<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><xml><records><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Anu V. Kuriokose</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Vanaja Kenchaappa</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Sanjeev Kumar A. Hiremath</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Bency Mary Varghese</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">ASSESSMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE IN CHRONIC RENAL FAILURE PATIENTS IN INDIA</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">chronic renal failure</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">HRQOL</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">KDQOL-SFTM</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality of life</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2012</style></year></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstracted.php?level=5&amp;icid=1026098</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></volume><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Chronic renal failure (CRF) is one of the serious medical disorders and is associated with increase in poor physical and mental health leading to impaired quality of life (QOL).  The Kidney Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire–Short Form (KDQOL-SFTM) is widely being used as a measure of QOL in CRF patients and very few studies have investigated the QOL in CRF patients not undergoing dialysis. The aim of the present study was to determine the reliability and validity of KDQOL-SFTM in CRF patients on haemo-dialysis (CRF-D) and not on dialysis (CRF-ND) in Bangalore, India.
Data was gathered from 101 participants from the nephrology department of age &gt;18 years having CRF. The patients who had undergone renal transplant were excluded in this study. KDQOL-SFTM 1.3 composed of 43 kidney-specific items and 36 general health items was used, excluding three questions relating to dialysis staff encouragement and patient satisfaction, sexual function as they were not relevant to our study population comprising of CRF patients on dialysis and not on dialysis. Percentage of floor, percentage of ceiling, and internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient) were calculated. Complete information was collected from 101 participants with 40 CRF patients undergoing dialysis and 61 CRF patients not on dialysis with the mean age of 50.88 ±14.22 years (CRF-D) and 53.64 ± 13.03 years (CRF-ND). Comparison of KDQOL-SFTM mean score values between CRF patients on dialysis and not on dialysis group revealed that quality of social interaction, role emotional, emotional well-being had a significant difference  (p &lt; 0.05), but the overall health score was almost same. All sub-scales had a Cronbach’s α above the recommended minimum value of 0.7 to indicate good reliability (range 0.7) except quality of social interaction (CRF-D and CRF-ND) and sleep, role physical and emotional well being in CRF-D group. Comparison of mean score values revealed that participants &lt; 40 years had a better QOL the &gt; 40 years.
Results from KDQOL-SFTM supported the validity and reliability of KDQOL as a measure of QOL in dialysis and not on dialysis patients in a tertiary care hospital in Bangalore, South Indian Population. Hence, measuring and monitoring these aspects of quality of life could lead to a more patient-centered care and improve the health and well-being among patients with CRF.
</style></abstract><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">20-28</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Svetlana V. Yaremtchuk</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">LIFE SATISFACTION OF THE WOMEN OF RUSSIAN FAR EAST: ILLUSTRATED BY THE WOMEN OF KOMSOMOLSK-ON-AMURE</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">life satisfaction</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality of life</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">subjective well-being</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2012</style></year></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstracted.php?level=5&amp;icid=1026100</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></volume><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">This study investigates life satisfaction as the indicator of subjective well-being of working women of Komsomolsk-on-Amure. The Personal Well-being Index and National Well-being Index were used as the methods of data acquisition. This gives the opportunity to compare the results of the research with similar researches made in the other countries. 175 women in the age of 20 – 60 working in the pre-school educational establishments composed the sample of the research. It reveals a comparatively low level of life satisfaction and well-being of Russian women, wide range of individual meanings to all the scales of the questionnaires, essential exceeding of the level of personal well-being over the level of national well-being. Correlation analysis also presents the lowering of subjective well-being due to the age in such parameters as health, safety, future security, social conditions and business in Russia. </style></abstract><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">41-49</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Sandra Sproge</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Rudite Cevere</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">POSITION AND ROLE OF FEEDBACK IN THE SOFTWARE QUALITY LIFE CYCLE</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality characteristic</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality model</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">software quality</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">study programme</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2012</style></year></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstracted.php?level=5&amp;icid=1026099</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></volume><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">The current research relates with findings for a new possibility to improve quality of software development end product. Not any of the software development stages can be imagined without human participation. Therefore the knowledge of the development staff has an essential impact on the software quality. Teaching of information technologies specialists the impact of the particular development activity on software quality simultaneously with the acquiring programming, date base formation and other development skills is a possibility to improve the quality of particular products already during their development stage. Such teaching requires modifying special courses of the bachelor’s study programmes by adding knowledge from aspects of quality assurance. Teaching staff of these courses should already perfect their knowledge in software quality.  The research is devoted to development of the proposals for a higher education institution for teaching information technology specialists.  Inclusion the teaching of the quality model of the end product into the study programme is described. The main idea is based on the teaching to the students the total software quality assurance aspects in parallel with uniform discussion of the quality features of the end product in all special study courses and the impressionability of them doing the particular development activities.  The research contains a version of preparation work for implementation of the quality model’s acquisition in the study courses. The adjacency matrix of software quality characteristics and study courses gives an idea on which particular characteristics may be influenced in every study course. The feedback data from software developers, in turn, identify the typical quality requirements of the customers, and the issues to be taught definitely in every study course to ensure and to increase the quality of software under development.</style></abstract><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">29-40</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Vincentas Lamanauskas</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">SOME SKETCHES ON QUALITY</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality conducting</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality management</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality management systems</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2012</style></year></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstracted.php?level=5&amp;icid=1026096</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></volume><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Recent problems of quality management have gained a diverse character. A number of organizations at different levels actively seek for implementing various quality management systems. A part of those are based on ISO standards, whereas the rest employs other measures. Despite these variations, the actions taken must be properly performed thus avoiding situations when the issued certificate only plays a crucial role. The key objective is to ensure continuous improvement and personal competitive advantage of activities stimulated by an organization. The writing does not focus on all above introduced questions. The only point is that frequently the implementation of quality management systems is really a rather formal and superficial process, i.e. certain call of fashion, discussing the fields of social affairs, education and culture in particular.
