Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The enactment of the new Constitution of South Africa, 1996, gave prominence to the trans-formation of local government in South Africa. Rooted in the Constitution, the Municipal Systems Act, 2000, and the Municipal Structures Act, 1998, guide municipalities towards establishing structured performance management practices. As part of a comprehensive legislative framework for local government, these acts moreover state the functions of mu-nicipalities that include the delivery of basic municipal services. These services include amongst other, water provision, refuse removal, sanitation, electricity provision, municipal roads as well as stormwater management. Despite a range of statutory provisions, policy instruments and capacity improvement initiatives with a view to provide a democratic, participative, responsive, effective and efficient local sphere of government, South African municipalities, in general, continue to fail in eradicating service delivery backlogs. This is, at least partially, the result of the policies and practices of the apartheid era. Apart from eradicating backlogs, non-sustaining service delivery to communities has become a noticeable phenomenon. As a result, in 2012 the highest number of service delivery protests over the past decade occurred. The underperformance of municipalities can be linked to insufficient organisational capacity. This multidimensional concept consists of individual, institutional and environmental capacity. This study views capacity building as a key enabler for municipal performance improvement. Relating to this, capacity assessment is the first and foremost component of capacity building. Hence, it can be assumed that a correlation exists between municipalities’ service delivery performance and the degree to which municipalities are aware of its capacity to fulfil its service delivery mandate. Municipalities are mandated by the Municipal Systems Act, 2000 to perform internal capacity assessments when a new or reviewed Integrated Development Plan (IDP) is considered, and also when outsourcing of municipal services is considered. Besides this the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) is mandated by the Municipal Structures Act, 1998, to perform annual municipal capacity assessments. Though criticised for its untimeliness, narrow approach and inconsistency, the MDB municipal capacity assessment generates valuable insight. This is widely used by provincial governments, municipalities and private parties for policy formulation, strategic decision-making and capacity building initiatives. This exemplifies that if accurate municipal capacity data can frequently be attained, the effects on service delivery improvement initiatives can be profound. This research study aims to make a contribution in formulating solutions for needs that currently exist in this regard in South Africa. The focus of this study is the development of both a municipal capacity assessment frame-work and a subjective municipal capacity self-assessment model (SMCSAM), a software tool built in Microsoft’s Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) for engineering services at municipalities. The framework for municipal capacity assessment comprises of fifteen elements of capacity and eighteen service delivery phases. A third dimension of the framework exists in recognition of the six basic municipal services. This framework accordingly implements the matrix-method. SMCSAM implements the consolidated framework based on statements to be rated by the municipality according to their reality. SMCSAM allows the municipality to allocate weights to each of the fifteen elements of overall organisational capacity through the use of a Fuzzy Logic Hierarchical Analytical Process. Consequently, ratings of the statements are weighed and illustrated through two interactive user-interfaces which allow the municipality to instantly identify capacity strengths and weaknesses. To achieve this, assessment results are illustrated using colour-coding and related spider-diagrams. SMCSAM was implemented at Drakenstein Municipality and demonstrated to academics as well as experts in the public and private sector for validation purposes. Its results proved to be accurate and applicably related to the performance of this municipality. Through its implementation and validation, SMCSAM proved to be a valuable, understandable and practical solution to a noteworthy problem at municipalities in South Africa. In doing so, SMCSAM significantly contribute to research in the field of engineering management. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die aanvaarding van die nuwe Grondwet van Suid-Afrika, 1996 het grootliks aanleiding gegee tot die transformasie van plaaslike regering in Suid-Afrika. Munisipaliteite word deur die Wet op Munisipale Stelsels, 2000, en die Wet op Munisipale Strukture, 1998, begelei in die implementering van gestruktureerde prestasiebestuur praktyke. As deel van 'n omvattende wetgewende raamwerk, definieer hierdie twee wette ook die funksies van munisipaliteite, wat die lewering van basiese dienste insluit. Basiese dienste sluit onder andere watervoorsiening, vullisverwydering, sanitasie, elektrisiteitsvoorsiening, munisipale paaie en stormwaterbestuur in. Ten spyte van dié statutêre voorsienings, gepaardgaande beleidmaatreëls en inisiatiewe vir kapasiteitsverbetering met die doel om ʼn demokratiese, deelnemende, responsiewe, effektiewe en doeltreffende plaaslike sfeer van regering daar te stel, misluk baie munisipaliteite in Suid-Afrika in hul pogings om jarelange diensleweringsagterstande uit te wis. Hierdie agterstande is gedeeltelike die gevolg van die beleide en praktyke van die apartheidsera. Afgesien van die vertraagde uitwissing van agterstande, word munisipaliteite se onvermoë om effektiewe dienslewering aan gemeenskappe vol te hou, ook geïdentifiseer as ʼn probleemarea. As ʼn gevolg hiervan, het die jaarlikse hoeveelheid diensleweringproteste in 2012 ʼn nuwe hoogtepunt bereik. Die onvermoë van munisipaliteite om hul diensleweringsmandaat uit te voer kan grootliks toegeskryf word aan onvoldoende organisatoriese kapasiteit. Dié multidimensionele konsep bestaan uit individuele-, institusionele- en omgewingskapasiteit. Hierdie studie beskou kapasiteitsontwikkeling as ʼn fundamentele dryfkrag vir beter munisipale dienslewering, terwyl die assessering van munisipale kapasiteit die eerste en belangrikste fase van kapasiteitsontwikkeling is. Dit kan dus aanvaar word dat daar ʼn korrelasie bestaan tussen ʼn munisipaliteit se diensleweringsprestasie en die mate waartoe die munisipaliteit bewus is van sy kapasiteit om sy diensleweringsmandate na te kom. Munisipaliteite word deur die Wet op Munisipale Stelsels, 2000, verplig om ʼn interne kapasiteits-assessering te doen wanneer ʼn nuwe of hersiende Geïntegreerde Ontwikkelingsplan (GOP) oorweeg word of wanneer daar besluit moet word oor die uitkontraktering van munisipale dienslewering. Terselfdertyd word die Munisipale Afbakeningsraad (MAR) deur die Wet op Munisipale Strukture, 1998, verplig om jaarlikse munisipale kapasiteits-assesserings uit te voer. Alhoewel die MAR se munisipale kapasiteits-assessering gekritiseer word vir die ontydigheid, inkonsekwentheid en beperkte aanslag daarvan, word die resultate van hierdie assessering aangewend deur provinsiale regerings, munisipaliteite asook ander rolspelers in die publieke- en privaatsektor vir die doel om beleid te formuleer, strategiese besluite te neem en kapasiteit te bou. Dit dui daarop dat wanneer akkurate data van munisipale kapasiteit gereeld versamel word, dit grootliks dienslewering verbeteringsinisiatiewe kan aanhelp. Die studie ondersoek ʼn innoverende metode vir die selfassessering van munisipale kapasiteit. Die fokus van die studie is die ontwikkeling van ʼn gekonsolideerde munisipale kapasiteits-assesseringsraamwerk en ʼn geassosieerde subjektiewe munisipale kapasiteit selfassesseringsmodel (SMCSAM), ʼn sagtewarepakket wat geprogrammeer is in Microsoft se Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). Die raamwerk bestaan uit vyftien elemente van kapasiteit en agtien diensleweringsfases. ʼn Derde dimensie van die raamwerk bestaan in die erkenning van die voorgenoemde ses basiese dienste. Hierdie raamwerk implementeer die matriksmetode dienooreenkomstig. SMCSAM implementeer die gekonsolideerde raamwerk gebaseer op stellings wat gegradeer moet word deur munisipaliteite binne die konteks van hul eie realiteit. SMCSAM laat munisipaliteite toe om gewigte te koppel aan elkeen van die vyftien elemente van kapasiteit deur middel van ʼn Fuzzy Logic Hiërargiese Ontledingsproses. Dit gebruik twee interaktiewe gebruikerskoppelvlakke wat munisipaliteite toelaat om vinnig die sterk- en swakpunte van hul organisatoriese kapasiteit te identifiseer. Hierdie resultate word aangedui deur middel van grafieke en kleur-kodering. SMCSAM is getoets by die Drakenstein Munisipaliteit en gedemonstreer aan akademici en deskundiges in die privaat en publieke sektor. Die resultate van die assessering dui op ʼn realistiese verwantskap tussen die munisipaliteit se organisatoriese kapasiteit en diensleweringsprestasie. Deur die implementering en validasie van SMCSAM, is dit bewys dat dié model ʼn waardevolle, verstaanbare en ʼn praktiese oplossing bied vir ʼn werklike probleem by munisipaliteite in Suid-Afrika. Sodoende, maak die model ʼn betekenisvolle bydra tot die navorsingsveld van ingenieursbestuur.

Academic library services have now significantly developed and are applying some knowledge management (KM) principles in the provision of library services. KM is about enhancing the use of organizational knowledge through sound practices of KM and organizational learning. KM practices encompass the capture and/ or acquisition of knowledge, its retention and organization, its dissemination and re-use, and responsiveness to the new knowledge. The focus of this research was on KM principles and practices that may be in place in the Metropolitan College of New York (MCNY) library. The objective was to find out how knowledge was identified, captured, organized and retained in order to enhance performance and improve the quality of service in the library. There is uncertainty about whether the use of KM principles and tools could partly solve the library‟s approach to improving its quality of service to its community in the modern information environment. KM has been implemented in commercial and business environments towards operational advantages and financial gains and its survival principles and tools may help the library to improve performance and fulfil its mandate. A mixed methods research methodology encompassing a questionnaire, observation, interviews, and use of institutional documents was used with an action research design for generating new knowledge and understanding of library concerns. The findings of this study indicate that KM concepts were not universally understood at MCNY, and that collaboration of librarians and faculty in creating an educational environment meaningful and relevant for the study programmes offered by the College was essential. The MCNY library practices were not deliberately based on KM but the study established that they were amenable to KM practice. It was making efforts to share know-how so as to reduce duplication of effort, relying on library staff to identify, integrate, acquire, organize internal and external knowledge for the benefit of the whole College. The recommendation was to perform a knowledge inventory. This could help develop appropriate institution-wide policies and practices for proper and well organized methods of integrating work processes, collaborating and sharing (including the efficient use of Web 2.0 platforms), and developing an enabling institutional culture. / Information Science / D.Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

Orientador: Jorge Hamada / Banca: Rosane Aparecida Gomes Battistelle / Banca: Valdir Schalch / Resumo: Este trabalho aborda como tema principal a situação da geração, segregação e disposição final dos Resíduos de Serviços de Saúde na região do Coder (Conselho de Desenvolvimento Econômico Regional) que tem como sede o município Bauru. O objetivo foi levantar dados, avaliar a situação atual da questão dos RSS e propor soluções para uma melhor gestão deste tipo específico de lixo urbano. Ao cumprir tais objetivos, as considerações expostas pelo autor levam a um retrato da situação atual dos resíduos de serviços de saúde na região, trazendo também um panorama do tema no Brasil e no Estado de São Paulo, expondo as fragilidades das leis que contemplam mais os grandes geradores e a baixa qualificação da mão de obra, o que diminui o processo de segregação e, no destino final, problemas ambientais. / Abstract: The theme of this work is about generation, segregation and final disposal of Health Services Residues (RSS) in the region of CODER (Regional Economic Developing Council), which is based in Bauru. The aims of this research are to improve the management of this specific type of urban waste. In order to accomplish such objectives, considerations made by the author of this dissertation show a portrait of the actual situation of the RSS in the region researched and a panorama of the theme in Brazil and in São Paulo state. It possible to observe in this work the weaknesses of the laws that serve mostly big generators of waste and the low qualified work force, which diminishes the quality of segregation process and environment problems during the final disposal of the waste. / Mestre

