Thesis (MTech (Business Information Systems))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019. / The main objective of research is to determine how business processes influenced by corporate strategy can be entrenched in an organisation. Organisations rely on business processes to deliver product and services to customers and meet organisational goals. Several process weaknesses prevail in organisations and impede process performance. Organisations merely focus on technical aspects of the transformation to address efficiency and effectiveness in business processes and tend to ignore the social elements attached to the transformation which bring considerable changes in the employees working environment. Human attitude and behaviour can thus impede process change and entrenchment. As a result, the change endeavour fails, and processes are not entrenched. The study thus gave due consideration to the socio-technical elements because process relies on human intervention to progress at some points. The study aimed to understand and interpret how business processes can be entrenched in an organisation and used a selected organisation in the Western Cape, Cape Town as a case study. To address the main research objective three subordinated objectives were developed and a main research question and three sub-research questions were investigated. Given the human element involved in the process transformation, the phenomenon is a socially constructed reality that can be understood and interpreted using a social theory. Actor Network Theory (ANT) was used as a lens through which to understand and interpret the factors influencing the entrenchment of business processes. It is argued that enterprise resource planning (ERP) influences both technical and non-technical factors involved in process entrenchment and that entrenchment emanates from the alignment of interests of social, process and technology actors. An interpretative paradigm applies to the study where qualitative philosophy was followed together with the underpinning theory. The theory and review of literature were used to develop semi-structured interview schedules to collect opinions from participants. The research participants included twenty-one managers at senior, middle and lower level positions from the Finance, HR and IST departments of the studied organisation. Ethical considerations applied to this research relate to the data collection process and the disclosure of the research findings. Data collection was approved by the institution under study to ensure confidentiality and non-violation of organisation policies. In addition, interview questions were reviewed by senior managers to ensure that the information obtained would not hurt the reputation of the organisation. The research findings revealed that actors need to be transformed and supported to accommodate the change and that the principles of ERP can be implemented as a strategy to lead the process transformation and entrenchment. The research generated a general framework to guide the use of technical and non-technical factors to influence process entrenchment. As such, recommendations are made to actors of process transformation to ensure entrenchment.

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.

Over the past decade banks repeatedly made headlines with severe cases of business misconduct. Several high profile political inquiries sought to ascertain responsibility for the malfeasance but concluded that responsibility could not unequivocally be attributed. Considering that the responsibility principle constitutes a normative element which should guide social interaction, its evasion can lead to social distortions. The purpose of the thesis is threefold. First, it seeks to explore the responsibility practices in banking; second, it considers the mechanisms of responsibility evasion; and third, it discusses the power relations guiding responsible business conduct. Academic research typically considers corporate responsibility from two perspectives. At the meso level responsibility is framed in terms of corporate governance; at the micro level individual and team responsibilities are studied. This thesis offers a different perspective and discusses responsibility in terms of practice, which comprises responsibility constitution and responsibility attribution. In an organisational context responsibility is arranged in terms of role and task responsibilities and corporate culture, while responsibility attributions refer to the interpretations and judgements of social conduct. The analysis draws on the concept of 'agencement' which describes a heterogeneous compendium of different devices that act on and modify each other (Pollock and Williams, 2009). Ontologically, ANT views realities as multiple and fluid and the question of which reality takes precedence is a matter of power relations. For the analysis a methodological tool, the responsibility map, has been developed and applied to three case studies, namely the mis-selling of PPI, trader manipulation of LIBOR and low-balling of LIBOR. Operating under the principles of financialisation, banks have internalised financial benefits while negative outcomes were externalised. Responsibility attribution for the misconduct was systematically evaded. The mechanisms of responsibility diffusion are closely tied to the business strategies: retail banks proceduralised responsibility; it became invested in meeting sales targets. Investment banks operated at the forefront of LIBOR manipulations. Handling the LIBOR rate setting process in an informal manner created responsibility gaps. In both environments the regulatory regimes in place proved ineffective. It is argued that corporate irresponsibility must be considered as a recurrent theme if banking remains organised in terms of financialised business models. The thesis presents a novel approach to the study of organisational responsibility. The methodological tool developed for this research can be adapted to study responsibility in other corporate contexts. Given that the current business models are flawed as they create an environment that condones irresponsible conduct the thesis concludes with suggestions for policy making.

This thesis unpacks the social life of an alternative food "thing". It is empirically grounded in an intensive ethnography and draws on the conceptual resources of Actor-Network Theory (ANT) to narrate alterity as it is manifest in an alternative food network (AFN). Following and tracing British Organic Biodynamic (BOB) wheat, the research weaves through the seed (from breeding to certification), the grain crop's cultivation, harvest and milling, and the final transformations from flour to real bread and its consumption. The storying of the BOB wheat's social life, its social relations and subsequent transformations reveals a persistent blurring of formal distinctions separating 'nature' and 'culture', humans and nonhumans, and production and consumption. Most importantly, it disrupts the traditional categorization of food networks as either 'conventional' or 'alternative'. The analysis of the BOB wheat's social life betrays the imagined purity of alterity of this supposed alternative food network, unveiling a heterogeneous web of hybrid actants and multiple performances of wheats. The analysis reveals a conflict within the BOB wheat network, by demonstrating how performances that are presented as deeply incommensurable are nevertheless inextricably and intimately connected. Consequently, 'conventional', and some 'more-than-conventional', performances threaten to undermine the BOB wheat networks' legitimacy as an AFN. Further, they intimate an ontological impurity that threatens the very possibility of alterity. Accordingly, my analysis narrates the BOB wheat network's efforts to stabilize alterity and expand the collective, through the purification of these incommensurable versions of the wheat. Ultimately, this process of purification works to persistently reconstitute modern ontological binaries, specifically the alternative-convention bifurcations of food networks. To conclude I suggest that this purification, the making and manifesting of alterity, is woven through the contemporary biopolitical dispositive - persistently circulating and remaking, Modern ontological framings of reality as well as the moral and ethical values therein.

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."

Esta pesquisa investigou a possibilidade da utilização de máscaras como um caminho pedagógico, facilitador e fomentador para o processo criativo do ator, propiciando a percepção do seu próprio processo de criação e os caminhos metodológicos adquiridos. Os estudos se apoiaram nas pesquisas pedagógicas de Constantin Stanislavski, Jacques Copeau, Jacques Lecoq e Armando Sérgio da Silva, estabelecendo identificações e fusões, ressignificando e ampliando - tudo o que pudesse vir a ser máscaras. Utilizando-se do jogo entre as \"máscaras\", a presente pesquisa teve como intuito promover improvisações e descobertas, que pudessem contribuir com a maneira de compreender e utilizar a ideia de \"máscaras\" na pedagogia teatral contemporânea. Além de amplificar e ressignificar o conceito de \"máscara\", também apresenta a ideia de se institucionalizar esses procedimentos como ferramenta pedagógica para qualquer prática teatral - seja ela o treinamento do ator, a construção de personagens ou a criação de um espetáculo teatral -, tanto para o autoconhecimento e evolução artística, como para a expansão da visão de mundo. / This research has investigated the possibility of the use of masks as a pedagogical, facilitator and stimulating way, for the actor\'s creative process, providing the perception of his own process of creation and the methodological approaches acquired. The studies were supported in pedagogical researches developed by Constantin Stanislavski, Jacques Copeau, Jacques Lecoq and Armando Sérgio da Silva, establishing identifications and mergers, resignifying and expanding - everything that could turn out to be a mask. Using the play provided by the \"masks\", the present study was aimed to promote improvisation and discoveries that could contribute with the way of understanding and using the idea of \"masks\" in contemporary theater pedagogy. In addition to amplify and resignify the concept of \"mask\", this research also presents the idea of institutionalizing these procedures as a pedagogical tool for any theatrical practice - be it for the actor´s training, characters\' building or creation of theatrical performance -, to self and artistic evolution and for the expansion of world view.

Fundamentado em modelos de análise produzidos pela semiótica greimasiana, este estudo da gestualidade sob o domínio teatral observa diferentes usos da expressão corporal, apresentados de maneira independente da manifestação verbal ou em simultaneidade. Nosso ponto de partida metodológico vem a ser a classificação das dimensões da comunicação gestual proposta por Algirdas Julien Greimas em \"Condições para uma semiótica do mundo natural (1970). Considerando as dimensões gestuais atributiva, dêitica, modal e mimética, contemplamos o plano do conteúdo organizado em níveis e patamares que descrevem e explicam os processos de significação, a partir do percurso gerativo do sentido. A fim de destacar a aplicabilidade das categorias, por meio das quais a gestualidade se define enquanto objeto semiótico, procedemos às análises de trechos selecionados de espetáculos teatrais, de acordo com os níveis discursivo, sêmio-narrativo e profundo ou, de maneira correlata, com o patamar missivo que, por sua vez, nos insere na tensividade, mote para os desenvolvimentos atuais da teoria. Nesse sentido, as espacialidades tensivas merecem ser evidenciadas, conforme a circulação das aberturas e dos fechamentos corporais é associada aos paradigmas da coerência e da consistência, necessários ao desvelamento da pessoa em seu espaço da significação. Nosso objeto de estudo se constitui em três espetáculos: Cravo, Lírio e Rosa (1996), Café com Queijo (1999) e Kelbilim, o cão da divindade (1998). Com essas montagens, o grupo Lume de Campinas desenvolve respectivamente três eixos no trabalho do ator: o corpo cômico, a mimese corpórea e a dança pessoal. / Based on the analytical model produced by Greimasian semiotics, this study of gestures in the theatrical domain looks at different uses of body language, presented independently of verbal manifestation or simultaneously. Our methodological starting point is the classification of the gestural communication dimensions proposed by Algirdas Julien Greimas in \"Condições para uma semiótica do mundo natural (1970). Taking into account the attributive, the deictic, the modal and the mimetic gestural dimensions, we contemplate the plan of content organized into levels and scales, which describe and explain the processes of meaning effects, from the generative path of meaning. In order to highlight the applicability of the categories, through which the gesture is defined as semiotic object, we proceed to the analysis of selected excerpts from theatrical performances, according to the discursive, semio-narrative and fundamental levels or, in a correlative way, to the missive level which, in its turn, inserts us in the tensivity, motto to the current developments of the theory. In this sense, the tensive spatialities deserve to be highlighted according to the circulation of body openings and closings, which is associated with the paradigms of coherence and consistency, necessary for the persons unveiling in its place of meaning production. Our study object is constituted by three plays: Cravo, Lírio e Rosa (1996), Café com Queijo (1999) and Kelbilim, o cão da divindade (1998). With them, Lume group from Campinas develops three axes in the actors work, respectively: the comic body, the bodily mimesis and the personal dance.

O presente estudo procura descrever os usos da voz nas encenações teatrais, colocando em relevo suas especificidades enquanto objeto sonoro, bem como as marcas deixadas na esfera acústica pela instância do sujeito da enunciação. Como metodologia de análise, contemplamos o arcabouço teórico da semiótica de filiação estrutural e francesa, de modo que buscamos uma primeira aproximação entre os processos de significação mobilizados pela voz do ator teatral e o modelo tensivo desenvolvido atualmente. Para chegar à parte empírica de nosso estudo, refletimos sobre as bases fundamentais da teoria, revisitando o debate sobre as definições de teatralidade contemporânea e, assim, sobre as possibilidades de análise da gestualidade vocal produzida no momento de atuação. Para a descrição de um corpus, selecionamos determinadas cenas a partir de duas elaborações cênicas diferentes, ambas concebidas por Antunes Filho, sobre uma mesma obra trágica, Medeia de Eurípides. Comparamos os usos da voz em relação às construções das personagens e aos seus posicionamentos nas situações dramáticas, observando desse modo as qualificações modais e passionais sugeridas pelas encenações. / This study tries to describe the uses of voice in theatrical performances, emphasizing their specificities as a sound-based object, as well as the imprints left in the acoustic field because of the urgency of the subject of enunciation. As an analysis methodology, we considered the theoretical framework of structural and French-based semiotics, in order to seek a closer relationship between the processes of meaning mobilized by the theatrical actors voice and the currently-developed tensive model. To reach the empirical part of our study, we considered the foundations of the theory, revisiting the debate on the definitions of contemporary theatricality, and therefore, on the possibilities of analysis of the vocal gestures produced at the time of the performance. For the description of a corpus, we selected certain scenes from two different scenic constructions, both devised by Antunes Filho, on the same tragic work, Medea by Euripides. We compared the uses of voice concerning the construction of the characters and their positioning in dramatic situations, thereby observing the modal and passionate qualifications suggested by the acting.

This thesis reports the results of a case study conducted in a Portuguese manufacturing organisation, a part of a large group, which endured profound organisational changes. The initial objective of the research was to explore, in a processual way, the long-term interactions between an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, the consultants that implemented it and management accounting and control, in this organisation. However, during the fieldwork, the researcher was confronted with an apparent puzzle: in the past, formally powerful ‘central’ actors had been confronted with important limitations – including in their relations with formally less powerful actors, particularly ‘local’ actors at the plant level. At the time of the fieldwork, however, the situation had substantially changed. The researcher was therefore confronted with a puzzle, which seemed to be about the distribution of power in the organisation, about who the powerful actors were and, more fundamentally, what caused (or limited) actors’ relational power. Three innovations introduced by central actors appeared to have played an important role in this fundamental change in the organisation and in the distribution of power within it. At stake were a technological innovation – the adoption of the financial module of an ERP system (SAP FI) – and two organisational innovations: the relocation of the Corporate Centre (CC); and the creation of a Shared Services Centre (SSC), in the same location of the group headquarters and of the Chairman and majority shareholder. Clegg’s (1989) framework of ‘Circuits of Power’, based on a Foucauldian and Actor-Network Theory (ANT) approach, was drawn upon as interpretive lenses to address the empirical puzzle about power. The researcher’s mobilisation of the framework facilitated the understanding of what caused (or limited) actors’ relational power, not only in the past but, particularly, at the time of the fieldwork, when the ongoing repercussions of the three innovations were taking place. Such in-depth understanding was constructed through a qualitative, interpretive and processual research, adopting the method of an explanatory case study combining both retrospective and longitudinal components. During the three-year’ fieldwork, 54 interviews with 29 respondents, lasting more than 90 hours, were supplemented by other information generating techniques, such as documentation analysis and observation of meetings, presentations and artefacts in numerous socio-technicalinteractions. The researcher’s interpretation of the case study insights highlighted that the previous power limitations perceived by the formally powerful, ‘central’ actors could be traced to characteristics of the circuit of social integration (rules of meaning and membership across the organisation, as interpreted, accepted and enacted by actors) and of the circuit of system integration (techniques of discipline and production). The three technical and organisational innovations – SAP FI, the CC and the SSC - introduced by central actors in the circuit of system integration (conceptualised, in ANT terms, as nonhuman and collective actors, respectively) had significant repercussions across the various circuits of power. These repercussions had a structural nature, since the innovations collectively succeeded in giving rise to a network of complementary, mutually dependent and mutually reinforcing Obligatory Passage Points. The emerging network of Obligatory Passage Points was essential in promoting the introduction, interpretation, acceptance and enactment of rules across the organisation as desired by central actors. This thesis proposes several contributions concerning the repercussions of the collective of innovations across the circuits of power. Some examples are embedding rules in technology (Volkoff et al., 2007) and organisational processes, redefining the scope of agencies, creating non-zero sum outcomes, and the emergence of the perception of control inevitability and naturalness within organisational normalcy. Collectively, these innovations promoted rules enactment (by both human and nonhuman actors) in ways that benefited the interests of central actors. In addition, this thesis proposes contributions related with the two theoretical frameworks and literatures framing the research. It proposes several refinements to Clegg’s (1989) framework, comprising changes in its graphical layout, linkages and even concepts. The second contribution is an ANT-inspired, OIE model of rule-based action. This model draws on Burns and Scapens’ (2000) macro structure and concepts, but it proposes additional structures and substantially different perspectives, mechanisms and even concepts. It adopts a wide definition of rules, also viewing them as internal structures orienting actors. Thus defined, rules underlie routines and fill a gap in routines-focused frameworks – in particular, when there are no established routines as regards particular issues.The model acknowledges intra-organisational diversity and focuses on the processes of introduction, interpretation, acceptance and enactment of rules. It also relates rules with material conditions, in particular since rules may be technologically and organisationally embedded. Finally, the model highlights that rules may be enacted by both human actors (individual and collective) and nonhuman actors. The model provides a novel way to conceptualise how actors’ interests may be achieved through the various intersections between rules and material conditions, and by the ultimate enactment of rules by both human and non-human actors.

Escrever aplicações concorrentes é comumente tido como uma tarefa difícil e propensa a erros. Isso é particularmente verdade para aplicações escritas nas linguagens de uso mais disseminado, como C++ e Java, que oferecem um modelo de programação concorrente baseado em memória compartilhada e travas. Muitos consideram que o modo de se programar concorrentemente nessas linguagens é inadequado e dificulta a construção de sistemas livres de problemas como condições de corrida e deadlocks. Por conta disso e da popularização de processadores com múltiplos núcleos, nos últimos anos intensificou-se a busca por ferramentas mais adequadas para o desenvolvimento de aplicações concorrentes. Uma alternativa que vem ganhando atenção é o modelo de atores, proposto inicialmente na década de 1970 e voltado especificamente para a computação concorrente. Nesse modelo, cada ator é uma entidade isolada, que não compartilha memória com outros atores e se comunica com eles somente por meio de mensagens assíncronas. A implementação mais bem sucedida do modelo de atores é a oferecida por Erlang, a linguagem que (provavelmente) explorou esse modelo de forma mais eficiente. A linguagem Scala, surgida em 2003, roda na JVM e possui muitas semelhanças com Java. No entanto, no que diz respeito à programação concorrente, os criadores de Scala buscaram oferecer uma solução mais adequada. Assim, essa linguagem oferece uma biblioteca que implementa o modelo de atores e é fortemente inspirada nos atores de Erlang. O objetivo deste trabalho é explorar o uso do modelo de atores na linguagem Scala, especificamente no caso de aplicações distribuídas. Aproveitando o encapsulamento imposto pelos atores e a concorrência inerente ao modelo, propomos uma plataforma que gerencie a localização dos atores de modo totalmente transparente ao desenvolvedor e que tem o potencial de promover o desenvolvimento de aplicações eficientes e escaláveis. Nossa infraestrutura oferece dois serviços principais, ambos voltados ao gerenciamento da localização de atores: distribuição automática e migração. O primeiro deles permite que o programador escreva sua aplicação pensando apenas nos atores que devem ser instanciados e na comunicação entre esses atores, sem se preocupar com a localização de cada ator. É responsabilidade da infraestrutura definir onde cada ator será executado, usando algoritmos configuráveis. Já o mecanismo de migração permite que a execução de um ator seja suspensa e retomada em outro computador. A migração de atores possibilita que as aplicações se adaptem a mudanças no ambiente de execução. Nosso sistema foi construído tendo-se em mente possibilidades de extensão, em particular por algoritmos que usem o mecanismo de migração para melhorar o desempenho de uma aplicação. / Writing concurrent applications is generally seen as a dificult and error-prone task. This is particularly true for applications written in the most widely used languages, such as C++ and Java, which offer a concurrent programming model based upon shared memory and locks. Many claim that the way concurrent programming is done in these languages is inappropriate and makes it harder to build systems free from problems such as race conditions and deadlocks. For that reason, and also due to the popularization of multi-core processors, the pursuit for tools better suited to the development of concurrent applications has increased in recent years. An alternative that is gaining attention is the actor model, originally proposed in the 1970s and focused specifically in concurrent computing. In this model, each actor is an isolated entity, which does not share memory with other actors and communicates with them only by asynchronous message passing. The most successful implementation of the actor model is likely to be the one provided by Erlang, a language that supports actors in a very efficient way. The Scala language, which appeared in 2003, runs in the JVM and has many similarities with Java. Its creators, however, sought to provide a better solution for concurrent programming. So the language has a library that implements the actor model and is heavily inspired by Erlang actors. The goal of this work is to explore the usage of the actor model in Scala, speciffically for distributed applications. Taking advantage of the encapsulation imposed by actors and of the concurrency inherent to their model, we propose a platform that manages actor location in a way that is fully transparent to the developer. Our proposed platform has the potential of promoting the development of efficient and scalable applications. Our infrastructure offers two major services, both aimed at managing actor location: automatic distribution and migration. The first one allows the programmer to write his application thinking only about the actors that must be instantiated and about the communication among these actors, without being concerned with where each actor will be located. The infrastructure has the responsibility of defining where each actor will run. It accomplishes this task by using some configurable algorithm. The migration mechanism allows the execution of an actor to be suspended and resumed in another computer. Actor migration allows applications to adapt to changes in the execution environment. Our system has been built with extension possibilities in mind, and particularly to be extended by algorithms that use the migration mechanism to improve application performance.