The purpose of this thesis is to explore the diverse experiences of accessing health and social services when living with a neurological condition in Manitoba. Using a qualitative research design, I conducted 15 in-depth semi-structured interviews with adults living with a neurological condition in Manitoba. Findings demonstrated how characteristics of patients, and their service providers/systems, either predisposed them to a lack of service coordination or enabled them to successfully navigate health and social services. In the event that those factors contributed to a need or desire for coordination, participants employed strategies to improve their experience accessing services by i. pursuing knowledge to improve access, ii. actively engaging in behaviours to improve services, or iii. mentally coping with inadequate services. To conclude, practical recommendations on possible initiatives to improve the daily experiences of individuals living with neurological conditions are also provided. / October 2015

Natural health products (NHPs) are attractive due to the public’s perception that they are natural and safe but there is wide variety of risks associated with these products. Post-market surveillance is the key to control hazards produced from NHPs. A set of activities are involved in post-market surveillance designed to assure the safety, efficacy and quality of products after being launched into the market. Although post-market surveillance is an efficient tool to preserve the safety of users from adverse reactions of NHPs but there are various challenges associated with performing post-market surveillance specifically for NHPs. This research project is focused on defining a framework for performing post-market surveillance for NHPs and on identifying best practices in its application. An international comparative analysis was undertaken to formulate best practices by reviewing existing frameworks for post-market surveillance of NHPs in Australia, Germany, New Zealand, United Kingdom and United States. Evidence-based best practices are compared with the Canadian post-market surveillance framework to identify key gaps in the Canadian system. Recommendations are provided for bridging each gap, and making the Canadian NHPs surveillance system, strong according to the international standards of best practices.

Globalization and English-language predominance situate English teachers as increasingly influential mediators of both language and culture. In the iconic multicultural hub of Ontario, Canada, teachers work within a causal nexus of social theories of language, the information and communication technologies revolution, and unprecedented global interdependency. Changes in English curriculum reflect these trends, from references to “global citizenship,” to stress on “intercultural communication,” “cultural sensitivity,” and Information and Communication Technology (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2007). Delegated gatekeepers of both linguistic and critical literacies, and facing new questions about the purposes and priorities of their discipline, Ontario English teachers must negotiate the divide between an inherited curriculum and the impacts of sociocultural transformation on changing literacy needs. To contribute to a professional dialogue about teaching English in a multicultural society and global age, this thesis presents findings from interviews with fifteen Ontario secondary English teachers. The focal question, “How is English changing?” introduces a range of pressing issues, such as: displacing the canon, practicing intercultural communication, balancing a democratic discourse, or “common culture,” with respect for diverse values, and managing opposing views and resistance to English curriculum change. The data reveal how English teachers across levels of experience occupy contrasting positions on the curriculum change debate. In part, this can be explained in terms of epistemological orientations. The participants represent three categories: Adaptation, Applied Research / Collaborative Inquiry, and Activism, each by turn more geared toward reconceptualizing English for social diversity and global consciousness. Beyond these classifications, the teachers reflect dissonant perceptions, sometimes personal ambivalence, on the changing role of text choice, and written and oral dialogue in the English classroom. From passionate defenses of Shakespeare, to radical measures to revamp book lists for cultural relevance, to remarkable illustrations of curriculum linked with global consciousness and civic action, the responses of the English teachers delineate zones of difficulty, change, and possibility. They help, too, to catch sight of a new horizon: the English classroom as a space for “cultural conversation” (Applebee, 1994) where canon- and teacher-centred dialogue give way to intertextual (Bakhtin, 1981; Kristeva, 1980) and intercultural (R. Young, 1996) transactions.

Natural health products (NHPs) are attractive due to the public’s perception that they are natural and safe but there is wide variety of risks associated with these products. Post-market surveillance is the key to control hazards produced from NHPs. A set of activities are involved in post-market surveillance designed to assure the safety, efficacy and quality of products after being launched into the market. Although post-market surveillance is an efficient tool to preserve the safety of users from adverse reactions of NHPs but there are various challenges associated with performing post-market surveillance specifically for NHPs. This research project is focused on defining a framework for performing post-market surveillance for NHPs and on identifying best practices in its application. An international comparative analysis was undertaken to formulate best practices by reviewing existing frameworks for post-market surveillance of NHPs in Australia, Germany, New Zealand, United Kingdom and United States. Evidence-based best practices are compared with the Canadian post-market surveillance framework to identify key gaps in the Canadian system. Recommendations are provided for bridging each gap, and making the Canadian NHPs surveillance system, strong according to the international standards of best practices.

