How and why do organizations approach greening? How can we conceptualize approaches and how can we encourage reflexive dialogues on them? These are the main questions addressed in this qualitative study on organizational greening. The study sets off by discussing matters of research philosophy, arguing that our trust in science ought to be revised and that a more postmodern and constructionist philosophy might be a way to go. This is then followed by a theoretical review, showing that organizational studies have a history in environmental issues, but that it is basically technocentric in orientation. A more reflexive organizational approach is suggested. The empirical part of the study is based on qualitative research of five case studies, representing a mix of organizations situated in Sweden, all with an explicit ambition to approach greening. The analyses target the organizations' approaches from practice to assumptions, pointing at the commonalities as well as the tensions. Basically, greening was an issue for all studied organizations, but an increasing pressure to market-orient their operations in line with the business rhetoric dominated their identity construction. The environment was included if there were opportunities of win-win situations between environment and economy in sight. Once embarked upon, the organizations tended to focus on technocratic practices, developing or implementing management systems, product development indexes, life-cycle methodologies and other tools. On a more philosophical level, in the study referred to as the worldview level, the approaches were predominandy characterized by a representative epistemology and a dualistic ontology, that is, they were clearly anthropocentric. With a base in these findings, an alternative approach is discussed as a way out, or as a way of constructing a reflexive dialogue on greening. This is partly based on the tensions within and between the cases, which encouraged reflections on how greening was approached. In the alternative, organizations are seen as actors on a symbolic agora where transparency, participation and self-reflexivity are keys to organizational legitimacy. This view frames organizations in the dominating approach as agoraphobic producers of materialistically dependent satisfiers. The alternative also targets the limits of a preference and materialistically oriented view on die satisfaction of human needs. Instead, it is argued that environmental and cultural sensitivity should be acknowledged as natural parts of organizational greening. This, however, demands more room for reflexive dialogues encouraging ontological awareness and a respect for more ecocentric views. / digitalisering@umu

Cette thèse propose un modèle organisationnel et holonique de l'environnement pour la simulation des déplacements de piétons dans des bâtiments. Une foule de piétons peut être considérée comme un système composé d'un grand nombre d'entités en interaction, dont la dynamique globale ne peut se réduire à la somme des comportements de ses composants. La simulation multiniveau fondée sur les modèles multiagents holoniques constitue une approche permettant d'analyser la dynamique de tels systèmes. Elle autorise leur analyse en considérant plusieurs niveaux d'observation (microscopique, mésoscopique et macroscopique) et prend en compte les ressources de calcul disponibles. Dans ces systèmes, l'environnement est considéré comme l'une des parties essentielles. La dynamique des piétons composant la foule est alors clairement distinguée de celle de l'environnement dans lequel ils se déplacent. Un modèle organisationnel décrivant la structure et la dynamique de l'environnement est proposé. L'environnement est structurellement décomposé en zones, sous-zones, etc. Les organisations et les rôles de cet environnement sont projetés dans une société d'agents ayant en charge de simuler la dynamique de l'environnement et les différentes missions qui lui sont classiquement assignées dans les systèmes multiagents. Ce modèle précise également les règles de passage entre deux niveaux d'observation. Ainsi, chaque agent appartenant au modèle de l'environnement tente d'utiliser une approximation des comportements de ses sous-zones afin de limiter la consommation de ressources durant la simulation. La qualité de l'approximation entre ces deux niveaux d'observation est évaluée avec des indicateurs énergétiques. Ils permettent de déterminer si l'agent approxime correctement les comportements des agents associés aux sous-zones. En sus du modèle organisationnel et holonique proposé, nous présentons un modèle concret de la simulation de voyageurs dans un terminal d'aéroport. Ce modèle concret est implanté sur les plateformes JaSIM et Janus. / This work presents a holonic organizational model of the environment for the simulation of pedestrians in buildings. A crowd of pedestrians is considered as a system composed of a large number of interacting entities. The global dynamics of this system cannot be reduced to the sum of the behaviors of its components, Multilevel simulation based on holonic multiagent models is one approach to analyze the dynamics of such systems. It allows their analysis by considering several levels of observation (microscopic, mesoscopic and macroscopic) and the available computing resources. In these systems, the environment is considered as an essential part. The behavior of the crowd is clearly distinguished from the behavior of the environment in which the pedestrians move. An organizational model is proposed to describe the structure and the dynamics of the indoor environment. This environment is structurally divided into areas, sub-areas, etc. Organizations and roles are mapped into a society of agents in charge of simulating the dynamics of the environment and their various missions in multiagent systems. This model also specifies the rules for changing the level of observation dynamically. Thus, each agent belonging to the model of the environment tries to use an approximation of behaviors of its sub-zones, and at the same time to minimize the resource consumption. The quality of the approximation between these two levels is evaluated with energy-based indicators. They help to determine if the agent approximates the behaviors of its sub-agents correctly. In addition to the organizational and holonic model proposed in this work, we present a concrete model of the simulation of passengers in an airport terminal. This concrete model is implemented on the platforms JaSIM and Janus.

Pour arriver à gérer les changements fréquents des exigences des clients, des produits de plus en plus complexes et faire face à une concurrence de plus en plus dure, les organisations cherchent sans cesse à améliorer l’utilisation de leur portefeuille de connaissances.On remarque ainsi, que depuis une quinzaine d’années, bon nombre d’entre elles ont commencé à structurer leur démarche de gestion des connaissances. Ces démarches ont pour but de résoudre un ou plusieurs des problèmes suivants : le départ en retraite de cadres qui détiennent une connaissance critique, le partage de bonnes pratiques développées par une unité de production, la stimulation de l’innovation d’un centre de recherche, etc. Dans la réalité, la mise en place effective de ces initiatives soulève de nombreux problèmes liés tantôt à la nature tacite de la connaissance, à l’existence de barrières culturelles qu’à l’adoption d’un système logiciel de gestion des connaissances. Cette thèse se situe dans le cadre général de la gestion des connaissances lors du processus de conception de produits. Nous nous intéressons en particulier aux problématiques de la capitalisation et de la réutilisation des connaissances dans le processus de conception collaborative et routinière à l'aide d'un système logiciel de gestion des connaissances. L’objectif principal de cette thèse est de proposer un Système de Gestion des Connaissances (SGC) pour la capitalisation et la réutilisation des connaissances, fondé sur une approche organisationnelle et le paradigme des Systèmes Multi-Agents (SMA). Le choix des SMA est naturel car il permet la modélisation et l'implémentation des SGC comme des systèmes distribués où des acteurs différents (les acteurs métiers), agissent de manière autonome pour atteindre un but précis et interagissent afin de réaliser un but commun. Nous proposons une modélisation de système de gestion des connaissances (SGC) qui s'appuie sur la méthodologie ASPECS dédiée à l'analyse, la conception et le déploiement de systèmes complexes. Cette démarche d'analyse et de conception permet de mettre en évidence les objectifs d'un SGC et les principaux mécanismes de son fonctionnement. Parmi les activités d'ASPECS, l'identification des besoins se fait par une approche orientée buts qui permet la modélisation des objectifs du SGC ainsi que les acteurs impliqués et leurs dépendances.La contribution de cette thèse est composée de deux parties. La première consiste en l'analyse du domaine de la gestion des connaissances en ayant à l'esprit l'objectif de développer un SGC basé sur une approche organisationnelle qui met l’accent sur les aspects sociaux et coopératifs du processus de conception et qui gère la réutilisation des connaissances. La deuxième partie vise à la conception d'un SMA sous la forme d’un collecticiel mettant en œuvre notre approche de réutilisation des connaissances au fil de l’eau. / In order to manage the frequent changes in customer requirements, products increasingly complex and face an extreme hard and tougher competition; organizations are always seeking to improve the use of their knowledge portfolio. Thus, it is noted that since fifteen years, many of them have begin to structure their approach to knowledge management. These steps are designed to solve one or more of the following: the retirement of executives who have critical knowledge, sharing the best practices developed by a unit of production, the stimulation of innovation research center etc. In reality, the actual implementation of these initiatives raises many issues now with the tacit nature of knowledge, the existence of cultural barriers to the adoption of a software system for knowledge management. This thesis is in the general framework of knowledge management in the process of product design. We are particularly interested in issues of capitalization and reuse of knowledge in the collaborative design process and routinely using a software system for knowledge management. The main objective of this thesis is to provide a Knowledge Management System (KMS) for capitalization and reuse of knowledge, based on an organizational approach and the paradigm of Multi-Agent Systems (MAS). The choice of MAS is natural because it allows the modeling and implementation of KMS as distributed systems where different actors (business actors) act independently to achieve a specific purpose and interact to achieve a common goal. We propose a model of knowledge management system (KMS) based on the methodology ASPEC dedicated to the analysis, design and deployment of complex systems. This approach allows analysis and design to highlight the objectives of a KMS and the major mechanisms of its functioning. The activities of ASPEC, the identification of needs are a goal-oriented approach that allows modeling of the targets of KMS and the actors involved and their dependencies. The contribution of this thesis is composed of two parts. The first is the analysis of the field of knowledge management, bearing in mind the objective to develop a KMS based on an organizational approach that focuses on social and collaborative design process and manages reuse of knowledge. The second part is to design a MAS as a groupware implementing our approach to reuse of knowledge.

