Model-based reservoir management systems are indispensable for determining an optimal water resources management in river basins with multipurpose reservoirs. A recently developed management system will be described, using evolutionary algorithms to optimize both event-based and long-term operation of a reservoir system concerning multiple objectives with different units of measurement (Money, Dimensions, Ecology). The result are sets of so-called Pareto optimal solutions which represent the most useful compromises and can serve as a transparent information base for decision-making. In order to improve the ecological performance of multipurpose reservoirs, a dynamic operating scheme is implemented, which ensures that reservoir releases correspond to natural flow variability as far as possible. In addition water quality problems during the flood discharge and the release from selected layers of the water body will be discussed in brief.

No description available.

The South African government like most governments around the world create public entities to perform functions on its behalf and achieve particular objectives ranging from facilitating investments, delivering services or providing goods and advice. These public entities receive annual funding either whole or in part from the national fiscus and report to parliament through their respective Ministries. In the 2005/6 financial year government funded Umalusi 7, 69 million rands through direct transfer payments from the Department of Education, excluding any indirect payments from other governmental structures. Many public entities, about three hundred and thirty odd or so in South Africa, were promulgated to ensure and improve service delivery to the nation. However, they were not intended to be seen as an extension of their reporting departments. This research work evaluates the effectiveness of Umalusi in the education regulatory system and seeks to find ways to improve public entity effectiveness using the South African Excellence Model (SAEM) as the base tool to measure organisational effectiveness. A brief conclusion to this study is that Umalusi as a public entity, is adequately meeting its intended purpose. This is confirmed through its annual reports having never received a qualified audit since its inception. This research triangulates the results of the South African Excellence Model, the Questionnaire to senior education officials and the Auditors' Reports to confirm that Umalusi is effective as a public entity in the South African regulatory system. / Busniness Management / M.Tech. (Busniness Administration)

Since 1994, South African education system has been undergoing continuous transformation which had an impact on the quality of teaching and learning. There appeared to be a huge underperformance in the High School and FET College learners which for many years forced Universities to embark on bridging courses in order to enroll new students. Furthermore, a misalignment of college’s National Technical Diploma (NATED) programmes that did not afford college graduates an opportunity to register with Universities nor Universities of Technology brought about the questioning of the quality of teaching and learning in the FET College sector. Tabling the unified quality improvement plans in education in South Africa, the Education Ministry introduced an integrated approach to measure teaching and learning with the view of identifying improvement strategies. However, the implementation of this integrated tool called the Integrated Quality Management System had educators and managers attaching ambiguous meanings to the system. The IQMS instrument is meant to be a dependable quality assurance tool to measure and improve the quality of teaching and learning. The ambiguity lies with educators and managers referring to IQMS as a means to acquire 1% pay progression and the possible return of the old apartheid systems’ inspectorate. This research study was promulgated by a concern on the effectiveness and efficiency of implementing the IQMS instrument to measure the quality of teaching and learning in South African FET sector. In exploring literature on the concept of quality teaching and learning in the FET sector in South Africa, the researcher identified that similar trends of integrating quality management systems in education are being followed globally. The difference to the South African system is the attachment of the salary progression of 1% as an incentive to performance. In view of the introduction of the new system of education and training, the researcher realized that ‘short cut’ processes were followed in preparing educators to be able to offer new education programmes using the OBE system of teaching and learning. That appeared to be another shortfall to the adequacy of implementing IQMS as a quality assurance instrument to measure the quality of teaching and learning in the FET sector in South Africa. In addition, there appeared to be conflicting trends in the FET sector where the same sector provided curriculum 2005 programmes for schools which differed from college programmes offering National Certificate Vocational {NC(V)}. Both sectors were expected to use IQMS as a tool to measure the quality of teaching and learning with the view of enhancing improvement thereof. Furthermore, the end product of the FET sector for both schools and colleges is the Further Education and Training Certificate (FETC). Unfortunately, it was difficult for the education department to achieve its objectives because time frames to prepare educators and the critical element of providing adequate human resources for the implementation of IQMS could not be met through Umalusi the national quality assurance body for the sector. The FET Sector which is expected to deliver Education and Training to produce quality students for HE sector and the world of work is faced with shortfalls of quality delivery. The driving force of this research study was to explore the dependability and adequacy of implementing IQMS as a quality assurance instrument to effectively and efficiently measure the quality of teaching and learning to meet the expected outcomes. It is in this regard that the researcher through empirical evidence realized that IQMS did not have theoretical grounding hence there are no principles, procedures or processes that govern the implementation of this very important system. In addition, the empirical evidence from the qualitative study proved that quality delivery of teaching and learning has been monitored using diverse assessment practices. A variety of assessment tools like the TQM and QMS which exist in FET Colleges with the summative IQMS in FET Schools of which the three practices are premised around Quality Management. Quality Management refers to a process where quality delivery in a school, college or any other organization is systematically managed to maintain the competence of the organization. It is in this regard that TQM, QMS and IQMS refer to Quality Assurance Practices in any organization that is geared to effective and efficient client relations. / Teacher Education / D.Ed. (Education Management)

A melhoria da qualidade em função do aumento da competitividade nas empresas vem se tornado uma realidade evidente para aquelas que desejam continuar atuantes no mercado. Esta melhoria deve ter como objetivo a satisfação das necessidades de seus clientes e o atendimento das expectativas de lucro de seus acionistas. Para isto abordagens como o Seis Sigma, que trazem como proposta a melhoria da qualidade visando o atendimento destes objetivos, encontram nestes ambientes as condições propícias para sua utilização. No entanto, o que se observa na literatura é uma supervalorização desta abordagem de melhoria da qualidade como forma de eliminação das barreiras que impedem o aumento da competitividade. Este fato pode ser evidenciado com base na propaganda de seu sucesso de aplicação em empresas de grande porte e com alto nível de maturidade destas, que possuem condições de sanar seus problemas através de qualquer metodologia comprovada, mas que não produzem o mesmo efeito em empresas com menor compreensão de seus processos, que constituem a grande maioria que busca em uma abordagem como o Seis Sigma a solução para seus problemas seja de processo, seja organizacionais. Este trabalho tem como proposta a pesquisa e análise das dificuldades de implementação de programas Seis Sigma, utilizados para melhoria de competitividade em empresas com diferentes níveis de maturidade, considerando os fatores críticos de sucesso que condicionam este processo, apontados na literatura sobre o tema. Inicialmente uma revisão bibliográfica é feita para apresentar um referencial teórico de conceitos sobre Seis Sigma; casos de implementação bem sucedidos; levantamento das dificuldades associadas aos conceitos referenciados; e levantamento dos fatores críticos de sucesso para implementação de Programas Seis Sigma em uma organização; e a elaboração com base nesta revisão dos instrumentos de coleta de dados. Para execução deste trabalho realizou-se um estudo de casos múltiplos com objetivos descritivos visando levantar as dificuldades de implementação do Seis Sigma em empresas de grande porte e com diferentes níveis de maturidade que já utilizem este programa / The quality improvement, related to the companies’ competitiveness increasing, has become a strong reality to those that want to continue acting in the market.This improvement shall have the customer satisfaction needs and the shareholders expected profit achievement objective.So, strategies such as six sigma approach, that proposes a quality improvement by meeting these objectives, find on these scenario, proper condition to be used.However, what is observed on the literature is a super valorization of this quality improvement approach as a way to eliminate barriers that obstruct the competitiveness increasing. This fact can be demonstrated, according to the application success promotion, in lead companies and with high level of maturity, that have conditions to solve its problems through any proper methodology, but does not produces the same effect in companies which does not understand its process, and that represents the huge amount that is searching for Six Sigma approach to solve its process or organizational problems.This work proposes to develop and analyze the Six sigma program implementation problems, used to improve the companies’ competitiveness with different maturity levels, considering the success critical factors that limit this process, according to the actual literature. At beginning a biographic review was conducted to present the teorical reference related to Six Sigma concepts; well succed implementation cases; list of problems associated to the refer concepts; the list of critical factors for Six Sigma implementation in an organization; and the preparation of data collection based on these review.The execution of this work was done by multiple cases with defined objective study in order to list the Six Sigma implementation problems in big companies and several levels of maturity that already uses this program

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Western Sydney, Macarthur, 2000. / "A theis presented to the University of Western Sydney, Macarthur in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, June, 2000.''--t.p. Bibliography: leaves 235-287.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 72-75).

The South African government like most governments around the world create public entities to perform functions on its behalf and achieve particular objectives ranging from facilitating investments, delivering services or providing goods and advice. These public entities receive annual funding either whole or in part from the national fiscus and report to parliament through their respective Ministries. In the 2005/6 financial year government funded Umalusi 7, 69 million rands through direct transfer payments from the Department of Education, excluding any indirect payments from other governmental structures. Many public entities, about three hundred and thirty odd or so in South Africa, were promulgated to ensure and improve service delivery to the nation. However, they were not intended to be seen as an extension of their reporting departments. This research work evaluates the effectiveness of Umalusi in the education regulatory system and seeks to find ways to improve public entity effectiveness using the South African Excellence Model (SAEM) as the base tool to measure organisational effectiveness. A brief conclusion to this study is that Umalusi as a public entity, is adequately meeting its intended purpose. This is confirmed through its annual reports having never received a qualified audit since its inception. This research triangulates the results of the South African Excellence Model, the Questionnaire to senior education officials and the Auditors' Reports to confirm that Umalusi is effective as a public entity in the South African regulatory system. / Busniness Management / M.Tech. (Busniness Administration)

Since 1994, South African education system has been undergoing continuous transformation which had an impact on the quality of teaching and learning. There appeared to be a huge underperformance in the High School and FET College learners which for many years forced Universities to embark on bridging courses in order to enroll new students. Furthermore, a misalignment of college’s National Technical Diploma (NATED) programmes that did not afford college graduates an opportunity to register with Universities nor Universities of Technology brought about the questioning of the quality of teaching and learning in the FET College sector. Tabling the unified quality improvement plans in education in South Africa, the Education Ministry introduced an integrated approach to measure teaching and learning with the view of identifying improvement strategies. However, the implementation of this integrated tool called the Integrated Quality Management System had educators and managers attaching ambiguous meanings to the system. The IQMS instrument is meant to be a dependable quality assurance tool to measure and improve the quality of teaching and learning. The ambiguity lies with educators and managers referring to IQMS as a means to acquire 1% pay progression and the possible return of the old apartheid systems’ inspectorate. This research study was promulgated by a concern on the effectiveness and efficiency of implementing the IQMS instrument to measure the quality of teaching and learning in South African FET sector. In exploring literature on the concept of quality teaching and learning in the FET sector in South Africa, the researcher identified that similar trends of integrating quality management systems in education are being followed globally. The difference to the South African system is the attachment of the salary progression of 1% as an incentive to performance. In view of the introduction of the new system of education and training, the researcher realized that ‘short cut’ processes were followed in preparing educators to be able to offer new education programmes using the OBE system of teaching and learning. That appeared to be another shortfall to the adequacy of implementing IQMS as a quality assurance instrument to measure the quality of teaching and learning in the FET sector in South Africa. In addition, there appeared to be conflicting trends in the FET sector where the same sector provided curriculum 2005 programmes for schools which differed from college programmes offering National Certificate Vocational {NC(V)}. Both sectors were expected to use IQMS as a tool to measure the quality of teaching and learning with the view of enhancing improvement thereof. Furthermore, the end product of the FET sector for both schools and colleges is the Further Education and Training Certificate (FETC). Unfortunately, it was difficult for the education department to achieve its objectives because time frames to prepare educators and the critical element of providing adequate human resources for the implementation of IQMS could not be met through Umalusi the national quality assurance body for the sector. The FET Sector which is expected to deliver Education and Training to produce quality students for HE sector and the world of work is faced with shortfalls of quality delivery. The driving force of this research study was to explore the dependability and adequacy of implementing IQMS as a quality assurance instrument to effectively and efficiently measure the quality of teaching and learning to meet the expected outcomes. It is in this regard that the researcher through empirical evidence realized that IQMS did not have theoretical grounding hence there are no principles, procedures or processes that govern the implementation of this very important system. In addition, the empirical evidence from the qualitative study proved that quality delivery of teaching and learning has been monitored using diverse assessment practices. A variety of assessment tools like the TQM and QMS which exist in FET Colleges with the summative IQMS in FET Schools of which the three practices are premised around Quality Management. Quality Management refers to a process where quality delivery in a school, college or any other organization is systematically managed to maintain the competence of the organization. It is in this regard that TQM, QMS and IQMS refer to Quality Assurance Practices in any organization that is geared to effective and efficient client relations. / Teacher Education / D.Ed. (Education Management)

Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-14T12:36:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 parte1.pdf: 2544032 bytes, checksum: 308f2d618965be3ff9596eb650c5db50 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-10-30 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / In order to assure a quality control in mammography, according to the rules of the Brazilian Ministry of Health, the use of a mamma s radiographic simulator, called phantom is used to test the mammography device in a consistent daily, monthly and annual basis. In this context, this paper aims to research and develop a computerized system for mammographers quality control using digital image processing and analysis techniques over the phantom images. Initially an analysis was made of the structures that make up the image of the phantom and observing its features is an elaborated study of what are the possible techniques that best fit its processing. From this study, we have a better understanding about the techniques used and what are the difficulties of its applications in image phantom. The results are presented and based on them, there is a discussion about the used techniques. Finally, we describe the advantages of using a computerized system to perform mammographers quality control. / O emprego de um simulador radiográfico de mama, denominado phantom, permite aplicar os testes de aceitação do mamógrafo e realizar os testes de constância diários, mensais e anuais do programa de controle de qualidade em mamografia, de acordo com as normas do Ministério da Saúde. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo pesquisar e desenvolver um sistema computadorizado de controle de qualidade em mamografias, através do processamento e análise de imagens digitais de phantoms. Inicialmente é realizada uma análise das estruturas que compõem a imagem do phantom e observando-se suas características é elaborado um estudo sobre quais são as possíveis técnicas que melhor se adéquam ao seu processamento. A partir desse estudo, tem-se um entendimento melhor sobre as técnicas utilizadas e quais as dificuldades de suas aplicações na imagem de phantom. Os resultados são apresentados e com base neles, há uma discussão a respeito das técnicas abordadas. Por fim, são descritas as vantagens da utilização de um sistema computadorizado para efetuar o controle de qualidade em mamografias.