Lack of Discipline in Cape Verdean Secondary Schools: The Need to Better Define the Problem and Develop Strategies to Prevent or Manage the Situation

This research paper has been written with the intention to discuss the problem of discipline in Cape Verdean secondary schools. While many of us discuss the effects that student misbehavior has on the student misbehavior has on the student, school and society as a whole, very few of us seek solutions which would impact on the prevention and management of this problem that each day becomes more complicated and harder to handle. This paper will discuss the need to better define discipline at the school level; identify the causes and factors that aggravate the problem, in addition, to provide what I hope to be useful strategies to better manage the problem as we make the effort to reclaim our schools and better educate our students. My research included surveys completed by teachers and student alike as they baffled over the question: what is discipline and how can we better manage discipline problems at our schools?

Aplicação de um modelo de Balanced Scorecard na Clínica Medicentro: Vantagens e desvantagens

Este trabalho procura descrever uma aplicação de uma ferramenta de gestão, designada de Balanced Scorecard, numa Clínica privada. Para fundamentação de todo o trabalho, iniciamos com uma revisão bibliográfica dos diversos conceitos relacionados com o Balanced Scorecard, nomeadamente os seus componentes, os seus princípios, as suas vantagens e desvantagens, bem como também as suas diversas fases de implementação. Posteriormente, foi desenvolvido um estudo de caso numa Clínica privada, onde fizemos uma proposta de aplicação de um instrumento de gestão, neste caso o Balanced Scorecard. Para a recolha de dados, aplicámos um guião de entrevista aos responsáveis da Medicentro, um questionário aos pacientes, utilizámos documentos fornecidos pela Instituição, e ainda utilizámos a técnica da observação directa. Neste estudo, optámos por seguir uma metodologia de implementação proposta por RUSSO (2006), adaptadas às PME, onde, em primeiro lugar, fizemos uma análise da estratégia, através de um diagnóstico da situação da Clínica, e,posteriormente, uma formulação da mesma onde foram abordados a visão da Clínica, os factores críticos de sucesso e os diversos componentes do Balanced Scorecard. Nesta metodologia proposta por RUSSO, não é evidenciado o Mapa Estratégico, logo elaborámos o mesmo, e colocamo-lo nos apêndices. Os resultados obtidos com o estudo revelaram que a Clínica possui algumas insuficiências no que concerne a sua gestão, derivadas principalmente da sua situação financeira. This work seeks to describe an application of a management tool called the balanced scorecard, in a private Clinic. Strategically we began with a literature review of the various concepts related to the balanced scorecard, including its components, their principles, their advantages and disadvantages and also their several stages of implementation. On the second step, we developed a case study in a private clinic where we made a proposal for implementation of a management tool, that is, the balanced scorecard. For data collection, we have applied an interview guide to the responsible for Medicentro, a questionnaire to patients, using documents supplied by the Institution and, in addition, of a direct observation. In this study, we have followed a methodology of implementation proposed by Russo (2006), adapted SMEs, where in first place we made an analysis of the strategy through a diagnosis of the situation of the Clinic, and later a formulation of the same were addressed to Clinical view, the critical factors of success, and the various components of the balanced scorecard. This methodology proposed by Russo is not evidenced the strategic map. Therefore we elaborated the same and we have placed it in the appendices. The results obtained from the study revealed that the Clinic has some inadequacies in what concern its management because of its financial situation.