The introduction of standardized quality systems and their development into quality management systems offers the opportunity to evaluate the organizational quality of business entities, regardless of their industry. For professional purchasers it has become common practice to demand evidence of the successful application of a quality management system-a necessary step in the process of pre-qualifying potential suppliers. It has become common practice to have the introduction and operation of a quality management system as a minimum requirement for contract as part of a value chain of potential clients or contracting authorities as a future or continuous supplier or service provider. Moreover, this has to be approved. To do so, purchasers can perform supplier audits or ask for evidence provided by certificates. Typically, certificates stating conformity to the requirements of a quality management system are issued by professional audit service companies, so called certification bodies. This study helps to remedy the dearth of studies concerning the effectiveness of audits conducted by certification bodies. This qualitative study uses a limited number of case studies to analyse and assess the approaches and techniques used by auditors for certification or re-certification audits. Additionally, this study attempts to understand whether auditors involved have taken into account the paradigm change of the early 2000s. To this end, auditors involved in the case studies were interviewed. The interviews were dedicated to understanding the cognitive processes of data analysis and the resulting judgements which led to the issuance of certificates stating conformance to the relevant standards. The study was completed on quality management system audits founded on the ISO 9001:2008. This standard establishes the foundation for various further industry-dedicated standards, for example the IRIS or the ISO/TS 16949. Cases studies were performed out in small sized companies and recorded through audio tape recordings, as well by notes concerning auditors’ observed actions. These were transcribed and coded. Analysis of the data indicates that auditors have a detailed idea of what is to be found, regardless the type of business an auditee conducts and the aims of a company. The structure, policy, and individual processes of the audited company did not seem to be of interest. Additionally, audits were performed on the results of audited processes more so than on the progress of the process action and their input/output relation. The interviews shed light on auditors’ understandings of the underlying concepts of the ISO 9001:2008. The results show that the auditors examined still have problems with applying these concepts for their audit practices. Furthermore, the study shows the relationship between power and independence of auditors and their impact on effectiveness. Consequently, the study shows that a certificate issued by a professional audit service does not guarantee conformance to the ISO 9001:2008.

Thesis (M.A.)--Carleton University, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 244-254). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Submitted by JÚLIO HEBER SILVA (julioheber@yahoo.com.br) on 2018-03-20T18:09:07Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Matheus Moreira da Silva - 2018.pdf: 5792445 bytes, checksum: 3952d4912d3218a616b1c0752e5f10f5 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2018-03-21T11:42:06Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Matheus Moreira da Silva - 2018.pdf: 5792445 bytes, checksum: 3952d4912d3218a616b1c0752e5f10f5 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-03-21T11:42:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Matheus Moreira da Silva - 2018.pdf: 5792445 bytes, checksum: 3952d4912d3218a616b1c0752e5f10f5 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-02-21 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Understanding the process of subalternation and exploration of commercial relations and biodiversity in the indigenous context, in the face of Western influence, is to perceive the process of colonization of Brazil in 1500, as well as its structural organization. This work presents reflections on the traditional commercial relations of some indigenous ethnic groups in the light of Ethnomathematics, in the course of Intercultural Education of the Federal University of Goiás (UFG). The main purpose is to verify the contributions of the contextual theme "Culture and Commerce", of the Intercultural Education course of the UFG, referring to the commercial relations practiced by the Indians in the traditional context as well as in the surrounding society. From the reflections, in the development of this research, we realize that the Ethnomathematics, in a training bias, allows the indigenous teacher to perceive the cultural and commercial differences inside and outside their context. Knowing that indigenous knowledge and trade have received innumerable influences from the most diverse civilizations regarding the loss of intangible heritage through the practice of biopiracy and its traditional trade relations; the considerations established here allow indigenous peoples greater freedom and autonomy in the face of certain "patterns" of behaviors capable of dealing with the economic transformations provoked by the dominant Western culture. / Entender o processo de subalternação e exploração das relações comerciais e da biodiversidade no contexto indígena, em face à influência ocidental, é perceber o processo de colonização do Brasil em 1500, além de sua organização estrutural. Este trabalho traz reflexões sobre as relações comerciais tradicionais de algumas etnias indígenas à luz da Etnomatemática, no curso de Educação Intercultural da Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG). O propósito central é verificar as contribuições do tema contextual “Cultura e Comércio”, do curso de Educação Intercultural da UFG, referentes às relações comerciais praticadas pelos indígenas tanto no contexto tradicional quanto na sociedade envolvente. A partir das reflexões, no desenvolvimento desta pesquisa, percebemos que a Etnomatemática, num viés de formação, propicia ao professor indígena perceber as diferenças culturais e comerciais dentro e fora de seu contexto. Sabendo-se que o conhecimento e o comércio indígena receberam inúmeras influências das mais diversas civilizações no que tange à perda do patrimônio imaterial por meio da prática da biopirataria e de suas relações comerciais tradicionais; as ponderações aqui estabelecidas possibilitam aos povos indígenas uma maior liberdade e autonomia frente a determinados “padrões” de comportamentos capacidade de lidar com as transformações econômicas provocadas pela cultura ocidental dominante