Q-sort Technique Research Articles

Prioritizing sustainable development goals in Africa: Perspectives from academia in Ghana and Uganda

United Nations (UN) sustainable development goals (SDGs) are interlinked targets for global development adopted in 2015 to be achieved by 2030. While UN prioritizes progress for those countries further behind, individual countries set their own priorities within SDGs based on their circumstances. The prioritization is a recognition that certain goals may hold greater significance than others. The paper examines how academic staff in selected African higher education institutions prioritize these goals using Q-sort technique in Ghana and Uganda, supplemented by a survey for the logical reasoning behind the ranking. The paper highlights that each country has distinct preferences for SDG actions influenced by their unique circumstances. Additionally, it suggests that countries’ periodic SDG performance may not solely result from national efforts but also from factors like natural events and luck.

Barriers and policies affecting the implementation of sustainable tourism: the Portuguese experience

ABSTRACT This paper identifies and ranks the factors that hinder the implementation of sustainable tourism in a developing destination. It uses a Delphi method combined with Q-Sort technique with three rounds of ranking by experts and analyzes the results with the Kendall’s W test. It finds that the experts agreed on the most and least important factors, such as the lack of long-term vision, the lack of clear definitions, the lack of integration into government policy, the excessive bureaucracy and the economic priority versus environmental priority. It also finds that the experts disagreed on the other factors, showing a variation in opinions. It compares the results with the literature and confirms the importance of long-term vision, government integration, bureaucratic reduction and clarity in policies for sustainable tourism. The experts became more aware over the rounds, indicating progress in addressing the barriers. It concludes by presenting some policy-making guidelines for a tourism destination manager.

Сетевой анализ взаимосвязи личностных особенностей игроков подросткового и юношеского возраста с их поведением в виртуальном пространстве (на примере групповой компьютерной игры «Dota 2»)

<p>The article presents the results of a correlation analysis of the influence of Dota-2 players’ personal characteristics on their behavior in the virtual space. The analysis is based on the data, received in the course of a series of experiments conducted by the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Contemporary Childhood in Moscow State University of Psychology and Education in 2015-2023. Research methods include the Q-Sort technique by W. Stephenson, the Butler-Haigh “Real and Ideal Test”, the Role Conflict Questionnaire developed by O.V. Rubtsova, and Adolescent Egocentrism Scale (AES) by R. Enright. The sample includes 103 active players of MOBA Dota-2 aged 14—25. The paper discusses statistical correlations, in particular, those identified on the basis of a network analysis of partial correlations. The analysis suggests that such factors as role incompatibility and the need for role-playing experience may be manifested in virtual play activity and partly determine the specifics of its implementation by adolescents and young adults.</p>

Evaluation of esthetic parameters of the face and components of smile in children with deciduous dentition

In the present era, esthetics has become an important dimension in dental practice as parents and children are equally self-conscious of their appearance. Children now desire to possess an aesthetically pleasing smile. Harmonizing an esthetic smile integrates facial and dental components. Since the scientific data on pediatric esthetics are limited, the aim of the study was to evaluate esthetic parameters of the face and components of smile in children with deciduous dentition.: After fulfilling inclusion criteria, 3 sets of facial photographs of 100 children were obtained, comprising of frontal at rest, frontal smile and profile at rest images under standardised photographic technique. Linear measurements of facial and dental parameters were assessed with the help of Adobe photoshop and static norms were obtained by taking the average value. Subjective evaluation was performed by a group of professionals using Q-sort technique to list the attractive features in children.Static norms were obtained for facial and dental parameters. Attractive children showed decreased facial height, anterior lower facial height, vermilion height and bigonial width. They also displayed decreased smile index and buccal corridor ratio along with parallel smile arc and more than 3/4th of crown height visibility during smiling. Attractive children presented facial and dental parameters variable from normative values. : The study results can be utilised during restorative and prosthetic rehabilitation among children to improve esthetics.

Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA): Students' Views of What Works in a Specialist Setting.

"Emotionally based school avoidance" (EBSA) is a term used to describe young people who have difficulty attending school due to emotional needs. In comparison to previously favoured terms such as "school refuser", EBSA highlights the impact of unmet emotional needs over school non-attendance, which then informs the intervention offered for students struggling to attend school. This paper presents an exploratory single-case study undertaken at a specialist GCSE setting (School X) for students experiencing EBSA. The work was commissioned by the programme following three consecutive years in which all students completing their GCSEs (national curriculum) showed improvement in attendance and 85% achieved above their predicted grade. In addition, 95% of students were still in post-16 study after leaving the school. The study, therefore, aimed to explore students' views of protective factors in a setting where they have previously made progress in terms of attendance and achievement. Qualitative data were gathered using semi-structured questions with students in a group setting, delivered online using an anonymised computer software system. Quantitative data were gathered with students in a one-to-one situation using an adaption of the Q-sort technique, a self-contained "qualiquantilogical" methodology that aims to explore human subjectivity. Findings were collectively analysed using thematic analysis, which produced two over-arching themes: interconnectivity and psychological safety. Findings from this study are considered alongside research about interventions suggested to be effective for supporting students experiencing EBSA to re-engage with school and education.

Orientation of Healthcare Educators Towards Using an Effective Medical Simulation-Based Learning: A Q-Methodology Study.

PurposeThis study explores the healthcare educators’ orientations about medical simulation in clinical skills training —its benefits, needs, challenges, and implications for proper implementation and integration into curricula.MethodsThe study used a Q-sort technique, allowing quantitative and qualitative representation of the participants’ orientations and was conducted at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 22 healthcare educators from different roles were included. Participants pre-sorted into three categories and then ranked statements related to medical simulation, by level of agreement, and they answered open-ended and demographic questions. Data was uploaded to Ken-Q Analysis application to conduct Q-factor analysis.ResultsA total of 22 healthcare educators participated in the study. Q-factor analysis was performed with principal component analysis and varimax rotation, identifying three factors. Most educators shared a similar orientation regarding the benefits of using simulation-based learning. Most participants considered medical simulation a simple, effortless, and beneficial method of learning. However, challenges in scheduling sessions and obtaining the necessary resources, such as human resources and funds, and lack of training had a negative impact on some participants’ motivation to use medical simulation.ConclusionHealthcare educators shed light on the influence of multiple factors on using medical simulation. The possibility for students to learn practical and clinical skills was a leading factor. Financial resources, funds, and faculty training were identified as challenges and needs. It is important for institutions and leaders to be aware of the variations in faculty perceptions and to provide resources and training to improve the current use of medical simulation.

Ranking the sustainable development goals: perceived sustainability priorities in small island states

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to elicit global mobilization to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and are increasingly used in support of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Previous studies have highlighted interdependencies between SDGs, with potential interactions between four Sustainability Domains: Economy, Governance, Planet and Society. This study aimed to assess whether people’s perception of the relative importance of the SDGs reflects recognition of the need to prioritize efforts across Domains, or whether this perception is based on different valuations of the Sustainability Domains themselves. We designed an interactive online tool in which participants used the Q-sort technique to rank the SDGs according to their subjective valuation of importance. We analyzed the rankings of 108 participants, all learners at universities in three Small Island States (SIS): Aruba, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. Analysis of the correlation structure among participants’ Q-sorts showed that higher perceived importance of the Society- and Economy-related SDGs 2, 3, 4, 8 and 9 traded off with lower perceived importance of the Planet-related SDGs 13, 14 and 15. Furthermore, SDG rankings of learners from Aruba occurred furthest toward the Planet-based part of this trade-off axis. For ESD programs, our method provides a novel tool to identify key interactions between SDGs that may not yet be recognized by program participants. In this way, communicating the need for simultaneous action and policy development across Sustainability Domains could be specifically tailored to the local context. Such connections may increase the effectiveness of ESD in addressing the substantial sustainability challenges facing SIS.

Identifying Key Variables on the Way to Wellbeing in the Transition from Face-to-Face to Online Higher Education due to COVID-19: Evidence from the Q-Sort Technique

This paper reports perceptions of higher education lecturers who switched from classical face-to-face teaching to online teaching due to the unexpected circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a validated theoretical model about the roles of instructors in online settings, the authors document the perceptions of experienced face-to-face lecturers regarding their performance in online roles and the perceived importance of the formal and informal support they received during the process of adapting to a sudden online context. The study was based on the Q-sort methodology. Among other conclusions, our research reveals that the best performance we elicited pertained to the technical role, followed by the managerial role and the support received through informal channels. Worryingly, the worst performance pertained to promoting life skills. This finding is especially alarming considering both the UNESCO humanistic vision of universities as promoters of university community development and wellbeing and SDG 4.7 of Agenda 2030, which states that education should ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development through education on sustainable development and lifestyles. This article is meant to provide guidelines to traditional universities to help them overcome weaknesses and enhance strengths when switching to online learning.

Developing a Sustainable Logistics Service Quality Scale for Logistics Service Providers in Egypt

The role of sustainability has made it a vital point to measure companies’ financial performances and sustainability practices along the overall supply chain. Logistics service providers (LSPs) are among the supply chain actors that need to consider sustainability practices to present a better sustainable service. Therefore, we studied LSPs in Egypt, as Egypt has set sustainability goals in the logistics sector to be achieved by 2030. This research proposes a new sustainable logistics service quality (SLSQ) scale through reviewing the literature on sustainable service quality (SSQ) and logistics service quality (LSQ). While additional semi-structured interviews were conducted with LSP companies in Egypt to formulate the SLSQ scale for this specific region, the Q-sorting technique was used to confirm SLSQ measurements. Hence, we present a scale to evaluate Egypt’s overall LSPs’ service quality. Our research thereby contributes to the theory by proposing a new framework that measures the SLSQ in LSP companies in emerging countries and to the practice by tying the framework to accompany Egyptian law. The results are discussed against previous literature and concluded by showing limitations and potential future research avenues.

Post-pandemic recovery strategies: revitalizing lifestyle entrepreneurship

ABSTRACT The pandemic resulting from COVID-19 disease has brought about an unprecedented crisis to tourism destinations, resulting in an almost complete shutdown of tourist flows. Whereas disaster recovery models focus on prevention and preparedness, the post-pandemic recovery strategies are underexplored, particularly in relation to the highly representative group of small-scale businesses run by tourism lifestyle entrepreneurs (TLEs). An integrated framework for Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) strategic thinking is developed using the Delphi method with Q-sort technique. Findings from a 26-element expert panel emphasize the priority of creating a favorable environment for small-scale business development and supporting the provision of resources and capabilities. After this initial effort to strengthen these fragile businesses, it is essential to increase their communication capacity, a common limitation of TLEs, allowing these entrepreneurs to access niche markets more suited to the business and lifestyle they run. With stronger businesses, DMOs can enhance destination competitiveness and innovation, stimulating cooperation and networking.

Selecting lifestyle entrepreneurship recovery strategies: A response to the COVID-19 pandemic

The devastating context of the Covid-19 pandemic has created a new reality in which tourism has practically come to a standstill, a situation that must be reversed. This study focuses on the revitalization of businesses run by lifestyle entrepreneurs, a very significant class, of pivotal importance in innovation in the tourism sector. Specifically, this study aims to identify the most relevant indicators to select the recovery strategies of these entrepreneurs. Using the Delphi method combined with the Q-sort technique, a ranking of the indicators was produced on the basis of input from a panel of 26 senior managers and academics. The top five indicators were: creativity and innovation, level of innovation, qualification, startups number, and turnover volume. Findings reveal that the priority is on innovation and the qualification of the entrepreneurs. Only afterward do the traditional indicators of competitiveness of tourist destinations emerge.

Key Enablers of Industry 4.0 Development at Firm Level: Findings From an Emerging Economy

Organizations in both developed and developing economies are paying great attention to the Industry 4.0 revolution and associated uses of technologies due to its potential benefits to the manufacturing industry. However, there are a limited number of empirical studies due to its early stage of adoption around the world, especially regarding the key technological factors that are necessary. This article addresses this research gap by identifying the factors that enable successful Industry 4.0 technologies adoption in an emerging economy country, grouping them, and ranking the groups based on priorities for adoption. The study adopts a mixed-method research methodology. Q-sort technique and analytic hierarchy process, respectively, were used to group enabling factors and prioritize the groups for Industry 4.0 technologies adoption. Thereafter, semistructured interviews of key stakeholders in the manufacturing sector in Thailand were carried out to validate and support findings from the quantitative analysis. Five industry experts from automotive and electronic parts/components manufacturers were interviewed. The results show that human capital is the most important readiness dimension for Industry 4.0 technologies implementation. Interoperability and data handling were found to be the next in importance. On the contrary, hardware and technology systems, such as data security and technological infrastructure, were identified as the least important of the technology readiness dimensions. These findings provide a different perspective to extant studies that posited that technology-based factors as the most important for Industry 4.0 success.

How do healthcare professionals respond to ethical challenges regarding information management? A review of empirical studies

ABSTRACT Aim This study is a systematic review that aims to assess how healthcare professionals manage ethical challenges regarding information within the clinical context. Method and Materials We carried out searches in PubMed, Google Scholar and Embase, using two search strings; searches generated 665 hits. After screening, 47 articles relevant to the study aim were selected for review. Seven articles were identified through snowballing, and 18 others were included following a system update in PubMed, bringing the total number of articles reviewed to 72. We used a Q-sort technique for the analysis of identified articles. Findings This study reveals that healthcare professionals around the world generally employ (to varying degrees) four broad strategies to manage different types of challenges regarding information, which can be categorized as challenges related to confidentiality, communication, professional duty, and decision-making. The strategies employed for managing these challenges include resolution, consultation, stalling, and disclosure/concealment. Conclusion There are a variety of strategies which health professionals can adopt to address challenges regarding information management within the clinical context. This insight complements current efforts aimed at enhancing health professional-patient communication. Very few studies have researched the results of employing these various strategies. Future empirical studies are required to address this.

Perspectives of the Elderly with Mild Cognitive Impairment Living Alone on Participating in a Dementia Prevention Program: A Q Methodology Study.

This study aimed to identify and describe the various patterns of perspectives among older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) living alone on participating in a dementia prevention program. Q methodology was applied to investigate the perspectives of 30 community-dwelling elderly people with MCI living alone from March to August 2018. As Q methodology applies a forced distribution through the Q-sorting technique, it could capture participants’ perspective patterns. Thirty-two Q-statements were constructed to explore the participants’ attitudes regarding their participation in a dementia prevention program. The participants performed Q-sorting to rank the 32 statements into a Q-sort grid. Principal component analysis was conducted using the PQ Method 2.35 software to identify patterns in participants’ perspectives. Four patterns of shared perspectives, accounting for 54.65% of the total variance, were identified: (a) awareness of health benefits and readiness to take preventive actions; (b) emphasis on cost consideration, and not ready to participate; (c) concern about family’s attitude and needing family support; (d) emphasis on medical care and needing providers’ recommendation. The exploration of clusters of the elderly with MCI could assist health professionals in acknowledging elderly people’s attitudes and responses towards participating in a dementia prevention program.

Developing a scale measuring customers’ servicescape perceptions in upscale hotels

PurposeThis paper aims to describe the detailed process of development of a reliable scale to measure customer perceptions of the upscale hotel servicescape that could then be used as a basis for intra- and inter-hotel comparisons and to examine relationships with other variables, such as emotions, satisfaction and loyalty.Design/methodology/approachA review of the existing service and hospitality literature provided a range of dimensions and attributes of the hotel servicescape, which were used as the basis for a Q-sort technique to determine the content adequacy of newly developed and existing items. Testing the emergent items was carried out through a questionnaire that was distributed at five luxury upscale hotels in London providing 612 fully valid responses, which, using a split sample, were subjected to both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to explore the dimensionality and reliability of the instrument.FindingsAlthough the Q-sort suggested four key dimensions, the outcome of the factor analyses revealed five dimensions with high reliability – aesthetic quality, functionality, atmosphere, spaciousness and physiological conditions. “Aesthetic quality” appeared to be the most important factor, followed by “functionality”, “atmosphere”, “spaciousness” and “physiological conditions”.Research limitations/implicationsAs this study was conducted with customers of upscale luxury hotels in London, the resulting scales need to be further tested in other hotel segments and in other locations.Practical implicationsThis study provides upscale hotel managers with an effective measurement tool, which will enable them to benchmark their operation and make improvements that could lead to a better impression and evaluation of their hotel. The scale has a variety of potential applications and can serve as a framework for further research in the hotel industry.Originality/valueIn spite of the wide interest in and importance of the servicescape in hotels, there are only a few studies dealing with this subject in the hotel context. This study provides a new tool for measuring customers’ perceptions.

Reviving the lost spaces under urban highways and bridges: an empirical study

Purpose The fast development of urban movement infrastructures has created neglected urban places in cities. This study aims to provide users’ preferences for designing lost spaces that are a by-product of elevated urban highways (UHs) and bridges to develop a conceptual model for better environmental design. Design/methodology/approach This research is conducted by a combination of both qualitative and quantitative methods. In the first phase, to explore the citizen’s environmental preferences based on the Q-sort technique and in-depth interviews, the ideas of 50 users were considered up to data saturation. The preferences of people for designs under urban bridges were extracted by content analysis in the qualitative phase. In the quantitative phase, to validate these preferences, the extracted themes and sub-themes were examined by 144 experts in design studies using the web-based questionnaire based on the first phase outcomes. The validity of the model was confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis in SPSS22 and Lisrel software. Findings The findings show that users’ preferences emphasize design strategies such as safety and security, physical coherence, visibility, vitality, richness, a sense of belonging and comfort to the design of lost spaces. Overall, this study highlights an empirical study into user’s needs and expectations of lost urban spaces. Originality/value The findings show that users’ preferences emphasize design strategies such as safety and security, physical coherence, visibility, vitality, richness, a sense of belonging and comfort to the design of lost spaces. Overall, this study highlights an empirical study into user’s needs and expectations of lost urban spaces.

Patterns of parents' perspectives on protecting young children from secondhand smoke exposure: A Q-methodology study.

To identify and describe the various patterns of parents' perspectives on avoiding secondhand smoke exposure. Q methodology was applied to investigate the parental perspectives of 50 parents. The study was implemented from September-December 2016. Forty-two Q-statements were constructed based on the literature related to parental attitudes and prevention practices regarding preventing young children from experiencing secondhand smoke exposure. A series of Q-sorts was performed by the participants to rank the statements into a Q-sort grid. PQMethod 2.35 software was used to perform principal component analysis to identify different patterns of parents' perspectives. Five patterns of shared perspectives, which accounted for 62% of the total variance, were derived from the analysis: (a) lack of confidence to confront smokers in non-smoking areas; (b) awareness of health hazards but not ready to take preventive actions; (c) emphasis on parental responsibility and behavioural guidance; (d) awareness of health rights protected by legislation; and (e) strong willingness to take protective actions. Our findings revealed the shared perspectives of five groups of parents. The exploration of clusters of parents could assist healthcare professionals in acknowledging parents' tendencies related to attitudes and responses towards secondhand smoke exposure. Using a forced distribution through the Q-sorting technique, the particular perspective patterns of parents' experiences would be captured. These findings can serve as a useful guide for researchers and practitioners to develop tailored intervention programs for parents with the purpose of reducing secondhand smoke exposure in young children.