Submitted by Nadir Basilio (nadirsb@uninove.br) on 2016-05-31T19:49:02Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Gilvonete Schimitz Do Prado.pdf: 1451148 bytes, checksum: 3bad5bbcf2fcf65698a4f8dea9525f4b (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-31T19:49:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Gilvonete Schimitz Do Prado.pdf: 1451148 bytes, checksum: 3bad5bbcf2fcf65698a4f8dea9525f4b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-22 / The purpose of this study is to look at the path of the making of professional practice under the bias of the teaching intelligentsia of two teachers from the state public network that would allow us to build an understanding of teaching as an intellectual function, as advocated by Giroux (1997; 1999) the theoretical framework we adopted. In this perspective, the analysis of paths was based on two distinct schools of investigation: a) With respect to forming elements suggesting a disqualification of the teacher's work and freeing her from critical and purposeful features, namely those from the models training and acting markedly homogenizing and linked to the educational policies and interests committed to standards of international organizations and the state’s political party programs. b) On the other hand, other current research explores the intellectual concept and claims it is possible to make this reference also to teachers. As to research methodology, we chose to develop in light of studies by Lahire (2004; 2005), about the construction of sociological portraits with regard to the interest of explicit trajectories of life and work to learn the provisions built from many socialization contexts that teachers, the subjects of this study, have been submitted to in life and because of that to meet the research objectives listed, which include: learning which provisions have been built and as configured by teachers in different socialization processes during their professional careers, so that the grasping of these provisions would allow us to affirm or not the power of a teaching intelligence taking them the design of a teacher as an intellectual as defended by Giroux. In the example of socializing experience, we highlight the participation of teachers in Practice Seminar organized by SEE-SP in 2013, while formative experience in this way, it was also our intention to examine to what extent the experience of the teachers surveyed at the seminar in question allowed them to apply to themselves and the work they have done on occasion, traits that they attributed themselves qualifying teachers as intellectuals. From the results of the survey, we highlight the following: engagement and commitment; clarity of their political and social function as well as their theoretical beliefs, recognizing their potential as scholars and active and reflective professionals. These provisions, built on the job of teaching, are presented as a work of these teachers differential which enabled visibility in them. Thus, participation in the Good Practice Seminar reinforced what they believed about education, expanding the look of the universe of activity in which they were inserted and giving them a greater awareness of themselves and the work they performed that could be exposed and employed with this experience. / La investigación propone una mirada acerca de la trayectoria de la constituición de la actuación profesional bajo la perspectiva intelectual de dos profesoras de la red pública de enseñanza educacional del estado de São Paulo, lo que nos permitió construir y comprender la enseñanza como una función intelectual, así como se propone en Giroux (1997; 1999) como marco teórico adoptado . En esta perspectiva, el análisis de las direcciones que se basan en dos hincapiés distintos de investigación: a) Acerca de la formación de los elementos que sugieren una descalificación del trabajo del profesor y la disminución de puntos críticos como los modelos de formación de profesores uniformes vinculados a los intereses y políticas educacionales con reglas de entidades internacionales y programas de partidos políticos del estado. La otra línea de investigación examina el concepto intelectual y asegura la posibilidad en hacer referencia también al profesor. En cuanto a la metodología que se aplica en la investigación, se optó por desarrollar los estudios por Lahire (2004; 2005), en relación con la construcción de modelos sociológicos relacionados con el interés de las trayectorias explícitas de la vida y el trabajo con el fin de aprender las disposiciones construidas a partir de diversos contextos de socialización en que las profesoras, como sujetos de la investigación, se han sometido a cumplir con los objetivos de la pesquisa citados, que incluyen: aprender cuales disposiciones fueron construida y configuradas por ellas en distintos procesos de socialización durante su carrera profesional, las disposiciones nos permiten afirmar el poder de la intelectualidad docente, o no, acercándose a las concepciones de profesor como intelectual defendida por Giroux. Como ejemplo de experiencia de sociabilización, destacamos la participación de las profesoras en el Seminario de Buenas Prácticas organizado por SEE-SP en 2013, mientras experiencia formativa en el trayecto, hay también una intención en examinar en qué medida la experiencia de las profesoras investigadas con el Seminario en cuestión les permitió reflexionar sobre sí mismos y el trabajo que han hecho en alguna ocasión, los rasgos que atribuyeron a la calificación docente como intelectual. A partir de los resultados de la encuesta, podemos destacar las siguientes disposiciones: participación y el compromiso; claridad de su función política y social, además de sus creencias teóricas, reconociendo su potencial como académicas y profesionales activas y reflexivas. Las disposiciones construidas a lo largo del recorrido sobre la constitución acerca de la función del profesor, se presenta como un diferencial en el trabajo de las maestra lo que nos permitió también una la visibilidad a respecto de ellas. Así, la participación en el Seminario de Buenas Prácticas reforzó lo que se creían acerca de la educación, ampliando la observación del universo de la actuación en que la cual estaban inseridas, además de darles una mayor conciencia de sí mismos y del trabajo ejecutado, y que pudieron ser expuestos y explorado con experiencia. / Esta pesquisa propôs um olhar para o percurso de constituição da atuação profissional de duas professoras que atuam na educação básica I na rede estadual paulista, sob o viés da intelectualidade docente, que nos permitisse a construção de um entendimento do trabalho docente como uma função intelectual, conforme defendido por Giroux (1997; 1999) nosso referencial teórico adotado. Nesta perspectiva, a análise dos percursos se pautou em duas linhas de investigação distintas: a) Uma que diz respeito aos elementos de conformação que sugere uma desqualificação do trabalho do professor e seu alijamento de traços críticos e propositivos, a saber, aqueles provenientes de modelos de formação e atuação docentes marcadamente homogeneizadores e ligados aos interesses e políticas educacionais comprometidos com normas dos organismos internacionais e programas político-partidários de estado. b) Por outro lado, outra corrente de investigação que explora o conceito de intelectual e afirma ser possível fazer essa referência também ao professor. Quanto à metodologia de pesquisa, optamos por desenvolvê-la à luz dos estudos desenvolvidos por Lahire (2004; 2005), no que tange à construção de retratos sociológicos no que se refere ao interesse de explicitar trajetórias de vida e de trabalho de modo a apreender as disposições construídas a partir dos diversos contextos de socialização a que as professoras, sujeitos desta pesquisa, estiveram submetidas ao longo da vida que desse conta de atender aos objetivos de pesquisa elencados, os quais destacamos: apreender quais disposições foram construídas e como se configuraram pelas professoras nos diferentes processos de socialização, durante seu percurso profissional, de modo que a apreensão destas disposições nos permitissem afirmar a potência de uma intelectualidade docente, ou não, aproximando-as à concepção de professor como intelectual defendida por Giroux. À exemplo de experiência socializadora, destacamos a participação das professoras no Seminário de Boas Práticas organizado pela SEE-SP, em 2013, enquanto experiência formativa dentro deste percurso, deste modo, também foi nossa intenção analisar em que medida a experiência das professoras pesquisadas com o Seminário em questão permitiu que elas tecessem, sobre si mesmas e sobre o trabalho que desenvolveram na ocasião, traços que lhes atribuíssem qualificativos de professor como intelectual. Dos resultados obtidos da pesquisa, destacamos as seguintes disposições: engajamento e compromisso; clareza da sua função política e social bem como de suas convicções teóricas, reconhecimento de suas potencialidades enquanto estudiosas e profissionais ativas e reflexivas. Tais disposições, construídas ao longo do percurso de constituição da função docente, apresentavam-se como um diferencial do trabalho destas professoras o que possibilitou visibilidade sobre elas. Deste modo, a participação no Seminário de Boas Práticas reforçou aquilo em que acreditavam sobre educação, ampliando o olhar sobre o universo de atuação em que estavam inseridas e conferindo-lhes uma maior consciência sobre si mesmas e sobre o trabalho desempenhado que pôde ser exposto e explorado com tal experiência.

