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This quantitative study analyzed the relationship between district characteristics, the educational environment and the administrative organizational structure in public schools in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania between the 1996-1997 school year and the 2006-2007. More specifically, this study conducted an assessment of the changes and stability that have occurred in the Commonwealth's 501 public school district's administrative positions and structures and determined the trends or relationships that exist between the administrative structure in comparison with district characteristics and the educational environment. Pennsylvania public schools have increased in total number of administrators across the Commonwealth from 5,734 in the 1996-97 school year (Database 1996-97) to 7,348 administrators in the 2006-07 school year (Database 2006-07). This is an increase of 1,614 administrators across the 501 public school districts. These increases have not been consistent from one year to another or across districts. Little is known concerning the relationship between internal district characteristics, the external educational environment and administrative changes or stability. In addition, little is known about that combination of characteristics that have allowed some districts to remain stable in a changing educational environment. In an effort to provide more information on these issues, this quantitative study analyzed public school administrative positions and structures in the 501 Pennsylvania school districts over time in relation to the district's characteristics and educational environment. By assessing combinations of district characteristics and the educational environment, this study sought to find similarities and differences in how districts administratively respond to forces and pressures on the organization. / Educational Administration

In 2003, Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) introduced policies on performance management in an endeavour to improve the quality of teaching and learning in schools. With these policies, schools are supposed to be constantly audited, monitored, and supported by district officials. Within district offices, there are unit supervisors who are responsible to manage PMDS to inculcate a performance culture. This performance culture is subsequently cascaded down to schools to yield quality matric results and yet this remains to be seen. Furthermore, the study aimed to explore the experiences and perceptions of supervisors and officials on the PMDS management within districts. With an interpretive paradigm, the researcher was able to analyse data from interviews and questionnaires. The study revealed that PMDS is generally acknowledged and positively perceived albeit with significant challenges to its implementation in the GDE districts. / Educational Leadership and Management / M.Ed. (Education Management )

nÃo hà / Esta investigaÃÃo tem como objetivo analisar os sentidos das experiÃncias de educaÃÃo de adultos e de escolas da RFFSA, construÃdos pelos sujeitos, e sua relaÃÃo com os princÃpios das Teorias ClÃssicas da AdministraÃÃo e da Teoria do Capital Humano, norteadoras das prÃticas administrativas e educacionais da empresa. Tais experiÃncias ocorreram na dÃcada 1970, em Fortaleza-CE, quando a RFFSA jà mantinha escolas para os filhos dos ferroviÃrios e, promovia cursos de alfabetizaÃÃo de adultos direcionados aos trabalhadores de nÃveis mais baixos de escolarizaÃÃo; o domÃnio das habilidades de leitura e escrita e das operaÃÃes bÃsicas de matemÃtica dava-lhes a possibilidade de acesso a novos cargos, de acordo com o que determinava a empresa. Trata-se de pesquisa descritiva e explicativa, de abordagem qualitativa, caracterizada como estudo de caso histÃrico baseado em Bogdan e Bicklen. Os dados empÃricos foram colhidos atravÃs de entrevistas semiestruturadas com seis sujeitos idosos, bem como pesquisa documental. O referencial teÃrico utilizado para as categorias conceituais de educaÃÃo e alfabetizaÃÃo de adultos foram Freire, Haddad e Di Pierro, Saviani, FernandÃz, Carvalho, Costa e Furtado; para as Teorias ClÃssicas da AdministraÃÃo: Silva, Taylor, Fayol, Zanatta e Kuenzer; para a Teoria do Capital Humano: Schultz e Frigotto. Para contextualizaÃÃo das ferrovias, teve como suporte os estudos de Telles, Pereira e Muniz, Mota, Almeida, Azevedo, Possas e Segnini. Outros autores foram incluÃdos para referendar a anÃlise que, pautada na dialÃtica, busca analisar as circunstÃncias e as contradiÃÃes que ligaram o contexto histÃrico ao sentido das experiÃncias construÃdos pelos sujeitos. Constatou-se que as experiÃncias educativas ocorreram sob a Ãgide da pedagogia tecnicista, de visÃo utilitarista e orientada pelos princÃpios das Teorias ClÃssicas de AdministraÃÃo e da Teoria do Capital Humano, presentes nas polÃticas e nas prÃticas administrativas; desvelavam-se assim aspectos internos caracterÃsticos de uma cultura assistencialista e clientelista, bastante comum à Ãpoca. Evidencia-se que as repercussÃes das experiÃncias de alfabetizaÃÃo e de qualificaÃÃo foram muito mais no Ãmbito pessoal e profissional. Neste sentido, se apresentam para os trabalhadores como a oportunidade de alfabetizaÃÃo e qualificaÃÃo tÃcnica que, apesar de aligeiradas, podem ter contribuÃdo para o acesso a outros cargos e resultado na elevaÃÃo da autoestima, sem que isso representasse significativas mudanÃas nas condiÃÃes de vida e de trabalho. Quanto Ãs experiÃncias nas escolas, propiciou o acesso à educaÃÃo aos filhos dos trabalhadores, e quando interrompidas geraram perdas tanto para os trabalhadores e suas famÃlias, como para as professoras. Constata-se, portanto, que os sentidos das experiÃncias nÃo confluem na mesma direÃÃo para todos os sujeitos, mas podem ser traduzidos como movimentos constantes de luta dos trabalhadores no sentido de mobilizaÃÃo-desmobilizaÃÃo, dominaÃÃo-resistÃncia, controle-ousadia. Verifica-se que, nos anos 1970, triunfa o poder desmobilizador do Estado autoritÃrio que, em nome da racionalidade, provoca a diminuiÃÃo do quadro de empregados, o fechamento das escolas com a supressÃo do ensino primÃrio para, nas dÃcadas seguintes, culminar no processo de privatizaÃÃo da estatal, em consonÃncia com a pauta neoliberal.

