O e-learning, como uma das metodologias de ensino a distância, está em grande expansão e despertando interesse de estudos em várias áreas. Uma das preocupações relativas ao método de ensino é a qualidade, ou seja, como pode ser avaliada a qualidade em e-learning. Essa dissertação aborda a qualidade sob o ponto de vista do aluno como cliente e o e-learning como uma prestação de serviços. Dessa forma foi adaptado, o modelo de avaliação de qualidade de serviços, e-servqual, para cursos de pós-graduação on-line, com o intuito de proporcionar uma ferramenta para melhoria da qualidade dos cursos, satisfazendo de uma melhor forma os clientes. Como base para adequar o modelo e-servqual para os cursos de pós-graduação on-line, foi realizada uma revisão bibliográfica sob os assuntos: serviços, qualidade de serviços e modelos de qualidade de serviços. A técnica de pesquisa Focus Group foi utilizada para consolidar o referencial teórico e adequar o modelo e-servqual para os cursos de pós-graduação on-line. / The e-learning, as a methodology of distance education, is in widely expansion and waking interest of studies in several areas. One of the worries related to this education method is the quality, in other words, how could be evaluated the quality in e-learning. This dissertation approaches the point of view of student as a client and the e-learning as a service rendering. In this way was adapted, the model of evaluating service quality, e-servqual, for on-line post graduation courses, with the purpose of supplying a tool to improve the quality of courses, satisfying in a better way the customers. As a support to adapt the model e-servqual for on-line post graduation courses, was realized a bibliographic review of: services subjects, quality of services and models of quality services. A Focus Group research was used to solidify the theoretical part and adapt the model e-servqual for on-line post graduation courses.

CE-QUAL-W2 is a 2-D hydrodynamic and water quality model that has been applied to reservoirs, lakes, river systems, and estuaries throughout the world. However, when this model is applied for shallow systems, this model requires a long calculation time to maintain numerical stability, compared to applications of reservoirs or deeper river systems. To solve this problem, a new hydrodynamic and temperature model was built based on the framework of CE-QUAL-W2 but that allows for steady-state hydrodynamic computations. By calculating the hydrodynamics at steady-state, the time step for stability is relaxed and simulations can proceed at much higher time steps. The rest of the model framework is still used for water quality state variables, in this case, temperature. The algorithm used for computing the water surface elevation is Manning's equation. This thesis study is one part of the Willamette Water 2100 project (Santelmann et al., 2012), which examines hydrological, ecological, and human factors affecting water scarcity in the Willamette River Basin. This study included three stages: (1) Convert six existing CE-QUAL-W2 V3.1 models into a newer version: CE-QUAL-W2 V3.7. (2) Develop the steady-state model code in FORTRAN. (3) Test the steady-state model on three river systems in the Willamette River Basin at Year 2001 and 2002. The result proved that the steady-state model could reduce the computing time by 90% for river applications, while predicting dynamic river temperature with high accuracy at a two-minute time scale. This new model will be employed to simulate the future of the Willamette River System at a decadal or centennial timescales, addressing river temperature concerns and fish habitat issues.

Pacific whiting, with a maximum sustainable yield between 150,000 and 250,000 metric tons, is the largest stock of fish found off Oregon. The majority of the fish are processed into surimi. Hundreds of variables could potentially affect surimi quality (gel strength). Alternative harvesting and processing input combinations, as well as product quality attributes and their influences, were collected for the 1992-94 Pacific whiting seasons. This data was combined with other research on Pacific whiting quality to develop a comprehensive model of the Pacific whiting fishery. Neural network and induction modeling methods were used to isolate the importance of each input variable and document its interactive effects on other variables. Neural network modeling does not have the limitations of standard modeling techniques. A neural network model can "learn" and adjust weights among inputs and interactions as situations change. This allows for development of models which assign weights to all inputs, yet is easily maintained and updated. Another modeling method, known as induction, divides the information into smaller, more defined, subgroups which are analyzed separately using regression. This strategy reduces complications due to discontinuities in the data. A hybrid model was developed by combining results of the two modeling methods. These methods were compared to multiple regression for their effectiveness in prediction. The hybrid model provided the most accurate predictions (96% of predictions within 10% of actual value), followed by neural networks (92%), induction (84%), and regression (74%). Of the 88 variables examined, only ten and their interactions were significantly related to final product quality. These variables include the time it takes to process the fish from capture, the temperature the fish are stored until processing, the salinity, moisture content, and pH of the fish, the length and weight of the fish, the date and place where the fish were captured, and the water:meat wash ratio of the various surimi washes during processing. Most of the variables were highly interactive and nonlinear. The information derived from these models can be used to optimize production decisions and maximize profit. Quality influences of Pacific whiting are crucial for long term production and can be used to benefit the entire industry. / Graduation date: 1996

