Self-reported Expertise Research Articles

An experimental investigation comparing individual and collaborative work productivity when using desktop and cloud modeling tools

Successful modeling tools need to effectively support individual as well as team-based work (collaboration) within colocated and virtual environments. In the past, achieving this has been challenging, since traditional modeling tools are desktop-based and thus suitable for individual and colocated work only. However, with the rise of web-based architectures and the cloud paradigm, desktop modeling tools now have rivals in their web-based counterparts that are especially suited for online collaboration (e-collaboration). The objective of our research was to probe the question as to `which type of modeling tools (desktop or cloud-based) performs better in cases of individual work and e-collaboration', and to obtain insights into the sources of the strengths and weaknesses regarding both types of modeling tools. A controlled experiment was performed in which we addressed two types of modeling tools--desktop and cloud-based, in respect to two types of work--individual and e-collaboration. Within these treatments, we observed the productivity of 129 undergraduate IT students, who performed different types of modeling activities. The experimental participants reported no statistical significant differences between self-reported expertise with the investigated tools as well as their overall characteristics. However, they did finish individual and e-collaborative activities faster when using cloud modeling tool, where significant differences in favor of the cloud modeling tool were detected during e-collaboration. If we aggregate the results, we can argue that cloud modeling tools are comparable with desktop modeling tools during individual activities and outperform them during e-collaboration. Our findings also correlate with the related research, stating that with the use of state-of-the-art Web technologies, cloud-based applications can achieve the user experience of desktop applications.

Public Health Nutrition Education Improves Masters/Dietetic Intern Students' Self-Reported Expertise Level

Public Health Nutrition Education Improves Masters/Dietetic Intern Students' Self-Reported Expertise Level

Mental health providers’ self-reported expertise and treatment of perinatal depression

Mental health providers’ self-reported expertise and treatment of perinatal depression

Organizing for Information Retrieval in Transactive Memory Systems

Advancing transactive memory (TM) theory, this research explores information retrieval between members of 12 preexisting organizational work teams. The teams examined are larger than the ad hoc groups studied in previousTM research. The central components are team members' (a) communication for topic-specific information retrieval, (b) perceptions of their own knowledge levels, and (c) perceptions of each others' knowledge levels. Social network analysis techniques were used to examine the communication ties between members at multiple levels. The emergent communication patterns were compared to theoretically expected patterns. The perceptions of self and others' expertise were used to understand the emergent patterns. The results show emergent communication patterns in these work teams only partially match the theoretical predictions and are highly related to members' perceptions of others' expertise. Self-reported expertise levels were not good indicators of the communication patterns. The results also reveal emergent structures counterintuitive to TM theory.

Physician specialization and antiretroviral therapy for HIV.

Since the introduction of the first protease inhibitor in January 1996, there has been a dramatic change in the treatment of persons infected with HIV. The changing nature of HIV care has important implications for the types of physicians that can best care for patients with HIV infection. To assess the association of specialty training and experience in the care of HIV disease with the adoption and use of highly active antiretroviral (ARV) therapy (HAART). Observational cohort study of patients under care for HIV infection and their physicians. This analysis used data collected from a national probability sample of noninstitutionalized persons with HIV infection participating in the HIV Costs and Service Utilization Study and their primary physicians. We analyzed 1,820 patients being cared for by 374 physicians. Rates of HAART use at 12 months and 18 months after the approval of the first protease inhibitor. Forty percent of the physicians were formally trained in infectious diseases (ID), 38% were general medicine physicians with self-reported expertise in the care of HIV, and 22% were general medicine physicians without self-reported expertise in the care of HIV. The majority of physicians (69%) reported a current HIV caseload of 50 patients or more. In multivariable models controlling for patient characteristics, there were no differences between generalist experts and ID physicians in rates of HAART use in December 1996. When compared to ID physicians, however, patients being treated by non-expert general medicine physicians were less likely to be on HAART (odds ratio [OR], 0.32; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.17 to 0.61). Patients being treated by low-volume physicians were also much less likely to be on HAART therapy than those treated by high-volume physicians (OR, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.14 to 0.48). These findings were attenuated by June 1997, suggesting that over time, the broader physician community successfully adopted HAART therapy. This finding is consistent with prior research on the diffusion of innovations. Similar proportions of patients treated by expert generalists and ID specialists were on appropriate HAART therapy by December 1996 and July 1997. Patients treated by non-expert generalists, most of whom were the lowest-volume physicians, were much less likely to be on appropriate ARV therapy in the earlier time period. Our findings demonstrate that expert generalists who develop specialized expertise are able to provide care of quality comparable to that of specialists.

Quality of care and outcomes of adults with asthma treated by specialists and generalists in managed care.

The growth of managed health care in the United States has been accompanied by controls on access to specialty physician services. We examined the relationship of physician specialty to treatment and outcomes of patients with asthma in managed care plans. We conducted a mail survey of adult asthma patients who were enrolled in 12 managed care organizations and had at least 2 contacts for asthma (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code 493.x) during the previous 24 months; we also surveyed their treating physicians. This report concerns 1954 patients and their 1078 corresponding physicians. Treatment indicators included use of corticosteroid inhalers, use of peak flow meters, allergy evaluation, discussion of triggers, and patient self-management knowledge. Outcome measures included canceled activities, hospitalization or emergency department visits, asthma attacks, workdays lost, asthma symptoms, physical and mental health, overall satisfaction with asthma care, and satisfaction with communication with physicians and nurses. Significant differences were noted for patients of specialists and experienced generalists compared with those of generalist physicians. Peak flow meter possession was reported by 41.9% of patients of generalists, 51.7% of patients of experienced generalists, and 53.8% of patients of pulmonologists or allergists. Compared with patients of generalists, outcomes were significantly better for patients of allergists with regard to canceled activities, hospitalizations and emergency department visits for asthma, quality of care ratings, and physical functioning. Patients of pulmonologists were more likely to rate improvement in symptoms as very good or excellent. In a managed health care setting, physicians' specialty training and self-reported expertise in treating asthma were related to better patient-reported care and outcomes.

A comparison of auditors' self-reported industry expertise and alternative measures of industry specialisation

Auditing research requiring measures of auditor industry expertise have relied largely on auditors' market shares as proxies for industry expertise. This study systematically documents differences in these proxies for each of the Big Six (now Big Five) and a subset of non-Big Six auditors. Next, it examines an alternative measure based on the industry's share in the auditor's portfolio. Finally, it compares the market shares-based measures and the alternative measure with audit firms' postings of their industry specialisation in their home pages on the World Wide Web. The numbers indicate that the auditors' self-reported specialisations are not correlated with market shares for most auditors. The findings suggest that future studies should consider alternative measures of specialisation in studies of audit market outcomes. © City University of Hong Kong.

CHARACTERIZING EXPERT LEADERS OF QUALITY IMPROVEMENT TASK FORCES: TOWARDS APPLYING RESEARCH ON EXPERTISE TO TRAINING DESIGN.

Survey data from leaders of Total Quality Management (TQM) teams reveal correlates of self-reported expertise. Experts report greater experience, specific proficiencies, and characteristics consistent with existing research on expertise and