No description available.

Background Failures in non-technical skills (NTS) contribute to adverse events in healthcare. Previous research has explored the assessment and training of these skills, and yet there is a lack of evidence for their impact on clinical outcomes. Gastrointestinal endoscopy is a high-pressure specialty, but to date there is little on the role of NTS in this area, or a method for their assessment. This MD project aims to measure NTS in endoscopy, explore their relationship with clinical outcomes, and identify those specific to this area of healthcare. Methods An observational study of endoscopy teams in real time, using the Oxford NOTECHS II assessment tool. Comparison of NTS performance with procedure outcomes and patient satisfaction. A qualitative interview study with staff members to establish the NTS specifically relevant to working in gastrointestinal endoscopy. Results Reliability of the Oxford NOTECHS II tool by a single rater in this environment was good. Positive relationships were found between NTS scores and polyp detection, scope withdrawal time and completion of items on a safety checklist. However, relationships with other outcomes, including patient satisfaction were weak, or inconclusive. The themes identified relating to NTS in gastrointestinal endoscopy were leadership, working together as a team, situation awareness, making decisions, the patient and communication. Conclusions Although few conclusive relationships were found between NTS performance and procedure outcomes, those positive associations found seem logical as they are likely to reflect increased care and vigilance. This may have been affected by a lack of variation in scores. The NTS relevant to this area are similar to other areas of healthcare. However, the interaction with and around the awake patient is unique to endoscopy and an important influence on the NTS that staff must possess. There is scope to develop a more specific tool for the assessment of NTS in endoscopy.

This thesis uses a macroeconomic approach to study labour adjustments following sector-specific shocks. I develop a general model, investigate its dynamic adjustment process and apply it to study the Canadian economy in 2002–2006. This episode is an interesting case study because it features a significant labour reallocation to the resource sector and away from manufacturing, precipitated by an increase in global commodity prices and an associated exchange rate appreciation. The results establish that impediments to the adjustment process are economically significant in the aggregate for this episode, imposing costs of up to three percent of output during the transition. These findings augment several studies that suggest individual workers can face large and persistent earnings losses during job turnover. However, unlike previous research, I use the search and matching approach — which incorporates explicit labour market frictions — to uncover the sources of these costs for the macroeconomy. The findings emphasize that job loss itself is not particularly important quantitatively, but rather the non-transferability of skills during job turnover is a key concern. Finally, I investigate how labour market policy impacts the economy’s response to sector-specific shocks by analyzing a counterfactual policy change in unemployment benefits and improved skill acquisition through faster learning and training subsidies. The results reveal interesting policy trade-offs. First, I find that increasing unemployment benefits prolongs the economy’s adjustment, reduces employment, output and welfare and increases unemployment incidence and duration. However, because this policy impacts high-productivity and low-productivity sectors differently, it shifts the composition of the remaining jobs towards high-productivity sectors, thereby raising aggregate productivity and also reduces wage inequality. Second, I find that faster skill acquisition has the potential to deliver large economic gains in the long-run, but requires up-front investment costs which entail reduced economic performance in the short-run. / Thesis (Ph.D, Economics) -- Queen's University, 2008-08-05 23:44:39.827

In Mabopane’s core, designers have, in an idealistic, static and utopian fashion, created environments for a society that does not exist, which has resulted in a tension between formal environments and informal activities. Because of the nature of formal institutions, informality (which is the backbone of identity of place) is suffering and being encroached upon by formal developments. In reality, in all formality lies some informality, and vice versa. The intention is not to formalise the informal or informalise the formal, but rather to create a hybrid space where the two extremes (which are dependent on each other for survival) can co-exist and form a symbiotic relationship. How does one create this landscape of co-dependence? The answer is firstly sought in a programmatic approach . An apprenticeship workshop inherits current site activities and forges a new relationship between the two extremes by sourcing the by-products of retail from the formal structure (i.e. the shopping centre) and utilising the evident resource effi ciency of the community in order to solve a series of urban problems. The programme consists of two branches: the larger product manufacturing (where a current modular housing system with added recycled insulation is produced); and the smaller workshops (where fi ner crafts are practised, such as sewing and mending). These spaces are aimed at creating social, economic and knowledge-exchange environments. The programme is used as a vessel to illustrate the concept that three types of spaces are required: the necessary, the optional and the spontaneous. The programme is designed in such a way that it compliments existing activities, introduces new ones where necessary and capitalises on established networks. The built form is thus required to create a hybrid landscape of exchange. In order to create this landscape, a visual language is extracted from the context, deciphered and applied to the proposed site and activities. The designer is only capable of creating the formal and not in control of the informal, but one can learn from the fabric by deciphering some of the visible patterns on how to create successful space. This understanding of “anonymous architecture” aims to stimulate the narrative between the two extremes. By examining the context, understanding what works and why it works in that specifi c way, a decision on what formal intervention is needed, could be supported to compliment and refl ect the dynamic properties of the context. This familiarity of form is used to create an architecture that is region specifi c in its message and use. / Dissertation (MArch(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2014. / Architecture / MArch(Prof) / Unrestricted

