The purpose of this study was to determine the potential contribution of vocational and technical education to the future social-economic development of Albania. To achieve this purpose, a panel of experts was involved in the formulation of statements and the determination of each statement's value as a contributor to future social-economic development. This study was conducted using a Modified Delphi Technique to identify and prioritize statements generated as part of this research methodology. The study was accomplished through solicitation of responses from a 17 member panel of experts. The panel consisted of individuals representing government service, non-government organizations, Albanian educators, and international educators involved in different educational projects in Albania in the last ten years. Each of the experts was asked to identify statements that vocational and technical education can contribute to the future social-economic development of Albania. Responses provided by the panel members and the statements added by the researcher were edited and organized into a list with 71 statements. The panel of experts was asked to rate this list and means and standard deviations were calculated for each statement. The criterion to determine the importance of statements was defined as a mean being equal or higher than 3.5 on a 5-point Likert scale. The criteria employed to determine panel consensus was defined as a standard deviation being equal or less than 1.00. From the list of 71 statements, 68 were concluded to have been important and have reached consensus by the panel. The 68 statements on which the panel of experts reached consensus were rank ordered according to their means.A content analysis of the ranked statements revealed that statements clustered around common themes. These themes included VTE's Planning Procedures and Policy, Program and Institutional Development, Values and Work Ethics, Productivity, Communication and Analytical Skills, and Linkages.From these results, it was concluded that the process for the development of an effective VTE program that will contribute to the social-economic development of Albania will be long and complex. This process will involve many people, agencies, and organizations all working together. Hence, it was recommended that the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs take the lead in this process. / Ph. D.

Despite certain episodes of Canadian influences on science education, the last six decades of science education in Canada has been a decidedly American experience – particularly from the standpoints of: 1) the foundational policy documents that have provided explicit impetus to periodic science curriculum reform in Canada; 2) the principal theoretical foundations, guiding assumptions, and goals of science education, and; 3) the development of curricular frameworks in Canadian provincial jurisdictions. Though contested, it will be argued here and supported by the research that the Canadian systems of science education operating in the provinces and territories have not had opportunity, historically, to engage in the architecture of curriculum uniquely from Canada that supplies broad and respected appeal to the context of Canadian society, its demographics, its geographic diversity, and its geo-political position internationally. The objective of this dissertation was to empirically determine the principal theoretical foundations and system conditions for a Canadian approach to science education. The research was conducted and documented through an online, anonymous, and asynchronous modified Delphi methodology. Over a five-month period, the assembled expert panel of 54 peer-acknowledged and representative science and education specialists from Canada - comprising fourteen identifiable professional affiliations in two cohorts - participated in a Delphi having three rounds. This first-of-kind Delphi has identified a number of consensus positions in accordance with standard statistical criteria developed in the research design. These consensus positions occur across four principal areas of impact on Canadian science education: (1) significant national and international globalization trends; (2) the foundations and goals of science education; (3) roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in curriculum, and; (4) a context for the future of science education in Canada. The findings of the study provide a new basis for, and constitute potential new challenges to, science education in Canada and argue persuasively for new terminology. Sustainability Science, Technology, Economy and Environment (SSTEE) is presented as a new, original guiding foundation for science education in Canada. This terminology constitutes a new tension for science curriculum and directly challenges the emergent trend of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) as a basis for science curriculum reform.

Enterprises in Taiwan are facing the meager profit and highly competitive environment. Under the management of supply chain, the enterprises gradually appoint the logistics service by dispatching agency for increasing the profit of the enterprises and the competitive abilities in the market. To minimize the operation cost, the enterprises gradually adopt the outsourcing model including labor and business process. This research analyzes the department of Supply Chain Management of C company how to establish a standard and criterion of outsourcing manpower by selecting a proper dispatching agency. First, the researcher set up the standard and criterion by confirmed with the experts of logistic service. Second, the researcher applied Modified Delphi Method to find out an assessment criterion for high-tech logistic service with over 40 questionnaires. Last, the researcher interviewed with 6 managers of photoelectric industry in Tainan Science-Based Industrial Park to investigate the process of selecting a suitable dispatching agency. The research provides a proper and objective model for Taiwan¡¦s TFT-LCD industry to select a suitable dispatching agency for outsourcing logistics service. Also, the research states an integrated conclusion of the motivation of appointing dispatching labors, and the condition and the requirement of selecting a dispatching agency for C company that is ¡§primary¡¨ use of the dispatching. This model also becomes the standard procedure of vendor scoring process in Procurement Department of C company. The research provides the objective evaluation pattern, and the positive effect for win-win supply relationship.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・論文博士 / 博士(社会健康医学) / 乙第13121号 / 論社医博第10号 / 社新制||医||9(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科社会健康医学系専攻 / (主査)教授 川村 孝, 教授 妹尾 浩, 教授 福原 俊一 / 学位規則第4条第2項該当 / Doctor of Public Health / Kyoto University / DFAM

本研究的目的，在於建構一套觀光工廠文創化評鑑指標。 觀光工廠屬於產業文創化實踐的一環，觀光工廠所營造的體驗服務，亦屬於創意生活產業領域的一環。觀光工廠既被歸類至文創領域，則理應在文化創意層面多加著墨。然而，現行的觀光工廠評鑑指標並未將文化與創意元素具體羅列，於文創層面涉入不足，無法有效評量觀光工廠在文化創意面的具體表現，故本研究旨在重新建構一套屬於觀光工廠的文創化指標，作為提升觀光工廠文創質化品質的具體指南，使「產業文創化」的理念在推廣過程中能有所依據，進而落實於實際執行的成果。 本研究運用修正式德菲法，先透過文獻探討歸納出觀光工廠於文創層面的檢視題項，再針對學者、業者、政府單位三批專家進行三回合的意見調查，刪除重要性不足的題項後進行因素分析，研究結果為： 1.文化內涵方面，應具備傳播性、品牌化、在地性以及核心價值。 2.創意思維方面，應具備創新性、多元性、並著重體驗行銷。 3.特色美學方面，應具備風格化、整合性、並呈現視覺識別設計。

Bakgrund: Smärta är mer vanligt förekommande hos vuxna personer med flerfunktionsnedsättning jämfört med normalbefolkningen. Vuxna personer med flerfunktionsnedsättning är helt beroende av att personer i omgivningen uppmärksammar och kontinuerligt kartlägger deras smärta. Valida och reliabla bedömningsinstrument för smärta på svenska framtagna för vuxna personer med flerfunktionsnedsättning saknas. Syfte: Att undersöka innehållsvaliditeten hos den svenska preliminära versionen av San Salvadourskalan för vuxna personer med flerfunktionsnedsättning. Metod: I en Delphistudie med två rundor undersöktes innehållsvaliditeten för den svenska preliminära San Salvadourskalan. En enkät skapades och skickades via e-post till tretton experter i kliniskt arbete med vuxna personer med flerfunktionsnedsättning, vilka skattade relevansen av frågor i basfrågeformulär, smärtbedömningsskala samt texten tillhörande skalstegen i den. Item content validity index (I-CVI) beräknades för frågorna och Scale content validity index universal agreement (S-CVI UA) samt Scale content validity index average (S-CVI Ave) beräknades för skalan som helhet. Resultat: I-CVI för basfrågor, smärtbedömningsfrågor samt texten tillhörande dess skalsteg låg över 0,78 för flertalet frågor. S-CVI UA låg under 0,80 för alla delar. S-CVI Ave låg lika med eller över 0,90 för alla delar utom för texten i skalstegen i runda två. Slutsats: Utifrån experternas skattningar hade frågorna ett övervägande utmärkt I-CVI. Fortsatta studier av skalans innehållsvaliditet behövs för att kunna bedöma om den svenska preliminära San Salvadourskalan kan anses som valid för att bedöma beteenden som kan bero på smärta hos vuxna personer med flerfunktionsnedsättning. / Background: Pain is more common among adults with severe cognitive and physical impairments than in the overall population. These persons are often nonverbal and therefore dependent upon people in the vicinity to detect and continuously chart the presence of their pain. Validated and reliable pain observation scales for the group is scanty. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the content validity of the Swedish preliminary version of the San Salvadourscale for adults with severe cognitive and physical impairments. Method: A modified Delphi in two rounds examined content validity of the Swedish preliminary version of the San Salvadourscale. A survey was distributed over email in 2 rounds. 13 clinically experienced experts estimated the relevance in the baseline-chart, the pain questionnaire and the different degrees in it. Item content validity Index (I-CVI) was calculated for the questions, Scale content validity index universal agreement (S-CVI UA) and Scale content validity index average (S-CVI Ave) was calculated for the scale. Result: The I-CVI for the questions in the baseline-chart, the pain questionnaire and the text for the different degrees was above 0.78 in most cases. S-CVI UA was below 0.80 in every domain. S-CVI Ave was greater than and or equal to 0.90 in five out of six domains. And below 0.90 for the different degrees in the pain questionnaire in the second round. Conclusion: Based on the experts ratings of the questions I-CVI showed mostly excellent result. Further studies on the content validity of the Swedish preliminary version of the San Salvadourscale is needed to investigate whether the content validity is sufficient to measure behaviors that can indicate pain in adults with severe cognitive and physical impairments.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary (2018) defines heartbreak as “crushing grief, anguish or distress.” Heartbreak can lead to biological, psychological and social responses and consequences. Heartbreak from the dissolution of a romantic relationship is a form of disenfranchised grief, which is defined as the griever’s belief that society does not recognize their source of grief as legitimate (Doka, 1989). The literature shows that talking about grief helps those who experience it (Fisher & Archer, 2008). Hence, the present study sought to provide a consensus of the best practices that marriage and family therapists have utilized to help broken-hearted clients. I employed a modification of the Delphi technique, a research method which seeks to reach consensus on a topic through group communication between experts in the subject area discussed (Hsu & Sandford, 2007) in order to gather data about best practices from marriage and family therapists on how they have helped their broken-hearted clients. This study consisted of a total of 20 experts, who are licensed marriage and family therapists. The findings suggest that the disenfranchisement of the grief resulting from the dissolution of a romantic relationship is closely associated with the symptom of sadness experienced by the broken-hearted. In addition, the way in which MFTs can help the disenfranchised griever is by providing an empathic presence in sessions, generating historical conversations through the use of a genogram, involving family members in the therapeutic process and having future oriented conversations. The results of this study have illustrated a plethora of techniques and best practices that have reportedly proven successful in helping the broken-hearted client.

Evidence-informed health policy making contributes to improved health outcomes by strengthening health systems. In addition, health policy decisions should take into consideration the needs and priorities of users of healthcare services. However, little research has been done to find best ways to facilitate evidence-informed and participatory health policymaking, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This thesis is written based on three studies done in Ethiopia to fill this knowledge gap. In the first study, we examined whether, how and under what conditions evidence was used and service-users participated during the agenda-setting and policy formulation phases of selected policies in the ‘prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV’ program in Ethiopia using a multiple-case study design. In the second study, we identified strategies to facilitate evidence-informed health policy making using an online survey. In the third study, we identified strategies to facilitate participatory health policy making using a combined paper-based and Internet-based Delphi approach. The thesis does not have direct theoretical contribution. However, it will draw on two theoretical frameworks, namely Kingdon’s framework and the 3I+E framework. and use them in a setting from where they were originally developed. This thesis has two substantive and three methodological contributions. Substantively, the first study provides empirical evidence about the current practice of evidence-informed and participatory health policy making in a low-income, ‘revolutionary’ democratic country (Ethiopia). In addition, the studies have identified strategies to concretize the constitutional and policy provisions for evidence-informed and participatory health policy making in Ethiopia. The thesis has the following three methodological contributions. First, the studies explored the use of Kingdon’s multiple-streams framework and the 3I+E framework in predicting factors influencing agenda-setting and policy formulation phases, respectively, and in explaining the use of research evidence in informing these two phases in a ‘revolutionary’ democratic country where they have not previously been used. Second, the thesis has shown that paper-based and Internet-based Delphi could be combined in contexts with limited resources. Third, the thesis has demonstrated the possibility of training service-users as ‘peer’ researchers to collect and analyze data to inform their participation and maximize their contribution in surveys, forming a pyramid of participation. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Evidence-informed health policy making can contribute to improved health outcomes by strengthening health systems. In addition, health policy decisions ultimately affect users of healthcare services. Thus, such decisions should take into consideration their needs and priorities. However, little research has been done to find best ways to facilitate evidence-informed and participatory health policymaking, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This thesis is written based on three studies done in Ethiopia. In the first study, we examined whether, how and under what conditions evidence was used and service-users participated in the ‘prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV’ program in Ethiopia. In the second and third studies, we identified strategies to facilitate evidence-informed and participatory health policy making. In addition, we explored the possibility of combining Internet- and paper-based methods for consensus-building among policymakers, program managers, researchers, healthcare providers and service-users in settings with limited resources.

近年來以物聯網為概念的相關應用已經成為最熱門的議題之一，各國家與企業皆致力於發展其技術以及相關應用。而物聯網的應用範圍十分廣泛，舉凡交通、醫療、電力、物流、家居等都是其應用的範圍。亞洲國家於近十年來也紛紛提出相關發展計畫，由此可看出各國對發展物聯網產品之野心與競爭。而台灣政府於2008年開始積極推展智慧家庭政策，端看目前成果，以技術層面而言並非無法達成，但在實際應用與推廣上明顯仍有許多不足之處。因此本研究欲探討使用者對於物聯網相關應用產品的使用動機為何，以智慧家庭為例，先進行相關文獻探討，並以修正式德菲法做為發展ANP專家問卷的基礎，再利用ANP法施行專家問卷，排序出影響消費者使用動機的各項權重，選擇出最符合消費者需求的產品組合，讓開發者能了解在開發與推展智慧家庭相關應用時，應滿足消費者哪些心理層面之動機因素，提升未來發展相關產品時的成功機率。 / In recent years, applications related to the concept of IoT become one of the most popular issues all over the world. Countries and enterprises devote themselves to developing the technique and application related to IoT. The range of its applications is very wide, including transportation, medical treatment, electricity, logistics, and home, etc. Asian countries set forth some development projects in the past decade, demonstrating the ambition and competition between countries in developing IoT products. Taiwan has started to push the development of smart home related applications since 2008. After development for some years, insufficiency in actual implementation and diffusion remains given our technological advantage. Therefore, this research intends to study the motivation for users to use IoT products taking smart home as an example. First, we study the related literature review and use modified Delphi method to develop the ANP expert questionnaires. Then, we prioritize the weights of consumer’s motives. The result can enable developers of smart home products to understand what kind of consumer motives they should satisfy when developing and promoting smart home applications. This enhances the probability of success for developing related products in the future.