Text in English / This study investigated practices, motivations, perceived benefits and barriers to outsourcing of support services by general hospitals in Uganda. The aim was to contribute to the evidence base to increase adoption and effectiveness of outsourcing by hospitals in Uganda. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was used. Quantitative data was collected from hospital managers in 32 randomly selected hospitals using a self-administered questionnaire. Qualitative data was collected through in-depth interviews from 8 purposively selected hospital managers using an interview guide. Quantitative data was statistical analysed (frequencies, contingency tables and Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests) using SAS 9.3. Qualitative data was managed using ATLAS ti 7, coded manually and content analysis conducted to identify emerging themes, subthemes and categories. A cost benefit analysis was conducted for outsourcing cleaning services in a selected hospital using financial data provided by the managers. Quantitative findings indicate that many (72%) hospitals were outsourcing some of their support services; many were satisfied with their outsourcing (>60%). The key motivation for outsourcing was to gain access to quality service (68%). Most hospitals have a system for monitoring outsourcing (71%). Managers perceive improved productivity and better services as the main benefit from outsourcing (90%). The main barrier to outsourcing is limited financing. A key challenge encountered during outsourcing was limited number of service providers (57%). Managers perceive regulatory violations as a key risk during outsourcing (87%). Hospital location is a determinant of outsourcing (p=0.0033). Managers’ perceptions towards outsourcing have no impact on outsourcing (p>0.05). These findings were confirmed and explained by the qualitative data. Qualitative findings reveal masquerading, impersonation and extortion of patients by outsourced staff as an outsourcing risk. They reveal a concern that outsourcing may lead to job loss for community members. The cost benefit analysis indicates that outsourcing in the studied hospital for the year considered was cheaper than insourcing by UGX 669,575.00. The savings increase to UGX 48,753,689.94 when adjusted for quality differences between insourced and outsourced services. Sensitivity analysis shows that the assumptions used in the analysis were robust. Recommendations, interventions and guidelines are proposed for increasing outsourcing and its effectiveness. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

Submitted by Jorge Silva (jorgelmsilva@ufrrj.br) on 2017-07-25T18:37:04Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2015 - William Teixeira Alves.pdf: 1323115 bytes, checksum: 4bb8f0dadf6f166db7d7196979211740 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-25T18:37:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2015 - William Teixeira Alves.pdf: 1323115 bytes, checksum: 4bb8f0dadf6f166db7d7196979211740 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-23 / Accepting that changes in the current Brazilian educational system are possible, we point out the need to promote an effective training for teachers during graduate courses. The internship provides a perfect opportunity for interaction between theory and practice and offers the intern an opportunity to develop critical thought. This study aims at promoting a debate about the Teacher Graduation Course at UFRRJ, taking into consideration the new national guidelines for such courses; and underlining the importance of an initial training stage based on assisted practice guided by theoretical knowledge acquired during the course. Those, among others aspects, feed the debate on the importance and contributions of managed internship for the training of teachers in the aforementioned course. Therefore, in order to reach a better understanding of the relevance of Managed Internship for teacher education, we began by analyzing the legal documents that regulate the course, seeking possible gaps. Aside from that, we interviewed teachers and proposed questionnaires to students, whose narratives we analyzed. They all led us to the conclusion that Managed Internship can be an effective way to join theory and practice, since they are reflexive processes connected to teacher intervention in the classroom. This study does not intend to propose a standard to this practical teaching subject, but rather to ponder about aspects that can contribute to the development of a graduation process seen as a reflexive exercise about teaching. All this taking into consideration that throughout different historical periods, initial teacher graduation courses in Brazil have always considered internship as playing an essential role in the training of teachers, as well as in the development of teacher identity. / Por acreditar que mudan?as no atual sistema de educa??o brasileira s?o poss?veis, precisamos criar meios para uma forma??o reflexiva de professores/pedagogos. O tempo de est?gio proporciona uma integra??o entre a teoria e a pr?tica e oportuniza ao aluno-professor o desenvolvimento de um pensamento cr?tico. Este trabalho tem como objetivo promover uma discuss?o sobre a forma??o no Curso de Pedagogia proposta pela UFRRJ, considerando as novas diretrizes curriculares nacionais e a relev?ncia de uma forma??o inicial pautada numa pr?tica articulada ?s teorias e conhecimentos apreendidos ao longo de uma licenciatura. Esses, entre outros aspectos, impulsionam-me a discutir ainda a import?ncia e a contribui??o do Est?gio Supervisionado para a constru??o identit?ria do futuro profissional docente na referida institui??o. Assim, com intuito de melhor compreender o papel dos est?gios neste processo de forma??o de professores, buscou-se analisar as ideias preconizadas nos documentos legais, bem como os documentos institucionais que regulamentam o curso, a fim de discutir se ambos caminham em conson?ncia e ou apresentam disparidades. E, a partir deles, realizar uma an?lise das narrativas proferidas pelos licenciandos acerca do Est?gio supervisionado, por meio de question?rios. Neste sentido entendo o est?gio como o local da pr?tica-teoria-pr?tica, pois s?o processos reflexivos que permeiam a interven??o docente em sala de aula. Este trabalho n?o pretende impor um modelo para a disciplina Pr?tica de ensino, e sim refletir sobre os aspectos que possam contribuir para a implanta??o de um processo de forma??o que se constitua tamb?m num exerc?cio de reflex?o sobre a pr?tica docente. Isto levando em considera??o que no Brasil, ao longo do processo hist?rico de forma??o inicial de professores, independente dos distintos enfoques, a pr?tica advinda do Est?gio Supervisionado tem assumido um papel essencial na sua forma??o profissional, bem como na forma??o de sua identidade docente.