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Government human service organizations regularly attempt to recruit ethnically and culturally diverse professionals to improve services to diverse communities. The assumption here is that organizational culture and structure support this organizational practice. This study considers the unique challenge for Aboriginal professionals who work in a government child welfare system responsible for the oppression of Aboriginal children, families, and communities. As a non-Aboriginal organizational insider and researcher, I use a combined Indigenous/ethnographic approach to explore these issues with Aboriginal professionals within the British Columbia Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD). This study involves a dual focus that examines the history, identity, values, motivations, and practice approaches of Aboriginal professionals as well as how organizational structural and environment variables support or impede their representation of community needs and interests. Analysis of these two areas results in significant findings for the organization, the social work profession, and various practice and organizational diversity literatures. Aboriginal participant descriptions of values, beliefs, and practices contribute to literature exploring contemporary Indigenous practice approaches that integrate traditional knowledge with professional practice. Consistent with some representative bureaucracy studies, participant descriptions of personal history, experience, practice, and motivation to work in MCFD indicate values, beliefs, and motivations strongly shared with their representative group: to reduce the number of Aboriginal children in government care and reconnect them to community. Aboriginal participant role tensions and dual accountabilities, resulting from their unique community/Ministry insider/outsider position, provide context to studies that explore tensions and contradictions that exist for diverse professionals working in their communities through mainstream organizations. Findings also contribute to studies in representative bureaucracy and other organizational diversity approaches concerned with the ability of diverse professionals to actively represent community interests. Organizational variables, such as low Aboriginal practice support, racism, cultural incompetence, hierarchical structure and decision making, risk-averse practice norms, poorly implemented rhetorical change initiatives, and institutional physical environments, among others, impede the ability of Aboriginal participants to actively represent community interests. Mitigating factors were found where some Aboriginal participants describe significant organizational support at the worksite level through dedicated culturally competent Aboriginal management and practice teams. / Graduate / 0452 / 0617 / 0631 / janerousseau@shaw.ca

Government human service organizations regularly attempt to recruit ethnically and culturally diverse professionals to improve services to diverse communities. The assumption here is that organizational culture and structure support this organizational practice. This study considers the unique challenge for Aboriginal professionals who work in a government child welfare system responsible for the oppression of Aboriginal children, families, and communities. As a non-Aboriginal organizational insider and researcher, I use a combined Indigenous/ethnographic approach to explore these issues with Aboriginal professionals within the British Columbia Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD). This study involves a dual focus that examines the history, identity, values, motivations, and practice approaches of Aboriginal professionals as well as how organizational structural and environment variables support or impede their representation of community needs and interests. Analysis of these two areas results in significant findings for the organization, the social work profession, and various practice and organizational diversity literatures. Aboriginal participant descriptions of values, beliefs, and practices contribute to literature exploring contemporary Indigenous practice approaches that integrate traditional knowledge with professional practice. Consistent with some representative bureaucracy studies, participant descriptions of personal history, experience, practice, and motivation to work in MCFD indicate values, beliefs, and motivations strongly shared with their representative group: to reduce the number of Aboriginal children in government care and reconnect them to community. Aboriginal participant role tensions and dual accountabilities, resulting from their unique community/Ministry insider/outsider position, provide context to studies that explore tensions and contradictions that exist for diverse professionals working in their communities through mainstream organizations. Findings also contribute to studies in representative bureaucracy and other organizational diversity approaches concerned with the ability of diverse professionals to actively represent community interests. Organizational variables, such as low Aboriginal practice support, racism, cultural incompetence, hierarchical structure and decision making, risk-averse practice norms, poorly implemented rhetorical change initiatives, and institutional physical environments, among others, impede the ability of Aboriginal participants to actively represent community interests. Mitigating factors were found where some Aboriginal participants describe significant organizational support at the worksite level through dedicated culturally competent Aboriginal management and practice teams. / Graduate / 0452 / 0617 / 0631 / janerousseau@shaw.ca