Professional Service Providers Research Articles

Increasing self-compassion and state-mindfulness to maintain mental health of health care professionals through e-WellMind App: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Work pressure and tight schedules have an effect on mood swings, boredom and burnout. This pressure has an impact on the quality of interaction between doctors/nurses and patients. This situation also has an impact on service providers who have the potential to experience mental health problems. Objective: This study was conducted to determine the effect of the e-WellMind digital application on self-compassion and state-mindfulness of professional health service providers in maintaining mental health. Method: The use of the Wellmind application is for 60 training sessions, with a duration of 5-10 minutes. This activity was attended by 22 health care professionals and 21 other people did not participate in this program. The effect of the Wellmind application was measured before and after the intervention was changes in self-compassion and state-mindfulness in health care professionals. This data is sourced from on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.0zpc8672x. Results: The results showed that both groups had the same characteristics (homogeneous) for the variables of self-compassion (mean±SD) (28.8±6.93; p=0.680) and state-mindfulness (29.6±08.; p=0.564). There was a significant change after the application of the e-WellInd application to self-compassion (d1=.649; 95%CI=-.360 to -.035; p=.000; d2=.479; 95%CI= -.509 to -.100; p=.002 and trait-mindfulness (d1=.761; 95%CI=-39.3001 sampai -8.346; p=.010; d2=.634; 95%CI= -4.242 sampai -3.358; p=.023). Conclusions: The application of the e-WellMind digital application has an impact on protecting self-compassion and trait-mindfulness health care professionals in maintaining and maintaining mental health.

A STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF SERVICE QUALITY ON CUSTOMER REVISIT INTENTION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICE COMPANIES: USING CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND DISEASE AWARENESS AS MEDIATING VARIABLES

In today's society, mental health issues are receiving increasing attention, and numerous psychological service companies have emerged as providers of professional mental health services. However, the market competition is also becoming more intense, making service quality a crucial factor for psychological enterprises to achieve long-term development and customer loyalty. This study aims to explore the specific mechanisms by which various elements of service quality, such as accessibility, convenience, reliability, and efficiency, affect clients' willingness to revisit psychological consulting firms. Through empirical analysis, the study seeks to clarify the degree of association between different service quality dimensions and the intention to revisit and analyze their internal relationships. Therefore, the study will survey clients who have received psychological counseling and therapy services, using client experience and disease perception as mediating variables to examine the impact of service quality on the revisit intention of customers in psychological service enterprises. Additionally, through an in-depth study of the YM Psychological Counselor Training Company, the research will analyze issues related to the company's low revisit intention and propose recommendations for adjustment, offering a reference for similar enterprises.

Social validity of acceptance-based workplace mental health training for use in a low resource setting. A qualitative study with Ugandan mental health providers

In low-resource settings, working age adults suffer a disproportionately higher mental health burden due to precarious work environments; yet access to evidence-based worksite mental health promotion programs remains severely limited due to the lack of professional service providers. Alternative mental wellness programs that are affordable, accessible and help build resilience to deal with the daily demands of work and life need to be introduced in workplaces of low-resource contexts. Such programs should however be acceptable and of social importance to the targeted contexts. Acceptance-based approaches meet these criteria but have mainly been implemented and evaluated in high-income countries. Gauging the appropriateness of such programs for low-resource workplace settings before wide-scale implementation is necessary. We engaged n = 14 mental health providers living and working in Kampala-Uganda in a one-day workshop focused on using acceptance and commitment training in the workplace. During in-depth interviews, these providers shared feedback on the social importance of the program’s goals and effects, and acceptability of the program’s procedures to Ugandan society. A deductive thematic approach was used to analyze data (codes organized according to a priori thematic categories that aligned with the Social Validity Framework). Findings showed that the program’s goals and effects were gauged as socially significant and the training process was acceptable. However, key adjustments were recommended, including introducing communal values into the program, reducing session load, integrating mental health awareness strategies, and adding contextually relevant metaphors. These adjustments are likely to enhance the appropriateness of this type of acceptance-based worksite mental health promotion program for use in Uganda.

Rights-based policies for role-bearing people: Are geo-cultural norms a hindrance to cultivating safer sport?