The field of behavioural finance remains to be a major criticizer to the efficient market hypothesis, claiming all humans of being rational. Some argues for the lack of behavioural aspects of investors being a main cause to the financial crisis of 2008, due to tendencies of them following same investment paths. Understanding investors’ sights and approaches is important as behavioural differences can contribute to further enhancements in the financial markets. This study examines the approaches towards the financial markets of managers of actively managed mutual funds in Sweden. By interviewing six managers of actively managed mutual funds, representative conclusions could be drawn, although, not statistically significant as for the lack of supporting numbers of significance. Representatively for the participants in this thesis, the overall estimation of the markets is considered to be efficient to some extent, but do occasionally indicate for having flaws, of which the managers are taken advantage of. Behaving rationally was found to be representative when deciding what and when to invest. Confidence have been proven to be a common attribute among the managers influencing their decisions and investments. You obtain less without confidence than you would have with it. Although, too much confidence can be damageable. There is no point of thinking of hindsight as afterthoughts does not change your past decision. / Beteendefinansiering som ämne är än idag en stor del av kritiken mot den effektiva marknadshypotesen som antar att alla människor är rationella i sitt beteende. Vissa påstår att de bristande beteendemässiga aspekterna är nästintill en huvudanledning till varför finanskrisen 2008 blev som det blev på grund av tendensen av att flertalet investerare följer samma spår. Att förstå hur investerare ser och angriper finansiella marknader är viktigt då det vidare kan möjliggöra för förbättringar på dem marknaderna. Denna studie undersöker förvaltares angreppssätt mot marknader för aktivt förvaltade fonder i Sverige. Genom att intervjua sex förvaltare för aktivt förvaltade fonder har representativa slutsatser kunnat dras, dock inte signifikanta, då metodologin brister i signifikanta siffror som stöd. Respondenternas syn på marknaden antas vara effektiv överlag, men som emellanåt indikerar för ineffektivitet. Att bete sig rationellt resulterade även det för att vara representativt gällande i vad och när man ska investera. Självförtroende i det man som förvaltare sysslar med på en daglig basis är viktigt att ha och är bevisat, dock inte med signifikant stöd av siffror, vara ett gemensamt attribut bland förvaltarna. Har man inte självförtroende som fondförvaltare kan det leda till brister, likt om man har för gott sådant. Det är heller ingen idé att tänka på vad man borde göra i efterhand då sådana eftersläpande tankar inte kan påverka dåtida beslut.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This study started from the experiences with circus activities at school environment with the intention to take them to the university. It had as the main objective to verify the contributions and effects that the circus activities offered in an initial formation to physical education teachers and to the school students, which are taught by academics that are working as trainees. The methodology characterized as participating research that had a work proposal done with 10 academics of the physical education center of Santa Maria Federal University from the bachelor‟s degree, matriculated in the III Managed Curricular Trainee subject (elementary students). They participated from 12 reflexive meetings with theoretical and practical subjects about circus activities. At the same time the trainees had the opportunity to teach circus activities in their trainings. By the end they were submitted to an interview about the importance to work with this subject in the physical education. The trainees found some positives aspects as the help in the planning, student motivation s, increase and valorization of the physical education, expressiveness improvement and an establishment of social relations with the practices. They found some difficulties that were opposition in the school environment, difficulties to deal with some students, the lack of some adequate materials and a little time of formation. It is possible to conclude that the subject appropriation was relevant to the initial formation that makes possible the knowledge amplification of the future teachers related to the corporal practices. / O estudo partiu de experiências com Atividades Circenses do ambiente escolar na intenção de levá-las para a universidade e teve como objetivo verificar as contribuições e repercussões que as Atividades Circenses ofereceram à formação inicial de professores de Educação Física e aos alunos da escola em que acadêmicos atuaram como estagiários. A metodologia caracterizou-se como pesquisa participante que teve uma proposta de trabalho realizada com 10 acadêmicos do Centro de Educação Física e Desportos da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (CEFD/UFSM) do curso de licenciatura, matriculados na disciplina de Estágio Curricular Supervisionado III (Séries/Anos Iniciais do Ensino Fundamental). Esses participaram de 12 encontros reflexivos com conteúdos teóricos e práticos referentes a Atividades Circenses. Concomitantemente, os estagiários tiveram a possibilidade de ministrar aulas com Atividades Circenses em seu estágio. Ao final foram submetidos a uma entrevista sobre a relevância da inserção desses conteúdos na Educação Física. Estes encontraram alguns aspectos positivos como auxílio no planejamento, motivação dos alunos, a ampliação e valorização da Educação Física, melhoras na expressividade e estabelecimento de relações sociais com as práticas. E alguns dos aspectos que encontraram dificuldades foram a resistência encontrada no meio escolar, dificuldades no tratamento com alunos, falta de materiais adequados e pouco tempo de formação. Concluímos que a apropriação dos conteúdos foi relevante para a formação inicial, o qual possibilitou a ampliação do conhecimento dos futuros professores em relação às práticas corporais.

Cette thèse concerne l'étude de la dynamique des structures optiques dissipatives observées dans une cavité à gestion de dispersion utilisant l'évolution non linéaire de la polarisation comme technique de blocage de modes. Nous avons montré expérimentalement l'existence d'une transition graduelle entre le régime de fonctionnement continu et le régime de fonctionnement multi-impulsionnel. Nous nous sommes intéressés à l'état intermédiaire où il nous a été possible d'obtenir divers régimes inédits et d'étudier ainsi le comportement collectif des solitons dissipatifs en présence d'un fond continu. La dynamique de "la pluie de solitons" est une manifestation complexe et fascinante constituée de trois composantes de champ : le fond continu, les solitons de dérive et la phase condensée. Elle s'accompagne d'une circulation d'énergie à travers ces trois composantes. Le mouvement relatif des solitons de dérive ainsi que l'asymétrie temporelle présentent les caractéristiques majeures qui distinguent cette dynamique des autres. D'autres types d'auto-organisation ont été observés et étudiés, comme "le relargage des solitons de la phase condensée" ou bien encore "la vobulation du train de solitons". Nous nous sommes intéressés aussi à la propagation d'une seule impulsion dans la cavité. Pour la première fois, une importante dynamique de respiration spectrale a été prédite dans une cavité à gestion de la dispersion. Nous avons montré qu'une compression temporelle de l'impulsion est accompagnée d'un élargissement spectral d'une grande ampleur dans la partie passive de la cavité et que la largeur de l'impulsion peut dépasser la largeur de la bande passante du milieu amplificateur. Nous avons étudié la dynamique de la respiration spectrale, l'extraction et l'optimisation du signal laser en fonction des paramètres de la cavité et nous avons présenté les caractéristiques d'une cavité qui permet la génération d'une impulsion dont sa largeur spectrale est supérieure à la largeur de la bande passante de l'amplificateur d'un facteur de 2.4. Les dynamiques présentées dans cette thèse témoignent de la complexité et de la richesse de la dynamique dissipative des lasers à fibre fonctionnant en régime de blocage de modes passif par évolution non linéaire de la polarisation. / This thesis presents a study of the nonlinear dissipative dynamics of localized of self organized structures in passively mode-locked fiber laser through nonlinear polarization evolution. We reveal the existence of a gradual transition from the quasi-cw to mode locked dynamics in the multi-pulsing regime. We emphasize on the intermediate state, where various new dynamics are observed. We study collective behaviors of dissipative solitons in the presence of a continuous background. One of the complex and attractive dynamics presented is the "soliton rain", which composed of three field components : continuous modes of background, drifting of solitons and condensed phase solitons. This dynamic appears when the energy flows through the three components. The relative motion of the drifting solitons and the temporal asymmetry present the major characteristics that distinguish this dynamic. Other types of self-organizations of solitons were observed and studied as the "release of the solitons from the condensed phase" and the "chirped trains with condensed soliton phase". We were also interested in the single pulse propagation. For the first time, an important dynamics of spectral breathing was predicted in a dispersion-managed cavity. We showed that pulse compression dynamics in the passive anomalous fiber can be accompanied by a significant enhancement of the spectral width and that the width of the pulse can exceed the amplifier bandwidth. We studied, the extraction and the optimization of the signal laser according to the parameters of the cavity and we presented the characteristics of a cavity delivering ultra short pulses with a spectral width exceeding the amplifier bandwidth by a factor of 2.4. The dynamics presented in this thesis show the complexity and variety of the dissipative dispersion-managed dynamics in fiber laser mode locked through nonlinear polarization evolution.

