Il ne passe pas une semaine sans que l'on entende les termes « crise », « catastrophe » ou « désastre ». Ces notions font donc maintenant partie de notre quotidien, mais connaît- n vraiment leur signification. Sait-on réagir face à ces situations, et surtout comment peut- n être sûrs de les résoudre de la façon la plus performante possible ? Ces interrogations sont le point de départ de ce travail. En effet, nos recherches ont consisté à mettre en œuvre une méthode pour aider les acteurs d'une crise à mieux contrôler la réponse à apporter pour la résoudre. Lors de la survenu d'une crise, quelle qu'elle soit, le système est déstabilisé, il faut donc réagir vite afin de revenir à une situation stable. Or, actuellement les décideurs ne disposent pas de suffisamment d'éléments (1) pour prendre des décisions sereinement et (2) pour suivre l'impact de leur décision. C'est pour pallier ce manque que nous avons développé une méthode d'évaluation de performance qui permet aux décideurs de suivre et d'évaluer, selon les critères qu'ils ont définis, de façon précise le déroulement de la réponse à la crise. Ainsi les décideurs peuvent réagir, c'est-à-dire prendre une décision a posteriori, lorsqu'ils découvrent un problème dans la réponse et également anticiper, c'est-à-dire, prendre une décision a priori avant même que le problème ait lieu, en se fondant sur des prévisions renseignant sur l'état futur de la crise. Ces travaux ont un intérêt d'un point de vue académique étant donné qu'ils se positionnent sur une problématique en plein essor dans la recherche et d'un point de vue opérationnel car la méthode mise en oeuvre répond à un réel besoin émis par des acteurs de la réponse aux crises. De plus, comme le montre le dernier chapitre, nos travaux sont déjà applicables. Ce sujet est donc utile à tous, puisque chacun peut être victime d'une crise et en particulier aux acteurs de la gestion de crise qui y sont confrontés quotidiennement. / During a crisis, the main goal for decision-makers consists in restoring a stabilized nominal mode. The stakeholders face considerable pressure and drastic constraints in response time and coordination. This study proposes a method to support these stakeholders in making responsive and accurate decisions while carrying out a performance evaluation of the activities run during the crisis response process. This method is composed of four steps: (1) characterization of the crisis response system, (2) selection of system components to evaluate in priority, (3) determination of performance dimensions to consider and (4) creation of indicators. Currently, performance evaluation is only used subsequent to a crisis, due to difficulties in gathering and aggregating information into trustable performance indicators. This paper proposes a method to obtain a relevant and dynamic decision-support system. Decision-makers will use it to resolve the crisis based on performance evaluation, in addition to the essential experience they undergo. A case study of crisis management within the French Red Cross non-governmental organization is developed, through a web-based prototype, in order to explain how performance indicators can both support crisis response management and also improve the collaboration of stakeholders.

