<p> The purpose of this thesis was to explore why and how seniors used complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as well as the meanings they attached to their use of unconventional therapies. To this end, I conducted in-depth, individual interviews with 43 older adults-15 men and 28 women. Based on these data, I found that while all participants recognized the importance of conventional healthcare and continued to use its services, a number of people distrusted and were dissatisfied with medical doctors and treatments as well. Though these negative feelings were not sufficient to push seniors towards CAM, they certainly played a role in their decision making. What informants particularly valued about unconventional approaches was that they allowed them to assert greater control over their health and, to some extent, their aging process. As a result, they viewed CAM as being an integral part of their aging lifestyles and actively incorporated these therapies into their treatment regimens. These findings overall contribute to the relatively scant, albeit growing, body of research on CAM use in later life, seniors' management of regimens, and older patients' dissatisfaction with and distrust of conventional medicine. Theoretically, the findings of this work demonstrate the importance of meaning in later life and specifically, how meanings attached to conventional and unconventional care can influence older adults' health-related perceptions and practices.</p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The solar industry is one of the fastest-growing energy industries in the global market. The reason is a combination of the falling prices of modules and inverters and increased conversion to fossil-free energy production. When a photovoltaic module reaches the end of its life it needs to be replaced and discarded, which can create a sustainability problem depending on how this is managed. Today, less than 10% of the global photovoltaic waste is recycled. Only the European Union has implemented photovoltaic waste regulations in the form of the WEEE Directive, which requires that 85% of the waste is collected and at least 80% of waste collected must be prepared for reuse or recycling. This master thesis examines the energy technical, economic, and political conditions for a Swedish photovoltaic recycling plant. This is done through a literary study that is enhanced with calculations of future potential waste volumes and their economic value. As an alternative to a Swedish plant, the energy consumption for transporting waste to existing recycling plants in Europe is evaluated. The photovoltaic technologies included in this work are silicon-based mono-and polycrystalline modules, cadmium tellurium (CdTe) and copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS). Based on the calculations and the literature study, the energy technical conditions are good and not a barrier for a potential facility, the political conditions are deficient, and regulations need further development. The economic conditions constitute the largest barrier as waste volumes are not large enough for a Swedish facility to be economically profitable until 2042. The energy consumption for transport to existing recycling plants in Europe was 22 MJ/module for silicon-based mono-and polycrystalline modules and 10 MJ/module for CdTe modules. Which is a good alternative to a Swedish plant as collection processes and recycling processes are already in place.

Thesis (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / The world is constantly changing, creating a new environment and challenging businesses, societies and countries with unpredictable and volatile economic currents on a global scale. The new economy is the big second wave of change that will stay with us for the next century. People and organisations that want to participate in the new economy have to adapt to the new rules of the game or become extinct. Speed, agility, reliability, knowledge and networking globally are some of the skills necessary to survive, in this changed world. Values and strategy execution are critical elements in the quest to become a high-performing organisation in the new economy. Strategy in organisations is the creation of a unique and valuable position, involving a different set of activities. Whilst a brilliant strategy can put you on the map, only a solid execution process will keep you on the map and competitive. Most organisations set the vision and strategy, but do not set the operational requirements executing the strategic objectives. The new economy represents a historic shift in values, a new paradigm from which people in organisations cannot separate themselves if they want to stay relevant in the new economy. Transforming organisational values from the old economy to the new economy is a challenge – primarily a leadership challenge. Absa (Amalgamated Banks of South Africa), a leading financial services organisation in South Africa and part of the global financial service group, Barclays, offers life insurance to its customers, through its subsidiary Absa Life. Absa Life is the target audience for this research study. In the group, Absa Life contributes almost six per cent to the total earnings of the Absa Group. The organisation embarked on a strategy, in 2008 to become a top-five life insurer in South Africa by 2012. ‘Big hairy audacious goals’ (BHAG’s) were set and the 230 members of the Absa Life team at the time bought into the vision and strategy. For Absa Life to reach the stretched goals the leadership team has to take note of important elements of a high-performance organisation. This research study assesses the current value profile of Absa Life, the organisation. The researcher utilises an instrument, the Beehive questionnaire, developed by the Village Leadership Consulting for the value profile assessment. A valid sample, including all job levels and divisions in Absa Life formed the target audience for this questionnaire. The questionnaire (electronic survey format) benchmarks the Absa Life value profile against the old and new economy value profiles. The researcher uses the results of the Beehive questionnaire and the Evolution to Excellence framework, to highlight the organisational and leadership challenges and recommend best practices for Absa Life leadership team. The Absa Life leadership team will determine their readiness, embracing these challenges and will be the team that is responsible for the survival of Absa Life in the 21st century or not.

A partir do final do século passado, a competitividade impulsionou as organizações a buscar uma maior flexibilização em seus processos, conduzindo a novas formas de contratação de pessoas. A gestão da qualidade de vida no trabalho (GQVT), o comprometimento organizacional e a gestão de equipes com múltiplas formas de contratação são temas atuais e necessários nas organizações. A proposta deste estudo foi investigar como são as relações da qualidade de vida no trabalho e do comprometimento organizacional em equipes com múltiplas formas de contratação. Para isso fundamentou-se em algumas definições. Como qualidade de vida no trabalho entende-se a percepção e escolhas de bem-estar relativas a hábitos saudáveis pessoais, familiares e organizacionais em ambiente ético e sustentável. Como comprometimento organizacional entende-se o empenho e envolvimento do indivíduo com a organização. Foi realizado um estudo de caso em uma instituição de pesquisa tecnológica que opera com equipes de múltiplos vínculos. Foi aplicado um questionário auto-administrado obtendo-se uma amostra de 270 colaboradores, que foi analisada utilizando-se a Correlação de Pearson e a ANOVA. As hipóteses do estudo foram confirmadas, indicando associações moderadas entre a satisfação com QVT e as dimensões de comprometimento afetiva e afiliativa, bem como diferenças entre os colaboradores com vínculos de trabalho diferenciados, em relação à satisfação com QVT, à atribuição de importância em QVT e ao comprometimento. Os resultados indicam que, entre os colaboradores de diversos vínculos contratuais, há diversas diferenças na satisfação com a QVT, algumas diferenças na atribuição de importância em QVT e algumas diferenças no comprometimento, em assertivas que não podem ser generalizadas para a forma de comprometimento predominante na organização. Os dados indicam que o comprometimento organizacional na amostra é, em geral, normativo e dissociado da QVT. Isto indica que o comprometimento pode estar mais associado a outros aspectos, como a cultura da organização, do que a diferenças entre as formas de contratação. A confiança também foi percebida como um importante aspecto que deve ser considerado na gestão de equipes multicontratuais. Sistemas participativos, com maior difusão de informação e políticas públicas que incorporem gestões mais modernas pode ser uma solução, possibilitando também maior equidade nas formas de contratação. / Since the end of last century, competitiveness has stimulated organizations in order to search for more flexibilization in processes, leading to new forms of contracting people. The quality of working life management (QWLM), the organizational commitment and the management of teams with multiple contracting forms are current and necessary subjects in the organizations. The aim of this study was to investigate how are the relations of quality of working life and organizational commitment in teams with multiple contracting forms. Thus this study was based on some definitions. Quality of working life is understood as the individual perception and choices concerning well-being, at personal, familiar and organizational healthful habits in an ethical and sustainable environment. Organizational commitment is understood as the individual striving and involvement with organization. A case study was carried out in a technological research institution which operates by teams of multiple contracting forms. A self-administered questionnaire was applied to a sample of 270 collaborators, which was analyzed by Pearson Correlation and ANOVA. The hypotheses of this study were confirmed, indicating moderate associations between the QWL satisfaction and the affective and affiliate dimensions of organizational commitment, as well as differences between collaborators with different contracting forms to QWL satisfaction, to attribution of QWL importance and to organizational commitment. The results indicate that, among the collaborators of diverse contracting forms, there are several differences in QWL satisfaction, some differences in QWL attribution of importance and some differences in organizational commitment, in some statement that cannot be generalized for the predominant commitment dimension in the organization. Data also indicate that the organizational commitment, from the sample is, in general, normative and dissociated from QWL. Therefore commitment can be more associated to other aspects, such as organizational culture, than contract differences. Participation systems, with information diffusion and public politics which incorporate modern managements can be a solution, what would also make possible more equity of contracting.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T18:13:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Margarete Schimidt Mendes Garcia.pdf: 28660581 bytes, checksum: 084c936ac1afa6ad3e82a4a70552c937 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-09-06 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / During its historical course, human society confronted itself with the specificities and vicissitudes of regimes, being the man himself and in each period of time, product and producer, creator and creature of power strategies in the conduct and govern of himself and others. The father, the sovereign and the State have embodied power and all of them, through its own strategies and technologies, acted upon life to optimize it or even take it. Technologies of power renew through time and go from material to immaterial, falling upon minds rather than bodies. In disciplinary society, they've acted to make more docile, useful and increase bodily skills, serving to the purposes of capitalism and the perpetuation of industrial productive systems. Our contemporary society is no longer disciplinary and, because of that, is no longer distinguished by the signs and weights of former times' institutions of disciplinary confinement and their peculiar strategies. The present scenery, set up on a strong appeal towards environmental sustainability, has produced biopower and biopolitics supported by speeches and the adoption of this controversial concept of sustainability to create apparatus and strategies that ultimately conduct to the government of life, of the self and the another. Out of that, results the discontent of the sustainability times, the precification of life and categorized subjects, the conscious consumer and the stakeholder, considered crossing points of truth and power. As a general goal of our research, we investigated the engendering processes of current biopolitics from discourses of environmental sustainability, contributing to the knowledge regarding the performance of these biopolitics and their effects over life management. Methodology was focused on the analysis of production conditions to the discourse of environmental sustainability based on the selected corpus. Theoretical references are fundamentally supported by Michel Foucault, though other authors are called upon to compose theoretical arguments. The research's corpus concentrated on media production, with newspapers, magazines, national and international prints, govern publications, UN and other institutions publications, companies' sustainability reports and communication actions broadcasted through the internet and printed media. Our thesis concludes that the discourse of environmental sustainability creates collective and individual behavioral patterns that, on the one hand, regulate and conduct present life and, on the other, govern by anticipation the future life, promoting the future's administration in the present / Em seu percurso histórico, a sociedade humana confrontou-se com as especificidades e as vicissitudes dos regimes de poder, sendo o homem ele mesmo e em cada época, produto e produtor, criatura e criador das estratégias de poder na conduta e governo de si e do outro. O pai, o soberano e o Estado já encarnaram o lugar do poder e todos eles, por meio de estratégias e tecnologias próprias, atuaram sobre a vida, para otimizá-la ou mesmo para tirá-la. As tecnologias de poder renovam-se no tempo e passam de materiais a imateriais, incidindo muito mais sobre as mentes do que sobre os corpos físicos. Na sociedade disciplinar atuaram na docilização, utilizabilidade e majoração das aptidões do corpo, servindo aos propósitos do capitalismo e à manutenção dos sistemas produtivos industriais. Nossa sociedade contemporânea já não é a disciplinar e, por essa razão, deixou de ser marcada pelos signos e pesos das instituições de confinamento disciplinar do passado e de suas estratégias peculiares. O cenário do presente, calcado num forte apelo à sustentabilidade ambiental, tem produzido biopoder e biopolíticas que se amparam em discursos e apropriações desse polêmico conceito da sustentabilidade para produzir dispositivos e estratégias que, em última instância, conduzem à gestão da vida e ao governo de si e do outro. Disso resultam o mal-estar dos tempos da sustentabilidade, a precificação da vida, categorias de indivíduo como o consumidor consciente e o stakeholder, considerados pontos de estofo e cruzamento de verdade e poder. Como objetivo geral da pesquisa, investigamos os processos de engendramento das biopolíticas atuais a partir dos discursos da sustentabilidade ambiental, contribuindo para o conhecimento da atuação dessas biopolíticas e de seus efeitos sobre a gestão da vida. A metodologia concentrou-se na análise das condições de produção do discurso da sustentabilidade ambiental com base no corpus selecionado. A referência teórica apoiou-se fundamentalmente em Michel Foucault embora outros autores compareçam para compor os argumentos teóricos. O corpus da pesquisa concentrou produções midiáticas de jornais, revistas, periódicos nacionais e internacionais, publicações de governos, da ONU e de outras instituições, relatórios de sustentabilidade de empresa e ações comunicacionais veiculadas nos media impressos e na internet. Como resultado de nossa tese concluímos que o discurso da sustentabilidade ambiental produz condutas, padrões de comportamento coletivos e individuais que, por um lado, regulam e conduzem a vida presente e, por outro, governam, por antecipação, a vida futura, promovendo, assim, a administração do futuro no presente

