There are serious security risks with the growing use of IoT devices. Historically, manufacturers prioritized profit over security due to high demand, a perspective that has evolved but remains a challenge. With this, the security of IoT devices has been overlooked, especially regarding smart bulbs, as they tend to be bundled with other IoT devices by the research community, and consequently not receive the attentionthey require. This thesis aims to identify and analyze potential threats regarding smart bulbs, and it does so by exploring proactive strategies in order to mitigate vulnerabilities. To understand the challenges smart bulbs face, some of the current applicable legislation, cyber attacks, defense mechanisms, and vulnerabilities were analyzed. Then, a network topology and a data flow diagram of a home network with smart bulbs was developed. Consequently, layers were assigned to the smart bulb, and threat modeling was performed on a each layer using STRIDE. This procedure was then formalized with a framework that encapsulates the stages of analysing the smart bulb’s landscape through threat modeling. This work contributes to the research community’s body of knowledge by providing valuable insights detailing the smart bulb’s landscape, not only through the framework but also through the conducted threat modeling, the data flow diagrams, and the information gathered regarding the threats to smart bulb security.

<p dir="ltr">In my dissertation, I examine the dynamics of digital platforms, starting with the governance practices of established platforms, then exploring innovative design approaches, and finally the integration of advanced AI technologies in platforms. I structure this exploration into three essays: in the first essay, I discuss moderation processes in online communities; in the second, I propose a novel design for a blockchain-based green bond exchange; and in the third, I examine how AI-based decision-making platforms can be enhanced through synthetic data generation.</p><p dir="ltr">In my first essay, I investigate the role of moderation in online communities, focusing on its effect on users' participation in community moderation. Using data from a prominent online forum, I analyze changes in users' moderation actions (upvoting and downvoting of others' content) after they experience a temporary account suspension. While I find no significant change in their upvoting behavior, my results suggest that users downvote more after their suspension. Combined with findings on lower quality and conformity with the community while downvoting, the results suggest an initial increase in hostile moderation after suspension, although these effects dissipate over time. The short-term hostility post-suspension has the potential to negatively affect platform harmony, thus revealing the complexities of disciplinary actions and their unintended consequences.</p><p dir="ltr">In the second essay, I shift from established platforms to innovations in platform design, presenting a novel hybrid green bond exchange that integrates blockchain technology with thermodynamic principles to address market volatility and regulatory uncertainty. The green bond market, despite its high growth, faces issues like greenwashing, liquidity constraints, and limited retail investor participation. To tackle these challenges, I propose an exchange framework that uses blockchain for green bond tokenization, enhancing transparency and accessibility. By conceptualizing the exchange as a thermodynamic system, I ensure economic value is conserved and redistributed, promoting stability and efficiency. I include key mechanisms in the design to conserve value in the exchange and deter speculative trading. Through simulations, I demonstrate significant improvements in market stability, liquidity, and efficiency, highlighting the effectiveness of this interdisciplinary approach and offering a robust framework for future financial system development.</p><p dir="ltr">In the third essay, I explore the integration of advanced AI technologies, focusing on how large language models (LLMs) like GPT can be adapted for specialized fields such as education policy and decision-making. To address the need for high-quality, domain-specific training data, I develop a methodology that combines agent-based simulation (ABS) with synthetic data generation and GPT fine-tuning. This enhanced model provides accurate, contextually relevant, and interpretable insights for educational policy scenarios. My approach addresses challenges such as data scarcity, privacy concerns, and the need for diverse, representative data. Experiments show significant improvements in model performance and robustness, offering policymakers a powerful tool for exploring complex scenarios and making data-driven decisions. This research advances the literature on synthetic data in AI and agent-based modeling in education, demonstrating the adaptability of large language models to specialized domains.</p>

This thesis explores the design and implementation of an API using the Design Science Research (DSR) methodology, aimed at bridging proprietary systems for sustainable lighting solutions. The project addresses the urgent need to replace mercury-based lamps in Sweden with environmentally friendly alternatives due to upcoming EU regulations. The developed API facilitates integration and automation between two distinct systems controlling lighting and power supply. Key research questions include identifying factors critical for a successful API and assessing its impact on client-specific problems and consequences of web automation. The research begins with identifying core problems through stakeholder engagement, followed by iterative design and development of the API. The solution's objectives were derived from practical constraints and stakeholder feedback, ensuring a focused and relevant artifact. The API was partially demonstrated and evaluated through simulations, theorizing its ability to meet the intended goals and providing insights into good practices for web automation. This work contributes to the field of information systems by providing a practical example of API development through DSR, highlighting the challenges and solutions in web automation and system integration. The findings suggest that a well-designed API relies on understanding end-use cases, good communication with minimal assumption and good adaptability. Relying on web automation can also result in post-release complications or pose ethical dilemmas.

The support and promotion of public Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges is fundamental in addressing South Africa’s intermediate-level and artisanal skills as shortages in these areas contribute to considerable unemployment in South Africa. These institutions have been earmarked by the South African government for extensive growth. Therefore, efficient and effective management and accurate decision-making within these institutions are essential. The evaluation of the management information systems (MISs) within these institutions, which provide data and information to inform institutional short-term and long-term management decision-making and day-to-day operations, should take place on a regular basis to so enhance the reliability and accuracy of the data and information. The problem is that no evidence of a methodology (artefact) for the evaluation of MISs at public TVET Colleges in South Africa could be found in the literature. Therefore, the rationale for this study is to develop a methodology for the evaluation of MISs at public TVET Colleges in South Africa. Hence the main research question for the study was formulated as: What are the components that constitute a methodology for the evaluation of a MIS at a public TVET College in South Africa? The study was conducted according to a design science paradigm. Design science is underpinned by a pragmatic philosophical paradigm which considers thought as a tool for prediction, problem solving and action. The Design Science Research Process (DSRP) model informed the research process utilised to develop the artefact for this problem centred initiated study. The iterated activities of the DSRP model which include: design, demonstrate, evaluate and and communicate, contributed to the refinement of the methodology (artefact). The artefact mainly underwent experimental evaluation to demonstrate its applicability. The methodology (artefact) was empirically evaluated at three cluster-random selected public TVET Colleges after all colleges, with similar MIS maturity levels, were clustered into groups.The study contributed to the extant knowledge base of: theory building, on different levels. The main theoretical contribution is the final evaluated methodology (DSR artefact) which enables IT practitioners and MIS managers at public TVET Colleges in South Africa to evaluate their MISs on a regular basis. The methodology (artefact) presents a theory for design and action which satisfies the conditions of importance, parsimony and novelty on a micro-level. The study furthermore contributed to the extant literature on the theory of MIS success evaluation by contributing to theory on the measurement of MIS success constructs and measuring of the relationships between the constructs. Another theoretical contribution is the innovative evidence-based method by which the public TVET Colleges were clustered. The clustering method was used to ensure a more rigorous sample selection technique than purposive or convenient sample selection of cases and is generalisable to other knowledge domain contexts. The research study furthermore produced results of interest to both technology-focused and management-focused audiences. For technology-focused audiences the processes by which the artefact was constructed and evaluated are described, thus establishing repeatability of the study and building the knowledge base for further research extensions by future design science researchers. The rigour of the artefact design process was complemented by a thorough presentation of the experimental design of the artefact’s field test in three public TVET College environments which provides sufficient detail for management audiences to determine if sufficient organisational resources exist for utilisation of the artefact. / Information Science / Ph. D. (Information Systems)

The support and promotion of public Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges is fundamental in addressing South Africa’s intermediate-level and artisanal skills as shortages in these areas contribute to considerable unemployment in South Africa. These institutions have been earmarked by the South African government for extensive growth. Therefore, efficient and effective management and accurate decision-making within these institutions are essential. The evaluation of the management information systems (MISs) within these institutions, which provide data and information to inform institutional short-term and long-term management decision-making and day-to-day operations, should take place on a regular basis to so enhance the reliability and accuracy of the data and information. The problem is that no evidence of a methodology (artefact) for the evaluation of MISs at public TVET Colleges in South Africa could be found in the literature. Therefore, the rationale for this study is to develop a methodology for the evaluation of MISs at public TVET Colleges in South Africa. Hence the main research question for the study was formulated as: What are the components that constitute a methodology for the evaluation of a MIS at a public TVET College in South Africa? The study was conducted according to a design science paradigm. Design science is underpinned by a pragmatic philosophical paradigm which considers thought as a tool for prediction, problem solving and action. The Design Science Research Process (DSRP) model informed the research process utilised to develop the artefact for this problem centred initiated study. The iterated activities of the DSRP model which include: design, demonstrate, evaluate and communicate, contributed to the refinement of the methodology (artefact). The artefact mainly underwent experimental evaluation to demonstrate its applicability. The methodology (artefact) was empirically evaluated at three cluster-random selected public TVET Colleges after all colleges, with similar MIS maturity levels, were clustered into groups. The study contributed to the extant knowledge base of: theory building, on different levels. The main theoretical contribution is the final evaluated methodology (DSR artefact) which enables IT practitioners and MIS managers at public TVET Colleges in South Africa to evaluate their MISs on a regular basis. The methodology (artefact) presents a theory for design and action which satisfies the conditions of importance, parsimony and novelty on a micro-level. The study furthermore contributed to the extant literature on the theory of MIS success evaluation by contributing to theory on the measurement of MIS success constructs and measuring of the relationships between the constructs. Another theoretical contribution is the innovative evidence-based method by which the public TVET Colleges were clustered. The clustering method was used to ensure a more rigorous sample selection technique than purposive or convenient sample selection of cases and is generalisable to other knowledge domain contexts. The research study furthermore produced results of interest to both technology-focused and management-focused audiences. For technology-focused audiences the processes by which the artefact was constructed and evaluated are described, thus establishing repeatability of the study and building the knowledge base for further research extensions by future design science researchers. The rigour of the artefact design process was complemented by a thorough presentation of the experimental design of the artefact’s field test in three public TVET College environments which provides sufficient detail for management audiences to determine if sufficient organisational resources exist for utilisation of the artefact. / Information Science / Ph. D. (Information Systems)

No description available.

Submitted by Nadir Basilio (nadirsb@uninove.br) on 2016-07-01T21:32:07Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Roberto Antonio Winter.pdf: 2306529 bytes, checksum: a8d1cdc9ad22f45147be60e7a42ca592 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-01T21:32:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Roberto Antonio Winter.pdf: 2306529 bytes, checksum: a8d1cdc9ad22f45147be60e7a42ca592 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-22 / Organizational learning process is part of the quest for competitiveness and it is also present on the project’s results, summing up together with several organization projects in order to make up its result. The learned lessons support managers in their projects with the successful and unsuccessful experiences through