Abstract The purpose of the study was to increase understanding of the discussion of values of municipal health services as a phenomenon based on theoretical and empirical material. There has been very little research on organisation-internal discussion of values within health care services. The aim was to generate information about organisation values and discussion on values from the joint perspective of leading health care officials and elected officials. In addition, the aim was to produce a research-based model of value discussion within municipal health care services with the aid of a future research application of soft system methodology. In the theoretical part, Rest’s ethical decision-making model was utilised in conceptualizing value discussions within health care services. In addition, the multifaceted nature of the value environment of municipal health care organisations was analysed, and value discussion was linked to an ethical operational culture as its manifestation. The empirical part was implemented as a qualitative case study in the area of collaboration comprising health care services of three municipalities. Material was collected from those with permanent posts and from elected officials (a total of 25 persons) using interviews and with a three-phase future workshop process (a total of 16 persons). The data collected was systematically analysed. The study produced as a new finding a hypothetical construction of value discussions within health care services. The four main components of the construction were identification of organisation values, a collaboration-based approach to value discussion, encountering value conflicts and a visible value discussion culture. The aim of the components was to describe and aid in understanding the multidimensional nature of value discussions on municipal health care services. In the study, a soft system model of value discussions on municipal health care services was drawn up, combining theoretical and empirical knowledge of the phenomenon under study to form a whole. The novelty value of the theoretical results is a more structured analysis of the phenomenon of value discussion on organisation level, and based on this, a description of the process of change in the area of collaboration within primary health care. For practical-level actors, the study is an example of how values and value discussions within health care services can be examined, and how progress can be made in a defined direction by analysing the problems involved. The study can also be utilised in health care education and research, especially in planning soft system methodology applications. / Tiivistelmä Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli lisätä ymmärrystä kunnallisten terveyspalveluiden arvokeskustelusta ilmiönä teoreettisen ja empiiristen aineistojen pohjalta. Organisaation sisäistä arvokeskustelua terveydenhuollossa on tutkittu erittäin vähän. Tavoitteena oli tuottaa tietoa organisaatioarvoista ja arvokeskustelusta kunnallisten terveyspalveluiden johtavien viranhaltijoiden ja luottamushenkilöiden yhteisestä näkökulmasta. Lisäksi tavoitteena oli tuottaa tutkimustietoon perustuva malli kunnallisten terveyspalveluiden arvokeskustelusta pehmeän systeemimetodologian tulevaisuudentutkimussovelluksen avulla. Teoriaosassa hyödynnettiin Restin eettisen toiminnan mallia, jonka avulla terveyspalveluiden arvokeskustelu käsitteellistettiin. Lisäksi analysoitiin kunnallisen terveyspalveluorganisaation arvoympäristön moninaisuutta ja liitettiin arvokeskustelu eettisen toimintakulttuurin ilmentäjäksi. Empiirinen osa toteutettiin laadullisena tapaustutkimuksena kolmen kunnan terveyspalveluiden yhteistoiminta-alueella. Aineistot kerättiin viranhaltijoilta ja luottamushenkilöiltä (yhteensä 25 henkilöä) haastattelemalla ja kolmivaiheisessa tulevaisuusverstasprosessissa (yhteensä 16 henkilöä) tuotetuilla aineistoilla, jotka analysoitiin systemaattisella analyysilla. Tutkimuksessa tuotettiin uutena tietona terveyspalveluiden arvokeskustelusta hypoteettinen konstruktio, jonka neljä komponenttia olivat organisaatioarvojen tunnistaminen, yhteistyölähtöinen tahtotila arvokeskusteluun, arvoristiriitojen kohtaaminen ja näkyvä arvokeskustelukulttuuri. Komponenttien tarkoituksena oli kuvata ja auttaa ymmärtämään kunnallisten terveyspalveluiden arvokeskustelun moniulotteisuutta. Tutkimuksessa muodostettiin kunnallisten terveyspalveluiden arvokeskustelun pehmeä systeemimalli, joka kokosi teoreettisen ja empiirisen tiedon tutkimuksen kohteena olevasta ilmiöstä kokonaisuutena. Teoreettisten tulosten uutuusarvo on terveydenhuollon organisaatiotason arvokeskusteluilmiön aikaisempaa jäsentyneempi tarkastelu ja tämän pohjalta muodostettu muutosprosessin kuvaus perusterveydenhuollon yhteistoiminta-alueella. Käytännön toimijoille tutkimus on esimerkki, miten terveyspalveluiden arvoja ja arvokeskustelua voidaan tarkastella ja siihen liittyviä ongelmia jäsentämällä edistyä määriteltyyn suuntaan. Tutkimusta voidaan hyödyntää myös terveydenhuollon koulutuksessa ja tutkimuksessa, erityisesti pehmeän systeemimetodologian soveltamista suunniteltaessa.

Human Development is not a term used in casual conversation, it describes the current approach used by large aide international development organizations like the United Nations; but most people are familiar with the terms “emergency relief” and “humanitarian intervention”. Emergency relief focuses on providing assistance to save lives, alleviate suffering, or protect populations; while human development uses various societal levers to improve living conditions. The United Nation has been publishing an annual report on human development since 1990 (UNDP 1990), and it is widely recognized as a consistent measure of global living conditions. Development strategies revolve around a transfer of something valuable to an aided population: education, vaccination, fertilizers, etc. In technology-based human development projects, technology artefacts (a medical record computer system, solar electrification systems, irrigation) and related knowledge (education, operation and maintenance instruction) are those valuables being transferred. The benefits of technology are specific to each economy, and dependant on how quickly technology is adapted and integrated in the local economy (Cypher & Dietz 2008). The value of ideas increases to the degree they can be shared with and used by others (Houghton & Sheehan 2000): the more knowledge is diffused and adopted, the greater its value. The success of free and open-source software exemplifies this principle, and a growing number of scholars agree that the model also applies to hardware (Balka et al. 2009; Thompson 2008). This thesis presents research on open source hardware and its knowledge-sharing approach as a means to human development. It presents a model that leverages the collaborative design methodology of open hardware for adoption of artefacts that address pressing “humanitarian technology” needs, for example, in health or education. To achieve this, critical literature reviews on open source and on technology-based human development are first done; the findings from literature are then complemented with the findings from interviews and case studies to model a sustainable deployment strategy for open source use in human development projects. Adopting the human development paradigm defined in the first Human Development Report (“HDR1990”), which aims at three people-centered aspirations: to live a long and healthy life, to be educated and to have access to resources needed for a decent standard of living (UNDP 1990). This thesis research models its deployment strategy using the Soft Systems Methodology (SSM), showing that: (a) open source hardware, like any technology used in development, can magnify effective development programs when used appropriately; (b) Dr. E.F. Schumacher’s appropriate technology principles, and P. Polak’s reinstatement, mesh very well with the open source methodology, as long as required constituents in the aided communities are taken care of (availability of electricity, internet access, technical know-how, etc.); (c) extreme affordability is particularly important for open source hardware, because a sustainable strategy is based on the belief that aided population would want to procure these artifacts if they improve their earning potential; (d) participatory human development practices work well with the open source methodology, but “solutions” must be fully verified before deployment. This document is structured in 5 chapters: introduction, literature review, research strategies, case studies and interviews, and conclusion. The appendix include three articles published on parallel work for the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) on defining a strategy for the IEEE’s use of opens source technology in their humanitarian activities. This research provides insight into the new topic of open source hardware and its proposed use in the mission critical context of international development; because entrepreneurship is a key enabler to the strategy it describes, I hope the research can support future work on that aspect.

An unprecedented situation composed by worldwide land degradation, the post pandemic era, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine is unfolding, reminding us of the impendent risks that phenomena such as these have for food security. Considering that this context presents new unforeseen challenges, and that there is a lack of knowledge production connecting food security to countries of the global north, such as is the case of Sweden, this thesis seeks to foster discussions on food security through the lens of Uppsala County, integrating notions of Local food systems. During the research process, I take on the role of practitioner of Soft Systems Methodology to address the problematic situation affecting Food Security in Uppsala County in a twofold target, which is first to understand the problem and then devise adequate steps for improving the situation, giving essential importance to stakeholders. For achieving this, I performed a quantitative review of statistical data, as well as, qualitative semi-structured interviews to consumers and producers. These were the first steps to comprehend the problem and its possible manifestations. Then for devising plausible actions, I engaged in participatory activities, which complemented the previous results. The findings reveal key vulnerabilities that are interlinked and required further scrutiny by future researchers. At the same time, local food systems, and localizing food production presents in stakeholder’s perspective and important road to explore in order to strengthen food security

Η τακτική ανασκόπηση και αξιολόγηση της επίδοσης ενός οργανισμού σε θέματα εργασιακής ασφάλειας και υγείας αποτελεί απαραίτητη διεργασία για την αποτελεσματική διαχείριση των θεμάτων αυτών. Η αξιολόγηση της επίδοσης είναι στενά συνδεδεμένη με την παρακολούθηση, που στην περίπτωση της εργασιακής ασφάλειας και υγείας γίνεται μέσω δεικτών, αποτελεσμάτων και προληπτικών. Και οι δύο διεργασίες έχουν ως στόχο την παροχή πληροφοριών για την τρέχουσα επίδοση και την υποστήριξη αποφάσεων για τη βελτίωσή της. Ωστόσο, η βασική διαφορά τους έγκειται στο ότι η παρακολούθηση αποτελεί μία «περιγραφική» διεργασία, που κυρίως επικεντρώνεται σε διαδικασίες και αποτελέσματα, ενώ η αξιολόγηση αποτελεί μία «ερμηνευτική» διεργασία, που εξετάζει σε βάθος τις αλληλεπιδράσεις παραγόντων και προσπαθεί να ανακαλύψει τα αίτια που οδηγούν σε συγκεκριμένες ενέργειες ή αποτελέσματα. Η παρούσα διατριβή αφορά τη συστημική προσέγγιση που απαιτείται για την ανάπτυξη και εφαρμογή μιας διεργασίας αξιολόγησης της επίδοσης σε θέματα εργασιακής ασφάλειας και υγείας. Προς αυτήν την κατεύθυνση, η διατριβή εξετάζει αρχικά τις θεωρητικές προσεγγίσεις πάνω στο αντικείμενο της αξιολόγησης της επίδοσης σε θέματα ασφάλειας, και τις επαναπροσδιορίζει μέσα από το πρίσμα της ολιστικής προσέγγισης στα θέματα διαχείρισης της ασφάλειας. Η διατριβή στοχεύει κυρίως στη διαμόρφωση ενός θεωρητικού πλαισίου με βασικές θέσεις για τη συστημική προσέγγιση επιμέρους θεμάτων που σχετίζονται με την αξιολόγηση, όπως είναι το επίπεδο της ανάλυσης, οι αλληλεπιδράσεις παραγόντων που επηρεάζουν ή σχετίζονται με τη διαχείριση της ασφάλειας, η καθιέρωση κριτηρίων αξιολόγησης που να προκύπτουν μέσα από μια συμμετοχική διεργασία και να αντανακλούν τον συμβιβασμό μεταξύ διαφορετικών απόψεων και αντιλήψεων. Για την επικύρωση του θεωρητικού πλαισίου, προτείνεται η εφαρμογή της Μεθόδου Μαλακών Συστημάτων (Soft Systems Methodology), η οποία χρησιμοποιείται για την ανάπτυξη και την εφαρμογή μίας διεργασίας αξιολόγησης της επίδοσης σε θέματα εργασιακής ασφάλειας και υγείας σε έναν συγκεκριμένο δημόσιο οργανισμό. / Regular review and evaluation of an organisation’s occupational health and safety performance are essential processes for the effective safety management. Performance evaluation is closely related to monitoring, which, in the case of occupational health and safety is done through reactive and proactive indicators. Both processes, monitoring and evaluation, aim at providing information on the current performance, and at supporting decisions on safety improvement actions. However, their basic difference is based on the fact that monitoring is a “descriptive” process, which is mainly focused on procedures and results, while evaluation is an “interpretivistic” process, which explores the inter-relations of safety related factors and seeks to identify the causes of particular actions or results. The present thesis discusses the systemic approach required for the development and implementation of an occupational health and safety evaluation process. Towards this purpose, the various theoretical positions on the subject of safety performance evaluation are initially examined and redefined through the lens of a holistic safety management approach. This thesis aims mainly at formulating a theoretical framework consisted of basic positions on the systemic approach of specific issues related with safety performance evaluation, such as: level of analysis, inter-relations of safety related factors, evaluation criteria selected through a participatory process, thus reflecting the compromise between different views and beliefs. For the validation of this theoretical framework, Soft Systems Methodology is proposed and implemented for the development and implementation of an occupational health and safety performance evaluation process in a particular organization of the public sector.

The University of this interest and its library division is involved in a major transformation process, aiming to enhance the learning experience for students by modernizing learning spaces, enhancing the personalized learning, and extending support for faculty and student scholarship. One part of the transformation consist of rearranging the library space and its services and introducing a new media based faculty consisting media related career paths. During the investigation and analysis of the library, we have looked into a wide range of data including history of the library, strategic plan of the university academic technology blueprint, academic plan, the media program, reports on workshops and meeting held by the authority of library, etc. provided by the university. In order to encapsulate more information and insight, we have conducted a couple of meetings with the head of the library and the head of library IT. By considering the stakeholders’ interests, we examine the status quo and illustrate the situation in form of a Rich Picture. By means of the Soft Systems Methodology we try to identify potential relationships between the new media faculty and the library services and eventually finalized our examination by recommending additional value enhancing services. After rigorous analyzing all of the data, specifically strategic mission of the university and library, and the media program, we recommend to establish a Business Incubator, which will enhance core capabilities of a student including creativity , managerial, and analytical ability as well as provide essential guidance, supports, and tools to students to implement their idea. The suggested Business Incubator will act as a bridge between academic learning and the real world applications. Finally, we recommend specific services including market research and assistance, access to networking and funding information, center for research and development, and Entrepreneurship and innovating education forum, which will enhance digital capabilities of students/participants and fulfill some of the core strategic objectives of the library and the university as well. / <p>This specific study is about a report in the Informatics course 5IK501 during the school year of 2016/2017.</p>

A teoria sobre as capacidades dinâmicas acolhe influências de várias teorias que a antecederam no campo da economia, da teoria das organizações e da estratégia. Em função dessas influências variadas, seu construto central, a capacidade dinâmica, tornou-se complexo e multifacetado. Vários autores especulam acerca da natureza e da evolução das capacidades dinâmicas. A percepção que se tem a partir das definições fornecidas pelos autores seminais é de que a natureza das capacidades dinâmicas é sistêmica e evolutiva. Em particular, é perceptível a afinidade do conceito de capacidades dinâmicas com duas abordagens sistêmicas específicas: o modelo do sistema viável (viable system model, VSM) e a metodologia sistêmica soft (soft systems methodology, SSM). Entretanto, apesar dessa aparente afinidade das capacidades dinâmicas com a visão sistêmica, estudos que relacionem os dois domínios da literatura são muito raros. Praticamente inexistem trabalhos que apliquem o VSM ou a SSM no estudo ou na administração de capacidades dinâmicas. O objetivo desta pesquisa é investigar a natureza e a evolução das capacidades dinâmicas sob uma perspectiva sistêmico-evolutiva. Como descrever a natureza das capacidades dinâmicas segundo uma perspectiva sistêmico-evolutiva? Como operacionalizar uma abordagem de administração evolutiva de capacidades dinâmicas através de metodologias sistêmicas como o VSM e a SSM? Essas são as perguntas que orientam este estudo. Através de revisão narrativa de literatura, a visão de capacidades dinâmicas e as teorias que a influenciaram foram analisadas e relacionadas com a visão sistêmica. Além disso, na falta de artigos que relacionassem os dois domínios da literatura, empreendeu-se uma revisão integrativa de literatura com artigos que tratam sobre a construção, desenvolvimento, evolução, obtenção, manutenção, mobilização e gerenciamento de capacidades dinâmicas. Esses artigos foram submetidos à análise categorial, uma variante da análise de conteúdo, para verificar a ocorrência de temas relacionados ao VSM e à SSM. Como resultado da revisão narrativa, demonstrou-se que a visão de capacidades dinâmicas está intimamente relacionada com a visão sistêmica, inclusive com o VSM e a SSM. Essa relação é uma herança da relação que as teorias que influenciaram a visão de capacidades dinâmicas já possuíam com a visão sistêmica. A revisão integrativa de literatura com análise de conteúdo permitiu concluir que (1) as capacidades dinâmicas têm, de fato, uma natureza evolutiva, (2) a intervenção da administração tem um papel importante na construção e na evolução de capacidades dinâmicas, e (3) essa intervenção pode ocorrer de duas maneiras básicas, que se chamou de evolução por projeto e evolução por aprendizagem, que se relacionou, respectivamente, às abordagens do VSM e da SSM. As descobertas da pesquisa foram sintetizadas em um modelo sistêmico evolutivo de organização que possui múltiplas vistas: um modelo hierárquico de administração de recursos e capacidades, um modelo recursivo de competências, um modelo recursivo de capacidades, um modelo de evolução de capacidades e um modelo de administração evolutiva baseado no VSM e na SSM. A pesquisa oferece uma contribuição teórica, no que diz respeito à compreensão da natureza sistêmica das capacidades dinâmicas. A pesquisa também oferece uma contribuição prática, ao propor a administração evolutiva, operacionalizada através do VSM e da SSM, como uma abordagem para o gerenciamento das capacidades dinâmicas. / The theory of dynamic capabilities gathers influences from several theories that preceded it in the fields of economics, organizational theory and strategy. Due to these varied influences, its core construct, the dynamic capability, ended up to become complex and multifaceted. Several authors speculate about the nature and the evolution of dynamic capabilities. The perception that we have from the definitions provided by the seminal authors is that the nature of dynamic capabilities is systemic and evolutionary. In particular, it is noticeable the affinity of the dynamic capability concept with two specific systems approaches: the viable system model (VSM) and the soft systems methodology (SSM). However, despite this seemingly affinity of dynamic capabilities with systems approach, studies that relate both realms of the literature are very scarce. There are practically no studies that apply the VSM or SSM in the study or the management of dynamic capabilities. The goal of the present research is to investigate the nature and the evolution of dynamic capabilities under a systemic-evolutionary approach. How to conceive the nature of dynamic capabilities according to a systemic-evolutionary perspective? How to operationalize an evolutionary management approach to dynamic capabilities by using systems methodologies such as the VSM and SSM? These are the questions that drive this research. By means of a narrative literature review, the dynamic capabilities view and the theories that influenced it were analyzed and related with systems thinking. In addition, given the lack of articles that relate both realms of the literature, an integrative literature review was undertaken with articles that address the construction, development, evolution, attainment, maintenance, deployment and management of dynamic capabilities. These articles were submitted to categorical analysis, a variation of content analysis, to verify the occurrence of themes related to the VSM and SSM. As a result of the narrative literature review, we showed that the dynamic capabilities view is closely related to the systems thinking, including to the VSM and SSM. This relation in an inheritance of the relation that the theories that influenced the dynamic capabilities view already had with systems thinking. The integrative literature review with content analysis led to the conclusion that (1) the dynamic capabilities do have an evolutionary nature, (2) the intervention of management has an important role in building and evolving dynamic capabilities, and (3) this intervention can take two basic approaches, that we named evolution by design and evolution by learning, which we respectively related to the approaches of the VSM and SSM. The findings of the research were synthesized in a evolutionary system model of the organization that has several multiple views: a hierarchical model for resources management, a recursive model of competences, a recursive model of capabilities, a capabilities evolution model and a model for evolutionary management based on the VSM and SSM. The research provides a theoretical contribution, which regards the understanding of the systemic nature of dynamic capabilities. The research also provides a practical contribution, as it proposes evolutionary management, operationalized by applying the VSM and SSM, as an approach to the management of the dynamic capabilities.

A teoria sobre as capacidades dinâmicas acolhe influências de várias teorias que a antecederam no campo da economia, da teoria das organizações e da estratégia. Em função dessas influências variadas, seu construto central, a capacidade dinâmica, tornou-se complexo e multifacetado. Vários autores especulam acerca da natureza e da evolução das capacidades dinâmicas. A percepção que se tem a partir das definições fornecidas pelos autores seminais é de que a natureza das capacidades dinâmicas é sistêmica e evolutiva. Em particular, é perceptível a afinidade do conceito de capacidades dinâmicas com duas abordagens sistêmicas específicas: o modelo do sistema viável (viable system model, VSM) e a metodologia sistêmica soft (soft systems methodology, SSM). Entretanto, apesar dessa aparente afinidade das capacidades dinâmicas com a visão sistêmica, estudos que relacionem os dois domínios da literatura são muito raros. Praticamente inexistem trabalhos que apliquem o VSM ou a SSM no estudo ou na administração de capacidades dinâmicas. O objetivo desta pesquisa é investigar a natureza e a evolução das capacidades dinâmicas sob uma perspectiva sistêmico-evolutiva. Como descrever a natureza das capacidades dinâmicas segundo uma perspectiva sistêmico-evolutiva? Como operacionalizar uma abordagem de administração evolutiva de capacidades dinâmicas através de metodologias sistêmicas como o VSM e a SSM? Essas são as perguntas que orientam este estudo. Através de revisão narrativa de literatura, a visão de capacidades dinâmicas e as teorias que a influenciaram foram analisadas e relacionadas com a visão sistêmica. Além disso, na falta de artigos que relacionassem os dois domínios da literatura, empreendeu-se uma revisão integrativa de literatura com artigos que tratam sobre a construção, desenvolvimento, evolução, obtenção, manutenção, mobilização e gerenciamento de capacidades dinâmicas. Esses artigos foram submetidos à análise categorial, uma variante da análise de conteúdo, para verificar a ocorrência de temas relacionados ao VSM e à SSM. Como resultado da revisão narrativa, demonstrou-se que a visão de capacidades dinâmicas está intimamente relacionada com a visão sistêmica, inclusive com o VSM e a SSM. Essa relação é uma herança da relação que as teorias que influenciaram a visão de capacidades dinâmicas já possuíam com a visão sistêmica. A revisão integrativa de literatura com análise de conteúdo permitiu concluir que (1) as capacidades dinâmicas têm, de fato, uma natureza evolutiva, (2) a intervenção da administração tem um papel importante na construção e na evolução de capacidades dinâmicas, e (3) essa intervenção pode ocorrer de duas maneiras básicas, que se chamou de evolução por projeto e evolução por aprendizagem, que se relacionou, respectivamente, às abordagens do VSM e da SSM. As descobertas da pesquisa foram sintetizadas em um modelo sistêmico evolutivo de organização que possui múltiplas vistas: um modelo hierárquico de administração de recursos e capacidades, um modelo recursivo de competências, um modelo recursivo de capacidades, um modelo de evolução de capacidades e um modelo de administração evolutiva baseado no VSM e na SSM. A pesquisa oferece uma contribuição teórica, no que diz respeito à compreensão da natureza sistêmica das capacidades dinâmicas. A pesquisa também oferece uma contribuição prática, ao propor a administração evolutiva, operacionalizada através do VSM e da SSM, como uma abordagem para o gerenciamento das capacidades dinâmicas. / The theory of dynamic capabilities gathers influences from several theories that preceded it in the fields of economics, organizational theory and strategy. Due to these varied influences, its core construct, the dynamic capability, ended up to become complex and multifaceted. Several authors speculate about the nature and the evolution of dynamic capabilities. The perception that we have from the definitions provided by the seminal authors is that the nature of dynamic capabilities is systemic and evolutionary. In particular, it is noticeable the affinity of the dynamic capability concept with two specific systems approaches: the viable system model (VSM) and the soft systems methodology (SSM). However, despite this seemingly affinity of dynamic capabilities with systems approach, studies that relate both realms of the literature are very scarce. There are practically no studies that apply the VSM or SSM in the study or the management of dynamic capabilities. The goal of the present research is to investigate the nature and the evolution of dynamic capabilities under a systemic-evolutionary approach. How to conceive the nature of dynamic capabilities according to a systemic-evolutionary perspective? How to operationalize an evolutionary management approach to dynamic capabilities by using systems methodologies such as the VSM and SSM? These are the questions that drive this research. By means of a narrative literature review, the dynamic capabilities view and the theories that influenced it were analyzed and related with systems thinking. In addition, given the lack of articles that relate both realms of the literature, an integrative literature review was undertaken with articles that address the construction, development, evolution, attainment, maintenance, deployment and management of dynamic capabilities. These articles were submitted to categorical analysis, a variation of content analysis, to verify the occurrence of themes related to the VSM and SSM. As a result of the narrative literature review, we showed that the dynamic capabilities view is closely related to the systems thinking, including to the VSM and SSM. This relation in an inheritance of the relation that the theories that influenced the dynamic capabilities view already had with systems thinking. The integrative literature review with content analysis led to the conclusion that (1) the dynamic capabilities do have an evolutionary nature, (2) the intervention of management has an important role in building and evolving dynamic capabilities, and (3) this intervention can take two basic approaches, that we named evolution by design and evolution by learning, which we respectively related to the approaches of the VSM and SSM. The findings of the research were synthesized in a evolutionary system model of the organization that has several multiple views: a hierarchical model for resources management, a recursive model of competences, a recursive model of capabilities, a capabilities evolution model and a model for evolutionary management based on the VSM and SSM. The research provides a theoretical contribution, which regards the understanding of the systemic nature of dynamic capabilities. The research also provides a practical contribution, as it proposes evolutionary management, operationalized by applying the VSM and SSM, as an approach to the management of the dynamic capabilities.

<p>This thesis presents a general description of approaches to energy efficient building development under Chinese contexts. The purpose of the work is to discuss how Chinese building development can be approved from an energy saving perspective.</p><p>Building development is a complicated process that relates to many stakeholders’ interests. The developed countries have studied in this field extensively for several decades. Generally, the approaches to energy saving can be set at three levels: administration, construction industry and architectural design. More new strict codes for energy efficient buildings are being issued for enforcement. At the same time, many research institutes have developed Building Environmental Assessment (BEA) methods, where energy efficiency is an important factor in the models. Various technical solutions for energy efficiency are developed as well.</p><p>The administrative approaches are not the main objective discussed in the thesis, though the importance of them is undeniable. BEA systems are not only assessment methods, but also market-based stimulating approaches for sustainability of construction market. Technical methods have been developed for a long period. Passive House and Low Exergy (LowEx) Systems are two representative examples in European countries.</p><p>All of these approaches are relatively unfamiliar to Chinese architects and developers, let alone their effect and applicability. The thesis tries to analyse this situation and their applicability within Chinese context.</p><p>In China to a certain project, the importance of technical issues is relatively recognized. However, a few successful individual cases in technique can not change the reality that most of new building development has failed in energy efficiency in China. This is a serious situation when China is in an enormous expansion phase in building new houses. The thesis tries to discuss the reasons for this phenomenon. One reason could be that the stakeholders in the developing process are not aware of the importance of collaboration which is the only method to get “Both Win” according to Game theory. The thesis discusses a paradigm to replace two traditional linear paradigms in building developing process. Architects should act as coordinators of different stakeholders rather than technical supporters.</p><p>The thesis tries to discuss the propositional route of developing energy efficient buildings. Technical approaches are basic research, which presents the concepts that have been proved realizable; BEA encourages developers to develop more energy efficient buildings for economic benefit, which will make good demonstrations for whole market; national laws and policies are final approaches, which ensure that every project will have good performance of energy efficiency. When the old standardization and legislation are finished, a new cycle will begin with more advanced techniques.</p><p>China government has started the progress to enhance energy efficiency. However, this process will be tough and slow. The thesis discusses Chinese special conditions and the problems that cry out for solution in the future.</p>

Objective: This study sought to answer the question “What feasible changes can be made to care processes and clinical information systems to improve Continuity of Care for end of life patients?” Methods: This study adapted Genre Theory and Soft Systems Methodology into a new systems approach, the Circle of Care Modeling Approach. Thirty-four healthcare providers and health IT professionals were interviewed in two communities in British Columbia, Canada. The interviews sought to discover the nature of care provided for end of life patients and how clinical information systems supported care. Interviews were centered on two simulated end of life patients. The patient centric healthcare system, or Circle of Care, was described for each of these patients in each community. Rich Pictures and Conceptual Models were developed based on interview findings. These diagrams were used with participants to discuss gaps in continuity and to seek improvements during a series of structured discussion groups. Results and Discussion: The Circle of Care for end of life patients was found to be large and complex in both communities. Potentially dozens of providers would have been involved in each patient’s care over their last year of life. No provider knew all members of the Circle of Care. All communication activities that were described by participants could be described within the Circle of Care with ten Abstracted Genres. Patient information was housed in many disparate repositories (both paper and electronic) and access to these repositories was limited. The participants described several aspects of Continuity of Care. A new model to describe Continuity of Care was developed based on the findings and taking into account the systems orientation of this study. Six suggested improvements were generated with the study participants to better support Continuity of Care within the communities in this study. These are described in the dissertation. The suggested improvements were compared to existing functionality of clinical information systems. This novel approach to exploring and visualizing the healthcare system from a patient-centric lens, the Circle of Care Modeling Approach, provided a new way of describing and reasoning about the complexities associated with Continuity of Care.

A publicação do livro “The machine that changed the world” de Womack et al. (1990) tornou popular no mundo ocidental o termo Lean, que segundo os autores seria a forma generalizada do sistema Toyota de produção. Desde então, a academia tem se dedicado a estudar diversos aspectos envolvidos com o Lean. Apesar do conhecimento teórico gerado, poucas empresas têm conseguindo aplicar esta estratégia de manufatura apropriadamente e experimentar os supostos benefícios. Este é o caso, por exemplo, da siderúrgica AGR (nome fictício). Em 2004, a empresa iniciou um programa formal para transformação Lean e poucos anos depois os esforços foram descontinuados. Recentemente, novos direcionamentos na empresa conduziram à retomada destes esforços. Neste contexto específico, um questionamento foi realizado: como os esforços Lean podem ser retomados e organizados na AGR? Cabe ressaltar que implicitamente este questionamento desdobrou em uma revisão da literatura que identificou diferentes pontos de vista teóricos sobre o fenômeno Lean. Neste sentido, Fujimoto (1999), como pensador mais proeminente da escola de pensamento evolucionária – utilizando uma abordagem interpretativista – argumenta que a Toyota apresenta uma capacidade de aprendizagem evolucionária que permite a emergência de um novo sistema de manufatura ao longo do tempo. A provável ausência desta capacidade de aprendizagem em empresas que buscam se tornar Lean indicaria uma das razões pelas quais se tem dificuldade em alcançar e sustentar este sistema. Observando a descrição desta capacidade na Toyota, verifica-se que a mesma ocorre via construção social da realidade. Desta forma, uma aprendizagem similar poderia ser gerada ao operacionalizar-se a Soft Systems Methodology no processo de estruturação da transformação Lean. Uma pesquisa-ação foi conduzida para avaliar esta possibilidade na prática e ao mesmo tempo auxiliar a AGR com a situação problemática na retomada dos esforços Lean. / The term lean became popular in the Western world after publication of "The machine that changed the world" (Womack et al., 1990) which argues it is the generalized form of the Toyota Production System. Since then, the academy has been investigating several aspects about it. Despite theoretical knowledge contribution, few companies have been able to implement this manufacturing strategy properly and, therefore, have experienced the supposed benefits. This is the case of AGR (fictitious name) steelmaking facility. The company started a lean transformation program in 2004 and few years later the efforts were discontinued. Recently new directions led other attempt at lean efforts. In this particular context, an inquiry was made: how the lean efforts can be organized and reinitiate in AGR? It is noteworthy that this implicitly unfolded a literature review that identified different theoretical views on the lean phenomenon. Fujimoto (1999) as the most prominent thinker of evolutionary school of thought – using an interpretivist approach – argues that Toyota has an evolutionary learning capability that enables the emergence of a new manufacturing system over time. The absence of a similar learning capability in companies seeking lean practices indicates one possible reason why they are difficult to achieve and sustain. Fujimoto (1999) describes it operating at Toyota through social construction of reality. Thus, a similar learning could be generated applying the Soft Systems Methodology as the structuration process for lean transformation. An action research was conducted to evaluate this proposition in practice and at the same time to help AGR in the attempt at lean efforts.