Modelo sostenible para las comunicadoras eucarísticas del padre celestial en su etapa fundacional en Colombia en el año 2014

Las Comunicadoras Eucarísticas del Padre Celestial son una comunidad religiosa católica (sociedad de vida apostólica de derecho diocesano), fundada en Colombia en el año 2004 por el sacerdote belga Antonio Lootens y la hermana colombiana Gabriela del Amor Crucificado; ésta comunidad nace con el fin de llevar el mensaje de Jesús a las personas, a través de los medios de comunicación masivos usados para la nueva evangelización: producción de programas televisivos y radiofónicos, creación y difusión de DVD’s participación en congresos, entre otros. Ante esta nueva iniciativa, las hermanas empiezan una gran labor evangelizadora dentro de la Iglesia produciendo diversos programas audiovisuales, pero es allí donde nace la dificultad de los recursos necesarios para ello; esto se debe a que la elaboración de dichas producciones implica un alto costo financiero, humano y técnico, y la comunidad no cuenta con los recursos financieros suficientes para lograrlo. Por ello, ésta investigación propone un modelo para la sostenibilidad económica de las Comunicadoras Eucarísticas del Padre Celestial en su etapa fundacional en Colombia en el año 2014, el cual al ser aplicado frecuentemente en la comunidad, le permite a ella ocuparse libremente de cumplir su carisma, sin preocuparse en cómo sostener sus necesidades básicas; así, se amplía día a día su labor evangelizadora en la Iglesia, a través de los medios de comunicación masivos. Aunque este modelo creado es aplicado inicialmente en las Comunicadoras Eucarísticas, podrá de igual manera ser adaptado y usado para otras comunidades religiosas dentro de la Iglesia, al igual que para otros organismos eclesiales tanto clericales como laicales, en los cuales se una la mística y la profesionalización.

Mid-term evaluation of African Technology Policy Studies Network Phase VI Strategic Plan: for the period January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2010

