Midst contextual themes of new technologies and globalisation, South African organisations are challenged to attract, develop and retain suitable skills in a labour market that will continue to suffer shortages. The HR function of today is required to partner with organisations at a strategic level in response to this challenge. Successful organisations understand that transforming the HR function require regular in-depth analyses of its effectiveness. The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of an HR function operating in a public utility, against current trends in HR transition. Different evaluation methodologies are explored to develop a theoretical evaluation model for the effectiveness of a HR function. The results confirmed that the HR function is not effective in its role as strategic partner, and highlights significant differences in perception between the stakeholders and the HR function regarding its effectiveness. Recommendations were made on future transformation actions for the specific HR function. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

The aim of this research was to make recommendations how parents and educators can select and use audio-visual media for supporting learners with behavioural problems (LBP). A literature study was conducted on behavioural problems and on the use of audio-visual media to address these. Thereafter an empirical investigation was done by means of a case study design. A purposive sample was chosen from Grades 10 and 12 learners in Pietermaritzburg. Websites were also selected for addressing a variety of topics. The most important findings were that audio-visual media can be selected by means of five criteria related to content accuracy and appropriateness, diversity and quality. The findings indicate that visual media can stimulate cognitive skills (including problem solving and critical thinking) and reflection about the acceptance of responsibility, positive attitudes and respect for authority, among others. It is concluded that audio-visual media can be used by educators to support LBP. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Specialisation in Psychology of Education)

O Governo Federal, com o PNLD (Programa Nacional do Livro Didático) propõe avaliar e distribuir livros didáticos para todas as escolas públicas de Ensino Fundamental brasileiras. Os critérios para esta avaliação, bem como sua logística, são refinados a cada edição do Programa. No entanto, o impacto e as reações causadas pelo PNLD a quem ele realmente se destina, são pouco estudados. O PNLD chega até as escolas sob a forma do Guia de Livros Didáticos, material que pretende ser fundamental à decisão dos títulos a serem requisitados ao MEC. O estudo do processo de escolha dos livros didáticos por professores de 1a a 4a séries é o objetivo deste trabalho. Buscamos conhecer os critérios utilizados pelos docentes na opção pela obra a ser adotada, as interferências internas e externas ao andamento do processo, as opiniões e sugestões ao PNLD. O trabalho visa contribuir com o PNLD na medida em que expõe o processo sob o olhar do professor. Procura subsidiar novas pesquisas, e produções editoriais. E visa, sobretudo, ao expressar as dificuldades, necessidades e desejos dos professores, colaborar com as mudanças necessárias para a melhoria da qualidade do ensino brasileiro.O trabalho desta pesquisa realizou-se de maneira paralela a uma pesquisa oficial do Ministério da Educação, cujo autor dessa dissertação auxiliou na coordenação, e procurou - com visitas a escolas e entrevistas com professores - estudar o processo de escolha dos livros in loco. Obtivemos como resultados, expressivos relatos de professores sobre este processo, mostrando a diversidade de critérios e condições para as escolhas. Constatou-se o pouco uso do Guia, o desconhecimento de importantes etapas do Programa. Conhecemos as deficiências estruturais do PNLD, as pressões exercidas pelas editoras e pelo poder público. Pretendemos, com o relato de sugestões e análise dos dados coletados, fornecer subsídios para o aprofundamento de estudos relacionados ao Programa Nacional do Livro Didático, contribuindo para sua eficiência. / The Brazilian Federal Government , with the PNLD ( National Textbook Program ) aims to evaluate and distribute textbooks to all public elementary schools. The criteria for this evaluation , as well as its logistics are refined at each edition of the Program. However , the impact and reactions caused by PNLD at whom he really intended , are poorly studied. PNLD arrives at schools by the Guide Textbook , material that purports to be fundamental to the decision of the securities to be bought by Ministry of Education. The study of the choice of textbooks by primary teachers is the aim of this Master´s work. We seek to know the criteria used by teachers in the choice of textbooks adopted , internal and external interference to the progress of the PNLD , the opinions and suggestions to PNLD. The work aims to contribute to the PNLD exposing the process under the gaze of the teacher. Aims to contribute to new researchs and editorial productions . And aims mainly express the difficulties , needs and wishes of teachers , collaborate with the necessary changes to improve the quality of brazilian schools. This research work was carried out in parallel to an official survey by the Ministry of Education , whose author of this master thesis helped coordinate , and searched - with school visit´s and interviews with teachers - study the process of choosing books spot. The results obtained shows the diversity of criteria and conditions for the choices . It found little use of the Guide , the lack of important steps in the Program . We know the structural deficiencies of PNLD pressures exerted by publishers and public authorities . We intend, with suggestions and analysis of collected data, provide support for deepening related to National Textbook Program studies, contributing to its efficiency .

