Cette thèse aborde l’histoire des activités spatiales françaises en parcourant leur évolution depuis les premières recherches scientifiques dans la haute atmosphère entreprises après la fin de la deuxième guerre mondiale jusqu’à la création de l’Agence spatiale européenne (ESA), au milieu des années 1970. Née dans la guerre froide, la politique spatiale française constitue sous la présidence du général de Gaulle, un des éléments de la politique d’indépendance nationale puis, sous l’ère du Président Pompidou, elle accentue son caractère industriel ouvert à la coopération avant de devenir européenne au début du septennat du Président Giscard d’Estaing. Centrée sur le Centre national d’études spatiales (CNES) l’étude souligne le rôle de l’État dans un secteur de hautes technologies où la politique est soumise à l’interaction entre des facteurs nationaux et internationaux comportant des enjeux géopolitiques et géostratégiques. Privilégiant les aspects institutionnels, elle analyse le processus d’élaboration de la politique mise en œuvre à partir des années 1960. D’abord, perçue comme élément de prestige au service du rayonnement de la France dans le monde, la politique spatiale interagit avec l’évolution du système technique pour répondre aux enjeux économiques et industriels que comportent les applications spatiales. L’étude met en évidence l’impérieuse nécessité d’un dialogue permanent entre les acteurs, techniciens et politiques, dont l’interdépendance participe à la formation du processus décisionnel. / The subject of this thesis is the history of space activities in France, evolving from the first scientific atmospheric research programmes undertaken after the Second World War up to the creation of the European Space Agency (ESA) in the 1970s.A by-product of the Cold War, the French Space Policy was one of the pillars of national independence under the presidency of General De Gaulle. Under President Pompidou, it becomes more industrial and opens up to cooperation, only to become European in the beginning of President Giscard d’Estaing 7-year mandate.Focused on the French space agency (Centre national d’etudes spatiales (CNES)), this study emphasizes the role of the state in the high technology sector where policy is submitted to the interaction of national and international factors, taking into account geopolitical and geostrategic stakes. Highlighting the institutional aspects, the study analyses the elaborative process of the policy implemented in the 1960s. First of all perceived as a way of putting France in the spotlight at global level, space policy evolves with technology to face the economic and industrial challenges of space applications. The study highlights the vital necessity of a permanent dialogue between technological and political actors,

U.B.C. as well as many secondary schools in Vancouver have invested in the potential of technology. Research reveals, however, that even when there is sufficient access, far too many English teachers are not effectively using technology as a learning &/ or teaching resource. Perhaps this is because they are not equipped with the necessary skills to effectively use technology in the classroom. This three month study explores how three English teachers at an urban secondary school in Vancouver are presently experiencing the use of technology in their classrooms. Qualitative methods were used to generate, analyze and report data. Data collection included formal and informal discussions, interviews, extensive field notes and the observation of classes. This study discloses the factors which have most significantly facilitated and inhibited the implementation of technology in these teachers' teaching contexts. This research also provides an account of these teachers' perspectives of how the B.Ed, program at U.B.C. can equip pre-service teachers for the challenges and potential of integrating technology into secondary English classrooms. / Education, Faculty of / Language and Literacy Education (LLED), Department of / Graduate

INTRODUCTIONThis research investigates the assessment for the rehabilitation of the Pretoria State Garage (PSG) for the purpose of accommodating the Pretoria Technology Park (PTP). The Pretoria State Garage courtyard is comprised of industrial type of buildings, most of which stand obsolete due to a shift in the manufacturing process. These buildings are structurally sound and historically significant. They offer a major opportunity for conversion to attract business through providing relatively inexpensive commercial and industrial spaces to small and medium sized companies. The site is located in the southwest quadrant of Pretoria Central in which a number of sites and buildings are currently being downgraded in the urban revitalisation process, due to preferred, other technologies of construction. The assessment for the rehabilitation of the site evaluates the spatial qualities and the physical forms of buildings in relation to the new user, while the establishment of the PTP focuses on maintaining, elongating and innovating the industrial manufacturing tradition of the site. The incorporation of the PTP on the PSG site is implemented through the fitting process. RESEARCH AREAThe research focuses on the three main areas dealing with: <ul><li> Programming and planning of the Pretoria Technology Park </li><li>Rehabilitation assessment of the Pretoria State Garage</li><li> Architectural fitting process <br></li></ul> 1. Programming and planning of the Pretoria Technology Park The development methodology is employed for the establishment of a sustainable Pretoria Technology Park, which stems from local technology demand, supply and transfer. As a result, different centres are established to provide accommodation and services to major activities of the park dealing with administration, provision of advanced technology services and accommodation for technology-based firms. Individual centres are discussed according to their envisaged spatial qualities and design specifications. 2. Rehabilitation assessment of the Pretoria State Garage The rehabilitation assessment explores the historic significance and architectural values of the PSG. The outcome of the rehabilitation assessment defmes the manner and the degree in which various rehabilitation interventions could be executed. The process includes proposals for the demolition of unwanted structures and elements, investigating the long-term resilience of buildings to be retained and assessing negative physical features of the site. 3. Architectural fitting process Specific dimensions and spatial requirements of both the PSG (physical) and the PTP (intellectual) respectively are compared for the purpose of mutual fitting. / Dissertation (MArch)--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Architecture / unrestricted

No description available.

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to investigate how the challenges of Internet of Things that manufacturers can influence can be overcome. Theoretical foundation - This study conducted an extensive literature review to identify and understand the challenges to Internet of Things and actions to overcome them. 11 technical challenges, 13 organisational and 6 resource availability challenges were identified. 4 actions were identified. Method - To fulfil the purpose, an embedded multiple case study at a global Aerospace manufacturer was conducted. 7 unstructured interviews, 12 semi-structured interviews and a survey were conducted. Respondents were picked due to their experience in Internet of Things projects and relevant technologies. The survey was conducted to evaluate the challenges’ relevance to high-technology manufacturers, on a 7-point Likert scale. The semi-structured interviews aimed to find actions to overcoming the challenges relevant to high-technology manufacturers. Findings - The evaluation of the challenges relevance to high-technology manufacturers resulted in 10 common, 9 occasional and 2 uncommon challenges. 12 actions to overcoming the challenges and their tasks were identified. Theoretical contribution - The study provides a comprehensive list of potential challenges to Internet of Things. It evaluated the challenges’ impact on high-technology manufacturers, thus challenging and validating Internet of Things challenges presented in literature. It provides a set of actions and a framework which aids in overcoming challenges that impact high-technology manufacturers’ Internet of Things initiatives, thus contributing to digital change management. Finally, it aids in the progress towards concretising Industry 4.0 and its trends toward connectivity, intelligence, and flexible automation. Practical contribution - The study provides an increased understanding of potential challenges of Internet of Things, and recommendations to how high-technology manufacturer can overcome the challenges. A framework is provided which gives an overview of which actions, and subsequent tasks, to take to overcome a specific challenge.

高科技產品要打動消費者的心，已不能如同過去只強調其功能價值，要在激烈競爭環境中脫穎而出，無形價值更顯得重要。本研究引用Park, Jaworski and MacInnis (1986)的研究，將品牌帶給顧客的價值分為功能性、象徵性、體驗性價值。根據研究結果，在消費者心中重視的是高科技品牌的功能性與象徵性價值，因此廠商在推出高科技產品時，除產品本身功能要能具吸引力外，在行銷手法上須建立與其他品牌區隔的象徵意義，使消費者能將該產品視為自我身份象徵的徽章(badge)。另一方面，消費者在選購此項產品的涉入程度普遍都很高，而目前市面上產品功能是大同小異，廠商要能使其產品出奇制勝，同樣要以無形價值下手，以增加對消費者的吸引力。此外，本研究發現消費者購買高科技產品時，根據的並非自己的真實特性，而可能是消費者理想的自我。至於，國家文化與品牌聯想之顧客價值的關係在本研究中並不顯著。 / Nowadays, the functional value of the high-tech products is not attractive enough to the consumers. For consumers, they want more values of high-tech products, especially the intangible values. According to Park, Jaworski and MacInnis’ (1986) research, the brand value from customer's point of view could divide into the functional, symbolic and the experiential value. In this research, the consumers more care the functional and symbolic value of high-technology brands. Therefore, the merchants must emphasize on its products’ symbolic value to distinguish from the other brands, especially there is no big difference on the functional side. The customers would like to make the high-tech products as their badge. On the other hand, the consumers feel highly involvement with the high-tech products. The merchants must clothe its high-tech products with more intangible value to defeat the other brands. In addition, this research discovered the consumers might not follow their real characters but ideal self when they purchased the high-tech products. Furthermore, there is no significant relation between the national culture and the brand value in this research.

Empresas brasileiras que desejam conquistar novos mercados exportando precisam estar atentas aos diversos atributos analisados por compradores corporativos internacionais, alavancando sua competitividade em um cenário de disputa acirrada. Um desses atributos é a imagem do país de procedência dos produtos. Apesar de esse tema já ser abordado há quase cinco décadas na literatura mundial, os estudos a respeito da influência da imagem do país nas transações entre empresas (ditas business-to-business, B2B, ou organizacionais) são ainda em pequena quantidade, no Brasil e no mundo. O objetivo desta dissertação foi analisar a influência que a imagem do Brasil pode exercer sobre consumidores organizacionais de outros países, especificamente no segmento de alta intensidade tecnológica - o setor que mais investe em pesquisa e desenvolvimento no Brasil. Esta pesquisa, empregando o método exploratório de estudos multicasos com três empresas, envolveu seus próprios executivos e compradores internacionais, e traz contribuição à literatura acadêmica, que dispõe de poucas fontes sobre negócios B2B associados com o efeito país-de-origem. A pesquisa foi qualitativa e exploratória, e entrevistas em profundidade foram realizadas em duas etapas, com profissionais de empresas brasileiras que exportam e, em seguida, com consultores, agentes de vendas e compradores de outros países. Algumas entrevistas foram pessoais, e outras, via telefone ou internet. Das cinco proposições do estudo, duas foram confirmadas, uma confirmada parcialmente e duas não foram confirmadas. Encontrou-se que a imagem do país traz impacto à decisão de compra, mas com ressalvas, como o fato de a situação ser ou não de recompra, e dependendo de qual país está comprando. O Brasil foi bem visto especificamente no segmento de aviação civil comercial, a ponto de a Embraer trazer, a quem atua neste segmento, uma imagem positiva do Brasil como desenvolvedor de tecnologias aeronáuticas. O país foi visto negativamente no segmento de automação, nas situações de recompra em que houve experiências negativas com empresas brasileiras vendendo na Europa; positivamente em automação pelo mercado colombiano e de forma neutra por compradores que participam de processos complexos no segmento de energia nuclear - desde que, nesse caso, os requisitos técnicos sejam cumpridos. Para alguns entrevistados do segmento de automação, o Brasil precisa divulgar mais suas tecnologias por meio de incentivos das iniciativas pública e privada, e as empresas brasileiras devem participar de grupos de usuários de suas tecnologias, além de desenvolver parceiros no exterior. Caracterizaram-se como limitações da pesquisa o número de casos e segmentos de alta intensidade tecnológica estudados, assim como questões técnicas relacionadas à má compreensão de trechos das entrevistas pelo telefone ou devido à conexão de internet, quando estes meios foram utilizados. / Brazilian companies which intend to reach new markets abroad need to be conscious to the several cues analyzed by their international buyers, concerning their products. By taking this care, it is possible to leverage their competitiveness in a fierce market scene. One of these cues is the country of origin of the products. Although this theme had been addressed for almost five decades in the world literature, the research related to the country\'s image influence over the transactions between organizations (business-to-business or B2B transactions) is still narrow - in Brazil and in the whole world. This qualitative research targets the influence of Brazil\'s image over international buyers, specifically in the high-technology industries. It uses the exploratory multi-case technique with three Brazilian companies and in-depth interviews with their executives, external consultants and international customers. Some of the interviews were in person, others by internet or telephone. Five propositions are presented, two of which confirmed, other two not confirmed and one of them confirmed partially. The results show that Brazil\'s image brings impact over the purchasing decision of organizational buyers from abroad, but with reservations. It depends on the purchasing situation, if it is a new process or a repurchase. Depending on the country where the interviews were conducted, different opinions appeared, like negative or neutral ones in countries from Europe, and positives in Colombia. Whether bad experiences in the past happened with European buyers, re-purchasing situations bring a negative image to Brazil. It was founded that in case of more complex situations - like the purchase of nuclear power plants items - technical issues were strongly more important than country\'s image, reducing COO effect or almost making it disappear. In addition, Brazil has a positive image in the aviation industry, and Embraer raises the country\'s evaluation as an aeronautical developer to the eyes of organizational buyers from abroad. For some of the interviewees from the automation industry, Brazil needs to disclose its technologies via public or private agencies, and its companies need to be present at technical groups of study and discussion of other countries. The number of cases and industries studied were limitations to this research, and technical issues like the comprehension of some parts of the interviews made via internet or telephone.

