Shock boundary layer interactions (SBLI) is an undesirable event occurring in high-speed air-breathing propulsion system that stimulates boundary layer separation due to adverse pressure gradients and consequently lead to ow distortion and pressure loss in the intake section. Therefore it is essential to apply ow control mechanisms to prevent this phenomenon. This study involves a novel ow control device called micro-ramp, which is a part of the micro-vortex generator family that has shown great potential in solving the adverse phenomenon. The term micro refers to the height of the device, which is smaller than the boundary layer thickness, δ. It is important to highlight the two main novelties of this investigation. Firstly, it is the first micro-ramp study conducted in the hypersonic ow regime (Mach 5) since most of the previous micro-ramp studies were only performed in subsonic, transonic and supersonic flows. Another novelty is the various experimental techniques that were used in single study for example schlieren photography, oil-dot and oil- ow visualisation and conventional pressure transducers. In addition, advanced ow diagnostic tools such as infrared thermography, pressure sensitive paints (PSP) and particle image velocimetry (PIV) were also employed. T

Cette recherche qui porte sur la micro finance a comme zone d’étude la Moyenne Guinée ou Fouta Djallon, une des quatre régions naturelles de la Guinée. L’objectif principal est d’analyser la façon dont la micro finance contribue à articuler la finance formelle (banques) et la finance informelle (tontines, banques villageoises, etc.) pour fournir des services financiers durables en milieu rural et d’étudier son incidence sur la lutte contre la pauvreté. Tant au plan régional (Afrique de l’Ouest) qu’au plan national guinéen, nous avons souligné que les différents secteurs financiers fonctionnent dans un contexte de cloisonnement relativement souple. Le secteur de la micro finance, le dernier né des secteurs financiers, constitue aujourd’hui une alternative forte dans la collecte de l’épargne et le financement des activités locales à travers des mécanismes novateurs établis essentiellement sur la base de la proximité avec les populations locales. Pourtant, nous montrons comment deux visions de la micro finance continuent à s’affronter : l’une sociale, fondée sur le bon vouloir des donateurs, donc fortement dépendante des bailleurs de fonds; l’autre, commerciale, institutionnelle, fondée sur la volonté de construire une véritable autonomie fonctionnelle de l’IMF, à la fois aux plans, technique, financier et humain. Par ailleurs, nous avons montré comment le débat sur le lien entre micro finance et pauvreté n’est pas encore tranché, tant les impacts sur le terrain interpellent les chercheurs et les bailleurs de fonds sur l’efficacité de la micro finance comme outil de réduction effective de la pauvreté. La question demeure de voir comment la micro finance peut être un élément de décloisonnement à travers une articulation entre finance formelle et finance informelle. Pour répondre à cette question, nous avons identifié deux arguments qui constituent les deux parties de la thèse. La première partie expose la diversité des modes de financement en Afrique de l’Ouest, fait le lien entre micro finance et pauvreté, en reprenant les débats théoriques qui continuent à s’affronter sur cette question et présente la problématique de l’articulation entre services financiers comme solution de décloisonnement et d’amélioration de la fourniture des dits services. La deuxième partie montre des exemples empiriques d’articulation entre banque, micro finance et finance informelle à travers les pratiques des usagers et formule quelques préoccupations sur le devenir de cette activité dans la région. / This research focusing on micro finance covers the Middle Guinea area or Fouta Djalon, one of the four natural regions of Guinea. The main objective is to review how micro finance helps to articulate formal finance (banks) and informal finance (tontines, village banks, etc.) in order to provide sustainable financial services in rural areas and to examine the effect on the fight against poverty. At both regional (West Africa) and national levels (Guinea), we noted that the various financial sectors operate in a relatively flexible partitioned context. The micro finance sector, the latest financial sector, is now a strong alternative in the collection of savings and financing of local activities through innovative mechanisms established mainly on the basis of the proximity to local populations. However, we have shown how two visions of micro finance are continuing to compete: the social one, based on the goodwill of donors, so heavily dependent on donors; and the other, commercial, institutional one, based on the willingness to build a real functional autonomy of the MFI technically, financially and in human terms. In addition, we have shown how the debate on the relationship between micro finance and poverty is not yet settled, as the impact on the field is challenging for researchers and funders regarding the effectiveness of micro finance as a tool for effective poverty reduction. The question remains how micro finance can be an element of de-partitioning through an articulation between formal finance and informal finance. To answer this question, we identified two arguments which are the two parts of the thesis. The first part outlines the diversity of modes of financing in West Africa, articulating the link between micro finance and poverty, repeating the theoretical debates that continue to clash on this issue, and presents the challenge in articulating financial services as a solution for breaking down barriers and improving the provision of such services. The second part shows empirical examples of nexus between banking, micro finance and informal finance through the practices of users, but states some concerns about the future of this activity in the region.

Orientador: Fernando Iikawa / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Fisica Gleb Wataghin / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-14T10:28:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Gadret_EvertonGeiger_M.pdf: 38585296 bytes, checksum: 3da598e65313d603b738c440498d2858 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Resumo: Neste trabalho foram estudadas as propriedades ópticas de nanofios de InP crescidos pelo método Vapor-Liquid-Solid (VLS) no sistema Chemical Beam Epitaxy (CBE) através da técnica de micro-fotoluminescência variando parâmetros de medida, tais como potência de excitação, polarização do sinal emitido e temperatura da amostra. Devido à formação de politipismo (InP nas fases cúbica, do tipo blenda de zinco (ZB), e hexagonal, do tipo wurtzita (WZ)) esta estrutura se torna interessante sob o ponto de vista das propriedades ópticas, devido às interfaces InP¿ZB/InP¿WZ do tipo II. Notamos que há poucas informações na literatura a respeito da estrutura eletrônica do InP na fase wurtzita porque esta fase só foi relatada em nanofios. Concentramos, assim, nossa investigação sobre a estrutura eletrônica de nanofios que contenham ambas as fases. Identificamos emissões ópticas dos poços quânticos tipo II em nanofios de InP assim como emissões envolvendo impurezas aceitadoras rasas e recombinação no gap do InP¿WZ. A emissão óptica dos poços quânticos tipo II é dominante a baixas temperaturas, abaixo de 100K, e está entre 1,44 e 1,46eV a 10K. O comportamento desta emissão como função da temperatura, potência de excitação e polarização da luz está de acordo com a estrutura proposta e é confirmada por imagem de microscopia eletrônica de transmissão (TEM). A emissão óptica da impureza rasa está ~ 43meV abaixo da emissão do poço quântico, valor bem próximo do carbono aceitador no InP na fase cúbica. A emissão óptica associada ao InP¿WZ em 1,49eV (10K) foi observada a temperaturas de 10K a 300K, em concordância com resultados relatados na literatura. Observamos também transição óptica relacionada a portadores localizados nas barreiras dos poços quânticos a temperaturas mais altas, acima de 150K. / Abstract: Optical properties of InP nanowires grown by Vapor-Liquid-Solid (VLS) method in a Chemical Beam Epitaxy system were investigated by using micro-photoluminescence spectroscopy varying experimental parameters such as excitation power, emitted signal polarization and sample temperature. Due to polytypism (InP in cubic, zincblende (ZB), and hexagonal, wurtzite (WZ) phases), this structure becomes interesting by the point of view of optical properties, due to type¿II InP¿ZB/InP¿WZ interfaces. We have noticed that there are few informations in the literature about electronic structures of InP in wurtzite phase, because this phase has been only reported in nanowires. We focused, thus, our investigation about electronic structure of nanowires having both structural phases. We identified optical emissions from type II quantum wells in InP nanowires as well as emissions involving shallow acceptor impurities and InP¿WZ gap recombination. The type II quantum well optical emission is dominant at low temperatures, below 100K, which is in 1,44 ¿ 1,46eV range at 10K. This emission behavior as function of temperature, excitation power and light polarization is in agreement with the proposed structure and is supported by transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) imagem. The shallow impurity emission is ~ 43meV below the quantum well emission, a value close to the carbon acceptor in InP in cubic phase. The optical emission associated to the InP¿WZ at 1,49eV (10K) was observed from temperatures of 10K to 300K, in agreement with results reported in literature. We also observed an additional optical transition related to the carrier localized at the barriers of the quantum wells at at high temperatures, above 150K. / Mestrado / Física da Matéria Condensada / Mestre em Física

