Este trabalho teve como objetivo principal identificar as estratégias de segmentação e posicionamento que são apresentadas na literatura de marketing e verificar se as empresas focadas no mercado infantil seguem as sugestões da literatura. Para atingir esse objetivo algumas etapas foram transpostas. Primeiramente foi conduzida uma revisão teórica buscando responder ao problema de pesquisa colocado. A revisão teórica focou nos conceitos de segmentação de mercado, posicionamento e consumo infantil. Esse primeiro esforço de pesquisa não teve sucesso, indicando a necessidade de se realizar um estudo de campo para aprofundar o conhecimento sobre o fenômeno estudado. Como método de pesquisa determinou-se que o método de estudo de caso seria o mais adequado para o foco do trabalho. Foram entrevistadas três empresas do setor de brinquedos, visando identificar as estratégias de segmentação e posicionamento adotadas Grow Brinquedos, Brinquedos Pica Pau e Mitra Officina de Criação. Os casos foram analisados de forma individual e cruzada, buscando-se o aprofundamento das análises. De forma resumida é possível dizer que as empresas não conduzem esforços estruturados de segmentação, preferindo tomar decisões com base na tradição da empresa, além disso, os esforços de posicionamento são bastante restritos, sendo decididos pela experiência prática dos executivos e pela observação de mercados internacionais. Esses resultados indicam a existência de um grande potencial competitivo que pode ser alcançado caso essas empresas passem para um nível superior do uso das ferramentas de marketing. / This work had as primary objective to identify the segmentation and positioning strategies of companies focused on the kids market and to verify if these companies follow the recommendations of the literature. To attain this objective some stages needed to be transposed. First of all a literature review was conducted, aiming to respond the research question proposed. This review focused on the segmentation, positioning and kids market. This first effort was not successful, indicating the necessity of conducting a field study to deepen the understanding of the studied phenomenon. As research method the case study method was determined as the most adequate to the focus of this word. Three organization of the toy market were interviewed, aiming to identify the strategies of segmentation and positioning adopted Grow Brinquedos, Brinquedos Pica Pau e Mitra Officina de Criação. The cases were first individually analyzed, afterwards a cross-case analysis was conducted. In a resumed form is possible to say that none of the companies conduct structured processes of segmentation and positioning, preferring to make strategic decisions taking as base the companies tradition, besides that, the positioning efforts are very restrict, being decided by the practical experience of the executives and by observation of international marketing. These results indicate the existence of a great competitive potential that can be reached by these companies taking a step ahead in using the marketing tools.

O setor de serviços no Brasil vem crescendo desde a década de 80 e mostra-se como o setor da economia mais importante em países desenvolvidos. O estudo do marketing de serviços nos Estados Unidos e Europa para esse setor ganhou importância desde então, no entanto estudos realizados por acadêmicos brasileiros ainda são escassos. O objetivo desta dissertação foi estudar o gerenciamento das variáveis de decisão de marketing em serviços de demanda não desejada do ponto de vista conceitual e prático. Para tanto, realizou-se extensa fundamentação teórica sobre o gerenciamento de marketing de serviços, mais especificamente sobre as variáveis de decisão produto, preço, distribuição e comunicação, finalizando essa parte com uma análise critica dos serviços de demanda não desejada. Do ponto de vista prático, realizou-se uma pesquisa de cunho exploratório, utilizando o método do estudo de caso, com o intuito de gerar novas idéias sobre o tema. A pesquisa de campo compreendeu o estudo de duas empresas do setor de seguros, que geraram novas idéias sobre o tema central desta dissertação. As análises obtidas dos casos mostraram que as empresas têm consciência da natureza dos serviços que vendem. Na variável preço não é uma variável de diferenciação, já que os preços são extremamente regulamentados no mercado de seguros. A distribuição é feita de maneira semelhante nas duas organizações estudadas, ou seja, por parceiros de negócio e corretores, que tem o papel de vendas. Treinamentos e campanhas de incentivo absorvem a maior parte dos investimentos das empresas. Por fim, identificou-se que as empresas pesquisadas utilizam elementos de comunicação que ampliam a receptividade do consumidor, além de utilizarem as relações públicas e patrocínios como principais ferramentas de comunicação. / The services industry in Brazil has been growing since the 80´s and is the most important industry in most developed economies. The study of services marketing in the United States and Europe has been becoming increasingly important ever since, however studies by Brazilian researchers are still scarce. The aim of this dissertation is to study the management of decision variables in marketing for negative demand services, both in a conceptual and practical perspective. With that purpose in mind, an extensive theoretical review about services marketing management was carried out, focusing particularly on decision variables related to price, product, distribution and communication and concluding with a critical analysis of negative demand services. From a practical perspective, an exploratory research using case studies was done. Thus, the field research comprised the study of two insurance companies and resulted in fresh ideas on the central subject of this dissertation. The resulting case analyses have shown that both studied companies are aware of the nature of the services they sell. The price variable is not a differentiation variable, since prices in the insurance industry are subjected to regulations. Distribution is similar on both companies and is executed by business partners and brokers that have in fact the sales role. In-house sales training and reward campaigns account for the majority of the investment expenses of the companies. Finally, it was evidenced that the studied companies use communication elements that increase consumers´ receptiveness to their products and employ public relations and sponsorships as their main communication tools.