The aim of the dissertation is to examine the mechanisms at work when networks are formed and risk constructions made as bodies encounter frontline technology within the food sector. The concept of technoscience TS, is the link uniting the escalating technology of risk society, rebellious nature and the insidious threats of substances absorbed straight into the metabolism of our bodies through the food that we eat. The TS viewpoint is complemented by a short overview of Beck’s theory about the risk society, in order to explain how research creates risks rather than removing them. The four case studies are all concrete manifestations of technoscience. They are: 1) a study of the alliance between a research company and a bacteria culture, 2) the section about the Gaio controversy and the creation of scientific facts, 3) the case of the scientist and high-ranking official who was sued for defamation of the Danish pig, 4) and finally the scandal of the meat-eating cows. We can observe, aided by Bruno Latour, how particularly in the first two stories, the importance of networks becomes apparent. How network analysis can be a tool for understanding the high-tech development of the food industry in the late 20th century as stories of how scientific claims – or “truths” – are reconstituted and transformed. We are also able to observe how truth is dependent on our own viewpoint, in Donna Haraway’s word it is “situated” or context dependent. The case studies are also examples of the links between body, technology and risk. Because they deal with the food product trade, the link to the body becomes obvious as dangerous food products are absorbed into the body through the food and is spread through the metabolism. The thing that sets risk construction in the use of high-tech production methods in the food trade apart from other areas is the meeting or confrontation between the man-made advanced technology and the limits determined by “nature” through the body. The linking of technology and the human body becomes particularly exciting as we notice that no matter how advanced the technology that has been used to produce a food product, it is still there to be eaten and absorbed by the metabolism of our bodies. In this area of uncertainty the dividing line between the possible and the impossible is fuzzy and changing.

我國關係人交易普遍且具重要性，而過去研究顯示關係人交易會對公司產生負面效果，且關係人交易之查核具有困難度，因此本研究以關係人交易較多且查核風險較高之高科技公司為研究對象，將關係人交易分為關係人銷貨交易、關係人進貨交易、關係人應收款與關係人應付款等四項類別，探討關係人交易與審計品質的關係。進一步探討當關係人交易分為發行公司與關係人皆受相同會計師查核與受不同會計師查核兩類型，對發行公司財務報表審計品質的影響。實證結果發現：關係人銷貨交易、關係人進貨交易與審計品質呈負向關係；關係人銷貨交易、關係人進貨交易與關係人應收款兩造受不同會計師查核者，對其發行公司財務報表審計品質之負面影響較兩造受相同會計師查核者強。 / Related party transactions are common and important in Taiwan, and empirical studies in Taiwan show that related party transactions have negative impact on earnings management and company performance. Based on auditing standards and literature, related party transactions are difficult to audit, and high technology firms have more related party transactions which may result in higher audit risk than other industry. Therefore, we investigate the association between related party transactions (including sales to related parties, purchases from related parties, accounts receivable from related parties and payable to related parties) and audit quality (proxied by accrual quality) in high technology firms, and find that sales to related parties and purchases from related parties have negative impact on audit quality. Next, we investigate the impact of related party transactions audited by the same auditor or different auditors. Empirical results show that sales to related parties, purchases from related parties and accounts receivable from related parties audited by different auditors show stronger negative impacts on audit quality than those audited by same auditors.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education