This thesis advances our understanding of how ideas play a role in policy making by examining the processes and conditions that facilitate their international diffusion into domestic debates, their acceptance by policy actors, and the ways in which their acceptance alters policy processes and policy itself. Specifically, the thesis studies the impact of labour market policy ideas from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and its large-scale study on unemployment, the Jobs Study, in three OECD member states: Canada, Denmark and Sweden. This thesis shows that ideas play a number of roles: sometimes they are simply employed to help legitimize pre-determined policy positions; but sometimes a process of learning takes place, and new ideas change actors’ beliefs about what is and what ought to be, and as well their conception of their own interests and goals. Consistent with previous research, policy failure and uncertainty open actors up to the policy learning process and acceptance of new ideas. More than earlier studies, however, this thesis highlights the role of pre-existing beliefs. Accepting one new idea over another is largely determined by the values and beliefs actors bring to bear when judging new ideas; and thus, the cases show a pattern of acceptance for OECD ideas that largely follows along professional boundaries and/or ideological leanings. Moreover, pre-existing beliefs that are intertwined with an actor’s identity tend to be more resistant to change. As other ideational scholars argue, a change in individuals’ beliefs can alter both the policy process and policy itself. When acceptance of an idea is widespread, problems of collective action can be overcome. When beliefs are not as widely shared, their impact on policy depends on many factors. Fragmentation of power and accountability can create “veto players,” and previous policies can create constituencies of supporters, some of whom may resist change. However, during a policy paradigm change, a shift in authority over policy can alter the political landscape and whose ideas matter. Given all these variables, the impact that a belief in new ideas can have on policy is highly mediated, and policy reforms, therefore, may not resemble the ideas which triggered the acceptance of change in the first place. / Thesis (Ph.D, Political Studies) -- Queen's University, 2011-01-31 12:49:18.185

A hierarchical control system is proposed for automated flexible manufacturing cells (FMC) that operate in a job shop flow setting. The control system is made up of a higher level scheduler/reactive scheduler, which optimizes the production flow within the cell, and a lower level supervisor that implements the decisions of the scheduler on the shop floor. Previous studies have regularly considered the production scheduling and the supervisory control as two separate problems. This has led to: i) deadlock-prone optimized schedules that cannot be implemented in an automated setting, ii) deadlock-free optimized schedules that lack the means to be transformed into shop floor supervisors, or iii) supervisors that can safely drive the system with no consideration for production performance. The proposed control system combines mathematical models and an insertion heuristic to solve the deadlock-free scheduling problem in job shops, a deadlock-free reactive scheduling heuristic that can revise the schedules upon the occurrence of a wide variety of disruptions, and a systematic procedure that can transform schedules into readily implementable Petri net (PN) supervisors. The integration of these modules into one control hierarchy guarantees a correct, optimized and agile behavior of the controlled system. The performances of the mathematical models, the scheduling and the reactive scheduling heuristics were evaluated by comparison to performances of previous approaches. Experimental results showed that the proposed modules performed consistently better than the other corresponding approaches. The supervisor realization procedure and the overall control architecture were validated by simulation and implementation in an experimental robotic FMC. The control system developed was capable of driving the experimental cell to satisfactorily complete the processing of different product mixes that featured complex processing routes through the cell.

