Cette thèse, fruit d'une collaboration LORIA / INRA, porte sur l'étude du raisonnement à partir de cas pour aider à l'interprétation d'organisations spatiales agricoles. Les agronomes effectuent des enquêtes auprès d'exploitants agricoles, afin d'appréhender les relations entre structure spatiale et fonctionnement des exploitations. Des modèles graphiques, appelés chorèmes d'exploitations, permettent de synthétiser ces données d'enquêtes. Sur la base de ces chorèmes, nous avons modélisé l'organisation spatiale des exploitations par des graphes bipartites aux sommets et aux arc étiquetés par des concepts. A certains sous-graphes, décrivant des structures spatiales intéressantes, sont adjoints des explications, décrivant l'organisation fonctionnelle, pour constituer des cas. La modélisation conjointe a abouti à la reconception des chorèmes et à la constitution d'une base de cas et de hiérarchies de concepts du domaine. Le système de RàPC ROSA permet de proposer des explications de fonctionnement à un graphe d'organisation spatiale en utilisant les cas enregistrés. La comparaison des graphes s'appuie sur le mécanisme des logiques de description : étant donné un graphe d'exploitation cible, on lui associe des graphes sources de la base de cas au moyen d'opérations de généralisation et de spécialisation.

Job descriptions are one of the major mechanisms that organizations use to convey job and company information to job applicants. Consequently, job descriptions play a major role in the recruitment process to attract job candidates. However, it is unclear whether the quality of a job description influences a job applicant’s decision making. It is in the organizations’ interest to understand this phenomenon to make better decisions on how to present job descriptions in order to achieve qualified applicants and a desirable applicant pool size. The purpose of this thesis is to determine the impact of the quality of information of job descriptions on a job applicant’s decision to pursue a job. A model is developed to quantify job descriptions. The developed model contains three axes: i) x-axis – job description components, ii) y-axis – information quality dimensions, and iii) z-axis – job industries. This investigation analyzed 127 job descriptions for students majoring in accounting at the University of Waterloo to determine the relationship between the qualities of different components of the job descriptions with the corresponding number of applications. The results of this investigation suggest that information quality has a positive impact on job applicants’ decision to pursue a job. In addition, information quality has different magnitudes of impact for jobs that have similar organization reputation or geographic location. Future research is recommended to analyze other information quality dimensions by using a similar experimental approach as the one used in this thesis.

Job descriptions are one of the major mechanisms that organizations use to convey job and company information to job applicants. Consequently, job descriptions play a major role in the recruitment process to attract job candidates. However, it is unclear whether the quality of a job description influences a job applicant’s decision making. It is in the organizations’ interest to understand this phenomenon to make better decisions on how to present job descriptions in order to achieve qualified applicants and a desirable applicant pool size. The purpose of this thesis is to determine the impact of the quality of information of job descriptions on a job applicant’s decision to pursue a job. A model is developed to quantify job descriptions. The developed model contains three axes: i) x-axis – job description components, ii) y-axis – information quality dimensions, and iii) z-axis – job industries. This investigation analyzed 127 job descriptions for students majoring in accounting at the University of Waterloo to determine the relationship between the qualities of different components of the job descriptions with the corresponding number of applications. The results of this investigation suggest that information quality has a positive impact on job applicants’ decision to pursue a job. In addition, information quality has different magnitudes of impact for jobs that have similar organization reputation or geographic location. Future research is recommended to analyze other information quality dimensions by using a similar experimental approach as the one used in this thesis.

臺灣總督府檔案是臺灣歷史相當重要的一部檔案全宗。西元1895-1945年，臺灣受日本統治，對臺灣的歷史、政治、經濟、文化等產生重要影響。臺灣總督府是日治時期臺灣最高行政機構，所留存的公文檔案，正可以作為後人研究當時統治作為的第一手資料。如何整理檔案俾利使用，是為重要的課題。檔案整理並提供利用，主要透過兩種程序：編排與描述。亦即為本研究所關注的焦點。 　　本研究採用「文獻分析法」、「歷史研究法」與「深度訪談法」進行研究，在文獻蒐集上，主要針對國內關於臺灣總督府檔案分類與編排描述、各種臺灣總督府檔案檢索工具等相關資料進行蒐集；在歷史研究上，是將蒐集到的歷史文獻加以整理分析，探究檔案原始編排描述狀況以及文書處理法令與分類之更嬗；另透過深度訪談，了解檔案管理機構在進行編排描述時，所遭遇的問題及實際狀況，以補文獻之不足。 　　根據本研究，有下列結論：一、臺灣總督府檔案之實體編排順序係依文獻館所編冊號；二、臺灣總督府檔案之分類及控制層級，副全宗部分係以人為判定，其下各層級如門、類等則依文書處理規程相關規定；三、數位典藏計畫設立諸多新創層級與不同分類方式；四、現存目錄中，以「臺灣總督府文書目錄」與「典藏數位化查詢－日據時期與光復初期檔案整合查詢」最為詳盡，惟該項編目工作費時良久，二目錄均未完竣；五、各種目錄之編目規則各行其是。 　　最後對前述研究結論提出建議：一、統一臺灣總督府檔案之分類、控制層級與用詞；二、確實進行檔案清查與登錄工作；三、描述檔案可先著錄至案卷層級，或者先著錄主要欄位，日後再予以補充，俾早日提供利用；四、增加著錄件以外各控制層級之資料；五、擴大數位典藏參與學域，廣納檔案學、歷史學人才；六、整合各檢索工具；七、建立檔案編目規則，以供各單位編目之參考依據；八、機關在文書製作時期，即依檔案學控制層級進行歸類。 / The Taiwan Soutokufu Archives are important archive fonds in Taiwan history. During 1895 to 1945, Japan governed Taiwan and materially influenced the history, politics, economy, and culture of Taiwan. Because the Taiwan Soutokufu is the main administration authority during the Japanese colonial period, its archives would be the first hand sources for the research regarding to the act of state during the Japanese colonial period. Therefore, it is an important topic to understand how the archives were arranged to utilize. The archives are arranged to utilize by means of the arrangement and the description, which are also the focus of the essay. 　　The research methods of the essay are “literature review,” “historical research,” and “in-depth interview.” I mainly searched and collected the classification, the arrangement and description of the Taiwan Soutokufu Archives to search and collect the documents. I arranged and analyzed the collected documents to understand the status of the original arrangements of the archives and the change of the law and classification of the documentary arrangement. To supplement the short of the documents, by means of in-depth interview, I could realize the actual problems and situation which happened while the archives administration institutions arrange and describe the archives. 　　I have made the following conclusions in the essay. First, the substantial arrangement order of the Taiwan Soutokufu Archives are the volume number of the Taiwan Historica. Second, the arrangements, control levels, and sub-fonds of the Taiwan Soutokufu Archives are determined by Taiwan Historica and the sub levels, are determined by the rules of documentary arrangement. Third, there are many innovative and different methods of the classification in NDAP, National Digital Archives Program. Forth, the “Documentary Index of Taiwan Soutokufu” and the “Digital Japanese Ruling and Postwar Archives Project of Taiwan Historica” are the most complete in the existing indexes. However, the work of arranging the two indexes drains on lots of time and the two indexes have not been accomplished. Fifth, each one of the rules to arrange the index is totally different. 　　After all, I have made the suggestion upon the forgoing conclusions. First, the classification, control levels and vocabulary should be unified. Second, archieves should be checked and registered authentically. Third, the description of the archives could be initiated in the file folders level or main entry. Forth, the retrieval system should also contain the documents of the control level except the items. Sixth, the finding aids should be coordinated. Seventh, the rules of the arrangement of the archives should be set up. Eighth, the institutions should classify the records by the means of control levels of the archives while they produce the records.

Syftet med studien är att utforska och utveckla kunskap om vilka beskrivningar av dyslexi som diagnos professionella med specialpedagogisk kompetens ger, samt deras upplevda erfarenheter av att utreda dyslexi. Metoden för insamling av data har varit intervjuer av specialpedagoger verksamma i två kommuner. Materialet har sedan analyserats och sorterats tematiskt. Resultatet av studien är att dyslexiutredningar utförs på olika sätt i olika kommuner beroende på hur man valt att organisera det och olika organisationsformer kan fungera bra. Deltagarna i studien använder LOGOS som en bas när de utreder dyslexi och deras erfarenhet är att det är en bra grund att utgå ifrån. Utöver det används intervjuer och observationer som utredningsmetod. Deltagarna anser inte att det viktigaste med utredningen är om eleven uppfyller kriterierna för dyslexi eller inte. Viktigast är att identifiera var problematiken ligger för att kunna åtgärda. Att utföra en dyslexiutredning tar lång tid och ibland kan även väntetiden för att komma igång med en utredning vara lång. Pojkar utreds vanligen tidigare än flickor. Det finns en stor överlappning mellan dyslexi och andra skolrelaterade svårigheter.  Jag har även analyserat resultatet i ett dilemmaperspektiv. Dilemman som identifierats i studien är ett etiskt dilemma, ett normalitetsdilemma och ett resursdilemma. / The purpose of the study is to explore and develop knowledge about the descriptions of dyslexia diagnosis professionals in the field of Special Education gives, as well as their perceived experience of investigating dyslexia. The method of data collection was interviews with special educators, operating in two different municipalities. The data is then analyzed and thematically sorted.  The results of the study shows that assessments of dyslexia is carried out in different ways in different municipalities depending on how they choose to organize it. Different forms of organization is regarded by the patricipants as working well. Participants in the study uses LOGOS as a base when assessing dyslexia and their experience is that it is a good base to start from. In addition, interviews and observations are used as assessment tools. The participants do not consider that the most important of the assessment is whether the student meets the criteria for dyslexia or not. Most important is to identify specific areas of difficulty with the aim of arranging for support and intervention. Performing an Assessment of dyslexia takes time and sometimes can even initial long waiting to get started be the case. Boys are investigated usually younger than girls. There is a big overlap between dyslexia and other school-related difficulties.The study includes as well an analyzes of the results taking the departure in so called Dilemma perspective. Dilemmas identified in the study was an ethical dilemma, a dilemma of normality and a resource dilemma.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the kinds of terminology used in writing job descriptions for library assistants who provide information services affected the job evaluation rating for the jobs described. The study provided background information on the importance of the problem, pay equity and job evaluation systems, the nature and purpose of contacts in information and reference services, the changing roles of information providers and the problem of terminology in writing job descriptions. To examine whether the terminology in job descriptions made a difference in evaluation, three experienced job evaluators were asked to rate nine job descriptions representing three levels of jobs and three different terminologies: library, computer and generic. The respondents' ratings, five sets of nine ratings each, were analyzed by comparing the individual job evaluation plans, the respondents' numerical ratings and rationales. The findings revealed the similarities and differences in definitions used in each of the plans, the differences in ratings within and among plans and the extent to which the terminology used in the job descriptions could be attributed to differences in ratings. Some inconsistencies in ratings occurred. In most cases, the job description using library terminology was rated higher than its computer or generic counterparts but in two cases it was not. Of the three versions of terminology, the generic version led to the least favourable ratings. Considering the complexity of the responsibility o f contacts present to some degree in all three levels of jobs, some of the jobs may have been undervalued. Recommendations were made for action and for further study.

This research is designed to investigate the relationship between IT and Organisational customs and practices in Business Process Reengineering (BPR) projects based on a research framework, which consists of organisational culture, IT and the outcome of BPR initiatives together with the inextricable interdependence between them. The focus is on developing a process oriented, context-based description and explanation of the BPR phenomenon in Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (AGCC) countries. The study strives to describe and explain the process of adopting and implementing BPR initiatives in petrochemical and utilities industries in AGCC countries in terms of interaction of contextual conditions, actions and consequences. The research methodology of this thesis focuses on the pragmatics of conducting case studies as a rigorous and effective method of research. The study emphasises on conducting positivist inquiry of three case studies' data to deductively test the researcher's understanding on BPR and her assumptions of 'Blueprints' for successful BPR in AGCC countries. Two of the case studies organisations are sister companies operating in the oil and gas industry, whereas the third case study organisation is a utility company operating in the field of water and electricity generation and supply. This study resulted in a framework that could serve as a prescription to achieve a successful BPR initiative. It has identified a number of organisational elements that emphasised the necessity to pay attention to cultural and IT issues prior to undertaking BPR projects. These include the development of strategy and sound stimuli for the project, the availability of leadership, top management vision, availability of required skills and expertise and the maturity of the IT infrastructure. In addition, the study has empirically emphasised a number of BPR project implementation elements that should be in place to ensure successful implementation and management of the project including: the availability of an appropriately composed project team, continuous communication, users' involvement and usage of communication technologies.

Web services are a new breed of Web application. They are self-contained, self-describing, modular applications that can be published, located, and invoked across the Web [154] Web services are a promising technology for ad hoc machine to machine interaction across application, enterprise and web boundaries. Self describing web services is a catchy phrase but it should mean more than having an interface description written in XML syntax. This research is motivated by the vision of web services in the future as loosely coupled applications operating on different platforms inter-operating without prior agreements in place and without direct human intervention at runtime. The main obstacle to advancing the vision of ad hoc runtime interaction is complexity. The complexity of ad hoc interaction for web services is related to 1) the information the service requires and provides and the nuances of the domain or context the service operates on and in. 2) The specific nature of the operations the service provides and the constraints related to those operations and 3) the necessary ordering of operations to achieve the desired result. There are three problems that must be addressed before the vision for web services can become a reality. These problems are aligned with the three aspects of service complexity identified above. The three inter-related elements of this research address each of these problems. The first part of the research deals with what web services "talk" about and how the data required or provided by services can be described to enable mutual understanding. An extension to traditional conceptual models, called outsourced type descriptions, allows the description of shared data in terms of publicly available information, including standards, specifications, ontologies and definitions from dictionaries and thesauri. The second part is concerned with describing why services interact and the capabilities (actions or information) services can provide. A structured format for the description, advertisement and discovery of services based on what they actually do is presented. The structured format is based on previous work in the description of actions and the context in which they are performed. The last part of the research addresses how previously unknown services can talk to one another to supply and use the advertised capabilities. Interaction is based on providers having "plans" for the delivery of capabilities. The flow of interaction is directed by the service providers' data requirements and is responsive to the resources of the client. A small language for information gathering based on well known interaction primitives is defined. An example implementation of a capability plan interpreter demonstrates how messages are generated, managed and interpreted at runtime in order to satisfy the client's goals.

An important difference exists between the way humans communicate route knowledge and the turn-by-turn route directions provided by the majority of current navigation services. Navigation services present route directions with the same amount of detail regardless the route segment’s significance in the instructions, user’s distance from the destination, and finally the level of user’s familiarity with particular parts of the environment. (For complete abstract open document)