Ces dernières années, les progrès en sciences de la gestion et de l’information ont transformé la Gestion de Processus d’Affaires (Business Process Management, BPM) en un sujet important, tant du côté de l’industrie que de celui de la recherche. Le BPM utilise des processus métiers pour améliorer la performance opérationnelle des organisations. Les processus métiers établissent un lien entre les personnes, les systèmes, et les différentes organisations, dans le but de créer de la valeur pour les parties prenantes. La cible de notre travail est la famille des systèmes BPM. Un système BPM est un système logiciel générique guidé par des modèles explicites de processus métier avec pour objectif d’exécuter et de gérer des processus opérationnels. Malgré le vaste éventail de sujets traités par ce domaine de recherche, il reste encore quelques questions qui méritent une étude plus approfondie. Un problème particulier concerne la médiation entre les systèmes BPM et les humains. L’interaction homme-machine dans ces systèmes repose sur des interfaces standard basées sur des listes de taches et des formulaires, ce qui est très contraignant pour les utilisateurs.Ceux-ci ont non seulement des difficultés à exécuter leurs processus métier, mais aussi a trouver le processus métier le mieux adapté à leurs besoins. Il serait beaucoup plus efficace d’utiliser des dialogues en langage naturel. Malheureusement les langages de modélisation de processus ne permettent pas de capturer ni de modéliser un domaine de discours. Le travail présent propose une approche originale de gestion du dialogue basée sur des systèmes multi-agents pour l’exécution des processus métier. La motivation globale pour ce travail fut de concevoir un modèle de dialogue extensible à différents domaines. Ce modèle s’appuie sur les ontologies de domaine, nécessitant un minimum d’effort d’adaptation pour améliorer l’interaction. Les résultats montrent tout le potentiel de notre approche multi-agent pour réaliser une médiation automatiquement, sans qu’il soit nécessaire de reconstruire les modèles de processus métier. / Over the last few years, the advances in management science and information technology have transformed the business process management (BPM) discipline into an important topic for both industry and academy. BPM uses business processes as the means for improving the operational performance of organizations, and setting processes are at the heart of BPM allows linking together people, systems, and different organizations to deliver value to stakeholders. The target of our work is the family of BPM systems. A BPM system is a generic software system that is driven by explicit process designs to enact and manage operational business processes. Despite the wide range of topics addressed by the academy on business processes, there are still aspects not addressed by prior research. A particular problem in this regard is the mediation between BPM systems and humans. Human interaction in those systems follows a standard user interface based predominantly on work item lists and forms. Thus, there is little room for creativity for users. They have not only difficulties in enacting their processes but also for searching the most suitable one for their needs. It would be more efficient to let humans interact in natural language. However, process modeling languages are an insufficient means of capturing and representing the domain of discourse. The present thesis develops an original approach to agent dialog management for the problem of business process enactment. The overarching motivation for this work was to design a dialog model scalable to different domains. The model relies on domain and business process ontologies, and necessitates a minimum effort of adaptation on ontologies to improve the interaction. Results indicate the potential of our agent-based approach to generate natural language.

A maioria das micro e pequenas empresas (MPEs) de desenvolvimento de software brasileiras são voltadas para o desenvolvimento de software on-demand. Normalmente, essas MPEs têm dificuldades em formalizar um processo de software padrão. O presente trabalho de pesquisa tem por objetivo apresentar uma proposta de integração de modelos/normas de capacidade de processo com modelos de ciclo de vida de software, em um contexto de gestão de processos de negócio. Como resultado, obteve-se o modelo de gestão do processo de venda e desenvolvimento de software on-demand para MPEs (ProcSoftVD - Gestão), composto pelo método de melhoria de processo de software (ProcSoftVD - Melhoria) e pelo modelo de processo de venda e desenvolvimento de software on-demand para MPEs (ProcSoftVD). O método de melhoria de processo de software foi criado a partir de abordagens existentes e complementares, voltadas às MPEs. O ProcSoftVD foi originado com base no framework unified process, possibilitando a visualização do processo em duas perspectivas - fases e áreas de conhecimento, e nos modelos/normas de capacidade de processo CMMI-DEV e ISO/IEC 15504-5, elaborado em um processo iterativo e evolutivo de pesquisa-ação com a participação de duas MPEs. Um diferencial dessa proposta é a consideração de atividades de comercialização do software junto ao processo de desenvolvimento de software, o que auxilia na delimitação do escopo do projeto de desenvolvimento de software para um acordo contratual. Outro diferencial é o detalhamento das atividades do processo por meio de tarefas, sugestão de papéis desempenhados pelos responsáveis das atividades e disponibilização de templates com exemplos para cada um dos artefatos elaborados na execução da atividade. / The majority of the software development micro and small companies are turned to the development of on-demand software. Usually, for these small companies the formalization of a standard process for software development is very difficult. For that reason the goal of this research is to propose an integration of capability processes models/standards within software life cycle models, in a perspective of business process management. The main result of this research is a management model of selling and on-demand software development process, which embraces the software process improvement method and the selling and on-demand software development process model. The software process improvement method was build from complementary and existents tailored approaches for micro and small companies. The selling and on-demand software development process model was created based on the models/standards of process capability CMMI-DEV and ISO/IEC 15504-5 and on the unified process framework, allowing the process view from two perspectives - phases and knowledge areas. The model was elaborated in an iterative and evolutionary action-research process carried out within two micro and small companies. The originality of this proposal is the consideration of software sale activities jointly with software development process, assisting the scope delimitation of a software development project for contractual agreement. Other aspect of this research which makes it distinctive is the detail of the process activities by mean of tasks, suggestions of people roles for each activities and provision of templates with examples for each artifact created during the activities.

The Master Thesis deals with the use of the controlling concept in business management, Business Intelligence systems and their interconnection. The aim is to propose this integration link on the example of a particular company and at the same time to give management recommendations in areas that will be evaluated in the analysis as insufficient. The theoretical part of this thesis is divided into three main chapters. The first deals with the definition of controlling, its tools and organizations. The second one describes business intelligence, not just the basic principles of this technology, but also the choice of tools and the implementation process are explained. The following chapter lists two software tools that combine controlling and business intelligence in practice. The practical part is divided into a general description of the company, analysis of the applied elements of controlling and then the proposal of solution of insufficient areas and the process of BI implementation, which contains 12 steps which would enable to implement the BI concept.

Nous développons des modèles de processus pour décrire et gérer efficacement la conception innovante, en suivant la méthodologie DRM. D'abord, nous présentons un modèle descriptif de la conception innovante. Ce modèle reflète les processus fondamentaux qui sont utiles pour comprendre les différentes dimensions et étapes impliqués dans la conception innovante. Il permette aussi de localise les possibilités d'innovation dans ce processus, et se focalise sur les facteurs internes et externes qui influencent le succès. Deuxièmement, nous effectuons une étude empirique pour étudier la façon dont le contrôle et la flexibilité peuvent être équilibrés pour gérer l'incertitude dans la conception innovante. Après avoir identifié les pratiques de projets qui traitent de ces incertitudes en termes de contrôle et de flexibilité, des études de cas sont analysés. Cet exemple montre que le contrôle et la flexibilité peuvent coexister. En se basant sûr les résultats managériaux issu de cette étude empirique, nous développons un modèle procédurale de processus et un modèle adaptatif à base d’activité. Le premier propose le cadre conceptuel pour équilibrer l'innovation et le contrôle par la structuration des processus au niveau du projet et par l'intégration des pratiques flexibles au niveau opérationnel. Le second modèle considère la conception innovante comme un système adaptatif complexe. Il propose ainsi une méthode de conception qui construit progressivement l'architecture du processus de la conception innovante. Enfin, les deux modèles sont vérifiées en analysant un certain nombre de processus et en faisant des simulations au sein de trois projets de conception innovante. / We develop a series of process models to comprehensively describe and effectively manage innovative design in order to achieve adequate balance between innovation and control, following the design research methodology (DRM). Firstly, we introduce a descriptive model of innovative design. This model reflects the actual process and pattern of innovative design, locates innovation opportunities in the process and supports a systematic perspective whose focus is the external and internal factors affecting the success of innovative design. Secondly, we perform an empirical study to investigate how control and flexibility can be balanced to manage uncertainty in innovative design. After identifying project practices that cope with these uncertainties in terms of control and flexibility, a case-study sample based on five innovative design projects from an automotive company is analyzed and shows that control and flexibility can coexist. Based on the managerial insights of the empirical study, we develop the procedural process model and the activity-based adaptive model of innovative design. The former one provides the conceptual framework to balance innovation and control by the process structuration at the project-level and the integration of flexible practices at the operation-level. The latter model considers innovative design as a complex adaptive system, and thereby proposes the method of process design that dynamically constructs the process architecture of innovative design. Finally, the two models are verified by supporting a number of process analysis and simulation within a series of innovative design projects.

The research focused on examining the interplay between innovations in information and communication technology (ICT) in three different micro-level settings with broader development processes within the emerging global economy of Mozambique. There is a great deal of concern among different national governments, international and national agencies about the role of ICT in development. The question often asked is how we can understand the contribution of ICT initiatives to the socio-economic development of a country. This research was conducted as follows. First of all, the nature of the problem was analysed from four points of view: globalisation, focusing on the global-local debate, discourses around development, transfer of ICT-based innovations to developing countries and the relationship between IS/ICT and organisational change in the context of a developing country. Secondly, a literature survey was undertaken to discuss these issues. The results of the literature survey guided the empirical research undertaken in two organisations and one rural community in Mozambique. Thirdly, the results of the empirical work were analysed with regard to the four perspectives discussed earlier. The research objective required the development of a framework for understanding the process of the adoption and use of ICT-based initiatives for development. Theories such as Actor-Network Theory, the Human Environment Model and Structuration Theory form the basis of a framework that was constructed using the results of the fieldwork. The framework is composed of three levels of analysis: the micro-level analyses the ICT-related initiatives by using the sociology of the translation process from an ANT perspective and by applying the due process model. The meso-level examines the social context within which the ICT-related initiatives are implemented. For this purpose the human environment model (HEM) is used. Finally, the macro-level attempts to describe the interaction between the ICT-related initiatives and socio-economic development. This part of the framework is addressed by the application of the structuration theory and concepts related to sustainable development. The proposed framework can be used as an analytical tool to guide the analysis of the process of implementation of ICT-based initiatives in organisations and communities, and can also be applied as a normative tool to support the process of introducing a new ICT-based initiative in organisations or communities, especially within the context of developing countries. The author argues that the use of this framework can enhance the likelihood of achieving institutionalisation of an ICT-based initiative within a particular organisational setting. Appendices mostly in Portuguese. / Dissertation (PhD (Information Technology))--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Informatics / unrestricted

This study applies bereavement and media use theoretical perspectives to examine how survivors use media to cope with spousal loss during the first two years. Specifically, this study explores whether survivors’ television use is associated with grief intensity. Potential associations between television use and grief intensity are explored using an online survey. A media use for coping scale is developed. The relationship between television oscillation (i.e., equal use of television for respite, and to cope with primary and secondary stressors) and grief intensity is also explored, and ten specific moderators of this relationship are examined: recency of loss, type of loss, social support, family proximity and contact, marital relationship quality, economic stability, pre-existing physical and mental health issues, and change in television use. Results were collected from 356 spousal survivors and indicate that television use to cope is associated with grief intensity. Survivors that report high television use in general are using more television for relaxation, companionship, acceptance, positive reinterpretation and growth, and emotional and instrumental support. The most dramatic effects are observed with television use for relaxation and companionship, and the smallest effects with television use for emotional and instrumental support. However, there was no association between television use for respite, or to cope with primary and secondary stressors and grief intensity. Results support the value of social support, family contact at the time of loss, fewer physical health issues, and decreasing general television use in promoting more positive bereavement outcomes. Results support television oscillation as a predictor of grief intensity, but only under certain circumstances. Four of the models show significant moderator effects between television oscillation and grief intensity: social support at the time of loss, family contact at the time of loss, pre-existing physical health issues, and change in television use since the loss. When survivors have less social support at the time of loss, television oscillation is associated with less grief intensity as predicted. However, when survivors have more social support, television oscillation is marginally associated with more grief intensity. Likewise, when survivors have less family contact, television oscillation is associated with less grief intensity as predicted. Conversely, when survivors have more family contact, television oscillation is associated with more grief intensity. When survivors have more pre-existing physical health issues, television oscillation is not associated with grief intensity as predicted. For survivors with fewer pre-existing physical health issues, television oscillation is associated with less grief intensity. When survivors decrease television use by approximately one hour, television oscillation is marginally associated with less grief intensity. On the other hand, when survivors increase television use, television oscillation is not associated with grief intensity. Current general television use was a highly significant control variable in all moderator analyses indicating more television use to cope is associated with more grief intensity. Recency, type of loss, marital relationship quality, family proximity, economic stability, and pre-existing mental health issues did not significantly moderate the relationship between television oscillation and grief intensity. This study extends previous work by merging the bereavement and media use literatures, and in the development of a media use for coping scale. Moreover, it provides important empirical evidence on theoretical models about bereavement. This expands the potential for discussions about the association of individual vulnerabilities with more positive bereavement outcomes.

The performance of product development processes is important to the commercial success of new products. The improvement of these processes is thus a strategic imperative for many engineering companies - the aero-engine is one example of a complex product for which market pressures necessitate ever-shorter development times. This thesis argues that process modelling and simulation can support the improvement of complex product development processes. A literature review identified that design process modelling is a well-establishedresearch area encompassing a diverse range of approaches. However, most existing tools and methods are not widely applied in industry. An extended case study was therefore conducted to explore the pragmatic utility of process modelling and simulation. It is argued that iteration is a key driver of design process behaviour which cannot be fully reflected in a mechanistic model. Understanding iteration can help select an appropriate representation for a given process domain and modelling objective. A model-based approach to improve the management of iterative design processes was developed. This approach shows that design process simulation models can support practice despite their limited fidelity. The modelling and simulation framework resulting from this work was enhanced for application to a wider range of process improvement activities. A robust and extensible software platform was also developed. The framework and software tool have made significant contribution to research projects investigating process redesign, process robustness and process optimisation. These projects are discussed to validate the framework and tool and to highlight their applicability beyond the original approach. The research results were disseminated in academia and industry - 72 copies of the software were distributed following requests in the first three months of its release.

While several approaches exist for modeling goals and business processes in organizations, the relationships between these two views are often not well defined. This inhibits the effective reuse of available knowledge in models. This thesis aims to address this issue through the introduction of a Goal-oriented Pattern Family (GoPF) framework that helps constructing business process models from organization goals while expanding these goals, establishing traceability relationships between the goal and process views, and improving reusability. Methods for extracting domain knowledge as patterns, which are composed of goal model building blocks, process model building blocks, and their relationships, and for maintaining the patterns over time are also presented. The GoPF framework provides the infrastructure for defining pattern families, i.e., collections of related patterns for particular domains. The foundation of GoPF is formalized as a profile of the User Requirements Notation, a standard modeling language that supports goals, scenarios, and links between them. A method for the use of GoPF is defined and then illustrated through a case study that targets the improvement of patient safety in healthcare organizations. The framework and the extraction/maintenance methods are also validated against another case study involving aviation security in a regulatory environment. The GoPF framework is expected to have a positive impact on the scientific community through the formalization, evolution, and reuse of patterns in domain-specific business domains. From an industrial viewpoint, this framework will also help intermediary organizations (such as consulting firms) who are required to repeatedly create and document goal and process models for other organizations in their business domain.

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Der steigende Effizienzdruck in der Automobilindustrie führt zu der Notwendigkeit bereits in der frühen Planungsphase umfassende Aussagen in Bezug auf die Leistungsfähigkeit des entworfenen Systems zu machen. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird für den Fertigungsbereich Karosseriebau ein Kennzahlensystem entwickelt, das eine fundierte Entscheidungsbasis für das Management bietet und den Fertigungsplaner mit detaillierten Informationen zur Erkennung von Schwachstellen versorgt. Zur Beherrschung des komplexen Gesamtsystems wird zunächst ein hierarchisches Prozessmodell erarbeitet, anhand dessen die wesentlichen Erfolgsfaktoren des Karosseriebaus identifiziert und parametriert werden. Die Kennzahlen werden definiert und entsprechend ihrer Ursache-Wirkungs-Beziehungen in einem durchgängigen, modularen Kennzahlensystem angeordnet. Zur Sicherung der Praxistauglichkeit werden bei der Entwicklung des Kennzahlensystems der Kennzahlenbedarf und die Kennzahlenverfügbarkeit über den Projektverlauf berücksichtigt. Die Berechnung und Komprimierung der Kennzahlen sowie die Visualisierung der Leistungsentwicklung werden in die Digitale Fabrik integriert und so der manuelle Pflegeaufwand reduziert. Der Nutzen des Kennzahlensystems in der Unternehmerischen Praxis wird anhand von Beispielen verdeutlicht und nachgewiesen.