The purpose of this study is to revise the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry's (DWAF's) current Integrated Environmental Management (IEM) procedure and to develop an Environmental Management Framework (EMF), so as to ensure that the environment is considered in a structured, formal manner at each decision-making stage of the projects development business process. The proposed EMF provides process diagrams that align the IBM principles, the environmental assessment and management tools, and the engineering business process with the project life cycle approach for DWAF's water sector functional areas. Key decision-making points are introduced to the business process to ensure that all the specific requirements have been met before continuing to the next engineering stage of the business life cycle. Auditing nodes were identified within the life cycle approach and complement the decision-making points and strengthen the evaluation of environmental compliance and performance. These process diagrams is designed to prompt development planners and implementers to consider the environment at all stages of the business life cycle and practice sound environmental management. The EMF is based on international best practice and follows the Deming model philosophy as well as principles and elements of an environmental management system. The EMF must be an integral part in the way the department conduct its business and not seen as an ad hoc function and the duties of the environmental officer. To conclude, the EMF is the building block and interim management plan for an appropriate environmental management system in the future and the first step towards business excellence for the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Geography and Environmental Studies))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

Syftet med detta examensarbete är att undersöka möjligheterna för utökad kundnytta och kvalitetssäkra implementeringsprocessen av elektroniskt informationsutbyte (EDI). Detta uppnås med kvalitetsutveckling som grund, vilket omfattar processorientering. Rapporten inleds med en beskrivning av arbetets syfte och vilka problem som står till grund. Vidare introduceras företaget som uppdragsgivare och relevant teori tas upp, detta för att bilda en referensram inför de metoder som använts för att förbättra processen. Slutligen så presenteras resultaten och en diskussion hålls kring detta, med vidare rekommendationer för fortsatt utveckling. EDI processen har visualiserats dels med hjälp av akademiska litteraturer och dels från empiriskt material. Visualiseringen av processen har bildat en översikt av dess brister och problemområden (bland annat tidsfördelningen utmed processen och grunden till låg kvalitetsstandard), vilket har gett möjligheter till effektiva lösningsförslag för vidareutveckling. De främsta verktygen som har använts för visualiseringen är processkartläggning och värdeflödesanalys (VSM). I Rapporten presenteras dessutom ett avsnitt om ledningsstruktur för att underlätta processorientering och en allmän beskrivelse om själva EDI tekniken med avsikt att sprida kunskap. Examensarbetet bidrar med processkartor för EDI processen, lösningsförslag för identifierade problemområden och rekommendationer för fortsatt utveckling. / The aim of this master’s thesis is to examine the possibilities of increased customer value and to ensure quality for the implementation process of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). This will be achieved with quality development as a foundation, which consists of process orientation. The report will initially describe the purpose of the master’s thesis and what problems that are the reason behind it. Following is a short description of the company who has requested the job and necessary theories are presented, in order to build a foundation for the upcoming methods that have been used. Finally there will be a presentation of the results and a discussion will be held around the subject, with further recommendations for continued development. The EDI process has been visualized partly with the help of academic literature and partly trough empirical data. The visualization has established an overview of the process with its flaws and weaknesses (inter alia the distribution of time throughout the process and reasons for low quality), which enables suggestions for effective solutions. The foremost tools that has been used for this purpose is the process mapping and the Value Stream Mapping (VSM). The report also presents a segment about management structure in order to facilitate the process orientation and a general description about the EDI technology in order to distribute knowledge. The master’s thesis contributes with maps for the EDI process, suggested solutions for identified problems and recommendations for continued development.

Samhället förändras med nya utmaningar. Detta skapa behovet för att organisationer ökar takten för att möta förändringen. Det innebär att arbetssätt och standardisering, kan bidrag till verksamhetsutveckling. Uppsatsen därmed undersökte and presenterade resultat som kan hjälpa ledare i olika organisationer att förstå ledarskaps betydelse för ständiga förbättringar både internt och med andra organisationer. Studien som genomfördes på LBS Kreativa gymnasiet med intervju, enkät, observation och dokumentanalys som datainsamlingsverktyg, visade att skolan/organisationen, med hjälp av relations-baserat ledarskap, arbetar med transparens och öppenhet. Detta arbetssätt har bidragit till en förändrade arbetskultur och dokumenterade organisationens arbete med ständiga förbättringar. I fortsättningsvis, visade sig att lärarna, vårdnadshavare och leverantör är nöjda. Resultat visade också att samarbetet mellan skolan och sin leverantör inte var en återkommande punkt i skolans systematiska kvalitetsarbeten / The changes experienced in society presents challenges that demands for reciprocal approach on continuous improvement within organizations. This entails fashioning work ways and standards that can adapt to these changes; a task that leaders or prospective leaders should be conversant with. Thus, this study investigates and present results that could assist leaders in understanding the importance of their engagement in continuous improvement as well as the relationship with partners. Investigation through means of interview, survey, observation and documents analysis were conducted at LBS Creative Senior High School (LBS Kreativa Gymnasiet). The research presented description of how the school through its various leaders work consistently with improving the school and its students. The result showed that the school, through relational leadership perspective operates with transparency, openness and the engagement of teaching and non-teaching staffs, which have enabled the transformation of work-culture to one that is consistence with improvement. The result also showed that the transformation has contributed to satisfaction as experienced by teachers, parents/guardians and partners, however partnership with companies was based on an order-deliver relationship and thus was not necessary to be part of the school’s continuous improvement plan. / <p>2018-06-27</p>

A case study has been conducted in a municipal child and educationadministration. The aim was to develop a management system for thesystematic quality work at an overall level and identify what isimportant to think about to make the system work in theorganization. The studied organization has low student results and alarge proportion of the students do not gain admission to the uppersecondary school. The study is based on theories of systematicquality work and laws within the school and theories about offensivequality development. Surveys, interviews, document reviews, processmapping and literature studies have been used in the study. Theprocess mapping shows that the current systematic quality work has atop-down perspective. The results of surveys, interviews anddocument review indicate that there is a lack of commitment at theunit level. The current systematic quality work doesn´t lead to anydevelopment, partly because the follow-ups and analyzes, that arecarried out in the units, do not constitute a sufficient basis forthe top management to prioritize what is needed to do to develop thebusiness. The current top-down perspective is challenged and abottom-up perspective is proposed to gain greater involvement andparticipation. A new process, a management system as well as aproposal for implementation is suggested for the organization. Themanagement system is based on total quality management (TQM). / En fallstudie har genomförts i en kommunal barn- och utbildningsförvaltning i syfte att ta fram ett ledningssystem för det systematiska kvalitetsarbetet på en övergripande nivå och identifiera vad som är viktigt att tänka på för att få systemet att fungera i organisationen. Den studerade organisationen har låga elevresultat och en stor andel av eleverna uppnår inte behörighet till gymnasiet. Studien baseras på teorier och lagstiftning om systematiskt kvalitetsarbete inom skolan och teorier om offensiv kvalitetsutveckling. Enkäter, intervjuer, dokumentgranskningar, processkartläggning och litteraturstudier har använts i studien. Processkartläggningen visar att det nuvarande systematiska kvalitetsarbetet har ett top-downperspektiv och resultatet av enkäter, intervjuer och dokumentgranskningen tyder på att det finns ett bristande engagemang på enhetsnivå. Det nuvarande systematiska kvalitetsarbetet medför inte att verksamheterna utvecklas, bland annat beroende på att de uppföljningar och utvärderingar som genomförs på enheterna inte utgör ett tillräckligt underlag för att huvudmannen skall kunna prioritera insatser som leder till att verksamheten utvecklas. Det nuvarande top-down-perspektivet ifrågasätts och ett bottom-up-perspektiv föreslås för att få ett större engagemang och delaktighet på enhetsnivå. Ett förslag på ny process, ett ledningssystem baserat på offensiv kvalitetsutveckling samt ett implementeringsförslag redovisas i studien.

Tidigare forskning har visat att kundinvolvering kan ske på olika nivåer, där dehögsta nivåerna bidragit till bland annat ökad kundnöjdhet, konkurrenskraftigafördelar och förbättrat införande av nya tjänster hos organisationerna. Syftet medstudien har varit att bidra med kunskapsutveckling kring Radikal Kundinvolveringinom tjänstesektorn. Begreppet var nytt för forskningsområdet och få tidigarestudier visade effekterna av djupgående kundinvolvering. Den teoretiskareferensramen inleddes med kundfokus inom Offensiv kvalitetsutveckling,kundengagemang och kundinvolvering för att slutligen mynna ut i begreppetRadikal Kundinvolvering. Den kunskapsteoretiska utgångspunkten i studien harvarit hermeneutisk med abduktiv ansats. Kvalitativa djupintervjuer har använts sommetod för datainsamling. Till intervjuerna valdes fyra organisationer sombedömdes ha arbetat med Radikal Kundinvolvering och frågor rörandeerfarenheter, effekter och framtidsutsikter ställdes utifrån en semistruktureradintervjumall. Intervjumaterialet analyserades med utgångspunkt frånforskningsfrågorna. Förutom att stärka resultaten från tidigare forskning, visadeförfattarnas slutsats på att organisationerna kombinerade olika metoder förkundinvolvering och att effekterna av Radikal Kundinvolvering blev stärktorganisationskultur, ökad kommunikation och delaktighet. Arbetet ledde också tillatt kundgrupper vars åsikter vanligtvis inte fångades genom traditionella metoderblev hörda. / Previous research shows that customer involvement can occur on different levels,where the highest ones have had effects like increased customer satisfaction,competitive advantages and improved introduction of new services for theorganisations. The purpose of the study was to develop a deeper knowledge ofRadical Customer Involvement within service development. The term was new tothe field of research the and few studies had mentioned the effects of deepercustomer involvement. The theoretical framework leads the reader from customerorientation within Total Quality Management, customer engagement and customerinvolvement to Radical Customer Involvement. The research method washermeneutic with an abductive approach. Qualitative in-depth interviews wereused to collect data. Four organisations that were considered working with RadicalCustomer Involvement were chosen for the study and questions involvingexperiences, effects and the future of the field were asked with the help of a semi-structured interview guide. The analysis was based on the questions of the study.Besides strengthening previous research, the authors conclusion showed that theorganisations combined different methods of customer involvement and thatRadical Customer involvement had positive effects on the organisations culture,communication and participation. It also helped raise the voice of customers thattraditional methods were unable to reach. / <p>2019-06-27</p>

Dagens hälso- och sjukvård är komplex och i konstant förändring, detta kräver att medarbetare och ledare ständigt arbetar med förbättringar, både för att kvalitetssäkra vården men också för att hushålla med begränsade resurser av såväl personal som ekonomi. För att lyckas med förbättringsarbete krävs medvetenhet och ett engagemang av hela organisationen, för att tillsammans skapa förutsättningar för ständiga förbättringar. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka hur ständiga förbättringar bedrivs, samt vilka förutsättningar som finns för att driva förbättringsarbete enligt medarbetare och ledare inom hälso- och sjukvård. För att uppfylla studien syfte gjordes en kvalitativ fallstudie och datainsamlingen bestod av en enkätundersökning till samtliga medarbetare samt en intervjustudie där semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes med samtliga enhetschefer samt ett antal medarbetare inom den studerade organisationen. Resultatet analyserades genom en tematisk analys, baserade på 74 insamlade enkätsvar och totalt 10 intervjuer och presenterades utifrån sex teman med tillhörande subteman, totalt 27 stycken. Studiens teman utgjordes av att driva förbättringsarbete, att vara en engagerad ledare, motivation till förändring, hinder för förbättringsarbete, framgångsfaktorer för förbättringsarbete och att motverka förändringsmotstånd. Studiens resultat visar att motivationen och viljan till att utveckla, förändra och förbättra är påtaglig hos både medarbetare och enhetschefer. Men förbättringsarbetet förhindras av brist av ekonomiska resurser, avsaknad av helhetssyn, brist på kompetens inom förbättringsområdet samt otillräckliga personalresurser. Detta bidrar till att förbättringsarbetet inom den studerade organisationen inte drivs i holistiskt samförstånd. / Today’s healthcare is complex and under constant change. It requires employees and leaders to continuously works with improvement to ensure the quality of care and make the limited resources last, regarding both finance and staff. To succeed with this continuous drive for quality improvement, the same awareness and level of engagement must be shared across the whole organization. This study aimed to explore how employees and leaders in healthcare are executing these continuous improvements alongside the available prerequisites. To fulfill the studys aim, a qualitative casestudy was conducted and the data was collected with a survey circulated to all members of staff and an semi-structured interview study with all first- line managers and a few employees of the studied organization. The results were analyzed through a thematic evaluation of the 74 survey replies and the 10 interviews. It was presented as 6 themes with 27 associated subthemes. The results formed the themes; Driving Quality Improvement, Being an Engaged Leader, Motivation for Change, Quality Improvement Obstacles, Improvement Success Criteria and Change Resistance Avoidance. The result of the study shows that employees and first-line managers alike share a willingness and motivation for development, change and improvement. But this is hampered by a lack of economic resources, holistic views, improvement competence and staff. This contributes to why the improvement work is not operated holistically, with consensus. / <p>2022-06-05</p>

Tidigare forskning visar att medarbetarengagemang är viktigt för att nå framgång i kvalitets- och förbättringsarbete. Vikten av ett högre syfte lyfts som en stark drivkraft för att uppnå förändring och resultat. Dessutom skapar tillfredsställelse av behov på högre nivå positiva känslor vilket bidrar till medarbetarengagemang och självbestämmande på arbetsplatsen. Syftet med studien är att bidra med ökad kunskap kring medarbetares engagemang i kvalitetsarbete, genom att undersöka vilken roll ett högre syfte och attraktiv kvalitet spelar. En kvalitativ fallstudie genomfördes vid en kommunal verksamhet som mottagit en kvalitetsutmärkelse för sitt systematiska kvalitetsarbete. En omfattande litteraturstudie genomfördes och därefter skedde datainsamling genom intervjumetoden Appreciative Inquiry samt studie av organisationens dokument och riktlinjer avseende deras kvalitetsarbete. Resultatet visar att det i den studerade organisationen finns ett högre syfte som handlar om värdeskapande åt verksamhetens klienter. Det högre syftet anses vara en av de viktiga egenskaper som gör förbättringsarbetet attraktivt och främjar engagemang och delaktighet hos medarbetare i den studerade verksamheten. Dessutom präglar det ledarskapet och bidrar till en öppen och tillåtande kultur. Studien visar även att fenomenet attraktiv kvalitet spelar en bidragande roll i arbetet med ständiga förbättringar då det förstärker medarbetarengagemang och främjar aktivt deltagande. Följande områden identifieras som skapare av positiva känslor och leder till att förbättringsarbetet blir intressant och extra roligt; ett högre syfte, ett engagerat ledarskap samt en öppen och tillåtande kultur. Analysen visar att fenomenen har både likheter och olikheter samt till viss mån även överlappar varandra. Relationen mellan ett högre syfte och attraktiv kvalitet är ny kunskap och bedöms ge ny inriktning till framtida studier. Dessutom är studiens resultat ett viktigt bidrag till verksamheter som önskar stärka sitt medarbetarengagemang i kvalitetsarbete. / According to previous research, employee commitment is assigned a great importance in achieving successful quality management. The importance of a higher purpose is highlighted as a strong driving force to achieve change and result. Furthermore, satisfaction of needs at a higher level creates positive emotions which contributes to enhancing employee engagement and empowerment in the workplace. The purpose of the study is to contribute with increased knowledge about employees' commitment in quality work by examining the role a higher purpose and attractive quality play to promote and strengthen employees' motivation and commitment. A qualitative case study approach has been executed on a municipal operation that received a quality award for its systematic quality work. An extensive literature study was carried out and then the data collection took place through the Appreciative Inquiry interview method as well as a study of the organization's documents, guidelines and code of conduct for quality management.    The thesis findings reveal that there is a higher purpose in the studied organization that deals with value creation for the organization's customers. The higher purpose is considered to be one of the important factors that makes quality work attractive and promotes commitment and participation among employees. In addition, it is reflected in the leadership and contributes to an open and permissive culture. The study also shows that the phenomenon of attractive quality plays a contributing role in the work of continuous improvement as it strengthens employee commitment and promotes active participation. The following areas have been identified as creators of positive feelings that increase the interest in quality work among employees; a higher purpose, committed leadership and an open and permissive culture. Analysis shows that the phenomena have both similarities and differences and to some extent they also overlap. The relationship between a higher purpose and attractive quality is new knowledge which gives a new orientation to future studies. In addition, the results of the study are an important contribution to organizations that wish to strengthen their employee commitment in quality work.

Study of the critical factors for TQM implementation throughout the years, and longitudinal analysis of secondary quality winners of prestigious awards such as the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA), is important. The longitudinal analysis in this research will enable verification that there are generic critical factors (CFs) for TQM implementation and generic critical areas of measurement (CAM) that if implemented fully and successfully will deliver excellence. Also, it will enable verification that these generic CFs help to ensure sustainable performance and this could help in answering how excellent organisations sustain their performance constantly. By studying what excellent organisations measure and what they place emphasis on throughout the year, the study will document measurements that have been used to sustain excellence and will consider empirically how these have led to tangible results over a period of twenty years; the study will examine MBNQA winners from 1988 until 2008. Finally, an excellence maturity assessment tool ¿assessment software¿ was developed as result of examining winning case studies over a long period of time, lists of critical factors of implementation (CFI) and critical areas of measurement (CAM) were extracted and used accompanied by the EFQM Excellence Model, and Zairi¿s two model ¿Index of Excellence¿ and ¿Ladder of Excellence¿. This formed the basis of the assessment tool developed; companies through this will be able to understand their level of excellence implementation and their position compared to world class organisations. / Government of Saudi Arabia represented by the Ministry of Higher Education

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Die noodsaaklikheip om produktiwiteit en kwaliteit in hoer onderwys te verbeter, het aanleiding gegee tot die relatief nuwe totale kwaliteitbestuur (TQM)-beweging by tersiere onderriginstellings soos universiteite en technikons. Die integrering van die totale kwaliteitverwante konsepte van strategiese TOM -intensie, eksterne omgewingsfaktore, bestuur se reaksie, kwaliteitstelseleffektiwiteit en deurlopende verbetering in 'n model, dui die gekombineerde gevolge van genoemde konsepte op die institusionele verbetering van technikons en • universiteite aan. Die belangrikste veranderlikes (binne bogenoemde dimensies van die model) wat vir institusionele verbetering by onderskeidelik universiteite en technikons verantwoordelik is, toon ooreenstemming - universiteite en technikons verskil egter ten opsigte van ander minder belangrike veranderlikes. Die funksionering van die model is soos volg: Die bestuur (akademies en administratief) van die tersiere onderriginstelling identifiseer en erken, onderhewig aan aspekte soos leierskap, kennis, ervaring, en aanvaarding, sekere eksterne omgewingsfaktore wat verband hou met die klientebehoeftes (ekstern en intern) en institusionele verbetering. Gegewe genoemde beperkings en faktore besluit bestuur op die (suboptimale) strategiese TQM-intensie om aan klientebehoeftes te voldoen. Die strategiese TQM-intensie sal nou saam met bestuur se reaksie (deur die toepassing van die TQM-beginsels en -filosofie) wat die effektiwiteit van die kwaliteitstelsel bepaal, bepaal op watter kwaliteitvlak die instelling sal opereer. Die kwaliteitstelsel bestaan uit die bestuur-, tegniese. en sosiale stelsel, en is weer eens I aan deurlopende verbetering onderhewig. (Die bestuurstelsel dien as integreerder van die ander twee stelsels.) Die eindresultaat van die toepassing van die TQMfilosofie en -beginsels is institusionele verbetering. Verder kan die model en die resultate van hierdie studie deur universiteite en technikons gebruik word by die verbetering/implementering van hulle eie, unieke totale