This comprehensive Research Handbook reflects the latest research breakthroughs and practices in services management. Addressing services management from a broader strategic perspective, it delves into the key issues of analytics and service robots, and their potential impact. Edited by the late Mark M. Davis, it represents an early foray into the new frontier of services management and provides insights into the future of the field. Drawing together expert service researchers, the Research Handbook begins with an analysis of service strategy and operations management, before moving on to explore service innovation and design, serving customers, healthcare services and artificial intelligence in service. Chapters explore a wide range of topics including scarcity strategies, perceived justice in services, the role of culture and religion in service provision, and the implications of Covid-19 on healthcare service operations. The book concludes with a reflection on the fourth industrial revolution that is occurring now and the understanding of services in an era of advanced technologies. Addressing emerging challenges and opportunities, this Research Handbook will be critical reading for scholars and advanced students of services management and information systems. It will also be beneficial for practitioners and business managers in service industries.

In this thoroughly updated second edition, Matthias Herdegen provides a comprehensive and contemporary assessment of the regulation of biotechnology processes and products from an international and comparative perspective, complete with analysis of intricate legal and ethical debates. Considering recent advances in biotechnology, this new edition explores how regulatory approaches to controversial issues such as stem cell research, cloning and gene therapy differ across jurisdictions due to conflicting values and risk perceptions. Reflecting on current developments, the book explores the interaction between biotechnology and different fields of law, including: human rights, intellectual property, trade law and environmental law. In doing so, Herdegen investigates complex concerns such as balancing commercial interests with socio-cultural considerations and ensuring respect for human dignity in the pursuit of biomedical research. Furthermore this new edition includes examination of recent developments in areas such as genome editing, biomedicine, COVID-19 vaccines, and patents on essentially biological products, with an entirely revised section on biobanks. Providing a concise and accessible guide to a complex field of international law, this book will be of great value to those researching the law and regulation of biotechnology, biomedicine and biodiversity both within the EU and at an international level. Practicing lawyers will also benefit from a diverse array of sources from a range of legal systems.

The management of safety in the workplace remains a relevant topic of discussion even after all the years since workplace safety became a priority. This book sees a discussion of the essence of workplace safety, accountability within organisations, health and safety practices and safety control measures. Finally, this book takes a look at safety recognition and reward systems within organisations and how these systems promote safe work practices.

In this book are fifty-two compelling tales that will lead the reader on a journey of discovery of the African continent. It tracks the ancient grail of traditional African medicine or muthi. The journey takes one year, with one story for each of the fifty-two weeks. Many of the stories inherited through Africa’s compelling oral tradition are between these covers: committed to paper for the first time ever.

The ancient African people were the first aromatherapists who well understood the effect of plants on the human body, mind and soul. Innately spiritual, the thousands of lineages of African people across thousands of years have all used plant medicines for healing, always with the blessing of their ancestors.

Knowledge of African plant mythology and its associated healing practices is most certainly a grail because on this great continent we call Africa, knowledge has always been an oral tradition. Because it was never written down, thousands of years of healing wisdom and intelligence have been lost in the transference from one generation to the next.

This book endeavoures to bring to light the deep history of fifty-two of the thousands of indigenous medicinal plants of Africa, before it is too late. The focus is towards Southern Africa because this region is a hotspot of cultural and botanical diversity. Unlike the healing knowledge of other ancient cultures, such as India or China, little of Africa’s healing history is recorded.

As you read the stories about fifty-two of the continent’s prominent indigenous plant cures, the authors hope you, too, will experience some of the magnetism, mystery and wisdom of Africa. They hope it will help you understand a bit more about yourself and about our species: the human being.