Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This thesis presents the project and an implementation of a distributed computer allocation system, based on computer idleness. The system, called Cadeo (control and dynamic allocation of idle workstations) aims to simplify the creation of parallel applications that can be executed on distributed systems. It supports a simple programming model, similar to the model found in parallel applications that run on shared memory computers. The Cadeo s execution platform is called dynamic cluster, which is a cluster composed by momentarily avaliable computers, or idle computers. Parallel execution is obtained by concurrent task execution, implemented as asynchronous remote method invocations in Java. Mapping application onto resources happens in two levels, first, associating applications to dynamic clusters, and, second, associating application tasks to computers of such clusters. Cadeo manages these associations offering both transparent task location and cluster dynamism, thus simplifying application development. The implementation was done with the purpose of having a basic and functional structure, which should be easily adapted in the future. This version was not focused on incorporating the best known algorithms to associate applications with clusters, or tasks with computers. Nevertheless, the implemented version strictly follows the proposed model, being now possible to write applications using the transparency and assynchrony accordingly. It was possible to demonstrate that, with the version implemented, the system overhead was very low. / Esta dissertação apresenta a concepção e uma implementação de um sistema de alocação de computadores em um sistema distribuído baseado na ociosidade dos mesmos. Este sistema, chamado de Cadeo (Controle e alocação dinâmica de estações ociosas), tem a finalidade de simplificar a criação de aplicações paralelas que possam ser executadas em sistemas distribuídos. Ele oferece um modelo de programação simples, semelhante ao modelo de aplicações paralelas que executam em computadores com memória compartilhada. A plataforma de execução do Cadeo é chamada de aglomerado dinâmico, que é um aglomerado (cluster) composto por computadores momentaneamente disponíveis, ou ociosos. A execução paralela se dá pelo lançamento concorrente de tarefas, implementadas por invocações assíncronas de métodos remotos em linguagem Java. O mapeamento de aplicações aos recursos reais se dá em dois níveis: no primeiro, associa-se aplicações a aglomerados dinâmicos, no segundo, associa-se tarefas de aplicações a computadores destes aglomerados. O Cadeo gerencia estas associações oferecendo transparência de localização de tarefas e da dinamicidade dos aglomerados, simplificando assim o desenvolvimento de aplicações. A implementação foi feita com o objetivo de obter uma estrutura básica e funcional, capaz de suportar adaptações futuras. Não houve preocupação em incorporar os melhores algoritmos conhecidos para implementar as associações entre aplicações e aglomerados, ou tarefas a computadores. Entretanto, a versão implementada segue estritamente o modelo projetado, já permitindo escrever aplicações que tiram proveito da transparência e do assincronismo de lançamento segundo este modelo. Com a versão implementada, foi possível comprovar que a sobrecarga gerada pela utilização do sistema é muito pequena.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:26:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-06-10Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:54:33Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 goncalves_mf_me_mar.pdf: 497131 bytes, checksum: be2c453cf9f0065828d6f8f1c284f31d (MD5) / O propósito de se elaborar uma crítica ao luxo e às falsas relações instituídas na sociedade é mais que uma simples tentativa de afastamento. É antes a aproximação de uma realidade melhor que pode existir a partir de uma opção frugal e equilibrada. Rousseau afirma, sobretudo em A nova Heloísa, a possibilidade de se viver em paz e harmonia no estado de sociedade através de costumes simples. A adoção de um padrão de vida constituído por relações sinceras e isento de falsas necessidades garante à comunidade de Clarens o título de refúgio em que a transparência das relações pode encontrar seu lugar. Desta forma, é possível se constatar, no desenvolvimento do presente estudo, a insistência de Jean-Jacques em associar a realização do homem à sua opção consciente em viver em concordância com uma concepção de frugalidade como postura ideal. / The purpose of elaborating a critic to the luxury and the false relationships instituted in the society it is more than a simple attempt of removal. It is before the approach of a better reality than it can exist starting from a frugal and balanced option. Rousseau affirms, mainly in A nova Heloísa, the possibility to live in peace and harmony in the society state through simple habits. The adoption of a standard of living constituted by relationships sincere and exempt of false needs it guarantees to the community of Clarens the refuge title in that the transparency of the relationships can find your place. Then, it is possible to verify, in the development of the present study, Jean-Jacques' insistence in associating the accomplishment of the man to your conscious option in living in agreement with a frugality conception as ideal posture.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-09T12:28:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2014Bitstream added on 2015-04-09T12:47:55Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000814007.pdf: 1562590 bytes, checksum: 6c9ca684870c43a935938db21b8520aa (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A área da saúde pública brasileira possui problemas acerca da qualidade dos serviços prestados, muitas vezes por falta de investimento adequado, causando impacto direto nos programas criados pelo Ministério da Saúde para a promoção da saúde. Informações sobre atos governamentais, antes indisponíveis, hoje são disponibilizadas nos sítios do Governo Federal, com o objetivo de aumentar a transparência da gestão pública, permitindo que o cidadão acompanhe como o dinheiro público está sendo utilizado e ajude a fiscalizar. Profissionais da área da saúde são atores essenciais na fiscalização desses atos, pois são potenciais integrantes dos Conselhos de Saúde, órgãos responsáveis por essas fiscalizações. Informações sobre repasses financeiros advindos do Governo Federal são cruciais para a efetiva fiscalização. Por meio de uma observação realizada com futuros profissionais da saúde, esta pesquisa apresenta resultados sobre a percepção desses usuários, no processo de acesso a este tipo de dado. A metodologia foi de caráter exploratório quantitativo, com a utilização de questionários e as respostas graduadas pela Escala de Likert. O acesso aos dados foram feitos por meio do sítio do Datasus. O resultado da pesquisa demonstrou que há grande dificuldade no processo de acesso aos dados nos sítios governamentais e a ocorrência de algumas páginas indisponíveis inviabilizou algumas consultas. Concluiu-se que foram feridos princípios propostos pelo Movimento de Dado Aberto e na amostragem foi identificado o desconhecimento dos profissionais da área da saúde sobre as formas de como os repasses são feitos e identificadas as dificuldades para acessar as informações no Portal da Saúde. / The area of the Brazilian public health problems have on quality of services, often for lack of adequate investment, causing a direct impact on programs created by the Ministry of Health to promote health. Information on government actions, previously unavailable, are now available on the websites of the Federal Government, with the aim of increasing the transparency of public management, allowing citizens to track how public money is being used and help supervise. Health professionals are essential actors in the supervision of such acts as are potential members of Health Councils, agencies responsible for these inspections. Information arising from financial transfers from the Federal Government are crucial for effective supervision. Through an observation made with future health professionals, this study presents results on the perception of these users, the access to this type of process data. The quantitative methodology was exploratory, with the use of questionnaires and graded responses for Likert Scale. Access to the data were made through the site Datasus. The research result showed that there is great difficulty in accessing data on government sites and process the occurrence of some pages unavailable prevented some queries. Who were injured it was concluded principles proposed by the Open Data Movement and sampling the lack of health professionals on ways of how the transfers are made and identified the difficulties to access information on the Health Portal was identified.

In the last decades there was an evolving theoretical and practical discussion about the implementation of corporate social responsibility (CSR), partially provoked due to the occurrence of incidents which were caused by negligently companies. Furthermore, there is a disagreement of financial outcomes of the implementation of CSR strategies in prior research. The thesis contributes to the limited established empirical research on the impact of social incidents on company’s CSR transparency and social performance of companies listed in European Union Member States. Furthermore, the thesis examines the impact of social performance on financial performance based on 308 observations in a time range of 2012 to 2014. The author finds no significant relationship between incidents and an improved CSR transparency or social performance for the overall sample at any conventional level. However, the author finds a positive significant relationship between social performance and financial performance, measured by the logarithm of Tobin’s q, which indicates that social performance has a positive impact on financial performance.

Este trabalho apresenta uma proposta de aplicação da técnica de ray-tracing bidirecional em ambientes esféricos, contendo fontes luminosas puntiformes. Trata-se de um trabalho que discorre no contexto da área de Síntese de Imagens Realísticas dentro da Computação Gráfica. O trabalho tem como principal contribuição a definição e o desenvolvimento de uma técnica para simular o fenômeno físico de refração da luz proveniente das fontes luminosas puntiformes da cena. A Síntese de Imagens Realísticas é uma das principais áreas de aplicação e pesquisa da Computação Gráfica. Uma imagem realística é uma imagem que incorpora os efeitos da luz que interage com objetos fisicamente reais. A dificuldade fundamental para a síntese de imagens realísticas se encontra na complexidade do mundo real, que apresenta uma infinidade de graduações de cores, texturas, reflexões, sombras, etc. Para a criação destas imagens realísticas, percorre-se um grande número de estágios, englobando métodos de modelagem, definição da posição de visualização, remoção de elementos ocultos, efeitos de reflexão e refração, e assim por diante. O trabalho está organizado da seguinte forma. Inicialmente, faz-se um estudo aprofundado da Óptica, área da Física que estuda o comportamento da luz no mundo real. A seguir, são apresentados algoritmos que simulam este comportamento da luz, enfatizando-se o algoritmo de rastreamento de raios (ray-tracing). Discute-se a seguir os principais problemas relacionados a simulação de objetos transparentes na Computação Gráfica. Então, uma proposta para a simulação em ambientes esféricos da refração da luz que provem diretamente das fontes luminosas puntiformes da cena a apresentada. Esta proposta baseia-se na utilização do algoritmo de rastreamento bidirecional de raios. O algoritmo apresentado é composto de duas fases. Na primeira etapa, são geradas as fontes secundarias de luz. Na segunda etapa, utiliza-se a informação obtida na primeira etapa para simular a refração da luz que provem diretamente das fontes luminosas da cena. As fontes secundarias de luz tem sua origem na utilização dos objetos esféricos transparentes como lentes esféricas convergentes. A fonte luminosa secundaria localiza-se no ponto imagem da lente, considerando-se como ponto objeto a fonte luminosa puntiforme original. A localização da fonte luminosa secundaria é obtida através da equação dos pontos conjugados. Também armazena-se uma informação relacionada com a área de atuação da fonte luminosa secundaria (angulo de espalhamento). 0 angulo de espalhamento é essencial para que, na segunda fase do algoritmo, seja possível identificar se o ponto atual é iluminado ou não pela fonte secundaria em questão. Finalizando, são geradas imagens tanto no protótipo implementado quanto em um algoritmo de ray-tracing convencional. Os resultados obtidos são comparados em nível de realismo e tempo de execução. / This work presents a proposal of using the bidirectional ray tracing method in spherical modeling environments containing punctual light sources. This project was developed within the field of Computer Graphics, more precisely in the area of synthesis of realistic images. The main contribution of this work is the definition and the development of a method that simulates the light refraction proceeding from localized light sources in the scene. The synthesis of realistic images is one of the main areas of application and research in Computer Graphics. A realistic image is an image that contains light effects interacting with physically real objects. The major difficulty for rendering realistic images is the complexity of the real world, with several color graduations, textures, reflections, shadows, etc. For this rendering, many steps like modeling methods, definition of visualization position, hidden-surface algorithms, reflection and refraction effects, and so forth, are developed. At first, this work presents a study about Optics, the area of Physics that studies the behaviour of light in the real world. In sequence, algorithms that simulate that behaviour are presented, with special attention to ray tracing method. After that, the principal problems of the simulation of transparency in Computer Graphics are discussed. So, a proposal for simulation of the light refraction proceeding from light source in spherical modeling environment, is presented. This proposal is based on use of the bidirectional ray tracing algorithm. This algorithm is divided in two main stages. In the first stage, the secondary light sources are generated. In the second stage, the information about the secondary light sources is utilized to simulate the light refraction directly proceeding from light sources of the scene. The secondary light sources are originated from transparent spherical objects like convergent spherical lenses. The position of the secondary light source is the image point of the lens, corresponding to punctual light source like object point. The position of the secondary light source is calculated by the equation of the conjugated points. Also the information about the scattering angle of the secondary light source is stored. The scattering angle is essential, in first stage of algorithm, to establish if the current point is illuminated by any secondary light source. Finally, images are generated both in the implemented prototype as in conventional ray tracing. The final results of this work are evaluated based on realism and runtime.

CSR och transparens blir alltmer vanliga verktyg för företag för att kunna belysa konsumenter om deras ansvarstagande och hållbara arbete. För att dessa aktiviteter ska nå konsumenterna krävs en kommunikation från företaget. Som konsument kan det vara svårt att uppfatta informationen och tolka den som företaget önskar. Den här studien undersöker hur konsumenter uppfattar H&Ms marknadskommunikation gällande CSR och transparens och hur kommunikationen påverkar konsumentens köpbenägenhet av gröna modeprodukter på H&M. I studien genomfördes sju semistrukturerade intervjuer med kvinnliga studenter i åldrarna 21-26. I intervjuerna förklarar informanterna sina åsikter gällande företagsmarknadskommunikation av dessa områden och hur de uppfattat H&Ms sådan. Efter genomförd tematisk analys av det empiriska datamaterialet har det kunnat fastställas att konsumenterna haft svårigheter att uppfatta H&Ms marknadskommunikation angående dess hållbarhetsarbete. Den information som nått ut har därmed mottagits med bristande trovärdighet. Detta visade sig vara oberoende av respondentens kunskapsnivå eller grad av engagemang inom hållbarhetsfrågor. / CSR and transparency are becoming two common tools for companies to highlight consumers about the company’s responsibility and sustainable work. In order for these activities to reach the consumers, a communication from the company is required. As a consumer, it may be difficult to perceive and interpret the information in a way that the company desires. This study investigates how consumers consider H&M’s marketing communication regarding these topics and how this communication affects consumers’ willingness to buy green fashion products at H&M. In the study, seven semistructured interviews were conducted with female students in the ages between 21-26. In the interviews the informants explained their opinions on the company’s marketing communication of these subjects and how they perceived H&M’s communication. After a succeeded the matic analysis of the empirical data material it has been found that the consumers had difficulty understanding H&M’s marketing communication regarding its sustainable work. The information obtained has thus been received with insufficient credibility. This is stated as not related to the level of knowledge the respondents possessed or their commitment in sustainability.

IPFS claims to be the replacement of HTTP and aims to be used globally. However, our study shows that in terms of scalability, performance and security, IPFS is inadequate. This is a result from our experimental and qualitative study of transparency of IPFS version 0.4.13. Moreover, since IPFS is a distributed file system, it should fulfill all aspects of transparency, but according to our study, this is not the case. From our small-scale analysis, we speculate that nested files appear to be the main cause of the performance issues and replication amplifies these problems even further.

Title: To follow sustainability - through a longitudinal study of the sustainability reports of SJ. Introduction: Sustainability Reporting is a way for companies to show how they work with sustainability, where the companies ambitions, strategies and visions of sustainability are also presented. GRI (Global reporting initiative) is the largest framework in the world that companies use when designing the sustainability report. One way of looking at the sustainability report is that it is for communicating with stakeholders, society and within the management team. In this way, the sustainability report is a way of making sustainability challenges more visible and by creating perspectives and achievements that make changes. Problem: One of the main purposes of the sustainability reporting framework GRI is to provide greater transparency for stakeholders, thus providing the opportunity for comparison over time. When there is a lack of clear national provisions for the preparation of sustainability work, evaluations and comparisons are difficult for the rest of the world. The lack of accounting principles and common practice means that it is often not clear what has been measured, how it has been measured and what tasks are covered. Therefore, it is interesting to study what can complicate a comparison over several years, by studying the sustainability work over time in the company SJ, which has been actively working with the framework of GRI since 2007. Purpose: Analyze what in sustainability reports that can complicate the comparability of the results. Method: It is important that companies sustainability issues are linked to performance measures, just to measure sustainability performance. Therefore, we have chosen to look at the sustainability areas of SJ and the indicators that are linked to these areas. We wanted to see how well it was possible to compare the results of the sustainability areas of SJ over time? This is carried out through a longitudinal case study with inductive approach to the sustainability reports of SJ. Results: In this study, it has been found that there is a lack of information about several parts, where the reader of the report does not get enough insight. Information deficiency in definitions and measurement methods leads to a comparison being uncertain and less credible. In the examination of deviating outcomes, the complexity was shown to interpret what influenced an outcome and strongly suggested that there was a lack of transparency. It also emerged that there is a big room for companies to choose which performance indicators and measurement methods they want.

La corruption affecte tous les secteurs de la vie de la société, aussi bien le secteur public, le secteur privé que le secteur politique. Compte tenu de la spécificité de chacun de ces domaines, elle acquiert ses caractéristiques et prend différentes formes (publique, privée et politique). La transparence, couplée à la responsabilisation "accountability"), agit en tant qu'instrument de prévention ainsi que de répression de la corruption, en exposant les actes des agents au public et en mettant en évidence les faits de corruption. La transparence, de cette manière, poursuit la corruption partout où elle existe indépendamment de sa forme. Ainsi, dans la lutte contre la corruption, en agissant comme une antithèse, elle joue le rôle de l'«antiforme» de la corruption, sa forme s'adaptant aux différentes formes de corruption qu'elle combat. Pourtant, la transparence n'est pas une solution miracle et a un rôle spécifique et limité dans la lutte contre la corruption. Elle doit être complétée par des mesures comme l'incrimination, le contrôle externe et interne, la prévention des conflits d'intérêt etc. Le Conseil de l'Europe, l'institution dont le but est la promotion de la démocratie, considère également la transparence comme un élément crucial de la prévention et de la lutte contre la corruption. Pourtant, ni le Conseil, ni aucune autre organisation internationale, ne détermine les critères de la transparence. Il existe même une confusion entre la notion de transparence et d'autres notions voisines. Toutefois, le Conseil a pu imposer aux États membres certaines mesures qui, sans être désignées expressément comme telles, relèvent de la transparence; ces mesures ont été exigées de manière spontanée, et formulées au cas par cas selon la nécessité des États. Pour déterminer l'étendue des actions du Conseil, il était nécessaire de définir non seulement les formes, mais également le contenu de la transparence. Ses trois composantes sont l'accessibilité, la communication et l'ouverture. Les actions du Conseil ne sont pas développées de la même manière concernant tous les domaines de la transparence. Si elles sont développées en matière politique et peu nombreuses en matière privée, les réglementations restent partielles et sont toujours en phase d'évolution concernant les volets administratif, judiciaire ou législatif. Les actions du Conseil ne couvrent pas non plus la totalité des actes de la transparence. Si elles sont plus développées en ce qui concerne l'accessibilité, la sensibilisation ou le signalement, elles restent en phase d'évolution concernant la communication et l'ouverture. Certaines des lacunes découlent de la spécificité de la mission du Conseil de l'Europe qui, ayant pour but la promotion de la démocratie, est avant tout une organisation politique. Dans les cas où le Conseil de l'Europe a fixé des exigences pour la transparence, il a mis en place des mécanismes de suivi par le biais de son institution spécialisée - le GRECO - pour s'assurer de la bonne mise en œuvre de ces exigences. La pratique du GRECO a eu un impact considérable sur le renforcement et l'harmonisation des législations nationales. Toutefois, elle s'est trouvée limitée par l'approche pratique de cette institution ainsi que par les réticences des États dans la mise en œuvre de ses recommandations. / Corruption affects all the sectors of society, both the public, private and the political sectors, Given the specificity of each of these areas, it acquires its characteristics and takes different forms (public, private and political). Transparency, coupled with accountability, acts as a means of prevention and repression of corruption. Transparency in this way pursues corruption wherever it exists independently of its form. Acting as an antithesis, it plays the role of "antiform" of corruption, its shape adapting to different forms of corruption that it fights. However. transparency is not a miracle solution and has a specific and limited role in the fight against corruption. It must be complemented by measures such as criminalization, external and internal control, prevention of conflicts of interest etc. The Council of Europe, the institution whose purpose is to promote democracy, considers also transparency as a crucial element in the prevention and the fight against corruption. However, neither the Council nor any other international organization, determines determines the criteria of transparency. There is even confusion between the notion of transparency and other related concepts. However, the Council could impose measures on Member States which, without being specifically designated as such, are the transparency measures; these measures were required in a spontaneous manner. and made on a case by case basis according to the need of States. To determine the extent of the Council's actions, it was necessary to define not only the forms but also the content of the transparency, Its three components are accessibility, communication and openness. Council's actions are not developed in the same way in all the areas of transparency. For cases where the Council of Europe set requirements for transparency, it put in place mechanisms to monitor through its specialized agency - GRECO - to ensure the proper implementation of these requirements. GRECO's practice had a significant impact on the strengthening and harmonization of national legislations. However. it has been limited by the practical approach of this institution as well as the reluctance of States in the implementation of its recommendations.

Companies including their stakeholders, investors and nongovernmental organizations have an increasing interest regarding the information about the impact of their products in terms of who, how and where the products were produced (Kashmanian, 2017). A qualitative field study including interviews and observations was conducted in order to carry out the comparison of Supply Chain Transparency (SCT) between certified and conventional businesses. In fact, it argued that these two type of businesses differ greatly from each other when it comes to the safety and quality of the product (Manning & Baines, 2004), price premiums (Lakhal et al., 2008; Jena et al., 2012), increased environmental (Ibanez & Blackman, 2016; Burivalova et al., 2016) as well as social benefits (Milder et al., 2015; Stranieri, Cavaliere & Banterle, 2017). The comparison of certified and conventional businesses was carried out as a case study in the coffee industry in Colombia, where it is common to have both these type of businesses. Empirical data of three certified businesses was compared to five conventional ones, which is supported by additional interviews. This field study belongs to Minor Field Studies and is supported by a scholarship from Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). Conceptual framework was created for this thesis and it provides new theoretical insights by presenting SCT variables used for conducting a comparison between certified and conventional businesses. The findings of the study suggest that SCT does not exist in the supply chains in the coffee industry in Colombia and by utilizing the conceptual model for analysing the empirical data, this thesis contributes to the academic literature by creating a generally applicable conceptual model of SCT variables, and shows the interrelation between traceability and visibility in supply chains.