This study examines the strategic and operational outcomes of effective implementation of quality improvement initiatives in different service operational environments. Using a sample of 354 service organisations, this study utilises a structural equation modelling (SEM) approach to investigate the effectiveness of quality improvement initiatives. The results show clear strategic and operational benefits of effective implementation of quality improvement initiatives. The study concludes that the quality improvement efforts of service organisations should be viewed from a system-wide perspective. This systematic orientation leads to benefits which are not always achievable based on a piece-meal implementation orientation.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Successful strategy execution remains critical for any organisation. Yet many organisations seem to have difficulties in implementing their strategies, especially in the public sector. This study explores the role of middle managers in executing organisational strategies in the local government sector. The study adopted a qualitative research method and followed a case study strategy, using a local authority council (LAC) in Namibia. Using semi-structured individual interviews, I interviewed 10 middle managers, selected through applying purposive sampling and representing diverse characteristics of the target group. I introduced a theoretical framework consisting of four research focus areas to guide the study: the value-adding role of middle managers, the key enablers for middle managers to execute strategies successfully, the key processes they follow and the key tools they use to implement corporate strategies. I also conducted a critical literature review on the above focus areas. The findings suggest that middle managers interpret, communicate and translate organisational strategic goals into actions in their value-adding role as champions, synthesisers, facilitators and implementers. The results of the research study also indicates that communication and the availability of resources are key enabling factors, whereas systems, structures, policies and communication channels are key processes impacting on the middle managers' effective implementation of corporate strategies in this LAC. In the same vein, resources – information technology (IT) in particular, performance management systems and laws – were found to be the key tools. Some disconfirming evidence also emerged from the study, suggesting that some middle managers play a value-subtracting role, characterised by disruptive behaviour and being bogged down in routine duties. This research study is, at best, an explorative one, as it used a limited sample. Further research is necessary to gain more in-depth insights about the different roles of middle managers and their influence on strategy generation and implementation versus the role of top/senior managers. As the study employed a case study design, the generalisability of the findings is also limited to this LAC. Further, while I aimed to give a trustworthy account of the experiences of the research participants, many factors may have interfered with the processes of fair collection and interpretation of data, including personal emotional involvement with the topic, presuppositions formed from reading the literature, and various aspects of the interaction with the research participants. Further research is therefore needed to validate the assumed relationships that are expressed in the thematic map. This study is of value to the LAC in that, in the present context of this organisation, top management formulate the organisational strategic goals (vision, mission, strategic thrusts and objectives), with little involvement of middle managers. The study records the views of middle managers, indicating that there is a gap between the agenda setting and leadership of top managers and the observed roles of middle managers. Yet, effective strategy execution requires constant feedback, commenting on and questioning the strategy in order to facilitate understanding. Middle managers thus correctly argue that continuous dialogue and interaction with senior managers increases the alignment of their tactical initiatives with top management's conception of corporate strategy. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suksesvolle strategieuitvoering bly van deurslaggewende belang vir enige organisasie. Tog is dit oënskynlik vir menige instansie moeilik om hulle strategieë ten uitvoer te bring, veral in die openbare sektor. Hierdie studie ondersoek die rol van middelvlakbestuurders in die toepassing van organisatoriese strategieë in die plaaslike regeringsektor. Met behulp van ʼn kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode en ʼn gevallestudieontwerp, is ʼn Namibiese plaaslike regeringsraad ('n sogenaamde LAC) onder die loep geneem. Semi-gestruktureerde afsonderlike onderhoude is met tien middelvlakbestuurders gevoer, welke tiental deur doelgerigte steekproefneming gekies is en die diverse kenmerke van die teikengroep verteenwoordig. Die studie word gerig deur ʼn teoretiese raamwerk met vier navorsingsfokusgebiede, naamlik die waardetoevoegingsrol van middelvlakbestuurders; die kerninstaatstellers vir middelvlakbestuurders om strategieë suksesvol in werking te stel; en die kernprosesse wat middelvlakbestuurders volg, sowel as die kerninstrumente wat hulle gebruik om korporatiewe strategieë uit te voer. ʼn Oorsig van kritieke literatuur is ook op elk van voormelde fokusgebiede onderneem. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat middelvlakbestuurders, in hulle waardetoevoegingsrol as kampvegters, sintetiseerders, fasiliteerders en toepassers, organisatoriese strategiese doelwitte vertolk, oordra en in dade omskakel. Die navorsing bevind ook dat kommunikasie en die beskikbaarheid van hulpbronne kerninstaatstellers is, terwyl stelsels, struktuur, beleid en kommunikasiekanale die kernprosesse is wat middelvlakbestuurders se doeltreffende inwerkingstelling van korporatiewe strategieë in die LAC onder beskouing beïnvloed. In dieselfde trant blyk hulpbronne – veral inligtingstegnologie, ʼn prestasiebestuurstelsel en wette – die kerninstrumente te wees. Die studie lewer egter ook teenstellende bewyse op dat sommige middelvlakbestuurders inderwaarheid ʼn waardeverminderingsrol speel, omdat hulle ontwrigtend optree en in roetinetake vasval. Hierdie navorsingstudie is hoogstens ondersoekend, met ʼn beperkte steekproef. Verdere navorsing is dus nodig om ʼn dieper insig in die verskillende rolle van middelvlakbestuurders en hulle invloed op die formulering en inwerkingstelling van strategie teenoor dié van top-/senior bestuurders te verkry. Aangesien die studie van ʼn gevallestudieontwerp gebruik maak, is die veralgemeenbaarheid van die bevindinge ook beperk tot die onderhawige LAC. Voorts, hoewel die studie 'n betroubare weergawe van die navorsingsdeelnemers se ervaringe probeer gee, kon verskeie faktore met die prosesse van billike datainsameling en datavertolking ingemeng het, wat persoonlike betrokkenheid by die onderwerp, vooronderstellings uit die literatuur, en vele aspekte met betrekking tot wisselwerking met navorsingsdeelnemers insluit. Die aangenome verhoudinge in die tematiese kaart moet dus deur middel van verdere navorsing bekragtig word. Die studie is van waarde vir die betrokke LAC, aangesien die topbestuur van die organisasie tans die organisatoriese strategiese doelwitte (visie, misie, strategiese fokuspunte en oogmerke) sonder veel oorleg met middelvlakbestuurders bepaal. Middelvlakbestuurders kon dus deur hierdie studie ook húlle menings lug, waaruit duidelik blyk dat daar ʼn gaping is tussen topbestuurders se agendabepaling en leierskap, en die waargenome rolle van middelvlakbestuurders. Doeltreffende strategieuitvoering verg egter deurlopende terugvoering oor, kommentaar op, en bevraagtekening van die strategie ten einde werklike begrip in die hand te werk. Middelvlakbestuurders het dus gelyk dat voortdurende gesprekvoering en wisselwerking met senior bestuurders nodig is om te verseker dat taktiese projekte op middelvlak in pas is met die topbestuur se gedagtes oor korporatiewe strategie.

Os direitos sociais são fruto das lutas dos indivíduos por melhores condições de trabalho e de vida ao longo dos séculos XVIII e XIX, embora os direitos mínimos dos trabalhadores somente tenham sido sistematicamente inseridos nas Constituições e albergados pelos diplomas internacionais ao no decorrer do século XX. No Brasil, os direitos fundamentais do trabalhador foram elencados na Constituição Federal de 1934 e, a partir de então, foram sendo ampliados até a Constituição Federal de 1988, nomeada de cidadã, que inaugurou um marco na constitucionalização desses direitos sociais, integrando-os efetivamente ao rol dos direitos fundamentais, conferindo-lhes aplicabilidade imediata e natureza de cláusulas pétreas. Toda essa sistemática traçada pelo legislador constituinte exige que os aplicadores do Direito tratem esses direitos trabalhistas como realmente fundamentais, inclusive no que tange às questões relativas à eficácia jurídica, efetividade e aplicabilidade. Ao lado do dilema da falta de efetividade das normas que estabelecem esses direitos, pela cultura de seu descumprimento reiterado pelos empregadores, existe outro problema igualmente grave: a ausência de implementação ou a implementação restritiva de vários direitos fundamentais trabalhistas, tanto pela ausência de leis infraconstitucionais que regulamentem as normas que os estatuem, quanto pela interpretação jurisdicional que lhes é conferida. Embora com alguns avanços no campo hermenêutico, a atuação do Poder Judiciário ainda tem sido insuficiente para a implementação plena dos direitos fundamentais sociais, tanto em virtude das resistências externas a uma postura mais ativa do Judiciário, quanto pela tendência de auto-restrição dos juízes em se aceitarem como órgãos legítimos para concretizar os direitos sociais esculpidos na Constituição. Ambos os problemas têm fulcro em uma concepção teórica restritiva de cidadania e, consequentemente, do exercício efetivo dos direitos fundamentais sociais pelos seus titulares, e em uma leitura desatualizada da teoria da separação dos poderes de Montesquieu, que desconsidera o Poder Judiciário como destinatário das normas de direitos fundamentais sociais. Sem embargo, a Constituição de 1988 adotou uma concepção de cidadania ampla, que pode ser denominada de cidadania social, pois o cidadão tem não apenas a prerrogativa de exercer os seus direitos políticos e civis, como também os seus direitos sociais, além de poder requerer ao Judiciário a implementação dos direitos cujo exercício se encontra limitado, inclusive pela interpretação involutiva dos dispositivos constitucionais, totalmente desvinculada da realidade social. O cidadão tem garantido constitucionalmente o acesso a uma ordem jurídica justa, no sentido do acesso aos tribunais, do exercício do direito de ação, com todas as garantias concernentes ao devido processo legal, e de uma prestação jurisdicional adequada e em tempo razoável que concretize os direitos reconhecidos em juízo. Para isso, o juiz deve se valer não apenas da utilização de mecanismos processuais adequados, mas também, em se tratando de pleitos que envolvam direitos fundamentais, da interpretação evolutiva, isto é, da atribuição de novos conteúdos à norma constitucional, sem a alteração do texto do dispositivo constitucional, em virtude de mudanças sócio-econômico-políticas não previstas pelo constituinte. Embora existam exemplos de decisões, majoritárias ou pontuais proferidas por juízes ou pelos Tribunais do Trabalho, em que se vislumbra a interpretação constitucional evolutiva de alguns direitos fundamentais trabalhistas, para a implementação plena desses direitos a atuação desse ramo especializado do Judiciário deve ser mais incisiva e abrangente. Dessa forma, o intento da presente tese é demonstrar que, para garantir a implementação efetiva de vários direitos dos trabalhadores estabelecidos nos artigos 7º a 11 da CF/88 e artigo 10 do ADCT, a Justiça do Trabalho deverá adotar uma hermenêutica jurisdicional pautada na interpretação evolutiva das normas constitucionais e na concepção ampliativa do exercício dos direitos fundamentais, fundada no princípio da cidadania social. / Social rights are the result of individuals\' struggles for better working and living conditions in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, although the basic rights of workers have only been systematically inserted in the Constitution and encompassed by international treaties, covenants and declarations in the twentieth century. In Brazil, the fundamental rights of workers were listed in the Constitution of 1934 and, thereafter, have been extended to the Federal Constitution of 1988, referred to as \"citizen\", which represented a milestone for the constitutionalization of social rights, integrating them effectively to the role of fundamental rights and giving them instant applicability and the quality of entrenched clauses. The same procedure drafted by the constitutional legislators requires that lawenforcers see these labor rights as something really fundamental, including subjects related to the legal effectiveness, efficacy and applicability. Next to the dilemma of lack of effectiveness of the rules that determine these rights, that is to say the employers culture of a repeated failure to comply with them, there is another equally serious problem: the lack of implementation or putting into effect, in a restrictive way, various fundamental labor rights, both because of the absence of infraconstitutional laws which regulate the rules that set them up, as well as the judicial interpretation they were given. Despite some advances in the hermeneutic field, the judiciary has still been not enough for the full implementation of fundamental social rights, both because of external opposition to a more active role of the judiciary, and by the self-restraint judges tendency to accept themselves as a right and proper means for achieving the social rights guaranteed by the Brazilian Constitution. Both problems have a restrictive theoretical fulcrum conception of citizenship and, consequently, the effective exercise of fundamental social rights by their holders, and an outdated interpretation of the Montesquieus theory of separation of powers, which disregards the judiciary as a recipient of the fundamental social rights standards. Nevertheless, the Constitution of 1988 adopted a broad conception of citizenship, which can be called \"social\" citizenship since citizens has not only the prerogative of exercising their civil and political rights, but also their social rights, as well as requesting the Judiciary for the implementation of rights which exercise is limited, even because of the involuting interpretation of constitutional provisions, totally divorced from social reality. Citizens have a constitutionally guaranteed access to a fair legal system in the sense of accessing courts, exercising the right of action, with all the guarantees pertaining to a due legal procedure and proper adjudication in a reasonable term that makes available the rights recognized in court. For that, judges must not only rely on the use of appropriate procedural mechanisms, but also, in case of claims involving fundamental rights, on the evolutionary interpretation, that is, assigning new content to the constitutional rules, without changing the text of the constitution because of socio-economic and political changes not foreseen by the constituent. Although there are examples of majoritarian or specific decisions taken by judges or by the Labor Courts, which are able to glimpse the evolving constitutional interpretation of some fundamental labor rights, for the full implementation of these rights, the performance of that specialized branch of the judiciary should be more incisive and comprehensive. Thus, the goal of this thesis is to demonstrate that to ensure the effective implementation of various workers\' rights, as laid down in Articles 7 to 11 and Article 10 of CF/88 ADCT, the Labor Court should adopt judicial hermeneutics guided by the evolving interpretation of constitutional rules and the ampliative conception of exercising fundamental rights, based on the principle of social citizenship.

