The field of classical planning deals with designing algorithms for generating plans or squences of actions that achieve specific goals. It involves representing a problem domain as a set of state variables, actions and goals, and then developing search algorithms that can explore the state of possible plans to find the one that satisfies the specified goal. Classical planning domains are often NP-hard, meaning that their worst-case complexity grows exponentially with the size of the problem. This means that as the number of state variables, actions and goals in the problem domain increases, the search space grows exponentially, making it very difficult to find a plan that satisfies the specified goal. This thesis is concerned with investigating these NP-hard domains, specifically by simplifying these domains into ones that have a polynomial solving time, creating a general policy of conditions and rules for which actions to take for the simplified domain, and then attempting to apply this policy onto the original domain. This creates a partial policy for the original domain, and the performance of this policy can be measured in order to judge its effectiveness. This can be explained as simplifying an intractable domain into a tractable one, creating a general policy for the tractable domain and then measuring its performance as a partial policy for the intractable domain.

Corporations spend a great deal of time and money trying to facilitate innovation in their employees. The act of introducing something new, a product or a service that is viable and innovative is often increased by enhancing or nurturing creativity.This experimental study investigated the effect of group verbally interactive brainstorming (social interaction) on creativity, not by comparing the number of ideas generated on a simple task in a brainstorming session, but by assessing creativity in the final product of a complex heuristic task. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of group interactive brainstorming to individual brainstorming on individual creativity assessed in the final product.The hypothesis which was tested in this study was that participation in group verbally interactive brainstorming prior to developing a design solution would not facilitate creativity in the final product more than individual brainstorming. Indeed, it was hypothesized that individuals brainstorming in teams.Participants were 36 interior design students in a FIDER accredited program at Virginia Tech. The Multidimensional Stimulus Fluency Measure (MSFM) was administered before beginning the experiment in order to determine individual differences in creativity. Subjects were randomly assigned to either a treatment group than participated in group verbally interactive brainstorming prior to developing a product individually, or a control group that participated in an individual brainstorming session. All subjects then created a design project individually that was assessed for creativity by judges who were recruited from professional interior design organizations. Creativity was measures using the Consensual Assessment for Interior Design Creativity (Barnard, 1992). A post session questionnaire also was used to measure attitudes and perceptions of the subjects about the creative process.Analysis of variance revealed no significant differences when creativity scores were compared between two brainstorming groups. That is, projects developed by interior design students did not differ significantly in creativity systematically between the two brainstorming techniques. When scores on the two dependent variables of secondary interest (novelty and appropriateness) were compared between groups they also did not differ significantly.Responses to post-session questionnaires indicated that although students found it more difficult to generate ideas in a group, they still believed they would generate more ideas and preferred to generate ideas in a group rather than alone. However, when developing a project students preferred to work independently.This study supports past research which suggests that group verbally interactive brainstorming does not enhance creativity. In this study, interactive brainstorming neither enhanced nor constrained creativity in the final product. The creativity scores were higher for those in the individual brainstorming condition, although not significantly so. This study also supports findings which indicate that people still believe they will generate more ideas in a group and that they prefer to generate ideas as a group. / Ph. D.

Self-regulation, the ability to guide behavior according to one’s goals, plays an integral role in understanding loss of control over unwanted behaviors, for example in alcohol use disorder (AUD). Yet, experimental tasks that measure processes underlying self-regulation are not easy to deploy in contexts where such behaviors usually occur, namely outside the laboratory, and in clinical populations such as people with AUD. Moreover, lab-based tasks have been criticized for poor test–retest reliability and lack of construct validity. Smartphones can be used to deploy tasks in the field, but often require shorter versions of tasks, which may further decrease reliability. Here, we show that combining smartphone-based tasks with joint hierarchical modeling of longitudinal data can overcome at least some of these shortcomings. We test four short smartphone-based tasks outside the laboratory in a large sample (N = 488) of participants with AUD. Although task measures indeed have low reliability when data are analyzed traditionally by modeling each session separately, joint modeling of longitudinal data increases reliability to good and oftentimes excellent levels. We next test the measures’ construct validity and show that extracted latent factors are indeed in line with theoretical accounts of cognitive control and decision-making. Finally, we demonstrate that a resulting cognitive control factor relates to a real-life measure of drinking behavior and yields stronger correlations than single measures based on traditional analyses. Our findings demonstrate how short, smartphone-based task measures, when analyzed with joint hierarchical modeling and latent factor analysis, can overcome frequently reported shortcomings of experimental tasks.

Denna studie undersöker utmaningarna och möjligheterna med implementeringen av artificiell intelligens (AI) på arbetsplatsen. Genom en kombination av intervjuer, enkäter och litteraturöversikt analyseras olika aspekter av AI-implementering, inklusive effektivitet, produktivitet, kompetensutveckling, etiska dilemman och samarbete. Resultaten visar att AI-implementering kan leda till ökad effektivitet och produktivitet genom automatisering av rutinmässiga uppgifter. Dock finns det utmaningar relaterade till anställdas acceptans, utbildning och säkerhetsfrågor. Vidare betonas vikten av att etablera etiska riktlinjer för att hantera potentiella risker och dilemman som uppstår med AI-användning. Kommunikation och samarbete identifieras som nyckelfaktorer för en framgångsrik integration av AI på arbetsplatsen. Denna studie belyser behovet av att förstå och navigera de komplexa dynamikerna som omger AI-implementering för att maximera dess fördelar och minimera dess risker. / This study examines the challenges and opportunities associated with the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace. Through a combination of interviews, surveys, and literature review, various aspects of AI implementation are analyzed, including efficiency, productivity, skills development, ethical dilemmas, and collaboration. The results indicate that AI implementation can lead to increased efficiency and productivity by automating routine tasks. However, there are challenges related to employee acceptance, training, and security issues. Furthermore, the importance of establishing ethical guidelines to address potential risks and dilemmas arising from AI usage is emphasized. Communication and collaboration are identified as key factors for successful integration of AI in the workplace. This study highlights the need to understand and navigate the complex dynamics surrounding AI implementation to maximize its benefits and minimize its risks.

Background: Digitalization involves access to digital information, streamlining of operations, and new solutions through emerging technologies. The discussion on future changes underscores the need to prepare for new challenges and adapt working methods through education and knowledge exchange. This process positively impacts companies and society by improving communication and making work processes more efficient, which is essential for market survival. Controllers provide companies with crucial information for decision-making and management, and they are responsible for areas such as budgeting and process analysis. New opportunities and threats emerge, affecting the role of controllers within companies. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to examine the general impact of digitalization on the working methods of controllers and to explore controllers' perspectives on remote work to identify the new challenges or opportunities it has introduced. Method: The methodology chapter begins with an account of the study's choice of method, research design, and case company, as well as a summary of the theoretical framework. Following this, the data collection process is presented, which is based on semi-structured interviews, an interview guide, and the selection of respondents. Furthermore, the approach to analyzing the empirical material is described, including transcription and thematic analysis. Finally, the study's quality criteria and ethical considerations are presented. Conclusion: Digitalization has influenced the controller's work methods by implementing technologies that streamline workflow. This frees up time for value-creating tasks and improves decision-making. Despite challenges such as the need for education and resistance to change, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Digital tools like Excel, Power BI, and Teams are now indispensable for controllers at Scania, also enabling remote work. The study shows that digitalization and remote work enhance efficiency, productivity, and flexibility, contributing to better work processes and insights for the company. / Bakgrund: Digitalisering innebär tillgång till digital information, effektivisering avverksamheter och nya lösningar genom ny teknik. Diskussionen om framtida förändringarbekräftar behovet av att förbereda sig inför nya utmaningar och anpassa sitt arbetssätt utefterförändringar med hjälp av utbildning och kompetensutbyte. Denna process har en positivinverkan på företag och samhälle i form av bland annat förbättrad kommunikation ocheffektivare arbetsprocesser, vilket är nödvändigt för att överleva på marknaden. Controllernförser företag med viktig information för beslutsfattande och styrning, och ansvarar för områdensom budgetering och processanalys. Nya möjligheter och hot uppstår, vilket påverkar Scaniascontrollers. Syfte: Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka digitaliseringens generella påverkan påcontrollerns arbetssätt, samt undersöka vilken syn controllers har på distansarbete för att se vilkanya utmaningar eller möjligheter det i sin tur har medfört. Metod: Metodkapitlet inleds med en redogörelse för studiens val av metod, forskningsdesignoch fallföretag samt sammanställning av referensramen. Fortsättningsvis presenterasdatainsamlingen som baseras på semistrukturerade intervjuer, en intervjuguide och val avrespondenter. Vidare beskrivs tillvägagångssättet vid analys av empiriskt material, därtranskribering och tematisk analys utgör denna punkt. Slutligen presenteras studienskvalitetskriterier och etiska överväganden. Slutsats: Digitaliseringen har påverkat controllerns arbetssätt genom att implementera teknikersom effektiviserar arbetsflödet. Detta frigör tid för värdeskapande uppgifter och förbättrar beslut.Trots utmaningar som förändringsmotstånd och tidskrävande processer överväger fördelarnanackdelarna. Digitala verktyg som Excel, Power BI, och Teams är nu outbytbara för controllerspå Scania, vilket också möjliggör distansarbete. Studien visar att digitalisering och distansarbeteförbättrar effektivitet, produktivitet och flexibilitet, vilket bidrar till bättre arbetsprocesser ochinsikter för företaget.

Text in Afrikaans / The purpose of the study is to examine the extent and demands volunteers have in a managerial function. Volunteers are responsible for the management of the branches of the ACVV, functioning in a specific environment. The variables of these environments have a definite influence on the functioning of a branch and place specific demands on the members. The group of respondents consisted of chairpersons of branches of the ACVV in the West Coast region. The findings of the empirical studies are that all levels of the environment bring pressure to bear upon volunteers. The demands placed upon them have a bearing on the managerial tasks and have a negative effect on the willingness of volunteers to serve as board members. It is imperative that training and development of volunteers, in welfare organizations, must be ongoing in order to empower and give them confidence for these managerial tasks. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Social Work)

The study investigates the implementation of the Curriculum 2005 assessment policy guidelines in natural sciences in grade nine in five secondary schools selected by judgement sampling in Limpopo Province. Data were gathered by means of a literature study, examination of learner and educator portfolios and interviews with educators. Findings show that most participants were unable to carryout the continuous assessment (CASS) tasks as required. A discrepancy in the quality and quantity of assessment tasks among the schools emerged. All schools replaced the final common tasks for assessment (CTA) with internal examinations due to the late arrival of materials and the level of difficulty. Contributing factors were lack of a well-planned curriculum, proper resource materials, lack of coordination of efforts due to poor curriculum support and management and inadequate professional competence in the Outcomes-based methods of teaching, learning and assessment. Recommendations to address the above problems are made. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Education Management)

Asperger Syndrome is a developmental disorder and is characterized by problems in social interaction. These problems make it difficult for the child with Asperger Syndrome to have normal relationships. This particular syndrome has an enormous impact on the development of the child in middle childhood. This study is directed by the premise that the relationship of the child with Asperger Syndrome in middle childhood with members of the peer group can be improved with the help of parents and teachers. Due to this fact, guidelines are provided. The lack of a good relationship with the peer group experienced by the child with Asperger Syndrome was formulated as the research problem. The aim of the study was to advance the relationship between the child with Asperger Syndrome in middle childhood and members of his peer group. In order to achieve this goal, qualitative research was used and semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants. The data obtained was analyzed, verified against existing literature, and used to compile the guidelines. / Asperger Sindroom is 'n ontwikkeiingsteuring en word gekenmerk deur probleme in sosiale interaksie wat normale verhoudings vir die kind met Asperger Sindroom bemoeilik. Hierdie sindroom het 'n enorme impak op die ontwikkeling van die kind in die middelkinderjare. Hierdie studie is gerig deur die uitgangspunt dat die verhouding van die kind met Asperger Sindroom in die middelkinderjare met lede van die portuurgroep verbeter kan word met hulp van ouers en onderwysers. Daarom word riglyne in hierdie studie beskryf. Die gebrek aan gesonde verhoudinge met die portuurgroep wat deur die kind met Asperger Sindroom ervaar word is as navorsingsprobleem geformuleer. Die doel van studie was om die kind met Asperger Sindroom in die middelkinderjare se verhouding met die portuurgroep te bevorder. Ten einde hierdie doel te bereik, is die navorsingsproses deur kwantitatiewe navorsing gerig en semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met deelnemers gevoer. Die data wat bekom is kon deur middel van data-analise en literatuurkontrole aangewend word om riglyne saam te stel. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

Text in Afrikaans / Rituals are part of our everyday life and are usually performed unconsciously. In this dissertation rituals are used consciously, within a therapeutic context, with the purpose to facilitate healing and growth. The aim of the research is to focus the readers' attention on the therapeutic potential of rituals and its value as an intervention strategy. The study concentrates on the grieving process. The researcher therefore specifically wants to show how rituals are used during grief counselling. The following research problem was investigated in the study: "What is the attitude, opinion and knowledge of professional caregivers concerning the use of rituals as a therapeutic tool during grief counselling?" Out of the research data the following hypothesis was formulated: - To grief over a loss is essential. Because of the basic properties and remedial functions of rituals, rituals can be a valuable therapeutic tool in the facilitation of this process. - There is an inherent connection between professional caregivers' attitudes, opinions and knowledge of therapeutic rituals and the regular and effective use of them during grief counselling. - The use of rituals during grief counselling is only one component in the comprehensive pastoral care of the bereaved. / Practical theology / M.Th.

Public concern about the quality of teaching and learning is at an all time high in respect of certain schools in South Africa. This study focuses on the participation of the SMT members in managing the instructional programme with a view on improving the academic performance of learners. The lack of the involvement of all the members of the SMT thus prompted this investigation. Apart from the literature review, an empirical investigation, based on a qualitative paradigm involving interviews, was undertaken to collect data at selected primary schools in Circuit 1 in the Metropole North Education District of the Western Cape Education Department. Other methods used included observations as well as the analyses of documents relevant to the investigation. As a case study this research examined the involvement of all the members of the SMT by utilizing the principles of participative management. It is hoped that this study will contribute to the improvement of the academic performance of schools by virtue of what has been highlighted as a reason for the poor performance of schools namely the lack of involvement of all the members of the SMT in the management of the instructional programme. The literature findings revealed that School Management Teams (SMTs) have to be properly structured. The SMT should be involved in decision-making in matters that concern them. This, together with a more effective and efficiently managed instructional programme, should improve the academic performance of learners. Empirical findings indicated that the members of the SMT consider themselves professionally trained individuals with the expertise needed to deliver what is expected from them. The study further revealed that the success of a school depends on effective instruction as a result of the effective management and leading of the instructional programme by all members of the SMT. / Education management / M.Ed. (Education Management)