En phase d’amorçage, les jeunes entreprises technologiques à la recherche de ressources pour financer leur développement peuvent solliciter les business angels (BAs) et capital-investisseurs (CIs). Notre recherche porte sur le type d’investissement (BAs seuls, BAs et CIs en co-investissement séquentiel ou simultané) mis en œuvre et amène la question de la nature et de la qualité des relations et interactions entre les différentes catégories d’investisseurs et l’entrepreneur, dans le sens où ces investisseurs peuvent influencer la dynamique de croissance et être à leur tour influencés par cette dynamique. Celle-ci suppose que les rythmes et l’intensité des trajectoires de croissance des jeunes pousses de haute technologie n’ont rien de déterministes, mais se développent de façon dynamique dans le champ de l’interaction entre les principaux apporteurs de ressources. Nous mobilisons conjointement la théorie d’agence et les approches cognitive et effectuale pour analyser le co-investissement par BAs et CIs. Nous avons mené une étude de cas multiples à visée comparative auprès de trois jeunes entreprises de la région Rhône-Alpes-Auvergne. Nous avons montré que, quand les schémas cognitifs des BAs et/ou de l’entrepreneur sont proches de celui du CI, les relations et interrelations peuvent se déployer à moindre coût cognitif en phase préinvestissement et que le co-investissement séquentiel ou simultané peut prendre place. Nos résultats révèlent qu’un financement par BAs est associé à une trajectoire de croissance plus lente et qu’un co-investissement séquentiel permet de stabiliser la trajectoire de croissance sans pour autant que l’entreprise rencontre une très forte croissance. Nous mettons aussi en évidence que lorsque les BAs et/ou les CIs perçoivent le fort potentiel de croissance de la jeune entreprise, très tôt dans le processus d’investissement, les CIs ont avantage à intégrer les BAs qui ont une expérience spécifique comme leur passé entrepreneurial et leur connaissance du secteur. L’approche prédictive de ces trois acteurs : entrepreneur, CIs et BAs favorise la mise en œuvre d’un un co-investissement simultané. Dans ce contexte, les investisseurs (BAs et CIs) peuvent être des partenaires actifs au côté de l’entrepreneur et contribuer à ce que la jeune entreprise rencontre une trajectoire de croissance forte voire d’une hyper-croissance. / In their seed, young technological ventures seeking resources to finance their development may seek business angels (BAs) and venture capitalists (VCs). Our research shall include the type of investment (only BAs, BAs and VCs in sequential or simultaneous co-investment) implemented and this leads to the question of the nature and the quality of the relations and interactions among various categories of investors and the entrepreneur, in the sense that these investors may influence the dynamic of growth, and be themselves influenced by that dynamic. It implies that the pace and intensity of the venture growth of the young technological ventures do not have any kind of determinism, but they develop rather in a dynamic manner within the field of the interaction between the main providers of resources. We jointly mobilize agency theory and cognitive and effectual approaches in order to analyse the co-investment of BAs and VCs. We conducted a multiple-case study with a comparative aim concerning three young companies of the Rhône-Alpes Region. We have shown that, when the cognitive schemes of the BAs and / or the entrepreneur are close to that of the VC, the relations and interrelations can occur to a lesser cognitive cost during the pre-investment phase and that the sequential or simultaneous co-investment may take place. Our results indicate that a funding by BAs is associated with a slower venture growth and that a sequential co-investment allows the stabilisation of the venture growth without a very high growth for the company. We are also highlighting that when the BAs and / or the VCs recognize the high growth potential of the young company very early in the investment process the VCs really need to integrate the BAs who have a specific experience, like their entrepreneurial past and their knowledge of the sector. The predictive approach of these three stakeholders: entrepreneur, VCs and BAs promotes the implementation of a simultaneous co-investment. In this context, the investors (BAs and VCs) can serve as active partners alongside the entrepreneur and help ensure that the young company follows a high venture growth, or even a hyper growth.

