Backround. Based of my personal observations when employed as a pharmacist in a Saudi hospital it was clear that there were problems with medicine supply to outpatients. This thesis was designed to scientifically investigate the types of shortages, the reason(s) for such problems and potential solutions to the problem. Methods . This study was undertaken using a variety of experimental techniques to determine the views and perceptions of patients, pharmacists, physicians and administrative staff of the hospital under examination. To establish the scale of the problem: focus groups (n=25), structured questionnaires, structured interviews/meetings for health care professionals and a national survey (n=650) were the research tools used to objectively determine the relevant data. The data were analyzed by appropriate statistical methods. Results and Discussion That there was a real problem was quickly established in the data obtained from patients. A similar finding was made for each of the 'professional groups'. The central problem was one of shortages of medicines for prescriptions presented by outpatients. It was not a case the medicines were simply not available because they were never stocked but rather a simple shortage in the dispensary stock. It was established the lack of medicines was not due to central budget arrangements but involved prescribing quantities outside of the hospital guidelines which no degree of planning could accommodate. There was also the very unexpected finding that a prescription could be filled in a variety of hospital dispensaries as individuals could access more than one hospital or they could consult more than one physician for the same condition and obtain effectively double the supplies. Communications between the hospital and patients and the health care professionals could all be improved by perhaps increasing the knowledge of the patient about the correct use of medicines. Recommendations. A series of recommendations for future work is provided

Growing concerns about interruption to oil supply and oil shortages have led to escalating global oil prices. In addition, increased public acceptance of the global warming problem has prompted car manufacturers to agree to carbon emission targets in many regions including most recently, the Californian standards. Other legislating bodies are sure to follow this lead with increasingly stringent targets. As a result of these issues, spark ignition engines in their current form will need significant improvements to meet future requirements. One technically feasible option is smaller capacity downsized engines with enhanced power that could be used in the near term to reduce both carbon emissions and fuel consumption in passenger vehicles.This research focuses on exploring the performance limits of a 0.43 liter spark ignited engine and defining its operating boundaries. Limiting factors such as combustion, gas exchange and component design are investigated to determine if they restrict small engine performance. The research gives direction to the development of smaller gasoline engines and establishes the extent to which they can contribute to future powertrain fuel consumption reduction whilst maintaining engine power at European intermediate class requirements.

Thesis (MPA.) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / Polokwane Municipality is currently experiencing water shortages, which is affecting households and industries’ which is used to remove faeces and transport them to the sewage plant through sewer networks, as the system is waterborne. This research study aims at determining the status of faecal sludge management with the aim of developing a faecal sludge management projection plan for the City of Polokwane. The plan will enable the city to understand the current and future levels of faecal sludge production and it will also highlight the water demand for faecal sludge disposal. As a result of this plan, the appropriate systems, which can be used for faecal sludge production, can be managed better and there will be relief in the current non-coping sewage plants in the municipality. The sewage plants are not coping with the amount of faecal sludge due to the growing population and the fact that the infrastructure was built before South Africa’s 1994 democratic dispensation. The empirical enquiry was conducted through the use of the interview guide and the purposive sampling strategy in order to obtain an in-depth context of the subject being studied. The study has noted that the Seshego and Polokwane Sewage Plants are receiving more sewage than they were built for. The only plant that is still within its capacity is the Mankweng Sewage Plant. Currently, the municipality does not have alternative plan to re-use water in the yards. It is also not planning to develop any other form of faecal sludge management to transport faeces from the toilets to the sewage plants despite the use of clean water. It is questionable as to whether the cleaned water or effluent released from the sewage to the environment meet the required standards. In Polokwane, the released effluent does not go back to the people directly but it is used to recharge 37 boreholes, which are used to supply water to the people. The other challenge in Polokwane Municipality, especially in Mankweng, is the petrol stations, hospitals, and abattoirs whose effluents are creating a problem to the water treatment plants. Therefore, there is a need to have a pre-treatment plants for hospitals and filling stations. Key Words: Sanitation, faeces, faecal sludge, sewage plants and water borne.

Sweden faces shortages in antibiotics. Shortages are caused due to a variety of reasons. Due to low profit margins and opportunity costs, antibiotic supply chains may experience a lack of competition. Lack of competition across the various stages of supply chains leads to fragility in the supply chain which ultimately results in shortages. Lack of communication is another such factor leading to shortages. Incorporating an AI/IT system across the supply chain would help prevent the occurrence of shortages by addressing such factors.  PLATINEA, an innovation platform, aims to address the threat of anti-microbial resistance by ensuring a steady supply of antibiotics. Their work package 4 is dedicated to eliminating risk factors or causes of shortages that arise from supply chains of antibiotics. PLATINEA has drafted a mind map to identify the risk factors or causes of shortages in Sweden. This thesis revolves around conducting a cost benefit analysis for implementing an AI/IT tool that addresses the risk factors and causes of shortages identified from the mind map that stem from the Swedish supply chains of antibiotics. A model consisting of a breakdown in costs and benefits was created. The model not only helped us frame the various costs and benefits, but also evolved during the research to help us structure our results better. An AI/IT tool has been devised keeping the risk factors and causes of shortage in mind. This tool has four versions that have varying levels of integration and automation. Semi-structured Interviews were conducted with experts in the field of artificial Intelligence and machine learning. calculation based on historical data were made to determine costs of shortages and to some extent, visualize the extent of costs involved in antibiotic resistance. Based on the information gathered from the interviews and literatures, the costs and benefits identified in the model are addressed, including the significant benefit of reducing cost of shortages.

Venezuela faces today an unprecedented social and political collapse that extends beyond the critical economy and the violence; a deadly combination of severe shortages of food and medicine which makes it extraordinarily difficult for most Venezuelans to obtain essential medical care and the adequate minimal nutritional intake to ensure survival. The primary concern of this research is to answer the question of how do visual representations of Venezuela’s humanitarian disaster elucidate the deterioration of the quality of life of its younger citizens? This study aims to examine and better understand the effects and implications of Venezuela’s humanitarian crisis on its citizenry through the use of photography as a method of qualitative research, by paying particular attention to young Venezuelans and their role as social and political agents. The study of young people’s reali- ties through photographs provides an unique opportunity to appraise and comprehend real processes of social exchange; the ways in which visual images can be understood differently by different sub- jects in different socio-cultural spheres in the context of a humanitarian disaster. However, in order to enlarge the possibilities of conventional empirical research and withstand the intrinsic subjectivi- ty of qualitative research, these visual representations were inserted into photo-interviews. Both the photographs and the photo-interviews of this study were analysed and interpreted by using the ana- lytical approach of thick description. In this regard, this dissertation seeks to examine the length and complexity of an emergency situation by seeking to raise awareness and procure critical understanding about the colossal dimension of Venezuelan’s humanitarian crisis and its disastrous consequences on more than 30 million people.

As the primary drivers of Nigeria's economy, small and medium scale enterprise (SME) leaders rely on standby generators for sustainable business operation. Because of this reliance, over 56% of the SMEs operate far below capacity from the effects of power shortages. Guided by the strategic contingency theory, this study explored the profitability strategies of business leaders faced with electricity disruptions within Abuja Federal Capital Territory while adopting corporate social responsibility (CSR) and green practices. Data collection was through face-to-face semistructured interviews using open-ended questions. Participants consisted of 12 business leaders selected from 4 SME categories within Abuja that have imbibed CSR and green practices successfully or were in the process of doing so. The data analysis process involved labeling and coding all data that arose from participant interviews using the modified van Kaam method to identify dominant themes. Data coding and analysis led to the identification of 12 predominant meta-themes, including innovativeness for sustainable green business, strategy challenges and how they were addressed, and the power disruption impact on the effectiveness of CSR and organizational profitability. Findings from this study might contribute to new knowledge and success insights for SME business leaders faced with power shortages, CSR shortages, and losses in Abuja. Social change might result as SME business leaders embrace CSR practices with new environmentally friendly tenets, make sustainable profits, employ more people, and dedicate part of the profits to social services to benefit citizens of Abuja and Nigeria.

