Les microorganismes constituent la plus grande diversité du monde vivant et restent encore largement méconnus. La compréhension du fonctionnement des écosystèmes et les rôles joués par les microorganismes reste un enjeu majeur de l'écologie microbienne. Le développement de nouvelles approches de génomique permet d'appréhender la complexité de ces systèmes. Dans ce contexte, les puces à ADN représentent des outils à haut débit de choix capables de suivre l'expression ou la présence de plusieurs milliers de gènes en une seule expérience. Cependant, l'une des étapes les plus difficiles, de part sa complexité et la quantité de données à traiter, est la sélection de sondes qui doivent être à la fois sensibles et spécifiques. Pour répondre à ces besoins en termes de performance et de qualité, d'une part, nous avons développé un algorithme de conception de sondes pour biopuces phylogénétiques que nous avons entièrement déployé sur la grille de calcul européenne EGEE, et d'autre part, nous avons proposé un deuxième algorithme pour biopuces fonctionnelles que nous avons déployé sur un cluster. Les deux algorithmes ont nécessité une phase importante d'ingénierie logicielle. Nous avons donc proposé une démarche d'ingénierie dirigée par les modèles (IDM) et notamment de transformation de modèle pour résoudre le problème de traduction inverse d'oligopeptide. Les deux algorithmes sont destinés à une utilisation massive et permettent de concevoir tout type de sondes

Turnover is one of the most important phenomena for management scholars and practitioners. Yet, researchers and practitioners are often frustrated by their inability to accurately predict why individuals leave their jobs. This should be worrisome given that total replacement costs can exceed 100% of an employee’s salary (Cascio, 2006) and can represent up to 40% of a firm’s pre-tax income (Allen, 2008). Motivated by these concerns, the purpose of this study was to assess the predictive validity of commonly-investigated correlates and, by extension, conceptualizations of employee turnover using a large-scale database of scientific findings. Results indicate that job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and embeddedness (e.g., person-job fit, person-organization fit) may be the most valid proximal predictors of turnover intention. Results for a tripartite analysis of the potential empirical redundancy between job satisfaction and organizational commitment when predicting turnover intention align well with previous research on this topic and generally suggest that the two constructs may be empirically indistinguishable in the turnover context. Taken together, this study has important implications for the turnover and sensitivity analysis literatures. With regard to the sensitivity analysis literature, this study demonstrates the application of a sensitivity analysis for relative importance weights in the meta-analytic context. This new method takes into account variance around the meta-analytic mean effect size estimate when imputing relative importance weights and may be adapted to other correlation matrix-based techniques (i.e., structural equation modeling) that are often used to test theory.

Recently, the interest in the business application of analytics and data science has increased significantly. The popularity of data analytics and data science comes from the clear articulation of business problem solving as an end goal. To address limitations in existing literature, this dissertation provides four novel design artifacts for Knowledge Discovery via Data Analytics (KDDA). The first artifact is a Snail Shell KDDA process model that extends existing knowledge discovery process models, but addresses many existing limitations. At the top level, the KDDA Process model highlights the iterative nature of KDDA projects and adds two new phases, namely Problem Formulation and Maintenance. At the second level, generic tasks of the KDDA process model are presented in a comparative manner, highlighting the differences between the new KDDA process model and the traditional knowledge discovery process models. Two case studies are used to demonstrate how to use KDDA process model to guide real world KDDA projects. The second artifact, a methodology for theory building based on quantitative data is a novel application of KDDA process model. The methodology is evaluated using a theory building case from the public health domain. It is not only an instantiation of the Snail Shell KDDA process model, but also makes theoretical contributions to theory building. It demonstrates how analytical techniques can be used as quantitative gauges to assess important construct relationships during the formative phase of theory building. The third artifact is a data mining ontology, the DM3 ontology, to bridge the semantic gap between business users and KDDA expert and facilitate analytical model maintenance and reuse. The DM3 ontology is evaluated using both criteria-based approach and task-based approach. The fourth artifact is a decision support framework for MCDA software selection. The framework enables users choose relevant MCDA software based on a specific decision making situation (DMS). A DMS modeling framework is developed to structure the DMS based on the decision problem and the users' decision preferences and. The framework is implemented into a decision support system and evaluated using application examples from the real-estate domain.

O método de diagnóstico coproparasitológico de concentração em formolacetato de etila foi empregado para a quantificação de ovos de helmintos. O método quantitativo proposto foi padronizado utilizando-se o Sistema Comercial Coprotest® e amostras fecais contendo diferentes cargas de ovos de Ascaris lumbricoides. O \"Coprotest quantitativo\" foi aplicado em estudo populacional numa área de baixa endemicidade para parasitas diagnosticáveis através das fezes, e os resultados analisados comparativamente ao método de Kato-Katz. A metodologia proposta foi ainda comparada a outros métodos quantitativos, utilizando-se amostras fecais, preparadas em laboratório, com cargas decrescentes de ovos de A. lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura e Schistosoma mansoni. Discutem-se as vantagens de se empregar um método capaz de detectar o maior número de espécies, tanto de helmintos quanto de protozoários, . e que permita, concomitantemente, estimar a intensidade das infecções por geohelmintos e S. mansoni nas populações. O \"Coprotest quantitativo\" mostrou ser de aplicação viável em trabalhos de campo, fornecendo resultados comparáveis aos outros métodos quantitativos já descritos na literatura. / Abstracts not available

Because small- and medium-sized enterprises contribute as much as 70% of the world's pollution, small-business leaders need to develop and implement strategic approaches to sustainable development. Global sustainable development spending may reach $5 trillion by 2030. Guided by leadership competency theory, this qualitative multiple case study explored the core competencies of 5 independent small business leaders who had successfully implemented environmentally sustainable initiatives in their manufacturing firms in eastern Nebraska. Interviews and company planning documents including strategic business plans were gathered, coded, and cross-case analyzed, and member checking was periodically conducted to strengthen the trustworthiness of interpretations. Thematic analysis identified 6 themes: industry knowledge, decision making, strategy and planning, environmental sustainability knowledge, communication and interpersonal skills, and passion and commitment. The implications for positive social change include the potential for enabling small to medium business leaders to develop environmentally sustainable strategies that could contribute to an increased focus on environmentally sustainable actions leading to reduced pollution and more socially responsible communities.

Employee retention of an organization's most talented and skilled employees is vital to success. A lack of managerial strategies for motivating teams and a lack of understanding employees' needs adds to an increased rate of employee turnover in banking organizations. Some bank managers do not possess the abilities and strategies required to reduce employee turnover. Grounded by the motivation-hygiene theory; the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore successful strategies some bank managers used to reduce employee turnover. The population consisted of 5 banking managers in 3 banking organizations located in Toronto GTA, Ontario Canada in which successful retention strategies have been implemented in the last 5 years. Data were collected from semistructured face-to-face interviews and employee handbooks. Member checking aided to assure the credibility of the analysis and interpretations. Data were analyzed by using coding techniques to identify keywords, phrases, and concepts. The process led to the following 4 themes: (a) the motivational effect to retain bank employees, (b) management traits to retain bank employees, (c) effective strategies to retain bank employees, and (d) trends shaping future retention of bank employees. The implications for social change include the potential to reduce turnover by improving the employee work experience and retaining talent by building a positive work environment and a positive customer experience.

As organizations become more age diverse, some business leaders face challenges managing a multigenerational workforce. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies that leaders at a university in Northwest Florida implemented to retain their age-diverse workforce. The targeted population was higher education business managers who had success with retaining an age-diverse staff. The conceptual framework of the study was Herzberg's 2-factor theory of motivation. A significant tenet of this theory is that employees explain satisfying and dissatisfying experiences based on intrinsic and extrinsic factors related to their job functions. The data collection process included face-to-face interviews with 4 participants and a review of company documents, including the university's strategic plan and diversity and inclusion initiatives. Through coding and thematic analysis, 7 themes emerged that could help leaders retain a multigenerational workforce: foster a diversity-friendly workplace culture, implement effective interpersonal communication strategies, employ a formal approach, encourage a healthy work-life balance, value employees and their differences, offer professional growth opportunities, and eliminate negative generational stereotyping. Developing and cultivating retention strategies may contribute to social change by helping managers and leaders enrich retention rates, thereby increasing employment stability, improving productivity, and enhancing organizational and community relations.

The ability to backfill leadership positions has become a key focus of business leaders since 2005 when the baby boom workforce started to age. An aging workforce threatens the capability of business leaders to develop leadership pipelines to ensure business success. Grounded by the social exchange theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore successful strategies that technology services managers used to align core business objectives to improve succession planning at a technology services organization located in Dallas, Texas. Data collection and triangulation included semi structured telephone interviews with 12 technology services managers, company documents, and archival information. Data analysis included the examination of rich text data, coding, and classification of themes using Yin's 5-step approach. Four themes emerged, revealing that these managers (a) created and sustained a leadership talent pipeline for high potential employees for future leadership roles; (b) sourced internal candidates with core leadership competencies; (c) remediated leadership skills gaps through developed relationships and documented processes; and (d) re-engineered the replacement planning process for the internal leadership talent pipeline. Implications for positive social change include the potential for technology services managers to implement effective succession planning strategies that could increase employee morale, enhance profitability and growth, and promote healthy community partnerships.

The performance metrics embedded in sustainability management control systems (SMCS) provide organizational leaders the ability to affect the implementation and continual improvement of sustainability strategies. Leaders in oil sands companies lacking adequate information on the efficacy of the sustainability performance metrics and their use to enhance their SMCS could be at a competitive disadvantage. Guided by stakeholder theory, the purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies Alberta-based oil sands company leaders use for critical planning, developing, and implementing SMCS performance metrics. The target population comprised of 20 oil sands company leaders from an Alberta, Canada, organization who had experience with sustainability and SMCS performance metrics. Data collection occurred through face-to-face, semistructured interviews. Participant observation and document review were secondary data sources. Data were open coded and organized into categories with supporting software to identify patterns and prevalent themes. Member checking was employed to validate themes and strengthened the trustworthiness of interpretations. Findings suggested the importance of organization strategy and leadership, SMCS maturity development, stakeholder influence, management review, and performance metric definition and data. These key factors could assist oil sands company leaders to influence social change by assuring effective and efficient management control to improve sustainability performance and sustainability strategy integration, reduce operational risk to physical assets, and enhance employee health and safety.

The workforce is diverse on gender, race, ethnicity, culture, work styles, and age. Employees from different generations have varying expectations of what they value from the workplace and therefore approach work differently. Generational differences can lead to mistrust and communication breakdowns. They can also impact job satisfaction and productivity. The Generational Cohort Theory was utilized in this nonexperimental study, and the sample was recruited from CB Richard Ellis Real Estate Group. The purpose of this study was to determine the work values differences among the 4 generational cohorts: Silent, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Millennials. The research questions for this quantitative study first identified the preferred work values, utilizing the Minnesota Importance Questionnaire (MIQ), and sought if there was a statistically significant means difference in those preferred values from 1 generation to another. A 1-way MANOVA was used to analyze the effect of generation cohort affiliation with preferred work values, revealing a positive relationship between cohort and preferred work values. Results indicated that some work values are unique between generations, such as being busy all the time and doing things for other people, and some are shared, including telling people what to do and having good coworkers. Additional research is needed to address the gap in current literature in the areas of autonomy and recognition. The implications for social change include acquiring a greater knowledge of similarities and differences between older and younger workers.. This knowledge is essential for building high-performing teams, for successful recruitment, and employee retention.