A presente dissertação teve como objetivo cartografar acontecimentos que atravessam o devir de mães biológicas pelo resgate dos filhos que foram colocados em famílias substitutas e figuraram em processos de adoção. Para tal foram analisados três processos judiciais de adoção com contestação. A partir do referencial histórico genealógico foucaultiano o instituto da adoção foi problematizado, evidenciando práticas-discursivas que vem naturalizando o axioma abandono e adoção e alçando o instituto da adoção ao patamar de política pública, ou seja, questões que deveriam ser tratadas na esfera do Poder Executivo são transferidas para o Judiciário. A descrição dos casos apresentou litígios em torno da filiação, privilegiando as discussões acerca da instituição maternidade e da resistência empreendida por mulheres-mãe pauperizadas, contra o processo de exclusão, através das contestações às ações de adoção de seus filhos. A análise de conteúdo foi a ferramenta utilizada para interpretar e tecer considerações acerca dos casos narrados. Através dessa metodologia evidenciaram-se, nos discursos dos especialistas, os atravessamentos de ordem política, social e histórica na produção de subjetividades, que vem forjando a imagem de um segmento da população menos humano a mãe desnaturada. / The objective of this dissertation is to chart the movement of biological mothers to recover their children that were placed in substitute families, and toke part in adoption judicial processes. To do this, three contested processes were analyzed. Using Foucaults historical genealogy, the institution of adoption was problematic, and demonstrated arguments that have been naturalizing the axiom abandonment and adoption and raising the institution of adoption to the level of public policy, in other words, questions that should be dealt with in the sphere of the Executive branch are transferred to the Judicial. The description of these cases presented litigations regarding filiations, favoring arguments concerning the maternal institution and the resistance undertaken by poor mothers against the process of exclusion, by contesting the action of adoption of their children. The analysis of this content was the tool used to interpret and weave considerations concerning the cases described. Through this methodology, it will be shown in the argument of specialists, through political orders, social and historical subjectivity, that have forged the image of a segment of the population less human the malnourished mother.

L'innovation constitue un facteur de croissance particulièrement critique dans le secteur des hautes technologies. Or, le taux de lancements aboutissant à des échecs commerciaux y est bien plus élevé dans ce secteur que dans d'autres industries. Ce constat a incité des chercheurs à s'intéresser de plus près aux spécificités des innovations technologiques par rapport aux autres innovations.En particulier, Hoeffler (2003) constate que les innovations technologiques se distinguent par le fait qu'elles suscitent deux formes spécifiques d'incertitude : la première est liée à la difficulté de compréhension des nouveaux bénéfices, et la seconde aux coûts d'apprentissage du produit. Castano et alii (2008) montrent que ces deux formes d'incertitude sont plus ou moins saillantes dans les pensées du consommateur, selon l'échéance à laquelle il envisage l'achat d'un produit technologique, appelée « distance temporelle ». La robustesse de ces résultats a été confirmée lors d'une étude préliminaire. Par ailleurs, nous avons eu recours à deux techniques de simulation mentale anticipative pour réduire la double incertitude du consommateur ressentie à l'égard d'innovations semi-continues et discontinues. Nos résultats indiquent que lorsque l'achat est envisagé dans un délai proche, la simulation « orientée vers le processus » réduit l'incertitude liée aux coûts d'apprentissage et l'anxiété du consommateur, et augmente l'intention d'achat et d'utilisation du produit. A plus long terme, c'est la simulation « orientée vers le résultat » qui favorise l'intention d'achat et d'utilisation, en réduisant l'incertitude envers les bénéfices et en augmentant l'optimisme du consommateur. Les mécanismes par lesquels l'interaction entre la distance temporelle et la simulation mentale agit sur les réactions et comportements du consommateur ont été mis au jour dans cette thèse. De plus, nous avons démontré que les effets bénéfiques de cette interaction se produisaient pour les consommateurs experts, mais qu'ils ne se produisaient pas pour les consommateurs non experts. Cette recherche pose donc une limite à l'utilisation de cette interaction comme technique marketing pour favoriser l'adoption d'innovations technologiques. Cinq études ont été réalisées dans le cadre de cette thèse, dont deux en collaboration avec IDEAs Laboratory, une entreprise grenobloise opérant dans le secteur des hautes technologies. / Although innovation is a critical growth factor in the high technology sector, the rate of introductions leading to commercial failure is much higher in this sector than in other industries. This prompted researchers to pay closer attention to the characteristics differentiating technological innovations from innovations in other fields. As part of this recent and fruitful research current, Hoeffler (2003) finds that technological innovations are distinguished by the fact that they raise two specific forms of uncertainty. The first relates to the difficulty of understanding the new benefits; the second, to the fact that these innovations require consumer learning. According to Castano et alii (2008), these two forms of uncertainty are more or less prominent in the minds of consumers according to the time frame during which the individual is considering purchasing a technology product – this time frame is referred to as “temporal distance” in the literature. The robustness of these results was confirmed in a preliminary study. Moreover, we employed two anticipatory mental simulation techniques to reduce the consumer's double uncertainty when considering the purchase of semi-continuous and discontinuous innovations. Our results show that when the purchase is planned within the near future, the “process-oriented” simulation reduces learning cost uncertainty and anxiety, and increases intent to use and intent to purchase. Over the long term, “result-oriented simulation” decreases uncertainty about benefits and raises optimism, intent to use and intent to purchase. This research identifies the mechanisms through which the interaction between temporal distance and mental simulation act on consumer's behavior. Moreover, we have shown that the beneficial effects stemming from this interaction are only true for the expert consumers and not for those who are not. Therefore, this research raises a limit to the use of this interaction to promote the adoption of technological innovations. Five studies were conducted, including two that were made in collaboration with IDEAs Laboratory, a company from Grenoble operating in the sector of high technology.

