Balancing technology and physician-patient knowledge through an unlearning context

The Spanish health care system has undergone important changes with regard to the development of new homecare services known as “Hospital in the Home”. This paper investigates the approaches that hospital in the home units (HHUs) have used to update physician/patient knowledge and the technology knowledge of their members and relates them to an unlearning context and improvement in the quality of health services. These relationships are examined through an empirical investigation of 55 doctors and 62 nurses belonging to 44 HHUs. The research findings suggest that the key benefits of an unlearning context in HHUs are clear: it enables them to identify and replace poor practices and also avoids the reinvention of the wheel; it enables cost reduction by minimizing unnecessary work caused by the use of poor methods; and it enables improvements in services to patients.     

Theory-based model of factors affecting information overload

As the volume of available information increases, individuals and organisations become overwhelmed by the plethora of information. This can reduce productivity and performance, hinder learning and innovation, affect decision making and well-being and cost organisations large amounts of money. This paper develops a new theory-based model of factors affecting information overload and provides a formula for calculating the extent of overload, potentially of use as a diagnostic tool supporting individual or organisational development.     

A compact static double-array keeping character codes

A trie represented by a double-array enables us to search a key fast with a small space. However, the double-array uses extra space to be updated dynamically. This paper presents a compact structure for a static double-array. The new structure keeps character codes instead of indices in order to compress elements of the double-array. In addition, the new structure unifies common suffixes and consists of less elements than the old structure. Experimental results for English keys show that the new structure reduces space usage of the double-array up to 40%.     

Emergency knowledge management and social media technologies: A case study of the 2010 Haitian earthquake

The US response to the 2010 Haiti Earthquake was a large effort coordinated by three major agencies that worked in tandem with the Government of Haiti, the United Nations, and many countries from around the globe. Managing this response effort was a complex undertaking that relied extensively on knowledge management systems (KMS). For the first time, however, US government agencies employed social media technologies such as wikis and collaborative workspaces as the main knowledge sharing mechanisms. In this research we present a case study developed through action research of how these social media technologies were used, what influences they made on knowledge sharing, reuse, and decision-making, and how knowledge was effectively (and at times ineffectively) maintained in these systems. First-hand knowledge of the response is used, offering strategies for future deployment of social media and important research questions that remain regarding social media as knowledge management systems, particularly for disaster and emergency management.     

Ferroelectric liquid crystals: The 2004 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Physics presented to Robert B. Meyer of Brandeis University

In a theoretical examination of the structures of liquid crystal phases, Robert B. Meyer in 1975 creatively utilized symmetry arguments to predict that tilted, layered liquid crystal phases of chiral molecules are ferroelectric. He then engaged the help of organic chemists to synthesize a compound that might possess such a phase, and once the material was in his hands, Meyer not only verified its ferroelectricity, but also suggested how such a phase could be used for extremely fast displays. This discovery of ferroelectricity in a fluid system with the possibility for unique applications surprised the entire condensed matter research community and quickly paved the way for both increased scientific understanding and significant technological advancement. For this creative synthesis of theory and experiment, Meyer was awarded the 2004 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Physics.     

Promoting creativity in PhD supervision: Tensions and dilemmas

In this paper we argue that the processes of collaborative creativity are just as important within the sociocultural context of PhD supervisory practice, as they are in other organizational and educational settings. In order to test this claim a series of interviews with supervisors and students were undertaken to uncover the pedagogic processes used to encourage and support creativity within supervision sessions. The findings from this small-scale study suggest that whilst the more formal instruction and monitoring processes that lead to the acquisition of transferrable research skills are both usefully and necessary aspects of doctoral training, the more open-ended and creative developments required at this level of study should be given equal weight. There needs to be space, time and encouragement for the types of interactions identified here (e.g. informal reflection, relationship building with peers and supervisor, playful exploration and risk taking) as well as mandatory skills development.     

Multilingualism as legitimate shared repertoires in school communities of practice: students’ and teachers’ discursive constructions of languages in two schools in England

This paper reports on the findings of a 12-month project within a broader research programme that looks at a group of East European students with English as an Additional Language (EAL) in England. The data are derived from interviews with the students and teachers in two schools. The findings show that EAL students had a keen interest in English. This attitude contrasted with their reluctance to use and talk about their home language, as a result of language loss and fear of being bullied. Teachers’ attitudes towards languages were also mixed, ranging from support for ‘free use of languages’, to ‘restricted use of home language’, and to ‘use of English only’. The paper further argues that multilingualism can be theorised as legitimate shared repertoires of school communities of practice. Practical implications are drawn which suggest that students’ and teachers’ voices should be acted upon and translated into school language policies.     

The utilitarian and hedonic outcomes of music information-seeking in everyday life

This qualitative study focuses on what contributes to making a music information-seeking experience satisfying in the context of everyday life. Data were collected through in-depth interviews conducted with 15 younger adults (18 to 29 years old). The analysis revealed that satisfaction could depend on both hedonic (i.e., experiencing pleasure) and utilitarian outcomes. It was found that two types of utilitarian outcomes contributed to satisfaction: (1) the acquisition of music, and (2) the acquisition of information about music. Information about music was gathered to (1) enrich the listening experience, (2) increase one's music knowledge, and/or (3) optimize future acquisition. This study contributes to a better understanding of music information-seeking behavior in recreational contexts. It also has implications for music information retrieval systems design: results suggest that these systems should be engaging, include a wealth of extra-musical information, allow users to navigate among music items, and encourage serendipitous encountering of music.     

New regulatory institution for the convergence of broadcasting and telecommunications: A Korean case

This paper addresses a new case for the convergent regulatory institution for broadcasting and telecommunications in Korea. This paper emphasizes that, when considering a convergent regulatory body, Korea's main principle to establish is a reflection of the paradigm shift of convergence and IT industry. The proposal of the Korean Communications Commission addresses that as a prior factor. This paper deals with three characteristics in establishing the KCC: accommodating policy making and regulation together within a single institution; choosing a commission model as a new organizational type, which inherits a broadcasting legacy to ensure diversity and independence; combining content and network sector together. This paper attempts to show that the Korean model gives a power to the convergent regulatory institution to make the country remain one of the leading countries in information and communication sector as well as implement convergence of broadcasting and telecommunications successfully.