Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T17:05:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Luiz Antonio Citty da Costa.pdf: 975694 bytes, checksum: 14e1fb858f4bac7446f3146a6b8fa32e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-08-24 / The conformity trend evaluation results of manual wheelchairs simple model, made by Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Qualidade e Tecnologia (INMETRO) according to the perception of wheelchair users through this work, showed the need to develop an appropriate regulatory wheelchairs system, setting up safety requirements to ensure the integrity of user during use, considering that the wheelchair is used as a means of locomotion for disabled / Os resultados na avaliação de tendência da conformidade das cadeiras de rodas manuais de modelo simples, realizada pelo Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Qualidade e Tecnologia INMETRO, em conjunto com a percepção de usuários cadeirantes através do presente trabalho, mostraram a necessidade de elaborar um sistema adequado de regulamentação das cadeiras de rodas, estabelecendo-se requisitos de segurança para garantir ao usuário a sua integridade durante a utilização, considerando-se que a cadeira de rodas é utilizada como meio de locomoção para portadores de deficiência

Cosméticos verdes são aqueles que alegam ser desenvolvidos de acordo com princípios ecológicos, sendo geralmente associados às características natural, orgânica e/ou vegana. Os sistemas de certificação desses produtos visam assegurar o cumprimento de diretrizes préestabelecidas e comunicar o consumidor sobre os atributos dos produtos. Considerando a importância da certificação para a consolidação e o fortalecimento desse mercado, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi analisar a percepção de empresas produtoras de cosméticos verdes e consumidores a respeito da certificação natural, orgânica e vegana sob a perspectiva da Nova Economia Institucional. Para isso, foi empregada a triangulação metodológica, baseada em diversas abordagens de pesquisa, incluindo a realização de entrevistas semiestruturadas com representantes de empresas produtoras de cosméticos verdes certificadas e a aplicação de questionários de elaboração própria em amostra não-probabilística de 416 consumidores de cosméticos via Facebook. Os dados das entrevistas foram submetidos à análise de conteúdo e os questionários foram analisados por meio de estatística descritiva, ambos interpretados à luz da Nova Economia Institucional. Verificou-se que as empresas produtoras de cosméticos verdes atribuem à certificação um importante papel na comunicação sobre apelos ecológicos aos consumidores, no alinhamento de princípios com fornecedores, atuando como mecanismos de execução contratual e na obtenção de vantagens de mercado. As principais desvantagens relatadas pelas empresas produtoras foram os custos de transação decorrentes da obtenção e manutenção da certificação e possíveis dificuldades de comunicação com os consumidores. Em relação aos consumidores, predominaram na amostra usuários de cosméticos verdes. Porém, de modo geral, os consumidores possuem baixo nível de conhecimento e baixo grau de confiança nas principais certificações de cosméticos naturais, orgânicos e veganos atuantes no Brasil, além de perceberem tais certificações como pouco rigorosas. A disposição dos consumidores para pagar por cosméticos certificados foi estimada em 10 a 50% do preço dos produtos não certificados. A disposição para pagar está correlacionada com o nível de conhecimento e o grau de confiança dos consumidores nas certificações. Considerando os resultados do estudo, foram sugeridas estratégias para minimizar as desvantagens relacionadas aos custos de transação e às dificuldades de comunicação das certificações com os consumidores e ampliar suas vantagens, principalmente no que se refere à redução de assimetrias de informação e à obtenção de vantagens de mercado, de modo a contribuir para a consolidação e expansão do crescente mercado desses produtos / Green cosmetics are those that claim to be developed according to ecological principles, and are generally associated with natural, organic and/or vegan characteristics. Certification systems for these products aim to ensure compliance with pre-established guidelines and communicate the consumer about the attributes of the products. Considering the importance of certification for the consolidation and strengthening of this market, it is necessary to analyze the role of certification systems, both for producers and consumers. Thus, this work aims at analyzing the perception of producers of green cosmetics and consumers regarding natural, organic and vegan certification from the perspective of the New Institutional Economy. In order to do that, we used methodological triangulation, based on multiple research approaches, including the collection of primary data through semi-structured interviews with representatives of certified producers of green cosmetics and the application of closed questionnaires in nonprobabilistic sample of cosmetic consumers via Facebook. The information obtained from the interviews were submitted to content analysis, while the results of the questionnaires were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics. Both results were interpreted in the context of the New Institutional Economics. It was found that green cosmetic companies attribute to certification an important role in communicating ecological appeals to consumers, in aligning principles with suppliers, acting as contractual enforcement mechanisms and in obtaining market advantages. The main disadvantages reported by the companies were the transaction costs from obtaining and maintaining certification and possible communication difficulties with consumers. Regarding the questionnaires applied to consumers, the sample was predominantly composed of users of green cosmetics. However, it was found that consumers, in general, have a low level of knowledge and a low degree of confidence in the main certifications of natural, organic and vegan cosmetics in Brazil. Consumers also perceive such certifications as not very strict. The willingness of consumers to pay for certified cosmetics has been estimated at 10 to 50% of the price of non-certified products. The willingness to pay is correlated with the level of knowledge and the degree of consumer confidence in the certifications. Based on the results of the study, we suggested strategies to minimize the disadvantages of certification systems related to transaction costs and the difficulties of communication and to extend their advantages, especially regarding the reduction of information asymmetries and the market advantages, aiming at contributing to the consolidation and expansion of the growing market of these products

This mixed-methods study explored the instructional methods that accomplished high school English teachers use in their classrooms to improve understanding of how those methods are influenced by the teachers' beliefs. A survey regarding classroom practices and beliefs was sent to 313 National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) in English Language Arts--Adolescence and Young Adulthood across the United States with a response rate of 50.8%. From these data, I analyzed the variety and frequency of practices experienced teachers use and the beliefs that influence teachers' instructional decisions. I then conducted follow-up interviews and classroom observations with selected survey participants from North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio and explored further the beliefs and motivations of those teachers who were both typical and outlying according to their survey responses. The study found that factors such as school setting, educational level, and gender had little impact on teachers' instructional strategies, although a relationship was found between gender and approach to teaching literature. The study also found that reading instruction dominated the classroom instruction of those teachers, with writing instruction a distant second. In addition, those NBCTs were found to be teachers who developed positive relationships with students, created student-centered classrooms, challenged students academically, and were dedicated to being lifelong learners. In the end, 3 distinct teacher types were identified: teachers who focus on English as a discipline, teachers who focus on more generalized educational goals, and teachers who focus on their students' emotional well-being. However, the study suggests that all the teachers who participated in the study formed a fairly homogenous group regardless of their differences and that teachers' own educational experiences in school played a more significant role in determining their classroom behaviors than did their educational beliefs.

Students who graduate from a practitioner program in prosthetics & orthotics must achieve certification in order to obtain licensure and practice independently in 16 states. In states where licensure is not mandatory, graduates may choose to pursue certification in order assure patients that they are practicing at the highest level as well as to differentiate themselves from competitors. While studies have been carried out extensively regarding predictors of success on the certification exams in other professions, no such study has been carried out to date in prosthetics. The American Board for Certification in Prosthetics, Orthotics, & Pedorthics (ABC), established in 1948, historically has been the organization whose standards states adopt when wishing to implement licensure law. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine if statistically significant relations exist the ABC prosthetics certification pass or fail rates as well as the 3 exams which comprise certification based on specific predictor variables: gender, Carnegie ranking of the institution from where the candidate received the degree, and whether the candidate is extending credential. As it specifically relates to this study, credential extension refers to adding the certified prosthetist (CP) credential after already possessing the certified orthotist (CO) credential. A quantitative, retrospective, secondary data analysis of de-identified prosthetic resident data provided by the American Board for Certification in Prosthetics, Orthotics, & Pedorthics (ABC) and the National Commission on Orthotic & Prosthetic Education (NCOPE) was used to test the following research questions: Is there a relationship between gender, institution type, and/or credential extension and (1) success in achieving ABC prosthetics practitioner certification, (2) performance on the ABC prosthetics Written Multiple Choice exam, (3) performance on the ABC prosthetics Written Simulation exam, and (4) performance on the ABC Clinical Patient Management practical exam? Chi-square analysis, independent t-tests and logistic regression were used for data analysis in question 1. In research questions 2, 3, and 4 independent t-tests were used for analysis with two-level categorical independent variables and ANOVA was used for the three-level categorical independent variable, institution type. Linear regression was used for the models in research questions 2, 3, and 4. Statistically significant relations were found in each research question between the credential extension predictor variable and the dependent variables, with candidates who were extending credential performing better on each of the three examinations and, thus, greater success obtaining certification. This study was the first of its kind conducted regarding predictors of success in prosthetics certification, conducted with the variables of interest currently available. It served as a first step in filling the existing gap regarding this topic in the prosthetics literature. It informed the profession of the relationship between available predictors and variables of interest related to the ABC prosthetics certification exam. Further, it informed the profession of its status concerning collecting additional variables of interest that would permit analysis of more robust information, including grades on specific courses of interest, various GPAs and time between residency completion and exam date. Additionally, it informed the profession of its status concerning such research compared to other health professions with which it seeks to keep pace. Repeating this study with additional variables and an expanded sample size could potentially produce significant results, as has occurred in other professions. Further, additional analysis following stabilization of the new Master's degree and accreditation standards is warranted. This line of research has the potential to inform practice and policy in prosthetics education and certification. Finally, it will help the prosthetics profession keep pace with the other health professions and become a leader in best educational and clinical practices in managing patients who utilize prosthetic technologies.

