Darbo objektas – jaunųjų boksininkų priešvaržybinė emocinė būsena. Darbo tikslas – nustatyti jaunųjų boksininkų priešvaržybines emocines būsenas. Darbo uždaviniai: Nustatyti ir įvertinti didesnio meistriškumo jaunųjų boksininkų priešvaržybines emocines būsenas. Nustatyti ir įvertinti mažesnio meistriškumo jaunųjų boksininkų priešvaržybines emocines būsenas. Palyginti skirtingo meistriškumo jaunųjų boksininkų priešvaržybines emocines būsenas. Išvados: Prieš varžybas didesnio meistriškumo jaunųjų boksininkų savijautos ir nuotaikos lygis buvo aukštas, o aktyvumas buvo vidutinio ir aukšto lygio. Didesnio meistriškumo boksininkams buvo būdingas vidutinis ir didelis situacinio nerimo lygis, vidutinis ir padidėjęs asmenybės nerimo lygis, žemas ir vidutinis kognityvusis nerimas, vidutinis somatinis nerimas bei vidutinis ir aukštas pasitikėjimas savimi. Mažesnio meistriškumo boksininkams prieš varžybas buvo būdingas vidutinis ir aukštas savijautos, aktyvumo ir nuotaikos lygis. Asmenybės nerimas buvo mažesnis negu situacinis nerimas, o somatinis negu kognityvusis nerimas. Būdingiausias mažesnio meistriškumo boksininkams buvo didelis situacinio nerimo lygis, padidėjęs asmenybės nerimo lygis, žemas ir vidutinis kognityviojo ir somatinio nerimo lygis, vidutinis pasitikėjimas savimi. Nustatyta, kad aukštesnio lygio savijauta ir nuotaika buvo būdinga didesnio meistriškumo jauniesiems boksininkams negu mažesnio meistriškumo (p < 0,05). Didesnio ir mažesnio meistriškumo jaunųjų boksininkų... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Object of the work – the pre-competition emotional state of junior boxers. Aim of the work – to determine the pre-competition emotional state of junior boxers. Objectives: To determine and evaluate the pre-competition emotional state of junior boxers of higher sporting excellence. To determine and evaluate the pre-competition emotional state of junior boxers of lower sporting excellence. To compare the pre-competition emotional state of junior boxers of different sporting excellence. Conclusions: The level of well-being and mood of junior boxers of higher sporting excellence before the competition was high, and activity was of average and high level. The boxers of higher sporting excellence felt average and high level of situational anxiety, average and increased level of situational anxiety, average and increased personal anxiety, low and average level of cognitive anxiety, average somatic anxiety and average and high self-confidence. The boxers of lower sporting excellence felt average and high level of well-being, activity and mood before the competition. Personal anxiety was lower than situational anxiety and somatic anxiety was lower than cognitive anxiety. The most characteristic to lower sporting excellence boxers was high level of situational anxiety, increased level of personal anxiety, low and average level of cognitive and somatic anxiety, average self-confidence. It was determined that higher level of well-being and mood was more characteristic to junior boxers of... [to full text]

This study is an in-depth investigation of game and excellence theory's linkage within the discipline of public relations during the period of market entry.The literature review defines and analyzes both game and excellence theory and the value of each within public relations. The literature also examines the impact of new businesses within U.S. economy and the importance of strategic decision making during the period of market entry. Decisions made during this time period, of which public relations professionals are often involved, can forecast the success or failure of a new business. The researcher argued that excellence theory's domination over the mindshare of public relations professionals has overshadowed other theories (such as game theory) which can be of value during the time of market entry.In order to quantify any educated opinions held by the researcher, a content analysis was conducted. The researcher identified specific game and excellence theory keywords to be examined and coded. The keywords were derived from a random sample of 384 public relations-based articles from 1997 to 2007 in Entrepreneur's online magazine, the leading magazine for entrepreneurs for over thirty years. The years of 1997 through 2007 were chosen due to a growth in new business births that have occurred over this time frame.The results of the content analysis showed that there were significantly more game theory keywords than excellence theory keywords referenced in Entrepreneur's online magazine in the aforementioned articles and timeframe. From this evidence, the researcher deducted that while excellence theory is still the paradigm for public relations professionals, game theory is being fused within public relations in some areas of the industry, specifically within new market entry strategy. / Department of Journalism