O questionamento deste estudo refere-se à influência da incerteza oriunda de um contexto onde as organizações vivenciam processos de pré-fusão sobre os indivíduos que as compõem. Esta questão surgiu a partir de vivência da pesquisadora que, em seu último desafio profissional participou de um processo de alienação (saída do investidor) de um fundo de private equity no capital acionário de uma indústria alimentícia. Os objetivos do trabalho foram: descrever os problemas que ocorrem em um processo de pré-fusão e conhecer as percepções sobre o clima organizacional neste contexto. Buscou-se neste trabalho respostas para questões como se há elementos no contexto de pré-fusão que influenciem a satisfação de seus colaboradores, se alguma ação oriunda dos gestores podem melhorar a condição de trabalho dos mesmos nesta situação e ainda se Qualidade de Vida no Trabalho é um valor de gestão em períodos onde as organizações vivenciam processos de pré-fusão. Os dados foram levantados através de um conjunto formado pela observação participante da pesquisadora; do mapeamento do clima organizacional realizado através de um questionário elaborado em conjunto com a organização e aplicado, na matriz, a 625 respondentes, o que representou 41% de retorno e foi composto por 11 seções e 132 questões abertas e fechadas; além da validação dos resultados do questionário com duas áreas da empresa através de focus group e de uma entrevista com um profissional responsável por qualidade de vida no trabalho que vivenciou esse contexto em uma seguradora. Baseado nos resultados encontrados, o ponto a ser ressaltado foi justamente a existência de diferentes percepções sobre os mesmos fatos. Conforme constatado, a influência da esfera indivíduo justificou diferentes percepções sobre o clima organizacional. Para alguns colaboradores o clima estava adequado enquanto para outros não, ou seja, as disfunções nem sempre podem ser vistas pelo lado organizacional e sim do indivíduo. Enquanto para uns houve muito incômodo relacionado à incerteza da pré-fusão, para outros, o impacto foi menor ou mesmo nenhum, muitas vezes até por desconhecimento do fato. Para aqueles que se incomodaram, existiram inclusive queixas físicas como desânimo, incômodo e dores de cabeça, estômago e taquicardia. As informações da entrevista sobre a seguradora levaram ao questionamento sobre a presença constante dessas queixas nesses casos, visto que foram comuns. Um outro ponto a ser ressaltado foi a percepção do próprio questionamento sobre o clima organizacional como uma ação dos gestores visto que conseqüências decorrentes da análise dos resultados foram a investigação de pontos passíveis de melhoria como o relacionamento dos superiores com seus colaboradores e ações futuras que possam levar a uma maior performance do trabalho dos colaboradores. Já na seguradora, pouco foi feito, além da manutenção das ações já presentes. Em ambos os casos o que se constatou foi a falta de espaço para valores na gestão como Qualidade de Vida no Trabalho. / The questioning of this study refers to the influence of the uncertainty, generated by a context in which corporations experience a pre-acquisition process, on their individuals. This questioning emerged from the author’s latest professional experience in a food company where a private equity fund was in a process of selling its stake. The study objectives were: to describe the problems generated by a pre-acquisition process and in this context, to evaluate the organizational climate. This work tried to answer the following questions: are there elements in the pre-acquisition context that influence the individuals motivation and can an action taken by the company managers improve the individuals work condition under such a context and also if the Quality of Life at Work is a management value in periods were corporations face a pre-acquisition process. The data was collected by the author’s observation as a participant and by a questionnaire formulated by the company together with the author and applied at the company’s headquarters with 625 respondents, a 41% return rate. This questionnaire had 11 sections and 132 open and closed questions. Finally, the results were validated by a focus group in two areas of the company and also by interviewing a professional responsible for quality of lifework that experienced a similar process in an insurance company. Based on the results obtained, the focus point to be detached is the difference on the perception of the same facts among individuals. As evidenced, the influence of the individuals sphere explained different perceptions of the organizational environment. While for a group of individuals the organizational environment was fine, for others it was not, which means that the dysfunction can not always be seen by an organizational perspective. Sometimes it has to be seen by an individual perspective. While some were negatively affected by the uncertainty surrounding the period before the acquisition, others were less affected or not affected at all, several times due to the fact that the ongoing acquisition process was unknown by some. For those negatively affected, there were also physical complaints like discourage, headache, stomachache and heartache. The information obtained by the insurance company interview motivated a questioning of a constant presence of those complaints as they were recurrent. It is worth mentioning that the organizational environment questionnaire was perceived by the individuals as a management action as it prompted an study of possible changes to improve for example the relation between management and employees and the work performance of individuals. On the insurance company, not much was done but maintaining the ongoing actions. In both cases this work found out a management lack of room for values such as Quality of Live at Work.

