680 research outputs found

    Undergraduate Catalog of Studies, 2023-2024

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    Undergraduate Catalog of Studies, 2023-2024

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    Undergraduate Catalog of Studies, 2022-2023

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    Essays on Innovations in Public Sector Auditing

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    The current antecedents of innovation in the public sector, that is, the adoption of SDGs and the unprecedented technological advancements exert pressures on the Supreme audit institutions’(SAIs) current socio-technical system. This has led SAIs to adopt different strategies to maintain their relevance and improve the quality of their work and operations. This thesis investigated the different types of innovations currently happening in the SAIs environment and how SAIs are reacting to the demands of these changes. This exploratory work captured public sector audit innovation through the following three essays: The first essay focused on Digital Transformation (DT), investigated how SAIs approach, and interpret DT. In this regard, DT was investigated from a SAIs perspective. Due to it being a novel topic in public sector auditing research, a qualitative research method was adopted, this method was supported with expert interviews and archival and or document data. Key findings revealed that the definition of DT varies from SAI to SAI, and this variation resulted from the differences in the level of digital development in each country. SAIs applied reactive and, in some situations proactive change strategies were applied. In the reactive strategy, SAIs reacted to change induced by a situational demand while in the proactive strategy, they experiment with technologies in advance. Most of the SAIs applying proactive change strategy operates an innovation lab or an experimentation space(see Bojovic, Sabatier, and Coblence 2020; Bucher and Langley 2016; Cartel, Boxenbaum, and Aggeri 2019; Wulf 2000). As an impact on public sector auditing profession, the research addresses the popular narrative of SAI’s equating digitization or the use of digital technologies to Digital transformation. It reiterated the holistic nature of DT, by pointing at the risk involved when DT is tied solely to technology adoption strategy ignoring other aspects such as people, organizational structure, strategy, culture, etc.La trasformazione in corso dell'ambiente esterno delle Istituzioni Superiori di Controllo (ISC, Corte dei conti) sta modificando le esigenze di controllo e le aspettative dei vari stakeholders coinvolti. Infatti, questa trasformazione, innescato dai progressi tecnologici, dall'adozione degli Obiettivi di Sviluppo Sostenibile (OSS) e dalla trasparenza sta modificando il modo e gli strumenti con cui viene esercitata l’attività di controllo. Ciò ha portato le ISC a adottare diverse strategie ed a introdurre diverse innovazioni per mantenere la loro rilevanza e migliorare la qualità del loro servizio. Vari autori hanno evidenziato la necessità di indagare circa le implicazioni del cambio della strategia di controllo e dell’adozione delle varie innovazioni tecnologiche nelle ISC. Il lavoro di tesi contribuisce in questa direzione e indaga sulle varie innovazioni tecnologiche adottate dalle ISC e come questi Istituzioni hanno reagito alle pressioni esterne di cambiamento. La tesi adotta un approccio esplorativo e sviluppa tre diverse ricerche per rispondere alla domanda principale di ricerca. La prima ricerca si concentra sulla trasformazione digitale (TD), e indaga su come le ISC hanno affrontato e interpretato la TD. La metodologia utilizzata è di tipo qualitativo. Sono state effettuate varie interviste a esperti del settore a livello internazionale oltre all’analisi documentale degli archivi delle varie istituzioni analizzate. I risultati hanno mostrato una diversa interpretazione e percezione, tra le istituzioni oggetto dello studio, del concetto della TD, dovuta alle differenze di sviluppo digitale nei vari paesi analizzati. Inoltre, i risultati mostrano che le ISC hanno adottato strategie reattive di cambiamento e, in alcune situazioni, hanno adottato strategie proattive. Nel primo caso, che rappresenta la maggioranza dei casi analizzati, le ISC hanno reagito al bisogno ovvero quando si presenta una necessità di cambiamento. Mentre nel secondo caso, ovvero di strategia di cambiamento proattivo, le ISC hanno sperimentato le tecnologie in anticipo. La maggior parte delle Istituzioni che ha adottato strategie proattive di cambiamento gestisce un laboratorio di innovazione o uno spazio di sperimentazione (vedi Bojovic, Sabatier e Coblence 2020; Bucher e Langley 2016; Cartel, Boxenbaum e Aggeri 2019; Wulf 2000). Inoltre, la ricerca mostra come la digitalizzazione o l'uso delle tecnologie digitali vengono equiparati alla TD nelle ISC. Questo rischio di interpretazione del concetto si concretizza soprattutto, come mostrano i risultati, quando la TD viene legata esclusivamente alla strategia di adozione della tecnologia ignorando altri aspetti come le persone, la struttura organizzativa, la strategia, la cultura, ecc