Ce mémoire porte sur le comportement des solitons affectés, lors de leur entrée dans un guide d'onde à fibre optique, d'une légère distorsion de profil par rapport au profil stationnaire dans le guide. Notre modèle théorique combine l'équation de propagation du champ électrique (Equation de Schrödinger Non Linéaire) et le système d'équations d'évolution des paramètres physiques de l'impulsion (issu de la théorie des coordonnées collectives). Nous dressons une cartographie générale qui dévoile une diversité insoupçonnée de comportements dynamiques au voisinage de l'état stationnaire de l'impulsion, liée à la perturbation initiale du profil de l'impulsion. Cette cartographie établit une classification des solitons en deux grandes familles, correspondant respectivement aux impulsions lumineuses qui génèrent un rayonnement au cours de leur propagation et aux impulsions non rayonnantes. Au sein de chacune de ces deux grandes familles d'impulsions, nous démontrons l'existence de comportements atypiques, que nous qualifions de solitons hyperthermiques (solitons chauds), solitons hypothermiques (solitons froids), et solitons isothermiques, qui correspondent respectivement à des impulsions qui se propagent de manière hautement stable avec un niveau d'énergie supérieur, inférieur, et égal à l'énergie de l'état stationnaire. Aux frontières des domaines d'existence de ces différents types de soliton, nous trouvons des comportements hybrides, correspondant à des solitons qui se refroidissent en cours de propagation suite à une perte significative d'énergie provoquée par un rayonnement intense, et qui changent d'état (de l'hyperthermie à l'hypothermie, ou de l'isothermie à l'hypothermie). Enfin, l'onde de rayonnement émise par une impulsion lumineuse n'est pas identifiée comme étant un processus continuel, mais plutôt comme une bouffée d'énergie émise en début de propagation, et sa suppression dans le guide d'onde est considérée comme réalisable / This thesis examines the dynamical behaviour of solitons which are affected, when entering a fiber-optic waveguide, by a slight distortion of profile as compared to the stationary profile in the guide. Our theoretical model combines the propagation equation of the electric field (Non-Linear Schrödinger Equation) and the system of equations of evolution of the physical parameters of the pulse (derived from the collective coordinates theory). We establish a general mapping which reveals an unsuspected diversity of dynamic behaviour around the stationary state of the pulse, in relation with the initial perturbation of the pulse's profile. This mapping establishes a classification of solitons in two broad categories, which correspond to light pulses that generate radiation during their propagation and to non-radiating pulses, respectively. Within each of these two broad classes of pulses, we demonstrate the existence of different kinds of atypical behaviour, which we qualify as hyperthermic solitons (hot solitons), hypothermic solitons (cold solitons) and isothermic solitons, which correspond respectively to pulses that propagate in a highly stable manner with an energy level higher than, lower than, and equal to the energy of the stationary state. On the borders of the domains of existence of these various types of solitons, we find hybrid behaviours, corresponding to solitons that cool during propagation, due to a significant loss of energy caused by an intense radiation, and which change state (from hyperthermia to hypothermia, or from isothermal to hypothermia). Finally, the radiation emitted by a light pulse is not identified as being a continual process, but rather as a ball of energy emitted in the beginning of propagation, and its suppression in the waveguide is considered as practicable

Depuis 2012, le gouvernement français porte une stratégie nationale de gestion intégrée du trait de côte tournée vers la relocalisation des enjeux bâtis, associée à un projet de territoire. Au Québec, une telle stratégie n’a pas été élaborée, mais des habitations sont ponctuellement déplacées ou détruites en situation d’urgence. Cette thèse de doctorat analyse la façon dont la question du recul des enjeux est abordée en France et au Québec. Un premier bilan des expériences passées révèle que la relocalisation telle qu’envisagée par le gouvernement français s’est rarement concrétisée. Face à ce constat, l’objectif de cette recherche est de confronter les idées soutenues par les gouvernements à travers leurs politiques publiques aux réalités du terrain et d’identifier les freins et les possibilités de mise en oeuvre d’un projet de territoire intégrant la relocalisation. Pour cela, une enquête a été menée auprès d’acteurs institutionnels d’une part, et d’habitants de municipalités exposées en France et au Québec d’autre part. Ces enquêtes révèlent des dissemblances dans la façon d’aborder le recul par les gouvernements et les acteurs institutionnels, qui sont à relier à des différences fondamentales de l’action publique dans les deux territoires. Mais, la mise en oeuvre de cette option soulève aussi de nombreuses questions communes, en matière de finances, de gestion du foncier et d’acceptabilité sociale. Les freins majeurs identifiés concernent la gouvernance d’un projet de recul anticipé, qui repose sur une idée impopulaire et relève du long terme. Les intérêts portés à différentes échelles semblent actuellement suffisamment antagonistes pour compromettre l’émergence d’un projet de territoire