This study concerns foreign language learners' motivational changes over a long period of time; it is an investigation of the learning histories of six learners who have achieved high proficiency in English. Unlike a large body of conventional foreign language learning motivational research, which has primarily been conducted using quantitative methodologies, this study employs two non-conventional approaches, a combination of learners' biographies and case study research. The primary purpose of the study is to holistically explore successful English learners' motivational trajectories and their learning histories in the Japanese context. To this end, foreign language learning motivation is conceptualized and illustrated as a dynamically changing construct that plays an important role in the process of foreign language learning. In the literature review, longitudinal studies concerning foreign language learning motivation and autobiographical studies and case studies that are relevant to this study are examined. The central research question is what motivational trajectories and learning histories these highly proficient learners have had, and how these learners have sustained their learning motivation over time and eventually achieved high proficiency while in an EFL (English as a foreign language) environment. The participants are six Japanese adults who have achieved high levels of English proficiency and who use English in their jobs. The design used in this case study involves both holistic and specifically focused analyses, by which each participant's learning history is collected through individual interviews. The author reports each participant's learning history, and the initial proposition concerning motivational change and salient motivational sources found in the participants' learning histories are collectively analyzed and discussed. Exploring the data concerning how the participants have maintained foreign language learning motivation resulting in the idea that sustained motivation is not always present in successful foreign language learning and that the key to success involves a cognitive change from a state in which motivation is present to one in which a more intentional psychological force, commitment to learning, develops. Based on this thought, a model illustrating the key to success in foreign language learning in the EFL context is presented. The results provide new, engaging, and important information to people who are seriously involved in foreign language learning in EFL contexts, where the majority of learners fail to attain high levels of foreign language proficiency after receiving years of formal education. / CITE/Language Arts

Cette thèse analyse l’évolution et la variété des systèmes de contrôle de gestion (SCG) dans le contexte de transition post-soviétique et détermine les facteurs qui expliquent l’existence, l’étendue et l’usage des SCG. Des études de cas longitudinales sur deux anciennes entreprises soviétiques d’État (perspective historique) permettent de déterminer les principales caractéristiques des SCG dans le cadre du système économique centralisé et d’expliquer les transformations induites par la transition vers l’économie de marché dans une perspective de l’ancien institutionnalisme économique. Une étude de cas multiple (huit entreprises) évalue l’état actuel du contrôle de gestion et constate une diversité des SCG. En mobilisant les théories institutionnelles et de la contingence, huit facteurs potentiels d’influence des SCG sont identifiés (3 institutionnels et 5 contingents) et analysés ensuite à l’aide de l’analyse quali-quantitative comparée, méthode qui permet de traiter un petit nombre de cas. Les résultats mettent en exergue l’influence des pressions coercitives sur l’existence d’un système de contrôle formel, des pressions normatives sur son usage instrumental et de la décentralisation sur la nature stratégique de ce système. Cette analyse permet de proposer une typologie des SCG en contexte post-soviétique. / This thesis analyzes the evolution and the diversity of management control systems (MCS) in the post-Soviet transition context and determines the factors that explain the existence, extent and use of MCS. Longitudinal case studies of two former Soviet state enterprises (historical perspective) allow to determine the main features of MCS in the context of the centralized economic system and to explain the transformations induced by the transition to a market economy through the old economic institutionalism approach. A multiple case study (8 companies) assesses the current state of management control and notes a diversity of MCS. By mobilizing the institutional and contingency theories, eight potential influence factors are identified (3 institutional and 5 contingent) and then analyzed using the Qualitative Comparative Analysis, a method that allows the treatment of small number of cases. The results highlight the influence of coercive pressures on the existence of a formal control system, of normative pressures on its instrumental use and of decentralization on the strategic dimension of this system. This analysis allows to propose a typology of MCS in a post-Soviet context.

