A influência da cultura organizacional na adoção de práticas de qualidade Seis Sigma: um estudo exploratório no segmento de farmácia de manipulação do Estado do Rio Grand do Norte

In recent debates about the issues of quality, the theme organizational culture and Six Sigma has appeared ever more frequently. In this context several authors suggest that the adoption of Six Sigma practices is influenced by culture. This work focuses on the relationship of organizational culture and quality to the practices of Six Sigma quality. Thus a descriptive-exploratory and correlational study of forty pharmacies of manipulation from Rio Grande do Norte was undertaken. Data collection identified features of companies and the level of use of the practices of Six Sigma quality that have been identified in the literature. For the Organizational Culture evaluation was used the Competitive Value Model (Cameron & Quinn, 1996), tested on north-American organizations and considered a high value academic and professional instrument. This model has been involved with the taximetrics created by Cameron who classifies quality culture in four levels. The results suggest that the Group and Developmental cultures are associated with higher levels of use of the practices of Six Sigma quality than the Rational and Hierarchical Cultures. Regarding the levels of the culture s quality, the highest levels were most frequently cited in Errors Prevention and Perpetual Improvement and Creativity, being the last one more positively related to the Six Sigma indicators

Avaliação da usabilidade de Websites de hotéis segundo as heurísticas de Nielsen: pesquisa exploratória em hotéis da Região Rordeste do Brasil

This Thesis deals with the usability in some sites of hotels placed in a specific region of Brazil. Usability is the property of a site that shows how it allows the user get all information available without a large effort and in a clear and objective way. A questionnaire was used as a tool to value, by the common user perspective, navigation, on line reservation simulation, appreciation of the available content and, by this way, an easiness in the interaction site-users. As a result, it is possible to say that, considering all material analyzed, those sites that present usability criterion are more interactive and dynamic, demonstrating an easy navigation in a users view. By other side, it was possible to note that, about heuristics used in the search, the most of the websites demonstrated a deficiency in questions as firmness, user control and how to avoid mistakes. There was still valued as deficiency by the most of users in websites the general characters and the view of user. It was presented, seeing general characters, that a big part of the websites needs tools that can make user rapidly find what looks for. It was yet possible to see that users don't believe in secret when websites ask them some information. This is a point that needs to be appreciated because it causes some insecurity during navigation

Utilização do controle estatístico do processo para monitoramento do peso médio de cápsulas de Tuberculostáticos: estudo de caso no NUPLAM- RN

This Master Thesis presents a case study on the use of Statistical Process Control (SPC) at the Núcleo de Pesquisas em Alimentos e Medicamentos (NUPLAM). The SPC basic tools have been applied in the process of the tuberculostáticos drugs encapsulation, primarily concerning the objective to choose, between two speeds, which one is the best one to perform the tuberculostatics encapsulation. Later on, with the company effectively operating, the SPC was applied intending to know the variability of the process and, through the tracking of the process itself, to arrive at an estimated limit for the control of future lots of tuberculostatics of equal dosage. As special causes were detected acting in the process, a cause-and-effect diagram was built in order to try to discover, in each factor that composes the productive process, the possible causes of variation of the capsules average weight. The hypotheses raised will be able to serve as a base for deepened the study to eliminate or reduce these interferences in the process. Also a study on the capacity of the process to attend the specifications was carried out, and this study has shown the process´s inaptitude to take care of them. However, on the side of NUPLAM exists a real yearning to implant the SPC and consequently to improve the existing quality already present on its medicines

Diagnóstico sócio-produtivo-econômico da comunidade de catadores de resíduos sólidos do município de Codó-MA: um estudo de caso