Os direitos sociais são fruto das lutas dos indivíduos por melhores condições de trabalho e de vida ao longo dos séculos XVIII e XIX, embora os direitos mínimos dos trabalhadores somente tenham sido sistematicamente inseridos nas Constituições e albergados pelos diplomas internacionais ao no decorrer do século XX. No Brasil, os direitos fundamentais do trabalhador foram elencados na Constituição Federal de 1934 e, a partir de então, foram sendo ampliados até a Constituição Federal de 1988, nomeada de cidadã, que inaugurou um marco na constitucionalização desses direitos sociais, integrando-os efetivamente ao rol dos direitos fundamentais, conferindo-lhes aplicabilidade imediata e natureza de cláusulas pétreas. Toda essa sistemática traçada pelo legislador constituinte exige que os aplicadores do Direito tratem esses direitos trabalhistas como realmente fundamentais, inclusive no que tange às questões relativas à eficácia jurídica, efetividade e aplicabilidade. Ao lado do dilema da falta de efetividade das normas que estabelecem esses direitos, pela cultura de seu descumprimento reiterado pelos empregadores, existe outro problema igualmente grave: a ausência de implementação ou a implementação restritiva de vários direitos fundamentais trabalhistas, tanto pela ausência de leis infraconstitucionais que regulamentem as normas que os estatuem, quanto pela interpretação jurisdicional que lhes é conferida. Embora com alguns avanços no campo hermenêutico, a atuação do Poder Judiciário ainda tem sido insuficiente para a implementação plena dos direitos fundamentais sociais, tanto em virtude das resistências externas a uma postura mais ativa do Judiciário, quanto pela tendência de auto-restrição dos juízes em se aceitarem como órgãos legítimos para concretizar os direitos sociais esculpidos na Constituição. Ambos os problemas têm fulcro em uma concepção teórica restritiva de cidadania e, consequentemente, do exercício efetivo dos direitos fundamentais sociais pelos seus titulares, e em uma leitura desatualizada da teoria da separação dos poderes de Montesquieu, que desconsidera o Poder Judiciário como destinatário das normas de direitos fundamentais sociais. Sem embargo, a Constituição de 1988 adotou uma concepção de cidadania ampla, que pode ser denominada de cidadania social, pois o cidadão tem não apenas a prerrogativa de exercer os seus direitos políticos e civis, como também os seus direitos sociais, além de poder requerer ao Judiciário a implementação dos direitos cujo exercício se encontra limitado, inclusive pela interpretação involutiva dos dispositivos constitucionais, totalmente desvinculada da realidade social. O cidadão tem garantido constitucionalmente o acesso a uma ordem jurídica justa, no sentido do acesso aos tribunais, do exercício do direito de ação, com todas as garantias concernentes ao devido processo legal, e de uma prestação jurisdicional adequada e em tempo razoável que concretize os direitos reconhecidos em juízo. Para isso, o juiz deve se valer não apenas da utilização de mecanismos processuais adequados, mas também, em se tratando de pleitos que envolvam direitos fundamentais, da interpretação evolutiva, isto é, da atribuição de novos conteúdos à norma constitucional, sem a alteração do texto do dispositivo constitucional, em virtude de mudanças sócio-econômico-políticas não previstas pelo constituinte. Embora existam exemplos de decisões, majoritárias ou pontuais proferidas por juízes ou pelos Tribunais do Trabalho, em que se vislumbra a interpretação constitucional evolutiva de alguns direitos fundamentais trabalhistas, para a implementação plena desses direitos a atuação desse ramo especializado do Judiciário deve ser mais incisiva e abrangente. Dessa forma, o intento da presente tese é demonstrar que, para garantir a implementação efetiva de vários direitos dos trabalhadores estabelecidos nos artigos 7º a 11 da CF/88 e artigo 10 do ADCT, a Justiça do Trabalho deverá adotar uma hermenêutica jurisdicional pautada na interpretação evolutiva das normas constitucionais e na concepção ampliativa do exercício dos direitos fundamentais, fundada no princípio da cidadania social. / Social rights are the result of individuals\' struggles for better working and living conditions in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, although the basic rights of workers have only been systematically inserted in the Constitution and encompassed by international treaties, covenants and declarations in the twentieth century. In Brazil, the fundamental rights of workers were listed in the Constitution of 1934 and, thereafter, have