Unresolved painful emotional experiences such as bereavement, trauma and disturbances in core relationships, are common presenting problems for clients of psychodrama or psychotherapy more generally. Emotional pain is experienced as a shattering of the sense of self and disconnection from others and, when unresolved, produces avoidant responses which inhibit the healing process. There is agreement across therapeutic modalities that exposure to emotional experience can increase the efficacy of therapeutic interventions. Moreno proposes that the activation of spontaneity is the primary curative factor in psychodrama and that healing occurs when the protagonist (client) engages with his or her wider social system and develops greater flexibility in response to that system. An extensive case-report literature describes the application of the psychodrama method in healing unresolved painful emotional experiences, but there is limited empirical research to verify the efficacy of the method or to identify the processes that are linked to therapeutic change. The purpose of this current research was to construct a model of protagonist change processes that could extend psychodrama theory, inform practitioners’ therapeutic decisions and contribute to understanding the common factors in therapeutic change. Four studies investigated protagonist processes linked to in-session resolution of painful emotional experiences. Significant therapeutic events were analysed using recordings and transcripts of psychodrama enactments, protagonist and director recall interviews and a range of process and outcome measures. A preliminary study (3 cases) identified four themes that were associated with helpful therapeutic events: enactment, the working alliance with the director and with group members, emotional release or relief and social atom repair. The second study (7 cases) used Comprehensive Process Analysis (CPA) to construct a model of protagonists’ processes linked to in-session resolution. This model was then validated across four more cases in Study 3. Five meta-processes were identified: (i) a readiness to engage in the psychodrama process; (ii) re-experiencing and insight; (iii) activating resourcefulness; (iv) social atom repair with emotional release and (v) integration. Social atom repair with emotional release involved deeply experiencing a wished-for interpersonal experience accompanied by a free flowing release of previously restricted emotion and was most clearly linked to protagonists’ reports of reaching resolution and to post session improvements in interpersonal relationships and sense of self. Acceptance of self in the moment increased protagonists’ capacity to generate new responses within each meta-process and, in resolved cases, there was evidence of spontaneity developing over time. The fourth study tested Greenberg’s allowing and accepting painful emotional experience model as an alternative explanation of protagonist change. The findings of this study suggested that while the process of allowing emotional pain was present in resolved cases, Greenberg’s model was not sufficient to explain the processes that lead to in-session resolution. The protagonist’s readiness to engage and activation of resourcefulness appear to facilitate the transition from problem identification to emotional release. Furthermore, experiencing a reparative relationship was found to be central to the healing process. This research verifies that there can be in-session resolution of painful emotional experience during psychodrama and protagonists’ reports suggest that in-session resolution can heal the damage to the sense of self and the interpersonal disconnection that are associated with unresolved emotional pain. A model of protagonist change processes has been constructed that challenges the view of psychodrama as a primarily cathartic therapy, by locating the therapeutic experience of emotional release within the development of new role relationships. The five meta-processes which are described within the model suggest broad change principles which can assist practitioners to make sense of events as they unfold and guide their clinical decision making in the moment. Each meta-process was linked to specific post-session changes, so that the model can inform the development of therapeutic plans for individual clients and can aid communication for practitioners when a psychodrama intervention is used for a specific therapeutic purpose within a comprehensive program of therapy.

Fostering students’ creativity in school subjects has recently become a central focus of educational researchers, educators, and educational policymakers around the world. In Kuwait, educational researchers and teacher educators have supported the need to foster students’ creativity via a national curriculum. Yet, the Ministry of Education has conducted few studies to explore practitioners’ perspectives on how to foster creativity through the current curriculum. The overall aims of this study were to explore science teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and practices in fostering creativity in science classrooms as well as to investigate the influences of sociocultural factors on teachers’ beliefs and practices in fostering creativity. The study also examined the consistency and inconsistency levels between teachers’ beliefs and practices. The study has a qualitative nature that stands on an interpretive worldview. The methodology uses eight case studies, each of which consisted of a male science teacher and one of his classes. Multiple methods were used, including semi-structured interviews (pre- and post-observational interviews), student focus groups, unstructured observations, participants’ drawings, and field notes. The analysis was based on thematic analysis model proposed by Braun and Clarke (2006). Thematic findings and case studies findings were drawn from the analysis of the data collected. In general, the thematic findings indicated that science teachers are able to define the meaning of creativity and its main aspects. Professed pedagogical beliefs enforce four teaching approaches to foster creativity in the science classroom: the teaching of thinking skills, inquiry-based learning, cooperative learning, and practical investigation (experimentation). The teachers believe that these approaches could promote students’ creativity in science classroom when specific sociocultural factors facilitate the effectiveness of such approaches in terms of fostering creativity. Three interdependent categories represent these facilitating factors: (1) educational setting-related factors, (2) teacher-related factors, and (3) student-related factors. Differences and similarities appeared when these professed beliefs were compared to the applied classroom practices. The thematic analysis revealed several themes underlying the main categories. Extensive teacher-centred practices and modest student-centred practices were evident; more specifically, the observations revealed primarily teacher-centred approach inside the science classes. Meanwhile, student-centred approaches were modestly applied in comparison to teacher-centred activities. The teachers justified their practices in accordance with the sociocultural factors that mediate their beliefs and practices as well as the role of their goal orientation. The science teachers perceived the mediating factors as constraints that prevent them from applying their beliefs about fostering creativity in classroom practices. Multiple constraining factors emerged, and they were categorised into personal, external, and interpersonal constraints. Concerning the case study findings, consistencies and inconsistencies were identified using a cut-off point as an analytic technique to classify teachers’ beliefs and practices into traditional (non-creativity fostering), mixed, or progressive (creativity fostering). The case study findings identified four consistency and inconsistency levels characterizing teachers’ beliefs and practices: traditional (consistent level), mainly traditional (inconsistent level), mixed (consistent level), and mainly progressive (inconsistent level). Each level was represented by an exemplary case study. The exemplary case studies revealed that sociocultural contexts influence teacher’s belief-practice relationship with respect to fostering students’ creativity in science classroom. Further, the thematic and case study findings were discussed in relation to the existing body of knowledge, followed by an illustration of significant conclusions, including some implications, contributions, limitations, and future suggestions.

Title: Humanitarian Supply Chain: Improvement of lead time effectiveness and cost-efficiency. A multiple case study on the preparedness stage of humanitarian organizations with their partners. Authors: Ester Lisnati Jayadi, Hugo Richit, Najmus Sadat. Background: 315 natural disasters events were reported, causing 11,804 deaths, affecting 68 million people, and costing US$131.7 billion in economic losses worldwide. This fact emerges the importance of humanitarian organizations (HOs) to act in reducing suffering and improving peoples’ life. However, the greater donations and support to HOs still do not solve this enormous issue at all which forces HOs to pursue greater accountability by improving their effectiveness and efficiency in terms of time and cost in disaster activities, especially in preparedness activities. No single actors like HOs have sufficient resources to solve the disaster problem alone; thus, they need partners to work hand in hand to relieve the suffering. Performance measurement through integration called performance management process is the key to enabling HOs and their partners to achieve the lead time effectiveness and cost-efficiency. Purpose: The purposes of the study are to explore which performance measurements are needed between humanitarian organizations with their partners and to explore how to integrate their relationship to improve lead time effectiveness and cost-efficiency. Then, the suggestions can be made by fulfilling the purposes. Method: A multiple case study by utilizing qualitative data through semi-structured interviews. Findings and Conclusions: RQ 1. What HSC (humanitarian supply chain) performance measurements are needed in the HSC’s preparedness stage in order to achieve the lead time effectiveness and cost efficiency? The performance required measurements in HSC’s preparedness stage to achieve lead-time effectiveness, and cost-efficiency are organizational procedures, learning and evaluation, HO’s mission, feedback, budgeting, fund management, sourcing, human and resource management, IT utilization, infrastructure utilization, human resources utilization, delivery time, knowledge management, information sharing, and employee management. RQ 2. How to integrate the HSC performance management process in the HSC’s preparedness stage to improve the lead time effectiveness and cost efficiency? By implementing a proposed performance management process, aligning vision and mission, trusting each other, utilizing IT technologies, improving the language, and applying standardization in HSC. Keywords: Humanitarian Supply Chain Management. Humanitarian Supply Chain. Preparedness Stage. Natural Disasters. Humanitarian Organizations. Partners. Dyads. Multiple Case Studies. Performance Measurements. Performance Management Process. Supply Chain Process Integration

Early childhood education (ECE) teachers often lack the experience and skills to provide children with supports necessary to foster academic and social skill development. Professional development can improve ECE teachers' skills, but ECE trainers often lack understanding of adult learning principles, known as andragogy. Knowles' conceptual framework of andragogy was used to explore the knowledge and use of andragogical principles of 8 ECE trainers selected via criterion-based purposive sampling. The research questions focused on ECE trainers' knowledge and use of andragogical principles. Three cases, each consisting of 2 or 3 live professional development trainings for early childhood educators, were used in this study. Data sources included (a) observations of ECE trainings, (b) semi-structured interviews with ECE trainers, and (c) content analysis of ECE training materials. Thematic analysis revealed that although participants were not formally trained in andragogy and were unfamiliar with the associated verbiage, most had a strong grasp of andragogy and used andragogical principles to drive the development and presentation of their training materials. The 3 main themes that emerged were (a) lack of training/background in andragogy, (b) training strategies employed, and (c) training design. Findings from this study provide an original contribution to the limited existing research on the professional development of early childhood educators and expand the existing body of research on andragogy. This study contributes to social change by revealing that trainers may benefit from formal andragogical training, which may then improve the education provided by ECE teachers to young children.

A new model was developed to enhance the understanding of the full context of work associated hazards, to explore the connection between OHS performance and a systematic approach to safety, and to simplify approaches to OHS management. This Safe Place, Safe Person, Safe Systems model was derived from the literature and used as the basis for the development of a framework, consisting of 60 elements which was transformed into an assessment tool. This assessment tool was trialled with a pilot study on a medium sized manufacturing plant in the plastics industry, and the tool and Preliminary Report peer reviewed by an expert panel using the Nominal Group Technique. After refinements were made to the assessment tool it was applied to eight case studies that were drawn from advertisements. This qualitative study consisted of two parts: firstly the assessment using the Safe Place, Safe Person, Safe Systems framework; and secondly a controlled self assessment exercise to target improvements to three of the elements over a period of four months. The study illustrated that the Safe Place, Safe Person, Safe Systems framework could be successfully applied in a range of industries to promote OHS improvements and to provide a systematic, planned approach to fulfilling OHS responsibilities. The application of this framework highlighted that: there is a need for further education on the correct application of the risk assessment process and the responsibilities owed to contractors; techniques such as dynamic risk assessments are more suitable where the place of work is variable and hazards are unpredictable; more focus is needed on the appropriate management of hazardous substances with long term health consequences; and that the level of formality invoked for treating hazards does not necessarily equate to improved risk reduction outcomes. The Safe Place, Safe Person, Safe Systems framework was found to be applicable to small, medium and large organisations provided the assessment was scoped to a small division of relatively homogeneous activity to ensure a more representative hazard profile. This approach has provided a way forward to simplify OHS management and also offers practical direction for implementing a targeted OHS improvement program.

A new model was developed to enhance the understanding of the full context of work associated hazards, to explore the connection between OHS performance and a systematic approach to safety, and to simplify approaches to OHS management. This Safe Place, Safe Person, Safe Systems model was derived from the literature and used as the basis for the development of a framework, consisting of 60 elements which was transformed into an assessment tool. This assessment tool was trialled with a pilot study on a medium sized manufacturing plant in the plastics industry, and the tool and Preliminary Report peer reviewed by an expert panel using the Nominal Group Technique. After refinements were made to the assessment tool it was applied to eight case studies that were drawn from advertisements. This qualitative study consisted of two parts: firstly the assessment using the Safe Place, Safe Person, Safe Systems framework; and secondly a controlled self assessment exercise to target improvements to three of the elements over a period of four months. The study illustrated that the Safe Place, Safe Person, Safe Systems framework could be successfully applied in a range of industries to promote OHS improvements and to provide a systematic, planned approach to fulfilling OHS responsibilities. The application of this framework highlighted that: there is a need for further education on the correct application of the risk assessment process and the responsibilities owed to contractors; techniques such as dynamic risk assessments are more suitable where the place of work is variable and hazards are unpredictable; more focus is needed on the appropriate management of hazardous substances with long term health consequences; and that the level of formality invoked for treating hazards does not necessarily equate to improved risk reduction outcomes. The Safe Place, Safe Person, Safe Systems framework was found to be applicable to small, medium and large organisations provided the assessment was scoped to a small division of relatively homogeneous activity to ensure a more representative hazard profile. This approach has provided a way forward to simplify OHS management and also offers practical direction for implementing a targeted OHS improvement program.