Magister Scientiae (Occupational Therapy) - MSc(OT) / Children with autism typically present with sensory processing difficulties that affect their ability to relate to people. This qualitative study focused on exploring the sensory processing of children with autism and their mothers, using a frame of reference of sensory integration theory. The purpose of the study was to help mothers gain knowledge and understanding into their own sensory processing so that they could develop a better understanding of their child's sensory processing in order to facilitate better mother-child relationships. An evaluation tool, the Sensory Profiles by Dunn (1999) and the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile by Brown & Dunn (2002) was used as the instrument for gathering information on sensory processing. The population consisted of ten sets of mothers and their children with autism who attend Vera School for Learners with Autism. The Sensory Profiles was completed to investigate the phenomenological issues regarding the sensory modulation aspects of the parent-child relationship. Each mother received individual feedback on their own and their child's sensory processing. Two focus groups were then conducted with the mothers to determine the value of the information gained from the profiles. Data consisted of two audio taped feedback from the focus group. Data was analysed for emerging themes. The three major themes that emerged were, (a) You realize how similar you are to your child, (b) I also have needs (c) They walk away and leave you with this wreck of a child. The findings of the study suggest that an understanding of sensory processing can influence the mother-child relationship positively. / South Africa

This study is to investigate how acquiring firms within the Swedish construction industry work towards successful post-acquisition integration during the early stages of post-acquisition and which factors they consider when doing so. When researching the five cases, the study adopted a qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews with five managers from acquiring firms to gather in-depth, first-hand data for thematic analysis. The empirical findings highlight the significance of corporate culture, organizational structure, and leadership structure in the integration process. Acquiring firms prioritize cultural compatibility, recognizing that differences can hinder successful integration. They also emphasize the positive impact of similar business models and the creation of new leadership groups combining resources and capabilities. Supportive leadership plays a crucial role in smoothening the integration process. To achieve a successful post-acquisition integration, firms in the Swedish construction industry focus on assessing corporate culture compatibility, restructuring leadership, and effective integration planning. They aim to integrate cultures, develop thorough integration plans, and ensure employee satisfaction and financial success. The studied cases challenges theories that emphasize organizational structure as the main obstacle in acquisitions, suggesting that cultural factors are more critical. Similarly, it contradicts theories highlighting directive leadership, emphasizing the importance of supportive leadership instead. The study contributes to the understanding of integrating human resources, cultural factors, and clear integration plans as essential elements for acquisition success.