En linguistique, la politesse vise la préservation de l’harmonie interactionnelle. Que se passe-t-il dans les situations où le dissensus se trouve au cœur des échanges, tel le cas de nos talk-shows ? Le rôle de l’impolitesse, de la violence et leurs rapports à la politesse dans On n’est pas couché et Tout le monde en parle ont constitué le point de départ de notre recherche. Le présent travail est une analyse du système de la politesse confronté aux défis des émissions mentionnées, défis qui nous ont amenée à explorer la dichotomie politesse-impolitesse et qui nous ont conduite à articuler ces dernières avec les notions d’adéquation au contrat de communication, de violence et de mise en scène.Afin de rendre compte du fonctionnement de ces phénomènes, deux démarches nous ont semblé nécessaires. Premièrement, abandonner la conception selon laquelle la politesse désignait les comportements jugés adéquats et l’impolitesse était conçue comme sa « contrepartie » négative. Deuxièmement, tenter de « re-conceptualisation » la notion d’adéquation aux normes tout en allant au-delà des classements rigides et des formules conventionnelles polies ou impolies.Partant de ces réflexions, nous nous sommes fixé une double ambition : dans le premier volet, nous avons voulu aménager le cadre théorique de la politesse ─ qui, appliqué à notre corpus, présentait certaines insuffisances ─, et formuler des critères pour l’évaluation des notions présentées. Ainsi, nous avons proposé, avec prudence et modestie, un cadre et des outils théoriques adaptés à nos talk-shows. Dans le second volet, nous avons analysé ─ manipulant les outils présentés et nous appuyant sur ce nouveau cadre ─, le fonctionnement du système de la politesse ainsi que les mises en scène de la parole polie, impolie et violente. / In linguistics, politeness, considered omnipresent, aims at preserving the interactional and interpersonal harmony. But what happens when conflict is at the very heart of verbal interactions, as is the case with our talk-shows? The role of impoliteness and violence, as well as their relationship with politeness in “On n’est pas couché” and “Tout le monde en parle” are to be considered as the starting point for our research. Thus, the present work is an analysis of the notion of politeness confronted to the “challenges” raised by the televised shows mentioned above, an analysis in which we explored the politeness/impoliteness dichotomy that we articulated, thereafter, with the notions of appropriateness (in respect to the communication contract), violence and representation or “mise-en-scène”.In order to give a proper account of the functioning of these phenomena, firstly, we gave up the general view according to which politeness was defined as adequate behaviour while impoliteness was seen as its negative counterpart. Secondly, we tried to reconceptualise the notion of appropriateness going beyond rigid classifications or conventionalised polite and impolite formula.Given these considerations, we established a twofold objective. On the one hand, we tried to adjust the theoretical framework of politeness that, applied to our data, presented certain deficiencies, and to come up with some evaluation criteria for the analysed notions; consequently, we modestly and prudently proposed a framework and several theoretical “tools” adapted to our talk-shows. On the other hand, we analysed ─ using the presented tools and framework ─, the mechanisms of politeness and impoliteness as well as the divers “mises-en-scène” of polite, impolite and violent speech.

Globally, sport plays a significant role and forms part of every modern person’s life, irrespective of race, age, gender or ethnic group. Researchers on this topic increasingly focus on the early identification of talent and the development of the talent to ensure optimal performance. One of the most critical trademarks of human development is die correlation between age and physical ability. The primary reason why people participate in sport is to improve their level of participation and performance. Therefore every effort should be made to obtain a more scientific approach towards optimal sports performance, seeing that it is scientifically proven that it improves the effectiveness of a specific sport with regards to the selection and preparation of individuals and teams. In present time South African sport is still facing the challenge to successfully integrate previously disadvantaged communities and to select teams purely on merit. The use of scientific evaluation criteria in the selection process of teams can make a definite contribution to help solidify the selection principle of merit only. This is due to the fact that scientifically, assessed physical performance can not merely be ignored or overruled in the selection of teams. The primary objective of this study was first of all to establish whether different norms will be needed for different playing positions in netball and if the assessments that are currently used are able to accurately predict the highest level that players will be able to play at. In the second instance, the objective of this study was to try and determine which components should be part of a set of netball specific evaluation criteria. To accomplish this objective research was done to find many different test protocol and to find literature that would verify the protocol. A third objective was to identify the positional qualities that netball players have to comply to, based on the selected evaluation criteria, and to select the best tests to be used for talent identification. In other words what the minimum test requirements would be to accomplish maximum data gathering. The developed protocol consisted of three (3) motor tests, four (4) physical tests and three (3) kinanthropometrical tests. The research group used in this study consisted of 304 senior netball players i.e. players older than 19 years of age. These players were categorized into three groups, namely players competing at club, national and international level. With the presentation of the statistical analysis, percentile ranks were developed and a 100 research candidates per positional group was used; i.e. 300 netball players in total. Furthermore an ANOVA was used to determine whether there were significant differences between the three positional groups. An analysis was done to determine if the evaluation criteria could discriminate between players from different positional groups. The analysis was merely used as a classification method and did not serve to evaluate die significance of differences. The results delivered position-specific norms. A function for predicting the identification of talented and less talented players was also developed. Although the study showed certain limitations, the research can be utilized to further develop scientific talent identification criteria for netball and this will be to the advantage of sports scientists and coaches involved with netball. / Thesis (DPhil (Human Movement Science))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences / DPhil / unrestricted

