Measurement and effects of teaching quality : an empirical model applied to masters programs

This study applies service quality and customer satisfaction theory to the field of education, and particularly to postgraduate studies. It examines the impact of multiple indicators of teaching quality on student satisfaction. For this purpose, a model is proposed and verified in which the teaching quality indicators are antecedents of the student's satisfaction with the professor and the program. An innovative aspect of the study is the introduction into education of the concept of customer loyalty as a result of satisfaction. In its analysis of these aspects, the study draws on data from a survey conducted among students of two business administration programs. A total of 2,446 valid questionnaires were obtained. In the proposed model, the latent variable, student satisfaction, is considered to be a consequence of the combined effect of satisfaction with certain aspects of teaching quality and the cause of the variation in the indicators on the satisfaction measurement scale. The model was tested by using the MIMIC [Multiple Indicators and Multiple Causes] structural equation technique

Chicanx Murals: Decolonizing Place and (Re)Writing the Terms of Composition

Drawing from an interpretive decolonial framework that understands multimodal writing as the act of creating co-composed knowledge, this article analyzes Chicanx murals as multimodal compositions that exemplify the continuation of the Aztec tlacuilolitztli practice of writing with images. This work also invites rhetoric and composition scholars to reexamine Western understandings of history, particularly the history of writing

Measuring market orientation in several populations : a structural equations model.

Most researchers have studied economic performance linked to market orientation, while a lesser interest has been shown in validating this construct’s measure. We present a study of market orientation designed to obtain a valid measure of the market orientation construct. After presenting a theoretical model of market orientation, it is applied to investigate the usefulness of this construct in insurance companies of two European countries. Key features of the research methodology include several rounds of pretesting, multiple informant assessment, and a covariance structure procedure to show the structural validity of a measure of market orientation. The results show that the measure proposed is represented by a factorial structure that can be interpreted as an overall market orientation factor in both populations and a country-specific additional factor.Belgium; Insurance companies; Market orientation; Marketing; Spain; Strategy;

Forms of market strategies in the European insurance sector

The liberalization of the European insurance market has provoked a necessity for firms to develop multinational strategies. Thus, these strategies should be capable of maintaining their normal competitiveness inspite ofthe different countries and markets. From a theoretical perspective, this artiele investigates the influence of the national environments on the firms' competitive marketing strategies. The different strategic modalities that the insurance firms in two European countries, Spain and Belgium, develop are analyzed from a managerial perspective. The results obtained in this research allow the managers to position their firms' competitive strategies in their sectors and countries. Likewise, the strategy presented in this artiele can become a guide so that the firms operate more efficientIy in complex competitive environments

La permacultura: una alternativa en los sistemas constructivos sustentables.

La acelerada evolución de la civilización contemporánea, nos conduce a una minuciosa revisión acerca de los problemas relacionados con el ser humano, entre los cuales destacan el aspecto ecológico, el cual si lo relacionamos con el constructivo, descubrimos que se ha abusado de materiales en el que el proceso de fabricación produce derroches importantes de energéticos. Es precisamente a raíz de esta preocupación que surge esta investigación, generada por la necesidad de buscar nuevas alternativas en los sistemas constructivos que nos ofrece la naturaleza, y buscando cuidar el medio ambiente de nuestro país, tan deteriorado hoy en día, con la finalidad de disminuir los costos energéticos. Se trata de encontrar la interrelación perfecta entre el medio ambiente y el hombre, a través de la utilización de materiales naturales tradicionales de nuestro país. Es precisamente en este sentido, donde es importante la contribución de la Permacultura, ya que se trata de cómo diseñar asentamientos sostenibles. Una filosofía y una manera de usar la tierra, que combina microclimas, plantas anuales y perennes, animales, suelos, uso del agua y necesidades humanas, para crear comunidades productivas. Entre los materiales que se proponen en esta investigación se encuentran: el adobe, el bambú, la paja, el superadobe ( bolsas de tierra) y el kenaf

Modelling market orientanon : a structural equation approach

Most researchers have studied economic performance linked to market orientation, while a lesser interest has been shown in validating this construct's measure. We present a study of market orientation designed to obtain a valid measure of the market orientation construct. After presenting a theoretical model of market orientation, it is applied to investigate the usefulness of this construct in insurance companies of two European countries. Key features ofthe research methodology include several rounds of pretesting, multiple informant assessment, and a covariance structure procedure to show the structural validity of a measure of market orientation. The results show that the measure proposed is represented by a factorial structure that can be interpreted as an overall market orientation factor in both populations and a country specific additional factor

Measuring market orientation in several populations : a structural equations model

Most researchers have studied economic performance linked to market orientation, while a lesser interest has been shown in validating this construct’s measure. We present a study of market orientation designed to obtain a valid measure of the market orientation construct. After presenting a theoretical model of market orientation, it is applied to investigate the usefulness of this construct in insurance companies of two European countries. Key features of the research methodology include several rounds of pretesting, multiple informant assessment, and a covariance structure procedure to show the structural validity of a measure of market orientation. The results show that the measure proposed is represented by a factorial structure that can be interpreted as an overall market orientation factor in both populations and a country-specific additional factor.Publicad

Prevalencia de muerte por asfixia por sumersión en un quinquenio comprendido en los años 2008-2012 en la fiscalía del cantón Milagro.

pdfLa asfixia por sumersión, en sentido médico-legal se define como la muerte o el trastorno patológico producido por la introducción de un medio líquido, habitualmente agua, en las vías respiratorias. El objetivo de la presente tesis es cuantificar a las personas que son víctimas de muertes violentas por asfixia por sumersión y caracterizar las mismas, en la morgue judicial de la ciudad de Milagro, entre el 2008-2012.Se realizó un estudio de tipo no experimental, descriptivo, transversal y retrospectivo. Se tomó como población total las autopsias medico legales y reconocimientos de cadáveres realizadas y registradas en la fiscalía del cantón Milagro. Se determinó el tipo de asfixia más frecuente, el mes de mayor incidencia, el género sexual y la edad más afectada. La mayor mortalidad en el quinquenio 2008–2012 se observó en el grupo de 19 a 40 años (63%), seguido por el grupo de 41 a 60 años con el 25% (15). El promedio de edad fue de 25,3 años de edad (Rango: 19-62 años). Constituyendo el grupo de hombres jóvenes de edad productiva el grupo más vulnerable. Del total de la muestra estudiada (60 pacientes), el 31% (15) de las muertes por asfixia por sumersión se presentaron en el año 2009, donde el mes de enero predominó con 3 casos de muerte por sumersión, el 77% (46) procedían del área rural, el 50% (7) procedían de la parroquia Camilo Andrade Manrique y el 54% (25) procedían de la parroquia urbana Roberto Astudillo, siendo la clase obrera (22%) y dedicada a la pesca (20%) la predominante en la muestra. La principal causa de la muerte por sumersión fue de tipo accidental, con el 58% (35) y la actividad más frecuente que realizaban cuando sucedió la muerte fue la natación con el 51% (18). Se encontró asociación estadísticamente significativa entre la etiología de las muertes y los grupos etarios y género sexual (p=0,0001).Asphyxia by drowning, in medical-legal sense is defined as death or pathological disorder caused by the introduction of a liquid medium, usually water, in the airways. The aim of this thesis is to quantify people who are victims of violent deaths by asphyxia by drowning and characterize them in the morgue of the city of Milagro, between 20082012. A study of such non-experimental, descriptive, cross-sectional and retrospective was held. Total population is taken as the legal medical autopsies and examinations of corpses performed and recorded by the prosecutor of the canton Milagro. The most common type of asphyxia was determined, the month of highest incidence, sexual gender and age most affected. The highest mortality rate in the period 2008-2012 was observed in the group of 19-40 years (63%), followed by the group of 41-60 years in 25% (15). The average age was 25.3 years (range: 19-62 years). Constituting the group of young men of working age the most vulnerable group. Of the total study sample (60 patients), 31% (15) of asphyxia by drowning deaths occurred in 2009, where the predominant January with 3 cases of death by drowning, 77% (46) came from rural areas, 50% (7) came from the parish Camilo Manrique Andrade and 54% (25) came from the urban parish Roberto Astudillo, with the working class (22%) and engaged in fishing (20% ) predominant in the sample. The leading cause of death by drowning was accidental kind, with 58% (35) and the most common activity performed when the death occurred was swimming with 51% (18). Statistically significant association between the etiology of deaths and sexual gender and age groups (p = 0.0001)