Target Clients Research Articles

Competition and Sustainability: Evidence from Professional Service Organization

Two professional service organizations, an auditor and a tax agent, provide services to the same target clients. Taiwan established a new regulatory system for tax agents in 2004, which directly enhances their ability to compete with auditors. From the perspective of the economic theory of regulation, this study investigates the indirect effects of the new regulatory system on the business of auditors. We focus on auditors in proprietorship audit firms and divide the sample period into before and after 2004. This study establishes a cross-sectional regression equation to test our hypotheses. We classify the types of business into three levels, total amount, three categories and six individual items. Based on the 1989–2017 Survey Report of Audit Firms in Taiwan, we find that auditors perform better after 2004, indicating that increased competition leads to positive sustainability for auditors. Further results show that the effects of the regulation on auditors’ performance are greater after 2004, additional evidence of the positive indirect effect on auditors. This study contributes to the literature, provides public policy implications to regulators and contributes managerial information to auditors.

Developing English Speaking Material through Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) for Beauty Study Program

The research was aimed to identify the target needs and learning needs of the tenth grade student of Beauty Study program at SMK Pariwisata Imelda Medan and to develop English speaking material through CTL for Beauty Study Program. This research was implemented by conducting Research and Development (R n D) study by Borg and Gall. There are four steps were done namely: (1) need analysis; (2) developing material; (3) evaluating and (final revision). The target clients of this research were 34 people which consisted of (a) 30 students of Tenth grade of Beauty Program chosen by total random sampling technique; (b) English lectures; (c) English teacher; and (d) stakeholder. There were 3 types of technique for collecting the data applied in this research, they were questionnaire which used to gain the need analysis and validate the material, documentation consisted of the existing material, and interview to support the data gained from the previous techniques. The data of the research was analyzed descriptively. The result of this research were (1) the students needed the English speaking material which contains the material relating to their filed expertise and supported by innovative and creative learning process, and (2) the English speaking material developed through CTL is a set of English speaking material which consisted of 6 units. Keywords: R and D, Speaking Material, Beauty Study, CTL

An action research to improve social health insurance coverage of Philippines’ informal sector

Abstract Background PhilHealth, the social health insurance (SHI) agency of the Philippines, still does not sufficiently cover the informal sector workers (ISWs) - or the “missing middle”. Previous approaches had limited success. The impetus for finding solutions to protect the missing middle still remains. Methods A multi-component action research was done to address the complex social problem. Literature review and interviews were conducted to understand the nature of ISWs. National survey data was analyzed for factors affecting the ISWs' membership and retention in SHI. Findings were triangulated to construct evidence-based and context-rich marketing personas to understand PhilHealth's target clients. Using Human-Centered Design Thinking (HCDT), solutions that aim to address the low retention of ISWs in health insurance (HI) were proposed. Results The exact nature of ISWs is still unknown. Costly insurance premiums, poor knowledge of SHI, low perceived value of SHI, and inconvenient payment mechanisms contribute to low participation in SHI. Every additional 1000 PHP (∼20 USD) income increases odds of being an active member by 4%. Those who access private facilities are 2.8 times more likely to be active members. Those who perceive themselves to be sickly were 52% more likely to drop-out of the insurance. The results were fed into the HCDT process producing four prototypes: 1) solutions that explore partnership of PhilHealth with other organizations, 2) use of mobile application platforms for payment and member status updates, 3) automated algorithm to identify and calculate fair premiums, and 4) integration of money-saving strategies. Conclusions The government needs to step-up current efforts to extend health financial risk protection for the ISWs. PhilHealth can take advantage of the research results by testing the prototypes produced, and by adopting the HCDT process to improve their service and coverage for the informal sector. Key messages This government-funded project integrated principles of public health, epidemiology, health financing, participatory governance, and implementation research to address a complex social problem. The results provide a better understanding of the informal sector workers’ nature and needs with regards health insurance and can help PhilHealth improve coverage of informal sector workers.

Concept of Social Marketing of «BeGood» Agency

The article describes the analysis of directions of entrepreneurial activity in the fi eld of social marketing. In the work, portraits of segments of the target audience as a result of a survey through a questionnaire have been formed. The author identifi ed the target client task, developed recommendations for the promotion of social marketing services of “BeGood” Agency.

