While it is now widely accepted that new firms growth is essential for the foundation of economic dynamism, knowledge about this early growth is still scattered. Indeed, very little is known about how new firms grow and develop over time. What types of distinct growth patterns do those firms exhibit? How do these growth patterns and corresponding firms differ from each others in terms of development and strategic choices? To better understand the process of new firm growth, recent entrepreneurship research stresses that there is a strong need for a new conceptual scheme and new longitudinal research methods. This is actually one of the main entrepreneurship research challenges. In this context, our aim is to provide new insights regarding the process of new firm growth. In this research, we develop and test an original methodology allowing the empirical taxonomy of early growth trajectories across multiple sectors, integrating both the multidimensional and dynamic aspects of growth. Our approach applies principal component and cluster analysis to a large sample of firms, using financial and demographic data collected over time to identify in a systematic way distinct growth stages. We use then sequence analysis and a Markov chain approach to extract and compare the trajectories of individual firms over time. This allows the identification of a limited number of typical growth trajectories, which are adopted by the majority of firms in our sample. Finally, internal replication is performed to validate the growth trajectories identified and bivariate analysis is used to examine the link between the identified growth trajectories and the demographic characteristics of the corresponding firms. We have applied our methodology to a sample of 741 Belgian firms created between 1992 and 2002 and which have grown above micro-firm size. Our approach allowed identifying four distinct growth stages and seven typical growth trajectories, which remain valid for the six first years of the majority of the firms in our sample. This taxonomy of early growth trajectories is consistent with individual patterns already identified in the literature and appears not to be sector-dependent. The major contribution of this doctoral thesis is that, based on empirical evidence, early growth appears to be neither a continuous (or life cycle based) nor idiosyncratic (or completely random) process. It can be adequately described through a limited number of typical growth trajectories, valid across sectors. Thus, our research brings insight regarding how new firm evolve over time and therefore contributes to our understanding and appreciation of the heterogeneity of the growth trajectory phenomenon. Next, our research provides also an original methodological approach allowing the systematic analysis of growth trajectories, which deals with key limitations identified in the literature regarding the need for a multidimensional and dynamic study of growth across multiple sectors. Our findings indicate that this novel systematic approach is useful for taxonomy development and therefore contributes to reduce the gap between the complexity of new firm growth process and the standard approaches often mobilised to deal with it. Finally, while our findings provide empirical and methodological support in early development of new firms study, they also provide many implications to entrepreneurial research and practices. Further researches are needed to improve our understanding of the dynamic growth process of new ventures. It should explore which endogenous and exogenous factors might explain why a majority of start-ups follow the seven identified typical growth trajectories. It could be also highly relevant to refine our taxonomy by examining the relationship between innovative and technological sources and growth trajectories, both in high and low technological industries. Finally, we should test the accuracy of the proposed taxonomy across countries as well as beyond the early stage of new firm development.

