Den här kandidatuppsatsen undersökte huruvida idégenerering påverkades av musik i förhållande till antal idéer, lämplighet och unicitet. Musikens eventuella effekt jämfördes även med deltagarnas musikpreferenser och kreativitetskarakteristik, med avsikten att svara på om dessa faktorer var relevanta för musikens möjliga påverkan av idégenerering eller inte. 16 deltagare delades in i tre grupper och genomförde ett idégenereringsexperiment. Två av grupperna lyssnade på två olika sorters musik under experimentet, en per grupp, och den tredje gruppen arbetade under tystnad. Alla deltagare svarade sedan på ett mindre formulär, och de flesta utförde ett test för att avgöra individens kreativitetskarakteristik. Resultaten var otydliga och data räckte inte till för att avgöra om musiken hade en effekt, men det fanns flera intressanta aspekter. Gruppen som lyssnade på repetitiv musik kan ha påverkats så att de var benägna att producera repetitiva idéer. Dödsmetall kan i sin tur ha gjort att grupp 2 tappade koncentrationen och således producerade färre idéer, men musiken verkar inte ha påverkat deras förmåga i förhållande till lämplighet och unicitet. Även om musiken kan ha varit en faktor så fanns det flera andra potentiella faktorer, såsom upwards och downwards comparison, andra sociala faktorer och personliga faktorer för varje deltagare. Till sist så var deltagarnas musikpreferenser eller självrapporterade kreativitetskarakteristik inte relevanta faktorer för att avgöra deltagarnas idégenereringsförmåga. / This undergraduate thesis examined the effect music had on idea generation in terms of number of ideas, the appropriateness of ideas and the uniqueness of ideas. Furthermore, the possible effect of the music was compared to the participant’s preferences in music and characteristics in creativity, with the intent to answer whether these factors were relevant for the possible effect of music during idea generation or not. 16 participants divided into three groups performed an experiment in idea generation. Two of the groups listened to two different types of music during the experiment, one for each group, the third generated ideas in a silent room. All participants then answered a small questionnaire, and most answered a test measuring their creative characteristics. The results were inconclusive, and the data was not enough to determine the music as a cause, still there were several interesting aspects. The group listening to repetitive music may have been affected so that they were inclined to repeat ideas, while death metal seem to have caused the second group to lose concentration and in turn produce fewer ideas. The second group did however not seem to be affected in terms of the appropriateness or uniqueness of their ideas. Even though music may have been a factor, other potential factors are upwards and downwards comparison, other social factors and the personal factors of each participant. Finally, the participant’s preferences in music and self-reported characteristics in creativity were not relevant factors in determining their ability to generate ideas.

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Abstract The fever of knowledge management (KM) has lasted since the end of 20th century. KM won¡¦t be just a fever of management for a short while. It will be the key managerial element to establish the competitiveness of organizations. The research of KM in the last decade is forming the frame of KM. The micro-research focuses on analyzing a specific factor of KM and the macro-research focuses on building up the frame of KM from different points of view. The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between these enabling factors of KM and the way that they interact with each other, and to understand the way of these enabling factors operating in the level of individuals, teams and the whole organization. This study integrated these enabling factors and built up the framework of these enabling factors. This framework can help organizations to exam the existing KM within their own organizations when they are trying to establish the enabling system of KM. The conclusions of this study are as follows: 1. Organizations must carry out KM with the control of enabling factors. In the enabling system of the organization, these enabling factors are interdependent and come into the social ecology of the organization. 2. The enabling system of KM is led by the knowledge strategy and must be reconciled with the goal of the knowledge strategy in order to create better effect. 3. A complete KM enabling system includes knowledge strategy, organizational culture, organizational structure, hardware environment and norms, and human resource policies. 4. Organizations use KM enabling system to influence the knowledge behaviors of individuals and the knowledge process of teams. 5. Most of the influence of individuals and teams on KM enabling system is knowledge strategy and organizational culture. 6. The aim of KM is to strengthen individual knowledge behavior. And the change of individual knowledge behavior is one of the enabling factors in the whole KM operation. 7. The individual knowledge behavior will influence not only the design of the KM enabling system but also the team knowledge process. 8. Team is the main operational unit to establish the key competitiveness of organizations. Furthermore, the team operation is also one of the KM enabling factors.

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Auburn University, 2006. / Abstract. Includes bibliographic references (p.74-81).

In today´s fast changing global environment, organizations from both private and public sectors are under an increased pressure to continuously change and adapt in order to survive and provide meaningful services and products to their users. Innovation has therefore become an on-going effort that is not only a matter of R&D and product development departments, but rather a responsibility of all employees. To think how products, services, processes, methods and business models can be constantly improved or replaced by new ones is becoming a core competence needed across organization. While many organizations in Sweden have already developed a capability to innovate incrementally through continuous improvements, they often struggle to innovate radically by engaging the talent, knowledge and skills of all employees. In this thesis we thus look at how organizations could enable employees to strengthen their ability to innovate and move from incremental towards more radical innovation. Insights from the practice of contemporary dance groups were used for inspiration, exploring how dancers work in their creative processes and what enables them to move from ideas towards developing a new performance. Since there is very limited literature about the connection between contemporary dance practice and organizational innovation, we tried to build our own framework based on empirical data. In the first study, 20 semi-structures interviews with choreographers from different countries were performed and a model with key phases, tools and enablers of innovation process from choreographic perspective developed. The model was then compared with innovation management theory and empirical data from the industry to identify similarities and differences between the innovation concepts and practice in dance and business.  In the second study the model was tested in practice through participatory action research with 27 participants from different companies and public sector. The study explored how principles and methods from contemporary dance and choreography could be applied to enable innovation in organizational context and what are the effects and limitations of using knowledge from contemporary dance to enable innovation in organizations. The main contribution of the research presented in this thesis is the conceptual framework about innovation process, tools and enablers from a choreographic perspective and a proposed practical method for applying it in organizational context which was developed as a part of the research. Several examples of how practitioners from business and public sector experienced dance-based methods and then translated them into their own working environment to support innovation are presented. / Dagens snabbföränderliga och globala miljö sätter både privata och offentliga organisationer under ökad press att ständigt förändra och anpassa sig för att kunna överleva och erbjuda meningsfulla tjänster och produkter till sina användare. Innovation är därför en pågående insats som inte bara är en fråga för FoU och produktutvecklingsavdelningar, utan är istället ett ansvar för alla anställda. Att tänka på hur produkter, tjänster, processer, metoder och affärsmodeller kan bli bättre eller ersättas med nya, blir en kärnkompetens som behövs i hela organisationen. Samtidigt som många organisationer i Sverige redan utvecklat en förmåga att förnya sig stegvis genom ständiga förbättringar, kämpar de ofta med så kallad radikal innovation där talang, kunskap och kompetens från alla anställda involveras. I den här avhandlingen utforskas hur organisationer kan göra det möjligt för anställda att stärka sin innovationsförmåga, från att vara inkrementellt till att bli mer i enlighet med radikal innovation. Insikter från samtida dansgrupper har använts för inspiration. Vi har studerat hur dansare arbetar i kreativa processer och vad som gör det möjligt för dem att gå från idéer till att utveckla ny föreställning. Eftersom det finns mycket lite litteratur kring sambandet mellan praxis inom samtida dans och innovation i organisationer, har vi sökt att bygga en egen modell utifrån empiriska data. I den första studien genomfördes 20 stycken semi-strukturerade intervjuer med koreografer från olika länder. Utifrån detta utvecklas en modell som innehåller viktiga faser, verktyg och möjliggörare i innovationsprocessen från ett koreografiskt perspektiv. Modellen har sedan jämförts med innovationsledningsteori och empiriska data från industrin för att identifiera likheter och skillnader när det gäller innovationskoncept och praxis, mellan samtida dans och näringslivet. I den andra studien testades modellen i praktiken genom deltagarbaserad forskning med 27 representanter från olika företag och den offentliga sektorn. Studien undersökte hur principer och metoder från samtida dans och koreografi kan tillämpas för att möjliggöra innovation i organisatoriska sammanhang och vilka effekter och begränsningar som finns när det gäller att använda kunskap från samtida dans för att möjliggöra innovation i organisationer. Det viktigaste bidraget till forskning som presenteras i denna avhandling är den konceptuella modellen av innovationsprocessen, verktyg och möjliggörare från ett koreografiskt perspektiv samt förslag på praktisk metod för att tillämpa den i organisatoriska sammanhang som har utvecklats som en del av forskningen. Flera exempel presenteras på hur verksamma i näringslivet och offentlig sektor upplevt dansbaserade metoder och sedan översatt dem till sin egen arbetsmiljö för att stödja innovation.

This dissertation is an investigation and analysis of the contributions of the human organism to climate change, specifically concerned with its adverse effect on the biosphere. The focus of the analysis rests on three phenomena distinctive to humans participating in globalized economies and modernized societies; the distortions of anthrosupremacy, an uncritical development of technology, and an unhealthy cathexis with economic growth. These are analyzed and identified as stark contributors to the creation, proliferation, and pervasiveness of systems contributing to the decline of the biosphere. These phenomena serve to dissociate humans from the consequences of their actions in systemic ways; thereby thriving by preying on the faults of human agency. Using a biogenic framework to analyze human agency, these faults are identified as problematic to the teleological pursuits of the human organism (i.e., extantcy). An analysis of these phenomena in relationship to the faults in human agency is done to create an awareness of how certain mythologies, technologies, and socioeconomic practices have created enabling constraints that deter a more efficacious and sustainable exercise of human agency. Existing strategies and philosophies that have been promoted to address the issue have failed to account for these enabling constraints and, have therefore, fallen short of creating their desired effect in practical ways. This dissertation concludes that, without altering these enabling constraints to allow for a more efficacious and sustainable exercise of agency, the human species is less likely to persist into the indefinite future.

Theory suggests that IT-systems can be used in the promotion of learning within an organization. However, this area of research is in the current time of writing relatively unexplored. This paper focuses on double-loop learning, a concept introduced by Chris Argyris in the 1970s. It is argued that this type of learning is highly beneficial for the success and further development of an organization. The empirical material of this study has been gathered through a qualitative case study at the public authority, the Swedish Forest Agency. The findings of this study indicate that the IT-system could be used as a catalyst promoting double-loop learning. Factors enabling double-loop learning were identified at the organization and were used in distinguishing whether the organization experienced double- loop learning through their IT-system, or not. As the paper aspires to answer to the theoretical gap, it acts as academical stepping-stone, equipping further researcher with contributory material to use in further research.

