Social networking platforms (SNPs) are complex distributed software applications exhibiting many challenges related to data portability. Since existing platforms are propriety in design, users cannot easily share their data with other SNPs, however decentralisation of social networking platforms can provide a solution to this problem. There is a difference of opinion, the way the research and developer communities have pursued this issue. Existing approaches used in decentralisation provide limited structural detail and lack in providing a systematic framework of design activities. There is a need for an architectural framework based on standardised software architectural principles and technologies to guide the design and development of decentralised social networking platforms in order to improve the level of both data portability and interoperability. The main aim of this research is to develop an architectural solution to achieve data portability among SNPs via decentralisation. Existing proposed decentralised platforms are based on a distributed structure and are mainly for a specific aspect such as access control or security and privacy. In addition to this, existing approaches lack in practicality due to underdeveloped and non-standardised design. To solve these issues a new architectural framework is needed, which can provide design and development guidelines for the decentralised social networking platform. The goal of this thesis is to study, design and develop an architectural framework for social networking platforms that can incorporate the requirements of the decentralisation, to make portability possible. The synergies between the software engineering principles and social web technologies are investigated to create a standard approach. The proposed architecture is based on component-based software development (CBSD) and aspect-oriented software development (AOSD), a unified approach known as CAM (Component Aspect Model). The foundations of the proposed architecture are based on decentralised social networking architecture (DSNA), architectural style which is derived from CAM. Components and aspects are the building blocks of the proposed decentralised social networking platform architecture. From a development perspective, each component represents a social network functionality and aspects represent the properties and preferences that are used to decentralise the functionality. The model for the component composition is a major challenge because the use of CAM for social networks has not been attempted before. The proposed architecture comprehensively integrates the DSNA architectural style into each architectural component. Portability among SNPs by means of decentralisation can be summarised into three steps. (1) Definition of the architectural style, (2) implementation of the architectural style into components and (3) integration of the component composition. To date component composition approaches have not been used for social networks as a way to develop social network functionality. The concept of middleware has been adapted to achieve the composition feature of the architecture. In the architecture Social Network Support Layer (SNSL) functions as middleware to facilitate component composition. Existing middleware solutions still lack integration of CBSD and AOSD concepts. This limitation is characterised by, a lack of explicit guidelines for composition, a lack of declarative specification and definition model to express component composition and a lack of support for role allocation. This research overcome these limitations. The application of the architecture is based on the W3C SWAT (Social Web Acid Test) scenario. A Messaging application is developed to evaluate the scenario based on the Design Science Research Methodology. The architectural style is defined in the first stage of design followed by the component-based architecture. The architectural style is defined to guide the architecture and the component composition model. In the second stage, the design and implementation of composition technology (that is SNSL) are developed with architectural style and the rules defined in the first stage. The refined version of the architecture is evaluated in the third stage, according to WC3 SWAT test. The definitive version of the proposed architecture with the benchmarked result can be used to design and build social networking platforms, allowing users to share and collaborate information across the different social networking platforms.

This thesis investigates economic aspects of the measurement of fiscal decentralisation to establish how a nation's fiscal arrangements can be consistently measured, so they can be compared internationally. A new index of fiscal decentralisation is developed that reflects two key elements of the theory of fiscal decentralisation: the fiscal autonomy of subnational governments; and their fiscal importance. The role of fiscal inequality in subnational governments' public finances is also considered. The thesis consists of nine chapters which are distinct but closely related. These nine chapters can be divided into the three

<p><p>The aim of this study is to investigate and compare teachers’ attitudes to the current testing regimes for the 14-19 age cohorts in England and Sweden. A literature review reveals the historical and political contexts to the prevalent testing regimes in the two countries. One important finding is that the central tests in Sweden have clearly defined objectives whereas the tests’ objectives in England are, at best, insufficiently communicated but at worst not clearly thought through. The study also comprises a questionnaire with the purpose of collecting comparable material of teachers’ attitudes in both countries. Despite the small sample, the results clearly highlight significant discrepancies between objectives and achievements on the one hand and between English and Swedish attitudes on the other. Differences arose between the two countries on how well the objectives of tests are being met. English respondents are more positive towards external marking; meanwhile teaching to the test is seen as a lesser problem in Sweden. Many of these discrepancies and differences in attitudes can be explained from historical and cultural differences to education and assessment systems.</p></p>

