Purpose: This study aims to investigate the role of Control mechanisms in sustaining Change initiatives. Method: Following qualitative research with inductive approach, the data was collected through semi-structured interviews from 10 change practitioners of multinationals in various fields, including Information Technology, Project Management, Banking, Logistics, Manufacturing and Telecommunication. Grounded theory was used to analyse the empirical findings. Findings: The results show that control mechanism play a crucial role right from guiding and governing the entire process of change. On the other hand, findings reveal a wide range of control tools in context to change management. Also, change readiness is crucial step, it is critical to be well prepared before a change project is initiated. Moreover, new concepts such as design thinking, CAPA (corrective action preventive action) and PDSA (Plan, do, study, act) emerged as control tool throughout the process of change improving efficacy, mistake proofing and driving continuous improvement. Finally, control mechanisms can make contribute to sustenance of CM initiatives through its potential of continuous monitoring and indicating Implications: Theoretically, the study challenges established conceptions of CM by emphasizing the role of preparedness and adaptation. It proposes dynamic frameworks and proactive control methods to facilitate organizational transformation. Practically, it emphasizes the importance of extensive training, logical methods, and a variety of tools for effectively navigating change process.

Este estudo tem como foco de análise o funcionamento dos Conselhos de Classe no regime escolar dos ciclos na rede pública municipal de ensino de Santo André, região do ABC paulista, em três gestões administrativas (1997-2008). A pesquisa acompanha o processo de implementação dos Ciclos e dos Conselhos de Classe, desde o seu advento, cuja operacionalização se dá no âmbito de uma política progressista de educação. Nessa perspectiva, o estudo tem como objetivos: investigar a relação entre a concepção pedagógica dos Ciclos e a forma como foram encaminhadas as discussões dos alunos em situação de fracasso escolar; analisar as queixas e os encaminhamentos mencionados pelos professores nos Conselhos de Classe; investigar a incidência dos dados apresentados nas atas dos Conselhos de Classe nas modalidades da Educação Infantil e do Ensino Fundamental e analisar o entendimento dos sujeitos educacionais que vivenciaram a concepção pedagógica dos Ciclos e dos Conselhos de Classe e que obtiveram êxito em sua prática, seja em sala de aula ou na gestão educacional. A pesquisa é de natureza qualitativa, baseada em dados documentais, observações e entrevistas semiestruturadas, realizadas com professores e técnicos da Secretaria de Educação e Formação Profissional (SEFP). As análises destacam os diferentes vieses e desafios da implementação da política educacional no atendimento à diversidade e aos diferentes ritmos de aprendizagem. Busca mostrar que o trato pedagógico direcionado a alunos em dificuldade de aprendizagem evidencia os esforços, as possibilidades e as contradições encontradas no discurso dos diferentes segmentos que compartilham da realidade escolar. Percebe-se que mesmo dinamizando a prática pedagógica ou propondo outros critérios de composição das turmas, o que ocorre é um movimento de inércia que reforça a constante busca pela homogeneização do alunado. As premissas discutidas neste trabalho destacam o êxito e o fracasso escolar como temas que colocam os desafios vividos na realidade educacional em contínuo debate. / This study examines the functioning of the Class Councils in the scheme of school at Public cycles of Santo Andre, region of the Great ABC at metropolitan Sao Paulo´s area, in three administrative managements (1997-2008). The research followed the implementation process of Cycles and the Class Councils, since its advent, whose operation is done within a progressive education policy. From this perspective, the study aims to investigate the relationship between the pedagogical concept of cycles and how it was dealt with the issue of school failure; aims to analyze the complaints and referrals referred by teachers in the class councils; investigate the data presented in reports of the class councils, in terms of Early Childhood Education and Elementary School, and to analyze the educational understanding of the subjects who experienced the pedagogical concept of cycles and the Class Councils who were successful in their implementation, whether in the classroom or in educational administration. The research is qualitative, based on documentary evidence, observations and interviews, conducted with teachers and technicians of the Department of Education and Professional Training (SEFP in portuguese). The analysis highlights the different aspects and challenges of implementing educational policy in meeting the diversity and different learning paces. It seeks to show that the pedagogy used in students with learning disabilities is a sum of efforts and possibilities but also the contradictions in the speech by the different segments that share the theme. It is noticed that even by increasing the teaching practice or from other criteria of class composition, what happens is a movement of inertia that reinforces the constant search for the homogenization of the students. The cases described provide evidence that the success and failure at school is an issue under constant debate.