A forma de operação descentralizada de serviços possui peculariedades próprias de operação. Estas características, especialmente no que se refere à forma de relacionamento entre alguns elementos da organização, como a organização do trabalho, estrutura, tecnologia e estratégia, ainda são poucos discutidas pela literatura. Com relação especificamente à organização de trabalho, a literatura explora bastante a questão da autonomia na industria, principalmente em estudos relacionados a atuação de funcionários de chão de fabrica, porém é carente em estudos relativos a funcionários de nível gerencial e em organização de serviços. A análise da atuação de funcionários de linha de frente é crítica para o sucesso e a qualidade de uma operação de serviços. Neste trabalho, são estudadas a organização de trabalho, as estruturas organizacionais possíveis de escolha para a empresa analisada e de que maneira a atuação do gerente é fator determinante na percepção de qualidade final sentida pelo cliente. A pesquisa é desenvolvida em forma de estudo de caso em uma empresa especializada em administração predial. Constatou-se que há benefícios em se proporcionar autonomia ao funcionário de linha de frente, sendo esta uma escolha estratégica da empresa estudada. A escolha da estrutura organizacional mais apropriada para a empresa neste tipo de atuação é ainda um ponto que deve continuar a ser motivo de atenção e estudo, sendo que os principais problemas de implementação de um novo modelo organizacional nessa empresa residem nos aspectos relativos a tecnologia e organização do trabalho. / The decentralized operation of services has its own particular characteristics. Such characteristics have received little attention in literature, especially regarding the way in which some organizational elements relate to each other: work organization, structure, technology and strategy. It is clear that, regarding work organization, literature has focused on the issue of autonomy in the industrial sector - specifically, past and recent studies have addressed the role factory employees play in industry. However, there still is a lack of discussion of autonomy related to the perform of both the managerial level of employees and services organization employees. For a corporation to guarantee a successful and high quality delivery of its services, it must thoroughly, analyze and understand the behavior of its front-office employees This study investigates work organization, the autonomy of the managerial level employee, the possible organization structures available and the ways in which the manager\'s behavior can be significant when it comes to the client\'s final perception of quality. This research adopts a case-study of a company whose core business is building management. It was verified that there are many beneficial outcomes for the company that invests in the autonomy of its front-office employees - which in fact is the studied company\'s strategic position. Nevertheless, the choice of the appropriate organizational structure should be the subject matter of further studies. The main implementation problem of the new organizational model in the case-study lies in the technology, the structure and the work organization particular to the case.

Cada vez mais as empresas oferecem soluções completas a seus clientes, com parcelas de produto e serviço. Essa mudança na composição do portfólio das organizações vem ocorrendo por uma série de motivos, sejam relacionados às questões estratégicas, motivados por demandas do cliente, ou ainda, por tendências que visam menores impactos ambientais. Esta tese teve como objetivo identificar se a estruturação das empresas em relação à integração produto-serviço influencia os fatores motivadores para o PSS. A abordagem metodológica foi dividida em pesquisa qualitativa e quantitativa, a primeira para compreender a perspectiva do cliente e a segunda para avaliar os fatores motivadores para a adoção de um sistema produto-serviço (PSS) por prestadores. A pesquisa qualitativa foi realizada por meio de um estudo de caso nos laboratórios de um dos principais hospitais da América Latina. Os dados coletados apresentaram informações importantes sobre questões ambientais e coprodução. Para a pesquisa quantitativa, foi proposto um instrumento de pesquisa, com base em dados extraídos da literatura, para avaliar o construto Fatores Motivadores (FM) e a estruturação das empresas em relação à integração produto-serviço, operacionalizada por meio dos construtos Orientação de Uso do Produto (OUP) e Lógicas de Transição (LT). O instrumento foi submetido à validação de conteúdo e a pesquisa conduzida com média e alta gerência, de 81 empresas de setores distintos. Os dados foram processados e validados por análise fatorial exploratória e técnica de Modelagem de Equações Estruturais com estimação pelo método Partial Least Squares (PLS), utilizando o software SMARTPLS 2.0. O construto Fatores Motivadores desdobrou-se em cinco variáveis latentes de primeira ordem: ambiental, cocriação, coprodução, portfólio e vantagem competitiva. As análises do modelo estrutural mostraram que há relacionamento significativo entre os Fatores Motivadores e as Lógicas de Transição, alterando-se à medida que se transida da lógica Produto-Dominante para a lógica Serviço-Dominante. Dentre as proposições da LT as que se destacaram foram Papel do Cliente, Envolvimento com o Cliente e Determinação e Significado do Valor. / Increasingly companies offer complete solutions to its customers which include products and services. This change in the organizations portfolio has been occurring due to a number of reasons, be it related to strategic issues, or driven by customer demands, or even to low environmental impact trends. This thesis aimed at identifying if companies structure in relation to their product-service integration influences the drivers for product-service systems (PSS) offer. The methodological approach was divided into qualitative and quantitative research, the first to understand the customer\'s perspective and the second to assess the drivers for the adoption of a product-service system (PSS) by providers. The qualitative research was conducted through a case study in the laboratories of one of the major Latin America hospitals. The data collected showed important information about environmental issues and co-production. For the quantitative research, a research instrument was proposed, based on data extracted from literature, to evaluate the Motivation Factors\' (FM) and the companies structuring in relation to product-service integration, operationalized through the constructs \'Product Use Orientation\' (OUP) and \'Transition Logics\' (LT). The instrument was submitted to content validation, and the research was conducted with middle and senior managers of 81 companies from different industries. The data were processed and validated by exploratory factor analysis technique and Structural Equation Modeling with the estimation method Partial Least Squares (PLS) using the software SmartPLS 2.0. The construct FM unfolded in five first-order latent variables: environmental, co-creation, co-production, portfolio and competitive advantage. The structural model analysis showed significant relationship between Motivation Factors and Transition Logics, which changes while it moves from Goods-Dominant Logic to Service-Dominant Logic. Among LT propositions most relevant are: Customers Role, Engagement with the Customer and Value Determination and Meaning.

Orientador: Paulo Correa Lima / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecanica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-13T06:30:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Lima_AdalbertodaCruz_D.pdf: 2148523 bytes, checksum: dbfa765157be8d3cb95fd6583cb89e69 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / Resumo: Este trabalho tem por objetivo apresentar a implementação do pensamento enxuto (Lean Thinking) em ambientes administrativos, prestadores de serviços. O ambiente estudado tem como característica ser uma área de Suprimentos de Material, de um Hospital Público. Para tanto, utilizou-se da metodologia científica através da estratégia de pesquisa-ação e da integração de sistemas modernos de gestão gerenciais, tais como: Sistema de Gestão da Qualidade, Sistema de Gestão de Pessoas e Sistema de Gestão da Informação como base de sustentação à implementação da filosofia do pensamento enxuto. O período de estudo da pesquisa, iniciou em 2003 e se estendeu até final de 2005, com perfeita interação entre o pesquisador e os sujeitos envolvidos. Os resultados encontrados foram coletados e analisados através de técnica de pesquisa por observação participativa. A participação dos colaboradores foi muito importante para o sucesso da implementação do pensamento enxuto neste setor. Os dados foram compilados em gráficos de controle para avaliação das mudanças obtidas ao longo do projeto. Mudanças na estrutura organizacional e gerencial também apresentaram resultados significativos, assim como os resultados no processo de aquisição. O trabalho proporcionou aos colaboradores da Divisão de Suprimentos, experimentarem novas formas de gerenciar os processos administrativo, fato este muito debatido pelos mesmos. / Abstract: This work has for goal introduces the lean thinking implementation in ssrvices administrative environments. The studied environment has like characteristic in the Material Supplies area, of public hospital. For so much, it used of the scientific methodology through the research-action strategy and of the modern managerial administration systems integration, suches like: Quality magement system, magement information system and magement system people like support base to the philosophy lean thinking implementation. The research study period, it began in 2003 and extended until final of 2005, with perfect interaction between researcher and the involved subjects. The found results were going collected and analyzed through technical of research for observation participate. Collaborators' participation was very important for the lean thinking implementation success in this sector. The data were going compiled in graphific of control for changes evaluation obtained along the project, changes in the organizacional structure and managerial also introduced significant results, as well as the results in the acquisition process. The work provided to the Supplies Division collaborators, they try new forms of managing the administrative process, fact this very debated. / Doutorado / Materiais e Processos de Fabricação / Doutor em Engenharia Mecânica

Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-29T15:04:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Vaneila Moraes Ferreira Martins.pdf: 674937 bytes, checksum: 28945129816bb9d1a7bd90ca31ee0f54 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-05-22 / In times of changes and opportunities, teamwork is considered an indispensable tool in health services, particularly considering the SUS (Unified Health System) requisites concerning the execution and management of actions for the service quality improvement. In the Materials and Sterilization Center s (CME) routine, whose personnel is mainly composed of nurses, this work modality is fundamental, especially to assure the recycling quality of odontological, medical and hospital items. This study aimed at analyzing the driving and restrictive forces for the nursing teamwork at a CME of a Hospital School. With the mapping of these forces, managers can handle daily obstacles found by the teams, because it categorizes them into three great dimensions: the MYSELF dimension comprising personal factors; the OTHER dimension comprising factors related to interpersonal relations; and the ENVIRONMENT dimension involving elements associated to the environment. This is a descriptive and exploratory study, developed between July and August 2008, in a CME of a hospital school, counting with 35 nursing team professionals. Data were collected by a questionnaire, submitted to the process of content analysis and categorized according to previously defined dimensions. The results highlighted a set of driving forces (59 %), higher than the restrictive ones (41 %), with a relative balance in the other and environment dimensions, and a higher tendency of driving forces in the "myself" dimension. Despite the prevailing driving forces, the balance identified in the two dimensions points at certain team work stagnation in the studied group, showing a need for interventions to search for solutions concerning restrictive forces. The driving forces tendency, identified in the MYSELF dimension, could indicate a difficulty in perceiving, recognizing and accepting their own obstacles in the teamwork. Driving forces in this dimension are: driving personal attributes, motivation and knowledge of CME dynamics. Restrictive forces, on the other hand, are the restrictive individual elements, exclusion feelings and excessive responsibilities. Driving forces in the OTHER dimension are the facilitating team, a positive management attitude and support/user service relations. The restrictive forces treat CME staff as obstacles, without knowledge of CME s dynamics and depending on support/third party/user relations. Driving forces in the ENVIRONMENT dimension are good infrastructure resources, effective work organization and organizational atmosphere. The restrictive forces would be a deficit of resources and strategies, to reduce restrictive factors of the team and environment. The analysis of results, in general, shows that the team has potential to reach a better performance, as well as to seek better work conditions. The mapping of the field of forces gave an objective and concrete perspective of the limitations and potentials of the studied team, as well as possibilities to promote changes. The methodology used was a tool that allowed the prompt identification of problems related to persons, their relationships and environmental factors. For that reason, this seems to be an efficient tool for the work management at CME, also showing indicators for the development of the studied team / Em tempos de mudanças e oportunidades, o trabalho em equipe tem sido considerado ferramenta indispensável no contexto do trabalho em saúde, particularmente, quando se considera os pressupostos do SUS, no que diz respeito à condução e gestão de ações para melhoria da qualidade dos serviços. No cotidiano do trabalho em Centro de Material e Esterilização (CME), cujo grande contingente de pessoal é da equipe de enfermagem, essa modalidade de trabalho é fundamental, principalmente, para garantir qualidade do reprocessamento de artigos de uso odonto-médico-hospitalares. O presente estudo teve como objetivo geral analisar o campo de forças impulsoras e restritivas para trabalho em equipe de enfermagem em CME de hospital-escola. O mapeamento dessas forças permite aos gestores lidar com dificuldades cotidianas das equipes, pois as categoriza em três grandes dimensões: do EU que engloba fatores pessoais, do OUTRO que abrange fatores referentes às relações interpessoais e ao AMBIENTE - que compõe elementos relativos ao ambiente. Estudo descritivo e exploratório, desenvolvido entre julho/agosto de 2008, em um CME de hospital-escola com participação de 35 profissionais da equipe de enfermagem. Os dados foram coletados por meio de questionários submetidos ao processo de análise de conteúdo e categorizados a partir das dimensões previamente definidas. Os resultados destacam um conjunto de forças impulsoras (59%) maior que restritivas (41%), com relativo equilíbrio na dimensão OUTRO e AMBIENTE , com tendência maior evidente das impulsoras na dimensão EU . Embora o conjunto de forças indique mais forças impulsoras, o equilíbrio identificado em duas dimensões sinaliza certa estagnação do trabalho em equipe no grupo estudado, apontando para necessidade de intervenções para buscar soluções relativas às forças restritivas. A tendência identificada nas forças impulsoras na dimensão EU pode indicar dificuldade das pessoas em perceber, reconhecer e aceitar suas dificuldades no trabalho em equipe. Nessa dimensão destacam-se como impulsoras: atributos pessoais impulsores, motivação e conhecimento da dinâmica do CME. Como restritivas: elementos individuais restritivos, sentimentos de exclusão e peso excessivo de responsabilidades. Na dimensão OUTRO , destacam-se como impulsoras: equipe facilitadora, postura gerencial positiva e relações com serviços de apoio/usuários. As forças restritivas indicam as pessoas do CME como barreiras, desconhecimento da dinâmica do CME e dependência das relações com serviços de apoio /terceirizados/usuários. Na dimensão AMBIENTE , destacam-se como impulsoras: bons recursos de infra-estrutura, efetivação do registro na organização do trabalho e clima organizacional. Como restritivos: déficit de recursos e de estratégias para diminuir fatores restritivos da equipe e o próprio ambiente. A análise do resultado, de modo geral, indica que a equipe em questão apresenta potencial a ser desenvolvido para atingir melhor desempenho, bem como buscar melhores condições de trabalho. O mapeamento do campo de forças permitiu uma visão objetiva e concreta das limitações e potenciais da equipe estudada e possibilidades para promover mudanças. A metodologia utilizada mostrou-se como ferramenta que viabiliza a identificação pontual de problemas relacionados às pessoas, ao seu relacionamento e aos fatores ambientais. Por essa razão parece se constituir em instrumento eficiente para a gestão do trabalho em CME, pontuando inclusive indicadores para o desenvolvimento da equipe estudada

This study is refered to the meanings attributed to PAD on oneâs eight workers side who joined the interdisciplinary team, active in the refered program established in Fortaleza, CearÃ. The research has theoric basis in the qualitative method and the semi-structured interview. The Dejours ideas, concerning about work psychodynamic, and its connection with the workers psychological pleasure and suffering, based the comprehension of its contents work psychodynamic, and it made real trough. The subjects were male and female, genders ages between 29 and 45 years old, and they joined PAD team for more than a year. The interviews were transcripled and analyzed, highlighting questions according to several dataâs, longing for understand them. His discoveries, that donât apply to generalizations, are abridged on final consideration, where it also highlighted that their results showed, that PAD means to these workers a strategy, of acting that works as inducer agent and life and health, producer in an interdisciplinary approach, that cause the rise of âlivesâ quality under its monitoration, providing the financial costs racionalization to CAFAZ, in a view of current health, hegemonic and centerhospital. The research participants, recognize the existence of situations, that cause pleasure and suffering in the work developed at PAD, and admit that is necessary, to be developed better politics of Human Resources in Organization, that can, intervene in suffering situation of PAD team, to aim at reduce it and potencialize the experiences of pleasure at work. / Este estudo tratou sobre os significados atribuÃdos ao Programa de Atendimento Domiciliar - PAD, da Caixa de AssistÃncia aos FazendÃrios Estaduais - CAFAZ, por parte de oito trabalhadores que integravam a equipe interdisciplinar atuante no citado programa instaurado em Fortaleza, no CearÃ. A pesquisa teve fundamentaÃÃo no mÃtodo qualitativo e na tÃcnica de entrevista semi-estruturada. As idÃias de Dejours, concernentes à psicodinÃmica do trabalho e sua relaÃÃo com o prazer e o sofrimento psÃquico dos trabalhadores, subsidiaram a anÃlise dos dados e fundamentaram a compreensÃo de seus conteÃdos. Os sujeitos foram dos gÃneros masculino e feminino, com idades entre 29 a 45 anos, e integravam a equipe do PAD hà mais de um ano. As entrevistas foram transcritas e analisadas, destacando-se questÃes recorrentes a anÃlise dos fatores de entrave e facilitaÃÃo no trabalho por eles indicados, ao conhecimento das atividades desenvolvidas por esses profissionais, segundo Ãs suas percepÃÃes, e a avaliaÃÃo dos conteÃdos emocionais instigados, por conta do atendimento domiciliar, em meio aos dados plurais, almejando-se decifrÃ-los. Suas descobertas, que nÃo se aplicam a generalizaÃÃes, foram resumidas nas consideraÃÃes finais, onde tambÃm se destacou, que o PAD como um agente idutor e produtor de vida e saÃde, dentro de um enfoque interdisciplinar e que produz a elevaÃÃo da qualidade das "vidas" sob sua monitoraÃÃo, proporcionando a racionalizaÃÃo dos custos financeiros para a CAFAZ. Os resultados do estudo mostraram que existem nexos entre os objetivos especÃficos e as descobertas da pesquisa, como tambÃm, que os membros do PAD consideram, que à preciso desenvolver melhores polÃticas de Recursos Humanos na OrganizaÃÃo, as quais possam minimizar o sofrimento psÃquico destes profissionais e potencializar suas vivÃncias de prazer no trabalho

Introduction and Relevant Details: This research investigates the impact of inbound logistics' activities on the operational performance of the business within the branches of the South African Post Office (SAPO) in the Eastern Cape Province. The study basically hypothesises a statistically significant positive correlation between inbound logistics' activities and the operational performance of the business with regards to revenue generation and operational costs in particular. A sample of 100 branch offices was randomly selected. A 50-item questionnaire was administered by mail to the branches to collect the data during September 2005, and statistical tests for correlation were conducted on at least five dependent variables; stock procurement costs, effects on revenue, number of stock variation occurrences, order variation occurrences and the stock holding effects. Results of Data Analysis: The results of 88 respondents (88%) showed the existence of the significant positive relationship between the inbound logistics activities and the operational performance of the business at the South African Post Office branches as proposed by the study. The Spearman Rank Correlation tests were above 0.7 for most of the tested variables, showing a strong relationship. The inbound logistics' activities were also found to be positively correlated to revenue generation as well as to the operational expenses of the business. Conclusion and Recommendations: The findings allowed the researcher to conclude also that whatever improvements are made to the inbound logistics will also impact on the operational performance of the business, while failures in the inbound logistics will do so negatively. Business endeavours to maximise revenue and minimise costs are directly affected by the inbound logistics' activities. The branches of the SAPO seemed to be dissatisfied with most of the services rendered by the Supply Distribution Centre (SOC) of the SAPO, and such services have negatively affected the achievement of revenue targets at the branches as well as the operational costs. Holistic approaches to developing positive perceptions in the branches together with improving service activities at the SOC are recommended. Collaborative initiatives between branches and the SOC, reviewing the lead-times and the establishment of proper structures to handle supply chain queries, enhanced by information system technology to provide accurate and up-to-date information to branches and related parties about stock order issues are required . Areas of further research highlighted include the inbound logistics' activities of the SOC and the effectiveness of company policies as a guide to Supply Chain Management (SCM).

In South Africa the economic gaps imposed by the previous apartheid government aggravated economic inequalities and caused considerable disparities, which has resulted in high unemployment rates. Inequalities were also manifest in the neglect of infrastructural and service provision as well in the effective absence of independent governance among some race groups. This led to a call for pro-active initiatives by the post-1994 democratic government to remedy the living condition of the previously disadvantage people. As part of this poverty relief drive the South African government has embarked on a series of developmental initiatives in bringing infrastructure related service to the poor and to reduce the enormous prevailing backlog, with the aim of increasing community participation, improving service delivery and promoting the upliftment of the lives of poor people through the medium of local governance. This study investigated the integrated Development Planning, which has been undertaken in Cookhouse in Blue Crane Route Municipality in the Eastern Cape to respond to the prevailing poverty and underdevelopment among the poor communities.