been extended to the Federal Constitution of 1988, referred to as \"citizen\", which represented a milestone for the constitutionalization of social rights, integrating them effectively to the role of fundamental rights and giving them instant applicability and the quality of entrenched clauses. The same procedure drafted by the constitutional legislators requires that lawenforcers see these labor rights as something really fundamental, including subjects related to the legal effectiveness, efficacy and applicability. Next to the dilemma of lack of effectiveness of the rules that determine these rights, that is to say the employers culture of a repeated failure to comply with them, there is another equally serious problem: the lack of implementation or putting into effect, in a restrictive way, various fundamental labor rights, both because of the absence of infraconstitutional laws which regulate the rules that set them up, as well as the judicial interpretation they were given. Despite some advances in the hermeneutic field, the judiciary has still been not enough for the full implementation of fundamental social rights, both because of external opposition to a more active role of the judiciary, and by the self-restraint judges tendency to accept themselves as a right and proper means for achieving the social rights guaranteed by the Brazilian Constitution. Both problems have a restrictive theoretical fulcrum conception of citizenship and, consequently, the effective exercise of fundamental social rights by their holders, and an outdated interpretation of the Montesquieus theory of separation of powers, which disregards the judiciary as a recipient of the fundamental social rights standards. Nevertheless, the Constitution of 1988 adopted a broad conception of citizenship, which can be called \"social\" citizenship since citizens has not only the prerogative of exercising their civil and political rights, but also their social rights, as well as requesting the Judiciary for the implementation of rights which exercise is limited, even because of the involuting interpretation of constitutional provisions, totally divorced from social reality. Citizens have a constitutionally guaranteed access to a fair legal system in the sense of accessing courts, exercising the right of action, with all the guarantees pertaining to a due legal procedure and proper adjudication in a reasonable term that makes available the rights recognized in court. For that, judges must not only rely on the use of appropriate procedural mechanisms, but also, in case of claims involving fundamental rights, on the evolutionary interpretation, that is, assigning new content to the constitutional rules, without changing the text of the constitution because of socio-economic and political changes not foreseen by the constituent. Although there are examples of majoritarian or specific decisions taken by judges or by the Labor Courts, which are able to glimpse the evolving constitutional interpretation of some fundamental labor rights, for the full implementation of these rights, the performance of that specialized branch of the judiciary should be more incisive and comprehensive. Thus, the goal of this thesis is to demonstrate that to ensure the effective implementation of various workers\' rights, as laid down in Articles 7 to 11 and Article 10 of CF/88 ADCT, the Labor Court should adopt judicial hermeneutics guided by the evolving interpretation of constitutional rules and the ampliative conception of exercising fundamental rights, based on the principle of social citizenship.

Objective of doctoral thesis is creation of model of financial management of company based on determining the optimal set of key indicators of success and their interaction principle in order to improve the efficiency of the company. Creation of a model of financial management of the enterprise is based on the study and comparison financial and managerial practices of ten large construction companies located in the Czech Republic and in Portugal. A model has been created that links the methods of financial management and analysis. The model was subsequently successfully tested on two specific companies. It was also proposed methodology, sequence of steps for its implementation and subsequent use in practice. To determine the effectiveness of decisions made, the EVA method was used. The model evaluates the financial condition of the company, determines the dependence of financial stability on external factors, determines the tasks that the company must fulfill in order to increase the company's efficiency.