Many (inter)national governments and sports organisations are implementing standardised Safe Sport policies and guidelines. However, the Western-born, rights-based norm that underlies Safe Sport can collide with pre-existing geo-sociocultural norms of local contexts. Drawing from a case study of South Korea's elite sport pathway where tightened regulations on abuse challenge the long-lasting relational hierarchy based on Confucianism, this paper examines how athletes and coaches manoeuvre within the fast-changing social order shaped by the new safeguarding policies and practices. Analysing data from semi-structured interviews with 48 participants around two Elite Sports Schools, the paper shows that the rights-based norm integral to Safe Sport is sifted through the Confucian hierarchy, generating two main shifts respectively in coaches’ roles (from caring disciplinarians to professional service providers) and senior athletes’ (from potential abusers to benevolent superiors). That is, individual actors re-script their relational template by negotiating between the familiar and new relational ethics. From this, the paper suggests that Safe Sport is not a straightforward process of modernising less advanced practices up to a certain standard; it requires understanding how individuals make sense of the process in their own socio-cultural contexts.

Exploring Depression: Community Perceptions and Social Influences in Southeast, Nigeria

Despite increasing global awareness of mental health issues, understanding the perception and influences of depression remains limited within specific cultural contexts such as Southeast Nigeria. This study investigates how residents define and perceive depression, exploring socio-cultural, demographic, and religious factors that shape these perceptions. In-depth interviews were conducted with twenty participants (10 males and 10 females) from Anaocha and Idemili South Local Government Areas in Anambra State. Thematic analysis revealed that depression is perceived as a profound emotional and psychological burden, characterized by sadness, hopelessness, and isolation. Influential socio-cultural factors included beliefs in supernatural forces, traditional healing practices, gender norms, educational levels, and religious/spiritual practices. Stigma emerged as a significant barrier to help-seeking, with cultural expectations of resilience and reliance on religious coping mechanisms complicating the mental health landscape. The study proposes resilience-based interventions to enhance help-seeking behavior and support individuals with internalized stigma. These interventions by professional service providers such as social workers will increase mental health literacy, reduce stigma, and promote community resilience. Future research could also prioritize comparative studies across different regions to examine regional variations in depression perceptions and inform tailored interventions in social service delivery that effectively address local socio-cultural contexts, thereby advancing social research.

TANTANGAN DAN SOLUSI PENERAPAN SISTEM INFORMASI AKUNTANSI DI INDONESIA: SEBUAH ANALISIS TEMATIK

This research aims to investigate the benefits, obstacles and recommendations for implementing Accounting Information Systems (AIS) in Indonesia. The research method used is qualitative, with data sources from scientific documents such as journals and thematic analysis using NVivo 12 Plus software. This study outlines some of the critical benefits of AIS, including improved operational efficiency, data accuracy, transparency, decision support, and regulatory compliance. However, various barriers were also identified, such as limited technological infrastructure, changes in organizational culture and processes, data security, lack of management understanding and support, and implementation and training costs. Recommendations to overcome these barriers include increasing understanding and awareness of AIS, evaluating technology infrastructure, employee training, and collaboration with professional service providers. These findings highlight the need for better awareness of the benefits of AIS, improved technological infrastructure, employee training, and management support as critical factors in the successful implementation of AIS in Indonesia. Further research is recommended to conduct field studies through interviews and observations to gain deeper insight into the challenges and needs in implementing AIS in Indonesia.

Investigating the existence of ethnic bias in professional services

The underrepresentation of ethnic minorities persists in professional service organizations because some are reluctant to hire minority employees owing to fear of negative customer evaluations. I apply expectancy violation theory to challenge the assumptions behind such hiring practice and predict that in unambiguous service encounters between majority customers and minority professional service providers (PSP) detrimental consequences are less salient. In four scenario-based studies in two contexts (lawyer, physician), I manipulate PSP ethnicity status and find that clients rate minority (vs. majority) PSPs more favorably in terms of competence, satisfaction, and rapport; rapport also mediates the relationship between PSP ethnicity status and clients’ compliance with their advice. This relationship is moderated by social dominance orientation too. A fifth study shows that the predicted relationships largely hold for positively and negatively valenced encounters. These results suggest an absence of bias effects in professional service settings and have implications for research and practice.

