The phenomenon being explored in this study was the understanding of minority clients' perceptions in relation to their rehabilitation counselors' cultural competence. A descriptive qualitative research methodology consisting of eight participants was used. Hycner's (1985) phenomenological analysis was used to investigate the in-depth interviews. The investigation revealed seven different themes that comprised of the essence of the phenomenon. The themes include: clients' understanding of the term cultural competence, self, attitudes, advocacy, understanding culture is important, role of culture, and expectations from the agency. The invariant structure that was consistent through all the above mentioned themes was the representation and manifestations of culture in the lives of the clients that continually challenged rehabilitation counselors' cultural competence through different phases of the vocational rehabilitation counseling experiences. The essence behind cultural competence was - perceiving the phenomenon as an experiential relationship based concept, where the client and the rehabilitation counselor educate one another about the all inclusive nature of the term culture and its role in the vocational rehabilitation process.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Special Education, Counseling and Student Affairs / Kakali Bhattacharya / Doris W. Carroll / This qualitative case study is designed to explore how two participants described their role with their use of counselor self-disclosure in establishing and maintaining therapeutic alliance with military clients. Utilizing purposeful and criterion-based sampling, participants for this study were counselors who worked with the military populations, had independent practices, and believed that counselor self-disclosure was beneficial in building strong therapeutic alliances with military clients. Informed by Symbolic Interactionism, the participants’ understanding of self-disclosure and its role in establishing and maintaining therapeutic alliance with military clients were explored through semi-structured, in-depth, open-ended interviews. Counselor self-disclosure (CSD) is a technique that helps to establish strong therapeutic alliances and break down barriers that may exist between the military population and their counselors. Some military members experience mental health disorders following deployments. However, these military members experience barriers when seeking treatment and they commonly terminate treatment prematurely. Findings indicate that when counselors use self-disclosure it inspires participants to open up and model their counselor’s behavior. Moreover, military clients become aware of their own symptoms that were previously invisible to them, and find ways to relate and trust the counselor. Conversely, findings also indicate that CSD can be used improperly or even when used properly could have undesired effects such as causing ruptures in the therapeutic relationship due to a lack of clients’ openness, or perceiving CSD unprofessional and an inauthentic way to elicit therapeutic alliance. This study has implications for counselor educators and practitioners to consider training about relationally-oriented cultural practices that help to prevent ruptures in therapeutic alliances with military clients. Another implication is about how CSD could be used in the preparation of students in counselor education training programs and how more inquiry could be conducted to document systematic data about the influence of CSD on therapeutic alliance. Finally, the study has implications about how CSD can facilitate support for military clients and critically understanding how CSD can aid in supporting retention or loss of treatment for military clients.

A adoção do marketing na estratégia da organização encontra grande repercussão na literatura da Administração. Dentre as estratégias, a orientação para o mercado tem-se apresentado como uma forma da organização fazer frente a mercados cada vez mais competitivos. Diversas pesquisas tem demonstrado a associação da orientação para o mercado, com performances empresariais positivas, além de promover a entrega de valores superiores para seus clientes. Esta pesquisa aborda a verificação da existência de elementos e antecedentes que apontem para uma orientação para o mercado na Sicredi Sul SC, que é uma cooperativa de crédito com mais de 16 mil associados, com atuação em 9 municípios no sul do estado de Santa Catarina. Para a viabilização da pesquisa foi realizado um estudo exploratório e utilizada, como base para orientação das entrevistas, a escala MARKOR, elaborada por Kohli, Jaworski e Kumar (1993). Assim, utilizando esta escala como guia, foram realizadas 23 entrevistas, incluindo o presidente do conselho de administração, a diretoria executiva a gerência regional, assessores, gerentes gerais e administrativos das agências da cooperativa, entre os meses de maio e junho de 2017. As respostas apontaram que a Sicredi Sul SC apresenta, ainda que de forma moderada, algumas evidências de orientação para o mercado. A geração de inteligência foi o item que se destacou positivamente, já a disseminação das informações e a resposta apresentaram necessidades de avanços. Quando analisados os antecedentes para a orientação para o mercado identificou-se a oportunidade da criação de um plano de marketing que coloque a Orientação para o Mercado no centro da estratégia para que este conceito seja incorporado na cultura da cooperativa pesquisada e possibilite gerar um valor superior a seus associados. / The adoption of marketing in the strategy of the organization finds great repercussion in the administration literature. Among the strategies, the market orientation has been presented as a way to the organization face increasingly competitive markets. Several researches have demonstrated the association of market orientation with positive business performances, as well as promoting the delivery of superior values to its clients. This research aims to verify the existence of such elements and antecedents in Sicredi Sul SC, which is a credit cooperative with more than 16 thousand associates working in 9 municipalities in the south of Santa Catarina state. In this research, an exploratory study was carried out and used as a basis for the orientation of the MARKOR interviews, elaborated by Kohli, Jaworski and Kumar (1993). Thus, using this scale as a guide, 23 interviews were conducted between May and June 2017. It was interviewed the chairman of the board of directors, the regional management executive board, advisors, general and administrative managers of the cooperative agencies. Responses pointed out that Sicredi Sul SC presents an average level of market orientation, highlighting its capacity to generate market information and having to improve in the dissemination and response to the market. When analyzing the antecedents of market orientation, the opportunity was identified to the creation of a marketing plan that places market orientation at the center of the strategy, so this concept can be incorporated into the culture of the studied cooperative and allowing to generate a higher value to its associates.