Title: Options affecting the physical assumptions in Youth Volleyball Aim: To gather relevant information on fitness training volleyball at the age of 16 to 18 years, which would help novice coaches to basic knowledge in this direction. In the questionnaire, I found out how much time is spent conditioning coaches youth trainings, and what they experience in this area. Methods: Data acquisition of high quality and trusted sources of literature and web sitxes relating to fitness training in different sports, general knowledge about physical abilities and basic information about volleyball and it all efficiently directed to the general fitness training volleyball. The practical part has the task of evaluating questionnaires collected. The evaluation used descriptive statistics. The relative frequency of this statistic is expressed in the graph for easy understanding. Using the questionnaire were addressed only coaches youth volleyball components. Assessment I conducted myself using Microsoft Excel, Power point and calculators. Result: Due to the fact that I was in the theoretical part focused on affordable quality literature, so I think that the work is made of high quality and proven resources, full of important and useful information, which concerned the final mainly physical abilities and their...

This study is a first of its kind for New Zealand journalism education, following 20 students at two different schools throughout a year-long training programme. It used two methods to gain a deeper understanding: a discourse analysis of their news stories written at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the year, and retrospective protocol analysis, to provide insight into their thinking processes, through their taped reflections. The research found that journalism education controlled by the New Zealand Journalists Training Organisation still resembles that of 20 years ago, despite increasing numbers of students learning journalism as part of degree programmes. Students are trained for the media industry through learning by doing. They receive basic instruction and then are expected to perfect their skills by practising their writing and to learn the conventions and routines of the media industry through socialisation and work experience. In the first half of the year, the students developed some skills in writing the traditional inverted-pyramid news stories. However, by the end of the year, their news writing showed technical signs of regression. Firstly, they were not writing in a succinct, clear fashion, emphasising news values. Secondly, they had been inadequately trained to write outside of the inverted-pyramid news story or to use popular “soft” lead sentences, so that their writing tended towards being promotional. Thirdly, journalism institutions strongly favour subediting by tutors and this detracted from the students gaining understanding of their own writing and being able to self-monitor and evaluate it. Lastly, they failed to show the critical thinking skills and independence necessary for a professional journalist so that they could research thoroughly, reflect deeply and write entertaining, informative and important news stories with flair. Their reflections confirmed these findings, suggesting some stress and disillusionment. The students could “declare” what they knew about writing a news story but could not put it into practice. They blamed their failure to write high quality news stories on the pressures of the course, the deadlines and high volumes of stories. The gaps in their journalism education were also revealed through what was not mentioned in their taped reflections: in particular, they failed to mention the importance of news values in making their stories more appealing. The major influence at first was the students’ tutors, followed by work experience and the “real world” of the media industry. The concentration on job skills and gaining a job coupled with a lack of knowledge and discussion provided the students with an incomplete understanding of the pressures of the media industry they were entering. The study recommends more debate about journalism education and more research, as well as a change away from “learning by doing” to a more critical, reflective approach.

The main purpose of this study was to examine and describe college students&rsquo / and graduates&rsquo / perceptions of the received and expected levels of employability skills and qualities clustered into the domains of communication, mathematics, quantitative, foreign language, technology, teamworking, learning, problem-solving, adaptability, and personal qualities during college training, and also to assess college educators&rsquo / and employers&rsquo / perceptions regarding the importance level of identified employability skills and qualities for graduates&rsquo / entry, success and productivity in workplaces. In this study, data were gathered through three distinct questionnaires whose frame and content were developed by utilizing a survey with 218 students, 54 graduates, 26 educators and 16 employers. The setting was Cappadocia Vocational College campus and several towns in Nevsehir where workplaces of external partners of the college are located. Descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized to analyze the results of this study. Frequencies were tabulated to determine significant associations and mean scores were calculated to assess the identified variables. Paired and independent samples t-tests were utilized to explore the differences between the perceptions of students, graduates and educators. The responses of employers were tabulated within itself due to low number of participants. The findings of indicated that students and graduates perceived college training to have little or moderate impact on employability skill acquisition / however, besides student population, employers and educators perceived employability skills to be of medium or high importance for graduates&rsquo / effective job performance and productivity of workplaces.

This study is a first of its kind for New Zealand journalism education, following 20 students at two different schools throughout a year-long training programme. It used two methods to gain a deeper understanding: a discourse analysis of their news stories written at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the year, and retrospective protocol analysis, to provide insight into their thinking processes, through their taped reflections. The research found that journalism education controlled by the New Zealand Journalists Training Organisation still resembles that of 20 years ago, despite increasing numbers of students learning journalism as part of degree programmes. Students are trained for the media industry through learning by doing. They receive basic instruction and then are expected to perfect their skills by practising their writing and to learn the conventions and routines of the media industry through socialisation and work experience. In the first half of the year, the students developed some skills in writing the traditional inverted-pyramid news stories. However, by the end of the year, their news writing showed technical signs of regression. Firstly, they were not writing in a succinct, clear fashion, emphasising news values. Secondly, they had been inadequately trained to write outside of the inverted-pyramid news story or to use popular “soft” lead sentences, so that their writing tended towards being promotional. Thirdly, journalism institutions strongly favour subediting by tutors and this detracted from the students gaining understanding of their own writing and being able to self-monitor and evaluate it. Lastly, they failed to show the critical thinking skills and independence necessary for a professional journalist so that they could research thoroughly, reflect deeply and write entertaining, informative and important news stories with flair. Their reflections confirmed these findings, suggesting some stress and disillusionment. The students could “declare” what they knew about writing a news story but could not put it into practice. They blamed their failure to write high quality news stories on the pressures of the course, the deadlines and high volumes of stories. The gaps in their journalism education were also revealed through what was not mentioned in their taped reflections: in particular, they failed to mention the importance of news values in making their stories more appealing. The major influence at first was the students’ tutors, followed by work experience and the “real world” of the media industry. The concentration on job skills and gaining a job coupled with a lack of knowledge and discussion provided the students with an incomplete understanding of the pressures of the media industry they were entering. The study recommends more debate about journalism education and more research, as well as a change away from “learning by doing” to a more critical, reflective approach.

This diploma thesis "Floorball Summer Fitness Training" describes the process and influence of a fitness training period on female floorball players of Fbš Bohemians Praha club. The theoretical part focuses on fitness training and its elements, it also describes motor skills, training phases and physical tests. The practical part of the thesis deals with the actual testing of the players prior to the start of the summer fitness training period and afterwards. These results are compared and evaluated, showing the influence of the training on the players. KEYWORDS - Floorball - Training - Fitness training - Motor skills - Testing

Although theory suggests the importance of the influence of selected human factors as antecedents to the efficiency of upstream supply chains, research findings of the actual influence human factors may have are lacking in evidence. This study examines its influence on the basis of a literature study as well as an empirical study in an attempt to find hard facts to its role in supply chain efficiency. Six different human factors were identified, based on opinions from key opinion leaders in this field of study and investigated its relevance by means of empirical research. Results suggest that the selected human factors that play a definite role in upstream supply chain efficiency are: individual’s principles, individual’s goals and company’s goals for the individual - common goals, personality, ability/trainability, general skills and training, and mutual trust and understanding. Findings presented interesting results that should influence the way management handles its human assets in the organisational environment. / Thesis (MBA)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.