Com a crescente globalização de mercados e o aumento gradativo da concorrência, a inovação pode propiciar às organizações resultados positivos tais como rentabilidade e a criação e manutenção de vantagem competitiva sobre os seus concorrentes - elementos indispensáveis à sobrevivência em longo prazo. A prática da inovação contribui para o desenvolvimento econômico por oportunizar a criação de novos mercados e o aperfeiçoamento de mercados existentes, gerando benefícios para produtores e consumidores de produtos novos ou melhorados pela inovação. Desta forma, justifica-se a existência de uma constante busca pela inovação. Seja ela pelo lançamento de um novo produto, melhoria de prestação de serviço, no processo de produção, na entrada de um novo mercado, entre outras formas de inovar. A ocorrência de inovações é a responsável por mudanças na dinâmica do desenvolvimento, sendo a adoção de novas tecnologias a manifestação explícita dessa dinâmica. A partir desta contextualização, esta Dissertação teve como objetivo identificar as inovações tecnológicas em produtos e processos, classificando-as em radicais e incrementais, ocorridas na empresa ALFA. A inovação tecnológica contribui para a teoria de inovação como base para a descrição da importância dos conceitos pertinentes ao processo de mensuração da inovação. O método de pesquisa utilizado possui abordagem qualitativa e quantitativa, com objetivo exploratório e descritivo. O procedimento técnico utilizado foi o estudo de caso único. Na fase quantitativa, foi utilizada uma survey, com um questionário estruturado como instrumento de coleta de dados, que foi aplicado aos funcionários das áreas de qualidade, engenharia e processos de uma empresa do setor metalmecânico, totalizando uma população de 60 entrevistados. A análise dos dados ocorreu em duas etapas, na etapa qualitativa, foi utilizada a análise de conteúdo das entrevistas realizadas com os gestores, coordenadores e supervisores das áreas de qualidade, engenharia e processo, e na etapa quantitativa foi utilizada análise descritiva, através da análise de frequência do Qui-quadrado dos dados obtidos dos questionários aplicados aos colaboradores das áreas de qualidade, engenharia e processo e os questionários aplicados aos coordenadores, gestores e supervisores das áreas de qualidade, engenharia e processo. Os resultados da fase qualitativa identificaram a implantação de inovação em produtos e processos na empresa estudada. Os resultados quantitativos identificaram que a inovação em produtos e processos implantadas na empresa são classificadas como incrementais. Por meio da análise de frequência, foram identificadas diferenças entre as respostas dos gestores e dos colaboradores sobre as denominações de inovação implantada na empresa. / Submitted by Ana Guimarães Pereira (agpereir@ucs.br) on 2015-10-05T12:11:58Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Edvania Rocha Rodrigues.pdf: 2338966 bytes, checksum: 48eeff3805fb7bd1d502e866f1c2c47a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-10-05T12:11:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Edvania Rocha Rodrigues.pdf: 2338966 bytes, checksum: 48eeff3805fb7bd1d502e866f1c2c47a (MD5) / With the increasing globalization of markets and the gradual increase of competition, innovation can provide positive results to organizations such as profitability and competitive advantage of the creation and maintenance over its competitors - essential elements to the long-term survival. The practice of innovation contributes to economic development by giving the opportunity for new markets creation and improvement of existing markets, generating benefits for producers and consumers of new products or improved products by the innovation. In this way, it is justified the existence of a constant search for innovation. Either by the launch of a new product, or improvement in service delivery, improvement in the production process, the entry into a new market, among other ways to innovate. Innovations are responsible for major changes in the dynamics of development and the introduction of new technologies the most explicit manifestation of this dynamic. From this contextualization, this essay aims to identify the technological innovations in products and processes occurred in the company ALFA, classifying them into radical and incremental. Technological innovation contributes to innovation theory as a basis for the description of the importance of relevant concepts to the process of innovation measurement. The research method used has qualitative and quantitative approach with exploratory and descriptive purpose. The technical procedure used was a single case study. In the quantitative phase, a survey was used with a structured questionnaire as data collection instrument, which was applied to the employees of the quality area, engineering and processes of a company in the metal-mechanic industry, with a total of 60 respondents. The analysis of the data occurred in two stages. The analysis from the interviews content conducted with managers, coordinators and supervisors of the quality area, engineering and process was used in the qualitative stage. And, in quantitative stage was used descriptive quantitative analysis by chi-square frequency analysis of the data from questionnaires given to employees of quality area, engineering and process and from questionnaires given to managers, coordinators and supervisors of the same areas. The results of the qualitative phase identified the innovation implementation in products and processes in the studied company. The quantitative results indicate that innovation in products and processes implemented in the company are classified as incremental. Through frequency analysis, differences were identified between the responses of managers and employees on innovation denominations established in the company.

Com a crescente globalização de mercados e o aumento gradativo da concorrência, a inovação pode propiciar às organizações resultados positivos tais como rentabilidade e a criação e manutenção de vantagem competitiva sobre os seus concorrentes - elementos indispensáveis à sobrevivência em longo prazo. A prática da inovação contribui para o desenvolvimento econômico por oportunizar a criação de novos mercados e o aperfeiçoamento de mercados existentes, gerando benefícios para produtores e consumidores de produtos novos ou melhorados pela inovação. Desta forma, justifica-se a existência de uma constante busca pela inovação. Seja ela pelo lançamento de um novo produto, melhoria de prestação de serviço, no processo de produção, na entrada de um novo mercado, entre outras formas de inovar. A ocorrência de inovações é a responsável por mudanças na dinâmica do desenvolvimento, sendo a adoção de novas tecnologias a manifestação explícita dessa dinâmica. A partir desta contextualização, esta Dissertação teve como objetivo identificar as inovações tecnológicas em produtos e processos, classificando-as em radicais e incrementais, ocorridas na empresa ALFA. A inovação tecnológica contribui para a teoria de inovação como base para a descrição da importância dos conceitos pertinentes ao processo de mensuração da inovação. O método de pesquisa utilizado possui abordagem qualitativa e quantitativa, com objetivo exploratório e descritivo. O procedimento técnico utilizado foi o estudo de caso único. Na fase quantitativa, foi utilizada uma survey, com um questionário estruturado como instrumento de coleta de dados, que foi aplicado aos funcionários das áreas de qualidade, engenharia e processos de uma empresa do setor metalmecânico, totalizando uma população de 60 entrevistados. A análise dos dados ocorreu em duas etapas, na etapa qualitativa, foi utilizada a análise de conteúdo das entrevistas realizadas com os gestores, coordenadores e supervisores das áreas de qualidade, engenharia e processo, e na etapa quantitativa foi utilizada análise descritiva, através da análise de frequência do Qui-quadrado dos dados obtidos dos questionários aplicados aos colaboradores das áreas de qualidade, engenharia e processo e os questionários aplicados aos coordenadores, gestores e supervisores das áreas de qualidade, engenharia e processo. Os resultados da fase qualitativa identificaram a implantação de inovação em produtos e processos na empresa estudada. Os resultados quantitativos identificaram que a inovação em produtos e processos implantadas na empresa são classificadas como incrementais. Por meio da análise de frequência, foram identificadas diferenças entre as respostas dos gestores e dos colaboradores sobre as denominações de inovação implantada na empresa. / With the increasing globalization of markets and the gradual increase of competition, innovation can provide positive results to organizations such as profitability and competitive advantage of the creation and maintenance over its competitors - essential elements to the long-term survival. The practice of innovation contributes to economic development by giving the opportunity for new markets creation and improvement of existing markets, generating benefits for producers and consumers of new products or improved products by the innovation. In this way, it is justified the existence of a constant search for innovation. Either by the launch of a new product, or improvement in service delivery, improvement in the production process, the entry into a new market, among other ways to innovate. Innovations are responsible for major changes in the dynamics of development and the introduction of new technologies the most explicit manifestation of this dynamic. From this contextualization, this essay aims to identify the technological innovations in products and processes occurred in the company ALFA, classifying them into radical and incremental. Technological innovation contributes to innovation theory as a basis for the description of the importance of relevant concepts to the process of innovation measurement. The research method used has qualitative and quantitative approach with exploratory and descriptive purpose. The technical procedure used was a single case study. In the quantitative phase, a survey was used with a structured questionnaire as data collection instrument, which was applied to the employees of the quality area, engineering and processes of a company in the metal-mechanic industry, with a total of 60 respondents. The analysis of the data occurred in two stages. The analysis from the interviews content conducted with managers, coordinators and supervisors of the quality area, engineering and process was used in the qualitative stage. And, in quantitative stage was used descriptive quantitative analysis by chi-square frequency analysis of the data from questionnaires given to employees of quality area, engineering and process and from questionnaires given to managers, coordinators and supervisors of the same areas. The results of the qualitative phase identified the innovation implementation in products and processes in the studied company. The quantitative results indicate that innovation in products and processes implemented in the company are classified as incremental. Through frequency analysis, differences were identified between the responses of managers and employees on innovation denominations established in the company.

