In the construction industry, the adoption of concurrent engineering principles requires the development of effective enabling IT tools. Such tools need to address specific areas of need in the implementation of concurrent engineering in construction. Collaborative decision-making is an important area in this regard. A review of existing works has shown that none of the existing approaches to collaborative decision-making adequately addresses the needs of distributed construction project teams. The review also reveals that fuzzy logic offers great potential for application to collaborative decision-making. This thesis describes a Web-based collaborative decision-making system for construction project teams using fuzzy logic. Fuzzy logic is applied to tackle uncertainties and imprecision during the decision-making process. The prototype system is designed as Web-based to cope with the difficulty in the case where project team members are geographically distributed and physical meetings are inconvenient/or expensive. The prototype was developed into a Web-based software using Java and allows a virtual meeting to be held within a construction project team via a client-server system. The prototype system also supports objectivity in group decision-making and the approach encapsulated in the prototype system can be used for generic decision-making scenarios. The system implementation revealed that collaborative decision-making within a virtual construction project team can be significantly enhanced by the use of a fuzzybased approach. A generic scenario and a construction scenario were used to evaluate the system and the evaluation confirmed that the system does proffer many benefits in facilitating collaborative decision-making in construction. It is concluded that the prototype decision-making system represents a unique and innovative approach to collaborative decision-making in construction project teams. It not only contributes to the implementation of concurrent engineering in construction, but also it represents a substantial advance over existing approaches.

Avatarer är vanligt förekommande i datorspel och används för nöjes skull men avatarer används även i seriösa spel. Rapporten undersöker hur en persons självkänsla och body image kan stärkas med hjälp av en avatar och vilka egenskaper avataren behöver ha. Undersökningen genomförs som en litteraturstudie. Slutsatsen är att det troligen går att skapa en avatar för detta ändamål, men att det är många aspekter att ta hänsyn till och att det inte är helt självklart vilka val som behöver göras. Viktigt verkar dock att användaren själv får välja sin avatar, att till exempel typen av klädsel påverkar liksom avatarens längd. Det verkar också vara en avvägning om det är bäst att skapa en avatar som liknar personen själv eller att skapa en avatar som har förmågor som personen kan se upp till för att må bättre. Vilket alternativ som är bäst varierar troligen från person till person.

Cooperative tutoring in a writing center setting consists of two tutors who work collaboratively with one student. It is a variation of one method of training new tutors, where the novice tutor observes the expert tutor during a tutoring session and eventually participates with the expert tutor. This study focused on the interactions between the tutors. Through cooperative tutoring, tutors learn new or different tutoring approaches from each other, which in turn serves as ongoing professional development. I explain the methodology used in the study, and I analyze the data. From the data analysis, I identify three preliminary categories, which are Equal Partners, New Alliance, and Trainer/Trainee. Equal Partners sessions are characterized by a strong sense of camaraderie between the tutors and a willingness to share both tutoring and academic writing strategies with each other and the student. During an Equal Partners session, tutors acknowledge the other tutor's strategies and incorporate parts of it into their own tutoring style. These sessions are more directive, and the tutors' focus is on teaching specific strategies for academic writing as well as passing on college survival lore. New Alliance sessions occur when both tutors are more actively engaged with the overall topic of the student's paper. Both of the tutors and the student share experiences and ideas on a personal level, working towards understanding how to craft ideas through academic discourse. In this way an alliance is formed with the writing center tutors and the student. During the Trainer/Trainee sessions, the tutors involved attempt to apply cooperative tutoring techniques but were unable to make the shift from the roles they once held as a trainer and a trainee. Finally, I present a summary and interpretation of my findings. I also discuss the limitations of the study and indicate areas for further research.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / This study looked at the implementation of a collaborative learning model at two schools in Sydney designed to realise the principles recommended by reform documents such as the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM, 2000) and policy documents including Numeracy, A Priority for All (DETYA, 2000). A total of 158 year seven and year eight students ranging in age from 12 to 15 years old from two schools participated in the study. In all, seven classroom teachers participated in the study each completing two topics using the collaborative learning model. Four research questions were the focus of the current study. Three research questions were drawn from eight principles identified in the literature regarding what constitutes effective mathematics learning. These questions related to the nature of collaboration evident in each classroom, the level of motivation and self-regulation displayed by students in the different types of classrooms and the relationship between learning mathematics within the collaborative learning model and real-world mathematics. A final research question examined the degree to which the concerns of teachers relating to preparing students for examinations are met within the collaborative learning model. Several different data collection strategies were adopted to develop a picture of the different forms of activity evident in each classroom and the changes that took place in each classroom during and after the implementation of the collaborative learning model. These included classroom observations, interviews with student and teacher participants, questionnaires and obtaining test results. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were used to reduce the data collected. Factor scores and test results were compared using t-tests, ANOVAs and Mann Whitney nonparametric tests. Data collected from interviews and classroom observations were analysed using a grounded approach beginning with the open coding of phenomena. Leont’ev’s theoretical approach to activity systems (1972; 1978) was then used to describe the changing nature of classroom activity with the introduction of the collaborative learning model. Within the collaborative classrooms there were a greater number of mathematical voices participating in classroom discussions, a breaking down of traditional roles held by teachers and students, and dominant patterns of collaboration evident in each classroom reflecting pre-existing cultural ways of doing. Furthermore, there was some quantitative evidence suggesting that student levels of critical thinking, self-regulation and help seeking increased and students were also observed regulating their own learning as well as the learning of others. Classroom practice was also embedded in the cultural practice of preparing topic tests, enabling students to use mathematics within the context of a work group producing a shared outcome. Finally, there was quantitative evidence that students in some of the collaborative classes did not perform as well as students in traditional classrooms on topic tests. Comments from students and teachers, however, suggested that for some students the collaborative learning model enabled them to learn more effectively, although other students were frustrated by the greater freedom and lack of direction. Future research could investigate the effectiveness of strategies to overcome this frustration and the relationship between different types of collaboration and developing mathematical understanding.

This thesis critically assesses the literature on strategic management accounting that is budgeting and corporate governance and also the managerial decision-making literature (primarily in the areas of strategic planning and change management). It is essentially a theory building and analytical thesis utilising a critical social science approach. The main aim is the construction of a collaborative theory of decision-making and associated methodology that will underpin and explain a more ‘robust’ construction of decision outcomes within an individual organizational context. In doing so it evaluates and synthesises Habermas’s theory of communicative action with the intention of incorporating key elements as well as insights from Latour, complexity theory and Peirce in relation to doubt-driven inquiry in a proposed collaboratively oriented theory of organizational decision enhancement (ODE). ODE theory is argued to be widely applicable in the decision-making process utilised by organizations (private, public and non-profit). The claims implicit within the theory and its associated decision-making methodology are assessed empirically at the strategic planning level. This was part of an action research project commenced in July 2001 with Tertiary Institution’s current strategic planning round covering the planning time horizon 2003-2007. ODE theory postulates that effective decision-making in a world of uncertainty is best undertaken in a practical and collaborative group process. The theory, that I have derived, is stated as follows: Optimal decision-making which a particular group of decision makers can construct in a world of uncertainty and risk is a pragmatic, recursive and democratised process. The process minimises the role of individual power, authority, self-interest and ego. This collaborative approach focuses on the force of the ‘better argument’, utilises constructive conflict (CC) and continuous, conscious, collaborative adaptation (CCCA) and results in the selection and monitoring of a ‘best-option’ decision outcome. The theory minimises the role of power and authority, focuses on the Habermasian concept of the force of the ‘better argument’, maximises the utility of resistance to change and results in the selection of a ‘best-alternative’ option that is subjected to a rigorous, performance measure-based monitoring feedback loop. In so doing this thesis extends significantly the earlier extant literature on organizational decision-making. It effectively revisits the notion of teams and groups in the organizational context and argues for organizations to seriously consider ‘reengineering’ the decision-making methodology and approach to one that necessitates effective devolution and delegation of decision-making powers. I argue that organizations should allow for and promote a ‘cascade’ effect to let control, power, authority and collective responsibility filter down through the organizational layers. Effectiveness and not efficiency (falsely perceived as timely) should be the aim of well-constructed decision outcomes. The adaptability and self-organising capability of the workforce requires an inclusive, not exclusive, decision-making methodology to unlock and realise the full future potential of the organization.

Thesis--Auburn University, 2009. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 38).

Os ganhos competitivos adquiridos pela ação coletiva, através do fenômeno de formação de redes colaborativas, podem ser considerados respostas a uma série de pressões do ambiente econômico que limitam ou restringem a competitividade das empresas no início da era da globalização. Estruturada em torno de informações e relações sociais, a partir de 1990 vem se consolidando uma nova abordagem no campo da estratégia, que se propõem a analisar as organizações em âmbito interno, defendendo que as principais fontes de competitividade empresarial são endógenas. Um dos recursos endógenos recorrentes em estudos acadêmicos e empíricos na explicação do desempenho de comunidades e nações, ao longo das últimas duas décadas foi o capital social. Neste sentido, o capital social, torna-se um recurso marcadamente competitivo, funcionando como um potencializador da capacidade individual e coletiva mediante práticas colaborativas podendo tornar-se fonte de melhoria ou manutenção da competitividade em empresas associadas em redes colaborativas. Esta é uma afirmação essencial para o presente estudo, que teve como objetivo geral verificar a relação do capital social com a competitividade das redes colaborativas vitivinícolas da Serra Gaúcha através de estudo nas redes APROVALE e APROBELO, enquanto que os objetivos específicos foram a identificação dos fatores explicativos do capital social, e da competitividade, verificação de características empresariais que interferem na manifestação destes construtos, bem como análise das suas correlações e por fim comparação dos níveis de capital social e competitividade nas duas redes estudadas. Quanto a metodologia, utilizou-se uma survey para medição de capital social e competitividade que foi fruto do trabalho do grupo de pesquisa TSO (Teoria Social em Organizações) e como principais técnicas de análise estatística utilizou-se análise fatorial, regressão linear, correlação bivariada de Pearson, análise de variância e estatísticas descritivas. Como principais resultados do estudo estão à presença de altos índices de capital social no cluster vitivinícola da Serra Gaúcha, distribuídos uniformemente entre as três dimensões estudadas, às altas correlações presentes entre o capital social e a melhoria da competitividade, os altos coeficientes de determinação entre eles, bem como, que estes dois construtos compartilham variáveis determinantes e essencialmente subjetivas. Ainda, perante os resultados tornou-se possível afirmar que diferentes combinações de elementos vinculados aos dois construtos levam a resultados diferenciados, ou a realidades organizacionais idiossincráticas. O estudo finaliza destacando as contribuições confirmadas pela literatura pesquisada, as contribuições discrepantes em relação a literatura pesquisada, contribuições metodológicas, limitações da pesquisa e sugestões para estudos futuros. / Submitted by Marcelo Teixeira (mvteixeira@ucs.br) on 2014-04-30T12:25:03Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Kadigia Faccin.pdf: 2805222 bytes, checksum: b192ca8b5ac4e5b149210284347b98a2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-04-30T12:25:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Kadigia Faccin.pdf: 2805222 bytes, checksum: b192ca8b5ac4e5b149210284347b98a2 (MD5) / The competitive gains acquired by collective action, through the phenomenon of collaborative networks can be considered responses to a series of pressures of the economic environment that limit or restrict the competitiveness of companies in the early age of globalization. Structured around information and social relations since 1990 has consolidated a new approach in the field of strategy, they propose to analyze organizations in the domestic sphere, arguing that the main sources of business competitiveness are endogenous. One of the endogenous resources in academic studies and empirical explanation of the performance of communities and nations, over the past two decades has been the social capital. In this sense, social capital becomes a resource strongly competitive, functioning as an enhancer of the individual and collective capacity through collaborative practices can become a source of improvement or maintenance of the competitiveness of member companies through collaborative networks. This is a key statement for the present study, which aimed to verify the relationship of social capital and competitiveness of collaborative networks of Serra Gaucha Wine cluster by studying networks APROVALE and APROBELO, while the specific objectives were to identify the factors explain the social capital and competitiveness, verification of company characteristics that influence the expression of these constructs as well, analysis of their correlations and finally comparing the levels of social capital and competitiveness of the two studied networks. For the methodology, we used a survey to measure social capital and competitiveness was the result of work of the research group TSO (Social Theory in Organizations) and the main statistical analysis used the factor analysis, linear regression, bivariate correlation Pearson, analysis of variance and descriptive statistics. The main results of the study are the presence of high levels of social capital in the Serra Gaúcha wine cluster evenly distributed between the three dimensions studied, the present high correlations between social capital and improve competitiveness, too distributed on three dimensions, the high correlation coefficients among them, and that these two constructs share determinant variables and essentially subjective. Still, before the results became possible to say that different combinations of elements linked to the two constructs lead two different results, or the idiosyncratic organizational realities. The study concludes highlighting the contributions confirmed by the literature, the differing contributions for literature, methodological contributions, research limitations and suggestions for future studies.

A presente Dissertação propôs a interação - por meio da criação artística - entre dois grupos de crianças, residentes em Porto Alegre-RS e Cumuruxatiba-BA. A pesquisa de campo consistiu na realização de 12 encontros em Porto Alegre e 10 encontros em Cumuruxatiba realizados entre os meses de junho a dezembro de 2014. O estudo buscou compreender as visões que as crianças produziram sobre si e sobre o outro a partir da correspondência estabelecida pelos grupos. Neste contexto, o principal objetivo do trabalho constou em analisar as possibilidades de criação e de invenção de si mesmo na interação com crianças de um contexto distante. Esta pesquisa discute o deslocamento e o encontro com a alteridade como proposições metodológicas no ensino da arte. Problematizam-se neste trabalho os conceitos de alteridade e deslocamento a partir de Bakthin, Foucault e Onfray; o conceito de infância a partir de Larrosa, Kristeva e Kohan e as proposições artísticas de caráter colaborativo a partir de Bourriaud e Laddaga. Como eixo metodológico, apresenta projetos e obras de artistas e educadores contemporâneos. Dentre os elementos centrais de análise, estão a relação de alteridade e estranhamento a partir da qual as crianças modificam a relação de si para si mesmo e de si para o outro por meio do olhar. A partir destes elementos a experiência estética é apresentada como meio de reconstrução do entendimento do outro. / This Dissertation proposed interaction - through artistic creation - between two groups of children, one living in Porto Alegre-RS and the other living in Cumuruxatiba, Bahia. The field research consisted of 12 meetings in Porto Alegre and 10 meetings in Cumuruxatiba carried out between the months of June and December 2014. The study sought to understand the visions that children produce about themselves and each other from the established correspondence by the groups. In this context, the main objective of the study consisted in analyzing the possibilities of creation and invention of oneself throug interaction with children from a distant context. This research also discusses the displacement and the encounter with otherness as methodological propositions in art education. To problematize in this work the concepts of otherness and displacement from Bakhtin, Foucault and Onfray; the concept of childhood from Larrosa, Kristeva and Kohan and artistic propositions collaborative character from Bourriaud and Laddaga. As a methodological line, the research presents projects and works of contemporary artists and educators. Among the central elements of analysis, are otherness relationship and estrangement from which children change the relation of himself to himself and of himself to the other through the use of the vision. From these elements aesthetic experience is presented as a means for reconstruction of THE understanding of the other (OTHERNESS?).

Research has shown that language anxiety often hampers performance in spoken communication. However, research has also shown that students experiencing anxiety are helped significantly when teachers adopt cooperative and/or collaborative teaching strategies, two different approaches to group work. This study examines whether or not English teachers in Sweden, working in the context of upper-secondary school, actually perceive these strategies to be as helpful as research shows. It was hypothesized that English teachers employ the two approaches. To explore this topic and hypothesis, three semi-structured interviews were conducted. The results proved the initial hypothesis to be correct since all three teachers who participated use collaborative and cooperative teaching strategies and find them helpful, confirming research findings in other educational contexts; however, collaborative teaching strategies are less common than cooperative strategies. The results are discussed, and it is suggested that it is best if the teachers make the group formations since it facilitates the group work which in turn optimizes the teaching strategies employed and yields improved results for students with language anxiety. The results also showed that it is suggested that teachers not only assess the learners as a whole group, but also the learners individually.

Government policy for economic development across Scotland and the UK is driving an increasing number of strategic alliances in higher education to achieve economies of scale and economies of experience. Higher education institutions have been encouraged through strategic funding to further develop externally facing university-business engagement. Effective collaboration could theoretically produce the advantage of a better student experience and, at the same time, make the market for higher education more competitive. Collaborative structures are complex including the interaction between the people or agents who work within and between them. The challenge is how such collaboration can best be organised to deliver across organisation boundaries. The purpose of the study was to explore and report on a causal story of collaborative practice by examining the insider perspectives of the people engaged in collaborative strategic projects in higher education. Collaboration is defined as a relationship which is mutually beneficial to organisations to achieve common aims, including the structure, roles and relationships within collaborations. The study considered one such strategic project, the Scottish HE Employability Forum,in particular, the lived experience of the members of its project management group and was informed by the evidence based literature. The interpretivist qualitative approach to the study, with semi-structured interviews, represented one specific time interval of the participant voice considering the set-up, implementation and evaluation of the strategic project. The data analysis and findings confirmed a priori themes, for example, the need for trust building, effective leadership and strategic planning. A principle emergent theme was that the notions of agency and reciprocity were not mutually exclusive and impacted on the causal mechanisms and explanation of observed behaviours and relationships of the participant members. A conceptual framework from the current study is presented suggesting themes of collaborative activity being comprised of a broader pattern requiring relational behaviour, expert and champion roles for successful collaboration. A series of recommendations is given for collaborative practice; for project management, effectiveness and sustainability along with key messages of knowledge transfer and learning.