Sustainability assurance (hereafter ‘SA’) has been a significant area of development in corporate reporting during the last two decades, but one that so far has been subject to limited research. Existing studies in this field have mainly focused on SA opinions, and have tried to understand the characteristics of, and the elements included in, assurance statements, instead of enquiring beyond such outputs to obtain evidence from SA providers themselves. This thesis aims to provide insights into the SA process regarding how decisions in the process are made and what could influence such decisions. It aims to understand what SA practice actually is by examining SA providers’ understandings of the meaning of the practice and the influences that such understandings have on the actual assurance process. Hence, the study focuses on the development of SA practice from the perspective of the assurance providers. It focuses on issues beyond the content of the SA statements to explore the processes leading to the actual delivery of such statements and a wide range of factors that influence the production of such statements and the development of SA practice in general. This study employs a qualitative research approach, using semi-structure interviews as the main data collection method supplemented by various textual data sources. Research participants are SA providers in the UK, including accounting and non-accounting assurance providers. Drawing on the perspective of actor-network theory (ANT), the thesis focuses on the associations involving both human (e.g. assurance providers, reporting organisations, and stakeholders) and non-human (e.g. reporting guidelines, and assurance standards) elements shaping the assurance practice. The theoretical framework based on ANT allows the flexibility in exploring important issues by following the actors, their associations, and their influence on the practice. The findings show that assurance providers’ understandings of the assurance practice vary significantly and that such variation has a major effect on how the assurance practice is conducted. The assurance providers may perceive their roles as independent assurance providers but also adopt other roles to match with the interests and demands of various constituencies. The study shows, in particular, that the providers’ perceived roles vary between what can be termed an ‘independent verifier’, a ‘sustainability consultant’ and a ‘sustainability promoter’, depending on the way in which they place importance on assurance- as against sustainability-related elements of the assurance process. Their different perceptions of their roles influence the internal dynamics of how assurance engagements are conducted. In particular, the study identifies four types of SA engagements, namely ‘social assurance’, ‘integrated assurance’, ‘formative assurance’ and ‘compliance assurance’. Such a categorisation provides a broad-based understanding of the SA as a practice field and the degree of heterogeneity within it. This study provides methodological and empirical contributions by providing evidence on the process associated with SA practice through interviews with different types of organisations providing SA services. Moreover, basing the theoretical framework on ANT highlights the interactions between different actors as a part of the development of SA practice and offers a new perspective to explore the practice and factors influencing its development.

Na tentativa de compreender como ocorre um processo de autogestão no cotidiano, este estudo parte da abordagem metodológica da Teoria Ator-Rede para acompanhar as atividades de uma cooperativa de trabalho. Sem definições prévias, nem quadro teórico pré-estabelecido, descreve como a autogestão se constrói e é construída nas práticas do dia-a-dia e como é enactada através da articulação de diversos elementos heterogêneos. Considerando humanos e não-humanos como actantes na apresentação de uma experiência autogestionária em que movimentações, relações, tensões, híbridos estão em um constante organizando. Para a Teoria Ator-Rede realidades são enactadas no limite da noção de rede, sendo assim, pode-se questionar: qual a participação da Administração nessa construção? / In order to understand how the process of autogestion happens, this research, in agreement with the methodological approach of the Actor-Network Theory, follows the activities of a work cooperative. Without previous definitions neither a predetermined theory framework, the research describes how the autogestion is constructs and is constructed within day-to-day practices and how is enacted through the articulation of different heterogeneous elements. Considering humans and nohumans as actants in an autogestionary experience in which movements, relations, tensions and hybrids are in constantly organizing. Actor-Network Theory suggests that realities are enacted in the bound of network concept, so, it is possible to ask: what is the participation of the Management in this construction?

A partir da visão de organização como processo busca-se compreender como e por que ocorre o organizar na bioconstrução. A metodologia utilizada segue os pressupostos da Teoria Ator-rede e Depois que traz como conceito central o enactment aliada a discussão de coletivo para iniciar a pesquisa de campo. Os dados empíricos preliminares, obtidos com observação participante em três locais diferentes que trabalham com bioconstrução a partir da visão da Permacultura e analisados a partir da ótica da TAR e Depois que enfatiza as relações de humanos e não-humanos, destacaram a contribuição para o entendimento de prática e cooperação em termos do fazer/pensar indissociáveis. Assim, acrescenta-se na discussão teórica a noção de prática de Schatzki (2005) e a noção de cooperação a partir da proposta de Sennett (2013). Além de observação participante – usada durante toda pesquisa - os dados empíricos foram coletados – em um segundo momento - por entrevistas, questionário e observação não-participante resultando em uma análise temática baseada no entendimento de prática de Schatzki (2005). O texto se desenvolve através de descrição detalhada dos acontecimentos, intercalado com trechos de incursões teóricas que apresentam a assemblege do método conforme pressupõe a TAR e Depois. Com isso, entende-se e descreve-se a bioconstrução como prática de cooperação através das relações entre todos que enactam a bioconstrução – pessoas e a materialidade. Pela ótica da prática, embasada nos dados empíricos, a cooperação está na inteligibilidade prática do organizar da bioconstrução, assim o barro enacta a cooperação, que enacta a bioconstrução, que enacta o barro. Para existir cooperação não é suficiente uma visão comum ou uma moral social, é preciso o fazer/pensar que constitui e reflete, como processo, essa visão. A tese, através de casos empíricos, contribui para as discussões em Estudos Organizacionais sobre o organizar e em Gestão de Pessoas sobre como ocorrem relações de trabalho horizontais, ambos entendendo processo como o que está em constante mudança. Busca também fortalecer o uso da TAR e Depois como prática metodológica e lente de analise inicial, além de discutir a cooperação em termos de prática. A contribuição para o campo social está na sua ontologia política que dá visibilidade à bioconstrução como uma possibilidade de contrapor o senso comum estabelecido para construção de habitações em nossa sociedade atual. Assim como a bioconstrução nos ensina construir algo único com o que temos disponível, sua prática poderá nos ajudar a pensar criticamente a “monocultura da gestão”. / Considering the organization as a process, this thesis seeks to understand how and why is the organizing in the bioconstruction. The methodology follows the assumptions of Actor-Network Theory and After, that brings as a central concept the enactment combined with collective discussion to start the fieldwork. Preliminary empirical data obtained through participant observation in three different locations, working with bioconstruction from the vision of permaculture, and analyzed from the TAR and After optics, emphasizes the relationship of human and non-human, it highlighted the contribution to understanding the concepts of practice and cooperation in terms of doing / thinking inextricably linked. Thus, it was added to the theoretical discussion the notion of practice Schatzki (2005) and the notion of cooperation Sennett (2013). In addition to participant observation - used throughout research - the empirical data was collected - in a second stage – by interviews, questionnaires and non-participant observation resulting in a thematic analysis based on the Schatzki (2005) concept of practice. The text is developed through a detailed description of the events, interspersed with excerpts from theoretical incursions presenting the method assemblege as presupposes the TAR and After. Thereby, it is understood and described bioconstruction as practice of cooperation through the relationships between all that enact bioconstruction - people and materiality. From the perspective of practice, based on empirical data, cooperation is the practical intelligibility of bioconstruction organizing, so the clay enact cooperation, which enact bioconstruction that enact clay. To be cooperation, a common vision or a social morality is not enough, it is needed doing / thinking represents and reflects this view, as a process. The thesis, through empirical cases, contribute to the discussions in Organizational Studies on organizing and Human Resources about how horizontal working relationships occurs, understanding the process as it is constantly changing. It also seeks to strengthen the use of ANT and After as a methodological practice and initial analysis lens, and discuss cooperation in terms of practice. The contribution to the social field is in its political ontology that gives visibility to bioconstruction as a possibility to counter common sense established for housing construction in our present society. As bioconstruction teaches us build something unique with what we have available, this practice can help us thinking critically about the "monoculture of management."

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Rasaboxes is a playful dynamic of physical training for actors / performers practiced on a tray, on other words, on a square drawn on the floor, divided in nine boxes. This boxes are named with nine rasas, or flavors, in sanskrit. The player must try each rasa, putting it bodily in the space. The player must change immediately his body state whenever changes the box. The rasas are: bibhasta/disgust, sringara/love, bhayanaka/fear, hasya /laugh, adbhuta/surprise, vira/courage, karuna/sadness, raudra/anger and shanta/peace. Based on the derridian notion of getting the subjetil crazy, there was a practical investigation where the words that constitute the Rasaboxes's tray were deployed in synonymous and gradations, creating other eight trays that invite to exercise the production of affections on / for the body. This work pretends to discuss the results of this research through three decisive instances of the Rasaboxes - the space, the words and the body. Notions as the Neutral , the sensation and the vibrating body dialogue with this study to think intensively the actor labor nowadays. / O Rasaboxes à uma dinÃmica lÃdica de treinamento fÃsico para atores/performers praticada num tabuleiro, ou seja, num quadrado riscado no chÃo, dividido em nove boxes, nomeados com nove rasas, ou sabores, em sÃnscrito. O jogador deve experimentar cada rasa, colocando-a corporalmente no espaÃo. Sempre que mudar de box, o jogador deve mudar imediatamente seu estado corporal. As rasas sÃo: Bibhasta-nojo, Sringara-amor, Bhayanaka-medo, Hasya-riso, Adbhuta-surpresa, Vira-coragem, Karuna-tristeza, Raudra-raiva e Shanta-paz. A partir da noÃÃo derridiana de enlouquecimento do subjÃtil, fez-se uma investigaÃÃo prÃtica onde as palavras que compÃem o tabuleiro foram desdobradas em seus sinÃnimos e gradaÃÃes, criando outros oito tabuleiros que convidam a exercitar a construÃÃo de afetos no/pelo corpo. Essa dissertaÃÃo pretende discutir os resultados advindos dessa investigaÃÃo a partir de trÃs instÃncias decisivas do Rasaboxes - o espaÃo, as palavras e o corpo. NoÃÃes como o Neutro, a sensaÃÃo e o corpo vibrÃtil dialogam com essa pesquisa para pensar intensivamente o trabalho do ator na contemporaneidade.

Esta dissertação busca mostrar as questões envolvidas no teatro de Sartre. Para tanto, partese de uma descrição da consciência em geral para atingir uma caracterização da consciência imaginante - é esta consciência que toma o objeto estético como tal, posto que tal objeto é um objeto imaginário. A partir dessa caracterização da obra de arte em geral, busca-se descrever a especificidade da obra de arte teatral, de forma a mostrar a formulação do gênero teatral proposto por Sartre, o teatro de situações, a maneira como sua descrição sobre o evento teatral lhe serve como recusa do teatro burguês e para a crítica da produção dramatúrgica de sua época, e como o teatro opera uma descrição da vivência humana concreta que a filosofia descreve de forma estrutural. / This dissertation aims at opening up questions involved in Sartre\'s theatre. Firstly, beginning with a description of the consciousness in general one comes to a characterisation of the imaging consciousness - the one that takes into account the aesthetic object as such, given that this is an imagined object. Secondly, considering this characterisation of the work of art in general one intends to point out the characteristics of the theatrical work of art. The elaboration of the theatrical genre proposed by Sartre, i.e., the theatre of situations, is a description of the theatrical event that allows him to refuse the bourgeois theatre and to criticise the dramaturgical production of his period. For the French philosopher, the theatre operates a description of the concrete human lived experience that philosophy can only describe in a structural way.

Na tentativa de compreender como ocorre um processo de autogestão no cotidiano, este estudo parte da abordagem metodológica da Teoria Ator-Rede para acompanhar as atividades de uma cooperativa de trabalho. Sem definições prévias, nem quadro teórico pré-estabelecido, descreve como a autogestão se constrói e é construída nas práticas do dia-a-dia e como é enactada através da articulação de diversos elementos heterogêneos. Considerando humanos e não-humanos como actantes na apresentação de uma experiência autogestionária em que movimentações, relações, tensões, híbridos estão em um constante organizando. Para a Teoria Ator-Rede realidades são enactadas no limite da noção de rede, sendo assim, pode-se questionar: qual a participação da Administração nessa construção? / In order to understand how the process of autogestion happens, this research, in agreement with the methodological approach of the Actor-Network Theory, follows the activities of a work cooperative. Without previous definitions neither a predetermined theory framework, the research describes how the autogestion is constructs and is constructed within day-to-day practices and how is enacted through the articulation of different heterogeneous elements. Considering humans and nohumans as actants in an autogestionary experience in which movements, relations, tensions and hybrids are in constantly organizing. Actor-Network Theory suggests that realities are enacted in the bound of network concept, so, it is possible to ask: what is the participation of the Management in this construction?

A matéria de que trata esta tese é a discussão do espetáculo Teatro-Esporte (tradução artística do método de improvisação teatral criado por Keith Johnstone) e suas contribuições para o trabalho do ator e para a formação de e do público de teatro. Este trabalho (desenvolvido por meio da discussão de situações reais, vivenciadas em treinamentos e apresentações do espetáculo) examina questões pertinentes ao processo de criação teatral, vistas sob a ótica dos fundamentos do referido método de improvisação, e como estes se materializam no espetáculo e em sua relação com o público. A partir desta análise, torna-se possível considerar a aplicação das ideias de Keith Johnstone como um caminho, tanto para o trabalho do ator na criação de cenas, personagens e narrativas, quanto para a construção do espetáculo, uma experiência teatral viva, na qual a imaginação e a espontaneidade ocupam lugar de destaque, enquanto uma pedagogia do espectador. / The subject matter of this thesis is the discussion of spectacle Theatresports (artistic rendering of the method of theatrical improvisation created by Keith Johnstone) and their contributions to the actors work as well as the formation to and of a theater audience. This work (developed through discussion of real situations that are experienced in training and presentations of the show) examines the issues that are pertinent to the process of theatrical creation, from the perspective of the grounds of the above mentioned method of improvisation and how they materialize in the show and their relationship to the audience. From this analysis, it becomes possible to consider the application of Keith Johnstones ideas as a way to both the work of the actor in creating scenes, characters and narratives as well as a construction of a spectacle, a lively theatrical experience in which imagination and spontaneity occupy a prominent position as a spectators pedagogy.

A proposta da presente pesquisa é a prática corporal da Eutonia como ferramenta de suporte para o trabalho do ator, exemplificado pelo Sistema de K. Stanislavski. Sua leitura permite a assimilação dos conceitos teóricos da Eutonia criada por Gerda Alexander e a compreensão dos resultados práticos, descritos através de um experimento com um grupo de atores em formação. O estudo realizado em uma etapa literária e outra vivencial demonstra as possíveis conexões entre Alexander e Stanislavski. Deste modo, algumas lacunas são preenchidas e novos instrumentos são conectados a antigos conceitos que se atualizam e vivificam na prática do ator do século XXI. / This research looks into the corporal practice of Euthony as a support tool for actors, exemplified by the system used by K. Stanislavski. It allows the assimilation of theoretical concepts of Euthony created by Gerda Alexander and the comprehension of practical results described by way of an experiment with a group of undergraduate actors. The studies, carried out in a literary stage and a practical one, demonstrate the possible connections between Alexander and Stanislavski. In this way some gaps are filled and new instruments are connected to old concepts which are updated experienced in practice by actors in the 21st century.

Hare’s psychopathy construct as defined by the Psychopathy Checklist- Revised has been utilized internationally as a risk assessment instrument for quite some time. Despite this, since its inception it has and continues to raise criticism from the academic community. There is ongoing debate over what the construct entails and how it should be used. Most recent developments in the construct revolve around it being defined as a neurological manifestation. To explore the psychopathy construct’s connection with neuroscience, this thesis focusses on one foundational experiment by the most prominent team of researchers in the field. The exploration borrows from Science and Technology Studies, more specifically Actor-Network Theory and the semiotic of scientific texts. The goal of this analysis is not to criticize nor defend the psychopathy construct, but rather explore the facticity of psychopathy as a neuroscientific fact. Considering the widespread use of the construct across criminal justice systems and mental health practices, understanding the facticity of psychopathy is imperative. Our contention is that psychopathy as defined by neuroscience was not merely a pre-discovered fact of nature, but rather it is a fact that is hybrid; it is both built by researchers and a part of our natural world, social and real. Our findings reveal that the facticity of psychopathy as a neuroscience construct is reliant on it being a Boundary Object: a scientific object that is able to intersect multiple social worlds through its adaptability (Star & Griesemer, 1989). We show how the construct is a boundary object by detailing the many translations it undergoes while it connects with a variety of heterogeneous actors. For each translation, the construct is rendered qualitatively different, yet it proves to be robust enough to maintain the identity of psychopathy and transform it into a neuroscientific fact.

Depuis quelques années, la France comme plusieurs pays européens est confrontée à une conjoncture économique rompant avec les discours de mobilité sociale. Les acteurs institutionnels se sont penchés sur la question de la place des immigrés dans la redynamisation de la France en définissant un dispositif de Lutte Contre les discriminations (LCD) dans une période où le pays constate que des individus, des immigrés et des personnes issues de l’immigration sont vraisemblablement discriminés.C’est par le modèle d’intégration français que la gestion des immigrés en France va permettre d'analyser la question de leur développement professionnel. A l’ère du 21ème siècle et de la mondialisation de l’économie, le statut d’immigré permet-il de faire le lien entre leur capital, le monde du travail et l'évolution sociétale ? A travers l’émergence de la question des Noirs en France, de l’image d’un immigré, acteur rationnel alliant thématique de discrimination et de diversité professionnelle, ce travail a permis d’effectuer des enquêtes sur 45 salariés travaillant dans 22 entreprises et 25 entrepreneurs. Le développement professionnel de ces immigrés est analysé par la valorisation de leur capital: d'un côté, en se basant sur le discours managérial des entreprises, l'immigré se positionne sur le marché du travail français en utilisant l’avantage compétitif prôné par les pays industrialisés pour se professionnaliser autrement puisque les immigrés sont caractérisés par leur flexibilité, leur ténacité et la pluralité de leurs compétences. D'un autre côté, l'immigré se sert de la connaissance, de l’inventivité et de l’innovation socioprofessionnelle pour être un acteur transnational de développement sociétal. La France comme pays d'accueil, et l'Afrique comme région de départ trouvent finalement leur compte à travers une nouvelle immigration basée sur un développement professionnel tant national qu'international. / In recent years, France and several European countries is facing an economic break with the social mobility of speech. Based ont the question of immigrants'place, the french political authority defined a new policy of immigration through actions against Discrimina-tion (LCD) when the country observes that individuals, immigrants and people from immigra-tion are likely discriminated. Through the French model of integration the management of immigrants in France will allow to analyze the professional development issue. In the era of the 21st century and globalization of the economy, does immigrant status allow to link their capital, the workplace and societal evolution? Through blacks' issue in France, the image of an immigrant, combining rational actor thematic of discrimination and occupational diversity, this work allows to make differ-ent surveys of 45 employees working in 22 companies and 25 entrepreneurs. Professional development of these immigrants is analyzed by the value of their capital: on one side, based on the managerial discourse of businesses, immigrants will move to the French labor market using the competitive advantage advocated by industrialized countries to professionalize oth-erwise since immigrants are characterized by their flexibility, tenacity and the plurality of their skills. On the other hand, the immigrant uses knowledge, inventiveness and socio-professional innovation to be a transnational actor of societal development. France as the host country, and Africa as a starting region finally find their account through a new immigration based professional development both nationally and internationally.