the registry stored and provided in a centralized and organized way. The learned lessons registry in any project stage helps the project members to meditate about the process, achievements, stimulating the sharing of tacit and explicit knowledge created. On this process of storing and retrieving learned lessons, the web’s 2.0 collaborative tools are present, and in this context the wiki platform is one of the most cited when storing and retrieving learned lessons. Add up the fact that there are no process on the most used references (PMBOK-PMI and ICB-IPMA) to these factors and it is identified a gap on the studies. This scenario motivates the quest for a model that helps the learned lessons management in Information Technology projects and Information Systems. This dissertation aims to evaluate a learned lesson management model on IT/IS project utilizing web 2.0 tools. This model supports the management of learned lessons: gathering, verification, dissemination and reusing. This study has an explanatory and prescriptive approach using an abductive, inductive and deductive method. The Design Science Research is the research’s approach. This study looks for contributing towards the project’s practice and its results and creating academic knowledge with the accuracy that the study requires in its method. The Target 2.0 was instantiated in the implementation phase of an IT project, demonstrating that the model achieved its expected results, solving while searching the company's problem with the GLA. The result emerged evidence of the sociomaterial relations, the quality of relations between people and the model, under present social theory. The research contributes to the GLA practice in projects, helps with project managers in GLA, besides contributing to the Administration allowing expand the use of the organization's knowledge management model. The research contributes to the theory and use of GLA model in the implementation phase of an IT project, in a small business, with improvements in GLA. / O resultado dos diversos projetos de uma empresa contribui para o resultado estratégico do negócio, para a aprendizagem nos projetos, e para o processo de aprendizagem organizacional. Em adição a aprendizagem em projetos, com as lições aprendidas, apoiam os gestores em seus projetos, com o registro das experiências bem sucedidas e de fracassos, coletando e reutilizando as experiências de forma organizada e centralizada. Esta pesquisa explora a gestão de lições aprendidas (GLA), com apoio de uma plataforma wiki, em uma empresa de médio porte, no ramo de TI, especializada em sistemas de logística e transporte. Na relevância do tema, encontram-se as necessidades das empresas, a pouca atenção ao tema nos guias mais utilizados em projetos (PMBOK-PMI e ICB-IPMA). Esse cenário motiva a busca de um modelo que auxilie a GLA em projetos de Tecnologia da Informação e Sistemas de Informação (TI/SI). Essa dissertação tem como objetivo avaliar a instanciação de um modelo de gestão de lições aprendidas em projetos de TI/SI, utilizando uma wiki. Este modelo suporta os processos de GLA: conscientização; coleta; verificação; armazenamento; disseminação e reuso. Este estudo adota o paradigma Design Science Research e o método Technical Action Research, têm uma abordagem exploratória e prescritiva, com uso dos métodos abdutivo, indutivo e dedutivo. A pesquisa instanciou o modelo Target 2.0 na fase de execução de um projeto de TI, demonstrando que o modelo atingiu seus resultados, contribuindo durante a pesquisa para a solução do problema da empresa com a GLA. No resultado emergiu evidências da relação sócio material, na qualidade das relações entre as pessoas e o modelo, sob uma presente teoria social. A pesquisa contribui para a prática de GLA em projetos, contribui com gestores de projetos na GLA, além de contribuir com a Administração permitindo expandir o uso do modelo gestão do conhecimento da empresa. A pesquisa contribui na teoria com uso do modelo na GLA da fase de execução de um projeto de TI, apresentando melhorias na GLA. As seis proposições elaboradas pelo pesquisador, foram confirmadas pela análise dos resultados da pesquisa de campo, sendo que uma possui ressalva que sugere melhorias na elaboração das páginas wiki.

Submitted by Nadir Basilio (nadirsb@uninove.br) on 2018-04-03T18:35:34Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Rosana Yasue Narazaki.pdf: 6250505 bytes, checksum: 6740b17cf0ae92f594c884443f115a11 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-04-03T18:35:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Rosana Yasue Narazaki.pdf: 6250505 bytes, checksum: 6740b17cf0ae92f594c884443f115a11 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-12-14 / A gestão do conhecimento (GC) é essencial para manter e desenvolver o conhecimento como ativo da organização. A equipe de projeto está se tornando mais descentralizada, exigindo tecnologia para suportar a GC nas atividades de gerenciamento de projetos (GP). A premissa para o fluxo do conhecimento acontecer é ter um ‘ba’ (espaço compartilhado) e este deve ser apoiado por um conjunto de ferramentas colaborativas, como as mídias sociais (MS). No entanto, as melhores práticas em GP não lidam com a dinâmica da GC de forma explícita, o que tem causado falta de rastreabilidade e perda de conhecimento explícito e tácito durante o ciclo de vida do projeto. Além disso, os indivíduos desejam facilidade de uso e acessibilidade, contudo não querem mais uma ferramenta para gerenciar, sugerindo que as MS devam ser integradas. Nesse propósito, o presente estudo analisou uma solução por meio de um instrumento técnico, sob a abordagem Design Science Research (DSR), com a intenção de responder à questão de pesquisa: Como o uso integrado das mídias sociais suportam à GC nas atividades relacionadas ao GP em um projeto de uma instituição de segurança pública? O artefato SM4PM (Social Media for Project Management), um framework prescritivo que guia o uso integrado de mídias sociais para apoiar atividades relacionadas ao GP, foi instanciado para avaliar GC no GP em um projeto de uma instituição de segurança pública. A coleta de dados foi feita por meio de quatro técnicas: 1) Entrevistas, 2) Observação direta, 3) Análise documental e 4) Grupo focal. Estes dados foram analisados em cinco etapas com o suporte do software de análise qualitativa MaxQdaPlus: 1) Compilação, 2) Decomposição, 3) Recomposição, 4) Interpretação e 5) Conclusão. Os resultados mostram que as MS suportam a GC em atividades relacionadas ao GP, dando uma forte evidência de que o framework SM4PM pode ser generalizado para resolver uma classe de problema, tais como coletar lições aprendidas naturalmente durante o ciclo de vida do projeto, gerenciar o conhecimento no gerenciamento de projetos, entender o relacionamento entre os processos e a sua integração. Como contribuição, o estudo aplicou empiricamente a ‘teoria para prática’ pela instanciação de um instrumento técnico baseado na “teoria de fazer bem’ e aplicou a ‘teoria que vem da prática’ para refinar este instrumento técnico. O uso do framework SM4PM pode beneficiar os gerentes de projeto, os membros da equipe e as partes interessadas no projeto. / Knowledge management (KM) is essential for keeping and developing knowledge as an asset of organizations. Project team is becoming more decentralized, requiring technology to support KM in project management (PM) activities. The premise to the flux of knowledge to happen is to have a ‘ba’ (shared space) and this should be supported by a set of collaborative tools, such as social media (SM). Nevertheless, best practices in PM do not deal with the KM dynamics explicitly which has caused lack of traceability and loss of explicit and tacit knowledge during the project lifecycle. In addition, individuals desire ease of use and accessibility and yet no longer want a tool to manage, suggesting that SM should be integrated. For this purpose, this research analyzed a solution by a technical instrument, under Design Science Research approach, with the intention of answering the research question: How does the integrated use of SM support KM in activities related to PM in a project of a public security organization? The SM4PM (Social Media for Project Management), a prescriptive framework for guiding integrated use of SM in PM, was instantiated to evaluate KM in PM in a project of public security organization. Data collection was done through four techniques: 1) Interviews, 2) Direct observations, 3) Document analysis and 4) Focus group. These data were analyzed in five stages with the support of the MaxQdaPlus qualitative analysis software: 1) Compilation, 2) Decomposition, 3) Recomposition, 4) Interpretation and 5) Conclusion. Results showed that SM support KM in activities related to PM giving strong evidence that SM4PM framework can be generalized to solve a class of problems, such as collecting lessons learned naturally during the project lifecycle, managing the knowledge in PM, understanding relationship among processes and their integration. As a contribution, the study empirically applied ‘theory to practice’ by instantiating a technical instrument based on ‘theory of doing well’ and applied ‘theory from practice’ to refine this technical instrument. The use of SM4PM framework can benefit project managers, team members and project stakeholders.