Subjektyvių seksualumo išgyvenimų paauglystėje analizė nėra dažna tema psichologinių tyrimų lauke. Tačiau tai nereiškia, kad turėtume sutikti su paplitusia, tačiau mokslinę žiūrą ribojančia perspektyva, seksualumą tapatinančia tik su seksualine elgsena. Šioje disertacijoje atsisakoma išankstinių nuostatų paauglių seksualumą vertinti tik kaip problematišką ir rizikingą reiškinį. Kaip heteroseksualios mergaitės išgyvena savo seksualumą viduriniosios paauglystės laikotarpiu (14-17m.)? Kaip jų seksualumas atsiskleidžia kasdienybėje? Atsakymams atrasti šiame tyrime pasitelkta kokybinio tęstinio tyrimo strategija ir interpretacinės fenomenologinės analizės metodas. 9 tyrimo dalyvių interviu medžiaga atskleidė, jog 14 -15 m. amžiuje seksualumo patirtis galima struktūruoti kaip keturias metatemas: fizinio seksualumo atpažinimą; seksualios Aš fragmentiškumą; seksualumo patyrimą kaip santykio Aš-priešingos lyties KITAS, dalį; buvimo seksualia, bet ne „pasileidusia“: naujo tapatumo paieškas. Disertacijoje formuluojama žvilgsnio situacijos koncepcija, aiškinanti seksualios Aš įsisąmoninimą. Pristatomas nuoseklus buvimą ir tapsmą seksualia paaugle iliustruojantis atvejis. / The experience of sexuality in adolescence is not a frequent research object in the field of psychological inquiry. However, it does not mean that we must accept the narrow identification of sexuality with the sexual behavior. The discourse of this thesis denies the prejudices to see adolescent sexuality as the problematic and risky phenomenon only. How the girls undergo their experience of sexuality in mid-adolescence (age 14-17)? The novel strategy of the developmental longitudinal qualitative research and the method of interpretative phenomenological analysis were selected to answer this question. The findings of nine girls (age of 14-15) interview revealed that sexual experience can be structured as four meta-themes: a) recognition of physical sexuality; b) a fragmented sexual Self; c) sexual experience as a part of intersubjective relation between SELF and the opposite sex OTHER; d) a dilemma of being sexual, but not „promiscuous“: search for a new identity. The material provides new data on the first conscious sexual experiences, conceptualized as a gaze situation. The processes of being and becoming a sexual person are uncovered through the coherent case study.

As doenças cardíacas estão entre as condições crônicas consideradas como desafio para o setor saúde deste século e, nas próximas décadas, continuarão sendo a principal causa de morte global. Dentre as doenças cardiovasculares, a Doença Arterial Coronariana (DAC) é uma das mais importantes causas de morbimortalidade na população adulta. A Intervenção Coronária Percutânea (ICP) é uma das formas de tratamento da DAC. Deve ser acompanhada de medidas terapêuticas farmacológicas e não farmacológicas com o intuito de controlar a sua progressão e melhorar a qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde (QVRS). Objetivo. Comparar as medidas de QVRS e de sintomas de ansiedade e de depressão um ano após à ICP, de acordo com o tipo de intervenção recebida (rotina do serviço ou programa educativo com seguimento por telefone). Método. Estudo observacional, de delineamento longitudinal no qual acompanhamos a evolução dessas variáveis de interesse em pacientes submetidos à primeira ICP, entre agosto/2011 e junho/2012, atendidos em um hospital universitário do interior do Estado de São Paulo e que participaram de um estudo clínico aleatorizado. No estudo de intervenção, 30 pacientes participaram de um Programa Educativo com seguimento por telefone (grupo intervenção-GI) e outros 30 receberam informações de acordo com a rotina do serviço (grupo controle-GC) antes da realização da ICP. Doze meses após a intervenção, avaliamos 56 desses pacientes, sendo 29 do GI e 27 do GC. Os dados foram coletados por entrevistas individuais realizadas durante os retornos ambulatoriais ou nas residências dos participantes A QVRS foi avaliada pelo Medical Outcomes Study: 36-Item Short Form Survey (MOS-SF-36) e os sintomas de ansiedade e depressão pela Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), em suas versões validadas para o português. O teste T de Student para amostras independentes foi utilizado para comparar as medidas obtidas pelos instrumentos, segundo a participação ou não no Programa Educativo. O nível de significância adotado foi de 0,05. Resultados. Assim, como na avaliação feita antes da ICP, os grupos continuaram homogêneos nas caracterizações sociodemográficas obtidas, um ano após a intervenção. No GI, 58,6% eram homens, a média de idade foi de 64,6 anos e a maioria era casada (72,4%). No GC, 51,9% eram do sexo masculino, a média de idade foi 61,3 anos e 70,4% estavam casados. A avaliação da QVRS, 12 meses após a ICP, não mostrou diferenças estatisticamente significantes entre os dois grupos aos compararmos as médias dos oito domínios do SF-36. Em ambos os grupos, o domínio melhor avaliado foi Aspectos Sociais (M= 81,9 GI e M=72,7 GC; p=0,169) e o pior avaliado foi Aspectos Físicos (M= 55,2 GI e M=51,87 GC; p=0,777). Não constatamos diferenças entre os dois grupos também para as medidas de ansiedade (M= 6,33 GI e M=6,31 GC; p=0,981) e de depressão (M= 5,89 GI e M=5,31 GC; p=0,578). Conclusão. A participação em um programa educativo antes da ICP não teve efeito na determinação de uma melhor QVRS e menor presença de sintomas de ansiedade e de depressão, doze meses após a realização da intervenção / Cardiac illnesses figure among the chronic conditions that are considered challenging for this century\'s health sector and, in the upcoming decades, they will continue as the main global cause of death. Among the cardiovascular illnesses, Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in the adult population. Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) is one way to treat CAD. It should come with pharmacological and non-pharmacological measures to control its progression and improve the health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Objective. To compare the HRQoL measures and anxiety and depression symptoms one year after the PCI, according to the type of intervention received (usual care or educational program with telephone monitoring). Method. Observational study with longitudinal design, in which the evolution of these variables of interest was monitored in patients submitted to the first PCI between August/2011 and June/2012, who were attended at a university hospital in the interior of the State of São Paulo and who participated in a randomized clinical study. In the intervention study, 30 patients participated in an Educative Program with telephone monitoring (intervention group-IG) and 30 others received information according to the usual care (control group-CG) before the PCI. Twelve months after the intervention, 56 of these patients were assessed (being 29 from IG and 27 from CG). The data were collected through individual interviews, held during the outpatient return appointments or at the participants\' homes. The HRQoL was assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study: 36-Item Short Form Survey (MOS-SF-36) and the anxiety and depression symptoms using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), in its versions validated for Portuguese. Student\'s t-test for independent samples was used to compare the instrument measures according to the participation or not in the Educative Program. Significance was set at 0.05. Results. Like in the assessment preceding the PCI, the groups remained homogeneous in terms of sociodemographic characteristics one year after the intervention. In IG, 58.6% were male, the mean age was 64.6 years and the majority was married (72.4%). In CG, 51.9% were male, the mean age was 61.3 years and 70.4% were married. The HRQoL assessment 12 months after the PCI did not show statistically significant differences between the two groups when the means on the eight SF-36 domains were compared. In both groups, the best domain was Social Functioning (M= 81.9 IG and M=72.7 CG; p=0.169), while the worst was Physical Functioning (M= 55.2 IG and M=51.87 CG; p=0.777). No differences between the two groups were found for the anxiety (M= 6.33 IG and M=6.31 CG; p=0.981) and depression measures either (M= 5.89 IG and M=5.31 CG; p=0.578). Conclusion. The participation in an educative program before the PCI did not affect the determination of a better HRQoL and the lesser presence of anxiety and depression symptoms twelve months after the interview

As doenças cardíacas estão entre as condições crônicas consideradas como desafio para o setor saúde deste século e, nas próximas décadas, continuarão sendo a principal causa de morte global. Dentre as doenças cardiovasculares, a Doença Arterial Coronariana (DAC) é uma das mais importantes causas de morbimortalidade na população adulta. A Intervenção Coronária Percutânea (ICP) é uma das formas de tratamento da DAC. Deve ser acompanhada de medidas terapêuticas farmacológicas e não farmacológicas com o intuito de controlar a sua progressão e melhorar a qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde (QVRS). Objetivo. Comparar as medidas de QVRS e de sintomas de ansiedade e de depressão um ano após à ICP, de acordo com o tipo de intervenção recebida (rotina do serviço ou programa educativo com seguimento por telefone). Método. Estudo observacional, de delineamento longitudinal no qual acompanhamos a evolução dessas variáveis de interesse em pacientes submetidos à primeira ICP, entre agosto/2011 e junho/2012, atendidos em um hospital universitário do interior do Estado de São Paulo e que participaram de um estudo clínico aleatorizado. No estudo de intervenção, 30 pacientes participaram de um Programa Educativo com seguimento por telefone (grupo intervenção-GI) e outros 30 receberam informações de acordo com a rotina do serviço (grupo