A hierarchical control system is proposed for automated flexible manufacturing cells (FMC) that operate in a job shop flow setting. The control system is made up of a higher level scheduler/reactive scheduler, which optimizes the production flow within the cell, and a lower level supervisor that implements the decisions of the scheduler on the shop floor. Previous studies have regularly considered the production scheduling and the supervisory control as two separate problems. This has led to: i) deadlock-prone optimized schedules that cannot be implemented in an automated setting, ii) deadlock-free optimized schedules that lack the means to be transformed into shop floor supervisors, or iii) supervisors that can safely drive the system with no consideration for production performance. The proposed control system combines mathematical models and an insertion heuristic to solve the deadlock-free scheduling problem in job shops, a deadlock-free reactive scheduling heuristic that can revise the schedules upon the occurrence of a wide variety of disruptions, and a systematic procedure that can transform schedules into readily implementable Petri net (PN) supervisors. The integration of these modules into one control hierarchy guarantees a correct, optimized and agile behavior of the controlled system. The performances of the mathematical models, the scheduling and the reactive scheduling heuristics were evaluated by comparison to performances of previous approaches. Experimental results showed that the proposed modules performed consistently better than the other corresponding approaches. The supervisor realization procedure and the overall control architecture were validated by simulation and implementation in an experimental robotic FMC. The control system developed was capable of driving the experimental cell to satisfactorily complete the processing of different product mixes that featured complex processing routes through the cell.

Bakgrunn: I helsesektorener det mange pleiere som arbeider ufrivillig deltid, noe som gjør at de ikke får forutsigbar inntekt og arbeidstid. En bemanningsenhet kan være et virkemiddel for å redusere omfanget av ufrvillig deltid. Hensikt: Studiens hensikt er å få kunnskap om hvilke faktorer som er viktige for at en bemanningsenhet skal kunne være en god og varig arbeidsplass for pleiereog samtidig gi tjenester av god kvalitet. Metode: Utvalget bestod av 14 pleiere som hadde arbeidet i en bemanningsenhet i syv til atten måneder. Datainnsamlingen ble hovedsakelig foretatt gjennom tre fokusgruppeintervjuer, og datamaterialet ble analysert ved metoden kvalitativ innholdsanalyse. Resultat: Tre kategorier ble identifisert og beskrevet: Organisering og kultur, Helsefremmende arbeidsplasser og Medarbeidernes kvalifikasjoner. Konklusjon: Studien viser at full fast stilling er en grunnleggende forutsetning for å rekruttere ansatte til bemanningsenheter. For å beholde de ansatte, er det viktig med systematisk og strukturert opplæring og vedlikehold og utvikling av kompetanse. Tydelig ledelse som skaper helsefremmende arbeidsplasser ved å legge til rette for mestring, anerkjennelse og tilhørighet er viktig for å beholde pleierne, og for at de skal gi tjenester av god kvalitet. De ansattes mestringsressurser og personlige egenskaper ser ut til å ha en betydning / Background: In healthcare manyc aregivers work part-time involuntarily, resulting in unpredictable income and work schedule. A staffing unit could providean efficient tool for reducingthe scope of involuntary work. Purpose: This study aimed to determine the important factors in supporting a good staffing unit and full-time work for caregivers while simultaneously providing quality services. Method: We recruited 14 caregivers,who had worked ina staffing unit for 7-18 months, to participate inthree focus-group interviews. We reviewed all data using qualitative content analysis. Result: We identified and describedthree categories: organization and culture, health promoting work places, and the qualifications of the employees. Conclusion: Our results show that a full-timeposition is a basic requirement for recruitment to staffing units. Retaining employees requires systematic and structured training as well as skill development and maintenance. Management should promote a healthy workplace by facilitating coping skills and recognizing achievement, ambition, and affiliation. Such promotion ensures careg ivers’ ability to provide quality care. The employees’ coping resources and personal skills appear to be significant. / <p>ISBN 978-91-86739-94-2</p>

NOTA: Aquesta tesi va acompanyada d'un fitxer amb una base de dades de Capítols matrimonials.RESUM:L'objectiu principal d'aquesta tesi doctoral ha estat aproximar-nos als canvis socials experimentats per la comarca del Baix Empordà durant el segle XVIII i la primera meitat del segle XIX, posant especial èmfasi en els oficis relacionats amb la terra. Com a tesi principal del nostre estudi hem plantejat que la pagesia pobra va poder tenir un paper més important del que se li ha atorgat històricament en els canvis agraris i socials produïts en el transcurs d'aquests dos segles. L'estudi s'ha dut a terme a partir de l'anàlisi de dos tipus de documents principalment; els inventaris post mortem i els capítols matrimonials que ens han permés analitzar l'evolució i els canvis en alguns oficis, mostrant un col·lectiu, el dels treballadors, i posteriorment menestrals que, segons les dades analitzades, va tenir una importància més rellevant en el conjunt de la societat i de les transformacions que es produïren durant els segles XVIII i XIX del que tradicionalment se li ha atorgat. / The main objective of this thesis has been to make an aproximation to the social changes experienced by the Baix Emporda during the eighteenth century and the first half of the nineteenth century, with particular emphasis on agricultural-related professions. As a main thesis of our study we suggest that the poor farmers could have played a more important role in agricultural and social changes produced during these two centuries than historically has been given credit for. The study was carried out from the analysis of mainly two types of documents, post mortem inventories and the marriage chapters. This has enabled us to analyze the evolution and changes in some trades, showing a collective, "treballadors", later called "menestrals", which, according to the data analyzed, had a more important role in the wider society and the transformations that occurred during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries than traditionally has been considered.

With this study the status of “non-fixed indefinite” in the service of the government workers is analyzed. The “no permanent fixed” are those workers who although initially had a temporary contract with an administration, it has become indefinite due to irregularities thereof. Analyze how Spanish jurisprudence has tried to strike a balance between labor interests (of job security) and public (the constitutional principles of equality, merit and ability in access to public service). / Con este estudio, se analiza la situación jurídica de los trabajadores “indefinidos no fijos” al servicio de las Administraciones Públicas, es decir, aquellos que si bien, inicialmente, tenían un contrato de carácter temporal, éste se ha convertido en indefinido como consecuencia de las irregularidades del mismo. Analizaremos, cómo la jurisprudencia española ha intentado establecer un cierto equilibrio entre los intereses laborales (de estabilidad en el empleo) y los públicos (los principios constitucionales de igualdad, mérito y capacidad en el acceso a la función pública).

The main theme of my work is finding the locomotive load in selected professions and build a compensation program for professionals with a sedentary job. When selecting this topic for me was the decisive topicality of the selected topic, I see especially in the ever-growing problems with musculoskeletal system of persons employed in sedentary occupations, which are one of the consequences of their employment. The first theoretical part of the thesis includes a detailed analysis of the issues examined based on theories that describe the anatomy and physiology of the musculoskeletal system. I characterize also the sedentary lifestyle and sedentary employment in general and describe workplace ergonomics professionals selected for the needs of my thesis. In theory there need explaining motion compensation modes based on medical aspects of the workforce in selected professions sedentary jobs. The practical part of the thesis was to determine the quantitative research on a sample of probands peace musculoskeletal load in connection with the exercise of their profession. Results of the research were my starting point to build a compensation programs that would positively affect the quality of life of current probands. To meet the targets I have been primarily assisting methods of quantitative research using questionnaires. The reason for choosing this method is smooth and straightforward data collection enabling the rapid analysis and processing. The research group of people that was chosen includes professions that are characterized by their sedentary job: professional driver, an office worker and painter Christmas decorations. I observed the objectivity of the research questions musculoskeletal load in selected professions, I firmly establish the criteria on the basis of purposive sampling was assembled group of three professionals with a sedentary job. During the research, I pay attention to individual cases, carried out their detailed descriptions and subsequently proposed compensatory exercises by the parties for some time applied. After this time was collected by new data and a qualitative comparison with the data starting. I am convinced that the results of my research work can help all persons working in occupations with a sedentary job, provided the inclusion of adequate compensatory exercises in his career, but also leisure life.

