La thèse part d'un constat : une tension apparente de « l'évaluation des compétences » qui s'illustre autant sur le plan de l'action que conceptuel : sur le plan de l'action, on relève une évaluation synonyme de reconnaissance par la valeur qu'elle souhaite attribuer. Elle est mise en tension par les dispositifs mis en place, amenant plus à une évaluation d'objets par des chiffres, et des cases à cocher : il apparaît le renforcement d'outils (référentiels, grilles d'évaluations ultra critériée, etc.) et des pratiques confidentielles (jury plénier fermé, monopoles de la certification sur certaines épreuves).Sur le plan conceptuel, le couple « évaluation compétences » part d'une contradiction qui pose d'un côté une densité conceptuelle plurielle à chaque notion, et de l'autre, une vacuité dans leurs rapports épistémiques. Notre revue fait état de conceptions catégorielles amenant à l'atomisation des dynamiques en multiples composants, sous tendue de procédures plus allogènes que jumelles. Entre une compétence « capable » et une compétence « requise » se profile la négation de l'évaluation. A quoi bon évaluer une capacité innée ou une simple réalisation de la tâche ?C'est au cœur de ces tourments que s'inscrit une recherche moins explicative ou déductive que compréhensive. En posant ces paradoxes dans un rapport plus dynamique, ce travail convoque l'Action comme une médiation située entre « évaluation » et « compétences ». Il questionne « l'acte d'évaluer pour les évaluateurs » par l'agencement d'une méthodologie adaptée qui permette à la fois une documentation fine des actes d'évaluer et une compréhension des processus mis en jeu. Le statut des données analysées est porté par un cadre théorique amenant à s'intéresser aux « créativités d'agir » par ses aspects situés, co-distribués, incorporés, enactés dans l'environnement. L'étude dévoile alors « un acte d'enquête sous tensions » : face à une compétence-action se joue une activité à la fois « multitacting » et encombrée de dilemmes. Médiée par un processus de « genèse instrumentale », elle rend compte d'une activité « d'enquête », « d'intime conviction » et de renormalisation. L'évaluateur, entre avocat-procureur et juge-jury devient un « expert en couplages » de situations indéterminées en un « tout unifié ». Les résultats amènent à répondre à deux enjeux. Un enjeu épistémique qui (ré)concilie le couple « évaluation compétence » en une seule modélisation dialogique - un « dilemme » générique où, « entre évaluation et compétence, est l'action ». Un enjeu plus pragmatique amène à ouvrir le débat autour de l'ingénierie aux dispositifs en posant la question de la suppléance à l'acte d'évaluer. En entendant moins le dispositif comme un objet structurant qu'un « ensemble d'éléments hétérogènes » reliant l'homme à son milieu, des pistes de réflexions font jour autour des genèses artefactuelles et des dispositions à la « référentialisation » et à la dé-temporalisation. En conclusion, ce travail de Thèse développe moins un débat conceptuel de l'évaluation et de la compétence, que de les faire fonctionner « en actes », à travers la construction d'un cadre théorique. Il n'en sort pas de posture de dernière instance mais une cohérence avec les cadres de la cognition située. La thèse traite moins un « objet » que des éléments en action, étant en train de se faire. La thèse est dans ce que font les évaluateurs en action : « voilà comment certains évaluateurs s'en sortent. » Il n'y a pas une réponse en définitive ... mais des réponses. / The thesis begins with a report: a tension is similar of " the evaluation of the skills " which becomes pregnant as much from the point of view of the action as abstract: from the point of view of the action, this work raise a synonymic evaluation of recognition by the value which she wishes to attribute. " The evaluation of the skills " is in tension by the set up devices, bringing more to an evaluation of objects by figures, and checkboxes: it appears the strengthening of tools (reference tables, assessment grids, etc.) and confidential practices (closed plenary jury, monopolies of the certification on certain tests).The couple « competence assessment » is based on an apparent contradiction that confronts, on the one hand, a plural density of each idea and, on the other, a barren emptiness of each notion in their epistemic relationship. Our review states reductionism leading to the fragmentation of dynamics into multiple components, their excessive measures, underpinned procedures more alien than twinned. Between the competence « able to » and competence « required » looms the negation of the evaluation. What is the good of evaluating an innate ability or a simple task performance? It is in the light of this torment that fits in a less explanatory or deductive research than a comprehensive one. By positioning these paradoxes in a more dynamic report, we call the Action as a mediator between « evaluation » and « skills ». We question the « act for the evaluators to assess » on the one side the « observable » and « meaningful » by the arrangement of a composite methodology that allows both a fine documentation of the activity and an understanding of the processes risked. The status of the analyzed data is carried by a theoretical