Electronic service quality (ESQ) and customer orientation (CO) have become key tools to succeed in the competitive marketplace. Thus, the purpose of this research was to study how CO as perceived by the customers impacts their perception about the firm’s ESQ and to study the impact of this perceived ESQ on the outcomes at the customer level. There has been minimal research conducted on the components of ESQ in the fitness industry. Therefore, this research was focused on fitness firms wherein the participants for this study were the everyday gym goers. A quantitative survey was conducted in order to collect the data, and regression analysis was used to test the validity of the proposed model. The findings showed that there is a positive relationship between perceived CO and perceived ESQ, and a positive relationship between perceived ESQ and customer level outcomes such as customer satisfaction, customer trust and word-of-mouth.

No description available.

Work-life balance goes hand-in-hand with the quality of life and the quality of working life and the level of satisfaction with thereof. Recent survey that took place in the Czech Republic in 2018 attempted at measuring the quality using the index of the quality of life and the index of the working life quality. The questionnaire developed by the World Health Organization and the set of questions proposed by Vinopal aiming at measuring the subjectively perceived quality of working life. The aim of this work is firstly to test the functionality of the two indices, the quality of life index and the quality of working life index, and then examine the existence and potential strength of the relationship between them within the selected subgroups of population. The work builds up on two basic pillows. The first pillow deals with the defitions of the explored phenomena. The concept of quality of life is explored at different levels: philosophical, sociological, subjective and objective. Then the rationale for developing a tool that measures the quality of life is described, including the variations of the Czech adaptation of the questionnaire. In the following chapters, the phenomenon of the quality of working life is introduced with special focus on the explanation of the dual nature of the concept and...

Yes / The continuous use of eGovernment services is a de facto for its prosperity and success. A generalised sense of citizens' self-efficacy, expectations, and satisfaction offer opportunities for governments to further retain needed engagements. This study examines the factors influencing citizens' continuance use of eGovernment services. Through the integration of Social Cognitive Theory, Expectation Confirmation Theory, DeLone and McLean IS success model, and E-S-QUAL, a survey of 471 citizens in the UK, engaging in online public services, found that prior experience, social influence, information quality, and service quality, personal outcome expectation, and satisfaction, are significant predictors of citizens' intention to use eGovernment, when they are regulated, through citizens' self-efficacy. The present study extends the roles of pre-adoption and post-adoption by offering a self-regulating process. Therefore, it demonstrates how critical it is for the government's leaders to understand the patterns of the long-term process for electronic systems continually. / There is a corrigendum for this paper at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2020.101492. Elvira Ismagilova was not included as an author on the original record when she should have been.

The pursuit for improved productivity through human resources has its beginning in the early 1900's. Taylor's scientific management principles created an awareness regarding human resources. It was earlier considered as a mere instrument of production ready to work from dawn to dusk under whatever conditions and being motivated by the lure of money. From then onwards research and experiments have been undertaken to understand human beings at work and the ways to improve their job satisfaction, balanced with the aim of the organizations to combine better productivity with job and employee satisfaction. The concept of QWL (quality of work life) has originated from the continuous research process. The term QWL was introduced by Dav is (1972) at the first International QWL conference held in Toronto. The focus of this research concerns a study of the quality of work life for the employees at SARS in the Mmabatho Branch in the North West province. The aim of this paper was to determine whether and how quality of work life affects the satisfaction level of the employees and the implications of these findings suggest that the quality of work life at SARS can be enhanced by factors such as adequate income and fair compensation, safe and healthy working conditions, opportunities for career growth and development of human capabilities and social integration in the workforce. A convenience or accidental sampling was used for this study, out of93 questionnaires sent out, a total of 77 usable questionnaires were returned, representing an overall response rate of (82,8%). The study reveals that a clear and consistent communication of the organisational goals and objectives is essential to both employer and employees. The study also recommends that an establishment of new policies and practices that promote a workplace culture that stimulates employees with the aim of reducing stress, poor performance and low morale of employees. Alignments of organisational goals to day-to-day work by maintaining healthy working conditions: reduce high absenteeism levels and occupational burnout and fair remuneration of employees. The study also recommends that maintenance and open dialogue among the middle and junior employees. / Thesis (MBA) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2011