Researchers have shown that strategies focused on building long-term competitive advantage tend to be more profitable for businesses. Further, companies have traditionally put their focus on strategies and on marketing tangible attributes of products and services such as quality, price and so on to differentiate from the competitors (Mascarenhas et al, 2006). Nonetheless, researchers have studied that consumers do not put any more emphasis in those characteristics when purchasing product or services underlining the needs to put the consumer as central aspect of a firm’s strategy (Morrison & Crane, 2007). In addition, it has been found that focusing on customer experience and use of correct brand management techniques and marketing initiative nowadays drives the company to have a competitive advantage and long-term economic sustainability. All being said it is true both generically speaking and in the specific context of kitchen appliances. In fact, market research suggests that in the kitchen appliances industry companies have begun to compete along new dimensions, whereby putting the consumers and their experiences as a central aspect of the business has become increasingly important for actors who wish to stay and be competitive in the business. However, in the existing literature, there is not accordance on how to define customer experience and scholars identified that it depends on the context, which makes it difficult and confusing when marketing experts and firms want to identify the key aspects to improve the experience of their customers. On top, it has been found that brand identities are more or less relevant depending on the context, country culture and such, where the brand market its product and services. In according to what said, the purpose of this study is to explore and identify the most important dimensions and touchpoints in the specific kitchen appliances context that has more impact on the customer experience, with the aim to better define customer experience in the kitchen appliances context that could give indication to companies operating in the market how to address to some extent those problematics. The research adopted an exploratory qualitative study design. Interviews were used to gather primary empirical data that together with secondary empirical data and insight from the literature review had allowed the researchers to explore and address the research questions and state conclusions that however cannot be considered conclusive according to the nature of the study. In addition, the research reveals that consumer experience is a broad topic that accounts for and depends of many different aspects all interconnected one to another. In addition, it has been found that the aspects around brands, consumer experience and its touchpoints vary not only in relation to the context in study, but as well according to different stakeholders that deal with them. In addition, in the consumer journey, critical aspects reside in both tangible attributes of products and services and intangible attributes that together become critical and in the specific context shape how people think about the brand, and consequently their experiences. Finally, a possible definition of customer experience according to what found was given