Thesis. 1975. M.C.P.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning. / Microfiche copy available in Archives and Rotch. / Bibliography: leaves 209-213. / by Scott M. Hebert. / M.C.P.

This research investigates the attitudes and perceptions of the E-Markets as members of their value chain in the textile industry. The study began by formulating a basic understanding of the nature of buyer-to-buyer (B2B)s well as electronic marketplaces. Fundamentally, E-markets change the relationship dynamics between buyers and sellers from "one-to-one" to "many-to-many."

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study investigated the nature of a steel production process in South Africa. The Iron and Steel Corporation of South Africa (Iscor) was analysed within various theoretical approaches within the sociology of science and technology. Iscor follows the production processes that are based on a particular paradigm practiced throughout the world by steel-making organisations. The study aims to unlock this paradigm by using specific theoretical (ANT, SCOT and SSR) and disciplinary (MOT) approaches. Each approach provides a unique analytical dimension to the study: the influence of various human and non-human actors, the influence of social pressures, the historical evolution of the current practices and the management of risk. The study explores how Iscor adheres to mainstream scientific work. Hence there is a focus on endogeneous approaches - "processes of technological change and their outcomes are part of what has to be explained and understood" (Rip et ai, 1995). It is also noted that the technologies are derived from practical experiences and processes of scientific research. There is an ongoing attempt to formulate an understanding between technical and social content of steel-making processes because automated plant machinery continue to replace manual labour. Finally, the study investigates how dominant steel-making technologies within lscor's Vanderbijlpark (VP) and Saldanah Bay (SB) plants have evolved to achieve a position of stability. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie het oorsake van die staal produksie proses in Suid Afrika geondersoek. Die Yster en Staal Korperasie van Suid Afrika (Yskor) was geanaliseer binne die verskillende teoretiese benaderings in die sosiologie van wetenskap en tegnologie. Yskor volg 'n produksie wat gebaseer is op 'n spesifieke paradigm wat deur alle staal vervaardigde organisasie wereld wyd gepraktiseer word. Die studie beoog om hierdie paradigm te ontbloot, deur spesifieke teoretiese (ANT, SCOT and SSR) en disiplinere (MOT) benaderings te gebruik. Elk van hierdie benaderings sal 'n unieke analiese demensie voortbring aan die studie: die invloed van verskillende menslike en nie-menslike aspekte, die invloed van sosiale druk, die geskiedkundige evolusie van die huidige praktyke en die bestuur van risikos. Die studie ondersoek hoe Yskor riglyne volg in die wetenskaplike veld. AI te mits is daar 'n mikpunt op endogeniese benadering - "tegnologiese prosese verandering en die resultate wat deel vorm van hoe die proses verduidelik word en verstandbaar moet wees" (Rip et al, 1995). Dis is dus duidelik dat die tegnologie verkry word deur praktiese ondervinding en wetenskappe navorsing prosese. Daar is voortdurend pogings om die verwantskap tussen tegniese en die sosiale inhoud van die staal vervaardigings prosese te formuleer, deurdat auto-matiese mashienerie all deurgans oorneem van werkers. Laastens die studie ondersoek hoe die dominante staal vervaardigde tegnologie binne in Yskor Vanderbijlpark (VP) en Saldanha Baai (SB) verander het om 'n stabiele stands poort te verkry.