intégrant la relocalisation. Néanmoins, une proposition de loi en France et une évolution récente de l’action du gouvernement québécois ouvrent de nouvelles perspectives. / Since 2012, the French government has carried out a national strategy for the integrated coastline management that promotes managed retreat (or relocation) included in a territorial project. In Quebec, such a strategy has not been developed, but houses are occasionally displaced or destroyed. This PhD focuses on how managed retreat is tackled in France and in Quebec. A first assessment of past experiences reveals that relocation has rarely been materialized as the French government conceives it. The aim of this research is to confront the ideas supported by governments through their public policy with the ground and to identify the obstacles and the possibilities of implementing relocation. To reach this goal, we have gathered the opinion of institutional stakeholders through semi-directive interviews. Two polls have also been carried out to get inhabitants point of view. These surveys reveal dissimilarities in the approaches taken by governments and institutional actors in France and Quebec. It reflects fundamental differences in public policy in both territories. Moreover, the implementation of relocation raises many common issues, financial, land management and social acceptability issues. Major constraints concern governance of relocation project, which is based on an unpopular idea and is a long term challenge. Interests at different scales seem to be sufficiently antagonistic to compromise the emergence of a territorial project integrating relocation. Nevertheless, a law proposal in France and a recent evolution of the Quebec government's action open up new perspectives.

L’affaire tend à remplacer aujourd’hui, l’organisation en tant qu’unité d’activité. Elle devient le centre du pilotage de la performance et des coûts. Dans les organisations industrielles gérées par affaire, pouvoir utiliser un système de pilotage de la performance du processus d’ingénierie d’affaires, en termes de création de valeur, est un besoin prégnant exprimé par un grand nombre d’ingénieurs d’affaires. L’apparition du terme « Pilotage » est liée à la montée en puissance du courant constructiviste qui a mis en évidence le rôle des acteurs de l’organisation dans les interprétations et les représentations qu’ils font des indicateurs de mesure. En passant du contrôle au pilotage, on bascule de paradigme, celui de la mesure à celui de l’interprétation de manière connexe et simultanée, ainsi que de la décision à l’action. Face aux limites conceptuelles, méthodologiques et temporelles des méthodes de coût actuelles, généralement rencontrées dans les organisations, pour piloter le processus de création de valeur, en suggérant de basculer d’une logique de coût à une logique de valeur, ce travail de recherche propose de substituer les méthodes de pilotage par les coûts, par un système de pilotage par la valeur. Il mobilise les approches théoriques par les ressources et les compétences, les capacités dynamiques et l’approche cognitive de la valeur dans le processus de création de valeur. La thèse que nous défendons est la suivante : la performance globale d’une affaire se pilote grâce à un indicateur unique, et comme source de création de valeur, un méta indicateur clé de performance (MKPI) qui par l’appropriation par les acteurs des éléments structurels (pilotage réflexif), transcende l’organisation et l’architecture du système de contrôle de gestion. Notre démarche empirique est constituée d’une étude de cas exploratoire suivie d’une recherche ingénierique au sein d’une entreprise industrielle du secteur aéronautique. / Today, the business affair tends to replace the organization as a unity of activity. It becomes the center of performance and costs management. In the industrial organizations managed by business affair, using a management system of the performance of engineering of business affairs, in terms of creation of value, is a pregnant need expressed by a great number of business engineers. The new term of “piloting” is linked to the rising of constructivist thinking which brings to the fore the function of the actors of the organization in the interpretation and the representation they have of the indicators measurement. To move from control to piloting, we are changing simultaneously of paradigm from measurement to interpretation, and in the meantime from decision to action. In front of conceptual, methodological and temporal limits of the actual cost methods, generally set up in the organizations to manage the process of creation of value, to balance from a cost logic to a value logic, our research suggests substituting the cost management control for the value management control. Our works are based on resources and competences theory, the dynamic capacities approach and the cognitive of value based view in the process of creation of value. The thesis defended is: the global performance of a business affair has to be managed with a single indicator and as a source of creation of value, a Meta Key Performance Indicator (MKPI), which, with the appropriation by the actors of the structural elements (reflexive piloting), transcends the organization and the architecture of the management control system. Our empirical research approach is based on an exploratory case study followed with an engineering research in an industrial firm of the aeronautical sector.

