published_or_final_version / Language Studies / Master / Master of Arts

Univ., Diss.--Passau, 2005. / Literaturverz. S. 239 - 253.

Service quality and customer satisfaction are becoming increasingly important in today‟s business environment which is characterised by fierce competition between the service providers. In this regard it is very imperative that companies assess themselves by measuring service quality. Consequently, areas of the service with low service quality would be identified and improved. Therefore, this thesis focuses on the effectiveness of SERVQUAL in measuring service quality and reveals the positive impact technology has on customer satisfaction in public transportation. To do this, we developed a questionnaire within the framework of the SERVQUAL dimensions of reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy and tangible. With a scale of 1 to 7, respondents of our questionnaire who are users and customers of the public bus companies; Karlstad city bus which we labelled business level 1(B1) and intercity buses like Swebus and Värmland Trafik which we labelled business level 2 (B2) were able to evaluate the service quality of these companies by grading them. Based on the results of our research in which we asked respondents to mention some of the areas of the service process in which they had encountered unfavourable service experiences, we were able to determine the areas of the service process from which the customer complaints came from. We compared these results with the customer complaints received by the management of the public Bus Company and noticed that they were similar. Majority emerged from areas of the service process whereby the customer came in contact with the employees or the service failure could be directly associated with the employee. After comparing these complaints with the results of questions in our questionnaire developed within the framework of the SERVQUAL dimensions, we noticed that those questions with larger GAP 5 implying lower service quality were actually a reflection of the areas of the service process from which customer complaints came from. In this regard, we were able to conclude that SERVQUAL was effective in measuring the service quality in public transportation. In addition, we ranked the questions in the questionnaire and noticed that those areas of the service process whereby the employees and the customers interact (come in contact) or whose service failure can be directly associated with an employee had low grades and ranked below the mean and median of all the questions in the various dimensions, whereas those areas of the service process where technology is used or customers had the opportunity to make use of Self Service Technology ranked above the mean and median. This was a clear indication that technology is a service quality driver and positively impacted customer satisfaction in public transportation.

L’objectif de cette recherche est de contribuer à mieux comprendre l’impact du travail émotionnel dans l’émergence du burnout et des troubles somatiques des soignants. Pour cela, le premier chapitre commence par exposer le concept de travail émotionnel, son histoire, son évolution et ses liens avec le burnout et les troubles somatiques. Tout en développant la critique sociologique du travail émotionnel d’Hochschild, nous exposons sa pertinence dans le contexte actuel de l’institution hospitalière. L’évolution du concept est ensuite présentée et nous proposons de nous focaliser sur l’approche intra psychique du travail émotionnel. Celle-ci privilégie trois composantes du concept : la dissonance émotionnelle, l’acting de profondeur et l’acting de surface. A partir de cette approche, notre revue de la littérature expose les liens de ces trois composantes au burnout, aux troubles somatiques et à la performance des salariés. Diverses problématiques associées à l’état actuel des connaissances portant sur le lien entre le travail émotionnel et la santé des salariés sont alors abordées et les chapitres suivants proposent d’apporter, par le biais d’études empiriques, des éléments de réponses à celles-ci. Le deuxième chapitre expose les problématiques liées aux limites méthodologiques des mesures actuelles du concept de travail émotionnel. Une mesure alternative est proposée : celle-ci distingue les deux processus de régulation jusqu’ici confondus dans la conceptualisation de l’acting de profondeur, à savoir la réévaluation cognitive et le déploiement attentionnel ; les deux stratégies de régulations expressives jusqu’ici confondues dans la conceptualisation de l’acting de surface, à savoir la suppression et l’amplification expressive des émotions. Enfin, ces processus de régulation ont clairement été dissociés de l’état de dissonance émotionnelle. Nos résultats présentent plusieurs intérêts. Premièrement, ils indiquent que la dissonance émotionnelle constitue la composante du travail émotionnel la plus fortement associée au burnout et aux troubles somatiques. Deuxièmement, cette étude révèle que les mesures actuelles de l’acting de surface et de profondeur englobent différents processus aux effets opposés sur le burnout. Alors que la suppression expressive des émotions est liée de façon positive au burnout, l’amplification expressive des émotions l’est de façon négative. Et si la réévaluation cognitive s’avère une stratégie de régulation négativement liée au burnout, le déploiement attentionnel apparaît plus délétère à la santé des salariés. Afin de déterminer la valeur ajoutée du travail émotionnel au modèle exigences-ressources, le troisième chapitre évalue les liens entre celui-ci et le burnout en prenant en considération différents stresseurs/ressources organisationnelles (exigences émotionnelles, charge de travail, justice organisationnelle…). Basées sur les principes du modèle exigences-ressources, les données indiquent que les composantes du travail émotionnel expliquent une part de variance importante du burnout et des troubles somatiques au-delà des parts de variance expliquées par les exigences et le manque de ressources organisationnelles. Puisque la dissonance émotionnelle joue un rôle prédominant dans l’émergence du burnout, le quatrième chapitre évalue dans quelle mesure la réflexivité des équipes de travail permet de modérer ses effets négatifs sur la santé des salariés. Les données indiquent que la réflexivité sociale modère les effets de la dissonance sur le burnout. Enfin, le chapitre cinq explore les liens entre le travail émotionnel, le burnout et la maltraitance des soignants vis-à-vis des patients. Les résultats confirment l’impact de la dissonance émotionnelle et du burnout sur les comportements de maltraitance. En effet, le burnout et la dissonance médiatisent les effets des stresseurs liés à l’environnement de travail sur la maltraitance. / The aim of this research was to better understand the links between emotional labor, burnout and somatic complaints. The first chapter constitutes a literary review that exposes the concept, its history, and its links with burnout and somatic complains: Hochschild’s sociological analysis of emotional labor is developed and its relevance to the hospital context is exposed. The evolution of the concept is then presented and we propose to focus on the intra psychic perspective of emotional labor which pays attention to three components of the concept: emotional dissonance, surface acting and deep acting. Based on this approach, we realized a literature review that exposed the associations between these three components and burnout, somatic complaints and job performance. Diverse problems associated with the comprehension of the impact of emotional labor on health outcomes are developed. The second chapter exposes the problems associated with the limitations of the measure used to evaluate the concept of emotional labor. An alternative measure is proposed: this one distinguishes the two emotion regulation processes included in the conceptualization of deep acting, which are, re-evaluation and attentional deployment. It also distinguishes the two expressive regulation strategies included in the conceptualization of surface acting, that are expressive suppression and expressive amplification. Finally, these emotion regulation processes are separate from the emotional dissonance state. Our results present several issues: First, they indicate that emotional dissonance is positively associated with burnout and somatic complains and that the variance part of these two variables are broadly explained by the emotional dissonance state. Second, they reveal that surface acting and deep acting measures include different processes with opposite effects on burnout: while expressive suppression is positively linked with burnout, expressive amplification is negatively related to it. Moreover, re-evaluation presents a positive impact on health outcomes while attentional deployment has a negative impact on them. The aim of the third chapter is to determine the added value of emotional labor to the job demands-resources model: links between emotional labor, burnout and somatic complaints were analyzed by taking into account different organizational demands and resources (emotional demands, workload, organizational justice…). Based on the job-demands-resources principles, our result show that emotional labor components explain a great part of burnout and somatic complaints beyond the parts of variance explained by demands and lack of resources. As emotional dissonance plays a determinant role in the burnout process, the fourth chapter examines to what extent reflexivity among work teams moderates its negative effects. Results indicate that social reflexivity moderates burnout induced by emotional dissonance. Finally, chapter five explores the links between emotional labor, burnout and mistreatments toward patients. Results confirmed the link between emotional dissonance and burnout on mistreatments. Indeed, burnout and emotional dissonance mediate the effects of stressors linked with the work context on mistreatment.

O trabalho estudou queixas, cuidados, importância e satisfação com a saúde bucal em uma população de idosos cadastrados no Núcleo de Saúde da Família III na cidade de Ribeirão Preto. Os idosos foram selecionados para participarem na pesquisa levando-se em conta a capacidade cognitiva (Mini Mental Examination), as atividades normais da vida cotidiana, bem como o consentimento em participar por livre vontade. Os participantes responderam um questionário, em suas residências, sobre saúde bucal elaborado especificamente para o presente estudo, em data previamente agendada pelo pesquisador. O questionário continha questões relacionadas à situação sócio-demográfica, cuidados com saúde bucal, situação protética, auto-avaliação sobre saúde bucal, bem como queixas referentes a este fato. Procurou-se desta forma, identificar o perfil da população estudada segundo levantamento das queixas mais prevalentes, situação em relação aos cuidados com dentes e/ou próteses, bem como a satisfação e o valor dado à saúde bucal. Os dados receberam tratamento estatístico para observação de associações de variáveis através de Teste exato de Fisher e Qui-quadrado, aceitando-se a associação quando o valor de p era menor ou igual a 0,05. A população adscrita, no referido núcleo no período de realização do presente estudo, era de 503 idosos dos quais foram entrevistados 261, e deste número, 90 idosos (34,5%) eram do sexo masculino e 171 (65,5%) do sexo feminino. A população possuía baixa escolaridade (60,2% com até 4 anos de estudo) e maior número de representantes com idade entre 60 a 69 anos (46,7%). A maioria dos idosos morava com familiares e os homens eram os responsáveis financeiros. Parte significativa dos entrevistados relatou ser desdentada total (48,7%) e este fato esteve associado à idade, escolaridade e convívio na mesma residência. Os indivíduos desdentados totais referiram sua saúde bucal como importante (45,2%) e boa (77,7%) sendo que, entre indivíduos satisfeitos com sua saúde bucal 53,6% eram desdentados totais, e tais variáveis estiveram associadas. Em relação aos cuidados, idosos mais jovens relataram maior número de escovações diárias dos dentes e/ou próteses. Quanto às queixas observou-se maior ocorrência de lesões/feridas na cavidade bucal, queixas referentes à articulação temporomandibular (ATM), mau hálito, boca seca e dificuldade para mastigar. Dentre estas queixas o mau hálito (p=0,015) e a dificuldade para mastigar (p=0,000) mostraram-se estatisticamente associadas à quantidade de dentes. A queixa referente à dificuldade para mastigar estava associada à mobilidade de próteses inferiores (p=0,001). Desta forma concluiu-se que os cuidados com a saúde bucal diminuíram com o avançar da idade, os idosos relataram sentir-se satisfeitos com suas condições de saúde bucal, classificando a mesma como importante, e ser desdentado total não significou necessariamente atribuir valores negativos a esta condição. A falta de dentes não foi referida como uma queixa porém apareceu associada à insatisfação com a saúde bucal. E finalmente concluiu-se que a dificuldade para mastigar esteve associada à idade e à mobilidade das próteses inferiores, sendo que na faixa etária mais avançada esta queixa foi mais freqüente. / The present survey was carried out to study complaints, care, value and satisfaction toward oral health in an aged population filled in the Family Heath Centre III at Ribeirão Preto. The elder were selected to participate in the study according to their cognitive status (Mini Mental Examination Test), normal life activities and their own acceptance to participate. The elder answered at their home, in a previous scheduled procedure, a questionnaire about oral health which was developed specific to the study purpose. The specific domiciliary questionnaire had questions about social demographical profile, oral health care, prosthetic condition, subjective self-reported oral health status and oral health complaints. It was identificated the population profile toward the most prevalent oral health complaints, teeth and prosthetic hygiene and care, satisfaction and self-reported oral health value. The data received statistical treatment to observe the association between variables according to the Fischer Exact and Chi square Tests, and the association was accepted when the p value was equal or lower than 0.05. The population, filled at the Family Health Centre III in the period of the study development, was 503 aged people with more than 60 years old, and 261 were interviewed, where 90 (34.5%) were male and 171 (65.5%) were female. In general the aged reported low education level (60.2%) and they were represented most frequently by the age between 60 to 69 years old (46.7%). The higher of the aged reported living with family and the men were responsible for the financial support of the family. Significant sample of the aged reported being edentate (48.7%) and this fact was correlated to the aged, educational level and living with the family. The edentate people reported that their oral health were important (45.2%) and good (77.7%), and the satisfied people (53.6%) were edentate and these variable were correlated. According to own oral health care, the younger subject reported a higher number of diary tooth brushing. It was reported a higher number of oral wounds, temporomandibular joint, fetid breath, dry mouth and masticator complaints. Among these complaints the fetid breath (p=0,015) and the masticator difficulty (p=0,000) were statistically correlated to inferior denture mobility (p=0,001). It was concluded that oral health care decrease as time goes by, the aged reported being satisfied with their oral health condition, and their oral health was self-classified as an important issue. The subject reported that being edentate do not mean that it is a negative profile. The tooth missing was not reported as complaint but it was statistically correlated with dissatisfaction toward own oral health. Finally it was concluded that masticator difficulty was statistically correlated to inferior dentures mobility being this complain higher reported in the older aged subject sample.

O trabalho estudou queixas, cuidados, importância e satisfação com a saúde bucal em uma população de idosos cadastrados no Núcleo de Saúde da Família III na cidade de Ribeirão Preto. Os idosos foram selecionados para participarem na pesquisa levando-se em conta a capacidade cognitiva (Mini Mental Examination), as atividades normais da vida cotidiana, bem como o consentimento em participar por livre vontade. Os participantes responderam um questionário, em suas residências, sobre saúde bucal elaborado especificamente para o presente estudo, em data previamente agendada pelo pesquisador. O questionário continha questões relacionadas à situação sócio-demográfica, cuidados com saúde bucal, situação protética, auto-avaliação sobre saúde bucal, bem como queixas referentes a este fato. Procurou-se desta forma, identificar o perfil da população estudada segundo levantamento das queixas mais prevalentes, situação em relação aos cuidados com dentes e/ou próteses, bem como a satisfação e o valor dado à saúde bucal. Os dados receberam tratamento estatístico para observação de associações de variáveis através de Teste exato de Fisher e Qui-quadrado, aceitando-se a associação quando o valor de p era menor ou igual a 0,05. A população adscrita, no referido núcleo no período de realização do presente estudo, era de 503 idosos dos quais foram entrevistados 261, e deste número, 90 idosos (34,5%) eram do sexo masculino e 171 (65,5%) do sexo feminino. A população possuía baixa escolaridade (60,2% com até 4 anos de estudo) e maior número de representantes com idade entre 60 a 69 anos (46,7%). A maioria dos idosos morava com familiares e os homens eram os responsáveis financeiros. Parte significativa dos entrevistados relatou ser desdentada total (48,7%) e este fato esteve associado à idade, escolaridade e convívio na mesma residência. Os indivíduos desdentados totais referiram sua saúde bucal como importante (45,2%) e boa (77,7%) sendo que, entre indivíduos satisfeitos com sua saúde bucal 53,6% eram desdentados totais, e tais variáveis estiveram associadas. Em relação aos cuidados, idosos mais jovens relataram maior número de escovações diárias dos dentes e/ou próteses. Quanto às queixas observou-se maior ocorrência de lesões/feridas na cavidade bucal, queixas referentes à articulação temporomandibular (ATM), mau hálito, boca seca e dificuldade para mastigar. Dentre estas queixas o mau hálito (p=0,015) e a dificuldade para mastigar (p=0,000) mostraram-se estatisticamente associadas à quantidade de dentes. A queixa referente à dificuldade para mastigar estava associada à mobilidade de próteses inferiores (p=0,001). Desta forma concluiu-se que os cuidados com a saúde bucal diminuíram com o avançar da idade, os idosos relataram sentir-se satisfeitos com suas condições de saúde bucal, classificando a mesma como importante, e ser desdentado total não significou necessariamente atribuir valores negativos a esta condição. A falta de dentes não foi referida como uma queixa porém apareceu associada à insatisfação com a saúde bucal. E finalmente concluiu-se que a dificuldade para mastigar esteve associada à idade e à mobilidade das próteses inferiores, sendo que na faixa etária mais avançada esta queixa foi mais freqüente. / The present survey was carried out to study complaints, care, value and satisfaction toward oral health in an aged population filled in the Family Heath Centre III at Ribeirão Preto. The elder were selected to participate in the study according to their cognitive status (Mini Mental Examination Test), normal life activities and their own acceptance to participate. The elder answered at their home, in a previous scheduled procedure, a questionnaire about oral health which was developed specific to the study purpose. The specific domiciliary questionnaire had questions about social demographical profile, oral health care, prosthetic condition, subjective self-reported oral health status and oral health complaints. It was identificated the population profile toward the most prevalent oral health complaints, teeth and prosthetic hygiene and care, satisfaction and self-reported oral health value. The data received statistical treatment to observe the association between variables according to the Fischer Exact and Chi square Tests, and the association was accepted when the p value was equal or lower than 0.05. The population, filled at the Family Health Centre III in the period of the study development, was 503 aged people with more than 60 years old, and 261 were interviewed, where 90 (34.5%) were male and 171 (65.5%) were female. In general the aged reported low education level (60.2%) and they were represented most frequently by the age between 60 to 69 years old (46.7%). The higher of the aged reported living with family and the men were responsible for the financial support of the family. Significant sample of the aged reported being edentate (48.7%) and this fact was correlated to the aged, educational level and living with the family. The edentate people reported that their oral health were important (45.2%) and good (77.7%), and the satisfied people (53.6%) were edentate and these variable were correlated. According to own oral health care, the younger subject reported a higher number of diary tooth brushing. It was reported a higher number of oral wounds, temporomandibular joint, fetid breath, dry mouth and masticator complaints. Among these complaints the fetid breath (p=0,015) and the masticator difficulty (p=0,000) were statistically correlated to inferior denture mobility (p=0,001). It was concluded that oral health care decrease as time goes by, the aged reported being satisfied with their oral health condition, and their oral health was self-classified as an important issue. The subject reported that being edentate do not mean that it is a negative profile. The tooth missing was not reported as complaint but it was statistically correlated with dissatisfaction toward own oral health. Finally it was concluded that masticator difficulty was statistically correlated to inferior dentures mobility being this complain higher reported in the older aged subject sample.

Conflict of interest allegations became a prominent part of the political and public sector in the 1980s and 1990s in Australia and elsewhere. The arena of policing was not immune, and in Victoria, the Ombudsman drew particular attention to the problem and expressed concern about the rise in public complaints relating to alleged conflicts of interest on the part of police officers. Against this background, permission was granted by Victoria Police for a major study of conflict of interest complaints against police officers within their jurisdiction. Access was granted to all public complaint case files where conflict of interest was the focus of the allegations, from the period 1988???1998. A total of 377 usable complaints files were examined, involving 539 police officers. Through extensive examination and analysis of these complaint case files, a comprehensive map of the particular kinds of interest involved, the nature of the conflicts with official police duties, and the particular contexts within which conflicts of interest emerged, was developed. Analysis of the case files identified 25 different types of problems related to conflict of interest. These were spread across the private and public realms of police officers??? involvements. Previous studies of conflict of interest have focused largely on the opportunities for misconduct arising in the public realm of police work and police duty, largely neglecting attention to the private realm of the relationships and involvements of a police officer that give rise to conflicts of interest. In this study, the specific private interests that gave rise to problems were able to be identified in 35 percent of all cases. Three broad problem areas were identified: (i) outside employment, private business interests, political, social, and sporting interests and involvements; (ii) family-based involvements, especially those involving family law problems; and (iii) problematic personal relationships, including relationships with criminals, informers, and persons of ill repute. These conflicts of interest were related to a range of breaches of official police duty, including the misuse of police authority for personal or family benefit, the use of police position to facilitate personal relationships, and inappropriate disclosure of confidential police information. When the conflict of interest identified related specifically to a police officer???s official or public role as a member of the police force, the main types of misconduct identified included three broad areas: (i) the use and abuse of police powers and authority; (ii) the use and abuse of police resources, including information; and (iii) the receipt of gratuities and breaches of the law. These problems were shown to play out in a range of ways, encompassing such behaviours as misuse of the police identity, inappropriate accessing of police information, involvement in investigations where the police officer concerned has a personal interest in the matter, failing to take appropriate police action against friends, family, or associates, the exercise of improper influence in civil matters, and engagement in harassment and discrimination. This study offers some important conceptual developments in relation to the notion of conflict of interest, focusing on the importance of the distinction between a conflict of interest and an associated breach of duty. The study noted that it is often erroneously assumed by police that if there is no breach of duty evidenced, then there is no problem of conflict of interest. The study also offers an important insight into the oversight and accountability processes involved in Victoria Police, emphasising the importance and effectiveness of the oversight role of the office of the Victorian Ombudsman. Evidence also suggests that the internal review processes within Victoria Police are by-and-large stringent, and that senior police management are genuinely interested in making police officers more accountable for their actions. However, it is concluded that both front-line operational police officer and police management often have a limited understanding of conflict of interest, and problems attendant to conflicts of interest. The study???s insights into the problem of conflict of interest are significant insofar as this problem is related to police misconduct???ranging from minor to serious???of various kinds. Attention to the problem of conflict of interest may be an important element in preventing ???upstream??? police misconduct and corruption.