Vários casos, na literatura científica, relataram resistências e dificuldades na implantação de mudanças, de novos sistemas ou de novos artefatos, especialmente na Contabilidade Gerencial. Os recursos investidos nas mudanças são determinantes no desejo organizacional de sucesso, no entanto isso nem sempre ocorre. A identificação dos fatores que podem contribuir para a formação de um diagnóstico para as mudanças na Contabilidade Gerencial de uma organização foi efetuada através de um enfoque institucional. Dois autores foram basilares na estruturação do construto, pois argumentam que as organizações respondem aos estímulos de mudança de maneira distinta e a natureza dos processos institucionais pode permitir que se compreenda, ao menos em parte, o comportamento das organizações frente às pressões por mudanças. Dois artefatos de Contabilidade Gerencial foram abordados sob a ótica institucional: a implantação do custo-padrão e o processo de orçamento. O custo-padrão foi o artefato objeto da mudança, a empresa estudada não o utilizava na comparação do real versus orçado. Um outro aspecto que o estudo de caso revelou: a possível influência da restrita divulgação do custo-padrão, acessível a poucos decisores. O segundo artefato de Contabilidade Gerencial, o orçamento, não era objeto de mudança, a justificativa do seu uso e estudo baseou-se na sua característica participativa, no fato de ser institucionalizado e na sua ampla divulgação. A utilização de dois artefatos com características distintas permitiu contrastar as diferentes bases e motivadores da institucionalização e, como conseqüência, apurar as diferentes percepções organizacionais sobre práticas participativas e não-participativas. A estruturação empírica do estudo de caso utilizou, também, os antecedentes organizacionais que são: causa, constituintes, conteúdo, controle e contexto ou, alternativamente: por que, quem, o que, quais meios e onde as mudanças ocorrem. Os antecedentes permitiram compreender as circunstâncias organizacionais, assim como as respostas organizacionais possíveis às pressões por mudanças: aquiescer, comprometer, esquivar, desafiar e manipular. As respostas organizacionais são baseadas em uma escala que começa com a aceitação passiva, aceder, e vai até a rejeição ativa, manipular. Justifica-se que o estudo de caso deve ser utilizado quando os fenômenos estudados são contemporâneos e imersos num ambiente complexo, assim como são encontrados autores que defendem a utilização do estudo de caso para retratar a realidade na qual as práticas de contabilidade estão inseridas. Foi elaborado então um protocolo para o estudo de caso e foram efetuadas entrevistas, aplicados questionários, documentos foram analisados, bem como uma fonte de dados registrou os principais eventos. O estudo de caso confirmou, por meio da análise das evidências, que: o custo-padrão e o orçamento foram institucionalizados com base em dois pilares distintos: cultural-cognitivo e normativo, respectivamente; que existiram correlações significativas entre os antecedentes organizacionais e as respostas organizacionais esperadas, por exemplo, a relação entre os constituintes e aquiescência; várias outras relações de causa e efeito tratadas pela abordagem institucional não puderam ser negadas. A interpretação dos resultados permite concluir que a estrutura propiciada pela análise institucional da Contabilidade Gerencial aponta para as eventuais dificuldades e diagnostica a implantação de artefatos, além disso elaboraram-se recomendações para cursos alternativos de ação para uma organização frente às mudanças e para pesquisas futuras. / The scientific literature reports many cases of difficulties and resistance to implementation of changes, new systems and artifacts, particularly in the Management Accounting area. Some authors have described difficulties in implementing organizational changes related to Management Accounting artifacts. Investments in changes are of the essence in the companies? search for success, but outcome may fall short of expectations. Factors able to help diagnosing changes in an organization?s Management Accounting were identified under an institutional approach. Two authors were fundamental to structuring the construct once they say organizations react differently to change stimuli and that the nature of institutional processes may allow understanding - at least partially - organizations? behavior when under pressure to make changes. Two Management Accounting?s artifacts were approached under an institutional standpoint: implementing standard costs and the budgeting process. Standard cost was the artifact subjected to a change. The company under study would not