Esta dissertação de mestrado fez parte do projeto Qualipso (Quality Platform for Open Source Software) que teve como principal objetivo melhorar a confiabilidade de sistemas de software livre. Nesse contexto, o enfoque desta pesquisa é um dos atributos de qualidade de software: usabilidade. As práticas de usabilidade no desenvolvimento de software livre, são aplicadas na maioria das vezes, em projetos patrocinados por grandes empresas ou que possuam especialistas em usabilidade como membros da equipe. Mas, em projetos menores da comunidade, compostos geralmente por desenvolvedores, raramente ela é considerada. Porém, a usabilidade é um atributo fundamental para a qualidade durante o uso de um sistema. Com base em valores compartilhados entre as comunidades de métodos ágeis e de software livre, esta dissertação propõe a adaptação de práticas de usabilidade no contexto de métodos ágeis para o contexto de comunidades de software livre. Por meio de pesquisa bibliográfica, levantamos as principais práticas de usabilidade tanto no âmbito de métodos ágeis, quanto no âmbito de software livre, e as classificamos de acordo com as fases do Design Centrado em Usuário, descrevendo cada uma com o formato nome-contexto-problema-solução-exemplos. As práticas foram exploradas em projetos de software livre, o que possibilitou maior entendimento de problemas enfrentados em contextos reais. Essa experiência resultou na proposta de adaptação de práticas de usabilidade ágil no contexto de comunidades de software livre. Dessa forma, descrevemos a realização de uma pesquisa-ação no projeto Arquigrafia-Brasil, um estudo de caso no projeto Mezuro e a aplicação de práticas de usabilidade em quatro projetos do Centro de Competência em Software Livre do IME-USP. / This Masters thesis was part of the Qualipso project (Quality Platform for Open Source Software) whose main objective was to improve the reliability of free and open source software systems. Within such context, the focus of this research is one of the attributes of software quality: usability. The usability practices in free and open source software development are applied most often in projects sponsored by large companies or employing usability experts as team members. But on smaller projects in the community, generally composed by developers, it is rarely considered. However, usability is an essential attribute to the quality in use of a system. Based on values shared between the communities of agile methods and free and open source software, this thesis proposes the adaptation of usability practices in the context of agile methods to the context of free and open source software communities. Through the study of the literature in the field, we gathered the main usability practices both within agile methods, as in free and open source software, and we classified according to User-Centered Design phases, describing each one with the format name-context-problem-solution-examples. The practices were explored in free and open source software projects, which enabled greater understanding of problems faced in real contexts. This experience resulted in the adaptation proposal of agile usability practices into the context of free and open source software communities. We describe the implementation of an action research in the Arquigrafia-Brazil project, a case study in the Mezuro project and the application of usability practices in four projects of the IME-USP FLOSS Competence Center.

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Reverse logistics is an important process that is often misunderstood. Reverse logistics can cause considerable cost, but provide numerous opportunities. Many organisations do not understand the correct processes and procedures to follow and how to manage reverse logistics efficiently. The focus of this study was on best practices in reverse logistics. A best practice framework was developed to help organisations overcome problems and manage their reverse logistics more efficiently. This study adopted a mixed method research approach with both qualitative and quantitative elements. A comprehensive literature study was conducted to develop a conceptual best practice framework in reverse logistics and a survey was conducted to seek inputs from industry in South Africa to refine the framework into a workable instrument in practice. The study concluded that the best practices identified in literature have proven to be important in practice, and applying such practices will enable organisations to manage their reverse logistics more efficiently. / Business Management / M. Com. (Logistics)

<p>The internal and external challenges construction companies face such as variability, low productivity, inefficient processes, waste, uncertainties, risks, fragmentation, adversarial contractual relationships, competition, and those resulting from internal and external challenges such as cost overruns and delays negatively affect company performance and profitability. Though research publications abound, these challenges persist, which indicates that the following gaps exist. Lean construction, process improvement, and performance improvement research have been conducted wherein improvement principles, and best practices are used to ameliorate performance issues, but several knowledge gaps exist. Few companies use these improvement principles and best practices. For those companies applying improvements, there is no established link between these improvements and performance/profitability to guide companies. Further, even when companies use improvement principles and best practices, they apply only one or two, whereas an integrated application of these improvement principles and best practices would be more effective. The other gap the author identified is the lack of strategic tools that construction companies can use to improve and manage their profitability. This thesis tried to fill the knowledge gap, at least partially, by developing a two-part excellence model for profitability improvement of construction companies. The excellence model lays out strategies that would enable companies to overcome the challenges and improve their profitability. The excellence model also gives an iterative and recursive continuous improvement model and flowchart to improve the profitability of construction companies. The researcher used high impact principles, guidelines, and concepts from the literature on organizational effectiveness, critical success factors, strategic company profitability growth enablers, process improvement, and process maturity models, performance improvement, and organizational excellence guidelines to develop the two-part excellence model.</p> <p>The author also translated the two-part excellence model into the diagnostic tool and Decision Support System (DSS) by use of process diagrams, fishbone diagrams, root cause analysis, and use of improvement principles, countermeasures and best practices at the most granular (lowest intervention) levels to do away with root causes of poor performance. The author developed the diagnostic tool and Decision Support System (DSS) in Access 2016 to serve as a strategic tool to improve and manage the profitability of construction companies. The researcher used improvement principles, and best practices from scientific and practitioner literature to develop company and project process flow diagrams, and fishbone (cause and effect) diagrams for company, department, employee, interactions and project performance for the profitability improvement, which are the engines of the diagnostic tool and DSS. The diagnostic tool and DSS use continuous improvement cycles iteratively and recursively to improve the profitability of construction companies from the current net profit of 2-3 percent to a higher value.</p>

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