Qualitätsmanagementsysteme haben ihren Stellenwert in allen Bereichen der Industrie, der Dienstleistung und der Verwaltung bewiesen. Mittlerweile stellt der Nachweis über Qualitätsmanagementsysteme neben der Verpflichtung zur externen Qualitätssicherung für alle stationären Einrichtungen des Gesund-heitswesens eine gesetzliche Verpflichtung dar. Trotzdem ist das Bewusstsein über Notwendigkeit und Nutzen von Qualitätsmanagementsystem im medizini-schen Bereich noch eher gering ausgeprägt. Mit der DIN EN ISO 9001:2000 steht nach ihrer Revision ein universeller Leitfa-den für ein modernes prozess- und kundenorientiertes Qualitätsmanagement-system auch für die Anwendung im Gesundheitswesen zur Verfügung. Gegen-über speziell für das Gesundheitswesen entwickelten Qualitätsmanagementmo-dellen, die überwiegend auf Strukturqualität ausgerichtet sind, berücksichtigt die Norm nach ihrer Revision neben Aspekten der Strukturqualität und einem Schwerpunkt auf der Prozessqualität jetzt auch die Ergebnisqualität. Zudem ist mit der DIN EN ISO 9001:2000 als derzeit einzigem Verfahren auch eine Zertifi-zierung von Einzeleinrichtungen komplexer Großkliniken wie z.B. Universitätskli-niken möglich. In einem 18 Monate währenden Prozess konnte in der Klinik für Kardiovaskuläre Chirurgie der Charité als medizinischer Fakultät der Humboldt-Universität Berlin ein Qualitätsmanagementsystem eingerichtet werden und schließlich als erste universitäre herzchirurgische Klinik für den Geltungsbereich "Patientenbehand-lung und Klinische Forschung" nach DIN EN ISO 9001:2000 zertifiziert werden. Dieses setzte eine umfassende Revision der Strukturen, der Prozesse sowie der Ressourcenzuordnung unter Mitwirkung aller Mitarbeiter voraus. Durch die Einführung des Qualitätsmanagementsystems und die anschließende Zertifizierung konnten neben qualitativen Verbesserungen auf vielen Ebenen messbare Qualitätsverbesserungen und signifikante Einsparungen erreicht werden. Exemplarisch handelt es sich um: - Verbesserungen der Zufriedenheit zuweisender Ärzte mit der Erreichbarkeit der Klinik durch Umstrukturierungen und Verbesserung der Infrastruktur so-wie Information der zuweisenden Ärzte. - Steigerung der Kodierqualität durch Anstieg der verschlüsselten Diagnosen um 135,3 % zwischen 2000 und 2002; hierdurch würden bei Anwendung des DRG-Systems durchschnittlich 78 % der Patienten in der höher vergüte-ten Fallpauschale des höchsten Schweregrades eingruppiert. - Reduktion des medizinischen Sachbedarfs um 3,3 % pro Operation mit Herz-Lungenmaschine durch geplante Ressourcenverteilung unter Bildung einer Schnittstelle zu einem externen Berater und monatlicher Analyse der aufgewandten Kosten für medizinischen Sachbedarf. - Reduktion der Laborkosten der Klinik um 35 % durch Einführung verbindli-cher Laborstandards für die perioperative Anforderung von Laboruntersu-chungen. Die Kosten, die mit der Einführung des Qualitätsmanagementsystems verbun-den waren konnten alleine durch die Reduktion der Ausgaben im Bereich des medizinischen Sachbedarfs sowie der Laborleistungen bereits innerhalb der ersten zwei Jahre eingespart werden; dies deckt sich mit den Erfahrungen an-derer Kliniken. Die Einführung eines Qualitätsmanagementsystems und dessen Zertifizierung nach DIN EN ISO 9001:2000 in einer herzchirurgischen Universitätsklinik ist somit möglich und kann zu messbaren Qualitätsverbesserungen sowie zu signi-fikanten Einsparungen durch geplanten Einsatz von Ressourcen führen. Sie schafft ein Bewusstsein für Qualität und kann den Weg zu einem Qualitätsma-nagementsystem für die Gesamtklinik erleichtern. Die erforderlichen Maßnah-men zum Erhalt des Qualitätsmanagementsystems können in einen kontinuierli-chen Verbesserungsprozess münden. / Quality management systems have proven to be effective tools in all areas of industry, service and administration. Although there is a legal obligation for the proof of a quality management system as well as for the participation in external quality assurance programs for all units of health care the consciousness for their need and usefulness ist low. After revision of EN ISO 9001:2000 there is a universal standard for a modern process and customer oriented quality management system for the application in all fields of health care. In contrast to quality modells especially designed for health care with focus on structure quality this standard integrates