The focus of this study is to suggest guidelines for the implementation of a character education program in high schools. It has become clearly evident, from the literature that character education is of cardinal importance for instruction and education. The breakdown of values in South Africa is leading to an increase in crime in the country, which will have far-reaching consequences if learner crime is not addressed. Character education could offer a possible solution and make learners realise the difference between "right" and "wrong" as well as to say "no" to drugs, alcohol, sex, gangs and other social problems. A literature study was done to highlight the nature and scope of behaviour problems in overseas schools as well as South African schools. There was also looked at the impact of violence on the culture of instruction and learning as well as the external and internal factors that can play a role in violence within schools. Furthermore, the concept of character education was investigated as well as character education as possible solution to behavioural problems in high schools. There was also looked at whether character education does indeed produce positive results. Different character education programs that have already been implemented successfully abroad were investigated. Smart & Good High Schools seem suitable for the South African situation and could easily be adapted to the circumstances of individual schools. This program ascribes to the view that the best high schools have two main objectives in common, namely: to help learners to become smart - in the multi-dimensional sense of intelligence - and to help them become good - in the multi-dimensional sense of moral maturity. It is, therefore, about excellence and ethics. Lickona and Davidson (2005) mention schools that are committed to both these objectives, Smart & Good High Schools. Guidelines for the implementation of a character education program arose from discussing the program. In order to determine in what areas character education are needed with learners; how parents evaluate the character education of the learners of the school; what teachers are presently doing to promote character education; and how the learners' values changed within the scope of six months, questionnaire surveys were used. Questionnaires were given to learners wherein they had to judge their own values and that of their fellow learners. Questionnaires were given to parents asking their opinions on the values currently displayed by learners of the relevant school; what parents would like see with the learners; the character traits of the learners; and which traits the school should promote. Questionnaires were also distributed to the teachers of the school to determine to what extent particular promising practices are being pursued to promote character education with learners. A test sample of Grade 8 to 12 learners also filled out a revised questionnaire to determine to what extent these practices were indeed being applied in the classroom. The primary objective of the survey was to determine the character education practices of a particular high school in the North-West Province and to suggest guidelines for the implementation of a character education program. The empirical survey aided in achieving this objective. Findings of some concern, within the scope of six months, related to the general deterioration in the behaviour/habits of the learners at the school, inter alia the number of learners who smoke, drink, are aware of those who use drugs as well an increase in learners who tested positive for HIV/AIDS. In addition, almost half the learners indicated that they find it difficult to say "no" to negative peer pressure. It has been concluded that character education in schools offer a definite solution and that such a program can be integrated effectively into the existing curriculum. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

HIV/AIDS is the world's most urgent public health challenge. It is the leading cause of death for young adults worldwide. There is as yet no vaccine and no cure. The high unemployment rate and poverty experienced in South Africa contribute to the high HIV/AIDS infection levels experienced in the country. With the vast majority of HIV/AIDS cases and the growth in the number of people infected who will look towards publicly funded hospitals for medical care, the financial strain on government hospitals and pharmacies will be severe, not only as a result of the sheer number of people seeking healthcare, but also because healthcare for HIV/AIDS patients is more expensive than for most other conditions. Antiretroviral treatment is the main type of treatment for HIV/AIDS. It is not a cure, but it can stop people from becoming ill for many years. The treatment consists of drugs that have to be taken every day for the rest of a patient's life. Antiretroviral treatment has complex and rigorous dosing requirements. The aim of antiretroviral treatment is to keep the amount of HIV/AIDS in the body at a low level. This stops any weakening of the immune system and allows it to recover from any damage that HIV/AIDS might have caused already. Medication compliance means taking the medications exactly as prescribed by the doctor for the amount of time intended. Medication noncompliance, on the other hand, means taking medications in any way other than what the doctor prescribed. While noncompliance may not seem like a big deal, it can have serious consequences. The challenge of optimizing adherence to anti-retroviral treatment remains paramount in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. The purpose of this study is to establish the cost of a patient defaulting anti-retroviral treatment per month, and to determine the financial and economic impact that defaulting patients has on General de la Rey and Thusong Hospital Complex Pharmacies. The study further aims to prove that the risk of patient defaulting is a barrier to achieve organisational excellence through healthcare delivery. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

