The Managerial Skills of Visual Merchandising Managers of Retail Establishments in the National Capital Region

The main objective of the study was to determine the managerial skills of visual merchandising managers in the National Capital Region. The study specifically aimed to address the following concerns: (1) the profile of the respondent-visual merchandising manager and the respondent-retail organization / company; (2) the visual merchandising managerial skills in technical, human, and conceptual aspects; (3) the significant difference in the managerial skills of the visual merchandising managers when grouped by profile; and (4) the assessment by respondents of the visual merchandising of the stores. The descriptive method of research was the methodology utilized. A total of one hundred sixty (160) study respondents from one hundred thirty-two (132) member-companies of the Philippine Retailers Association were obtained for data gathering of the study. Results showed a significant difference in the truthful assessment of the managerial skills when profiledby years of experience in visual merchandising in terms of human skill. The visual merchandising managers look at the future of store design in Metro Manila as “Very Good.” The following are recommended: the issue on floor plans and display area sizes should be properly addressed to maximized its foot-traffic potential; thepromotion of the principle of Completed Staff Work (CSW) to recognize and solve visual merchandising problems must be adhered to; and the institutionalization and conduct of the Annual Visual Merchandising Awards event activity should be started and done on a continuing basis. Keywords: Atmospherics, FMCGs, foot-traffic, sensory retailing, visual merchandising

Interobserver Agreement in the Diagnosis of Stroke Type

Interobserver Agreement is Essential to the Reliability of Clinical Data from Cooperative Studies and Provides the Foundation for Applying Research Results to Clinical Practice. in the Stroke Data Bank, a Large Cooperative Study of Stroke, We Sought to Establish the Reliability of a Key Aspect of Stroke Diagnosis: The Mechanism of Stroke. Seventeen Patients Were Evaluated by Six Neurologists. Interobserver Agreement Was Measured When Diagnosis Was based on Patient History and Neurologic Examination Only, as Well as When It Was based on Results of a Completed Workup, Including a Computed Tomographic Scan. Initial Clinical Impressions, based Solely on History and One Neurologic Examination, Were Fairly Reliable in Establishing the Mechanism of Stroke (Ie, Distinguishing among Infarcts, Subarachnoid Hemorrhages, and Parenchymatous Hemorrhages). Classification into One of Nine Stroke Subtypes Was Substantially Reliable When Diagnoses Were based on a Completed Workup. Compared with Previous Findings for the Same Physicians and Patients, the Diagnosis of Stroke Type Was Generally More Reliable Than Individual Signs and Symptoms. These Results Suggest that Multicentered Studies Can Rely on the Independent Diagnostic Choices of Several Physicians When Common Definitions Are Employed and Data from a Completed Workup Are Available. Furthermore, Reliability May Be Less for Individual Measurements Such as Signs or Symptoms Than for More-Complex Judgments Such as Diagnoses. © 1986, American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved

Business excellence model: an overarching framework for managing and aligning multiple organisational improvement initiatives

Business Excellence Models (BEMs) are used by organisations to assess and improve their work practices and performance. The authors’ research identified that there are currently 94 national Quality/Business Excellence (BE) Awards used in 83 countries. While the use of BEMs is widespread, it was identified that many organisations wanted guidance in terms of which improvement initiatives to implement to assist them on their BE journey. This paper discusses how the BEM can be used as an overarching framework for managing and/or aligning multiple improvement initiatives within the organisation. A new model is developed showing some of the main improvement initiatives that can be adopted towards achieving BE, which are arranged according to the common enabling criteria of BEMs and levels of BE maturity. This proposed model can be used as a pathway/roadmap to BE. In developing this model, a literature review, a document review and several semi-structured interviews were conducted. Sixteen quality and BE experts were interviewed in New Zealand, Singapore, and Malaysia

Traditional Chinese Medicine as an Australian tradition of health care

Deposited with permission of the author. © 2004 Dr. Rey Calingo TiquiaThis thesis is an intervention in the on-going 'conversation' between traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western biomedicine. It suggests how that conversation can be improved by putting the emphasis on practices and de-emphasising mutual theoretical explanation. I consider some episodes in the one hundred fifty year history of TCM in Victoria and argue for new ways of translating between knowledge systems, proposing the idea of a 'translating knowledge space'. I elaborate ways of understanding the 'TCM body' and treatment modalities in the light of this proposal

Candidate Spending in the 41st Election and its Implications

Elections are an expensive exercise of democracy, often requiring vast amounts of money to fund candidates, parties, and officials, etc., to make the system work. However, this very same process can affect voter behaviour and eventual election results. Using the 2011 Canadian Federal Election, I compiled the financial data of all candidates from the three major federal parties (Liberal, Conservative, and New Democratic) from the Elections Canada database and investigated who gave money (how many donors, and how much was the average donation), how much in loans the candidates took out, and how much they spent. I then assessed the data’s correlation to winning, as well as external influences such as media, geography, Canadian federal laws on election spending, and other intangible qualities such as a candidates’ likability.Evidently there were a few problems with the methodology, among the presence of “outliers” (candidates who spend excessively higher or lower than average), which may skew the results. There were also a few cases where candidates did not disclose their finances (such as Nancy Charest).In the end, one can conclude that money donated and spent makes a slight difference in the election results. However, there are other factors which affect a candidate’s chances outside of money: 1) Perception of candidate/party/leadership; 2) Candidates’ background (race, gender, locale); 3) Media coverage and “spin”; 4) Incumbency; 5) Geographical location of the riding; 6) Demographic makeup of the riding

