The United States and Mexico share responsibility in preserving the quality of their international river system, the Rio Grande / Río Bravo, and several international treaties govern the quantity of water each country must give and take. Because no treaty establishes joint standards for the quality of the river, the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC) was created in 1993 as a declaration of principles and objectives concerning the conservation and the protection of the environment as well as a guide of concrete measures to further cooperate on these matters. One particular goal of the NAAEC was to improve water quality in the US-Mexico Border Region, ensuring a clean, safe, and reliable water supply for the area. Although the US and Mexican federal governments have made substantial technical and financial commitments through binational agencies like the North American Development Bank (NADB) and the Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC), few empirical studies have assessed the impact of binational expenditures on wastewater infrastructure in this region. This report uses longitudinal panel data regression models to estimate the impact of capital expenditures on water quality made by binational, federal, and state water quality management institutions from 1995 to 2012. This analysis considers expenditures made on both sides of the Rio Grande watershed that constitutes the international border, beginning with El Paso, Texas and ending in the Gulf of Mexico. / text

<p>This doctoral thesis focuses on translating Total Quality Management (TQM). The reason for this focus is that ideas such as TQM rarely or never contain a complete description of how the idea is to be “installed” in an organisation if it is to achieve the intended result. This often has the consequence that the result the idea is expected to produce in the organisation is only achieved in part, if at all. In Sweden there has been a great interest in working with the SIQ Model for Performance Excellence. In the thesis the model is viewed as an operationalisation of the TQM concept.</p><p>The theoretical perspective of sensemaking is applied to understand what happens when organisations begin to use the model. This work is in the thesis seen as a translation process and contrasts the rational view of implementation. The sensemaking perspective rests on a social constructionist viewpoint, which distinguishes it from the view that TQM has on organisations. The study is placed in the interpretative paradigm and two service organisations in public sector have been studied with a longitudinal design.</p><p>The main contribution of the study is a new way of looking at the work with the model. Thus, the interpretations could be seen as aspects, which together present a detailed description of the translation process. These aspects are, in summary, a way of looking upon and understanding:</p><p>• the translation process as a number of parallel and reciprocal processes</p><p>• the role of the translators</p><p>• the relationship between translators and top management</p><p>• the contextual prerequisites of the translation process.</p><p>In addition to this, the thesis can work as a driving force towards a more constructive and critical attitude among practitioner of TQM. The somewhat seductive rhetoric and the risk to work with the model without an apparent intention are highlighted in the study. It seems that the model in itself can lead to collective sensemaking that gets the work done without discussing the intention. In light of the interpretations it becomes clear that working with the model is a relatively complicated process. Many of the failed attempts to reach excellence could be explained by unrealistic expectations of the character and requirement of the work. In the thesis, the translator has been introduced as a counterbalance that possibly could help dealing with the complexity of TQM.</p>

<p>Syfte: Uppsatsens syfte är att analysera i vilken utsträckning Kaizen tillämpas i det kvalitetsarbete som bedrivs på Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset, Capio S:t Görans Sjukhus samt Danderyds Sjukhus AB.</p><p>Metod: En fallstudie har utförts vid tre sjukhusen i Stockholmsregionen. Primär- och sekundärdata har samlats in genom semistrukturerade intervjuer respektive litteratur, rapporter, artiklar och elektroniska källor.</p><p>Teori: Kaizen är ett synsätt som sätter människan i fokus och arbetar utefter ständigt förbättringsarbete med kundfokusering som högsta prioritet. TQM är en filosofi samt innefattar vägledande principer som innebär att arbeta aktivt med kvalitetsfrågor. Strukturerade modeller används till hjälp för utförandet av förbättringsarbetet. Processorientering innebär att personal från olika funktioner arbetar med flöden kopplat till en speciell produkt eller kund, där effekten blir att optimera flödena istället för funktionerna.</p><p>Empiri: Empirin belyser de tre sjukhusens organisationsstruktur samt en faktabeskrivning om sjukhusens respektive kvalitetsarbeten. Resultatet som framkommer redogör i vilken utsträckning sjukhusen applicerar Kaizen i sitt arbete.</p><p>Slutsats: Samtliga av sjukhusen bedriver kvalitetsarbeten som har starka likheter med vad Kaizenfilosofin förespråkar. Sjukhusen anser även att det är viktigt att ta till vara på personalens kompetens och stimulera engagemang och utveckling i deras arbete. Genom att verka för att hela verksamheten är involverad i kvalitetsarbetet ökar det möjligheten till ett bestående resultat.</p>

The purpose of the analysis was to realise potential areas for improvement within the Production Services department. Sources of inefficiency within the Reporting System were identified to support recommendations for the rationalisation, streamlining and alignment of processes. Lean philosophies and Total Quality Management techniques were reviewed to gain an understanding of applicability to Production Services. Evaluation through Value Stream Mapping determined a reporting process efficiency of 71% and two supplementary waste types were recognised in addition to the standard seven wastes of lean processes. The root cause of inefficiency and waste was investigated further with the 5 Whys Technique. A benchmark was established through reviewing industry based literature and conducting comparative studies of both like and unlike departments. Participant and non-participant naturalistic observation techniques were employed to collect a balanced data set for value stream analysis. Variable environmental factors were recognised to moderate results from direct analysis of the reporting system. Dissimilar political, economic, sociocultural, technological and legal factors were considered during comparison and benchmark. The findings in this report provide evidence of issues that should be addressed for the continuous improvement of both the reporting system, and the department. These have been provided for the consideration of Shell Todd Oil Services Limited Production Services and Logistics Manager.

