scholarly journals Academic Librarians’ Conception and Use of Evidence Sources in Practice

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise Koufogiannakis

Objective – The objective of this study was to explore and understand how academic librarians use evidence in their professional decision making. The researcher aimed to gain insights on the relevance of the current EBLIP model to practice, and to understand the possible connections between scientific research and tacit knowledge within the practice of LIS. Methods – A grounded theory methodology was used, following the approach of Charmaz (2006). Participants were 19 academic librarians in Canada. Data was gathered via online diaries and semi-structured interviews over a six-month period in 2011. Results – Two broad types of evidence were identified (hard and soft), and are generally used in conjunction with one another. Librarians examine all evidence sources with a critical eye, and try to determine a complete picture before reaching a conclusion. As well, librarians use a variety of proactive and passive approaches to find evidence. Conclusions – These results provide a strong message that no single evidence source is perfect. Consequently, librarians bring different types of evidence together in order to be as informed as possible before making a decision. Using a combination of evidence sources, depending upon the problem, is the way academic librarians approach decision making.

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 525-546
Author(s):  
Harbir Singh ◽  
Ajoy K. Dey ◽  
Arunaditya Sahay

Introduction: Patient engagement is engaging patients in their own medical care to heal them faster and take their valuable inputs to improve the health of population. Nurses contribute significantly in treatment, interact and spend most of their time with inpatients. Therefore, exploring the perspectives of nurses on patient engagement-communication is of vital importance. Objective: This article focuses on exploring the communication themes of patient engagement from the perspective of nurses in a multi-speciality hospital in Delhi. Methodology: The exploratory qualitative case study was carried out with semi-structured interviews of 12 nurses, observation at receptions of ICUs and emergency department and analysis of documents from the hospital’s official website. Grounded theory—three-level coding—was performed to identify the themes of patient engagement-communication. Results: A total of nine themes have been identified: ‘attendant’s role’, ‘communicating with patients of different categories’, ‘doctor’s support to nurses’, ‘nurse action’, ‘nurse behaviour’, ‘nurse challenges’, ‘patient actions’, ‘patient emotions’ and ‘wider role of nurses’. Conclusion: Nurses play a critical role in engaging patients through communication. They should change their approach of communication with different types of patients, understand, respect and give due weightage to patient’s emotions and actions and, play a wider role of teacher and guardian than just being the nurse.


1971 ◽  
Vol 6 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 183-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Truls Hanevold

The Antarctic Treaty of 1959 established a consultative system for the purpose of passing recommendations to the signatory governments in pursuit of the objects and principles of the treaty. This article is a study in international negotiations. After an introduction detailing the background for the negotiations, attention is drawn to the possible long-term aims and strategies of the parties in view of their attitudes on the question of rights and claims in Antarctica and their capabilities for conducting scientific research there. In part two the preparations for the consultative meetings and their influence on the decision-making process are described. Part three deals with the consultative meetings themselves, how the delegations are composed, and their instructions and behaviour during the negotiations. Different types of sessions and their particular characteristics are discussed. The dynamics of the negotiations are treated in part four, which includes a discussion of strategies, types of arguments, self-commitments, concessions and strategies.


2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bálint Vajta ◽  
Mette Holberg ◽  
Jane Mills ◽  
William J. H. McBride

Dengue fever, a mosquito-borne virus, is an ongoing public health issue in North Queensland. Importation of dengue fever by travellers visiting or returning to Australia can lead to epidemics. The mosquito can acquire the virus in the symptomatic viraemic phase, so timely recognition of cases is important to prevent epidemics. There is a gap in the literature about backpackers’ knowledge of dengue fever and the decision-making process they use when considering utilising the Australian health-care system. This study uses grounded theory methods to construct a theory that explains the process backpackers use when seeking health care. Fifty semi-structured interviews with backpackers, hostel receptionists, travel agents and pharmacists were analysed, resulting in identification of a core category: ‘weighing up the costs of seeking health care’. This core category has three subcategories: ‘self-assessment of health status’, ‘wait-and-see’ and ‘seek direction’. Findings from this study identified key areas where health promotion material and increased access to health-care professionals could reduce the risk of backpackers spreading dengue fever.