Intelligence tools have been developed and applied widely in many different areas in engineering, business and management. Many commercialized tools for business intelligence are available in the market. However, no practically useful tools for technology intelligence are available at this time, and very little academic research in technology intelligence methods has been conducted to date. Patent databases are the most important data source for technology intelligence tools, but patents inherently contain unstructured data. Consequently, extracting text data from patent databases, converting that data to meaningful information and generating useful knowledge from this information become complex tasks. These tasks are currently being performed very ineffectively, inefficiently and unreliably by human experts. This deficiency is particularly vexing in product planning, where awareness of market needs and technological capabilities is critical for identifying opportunities for new products and services. Total nescience of the text of patents, as well as inadequate, unreliable and untimely knowledge derived from these patents, may consequently result in missed opportunities that could lead to severe competitive disadvantage and potentially catastrophic loss of revenue. The research performed in this dissertation tries to correct the abovementioned deficiency with an approach called patent mining. The research is conducted at Finex, an iron casting company that produces traditional kitchen skillets. To 'mine' pertinent patents, experts in new product development at Finex modeled one ontology for the required product features and another for the attributes of requisite metallurgical enabling technologies from which new product opportunities for skillets are identified by applying natural language processing, information retrieval, and machine learning (classification) to the text of patents in the USPTO database. Three main scenarios are examined in my research. Regular classification (RC) relies on keywords that are extracted directly from a group of USPTO patents. Ontological classification (OC) relies on keywords that result from an ontology developed by Finex experts, which is evaluated and improved by a panel of external experts. Ontological semantic classification (OSC) uses these ontological keywords and their synonyms, which are extracted from the WordNet database. For each scenario, I evaluate the performance of three classifiers: k-Nearest Neighbor (k-NN), random forest, and Support Vector Machine (SVM). My research shows that OSC is the best scenario and SVM is the best classifier for identifying product planning opportunities, because this combination yields the highest score in metrics that are generally used to measure classification performance in machine learning (e.g., ROC-AUC and F-score). My method also significantly outperforms current practice, because I demonstrate in an experiment that neither the experts at Finex nor the panel of external experts are able to search for and judge relevant patents with any degree of effectiveness, efficiency or reliability. This dissertation provides the rudiments of a theoretical foundation for patent mining, which has yielded a machine learning method that is deployed successfully in a new product planning setting (Finex). Further development of this method could make a significant contribution to management practice by identifying opportunities for new product development that have been missed by the approaches that have been deployed to date.

With the growing trend of globalization and rapid development of high technologies, emerging economies face more challenges in technology development because they are chasing a fast-moving frontier. They need to identify global technology trends and adapt to local needs and capabilities. Strategies for technology development differ among countries at different developmental stages. In this research, a technology policy choice framework is developed to link prospective high-tech areas, technology development strategies, and various innovative resources. The research approach is to develop a hierarchical decision model (HDM) and apply the analytic hierarchical process (AHP). Experts are invited from diverse sources to provide a balanced perspective representing different stakeholders. This research focuses on the fast developing Chinese biopharmaceutical industry as a case study. The results of this research have identified thirteen prospective biotech areas that China should invest more resources for development. These technology areas include: recombinant therapeutic proteins, recombinant vaccines, monoclonal antibody technology, cell and tissue engineering, gene therapy, antisense therapy, RNAi, nanobiotechnology, synthetic biology, bioinformatics, pharmacogenetics, gene sequencing, and biotechnology diagnostics. For most of these technology areas, the results have indicated an imitative innovation strategy should be taken as a better strategy under current technological conditions in China. The research has further found that high-tech small-to-medium companies and multinational corporations are major innovation contributors in the Chinese biopharmaceutical sector. The research outcomes can serve as guidelines in resource allocation and policy making for technology development. Based on the overall research findings, policy-makers can apply more specific policy instruments to support innovation activities. Appropriate policy measures may help the country to construct an innovative ecosystem that can serve as the driving force for future technology development.

The purpose of this study was to explore the practice of quality control in the onscreen marking (OSM) environment of Biology (5008) examinations between 2013 and 2017. Examination marking is gradually being migrating from paper-based marking (PBM) to OSM in a bid to improve the efficiency and quality of marking. The Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) introduced OSM for some O Level subjects in June 2012, in a context characterised by a persistent economic crisis, patchy internet coverage, erratic power supplies and low digital literacy, among other challenges. The Council encountered some difficulties related to quality control, which triggered this qualitative instrumental single case study that was informed by the ontology, epistemology, methods and axiology of the constructivist philosophy. Data were collected through face-to-face and focus group interviews on the WhatsApp platform with 4 subject managers, 11 senior markers and 18 normal markers, and through document review. The findings of the study suggest that the quality of marking was influenced by the context in which the examinations were marked. The socio-political climate that prevailed in Zimbabwe impacted on the technological infrastructure for the OSM and the digital literacy of the examination personnel. The capacity of the examiners to work in the OSM environment was influenced by knowledge and skills transfer from training and standardisation to the live marking. The quality of marking was monitored by the seeds approach to script moderation, automatically generated reports and audit trails, and escalation of problem scripts. It was also influenced by the structure of the question papers, cognitive demands of the questions and mark schemes on the examiners, spaces provided for candidates’ responses and mark scheme features such as language and marks to marking points ratio. The assessment framework provided by the syllabus guided the design and marking of Biology examinations. From these findings, a framework that could guide the practice of quality control in the OSM environment was formulated. OSM technology could enhance the quality of marking Biology examinations, thereby eliminating challenges associated with PBM. Some of the opportunities were, however, reduced by the challenges encountered during the OSM of the examinations. It is recommended that ZIMSEC put in place policies and procedures that could guide specific quality control activities in the OSM environment and establish computer centres in the provincial capital towns. The Council could also consider benchmarking examiner recruitment, training and standardisation procedures with international examination authorities. / Tsvakurudzo ino yanga yakananga kuvandudza nharaunda yemakwenyero ebvunzo kubudikidza nemichina pachidzidzo cheBhayaroji, 5008 pakati pemakore a2013-2017. Vandudzo iyi iri kuuya zvishoma nezvishoma kubva pakukwenya pamapepa zvichienda mukukwenya nemichina (on screen marking :OSM ) nechinangwa chekuda kukwenenzvera mhando yebasa rezvekukwenya . Bazi rebvunzo reZimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) rakavarura kukwenya kubudikidza nemichina (OSM) kubvunzo dzedanho reOdhinari revhuru muna Chikumi 2012 , mumamiriro anozivikanwa ematambudziko ezveupfumi, masaisai eindaneti asingavimbiki anouya zvigamba zvigamba , magetsi asingawanikwe nguva dzose, nezivo yezvemichina muvakwenyi isina kupararira pakati pezvimwe zvimhingamupini. Kanzuru yezvebvunzo yakasangana nemamwe matambudziko ane chokuita nounaku hwezvemakwenyerwe ebvunzo hwakakonzera kuti paitwe tsvakurudzo ino yezveudzamu (qualitative) muchinzvimbo chiduku chakasarudzwa (case study) yaitungamirirwa nemaziviro evacho vanoona nezvekukwenya bvunzo (interpretivist epistemology) nemaziviro okuti chokwadi chinosiyana nekusiyana kwenharaunda nokuti chigadzirwa chevarimukati mekukwenya (constructivist ontology), nekuumba mufungo kubudikidza neumboo huchabuda mutsvakurudzo (inductive theory) nenzira nezvinokosheswa nenharaunda mukuumba ruzivo (constructivist philosophy). Umboo hwetsvakurudzo hwakawanikwa kubudikidza nebvunzurudzo ine udzamu padungamunhu nemumapoka nekupindurana padare reWatsiApu nevanotungamira zvidzidzo (Subject managers ) vana , zvidza mune zvokukwenywa bvunzo gumi neumwe, nevamwewo vakwenyi gumi nevasere uye kuongorora magwaro. Mamiriro ezvemagariro nematongerwo enyika mu / Ihloso yaleli rhubhululo bekukuphenya indlela ikhwalithi elawulwa ngayo ngehlelo lokutshwaya ngekhomphyutha kwe enhlahlubo zeBhayiloji (5008) phakathi komnyaka ka-2013 no-2017. Ukutshwaywa kwe enhlahlubo kancanikancani kuyasuka ehlelweni lokutshwaya iphepha ngesandla (PBM) kuya ehlelweni lokutshwaya ngekhomphyutha (OSM) ngomzamo wokuthuthukisa umsebenzi omuhle kanye nokuletha iqophelo eliphezulu lokutshwaya. Hlangana nezinye iintjhijilo, UMkhandlu wezokuTshwaywa kwe eNhlahlubo eZimbabwe (Zimbabwe School Examinations Council) (ZIMSEC) sewungenise ihlelo le-OSM kwezinye iimfundo zesigaba sika-O Level ngenyangaka Mgwengweni 2012, ngaphasi kobujamo obumbibe zomnotho, kobujamo obumaratha be-inthanedi, obuqokeme kobokuphakelwa ngegezi kanye na ngaphasi kwezinga eliphasi lefundo ye dijithali. UMkhandlu uhlangabezene nobunye ubudisi obumalunga nanokulawulwa kwekhwalithi, okubujamo obukhwezelele isizathu sokobana kube nerhubhululo linye elisebenzako elisebenzisa indlela yerhubhululo yekulumo, kanti lokhu kwabangelwayi-ontholoji, i-ephistemoloji, iindlela zerthubhululo kanye ne-akziyoloji yefilosofi i-constructivist philosophy. Idatha ibuthelelwe ngendlela yehlolombono yokubuza umuntu ngamunye ubuso nobuso kanye nokubuza iinqhema zabantu ezinqotjhiwe kokukundla yezokucocisana, i-WhatsApp platform kanye nabaphathi beemfundo aba-4 subject managers, abatshwayi abakhulu abali-11, kanye nabatshwayi abajayelekileko abali-18, kanti lokhu kwenziwa ngokubuyekeza umtlolo. Ilwazi elifumane keerhubhululweni liphakamisa kobana izinga lekhwalithi lokutshwaya laba nomthintela wobujamo/wendawo lapho iinhlahlubo zatshwaywa khona. Ubujamo bezehlalakuhle yabantu kezepolotik iebebusezweni leZimbabwe laba nomthelela phezu komthanga lasisekelo wethekinoloji, kanti kwathinta abasebenzi behlelo le-OSM kanye nezinga lefundo yedijithali. Amandla wekghono labatshwayi lokusebenza ebhodulukweni le-OSM lalilawulwa kudluliselwa kwelwazi kanye namakghonofundwa ukusukela ekubandulweni kanye nokwenza izinto ngendlela efanako ehlelweni elibonakala ngamehlo lokutshwaya. Izinga lokutshwaya lalitjhejwe yindlela yokulinganiswa kwamaphepha atshwayiwako, ihlelo le-seeds approach to script moderation, kanti ihlelwe lingokwalo lihlanganisa imibiko begodu lilandelela ukuhlolwa, kanti goduli yakwazi nokuveza amaphepha ane miraro. Leli hlelo begodula lilawulwa sisakhiwo sephepha lemibuzo, lilwazi elifunekako ephepheni lemibuzo kanye namaskimu wamaksi phezu kwabatshwayi bamaphepha, iinkhala ezenzelwako bana abafundi baphendulele kizo kanye namaskimu wokutshwaya okunje ngelimi kanye namamaksi asesilinganiswe nisamamaksi, phecelezi-marking points ratio. Isakhiwo sokuhlola sinikelwa yisilabhasi, okungiyo eyikombandlela yedizayini kanye nokutshwaywa kwe enhlahlubo zeBhayiloji. Ngalelilwazi elitholakeleko, kukghonakele ukuthi kutlanywe isakhiwo ebesingabayi kombandlela yendlela engalandelwa ukulawula ikhwalithi ebhodulukweni ye-OSM. Ithekinoloji ye-OSM beyinga siza izinga lokumakha iinhlahlubo zeBhayiloji, ngalokho lokhu bekungaphungula iintjhijilo ezihlobene nehlelo le-PBM. Nanyana kunjalo, amanye amathuba, aphungulwazi intjhijilo ekuhlangabezenwe nazo nakutshwaywa iinhlahlubo zehlelo le-OSM. Kuye kwa tjhukunyiswa ukobana i-ZIMSEC izene mithethomgomo kanye ne enkambiso ezingabayikombandlela elayela imisebenzi ethile koyokulawulwa kwekhwalithi ebhodulukweni le-OSM kanye nokuhloma iinkhungo zekhomphyutha kumadorobhahloko we emfunda. UMkhandlu begodu ungatjheja yokubeka izinga lokuqatjhwa kwabatshwayi, lokubandulwa kanye nehlelolokwenza izinto ngendlela efanako neyamaziko we entjhabatjhaba alawula iinhlahlubo. / Science and Technology Education / D. Phil. (Education)

Text in English, abstract in English, Shona and Xhosa / The purpose of this study was to explore the practice of quality control in the onscreen marking (OSM) environment of Biology (5008) examinations between 2013 and 2017. Examination marking is gradually being migrating from paper-based marking (PBM) to OSM in a bid to improve the efficiency and quality of marking. The Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) introduced OSM for some O Level subjects in June 2012, in a context characterised by a persistent economic crisis, patchy internet coverage, erratic power supplies and low digital literacy, among other challenges. The Council encountered some difficulties related to quality control, which triggered this qualitative instrumental single case study that was informed by the ontology, epistemology, methods and axiology of the constructivist philosophy. Data were collected through face-to-face and focus group interviews on the WhatsApp platform with 4 subject managers, 11 senior markers and 18 normal markers, and through document review. The findings of the study suggest that the quality of marking was influenced by the context in which the examinations were marked. The socio-political climate that prevailed in Zimbabwe impacted on the technological infrastructure for the OSM and the digital literacy of the examination personnel. The capacity of the examiners to work in the OSM environment was influenced by knowledge and skills transfer from training and standardisation to the live marking. The quality of marking was monitored by the seeds approach to script moderation, automatically generated reports and audit trails, and escalation of problem scripts. It was also influenced by the structure of the question papers, cognitive demands of the questions and mark schemes on the examiners, spaces provided for candidates’ responses and mark scheme features such as language and marks to marking points ratio. The assessment framework provided by the syllabus guided the design and marking of Biology examinations. From these findings, a framework that could guide the practice of quality control in the OSM environment was formulated. OSM technology could enhance the quality of marking Biology examinations, thereby eliminating challenges associated with PBM. Some of the opportunities were, however, reduced by the challenges encountered during the OSM of the examinations. It is recommended that ZIMSEC put in place policies and procedures that could guide specific quality control activities in the OSM environment and establish computer centres in the provincial capital towns. The Council could also consider benchmarking examiner recruitment, training and standardisation procedures with international examination authorities. / Tsvakurudzo ino yanga yakananga kuvandudza nharaunda yemakwenyero ebvunzo kubudikidza nemichina pachidzidzo cheBhayaroji, 5008 pakati pemakore a2013-2017. Vandudzo iyi iri kuuya zvishoma nezvishoma kubva pakukwenya pamapepa zvichienda mukukwenya nemichina (on screen marking :OSM ) nechinangwa chekuda kukwenenzvera mhando yebasa rezvekukwenya . Bazi rebvunzo reZimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) rakavarura kukwenya kubudikidza nemichina (OSM) kubvunzo dzedanho reOdhinari revhuru muna Chikumi 2012 , mumamiriro anozivikanwa ematambudziko ezveupfumi, masaisai eindaneti asingavimbiki anouya zvigamba zvigamba , magetsi asingawanikwe nguva dzose, nezivo yezvemichina muvakwenyi isina kupararira pakati pezvimwe zvimhingamupini. Kanzuru yezvebvunzo yakasangana nemamwe matambudziko ane chokuita nounaku hwezvemakwenyerwe ebvunzo hwakakonzera kuti paitwe tsvakurudzo ino yezveudzamu (qualitative) muchinzvimbo chiduku chakasarudzwa (case study) yaitungamirirwa nemaziviro evacho vanoona nezvekukwenya bvunzo (interpretivist epistemology) nemaziviro okuti chokwadi chinosiyana nekusiyana kwenharaunda nokuti chigadzirwa chevarimukati mekukwenya (constructivist ontology), nekuumba mufungo kubudikidza neumboo huchabuda mutsvakurudzo (inductive theory) nenzira nezvinokosheswa