De nos jours, les services Web sont très utilisés notamment par les entreprises pour rendre accessibles leurs métiers, leurs données et leurs savoir-faire via le Web. L'émergence des services Web a permis aux applications d'être présentées comme un ensemble de services métiers bien structurés et correctement décrits, plutôt que comme un ensemble d'objets et de méthodes. La composition automatique de services est une tâche complexe mais qui rend les services interopérables, ainsi leur interaction permet d’offrir une valeur ajoutée dans le traitement des requêtes des utilisateurs en prenant en compte des critères fonctionnels et non fonctionnels de la qualité de service. Dans ce travail de thèse, nous nous intéressons plus précisément aux services à base de localisation (LBS) qui permettent d'intégrer des informations géographiques, et de fournir des informations accessibles depuis des appareils mobiles via, les réseaux mobiles en faisant usage des positions géographiques de ces appareils. L'objectif de ce travail est de proposer une approche orientée modèles pour spécifier, valider et mettre en œuvre des processus de composition automatique de services à des fins de sécurité routière dans les transports. Cette approche est basée sur deux outils formels à savoir les Réseaux de Petri (RdP) et l'algèbre (max,+). Pour cela, nous préconisons l'utilisation des workflow patterns dans la composition, où chaque pattern est traduit par un modèle RdP et ensuite par une équation mathématique dans l'algèbre (max,+). Les modèles formels développés ont conduits, d'une part, à la description graphique et analytique des processus considérés, et d'autre part, à l'évaluation et la vérification quantitatives et qualitatives de ces processus. Une plateforme, appelée TransportML, pour la collaboration et l'interopérabilité de services à base de positionnement a été implémentée. Les résultats obtenus par la simulation des modèles formels sont comparés à ceux issus des simulations du fonctionnement de la plateforme et des expérimentations sur le terrain.Cette thèse est effectuée dans le cadre des projets Européens FP7 ASSET (2008-2011) et TeleFOT (2008-2012). / Web services are widely used by organizations to share their knowledge over the network and facilitate business-to-business collaboration. The emergence of Web services enabled applications to be presented as a set of business services well structured and correctly described. However, combining Web services and making them interoperable, to satisfy user requests taking into account functional and non-functional quality criteria, is a complex process. In this work, we focus specifically on location-based services (LBS) that integrate geographic information and provide information reachable from mobile devices, through wireless network by making use of the geographical positions of the devices. The aim of this work is to develop a model driven approach to specify, validate and implement service composition process in an automatic fashion for road security. This approach is based on two formal tools namely Petri nets (PN) and (max, +) algebra used to model, to verify and to evaluate the performance of service composition process. Workflow patterns are used to represent service composition processes. The behavior of each pattern is modeled by a PN model and then by a (max,+) state equation. The developed formal models allow the graphical and analytical description of the considered processes. Also, these models enable to evaluate some quantitative and qualitative properties of the considered processes. A platform, called TransportML, has been developed for collaboration and interoperability of different LBS. The obtained simulation results from the formal models are compared, on one hand, to those obtained from trials of the platform, and on the other hand, to those obtained from the real experimentations on the field.This work is a part of the FP7 European projects ASSET (2008-2011) and TeleFOT (2008-2012).

Cette thèse s´intéresse à la conception et l´évaluation des protocoles de routage et d´accès au canal pour les réseaux sans fils. La première partie de la thèse focalise principalement sur l´évaluation de protocoles de routage pour les réseaux tolérants aux perturbations quand ces réseaux incluent des relais fixes, appelées boîtes. Dans un premier temps, nous montrons que les instants successifs de rencontre entre une boîte et un noeud mobile qui se déplace selon un modèle de mobilité aléatoire sont bien approximés par un processus de Poisson. Nous donnons une formule explicite approchée pour l´intensité de ce processus qui dépend notamment de la densité de probabilité spatiale du modèle de mobilité considérée ainsi que celle des boîtes. Dans un deuxième temps, nous étudions l´impact d´ajouter des boîtes sur les performances de deux protocoles de routage classiques, le protocole épidémique et le protocole de routage à deux sauts. Nous développons des expressions explicites pour quantifier la distribution et la moyenne du délai de livraison d´un paquet, ainsi que le nombre des copies générées lors de cette transmission. Ensuite, nous proposons cinq stratégies qui s´appuient sur la présence des boîtes pour réaliser le routage des copies. Par ailleurs, nous introduisons une plateforme basée sur un modèle markovien qui permet de calculer et de comparer analytiquement les diverses métriques de performance pour ces cinq stratégies. Dans la deuxième partie de la thèse, nous intéressons à l´algorithme de backoff du standard IEEE 802.11. Nous proposons une extension de cet algorithme dont l´objectif est d´améliorer ses performances dans le cas où le réseau possède un grand nombre d´utilisateurs.

A presente dissertação objetiva demonstrar a aplicabilidade dos conceitos relativos à arquitetura organizacional à criação de entidade de autogestão em saúde. Para atingir este propósito agregamos à revisão bibliográfica de trabalhos versando sobre a nova teoria da firma e sobre o mercado de saúde suplementar brasileiro informações coletadas a partir da experiência profissional do autor e de colaboradores atuantes no setor em questão. A fundamentàção teórica agrupando os conceitos econômicos utilizados no trabalho conjugada com a realização de retrospectiva histórica do setor, bem como a contextualização de seu cenário atual, possibilitaram a construção de proposta para constituição de entidade de autogestão . em saúde do tipo patrocinada.Desse modo, podemos concluir que a correta leitura do ambiente de negócios ao qual se vincula, traduzida na elaboração de estratégia viabilizadora das aspirações da entidade, possibilita estruturar a firma sob o critério de melhor uso do conhecimento específico disperso entre os empregados. Para tanto, deve-se definir uma política de delegação de poder para tomada de decisões aos colaboradores conjuntamente com a formulação de sistemas de incentivos e avaliação e monitoramento de performance como alternativa eficiente na busca pela maximização do resultado da instituição. / The present dissertation objective to demonstrate the applicability of the relative concepts to the organizacional architecture to the creation of entity of self management in health. To reach this intention we add to the bibliographical revision of works turning on the new theory of the firm and on the brazilian market of suplemental health the information collected from the professional experience of the author and of operating collaborators in the sector in questiono The theoretical recital grouping the used economic concepts in the work conjugated with the accomplishment of historical retrospect of the sector, as well as the contextualization of its current scene, makes possible the construction of proposal for constitution of entity of self management in health of the sponsored type. In this manner, we can conclude that the correct business-oriented reading of the environment which if ties, translated in the elaboration of strategy of the aspirations of the entity, makes possible to structuralize the firm under the criterion of better use of the dispersed specific knowledge between the employees. For in such a way, one politics of delegation of jointly being able for taking of decisions to the collaborators with the formularization of systems of incentives and evaluation and monitoring of efficient performance as alternative in the search for the maximization of the result of the institution must be defined.

A presente dissertação objetiva demonstrar a aplicabilidade dos conceitos relativos à arquitetura organizacional à criação de entidade de autogestão em saúde. Para atingir este propósito agregamos à revisão bibliográfica de trabalhos versando sobre a nova teoria da firma e sobre o mercado de saúde suplementar brasileiro informações coletadas a partir da experiência profissional do autor e de colaboradores atuantes no setor em questão. A fundamentàção teórica agrupando os conceitos econômicos utilizados no trabalho conjugada com a realização de retrospectiva histórica do setor, bem como a contextualização de seu cenário atual, possibilitaram a construção de proposta para constituição de entidade de autogestão . em saúde do tipo patrocinada.Desse modo, podemos concluir que a correta leitura do ambiente de negócios ao qual se vincula, traduzida na elaboração de estratégia viabilizadora das aspirações da entidade, possibilita estruturar a firma sob o critério de melhor uso do conhecimento específico disperso entre os empregados. Para tanto, deve-se definir uma política de delegação de poder para tomada de decisões aos colaboradores conjuntamente com a formulação de sistemas de incentivos e avaliação e monitoramento de performance como alternativa eficiente na busca pela maximização do resultado da instituição. / The present dissertation objective to demonstrate the applicability of the relative concepts to the organizacional architecture to the creation of entity of self management in health. To reach this intention we add to the bibliographical revision of works turning on the new theory of the firm and on the brazilian market of suplemental health the information collected from the professional experience of the author and of operating collaborators in the sector in questiono The theoretical recital grouping the used economic concepts in the work conjugated with the accomplishment of historical retrospect of the sector, as well as the contextualization of its current scene, makes possible the construction of proposal for constitution of entity of self management in health of the sponsored type. In this manner, we can conclude that the correct business-oriented reading of the environment which if ties, translated in the elaboration of strategy of the aspirations of the entity, makes possible to structuralize the firm under the criterion of better use of the dispersed specific knowledge between the employees. For in such a way, one politics of delegation of jointly being able for taking of decisions to the collaborators with the formularization of systems of incentives and evaluation and monitoring of efficient performance as alternative in the search for the maximization of the result of the institution must be defined.

