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  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
21

Species of Science Studies

Armstrong, Paul 02 August 2013 (has links)
Following Merton (1942) science studies has moved from the philosophy of science to a more sociologically minded analysis of scientific activity. This largely involves a shift away from questions that bear on the context of justification – a question of rationality and philosophy, to those that deal with the context of discovery. This thesis investigates changes in science studies in three papers: sociocultural evolutionary theories of scientific change; general trends in science studies - especially concerning the sociology of science; and a principle component analysis (PCA) that details the development and interaction between research programmes in science studies. This thesis describes the proliferation of research programmes in science studies and uses evolutionary theory to make sense of the pattern of change.
22

Darwinian social evolution as a theory of social change

Kerr, William Fraser January 2018 (has links)
This thesis investigates the use of a reconceptualised social evolutionary theory for understanding and explaining how and why societies change, specifically looking at this question through the frame of nationalism. The thesis is split into three parts: in the first part I first examine older forms of social evolutionary theory (conceptions from Marx, Spencer and generalized evolutionary accounts) and critique them on the grounds that they are too ‘progressive’ in character, suffer from teleology and have a notion that all societies change linearly, i.e. pass through the same set of stages. After this I elaborate on a reconstructed version of social evolutionary theory, taking it along more Darwinian lines: that the process should be understood as contingent and non-linear, where cultural variants and social intuitions change in response to selective pressures brought about by environmental conditions. To reconstruct social evolution I draw mainly on accounts from Runciman (2009), Hodgson and Knudsen (2010), Sperber (1996), Hull (1988) and Richerson and Boyd (2006). In the second part of the thesis I look at four different theories of social change and utilize Darwinian social evolutionary theory to critique them. The four in question are: Immanuel Wallerstein (world-systems theory); Michael Hechter (rational-choice theory); Michael Mann (sources of social power); and Ernest Gellner (functionalism). These four theories were chosen as they either have, or represent, different theories of social change, and also because they are all concerned to some extent with the rise of the nation-state and nationalism. The main argument in this section is that Darwinian social evolutionary theory can incorporate elements of these theories whilst also going beyond them in explaining and understanding why societies undergo changes. In the case of Mann and Gellner I also note that they are, to a certain extent, implicitly relying on a social evolutionary account, and that drawing this out more explicitly helps provide greater theoretical solidity to their arguments. In the final part of the thesis I apply the theory to two case-studies, looking at the rise of nationalism in Britain (with a focus on England) and Japan. In both cases I examine each development of nationalism historically, using Darwinian social evolution to assess why nationalism emerged at the point that it did in each case, and not before. A final synthesis chapter then looks comparatively at the two cases and applies Darwinian social evolutionary theory to address the question of why nationalism generated in England/Britain, but did not in Japan and why the nationalist movements took the forms that they did. The chapter centres on three main themes, the role of war in forming identities, the role of variation in generating institutions, and the role of lineages in creating continuity in discontinuity. Finally it address the question of why nationalism became the dominant movement and not something else. Together this demonstrates demonstrate the usefulness of the framework for addressing questions concerning social change, in providing a different perspective and insights from other theories of social change. A final chapter summarizes and concludes the thesis, as well as pointing to new directions that research could develop.
23

(Des)industrialização e evolução econômica : em busca de uma teorização compatível

Orsolin, Gustavo Trombini January 2013 (has links)
O presente trabalho verifica a forma como a literatura econômica vem tratando da suposta desindustrialização do Brasil, analisando a compatibilidade entre as atuais abordagens e a visão evolucionária da mudança econômica, que combina elementos das teorias neoschumpeteriana e neoinstitucionalista (recuperando o institucionalismo original, do início do século XX). A busca de uma teorização compatível destaca que transformações como a (des)industrialização devem ser tratadas como processos de mudança estrutural gerados a partir da complexa interação entre os ambientes micro e macro de uma economia. Um novo tratamento para o fenômeno é sugerido de forma a apresentar diagnósticos mais úteis e a guiar a formação de políticas públicas em torno dessas transformações. / This work verifies how the economic literature has been working on the supposed Brazilian deindustrialization phenomenon, analyzing its compatibility with the evolutionary approach to economics, understood as a bridge that links Neoschumpeterian and Neoinstitutionalist theories (the latter retrieving Original Institutionalism from early twentieth century). The pursue of a consistent theorization of (de)industrialization and economic evolution stresses that transformations like (de)industrialization must be treated as processes of structural change built from the complex interaction between micro and macro environments of an economy. A new approach is suggested in order to present more useful diagnostics and to guide policy making in the matter of such transformations.
24

Une approche évolutionniste de la performance des démarches managériales : le cas du TER Bourgogne / How the perceived value of managerial practicies can leverage the sustainable performance by using evolutionary theories : the case of french railway

Louis, Anne-Sophie 26 September 2013 (has links)
L'objectif de cette recherche est de comprendre comment la valeur perçue des démarches managériales peut devenir un levier de performance. Les pratiques managériales mobilisées sont la responsabilité Sociétale, le système de management Environnemental, la Qualité, et les Innovations technologiques. Elles sont destinées : à améliorer la performance de l'organisation et à émettre un signal aux parties prenantes. Nous mobilisons la théorie évolutionniste, car elle questionne la logique d'évolution et de transformation de l'organisation dans son environnement institutionnel. En outre, la phase empirique repose sur la méthodologie expérimentale. Celle-ci permet de mettre en lumière les préférences réelles et non biaisées des individus qui sont difficiles à évaluer avec les méthodes classiques. Cette phase empirique est complétée par huit focus groups qui permettent de vérifier les hypothèses obtenues ainsi que de neutraliser les biais. Au niveau théorique, grâce à l'approche évolutionniste, nous proposons une analyse évolutive de la performance des démarches managériales via la valeur perçue de l'organisation. Au niveau méthodologique, l'approche évolutionniste permet d'aborder l'organisation publique dans sa dualité d'organisation comme terrain de jeux d'acteurs et d'institutions porteuses de règles qui doivent être cohérentes tant pour les joueurs internes (le personnel) qu'externes (les usagers). Au niveau pratique, cette recherche propose des réponses fonctionnelles aux décideurs et aux manageurs qui s'interrogent sur l'efficacité des démarches managériales et se heurtent aux dissonances classique entre « communication interne » et « communication externe ». / The purpose of this research work is to understand how the perceived value of managerial approaches can leverage the sustainable performance.That is the company's assessment as regards the value of the services it offers. The management practices taken into account are: Corporate Social Responsibility, Environmental Management System, Quality, and Technological Innovations. They are designed 1) to improve the performance of the organization 2) to transmit a signal to stakeholders. We focus on the evolutionary theories. The empirical phase is based on the experimental methodology. It allows to highlights the real and unbiased preferences of the individuals which are difficult to assess with conventional methods. This phase is completed by six focus groups that control the hypotheses and allow us to go further into the analysis. On the theoretical level, through the evolutionary theory, we suggest an evolutionary analysis of the performance of the managerial approaches through the perceived value which, as far as I know, has never been proposed before. On the methodological level, the evolutionary approach can address the public organization in its organizational duality both as organizational behaviours place for players and as an institution supporting rules that must be consistent for both internal players (staff) and external players (users). As for the practical level, this research work offers realistic answers to policy makers and managers who are concerned by the efficiency of managerial actions and have to face the standard dissonance between "internal communication" and "external communication".
25

(Des)industrialização e evolução econômica : em busca de uma teorização compatível

Orsolin, Gustavo Trombini January 2013 (has links)
O presente trabalho verifica a forma como a literatura econômica vem tratando da suposta desindustrialização do Brasil, analisando a compatibilidade entre as atuais abordagens e a visão evolucionária da mudança econômica, que combina elementos das teorias neoschumpeteriana e neoinstitucionalista (recuperando o institucionalismo original, do início do século XX). A busca de uma teorização compatível destaca que transformações como a (des)industrialização devem ser tratadas como processos de mudança estrutural gerados a partir da complexa interação entre os ambientes micro e macro de uma economia. Um novo tratamento para o fenômeno é sugerido de forma a apresentar diagnósticos mais úteis e a guiar a formação de políticas públicas em torno dessas transformações. / This work verifies how the economic literature has been working on the supposed Brazilian deindustrialization phenomenon, analyzing its compatibility with the evolutionary approach to economics, understood as a bridge that links Neoschumpeterian and Neoinstitutionalist theories (the latter retrieving Original Institutionalism from early twentieth century). The pursue of a consistent theorization of (de)industrialization and economic evolution stresses that transformations like (de)industrialization must be treated as processes of structural change built from the complex interaction between micro and macro environments of an economy. A new approach is suggested in order to present more useful diagnostics and to guide policy making in the matter of such transformations.
26

A Model of Non-Routine Organizational Search: Broadcast Search as an Alternative Knowledge-Sourcing Mechanism in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Zeitzmann, Hanko Kalle 07 January 2013 (has links)
Combining Cyert and March's (1963) model of search with foundational concepts from evolutionary theory (Nelson & Winter, 1982), this dissertation scrutinizes the expansion of search and develops a refined framework for organizational search behavior.  Special emphasis is put on the aspect of search in organizationally vulnerable areas (Cyert & March, 1963).  Considering pressure to innovate as a potential driver, the dissertation develops a conceptual model based on open innovation (Chesbrough, 2003a).  Three pre-studies and two main studies illuminate broadcast search in the pharmaceutical industry and test the theoretical model. The pre-studies elucidate the use of broadcast search in the pharmaceutical industry from various angles.  One investigation uses public data from an intermediary to test for the uniqueness of pharma-related broadcast search.  Findings indicate that pharma-related challenges are frequented less by solvers.  Another pre-study administered surveys to managers from pharmaceutical firms interested in open innovation for R&D.  Results indicate alignment between the academic literature and practice.  The tenor of the pre-studies is that broadcast search in the pharmaceutical industry deserves legitimate consideration.  Also, anecdotal evidence supports the notion that broadcast search, at current, is used after other attempts have failed"as a search mechanism at the margin. The two main studies test the theoretically developed ideas.  Building on prior work, study 1 singles out the breadth of the knowledge base as the defining factor for forming strategic knowledge groups.  Study 2 supports the notion that innovation pressure is associated with changes in organizational search behavior.  Since study 2 does not find a direct link between innovation pressure and broadcast search engagement, a post-hoc analysis follows which combines study 1 findings with study 2 data.  Results support the idea that a broad knowledge base precedes broadcast search. Theory development benefits from this dissertation by emphasizing on a better understanding of organizational search processes and setting a foundation for future investigations.  For practitioners the dissertation cautions of blind adoption of broadcast search while at the same time pointing to its potential.  Having supplemental capabilities becomes crucial.  The nature of these capabilities requires further scientific investigation. / Ph. D.
27

Evolution and Race in Mid-Twentieth-Century America

Siff, Sarah Brady 25 August 2011 (has links)
No description available.
28

Planning and the Survival Processing Effect: An Examination of the Proximate Mechanisms

Colyn, Leisha A. 09 April 2014 (has links)
No description available.
29

An investigation into the acoustic behaviour, ecology, biogeography, genetic relatedness and species limits within the Pauropsalta annulata Goding and Froggatt species complex (Hemiptera: Cicadidae)

Lindsay Popple Unknown Date (has links)
This thesis investigates aspects of the ecology, morphology, bioacoustics, genetic relatedness, biogeography and taxonomy of cicadas in the Pauropsalta annulata Goding and Froggatt species complex, across their entire eastern Australian geographical distribution. These cicadas seem to emerge at the same sites annually, although the exact duration of their life cycle is not known. They are wary and mobile insects, with individuals generally taking flight at the first sign of disturbance, which makes them challenging to record, capture and observe. The males produce distinctive calling songs that have a consistent rhythmic structure, which is critically important for attracting females. In most cases, the songs are biphasic, with a penetrating introductory or "buzzing" component that apparently functions in mate attraction and a strongly structured cueing or "lilting" component for mate localisation. Initially Pauropsalta annulata was thought to comprise a single species with some degree of geographically structured variation in its calling song. Consequently, various "song types" had been recognised, but their precise relationship to one another had never been investigated. Therefore the structure of their calling songs were compared statistically across individuals of three song types, and this revealed four discrete clusters that were demonstrated to be independent of one another and consistent in their calling song structure. Plotting the geographical distributions of these cicadas revealed that each of the P. annulata song types is independently distributed geographically, with areas of overlap that are relatively small. Calling song structure is consistent for each song type across extensive geographical space and this structure holds even into areas of sympatry. One song type showed consistent differences from the others in male genitalia structure, and female ovipositor length differs significantly among three of the other song types. Each song type was found to be strongly associated with a small number of tree species and these associations are maintained into areas of sympatry. The spatial ecological and morphological comparisons in song structure, plant associations and morphology made in this study demonstrate that the P. annulata song types actually represent a complex of cryptic species. Two of the song types appear to intergrade in areas of sympatric overlap in terms of calling songs, plant associations and morphology, and thus represent subspecies as defined in population genetics terms. The components of the male calling song were then investigated to determine their specific functions and thus how they could delimit species boundaries. Significant differences were found in dominant song frequency between three of the four species, and may contribute to differential mate attraction. Both components of the song of each species have the same dominant frequency. Consistent differences were also evident, among species and subspecies, in the rhythmic structure of the "lilting" component of the male calling song. This component contains repeated phrases and each one of these provides a cue to which the conspecific female may respond. Her response is timed for the brief silent interval between the phrases. At this point the calling song becomes a duet, which enables the male to locate the female, as he actively searches for her on the surrounding branches at this stage. The calling song is discussed in terms of random mating within gene pools of these cicadas and in terms of its role as part of their broader fertilisation mechanism. A molecular analysis of the P. annulata species complex was performed to examine the phylogenetic relationships across 12 species and four subspecies defined in this study, and estimate divergence times within the group. Individual specimens were sampled widely across the geographical distributions of the species and subspecies where possible to account for genetic variation across space. DNA sequences from two loci were amplified: mitochondrial CO1 ("barcoding region") and a large intron from the dynamin nuclear gene. Separate phylogenies were reconstructed for each locus using maximum parsimony procedures and Bayesian posterior sampling with implementation of a relaxed molecular clock. The phylogenies from both genes provided strong support for the monophyly of the P. annulata species complex, and nine of the species were monophyletic based on the CO1 gene. The remaining three emerged non-monophyletic. Based on a clock calibration of 0.0165s/s/myr, the monophyletic clades represented by extant P. annulata species diverged about 4.5-8.0 million years ago. Those species that emerged non-monophyletic had shallower divergences, with the exception of one species, which exhibited haplotype diversity that conferred up to 13.2% sequence divergence between allopatric populations in CO1. Dynamin produced a broadly similar phylogenetic pattern to that of CO1, but the relationships among individuals across the species and subspecies that emerged non-monophyletic differed substantially. This lack of congruence between the two genomes, in combination with the dominance of internal haplotypes in both loci, indicates an overall pattern of deep coalescence rather than interspecific hybridization. Therefore the molecular data do not provide an alternative definition of species limits in the P. annulata species complex, despite some emerging non-monophyletic in this analysis. Sound interpretation of the phylogenetic pattern discovered here would not have been possible without the acoustic, ecological and geographical investigations on species limits that preceded this work. To determine what biological and climatic factors influence the present day distributions of these cicadas, the distributions of two of the most closely related species in the P. annulata species complex were compared with the distributions of the tree species with which each is mainly associated. Because a large part of their life cycle is subterranean, soil texture, pH, electrical conductivity and force required for surface penetration were compared across sites where each of the cicadas occur in sympatry and allopatry. Finally, the influence of temperature and rainfall variables were investigated by testing 'predicted distribution' models (formed using positive distribution records) against negative records for both sets of variables, individually and in combination. The results show that the extent of the distribution of the cicada species is substantially less than that of the associated tree species. The geographical distributions of one of the species may be influenced more by rainfall, or a combination of temperature and rainfall, whereas the other species appears to be more influenced by temperature alone. Both species tolerate soils with a wide range of pH levels, electrical conductivity and forces required for surface penetration. They both showed a strong association with soils that had a silt loam texture, with only few records from sandy soils. However, none of the soils sampled where the cicadas occurred were heavy clays, which suggests that the physical properties of such soils may provide an unsuitable environment for the nymphal stages of the life cycle of these particular cicadas. The resolution of species limits within the P. annulata species complex allowed the redescription of Pauropsalta annulata Goding and Froggatt sensu stricto and the description of 11 new species belonging to the P. annulata species group, all from eastern Australia. Two of these species comprise two subspecies each, also all new. New distribution records and calling song data are documented for the allied species, P. ayrensis Ewart, which is redescribed to include the characters newly recognised in the present study as significant taxonomically with respect to Pauropsalta cicadas. The treatment includes comprehensive descriptions of the morphology and calling songs of the species and subspecies, and separate descriptive keys are provided for both sets of characters. The new taxa comprise P. artatus sp. nov., P. corymbiae sp. nov., P. decorus sp. nov., P. graniticus sp. nov., P. inversus inversus subsp. nov., P. i. laboris subsp. nov., P. notialis notialis subsp. nov., P. notialis incitatus subsp. nov., P. simplex sp. nov., P. subtropicus sp. nov, P. torrensis sp. nov. and P. tremulus sp. nov. Areas of hybridization between P. n. notialis subsp. nov. and P. n. incitatus subsp. nov. are also documented, together with their calling songs and morphology, which justifies their subspecific status. The P. inversus subspecies are allopatric, but consistently differ in the duration between phrases of the calling song. Finally, the results and conclusions are amalgamated into a critical reassessment of what defines species limits and the most appropriate approaches to investigating species limits in sexual organisms. Some historical discussions are revisited, such as the question of the reality of species and how species are perceived under the premises of neoDarwinism. The realism of species demands that species limits are most realistically defined in terms of their fertilisation mechanism, for this delimits the gene pool and thus the distribution of adaptations (the calling song of cicadas, for example).
30

EVOLUTIONARY SKETCHES

Cho, Youngmi January 2011 (has links)
<p>EVOLUTIONARY SKETCHES is a three-movement sextet composition for flute, clarinet in Bb, percussion, piano, viola, and cello. The idea of the piece is based on the study of applying scientific evolutionary theories to compositional techniques. The first movement reflects my attempt to realize the generic process of development from one generation to the next by natural selection, crossover, or mutation. In the second movement, I conceive an image of evolution in which changes take place through battles among different evolutionary factors over progress. The structure of the third movement explores the extensive use of cellular automata.</p> / Dissertation

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