Este trabalho objetivou conhecer o processo de busca e a clientela atendida em terapia de casal e família. Para tanto, realizaram-se dois estudos. Inicialmente, através de uma revisão sistemática da literatura, foram identificados seis fatores associados à busca pelas terapias de casal e família: fatores pessoais, relacionais, culturais, de gênero, estratégias anteriores de ajuda e tipo de problema. Posteriormente, através de um estudo empírico, a clientela atendida em terapia familiar em uma clínica-escola de Porto Alegre (RS) foi caracterizada. Foram realizadas entrevistas estruturadas com 41 adultos encaminhados para terapia familiar, nas quais foram investigadas variáveis sociodemográficas e familiares, o processo de busca de ajuda, o problema apresentado, tentativas anteriores de ajuda utilizadas e expectativas sobre o tratamento. Os resultados permitem reflexões sobre a prática clínica com famílias em clínicas-escola, especialmente a respeito do envolvimento dos clientes no processo terapêutico e à transição da queixa para a demanda desde o período de avaliação inicial. / This research aimed to investigate the help seeking process and the clients attended in couples and family therapy. To achieve this objective, two studies were realized. First, a systematic literature review identified six factors associated with the search for couples and family therapy: personal factors, relationship factors, gender, cultural aspects, prior sources of help and type of problem. After that, a second study characterized the clients attended in family therapy in a school clinic located in Porto Alegre (RS). Structured interviews with 41 adults referred for family therapy were realized. Sociodemographic and familial variables, the search for help process, the main problem, the prior sources of help and the expectations about the treatment were investigated. These results allows reflections about family therapy practice in school clinics, especially about the involvement of the clients on therapeutic process and the transition from the first complaint to the real demand since evaluation period.

Sammanfattning Kravhanteringsprocessen är en av de viktigaste faserna vid utvecklandet av ett IT-system. Kravhantering är alltså grundläggande för att utveckla ett stabilt system som uppfyller beställarens önskemål. Med en väl utförd kravhantering som grund får man ett system som är fritt från bristfälliga fel, utvecklandet av systemet går även till på ett effektivare sätt. Vid byggandet av ett system eftersträvar man alltid en framgångsrik mjukvara. Kravhantering ses som den viktigaste faktorn vid utvecklandet av ett IT-system. Föreliggande studie genomförs som en litteraturstudie där undersöks vilka brister som är vanligt förekommande under kravhanteringsprocessen. Syftet med föreliggande studie är att identifiera förekommande brister under kravhanteringsprocessen samt om det finns eventuella lösningar till dessa brister. För att kunna utreda detta så måste bristerna definieras och hur arbeta ska ske för att eliminera eller undvika dessa. Resultatet av föreliggande studie visar på att det finns en del brister som är vanligt förekommande och även föreslagna lösningar. Vidare tyder resultatet på att majoriteten av bristerna förekommer på grund av dålig kommunikation och missförstånd. / Abstract Requirements management process is one of the most important stages in the development of an IT system. Requirements management is therefore essential to develop a stable system that meets client needs. With a well-executed requirements management as the basis to get a system that is free from error, inadequate development of system allows to more effectively. In the construction of a system always seeks successful software. Requirements management is seen as the most important factor in the development of an IT system. The present study is conducted as a literature review which examines the shortcomings that are commonplace during the requirements management process. The aim of the present study is to identify deficiencies in the requirements management process, and if there are any solutions to these shortcomings. In order to investigate this, we must define the gaps and to work to eliminate or avoid them. The result of this study shows that there are some deficiencies are common and even proposed solutions. Furthermore, the results indicate that the majority of shortcomings due to poor communication and misunderstandings.

L’avènement des communautés virtuelles de marque (VBC) bouleverse les relations avec les consommateurs et pousse les annonceurs à adopter une véritable Orientation Clients. Or, la littérature a mis en exergue certains avantages induits sans pour autant offrir une analyse holistique des bénéfices et impacts des plateformes d’engagement communautaires. Tel est donc l’objet de cette recherche qui tente d’apporter une première modélisation des bénéfices qualitatifs et quantitatifs des VBC. Le cadre théorique de notre recherche s’inscrit dans celui des théories relationnelles et de l’engagement des consommateurs. L’exploration conceptuelle de la littérature nous a permis de mieux appréhender les enjeux des VBC pour le champ du comportement du consommateur et le management du Marketing, avant de dresser une typologie des bénéfices induits. Aussi, compte tenu du faible nombre de VBC et de l’aspect stratégique de notre problématique, nous avons opté pour des entretiens semi-directifs avec des experts ou Dirigeants Marketing. Cette recherche hypothético-déductive nous a permis de mettre en lumière des catégories de bénéfices, avec notamment les impacts sur la Connaissance Clients, la Relation Clients, l’innovation participative, le crowd sourcing ou encore la gouvernance et le management. La phase exploratoire a validé les propositions de recherche avec des nuances récurrentes, notamment pour ce qui est de la représentativité relative des membres. Les principaux apports de cette recherche sont la mise en avant des facteurs d’optimisation de l’engagement des membres au sein des VBC, ainsi que l’impact sur le retour sur investissement. Ce travail ouvre de nouvelles perspectives de recherche du fait de son aspect pluridisciplinaire et des enjeux pour le management du Marketing, de la Relation Clients et des marques. / The advent of Virtual Brand Communities (VBC) is changing customer relationships and pushing advertisers to adopt a true Customer Driven Strategy. The literature has highlighted some of the benefits that have been gained, without providing a holistic analysis of the benefits and impacts of community engagement platforms. It is therefore the object of this research that attempts to provide a first modelization of the qualitative and quantitative benefits of VBC. The theoretical framework of our research is in line with relational theories and consumer engagement. The conceptual exploration of literature allowed us to better understand the stakes of the VBCs for the field of consumer behavior and marketing management, before drawing up a typology of the profits induced. Also, given the low number of VBCs and the strategic aspect of our research, we have opted for semi-directive interviews with experts or marketing executives. This hypothetico deductive research has allowed us to highlight families of benefits, with impacts on Customer Knowledge, Customer Relationship, participative innovation, crowd sourcing, governance and management. The exploratory phase validated the research proposals with recurring nuances, in particular with regard to the relative representativeness of the members. The main contributions of this research are the optimization of the factors of member’s engagement within the VBC, as well as the impact on the return on investment. This work opens new research perspectives, because of its multidisciplinary aspect and the stakes for Marketing management, Customer Relations and brands.

This study aims to examine the service “egna medel” provided by Swedish social services. A client using this service provides a mandate to the social services to manage their income and pay necessary outgoings in their place. This study aims to explore the underlying needs which makes the client require the service, what the service signifies in the client’s life and whether the clients using this service feel that “egna medel” provides them a possibility to live an independent life. The empirical data was collected by means of seven qualitative interviews with clients in Stockholm county. The results were analysed with a theoretical framework circuiting around the notions of independence and normalization. The results show that the service provides the clients with a sense of security and keeps them from falling back into mental illness or drug abuse. In addition the results show that the clients perceive themselves as independent despite having conceded the control over their economy to the social services. The results also show that the clients are constrained from living like others due to their low income, not due to the service “egna medel”.

L’objet de ces travaux de recherche est de recueillir auprès de clients leur appréciation et leurs ressentis, traduits par des attributs de produit, face à une innovation en cours de conception, c’est-à-dire sans la totalité des informations sensorielles et fonctionnelles normalement disponibles sur un produit fini.Les deux objectifs principaux sont de prendre en compte les avis des clients tôt dans le processus de conception d’une innovation et de pouvoir comparer plusieurs innovations entre elles ou une même innovation à plusieurs stades de développement, en vue d’aider la prise de décisions des concepteurs et des décideurs.Afin de répondre à ces objectifs, plusieurs démarches méthodologiques sont réalisées et vérifiées :• En vue de compenser le manque de caractéristiques sensorielles et fonctionnelles d’une représentation intermédiaire d’une innovation, nous avons mis en place un « descriptif sensoriel »,• En vue de faciliter les comparaisons d’évaluations de produit, nous avons mis en place un questionnaire standard d’évaluation des avis clients. En effet, sur la base d’une recherche bibliographique des attributs de produit de qualités hédonique et pragmatique intervenant dans l’évaluation d’un produit, nous avons créé une liste d’affirmations à noter,• En vue de valider ces outils méthodologiques, nous avons réalisé une démarche comparative de plusieurs jalons ou stades de développement. Au total, nous avons réalisé six évaluations clients d’une même innovation à différents jalons du processus de conception auprès de 302 évaluateurs.Les résultats d’évaluation obtenus sont ensuite étudiés et comparés. Le but est de valider la construction du descriptif sensoriel et du questionnaire et d’apporter nos conclusions quant à l’évaluation de représentations intermédiaires à différents stades du processus de conception.Le questionnaire standard d’évaluation nécessite d’être affiné mais permet déjà de s’enquérir d’attributs de qualités hédonique et pragmatique d’un produit du point de vue des clients. Le descriptif sensoriel facilite la projection des clients vers ce que sera le futur produit. / The purpose of this research is to obtain the appraisal and feelings of customers, translated by product attributes, about an innovative product during its design process, i.e. without all the sensory and functional features available like for a finished product. Two main goals are to inquire the customers’ ways of thinking early in the design process and to compare several products themselves or the same product at different stages in the process. The objective is to help the designers and managers decision.To meet these goals, we realized and checked several methodological approaches:• To offset the lack of sensory and functional features of an innovation’s prototype, we created a “sensorial brochure”,• To facilitate the product assessments’ comparison, we created a standard questionnaire to inquire customers. In fact, with a bibliographic research of the hedonic and pragmatic attributes involved in the assessment of a product, we created a list of statements,• To validate these methodological tools, we realized a comparative approach at several milestones or stages of the design process. In total, we realized six customers’ assessments at different stages of the design process with 302 respondents.Then we studied and compared the assessments’ results. The aim is to validate the construction of the sensorial brochure and the questionnaire and to conclude from the innovation’s prototype assessments at different stages of the design process. The questionnaire needs to be improved but it has already permitted to inquire the customers on their hedonic and pragmatic attributes in front of a product. The sensorial brochure helps customers to imagine the future product.

The aim of this thesis is to evaluate creditworthiness (credibility) of a client and assessment of loan granting decision. The work highlights the importance of financial analysis, which constitutes a basis for risk assessment of a client and is a deciding factor in the final decision of granting a loan. Theoretical and methodological part deals with definitions, explanation of terms and methods related to credit processing and financial analysis. The second part assesses financial stability of the company "Firma, a.s." through financial analysis and subsequently evaluates its credibility by applying a selected credit rating model. As a result, final loan granting decision is made.

Este trabalho objetivou conhecer o processo de busca e a clientela atendida em terapia de casal e família. Para tanto, realizaram-se dois estudos. Inicialmente, através de uma revisão sistemática da literatura, foram identificados seis fatores associados à busca pelas terapias de casal e família: fatores pessoais, relacionais, culturais, de gênero, estratégias anteriores de ajuda e tipo de problema. Posteriormente, através de um estudo empírico, a clientela atendida em terapia familiar em uma clínica-escola de Porto Alegre (RS) foi caracterizada. Foram realizadas entrevistas estruturadas com 41 adultos encaminhados para terapia familiar, nas quais foram investigadas variáveis sociodemográficas e familiares, o processo de busca de ajuda, o problema apresentado, tentativas anteriores de ajuda utilizadas e expectativas sobre o tratamento. Os resultados permitem reflexões sobre a prática clínica com famílias em clínicas-escola, especialmente a respeito do envolvimento dos clientes no processo terapêutico e à transição da queixa para a demanda desde o período de avaliação inicial. / This research aimed to investigate the help seeking process and the clients attended in couples and family therapy. To achieve this objective, two studies were realized. First, a systematic literature review identified six factors associated with the search for couples and family therapy: personal factors, relationship factors, gender, cultural aspects, prior sources of help and type of problem. After that, a second study characterized the clients attended in family therapy in a school clinic located in Porto Alegre (RS). Structured interviews with 41 adults referred for family therapy were realized. Sociodemographic and familial variables, the search for help process, the main problem, the prior sources of help and the expectations about the treatment were investigated. These results allows reflections about family therapy practice in school clinics, especially about the involvement of the clients on therapeutic process and the transition from the first complaint to the real demand since evaluation period.