M. Phil.

The problem in this research lies in the lack of appropriate guidelines for managing the Quality Management System (QMS) in schools. The research endeavours to reveal the most effective and efficient guidelines for managing the QMS. The main purpose of the study was to investigate and reveal the most appropriate and effective ways of managing the QMS as a strategy and as an ongoing process of evaluating and managing both the performance and outcomes in schools. This research adopted a qualitative research approach. Phenomenological and ethnographic research methods were employed. The purpose of adopting the qualitative research for this study was to gather non-numerical data to help explain and develop a theory about managing the QMS. The researcher collected data using multiple means of data collection, namely, interviews, survey and observation. Interpretations of data led to the research recommendations and the conclusion. The sample comprised of three District officials, the school Principal from each sample school, two Departmental Heads, two teachers and their classes, two School Governing Body (SGB) members, one member of the Staff Development Team (SDT) and four former members of the Quality Management (QM) team. The findings of the study described the informants’ perceptions and experiences of the QMS as a process for school improvement. The perceptions and the experiences of the teachers and the principals suggest that the participants had a limited understanding, knowledge and skills in managing the QMS. Thus guidelines managing the QMS were provided. In addition, guidelines for the educational psychologist that would facilitate the successful management of the QMS were developed. / Prof. J.R. Debeila

In recent years, Total Quality Management has increasingly become a management approach embraced by public and private sector organisations worldwide. Although adopted initially by the private sector, Total Quality Management strategies have recently - and increasingly - been used by public sector organisations. However, public sector, particularly local government, experience with Total Quality Management has not been as systematically documented as private sector cases. Implementation issues in the public sector such as, problem identification, including the definition and distinction between the concept of customer and citizen; results; alternatives; and, performance measures differ significantly from private sector counterparts. Identification and documentation of these implementation issues are prerequisite requirements for the improved application of Total Quality Management in the public sector. The purpose of this research study, which was supported by the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators, is to examine the Total Quality Management efforts being undertaken by local governments in Canada. The analysis includes a survey of Canadian municipalities to assess the general state of Total Quality Management efforts at the local government level. These survey data are compared with similar studies recently completed at the local government level in both the United Kingdom and the United States. In addition, the research study includes a more detailed review of specific cases to critically assess the use of TQM; and, to provide a "best practices" assessment of the application of Total Quality Management at the local government level in Canada. The intention is to identify the principles of Total Quality Management through the survey and case analysis, which can identify problems and concerns associated with TQM; and, provide a model for other public sector organisations - particularly local governments - attempting to implement Total Quality Management. The results of these inquiries confirm that local governments in Canada are generally cognisant of the principles of Total Quality Management and continue to explore TQM applications. For the most part, Total Quality Management has proven successful within local governments in Canada. In addition, the results suggest that local governments considering Total Quality Management should undertake an in-depth corporate strategic assessment or planning exercise prior to initiation of a formal quality program and recognise their own unique strengths and weaknesses. Most importantly, the Total Quality Management concepts best suited for any specific organisation, including local governments, must be clearly identified; understood; supported, particularly by managers; and, strategically used rather than the universal application of all Total Quality Management principles.

A quality management (QM) model is broadly accepted as a tool of managerial approaches in order to measure and improve the performance of the organisation. However, the existing QM models, such as the Thailand Quality Award (TQA), may not be appropriate to employ in Thai Small, Medium and Large Enterprises (SMLEs). Due to the TQA‟s vigorous requirements, there are only a few Thai companies that have achieved the TQA. Moreover, recent research studies on the QM model have focused on other Thai industries and not directly Thai SMLEs, whereas Thai SMLEs generate a lot of income for the country and require an effective QM model in order to improve their organisational performance continuously. The aim of this current research is to develop and evaluate a QM model for assessing organisational performance in Thai SMLEs. The research methodology used in this research involves two main studies. Firstly, the theoretical study aims to develop a conceptual QM model and a conceptual Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) model. Secondly, the empirical study aims to validate a conceptual QM model to be an implemented QM model and to assess a conceptual CFA model to be an implemented CFA model in order to determine the weights of quality elements. An implemented QM model integrated with the weights of quality elements becomes a finalised QM model according to the aim of the research. The important findings of this research are the finalised QM model named as the Thai Small Medium and Large Enterprises Quality (TSMLEQ) model. The TSMLEQ model is composed of 14 elements and their weights: Leadership (53), Strategic Planning & Policy (75), Human Resource Management (71), Partnerships & Resources (69), Knowledge Management (71), Innovation Management (76), Technology Management (66), Process Management (81), Customer Satisfaction (78), Employee Satisfaction (70), Society Results (67), Business Performance Results (76), Continuous Improvement (78), and Measurement & Analysis (69). The main originality of this research compared to the previous study is the determination of the most and least important quality elements, which are Process Management and Leadership, respectively. In order to improve the performance of the organisation, the companies can use the TSMLEQ model as a self-assessment tool to evaluate the level of the quality management implementation. The self-assessment can engage the TQM programme within the companies because it supports as a baseline and path of continuous improvement. The criteria of self-assessment (or quality elements) of the TSMLEQ model are based on the concepts of TQM that are similar to the world-class performance criteria such as the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) and the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM). The contributions of this research comprise three aspects. Firstly, Thai industry can be benefitted by adopting the results of this research in order to implement quality management effectively. Secondly, academics in quality management can deploy research methodology used in this research in order to develop a QM model for their research objectives. Thirdly, the findings of this research can be the source of the study of quality management in Thailand and other countries. Keywords: Quality management model, quality elements, Thai small medium and large enterprises, weights, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis

M.Comm. (Education Management) / Legal services Is part of the concept of service In general that can be described us any activity or gain that one partytthe supplier) can give to anothertthe consumer). This activity or gain Is substantially unassailable. Intransferable to a third party and can not be stored. The classification of legal services according to the nature of the service conduct. the relationship between client and Jurist. the discretJon used during service delivery And the way the service is delivered. the nature of the service demand and the charactertsttcs of the service as such. means that one can draw an analogy with other dtsclpltnes In order to be more Innovative and competitive. QualIty Is a permanent function of any organization and permeates all aspects of work. Quallty Is ulttmately Judged by the client and that Is why the client must he the centre of any quality Improvement program. In general quality can be descrtbed as the correlation between the expectations of the cllent and the reahsatton of these expectations. Based on the studies done by Parasurarnan. Zetthaml and Berry(1985.1988) as adjusted. the quality of legal services Is conceptualised by way of the SERVQUAL model. describing five gaps as reasons for poor service quality. It Is submitted that In order to achieve quality In legal services. a program of total quality management must be Implemented. Total quality management means to manage a legal practice In an Integrated manner. In order to comply with the needs of the client. This Is done by way of basic management functions of planning. Implementing through organizing, leading and control.

M.Comm. / As global competition among organisations intensifies, it has become increasingly important for an organisation to identify and develop a competitive advantage over its rivals. Increasingly, as service quality and customer delight has caught the attention of managers, awareness is dawning on management that they depend on employees to communicate and deliver value to customers. Therefore, although organisations declare that customer is king, reality has dictated that often the customer comes only second to employees. Total Quality Management is a philosophy that has caught the attention of business organisations as a cost effective, inclusive quality enhancement programme that holds possible solutions to most workplace and management problems. Total Quality Management is a philosophy that seeks to transform organisational cultures into a culture of continuous improvement, employee participation through teams, and requiring inclusive and caring styles of leadership, with the aim of achieving customer delight. This philosophy has however been elusive for management within most organisations, where the existing organisational culture has failed to make room for Total Quality Management. Employee Assistance Programmes are possible employee- and organisation focused programmes that offer a solution to facilitating the culture of caring and support within the workplace. They can be used as effective work based support programmes aimed at helping employees to cope with psychological, social, emotional, and behavioural problems affecting their performance at work. Employee Assistance Programmes are effective facilitators of quality and productivity, as well as of any programmes that depend on enhanced individual functioning and relationship building.