controle-GC) antes da realização da ICP. Doze meses após a intervenção, avaliamos 56 desses pacientes, sendo 29 do GI e 27 do GC. Os dados foram coletados por entrevistas individuais realizadas durante os retornos ambulatoriais ou nas residências dos participantes A QVRS foi avaliada pelo Medical Outcomes Study: 36-Item Short Form Survey (MOS-SF-36) e os sintomas de ansiedade e depressão pela Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), em suas versões validadas para o português. O teste T de Student para amostras independentes foi utilizado para comparar as medidas obtidas pelos instrumentos, segundo a participação ou não no Programa Educativo. O nível de significância adotado foi de 0,05. Resultados. Assim, como na avaliação feita antes da ICP, os grupos continuaram homogêneos nas caracterizações sociodemográficas obtidas, um ano após a intervenção. No GI, 58,6% eram homens, a média de idade foi de 64,6 anos e a maioria era casada (72,4%). No GC, 51,9% eram do sexo masculino, a média de idade foi 61,3 anos e 70,4% estavam casados. A avaliação da QVRS, 12 meses após a ICP, não mostrou diferenças estatisticamente significantes entre os dois grupos aos compararmos as médias dos oito domínios do SF-36. Em ambos os grupos, o domínio melhor avaliado foi Aspectos Sociais (M= 81,9 GI e M=72,7 GC; p=0,169) e o pior avaliado foi Aspectos Físicos (M= 55,2 GI e M=51,87 GC; p=0,777). Não constatamos diferenças entre os dois grupos também para as medidas de ansiedade (M= 6,33 GI e M=6,31 GC; p=0,981) e de depressão (M= 5,89 GI e M=5,31 GC; p=0,578). Conclusão. A participação em um programa educativo antes da ICP não teve efeito na determinação de uma melhor QVRS e menor presença de sintomas de ansiedade e de depressão, doze meses após a realização da intervenção / Cardiac illnesses figure among the chronic conditions that are considered challenging for this century\'s health sector and, in the upcoming decades, they will continue as the main global cause of death. Among the cardiovascular illnesses, Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in the adult population. Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) is one way to treat CAD. It should come with pharmacological and non-pharmacological measures to control its progression and improve the health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Objective. To compare the HRQoL measures and anxiety and depression symptoms one year after the PCI, according to the type of intervention received (usual care or educational program with telephone monitoring). Method. Observational study with longitudinal design, in which the evolution of these variables of interest was monitored in patients submitted to the first PCI between August/2011 and June/2012, who were attended at a university hospital in the interior of the State of São Paulo and who participated in a randomized clinical study. In the intervention study, 30 patients participated in an Educative Program with telephone monitoring (intervention group-IG) and 30 others received information according to the usual care (control group-CG) before the PCI. Twelve months after the intervention, 56 of these patients were assessed (being 29 from IG and 27 from CG). The data were collected through individual interviews, held during the outpatient return appointments or at the participants\' homes. The HRQoL was assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study: 36-Item Short Form Survey (MOS-SF-36) and the anxiety and depression symptoms using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), in its versions validated for Portuguese. Student\'s t-test for independent samples was used to compare the instrument measures according to the participation or not in the Educative Program. Significance was set at 0.05. Results. Like in the assessment preceding the PCI, the groups remained homogeneous in terms of sociodemographic characteristics one year after the intervention. In IG, 58.6% were male, the mean age was 64.6 years and the majority was married (72.4%). In CG, 51.9% were male, the mean age was 61.3 years and 70.4% were married. The HRQoL assessment 12 months after the PCI did not show statistically significant differences between the two groups when the means on the eight SF-36 domains were compared. In both groups, the best domain was Social Functioning (M= 81.9 IG and M=72.7 CG; p=0.169), while the worst was Physical Functioning (M= 55.2 IG and M=51.87 CG; p=0.777). No differences between the two groups were found for the anxiety (M= 6.33 IG and M=6.31 CG; p=0.981) and depression measures either (M= 5.89 IG and M=5.31 CG; p=0.578). Conclusion. The participation in an educative program before the PCI did not affect the determination of a better HRQoL and the lesser presence of anxiety and depression symptoms twelve months after the interview

