EDITORIAL
Volume 14, Issue 1, 2019
1. What is the impact of non-domestic building tenure on SME’s energy efficiency?
- Dr Kay Emblen-Perry
Energy supplies have been taken for granted and ecological concerns have taken time to get a foothold. Now it is generally accepted that we need to reduce consumption, but it is not always treated as a priority. In non-domestic buildings the baseline problem may be the drive for economic growth which means more and more production. Financial incentives are offered, but sometimes are misaligned, where the person who gets the benefit is not the one who pays the bill. For example, the owner of a building may invest in energy efficiency, which results in savings for the tenant in the energy bill. In buildings with multiple tenants, general agreement is necessary and may be difficult to obtain. Red tape often creates barriers which may or may not be reasonable. This paper highlights the need to tackle energy conservation in a more holistic way.
2. A Study on Correlation between Maintenance Cost Elements and GBI Residential Building Project Implementation in Malaysia
- Lee Sun Sun
Green issues do not stop at the point of production, but continue into the lifespan, including maintenance and eventual disposal. In the case of residential buildings, this includes the use of energy and water, and goes further. The immediate surroundings also need to have green elements, both in the sense of plants and trees, and in the sense of encouraging green habits. There should be recycling facilities and good public transport. This requires coordination between suppliers of different services, which is often sadly lacking. This paper looks at house building in Malaysia, where, as in many other countries, the government is striving for improvement. One problem is that building with the future in mind costs more than staying traditional, and requires more forethought. Construction is only one of many issues to be taken into account.
3. Consumer Perception Towards Green Cosmetic Products in Oman
- Prasad Begde
Green issues have become paramount, and should be tackled in all parts of life and areas of the world. Each product or activity has scope for improving its green credentials, and this has become high in people's consciousness, and companies need to take it into account in addition to pricing. Customer perception of high greenness may sway them towards a product. This paper looks at customer perception of green cosmetic products in Oman. The study shows that higher income (green products are often more expensive), higher level of education (education brings greater awareness of issues involved), and being female (traditionally it is women who use cosmetics), are all factors that make the use of green cosmetic products more likely. This may well be so in other cultures. This is useful information for marketing. Also, efforts could be made to lower prices, and to raise awareness generally.
4. Analysing the Relationship between Quality Care and Patient Satisfaction in the Healthcare Industry
- Jaya Pakerasamy
Health is vital at every level, individual, small business, corporate, and national. There has to be a system whereby health concerns are addressed successfully, and some form of regulation to maintain good standards of care. Patient satisfaction is one measure of this no matter what the system. Clinical measures such as recurrence or non-recurrence of symptoms, are likely to be in line with patient satisfaction. When the patient is paying for the service, the link between their satisfaction and the level of care is important to the provider for repeat custom. In the case of total cure, the patient will not return, but their recommendation may bring more patients. This paper looks at several aspects of quality - including patient satisfaction, personnel, administration, hospital environment, service and cost, in the private healthcare industry in Malaysia.