Healthcare is a knowledge-intensive field. A significant quantum of extremely vital and viable healthcare knowledge exists in a tacit form, yet due to various operational and technical reasons such healthcare knowledge is not entirely utilized and put into professional practice. The strong increase in expert work and knowledge-intensive fields make examining the topic timely and hypothetically interesting.The most significant contribution of this study is the increase in understanding, as well as, tacit healthcare knowledge sharing amongst physicians and clinicians with the type of collaborative tools and technologies they have at their disposal. Collaborative tools and technologies help employees of an organization work closely with their colleagues, partner organization and other volunteers as tacit healthcare knowledge sharing among clinicians such as sharing of best practices, tips and tricks, inter professional collaborative networking, clinical experiences and skills are known to have a significant impact on the quality of medical diagnosis and decisions.This paper posits that collaboration tools and technologies can provide new opportunities for tacit healthcare knowledge sharing amongst health-experts, and demonstrates this by presenting findings from a review of relevant literature and a survey conducted with Medical Doctors who have moderate to high interaction with collaborative tools and technologies in the healthcare industry. Semi-structure interviews were conducted with health-experts (Medical Doctors and clinicians) of Akademiska Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden. Final thematic analysis unveiled six themes as potential contributors of collaborative tools and technologies in facilitating tacit healthcare knowledge sharing among clinicians. The newly developed themes are described and interpreted briefly; extensive literature review has been carried out to relate the emerged themes with the literatures and part of interview participant responses are supported as well. Finally this research suggests further empirical studies shall be conducted to acknowledge this study.

Product sharing systems is recently starting to become a more common phenomenon. Carpools exist in more than 40 Swedish towns and both Stockholm and Gothenburg have established bicycle sharing systems. Other products for which sharing systems have been established throughout Sweden are clothing and tools. From the point of view of the consumer, product sharing systems is a form of consumption which can be placed somewhere in between renting and privately owning a product, where the consumers usually pay a membership fee or a monthly fee to have access to the products whenever they need them. The concept is relatively new, and there are many products for which product sharing systems do not exist. As a consequence, previous research in the area is scarce, with the exception of car pools. However, some research discussing product sharing systems in general exists, such as the research by Lamberton & Rose and Mont. In this thesis, previous research is further developed by analyzing what enables and hinders product sharing systems, and for what type of products these systems are suitable. A mix between a quantitative and a qualitative method is used, as both interviews with owners of sharing systems and a questionnaire survey with potential consumers are carried out. To analyze the concept, institutional and behavioral economic theory is used as well as traditional microeconomics. Both the interviews and the survey indicate that the general knowledge of product sharing systems is low and that it is hard in general for companies to reach out to new users. For the consumers, one of the biggest problems is the perceived risk of not having access to the products when they are needed. Another conclusion is that products for which variety is desired, such as clothing and books, that are used frequently, are especially suitable for product sharing systems. / Produktdelningssystem har under de senaste åren blivit ett allt vanligare fenomen. Bilpooler går att finna i över 40 orter runt om i Sverige, och i både Stockholm och Göteborg har cykeldelningssystem upprättats. Övriga produkter som delningssystem har uppkommit för på olika ställen i Sverige är bland annat kläder och verktyg. Ur konsumentens synpunkt kan delningssystemen ses som ett mellanting mellan hyrande och privat ägande, då konsumenterna oftast betalar någon sorts medlemsavgift eller månadsavgift för att få använda en produkt då de har behovet. Konceptet är relativt nytt och för många produkter finns det ännu inga produktdelningssystem. På grund av detta har produktdelning inte behandlats mycket av tidigare forskning, där undantaget är kring bildelning. En del forskning finns dock att hitta som behandlar produktdelning mer generellt, som exempelvis av Lamberton & Rose och Mont. I denna uppsats vidareutvecklas den tidigare forskningen genom att undersöka vad det är som möjliggör respektive förhindrar produktdelningssystemens uppkomst, och för vilka produkter dessa system är mest lämpade. En blandning av kvantitativ och kvalitativ metod används då både intervjuer med ägare av delningssystem och en enkätundersökning med potentiella konsumenter utförs. För att analysera konceptet använder vi oss av institutionell och beteendeekonomisk teori i kombination med traditionell mikroekonomi. Både intervjuerna och enkäterna tyder på att kännedomen om produktdelningssystem är låg och att det är svårt för företagen att nå ut till kunder. För konsumenternas del är ett av de största problemen den upplevda risken att inte ha tillgång till produkterna då de behövs. En annan slutsats som kan dras är att de produkter för vilka variation önskas, exempelvis kläder och böcker, är lämpade för produktdelning under förutsättningen att produkterna används ofta.

From generation “Me” to generation “We”, the emergence of the collaborative way of consumption is much more than a simple marketing trend: it is a force to change, a mean to build stronger communities and eventually a socially enriched economy. Curiouscity enriches this movement by replacing the individual at the core of the journey of discovery. Our team of six young entrepreneurs animate, coordinate and manage a community of inhabitants capable to offer innovative, out of the ordinary and personalized touristic services in France. Our goal is to build a diversified and strong community of individuals who believe, like us, that collaborative lifestyles are a major future trend of our economy. Unlike the main actors on e-tourism sector, we offer the opportunity to meet people and share unforgettable moments even before offering touristic services, as we believe that meeting new people is precisely what brings the richness of the journey. We are an ambitious team with international and complementary backgrounds, convinced that our business model will be highly successful in the coming years and that Curiouscity can become the web reference for this new form of tourism that places the individual at the core the journey of discovery. We propose a complete offer of services on the French territory as well as partnerships with websites that could offer complementary services. Eventually, virtual communities can be seen as a means to boost tourist product innovation by leveraging customer relationships and community-based interactions. Our main asset will be our diversified, multicultural and committed community, whose members share common values and passion for travel experiences. Curiouscity, And Travelling Become Encountering Keywords: Collaborative consumption, Online Business, E-tourism, Community-based tourism

Dancewalks är ett platsspecifikt danskonstverk skapat och uppfört i olika semioffentliga rum. Den här kvalitativa studien undersöker resultatet och effekterna av en Dancewalks i Malmö där 30 arkitekter och stadsplanerare deltog. Dancewalks är i sig själv ett performance vilket påverkar studien och därför också undersökningsprocessen. Det teoretiska ramverket utgår från Non representative theory och teorier om hur människor interagerar i rum. Tillvägagångssättet för studien är en triangulering av observation, fokusgrupp och semistrukturerade intervjuer. Studiens resultat visar att Dancewalks påverkar; hur deltagarna interagerar med platsen, hur deltagarna upplever platsen, deltagarnas uppfattning om hur platsen påverkar dem och deras medvetenhet om rörelsemönster. Studien kommer även fram till att Dancewalks kan användas som en metod för samhällsplanering såsom samverkansprojekt, intern och extern kommunikation och som ett verktyg att bättre förstå stadsrummet. / Dancewalks is a site-specific contemporary dance performance created and performed in urban spaces. This qualitative case study investigates the outcome of one Dancewalks performed in Malmö in which 30 architects and urban planners participated. The theoretical framework is within Non Representative theory and theories about human interaction in space. The method used in this study is a triangulation of observation, focus groups and non structured interviews. Dancewalks is in itself a performance, which has an impact on the study and therefore the research process. The study concludes that Dancewalks has an influence on; the way the participants interact with space, the participants’ perception of space, their perception of spaces’ impact on them and their awareness of movement patterns. The study also concludes that Dancewalks could be used as a method for urban planning such as collaborative planning, internal and external communication and as a tool to better understand urban spaces.

This thesis focuses on college-aged second-generation Americans whose parents emigrated to the U.S. from India. The purpose of the study is to examine the ethnic and cultural identities of second-generation Indian Americans in the Atlanta area. This exploratory study is meant to interrogate cognitive boundaries to suggest that identity is not a fixed state but a fluid process that is continually shaped both by the individual and by society. I have amassed data through both video-recorded ethnographic interviews and self-video ethnography yielding visual ethnographic material that supplements the written thesis. During the research period, I posted regularly at www.kellyshonorsthesis.wordpress.com, providing updates on my progress with the research project. Through creating a visual project that is public from the very beginning, I have aimed to achieve transparency as a researcher and to increase visibility for the field of anthropology. In addition, I demonstrate that research collaboration using self-video ethnography can be an effective ethnographic method to give voice to research participants and to reveal nuances not otherwise accessible.

This thesis describes a research study that examined how collaborative reflective practice with three staff members in a middle years school affected their psychological constructs of what constitutes a good school. Using an action research design, the study made use of personal construct psychology and the methodology of repertory grid technique. Repertory grid results were analyzed using methods developed from personal construct theory (cluster analysis, principal components analysis and messy change grid analysis). This permitted insight into the nature and processes of changes that occurred. These processes were examined in light of Leithwood’s work on teacher development and Fullan’s thoughts on educational change. Using these models as an analytical framework, an evaluation was made of the potential uses and value of repertory grid technique in middle schools. The technique aligns well with the Leithwood and Fullan models and has notable benefits and advantages to offer the field of educational leadership.

This study explored collaborative inquiry as a professional learning model for five elementary teachers at an inner-city school in Western Canada. Collaborative inquiry – a branch of action research – was the process used to support teachers’ professional learning in the use of technology in their arts education programs. The research questions were: (a) in what ways has the collaborative inquiry approach to professional learning had an impact on teachers’ learning and thinking about the use of ICT in arts education? (b) in what ways has the collaborative inquiry approach to professional learning had an impact on participants’ changed practice? and (c) how do collaboration and dialogue foster the construction of knowledge related to teachers’ integration of ICT to support their arts education program? The findings suggest that collaborative inquiry was an effective strategy for professional learning and impacted teachers’ learning and thinking about the use of technology in their arts education program in several ways. There were indications that the collaborative inquiry group afforded social-emotional support, a forum for dialogue and collaboration, as well as an avenue to explore alternative perspectives and new ideas. It was also evident that new habits of mind were beginning to emerge. Teachers felt increased confidence and efficacy which led to risk-taking and exploration of new technologies, an increased capacity for evaluating ICT with pedagogical intent, as well as a strengthened ability to think reflectively about their practice. Furthermore, changes in practice were evident in the following areas: subject matter and materials, organizational structures, roles and behaviors, knowledge and understanding, and value internalization. And finally, the findings reveal that dialogue and collaboration are important factors in helping teachers foster their construction of ICT knowledge. These processes helped advance understanding as participants challenged one another, pushing each other to a higher level of pedagogical and divergent thinking. Dialogue sessions offered participants a powerful forum for idea generation, idea sharing, and cooperative problem solving.

As governments increasingly support a collaborative management approach to address complex watershed issues, there is a growing interest in understanding how successfully these processes operate. A cornerstone of collaborative management is the inclusion of public input in the decision-making process. Exactly how and to what extent the public is included in decision making is often left to planning authorities. This study set out to determine if collaborative approaches to watershed management planning have incorporated effective public engagement. The components of effective public engagement processes as identified in public engagement literature were utilized as a diagnostic tool to assess public participation in the development of two watershed management plans in Manitoba, Canada. Recommendations for improving the effectiveness of public engagement and addressing barriers to broad public participation in watershed management are presented and discussed.

Alzheimer's disease irrevocably challenges a person's capacity to communicate with others. Earlier research on these challenges focused on the language disorders associated with the condition and situated language deficit solely in the limitations of a person's cognitive and semantic impairments. This research falls short of gaining insight into the actual interactional experiences of a person with Alzheimer's and their family. Drawing on a UK data set of 70 telephone calls recorded over a two-and-a-half year period (2006-2008) between one elderly woman with Alzheimer's disease, and her daughter and son-in-law, this paper explores the role which communication (and its degeneration) plays in family relationships. Investigating these interactions, using a conversation analytic approach, reveals that there are clearly communicative difficulties, but closer inspection suggests that they arise due to the contingencies that are generated by the other¿s contributions in the interaction. That being so, this paper marks a departure from the traditional focus on language level analysis and the assumption that deficits are intrinsic to the individual with Alzheimer's, and instead focuses on the collaborative communicative challenges that arise in the interaction itself and which have a profound impact on people's lives and relationships.

Recommendation systems have become extremely common in recent years due to the ubiquity of information across various applications. Online entertainment (e.g., Netflix), E-commerce (e.g., Amazon, Ebay) and publishing services such as Google News are all examples of services which use recommender systems. Recommendation systems are rapidly evolving in these years, but these methods have fallen short in coping with several emerging trends such as likes or votes on reviews. In this work we have proposed a new method based on collaborative filtering by considering other users' feedback on each review. To validate our approach we have used Yelp data set with more than 335,000 product and service category ratings and 70,817 real users. We present our results using comparative analysis with other well-known recommendation systems for particular categories of users and items. / Graduate / 0984 / 0800 / yheshmat@uvic.ca