The conditions that allowed early MFTs the freedom to creatively explore different interventions and theories of change are no longer available in today’s mental health care system. Although there are many benefits to the structure of managed behavioral healthcare organizations, a thorough review of the literature demonstrates that many therapists working in managed care agencies struggle with maintaining their theoretical creativity, claiming third-party payers’ service requirements and paperwork a barrier to their creativity. A phenomenological transcendental research method was utilized to understand the phenomenon of successfully combining creativity and accountability in the practice of marriage and family therapy from the perspective of six creative MFTs who have effectively incorporated creative therapeutic techniques into their work, while adhering to the structured requirements of managed care. The findings and themes of the study were organized into two categories. The themes in the Textural / Content Category (description and purpose of therapeutic creativity at a managed care agency) are: (1) Creatively combining the needs of the clients, the different professional entities, insurance companies and you as a therapist, (2) Translating post-modern information into the medical model language that meets the third-party payers’ requirements, (3) Completing documentation with clients, (4) Incorporating technique from a range of therapy models, (5) Keeping clients engaged through a variety of resources and activities, and (6) Utilizing metaphors and themes to uncover patterns of relational dynamics and behaviors. The themes in the Structural / Supportive Conditions Category (factors that allow the balance of creativity and accountability to occur) are: (1) Systemic understanding of how the therapeutic and business systems of managed behavioral healthcare interact together, (2) Having a supportive network of colleagues, (2a) Supportive group of coworkers within the job setting, (2b) Supportive network of MFT colleagues outside of the work setting, (3) Desire to make a difference in peoples’ lives, (4) Continuous education on all aspects of the mental health field, (5) Employers’ support of creative therapy, (6) Self-reflection, (7) Self-care, and (8) Organization and time management.

The aim of self-directed team learning initiatives is to provide a further level of defence against an eventuality by ensuring that air traffic controllers are aware of the sources of human fallibility, and by developing in the individual controllers and air traffic control teams the knowledge, skills and attitudes that will result in the successful management and containment of inadvertent error. To gain a deeper understanding of self-directed team learning, I investigated the role and contribution of self-directed team learning principles and strategies that were present in the South African Air Force air traffic control team-based work environment. This research study was directed by the following primary research questions: Does self-directed team learning impact on the air traffic control work environment, and what is the nature of self-directed team learning’s impact on the air traffic control work environment? Insights gained as a result of this study contributed to the body of research concerned with learning design, development, implementation and evaluation by self-directed teams as well as the air traffic control discipline. In this mixed-method study quantitative data collection was performed by means of a self-directed team learning questionnaire and a learning approach questionnaire, whereas qualitative data collection relied on individual interviews and focus group interviews. This study involved 25 South African Air Force air traffic controllers (from three operational air traffic control centres). The nature of self-directed team learning’s impact on the air traffic control work environment was illustrated by individual and collective (team) views and dynamics. The impact of air traffic control team performances was traced in terms of identified teamwork characteristics, activities, dynamics, performance measures and focus areas and reflective practices. Results of this study indicated that self-directed team learning offered opportunities to individuals and teams to influence air traffic control performances in an air traffic control work environment. A perceived positive relationship between self-directed team learning and air traffic control operational outputs could be traced. Lastly I concluded that self-directed learning by air traffic control teams had an impact on air traffic control operational outcomes, thus contributing towards a critical air traffic control goal – aviation safety. / Thesis (PhD (Currriculum Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted