Early loading : comparing delayed and immediate (post extraction) placement protocols

Abstract Background: It is well documented in the international literature that when implants have been placed with primary stability in the edentulous mandible, immediate or early loading of the implants can be highly successful. Success rates of between 85-98% have been reported.1 However, no evidence has been published on the success rates of implants placed post-extraction with immediate or early loading in South Africa. Objectives: The investigation reported in this dissertation was undertaken to compare the success rates of early loaded implants placed in a) Edentulous mandibles and maxillae (delayed placement), b) “Fresh” extraction sockets with prior alveolectomies within the mandible/maxilla (immediate placement). Methods: In a private maxillo-facial surgical practice and a private prosthodontic practice, the number of patients who had received implants, number of implants per patient, type of implant placed (Southern or Nobel Biocare), total number of implants, site of implant placement and type of prosthesis placed were recorded. The success rates were evaluated using the following criteria3: A) Absence of clinically detectable implant mobility B) Absence of soft tissue infections, persistent pain, paraesthesia, or discomfortimplants, site of implant placement and type of prosthesis placed were recorded. The success rates were evaluated using the following criteria3: A) Absence of clinically detectable implant mobility B) Absence of soft tissue infections, persistent pain, paraesthesia, or discomfortimplants, site of implant placement and type of prosthesis placed were recorded. The success rates were evaluated using the following criteria3: A) Absence of clinically detectable implant mobility B) Absence of soft tissue infections, persistent pain, paraesthesia, or discomfortC) Radiographic evaluation of bone loss D) Period of follow-up, that is loading period Results: The records of 22 patients who had had 121 implants placed with early loading over a 3 - 45 month period were studied. Of the 121 implants, 107 implants showed no bone loss, and 14 showed bone loss. Furthermore, 4 implants were lost in 2 patients, both patients having had implants placed in edentulous jaws. No clinical complications were seen in any patients. Conclusions: Implants with early loading placed in edentulous jaws showed a 94.1% survival rate during the study period, while those placed into fresh and immediately post-extraction sockets showed a 100% survival rate. The failure rate was too low for further analysis

The importance of the human touch in the luxury accommodation sector

It could be said that all luxury properties offer their guests the same facilities and amenities; therefore, there has to be some other point of difference – their staff. This research paper focuses on staff and their importance for luxury properties. Luxury accommodation is certainly not a new concept as luxury has been closely associated with hospitality since ancient Greek and Roman times, but what guests now want from luxury properties is new – memorable luxury experiences. And it is up to the management and owners to make sure this happens. To date, there has been a lack of research conducted on the importance of staff in the luxury accommodation sector; this paper outlines their significance.Keywords: luxury, hotel, lodge, managers, employee

Are we poles apart? Stakeholders’ cooperation and decision-making in on-land cruise tourism in Iceland and New Zealand

The rapid growth of the global cruise ship industry in tourism has been evident in New Zealand in the southern hemisphere and Iceland in the northern hemisphere, where both countries have experienced a substantial increase in cruise ship arrivals at a growing number of ports. Although the two countries are geographically very far apart, they do share various similarities in their tourism. Within the framework of stakeholder theory and using an interpretivist, case-study methodology, the aim of this research is to explore similarities and differences in the issues facing stakeholders in on-land cruise services in New Zealand and Iceland, and to evaluate stakeholders’ levels of participation in decision-making in their respective cruise sectors. The population of Napier is 61 100, whereas Akureyri’s population is merely 18 500. However, both destinations receive similar numbers of cruise passengers, or around 100 000 in the 2016/2017 New Zealand season, 2017 Icelandic season. Findings provide general insights into on-land cruise services, and the co-existence of land-based tourism and cruise tourism in rural and urban areas. Furthermore, the overall research findings indicate that although the two destinations differ in their population, main attractions and geographical location, they seem not that far apart in the opportunities and challenges facing the local stakeholders and the decision-making processes of their cruise sectors.Keywords: cruise tourism, Iceland, New Zealand, stakeholder

Industry perspective A human resource manager’s insights into hospitality in New Zealand: Lizzy Coughlan