    “Disinclined to politicize”? Music and Canadian politics 2.0

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    Musicians, scholars, and even reference materials are surprisingly united in the contention that music and politics occupy separate spheres in Canada. However, we suggest that denying the intersection of music and politics in Canada potentially blinds us to the complex ways in which artists, mediators, and audiences—that is, produsers—participate in projects that are undeniably ideological. Indeed, we suggest that appreciating the entwined relationship of music, politics, people, and contexts for circulation is particularly important at a moment when the participatory culture that prevails on social media platforms is increasingly normalised and the authority of established knowledge sources breaks down in the face of “controlless” circulations of content that radically challenge our capacities to communicate across partisan lines. Our analysis takes the form of three case studies: Tony Turner’s “Harperman” (2015), Adrian Sutherland’s “Politician Man” (2019), and Brock Tyler’s “Speaking Moistly” (2020). Our analysis interprets each example according to musical form, lyrics, creator intentions, and genre affiliations but, critically, also addresses how contexts for circulation, curation by produsers, and the affect of musicking illuminates kaleidoscopic meanings that accrue through the complex interactions of music and politics—meanings, notably, that cannot be discerned through a focus on the musical object or political landscape alone

    Application of knowledge management principles to support maintenance strategies in healthcare organisations

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    Healthcare is a vital service that touches people's lives on a daily basis by providing treatment and resolving patients' health problems through the staff. Human lives are ultimately dependent on the skilled hands of the staff and those who manage the infrastructure that supports the daily operations of the service, making it a compelling reason for a dedicated research study. However, the UK healthcare sector is undergoing rapid changes, driven by rising costs, technological advancements, changing patient expectations, and increasing pressure to deliver sustainable healthcare. With the global rise in healthcare challenges, the need for sustainable healthcare delivery has become imperative. Sustainable healthcare delivery requires the integration of various practices that enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare infrastructural assets. One critical area that requires attention is the management of healthcare facilities. Healthcare facilitiesis considered one of the core elements in the delivery of effective healthcare services, as shortcomings in the provision of facilities management (FM) services in hospitals may have much more drastic negative effects than in any other general forms of buildings. An essential element in healthcare FM is linked to the relationship between action and knowledge. With a full sense of understanding of infrastructural assets, it is possible to improve, manage and make buildings suitable to the needs of users and to ensure the functionality of the structure and processes. The premise of FM is that an organisation's effectiveness and efficiency are linked to the physical environment in which it operates and that improving the environment can result in direct benefits in operational performance. The goal of healthcare FM is to support the achievement of organisational mission and goals by designing and managing space and infrastructural assets in the best combination of suitability, efficiency, and cost. In operational terms, performance refers to how well a building contributes to fulfilling its intended functions. Therefore, comprehensive deployment of efficient FM approaches is essential for ensuring quality healthcare provision while positively impacting overall patient experiences. In this regard, incorporating knowledge management (KM) principles into hospitals' FM processes contributes significantly to ensuring sustainable healthcare provision and enhancement of patient experiences. Organisations implementing KM principles are better positioned to navigate the constantly evolving business ecosystem easily. Furthermore, KM is vital in processes and service improvement, strategic decision-making, and organisational adaptation and renewal. In this regard, KM principles can be applied to improve hospital FM, thereby ensuring sustainable healthcare delivery. Knowledge management assumes that organisations that manage their organisational and individual knowledge more effectively will be able to cope more successfully with the challenges of the new business ecosystem. There is also the argument that KM plays a crucial role in improving processes and services, strategic decision-making, and adapting and renewing an organisation. The goal of KM is to aid action – providing "a knowledge pull" rather than the information overload most people experience in healthcare FM. Other motivations for seeking better KM in healthcare FM include patient safety, evidence-based care, and cost efficiency as the dominant drivers. The most evidence exists for the success of such approaches at knowledge bottlenecks, such as infection prevention and control, working safely, compliances, automated systems and reminders, and recall based on best practices. The ability to cultivate, nurture and maximise knowledge at multiple levels and in multiple contexts is one of the most significant challenges for those responsible for KM. However, despite the potential benefits, applying KM principles in hospital facilities is still limited. There is a lack of understanding of how KM can be effectively applied in this context, and few studies have explored the potential challenges and opportunities associated with implementing KM principles in hospitals facilities for sustainable healthcare delivery. This study explores applying KM principles to support maintenance strategies in healthcare organisations. The study also explores the challenges and opportunities, for healthcare organisations and FM practitioners, in operationalising a framework which draws the interconnectedness between healthcare. The study begins by defining healthcare FM and its importance in the healthcare industry. It then discusses the concept of KM and the different types of knowledge that are relevant in the healthcare FM sector. The study also examines the challenges that healthcare FM face in managing knowledge and how the application of KM principles can help to overcome these challenges. The study then explores the different KM strategies that can be applied in healthcare FM. The KM benefits include improved patient outcomes, reduced costs, increased efficiency, and enhanced collaboration among healthcare professionals. Additionally, issues like creating a culture of innovation, technology, and benchmarking are considered. In addition, a framework that integrates the essential concepts of KM in healthcare FM will be presented and discussed. The field of KM is introduced as a complex adaptive system with numerous possibilities and challenges. In this context, and in consideration of healthcare FM, five objectives have been formulated to achieve the research aim. As part of the research, a number of objectives will be evaluated, including appraising the concept of KM and how knowledge is created, stored, transferred, and utilised in healthcare FM, evaluating the impact of organisational structure on job satisfaction as well as exploring how cultural differences impact knowledge sharing and performance in healthcare FM organisations. This study uses a combination of qualitative methods, such as meetings, observations, document analysis (internal and external), and semi-structured interviews, to discover the subjective experiences of healthcare FM employees and to understand the phenomenon within a real-world context and attitudes of healthcare FM as the data collection method, using open questions to allow probing where appropriate and facilitating KM development in the delivery and practice of healthcare FM. The study describes the research methodology using the theoretical concept of the "research onion". The qualitative research was conducted in the NHS acute and non-acute hospitals in Northwest England. Findings from the research study revealed that while the concept of KM has grown significantly in recent years, KM in healthcare FM has received little or no attention. The target population was fifty (five FM directors, five academics, five industry experts, ten managers, ten supervisors, five team leaders and ten operatives). These seven groups were purposively selected as the target population because they play a crucial role in KM enhancement in healthcare FM. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with all participants based on their pre-determined availability. Out of the 50-target population, only 25 were successfully interviewed to the point of saturation. Data collected from the interview were coded and analysed using NVivo to identify themes and patterns related to KM in healthcare FM. The study is divided into eight major sections. First, it discusses literature findings regarding healthcare FM and KM, including underlying trends in FM, KM in general, and KM in healthcare FM. Second, the research establishes the study's methodology, introducing the five research objectives, questions and hypothesis. The chapter introduces the literature on methodology elements, including philosophical views and inquiry strategies. The interview and data analysis look at the feedback from the interviews. Lastly, a conclusion and recommendation summarise the research objectives and suggest further research. Overall, this study highlights the importance of KM in healthcare FM and provides insights for healthcare FM directors, managers, supervisors, academia, researchers and operatives on effectively leveraging knowledge to improve patient care and organisational effectiveness

    Illuminating Hidden Harvests – The contributions of small-scale fisheries to sustainable development

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    Small-scale fisheries account for at least 40 percent of the global catch from capture fisheries and provide employment across the value chain for an estimated 60.2 million people, about 90 percent of the total number employed in fisheries globally. The economic value of these fisheries, however, is only a part of their importance: for example, nearly 53 million additional people were estimated to be engaged in subsistence activities in 2016. Rightly considered from a holistic and integrated perspective, small-scale fisheries define the livelihoods, nutrition and culture of a substantial and diverse segment of humankind. This study, Illuminating Hidden Harvests: the contributions of small-scale fisheries to sustainable development (hereinafter Illuminating Hidden Harvests, or IHH), uncovers the contributions and impacts of small-scale fisheries through a multidisciplinary approach to data collection and analysis. The study provides information that quantifies and improves understanding of the crucial role of small-scale fisheries in the areas of food security and nutrition, sustainable livelihoods, poverty eradication and healthy ecosystems. It also examines gender equality as well as the nature and scope of governance in small-scale fisheries, and how this differs between different countries and fishery units. The IHH study was carried out in support of the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines), themselves developed in recognition of the plight of small-scale fishers, fishworkers and associated communities. The SSF Guidelines provide advice and direction for the enhancement of responsible and sustainable small-scale fisheries, through the development and implementation of participatory, ecosystem-friendly policies, strategies and legal frameworks

    The StartUPS Project at Politecnica Salesiana University (UPS): a Common Good Approach to Institutional Management and Human Development

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    The purpose of this research is to analyze the StartUPS project from the Politecnica Salesiana University and see how this open environment has enhanced people capabilities considering the person-centered vision and how the project base in common good management and capability approach helped the human development of these project participants. In this analysis the concept of development is reviewed from the well-fare to the well-being and contrast with modern and Andean perspectives aiming to understand different forms of development and management of common pool resources and how this set up a line for future research about how to mix these perspectives with the commonly known indicators to measure development. To measure the impact of the project over the participants development, quantitative and qualitative data was collected from the multiple activities and projects that took place under the project open spaces, data shown how almost unanimously not only the participants but also the mentors, professors and strategic allies improve their capabilities and indirectly their perceived self-well-being. Leaving also new research lines to study how strategic planned activities targeting specific functionings could be applied and improved, how Universities seen as an open environment could become community engagement agents improving the community and national well-being.Lo scopo di questa ricerca è analizzare il progetto StartUPS dell'Università Politecnica Salesiana e studiare come questo ambiente aperto abbia migliorato le capacità delle persone, considerando una visione centrata sulla persona e i pilastri del progetto: la gestione del bene comune e il capability approach, in modo che l'insieme migliorasse lo sviluppo umano dei partecipanti. Questa analisi passa in rassegna i concetti di sviluppo, dall'assistenza sociale (statale) al welfare [integrale], e li contrappone alle prospettive moderne e andine per comprendere le diverse forme di sviluppo, la gestione delle risorse del bene comune e, da questa prospettiva, stabilire una linea di ricerca che si combini con gli indicatori comunemente noti per misurare lo sviluppo. Per misurare l'impatto del progetto StartUPS sullo sviluppo dei partecipanti, sono stati raccolti dati quantitativi e qualitativi dalle molteplici attività e progetti realizzati negli ambienti aperti del progetto, dati che mostrano come quasi all'unanimità, non solo i partecipanti ma anche i mentori, i docenti e gli alleati dell'università abbiano migliorato le loro capacità e indirettamente il loro benessere percepito. Questa analisi propone anche nuove linee di ricerca per studiare come le attività strategiche possano essere implementate e migliorate per le functioning, e come le università, viste come un ambiente aperto, potrebbero diventare agenti di coinvolgimento della comunità che migliorano il benessere della comunità e del Paese

    Factors Influencing Value Added Public Services in Maldives

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    Civil servants in the Maldives serve the public in many ways and are key stakeholders who implement the policies of the incumbent government. With decentralisation as the key phenomenon in moving to a more democratic society, the city councils play a key role in delivering a range of services to the public. While this is the case, there are a lot of questions around the ability of and willingness to deliver effective services to the public by the civil servants. Based on these complaints from both the public and the civil servants, this research has been undertaken to identify the factors and causes that hinder the delivery of effective and efficient services to the public by the City Councils. The research was undertaken using the 3 (three) city councils that exist in Maldives. The research was a qualitative process where selected staff were interviewed using open ended guided questions to understand how they perceive the delivery of service within their line of work and what are the challenges they face in delivering services to the public. The research provides a sound understanding of the factors influencing the delivery of value-added services within the civil service. The research data showed 12 major themes, which includes hindrances to service delivery, role and expansion of the councils, leadership, core values, structure of operations, role of ICT, functionality, relationships and pay. Furthermore, the results also had 10 subcategories in two different major themes. These findings indicate that there are several issues that influence service delivery in the public sector. Introduction of ICT based services, changing the HR policy, greater autonomy in decision making, better financing, harmonized pay structure and proper training can improve service delivery. In addition, reduction of political influence on the civil servants, adequate manpower and proper equipment will further improve service delivery. While the entire civil service is governed by the same regulations, service delivery can be different in specific areas. Hence, a different framework may be needed to understand the challenges in such areas. However, the findings of this research can be used by similar entities to understand their shortcomings to improve service delivery, thereby benefiting from this research. Moreover, these organizations can use the outcomes of the research to understand their challenges as use it as a tool to improve/change their service delivery for better services. Furthermore, future research can be based on the findings and explore in detail to attend to specific areas of the public service
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