Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Dynamism'

Monumentality derives from the eternal need of people to own symbols to reveal their inner life and social conceptions. I want to design a building to represent Modern Monumentality. This project came from the idea of " Serenity and Dynamism", which came from the famous wood-print " The Great Wave off Kanagawa". Mont Fuji is the symbol of Japan, a sacrid object of worship, and holding a place in Japanese beliefs. Mont Fuji gave the direction in my thesis. This project can wake up memories in local residents' deep minds. Architecture can be a bridge to make a connection between the past and the future. It's not only the memory, but also a sense of identity.
Master of Architecture
This project came from the idea of " Serenity and Dynamism", which came from the famous wood-print "The Great Wave off Kanagawa". This building design is a way to acheive my initial purpose to present Modern Monumentality. Those efforts I did is to fulfill the original topic of 'New Monumentality'. People need Monumentality to reveal their inner life and their beliefs. This building gives an opportunity to let people to stay closer to their worship. There are lots of elements in the project, and each of them plays a very important role in it. This urban-scale building consists of ideas, form, function, structure, materials, details and human consideration, etc. None of them can be set aside. Stimulated and guided by knowledge, I developed forms and structures to fit for materials and construction methods. This project can wake up memories in local residents' deep minds. Architecture can be a bridge to make a connection between the past and the future. It's not only the memory, but also a sense of identity.

The purpose of this study is, first of all, to establish contrast and dynamism as a method to figure out the static and uniform experience through space. Second, through a study of books and an analysis of previous works of other architects, it will give a direction on how the actual design would be used in reality by finding the effects of contrast and dynamism, and finally, based on the analysis above, it will show a gallery design with contrast and dynamism, which will ultimately provide a guide to a better or more vivid spatial composition. This study provides an understanding of how the perceptual contrast and dynamism not only appear on interior, but also on exterior space composition. Works of great contemporary architects, focusing on exhibition buildings were chosen for the analysis. A classification of the effects that generate contrast and dynamism can be different by various standards. Since there have not been any previous studies of a gallery design, this analysis is classified subjectively based on documents. The site is in the Olympic Park, Seoul, South Korea. The park has a total of 291 hectares, which takes a good three hours to walk all around the Olympic Park on foot. There are six stadiums, such as cycling, fencing, weight-lifting, gymnastics, tennis and swimming. The park has also an open-air Sculpture Park with its over 200 modern sculptures in stone, metal, timber and glass, donated in celebration of the Olympics by the artists from the 66 participating countries in the World International Open Air Sculpture Exhibition. Near the sports venues is a lake with water foundation and some lawn areas.
Master of Architecture

In the late 1960s a group of women became interested in forming a chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) in Richmond. These women, led by Zelda Nordlinger and Holt Carlton, followed a pragmatic, big-tent approach to women’s activism. This ideological and tactical openness defies traditional historical labels as these women fluidly moved through organizations and tactics in order to gain a stronger local following. Richmond’s NOW chapter, while staying attuned to the national organization’s platform, remained relatively autonomous and parochial in its tactics and pursuits. Further, Richmond NOW showed a marked change around 1974 with an influx of newer women into the organization. The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) struggle provided the local movement with new prominence. With the interjection of new blood the chapter saw a shift in its tactics and policy. The newer cohort of women maintained a belief in a pragmatic, big-tent approach; however, they interpreted it differently. The chapter became more procedural and organizationally based. It also narrowed its focus and tactics, seeing the first generation’s free-wheeling style as a hindrance to organizational success. The different political experiences of these two cohorts led to different visions of Richmond’s NOW chapter.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of outsourcing dynamism on firm’s innovativeness.

Design/methodology/approach: The cited case concerns a small family manufacturing firm located in Sweden, producing electrostatic precipitators, and operating globally. An analysis of the relation between outsourcing as a strategy and development of core-activities was done to see the effect on innovativeness over time.

Findings: The outsourcing dynamism shows that a high level of outsourcing has a positive effect on firm´s Innovativeness. Focus on the core activities by outsourcing the non-core activities increase knowledge and skills, which in turn boost firm´s innovativeness.

Originality/value: An up to date picture on the positive effects of outsourcing on firm’s innovativeness.

Keywords: Core-competence, Core-activities, Innovation, Innovativeness, Innovative performance, Outsourcing, Outsourcing as a strategy.

Paper type: Scientific article.

The topic of this thesis is economic dynamism. The five articles contribute to the literature on firm entry and firm growth. Studies are based on a dataset covering all Swedish limited liability firms between 1997 and 2010. The first article investigates conditions for firm entry in Sweden, distinguishing regular entrants from entrants that survive for at least two years, modelling the firm entry decision using count data models. While high income and a well-educated population had a positive effect, the effect was more important for surviving entrants. The second article uses a similar method, but focuses on wholesale industries and distinguishes between regular entry and in migration of firms, i.e. when an incumbent firm relocates its operations. Access to a university, many educated workers and low local taxes had positive effects. Better access to infrastructure had a strong positive effect on entrants, but it was smaller for in-migrating firms. The third article investigates if the industry context matters for whether Gibrat’s law holds, i.e. whether firm growth is independent of firm size. The law is found more likely to be rejected in industries with a high minimum efficient scale and a large number of firms located in metropolitan areas, but more likely to hold in industries with high market concentration and more group ownership. The fourth and fifth article contribute to the high-growth firms (HGFs) literature. In the fourth article it is examined whether the way HGFs are defined matters for the policy implications. It is found that the economic contributions of HGFs differ significantly depending on definition. Young firms are however more likely to be HGFs irrespective of definition. The fifth article considers the frequent argument that policymakers should target high-tech firms, i.e., firms with high R&D intensity, because such firms are thought more likely to become HGFs. We examine this assumption by studying the industry distribution of HGFs. Results indicate that industries with high R&D intensity, ceteris paribus, can be expected to have a lower share of HGFs than can industries with lower R&D intensity. By contrast, we find that HGFs are overrepresented in service industries with a high share of human capital.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Cincinnati, 2005.
Title from electronic thesis title page (viewed Apr. 11, 2006). Includes abstract. Keywords: opportunity recognition; new enterprise creation; cognition; entrepreneurship. Includes bibliographical references.

The modern business environment is complex, dynamic, and has unpredictable moments. This is creating adaptive challenges for leaders worldwide and enhancing the need for organisational adaptability, complex responses and leadership with adaptive competencies. Leadership remains at the centre of enabling renewal, reconfiguration and adapting to changing market conditions. Operational capabilities facilitate efficiency and are geared for stable environment. Faced with unpredictable environments, dynamic capabilities offer a solution for leaders and organisations. As a result, there is a need to expand knowledge on understanding the mediating role of environmental dynamism on the relationship complexity leadership has with dynamic capabilities. This study examined the mediating effect environmental dynamism had in the relationship complexity leadership has with dynamic capabilities. This study aims to uncover some untapped potential complexity leadership offers to dynamic capabilities. Findings from this study could contribute to leadership development in organisations seeking to adapt and increase competitiveness. Leadership in firms will benefit from knowing and using complexity leadership traits to influence organisational outcomes. Using SEM, 953 responses were collected using an electronic survey and statistically analysed to test the hypothesised mediation. The results indicated environmental dynamisms partially mediation the relationship complexity leadership has with dynamic capabilities. Understanding the role of dynamic capabilities and complexity leadership in achieving competitive advantage will benefit both academia and practice.
Mini Dissertation (MPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2020.
pt2021
Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
MPhil
Unrestricted

'Terroir' is a concept that is used in France, and increasingly elsewhere, to evoke character and quality in food and drink in relation to the place it comes from. In this thesis, I investigate how terroir has attained its present-day economic value and cultural resonance; how it is subject to multiple forms of articulation across France; and how it is put to use as part of the philosophies and practices of environmentally sustainable modes of production. I use cultural and historical modes of enquiry and I draw upon interviews, participant observation, discourse and archive analysis carried out on fieldwork in three production chains in eastern France; being wine production in Burgundy, walnut production in the Isère valley, and Reblochon cheese production in the Alps. In the course of this thesis, I elucidate the cultural significance and epistemology of the concept, and make arguments that propositions for terroir consist of both specific geographical extent and historical density of explanation; that the rhetorical assembly of stories about terroir permits claims for continuity in production and tradition; and that the adoption of organic and biodynamic methods of farming troubles inherited understandings of what terroir is, through the intervention of the lively propensities of biotic actors. This is a story about food, farming and culture in France that I tell to critically examine the local, loyal and constant predicates of terroir, and to make an original contribution to our understanding of the cultural and historical background to the French and European systems of geographical protection in food and drink.

[ES] Las playas son espacios costeros que desarrollan numerosas funciones ambientales. Éstas proporcionan importantes beneficios a la sociedad y a las comunidades costeras, entre las que destacan la función ecológica, el suministro de protección para los territorios costeros y el hecho de que constituyen un recurso básico de la industria turística. De forma ligada al cambio climático, así como a acciones humanas que alteran el dinamismo natural de la costa, las playas están experimentando procesos erosivos cada vez más dañinos que afectan a su integridad física y al mantenimiento de sus funciones. La gestión de las playas en muchas ocasiones no se encuentra adaptada a las particularidades de los diferentes segmentos costeros. La toma de decisiones no se sustenta en información suficiente sobre las características, el dinamismo y el estado actual de las playas, dando lugar a soluciones cortoplacistas o ineficaces. Las características geomorfológicas son esenciales en el desarrollo de sus funciones al condicionar sus dimensiones físicas y su comportamiento frente a la acción del mar. Por ello, su caracterización de forma detallada y actualizada es necesaria para llevar a cabo acciones eficientes, permitiendo virar hacia una gestión costera más ecosistémica y sostenible. Las técnicas de teledetección presentan una gran capacidad para la adquisición de datos de la superficie terrestre. En concreto, los satélites Sentinel-2 y Landsat (5, 7 y 8) permiten disponer de forma gratuita imágenes de resolución media con cobertura mundial y alta frecuencia de revisitado. Los algoritmos de extracción de la línea de costa desarrollados recientemente por el Grupo de Cartografia GeoAmbiental y Teledetección (CGAT - UPV) permiten definir sobre estas imágenes la posición de la línea de costa, constituyendo datos potencialmente útiles para describir la morfología de las playas y su dinamismo. Universalizar su aplicación requiere su testeo y validación en diferentes tipos de costa. Para ello, el proceso de extracción ha sido adaptado para su explotación en entornos mareales, y las líneas de costa resultantes han sido evaluadas ante diferentes condiciones oceanográficas ofreciendo una precisión cercana a los 5 m RECM (raíz del error cuadrático medio). Teniendo en cuenta las necesidades de información para la gestión existentes, a partir de estas líneas de costa se propone derivar indicadores que permitan caracterizar la geomorfología de las playas y monitorizar sus cambios. Para ello, las metodologías propuestas aseguran una gestión eficiente de grandes volúmenes de líneas de costa, siendo así capaces de caracterizar las playas cubriendo grandes territorios y periodos de tiempo. Así se derivan el ancho de playa y el tamaño de los granos de sedimento como indicadores objetivos y fácilmente comprensibles de la geomorfología de la playa. La modelización espacio-temporal del estado y los cambios de la línea de costa y de la anchura posibilita monitorizar la respuesta de las playas a temporales y a actuaciones antrópicas, permitiendo analizar los cambios ocurridos cada pocos días hasta cubrir décadas. Su cobertura espacial junto a la integración con otras bases de datos cartográficas permite caracterizar la influencia de la geomorfología de la playa en el desempeño de sus funciones, permitiendo un análisis holístico de la costa a escala regional. Las metodologías desarrolladas en esta tesis y los indicadores derivados desde la teledetección brindan apoyo para dotar de criterios y priorizar las acciones de los gestores. Se contribuye así a llenar el espacio existente entre la disponibilidad de técnicas para obtener información remota y su aplicación en los procesos de toma de decisiones sobre la costa.
[CAT] Les platges són espais costaners que desenvolupen nombroses funcions ambientals. Aquestes proporcionen importants beneficis a la societat i comunitats costaneres, entre les quals destaquen la funció ecològica, el subministrament de protecció per als territoris costaners i el fet que constitueixen un recurs bàsic de la indústria turística. De forma lligada al canvi climàtic, així com a accions humanes que alteren el dinamisme natural de la costa, les platges estan experimentant processos erosius cada vegada més nocius que afecten la seua integritat física i al manteniment de les seues funcions. La gestió de les platges en moltes ocasions no es troba adaptada a les particularitats dels diferents segments costaners. La presa de decisions no es sustenta en informació suficient sobre les característiques, el dinamisme i l'estat actual de les platges, donant lloc a solucions curtterministes o ineficaces. Les característiques geomorfològiques són essencials en el desenvolupament de les seues funcions en condicionar les seues dimensions físiques i el seu comportament enfront de l'acció de la mar. Per això, la seua caracterització de manera detallada i actualitzada és necessària per a dur a terme accions eficients, permetent virar cap a una gestió costanera més ecosistèmica i sostenible. Les tècniques de teledetecció presenten una gran capacitat per a l'adquisició de dades de la superfície terrestre. En concret, els satèl·lits Sentinel-2 i Landsat (5, 7 i 8) permeten disposar de manera gratuïta d'imatges de resolució mitjana amb cobertura mundial i alta freqüència de captura d'informació a un mateix punt. Els algorismes d'extracció de la línia de costa desenvolupats recentment pel Grup de Cartografia Geo-Ambiental i Teledetecció (CGAT - UPV) permeten definir sobre aquestes imatges la posició de la línia de costa, constituint dades potencialment útils per descriure la morfologia de les platges i el seu dinamisme. Universalitzar la seua aplicació requereix el seu testatge i validació en diferents tipus de costa. Per a això, el procés d'extracció ha sigut adaptat per a la seua explotació en entorns mareals, i les línies de costa resultants han sigut avaluades davant diferents condicions oceanogràfiques oferint una precisió pròxima als 5 m RMSE (arrel de l'error quadràtic mitjà). Tenint en compte les necessitats d'informació per a la gestió existents, a partir d'aquestes línies de costa es proposa derivar indicadors que permeten caracteritzar la geomorfologia de les platges i monitorar els seus canvis. Per a això, les metodologies proposades asseguren una gestió eficient de grans volums de línies de costa, sent així capaces de caracteritzar les platges cobrint grans territoris i períodes de temps. Així es deriven l'ample de platja i la grandària dels grans de sediment com a indicadors objectius i fàcilment comprensibles de la geomorfologia de la platja. La modelització espai-temporal de l'estat i els canvis de la línia de costa i de l'amplària possibilita monitorar la resposta de les platges a temporals i a actuacions antròpiques, permetent analitzar els canvis ocorreguts cada pocs dies fins a cobrir dècades. La seua cobertura espacial al costat de la integració amb altres bases de dades cartogràfiques permet caracteritzar la influència de la geomorfologia de la platja en l'acompliment de les seues funcions, permetent una anàlisi holística de la costa a escala regional. Les metodologies desenvolupades en aquesta tesi i els indicadors derivats des de la teledetecció brinden suport per a dotar de criteris i prioritzar les accions dels gestors. Es contribueix així a omplir l'espai existent entre la disponibilitat de tècniques per a obtenir informació remota i la seua aplicació en els processos de presa de decisions sobre la costa.
[EN] Beaches are coastal spaces that perform numerous environmental functions. They provide important benefits to society and coastal communities, including the ecological function, the provision of protection for coastal territories, and constitute a basic resource for the tourism industry. Due to climate change and human actions that alter the natural dynamism of the coast, beaches are experiencing increasingly harmful erosive processes that affect their physical integrity and the maintenance of their ecological functions. Beach management is often not adapted to the particularities of the different coastal segments. Decision-making is not based on sufficient information about characteristics, dynamism, and current state of beaches, resulting in short or ineffective solutions. Geomorphological characteristics are essential in the development of beach functions as they condition their physical dimensions and their behavior in response to the action of the sea. Therefore, their detailed and updated characterization is necessary to carry out efficient actions, allowing a more ecosystemic and sustainable coastal management. Remote sensing techniques have a great capacity for acquiring data from the land surface. In particular, Sentinel-2 and Landsat (5, 7, and 8) satellites freely provide medium resolution images with global coverage and high-revisit frequency. The algorithms for extracting the water/land interface recently developed by the Geo-Environmental Cartography and Remote Sensing Group (CGAT - UPV) allow defining the position of the shoreline on these images, constituting potentially useful data to describe beach morphology and dynamics. Universalizing their application requires testing and validation at different coastal types. For this purpose, the extraction process has been adapted for exploitation in tidal environments, and the resulting shorelines have been assessed under different oceanographic conditions offering an accuracy close to 5 m RMSE (Root-Mean-Square Error). From these shorelines, and taking into account the existing information needs for management, it is proposed to derive indicators to characterize the geomorphology of the beaches and to monitor their changes. To this end, the proposed methodologies ensure the efficient management of large volumes of shorelines, being able to characterize the beaches along broad coastal segments and periods. Thus, beach width and sediment grain size are derived as objective and easily understandable indicators of the beach geomorphology. Spatial-temporal modeling of the state and changes of shoreline position and beach width makes it possible to monitor the response to storms and anthropogenic actions, allowing to analyze changes that occur every few days or over decades. The large spatial coverage together with the integration with other cartographic databases allows characterizing the influence of beach geomorphology in the performance of its functions, offering a holistic view of the coast from a regional scale. The methodologies developed in this thesis and the indicators derived from remote sensing provide support and criteria for prioritizing the actions of managers. This contributes to fill the gap between the availability of techniques to obtain remote information and its application in the coastal decision-making process.
This research integrates findings and results obtained within the framework of the contract FPU15/04501 granted to the author by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sports, which has allowed this doctoral thesis to become a reality. The research has been supported by the funds of the project RESETOCOAST, by the Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Competitiveness (chapters 2 to 5), and the project MONOBESAT PID2019-111435RB-I00 by the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities (chapter 6). About my stay in Portugal, it was possible with the funds of the Erasmus+ program. The contribution of Ó. Ferreira was funded by EW-COAST (PTDC/CTA-OHR/28657/2017) and by FCT and Univ. Algarve through the grant UID/MAR/00350/2013, while S. Costas’ was funded by IF/01047/2014. The following institutions have provided free access to essential data for the development of the publications that constitute this thesis: ESA and USGS for the satellite imagery; Puertos del Estado, and the Portuguese Hydrographic Institute in collaboration with CIMA for supplying oceanographic data; Ministry MITECO and DGSCM for data regarding beach sedimentology and nourishments.
Cabezas Rabadán, C. (2021). Beach Morphology and its Dynamism from Remote Sensing for Coastal Management Support [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/165076
TESIS

