Usability and Practicality of a Novel Mobile Attachment for Aural Endoscopy (endoscope-i): Formative Usability Study

Background Our aims were to determine the usability and practicality of the endoscope-i system, a novel mobile attachment for aural endoscopy. This incorporated assessing the ease of use of the endoscope-i for different professionals, and ultimately improving the system by receiving constructive feedback. Objective Our objectives were to assess the ease of the endoscope-i system in conducting an aural examination and to assess its feasibility for integrating its use into clinical practice. We looked to assess its ease, effectiveness, and efficiency; to compare this to current practices with otoscopes; and to determine whether participants perceived the system to be able to produce an image of sufficient quality to make a clinical assessment. Finally, we wanted to assess the usefulness of the current training given for using the system, and we sought to gain feedback for the product from the differing specialists. Methods A formative usability study of the endoscope-i system was conducted with 5 health care professionals. Each session lasted 40 minutes and involved audio/video consent, a hands-on session, a private semistructured interview, and an option to discuss the device with a company representative. Results All participants found the endoscope-i system easy to use. The image quality was perceived to be greater than that achieved by current otoscopes. The ability to record images and view them retrospectively was also seen as a positive. Conclusions This study has not identified any significant issues relating to the design, functionality, or application of the endoscope-i. Participants perceived the system as superior to current options with a directly positive impact on their clinical practice.

‘Stracan our Infernall Phesition’

Strachan spent two years as a servant of the East India Company during which the merchants were bitterly divided due to their lack of success in silk trading. This period saw the first of his recurring attacks of malaria. By contrasting accounts in the company archives with Della Valle’s journal, the chapter describes how unfounded accusations of murder against Strachan brought about his dismissal for incompetence as a doctor. Strachan spent months teaching the Carmelite friars Arabic and saving for onward travel to India but was secretly reemployed by the governor of the EIC in Iran, Edward Monnox, to act as interpreter and company representative during the negotiations with Shah Abbas for EIC naval involvement in the Iranian army’s capture of Hormuz in 1622. In this way he became intimate with the Shah’s court.

Usability and Practicality of a Novel Mobile Attachment for Aural Endoscopy (endoscope-i): Formative Usability Study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Our aims were to determine the usability and practicality of the endoscope-i system, a novel mobile attachment for aural endoscopy. This incorporated assessing the ease of use of the endoscope-i for different professionals, and ultimately improving the system by receiving constructive feedback. OBJECTIVE Our objectives were to assess the ease of the endoscope-i system in conducting an aural examination and to assess its feasibility for integrating its use into clinical practice. We looked to assess its ease, effectiveness, and efficiency; to compare this to current practices with otoscopes; and to determine whether participants perceived the system to be able to produce an image of sufficient quality to make a clinical assessment. Finally, we wanted to assess the usefulness of the current training given for using the system, and we sought to gain feedback for the product from the differing specialists. METHODS A formative usability study of the endoscope-i system was conducted with 5 health care professionals. Each session lasted 40 minutes and involved audio/video consent, a hands-on session, a private semistructured interview, and an option to discuss the device with a company representative. RESULTS All participants found the endoscope-i system easy to use. The image quality was perceived to be greater than that achieved by current otoscopes. The ability to record images and view them retrospectively was also seen as a positive. CONCLUSIONS This study has not identified any significant issues relating to the design, functionality, or application of the endoscope-i. Participants perceived the system as superior to current options with a directly positive impact on their clinical practice.

Green Forever Landscaping and Design, Inc.: how an entrepreneur grew his business

Theoretical basis The case should be introduced after students have been exposed to the following topics: the practice of entrepreneurship, opportunity recognition, market segmentation and minority business enterprise. Research methodology The names of the companies and individuals in this descriptive case have not been disguised, with the exception of the solar company representative and his company affiliation. Information was obtained from interviews (i.e. first-hand accounts) with Nikita Floyd, President and Owner of Green Forever Landscaping and Design, Inc., and secondary sources cited. Case overview/synopsis Nikita, a 50-year old, African American male, had grown his business from a one-person seasonal landscaping business to a year-round landscaping and design business with full-time, part-time, and seasonal employees and an array of services and customer segments. To his delight, he was able to unite his avocation with his vocation. With over 30 years of experience in landscaping and landscape design Nikita was always scanning the landscape for new business opportunities that would align with his company’s mission statement and help sustain Green Forever’s core business. Complexity academic level This case is most appropriate for introductory undergraduate and graduate level courses in entrepreneurship.

Success of Family Company: Critical Evidence from the Portugal

During the last time, the attention to a phenomenon of family business steadily grows. Today this form of business is considered to be a vital and needful for economic development. Despite this, the basic theory of family business is heterogeneous, limited and insufficient. The purpose of this paper is to define the sense of family company’s success. The object of research is family business as an economic phenomenon. There is a double subject of this study: firstly, to find out the main indicators and information resources about successful companies can be detected and, secondly, to analyze one representative family company managed by several generations as a case study for identifying its key success factors. This qualitative research was prepared on the basis of general theoretical scientific methods, in particular, analysis, synthesis, analogy, comparison, generalizations and methods of expert estimates. In the first phase, secondary research of scientific literature and electronic resources about the paper topic was conducted. On the base of that results, the primary research was conduct, which is based on analysis of family wine company Quinta de Santa Eufemia in Portugal. That research part has the form of a case study. Based on the received information, the key success factors were identified. The sources of that research are internet web-pages of the company, articles about the company in magazines and scientific journals form Emerald database, reports of the company and financial data from Amadeus database, in-depth interview with a family member of a family company representative. The scientific acquisition of this research is improving understanding of a family company’s success from the perspective of difficulties faced by a family company and the way of overcoming obstacles. The results of this study allowed to find a main point for the family company’s success based on literature review. In addition, the activity of Quinta de Santa Eufemia was analyzed as the case study for critical evidence of that phenomenon. This study has contributed to the theoretical part of family business research providing a significant step to providing insight the family company’s success and its main factors which influence an effective functioning of a family company. Keywords: family company, success, winery, family business

A Mexican strategy to promote greater ethics in academic communications through nation-wide access to Turnitin

This document explores the challenges and perspectives behind the initiative for enabling Mexican universities and research centers to access the Turnitin software, a strategy for promoting greater ethics in academic and scientific communications. It presents information obtained through documentary research, from the experience of using the software during the last academic semester, from interviews with the coordinator of the National Consortium of Scientific and Technological Resources (CONRICyT), and with the Turnitin company representative for Mexico. Given the emerging nature of this project and the complexity of the issue, the results presented consist of a non-comprehensive list of benefits and challenges that emerged from using the software, as well as recommendations to harness its use and consolidate a culture for the ethical use of information in academic and scientific communications.

Follow for follow: marketing of a start-up company on Instagram

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the deliberate social media marketing practices of a start-up company. The study aims to measure the effects of these practices (i.e. following potential customers and liking and commenting on their posts on Instagram) on creating and increasing awareness of the company’s business and gaining followers for the company’s Instagram account. Design/methodology/approach The research is exploratory in nature and adopts an approach similar to that of action research. The research was enabled and facilitated by collaboration between the researchers and a company representative. The company offers an application for young mothers. Findings The model developed in this study identifies the effects of the practice of endorsing and interacting with customers for marketing purposes. It points out following as a first-order practice that small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can employ to gain followers instantly on Instagram. Research limitations/implications The method used limits the generalisability of the findings. However, the findings offer preliminary insights for future studies on Instagram marketing in SMEs. Practical implications Companies can attain success in social media marketing by actively engaging with customers and potential customers on various social media platforms. Originality/value There is a paucity of research focussing on Instagram marketing in SMEs. The model in this study contributes to theory on Instagram marketing and offers a framework that can help managers plan Instagram marketing strategies.

Performance measures of ISO 9001 certified and non-certified manufacturing companies

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare ISO 9001 certified and non-certified manufacturing companies with regard to performance measures, both financial and non-financial. Design/methodology/approach – A research study was carried out in 140 Greek manufacturing companies by means of a questionnaire. The questionnaire was sent by e-mail and it was requested that it should be answered by a company representative. Exploratory factor analysis is applied in order to extract the latent factors of performance measures. The differences between the ISO 9001 certified and non-certified manufacturing companies are determined through non-parametric tests such as the χ2-test and the Mann-Whitney U-test. Findings – The ISO 9001 certified manufacturing companies significantly outperform the non-certified with regard to product quality, customer satisfaction, operational, market and financial performance. This is evident in a business environment where an economic downturn and financial crisis dominates. Research limitations/implications – The sub-samples of the responding ISO 9001 certified and non-certified manufacturing companies are small sized and they are limited to small- and medium-sized enterprises. The subjective character of the data collected through the company representatives involves the risk of receiving biased responses regarding the performance measures. The above limitations suggest future research recommendations. Practical implications – The increased performance measures of the ISO 9001 certified manufacturing companies may motivate the non-certified ones to implement the ISO 9001 standard and apply for the certification in order to increase their performance and withstand the current economic downturn and financial crisis. The present study may also stimulate manufacturing companies to adopt traditional and modern benchmarking techniques, in an additional effort to improve their businesses and competitiveness. Originality/value – The present study compares performance measures of ISO 9001 certified and non-certified manufacturing companies operating under unprecedented circumstances due to the current economic downturn and financial crisis.

Disciplinary Measures Where Exists an Alleged Violation of a Collective Agreement

Summary A majority of the Board (the union representative dissenting) is of opinion that unless the obeying of an order would constitute an infraction of the law or a safety or health hazard to the employee, the order should be obeyed. Quebec Iron and Titanium Corporation and l'Union des Ouvriers du Fer et du Titanium de Sorel. Jules Poisson, J. Président; Raymond Caron, Company representative; Gérard Picard, union représentative, dissenting. Ministère du Travail, Province de Québec, Bulletin d'Information, no. 1553, 15 mai 1961.