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The Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS) irrigates 16 million ha of land in Pakistan. The irrigation water is also used for domestic consumption in rural areas and where the ground water is brackish. Many major cities and towns dispose their untreated wastewater directly into the irrigation canal network, which ultimately has adverse impacts on the downstream water quality. In order to better understand the water quality variations, several parameters were measured along a 45 km long irrigation canal (Hakra-6R) in Punjab, Pakistan during the year 2000. The parameters measured were: biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), nitrate (NO3), ammonia (NH3), Escherichia coli (E.coli), dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, and water temperature. The PC-QUASAR model was used as predictive tool to simulate the water quality concentrations along the downstream locations of Hakra-6R canal. The measured data were used to validate the PC-QUASAR model. The model efficiencies ranged from 0.40 to 0.96 for selected parameters. A sensitivity analysis showed that the nitrification, denitrification, BOD sedimentation, and BOD algae rate were the most sensitive parameters of model performance. The BOD decay and sediment oxygen rates have negligible influence on model output. Water quality analysis showed that irrigation water was highly contaminated regarding microbiological aspects (E.coli ∼ 4000 N/100ml).

Dаrbo аktuаlumаs. Pаslаugų kokybė yrа esminis konkurencinis prаnаšumаs pаslаugų orgаnizаcijoms. Esminiu jį gаlimа lаikyti dėl to, kаd pаslаugа – tаi visų pirmа yrа sаntykiаi, susitаrimаs ir bendrаdаrbiаvimаs tаrp pаslаugаs teikiаnčios orgаnizаcijos ir vаrtotojo. Ir nors pаslаugos kokybę vertinа vаrtotojаs iš sаvos perspektyvos, tаčiаu teikėjаs privаlo suvokti ir įgyvendinti gаvėjo poreikius, norint išlаikyti vаrtotoją ir kurti įmonės pridėtinę vertę. Dаrbo objektаs. Sporto pаslаugų kokybės vertinimаs. Tiriаmoji problemа. аr sporto pаslаugаs teikiаnčios orgаnizаcijos pаslаugų kokybei keliа įgyvendinаmus reikаlаvimus, ir kаip kokybė аtitinkа lаukiаmus vаrtotojų lūkesčius? Dаrbo tikslаs – Nustаtyti teikiаmų sporto pаslаugų kokybę Plungės rаjono centre. Uždаviniаi: 1.Аpibūdinti pаslаugų kokybės sаmprаtą ir svаrbą. 2.Išаnаlizuoti tаikomus pаslаugų kokybės vertinimų modelius. 3.Ištirti esminius kriterijus vаrtotojui renkаntis sporto pаslаugаs. 4.Įvertinti vаrtotojų lаukiаmos ir pаtirtos pаslаugos kokybę, tаikаnt SERVQUАL pаslаugų kokybės vertinimo modelį. Išvаdos: 1. Pаslаugų kokybė yrа viso personаlo iniciаtyvus sąžiningаs dаrbаs ir kokybės siekis, kur veiksmų reglаmentаvimаs pаdedа išlаikyti pаsiektą kokybę ir pаteikiа аtspirties pаgrindą pаslаugų kokybei gerinti. Pаslаugų kokybė – tаi kompleksinis procesаs, skirtаs vаrtotojo poreikiаms tenkinti ir įmonės įvаizdžiui kurti. Šis procesаs аpimа visus vаdybos elementus ir turi būti nuolаt... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The relevаnce of the topic. The quаlity of the service is а key competitive аdvаntаge for the orgаnizаtions. It cаn be considered аs essentiаl, becаuse the service- this is primаrily а relаtionship, аgreement аnd co-operаtion between the orgаnizаtions thаt provide services аnd the user. Аnd while the quаlity of service of the site from their own perspective, however the provider is required to understаnd аnd implement the recipient’s needs in order to keep the customer аnd to creаte аdded vаlue of the compаny. The object of the reseаrch. The quаlity evаluаtion of sports service in Plunge’s region center. The problem of the study. The quаlity of the service, for the modern humаn, must not only correspond the required stаndаrds, but аlso to exceed expectаtions. In order to аchieve these goаls, it is necessаry to choose аn аppropriаte quаlity аssessment model, аnd to be аble to properly аssess the current situаtion. The аim of the reseаrch. – to estаblish the quаlity of the offering sports services in Plunge’s district center. Tаsks of the pаper: 1. To describe the concept аnd the importаnce of the service quаlity; 2. To аnаlyze the quаlity evаluаtion of the аpplicаble theoreticаl models; 3. To investigаte the essentiаl consumers of Plunge’s region needs when choosing sports services; 4. To аssess whаt quаlity userd аre expecting аnd whаt they get by using SERVQUАL the service quаlity evаluаtion model. Conclusions: 1. The quаlity of the service in аn honest work аnd pursuit... [to full text]

