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Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Soldier's individual skills are by far the most important and elementary in an armed conflict. A soldier is exposed to psychological challenges that affect his ability to perform. The academic literature is dominated by studies where adaptation is investigated at an organisational level and follows an ‘up-down' structure. Therefore, is it not only interesting but also important to study how the environmental changes mentally affect the soldier and his ability to solve his duties.  The purpose of the study is to investigate the impact of the environment on the soldier and the soldier's response to dealing with this effect. The study aims to test I-ADAPT Theory in a new context, investigating how external factors, in the environment of FS22, affect the soldier's mental processes.  The results of the study showed primarily that the establishments of routines had a great impact on the soldiers’ performance and their ability to adapt to the new environment.

Businesses are seeking international market opportunities more than ever before. The growing activities of international business has given rise to the globalisation of markets which in turn creates more economic, political, social and cultural interconnectedness among countries. A few decades ago, most Swedish companies had limited trade with African countries due to the sluggish economic growth, low market size, political instability and redundant regulations. However, there have been recent developments in Africa and the continent is now home to growing economies. Today, Swedish companies trade with African countries such as Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. Africa is the most heterogeneous continent; culturally, linguistically and ethnically. In order to successfully operate in African markets, foreign businesses need to develop an understanding of the African cultural value system. The purpose of this degree project is to explore how two multinational Swedish companies; Electrolux and Scania adapt their business culture when operating in African markets. We chose a qualitative research strategy with an inductive approach and conducted semi-structured interviews with Electrolux and Scania, which are currently active in Africa. The respondents hold various positions within these companies. A thematic analysis was used to analyse our data.  Our empirical findings suggest that Electrolux and Scania are very similar in how they adapt their business cultures in African markets. Although there are some commonalities, business culture can vary widely from country to country in Africa and what is true in one country might not be true in another. African markets have a relationship-based business culture and Electrolux and Scania have been successful in Africa by building good and long lasting relationships with business entities. Building relations, coupled with strong company core values, help both companies tackle corruption related issues. Our findings also indicate that Electrolux and Scania have an understanding that Africans have different time perception and consequently, adapt by understanding, accommodating, and being flexible and patient towards their business counterparts. The only major difference about how the two companies adapt their business culture in African markets regard how local talents are used. Whereas Electrolux appoint local people to take leadership positions, Scania send expatriates to the countries they have business operations in. In conclusion, Africa has a unique business culture environment that requires foreign business people to have a sense of flexibility and freedom to respond to subtle or major difference in the various and diverse African countries.

Companies, nations, governments and multilateral organisations are each in their context recognising that 20th-century approaches to innovation and competitiveness are no longer relevant or effective – with whole industries and economies challenged by the fastmoving and disruptive forces of 21st-century technologies that enable unprecedented innovative capability. The rate and scale of change and disruption calls for innovation thinking more suited to a world highly connected and networked and rapidly redefined by global digital architecture and alternative forms of value exchange, value creation and capture enabled through networks, platforms, and innovation ecosystems. For a mature industry to navigate potential disruption on this scale and possibly direct disruptive innovation of its own, will require a dramatic departure from innovation and business as usual. Christensen (1997) posits that disruptive innovation is the only way for incumbents to maintain market leadership and secure future growth. So how should mature firms respond to disruption, and which strategies are effective to become disruptive too? I undertake a grounded theory study into how specifically, the insurance industry (life and health), navigates disruptive influence and plans to become disruptive too. My analysis of the literature and the research findings has led to the development of an Adapt, Regenerate, Transcend response strategy framework, the ART framework, which describes these three broad response strategies and a further set of sub-strategies, that answer the question of how firms respond to disruptive influence and become disruptive too. The ART framework is my contribution to the work on disruptive innovation response strategies. The framework shows how incumbents can apply one or more of these three broad strategies to suit their objectives. The adapt response strategy, a short-term, defensive or opportunistic strategy, aims to extend lifecycles and fend off disruptive challenges. The regenerate response strategy is an expansive, increasingly inclusive, and transformative hybrid strategy that seeks to extend lifecycles and pursue new growth opportunities that might transform the core business over time to become disruptive too. The transcend response strategy is an original and disruptive strategy where the lead firm partners to reframe and reinvent an industry through a collectively directed value proposition that creates an entirely new playing field. Using the ART framework, I also show how disruptive innovation is an inclusive innovation strategy and how the framework applies to and is of use in the context of inclusive and sustainable innovation. In doing so, a new meta-innovation concept of generative innovation emerges, which the framework begins to describe broadly and which I propose as an area of future research.

Jag hör och jag glömmer. Jag ser och jag kommer ihåg. Jag gör och jag förstår. - Konfucius Denna studien har sin grund i att befästa sitt trumspel genom att använda rösten, som i denna forskningen definieras med; att numeriskt räkna pulsslag och underdelningar samt onomatopoetiskt1 ljuda trummor med munnen. I undersökningen visualiseras trumspelet mentalt utan trumset-, eller parallellt med trumset - för att förena det mentala med det fysiska. Med hjälp arv loggbokföring och inspelning undersöks huruvida de olika definitionerna av röstens användning fungerar på mig själv samt informanter. I resultatkapitlet visar det sig att jag och mina informanter har blivit bättre på att spela trummor genom att internalisera trumspelet - med hjälp av rösten. / This study has its basis in consolidating drumming by using the voice, which in this research is defined; to numerically count pulse beats and subdivisions as well as onomatopoetically sound like drums using your voice. In the study, the drumming is visualized mentally without the drum set - or in parallel with the drum set - to combine the mental with the physical. Using journals and recording, I examine whether the different definitions of the use of voice work on myself and students, to see if we get better at playing drums by internalizing the drumming - using the voice.

Antibodies, as forerunners in the field of biological drugs, are originally an organism’s answer to the invasion of different pathogens. Today, antibodies are a common treatment for many chronic diseases such as the immune-mediated inflammatory diseases rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis. It is suspected that the cytokines interleukin 17a (IL17a) and interleukin 17c (IL17c) are involved in those diseases and are commonly treated with antibodies that inhibit the cytokines. Even though antibodies have been a huge success as biological drugs they also have downsides when it comes to their production, size and stability. In quest of finding alternatives to antibodies in diagnostics and therapy, a novel class of biologics has been developed. So-called alternative scaffold proteins are small polypeptide chains that can be engineered to show affinity towards different biomarkers. ABD-Derived Affinity ProTeins or ADAPTs are one example of these alternative scaffolds that can be modified to bind a biomarker as target and keep their affinity to Human Serum Albumin (HSA) at the same time, making them bispecific. In this project, twenty-four previously selected ADAPT binder candidates that have shown good prospects towards IL17a and IL17c in previous experiments were cloned, produced, purified and characterized to determine if they show potential as tools in diagnostics or therapy of autoimmune diseases. The proteins were produced in E. coli, purified by affinity chromatography and characterized using Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), Circular Dichroism (CD) and Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC). All candidates were successfully cloned into E. coli and out of these, 10 could be produced and 5 showed affinity towards their target using SPR. Examination by SEC and CD showed that the protein variants did not seem to be structurally stable and hints of impurities in the samples could be detected. This and a low yield could be further confirmed via SDS-PAGE. In conclusion, binders were produced that could theoretically be promising candidates as tools in diagnostics or therapy of chronic diseases were IL17a and/or IL17c are important. Nevertheless, in order to support these claims further investigations and developments are necessary. / Antikroppar, som föregångare inom området biologiska läkemedel, är ursprungligen en organisms svar på invasionen av olika patogen. Idag är antikroppar en vanlig behandling för många kroniska sjukdomar, såsom de immunmedierade inflammatoriska sjukdomarna reumatoid artrit eller psoriasis. Cytokinerna interleukin 17a (IL17a) och interleukin 17c (IL17c) tros vara involverade i dessa sjukdomar och behandlas vanligtvis med antikroppar som hämmar cytokinerna. Trots att antikroppar har varit en stor framgång som biologiska läkemedel har de också nackdelar när det gäller deras produktion, storlek och stabilitet. För att hitta alternativ till antikroppar inom diagnostik och terapi har en ny klass av biologiska läkemedel utvecklats. Så kallade alternative scaffold proteins är små polypeptidkedjor som kan manipuleras för att visa affinitet gentemot olika biomarkörer. ABD-Derived Affinity ProTeins eller ADAPTs är ett exempel på dessa alternative scaffolds som kan modifieras för att binda en biomarkör som mål utan att påverka affiniteten till Humant Serum Albumin (HSA), vilket gör dem bispecifika. I detta projekt klonades, producerades, renades och karakteriserades tjugofyra tidigare utvalda ADAPT-bindarkandidater som har visat goda förutsättningar gentemot IL17a och IL17c i tidigare experiment. Proteinerna producerades i E. coli, renades genom affinitetskromatografi och karakteriserades med användning av Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), Circular Dichroism (CD) och Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC). Alla kandidater klonades framgångsrikt i E. coli och av dessa kunde 10 produceras. Fem bindare visade affinitet till deras mål med SPR. Undersökning med SEC och CD visade dock att proteinvarianterna inte var strukturellt stabila och antydan till föroreningar kunde detekteras i proverna. Detta och ett lågt utbyte kunde ytterligare bekräftas via SDS-PAGE. Sammanfattningsvis kunde bindare producerades och dessa kan teoretiskt vara lovande kandidater till diagnostik eller terapi av kroniska sjukdomar där IL17a och/eller IL17c är viktiga. För att stödja dessa påståenden krävs dock ytterligare experiment och utveckling av bindarna.

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The aim of the project was to identify positions and amino acids that contribute to improved structure and stability of bispecific ADAPT proteins. During the 20 weeks project period, different amino acid substitutions were analysed to evaluate the effect on the three-helical structure and stability of bispecific ADAPTs targeting human serum albumin (HSA) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα). Furthermore, the study also included identification of which amino acid substitutions that affect the simultaneous binding ability of the anti-TNFα ADAPT. The amino acids substitutions that demonstrated improved stability was further evaluated in two other bispecific ADAPT proteins targeting epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), in terms of structure and stability. The TNFα-targeting ADAPT variants was produced in Escherichia coli (E. coli), purified through affinity chromatography using a HSA-coupled matrix and was further analysed and evaluated using SDS-PAGE, circular dichrosim, size-exclusion chromatography and surface plasmon resonance to detect expression levels, yields, thermal stability, secondary structure, and simultaneous binding to TNFα and HSA. Furthermore, the production, purification and evaluation were redone with other bispecific ADAPTs targeting EpCAM, to be able to draw more general conclusions. The outcome showed which amino acids substitutions in the scaffold that improve the structure and stability of the TNFα- and EpCAM-binding ADAPT protein variants, respectively. Some of the ADAPT variants targeting TNFα showed improved stability and increased melting temperature. One of the variants with most potential from these mutants was ADAPT_TNFα5_F21K, both able to refold after heat treatment and demonstrated a higher melting temperature in the same order as the original binder. The variant bound HSA but not TNFα, thus consequently was not able to bind TNFα and HSA simultaneously. The variants ADAPT_TNFα5_V17I and ADAPT_TNFα5_M22Q both demonstrated a clear alpha-helix structure, were able to refold after heat treatment and demonstrated simultaneous binding to TNFα and HSA. The melting temperature for ADAPT_TNFα5_V17I was the same as for the original binder (59°C) and ADAPT_TNFα5_M22Q showed a decreased melting temperature (45°C) compared to the original binder. The amino acid substitutions that improve the stability of the original binder was combined and two variants withthese mutations were designed. Unfortunately, these variants could not express in E. coli cells and were not able to be produced. For the EpCAM targeting mutants one variant, ADAPT_EpCAM_02_X11N, showed huge improvements of the stability and structure compared to the original binder ADAPT_EpCAM_02. This variant improved the melting temperature with 24°C compared to the original binder and was able to refold after heat treatment, which the original binder did not have the ability to do. However, ADAPT_EpCAM_02_X11N was not able to simultaneously bind EpCAM and HSA, demonstrating that the mutation also had an effect on the binding ability. In the variant ADAPT_EpCAM_08 the mutation Y5I improved the melting temperature with 14°C compared to the original binder and was able to refold after thermal denaturation. However, the simultaneous binding to EpCAM and HSA was negatively affected. The project results have contributed to better understanding of the bispecific ADAPT proteins, which enables further development of the scaffold. The amino acid positions in the scaffold that showed to be important for ADAPT structure and stability will be used in the design of a new ADAPT-library, from which new binders with improved structure and stability hopefully can be selected, which might have the potentially to be used as future therapeutics. / Syftet med projektet var att identifiera positioner och aminosyror som bidrar till ökad struktur och stabilitet hos bispecifika ADAPT proteiner. Under projektperioden på 20 veckor har olika aminosyrasubstitutioner i ett bispecifikt TNFα/HSA-bindande ADAPT protein analyserats med syftet att undersöka om dessa substitutioner förbättrar stabiliteten och strukturen hos proteinet. Vidare analyserades hur dessa aminosyrasubstitutioner påverkar ADAPTs förmåga att binda HSA och TNFα samtidigt. De aminosyrasubstitutioner som visade på förbättrad stabilitet, utvärderades vidare med avseende på struktur, stabilitet och bindning i två andra bispecifika ADAPTs riktade mot EpCAM. De TNFα-bindande ADAPT-varianterna producerades i E. coli, renades fram med affinitetskromatografi med en HSA-kopplad matris, analyserades och utvärderades med metoder som SDS-PAGE, cirkulär dichroism, gelfiltrering och surface plasmon resonance för att detektera uttrycks-nivåer, utbyten, termisk stabilitet, sekundärstruktur och om proteinerna upprätthöll bindning till både HSA och TNFα. Vidare utvärderas de aminosyrasubstitutionerna som visade på förbättrad stabilitet även i andra bispecifika ADAPTs riktade mot EpCAM för att kunna dra mer generella slutsatser. Resultaten visade vilka aminosyrasubstitutioner i proteinet som förbättrade strukturen och stabiliteten hos de TNFa- respektive EpCAM-bindande ADAPT-protein varianterna. Några av ADAPT-TNFa varianterna visade förbättrad stabilitet och ökad smälttemperatur. ADAPT_TNFα5_F21K hade en tydlig alpha-helix struktur och kunde återveckas efter värmebehandling. Varianten hade en smälttemperatur i samma storleksordning som den ursprungliga TNFα-bindande ADAPT varianten. ADAPT_TNFα_F21K hade dock inte förmågan att binda simultant till TNFα och HSA. Varianterna ADAPT_TNFα_V17I och ADAPT_TNFα_M22Q visade en tydlig alpha-helix struktur, kunde återveckas efter värmebehandling och visade simultan bindning till TNFα och HSA. ADAPT_TNFα_V17I hade samma smälttemperatur som den ursprungliga bindaren (59°C) medan ADAPT_TNFα_M22Q visade en minskad smälttemperaturen (45°C) jämfört med original-bindaren. Två varianter bestående av kombinationer av de aminosyrasubstitutioner som visade på förbättrad stabilitet skapades. Dessa kunde tyvärr inte uttryckas och produceras i E.coli-celler. Gällande de EpCAM-bindande ADAPT-proteinerna var det en variant, ADAPT_EpCAM_02_X11N, som visade stor förbättring i stabilitet och struktur jämfört med originalbindaren ADAPT_EpCAM_02. Denna variant hade 24°C högre smälttemperatur jämfört med originalbindaren och kunde återveckas efter värmebehandling, vilket inte original-bindaren kunde. Dock kunde inte ADAPT_EpCAM_02_X11N binda simultant till EpCAM och HSA. Detta tyder på att denna mutation har en negativ effekt på ADAPTs bindingskapacitet. Varianten ADAPT_EpCAM_08_Y5I visade en förbättrad smälttemperatur på 14°C jämfört med original-bindaren ADAPT_EpCAM_08 och kunde återveckas efter värmebehandling. Dock resulterade även denna mutation i en negativ effekt på den simultana bindningen till EpCAM ochHSA. Projektets resultat har bidragit till en bättre förståelse av de bispecifika ADAPT-proteinerna och möjliggör en vidareutveckling av scaffoldet. Aminosyranspositionerna som visade sig vara viktiga för ADAPTs struktur och stabilitet kommer användas för design av ett ny ADAPT-bibliotek, från vilket nya bindare med förbättrad struktur och stabilitet förhoppningsvis kan bli selekterade. Dessa nya, förbättrade bindare, ökar de bispecifika ADAPT proteiners användningsmöjligheter inom terapi.

According to recent surveys on the use of systems development methodologies, many organizations claim that they are adapting systems development methodologies (Hardy et al. 1995; Russo et al. 1996; Fitzgerald, 1998). The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate the adaptation of systems development methodologies in South Africa. This problem was investigated by addressing the following research questions: • What are the perceptions of system developers regarding systems development methodologies? • Why do system developers adapt system development methodologies? • How do they adapt the methodologies? • Is there a difference in the quality of the systems which are developed with these adapted systems development methodologies opposed to those systems which are developed according to a specific formalised methodology? In this dissertation, interpretive case studies have been used to add to the researcher's knowledge concerning how and why systems development methodologies in South Africa are adapted. Qualitative interviewing was used as a data collection method. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. The next step was to analyse the transcribed data. In this study, content analysis with cross-case analysis was used. The findings obtained were confirmed by making use of triangulation and member checking. The results indicated that although the use of systems development methodologies is mandatory in organizations, it is not enforced by senior employees. Organizations use multiple systems development methodologies. Systems development methodologies are adapted due to several reasons, i.e. financial gains that is obtained, the lack of knowledge, time limitations, the fact that methodologies are not universally applicable, etc. Systems development methodologies are statically and dynamically adapted by adding and removing steps. The combination of methodologies and switching between methodologies also occur. The results indicate that developers realize that formal systems development methodologies produce systems of a higher quality. However, because it is so time-consuming, they are prepared to accept a lower quality system in order to gain a faster delivery time. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Computer Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.