Differences Between Patient and Provider Perceptions of Informed Decision Making About Epidural Analgesia Use During Childbirth

The objective of this study was to determine whether differences exist between patient and provider perceptions regarding the decision-making process around use of epidural analgesia during childbirth. The dyadic patient–provider Decisional Conflict Scale was modified to measure first-time mother (n = 35) and maternity care provider (n = 52) perceptions. Providers perceived a greater degree of informed decision making than patients (84.97 vs. 79.41, p = .04) and were more likely to recall they upheld patients’ rights to make informed choices than patients were to perceive their rights had been upheld (85.95 vs. 71.73, p < .01). This incongruity highlights the need to align legal principles with practice to create mutual agreement between stakeholder perceptions of informed decision making.     

A Case for Coach Garfinkel: Decision Making and What We Already Know

The purpose of this article is to deconstruct the decision-making processes of sports coaches through the writings of the sociologist Harold Garfinkel. Specifically, the authors draw upon Garfinkel’s (1967) writings on jurors’ decision making to challenge current cognitivist bound conceptualization to better interpret coaches’ sense-making–why and how they make their decisions. The significance of the work lies in further deciphering the meaningful structures of daily coaching lives; within whose limits coaching decisions unfold. Following a brief review of literature related to coaches’ decision making, the principal tenets of Garfinkel’s work are outlined. This gives way to an examination of Erving Goffman’s (1974) work of “frames of reference” in terms of how coaches’ decision making can be developed and improved before a reflective conclusion summarizes the main points made and their implications for future coach education.     

浅谈概率统计在决策优化中的应用

经济预测是企业改善经营管理，提高经济效益的重要手段．科学的决策能达到以最小的成本获得最大的安全保障目标而运用概率统计原理可解决经济预测和风险决策中的一些问题．     

基于集对分析的直觉三角模糊数多指标决策方法

针对指标权重已知且指标值以直觉三角模糊数表示的多指标决策问题,提出一种基于集对分析区间型联系数的决策分析方法。首先给出直觉三角模糊数和区间型联系数的定义和运算法则,进而依据集对分析思想把直觉三角模糊数转化为区间型联系数,然后给出直觉三角模糊数多指标决策问题的决策步骤,最后给出一个实例,结果表明该方法可行有效。     

美国大学停办学系的决策过程——以康涅狄格大学关闭地质与地球物理系为例

学系作为基层学术组织,往往会随着学科本身的发展而不断发生变化。康涅狄格大学地质系创办多年,但随着地质科学交叉学科的兴起以及学科综合化的发展趋势,以单一分支学科为主的学系逐渐远离了学校发展的重点。本文以康涅狄格大学地质系为案例,分析其被停办的决策过程,探讨学科发展方向如何影响学术组织的命运。     

Making a good career choice: A decision-analytical intervention to enhance proactive decision-making and career choice self-efficacy in high school students

At the end of high school, teenagers must deal with the first life-changing decision of determining what to do after graduation. For these decisions, adolescents need to be able to make good choices. However, most schools have not yet implemented decision trainings into their curricula. A new intervention called “KLUGentscheiden!” was developed to train complex decision-making in high school students to close this gap. The intervention targets three key components of good decision-making: envisioning one's objectives, identifying relevant alternatives, and comparing the identified alternatives by a weighted evaluation. We assumed that successfully training those decision-analytical steps should enhance self-perceived proactive decision-making skills. In addition, the training should also enhance self-assessed career choice self-efficacy. The intervention was evaluated in a pseudorandomized control study including 193 high school students. Compared to a control group, the intervention group significantly increased proactive decision-making skills and career choice self-efficacy. Although different long-term evaluations are still pending, the KLUGentscheiden! intervention provides an important tool to train complex decision-making in high-school students. It also has the potential to apply to other career choices of young individuals, such as choosing majors, a final thesis, a job, or a field of work.     

基于决策树方法的欠发达地区城市居民旅游花费偏好研究--以江西赣州、吉安为例

以江西赣州和吉安两地为例,研究欠发达地区城市居民的旅游花费预算及其影响因素。首先,通过线性回归分析初步筛选了影响旅游花费预算的相关因素。然后,通过决策树分析方法,探明旅游花费预算的影响因素构成,证实了旅游天数、住宿设施类型选择、月收入水平是旅游花费预算的最有效预测变量,且这四者之间存在一定的非线性关系,由此细分出5类花费特征显著的潜在消费者群体。     

Rejoinder: A Further Discussion of Job Analysis and Use of KSAs in Developing Licensure and Certification Examinations: A Response to LaDuca

In his commentary to our paper on the use of knowledge, skill, and ability statements in developing credentialing examinations ( Wang, Schnipke, & Witt, 2005 ), Dr. LaDuca set forth his concerns while commending our paper for providing helpful insights into the importance of careful delineation of KSAs. We believe that there is little substantive disagreement between our position and Dr. LaDuca's. Based on the counterarguments offered in his commentary, we believe that some misunderstanding occurred regarding our main point. Our response here further clarifies our main point to address Dr. LaDuca's criticisms. Additional explanations are provided to indicate that our paper is intended to address job analysis issues over a broader and diverse array of professions/occupations/fields, and our perspective is not limited to the context of credentialing physicians. We recommend that, for such professions/occupations/fields for which task inventory constitutes an appropriate approach to job analysis, the use of KSAs should be considered to establish a linkage between the credentialing examination and the job tasks.