Communication has been identified as an essential part of a successfully perpetuating system. In conjunction with systemic feedback processes, communication, by its very nature, plays an integral role in the way that the system operates and continues to survive. General systems theory sees communication and feedback as being understood within the context in which they appear as well as in the context of the larger system. This dissertation provides an examination of communication process within the system of a marketing research organisation. Particular attention was given to the departments within the organisation that oversee the research process as a whole. Since the organisation relies heavily on processes, systems and communication to effectively and successfully manage a research project, these aspects were examined from a systems theory perspective in order to identify areas of concern and to provide appropriate recommendations for improvement. The research design was qualitative, and data were collected by means of fourteen in-depth interviews conducted with relevant role players representing management and team members from three areas of expertise. Additional depth to the data was provided through triangulation, using conferences and observation of meetings as additional information sources. Through concept mapping and thematic analysis of the transcripts and other data, four main, interrelated themes relating to communication within the organisation emerged. These are (1) lack of vision, referring to a general and specific lack of a sense of a common goal; (2) inefficient communication processes that cause a gap between top management and other employees regarding decision making, and a lack of feedback and follow-through on expectations; (3) lack of team cohesion, creating a sense of isolation between teams, uncertainty about expectations, and a vagueness regarding roles and responsibilities; and lastly (4) skills and resource limitation, indicating a lack of training and supervision, and a lack of adherence to procedures. In order to improve communication and feedback processes, it is recommended that the organisation clearly communicates goals and objectives to employees; formalises project planning procedures; instates regular meetings that include all staff; implements sufficient and effective supervision and training; and applies a multirater evaluation and appraisal programme. / Dissertation (MA (Research Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Psychology / unrestricted

Submitted in fidfillment of the requirements for the degree DOCTORATE OF EDUCATION in the Department of Educational Psychology of the Faculty of Education at the University of Zululand, 2006. / The aim of this investigation was to establish educators' perceptions of developmental appraisal by means of a literature study and an empirical investigation. As an introduction to the study, the developmental appraisal system in other countries was reviewed. In doing so the South African developmental appraisal system was compared with other countries, and the common characteristics were highlighted. Educators* perceptions of developmental appraisal in other countries were also focused on. The literature review reflects that there has been a paradigm shift in teacher evaluation from a judgmental approach to a developmental approach. In the judgmental approach there is a tendency to find fault, to be negative in reports that are written and not to acknowledge the positive things that educators do. The main aim of the developmental appraisal is to facilitate the personal and professional development of educators in order to improve the quality of teaching practice and education management. The primary aim of this investigation was to investigate educators' perceptions of developmental appraisal through the medium of literature and empirical study. The implementation of developmental appraisal, appraisal and staff development and the integrated quality management system were investigated using the literature and empirical study. The study revealed that educators have a negative perception of developmental appraisal. For the purpose of the empirical investigation, a self-structured questionnaire was utilized. An analysis was undertaken using 217 questionnaires completed by educators in the eThekwini Region- The data obtained from the completed questionnaires was processed and analysed by means of descriptive and inferential statistics. Essentially the following were the main research findings: XXll • the process of developmental appraisal did not contribute to the development of educators; • outside assessors were not invited when needed; • the rating scale of A or B was not adequate; • appraisal of educators did not result in improvement of qualifications; • the quality management initiatives resulted in an unnecessary increase in educator's workload; and • a better working relationship between the staff development team and the school management team was encouraged. The summary and findings emanating from the literature study and the descriptive and inferential statistics were presented. Based on these findings the following recommendations were made: • The Department of Education must re-introduce incentives and rewards for further study. • The inclusion of an appraisee from the outside on the appraisal panel should be made compulsory. • The Department of Education, teacher unions, principal's forum and other educational organizations must convene seminars, workshops and training programmes for appraisal panel members. • Further research should be conducted on the following: > The changing role of the educator and its impact on developmental appraisal. > The success of developmental appraisal based on the staff development team's leadership style. > Educators' perceptions of what role developmental appraisal serves in the integrated quality management system.

Thesis (M. Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / This study aims to give insights into the nature and extent of professional teacher development by the department of education through class visits, and subsequently its impact on professional teacher development in the white hazy circuit in Mpumalanga province. This study further examines measures and recommendations to be put in place which can help to improve the programme (class visits), also the effectiveness of this programme in professional teacher development. The study further highlights key issues regarding class visits with regard to professional teacher development. The study further highlights strategies that can be put in place to enhancing class visits as a programme for professional teacher development. The study further highlights key recommendations to be put in place to enhance class visits as professional teacher development programme. KEY WORDS Professional Teacher Development; Development Appraisal System; Integrated Quality Management Systems; development support group; Continuing Professional Teacher Development.

IntroduktionSME:s är en stor bidragande roll för den svenska välfärden genom stora skatteintäkter och arbetstillfällen. Det nya Baselregelverket har de senaste åren lett till en större svårighet för SME:s att få finansiering av bankerna. Bankerna är mer restriktiva vid finansiell utlåning eftersom dem själva behöver uppfylla kraven om kapital och likviditetshantering. Samtidigt har pandemin drabbat SME:s ekonomiska ställning negativt och finansiering i form av krediter kan vara en avgörande roll för företagens överlevnad. SyfteSyftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur covid-19 påverkat kreditbedömningen hos kreditgivare till SME:s. MetodStudien utgår ifrån en kvalitativ forskningsstrategi med en deduktiv ansats där empirin har samlats in genom semistrukturerade intervjuer. SlutsatsStudien visar på att pandemin har kommit att påverka kreditbedömningen genom att majoriteten av bankerna har större acceptans för försämrade siffror. Större vikt läggs på SME:s framtida affärsmöjligheter genom att studera branschen i stort. Vidare har långvariga kundrelationer underlättat bankernas kreditbedömning. Statliga åtgärder och regleringar har inte haft någon väsentlig påverkan på kreditbedömningen under pandemin. KunskapsbidragStudien är ett empiriskt baserat kunskapsbidrag ämnad för att öka förståelse och kunskap om pandemins effekter på kreditbedömningen till SME:s. Denna studie har även kommit att bidra till ett nytt perspektiv på forskningsområdet och att fylla det forskningsgap om brist på forskning kring kreditbedömning i svensk kontext under pandemin. Hur kreditgivarens kreditbedömning går till under pandemin är ett kunskapsbidrag för många aktörer. / Introduction SME's play a major contributing role to Swedish welfare through large tax revenues and jobs. The new Basel regulations have in recent years led to a greater difficulty for SMEs in obtaining financing from the banks. Banks are more restrictive in financial lending  because  they  need  to  meet  the  requirements  for  capital  and  liquidity management. At the same time, the pandemic has negatively affected SME's financial position and financing in the form of credit can play a crucial role in corporate survival.  Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate how covid-19 affected the credit rating of creditors to SMEs.  Method The study is based on a qualitative research strategy with a deductive approach where the empirical data has been collected through semi-structured interviews.  Conclusion The study shows that the pandemic has affected credit ratings by the majority of banks having  greater acceptance of deteriorating figures. Greater emphasis is placed on SME's future business opportunities by studying the industry as a whole. Furthermore, long-term customer relationships have facilitated the banks' credit assessment. Government measures and regulations have not had any significant impact on the credit assessment during the pandemic.  Contribution The study is an empirically based knowledge contribution intended to increase understanding and knowledge about the pandemic's effects on the credit assessment to SME's. This study has also contributed to a new perspective in the field of research and to fill the research gap on lack of research on credit assessment in the Swedish context during the pandemic. How the creditor's credit assessment is done during the pandemic is a knowledge contribution for many actors.

This master's thesis is focused on conducting a performance evaluation of a particular company using the EFQM Excellence Model. The theoretical section of this thesis introduces the primary theoretical basis for company performance measurement with a focus on the EFQM Model of Excellence. The analytical section contains an evaluation of the selected company‘s current situation using the Excellence Model's methodology to identify weaknesses. The output from the analysis is then used in the subsequent section of the thesis, where these weaknesses are transformed into suggestions for improving the company's performance so it can proceed further on its path to excellence.

This paper studies subjectivity in the Mail Online journalism with a focus on judgmental reporting from the male sphere. The Background research presents the current paradigm of what is acceptable when writing subjectively in journalism and concludes that it is acceptable and is no longer seen as the antithesis to objectivity. However, there remain rules as to what is too much subjectivity such as ‘falsehoods’. The background continues and discusses what the male sphere is, what it means to report from the male sphere, and how one must behave within this sphere to be a ‘true’ woman or ‘true’ man. The study located and categorised both Direct and Indirect Judgment from the male sphere in articles from the Mail Online. Articles about Shamima Begum and Mohammed Emwazi were chosen because of their similarities and because of the very different way reporters chose to present their stories. Locating and categorising Judgment using the framework Appraisal and Journalistic Discourse Theory worked well with the ideological focus of the male sphere. The theoretical framework allows for individual subjective utterances to be categorised as Direct Judgment as well as whole extracts to be analysed, and categorised as Indirect Judgment. The results show that in the case of Shamima Begum, negative Judgment was inferred from the male sphere in the form of Indirect Judgment which needed to be read in context. In the case of Mohammed Emwazi both positive and negative Judgment was inferred which was both Direct and Indirect. Both actor’s results directly correspond to Judgment of gendered characteristics from the ‘Male Sphere’ explained Background. This paper concludes with a discussion of the judgments from the male sphere of both actors with examples from the extracts, finishing with limitations of the study and future research considerations.

This thesis “Proposal for an Employee Assessment System“ deals with a proposal for workers` evaluation including rewards and workers` professional development. The assessment and reward system is a very efficient motivation factor. Hence this system needs to be just and absolutely clear to the workers. Based on an analysis of a current state in the company described in the practical part of this thesis, I shall propose a new and more efficient assessment system.

The intention of this diploma work is based on an assessment of the present state of the company Industrial Engineering Ltd. to economically evaluate the effectiveness of planned investment. The last state of the company is evaluated by using financial analysis. For evaluating of the effectiveness are used static and dynamic methods. The conclusion of the diploma work evaluates investments and recommendations based on these facts and after assessing the risks of investments.

The aim of this work is to determinate the value of chosen property by generally known valuation method. As a concrete example of the way of real estate value assessment according to the client's requirement is to determine an estimate of supposing common value of the property for the credit procedure for the purpose of gaining mortgage in the Czech Republic. This work contains theoretical analysis and explanation of the fundamental terms and a practical example.

The aim of my thesis is to outline the field of the insurance-claims settlement, to determine the amount of indemnity for the damage caused by the weight of snow, and also to clarify basic concepts of real estate appraisal. In the introduction I define basic concepts associated with that topic. Then I bring the reader into the field of real estate appraisal and I define basic concepts and appraisal methods and description. In the next part of my thesis I mention the principles of the insurance company´s claim settlement activity, the products related to property insurance, the person involved in the settlement, and last but not least I outline the claim settlement process itself. However, the point is not just to provide a plain list of all steps involved in the process but to give the reader a better idea how to proceed and what the basic concepts of the field are. In the final practical part I will focus precisely on the determination of the compensation for the damage casused by the weight of snow based on reasonable costs and for bringing the insured property to its original (operational) state.