nenharaunda mukuumba ruzivo (constructivist philosophy). Umboo hwetsvakurudzo hwakawanikwa kubudikidza nebvunzurudzo ine udzamu padungamunhu nemumapoka nekupindurana padare reWatsiApu nevanotungamira zvidzidzo (Subject managers ) vana , zvidza mune zvokukwenywa bvunzo gumi neumwe, nevamwewo vakwenyi gumi nevasere uye kuongorora magwaro. Mamiriro ezvemagariro nematongerwo enyika mu / Ihloso yaleli rhubhululo bekukuphenya indlela ikhwalithi elawulwa ngayo ngehlelo lokutshwaya ngekhomphyutha kwe enhlahlubo zeBhayiloji (5008) phakathi komnyaka ka-2013 no-2017. Ukutshwaywa kwe enhlahlubo kancanikancani kuyasuka ehlelweni lokutshwaya iphepha ngesandla (PBM) kuya ehlelweni lokutshwaya ngekhomphyutha (OSM) ngomzamo wokuthuthukisa umsebenzi omuhle kanye nokuletha iqophelo eliphezulu lokutshwaya. Hlangana nezinye iintjhijilo, UMkhandlu wezokuTshwaywa kwe eNhlahlubo eZimbabwe (Zimbabwe School Examinations Council) (ZIMSEC) sewungenise ihlelo le-OSM kwezinye iimfundo zesigaba sika-O Level ngenyangaka Mgwengweni 2012, ngaphasi kobujamo obumbibe zomnotho, kobujamo obumaratha be-inthanedi, obuqokeme kobokuphakelwa ngegezi kanye na ngaphasi kwezinga eliphasi lefundo ye dijithali. UMkhandlu uhlangabezene nobunye ubudisi obumalunga nanokulawulwa kwekhwalithi, okubujamo obukhwezelele isizathu sokobana kube nerhubhululo linye elisebenzako elisebenzisa indlela yerhubhululo yekulumo, kanti lokhu kwabangelwayi-ontholoji, i-ephistemoloji, iindlela zerthubhululo kanye ne-akziyoloji yefilosofi i-constructivist philosophy. Idatha ibuthelelwe ngendlela yehlolombono yokubuza umuntu ngamunye ubuso nobuso kanye nokubuza iinqhema zabantu ezinqotjhiwe kokukundla yezokucocisana, i-WhatsApp platform kanye nabaphathi beemfundo aba-4 subject managers, abatshwayi abakhulu abali-11, kanye nabatshwayi abajayelekileko abali-18, kanti lokhu kwenziwa ngokubuyekeza umtlolo. Ilwazi elifumane keerhubhululweni liphakamisa kobana izinga lekhwalithi lokutshwaya laba nomthintela wobujamo/wendawo lapho iinhlahlubo zatshwaywa khona. Ubujamo bezehlalakuhle yabantu kezepolotik iebebusezweni leZimbabwe laba nomthelela phezu komthanga lasisekelo wethekinoloji, kanti kwathinta abasebenzi behlelo le-OSM kanye nezinga lefundo yedijithali. Amandla wekghono labatshwayi lokusebenza ebhodulukweni le-OSM lalilawulwa kudluliselwa kwelwazi kanye namakghonofundwa ukusukela ekubandulweni kanye nokwenza izinto ngendlela efanako ehlelweni elibonakala ngamehlo lokutshwaya. Izinga lokutshwaya lalitjhejwe yindlela yokulinganiswa kwamaphepha atshwayiwako, ihlelo le-seeds approach to script moderation, kanti ihlelwe lingokwalo lihlanganisa imibiko begodu lilandelela ukuhlolwa, kanti goduli yakwazi nokuveza amaphepha ane miraro. Leli hlelo begodula lilawulwa sisakhiwo sephepha lemibuzo, lilwazi elifunekako ephepheni lemibuzo kanye namaskimu wamaksi phezu kwabatshwayi bamaphepha, iinkhala ezenzelwako bana abafundi baphendulele kizo kanye namaskimu wokutshwaya okunje ngelimi kanye namamaksi asesilinganiswe nisamamaksi, phecelezi-marking points ratio. Isakhiwo sokuhlola sinikelwa yisilabhasi, okungiyo eyikombandlela yedizayini kanye nokutshwaywa kwe enhlahlubo zeBhayiloji. Ngalelilwazi elitholakeleko, kukghonakele ukuthi kutlanywe isakhiwo ebesingabayi kombandlela yendlela engalandelwa ukulawula ikhwalithi ebhodulukweni ye-OSM. Ithekinoloji ye-OSM beyinga siza izinga lokumakha iinhlahlubo zeBhayiloji, ngalokho lokhu bekungaphungula iintjhijilo ezihlobene nehlelo le-PBM. Nanyana kunjalo, amanye amathuba, aphungulwazi intjhijilo ekuhlangabezenwe nazo nakutshwaywa iinhlahlubo zehlelo le-OSM. Kuye kwa tjhukunyiswa ukobana i-ZIMSEC izene mithethomgomo kanye ne enkambiso ezingabayikombandlela elayela imisebenzi ethile koyokulawulwa kwekhwalithi ebhodulukweni le-OSM kanye nokuhloma iinkhungo zekhomphyutha kumadorobhahloko we emfunda. UMkhandlu begodu ungatjheja yokubeka izinga lokuqatjhwa kwabatshwayi, lokubandulwa kanye nehlelolokwenza izinto ngendlela efanako neyamaziko we entjhabatjhaba alawula iinhlahlubo. / Science and Technology Education / D. Phil. (Education)