framework to be interested in bringing « creativity to act » by its aspects situated, co-distributed, embedded, enacted in the environment. The study then reveals « an act of inquiry under tension »: faced with a skill action is played out an activity on the one hand « multitasking » and obstructed by dilemmas. Mediated by a process of « instrumental genesis », it reports an activity of « investigation », « intimate conviction » and renormalisation. The assessor, lawyer-prosecutor and judge-jury becomes an « expert in coupling » of an undeterminated situation in a « unified whole ». The results reply to two issues. An epistemic issue (re) reconciles the couple « competence assessment » in a single modeling dialogic - a generic « dilemma » where « between assessment and competence, is the action. » A more pragmatic issue brings our object of study to open the debate around engineering devices posing the question of substitution to the act of evaluating. On hearing less the device as a structuring object a « set of heterogeneous elements » relating man to his environment, trains of thought are emerging around the artefactual genesis and the provisions to the referentialisation and to the un-temporality. In conclusion, this work of Thesis develops less an abstract debate of the evaluation and the skill, that to run them " in acts ", through the construction of a theoretical frame. It does not take out posture of it of last authority but a coherence with the frames of the situated cognition. The thesis treats less an "object" than elements in action, being made. The thesis is in what make the evaluators in action: " here is how certain evaluators take out there. " There is no one answer after all … but some answers.

For several decades, the field of nursing has focused on the integration of cultural competence content into its prelicensure educational programs. Despite this focus, little is known about the cultural competence of nurses extending their education past initial licensure into an advanced practice nursing specialty, such as nurse anesthesia. Researchers in other fields have found that provider race and previous cultural competence training are associated with higher levels of cultural competence. This research, guided by the culture care diversity and universality theory, sought to determine the relationship between the two subscales, Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity (CAS) and the Cultural Competence Behavior (CCB) of the Cultural Competence Assessment (CCA) tool, and describe the relationships that exist between selected demographic variables and the total cultural competence scores for nurse anesthetists. One hundred and fifty-eight members of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists participated in the study. The total CCA score for the population was 4.98 out of a potential total score of 7 (SD = .79). Mean scores were 5.64 (SD = .73) and 4.38 (SD = 1.19) for the CAS and CCB subscales, respectively. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis confirmed a positive relationship between post graduate diversity training and total CCA score (B = .28, p < .05). Identifying the cultural competence of this population and the characteristics that are associated with high levels of cultural competence could lead to better provider awareness of their own interactions and perceptions of patients and improved patient-centered care for patients in minority populations who are served by certified registered nurse anesthetists, resulting in positive social change.

This Field Study Report aims to advocate that the target culture should also be taught while teaching the English language to Chinese students. Chinese students are learning English to communicate and socialize with the English speaking people. But learning only the English language is not enough for this purpose. They have to learn the way the English speaking people express themselves, their value judgements, and their customs. In the review of literature, many linguists like Chastain and Rivers share this same opinion. English teaching in China started more than one hundred years ago. The traditional teaching method still has some influence. The present curriculum appears a little unbalanced. Some of the teaching materials are found to be inadequate to teach the target culture. To illustrate some cross-cultural interferences, a survey questionnaire was conducted among some Chinese students and some Australian students. The data obtained from the survey indicated some selected problem areas for the Chinese students in talking with the native speakers of English. Two teaching aids were designed. One is a fifteenminute video tape, the other is three simulation exercises. They demonstrate several cultural conflicts between the English speakers and Chinese English learners. Both the video tape and the simulation were trialled among the Chinese students. They proved to be relatively effective in teaching the target culture. The trialling convinced this writer that it was possible for a teacher of English to prepare teaching aids such as video and simulation exercises. However, this may be very time consuming. But the result of the trialling proved that it was worth the time and effort.