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本論文的研究動機始於有感民族陣線在當今法國政壇的影響力不容小覷，「勒班效應」也使得1980年代中期後極右主義的風潮在西歐蔓延開來，因此吾人在研究歐洲整合的過程時，似應考慮到會員國國內這些反歐洲化的政治現象的發展。然而，主流的國際關係理論認為國際體系構成單位的層次分析並不重要。雖然國際關係體系論的建立被視為是本學門邁向「科學化」的重要嘗試，惟其亦使得學者在研究區域整合時面臨了見林不見樹的困境，本文的研究目的也就在試圖證明會員國國內政治不能被歐洲整合研究所忽視。 本論文以法國極右主義與歐盟移民政策之關聯為例，透過二重賽局的分析架構進行實證研究，研究結果顯示法國右派政府為了爭取極右派選民的票源而吸納民族陣線的反移民訴求，不僅反映在該國自1980年代中期以降的移民政策對非歐盟國家移民的趨於排斥，亦顯現於法國政府在歐盟移民政策共同體化之前與其他會員國協調移民政策時的保守立場。本研究指出，法國極右派在國內層次的影響能夠經由政府的利益匯集過程而到達歐盟層次，從而說明學者不宜貿然分割國內與國際政治研究。另一方面，案例亦顯示政府領袖的偏好在形成後仍有可能發生轉變，因此做為跨層次分析工具的二重賽局尚有修正其架構的必要性，如何發展有效連結國內政治與國際關係的理論途徑與分析架構，對於區域研究學者實屬緊要。

Cette thèse propose un modèle théorique capable de rendre compte du passage d'un système international à un système interne. Elle s'appuie sur des études empiriques empruntées à l'histoire de l'intégration européenne. Son modèle est fondé sur deux facteurs principaux : la balance entre offensive et défensive et le degré d'interdépendance entre acteurs. Lorsque l'offensive a l'avantage, les acteurs sont incités à résoudre leurs problèmes d'interdépendance via l'usage de la violence, qui s'avère efficace. Ce n'es que lorsque la défense a l'avantage que l'interdépendance peut conduire à l'intégration. Cependant, cette condition n'est pas suffisante. Lorsque l'interdépendance est faible, les acteurs cherchent à la limiter en vue de préserver leur indépendance. Ce n'est que lorsque la défense a l'avantage et que l'interdépendance est prépondérante et incontournable que l'intégration peut être une solution viable. Ce modèle est utilisé pour expliquer le passage d'une stratégie traditionnelle d'indépendance à une politique de délégation à des institutions supranationales, à travers trois catégories d'acteurs: les gouvernements, les parlementaires et le juges. L'intégration gouvernementale est étudiée à travers les origines de la Communauté européenne du charbon et de l'acier (1951) et l'échec de la Communauté européenne de défense (1954). L'intégration parlementaire est étudiée à travers les premiers renforcements du Parlement européen en matière budgétaire (1970) et législative (1986). Enfin, l'intégration juridique est étudiée à travers l'évolution des juridictions allemandes et françaises quant à la reconnaissance de la primauté du droit communautaire. / This thesis proposes a theoretical framework able to account for the transition from an international system to a domestic one. It relies on empirical studies from the history of European integration. Its model is based on two principal factors: the offense-defense balance and the degree of interdependence among actor When offense has the advantage, incentives drive the actors to solve their interdependence problems by usin violence because it is quite effective. It is only when defense has the advantage that interdependence can lead to integration. However, that latter condition is not sufficient. When interdependence is weak, actors see to limit it, to preserve their independence. It is only when defense has the advantage and interdependence is overwhelming and unavoidable, that integration becomes a viable solution. This model was applied to explain the transition from a traditional independence-preserving strategy to a delegation-of-powers policy in favor of supranational institutions, by examining three categories of actors: governments, members of parliaments an judges. The origins of the European Coal and Steel Community (1951) and the failure of the European Defense Corn munit y (1954) were used to investigate governmental integration. The first reinforcements of the European Parliament conceming budgetary (1970) and legislative matters (1986) served to study parliamentary integration. lastly, the analysis of judicial integration was explored through the evolution of German and French national courts towards the aeee tance of the su remac of Communit law.

L’objectif de notre thèse est de comprendre et d’expliquer les modes d’intégration des systèmes comptables des entreprises à partir de quatre cas (deux grandes entreprises et deux entreprises moyennes). Nous nous sommes appuyés sur la théorie de la différenciation-intégration de Lawrence et Lorsch (1967) pour interpréter les situations d’intégration étudiées. Cette théorie montre que les entreprises ayant des structures très différenciées disposent des mécanismes d’intégration sophistiqués tandis que celles dont les structures sont peu différenciées ont des mécanismes de coordination rudimentaires. Nous avons également mobilisé l’approche événementielle et multidimensionnelle de Sorter (1969) qui propose un cadre théorique de l’intégration informatico-comptable. Les progiciels ERP constituent une application très concrète de cette approche. Notre analyse qualitative de quatre cas en termes de similitudes et de différences, appuyée sur la théorie de la différenciation-intégration, a permis d’expliquer les situations d’intégration des sous-systèmes comptables observées mais aussi de montrer la pertinence de l’approche événementielle, comme cadre de conception du système d’information de structures diversifiées et différenciées. Nos résultats montrent, à l’instar de Lawrence et Lorsch, qu’il existe des modes différents d’intégration des systèmes comptables adaptés à des contextes différents. Nous avons ébauché une typologie de quatre configurations types des systèmes comptables (quatre situations d’intégration-différenciation) : (1) Système classique bidimensionnel, (2) Système quasi-intégré centralisé, (3) Système intégré, (4) Système multidimensionnel. La stratégie et la taille paraissent être, au-delà de toutes autres considérations, les principaux déterminants de l’intégration comptable ; viennent ensuite, l’environnement et certains autres éléments du contexte tels que la structure de gestion et le système de contrôle. Cependant, l’impact de la taille diffère d’une entreprise à l’autre. Lorsque la taille est combinée à une stratégie de diversification (et par extension à des environnements variés et dynamiques) son effet différenciateur sur l’organisation (et le système comptable) est très important, ce qui nécessite des mécanismes compensateurs d’intégration développés. Les deux entreprises diversifiées (POULINA et MEDDEB) ont mis en place un système comptable intégré voire multidimensionnel pour maitriser leurs sous-systèmes différenciés. Lorsque la taille est la conséquence d’un simple développement d’une activité unique (monoactivité) son effet différenciateur-intégrateur sur l’organisation et le système comptable est moins important. Les deux entreprises ayant des activités et des structures homogènes (SONEDE et SME) se sont contentées d’un système comptable peu intégré voire bidimensionnel. / The objective of this thesis is to understand and explain the modes of integration of accounting systems of companies from four cases (two big and two medium-sized enterprises). We relied on the theory of differentiation-integration of Lawrence and Lorsch (1967) to interpret the studied integration situations. This theory shows that companies with very different structures have sophisticated mechanisms for integration while those whose structures are poorly differentiated have rudimentary coordination mechanisms. We have also mobilized the event and multidimensional approach of Sorter (1969) who proposes a theoretical framework for the accountant integration. The ERP is a highly practical application of this approach.Our qualitative analysis of four cases study in terms of similarities and differences, supported on the theory of the differentiation-integration, helped to explain the observed situations of integration of accounting subsystems but also to show the relevance of the event-based approach, as part of system design information structures diversified and differentiated. Our results show, like Lawrence and Lorsch, that there are different modes of integration of accounting systems tailored to different contexts. We have developed a typology consisting of four configurations of accounting systems (four situations integration-differentiation): (1) Conventional two-dimensional system, (2) Quasi-integrated centralized system, (3) Integrated system,(4),Multidimensional,system.Strategy and size appear to be, beyond all other considerations, the main determinants of the accounting, followed, environment and other elements of the context of the accounting system such as the management structure and system management control. However, the impact of the size differs from one company to another. When the size is combined with a strategy of diversification (and by extension to various and dynamic environments) its differentiating effect on the organization (and the accounting system) is very important, requiring developed integration compensatory mechanisms. Both diversified firms (POULINA and MEDDEB) have implemented an integrated accounting system to unify their subsystems differentiated. When the size is the result of a simple development of a single activity (monoactivity) its integrator-differentiator effect on the organization and the accounting system is less important. Companies with activities and homogeneous structures (SONEDE and SME) have been content to a poorly integrated accounting system or two-dimensional.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:46:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 6007.pdf: 5863995 bytes, checksum: b6bdf5fea59f7a522260f11079b13f4a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-02-25 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / The Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) can cause difficulties on scholar performance and behavior problems in this context, what may interfere, thus, on the full participation of the student. The teachers are on a ideal position for the recognizing of de disorder signs and can change the life of a lot of children, because the SPD are unkown in Brazil and doesn t find the diagnosis, those children must be helping the improve of the school failure statistics. On the international tendencies for the concept of inclusive education, the prepared teacher for the inclusion is that one capacitated for different pedagogic strategies, for different students. The further teacher development has been considered one of the better ways for prepare the teacher for the inclusion. The aim of this research was to evaluate the results (short and long-term) of a further teacher development intervention about the SPD and its consequences for the scholar performance. The method was exploratory-descriptive s qualitative and quantitative. The research received authorization of the Municipal Education Secretary, was approved by CEP and authorized by the school after the teacher approval. The data collection and intervention was developed in a classroom of the participant school, located on a peripheral region of a midsize city of São Paulo s State central region. The research steps where developed during six HTPC s moments (a time for pedagogic collective work) and the participants where 16 teachers and administrators responsible for the first to the fifth grade from a government college of elementary education. A pilot study previously developed with two volunteers embased the elaboration and adequation of the data collection instruments and the illustrative cases, which were used as a base for complete the instruments. For the initial collect, participants filled the self-guided interview and the pre-test sheet. After the intervention, they filled the course evaluation and the pos-test. Eight months later, it was developed the follow-up data collecttion individual for those whom cited current students with similar profiles to the illustrative cases and a general instrument for all the participants. The qualitative data analysis where realized by theoretical axis, the quantitative data where analised using the t-student test, adopting p<0,05. The results shown the effectiveness of intervention to form opinion about new and unknown topics, once it was a movement from the non-responded affirmatives to the ones correctly responded on the pos-test. However, the intervention wasn t able to modifies pre-established incorrect concepts from the initial data collection. The follow-up showed that, for the topic discussed on this constructed intervention, this kind of further development wasn t able to transform participants in prevention e action agents. That means that the further development of this research got positive short-term results, but not long-term outcome in respect to the changing attitude. / O Transtorno do Processamento Sensorial (TPS) pode ocasionar dificuldades no desempenho escolar e problemas de comportamento nesse contexto, interferindo, portanto, na participação plena do aluno. Os professores estão numa posição ideal para o reconhecimento dos sinais do transtorno e podem mudar a vida de muitas crianças, pois, por serem pouco conhecidos no Brasil, tais casos não encontram um diagnóstico e podem estar engrossando as estatísticas do fracasso escolar. Na tendência internacional de concepção de educação inclusiva, o professor preparado para a inclusão é aquele capacitado para diferentes estratégias pedagógicas, para diferentes alunos. A formação continuada tem sido vista como uma das melhores formas para o preparo do professor para a inclusão. O objetivo da pesquisa foi avaliar os resultados a curto e longo prazo de uma intervenção, no formato de formação continuada de professores, sobre o TPS e as consequências deste para o desempenho escolar. O método foi qualitativo e quantitativo, do tipo exploratório-descritivo. A pesquisa recebeu autorização da Secretaria Municipal de Educação, foi aprovada pelo CEP e autorizada pela diretoria da escola mediante aprovação prévia dos professores. O local de realização da coleta de dados e da intervenção foi uma sala de aula da escola estudada, localizada em bairro periférico de um município de porte médio da região central do estado de São Paulo. As etapas da pesquisa foram desenvolvidas em seis HTPCs (Horário de Trabalho Pedagógico Coletivo) e as participantes foram 16 professoras e gestoras responsáveis pelas turmas do 1º ao 5º ano do ensino público fundamental. Um estudo piloto realizado previamente com duas voluntárias embasou a elaboração e adequação dos instrumentos de coleta de dados e dos elementos disparadores para o preenchimento dos mesmos. Para a coleta inicial as participantes preencheram entrevista autoguiada, checklist e pré-teste. Após a intervenção, preencheram a avaliação do curso e o pós-teste. Após oito meses, foi realizada coleta de follow-up individual para quem citou alunos atuais com perfis similares aos casos ilustrativos e geral para todas as participantes. A análise dos dados qualitativos foi realizada por meio de eixos teóricos, os dados quantitativos foram analisados por meio do teste t-student adotando-se nível de significância p<0,05. Os resultados evidenciaram que a intervenção foi efetiva para formar opiniões sobre temas novos e desconhecidos pelas participantes, uma vez que houve um movimento das respostas deixadas em branco no pré-teste para respostas respondidas corretamente no pós-teste. Entretanto o curso se mostrou ineficaz para modificar concepções já pré-estabelecidas de forma incorreta na coleta inicial. O follow-up mostrou que, para esta temática abordada com a intervenção construída nesta pesquisa, esse tipo de formação continuada não foi capaz de transformar os participantes em agentes de prevenção e ação. Ou seja, a formação continuada realizada obteve resultados positivos a curto prazo no que tange à transmissão de informação e o sentimento de empoderamento, porém a longo prazo não obteve resultados positivos no que diz respeito a mudança de atitudes.

