Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

[pt] Esta pesquisa é uma abordagem ergonômica sobre a situação do pedestre nas vias da Barra da Tijuca, localizado na zona oeste da cidade do Rio de Janeiro. O usuário que necessita utilizar as calçadas do bairro sofre constrangimentos ao interagir com o espaço urbano bairro. Realizaram-se estudos exploratórios com observações assistemáticas e entrevistas semi-estruturadas para, posteriormente, elaborar e aplica questionário e a escala de avaliação tipo Likert. Pesquisaram-se os problemas ergonômicos do pedestre no ambiente construído e avaliou-se o seu grau de satisfação com a região. / [en] This research is about an ergonomic approach of pedestrian situation in Barra da Tijuca borough, in Rio de Janeiro. The pedestrian who needs use the Barra`s sidewalks has constraints when interacts with the urban space. The initial study was assistematic observation and semi- structured interview. Later, questionnaire forms were applied with Likert-type Scale. The ergonomics problems of the pedestrian in built environment were studied and user`s satisfaction degree related to Barra was evaluated.

[pt] A prática de terceirização das atividades logísticas pelas empresas é bastante comum no cenário atual de mercado, onde as empresas buscam, cada vez mais, novas estratégias de auxílio no gerenciamento de seus negócios, bem como redução de custos, agilidade na solução de seus problemas, aumento do nível de serviço prestado a seus clientes e melhorias no desempenho. Através desta estratégia de terceirização, entram em cena os chamados Prestadores de Serviços Logísticos (PSL). Sendo assim, este estudo tem como objetivo avaliar o nível de utilização de conceitos básicos e de iniciativas e práticas relacionadas ao tema Gerenciamento da Cadeia de Suprimentos (SCM), pelos Prestadores de Serviços Logísticos atuantes no estado do Pará. Para isso, desenvolveu-se uma pesquisa survey de cunho quantitativo junto aos PSL, utilizando como instrumento de coleta de dados um questionário dotado de uma escala Likert de quatro pontos, onde, através de suas respostas, os entrevistados foram responsáveis por expressar qual o nível de uso dos conceitos básicos e das iniciativas e práticas, abordadas neste estudo, nos seus processos logísticos. Visto que a pesquisa se enquadra como quantitativa, para o tratamento e avaliação dos dados, foi utilizado um software estatístico e realizada uma análise estatística descritiva. Com os resultados, concluiu-se que, no que se refere ao uso tanto de conceitos básicos quanto de iniciativas e práticas de SCM, os PSL considerados na amostra estudada não possuem um nível de utilização muito bem definido, dada a grande variação observada entre as respostas. / [en] The practice of outsourcing logistics activities by companies is quite common in the current market, where companies seek increasingly new support strategies to manage their business, as well as cost savings, agility in solving their problems, increasing level service and improving performance. Through this outsourcing strategy, Logistics Services Providers (LSP) come into play. Thus, the objective of this study is evaluate the usage level of basic concepts and initiatives and practices related to the theme Supply Chain Management (SCM) by the logistics services providers operating in the state of Pará. For this, a survey research of quantitative nature was developed with these LSP, using a four-point scale Likert questionnaire, where the respondents were responsible for expressing what is the usage level of the basic concepts and of the initiatives and practices, exposed on this study, on their logistics processes. As the research is quantitative, a statistic software were used and a descriptive statistical analysis were made to evaluate the collected data. From the results, it was concluded that the LSP considered in the study sample don’t have a well- defined usage level, due to the large variations observed among the answers.

Cette recherche a consisté en le développement et la validation d'outils psychométriques servant à mesurer chez les étudiants une évolution dans les croyances épistémiques (c.-à-d. les croyances concernant les sciences, l'enseignement et l'apprentissage) et les attitudes épistémiques (c.-à-d. les conceptions, affects et valeurs envers des objets épistémiques comme la connaissance ou le savoir scientifique). Les valeurs et affects sont d'une importance primordiale dans l'éducation épistémologique, comme le sont les croyances ou les valeurs. Toutefois, ils semblent souvent négligés dans les approches pédagogiques ou dans la recherche. De plus, avant la présente recherche, il n'y avait pas d'instrument quantitatif fiable adapté au contexte français pour mesurer les croyances envers les sciences, l'enseignement et l'apprentissage. Pour ces raisons, nous avons développé dans la langue française un Questionnaire sur les Attitudes et les Croyances Epistémiques (QACE ou EBAI en anglais pour Epistemic Beliefs and Attitudes Inventory), qui est composé d'échelles de Likert et de différentiateurs sémantiques. Nous avons mené trois études. La première (Study 1) a été menée en France auprès de 283 étudiants pour explorer la structure de la première version du QACE (QACE1). Ensuite, cette version été utilisée pour évaluer l'impact de deux modules d'épistémologie sur les populations d'étudiants concernées. Les résultats ont indiqué une bonne consistance interne des échelles et leur capacité à mesurer des changements significatifs dans les attitudes et croyances épistémiques des étudiants. Dans une deuxième étude menée au Vietnam, nous avons examiné les propriétés psychométriques d'une traduction vietnamienne du QACE1 auprès de 228 étudiants ou professeurs (Study 2). Un résultat marquant est que les différentiateurs sémantiques se sont révélé être des outils novateurs simples et prometteurs pour mesurer les attitudes et croyances épistémiques. Cela peut être expliqué par leur robustesse psychométrique, leur forte sensibilité pour discriminer entre les groupes et la facilité avec laquelle on peut les adapter dans une autre culture. Troisièmement, la version préliminaire de l'instrument a été améliorée. Nous avons ensuite conduit en France une étude de validation de cette nouvelle version (QACE2) après de 729 étudiants (Study 3). Plusieurs construits théoriquement apparentés (comme le Epistemological Beliefs Inventory de Schraw et al., 2002; le Cognitive Complexity Indicator indiquant les position de Perry à partir du questionnaire Learning Environment Preferences de Moore, 1989; et l'échelle de dogmatisme de Shearman & Levine, 2006) ont été utilisés pour établir la validité du QACE2. Les résultats de la validation croisée sur les moitiés d'échantillons et de la fiabilité test-retest ont mis en évidence que le QACE2 est un outil fiable, stable et valide pour mesurer les croyances et attitudes épistémiques. Cette recherche a ouvert de nombreuses perspectives concernant, notamment, la vérification de la capacité du QACE2 à mesurer l'impact de modules d'épistémologie, la vérification de son adaptation à d'autres contextes francophones ou encore l'utilisation potentielle des différentiateurs sémantiques pour les recherches interculturelles sur l'épistémologie personnelle. / This research has focused on developing and validating psychometric tools to measure changes in university students' epistemic beliefs (i.e., beliefs about science, teaching, and learning) and epistemic attitudes (i.e., conceptions, affects, and values towards epistemic objects e.g., knowledge, scientific knowledge). Epistemic affects and values are of primary importance in epistemological education, as epistemic beliefs or conceptions do. However they seem to be often neglected in the pedagogical and research approaches. Moreover, before the present research, there was no reliable quantitative instrument to measure beliefs about science, learning and teaching specifically adapted to the French context. For these reasons, we developed the Epistemic Beliefs and Attitudes Inventory (EBAI), a set of Likert-type and semantic differential scales. We conducted three studies. The first study (Study 1) was conducted in France on 283 university students to explore the structure of the first version of the EBAI (EBAI1). The EBAI1 has then been used to evaluate the impact of two scientific epistemology related modules on the corresponding two students' populations. Results indicated robust internal consistencies of the scales and their ability to measure changes in students' epistemic beliefs and attitudes. In a second study, we preliminarily examined the psychometric properties of a Vietnamese translation of the EBAI1 in Vietnam with 228 participants, university students and teachers (Study 2). The results unravelled inadequacies of some scales to the Vietnamese context. One striking result is that the semantic differential scales appeared to be promising innovative and simple tools to measure epidemic attitudes and epistemic beliefs. We explain that by their strong psychometric properties, their high sensitivity in group discrimination, and the easiness to adapt them to another culture. Thirdly, the preliminary version of the instrument was revised for improvement and strengthening. We then conducted, in France, a validation study of this new version (EBAI2) among 729 students (Study 3). Several theoretically related constructs (e.g., general epistemological beliefs measured by the Epistemological Beliefs Inventory, Schraw et al., 2002; Cognitive Complexity Indicator indicating Perry's positions measured by the Learning Environment Preferences, Moore, 1989; and dogmatism measured by the Dogmatism Scale, Shearman & Levine, 2006) were used to establish the construct validity of the updated instrument (EBAI2). Results of double-split cross-validation and test-retest reliability showed a high reliability and temporal stability of the EBAI2. In summary, the findings supported that the EBAI2 is a reliable, stable and valid tool to measure epistemic beliefs and attitudes. This research opened many perspectives such as, for instance, checking for the EBAI2 ability to measure the impact of scientific epistemology related modules, checking for its adaptation to other francophone contexts, or using semantic differentials for cross-cultural researches in personal epistemology.

The purpose of the study was to explore and describe leadership at Matlala District Hospital in Limpopo, a province of South Africa. The study was critical for a better understanding of leadership styles adopted in different situations (hospital, district or province) at Matlala District Hospital in the Sekhukhune district. The main objectives of the study were described in chapter 1 on leadership styles (transformational and transactional), to determine how best to investigate leadership styles at Matlala District Hospital, to determine what the current leadership style at Matlala District Hospital is and to propose the most appropriate leadership style for Matlala District Hospital. A mixed-methods approach was used with an exploratory and descriptive design. In terms of the qualitative methodology, purposive sampling was used as the managers were selected on their knowledge of the issues under investigation. Firstly, an interview schedule was developed and used to collect data at Matlala District Hospital. The sample size was 82. Interviews were conducted with 12 members of the executive committee who were regarded as senior managers of the hospital. Secondly, the researcher distributed the questionnaires to participants of the hospital that met the inclusion criteria. Seventy participants completed questionnaires, which were collected upon completion. A 100% response rate was reached. Thematic analysis was used to assess the qualitative data. With regard to quantitative data analysis, descriptive, frequency tables and charts and inferential statistics were used. According to the results, those managers who felt that resources had be provided felt strongly that leadership at the hospital should be improved. Accordingly, guidelines for improving leadership at Matlala District Hospital have to be developed to ensure that mitigating factors are in place for the improvement of the situation at the hospital. / Public Administration and Management / M. P. A. (Public Administration)