Poor Service Research Articles

تقدير الكفاءة الاقتصادية والفنية لمشاريع تسمين العجول في محافظة واسط للعام 2022

Calf breeding and fattening projects in general are considered the main source of meat production in Iraq. This vital and widespread sector is considered the largest in Wasit Governorate. There are a significant number of fields specialized in raising and fattening calves. Despite the increase in production that the owners of these fields have experienced, these Owners face difficulties in obtaining expensive feed and poor vaccines, veterinary services and treatments imported and controlled by the private sector, which has led to high economic costs. Calf fattening projects have similar social and economic advantages. Calf fattening, which is a sub-sector of the livestock sector, has an important role in transforming... Calves turn into high-quality and efficient beef through economic use. Increased live weight, feed intake, feed efficiency and capacity, and the relationship between profitability are direct factors on calf breeding and fattening projects. The results showed that the total costs (fixed and variable) for the average projects in the sample amounted to approximately (136,779) one hundred and thirty-six million, seven hundred and seventy-nine thousand Iraqi dinars. Through the results, it was shown that the variable costs have a greater relative importance in the calf rearing and fattening projects in the study area than the fixed costs, and the other costs are due to the prices of the calves upon purchase (before the start of the fattening cycle), so their percentage reached (61.46%) of the total total costs, while the cost amounted to (61.46%). Net sale of one calf after fattening (2009000) is two million and nine thousand dinars The economic efficiency and its components for the calf rearing and fattening projects in the study sample were estimated using the DEAP data envelopment analysis method and according to the cost function variables in light of the resources used and their prices assuming changing returns to scale. The economic efficiency and its components, both the technical and Allocative efficiency of the calf breeders in the study sample, were estimated using the data envelopment analysis method (DEAP), and the results of the estimates of economic (EE), technical (TE), and Allocative (AE) efficiency were confirmed. By reviewing these results, it was found that the level of technical efficiency of the study sample ranged Between a minimum of about 72.4%) and a maximum of 100%), with an average of (97.5%). As for the number of fields that achieved full efficiency (100%), it reached 30 fields, and a percentage of (60%) was formed. As for the fields that achieved efficiency between (%80-100%) reached (49) fields, and as for the fields that achieved technical efficiency (72.4%), it was one field.

Cloud Manufacturing Service Composition Optimization Based on Improved Chaos Sparrow Search Algorithm with Time-Varying Reliability and Credibility Evaluation

The economic friction and political conflicts between some countries and regions have made multinational corporations increasingly focus on the reliability and credibility of manufacturing supply chains. In view of the impact of poor manufacturing entity reliability and service reputation on the new-era manufacturing industry, the time-varying reliability and time-varying credibility of cloud manufacturing (CMfg) services were studied from the perspective of combining nature and society. Taking time-varying reliability, time-varying credibility, composition complexity, composition synergy, execution time, and execution cost as objective functions, a new six-dimension comprehensive evaluation model of service quality was constructed. To solve the optimization problem, this study proposes an improved chaos sparrow search algorithm (ICSSA), where the Bernoulli chaotic mapping formula was introduced to improve the basic sparrow search algorithm (BSSA), and the position calculation formulas of the explorer sparrow and the scouter sparrow were enhanced. The Bernoulli chaotic operator changed the symmetry of the BSSA, increased the uncertainty and randomness of the explorer sparrow position in the new algorithm, and affected the position update and movement strategies of the follower and scouter sparrows. The asymmetric chaotic characteristic brought better global search ability and optimization performance to the ICSSA. The comprehensive performance of the service composition (SvcComp) scheme was evaluated by calculating weighted relative deviation based on six evaluation elements. The WFG and DTLZ series test functions were selected, and the inverse generation distance (IGD) index and hyper volume (HV) index were used to compare and evaluate the convergence and diversity of the ICSSA, BSSA, PSO, SGA, and NSGA-III algorithms through simulation analysis experiments. The test results indicated that the ICSSA outperforms the BSSA, PSO, SGA, and NSGA-III in the vast majority of testing issues. Finally, taking disinfection robot manufacturing tasks as an example, the effectiveness of the proposed CMfg SvcComp optimization model and the ICSSA were verified. The case study results showed that the proposed ICSSA had faster convergence speed and better comprehensive performance for the CMfg SvcComp optimization problem compared with the BSSA, PSO, SGA, and NSGA-III.