HIV/AIDS is the world's most urgent public health challenge. It is the leading cause of death for young adults worldwide. There is as yet no vaccine and no cure. The high unemployment rate and poverty experienced in South Africa contribute to the high HIV/AIDS infection levels experienced in the country. With the vast majority of HIV/AIDS cases and the growth in the number of people infected who will look towards publicly funded hospitals for medical care, the financial strain on government hospitals and pharmacies will be severe, not only as a result of the sheer number of people seeking healthcare, but also because healthcare for HIV/AIDS patients is more expensive than for most other conditions. Antiretroviral treatment is the main type of treatment for HIV/AIDS. It is not a cure, but it can stop people from becoming ill for many years. The treatment consists of drugs that have to be taken every day for the rest of a patient's life. Antiretroviral treatment has complex and rigorous dosing requirements. The aim of antiretroviral treatment is to keep the amount of HIV/AIDS in the body at a low level. This stops any weakening of the immune system and allows it to recover from any damage that HIV/AIDS might have caused already. Medication compliance means taking the medications exactly as prescribed by the doctor for the amount of time intended. Medication noncompliance, on the other hand, means taking medications in any way other than what the doctor prescribed. While noncompliance may not seem like a big deal, it can have serious consequences. The challenge of optimizing adherence to anti-retroviral treatment remains paramount in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. The purpose of this study is to establish the cost of a patient defaulting anti-retroviral treatment per month, and to determine the financial and economic impact that defaulting patients has on General de la Rey and Thusong Hospital Complex Pharmacies. The study further aims to prove that the risk of patient defaulting is a barrier to achieve organisational excellence through healthcare delivery. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

The construction industry has inherent problems due to its structure and fragmentation. Its poor performance has been challenged by its client base and it has been forced to seek ways to deliver improved performance. This project was initiated as a response to this challenge and represents one organisation's attempt to deliver improvements. This organisation provides both design and construction solutions, offering ‘total life of asset support' from business consultancy through to decommissioning, in a neutral contractual environment. Initial investigations of the integration of design and construction and of the use of the EFQM Excellence Model concluded that a holistic view of the organisation's performance was needed. Most organisations use traditional, easily quantifiable measures, such as time and cost, whilst neglecting the softer cultural issues, as a way of assessing overall business performance. This prompted further research into the use of performance measurement and also a review of the culture that existed within the organisation. It became clear that many performance initiatives failed because of the lack of ‘Change Action driven by Results (CAR)'. The failure to initiate change or implement action based on the results achieved, means that performance measures are not being integrated into the management systems of the organisations. Based on the conclusions of this work, this project has developed and implemented the Integrated Business Improvement System (IBIS) within the primary case study unit and also two other organisations, all of which are part of AMEC Plc. The project details the barriers that were experienced during the development and implementation of the system and concludes that it is the human component that is critical for the successful implementation and use of any improvement system. The findings of this work have been presented in five peer- reviewed papers.

Considerando a importância da busca pela excelência para que empresas e organizações possam se manter competitivas, diversos organismos buscaram premiar aquelas que demonstrassem melhor desempenho nos seus processos de gestão. Essas premiações são resultado de avaliações realizadas com base em critérios estabelecidos em modelos de excelência em gestão e fornecem um meio de avaliar o desempenho das organizações e identificar seus pontos fortes e fracos. O objetivo do presente trabalho é propor um modelo de avaliação da gestão dos órgãos do Poder Executivo do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, que possibilite realizar um diagnóstico e identificar ações de melhoria, introduzindo uma cultura de excelência. Este modelo foi construído com base em estudo realizado sobre os modelos existentes e nas opiniões dos servidores públicos. Foi validado por meio da aplicação a três órgãos públicos estaduais, demonstrando ser um modelo aderente à realidade aplicada, que fornece importantes contribuições ao seu desenvolvimento dos órgãos e que pode ser utilizado como instrumento de comparação entre eles. Espera-se que o Modelo de Avaliação da Gestão sirva como ferramenta para fortalecer a gestão dos órgãos estaduais e estimular a melhoria contínua e a busca por resultados. / Considering the importance of the search for excellence that companies and organizations can remain competitive, several groups sought to award those that demonstrated better performance in their management processes. These awards are the result of assessments based on established criteria in management excellence models and provide a means to evaluate the performance of organizations and identify their strengths and weaknesses. The objective of the present work is to propose a management assessment model of Rio Grande do Sul’s Executive, which makes it possible to have a diagnosis and identify improvement actions, introducing a culture of excellence. This model was built based on a study of existing models and the opinions of public servants. It was validated through the application to three state public agencies, demonstrating that it is a model adherent to the applied reality, which provides important contributions to departments development and can be used as a comparison tool among them. It is hoped that the Management Assessment Model will serve as a tool to strengthen the management of state agencies and stimulate continuous improvement and search for results.

O estudo interroga sobres as articulações entre os sentidos de currículo, avaliação e qualidade que circulam entre os professores no contexto do Colégio de Aplicação da Uerj (CAp/UERJ) e que sustentam a legitimidade da instituição considerada de excelência pelos resultados alcançados pelos seus alunos e tem como objetivo identificar as concepções de conhecimento, de currículo e de avaliação que articulam a produção de sentidos de um ensino de qualidade entre os professores do CAp/UERJ? Dessa forma, utilizando aportes pósestruturais a pesquisa é realizada a partir da apropriação dos conceitos de discurso e hegemonia desenvolvido por Ernesto Laclau na Teoria do discurso para problematizar os processos de exclusão que resultam na significação de qualidade sustentada por padrões de desempenho a priori. Para concretizar o estudo, caracterizado como um Estudo de Caso, foram realizadas entrevistas com oito professores abrangendo todos os segmentos de ensino da instituição. Além dos depoimentos, forma consultados documentos institucionais que permitiram contextualizar e compreender melhor o funcionamento do CAp/UERJ. A Análise de Conteúdo foi a ferramenta utilizada na sistematização, leitura e interpretação do material empírico. É importante destacar que não houve na investigação qualquer pretensão de estabelecer juízos de valor sobre as tensões existentes na instituição acerca das concepções que nela circulam e que as falas dos sujeitos são tomadas como interpretações provisórias que cada entrevistado confere as suas experiências no contexto em que a entrevista acontece. Experiências que, por sua vez, também são reinterpretadas pela pesquisadora. Com o estudo foi possível concluir que a significação do CAp/UERJ como uma escola de excelência é um processo dinâmico em que os professores, juntamente com outros sujeitos sociais, nem sempre diretamente ligados à instituição, lutam por hegemonia em práticas coletivas de produção curricular em meio a conflitos que ultrapassam as fronteiras da escola. Essas práticas predominantemente críticas, são centradas na defesa de um repertório de bens simbólicos que podem até ser transmitidos de formas diferentes, com diversas atividades que contemplem a diversidade da escola, mas é na avaliação que elas realmente se concretizam como críticas ao exigir compreensões semelhantes de sujeitos diferentes, principalmente no anos finais de escolaridade. No entanto, ainda que possam ser consideradas hegemônicas e pareçam persistir há algum tempo, como apontam as análises realizadas, trata-se de uma hegemonia precária que se produz em meio a tensões e conflitos nas práticas curriculares da instituição. Assim a proposta da investigação consiste em desestabilizar hegemonias mais estáveis e seus interesses particulares, autorizando que outras hegemonias brotem, promovendo o antagonismo através dos múltiplos discursos. / This study questions the connections between the meanings of curriculum, evaluation, and quality among teachers at Colégio de Aplicação da UERJ, connections which support the renown of the institution, considered excellent due to the results reached by students. The goal is to identify these concepts (knowledge, curriculum, and evaluation) behind the production of meaning in high quality education. The research is based on the concepts of discourse and hegemonies developed by Ernesto Laclau in his theories, problematizing the processes of exclusion that end up in a definition of quality education as based on a priori results. To solidify this case study, we did interviews with eight teachers in all areas at CAp/UERJ. Beside these testimonials, we consulted institutional documents to help contextualize and better understand how the school works. Our preferred tool was data analysis, when reading and interpreting the empirical material. It&#8223;s important to highlight that there was no intention of passing judgment on the conflicts present in that institution when it comes to the ideas circulating inside of it, and that every voice is taken as a temporary interpretation by each interviewed person. Their experiences were not reinterpreted by us. It was possible to conclude that positioning CAp/UERJ as an excellent school is a constant movement in which teachers, along with other social subjects, not always directly linked to that school, fight for power in producing the curriculum, amidst conflicts that go beyond the school walls. The criticism is focused on the defense of a symbolic repertoire which may even be transmitted in different forms, through multiple activities, but are really solidified during evaluations, when they demand equal understanding from different individuals, especially toward the end of the school years. Still, although they may be considered hegemonic and seem to have existed for a while, this is a precarious position of power, happening in between conflicts and tension in the curricular space. So, the purpose of our investigation is shaking the foundations of stable positions of power and their particular interests, allowing other positions to rise, creating a division between multiple discourses.