本研究旨在探討新聞記者所具備的核心能力，受限於傳統新聞學研究大多以記者具備的「知識」作研究主題，為能更全觀去瞭解記者完成工作任務所需具備的核心能力，本研究由能力理論（competence theory）出發，藉著文獻整理及分析，初步建構出研究記者核心能力的四大面向：「資訊處理」、「科技使用」、「集體協力」及「個人情意」。 研究結果顯示，新聞記者在資訊處理能力上，主要可展現於「發現和界定問題」、「搜尋相關知識及資料」、「分析及整理資訊」及「呈現資訊」，其中擁有專業知識及策略知識是關鍵。在科技使用能力上，記者必須透過外在工具來延伸自身能力，需要發現並發揮科技工具可能的機緣，並讓身心靈習性保持彈性。在集體協作的能力上，記者必須與消息來源有良好的互動，由「建立關係、取得信任」、「談判協商能力」及「衝突處理」來展現能力。在個人情意上，最重要的是工作的動機及價值觀，因此新聞記者必須瞭解且認同作為記者的意義，才有可能為公眾利益去衝撞權威。此外也必須具備高度的「抗壓性」，才能勝任記者一職。 最後，本研究也根據研究結果提出記者核心能力之九大行為指標，作為日後相關調查研究參考。 / This study aims to explore the core competence of a journalist. Previous research mainly focused on the knowledge a journalist should possess, little is known about the core competence. To extend our understandings on this issue, this study constructed the four major analytic frames which were based on the constructs of competence theories. The four main frames are: 1) information processing ability; 2) the ability of using technology; 3) social interaction and 4) personal affection. The results of the study indicated that: 1) a journalist’s information processing ability was exhibited from the ability to identify questions, gather, analyze, and present information. 2) A journalist should be able to utilize external tools/sources to help them complete tasks more efficiently. That is, to figure out available tools and sources,, and to keep themselves flexible. 3) A journalist needs to maintain a harmonious relationship with news sources by gaining trust, using negotiation strategies and dealing with conflicts. It is noteworthy that, the most important competence a journalist needs to possess is the motivation. They must have positive perception on their role and envisage it is their responsibility to fight against the authority for the public interest. In addition, it is also essential for a journalist to handle great pressure from. At last, this study also provides the nine behavioral indicators which derived from the results. These could be the reference for future research.

<p>Denna studies övergripande syfte var att förstå de drivkrafter som leder till att vissa sjuksköterskor söker sig till akademisk kompetensutveckling medan andra ser det som helt otänkbart. Studiens mer preciserade syfte var att undersöka hur sjuksköterskor med kompletterande studier i vårdvetenskap ser på akademisk kompetensutveckling. Följande frågeställningar fokuserades för att få en mer nyanserad bild av detta fenomen: Vad har kompetensutvecklingen inneburit för sjuksköterskorna? Vad är det för kunskap de vill utveckla och varför? Vilka drivkrafter har motiverat sjuksköterskorna till kompetensutveckling? Vilka faktorer uppfattar sjuksköterskorna har möjliggjort/försvårat deras kompetensutveckling? Den teoretiska anknytningen gjordes till följande begrepp: kompetens, kunskap och motivation. Definitioner och teorier inom respektive begrepp användes för att försöka förstå, förklara eller värdera undersökningens resultat. Studien genomfördes som en halvstrukturerad intervjuundersökning med ett allmänkvalitativt perspektiv. Respondenterna utgjordes av tio sjuksköterskor med pågående eller avslutade studier inom vårdvetenskap på grund- eller avancerad nivå. Alla var kvinnor och arbetade inom vitt skilda delar av sluten- och öppenvård inom såväl landsting som kommun. Intervjuerna spelades in på band och transkriberades ord för ord och detta material analyserades efter inspiration från Granheim och Lundmans modell för innehållsanalys. Resultatet utmynnade i de fyra kategorierna <em>drivkrafter, förutsättningar, kompetenser</em> och<em> konsekvenser. </em>Under respektive kategori kom ett flertal underkategorier att ytterligare förstärka bilden av den akademiska kompetensutvecklingens villkor. Bland de avgjort viktigaste resultaten fanns den kulturkrock mellan klinik och akademi som respondenterna upplevt i mötet med studenter och nyutbildade sjuksköterskor. I detta möte fann de en stark drivkraft till egna akademiska studier vars syfte bestod av främst två delar, att skaffa sig kunskaper inom det egna kunskapsområdet omvårdnad, samt att skaffa sig redskap för såväl forskningskonsumtion som – produktion. Att den kliniska verksamheten ännu inte var redo för akademin var en annan tydlig bild som uppstod ur sjuksköterskornas berättelser. De kunskaper som värderades högst fanns inom den praktiska produktiva delen av vården och beskrevs av sjuksköterskorna oftast som förmågor. Den personliga utvecklingen var såväl en drivkraft till som en konsekvens av studierna och denna uppfattades som central för den vidare studiemotivationen. Sjuksköterskorna beskrev sina studier som en process som närmast kunde liknas vid att göra en resa, i detta fall <em>den akademiska resan. </em></p> / <p>This study investigated the main motives for why some registered nurses choose to continue on the path of higher educational studies. More specific, this study aimed to explore how registered nurses with additional academic marks in nursing science viewed academic competence development. Following questions were used to capture the complexity of the phenomenon of academic competence development; i) What did competence development involve for the registered nurses? ii) What kind of knowledge did they strive to develop and why? iii) What were the main motives for their competence development? and finally iv) What factors did they perceive as facilitators and/or barriers for competence development? Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten female registered nurses, who were either still enrolled or had completed basic or advanced academic studies in Nursing Science. The informants worked in different kind of specialties either in secondary or in primary care. All the interviews were taped and transcribed before being analyzed inspired by the model of content analysis as described by Graneheim and Lundman. Established theories and definitions for the concepts of competence, knowledge and motivation were used to understand, explain and/or to evaluate the findings. The content analysis revealed four categories,<em>‘motivations’, ‘conditions’, ‘competences’ and finally ‘consequences’. </em>Each category was also interpreted to include several sub categories. One of the main findings coming out from this study was the obvious culture clash experienced to occur in meetings between the informants and newly graduated registered nurses or nursing students. Experiencing this culture clash meant that the informants became strongly motivated to pursue further degrees in nursing science. Their studies mainly aimed at increasing their knowledge within their own speciality but also to increase their skills in appraising and performing nursing research. Their own individual and personal developments were interpreted to be both a motive and a consequence of taking on further academic competence development. In the analysis of the nurses stories it became obvious that clinical practice were not yet ready for nurses who departures from a theoretical and academy knowledge base in their everyday practice. Hence, practical and productive nursing knowledge, mainly described by the nurses as abilities, were more highly valued than theoretical academic knowledge. The nurses experienced that the process of continuing to develop their academic competences could be compared by a journey and in this case more specific<em> an academic journey. </em></p>

<p>Competence Portals are software tools that are intended to make it easier for persons that have had no previous contact to find and contact each other. The portals can address areas ranging from finding an expert within an organisation to the marketing of the competence of a region or a research centre to other organisations. </p><p>The purpose of the thesis is to examine the necessity of Competence Portals in research-intensive organisations. Important characteristics of the information in such portals have been identified and used as a basis for recommendations regarding how Competence Portals could be designed. Furthermore, the thesis focuses on the task of finding a source of knowledge within an organisation. </p><p>The study is of a general nature and is supposed to be of interest to anyone who has an interest in knowledge management and tools to enable easy contacts within and between organisations. The study includes research organisations from Sweden, Germany and the United Kingdom and privately owned Swedish companies. The focus is on the German research organisations and Swedish companies. The empirical data was gathered using two surveys and multiple interviews with both persons featured in a Competence Portal as well as prospective users. </p><p>We have found that is uncommon to have access to tools such as Competence Portals in the studied groups. The tasks that a portal is meant to make easier is most often already solved in an efficient way or not performed frequently enough to merit a larger investment. Furthermore, the general opinion regarding Competence Systems in the studied group is very sceptical. We have therefore reached the conclusion that the demand for a software solution such as Competence Portals is low in the studied group. As a result of the little room for improvement in current work procedures and a general low demand we conclude that the necessity of Competence Portals is low in the studied group. However, Competence Portals are likely to be useful to very large or geographically scattered organisations. We have summarized our findings regarding the quality aspects of the information inCompetence Portals in a model that illustrates the important areas to consider when designing a Competence Portal. The model emphasise the importance of processes for updating and maintaining the information in the portal.</p>