Relationship between academic self-concept, causal attribution for success and raílure, and academic achievement in pre-adolescents. This study shows the relationship between the variables mentioned above in 284 primary school students in Lima (5"' aI)d 6"' grades). The Self Description Questionnaire (SDQ-I) and the Sydney Attribution Scale (SAS) were applied with a previous validation process. Mathematics and Language final grades were assumed as academic achievement indicators. SAS exploratory factorial analysis showed five factors, tbree of them demonstrated that children do not discriminate between effort and ability. About SDQ, results confirmed that children can differentiate between self-concept dimensions. Participants showed a favorable self-concept in a11 dimensions and a strong intemal locus of control. In the same way, there was a tendency for studems to accept success for internal causes and totally deny failure. / La presente investigación busca identificar las relaciones que se tienden entre las variables mencionadas. 284 estudiantes de 5° y 6° grado de primaria conformaron la muestra. Para medir las variables se aplicó el Cuestionario de Autodescripción (SDQ-I) y la Escala de Atribuciones de Sydney (SAS). Asimismo, se recogieron los promedios finales de las áreas de matemáticas y comunicación integral como indicadores de rendimiento. Un análisis factorial exploratorio del SAS mostró cinco factores, tres de los cuales demostraban que los estudiantes no discriminaban entre esfuerzo y habilidad. Sobre el SDQ, los resultados confirmaron que los niños diferenciaban entre las diferentes dimensiones del autoconcepto. En general, los participantes mostraron un autoconcepto favorable en todas sus dimensiones, lo cual estaría relacionado con el marcado locus de control interno que mostraron. Asimismo, pudo apreciarse la tendencia notable a aceptar el éxito por causas internas y negar las posibilidades de fracaso.

Este estudo tem como foco de análise o funcionamento dos Conselhos de Classe no regime escolar dos ciclos na rede pública municipal de ensino de Santo André, região do ABC paulista, em três gestões administrativas (1997-2008). A pesquisa acompanha o processo de implementação dos Ciclos e dos Conselhos de Classe, desde o seu advento, cuja operacionalização se dá no âmbito de uma política progressista de educação. Nessa perspectiva, o estudo tem como objetivos: investigar a relação entre a concepção pedagógica dos Ciclos e a forma como foram encaminhadas as discussões dos alunos em situação de fracasso escolar; analisar as queixas e os encaminhamentos mencionados pelos professores nos Conselhos de Classe; investigar a incidência dos dados apresentados nas atas dos Conselhos de Classe nas modalidades da Educação Infantil e do Ensino Fundamental e analisar o entendimento dos sujeitos educacionais que vivenciaram a concepção pedagógica dos Ciclos e dos Conselhos de Classe e que obtiveram êxito em sua prática, seja em sala de aula ou na gestão educacional. A pesquisa é de natureza qualitativa, baseada em dados documentais, observações e entrevistas semiestruturadas, realizadas com professores e técnicos da Secretaria de Educação e Formação Profissional (SEFP). As análises destacam os diferentes vieses e desafios da implementação da política educacional no atendimento à diversidade e aos diferentes ritmos de aprendizagem. Busca mostrar que o trato pedagógico direcionado a alunos em dificuldade de aprendizagem evidencia os esforços, as possibilidades e as contradições encontradas no discurso dos diferentes segmentos que compartilham da realidade escolar. Percebe-se que mesmo dinamizando a prática pedagógica ou propondo outros critérios de composição das turmas, o que ocorre é um movimento de inércia que reforça a constante busca pela homogeneização do alunado. As premissas discutidas neste trabalho destacam o êxito e o fracasso escolar como temas que colocam os desafios vividos na realidade educacional em contínuo debate. / This study examines the functioning of the Class Councils in the scheme of school at Public cycles of Santo Andre, region of the Great ABC at metropolitan Sao Paulo´s area, in three administrative managements (1997-2008). The research followed the implementation process of Cycles and the Class Councils, since its advent, whose operation is done within a progressive education policy. From this perspective, the study aims to investigate the relationship between the pedagogical concept of cycles and how it was dealt with the issue of school failure; aims to analyze the complaints and referrals referred by teachers in the class councils; investigate the data presented in reports of the class councils, in terms of Early Childhood Education and Elementary School, and to analyze the educational understanding of the subjects who experienced the pedagogical concept of cycles and the Class Councils who were successful in their implementation, whether in the classroom or in educational administration. The research is qualitative, based on documentary evidence, observations and interviews, conducted with teachers and technicians of the Department of Education and Professional Training (SEFP in portuguese). The analysis highlights the different aspects and challenges of implementing educational policy in meeting the diversity and different learning paces. It seeks to show that the pedagogy used in students with learning disabilities is a sum of efforts and possibilities but also the contradictions in the speech by the different segments that share the theme. It is noticed that even by increasing the teaching practice or from other criteria of class composition, what happens is a movement of inertia that reinforces the constant search for the homogenization of the students. The cases described provide evidence that the success and failure at school is an issue under constant debate.

This thesis provides an understanding of retailers’ performance metrics and measurement. In doing so it lays bare the over reliance on historic published accounting reports as the de facto standard for retail performance reporting. In addition, it exposes the weakness in retail accounting reports as well as retail failure prediction models that are dependent on financial ratios as key variables. This thesis also casts light on the non-financial performance metrics used by retailers. All retailers use performance metrics but do not always report them in a coherent and defined way to give a transparent picture of their actual performance. The subject of performance, and metrics in particular, can be approached from multiple disciplines, yet there is an absence of detailed guidance or discussion of retail performance metrics, for retail boards, in any literature. To comprehend a UK retailer’s performance, it is argued that there is a prerequisite to understand the full context of the UK retail landscape, and the multitude of metrics, both financial and non-financial, this brings into play when discussing performance measurement. Accordingly, the objectives of this thesis were to identify: what retail performance metrics are used by retail boards to manage their performance; what these boards claim about their performance in the public domain; and what disconnect there may be between these two areas. A pragmatic worldview in the interpretative tradition frames the research epistemology. This inductive approach is supported by a multiple case study design strategy using informed grounded theory to conduct research into six case companies (four successful and two failed) in order to discover the retail performance metrics they use and report. The findings show an abundance of metrics in use at retail boardroom level and a ‘sifting matrix’ is devised to cluster the metrics to aid comprehension and ranking into the 20 focus areas which retail boards consider important. These focus areas provide a basis for a suite of metrics, ‘the vital few’ within which six were found to be consistently and persistently used that could form an industry standard. In addition, there was evidence that retailers adapt their metrics as they change, giving substance to the notion of adaptive resilience in performance measurement. Any disconnect between metric use and disclosure was explored through a conceptual framework, ‘a journey matrix’, where retailers are on a journey to becoming trust intelligent with their disclosure of retail performance metrics. The transparent disclosure of retail performance metrics provides the explicit link to gaining trust and demonstrating good governance practice implicit within stewardship theory. The ‘journey matrix’ is also proposed as an alternative developmental viewpoint for analysing retailers’ annual reports and accounts. The development and disclosure of retail performance metrics lacks guidance on definitions, calculation bases and recommended disclosure. Without guidance, the voluntary proliferation of selective reporting is likely to render performance, as published by retailers themselves, opaque and confusing. This thesis starts the debate about board level retail performance metrics research and provides a framework to assist retail boards to evaluate what they use and what they disclose in their journey to gain the trust of stakeholders.