D.Ed. / The re-admission of the Republic of South Africa to the global arena does not only imply that the education system be effectively managed and governed but also that the potential of all stakeholders in education be optimized. The rationale for performance is linked to investment in people to yield high returns in education in the form of qualified and skilled personnel, a productive and competitive workforce and an effective and efficient educational community. In the light of the preceding, the quest for quality education is interlinked with an integrated quality management system. The basic premise here is that through performance management the education system would ensure optimization of potential in order to unfold individual potential and release their latent energy and to promote economic growth and improve the quality of life for the South African citizen at large. Similarly, the optimization of the potential of educators and learners alike is seen as a necessity for ensuring provision of quality education in a high and productive education system. In chapter two, one of the most important aspects discussed is providing a broader knowledge on how human potential should be optimized and performance be managed in education institution. In the light of optimization of potential, various activities that make up human resource management and development process were discussed sequentially in this chapter. The components were interrelated and integrated So that they should not be seen as fragmented unrelated elements. For example, the beehive model of organizational development present seven workplace practices as a strategy in educational institutions to develop educators and managers to their institutional competitiveness. in addition, it was indicated that educational managers should incorporate new ways of working into every facet of their operation in order to excel in the implementation of planning and processes, and continuously evaluate resistance to change and awareness of the consequences of non- delivery, through these workplace strategies, educational managers may be in the position to synchronise all the resources for maximum work performance.

El presente trabajo de investigación se realizó en la empresa Diesel Parts Quiñonez, una organización dedicada a la fabricación de productos y ofrecer servicios para la industria automotriz y minera. Esta investigación tuvo como objetivo: aplicar un modelo de gestión de producción basada en la herramienta Total Quality Management para mejorar el nivel de ventas. Se trabajó a partir de la situación inicial y problemas detectados en el Sistema de Producción, con una evaluación de 4 dimensiones y los efectos que repercutían en el nivel de ventas de la empresa. La metodología empleada fue el método: científico. Los resultados: obtenidos se resumen, que después de los meses de diagnóstico aplicando la herramienta en conjunto con sus técnicas de gestión de la Calidad tanto estadísticas como de procesos, los niveles de ventas se incrementaron de manera ascendente a partir del cuarto mes, en un promedio de s/1000 y s/. 3500 al sexto mes. Como conclusión se llegó a determinar que el modelo de gestión de producción basada en la herramienta Total Quality Management influye positivamente en la mejora del nivel de ventas, debido al efecto conjunto de sus 5 técnicas y a la ves componentes de calidad que la conforman y se trabajaron en toda la investigación, las cuales fueron: la Delegación de Autoridades, Benchmarking, Análisis ABC, Análisis de Modo y Efecto de fallas y por último la Mejora continua, que influyeron cada una de ellas con un efecto positivo que contribuyó finalmente al objetivo principal. / Tesis

The discipline of forensic accounting in South Africa suffers from a lack of professional standards and regulation. The hypothesis of the study is that this has contributed to poor quality of service delivery and, consequently, a lack of credibility. The purpose of the research was to test the hypothesis, identify the drivers of quality, and develop a model for the management of service quality in a forensic practice. Empirical research confirmed the hypothesis. The proposed quality model incorporates the research results and best practice in quality management in professional services firms. A strategy is suggested for the implementation and integration of the model, using a broad Total Quality Management framework. Macro-environmental forces, such as regulatory, public and legal pressure on the auditing profession, to assume responsibility for fraud detection in financial reporting, are discussed. The need for a tailored regulatory framework for the discipline in South Africa is emphasised. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / MBA / Unrestricted

The study focused on the evaluation of the integrated management system (IQMS) at selected schools within the Queenstown Education District. A quantitative research method was used for the study and questionnaires were used as a research tool to collect data. The respondents were members of the school management teams (SMT) which comprised the principals, deputy principals, heads of departments, senior educators and educators. These are key role-players in the management and implementation of IQMS. The rationale was to obtain pertinent information which would address the research questions and objectives of the study. The primary objective of the study as outlined above was to evaluate the impact of IQMS implementation in the Queenstown district with specific reference to the Lukhanji Circuit, on the performance of the high schools selected. It was envisaged that the results of the study would contribute towards developing measures to ensure that IQMS implementation achieves the desired objectives. The research questions were: To what extent can IQMS implementation be used as a tool to measure and improve teaching and learning? What measures have been put in place by the district to support and build capacity of the educators to perform? What factors hinder the effective IQMS implementation? The key findings of the study reveal that IQMS as a tool to improve teaching and learning had the overwhelming support of the majority of the respondents. However, a reasonable percentage of the respondents were of the view that IQMS constituted an administrative burden to educators. There are educators who displayed a negative attitude towards the implementation of IQMS. The respondents also felt that the district office needs to provide more support for IQMS implementation so that its objectives can be fully realised. The study makes clear recommendations such as the de-linking of IQMS from salaries and pay progression, provision of more support by the district, to make IQMS more user-friendly to educators and additional budget and teacher training to enhance educators’ professional development.