Vaccination coverage and factors associated with incomplete childhood vaccination among children aged 12-59 months in Miagao, Iloilo, Philippines

Background: Complete Vaccination has made a significant contribution to the prevention of infectious diseases among children. However, not all children were completely vaccinated. This study aimed to determine the vaccination coverage, timeliness, and maternal-related factors associated with incomplete vaccination of children in Miagao, Iloilo, Philippines.Methods: A cross-sectional study of children aged 12-59 months at the time the study was conducted between April 15 and 26, 2019 in Miagao, Iloilo. A total of 515 children were selected using a two-stage random sampling design. The data were collected from the Target Client Lists records, encoded, and analyzed using SPSS v21. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with incomplete vaccination. Crude and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with their confidence interval were reported.Results: The complete vaccination coverage among children was low at 28.7%. Among those completely vaccinated, 2.7% to 88.5% had untimely Vaccination. Significant factors associated with incomplete Vaccination were children born at home (AOR=2.1; 95% CI: 1.32-3.36) and mothers who had two or less postnatal visits (AOR=3.4; 95% CI: 1.39-8.44). Age and number of antenatal visits of the mothers did not influence the outcome.Conclusions: Maternal related factors significantly associated with incomplete vaccination were the place of child delivery and the number of postnatal visits of mothers. The study recommends educating mothers on the importance of postnatal visits and enhancing maternal health services, especially the promotion of facility-based delivery.

Customer Perceptions of the Design of Lifestyle Hotels

Hotel design is one of the few tangible elements, that clients could see and assess before making an (online) purchase, therefore it is important to study its impact on the target clients. The current study aims to explore how customers perceive the design of lifestyle hotels, whether it creates additional value for the customer and which of its elements are most noticed and appreciated. The findings showed customers tend to appreciate most the comfort and the room interior design, with greater dominance of younger and female respondents to reflect that trend. Although not classified as a prime factor, hotel exterior and interior appearance proved its importance for the target clients of the lifestyle hotel segment

Effectiveness of Microfinance Policy in Nigeria, 2010-2017

This study evaluates the effectiveness of microfinance policy in Nigeria from 2010 to 2017. The Study used AMJU Microfinance Bank as its sample and the objectives of the study are to examine appropriate client targeting mechanisms that enhance good microfinance practice aimed at poverty reduction and how client impact evaluation improves operational efficiency and effectiveness. Propensity Score Matching (PSM) technique of micro econometric framework was used to establish the counterfactual for participants. The fundamental evaluation problem of selection bias was treated in the study and primary data obtained through interviews were analysed. The findings show that microfinance client exist rate was on the increase for established clients being significant; and client loan size dissatisfaction for older clients was on the rise and customers that have benefited from micro-credits were better-off than non-beneficiaries. The study concludes that Microfinance is effective in poverty reduction and recommends amongst others that the delivery methodology should be tailored after their operational strategy and target clients; and also, appropriate feedback mechanism be built into their product and services delivery to encourage impact evaluation of participants’ responses, thereby, providing relevant inputs for the formulation of effective National Microfinance Policy in Nigeria. Keywords: Microfinance, National Microfinance Policy, Financial Services, Financial Development Classification: Finance, Micro-credit DOI : 10.7176/JESD/11-2-03 Publication date: January 31 st 2020

The impact of bereavement support on wellbeing: a comparative study between Australia and Ireland.

Background:There is a dearth of national and international data on the impact of social support on physical, mental, and financial outcomes following bereavement.Methods:We draw from two large, population-based studies of bereaved people in Australia and Ireland to compare bereaved people’s experience of support. The Australian study used a postal survey targeting clients of six funeral providers and the Irish study used telephone interviews with a random sample of the population.Results:Across both studies, the vast majority of bereaved people reported relying on informal supporters, particularly family and friends. While sources of professional help were the least used, they had the highest proportions of perceived unhelpfulness. A substantial proportion, 20% to 30% of bereaved people, reported worsening of their physical and mental health and about 30% did not feel their needs were met. Those who did not receive enough support reported the highest deterioration in wellbeing.Discussion:The compassionate communities approach, which harnesses the informal resources inherent in communities, needs to be strengthened by identifying a range of useful practice models that will address the support gaps. Ireland has taken the lead in developing a policy framework providing guidance on level of service provision, associated staff competencies, and training needs.

To screen or not to screen? Exploring the value of parent mental health screening in children’s rehabilitation services

Purpose Parents of children with disabilities are at increased risk of mental health challenges, yet it is unclear whether parent mental health screening should be considered in the context of children’s rehabilitation. Methods A nonsystematic narrative review was conducted guided by a framework for assessing the effectiveness of proposed health screening programs. Screening for the purpose of recommending further assessments and/or psychosocial supports and services was considered. The potential harms and benefits of mental health screening for parents of children with disability were examined considering relevant contextual factors. Results and conclusions While best evidence in the form of a randomized controlled trial in this population does not yet exist, there was evidence to suggest that parent mental health is an important factor in promoting child and family health and well-being and deserves consideration in the practice of family-centered care. If appropriate referral pathways and resources are developed, children’s rehabilitation service providers may be in an advantageous position to provide parent mental health screening. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION Parents of children with disabilities are at increased risk for depression, stress, and anxiety. Service providers may be well placed to identify mental health concerns through screening. Contextual factors to consider before initiating screening include level of evidence for screening, whether screening would reach target clients, and whether additional supports are available. Children’s rehabilitation service providers can be family-centered by attending to parent mental health needs, with the potential to improve the health, development, and well-being of the whole family.

Correlates of internalized stigma levels in people with psychosis in the Czech Republic.

Internalized stigma negatively affects lives and prognosis of individuals with psychosis. This study aimed to identify correlates of internalized stigma among individuals with psychosis in a sample of community care users in the Czech Republic. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 133 community service users with psychosis. A shortened version of the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI-10) scale was used alongside the 5-level EQ-5D version (EQ-5D-5L), assessing health-related quality of life. Descriptive and linear regression analyses were performed in order to determine levels of internalized stigma and its correlates. High levels of internalized stigma were reported in 25% of participants. Lower internalized stigma levels were associated with better self-reported health status and being married, and higher internalized stigma with a longer period of time since initial contact with psychiatric care. Lower internalized stigma levels are associated with better self-reported health-related quality of life. In addition, clients having used psychiatric care for longer periods of time reported significantly higher internalized stigma levels. Therefore, authors suggest self-stigma reduction interventions based in a community setting with an emphasis on targeting clients with chronic psychosis.

Access to Rural Credit Markets in Developing Countries, the Case of Vietnam: A Literature Review

Agricultural sectors play an important role in the process of economic development of a country, especially in developing ones. Vietnam is known as an emerging market, which depends directly on agriculture-related activities for their livelihood, in which the issue of rural credit access still remains a confounding problem. The paper focuses on the characteristics of rural credit markets, the determinants of farmer access to the markets, the socio-economic impacts of credit access in Vietnam and briefly comparing with those of some developing countries. This question is addressed by reviewing existing literature and empirical evidence, followed by a comprehensive case study in Vietnam. Comprehensive literature review with secondary data collection and key informant interviews are methods that are applied in this research. The results of this analysis indicate the features of Vietnam markets as participated constraints, government intervention, and segmentation. Other results reveal the significant determinants of credit accessibility. Impacts of credit access on output production, household income, and poverty reduction are highlighted in this paper. Some managerial implications are recommended for households through participation in lending networks; for financial institutions relating to expand target clients as well as capital allocation; and, for policy-makers via ensuring market competitiveness and sustainable development in the long run.

<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$CSIsnoop$ </tex-math> </inline-formula>: Inferring Channel State Information in Multi-User MIMO WLANs

Channel state information (CSI) has been proposed to enhance physical layer security by functioning as a shared secret between a transmitter and a receiver, because it decorrelates over half wavelength distances and cannot be predicted based on locations of the transmitter and receiver in rich scattering environments. Consequently, CSI was employed to generate passwords, to authenticate the source of packets, and to inject artificial noise to thwart eavesdroppers. However, in this paper, we present CSIsnoop, and show that an attacker can infer CSI in a multi-user MIMO WLAN, even when both channel sounding sequences from the access point and CSI measurement feedback from the clients are encrypted during downlink (explicit) channel sounding, or when uplink (implicit) channel sounding is employed. The insights of CSIsnoop are that the CSI of clients can be computed based on transmit beamforming weights at the access point, and that the transmit beamforming weights can be estimated from downlink beamforming transmission. In other words, we reveal the fundamental conflict between using CSI to optimize PHY design by beamforming and ensuring the confidentiality of CSI. We implement CSIsnoop on a software defined radio and conduct experiments in various indoor environments. Our results show that on average CSIsnoop can infer CSI of the target client with an absolute normalized correlation of over 0.99, thereby urging reconsideration of the use of CSI as a tool to enhance physical layer security in multi-user MIMO WLANs.

Marketing Relations and Communication Infrastructure Development in the Banking Sector Based on Big Data Mining

Purpose: The article aims to study the methodological tools for applying the technologies of intellectual analysis of big data in the modern digital space, the further implementation of which can become the basis for the marketing relations concept implementation in the banking sector of the Russian Federation‘ economy. Structure/Methodology/Approach: For the marketing relations development in the banking sector in the digital economy, it seems necessary: firstly, to identify the opportunities and advantages of the big data mining in banking marketing; secondly, to identify the sources and methods of processing big data; thirdly, to study the examples of the big data mining successful use by Russian banks and to formulate the recommendations on the big data technologies implementation in the digital marketing banking strategy. Findings: The authors‘ analysis showed that big data technologies processing of open online and offline sources of information significantly increases the data amount available for intelligent analysis, as a result of which the interaction between the bank and the target client reaches a new level of partnership. Practical Implications: Conclusions and generalizations of the study can be applied in the practice of managing financial institutions. The results of the study can be used by bank management to form a digital marketing strategy for long-term communication. Originality/Value: The main contribution of this study is that the authors have identified the main directions of using big data in relationship marketing to generate additional profit, as well as the possibility of intellectual analysis of the client base, aimed at expanding the market share and retaining customers in the banking sector of the economy.

Multi-Dimensional QoS Prediction for Service Recommendations

Advances in mobile Internet technology have enabled the clients of Web services to be able to keep their service sessions alive while they are on the move. Since the services consumed by a mobile client may be different over time due to client location changes, a multi-dimensional spatiotemporal model is necessary for analyzing the service consumption relations. Moreover, competitive Web service recommenders for the mobile clients must be able to predict unknown quality-of-service (QoS) values well by taking into account the target client's service requesting time and location, e.g., performing the prediction via a set of multi-dimensional QoS measures. Most contemporary QoS prediction methods exploit the QoS characteristics for one specific dimension, e.g., time or location, and do not exploit the structural relationships among the multi-dimensional QoS data. This paper proposes an integrated QoS prediction approach which unifies the modeling of multi-dimensional QoS data via multi-linear-algebra based concepts of tensor and enables efficient Web service recommendation for mobile clients via tensor decomposition and reconstruction optimization algorithms. In light of the unavailability of measured multi-dimensional QoS datasets in the public domain, this paper also presents a transformational approach to creating a credible multi-dimensional QoS dataset from a measured taxi usage dataset which contains high dimensional time and space information. Comparative experimental evaluation results show that the proposed QoS prediction approach can result in much better accuracy in recommending Web services than several other representative ones.

Ethical Implications of Predictive Risk Intelligence

This paper presents a case study on the ethical issues that relate to the use of Smart Information Systems (SIS) in predictive risk intelligence. The case study is based on a company that is using SIS to provide predictive risk intelligence in supply chain management (SCM), insurance, finance and sustainability. The paper covers an assessment of how the company recognises ethical concerns related to SIS and the ways it deals with them. Data was collected through a document review and two in-depth semi-structured interviews. Results from the case study indicate that the main ethical concerns with the use of SIS in predictive risk intelligence include protection of the data being used in predicting risk, data privacy and consent from those whose data has been collected from data providers such as social media sites. Also, there are issues relating to the transparency and accountability of processes used in predictive intelligence. The interviews highlighted the issue of bias in using the SIS for making predictions for specific target clients. The last ethical issue was related to trust and accuracy of the predictions of the SIS. In response to these issues,the company has put in place different mechanisms to ensure responsible innovation through what it calls Responsible Data Science. Under Responsible Data Science, the identified ethical issues are addressed by following a code of ethics, engaging with stakeholders and ethics committees.This paper is important because it provides lessons for the responsible implementation of SIS in industry, particularly for start-ups. The paper acknowledges ethical issues with the use of SIS in predictive risk intelligence and suggests that ethics should be a central consideration for companies and individuals developing SIS to create meaningful positive change for society.

Development and Implementation of Point of Sale System (POS): Profitability Measurement for Retail Business

This study focused on the notification features through screen pop-ups of overdue payments and out of stock items as an innovation of the Point-of-Sale (POS) system. The developed system brings satisfaction to a retail enterprise. The researcher utilized the Microsoft Visual Studio 2012 with Microsoft SQL Server 2005 database. The model was evaluated using the ISO/IEC 25010:2011 standard. This study applied the developmental evaluative design, an approach that supports innovation researches. The evaluation of the performance of the existing system and the developed software were evaluated using a structured questionnaire. The research instrument was validated by an IT Expert to ensure the questionnaires’ validity. The target clients of the study served as the respondents to achieve the purpose of the software, specifically, the owner and the cashier of the business. The quality in use model (i.e., effectiveness) and product quality model (i.e., usability, performance efficiency) were used to assess the quality of the new system. Results revealed that the new software provides efficient performance in monitoring overdue balance and out of stock items. The findings of the study leads to the conclusion that embracing technological advancement can improve the whole business operation. Retailers who deal with credit transactions must use the system to have close monitoring of the overdue payments.

Using text messages to support recovering substance misusers

Background: The use of digital technology in health and social care is developing rapidly. It is promoted in UK policy and research which suggests varied results surrounding its implementation and outcomes. Introduction: This article aimed to test the implementation and outcomes of a short messaging service sent to a dedicated phone. The target cohort were drug treatment clients in two sites in Northern England. Materials and methods: Through staff focus groups and interviews with a small cohort of clients, the implementation and perceptions of the system were examined. Results: A total of 19 participants were recruited to site 1 (15 male, 4 female, average age=37.7 years) and 12 participants were recruited to site 2 (9 male, 3 female, average age=40.3 years). One outcome that was of interest was wellbeing in treatment which, in this study, was described as an overall sense of feeling better rather than just focusing on the rehabilitation aspect of the programme. Other outcomes included: the successful completion of treatment and for clients to report and instance of a relapse/re-presentation. Discussion: The system shows some evidence of its ‘social actor’ role; however, its implementation was hindered by staff citing that it called for increased resources. For future implementation, the use of clients' own phones may be considered which may help to embed the system more fully in recovery planning and targeting clients at a different treatment stage. Conclusions: Despite some indications of positive results for clients and a perception that the system may have value as an addition to existing clinical interventions, more evaluation is required to determine whether this system can be implemented in a drug treatment setting.

DESIGN-BUILD: AN EFFECTIVE APPROACH FOR ARCHITECTURE STUDIO EDUCATION

Current architecture studios are missing an important phase in the education process, which is constructing the students’ conceptual ideas on a real physical scale. The design-build approach enables the students to test their ideas, theories, material selection, construction methods, environmental constraints, simulation results, level of space functionality and other important aspects when used by real target clients in an existing context. This paper aims to highlight the importance of using the design-build method through discussing a design project case study carried out by the Masters of Architecture design programme students at Beirut Arab University, who have built prototype units for refugees on a 1:1 scale.

Community Therapist Reports of Client Engagement Challenges During the Implementation of Multiple EBPs in Children’s Mental Health

ABSTRACTThis study investigated therapist reports of client engagement challenges in delivering evidence-based practices (EBPs), within the context of a large-scale implementation of multiple practices in children’s mental health services. Data were drawn from an online survey of 668 therapists (88% female, 35.0% Non-Hispanic White). The majority of therapists (75.4%) endorsed at least one client engagement challenge during their implementation of an EBP with an identified client over the previous two months. Two types of EBP client engagement challenges with distinct correlates but similar overall frequencies could be readily differentiated – Expressed Client Concerns and Limited Client Engagement in therapy activities. Limited Client Engagement were more commonly reported for clients with externalizing problems and by therapists with higher emotional exhaustion and negative perceptions of the specific EBP being delivered, whereas Hispanic/Latino therapists were less likely to report Limited Client Engagement. In contrast, Expressed Client Concerns were more commonly reported by therapists with positive general attitudes towards EBPs, and among therapists delivering a parent training EBP. Limited Client Engagement but not Expressed Concerns were linked with therapists’ self-reported ability to carry out the EBP with the target client. Findings suggest that client engagement challenges are frequent during the delivery of EBPs, but may impact implementation differently based on whether they relate to challenges in engaging clients in therapy activities versus addressing concerns raised by clients

Validation and Application of the LS/CMI in Nebraska Probation

This study examined the validity of the Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (LS/CMI), as probation officers in the state of Nebraska use the tool. Study 1 evaluated the predictive validity of the LS/CMI by examining 19,344 probationer records over a 5.5-year period (January 2007-July 2013), and found that the LS/CMI total risk score demonstrated moderate predictive validity. Consistent with past findings, logistic regression showed that the total risk score predicted recidivism (return to probation) differently for nonminorities than for minorities. Furthermore, minorities scored higher than nonminorities on seven of the eight criminogenic factors. Study 2, a true randomized experiment, explored probation officer bias as an explanation for these findings, and found that training increased officers’ ratings of scores in some LS/CMI domains and decreased ratings in others. Most importantly, there was no evidence that officers demonstrated racial bias in administering the LS/CMI survey when scoring Black versus White target clients.