A partir do final do século passado, a competitividade impulsionou as organizações a buscar uma maior flexibilização em seus processos, conduzindo a novas formas de contratação de pessoas. A gestão da qualidade de vida no trabalho (GQVT), o comprometimento organizacional e a gestão de equipes com múltiplas formas de contratação são temas atuais e necessários nas organizações. A proposta deste estudo foi investigar como são as relações da qualidade de vida no trabalho e do comprometimento organizacional em equipes com múltiplas formas de contratação. Para isso fundamentou-se em algumas definições. Como qualidade de vida no trabalho entende-se a percepção e escolhas de bem-estar relativas a hábitos saudáveis pessoais, familiares e organizacionais em ambiente ético e sustentável. Como comprometimento organizacional entende-se o empenho e envolvimento do indivíduo com a organização. Foi realizado um estudo de caso em uma instituição de pesquisa tecnológica que opera com equipes de múltiplos vínculos. Foi aplicado um questionário auto-administrado obtendo-se uma amostra de 270 colaboradores, que foi analisada utilizando-se a Correlação de Pearson e a ANOVA. As hipóteses do estudo foram confirmadas, indicando associações moderadas entre a satisfação com QVT e as dimensões de comprometimento afetiva e afiliativa, bem como diferenças entre os colaboradores com vínculos de trabalho diferenciados, em relação à satisfação com QVT, à atribuição de importância em QVT e ao comprometimento. Os resultados indicam que, entre os colaboradores de diversos vínculos contratuais, há diversas diferenças na satisfação com a QVT, algumas diferenças na atribuição de importância em QVT e algumas diferenças no comprometimento, em assertivas que não podem ser generalizadas para a forma de comprometimento predominante na organização. Os dados indicam que o comprometimento organizacional na amostra é, em geral, normativo e dissociado da QVT. Isto indica que o comprometimento pode estar mais associado a outros aspectos, como a cultura da organização, do que a diferenças entre as formas de contratação. A confiança também foi percebida como um importante aspecto que deve ser considerado na gestão de equipes multicontratuais. Sistemas participativos, com maior difusão de informação e políticas públicas que incorporem gestões mais modernas pode ser uma solução, possibilitando também maior equidade nas formas de contratação. / Since the end of last century, competitiveness has stimulated organizations in order to search for more flexibilization in processes, leading to new forms of contracting people. The quality of working life management (QWLM), the organizational commitment and the management of teams with multiple contracting forms are current and necessary subjects in the organizations. The aim of this study was to investigate how are the relations of quality of working life and organizational commitment in teams with multiple contracting forms. Thus this study was based on some definitions. Quality of working life is understood as the individual perception and choices concerning well-being, at personal, familiar and organizational healthful habits in an ethical and sustainable environment. Organizational commitment is understood as the individual striving and involvement with organization. A case study was carried out in a technological research institution which operates by teams of multiple contracting forms. A self-administered questionnaire was applied to a sample of 270 collaborators, which was analyzed by Pearson Correlation and ANOVA. The hypotheses of this study were confirmed, indicating moderate associations between the QWL satisfaction and the affective and affiliate dimensions of organizational commitment, as well as differences between collaborators with different contracting forms to QWL satisfaction, to attribution of QWL importance and to organizational commitment. The results indicate that, among the collaborators of diverse contracting forms, there are several differences in QWL satisfaction, some differences in QWL attribution of importance and some differences in organizational commitment, in some statement that cannot be generalized for the predominant commitment dimension in the organization. Data also indicate that the organizational commitment, from the sample is, in general, normative and dissociated from QWL. Therefore commitment can be more associated to other aspects, such as organizational culture, than contract differences. Participation systems, with information diffusion and public politics which incorporate modern managements can be a solution, what would also make possible more equity of contracting.

Risk based approaches are gaining currency as industry looks for rational, efficient and flexible approaches to managing their structures and equipment. When applied to inspection and maintenance of industrial assets, risk based approaches differ from other approaches mainly in their assessment of failure in its wider context and ramifications. These advanced techniques provide more insight into the causes and avoidance of structural failure and competing risks, as well as the resources needed to manage them. Measuring risk is a challenge that is being met with state of the art technology, skills, knowledge and experience. The thesis presents risk based approaches to solving two specific types of problem in the management of offshore structures and equipments. The first type is finding the optimum timing of an asset life management action such that financial benefit is maximised, considering the cost of the action and the risk (quantified in monetary terms) of not undertaking that action. The approach presented here is applied to managing remedial action in offshore wind farms and specifically to corroded wind turbine tower structures. The second type of problem is how to optimise resources using risk based criteria for managing competing demands. The approach presented here is applied to stocking spares in the shipping sector, where the cost of holding spares is balanced against the risk of failing to meet demands for spares. Risk is the leitmotiv running through this thesis. The approaches discussed here will find application in a variety of situations where competing risks are being managed within constraints.