This study determines the influence of causation versus effectuation on entrepreneurial firm survival in high and low dynamism industries. Causation approaches a problem with the end in mind while effectuation’s point of departure is the means. Causal logic predicts a best case future scenario and then gathers the necessary resources to realize that scenario. This is contrasted by effectual logic that attempts to “control” the future by making use of the resources in hand (and those that can be borrowed) while trying to achieve the best possible result. The study consists of a means analysis testing for firm survival in highly dynamic industries per “pure” causal or effectual approach and of a variance analysis, testing for survival as a function of the mixed use of causation and effectuation in both high and low dynamism industries. The product of the means analysis indicates that only two entrepreneurs out of a cohort of 1771 follow a “pure” causal or “pure” effectual approach. As a result of this finding the incidence of “pure” causal or effectual approaches in either high or low dynamism industries is negligible. The output from the variance analysis indicates that causation is a significantly better predictor of entrepreneurial survival than effectuation in both high and low dynamism industries at a 99% confidence level. Below is a summary of the survival probabilities for both high and low dynamism industries across the causal/effectual decision spectrum.This study determines the influence of causation versus effectuation on entrepreneurial firm survival in high and low dynamism industries. Causation approaches a problem with the end in mind while effectuation’s point of departure is the means. Causal logic predicts a best case future scenario and then gathers the necessary resources to realize that scenario. This is contrasted by effectual logic that attempts to “control” the future by making use of the resources in hand (and those that can be borrowed) while trying to achieve the best possible result. The study consists of a means analysis testing for firm survival in highly dynamic industries per “pure” causal or effectual approach and of a variance analysis, testing for survival as a function of the mixed use of causation and effectuation in both high and low dynamism industries. The product of the means analysis indicates that only two entrepreneurs out of a cohort of 1771 follow a “pure” causal or “pure” effectual approach. As a result of this finding the incidence of “pure” causal or effectual approaches in either high or low dynamism industries is negligible. The output from the variance analysis indicates that causation is a significantly better predictor of entrepreneurial survival than effectuation in both high and low dynamism industries at a 99% confidence level. Below is a summary of the survival probabilities for both high and low dynamism industries across the causal/effectual decision spectrum. Copyright
Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010
Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
unrestricted

Thesis advisor: John Sallis
Henri Bergson’s interpretation of Aristotle has not been adequately considered in scholarship. Bergson was greatly inspired by Aristotle’s method and discoveries in psychology and metaphysics, but Bergson also accused Aristotle of having reduced philosophy to an analysis of language. Beneath the apparent rigid formalism of Aristotelian logic, he had in fact described life in a dynamic and qualitatively rich way that is consonant with Bergson’s “qualitative multiplicity.” I show the commonalities between their philosophies and suggest ways of interpreting Aristotle from a Bergsonian perspective. In tracking all Bergson’s discussions of Aristotle—some very critical and reductive; others quite favorable and generous—it becomes evident that Aristotle’s dynamic sense of being describes qualitative multiplicity. This becomes clear when we examine the interrelated problems of movement, force, life, intuition, the soul, embodiment, time, ethics, and art. The theory of dynamics, or the dynamic sense of being, is the underlying thread which weaves these topics together in both Aristotelianism and Bergsonism. This dissertation demonstrates how effort and energy, constituting a hylomorphic unity of experience, provides phenomenological evidence grounding the theory of dynamics. The work of Bergson’s mentor, Félix Ravaisson, is decisive in this historical reconstruction. Ravaisson’s dynamic interpretation highlights Aristotle’s own critiques of logical formalism and presents an intuitive knowledge of life which is inexpressible in language. Bergson clearly borrows insights from Ravaisson’s interpretation but also discredits the validity of them. The burgeoning field of phenomenological interpretations of Aristotle contribute to the dynamic interpretation. I use this scholarship to refute aspects of Bergson’s logical interpretation. In sum, I show that Aristotle’s theory of dynamics is the central paradigm for his whole philosophy, tying together his physics, biology, psychology, epistemology, aesthetics and ethics. Bergson built further upon dynamics, evolving it endogenously, in order to create his qualitative multiplicity, flowing of duration, and élan vital. After critiquing the logical interpretations of Aristotle for their reliance on a metaphysics of presence, it becomes clear Aristotle had already described intensity, continuity, sympathy, and developmental progression as qualitative multiplicity, along the lines of Bergson. Key Words: Dynamism, Continuity, Virtual, Intensity, Development, Analogy, Integral, Concrete, Presence, Time, Energeia, Entelecheia, Movement, Invention, Intuition, Derivation, Habit, Intelligence, Indivisibility, Number, Qualitative, Multiplicity, Auto Affection, Phenomena, Aesthetics, Life
Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021
Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Discipline: Philosophy

In this thesis, we present our approach to add dynamism support to simulation environments, which adopts DEVS-based modeling and simulation approach and builds upon previous work on SiMA, a DEVS-based simulation framework developed at TUBITAK UEKAE. Defining and executing simulation models of complex and adaptive systems is often a non-trivial task. One of the requirements of simulation software frameworks for such complex and adaptive systems is that supporting variable structure models, which can change their behavior and structure according to the changing conditions. In the relevant literature there are already proposed solutions to the dynamism support problem. One particular contribution offered in this study over previous approaches is the systematic and automatic framework support for poststructural-change state synchronization among models with related couplings, in a way that benefits from the strongly-typed execution environment SiMA provides. In this study, in addition to introducing theoretical extensions to classic SiMA, performance comparisons of dynamic version with classic version over a sample Wireless Sensor Network simulation is provided and possible effects of dynamism extensions to the performance are discussed.

The impetus for the current study was to provide a better understanding of the small manufacturing firms operating under varying environmental conditions (dynamism). This study investigated the influence of dynamism on important strategy variables such as strategy, structure, production technologies employed, and performance. The results indicated that small manufacturing firms, depending on the environmental dynamism, tend to a adopt one of two adaptation approaches: product oriented, and operations oriented. It was shown that small manufacturing firms operating in unstable environments tend to have an organic organisational structure, follow differentiation strategies, and employ non-routine production technologies (product oriented approach), while small manufacturing firms operating in stable environments tend to adopt a mechanistic structure, along with price/cost leadership strategy, and employ routine manufacturing technologies. These findings advances the previous work don e by Miles and Snow, by clarifying that where they (Miles and Snow) have identified four generic adaptation types for all firms, it can be reduced to two for small manufacturing firms. This study also investigated a much discussed issue of planned versus emergent approaches to strategy formulation processes. The findings rejects both Ansoff's claims that firms tend to adopt a planning approach in unstable environments, and Mintzberg's argument that small firms regardless of the environmental conditions adopted an emergent approach to strategy formulation. The findings showed that small manufacturing firms operating in stable environment tend to adopt a planning approach, while small manufacturing firms operating in unstable environment adopted an emergent approach to strategy formulation. Another important area under investigation was the importance of manufacturing strategy for small manufacturing firms. The results showed that firms in stable environment tended to place a higher emphasis on production departments than their counterparts in unstable environments. However, this importance did not translate into a clear manufacturing strategy; rather it reduced the manufacturing strategy to a single important decision of choosing the right type of production technologies employed. Finally the current study investigated the relationship between environmental dynamism, strategy, and performance. The empirical findings indicate that dynamism interacts with strategy to determine performance.

Thesis (MScPhysio)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to improve the measurement of postural dynamism in the sitting position using a three-dimensional (3D) motion analysis system. The primary objective was to describe pilot data for postural dynamism of the cervical and thoracic spines while working at a desktop computer. The secondary objective was to refine the process of posture measurement and analysis by decreasing data processing time. Certain factors in 3D motion analysis can lead to an increase in gaps in data collected during trial capture, which in turn will lead to a longer time of data processing. In the first phase of this study, a number of such factors were identified and altered. A series of pilot studies was performed to test the improvement of data processing time when altering these factors. In the first two pilot studies, camera and tripod positionings were explored and refined, workstation layout and anatomical landmark marker placement were investigated, and optimal capture frequency was established. In both these pilot studies, outcomes were established by means of trial and error by experimenting with a variety of different options for the different outcomes. In the third pilot study, computer software which provides computer tasks for the participant during primary trial capture was tested. Two independent computer users performed all the activities as per software, after which they were required to give oral feedback and suggestions on improvement in terms of user friendliness. The objective of the fourth and final pilot study was to include all of the outcomes from the preceeding pilot studies and attempt a trial run of the actual data collection process. A study participant with no affiliation to the research project was used and a complete trial run was performed after which the measurement process was deemed feasible. In the primary study, 18 student volunteers completed a sequence of computer tasks, including keyboard, mouse and reading activities. Prior to data capture, full range of motion of the thoracic and cervical spines were measured in three dimensions for every participant. Data capture took place for the full duration of performance of all computer activities. Outcome parameters for postural dynamism included true range of motion (degrees), proportional range of motion (percentage) and motion frequency (movement per minute) in all three planes of motion of the cervical and thoracic spines. Typing tasks were associated with biggest movement ranges and motion frequencies. Mouse activity was associated with the most stationary posture, exhibiting the least frequent movement as well as the smallest ranges of motion. The results from this study allow us to better understand the dynamic nature of posture, as well as postural dynamism associated with different computer tasks. This study provides a baseline for future research of 3D motion analysis of the sitting posture. It also marks the need for further research regarding ergonomics, use and potential alternatives in the computer workstation and input devices.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie het ten doel gehad om die meting van posturale dinamisme in die sitposisie te verbeter deur middel van „n drie-dimensionele (3D) bewegingsanalisesisteem. Die primêre doelwit was om loodsdata te beskryf vir posturale dinamisme van die servikale en torakale werwelkolomme terwyl op „n rekenaar gewerk word. Die sekondêre doelwit was om die proses van postuurmeting en analise te verfyn deur die dataprosesseringstyd te verminder. Sekere faktore van 3D bewegingsanalise kan „n vermeerdering van gapings in ingesamelde data tot gevolg hê, wat weer kan lei na „n verlengde tydperiode van dataprosessering. In die eerste fase van hierdie studie is sulke faktore identifiseer en aangepas. „n Reeks loodsstudies is uitgevoer om die verbetering van dataprosesseringstyd te toets namate aanpassings aan hierdie faktore gemaak is. Tydens die eerste twee loodsstudies is verskillende kamera en driepoot posisionering ondersoek en verfyn, werkstasie uitleg en anatomiese baken merker plasing is ondersoek en die optimale dataversamelingsfrekwensie is vasgestel. In beide hierdie loodsstudies is die uitkomste vasgestel op grond van toets- en fouteer deur te eksperimenteer met „n verskeidenheid opsies soos van toepassing op die betrokke uitkomste. Tydens die derde loodsstudie is rekenaarsagteware getoets wat die rekenaaraktiwiteit vir die studiedeelnemers verskaf het tydens primêre data-insameling. Twee onafhanklike persone het al die aktiwiteite volgens die sagteware voltooi en het verbale terugvoer en aanbevelings gegee oor hoe om die program te verbeter. Die vierdie en finale loodsstudie het gepoog om al die uitkomste van die eerste drie loodsstudies in te sluit en „n toetsmeting te doen van die ware dataversamelingsproses. „n Onafhanklike studiedeelnemer met geen affiliasie tot die navorsingsprojek nie het „n toetslopie van die hele versamelingsproses gedoen en die metingsproses is haalbaar verklaar. Tydens die primêre studie het 18 student-vrywilligers „n reeks rekenaartake gedoen (insluitend sleutelbord en muisaktiwiteite sowel as „n leesopdrag). Voor die aanvang van dataversameling is die volle bewegingsomvange van die torakale en servikale werwelkolomme van elke deelnemer gemeet. Dataversameling is vir die volle durasie van die uitvoer van rekenaaraktiwiteite gedoen. Uitkomsparameters vir posturale dinamisme het die volgende ingesluit: Omvang van beweging (grade), proporsionele omvang van beweging (persentasie) en bewegingsfrekwensie (bewegings per minuut) in al drie bewegingsvlakke van die servikale en torakale werwelkolomme. Sleutelbord-aktiwiteite is geässosieer met die grootste bewegingsomvange en die meeste bewegingsfrekwensie. Muisaktiwiteit is geässosieer met die mees stasionêre postuur en het die heel minste gereelde beweging getoon in die algemeen. Die resultate van hierdie studie help om die dinamise natuur van postuur beter te verstaan, sowel as posturale dinamisme wat met verskillende rekenaartake verbind word. Die studie bied „n basislyn vir die toekomstige navorsings wat posturale dinamisme met verskillende rekenaartake meet. Dit merk ook die behoefte aan verdere navorsing aangaande ergonomika, gebruik en alternatiewe tot rekenaarwerkstasie en –toerusting.

Connectivity diagrams provide access to neural circuit function, development and wiring rules. My thesis aims to: 1) develop a method to reconstruct developing / adult central circuitry with synaptic resolution; 2) map connectivity in a central nucleus in order to study synaptic stability / dynamism and understand why previously undescribed axonal convergence events occur. The cochlear nucleus’ projection to the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB), where the distinctive calyx of Held synapses form, has a simple structure and giant axons, ideal to map connectivity. In Brainbow transgenic mice, intermingled caliceal axons are distinguished with randomly expressed fluorescent proteins of distinct colors. I developed a system-wide approach based on confocal microscopy imaging and 3D tracing to reconstruct entire MNTBs at a micrometric scale in Brainbow transgenic mice. I mapped in 3D all ~2500 calices of Held synapses at three postnatal ages. Distinct colors among Brainbow-labeled axons allowed unambiguous identification of 2:1 pre- to post-synaptic convergence events in a fraction of MNTB cells, in contrast with the 1:1 ratio described in the literature. The analysis of MNTB connectivity reveals that 2:1 convergence appears in non-random clusters following a density gradient. I also developed new tools for circuit imaging: I generated new transgenes / mouse lines in which tandem Brainbow cassettes with distinct lox sites extend the axonal labeling palette; I pioneered circuit imaging with block-face and multicolor two-photon microscopy for lossless imaging of large brain volumes. These methods offer a solution to large volume high resolution imaging of brain circuits
Cartographier les réseaux neuronaux permet d'étudier leur architecture, sa mise en place lors du développement, et de lier structure et fonction. Ma thèse a eu pour but de: 1) développer des outils pour reconstruire un circuit à l’échelle synaptique chez l’adulte et lors du développement; 2) cartographier un circuit en vue d'étudier stabilité et dynamisme synaptique et d’expliquer la présence d’événements jusqu'alors non décrits de convergence axonale. Je me suis focalisée sur la projection du noyau cochléaire vers le noyau médial du corps trapézoïde (MNTB), modèle idéal de par la grande taille de ses axones et synapses, les calices de Held. J’ai élaboré une approche d’imagerie par microscopie confocale et traçage 3D pour reconstruire le MNTB entier dans les souris Brainbow, qui permettent de distinguer des axones voisins par un marquage neuronal multicolore. A partir de séries d’images multicolores, j’ai cartographié en 3D toutes les ~2500 calices du MNTB à 3 stades postnataux. Bien que la littérature rapporte une situation de contact entre cellules pré- et post-synaptiques d’un ratio 1:1, le marquage Brainbow m’a permis de détecter des convergences 2:1. Mes données révèlent des convergences synaptiques regroupées dans le MNTB, suivant un gradient de densité. Pour améliorer le marquage multicolore, j’ai créé des transgènes et lignées murines dans lesquels des cassettes Brainbow comportant des sites lox distincts sont placées en tandem; j'ai aussi exploré de nouvelles méthodes d’imagerie « block-face » et de microscopie multicolore bi-photonique permettant une imagerie en volume continue d’un tissu. Ces outils offrent une solution pour l'imagerie volumique haute résolution

This thesis challenges dominant conceptions of terror within the discursive formation of the ‘war on terror’ which positions Muslims as its agent by advancing a conceptual framework for explicating the multiple ways in which Muslims are subjected to terror which I term the ‘Concentrationary Gothic.’ This framework examines how the Gothic technology that produces Muslims as ‘monstrous’ through their association with a barbaric and pre-modern subjectivity, is connected to concentrationary terrors that comprise the governmental strategies used to manage the Muslim ‘threat’ that are framed by the state of exception. I focus on how terror operates through surveillance practices that affect all social relations including state, intergroup, internal, and self-surveillance levels. Each chapter examines an aspect of surveillance and its connection to a particular visual technology that subjects Muslims to a form of misreading which works to perpetuate the conditions of the Concentrationary Gothic through which terror is experienced by them. In response to these visual technologies, I propose an alternative visual schema which I call the ‘inter-bodily-relational’ (IBR). The IBR approaches subjects as relational, bodily, affective, spatial, and whose experiences are mediated by voice. These aspects are examined alongside surveillance practices to explicate how terror structures the conditions of their enactment. By examining how the Concentrationary Gothic operates through these aspects, the IBR forces a re-consideration of the ways in which terror is dynamised in the current moment for Muslims and its affect on their lived experiences. The IBR informs the project’s research methods which develops a social map alongside in-depth qualitative interviews conducted with 26 Muslims in Leeds and Bradford in 2010-11. The method connects to the thesis objective of developing alternative ways of thinking about how terror is dynamised, moving across participants’ social words, and its impact on the identities which participants enact and are enacted by in contemporary Britain.

The reasons behind why some organisations are able to obtain and sustain competitive advantage over others in their chosen markets has been a topic of discussion in several domains of academic literature. The theory of dynamic capabilities is one of the most prevalent conceptualisations of competitive advantage. This school of thought attributes an organisation’s sustained competitive advantage to its ability to sense opportunities, seize those opportunities and transform in line with the changes it is experiencing. However, much of the existing literature has focused its attention on how the cognition, and behavioural capabilities of an organisation’s top management enable the existence of the attributes of sensing, seizing and transforming, and has ignored other levels in the organisational structure, such as middle managers. This has been identified as a gap in the literature. This study explores how the cognitive capabilities of middle managers of an organisation contribute to its ability to obtain and sustain competitive advantage in its chosen markets. Data was collected through fifteen in-depth, semi-structured interviews with middle managers from a South African multidisciplinary professional services firm. The study found that middle managers play a crucial role in the execution of the strategy and business model adaptations formulated by top management, whilst giving valuable input based on practical on-the-ground experience. The research contributed to the literature by showing that middle managers leverage several cognitive capabilities to effectively perform sensing, seizing and transforming activities. These capabilities are deemed to be foundational to middle managers as they span across more than one of the mentioned activities. These comprise; analysis, perception, attention, problem solving, reasoning, empathy and emotional intelligence, social cognition, language and communication, and mental walk-throughs. The study further contributes to the literature by identifying the critical attributes of a work environment that are required for middle managers’ cognitive capabilities to thrive. In this regard, the study highlighted the importance of offering autonomy to middle managers and increasing organisational collaboration. A framework is presented that can aid top management in understanding the origins and development of middle managers’ cognitive capabilities.
Mini Dissertation (MPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2020.
Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
MPhil
Unrestricted

Organisations need to implement both incremental innovation (exploitation), and radical innovation (exploration) to ensure success and survival. Exploitation improves the efficiency of current operations, whereas exploration develops new entrepreneurial ideas for future viability. Two emerging concepts in literature, complexity leadership and contextual ambidexterity, aim to enable simultaneous exploitation and exploration. Regardless of the similar objectives, available literature has not yet established an association between the concepts. Consequently, the first objective of this research investigated whether complexity leadership could promote an organisationÕs ability to enable both exploitative and exploratory innovation, simultaneously (contextual ambidexterity). Additionally, both complexity leadership and contextual ambidexterity acknowledge the importance of the context within which organisations operate, and the accelerated rate of change in todayÕs organisational environments (environmental dynamism). The rate of change would influence the effectiveness of leadershipÕs innovation efforts. Accordingly, the second objective of this research hypothesised that environmental dynamism would moderate the relationship between these constructs. A sample of 1 204 secondary survey responses was statistically analysed. The researcher confirmed that complexity leadership has a significant, positive, linear relationship with exploitation, exploration, and the combined construct contextual ambidexterity. However, the moderator effect of environmental dynamism on these relationships, was found not to be significant. Therefore, complexity leadership promotes both exploitation and exploration, as well as contextual ambidexterity. This particular leadership approach creates the supportive context that promotes both types of innovation, simultaneously. Leadership can promote contextual ambidexterity through activities associated with this approach, including patterning of attention, developing networks, and contextual intelligence.
Mini Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2017.
za2018
Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
MBA
Unrestricted

Mestrado em Gestão e Estratégia Industrial
O estudo do conceito das capacidades dinâmicas visa explicar como as empresas se adaptam às rápidas mudanças dos ambientes de mercado onde estão inseridas. É necessário, por isso, ter em conta elementos do dinamismo de mercado como a mudança na estrutura das indústrias, a instabilidade da procura e a probabilidade de choques ambientais. Nesse sentido, as crises económicas são responsáveis, usualmente, por grandes alterações estruturais nos mercados, pondo em risco a competitividade das empresas. Como tal, a crise económica de 2008 não foi exceção tendo afetado vários setores da economia, nomeadamente o setor da construção. Neste estudo é feita a análise de três empresas inseridas no setor da construção aquando da crise económica de 2008. As empresas realizaram todo o processo necessário para o desenvolvimento de capacidades dinâmicas, no entanto, e por força da contração da procura no mercado da construção, o resultado não foi o esperado, assistindo-se a uma redução do volume de negócios em todas as empresas. Como resultado, este estudo foi limitado pelas empresas escolhidas para o estudo das capacidades dinâmicas das empresas.
The concept study of dynamic capabilities aims to explain how companies adapt to the constant changes of the market environments where they are inserted. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account several elements of the market environmental dynamism, such as the changes in the industries structures, the demand instability and the high likelihood of environmental shocks. Usually, the economic crises are responsible for the large structural changes in the markets, endangering the competitiveness of those companies. With that in mind, the economic crisis of 2008 was no exception, whereas affected various sectors of the economy, particularly the construction sector. This study analyzes three companies in the construction sector during the economic crisis of 2008. The companies performed the necessary process for the development of dynamic capabilities, however, and by virtue of the drop in demand felt in the construction market, the result was not as expected, with a reduction of turnover in all businesses. As a result, this study was limited by the companies chosen for the study of dynamic capabilities of enterprises.
N/A

ABSTRACTTitle: The Effect of Customer Preferences Dynamism on Incumbent Firms:The Case of Nokia in the Mobile Phone industry.Authors: Adnan Kandeel kandeeladnan@gmail.comDinsel Sali dinsel08@yahoo.comFaculty: Department of Management and EngineeringDate: 27th of May 2013Background: The study of the dynamism of customer preferences’ effect onincumbent firms offers in-depth understanding of the active roleof customers in affecting the position of incumbent firmswhich has been neglected in the vast majority of literaturethat examined the declining position of incumbent firms.Aim: The aim of this thesis is to examine the dynamism of customerpreferences’ effect on incumbent firms.Definitions: Incumbent firm: the dominant firm in an industry.Customer preferences: the collection of attributes including explicitand implicit attributes of a certain product.Preference stereotypes: the implicit prejudgement by customers about a certain product that can not be ascribed to an explicit attribute.Methodology: A qualitative approach where online historical data from 1100 NokiaMobile phone user reviews for 11 years were collected, profiled, andthen analyzed.Completion and results: Incumbent firms are affected by the dynamism of explicit andimplicit preferences through their effect on radical and incrementalinnovation. Furthermore, preference stereotypes can affect incumbentfirms’ ability to impact the change of product meanings throughradical innovation and investment in technology.Keywords: Incumbent firms, Customer preferences dynamism, Radical innovation

В жизни и творчестве узбекской поэтессы Зульфии Исраиловой особую роль играет весна. Она родилась в первый день весны. Каждую весну с момента гибели спутника жизни поэта Хамида Олимджана, любившего эту пору, Зульфия посвящала ему стихотворение. Всего их пятьдесят. При цитировании документа, используйте ссылку http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/34709

The heterogeneity of the environments as well as the diversity of patients' needs and profiles are major constraints that challenge the spread of ambient assistive living (AAL) systems. AAL environments are usually evolving by the introduction or the disappearance of sensors, devices and assistive services to respond to the evolution of patients' conditions and human needs. Therefore, a generic framework that is able to adapt to such dynamic environments and to integrate new sensors, devices and assistive services at runtime is required. Implementing such a dynamic aspect may produce an uncertainty derived from technical problems related to sensors reliability or network problems. Therefore, a notion of uncertain should be introduced in context representation and decision making in order to deal with this problem. During this thesis, I have developed a dynamic and extendible framework able to adapt to different environments and patients' needs. This was achieved based on my proposed approach of semantic Plug&Play mechanism. In order to handle the problem of uncertain information related to technical problems, I have proposed an approach for uncertainty measurement based on intrinsic characteristics of the sensors and their functional behaviors, then I have provided a model of semantic representation and reasoning under uncertainty coupled with the Dempster-Shafer Theory of evidence (DST) for decision making

This research study examined the relationship between entrepreneurial bricolage and environmental dynamism, contributing to the knowledge base of the resource-based theory. Specifically, this study examined the influence perceived environmental dynamism has on entrepreneurial bricolage while controlling for the firm’s annual revenue, number of employees, age, industry and business experience, and educational level. Prior research has identified firms with higher levels of entrepreneurial bricolage overcome resource limitations through innovation, a primary component of competitive advantage. Prior research has also identified firms that function efficiently in rapidly changing environments demonstrate stronger dynamic capabilities and higher levels of innovation. In addition, previous research has identified entrepreneurial bricolage and environmental dynamism, separately, positively impact innovation; however, no identified research has examined these constructs together within the parameters of this research study. This research study utilized multiple linear regression to analyze the data used to test the hypotheses related to the research questions. The primary research question examined in this study was to what extent does Environmental Dynamism Index (IV) explain variations in the Entrepreneurial Bricolage Index (DV), controlling for Annual Revenue (CV), Number of Employees (CV), Firm Age (CV), Industry Experience (CV), Business Experience (CV), and Education Level (CV). The population for this study included businesses located in the United States in the business services sector (SIC 73) with fewer than 100 employees and annual revenue below $5 million. Results identified perceived environmental dynamism was a statistically significant predictor of entrepreneurial bricolage; no statistically significant relationship was identified between all control variables (annual revenue, number of employees, firm age, business experience, and education level) and entrepreneurial bricolage. Findings of this study suggested that firms operating in environments of greater perceived environmental dynamism demonstrated greater use of entrepreneurial bricolage. This research study was limited in population and did not include all constructs of the Environmental Dynamism Scale; further research is recommended examining the relationship between environmental dynamism and entrepreneurial bricolage in various industries and cultures. In addition, future research is recommended examining these constructs using all constructs included in the Environmental Dynamism Scale.