kwaliteitimplementeringsmodel(le) - 'n uitgebreide implementeringsmodel is vir die rede voorgehou. Laastens kan die (verkorte) meetinstrumente wat vir universiteite en technikons onderskeidelik bepaal is, gebruik word om die sukses met die implementering van TQM by 'n individuele instelling te meet. / The necessity to improve productivity and quality in higher education has resulted in the relatively new movement of Total Qua~ity Management(TQM) at tertiary institutions such as universities and technikons. The integration of the total quality-related concepts of_ strategic TQM intent, external environmental factors, reaction of management, effectiveness of the quality system and continuous improvement in a model, can be used to indicate their combined results on the institutional improvement of technikons and universities. The most important variables (within the above-mentioned dimensions of the model) responsible for institutional improvement at universities and technikons respectively, correspond - however, universities and technikons differ regarding the less important variables. The functioning of the model is. as follows: The management (academic and administrative) of the tertiary educational institution identifies and recognises, subject to aspects such as leadership, knowledge, experience and acceptance, certain external environmental factors which are related to the client's requirements (external and internal) and institutional improvement. Given the above restrictions and factors, management decides on the (sub-optimal) strategic TQM intent to satisfy client requirements. The strategic TOM intent together with the reaction of the management (by the application of the TOM principles and philosophy) which determines the effectiveness of the quality system, will determine on which quality level the institution will operate. The quality system comprises the management, technical and social system, and is again subject to continuous improvement. (The management system serves as an integrator of the other two systems). The end result of the application of the TOM philosophy and principles is institutional improvement. The model and results of the study can further be used by universities and technikons for the improvement\implementation of their own, unique, total quality implementation model(s) - for this reason an extended implementation model was presented. Lastly, the (abridged) measuring instruments established for universities and technikons respectively, can be used to measure the success with the implementation of TQM at an individual institution. / Business Management / D.B.L.

The principles of Total Quality Management (TQM) have been used in the business, commercial and industrial sectors to improve both product and service. In a limited number of schools worldwide, there have been attempts to adapt TQM theory and practice to the educational management of institutions. In this thesis there has been an attempt to adapt the TQM philosophy to the field of educational practice. Quality tools and techniques used in TQM organisations have been studied to ascertain their applicability in schools. During the course of the study, the researcher discerned the need to give TQM a distinct identity within the domain of educational management. In the management of schools, there are philosophies and practices which are different from those encountered in noneducational settings. The concept Total Quality Education (TQE) was used to acknowledge this reality. Action research was done over a three-year period at a South African co-educational public primary school. During the four research cycles of looking, thinking and acting, TQE principles were implemented in the school. Stakeholders such as parents, learners and teachers identified areas for improvement of the quality of education. Areas identified included the curriculum, physical resources, extramural activities, staff development, learning and financial management of the school. Quality tools and techniques were applied by all stakeholders to effect the desired improvements. In the fourth and last cycle of the research a questionnaire was given to a sample of the parent community. Progress made in the improvement of the quality of education provided was noted and areas to be improved further were identified. The researcher submits that TQE can be meaningfully applied in South African schools. The various stakeholders can make contributions to the betterment of schools. Through the application of the principles of the TQE philosophy, it is possible to transform South African schools into institutions where all learners can experience education of true quality. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Educational Management)