M.Tech. (Operations Management) / This study has demonstrated that continuous quality improvement and total quality management are the names for a philosophy of management that aims to help outcomes in both the individual and organizations of all kinds, eliminating quality waste during health care delivery service. In an effort to make a contribution to addressing the current challenges, areas of poor patient and lack of quality health care are explored in this study. Patients and healthcare professionals‟ views on Quality Management (QM) practices are also explored. Therefore, for the purposes of this dissertation, the researcher has expanded the QM definition. The poor patient care and shortage of skilled nursing practitioners‟ in nursing has indicated the need for top management commitment to measure, improve and provide high-quality health care for all its citizens. This is mainly due to lack of quality knowledge and skills, patients‟ education, and communication skills. In addition, no formalised framework exists on how quality of care in the context of nursing should occur, despite policy on quality health care being a legal requirement (National Department of Health, 2007:11). The purpose of this dissertation was to evaluate quality management practices in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality public hospitals. Quality management for health care delivery in public hospitals in Gauteng Department of Health was determined and conceptualised and a framework developed on which the improvement of a quality strategy could be based. Altogether three (3) public hospitals throughout Gauteng Ekurhuleni region participated in this dissertation. A triangulation approach was adopted to collect data, analyse and answer the research questions. In this dissertation both quantitative and qualitative methods of data analysis were employed to analyse data derived from self-administered (open and closed) questionnaires, whilst semi-structured interviews were also conducted with the hospital unit manager (see Annexure 1 & 5).This, in turn, increased the validity of the empirical study part of this dissertation and enhanced the rigorous use of both quantitative and qualitative data.

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With the rapid growth in the hospitality industry, its owners and managers are also facing serious challenges. The industry is becoming more and more competitive. Managers are pressed to find the balance between cutting cost to increase profit and improving the quality of the service/product to increase the value their customers’ experience. Customers are nowadays more aware of the quality of the service or the product provided to them and more than ever before, hospitality owners and managers need to focus on improving their quality. The main objective of the research was to establish whether the implementation of selected Six Sigma principles would result in a measurable improvement in the quality of a hospitality establishment. An analysis was done based on three different feedback systems, some Sig Sigma-inspired changes were made and a post-measurement was done to establish the effect of the changes. The study concluded that the implementation of selective Six Sigma principles, can improve the quality of services and products in hospitality establishments, as well as reducing their process waste in such establishments. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

With the rapid growth in the hospitality industry, its owners and managers are also facing serious challenges. The industry is becoming more and more competitive. Managers are pressed to find the balance between cutting cost to increase profit and improving the quality of the service/product to increase the value their customers’ experience. Customers are nowadays more aware of the quality of the service or the product provided to them and more than ever before, hospitality owners and managers need to focus on improving their quality. The main objective of the research was to establish whether the implementation of selected Six Sigma principles would result in a measurable improvement in the quality of a hospitality establishment. An analysis was done based on three different feedback systems, some Sig Sigma-inspired changes were made and a post-measurement was done to establish the effect of the changes. The study concluded that the implementation of selective Six Sigma principles, can improve the quality of services and products in hospitality establishments, as well as reducing their process waste in such establishments. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The research project explores the effect of empowerment to schools. All stakeholders should be empowered for improvement of quality education and school effectiveness. Two groups of schools were identified, that is, low performing and high performing schools. The aim of this research is to investigate why some schools performed better than others. The purpose of research is to prove that effective schooling can take place through empowerment and that school management can be successful where there is high commitment. The qualitative research method was employed. It refers to research that elicits participant's account and meaning, experience or perceptions. It also produces descriptive data in the participant's own written or spoken words. To gather empirical data, the following research methods were employed; literature study and focus group interview. The following categories emerged: -  Discipline  Lack of commitment and motivation in the learning environment  Management leadership styles applied in schools  Lack of support / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Education Management)

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the Degree Doctor of Technology: Quality, Durban University of Technology, 2011. / Quality management remains one of the top ranking strategic issues in all major organisations. However, at present, there is a sentiment that business priorities and quality management priorities have become non-aligned over the last two decades. It is believed that quality management is still predominately understood and practiced using the framework and direction provided historically by quality leaders such as Deming, Juran, Crosby and others. Thus, this study motivated that quality is at a crossroads and in order for it to be aligned with business priorities, once again it needs to evolve its role. This study commenced with the review on related literature on the history of quality management. From this review, it was evident that the various evolutions of quality management were directed to meet the changing business challenges and market needs that were linked to prevailing demand and supply, customer focus, competitive advantage and profitable growth outputs. The literature review thereafter demonstrated the potential opportunities wherein quality management could be utilised to re-establish its previous relevance by supporting organisations in the management of emerging trends. This study identified globalisation, customer power and sophistication, social responsibility and environmental sustainability consciousness as emerging trends that could be the most leveraged with the use of quality management concepts, techniques and tools. Furthermore, the topics of stewardship, leadership, change management and strategy were discussed as enablers to the proposed new evolution of quality management, which should become known as “quality stewardship”. As a guideline to the “quality stewardship” strategy, a Quality Stewardship and Leadership (QSAL) framework was developed in this study. The QSAL framework incorporated Total Quality Management (TQM), systems thinking and business excellence as the underlying theoretical grounding. This framework, displaying a process approach, encapsulated the following components: inputs (risk, revenue and reputation), processes (productivity Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), technical governance, and environmental and social sustainability) and outputs (maximise value) for the proposed new scope for quality management. Abstract iii The primary source of information used in this study was obtained from qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. The research instruments in this study included surveys in the form of questionnaires and an organisational assessment which was undertaken by utilising a Viable Systems Model (VSM). The organisational assessment that was part of the preliminary study was undertaken in two beverage multi-national organisations in South Africa. The pilot and principal studies consisted of surveys in the form of questionnaires. The objective of the survey was to gain an understanding of current quality management practices, current quality management thinking and acceptability of the proposed QSAL framework across selected manufacturing organisations in South Africa. Both the preliminary and principal studies displayed variable levels of responses in quality management practices and a high level of agreement or awareness to the questions on the current thinking of quality management and acceptability of the proposed QSAL framework in the quantitative studies. Thus, based on the review of related literature and empirical studies, the motivation for this research, that quality management was ready for the next evolution in order to support current business challenges and market demands, was validated.

I samband med införandet av ett nytt kvalitetssäkringssystem, som är under utveckling 2016, kommer svenska universitet och högskolor få ett utökat ansvar för att själva utvärdera sitt kvalitetsarbete. Då det samtidigt finns studier som visar på att en del utexaminerade ekonomistudenter inte anser sig ha nytta av utbildningen i arbetslivet, vilket är en viktig kvalitetsaspekt, syftar studien till att kartlägga kvalitetsarbetet på dessa utbildningar. Utgångspunkten för studien är teorin Total Quality Management och dess bakomliggande värderingar som tas upp i Hörnstensmodellen, vilken beskriver ett av flera sätt att se på framgångsrik kvalitetsutveckling. Uppsatsen utgår från en kvalitativ fallstudie och är baserad på semistrukturerade intervjuer med ansvariga för ekonomiutbildningar på åtta svenska universitet och högskolor. De empiriska resultaten visar att samtliga universitet och högskolor har de värderingar studien utgått från, men att det saknas tydliga definitioner av vad kvalitet för ekonomiutbildningar innebär. Även konflikten kring innebörden av studenternas anställningsbarhet påverkar kvalitetsarbetet.

published_or_final_version / Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration