Este trabalho foi elaborado considerando conceitos de quatro áreas de pesquisa: ciência da computação, ciência cognitiva, ciência da informação e comunicação social. A contribuição principal aqui se dá em definir agentes minimamente cognitivos que participam ativamente na dinâmica do fluxo de informações, sofrendo influência das mensagens que recebem e também interferindo no que irá passar adiante. O modelo contempla tanto características relacionadas ao ambiente e sociedade, definidos usando ontologias, quanto à mente, arquitetura e funcionamento dos agentes. Cada personagem possui três módulos de decisão, podendo acessar meios de comunicação em massa, assimilar informações recebidas e também falar com seus amigos. Para o módulo de assimilação, estão apresentadas quatro formas que os agentes podem usar para avaliar as informações que recebem. Primeiramente foi elaborada uma função, depois foram definidas três máquinas de estados finitos, aumentando gradativamente a complexidade e a interdependência entre os parâmetros envolvidos em cada uma. Foi também elaborada uma função adaptativa, a qual a partir de uma regra definida pelo usuário para a troca entre as máquinas de estado que os agentes dispõem, propiciou resultados satisfatórios mesmo nos casos onde alguma das máquinas de estado apresentou deficiências. Visando reproduzir uma situação inspirada na vida real, estão apresentados resultados de uma versão combinada (definida pelo autor) onde foram considerados três grupos e a possibilidade de acesso a meios de comunicação em massa e/ou troca de mensagens entre amigos. Usando o modelo como base, um simulador foi desenvolvido onde é possível ter não só uma visão global da dinâmica que está acontecendo na sociedade, mas também o que alguns agentes ficam sabendo e que podem falar sobre. Os estudos de caso visaram comparar as diferentes formas de assimilação de informações que os agentes podem usar (elaboradas pelo autor), avaliar a influência da variação de alguns parâmetros e reproduzir a dinâmica do fluxo de informações em redes sociais, a comparando com o que acontece quando se tem a divulgação broadcast. / This work was developed considering concepts of four research areas: computer science, cognitive science, information science and social communication. The main contribution here is to define minimally cognitive agents who actively participate in dynamic of information flow interfering on the messages received and are being affected by them. The model consider characteristics related to the environment and the society, defined by using ontologies, and the \"mind\", architecture and functioning of the agents. Each character has three decision modules. They can access means of mass communication, assimilate information received and talk to their friends. To the assimilation module were presented four forms that agents can evaluate received information, a function, and three finite state machines (FSM). They were elaborated increasing the complexity. After, it was developed an adaptive function, in which using a rule the user define how to exchange between the finite state machines that agents have. This function provided satisfactory results even in cases where some of the FSMs presented problems. Aiming to reproduce a situation inspired in real life a combined version was defined by the author, in where were considered three groups that can access means of mass communication and / or talk to their friends. Based on the model, a simulator was developed in which there are not only an overview of the society dynamics, but also what agents learn and what they can talk about. The case studies were performed aiming to compare the different assimilation forms (developed by the author), to evaluate the influence of some parameters variation and to reproduce the dynamics of information flow, comparing the influence of a social network communication and the mass communication activity.

A pesquisa aborda o fluxo de informação e a inter ação entre atores em redes sociais. O objetivo é analisar o fluxo de informação da Rede Arranjo Produtivo Local Têxtil situada em Americana/SP visando apontar como a interação e o compartilhamento de informação influenciam o desenvolvimento de atividades entre os elos da rede. Neste contexto, analisa como os atores integram-se aos fluxos de informação da rede. Considera-se que dinâmica do fluxo de informação instaura a maneira como a informação flui e circula nesse espaço e está diretamente relacionada ao grau de interação entre os agentes. Isso, porque, a sociabilidade e a colaboração são inerentes ao espaço de convivência em rede. Para tanto, optou-se pela metodologia qualitativa com método indutivo e estudo de caso e, com uso da Metodologia de Análise de Redes Sociais, pode-se identificar os atores da rede que mantêm relações mais estreitas entre si, permitindo que a informação circule nesse ambiente. A ARS contribui para verificar como os atores agem em relação ao compartilhamento de informações dando dinamismo ao fluxo de informação. Na coleta de dados foi utilizado um questionário junto a 37 participantes dos seguintes segmentos da indústria têxtil: Fiação, Tecelagem e Malharia, Acabamento e Confecção. Constatou-se que a interação é direcionada de acordo com características específicas e complementares de empresas da rede social, sendo esse espaço de convívio de fácil acesso a fontes de informação que podem colaborar com a construção de ações conjuntas em redes. Conclui-se que as trocas de informação no contexto em rede apontam para a necessidade de se conceber e desenvolver mecanismos que trabalhem os fluxos de informação e sua dinâmica na rede. A Ciência da Informação pode trazer subsídios para gerenciar a estrutura de interconexão instável e transitória da informação que permeia o ambiente em rede. / The research deals with the information flow and the interaction among the actors in social networks. The objective was to analyze the information flow of the Rede Arranjo Produtivo Local Têxtil, situated in Americana/SP, aiming to define how the information interaction and sharing influence the development of activities among the members of the network. In this context, how the actors integrate the information flows in the network was analyzed. It considers that the dynamics of the information flow defines how the information flows and circulates in this space and how it is directly related with the level of interaction among the agents. This occurs because both the sociability and the collaboration are inherent to the relationship in the network. In this instance, the qualitative methodology, with the inductive method and case study, as well as the Methodology for Analysis of Social Networks (ASN), were chosen aiming to identify the actors in the network who maintain closer relationships among themselves, allowing that the information circulates in that environment. The ASN contributes to verify how the actors behave regarding to the information sharing, bringing dynamism to the information flow. A questionnaire was used for obtaining the data regarding 37 members of the following segment of the textile industry: Spinning, Weaving and Knitting, Finishing and Confection. That the interaction is directed by the specific and complementary social network companies´ characteristics was discovered, as this space of relationship permits the easy access to information resources, which can collaborate to the building of joint actions in the networks. It concludes that the information exchanges, in the context of the network, point to the need of conceiving and developing mechanisms which deal with the information flows and their dynamics in the network. The Information Science can bring subsidies for managing the structure of instable and transitory information interconnections which permeate the network environment.

Esta pesquisa propõe a análise da censura prévia exercida pelo Estado sobre o teatro, a partir dos documentos existentes nos prontuários que compõem o Arquivo Miroel Silveira, sob o prisma do gerenciamento de informações. Verificamos que o exercício do gerenciamento de informações costuma ser apresentado como atividade planejada, técnica, racional e neutra, exercida para a melhoria de processos. Já a censura é exercida por meio de processos burocráticos para a proteção do bem comum. Apesar dos objetivos diferentes, resultam na utilização de um mesmo recurso, que é a interferência no fluxo de informações ? relacionadas à produção material, no âmbito das empresas e relacionadas à produção artística, quando se trata da censura prévia. A partir daí, propusemos um estudo da censura prévia como um tipo de gerenciamento de informações. Para isso, analisamos o processo burocrático da censura prévia ao teatro. Nossa pesquisa mostrou que o gerenciamento de informações realizado através da censura permite que o Estado se aproprie de informações sobre a produção teatral e das pessoas a ela relacionadas, puna aqueles que expressam idéias divergentes e coíba a resistência à ação da censura. Por meio de nosso estudo, concluímos que o gerenciamento de informações e a censura, de fato, não são exercidos para o bem comum, mas para atender aos interesses daqueles que têm o poder para planejá-los e colocá-los em prática. / This research proposes the analysis of the censorship the government imposed over the theater prior to any production or exhibition. The research will utilize the documents and files from the ?Arquivo Miroel Silveira? (Miroel Silveira Archives), and analyze them from the perspective of the information management. We verified that the information management is a planned, technical, rational and neutral activity used to improve procedures. Censorship uses bureaucratic processes to protect society. Even though with different objectives, both activities utilize the same method, which is the interference in the information flow. The information flow can be related to the production of services or goods, in the case of the companies, and in the case of prior censorship, the artistic production. This research proposes the study of prior censorship as a kind of information management. In order to achieve our objectives, we studied the bureaucratic process of the prior censorship to the theater. Our research showed that the information management utilized by the censorship allows the government to obtain information about the artistic productions and the people involved with them, and punish those who express ideas that are contrary to the government?s ideas. The information also allows the government to prevent any resistance to the actions of censorship. Our study concludes that the information management and prior censorship, in fact, are not used for the benefit of the society, but to achieve the interests of those with the power to plan and exercise them.

