The Center for High Performance Learning Environments (CHPLE) at Virginia Tech aims to provide guidance on various issues associated with high performance learning environments, using information gained through the various studies undertaken at the College of Architecture and Urban Studies. One such study is presented in this thesis. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), an environmental rating system for buildings, introduced in 1998, is still in the process of development. The USGBC conducted research and introduced various LEED manuals for different building types. For each building type, in order to achieve environmental credits under LEED, evidence must be provided in terms of various documents. The process of collecting and submitting these documents is perceived to be difficult and this study tries to find the barriers to the documentation process as required during LEED certification. Currently, while documenting the credits under LEED, the design team must assume many important responsibilities. Hence this research sought participation from this group of professionals, who are proactive in promoting LEED and also have experience in school design. To understand the design professionals perception about LEED, a semi-structured interview method was adopted to obtain data for this study. Out of a total of 175 invitations, 15 agreed to participate. A questionnaire was developed and the participants were asked to respond. All interviews were recorded, providing the main source of data. IRB approval was obtained prior to the interviews and all the prescribed ethical concerns were addressed during the interviews. The responses to the questionnaire, were categorized as, 1.Barriers for documentation and2.Recommendations from participants for improving the LEED documentation process. The identified barriers were sequenced to understand the interrelationships between different barriers. The recommendations are interpretations and derivations of the participant recommendations. These recommendations could be adopted by the USGBC to improve the process of documentation in LEED. This study may also initiate other studies to help further understand the opinions of school authorities and other project members with respect to LEED documentation. / Master of Science

The capabilities of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to integrate all necessary business functions into a single system with a shared database efficiently and effectively has persuaded organisations to adopt them. Research shows that ERP implementation in both large and small to medium enterprises has been a difficult challenge for organisations throughout the years. Despite the many advantages of ERP systems, there isn't a clear and easy way of implementing them in Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The motivation for the research is to investigate the barriers to ERP software system implementation in an SME using a case study approach, and to identify the steps to overcome these barriers and investigate the claim of ERP vendors that their ERP solutions improve the performance of their customers, the profitability and efficiency of work processes. This research identifies the barriers to ERP implementation in an SME, provides an overview of the traditional and current approaches of ERP implementation and discusses the effects of adopting an ERP system on the company's overall performance. The research uses a mix of methods including case study research and action research. Un-structured interviews and semi structured interviews approaches with negotiation and change management techniques were also used in order to generate knowledge concerning the problems at the case study. The case study has determined reasons for failed implementations, unlike previous research which suggests education level impact upon the implementation of the ERP system, the study demonstrates that an insufficient education level is not a necessary condition for resistance to change. It has also been shown in this research that high level management can have a direct influence on the ERP implementation in SMEs. This research suggests that SMEs need to standardize processes into business routines which will influence the introduction of a different knowledge store that helps the development of the new system; however employee s resistance to change, lack of trust of the new system and lack of knowledge has limited the implementation process by increasing mistakes and duplication of data. The ERP system has been evaluated by the end users at the case study organisation, and the results suggests that the implementation of an ERP system has improved the overall business and has increased the performance, the profitability and the efficiency of work processes. This research adds to the overall knowledge of ERP implementation in SMEs by deriving a better understanding of the problem in the body of knowledge and identifying the barriers to ERP implementation in SMEs. It provides recommendations that have been tested in the case study organisation for overcoming ERP implementation barriers in SMEs, and a financial model of the implementation costs and benefits. Finally, the recommendations presented in this thesis and suggested areas for further research set out the potential way forward to advance knowledge in this area.

