the resulting feedback stimulates quality improvement. The aim of this study was to explore the reasons behind this variation.
Methods
We used realist evaluation to interrogate how context shapes the mechanisms through which NCAs work (or not) to stimulate quality improvement. Fifty-four interviews were conducted with doctors, nurses, audit clerks and other staff working with NCAs across five healthcare providers in England. In line with realist principles we scrutinised the data to identify how and why providers responded to NCA feedback (mechanisms), the circumstances that supported or constrained provider responses (context), and what happened as a result of the interactions between mechanisms and context (outcomes). We summarised our findings as Context+Mechanism=Outcome configurations.
Results
We identified five mechanisms that explained interactions between providers and NCA feedback: reputation, professionalism, competition, incentives, and professional development. Underpinned by the mechanisms professionalism and incentives, feedback was used most routinely within clinical services resourced to maintain local databases, where data were stored before upload to NCA suppliers. Local databases enabled staff to access data easily, customise reports and integrate them within governance processes. Use of feedback generated in this way was further supported where staff supporting audit participation were trusted to collect timely and accurate data. Feedback produced by NCA suppliers, which included national comparator data, was used in a more limited capacity. Challenges accessing data from NCA supplier databases, concerns about the quality of data across participating organisations and timeliness were reported to constrain the perceived usefulness of this type of feedback as a tool for stimulating quality improvement.
Conclusion
The findings suggest that there are a number of mechanisms through which healthcare providers, in particular staff within clinical services, engage with NCA feedback, but that there is variation in the mode, frequency and impact of these interactions. Feedback was used most routinely within clinical services resourced to maintain local databases, where data were considered timely, trusted as accurate and could be easily accessed to customise reports for the needs of the service
Institutional Voids, Economic Adversity, and Inter-firm Cooperation in an Emerging Market: The Mediating Role of Government R&D Support
Get PDFYesThis article examines the mediating mechanism of the relationship between institutional voids (IVs) and inter-firm cooperation and the moderating role of economic adversity in the context of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) based in emerging markets. The hypotheses are tested using time-lagged survey data from 214 SMEs from Ghana. The findings provide support for the hypotheses by showing that (1) IVs positively influence the use of government research and development (R&D) support, (2) the use of government R&D support mediates the relationship between IVs and inter-firm cooperation, and (3) economic adversity positively moderates the relationship between IVs and the use of government R&D support. The findings contribute to understanding the role of IVs in inter-firm cooperation. Implications for theory and practice are discussed
Resource-Induced Coping Heuristics and Entrepreneurial Orientation in Dynamic Environments
No full textYesPrior studies show the impact of various facets of individual characteristics in driving a
firm’s entrepreneurial orientation (EO). The present study complements this line of research by deriving insights from the conservation of resources (COR) theory to examine the effects of resource-induced coping heuristics (acquiring, protecting, and developing resources) on EO. Additionally, it investigates the underlying conditions influencing these relationships. Data were collected from new ventures in two developing countries (Ghana, N=204, and Ethiopia, N=214). Utilizing the moderated hierarchical regression analysis, the results show that the three dimensions of resource-induced coping heuristics positively relate to EO and these relationships are amplified when environmental dynamism is high. These findings provide a nuanced understanding of the relationships among the different types of resource-induced coping heuristics and EO. In this way, the study extends the boundaries of the resource-induced coping heuristics, EO, and broader entrepreneurship literature