p. 1-283 / Submitted by Santiago Fabio (fabio.ssantiago@hotmail.com) on 2013-04-30T17:49:55Z No. of bitstreams: 1 4444444.pdf: 1399219 bytes, checksum: f8440556341fb38cc524a9670301eec4 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria Creuza Silva(mariakreuza@yahoo.com.br) on 2013-05-04T17:38:40Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 4444444.pdf: 1399219 bytes, checksum: f8440556341fb38cc524a9670301eec4 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-05-04T17:38:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 4444444.pdf: 1399219 bytes, checksum: f8440556341fb38cc524a9670301eec4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / Estudo descritivo das mortes por causas externas, ocorridas em 2004, entre homens e mulheres, de 10 a 69 anos de idade, residentes na capital e dois outros municípios da Região Metropolitana de Salvador, com objetivos de determinar a magnitude da participação dos acidentes de trabalho dentre as mortes violentas; avaliar a validade da informação sobre a causa básica de óbitos por acidentes de trabalho, nas declarações de óbitos por causas externas. Realizadas entrevistas domiciliares a familiares das pessoas falecidas, investigando as circunstâncias da morte, as situações de trabalho, as ocupações e demais variáveis sócio-demográficas. A causa básica de óbito foi reconstituída e codificada segundo normas da Classificação Estatística Internacional de Doenças e Problemas Relacionados à Saúde (CID-10). Foram estudados 648 óbitos por causas externas; 75,3% eram pessoas ocupadas; somente 26,5% tinham um contrato formal de trabalho. Foi estimado um percentual de 19,4% (126) de acidentes de trabalho em atividade lícita e 5,6% (36) em atividade ilícita; 56,8% dos óbitos foram devidos a homicídio; 27,2% acidentes de transporte; 14,2% outros acidentes e 1,9% suicídios. Estimados subregistro das mortes no trabalho (92,6%); sensibilidade (7,14%); especificidade (99,81%); valor preditivo positivo (90,0%); valor preditivo negativo (81,66%); elevado índice de discordância entre as causas básicas de óbito (52,8%), maior entre mulheres (61,4%); em maiores de 30 anos de idade (64,0%) e entre acidentes de transporte (84,7%) e suicídios (82,8%). O estudo demonstrou importante contribuição dos acidentes de trabalho nas mortes por causas externas, com proporções variáveis conforme o tipo de violência e identificou uma sensibilidade muito baixa do sistema oficial de informações sobre mortalidade para identificar as mortes no trabalho. / Salvador

Esta dissertação tem como objetivo analisar as políticas públicas de qualificação profissional no Brasil, tendo como enfoque principal a qualificação profissional implantada no governo do Presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, como uma política voltada à contenção do desemprego com a proposta de inclusão social dos trabalhadores. Para esta análise foi realizado um estudo sobre o Plano Nacional de Qualificação – PNQ, financiado pelo Fundo de Amparo ao Trabalhador - FAT. A análise do plano se focou em dois eixos. O primeiro no que corresponde a etapa do planejamento da política, analisando as concepções do plano, os objetivos e seus mecanismos de implantação. Num segundo eixo, sua forma de execução, através do Conselho Deliberativo do Fundo de Amparo ao Trabalhador – CODEFAT, analisando as discussões sobre a operacionalização da política de qualificação profissional. O desenvolvimento deste estudo foi realizado com base na metodologia de análise documental, a partir de fontes documentais secundárias. Os resultados desta pesquisa demonstram que apesar das diretrizes do plano, sua execução, em alguns momentos, diverge das concepções apresentadas no termo de referência da política, apresentando um distanciamento entre o plano teórico e o plano operacional/prático da política. / This thesis aims to analyze public policy professional qualification in Brazil, having as main focus the qualification implanted under President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, as a policy aimed at curbing unemployment with the proposed inclusion of social workers. For this analysis, a study was conducted on the National Qualification - PNQ, funded by the Worker Support - FAT. The analysis plan focused on two axes. The first corresponds to the stage of policy planning, analyzing the concept plan, objectives and their implementation mechanisms. In a second shaft, his way of running through the Advisory Board of the Worker Support Fund - CODEFAT, analyzing discussions on the operationalization of the policy qualification. Development of this study was based on the methodology of documentary analysis from secondary documentary sources. These results demonstrate that despite the guidelines of the plan, its implementation, in some moments, it differs from the concepts presented in the terms of reference of the policy, with a gap between the theoretical and the operational / practical politics.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T14:34:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MariaNFB_DISSERT.pdf: 1439709 bytes, checksum: 01b20e1ce03d68a5902b7992884ca724 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-04-24 / The work consists in a discussion of the evolution of formal employment in the industrial cities of Cear? state averages from 1990 to 2010, since this period was marked by important changes. It is emphasized that in order to achieve this aim, the present study was based on a survey of relevant literature on the subject, as well as the use of the Annual Report of Social Information (RAIS), published by the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MTE) and the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). The central question to be considered in this study is how we evolved formal employment industry in medium-sized cities (Juazeiro do Norte, Crato and Sobral) of Cear?? The assumption that guides this work is that given the economic policies of the 1990 and 2000 these policies encouraged the relocation, thus implying significant growth in the formal manufacturing employment in these cities. Regarding the results obtained in the survey, it was found that the industrial sector of these cities, showed considerable dynamism in what refers to the expansion of establishments. When observed in percentage terms medium-sized cities (345.5%) had the highest growth in number of establishments in the 1990s with rates higher than the Northeast region (285.9%) and Brazil (167.5%). The highlight was the city of Juazeiro, with the highest concentration of micro and small footwear companies in the state. Regarding the number of formal jobs created in medium-sized cities, it went from 6.596 in 1990 to 41.660 million formal jobs in 2010, with a growth rate of 532%. The sector contributed most to employment generation was the footwear. Although the levels of minimum wages, the 1990 recorded the lowest levels. In the 2000, there were real gains in levels of minimum wages in all cities, however, it may be noted that over the decades there has been significant momentum. However, this momentum was not enough to prevent the end of the study period CMs-Cear? present low wages / O presente trabalho constitui-se em uma abordagem sobre a evolu??o do emprego formal industrial nas cidades m?dias do estado do Cear? no per?odo de 1990 a 2010, posto que esse per?odo foi marcado por importantes mudan?as. Ressalta-se que com o prop?sito de alcan?ar tal intuito, foi realizado um levantamento da literatura relevante sobre a tem?tica, bem como a utiliza??o de estat?sticas da Rela??o Anual de Informa??es Sociais (RAIS), publicada pelo Minist?rio do Trabalho e do Emprego (MTE) e do Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estat?stica (IBGE). A quest?o central a ser considerada neste estudo ? saber como evoluiu o emprego formal da ind?stria nas cidades m?dias (Juazeiro do Norte, Crato e Sobral) do estado do Cear?. O pressuposto que norteia este trabalho ? que as pol?ticas econ?micas dos anos de 1990 e 2000 estimularam a relocaliza??o com implica??es importantes no emprego industrial formal nessas cidades. No que concerne aos resultados obtidos na pesquisa, constatou-se que o setor industrial dessas cidades, apresentou consider?vel dinamismo no que refere-se ? expans?o dos estabelecimentos. Quando se observa em termos percentuais as cidades m?dias (345,5%) tiveram o maior crescimento do n?mero de estabelecimentos na d?cada de 1990 com taxas mais elevadas que a regi?o Nordeste (285,9%) e o Brasil (167,5%). O destaque foi para a cidade de Juazeiro do Norte, com maior concentra??o de micro e pequenas empresas cal?adistas do estado. No que concerne a quantidade de empregos formais criados nas cidades m?dias, o mesmo passou de 6.596, em 1990, para 41.660 mil empregos formais em 2010, apresentando uma taxa de crescimento de 532%. O setor que mais contribuiu para gera??o de emprego foi o cal?adista. Ainda, quanto o n?vel de salarial, a d?cada de 1990 registrou os menores n?veis. Nos anos 2000, houve ganhos em todas as cidades. Entretanto, n?o foi suficiente para evitar que ao final do per?odo estudado as CMs-Cear? apresentassem n?veis salariais relativamente baixos