We can hardly expect a full answer to the provided question. A growth in pessimism and disbelief in the quality management system as the one providing real benefits to the organization have evolved into a matter of concern. Understanding a quality management system as a bureaucratic arrangement the real output of which is only a requirement for an issuing a certificate has emerged as risk to quality management systems in general. Contradictions at a methodological level have been also increasing. For instance, though plenty of quality management systems have been implemented, however, the experts in the field of quality fail to agree on the aims of quality and the way they should be applied to one or another organization. The explained situation requires in-depth discussions at all levels and investigations into the questions about the quality of rapidly increasing information on the basis of which management practises have been created and developed. After all, according to Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (1754–1838), ‘those who own information – rule the world’.</style></abstract><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">4-5</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Khaled Almadani</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Norman Reid</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Susan Rodrigues</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">WHAT EXAMINATIONS TEST</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">memorization</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">national assessment</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality assurance</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2012</style></year></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstracted.php?level=5&amp;icid=1026097</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></volume><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Examinations play a dominant role at school level in all countries. They determine the future of candidates in many ways. However, what do national examinations actually assess? In a previous study in Bahrain, it was clear that students had reservations about the way they were being assessed.
This paper follows this up by examining examination data in all subjects undertaken for over 7000 school students in their final school examinations. The data were explored statistically, including the use of principal components analysis.
The findings reveal some interesting problems and, perhaps, the most pressing one was the finding that all examinations in all subjects were measuring one variable only. A look at examination papers showed this to be recall. The findings are related to previous findings and suggest a widespread problem in considering quality in secondary education in that schools will focus on the rewards given by national examination systems. Thus, assessment motivates the focus on memorisation.
</style></abstract><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">6-19</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Arlette   Pichardo-Muñiz</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">ADVANCES IN STRATEGIC PLANNING OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN: BALANCE AND PERSPECTIVES</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Latin American and the Caribbean</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">public sector</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">strategic planning</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2013</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">May/2013</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstracted.php?level=5&amp;icid=1050099</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Strategic planning is a particular approach to planning, originally associated with the business world. In the early 1970s, Latin America and the Caribbean began to discuss this concept. However, this approach became popular relatively recently (mid-80´s onwards), as it became an essential component of the reform processes in the Public Sector of that region. Those processes were grounded on compliance with conditionalities (conditions attached to a loan, debt relief, bilateral aid or membership in international organizations, especially by, or in, international financial institutions, such as the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank). This paper will present a general overview of the advances in Strategic Planning of the Public Sector in Latin America. First, in general, and then it focuses on selected countries´ initiatives (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba and Dominican Republic). It will evaluate which (if any) advances had thusly been achieved. Its ultimate goal is to present a balance of the current state: achievements, shortfalls, and failures, thereby enabling us to redefine the paradigmatic architecture of strategic planning in the Public Sector. Ideally, this will enable us to rediscover its roots and to improve the tools and techniques for its operation and further evaluation. The main idea is to present a historical perspective of the evolution of planning in the region: from its inception (however limited or impaired) to the present day; with its resurgence and revitalization, based largely on the introduction of the concept of a Strategic Plan. Supporting data come from various sources: specialized bibliography and first hand knowledge. Further documentary research was conducted, in order to support various points of view and arguments. In sum, this paper emphasizes the risks of planning in the Public Sector today, and its potential devolution into the disreputable status it enjoyed in the region in decades gone by.</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">60-78</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Alexandru Balog</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">CHALLENGES IN EVALUATING THE QUALITY OF DIGITAL LIBRARIES</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">evaluating digital libraries</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">information science research</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">interdisciplinary research</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2013</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2013</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstract.php?icid=1082132</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">One major area of library and information science research is the evaluation of digital library. The term „digital library” (DL) covers different applications and has been used interchangeably for digitized collections, e-journal platforms, network databases, library websites. As noted by Vullo (2010), evaluating digital libraries is a challenging activity, as digital libraries are complex, dynamic and synchronic entities which need flexible approaches. Several assessment methodologies have been built and the interdisciplinary research is growing, while a broadly accepted model is still lacking.</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Editorial</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">100-102</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Mariana   Dogaru</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Ioan   Neacşu</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">DECISION DIMENSION OF LEADERSHIP IN EFFECTIVE SCHOOLS IN ROMANIA</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">decision-making</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">effective school</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">involving teachers</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2013</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">May/2013</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstracted.php?level=5&amp;icid=1050092</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Each school system aims at performing better for its students by getting better outcomes, and being able to cope with a continuously changing society. We define herein a &quot;successful school&quot; a school that reaches best outcomes for every learner. Accordingly, it is very important for educators and policy makers to identify those common factors that positively influence student achievement. A central concern of policy makers in education is that of identifying the best solutions for transforming a failing school into a successful one.
 Previous studies show that one of the major factors affecting student learning is principal’s leadership. This factor can be identified in the predominant leadership style, but also through the involvement of teachers in decision-making.
 In this research, it was studied a sample of 8 schools in Romania that had good students outcomes. For these schools we correlated the principal’s style of leadership with the teachers’ involvement in decision making, to identify common elements that lead to the success of these schools. Thus, in our exploratory approach, we highlight the &quot;recipe for success&quot; in &quot;successful schools.&quot;</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">6-18</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Maka Kordzadze</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">DETERMINING ACADEMIC WORKLOAD AND REMUNERATION SCHEMES IN GEORGIAN UNIVERSITIES</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">academic workload</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">credits-hours</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality enhancement</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2013</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2013</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstract.php?icid=1082136</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">One of the main regulatory mechanisms for university education quality enhancement is the achievement of maximum efficiency in using the academic personnel's teaching and research potential. Therefore, the regulation of the academic workload and remuneration has become a key management issue for Georgian Higher Education Institutions. Elaborating of fair and logical workload schemes and determining of adequate salaries is quite a difficult problem, because academic work is very complex and consists of several components. To overcome the problem Higher Education managers should take into account the opinions of professors concerning the loading and compensation issues. The research aimed to analyze opinions of academic and administrative staff of the leading Georgian universities about the major factors characterizing professors’ workload that are important for determining reasonable remuneration. Significant differences in the assessment of these factors of academic and administrative staff were revealed. It seems obvious that current workload and remuneration schemes of academic personnel at universities of Georgia require improvement and development in order to avoid demotivation of professors and to ensure purposeful spending of university finances. The research offers to move to the system of calculating academic workload in the credits-hours as a method for elaborating fair and logical remuneration schemes. Findings and conclusions of the research will be helpful for elaborating academic workload and compensation schemes that promote quality enhancement and motivation of the academic staff performance. </style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">111-118</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Stanislava   Stoyanova</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Ivan   Krastev</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT AND MANAGER’S PERSONALITY</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">goal achievement</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">monitoring</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality management</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2013</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">May/2013</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstracted.php?level=5&amp;icid=1050101</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Some standards of quality management are enumerated that are focused on the process of detecting and capturing the defects, meeting the technical requirements, as well as satisfying the customers and the employees. Some principles of quality management are presented that are focused on the customers, related to the employees and to the managers, to some specific work situations. In Bulgaria, 34 managers (8 men and 26 women) were asked 6 questions related to quality management. The biggest part of the managers was not excited by the conflict situations between people. They considered themselves as goal-orientated, reflexive and satisfied with the completion of some difficult and important tasks, but they had negative attitude towards being monitored in their work. What is important in quality management concerning the managers is their motivation to set the appropriate goals, to commit own performance to the taken decisions, the tasks to be finalized (even if they are considered monotonous and difficult), the conflicts to be resolved and used for innovations, the monitoring and supervision to be perceived as a way of demonstration of own achievements and strengths.</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">79-87</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Marta   Kučerová</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Miroslava   Mĺkva</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Dagmar   Rusková</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">LEAN SIX SIGMA IMPLEMENTATION IN INDUSTRIAL COMPANIES</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">lean production</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality management</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">six sigma</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2013</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">May/2013</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstracted.php?level=5&amp;icid=1050096</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continual improvement, as one of the objectives of a quality management system is achieved by the improvement of all processes and activities at a particular stage of the production cycle. Continual process improvement is also the only way how to survive and succeed among competitors. The management of the company will always be looking for opportunities that will enhance the effectiveness of the company’s processes. Lean Six Sigma is one of the significant methodologies of quality management, this seeks to increase productivity and improve quality of process outputs. As a customer oriented managerial strategy, it emphasizes that imperfection is an opportunity for improvement. The Lean Six Sigma system helps to effectively reduce any defective process; it improves the quality of the provided services and makes the management processes more efficient. It focuses on the elimination of waste, thus it focuses on eliminating non-value adding activities. The goal is to eliminate the non-value added activities in order to create continuous flow and shorten the duration of the process. 
 The contribution focuses on some important aspects of implementing the Lean Six Sigma method in industrial companies.</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">46-52</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Wiesław Łukasiński</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">THE LEVEL OF MATURITY OF PRO-QUALITATIVE ORGANISATIONAL MANAGEMENT</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">efficient adaptation</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">pro-qualitative</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality and excellence orientation</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2013</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2013</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstract.php?icid=1082137</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Dynamic changeable and complex surrounding evokes the necessity of flexible adaptation of an organisation to challenges occurring. The statement that it is pro-qualitative management in which one should look for the chances of gaining competitive predominance seems rational. The source of competitiveness is constant development conditioning the rise of the maturity of organisational solutions. The aim of the research made was to assess the level of pro-qualitative management system maturity – the development of competence conditioning effective and efficient adaptation to the changes of the surrounding. What was used in the process of the assessment of the level of management system was self-assessment as a research instrument allowing to estimate the current level of organisational solutions development. In the research process there was used the Model of Management Improvement of Polish Quality Award as well as the models of self-assessment in accordance with the norms of EN ISO 9004: 2009 and EN ISO 10014:2007. As a result of research conducted there were acquired information, knowledge – crucial for making effectiveness and efficiency of the process of organisation management bigger, creating its competence and, in turn, leading to its adaptation to the needs and expectations of the surrounding. The effect of the research was the presentation of the methodology enhancing effectiveness and efficiency of pro-qualitative organisation management. Orientation towards excellence favours usage of occurring chances and avoiding dangers by means of eliminating (limiting) weak points of an organisation as well as a variety of invalidities. </style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">119-126</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Zeynep Filiz Eren-Dogu</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Eralp Dogu</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">MONITORING THE EFFICIENCY OF USE OF OPERATING ROOM TIME WITH CUSUM CHARTS</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">control charts</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">CUSUM</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">surgery time</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2013</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2013</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstract.php?icid=1082135</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Health care organizations often need to assess operating room (OR) performance in order to measure the efficiency. In practice, to estimate surgery durations hospitals use various estimating systems either based on surgeon’s estimate and/or software. Accurate estimates are vital for high quality OR performance and efficiency. Thus, surgeons’ estimates are significant inputs for effective OR suite schedule in surgeon based systems. To achieve a successful OR management, not only utilization performance measurement but also monitoring it is crucial. Control charts could be constructed for monitoring the OR efficiency. Monitoring the efficiency of use of OR time might include monitoring operative and/or non-operative times. In this study, cumulative sum (CUSUM) charts are introduced for the performance of surgery time estimations. An example involving surgical times is also provided to support our discussion. Some scenarios are defined and surgeons’ estimation errors are simulated for illustrative purposes.</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">103-110</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Vladimir S. Karapetyan</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Anatoly S. Turchin</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">THE PECULIARITIES OF PREPARATION OF STUDENTS – PSYCHOLOGUES FOR THE PSYCHOLOGICAL – AKMEOLOGICAL PRESCHOOL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION TEACHER‘S ACTIVITY QUALITY EVALUATION</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">educational practice</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Educational Technology</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality evaluation</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2013</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2013</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstract.php?icid=1082140</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">The evaluation of pre-school educational institution teacher‘s professional activity quality is one of the most important tasks for us. The article deals with pre-school educational institution teacher‘s pedagogical activity quality problem as a component of junior course students‘ preparation for educational practice. The offered criteria correspond to the principles of personal activity approach to teaching and upbringing. Studying of the difficulties, junior course students of psychology face during the process of their first educational practice, revealed a complex of conditions as a very important constituent causing these difficulties, related to insufficient mastering of theoretical basis of certain branches of psychology and also absence of systematic observation experience. </style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><orig-pub><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">ОСОБЕННОСТИ ПОДГОТОВКИ СТУДЕНТОВ-ПСИХОЛОГОВ К ПСИХОЛОГО-АКМЕОЛОГИЧЕСКОЙ ОЦЕНКЕ КАЧЕСТВА ЗАНЯТИЙ ВОСПИТАТЕЛЯ ДОШКОЛЬНОГО ОБРАЗОВАТЕЛЬНОГО УЧРЕЖДЕНИЯ</style></orig-pub><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">127-135</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Tatiana   Karkoszka</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">RISK MANAGEMENT AS A MANNER OF STAKEHOLDERS' REQUIREMENTS FULFILMENT</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">changeable requirements</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">effective management</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Risk Management</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2013</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">May/2013</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstracted.php?level=5&amp;icid=1050090</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">In the XXI century, each organisation must realise its goals, and at the same time, being endangered and exposed to various turbulent environmental factors in which the particular organisation functions. Such a change, especially in the developed countries, is caused mainly by the population decline together with the unfavourable age structure of the population, changes in the range of employment, an increase of the employees’ efficiency, computerisation and automation as well as aiming at meeting the standards set by the market leaders.
 No matter if the factors of the changeable environment undergo the control performed by the company or on the contrary do not depend on such a control, the factors in question always decide on the effectiveness of the activity. Therefore the main requirement which must be always fulfilled by each of the company is the ability of constant innovative shaping the occasions in the near environment, with which the company stays in the direct relationship and flexible adjustment to the changes appearing in the distant environment, being indirectly connected with the company which has no influence on this sort of environment.</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Editorial</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">4-5</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Christopher   Kluse</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">THIRD-PARTY QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AUDITS: PERCEPTIONS, LIMITATIONS AND RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">external audits</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality audits</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">third party audits</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">value added audits</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2013</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">May/2013</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstracted.php?level=5&amp;icid=1050095</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Third-party quality audits have been a continued practice within the manufacturing community since release of the ISO 9000 standard in 1987. In recent times, many within the manufacturing industry are questioning the value of the audit process. (Sayle, 1995, Sayle 1999, Douglas, 2000, Gordon, 2001, Dalgleish 2006) Consequently, a need exists to better understand the impacts and perceptions of the third-party auditing process. This research used a grounded theory approach to explore the following question: How do management representatives perceive the third-party audit process?
 Collection of data consisted of 25 in-depth interviews taken from management representatives within the North American automotive industry. Job titles of research participants included Quality Director, Quality Manager, and Quality Engineer.
 Results of the research include (a) the third-party audit process is adequate to assess an organization’s quality management system against the ISO/TS16949 standard, (b) the third-party audit process fails to add tangible value for the organization, (c) the relationship between the auditor (registrar) and auditee (organization) represents a significant conflict of interest, (d) the continued audit cycle is redundant and offers diminishing value, and (e) mature organizations fail to benefit from the third-party audit process. Results substantiate the views offered by Sayle (1995 &amp; 1999), Douglas (2000), Gordon (2001), Karapetrovic and Willborn (2002), Beckmerhagen, Berg, Karapetrovic, and Willborn (2004), and Dalgleish (2006). Furthermore, a final model is offered to depict the fundamental changes recommended to improve the audit process.
 The conclusions of the research include: (a) Revise the ISO/TS standard to incorporate requirements that drive continual improvement and offer value to an organization, (b) Develop ISO registration and audit process infrastructure whereby the organization does not have leverage over the auditor and make the audits truly third party, (c) Remove the requirement for continued audit cycles for organizations that have periodically demonstrated compliance to requirements via surveillance audits. Eliminate the requirement for continued audit cycles, and (d) Incorporate assessment of the quality management system level of maturity as a method to determine if an organization is in need of a third-party audit. This study suggests that, by and large, tangible value is not a benefit of the third-party audit process. Consequently, as a value added activity, or a continual improvement tool, the third-party audit process is ineffective, insufficient and in need of significant changes.
 Suggestions for further research include (a) conducting a quantitative study to demonstrate the financial impact of the third-party audit process; (b) determining if an organization’s quality and customer performance improves over time after becoming ISO/TS certified; (c) conducting a quantitative study of management representatives within the automotive community to determine the percentage that support third-party audit process; (d) completing a case study on a successful, profitable non-ISO-certified manufacturing organization; (e) conducting a Delphi study on the Kluse Utopian Third-Party Audit Model; and (f) investigating alternatives to the audit process as a method to determine QMS compliance and effectiveness. Additionally a future researcher may seek to understand how factors such as human resources practices, organizational climate and knowledge management affect an organizations quality-related performance.</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">28-45</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Natalia   Novokreshchenova</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Olga   Novokreshchenova</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">UNIVERSITIES AND COMPANIES STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP: RUSSIAN PRACTICE</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">business</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">strategic partnership</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">university</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2013</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">May/2013</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstracted.php?level=5&amp;icid=1050097</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">One of the main purposes of the educational system is to provide a qualified workforce for the companies of the different industries. And nowadays universities understand that along with the teaching and research activities they should pay attention to the creation positive and effective relationship with the business world. To achieve their goals and to become competitive on the market both universities and companies should create long-term relationships that give them the opportunities for effective development. So, they should think about strategic partnership. Because of the strategic partnership universities can share and exchange knowledge and expertise with the business community. They understand the “outside world” and its needs and requirements better and then they can use this knowledge in their activities. Strategic partnerships can help universities earn extra profit and encourage innovations. But to use all of these advantages universities should learn more about strategic partnerships. They should know about the mechanism and forms of the partnership, such as universities enterprises and technical parks, the using of the universities facilities, professional development courses, business-related events, employing universities graduates, research cooperation. 
