Assistive technology allows students with disabilities opportunities for greater independence, improved productivity, and increased functional capabilities. It removes obstacles, helps students overcome disabilities, and holds great promise for enriching educational outcomes and affecting the lives of students. However, for over 90% of special education students, assistive technology is not part of their education. One reason for not applying assistive technology to help students is the lack of a clear vision of what assistive technology is, what it can help students accomplish, and how to appropriately access it through individualized education programs (IEPs). In this study a comprehensive concept analysis clarified key assistive technology concepts, and identified critical relevant and critical irrelevant attributes of assistive technology. Multiple focus groups and a survey of 191 special educators validated the concept analysis. The survey also provided valid and reliable data about the relevant and irrelevant critical attributes identified in the concept analysis. The survey identified discrepancies between understanding of the concepts and actual applications of assistive technology. The study applied a unique combination of concept analysis, focus group research, and survey research methods. The appropriate application of assistive technology considers (a) the role of technology, (b) how technology meets students' unique functional needs, (c) the appropriateness of assistive technology applications, and ( d) the use of technology to expand the environment of the student. Although special educators agree these concepts are critical, they seldom apply them. Other irrelevant, misconceived attributes often dictate the nonapplication or misapplication of assistive technology. Although the IEP is the programmatic method whereby students with disabilities access special education services, 86% of IEPs do not consider possible technology applications. This oversight occurs because IEP participants lack valid information, do not have assistive technology assessments available, perceive funding as a major obstacle, lack training, and/or there are not polices and procedures in place concerning assistive technology . Recommendations for special education providers, local education agencies, and parents are included.

Published Article / The article revisits the concept and phenomenon of human communication to show that it deserves to be part of a first-year undergraduate core curriculum which aims to further knowledge and advance learning. Conceptual analysis and critical and rational argumentation are employed. Teaching students about what human communication really is and, concomitantly, what it entails existentially as well as adopting the appropriate spirit, stance and method for authentic intercultural communication, could go a long way in equipping them to be critical thinkers, competent citizens, and compassionate human beings in the worlds in which they live.

The thesis investigates in what way the scholarly edition performs bibliographic functions as it manages and positions other documents. This is where the study differs from previous research on scholarly editing and bibliography. It aims to trace the boundary between scholarly editing and bibliography by comparing crucial objectives, problems and conflicts in each field. This is accomplished by identifying the argumentation, assumptions and conceptual frameworks that form the rationale for the fields, and subjecting them to qualitative critical and historical analysis. The main empirical material is editorial theory literature, with scholarly editions serving as illustrating examples. Key questions concern the way scholarly editors and bibliographers identify, define and reproduce their respective source material; the reasons for conflicts between editors’ varying expectations of the reproductive force in printed and digital editions; and the connections and demarcations between scholarly editing and bibliography and between scholarly editions and reference works such as bibliographies. Bibliographic and media theory form the basis for the theoretical framework, with additional input from book history, literary theory, genre studies and scholarly communication studies. The thesis suggests a distinction between the two activities of clustering and transposition, and the distortion the latter brings about. These concepts are employed to detect, group and explain activities and problems in scholarly editing and bibliography, who both manage sets of documents by clustering them to one another and transposing their contents by producing new documents. There is a noticeable division of labour between the two tasks, and they also correspond to different types of editions. The study also ties the dominant editorial strategies and edition types to respective bibliographic foci, and argues that central conflict areas are primarily accentuated and only secondarily introduced with digital editing. An idealistic strand treats editing as unbiased delivery of disambiguable and reproducible content, while to a hermeneutical strand the edition is an argumentative and content constraining filter, its editor being a kind of