In the past decade, there has been rampant growth in healthcare service delivery options, based on the Internet and related information and communication technology. As a result, there is a great deal of expectation among national governments, regulators, healthcare organisations, and other stakeholders about the role of the Internet in healthcare service provision. Given the global crisis in healthcare services generally and the funding of healthcare services specifically, a number of policymakers view the advances in Internet-based self-service technology as a potential enabler of more efficient and effective healthcare service delivery. Proponents of consumer-driven healthcare in particular who seek to use the Internet to make consumers more informed about healthcare funding decisions and to reduce the cost of servicing consumers have been actively experimenting in this area. Despite the accelerating growth in the deployment of Internet-based self-service technologies, their protracted uptake by users is giving rise to concerns about the effectiveness of the implementation and acceptance of these contemporary forms of service delivery. Furthermore, little is known about how the social healthcare context shapes Internet-based self-service technology implementations. This thesis presents an in-depth qualitative case study that documents a healthcare insurer’s efforts to implement an online self-service technology for the period 1999 to 2005. A research framework was adopted that draws on key theoretical concepts from structuration and actornetwork theory (ANT) to link the social context to implementation processes. These two conceptual lenses, which are compatible with the thesis’s interpretive stance, reveal several new insights, confirming that the challenges associated with the implementation of information system innovations such as Internet-based self-service technologies cannot be understood in isolation. From a structuration perspective analysing the various enactments of self-service provision of healthcare afforded a deeper understanding of how social practices influence the design and use of the technology. From an ANT perspective, the study showed how the major translations in the design and use of the self-service technology emerged from a process where technological and social elements co-evolved. This study also reveals that the implementation problems and opportunities facing this particular healthcare insurance organisation were historical and systemic. This approach demonstrates that the complex interdependencies and interactions among contrasting social, political, economic and technological issues shaped the contemporary channel as it exists today and therefore advances theory in yet another important way. Using the insights obtained from these two theories, a conceptual framework was derived. The conceptual framework demonstrates that in order to develop a comprehensive understanding of Internet-based self-service technology implementation, such an analysis must incorporate the interconnectedness of four perspectives – meaning, process, context and the technology artefact – and their respective conceptual elements from both structuration and actor-network theory. Future studies attempting to deepen our understanding of information systems implementation can also provide constructive insights by focusing on the interdependent, interconnected and historical nature of the implementation phenomenon. Some important practical applications for future self-service technology implementations are also discussed. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Informatics / unrestricted

This study places the intended creation and implementation of an inter-professional education strategy at the intersection of three networks. The networks in question are cultural historical activity theory (CHAT), actor network theory (ANT), and a complex healthcare organisation (NHSX). CHAT and ANT, whilst both socio-material in origin, afford quite different readings of NHSX: therefore, the former has been used to identify, distil, and decompose the organisational activity systems, and the latter has been used to problematise them. The strategy was created in 2005 and had ceased to exist by 2010. This study therefore employs CHAT and ANT accounts to trace the lifespan of the strategy through the organisation, in particular through organisational working, learning, and boundary crossing, in an attempt to explain its untimely demise. It is envisaged that this study will provide an aid to framing how socio-material approaches can be combined to support inter-professional policy construction and implementation in a way that will allow flexibility for others to adapt to their own distinctive circumstances

L’hypothèse centrale que sous-tend cette thèse est la suivante : le développement de nos sociétés, au sens des systèmes d’acteurs les constituant, face à ses principaux enjeux de long terme, est un processus d’innovation en tant que tel. Ce processus d’innovation est situé au croisement de dynamiques sociales, de conception et de traduction dans un système d’action collective et de fait de pouvoir.La thèse s’efforce de démontrer ces éléments en s’appuyant sur trois projets de terrain revisités à travers différents cadres théoriques spécifiques aux champs suscités. Cette analyse qui s’inscrit dans le cadre d’une démarche de recherche originale intégrant la théorie dans l’action et revisitant cette même théorie au vu des actions, permet à notre sens de faire émerger une nouvelle figure du développement des territoires dans leurs mécanismes contemporains d’innovation sociétale : L’architecte d’innovation.Cette nouvelle figure s’inscrit aux côtés des autres opérateurs de l’innovation et de l’action collective. Après avoir fait apparaitre les conditions de son émergence et les motivations de son intervention, la thèse s’achève par la présentation des différents visages du marginal sécant, concepteur de territoires inconnus. / The central hypothesis underlying this thesis is the following: the development of our societies, in the context of the constituent system of actors and their relationships, is based on an innovation process regarding long-term issues. This innovation process is located at the intersection of social dynamics, design and translation, in a system driven by collective action and power influences.This thesis attempts to demonstrate these elements based on three concrete projects revisited through different theoretical frameworks of the aforementioned specific fields. This analysis is part of a unique research program integrating theory in real life situations and revisiting theoretical concepts through our experience; this reflection leads to the emergence of a new figure/player in territories development through their mechanisms of contemporary social innovation: The architect of innovation.This new figure fits alongside other players driving innovation and collective action. After identifying the conditions of its emergence and motivations of its intervention, the thesis concludes with the presentation of the different faces of this ‘marginal secant’ defined as a designer of unknown territories.

Notre recherche porte sur la coopération au sein des réseaux territoriaux d'organisations. Plus particulièrement, nous souhaitons caractériser le processus de coopération qui s'établit entre les membres d'un réseau territorial d'organisations qui a émergé de l'incitation des pouvoirs publics. Pour cela, nous mobilisons une méthodologie qualitative en menant une étude de cas auprès du Pôle Tourisme de Territoire-Carac'Terres et du Pôle Services à la Personne, qui ont tous deux vu le jour afin d'être labellisés « Pôle Régional d'Innovation et de Développement Économique Solidaire » (PRIDES) par le Conseil Régional PACA. Nous nous appuyons sur un cadre théorique articulant l'Économie de la Proximité et la Sociologie de la Traduction afin d'analyser ces réseaux. Deux niveaux de résultats sont proposés. Le premier est de caractériser le processus de développement de la coopération en identifiant des facteurs favorables et des facteurs défavorables et en mettant en lumière que la coopération résulte de la mise en cohérence de quatre dimensions -les acteurs, les dispositifs de gestion, les espaces et le sens - à travers le rôle d'un traducteur. Le second niveau de résultat réside dans la mise en œuvre d'un cadre théorique hybride permettant d'appréhender la dynamique des proximités à travers le processus de traduction. / Our research focuses on cooperation within territorial networks. We wish, in particular, to characterize the cooperation process which is reached between the members of a social network born from the incentive of authorities. To achieve that, we use a qualitative methodology by carrying out a case study at the Pôle Tourisme de Territoire-Carac'Terres, and at the Pôle Services à la Personne, which were both created to be labelled "Regional Pole for Innovation and Economic Development based on Solidarity" (PRIDES) by the Regional Council PACA. We use a theoretical frame combining Proximity Science and Actor-Network Theory, in order to analyse these networks. Two levels of results are proposed. The first one is to characterize the development process of cooperation by identifying the predisposing and hampering factors, and by bringing to light the fact that cooperation is the result of the weaving together of four dimensions - the actors, the management tools, the areas, and the meaning - through a translator. The second level lies in the implement of a hybrid theoretical frame, which allows to grasp the dynamics of proximities through a translating process.

The goal of this dissertation thesis is to expand the current knowledge in the area of corporate governance in the Czech Republic. The document consists of several parts. First, a brief introduction to the field of corporate governance is provided. The introduction is followed by the analysis of the data sample in the context of corporate governance, and the search for a potential relationship between the implementation of the principles of corporate governance and financial performance of companies. The next part offers a theoretical introduction to the theory of networks with an emphasis on social and economic networks. In the final part, the empirical network of interlocking directorates in the Czech Republic is presented. The discussion is focused on the structure of the network and its comparison with structures in real business environment in the Czech Republic, and with similar networks from other countries.

A radical change of the socio-cultural order has brought about globalisation processes. Their consequences in the economic sphere include, mainly, growing interdependence, increasing mobility of the production factors and rising efficiency of the global economy. This brings important causes in the political dimension, were the anarchy at the global level translates into erosion of the role of state sovereignty and creation of world economy inefficiencies. Qualitatively new system of global governance, governance at multiple levels and a regulative sub-system emerge, which the World Trade Organisation is a main example of. To reach an effective solution, it is essential to introduce a reform. The central methodological bases are systems theory and neo-liberal internationalism of this analysis.

