Only a small number of projects of information system development succeed. Agile methodologies have contributed to a higher level of success of specific projects developed by small teams. Nevertheless, most IT companies still refuse this approach with large-scale projects. This paper comments on the conditions that must be fulfilled for agile adoption, analyzes the limitation of such processes, and describes the approaches for the solutions of such problems with the focus on projects in a complex environment. By means of a case study, the next part of the paper shows the advantages of adopting an agile approach in a real project in a complex environment, which is in conflict with the so far presented limitations of this methodology. The project was evaluated as a success, primary, due to the implementation of the agile methodology during the development phase. This implementation helped meet all the project deadlines, accelerate bug-fixing, and especially deliver functionalities which brought an additional value to the customer. Based on the findings of the case study, the procedures and practices extending the chosen agile methodology are defined. Such procedures and practices can be used in other projects in complex environments in the future. Thus, the paper shows more options for the use of these methodologies, which may help its wider use in the future and hence increasing the success of projects focused on the development of information systems. Such situation would lead to an effective interconnectedness of ICT and business strategies, especially due to the flexible delivery of currently needed ICT services.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:36:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 AlexsandroLDO.pdf: 329212 bytes, checksum: 72e9f94d5f2af1bff3f6180d3b9b5aa7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-09-20 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior / Timeplace learning is the capacity of organisms to associate both space and time with a biological relevant stimulus such as food. Experiments are usually done with food restricted animals due to the belief that food system activation is necessary for timeplace learning. Another line of thought suggest that, in addition to food system activation, response cost should be increased to effectively allow timeplace discrimination. The purpose of this experiment was to test whether a complex environment, which presumably implied in a heightened response cost, would facilitate timeplace association in satiated rats using a highly palatable food as reward. Nine rats were trained in a timeplace task for 30 nonconsecutive days. A large experimental box (1x1m) divided in four compartments was used. To access each compartment the animal had to overcome a series of obstacles such as ramps, staircases and mazes. Two feeders localized in opposite compartments were rewarded with sunflower seeds in two daily sessions. One feeder offered the reward during the morning sessions while the second feeder in afternoon sessions. After the 15th day of training, the animals began to show a preference for the correct feeder during the correct time of day expressed by increased frequency of visits as well as lower latency to access the feeders. These results suggest that satiated animals are also capable of learning a timespace task as far as the experimental context is complex enough to result in a higher response cost / O aprendizado espacialtemporal ? a capacidade dos organismos em associar espa?o e tempo com um est?mulo biologicamente relevante, tal como a comida. Experimentos geralmente s?o feitos com animais em restri??o alimentar, devido acreditarse que a ativa??o do sistema alimentar ? necess?ria para a mem?ria espacialtemporal. Outra linha de pensamento sugere que, em conjunto com a ativa??o do sistema alimentar, o custo de resposta deve ser aumentado para efetivamente permitirse a discrimina??o espa?otempo. O prop?sito desta experi?ncia foi testar se um ambiente complexo, presumivelmente implicando num aumento do custo de resposta, poderia facilitar a associa??o espa?otempo em animais saciados, utilizando um alimento altamente palat?vel como recompensa. Nove ratos foram treinados em uma tarefa espacialtemporal por 30 dias n?oconsecutivos. Uma caixa experimental grande (1m x 1m x 0,5m) dividida em quatro compartimentos foi utilizada. Para acessar cada compartimento o animal tinha que vencer uma s?rie de obst?culos, tais como rampas, escadas e labirintos. Dois comedouros localizados em compartimentos opostos forneciam sementes de girassol como recompensa em duas sess?es di?rias. Um comedouro ofereceu recompensa durante as sess?es matutinas enquanto o segundo comedouro ofereceu recompensa durante as sess?es vespertinas. Depois do 15? dia de treino, os animais come?aram a demonstrar uma prefer?ncia pelo comedouro correto na hora correta do dia, expressa tanto pelo aumento na freq??ncia de visitas quanto na diminui??o da lat?ncia para acessar o comedouro correto. Estes resultados sugerem que animais saciados tamb?m s?o capazes de aprender uma tarefa espacialtemporal, desde que o contexto experimental seja complexo o bastante para resultar num custo de resposta mais alto

Konceptet Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) och varför företag väljer att arbeta med det debatteras av många, inom akademin såväl som utanför. Dock finns det en oenighet i vad som inkluderas i ett företags arbete med CSR. Denna studie hävdar att nuvarande teorier som används är oförmögna att förklara den komplexa omgivning som företag verkar inom och därmed inte lyckas ge ett bra svar på denna studies syfte, om hur CSR är konstruerat. Studien nyttjar teorin om institutionell logik som verktyg för att kunna utforska företags arbete med CSR i en komplex omgivning och diskursteori för att åskådliggöra innebörden av CSR och dess konstruktion. Trots mycket forskning inom institutionella logiker, skiljer sig denna studie genom sin användning av CSR-rapporter, insamlade från företag i den uppmärksammade klädbranschen, som källor till data.Studien konstaterar att ett klädföretags arbete med CSR utgår från flera parallella, ofta motstridiga, institutionella logiker som formas genom en komplex omgivnings många olika påtryckningar. Studiens resultat beskriver dessutom ett CSR som inkluderar en moralisk ställning där företagen utför filantropiska handlingar, bortom behovet för deras egen verksamhet. Härigenom illustreras en diskursiv konstruktion av CSR som är lika komplex som den omgivningen där företagen verkar, med flera parallella logiker som influerar. Genom svarandet av syftet, gör studien två bidrag till teorin om institutionell logik. I identifieringen av institutionella logiker blir en helt ny institutionell ordning bekräftad. Slutligen, i användningen av CSR-rapporter för analys, uppvisar studien även hur organisationers egna texter kan användas för att identifiera institutionella logiker.Två implikationer kan göras, där den första rör den makt som företagets olika intressenter har i att influera vad CSR innebär och på så sätt också driva påverkan, som betydande komponenter av en omgivning som företagen visar stor följsamhet till. Den andra implikationen berör nödvändigheten i företags beaktande av en CSR-diskurs som inkluderar en moralisk dimension, med ett åtagande som går bortom intresset för den egna verksamheten. / The concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and why companies choose to engage in such task is debated by many, both within the academy as well as outside it. There is however a disagreement in what is included in a company’s engagement in CSR activities. This study argues that current theories in use, are unable to explain the complex environment in which companies operate and therefore incapable of providing good answers to this study’s purpose, concerning how CSR is constructed. This study draws on the theory of institutional logics as a tool in exploring a company’s engagement in CSR in a complex environment and discourse theory in visualizing the meaning of CSR as well as its construction. Despite a great amount of research in institutional logics, this study departs from previous research in its exclusive use of CSR-reports, gathered from companies in the remarkable apparel industry, as sources of data.This study concludes that an apparel company´s engagement in CSR activities emanates from several, often contradictive, institutional logics that take form through numerous different pressures in the environment. The result of the study calls for a CSR that includes a moral stance where the companies perform philanthropic deeds, beyond the needs of their own business. Hereby, the study displays a discursive construction of CSR that is equally complex as the environments in which the companies operate, with numerous different yet parallel logics influencing. In answering the purpose, the study makes two contributions to the theory of institutional logics. In identifying the institutional logics, an entirely new institutional order is acknowledged. Lastly, in using CSR-reports in the analysis, this study shows how texts of organisation´s own making can be used in identifying institutional logics.Two implications can be made, the first being the power that different stakeholder of the company has in influencing the meaning of CSR and how they themselves are part of the process. Thus being able to drive change, as important components in an environment to which companies show great compliance. The second implication concerns the necessity in company’s consideration to a discourse of CSR that includes a moral dimension, comprising a commitment that goes beyond a vested interest for the business.

Forskning och implementering av teknik och tjänster för navigering utomhus, såsom GPS, har kommit långt om man jämför med de alternativen som i dagsläget erbjuds för motparten för navigering inomhus. Användarvänliga wayfinding-lösningar för inomhusbruk är ett område som fortfarande har ett stort behov av mer forskning inriktad på rekommendationer och genomförbarhet av god praxis. Ett av våra mål under forskningsprocessen syftade till att undersöka och identifiera de mest lämpliga sätten att förmedla wayfinding-lösningar till slutanvändarna i olika situationer. För att vi skulle kunna undersöka denna uppgift använde vi oss av en benchmarking-process. Processen utfördes på ett urval av tjänster som erbjuder olika alternativ för wayfinding. Målet med denna process har varit att utreda vilka olika alternativ som finns tillgängliga i dagsläget, vad dessa tjänster erbjuder användarna i form av wayfinding stöd, och var potentiella problem kan uppstå utifrån användarens kognitiva beteende. Processen har även lyft fram områden som rör god praxis för wayfinding och de teknologiska begränsningar som tillhör valet av mobila enheter eller andra digitala plattformar. Vår forskning har visat att det finns flera olika lösningsalternativ som är tillgängliga för implementation i dagsläget. Dock har alla de alternativ som erbjuds sina egna specifika styrkor, svagheter och begränsningar kopplat till både den teknik som används, såväl som användbarheten för slutanvändarna. Det slutliga resultatet av vår forskning är en sammanställning av kvalitativa data och rekommendationer som hanterar både digitala och användar-fokuserade begränsningar som är sammanlänkade till vårt specifika fall. Det resultat som lyfts fram i vår forskning bör dock inte limiteras till endast vårt specifika fall. Istället bör det snarare ses som en referenspunkt för organisationer eller utvecklare som har ett intresse av att implementera wayfinding-lösningar, med syfte att hjälpa sina besökare för att navigera inomhus, eller för framtida forskning inom inomhusnavigering och wayfinding. / Research and implementation of use when it comes to outdoor navigation and GPS systems have come quite far compared to their indoor alternatives. Pedestrian friendly wayfinding solutions for indoor use are still lagging behind, and even more so when it comes to recommendations on implementation of best practice. One of our goals during the research process was aimed at finding the most adequate ways of conveying wayfinding solutions to end-users in different situations. In order to perform this task, we used a benchmarking process on a selection of wayfinding alternatives. The goal of this process have been focused on finding out which solutions are available at this moment, what they offer the users in terms of wayfinding support, and where issues might arise based on cognitive user theory, wayfinding best practice and technological limitations concerning mobile devices or different digital platforms. During our research we found that there are several different solutions that are available for implementation, but that they all come with their own specific strengths and limitations on both the technological side and for the end-users concerning usability. The result of our research has been a collection of qualitative data, and recommendations concerning digital and user limitations connected to our specific case. However, the result of this research should not be limited to our case alone, but rather as a reference point for organizations or developers that wish to implement indoor solutions for users, or for future research within the area of indoor navigation and wayfinding.

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