biased author. In a third strand, editions are content circulating ecosystems with a division of labour between collaborating media types. In particular the view of editions as constitutive arguments is related to analogue observations in LIS and genre and scholarly communication studies. On the one hand, editing is supposed to be a dynamic research area, ready to respond to new findings and scholarly ideals. On the other, several arenas demand the edition to serve as a conservative force, static and confirmatory. The potential of digital media points to a distinction between edition and archive, where the former but not the latter explicitly takes an interpretative stand. Digital editing also boosts the idealistic strand by the seeming promise to separate facts from interpretation and to enhance maximum exhaustiveness and reproductivity. Although the thesis identifies many commonalities between editions and reference works and the way these are structured, there is a crucial difference. The edition is simultaneously a work’s reference and referent. Bibliographies and reference works cannot make that claim. / <p>Akademisk avhandling som med tillstånd av samhällsvetenskapliga fakulteten vid</p><p>Göteborgs universitet för vinnande av filosofie doktorsexamen</p><p>framläggs till offentlig granskning kl. 13.15 lördagen den 9 december 2006</p><p>i Stora Hörsalen (C 203), Högskolan i Borås, Allégatan 1, Borås.</p>

O trabalho sintetiza-se em três pontos principais. Primeiro, a desqualificação da visão de Gordon Baker sobre um dos papéis da filosofia como uma terapia do sujeito. Esta desqualificação se dá tanto por meio de uma crítica ao que ele propõe quanto aos seus fundamentos textuais. Segundo, a explicitação da visão de Waismann, que contribui para a crítica a Baker e para o esclarecimento do que entendemos pelo papel da Filosofia nas Investigações Filosóficas. E, em terceiro lugar, a consideração da concepção de Hacker da filosofia como uma atividade de análise conceitual, que desemboca em nossa proposta de avaliação conceitual. / This work can be summarized in three main points. First, the disqualification of Gordon Bakers view of philosophy as a therapy of the subject. This takes place both through a critique of what he proposes and through what it is based on. Second, the explanation of Waismanns view, which contributes to the criticism of Baker and clarifies what we understand as the role of philosophy in Philosophical Investigations. And, thirdly, the consideration of Hackers view of philosophy as an activity of conceptual analysis, which leads to our own view of conceptual evaluation.

Nossa tese apresenta a aplicação de um modelo de análise conceitual e de descrição terminológica da área de Educação do Campo, com foco nos processos de neologia, sob uma abordagem lexicológico-terminológica. Educação do Campo é a expressão atribuída aos conceitos referentes ao ensino, à aprendizagem e à educação nas regiões rurais, notadamente as figurativizadas por movimentos sociais com objetivos libertários em relação à política e à cultura dominantes. Esses conceitos abrangem os princípios, a metodologia e os fins e ideais da Educação, bem como a organização da estrutura de ensino e seus atores sociais. Logo, estão profundamente marcados por uma ideologia e por uma contraideologia. Os termos refletem esses aspectos ideológicos. Nosso corpus de análise é de aproximadamente 700 termos. Além deste corpus, foram constituídos, para a pesquisa, outros cinco, que classificamos nos tipos: documental, referencial, de exclusão geral, de exclusão específico e parâmetro. O levantamento, a análise, a sistematização e a apresentação dos termos seguiram modelos da Lexicologia e da Terminologia (Teoria Comunicativa da Terminologia, Socioterminologia, Teoria Sociocognitiva da Terminologia, Sociossemiótica, Terminologia Técnico-Científica e Terminologia Aplicada), com o auxílio de ferramentas informatizadas. O estudo conceitual-terminológico foi organizado em categorias temáticas pertinentes à Educação do Campo. Nossa pesquisa também apresenta análises qualitativas e análises quantitativas de natureza morfossintática, semântica e pragmática dos termos do universo neológico, em abordagem sincrônica e em abordagem diacrônica, tendo em vista os processos de terminologização da área em estudo (ênfase no processo sintagmático). Objetivamos que a realização deste trabalho possa contribuir para o esclarecimento de alguns fundamentos das escolas do campo e dos assentamentos e dos acampamentos rurais instituídos a partir dos princípios e das práticas da luta pela reforma agrária no Brasil, bem como para a diminuição do preconceito social que há em nosso país em relação à temática. É nosso intuito também demonstrar algumas das relações entre Terminologia, História, Cultura e Sociedade / Our thesis presents the application of a model of conceptual analysis and terminological description of Field Education area, with a focus on neology processes under a lexical-terminological approach. Field Education is the term given to concepts related to teaching, learning and education in rural areas, especially the figurative social movements with libertarian goals in relation to politics and the dominant