Submitted by Ana Carla Almeida (ana.almeida@ucsal.br) on 2016-09-26T15:29:02Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTACAO TATI 11 DE FEVEREIRO escola.pdf: 2076712 bytes, checksum: 8099b98ad4010a6936ef89912cbf5db8 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria Emília Carvalho Ribeiro (maria.ribeiro@ucsal.br) on 2016-09-28T19:04:30Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTACAO TATI 11 DE FEVEREIRO escola.pdf: 2076712 bytes, checksum: 8099b98ad4010a6936ef89912cbf5db8 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-28T19:04:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTACAO TATI 11 DE FEVEREIRO escola.pdf: 2076712 bytes, checksum: 8099b98ad4010a6936ef89912cbf5db8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-12-14 / Essa investigação analisou os significados e valores, as expectativas, as experiências e práticas educativas de gerações sucessivas (três mulheres e suas mães) na relação entre escola e família, levando em conta as aspirações de ascensão social dos investigados, através da análise do curso de vida individual de cada uma delas. Traz a discussão sobre a educação na perspectiva de desenvolvimento humano, caracterizada pela multidimensionalidade atribuída ao processo de emancipação do ser humano para superação das condições de vulnerabilidades presentes na pobreza. Discute os eventos de cursos de vida com ênfase na escolaridade, conjugalidade, maternidade e trabalho: os ingressos, as descontinuidades e os reingressos das mulheres entrevistadas nas escolas, bem como o papel assumido nas famílias e na sociedade. A pesquisa foi aplicada em uma escola pública municipal de Ensino Fundamental I, na periferia de Salvador, no ano de 2015, tendo como critério a seleção de três famílias em cujo seio no mínimo duas gerações de mulheres tenham estudado e, atualmente, cujos filhos (terceira geração) estejam efetivamente matriculados. A abordagem metodológica utilizada foi a qualitativa, através do estudo de casos, com base na técnica das histórias de vida, utilizando como instrumento para coleta de dados o diário de campo e entrevistas, além das observações in loco. Esta investigação longitudinal envolveu pesquisadora e pesquisados em local e tempo específicos e pôde observar variações e características desenvolvidas nesses sujeitos através do processo de escolarização, bem como as mudanças nas famílias e na sociedade que emergiram nesse processo. Os principais resultados revelam o reconhecimento da chefia feminina para estes três casos, mesmo havendo em dois deles a presença do homem. A gravidez adolescente destas mães foi identificada como o mais importante fator para o abandono escolar, apesar dos incentivos e apoio aos estudos por parte de suas genitoras. Entretanto, seus filhos atualmente frequentam a escola, vivendo um contexto de erradicação do trabalho infantil, tiveram o ingresso na escola na idade correta e lá permanecem, com poucas interrupções. Essas famílias reconhecem a aquisição dos livros, dos materiais didáticos e do fardamento, hoje assegurados por políticas educacionais, como grandes avanços. São evidentes a valorização e o investimento das mães no estudo dos filhos, o que se contrapõe à concepção de que famílias pobres não valorizam a educação. Ao contrário, a pesquisa concluiu que as famílias utilizam os estudos como base para investir seus recursos e constroem altas expectativas de ascensão e acesso a novas oportunidades no trabalho e vida social, apesar da necessidade de subsistência e vulnerabilidades observadas. Entretanto, alguns aspectos relacionados à flexibilidade e à comunicação entre os agentes escolares e as famílias, diretamente relacionados às normas do regimento interno escolar, surgem como fatos questionados pelas entrevistadas que se tornaram obstáculos à participação da família na comunidade educativa, por meio da qual as oportunidades de realização de projetos futuros de ascensão social poderiam se concretizar. / This research analyzed the meanings and values, expectations, experiences and educational practices of successive generations (three women and their mothers) concerning about the relationship between school and family, taking into account the social mobility aspirations of the researched people, through each individual’s life course analysis. This study discusses education in human development perspective, characterized by multidimensionality attributed to human emancipation process in order to overcome the conditions of vulnerabilities present in poverty. This research also discusses some life course events with an emphasis on education, marital, maternity and work: the admissions, discontinuities and readmissions of the women interviewed in schools, as well as the role played in families and in society. The survey was conducted in a municipal public school of Ensino Fundamental I, on the outskirts of Salvador, in 2015, taking as criteria the selection of three families within which at least two generations of women have studied and, currently, whose children (third generation) are effectively