In 2009 the Texas legislature created the National Research University Fund (NRUF), intended to encourage a select group of public doctoral universities in the state, known as emerging research universities (ERUs), to increase their institutional status related to academic research by awarding supplemental financial support for meeting specific policy metrics. Efforts to increase the research status of these universities occurred at a time when public financial support remained stagnate and overall institutional costs increased within the higher education sector. This study utilizes a theoretical approach grounded in strategic action fields and employs panel data and a difference in differences statistical technique to analyze the impact that NRUF policy has in assisting ERUs in achieving R1 status, and how this organizational change impacted access to, and the quality of, undergraduate education. Results indicate that the NRUF policy intervention was not statistically significant for any part of the study. These findings suggest that policy interventions do not matter as much as specific institutional characteristics and the overall policy environment. Enrollment and tuition revenue predicted institutional performance related to academic research and graduate education, while also assisting these institutions in maintaining undergraduate academic quality and access. These cultural and material resources at the institutional level matter, as does how the overall state field prioritizes various aspects of higher education. Given the amount of resources required of the policy, and the general lack of evidence of its positive or negative effects, these indicate that those resources would be more wisely targeted elsewhere.

Nas últimas décadas, ocorreram profundas reestruturações em diversas áreas, na ciência, na economia, na indústria, e conseqüentemente, nas organizações que compõem este cenário. A complexidade, velocidade e, competitividade existentes no cenário empresarial impõem a existência de formas organizacionais que permitam a rápida capacidade de aprendizagem e mudança. Existe espaço para justificar trabalhos de natureza teóricos e empíricos, ao se procurar verificar quais são os mecanismos de coordenação das formas híbridas, bem como verificar a efetividade da confiança, como um destes mecanismos e em que condições isto acontece. O foco central deste trabalho foi verificar o papel da confiança na definição de formas organizacionais. Por intermédio da elaboração de um framework, estudou-se a vitivinicultura brasileira, abrangendo a uva de mesa no Vale do São Francisco e o vinho na Serra Gaúcha. Além do foco central, as contribuições teóricas foram: trazer para o Agronegócio uma perspectiva mais abrangente de aplicação da Economia dos Custos de Transação, a elaboração de um conceito de coordenação a partir das abordagens presentes no framework, teste teórico e empírico a se confiança é um mecanismo de coordenação. A investigação baseou-se em dados coletados por meio de pesquisa bibliográfica e documental, observação direta, entrevistas, questionários aplicados a 120 produtores na Serra Gaúcha. O objetivo principal do estudo foi analisar o papel da confiança na identificação de formas organizacionais na vitivinicultura brasileira, por meio da construção de um framework com vistas a uma possível integração teórica entre a Confiança, Teoria Organizacional (relações de dependência e interdependências) e Economia dos Custos de Transação. Os resultados encontrados permitem considerar a confiança como fator primordial na identificação de formas organizacionais, uma vez que se pôde considerá-la como um mecanismo de coordenação. O framework proposto mostrou-se consistente na identificação dos tipos de mecanismo de coordenação, tipos de confiança, e formas organizacionais presentes no Vale do São Francisco e na Serra Gaúcha. / In the last decades they happened deep restructurings in several areas, as in the science, in the economy, in the industry and consequently in the organizations that compose this scenery. The complexity, speed and existent competitiveness in the business scenery impose the existence of organizational forms that allow the fast learning capacity and change. Space exists to justify theoretical and empiric nature works, trying to verify which they are the mechanisms of coordination in the hybrid forms, as well as to verify the effectiveness of the trust as one of these mechanisms and in that conditions this happens. The central focus of this work was to verify the role of Trust in the definition of organizational forms. Through the application of a framework, brazilian viticulture was studied, including the table grape in Vale do São Francisco and the wine in Serra Gaúcha. Besides the central focus the theoretical contributions were:bring to Agrobusiness a more realistic dimension of the Economy of Transaction Costs, elaborate a concept of coordination based in present approaches of the framework, to test theoretical and empirically if trust is a coordination mechanism. The investigation based itself on data collected through bibliographical and documentary research, direct observation, interviews, questionnaires applied to 120 producers in the Serra Gaúcha. The main objective of the study was to analyze the role of trust in the identification of organizational forms in Brazilian viticulture, through the construction of a framework aiming a possible theoretical integration between Trust, Organizational Theory (relationships of dependence and interdependences) and Economy of Transaction Costs. The found results allow us to consider trust as a primordial elemnt in identificating organizational forms, since it can be considered a coordination mechanism. The proposed framework was shown solid; in identificating types of coordination mechanism, types of trust, and in the present organizational forms in Vale do San Francisco and in Serra Gaúcha.

This dissertation explores the presence of Project Management (PM) at 162 American Universities via data gathered from their publicly accessible websites. Motivated to expand the inventory of American university PM data to the international literature, I experimented with the potential to correlate statistically PM data items to organizational models and the effectiveness of university management. Using Confirmatory and Exploratory Factor Analysis (CFA and EFA) statistical methods, I investigated two University Project Management Presence Models [U(PM)2] and their relationships to the interdisciplinary research framework. Drawing from Project Management, Policy Analysis Research, Organizational Theories, and American Higher Education Histories, I also included qualitative techniques in the research design. I conclude that this study facilitates the analysis of universities as complex organizations through a Higher Education administrator's point of view. Not only do the findings suggest a correlation of PM data to predict a university's graduation rate, but also--more foundationally--the study confirms that Project Management does exist at American universities, even if that expertise does not yet exist.

Nas últimas décadas, ocorreram profundas reestruturações em diversas áreas, na ciência, na economia, na indústria, e conseqüentemente, nas organizações que compõem este cenário. A complexidade, velocidade e, competitividade existentes no cenário empresarial impõem a existência de formas organizacionais que permitam a rápida capacidade de aprendizagem e mudança. Existe espaço para justificar trabalhos de natureza teóricos e empíricos, ao se procurar verificar quais são os mecanismos de coordenação das formas híbridas, bem como verificar a efetividade da confiança, como um destes mecanismos e em que condições isto acontece. O foco central deste trabalho foi verificar o papel da confiança na definição de formas organizacionais. Por intermédio da elaboração de um framework, estudou-se a vitivinicultura brasileira, abrangendo a uva de mesa no Vale do São Francisco e o vinho na Serra Gaúcha. Além do foco central, as contribuições teóricas foram: trazer para o Agronegócio uma perspectiva mais abrangente de aplicação da Economia dos Custos de Transação, a elaboração de um conceito de coordenação a partir das abordagens presentes no framework, teste teórico e empírico a se confiança é um mecanismo de coordenação. A investigação baseou-se em dados coletados por meio de pesquisa bibliográfica e documental, observação direta, entrevistas, questionários aplicados a 120 produtores na Serra Gaúcha. O objetivo principal do estudo foi analisar o papel da confiança na identificação de formas organizacionais na vitivinicultura brasileira, por meio da construção de um framework com vistas a uma possível integração teórica entre a Confiança, Teoria Organizacional (relações de dependência e interdependências) e Economia dos Custos de Transação. Os resultados encontrados permitem considerar a confiança como fator primordial na identificação de formas organizacionais, uma vez que se pôde considerá-la como um mecanismo de coordenação. O framework proposto mostrou-se consistente na identificação dos tipos de mecanismo de coordenação, tipos de confiança, e formas organizacionais presentes no Vale do São Francisco e na Serra Gaúcha. / In the last decades they happened deep restructurings in several areas, as in the science, in the economy, in the industry and consequently in the organizations that compose this scenery. The complexity, speed and existent competitiveness in the business scenery impose the existence of organizational forms that allow the fast learning capacity and change. Space exists to justify theoretical and empiric nature works, trying to verify which they are the mechanisms of coordination in the hybrid forms, as well as to verify the effectiveness of the trust as one of these mechanisms and in that conditions this happens. The central focus of this work was to verify the role of Trust in the definition of organizational forms. Through the application of a framework, brazilian viticulture was studied, including the table grape in Vale do São Francisco and the wine in Serra Gaúcha. Besides the central focus the theoretical contributions were:bring to Agrobusiness a more realistic dimension of the Economy of Transaction Costs, elaborate a concept of coordination based in present approaches of the framework, to test theoretical and empirically if trust is a coordination mechanism. The investigation based itself on data collected through bibliographical and documentary research, direct observation, interviews, questionnaires applied to 120 producers in the Serra Gaúcha. The main objective of the study was to analyze the role of trust in the identification of organizational forms in Brazilian viticulture, through the construction of a framework aiming a possible theoretical integration between Trust, Organizational Theory (relationships of dependence and interdependences) and Economy of Transaction Costs. The found results allow us to consider trust as a primordial elemnt in identificating organizational forms, since it can be considered a coordination mechanism. The proposed framework was shown solid; in identificating types of coordination mechanism, types of trust, and in the present organizational forms in Vale do San Francisco and in Serra Gaúcha.

Nas últimas décadas, ocorreram profundas reestruturações em diversas áreas, na ciência, na economia, na indústria, e conseqüentemente, nas organizações que compõem este cenário. A complexidade, velocidade e, competitividade existentes no cenário empresarial impõem a existência de formas organizacionais que permitam a rápida capacidade de aprendizagem e mudança. Existe espaço para justificar trabalhos de natureza teóricos e empíricos, ao se procurar verificar quais são os mecanismos de coordenação das formas híbridas, bem como verificar a efetividade da confiança, como um destes mecanismos e em que condições isto acontece. O foco central deste trabalho foi verificar o papel da confiança na definição de formas organizacionais. Por intermédio da elaboração de um framework, estudou-se a vitivinicultura brasileira, abrangendo a uva de mesa no Vale do São Francisco e o vinho na Serra Gaúcha. Além do foco central, as contribuições teóricas foram: trazer para o Agronegócio uma perspectiva mais abrangente de aplicação da Economia dos Custos de Transação, a elaboração de um conceito de coordenação a partir das abordagens presentes no framework, teste teórico e empírico a se confiança é um mecanismo de coordenação. A investigação baseou-se em dados coletados por meio de pesquisa bibliográfica e documental, observação direta, entrevistas, questionários aplicados a 120 produtores na Serra Gaúcha. O objetivo principal do estudo foi analisar o papel da confiança na identificação de formas organizacionais na vitivinicultura brasileira, por meio da construção de um framework com vistas a uma possível integração teórica entre a Confiança, Teoria Organizacional (relações de dependência e interdependências) e Economia dos Custos de Transação. Os resultados encontrados permitem considerar a confiança como fator primordial na identificação de formas organizacionais, uma vez que se pôde considerá-la como um mecanismo de coordenação. O framework proposto mostrou-se consistente na identificação dos tipos de mecanismo de coordenação, tipos de confiança, e formas organizacionais presentes no Vale do São Francisco e na Serra Gaúcha. / In the last decades they happened deep restructurings in several areas, as in the science, in the economy, in the industry and consequently in the organizations that compose this scenery. The complexity, speed and existent competitiveness in the business scenery impose the existence of organizational forms that allow the fast learning capacity and change. Space exists to justify theoretical and empiric nature works, trying to verify which they are the mechanisms of coordination in the hybrid forms, as well as to verify the effectiveness of the trust as one of these mechanisms and in that conditions this happens. The central focus of this work was to verify the role of Trust in the definition of organizational forms. Through the application of a framework, brazilian viticulture was studied, including the table grape in Vale do São Francisco and the wine in Serra Gaúcha. Besides the central focus the theoretical contributions were:bring to Agrobusiness a more realistic dimension of the Economy of Transaction Costs, elaborate a concept of coordination based in present approaches of the framework, to test theoretical and empirically if trust is a coordination mechanism. The investigation based itself on data collected through bibliographical and documentary research, direct observation, interviews, questionnaires applied to 120 producers in the Serra Gaúcha. The main objective of the study was to analyze the role of trust in the identification of organizational forms in Brazilian viticulture, through the construction of a framework aiming a possible theoretical integration between Trust, Organizational Theory (relationships of dependence and interdependences) and Economy of Transaction Costs. The found results allow us to consider trust as a primordial elemnt in identificating organizational forms, since it can be considered a coordination mechanism. The proposed framework was shown solid; in identificating types of coordination mechanism, types of trust, and in the present organizational forms in Vale do San Francisco and in Serra Gaúcha.

Lean Product Development is a knowledge-based business concept in order to maintain high quality, meetcustomer requirements and to make product development more efficient. An important part of the processis to add a lot of resources at an early stage and execute the development as an iterative process betweendepartments exploring many alternatives thoroughly. The work focuses on how Lean ProductDevelopment is carried out and explores how to manage interaction between different departments andexpertise with regard to cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing i.e. learning.The information for the studies was gathered at a major Swedish company from two projects. The projectswere carried out as cross-functional and possible key factors for cross-functional collaboration wasidentified.The results have been correlated with theories of Lean, Product development, Lean product developmentand Learning. The analysis shows that to carry out activities according to Lean product development willrequire more than to follow the concept’s framework for successful implementation. Factors that areidentified as important in cross-functional collaboration is also recognised in the Lean productdevelopment theory. However the theory does not indicate how the factors is implemented and carried outbut how it should be implemented. This will create opportunities and problems for companies that want towork and implement Lean product development.

The security situation in the baltic sea area has worsened following Russia’s overtaking of the Crimea peninsula. Climate change leading to higher temperatures and natural disasters is resulting in more people living exposed around the, which is expected to increase rate of crimes and terrorism at sea. These factors combined makes effectiveness of organizations involved in maritime security of great importance. This thesis aims to examine Sweden and Finland’s maritime security organizations and compare them using Graham Allisons theory on organizational effectivity. Sweden and Finland has acknowledged the worsened security situation in the baltic sea area and formed a cooperative initiative to strengthen the maritime security in the baltic sea, making them suitable objects for analysis in this thesis. Examination of the two countries’ organizations for maritime security concludes that organizational structure for maritime security differs between them. This thesis shows that Finland and Sweden’s organization for maritime security differs on a few points, giving an opportunity for the two countries to learn from each other.

Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur anställda inom förskolan förhåller sig till anmälningsplikten. Med en kvalitativ metod och semistrukturerade intervjuer tar vi reda på hur anställda i förskolan resonerar kring anmälningsplikten, hur de i praktiken förhåller sig till att anmäla samt om det finns några specifika rutiner. Studiens empiri kommer vi att analysera med hjälp av organisationsteorin, detta med ett relationellt perspektiv. Resultatet i studien visar att förskolorna har rutiner för hur de ska anmäla medans rutinen för när de ska anmäla är kopplad till kommunikationen mellan ledning och personal. Det framkommer att pedagogernas värderingar och stödet från chefen påverkar hur personal inom barnomsorg förhåller sig till att anmäla. Hur de ser på anmälningsplikten ser olika ut för varje individ samt att de anser att de får allt för lite utbildning kring sin plikt att anmäla. / The purpose of this study is to study preschool employees behave when it comes to report neglect and how they act as mandatory reporters of suspected child neglect or abuse. Through a qualitative analysis and semistructured interviews we have studied how employees interpret the mandate to report, how they practically apply it in their day to day work, and also what the guidelines for reporting are, if any. The empirical research have been analyzed with the help of the organizational theory through a relational perspective. The results of the study show that while preschools indeed have requirements and processes in place for dealing with the legal duty to report child abuse, when to do so is more dependent on the communication between manager and employees. It appears that preschool employees personal values and level of support from management determines how personnel relates to reporting when abuse or neglect is observed or suspected in a childcare environment. How employees interpret mandated reporting is highly individual in addition to staff feeling like there is insufficient training when it comes to mandated reporting requirements and protocols.

This is a state-level analysis of the impact of state building on woman suffrage legislation in the United States. This study examines all states in which state legislatures were conferred the power to submit a constitutional amendment to the electorate for approval. I use a sequential random-effects logistic regression model to estimate the effects of state building on legislative outcome. Legislative outcome is measured in three stages: whether or not a bill is introduced in either the House or the Senate during a legislative session, whether or not a bill is voted on in either the House or the Senate during a legislative session, and whether or not a bill is passed in either the House or the Senate during a legislative session. The data used in this study were collected from legislative journals and other sources which represent the most comprehensive and accurate data that have been used to study woman suffrage legislation. Most studies of woman suffrage explain success by concentrating on changing gender norms. While this may have explained eventual success, it overlooks barriers that existed within state governments. Only 15 states granted full woman suffrage prior to the Nineteenth Amendment, the majority of which were in the West. I argue that understanding the structure of state governments provides insight into the success of western states and also provides insight into the timing of success. I do this by moving beyond contemporary social movement theory and by adapting aspects of institutional politics theory and organizational theory. Specifically, I examine the dynamics of partisan politics, organizational characteristics of state government, and the legislative process. I find that partisan politics and organizational dynamics impact legislative success. Specifically, legislatures are more likely to pass suffrage bills in states that are more democratized, that are characterized by reform-oriented regimes, where woman suffrage advocates have a greater political presence, where there is less structural inertia, and where a smaller constitutional majority is required.

The development of a "good" information system relies heavily on the designer's (or project leader's) understanding of the system's boundaries and environment within the organization, and the ability to derive an appropriate model of the system. This report presents an overview of the systems appproach to organizational theory and information systems development, and examines one computer supported analysis and documentation tool, PSL/PSA. The report also shows that this tool, PSL/PSA, is not only able to represent such a systems view, but that it is also valuable as an aid, in terms of modeling, to other techniques which try to reach these goals. The examination of PSL/PSA is followed with two examples showing how it is applied to the BIAIT BICMX and Structured Analysis. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)