La conception d'un convertisseur est un travail pluridisciplinaire reposant sur effort un humain, un coût et une durée importants. Le développement des convertisseurs serait moins contraignant s'il existait une solution générique. C'est dans ce contexte que l'approche « Réseau de micro-convertisseurs » (RµC) a vu le jour. Un réseau de micro convertisseurs est composé d'un seul type de composant universel appelé aussi « cellule élémentaire » à partir duquel il est possible de répondre à n'importe quel cahier de charges par diverses associations. Les travaux de cette thèse portent sur le principe et les moyens de réalisation du réseau de micro-convertisseurs qui pourrait aboutir à une rupture technologique. Une partie importante de cette thèse est consacrée à l'optimisation de la cellule élémentaire des points de vue fonctionnels mais aussi et surtout assemblage et mise en œuvre. La réalisation d'un réseau de micro-convertisseurs reste l'objectif principal à développer pour démontrer le potentiel de cette approche. L'étude menée sur la réalisation d'un démonstrateur pour application photovoltaïque va nous montrer que cette nouvelle approche peut être compétitive par rapport aux structures existantes d'électronique de puissance pour les applications solaires et surtout que son industrialisation est possible. / For the creation of one converter in power electronics, a qualified staff in the field of the conception, the design, the production, the tests and validation has to be involved. The development of the converters would be much easier if there is one generic solution. Thus, the « network of micro-converters » is proposed. This approach is based on one universal device called “elementary cell” which represents a micro-converter. One matrix of elementary cells could be configured in such a way to correspond to every electrical specification. This thesis highlights the state of art of the network of micro-converters and focalizes on its development which could be a technological breakthrough. At first, the optimization of the elementary cells according to the standard technologies for the realization is issued. The development of one network of micro-converters remains the main objective of this work in order to demonstrate the benefits of this approach. The realization of one prototype for distributed photovoltaic system shows that it could be a competitive solution in comparison with the existing power electronics structures dedicated to solar systems.

L’objectif de ce travail était de démontrer que les cellules de glioblastomes sont capables de se différencier et de se dédifférencier en fonction de leur environnement, d’explorer les mécanismes biologiques qui sous-tendent ces transitions, et d’évaluer in vivo les capacités de différenciation à distance des CIG par les CIG-miR-302-367 via la sécrétion de microvésicules. A partir de plusieurs glioblastomes fraichement réséqués, nous avons caractérisé les cellules tumorales sur le plan phénotypique et fonctionnel pour l’état souche et différencié. Nous avons extraits et analysés les microvésicules des milieux de culture de 2 lignées de CIG-miR-302-367. Selon les principes de la thérapie cellulaire, des co-injections de CIG+CIG-miR-302-367 ont été réalisées dans le cerveau des souris. La majorité des cellules tumorales avaient un phénotype et étaient fonctionnellement différenciées. Après 48 heures de culture en milieu EGF, elles acquéraient les propriétés souches phénotypiques et fonctionnelles. Ce processus de dédifférenciation était réversible en 4 jours de culture en milieu sérum et inhibé par l’adjonction dans le milieu EGF d’un anti-EGFR (cétuximab), suggérant un rôle primordial de la voie EGF/EGFR/ERK. Les microvésicules produites par les CIG-miR-302-367 ont permis une baisse significative de la tumorigénicité des CIG in vivo, et une augmentation de la survie des souris. Le concept de plasticité cellulaire remet en cause les dogmes établis sur la hiérarchie tumorale unidirectionnelle. La déplétion tumorale en CIG, en les forçant à se différencier, est une stratégie thérapeutique innovante, qui peut s’envisager par une approche de thérapie cellulaire. / There is great interest but little understanding in how cancer stem cells arise. Here we show that tumor cells exhibiting stem-like properties and expression of stemness(CD133) and pluripotency markers (SOX2, NANOG, OCT4), can arise from differentiated tumor cells that are isolated from human glioblastomas. These cells could transit from a more differentiated state that cannot self-renew to a self-renewing stem-like state upon EGF/EGFR signaling. This dedifferentiation process induced expression of pluripotency markers, and restored clonal and tumorigenic properties as well as resistance to temozolomide, the chemotherapy of reference. EGF/EGFR signaling including ERK activation was crucial for this cellular reprogramming. Interestingly, expression of pluripotency markers occurred before the cells re-entered the cell cycle, demonstrating that the cells have the capacity to change and reprogram before the cell division starts. Our findings support a model of tumor homeostasis in which tumor cells driven by environmental cues such as EGF, can spontaneously acquire stem-like properties contributing thus to the enrichment in tumor propagating cells.

Esta pesquisa tem como foco os processos de desenvolvimento cultural e organizacional necessários à formação de mercados financeiros formais em regiões de baixa-renda. Para tanto, analisa o caso das cooperativas de crédito da região sisaleira da Bahia, uma experiência notável de inserção de populações de baixa renda no mercado financeiro. Com o acesso a serviços financeiros a baixos custos e a capacitação e assistência técnica proporcionadas pela associação dos pequenos produtores, os agricultores passaram a investir em atividades econômicas mais adaptadas ao clima semi-árido, ter acesso a novos mercados, planejar melhor a produção e o consumo, elevar a renda e promover o desenvolvimento local. Nessa região em que os sertanejos encontravam-se, e uma parte ainda é, dependentes de monopólios tradicionais que se perpetuavam através de vínculos personalistas de controle, os sertanejos contraem constante endividamento junto a comerciantes locais. A ação das Comunidades Eclesiais de Base e dos sindicatos de trabalhadores rurais, a partir dos anos 70, foi decisiva para promover um processo de desenvolvimento cultural e a formação de uma densa rede de organizações que possibilitaram ampliar o acesso dos agricultores ao mercado financeiro e a novos canais de comercialização. Por meio de uma análise interdisciplinar e crítica da realidade concreta e dos conceitos da sociologia econômica, da economia institucional, da teoria dos sistemas agrários e da antropologia, são reconstruídos os processos históricos que levaram à formação de cooperativas, é analisada a influência do clima sobre os mercados, é investigada a racionalidade econômica do sertanejo e são desvendadas as estruturas sociais que sustentam as novas organizações econômicas e o desenvolvimento recente da região sisaleira da Bahia. / This study aims to understand the cultural development processes required to create markets. The analysis is focused on the case of credit cooperatives in the sisal region of Bahia, which represents an outstanding experience of inclusion of low income people in the financial market. Access to low-cost financial services, together with training and technical assistance provided by the small growers association, allowed them to invest in economic activities more adapted to the semi-arid region, to reach new markets, to plan production and consumption, to increase their income and to promote local development. In this region, local people (the sertanejos) used to be - and still are dependent on traditional monopolies that perpetuate by means of personalized control ties, which keep them constantly in debt with local traders. The action of both the comunidades eclesiais de base (grassroot catholic organization) and the rural labor unions were crucial to promote a process of cultural development and the formation of a dense net of organizations responsible for increasing the growers´ access to the financial market and to new marketing channels. The analysis is based on a historical, inter-disciplinary and critical approach, and on concepts of economic sociology, institutional economics, agrarian systems and anthropology. The historical processes are reconstructed, the climate influence on the market is analyzed, the economic rationality of the sertanejo is investigated and the social structures that support the new economic organization and development of Bahia´s sisal region are revealed.

Magister Artium - MA / The micro-enterprise sector, although associated with mostly informal businesses, shows promise of potential and transitioning to more formal businesses. With this in mind, the South African government recognizes that prioritized sectorial development is needed to stimulate growth particularly in the micro-enterprise sector. Considering that evidence reveals growth and development in small business practices being closely related to the use of different forms of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), if and when strategically applied. Therefore recognizing the importance of ICTs the South African government has embarked on various technology related initiatives to facilitate needed growth and development. Despite this, entrepreneurs in the micro-enterprise sector demonstrate a low uptake of ICTs for their business operations, including the use of mobile technologies which are the most common form of ICTs available to micro- entrepreneurs. Many previous studies have investigated the adoption and use of mobile technologies in the microenterprise sector, but despite this a low uptake of mobile technologies still exists. For this reason, this study investigates and empirically determines the factors influencing the adoption and use of mobile applications for micro-enterprise operations in South Africa, using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model as a lens. The research population comprised a group of micro-entrepreneurs who all are users of a common mobile application (mentorship-movement application). The main aim of the investigation was to determine (i) the factors influencing the adoption and use of mobile applications for micro- enterprise operation, (ii) if the experience gained and their satisfaction associated with using the mentorship-movement application will influence their behavioural intention to use other mobile applications for business. The study was conducted objectively and used hypothesis testing as the means of investigation. Data was collected through the use of a survey questionnaire. The findings of the study indicate that ii | P a g e performance expectancy and effort expectancy positively influences the micro-entrepreneurs behavioural intention to adopt and use mobile applications for micro-enterprise operations. The findings also observed that social influence has no impact on the micro- entrepreneurs’ behavioural intention to adopt and use mobile applications for business. Facilitating conditions and behavioural intention were found to positively influence the use behaviour of the micro-entrepreneurs when it comes to adoption and use of mobile applications for business. Moreover, the findings confirmed that experience and satisfaction in using one mobile application does not influence the behavioural intention of the micro-entrepreneurs to use other mobile applications for business. The factors which have been found to bear influence on the adoption and use of mobile applications amongst micro-entrepreneurs in South Africa have implications for both policy and practice. In particular, the findings of this study may be used to inform the design of the various programmatic interventions which seek to improve outcomes of the micro-entrepreneur sector. This includes interventions by the Department of Small Business Development and that of the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA).

Magister Commercii (Information Management) - MCom(IM) / The micro-enterprise sector, although associated with mostly informal businesses, shows promise of potential and transitioning to more formal businesses. With this in mind, the South African government recognizes that prioritized sectorial development is needed to stimulate growth particularly in the micro-enterprise sector. Considering that evidence reveals growth and development in small business practices being closely related to the use of different forms of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), if and when strategically applied. Therefore recognizing the importance of ICTs the South African government has embarked on various technology related initiatives to facilitate needed growth and development. Despite this, entrepreneurs in the micro-enterprise sector demonstrate a low uptake of ICTs for their business operations, including the use of mobile technologies which are the most common form of ICTs available to micro- entrepreneurs. Many previous studies have investigated the adoption and use of mobile technologies in the micro- enterprise sector, but despite this a low uptake of mobile technologies still exists. For this reason, this study investigates and empirically determines the factors influencing the adoption and use of mobile applications for micro-enterprise operations in South Africa, using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model as a lens. The research population comprised a group of micro-entrepreneurs who all are users of a common mobile application (mentorship-movement application). The main aim of the investigation was to determine (i) the factors influencing the adoption and use of mobile applications for micro- enterprise operation, (ii) if the experience gained and their satisfaction associated with using the mentorship-movement application will influence their behavioural intention to use other mobile applications for business. The study was conducted objectively and used hypothesis testing as the means of investigation. Data was collected through the use of a survey questionnaire. The findings of the study indicate that performance expectancy and effort expectancy positively influences the micro-entrepreneurs behavioural intention to adopt and use mobile applications for micro-enterprise operations. The findings also observed that social influence has no impact on the micro-entrepreneurs’ behavioural intention to adopt and use mobile applications for business. Facilitating conditions and behavioural intention were found to positively influence the use behaviour of the micro-entrepreneurs when it comes to adoption and use of mobile applications for business. Moreover, the findings confirmed that experience and satisfaction in using one mobile application does not influence the behavioural intention of the micro-entrepreneurs to use other mobile applications for business. The factors which have been found to bear influence on the adoption and use of mobile applications amongst micro-entrepreneurs in South Africa have implications for both policy and practice. In particular, the findings of this study may be used to inform the design of the various programmatic interventions which seek to improve outcomes of the micro-entrepreneur sector. This includes interventions by the Department of Small Business Development and that of the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA).

Título original: Biorremediação de azo corantes têxteis empregando tratamentos microbiológicos e processos oxidativos avançados / Orientador: Carlos Renato Corso / Coorientador: Adalgisa Rodrigues de Andrade / Banca: Ederio Dino Bidoia / Banca: Maria Aparecida Marin Morales / Banca: Akemi Teramoto de Camargo / Banca: Aurora Mariana Garcia de França Souza / Resumo: A qualidade da água de ambientes aquáticos e de abastecimento é uma das questões mais importantes a nível mundial. Atualmente, vários compostos orgânicos e inorgânicos tóxicos vêm sendo detectados em níveis críticos em águas residuais, subterrâneas e superficiais. Dentre esses compostos há os corantes sintéticos que estão constantemente sendo descartados em corpos d'água a partir de efluentes industriais. Os azo corantes representam uma classe muito importante de corantes têxteis, e a sua biotransformação por micro-organismos (fungos, bactérias e leveduras) pode liberar aminas aromáticas, que comprovadamente possuem propriedades genotóxicas e/ou mutagênicas, podendo induzir danos graves em organismos aquáticos e humanos. Além disso, o descarte de efluentes têxteis contendo corantes diretamente nos ambientes aquáticos pode provocar redução da transparência da água, solubilidade de oxigênio e fotossíntese de plantas aquáticas. Muitas abordagens são propostas para remover corantes têxteis de águas residuais, incluindo métodos de coagulação/precipitação química, adsorção física, oxidação eletroquímica, oxidação química. Recentemente, processos de oxidação avançada (POAs) são considerados promissores para o tratamento de águas residuais, pois são capazes de oxidar uma ampla gama de compostos de difícil degradação. As desvantagens desses processos incluem principalmente alto custo energético. Os processos biológicos também têm recebido atenção devido às vantagens de baixo custo ope... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Water quality has deteriorated globally and provision of clean water is one of most important worldwide issues. Nowadays, various toxic organic and inorganic compounds have been detected at critical levels in waste water, ground and surface waters. The intense use of synthetic dyes is an environmental problem, considering that constantly these compounds are discharged into water bodies by industrial effluents. Azo dyes represent the by far most important class of textile dyes. Their biotransformation by microorganisms (fungi, bacteria, yeasts) may release aromatic amines that have genotoxic and/or carcinogenic properties, and can induce serious damage in aquatic organisms and humans. In addition, the disposal of azo dyes from dyestuff textile processing industries directly into the water resources causes a reduction in water transparency, oxygen solubility and photosynthesis in aquatic plants. Many approaches have been proposed to remove dyes from textile wastewaters, including chemical coagulation/precipitation, physical adsorption, electrochemical oxidation, chemical oxidation. Recently, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have been proposed as promising technique for wastewater treatment. These techniques as are able to oxidise a wide range of compounds that are difficult to degrade, disadvantages of these processes include mainly high energy cost. The biological processes also have received attention because of the advantages of low operating cost, less sludge and environ... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

En considérant les problèmes communs aux pays en développement, tels que la rareté des ressources, les inégalités sociales, les problèmes dans les infrastructures et les institutions existantes, entre autres, on voit une vaste zone à explorer, encore un lieu de recherche à fort potentiel de transformation sociale.Cette recherche se justifie alors de ces préoccupations avec le contexte urbain des pays en développement et les initiatives des nouvelles initiatives de transformation, à travers du développement des micro-pratiques par les organisations de la société civile.L'objectif global de cette recherche concerne la compréhension du processus d'institutionnalisation de nouvelles pratiques de transformation des zones urbaines dans les pays en développement.Nous avons cherché tout au long de cette recherche à compléter l'objectif