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T13:53:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MoniqueFC_DISSERT.pdf: 1606877 bytes, checksum: e9226e11f44f0f8325e91e1d0a48ca0f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-12-06 / This dissertation addresses the electronic surveillance theme in the banking context. The research that originated it, which was held in an organization called for the fiction name Banco Total, started from the following driving question: How do workers at a bank perceive electronic surveillance at their process of work? The research s main objective was to comprehend how workers perceive electronic surveillance at their process of work. The study adopted an interdisciplinary perspective, having Management as the original field, establishing a dialogue with others disciplines, like Philosophy and Sociology. About its methodology, it s a qualitative research that addressed its object in oral (interviews with live history elements) way. . Ten individuals were interviewed. The analytical process utilized the hermeneutical-dialectics technique.. From the analyses (hermeneutics) of the data, the following themes have emerged: (i) Acquiescence ; (ii) Monitoring; (iii) Time and Motion; (iv) Fear; (v) Interdiction; and (vi) Resistance . From the discussion (dialectic) of the results, this work presents three synthetic propositions that culminate in the following dimensions (i) control; (ii) acquiescence; (iii) corporative totalitarianism. It can be concluded that electronic surveillance is one mechanism of control emerged from the apply of technology at Total Bank; that information technology has been improving the control mechanisms of management theories; and that the imbrications between management and material technology control mechanisms at a context where there is acquiescence by workers contribute for the emergency of corporative totalitarianism components / Esta disserta??o aborda o tema vigil?ncia eletr?nica no contexto do trabalho banc?rio. A pesquisa que lhe origina, realizada numa organiza??o ficticiamente chamada de Banco Total, partiu da quest?o mobilizadora: Como os trabalhadores banc?rios percebem a vigil?ncia eletr?nica em seu processo de trabalho? O objetivo geral da pesquisa foi compreender como os trabalhadores do Banco Total percebem a vigil?ncia eletr?nica sobre o seu processo de trabalho. Adotou-se uma perspectiva interdisciplinar, tomando a Administra??o como campo origin?rio, e estabelecendo di?logo com outros campos, como a Filosofia e a Sociologia. Metodologicamente, trata-se de uma pesquisa de natureza qualitativa, , para a qual dez sujeitos foram entrevistados. Quanto ao processo anal?tico, a t?cnica utilizada foi a an?lise hermen?utico-dial?tica,. Da an?lise (hermen?utica) dos dados, emergiram os seguintes temas: (i) Aquiesc?ncia ; (ii) Monitoramento; (iii) Tempos e Movimentos; (iv) Medo; (v) Interdi??o; e (vi) Resist?ncia . Da discuss?o (dial?tica) dos resultados, o trabalho apresenta tr?s proposi??es sint?ticas, que culminam nas seguintes dimens?es-s?ntese da pesquisa: (i) controle; (ii) aquiesc?ncia; (iii) totalitarismo corporativo. O trabalho conclui que a vigil?ncia eletr?nica ? um dos mecanismos de controle, possibilitado pelo emprego da TI no Banco Total; que a TI atualiza a TO, no que se refere ao controle do trabalho, na medida em que aperfei?oa os mecanismos de controle; e que a imbrica??o entre os mecanismos de controle das tecnologias gerenciais e das tecnologias materiais, em um contexto de aquiesc?ncia dos trabalhadores, contribui para a emerg?ncia de um totalitarismo corporativo

New Public Management has been the prevailing governance model in public sector administration since the late 1980s. In 2005, OECD-DAC member states adopted the resultsbased management model ‘Paris Agenda for Aid Effectiveness’, building on new public management theory and values. The aim was to achieve more effective aid by coordinatingand harmonising donor efforts, aligning development interventions and funding, supporting national ownership and propelling a result- and accountability culture by demonstrating achievements.Despite its worthy ambitions the Aid Effectiveness Agenda has paradoxically failed todeliver on its own outcomes. The results-based management framework underpinning theagenda has proven to be highly complex in methodology, interpretation and application. The framework is laborious and burdensome, diverting time from ‘ordinary’ work and risking a bureaucratization of the development aid sector. The ‘measurement fever’ has grippeddonors and agencies alike, and is now mainly driven by donors’ domestic accountability concerns, rather than the real needs of developing countries. More alarmingly, it has not onlyhad numerous unintended consequences but also outright adverse effects. This in turnen dangers long-term human development.This study sets out to explore to what extent the results-based management framework, based on new public management theory, has been a suitable management model to achieve aid effectiveness in the development aid sector. It departs from the governance theories of Denhardt and Denhardt (2000) and assesses whether New Public Service couldbe a fitting alternative governance model. The study utilizes the realist review methodology,specifically the CMO-configuration, in order to explore how context and mechanisms interact and how this affects the outcome. This study has through its aggregative and configurativeambition explored 26 scholarly articles in the time frame of 2011 to 2021 in order to draw conclusions.The review has found that the results-based management framework does not support the underlying theory of change that is imperative to achieve the Aid Effectiveness Agenda.Contextual factors are found to impede implementation, although due to being under research edit is difficult to determine to what extent. Further, none of the five mechanisms ofthe Paris Declaration can neither fully nor partially be said to contribute to ‘aid effectiveness’as defined in the Aid Effectiveness Agenda. Rather, the review has found that the literatureall point to numerous adverse effects of its implementation.This study concludes that the New Public Service governance model, at least intheory, could prove to be a more suitable management model for the development aidsector. Since the sector is neither linear nor predictable as the business sector for whichthe framework was developed, it is not surprising that adverse effects abound. Especiallysince the development aid sector is highly complex with a multitude of actors, politicalincentives and not least challenging implementational environments. In contrast, New Public Service places the citizen at the centre and aspire at buildingdemocratic citizenship and community through citizen participation and dialogue. Such analternative governance model built on democratic theory and participative epistemologyhas the potential to democratize governance practices by replacing the vertical top-downprincipal-agent dynamics of new public management with more horizontal forms of citizeninvolvement, co-determination and mutual accountability. New Public Service stresses the‘serving not steering’ aspect of governance, which would open up for a more authenticdiscourse of recipients owning development in their own society and setting the direction.No systematic review has previously been carried out to assess governance models inrelation to achieving the Aid Effectiveness Agenda. In fact, there is very little research onwhat has worked or not regarding the agenda. This thesis sets out to fill this gap and tocontribute to the discussion of governance models on a theoretical level. It is also anempirical contribution to applied development management regarding insights about whatcontexts and mechanisms affect aid effectiveness.