 The paper contains the theoretical as well as the practical aspects of the strategic partnership between universities and companies. The authors have summarized the approaches to the strategic partnership and analyzed the most important forms of the partnership in Russia using the practice of the most developed Russian universities.</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">53-59</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Angela  A.  James</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">YOUNG CHILDREN AFFECTED BY HIV &amp; AIDS: A CASE STUDY OF THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">children’s understanding</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">HIV and AIDS</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality of life</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2013</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">May/2013</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstracted.php?level=5&amp;icid=1050093</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">In South Africa currently many young children have challenges in social, educational, emotional and biological aspects. Many young children live in a context where there is a high prevalence of HIV positive adults and children, high poverty and unemployment. This research is an exploration of the children’s perceptions of their quality of life and their ideas of what it should be. A qualitative, case study research design was used. The sample consisted of seven children who attended a Drop In-Centre, which is a community place where an adult mother figure cares for the two to five year old children during the day and the the six to fifteen year old children, before and after school. A questionnaire was administered to capture the children’s biographic data and semi-strucuted interviews provided data on their understanding of their quality of life. The findings indicate that the children have access to school and are acutely aware of their particular context and situations. Also, their overall perceptions of their quality of life at the Drop In-centre are positive but mostly negative for their home life. Children require both material and non-material needs in their homes. The children would experience extensive problems on all fronts, especially for those that live in child-headed homes, if the centres were not there to provide some of their basic needs.</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">19-27</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Daniela Grignoli</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">ADULT EDUCATION: A PATH TO SOCIAL INCLUSION. A CASE STUDY IN MOLISE (ITALY)</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">active citizenship</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">adult education</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality of life</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">social inclusion</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2014</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2014</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstract.php?icid=1137930</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">3</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">The society needs to rediscover education as a means for social inclusion. One of the most difficult challenges, at this respect, is to define the social inclusion of marginalized groups (the unemployed, the elderly, the low educated). Very seldom these people take an active part in society: having access to education can be a way to avoid marginalization. This study will analyse the results of the European research project EDucation Against Marginalization (EDAM). Eight partners from as many European member States developed a database on life-long learning, which offers a perspective on whether and on how educational programs, aimed at improving the social inclusion of marginalized groups, can be optimized. In particular, the focus of this article is on the EDAM survey carried out in Molise, which involved 132 respondents out of a total of 995 at project level. The instruments of the survey were two questionnaires, addressed to social vulnerable people involved in educational programmes, and aimed at detecting to what extent attending such programmes is beneficial to their social inclusion. The questionnaires were explained and delivered in two different stages, 15 classes away from one another, by the respective teachers, specifically trained for the purpose. With respect to the social inclusion process, the analysis of the results in Molise showed an increase of 52.3% for participation and of 37.4 % for connection. Moreover, the results have pointed out that after participating in adult education programmes, the participants have experienced an increased capability of “history making” of society. In any case, although the results show to be fairly robust and the models fit is always adequate, using all the data as a single sample requires that we interpret the data with caution. </style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">31-40</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Alcina Portugal Dias</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">ISO 9001 IN PORTUGAL: ITS IMPLEMENTATION UNDER A HOLISTIC THEORETICAL APPROACH</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">contingency theory</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">institutional theory</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Resources-Based View</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2014</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2014</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstract.php?icid=1137929</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">3</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">The aim of this research is to analyse the placement and efficiency of ISO 9001 on different sectors of activity under a holistic an integrative theoretical approach based on the Contingency theory, the Institutional theory and the Resources-Based View (RBV). This perspective was used in a broad empirical study, under a qualitative methodology, concerning Portuguese companies from different sectors of activity. This study used ISO 9001 structure for the interviews what revealed quite useful for the organizations. According to the findings, a ranked combination of the theoretical frame was constructed and the analysis of the efficiency of ISO 9000 revealed quite interesting. As to some limitations of this study they consist in: the consideration of just three sectors of activity and its domestic geographical placement. Finally, a relevant contribution to the state of art was achieved following some relevant literature suggestions. </style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">21-30</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Adele Bianco</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">THE JOB QUALITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY: A ROAD MAP TO A NEW DEVELOPMENT MODEL</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">decent work</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">green economy</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">social protection</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2014</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2014</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstract.php?icid=1137927</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">3</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">This study explores the job quality as a pivotal issue in the 21st century, and, at the same time, assigns it a key role in fostering social development and sustainability. The main approach of this paper is a qualitative one, although the author mainly refers to data from international organizations. The author is currently working on these issues, both in terms of the development theory and in terms of empirical studies. This study focuses on two issues, namely working conditions and the greening of work, both of which are going to impact the evolution of the job quality in the 21st century. The first issue relates to working conditions, as there is a compelling need to improve the quality of employment both in advanced and developing countries. The second issue focuses on the transition towards the green economy, the only possibility to relaunch development and to guarantee the environmental survival. This transition requires, at the same time, the production and the employment sectors to undergo a reconversion process. This study is structured as follows. The first paragraph investigates the current working conditions and outlines some measures needed to improve the job quality; the second paragraph analyzes the job quality from the perspective of the greening economy. In the first paragraph our analysis highlights that the measures needed to improve the working conditions lie in tackling unemployment in advanced and emerging countries and in promoting decent work for all. Although progress has been made in some cases, in many countries working conditions are still characterized by high levels of informality, working poverty and vulnerable employment. Making progress in these fields means upgrading the economic and social capabilities of workers and improving social protection institutions. While investigating the difficulty of assigning a clear definition to the term “Green Job” (GB), this paragraph also shifts the research focus to those economic fields that fall into the area of interest of the Green Economy. The Green Economy can offer new development opportunities to advanced as well as emerging countries. Planning employment policies is a key strategy that facilitates development and investments within the Green Economy; indeed, the workforce employed in this sector needs to acquire specific job competencies that will further boost its growth. The results of this paper shed light on the fact that while being a shared issue by both developed and developing countries, the job quality proves to be a driver for development. In addition, the policies in the field of job quality encompass measures such as social inclusion, support to women, education and