This dissertation examined individual and joint storytelling as a communicative process to explore relational turbulence about stressful events. Response to change in romantic relationships inherently involves a degree of instability as individuals alter their thoughts and actions. The instability and chaos that results when transitions impact interpersonal relationships is relational turbulence (e.g., Knobloch & Solomon, 2004). The theoretical focus is the relational turbulence model (RTM) that serves to illustrate the ambiguity and complexity embedded in relationship experiences and the negotiation of behavior. Examination of stories showcased the representational relational state (i.e., uncertainty) and cognitive activities (i.e., partner interdependence) present in the relationship. First, the dissertation further positioned the influence turbulence has on individual and relational communication to negotiate discomfort, negative emotions, and difficulties that ensued during transitions. Second, this study examined expressions individuals chose to highlight, through storytelling, that apply to relational turbulence mechanisms: relational uncertainty and interdependence. Third, this dissertation examined identity development and/or fluctuation as a byproduct of turbulence exhibited through stories exploring another potential relational turbulence mechanism. A review of literature discussed the theoretical framework for the relational turbulence model and storytelling content and structure. The exploration of stories and storytelling was reviewed as a means for investigating RTM, followed by analysis procedures outlining individual and relational storytelling processes. Results revealed 14 transitional events categories and 23 subcategories. Additionally, qualitative themes and subthemes that emerged for relational uncertainty, partner interdependence, individual and relational identity. Results for relational uncertainty triangulated previous scholarship while also identified two new themes. Partner interdependence results indicated more specificity in forms of partner interference and facilitation. Identity emerged as a third mechanism and preliminary investigation found static and dynamic forms. Quantitative results analyzed significant correlations and comparisons between narrative completeness in individuals' and relational partners' storytelling experiences. The dissertation highlighted how relational turbulence influenced the storytelling content and structure of individual and joint stories. / text

With increasing demand for school accountability following the NCLB Act of 2001, school leaders have a greater responsibility to students with disabilities than ever tinclude special education leadership due to the leadership imperative to meet the needs of all students (Lashley, 2007; Yell, 2012). Little attention, however, has been paid to special education and special education law in leadership preparation programs (Cusson, 2010; Pazey & Cole, 2013), leaving school leaders inadequately prepared to serve all students. The purpose of this study was to explore how six current school leaders who are graduates of a university-based “high-quality” principalship program created an inclusive school culture. Guided by the theoretical framework of sensemaking (Weick, 1995) and a phenomenological approach (Creswell, 2007; Patton, 1990), this study examined the ways in which six school leaders used what they know about special education and special education law to develop their understanding of such policy and sought to gain insight into why they made sense of and constructed their interpretations of the policy in a particular way. Of particular interest was their perceived roles in working with special education staff, and the effects their construction and application of inclusive education policy had on students with disabilities. The findings of this study suggest that these six school leaders’ sensemaking of inclusive education policy was influenced by three factors: knowledge, experiences, and personal contexts. Each of these three factors were situated within the context of the school leaders’ constructed identities. If the school leader perceived his or her role as a leader for special education, he or she was more inclined to seek special education and special education law content knowledge, ensure their campus staff attained and maintained the capacity to meet the needs of all students, and continuously searched for specific experiences and opportunities that they could make available to themselves and others that required them to grapple with difficult issues related to special education. In doing so, they were able to effect deeper-level change on their school campuses. / text

Bakgrund: Sedan 2010 är revisionsplikten för de små företagen i Sverige avskaffad vilket innebär att småföretagare idag har valmöjlighet för frivillig revision. Den främsta anledningen till att slopa revisionsplikten var att revisionen är en onödig, tidskrävande och kostsam aktivitet för småföretag. Många företag som berördes av reformen använde sig av den valmöjligheten vilket medför att 60 procent av småföretag i nuläget har valt bort revision. Dock finns det fortfarande 40 procent som finner att revisionen tillför en nytta och betraktar den som en viktig del av verksamheten. Detta tyder på att företag har delade åsikter om revisionens betydelse och värde och därmed olika benägenhet att välja att genomgå revision. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att få en ökad förståelse för hur revision och småföretagens beslut att behålla revision skapar mening och undersöka bakomliggande meningsskapandefaktorer till valet att fortsätta att ha revision. Metod: Studien har baserats på en kvalitativ forskningsmetod. Undersökningsobjekten utgjordes av sex småföretag inom byggbranschen belägna i Västra Götaland och Jönköpings län. Sex semistrukturerade besöksintervjuer med företagsägare genomfördes för att undersöka fenomenet. Det empiriska materialet har sedan analyserats utifrån analysmodellen för att kunna besvara studiens problemformulering. Slutsats: Respondenterna har en positiv attityd till revision och har olika anledningar till att behålla den. Främsta anledningarna att välja revision är egen trygghet och strävan efter att förvalta verksamheten lagenligt. Vi finner att resultatet visar att revision är en meningsskapande aktivitet som leder till att företaget behåller den och därmed skapar mening med sitt val. Företagen skapar mening med sitt val genom att sända positiva signaler till omgivningen och därmed differentierar sig och skapar en identitet. Tidigare erfarenheter är den främsta meningsskapande faktorn som påverkar beslutsfattande som i sin tur leder till att meningen skapas både retrospektivt och prospektivt. / Background: Since 2010 the provision of statutory audit for small enterprises has been abolished in Sweden. In accordance with this new legislation micro entrepreneur now have the choice for voluntary audit. The main reason behind the abolishment of statutory audit was that auditing as an activity was unnecessary, an administrative burden and a financial cost burden to small enterprises. Many of Swedish enterprises that were affected by the reform of statutory audit exemption used this option of choice, currently it has resulted in that 60 percent of small enterprises have chosen not to have audits. This means that 40 percent of enterprises who still keep their audit find benefits of being audited and view it as an important part of business. This indicates that the enterprises have different opinions about the audit’s importance and value, and thus different tendency to choose to undergo a voluntary audit. Purpose: This study aims to have an increased understanding of how audits and micro entrepreneurs' decision of keeping audits makes sense and to examine the underlying factors of making sense for choosing to continue to have an audit. Methods: This study has a qualitative research method. The respondents of the survey consisted of sex small enterprises in the construction industry, seated in Västra Götaland and Jönköpings County (län). To explore the phenomenon of the study, semi-structured interviews were carried out with owners of six small enterprises. The empirical data was then analysed from our analysis model to answer the study’s research question. Conclusions: The respondents have a positive attitude to audits and have different reasons to keep it. The main reasons behind the choice to continue with audits, are own security and the aim to conduct legal business. We find that the results show that audit is a sense making activity which results in why enterprises keep it, and therefore making sense with their choice of audit. Enterprises make sense of their choice by sending positive signals to environment, and therefore differentiate themselves and make identity. Previous experience is the main factor of sense making which affects the decision-making which in turn leads to that meaning is both retrospective and prospective.

Abstract Title: Organization is communication. Communication is organization. - A case study of the communication between the management and the employees at Save the Children Sweden. (Organisation är kommunikation. Kommunikation är organisation. - En studie av kommunikationen mellan chef och medarbetare på Rädda Barnen) Number of pages: 37, without enclosures Author: Anna Lilius Course: Media and Communication Studies C Period: Spring 2008 University: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science, Uppsala University Purpose/Aim: The aim of the study is to analyze and evaluate the communication between the management and the employees in the organization today and compare it with the organization's new strategy for internal communication. The questions asked are: 1) How is the communication between management and employees perceived by respective parties today and 2) What, if any, are the differences between the situation today as described in question 1 and the strategy for internal communication. Material/Method: Qualitative research method. By interviewing four members of lower management and four employees, an analysis was made of how the communication between management and employees is perceived today. The results from the interviews were analyzed with the help of current theories within organizational communication, and the compared with the new strategy for internal communication. Main results: While the results from the interviews had some similarities in relation to the importance of information of the organization's goals, they varied between the groups in respect to the degree of dialogue that was experienced. There were also differing results as to the communicational responsibilities of the employees; while the management saw that the employees had a crucial and very important communicational role, the employees themselves did not acknowledge it in any largersense. Keywords: Organizational communication, Internal communication, Dialogue, Sense making

Abstract: Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a voluntary approach for businesses to assume extended responsibilities. Companies are required by various stakeholders to account for the environmental and social consequence of their activities. Stakeholder driven pressure are an extrinsic driver of CSR. Many empirical studies of CSR have focused on extrinsic drivers, but few studies focus on intrinsic drivers of CSR. In this study, the focus is placed on the intrinsic driver of a company’s CSR strategy and activities. Applying a CSR sense-making process model provided by Basu and Palazzo (2008), this study will explore the mindset of a company, so that a profile of CSR characteristic would be created. We will then be able to understand why a company response to external stakeholder expectation as the way it does. In this paper, a case study is carried out within the Swedish clothing retail sector. Three case companies, namely Hennes&Mauritz, Mini Rodini and Houdini sportswear are chosen due to their excellence in CSR actions. The study aims to find out the intrinsic logic behind the Swedish clothing retail companies’ CSR strategies and actions. The similarities and differences of the case companies are compared. Further implications of how to effectively carry out CSR are given to other retailers in the same sector.

Limit-setting in publicly funded healthcare is unavoidable, and increasingly important in the governance and management of the demand for health services. The work of limit-setting takes place in the organising of the provision of health services, where various health workers (professionals, administrators, unit managers, politicians) collectively exercise their skills. Limit-setting often creates tensions which impose the quest for legitimacy; it involves norms and values which are related to the interests of the health workers, and moreover to society at large. In that sense, limit-setting is related to internal processes of legitimacy within the healthcare organisation, i.e. internal legitimacy, and external processes of legitimacy where citizens are legitimating the activities in the healthcare organisation, i.e. external legitimacy. The purpose of this thesis was to discover, and increase the understanding of the dilemma associated with sustaining, generating and designing internal legitimacy, when working with a policy of limit-setting in healthcare, in relation to the provision of Assistive Technologies (AT). It has explored what health workers do when they are working with a policy, and in particular how they work out what they should be doing. Finally the role of mediating institutions in supporting and designing internal legitimacy, was explored in the thesis. Following a case-study design and a qualitative approach, where fifty-seven semi-structured open-ended interviews were conducted, data allowed the exploration of internal legitimacy in a context of complex interaction and construction of policy work in two Swedish county councils. This research produced a number of key findings; in an environment of finite resources health workers encountered situations that were characterised by conflicting pressures, and handled these by way of interaction, sense making, presenting arguments, negotiating and seeking support for an appropriate course of action and practices. The policy work with limit-setting can therefore be regarded as a dynamic interactive process, which incorporates several actors in different situations and locations, together negotiating and institutionalising the policy. Various policy sites, which had the role of mediating institutions, were identified, and were important in the interactive processes of forming a shared collective meaning in order to reach an appropriate act. Hence, designing legitimacy has to acknowledge the interactive policy work, and its contextual character, taking place at the different levels of a healthcare system.

No description available.

A crescente necessidade em termos de informações remete a atitudes pró ativas em busca de maximizar a qualidade destas informações. No setor contábil, a elaboração de relatórios e sua apresentação aos clientes não constituem uma prática obrigatória aos processos contábeis, no entanto são fundamentais em termos de informações contábeis úteis ao processo gerencial e também decisório. A interpretação dos dados e informações contidos nesses relatórios possibilita a construção de estratégias fundamentadas em aspectos concretos do negócio. Por outro lado, o que se observa é que os profissionais envolvidos na elaboração e na apresentação dos relatórios contábeis possuem conhecimentos tácitos internalizados, que são um diferencial tanto em termos de desempenho como de qualidade final do trabalho. Estes conhecimentos são construídos com a prática ao logo do tempo. Assim este trabalho buscou estudar a dimensão tácita do conhecimento no setor contábil, utilizando os conceitos de Polanyi (1958 e 1966) e de Nonaka e Takeuchi (1995, 1997 e 1998). O objetivo foi analisar a dimensão tácita do conhecimento, sob a ótica dos elementos de ordem técnica e cognitiva, nos processos contábeis de elaboração de relatórios gerenciais e apresentação dos resultados aos clientes, em relação às práticas adotadas por organizações contábeis. O método utilizado foi um estudo exploratório a partir do resgate do conhecimento tácito, utilizando o sense-making de Dervin (1983 e 1999) e Weick (1995), associada ao método de análise de conteúdo conforme definições de Bardin (1977), Minayo (2004) e Vergara (2008). O estudo multicaso foi realizado nas organizações contábeis associadas ao Sescon-Serra Gaúcha, que implantaram o PQNC, Programa de Qualidade Necessária Contábil, categoria ouro. Uma proposição que emergiu do presente estudo é de que as técnicas de diálogo do sense-making, podem possibilitar a sistematização do resgate do conhecimento tácito no setor contábil e fundamentar a organização de uma base de conhecimento que poderia ser compartilhada e consultada pelos membros da organização. Outra proposição do estudo é que o conhecimento tácito quando compartilhado, pode influenciar os processos contábeis pela via de suas práticas, podendo ser um elemento central para a inovação incremental nos processos contábeis. Porém não é um processo espontâneo e por isso tem ser provocado, ou seja, a influência do conhecimento tácito só vai ocorrer na medida em que for resgatado. / Submitted by Marcelo Teixeira (mvteixeira@ucs.br) on 2014-05-06T12:29:00Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Fernando Luis Bertolla.pdf: 2992670 bytes, checksum: 30d1a3cf545111f77087c17c322ea398 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-05-06T12:29:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Fernando Luis Bertolla.pdf: 2992670 bytes, checksum: 30d1a3cf545111f77087c17c322ea398 (MD5) / The growing needs in terms of information refers to pro-active attitudes seeking to maximize the quality of this information. In the accounting sector, reporting and presentation to customers are not required to the practice of accounting processes, however are critical in terms of useful accounting information to the management process and also decision-making. The interpretation of data and information contained in these reports enables the construction of strategies based on concrete aspects of the business. On the other hand, what is observed is that the professionals involved in the preparation and presentation of accounting reports have internalized tacit knowledge, which are a differential in terms of both performance and quality of the final work. This knowledge is constructed in the context of the practice time. Thus, this work aimed study the tacit dimension of knowledge in the accounting sector, using the concepts of Polanyi (1958 and 1966) and Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995, 1997 and 1998). The objective was to analyze the tacit dimension of knowledge, from the technical and cognitive approach in financial management reporting and presentation of results to clients. The method used was an exploratory study in tacit knowledge, using the sense-making of Dervin (1983 and 1999) and Weick (1995), associated with the method of content analysis according to the definitions of Bardin (1977), Minayo (2004) and Vergara (2008). The multicase study was conducted in organizations associated with the accounting Sescon-Serra Gaucha, who deployed PQNC, Quality Program Needs Accounting, gold category. One proposal that emerged from this study is the techniques of dialogue from the sense-making methode, provide a systematization of the tacit knowledge in accounting and support the organization of a knowledge base that could be shared and accessed by members of the organization. Another proposition of the study is that tacit knowledge when shared, can influence the processes by means of its accounting practices, which may be a central element for incremental innovation. But there is not a spontaneous process and it must be triggered.

abstract: This study is a narrative inquiry into teachers' and instructional coaches' experiences of new curriculum policy implementation at the classroom and district levels. This study took place during the initial year of implementation of the third grade Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (CCSSM). Interviews were conducted with individuals directly involved in policy implementation at the classroom level, including several teachers and the school's instructional coach. Observations of the teachers' instruction and professional practice were also conducted. As an embedded researcher, I used this data to create a series of fictionalized narratives of the initial policy implementation experience. My analysis of the narratives suggests that accountability structures shaped individual's sense-making of the original policy. This sense-making process consequently influenced individuals' actions during implementation by directing them towards certain policy actions and ultimately altered how the policy unfolded in this school and district. In particular, accountability structures directed participants' attention to the technical instructional `forms' of the reform, such as the presence of written responses on assessments and how standards were distributed between grade levels, rather than the overall principled shifts in practice intended by the policy's creators. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Educational Administration and Supervision 2015

A crescente necessidade em termos de informações remete a atitudes pró ativas em busca de maximizar a qualidade destas informações. No setor contábil, a elaboração de relatórios e sua apresentação aos clientes não constituem uma prática obrigatória aos processos contábeis, no entanto são fundamentais em termos de informações contábeis úteis ao processo gerencial e também decisório. A interpretação dos dados e informações contidos nesses relatórios possibilita a construção de estratégias fundamentadas em aspectos concretos do negócio. Por outro lado, o que se observa é que os profissionais envolvidos na elaboração e na apresentação dos relatórios contábeis possuem conhecimentos tácitos internalizados, que são um diferencial tanto em termos de desempenho como de qualidade final do trabalho. Estes conhecimentos são construídos com a prática ao logo do tempo. Assim este trabalho buscou estudar a dimensão tácita do conhecimento no setor contábil, utilizando os conceitos de Polanyi (1958 e 1966) e de Nonaka e Takeuchi (1995, 1997 e 1998). O objetivo foi analisar a dimensão tácita do conhecimento, sob a ótica dos elementos de ordem técnica e cognitiva, nos processos contábeis de elaboração de relatórios gerenciais e apresentação dos resultados aos clientes, em relação às práticas adotadas por organizações contábeis. O método utilizado foi um estudo exploratório a partir do resgate do conhecimento tácito, utilizando o sense-making de Dervin (1983 e 1999) e Weick (1995), associada ao método de análise de conteúdo conforme definições de Bardin (1977), Minayo (2004) e Vergara (2008). O estudo multicaso foi realizado nas organizações contábeis associadas ao Sescon-Serra Gaúcha, que implantaram o PQNC, Programa de Qualidade Necessária Contábil, categoria ouro. Uma proposição que emergiu do presente estudo é de que as técnicas de diálogo do sense-making, podem possibilitar a sistematização do resgate do conhecimento tácito no setor contábil e fundamentar a organização de uma base de conhecimento que poderia ser compartilhada e consultada pelos membros da organização. Outra proposição do estudo é que o conhecimento tácito quando compartilhado, pode influenciar os processos contábeis pela via de suas práticas, podendo ser um elemento central para a inovação incremental nos processos contábeis. Porém não é um processo espontâneo e por isso tem ser provocado, ou seja, a influência do conhecimento tácito só vai ocorrer na medida em que for resgatado. / The growing needs in terms of information refers to pro-active attitudes seeking to maximize the quality of this information. In the accounting sector, reporting and presentation to customers are not required to the practice of accounting processes, however are critical in terms of useful accounting information to the management process and also decision-making. The interpretation of data and information contained in these reports enables the construction of strategies based on concrete aspects of the business. On the other hand, what is observed is that the professionals involved in the preparation and presentation of accounting reports have internalized tacit knowledge, which are a differential in terms of both performance and quality of the final work. This knowledge is constructed in the context of the practice time. Thus, this work aimed study the tacit dimension of knowledge in the accounting sector, using the concepts of Polanyi (1958 and 1966) and Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995, 1997 and 1998). The objective was to analyze the tacit dimension of knowledge, from the technical and cognitive approach in financial management reporting and presentation of results to clients. The method used was an exploratory study in tacit knowledge, using the sense-making of Dervin (1983 and 1999) and Weick (1995), associated with the method of content analysis according to the definitions of Bardin (1977), Minayo (2004) and Vergara (2008). The multicase study was conducted in organizations associated with the accounting Sescon-Serra Gaucha, who deployed PQNC, Quality Program Needs Accounting, gold category. One proposal that emerged from this study is the techniques of dialogue from the sense-making methode, provide a systematization of the tacit knowledge in accounting and support the organization of a knowledge base that could be shared and accessed by members of the organization. Another proposition of the study is that tacit knowledge when shared, can influence the processes by means of its accounting practices, which may be a central element for incremental innovation. But there is not a spontaneous process and it must be triggered.