A qualitative research project was conducted to explore experiences of co-worker trust, relatedness and vitality through a short-term Music Therapy intervention designed to promote well-being. Thirteen adults who work at a branch of a South African bank in the Cape Winelands in the Western Cape Province of South Africa participated in the study. Six Music Therapy sessions were conducted in work time. Focus groups were conducted before and after the intervention. Data were generated by means of transcription of the focus groups, and thick description of selected Music Therapy session video clips. Data were analysed by means of content analysis through data-driven, open coding, followed by two levels of categorisation and theme extraction (Ansdell & Pavlicevic, 2001; Gibbs, 2007; Graneham & Lundman, 2004; Hsieh & Shannon, 2005; Punch, 1998). Findings suggest that participants experienced meaningful shifts in experience on all three of the identified focus construct dimensions, as well as on the dimensions of individual competence and autonomy. Further emerging questions were explored regarding the transferability of gains made in the Music Therapy space to the work context. It was proposed that increased experiences of autonomy, competence, and vitality in the therapy space supported the development of trust and enriched relatedness across both work and therapy contexts. Trust and relatedness gains were proposed to be longer-lasting. A progression of relatedness development phases was proposed, through which participants may have been able to achieve notable outcomes pertaining to improved communication, decreased conflict, increased cooperation and interpersonal support. / Dissertation (MMus)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Music / unrestricted

This Research is aimed at becoming a theoretical contribution to the field of European Integration Theory and IR for two reasons. Firstly, this Research proposes the theoretical perspective of Talcott Parsons from sociology and organizational research to scholars within IR Theory. By employing the historical institutionalist and social constructivist IR perspectives and Parsons's 'four-function paradigm' theory, scholars can identify the two effects of a successful institutional design of international political organizations such as the EU: effectiveness and a good public reputation. The Literature Review in Chapter 2 is a theoretical discussion about compatibility of the Parsonians concepts of 'adaptation', a 'holistic approach to policymaking', 'success', and the 'European institutional design' with the European Integration Theory and IR fields. The same Chapter stresses the need to consider the 'ideas' of political leaders in analysing change of institutional design. The second reason for which this Research is a contribution to IR theory is the presentation of eight specific strategies that are likely to generate an organization's success. The eight strategies are institutional conditions making up the 'eight-condition model' of Charles Edquist. This Research adopts an objective and deductive approach that applies the Parsonians theory and the Edquist's 'eight-condition model' to empirical data about European institutions in a cross-sectional and longitudinal research design in the Analysis Chapters 4, 5, and 6. A 'holistic innovation policy approach' to supranational policymaking is employed by the Researcher for the salient circumstances of success to be identified, in order to guide data collection and analysis. The results show that success occurred three times: fully, in the years between 1945 and 1958 and from 1959 to 2002, and partially from 2003 until our days. The concepts of 'adaptation', 'success', 'ideas', the 'four-function paradigm' theory of Parsons and the 'eight-condition model' of Edquist are discussed and ultimately claimed to be both epistemologically compatible and methodologically valid for studies about the success of European integration in the Discussions and Conclusions Chapter.

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