The validity of the CET in predicting the academic performance of De La Salle College freshmen in the first semester of the schoolyear 1971-72

v. 1. This study aims to : 1) find out the predictive validity of the FAPE College Entrance Test (CET) 2) compare the predictive ability of the CET and that of the fourth year high school grade average (HSGA) 3) find the best combination of variables that may be used for selection and classification of students that would most likely succeed in the various degree programs at DLSC and 4) compare the predictive ability of the CET Math test and the DLSC Engineering Math test. The college academic performance of 537 De La Salle College freshmen during the school year 1971-72 was studied to determine the inter-relationships existing between the first semester college grade-point average (CGPA), designated as the criterion variable, and the CET sub-tests scores and the fourth year high school grade average (HSGA), as the predictor variables. The data were analyzed and interpreted separately by schools : Engineering, Commerce, and Liberal Arts. The intercorrelation coefficients were computed using the Pearson product-moment formula. The partial correlation coefficients of the predictor variables were obtained to find out the predictive ability of each of them when all the others were held constant. The multiple correlation coefficient was computed to gauge the extent of the contribution of all the predictors to the prediction of the criterion. An analysis of variance of the regression was then made to determine the validity of the prediction. It was concluded that the CET validly contributed to the prediction of college academic performance in the School of Liberal Arts. The fourth year grade average yielded the highest correlation with CGPA in all schools. It was also found that the combination of variables most predictive of academic performance was not the same in all schools. The most predictive variable common to all was the fourth year HSGA. Furthermore, the CET Math test and the DLSC Eng Math test tapped substantially common abilities, but the DLSC Math Eng test was more predictive of college academic success in the DLSC School of Engineering. It was suggested that the prediction tables constructed for the three schools be utilized for admission purposes in determining chances of academic success at De La Salle for the incoming freshmen of the schoolyear 1972-73. It was also recommended that the fourth year HSGA be used as the main criterion for admission. A follow-up study on the predictive validity of the CET was recommended, using the the CGPA for two semesters in the first year as the criterion variable. Also, DLSC should continue requiring the Engineering Math test for applicants to the School of Engineering. The guidance counselors could also utilize the prediction tables in determining the underachievers and overachievers. Similar research on the predictive validity of the CET on college academic performance not only of students in a particular institution but also of students in each geographical region was likewise suggested. v. 2. This is a case study of Eunice, a five-and-a-half year old girl who is a product of a broken home. She is a pre-school girl who is normal in her development, of average or above-average intelligence, with no serious adjustment difficulties. Her parents have been separated for almost two years when the study was started. Before her parents separation, she has witnessed their quarrels, some of which were violent. Her being a fatherless child, however, has caused her some anxieties and conflicts that usually occur to children under the same circumstances. Some maladaptive habits have also been observed, which the counselor has tried to modify with the cooperation of the significant others. These habits were : bottle feeding, bed wetting, temper tantrums, procrastination and selfishness. The counselor endeavors to find out how well she has adjusted to her environment, to investigate her possible problems at present, to project problems she might have in the future, and to suggest measures by which Eunice may be helped to grow into a normal, happy human being despite her unpleasant childhood experiences. Initially, Eunice was given several tests. The selection of intelligence tests has been difficult because Eunice did not know yet how to read nor write. Moreover, she understood very little English when the counseling relationship was started. The case worker then finally decided to give her three tests for intelligence : The WISC, the Anton Brenner Developmental Gestalt Test of School Readiness and the Goodenough-Harris Drawing Test. The first two were given to her at the beginning of the counseling relationship, and the last towards the end. Then, a personality test was administered to her, which was the House-Tree-Person Drawings. The counselor also had the chance of interviewing almost all the people with whom Eunice comes in contact. A behavioral therapy has been designed to help Eunice unlearn some undesirable habits. The test results suggest several characteristic traits. The more prominent observed durin

The Managerial Skills of Visual Merchandising Managers of Retail Establishments in the National Capital Region

The main objective of the study was to determine the managerial skills of visual merchandising managers in the National Capital Region. The study specifically aimed to address the following concerns: (1) the profile of the respondent-visual merchandising manager and the respondent-retail organization / company; (2) the visual merchandising managerial skills in technical, human, and conceptual aspects; (3) the significant difference in the managerial skills of the visual merchandising managers when grouped by profile; and (4) the assessment by respondents of the visual merchandising of the stores. The descriptive method of research was the methodology utilized. A total of one hundred sixty (160) study respondents from one hundred thirty-two (132) member-companies of the Philippine Retailers Association were obtained for data gathering of the study. Results showed a significant difference in the truthful assessment of the managerial skills when profiledby years of experience in visual merchandising in terms of human skill. The visual merchandising managers look at the future of store design in Metro Manila as “Very Good.” The following are recommended: the issue on floor plans and display area sizes should be properly addressed to maximized its foot-traffic potential; thepromotion of the principle of Completed Staff Work (CSW) to recognize and solve visual merchandising problems must be adhered to; and the institutionalization and conduct of the Annual Visual Merchandising Awards event activity should be started and done on a continuing basis. Keywords: Atmospherics, FMCGs, foot-traffic, sensory retailing, visual merchandising