Denna studie undersöker möjligheter för utveckling av prenumerationsbaserad uthyrning av friluftskläder med utgångspunkt i pilotprojektet lanserat av företag X. Detta genom att besvara om det finns intresse och en potentiell marknad för uthyrning via prenumeration av friluftskläder, vad som krävs av en uthyrningstjänst för att konsumenter ska övergå till att prenumerera på att hyra sina kläder istället för att köpa nya, samt hur ett koncept kan utformas där utbudet upplevs som tillräckligt och personligt för varje kund. Studien drivs genom blandad metod och en abduktiv metodansats. Resultatet visar att det finns en potentiell marknad för prenumerationsbaserad uthyrning av friluftskläder men att många konsumenter inte känner behov att byta ut plaggen lika ofta som om det hade varit vardagskläder. Studiens respondenter är främst intresserade av paketerbjudande baserat på aktivitet. Bland de som inte är intresserade av att hyra alls svarar majoriteten att det är på grund av att de vill ha sina kläder tillgängliga hela tiden. För att locka konsumenter att hyra istället för att köpa krävs ett mervärde som inte fås vid köp. Detta skulle kunna skapas genom en gemenskap där användarna kan dela historier och bilder, men också genom prisfördelar, tillgänglighet och anpassningsbarhet. Utbudet bör vara personligt anpassat utifrån användarens intressen och planerade aktiviteter, men med möjlighet för viss valfrihet. Säsongsbaserad uthyrning är ett intressant alternativ då många respondenter gärna behåller plaggen en längre tid. Vidare diskuteras logistiklösningar med representanter som anordnar bytestillfällen i mindre städer där det inte finns möjlighet att ha en butik, samt vikten av att nischa sig mot en smalare kundgrupp snarare än gemene man. Det konstateras även att det krävs en större attitydförändring för att ändra konsumenters vanor och beteende från att köpa till att hyra istället. / This study investigates possibilities for the development of subscription based rental of outdoor clothing, with a base in a test project launched by company X. The study examines if there is a potential market for subscription-based outdoor clothing rental, what is required from such a service for consumers to switch from buying to renting their clothes and how such a concept can be designed to make the product range feel sufficient and personal for every customer. The study is implemented with a mixed method. The result is proving that there is a potential market for subscription based outdoor-clothing rental, but that many consumers don’t have the same need to update their outdoor clothes as often as their everyday clothes. The respondents are most interested in a package-offer based on their activities. Among the ones not interested in subscription based rental, the majority answered it’s because they want their clothes available at all times. Added value is needed to attract consumers to rent instead of buy, which could be gained by creating a community among the users. Other important aspects to gain value is through price advantages, availability and flexibility. The product range should be personally adjusted but with freedom of choice. Seasonal based subscription is an interesting option since many of the respondents want to use the product for a longer time. Logistic solutions are also discussed in the study and one option is to use agents who arranges swaps in smaller cities where there are no stores. The importance of focusing on a niched consumer are displayed, as well as the need of a great change in consumer attitude to be able to change habits and consumer behaviour.

Ce travail de recherche, en sciences de l'information et de la communication, s'intéresse à un secteur peu étudié par les SIC : l’économie sociale et solidaire. Il vise, d'une part, à identifier les problèmes de communication des acteurs de l'ESS et, d'autre part, à explorer les solutions déployées pour répondre à ces problèmes. Pour mener cette analyse, nous avons d'abord, construit un cadre théorique spécifique articulant les travaux d’ E.Morin, J.Habermas, E.Ostrom et J-L. Laville. Puis nous avons successivement déployé trois méthodes : une observation participante dans un atelier international consacré à la communication de l'ESS, une série d'entretiens semi-directifs auprès de différents acteurs (initiatives solidaires, journalistes, responsables administratifs, etc.), puis une étude de cas élargie conduite auprès du Parlement Européen. Ce cadre théorique et ces différentes méthodes nous ont permis de mettre en évidence les problèmes communicationnels récurrents de l'ESS (terminologie difficile d’accès, hétérogénéité peu lisible, transversalité peu développée, etc.) et de voir comment différentes pratiques économiques innovantes (PTCE, entreprises récupérées, SCIC, etc.) permettaient de remédier, en partie, à ces problèmes. Au final, il ressort de notre travail que les pratiques de l’économie collaborative, qui s’enracinent historiquement dans l’ESS, semblent apporter une solution communicationnelle efficace aux problèmes identifiés et que l’ESS est en capacité d’assurer la durabilité, selon la grille de lecture d’Ostrom sur la gouvernance des biens communs, des formes d’organisations de cette nouvelle économie. / The following research work on Information and Communication Sciences, focuses on a fieldunderstudied by this scientific discipline, the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE). It aims to identifyon one hand the communication issues among the SSE stakeholders, and to explore their relatedsolutions on the other hand. This analysis has been first based on a theoretical framework articulatingthe work of Morin, Habermas, Ostrom, and Laville. Then, three methods have then been successivelyemployed: a participative observation during an international workshop treating of all aspects of SSEcommunication; a series of semi-directive interviews with various key actors (from the solidarityinitiatives, some journalists, administrative heads, etc.), and finally an enlarged case study conductedwithin the European Parliament. This methodology allowed us to determine the recurrentcommunication issues encountered within the SSE (difficult access to its terminology, unclearheterogeneity, low-developed transversality, etc.) as well as to assess how different innovativeeconomical practices (such as PTCE, recovered enterprises, SCIC, etc.) could potentially overcomethese challenges. In conclusion, it appears from this work that the practices linked to the collaborativeeconomy, which are historically rooted within SSE, can bring an effective solution on thecommunicative level. Furthermore, and according to the new Ostrom reading greed related to thecommon goods governance, the SSE seems to be able to ensure the sustainable development of this newform of economy

Les travaux de recherche de cette thèse s'inscrivent dans le cadre de la mise en place de l'Ingénierie Simultanée au sein du secteur de l'industrie aéronautique européenne. C'est la thématique du projet de recherche ENHANCE. Il est établi dans un premier temps que les problématiques d'Ingénierie Collaborative Multisite sont au coeur du concept d'Ingénierie Simultanée, le rôle de la tâche COSITE a donc été de mettre en place les outils et les méthodes associées les mieux adaptées aux besoins du secteur. Sur la base d'une étude de cas types de collaboration rencontrés par les partenaires du projet ENHANCE, et sur la base d'une classification fonctionnelle, nous avons élaboré une approche de spécification d'environnement d'Ingénierie Collaborative Multisite. Ces cas étant si multiples, aucun outil unique du marché ne peut encore prétendre satisfaire l'ensemble des besoins. C'est pourquoi, nous avons développé un outil d'aide à la décision qui fournit à l'utilisateur un moyen de déterminer un environnement couvrant ses besoins spécifiques. La conception de cet outil a été possible grâce à la définition d'une liste exhaustive de critères d'évaluation qui traduisent les besoins de collaboration. Ainsi, grâce à cet outil, il est possible de déterminer, quelque soit le cas de collaboration, l'environnement le mieux adapté. Pour démontrer l'efficacité, à la fois de l'approche de spécification proposée et de l'outil d'aide à la décision, nous avons mis en oeuvre de les appliquer à deux types de collaboration: les réunions impromptues et les réunions planifiées. La mise en place d'une salle de revue de conception collaborative multisite à Eurocopter a été réalisée. Un retour d'expériences de la part des utilisateurs a permis de valider les propositions présentées dans cette thèse.

Durch die Vielzahl von heterogenen Informationsquellen sehen sich viele Nutzer einer kaum überschaubaren Informationsflut gegenüber. Aus diesem Grund werden durch diese Arbeit die gängigen Nachrichtenformate analysiert und der aktuelle Stand der Technik im Bereich der Nachrichtenaggregatoren dargelegt. Dabei werden diese Analysen immer mit Blick auf die Möglichkeiten einer personalisierten Filterung der Inhalte durchgeführt. Anschließend wird eine im Rahmen dieser Arbeit entstandene Infrastruktur für die Aggregation, personalisierte Filterung und kollaborative Empfehlung von Inhalten aus heterogenen Nachrichtenquellen vorgestellt. Dabei wird detailiert auf die zu Grunde liegenden Konzepte eingegangen und deren praktische Umsetzung beschrieben.

Dieser Beitrag untersucht die These über die Existenz von Digital Natives. Die Vertreter dieser These postulieren, dass Studenten und Schüler durch den frühen Kontakt mit Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien hinsichtlich ihres Lern-, Arbeits- und Kommunikationsverhaltens wesentlich verändert wurden. Um diese Aussage zu bewerten, werden Erfahrungen mit Virtual Collaborative Learning Veranstaltungen herangezogen. Die aktuellste durchgeführte Veranstaltung wird als Fallstudie vorgestellt und analysiert.

This study addresses a conceptual gap in collaborative environmental governance pertaining to the role of Indigenous peoples. Conventional collaborative approaches to environmental governance include input and resource-pooling by two or more stakeholders. This approach becomes conceptually problematic when the stakeholder view is extended to Indigenous peoples. While experiences vary widely around the world, it is common for Indigenous peoples to assert themselves as existing within self-determining nations within their traditional homelands – rather than as stakeholders or interest groups. This perspective is reflected in the Indigenous governance literature, which provides a window into how Indigenous peoples view themselves. The purpose of this doctoral research was to critically evaluate the extent to which principles and practices of collaborative environmental governance are compatible with the main tenets and advances in Indigenous governance related to self-determination. This was done through an extensive literature review and empirical study in the context of British Columbia, Canada. Through a multi-case study analysis of three regional scale cases, complemented by analysis of a single case at the provincial scale, this research analyzed assumptions and perspectives existing at the intersection of Indigenous governance and collaborative environmental governance. The regional, multi-case study concentrated on the practice of collaboration around governance for water, while the provincial case examined a water policy reform process. The key findings of this research were that non-Indigenous entities and personnel initiating or practicing collaborative environmental governance and engaged in water policy reform tended to hold a stakeholder-view of Indigenous peoples. In contrast, Indigenous peoples and leaders tended to view themselves as existing within self-determining Indigenous nations. These conflicting assumptions led to dissatisfaction for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples with regard to collaboration for water governance and water reform, in terms of both processes and outcomes. This research makes contributions to both scholarship and practice. Conceptually, the research identifies how the assumptions and approaches to collaboration within mainstream collaborative environmental governance scholarship should shift fundamentally in ways that incorporate concepts related to Indigenous governance. This conceptual shift could be applied to the breadth of empirical contexts that are discussed in existing collaborative environmental governance scholarship. The empirical findings of this research provide a robust rationale for the importance of a conceptual bridge between the collaborative environmental governance and Indigenous governance literatures. This bridge would involve creation of a body of collaborative scholarship that addresses self-determination and nationhood when theorizing on collaboration with Indigenous peoples. Additionally, it makes a practical contribution by highlighting ways in which those engaged in collaborative environmental governance and water policy reform can draw on some of the tenets of Indigenous governance scholarship. These recommendations include the following: (1) approach or involve Indigenous peoples as self-determining nations rather than one of many collaborative stakeholders or participants; (2) Identify and clarify any existing or intended (a) environmental governance processes and (b) assertions to self-determination by the Indigenous nation; (3) Create opportunities for relationship building between Indigenous peoples and policy or governance practitioners; (4) Choose venues and processes of decision making that reflect Indigenous rather than Eurocentric venues and processes; and (5) Provide resources to Indigenous nations to level the playing field in terms of capacity for collaboration or for policy reform decision making. Finally, this research suggests that positive outcomes are possible where water governance is carried out in ways that meaningfully recognize and address the perspectives of Indigenous peoples.

This study addresses a conceptual gap in collaborative environmental governance pertaining to the role of Indigenous peoples. Conventional collaborative approaches to environmental governance include input and resource-pooling by two or more stakeholders. This approach becomes conceptually problematic when the stakeholder view is extended to Indigenous peoples. While experiences vary widely around the world, it is common for Indigenous peoples to assert themselves as existing within self-determining nations within their traditional homelands – rather than as stakeholders or interest groups. This perspective is reflected in the Indigenous governance literature, which provides a window into how Indigenous peoples view themselves. The purpose of this doctoral research was to critically evaluate the extent to which principles and practices of collaborative environmental governance are compatible with the main tenets and advances in Indigenous governance related to self-determination. This was done through an extensive literature review and empirical study in the context of British Columbia, Canada. Through a multi-case study analysis of three regional scale cases, complemented by analysis of a single case at the provincial scale, this research analyzed assumptions and perspectives existing at the intersection of Indigenous governance and collaborative environmental governance. The regional, multi-case study concentrated on the practice of collaboration around governance for water, while the provincial case examined a water policy reform process. The key findings of this research were that non-Indigenous entities and personnel initiating or practicing collaborative environmental governance and engaged in water policy reform tended to hold a stakeholder-view of Indigenous peoples. In contrast, Indigenous peoples and leaders tended to view themselves as existing within self-determining Indigenous nations. These conflicting assumptions led to dissatisfaction for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples with regard to collaboration for water governance and water reform, in terms of both processes and outcomes. This research makes contributions to both scholarship and practice. Conceptually, the research identifies how the assumptions and approaches to collaboration within mainstream collaborative environmental governance scholarship should shift fundamentally in ways that incorporate concepts related to Indigenous governance. This conceptual shift could be applied to the breadth of empirical contexts that are discussed in existing collaborative environmental governance scholarship. The empirical findings of this research provide a robust rationale for the importance of a conceptual bridge between the collaborative environmental governance and Indigenous governance literatures. This bridge would involve creation of a body of collaborative scholarship that addresses self-determination and nationhood when theorizing on collaboration with Indigenous peoples. Additionally, it makes a practical contribution by highlighting ways in which those engaged in collaborative environmental governance and water policy reform can draw on some of the tenets of Indigenous governance scholarship. These recommendations include the following: (1) approach or involve Indigenous peoples as self-determining nations rather than one of many collaborative stakeholders or participants; (2) Identify and clarify any existing or intended (a) environmental governance processes and (b) assertions to self-determination by the Indigenous nation; (3) Create opportunities for relationship building between Indigenous peoples and policy or governance practitioners; (4) Choose venues and processes of decision making that reflect Indigenous rather than Eurocentric venues and processes; and (5) Provide resources to Indigenous nations to level the playing field in terms of capacity for collaboration or for policy reform decision making. Finally, this research suggests that positive outcomes are possible where water governance is carried out in ways that meaningfully recognize and address the perspectives of Indigenous peoples.

Portable and interactive technologies are changing the nature of collaborative learning practices. Learning can now occur both in and beyond the classroom and furthermore combine formal and informal activities monitored and orchestrated across spatial locations. This rises to a new type of orchestrated learning that we term Computer Supported Collaborative Blended Learning (CSCBL) scripts. This thesis investigates the challenges associated with the design of CSCBL scripts and with the technologies responsible for their enactment. Three contributions are presented. First, a conceptual model that combines 4 factors to be considered in the design of CSCBL scripts. Second, technological solutions operationalizing the aforementioned factors are proposed and evaluated through synthetic experiences. And third, four CSCBL experiments using 4SPPIces. These experiments are analyzed into two interrelated multicase case studies, whose cross-analyzed results provide an evaluation of the model, of the operationalization solutions supporting the enactment of the involved CSCBL scripts and of the educational value of the experiences themselves. / La introducción de tecnologías interactivas y móviles está produciendo un cambio significativo en la naturaleza de las prácticas educativas. Actualmente, el aprendizaje mediante colaboración se puede dar en situaciones en que secuencias de actividades formales e informales dentro y fuera del aula se combinan e integran de forma coordinada. Esto da lugar a un nuevo tipo de actividades de colaboración orquestadas en entornos mezclados que llamaremos guiones CSCBL (de su acrónimo en inglés). Esta tesis investiga los retos relacionados con diseño de los guiones CSCBL y de la selección apropiada de la tecnología para su puesta en marcha. De este trabajo de investigación se derivan tres contribuciones principales. Primero, se propone un modelo conceptual que combina 4 factores a tener en cuenta en el diseño de guiones CSCBL. Segundo, se proponen un conjunto de soluciones tecnológicas para dar soporte computacional a los diferentes factores del modelo y dar apoyo a la puesta en marcha de guiones CSCBL. Cada una de estas soluciones se evalúa mediante experimentos sintéticos. Finalmente, esta tesis presenta tres experimentos en que se usa el modelo para proponer actividades de colaboración en entornos mezclados y aplicarlas en entornos reales. Estos experimentos han sido evaluados mediante dos estudios múltiples de casos. El análisis cruzado de los resultados de los casos englobados en cada estudio ofrece una evaluación de la utilidad del modelo y de las soluciones tecnológicas adoptadas para su puesta en marcha.

Wikis are a popular collaboration technology. They support the collaborative editing of web pages through a simple mark-up language. Mobile devices are becoming ubiquitous, powerful and affordable. Thus it is advantageous for people to get the benefits of wikis in a mobile setting. However, mobile computing leads to its own challenges such as limited screen size, bandwidth, memory and battery life; they also have intermittent connectivity due to the mobility and the coverage of network. I investigate how wikis can be made mobile; that is how wiki forms of collaborative editing can be achieved through mobile devices such as PDAs and smart phones. A prototype mobile wiki has been created using .NET, which addresses these issues and enables simple collaborative working whilst on and offline through smart mobile devices. A cut down wiki runs on the mobile device. This communicates with a main central wiki to cache pages for off line use. When sitting in a powered cradle eager, downloading and synchronization of pages is supported. During mobile operation, pages are cached lazily on demand to minimize power use and to save the limited and expensive bandwidth. On re-connection, offline edited as well as new pages are synchronized with the main wiki server. Finally a pluggable page rendering engine enables pages to be rendered in different ways to suit different sized screens.

Στη βιομηχανία, το σημερινό παγκόσμιο επιχειρησιακό περιβάλλον, χαρακτηρίζεται από πρωτοφανή ανταγωνισμό και απαιτητικούς πελάτες, οι οποίοι επιζητούν καινοτόμες και ταχείες λύσεις. Η κατανόηση και η βελτιστοποίηση των διαδικασιών σχεδιασμού θεωρείται ακρογωνιαίος λίθος επιτυχίας σε ένα τόσο γρήγορα εξελισσόμενο περιβάλλον. Η ελαχιστοποίηση του χρόνου εισαγωγής ενός προϊόντος στην αγορά και η διατήρηση της ποιότητας του, σε υψηλά επίπεδα, έχουν γίνει οι κύριοι παράγοντες της επιτυχίας του. Για αυτό το λόγο, κρίθηκε επιτακτική η ανάγκη ύπαρξης ενός συνεργατικού διαδικτυακού εργαλείου για το σχεδιασμό των εκάστοτε προϊόντων. Στη παρούσα εργασία, σχεδιάστηκε και υλοποιήθηκε μια Διαδικτυακή Πλατφόρμα Συνεργασίας (ΔΠΣ), η οποία παρέχει τη δυνατότητα συνεργασίας μεταξύ πολλών απομακρυσμένων χρηστών, σε πραγματικό χρόνο, πάνω στο σχεδιασμό και την αξιολόγηση ενός προϊόντος. Σκοπός της εργασίας ήταν να δημιουργηθεί μια αποδοτική, αξιόπιστη και εύκολη στο χειρισμό της Διαδικτυακή Πλατφόρμα, για την εποπτεία, αξιολόγηση και επικύρωση του σχεδιασμού ενός προϊόντος, σε όλες τις φάσεις της ανάπτυξης του. Λειτουργίες, όπως η διαχείριση χρηστών, έργων, ρόλων και αρχείων, αναπτύχθηκαν και ενσωματώθηκαν σε μια ολοκληρωμένη πλατφόρμα, που επιτρέπει στους χρήστες να εργάζονται κατά τρόπο συνεργατικό και κατανεμημένο, μειώνοντας έτσι αρκετά το χρόνο που απαιτείται για την ολοκλήρωση της φάσης σχεδιασμού των προϊόντων. Στην εργασία αυτή, παρουσιάστηκαν και εκτιμήθηκαν οι δυνατότητες που παρέχει η συνδυασμένη χρήση της Java, των σχεσιακών συστημάτων βάσεων δεδομένων, σε ένα περιβάλλον τριών επιπέδων (3-tier), για την υλοποίηση ολοκληρωμένων πληροφοριακών συστημάτων. Η τεχνολογία που χρησιμοποιήθηκε για την κατασκευή του συστήματος είναι η Java σαν γλώσσα προγραμματισμού, η οποία επιτρέπει στο σύστημα να εγκαθίσταται σε πολλά διαφορετικά περιβάλλοντα, η Oracle για την αποθήκευση των δεδομένων, η JSP για την ανάπτυξη δυναμικών ιστοσελίδων, ο Tomcat ως web server καθώς και η XML για την επικοινωνία και την ανταλλαγή δεδομένων στα υπάρχοντα συστήματα. Οι μέθοδοι και οι προσεγγίσεις που χρησιμοποιήθηκαν είναι γενικές και έτσι υπάρχει η δυνατότητα να εφαρμοστούν σε πολλούς και διαφορετικούς μεταξύ τους οργανισμούς. / In industry, the current world operational environment, is characterized by unprecedented competition and demanding customers, who seek innovative and rapid solutions. The comprehension and optimization of the design processes are considered the corner stone of success in such a rapidly evolving environment. Minimizing the time that a product enters into the market and the maintenance of its quality at high levels, have become the main factors of its success. For this reason, there was an imperative need for the existence of a collaborative web tool for the designing of each product. In the present work, a Collaborative Web Platform (CWP), which enables the collaboration among several users, in real time, on the design and the evaluation of a product or production procedure, has been designed and implemented for remote users. The aim of this work was that an efficient, reliable and easy to use system for collaborative design be created, for the monitoring, evaluation and ratification of designing, in all of the stages of a product’s development. Operations of web collaboration, as is the management of users, roles, tasks and files, were developed and they were incorporated into an integrated platform that allowed the users to work in a collaborative and distributed way, thus decreasing considerably the time, required for the completion of the design stage. In this work, the possibilities provided by the combined use of Java and the relational data bases systems, in a three-level environment for the implementation of integrated informative systems, have been evaluated. The technologies used for the implementation of the system was Java, as a programming language, which allows for the system to be installed in a lot of different environments, Oracle for the storage of data, the JSP for the development of dynamic web pages, the Apache Tomcat, as a web server, as well as the XML language for the communication and the exchange of data in the existing systems. The methods and approaches used are general and thus, there exists the possibility that they be applied to several organizations that are different from each other.