Enabling Professional Services: A Catalyst for Growth of GIFT-IFSC

The purpose of this article is to highlight one of the most profound financial sector reforms undertaken by the Government of India in the recent past with establishment of GIFT-IFSC recognizing the imperative of integrating with the global financial system while acknowledging the challenges of immediate full capital account convertibility, and adopted a strategic "enclave approach". Subsequently, recognizing the need for a cohesive regulatory framework to nurture the IFSC ecosystem, the Government of India in the Ministry of Finance took a decisive step in December 2019 with the passage of the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) Act for establishment of IFSCA. The IFSCA empowers GIFT-IFSC to realize its full potential as a dynamic hub for global finance, driving India's aspirations of becoming a leading player in the global financial arena. The article also talks about the importance of Professional Services providers including Cost and Management Accountants in the growth and success of an International Financial Services Centres by showcasing their contributions in the development of the financial services market in an international finance ecosystem.

Applications of generative AI-based financial robot advisors as investment consultants

As a new wave of technological and industrial revolution accelerates, the fusion of technological evolution and societal development is reshaping industries, with digitalization emerging as a potent force in reshaping competitive landscapes. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has progressively permeated various sectors, including finance, its application in finance holds the promise of enhancing efficiency and service quality for financial institutions Its application in finance holds the promise of enhancing efficiency and service quality for financial institutions, thereby offering improved experiences for clients. Among these applications, Intelligent Robo-Advisors stand out as a particularly notable field. In recent years, the rapid development of financial literacy and risk awareness among Chinese residents has elevated the complexity of wealth management demands, prompting interest in Intelligent Robo-Advisors as providers of professional wealth management services. This paper aims to explore the application of Artificial Intelligence in securities investment, focusing on Generative AI-based Financial Robot Advisors as Investment Consultants.

Effect of Emotional Intelligence on Economic Teachers’ Self-Efficacy: The Moderating Role of Background Characteristics

The study examined the moderating role of teacher background characteristics on the influence of emotional intelligence on the self-efficacy of Economics teachers in senior high schools. The model testing correlational research design was employed for the study. Eighty-eight (88) senior high school economics teachers participated in the study, from an initial accessible population of 300. The General Self-Efficacy scale developed by Schwarzer and Jerusalem (1995) and the Quick Emotional Intelligence Self-Assessment scale developed by Mohapel (2015) were adapted to measure economics teachers' self-efficacy and emotional intelligence, respectively. The reliability and validity of the instruments were established using Cronbach's alpha, composite reliability and convergent validity. Smart-PLS (Partial Least Square modelling) was used to estimate the model to establish the relationship among teachers' background characteristics, emotional intelligence and self-efficacy. The study revealed that senior high school economics teachers' marital status, gender and teaching experience affected their emotional intelligence and self-efficacy in teaching economics. Economics teachers' emotional intelligence affected their self-efficacy. However, teachers' marital status, gender and teaching experience did not moderate the effect of emotional intelligence on the self-efficacy of economics teachers. It is recommended that training interventions by the Ghana Education Service, Continuous Professional Development service providers and other educational stakeholders be channeled towards improving self-concepts, especially emotional intelligence and teachers' self-efficacy. Training for teachers on emotional intelligence and self-efficacy should be targeted based on their gender, marital status and teaching experience, as they differed significantly on these self-concepts in terms of these background characteristics.

Challenging the ‘reticent’ state? Grassroots organizations, COVID-19 and the local government

As pointed out by some scholars, the public response to homelessness and poverty changed dramatically with the pandemic (Parsell et al., 2020) as public stakeholders decided to spend additional fundings for homelessness and poverty policies. However, these interventions were often thought of as a means to reduce the threat to the health of the non-homeless population (Parsell et al., 2020) and were led by local governments which remain reluctant to provide the necessary resources for ending homelessness (Evans et al., 2021). As these public interventions were insufficient and took a long time to be implemented, grassroots organizations were often at the forefront of the crisis for providing resources to the most marginalized people. Drawing on this basis, this paper aims at understanding the role taken by a grassroots organization in Rennes (a medium-sized city in France) during the pandemic. I focus on a local grassroots organization which worked independently of the state and developed informal practices to deliver food to people experiencing homelessness and food insecure households. In this perspective, they managed to compete with professional and state-funded service providers and the pandemic shed light on the efficiency of their practices, based on unconditionality and empowerment. Through observant participation and interviews with the grassroots organization's managers, volunteers and public stakeholders, I argue that, during the pandemic, this grassroots organization was not only a “buffer to state absence and neglect” (De Verteuil, 2017, p.1518), but it also managed to put forward some of their claims, hence challenging the “reticent state” (Evans et al., 2021) and steering public policies into more compassionate ways to address food insecurity.

