Joan Torrent-Sellens

The co-learning process in healthcare professionals

The VCoP users effectiveness does not influence on satisfaction.The VCoP users efficiency to be positively influences on satisfaction.The degree of individual participation in the community influence on satisfaction.This tool can make decisions to improve the success and results of the VCoP. Communities of practice are nowadays an important concept in the healthcare sector. Particularly, the intensive use of ICT has allowed their creation into a virtual environment - Virtual Communities of Practice (VCoPs) developing optimal conditions to make possible the collaborative learning process. The VCoPs antecedents can be situated on social network phenomenon, where individuals with different traits but a common interest/objective are linked, use ICT potency (especially social media) to interchange information, experiences and contents among them. And as a result, people create and share knowledge, and learn collaboratively. VCoP users have a higher satisfaction level in the collaborative learning process when they can: (1) Achieve benefits related to patient diagnosis and treatment (cost reductions, faster management, quality and accuracy of diagnosis, etc.); (2) Increase the share capital of participants and creating networks of trusted individuals. Given the interest in this topic, the objective of this work is to identify the factors that determine user satisfaction in relation to Community Practice (CoP) and the process of building shared knowledge. For this, a sample of 130 Spanish health professionals participating in an online community, and developed in a virtual community of practice, is discussed. The results obtained from an analysis of logistic regression show evidence of the perception of efficiency and effectiveness in collaboration with the members of the VCoP as positively influencing the perceived satisfaction with the CoP. Also, the degree of individual participation in the community affects the degree of perceived satisfaction. The conclusions provide interesting strategic recommendations in the management process of the CoP.

Modelling and predicting eHealth usage in Europe: A multidimensional approach from an online survey of 13,000 European Union Internet users

Background More advanced methods and models are needed to evaluate the participation of patients and citizens in the shared health care model that eHealth proposes. Objective The goal of our study was to design and evaluate a predictive multidimensional model of eHealth usage. Methods We used 2011 survey data from a sample of 13,000 European citizens aged 16–74 years who had used the Internet in the previous 3 months. We proposed and tested an eHealth usage composite indicator through 2-stage structural equation modelling with latent variables and measurement errors. Logistic regression (odds ratios, ORs) to model the predictors of eHealth usage was calculated using health status and sociodemographic independent variables. Results The dimensions with more explanatory power of eHealth usage were health Internet attitudes, information health Internet usage, empowerment of health Internet users, and the usefulness of health Internet usage. Some 52.39% (6811/13,000) of European Internet users’ eHealth usage was more intensive (greater than the mean). Users with long-term health problems or illnesses (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.12–1.29) or receiving long-term treatment (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.03–1.20), having family members with long-term health problems or illnesses (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.34–1.55), or undertaking care activities for other people (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.40–1.77) had a high propensity toward intensive eHealth usage. Sociodemographic predictors showed that Internet users who were female (OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.14–1.31), aged 25–54 years (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.05–1.21), living in larger households (3 members: OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.15–1.36; 5 members: OR 1.13, 95% CI 0.97–1.28; ≥6 members: OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.10–1.57), had more children <16 years of age (1 child: OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.18–1.14; 2 children: OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.94–1.17; 4 children: OR 1.35, 95% CI 0.88–2.08), and had more family members >65 years of age (1 member: OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.18–1.50; ≥4 members: OR 1.82, 95% CI 0.54–6.03) had a greater propensity toward intensive eHealth usage. Likewise, users residing in densely populated areas, such as cities and large towns (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.09–1.25), also had a greater propensity toward intensive eHealth usage. Educational levels presented an inverted U shape in relation to intensive eHealth usage, with greater propensities among those with a secondary education (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.01–1.16). Finally, occupational categories and net monthly income data suggest a higher propensity among the employed or self-employed (OR 1.07, 95% CI 0.99–1.15) and among the minimum wage stratum, earning ≤€1000 per month (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.48–1.87). Conclusions We provide new evidence of inequalities that explain intensive eHealth usage. The results highlight the need to develop more specific eHealth practices to address different realities.

Information and Communication Technologies, Innovation, and Firm Productivity in Small and Medium-Sized Travel Agencies New Evidence from Spain

This article analyzes new co-innovative sources of firm labor productivity. Using survey data for 120 small and medium-sized travel agencies based in Catalonia (a region in the northeast of Spain) and partial least square–structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) estimation techniques, three main findings emerged from the study. First, labor productivity is directly explained by those agencies’ capacity to exploit their assets, to use local networks, and to make international transactions. Second, the analysis of indirect effects on labor productivity suggests a circular causality, which is determined by the influence of the workers’ local network use on a firm’s export capacity. In this circular relationship, a firm’s capacity to generate market-leading product innovations and the stock of human capital and training play a decisive role. Third, co-innovation practices exert a negative effect, which may be related to difficulties in terms of securing productivity improvements in the short term.

Information and communication technology, co-innovation, and perceived productivity in tourism small and medium enterprises: an exploratory analysis

With the aim of providing new evidence and a practical instrument to measure co-innovative sources of productivity in tourism small and medium enterprises (SMEs), this article presents a newly designed questionnaire that has been validated by exploratory factor analysis. The empirical study was conducted on a representative sample of 500 tourism SMEs in Catalonia (a region in north-eastern Spain). Three factors emerged from the analysis: (1) Internet use; (2) firm innovation; and (3) new forms of work organization. Together, these factors explained 45.4% of cumulative variance. The reliability coefficients obtained for the three factors were high (α1 = 0.76; α2 = 0.72; and α3 = 0.71). The study also identified a specific form of co-innovation in SMEs, which is based on bringing radically innovative products and services to the market, and on Internet use and work organization practices that are clearly orientated towards increasing income and optimizing resources. The combination between economics of the firm and statistical validation tools is a source of originality of the paper. Strategic guidelines to improve SMEs productivity have also been discussed.

Proactive orientation effects on product innovation activities: Empirical evidence

Do the antecedents and outcomes of a proactive market orientation contribute significantly to enable the discrimination of firms according to their product innovation results? An empirical investigation of 2,038 Spanish firms, stratified by sector of activity and size, reveal two interesting conclusions. First, the philosophical principles that determine a proactive market orientation and its strategic implications also foster the development of new products. Second, the firm’s sector of activity determines the strength of each antecedent factor. This article therefore provides strategic recommendations for improving the management of innovation processes.

Dispositional Employability and Online Training Purchase. Evidence from Employees' Behavior in Spain

This article explores the relationship between dispositional employability and online training purchase. Through a sample of 883 employees working for enterprises in Spain, and a using principal component analysis and binomial logit probabilistic models, the research revealed two main results. First, it was found that dispositional employability is characterized by five factors: “openness to changes at work,” “career motivation and work resilience,” “work and career proactivity,” “optimism and engagement at work,” and “work identity.” Second, the research also found a double causality in the relationship analysis between dispositional employability and online training purchase. However, this causality is not direct. In explaining dispositional employability, certain motivations and types of behavior of employees participating in online training are significant. In particular, greater sensitivity toward career-related personal empowerment, a greater predisposition toward developing new experiences at work, and a greater awareness of the fact that positive job outcomes are related to preparation conscientiousness. In explaining online training purchase, employees who are more motivated and who better identify with their jobs are more likely to pay. Moreover, employees who spend more time on training and have less contact with new trends in their jobs, find it hard to keep calm in difficult situations, and have a greater predisposition toward effort, and preference for novelty, variety and challenges at work are more likely to purchase online training.

Understanding the discriminant factors that influence the adoption and use of clinical communities of practice: the ECOPIH case

BackgroundThe aim of the study presented in this article is to analyse the discriminant factors that have an influence on the use of communities of practice by primary and specialist healthcare professionals (physicians and nurses) for information sharing. Obtaining evidence from an ex-ante analysis to determine what factors explain healthcare professionals’ clinical community of practice use allows aspects of its use to be identified.MethodsA theoretical model based on a modified technology acceptance model was used as the analysis tool, and a discriminant analysis was performed. An ad-hoc questionnaire was designed and sent to a study population of 357 professionals from the Badalona-Sant Adrià de Besòs Primary Care Service in Catalonia, Spain, which includes nine primary care centres and three specialist care centres. The study sample was formed by the 166 healthcare professionals who responded.ResultsThe results revealed three main drivers for engagement in a CoP: First, for the whole sample, perceived usefulness for reducing costs associated with clinical practice was the factor with the greatest discriminant power that distinguished between users and non-users, followed by perceived usefulness for improving clinical practice quality, and lastly habitual social media website and application use. Turning to the two sub-samples of healthcare professions (physicians and nurses, respectively), we saw that the usefulness stemming from community of practice use changed. There were differences in the levels of motivation of healthcare professionals with regards to their engagement with CoP. While perceived usefulness for reducing costs associated with clinical practice was the main factor for the physicians, perceived usefulness of the Web 2.0 platform use for communication for improving clinical practice quality and perceived ease of use were the main factors for the nurses.ConclusionsIn the context of communities of practice, the perception of usefulness of Web 2.0 platform use for communication is determined by organisational, technological and social factors. Specifically, the position that professionals have within the healthcare structure and particularly the closer healthcare professionals’ activity is to patients and their professional experience of using social networks and ICTs are crucial to explaining the use of such platforms. Public policies promoting Web 2.0 platform use for communication should therefore go beyond the purely technological dimension and consider other professional and social determinants.

