Дисертації з теми "Register of informational resources"

Метою роботи є вивчення можливих підходів до побудови та роботи реєстру інформаційних ресурсів, використовуючи онтологічний підхід та розробка реляційної бази даних реєстру інформаційних ресурсів та системи, яка дозволить будувати структуру онтології інформаційного ресурсу по заданому метаопису реляційного типу. Було проаналізовано та виконано огляд існуючих програмних застосунків для конвертації даних між даними типу OWL та SQL, виявлено їх переваги та недоліки. Розроблено програмний продукт, що дозволяє переглядати ієрархічну структуру та відношення у складі онтології та відображати онтологію з реляційної моделі до OWL-файлу. Загальний обсяг роботи: 52 сторінок, 26 ілюстрацій, 14 бібліографічних посилань та 3 додатки.
The aim of the work is the examination of possible approaches to the construction and work of the register of information resources using an ontological approach and creation of relational database of the register of information resources and system for building the ontology′s structure based on meta description. The existing programs for conversion the data from OWL format to SQL format and vice versa were analyzed as well as their advantages and disadvantages. The application for viewing the hierarchical structure and relations within the ontology and representation of the ontology from relational model to the OWL-file was developed. Total volume of the paper: 52 pages, 26 illustrations, 14 bibliography links and 3 appendixes.
Целью дипломной работы стало изучение возможных подходов к построению и работе реестра информационных ресурсов, используя онтологический подход и разработка реляционной базы данных реестра информационных ресурсов; системы, которая позволит строить структуру онтологии информационного ресурса по заданному метаописания реляционного типа. Были проанализированы и выполнен обзор существующих программных приложений для конвертации данных между данными типа OWL и SQL, выявлены их преимущества и недостатки. Разработан программный продукт, позволяющий просматривать иерархическую структуру и отношение в составе онтологии и отображать онтологию с реляционной модели в OWL файл.

This thesis examines the informational needs of historians researching women as a subject in archives. The research methodology employed combines two types of user studies, the questionnaire and the reference analysis, in order to determine both the use and usefulness of archival materials and finding aids for historians researching women. This study begins with an overview of the literature on user studies. The thesis then outlines both the kinds of materials and the information historians researching women require. Finally, this study looks at the way historians researching women locate relevant materials and concomitantly the effectiveness of current descriptive policies and practices in dealing with the needs of this research group. This thesis concludes by suggesting a number of ways in which archivists can respond to the informational needs of historians researching women in archives. Firstly, a considerable amount of documentation relevant to the study of women remains to be acquired by archival repositories. While archives should continue to acquire textual materials, more emphasis needs to be placed upon the acquisition of non-textual materials since these materials are also very useful to historians researching women in archives. Secondly, archivists must focus more attention on the informational value of their holdings since the majority of historians researching women are interested in the information the records contain about people, events or subject area and not the description of institutional life contained in records. Thirdly this study demonstrates the need for more subject oriented finding aids. Archivists can improve subject access to their holdings through the preparation of thematic guides, by the creation of more analytical inventory descriptions and by indexing or cataloguing women's records.
Arts, Faculty of
Library, Archival and Information Studies (SLAIS), School of
Graduate

Museums today provide learning-rich experiences and quality informational resources through both physical and virtual environments. This study examined a Holocaust Museum traveling exhibition, Life in Shadows: Hidden Children and the Holocaust that was on display at the Art Center of Battle Creek, Michigan in fall 2005. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to assess the informational value of a Holocaust Museum exhibition in its onsite vs. online format by converging quantitative and qualitative data. Participants in the study included six eighth grade language arts classes who viewed various combinations or scenarios of the onsite and online Life in Shadows. Using student responses to questions in an online exhibition survey, an analysis of variance was performed to determine which scenario visit promotes the greatest content learning. Using student responses to additional questions on the same survey, data were analyzed qualitatively to discover the impact on students of each scenario visit. By means of an emotional empathy test, data were analyzed to determine differences among student response according to scenario visit. A principal finding of the study (supporting Falk and Dierking's contextual model of learning) was that the use of the online exhibition provided a source of prior orientation and functioned as an advanced organizer for students who subsequently viewed the onsite exhibition. Students who viewed the online exhibition received higher topic assessment scores. Students in each scenario visit gave positive exhibition feedback and evidence of emotional empathy. Further longitudinal studies in museum informatics and Holocaust education involving a more diverse population are needed. Of particular importance would be research focusing on using museum exhibitions and Web-based technology in a compelling manner so that students can continue to hear the words of survivors who themselves bear witness and give voice to silenced victims. When perpetuity of access to informational resources is assured, future generations will continue to be connected to the primary documents of history and cultural heritage.

Throughout history, the direct or indirect choice of preservation has resulted in the successful incorporation of tangible products of the human past into modern cultural environments. Within the current American historic preservation system, "significance" is used as a delimiter for identifying historic properties that are determined beneficial to the heritage of the American people. As defined under U.S. law, however, "significance" is attributed only to places and objects whose importance is limited within an historical or scientific framework. This thesis proposes that the significance of historic properties transcends the boundaries of these limited frameworks of importance, and demonstrates that the public benefits of preservation are maximized when history is reified through the modern-use of these places and objects as cultural resources for the current and future generations of the American people.

Структура й обсяг дипломної роботи Магістерська дисертація складається зі вступу, 6 розділів, висновку, переліку посилань з 26 найменувань, 1 додатку і містить 22 рисунків, 24 таблиці. Повний обсяг магістерської дисертації складає 83 сторінок, з яких перелік посилань займає 3 сторінок, додатки – 10 сторінок. Актуальність теми. Навіть після двох десятиліть цифрової присутності та розповсюдження електронних ресурсів з точки зору створення, придбання та використання, управління ними залишається громіздким процесом. Процес управління електронними ресурсами часто перенавантажує людей. Життєвий цикл електронних ресурсів, особливо в академічних установах, починається з відкриття та ідентифікації ресурсу та переходить до доступу на засадах випробувального терміну, вибору конкретного ресурсу з гами інших ресурсів з подальшим придбанням, а потім охоплює доступ до користувачів, а потім подальше вивчення використання ресурсу для подальшої підтримки та актуалізації цих ресурсів. Між цими процесами стоїть громіздка робота про перегляд ліцензійних угод та правильність ведення записів. Усі ці процеси займають багато часу і вимагають великої праці. Ці невблаганні масиви роботи змусили шукати системи, які дозволять заощадити свій час та енергію, а також забезпечать ефективне управління електронними ресурсами. Мета створення полягає в побудові та розвитку інформаційного простору, для використання в прикладній галузі, а також забезпеченні реєстрації, обліку, збереженні та захисту існуючих, придбаних або переданих на законних підставах відомостей про електронні інформаційні ресурси (ЕІР) з відкритою інформацією. Також дуже важливим було забезпечення користувачам (споживачам) оперативного доступу до відомостей про ЕІР з відкритою інформацією, які занесені до Реєстру. Для досягнення поставленої задачі були сформульовані наступні завдання дослідження, що визначили логіку дослідження та його структуру: - проаналізувати існуючі рішення, які працюють з галузевими реєстрами; - проаналізувати існуючі підходи класифікаційних моделей, які в перспективі можна інтегрувати в розроблювану систему для класифікацій електронних ресурсів; - розробити пошукову модель ЕІР; - розробити модель, яка буде забезпечувати регульований доступ до ресурсів, в залежності від рівня їх секретності. Об’єктом дослідження є процес переповнення даних в системах управління електронними інформаційними ресурсами, що породжує трудності при пошуку необхідної інформації. Предметом дослідження атрибути електронних інформаційних ресурсів, на основі яких будуються класифікаційні та пошукові алгоритми. Методи дослідження. Розв’язання поставлених задач виконувались з використанням наступних методів: - метод порівняльного аналізу розроблюваної системи з існуючими рішеннями; - метод симуляції робочого навантаження на систему, і дослідження її поведінки. Новизна одержаних результатів. Найбільш суттєвими результатами магістерської дисертації є удосконалення механізмів для класифікації та пошуку електронних інформаційних ресурсів. Практичне значення одержаних результатів роботи полягає в розробленій прикладній програмі, яка спрямована на ефективний облік галузевими реєстрами, та розроблених алгоритмах пошуку та класифікацій електронних інформаційних ресурсів.
Structure and volume of the dissertation Master’s dissertation consists of introduction, 6sections, conclusion, list of sources of 26items, 1appendix and has 22images, 24 tables. Whole dissertation volume is 83 pages, out of which list of sources takes 3pages, appendixes - 10pages. Significance of the topic. Even after two decades of digital presence and the proliferation of electronic resources in terms of creation, acquisition and use, managing them remains a cumbersome process. The process of managing electronic resources often overloads people. The lifecycle of electronic resources, especially in academic institutions, begins with the discovery and identification of the resource and proceeds to trial access, selecting a specific resource from a range of other resources with subsequent acquisition, and then encompassing user access, and then further exploring the use of the resource for further supporting and updating these resources. These processes include the cumbersome work of reviewing license agreements and keeping records properly. All these processes are time consuming and require a lot of work. These inexorable arrays of work have forced them to look for systems that will save their time and energy, as well as ensure efficient management of electronic resources. The purpose of the creation is to build and develop an information space for use in the application field, as well as to secure the registration, accounting, preservation and protection of existing, acquired or legally disclosed information on electronic information resources (EIR) with open information. It was also very important to provide users (consumers) with prompt access to information on the EIA with open information entered in the Register. To achieve this task, the following research objectives were formulated, which defined the logic of the study and its structure: - analyze existing solutions that work with industry registries; - to analyze the existing approaches of classification models that can be integrated into the developed system in the future for the classification of the desired electronic resources; - develop an EIR search model; - develop a model that will provide regulated access to resources, depending on their level of secrecy. The object of the exploration is the process of data overflow in electronic information resource management systems, which creates difficulties in finding the necessary information. The subject of the exploration is attributes of electronic information resources, which are used to build classification and search algorithms . Exploration methods. Solution of defined goals was made with usage of next methods:-method of comparative analysis of already existing solutions;-method of simulating the workload on a system and investigating its behaviour. Novelty of the results. The most valuable scientific results of masters dissertation is improving the mechanisms for classification and search of EIR. Practical value of the obtained results of the work lies in the developed application program, which is aimed at the efficient accounting of industrial registers, as well as the developed search algorithms and classification of electronic information resources.

This thesis aims to find general principles governing the behaviour of biological systems, with a particular emphasis in the communicational (social) aspect of these systems. Communication between biological entities plays a major role in their evolution, enabling them to exchange information about their environment and thereby improving their chances of survival. Communication also plays a pivotal role in the organisation of populations of organisms, clearly observed in social insects, but present also at least in bacteria, plants, fungi, animals and humans. It is also theorised that the genetic code is a by-product of the establishment of an innovation-sharing protocol between primitive cells [Vetsigian et al., 2006]. This thesis is mainly concerned with identifying necessary conditions for the emergence of communicational codes, and the problems that arise with their establishment. For this purpose, we introduce an information-theoretic framework where species maximise their growth rate by following a Kelly-gambling strategy to bet on environmental conditions. Information theory provides a powerful tool for abstracting away mechanisms and for focusing on hard limits of a system's dynamics which cannot be circumvented. We begin by exploring the relation between information exchange and limited resources. We show that a transition from cooperation to antagonism in the exchange of environmental information follows from a change in the availability of resources, from abundant to scarce. We then assume a non-competitive scenario with abundance of resources, where conflicts in a population occur only at a communicational (informational) level, rather than on the physical level, such as competing for (physical) resources. However, traditional Shannon communication is non-semantic, as opposed to the semantic communication observed in biological systems, which is necessary for capturing conflicts in communication. In the traditional use of information theory, it is assumed that every organism knows how to \interpret" the information offered by other organisms. However, this assumes that one \knows" which other organisms one observes, and thus which code they use. In our model, however, we wish to preclude that: namely, we will do away with the assumption that the identity of the organisms who send the messages and those who receive them is known, and the resulting usable information is therefore influenced by the universality of the code used and by which organisms an organism is \listening" to. We introduce a model which captures semantic communication in information-theoretic terms, where organisms talk to each other in a communication network. We show that, for particular population structures, when organisms cannot identify which other organisms they talk to, the adoption of a universal code emerges as a solution for full interpretation of the shared information. However, the evolution and establishment of universal codes for communication introduces vulnerabilities: organisms can be exploited by parasites. We de ne two types of parasites whose strategies have different levels of complexity and study the co-evolution of a host (the population) and a parasite by optimising their respective objective functions in stages. First, we consider a disruptive parasite (a troll) that inflicts harm in a host by minimising a population's mutual understanding, and then a more complex parasite, which manipulates the members of the population via their codes (the puppetmaster). We show emergent characterisations of both parasites, as well as which host configurations are robust against parasites and show adaptive properties. This thesis introduces a framework which allows the study of informational properties in the host-parasite co-evolution, where the rules of the parasite's habitat, the host, are the outcome of an evolutionary process, and where these very same rules are those that allow the parasite to exploit the host.

За сучасних умов факт володіння традиційними чинниками виробництва (капіталом, виробничими та людськими ресурсами) не є запорукою успіху та гарантією результативного функціонування підприємства. Важливою умовою стабільного і ефективного функціонування сучасного підприємства є володіння та управління інформаційними ресурсами. У свою чергу ефективне управління інформаційними ресурсами допомагає спростити процес виробництва та реалізації продукції, знизити ризики, протистояти змінам у зовнішньому середовищі, налагодити взаємодію з постачальниками, клієнтами, фінансовими та державними інститутами, партнерами тощо.

[Truncated abstract] Rumours can lead to unpredictable events: the manner in which an organisation responds to a commercial rumour can alter its reputation, and can affect its profitability as well as, ultimately, its survival. Commercial rumours are now a prominent feature of the business environment. They can emerge from organisational change, pending workforce layoffs, mergers, and changes to management, in addition, commercial rumours can lower morale and undermine productivity. There are several well-known examples of commercial rumours that have been, or continue to be, circulated. Commercial rumours are typically either about a conspiracy or contamination issue. Conspiracy rumours usually target those organisational practices or policies which are identified as undesirable by the stakeholders. This form of rumour is often precipitated by situations where people do not have all the information about a situation, for example the rumour about Proctor & Gamble being run by the Moonies. Snapple, the soft drink company, was rumoured in 1992 to be supporting the Ku Klux Klan in closing abortion clinics. Contamination rumours are wide-ranging and typically have revulsion theme, such as McDonald’s "worms in the burger", Pop Rock’s candies which exploded in the stomach, and poison in Herron’s paracetamol . . . Marketers suggest that web sites Commerical Rumour Responses on the Web represent the future of marketing communications on the Internet. The key implication of this study for organisations is when faced with a negative rumour, specific and selected Web pages can be used manage company’s stakeholders recall the rumour and organisational stakeholders can be persuaded by the company’s rumour response strategies.

Managerial work has been described as fragmented, action-oriented, and highly interpersonal, leaving limited room for formal planning and analysis. Even so, managers are expected to engage with accounting information for planning and analysing their area of responsibility. Accounting information has, however, been found to be tardy, aggregated, and incomplete, leading managers to rely on a wide set of additional informational resources. Still, managers’ doings and concerns tend to remain largely in the background in much management accounting research, which leaves us with limited knowledge of how accounting information comes into play in managers’ work. Moreover, technologies aimed at accommodating managers’ information needs are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and allow for timelier and more precise accounting information. This gradual transformation of technologies has led to questions concerning how management accounting is practised, and how it is related to accounting information systems. The aim of this dissertation is to identify roles of accounting information in managerial work in order to better understand the link between managerial work and management accounting systems. The dissertation consists of two volumes, each with three papers and a summary appraisal. The empirical material consists of interviews with a cross-sectional sample of mainly first-line managers, and a study of a construction firm including interviews with higher- and lower-level managers, observations of workshops where higher-level managers and staff discuss the management accounting systems, and internal documents. Overall, this dissertation suggests four roles of accounting information, based on its capacity to serve as representation, translation, key and perspective. Essentially, these roles reflect the ability of accounting information to both aggregate and disaggregate “reality”. The potential of each of these roles is shaped by managerial, organisational and technological issues, and is not always easily realised. The potential of these roles is particularly challenged in an environment with many local contexts. By accentuating what makes accounting information more and less valuable vis-à-vis other informational resources, this dissertation adds clarity to the emerging body of literature on managers’ situated use of accounting information, and to the debate on information technologies and management accounting.

The article «Program and technical aspect of university library activities in online environment» by Semenenko L. P., Glavchev M. I. and Glavcheva Y. M. reviews the issues of the need to provide for the program and technical conditions of informational resources interaction to facilitate their accessibility, to popularize and to create conditions to enhance quotation, to increase the university rating and individual rating indices of authors and editions.
Розглядаються питання щодо необхідності забезпечення програмно-технічних умов взаємодії інформаційних ресурсів для підвищення їх доступності, популяризації, створення умов для збільшення цитування, підвищення рейтингу університету та індивідуальних рейтингових показників авторів та видань.

La théorie des ressources et compétences est appliquée à de multiples champs et terrains, dont le management des chaînes logistiques. La thèse s'interroge sur la nature des ressources et compétences logistiques aux mains des prestataires de services logistiques (PSL), et à la manière dont elles sont mobilisées dans le cadre d'une manoeuvre d'intégration de la chaîne logistique entre industriel et PSL pour améliorer la performance logistique perçue par l'industriel. Le cadre conceptuel développé dans la thèse s'appuie par conséquent à la fois sur la théorie des ressources et compétences et sur l'analyse approfondie des processus d'intégration de la chaîne logistique. Nous nous fondons sur une revue extensive de la littérature, et nous construisons un modèle s'appuyant sur cinq propositions de recherche relatives à la relation entre intégration de la chaîne logistique et performance logistique perçue, en y associant par ailleurs la capacité d'innovation dont peut faire preuve le PSL. Le terrain est constitué d'une enquête conduite par questionnaire auprès de 139 industriels du secteur alimentaire au Vietnam. Les principaux résultats de la recherche peuvent être résumés en deux points. D'une part, l'intégration des ressources et compétences logistiques entre l'industriel et son PSL impacte fortement sur la performance logistique perçue par l'industriel. D'autre part, la capacité d'innovation constitue pour le PSL une ressource de première importance, qui peut avoir une influence significative sur la performance logistique perçue par l'industriel
Resource and competence theory is applied to multiple fields and countries. It seems pertinent to infer a possible use to the management of supply chains to better understand the operation. This is the goal of this thesis by questioning the nature of resources and logistic expertise in the hands of logistics service providers (LSP), and how they are mobilized as part of a maneuver integration of the supply chain between industrial and PSL to improve logistics performance perceived by the industry. The conceptual framework developed in the thesis is based therefore on both the resource and competence theory and in-depth analysis of the supply chain integration process. By relying on an extensive literature review, we build a model based on five research proposals relating to the relationship between supply chain integration and perceived logistics performance, which also involves the innovation capacity that can demonstrate LSP. A questionnaire survey was conducted in Vietnam with the participation of 139 food actors. The main results of the research can be summarized in two points. On the one hand, the integration of resources and logistics expertise between industrial and LSP impacts heavily on logistics performance perceived by the industrial. On the other hand, the innovation capacity constitutes for the LSP an important resource, which can have a significant impact on logistics performance perceived by the industrial

Supply Chain Event Management (SCEM) bezeichnet eine Teildisziplin des Supply Chain Management und ist für Unternehmen ein Ansatzpunkt, durch frühzeitige Reaktion auf kritische Ausnahmeereignisse in der Wertschöpfungskette Logistikleistung und -kosten zu optimieren. Durch Rahmenbedingungen wie bspw. globale Logistikstrukturen, eine hohe Artikelvielfalt und volatile Geschäftsbeziehungen zählt die Modeindustrie zu den Branchen, die für kritische Störereignisse besonders anfällig ist. In diesem Sinne untersucht die vorliegende Dissertation nach einer Beleuchtung der wesentlichen Grundlagen zunächst, inwiefern es in der Modeindustrie tatsächlich einen Bedarf an SCEM-Systemen gibt. Anknüpfend daran zeigt sie nach einer Darstellung bisheriger SCEM-Architekturkonzepte Gestaltungsmöglichkeiten für eine Systemarchitektur auf, die auf den Designprinzipien der Serviceorientierung beruht. In diesem Rahmen erfolgt u. a. auch die Identifikation SCEM-relevanter Business Services. Die Vorzüge einer serviceorientierten Gestaltung werden detailliert anhand der EPCIS (EPC Information Services)-Spezifikation illustriert. Abgerundet wird die Arbeit durch eine Betrachtung der Nutzenpotenziale von SCEM-Systemen. Nach einer Darstellung von Ansätzen, welche zur Nutzenbestimmung infrage kommen, wird der Nutzen anhand eines Praxisbeispiels aufgezeigt und fließt zusammen mit den Ergebnissen einer Literaturrecherche in eine Konsolidierung von SCEM-Nutzeffekten. Hierbei wird auch beleuchtet, welche zusätzlichen Vorteile sich für Unternehmen durch eine serviceorientierte Architekturgestaltung bieten. In der Schlussbetrachtung werden die wesentlichen Erkenntnisse der Arbeit zusammengefasst und in einem Ausblick sowohl beleuchtet, welche Relevanz die Ergebnisse der Arbeit für die Bewältigung künftiger Herausforderungen innehaben als auch welche Anknüpfungspunkte sich für anschließende Forschungsarbeiten ergeben.

Power and timing requirements are becoming more and more stringent as applications move from less mobile devices to more mobile ones. As such, it is important to optimize these applications as much as possible in order to provide the best solution that is low power and low latency. Although there are many different techniques to achieve a low power, low latency solution, this thesis focuses specifically on low power scheduling at the behavioral level where resource-constrained scheduling is the technique of choice since it directly considers the resource limitations of mobile devices. Conventional resource-constrained scheduling schemes are concerned with minimizing the latency or improving the speed of an algorithm--represented by a data flow graph (DFG)--given a limitation on resources. However, these conventional resource-constrained scheduling schemes are no longer applicable since power has grown to be a major issue, especially in mobile devices. Hence, the conventional resource-constrained scheduling schemes gave way to current resource-constrained scheduling schemes that utilize multiple voltages, which work to find a balance between speed and power. These current multiple voltage schemes use various techniques to balance and meet the speed and power requirements. But while they do a good job of meeting these requirements, they fail to address a new issue that is beginning to surface the number of memory registers needed. Therefore, to address this new arising issue, this paper presents a novel resource-constrained scheduling scheme that balances the speed, power, and register requirements. This algorithm is compared to both a conventional resource-constrained scheduling scheme and a current resource-constrained scheduling scheme with multiple voltages to show that it performs better in finding a scheduling solution. Benchmark results show that, on average, our algorithm has a better power savings while keeping the maximum number of registers needed and the latency low compared to conventional resource-constrained scheduling schemes and current resource-constrained scheduling schemes utilizing just multiple voltages.
Graduation date: 2004

