Social responsibility has a long history and it is evolved from the genuine altruism of human beings. On the other hand, corporate social responsibility finds its roots from organizations. The interactions of an organization and the public enable CSR to emerge and affect both organizations and human beings.The term CSR is evaluated differently in different contexts with different approaches by the scholars.One type of CSR, strategic CSR, aims for evaluating CSR from a strategic point of view. As strategic CSR is a long term investment, it provides a competitive advantage over competitors once a company invests in CSR and communicates CSR properly. The interest of consumers in products is the main drive for the introduction of the brand concept. Brand becomes important due to the fact that organization wants the products and services to be recognizable by the public. This recognition is followed by formation of brand reputation which requires long term investments to be established.The purpose of this study is to analyze how strategic CSR and brand reputation are perceived to affect competitive advantage in a specific company. This study traces the perceptions of CSR, the brand reputation and the competitive advantage concepts in this company, with particular focus on how they are perceived by the employees in the organization.In this case study, Exploratory Sequential Mixed Methods Design is used to have different insights from qualitative and quantitative analyses. In this design, first qualitative analysis has been conducted and it is followed by the quantitative analysis.Findings of this study reveal that in the specific company, the perceptions of management and nonmanagement employees differ for the given concepts. The non-management employees think that CSR enables competitive advantage whereas management favors brand reputation more and thinks that it is crucial for competitive advantage of the specific company. Although management thinks that CSR is an important concept that the organization might benefit from, there is no plan to evaluate CSR strategically in the specific company.A crucial attribute of a company is to be dynamic and to adapt rapidly to the industry and market changes. This is followed by generation of the brand and improvement of the brand to provide reputation. From this perspective, it is a necessity that both CSR and brand reputation should be evaluated strategically in ACME AB and if neglected, the competitive advantage of a company cannot be realized. / Socialt ansvar har en lång historia och det utvecklats från äkta altruism av människans inneboende altruism. Å andra sidan, finner samhällsansvar (CSR) sina rötter i organisationer. Samspelet mellan en organisation och samhället möjliggör för CSR sikt att växa och påverka både organisationer och människor.Termen CSR utvärderas olika i olika sammanhang med olika metoder av akademiker. En typ av CSR, strategisk CSR, syftar till att utvärdera CSR ur ett strategiskt perspektiv. Eftersom strategisk CSR är en långsiktig investering ger det en konkurrensfördel gentemot konkurrenterna när ett företag investerar i CSR och kommunicerar CSR väl.Konsumenternas intresse av produkter är den viktigaste drivkraften för införandet av varumärkesbegreppet. Varumärket blir viktigt på grund av att organisationen vill att deras produkter och tjänster ska kännas igen av allmänheten. När väl varumärket etablerats kan dess rykte börja byggas upp.Syftet med denna studie är att analysera hur strategisk CSR och varumärke uppfattas påverka konkurrensfördel i ett specifikt företag. Denna studie analyserar uppfattningar om CSR, det varumärke och konkurrensfördelar uppfattningar om begreppen i ett specifikt företag, med särskilt fokus på hur de uppfattas av de anställda i organisationen.I denna fallstudie används metodiken Exploratory Sequential Mixed Methods Design för att få insikt både via kvalitativa och kvantitativa analyser. I denna metodik, har första kvalitativ analys genomförts och det följs av den kvantitativa analysen.Resultaten av denna studie visar att i ett specifikt företag skiljer sig uppfattningarna om de givna begreppen mellan anställda i ledande och icke ledande ställning. Anställda i icke ledande befattningartror att CSR ger konkurrensfördelar, medan ledningen gynnar varumärke mer och tycker att det är avgörande för att ge företaget konkurrensfördelar. Även om ledningen anser att CSR är ett viktigt begrepp som organisation kan dra nytta, finns det inga planer på att utvärdera CSR strategiskt i ett specifikt företag.En avgörande egenskap hos ett företag är att vara dynamiskt och att kunna anpassa sig snabbt till förändringar i branschen och dess marknad. Detta bidrar till att bygga upp varumärket och, på längre sikt, ge det ett got rykte. Ur detta perspektiv är det en nödvändighet att både CSR och rykte utvärderas strategiskt i ett specifikt företag och om de försummas, kan deras associerade konkurrensfördelar för ett företag inte förverkligas.

Problem: Despite much attention from researchers and practitioners, the reason(s) for why M&A’s tend to fail remain a topic of investigation. Within this investigation there is reason to believe this problem is connected to not prioritizing communicating with multiple stakeholders a during post-M&A integration. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the specific context of communicating with multiple stakeholders during post-M&A integration. Method: A qualitative, abductive and exploratory study with semi-structured interviews providing primary data from stakeholders (respondents) with different experiences of communicating during in post-M&A integration. Results: The results of this study contribute with new insights within the scope of communicating with multiple stakeholders during post-M&A integration. These insights are analyzed and collected in a revised conceptual framework along with reflecting on theory and discussing practical implications. Recommendations for future studies are offered along with discussing the limitations of this study. / Problem: Trots mycket uppmärksamhet från forskare och praktiker så undersökts det fortfarande varför M&A brukar misslyckas. Inom denna undersökning finns det anledning att tro att problemet är kopplat till att inte priortiera kommunikation med flera intressenter under post-M&A integration. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka den specifika kontexten att kommunicera med flera intressenter under post-M&A integration. Metod: En kvalitativ, abduktiv och exploratoriv studie med semi-strukturerade intervjuer som bidrar med primärdata från intressenter (respondenter) med olika erfarenheter av kommunikation under post-M&A integration. Resultat: Studiens resultat bidrar med nya insikter inom ramen för att kommunicera med flera intressenter under post-M&A integration. Dessa insikter har analyserats och samlats i ett reviderat konceptuelt ramverk tillsammas med en reflektion över teory samt en disksussion av studiens praktiska implikationer. Rekomendationer fram framtida studier presenteras samt så diskuteras studiens begränsningar.

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Arbetet har genomförts med målet att skapa ett mervärde för Sony Ericssons produkter, utan att fokusera på telefoner. Vi har undersökt hur man kan öka användarens band till en teknologisk produkt som man alltid bär med sig. Vi har, genom att anordna en workshop, studerat användare och deras attityd gällande personalisering av mobiltelefoner. Vidare har vi besökt Milano och Berlin, och studerat hur mobiltelefoner kommuniceras hos återförsäljare och hur de används, för att få ett globalt perspektiv. Studierna har resulterat i att vi funnit en brist i hur personliga teknologier svarar mot människors känslor. Vi har baserat på detta skapat ett koncept vi kallar Selectíf som innebär en serie riktlinjer, eller kriterier för att skapa tillbehör till mobiltelefoner. Dessa tillbehör skall ta större hänsyn till emotionella aspekter och fokusera mindre på att vara funktions orienterade. Selectíf-produkter sätter känslorna i främsta rummet och skapar därmed ett mervärde baserat på emotionella band. / We have in this thesis studied the area of emotive design as a way to create a stronger user experience. Functionality and features are still important to break new grounds and develop artifacts that can make our life easier, but the value of the product must beconsidered in a new way and communicated on new level, an emotional level.We have within the thesis, in collaboration with Sony Ericsson,investigated how emotions can be evoked by personal technologies.The human computer interaction is today so advanced that we might not always reflect over the impact the technology has on us. Our personal technology is getting more sophisticated which could allow stronger emotional bonds between the user and a device. What we have created is a concept for designing what we call emotional triggers.To find out what triggers users’ emotions towards technologyin order to create an added value, we have studied the relationshipbetween users and their mobile phones. These studies included a workshop where we aimed to find out how users perceive their mobile phone and also how willing they are to personalize it.Furthermore we conducted trend research in Berlin and Milan to see international differences in mobile usage and also tocompare it to other industries such as the fashion industry.The result is a concept we call Selectíf. The concept is a set of design criteria for designing add-ons that are made to illustratemore emotional values of a technical device. The concept is based on the notion of a series of add-ons and we have also createda first prototype, called Selectíf no1 based on the criteria.The prototype focuses less on technology and more on a user’s emotional needs and illuminates how personal technologies canbe designed to be more emotive and thereby create a stronger user experience.

This study on parent involvement in Early Childhood Development in KwaZulu Natal investigates the experiences of educators and parents of the different types of parent and community involvement as set out in the Epstein typology. In order to investigate this phenomenon a thorough background of the theory and practice of the Epstein model has been provided. In addition the work of other researchers that support the Epstein typology of parent involvement forms an integral part of the discussions. As parent involvement is the key focus of the study, parent involvement in education before and after 1994 are discussed. In this regard relevant educational policy and legislation that are designed to increase the role of parents and the community in Early Childhood Development are highlighted. Parents' role in the provision of Early Childhood Development is explored. The provision of Early Childhood Development in KwaZulu Natal, which provides a backdrop for the investigation, is explained. In addition contextual factors that influence parent involvement in KwaZulu Natal are provided. The research methodology and the research design used in this study are described in detail. By means of a qualitative approach the experiences of a small sample of educators and parents in Early Childhood Development are explored using the six types of parent involvement that include parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home and collaborating with the community as set out in Epstein's comprehensive model. The experiences of educators and parents of Grade R learners of the six types of involvement have been included. Although all schools engage in some form of parent involvement, it is evident that not all schools involve parents in all types of parent involvement to the same extent. The study concludes with recommendations for developing strategies to involve parents more effectively in Early Childhood Development in KwaZulu Natal. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Comparative Education)

The discipline of component-based modeling and simulation offers promising gains including reduction in development cost, time, and system complexity. This paradigm is very profitable as it promotes the use and reuse of modular components and is auspicious for effective development of complex simulations. It however is confronted by a series of research challenges when it comes to actually practice this methodology. One of such important issue is Composability verification. In modeling and simulation (M&amp;S), composability is the capability to select and assemble components in various combinations to satisfy specific user requirements. Therefore to ensure the correctness of a composed model, it is verified with respect to its requirements specifications.There are different approaches and existing component modeling frameworks that support composability however in our observation most of the component modeling frameworks possess none or weak built-in support for the composability verification. One such framework is Base Object Model (BOM) which fundamentally poses a satisfactory potential for effective model composability and reuse. However it falls short of required semantics, necessary modeling characteristics and built-in evaluation techniques, which are essential for modeling complex system behavior and reasoning about the validity of the composability at different levels.In this thesis a comprehensive verification framework is proposed to contend with some important issues in composability verification and a verification process is suggested to verify composability of different kinds of systems models, such as reactive, real-time and probabilistic systems. With an assumption that all these systems are concurrent in nature in which different composed components interact with each other simultaneously, the requirements for the extensive techniques for the structural and behavioral analysis becomes increasingly challenging. The proposed verification framework provides methods, techniques and tool support for verifying composability at its different levels. These levels are defined as foundations of a consistent model composability. Each level is discussed in detail and an approach is presented to verify composability at that level. In particular we focus on theDynamic-Semantic Composability level due to its significance in the overallcomposability correctness and also due to the level of difficulty it poses in theprocess. In order to verify composability at this level we investigate the application ofthree different approaches namely (i) Petri Nets based Algebraic Analysis (ii) ColoredPetri Nets (CPN) based State-space Analysis and (iii) Communicating SequentialProcesses based Model Checking. All the three approaches attack the problem ofverifying dynamic-semantic composability in different ways however they all sharethe same aim i.e., to confirm the correctness of a composed model with respect to itsrequirement specifications. Beside the operative integration of these approaches inour framework, we also contributed in the improvement of each approach foreffective applicability in the composability verification. Such as applying algorithmsfor automating Petri Net algebraic computations, introducing a state-space reductiontechnique in CPN based state-space analysis, and introducing function libraries toperform verification tasks and help the molder with ease of use during thecomposability verification. We also provide detailed examples of using each approachwith different models to explain the verification process and their functionality.Lastly we provide a comparison of these approaches and suggest guidelines forchoosing the right one based on the nature of the model and the availableinformation. With a right choice of an approach and following the guidelines of ourcomponent-based M&amp;S life-cycle a modeler can easily construct and verify BOMbased composed models with respect to its requirement specifications. / <p>Overseas Scholarship for PHD in selected Studies Phase II Batch I</p><p>Higher Education Commision of Pakistan.</p><p>QC 20130224</p>

L'usage excessif de fertilisants azotés dans les pratiques agricoles modernes est préoccupant car il aboutit, entre autres, à la pollution des nappes phréatiques et à l’eutrophisation des eaux douces et marines. L’analyse du sol peut faciliter la mise en place de nouvelles pratiques agricoles qui tiennent davantage compte des variations temporelles et locales du sol et des plantes. Ces travaux visent donc le développement d’un système d’analyse in-situ, autonome et communicant pour le suivi en temps réel des teneurs en azote minéral du sol. Notre système est basé sur la technologie de microcapteur chimique en silicium lon-Sensitive Field Effect Transistor (ISFET). Une première phase de son développement a été dédiée à la fabrication de microcapteurs génériques pH-ISFET. La problématique de la détermination du pH du sol en insérant les pH-ISFET directement dans le sol a été considérée. Les résultats obtenus par cette méthode in-situ ont été comparés avec la méthode standard et nous avons examiné l’influence de paramètres propres au sol (humidité, texture, pH) et à l’ISFET (durée de vie, dérive temporelle). Dans un second temps, des puces pNH,-ISFET et pNO;-ISFET ont été obtenues en fonctionnalisant les puces génériques pH-ISFET grâce à l'intégration de membranes ionosensibles. La composition de ces membranes a été optimisée jusqu’à obtention de propriétés de détection (sensibilité, sélectivité, stabilité...) en adéquation avec les teneurs en ions ammonium et nitrates typiques des sols cultivés. Des premières caractérisations en conditions in-situ ont alors été effectuées. Finalement, les'capteurs ont été intégrés à un système permettant l’insertion des capteurs dans le sol, leur protection, l’alimentation électrique par batterie et la communication à distance des données de mesure. De premiers résultats, prometteurs, ont été obtenus. / Excessive use of nitrogen fertilizers in modern agricultural practices is a concern as it leads to groundwater pollution and eutrophication of fresh and marine waters. Soil testing can enable the introduction of new agricultural practices that take more into account temporal and local variations of soil and plants. This work therefore aims at the development of an in situ, autonomous and communicating analysis system for real-time monitoring of the mineral nitrogen contents of soils.Our system is based on the Ion-sensitive Field Effect Transistor (ISFET) microsensor technology. A first step of its development was dedicated to the fabrication of generic pH-ISFET microsensors. The problem of determining soil pH by inserting pH-ISFETs directly into the soil was considered. Results obtained by this in situ method were compared with the standard method and we examined the influence of soil ( moisture, texture, pH) and IFSET parameters (lifetime, time drift). In a second step, pNH4-ISFET and pNO3-ISFET chips were obtained by functionalizing the generic pH-ISFET chips with ionosensitive membrane. The composition of these membranes has been optimized until detection properties ( sensitivity, selectivity, stability, etc.) were in good accordance with the ammonium and nitrate ion contents of cultivated soils. Characterizations under in situ conditions were then carried out.Finally, the integration in the ground, the protection, the power supply and the remote communication of the sensors were made possible by the integration in a dedicated system. We obtained promising results.

Introdução - O aconselhamento é a estratégia escolhida pela Organização Mundial da Saúde para o combate à epidemia de aids por ser um método de ajuda, apoio e prevenção. Objetivo - Analisar as características das interações aconselhador-cliente no processo da revelação do diagnóstico positivo para HIV em dois Centros de Testagem e Aconselhamento em DST e Aids do Município de São Paulo, com base na versão dos clientes e tomando por referência suas repercussões sobre os procedimentos e resultados da atividade. Métodos - Como técnica de coleta para o levantamento de dados, foi utilizada a entrevista em momento posterior ao aconselhamento pós-teste. No total, foram realizadas 20 entrevistas, sendo 14 os sujeitos de pesquisa. Todos os entrevistados eram do sexo masculino. Os critérios escolhidos para inclusão no estudo foram: ter 18 anos ou mais; ter resultado positivo no teste anti-HIV; e ter participado do processo de revelação do diagnóstico de infecção pelo HIV nos serviços pesquisados. Para organizar os dados, a autora utilizou a técnica de análise de conteúdo por entrevista e por tema, construindo categorias analíticas segundo os objetivos do estudo. Os dados foram analisados e interpretados por meio da utilização de conceitos da teoria psicanalítica de D.W.Winnicott. Resultados - Com base nos relatos, considera-se que os profissionais seguem bem o protocolo do aconselhamento, atingindo seus objetivos de: a) lidar com os sentimentos provocados pelo diagnóstico positivo para o HIV; b) dar ao cliente a oportunidade de expressar seu sofrimento e angústia; c) sustentar as dificuldades de compartilhar a notícia com familiares e parceiros; e d) tirar dúvidas sobre prevenção de DST/HIV e sobre a terapia antiretroviral. Os contextos de aconselhamento investigados caracterizaram-se pelas interações de ajuda e suporte para a maioria dos entrevistados, funcionando como realidade compartilhada e dando sustentação para seus sentimentos e preocupações. Entretanto, alguns clientes sentiram falta de espaço para discussão e de mais tempo para abordarem questões pessoais, além daquelas relacionadas à sua nova condição de portadores do HIV. Conclusões - Na versão dos clientes, os aconselhadores os acolhem, informam e apóiam em suas necessidades. A análise revelou os processos psicológicos que operaram no momento do aconselhamento pós-teste entre o sujeito de pesquisa e o aconselhador. A escuta do cliente é a condição primordial para que o ambiente de compartilhamento se instale. O estudo fornece subsídios para melhorar a qualidade deste serviço prestado à população. / Introduction - Counseling is the strategy chosen by the World Health Organization against the aids epidemic since it is a method for help, support and prevention. Objective - To analyze the characteristics of counselor-subject interactions within the process of disclosing the positive diagnosis for HIV in two STD and Aids Counseling and Testing Centers in the city of São Paulo, according to the subjects’ version and based on their repercussions of the activity's procedures and results. Methods - The technique used to gather data was the interview, performed after the counseling moment when test result was communicated. In total, 20 interviews were carried with 14 research subjects. All interviewed were men. The criteria chosen to include a subject in the research were: greater than 18 years of age; positive for HIV; and having received the positive diagnosis for HIV at the researched CTC. In order to organize the data, the author used the technique of analysis of content by interview and by theme, elaborating analytical categories based on the study objectives. The data was interpreted using the concepts of the psychoanalytical theory of D. W. Winnicott. Results - Based on the subjects’ reports, it is considered that professionals follow the protocol for counseling, reaching its objectives, which are: a) dealing with feelings caused by the diagnosis; b) providing the opportunity to the subjects to express their suffering and anxiety; c) surpassing difficulties sharing the diagnosis with their family and partners; and d) clarifying questions about STD/HIV prevention and therapy. In the investigated counseling the interactions were characterized by the support and assistance for most of the subjects, acting as a shared reality and providing support to their feelings and concerns. However, some subjects felt the need for more time to discuss their feelings and personal issues, besides the ones related to their new HIV carrier condition. Conclusions - In the subjects’ version, the counselors welcome them, provide information and support for their needs. The study revealed the psychological processes occurred during the post-test counseling between the subject and the counselor. Listening to the subject is the primary condition to establish a sharing environment. The study provides data to improve the service currently available to the population.

This thesis describes corporate greening in general, and specifically the environmental technology (ET) sector as a green sector. The thesis has also particular focus on production and products related aspects and the influence of the environmental profile of the ET sector on the environmental engagement of companies in the sector. The study is based on a questionnaire-based survey, online surveys and on semi-structured open-ended interviews. The organizations within the ET sector were identified using existing platforms within this sector: Sustainability Sweden and Swentec. The results show that not all companies and industry associations in the ET sector clearly distinguish between product and production related environmental aspects. Furthermore, the product related environmental profile, which constitutes the legitimacy for the sector, can influence companies’ environmental strategy, not only positively but also negatively. The results from the survey on Global Supersector Leaders 2009/2010 in Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) show that all companies are aware of production and product related environmental issues. Based on results from this survey a model of corporate environmental profile consisting of product and production oriented activities as well as initiatives that go beyond the core business operations is proposed. These initiatives can be divided into two groups: environmental education and environmental projects and sponsorship. This thesis proposes products and production related impacts and environmental activities as bases for defining corporate environmental profiles, corporate greening, and for defining ‘green’ and ‘green-green’ business as well as environmental leaders. The distinction between product and production related environmental initiatives as well as the other dimensions of the proposed model in this thesis can support companies in their communication of environmental performance and environmental activities.  Furthermore, ‘competitive advantage’, ‘environmental responsibility’ and ‘environmental leadership’ should motivate companies within the ET sector to be ‘vocal’ green-green firms.