The road of development through e-government is covered with deep potholes and dead ends. This is because Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are adopted and e-government policies are developed with a blind focus on the ICT tools and with little reflection on the contribution of ICT to development (Heeks and Bailur, 2007, p. 243, Avgerou, 2009, p. 14). To assist with this reflection Information Systems (IS) researchers are increasingly calling for the development of local contextual theory or a framework in ICT for Development (ICT4D) (Avgerou, 2009, p. 14, Madon et al., 2007, Walsham, 2003, Walsham, 1997). This thesis responds to that call by investigating the role of e-government towards development within the South African context. The means of inquiry was a three year ethnographic immersion in a longitudinal research project. The aim of the longitudinal research project was to investigate how a specialised type of ICT (Group Support Systems) can enable interaction between government and citizens in attaining specific human rights. The research project centred on creating an awareness among the public in South Africa of a newly enacted Act, the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act No 3 of 2000 (PAJA). The rich data collected was analysed using Grounded Theory, resulting in a substantive theory that suggests that within the South African context e-government could contribute to development if it is used to facilitate policy implementation within the spirit of Ubuntu. The thesis delineates the journey up to the emergence of the substantive theory. The substantive theory has important implications for IS theory and IS practice. For IS theory, the substantive theory demonstrates that research on ICT4D in Africa could usefully be undertaken by following an action research strategy within a critical-interpretive paradigm. The substantive theory also suggests the importance of taking into account the contextual collaborative nature of African culture in the spirit of Ubuntu when conducting such research. For practice, the substantive theory proposes a potential framework where ICT could provide the collaborative environment or shared space in the spirit of Ubuntu for policy implementation towards development. Checked against implementation requirements on the South African policy on entrepreneurship, the substantive theory framework proves to be equally valuable. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Informatics / unrestricted

[pt] Essa dissertação busca investigar as maneiras que a Psicanálise possui de construir ou fabricar novos conhecimentos acerca da vida anímica. Essa pesquisa, portanto, tem como objetivo também examinar o desenvolvimento da elaboração do procedimento de investigação criado por Freud, bem como sua aplicação, tendo como foco a forma pela qual esse procedimento se relaciona com a formulação da teoria freudiana acerca dos processos mentais. Além disso, examina-se as mudanças realizadas no procedimento freudiano por analistas pós-freudianos célebres pelas suas contribuições clínicas, como Ferenczi, Winnicott, Melanie Klein, Anna Freud e Lacan. Buscamos em um segundo momento relacionar a técnica e a teoria psicanalíticas utilizando autores oriundos da Filosofia, como Bruno Latour e Isabelle Stengers, nos utilizando de conceitos como o de hibridação, referência circulante e a Teoria Ator-Rede para realizar a ligação entre a prática psicanalítica e o conhecimento conceitual e teórico da ciência inaugurada por Freud. / [en] This thesis seeks to investigate the way psychoanalysis creates or builds new knowledge around the mental life. Therefore, the research goal is also to evaluate the development process of these procedures based on Freud s investigations, just like its application, focusing in the relationship between the procedures and Freud s theory over the mental processes. Moreover, the changes occured in the procedures are assessed by post-freud famous analysts and their clinical contribution, such as Ferenczi, Winnicott, Melanie Klein, Anna Freud e Lacan. Secondarily, we try to relate both technical and theoretical practices in psychoanalysis from authors arisen from philosophy such as Bruno Latour e Isabelle Stengers, using concepts of hybrids, circular reference and the Actor-Network Theory in establishing the connection between technique and theory, in this new science started up by Freud.

Observation of floral visitation is an accepted method to describe plant-pollinator interactions despite potential biases. Collecting pollen from pollinators offers new insights on the structure and function of plant-pollinator communities. Furthermore, the strength and frequency of plant-pollinator interactions can vary across temporal scales. However, within-season and within-day (morning vs. evening) variation in plant-pollinator networks has been little studied. By evaluating variation in network structure across these biologically relevant time scales, we will gain a better understanding of the factors that shape plant-pollinator communities. The objectives of this study are to 1) Compare the structure of plant-pollinator networks built on floral visitation and pollen transport data, 2) Evaluate intra-annual variation in plant-pollinator network structure and 3) Evaluate variation in plant-pollinator structure within a single day (i.e. morning vs. evening). Congruence and Temporal Variation of Floral Visitation and Pollen Transport Networks in Southern Appalachia

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