The last two years have been incredibly challenging for the domestic and international hospitality industry. To gain insights from New Zealand hospitality professionals who are also AUT alumni, Lizzy Coughlan, Human Resource Manager of the Hotel Britomart, Auckland, was interviewed by AUT’s Associate Professor Tracy Harkison. When Coughlan was asked about working in hospitality, she responded: I love hospitality because daily you encounter so many different types of people, it is a family feel industry. You meet people from around the world, so it gives you so much exposure to different life experiences. I am a people person, and it has been an industry I have loved ever since I started at AUT. I wanted to be in an industry where people are the main subject, and hospitality is that industry to a tee. When asked about the unique aspects of the New Zealand hospitality industry, she explained: We have a lot of history. Hotels are learning more about Māori heritage and incorporating it into their establishments. New Zealand is a unique travel destination, from the mountains and snow in Queenstown to the big city feel in Auckland. With such diversity we appeal to a wide range of travellers world-wide. When Coughlan was asked why someone should start a career in hospitality and what advice she would give, her view was that: People often don’t realise that within hospitality it’s not just the operational roles you can do, it’s everything from revenue management through to HR. There are so many different things you can be exposed to within hospitality. It’s not just waiting tables, cleaning dishes and being a chef; careers wise you can move up very quickly in hospitality into a different field that you may not have thought of before. Coughlan stressed the importance of starting from the entry level. Start in the industry at an entry position. It gives you the understanding of how a hotel operates; you can go through lots of different departments. It gives you the skills that you need in a management role, as you understand the facets of the business and you can be a very effective leader. Studying and gaining a degree will serve your career very well. My best piece of advice is to just get in the door and work your way from there. When Coughlan was asked about her greatest leadership challenge, the COVID-19 situation, and what she would change about the industry, she emphasised passion and being agile: In hospitality you have a lot of very passionate people, and everyone has very different leadership styles. So, it is about understanding how best to lead when you have different personalities and styles to content with. So, my greatest leadership challenge has been understanding all the different leadership styles and then trying to figure out how to work with them, especially within a HR function role, because it can be challenging at times. But the more you understand them, the more you learn, and the easier it gets. For COVID-19 our biggest decision was first and foremost the health and safety of our team and our guests. We took the stance that we need to take care of our people first, and then we made the business decisions from there. One thing remained throughout lockdown – taking care of our team and making sure they were supported. It was also about being really agile, as things were changing daily, and you have got to have a Plan A and a Plan B. So being agile and take it from there. However, she also warned of the dangers of the industry, advising of ways to preserve one’s work-life balance. The industry is going through a huge transformation with a new generation of workers coming through. We are seeing a lot more people wanting, and rightfully so, more fair pay, more flexibility, more work life balance. Within traditional hospitality there is the mentality that you sometimes work long hours, so industry really needs to become more agile and open minded to different ways. We can approach work life balance by working from home, but within the parameters of an operational business, that is what I would like to see more of

How is the luxury accommodation experience created? Case studies from New Zealand

A limited number of studies have been conducted on the subject of luxury accommodation experiences. These studies have tended to take a unidimensional perspective on the topic – focusing either on a management or a customer perspective – while other key actors in the provision of luxury accommodation experiences, namely service staff, have tended to be ignored. Few studies have been conducted on creating luxury accommodation experiences. Although the topic of creating experiences has been identified as an important issue in tourism experiences, it has been relatively ignored, especially in the accommodation sector, and in particular, in luxury hotels and lodges. Following an extensive review of the literature, no previous research on creating luxury hotel or lodge experiences in New Zealand has been located. The aim of this study is to examine and evaluate the creation of the luxury accommodation experience, using case studies within New Zealand. The research question addressed is: what is the luxury accommodation experience, and how is it created? This study adopted interpretivist case study methodology, utilising a multiple case study approach to the investigation and evaluation of managers’, employees’ and guests’ perspectives on creating the luxury hotel and lodge experience in New Zealand. Six luxury properties were used as case studies, and 81 participants interviewed during their ‘experience’ – the participants included 27 managers, 27 employees and 27 guests. Analysis of the data resulted in two conceptual models that identified what is the luxury lodge and hotel experience, and how it is created. The first model explains the luxury hotel and lodge experience. The model portrays the luxury hotel and lodge experience as about being in the moment; opulence; the essence of the luxury hotel or lodge; the feeling of indulgence; the location and setting of the properties; the sensations and emotions of managers, employees and guests; the physical surroundings of the properties; delivering tailored attention; hospitableness; activities that can be undertaken at the properties; and guests’ desires and expectations. Across all properties, regardless of whether they are hotels or lodges, the three strongest themes identified by research participants are being in the moment, the essence of the luxury hotel and lodge, and opulence. The second model explains how the luxury hotel and lodge experience is created. The model identifies the luxury hotel and lodge experience as created through setting the stage; the ethos of the properties; the actors’ performances; co-creation between participants; guidance; comparisons between properties; domestic and international comparisons; the brand’s values and beliefs; and projecting an image. Across all properties, regardless of whether they are lodges or hotels, the four strongest themes identified by research participants are setting the stage, the ethos of the property, the actors’ performances and co-creation between participants. The research benefits are twofold. Firstly, the research contributes to the body of knowledge in hospitality and tourism management, specifically identifying what the luxury hotel and lodge experience is and how it is created. Secondly, it provides managers with practical insights into what a luxury hotel and lodge experience is, and how they can create such an experience in their own organisations

Is case triaging a useful tool for emergency surgeries? A review of 106 trauma surgery cases at a level 1 trauma center in South Africa

The optimal timing for emergency surgical interventions and implementation of protocols for trauma surgery is insufficient in the literature. The Groote Schuur emergency surgery triage (GSEST) system, based on Cape Triaging Score (CTS), is followed at Groote Schuur Hospital (GSH) for triaging emergency surgical cases including trauma cases. The study aimed to look at the effect of delay in surgery after scheduling based on the GSEST system has an impact on outcome in terms of postoperative complications and death

Workplace experiences and career advancement prospects for women in the hotel industry in India

This study aims to provide an insight into the factors that affect workplace experiences and opportunities for career progression of female employees in the Indian hotel industry. It provides a much-needed perspective on the work-life of women in the Indian hotel industry. The study had two phases: a systematic literature review was conducted for the first phase and the second phase included conducting semi-structured in-depth interviews. The findings of this study reveal that working in the hotel industry remains an ultimate choice for women where they have the opportunities to connect and socialize, enjoy and learn amidst the various challenges and barriers faced. The issue of gender is irrelevant for the women who set their standards and want to achieve their goals. Women show resilience and work against all odds with self-motivation to reach these goals

Calm ICT design in hotels: A critical review of applications and implications

There has recently been a call for revisiting the effect of ICT on guest experience in hotels. This is because ICT solutions can act not only as enhancers of hotel guest experience, but also as its inhibitors. In response to this call, the notion of calm ICT design has recently been introduced. Calm ICT design describes the ICT solutions that are used only when and if required, thus not calling user’s attention at all times. Although this concept is highly relevant to the hospitality industry, it has never been systematically considered within. This paper conceptualizes calm ICT design for application in the hospitality context. To this end, it analyzes the ICT solutions that are currently employed by hospitality businesses from the calm ICT design perspective; discusses how the opportunities offered by calm ICT design can be better capitalized upon by hospitality managers; and outlines directions for future research

How is the luxury accommodation experience created? Case studies from New Zealand

A limited number of studies have been conducted on the subject of luxury accommodation experiences. These studies have tended to take a unidimensional perspective on the topic – focusing either on a management or a customer perspective – while other key actors in the provision of luxury accommodation experiences, namely service staff, have tended to be ignored. Few studies have been conducted on creating luxury accommodation experiences. Although the topic of creating experiences has been identified as an important issue in tourism experiences, it has been relatively ignored, especially in the accommodation sector, and in particular, in luxury hotels and lodges. Following an extensive review of the literature, no previous research on creating luxury hotel or lodge experiences in New Zealand has been located. The aim of this study is to examine and evaluate the creation of the luxury accommodation experience, using case studies within New Zealand. The research question addressed is: what is the luxury accommodation experience, and how is it created? This study adopted interpretivist case study methodology, utilising a multiple case study approach to the investigation and evaluation of managers’, employees’ and guests’ perspectives on creating the luxury hotel and lodge experience in New Zealand. Six luxury properties were used as case studies, and 81 participants interviewed during their ‘experience’ – the participants included 27 managers, 27 employees and 27 guests. Analysis of the data resulted in two conceptual models that identified what is the luxury lodge and hotel experience, and how it is created. The first model explains the luxury hotel and lodge experience. The model portrays the luxury hotel and lodge experience as about being in the moment; opulence; the essence of the luxury hotel or lodge; the feeling of indulgence; the location and setting of the properties; the sensations and emotions of managers, employees and guests; the physical surroundings of the properties; delivering tailored attention; hospitableness; activities that can be undertaken at the properties; and guests’ desires and expectations. Across all properties, regardless of whether they are hotels or lodges, the three strongest themes identified by research participants are being in the moment, the essence of the luxury hotel and lodge, and opulence. The second model explains how the luxury hotel and lodge experience is created. The model identifies the luxury hotel and lodge experience as created through setting the stage; the ethos of the properties; the actors’ performances; co-creation between participants; guidance; comparisons between properties; domestic and international comparisons; the brand’s values and beliefs; and projecting an image. Across all properties, regardless of whether they are lodges or hotels, the four strongest themes identified by research participants are setting the stage, the ethos of the property, the actors’ performances and co-creation between participants. The research benefits are twofold. Firstly, the research contributes to the body of knowledge in hospitality and tourism management, specifically identifying what the luxury hotel and lodge experience is and how it is created. Secondly, it provides managers with practical insights into what a luxury hotel and lodge experience is, and how they can create such an experience in their own organisations