The African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) is a multidisciplinary network of researchers, private sector actors, policymakers and civil society. ATPS has the vision to become the leading international centre of excellence and reference in science, technology and innovation (STI) systems research, training and capacity building, communication and sensitization, knowledge brokerage, policy advocacy and outreach in Africa. It has a Regional Secretariat in Nairobi Kenya, and operates through national chapters in 29 countries (including 27 in Africa and two Chapters in the United Kingdom and USA for Africans in the Diaspora) with an expansion plan to cover the entire continent by 2015. The ATPS Phase VI Strategic Plan aims to improve the understanding and functioning of STI processes and systems to strengthen the learning capacity, social responses, and governance of STI for addressing Africa's development challenges, with a specific focus on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). A team of external evaluators carried out a midterm review to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the implementation of the Strategic Plan for the period January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2010. The evaluation methodology involved multiple quantitative and qualitative methods to assess the qualitative and quantitative inputs (human resources, financial resources, time, etc.) into ATPS activities (both thematic and facilitative) and their tangible and intangible outputs, outcomes and impacts. Methods included a questionnaire survey of ATPS members and stakeholders, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions (FGDs) with members in six countries. Effectiveness of Programmes Under all six strategic goals, very good progress has been made towards planned outputs and outcomes. This is evidenced by key performance indicators (KPIs) generated from desk review, ratings from the survey respondents, and the themes that run through the FGDs. Institutional and Programme Cost Effectiveness Institutional Effectiveness: assessment of institutional effectiveness suggests that adequate management frameworks are in place and are being used effectively and transparently. Also technical and financial accounting mechanisms are being followed in accordance with grant agreements and with global good practice. This is evidenced by KPIs generated from desk review. Programme Cost Effectiveness: assessment of cost-effectiveness of execution of programmes shows that organisational structure is efficient, delivering high quality, relevant research at relatively low cost by international standards. The evidence includes KPIs from desk review: administrative costs to programme cost ratio has fallen steadily, to around 10%; average size of research grants is modest, without compromising quality. There is high level of pro bono input by ATPS members. ATPS Programmes Strategic Evaluation ATPS research and STI related activities are indeed unique and well aligned with STI issues and needs facing Africa and globally. The multi-disciplinary and trans-boundary nature of the research activities are creating a unique group of research scientists. The ATPS approach to research and STI issues is paving the way for the so called Third Generation University (3GU). Understanding this unique positioning, an increasing number of international multilateral agencies are seeking partnership with ATPS. ATPS is seeing an increasing level of funding commitments by Donor Partners. Recommendations for ATPS Continued Growth and Effectiveness On-going reform of ATPS administrative structure to continue The on-going reforms that have taken place within the Board, Regional Secretariat, and at the National Chapter coordination levels are welcomed. Such reform should continue until fully functional corporate governance policy and practices are fully established and implemented across the ATPS governance structures. This will further strengthen ATPS to achieve the vision of being the leading STI policy brokerage organization in Africa. Although training in corporate governance has been carried out for all sectors of ATPS leadership structure in recent time, there is some evidence that these systems have not yet been fully implemented effectively within all the governance structures of the organization, especially at the Board and National chapter levels. Future training should emphasize practical application with exercises relevant to ATPS leadership structure from the Board to the National Chapter levels. Training on Transformational Leadership - Leading a Change Though a subject of intense debate amongst economists and social scientists, it is generally agreed that cultural mindsets and attitudes could enhance and/or hinder organizational progress. ATPS’s vision demands transformational leadership skills amongst its leaders from the Board members to the National Chapter Coordinators. To lead such a change, ATPS leaders must understand and avoid personal and cultural mindsets and value systems that hinder change, while embracing those that enhance it. It requires deliberate assessment of cultural, behavioural patterns that could hinder progress and the willingness to be recast into cultural and personal habits that make for progress. Improvement of relationship amongst the Board, Secretariat, and National Chapters A large number of ATPS members and stakeholders feel they do not have effective communications and/or access to Board, National Chapter Coordinators and Regional Secretariat activities. Effort should be made to improve the implementation of ATPS communication strategy to improve on information flows amongst the ATPS management and the members. The results of the survey and the FGDs suggest that progress has been made during the past two years in this direction, but more could be done to ensure effective flow of pertinent information to members following ATPS communications channels. Strategies for Increased Funding for National Chapters There is a big gap between the fundraising skills of the Regional Secretariat and those of the National Coordinators. In some cases, funds successfully raised by the Secretariat and disbursed to national chapters were not followed up with timely progress and financial reports by some national chapters. Adequate training in relevant skills required for effective interactions with STI key policy players should be conducted regularly for National Chapter coordinators and ATPS members. The ongoing training in grant writing should continue and be made continent-wide if funding permits. Funding of National Chapters should be strategic such that capacity in a specific area of research is built which, with time, will not only lead to a strong research capacity in that area, but also strengthen academic programmes. For example, a strong climate change programme is emerging at University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), with strong collaborations with Universities from neighbouring States. Strategies to Increase National Government buy-in and support for STI Translating STI research outcomes into policies requires a great deal of emotional intelligence, skills which are often lacking in the first and second generation universities. In the epoch of the science-based or 2GUs, governments were content with universities carrying out scientific research and providing scientific education. Now they desire to see universities as incubators of new science- or technology-based commercial activities, whether by existing firms or start-ups. Hence, governments demand that universities take an active and leading role in the exploitation of their knowledge and they are willing to make funds available to support such activities. Thus, for universities to gain the attention of national leadership they must become centres of excellence and explicit instruments of economic development in the knowledge-based economy. The universities must do this while working collaboratively with government departments, parastatals, and institutions and dedicated research establishments. ATPS should anticipate these shifting changes and devise programmes to assist both government and universities to relate effectively. New administrative structures in member organizations to sustain and manage the emerging STI multidisciplinary teams Second Generation universities (2GUs) tend to focus on pure science and often do not regard the application of their know-how as their task. In contrast, Third Generation Universities (3GUs) objectively stimulate techno-starters – students or academics – to pursue the exploitation or commercialisation of the knowledge they generate. They view this as being equal in importance to the objectives of scientific research and education. Administratively, research in the 2GU era was mainly monodisciplinary and departments were structured along disciplines. The emerging interdisciplinary scientific teams with focus on specific research areas functionally work against the current mono-disciplinary faculty-based, administrative structure of 2GUs. For interdisciplinary teams, the current faculty system is an obstacle. There is a need for new organisational forms for university management that can create responsibilities for the task of know-how exploitation. ATPS must anticipate this and begin to strategize solutions for their member institutions to transition to 3Gus administrative structure, otherwise ATPS growth will plateau, and progress achieved so far may be stunted.

The STRATADAPT scale: a measure of marketing strategy adaptation to international business markets

Purpose – The development of marketing strategies optimally adjusted to export markets has been a vitally important topic for both managers and academics for about five decades. However, there is no agreement in the literature about which elements integrate marketing strategy and which components of domestic strategies should be adapted to export markets. The purpose of this paper is to develop a new scale – STRATADAPT. Design/methodology/approach – Results from a sample of small and medium-sized industrial exporting firms support a four-dimensional scale – product, promotion, price, and distribution strategies – of 30 items. The scale presents evidence of composite reliability as well as discriminant and nomological validity. Findings – Findings reveal that all four dimensions of marketing strategy adaptation are positively associated with the amount of the firm's financial resources allocated to export activity. Practical implications – The STRATADAPT scale may assist managers in developing better international marketing strategies as well as in planning more accurate and efficient marketing programs across markets. Originality/value – This study develops a new scale, the STRATADAPT scale, which is a broad measure of export marketing strategy adaptation.

Can British multinational enterprises finance economic development in South East Asia?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to shed new light on the debate about the role of foreign direct investment (FDI) and public policy in fostering economic development. Specifically, can the capital inflow of multinational enterprises (MNEs) and the ability of the subsidiaries to raise funds locally help promote development? This paper addresses this issue by examining the capital structure and financing sources of foreign subsidiaries of MNEs. Design/methodology/approach – This paper integrates the capital structure theories in finance with internalization theory in international business. It uses an original primary dataset collected by a survey of 101 foreign subsidiaries of British MNEs in six emerging economies in the ASEAN region. Findings – There are three significant findings. First, these subsidiaries rely heavily on internal funds generated within the MNEs and less on external debts raised in the host countries. Second, the foreign subsidiary's capital structure is influenced by the home country of origin of the parent firm and the parent firm's financing sources. Third, these subsidiaries have used the financial resources to develop business networks with local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which contribute to economic development of the host countries. Originality/value – This paper examines the internal capital market within the MNE. It provides theoretical and empirical support for the capital structure theory of the hierarchy financing approach and also for internalization theory by addressing FDI inflows by MNEs and the raising of funds locally. These findings have important implications for public policy, namely the facilitation of MNE entry to encourage economic development.

Managing ServerHotel

This graduate study was assigned by Unisys Oy Ab. The purpose of this study was to find tools to monitor and manage servers and objects in a hosting environment and to remotely connect to the managed objects. Better solutions for promised services were also researched. Unisys provides a ServerHotel service to other businesses which do not have time or resources to manage their own network, servers or applications. Contracts are based on a Service Level Agreement where service level is agreed upon according to the customer's needs. These needs have created a demand for management tools. Unisys wanted to find the most appropriate tools for its hosting environment to fulfill the agreed service level with reasonable costs. The theory consists of literary research focusing on general agreements used in the Finnish IT business, different types of monitoring and management tools and the common protocols used inthem. The theory focuses mainly on the central elements of the above mentioned topics and on their positive and negative features. The second part of the study focuses on general hosting agreements and what management tools Unisys has selected for hosting and why. It also gives a more detailed account of the hosting environment and its features in more detail. Because of the results of the study Unisys decided to use Servers Alive to monitor network and MS applications’ services. Cacti was chosen to monitor disk spaces, which gives us an idea of future disk growth. For remote connections the Microsoft’s Remote Desktop tool was the mostappropriate when the connection was tunneled through Secure Shell (SSH). Finding proper tools for the intended purposes with cost-conscious financial resources proved challenging. This study showed that if required, it is possible to build a professional hosting environment.

Future Students, Future Revenues: Thriving in a Decade of Demographic Decline:

Over the past decade, universities were able to grow revenue primarily by growing enrollment and increasing net tuition per student. But demographic and economic changes will make it increasingly difficult for all but a handful of institutions to grow tuition revenue at historic rates. Despite rising access rates, demographic projections suggest that the number of high school graduates will decline over the coming decade, leading to a dramatic drop-off in the overall rate of enrollment growth. The traditional population of 18- to 22-year-olds will remain a majority at most institutions, but enrollment growth will come primarily from other student segments. Populations such as community college transfers, international undergraduates, professional master’s students, and adult degree completers offer the best opportunities to grow enrollment and tuition revenue. Serving them well requires significant investments, new organizational models, and cultural change on campus. This can be done in a financially sustainable way—fulfilling the university’s mission to serve a diverse range of students while providing financial resources to support the core. This brief analyzes the forces that will shape higher education over the next decade and highlights the strategies and competencies that colleges and universities will need to be successful.

Dinâmica tecnológica no agronegócio brasileiro : uma análise de alguns indicadores de capacitação tecnológica de empresas privadas de sementes

A indústria de sementes vem ao longo do tempo tornando-se um fator de grande importância para o desempenho da agricultura. Nos últimos anos, a importância do setor pode ser percebida pela nova dinâmica da indústria de sementes, a partir das mudanças cada vez mais constantes e profundas tanto no plano econômico, como no tecnológico. A emergência da biotecnologia agrícola está muito imbricada com as fusões e aquisições recentes, envolvendo a indústria de sementes, mas também o setor agroquímico, o novo aliado estratégico das empresas de sementes. A importância do mercado brasileiro de sementes é evidente. O Brasil detém a sexta posição no mercado para o consumo de sementes –estimado em US$ 1.200 milhões, o que se traduz em 4% do mercado mundial, que movimenta aproximadamente US$ 30 bilhões ao ano. Esta importância justifica este trabalho, que faz uma análise exploratória da capacitação tecnológica das empresas privadas de sementes no Brasil, sob a luz da teoria neoschumpeteriana. Metodologicamente os dados foram coletados junto às principais empresas privadas (de capital nacional e estrangeiro) produtoras de sementes básicas. As informações foram obtidas através de entrevistas com os diretores de P&D, referentes ao período de 1999-2002. Dentre os principais resultados obtidos pode se destacar o uso da biotecnologia no desenvolvimento de sementes geneticamente modificadas, ou seja, a produção de sementes transgênicas, a busca constante de técnicas de aperfeiçoamento do melhoramento genético de plantas, o desenvolvimento de sementes cada vez mais resistentes a pragas e doenças, e as crescentes parcerias na condução das atividades tecnológicas. Foi possível também concluir que tecnologicamente os dois tipos de empresas são similares em termos de capacitação de recursos humanos (qualificação e número de pesquisadores). A aquisição e a disponibilidade de recursos financeiros é a diferença mais relevante entre os dois tipos de empresas. Também se concluiu que a extensão e o potencial agrícola torna o Brasil um país atrativo tanto para o desenvolvimento de novas técnicas utilizadas no desenvolvimento de novas sementes, quanto na instalação de empresas multinacionais como ponto de partida para a atuação das mesmas em todo o mercado latino-americano.

Política de recursos humanos na administração pública do Estado do Paraná: análise comparativa entre o discurso e a prática

The aim of this dissertation is to demonstrate what happens to the public administration in the state of Paraná through a case study, more specifically, in two organization: one, called in specific legal regime, 'direct administration' and the other, 'indirect administration', by means of structured interviews searching the distance between the discourse and practice which concerns to what was developed in the training area inside a human resource policy of the state. Since two decades, the training function in public administration of the state is changing and suffering some internal (re)structures. These changes are due to the pressure generated by either the natural requirement of changing in the same area or in the ways and aims from governmental spheres (state and federal). On one hand, this study analyzes the performance of training function during from 1987 to 1994, in order to verify the outcome factors of the not structured area and the coherency between programmed and accomplished actions. On the other hand, compare the discourse and practice based on a human resource policy implemented and adopted by the government. The results of field research with bibliographic examination allow to conclude that although the official and formal documents delineate a human resource policy to the state, there were evident contradictions between the proposal and what the state really fulfilled. The qualitative data analysis concluded that the majority of the actions are implemented casuisticaly. During the case study period, the human resource area specifically, training and development, suffered constant (re) tructures. The consequence was ¿ the both institutions, responsible for the training area, lost time and financial resources. Legal changes, internal dispute for institutional space, lack of tune and synchrony resulted once more in a discontinued action in the area. However it is perceptible that the government is worried about the development and evaluation of its civil services although it goes on behaving without a structured and integrated planning related to any human resource system. The study, therefore, confirms that the formulation and implementation of effective human resource policy, either through an analytic model or not, must be centralized in integrated action interrelated to all the subsystems of the human resource area, neither in a disguised way nor linked to the discourse of a law or government projects.

Auditoria operacional aplicada a sistemas municipais de saúde: um estudo a partir da experiência do Tribunal de Contas do Estado do Rio de Janeiro

This research aimed at evaluating the efficiency of a specific model of operational auditing, created to audit municipal health systems, which are part of the Sistema Único de Saúde in the State of Rio de Janeiro, the AOSMS. Thus, it attempted to find out whether they represent a valid method of auditing the performance of SUS in the State of Rio de Janeiro based on the isolated or combined utilization of efficiency and efficacy criteria, and to finalize, how the AOSMS may contribute to the improvement of the municipal management of SUS. The study is based on two references axes, as follows: criteria and paradigms of operational auditing according to what International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) understands about this methodology and the evaluation method of health services proposed by Avedis Donabedian, based on the triad structure, process and result. The work consisted initially in verifying compatibility and evaluating potential of the parameters that constitute the AOSMS with the adopted references, in the light of the basic principles that inform the Brazilian Sistema Único de Saúde and afterwards in the submission of these parameters to the analytic categories created in this study with the intent of checking its adequacy and pertinacity to analyze public health systems. In order to reach its objective the research used the case study strategy of the TCE-RJ experience of holding operational audit in 39 municipal health systems in the State of Rio de Janeiro developed between 2000 and 2007. The result confirmed the hypothesis of the study and revealed how the AOSMS, considered as a valid methodology for its finality, may contribute for the improvement of the municipal management of SUS, reaffirming the potential of operational auditing to proceed with the evaluation of the performance of the Sistema Único de Saúde in the angle of external control, considering however that its application in Brazil, because of the external control model constitutionally adopted, must pass through due sociological reduction2.

Ambiente interno : a participação e o envolvimento das pessoas na busca do diferencial competitivo

Day after day, even small companies and multinationals brands need to compete in a worldwide market. All kind of global strategies have to involve production and regional market knowledge. Still being essential for company have a complete view of it market and it right position to gain competitive advantage. In a global market, get possible for the companies be in touch with last generation technologies and equipment's and all kind of research. Companies like that should develop products focused in customer's desire, even those extremely strict. Specifically in our country, as hard as we could think, the companies have access to credit lines, to the fiscal incentives offered by the states that alliance with the market potential are making possible the appearance of a lot companies and the growth of the companies already existent. However, these resources alone don't produce results to the company if it doesn't possess an internal organization able to assimilate the new market situation. The companies have to be able to apply the maximum resources offered by new technologies and understand how a communications facility means solution for many internal problems. In short terms, technology, financial resources, research and knowledge are available, however, the human resources might be prepared and developed in order to become the whole knowledge in profits. According 'JURAN' and his Total Quality Control philosophy the human resources playing fundamental role in the process, and in my opinion a company is something like a ship where all must be prepared to hold the rudder. I will develop a basic job looking for productivity and company's development through the people's involvement, focused in process of motivation, creativity and staff valorization. I believe that there no good production process without those requirements. Based on real case of a automotive parts and foundry company, located in Bento Gonçalves - RS, this work will look for to organize it mainly in its Industrial Division, adopting in participate administration where, through a information system and personnel involvement we will seek all favorable conditions to politics and strategies in get the growth of company.

O uso de informações contábeis como diferencial competitivo na redução dos riscos financeiros em pequenas empresas brasileiras

E ste estudo foi motivado pelo sentimento de que o alto custo tínanceiro que se verifica em várias pequenas empresas é, pelo menos em parte. relacionado com a precariedade dos controles administrativos e das infOlmaç õc s contábeis que deveriam suportar a tomada de decisões diárias de seus respectivos gestores. O objetivo desta dissertação é estudar as conseqüênc ias para as pequenas empresas brasileiras de uma má administração de reeursos financeiros, causadas principalmente pela informalidade do negócio e pela precariedade de informações contábeis uti lizadas na tomada de decisões. Partindo-se de pesquisas que mostram a elevada taxa de mortalidade em pequenos negóeios no Brasil e suas principais causas, faz-se nesta dissertação uma descrição sumária dos pri ncipais aspectos teóri cos que envolvem a administração financeira e o processo contábil de geração de informação, além de um estudo sobre as principais fontes de captação de recursos disponíveis para as pequenas empresas e o custo dessas operações.

Gestão de Unidades de Conservação: Um Estudo de Caso do Parque Estadual de Vila Velha

Looking for solutions for the preservation of the biological wealth, important for the man's life on earth, the units of conservation were created and they have as objectives the conservation, the accomplishment of scientific researches, the environmental education and the leisure. So that their objectives are reached, their use and administration should be drifted so that their perpetual preservation is guaranteed. it is essential the presence of a determined administration in looking for improvement alternatives, support of the society and important financial resources for their maintenance. The objective of this work is of analyzing, through the case study, the problems faced in the administration of the units of conservation, what take to a deficient administration of the protected areas committing their preservation. Using concepts and beginnings of general domain and bibliographical citations, themes are discussed such as planning, paper of the handling plan, human training, administration responsibility in the units of conservation and the tourism in the units of conservation. After the study of the bibliographical referencial an accompaniment of the problems as was as accomplished faced by the state park of Vila Velha and in the way as it has been administered, well with a relationship among the principal problems faced by the park and for the other units of conservation in the administration of the patrimony of the biodiversity.

Uma investigação empírico-exploratória acerca da causalidade dos indicadores operacionais de call center com a satisfação dos clientes

Year after year the call center industry comes presenting high growth, either in Brazil or the world, using increasing contingent of people and receiving large amount of financial resources. Supporting all this industry, exists a theoretical reference that privileges the search of the improvement of diverse operational performance indicators. This study, empirically examines the relationship between caller satisfaction and diverse operational performance indicators currently used for call center management in Brazil. For in such a way, a group of telecommunications segment call centers will be used searching to determine which indicators are really more significantly correlated with the customer satisfaction. Of this form, it is aimed at to add new evidences and explanations to existing literature, in way that companies of call center industry can give a more adequate service to their customer, opposite to solely focus its efforts in the improvement of a great set of performance pointers that, effectively, can not become related with the customer satisfaction.

Convergência entre telefonia fixa e móvel no Brasil: modelagem mercadologócia e sustentabilidade estratégica

A convergência entre serviços tipicamente prestados por empresas de telecomunicações fixas e serviços tipicamente prestados por operadoras móveis é um fenômeno que acontece mundialmente há mais de dez anos. A convergência entre a indústria de telefonia fixa e móvel, como fenômeno evolutivo, pode ter três principais forças-motrizes: a simples evolução tecnológica, baseada, por exemplo, na digitalização das telecomunicações; a junção entre um viés de mercado, propiciado pelo alto nível concorrencial, e a busca por inovações tecnológicas; ou uma simples convergência entre ativos das diferentes indústrias, buscando uma aplicação mais eficiente do capital. Mundialmente, já são conhecidos inúmeros serviços convergentes de telecomunicações, embora a convergência em telecomunicações no Brasil ainda possa ser considerada incipiente. Considerando o relevante volume de faturamento agregado do mercado brasileiro de telecomunicações fixas e móveis e o elevado nível concorrencial, o estudo e aplicação de soluções convergentes podem representar a geração de diferencial competitivo. Nesse sentido, o presente trabalho propõe-se a avaliar as principais empresas de telecomunicações do Brasil e seus respectivos recursos ou serviços convergentes, segundo o framework VRIO, desenvolvido por Jay Barney, fundamentada na visão estratégica baseada em recursos (RBV- Resource Based View).

Participação popular na gestão publica da saude: um estudo de caso

o texto mostra um estudo de caso, de caráter qualitativo, sobre o desempenho do Conselho Municipal de Saúde do Recife/CMS-Recife, numa perspectiva democrática de gestão. Visa, prioritariamente, a identificar as condições sob as quais se torna possível obter consensos que sejam representativos das necessidades de saúde da população por ele abrangida. A partir de um tratamento conceitual sobre a tríade "democracia, descentralização e participação", descreve os processos que levam à definição - na carta constitucional de 1988 - do Sistema Único de SaúdeSUS, e à instituição formal do Conselho, no município estudado. Evidencia a possibilidade e pertinência da aplicação da teoria do agir comunicativo, do filósofo alemão Jürgen Habermas, no ponto em que estabelece a vinculação entre a identificação das necessidades de saúde e a definição de modelos de organização das práticas do setor, através dos conselhos municipais. Sob tal enfoque, com o recurso do método hermenêutico-dialético, investiga o material obtido nas pesquisas bibliográfica e documental, nas entrevistas e pela técnica da observação aplicada em reuniões realizadas pelo Conselho, em atividade a partir de agosto de 1993. Revela, para o momento atual, seu distanciamento em relação ao conceito de "situação de fala ideal", ao mesmo tempo em que, face os avanços obtidos, justifica sua valorização como instrumento de construção democrática e consolidação da cidadania.