Dans la théorie financière classique, les marchés sont supposés efficients et lesinvestisseurs sont réputés rationnels. Ils sélectionnent leurs portefeuilles sur la base deparamètres financiers définis, en fonction de leur propre aversion au risque. Avec ledéveloppement de l’Investissement Socialement Responsable (ISR) dans le milieu des années90, un vaste champ de recherche s’ouvre en sélection de portefeuilles. En effet, lesinvestisseurs intègrent des éléments extra-financiers dans leur stratégie de gestion de portefeuille, en rupture avec la théorie financière classique.Ainsi, le développement de ce nouveau type d’investissement a enthousiasmé lacommunauté scientifique et les publications académiques se sont multipliées. Cependant ces recherches se sont concentrées sur les performances des ISR des grandes places financières occidentales, avec des résultats divergents. L'objectif de cette thèse est d’approfondir l'analyse du comportement financier des fonds et indices SR issus de trois marchés émergents – Afrique du Sud, Brésil et Inde – compte tenu des risques spécifiques de ces places financières et de ces fonds, et d’apprécier leur intérêt en termes de diversification internationale des portefeuilles.Notre thèse se compose de quatre chapitres indépendants, qui suivent une certainelogique d’écriture et de composition afin de répondre au mieux à nos questions de recherche. Les deux premiers chapitres introduisent l’objet et le champ de cette étude. Ils présentent un intérêt essentiellement théorique pour conceptualiser l’objet de la recherche et contextualiser son champ d’application.Les deux derniers chapitres sont consacrés aux analyses empiriques. Les ISR y sontanalysés comme objets de performances financières pures, mais aussi comme vecteurs de diversification de portefeuille ce qui, à notre connaissance, est encore relativement absent des publications académiques. D’autre part, deux échelles de temps et d’espace ont été croisées en scindant la recherche selon les différentes phases de la crise financière de 2008, et en analysant les performances en dimensions locales et internationales. Sur le champ théorique, cette étude apporte de nouveaux éléments concernant la compréhension des ISR dans une logique interculturelle, en questionnant la perception del’éthique, les stratégies financières qui en résultent, et leurs impacts économiques. Lesrésultats empiriques ont démontré l’intérêt financier des ISR dans ces trois marchés en termesde performances et de diversification de portefeuilles, d’un point de vue domestique etinternational. / According to traditional financial theory, markets are deemed efficient and investors rational. They base the choice of their portfolios on well-defined financial parameters, following their own risk aversion. With the development of socially responsible investments (SRIs) in the middle of the 90s, a vast domain of research became available when selectingone’s portfolio. Indeed, investors integrate new elements which are out of the financial scope to their strategy of portfolio management, thus diverging from the traditional financial theory. The birth and development of this new type of investments has triggered the scientific community’s enthusiasm with more and more academic publications being written on the matter. Research has mostly tackled SRIs related to the main western marketplaces withdiverging results. The objective of this thesis is to deepen the analysis of the financial behavior of these funds and socially responsible indicators from three emerging markets – South-Africa, Brazil and India – while taking into consideration the risks specific to thesemarketplaces and funds, and to appreciate