The research was carried out in the urban area in Codó-MA, a small city the east part of Maranhão, which has 4,228.000 km2 (IBGE, 2000) and population of 113,768 hab. (IBGE, 2008). The city is also inside Codó-MA micro-region. The city is located in one of the lacking area in Brazil, where the Human Development Index (IDH) is approximately 0,558. It does not present an adequate model of management when talking about solid residue collecting. All of the solid residue produced and collected in the city is stored in an open area that they call lixão , which is located in a residence area in the suburbs. Because of that, a problem that involves public health and environmental areas, we understand it is necessary to investigate the way the local government treats and manages the solid residue collecting, as well as, the social, economical and productive reality of those who are directly involved in the collecting itself, its productive chain of the material, including the handling, transportation and its final destiny. It means a social, productive, economical diagnosis, that in a such way,the local society and the organs of inspection can act in a better way to control the problems that include solid urban residue and come from a bad administration. That way, this work proposes to carry out a study that has as result a diagnosis with feasible alternatives on management, taking as basis, social and economical aspects that compound this productive chain. This work can bring great contributions to a better local reality through the introduction of an integrated and supported system of management of solid residue that includes a selective collecting and the creation of a sanitary area. Taking that into consideration, we can contribute to minimize the environmental impacts in Codó Novo, caused by the garbage

Aspectos cognitivos dos manuais de instruções: um estudo de caso em aparelhos de DVD

This work aims to present an investigation on the level of understanding in the informative texts enclosed in manuals of instructions of a DVD set, trying to identify what makes consumers use or not manuals of instructions which accompany the products. It analyses factors that affect the motivation to use manuals and, linguistically, to verify whether the language used in the manuals is adapted for the understanding of the information by the consumer. Under an ergonomic approach, the research tries to recognize whether it is accordance in the information contained in manuals. According to the production engineering, it is very important to insert the best production practical and administration of the product in the companies, aiming the best competitiveness, The present study suggests a route to evaluate manuals of instructions of a DVD set, using for that a questionnaire with closed questions and an open one, applied to students, employees and teachers of an agricultural school bonded to Rio Grande do Norte Federal University. The results can contribute to provide helps to industry in presentation quality betterment of its information, and becoming the consumer integral part of that improvement process

Responsabilidade social empresarial: modalidades e grau de participação em meios de hospedagem em Ponta Negra, Natal/RN

That work has as objective to investigate and to analyze the strategies which they were developed by companies of lodging means with ends of social responsibility in Rio Grande do Norte (RN). Therefore, it got data along with the Office of Tourism of the Municipal district of Natal , the Office of Tourism of RN and the cadasters of the firms of the lodging means in the district of Ponta Negra. In after research of field, it verified the enterprises that now develop lodging activities in that quarter in Ponta Negra. It applied Instrument of research which it was elaborated based on the set of indicators of social responsibility of Ethos Institute, structured with binary questions and some open ones. It shows as results which actions the investigated companies develop. Confronting these results with researched theoretical referencial, it points an intermediate degree of socially responsible actions. Comparing with the evaluation accomplished by Ethos Institute, the investigated firms are in incipient condition, with punctual actions, however, they already present the awakening about this thematic

Fatores da satisfação, fidelidade e recomendação em serviço de saúde: estudo em setor ambulatorial de hospital

This thesis deals with the factors affecting customer satisfaction, loyalty and recommendation in the health care sector. It is adapted a model proposed by Johnson et al. (2001) of quality and loyalty antecedent factors and it is conducted a survey with a sample of 109 customers of a hospital on the ambulatory in Natal city, a capital of a Northeastern State of Brazil. It is carried descriptive and multiple regression statistical analysis. The main findings related to satisfaction are that quality factors of doctor professionalism, clerical staff efficiency, consultancy room comfort, time to provide the medical consultancy but also hospital localization are the most significant factors affecting satisfaction. Regarding personal full loyalty, satisfaction with the hospital and affective commitment are the main factors yet for partial loyalty image and calculate commitment play the main role. For recommendation satisfaction, image and brand are the main factors. The overall model used fairly explains the satisfaction, loyalty and recommendation outcomes with varying factors regarding each final purpose, e.g. loyalty or recommendation

Fatores de satisfação de empregados: um estudo com docentes de instituição de educação tecnológica

This Master of Science Thesis deals with investigating the factors affecting employees satisfaction studying the case of teachers on a technological education institution. It is surveyed teachers in a sample of size 42 out of 316. It is used a form that deploys a model of satisfaction antecedents factors comprised of work system, professional development, teaching activity, physical environment, pay, and problems management. The sample was found representative (χ2 test) based on genre, tenure, degrees, and age. The model for satisfaction with the institution presented a adjusted r2 > 0,80 and the main factors affecting it was found to be work system, professional development, and teaching activity. For the satisfaction with the career, the model results with a r2 > 0,70 and as main factors professional development, teaching activitiy and pay. The variables contribuition for the students education and use of suggestions were ones of the main variables appearing in the models. The results suggest an improvement in the model regarding the previous models used by Silva (2003) and Cruz Filho (2007) regarding model explicability of teacher satisfaction

Modelagem de dados de falhas de equipamentos de sub-superfície em poços de petróleo da Bacia Potiguar

This master´s thesis presents a reliability study conducted among onshore oil fields in the Potiguar Basin (RN/CE) of Petrobras company, Brazil. The main study objective was to build a regression model to predict the risk of failures that impede production wells to function properly using the information of explanatory variables related to wells such as the elevation method, the amount of water produced in the well (BSW), the ratio gas-oil (RGO), the depth of the production bomb, the operational unit of the oil field, among others. The study was based on a retrospective sample of 603 oil columns from all that were functioning between 2000 and 2006. Statistical hypothesis tests under a Weibull regression model fitted to the failure data allowed the selection of some significant predictors in the set considered to explain the first failure time in the wells

Análise do balanço energético e da matriz de emissões de poluentes no Estado do Rio Grande do Norte

This thesis intends to show the level of pollutant emissions in the State of Rio Grande do Norte, generated by the final consumption of energy in the many different sectors of the economy. This information was obtained from the energetic matrix and from the pollutant emissions of the State and the data was taken from the Balanço Energético Estadual and from the Sistema de Informações Energéticas da Olade. The result will permit to identify the energy and most polluting economic sectors in Rio Grande do Norte, contributing to energy planning, giving direction to the public policy development that aim at the change of the energy matrix of the State. Also with the objective of reducing pollutant emissions through rationalization, efficiency and energy substitution, which the main objective is to promote the economic development based on energy consumption of less harmful impact on the environment, contributing to establishment of sustainable development

Modelagem de decisão na seleção de equipamento: um estudo usando o processo analítico hierárquico na contratação de sondas de perfuração de poços de petróleo

The main goal of this dissertation is to develop a Multi Criteria Decision Aid Model to be used in Oils and Gas perforation rigs contracts choices. The developed model should permit the utilization of multiples criterions, covering problems that exist with models that mainly use the price of the contracts as its decision criterion. The AHP has been chosen because its large utilization, not only academic, but in many other areas, its simplicity of use and flexibility, and also fill all the requirements necessary to complete the task. The development of the model was conducted by interviews and surveys with one specialist in this specific area, who also acts as the main actor on the decision process. The final model consists in six criterions: Costs, mobility, automation, technical support, how fast the service could be concluded and availability to start the operations. Three rigs were chosen as possible solutions for the problem. The results reached by the utilizations of the model suggests that the utilization of AHP as a decision support system in this kind of situation is possible, allowing a simplifications of the problem, and also it s a useful tool to improve every one involved on the process s knowledge about the problem subject, and its possible solutions

Adoção de tecnologias móveis em empresas do Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco e Ceará

One of the best examples of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) evolutions is on the high capability of storing and processing data into smaller devices, creating a new business condition, the mobility . This mobility in a deeper analysis proposes a business remodeling in many different areas (business segmentations), through the Internet anywhere at any time, allowing managers and researchers to think again their actual models that work nowadays in companies and public institutions, modifying the way internal and external clients can be attended. This thesis analyzes issues on mobile business adoption, technological evolutions and the impacts caused by this new reality the access to information anywhere at any time . This research is exploratory and shows a compilation of similar papers and thesis describing how was conducted the survey within 50 companies in the states of Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco and Ceará. The statistics analysis showed the different level of mobile technology usage from simple voice communications to wide band data transmission. The analysis pointed that canonic correlation was the most effective type of analysis to describe the relations among all groups of variables showing which of them are relevant, or not, for mobile technology adoption

Fatores que afetam a satisfação e a fidelidade do consumidor: um estudo com usuários de calçado esportivo (tênis), na Região Sul da cidade de Natal

This paper aims to investigate the factors that influence the satisfaction and fidelity of tennis´s users with the region southern city of Natal, capital of Rio Grande do Norte as the area of analyzing , using the national satisfaction index models as a tool to study. In this study was used the questionnaire as a tool for collecting data based on the new Norwegian customer satisfaction barometer model proposed by Johnson et. al. (2001). The data collection took place during the months of May and June 2008, when 450 tennis´s users were interviewed. The main results obtained by multiple regression analysis and logistic regression showed that the users' satisfaction with the tennis´s brand is influenced by the quality, comfort, material used in the manufacture and price, while fidelity is potentized by the image of the brand and the satisfaction degree with the user's tennis and with the brand of tennis. In relation to user satisfaction with the tennis, that satisfaction is influenced by the quality, comfort, weight and the material used, while fidelity is potentized by the satisfaction with the tennis´s brand, with the possibility of paying the same amount again and the emotional commitment. As the processing of claims there was no direct influence on satisfaction and consumers fidelity due to the low number complaints

Ergonomia e Odontologia: determinantes da postura corporal dos estudantes da clínica-escola de uma Universidade Federal

Posture is one of the most worrying problems dentists face. That is because of the high incidence of low back pathologies regarding the professional activity, despite the development on the field of Dental Ergonomics. This work took place at the dental schoolclinic at a Federal University, and it was grounded on the Ergonomic Principles in the workplace. Its main objective was to analyze the determinants of inadequate posture adopted by students inasmuch as the adoption of non ergonomic methods at the school-clinic may influence them to develop inadequate postures in their working environment. The analysis of the activity showed us that it requires some complex procedures in the patient s mouth. Thus, when the students carry out the activity, they start to adopt, although unconsciously, inadequate postures which will make easier the visual accuracy and the access to the operation focus. In case there is no internal (body awareness) or external warning mechanisms (the professor s or the partner s counseling) regarding posture or possible risks which lead them to self-correction, the students become vulnerable to osteomuscle disorders. The time pressure, because the students are expected to perform their task in a predetermined clinical time. The facts related to each patient s variability as well as the stress caused by the expectations to get their work done in time make the students to advance it believing they will waste time if they help their partners or using an indirect view. We could also notice that there was no assistant to perform the job of minor ones, as well as there was no professor who could actually connect the knowledge on Ergonomics to its working practice. The conclusions of this work stand out the need of widen the discussion at the academic environment regarding health professionals in places such as universities. The ergonomic principles in the workplace aim a multidisciplinary analysis based on the experience of students, professors, staff members and janitors that can contribute to some reflection upon the issue and consequently actions which will bring positive changes at the working environment

A Acessibilidade como veículo de inclusão social: proposta de dispositivo computacional para os deficientes visuais da cidade de Natal/RN

This study aims to propose a computing device mechanism which is capable to permit a tactile communication between individuals with visual impairment (blindness or low vision) through the Internet or through a local area network (LAN - Local Network Address). The work was developed under the research projects that currently are realized in the LAI (Laboratory of Integrated Accessibility) of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte. This way, the research was done in order to involve a prototype capable to recognize geometries by students considered blind from the Institute of Education and Rehabilitation of Blind of Rio Grande do Norte (IERC-RN), located in Alecrim neighborhood, Natal/RN. Besides this research, another prototype was developed to test the communication via a local network and Internet. To analyze the data, a qualitative and quantitative approach was used through simple statistical techniques, such as percentages and averages, to support subjective interpretations. The results offer an analysis of the extent to which the implementation can contribute to the socialization and learning of the visually impaired. Finally, some recommendations are suggested for the development of future researches in order to facilitate the proposed mechanism.