During the last twenty years, Total Quality Management and Business Excellence Models [BEMs] have been very attractive to organisations as an improvement strategy, as there has been a push by governments to encourage this trend in both public and private sector organisations through the development of national quality awards. There remain difficulties in the successful implementation of BEMs, as there have been high implementation failures rates in various industrial settings. It appears that these failures have been the result of a failure to identify key influential factors that might be incorporated into organisations’ BEM implementation guidelines. Therefore, this research attempts to identify the key influential factors for the successful implementation of a BEM and then examines the role of these factors when they are incorporated with the implementation strategy of a BEM in a public sector organisation in the United Arab Emirates, the Abu Dhabi Police. The research takes a mixed-methods approach including a systematic literature review, a questionnaire survey of 300 employees and 25 interviews with top managers and BEM implementation team members in the Abu Dhabi Police. The quantitative data is assessed using descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. A paired-samples t-test is used to compare perceptions and the actual presence of key influential factors. Additionally, the correlation between these factors and the implementation efficiency of the BEM is investigated by using a Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis. The interviews are also subjected to thematic analysis. The key findings are that there are 18 key influential factors which significantly impacted on the successful implementation of the BEM in this public sector organisation; therefore they should be considered as a whole during any such implementation. These factors can be grouped into associated stages of commitment, implementation and measurement, leading to the development of a conceptual framework to be used as a roadmap for the implementation of BEMs by public sector organisations.

Brazilian education, especially in the school context, is going through different evaluation processes, mainly through tests done with students from different learning levels. As a result, there is a belief that excellence is obtained when the evaluation goals and criteria are achieved. However, the evaluation mechanisms are enmeshed with ideologies which orientate and organize them and which can generate a blinding of real, legitimizing certain relations as true. In the process of this reality, teachers work becomes one of the main factors to reproduce relations or to promote transformations. In this sense, searching for excellence in the teachers work is guided by the senses these professionals give to what they consider as excellence. Therefore, this study, with a qualitative approach, examines deeply the reflections about these issues from the speech of six teachers. The context is Politécnico School of Federal University of Santa Maria, which is renowned in the regions for its performance in evaluation processes, especially Highschool National Examination. It was an option to interview teachers from this school in order to know the senses they produce about excellence at work, considering their relation with the evaluation mechanisms. In the first part of data production there was a questionnaire and, after the analysis, the considerations were taken for discussion in an interlocution group. The interlocution permitted the subjects to review, analyse and reformulate their own speech. The data analysis process was supported in a proposal of Content Analysis, whilst the theoretical perspective for the production as a whole is dialectics. Thereby, besides deepening the scientific knowledge, the study provided possibilities to transform the pedagogical praxis and the teachers participation into the (re)cognition of the excellence concept from evaluation mechanisms influence. In the midst of several requirements from the mechanisms, teachers find ways of preserving their desires of a human being full education, developing their work as authentic professionals. / A educação brasileira, em especial no âmbito escolar, passa por diferentes processos de avaliação, principalmente através de provas realizadas com estudantes dos diferentes níveis de ensino. Em decorrência, há a crença que a excelência é obtida à medida que os objetivos e critérios de avaliação são contemplados. Entretanto, os mecanismos de avaliação estão imbricados por ideologias que os orientam e organizam e que podem gerar um mascaramento do real, legitimando certas relações como verdadeiras. Em meio a esta realidade, o trabalho dos professores passa a ser um dos principais fatores para reproduzir relações ou para promover transformações. Por sua vez, a busca por excelência no trabalho dos professores orienta-se pelos sentidos que estes profissionais atribuem ao que consideram excelência. Portanto, este estudo, de abordagem qualitativa, aprofunda reflexões sobre estas questões a partir dos discursos de seis professores. Tem-se como contexto o Colégio Politécnico da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, renomado na região por seu desempenho em processos avaliativos, em especial o Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio. Optou-se por entrevistar professores deste Colégio para conhecer os sentidos que produzem sobre excelência no trabalho, considerando sua relação com os mecanismos de avaliação externa. Na primeira etapa de produção de dados houve a aplicação de questionário e, após a análise dos dados produzidos, as considerações foram levadas para discussão em um grupo de interlocução. A interlocução permitiu aos sujeitos rever, analisar e reelaborar o próprio discurso. O processo de análise dos dados fundamentou-se na proposta de Análise de Conteúdo, enquanto que a perspectiva teórica para a produção como um todo é dialética. Deste modo, o estudo proporcionou, além de aprofundamentos no conhecimento científico, possibilidades de transformação da práxis pedagógica e a participação dos professores no (re)conhecimento do conceito de excelência a partir das influências de mecanismos de avaliação externa. Em meio às diversas exigências desses mecanismos os professores encontram maneiras de preservar seus anseios pela educação integral de seres humanos, desenvolvendo seu trabalho como profissionais autênticos.