L’hétérogénéité des environnements ainsi que la diversité des profils et des besoins des patients représentent des contraintes majeures qui remettent en question l’utilisation à grande échelle des systèmes d’assistance à l’autonomie à domicile (AAL). En effet, afin de répondre à l’évolution de l’état des patients et de leurs besoins humains, les environnements AAL sont en évolution continue par l’introduction ou la disparition de capteurs, de dispositifs d’interaction et de services d’assistance. Par conséquent, une plateforme générique et dynamique capable de s’adapter à différents environnements et d’intégrer de nouveaux capteurs, dispositifs d’interaction et services d’assistance est requise. La mise en œuvre d’un tel aspect dynamique peut produire une situation d’incertitude dérivée des problèmes techniques liés à la fiabilité des capteurs ou à des problèmes de réseau. Par conséquent, la notion d’incertitude doit être introduite dans la représentation de contexte et la prise de décision afin de faire face à ce problème. Au cours de cette thèse, j’ai développé une plateforme dynamique et extensible capable de s’adapter à différents environnements et aux besoins des patients. Ceci a été réalisé sur la base de l’approche Plug&Play sémantique que j’ai proposé. Afin de traiter le problème d’incertitude de l’information lié à des problèmes techniques, j’ai proposé une approche de mesure d’incertitude en utilisant les caractéristiques intrinsèques des capteurs et leurs comportements fonctionnels. J’ai aussi fourni un modèle de représentation sémantique et de raisonnement avec incertitude associé avec la théorie de Dempster-Shafer (DST) pour la prise de décision
The heterogeneity of the environments as well as the diversity of patients’ needs and profiles are major constraints that challenge the spread of ambient assistive living (AAL) systems. AAL environments are usually evolving by the introduction or the disappearance of sensors, devices and assistive services to respond to the evolution of patients’ conditions and human needs. Therefore, a generic framework that is able to adapt to such dynamic environments and to integrate new sensors, devices and assistive services at runtime is required. Implementing such a dynamic aspect may produce an uncertainty derived from technical problems related to sensors reliability or network problems. Therefore, a notion of uncertain should be introduced in context representation and decision making in order to deal with this problem. During this thesis, I have developed a dynamic and extendible framework able to adapt to different environments and patients’ needs. This was achieved based on my proposed approach of semantic Plug&Play mechanism. In order to handle the problem of uncertain information related to technical problems, I have proposed an approach for uncertainty measurement based on intrinsic characteristics of the sensors and their functional behaviors, then I have provided a model of semantic representation and reasoning under uncertainty coupled with the Dempster-Shafer Theory of evidence (DST) for decision making

This qualitative study explored four Eastern Ontario public school teachers' experiences of implementing inclusion through collaboration. The framework for investigating these experiences was Nonaka's (1994) theory of organizational knowledge creation, the crux of which is the mobilization and conversion of tacit (or experiential) knowledge. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed inductively. The findings showed that these teachers wanted to collaborate to implement inclusion, but the organizational structures and culture were not in place to promote this activity. Although Nonaka's (1994) theory has the potential to describe how teachers create knowledge through collaboration, it did not occur in this research. Practical implications and future research are discussed. Keywords: inclusion, collaboration, Nonaka, tacit knowledge, knowledge creation

M-Tech (Department of Logistics Management, Faculty of Management Sciences) Vaal University of Technology
One of the most significant changes in the paradigm of modern business management is that individual businesses no longer compete as solely autonomous entities, but rather as supply chains. In this emerging competitive environment, the ultimate success of the business will depend on management’s ability to integrate the company’s intricate network of business relationships. Effective supply chain management (SCM) has become a potentially valuable way of securing competitive advantage and improving organisational performance since competition is no longer between organisations, but among supply chains, which can be obtained through the sharing of appropriate information between supply chain partners and forming healthy inter-organisational relationships. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of supply chain dynamism, information sharing and inter-organisational relationships on supply chain performance in manufacturing, service and mining in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. Data for the study were collected from 350 prominent organisations and the relationships proposed in the framework were tested using different statistical techniques. The results indicate that supply chain dynamism have a positive influence on both information sharing and inter-organisational relationships. They also indicate that higher levels of information sharing can lead to enhanced competitive advantage and improved supply chain performance, which further indicate that the more organisations have healthy inter-organisational relationships, the better the supply chain performance becomes. These results have value to both the academic and business worlds as they provide verification of the widely held belief of the value of effective supply chain management and performance.

Thesis (M. A. (Translation and Linguistics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016
This study reveals that language dynamisms affect the compilation of Northern Sotho – English bilingual dictionaries. In this regard, the study shows that the role of translation equivalence cannot be taken for granted. To fully grasp what translation equivalence entails, the study compared formal equivalence with dynamic equivalence. Although there are merits in adopting foreign terms and concepts, the study investigates the problem lexicographers and terminologists of English–Northern Sotho or Northern Sotho–English bilingual dictionaries encounter and suggests possible solutions. Different strategies and procedures for dealing with non-equivalence between the source and target languages are also discussed. Lastly, the study recommends that language dynamism is inevitable if Northern Sotho is to thrive as one of the functional languages in the world. The consequences of shunning dynamism are dire as this might lead to language death.

Mestrado em Arquitectura Paisagista - Instituto Superior de Agronomia
This paper analyzes the methods that contribute to the enhancement of cultural heritage in urban centers, both through a literature review of the principles of urbanism, as through examples in which cultural cores served to boost the urban recovery. The way these nuclei may contribute to urban development through its development and promotion, was tentatively applied to the village of Alcochete. The methods to implement this study were chosen after an analysis of several urban theories that showed us how cities evolved and have related their memories and their cultural identity. It was found that to achieve the success of cultural cores are useful multidisciplinary approaches around the cultural perspective within the urban core and to develop the interest of local communities in order to promote their use and disclosure. As study case we chose Alcochete and tried to create a new perspective of public use which gives a new and dynamic centrality to the village. The opportunities it offers in a tourism context were analyzed, from the knowledge and practice of their habits, customs, traditions and local products. It was identified as well, the need to introduce practical elements that preserve, enhance and publicize the qualities of a cultural center that leverages the urban, social, economic and tourism through the use of culture.

Bhutan, a small developing country, is recognised for its pro-environmental and unique development philosophy called Gross National Happiness (GNH). Over the years Bhutan has continually increased the area coverage under protected area (PA) system and probably it is the first country in the world that has achieved a 50% protection target. Going beyond the year 2020, there is a growing call to protect at the least 30% of the World’s terrestrial areas by 2030 with the ultimate goal to protect 50% by year 2050 - a goal commonly termed “Nature Needs Half’ (NNH). However, PAs globally and in Bhutan have been designated to protect terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity. Although freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity are most threatened, there are very few freshwater specific protected areas while they are included within existing PAs by coincidence. The overall objective of this thesis is to assess the potential of existing terrestrialfocussed protected areas of Bhutan in conserving freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity within the context of nature needs half target and protected area dynamism. To achieve this, I have combined a systematic archival literature review with species distribution modelling and systematic conservation planning techniques to address four main issues: (1) the lack of a country level PA dynamism study and possible link between it and GNH, (2) lack of adequate freshwater species distribution data in Bhutan, (3) the need to assess potential of existing PA system for freshwater protection in the context of NNH, and (4) the need for systematic freshwater conservation planning in the context of NNH and PA dynamism. To address the first issue, I conducted systematic archival literature review on PA dynamism in Bhutan for almost the entire modern conservation history of Bhutan (1966- 2016). PA dynamism can be either of gain or loss events; the latter is termed protected area downgrading, downsizing and degazettement (PADDD). The conservation planning was the main proximate cause for PA degazettement and downsizing. On the other hand, an increase in infrastructure with hydropower development as the specific cause was the proximate cause for proposed PADDD. Overall PA dynamism reflected Bhutan’s commitment to environmental conservation guided by its GNH philosophy. I recorded differences in the number of PADDD events, PADDD types and PAs affected between the current study and those previously recorded for Bhutan from a regional level study. This demonstrated the need for country specific systematic archival literature search to better detect PADDD. To fill in freshwater species data gaps I curated georeferenced occurrence data of fish and odonata from the available literatures till 2017 and also through personal communications. While building SDMs for 10 fish and 28 odonates I compared the performance of four sequential model selection approaches against an expert (EXP) approach in selecting ecologically plausible species models. The sequential approaches using omission rate followed by test AUC (ORTEST) performed better over the sequential approaches that used omission rate followed by difference between training AUC and test AUC, and test AUC (AUCDIFF). ORTEST approaches could be used as a good first line model screening approach to reduce time taken by the EXP approach. This thesis contextualized freshwater biodiversity and ecosystems conservation against NNH by categorizing levels of species habitat, river length and lake surface area percentage protection into four progressive targets based on Aichi target 11 and NNH target. Despite covering 50% of Bhutan’s total land area, many freshwater ecosystems and taxa were inadequately represented within the existing PA system of Bhutan. These gaps could be easily filled employing Marxan, a common systematic conservation planning tool. Even when considering hydropower developments, we found solutions that increased the species coverage significantly. That said, high percentages of selected areas are already protected by the existing PA system. This suggests Bhutan may not need to change drastically the existing PA system if PAs are redesigned to better represent both freshwater species and forest types. This thesis provides the first real world example of inadequacy in protecting freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity by terrestrial-focused PAs even when total area of PA system meets the NNH target. The findings also demonstrate a clear need for freshwater conservation planning. The collated species occurrence data and ecologically plausible SDMs chosen here could be a starting point for freshwater conservation planning in Bhutan. The thesis also showed clear need to conduct country level systematic archival literature review to better detect PADDD. This thesis also linked PA dynamism study with freshwater systematic conservation planning and probably this could be way forward to design robust PA systems.
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School of Environment and Sc
Science, Environment, Engineering and Technology
Full Text

Background: Responding to fast technological and environmental changes brings about challenges and paradoxes for companies that should be resolved in order to survive long-term and to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. Ambidexterity is considered a solution to organizational paradoxes. Aim: The purpose of this research is to explore how firms can achieve ambidexterity to handle organizational paradoxes in different market conditions using their dynamic capabilities. Definitions: Ambidexterity: The ability of organizations to handle adaptability and alignment, exploration and exploitation at the same time Dynamic capabilities: The firm’s ability to integrate, build and reconfigure internal and external competencies to address rapidly changing environments Exploration: Activities such as innovation, discovering new opportunities, variation Exploitation: Activities that concern efficiency, implementation and execution Results: There are possible options that companies can follow to achieveambidexterity. These sets of options are distinguished as external vs.internal, sequential vs. parallel, structural vs. contextual and the role ofsenior management behaviour. Depending on market dynamism andenvironmental conditions, a different set of options could be suitable fordifferent companies. In addition, companies can enhance the likelihoodof achieving ambidexterity using their dynamic capabilities.

This thesis explores how planning for sustainable development can be enhanced in Australia with a particular focus on strategic plans. Today, the concept of sustainable development has not been fully operationalised into plans; market and political forces still play a predominant role in planning practice. Nevertheless, some authors believe that the concept of sustainable development has reinvigorated planning. For example, there is an extensive literature on this topic within planning theory, although in practice, sustainable development has been difficult to implement. This thesis after acknowledging the relevance of economy and politics, provides an alternative approach to operationalise sustainable development in plans through a technical perspective. This perspective is based on the examination, from literature, of several techniques which deal with sustainable development. The central idea is that these techniques can be embraced under one concept,

Yes
Prior studies show the impact of various facets of individual characteristics in driving a firm’s entrepreneurial orientation (EO). The present study complements this line of research by deriving insights from the conservation of resources (COR) theory to examine the effects of resource-induced coping heuristics (acquiring, protecting, and developing resources) on EO. Additionally, it investigates the underlying conditions influencing these relationships. Data were collected from new ventures in two developing countries (Ghana, N=204, and Ethiopia, N=214). Utilizing the moderated hierarchical regression analysis, the results show that the three dimensions of resource-induced coping heuristics positively relate to EO and these relationships are amplified when environmental dynamism is high. These findings provide a nuanced understanding of the relationships among the different types of resource-induced coping heuristics and EO. In this way, the study extends the boundaries of the resource-induced coping heuristics, EO, and broader entrepreneurship literature.
The full-text of this article will be released for public view at the end of the publisher embargo on 26 Mar 2022.

Constraint programming is a paradigm wherein relations between variables are stated in the form of constraints. It is well-known that many real life problems can be modeled as Constraint Satisfaction Problems (CSPs). Much effort has been spent to increase the efficiency of algorithms for solving CSPs. However, many of these techniques assume that the set of variables, domains and constraints involved in the CSP are known and fixed when the problem is modeled. This is a strong limitation because many problems come from uncertain and dynamic environments, where both the original problem may evolve because of the environment, the user or other agents. In such situations, a solution that holds for the original problem can become invalid after changes. There are two main approaches for dealing with these situations: reactive and proactive approaches. Using reactive approaches entails re-solving the CSP after each solution loss, which is a time consuming. That is a clear disadvantage, especially when we deal with short-term changes, where solution loss is frequent. In addition, in many applications, such as on-line planning and scheduling, the delivery time of a new solution may be too long for actions to be taken on time, so a solution loss can produce several negative effects in the modeled problem. For a task assignment production system with several machines, it could cause the shutdown of the production system, the breakage of machines, the loss of the material/object in production, etc. In a transport timetabling problem, the solution loss, due to some disruption at a point, may produce a delay that propagates through the entire schedule. In addition, all the negative effects stated above will probably entail an economic loss. In this thesis we develop several proactive approaches. Proactive approaches use knowledge about possible future changes in order to avoid or minimize their effects. These approaches are applied before the changes occur. Thus, our approaches search for robust solutions, which have a high probability to remain valid after changes. Furthermore, some of our approaches also consider that the solutions can be easily adapted when they did not resist the changes in the original problem. Thus, these approaches search for stable solutions, which have an alternative solution that is similar to the previous one and therefore can be used in case of a value breakage. In this context, sometimes there exists knowledge about the uncertain and dynamic environment. However in many cases, this information is unknown or hard to obtain. For this reason, for the majority of our approaches (specifically 3 of the 4 developed approaches), the only assumptions made about changes are those inherent in the structure of problems with ordered domains. Given this framework and therefore the existence of a significant order over domain values, it is reasonable to assume that the original bounds of the solution space may undergo restrictive or relaxed modifications. Note that the possibility of solution loss only exists when changes over the original bounds of the solution space are restrictive. Therefore, the main objective for searching robust solutions in this framework is to find solutions located as far away as possible from the bounds of the solution space. In order to meet this criterion, we propose several approaches that can be divided in enumeration-based techniques and a search algorithm.
Climent Aunés, LI. (2013). Robustness and stability in dynamic constraint satisfaction problems [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/34785
TESIS

This thesis addresses the issue of cluster dynamics. The theoretical basis is the Porter’s diamond model of industrial clusters and the analysis pursued in the thesis considers the impact of foreign ownership on Porter’s determinants of successful cluster: factor conditions, demand conditions, supported industries and, finally, firms’ strategies and structures. According to Porter, sustainability of clusters is a function of its dynamics and propensity to change, which in turn depends on these four components of the national home base. The analysis is based on a comprehensive set of case studies conducted for the life science industrial cluster located in the Stockholm-Uppsala area. The results indicate that foreign ownership has positive effect on the dynamism of the cluster.

The entrepreneurship dynamism of a country is the center of Schumpeter’s creativedestruction process and virtuous circle, in which new and innovative companies enteringthe market drive the obsolete and less productive ones out of the market. As aconsequence of this process, the market is improved and it incentivizes the creation ofinnovative solutions to solve problems. The study focuses on the pivotal function of theentries in this process. To better understand the creation of new ventures process the study investigates how thecontextual factors impact the entrepreneur’s decision of starting a new business, focusingon two business environments: Sweden and Brazil. Through interviews with Swedish andBrazilian entrepreneurs we analyze how entrepreneurs perceive the contextual factors andhow it impacted their new venture creation process. Through the literature we find that the business environment is composed by seven majorfactors that, with an extended framework based on literature review, we consider as:economic wealth, government policies and procedures, legal & administrative, society’sculture; network and knowledge; financial assistance; and non-financial assistance. Analyzing the empirical material about the business environments we find that Swedishand Brazilian entrepreneurs feel the influence of the different contextual factors inbusiness creation but do not always understand their causes. Our findings show that theseven contextual factors do not have the same level of influence in Sweden and Braziland often depend on the environment. However, for entrepreneurs in both two contextualfactors have a pivotal impact: network and financial assistance. This study contributes to the theory by providing a more detailed extended framework tostudy the influence of contextual factors on the process of starting a new business.Furthermore, this research also contributes by providing empirical evidence of Swedishand Brazilian entrepreneurs’ perceptions of their business environment and the influenceof the contextual factors.

This study investigated the relationships between business planning and venture growth while also exploring the moderating variables of entrepreneurial pre-entry knowledge and industry dynamism. Scales that allowed for empirical testing were collected and collated from the broader business planning literature. Using a sample of 103 entrepreneurs from three industries, entrepreneurs were surveyed in an attempt to measure entrepreneurial business planning practices in a South African environment. The results of the study indicated that while planning is an important process of an entrepreneurial venture its effectiveness depends on planning combinations and contextual factors. Specifically, it provided evidence for planning’s positive impact on venture growth; when an entrepreneur engaged in prior business planning and then implemented the plan. Furthermore the extent of an entrepreneur’s pre-entry knowledge was shown to have a positive impact on venture growth. While a synergy effect was observed when entrepreneurs had both pre-entry knowledge and engaged in prior planning. In contrast, the findings suggest that when an entrepreneur launches a business and has pre-entry knowledge it is more valuable not to implement these plans. Lastly the results suggested that planning practices were more likely to positively impact venture growth in industries experiencing lower levels of dynamism. Copyright
Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2011.
Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
unrestricted

An investigation is conducted into the cognitive effects of using different computer based instructions media in acquisition of specific novel human skills. With recent rapid advances in computing and multimedia instructional delivery, several contemporary research have focussed on the best practices for training and learning delivered via computer based multimedia simulations. More often than not, the aim has been cost minimisation through an optimisation of the instructional delivery process for efficient knowledge acquisition. The outcome of such research effort in general have been largely divergent and inconclusive. The work reported in this thesis utilises a dual prong methodology to provide a novel perspective on the moderating effects of computer based instructional visualisations with a focus on the interaction of interface dynamism with target knowledge domains and trainee cognitive characteristics. The first part of the methodology involves a series of empirical experiments that incrementally measures/compares the cognitive benefits of different levels of instructional interface dynamism for efficient task representation and post-acquisition skilled performance. The first of these experiments utilised a mechanical disassembly task to investigate novel acquisition of procedural motor skills by comparing task comprehension and performance. The other experiments expanded the initial findings to other knowledge domains as well as controlled for potential confounding variables. The integral outcome of these experiments helped to define a novel framework for describing multimodal perception of different computer based instruction types and its moderating effect on post-learning task performance. A parallel computational cognitive modelling effort provided the complementary methodology to investigate cognitive processing associated with different instructional interfaces at a lower level of detail than possible through empirical observations. Novel circumventions of some existing limitations of the selected ACT-R 6.0 cognitive modelling architecture were proposed to achieve the precision required. The ACT-R modifications afforded the representation of human motor movements at an atomic level of detail and with a constant velocity profile as opposed to what is possible with the default manual module. Additional extensions to ACT-R 6.0 also allowed accurate representation of the noise inherent in the recall of spatial locations from declarative memory. The method used for this representation is potentially extendable for application to 3-D spatial representation in ACT-R. These novel propositions are piloted in a proof-of-concept effort followed by application to a more complete, naturally occurring task sequence. The modelling methodology is validated with established human data of skilled task performances. The combination of empirical observations and detailed cognitive modelling afforded novel insights to the hitherto controversial findings on the cognitive benefits of different multimodal instructional presentations. The outcome has implications for training research and development involving computer based simulations.

This submission draws together six publications and a covering document to set out an original contribution to knowledge in the field of learning disabled performance. Critical attention has been relatively scarce in this field, and the publications gathered here offer the only extended study of learning disability and performance that covers a range of artists across the artforms of theatre and music. Following an initial provocation which outlines the emergence of theatre and learning disability, the publications focus mostly on detailed studies of specific artists, exploring their aesthetic practice along with discursive and audience responses to their work. The article on Heavy Load considers how the integrated band, in its negotiation of punk’s anti-aesthetic, reappropriates the image of learning disability already inherent in the form. Two publications on Susan Boyle explore how her successful audition for Britain’s Got Talent contradicts medical and discursive attempts to contain learning disabled people, and also reveals the traditional place of learning disability in what Slavoj Žižek (following Jacques Lacan) calls the symbolic order. A chapter on Mind the Gap critically assesses the company’s various projects and explores the notion of the learning disabled actor. The final article on Back to Back theatre opens up post-Brechtian dialectics operating in key productions by the ensemble. The covering document sets out the core arguments that underpin my publications, forming a cohesive approach to reading learning disabled performance with significance for the social and aesthetic understanding of cognitive impairment. I contest a dominant approach that positions learning disabled people as non-performative and singularly non-dialectical. My original readings draw particularly on Theodor Adorno’s negative dialectics and I propose a specific dialectic of stasis and dynamism. In doing so, the combined research generates new possibilities for understanding such performance encounters beyond the historically sedimented constructions of learning disability.

Bricolage is one way firms innovate in the midst of resource constraints. In this thesis bricolage in entrepreneurial firms is investigated as is its impact on firm performance. The research provides empirical tests of bricolage and firm performance and tests environmental dynamism and team compositions as moderating effects that impact the bricolage-performance relationship. The limits of bricolage during firm creation are also explored. This research offers several novel theoretical contributions and some suggestions for entrepreneurs who typically use bricolage in attempts of firm creation.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
This thesis presents the project and an implementation of a distributed computer allocation system, based on computer idleness. The system, called Cadeo (control and dynamic allocation of idle workstations) aims to simplify the creation of parallel applications that can be executed on distributed systems. It supports a simple programming model, similar to the model found in parallel applications that run on shared memory computers. The Cadeo s execution platform is called dynamic cluster, which is a cluster composed by momentarily avaliable computers, or idle computers. Parallel execution is obtained by concurrent task execution, implemented as asynchronous remote method invocations in Java. Mapping application onto resources happens in two levels, first, associating applications to dynamic clusters, and, second, associating application tasks to computers of such clusters. Cadeo manages these associations offering both transparent task location and cluster dynamism, thus simplifying application development. The implementation was done with the purpose of having a basic and functional structure, which should be easily adapted in the future. This version was not focused on incorporating the best known algorithms to associate applications with clusters, or tasks with computers. Nevertheless, the implemented version strictly follows the proposed model, being now possible to write applications using the transparency and assynchrony accordingly. It was possible to demonstrate that, with the version implemented, the system overhead was very low.
Esta dissertação apresenta a concepção e uma implementação de um sistema de alocação de computadores em um sistema distribuído baseado na ociosidade dos mesmos. Este sistema, chamado de Cadeo (Controle e alocação dinâmica de estações ociosas), tem a finalidade de simplificar a criação de aplicações paralelas que possam ser executadas em sistemas distribuídos. Ele oferece um modelo de programação simples, semelhante ao modelo de aplicações paralelas que executam em computadores com memória compartilhada. A plataforma de execução do Cadeo é chamada de aglomerado dinâmico, que é um aglomerado (cluster) composto por computadores momentaneamente disponíveis, ou ociosos. A execução paralela se dá pelo lançamento concorrente de tarefas, implementadas por invocações assíncronas de métodos remotos em linguagem Java. O mapeamento de aplicações aos recursos reais se dá em dois níveis: no primeiro, associa-se aplicações a aglomerados dinâmicos, no segundo, associa-se tarefas de aplicações a computadores destes aglomerados. O Cadeo gerencia estas associações oferecendo transparência de localização de tarefas e da dinamicidade dos aglomerados, simplificando assim o desenvolvimento de aplicações. A implementação foi feita com o objetivo de obter uma estrutura básica e funcional, capaz de suportar adaptações futuras. Não houve preocupação em incorporar os melhores algoritmos conhecidos para implementar as associações entre aplicações e aglomerados, ou tarefas a computadores. Entretanto, a versão implementada segue estritamente o modelo projetado, já permitindo escrever aplicações que tiram proveito da transparência e do assincronismo de lançamento segundo este modelo. Com a versão implementada, foi possível comprovar que a sobrecarga gerada pela utilização do sistema é muito pequena.

Predicting export performance remains an important issue at the heart of export research and management. This is because of the primary role of exporting to ensuring the profitability, growth and survival of firms. Given these and other benefits that firms stand to gain (and the challenges that firms face) for their active engagement in exporting, scholars have exerted efforts into explaining the causes of export success. Export marketing strategy, firm characteristics, capabilities and firms' orientations towards export markets are some the variables studied. Firms' entrepreneurial orientation towards export markets has been one important variable that has captured the attention of researchers. This study is an attempt to introduce an export context-specific entrepreneurial-oriented behaviour (or export EOB) to the study of antecedents of export performance. A theoretical model involving the relationship between export EOB (and its dimensions) and export performance is, therefore, developed and empirically tested using data from 212 exporting organisations. Findings suggest that firms' overall level of export EOB is a major driver of export success. The study further establishes that a high level of market-oriented behaviour in exporting organisations can help firms to derive stronger benefits from their entrepreneurial activities. At the specific level of the export EOB components, results suggest that development of novel product innovations, high export risk-taking, and strong proactive and competitively aggressive behaviours can help exporting organisations to improve their performance. However, product innovation intensity and autonomy are negatively related to export performance, suggesting that high levels of these two behaviours might lead to poor export performance. Nevertheless, further analysis shows that the negative association between product innovation intensity and export performance becomes positive when moderated by product innovation novelty. In addition, the study shows that autonomy has indirect positive association with export performance through interaction with proactiveness and competitive aggressiveness. In other words, autonomy facilitates the effectiveness of proactive and competitive aggressive behaviours. Further analyses of moderating effect relationships reveal mixed results. Specifically, the study finds that export market orientation positively moderates the link between production innovation intensity and export performance. In addition, export customer dynamism positively moderates the association of product innovation novelty and risk-taking with export performance. On the contrary, export customer dynamism negatively moderates the link between product innovation intensity and export performance. Theoretical, export managerial and policy implications of these findings are discussed and useful areas for future research are proposed.