Gives an overview of my research as a visiting scholar at The Boston College Center for International Higher Education. This research classifies these obstacles and enablers in four categories: disciplinary, external, internal and personal.
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Purpose: To deal with an increasingly competitive environment, organizations are combining continuous improvement (CI) practices with digitalization to accrue their benefits on operational performance and achieve operational excellence. The purpose of this study was to identify the enablers and inhibitors of digitalization as part of CI projects. Design/methodology/approach: A mixed-methods sequential explanatory research design consisting of an online survey and semi-structured interviews was used to examine how digitalization technologies have been incorporated by organizations in their CI projects. Findings: Key enablers of digitalization were found to be leadership capabilities, strategic direction, stakeholder involvement, system compatibility, data quality and giving employees room to experiment. Knowledge of digitalization was found to affect all these enablers. Research limitations/implications: The empirical findings are based on a nonprobability sample of Dutch CI practitioners, limiting their generalizability. Practical implications: The empirical findings highlight the need for organizations to adopt a structured approach to implementing digitalization as part of their CI projects, starting by ensuring that the necessary knowledge and skills are either present or accessible to the organization. Originality/value: The empirical findings show that enablers of digitalization in the context of CI are strongly interlinked, and thus require a holistic approach.
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BACKGROUND: Low levels of physical activity are common during the hospital stay and have been associated with negative health outcomes. Understanding barriers and enablers to physical activity during a hospital stay can improve the development and implementation of tailored interventions aimed at improving physical activity. Previous studies have identified many barriers and enablers, but a comprehensive overview is lacking. This study aimed to identify and categorize all published patient- and healthcare professional-reported barriers and enablers to physical activity during a hospital stay for acute care, using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF).METHODS: We conducted a scoping review of Dutch and English articles using MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library (inception to September 2020), which included quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies reporting barriers and enablers to physical activity during a hospital stay for acute care, as perceived by patients or healthcare professionals. Two reviewers systematically extracted, coded, and categorized all barriers and enablers into TDF domains.RESULTS: Fifty-six articles were included in this review (32 qualitative, 7 quantitative, and 17 mixed-methods). In total, 264 barriers and 228 enablers were reported by patients, and 415 barriers and 409 enablers by healthcare professionals. Patient-reported barriers were most frequently assigned to the TDF domains Environmental Context & Resources (ECR, n = 148), Social Influences (n = 32), and Beliefs about Consequences (n = 25), while most enablers were assigned to ECR (n = 67), Social Influences (n = 54), and Goals (n = 32). Barriers reported by healthcare professionals were most frequently assigned to ECR (n = 210), Memory, Attention and Decision Process (n = 45), and Social/Professional Role & Identity (n = 31), while most healthcare professional-reported enablers were assigned to the TDF domains ECR (n = 143), Social Influences (n = 76), and Behavioural Regulation (n = 54).CONCLUSIONS: Our scoping review presents a comprehensive overview of all barriers and enablers to physical activity during a hospital stay and highlights the prominent role of the TDF domains ECR and Social Influences in hospitalized patients' physical activity behavior. This TDF-based overview provides a theoretical foundation to guide clinicians and researchers in future intervention development and implementation.SCOPING REVIEW REGISTRATION: No protocol was registered for this review.
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To deal with an increasingly competitive environment, organizations are combining continuous improvement (CI) practices with digitalization to accrue their benefits on operational performance and achieve operational excellence. Using a mixed-methods approach consisting of an online survey and semi-structured interviews, we examined how digitalization technologies have been incorporated in CI projects by organizations. Besides significant relationships between the nature of CI initiative and the use of digitalization tools, we found key enablers for organizations to be system compatibility, room to experiment, data-driven decision-making and step-by-step introduction with involvement of stakeholders. These enablers were found to be interlinked through knowledge of digitalization.
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This paper reports a study on the importance of enablers in order for IT to support effective supply chain management, as perceived defined by different positions in the supply chain. In the study, a significant difference for the enabler “Funds for IT enablement” is found between the supplier position and other positions. Furthermore relations between the enablers are examined and research is done into why certain factors are being perceived more important than others.
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Aims and Objectives: To identify and synthesise empirical evidence on the perspectives of nurses regarding factors that enable and/or obstruct the delivery of compassionate care. Methodological Design and Justification: A scoping review was chosen for its capacity to perform a broad exploration of the available literature. Ethical Issues: This scoping review raises no ethical issues. Research Methods: This review includes studies that report enablers and barriers of compassionate care. Both qualitative and quantitative designs were included. The quality of each study was assessed using the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT). A narrative synthesis was employed to summarise the results. Instruments: A search was conducted in the electronic databases of MEDLINE and CINAHL (1975–2021). Outcome Measures: Barriers and enablers to compassionate care from nurses' perspectives. Results: Fifteen empirical studies were included in this review. Four themes of enablers and barriers to compassionate care emerged: (1) personal characteristics, (2) professional characteristics, (3) patient-related factors, and (4) workplace-related factors. Main facilitators were a strong motivation to deliver compassionate care, the managements' support of compassion as a nursing value and operating in a healthy team culture. Main barriers were the absence of education and/or role models for compassionate care, heavy workloads, and the managements' prioritisation of task-centred care. Study Limitations: This study is limited by the inclusion of qualitative studies with small samples and the absence of data from Northern Europe and North America. Conclusions: The findings indicate that policymakers, healthcare leaders, and nursing management play an important role in nurses' ability to provide compassionate care. Through leadership that centralises compassion as a core nursing value, nurses receive greater support in prioritising compassion in patient care. This support is further enhanced by ensuring adequate staffing and manageable schedules, offering comprehensive training in compassionate care skills, and providing resources to support nurses' wellbeing. Trial Registration: PROSPERO: CRD42022324955 https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=324955.