This research investigates the role of efficiency in attracting long-term finance to the mortgage sector. Within the framework of the traditional economic theory, the new institutional theory and the theory of mortgage collateral, the study investigates the efficiency of primary mortgage banks and the perceived efficiency of the larger system within which they operate using quantitative and qualitative techniques. Quantitative data were extracted from the financials of 27 mortgage banks in Nigeria, which constitute about 90% of the size of the entire industry in Nigeria, as measured by banks’ total assets. These were analyzed using data envelopment analysis (DEA) and stochastic cost frontier (SCF) analysis to determine the efficiency of mortgage banks in Nigeria. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted among 40 CEOs of mortgage banks in Nigeria to investigate the perceived efficiency of both the banks and the entire mortgage sector. This sample constitutes about 54.2% of the CEOs in the industry and represents all geopolitical zones and ethnic groups where mortgage banks exist in the country. A review of housing finance policies, systems and sources of funds in thriving emerging economies was also conducted with the aim of drawing lessons from them that are applicable to improving the efficiency of the Nigerian mortgage sector. The findings from the review formed the basis of a mixed method questionnaire survey to investigate the existing and potential sources of funds for housing finance, to assess the acceptability and suitability of lessons drawn from other countries in Nigeria and to make policy recommendations for improving the efficiency of the Nigerian mortgage sector. The findings reveal that on average, mortgage banks in Nigeria are 33% - 49% efficient compared to best practice firms within the sector. Ownership structure and bank size influence the efficiency of these banks. Banks owned by private organizations and commercial banks are more efficient than those owned by the government or religious organizations. Banks with average total assets in excess of ₦5 Billion are more technically efficient than those with total asset less than ₦5 Billion. Practitioners perceive the mortgage banks and the larger system within which they operate as only about 10% efficient. This perceived efficiency is much lower than the technical efficiency measured in the quantitative assessment. Through the lens of institutional theory, this low rating is attributed to the negative perception of the institutional structures of the mortgage sector by mortgage finance practitioners. The findings also reveal that two categories – external and internal factors – impair the efficiency of the sector. The regulative constraints account for 55% of challenges to efficiency, normative constraints account for 24%, while cultural cognitive constraints account for 21%. The study identified accumulated deposits in pension funds, unclaimed dividends, funds in dormant accounts of commercial banks and other financial institutions, and funds from insurance companies, as possible sources of long-term funds for housing finance, while a concerted effort is being made to set up a secondary mortgage facility. The findings also reveal that effective government policies, regulation and amendment of existing laws would help improve the efficiency of the mortgage banking sector and attract investors to this sector.

The term "codependency" is emerging in the mental health field on a daily basis. However, along with this term comes confusion regarding what "codependency" is and how to effectively treat it. Since the term originated within the addiction studies arena, Twelve-Step programs have taken on the challenge of treating the fast-growing population of "codependents". The purpose of the present study was twofold. First, it investigated personality characteristics and traits shared by individuals having been treated for codependency issues. And second, it investigated the effects of a Twelve-Step, intensive, residential treatment program on these individuals. The subjects used in this study were identified as "codependents" due to significant, dysfunctional relationships within their lives. The research questions investigated by this study included the following: (1) What are the common demographic, personality or behavioral characteristics seen in individuals with codependency issues? And are there other identifiable factors considered contributory to treatment outcome? (2) Is intensive, short-term, residential treatment based on the Twelve-Step model, an effective approach with individuals dealing with codependency issues? (3) Do changes made during the course of treatment remain stable over time? The instruments utilized in this study to answer the above research questions included the MMPI and a Self-Evaluation Questionnaire developed by the investigator. Individuals who had been out of treatment for at least three months were solicited for their participation. Fifty subjects were used. Results showed that individuals treated for codependency tend to have low self-esteem, self-deprecation, stress, rebellion and anger, physical complaints, depression, high dependency needs, mistrust in others, and limited ego strength. They shared many diagnostic characteristics with the Self-defeating, Borderline and Dependent Personality Disorders. Treatment intervention proved to be effective in diminishing elevated levels of psychopathology. The results obtained at the time of discharge from treatment remained stable over an extended period of time.

Due to the rapid growth of new technologies, the Business Intelligence (BI) market is growing as well that forces the corporations to adopt their offerings to the needs of the customer. Adoption of Business Intelligence system has become one of the most important technological and organizational innovations in modern organization that promote knowledge diffusion, and cornerstone of business decision making processes. Since the way of BI integrated and implemented is quite different among organizations, it is important to approach BI literature by adaption of BI application and its implementation, BI architects, and enabling factors in BI projects. Furthermore, we are also going to discuss how technological capabilities such as user access, data quality and the integration of BI with other systems in the firm, as well as organizational capabilities such as flexibility and risk management support, are essential for BI success, regardless of the decision environment. Last but not least, this paper will also discuss how the idea of BI has been built on the school of thought. We expect that results could create the value and input for enterprises that plan to implement a BI application in their organization.