enrolled. The methodological approach used was qualitative, based on case studies, by means of the technique of life stories, using as a tool for data collection a field diary and interviews, in addition to observations in loco. This longitudinal study brought together researcher and researched in specific place and time and could notice variations and characteristics developed in these subjects through the education process, as well as the changes in families and in society that emerged in this process. The main results show the recognition of female leadership in these three cases, even with a presence of a man in two of them. Teen pregnancy of these mothers was identified as the most important factor for school leavers, despite all support given by their mothers. However, their children are currently attending school, living in a context of eradication of child labor and was admitted in school at the right and stay there, despite of a few periods of absence. These families recognize as major advances the acquisition of books in general, schoolbooks and uniforms, today provided by educational policies. It’s evident how much mothers valorize and invest in children’s study, which goes against the idea that poor families do not value education. Instead, the research concludes that families use the studies as a basis for investing their resources and build high expectations of rise and access to new opportunities in work and social life, despite the need for subsistence and observed vulnerabilities. However, some aspects related to the flexibility and communication between school officials and families, directly related to the school bylaws standards, emerge as complains by the respondents, who argue they have become obstacles to family participation in the educational community, through which opportunities realization of future projects for social mobility could be realized.

Magister Economicae - MEcon / The research study investigated the potential impact that organisational capacity assessments can have on the long-term sustainability of non-profit organisations (NPOs). The researcher employed longitudinal research design as the main instrument in the collection of data. Data was collected from four local non-profit organisations in the Cullinan and Bronkhorstspruit areas of South Africa. These organisations were evaluated by means of a questionnaire, which was developed by the researcher. NPOs can only play a pivotal role in community and social services if management, leadership, governance and other elements of organisational capacity are well developed and continuously strengthened. This is critical for attracting local and international donors who provide crucial running costs and relieve national, provincial and local government departments of the financial burden. Currently, the South African government supports NPOs in South Africa. The legislative and registration aspects of NPOs are regulated by the NPO Act (Act 71 of 1997) and the Income Tax Act (Act 58 of 1962). The State of South African Registered NPOs Report 2010/2011 indicated a growth of the number of registrations to have increased by 8.3%. However, in the same financial year a total number of 468 NPOs were deregistered; 98% of these lost their registration due to non-compliance of regulatory requirements. According to the State of South African Registered NPOs Report (2016) the total number of applications received for the financial year was 16 726 (53.7%), however 4 421 (46%) did not meet the requirements of sections 12-13 of the NPO Act, an issue that would definitely affect the existence of non-compliant institutions.

The focus of dissertation belongs to the field of learning Czech as a foreign language and deals with the acquisition of pragmatic competence of non-native speakers. Whereas this is a broad area, the work concentrates on speech act request. The aim is to describe how two students of Czech acquired the speech act during a one-year intensive course. The theoretical background is given in Chapter I. The term Interlanguage Pragmatics is introduced to Czech readers. The Chapter further maps what the pragmatic research of non- native speakers generally deals with and what questions it asks. Attention is paid to possible methods for collecting data for research of pragmatic competence, what kinds of errors non- native speakers usually make, what environment is suitable for the acquisition of pragmatic competence or how individual differences among students affects pragmatic competence. In the second chapter attention is paid to speech act request. We present an overview of major longitudinal studies. On the bass of this longitudinal research it was found that students of English go through five stages of development when acquiring request. The stages are presented here in detail. In the research part of the dissertation the investigation of how two non-native speakers (a student from Taiwan and a student...