To create, update, or deploy a mobile application, a collection of hand-operated works must be satisfied. In this project, regardless of the mobile application's code and its core functionalities, which can be an e-book, an application, or even a mobile game, we will study how to automate, visualize and simplify the following manual procedures: 1.Create a remote Git repository for the mobile application. 2.Constructing or altering the mobile application's configuration or graphical contents. 3.Push all changes to the remote Git repository. 4.Deploy or distribute the mobile application from its Git repository after each push. / För att skapa, uppdatera eller distribuera en mobilapplikation måste en samling handstyrda verk uppfyllas. I detta projekt, oavsett mobilapplikationens kod och dess kärnfunktioner, som kan vara en e-bok, en applikation eller till och med ett mobilspel, kommer vi att studera hur man automatiserar, visualiserar och förenklar följande manuella procedurer: 1. Skapa ett avlägset Git -arkiv för mobilapplikationen. 2.Konstruera eller ändra mobilapplikationens konfiguration eller grafiska innehåll. 3.Push alla ändringar i det externa Git -arkivet. 4. Distribuera mobilappen från sitt Git -arkiv efter varje ändring.

Digital environmental simulations can be performed with different techniques and the most common technologies are virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality. Digital environmental simulations have proven to be effective in practicing surgery, industrial activities and for military exercises. Previous studies have shown that technology habits are a factor that affects whether digital environmental simulations can be used effectively. Thus, the purpose of the study was to investigate how users can be introduced to digital environmental simulations. To achieve the purpose, the following question was needed: How can a digital prototype be designed to introduce users to digital environmental simulations based on user needs? The study was based on design science as a research strategy, which meant that the study was carried out in three phases: development of requirements, development and evaluation of digital prototype. The production of requirements was made through a qualitative data collection in the form of semi-structured interviews. The interview questions were developed using a theoretical framework on digital competence. The interviews resulted in a requirement specification containing 15 user stories that were prioritized.Based onthe requirement specification, a digital prototype was developed in thedevelopment environment Unity. The evaluation of the digital prototype wascarried out in two stages, where the first was to evaluate internally and thesecond step was to evaluate externally. The external evaluation was conductedwith respondents who carried out a use test of the digital prototype thatresulted in proposals for further development. But it also resulted in usershaving increased knowledge and ability to see opportunities with digitalenvironmental simulations. The conclusion is that users can be introduced to digitalenvironmental simulations through a digital prototype designed based on userneeds. / Digitala miljösimuleringar kan utföras med olika tekniker och de vanligaste teknikerna är virtual reality, augmented reality och mixed reality. Digitala miljösimuleringar har visat sig vara effektiva för att öva på kirurgi, industrimoment samt för militärövningar. Tidigare studier har visat att teknikvana är en faktor som påverkar om digitala miljösimuleringar kan användas effektivt. Således var syftet med studien att undersöka hur användare kan introduceras till digitala miljösimuleringar. För att uppnå syftet behövdes följande frågeställning besvaras: Hur kan en digital prototyp utformas för att introducera användare till digitala miljösimuleringar baserat på användares behov? Studien har utgått från design science som forskningsstrategi, vilket medförde att studien har utförts i tre faser: framtagning av krav, utveckling och utvärdering av digital prototyp. Framtagning av krav skedde genom en kvalitativ datainsamling i form av semistrukturerade intervjuer. Intervjufrågorna togs fram med hjälp av ett teoretiskt ramverk om digital kompetens. Intervjuerna resulterade i en kravspecifikation innehållande 15 användarberättelser som prioriterades.   Utifrån kravspecifikationen utvecklades en digital prototyp i utvecklingsmiljön Unity. Utvärderingen av den digitala prototypen genomfördes i två steg, där det första var att utvärdera internt och det andra steget var att utvärdera externt. Den externa utvärderingen genomfördes med respondenter som utförde ett användningstest av den digitala prototypen som resulterade i förslag till vidareutvecklingMen det resulterade även i att användare fick ökadkunskap och förmåga att se möjligheter med digitala miljösimuleringar.Slutsatsen är att användare kan introduceras till digitala miljösimuleringargenom en digital prototyp som utformats baserat på användares behov.