Permanency Planning Research Articles

MANAGEMENT OF EMERGENCY MEASURES PROJECT OF ALGIERS’S KASBAH

Management strategies for the conservation and safeguarding of cultural heritage in general, and urban heritage in particular, have evolved greatly over the past two decades. The relationship between heritage and development is now omnipresent in the policies of construction or reconstruction of territories, where the major challenges lie in their enhancement. Algeria does not have a great deal of experience in the management and administration of heritage safeguarding and enhancement projects, whether urban or architectural, as evidenced by the significant number of projects that remain unfinished or incomplete due to a lack of efficiency. Within the framework of the Permanent Plan for the Safeguarding and Enhancement of the Protected Historic District (PPSMVSS) for the protected historic city of Algiers, emergency projects have been launched to slow down or even stop the deterioration of this heritage site. The objective of this study is to understand the process of formalizing and managing projects in protected historic districts, as well as the interactions between the different stakeholders involved.The methodology used combines on-site surveys, interviews, and questionnaires with the various stakeholders. It refers to the conceptual model of project success factors developed by Pinto and Slevin, in order to evaluate these operations, which have not led to theexpected results.

Preventive conservation – a means of sustainability of cultural heritage: The case of the M’Zab Valley

Abstract The management of heritage sites is fundamental to their conservation and sustainability, and more broadly, it contributes to the preservation of the environment. This article highlights the conservation plan developed for one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Algerian context: the M’Zab Valley in Ghardaïa. It has managed to preserve its specific character over the centuries thanks to the management operations that have been necessary for its continuity. The main question of this study is what are the management actions adopted in the M’Zab Valley with regard to the Ksourian architectural heritage to ensure its sustainability? Given the exploratory nature of this research, we chose a qualitative and inductive method. The study is based on a combination of several investigative tools: interviews, observations and photographs. The aim of the article is to highlight the efforts made by the Algerian public authorities and the local community to implement cultural heritage management measures in a particular context. The results of the analysis reveal, first, that the implementation of the permanent plan for the safeguarding and enhancement of the protected sector of the M’Zab Valley has proven itself in the preservation of monuments, sites and historic buildings, but also all the contexts associated with the daily life of people. Second, the rehabilitation operations of the historic ksour shall ensure the authenticity of the buildings and their integrity with the environment will be kept while adapting them to the current needs of users. Third, the combination of efforts between public institutions, the Office for the Protection and Promotion of the Valley of M’Zab, the local community and associations avoided the weakening of traditions and ancestral values through awareness missions, heritage education programmes, the application of heritage laws and regulations, and scientific and historical documentation of local heritage. Finally, the involvement of the local community in all operations on their local heritage ensures the transfer of local knowledge.

Attachment Theory: Its Absence and Role in Deinstitutionalisation Strategies

Institutional care for children without families is still widely used globally as a child protection intervention, despite concerns that it violates child rights, separates children from their families, puts children at risk of abuse and neglect and is harmful for child development. This article applied attachment theory to analyse the use and risks of institutional care. It also discusses the challenges and consequences of implementing deinstitutionalisation strategies, a series of policy-driven activities aimed at transitioning a child protection system from an institutional to family-based model of childcare. A secondary data analysis found the progressive elimination of institutions can be effective where deinstitutionalisation strategies implement an attachment approach to improve institutions alongside building permanency planning capacity for children. This article proposes that institutional care may have a role as a child protection intervention where it is temporary, recognises a child’s need for secure attachment and facilitates safe permanency in a family setting.

Child abuse and kinship guardianship: social work and indigenization perspectives in Indonesia

Indigenization was an essential issue in social work; however, it was hardly explored in previous studies on child abuse related to kinship guardianship. This article aimed to describe the assessment of eligibility of the alternative caregiver and examine the intervention for the permanency plan of the abused child. The abused child was removed from Western culture to his grandfather living in the Eastern context. This study employed a qualitative approach with seventeen participants. Data-gathering techniques included document search, in-depth interviews, observation, and drawing analysis. The assessment of the eligibility of the grandfather that applied systems theory and indigenization showed that the grandfather was eligible as the alternative caregiver. At the intervention phase, an emphasis on indigenization led to guardianship -not adoption- as an option for the child's best interest. The implications for social work practice and education were that indigenization should be given more space, especially in multicultural societies; when alternative care is required, Indonesian and African social workers should encourage the kinship form, considering strong community ties as the social capital; future research should focus on indigenization in permanency plan for abused disabled children. How to reference using ASWNet style: Nugroho, F. (2023). Child abuse and kinship guardianship: social work and indigenization pperspectives in Indonesia. African Journal of Social Work, 13(5), 224-234. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ajsw.v13i5.1 Visit journal website: https://ajsw.africasocialwork.net

Child Protective Services Reports After Reunification: An Examination of the Risk of Being Rereported to Child Protective Services After Returning Home From Foster Care.

While a number of studies have examined the risk of reentry after exiting foster care, few studies have examined the risk of rereport to Child Protective Services (CPS) in the United States. Understanding more about rereports may help identify targets for supportive services that prevent reentry and promote safety. This study is the first to use nation-wide linked data to examine the risk of rereport for reunified children. The sample included children reunified after experiencing their first episode in foster care with at least one CPS report prior to care. With a 2000-day observation period, flexible parametric survival models with time varying hazard ratios were used to model the hazard or rereport conditional on prior CPS and foster care characteristics. Over 50% of the sample experienced a rereport after reunification. Results indicate that children entering foster care following a history of multiple CPS reports prior to placement were at substantially increased risk of rereport after returning home. A group of children with shorter stays in care had a high risk of recurrence within the first month, but this was not true over time. Implications for future research as well as permanency planning and addressing the needs of families with chronic reports are discussed.

First Nations Children and Families and Permanency Planning Reform: The Evidence Counts

ABSTRACT Major permanency planning-based reforms transformed the New South Wales (NSW) out-of-home care (care) system between 2012 and 2022, in the face of strong, sustained opposition from First Peoples. Permanency, attachment and related notions, including the best interests of the child are all constructs central to permanency planning and crucial factors in judicial decision-making about children’s permanent care arrangements. Doctoral research conducted by the author, a Wiradjuri legal scholar, explored Aboriginal community member understandings of these concepts. With a focus on restoration, this article provides a critical commentary on aspects of the legislative changes implemented in NSW. Outlining literature relating to the reforms, the author notes the substantial lack of evidence from First Nations’ perspectives in support of the legislative changes made. Implications for both First Peoples and for social work are discussed. The article seeks to prompt reflection by social workers on how such evidence vacuums can cause harm to First Nations children and young people in statutory care. Social work spheres within child welfare and associated scholarship must centre First Peoples’ knowledge and experiences. If not, crucial conceptual and practice-related issues will remain poorly understood and profound child welfare system-related trauma caused to First Nations children and families will be perpetuated. IMPLICATIONS System reform relating to permanent care arrangements of First Nations children and young people must be grounded in First Nations-led evidence, including on permanency and attachment, and it must centre First Peoples’ perspectives and lived experience. Understanding and taking into account the perspectives of First Peoples is an important action social workers and other practitioners from non-Indigenous backgrounds must take in supporting First Nations children and families involved in care matters. Hence, there is a need for critical reflection in the social work sphere, about how child protection policies and legislation may benefit, or create harm to, First Nations communities. Advocacy for systems change is an important action social workers can take, when governments propose policies that First Peoples view as detrimental to support the long-term wellbeing of First Nations children.

최근 드론위협 양상에 따른 대응체계 발전방안

Drones are the best threat with maximum cost-effectiveness. It can be purchased at a reasonable and economical cost, and can be remotely separated and attacked through manipulation. Recently, it has been used as a major means in terms of hybrid and psychological warfare such as crime, terrorism, and war. However, the response system to the ever-increasing drone threat is weak. There is no effective countermeasure at the pan-government level.
 The purpose of this study is to respond to the increasing drone threats at home and abroad. It analyzes the response status related to drone threats and presents an effective response system within the golden time. In particular, it was analyzed in the governance response system of major related agencies. We would like to present policy development plans focusing on R&D technology development and the national terrorism response system.
 As a result of the analysis, it was proposed to develop core technologies linked to pan-government, research institutes, and companies based on the control tower. Second, a joint standard response manual based on the permanent planning of related agencies was presented. Third, the effective operation of joint training was presented. Finally, the establishment of drone disablement measures by related agencies.