proposé concernant la compréhension de nouveaux moyens de transformation de l'espace urbain des pays en développement comme un processus non linéaire et complexe d'institutionnalisation et ainsi certaines contributions théoriques et empiriques ont été développées.L'importance de cette étude implique directement le problème qui l’a motivé, à savoir, les caractéristiques du contexte urbain dans les pays en développement. Cette étude a exposé une nouvelle façon de comprendre un processus d'institutionnalisation complexe, non linéaire et non déterministe, par le biais des micro-pratiques urbaines développées et mises en œuvre par les organisations de la société civile et en collaboration. / Considering issues regarding developing countries as the resource scarcity or social inequalities, infrastructural problems, and in vogue institutions, among others, it is recognizes that there is a wide open field to be explored and it is also a big locus of research with high social transformation potential. Thus in order to understand such problematics and the possibilities of transformation, new approaches are needed, as well as new organizational forms and new mechanisms to be engendered to address such changes, through the development of new practices, different from the traditional ones already practiced in developed countries. Thus considering the developing country scenario, there are huge differences and needs to focus initiatives and practices, according to the specific characteristics of such environment. It is not possible to consider with the same analytical lens, theories and tools used to understand the institutional context in developed countries. Although it is important to regard that both contexts present problems, but the nature and type of problems are very diverse. In this way it is possible to understand that it is in the urban scenario in developing countries that new practices are being developed to transform it somehow, being alternative forms to public r private initiatives (major social responsibility actions). The main aim of this research is thus to understand new transformation practices of the urban space in developing countries as a complex and nonlinear institutionalization process. In order to achieve this aim, two theoretical streams were explored that are neoinstitutional theory and more specifically institutionalization approaches. And the second theoretical approach is the activity theory, inside the spectrum of practice approaches, it is used in this research as a theoretical and analytical tool to embrace the growing complexity of the institutionalization processes as this of the urban space transformation through the development of micro practices. In order to surpass traditional institutionalization frameworks that considers the process as linear and deterministic, it is also possible to consider that there is no existing general framework in literature that guides researchers to a deep understanding of all the intrinsic complexity in institutionalization processes and its different elements. In this context, the aim of this research is to develop a more structured theoretic and analytic framework able to encompass all the elements, collectivity, non-linearity and complexity of the institutionalization process with the presentation of the activity system. Moreover, the concept of micro urban practices is developed in this research in order to achieve and specify the empiric field. This concept specifies activities developed with little resources and low cost, and deployed by civil society agents in a collaborative way in search for transformation of a specific urban space or even for the transformation of people’s engagement with the city and the space they live in. Finally, a few contributions could be developed in this research. The first one considers the deployment of the activity theory as a theoretical and analytical tool to encompass the inherent complexity of the institutionalization process that were not yet explored in the literature (until the moment). Another contribution concerns the innovative character of the studied organizations. This research is composed of two case studies of civil society and bottom up organizations that are focused in solving structural problems in Brazil through the development of micro practices.