equal opportunities, and therefore it is imperative that both the governments of developing and developed countries work consistently towards the implementation of such measures. The conclusions of this paper show that the job quality in the 21st century sees a convergence between the Northern and Southern countries of the world. Both areas share the need to improve the qualitative and quantitative levels of employment, to eradicate poverty (which is endemic in the Southern part of the world and is still growing in emerging and advanced countries like China), to promote social inclusion among the weakest subjects of the job market and to make their industrial productions more environmentally sustainable (greening economy) by means of a suitable professional and technological conversion. Job quality is our common future. </style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">7-20</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Aistė Monkienė</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Vincentas Lamanauskas</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IN LITHUANIAN COLLEGES: WEBSITES INFORMATION ANALYSIS</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">college websites</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Information Analysis</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality management systems</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality standards</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2014</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2014</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstract.php?icid=1137931</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">3</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Activity questions of non university schools (colleges) are becoming very relevant in Lithuania. Having in mind, that binary higher education system functions in the country – the demand rises to properly and adequately understand education quality provided by universities and colleges, the educational specifics provided by every institution. Both universities and colleges declare the goals of carrying out qualitative studies and providing qualitative education. However, declaration is one thing, and real results – another. College activity quality control evaluation is becoming the main political and practical attitude. Quality management systems (QMS) in Lithuanian colleges have been started to implement without having a clear conception and basically keeping up with the political requirements. On the other hand, QMS is tried to be shown as an advantage over the colleges competing both with universities and among each other. It is likely, that this process is inconsistent, the goals of implementing such systems are not clear, the information presented publicly is very often contradictory and incomplete. There is lack of experience in quality management sphere. Information analysis research has been carried out. During the research, data was analysed, presented in college networking websites, and their produced QMS documents. The information was analysed in October and November, 2014. Websites of all colleges (13 state and 10 non state) working in Lithuania were analysed and the documents, presented in them. The research allowed to more exhaustively and accurately evaluating, what is the situation in non university higher school QMS sphere at the moment, what information about QMS can be available for the society in the college networking websites. The distinguished QMS situation of state and non state colleges allows comparing whether the actions of private and state colleges differ. The research revealed that most of the colleges present the information about the QMS; however, the information is often not systemised, presented in separate college activity documents. Looking in perspective, one can think that a priority attention will be devoted to quality management questions in Lithuanian colleges, QMS will acquire much bigger importance, and the effectiveness of their functioning will be checked constantly. It is hopeful, that quality improvement will acquire more realistic than declarative character. </style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">41-49</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Stanislava   Stoyanova</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">QUALITY OF PROCESSING AND TRANSMITTING WRITTEN INFORMATION CONTAINING VERBAL ILLUSIONS IN YOUTH AGE</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">ethnographic perspective</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Information processing</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Information Quality</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2014</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2014</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstract.php?icid=1137933</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">3</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">There are some different standards for quality of processing and transmitting of information. This study compared three quality standards of transmission of verbal written information. One quality standard is keeping initial meaning with giving necessary and sufficient information, according to Peterson, 1996. Another quality standard is meeting some expectations and norms in the society, according to Gasser, Cortesi, Malik and Lee, 2012. The third quality standard is signalling what is important, according to Sanford and Sturt, 2002. 123 Bulgarian youth participants produced 984 sentences trying to rephrase 8 verbal illusions per participant. These verbal illusions were presented as verbal written information in the form of several independent sentences non-related meaningfully in a paragraph. The participants processed and transmitted information from these sentences significantly more incorrectly (4/5th from them) than correctly – 1/5th from them. Processing and transmitting correctly information was not related with its perception as supported by the most people in society. The results indicated that signalling what is important, as well as meeting some expectations and norms in the society were presented in the answers of the respondents, but these standards did not contribute significantly to the correct processing and transmitting verbal written illusions in youth age. However, they prevailed over the quality standard of giving necessary and sufficient information. </style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">50-56</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Vincentas Lamanauskas</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">SOME EDUCATION QUALITY MANAGEMENT SKETCHES</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Management System</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality problematic</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">study quality</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">study quality improvement</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2014</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2014</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstract.php?icid=1137925</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">3</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">It wouldn’t be right to say that quality management questions in Lithuania are perfectly known, analysed and there’s nothing to do in this sphere. On the contrary, this sphere remains very urgent, on the other hand, rather complicated. Comparing with the other countries, having a big and long-term experience in the quality management sphere, Lithuania is an undoubted novice. This was conditioned by historical, political and other circumstances. As it is known, in 1967 Soviet Union introduced State quality mark. It is natural, that it was a must to use it in occupied Lithuania as well. The Soviet government tried to raise social production effectiveness, so this sign was used to mark a wide range of high quality consumer goods. It is worth noticing, that this mark was often used as a simple fiction, i.e., poor quality goods were marked by this sign too. This practice was very distinct in 1970-1990. After re-establishing independence in Lithuania, quality management questions are solved referring to international practice, orienting to international quality standards. However, this is not an easy task. Fictitious quality conception, having formed in society’s consciousness, remains one of the main obstacles in this sphere. The mentioned soviet quality mark does not enter the list of banned soviet symbols (such a list is confirmed and valid in Lithuania), therefore, one can still find such mark on some goods imported from Russia. This context is important in this sense, that in certain society layers a cautious and ambiguous attitude still remains to any of the quality questions. </style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Editorial</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">4-6</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Luis Miguel Ciravegna Martins da Fonseca</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">21ST CENTURY QUALITY: LOOKING INTO THE “CRYSTAL BALL”</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights in the 21st Century</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">future of quality</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality engineering</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality management</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2015</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2015</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstract.php?icid=1197482</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">4</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">The discussion of possible scenarios for the future of Quality is on the priority list of major Quality Practitioners Societies. EOQ – European Organization for Quality (EOQ, 2014) main team for its 58th EOQ-Congress held June 2014 in Göteborg was “Managing Challenges in Quality Leadership” and ASQ - American Society for Quality (ASQ, 2015) appointed “the Future of Quality” for Quality Progress Magazine November 2015 issue. In addition, the ISO 9001:2008 revision process carried by ISO/TC 176 aims to assure that ISO 9001:2015 International Standard remains stable for the next 10 years (ISO, 2014) contributing to an increased discussion on the future of quality. The purpose of this research is to review available Quality Management approaches and outline, adding an academic perspective, expected developments for Quality within the 21st Century. This paper follows a qualitative approach, although data from international organizations is used. A literature review has been undertaken on quality management past and potential future trends. Based on these findings a model is proposed for organization quality management development and propositions for the future of quality management are advanced. Firstly, a state of the art of existing Quality Management approaches is presented, for example, like Total Quality Management (TQM) and Quality Gurus, ISO 9000 International Standards Series (with an outline of the expected changes for ISO 9001:2015), Six Sigma and Business Excellence Models. Secondly, building on theoretical and managerial approaches, a two dimensional matrix – Quality Engineering (QE - technical aspects of quality) and Quality Management (QM: soft aspects of quality) - is presented, outlining five proposed characterizations of Quality maturity levels and giving insights for applications and future developments. Literature review highlights that QM and QE may be addressing similar quality issues but their approaches are different in terms of scope breadth and intensity and they ought to complement and reciprocally reinforce one another. The challenges organizations face within the 21st century have stronger uncertainty, complexity, and differentiation. Two main propositions are advanced as relevant for 21st Century Quality: - QM importance for the sustainable success of organizations will increase and they should be aware of the larger ecosystem to be managed for improvement, possibly leading to the emergence of a new Quality paradigm, The Civilizational Excellence paradigm. - QE should get more attention from QM and the Quality professionals will have to: a) Master and apply in wider contexts and in additional depth the Quality Tools (basic, intermediate and advanced); b) Have the soft skills needed for its success; c) Be results oriented and better understand and demonstrate the relationships between approaches and results These propositions challenge both scholars and practitioners for a sustained and supported discussion on the future of Quality. “All things are ready, if our mind be so.” (Shakespeare, Henry V, circa 1599). </style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">6-19</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Angela James</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">HOW SHOULD LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BE MANAGED AND DEVELOPED THROUGH UNIVERSITY BASED PROGRAMMES: AN EVALUATION MODEL PROPOSED</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights in the 21st Century</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">economic development</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">multi-case study methodology</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">municipal management</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">South Africa</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2015</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2015</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstract.php?icid=1197483</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">4</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">South Africa, in the post 1994 era, has concentrated on building projects and training for the implementation of Local Economic Development (LED). The KwaZulu-Natal Government Department and a local university signed a Service-Level agreement wherein both parties are committed to the development and delivery of a systematic professional and institutionalized capacity building competency in LED, in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. The aim of this research was to evaluate the development and delivery of a systematic professional and institutionalized capacity building competency in LED. The research question that underpinned this research is: Has the LED Training and Capacity Development Plan/Programme enhanced the capacity, growth and delivery of LED in the province? A pragmatic, mixed methods, multi-case approach was used. Convenient, purposive sampling methods were employed to select participants for the evaluation research, the individuals involved in the six initiatives of the programme: project management staff, current and degreed/diplomate students (LED practitioners), the lecturers facilitating/coordinating the modules, the municipal management staff and members of NGOs, the community that the LED practitioners interacted with and the journal editor. A log frame matrix was developed to be used as an evaluation tool for evaluating the six programmes. The matrix development and structure is presented and discussed. </style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">20-27</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Renata Bilbokaitė</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">REQUIREMENTS FOR TODAY’S UNIVERSITIES: HOW TO MEASURE ACTIVITY RESULTS?</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights in the 21st Century</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Higher education</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality criteria</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality management</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality parameters</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2015</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2015</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstract.php?icid=1197481</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">4</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">For today’s University higher and higher requirements are raised and certain criteria are thought of, by which activity results are measured. In many cases, quantitative, homogenies criteria are necessary indeed - because they show a concrete position among other higher schools. However, making efforts to conform to equal criteria, it becomes more and more difficult to find one’s distinctiveness among thousands of universities in the world and to guarantee the graduates that the representatives of Z generation will be prepared to be leaders. Homogeneous quality criteria – are the aspects, according to which from one starting point all higher education quality parameters are measured. The idea is worth, because it helps to rate institutions – they themselves and society members can get acquainted with activity results. However, within certain limits. A great number of features, thus remain unmeasured, unaccentuated, even not announced publicly. For mases, it is very convenient to open a popular rating page and in a second to get the necessary information - the number of a place of a higher school among the other similar schools – the reader very often even does not go deep in analysing, according to which criteria the evaluation was performed. </style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Editorial</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">4-5</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Esther R. Mbise</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">STUDENTS’ PERCEIVED SERVICE QUALITY OF BUSINESS SCHOOLS IN TANZANIA: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights in the 21st Century</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">business schools’ students</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">extended SERVQUAL</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">service quality</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Tanzania</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2015</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2015</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/abstract.php?icid=1197484</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">4</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Research applied an extended SERVQUAL instrument to determine the perceived service quality delivered to students’ of two business schools in Tanzania during and after the service encounter. Three hypotheses pertaining to demographics and time were tested. A longitudinal survey was conducted. Extended SERVQUAL instrument was administered to students in the final year of study in interval of six months period. Expectations against the school’s actual service performance along the service quality dimensions were determined. A Likert scale anchored at points 1 to 7 was used for dimension items, whereas a 5-point scale on overall performance was used. Two of the three tested hypotheses (H 1 &amp; H 3) were partly supported while H2 was fully supported, indicating significant differences in students’ perceived service quality by demographic groups; stability of students’/graduates’ perceived service quality received during the two periods of time; and impact on Process Outcome on the overall level of service performance at T1. It is recommended to managers of business schools in Tanzania to continuously apply the extended SERVQUAL while monitoring students’ expectations and perceptions for improvement purposes. The application of the extended SERVQUAL was limited to two conveniently located public business schools in Tanzania in a time interval of six months. This period may not be long enough to track students’ perceptions of education service quality after graduation. In future, the extended SERVQUAL instrument can be applied to a large number of business schools to monitor the dynamics of students and graduates expectations and perceptions in a similar setting. A longitudinal study beyond the 6-month period may be conducted. The study can be extended to other emerging markets. </style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">28–44</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Renata Bilbokaitė</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Ieva Bilbokaitė-Skiauterienė</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">THE