Исследование взаимосвязи личностных особенностей подростков с их поведением в виртуальном пространстве (на примере социальной сети «ВКонтакте»)

The paper presents and discusses outcomes of the first stage of a research project on the role of social media in the life of modern adolescents that was carried out on basis of the MSUPE Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Modern Childhood in 2015—2018. The issue of adolescents’ self-presentation in social media is one of the key trends in modern research, and in Russian psychological and pedagogical science there is clearly a lack of works on various aspects of adolescent online behaviour and interaction, in particular, in social media websites. The sample of our empirical study consisted of 88 individuals aged 15—18 years, and the following techniques were used: a modified version of A.Ye. Lichko’s character accentuations questionnaire; Stephenson’s Q-Sort technique; the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory; the Tomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument; Eyesenck’s Self-Evaluation of Mental States technique; content analysis of VKontakte webpages. As it was revealed, personality traits of the adolescents were closely interrelated with the structure of their profiles in the VK website. For instance, numerous correlations were found between various parameters of personal webpages and such personality traits as character accentuations, interpersonal conflicts, preferred type of conflict behaviour, as well as with levels of anxiety, rigidity, aggression and frustration.

Исследование взаимосвязи личностных особенностей игроков подросткового и юношеского возраста с их поведением в виртуальном пространстве (на примере групповой компьютерной игры «Dota 2»)

The paper presents the results of the first stage of a research project “Effects of personality traits on behavior in virtual reality games in adolescence and young adulthood”, carried out by the MSUPE Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Modern Childhood in 2015—2017. Research methods include the Q-Sort technique by W. Stephenson, the Butler-Haigh "Real and Ideal Test", and the Role Conflict Questionnaire de- veloped by O.V. Rubtsova. The sample includes 103 active players of MOBA Dota-2 aged 14—25. The paper discusses the outcomes of the study and the revealed statistical corre- lations which prove the hypothesis that individuals’ interest in virtual play activity and its specifics in adolescence and young adulthood are largely determined by personality features of the players and particularly by the presence or absence of role con-flicts in the structure of their identities.

How do healthcare professionals manage ethical challenges regarding information in healthcare professional/patient clinical interactions? A review of concept- or argument-based articles and case analyses

Background . This study forms part of an ongoing research project that seeks to enhance the information-management skills of health professionals within the clinical context. Objectives . To review case analyses and reviews and argument-based articles that use evidence and facts to prove whether or not a thesis is true. Specifically, this study attempts to provide a comprehensive overview of how health professionals manage information and related ethical challenges within the clinical context. Method . We carried out a literature search in PubMed and PhilPapers, using two search strings. All searches generated 954 hits. After screenings for year of publication, language, title and abstracts, duplicates and full-text reading, three more articles were identified following a system update in PubMed. A total of 53 articles were finally included for review. We used the Q-sort technique for the analysis of identified articles. Results. This review of concept- or argument-based articles and case analyses shows that there are five broad types of challenges – communication related, confidentiality related, professional-duty related, value-differences related and treatment-plan related; and four broad strategies – consultation, negotiating differences, using professional/prudential judgement and striving towards resolution – for managing these ethical challenges, in 21 fields of practice within the clinical context. Conclusion. This study greatly complements efforts aimed at providing a comprehensive overview of how health professionals manage information and related ethical challenges within the clinical context. Specifically, this study has identified four broad suggested strategies which may be employed to address the different challenges that can act as obstacles to communication within the clinical context. Further research is, however, needed to study whether these suggested strategies would indeed enhance communication and fiduciary relations between health professionals and patients.