This study departs from the notion that permaculture is a method for implementing systemic change, with the objective of curbing the negative trends associated with industrial food production on a local level. Thereafter, the city of Uppsala, Sweden is examined in order to determine the opportunities and constraints in establishing and supporting a public permaculture park. This is accomplished by identifying to what extent permaculture currently is being used in Uppsala. In addition, the municipality’s priorities and vision for the future of the city, as well as their policies and goals concerning the use and development of public green spaces, are examined. Furthermore, the ways in which the city‘s legislation facilitates and/or hinders such a project and the start-up and continuation costs of such a project in the short term are determined. These factors are then used to examine two case studies, which were conducted on potential locations for such an initiative. Upon analysis it is determined that creating a public permaculture park in Uppsala is feasible, though obstacles exist. The study also provides suggestions for improving existing infrastructural hurdles in order to facilitate implementation.

Stakeholders are important to the financial sustainability of a nonprofit organization; however, heavy reliance on 1 stakeholder over another can place a nonprofit organization at financial risk. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies used by 3 senior leaders of a nonprofit organization in New York who have experience with stakeholder engagements efforts. The conceptual framework used for this study comprised general systems theory and transformational leadership theory. Data were collected using semistructured interviews, and review of organizational documents and online databases. Using thematic analysis, the 4 key themes that emerged from process and results strengths were leadership involvement in engaging stakeholders, persistent promotion of the organization's mission and vision, connection with the community, and workforce engagement activities. The implications of this study for positive social change include the potential to increase nonprofit leaders' understanding of practical approaches that may facilitate stakeholder engagement for improving financial sustainability, improve nonprofit leader–stakeholder relationships, and bolster philanthropic efforts to improve the economic stability of the nonprofit organization and the community.

This research investigates the public perception of hurricane forecasting and warning systems with a view to improving response activities. The hazard literature shows that the effectiveness of such systems is contingent upon on the smooth operation of all components of the system and that warning recipients fully understand the implications of the warning message by taking appropriate action. It is argued that public perception of warning systems will vary depending on various socio-demographic factors, such as age, gender, level of education, socioeconomic status and area, factors that will ultimately influence overall effectiveness. To test this, a questionnaire survey was undertaken of local residents in Lake Wales, Florida, a town that was severely impacted by three hurricanes in the 2004 season. Results indicate that some demographic factors appear to influence an individual's willingness and ability to respond. Overall, level of education and income seem to have a larger affect on response than age or gender. The two sampling areas in Lake Wales elicited more significant differences than do the other variables but, the area variable takes into account all of the other factors of age, gender, level of education, and socioeconomic status. In fact, what is argued here is that area actually acts as a surrogate variable for the others. Therefore, it is not where one is located that makes a difference but the composition of the people in the location itself.

The purpose of this single-case study was to explore strategies small business leaders used to engage the next generation of customers to ensure sustainability for longer than 5 years. The study population included senior leaders from a for-profit company headquartered in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Von Bertalanffy's general systems theory (GST) was the conceptual lens used in this study. Data were collected via semistructured interviews with 3 leaders of the organization. Participants for this doctoral study were members occupying leadership roles in a small, family-owned, for-profit business. Member checking was incorporated to help ensure accuracy, consistency, and credibility. Document analysis included reviews of financial statements, tax records, marketing and advertising plans, client survey information, and additional corporate artifacts. Using thematic analysis, themes emerging from this study included the importance of systematic approaches to engaging the next generation of customers through strategic processes, transparency in operations, fiscal accountability and protection of stakeholder interests, and use of technology to support business growth. Findings from this study might contribute to positive social change by enabling for-profit small business owners to succeed in their selected ventures and support local economic growth by engaging the next generation of customer.

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2017-12-07T11:13:48Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Luciano Del Monaco.pdf: 2641865 bytes, checksum: 869cdbdceb802dfe0c7a1eb167ff12f6 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-12-07T11:13:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Luciano Del Monaco.pdf: 2641865 bytes, checksum: 869cdbdceb802dfe0c7a1eb167ff12f6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-11-23 / The following work has the objective of assessing methodological (and technical) advances resulting of the development of computing, the impact of these developments in Law and, also, if there are ways to integrate these methodological advances in Law, and to what extent there will be necessary adaptations to enable this coupling between technology and Law. In order to do that it is used the theoretical framework of the General Systems Theory, which is applied to Law in a way to enable a suitable approach to the problem of triviality, especially the difficulties that impose limits in this coupling between technology and Law. Lastly, it is proposed a solution to the triviality problem, controlled by the subject, of the juridical problems, adapting them to the limitations of the methods of computing / A presente dissertação tem como objetivo avaliar os avanços metodológicos (e técnicos) decorrentes do desenvolvimento da computação, o impacto destes no Direito e, inclusive, se existem formas de integrar essas mudanças metodológicas ao Direito, e em que medida serão necessárias adaptações para permitir uma conjugação adequada entre tecnologia e Direito. Para isso é utilizado o arcabouço teórico da Teoria do Sistema Geral, que é aplicada ao Direito de forma a permitir o tratamento adequado do problema da trivialidade, principal dificuldade a limitar a conjugação adequada entre tecnologia e Direito. Por fim, se propõe uma solução para o problema por meio da trivialização, controlada pelo sujeito, de problemas jurídicos, adequando-os à limitação dos métodos da computação

This dissertation presents three separate studies designed to investigate the relationship between marriage and physical activity behavior. First, a systematic literature review of nineteen articles presents qualitative and quantitative articles from 2000 to 2010 that focus on the relationship between marriage and physical activity and/or exercise. Based on the findings from the review, social support (or lack of support), culturally-determined gender roles, environmental factors such as income level, and intrapersonal factors such as self-efficacy each influenced spousal physical activity. Secondly, a qualitative study based on interviews and photographs from twenty-four married individuals utilized Social Cognitive Theory to explore the mechanisms, determinants, and influences of spousal physical activity. Findings indicate verbal persuasion by husbands encouraged wives, yet verbal persuasion by wives was perceived as nagging by men. While verbal persuasion by husbands increased a small number of wives' sense of self-efficacy, the majority of women felt that persuasion increased motivation, not necessarily confidence. Findings also highlighted the power of modeling to increase husbands' physical activity. Overwhelmingly, men reacted more positively to modeling than verbal persuasion. Lastly, a second qualitative piece employed General Systems Theory to conceive of the marital unit as a type of system working within other broader systems. Findings highlighted the desire for increased quality time as a motivator for physical activity within the marital system. Also, the larger cultural, occupational, and familial systems greatly influenced marital dyads. Cultural expectations to be the primary caregiver negatively impacted wives while occupational pressures negatively influenced both parts of the marital dyad. Regarding the familial system, parents cited the influence of their own parents as well as a desire to "pass on" exemplary physical activity habits to their children. Finally, couples with children highlighted an increase in exercise frequency yet decrease in exercise intensity.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to facilitate an improved understanding by intensive care nurses about their care of family members of critically ill patients. The study aimed to challenge intensive care nurses to reconceptulaise family nursing within the context of the intensive care unit (ICU). Background to the study: Critical illness is not an event that occurs in isolation for the patient and staff. It affects the patient's family in a unique way. A plethora of literature exists identifying the needs of family members in the ICU. However, there are considerably fewer studies which have examined interventions to meet family members' needs and no identified research that discreetly examined the concept of family-focused nursing in the intensive care environment. Design of the study: This study utilised a collaborative action research methodology. It was developed in four phases through the cyclical, dynamic steps of action research. Setting: This study was undertaken in the general intensive care facility of a metropolitan tertiary referral hospital. Phase One: Phase One of the study was the establishment of a collaborative action research group (CARG) with interested registered nurses working in a general intensive care unit. The CARG explored the first two research questions of this study: 1) What are intensive care nurses' perceptions of family-focused nursing? and 2) Is familyfocused nursing appropriate in the intensive care environment? Data were collected through audio taping meetings, flip chart notes and the researcher's reflective diary. Data analysis was undertaken utilising open coding. For the first research question, open coding of the data revealed two categories relating to perceptions of family focused intensive care nursing: partnership in care and maintaining a balance. For the second research question, CARG members agreed unanimously that family focused nursing was appropriate in the intensive care environment. The CARG determined future direction of the action research phases, commencing with a family needs analysis in Phase Two. Phase Two: Phase Two of the study was the utilization of a descriptive survey to determine family member needs in the ICU to determine focuses for interventions during Phase Three. Both family members and staff in the ICU were surveyed utilising the Critical Care Family Needs Index (CCFNI) (Molter & Leske, 1983). Data were analysed by the CCFNI subcategories of assurance, proximity, information, comfort and support, comparing means, rank ordering of means and t-test for statistically significant differences in means between the family members and staff participants. Results indicated that statistically significant differences in means scores between family members and staff participants were in the CCFNI categories of assurance, proximity, information and support. On the basis of these results, a platform for Phase Three of this study arose. The areas for intervention for Phase Three were identified by the CARG as: the provision of staff education seminars to raise staff awareness of family needs and the development of a structured family assessment tool to identify family needs in the ICU. Phase Three: Phase Three of the study addressed research question three: &quotHow can intensive care nurses provide care that is focused toward the family of the critically ill patient?" Phase Three examined practice interventions in two areas. Phase Three Part A was the implementation of nursing staff education seminars. Forty-two nursing staff participated in the family needs education seminars. Data were collected by detailed researcher field notes and completion of a descriptive survey, the CCFNI, post seminar attendance. Thirty-five participants completed the CCFNI. This CCFNI data from nursing participants in the education seminars was compared to family members CCFNI data from Phase Two. Open coding of data from the education seminars revealed codes of family needs, visiting, family presence, encouragement, simple things and boundaries under the theme of &quotestablishing the context" and attitudes, confidence, empathy and culture under the theme of &quotbuilding a partnership". CCFNI results highlighted statistically significant differences in means scores between family members and staff participants were in the subcategories of proximity and support. Results demonstrated that through understanding family members needs that intensive care nurses can provide care that is focused toward the family of the critically ill patient. This is a building process to be achieved over time. Phase Three Part B was the content validity development of a family assessment tool for the Computer Information System (CIS) in the ICU. A family assessment tool (See Figure 6.1) was developed through the literature and in consultation with the CARG. A series of focus groups were organised. All nursing staff in the general ICU were invited to participate. Twenty-nine registered nurses (43.9%, n=66) participated in the family assessment tool focus groups. The five domains of the family assessment tool, family roles, family spokesperson, family perception and coping, family issues and family health needs, were each discussed to determine readability, clarity and applicability. The focus groups agreed on content validity of the family assessment tool. (See Figure 6.2). Phase Four: Finally, Phase Four of the study has addressed research question four: &quotIs action research an appropriate methodology to transform intensive care nursing practice?" Somekh's (1995) framework was utilised to guide this critical evaluation. It is suggested that action research is an appropriate methodology to transform intensive care nursing practice as it enables the development of professional, it is sensitive to the specific nature of intensive care nursing, it acknowledges of attributes of the researcher in the process. It is also an appropriate methodological choice as it provides opportunity for a critical evaluation and a platform for the ongoing nature of the action research journey. Conclusions: Overall the findings achieved the objectives of the study in that organisational, cultural and clinical practice changes were identified to facilitate family-focused intensive care nursing. Collaboration occurred with intensive care nurses to effect change. The action research process involved in the change process was articulated throughout the four phases of the study. An improved understanding by intensive care nurses about their family nursing practice was demonstrated in Phase Three and the efficacy of action research methodology for clinical practice change was demonstrated in Phase Four.

This thesis has its starting point in the digitalization of society focusing on the rapid development of mobile technologies and the increasing interplay between humans and machines. The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) is extending at a fast pace, affecting all parts of society, and the everyday life of most individuals. The fast progressing development of mobile technologies (smartphones and their accessories/ wearable’s) is creating new trends such as health tracking and quantified self. These mobile technologies can register an increasing number of physiological features, implying that the interconnection between the physiological and digital systems is increasing. This creates a range of new possibilities within health and medical research but it also creates new challenges and the need for new knowledge in how we relate these devices to our bodies. In the psychological perspective, smartphone use is increasing and previous studies imply that these devices are affecting our behaviour, our mental health as well as our cognitive functions. This implies for a need to understand the relation we have to these devices also in a psychological perspective, focusing on emotions and cognition. This study set out to explore the relation between humans and technologies from a systems perspective. The research question involved: How are users and smartphones related in physical and psychological perspectives? The methods used were questionnaires and interviews. The respondents were students in two European universities, who described their experiences of smartphone use, and three doctors (in medicine and biomedicine) that provided interesting aspects in how mobile technologies can be related to the human body from a system perspective   In a physical perspective the users as well as their physical environments could be described as converging with the digital systems. The need of being connected and have access to all life-spheres at once seemed to be an important driving force, implying that users are dependent on information and a converged life-style. In a psychological perspective, the emotional bond seemed stronger then the actual physical need. The perceptions of smartphones differed, but a common denominator described by both Swedish and Albanian users, was the perception of the smartphone as something with human-like features, comparable to a friend. The last part of the study concerned if smartphones can be seen as a new entity of our own system, comparable to an organ. The result suggests that this depends on the individual use, if the technologies is used to sustain health, the value it provides, and it is also a matter of the users ontological believes. The concept of physio-digital convergence is proposed as a new concept to analyse the development of increasing use of mobile technologies further.

Past research has highlighted various problematic issues related to the use of the RCMP undercover operation entitled the “Mr. Big” sting. In a landmark decision, R v. Hart [2014], the Supreme Court of Canada recognized many problems with it and implemented a new admissibility test that would render confessions obtained by the undercover operation presumptively inadmissible. This research project explores the impact that this new evidentiary rule has had on cases involving “Mr. Big” confession evidence since the Hart decision (2014 to 2016). A content analysis was conducted on 16 cases that applied the new admissibility test. The case analysis revealed several important findings from cases that have applied the new admissibility test following Hart. In order to situate these findings, General Systems Theory was used to illustrate the impact that the court’s interpretation of the new evidentiary rule could have on the different components of the criminal justice system. It will be important for future research to further examine the impact of the new admissibility test in order to enhance our understanding of the influence it has had on cases involving “Mr. Big” sting confession evidence.

This thesis proposes the use of a sociotechnical systems approach for analysing project management in nondeterministic project progress. The academic context of the research covers the domain of general systems theory, more specifically sociotechnical systems, and that of project management. The empirical part of the research comprises of a questionnaire spread amongst project managers in technical service firms in the built environment sector. The research shows that there are research opportunities in project management to which the sociotechnical approach to temporary project organisations can contribute.