their interest in terms of internationaldiversification of portfolios.This thesis is divided into four independent sections which follow a certain logic in writing and composition in order to answer our questions in the best way possible. The two first sections will introduce the subject and domain of this research. They will mostly deal with the theoretical aspect in order to conceptualize the research’s subject and put it into context. The two following sections will focus on empirical analysis. SRIs will be analyzed as pure financial performances, but also as vectors of diversification for portfolios which is, to our knowledge, relatively absent from academic publications. Moreover, two scales were used for space and time, dividing the research according to the different phases of the 2008financial crisis and by analyzing performances following local and international dimensions. On the theoretical aspect, this study brings new elements concerning the comprehension of SRIs in a cross-cultural context, by questioning ethical perception, resulting financial strategies, and their economic impact. The empirical results have shown the financial interest for SRIs in these three markets in terms of performance and diversification of portfolios, from both a domestic and an international point of view. / Na teoria financeira clássica, os mercados são supostamente eficientes e osinvestidores supostamente racionais. Esses últimos selecionam suas carteiras de açõesbaseando-se em parâmetros financeiros definidos em função do seu sentimento de aversão aorisco. Com o desenvolvimento do Investimento Socialmente Responsável (ISR), meados dosanos 90, abriu-se um vasto campo de pesquisa em seleção de carteiras de ações. De fato, osinvestidores integram dados extra-financeiros na elaboração de suas estratégias de gestão dascarteiras de ações, rompendo, assim, com a teoria financeira clássica. O desenvolvimento desse novo tipo de investimento entusiasmou a comunidadecientífica e multiplicaram-se as publicações acadêmicas. As pesquisas concentraram-se nasperformances dos ISR nos grandes mercados financeiros ocidentais, obtendo-se entretantoresultados divergentes. O objetivo dessa tese é aprofundar a análise do comportamentofinanceiro dos fundos e índices SR nos mercados emergentes – África do Sul, Brasil e Índia –levando em conta seus riscos específicos e apreciar o seu interesse no que concerne adiversificação internacional das carteiras de ações.Nossa tese compõe-se de quatro capítulos independentes seguindo uma lógica deredação e composição afim de responder da melhor forma possível as questões da pesquisa.Os dois primeiros capítulos introduzem o objeto do campo de pesquisa. Eles apresentam uminteresse essencialmente teórico para conceituar o objeto da pesquisa e contextualizar o seucampo de aplicação. Os dois últimos capítulos são consagrados as análises empíricas. Os ISR sãoanalisados como objetos de performances financeiras puras e também como vetores dediversificação das carteiras de ações, o que, a nosso conhecimento, ainda é relativamenteausente das publicações acadêmicas. Por outro lado, duas escalas de tempo e espaço foramcruzadas dividindo a pesquisa segundo as diferentes fases da crise financeira de 2008 eanalisando as performances a nível local e internacional.No campo teórico esse estudo traz novos elementos para a compreensão dos ISRdentro de uma visão intercultural, questionando a percepção da ética, as estratégiasfinanceiras resultantes e seus impactos econômicos. Os resultados das análises empíricasdemonstraram o interesse financeiro dos ISR nos três mercados em termos de performances ede diversificação tanto no nível nacional que internacional.

