The research aim was to gain a more detailed understanding of the operation of different key segments for fresh produce supply chains originating in the Highlands Provinces in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The research investigates a number of supply chain dimensions of effectiveness which include, value creation and integration of processes, logistics, quality, information, relationship/vertical integration and overall effectiveness. These were linked together in SC framework. Two potato chains were investigated, one formal, the other informal. The informal potato chain involves small holder farmers, input suppliers and local markets including kai bars and the urban market. The chain originates and ends within the Western Highlands Province. The formal potato chain has farmers, input suppliers, wholesaler/marker, transport companies (trucking and coastal shipping agents), supermarkets, hotels and kai bars. This chain originates in Mt Hagen, Western Highlands Province and ends in Port Moresby, National Capital District. The effectiveness of both the formal and informal chains was identified, and comparisons were made to see how each chain differed. The informal chain was found to have different problems to the formal chains. However, participants to both chains demonstrate a high entrepreneurial behavior. A key finding of the study was that the chains spread their risk by operating in multiple market segments and this can help to solve issues with variable quality. The marketers in each chain position themselves in these different market segments. It was clear from this work that focusing on functions and not the whole chain can lead to a distorted view of chain performance. For example, for the informal chain, a focus on logistics issues, particularly poor roads and problems with availability of seeds, can misrepresent the effectiveness of this chain. Therefore, it was concluded that it is important to look at the overall performance of each chain rather than looking specifically at particular chain functions in isolation.

This study identifies informal networks as the most accepted method of sharing information. Enhancing service delivery is shown as being a key trigger of coordination while rigid funding approaches are perceived to be a major inhibitor. Organisational type, position, practice approaches and location are shown to influence people's perception of coordination.

This thesis develops and empirically tests the method of the Ethnography of Knowledge in the context of an ethnographic study of the Logistics Branch of ActewAGL, an Australian multi-utility company. ¶ The study is based on fieldwork undertaken over an eight and a half month period of participant observation and uses a grounded style of analysis. ¶ In trying to understand the knowledge underpinning the social construction of a particular aspect of the field site I have used a confessional ethnographic approach. After analysing and coding the data I then assign knowledge taxonomies to the ethnographic account to understand the knowledge underpinning the social situation. I have called this method the Ethnography of Knowledge. The Ethnography of Knowledge does not follow a piece of knowledge through an organisation or attempt to understand the organisation’s knowledge but uses knowledge as a tool to understand the social construction of the setting, not as the focus itself. The thesis then explores where, when and how the Ethnography of Knowledge is useful in relation to four significant themes from the data; routines, in/formal, change and power. ¶ The contributions of the thesis are primarily methodological (the Ethnography of Knowledge), secondarily locational (Australia and ActewAGL) with some incidental theoretical contributions related to the data chapters. The thesis also contributes and assessment of the applicability of viewing various theoretical constructs as knowledge-based. Methodologically, my main contribution is to use participant observation and then in the analysis phase to assign knowledge taxonomies to the ethnographic account in order to gain a greater understanding of the socially constructed knowledge underpinning the actions in the social setting. I then empirically test how useful the application of this method is in relation to the various themes that form the basis of my data chapters. Through testing the method, this study confirms that whilst knowledge is a useful methodological tool in enhancing understanding of the certain aspect of the organisational social setting, it is not equally in all situations. When aspects of the social setting are knowledge-based or locally observable, such as routines and in/formal, the Ethnography of Knowledge is very useful in enhancing an understanding. However as one moves to a more macro view of the organisation, away from the initiation of actions, such as in organisational change or power, the Ethnography of Knowledge is less useful. ¶ Locationally I contribute a new site and add to the sparse Australian organisational ethnographic literature. In each chapter I provide incidental theoretical contributions in an ethnographic and empirical study of each particular construct. Most significantly, I am the first to test routines theory as a full participant in organisational routines, adding problem-solving as a characteristic. I also develop and use a model for understanding and analysing how the formal and informal aspects of organisations act and interact in getting things done. Implications of this research are discussed further.

Utilising an interpretive descriptive approach, this qualitative study explores and identifies how spouses and partners of stroke survivors sustain their own health and wellness. Recent literature has mainly focused on identifying psychological coping strategies thought to assist in adapting to the caring role. As a consequence, there is limited knowledge regarding the experiences of how spouses and partners attend to their own health and well-being. This study aimed to explore how spouses and partners sustain their own health and wellness while supporting a stroke survivor. Purposive and theoretical sampling strategies were used to guide recruitment. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with seven spouses and partners who were living with, and supporting a stroke survivor. A central theme with three sub-themes became apparent when examining spouses and partners’ experiences. The theme of Meeting Needs connects the three sub-themes, in that spouses’ and partners’ health and wellness appeared to be influenced by and intertwined with attending to the stroke survivors’ needs. The context of Being in a Relationship provided a rationale for prioritising the stroke survivors’ needs and was the first sub-theme. Secondly, Living Both Lives explains how spouses/partners were busy thinking and attending primarily to the stroke survivor’s daily requirements whilst also trying to attend their own needs. The third sub-theme, Uncertain Health encompasses how a spouse’s and partner’s well-being is connected to the stroke survivors’ health and their future concerns about being able to provide care if they themselves become sick. Therefore, these circumstances shaped their ability to attend to their own health and well-being. Whilst attending to the stroke survivor was at the forefront of their minds there were some strategies which spouses/partners utilised to support their own health and well-being. These were: creating time and space for themselves; talking with others; and comparing own lives against others who were seen to be worse or better off, in order to support their own emotional well-being. This study found that the participants struggled to prioritise and attend to their own health and well-being, as most of them was busy primarily attending to the stroke survivor’s needs. Overall, results suggest that exploring what spouses/partners think and do within the relationship could be valuable for health practitioners. Given that it is the intimate nature of being in a relationship that is the foundation for spouses/partners supporting the stroke survivor, it could also be important for services and health professionals to consider the well-being and needs of the couple, not just the stroke survivor.

Australia hosts thousands of English language learners every year and one of the reasons learners give for this is their belief that living in the target language community naturally avails them of more language learning opportunities than are available in their homelands. In fact, learners actually learn faster and more effectively compared to the limited gains in their respective countries. Believing that the target language community has a strong role in language learning, this research focuses on the factors and opportunities which enable students to develop their language skills in informal settings outside the school. Due to the vast scope of the research area, six different types of data collection methods have been used so that a wider spectrum in SLA could be investigated. These include an exploration of learner beliefs about their language learning experiences and a study of authentic social activities and linguistic engagements within those activities. The outcome of this research suggests that language learning is not first initiated “in the head”, but starts with the social activities in which learners participate and the qualities of the linguistic challenges and opportunities within these activities. The research draws on sociocultural theory (Vygotsky 1962, 1978), ecological approach to learning (van Lier 1999) and register theory (Halliday and Hasan 1985), and also on a range of research within second language acquisition studies. The study illustrates that language learning occurs in the context of activitybased communication experiences in authentic contexts, and the more the constant challenge and varied linguistic opportunities exist in the learner’s ecology, the more and better the chances to learn language. An overall approach to understanding independent language learning and a conceptual framework for examining informal language learning opportunities, have been developed. The study concludes with some implications for pedagogical practice in English language classrooms.

Australia hosts thousands of English language learners every year and one of the reasons learners give for this is their belief that living in the target language community naturally avails them of more language learning opportunities than are available in their homelands. In fact, learners actually learn faster and more effectively compared to the limited gains in their respective countries. Believing that the target language community has a strong role in language learning, this research focuses on the factors and opportunities which enable students to develop their language skills in informal settings outside the school. Due to the vast scope of the research area, six different types of data collection methods have been used so that a wider spectrum in SLA could be investigated. These include an exploration of learner beliefs about their language learning experiences and a study of authentic social activities and linguistic engagements within those activities. The outcome of this research suggests that language learning is not first initiated “in the head”, but starts with the social activities in which learners participate and the qualities of the linguistic challenges and opportunities within these activities. The research draws on sociocultural theory (Vygotsky 1962, 1978), ecological approach to learning (van Lier 1999) and register theory (Halliday and Hasan 1985), and also on a range of research within second language acquisition studies. The study illustrates that language learning occurs in the context of activitybased communication experiences in authentic contexts, and the more the constant challenge and varied linguistic opportunities exist in the learner’s ecology, the more and better the chances to learn language. An overall approach to understanding independent language learning and a conceptual framework for examining informal language learning opportunities, have been developed. The study concludes with some implications for pedagogical practice in English language classrooms.

<p>Aim: The purpose of this paper is to see if there has been a change over time in the performance and in the spoken word of the Swedish cooking programs. By testing the theory of intimization on the cooking programs I get the opportunity to see if the border between the private and the public have become clearer or more difficult to notice, and if the new language, the informal language as intimization entails, has been used in Swedish cooking programs since the 70s until today, or if there´s ever been a formal language in Swedish programs? Method/Material: I'm using a rhetorical approach that includes a three-step analysis. Analysing the context, means to persuade and performance. The empirical material I intend to analyze is Swedish cooking programs from the 70s until today, 2010. I´ve chosen a program from each decade except the 2000s, where I´ve chosen two, depending on the overwhelming amount of Swedish cooking programs during that decade. Main Results: The language and performance in the Swedish cooking programs are becoming more informal and in some cases extreme. There are still formal cooking programs, but today's open society is better built for the informal programs than it was before.</p>

<p>Background: Learning is important for companies’ existence in today’s society and many studies discuss the importance of life long learning and learning organizations. An increased understanding for how the individual learn at the work place is importance to study to gain an accepting for how learning occurs, both formal and informal. </p><p>Purpose: The purpose with this study is to describe the process of learning at the work place from an individual perspective, with focus on how formal and informal learning occur and interact. The purpose is also to confirm, contradict or develop existing theories. </p><p>Realization: The study is based on eight interviews with consultants at two major banks in Sweden. </p><p>Results: The study show that formal and informal learning exist at the work place. The formal learning take place throws a license, courses and educations. The informal learning happen throws interaction between colleagues. The study also shows that it exist connections between formal and informal learning. They occur at the same time, during different phases, depend on the situation and circumstances outside the organization lead to a need of both formal and informal learning.</p>

<p> </p><p>This report is about the principle and his / her role at the school it’s also about how the principle understands the role, its expectations and the demands connected. The facts are based on deep detailed interviews with three different principles. The theoretical approach is coming from “hermeneutiken” and “Gadamers” ideas regarding how an individual is creating the world and the surroundings to act within. The ambition was to evaluate the three different principles opinions and feelings in the light of the above approach plus describe possible areas of difficulties because of too different demands and expectations. The interviews indicate both similarities and totally different opinions. It will be very interesting to connect basic business management and impacts from both the formal and also the informal organisation to the interview results and findings.</p><p> </p>

Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögskolan, 2005