This thesis examines barriers to the implementation of Lean production systems in China. The aim is to evaluate how implementation barriers affect a Lean production system, and whether they can be explained by Chinese national context factors. The thesis also aims to investigate the mechanisms by which such context factors influence the barriers. A socio-technical systems (STS) perspective is taken to interpret the relative importance of, and the interplay between, the social and the technical barriers to Lean implementation in China. To achieve the aims of the study, a multiple case study approach was chosen. I collected data at two Chinese plants of a globally-operating German automotive supplier in Suzhou and Changsha. As the main method of data collection, I conducted sixty qualitative interviews with Chinese and Western employees during a two month research trip to China. Using an iterative procedure of data collection and analysis, I developed a model that captures barriers to implementing Lean in China, the effects of these barriers on the production system, and influential context factors. Based on respondents perceptions, I identify six main implementation barriers, namely: High employee turnover , Weak supplier performance , Market conditions , Lack of Lean knowledge , Intercultural communication , and Work styles . The analysis highlights the effects of the barriers on specific elements of the Lean production system, and mechanisms by which the context factors influence the barriers. By exploring these mechanisms, I found strong evidence that Chinese context factors act as root causes or catalysts for the implementation barriers. The findings are corroborated through a comparison of the results obtained from the two locations in China, reports by Western and Chinese employees, and respondents at different hierarchical levels of the organisation. Through the Lean implementation model, this research contributes to the literatures on international Lean manufacturing and socio-technical systems. The study is the first to provide detailed empirical evidence of six main barriers, and to describe thoroughly why each barrier was a burden for Lean. The thesis also contributes to the Lean literature by demonstrating how the national context of China can create barriers and therefore play a significant role when implementing Lean in China. The central claim of the study is therefore that implementation barriers do exist in China and that a greater focus on these barriers is required in order to gain a better understanding of Lean implementation in this context. With regard to STS theory, the study highlights that the main perceived barriers to Lean implementation were situated within the social sub-system of Lean, and that some aspects of the barriers were created through a lack of joint optimisation of the social and the technical sub-system. The study therefore shows that STS theory is applicable to the context of Lean systems, and that it facilitates our understanding of barriers to the socio-technical Lean system. The study yields recommendations on managerial strategies for implementing Lean production in China, regarding people management as well as the adjustment of manufacturing facilities. A consideration of the national context can help practitioners to fully understand the causes of implementation barriers in China and, through this, to overcome these barriers. The thesis is concluded by reflecting on its limitations and suggestions for future research.

Currently, customers are pushing companies by demanding high quality, customized products, reduced lead time, and reliable delivery. To provide such high customer sat-isfaction, companies have to rely on third-party logistics and warehouse operations. The variety of products, combined with shorter delivery times makes warehouse operations even more complex. To manage these complexities, warehouses are turning to "auto-mation technologies" that provide a competitive edge in the market by lowering costs and improving productivity in all operations, throughout the shop floor. This project aimed to explore how warehouses can implement automation successfully by analysing the challenges that arise with the automation approach. The project will be limited to the planning phase of the automation approach. Based on the aim, two research ques-tions were defined. The first one concerns identifying the challenges that arise when a warehouse is becoming automated, while the second one concerns, finding solutions that mitigate these challenges. To fulfill the purpose, a single case study was conducted in the warehouse of a logistic company in Jönköping. The case study method consisted of interviews and observations as primary data collection techniques. In total thirteen challenges were identified in the literature, out of which ten were found at the case company. The identified challenges were classified into the organisational, technolog-ical, and people factors. In order to mitigate the challenges, suggestions were provided to the case company. The thesis concludes that even though automation is a good strat-egy for improving production activities, it comes with several challenges within organ-isational, technological, and people dimensions. Moreover, the study will be useful, for researchers and practitioners working in warehouse automation to identify and solve challenges while automating the facility

The diploma thesis focuses on the relation of gender and health. Attitudes and behavioral manifestations associated with the male or female roles of individual personalities in society are one of the factors that affect human health and the length of life. The thesis maps the situation in the Czech Republic - whether there is a policy aimed at reducing gender inequalities in the use of health services, and whether differences between women and men in needs and in attitudes to their health are reflected. The thesis is based on the theory of implementation focusing on the identification of barriers to successful implementation, the concept of health determinants and gender mainstreaming. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were applied. The primary data was collected through both expert interviews and written comments of experts. Among the secondary data, strategic public policy documents and published statistics were key. It has been found that the Czech Republic adopted strategic goals in relation to gender inequalities, but there is no adequate action to achieve them. Several barriers have also been identified that can make it difficult or impossible to meet those strategic goals. These barriers were divided into two main groups: subjective and objective barriers.

Introduction: Parenting programs have been identified as a valuable service provision to promote quality parent-child relationships and attachment styles. The Triple P positive parenting program and the Circle of Security parenting (COS-P) program are evidence-based interventions designed to prevent behavioral and emotional problems in children. However, there is a lack of literature on the experiences of providers delivering these programs in the Canadian context. This study aimed to investigate and characterize these experiences through a mixed-methods approach. Methods: A total of 83 providers participated in the cross-sectional portion of the study, completing readiness measures prior to program implementation. The qualitative descriptive component of the study involved a sub-group of 22 providers in semi-structured focus groups, 12 months after program implementation. Descriptive measures were analyzed using R studio V. 4.2.0, while NVIVO Version 13 was used to manage the thematic analysis of the focus groups. The mixed-methods component involved an explanatory sequential approach, which involved integrating the data via a joint display table. Results: Organizational readiness involving training, supervision, and support were crucial for program delivery. Barriers identified included a lack of support, overwhelming workload, difficulty engaging parents, and program-specific barriers, while facilitators included positive experiences with training, teamwork, confidence, virtual delivery, and managerial support. Discussion: The results suggest that organizational readiness is crucial to the successful delivery of these programs. Providers require training, supervision, and ongoing support to deliver these interventions effectively. Additionally, barriers and facilitators in the delivery of these programs were identified, which can inform future program implementation and improve outcomes. Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights for organizations and providers to effectively deliver parenting programs like Triple P and COS-P by addressing barriers and facilitators of delivery, which can consequently improve parent-child relationships and attachment styles. / Thesis / Master of Public Health (MPH) / Effective delivery of evidence-based parenting programs is essential to promoting positive health outcomes for children and families. Unfortunately, very little research has investigated the experiences of providers delivering these programs. Due to this, our study applied a mixed methods approach that involved 83 providers who completed various readiness measures prior to program implementation, and 22 providers who participated in follow-up focus groups, 12 months after program implementation. The results of our study determined that organizational readiness, which is inclusive of training, supervision, and support, is critical to successful program delivery. Furthermore, we were able to identify barriers and facilitators of program delivery, which can inform future implementation efforts and improve program quality, while promoting positive outcomes for parents and children. This study provides unique insights into the experiences of parenting program providers in Canada and can serve as a tool to inform future program implementation and delivery efforts.

This study examines the relationship between organisational culture and TQM implementation barriers to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the factors affecting TQM implementation. For TQM implementation to take root effectively, the critical role of organisational culture is widely recognised. The existence of pitfalls and obstacles (barriers) to implementing TQM is also widely recognized, as is the importance of understanding these TQM implementation barriers. Nevertheless, whilst many TQM implementation models and frameworks have been designed and proposed, no study has been located in the literature that has systematically examined the relationship between organisational culture and TQM implementation barriers. This theoretical lapse in the TQM literature necessitates an investigation of the direction and significance of the relationship which can help in devising more informed TQM implementation models. In this context, a quantitative research methodology was adopted to examine the profiles of organisational culture and of TQM implementation barriers in organisations in Bahrain and to examine the relationship between these variables. Bahrain is presently going through a rapid expansion in quality management system adoption. Accordingly, the research uses four constructs of organisational culture as independent variables and six constructs of TQM implementation barriers identified through the literature as dependent variables. A set of hypotheses was developed describing the expected relationships between these two sets of variables. The study adopted a positivist, deductive approach using an online survey questionnaire to obtain quantitative data for hypothesis testing. The research instrument was assessed for validity and reliability through structured interviews. Responses to the survey were obtained from 325 organisations located in Bahrain. Analysis of Moment Structure (AMOS) version 16.0 was used to test the measurement model using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and to test the structural model using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Both models showed a very good fit to the data, with good construct validity and reliability. The findings of the study showed that group culture, which is believed to be an ‘ideal’ culture for TQM implementation helps decrease employee barriers, information barriers and customer related barriers as predicted. However group culture wasn’t found to help decrease top management barriers. Rational culture was found to decrease top management barriers as predicted but it wasn’t found to help decrease employee and customer barriers. The findings confirm the significant impact of hierarchical culture in the Bahrain context in decreasing planning and process management barriers. Developmental culture’s potential to lower employee and customer barriers was observed but was not found to be statistically significant. This research makes several contributions in both academic and practical terms. Theoretically, positioning organisational culture as an antecedent of TQM implementation barriers, this study is the first holistic approach that attempts to empirically investigate which type of organisational culture is related to which TQM implementation barriers. Understanding the nature, strength and direction of these relationships can help to inform and support future TQM implementation attempts. Practically, this research will benefit organisations who have not been able to fully realise TQM, or who are in the process of planning the introduction of TQM. The findings of the study can help Bahraini organisations to realise the long term quality objectives of the Bahrain Centre of Excellence’s Vision 2030 programme. Furthermore, the study has contributed a new empirically tested scale for measuring TQM implementation barriers - a valuable tool on its own, or in conjunction with the organisational culture profile assessment tool - for both practitioners wishing to examine their readiness for TQM or progress in creating a TQM ethos, and for future researchers wishing to extend our understanding of the influence of TQM barriers and/or culture on major organisational improvement interventions. It is expected that replication of this study in other countries and regions with different culture and context may help in developing an improved model of TQM implementation. Implications for managers and future research are advanced.

Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) is a prominent risk factor for subsequent stroke, and its associated morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. Studies have demonstrated up to 80% reductions in subsequent stroke rate with prompt, optimized protocols for rapid TIA evaluation and treatment. National Stroke Association (NSA) and American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines have recommended institution of protocols assuring timely completion of the recommended testing, and evaluation by a stroke expert within 48 hours. However, limited literature exists on the implementation of guideline-based care in rural regions, and the few studies related to TIA suggest that barriers including difficulty accessing services and poorly updated TIA knowledge amongst rural, non-neurologist providers exist despite national guidelines. Behavior change theories have suggested that evaluating factors hindering or motivating behavior change may aid in tailoring implementation of guideline-based practices. This descriptive study sought to understand ED health care providers' perceived barriers to implementation of NSA/AHA TIA guidelines in a rural state. All healthcare providers in each of the state's emergency departments were invited by email to complete an online anonymous survey assessing knowledge of present TIA guidelines and perceived barriers to implementation of these guidelines in their practice setting using a modified Barriers and Facilitators Assessment Instrument (BFAI). After completing the knowledge based questions, respondents were presented a brief educational overview of the guidelines to ensure adequate familiarity with the TIA guidelines to complete the BFAI. Thirty-nine respondents completed the survey. Twenty-seven worked at regional or academic medical centers, and 12 worked at critical access hospitals representing the more rural regions of the state. Consistent with prior work, the most notable finding of this study was a low awareness of the present TIA guidelines amongst ED providers, with none of the survey respondents correctly identifying all items consistent with the evaluation guidelines for TIA. In addition to a low awareness of the guidelines, a number of perceived barriers to implementation were identified, which may inform efforts at implementation, and/or offer a model for similar barrier assessment elsewhere.

Submitted by Daniel Lordelo Costa Araujo (dlcaraujo@gmail.com) on 2012-07-04T04:18:54Z No. of bitstreams: 1 ANÁLISE DOS FATORES PARA IMPLANTAÇÃO DE ESTRATÉGIAS - Daniel Araujo_merged.pdf: 994081 bytes, checksum: ebf7999af48267babc51c63b5fe9c949 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Suzinei Teles Garcia Garcia (suzinei.garcia@fgv.br) on 2012-07-04T12:48:18Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 ANÁLISE DOS FATORES PARA IMPLANTAÇÃO DE ESTRATÉGIAS - Daniel Araujo_merged.pdf: 994081 bytes, checksum: ebf7999af48267babc51c63b5fe9c949 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2012-07-04T12:53:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ANÁLISE DOS FATORES PARA IMPLANTAÇÃO DE ESTRATÉGIAS - Daniel Araujo_merged.pdf: 994081 bytes, checksum: ebf7999af48267babc51c63b5fe9c949 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-06-04 / In The Corporative Strategy Field, several works from 1990 and 2000 year study how the strategies should be formulated to guarantee the success of the corporations. But just a few authors write about obstacles or models to enhance the strategy implementation. Based on how important the middle management is over an organizational strategy implementation, this study has the objective of identifying what motivates and influences the middle managers tounderstand the company strategies. By interviewing the middle managers from a big national bank, this study presents an investigation about similarities and differences from what the interviewed managers think versus what the strategy theory states. Considering the studies of Hornsby (2002), Okumus (2001), Noble (1999), Littler (2000), it was possible to verify that middle managers’ opinion is compatible with actual literature of the models and barriers to implement strategies subject. The main relevant factors that are critical in the strategy implementation in the view of the big national bank middle managers are: transactional, frequent and decentralized communication, the strong involvement of high management over implementation process, development of a broader and qualitative approach in the strategy implementation processes, organizational culture favorable to changes, risks and errors tolerance and clear definition of what every member of the team will earn. / No campo de 'Estratégia Empresarial', diversos estudos dos anos 1990 e 2000 tratam de como as estratégias devem ser formuladas para garantir o sucesso das organizações. Porém, nesse mesmo período, apenas alguns deles se debruçaram sobre o tema modelos e obstáculos na implantação das estratégias. Considerando que os gerentes médios são parte fundamental no sucesso da implantação das estratégias organizacionais, essa dissertação tem como objeto identificar o que motiva e influencia a atuação desses profissionais na condução da equipe e assimilação das diretrizes da empresa. Por meio de entrevistas estruturadas com gerentes médios de um grande banco nacional, esse trabalho apresenta uma investigação empírica e identifica os pontos de convergência e divergência dos entrevistados com a literatura de implantação de estratégia. Retomando as pesquisas de Hornsby (2002), Okumus (2001), Noble (1999), Littler (2000) entre outros autores, verificou-se que a visão dos gerentes médios converge e aprofunda os pontos apresentados na literatura como fundamentais na implantação das estratégias tais como: comunicação transacional, frequente, descentralizada; processos de implantação mais abrangentes, com abordagem qualitativa; alta gestão mais participativa na execução das estratégias, ambiente favorável a mudança, possibilidade de se assumir riscos e definição clara dos papéis e dos ganhos de cada membro no projeto

Submitted by Nadir Basilio (nadirsb@uninove.br) on 2016-06-01T14:27:25Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Henrique Monte Mor Silva.pdf: 1406942 bytes, checksum: 7199e7f52d42745812d5c3d4ff245245 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-01T14:27:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Henrique Monte Mor Silva.pdf: 1406942 bytes, checksum: 7199e7f52d42745812d5c3d4ff245245 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-24 / As the competitiveness increases, organizations seek for practice and continuous improvement techniques. One approach that has been outstanding, both in academic and professional field, is Six Sigma. This approach provides several benefits for organizations. However, its implementation is often inhibited by numerous barriers. Several authors seek to study these barriers and to classify them according to their relevance levels, which may vary according to the characteristics of each organization. However, there have been many contradictions between the authors on this aspect. Moreover, there are few studies on the relevance of these barriers in relation to Brazilian organizations. How would these barriers be classified in level of importance when considering Brazilian organizations? In this case, would this classification change in relation to organizational characteristics? To try to answer these questions, this study proposed to conduct a survey that has involved an extensive literature review by which it was possible to identify 16 main existent barriers. This study is characterized as an applied research concerning the nature, with quantitative approach and exploratory and correlational goals. To this end, it is intended to use the survey as a method and the questionnaire as data collection instrument. Brazilian organizations selected for the study were confined to the automotive sector. In total, the study population is made up of 529 organizations, by which were obtained 40 valid questionnaires. The study revealed that, with relation to the analyzed organizations, the most important barrier is the lack of skill and training suitable for the implementation of Six Sigma. The study also revealed that organizational characteristics such as size or type (multinational or local) are able to influence the barriers relevance order. / À medida que a competitividade aumenta, as organizações buscam obter práticas e técnicas de melhoria contínua de seus processos produtivos. Uma abordagem que vem se destacando, tanto no ramo acadêmico quanto no ramo profissional, é o Seis Sigma. Esta abordagem proporciona diversos benefícios para as organizações. Entretanto, sua implementação é, muitas vezes, inibida por inúmeras barreiras. Diversos autores procuram estudar essas barreiras e classificá-las de acordo com seus níveis de relevância, que podem variar de acordo com as características de cada organização. No entanto, muitas são as contradições entre os autores sobre esse aspecto. Além disso, poucos estudos existem sobre a relevância dessas barreiras em relação às organizações brasileiras. Como seriam classificadas essas barreiras, em nível de relevância, ao se considerar em organizações brasileiras? Neste caso, a classificação se alteraria em relação às características organizacionais? Para tentar responder estas perguntas, o presente trabalho propôs a realização de uma pesquisa que envolveu uma extensa revisão da literatura pela qual se pôde identificar 16 principais barreiras existentes. Esta pesquisa é caracterizada como aplicada, quanto à natureza, quantitativa, quanto à abordagem, com objetivos exploratório e correlacional. Para tanto, utilizou-se como método a survey, cujo instrumento de coleta de dados foi o questionário. As organizações brasileiras selecionadas para o estudo restringiram-se ao setor automotivo. No total, a população estudada é composta por 529 organizações, das quais obtiveram-se 40 questionários respondidos válidos. A pesquisa revelou que, em relação às organizações analisadas, a barreira mais relevante é falta de habilidade e de treinamento adequado para a implementação do Seis Sigma. Também revelou que características organizacionais como o porte ou a abrangência (multinacional ou local) podem influenciar na ordem de relevância dessas barreiras.