Published Article / Due to the new Higher Education landscape in South Africa, Universities of Technology will have to adapt to the changing socio-political scene on and off their campuses. This implies that public accountability is becoming the most significant vehicle of government policy and an integrated part of decision-making models. Subsequently, it also imp lies part time services to distance campuses or at regional learning centres too. In 2004, the Higher Education Quality Assurance Committee (HEQC), audited the Kimberley Regional Learning Centre of the CUT exactly according to the universal standards related to quality assurance for part time or so called distance learners. These universal concepts entail self-evaluation practices, selection approaches, efficiency and performance and of course, public accountability. In follow up reports to the HEQC what has been done to ensure better services to part time distance learners, the manager of the Regional Learning Centre and the director for distance learning launched an ongoing research project on quality assurance to find answers to problems that the HEQC audit has revealed. The following article contains the very first phase of an ongoing process to research universal standards that implies universal standards for other universities of technology as well.

The principles of Total Quality Management (TQM), initially designed to effect continuous improvement in the business sector, have been successfully applied in educational settings. Hence, this study was undertaken to explore educator participation in the implementation of a TQM Strategy at selected academically underperforming secondary schools in the Moses Kotane Area to address shortfalls. A literature review on TQM provided a conceptual framework for the empirical inquiry. Special attention was given to the role of educators in TQM implementation. The empirical study used qualitative research methods to explore the use of TQM in fifteen schools selected by purposive sampling. Observation, document analysis and focus group interviews were used to gather data. The findings indicate that educators regard TQM as an improvement tool; however, they hold negative and positive views about TQM. Finally, recommendations were made to enhance the implementation of TQM in underperforming secondary schools in the Moses Kotane Area.

No description available.

Från den elektriska likströmsmotorn, till dagens komplexa trefassystem med motorer styrda av frekvensomformare, skapas det idag mer ”skräp” på elnätet än någonsin. Det har givit oss ett modernt problem som ofta är osynligt, men som kan ställa till med rejäl oreda om man har otur. Permascands fabrik är belägen i Ljungaverk och har problem med ljud i ett ställverk. Mätningar görs därför i anläggningen för att samla in mätdata och utifrån dessa skapa en nulägesbeskrivning när det gäller elkvalité. En tidigare mätning av anläggningen på grund av de upplevda problemen refereras i stora drag, som en bakgrundsgenomgång och förståelse för problemet. Ett steg i att upplysa personalen om begreppet elkvalité görs i samband med en studie i form av en enkät med en inledande text och några enkla frågor. Slutligen görs en jämförelse mellan fabriksanläggningen och en liknande anläggning på samma elnät, där uttaget av reaktiv effekt i förhållande till aktiv effekt studeras över tid. Under de mätningar som gjorts vid transformatorns nedsida visade det sig att det i förhållande till standarden EN 50160 finns för höga nivåer av flimmer. Utifrån den enkät som personalen vid fabriken fått besvara visar det sig att många inte känner till så mycket om begreppet elkvalité, men att man upplever att det är bra elkvalité vid fabriken. En rekomendation är att fortsätta arbetet med att söka efter ursprunget till kraftiga strömvariationer och de höga strömövertonshalterna då de påverkar transformatorn. Även att man på sikt budgeterar för att höja kunskapen om elkvalité bland de anställda för att kunna ta adekvata beslut vid inköp av utrustning. / From the electric DC-motor to today’s complex three-phase systems with motors controlled by frequency converters, more "junk" is created on the electric grid than ever. This has given us a modern problem that is often invisible, and can cause a substantial mess if you are unlucky. Permascand plant is located in Ljungaverk and has problems with sound in one of their switchgears. Measurements are therefore made in the plant to collect data and create a status report for power quality. A previous measurement of the plant, which was done because of the perceived problems, is refered in broad terms as a background review and understanding of the problem. One step to educate staff about the concept of power quality is done with a study in the form of a questionnaire with an introductory text and a few simple questions. Finally, a comparison is made between the plant and a similar factory on the same electric grid, where the reactive electrical energy is compared to the active electrical energy over time. During the measurements that were made at the transformer downside, it turned out that in relation to the standard EN 50160, there are high levels of flicker. Based on the questionnaire that staff at the plant had to answer, it turns out that many do not know much about the concept of power quality, but they feel that there is good power quality at the factory. A recommendation is to continue the work to find the origin to strong variations in the current and the harmonic current, because they affect the transformer. It is also recommended, that the budget in the long term is made to raise awareness of power quality among the employees, to be able to take proper decisions when purchasing new equipment.

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration