Qualidade em educação: contributo para uma hermenêutica do conceito

Once the failure of the universal access to education was recognized, in the promotion of equal opportunities, we are witnessing a shift from the quantitative paradigm to the qualitative paradigm. This change seems to fit a broader movement that affects the State, in most countries. This paper proposes a possible route for a hermeneutics of the concept of Quality in Education in the context of change experienced at the beginning of the XXI Century. To this end, several approaches are mobilized, in particular, the sociological, the economical, the political, and the educational research perspectives. The conceptual model, resulting from the various perspectives, reflects the complexity and the polysemy of the concept.Reconhecido o fracasso da universalização do acesso à Educação, na promoção da igualdade de oportunidades, assiste-se à mudança do paradigma quantitativo para o paradigma qualitativo. Esta mudança parece enquadrar-se num movimento mais amplo que afeta o Estado, na generalidade dos países. Este artigo propõe um itinerário possível para uma hermenêutica do conceito de Qualidade em Educação, no contexto de mudança vivido neste início do Século XXI. Para o efeito, são mobilizadas diversas abordagens, nomeadamente, a sociológica, a económica, a política e a da investigação educacional. O modelo conceptual, resultante das várias perspetivas, traduz a complexidade e a polissemia do conceito

Desenho e controlo de serviços multicanal: Um estudo de caso de um banco português

Apesar de as organizações utilizarem cada vez mais múltiplos canais para prestarem serviços, pouco se sabe como estes serviços são concebidos e controlados na realidade. O objetivo deste artigo é explorar os processos e práticas de desenho e controlo de serviços multicanal. A metodologia baseia-se num estudo de caso único, de natureza qualitativa, exploratória e representativa, de um banco português, e recorre a entrevistas, observação e documentos internos. Os resultados sugerem que os processos de desenho e controlo possuem uma natureza semi- estruturada e estruturada, respetivamente, e mostram que se empregam práticas para promover a sua melhoria contínua. A principal conclusão é que a consistência entre canais é crucial no desenho e controlo de serviços multi- canal, devendo as organizações desenvolver mecanismos de integração como é exemplificado neste estudo de caso.Although organizations increasingly use multiple channels to deliver services, little is known about how these services are designed and controlled in reality. The objetive of this paper is to explore the processes and prac- tices of design and control of multichannel services. The methodology is based on a single case study, of qualitative, exploratory and representative nature, of a Portuguese bank, and draws on interviews, observation and internal documents. The results suggest that the design and control processes have a semi-structured and structured nature, respectively, and show that practices are employed to promote its continuous improvement. The main conclusion is that the consistency between channels is crucial in the design and control of multichannel services, and organiza- tions should develop integration mechanisms as exemplified in this case study.Aunque las organizaciones utilizan cada vez más múltiples canales de prestación de servicios, se sabe poco acerca de cómo estos servicios están diseñados y controlados en realidad. El objetivo de este articulo es explo- rar los procesos y prácticas de diseño y control de los servicios multicanal. La metodología se basa en un estudio de caso único, cualitativo, exploratorio y representativo de un banco portugués, y se basa en entrevistas, observaciones y documentos internos. Los resultados sugieren que los procesos de diseño y control son de naturaleza estructurada y semiestructurada, respectivamente, y muestran que se emplean prácticas para promover la mejora continua. La principal conclusión es que la consistencia entre los canales es crucial en el diseño y control de los servicios multi- canal, sin embargo las organizaciones deben desarrollar mecanismos de integración como se demuestra en este estudio de caso.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Serviço multi-canal: uma estratégia para o futuro

Since their emergence, services have taken a vital role in our lives. Recently, with the appearance of new technologies and the diffusion of the Internet, multichannel services received a considerable attention in the relationship between customers and organizations. This article provides a synthesis of the literature about multi-channel services, with special emphasis on its advantages and limitations and on quality issues. It is concluded that in general the benefits outweigh its limitations and that quality issues and inherently linked to the design and control of multi-channel services. This paper is also a call for further research in this area.Desde o seu aparecimento, os serviços têm assumido um papel vital nas nossas vidas. Recentemente, com o despoletar das novas tecnologias e com a difusão da Internet, os serviços multicanal obtiveram uma atenção considerável no relacionamento entre clientes e organizações. Este artigo fornece uma síntese de literatura sobre os serviços multicanal, com especial destaque para as suas vantagens e limitações e para as questões de qualidade. Conclui-se que em geral os benefícios ultrapassam as suas limitações e que as questões de qualidade estão inerentemente ligadas ao desenho e controlo de serviços multicanal. Este artigo é também um convite para investigação adicional nesta área

Research Opportunities in Multi-channel Services: A Systematic Review

The present study presents the results of a systematic review on multi-channel services, to synthesize the existing body of knowledge and propose avenues for further research. We present theories that are widely corroborated, as well as suggestions presented by scholars that represent research opportunities. Towards this aim, using a comprehensive review of 118 peer-reviewed articles, the results suggest that existing studies are mainly focused on the analysis of consumer interactions with multi-channel front-office services, whereas the management of back-office processes and control aspects remain largely undressed. These topics represent strategic challenges and opportunities for future research.N/

Breaking Barriers with Qualitative Multi-method Research for Engineering Studies: Pros, Cons and Issues

The purpose of this article is to investigate how contemporary studies about engineering are breaking down boundaries of knowledge. This study uses a systematic literature review to show how the application of qualitative multi-method approaches may offer reliable results and provide greater emphasis to the dimensions of development, triangulation and complementarity. The article offers new insights on the role of qualitative researches for the engineering domain, an area which has been largely unaddressed in the literature.O objetivo deste artigo é analisar como os estudos contemporâneos sobre a engenharia estão a quebrar as fronteiras do conhecimento. Este artigo utiliza uma revisão sistemática da literatura para mostrar como a utilização de abordagens qualitativas multi-método pode oferecer resultados fiáveis e dar maior enfase às dimensões de desenvolvimento, triangulação e complementaridade. O artigo discute as novas dinâmicas que as investigações qualitativas oferecem ao domínio da engenharia, área que que tem sido amplamente negligenciada pela literatura.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Disclosing paths for multi-channel service research: A contemporaneous phenomenon and guidelines for future investigations

The present paper reports on the findings of a systematic literature review on multi-channel services. In doing so, it uses an affinity diagram to show the results of a content analysis regarding the issues addressed by the existing literature in the field. This enables to understand areas of interest in the contemporary subject of research, find gaps in the literature and, lastly, to uncover guidelines for future research. The results suggest that future investigations should focus on the integration of traditional and virtual services, on quality issues and customer behaviour towards the use of multi-channel services. Previous research also suggests that multi-channel services are largely unaddressed, regarding issues as back-office processes, within the scope of operations management. Subsequently, since multi-channel services are multidisciplinary in nature, these guidelines represent a fruitful opportunity for future research to involve other disciplines.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Omni-channel Service Architectures in a Technology-based Business Network: An Empirical Insight

This article investigates the existing omni-channel service architectures in the front-office of technology-based business networks. It discusses the implications from the existing alignment between the networkpreferred channel with other channels and clients. The methodological approach is qualitative, exploratory in nature, and employs case study research in a large private retail bank in Portugal. It includes multiple sources of data collection for corroboration purposes, including semi-structured interviews, direct observation and institutional documents. Although we have identified four types of omnichannel architectures in a business network context, the case analysis revealed that only two of them meet all the requirements, namely: the mixed services and pure virtual services. For academics this is the first attempt to discuss a growing topic in the operations management literature. Thus, this study may also help practitioners to understand the challenges they may have to deal with an omnichannel strategy in a business network context.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Omni-channel service operations: Building technology-based business networks

This article investigates how omni-channel services operations are building technology-based business networks. It uses a case study research, which includes multiple sources of data collection for triangulation purposes, to study a real-life phenomenon. The results suggest that omni-channel companies are changing their landscape to business networks, looking for competitive advantages over their rivals. But this move incorporates new challenges, as it requires a transition based on operations management to allow these firms to adapt their processes and channels, in order to be able to collaborate in a heterogeneous network of firms. Another possible solution is the integration of innovation technologies that are enabling the combination of firm capabilities to underpin collaborative relationships. Previous research also suggests that service operations management in an omni-channel services context is largely unaddressed, as this discipline is essential for the edification of technology-based business networks. Thereby, this article provides real-life statements and examples of firms that are moving their service operations into a business network paradigm. Subsequently, since omni-channel services are multidisciplinary in nature, these exploratory results represent a fruitful opportunity for future research to involve other disciplines than service operations.Instituto Politécnico de Viseu e CI&DETSinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Omni-channel Services Failure and Recovery: A Case Study Research

This study investigates the way service providers are employing their channels to support the handling of customer complaints, using a qualitative case study research approach in a Portuguese private bank. It characterizes the omni-channel recovery practices and discusses its implications for customer satisfaction. The results suggest that the degree of customers ́(dis)satisfaction is not directly linked to the nature nor the severity of the existing failure, but rather with the service recovery process. This area represents a key research opportunity regarding the customer complaint in the contemporary service industry.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

New Ways to Deal with Omni-Channel Services: Opening the Door to Synergies, or Problems in the Horizon?

This article aims to investigate organizational synergies in the omnichannel service context. In doing so, it discloses new omni-channel trends and discusses its implications for managers and academics. It uses a qualitative multimethod approach, which includes more than one method of collecting data to generate comprehensiveness and rich knowledge, namely: a systematic literature review and a case study. The transition to an omni-channel service requires companies to overcome many organizational challenges and is compelling academics and practitioners to focus on its operations management. The results indicate that organizational synergies are changing the omni-channel landscape and may provide several opportunities for gaining competitive advantages by implementing new technologies (e.g. m-payments), and anticipating customer needs (e.g. multi-brand experience). It is possible that these organizational synergies are transcending the omni-channel concept, creating new trends, but to confirm this hypothesis further investigation is needed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio