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While information systems researchers have argued well from socio-technical and organizational culture perspectives that information technology (IT) and organizational structures are interdependent and continually reshape each other, few studies have sought fine-grained, micro-level explanations for the heterogeneity in IT use often observed across seemingly similar end users and seemingly similar work contexts. Using a nested comparative case study design, I explore electronic medical record (EMR) use by physicians in an integrated multi-specialty health care organization. I use multiple methods to observe and develop micro-level understandings of factors associated with EMR use. The study was conducted in eight practices operating within the same organization. Data collection methods included semi-structured interviews, non-participant observations, and questionnaires. A constant comparative approach guided data analysis. Differences in physician values were noted, as were differences in physician perspectives of uncertainty. I categorized physicians as high, medium and low EMR users depending on a variety of factors including degree to which the EMR was integrated into work practices, degree of feature use, and degree of EMR-enabled communication. Drawing on theories of professionalism, I explain between-physician heterogeneity in EMR use as partly a function of differences in dimensionality of professional values. Three dimensions of professional values were identified 1) profession-oriented, 2) patient-oriented and 3) organization-oriented. Drawing on complexity theory, I argue that differences in physician perspectives of uncertainty influence their EMR use. I found that physicians who viewed uncertainty primarily as reducible through information tended to be higher users of the EMR. Physicians who viewed uncertainty as fundamental, or inherent, in care delivery processes tended to be lower users of the EMR. This study contributes to information systems research by extending current understandings of IT use. The professional values held by physicians and their perspectives of uncertainty may be more important in shaping EMR use than previously thought. These findings indicate the need to more aggressively pursue EMR designs, implementation strategies and policies that accommodate these two additional factors. Additionally, findings from this research indicate a need for IT managers in professional settings to consider end-user professional values and perspectives of uncertainty in decisions involving IT assets. / text

Military analysis is becoming more reliant on constructive simulations for campaign modeling. Requirements for force-level capabilities, distributed command and control architectures, network centric operations, and increased levels of systems and operational integration are straining the analysis tools of choice. The models constructed are becoming more complex, both in terms of their composition and their behavior. They are complex in their composition because they are constituted from a large number of entities that interact nonlinearly through non-trivial networks and in their behavior because they display emergent characteristics. The modeling and simulation paradigm of choice for analyzing these systems of systems has been agent-based modeling and simulation. This construct is the most capable in terms of the characteristics of complex systems that it can capture, but it is the most demanding to construct, execute, verify and validate. This thesis is focused around two objectives. The first is to study the possibility of being able to compare two or more large-scale system architectures' capabilities without resorting to full-scale agent-based modeling and simulation. The second objective is to support the quantitative identification of the critical systems that compose the large-scale system architecture. The second objective will be crucial in the cases where a constructive simulation is the only option to capture the required behaviors of the complex system being studied. The enablers for this thesis are network modeling, graph theory, and in particular, spectral graph theory. The first hypothesis, stemmed from the first objective, states that if the capability of an architecture can be described as a series of functional cycles through the systems that compose them, then a simple network modeling construct can be employed to compare the different architectures' capabilities. The objective led to the second hypothesis, which states that a ranking based on the spectral characteristics of the network of functional interactions indicates the most critical systems. If modeling effort is focused on these systems, then the modeler can obtain the maximum fidelity model for the minimum effort.

L’objectif de cette thèse est de comprendre le design des organisations à la fois innovantes et socialement responsables qui sont capable d’apprendre et évoluer dans l’économie globale basée sur les connaissances. En appliquant l’approche de la science de la complexité au niveau des entreprises (premier essai), nous apportons un éclairage théorique sur les conditions favorables à l’innovation des systèmes organisationnels. Notre analyse suggère que c'est la culture organisationnelle éthique basée sur la liberté individuelle et orientée vers le bien commun qui est la plus favorable à l’innovation radicale et durable. Ce prototype de la culture éthique est opérationnalisé ensuite en mobilisant le cadre théorique de Nahapiet & Ghoshal (1998) sur le lien entre les trois dimensions de capital social et l’innovation (la deuxième étude) et le design holographique (la troisième étude). Nous testons nos deux modèles de recherche sur un échantillon de convenance des répondants organisationnelles en utilisant la méthode PLS-SEM. Les résultats empiriques valident nos deux modèles théoriques qui mettent en évidence le rôle critique du leadership éthique pour développer une culture d’entreprise éthique propice à l’innovation. Ce type de culture organisationnelle qui favorise à la fois l’afflux de nouvelles idées (grâce à la diversité au travail et aux partenariats avec les parties prenantes) et la coopération des employés (grâce au climat éthique ; participation d’employés dans les programmes de la RSE et à l’orientation stratégique de la RSE) est indispensable pour réconcilier la performance économique des entreprises avec le développement durable de la société globale / The aim of this thesis is to understand the design of socially responsible and innovative organizations that are capable of learning and evolving in the global knowledge-based economy. By applying the systemic approach of complexity science to business companies (first essay), we provide a theoretical understanding of the enabling conditions for organizational innovations. Our analysis suggests that ethical learning culture built on individual freedom for creativity and organizational vision for sustainability is the most likely to create a work environment conducive to radical sustainable innovations. To operationalize the prototype of ethical learning culture, we mobilize the theoretical model Nahapiet & Ghoshal (1998) on the link between three dimensions of social capital and innovation (second study) and the cybernetic principles of holographic design (third study). We test the two research models on a convenience sample of organizational respondents by using the PLS-SEM. Empirical findings validate our two theoretical models that highlight the critical role of ethical leadership for developing an ethical learning culture. This type of organizational culture that simultaneously encourages inflows of new ideas (thanks to workforce diversity and partnerships with the firm’s stakeholders) and employees’ cooperation (thanks to ethical climate, employees’ participation in CSR projects and strategic CSR orientation) is essential for the long-term business success and sustainable human development

Part one provides a literature review on the development of attitude theory in marketing research and addresses concerns regarding the effects of common method variance (CMV) in published studies based on the reasoned-action paradigm of consumer behavior and decision making. The results of a marker-variable analysis, logit analysis, and reanalysis of path estimates support the validity of self-report survey research designs. Part two employs a survey design to develop and validate a scale to measure a consumer s tendency to use a complex decision style (CDS) in conceptualizing and negotiating high-stakes decision situations. Drawing from literature on cognitive style theory and complexity science, a complex approach to decision making is characterized as being complexity-focused; decision makers tend to rely more heavily on strategies such as collaborating with others and integrating a variety of information. The CDS scale is also applied within a conceptual model of choice of elective healthcare treatment, specifically, women s decisions regarding the use of hormone therapy, commonly referred to as HRT.

Drawing on experience as a communications consultant to the junior mining industry, this research emerged from my observations that anti-mining, non-governmental organization (NGO) campaigns are currently winning the public relations war against the mining industry. Increasing global awareness and anti-mining sentiment may be due in part to a lack of communication on behalf of mining companies with respect to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and specifically community investment activities in developing countries. I sought to investigate what community investment initiatives a sample of Canadian junior exploration companies are conducting and the root causes for a possible CSR communication gap or “reporting silence” in this regard, which, if remedied, could potentially help balance this negative publicity. Results from interviews with mining company executives, industry CSR practitioners, and investment fund managers identified a number of factors contributing to a community investment communication gap, and reflect upon the multiplicity of stakeholder audiences with complex and divergent information needs. My thesis concludes with recommendations as to how junior exploration companies and industry CSR practitioners might consider community investment in developing countries through a complexity science lens to explore collaborative solutions in addressing these communication gaps.

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No description available.

The growth in the interdependence and complexity of socio-technical systems requires the development of tools and techniques to aid in the formulation of better policies. The efforts of this research focus towards developing methodologies and support tools for better policy design and formulation. In this thesis, a new framework and a systematic approach for the formulation of policies are proposed. Focus has been directed to the interactions between policy measures, inspired by concepts in process design and network analysis. Furthermore, we have developed an agent-based approach to create a virtual environment for the exploration and analysis of different configurations of policy measures in order to build policy packages and test the effects of changes and uncertainties while formulating policies. By developing systematic approaches for the formulation and analysis of policies it is possible to analyse different configuration alternatives in greater depth, examine more alternatives and decrease the time required for the overall analysis. Moreover, it is possible to provide real-time assessment and feedback to the domain experts on the effect of changes in the configurations. These efforts ultimately help in forming more effective policies with synergistic and reinforcing attributes while avoiding internal contradictions. This research constitutes the first step towards the development of a general family of computer-based systems that support the design of policies. The results from this research also demonstrate the usefulness of computational approaches in addressing the complexity inherent in the formulation of policies. As a proof of concept, the proposed framework and methodologies have been applied to the formulation of policies that deal with transportation issues and emission reduction, but can be extended to other domains.

[ES] La presente investigación ha tenido como objetivo explorar el de modo en que el arte contemporáneo, puede contribuir a la adaptación biológica de los seres humanos desde la transición a la sostenibilidad de los complejos sistemas sociotécnicos. Debido al hecho de que el cerebro siempre está preparando hipótesis a futuro y conociendo en parte, como emerge la conciencia en él, nos preguntamos de qué forma la ciencia en toda su complejidad y las intersecciones que emergen entre diferentes disciplinas al analizarse contextos reales, el uso de las tecnologías y los diferentes sistemas de innovación contribuyen y pueden mejorar la adaptación cognitiva de los seres humanos ante posibles disrupciones sociales y medioambientales en los ecosistemas. En concreto se ha querido conocer de qué modo podemos aportar información de valor, a través de la pedagogía, el modelado de sistemas y la ciencia de sistemas. Al estudiar las estructuras emergentes en la autoorganización social, que intervienen en la continua transformación de los diferentes regímenes del paisaje dominante o Statu Quo del metabolismo socioeconómico global. A través de una triangulación de metodologías la investigación presupone la capacidad creativa de los seres humanos para abstraer la realidad y percibirla como totalidades, desde las que poner conciencia de nuestras interdependencias biológicas con los ecosistemas. Y situar en el contexto de investigación, la creencia de que, la clave de la sostenibilidad está en la organización de lo vivo, en el código orgánico y en las dinámicas relacionales. Creemos que el acceso al conocimiento es un fenómeno dinámico, espontáneo que se crea y se destruye infinitamente, como lo es el fenómeno de la conciencia. Al estudiar el contexto como agente crítico se ha elaborado una propuesta de cambio a nivel institucional, destacando que es posible, a futuro, que la ciencias de la complejidad integren el sistema valenciano de innovación. Para partir de una posición justificada desde un punto de vista de método científico se ha acotado el objeto de investigación y recurrido a la investigación de acción participativa de realismo crítico y como marco de trabajo o enfoque, la perspectiva multinivel (MLP), que estudia la complejidad de la transición a la sostenibilidad de los sistemas sociotécnicos de forma agregada, desde el campo de la sociología y esta se ha anclado como punto de partida en la sociología de los sistemas complejos adaptativos (SACS) / [CA] La present recerca ha tingut com a objectiu explorar la forma en què l'art contemporani, pot contribuir a l'adaptació biològica dels éssers humans des de la transició a la sostenibilitat dels complexos sistemes sociotècnics. Degut al fet fet de que el cervell sempre està preparant hipòtesi a futur i coneixent en part, com emergeix la consciència en ell, ens preguntem de quina forma la ciència en tota la seva complexitat i les interseccions que emergeixen de entreteixir l¿us de diferents disciplines en analitzar-se contextos reals, l'ús de les tecnologies i els diferents sistemes d'innovació contribueixen i poden millorar l'adaptació cognitiva dels éssers humans davant possibles disrupcions socials i mediambientals als ecosistemes. En concret s'ha volgut conèixer de quina manera podem aportar informació de valor, a través de la pedagogia, el modelatge de sistemes i la ciència de sistemas, de dades i la inteligencia artificial. En estudiar les estructures emergents en l'autoorganització social, que intervenen en la contínua transformació dels diferents règims del paisatge dominant o Statu quo del metabolisme socioeconòmic global, a través del nostre contexte local. Emprant una triangulació de metodologies , la recerca pressuposa la capacitat creativa dels éssers humans per a abstreure la realitat i percebre-la com a totalitats, des de les quals posar consciència de les nostres interdependències biològiques amb els ecosistemes. I situar a l'entorn de estudi , la creença, de que la clau de la sostenibilitat està en l'organització del viu, en el codi orgànic, en les dinàmiques relacionals. Creiem que l'accés al coneixement és un fenomen dinàmic, espontani que es crea i es destrueix infinitament, com ho és el fenomen de la consciència. En estudiar el context com a agent crític s'ha elaborat una proposta de canvi a nivell institucional, destacant que és possible, a futur, que la ciències de la complexitat integrin el Sistema Valencià d'Innovació (SVI), i el nacional. Per a partir d'una posició justificada des d'un punt de vista de mètode científic s'ha delimitat l'objecte de recerca i recorregut a la recerca d'acció participativa de realisme crític i com a marc de treball o enfocament, la Perspectiva Multi Nivell (MLP), que estudia la complexitat de forma agregada i com a punt de unió en el campo de estudi de la Sociología dels Sistemes Complexos Adaptatius (SACS) / [EN] The aim of this academic research is to explore how contemporary art can contribute to the biological adaptation of human beings in the transition to sustainability of complex socio-technical systems. Owing to the fact that the brain is always hypothesizing about the future and knowing to some extent how consciousness emerges, the question is raised of how science, technologies and different systems of innovation in all their complexity, and what emerges from the intersections between different disciplines when real contexts are analyzed, can contribute and can improve human beings' cognitive adaptation in the face of social and environmental disruption in ecosystems. Specifically, the intention has been to ascertain how we can contribute information of value in the following ways: By means of pedagogy, systems modelling and systems science. By studying the emerging structures in social self-organization which intervene in the ongoing transformation of the different regimes of the dominant landscape or the Statu quo of the global socio-economic metabolism. By means of the triangulation of methodologies, this study presupposes the creative capacity of human beings to abstract reality and to perceive it as totalities, thereby making us aware of our biological interdependence with ecosystems. This situates in a setting of discovery, the belief, that the key to sustainability is in the organization of the living, the organic code, and relational dynamics. We believe that the access to knowledge is a phenomenon which is both dynamic and spontaneous and which is created and destroyed in one neverending process, as is the phenomenon of consciousness. In the process of studying the context as the critical agent, a proposal for institutional change has been drawn up, a proposal which posits that in the future the Valencian system of innovation could be integrated in the sciences of complexity, a case in point could be UPV and more in particular the experience of a pre-doctoral student. In order to start from a position which can be justified from the point of view of the scientific method the object of this research has been limited, and the approach has been that of participatory action research and critical realism, while the framework or focus adopted was the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP), which studies complexities in aggregate form, connected across Sociology with Adaptative Complex Sytems (SACS) field of study. . / Méndez Gallart, MJ. (2023). Uso transdisciplinar del análisis sistémico en la ecología y en la creación de arte contemporáneo. Cambios de paradigma en la Valencia del siglo XXI [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/192757