use it in an actual vs. budgeted comparison. Another finding was the possible influence of limited disclosure of standard cost to only a few decision-makers. The second Management Accounting artifact, budgeting, was not subject to any change. The justification for using and studying it was based on its participative characteristic, on its institutionalization and on its broad disclosure. Using two artifacts with different characteristics enabled contrasting different bases and motivators of institutionalization and, consequently, assessing different organizational views on participative and non-participative practices. The case study?s empiric structure also used organizational precedents, to-wit: cause, constituents, content, control and context; or, alternatively: why, who, what, how and where changes take place. Precedents allowed understanding organizational circumstances in addition to possible organizational reactions to pressures for changes: to acquiesce, to compromise, to avoid, to defy and to manipulate. Organizational answers were ranked from passive acceptance or acquiescence to active rejection or manipulation. The use of a case study is justifiable when the phenomena studied are contemporary and immersed in a complex environment. Other authors advocate using a case study to portray the reality where certain accounting practices are inserted. A protocol for the case study was prepared, interviews and surveys were conducted, documents were analyzed and the main events recorded in proper files. The evidence analyzed enabled the case study to verify as follows: standard costs and budgeting were institutionalized based on two different pillars: cultural-cognitive and normative, respectively; there were significant correlations between organizational precedents and the organizational answers expected, e.g., the relation between constituents and acceptance; various other cause/effect relations handled under the institutional approach could not be denied. Interpreting results allowed concluding that the structure given by institutional analysis of Management Accounting points at some difficulties and renders a diagnosis in the implementation of artifacts. Additionally, recommendations were made for alternative courses of action to organizations facing changes and for further studies.

This research focuses on the language environment of children with Down syndrome (DS) in primary and secondary classrooms. In contrast to much of the previous work in this area, the study takes both qualitative and quantitative approaches to data collection. In particular, it highlights teachers’ speech rates and speech strategies in relation to children’s individual listening comprehension. Previous research shows that the listening comprehension of children with DS may be limited by deficits in phonological loop capacity and hearing loss. However, most of this previous research has used quantitative measures to compare the memory performances of children with DS with their typically developing or mental agematched peers. This has tended to result in conclusions that regard children with DS as a homogeneous group. This study, however, aims to consider each child with DS as an individual and to explore in depth the relationship between their listening comprehension and teachers’ speech rates and speech strategies in classroom settings. The study was conducted in 2 stages, both using case-study approach to investigate individual children’s interactions with their class teachers (CTs) and teaching assistants (TAs). The Stage 1 research was conducted with three case-study children in four distinct phases and used an inductive approach to collect data. Phase one observed each child in their classroom environment, involving the interactions between teaching staff and the case-study child. Phase two identified the child’s language ability by using standardised language assessments. Phase three then assessed the impact of speech rates on children’s understandings and, finally, Phase four tested the research validity by representing the stories with a counter-balanced design. The results of the Stage 1 research suggested that the use of the slow speech rate improves the children’s listening comprehension although there were clear indications that there would be more significant benefit if they could be given more time to process information. The Stage 2 research focused on speech strategies, with an emphasis on clustered speech and a deductive approach was adopted. Six additional children with DS were assessed by the BPVS and WISC-IV to investigate further speech rate but also in the context of speech strategies. This further examined whether clustered speech could be beneficial to improving the children’s listening comprehension. The findings show that the clustered speech strategy can improve the listening comprehension of all of the children in this phase, particularly at the slow normal speech rate. The key benefit of this strategy is that it can be used to offset problems in processing information that the children experience because of their limited memory capacity. The outcome of my research can provide teaching staff with knowledge that will enable them to enhance the listening comprehension of children with DS.

The research presented in this thesis demonstrates the qualitative modelling of an advanced service delivered by a Product Service System (PSS) through the use of a socio-technical systems-based approach. The created model represents dependencies between functions and organisations, and can be used as basis for a quantitative cost model. Focus is on how one particular example of advanced services, namely availability is delivered in an industrial context. Following a review of multi-disciplinary literature and the outline of a suitable methodological approach, a detailed case study of the delivery of an exemplar piece of avionics equipment by BAE Systems and GE Aviation to the UK Royal Air Force is described. This research shows that the delivery of avionics availability through a PSS has organisational, contractual and functional facets that overlap and influence each other. Multiple qualitative models represent the investigated setting, from a functional and from an organisational perspective. Top-level functions ‘Analysis & Optimisation’, ‘Administration’ and ‘Delivery’ are identified. The results show distinctive similarities and differences between GE Aviation and BAE Systems including a variety of parallel contracts, organisational segmentation and tensions between relationships and contractual obligations. The findings suggest that understanding a PSS as a socio-technical system is crucial for modelling the PSS and the cost associated with it. This is particularly important when the aim is to continuously control and manage costs rather than the creation of a one-off forecast. The contribution of this work to the existing body of knowledge, primarily within the domain of cost engineering is twofold: First the creation of qualitative models of an existing PSS delivering avionics availability to show “what is a PSS”, and second a methodologically robust approach that takes into account the sociotechnical character of PSS to demonstrate “how to know about PSS”.

Submitted by Mariana Dornelles Vargas (marianadv) on 2015-03-19T19:42:20Z No. of bitstreams: 1 olhar_sensivel.pdf: 517578 bytes, checksum: 0c1c46cc8dfc1522244da1e6d5c3d70b (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-19T19:42:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 olhar_sensivel.pdf: 517578 bytes, checksum: 0c1c46cc8dfc1522244da1e6d5c3d70b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Nenhuma / Tendo como foco principal questões envolvendo a criança e suas possibilidades frente a experiências de leitura, o trabalho foi produzido a partir do acompanhamento de experiências desenvolvidas no Literatório (Chapecó/SC) - projeto que une no mesmo espaço literatura e encantamento. O texto inicialmente apresenta reflexões em torno da história da infância, bem como acerca da importância da prática de contar histórias ao público infantil. A opção metodológica foi baseada em "estudo de caso", valendo-se de observações in loco, e entrevistas com crianças e professoras do primeiro ano do ensino fundamental. Além disso, entrevistas com sujeitos envolvidos na criação e gestão do Literatório. Os resultados permitem verificar que tal iniciativa com certeza vem oportunizando o gosto pela literatura entre as crianças que o frequentam, com efeitos visíveis percebidos pelas professoras em sala de aula. Entretanto, sua abrangência ainda é restrita, exigindo políticas públicas que permitam ampliar tais possibilidades para maior número de crianças, e até mesmo à população em geral. / Having as main focus issues involving the child and her possibilities concerning reading experiences, the work was produced from the accompaniment of experiments developed in the Literatório (Chapecó/SC) - a project that unites in the same space literature and enchantment. The text first presents reflections on the history of childhood, as well as about the importance of the practice of telling stories to child audience. The methodological option was based on "case study", drawing on in loco observations, and interviews with children and teachers of the first year of elementary school. In addition, interviews with subjects involved in the creation and management of the Literatório. The results allow verifying that such a move certainly has been developing the taste for literature among the children who attend it, with visible effects perceived by the teachers in the classroom. However, its coverage is still limited, demanding public policies that allow such possibilities to expand for a bigger number of children, and even to the population in general.