The number of buildings seeking LEED certification has been growing steadily over the past few years. In this study, three academic buildings which were designed and built to LEED certification standards were targeted in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Their electricity consumption and cost effectiveness were examined and compared with predesigned LEED efficiency models of those three buildings. This research directly examined cost effectiveness of LEED buildings in terms of electricity usage. Three case studies were completed to find the initial and on-going electricity costs of LEED buildings and to verify the LEED standard results. LEED aspects of these buildings were discussed with contractors, architects, project managers, and building maintenance personnel who participated in LEED projects and non-LEED sustainable projects.

National Board Certification (NBC) offers the highest certification possible to teachers who can meet the rigorous standards of this process. This certification develops reflective practitioners through a series of components designed to be used in authentic settings with students. Previous research shows the value of employing National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) for raising student achievement, creating teacher leaders, and developing a reflective culture in schools. Increasing the number of NBCTs could have a profound impact in our schools. This study explored the renewal rates and the perceived value of California NBCTs who certified in 2005 & 2006 using a survey created from two existing instruments. Both qualitative and quantitative data concerning initial motivating factors, renewal decisions and the benefits of holding NBC were collected. The analysis of the results indicated financial incentives were the number one reason for renewing. Conversely, the cost and/or lack of financial incentives ranked highest on the list for not renewing. While financial incentives were identified most frequently as an original motivator, the NBCTs in this study reported professional development as the most powerful effect of being a NBCT. A study of the literature demonstrated that the NBC process contains all of the components of quality professional development programs supporting this benefit and providing a program for structured professional development for districts and schools seeking a positive change in instructional practice.

In a 2004 study, Harvey, Lin and Roper argue that debt makers with a commitment to monitoring can create value for outside shareholders whenever information asymmetry and agency costs are pronounced. I investigate Harvey, Lin and Roper's claim for bank loans by empirically testing the effect of information asymmetry and direct agency costs on the abnormal returns of the borrowers' stock around the announcement of bank loans. I divide my study into two main sections. The first section tests whether three proxies of the direct agency costs of equity are equally significant in measuring the direct costs associated with outside equity agency problems. I find that the asset utilization ratio proxy is the most statistically significant proxy of the direct agency costs of equity using a Chow F-test statistic. The second main section of my dissertation includes and event study and a cross-sectional analysis. The event study results document significant and positive average abnormal returns of 1.01% for the borrowers' stock on the announcement day of bank loans. In the cross sectional analysis of the borrowers' average abnormal stock returns, I find that higher quality and more reputable banks/lenders provide a reliable certification to the capital market about the low level of the borrowers' direct agency costs of equity and information asymmetry. This certification hypothesis holds only for renewed bank loans. In other words, in renewing the borrowers' line of credit, the bank/lender is actually confirming that the borrower has a low level of information asymmetry and direct costs of equity. Given such a certificate from the banks/lenders, shareholders reward the company/borrower by bidding the share price up in the capital market.