2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-39
Author(s):  
Fábio de Oliveira Lucena ◽  
Silvio Popadiuk

Purpose This paper aims to identify the expressions and flows of tacit knowledge in the unstructured decision process. In this type of process, decision-makers use not only the explicit knowledge but also aspects such as intuition, experience and other forms of tacit knowledge. The research developed a qualitative approach, through a study of multiple cases, and applied semi-structured interviews to ten executives. The analysis of data was carried out according to Flores (1994) interpretative analysis of text technique. Results indicated that there was the insertion of tacit knowledge in all unstructured decision-making routines. It was also detected the need to explicitly add the routine of evaluation to the Mintzberg et al.’s (1976) model as elements of tacit knowledge were also identified at this stage of the decision-making process. Design/methodology/approach The research has taken a qualitative approach, through a study of multiple cases, applying semi-structured interviews to ten executives. The analysis of data was carried out according to technique for interpretative analysis of the text. Findings Results indicated that there was tacit knowledge in all unstructured decision-making routines. Also detected was the need to explicitly add the routine of evaluation to the model. Research limitations/implications It was unable to perform psychological studies to investigate the deepest cognitive and emotional aspects of managers, and it does not address, in depth, some issues that are related to tacit knowledge in decisions and that would be considered relevant. Practical implications Although this research was unable to dissect the composition of tacit knowledge in unstructured decision process, a better understanding of the aspects that make up the knowledge in question has been developed, providing some decision-making guidelines to managers. Social implications The language between communications actors can share decision-making rules to assist in the production and process of arguments necessary for the debate, evaluation and attribution of institutionally recurrent decisions. Originality/value The original contribution is present in a detailed description of the expressions of flows of tacit knowledge in unstructured decision-making processes, based on the model of Mintzberg et al. (1976). From the influence of tacit knowledge, it was found that the model in question needs to consider the relevance of the evaluation phase, as a stage equivalent to the other described by Mintzberg et al. (1976). These aspects have been better explained in the introduction and conclusion. Participant observation was not possible because the decision had already been taken by the informant at the moment of the interviews.


Author(s):  
Ria Garg ◽  
Nevena Rebić ◽  
Neda Amiri ◽  
Glen Hazlewood ◽  
Corisande Baldwin ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives Partners of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) often take on supportive roles given the debilitating nature of RA. Our objective was to explore the perspectives, attitudes, and experiences of partners of female patients with RA regarding reproductive experiences and decision making. Methods We conducted a qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with partners of female patients with RA. We defined a ‘partner’ as an individual within a romantic relationship. Constructivist grounded theory was applied to interview transcripts to identify and conceptualize themes. Results We interviewed 10 partners of female patients with RA (10 males; mean age, 35 [23–56]) of which 40% had at least one child with a female patient with RA and did not desire additional children. We identified four themes representing stages of reproductive decision making: (1) developing an understanding of RA, (2) contemplating future family decision making, (3) initiating reproductive decision making with partner, and (4) reflecting on past reproductive experiences. Participants contemplated their attitudes and perspectives towards pregnancy and employed available information to support their partner’s medication decisions. When reflecting on their reproductive experiences, participants shared the impacts of past reproductive decisions on their romantic relationship and their mental health and wellbeing. Conclusion Our study highlights the need for comprehensive supports for both female patients with RA and their partners at all stages of reproductive decision making. Healthcare providers can identify opportunities for intervention that involves female patients with RA and their partners to minimize stress and its negative impacts on the family.


Author(s):  
Raúl Sánchez-García ◽  
Dafne Muntanyola-Saura

This paper presents a cognitive ethnography on the variability of interpersonal coordination in defense against direct screens during basketball games. We collected data through observation of ten games of Estudiantes U18 Team during the 2014/2015 season in Madrid. We filmed the game and showed clips of specific direct screens to players while conducting semi-structured interviews. We analyzed the video and the discourse qualitatively following grounded theory principles. We identified three categories expressing variability: failure, partial repair, and functional variation. Even though communication was quoted by the interviewed players as a key element in their decision-making, other contextual elements – related to framing and joint attention- affected the degree of variation and success. Based on these findings, the paper offers some recommendations for coaching the tactical behaviour of defense against direct screens.


2017 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 107-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klea Faniko ◽  
Till Burckhardt ◽  
Oriane Sarrasin ◽  
Fabio Lorenzi-Cioldi ◽  
Siri Øyslebø Sørensen ◽  
...  

Abstract. Two studies carried out among Albanian public-sector employees examined the impact of different types of affirmative action policies (AAPs) on (counter)stereotypical perceptions of women in decision-making positions. Study 1 (N = 178) revealed that participants – especially women – perceived women in decision-making positions as more masculine (i.e., agentic) than feminine (i.e., communal). Study 2 (N = 239) showed that different types of AA had different effects on the attribution of gender stereotypes to AAP beneficiaries: Women benefiting from a quota policy were perceived as being more communal than agentic, while those benefiting from weak preferential treatment were perceived as being more agentic than communal. Furthermore, we examined how the belief that AAPs threaten men’s access to decision-making positions influenced the attribution of these traits to AAP beneficiaries. The results showed that men who reported high levels of perceived threat, as compared to men who reported low levels of perceived threat, attributed more communal than agentic traits to the beneficiaries of quotas. These findings suggest that AAPs may have created a backlash against its beneficiaries by emphasizing gender-stereotypical or counterstereotypical traits. Thus, the framing of AAPs, for instance, as a matter of enhancing organizational performance, in the process of policy making and implementation, may be a crucial tool to countering potential backlash.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 884-892
Author(s):  
Sartaj Ahmad ◽  
Ashutosh Gupta ◽  
Neeraj Kumar Gupta

Background: In recent time, people love online shopping but before any shopping feedbacks or reviews always required. These feedbacks help customers in decision making for buying any product or availing any service. In the country like India this trend of online shopping is increasing very rapidly because awareness and the use of internet which is increasing day by day. As result numbers of customers and their feedbacks are also increasing. It is creating a problem that how to read all reviews manually. So there should be some computerized mechanism that provides customers a summary without spending time in reading feedbacks. Besides big number of reviews another problem is that reviews are not structured. Objective: In this paper, we try to design, implement and compare two algorithms with manual approach for the crossed domain Product’s reviews. Methods: Lexicon based model is used and different types of reviews are tested and analyzed to check the performance of these algorithms. Results: Algorithm based on opinions and feature based opinions are designed, implemented, applied and compared with the manual results and it is found that algorithm # 2 is performing better than algorithm # 1 and near to manual results. Conclusion: Algorithm # 2 is found better on the different product’s reviews and still to be applied on other product’s reviews to enhance its scope. Finally, it will be helpful to automate existing manual process.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 6581
Author(s):  
Jooyoung Hwang ◽  
Anita Eves ◽  
Jason L. Stienmetz

Travellers have high standards and regard restaurants as important travel attributes. In the tourism and hospitality industry, the use of developed tools (e.g., smartphones and location-based tablets) has been popularised as a way for travellers to easily search for information and to book venues. Qualitative research using semi-structured interviews based on the face-to-face approach was adopted for this study to examine how consumers’ restaurant selection processes are performed with the utilisation of social media on smartphones. Then, thematic analysis was adopted. The findings of this research show that the adoption of social media on smartphones is positively related with consumers’ gratification. More specifically, when consumers regard that process, content and social gratification are satisfied, their intention to adopt social media is fulfilled. It is suggested by this study that consumers’ restaurant decision-making process needs to be understood, as each stage of the decision-making process is not independent; all the stages of the restaurant selection process are organically connected and influence one another.


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