Introduction: The epidemic of overweight and obesity both worldwide and in Canada is indicative of the need for proper growth monitoring beginning at birth. This study evaluated Family Physician’s (FP) Level of Use (LoU) of the recommended 2006 and 2007 World Health Organization (WHO) Growth Charts for monitoring their paediatric patients’ growth. It explored factors influencing LoU, utilizing the Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory and Ecological Framework for Effective Implementation (EFEI) as guiding models. FPs’ awareness of resources to support paediatric weight management was also assessed. Methods: A survey was distributed to FP in British Columbia (BC), Canada (N = 2853). The survey addressed provider and innovation characteristics, prevention delivery and support system factors, and barriers and facilitators to chart use. Correlations and multiple linear regression were used to determine correlates and predictors of LoU. Results: Sixty-two surveys were returned (2.2%). WHO Growth Chart LoU was 80.4%. Six variables significantly predicted LoU, including age (β = -.28, t = -3.15, p < .05), practicing in Fraser Health Authority region (β = -.24, t = -2.67, p < .05), assessing head circumference of birth to two year olds (β = .23, t = 2.45, p < .05), perceived growth chart accessibility (β = .39, t = 4.22, p < .05) and compatibility (β = .47, t = 5.27, p < .05), and innovativeness (β = -.37, t = -4.11, p < .05). These variables accounted for 69% of the variance in LoU. The most commonly identified barrier and facilitator to chart use was related to the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system. FPs’ awareness of resources to support overweight paediatric patients was low. Conclusion: The majority of FP in BC in this sample had adopted the WHO Growth Charts. The results showed partial support for DOI theory and EFEI derived factors. Despite a small sample size, the findings highlighted the importance of installing the charts in the EMR systems, and can provide a foundation for future public health dissemination efforts and research on medical guideline implementation. / Graduate / 0573 / 0769 / erand@uvic.ca

Introduction: The epidemic of overweight and obesity both worldwide and in Canada is indicative of the need for proper growth monitoring beginning at birth. This study evaluated Family Physician’s (FP) Level of Use (LoU) of the recommended 2006 and 2007 World Health Organization (WHO) Growth Charts for monitoring their paediatric patients’ growth. It explored factors influencing LoU, utilizing the Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory and Ecological Framework for Effective Implementation (EFEI) as guiding models. FPs’ awareness of resources to support paediatric weight management was also assessed. Methods: A survey was distributed to FP in British Columbia (BC), Canada (N = 2853). The survey addressed provider and innovation characteristics, prevention delivery and support system factors, and barriers and facilitators to chart use. Correlations and multiple linear regression were used to determine correlates and predictors of LoU. Results: Sixty-two surveys were returned (2.2%). WHO Growth Chart LoU was 80.4%. Six variables significantly predicted LoU, including age (β = -.28, t = -3.15, p < .05), practicing in Fraser Health Authority region (β = -.24, t = -2.67, p < .05), assessing head circumference of birth to two year olds (β = .23, t = 2.45, p < .05), perceived growth chart accessibility (β = .39, t = 4.22, p < .05) and compatibility (β = .47, t = 5.27, p < .05), and innovativeness (β = -.37, t = -4.11, p < .05). These variables accounted for 69% of the variance in LoU. The most commonly identified barrier and facilitator to chart use was related to the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system. FPs’ awareness of resources to support overweight paediatric patients was low. Conclusion: The majority of FP in BC in this sample had adopted the WHO Growth Charts. The results showed partial support for DOI theory and EFEI derived factors. Despite a small sample size, the findings highlighted the importance of installing the charts in the EMR systems, and can provide a foundation for future public health dissemination efforts and research on medical guideline implementation. / Graduate / 0573 / 0769 / erand@uvic.ca

