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The primary aim of this thesis is to consider whether the social work complaints procedure in Scotland is an appropriate means of dealing with dissatisfaction experienced by users of community care services. Debate in the socio-legal literature has focused on different models of justice in grievance and appeal mechanisms for users of public services. Set in the context of this wider debate, this study looks at the operation of the social work complaints procedure in Scotland, focusing on the experiences of complainants in two local authorities. Setting the research in context, the thesis looks at recent policy developments in community care in Scotland, at recent changes to the health complaints procedure and at proposals to change the social work complaints procedure in Scotland, England and Wales. The main source of data is interviews with people who had made complaints in the two local authorities. As well as looking at complainants’ views, the study also considers the views of people responsible for running the complaints procedure in both local authorities. Focus groups with community care service users were used to explore the views of those who may not have used the complaints procedure. A key concern is whether it is possible to distinguish different types of complaints: those which are primarily ‘appeals’ against refusal of services; and those which are about the way that people are treated. Using the experiences of people who had made complaints in both local authorities and a database of all complaints to one local authority, it is shown that it is not easy to make this distinction although some complaints fall more clearly into one category or the other. The classification of complaints relates closely to what people want from a complaints procedure. The purpose of a grievance procedure can be considered in terms of ‘models of justice’. The motivations of complainants and the views of those who operate the procedure are considered in the context of literature on models of justice. The thesis looks at how the complaints procedure operates in each of the two local authorities and considers the relative value of ‘informal’ and ‘formal’ processes. It goes on to look at what happens when people make formal complaints, whether complaints are resolved and what people think about this. Barriers to complaining are also considered. Finally the thesis looks at complaints which reach the end of the complaints procedure - the complaints review committee - and those which reach the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman. The thesis concludes that there is considerable ambiguity as to the purpose of the community care complaints procedure. Some complainants use the procedure as an ‘appeal’ against decisions made by the local authority, while others just want to get their problems ‘sorted out’. Some complainants are, at least in part, attempting to get the local authority to improve services for others. The emphasis of local authority staff in this study is primarily on ensuring that complainants have an opportunity to have their ‘voice’ heard. The word ‘complaining’ itself carries connotations which some service users see as negative, although others are more assertive in their use of the word. In procedural terms there is much that can go wrong between the initial ‘informal’ complaint and the more independent level of the procedure: the complaints review committee. There are considerable problems in defining ‘complaints’ and ensuring that they are handled within the guidelines. This means that it is difficult for justice to be seen to be done.

The massive job losses and factory closures in the clothing, textiles and leather industries in almost all countries in the region. The low wages that continue in our industries, resulting in a low and, in many instances, declining standard of living of workers. The crisis which face unemployed workers who have no income, no social security net, and no immediate prospect of a job. It is a fundamental responsibility of governments in the region to work with trade unions and employers in order to develop appropriate policies to secure a future for the industries and to improve the conditions of workers.

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Wearable video systems (WVSs) are one of the most popular and fastest growing technologies used by law enforcement today. While published WVS literature predominantly focuses on stakeholder perceptions, community interactions, assaults against officers, and use of force, there has diminutive exploration of the impact of WVSs as it related to aspects of police misconduct, especially in the Cruiser Police Department (pseudonym; CPD). The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore and describe how the use of the use of WVSs by the CPD impact police misconduct, by tracking the changes in complaint type and disposition of a 5-year period, and to examine how CPD officers perceive the impact of the use of WVSs. Deterrence theory and phenomenology provided structure for this research study. The quantitative portion of this study consisted of an interrupted time series analysis of 419 documented complaints against CPD officers between June 2013 and June 2018. The qualitative portion consisted of 67 anonymous, online surveys completed by current CPD officers with WVS experience that were thematically analyzed. Quantitative findings included a 13% overall increase in the number of complaints, a 15% drop in citizen complaints, a 28% increase in chief-initiated complaints, and a 41% increase in sustained complaints. Qualitative findings provided insight into CPD officers' acceptance and value of WVS, along with their strong concern for WVSs implementation creating more discipline of officers. Implications for positive social change include an awareness of unintended consequences of current policies and practices and empirical awareness of trends associated with WVS, specifically regarding discipline, officer acceptance, and police-community interaction.

Wearable video systems (WVSs) are one of the most popular and fastest growing technologies used by law enforcement today. While published WVS literature predominantly focuses on stakeholder perceptions, community interactions, assaults against officers, and use of force, there has diminutive exploration of the impact of WVSs as it related to aspects of police misconduct, especially in the Cruiser Police Department (pseudonym; CPD). The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore and describe how the use of the use of WVSs by the CPD impact police misconduct, by tracking the changes in complaint type and disposition of a 5-year period, and to examine how CPD officers perceive the impact of the use of WVSs. Deterrence theory and phenomenology provided structure for this research study. The quantitative portion of this study consisted of an interrupted time series analysis of 419 documented complaints against CPD officers between June 2013 and June 2018. The qualitative portion consisted of 67 anonymous, online surveys completed by current CPD officers with WVS experience that were thematically analyzed. Quantitative findings included a 13% overall increase in the number of complaints, a 15% drop in citizen complaints, a 28% increase in chief-initiated complaints, and a 41% increase in sustained complaints. Qualitative findings provided insight into CPD officers' acceptance and value of WVS, along with their strong concern for WVSs implementation creating more discipline of officers. Implications for positive social change include an awareness of unintended consequences of current policies and practices and empirical awareness of trends associated with WVS, specifically regarding discipline, officer acceptance, and police-community interaction.

Thesis (LLM. (Labour Law)) -- University of Limpopo, 2014 / This mini-dissertation deals with the adjudication and conciliation of the pension fund complaints as regulated by the Pension Funds, Act, 24 of 1956 (the Act). Section 30E of the Act gives the Pension Funds Adjudicator powers to investigate any complaint that has been lodged within the period of 3 years as prescribed by the law. This mini-dissertation further discusses the powers of the Adjudicator and the way the Office of the Pension Funds Adjudicator was established. The research further discusses the determinations issued by the Adjudicator which are ground-breaking which interpret the Act.

Purpose: This paper aims to demonstrate that online complainants' reactions to a company's service recovery attempts (webcare) can significantly vary across two different types of dissatisfied customers ("vindictives" vs "constructives"), who have dramatically diverging complaint Goal orientations. Design/methodology/Approach: Online multi-country survey among 812 adult consumers who recently had a dissatisfying brand experience and turned to a marketer-generated social media site to voice an online complaint for achieving their ultimate complaining goals. Scenario-based online experiment for cross-validating the survey findings. Findings: Results suggest that "vindictive complainants" - driven dominantly by brand-adverse motives - are immune to any form of webcare, while "constructive complainants" - interested in restoring the customer-brand relationship - react more sensitively. For the latter, "no-responses" often trigger detrimental brand-related reactions (e.g. unfavorable brand image), whereas "defensive Responses" are likely to stimulate postwebcare negative word-of-mouth. Research limitations/implications: This research identifies the gains and harms of (un-)desired webcare. By doing so, it not only sheds light on the circumstances when marketers have to fear negative effects (e.g. negative word-of-mouth) but also provides insights into the conditions when such effects are unlikely. While the findings of the cross-sectional survey are validated with an online experiment, findings should be interpreted with care as other complaining contexts should be further investigated. Practical implications: Marketers have to expect a serious "backfiring effect" from an unexpected source, namely, consumers who were initially benevolent toward the involved brand but who received an inappropriate response.

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Abstract Title:             Banks’ Counteractions against Customers’ Online Criticism Date:             June 5, 2012 Institution:   School of sustainable development of society and technology, Mälardalen University Level:           Bachelor thesis in business administration, 15 ECTS Authors:       Sara Pierre and Johanna Russo                Tutor:           Carl G. Thunman Keywords:   Banks, social media, dissatisfaction, complaints, customer behavior, sCRM, and e-WOM Purpose:       The purpose of this thesis is to describe and analyze how, where and why customers criticize the banking sector through online platforms, how the banks choose to defend themselves and counter this criticism, and to what extent these complaints may proliferate if not dealt with. The thesis will result in recommendations and suggestions for complaint management. Method:       In order for the thesis to capture the entire environment of online complaints, it has been conducted both from the banks’ and the customers’ perspective. Gathered information and cases as well as two interviews have been used for fulfilling the purpose of the thesis. Once studied, these sources have been analyzed and finally, conclusions and recommendations have been made based on the analysis. Conclusions:   Customer electronic word-of-mouth is publicly displayed on the most commonly used social platforms. In order to avoid unnecessary proliferation of customer complaints, companies ought to implement social customer relationship management strategies aimed towards fulfilling customer needs as well as company objectives. Complaints spread through social media can easily spiral out of hand as a result of the enormous amount of worldwide Internet users that can access the information, and for this reason, banks need to counter these complaints before they become unmanageable.