Abstract Not Provided. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

Den här rapporten behandlar ett kandidatarbete som utfördes mot Institutionen för ekonomisk och industriell utveckling. Arbetet gick ut på att modernisera det existerande programmet MODEST som använts för att beräkna optimala energisystem. Moderniseringen gjordes genom att skapa programmet Humble, vars funktionalitet bygger på MODEST. I den här rapporten beskrivs hur program kan utvecklas för att de ska vara enkla att använda, samt hur de kan konstrueras för att möjliggöra vidareutveckling. Dessa aspekter framställdes av kunden som viktiga i projektet. Gruppens tillvägagångssätt för att utveckla programmet förklaras och en överskådlig bild över den arkitektur som använts ges. De erfarenheter som gruppen förskaffat sig under projektet beskrivs och reflekteras över. Detta gäller såväl tekniska erfarenheter som erfarenheter kopplade till projektprocessen. Gruppmedlemmarnas personliga erfarenheter kopplade till de roller de haft i projektet beskrivs i individuellt skrivna delar. Slutligen diskuteras projektet och hur resultatet har uppnåtts, varefter slutsatser kopplade till frågeställningarna dras. Dessa slutsatser är att prototypning och användbarhetstester är effektiva metoder för att skapa program som är enkla att använda, samt att program som tillämpar tydligt dokumenterade designmönster och är modulärt uppbyggda möjliggör vidareutveckling.

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This dissertation provides a critical and constructive interpretation of “A Neglected Argument for the Reality of God” [NA], the sole primarily theological essay written by the logician, scientist, and philosopher C. S. Peirce (1839-1914). Despite recent scholarly attention, NA has confused its readers from its publication in 1908 until today. This dissertation interprets NA in light of: (a) Peirce’s philosophy of science and his theory of signs (semeiotic); and (b) a close reading of the published essays and unpublished manuscripts Peirce composed during the decade before NA’s publication and the six years he lived post-publication. These primary materials suggest that the key to understanding the so-called humble argument at the heart of NA is Peirce’s conviction that the universe is a divine sign. The humble argument is a recommendation that one make musement, or the playful contemplation of the universe, a daily habit. Since Peirce believed that the universe is a divine sign, he predicted that anyone who mused for forty to fifty minutes daily would eventually come to believe in God’s reality. Peirce describes the humble argument as the innermost of three nested arguments, the latter two defending the reasonableness of the humble argument. The second argument, which Peirce accuses theologians of neglecting, appeals to the instinctiveness of the idea that God is real as evidence of the truth of that idea. As stated, that argument is flawed, but it can be reformulated as an empirical prediction that intelligent extraterrestrial lifeforms will tend to develop conceptions of God or Ultimate Reality. The third argument defends the reasonableness of the humble argument by construing the idea of God as arising, like scientific hypotheses, through abductive inference. Contra Peirce, this dissertation argues that, although analogous to certain abstractions that play important roles in science, the idea of God is not a valid scientific hypothesis because it entails no testable predictions. Given this lack of testable consequences, Peirce’s pragmatic defense of the meaningfulness of the idea of God is inconsistent with his pragmaticism, having more in common with William James’s individualistic interpretation of pragmatism, which Peirce had previously opposed.

張湛《列子注》長久以來在學術界未受到重視，但是在整個魏晉玄學的發展史上（尤其是東晉玄學）實具有不可磨滅的價值，因此對於張湛的玄學思想應給予什麼樣的評價？張湛的「貴虛」思想與《列子》的「貴虛」究竟有什麼不同？他的理論是否可以名之為「貴虛論」？張湛的思想體系只是單純的雜揉各家的說法、還是又提出了一些新的命題及概念？這些都是在探討張湛思想所欲解決的問題。本文擬分為六章，以「貴虛」為理論核心，再探討相關的幾個重要的子題--言意觀、力命論、天道觀、聖人論等，將張湛的行為及思考模式作一時代的定位。本文各章重點如下:第一章緒論，先宏觀介紹東晉玄學的特色及《列子注》「貴虛」的意涵，並對張湛是否偽作《列子》疑案作一釐清。第二章言意觀，說明《列子注》言意之辨的內涵，從去知忘言的語言模式及名實與公私二方面論述。進而再探討張湛的思考脈絡及思維方式。第三章天道觀，探討有無之辨的思想背景及思想內涵，從道與的關係、萬有生化的情形、宇宙的生成三方面申說。第四章力命論，主要探討理與力命的關係及「為我」與「知命」觀念的矛盾與調和。第五章聖人之道，說明張湛「聖人」模式的內涵及儒道調和的意義，並進一步闡明張湛對於覺與夢的辨別及具體的修養之方。第六章結論，對張湛思想體系的檢討及評價。

[pt] As práticas da humildade ampliam a excelência organizacional e a vantagem competitiva, sendo utilitária a criação de modelos para a sua internalização nas organizações. A cultura de humildade é pouco estudada no campo da gestão, em função de seus desafios conceituais e metodológicos. A fim de cobrir essa lacuna, este projeto tem por objetivo propor e validar um modelo de maturidade da cultura de humildade organizacional (MCH) que suporte a internalização desse valor nas organizações em regime progressivo. Abordagens metodológicas mistas são utilizadas ao longo de três fases: (i) qualitativa - criação do modelo preliminar da cultura de humildade organizacional (CHO), (ii) quantitativa - validação do CHO com seus construtos fundamentais e (iii) validação junto a lideranças corporativas do conteúdo do MCH. Os resultados indicam os construtos fundamentais do CHO: equilíbrio, elogio, confiança, colaboração, feedback, criatividade, e comunicação, a partir dos quais configura-se o MCH que propõe um continuum de 5 estágios de maturidade cultural: retórico, embrionário, estimulado, pleno e virtuoso, sendo que cada tipo reflete respectivamente comportamentos distintos em relação à humildade, progredindo de despreocupado, reativo, obrigatório, voluntário até inconsciente, no qual as práticas de humildade se internalizam em ações virtuosas. Ao apresentar um modelo estruturado, objetivo e progressivo dos comportamentos de humildade, o estudo evidencia os desafios para uma evolução cultural nas organizações: liderança, comunicação, e trabalho em equipe. Adicionalmente o estudo oferece potenciais endereçamentos às organizações e apresenta avenidas de oportunidade para pesquisas futuras, como ulteriores testes do modelo. / [en] The practices of humility expand organizational excellence and competitive advantage, being utilitarian the creation of models for its internalization in organizations. The culture of humility is little studied in the field of management due to its conceptual and methodological challenges. In order to cover this gap, this project aims to propose and validate a maturity model for the organizational humility culture (MCH) that supports the internalization of this value in organizations in progressive regime. Mixed methodological approaches are used over three phases: (i) qualitative - creation of the preliminary model of organizational humility culture (CHO), (ii) quantitative - validation of CHO with its fundamental constructs and (iii) validation with corporate leaders of MCH content. The results indicate the fundamental constructs of CHO: balance, praise, trust, collaboration, feedback, creativity, and communication, from which the MCH is configured that proposes a continuum of 5 stages of cultural maturity: rhetorical, embryonic, stimulated, full and virtuous, and each type reflects respectively distinct behaviors in relation to humility, progressing from carefree, reactive, obligatory, voluntary to unconscious, in which the practices of humility are internalized in virtuous actions. By presenting a structured, objective and progressive model of humility behaviors, the study highlights the challenges for a cultural evolution in organizations: leadership, communication, and teamwork. Additionally, the study offers potential addresses to organizations and presents avenues of opportunity for future research, as further tests of the model.

Scholars interested in the popular Victorian periodical Temple Bar have primarily focused on the editorship of George Augustus Sala, under whom the journal paradoxically began delivering controversial content to conservative middle-class readers. But while the Temple Bar's sensation fiction and social realism have already been considered, critics have not yet examined Temple Bar's New Woman fiction, which was published during the last decade of the 19th century and George Bentley's reign as editor-in-chief. While functioning as editor-in-chief, Bentley sought to adhere to the dictates found in the 1860 prospectus, to "inculcate thoroughly English sentiment: respect for authority, attachment to the Church, and loyalty to the Queen." The Temple Bar seems an odd publication venue for the audacious New Woman writer Sarah Grand. And yet, Grand published several short stories in Temple Bar under the editorship of Bentley. Knowing Bentley's infamous editorial hatchet work, we might assume that he would cut from Grand's writing any unsavory bits of traditional New Woman content. Instead, a comparison of Grand's Temple Bar stories, "Kane, A Soldier Servant" and "Janey, A Humble Administrator," with their later unedited, republished versions (found in Grand's Our Manifold Nature) suggests that Bentley had a different editorial agenda. This analysis of Grand's fiction demonstrates that it was not New Woman subjects that Bentley found objectionable but the culpability her texts placed on the upper-middle class for their failure to act on behalf of the lower classes. Examining Bentley's removal of this material thus sheds new light on the dangers of New Woman literature as perceived by its Victorian audiences.

This diploma thesis deals with the new trends in the monetization of the video gaming industry with emphasis on crowdfunding, free-to-play model, selling games by "pay what you want" bundles and sales on Steam and other digital distribution stores. The purpose of this diploma thesis is to describe how the players on personal computers react to these trends in the Czech Republic. First, the situation in Czech gaming industry and the situation of players in the Czech Republic is described. Then, the new trends are analyzed thoroughly using foreign researches. The practical part analyses the effects of the new trends on Czech players with the results of an online questionnaire. First, the methodology is presented and subsequently the collected data is analyzed. Gradually, the thesis are answering the three research questions which are clarifying various aspects of how the Czech players respond to the new trends in the video gaming industry monetization. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

[pt] A economia global está promovendo um ambiente cada vez mais ambíguo e competitivo para empresas que operam além-fronteiras. Para suportar a demanda dessa globalização, as empresas multinacionais precisam de expatriados competentes para o sucesso de suas operações no exterior. Essas designações internacionais podem oferecer oportunidades únicas de crescimento e desenvolvimento, mas também exigem que os expatriados se adaptem efetivamente a novos ambientes. O objetivo deste estudo foi descrever como o comportamento humilde do expatriado opera em designações internacionais corporativas. Foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas com 19 gerentes, incluindo expatriados sênior (Assigned Expatriates - AEs) e gerentes de Recursos Humanos /Mobilidade Global. As questões que compuseram o roteiro de entrevista foram divididas nas seguintes categorias: 1. Comportamentos humildes expressos, 2. Relevância do comportamento humilde, 3. Contexto em que comportamentos humildes de expatriados são mais exigidos em designações internacionais; e 4. Efeitos: humildade contribuindo para a adaptação do expatriado. O processo de análise foi baseado na análise de conteúdo, para extrair as percepções dos expatriados e do RHs sobre as categorias abordadas. Os resultados sugerem que a humildade é importante para todos, mas a falta de humildade na Mobilidade Global pode ser um obstáculo. A humildade constrói conexões, confiança e relacionamentos confiáveis e de longo prazo, e contribui muito para a adaptação do expatriado em designações internacionais. O estudo também mostra que a humildade precisa de condições favoráveis para florescer, podendo estar associada à fraqueza, em determinados contextos, como aqueles em que o líder é visto como um herói, ou em culturas que valorizam a competição, o individualismo, a alta distância do poder, o confronto e em momentos que exigem agência. A pesquisa destaca que a humildade cultural é fundamental para expatriados, que lideram com uma mentalidade global. Portanto, as organizações devem aprimorar o processo de seleção, enfatizando a contribuição de um comportamento humilde para os candidatos a uma designação internacional, e oferecer programas de treinamento intercultural que incluam o aspecto comportamental, com foco nas três dimensões da humildade expressa: autoconsciência; valorização dos outros e capacidade de aprendizado. / [en] The global economy is promoting an increasingly ambiguous and competitive environment for companies operating across borders. To support the demand for this globalization, multinational companies need competent expatriates for the success of their operations abroad. These international assignments can provide unique opportunities for growth and development, but they also require expatriates to adapt effectively to new environments. The purpose of this study was to describe how expatriate humble behavior operates in corporate international assignments. Semi structured interviews were conducted with 19 managers, being senior assigned expatriates (AEs) and Human Resources/Global Mobility experts. The questions that made up the interview script were divided into the following categories: 1. Expressed humble behaviors, 2. Relevance of humble behavior, 3. Context in which expatriate humble behaviors are more required in international assignments; and 4. Outcomes: humility infusing expatriate adaptation. The analysis process was based on content analysis, to extract expatriate and HR perceptions about the categories covered. Results suggest that humility is important to all, but lack of humility in Global Mobility can be a road blocker. Humility builds connections, trust and reliable and long-term relationships, and highly contributes to expatriates´ adaptation on international assignments. The study also shows that humility needs favorable conditions to flourish, and it may be associated with weakness, in certain contexts, such as those where the leader is seen as a hero, or in cultures that value competition, individualism, high power distance, confrontation and in moments that require agency. The research highlights that cultural humility is fundamental to assigned expatriates, who lead with a global mindset. Therefore, organizations should improve the selection procedure, emphasizing the contribution of a humble behavior to candidates for an international assignment, and offer Cross-cultural training programs that include the behavioral aspect, with a focus on the three dimensions of expressed humility: self-awareness; appreciation of others and teachability.