This study investigates the constraints and success factors in the implementation of the third performance management system (PMS) for the Namibian public service from 2006 to 2014. It was purported to be implemented in 2006. However, various government publications reported that its implementation process was poor or slow. The study also made a contribution to the discussions regarding individual performance agreements by politicians. The review of the existing literature revealed that at the time of this study no academic research was conducted in the Namibian public service considering the PMS implementation process in totality. Furthermore, the conditions or factors of an effective policy and performance management system implementation which had been identified helped the researcher to decide on the focus of the study. Methodologically, the study uses an implementation research design which focused on process evaluation using the mixed method approach. During phase one, data was collected using a diagnostic tool to determine the status of the PMS implementation. The results of phase one guided the interviews conducted during phase two that provided an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon under investigation. A purposive sampling method was applied in selecting nineteen respondents who participated in this study. Documentary sources were used during all the phases of the study. The main findings of the study are: notable achievements in terms of the PMS design and its implementation, with four Offices, Ministries and Agencies (OMAs) and Regional Councils (RCs) being identified as most successful at the time of the study. Internal leadership commitment proved to be the main success factor. However, the PMS was not implemented fully because it did not meet the requirements of an effective one. The study recommends to establish the PMS unit in each OMA and RC, integrate the PMS with all aspects of human resources, simplify the PMS forms, formulate a PMS policy for Namibian politicians, apply the templates and implementation modalities of an individual performance agreement of political executives, formulate a social contract for the constituency councilors in the Government of the Republic of Namibia, and introduce a Constituency Development Budget (CDB) to support the implementation of the social contract. / Public Administration / D.P.A.

Expression d’un mal législatif contemporain, les lois symboliques ne sont pas seulement des dispositions incantatoires sur le modèle des lois non normatives ou « mémorielles ». Elles peuvent aussi être des dispositions techniques, comme en comporte le droit de la propriété littéraire et artistique. Pour le comprendre, il convient, dans un premier temps, d’identifier les lois symboliques. Caractérisées par la disharmonie de leur discours et de leurs qualités normatives, ces lois donnent à voir un phénomène d’ineffectivité entendu en un sens large. Imprécises, irréalistes, menteuses, mais dotées d’un message vertueux, les lois symboliques sont le résultat d’un exercice instrumentalisé de l’action législative, davantage préoccupé par l’expression de valeurs que par la considération des effets concrets du texte. Dans un second temps, il importe de déterminer la manière dont les lois symboliques doivent être traitées. Signe d’une mutation de la production législative et du droit de la propriété littéraire et artistique, ces lois sont la figure d’un désordre : elles marquent le retrait du vrai symbolique et sa vaine compensation par un faux symbolique voyant. Cet enseignement commande une remise en ordre appelant au respect de règles de légistique et à la conscience morale des diseurs de normes animés par l’amour des lois. Alors que les réformes se multiplient en droit d’auteur et que la matière est attaquée par des revendications consuméristes et sociales, cette étude invite à une réflexion sur l’avenir de la discipline et à envisager des remèdes pour lutter contre l’apparition des lois symboliques. / Symbolic laws are a recent manifestation of a contemporary legislative evil. They are not only incantatory declarations on the model of non-normative or "memorial" laws, since they can also be technical rulings, as intellectual property law is. To grasp this phenomenon, we must first identify what symbolic laws are. Characterized by the disharmony between their discourse and their normative qualities, these laws show a phenomenon of ineffective implementation. Unclear, unrealistic, sometimes lying, but endowed with a virtuous message, symbolic laws are the result of the instrumentalization of legislative action, an exercise where expressing values is more a concern than the concrete effects of the text. Secondly, it is important to determine how symbolic laws should be dealt with. As a sign of a change in legislative production and in intellectual property law, these laws are the figure of disorder: they mark the withdrawal of the true symbolism and its vain compensation by a false and flashy symbolism. This discovery calls for a restoration of order and the respect of legistic rules, where those who write the norms should be animated by the love of laws and guided by moral conscience. As intellectual property law is under attack by commercial and social demands, this study invites to think about its future and see how we could prevent the appearance of symbolic laws.

The development of gender mainstreaming programs and proactive work aimed at addressing the historical imbalances of women in all sectors of society have become the staple of most international meetings with a concern for human rights. From a sport perspective, a number of organizations are keeping this critical issue alive at global, regional, international and national levels through policy documents, declarations and calls for action since 1948 to 2008 with the Dead Sea call for action. The Brighton Declaration on Women and Sport signed in 1994 by 250 signatories is universally regarded as the ground-breaking work on Women and Sport. Yet, despite years of campaigning and numerous policy documents, legislation and world conferences on women and sport, a marked gender imbalance in sport still persists. Little or no qualitative evidence could be found of clear process strategies to be followed by signatories of the Brighton Declaration on how to translate strategic intent into quality management processes to attain the envisioned result of the Declaration. Successful implementation of the principles of the Brighton Declaration depends on quality internal organizational processes and standards. The research question for the study was hence formulated as: “Do signatories of the Brighton Declaration have appropriate management processes and standards in place to translate the principles of the Declaration into sustainable practice?” The study was approached from a qualitative perspective as the perceptions of signatories relative to the quality of management processes have been evaluated. A questionnaire (Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient ∞=0.978) based on ISO 9001-2000 management standards was used as a research instrument and administered to 246 currently existing signatories of the Brighton Declaration. A response rate of 51% (n=125) was attained. Several international and regional organizations emerged as role players in women and sport. The United Nations provided leadership through conventions on human rights, Millennium Development Goals and declaring 2005 as International Year of Sport and Physical Education. The International Olympic Committee took initiative through quadrennial world conferences on women and sport since 1994. From the seminal “Women, Sport and the Challenge of Change” conference in Brighton, England in 1994, flowed three culminating results: the Brighton Declaration on Women and Sport, the International Working Group on Women and Sport and the International Strategy on Women and Sport. The Brighton Declaration signed by 250 signatories, enlarged and coordinated the global debate on women and sport as the first declaration to provide a worldwide ethical frame of reference and paradigm shift in social change for the construct of women in sport and women and sport. The issue of women and sport continuously remains on the agenda of global social change. The convening power of sport makes it a compelling tool for social change provided its potential is harnessed through sustainable management and processes. Social change necessitates an understanding of social change theories, stages of change management, the role of change agents as well as change management models. The major challenge facing women and sport groups is to translate strategic intent into measurable and replicable business process standards. Designing and institutionalizing processes and standards can be the mechanism to realize strategic intent and progress signatories through the stages of change management. Dawson’s (1994) processual model is used as a theoretical framework to conceptualize process management and to build a case for mapping business processes, managing quality of the processes, and continuously auditing processes through replicable standards. ISO 9001-2000 standards were selected as the instrument to audit quality management processes of signatories. Overall results obtained from the research questionnaire indicated an alarming ignorance of the Brighton Declaration as a benchmark of efforts to improve the position of women in sport and second an absence of management processes and standards to guide the process within signatories of the declaration. Only 2.8% of respondents indicated a process management system. Signatories have not institutionalized gender mainstreaming in a sport context. Results confirmed unequivocally H1 set for the study: the quality of management processes followed by signatories of the Brighton Declaration on Women and Sport (1994) to achieve the principles of the stated declaration is unsatisfactory. It was concluded that, in essence, the Brighton Declaration is an initiative to affect social change in the context of sport. Efforts to achieve the desired social change have to be managed and benchmarked according to change management models and processes to retain credibility and attain replicable and repeatable results. The ISO 9001-2000 is deemed a reliable instrument and framework to guide management process design, mapping, documenting, implementing, supporting, monitoring and controlling management processes. The alarming lack of management processes resulted in a significant gap between strategic intent and reality and suggests that the notion of gender mainstreaming feeds on emotion rather than replicable management processes. The Brighton Declaration as a seminal document will not impact substantially on achieving gender mainstreaming in sport as signatories have not succeeded in creating a critical mass necessary to tip the scale. Results also indicated that signatories are locked into the introductory stages of change management because of the lack of organized change. Low levels of competent leadership responsible for managing the change process results in loss of corporate memory regarding the Brighton Declaration. The study is concluded with recommendations and managerial guidelines focusing on building a critical mass, revisiting the significance of the seminal Brighton Declaration. A universal declaration on women and sport is recommended to serve as the nexus for global efforts to improve the position of women in sport. Signatories should adopt a managerial approach to the implementation of the Brighton Declaration rather than a social philanthropic awareness approach to move forward. Implications for further study center around investigating possible performance management systems in order to refine or supplement the recommended ISO 9001-2000 standards for quality management processes, longitudinally audit quality management processes at international and regional levels, and probing the possibility of formulating a universal declaration on women and sport to accelerate critical mass building in the context of women and sport. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences / unrestricted