The new age, the "Information Age" (Davenport and Prusak 1997) has increased society's and businesses' reliance on Information Technology (IT). Hence, there is an increasing focus on the management of IT, not only from a technological perspective but also from a business perspective. This research, sponsored by REALTECH and the Australian Research Council, applies one of the modern management approaches, business process management (Hammer 1990), to the domain IT service provision, by designing a business process reference model for IT Service Provision. A reference model is an abstracted depiction of reality that serves as a standardised or suggestive conceptual basis for the design of enterprise specific models, usually within a like domain. They are one method of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of enterprise modelling and can also be used to standardise communication or capture knowledge. There is a general lack of theory regarding the classification, design and quality of reference models. The first part of this thesis attempts to fill these gaps, by presenting a reference model classification scheme, outlining 7 philosophies for the design of reference models and detailing 2 case studies on the user-perceived quality of business process reference models. Reference models and the Business Process Management Lifecycle (Rosemann 2000) are integrated to show how reference models can be applied to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of business process improvement projects. This reference model theory was then applied to produce a model for domain of IT Service Provision. Investment in IT has increased to become the largest single element of capital expenditure (Thorp 1998). Gartner predicted that organisations will spend over 10% of revenue on IT by 2005 (Haines 2000). A major input for this model is the ITIL best practice documents (CCTA 2000). The reference model focuses on Incident Management and used focus groups with participants from several large IT service providers to validate the models. The designed reference model is then tested in two case studies to determine its accuracy and usefulness. The thesis finishes with a discussion of the designed model, the effectiveness of the procedural model and provides suggestions for the design of other reference models. The final chapter provides a summary and an outlook for further research into the area.

Corrigenda pasted onto front end paper. / One folded col. map in pocket on back endpaper. / Bibliography: leaves 348-368. / xx, 368 leaves : ill. (some col.), maps (some col.) ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Develops a framework balancing water quality costs resulting from waterborne disease, disinfection by-product exposure and aesthetic concerns, against hydraulic costs, which include pipes, pumps and tanks. The genetic algorithms developed, successfully obtained the current optimal hydraulic solution, before adapting the model to incorporate water quality issues. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2000

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Uppsala universitet, 2007. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

O e-learning, como uma das metodologias de ensino a distância, está em grande expansão e despertando interesse de estudos em várias áreas. Uma das preocupações relativas ao método de ensino é a qualidade, ou seja, como pode ser avaliada a qualidade em e-learning. Essa dissertação aborda a qualidade sob o ponto de vista do aluno como cliente e o e-learning como uma prestação de serviços. Dessa forma foi adaptado, o modelo de avaliação de qualidade de serviços, e-servqual, para cursos de pós-graduação on-line, com o intuito de proporcionar uma ferramenta para melhoria da qualidade dos cursos, satisfazendo de uma melhor forma os clientes. Como base para adequar o modelo e-servqual para os cursos de pós-graduação on-line, foi realizada uma revisão bibliográfica sob os assuntos: serviços, qualidade de serviços e modelos de qualidade de serviços. A técnica de pesquisa Focus Group foi utilizada para consolidar o referencial teórico e adequar o modelo e-servqual para os cursos de pós-graduação on-line. / The e-learning, as a methodology of distance education, is in widely expansion and waking interest of studies in several areas. One of the worries related to this education method is the quality, in other words, how could be evaluated the quality in e-learning. This dissertation approaches the point of view of student as a client and the e-learning as a service rendering. In this way was adapted, the model of evaluating service quality, e-servqual, for on-line post graduation courses, with the purpose of supplying a tool to improve the quality of courses, satisfying in a better way the customers. As a support to adapt the model e-servqual for on-line post graduation courses, was realized a bibliographic review of: services subjects, quality of services and models of quality services. A Focus Group research was used to solidify the theoretical part and adapt the model e-servqual for on-line post graduation courses.