Denna studies övergripande syfte var att förstå de drivkrafter som leder till att vissa sjuksköterskor söker sig till akademisk kompetensutveckling medan andra ser det som helt otänkbart. Studiens mer preciserade syfte var att undersöka hur sjuksköterskor med kompletterande studier i vårdvetenskap ser på akademisk kompetensutveckling. Följande frågeställningar fokuserades för att få en mer nyanserad bild av detta fenomen: Vad har kompetensutvecklingen inneburit för sjuksköterskorna? Vad är det för kunskap de vill utveckla och varför? Vilka drivkrafter har motiverat sjuksköterskorna till kompetensutveckling? Vilka faktorer uppfattar sjuksköterskorna har möjliggjort/försvårat deras kompetensutveckling? Den teoretiska anknytningen gjordes till följande begrepp: kompetens, kunskap och motivation. Definitioner och teorier inom respektive begrepp användes för att försöka förstå, förklara eller värdera undersökningens resultat. Studien genomfördes som en halvstrukturerad intervjuundersökning med ett allmänkvalitativt perspektiv. Respondenterna utgjordes av tio sjuksköterskor med pågående eller avslutade studier inom vårdvetenskap på grund- eller avancerad nivå. Alla var kvinnor och arbetade inom vitt skilda delar av sluten- och öppenvård inom såväl landsting som kommun. Intervjuerna spelades in på band och transkriberades ord för ord och detta material analyserades efter inspiration från Granheim och Lundmans modell för innehållsanalys. Resultatet utmynnade i de fyra kategorierna drivkrafter, förutsättningar, kompetenser och konsekvenser. Under respektive kategori kom ett flertal underkategorier att ytterligare förstärka bilden av den akademiska kompetensutvecklingens villkor. Bland de avgjort viktigaste resultaten fanns den kulturkrock mellan klinik och akademi som respondenterna upplevt i mötet med studenter och nyutbildade sjuksköterskor. I detta möte fann de en stark drivkraft till egna akademiska studier vars syfte bestod av främst två delar, att skaffa sig kunskaper inom det egna kunskapsområdet omvårdnad, samt att skaffa sig redskap för såväl forskningskonsumtion som – produktion. Att den kliniska verksamheten ännu inte var redo för akademin var en annan tydlig bild som uppstod ur sjuksköterskornas berättelser. De kunskaper som värderades högst fanns inom den praktiska produktiva delen av vården och beskrevs av sjuksköterskorna oftast som förmågor. Den personliga utvecklingen var såväl en drivkraft till som en konsekvens av studierna och denna uppfattades som central för den vidare studiemotivationen. Sjuksköterskorna beskrev sina studier som en process som närmast kunde liknas vid att göra en resa, i detta fall den akademiska resan. / This study investigated the main motives for why some registered nurses choose to continue on the path of higher educational studies. More specific, this study aimed to explore how registered nurses with additional academic marks in nursing science viewed academic competence development. Following questions were used to capture the complexity of the phenomenon of academic competence development; i) What did competence development involve for the registered nurses? ii) What kind of knowledge did they strive to develop and why? iii) What were the main motives for their competence development? and finally iv) What factors did they perceive as facilitators and/or barriers for competence development? Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten female registered nurses, who were either still enrolled or had completed basic or advanced academic studies in Nursing Science. The informants worked in different kind of specialties either in secondary or in primary care. All the interviews were taped and transcribed before being analyzed inspired by the model of content analysis as described by Graneheim and Lundman. Established theories and definitions for the concepts of competence, knowledge and motivation were used to understand, explain and/or to evaluate the findings. The content analysis revealed four categories,‘motivations’, ‘conditions’, ‘competences’ and finally ‘consequences’. Each category was also interpreted to include several sub categories. One of the main findings coming out from this study was the obvious culture clash experienced to occur in meetings between the informants and newly graduated registered nurses or nursing students. Experiencing this culture clash meant that the informants became strongly motivated to pursue further degrees in nursing science. Their studies mainly aimed at increasing their knowledge within their own speciality but also to increase their skills in appraising and performing nursing research. Their own individual and personal developments were interpreted to be both a motive and a consequence of taking on further academic competence development. In the analysis of the nurses stories it became obvious that clinical practice were not yet ready for nurses who departures from a theoretical and academy knowledge base in their everyday practice. Hence, practical and productive nursing knowledge, mainly described by the nurses as abilities, were more highly valued than theoretical academic knowledge. The nurses experienced that the process of continuing to develop their academic competences could be compared by a journey and in this case more specific an academic journey.

ABSTRACT Titel: Påverkar revisionsbyråernas arbete med kompetensutveckling medarbetarnas resultat på revisorsexamen? Nivå: C-uppsats i företagsekonomi Författare: Gabriella Isaksson, Sofie Wallberg Handledare: Per-Arne Wikström Datum: 2013-03-21 Syfte: Syftet är att beskriva hur revisionsbyråerna kan arbeta med olika kompetensutvecklingsåtgärder för att få sina anställda att lyckas på revisorsexamen och därmed bli godkända revisorer. Metod: Vi studerade teorier om kompetensutveckling och undersökte hur revisionsbyråerna arbetade med olika kompetensutvecklingsåtgärder. Efter detta utvecklade vi en modell som var anpassad efter revisionsbyråernas arbete med kompetensutveckling. Vi genomförde sedan en enkätundersökning bestående av både öppna och slutna frågor med tentander från Big-4 byråer som skrivit revisorsexamen med godkänt resultat hösten 2011 eller våren 2012. Resultat &amp; slutsats: Det visade sig att ett flertal kompetensutvecklingsfaktorer, bland annat utbildning och uppföljning, varit betydelsefulla för tentandernas prestation på revisorsexamen. Andra åtgärder, såsom utvecklingssamtal och mentorskap, var inte betydelsefulla för själva prestationen, utan hade större betydelse i andra sammanhang. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Undersöka vilken påverkan kompetensutvecklingsåtgärderna har på prestationen "högre revisorsexamen". Uppsatsens bidrag: Studien bidrar till en ökad förståelse om vilken inverkan olika kompetensutvecklingsåtgärder har på prestationen på revisorsexamen och ger därmed revisionsbyråerna en möjlighet att genom planering hjälpa sina anställda till att nå ett godkänt resultat på revisorsexamen. Nyckelord: Kompetens, oberoende, kompetensutveckling, revisorsexamen, godkänd revisor. / ABSTRACT Title: Does the auditor firms work with competence development affecton the employees results on auditor exam? Level: Final assignment for Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration Author: Gabriella Isaksson, Sofie Wallberg Supervisor: Per-Arne Wikström Date: 2013-03-21 Aim: The purpose is to describe how accountancy firms can work with competence development activities to make their employees to succeed on auditor examination and become approved auditors. Method: We studied the theories of competence development and examined how accounting firms work with competence development. We also developed a model tailored to their work and carried out a survey consisting of both openand closed questions to examinees from the Big-4 firms who wrote an accountant exam with passing grade during the autumn of 2011 or spring of 2012.  Result &amp; Conclusions: It turned out that a number of competence development factors, including education and monitoring, were significant for examinees performance on auditor examination. Other factors, such as performance reviews and coaching, was not significant for the performance but was more significant in other contexts. Suggestions for future research: Examine the impact of competence development for "higher auditor examination". Contribution of the thesis: This study contributes to a better understanding of the impact that the different competence development has on the performance of the auditor examination and gives accounting firms an opportunity and tools to help their employees to achieve a passing grade through planning. Key words: Competence, independence, competence development, auditor examination, approved auditor.

Face-to-face interaction has been studied both within sociology and linguistics, as well as withinother disciplines. Often has the perspective been too narrow, something which is not compatiblewith the diverse and dynamic nature of this type of interaction. This narrow view prevents fullunderstanding of interaction. Within this theoretical paper it is suggested that face-to-faceinteraction has to be studied with a broad perspective; when studying face-to-face interaction itis necessary to acknowledge its dynamic nature and therefore it is necessary to combineknowledge from different disciplines. Within this paper, I combine theories from linguistics andsociology in order to gain a broader perspective upon interaction. What has been missing fromearlier research upon face-to-face interaction and upon the competence needed to participatein such interaction is not the knowledge of the different features of interaction but a will toconnect them all. Existing concepts for describing the competence needed in order to be ableto interact have often failed to describe the dynamic, multi-faceted nature of interaction; therehas been a tendency to try to explain everything with just one factor. Within this paper, amore covering concept of the competence needed of an interactant within face-to-faceinteraction is proposed and sketched; a concept which I name Interaction Competence. Thiscompetence is the knowledge and abilities needed of an interactant in order to be able tointeract with others. This concept, which can be a valuable analytical tool for analyzing faceto-face interaction, has Dell Hymes’ concept of Communicative Competence and ErvingGoffman’s and Ann Warfield Rawls’ concept of Interaction Order as building-blocks andconsists of four main areas of competence: Control Body, Command Language, HandleSocio-cultural Knowledge and Understand Interaction Order. Within this paper also the affectof two interactant-external factors: the context and acceptability. Both are found to be highlyrelevant for the Interaction Competence of an interactant, thus the need for acknowledging therole of sufficient and acceptable Interaction Competence is seen. / <p>Presenterades (utöver uppsatsseminariet) inom ramen för Sociologiska Institutionens IMER (Internationella Migration Etniska Relationer)-seminarium</p>

Competence Portals are software tools that are intended to make it easier for persons that have had no previous contact to find and contact each other. The portals can address areas ranging from finding an expert within an organisation to the marketing of the competence of a region or a research centre to other organisations. The purpose of the thesis is to examine the necessity of Competence Portals in research-intensive organisations. Important characteristics of the information in such portals have been identified and used as a basis for recommendations regarding how Competence Portals could be designed. Furthermore, the thesis focuses on the task of finding a source of knowledge within an organisation. The study is of a general nature and is supposed to be of interest to anyone who has an interest in knowledge management and tools to enable easy contacts within and between organisations. The study includes research organisations from Sweden, Germany and the United Kingdom and privately owned Swedish companies. The focus is on the German research organisations and Swedish companies. The empirical data was gathered using two surveys and multiple interviews with both persons featured in a Competence Portal as well as prospective users. We have found that is uncommon to have access to tools such as Competence Portals in the studied groups. The tasks that a portal is meant to make easier is most often already solved in an efficient way or not performed frequently enough to merit a larger investment. Furthermore, the general opinion regarding Competence Systems in the studied group is very sceptical. We have therefore reached the conclusion that the demand for a software solution such as Competence Portals is low in the studied group. As a result of the little room for improvement in current work procedures and a general low demand we conclude that the necessity of Competence Portals is low in the studied group. However, Competence Portals are likely to be useful to very large or geographically scattered organisations. We have summarized our findings regarding the quality aspects of the information inCompetence Portals in a model that illustrates the important areas to consider when designing a Competence Portal. The model emphasise the importance of processes for updating and maintaining the information in the portal.