The restaurant industry plays an essential role in the U.S. economy. Approximately 26% of small- and medium-sized enterprise restaurants fail during their first year of business operation and 60% cannot sustain beyond 3 years. The objective of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies that small- and medium-sized restaurant owners used to financially sustain business beyond 5 years. The purposive sample consisted of 4 successful restaurant owners who have been in operation for at least 5 years in the southern region of the United States. The general systems theory was the conceptual framework of this study. The data were collected from semistructured interviews, cash flow statement, and profit and loss statements. Member checking and transcript review were used to strengthen the credibility and trustworthiness. The 3 themes that emerged from methodological triangulation after completing the Yin's 5 steps of data analysis were market research, great customer service, and having passion. The findings of this study might serve as a guide for current and future SME restaurant owners to financially sustain business beyond 5 years. The findings of the study may contribute to social change as successful small- and medium-sized enterprise restaurant owners would help address unemployment issues by generating additional jobs and building wealth for themselves, their employees, communities, and the local economy.

This thesis focuses on examining key competitive strategies for multinational corporations(MNCs) operating in emerging markets, and what factors contribute to the success or failureof these strategies. Also, this research will study how MNCs can adapt competitive strategiesto fit emerging market characteristics and local market conditions. It will also examine thefactors of variation for competitive strategies across different emerging markets.The empirical findings in this study were acquired using a qualitative single case study of anMNC operating in international markets. The findings were gathered through semi-structuredinterviews to then be analysed and discussed with the literature review to highlight differencesand similarities.The conclusion of this thesis displays competitive strategies used by MNCs in emergingmarkets and the factors that impact success or failure. The single case study of NIBEgenerated examples of competitive strategies in emerging markets, more specifically howacquisition and subsidiaries were used to adapt to local market characteristics. Factorsaffecting the success or failure of MNCs are institutions, networks, local regulations andnorms, together with local market conditions.

Esta pesquisa de doutorado se propôs a investigar como a progressão continuada atua na produção do êxito e do fracasso escolar, tendo como pano de fundo outros dispositivos escolares. Para tanto, investigou-se, em uma cidade do interior de São Paulo, duas escolas, situadas na mesma região, que oferecem os anos iniciais do ensino fundamental, sendo uma estadual, que adota a progressão continuada, e outra, municipal, que mantém a reprovação por aproveitamento insuficiente entre as séries. Estas apresentam praticamente as mesmas taxas de aprovação, porém, a municipal teve um desempenho superior ao da estadual, em língua portuguesa e matemática na Prova Brasil 2009, em mais de 25 pontos. A teoria se baseia no diálogo entre as obras de Pierre Bourdieu, Norbert Elias e Bernard Lahire. A pesquisa caracterizou-se como um estudo de caso, de natureza qualitativa. Utilizou-se múltiplas fontes de dados, a saber: observações diretas em salas de aula; questionários referentes a diretores, coordenadores, professores, alunos e pais; entrevistas com diretores, coordenadores e professores; documentos relativos à vida escolar dos estudantes; e microdados da Prova Brasil e do Censo Escolar da Educação Básica. As questões orientadoras da investigação foram as seguintes: Quais são os principais dispositivos escolares que condicionam o êxito e o fracasso escolar? Qual o papel da progressão continuada quando inserida na trama formada por esses dispositivos? Buscou-se descrever tais dispositivos e analisá-los em função das suas repercussões nos processos de socialização e escolarização. As análises das configurações investigadas permitiram elaborar vários apontamentos interligados entre si, tais como enunciados a seguir: a produção do êxito e do fracasso escolar é um processo multicondicionado, o que inviabiliza responsabilizar, de maneira isolada ou preponderante, a progressão continuada pela baixa qualidade da educação. A composição das turmas tende a influenciar o desempenho dos alunos e, dependendo dos critérios adotados, a aumentar a desigualdade intraescolar. A autonomia, no âmbito pedagógico, pode facilitar a gestão da escola e favorecer o trabalho docente. As avaliações externas influenciam as práticas de gestores e docentes, com maior ou menor intensidade, dependendo do tipo de responsabilização que ensejam. Os simulados são utilizados para preparar os alunos para a realização de testes padronizados, no entanto, possibilitam também um uso diagnóstico e formativo das informações produzidas. A cultura da repetência ainda é expressiva, porém, no âmbito da escola, vem sendo influenciada pelos dispositivos da progressão continuada, tal como se vê na tensão entre a avaliação classificatória e a formativa. / This doctorate research had the purpose of investigating how continued progression acts on the production of school success and failure, the background being other school devices. For such, I have investigated in a city in the countryside of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, two schools located in the same area, which provide the first grades of elementary school; one of them is in the state education system and the other in the local education system, the former adopts continued progression and the latter, maintains repetition due to insufficient achievement in the grades. Both schools present virtually the same rates of approval, however the local school performance is higher than the state school´s results in Portuguese and Mathematics in the Prova Brasil (Brazil test) 2009, of over 25 points. The theory is based on the dialogue between the works Pierre Bourdieu, Norbert Elias, and Bernard Lahire. The research is characterized as a case study, of qualitative nature. Multiple data sources were utilized, including: direct observation of classrooms; questionnaires to principals, curriculum coordinators, teachers, students and parents; interviews with principals, curriculum coordinators and teachers; documents related to school records of the students; and micro-data from Prova Brasil and from the School Census. The guidelines of the investigation were the following: What are the major school devices that affect the school success and failure? What is the role of continued progression when is part of the plot formed by these devices? The objective was to describe such devices and analyze them according to their repercussions in the processes of socialization and schooling. The analyses of the configurations investigated allowed to build a number of interconnected annotations, outlined as follows. The production of school success and failure is multi-conditioned process, which makes it unfeasible to hold continued progression responsible in an isolated or prevailing way for the low quality of education. The composition of classrooms tends to influence a student´s performance and, depending on the criteria adopted, it also tends to increase intra-school inequality. Autonomy in the pedagogical sphere may facilitate school management and encourage the teaching work. The external assessments influence the practices of managers and teachers, with more or less intensity, depending on the type of accountability they give rise to. Sample exams are utilized to prepare students who will then sit for standardized tests, however, they can also be used for diagnostics and formative use of the information produced. The culture of repetition is still striking, but at the school level it has been influenced by devices of continued progression, as can be seen in the tension between classificatory and formative assessment.

<p>This is a qualitative study, the aim of which is to explore experiences influencing the<br /> academic performance of 1st Year nursing students at the Western Cape College of Nursing,<br /> South Africa, during 2008 when the College was confronted with unprecedented failure rates<br /> among 1st Year students. It describes the College‟s collaboration with a higher education<br /> institution and the changes that emanated from this collaboration. The influence of<br /> situational factors on 1st Year nursing students is explored. These include the legacy of the<br /> inequality of past learning opportunities, institutional factors which hamper students‟ sense of<br /> belonging, and the social and academic integration of students into their learning<br /> environment. The methodology used in the process of exploring these factors included focus<br /> group discussions with students and in-depth interviews with staff in order to explore their<br /> respective perceptions of the problem. From this it is hoped that the quality of human<br /> resources for health will be enhanced.</p>

<p>This is a qualitative study, the aim of which is to explore experiences influencing the<br /> academic performance of 1st Year nursing students at the Western Cape College of Nursing,<br /> South Africa, during 2008 when the College was confronted with unprecedented failure rates<br /> among 1st Year students. It describes the College‟s collaboration with a higher education<br /> institution and the changes that emanated from this collaboration. The influence of<br /> situational factors on 1st Year nursing students is explored. These include the legacy of the<br /> inequality of past learning opportunities, institutional factors which hamper students‟ sense of<br /> belonging, and the social and academic integration of students into their learning<br /> environment. The methodology used in the process of exploring these factors included focus<br /> group discussions with students and in-depth interviews with staff in order to explore their<br /> respective perceptions of the problem. From this it is hoped that the quality of human<br /> resources for health will be enhanced.</p>