An attachment theory perspective of professional service providers' social bonds with their clients

Social bonds developed by professional service providers have received limited research attention. Yet how individuals in these roles build social bonds with their clients can have a significant impact on the business outcomes achieved by the professional services firm. Attachment theory is one of the most influential psychology theories which supports the development of affectionate bonds but has not, so far, been applied to professional service providers' social bonds with their clients. We conduct in-depth interviews with professional service providers to capture their experiences of developing social bonds. Our findings identify three distinct relationship roles adopted by professional service providers with their clients (manager, caregiver and partner) and uncover two social bonds: the closeness bond and the security bond, based on different characteristics. We find that relationship roles and social bonds are inter-related and that social bonds can develop authentically or be developed strategically by the professional services provider. We propose how professional services firms can benefit from this knowledge in improving their business outcomes.

AI‐CARING: National AI Institute for Collaborative Assistance and Responsive Interaction for Networked Groups

AbstractOver 13 million Americans aged 65 and older are currently living with a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a common precursor to dementia. These individuals largely rely on a network of informal caregivers—family, friends, and community members—who work together with professional healthcare and social service providers to provide care and support in home settings. The AI‐CARING Institute contributes foundational AI research focused on developing personalized collaborative AI systems that improve the quality of life and independence of aging adults living at home.

Interactive impact of transformational leadership and organizational innovation on online knowledge sharing: a knowledge management perspective

Purpose As knowledge management increasingly becomes critical for the success of professional service firms, this paper uses social exchange theory to investigate the interactive impact of transformational leadership and organizational innovation on online knowledge sharing by employees in professional service firms. This study aims to investigate the mediating roles of job autonomy and job engagement in this process. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from a survey of 350 frontline employees in professional service providers, including banking, telecommunication and insurance. Structural equation modeling was used for data analysis. Findings The results show that transformational leadership positively affects job autonomy, which in turn has a positive impact on online knowledge sharing through job engagement. Thus, job autonomy and job engagement mediate the relationship between transformational leadership and online knowledge sharing. Finally, organizational innovation moderates the relationship between transformational leadership and job autonomy. Originality/value This paper extends the knowledge management literature by studying the impact of transformational leadership on the online knowledge-sharing behavior and exploring the focal roles of job autonomy and job engagement in online-sharing behavior in professional service firms. The findings also provide useful implications for practitioners to help them engage employees in the adoption of digital technologies to optimize outcomes.

Gen Z buying patterns: comparing the influence of professional advising and social media engagement

PurposeThis paper aims to assess retail shopping avenues for young consumers based on the type of guidance and assistance they pursue (social media vs professional service provider) in purchasing situations judged to be important. Young consumers consider themselves pet parents and pets represent an extension of self. Thus, pet-related products, by their importance, represent an excellent area of analysis for this inquiry.Design/methodology/approachData collection was completed in a way that is contextually relevant and gives the results ecological validity with the assistance of a major supplier of pet food. A total of 470 Gen Z owners of small companion animals were obtained. The partial least squares structural equation modeling testing method is considered appropriate for the model analysis due to the structure and homogeneity of the sample and due to the precision of the method.FindingsResults indicate that, in accordance with social media engagement (SME) theory, high SME elevated social commerce purchase intentions while professional advice seekers reported increased brick-and-mortar shopping. Thus, context-dependent, young consumers may purchase from brick-and-mortar sites.Originality/valueThis paper draws on SME and Advice Response Theory and proposes an original model explaining channel selection preferences for young consumers based on the type of advice sought for important purchasing decisions. The model represents a steppingstone to investigate the mechanism that translates information search sources into buying through different channels.