School science education prepares learners to study science at a higher level, prepares them to follow a career in science and to become scientific literate citizens. It is the responsibility of the educator to ensure the learners’ conceptual framework is developed to the extent that secures success at higher level studies. The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of conceptual change teaching strategies on the conceptual development of grade 11 learners on Newton’s second law of motion. The two strategies employed were the cognitive conflict strategy and the development of ideas strategy. A sequential explanatory mixed-method research design was used during this study. The qualitative data were used to elucidate the quantitative findings. The quantitative research consisted of a quasi-experimental design consisting of a single-group pre-test–post-test method. During the qualitative part of the research a phenomenological research approach was utilised to gain a better understanding of participants’ learning experiences during the intervention. The quantitative research made use of an adapted version of the Force Concept Inventory (FCI). The data collected from the pre-test were used to inform the intervention. The intervention was videotaped and the video analysis or qualitative data analysis was done. After the intervention the post-test was written by the learners. Hake’s average normalised learning gain from pre- to post-scores was analysed to establish the effectiveness of the intervention. The two sets of results (quantitative and qualitative) were integrated. Information from the qualitative data analysis was used to support and explain the quantitative data. The quantitative results indicate that there was an improvement in the students’ force conception from their initial alternative conceptions, such as that of an internal force. Especially the learners’ understanding of contact forces and Newton’s first law of motion yielded significant improvement. The qualitative data revealed that the understanding of Newton’s second law of motion by the learners who partook in this study did improve, since the learners immediately recognised the mistakes made when confronted with the anchor concept. The cognitive conflict teaching strategy was effective in establishing the anchor concept of force which proved to be useful as bridging concept in the development of ideas teaching strategy. The data from both datasets revealed that the cognitive conflict teaching strategy for the initial part of the intervention was effective. It was evident that for development of the idea teaching strategy the two data sets revealed mixed results. Recommendations were made for future research and implementation of conceptual development teaching strategies.
MEd (Natural Sciences Education), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The researcher used the integration of both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The respondents were drawn from three district, one regional, one academic and two private hospitals. Data was collected by means of questionnaires. The open-ended questions in the questionnaire allowed the respondents to respond in their own words (“etic” description). This enhanced the organisation and reduction of the relevant data for analysis as well as the validity and trustworthiness of the study. The study revealed that even though most of the South African government health policies were very advanced and among the best in the world, some crucial policies appeared to have encountered problems with implementation, from conflicting ideologies and opinions from hospital management, different unions, professional associations, the provincial government, the South African Nursing Council (SANC) and patients. Too many groups appeared to have discussed nurses‟ issues with government and made decisions for nurses, leaving nurses disillusioned. The majority of the respondents attributed this to poor representation at government level. Furthermore, some decisions, resolutions and strategies agreed upon between the unions and bargaining councils appeared to have worked against nurses, further dividing RNs and failing to accomplish the intended purpose. Although most of the respondents had hoped that the Occupational Specific Dispensation (OSD) for nurses would address chronic low salaries for all nurses in the PHS, it favoured certain specialty qualifications (which were based on the description of post-basic courses in R212 and R48, which were not clearly delineated). In addition, RNs were not informed about the meaning and implications of the OSD prior to implementation. The study thus found an information gap between government and RNs at the production level, which appeared not to be with the government and the nurses, but in between. Most importantly, nurses seemed to be represented more by unions to government and bargaining councils, as opposed to nurses, while most of the respondents did not favour the division of nurses between professional associations and unions. Decisions in the PHS appeared to have been dominated by leaders who had no experience with pragmatic issues of health care services (HCS), particularly at the operational level, and the dynamics of the nursing profession. The study therefore concluded that, if the right people (nurses, doctors and systems) were put in place, and nurses were represented by nurses at government level, bargaining councils and parliament, discontent among RNs in the PHS could be reduced significantly. Existing strategies were found to deal with the symptoms and not the root cause of discontent among RNs in the PHS.
Health Studies
D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)