Intern materialförsörjning ställer höga krav på leveransservice, exempelvis i form av leverans av rätt material i rätt kvantitet och kvalitet. En del av den interna materialförsörjningen på Saab Surveillance, ett företag som tillverkar högspecialiserade och avancerade produkter, består av materialbrister. Det finns höga krav på effektiv hantering av materialbrister med avseende på tid såväl som flexibilitet, som i nuläget inte uppfyller produktionens behov.  För att undersöka möjligheten att öka effektiviteten i logistikflöden med hjälp av kvalitetskoncept, genomfördes en fallstudie på Saab Surveillance. Studiens syfte var att utveckla en förbättrad hantering av materialbrister hos Saab Surveillance som bidrar till en effektivare intern materialförsörjning från lager till produktion genom tillämpning av kvalitetskoncept. För att uppnå studiens syfte besvarades tre frågeställningar. Den första frågeställningen, ”Hur är den interna materialförsörjningen av materialbrister utformad i nuläget?”, besvarades genom kvalitativa data från intervjuer och observationer. Därutöver bidrog kvantitativa data med ytterligare information, exempelvis ledtider och orsaker till materialbrister. Därefter analyserades den nuvarande interna materialförsörjningen av materialbrister utifrån olika teman och statistisk processtyrning för att besvara andra frågeställningen, ”Vilka möjligheter finns för effektivisering av den interna materialförsörjningen av materialbrister?”. Den tredje frågeställningen, ”Hur bör den interna materialförsörjningen av materialbrister hanteras för att öka effektiviteten?”, besvarades utifrån resultatet från den första och andra frågeställningen, referensramen samt intern benchmarking.  Studiens resultat visade att den nuvarande interna materialförsörjningen av materialbrister kan sammanfattas med sju övergripande aktiviteter: registrering i materialbeställningslista, uppdatering i affärssystemet, skicka information, prioritering av plockning, plockning, leverans och mottagning. Vidare identifierades flera möjligheter för ökad effektivitet i material- och informationsflödet. Till exempel fanns variation i ledtid, slöseri i form av väntetid samt bristande kommunikation. Möjligheterna för ökad effektivitet utgjorde grunden för förbättringsförslagen.  Samtliga sju förbättringsförslag utgick från produktionens behov och förväntningar. Förbättringsförslagen bestod till exempel av att införa en produktionsbuffert för att reducera antalet materialbrister som hanteras i lagret. Genom att skapa förståelse för produktionens förväntningar och lagrets förutsättningar kan det interna kundfokuset öka samt bidra till att en förväntad ledtid för leverans av materialbrister bestäms. Vidare kan införandet av ett materialbristverktyg för beställning av materialbrister standardisera kommunikationen mellan produktionen och lagret. Dessutom var ett förbättringsförslag att tillämpa sekventiell zonplockning av materialbrister för att undvika väntetid som uppstår vid konsolidering. Effektivare leveranser av materialbrister kan också uppnås genom att ha fasta tider för mjölkrundor samt ta bort leveransalternativet till upphämtningshyllan. Ytterligare förbättringsförslag syftade till att reducera väntetid genom omfördelning av ansvar, där montören tillåts beställa materialbrister och senare hämta det från en bestämd plats för materialbrister, istället för produktionsplaneraren. Avslutningsvis resulterade studien i ett förbättringsförslag om att tillämpa statistisk processtyrning för att kunna följa upp effekterna av de föreslagna förbättringarna.  Slutligen visade studien att tillämpning av kvalitetskoncept som kundfokus och statistisk processtyrning kan bidra till effektivisering av intern materialförsörjning av materialbrister. Vidare kan det också vara intressant att undersöka möjligheten att tillämpa kvalitetskoncept i andra logistikflöden för att uppnå ökad effektivitet. / Internal materials supply sets high demands on delivery service, for example in the form of delivery of the right material in the right quantity and quality. A part of the internal materials supply at Saab Surveillance, a company that manufactures highly specialized and advanced products, consists of material shortages. There are high demands on efficient handling of material shortages regarding time as well as flexibility, which currently does not fulfil the needs of the production.  To examine the possibility to increase the efficiency in logistics flows using quality concepts, a case study was performed at Saab Surveillance. The aim of the study was to develop an improved handling of material shortages at Saab Surveillance which contributes to a more efficient internal materials supply from warehouse to production by applying quality concepts. To achieve the aim of the study, three research questions were answered. The first research question, “How is the internal materials supply of material shortages currently designed?”, was answered through qualitative data from interviews and observations. In addition, quantitative data contributed with further information, for example lead times and causes to material shortages. Thereafter, the current internal materials supply of material shortages was analyzed based on different themes and statistical process control to answer the second research question, “What possibilities are there for making the internal materials supply of material shortages more efficient?”. The third research question, “How should the internal materials supply of material shortages be handled to increase the efficiency?”, was answered based on the result of the previous research questions, the theoretical framework and internal benchmarking.  The results of the study showed that the current internal materials supply of material shortages could be summarized with seven overall activities: registration in list of material orders, updating the enterprise resource planning system, sending information, prioritizing of picking, picking, delivery and receiving. Furthermore, several possibilities for increased efficiency in the material and information flow were identified. For example, there was variation in lead time, waste in terms of waiting time and insufficient communication. The possibilities for increasing efficiency formed the foundation for the suggestions of improvement.  All seven suggestions for improvement originated from the needs and expectations of the production. The suggestions for improvement consisted of, for example, implementing a production buffer stock to reduce the number of material shortages which are handled in the warehouse. By creating an understanding of the expectations of the production and the prerequisites of the warehouse, the internal customer focus could increase as well as contribute to determining an expected lead time for the delivery of material shortages. Furthermore, the introduction of a material shortages tool for ordering material shortages could standardize the communication between the production and the warehouse. Additionally, a suggestion for improvement was to apply sequential zone picking of material shortages to avoid waiting time which occurs at consolidation. More efficient deliveries of material shortages could also be achieved by having set times for milk runs as well as removing the delivery option to the pickup shelf. Further suggestion of improvement aimed at reducing waiting time by redistribution of responsibility where the assembler is allowed to order material shortages and later pick it up from a specific location for material shortages, instead of the production planner. Finally, the study resulted in a suggestion for improvement to apply statistical process control to be able to follow up the effects of the suggested improvements.  Finally, the study showed that application of quality concept, such as customer focus and statistical process control, could contribute to increased efficiency of the internal materials supply of material shortages. Furthermore, it would be interesting to examine the possibility of applying quality concepts in other logistics flows to achieve increased efficiency.

Backround. Based of my personal observations when employed as a pharmacist in a Saudi hospital it was clear that there were problems with medicine supply to outpatients. This thesis was designed to scientifically investigate the types of shortages, the reason(s) for such problems and potential solutions to the problem. Methods . This study was undertaken using a variety of experimental techniques to determine the views and perceptions of patients, pharmacists, physicians and administrative staff of the hospital under examination. To establish the scale of the problem: focus groups (n=25), structured questionnaires, structured interviews/meetings for health care professionals and a national survey (n=650) were the research tools used to objectively determine the relevant data. The data were analyzed by appropriate statistical methods. Results and Discussion That there was a real problem was quickly established in the data obtained from patients. A similar finding was made for each of the ¿professional groups¿. The central problem was one of shortages of medicines for prescriptions presented by outpatients. It was not a case the medicines were simply not available because they were never stocked but rather a simple shortage in the dispensary stock. It was established the lack of medicines was not due to central budget arrangements but involved prescribing quantities outside of the hospital guidelines which no degree of planning could accommodate. There was also the very unexpected finding that a prescription could be filled in a variety of hospital dispensaries as individuals could access more than one hospital or they could consult more than one physician for the same condition and obtain effectively double the supplies. Communications between the hospital and patients and the health care professionals could all be improved by perhaps increasing the knowledge of the patient about the correct use of medicines. Recommendations. A series of recommendations for future work is provided / Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Thesis (M. Tech. (Human Resource Management, Dept. of Management Sciences))--Vaal University of Technology, 2009. / Key skills shortages, coupled with high levels of unemployment are well documented in South Africa. Learnerships, which are meant to reduce the skills shortage, are not addressing this problem as the SETAs have failed to communicate the benefits of learnerships aggressively to companies. Thus, the purpose of this research is to determine organizational perspectives of learnerships within the MERSETA organizations in the Sedibeng district municipal area. A literature study of learnerships and applicable legislation in South Africa was undertaken in order to contextualize the South African skills development initiative. The empirical portion of the study involved conducting a survey using a self-administered questionnaire designed to elicit perspectives of learnerships within small, medium and large organizations (n=150) that fall under the MERSETA and that are situated in the industrial areas of Vanderbijlpark, Vereeniging and Meyerton, within the Sedibeng district municipal area. The data obtained indicate that although almost two-thirds of the researched organizations do currently implement learnerships, these organizations experienced several barriers and challenges when taking on learnerships. It was found that the MERSETA organizations within the study area also lack understanding and familiarity with the learnership system and their perceptions towards learnerships are for the most part, negative. Based on the findings of this study, recommendations, targeted at the National Skills Authority, the Department of Labour, the MERSETA and the SETAs, are made to assist organizations in various areas to overcome the identified barriers and challenges emanating from learnership implementation. / Central Research Committee (Vaal University of Technology)

The fast-increasing issue of antibiotic unavailability or relatively their shortages in the healthcare system has been the point of concern for many countries. With these shortages come unnecessary costs and the need to utilize less optimal treatment thus increasing the risk of antimicrobial resistance and jeopardizing a patient’s health. This thesis is a collaboration with PLATINEA (Platform for Innovation of Existing Antibiotics), aiming to optimize the usage of antibiotics and to increase the availability of important antibiotics in Sweden. To understand the causes that affect antibiotic unavailability, a good view into the antibiotic and pharmaceutical supply chain is important, especially the purchasing systems of it. The complexities in the purchasing system can lead to interruptions in the antibiotics supply chain thus increasing the risk of antibiotic shortages. These shortages in turn increases the risk of antimicrobial resistance, therefore, the purchasing system requires the need to be analysed extensively. This study aims to explore different purchasing systems and conduct cost-benefit analysis of centralized purchasing system in efforts to help reduce shortages of antibiotics in Sweden. This study is based on the existing literature on centralized and decentralized purchasing and also the pharmaceutical supply chain. Qualitative interviews (semi-structured), multiple reports and articles steered the authors in exploring the purchasing systems and mapping the costs and benefits of centralized purchasing. Throughout the research, emphasis was kept on reducing antibiotic shortages. The findings of this study outline the various costs and benefits of a centralized purchasing system and resulted in the implementation recommendation of it over an existing decentralized purchasing system in Sweden.