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<p>Abstract</p><p>Aim: The aim of this essay is to study the global communication strategies of Red Cross/Red Crescent designed to help stop the hiv/aids-pandemic. The essay is also part of a cooperational project with the comprehensive purpose to investigate the relationship between the global and the local.</p><p>Material and method: The study draws on different materials and methods. Four interviews with Red Cross/Red Crescent coworkers, and a qualitative text analysis of different text documents of relevance for the global communication strategies have been carried out. These constitute the main material and methods, but two occasions of direct observations at seminars have also been carried out.</p><p>Main results: Due to the many differences between the localities of the world, the external global communication strategies of the Red Cross/Red Crescent are ment to be further developed at national level. The internal global communication strategies have an important mobilizing function, where the coworkers at national level are urged to commit to the fight against hiv/aids related stigma. The communications strategies at global level are constructed on basis of very broad and generalised conceptions about the target groups. The global dimensions of a global arena, global consciousness and global planning still appears important in the fight against the hiv/aids-pandemic.</p><p>Keywords: centralisation, decentralisation, mass communicaion, interpersonal communication, diffusion of innovations theory, global anena, global interdependence, global consciousness</p>

This paper discusses the problems regarding the decentralisation of a formerly communist country. In Georgia, the first steps towards decentralisation failed, since the transition process led to a power vacuum that escalated in bloody conflicts and secessionist movements. The status of Abkhazia and South Ossetia is still unclear and the intra-state tensions remain unsolved. This may be one of the reasons why the most recent attempts of decentralisation are rather hesitant. It is far from clear whether decentralisation in response to regional tensions would increase instability or political stability. We identify the limited autonomy at the local and regional levels as a major obstacle and challenge for the further reform process.

No description available.

Abstract Aim: The aim of this essay is to study the global communication strategies of Red Cross/Red Crescent designed to help stop the hiv/aids-pandemic. The essay is also part of a cooperational project with the comprehensive purpose to investigate the relationship between the global and the local. Material and method: The study draws on different materials and methods. Four interviews with Red Cross/Red Crescent coworkers, and a qualitative text analysis of different text documents of relevance for the global communication strategies have been carried out. These constitute the main material and methods, but two occasions of direct observations at seminars have also been carried out. Main results: Due to the many differences between the localities of the world, the external global communication strategies of the Red Cross/Red Crescent are ment to be further developed at national level. The internal global communication strategies have an important mobilizing function, where the coworkers at national level are urged to commit to the fight against hiv/aids related stigma. The communications strategies at global level are constructed on basis of very broad and generalised conceptions about the target groups. The global dimensions of a global arena, global consciousness and global planning still appears important in the fight against the hiv/aids-pandemic. Keywords: centralisation, decentralisation, mass communicaion, interpersonal communication, diffusion of innovations theory, global anena, global interdependence, global consciousness

Student administrative systems swing between being decentralised or centralised with a number of benefits being put forward for each scenario, including economy, consistency, customer service and control. This study makes a comparison of these systems in English universities, particularly looking at the factors which influence the centralisation or decentralisation of student administration in order to identify the factors involved, so that informed decisions can be made by university management. The research was undertaken in two main phases: firstly a questionnaire survey of university registrars (the macro study) was carried out in order to identify the current structures and systems in place for student administration; secondly case studies of four universities were undertaken. The latter mainly involved questionnaire surveys of academic and administrative staff at each institution, together with semi-structured interviews to chart the different student administrative systems and structures in place and obtain qualitative and quantitative data to assess them. From the results of the first survey, it was possible to assess the degree of the centralisation or decentralisation of the student administrative functions and cross-reference the data to examine whether certain factors were influencing the design of these structures. The results of this analysis are documented in Chapter 4, and it was noticeable that the majority of the respondents favoured the “midway” structure for student administration. Four universities were identified from the macro study to form the focus of more detailed case studies: one with a centralised student administration, one with a decentralised system, and two with hybrid systems. Key administrative functions were examined closely to determine the effectiveness, efficiency and motivational influences involved for each case study university. The research concludes that a blanket centralisation or decentralisation of student administration does not maximise the resources and gain the optimum efficiency. By being selective in which processes are centralised or decentralised, the university can gain in economy and also ensure a supportive infrastructure to enhance the student experience.