Nurse academics are constantly facing new challenges from governmental and professional groups calling for the preparation of students to be able to work with increasing complex patient cases at a time of reduction in clinical placements (NMC, 2010a and b). Simulation is a method that has been embraced, by some, for preparing for these challenges, with the potential to escalate student skills and knowledge in a meaningful way (Benner, 1984). The aim of this study was to explore and make explicit the characteristics that make simulation effective within nurse education. An explorative, qualitative case study was chosen to collect spoken data from twenty-four participants through focus groups. Participants included both students undertaking nurse training, and academics involved in the delivery of simulation. Content analysis facilitated exploration of each participant's contribution resulting in the emergence and construction of three themes (Creswell, 2007; Polit and Beck, 2014). 1. The approaches that academics use to integrate simulation into the curriculum; 2. The influences and decisions academics make to deliver simulationbased education, and their impact upon the student learning experience; 3. Evidence for the transference of skills to the realities of clinical practice. A conceptual framework has been developed and presented through the data analysis process (Saldana, 2012), which has culminated in the presentation of a unique model for 'Developing Simulation Practice in Nurse Education' (DSPiNE). The model relates to two key processes derived both during and following simulation activities (1) the preparedness for clinical practice, described as the process whereby the student gains insight into their current practice abilities; and (2) the transference to clinical practice, described as the process whereby the student gains insight into their readiness for future practice requirements. This study concludes that purposeful positive behavioural change could be achieved with the implementation of the DSPiNE model within nurse education.

Alors que la production de masse représentait le paradigme industriel dominant dans les années 80, le Toyota Production System, le système d'amélioration continue exemplifié chez Toyota, a suscité l'intérêt de nombreux chercheurs et industriels à la recherche de moyens d'améliorer la performance opérationnelle et financière des organisations. L'objectif de la thèse repose sur la caractérisation de la dimension humaine dans les systèmes de production intégrant une forte composante d'amélioration continue dans le but de la considérer lors du processus d'adoption. Pour cela, la thèse s’oriente autour de trois contributions majeures : la définition de la dimension humaine inhérente au Lean, l'évolution historique des éléments constituants cette dimension humaine et son opérationnalisation au travers du rôle des experts du Lean dans le processus d'adoption. / While mass production was the dominant industrial paradigm of the 1980s, the Toyota Production System, Toyota's exemplary continuous improvement system, has attracted the interest of many researchers and industry in seeking ways to improve operational and financial pe1formance of their organizations. The aim of this thesis is to characterize the human dimension in production systems including a strong component of continuous improvement in order to consider it during the adoption process. For this, the thesis focuses on three major contributions: the definition of the human dimension inherent to Lean, the historical evolution of the elements that represent this human dimension and its operationalization through the rote of Lean experts in the adoption process.

A complex mix of community and government activities and policies address social welfare needs, and the balance of roles varies from country to country and sometimes community to community. Economic changes and other factors have led to the development of comprehensive welfare states in many countries, making national/federal governments significant players in social welfare planning and provision. Even with these structural changes, communities are still active in assessing and providing for their own members' needs, though in widely variable forms. Religious organizations are key players in providing for community social welfare needs, both congregations and faith-based organizations, as well as contributing to the national level policy discourse. To understand the role of congregations in social welfare provision, this project presents a case study of congregations in a small U.S. city (using qualitative interviews and other contextual data), a review of federal faith-based social welfare policy (from three administrations), and a discussion of the U.S. case in comparison to similarly constructed European case studies. The federal policy documents reflect an emphasis on communities as best placed to serve their own needs. The community interview data yielded themes focused on collaboration and structural ways congregations contributed to social welfare. Respondents generally voiced a similar position that community organizations have intimate knowledge of the community's needs and how to meet these. However, respondents (with a few exceptions) saw the work of community organizations as only possible within a larger government structure of regulation and funding. The constraints of program and funding guidelines that created a need for congregations to fill gaps, discussed by respondents, refers to the complex system of benefits designed to identify the deserving portion of those in need. The results of this project fit in a larger, international comparative analysis of social welfare and religion in western liberal democracies. Examining religion's participation in social welfare provision contributes to the understanding of religion's role in the public sphere as possible moral commentator, contributor to the common good, and identity legitimation.