culture. These concepts encompass the principles, methodology and the aims and ideals of Education, as well as the organization of educational structure and its social actors. So, they are deeply marked by an ideology and a contrary ideology. The terms reflect these ideological aspects. Our analysis corpus is approximately 700 terms. Besides, this corpus we have organized to research, another five corpus, we classify as: documents, references, general exclusion, specific exclusion and parameter. The survey, analysis, systematization and presentation of terms followed models of Lexicology and Terminology (Terminology Communicative Theory, Socioterminology, Terminology Socio-cognitive Theory, Sociossemiotcs, Scientific and Technical Terminology, Applied Terminology), with the aid of computerized tools. The terminological-conceptual study was organized into thematic categories relevant to the Field Education. Our research also presents qualitative and quantitative analyzes of either morphosyntactic, semantic and pragmatic from the universe neological terms, in synchronic and diachronic approaches, in view of the processes terminologization study area (emphasis on the syntagmatic process). We aim that this work will contribute to the clarification of some fundamentals of field schools and rural settlements and rural camps established on the basis of the principles and practices of the struggle for agrarian reform in Brazil, as well as to reduce the social prejudice that there is in our country in relation to the theme. We also aim to demonstrate some of the relationships between Terminology, History, Culture and Society

abstract: This dissertation report follows a three-paper format, with each paper having a different but related focus. In Paper 1 I discuss conceptual analysis of mathematical ideas relative to its place within cognitive learning theories and research studies. In particular, I highlight specific ways mathematics education research uses conceptual analysis and discuss the implications of these uses for interpreting and leveraging results to produce empirically tested learning trajectories. From my summary and analysis I develop two recommendations for the cognitive researchers developing empirically supported learning trajectories. (1) A researcher should frame his/her work, and analyze others’ work, within the researcher’s image of a broadly coherent trajectory for student learning and (2) that the field should work towards a common understanding for the meaning of a hypothetical learning trajectory. In Paper 2 I argue that prior research in online learning has tested the impact of online courses on measures such as student retention rates, satisfaction scores, and GPA but that research is needed to describe the meanings students construct for mathematical ideas researchers have identified as critical to their success in future math courses and other STEM fields. This paper discusses the need for a new focus in studying online mathematics learning and calls for cognitive researchers to begin developing a productive methodology for examining the meanings students construct while engaged in online lessons. Paper 3 describes the online Precalculus course intervention we designed around measurement imagery and quantitative reasoning as themes that unite topics across units. I report results relative to the meanings students developed for exponential functions and related ideas (such as percent change and growth factors) while working through lessons in the intervention. I provide a conceptual analysis guiding its design and discuss pre-test and pre-interview results, post-test and post-interview results, and observations from student behaviors while interacting with lessons. I demonstrate that the targeted meanings can be productive for students, show common unproductive meanings students possess as they enter Precalculus, highlight challenges and opportunities in teaching and learning in the online environment, and discuss needed adaptations to the intervention and future research opportunities informed by my results. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Mathematics Education 2018

A pesquisa-ação, desde a sua origem, associada às Ciências Sociais, sofreu diferentes incorporações teóricas, tanto relacionadas ao seu conceito quanto à sua prática, que resultaram em muitas interpretações distintas que, às vezes, podem dificultar o seu emprego em produções acadêmicas da área de Ciências da Saúde. Objetivo: identificar e caracterizar as teses de doutorado e as dissertações de mestrado produzidas nos programas de pós-graduação de Ciências da Saúde da Universidade de São Paulo (USP), entre 2000 a julho de 2012, em que foi utilizada a metodologia de pesquisa-ação, além de analisar os conceitos de pesquisa- ação que foram empregados nestes trabalhos. Metodologia: utilizamos o método bibliográfico, a bibliometria e a Teoria Comunicativa da Terminologia (TCT), através da abordagem qualitativa e quantitativa. Usamos como fonte de dados, a Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações da USP (BDTD/USP) e como instrumento, usamos uma ficha de coleta de dados validada por especialistas. Realizamos a análise dos dados de forma manual. Resultados: a pesquisa-ação foi utilizada em 49 trabalhos (31 de doutorado e 18 de mestrado), de autoria de 45 diferentes alunos/autores que, em sua maioria, tinham formação em Enfermagem (54,17%), atuando na linha de pesquisa de Educação em Saúde e Formação de Recursos Humanos (51,02%), do Programa de Pós-graduação em Enfermagem Psiquiátrica (55,10%), da Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto (EERP) (61,22%), sob a orientação de uma mesma docente (48,98%). Predominou trabalhos defendidos entre 2007 e 2011 (61,22%), em que o pesquisador atuava, previamente, no campo de aplicação do estudo (59,19%), desenvolvidos sem apoio financeiro de órgãos de fomento (69,39%). Os trabalhos apresentaram abordagem qualitativa, com temáticas sobre pesquisa-ação (5,91%), enfermagem (5,38%) e educação em saúde (3,76%), tendo como foco principal a formação/prática do profissional de saúde (44,90%). Nestes, prevaleceu o emprego da pesquisa-ação crítica (89,80%), com a realização de todas as etapas da pesquisa-ação indicada por Thiollent. Identificamos 124 citações relacionadas ao conceito de pesquisa-ação (média=2,82 citações/trabalho), provenientes de 50 referências e 48 autores diferentes. Em sua maioria, eram livros (58,06%), publicados em português e, na década de 2000. O livro Metodologia da pesquisa-ação foi empregado para conceituar a pesquisa-ação por 88,64% dos trabalhos. Em ordem decrescente, os autores Thiollent, Bueno e Freire foram os mais citados. Identificamos 356 excertos de citações relacionados ao conceito de pesquisa-ação (média=8,09 excertos/trabalho). A pesquisa-ação foi conceituada mediante a descrição dos tipos de pesquisas relacionadas a essa metodologia, sua origem, aplicação e princípios básicos. Considerações finais: a aplicação da pesquisa-ação em teses de doutorado indica que esta metodologia apresenta rigor científico adequado às exigências de estudos considerados complexos. A pesquisa-ação foi conceituada, principalmente, através de fontes específicas sobre o tema em questão, com a utilização de um núcleo principal de fontes e de atores utilizados como referências para conceituar a temática em foco. / Action research, since its origin, linked to the Social Sciences, presented various forms of theoretical inclusions, related to its concept and practice, which resulted in many different interpretations that can sometimes hinder its use in academic productions in the area of Health Sciences. Objective: to identify and characterize the dissertation of masters and doctorate theses developed in the post-graduate program in Health Sciences of the University of São Paulo (USP), between 2000 and July 2012, in which was used the action research methodology, apart from analyzing the concepts of action research were used in these studies. Methodology: We used the review of literature, the bibliometrics and Communicative Theory of Terminology (TCT), through qualitative and quantitative approach. It was used as a data source, the Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations of USP (BDTD/USP) and it was used a data collection form, validated by experts. We conducted data analysis manually. Results: action research was used in 49 studies (31 doctorates and 18 masters), which were written by 45 different students/authors, who mostly had training in Nursing (54.17%), working in line research in Health Education and Training Human Resources (51.02%) of the Graduate Program in Psychiatric Nursing (55.10%), of the Nursing School of Ribeirão Preto (EERP) (61.22%), under the supervision of the same teacher (48.98%).Studies defended predominated between 2007 and 2011 (61.22%), in which the researcher worked previously in the field of study (59.19%), which were developed without the financial support of funding agencies (69.39% ). The studies had qualitative approach, presenting themes about action research (5.91%), nurses (5.38%) and health education (3.76%), with the main objective of formation/practice of the health care professionals (44.90%). In these studies, the prevailing use of critical action research (89.80%), with the completion of all stages of the research- action indicated by Thiollent. In the studies analyzed, we identified 124 citations related to the concept of action research (mean = 2.82 citations/study), from 50 authors and 48 different references. Most part of it was books (58.06%), published in Portuguese in the 2000s. The book Action research methodology was employed to conceptualize action research by 88.64% of the studies. In descending order, the authors Thiollent, Bueno and Freire were the most cited. We identified 356 excerpts of citations related to the concept of action research (mean = 8.09 excerpts/study). Action research was conceptualized by describing the types of research related to this methodology, its origin, and applying basic principles. Final considerations: the application of action research in the theses indicates that this methodology has adequate scientific rigor to the demands of the studies considered complex. Action research was conceptualized mainly through specific sources on the topic in question, with the existence of a core group of actors and sources used as references to conceptualize the thematic in focus.

Nossa tese apresenta a aplicação de um modelo de análise conceitual e de descrição terminológica da área de Educação do Campo, com foco nos processos de neologia, sob uma abordagem lexicológico-terminológica. Educação do Campo é a expressão atribuída aos conceitos referentes ao ensino, à aprendizagem e à educação nas regiões rurais, notadamente as figurativizadas por movimentos sociais com objetivos libertários em relação à política e à cultura dominantes. Esses conceitos abrangem os princípios, a metodologia e os fins e ideais da Educação, bem como a organização da estrutura de ensino e seus atores sociais. Logo, estão profundamente marcados por uma ideologia e por uma contraideologia. Os termos refletem esses aspectos ideológicos. Nosso corpus de análise é de aproximadamente 700 termos. Além deste corpus, foram constituídos, para a pesquisa, outros cinco, que classificamos nos tipos: documental, referencial, de exclusão geral, de exclusão específico e parâmetro. O levantamento, a análise, a sistematização e a apresentação dos termos seguiram modelos da Lexicologia e da Terminologia (Teoria Comunicativa da Terminologia, Socioterminologia, Teoria Sociocognitiva da Terminologia, Sociossemiótica, Terminologia Técnico-Científica e Terminologia Aplicada), com o auxílio de ferramentas informatizadas. O estudo conceitual-terminológico foi organizado em categorias temáticas pertinentes à Educação do Campo. Nossa pesquisa também apresenta análises qualitativas e análises quantitativas de natureza morfossintática, semântica e pragmática dos termos do universo neológico, em abordagem sincrônica e em abordagem diacrônica, tendo em vista os processos de terminologização da área em estudo (ênfase no processo sintagmático). Objetivamos que a realização deste trabalho possa contribuir para o esclarecimento de alguns fundamentos das escolas do campo e dos assentamentos e dos acampamentos rurais instituídos a partir dos princípios e das práticas da luta pela reforma agrária no Brasil, bem como para a diminuição do preconceito social que há em nosso país em relação à temática. É nosso intuito também demonstrar algumas das relações entre Terminologia, História, Cultura e Sociedade / Our thesis presents the application of a model of conceptual analysis and terminological description of Field Education area, with a focus on neology processes under a lexical-terminological approach. Field Education is the term given to concepts related to teaching, learning and education in rural areas, especially the figurative social movements with libertarian goals in relation to politics and the dominant culture. These concepts encompass the principles, methodology and the aims and ideals of Education, as well as the organization of educational structure and its social actors. So, they are deeply marked by an ideology and a contrary ideology. The terms reflect these ideological aspects. Our analysis corpus is approximately 700 terms. Besides, this corpus we have organized to research, another five corpus, we classify as: documents, references, general exclusion, specific exclusion and parameter. The survey, analysis, systematization and presentation of terms followed models of Lexicology and Terminology (Terminology Communicative Theory, Socioterminology, Terminology Socio-cognitive Theory, Sociossemiotcs, Scientific and Technical Terminology, Applied Terminology), with the aid of computerized tools. The terminological-conceptual study was organized into thematic categories relevant to the Field Education. Our research also presents qualitative and quantitative analyzes of either morphosyntactic, semantic and pragmatic from the universe neological terms, in synchronic and diachronic approaches, in view of the processes terminologization study area (emphasis on the syntagmatic process). We aim that this work will contribute to the clarification of some fundamentals of field schools and rural settlements and rural camps established on the basis of the principles and practices of the struggle for agrarian reform in Brazil, as well as to reduce the social prejudice that there is in our country in relation to the theme. We also aim to demonstrate some of the relationships between Terminology, History, Culture and Society

The purpose of the present thesis is to apply philosophical methods to the ongoing debate of the precautionary principle, in order to illuminate this debate. The thesis consists of an Introduction and five papers. Paper I con-cerns an objection to the method of conceptual analysis, the Charge from Psychology. After a brief characterisation of conceptual analysis, I argue that the Charge from Psychology is misdirected. In Paper II, the method of conceptual analysis is applied to the concept of precaution which is ana-lysed in terms of precautionary actions. The purpose is explicatory. A definition involving three necessary and jointly sufficient conditions is proposed, and the implications of this analysis for the debate on the pre-cautionary principle are discussed. Paper III attempts to provide an ana-lytical apparatus which may be used for finding improved formulations of the precautionary principle. The approach is lexicographical. Several exist-ing and possible formulations of the precautionary principle are examined, and four common elements and a common structure of the precautionary principle are identified. It is suggested that the analytical apparatus pre-sented can be used in negotiations of the precautionary principle. Paper IV questions the soundness of some arguments against the precautionary prin-ciple. Five common arguments are discussed and rejected. In Paper V, two of these arguments are further discussed. I argue that an attempt at rejec-tion of the precautionary principle delivered by John Harris and Søren Holm is unwarranted, because their arguments against it are based on in-terpretations of the precautionary principle that ignore context. Paper VI deals with the idea of de minimis risk. After a discussion of the distinction between disregarding a risk and accepting it, I examine one way of deter-mining how small a risk ought to be in order to be disregarded, namely the use of natural risk levels as benchmarks. I argue that this approach fails, even if the distinction between what is natural and what is not natural can be upheld.

The present thesis is aimed at analyzing the concept of quality and at dis-cussing, in a unified manner, its role not only in operations management but also in strategic thinking. It criticizes the widespread view that quality is meeting the client’s needs and expectations in such a way that the gap between perceptions and expectations is minimized. Essentially it develops a systematic proposal in order to understand the concept on the intui-tive basis that quality is tantamount to how well something works for a given purpose. The analysis is based on the fact that anytime that the quality concept is used there are actors that carry out an action with the help of a means—thus quality is a particular sort of means-ends fitness. Roughly speaking, the quality of a means is its capability to improve the expected conse-quences of the action. The analysis shows under which conditions this conclusion can be understood in terms of multi-attribute preference orderings under uncertainty—some ideas from decision theory, which are required in order to do that, are presented. In short, whether the expected consequences improve or not depends on an assumed preference ordering that has to be correct given the actors’ circumstances and purposes—but it may be distinct from the actual preferences of many individual actors. Quality is neither subjective (it does not change depending on the psychological processes of any particular individual) nor objective (in a sense, it depends on action and cognition), but it is relative to a given set of reference preferences. Some conditions apply to what it counts as a means, how it relates to an end, which attributes are relevant to assess consequences, or which reference preferences are well-formed. In particular, I discuss to which kind of means the concept is properly applied. As a complement, a basic model of means-ends relationships (built on several properties of Boolean functions) is presented. At a slightly more technical level, it shows relevant insights, but strictly speaking it is not required in order to understand the rest of the thesis. Quality appears in management under two interrelated forms: (a) or-ganizations’ interventions in the quality of what they use and provide and (b) organizations’ initiatives to compete through quality. (a) The basic structure behind quality management is examined under the lens of the quality concept’s analysis. The following issues are dis-cussed: setting quality criteria, product design, process design, onsite planning, onsite control, standardization, product improvement, process improvement and rethinking reference preferences. (b) The role of quality on competitive advantage and sustainable profit-ability depends on how quality relates to entry barriers. I show different ways in which quality can interact (if it does) with product differentiation, experience effects, scope economies, reputation, capital requirements, access to distribution channels, switching costs, legal barriers or scale economies. The strength of quality as a driver of profitability is dis-cussed—the conclusion is that it is not easy to build sustainable competitive advantages on the basis of quality alone and that its complementary role in competition has several aspects that are needed to be taken into account. Finally, the particular example of how the quality concept works in re-lation to information flows is treated in some detail. Information flows are processes that move information from the firm’s inner or outer environ-ment to actions. Decisive factors of its quality (basically, information asymmetries and coherence) are discussed. Two actual case studies are presented. The example of information flows is aimed at showing the mo-tivation for a general analysis of the quality concept beyond sloganlike statements about clients, products, perceptions and expectations. / La tesis tiene como objetivo analizar el concepto de calidad y discutir de forma unificada su papel tanto en la dirección de operaciones como en el pensamiento estratégico. El trabajo argumenta en contra de la opinión generalizada de que la calidad es satisfacer las necesidades y expectativas del cliente de tal manera que la diferencia entre percepciones y expectativas se reduzca. Se desarrolla una propuesta sistemática con el fin de entender el concepto sobre la base intuitiva de que la calidad se relaciona con lo bien que funcionan las cosas para un fin determinado. El análisis se basa en el hecho de que cualquier uso del concepto de calidad supone que hay actores que realizan una acción con la ayuda de un medio. En consecuencia, la calidad es un tipo particular de relación entre medios y fines. En términos generales, la calidad de un medio es su capacidad para mejorar las consecuencias esperadas de la acción. El análisis muestra cómo ésta conclusión puede entenderse en términos de preferencias multiatributo bajo condiciones de incertidumbre. Que las consecuencias sean mejores o no depende de suponer una relación de preferencias que debe ser correcta dados los propósitos y circunstancias de los actores, pero que puede ser distinta de las preferencias reales de muchos actores individuales. La calidad no es subjetiva (no cambia en función de los procesos psicológicos de un individuo en particular) ni objetiva (en cierto sentido, depende de la acción y la cognición), sino que es relativa a ciertas preferencias de referencia. En la tesis se estudia qué se considera un medio, cómo se relaciona con un fin, qué atributos son relevantes, cuándo las preferencias de referencia están bien formadas, y a qué tipo de medios tiene sentido aplicar el concepto. Como complemento, se presenta un modelo simple (construido a partir de propiedades de las funciones booleanas) sobre relaciones medios-fines. El concepto de calidad aparece en la gestión bajo dos formas interrelacionadas: (a) las actividades de las organizaciones para intervenir en la calidad de lo que utilizan y proporcionan, y (b) las iniciativas para competir a través de la calidad. (a) Las actividades básicas de la gestión de la calidad se examinan bajo la perspectiva del análisis del concepto: definición de criterios de calidad, diseño de productos, diseño de procesos, planificación operativa, control, estandarización, mejora del producto, mejora de procesos, y redefinición de las preferencias de referencia. (b) El papel de la calidad en la rentabilidad y la ventaja competitiva sostenibles depende de cómo la calidad se relaciona con las barreras de entrada. El trabajo trata diferentes formas en que la calidad puede interactuar con la diferenciación del producto, los efectos de aprendizaje, las economías de alcance, la reputación, los requisitos de capital, el acceso a canales de distribución, los efectos