The aim of the thesis is to evaluate the system of procurement at the Ministry of Labour and Social affairs between 2011-2015. The first part defines important terms in the issue of public procurement from different points of view. The second part deals with internal legislation regulating procurement at the Ministry of Labour and Social affairs and the procurement system analysis of over-threshold (below-threshold) procurement and small-scale public contracts. The last part analyzes the data of public contracts between 2011-2015. The right system adjustment of procurement at the Ministry of Labour and Social affairs is questioned.

The thesis aims to examine effectiveness of the system of public procurement in the Czech Republic and emphasisizes its evaluation criteria. Evaluation criteria in public procurement are an essential part of the selection process and play thus a highly important role when selecting the winning bid, or rather the the winner awarded with the public contract to be implemented. The paper focuses on below-threshold procurement in building area. Below-threshold public contracts can be divided into two groups according to the pre-set evaluation criteria. Either is there a single criterion for evaluation of the bids accepted, i.e. the key criterion is the lowest bid placed or more sub-criteria are applied, i.e. the key criterion is economic advantage of the offer. In order to determine/identify, which way of public procurement is more efficient, different characteristics of the evaluation process in each of the groups are compared. In the final part these partial results are generalized and thus allow formulating a few recommendations for practise/real-life recommendations.

Because music is sound, the development of the young child's musical intelligence is integrally linked to his/her auditive development. By neglecting to develop the child's musical intelligence, and in particular by neglecting the age-controlled auditive development of the young child, essential learning stages may be missed. It is therefore encouraging that the government has stated its intention to introduce a compulsory reseption year (Grade 0) for five to six year old children. There is, however, at present no comprehensive pre-school music education programme available which specifically focuses on the auditive development of the child in the process of developing his/her musical intelligence. In this study, a comprehensive music education programme based on the praxial philosophy of music education has been compiled. It promotes procedural knowledge (making music), without negating propositional knowledge (knowing about music). It is hoped that the study will assist the class teacher as well as the music specialist as they strive to develop the musical intelligences of South Africa's pre-school children. / Thesis (MMus)--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Music / unrestricted

Orientador: Luiz Carlos Zeferino / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-27T23:00:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Silva_LeonardoRobertoda_M.pdf: 1256988 bytes, checksum: f80a4677bb94a6755e6004d6c8021f20 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / Resumo: Introdução: Os carcinomas luminais de mama apresentam resposta variável à quimioterapia neoadjuvante. A identificação precoce das pacientes que se beneficiarão desse tratamento é importante para se evitar tratamento desnecessário e suas decorrentes toxicidades. O objetivo desse estudo é identificar preditores de resposta à quimioterapia neoadjuvante no carcinoma luminal de mama. Metodologia: Nós incluímos pacientes com carcinoma luminal de mama tratadas com quimioterapia pré-operatória em nosso serviço, no anos de 2013 e 2014. Dados demográficos, clínicos e patológicos foram coletados. Análises de imunoistoquímica para receptores de estrogênio e progesterona, HER2 e Ki67 foram realizadas em amostras obtidas antes do tratamento. A quimioterapia foi composta por esquema baseado em antraciclinas e taxanos. Resposta patológica completa (RPC) foi definida como ausência de doença invasora nas peças cirúrgicas da mama e da axila. Resultados: Foram incluídas cento e vinte pacientes, totalizando 131 tumores. As taxas de RPC foram de 6,11% na amostra geral, 5,26% para tumores luminais B-like (HER2-negativos) e 12,9% para luminais B-like (HER2-positivos). Nenhum preditor independente de RPC foi identificado. Cinquenta e dois tumores (39,7%) apresentaram resposta clínica completa, e grau histológico III (OR=9,05; IC95% 1,07-7,98; p=0,04), status pré-menopausal (OR=9,05; IC95% 2,01-40,87; p=0,004), e índice de Ki67 ? 20% (OR=2,71; IC95% 1,04-6,99; p=0,04) foram preditores independentes desse desfecho. A análise da curva ROC mostrou que o índice de Ki67 pré-tratamento tem baixo desempenho na identificação de pacientes que apresentarão resposta clínica completa (área sob a curva=0,660; IC95% 0,563-0,758). Pacientes com resposta clínica completa apresentaram maior chance de serem submetidas a cirurgia conservadora. Conclusões: A taxa de RPC é baixa entre os carcinomas luminais de mama submetidos a quimioterapia neoadjuvante. No entanto, parâmetros clinico-patológicos podem ajudar a identificar pacientes que apresentarão resposta clínica completa / Abstract: Purpose: Luminal breast cancers show a variable response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The early determination of those patients who will benefit from this treatment is important to avoid overtreatment and the resulting toxicity. The purpose of this study is to identify predictors of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in luminal breast cancer. Methods: We included patients with luminal breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy at the institution in 2013 and 2014. Demographic, clinical, and pathological data were collected. Immunohistochemistry analyses of estrogen and progesteron receptors, HER2 and Ki67 were conducted in samples obtained before treatment. Chemotherapy consisted in anthracycline/taxane-based scheme. Pathologic complete response was defined as the absence of invasive disease in the breast and axilla surgical specimens. Results: One hundred and twenty patients, totaling 131 tumors were included. Pathologic complete response rates were 6.11% in the overall sample, 5.26% for luminal B-like (HER2-negative) tumors and 12.9% for luminal B-like (HER2-positive) tumors. None independent predictor of pathologic complete response was identified. Fifty-two tumors (39,7%) showed complete clinical response, and histologic grade III (OR=2.92; 95% CI 1.07-7.98; p = 0.04), premenopausal status (OR=9.05, 95% CI 2.01-40.87; p = 0.004), Ki67 index ? 20% (OR=2.71, 95% CI 1.04 to 6,99; p = 0.04) were independent predictors for this outcome. ROC curve analysis showed that Ki67 index has a poor performance in identifying patients who will present complete clinical response (area under the curve=0.660, 95% CI 0.563-0.758). Patients with complete clinical response were more likely to be submitted to conservative surgery. Conclusions: Pathologic complete response rate is low among luminal tumors undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy. However, clinicopathological parameters can help identify patients who will present complete clinical response / Mestrado / Oncologia Ginecológica e Mamária / Mestre em Ciências da Saúde

Several environmental issues are incrementing systematically, and many of them are linked to manufacturing activities. To mitigate these issues, it is necessary to develop sustainability solutions in the early stages of the innovation process, where there is room for creativity and innovation. The integration of sustainability at the strategic level of the company, where the essential decisions, the strategic plan, and the portfolio are developed, might ensure the implementation of sustainability aspects in products and services. Many companies develop product portfolios to organize and offer services, products, technologies and operations following the company strategy and targets. The portfolio components are assessed and selected using evaluation criteria. The most common criteria include: cost, quality, risk, revenue, time and market position. Usually sustainability is not included in the portfolio evaluation criteria. The aim of this research is to obtain a better understanding of how sustainability can be integrated in the product portfolio development of manufacturing companies. The main research targets are to: 1) define sustainability product portfolio based on a comprehension of the academic and industry perspectives, 2) identify how companies currently implement sustainability in their portfolio, 3) determine which evaluation criteria and tools are used for portfolio development and 4) how the product portfolio is developed, implemented and managed. A systematic literature review was performed to understand the state of the art about sustainability product portfolio. The literature review results supported the development of semi-structure interviews with companies and field experts. The interviews outcome provided a better understanding of the industry perspective. Afterwards, a workshop helped to understand what aspects are more significant for the portfolio evaluation criteria. Finally, a strategic sustainability assessment tool SLCA 2.0 was used to assess a technology product portfolio of a specific industry case. The results from the studies created a foundation to: a) determine the state of art of the sustainability product portfolio field and its relevance for integration and implementation of sustainability in the early stages of the product innovation process, b) define the concept of sustainability product portfolio, c) have a better understanding of the setting and the application of the portfolio evaluation criteria and how to include sustainability in the evaluation, d) identify key factors to integrate and implement sustainability in the product portfolio, e) apply and test a tool for assessing a technology portfolio from a sustainability perspective and f) create a prototype of a model to develop  the product portfolio with a strategic sustainability perspective. This research provides a knowledge foundation of how sustainability can be integrated in product portfolio. In future research a model will be developed to support companies of how to include a strategic sustainability perspective into their product portfolio to enhance development of more sustainable solutions. / <p>Contact the author to receive a pdf of the full thesis (papers included): dcv@bth.se or telephone +46455385569</p>