Leading cocoa-consuming countries have declared that in the year 2020, they will permit imports of sustainably sourced cocoa beans only, threatening the sustainability of the cocoa farming business. Certification offers enhanced market access for sustainability of the business of cocoa bean producers in Ghana. The purpose of this case study was to explore the strategies that farm managers used to obtain certification for cocoa bean production. Seven farm managers of a cocoa producer's cooperative located in the eastern region of Ghana who consistently produced certified cocoa beans for at least 5 years participated in the study. Deming's quality management theory served as the conceptual framework for this study. Semistructured interviews constituted the primary technique for data collection. Additional data from UTZ-certified documents and the archives of the cooperative supported the process of achieving data saturation. Data were analyzed using Bengtsson's manifest content analysis framework of decontextualization, recontextualization, categorization, and compilation to arrive at conclusions. Three themes emerged from data analysis: training in farming practices and certification code of conduct, management discipline, and environmental and social sustainability. The implications of this study for social change include the potential that certification might influence a positive change in the farming practices of Ghanaian cocoa farm managers. Social change might be reflected in the adoption of sustainable production practices, improved living conditions of producers, and biodiversity conservation.

During the years of World War II the faculties of the public schools in Utah, as well as in the rest of the nation, were depleted to a serious extent, and enrollment in teacher training institutions throughout the country decreased. Because of this condition the State Department of Education in Utah as well as in other states was forced to issue letters of authorization to teachers who could not meet standard certification requirements in order to staff the schools. Many of these teachers are still teaching today. The purpose of this study is to obtain information regarding the supply of and demand for elementary teachers in the state of Utah for the period 1946-1949, and to predict the demand for teachers to 1955-56. an attempt will be made to answer the following questions: Did the state gain ground by having an increased percentage of qualified teachers during the three year period (1946-1949) assuming that the number of teaching positions remaind the same? If gains were made, how long will it take to equalize the situation? Assuming present practices will not equalize supply and demand by 1956, how much of an increase in supply will be needed by 1956? From evidences that we have on changing demand from increased population, increased educational services, e.g. kindergarten and decrease in class size, how much of an increase in suppy will be needed by 1956? Only the supply of and demand for teachers of the elementary school will be dealt with in this study. The supply of and demand for secondary teachers is treated in another study that is being done in conjuction with this one.

La presente investigación tiene como objetivo determinar cuáles son las motivaciones que tienen los productores de las Ferias Saludables de la Lima Moderna para obtener una certificación orgánica. Durante la investigación se determinó que las personas se ven inspiradas a entrar a este rubro más por ofrecer productos saludables que por las retribuciones económicas. Para la realización de la presente investigación se utilizó el enfoque de los cinco capitales de los medio de vida sostenible propuesta por el DFID (2008), donde a través de estos capitales analiza la situación inicial para ver la forma de desarrollo sostenible que se debe optar teniendo en cuenta no solo el aspecto ambiental sino también el económico, social, humano y físico; además de tener a las personas como agentes de cambio positivo por lo que concierne a los medios de subsistencia y desarrollo. En los resultados se obtuvieron que los cinco capitales tienen influencia en los motivos de los productores para obtener una certificación orgánica, ya que el grado de significancia de la Medida de adecuación muestral de KMO es superior a 0.05 demostrando un alto grado de correlación de las variables. / The main objective of this study to determine the motivations of producers from Healthy Fairs at Modern Lima in order to obtain an organic certification. During the investigation it was determined that are more inspired to enter this category with the purpose of offering healthy products rather than obtaining economic rewards. To carry out this research, the five capitals of Sustainable Livelihoods Framework proposed by DFID (2008) was used. This approach analyses throughout these capitals the initial situation with the objective to see the form of sustainable development that should be chosen. It takes into account not only the environmental aspect but also the economic, social, human and physical aspect. In addition, this approach considers people as positive change agents that involve a subsistence and development perspective. The results showed that the five capitals drive the motivation of the producers to obtain an organic certification, since the degree of significance of the sample adequacy measure of KMO is higher than 0.05, this study demonstrates a high degree of correlation of the variables. / Tesis