Titel: En kvalitativ fallstudie hur aktörer skapar och bibehåller förtroende i organisationer med fördelat ansvar   Nivå: Kandidatuppsats   Författare: Jens Bergvik och Hanna Eriksson   Handledare: Stig Sörling och Tomas Källquist   Datum: 2015 – januari   Syfte: Enligt tidigare forskning är förtroende grunden för många av organisationens resultat och basen i fungerade relationer och samarbeten. Sambandet mellan förtroende och den ansvarsfördelade organisationen är identifierad men saknar praktisk forskning, då en ansvarsfördelad organisation kräver samarbete beroende på att många har befogenhet till ansvar och beslutsmakt. Syftet med denna studie är därmed att ge en ökad förståelse för hur aktörer skapar och bibehåller förtroende samt att belysa förtroendets roll i ansvarsfördelade organisationer.   Metod: Studien har utgått från ett hermeneutiskt perspektiv och fenomenet som studerats ses vara av socialkonstruktivistisk art. Med hjälp av deduktion har teori och empiri arbetats fram där grunden för studien har varit i form av en fallstudie som antar ett kvalitativt angreppssätt genom semistrukturerade intervjuer.   Resultat &amp; slutsats: Studien tyder på att förtroende är svårt att beskriva då det uppfattas som en abstrakt fenomen och därav avsaknaden av konkreta verktyg. De faktorer som istället anses ha inverkan på förtroendenivån är också de faktorer som används för att skapa och bibehålla förtroende, vilka är kompetens, kommunikation och förståelse.   Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Förtroende har en betydande roll i samtliga organisationsstrukturer och denna studie är avgränsad till en ansvarsfördelad organisations struktur. Dessutom finns även infallsvinklar om hur och genom vem förtroende skapas.   Uppsatsens bidrag: Studiens bidrag är hur aktörer skapar och bibehåller förtroende samt betydelsen av förtroende i ansvarsfördelade organisationer. Studien tyder på att uppfattningen om förtroende är ett fenomen som är svårt att beskriva eftersom det är abstrakt. Och visar på att vikten av förtroende i ansvarsfördelade organisationer för att samarbeten och delegering av ansvar ska fungera. De faktorer som studien bidrar med för att skapa förtroende är kompetens, kommunikation och förståelse. För att bibehålla förtroende är studiens bidrag att arbeta kontinuerligt med kompetens och kommunikation.   Nyckelord: Decentralisation, distributed responsibility, organisational trust, trust, create trust, retain trust / Title: A qualitative case study research on how operators create and retain trust in organisations with distributed responsibility   Level: Bachelor thesis   Author: Jens Bergvik och Hanna Eriksson   Supervisor: Stig Sörling och Tomas Källquist   Date: 2015 – January   Aim: According to earlier research trust is important to many of the organisations results and the base in relationship and collaboration. The connection between trust and organisations with distributed responsibility is identified but there is a lack of practical research. With distributed responsibility there will be a need of collaboration, when a lot of people have responsibilities and authority to make decision. The purpose of this report is to increase understanding about how operators create and retain trust and to highlight the role of trust in organisations with distributed responsibility.   Method: The report adopts a hermeneutic perspective and the studied phenomenon assumes to be a social construction. A deductive approach have been used to collect theoretical and empirical information. The base for the report is a case study with a qualitative approach through semi-structured interviews.   Result &amp; Conclusions: The report implies that trust is difficult to describe because it is perceived as an abstract phenomenon and therefore there is an absence of concrete tools. Instead, the factors that is considered to influence trust is also the factors that is being used to create and retain trust, which is competence, communication and understanding.   Suggestions for future research: Trust has an important role in organisations and this report is limited to a specific organisational structure. Another suggestion is to study the different operators’ role in the process of creating trust.   Contribution of the thesis: The reports contribution is how operators create and retain trust and highlight the role of trust in organisations with distributed responsibility. The report indicates that trust is difficult to describe because it is perceived as an abstract phenomenon. Also shows the importance of trust in organisations with distributed responsibility, because trust makes relationships and delegation more effective. Competence, communication and understanding are factors that the report present as factors that has influence on creating trust. To retain trust the report argues that continuously work with competence and communication will be needed.   Key words: Decentralisation, distributed responsibility, organisational trust, trust, create trust, retain trust