Recent developments and hype around artificial intelligence (AI) have arisen as result of two main factors: increase in computational power and data. Although marketing is considered as one of the main business applications within AI today, there is a lack of literature combining the disciplines. Marketing management tools, which utilise AI in supporting decision making are referred to as knowledge-driven marketing management support systems (MMSS). These systems provide besides quantitative analysis, further qualitative facets into marketing management. Despite the willingness of many SMEs to engage with the technology that may foster competitive advantage, many adoption processes fail. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the factors influencing adoption of knowledge-driven MMSS in SMEs in Finland and Sweden. Qualitative primary data was collected from nine company representatives at top management level in Finnish and Swedish firms. Companies were classified in three categories, providers, adopters and non-adopters of knowledge-driven MMSS.   The findings show that there are several factors influencing adoption of knowledge-driven MMSS. The factors were grouped into technological, organizational and environmental factors, based on the TOE framework. Even though SMEs suffer from a lack of resources compared to large companies, this research suggests that they are at the forefront of adopting AI for marketing purposes. Additionally, it was found that the factors affecting adoption are dependent on whether the knowledge-driven MMSS is built in-house or outsourced.   This study has contributed to the identified gaps in literature by combining the disciplines of AI, marketing and SMEs, and by exploring the factors behind adoption of knowledge-driven MMSS. The authors of this thesis have the aspiration that the developed post-empirical framework will serve as a guiding tool for top management and marketing managers in SMEs looking to adopt knowledge-driven MMSS into their organizations.

A presente dissertação teve como objetivo cartografar acontecimentos que atravessam o devir de mães biológicas pelo resgate dos filhos que foram colocados em famílias substitutas e figuraram em processos de adoção. Para tal foram analisados três processos judiciais de adoção com contestação. A partir do referencial histórico genealógico foucaultiano o instituto da adoção foi problematizado, evidenciando práticas-discursivas que vem naturalizando o axioma abandono e adoção e alçando o instituto da adoção ao patamar de política pública, ou seja, questões que deveriam ser tratadas na esfera do Poder Executivo são transferidas para o Judiciário. A descrição dos casos apresentou litígios em torno da filiação, privilegiando as discussões acerca da instituição maternidade e da resistência empreendida por mulheres-mãe pauperizadas, contra o processo de exclusão, através das contestações às ações de adoção de seus filhos. A análise de conteúdo foi a ferramenta utilizada para interpretar e tecer considerações acerca dos casos narrados. Através dessa metodologia evidenciaram-se, nos discursos dos especialistas, os atravessamentos de ordem política, social e histórica na produção de subjetividades, que vem forjando a imagem de um segmento da população menos humano a mãe desnaturada. / The objective of this dissertation is to chart the movement of biological mothers to recover their children that were placed in substitute families, and toke part in adoption judicial processes. To do this, three contested processes were analyzed. Using Foucaults historical genealogy, the institution of adoption was problematic, and demonstrated arguments that have been naturalizing the axiom abandonment and adoption and raising the institution of adoption to the level of public policy, in other words, questions that should be dealt with in the sphere of the Executive branch are transferred to the Judicial. The description of these cases presented litigations regarding filiations, favoring arguments concerning the maternal institution and the resistance undertaken by poor mothers against the process of exclusion, by contesting the action of adoption of their children. The analysis of this content was the tool used to interpret and weave considerations concerning the cases described. Through this methodology, it will be shown in the argument of specialists, through political orders, social and historical subjectivity, that have forged the image of a segment of the population less human the malnourished mother.

Den här uppsatsen handlar om vad som påverkar konsumenten till att vilja använda en digital plånbok. Den digitala plånboken är femte generationens betalningsmedel och har nu kommit för att digitalisera flera av de funktioner som den fysiska plånboken erbjuder. En transaktion med den digitala plånboken sker genom konsumentens Smartphone. Förutsatt att Smartphones blir mobila plånböcker kan det antas att konsumenterna skulle vänja sig vid tanken att lämna den fysiska plånboken hemma. Det har tidigare gjorts studier på adoption av mobiltelefoner och hur människor i allmänhet tar till sig vissa tjänster men den digitala plånboken är ett relativt nytt fenomen och därför handlar vår uppsats om adoption av den digitala plånboken som tjänst. De slutsatser vi kan dra av uppsatsen är att säkerhet, enkelhet och kompabilitet kring den digitala plånboken påverkar om konsumenten väljer att använda tjänsten. För att företagen som levererar digitala plånbokstjänster ska nå största nytta bör de även se säkerhet, enkelhet och kompabilitet som centrala delar vid presentation och lansering av tjänsten. / This essay is about what influences consumers to want to use a digital wallet. The digital wallet is the fifth generation of payment and have now come to digitize several features that the physical wallet offers. A transaction with the digital wallet is made by the consumer Smartphone. Assuming that Smartphones are becoming mobile wallets can be assumed that consumers would get used to the idea of leaving the physical wallet at home. It has previously been studies on adoption of mobile phones and how to generally embrace certain services but the digital wallet is a relatively new phenomenon and, therefore, is our thesis about the adoption of the digital wallet services. The conclusions we can draw from this paper is that security, simplicity, and interoperability on the digital wallet will affect whether the consumer chooses to use the service or not. For companies that deliver digital wallet services to achieve the greatest benefit, they should also ensure security, simplicity and compatibility as key elements in the presentation and launch of the service.

Full service family physicians in British Columbia (BC) are claiming financial incentives in return for providing enhanced care for patients with chronic diseases. These same physicians are also being actively encouraged to adopt electronic medical record systems (EMRs) with an expectation that their adoption will, among other things, aid in improved chronic disease management (CDM). Indeed, both incentives and clinical information systems have been demonstrated in the literature to be crucial components in effective CDM programs. However, within BC little evidence is available that demonstrates whether EMR adoption is in fact associated with improved provision of CDM services. Furthermore, it is not well understood how the CDM incentive program affects a family practice’s adoption of CDM-related EMR functionality. Through a mixed methods study the relationship between EMR adoption and CDM incentives in a small family practice is explored. Additionally, an audit and feedback intervention is used to test the hypothesis that both incentive use and EMR adoption can simultaneously be improved. Results of the study suggest that the presence of an EMR may not guarantee improvements in delivery of incentivized CDM services; that the incentive program has limits in its ability to promote adoption of CDM-related EMR features; and, that a program of audit and feedback may promote improvements in aspects of EMR adoption and incentive utilization. / Graduate / 0723 / 0769

Eu égard aux particularités inhérentes au caractère hybride des nouveaux produits communicants (NPH), faisant en sorte que les frontières entre leurs catégories d'appartenance deviennent floues et rendant difficile leur attribution à une catégorie bien définie, les théories de catégorisation classiques basées sur la similarité ne semblent pas suffisantes pour répondre clairement à la question de leur catégorisation. De ce fait, nous avons mobilisé la théorie de l'affordance pour nous aider à comprendre les processus de catégorisation, d'évaluation et d'adoption des NPH communicants par les consommateurs. A travers un triple éclairage théorique et une recherche qualitative dyadique (auprès de consommateurs et d'experts en design), notre recherche doctorale atteste du rôle central de l'affordance dans la catégorisation des NPH communicants. L'affordance intervient aussi dans leur évaluation et leur adoption par les consommateurs. Notre recherche présente un intérêt non seulement pour les fabricants, afin de mettre en exergue les affordances dans le design des NPH communicants de manière à ancrer le produit dans l'une ou l'autre des catégories (théoriquement la plus rentable) ou dans une nouvelle catégorie ; mais aussi pour les distributeurs, dans leur stratégie de référencement, afin de comprendre dans quelle catégorie présenter le NPH communicant. / Given the inherent particularities to the hybrid nature of new communicating products, ensuring that the boundaries between their categories of belonging become blurred and making their allocation to a well-defined category difficult, the classical similarity-based theories of categorization does not seem sufficient to clearly determine the categorization of this kind of product. Therefore, we mobilise affordance concept to help us understand the processes of categorization, evaluation and adoption of new hybrid products (NHP) by consumers. Through a triple theoretical lighting and a dyadic qualitative research (with consumers and experts in design), our doctoral research confirms the central role of affordances in categorizing communicating NHP. Affordance is also involved in their evaluation and adoption by consumers. Our research is of interest not only for manufacturers, to highlight design affordances of communicating NHP in order to anchor the product in either one of its categories of belonging or in the other (theoretically the most profitable), or even in a new category ; but also for retailers in their SEO strategy to understand into which category they should place communicating NHP.

In the past, the Ministry of Social Services and Housing has placed many native children from the Seabird Island Band, a Salish band in the Sta’lo Nation, in permanent placement or adoption off the reserve. Government agencies imposed a system of child welfare that superseded Seabird Island adoption practices. The Seabird Island Band members would prefer to see these children placed within the band through ‘custom’ adoption. In apprehension and placement court cases, the band social worker has needed documented information defining ‘custom’ adoption, and data regarding the benefits of this Seabird Island process. This thesis investigates and documents the process and results of adoption on the Seabird Island Indian Reserve. This thesis begins with a brief history of Canadian adoption policy as it applies to First Nations people. The thesis is based on detailed taped interviews with Seabird Island Band members who had experienced foster care and/or adoption. This fieldwork was the result of negotiation with the Seabird Island Band to discover the type of research that they needed. The thesis documents four kinds of adoption experience of the Seabird Island members: foster care, closed legal adoption, open adoption, and ‘custom’ adoption. In my analysis of these adoption experiences, three main themes occur: (1) issues of ethnic identity, (2) power and the child welfare system, and (3) the definition and functions of ‘custom’ adoption. The thesis concludes that the imposed system of child welfare based on Euro-western ideas of appropriate child care may have destroyed or seriously damaged some Seabird Island Band members’ sense of ethnic identity. As well, it may be a factor in the break-up of the extended family. ‘Custom’ adoption, as defined by Seabird Island Band members, offers an alternate model for keeping apprehended Seabird Island children within the band. Open adoption, as defined by the pilot project documented, is an alternative for those children who cannot be returned to the band. I have made several recommendations in the conclusion for the Seabird Island Band’s consideration. / Arts, Faculty of / Anthropology, Department of / Graduate

The study explored the narratives of three adoptive couples. The participants were selected using criterion based convenience and snowball sampling. The adoptive couples’ data was captured through written narratives and/or individual or joint semi-structured interviews. The data was then analysed by means of thematic analysis conducted from the perspective of second order cybernetics. The results note the participants’ experiences of their infertility threatened their functioning as a couple. However, this threat to the couples’ functioning was limited by the adoptions through two means. First, the adoptions limited the couples’ communication about their infertility. Second, the adoptions allowed the couples to continue functioning as a couple dedicated to the goal of becoming parents. Differences between the participant couples’ experiences surrounded their interactions with social workers; their selection of support structures; their interaction with external systems; as well as their anxiety towards the individuation of the adopted child. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

The adoption of Building Information Modelling (BIM) on construction projects is not widespread yet, because there is a growing albeit slow uptake. There is no strategically structured BIM adoption guide available on construction projects for ensuring integration and collaboration among the Building Information Modelling- Supply Chain Members (BIMSCM). Scholars adduce the lack of adoption of BIM on construction projects to the use of ineffective BIM implementation strategies. Therefore, this research investigated BIM adoption and the current dominant BIM implementation strategies used in the South African construction industry. It also examined whether BIM implementation strategies and BIM adoption on construction projects impact on the occurrence of integration and collaboration among the BIM-SCM in the South African construction industry. Using modified Implementation Process Theory, the research collected primary data using a mixed-methods research approach that involved the collection of both qualitative and quantitative data from 872 respondents randomly selected from the 1,871 BIM-based construction projects' direct participants who indicated their willingness and availability to participate in the research from the cidb databse of construction professionals in South Africa. The qualitative data collected with respect to barriers to BIM adoption and dominant BIM implementation strategies were analysed using thematic analysis. The quantitative data collected with respect to BIM adoption, barriers to BIM adoption, integration and collaboration, and BIM implementation strategies were analysed using Mean Item Score (MIS), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM).The SEM method used was the Maximum Likelihood Estimation. Before modelling process, CFA was used to confirm the validity and reliability of the quantitative data using the Factor Loading, Eigenvalue, correlation coefficient, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) value, Bartlett's test results, and Average Variance Explained (AVE). It emerged that the possibility of getting high-value clients, quest for a competitive edge, need for technological sophistication, need to be socially acceptable to the clients, incorporation of BIM adoption into the vision of the organisations, and development of BIM capabilities as new values in their organisations are the dominant BIM implementation strategies used in the South African construction industry. The findings also revealed that the dominant BIM implementation strategies are private driven and are not bringing about an adequate reduction in the BIM adoption barriers. Investigation of the evidence of the application of BIM tools and processes with respect to the adoption of BIM on construction projects showed that fewer building information models were developed for projects, BIM performance assessment was not intensive, emphasis was not placed on the level of objects' clarity of building information models, BIM skills and competencies were insufficient, and BIM management was dis-organised. The parameter estimates from the SEM analysis of the interactions between the BIM implementation stages indicated that the success of the BIM implementation process in South Africa depends on a positive interplay between the interacting implementation stages. The parameter estimates from the SEM analysis of the interaction between the BIM implementation stages also revealed that BIM implementation strategies control the impacts of a reduction in BIM adoption barriers on the extent of BIM adoption. However, the findings revealed that the BIM implementation strategies currently in use did not possess the required forces and intensity to strengthen the positive interplay between the interacting BIM implementation stages. The study concluded that the essential BIM implementation strategies are not in use in South Africa, while the BIM implementation strategies currently in use are not appropriately and effectively employed. However, there is evidence of elementary BIM adoption on projects and low occurrence of integration and collaboration among the BIM-SCM in South Africa. The lack of adequate skills and experience of BIM management and the inadequate understanding of what BIM adoption on projects entails mean that working policies and legislation on BIM adoption are required to drive a successful BIM implementation process. This research provides new insights on the structures and stages of the BIM implementation process and postulations that will aid the comprehension of the interconnections between BIM implementation strategies and BIM adoption on construction projects in South Africa. More importantly, this research has extended the existing theories on BIM adoption and the interactions between the levels of BIM adoption on construction projects and collaboration among the BIM-SCM.