Empowerment of the Urban Poor by Social Services in the Town of Pekanbaru

Poverty is a very complex and multidimensional phenomenon. As far as the background of this research is concerned, poverty will lead to the emergence of social impacts. The purpose of this study is to analyze the empowerment program carried out by the social services of the city of Pekanbaru in combating poverty. To find out the implementation of the social service program of the new town in empowerment of urban poor communities, there are four indicators that are the benchmark, namely human building, enterprise building, institution building, and environment building. The type of researcher used in this study is qualitative with a descriptive approach. Data collection techniques with interviews, observations and documentation. As a result of research, poverty can be eradicated through PKH programmes, BPNT, disability building and UMKM building. Obstacles in empowering urban poor communities are: inadequate targeted assistance, lack of knowledge and knowledge in the use of technology in UMKM construction, and poor service obtained by people with disabilities

Framing negative eWOM via conjunctions: The language of customer communication in the luxury hotel sector on social media

In the digital age, social media has a significant impact on consumer perceptions. This business communication study examines the linguistic strategies used to express and repair negative electronic word of mouth (eWOM) in Hong Kong’s luxury hotel sector. The data, which were collected from travel forums, consist of 17,344 words from online hotel reviews (11,647 words) and responses (5,697 words) made by the visitors and senior hotel management of 18 five-star hotels. Using systemic functional linguistics as a framework, this study analyses the logical relations that exist between expectant and concessive conjunctions, as well as the evaluative judgment resources present in an appraisal system. The analysis focuses on the poor service standards framed in the complaints and how the hotel management responds to such situations differently, particularly with respect to repairing customer expectations. This study also examines how loyal fans and frequent travellers present their customer identity when dealing with service-related issues. By developing an understanding of how luxury hotels manage customer complaints, repair customer relationships, and protect their brand reputation through dynamic interactions, this study can provide valuable communication insights for the hotel sector.

Zn doped CeO2 supporting Ni–Pt catalysts toward robust hydrogen generation from hydrous hydrazine

Ni-based bimetallic catalysts with noble metals exhibit high activity and selectivity for hydrogen generation from hydrazine monohydrate. However, their poor service durability remains a critical challenge. This study investigated the use of Zn-doped CeO2 as a support for Ni–Pt catalysts to improve their long-term stability. A series of Ni–Pt/Zn-doped-CeO2 catalysts were prepared via a simple co-precipitation and reduction method. Compared to the pristine Ni50Pt50/CeO2 catalyst, the Zn doping can improve the stability of CeO2 support in the alkaline condition, and the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis clearly indicates that Zn doping leads to a negative shift in the binding energy of connected Ni and thus enhances the stability of the electronic structure in the catalysts. The findings in this work suggest that Zn-modified CeO2 supporting Ni–Pt catalyst offer a promising approach to achieving a better balance between activity and durability for hydrogen generation catalysts.

EXPLORING THE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE OF E-COMMERCE COMPANIES THROUGH A DIGITAL MARKETING AND LOGISTICS CONTEXT

