Generolo Jono Žemaičio Lietuvos karo akademija

Ensuring the quality of the various processes is essential to the effective functioning of an organisation. One way to achieve this is to assess the quality of the organisation’s performance. This process involves both self-assessment and external evaluation, which are carried out using different methodological approaches to evaluation. It should be stressed that the outcome of the quality assessment also depends on the choice of a methodological approach and its correct use from a methodological perspective. The aim of this paper is to present methodological approaches to assessing the quality of organisational performance. The paper focuses on action research as a methodological approach to evaluation and case studies as a methodological approach to external evaluation, showing how the two are closely interrelated and how they can be used more frequently and successfully in quality management research.

Victimization is the process of assuming the role of a victim. Even early criminological theories indicated how important an individual’s personality can be in this process. In contemporary theories of the psychopathology, the causes of vulnerability to becoming a victim lie in maladaptive schemas, i.e. dysfunctional patterns of thinking, behaviour and experiencing emotions. Research indicates that, in particular, the area of disconnection / rejection that develops in early childhood in relationships with parents and / or peers promotes susceptibility to victimization. The article describes the cases of three patients who were diagnosed with the indicated patterns in the area of disconnection / rejection, as a result of experiencing direct violence in their childhood. Their examples show how the tendency to become a victim continues in adulthood. It seems important to recognize maladaptive schemas, also in the context of the victimization process. Proper work with the victims of crime can be the basis for environmental change, which will be important both for avoiding victimisation in the future, but also for stabilizing the negative behaviour of the perpetrators themselves.

In impending decades Industrie 4.0 will challenge us in how to re-invent jobs in a world where machines will take our jobs. Although plenty of research has been carried out on the strategic importance of resources, capabilities, and boundaries where knowledge must be shared and assessed, no studies have been found which looking on strategic factor analysis for understanding how prepared we are for the fourth industrial revolution. Therefore asking the central research question “Is our strategy ready for the fourth industrial revolution?” Comparing the strategically related general and significant categories and subcategories of Industrie 4.0, with the strategic factor analysis summary themes and most important subcategories from firms in Estonia (n = 123), allowed answering the central research question that our strategy is only partly ready for the fourth industrial revolution. But the results of this study indicate also that we are ready in employee development, values, flexible services and products, high quality target, customer orientation, and strategy. Proposed solutions to overcome low profitability, lack of qualified manpower, and growth, could be expanding the market share into new markets, and development of innovative services. In order to be prepared for the fourth industrial revolution the development of a strategic knowledge vision is needed.