A pesquisa aborda o fluxo de informação e a inter ação entre atores em redes sociais. O objetivo é analisar o fluxo de informação da Rede Arranjo Produtivo Local Têxtil situada em Americana/SP visando apontar como a interação e o compartilhamento de informação influenciam o desenvolvimento de atividades entre os elos da rede. Neste contexto, analisa como os atores integram-se aos fluxos de informação da rede. Considera-se que dinâmica do fluxo de informação instaura a maneira como a informação flui e circula nesse espaço e está diretamente relacionada ao grau de interação entre os agentes. Isso, porque, a sociabilidade e a colaboração são inerentes ao espaço de convivência em rede. Para tanto, optou-se pela metodologia qualitativa com método indutivo e estudo de caso e, com uso da Metodologia de Análise de Redes Sociais, pode-se identificar os atores da rede que mantêm relações mais estreitas entre si, permitindo que a informação circule nesse ambiente. A ARS contribui para verificar como os atores agem em relação ao compartilhamento de informações dando dinamismo ao fluxo de informação. Na coleta de dados foi utilizado um questionário junto a 37 participantes dos seguintes segmentos da indústria têxtil: Fiação, Tecelagem e Malharia, Acabamento e Confecção. Constatou-se que a interação é direcionada de acordo com características específicas e complementares de empresas da rede social, sendo esse espaço de convívio de fácil acesso a fontes de informação que podem colaborar com a construção de ações conjuntas em redes. Conclui-se que as trocas de informação no contexto em rede apontam para a necessidade de se conceber e desenvolver mecanismos que trabalhem os fluxos de informação e sua dinâmica na rede. A Ciência da Informação pode trazer subsídios para gerenciar a estrutura de interconexão instável e transitória da informação que permeia o ambiente em rede. / The research deals with the information flow and the interaction among the actors in social networks. The objective was to analyze the information flow of the Rede Arranjo Produtivo Local Têxtil, situated in Americana/SP, aiming to define how the information interaction and sharing influence the development of activities among the members of the network. In this context, how the actors integrate the information flows in the network was analyzed. It considers that the dynamics of the information flow defines how the information flows and circulates in this space and how it is directly related with the level of interaction among the agents. This occurs because both the sociability and the collaboration are inherent to the relationship in the network. In this instance, the qualitative methodology, with the inductive method and case study, as well as the Methodology for Analysis of Social Networks (ASN), were chosen aiming to identify the actors in the network who maintain closer relationships among themselves, allowing that the information circulates in that environment. The ASN contributes to verify how the actors behave regarding to the information sharing, bringing dynamism to the information flow. A questionnaire was used for obtaining the data regarding 37 members of the following segment of the textile industry: Spinning, Weaving and Knitting, Finishing and Confection. That the interaction is directed by the specific and complementary social network companies´ characteristics was discovered, as this space of relationship permits the easy access to information resources, which can collaborate to the building of joint actions in the networks. It concludes that the information exchanges, in the context of the network, point to the need of conceiving and developing mechanisms which deal with the information flows and their dynamics in the network. The Information Science can bring subsidies for managing the structure of instable and transitory information interconnections which permeate the network environment.

A adoção de lojas de aplicativos e Open APIs por um número crescente de empresas, muitas nem mesmo atuantes no ramo de tecnologia, revela o interesse das mesmas em exteriorizar a concepção e desenvolvimento de software corporativo. Com isso, as empresas almejam multiplicar as funcionalidades disponíveis a seus clientes, utilizando uma fração do custo e do tempo que seriam tradicionalmente gastos para fazê-lo. Ao mesmo tempo, o acesso a dados e sistemas corporativos por softwares de desenvolvedores potencialmente desconhecidos suscita preocupações de segurança, tornando-se imperativo garantir a adequação desses softwares às políticas de segurança institucionais. Entretanto, carece-se de meios automáticos capazes de garantir a mencionada adequação nas plataformas móveis, seja nos seus ambientes de execução ou em seus kits de desenvolvimento de software. Este trabalho, utilizando de ideias recentes da área de Controle de Fluxo de Informação, propõe a arquitetura de um ambiente de execução para aplicativos móveis que garante por construção a adequação dos mesmos a determinadas políticas de confidencialidade e integridade de dados, mesmo na presença de código malicioso. A praticidade de tal arquitetura é validada através da implementação de um aplicativo exemplo. Tal implementação ilustra o funcionamento dos mecanismos de segurança propostos e a compatibilidade dos mesmos a um conjunto de funcionalidades adequado ao cenário de manipulação de dados corporativos. / The adoption of application stores and Open APIs by a growing number of companies, many of them not even related to the technology business, reveals their interest in externalizing the conception and development of corporate software. By doing so, these companies expect to multiply the number of functionalities available to their customers, spending a fraction of the traditionally required time and cost. On the other hand, access to corporate data and services by software developed by potentially unknown parties raises security concerns, making it imperative to ensure the adequacy of the mentioned software to the institutional security policies. Nevertheless, there is a lack of automatic tools capable of guaranteeing the mentioned adequacy in mobile platforms, either in their runtime environments or in their software development kits. This work, using recent ideas from the Information Flow Control area, proposes the architecture of a run-time environment for mobile applications that guarantees by construction their adequacy to some confidentiality and integrity policies, even in the presence of malicious code. The practicality of this architecture is validated by the implementation of an example application. This implementation illustrates the working of the proposed security mechanisms and their compatibility to a set of functionalities relevant to the scenario of corporate data manipulation.

Este trabalho foi elaborado considerando conceitos de quatro áreas de pesquisa: ciência da computação, ciência cognitiva, ciência da informação e comunicação social. A contribuição principal aqui se dá em definir agentes minimamente cognitivos que participam ativamente na dinâmica do fluxo de informações, sofrendo influência das mensagens que recebem e também interferindo no que irá passar adiante. O modelo contempla tanto características relacionadas ao ambiente e sociedade, definidos usando ontologias, quanto à mente, arquitetura e funcionamento dos agentes. Cada personagem possui três módulos de decisão, podendo acessar meios de comunicação em massa, assimilar informações recebidas e também falar com seus amigos. Para o módulo de assimilação, estão apresentadas quatro formas que os agentes podem usar para avaliar as informações que recebem. Primeiramente foi elaborada uma função, depois foram definidas três máquinas de estados finitos, aumentando gradativamente a complexidade e a interdependência entre os parâmetros envolvidos em cada uma. Foi também elaborada uma função adaptativa, a qual a partir de uma regra definida pelo usuário para a troca entre as máquinas de estado que os agentes dispõem, propiciou resultados satisfatórios mesmo nos casos onde alguma das máquinas de estado apresentou deficiências. Visando reproduzir uma situação inspirada na vida real, estão apresentados resultados de uma versão combinada (definida pelo autor) onde foram considerados três grupos e a possibilidade de acesso a meios de comunicação em massa e/ou troca de mensagens entre amigos. Usando o modelo como base, um simulador foi desenvolvido onde é possível ter não só uma visão global da dinâmica que está acontecendo na sociedade, mas também o que alguns agentes ficam sabendo e que podem falar sobre. Os estudos de caso visaram comparar as diferentes formas de assimilação de informações que os agentes podem usar (elaboradas pelo autor), avaliar a influência da variação de alguns parâmetros e reproduzir a dinâmica do fluxo de informações em redes sociais, a comparando com o que acontece quando se tem a divulgação broadcast. / This work was developed considering concepts of four research areas: computer science, cognitive science, information science and social communication. The main contribution here is to define minimally cognitive agents who actively participate in dynamic of information flow interfering on the messages received and are being affected by them. The model consider characteristics related to the environment and the society, defined by using ontologies, and the \"mind\", architecture and functioning of the agents. Each character has three decision modules. They can access means of mass communication, assimilate information received and talk to their friends. To the assimilation module were presented four forms that agents can evaluate received information, a function, and three finite state machines (FSM). They were elaborated increasing the complexity. After, it was developed an adaptive function, in which using a rule the user define how to exchange between the finite state machines that agents have. This function provided satisfactory results even in cases where some of the FSMs presented problems. Aiming to reproduce a situation inspired in real life a combined version was defined by the author, in where were considered three groups that can access means of mass communication and / or talk to their friends. Based on the model, a simulator was developed in which there are not only an overview of the society dynamics, but also what agents learn and what they can talk about. The case studies were performed aiming to compare the different assimilation forms (developed by the author), to evaluate the influence of some parameters variation and to reproduce the dynamics of information flow, comparing the influence of a social network communication and the mass communication activity.

Introduction Overtime the execution and control of business activities to meet and even exceed customer satisfac-tion has become an absolute top priority. This is because with an increase in the demand for diverse products and services of quality in unprecedented numbers, there is an automatic injection of complexi-ty into the activities and processes which companies undertake in order to fulfill customer satisfaction. This complexity which could be logistical in nature is usually centered on the provision of quality prod-ucts and services on a timely basis for customer satisfaction. In order to keep this complexity aspect in check while fulfilling customer satisfaction, there is the need to manage the different facets of complex-ity that relate to quality and agility. Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand the managerial actions on the logistical challenges of quality and agility in a Newspaper Distribution Company. Method In order to fulfill the purpose, the authors undertook a qualitative-single case study following an induc-tive approach. Interviews were conducted with two managers and these were basically face-to-face in-terviews though we also conducted some of the interviews by phone. Findings Managing complexity challenges of quality and agility requires the utilization of Total Quality Manage-ment (TQM), Just-in-Time (JIT) and Information flow (IF). Through the utilization of TQM, quality standards are enhanced through continuous improvement and the pursuit of excellence in the activities of the company. JIT as a philosophy helps in the elimination of waste and in the speeding up of processes within a company’s supply chain that result to the timely delivery of goods and services to customers in order to enhance customer satisfaction. Also, Information flow through the aid of diverse technologies such as mobile phones, radio phones, the internet, the World Wide Web, Customer Rela-tionship Management systems, Structured Query Language relational database but also word of mouth transmission have helped in the facilitation of decision making in the company relating to the delivery of quality products and services in an agile or responsive manner for customer satisfaction. Practical and Theoretical Implication The attainment of the requisites of agility while maintaining delivery quality may not be sufficient to enhance customer satisfaction. The information in the model provides management with a pathway to follow in solving logistical challenges towards enhancing customer satisfaction. The study offers theory development opportunities. Originality A model of logistical complexity management was designed for the attainment of customer satisfaction.

Information security is of utmost concern in a multiuser environment. The importance of security is felt much more with the widespread use of distributed database. Information is by itself a critical resource of an enterprise and thus the successful operation of an enterprise demands that data be made accessible only by authorized users and that the data be made to reflect the state of the enterprise. Since many databases are online, accessed by multiple users concurrently, special mechanisms are needed to insure integrity and security of relevant information, This thesis describes a model for computer database security that supports a wide variety of security policies. The terms security policies and security mechanism are presented in Chapter I. The interrelated topics of security and integrity are discussed in some detail. The importance and means of insuring security of information is also presented in this chapter. In Chapter 2, the work done In the field of Computer Security and related topic has been presented. In general computer security models could be classified broadly under the two categories. (1) Models based on Access Control Matrix and (2) Models based on Information Flow Control. The development of the models baaed on the above two schemes as also the policies supported by some of the schemes are presented in this chapter. A brief description of the work carried out in database security as aim the definition of related terns are given in Chapter 3. The interrelationship between the operating system security and database security is also presented in this chapter. In general the database security mechanism depends on the existing operating system. The database security mechanism are thus only as strong as the underlying operating system on which it is developed. The various schemes used for implementing database security such as access controller and capability lists are described in this chapter. In Chapter 4, a model for database security has been described. The model provides for: (a) Delegation of access rights by a user and (b) Revocation of access rights previously granted by a user. In addition, algorithms for enforcing context dependent and content dependent rules are provided in this cheer. The context-dependent rules are stored in the form of elements of a bit matrix. Context-dependent rules could then be enforced by suitably manipulating the bit matrix and interpreting the value of me elements of the matrix, The major advantage of representing the rules using bit matrices is that the matrix itself could be maintalnet3 in main memory. The time taken to examine if a user is authorized to access an object is drastically reduced because of the reduced time required to inspect main memory. The method presented in this chapter, in addition to reducing the time requirement for enforcing security also presents a method for enforcing decentralized authorization control, a facility that is useful in a distributed database environment. Chapter 5 describes a simulation method that is useful for comparing the various security schemes. The tasks involved in the simulation are – 1. Creation of an arrival (job). 2. Placing the incoming job either in the wait queue or in the run state depending on the type of access needed for: the object. 3. Checking that the user on whose behalf the job is being executed is authorized to access the object in the mode requested. 4. Checking for the successful completion of the job and termination of the job. 5. Collection of important parameters such as number of jobs processed, average connect time. Simulation was carried out for timing both the access controller scheme and bit matrix scheme, The results of the simulation run bear the fact that the bit matrix scheme provides a faster method Six types of access were assumed to be permissible, three of the access types requiring shared lock and the rest requiring exclusive locks on the objects concerned, In addition the only type of operation allowed was assumed to be for accessing the objects. It is be noted that the time taken to check for security violation is but one of the factors for rating the security system. In general, various other factors such as cost of implementing the security system, the flexibility that offers enforcing security policies also have to be taken into account while comparing the security systems. Finally, in Chapter 6, a comparison of the security schemes are made. In conclusion the bit matrix approach is seen to provide the following features. (a) The time required to check if an access request should be honoured is very small. (b) The time required to find a11 users accessing an object viz, accountability is quite small. (c) The time required to find all objects accessible by a user is also quite small. (dl The scheme supports both decentralized and centralized authorization control. (e) Mechanism for enforcing delegation of access rights and revocation of access rights could be built in easily. ( f ) The scheme supports content-dependent, context-dependent controls and also provides a means for enforcing history-dependent control. Finally, some recommendations for further study in the field of Computer Database Security are presented.