FACTORS TO BE IMPROVED IN STUDY PROGRAMMES: ANALYSIS OF A UNIVERSITY CASE</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">external evaluation</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">quality assurance</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">study programmes</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">university education</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2016</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2016</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://oaji.net/articles/2017/451-1505927046.pdf</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">5</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">The current research presents a qualitative analysis of the results of self-evaluation reports of University study programmes over the period of 2010–2015. The research aimed at revealing major facts concerning the problems and factors prevailing in the institution and, thus, restricting quality in studies; these features may be characteristic not only to a single but also to several study programmes. Analysis of the research data employed the method of content analysis, which enabled objective and systematic investigation of the features of the text, generalisation of information and formation of appropriate conclusions. The research results reveal key aspects of the curriculum design, learning outcomes and their assessment as well as highlight the goals to be achieved while focusing on improvement of the content of programme’s subjects/ descriptions, learning outcomes, student activities and assignment plan, clarification of originality of representation of a programme. The aspects of the study process and its evaluation are oriented to financial support, enhancement of internationalisation, improvement of assessment of students’ attainments. It is emphasised that the feedback process and its results should be improved in the management of a study programme. Also, striving for an effective system of management of a study programme, it is necessary to make the system of motivation of teaching and other staff more effective</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">20-30</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Vincentas Lamanauskas</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">THE QUALITY OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ACTIVITY</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">science knowledge accumulation</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">scientific research activity</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">study quality</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2016</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2016</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://oaji.net/articles/2017/451-1505926984.pdf</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">5</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">It is undoubted, that study quality is one of the essential university activity priorities. After 2000, higher education sector in Lithuania has significantly expanded, the number of students has been increasing, over eight hundred study programmes have been accredited. Quantitative higher education system development actualises a high study quality demand. However, demand clarity and perception is only one side. Study quality assurance becomes a highly important question. 
It is also obvious that one of the complex study quality parts is student scientific research activity (SRA) quality. It is understandable, that SRA should be universally stimulated and developed. Scientific research activity is not an entertainment, but responsible, thorough work requiring a lot of self-reliance. During such an activity students’ analytical thinking gets stronger, the abilities of searching for information and using it are formed; they learn how to analyse the gathered material, to prepare reports, to make research presentations and so on (Lamanauskas, Augienė, 2015). Scientific research activity process forms conditions for students to master researcher’s role at a certain level, to develop certain competencies. 
</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Editorial</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">4-5</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Lali Giorgidze</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">STUDY OF EMPLOYEE EMPOWERMENT AND JOB SATISFACTION OF UNIVERSITY STAFF IN A TQM PERSPECTIVE: IMPLICATIONS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION MANAGERS</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">employee empowerment</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">HEIs leadership</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">job satisfaction</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">TQM</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2016</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2016</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://oaji.net/articles/2017/451-1503757092.pdf</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">5</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Employee empowerment and job satisfaction have recently been progressively presumed as aspects of quality management and a competitive advantage of organizations. However, they have scarcely been studied in a higher education leadership context. The purpose of the research  was to a) explore the correlation between employee empowerment in management practices and job satisfaction in a higher education institution’s context, by applying perspectives of organizational psychology and higher education leadership and b) determining their implications for higher education leadership at the institutional level. The study tested the hypothesis that there should be a correlation between employee empowerment and job satisfaction of university employees. Data were obtained using an on-line survey method from a sample of 158 administrative and academic staff at the selected public university in Georgia. Correlation analysis was made for the purpose of analysing correlation between employee empowerment and job satisfaction. For ensuring the validity, criterion validity has been applied. The data were interpreted based on the Total Quality Management conceptual framework. The results of the research showed that there is a positive correlation between employee empowerment and job satisfaction in general and a high degree of empowerment is more correlated with job satisfaction in case of academic staff than in case of administrative. The research outcomes offer meaningful implications to individuals involved in quality assurance practices and leadership roles at universities. The findings of the research will allow higher education managers to maximize organizational strategies and improve overall organizational quality culture at universities, by considering the topics explored in the  present research. Finally, limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">6-19</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Vincentas Lamanauskas</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Rita Makarskaitė-Petkevičienė</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">UNIVERSITY STUDY QUALITY: UNDERSTANDING, IMPROVEMENT, INFLUENTIAL FACTORS</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">qualitative analysis</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">study improvement</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">study quality</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">university students</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2016</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2016</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://oaji.net/articles/2017/451-1505927122.pdf</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">5</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">University study quality questions do not lose actuality. On the contrary, this becomes an object of intense discussions. Universities are in pursuit of study quality, because such is their purpose. However, in a public space, quite a big concern is observed in an insufficient, dissatisfying the clients study quality. It is necessary to understand, that students are not only passive study participants, they can and they should take the initiative in the improvement of the study quality. As competent study process participants, students have not only the obligation to learn, be active and responsible, but to require qualitative work from the other participants of this process. It happens quite often, that requirements are subjective, groundless. As studies are a continual process, every raised problem, correction or supplement made, contribute to the improvement. 
It was sought by this research to ascertain university students’ position regarding study quality questions. Eighty students from two Lithuanian universities participated in a qualitative research.  Study quality is basically understood as a suitable study process organisation. According to the respondents’ evaluation, academic process participant quality pursuit mostly determines the study quality. Study participant uncompetitiveness and study programme and their realisation inappropriateness worsen the study quality mostly. The essential personal effort seeking study process quality is self-motivation and responsibility.   
</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">31-45</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Editorial Board</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Cover page</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quality Issues and Insights  in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">cover page</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2017</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2016</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://oaji.net/articles/2017/451-1503757022.pdf</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">5</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Cover page</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Other</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></section></record></records></xml>