SANTRAUKA Visuomenės sveikatos vadyba Darbo tikslas: išaiškinti ligoninės medicinos personalo nuomonę apie vidaus auditą ir kokybės vadybos sistemą. Uždaviniai: 1. Išaiškinti ligoninės medicinos personalo žinias apie vidaus auditą ir kokybės vadybos sistemą. 2. Išaiškinti medicinos personalo nuomonę apie vidaus audito funkcijas ir atlikimo tvarką. 3. Palyginti ligoninės gydytojų ir slaugytojų žinias ir nuomonę apie vidaus auditą. 4. Nustatyti medicinos personalo požiūrį į nepageidaujamus įvykius įstaigoje ir jų registravimo tvarką. Tyrimo metodika. Tyrimas vykdytas 2008 metais rajono antrinio lygio ligoninėje. Atlikta anoniminė anketinė apklausa. Buvo išdalinta 130 anketų, gauta užpildytos 112 anketos. Atsako dažnis 86,1 proc. Statistinė duomenų analizė atlikta SPSS 12.0 statistinių duomenų analizės paketu. Kokybinių požymių nepriklausomumas buvo tiriamas susietų lentelių metodu, vertinant Chi kvadrato kriterijų ir jo laisvės laipsnių skaičių ir statistinį reikšmingumą p. Rezultatai. 67,6 proc. gydytojų ir 59,2 proc. slaugytojų, norėtų žinoti daugiau apie kokybės vadybos sistemą. 58,3 proc. darbuotojų mano, kad jų žinios apie vidaus auditą nėra pakankamos. 63,4 proc. dalyvių vidaus audito procedūras vertina gerai. 70,0 proc. gydytojų ir 37,1 proc. slaugytojų auditorių veiklą vertina patenkinamai, o 46,8 proc. slaugytojų ir 16,7 proc. gydytojų – gerai. 76,5 proc. gydytojų ir 49,3 proc. slaugytojų mano, jog turi pakankamai žinių apie auditą, o 44,9 proc. slaugytojų nei... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Aim of the study: to identify the opinion of hospital medical personnel regarding internal audit and quality management system. Objectives : 1. To identify the knowledge of hospital medical personnel of the internal audit and quality management system. 2. To evaluate the attitudes of medical staff towards functions of internal audit and accomplishment procedures. 3. To compare knowledge and opinion of hospital doctors and nurses on the internal audit. 4. To determine the approach of medical personnel to the adverse events and their registration procedure in hospital. Methods. Anonymous questionnaire survey of doctors and nurses working in a second level district hospital was performed in 2008. 130 questionnaires were distributed, 112 of which were returned completed (response rate 86.1 percent). Statistical analysis of data was performed using the data analysis package SPSS 12.0. For hypotheses testing the Chi square (χ2) and z tests were used. The differences between the characteristics considered statistically significant when p <0.05. Results. 67.6 percent of doctors and 59.2 percent of nurses would like to know more about the quality management system. 58.3 percent of employees feel that their knowledge of the internal audit is not sufficient. 63.4 percent of respondents evaluate the internal audit procedures as good. 70.0 percent of doctors and 37.1 percent of nurses assess the activities of auditors as satisfactory, while 46.8 percent of nurses and 16.7 percent... [to full text]

<p>The Eerste River is a river system which has, over the years, been subjected to human interference. The purpose of this study was to investigatge temporal and spatial trends in the water quality of the Eerste River between 1990 and 2005. The study results revealed that the major trends in the water quality of the Eerste River are more spatial than temporal.</p>

Syfte: Syftet med studien är att bidra med en ökad förståelse för hur kvalitetsförbättringsarbete används för att eliminera brister och fel inom byggbranschen. Metod:  Studien utfördes genom kvalitativ metod med hermeneutiskt synsätt samt tolkning. Fallstudien omfattar fyra intervjurespondenter varav en pilotstudie samt 42 enkäter till samtliga tjänstemän och medarbetare med ledaransvar på olika nivåer inom kvalitetsförbättringsarbetet. Insamlad data bearbetades med hjälp av tematisk analys för att sedan analyseras och tolkas. Slutligen drogs slutsatser från resultat och analysmaterialet. Resultat &amp; Slutsats: Med hjälp av litteraturgenomgången och resultatet av det undersökta fallföretaget har studien kommit fram till att det är utmanande och svårt men inte omöjligt att implementera kvalitetsförbättringsmetoder och tekniker i byggbranschen utifrån de unika förutsättningar som råder i byggbranschen. Det råder samsyn bland de tillfrågade gällande vad de upplever är de vanligast förekommande kvalitetsbrister och fel vid slutbesiktning. Några av de enkla och kortsiktiga steg som framkommit i studien som kan ha positiva och långsiktiga effekter är främst att se fel och brister som ett resultat av alla delar i processen, fokusera på kvalitet lika mycket under hela processen, att involvera utförandenivån även i planering och målsättning, att i större utsträckning driva kvalitetsförbättringsarbetet i team på arbetsplatserna, att träna och utbilda samtliga ledare för kvalitetsförbättringsarbete och kanske även medarbetarna för ökad delaktighet och kunskap, att utveckla systematik för faktabaserad kunskapsåterföring och att ge tillräckligt uppmärksamhet och erkännande till medarbetare för prestationer kanske genom att låta dem själva få redovisa och utvärdera sitt eget och varandras arbete.

Whilst a high percentage of organisations claim to be using practices associated with quality management, there has been a lack of research that explore shopfloor accounts of their experiences of quality management (Clark et al., 1998; Bacon, 1999). This research examines shopfloor worker experiences of, and responses to, quality management in two manufacturing companies, with a focus upon human resource issues. The study examines how the 'rhetoric' of quality management was experienced in the workplace. It reveals that shopfloor responses were shaped not only by the formal translation of quality management into the workplace, but also by other factors. These included the degree of acceptance from the trade union (or consultative committee). This issue has been raised in the literature (Edwards et al., 1998). However, responses were also affected by lateral relationships that fall outwith the formal management/employee interface. This has not been widely recognised to date. Specifically, informal workplace relationships formed another filter through which quality management was judged. Furthermore, responses were also moulded by perceptions of the needs of key external stakeholders. These included the customer, and non-work based stakeholders including the family and in one case presented here, the local community. This study suggests that in order to produce a deeper understanding of employee experiences of work, both vertical and lateral relationships must be acknowledged and accounted for. This approach helps explain why workers may retain their loyalty to a firm, despite downsizing, insecurity and day-to-day frustrations or why they may appear to have assimilated the quality management rhetoric, at the same time as feeling an intense alienation from work.

Thesis (D.Tech.: Education)-School of Education, Durban University of Technology, 2008. x, 257 leaves / Educational institutions are pursuing quality improvement for various reasons. A great deal of literature on staff evaluation covering a wide spectrum of fields such as industry and commerce, including schools, has been produced and it generally identifies three main purposes of quality evaluation. Firstly, evaluation is conducted to review performance, identifying strengths and weaknesses. Secondly, it provides information about the service in order to improve the quality of the service and to demonstrate accountability. Thirdly, evaluation is aimed at encouraging personal and professional development. This study analyses the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS), an evaluation system which was implemented in South African public schools in 2005. The IQMS is a clear reaction to the autocratic mode of evaluation that operated during the apartheid era and is a major shift from the old paradigm of external evaluators. The new paradigm calls for a joint collaboration between schools, districts and supervisory units with the overall aim of enhancing the quality of education in South Africa, in addition to addressing the inequities and injustices of the past. Since its introduction, very little empirical research has been carried out to establish whether the IQMS model addresses that which it was intended to. This thesis evaluates the extent to which the IQMS is perceived to have enhanced individual development and ensured improvements in teaching and learning. / D

Submitted in fulfillment of the academic requirements for the Degree of Master of Technology: Biotechnology, Durban Institute of Technology, 2005. / The cumulative effects of pollution have led to increased public concern, which is resulting in strict legislation on the discharge of wastes in whatever state they are present, i.e. solid, liquid or gas. Currently, in South Africa, effluents with a high organic load are sent to landfills or marine outfall because the cost of discharge to sewer is prohibitive. In regions where there is a net surplus of rainfall, landfill sites have the potential to pollute the groundwater due to saturated soil conditions. Therefore, many landfill sites should not receive liquid effluents. If liquid wastes are disposed onto landfills, then an alternate sink is required for the treatment of the high volumes of leachate that are generated. These concentrated effluents could then be treated by biological, chemical or physical methods to reduce the pollution load in the natural water resources. In this study, anaerobic digestion has been identified as one of the biological processes that can be applied to treat high-strength or toxic organic liquid effluents, since a survey conducted by Sacks (1997) indicated that many anaerobic digesters in the KwaZulu-Natal region have spare capacity. However before high strength industrial wastes can be treated in existing anaerobic digesters, their impact on the digestion process, i.e. their toxicity and biodegradability under anaerobic conditions, needs to be determined. During this project, several high-strength or toxic industrial effluents were tested to assess their toxicity and biodegradability under anaerobic conditions. These include three synthetic textile size effluents from the textile industry (Textile effluent 1, 2, and 3) and three hazardous landfillieachates (Holfontein, Shongweni and Aloes). In addition, the components of a textile effluent, i.e., starch and wax, were tested to determine which / M