The intention of the programme was to evaluate Product Development (PD) strategies within the automotive industry and to identify areas in which improvements could be made in PD project performance that would also provide a business opportunity for the author's employer RLE International (RLE). The research is principally concerned with the automotive industry but also has broader applications within similar industries. The research was undertaken via three projects. Project 1 involved a study of the structure, drivers and trends within the automotive industry. The aim was to assess the implications for PD in the automotive industry and identify significant issues where opportunities for improvement existed. The outcome was a portrayal of an industry under extreme competitive pressure and waiting for something to change but without a clear future state. What was apparent was that the competitive pressures, and thus the need to deliver more products without significantly increased resources, were not going to abate in the near future. PD has to 'deliver more with less' but a definition of success and its associated measures in terms of the PD process is difficult to frame. Therefore, the aim of project 2 focused on performance measurement of the PD process by assessing four internationally diverse development projects carried out by the author's employer with four discrete customers. The projects were all different in their content and were carried out in different countries, i.e. USA, Germany, India and Sweden. Whilst customer specific and cultural aspects of the projects differed, the significant issue identified via the research was common across all the projects. Traditional Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of cost, time and scope were used but failed to predict issues in project delivery. The key finding was that if project information did not flow as originally planned then resources were wasted resulting in time and cost over-runs. Project 3 researched alternative solutions to the issue of monitoring information flow and proposes a specific method of indicating the likelihood of success in a project by identifying new PD measurement techniques to be used within the automotive PD process. This new measurement criterion of information flow provides a predictive tool that significantly enhances the project control process. The predictive method of information flow tracking developed is new to the automotive PD profession. It was trialled on an existing project and was shown to identify specific issues with the Work-in-Progress (WIP) not found by traditional project management methods. The resulting indication of issues enabled the organisation's management to have a substantially different insight and understanding of project performance at a given point in time and therefore enabled immediate changes in resource allocation to improve project performance. The implementation of these changes as a result of the adoption of information flow monitoring resulted in significantly improved project KPI performance. The contribution of this new PD management method has the potential to significantly impact the competitiveness of any company involved in the design and development process. Its benefits include improved understanding of project performance indicators, powerful predictive attributes resulting in better utilisation of company resources and reductions in both project costs and lead times.

Information flows in EU policy-making are heavily dependent on personal networks, both within the Brussels sphere but also reaching outside the narrow limits of the Belgian capital. These networks develop for example in the course of formal and informal meetings or at the sidelines of such meetings. A plethora of committees at European, transnational and regional level provides the basis for the establishment of pan-European networks. By studying affiliation to those committees, basic network structures can be uncovered. These affiliation network structures can then be used to predict EU information flows, assuming that certain positions within the network are advantageous for tapping into streams of information while others are too remote and peripheral to provide access to information early enough. This study has tested those assumptions for the case of the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy for the time after 2012. Through the analysis of an affiliation network based on participation in 10 different fisheries policy committees over two years (2009 and 2010), network data for an EU-wide network of about 1300 fisheries interest group representatives and more than 200 events was collected. The structure of this network showed a number of interesting patterns, such as – not surprisingly – a rather central role of Brussels-based committees but also close relations of very specific interests to the Brussels-cluster and stronger relations between geographically closer maritime regions. The analysis of information flows then focused on access to draft EU Commission documents containing the upcoming proposal for a new basic regulation of the Common Fisheries Policy. It was first documented that it would have been impossible to officially obtain this document and that personal networks were thus the most likely sources for fisheries policy actors to obtain access to these “leaks” in early 2011. A survey of a sample of 65 actors from the initial network supported these findings: Only a very small group had accessed the draft directly from the Commission. Most respondents who obtained access to the draft had received it from other actors, highlighting the networked flow of informal information in EU politics. Furthermore, the testing of the hypotheses connecting network positions and the level of informedness indicated that presence in or connections to the Brussels sphere had both advantages for overall access to the draft document and with regard to timing. Methodologically, challenges of both the network analysis and the analysis of information flows but also their relevance for the study of EU politics have been documented. In summary, this study has laid the foundation for a different way to study EU policy-making by connecting topical and methodological elements – such as affiliation network analysis and EU committee governance – which so far have not been considered together, thereby contributing in various ways to political science and EU studies. / Informationsflüsse im Kontext von EU-Entscheidungsprozessen sind ohne persönliche Netzwerke kaum denkbar, sowohl solche innerhalb der Brüsseler Sphäre aber auch solche, die über die engen Grenzen der belgischen Hauptstadt hinausreichen. Solche Netzwerke entwickeln sich zum Beispiel im Laufe von offiziellen und inoffiziellen Treffen, oft auch am Rande solcher Ereignisse. Die Vielzahl von Ausschüssen auf europäischer, transnationaler und regionaler Ebene bildet daher die Grundlage für die Schaffung europäischer Netzwerkstrukturen. Indem wir die Teilnahme an solchen Ausschüssen untersuchen, ist es uns möglich, grundlegende Strukturmerkmale solcher Netzwerke aufzudecken. Solche Affiliationsnetzwerk-Strukturen können dann die Grundlage zur Vorhersage von europäischen Informationsflüssen bilden: Die Annahme ist, dass bestimmte Positionen in solchen Netzwerken vorteilhaft für den Zugang zu Informationsflüssen sind, während andere Positionen (zu) weit entfernt und zu peripher sind, um rechtzeitigen Zugriff auf relevante Informationen zu erhalten. Die vorliegende Studie testet diese Annahmen anhand der Reform der Gemeinsamen Fischereipolitik der Europäischen Union für die Zeit nach 2012 . Basierend auf Teilnahmedaten von 10 Fischereipolitik-Ausschüssen über den Zeitraum von zwei Jahren (2009 und 2010) wurde ein Affilationsnetzwerk aus mehr als 1300 Interessenvertretern und –vertreterinnen sowie über 200 Ereignissen erhoben. Die Struktur dieses Netzwerks zeigt eine Reihe von interessanten Mustern auf, zum Beispiel die zentrale Rolle von Brüssel-basierten Ausschüssen aber auch die enge Verknüpfung bestimmter Interessen mit dem Brüsseler Kern des Netzwerk sowie die enge Vernetzung geographisch benachbarter Meeresregionen. Die Analyse von EU-Informationsflüssen wurde dann Anhand des Zugangs von Akteuren aus dem erhobenen Netzwerk zu (nichtöffentlichen) Entwurfsfassungen des Kommissionsvorschlags für eine neue Gemeinsame Fischereipolitik durchgeführt. Zunächst wurde dokumentiert, dass der Zugang zu diesen Dokumenten auf offiziellen Wegen unmöglich war und dass daher Zugang durch erweiterte persönliche Netzwerke die wahrscheinlichste Erklärung für den Erhalt von „Leaks“ durch Fischereipolitik-Interessengruppen in der ersten Hälfte von 2011 war. Eine Umfrage unter 65 Akteuren aus der Gesamtpopulation des Gesamtnetzwerk unterstützte diese Vermutung: Nur eine kleine Gruppe hatte Zugang zu den nicht-öffentlichen Entwurfsdokumenten durch ihre direkten Beziehungen mit der EU-Kommission. Die meisten Teilnehmer der Umfrage hatte Zugang zu diesen Dokumenten durch Dritte erhalten, ein Nachweis, dass EU-Informationen sich tatsächlich in weiteren Netzwerkstrukturen verbreiten. Die Studie konnte auch zeigen, dass enge Affiliations-Beziehungen zur Brüsseler Sphäre ein relevanter Indikator für den (zeitnahen) Zugang zu nicht-öffentlichen EU-Dokumenten ist. Die Herausforderungen in der methodischen Erhebungen von europäischen Affiliationsnetzwerkdaten und von EU-Informationsflüssen werden dabei in der Studie ausführlich dokumentiert. Die Relevanz dieser Methoden zur Analyse von EU-Politik wird ebenfalls im Detail dargelegt. Zusammenfassend legt diese Doktorarbeit die Grundlage für eine neue Art, europäische und transnationale politische Prozesse in Europa zu untersuchen. Sie verbinden thematische und methodische Ansätze – zum Beispiel Affiliationsnetzwerkanalyse und die Untersuchung des EU-Ausschusswesens – die bislang in dieser Form noch nicht zusammengeführt wurden, und trägt dadurch auf verschiedenste Weise zur Weiterentwicklung der Politikwissenschaft und der Europastudien bei.