Outreach Work in ‘Hard-to-Reach’ Communities: A Critical Analysis of Task Shifting, Contact Making, Establishing Credibility and on-the-Spot, Solution-Focused Assistance

Abstract Outreach—the opening up of access to social services, information and opportunities—is arguably a crucial yet understudied aspect of social work practice. This study revisits ‘outreach’ as concept, using data from ‘hard to reach’ communities, specifically refugees. Our findings illuminate ‘task-shifting’, whereby professional service providers sought the help of grassroots community leaders in reaching refugees. Findings also point to issues of bidirectionality, credibility and on-the-spot assistance as aspects of outreach work. Theoretically, we apply a structural lens to problematise ‘access’ as an individual level concept, and instead turn attention to the ‘inaccessibility’ of services instead. We problematise the ‘hard-to-reachness’ of communities, and call instead for examining our services and institutions for their limited reach.

Architects’ Fitness for Purpose Obligation: Obligations of Means or Obligations of Result?

There is a consensus among various legal systems that professional service providers must perform their duties with reasonable skill and care. However, it has been doubted whether their services must be compatible with the intended purpose of their clients. In the construction industry, the work of building contractors ought to fit the intended purpose of owners, and three theories have been proposed regarding the extension of this obligation to architects. Some believe that architects only bear the “obligation of means”, which only requires efforts to provide a suitable design without guaranteeing a specific result. A few others, however, believe that the architects’ duty is an “obligation of result”, which imposes strict liability on architects to provide a design compatible with the intention of their clients. A third and more fair theory has also been developed that differentiates architects’ obligations based on the type of structure. This article looks into these theories and the reasons behind each of them.

On the agenda in 2024

Optician speaks to professional bodies and service providers about the year ahead

Transformative leaders, trust, and relationships linking up to committed organizations

This paper aims to explore the elements of transformative business servant leadership for improving the attributes of professional service providers for transformation under COVID-19. Through this paper, the authors identified determinant factors related to committed organizations with happy transformative servant business leadership, proposing a model of the relationship between the factors. This serves to enhance the implementation of happy transformative servant leadership in organizations in the post-pandemic era, with a greater chance of building trust and, a responsible culture with more committed employees. The research was conducted to interpret factors potentially related to committed organizations with happy transformative servant business leadership. Content analysis was performed on related literature to count the frequency of occurrence of words and phrases in relation to effective transformative leadership and relationship with trust in the organization. Thereafter main categories and concepts were identified before a theory was developed and a graphical model was generated based on the findings. Through NVivo qualitative analysis via text search on identified keywords, the factors — Effective Transformative Leadership and Relationship with Trust in Organization — were cited the most frequently in selected literature. The key factors for happy transformative servant business leadership are seldom studied for improving the organizational culture for management and employee relationships under post-COVID-19. With these findings, committed organizations shall re-think the ways of enhancing trust and relationship-building for happy transformative servant business leaders.

Analysis of Implementation of Mayor Regulation Number 31 of 2018 on BMD Removal Procedure in Surakarta

The Standard Operating Procedure for BMD elimination becomes the realization of BPKAD Surakarta in attempting to manage BMD. This study set out to investigate the implementation of the BMD removal process in Surakarta and to prove the suitability of Mayor Regulation No. 31 of 2018 with the BMD removal procedure in Surakarta. The present study employs descriptive analysis including data collection, literature study, observation, and interviews. The results of this study indicate that the SOP for eliminating BMD at BPKAD Surakarta is following Mayor Regulation No. 31 of 2018. Even though the applicable guidelines are appropriate, the implementation of the BMD removal process is inseparable from several obstacles, such as there are still differences in objects between the physical BMD in the field and the list, plans to write off goods, and human resources less competent in the field of eliminating BMD. There are no guidelines for naming goods and lack of human resources in OPD in the BMD as well as the sorting process has not been recorded at SIMDA. The researchers suggest that separating between BMD that has been recorded at SIMDA, holding refreshments, coordinating meetings on SOP that apply within a certain period or whenever there is a renewal of regulations, making preparation of standards for naming goods, and collaborating with third parties in the form of professional service providers to sort BMD recorded in SIMDA.