aspects of process quality and results. EN ISO 9001:2000 is the only standard which allows certification of part units of complex clinics like university hospitals. In a process of 18 months a quality management system could be introduced in the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery of the Charité epresenting the medi-cal faculty of Humboldt University Berlin leading to certification according to EN ISO 9001:2000 with the scope "Patient treatment and clinical research". Prior to this a comprehensive revision of structures, processes and the allocation of ressources with participation of all employees was necessary. By the introduction of this quality management system and the following certifi-cation quality improvements could be achieved: - Improvement of satisfaction of advising physicians with respect to the ac-cessibility of the department by modification of the structure and communica-tion systems as well as information of cooperating partners. - Improvement of the quality of the medical documentation by increase of coded side diagnoses by 135.3 % from 2000 to 2002. In the new DRG-system 78 % of all patients would be classified in the group of highest reim-bursement. - Reduction of medical goods by 3.3 % per operation with heart lung machine by means of planned allocation of ressources using an interface to external advisors and monthly analysis of costs for medical goods. - Reduction of laboratory costs by 35 % after introduction of panels for perio-perative routine laboratory investigations. In agreement with the experience of other clinics the costs for the introduction of the quality management system could be saved within the first years by the reduction of costs for medical goods and laboratory investigations. In conclusion the introduction of a quality management system and certification according to EN ISO 9001:2000 in a university cardac surgery department is possible and may lead to measurable quality improvements as well as to signifi-cant reduction of costs. It creates a consciousness for quality and may lead to a quality management system for the complete university clinic. The measures necessary for preservation of the quality management system may lead to a process of continuous quality improvement.

Die Dissertation untersucht die Auswirkung fehlenden Commitments eines zentralen ökonomischen Akteurs in verschiedenen institutionellen Umfeldern. Aufsatz 1 bietet eine neuartige Erklärung für grobe Zertifizierung: Diese verringert die Anreize für Kollusion zwischen Zertifizieren und Zertifizierten. Kollusion wird verstanden als die Möglichkeit, gegen Bestechung, ein vorteilhaftes Zertifikat an einen Verkäufer zu vergeben. Konfrontiert mit einem Bestechungsangebot wägt der Zertifizier ab ob der kurzfristige Ertrag - in Form eines Bestechungsgeldes - die langfristigen Kosten – in Form des einhergehenden Reputationsverlustes – aufwiegt. Dabei erweist sich eine gröbere Zertifizierung als besonders nützlich um den kurzfristigen Ertrag zu reduzieren. Im zweiten Aufsatz werden optimale Vertragsmechanismen untersucht, wenn sich der Prinzipal nicht auf eine Auditstrategie verpflichten kann. Solche optimalen Mechanismen nutzen unparteiische Mediatoren aus. Die Verwendung eines Mediators ist profitabel, da somit Korrelation zwischen dem Report des Agenten und der Handlungsempfehlung an den Prinzipal erzeugt werden kann. Optimale Mechanismen verwenden zudem strikt mehr Verträge als Typen des Agenten, was unter vollständigem Commitment nie optimal sein kann. Der dritte Aufsatz beschäftigt sich mit Verträgen welche die Abwanderung von Unternehmen verhindern können. Der Regulierer kann sich dabei nur auf kurzfristige Verträge verpflichten und die Firmen können standortspezifische Investitionen tätigen. Wenn im Gleichgewicht Abwanderung permanent verhindert wird, dann werden keine Subventionen in der Zukunft gezahlt. Dies bedeutet, dass die Firma in Zukunft gar keinen Anreiz mehr haben darf abzuwandern. Um dies zu erreichen muss also der heutige Vertrag enorme Investitionsanreize setzen. Im Extremfall ist dann teurer Abwanderung zu verhindern wenn die Firma investieren kann, als im hypothetischen Fall ohne Investitionsmöglichkeit. / This dissertation studies the impact of a lack of commitment of a central economic actor in a given institutional environment. Essay 1 offers a novel explanation for the occurrence of coarse disclosure in certification: coarseness reduces the threat of collusion between certifiers and sellers. Collusion is understood as the possibility of selling a favorable certificate to a seller. Upon accepting a bribing offer, the certifier trades-off short-run gains – in form of the bribe – against long-run losses, from loosing reputation. Coarse disclosure is shown effective in reducing the short-run gain. The second essay studies optimal mechanisms in a contracting problem where the principal cannot commit to an auditing strategy. In this framework optimal mechanisms make use of an impartial mediator. Employing a mediator is strictly beneficial because it allows for correlating the agent’s report with the recommendation to the mediator. In general, optimal mechanisms use strictly more contracts than types, which would be not profitable under full commitment. The third essay studies contracts that avert relocation of a firm. The regulator can offer contracts only on a short-term basis, and the firm can undertake a location-specific investment. If in equilibrium relocation is permanently averted, then there are no future transfer payments. But this implies the firm cannot have an incentive to relocate in the future. Tom guarantee the latter, the initial contract has to provide string investment incentives. In the extreme, averting relocation with the firm’s possibility of investing becomes more costly than in the hypothetical case without an opportunity to invest.

The purpose of this qualitative, explorative descriptive study was to describe how registered nurses at a specific tertiary hospital perceive the annual performance appraisal. A sample of 20 registered surgical nurses working in the ten Surgical Care Divisions was purposively selected to meet the inclusion criteria. Data was collected through two focus group interviews with 10 participants each. The transcribed interviews were manually analysed according to Collaizzi‟s (1978) method. Findings were described according to six main themes, of which the last theme described the nurses‟ suggestions for improving the annual performance appraisal. The 15 sub-themes addressed, among other things, the process of conducting annual performance appraisals, scoring the performances, incentives, loyalty to the hospital, communication, and competency certification of registered nurses. Recommendations were made for developing guidelines to ensure a standardised process of annual performance appraisal and to involve all stakeholders in the review of the competency assessment certification process. / Health Studies / M.A. (Nursing Science)

In today’s society, environmental concern might be at a historical peak. 2778 companies in 60 countries have now acquired the Benefit-Corporation (B-Corp) Certification in attempts to demonstrate their environmental responsibility. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of implementing the B-Corp Certification in a USA automotive dealership on employee pro-environmental behavior and life satisfaction, with consideration of the moderating role of commitment to the B-Corp Certification. A within-group quasi-experimental design was used to investigate the effects of the certification over a 5-month period through self-reported measures. Thirty-three employees participated in this study. One-way repeated-measures ANOVA was conducted to measure differences in employee pro-environmental behavior before and after the implementation of the B-Corp Certification. Through bivariate correlations the relationship between employee pro-environmental behavior and life satisfaction was analyzed. Partial correlation was used to test the moderating role of commitment in determining the strength of the implementation on employee pro-environmental behavior. There was no difference between pre- and post-measurements of employee pro-environmental behavior. Commitment to the B-Corp Certification did not moderate the effectiveness of the implementation of the B-Corp Certification on employee pro-environmental behavior. Additionally, no relationship was found between pro-environmental behavior and life satisfaction. Finally, results are discussed within the context of industrial- and organizational(IO) psychology, as are the implications for future research and interventions aimed at increasingemployee pro-environmental behaviors.

This diploma thesis "Quality Management in the Selected Company" is focused on the quality management system in an international company, which is located in České Budějovice. The aim of this thesis is to suggest changes and recommendations for achieving higher level in current applied quality management system. Based on results from analysis of the chosen QMS areas, the respective suggestions were proposed. Based on the information from theoretical review, internal document analysis, interviews with the high management representatives and data analysis, various changes were suggested. All with one goal: establishing, keeping and continuously improving the quality management system which helps to ensure a prosperous and effectively working organisation with a stable position in the market where the organisation is present.

As transformações observadas nos últimos vinte anos no mercado cafeeiro para diferenciar o produto com base em parâmetros de qualidade atendem a novos valores associados ao consumo. Mais do que uma estratégia de concorrência para agregar valor, a diferenciação de cafés reorganiza as relações sociais em todo sistema produtivo, desde a produção e o comércio dos grãos até a torrefação e a distribuição para os consumidores, por meio de ações cooperativas que viabilizam a coexistência das novas formas de organização com os mercados tradicionais. A qualidade do café pode assumir uma ampla gama de conceitos, sendo os mais tradicionais relacionados a fatores como clima, solo, altitude, sistema de produção e beneficiamento. Os novos parâmetros dos cafés diferenciados, chamados de especiais, apresentam tanto dimensões materiais - que incorporam atributos de natureza física e sensorial, e geralmente se traduzem em qualidade superior da bebida quanto dimensões simbólicas, relacionadas a uma nova ética associada a características ambientais e sociais da produção, como no caso dos cafés orgânicos, sombreados e do comércio solidário, definidos como cafés sustentáveis. Tendo em vista a forte associação entre a qualidade dos cafés e a dos vinhos, esta pesquisa investiga a organização social do mercado de cafés sustentáveis, para responder porque, em meio a uma proliferação de selos de qualidade, os mecanismos de certificação sustentável de café se estruturam de tal modo que não consideram a origem dos plantios. O eixo temático está nos processos de padronização e de certificação de qualidade. Estes novos mercados vêm sendo construídos para expressar novas relações de poder no segmento de cafés especiais, e transformam o mercado com atores anônimos em mercados onde eles têm identidades. A valorização material e simbólica de parâmetros ambientais e sociais da produção e comércio é capaz de formar redes de cooperação que funcionam dentro de uma lógica distinta da estrutura vigente, e proporciona maiores ganhos a atores sociais que estavam em alguma desvantagem no mercado de commodities por não terem a qualidade e identidade de seus produtos devidamente recompensada e reconhecida. Estudos desta natureza exigem uma análise que inclua a sociologia dos mercados para avaliar o emaranhado de relações sociais na vida econômica. A abordagem teórica da sociologia econômica fornece elementos para avaliar o processo de construção social dos mercados, especialmente os novos, por meio de quatro pilares que lhes dão sustentação: os direitos de propriedade, as estruturas de governança, as regras de troca e as concepções de controle. O enfoque político-cultural enfatiza a perspectiva histórica dos mercados para compreender o papel dos grupos dominantes e desafiantes em arenas de ação, considerando a participação de atores sociais como governos, firmas e consumidores, entre outros, e seus incentivos para ações cooperativas a partir dos laços cognitivos que os unem. O estudo empírico focalizou duas regiões geograficamente delimitadas, pioneiras no cultivo, comércio e certificação de cafés sustentáveis: a Serra de Baturité, no Ceará, onde se cultiva o café em sistema sombreado e os municípios de Machado e Poço Fundo situados no Sul de Minas, no estado de Minas Gerais, onde se encontram cafés orgânicos e do comércio solidário. Estes casos foram escolhidos pois, ao contrário de outras regiões produtoras de cafés especiais, os cafeicultores destas regiões mostram evidências informais de valorização da origem dos plantios e estão submetidos a um conjunto de regras e de controles específicos que os diferenciam como sustentáveis. / Over the last twenty years, the coffee market has been transformed by moves to differentiate products through the construction of quality standards that embrace new values associated with consumption. More than a value-adding competitive strategy, coffee differentiation reorganizes social relations across the production system, from grain production and trade to roasting and consumer distribution by means of cooperative actions that enable the coexistence of new organizational forms with traditional markets. Coffee quality is a function of a wide array of concepts, with those related to climate, soil, altitude, production systems and processing being the most traditional. The new parameters for differentiated coffees, called special or specialty, present not only material dimensions - incorporating physical and sensory attributes generally translated into a superior kind of beverage - but also symbolic dimensions, concerning a new ethic which is allied to social and environmental production characteristics, such as the case with organic, shade-grown and fair-trade coffees, defined as sustainable coffees. Taking into account the strong association between quality of coffee and quality of wine, this research investigates the social organization of the sustainable coffee market in order to answer the question of why, amidst a profusion of quality seals, the mechanisms for certifying sustainable coffee are structured so as not to consider the origin of the crops. This work focuses on the quality standardization and certification processes as its pivotal theme. These refer to emerging markets being built to express new power relations in the segment of specialty coffees that transform markets populated with anonymous agents into markets where these agents have identities. The material and symbolic valuation of social and environmental parameters of production and trade not only form cooperative networks operating on a logic different from that currently in force, but also provide higher gains to social actors who were disadvantaged in the commodities market for not having the quality and identity of their products duly rewarded and recognized. Studies of this nature require an analysis that includes the sociology of markets in order to assess the mesh of social relations within economic life. The theoretical approach of economic sociology, which provides elements to evaluate the process of, particularly new, social market construction, is dependent upon four essential factors: property rights, governance structures, rules of exchange and conceptions of control. The political-cultural approach emphasizes the historic perspective of the markets to understand the role of dominant groups and challengers in action arenas and considers the participation of social actors like governments, firms and consumers, among others, and their incentives for cooperative actions based on the cognitive ties that bind them. The empiric study focused on two geographically-delimited regions which pioneered the cultivation, trade and certification of sustainable coffees: the Baturité Mountain Range in the state of Ceará where shade-grown coffee is cultivated and the municipalities of Machado and Poço Fundo, located in southern Minas Gerais state, where organic and fair trade coffees are found. These cases were chosen because, unlike other locales producing specialty coffee, these are regions where coffee growers display informal evidence of adding value to the origin of the coffee crop, submitting as they must to a set of specific rules and controls that differentiates them as sustainable.

O sistema de certificação florestal FSC, cujo objetivo institucional é reduzir os impactos negativos da exploração predatória de florestas, é um mecanismo criado e governado por atores da sociedade civil. Sem dispor de poder governamental para regulamentar a forma de atuação do setor privado, o FSC define regras socioambientais de produção que são seguidas por milhares de empresas em centenas de países, representando cerca de 20% das áreas florestais produtivas. Atualmente o FSC reúne entre seus afiliados as principais organizações ambientalistas, movimentos sociais e empresas florestais do mundo. Estudar os mecanismos internos de funcionamento do FSC, utilizados para manter o apoio desta densa rede de organizações, cada qual com seus interesses específicos e muitas vezes antagônicos, de modo que consiga ser, ao mesmo tempo, uma oportunidade de ganhos para empresas privadas e uma estratégia de redução de impactos socioambientais para organizações ambientais e sociais, é o objetivo central desta dissertação de mestrado. Para isso foi analisado o desenho institucional do FSC e os mecanismos utilizados no processo de tomada de decisões, por meio de um estudo das últimas duas Assembléias Gerais do FSC (2005 e 2008), instância máxima de decisão do sistema. Este estudo foi realizado a partir de análises dos resultados das decisões tomadas nestas ocasiões, e de interpretações factuais do processo de negociação que existe entre os diferentes setores envolvidos. Estas assembléias constituem reais arenas de negociação entre os diversos atores interessados no setor florestal, sejam empresas privadas, organizações ambientalistas ou movimentos sociais, ambos com poder igualitário de voto em todas as decisões que definem o funcionamento do sistema. As análises realizadas nesta dissertação demonstraram que este desenho institucional de tomada de decisões é fundamental para a legitimação do sistema, e é em grande parte responsável por manter o apoio dos diversos setores. Ao compartilharem as decisões, prevalece um ambiente de confiança e cooperação entre os atores, que resulta em uma percepção de co-responsabilidade sobre a configuração do sistema. Esta situação não apresenta nenhum sinal de estabilidade, pelo contrário, é através das freqüentes contestações por parte dos atores que a legitimidade do sistema se reafirma periodicamente nos resultados obtidos nas Assembléias Gerais. Os resultados desta dissertação contribuem para o entendimento dos novos mecanismos de governança, onde a sociedade civil passa a ter um papel fundamental no enfrentamento dos grandes desafios globais. / The FSC forest certification system, which institutional goal is to reduce the negative impacts of predatory use of forests, is a mechanism created and managed by civil society actors. Without the governmental power to regulate the behavior of the private sector, the FSC has defined social and environmental standards that are followed by thousands of companies in hundreds of countries, representing around 20% of the world productive forest area. Currently FSC has the support of the major environmentalist organizations, social movements and private companies in the world. The central objective of this dissertation is to study the internal FSC mechanisms, applied to maintain the support of this dense network of organizations, each of those with its specific and most of the time opposed interests, able to be, at the same time, an opportunity of benefits for private companies, and a strategy to reduce the social and environmental impacts of harvesting activities for the civil society organizations. In order to achieve this, the FSC institutional design and decision making process were assessed, through an analysis of two FSC General Assemblies (2005 and 2008). The study has evaluated the results of the decisions that were taken by the FSC members in these two occasions, and the negotiation processes between the different stakeholders that were in place for the approval of such decisions. The FSC General Assembly configures a real negotiation arena, where private companies, environmentalists and social organizations have equal voting power in all decisions that affect the functioning of the system. The analyses demonstrates that the institutional design that defines the decision making process in FSC is crucial for the legitimacy of the system, and is in great part responsible to maintain the support of such diverse stakeholders group. Once the decisions are taken collectively, there´s a prevailing environment of trust and cooperation among stakeholders, resulting in a perception of co-responsibility over the general configuration of the system. This is far away from a stable situation, but rather it´s due to the frequent conflicts among stakeholders that the system´s legitimacy is periodically reaffirmed in the FSC General Assemblies. The result of this dissertation is a contribution for the general understanding of the new governance mechanisms, where civil society plays a fundamental role in addressing the major global challenges.

Qualitätsmanagementsysteme haben ihren Stellenwert in allen Bereichen der Industrie, der Dienstleistung und der Verwaltung bewiesen. Mittlerweile stellt der Nachweis über Qualitätsmanagementsysteme neben der Verpflichtung zur externen Qualitätssicherung für alle stationären Einrichtungen des Gesundheitswesens eine gesetzliche Verpflichtung dar. Trotzdem ist das Bewusstsein über Notwendigkeit und Nutzen von Qualitätsmanagementsystem im medizinischen Bereich noch eher gering ausgeprägt. Mit der DIN EN ISO 9001:2000 steht nach ihrer Revision ein universeller Leitfaden für ein modernes prozess- und kundenorientiertes Qualitätsmanagementsystem auch für die Anwendung im Gesundheitswesen zur Verfügung. Gegenüber speziell für das Gesundheitswesen entwickelten Qualitätsmanagementmodellen, die überwiegend auf Strukturqualität ausgerichtet sind, berücksichtigt die Norm nach ihrer Revision neben Aspekten der Strukturqualität und einem Schwerpunkt auf der Prozessqualität jetzt auch die Ergebnisqualität. Zudem ist mit der DIN EN ISO 9001:2000 als derzeit einzigem Verfahren auch eine Zertifizierung von Einzeleinrichtungen komplexer Großkliniken wie z.B. Universitätskliniken möglich. In einem 18 Monate währenden Prozess konnte in der Klinik für Kardiovaskuläre Chirurgie der Charité als medizinischer Fakultät der Humboldt-Universität Berlin ein Qualitätsmanagementsystem eingerichtet werden und schließlich als erste universitäre herzchirurgische Klinik für den Geltungsbereich "Patientenbehandlung und Klinische Forschung" nach DIN EN ISO 9001:2000 zertifiziert werden. Dieses setzte eine umfassende Revision der Strukturen, der Prozesse sowie der Ressourcenzuordnung unter Mitwirkung aller Mitarbeiter voraus. Durch die Einführung des Qualitätsmanagementsystems und die anschließende Zertifizierung konnten neben qualitativen Verbesserungen auf vielen Ebenen messbare Qualitätsverbesserungen und signifikante Einsparungen erreicht werden. Exemplarisch handelt es sich um: - Verbesserungen der Zufriedenheit zuweisender Ärzte mit der Erreichbarkeit der Klinik durch Umstrukturierungen und Verbesserung der Infrastruktur sowie Information der zuweisenden Ärzte. - Steigerung der Kodierqualität durch Anstieg der verschlüsselten Diagnosen um 135,3 % zwischen 2000 und 2002; hierdurch würden bei Anwendung des DRG-Systems durchschnittlich 78 % der Patienten in der höher vergüteten Fallpauschale des höchsten Schweregrades eingruppiert. - Reduktion des medizinischen Sachbedarfs um 3,3 % pro Operation mit Herz-Lungenmaschine durch geplante Ressourcenverteilung unter Bildung einer Schnittstelle zu einem externen Berater und monatlicher Analyse der aufgewandten Kosten für medizinischen Sachbedarf. - Reduktion der Laborkosten der Klinik um 35 % durch Einführung verbindlicher Laborstandards für die perioperative Anforderung von Laboruntersuchungen. Die Kosten, die mit der Einführung des Qualitätsmanagementsystems verbunden waren konnten alleine durch die Reduktion der Ausgaben im Bereich des medizinischen Sachbedarfs sowie der Laborleistungen bereits innerhalb der ersten zwei Jahre eingespart werden; dies deckt sich mit den Erfahrungen an-derer Kliniken. Die Einführung eines Qualitätsmanagementsystems und dessen Zertifizierung nach DIN EN ISO 9001:2000 in einer herzchirurgischen Universitätsklinik ist somit möglich und kann zu messbaren Qualitätsverbesserungen sowie zu signifikanten Einsparungen durch geplanten Einsatz von Ressourcen führen. Sie schafft ein Bewusstsein für Qualität und kann den Weg zu einem Qualitätsmanagementsystem für die Gesamtklinik erleichtern. Die erforderlichen Maßnahmen zum Erhalt des Qualitätsmanagementsystems können in einen kontinuierlichen Verbesserungsprozess münden. / Quality management systems have proven to be effective tools in all areas of industry, service and administration. Although there is a legal obligation for the proof of a quality management system as well as for the participation in external quality assurance programs for all units of health care the consciousness for their need and usefulness ist low. After revision of EN ISO 9001:2000 there is a universal standard for a modern process and customer oriented quality management system for the application in all fields of health care. In contrast to quality modells especially designed for health care with focus on structure quality this standard integrates aspects of process quality and results. EN ISO 9001:2000 is the only standard which allows certification of part units of complex clinics like university hospitals. In a process of 18 months a quality management system could be introduced in the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery of the Charit頲epresenting the medi-cal faculty of Humboldt University Berlin leading to certification according to EN ISO 9001:2000 with the scope "Patient treatment and clinical research". Prior to this a comprehensive revision of structures, processes and the allocation of ressources with participation of all employees was necessary. By the introduction of this quality management system and the following certifi-cation quality improvements could be achieved: - Improvement of satisfaction of advising physicians with respect to the ac-cessibility of the department by modification of the structure and communica-tion systems as well as information of cooperating partners. - Improvement of the quality of the medical documentation by increase of coded side diagnoses by 135.3 % from 2000 to 2002. In the new DRG-system 78 % of all patients would be classified in the group of highest reim-bursement. - Reduction of medical goods by 3.3 % per operation with heart lung machine by means of planned allocation of ressources using an interface to external advisors and monthly analysis of costs for medical goods. - Reduction of laboratory costs by 35 % after introduction of panels for perio-perative routine laboratory investigations. In agreement with the experience of other clinics the costs for the introduction of the quality management system could be saved within the first years by the reduction of costs for medical goods and laboratory investigations. In conclusion the introduction of a quality management system and certification according to EN ISO 9001:2000 in a university cardac surgery department is possible and may lead to measurable quality improvements as well as to signifi-cant reduction of costs. It creates a consciousness for quality and may lead to a quality management system for the complete university clinic. The measures necessary for preservation of the quality management system may lead to a process of continuous quality improvement.

This study compared data related to National Board Certification (NBC) of mathematics teachers in a South Florida school district. Data included 1,162 student scores on the 2014 AP Calculus AB exam, student gender, student grade level, and eligibility for free or reduced price lunch (FRL) status. Teachers completed the Standards' Beliefs Instrument (SBI) (Zollman & Mason, 1992) to determine alignment of their beliefs with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards. Interviews were conducted with five NBC mathematics teachers to understand how they incorporate best mathematics teaching practices in their daily instruction. A t-test analysis revealed that students taught by NBC teachers scored significantly higher (M = 3.70) on the AP Calculus AB Exam than those taught by non-NBCTs (M = 2.74); Cohen's d (.6429) indicated a moderately large effect size. No causation is to be implied; various confounding factors may also contribute to the variance in student scores. Three factorial ANOVA tests were performed to test interaction effects. Two significant interaction effects were detected: (1) NBCT status and student grade level; and (2) NBCT status and student FRL (free and reduced price lunch) status. No significant interaction was found between NBCT status and student gender. With a reliability estimate using Cronbach's alpha, a second t-test was conducted. A statistically significant difference was found regarding the mean scores of NBCTs and non-NBCTs regarding their beliefs according to the vision of the NCTM. NBCTs generally have practices that align more with the NCTM mathematics teaching standards. Interviews with five NBC teachers of AP Calculus provided rich qualitative descriptions of their teaching philosophies, approaches, and best practices contributing to student success. The results of this study reinforce evidence from previous research that the process of obtaining the NBC contributes to a teacher's professional expertise and is related to student success; however, since there may be other confounding factors related to teachers, students, and their schools, the NBC cannot be considered the sole factor contributing to student success in AP coursework and exams. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-22T17:26:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Rosaura.pdf: 1428815 bytes, checksum: e1bbddca8023e11df043fcf404caaef9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-08-07 / The need to organize and certify documents stored in digital libraries leads us to search for a model that enables the consolidation of norms to regulate both the access to material and interactions among the users responsible for the utilization process, evaluation and certification of the documents to be digitalized. The use of the model and technology of the Electronic Institutions allows achieving this goal through a mechanism which leads to a natural extension from human institutions to an electronic environment. This work aims to shape an environment of electronic institution type to support the mechanism of evaluation and certification of digitalized documents in a thematic digital library / A necessidade de organizar e legitimar documentos armazenados em bibliotecas digitais nos remete à busca de um modelo que possibilite a consolidação de normas que norteiem o acesso aos acervos e as interações entre os usuários do sistema, especialmente as interações entre os usuários responsáveis pelo processo de utilização, avaliação e certificação dos documentos a serem digitalizados. A utilização do modelo e da tecnologia das instituições eletrônicas possibilita alcançar esse objetivo através de um mecanismo que remete a uma extensão natural das instituições humanas para um ambiente eletrônico. Este trabalho pretende modelar um ambiente tipo instituição eletrônica para embasar o mecanismo de avaliação e certificação de documentos digitalizados de uma biblioteca digital temática