<p>The main purpose of this thesis was to evaluate and test the Job Stress Survey (JSS, Spielberger, 1991; Spielberger & Vagg, 1999), a self-report instrument which assesses workplace stress. In the thesis a thorough evaluation is made of JSS scales and items, and the relations to health, particularly musculoskeletal complaints. The aim of Study I was to evaluate the factor structure and the psychometric properties of a Swedish version of the JSS. The instrument was distributed to medical service personal and metal industry workers (n=1186). Factor analyses demonstrated a good resemblance between the present version and the American original version. The results also showed that the internal consistencies, as well as the test-retest reliabilities of the scales are high, and the concurrent validity are good. Study II examined work-related stress measured by JSS for the subgroups of gender, industry workers and medical service personnel, and special attention was given to the problem of differential item functioning (DIF) on these subgroups. The main findings were that both gender and occupation has a substantial impact on specific sources of work-related stress assessed by JSS scales and individual items. The result of the DIF analyses showed no item bias in the gender subgroup, but for the occupational subgroups there where items showing DIF in two of the scales. These items do not jeopardize the conclusions made on scale level since the number of items showing DIF are too few to make an impact on the overall result on the different scales. In Study III the relation between self-reported stress and health, particularly musculoskeletal problems were examined longitudinally in two metal industry factories. Results showed high levels of stress and musculoskeletal complaints in these factories and significant and strong relationships between the JSS scales and musculoskeletal, as well as psychosocial ratings. Lack of Organizational Support was found to be more related to musculoskeletal pain than Job Pressure. Longitudinal differences were found between the factories and between different types of musculoskeletal complaints. The general conclusions from the studies are that the present version of JSS shows a good resemblance with the American original, and that JSS is a useful instrument for studying relationships between stress and health.</p>

The main purpose of this thesis was to evaluate and test the Job Stress Survey (JSS, Spielberger, 1991; Spielberger &amp; Vagg, 1999), a self-report instrument which assesses workplace stress. In the thesis a thorough evaluation is made of JSS scales and items, and the relations to health, particularly musculoskeletal complaints. The aim of Study I was to evaluate the factor structure and the psychometric properties of a Swedish version of the JSS. The instrument was distributed to medical service personal and metal industry workers (n=1186). Factor analyses demonstrated a good resemblance between the present version and the American original version. The results also showed that the internal consistencies, as well as the test-retest reliabilities of the scales are high, and the concurrent validity are good. Study II examined work-related stress measured by JSS for the subgroups of gender, industry workers and medical service personnel, and special attention was given to the problem of differential item functioning (DIF) on these subgroups. The main findings were that both gender and occupation has a substantial impact on specific sources of work-related stress assessed by JSS scales and individual items. The result of the DIF analyses showed no item bias in the gender subgroup, but for the occupational subgroups there where items showing DIF in two of the scales. These items do not jeopardize the conclusions made on scale level since the number of items showing DIF are too few to make an impact on the overall result on the different scales. In Study III the relation between self-reported stress and health, particularly musculoskeletal problems were examined longitudinally in two metal industry factories. Results showed high levels of stress and musculoskeletal complaints in these factories and significant and strong relationships between the JSS scales and musculoskeletal, as well as psychosocial ratings. Lack of Organizational Support was found to be more related to musculoskeletal pain than Job Pressure. Longitudinal differences were found between the factories and between different types of musculoskeletal complaints. The general conclusions from the studies are that the present version of JSS shows a good resemblance with the American original, and that JSS is a useful instrument for studying relationships between stress and health.

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration