Yes / Product design decomposition and synthesis is a constant challenge with its continuously increasing complexity at each level of abstraction. Currently, design decomposition and synthesis analytical tasks are mostly accomplished via functional and structural methods. These methods are useful in different phases of design process for product definition and architecture but limited in a way that they tend to focus more on ‘what’ and less on ‘how’ and vice versa. This paper combines a functional representation tool known as System State Flow Diagram (a solution independent approach), a solution search tool referred as Morphology Table, and Design Structure Matrix (mainly a solution dependent tool). The proposed approach incorporates Multiple Domain Matrix (MDM) to integrate the knowledge of both solution independent and dependent analyses. The approach is illustrated with a case study of solar robot toy, followed by its limitations, future work and discussion.

Recently I discovered that preschool education has evolved from integration of various subject contents and working methods. The purpose of my study is to investigate preschool teachers' attitudes and ways of working with a theme-oriented approach. I also want to examine their opinions regarding the integration of subject content in terms of mathematics and science subjects (NO) in preschools theme-oriented work approach. My questions for this study are: What is a preschool teacher's attitude and their ways of working to a thematic-oriented approach? What is a preschool teacher's opinions regarding the integration of subject content, especially in mathematics and science subjects (NO) in their pre-schools theme-oriented work approach? I have used myself a qualitative method of investigation to produce materials for my research project. I collected my empirical material for my study from the semi-structured interviews that was done with four preschool teachers in two preschools in Botkyrka municipality. As for my theoretical perspective, I used John Dewey's well-known knowledge theory called “Learning by doing”, which he indicated as learning through practical work. These working methods based primarily on children’s experience and subject integration. My conclusion is that the four preschool teachers worked thematic in the preschool children in a natural way.  In fact, the thematic-oriented approach appeared in two different work situations (planned and unplanned work situations) in the pre-school. The four preschool teachers developed and improved their own professional skills in the working process and also the children's knowledge and learning skills by prioritizing the children's interests, needs and circumstances. It came to my understanding that both mathematics and science subjects content were integrated in a conscious way in these preschools thematic-oriented approach. The preschool teachers integrated the two subject contents through their creative and joyful way of working. The idea was that the children's curiosity, knowledge, experience and awareness can be raised through various activities and experiments. Hence through the subject integrated approach, the children develop both their skills and conceptual understanding of both subjects content.

There has recently been considerable concern regarding the degradation of the environment caused by depletion of natural resources, air pollution, global warming and the lack of consideration paid to the earth's ecosystem. The principles of sustainable construction are thus being widely adopted by many countries all over the world. This quest towards sustainable development throughout the world has put a spotlight on the construction industry. Sustainable construction is a major concept underlying a variety of efforts to ensure a good quality of life for the present and future generations. Most developing countries have experienced a fast uptake of urbanisation and the acceleration of infrastructure development, all of which fuel the necessity of establishing sustainable construction principles; this is true in Saudi Arabia as in other countries. This research has carefully investigated the current situation of Value Management (VM) and Sustainable Construction (SC) in the Saudi construction industry in terms of their application, clients' attitudes, barriers to implementation, identification of enablers that could overcome these barriers and improve their implementation, and determination of the level of existent knowledge about both subjects among people who work in the Saudi public sector. It has also defined Sustainable Construction principles in three dimensions, in Saudi Arabia: environmental, economic and social. The research findings have revealed that SC principles are not a major consideration in the Saudi construction industry and many people who work in the Saudi public sector have little or no experience in sustainable development. On the contrary, VM has been applied in the Saudi construction industry for more than three decades and its application is mandatory in all governmental projects funded by the Saudi government. This enables those people who work in the VM sector to possess great experience, skills and knowledge. However, there are a number of barriers that could impede or affect the VM performance in the Saudi construction industry which were taken into account in this research. (Continues...).

The thesis titled A Conceptual Integrated Approach to Teaching about the Cold War at the Upper-secondary School presents the topic of the Cold War as a subject matter for an educational project implemented into History lessons at a selected Prague upper-secondary school. The thesis consists of a theoretical and a practical part. The theoretical part is a summary of the information available in scholarly literature. It contains a detailed presentation of integrated thematic teaching which is based on understanding of the human brain operation (brain- compatible teaching). Furthermore, theoretical starting point is introduced as well as the method used to present the topic. The practical part explores how background material was collected (description of situation, problem, conditions, and development of project). It also presents the analysis and interpreting of background material. Next, the results of the project are stated, together with its problems and imperfections. The practical part is supplemented with the application of the project. It outlines other ways integrated thematic teaching can be used in education.

Student Number : 0318769R - PhD thesis - School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies - Faculty of Science / This thesis is about the relationship between planned resettlement, livelihoods and environmental resources in Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwean resettlement areas, assets such as human and physical capital, social networks and financial resources are often clearly insufficient to adequately provide inputs for the sustainable productive and extractive systems that are required to drive the rural economy. Due to uncertainties related to agricultural production doubts have been expressed about the benefits of state sponsored resettlement. Currently, debate is raging on whether land resettlement in Zimbabwe has yielded the intended benefits among land reform beneficiaries, with some scholars even questioning whether state sponsored resettlement is not merely an expensive way of reproducing the livelihoods of communal lands. This thesis contributes to the ongoing debate about the link between rural livelihoods and land resettlement, using the case of Mufurudzi resettlement scheme in Zimbabwe. Based on a livelihood framework, the thesis argues that in order to fully understand the relationship between land reform and livelihoods, livelihood trajectories have to be examined. In line with this thinking the thesis presents a number of arguments. First, the thesis argues that there are many theoretical frameworks for analyzing the relationship between people, resettlement and environmental resources such as forests and woodlands and the sustainable livelihood framework is just one of them. Second, resettlement does not necessarily always lead to environmental destruction. Instead resettlement provides the mechanism for unlocking the natural capital that local communities require for survival. Forest and woodland resources are one such form of natural capital. Under these circumstances access to natural capital, particularly in the form of forest and woodland resources, becomes the cornerstone of survival, notwithstanding the role that these resources play in supplying daily livelihood requirements such as food, shelter, fuel, medicines and other needs, in a harsh macro-economic environment. Apart from providing important products, forest and woodland resources also provide a mechanism through which land reform beneficiary communities can diversify their livelihoods. The key finding of this research is that despite their continual use during the past 25 years no wholesale degradation has occurred to the forest and woodland resources in Mufurudzi. Informal CBNRM is responsible for this situation.

Uma organização tem como função primordial gerar excedentes rentáveis financeiramente e condizentes com o ambiente relacionado. Uma visão mais integrada e abrangente de como se dão as interações entre empresa e ambiente é essencial ao sucesso corporativo. O complexo Modelo de Negócios surge como estruturador dos conceitos, elementos, diretrizes e nuances relacionados ao estudo das organizações. Com abordagem ampla e estruturada, os Modelos de Negócios propõem análises integradas, direcionadas e focadas em como o ambiente influencia no comportamento organizacional e como esta influência é lida, interpretada e traduzida em estratégias e táticas internamente à firma. No intuito de pesquisar o tema, objetivou-se coletar e estruturar material teórico encontrado na literatura relacionado ao tópico. Um levantamento bibliográfico sistematizado foi realizado, considerando as diversas esferas de análise encontradas. Após a sugestão de uma estruturação racional e análise dos dados, propõe-se o metamodelo conceitual. Este metamodelo almeja incorporar os elementos influenciadores e componentes de um Modelo de Negócio, sendo os influenciadores: Sustentabilidade, Economia, Tecnologia, Aspectos Políticos, Regulatórios e Legais e Aspectos Socioculturais; e os elementos componentes: Análise Integrada, Análise Interna, Estratégia, Valor e Inovação. A partir desta consolidação, levantaram-se as principais considerações e variáveis que compõem seu corpo de análise. Tais variáveis foram verificadas na prática, valendo-se de estudos de caso em empresas da economia nacional. A análise individual e comparativa dos casos com o metamodelo proposto sugere que é crescente a atenção empresarial para os elementos influenciadores, bem como ao que diz respeito ao planejamento estratégico interno. A grande contribuição do metamodelo reside na chance de auxiliar a expansão da capacidade cônscia-analítica dos estrategistas a respeito de seus negócios, apresentando esta estrutura que aloca os elementos de maneira integrada e de fácil visualização. Existem muitas oportunidades de incremento dos estudos dos Modelos de Negócios; uma delas seria o estudo das interações entre os elementos citados e as abordagens destas interações no MN. / An organization has as core role to generate surpluses financially aligned to its environment. A more integrated and broad approach regarding to the existing interactions among enterprise and environment is capital to the corporate success. The complex Business Model appears as designer of concepts, elements, drivers and nuances related to the businesses research. With this broad and structured approach, the Business Model proposes integrated, driven and focused analysis of how environment does influence an organizational behavior and how this influence is internally perceived, read and translated into strategies and tactics. Based on the intention of study the topic, the research aimed to collect and structure theoretical material found onto the specific literature. A focused survey was conducted, considering whole aspects described by the authors. After organizing rationally the theory, a conceptual metamodel is proposed. This metamodel craves to incorporate the influencer and component elements of a Business Model, being the influencers: Sustainability, Economy, Technology, Political, Regulatory and Legal Aspects and Sociocultural Aspects; and the component elements: Integrated Analysis, Internal Analysis, Strategy, Value and Innovation. From the funded material, main points and key variables to understand were listed. Thus, these points and variables were verified in the market, by a survey within the national economy. The individual and cross analysis between these case studies and the proposed metamodel suggest that organizations are spending some energy and attention on influencer elements, as well as on the entrepreneurial strategic planning. The great contribution of the metamodel relies on the chance to support and increase self analytical and aware capacity of the executives, regarding to their own businesses, showing this structure that allocates those elements by an integrated and easily understand way. There are many opportunities to increment the Business Model study; one of them is to research the interactions of the listed elements and the overcome translation inside the Business Model.

The aim of the thesis is to examine the Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) Planning that is recognized as the most appropriate approach in the international arena for the wise-use and sustainability of water resources. In this framework, the thesis has been organized in two major parts: Theoretical framework and the Konya Closed Basin case study analysis. The first part draws a theoretical framework on IWRM planning and discusses its principles, aims and implementation tools through an internationally accepted point of view. The second part, meanwhile, examines the interpretation of the IWRM planning in Turkey and its implementation in the case of the Konya Closed Basin IWRM Planning Process. The study reveals that only an integrated approach at the basin scale can solve the water demand problems of different human activities, which puts pressure on the carrying capacity of the water resources and their basins. Despite the inadequacies in the related institutional and legal frameworks in Turkey, Konya Closed Basin IWRM planning, especially Tuz Lake Management Plan studies, comes to forefront as a pioneering IWRM planning practice: The capacity building, public participation, and awareness raising principles of the IWRM planning approach have been positively realized during this planning process. Besides, the components of the plan are also compatible with the theory of IWRM planning, which consists of strategic, goal-oriented, and participatory planning approaches.

The demand for electricity in South Africa has grown faster than the increase in generation capacity. However, it is expensive and time consuming to commission new power stations. Another approach is to reduce electricity demand through the implementation of energy efficiency projects. This alternative is usually less expensive. Compressed air on South African mines is a large electricity consumer with a reputation of wastage. This allows significant potential for electrical and financial savings. A typical mine compressed air system consists of multiple compressors at various locations, surface connection networks, underground distribution systems, thousands of users and leaks. The size, complexity and age of these systems provide a major challenge for electricity saving efforts. Simulating such an intricate system is difficult as it is nearly impossible to accurately gather all the required system parameters. Some initiatives focused on subsections of mine compressed air systems. This is not the best approach as changes to one subsection may adversely affect other systems. A new approach to simplify mine compressed air systems was developed to identify saving opportunities and to assess the true impact of saving efforts. This new approach enables easier system analysis than complex simulation models. Techniques to gather critical system information are also provided. A new implementation procedure was also developed to integrate different energy saving strategies for maximum savings. An electrical power saving of 109 MW was achieved through the implementation of the integrated approach on twenty-two mine compressed air systems. The savings is equivalent to a reduction of 0.96 TWh per annum that relates to a saving of 0.4% of South Africa’s total electricity consumption. Average compressor power consumption was reduced by 30%. The power consumption reduction relates to an estimated annual electricity cost saving of R315 million. A saving of 0.96 TWh per annum is equivalent to a carbon dioxide emission reduction of 0.98 million tonne. The implementation of the integrated approach could be applied to other industrial compressed air systems. A reduction in electricity consumption of 30% on all industrial compressed air systems has the potential to reduce global electricity demand by 267 TWh per annum. That is more than the total amount of electricity consumed in South Africa. / Thesis (PhD (Electrical Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

The demand for electricity in South Africa has grown faster than the increase in generation capacity. However, it is expensive and time consuming to commission new power stations. Another approach is to reduce electricity demand through the implementation of energy efficiency projects. This alternative is usually less expensive. Compressed air on South African mines is a large electricity consumer with a reputation of wastage. This allows significant potential for electrical and financial savings. A typical mine compressed air system consists of multiple compressors at various locations, surface connection networks, underground distribution systems, thousands of users and leaks. The size, complexity and age of these systems provide a major challenge for electricity saving efforts. Simulating such an intricate system is difficult as it is nearly impossible to accurately gather all the required system parameters. Some initiatives focused on subsections of mine compressed air systems. This is not the best approach as changes to one subsection may adversely affect other systems. A new approach to simplify mine compressed air systems was developed to identify saving opportunities and to assess the true impact of saving efforts. This new approach enables easier system analysis than complex simulation models. Techniques to gather critical system information are also provided. A new implementation procedure was also developed to integrate different energy saving strategies for maximum savings. An electrical power saving of 109 MW was achieved through the implementation of the integrated approach on twenty-two mine compressed air systems. The savings is equivalent to a reduction of 0.96 TWh per annum that relates to a saving of 0.4% of South Africa’s total electricity consumption. Average compressor power consumption was reduced by 30%. The power consumption reduction relates to an estimated annual electricity cost saving of R315 million. A saving of 0.96 TWh per annum is equivalent to a carbon dioxide emission reduction of 0.98 million tonne. The implementation of the integrated approach could be applied to other industrial compressed air systems. A reduction in electricity consumption of 30% on all industrial compressed air systems has the potential to reduce global electricity demand by 267 TWh per annum. That is more than the total amount of electricity consumed in South Africa. / Thesis (PhD (Electrical Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Uma organização tem como função primordial gerar excedentes rentáveis financeiramente e condizentes com o ambiente relacionado. Uma visão mais integrada e abrangente de como se dão as interações entre empresa e ambiente é essencial ao sucesso corporativo. O complexo Modelo de Negócios surge como estruturador dos conceitos, elementos, diretrizes e nuances relacionados ao estudo das organizações. Com abordagem ampla e estruturada, os Modelos de Negócios propõem análises integradas, direcionadas e focadas em como o ambiente influencia no comportamento organizacional e como esta influência é lida, interpretada e traduzida em estratégias e táticas internamente à firma. No intuito de pesquisar o tema, objetivou-se coletar e estruturar material teórico encontrado na literatura relacionado ao tópico. Um levantamento bibliográfico sistematizado foi realizado, considerando as diversas esferas de análise encontradas. Após a sugestão de uma estruturação racional e análise dos dados, propõe-se o metamodelo conceitual. Este metamodelo almeja incorporar os elementos influenciadores e componentes de um Modelo de Negócio, sendo os influenciadores: Sustentabilidade, Economia, Tecnologia, Aspectos Políticos, Regulatórios e Legais e Aspectos Socioculturais; e os elementos componentes: Análise Integrada, Análise Interna, Estratégia, Valor e Inovação. A partir desta consolidação, levantaram-se as principais considerações e variáveis que compõem seu corpo de análise. Tais variáveis foram verificadas na prática, valendo-se de estudos de caso em empresas da economia nacional. A análise individual e comparativa dos casos com o metamodelo proposto sugere que é crescente a atenção empresarial para os elementos influenciadores, bem como ao que diz respeito ao planejamento estratégico interno. A grande contribuição do metamodelo reside na chance de auxiliar a expansão da capacidade cônscia-analítica dos estrategistas a respeito de seus negócios, apresentando esta estrutura que aloca os elementos de maneira integrada e de fácil visualização. Existem muitas oportunidades de incremento dos estudos dos Modelos de Negócios; uma delas seria o estudo das interações entre os elementos citados e as abordagens destas interações no MN. / An organization has as core role to generate surpluses financially aligned to its environment. A more integrated and broad approach regarding to the existing interactions among enterprise and environment is capital to the corporate success. The complex Business Model appears as designer of concepts, elements, drivers and nuances related to the businesses research. With this broad and structured approach, the Business Model proposes integrated, driven and focused analysis of how environment does influence an organizational behavior and how this influence is internally perceived, read and translated into strategies and tactics. Based on the intention of study the topic, the research aimed to collect and structure theoretical material found onto the specific literature. A focused survey was conducted, considering whole aspects described by the authors. After organizing rationally the theory, a conceptual metamodel is proposed. This metamodel craves to incorporate the influencer and component elements of a Business Model, being the influencers: Sustainability, Economy, Technology, Political, Regulatory and Legal Aspects and Sociocultural Aspects; and the component elements: Integrated Analysis, Internal Analysis, Strategy, Value and Innovation. From the funded material, main points and key variables to understand were listed. Thus, these points and variables were verified in the market, by a survey within the national economy. The individual and cross analysis between these case studies and the proposed metamodel suggest that organizations are spending some energy and attention on influencer elements, as well as on the entrepreneurial strategic planning. The great contribution of the metamodel relies on the chance to support and increase self analytical and aware capacity of the executives, regarding to their own businesses, showing this structure that allocates those elements by an integrated and easily understand way. There are many opportunities to increment the Business Model study; one of them is to research the interactions of the listed elements and the overcome translation inside the Business Model.