Increasingly, firms like Patagonia, IKEA, General Mills, or Barilla actively seek to understand their interdependence with nature, build innovative capabilities, and generate more radical shifts toward sustainability. This creates exciting opportunities to investigate exactly how these companies obtain knowledge about ecosystem dynamics and processes and how they use it both to cope with climate change or declining ecosystem resilience and contribute to maintain or even strengthen ecosystems. Despite the considerable potential to advance research on organizational strategy and corporate sustainability, the notion of ‘ecological knowledge’ has yet to enter the scholarly work of management and business organization in a substantive manner. At present, we know almost nothing about the processes, mechanisms, and routines that enable an organization to, first, recognize the value of such knowledge and to, then, systematically access, co-create, integrate and utilize such knowledge into its broader knowledge and resource base. My dissertation attempts to fill this gap and opens up new directions for research on the role of ecological knowledge in corporate sustainability management. More specifically, I ask: What are the processes through which organizations can effectively access, co-create, integrate and utilize ecological knowledge with current organizational knowledge and strategies? I link strategic and organization-focused concepts of knowledge and the perspective of absorptive capacity with the notion of ecological knowledge from modern ecology, especially from the social-ecological systems literature, to shed light on the processes through which organizations can effectively access, co-create, integrate and utilize new ecological knowledge into their operational and strategic decision making. I adopt a qualitative, emergent, and inductive strategy drawing on a grounded research approach to gain an in-depth, cross-validated, and processual understanding of the mechanisms through which organizations can promote and enhance ecosystem health including biodiversity. I undertook my study on the organic agriculture sector, a sub-sector of the modern agriculture and agri-food industry. I collected data from nineteen agriculture and agri-food organizations based in British Columbia (BC), the westernmost province of Canada, using multiple data sources including in-depth interviews, observations, company documents, reports, newspaper articles and field reports. Based on my analysis, I develop a grounded theory about the processes through which organizations can successfully deepen their ecological knowledge and then utilize this knowledge to more sustainably manage their relationships with nature and contribute to protecting or even strengthening ecosystem functionality. With my dissertation, I address the call from scholars in Organization and the Natural Environment (ONE) and Corporate Sustainability for more transdisciplinary cross-fertilization as an essential approach to building compelling new theory and models in the field. First, my analysis offers a more fine-grained understanding of the types, components, dimensions, and characteristics of ecological knowledge. Second, my analysis uncovers a micro-level account of the processes by which individuals as critical actors identify, evaluate and make sense of the organization-environment interrelationships across various scales of time and space. I also identify the multiple personal characteristics of individual actors that influence these processes in various stages and circumstances. Third, my study offers insights into the factors that can strengthen an organization’s relational capacity to build mutual trust and collaboration with holders of ecological knowledge. Fourth, it sheds light on how firms engage with and motivate multiple community stakeholders in building a collaborative process of mutual learning, knowledge sharing, and knowledge co-creation to build joint capacity for coping successfully with many complex challenges of sustainability, thus contributing to the wellbeing of the entire social-ecological system. Collectively, these contributions provide a deeper and more holistic understanding of the processes of acquiring and co-creating ecological knowledge that can allow an organization to transition successfully towards greater ecological sustainability. My dissertation also offers numerous practically relevant insights for businesses facing the challenges of economic, social and environmental sustainability, as well as specific guidance on how companies can protect or enhance their supply of natural capital and contribute toward greater stability of the broader human-nature systems in which they are embedded. / Graduate / 2023-11-15

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It is widely recognised that information and communication technologies development is a risky activity. Despite the advances in software engineering, many software development projects fail to satisfy the clients' needs, to deliver on time or to stay within budget. Among the various factors that are considered to cause failure, an inadequate requirements practice stands out. Model-driven development is a relatively recent paradigm with the potential to solve some of the dragging problems of software development. Models play a paramount role in model-driven development: several modelling layers allow defining views of the system under construction at different abstraction levels, and model transformations facilitate the transition from one layer to the other. However, how to effectively integrate requirements engineering within model-driven development is still an open research challenge. This thesis integrates Communication Analysis, a communication-oriented business process modelling and requirements engineering method for information systems development, and the OO Method, an object-oriented model-driven software development method provides automatic software generation from conceptual models. We first provide a detailed specification of Communication Analysis intended to facilitate the integration; among other improvements to the method, we build an ontology-based set of concept definitions in which to ground the method, we provide precise methodological guidelines, we create a metamodel for the modelling languages included in the method, and we provide tools to support the creation of Communication Analysis requirements models. Then we perform the integration by providing a technique to systematically derive OO-Method conceptual models from Communication Analysis requirements models. The derivation technique is offered in two flavours: a set of rules to be manually applied by a human analyst, and an ATL model transformation that automates this task. / España Cubillo, S. (2011). METHODOLOGICAL INTEGRATION OF COMMUNICATION ANALYSIS INTO A MODEL-DRIVEN SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/14572

Purpose – The purpose of this thesis is twofold: first to understand the various sustainable values open data (OD) can create, and second is to maximize the sustainable values created through a process a firm can follow.  Method – For this study, I used a single case study design on a Swedish firm within the power sector with an inductive and exploratory approach. Data has been collected in three waves with respondents in different roles having different experiences with OD. First five exploratory interviews, then nine semi-structured interviews to gain depth. At last, to validate the study’s findings I conducted an online seminar with six respondents. To analyze these interviews, the method of thematic analysis was utilized. Findings – The results indicate there are four dimensions of value, Economic, Social, Environmental, and Internal. In total, there are 11 first order codes describing which values can be expected when working with OD. Regarding the process the respondents emphasize on three dimensions: Preparation and pre-study, Implementation, and Usage and restrictions, each with two business practices related to them. Within these business practices a total of 14 activities has been identified to help implement an OD initiative within an organization. Theoretical contribution – This study contributes to the OD literature by highlighting different types of sustainable values connected to working with OD, and a process to do so. This study also contributes to the sustainable value creation literature by highlighting how sustainable value creation can be maximized through OD. At last, a framework has been devised to interlink all findings for a comprehensive understanding. Practical implications – This study provides both managers and employees with guidance into how an OD initiative can be implemented and how it positively can affect their organization leading them to creating sustainable values. The focal point being organizations who are not obliged to share by any directive, law, or regulation. Limitations and future research – This study, being a single case study, focused on details and depth, which can affect the generalizability of the study. Hence, future research in other industries is suggested to validate and extend my findings in another context. / Syfte – Syftet med denna uppsats är tvåfaldigt: dels att förstå de olika hållbara värden som öppna data (ÖD) kan skapa, dels att maximera de hållbara värden som skapas genom en process som företag kan följa.  Metod – För denna studie använde jag mig av en enfallsstudie på ett svenskt företag inom kraftsektorn med en induktiv och explorativ ansats. Data har samlats in i tre faser med respondenter som har olika roller och erfarenheter. Först genomfördes fem explorativa intervjuer, sedan nio semistrukturerade intervjuer och slutligen, för att validera studiens resultat, genomförde jag ett online-seminarium med sex respondenter. För att analysera dessa intervjuer användes tematisk analys. Resultat – Resultaten indikerar att det finns fyra dimensioner av värde, ekonomisk, social, miljömässig och intern. Totalt finns det 11 första orderns koder vilka beskriver värden som kan förväntas när man arbetar med ÖD. När det gäller processen betonar respondenterna tre dimensioner: Förberedelse och förstudie, Implementering samt Användning och restriktioner, var och en med två affärsmetoder relaterade till dem. Inom dessa affärsmetoder har 14 aktiviteter identifierats hjälpsamma för att implementera ett ÖD-initiativ inom en organisation. Teoretiskt bidrag – Denna studie bidrar till ÖD litteraturen genom att belysa olika typer av hållbara värden kopplade till att arbeta med ÖD, och en process för att realisera detta initiativ och fånga dessa värden. Denna studie bidrar även till litteraturen om hållbart värdeskapande genom att belysa hur hållbart värdeskapande kan maximeras genom ÖD. Slutligen har ett ramverk utarbetats för att koppla samman alla resultat för en heltäckande förståelse. Praktiska implikationer – Denna studie ger både chefer och medarbetare vägledning i hur ett OD-initiativ kan implementeras och hur det positivt kan påverka deras organisation och leda dem till att skapa hållbara värden. Där fokuset ligger på organisationer som inte är skyldiga att dela med sig av något direktiv, lag eller förordning. Begränsningar och framtida forskning – Denna studie, som är en fallstudie, fokuserade på detaljer och djup, vilket kan påverka studiens generaliserbarhet. Därför föreslås framtida forskning i andra branscher för att validera och utvidga mina resultat i ett annat sammanhang.

Die Verhaltenswissenschaften betrachten menschliche Entscheidungsprozesse aus zwei komplementären Perspektiven: Form und Funktion. Formfragen behandeln wie Denkprozesse ablaufen, Funktionsfragen behandeln, welche Ziele das resultierende Verhalten erfüllt. Die vorliegende Dissertation argumentiert für die Integration von Form und Funktion. Ein Schritt zur Integration von Form und Funktion besteh darin, Prozessmodelle aus der Kognitionspsychologie in die evolutionäre Psychologie und Verhaltensbiologie (welche sich häufig mit Funktionsfragen befassen) einzuführen. Studie 1 untersucht die Eigenschaften kognitiver Prozessmodelle. Ich schlage ein Rahmenmodell für allgemeine kognitive Prozessmodelle vor, mit Hilfe dessen Prozessmodelle entwickelt werden können. In Studie 2 untersuche ich Klassifikation aus Perspektive der Form und Funktion. Verhalten sich Menschen gemäss einer statistischen Annahme, die sich in der Informatik als robust gegenüber ihrer Verletzung herausstellte? Daten aus zwei Lernexperimenten und Modellierung mittels eines neuen probabilistischen Lernmodells zeigen, dass Menschen zu Beginn des Lernprozesses gemäß dem statistischen Prinzip der klassenkonditionalen Unabhängigkeit kategorisieren. In Studie 3 geht es um Risikoentscheidungen aus der Perspektive der Form und Funktion. Sind Informationsverarbeitungsprozesse abhängig von der Zielgröße der Entscheidung? Ich messe Prozess- und Verhaltensindikatoren in zehn Risikodomänen welche die evolutionären Ziele wiederspiegeln. Im Ergebnis zeigt sich, dass Risikoeinstellungen domänenspezifisch sind. Insbesondere sind Frauen nicht universell risiko-averser als Männer. Auf der Prozessebene hat die Valenz der entscheidungsrelevanten Argumente geringeren Einfluss auf die Domänenunterschiede als die am häufigsten genannten Aspekte für/gegen das Risikoverhalten. / The behavioral sciences investigate human decision processes from two complementary perspectives: form and function. Formal questions include the processes that lead to decisions, functional aspects include the goals which the resulting behavior meets. This dissertation argues for the integration of form and functional questions. One step towards a form-function integration is introducing cognitive process models into evolutionary psychology and behavioral biology (which are mostly asking about the goals of behavior). Study 1 investigates the properties of cognitive process models. I suggest the first general framework for building cognitive process models. In study 2 I investigate human category learning from a functional and form centered perspective. Do humans, when learning a novel categorization task, follow a statistical principle which was been shown to perform the goals of correct classification robustly even in the face of violations of the underlying assumption? Data from two learning experiments and cognitive modeling with a novel probabilistic learning model show that humans start classifying by following the statistical principle of class-conditional independence of features. Study 3 investigates risk attitudes from the perspective of form and function. Does the information people process relate to the goals of risky behavior? I measure process- and behavioral indicators in ten domains of risks which represent different evolutionary goals. The results show that not only do risk attitudes differ across domains, but also that females are not universally less risk taking than males. Further, on the process level, the valence of the aspects related to perceived risks is less related to peoples’ risk propensities compared to the most frequently mentioned aspects.

The purpose of the research is to propose and evaluate a methodology for implementing EDI to assist organisations in reaping the anticipated benefits. The research involved the systematic analysis of the state of the art of EDI and paradigms of methodologies, to define a model for the EDI implementation methodology, and to define criteria for evaluating such a model. The methodology was developed and modelled utilising the software process model, as adopted by Boehm (1988) and later duPlessis and van der Walt (1992), as a framework. Next a synthesis of the assimilated knowledge and brainstorming of project teams involved in EDI pilot projects, was used to systematically develop an EDI implementation methodology. The methodology was evaluated by utilising it in the implementation of EDI between two organisations, Computer Equipment Brokers (PTY) and Marksec (PTY). It was concluded that the methodology was efficient for implementing EDI. / Computing / M. Sc. (Information Systems)

This thesis examines integration testing of object-oriented software. The process of integrating and testing procedural programs is reviewed as foundation for testing object-oriented software. The complexity of object-oriented software is examined. The relationship of integration testing and the software development life cycle is presented. Scenarios are discussed which account for the introduction of defects into the software. The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is chosen for representing pre-implementation and post-implementation models of the software. A demonstration of the technique of using post-implementation models representing the logical and physical views as an aid in integration and system testing of the software is presented. The use of UML diagrams developed from the software is suggested as a technique for integration testing of object-oriented software. The need for automating the data collection and model building is recognized. The technique is integrated into the Revised Spiral Model for Object-Oriented Software Development developed by du Plessis and van der Walt. / Computing / D.Phil. (Computer Science)

長久以來，企業核心競爭能力早已被公認是企業獲利以及維繫的驅動者，對於服務業當然也不例外。為了有效生存於現今惡劣的商業環境，服務業必須維護其服務能力之成熟度，以使用者為服務的核心，並以消費者的需求為服務的出發點。唯有以客戶為本，才能使企業永續經營，故台灣服務業若要加入國際市場營運，企業服務能力將扮演一個相當重要的角色。 隨著人類壽命的延長、以及關心個人健康的中產階級崛起，健康檢查已逐漸成為新全民運動。由於市場龐大與需求旺盛，為了服務有健康意識且經濟條件佳的客群，全台醫院和專業診所紛紛設立健康管理中心，提供燈光美、氣氛佳、餐點好、服務親切的健檢環境，其中不少醫院更是砸下重金，重新改造內部裝潢與購買最新式的檢查儀器。因此，高階健檢產業如雨後春筍般的蓬勃成長。 本研究認為，為了實現更高的服務品質，高階健康檢查事業應適當的進行商業流程再造。藉由不斷地改善流程，企業得以回應並滿足顧客的需求，增加企業服務顧客的能力，持續提升服務品質。因此，本研究引用服務企業流程模式的架構，以高階健康檢查事業為研究對象，主要的研究問題分為三大部分：一為適用高階健康檢查事業的服務能力評量模式發展，其二為編輯符合實務用詞的流程領域描述說明，其三為提供高階健康檢查事業品質成長的參考軌跡。 本研究之結果，定義了高階健康檢查事業服務能力等級與成熟等級之表述方式，主動性的給予被評鑑機構一個品質提升的建議與參考的軌跡。本研究設計一套『高階健康檢查事業服務能力成熟度之自我評鑑與改善建議系統』，協助高階健康檢查事業自我評量服務成熟等級，並提供透過資訊科技應用來提升等級的建議。透過階段性的資訊科技應用採納，可妥善配置資訊科技採納進程並編製預算執行順序，來強化醫療照護服務的能力成熟度等級。 / Core competitiveness of enterprise has long been recognized as the driver of profits and sustainability of a business. Service industry is certainly in no exception. In order to effectively survive in today's harsh business environment, services business must maintain its maturity of service capabilities, treat consumer as the core of the services and serve the consumer need as the basic of services. Such consumer-oriented strategy is the key to ensure the long term prosperity of business. It is also essential to Taiwan's service industry for her successful operations in international market. With the extended human lifespan, as well as the rise of the middle class with concern about personal health, health checkup service has become a new national sport. In order to serve customers, who have health-conscious mind and favorable financial affordability, hospitals in Taiwan provide specialized clinics and health management centers. They offer soothing lights and good atmosphere as well as healthy meals and friendly services. Such reformation in health checkup business has seen vigorous market growth and received significant investment on both medical equipment and interior remodeling of examination facility. This study suggests that in order to achieve a higher quality of advanced health checkup service, adequate business process reengineering should be carried out as per need. With constantly improving processes, the service unit would be able to respond and fulfill the customer needs, increase the customer service capacity of the enterprise, and continue to improve service quality. Therefore, this study adapts service business process model as research framework and chooses advanced health checkup business as the research subject. The main research questions are divided into three parts: first is developing a service capability evaluation model for advanced health checkup business; second is editing descriptions of process areas in line with practical terms; third is providing a roadmap of advanced health checkup business to improve their service quality. Results of this study helps to define the capability level representations and maturity level representations for advanced health checkup business. It could proactively provide suggestions to and also be adopted as a reference roadmap for service quality improvement by the evaluated companies. This study also implements a “self-evaluation and improvement recommendation system for advanced health checkup service capability maturity level”, which assists advanced health checkup business to self-assess the maturity level of service capability, and provide recommendations to enhance the level through IT applications. Through the stage-wise IT application adoption, it could properly arrange IT adoption schedule, prepare budget execution order and strengthen the maturity level of health care services capability.

This dissertation describes the credibility judgment process using social psychological theories of dual-processing, which state that information processing outcomes are the result of an interaction “between a fast, associative information- processing mode based on low-effort heuristics, and a slow, rule-based information processing mode based on high-effort systematic reasoning” (Chaiken & Trope, 1999, p. ix). Further, this interaction is illustrated by describing credibility judgments as a choice between examining easily identified peripheral cues (the messenger) and content (the message), leading to different evaluations in different settings. The focus here is on the domain of the Web, where ambiguous authorship, peer- produced content, and the lack of gatekeepers create an environment where credibility judgments are a necessary routine in triaging information. It reviews the relevant literature on existing credibility frameworks and the component factors that affect credibility judgments. The online encyclopedia (instantiated as Wikipedia and Encyclopedia Britannica) is then proposed as a canonical form to examine the credibility judgment process. The two main claims advanced here are (1) that information sources are composed of both message (the content) and messenger (the way the message is delivered), and that the messenger impacts perceived credibility; and (2) that perceived credibility is tempered by information need (individual engagement). These claims were framed by the models proposed by Wathen & Burkell (2002) and Chaiken (1980) to forward a composite dual process theory of credibility judgments, which was tested by two experimental studies. The independent variables of interest were: media format (print or electronic); reputation of source (Wikipedia or Britannica); and the participant’s individual involvement in the research task (high or low). The results of these studies encourage a more nuanced understanding of the credibility judgment process by framing it as a dual-process model, and showing that certain mediating variables can affect the relative use of low-effort evaluation and high- effort reasoning when forming a perception of credibility. Finally, the results support the importance of messenger effects on perceived credibility, implying that credibility judgments, especially in the online environment, and especially in cases of low individual engagement, are based on peripheral cues rather than an informed evaluation of content. / text

轉換資訊科技基礎設施一如佈建好的房舍遷移重蓋，其涉及的轉換是全面且浩大的工程。在面臨公元二千年危機僅餘兩年的時間，在當時微軟作業平台尚不成熟，國內資訊科技基礎設施轉換成功案例尚不多見，組織內部人員對有關技術一知半解，資訊部門未能有效處理問題等情境下，高階主管採行轉換資訊科技基礎設施策略，將主機移除轉換至區域網路伺服器環境，並重新開發所有應用資訊系統。如此大工程高風險的策略及如此困頓的情境，如何順利進行？ 轉換資訊科技基礎設施涉及組織層面極廣而複雜。包括硬體、軟體、程序、制度、人員等。有關機器設備或可一次更新，惟設置於新機器設備上的核心應用資訊系統，則需逐步開發及調整。有關設備、系統及制度標準，如何與組織需求及業務融合發揮效能，更需人員觀念的轉變與不斷的學習，其所需之時間都不是一朝一夕能見其成效。所以轉換資訊科技基礎設施要看的是它的歷程，由時間的演變可以看出轉換資訊科技基礎設施對組織的影響，也可以看出其互動的關聯性。 本研究採用個案研究法，觀察經濟部國際貿易局這個成功案例如何進行資訊科技基礎設施的轉換。該個案有幾個特徵：一、政府機構；二、面臨內外危機及電子化政府的壓力；三、採行的技術策略，對組織而言是一種全面性、突破性（Radical change）的改變，技術無法累積，必需重新學習。 鑑於轉換資訊科技基礎設施歷程十分冗長而複雜，為能有系統的描繪個案，本文採取一般性研究架構（內容、情境及歷程），並輔以「問題解決」觀點描繪轉換資訊科技基礎設施的歷程。又為能適當控制研究資訊量，本文分三大問題（如何形成策略並開始執行？如何整合資訊並推廣應用？資訊部門與人員如何轉型？），加以描述及分析。 有關歷程的特徵，則引用江志浩（1999）所推導出的組織歷程模式—計畫性模式、適應模式、浮現模式加以檢視。該模式係以「問題解決」的二個元素「設定解決問題的目標」、「進度控制與資源配置」，檢視三種歷程模式的特徵及差異。此外，本文並對問題解決者（高階主管、資訊經理、執行團隊）在此歷程中所扮演之角色及其影響加以探索。 本研究發現，轉換資訊科技基礎設施的歷程無法以單一的歷程模式加以描繪。轉換資訊科技基礎設施的歷程涉及一組相關問題的解決，通常在大眾印象中多只看到硬體設施的建置及導入，極易忽略真正困難的問題在於人員觀念的轉變與不斷的學習。由於這些隱藏的問題，整個歷程會出現一些意想不到的狀況。本研究可作為實務界導入資訊科技基礎設施、組織變革及組織創新的參考；對於涉及長達七年轉換歷程的資料，還可以提供未來學術界研究之基礎。 / Adopting and implementing Information Technology (IT) infrastructure , like the removing already-built premises for reconstruction, involves a comprehensive and massive conversion. Less than two years before the Y2K crisis, when the Microsoft platform had not been fully developed, there were only a few successful cases of domestic IT infrastructure adoption and implementation. Moreover, Internal personnel of organization was not proficient with the related technology, and IT department was not able to effectively handle the issues; however , top management adopted a strategy of IT infrastructure conversion by switching the mainframe to Local Area Network servers and then re-developing all the application information systems. How did they successfully implement this strategy amidst such a massive re-engineering, and with high-risk information technology ? In reality, IT infrastructure adoption and implementation involves extremely broad and complicated levels, including hardware, software, procedures, systems, personnel, and so on. Machines and equipment can be updated at once, but the core application information systems installed on new machines and equipment must be sequentially developed and adjusted. To achieve the desired effects, people especially, need to change their ways of thinking and learn constantly if they want their equipment, systems, and system standards to be aligned with the needs and business goals of the organization. However, results cannot be achieved in a short time. Therefore the IT infrastructure adoption and implementation process needs to be studied longitudinally. With respect to time, we can see the impact of IT infrastructure adaptation on organizational changes and its interactive association. This study uses the case study approach to observe how the Bureau of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Taiwan has successfully adopted and implemented IT infrastructure. This case is characterized by the following properties: (1) It is a government organization; (2) It encountered internal and external challenges and pressure to launch an “e-Government;” and (3) It used technological strategies, which are comprehensive and radical changes to organization, so that the technologies involved were unable to be accumulated and needed be relearned. As it is a very long and complicated process to adopt and implement IT infrastructure, this article uses a general research framework (consisting of contents, context, and processes), supplemented by “problem solving”, to systematically describe the IT infrastructure adoption and implementation process. Moreover, with the hope of properly controlling the information for this research, three major issues are described and analyzed: (1) How to formulate and implement strategies; (2) How to integrate and apply information; and (3) How to transform the information system department and its personnel. Additionally, the characteristics of a transformation process can be studied using the organizational process model derived by Chiang Chi-ku (1999), comprising of a planned model, an adaptive model, and an emergent model. This organizational process model studies the properties and differences of these three process models using the two components of “problem solving” —“goal setting for problem solving” and “status control and resource allocation.” Moreover, this article also studies the roles played by the problem solvers (i.e., top management, information manager, and the executive team) in these processes and their effects. According to the findings of this study, the process of adopting and implementing IT infrastructure can’t be described as a single process. Moreover, it involves solutions to a series of related problems. Generally speaking, most people only recognize the construction and implementation of hardware, but easily disregard the real difficulty in personnel’s conceptual change and constant learning. Due to these hidden problems, some unexpected conditions may appear throughout the transformation process. Hence, this research can be taken as a reference for the business sector in adopting and implementing of IT infrastructure, organizational change, and organizational innovation. Moreover, it can also provide the basis for future academic research of the data involving a seven-year-long adaptation process.