Modeling The Relationship Between Industrial Employment And Information And Communication Technologies

In this paper, we develop a model to measure the effects of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on the labor market, aiming to settle down its net effect on employment creation. The main findings are: 1) Related with the sector services, where the regions with worse evolution of the industrial employment showed growth in the information society sector services, being it intensive in technology, and a certain negative incidence employment growth in the sector services in general and in the industrial one, 2) Related with the ICT, where two variables have a negative effect on the employment growth: the extranet and the own wireless net. This negative incidence has its base on the positive relationship between productivity and technology. This way, the ICT integration into the industry causes smaller new workers needs. 3) A second group of estimates highlights some of the factors that have influenced the recent industry evolution. The most prominent effect is the incidence of the ICT on the added value. The regions where there is more penetration of the ICT are the ones having bigger industry relevance in the Spanish economy. 4) In addition, the difficulties to find ICT skilled workers specialist is a factor that hinders the added value growth. These results reveal the need of a public policy favoring the skilled labor and the company’s technological advances. The conjunction of both factors will improve the industry long-term benefits. 5) A last effects group reveals that regions with bigger industrial production growth have also a bigger growth of the employment in the services sector.

Modeling and Predicting Outcomes of eHealth Usage by European Physicians: Multidimensional Approach from a Survey of 9196 General Practitioners

Background The literature has noted the need to use more advanced methods and models to evaluate physicians’ outcomes in the shared health care model that electronic health (eHealth) proposes. Objective The goal of our study was to design and evaluate a predictive multidimensional model of the outcomes of eHealth usage by European physicians. Methods We used 2012-2013 survey data from a sample of 9196 European physicians (general practitioners). We proposed and tested two composite indicators of eHealth usage outcomes (internal practices and practices with patients) through 2-stage structural equation modeling. Logistic regression (odds ratios, ORs) to model the predictors of eHealth usage outcomes indicators were also calculated. Results European general practitioners who were female (internal practices OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.10-1.20; practices with patients OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.14-1.24) and younger—aged <35 years (internal practices OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.02-1.26; practices with patients OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.13-1.54) and aged 36-45 years (internal practices OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.06-1.28; practices with patients OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.10-1.33)—had a greater propensity toward favorable eHealth usage outcomes in internal practices and practices with patients. European general practitioners who positively valued information and communication technology (ICT) impact on their personal working processes (internal practices OR 5.30, 95% CI 4.73-5.93; practices with patients OR 4.83, 95% CI 4.32-5.40), teamwork processes (internal practices OR 4.19, 95% CI 3.78-4.65; practices with patients OR 3.38, 95% CI 3.05-3.74), and the doctor-patient relationship (internal practices OR 3.97, 95% CI 3.60-4.37; practices with patients OR 6.02, 95% CI 5.43-6.67) had a high propensity toward favorable effects of eHealth usage on internal practices and practices with patients. More favorable eHealth outcomes were also observed for self-employed European general practitioners (internal practices OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.22-1.45; practices with patients OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.03-1.28). Finally, general practitioners who reported that the number of patients treated in the last 2 years had remained constant (internal practices OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.01-1.17) or increased (practices with patients OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.03-1.22) had a higher propensity toward favorable eHealth usage outcomes. Conclusions We provide new evidence of predictors (sociodemographic issues, attitudes toward ICT impacts, and working conditions) that explain favorable eHealth usage outcomes. The results highlight the need to develop more specific policies for eHealth usage to address different realities.

gender inequalities in job quality during the recession

Purpose This article empirically analyses gender differences in job quality during the first years of the economic crisis in Spain. Design/methodology/approach The article use microdata from the Quality of Working Life Survey. A representative sample of 5,381 and 4,925 Spanish employees (men and women) in 2008 and 2010, and a two-stage Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) are empirically tested. Findings The study revealed three main results. First, the improvement in job quality was more favorable to men than it was to women. Second, the gender differences in the explanation of job quality increased considerably in favor of men. Third, this increase in gender-related job inequality in favor of men is explained by a worsening of 4 of the 5 explanatory dimensions thereof: intrinsic job quality; work organization and workplace relationships; working conditions, work intensity and health and safety at work; and extrinsic rewards. Only inequality in the work-life balance dimension remained stable. Research lim...