The organizacional culture of a public health institution: a tool for understanding complex organizacional phenomena

Submitted by Luciana Ferreira ([email protected]) on 2016-01-28T07:03:49Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Rodrigo Aquino Jordão - 2014.pdf: 4646731 bytes, checksum: 5836f178a824515642d99b4b6b2a73d0 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira ([email protected]) on 2016-01-28T07:06:27Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Rodrigo Aquino Jordão - 2014.pdf: 4646731 bytes, checksum: 5836f178a824515642d99b4b6b2a73d0 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-28T07:06:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Rodrigo Aquino Jordão - 2014.pdf: 4646731 bytes, checksum: 5836f178a824515642d99b4b6b2a73d0 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-10-21The implementation of the Brazilian National Health System has brought several challenges to the management of health. Due to the decentralization of services, the role and the relationship between the three federative agents have dramatically changed. Seeking for alternatives to better cope with this setting, the cultural studies are thought to be relevant in aiding the understanding of the complex organisational phenomena. This study aimed to analyse the organisational culture’s elements of a public health institution according to Hofstede and Schein. It is an exploratory case study employing a qualitative methodology. Data triangulation was performed, using in-depth interview, focus group, documental analysis and unsystematic observation. Data treatment involved content analysis. The results suggest that practical elements of the institution’s culture (symbols, heroes and rituals) converge on the following values: the technicism, the assistance, and the hierarchy. It was concluded that such a cultural system exalts the professional qualification, is focused on work processes, and suffers from the consequences of health underfunding. These implications may act as barriers to the institution’s performance, such as the difficulty in communication and interlocution, apolitical behaviour, negligence in results seeking, and the uncritical and isomorphic reproduction of national policies. It is suggested the drawing of management strategies supported in organisational theories that may equalize the actual values and cultural practices of the institution.A implementação do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) tem gerado novos desafios para a gestão em saúde. Com a descentralização dos serviços, o papel e a relação entre os três entes federativos tem sofrido importantes mudanças. Na busca por alternativas para um melhor enfrentamento deste cenário, os estudos culturais se mostram relevantes na compreensão de fenômenos organizacionais complexos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar os elementos da cultura organizacional de uma instituição pública de saúde segundo Hofstede e Schein. Trata-se de um estudo de caso, exploratório, com o uso de metodologia qualitativa. Procedeu-se a triangulação de dados, utilizando a entrevista em profundidade, o grupo focal, a análise documental e a observação assistemática. O tratamento dos dados se deu pela análise de conteúdo. Os resultados sugerem que elementos práticos da cultura da instituição (símbolos, heróis e rituais) convergem para os seguintes valores: o tecnicismo, o assessoramento e a hierarquia. Concluiu-se que tal sistema cultural exalta a qualificação profissional, está focado e atento aos processos de trabalho e sofre consequências do subfinaciamento da saúde. Tais implicações podem representar barreiras para o desempenho da instituição, dentre elas a dificuldade de comunicação e interlocução, comportamento apolítico, negligência na busca por resultados e a reprodução isomórfica e acrítica de políticas nacionais. Sugere-se que sejam traçadas estratégias de gestão apoiadas em teorias organizacionais que também equacionem os valores e práticas culturais presentes na instituição

Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved