Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This theoretical and practical research proposes to investigate the artistic creation process of photographic self-portraits. It analyzes the possibilities of identity reconfigurations, involved in this process, resulting in the series (Re)Configurações do eu [(Re)Configurations of me], produced from two different types of images: photos 3x4 of documents and fictional and dramatized photographs in domestic environment. The series is composed of works created from these contaminated photographs by pictorial means (encaustic painting) and digital manipulations (overlaps and juxtapositions of images in digital laboratory), printed on matte canvas. The works present the hidden body with other people's clothing and veils, establishing direct relationship with the camera that registers their "poses/actions". They also present space-temporal compositions overlapped, contained in each layer of the images. Through these procedures, the self-portrait s subgenre and the subjects identity are problematized, showing not an artist's identity seen as "mesmidade" but (re)configurations of me through hidings and possibilities of multiplications identity, produced in the images. Like this, from the documents photographs, that indicate a standardized "me", the work reach the production of many dramatized mes who are creations or fictions. / A presente pesquisa de mestrado tem como proposta investigar, de modo teórico-prático, o processo artístico de criação de autorretratos fotográficos, analisando as possibilidades de reconfigurações identitárias nele envolvidas. Resultou na série (Re)Configurações do eu , produzida a partir de dois tipos de imagens diferentes: fotografias 3x4 de documentos e fotografias ficcionais e encenadas em ambiente doméstico. É composta por trabalhos criados a partir dessas fotografias contaminadas por meios pictóricos (técnica de pintura-encáustica) e manipulações digitais (sobreposição e justaposição de imagens em laboratório digital), impressas em lona fosca. A série evidencia o corpo encoberto com vestimentas de outros indivíduos que não a autora/artista e véus, estabelecendo relação direta com a câmera fotográfica que registra suas poses/ações . Também apresenta variados agenciamentos espaço-temporais sobrepostos, contidos em cada camada das imagens. Através desses procedimentos, o subgênero do autorretrato e as questões identitárias do sujeito contemporâneo são problematizados, evidenciando-se, assim, não uma identidade do artista, encarada como mesmidade , mas (re)configurações do eu através de ocultações e possibilidades de multiplicações identitárias, produzidas nas imagens. Dessa forma, parte-se de fotografias de documentos, as quais presumem um eu padronizado, para atingir a produção de múltiplos eus encenados, que são criações ou ficções.

The present research was carried through in the line of Curriculum, Education and Practical pertaining to school of the Program of Pos-graduation in Education of the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria/RS. Initially, I argue that, amongst the many existing problems, in the Education, which need to be faced, one of the most accentuated, particularly in the EJA, is the disentail between the "world of the school" and the "world of the life". Being this problem unleash of others, such as: mere preliminary education, discouragement, the absence of meaning attributed to that if it makes in the school, the low level of knowledge and the reinforcement at culture of the silence . Its comprehended that its possible overcome this release by means of curricular configurations marked out with themes. Thus, it was assumed as theoretician s referenciais: presuppositions of the Brazilian educator Paulo Freire, the movement of Society-Technological-Science, as well as of the Portuguese educator Pedro Reis, which work with the category controversial themes. This work deals with a research of qualitative matrix, more specifically, a study of case in relation to the repercussion of the theme "forestation" in the RS, in the curriculum of the EJA. In this, the inquiry problem was defined by the questioning: which has been the repercussion of the theme "forestation" in the RS, in the curriculum of the EJA? The objective consisted of investigating and identifying possibilities and challenges to be faced in relation to the implementation of this theme in the curriculum of four schools, situated in cities with intense plantations of monocultures to this big project, in phase of implantation in the State. The questions of the research had been: 1) Why the forestation in RS did not re-echo in the EJA s curriculum? and 2) Which the challenges and possibilities of studying this theme, called controversial, in EJA s curriculum? The used instruments, for attainment of the "data", had been: registers written under the form of Diary; questionary and interviews. Of the analysis of the results, it had the identification of five categories that constitute challenges to be faced, which are: 1) Formation excessively broken up, disentailed of the context, 2) Absence of convictions, of accurate answers in relation the controversial aspects of the theme, 3) "Something more", 4) Neutrality of the Teacher and, 5) Professor of Formation or Professor of Information. In terms of signalling of the research, it is distinguished that, for the overcoming of the separation it enters the "world of the school" and the "world of the life", has the overcoming necessity, in the curriculums of majors courses, of the broken up formation, to discipline solely, disentailed of the problems of every day life, considering that the complexity of the contemporaries problems is not attained for such formation / A presente pesquisa foi realizada na linha de Currículo, Ensino e Práticas escolares do Programa de Pós-graduação em Educação da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria/RS. Inicialmente, discuto que, dentre os muitos problemas existentes, na Educação, os quais precisam ser enfrentados, um dos mais marcantes, particularmente na EJA, é a desvinculação entre o mundo da escola e o mundo da vida . Sendo este desencadeador de outros, tais como: o ensino meramente propedêutico, a desmotivação, a falta de significado atribuído ao que se faz na escola, o baixo nível de aprendizagem e o reforço à cultura do silêncio . Entende-se que é possível superar esta desvinculação mediante configurações curriculares balizadas por temas. Assim, assumiu-se como referenciais teóricos pressupostos do educador brasileiro Paulo Freire, referenciais do denominado movimento CTS, como também do educador português Pedro Reis, o qual trabalha com a categoria temas controversos. Este trabalho trata de uma pesquisa de cunho qualitativo, mais especificamente, um estudo de caso quanto à repercussão do tema florestamento no RS, no currículo da EJA. Nesta, o problema de investigação foi definido pelo questionamento: qual tem sido a repercussão do tema "florestamento" no RS, no currículo da EJA? O objetivo consistiu em investigar e identificar possibilidades e desafios a serem enfrentados quanto à implementação deste tema no currículo de quatro escolas, situadas em municípios com intensas plantações de monoculturas ligadas a este megaprojeto, em fase de implantação no Estado. As questões de pesquisa foram: 1) Por que o "florestamento" no RS não repercutiu no currículo da EJA? e 2) Quais os desafios e possibilidades de se estudar este tema, denominado polêmico, no currículo da EJA? Os instrumentos utilizados, para obtenção dos "dados", foram: registros escritos sob a forma de Diários; questionário e entrevistas. Da análise dos resultados, houve a identificação de cinco categorias que constituem desafios a serem enfrentados, quais sejam: 1) Formação excessivamente fragmentada, desvinculada do contexto, 2) Ausência de certezas, de respostas exatas em relação a aspectos polêmicos do tema, 3) "Algo mais", 4) Neutralidade do Professor e, 5) Professor Formador ou Professor Informador. Em termos de sinalização da pesquisa, destaca-se que, para a superação da separação entre o "mundo da escola" e o "mundo da vida", há a necessidade de superação, nos currículos de cursos de licenciatura, da formação fragmentada, unicamente disciplinar, desvinculada dos problemas do entorno, considerando que a complexidade dos problemas contemporâneos não é abarcável por tal formação

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This research project analyses the challenges to be faced with the range of curricular interventions which aim to approach the interaction between Science, Technology and Society (CTS) through the setting down of contemporary themes, notably science and technology. Such curricular routings are marked by the approximation of the presuppositions of the Brazilian pedagogue Paulo Freire and references to the movement known as CTS. To achieve a critical reading of reality, a fundamental aspect of Freire, it is understood that a critical understanding of the interaction between CTS is becoming more and more essential, considering that the dynamics of contemporary society are becoming strongly conditioned by science and technology. In the context of such curricular interventions, is raised the problem of investigation: What are the possible challenges to be faced / investigated in the search for curricular configurations which look at the CTS approach through the laying out of socially relevant problems together with EJA? The objectives of the project are: to identify and discuss the position of EJA teachers in relation to the use, in class, of themes/problems of social relevance and to identify and discuss complications to be confronted in schools. This project is of a qualitative nature and the instruments used were: written registers in the form of diaries; questionnaires and interviews. As a synthesis of the results of the investigation, four categories are defined and discussed which constitute challenges to be faced: a) the excess of methodological reductionism, this being the teacher giving himself the role of program beater ; b) interdisciplinary work; c) the supposed student resistance to the themed approach and d) the development of polemic themes which involve local conflicts/contradictions. / Nesta pesquisa, são analisados desafios a serem enfrentados no âmbito de intervenções curriculares que buscam enfocar interações entre Ciência-Tecnologia-Sociedade, mediante a abordagem de temáticas contemporâneas, marcadas pela componente científico-tecnológica. Tais encaminhamentos curriculares estão balizados por uma aproximação entre pressupostos do educador brasileiro Paulo Freire e referenciais ligados ao denominado movimento CTS. Para ocorrer uma leitura crítica da realidade, dimensão fundamental em Freire, entende-se que é, cada vez mais, fundamental uma compreensão crítica das interações entre CTS, considerando que a dinâmica social contemporânea está fortemente condicionada pela ciência e tecnologia. No contexto de tais intervenções curriculares, surge o problema de investigação: Quais os possíveis desafios a serem enfrentados/investigados quando se buscam configurações curriculares que contemplem o enfoque CTS através da abordagem de problemas de relevância social junto a EJA? Os objetivos da pesquisa são: identificar e discutir posicionamentos de professores da EJA quanto à utilização de temas/problemas de relevância social em suas aulas e identificar e discutir estrangulamentos a serem enfrentados nas instituições escolares. Esta pesquisa é de cunho qualitativo e os instrumentos utilizados foram: registros escritos, sob a forma de Diários; questionários e entrevistas. Como síntese dos resultados da investigação, são definidas e discutidas quatro categorias, as quais constituem desafios a serem enfrentados: a) superação do reducionismo metodológico, ou seja, ao professor atribui-se o papel de vencer programas ; b) o trabalho interdisciplinar; c) suposta resistência dos alunos à abordagem temática e d) desenvolvimento de temas polêmicos que envolvem conflitos/contradições locais.

Maxim Kontsevich a défini un invariant $Z$ des sphères d'homologie rationnelle orientées de dimension $3$ en 1992, en poursuivant l'étude initiée par Edward Witten du développement perturbatif de la théorie de Chern-Simons.L'invariant $Z$ de Kontsevich est gradué. Il s'écrit $Z=(Z_n)_{nin NN }$, où $Z_n$ prend ses valeurs dans un espace $CA_n$ engendré par des diagrammes trivalents à $2n$ sommets appelésdiagrammes de Feynman-Jacobi de degré $n$.L'invariant $Z$ apparait d'abord comme un invariant $Z(M,tau)$ des sphères d'homologie rationnelle $M$ de dimension $3$ munies d'une parallélisation $tau$.Il est l'exponentielle d'un invariant $z(M,tau)=(z_n(M,tau))_{nin NN }$dont la partie de degré $n$ compte algébriquement les plongements des diagrammes de Feynman-Jacobi connexes à $2n$ sommets assujettis à vérifier certaines conditions.On peut associer un invariant homotopique entier $p_1(tau)$ aux parallélisations $tau$ des variétés orientées de dimension $3$, et il existe un élément $beta=(beta_n)_{nin NN}$ de $CA_n$ appelé anomalie tel que$$z_n(M,tau)-p_1(tau)beta_n$$ soit indépendant de $tau$ et noté $z_n(M)$.$$Z(M)=expleft((z_n(M))_{nin NN}right).$$On sait depuis l'introduction de cette constante par Greg Kuperberg et Dylan Thurston en 1999 que $beta_n=0$ si $n$ est pair et que $beta_1 neq 0$.Cette thèse porte sur le calcul de la première valeur inconnue $beta_3$. Elle en présente des expressions très simplifiées et implémentables sur ordinateur. / The Kontsevich invariant $Z$ of rational homology $3-$ sphere was constructed by Maxim Kontsevich in 1992 using configuration space integrals.This invariant is graduated. It can be written as $Z=(Z_n)_{nin NN}$, where $Z_n$ values in the space $mathcal{A}_n$ of jacobi diagram with order $n$. A Jacobi diagram with order $n$ is a trivalent graph with $2n$ vertices. At a first point, we can see $Z$ as an invariant $Z(M,tau)$ of rational homology $3-$spheres equipped with a trivialisation $tau$ so that $Z$ is the exponential of an invariant $z(M,tau)=(z_n(M,tau))_{ninNN}$. In fact, we can say that $z_n(M,tau)$ counts the number of embeddings of connected jacobi diagrams with order $n$ with some additionnal conditions. We can associate an homotopic integer invariant $p_1(tau)$ to each trivialisation $tau$ of oriented $3-$manifolds and it exists $beta=(beta_n)_{ninNN}$, where $beta_ninmathcal{A}_n$ that is called anomaly so that $$z_n(M,tau) - p_1(tay)$$ is independant of $tau$. We name it $z_n(M)$ and $$Z(M)=exp((z_n(M)_{nin NN})).$$Greg Kuperberg and Dylan Thurston introduced this constant in 1999. We already know that $beta_n=0$ if $n$ is even and $beta_1neq 0$. This thesis is about the computation of $beta_3$. It describes simplified expressions of $beta_3$, and this expressions can be compute with a computer.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Esta dissertaÃÃo tem como objetivo apresentar uma anÃlise dos sentidos e significados do trabalho na Coordenadoria da CrianÃa e do Adolescente/FUNCI da Secretaria Direitos Humanos-SDH de Fortaleza/CE, a partir de uma configuraÃÃo das dimensÃes objetivas e subjetivas desse trabalho. Nesse sentido, buscamos, especificamente: circunscrever as reais condiÃÃes de trabalho na FUNCI; apreender as formas de pensar, sentir e vivenciar a prÃpria atividade profissional pelos trabalhadores (as) dessa FundaÃÃo; configurar o padrÃo de gestÃo/controle desses sujeitos; discutir os diferentes posicionamentos dos trabalhadores (as) frente a essa realidade. Para tanto, realizamos uma pesquisa teÃrico-empÃrica, a partir de levantamento bibliogrÃfico, em torno das categorias Capitalismo, Trabalho, Estado e PolÃticas PÃblicas Sociais; da realizaÃÃo de entrevistas com trabalhadores (as) da Coordenadoria da CrianÃa e do Adolescente/ FUNCI; de pesquisas documentais e da observaÃÃo da realidade dessa FundaÃÃo. Este texto foi construÃdo em torno de uma introduÃÃo, 3 (trÃs) capÃtulos e uma conclusÃo. A introduÃÃo trata do delineamento do objeto feito a partir de uma agenda de investigaÃÃo, circunscrita em questionamentos centrais. Nesta seÃÃo faÃo, tambÃm, um relato detalhado sobre a minha experiÃncia profissional na FundaÃÃo da CrianÃa e da FamÃlia CidadÃ/FUNCI no sentido de circunscrever o prÃprio objeto de estudo e configurar neste contexto especÃfico, as diferentes expressÃes de precariedade do trabalho em suas dimensÃes objetivas e subjetivas. No fim desta seÃÃo trato sobre a relevÃncia do presente estudo para o campo social e cientÃfico. No primeiro capÃtulo faÃo uma abordagem sobre as categorias analÃticas desse estudo no contexto da contemporaneidade, sÃo elas: capitalismo; precarizaÃÃo do trabalho; Estado e polÃticas sociais e trabalho precÃrio no campo das polÃticas (pÃblicas) sociais. Nesta seÃÃo, destaco o sub-tÃpico mundo do trabalho na contemporaneidade: reconfiguraÃÃes em meio à precarizaÃÃo, pois nele estÃo consubstanciadas as reflexÃes teÃricas fundamentais desta pesquisa. Neste sub-tÃpico abordo sobre o delineamento contemporÃneo do mundo do trabalho, sobre a precarizaÃÃo do trabalho no decorrer da histÃria do capitalismo e, por fim, trato das novas e precÃrias configuraÃÃes do trabalho nas polÃticas sociais. O segundo capÃtulo trata do processo investigativo desta pesquisa. Para tanto abordamos questÃes referentes aos referenciais teÃrico-metodolÃgicos, Ãs configuraÃÃes e delimitaÃÃes do campo e seus sujeitos e, por fim, Ãs estratÃgias de coleta e anÃlise dos dados. O terceiro e Ãltimo capÃtulo aborda sobre os desvendamentos feitos a partir da pesquisa empÃrica, em um diÃlogo com a bibliografia selecionada para fins deste estudo. Por fim, tÃm-se as principais conclusÃes desta investigaÃÃo. / This thesis features the aim to analyze senses and meanings of the work performed at the Coordination of the Child and the Adolescent/Foundation of the Citizen Child and Family (FUNCI), a branch of the Human Rights Secretariat (SDH) of Fortaleza, state of CearÃ, Brazil, based on a configuration of its objective and subjective dimensions. We specifically seek to: circumscribe the real working conditions at FUNCI; apprehend the ways in which employees think, feel and experience their own working activity; configure the standard of administration/control of these subjects; and discuss employeesâ diverse positions regarding this reality. Therefore, we conducted a theoretical and fieldwork research that comprised of a literature review of the categories Capitalism, Work, State and Social Public Policy; interviews with employees of the Coordination of the Child and the Adolescent/FUNCI; investigation of documents and observation of the daily routine at the Foundation. This text comprises of an introduction, three chapters and final words. The introduction outlines the object based on a schedule of investigation, organized around main questions. Also in this section, I provide a detailed testimony of my professional experience at the Foundation of the Citizen Child and Family (FUNCI) as a way to circumscribe the object of study itself and configure its context and the diverse expressions of work precariousness in its objective and subjective dimensions. Thus I discuss the relevance of this study for the social and scientific fields. The first chapter approaches the analytical categories mobilized in the context of contemporaneity, e.g. capitalism; work precariousness; State and social policies; and precarious work in the field of social (public) policies. In this section, the topic âWork in the contemporary world: reconfigurations in times of precariousnessâ underlies the fundamental theoretical discussions of this research. The section discusses the contemporary outline of the world of work, the unfolding precariousness of work in the history of capitalism and finally takes into account the new and precarious configurations of the work conducted behind social policies. The second chapter outlines the investigative process of this research. We approach questions derived from the theoretical and fieldwork research review, from configurations and outlines of the field and subjects and, at last, from the strategies of data collection and data analysis. The third and final chapter discusses the unveiling that was made possible through fieldwork research, in dialogue with the literature review. Thus follows the main considerations of this investigation.

Orientador: Juanito Ornelas de Avelar / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Estudos da Linguagem / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-15T21:58:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Pires_MarcosEroni_M.pdf: 658766 bytes, checksum: 0d51879d2d0dee80f48bf84667a72f87 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Resumo: Seguindo a versão minimalista da Teoria de Princípios e Parâmetros (Chomsky, 1995 e obras posteriores), esta dissertação tem como objetivo propor um quadro formal para capturar propriedades sintáticas e semânticas demonstradas por sintagmas preposicionados locativos (PPLocs do tipo (lá) em cima de, (aqui) debaixo de, (ali) em frente a, (aí) por trás de, (lá) por dentro de, (aqui) para fora de etc.) em sua relação com constituintes nominais no português brasileiro. Assumindo uma configuração clausal para os PP-Locs (Koopman, 1997; Dikken, 2003; Avelar, 2006; Svenonius, 2007), o estudo aborda casos em que o sintagma locativo funciona ou como um modificador restritivo do nome (quando é tradicionalmente classificado como adjunto adnominal), ou como um elemento que estabelece com a categoria nominal uma predicação secundária (quando assume uma função predicativa). A análise explora a ideia de que, para ter uma função restritiva e funcionar como um adjunto adnominal, o PP-Loc precisa ser complemento de uma categoria que codifique informações sobre referencialidade, de modo a atender requerimentos da interface semântica. A abordagem explora algumas consequências do modelo proposto por Kayne (1994), especificamente no que diz respeito ao estatuto das relações especificador-núcleo, assim como a proposta de Starke (1995), segundo a qual as relações de predicação que caracterizam small clauses envolvem uma projeção LexP. Adotando uma estrutura expandida para os sintagmas nominais de acordo com Vangsnes (2001), o estudo conclui que para um PP-Loc ser [+restritivo] precisa ser obrigatoriamente tomado como um complemento de D(eterminante) na computação sintática, portando consigo um traço de dêixis / Abstract: Following the minimalist version of the Principles and Parameters Theory (Chomsky, 1995 and following works), this thesis aims at proposing a formal framework to capture syntactic and semantic properties displayed by prepositional locative phrases (PP-Locs as (lá) em cima de, (aqui) debaixo de, (ali) em frente a, (aí) por trás de, (lá) por dentro de, (aqui) para fora de etc.) in their interaction with nominal constituents in Brazilian Portuguese. Assuming a clausal configuration for PP-Locs (Koopman, 1997; Dikken, 2003; Avelar, 2006; Svenonius, 2007), the study addresses cases in which the locative phrase works either as a restrictive modifier of the name (when it is traditionally classified as an adnominal adjunct), or as an element that provides a secondary predication together with the nominal category (when it assumes a predicative function). The analysis explores the idea that in order to have a restrictive function and to operate as an adnominal adjunct, PP-Loc needs to be a complement of a category that encodes information about referentiality so as to meet the requirements of the semantic interface. The approach explores some consequences of Kayne's (1994) especifically with respect to the status of Spec-head relations; and also Starke's (1995) proposal, according to which predication relations that characterize small clauses involve a LexP projection. Adopting na expanded structure for nominal phrases following Vangsnes (2001), the study concludes that in order to a PP-Loc to be [+restrictive] it must necessarily be taken as a complement of D(eterminant) in the syntactic computation, carrying with it a deixis feature / Mestrado / Gramatica / Mestre em Linguística

The ability to quantify leakage flow and windage heating for labyrinth seals with honeycomb lands is critical in understanding gas turbine engine system performance and predicting its component lifes. Variety of labyrinth seal configurations (number of teeth, stepped or straight, honeycomb cell size) are in use in gas turbines, and for each configuration, there are many additional geometric factors that can impact a seal’s leakage and windage characteristics. To achieve high performance in modern gas turbine engines, the labyrinth seals operate at low clearances and high rotational speed which are generally deployed with honeycomb lands on the stator. During the transient operation of aircraft engines, the stator and rotor mechanical and thermal growths differ from one another and can often result in the rotor’s incursion into the stator honeycomb structure. The incursions create rub-grooves in the honeycomb lands that can subsequently enlarge as the engine undergoes various manoeuvres. However, the effects of different honeycomb cell size, rotation and presence of rub-groove have not been thoroughly investigated in previously published work. The objective of the present research is to numerically investigate the influence of the above three factors on seal leakage and windage heating. The present work focuses the development of a numerical methodology aimed at studying above effects. Specifically, a three-dimensional CFD model is developed utilizing commercial finite volume-based software incorporating the RNG k-ε turbulence model. Detail validation of the numerical model is performed by comparing the leakage and windage heating measurements of several rig tests. The turbulent Schmidt number is found to be an important parameter governing the leakage prediction. It depends on honeycomb cell size and clearance for honeycomb seals, and Reynolds number in the presence smooth lands. The present numerical model with the modified RNG k- turbulence model predicts seal leakage and windage heating within 3-10% with available experimental data. Using the validated numerical model, a broad parametric study is conducted by varying honeycomb cell size, radial clearance, pressure ratio and rotational speed for a four-tooth straight-through labyrinth seal with and without rub-grooves. They further indicate that presence of rub-grooves increases seal leakage and reduce windage heating, specifically at smaller clearance and for larger honeycomb cell size. Rotation significantly reduces leakage with smooth stator land and smaller honeycomb cells whereas the effect is minimal for larger (3.2mm) honeycomb cells. However, at very high rotational speed seal flow reduces in all seal configurations due to high temperature rise and Rayleigh line effects. At no rub condition and lower clearance, the larger honeycomb cells leak more flow due to high bypass flow through the honeycomb cells. This results into lower pocket swirl and higher windage. When the seal clearance increases the larger honeycomb cells offers more drag to the seal flow, therefore they leak less. At higher clearances the flow travels like a strong wall jet and isolates the pocket air from honeycomb cells. Hence, at open clearances labyrinth seals with any honeycomb cell size essentially produce the same pocket swirl and windage heating.

Notre projet de thèse de doctorat a pour objet de présenter une meilleure compréhension du rôle de la culture d’entreprise et du profil psychologique du dirigeant dans l’orientation entrepreneuriale (OE) des PME françaises. La nature de la problématique de recherche reste original dans la littérature francophone. En effet, les travaux de recherches sur l’OE ont eu tendance à se concentrer essentiellement dans la littérature anglo-saxonne. Les principaux intérêts de notre thèse tiennent : 1) à faire ressortir des actions spécifiques qui permettraient de développer une culture favorable à l’entrepreneuriat ; 2) de susciter la vocation des dirigeants dans leur démarche entrepreneuriale ; 3) de mieux percevoir les déterminants de la performance économique et financière des entreprises entrepreneuriales ;4) de spécifier les caractéristiques des PME françaises à travers l’approche des configurations.Pour répondre à ces objectifs, nous avons construit une question principale spécifique : Dans quelle mesure la culture d’entreprise et le profil psychologique du dirigeant affectent-ils l’orientation entrepreneuriale des PME françaises et leur performance ? Pour réaliser cette recherche, nous avons opté pour une étude empirique quantitative à travers un questionnaire administré auprès des dirigeants de PME de deux chambres de commerce : la Chambre Régionale de Commerce et d’Industrie du Nord- Pas- de Calais et la Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie du Beaujolais. Nous avons pu recueillir 123 réponses complètes. Pour réaliser les traitements d’analyse, nous avons utilisé l’approche des régressions linéaires avec le logiciel STATA.11 pour tester la nature des relations entre les variables clés de notre étude. Dans une deuxième partie d’analyse, nous avons utilisé l’approche des configurations avec la méthode des composantes ascendantes hiérarchiques. Concernant la première hypothèse, les résultats de l’étude empirique quantitative montrent que la culture entrepreneuriale et la culture de groupe sont associées à la capacité d’innovation, de proactivité et de prise de risque de l’entreprise. Inversement, la culture hiérarchique est associée négativement à cette triple capacité. La deuxième hypothèse concernant le profil psychologique du dirigeant donne des résultats plutôt inattendus, quant à l’effet du champ de contrôle externe du dirigeant sur l’OE. Les dirigeants qui ont un champ de contrôle externe semblent contribuer positivement au processus de l’OE. Nous avons pu montrer également que ces dirigeants conduisent leurs entreprises à réaliser de meilleures performances. Le besoin d’accomplissement du dirigeant est également lié à l’orientation de l’entreprise vers les activités entrepreneuriales. Quant à la troisième hypothèse, nous avons pu montrer dans notre recherche que les activités entrepreneuriales de l’entreprise contribuent à l’amélioration de ses performances économiques et financières. Dans un deuxième volet de cette étude, nous avons testé notre modèle conceptuel avec l’approche des configurations. Notre objectif était de proposer une classification d’entreprises selon le degré d’intensité de l’OE. L’analyse des composantes ascendantes hiérarchiques, nous a permis de faire apparaître trois formes de configuration d’entreprises : 1) entreprises entrepreneuriales, 2) entreprises traditionnelles et 3) entreprises émergentes. / Our proposed PhD thesis aims to provide a better understanding of the role of corporate culture and the psychological profile of the leader in Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) of French SMEs. The nature of the research remains in the original french literature. Indeed, the research work on the EO have tended to focus mainly in the Anglo-Saxon literature.The main interest of our thesis are:1) to highlight specific actions that would develop a culture conducive to entrepreneurship;2) to encourage the vocation of the leaders in their entrepreneurial approach ;3) to gain insight into the determinants of economic and financial performance of entrepreneurial firms;4) to specify the characteristics of french SMEs through the approach of configurations.To meet these goals, we built a specific key question: How corporate culture and psychological profile of the leader affect the entrepreneurial orientation of french SMEs and their performance?To conduct this research, we opted for a quantitative empirical study through a questionnaire administered to managers of SMEs of Chambre Régionale de Commerce et d’Industrie of Nord-Pas-de Calais and Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie of Beaujolais. We have collected 123 complete responses. To achieve the treatment analysis, we used the approach of linear regression with the software STATA.11 to test the nature of the relationship between key variables in our study. In the second part of analysis, we used the approach of the configurations with hierarchical ascendant components method, in order to specify the caracteristics of french SMEs.Regarding the first hypothesis, the results of the quantitative empirical study shows that entrepreneurial culture and the group culture are associated with innovation, proactive and risk-taking activities. Conversely, the hierarchical culture is negatively associated with the entrepreneurial activities. The second hypothesis about the psychological profile, the leaders who have a locus of external control appear to contribute positively to the process of OE. We have shown that these leaders lead their firms to achieve better performance. The need for achievement of the leader is also related to the orientation of the firms to entrepreneurial activities.Regarding the third hypothesis, we have shown that the entrepreneurial activities of the SMEs contribute to the improvement of its economic and financial performance.In the second part of this study, we tested our conceptual model with the approach of configurations. Our objective is to propose a taxonomy of SMEs according to the intensity of the EO. The analysis of hierarchical ascendant components have shown three types of SMEs: 1) entrepreneurial SMEs, 2) conservative SMEs and 3) emerging SMEs

In modern heat transfer, shape and geometric optimisation are new considerations in the evaluation of thermal performance. In this research, we employed constructal theory and design to present three-dimensional theoretical and numerical solutions of conjugate forced convection heat transfer in heat generating devices with cooling channels of different cross-sectional shapes. In recent times, geometric configurations of cooling channel have been found to play an important role in thermal performance. Therefore, an efficient ways of optimally designing these cooling channels shapes is required. Experimentation has been extensively used in the past to understand the behaviour of heat removals from devices. In this research, the shapes of the cooling channels and the configurations of heat-generating devices were analytically and numerically studied to minimise thermal resistance and thus illustrate cooling performance under various design conditions. The cooling channels of five different cross-sectional shapes were studied: Circular, square, rectangular, isosceles right triangular and equilateral triangular. They were uniformly packed and arranged to form larger constructs. The theoretical analysis is presented and developed using the intersection of asymptotes method. This proves the existence of an optimal geometry of parallel channels of different cross-sectional shapes that penetrate and cool a volume with uniformly distributed internal heat generation and heat flux, thus minimising the global thermal resistance. A three-dimensional finite volume-based numerical model was used to analyse the heat transfer characteristics of the cross-sectional shapes of various cooling channels. The numerical computational fluid dynamics (CFD) package recently provided a more cost-effective and less time-consuming means of achieving the same objective. However, in order to achieve optimal design solutions using CFD, the thermal designers have to be well experienced and carry out a number of trial-and-error simulations. Unfortunately, this can not always guarantee an accurate optimal design solution. In this thesis a mathematical optimisation algorithm (a leapfrog optimisation program and DYNAMIC-Q algorithm) coupled with numerical CFD was employed and incorporated into the finite volume solver, –FLUENT, and grid (geometry and mesh) generation package, – GAMBIT to search and identify the optimal design variables at which the system would perform optimally for greater efficiency and better accuracy. The algorithm was also specifically designed to handle constraint problems where the objective and constraint functions were expensive to evaluate. The automated process was applied to different design cases of cooling channels shapes. These cooling channels were embedded in a highly conductive solid and the peak temperature was minimised. The trend and performance of all the cooling channel shapes cases studied were compared analytically and numerically. It was concluded that an optimal design can be achieved with a combination of CFD and mathematical optimisation. Furthermore, a geometric optimisation of cooling channels in the forced convection of a vascularised material (with a localised self-cooling property subjected to a heat flux) was also considered. A square configuration was studied with different porosities. Analytical and numerical solutions were provided. This gradient-based optimisation algorithm coupled with CFD was used to determine numerically the optimal geometry that gave the lowest thermal resistance. This optimiser adequately handled the numerical objective function obtained from numerical simulations of the fluid flow and heat transfer. The numerical results obtained were in good agreement with results obtained in the approximate solutions based on scale analyses at optimal geometry dimensions. The approximate dimensionless global thermal resistance predicted the trend obtained in the numerical results. This shows that there were unique optimal design variables (geometries) for a given applied dimensionless pressure number for fixed porosity. The results also showed that the material property had a significant influence on the performance of the cooling channel. Therefore, when designing the cooling structure of vascularised material, the internal and external geometries of the structure, material properties and pump power requirements would be very important parameters to be considered in achieving efficient and optimal designs for the best performance. Finally, this research investigated a three-dimensional geometric optimisation of conjugate cooling channels in forced convection with an internal heat generation within the solid for an array of cooling channels. Three different flow orientations based on constructal theory were studied numerically- firstly, an array of channels with parallel flow; secondly, an array of channels in which flow of every second row was in a counter direction and finally, an array of channels in which the flow direction in every channel was opposite to that of previous channel. The geometric configurations and flow orientations were optimised in such a way that the peak temperature was minimised subject to the constraint of fixed global volume of solid material. The optimisation algorithm coupled with CFD was also used to determine numerically the optimal geometry that gave the lowest thermal resistance. The use of the optimisation algorithm coupled with the computational fluid dynamics package; render the numerical results more robust with respect to the selection of optimal structure geometries, internal configurations of the flow channels and dimensionless pressure difference. / Thesis (PhD(Eng))--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / unrestricted

This Master's thesis relates to continuum mechanics and its connection with selected directions of modern differential geometry, which deal with geometric structures and objects. These are mainly tensors, bundles, varieties and jets. The first part is devoted to the mechanics of the continuum itself and its description in several areas, others deal with mathematical concepts and their possible application in mechanics.