Recent efforts mitigating the global energy crisis has led to a radical shifttowards solar energy production. However, photovoltaic module (PVM) waste remains a grave concern. Burden shifting within a system is attributed to the lack of systems thinking applied in socio-technical transitions. Policies describe the processes for end-of-life management such as recycling, yet in practice leaves room for improvement. This paper aims to aid decision-makers with a systems perspective examining the barriers to increased recycling of PVMs. A comparative case study using qualitative data was collected from 12 semi structured interviews in South Africa and Sweden. Interviewees were recognized as key actors in the solar energy transition, as well as having a role to play in recycling PVMs. Using systems thinking approach, the interview results were used to define and visualize a social-technological-ecological system (STES), as well as its components and their relationships contained therein. The STES for Sweden included 12 components with 15 different relationships. Whereas South Africa’s systems included 13 components and 25 different relationships, owing to the addition of the ‘Social equity’ component and several more relationships within the social subsystem, extending to the technological subsystem. Barriers, where connections between components were disconnected, were interpreted. Despite the stark contrast between South Africa and Sweden’s landscapes and regimes, the pathways to bridge barriers are relatively the same. These include implementing economic instruments to encourage recycling, circular design of PVMs, and enhancing the information, knowledge and skills of recycling processes. The transition’s maturity was an overarching theme influencing the broader state of the system. Further research on the cognitive dissonance of sustainability transitions and the long-term impacts, as well as cause and effects relationships between components, and refining component definitions in the social subsystem based on emerging literature are encouraged.

Este estudo tem como objetivo geral identificar as percepções de qualidade de vida no trabalho de professores de inglês utilizando-se o modelo de competências para a Gestão de Qualidade de Vida no Trabalho e a Abordagem Biopsicossocial.Foi realizado um estudo exploratório descritivo, com a idéia de tornar o fenômeno em questão familiar. O trabalho caracterizou-se como descritivo, buscando, desta maneira, identificar as variáveis que determinam os critérios de Qualidade de Vida no Trabalho na percepção dos professores. Foi utilizada a pesquisa survey, que pode ser descrita como a obtenção de dados sobre características, ações ou opiniões de determinado grupo de pessoas, por meio de um questionário. Os respondentes da pesquisa foram 91 professores de inglês, compondo uma amostra não-probabilística. Os resultados mostraram que esses professores percebem a qualidade de vida no trabalho de forma positiva, encontrando deficiência nas questões de saúde e carreira. Concluiu-se que, embora os professores de inglês demonstrem uma percepção positiva dos itens de qualidade de vida no trabalho, os resultados refletem a necessidade que as organizações têm em possuir estratégias bem definidas, pois a gestão de pessoas é prejudicada quando isso não ocorre, trazendo conseqüências no longo prazo por ações que são tomadas no curto prazo, ou seja, a gestão de carreira deve ser tratada de forma estratégica, pois a sua ausência tem afetado parte do processo de ensino, prejudicando a saúde do profissional. / The study investigated the perceptions of Quality of Working Life in the English teacher’s activities, based on the competency model for the Quality of Working Life and the Biopsychosocial Approach. It was conducted an exploratory and descriptive study, so that new ideas could be discovered through this investigation. The method chosen was the survey research, getting data about characteristics, actions and opinions within a group of people, using a questionnaire. Ninety-one English teachers attended this survey, representing a nonprobabilistic sample. The results showed that these teachers perceive positively the quality of working life, having problems in health and career matters. It was concluded that, although the English teachers demonstrate a positive perception in the quality of working life items, the results reflect the need organizations have in establishing strategies. When it doesn’t happen, it is harmful to People Management, bringing consequences in the long term. The lack of a career plan has affected part of the teaching process, causing physical diseases to the professional mentioned.

Ziel der Arbeit war es, eine Analysemethodik zu entwickeln und sowohl theoretisch als auch empirisch zu begründen, die eine ganzheitliche Beschreibung von HANDELN IM Alltagskontext ermöglicht und Rückschlüsse auf Entwicklungsprozesse und -resultate erlaubt. Verbindungen zwischen Alltagshandeln und Entwicklungsprozessen werden beispielhaft im Kontext der dynamischen Veränderungen innerer und äußerer Entwicklungskontexte im höheren Lebensalter expliziert.