Impact of legislative precision in the management of the Casbah

The historic centre of Algiers (Casbah) presents a state of severe decay. Laws and legislative measures have been promulgated in the past three decades to provide an adequate framework for the conservation of the old city.This paper investigates the law and subsequent legal instruments used in heritage management and the impact of legislative provisions on the management of the living historic centre of the Casbah of Algiers.Before the issuance of Algerian Law n°98–04 relating to the protection of cultural heritage, the role of the various entities managing the Casbah was rather unclear. This law provides more details about the structure of urban heritage management. Additionally, a new heritage protection tool came into existence (the PPSMVSS, i.e., the Permanent Plan for Safeguarding and Enhancement of the Safeguarded Sector).Difficulties encountered in the field concerning the application of legislative tools caused considerable delays in preservation actions on the ground. This paper provides an analysis of the contradictions between text enforcement and conservation plans to understand the main reasons that led to the degradation of the historic area. Accordingly, the paper proposes a number of solutions to be implemented by the Algerian authorities.

Assessment of Community Participation in Heritage Management in Algeria: Case of Safeguarded Sectors (Analysis Through Legislation Documents)

Heritage management in Algeria is a process governed by legal texts that date from the end of the 20th century. In the light of the international issues at stake in community-based management, it appears essential that heritage management in Algeria should be directed to participatory approaches with a vision of socio-cultural development and sustainability. This paper aims to investigate and assess community participation in the legislation regulating heritage management, specifically safeguarded areas and their permanent plans for safeguarding and enhancing safeguarded areas (PPSMVSS).To achieve this, a documentary research was carried out on several laws and executive decrees since Algeria's independence until 1998, when the current law No. 98-04 was promulgated. The findings reveal that local actors such as associations and the local population are poorly involved in participation and decision-making. The management of safeguarded areas in Algeria is a government-led process in in which the main actors are the relevant government and its institutions.
 
 Received: 13 February 2023 / Accepted: 23 April 2023 / Published: 5 May 2023

An examination of recent federal and philanthropic funding for child welfare research in the United States

This study identified the dollar value and research topics of federal and philanthropic grants made for child welfare research in a recent five-year period (2014–2018). More than $1 billion in child welfare research grants were identified and examined. Federal funding totaled $977 million and appeared to emphasize research related to evidence-based services and programs; child and youth behavioral health; behavioral health treatment; parent training and coaching; permanency planning and services; staff training; trauma-informed services; child developmental health; culturally competent services; case management; substance abuse treatment; birthparent services; systems reform and integration; implementation science and implementation evaluation; and adoption. Multi-state foundations funded $51 million in child welfare research, which appeared to emphasize mapping data related to child well-being; needs and services for adolescents ages 14–17 and young adults ages 18–25; independent living/transition services; education services; child and youth behavioral health; employment training/placement; systems integration/reform; child well-being indicators; research center support; needs and services for children ages 6–13; studies focused on urban areas; behavioral health treatment; building evidence on treatments and services; and juvenile justice, juvenile corrections, and juvenile probation. Foundations appear to fund areas that received fewer child welfare-related grants from federal agencies.

Reasons used by Flemish foster care workers in family reunification decision making

Decisions of child welfare workers regarding permanency planning, including a reunification with the birth parents, have a strong impact on the children and the parents. Although a safe reunification of children placed in out-of-home care is considered an important task of child welfare systems, limited research exists regarding reunification. The current study aims to uncover criteria used by Flemish foster workers to substantiate a reunification decision, how important these criteria are vis-à-vis each other and how difficult it is to assess these criteria. The criteria for reunification used by foster care workers were examined using concept mapping. Concept mapping resulted in 53 criteria clustered in six clusters ranked in descending importance: (1) Parents offer safety and focus on the child, (2) Conditions for parents, (3) Interest of the child, (4) Reunification is supported, (5) Conditions for the child and (6) Parents are willing to collaborate during and after reunification. The more important criteria are, the more difficult they are considered to assess. This research shows that the most important criteria are changes regarding safety and being able to focus on the interest of the child. Foster care workers consider most criteria easy to assess.

Planning Compact City in Rapidly Growing Cities—An Estimation of the Effects of New-Type Urbanization Planning in Hangzhou City

The Chinese New-type Urbanization (NTU) Plan indicated a major shift in planning towards compact development. This study developed an integrated framework to estimate the effectiveness of planning in promoting compact development in rapidly growing cities. We analyzed the coherence and conformance of planning, as well as the development outcome from a multi-dimensional perspective of compactness. Spatial data of both private and public development projects and big data of POI were employed for analysis in the case of Hangzhou. The findings indicate that land development efficiency and intensive urban functions at the local scale were significantly promoted after NTU planning’s initiation. However, the planning was inefficient in leading a more centralized development at the city scale. This could be attributed to the inability of the planning to resolve conflicts between growth pressure and compact goals, which is reflected in the incoherent control between the master and local plans. The inefficiency is further underlined by the insufficient connection between city-wide and subject plans, as well as the permanent planning of the Urban Development Boundary without specific tools. Particularly, planning performed weaker in controlling public projects due to dual-track planning institution. These conclusions suggest the urgency of enacting a planning system that dynamically links plans of different scales and functions as a crucial element for implementing compact development in rapidly growing areas.

Urban growth boundary: a revolution for low-carbon development.

A major environmental concern today is the carbon emissions caused by rapid urbanization. As the largest developing country and carbon emitter, China has controlled the urban growth boundary (UGB) as a quasi-experimental policy to achieve carbon neutrality. Therefore, this paper employs the difference in differences (DID) method, for panel data from 2000 to 2019 in China to shed light on the effects on carbon emissions. Results show that the UGB can reduce carbon emissions considerably. After the implementation of the policy, the carbon emissions of the pilot cities decreased by 23.91%. Additionally, a series of robustness tests such as PSM-DID and Placebo tests support the conclusions. Moreover, the greater influence is reflected in the scope of the whole city and the intensity of the permanent plan. The UGB is more susceptible to cities in the central and western areas and cities with weak environmental regulations. Through the mechanism tests, the emission reduction effect of the UGB will be greater in cities with larger vegetation coverage and advanced industry structure. Furthermore, our analysis suggests the UGB needs to be adequately promoted as a policy to achieve carbon neutrality in cities. To make the policy more effective, vegetation cover and industrial structure ought to be taken into consideration.

TEACHER AND LEARNER KNOWLEDGE OF COVID- 19 AND ITS MITIGATION STRATEGIES IN SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KAPIRI- MPOSHI DISTRICT, ZAMBIA

Purpose: This study examined the knowledge of teachers and learners of COVID-19 and further determined their awareness levels of the mitigation measures that were put in place by the government of the Republic of Zambia in order to ensure a safe and conducive environment for teaching and learning amidst the COVID – 19 pandemic.
 Methodology: The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional survey design, both qualitative and quantitative data were collected using a questionnaire consisting of 34 items, and focus group discussions were also done. Ten schools were selected using simple random sampling from the urban and rural parts of the district, from which fifty (50) grade and fifty (50) 12 learners and one hundred ten (110) teachers, giving a grand total of 210, were selected through simple random sampling. SPSS version 22 was used to analyze the data to generate descriptive statistics and other measures. Both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods were used. Qualitative data was collected through face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions, while a questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data. The results were presented using frequencies and percentages. Further statistical independent (2 tailed) Mann- Whitney U- tests were carried out to show whether there were differences in the research variables.
 Findings: The findings revealed that the participants were knowledgeable about the COVID-19 pandemic with a percentage of between 98% and 67%. In particular, participants indicated that they knew the various COVID-19 symptoms, methods of how COVID-19 spread, and that there was no vaccine at the time of the study. Further, this study showed that the participants were aware of the majority of the mitigation measures that the government through the Ministry of Health and Ministry of General Education put in place to curb the spread of the corona virus with a percentage of 99.5% to 67.5 %. Notably, participants showed that they were aware of mitigation measures such as social distancing, closure of schools, alternative ways of learning like online learning, television and radio education channels and, in some cases, homeschooling. Results from the U-test suggest that there was homogeneity between the participants across the various socio-demographic factors in terms of their COVID-19 knowledge and mitigation measures. These findings were also confirmed through the information obtained qualitatively through face- to- face interviews and focus group discussions.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study contributes to literature by providing more insight on the importance of teachers and learners being knowledgeable about what COVID-19 is, how it spreads and the mitigation measures. This is because when people are knowledgeable and aware of something, it becomes easier to prevent and control its transmission. Knowledge is important in ensuring successful implementation of many programmes such as preventing and controlling the spread of a pandemic. This study recommends that schools through the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health should come up with viable strategies and permanent plans that should be used during emergencies such as the COVID-19 by ensuring that supplies such as face masks, sanitizers and other accessories are always available. Cleanliness and washing hands and general hygiene should become part of the school cultures. Both the Ministry of Education and Health should enhance, maintain and continue their awareness and mitigation strategies on the Covid-19 pandemic.
 This study has been guided by the school adaptation model which comes from the perspective of Social Learning theory by Albert Bandura. According to Bandura (1997) school adaptation could be considered as the process in which students learn how to act in a way suited to a new environment. This theory guided this study and provided deeper understanding of the process of teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. It further gives insights on how both teachers and learners needed to adapt to the changing environment of learning and teaching amidst the corona virus pandemic

Identification, Classification, and Application of Mental Fitness Components in Sports Field

The study aimed to assess the impact of mental fitness factors on the development of physical, health, psychological, and social abilities on a group of students’ athletes at Northern Border University, where mental fitness plays major role to enhance athletes’ abilities in the sports field. The researcher used a descriptive analysis method approach; where constructed survey questionnaire applied for data collection, which used to measure the impact of mental fitness standards on the development of athletes' physical, psychological, and social abilities in Northern Border University. Sample was randomly selected of students’ athletes’ population at Northern Border University, they comprised of (91) male and female students. Result indicated a high statistically significant of agreement among the participants in the study on the importance of mental fitness in enhancing and developing each of physical, psychological, and social abilities, and all the main and sub-items were characterized by the importance and high degree to achieve the objectives of the study. The study also recommended the need to disseminate mental fitness standards among all university student-athletes, with the development of a permanent plan to develop mental fitness standards among university students, and the need to support the university and the Ministry of Higher Education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for various studies on the role of mental fitness in promoting and developing physical, psychological, and social abilities.

Awareness and Acceptance of Contraceptive Methods Among Women of Reproductive Age Attending Gynae Out-Patient Clinic at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Western Uttar Pradesh, India

Background: India is the second most populous country in the world. Appropriate knowledge and usage of contraception are important. Objective: This cross-sectional observational study was done to assess the awareness and usage of different methods of contraception among women of reproductive age group. Material and Methods: Six hundred women between the ages 18-45 years, attending Gynae OPD at SIMS, Hapur were interviewed with the help of a predesigned questionnaire from May 2019 to January 2020. Women having medical disorders were excluded. Results: Among 600 women, 52.5% were between 21 to 30 years of age. 81.2% had parity equal to or more than two. 86% of women were of rural origin and 66.5% belonged to the Muslim community. 85.3% of women were aware of barrier contraception, 81% were aware of natural methods, 47.7% knew about IUCD, and 57.5% were aware of OCP’s. 78.2% were aware of permanent methods of family planning. 96.3% of women were aware of at least one method of contraception. Only 37.4% of women were using contraception. There was a statistical difference among the rural and urban populations for awareness and usage of contraception. Conclusion: Despite awareness of contraception, in our study population, the acceptance of contraception was low in comparison to other studies. Fear of side effects is the most common reason for less usage.

RESULTS FROM A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF TEAM DECISION-MAKING

A particularly difficult task for child protection workers is deciding whether to separate a child from their family due to safety concerns. Team Decision Making (TDM) is a collaborative practice created by the Annie E. Casey Foundation (Casey) that child welfare agencies use to include family members for all decisions involving child removal, change of placement, reunification or other permanency plans. TDM is comprised of six elements, of which the key component is a meeting held to make safety-based decisions every time a safety assessment suggests a child may need to leave their home, regardless of court involvement. Prior evaluation established TDM as a promising practice.In this article, we present findings from a process and outcome evaluation of the initial removal TDM model in two implementation sites in Missouri from 2015 to 2019. The sample included 1,423 children clustered within 709 cases (268 control; 441 treatment). Analyses focused on workers’ perceptions included 459 cases (172 Control; 287 Treatment). Treatment group cases were more likely than those in the control group to have their worker report having sufficient information to make a decision. Treatment group children were less likely to experience a custody episode within two weeks related to the initial TDM referral, and within one year related to any allegation (i.e., if there was a subsequent allegation after the initial TDM referral). There was no evidence that children receiving an initial TDM meeting were more likely to experience maltreatment than children who received standard investigation services. TDM was implemented with fidelity to the model, with some exceptions. Overall, the study found TDM to be a practice in which: (1) children experienced better child welfare outcomes on some, but not all measures examined; (2) workers expressed appreciation for the process and reported being better informed about the child and family; and (3) parents, family members, and community supports expressed satisfaction with the experience. This study provides needed evidence that TDM is a useful and helpful practice and one that is of benefit to the child welfare field.

How collective interactions and institutional logics influence permanency planning in child protection in Quebec

BackgroundIn the Canadian province of Quebec, placing children in foster care is an exceptional measure whose ultimate goal is family reunification. When child-protection workers decide that reunification is unlikely, they must design permanency plans that ensure continuity of care and stable relationships for the child. Most studies of this important decision-making process have focused on individual practitioners as if they acted alone. This process is collective, interactive, and influenced by various contextual elements. ObjectiveThe objective of this exploratory study was to examine the collective, interactive aspects of the decision-making process involved in permanency planning. Participants and settingThe participants were key players involved in child-protection decisions at an Integrated University Health and Social Services Centre (CIUSSS). MethodsThe theoretical approach of this study combines Giddens's structuration theory with ethnomethodology. Data were collected through interviews with 16 key players and nine months of observing advisory-committee meetings. ResultsIn making permanent placement decisions, the participants must engage in extensive interactions with one another. They must also apply various institutional (clinical, legal, and managerial) logics with differing goals and differing operational frameworks, the tensions among which make the process more complex and challenging. ConclusionsOur findings highlight the complexity of making permanent placement decisions and the importance of interaction and collaboration in this process. These findings suggest that management of this process should focus not on holding practitioners accountable and penalizing them for mistakes, but rather on providing adequate conditions for practice to facilitate thoughtful collective deliberation and learning and ethical decision-making.

Indivisible by Daniel Aleman

Reviewed by: Indivisible by Daniel Aleman Elizabeth Bush Aleman, Daniel Indivisible. Little, 2021 [400p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780759556058 $18.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780759554979 $9.99 Reviewed from digital galleys Ad Gr. 6-9 Sixteen year old Mateo (Matt) Garcia has his life pretty well under control, with parents who fully support his gay identity, good friends, success in school, and an aspiration to study drama at NYU’s Tisch School after graduation. Then ICE blasts it all to pieces, picking up his undocumented parents in a sweep and sending Pa to jail and Ma to an upstate detention center. In the blink of an eye, Matt becomes responsible for his seven-year-old sister, Sophie, as well as the family bodega and their rent-controlled apartment. Pa had quietly prepared for this, and he urges Matt to accept help from Jorge, a family friend who has legal ownership of the [End Page 374] bodega. Overwhelmed, Matt swallows his pride and moves with Sophie into the tiny apartment where Jorge lives with his wife and baby daughter. The tension of tight quarters, extra work hours, neglected friendships, high-stakes immigration hearings, his parents’ deportation, and emotionally charged FaceTime calls at all hours eventually strain this interim arrangement, and Matt decides to move himself and Sophie in with a school friend. When traumatized Sophie runs away in a hopeless attempt to rejoin Ma and Pa in Mexico, the family is forced to make new and permanent plans that upend everything they had worked for in America. Aleman’s portrayal of the pressure cooker that squeezes not only the Garcias but everyone who tries to love and support them is credible and heartbreaking. Given the carefully charted plotting of the family’s tragedy, though, the conclusion in which everybody gets a just-in-time happy ending inadvertently lets an inflexible and unfeeling immigration system off the hook. If only all separated immigrant families had Aleman scripting their future. Copyright © 2021 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

Obstacles of Implementing Total Quality Management in Higher Education Institutions: Academic Staff’ perspective

Abstract Total quality management (TQM) in higher education is a new management philosophy that leads universities based on the needs of students and the surrounding community. Aim: To identify obstacles of implementing TQM in higher education institutions from academic staff perspective. Design: A descriptive explorative research design was used. Setting: This study was conducted in Nursing, Engineering, Art and commerce Faculties at South Valley University (SVU). Subjects: A convenience sample of (160) academic staff was included. Tools: Self-administrated questionnaire was used for data collection. Results: It showed that the high mean score of TQM application obstacles was related to financial resources, while low mean score was related to top management (20.44±3.753m 17.54± 4.713) respectively. There were statistically significant differences between TQM application obstacles and personal characteristics of participants and between obstacles and application of TQM. Conclusion: The application of TQM in higher education institutions will only be accomplished by providing of supportive infrastructure for change and development of qualified human resources, material, technical infrastructures and update resources for education and learning and all educational institutions and its components should have a genuine desire to work and implement the standards that can represent a permanent plan. Recommendations: Policy maker at SVU must use strategic long term planning and effective policy for services quality; provide training courses and workshops in the field of TQM application.