Depuis plusieurs années, l’agrégation de données sont considérés comme un domaine émergent et prometteur tant dans le milieu universitaire que dans l’industrie. L’énergie et la capacité du réseau seront donc économisées car il y aura moins de transmissions de données. Le travail de cette thèse s’intéresse principalement aux fonctions d’agrégation Nous faisons quatre contributions principales. Tout d’abord, nous proposons deux nouvelles métriques pour évaluer les performances des fonctions d’agrégations vue au niveau réseau : le taux d’agrégation et le facteur d’accroissement de la taille des paquets. Le taux d’agrégation est utilisé pour mesurer le gain de paquets non transmis grâce à l’agrégation tandis que le facteur d’accroissement de la taille des paquets permet d’évaluer la variation de la taille des paquets en fonction des politiques d’agrégation. Ces métriques permettent de quantifier l’apport de l’agrégation dans l’économie d’énergie et de la capacité utilisée en fonction du protocole de routage considéré et de la couche MAC retenue. Deuxièmement, pour réduire l’impact des données brutes collectées par les capteurs, nous proposons une méthode d’agrégation de données indépendante de la mesure physique et basée sur les tendances d’évolution des données. Nous montrons que cette méthode permet de faire une agrégation spatiale efficace tout en améliorant la fidélité des données agrégées. En troisième lieu, et parce que dans la plupart des travaux de la littérature, une hypothèse sur le comportement de l’application et/ou la topologie du réseau est toujours sous-entendue, nous proposons une nouvelle fonction d’agrégation agnostique de l’application et des données devant être collectées. Cette fonction est capable de s’adapter aux données mesurées et à leurs évolutions dynamiques. Enfin, nous nous intéressons aux outils pour proposer une classification des fonctions d’agrégation. Autrement dit, considérant une application donnée et une précision cible, comment choisir les meilleures fonctions d’agrégations en termes de performances. Les métriques, que nous avons proposé, sont utilisées pour mesurer la performance de la fonction, et un processus de décision markovien est utilisé pour les mesurer. Comment caractériser un ensemble de données est également discuté. Une classification est proposée dans un cadre précis. / Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have been regarded as an emerging and promising field in both academia and industry. Currently, such networks are deployed due to their unique properties, such as self-organization and ease of deployment. However, there are still some technical challenges needed to be addressed, such as energy and network capacity constraints. Data aggregation, as a fundamental solution, processes information at sensor level as a useful digest, and only transmits the digest to the sink. The energy and capacity consumptions are reduced due to less data packets transmission. As a key category of data aggregation, aggregation function, solving how to aggregate information at sensor level, is investigated in this thesis. We make four main contributions: firstly, we propose two new networking-oriented metrics to evaluate the performance of aggregation function: aggregation ratio and packet size coefficient. Aggregation ratio is used to measure the energy saving by data aggregation, and packet size coefficient allows to evaluate the network capacity change due to data aggregation. Using these metrics, we confirm that data aggregation saves energy and capacity whatever the routing or MAC protocol is used. Secondly, to reduce the impact of sensitive raw data, we propose a data-independent aggregation method which benefits from similar data evolution and achieves better recovered fidelity. Thirdly, a property-independent aggregation function is proposed to adapt the dynamic data variations. Comparing to other functions, our proposal can fit the latest raw data better and achieve real adaptability without assumption about the application and the network topology. Finally, considering a given application, a target accuracy, we classify the forecasting aggregation functions by their performances. The networking-oriented metrics are used to measure the function performance, and a Markov Decision Process is used to compute them. Dataset characterization and classification framework are also presented to guide researcher and engineer to select an appropriate functions under specific requirements.

A presente dissertação objetiva demonstrar a aplicabilidade dos conceitos relativos à arquitetura organizacional à criação de entidade de autogestão em saúde. Para atingir este propósito agregamos à revisão bibliográfica de trabalhos versando sobre a nova teoria da firma e sobre o mercado de saúde suplementar brasileiro informações coletadas a partir da experiência profissional do autor e de colaboradores atuantes no setor em questão. A fundamentàção teórica agrupando os conceitos econômicos utilizados no trabalho conjugada com a realização de retrospectiva histórica do setor, bem como a contextualização de seu cenário atual, possibilitaram a construção de proposta para constituição de entidade de autogestão . em saúde do tipo patrocinada.Desse modo, podemos concluir que a correta leitura do ambiente de negócios ao qual se vincula, traduzida na elaboração de estratégia viabilizadora das aspirações da entidade, possibilita estruturar a firma sob o critério de melhor uso do conhecimento específico disperso entre os empregados. Para tanto, deve-se definir uma política de delegação de poder para tomada de decisões aos colaboradores conjuntamente com a formulação de sistemas de incentivos e avaliação e monitoramento de performance como alternativa eficiente na busca pela maximização do resultado da instituição. / The present dissertation objective to demonstrate the applicability of the relative concepts to the organizacional architecture to the creation of entity of self management in health. To reach this intention we add to the bibliographical revision of works turning on the new theory of the firm and on the brazilian market of suplemental health the information collected from the professional experience of the author and of operating collaborators in the sector in questiono The theoretical recital grouping the used economic concepts in the work conjugated with the accomplishment of historical retrospect of the sector, as well as the contextualization of its current scene, makes possible the construction of proposal for constitution of entity of self management in health of the sponsored type. In this manner, we can conclude that the correct business-oriented reading of the environment which if ties, translated in the elaboration of strategy of the aspirations of the entity, makes possible to structuralize the firm under the criterion of better use of the dispersed specific knowledge between the employees. For in such a way, one politics of delegation of jointly being able for taking of decisions to the collaborators with the formularization of systems of incentives and evaluation and monitoring of efficient performance as alternative in the search for the maximization of the result of the institution must be defined.

