Browsing by Subject "quality"

Targets. Lately more emphasis than ever before has been given to bringing forth and taking into account children’s perspective in matters that concern them. It is also purpose of this study to give the voice to children and shed light on their perspective. This study is a part of extensive early childhood education development and research project, Orientaatioprojekti, operated by Helsinki University (Department of Teacher Education), ten municipalities in Keski-Uusimaa area and Hämeenlinna. The research is related to the day care quality evaluation (spring 2012). The main interest of the study was to examine things and situations children told they found unpleasant in day care center, also in relation to child’s gender and age. To better understand the results, the narrations and the consistency of the answers as well as children’s general satisfaction towards the day care were also examined. Methods. The research participants were 573 children, ages ranging from 1 to 8. Parents collected the data by interviewing. Two closed and one open-ended questions were analysed in this research and those questions dealt with children’s general satisfaction in day care center and what do they found unpleasant there. Parents recorded the answers to the web form and the data was then transferred to Excel software. Answers of the closed questions were examined through basic descriptive statistics. The unpleasant things and situations in the open-ended question were analysed through qualitative content analysis. Additionally, the appearance of the answers was also analysed. Used methods there were mostly outlined by researcher herself but some features of discourse analyse were also utilized. Results and conclusions. Most of the children stated that they feel mainly comfortable in day care center. The children mentioned different types of unpleasant things and situations and those were explained in various ways. Above all the challenges in peer relationships were on children’s mind. The peer group pointed out significant but the interaction was not always trouble-free. It seems to be important for children to practice and develop their social skills. Besides of these answers many children found the nap time as a single daily routine to be unpleasant. The number of nap time mentions varied a lot between different sexes and ages. There were also some other differences between the answers of children of different sexes and ages. For example, relatively many of the youngest ones did not answer to the open question at all.

The aim of the study was to find out what kind of view on product quality dressmaker and customer have, how the views differ from each other and how the difference affects dressmaker's work as an entrepreneur. The research data consists of eight thematic interviews: four dressmakers and four customers were interviewed for the study. In the core of customised dressmaking is a relationship between a maker and a client. The product of a dressmaker, a unique dress, is created in an immediate interaction between a dressmaker and a client. Also the quality of a unique dress derives from this interaction. In the results of this study, the views on quality are linked with six themes: dress, process, dressmaker, customer, interaction and enterprise. The dressmakers and the customers agree that the quality of a custom-made dress is based on unique fit. Describing the process the dressmakers insist on the quality of manufacturing. The clients' view on process insists on those phases where they themselves take part: designing and fitting. The personality of the dressmaker is part of quality in both the dressmakers' and the customers' points of view. The dressmakers and the customers are also aware of the customers impact on fulfilling the expectations. The immediate interaction between dressmaker and customer is a key to the unique dressmaking. At its best the interaction is followed by a trusting relationship. Entrustment derives also from a good reputation, which is essential in dressmaker-entrepreneurs marketing strategy. The dressmakers' views on quality are product- and manufacturing-based. According to the results of the study there can be seen different types of dressmakers, that emphasise different aspects of quality. At the other end is a manufacturing-based, even transcendent view on quality, which rests on the values of the dressmaker. At the other end lies a customer- and value-based approach, which is founded on fulfilling the expectations and needs of the customer. In their views on quality the customers emphasise the immediate interaction between dressmaker and client.