Purpose - The main objective of this research is to analyze e-commerce companies in a digital marketing and logistics context to better understand the future of e-commerce companies. Methodology - This manuscript has included updated literature and real examples to explore the new challenges facing e-commerce firms in marketing, logistics, and sustainability terms. Findings- The results reveal that Amazon, JD.com, and Alibaba companies with their autonomous distribution have a huge competitive advantage against their main competitors because they do not depend on external logistics companies, their parcel shipments are more personalized, and they reduce time and costs in their processes. Nevertheless, when e-commerce companies depend on external distribution, the quality of their parcel shipment services is highly dependent on logistics firms’ ability to provide excellent service to their consumers. Sometimes, consumers’ satisfaction is related to parcel shipments by logistics companies, which may be affected by poor services or even parcels arriving too late, and possibly customers will be dissatisfied. Conclusion- In the light of the information obtained because of the research, the sustainable future of e-commerce companies will lie in their efficiency and efficacy management, the sustainability of the environment, logistics services, technological innovations, and marketing strategies to increase sales conversion and cover new consumers’ needs.

Assessing the Gap Between Women's Expectations and Perceptions of the Quality of Intrapartum Care in Jordan: A Two-Stage Study Using the SERVQUAL Model.

Although Jordan has made significant progress toward expanding the utilization of facility-based intrapartum care, prior research highlights that poor service quality is still persistent. This study aimed to identify quality gaps between women's expectations and perceptions of the actual intrapartum care received, while exploring the contributing factors. Utilizing a pre-post design, quality gaps in intrapartum care were assessed among 959 women pre- and postchildbirth at a prominent tertiary hospital in northern Jordan. Data were gathered using the SERVQUAL scale, measuring service quality across reliability, responsiveness, tangibles, assurance, and empathy dimensions. The overall mean gap score between women's expectations and perceptions of the quality of intrapartum care was -0.60 (±0.56). The lowest and highest mean gap scores were found to be related to tangibles and assurance dimensions, -0.24 (±0.39) and -0.88 (±0.35), respectively. Significant negative quality gaps were identified in the dimensions of assurance, empathy, and responsiveness, as well as overall service quality (p < 0.001). The MLR analyses highlighted education (β = 0.61), mode of birth (β = -0.60), admission timing (β = -0.41), continuity of midwifery care (β = -0.43), physician's gender (β = -0.62), active labour duration (β = 0.37), and pain management (β = -0.33) to be the key determinants of the overall quality gap in intrapartum care. Our findings underscore the importance of fostering a labour environment that prioritizes enhancing caregivers' empathetic, reassuring, and responsive skills to minimize service quality gaps and enhance the overall childbirth experience for women in Jordan. This paper is a collaborative effort involving women with lived experiences of childbirth, midwives, and obstetrics and gynaecologist physicians. The original idea, conceptualization, data generation, and coproduction, including manuscript editing, were shaped by the valuable contributions of stakeholders with unique perspectives on intrapartum care in Jordan.

Corrosion-Resistant Organic Superamphiphobic Coatings

In recent years, organic superhydrophobic coatings have emerged as a promising direction for the protection of metal substrates due to their excellent liquid-repelling properties. Nonetheless, these coatings face challenges such as poor mechanical robustness and short service lives, which have limited their development and garnered attention from numerous researchers. Over time, researchers have gained a deeper understanding of superhydrophobic coatings and have published many related articles. Nevertheless, the lack of logical organization and systematic summarization of research focus in this field hinders its advancement. Therefore, the main purpose of this review is to clarify the design principles and working mechanisms of organic superhydrophobic coatings, as well as to summarize and synthesize the latest research on different aspects of superhydrophobic coatings, including liquid-repellent performance, wear resistance, adhesion, antibacterial properties, and self-healing properties. By employing decoupling mechanisms to study each performance aspect separately, this review aims to provide references for extending the service life of organic superhydrophobic coatings.

An Analytical Study on the Logic of Tourism Consumption Policies under the Perspective of Multi-Stream Theory in the Post-Epidemic Era---Taking Harbin City as an Example

In recent years, the tourism industry was one of the first sectors to be seriously affected by the New Crown epidemic. Therefore, in the post-epidemic era, China has introduced a series of policies to promote tourism consumption. Based on a multiple streams perspective, this paper explores the internal logic behind the formulation of tourism consumption policies by taking Harbin City as an example, which involves issues, policies, and political perspectives. The study finds that there are problems, policies, and politics behind the formulation of a policy and the setting of an agenda at the social level. Problem streams such as the single structure of tourism consumption and poor service quality are the main sources of policy change; the research results of experts and scholars are the policy stream of policy change; and social opinion and the direction of national sentiment are the political stream of policy change. The three streams converge at a certain point in time and open the window of policy. To further promote the development and improvement of the tourism consumption market, Harbin City should establish a sense of the problem and adhere to the problem orientation in the future; widely solicit suggestions and adhere to the policy formulation from multiple angles; and uphold the concept of service and create a good public opinion environment.

The Development and Challenges of Digital Government in the Intelligent Era

With the advent of the intelligent era, there is a need to leverage the empowering effects of data and construct a digital government governance system. Currently, driven by a reform mindset, innovative concepts, robust resource integration and implementation capabilities, as well as complementary technological advancements and innovative practices, the digital government exhibits governance characteristics of infrastructure cloudification, full-touchpoint digitization, online business processes, and data-driven operations. Its transformation logic reflects the interactive philosophy of flat communication, collaborative sharing of government data, optimization of precise service delivery, and the effective output of scientific decision-making. Despite its powerful governance effectiveness, digital government governance still faces challenges such as slow response to departmental needs, data silos, poor service collaboration, and weak business consistency. A comprehensive deepening of government digital transformation in the future requires innovative concepts, transitioning from information dissemination to intelligent applications, data innovation transitioning from data silos to data circulation and sharing, service innovation transitioning from function-driven to demand-driven by society, and decision-making innovation transitioning from unilateral decisions to collaborative, participatory, and shared decision-making. This will ultimately enhance the governance effectiveness of digital government.

The Study of Tourist Experience in Historical and Cultural Towns Based on Online Texts: A Case Study of Gongtan Ancient Town

This paper takes Gongtan Ancient Town of Chongqing as a case study, takes the online comment text of tourists on the websites of Ctrip and Dianping as data, analyzes the online text through content analysis, and uses ROST CM-6 software to conduct word frequency, emotion and semantic network analysis, aiming to deeply explore the tourist experience of Gongtan Ancient Town. The results show that: (1) Tourists' experience of Gongtan Ancient Town consists of five dimensions: tourist destination perception, sensory experience, physical and mental experience, tourist destination characteristic experience and service experience. (2) Natural scenery, local characteristics and service guarantee are the main tourist attractions of Gongtan Ancient Town.(3) Tourists' overall experience and perception of tourism in Gongtan Ancient Town tend to be positive emotions. Tourists' dissatisfaction mainly comes from heavy traffic jams during holidays, poor service attitude of staff and poor accommodation conditions. (4) The semantic network is divided into three levels: the core area is the tourists' objective cognition of the scenic spot name and location; The sub-core circle is the cultural cognition of the ancient town and the characteristic architecture and activity projects; The edge layer is the image characteristic cognition and tourism evaluation of the ancient town. In addition, some optimization suggestions are put forward for the existing problems of Gongtan Ancient Town. The research results not only provide a scientific basis for the tourism development and construction of Gongtan Ancient town, but also provide a reference for the optimization of tourist experience in other ancient towns.

Access to maternal health services for Indigenous women in low- and middle-income countries: an updated integrative review of the literature from 2018 to 2023.

Ninety-seven per cent of Indigenous Peoples live in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). A previous systematic integrative review of articles published between 2000 and 2017 identified numerous barriers for Indigenous women in LMICs in accessing maternal healthcare services. It is timely given the aim of achieving Universal Health Coverage in six years' time, by 2030, to undertake another review. This article updates the previous review exploring the recent available literature on Indigenous women's access to maternal health services in LMICs identifying barriers to services. An integrative review of literature published between 2018 and 2023 was undertaken. This review followed a systematic process using Whittemore and Knafl's five-step framework for integrative reviews and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A total of 944 articles were identified from six databases: Academic Search Premier, MEDLINE, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, APA PsycInfo, CINAHL Plus with Full Text and APA PsycArticles (through EBSCOhost). The search was undertaken on 16 January 2023. After screening of the title/abstract and the full text using inclusion and exclusion criteria 26 articles were identified. Critical appraisal resulted in 24 articles being included in the review. Data were extracted using a matrix informed by Penchansky and Thomas's taxonomy, extended by Saurman, which focused on six dimensions of access to health care: affordability, accessibility, availability, accommodation, acceptability and awareness. Ten studies took place in Asia, 10 studies were from the Americas and four studies took place in the African region. Seventeen articles were qualitative, two were quantitative and five were mixed methods. The methods for the integrative review were prespecified in a protocol, registered at Open Science Framework. Barriers identified included affordability; community awareness of services including poor communication between providers and women; the availability of services, with staff often missing from the facilities; poor quality services, which did not consider the cultural and spiritual needs of Indigenous Peoples; an overreliance on the biomedical model; a lack of facilities to enable appropriate maternal care; services that did not accommodate the everyday needs of women, including work and family responsibilities; lack of understanding of Indigenous cultures from health professionals; and evidence of obstetric violence and mistreatment of Indigenous women. Barriers to Indigenous women's access to maternal health services are underpinned by the social exclusion and marginalisation of Indigenous Peoples. Empowerment of Indigenous women and communities in LMICs is required as well as initiatives to challenge the stigmatisation and marginalisation that they face. The importance of community involvement in design and interventions that support the political and human rights of Indigenous Peoples are required. Limitations of this review include the possibility of missing articles as it was sometimes unclear from the articles whether a particular group was from an Indigenous community. More research on access to services in the postnatal period is still needed, as well as quality quantitative research. There is also a lack of research on Indigenous groups in North Africa, and in sub-Saharan Africa - especially hunter-gatherer groups - as well as the impact of COVID-19 on access to services.

A phenomenological qualitative study of male-partners perspectives of maternity waiting homes in rural Ethiopia

BackgroundThe implementation of maternity waiting home (MWH) has been used as a strategy to improve maternal health outcomes in low-resource settings such as Ethiopia. However, MWH utilization is low in Ethiopia, and women's access to MWH depends largely on male partners' decisions. This study explored male-partners perspectives of MWHs including their experiences of paternal support in rural Ethiopia. Study designAn exploratory qualitative study with a phenomenological methodological orientation was performed. MethodsThis study was conducted in Ana-Lemo and Gibe districts of Hadiya Zone, in rural Southern Ethiopia. The study participants were male partners. A purposive sampling technique was used to recruit 47 participants. Data were collected from May 10–25, 2023. Four focus group discussions, 15 in-depth interviews, and observations were conducted. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and the thematic content analysis was performed using ATLAS.ti 7.1.4 software. ResultsThis study showed that male-partners participated in spousal communication and provided practical support such as sharing household chores and financial support; however, they did not accompany their spouses to health facilities. Long distances, lack of transportation, poor referral services, and perceived poor quality of care were barriers to maternal health services. Furthermore, male-partners demonstrated poor awareness and unfavorable attitudes of MWHs. ConclusionsMale-partners participated in spousal communication, shared household chores and provided financial support to their spouses; however, they did not accompany them to health facilities. They had poor awareness and unfavorable attitudes of MWHs. Creating awareness among male partners may improve their attitude towards MWHs and other maternal health services in rural Ethiopia.

A Political Economy Analysis of Social Work’s Development in China: A Social Development Perspective

This paper examines the phenomenal growth of social work in China and the complexities and challenges faced by the profession and related stakeholders in the context of neoliberal economic practice within a hierarchical top-down political system. It proposes developmental social work as a viable indigenous social work practice mode. This analysis based on a collection of academic papers and relevant government reports sheds light on the interplay between welfare developmentalism, institutional dynamics, and professional challenges in the broader sociopolitical context, not least the neoliberal co-optation of social development aligned increasingly with economic goals to the detriment of broader social and structural issues. It shows how the political parameters of the Chinese Communist Party and its pursuit of community integration and social development shaped China’s approach to social work. It sees the necessity for a system of welfare services to address socio-structural issues and the indigenization and cultural adaption of social work in China as an expressly political process. Regarding the former, the government’s strategy of outsourcing public services to accord with its agenda has resulted in a contractual relationship between social organizations, including nongovernment and social work organizations, and the state. This has limited the independence and hindered the development of a strong civil society, and curtailed social workers’ autonomy, exacerbating professional challenges relating inter alia to the low number of qualified social work practitioners, limited job opportunities outside major urban centers, high staff turnover, and poor quality services provided by those without formal social work training. To enhance professional recognition in China, the paper suggests a holistic developmental approach that involves the resolution of individual problems through investing in people, helping them to build their capacity, drawing on social capital, and capitalizing on market opportunities to promote self-reliance, thereby contributing to community and social development.

Exploring factors of service adoption using SERVQUAL paradigm: Its impact on millennials’ adoption of services in the self-drive rental sector

The self-drive rental sector has witnessed exponential growth in recent years due to rising demand for long and short-distance drives among millennials. This study aims to investigate the quality of services in the self-driving rental sector and its impact on customer adoption or rejection of service in India. The conceptual framework was developed using the SERVQUAL model and other important factors affecting consumers’ service adoption. A quantitative research method was deployed, and data were gathered through a survey method using a structured questionnaire (based on a 5-point Likert scale). The sample size comprised 385 respondents, 23-38 years old millennials (with 69% of males and 31% of females). The population sample was chosen from Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore, India. The data were collected in March 2023. The factor and regression analyses were applied along with chi-square and SEM analyses to test the research hypotheses. The results indicated that the absence of low prices (42%), customer assistance (28 %), and security issues is responsible for consumer rejection. The factors leading to dissatisfaction are the absence of consumer schemes and discounts, a lack of staff interaction and assistance, and poor service quality. The brands must focus on the negative impact arising from the absence of these factors and effectively address the areas of improvement to regain customer trust and garner customer loyalty.

Utilization of Sexual Reproductive Health Services Among Youths in Malaysia: A Cross-Sectional Study Applying Andersen's Behavioral Model of Healthcare Utilization.

Background The sexual well-being of youths is crucial as it establishes the foundation for their sexual health throughout their lives. Malaysia's Ministry of Health (MOH) mainly delivers sexual reproductive health (SRH) services. Besides MOH, the National Population Family Development Board (NPFDB), under the purview of the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development and Federation of Reproductive Health Association Malaysia, works closely with MOH to ensure the delivery of SRH information and services. Despite the availability of SRH services in Malaysia, it is uncertain whether youths are aware of and utilize these services. This study aims to identify factors that affect the utilization of SRH services among youths aged 18-24 years in Malaysia. Methodology This web-based, cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2022 to June 2022 using a self-administered pre-tested questionnaire. Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Service Utilization was used to identify the variables included in the survey. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine factors significantly associated with the utilization of SRH services. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) with a p-value <0.05 were considered to denote statistical significance. Results A total of 617 youths aged 18-24 years participated in the survey. Only 20.4% (n = 126) of youths had visited SRH services in their entire life, and only 8.4% (n = 52) of youths had visited SRH services in the past year. Predisposing factors such as age, marital status, exposure to SRH information from family and governmental agencies such as the NPFDB, enabling factors such as availability and comfort of SRH services, and need factors such as youths diagnosed with SRH-related diseases were significantly associated with SRH utilization. The older age group (20-24 years old) was more likely to utilize SRH services compared to the 18-19-year age group (AOR = 1.634, 95% CI = 1.041, 2.564, p = 0.033). Married participants were three times more likely to utilize SRH services than single participants (AOR = 2.910, 95% CI = 1.356, 6.249, p = 0.006). Participants who vaped had more odds of utilizing SRH services (AOR = 1.793, 95% CI = 1.014, 3.174, p = 0.045) The group of participants exposed to information on SRH from family had more odds of utilizing SRH service than those who did not receive information on SRH from the family (AOR = 1.964, 95% CI = 1.229, 3.138, p = 0.005). Likewise, participants who received SRH information from governmental agencies were more likely to utilize SRH services (AOR = 1.929, 95% CI = 1.202, 3.095, p = 0.006). Enabling factors that were associated with SRH utilization were the availability of services, described as self-buying medicine in pharmacies (AOR = 1.830, 95% CI = 1.184, 2.855, p = 0.007), and the comfortability of services (AOR = 1.928, 95% CI = 1.250, 2.974, p = 0.003). Youths who were diagnosed with SRH diseases (need factor) were four times more likely to utilize SRH services (AOR = 4.490, 95% CI = 1.935, 10.410, p < 0.001). Conclusions There is generally poor SRH service utilization and awareness among youths in Malaysia, which could be improved. The findings of this study can be used to influence SRH providers to offer a more age-targeted awareness program to meet the various SRH needs of youths.

Barriers to equitable healthcare services for under-five children in Ethiopia: a qualitative exploratory study

BackgroundDisparities in child healthcare service utilization are unacceptably high in Ethiopia. Nevertheless, little is known about underlying barriers to accessing child health services, especially among low socioeconomic subgroups and in remote areas. This study aims to identify barriers to equity in the use of child healthcare services in Ethiopia.MethodsData were obtained from 20 key- informant interviews (KII) and 6 focus group discussions (FGD) with mothers and care givers. This study was conducted in Oromia Region, Arsi Zone, Zuway Dugda District from June 1–30, 2023. The study participants for this research were selected purposively. The information was collected based on the principle of saturation after sixteen consecutives interview were conducted. Both KII and FGD were audio-recorded and complementary notes were taken to record observations about the participants’ comments and their interactions. Each interview and FGD data were transcribed word-for-word in the local Afaan Oromo and Amaharic languages and then translated to English language. Finally, the data were analyzed thematically using NVivo 14 software and narrated in the linked pattern of child health service utilization.ResultsThis study identified six major themes which emerged as barriers to healthcare utilization equity for caregivers and their -under-five children. Barriers related to equity in low level of awareness regarding need, low socioeconomic status, geographical inaccessibility, barriers related to deficient healthcare system, community perception and cultural restrictions, and barriers of equity related to political instability and conflict. The most commonly recognized barriers of equity at the community level were political instability, conflict, and a tremendous distance to a health facility. Transportation challenges, poor functional services, closure of the health facility in working hours, and lack of proper planning to address the marginalized populations were identified barriers of equity at organizational or policy level.ConclusionThis study showed that inequity in child healthcare utilization is an important challenge confronting Ethiopia. To achieve equity, policy makers and planners need to change health policy and structure to be pro-poor. It is also necessary to improve the healthcare system to increase service utilization and access for impoverished women, individuals with lower levels of education, and residents of isolated rural areas. Furthermore, context specific information pertaining to cultural barriers and political ecology are required.

Exploring the Scarcity of Municipal Resources as Contributors to Illegal Strikes and Protests in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa

The shortage of resources at municipalities are a national problem in so many ways. By lacking resources and maintenance municipalities are unable to provide communities with quality service delivery. This article aims to highlight the impact of scarcity of resources in the City of Tshwane (CoT) Metropolitan Municipality which bring about illegal and unprotected strikes by employees, and protests by the local community. When residents or employees are unhappy with poor municipal services, be it no water or electricity for days, poor service delivery, low employee salaries or better working conditions, people tend to take to the streets and show their discontentment with lack of proper services by local government. Strikes and protests arise for a number of reasons, though principally in response to economic conditions. When employees strike for better wages or residence for proper services, both demonstrations have an impact on the economic welfare of any country. The methodological rigor of this paper is ethnographical in nature and data was collected through literature study. Major contributions is to identify advanced methods of policing through intelligence gathering and enforcement when or before illegal strikes and protests take place. This will assist in eliminating fear from the public, tourists, non-striking employees, law enforcement officers and local business operators, etc. The implications should instill the norm of zero tolerance to violence and intimidation, and punishments are inevitable within the prescripts of the law of the Republic of South Africa. Enforcing the law by ensuring that legal mechanisms are reactive and punitive will hinder anyone to partake in illegal strikes or protests.

Gendered risks: access to and utilization of sexual and reproductive health services among young migrants in Southwestern Uganda: the role of the 'lending a hand' intervention.

Young migrants may engage in risky behaviours due to social, economic, and psychological challenges as they try to "get by" in their new host communities. This can result in unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections including HIV, and poor mental health outcomes.During a study to test the feasibility and acceptability of an early intervention to reduce the harm of patterns of risk associated with migration, we assessed access to and utilization of sexual and reproductive health services (SRH) among recent migrants (14-24 years) in south-western Uganda. The intervention conducted in 2022/23 involved training peer supporters to provide referral advice and support to young people. Between March-November 2022, 20 young migrants (11 males and 9 females) were purposively selected to participate in two in-depth interviews each to explore their experiences during the intervention. Data were analysed thematically. Women engaged in transactional sex to supplement their low pay while men got involved in risky behaviour once they had earned some money. Many suffered from sexually transmitted infections-related symptoms, were at risk for HIV infection and some women had fears of unwanted pregnancy. While some tried to seek for SRH services from public facilities, poor health service delivery such as long queues and shortages of drugs, discouraged them from going there. Young people tried to access treatment from private facilities but could not afford the costs. The intervention increased knowledge about SRH and supported young people to access services from the public health facilities at no cost thus increasing utilization. Sexual health risks were experienced differently by women and men. The women were likely to experience symptoms related to sexually transmitted infections (including HIV) much earlier than men and this could increase their likelihood to engage with SRH services. The intervention served to increase men's readiness to access SRH services by providing them at a time and place that is convenient. Recognizing the different risk profiles of young people is important in tailoring appropriate interventions to promote equitable access and utilization of SRH services for both genders in this vulnerable population.

Xenophobia: a hindrance factor to South Africa’s ambition of becoming a developmental state

The prevalence of xenophobic violence toward foreigners has hindered South Africa’s ambition to become a developmental state since 2007, when the concept of a “democratic developmental state” was first endorsed during the African National Congress (ANC) conference in Polokwane. This ambition has also been thwarted by the inability of the post-apartheid regime to provide adequate and sustainable services to the citizens. Xenophobia has disrupted economic growth and has contributed to poor service delivery in local municipalities, thus leading to social protests. The developmental state depends mainly on a solid balance of economic growth and human development. It also leans on the capacity of the state to establish policies that address poverty and promote the expansion of solid economic opportunities. In this endeavor, migrants increase economic growth and make it sustainable, increase productivity, and promote the labor market. They also promote the labor force and human capital, economic growth, and public finance, thus enabling the realization of a developmental state. However, xenophobia has limited migrants’ contributions to economic growth and social well-being in South Africa. It has destructive effects on South Africa’s economic structure and growth, thus affecting the delivery of adequate services that would enhance its ability to achieve a developmental state. The paper recommends that there is a need for South Africa to understand that xenophobia affects economic growth and the service delivery framework. To address the prevalence of xenophobia and achieve its ambition of a developmental state, South Africa needs to hasten its responses to curb xenophobia and integrate migrants into economic opportunities. The paper adopted a qualitative research methodology and conceptual and document analysis techniques to collect data that enabled the achievement of the above assertions.