Dans ce travail, nous nous intéressons à la modélisation des ressources Cloud, indépendamment des couches existantes, afin d’apporter un cadre (framework) de représentation unique et ouvert à l'arrivée anticipée du XaaS (Anything as a Service). Nous fournissons, à l'aide de ce framework, un outil de placement des ressources pour une plate-forme donnée. Les travaux de thèse se portent aussi sur la prise en compte des intérêts des utilisateurs ou consommateurs et des fournisseurs. Les solutions existantes ne se focalisent que sur l’intérêt des fournisseurs et ce au détriment des consommateurs contraints par le modèle d’affaire des fournisseurs. La thèse propose des algorithmes évolutionnaires en mesure de répondre à cet objectif / This thesis focuses on optimal and suboptimal allocation of cloud resources from infrastructure providers taking into account both the users or consumers and the providers interests in the mathematical modeling of this joint optimization problem. Compared to the state of the art that has so far remained provider centric, our algorithms optimize the dynamic allocation of cloud resources while taking into account the users and the providers objectives and requirements and consequently frees the users (or consumers) from provider lock in (providers’ business interests). Evolutionary algorithms are proposed to address this challenge and compared to the state of the art

Alternative Dispute Resolution was developed as an alternative to the traditional dispute resolution mechanism, litigation, which had become costly, time-consuming, did not give the parties control over the outcome of their disputes and was generally cumbersome. ADR refers to a variety of techniques for resolving disputes without resort to litigation in the courts. The concept behind the introduction of ADR methods was, inter alia, to reduce the delays and costs associated with litigation; to introduce relatively less formal methods of dispute resolution; to introduce consensual problem solving and empower individuals by enabling them to control the outcome of their dispute and develop dispute resolution mechanisms that would preserve personal and business relationships. ADR processes were thus intended to produce better outcomes all round. From the time ADR appeared on the scene, its usage has gained international recognition with both common law and civil law countries following the trend. Being faced with similar problems associated with litigation, Zambia has followed the trend and adopted some ADR mechanisms. Most commonly used ADR mechanisms in Zambia are mediation/conciliation, arbitration and negotiation. The legal and institutional frameworks for ADR in Zambia are firmly in place. It is thus, not far fetched to predict a successful future for ADR in which it will enjoy the support of the major stakeholders and play a vital role in justice delivery in Zambia. This thesis has a section on the conceptual framework for ADR and discusses the development of ADR internationally and some processes in use. It examines selected institutions of justice delivery in Zambia with a view to evaluating their operations and contribution to justice delivery in Zambia. It traces the development of institutions of justice delivery in Zambia from colonial times up to the present and assesses their performance. ADR processes currently in use in Zambia are critically examined and their shortcomings reviewed. The legal and institutional frameworks for ADR and the role they play of providing the supporting structure for ADR in the country are evaluated. Future prospects for ADR are indicated and recommendations for successful implementation of ADR in Zambia are given. / Jurisprudence / LL.D.