red, las barreras legales o las economías de escala. Se argumenta que no es fácil de construir ventajas competitivas sostenibles solamente sobre la base de la calidad; su papel complementario en otras estrategias competitivas tiene varios aspectos a considerar. Por último, se trata el ejemplo concreto de la calidad de los flujos de información (procesos que mueven información desde el entorno hasta las decisiones para modificarlo). Se estudian, y se ilustran mediante dos casos reales, los factores decisivos de su calidad: la coherencia y las asimetrías en la información. El ejemplo de la información tiene por objetivo mostrar la necesidad de un análisis del concepto de calidad más allá de exhortaciones sobre clientes, productos, percepciones y expectativas. / L’objectiu de la tesi és analitzar el concepte de qualitat i discutir de forma unificada el seu paper tant en la direcció d'operacions com en el pensament estratègic. El treball argumenta en contra de l'opinió generalitzada de que la qualitat consisteix en satisfer les necessitats i expectatives del client de manera que la diferència entre percepcions i expectatives es redueixi. Es desenvolupa una proposta sistemàtica per tal d'entendre el concepte sobre la base intuïtiva de que la qualitat es relaciona amb com de bé funcionen les coses per una finalitat determinada. L'anàlisi es basa en el fet que qualsevol ús del concepte de qualitat suposa que hi ha actors que realitzen una acció amb l'ajuda d'un mitjà. En conseqüència, la qualitat és un tipus particular de relació entre mitjans i fins. En termes generals, la qualitat d'un mitjà és la seva capacitat per millorar les conseqüències esperades de l'acció. L'anàlisi mostra com aquesta conclusió es pot entendre en termes de preferències multiatribut sota condicions d'incertesa. Que les conseqüències siguin millors o no depèn de suposar una relació de preferències que ha de ser correcta donats els propòsits i circumstàncies dels actors, però que pot ser diferent de les preferències reals de molts actors individuals. La qualitat no és subjectiva (no canvia en funció dels processos psicològics d'un individu en particular) ni objectiva (en certa manera, depèn de l'acció i la cognició), sinó que és relativa a certes preferències de referència. En la tesi s'estudia què es considera un mitjà, com es relaciona amb un fi, quins atributs són rellevants, quan les preferències de referència estan ben formades, i a quin tipus de mitjans té sentit aplicar el concepte. Com a complement, es presenta un model simple (construït a partir de propietats de les funcions booleanes) sobre les relacions entre mitjans i fins. El concepte de qualitat apareix en la gestió sota dues formes interrelacionades: (a) les activitats de les organitzacions per intervenir en la qualitat d’allò que fan servir i proporcionen, i (b) les iniciatives per competir a través de la qualitat. (a) Les activitats bàsiques de la gestió de la qualitat s'examinen sota la perspectiva de l'anàlisi del concepte: definició de criteris de qualitat, disseny de productes, disseny de processos, planificació operativa, control, estandardització, millora del producte, millora de processos , i redefinició de les preferències de referència. (b) El paper de la qualitat en la rendibilitat i l'avantatge competitiu sostenibles depèn de com la qualitat es relaciona amb les barreres d'entrada. El treball tracta diferents formes en les que la qualitat pot interactuar amb la diferenciació del producte, els efectes d'aprenentatge, les economies d'abast, la reputació, els requisits de capital, l'accés a canals de distribució, els efectes xarxa, les barreres legals o les economies d'escala. S'argumenta que no és fàcil construir avantatges competitius sostenibles només sobre la base de la qualitat; el seu paper complementari en altres estratègies competitives té diversos aspectes a considerar. Finalment, es tracta l'exemple concret de la qualitat dels fluxos d'informació (processos que mouen informació des de l'entorn fins a les decisions per modificar). S'estudien, i s'il•lustren mitjançant dos casos reals, els factors decisius de la seva qualitat: la coherència i les asimetries en la informació. L'exemple de la informació té per objectiu mostrar la necessitat d'una anàlisi del concepte de qualitat més enllà d’exhortacions sobre clients, productes, percepcions i expectatives.