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High consumption of animal-source foods, specifically meat, adversely affects human health and the environment. Dietary habits are shaped at younger ages and a reduction in meat consumption may be facilitated by the life course transitions in early adulthood, but studies are limited. This study among young Dutch adults aimed to describe their perceptions on the influence of life course transitions on meat consumption, barriers and enablers to reduce meat consumption, and strategies for reducing meat consumption. Barriers and enablers were grouped applying the COM-B model that includes capability, opportunity, and motivation. This quantitative cross-sectional study included a representative sample of 1806 young adults from two Dutch consumer panels who completed an online survey. Young adults frequently reported life course transitions, especially those related to moving house, to have decreased their meat consumption. Barriers and enablers to reduce meat consumption were identified for all three factors of the COM-B model. Important barriers included taste, perceived high prices of meat alternatives, and habits. In contrast, important enablers included care for the environment and animal welfare, enjoyment of smaller portions of meat and saving money. However, barriers and enablers largely differed by groups of meat consumption frequency. Self-perceived effective strategies for reducing meat consumption were price reduction of meat alternatives, recipes for vegetarian meals, and more attractive meat alternatives. The findings of this study are relevant for the development of targeted behaviour-change programmes including interventions in the physical and the social environment (like lowering prices and improving the offer of meat alternatives).
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This paper extends the use of a framework identifying four types of barriers to lifelong learning (LLL): institutional, situational, dispositional, and informational. Initially applied to Nordic universities, the framework is now used to interview global stakeholders about LLL provisioning. The study explores commonalities and differences across regions, and the frameworkandapos;s potential to highlight key barriers and enablers, informing strategic and policy changes. The countries involved are Denmark, Norway, Finland, Holland, and Singapore. Following the description from each country, it identifies institutional, situational, dispositional, and informational barriers, which are interrelated and influence LLL in a more global context. Challenges include funding, balancing job and family commitments, and the need for a learnercentric approach. The study reveals that LLL plays a minor role in universities, with insufficient encouragement despite being included in strategies. Major obstacles include restrictive legislation, bureaucratic boundaries, and unstable funding models. Overcoming these could enable nationwide or transnational platforms for LLL.
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Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) is the main driver of resource consumption and waste generation in Europe. Although most European countries achieved 70% recovery rate of CDW, the majority is used for backfilling. Therefore, opportunities for Circular Economy (CE) practices in CDW management are underexploited. This research identifies the innovative practices, barriers, and enablers for developing tailored-made designs of Urban Resource Centre (URC) for managing CDWs in four European cities namely Riga, Tartu, Kavala, and Barcelona. Qualitative methods using multiple case studies were used to draw generalizations from cases. Data was collected from reports and interviews with different stakeholders, and a validation workshop for designing URC of each city. Current innovative practices include recycling and upcycling of CDWs; use of green points, exchange platforms, and waste management apps; repair cafés; selective demolition; and (pilot) initiatives on resource centers that function as material exchange point, recycling center, workstation for repair and creative ideas, and prototyping hub, among others. The identified barriers and enablers can be categorized as governmental, market, and individual factors. First, local governments (municipalities) play a key role for facilitating CDW management via both support such as provision of subsidies, green procurement, and mandatory waste sorting, and through strict regulatory requirements. Second, URCs must be locally rooted with inclusion of citizens, grass roots initiatives, and schools/universities to increase community acceptance, awareness, and education on CDW management. Third, partnerships with local stakeholders, such as repair cafes, waste management companies, and local NGOs, is needed to operate the URCs both in short- and long-terms. And fourth, the creation of niche markets such as linking localism (e.g. locally crafted CE stores) and supplying to businesses in need of CDWs, can support the operation of URCs. The identified barriers and enablers can help further improve the design of URCs for each city.
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Circularity and recycling are gaining increased attention, yet the amount of recycled plastic applied in new products remains low. To accelerate uptake by businesses, it will be useful to empirically investigate the main barriers and enablers that organisations experience when using recycled plastic feedstock for the production of new plastic products. In this research, categorisation is threefold: determining whether a certain factor acts as a barrier, enabler or both; identifying the steps in the value chain which the factor directly affects; and a categorisation in regulatory, economic, technical, systemic, organisational and cultural factors. Results from the focus group sessions show that main barriers seem to be: lack of clear policies and (stimulating) regulations, price differences between virgin and recycle materials, lower material quality and uncertainties about quality, availability and reliable stream of recyclate (from sufficient quality), lack of shortterm organisational goals, lack of knowledge, and lack of consumer demand and willingness. Comparing the results from a micro- and meso scale perspective, some factors are more important for certain steps in the value chain but may also (indirectly) influence the activities of others. Other factors affect all steps of the value chain. Moreover, the relevance of a factor may differ per actor depending on its positioning in the value chain and context, which comes along with uncertainties in industry. Further research may focus on extending literature review and address the needs of industry in order to increase uptake of recycled feedstock in new products.
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