<p>The project-based nature of construction organisations creates a learning opportunity from most of the activities carried by these organisations. Knowledge is being created in the course of carrying core and non-core activities in the organisation. For organisations to make the most of this knowledge, a mechanism for tapping has to exist. Such tapping can occur through the organisation’s various activities and organisations stand to benefit if these activities are done strategically not only to tap, but also to create and transfer knowledge and ultimately enhance performance.</p><p>The study has henceforth analysed the knowledge transfer process of construction organisations in the Tanzania construction industry and explored how these organisations facilitate creation and transfer of knowledge. A survey in a pilot study in the year 2001 was conducted to refine and focus the study’s questions and propositions and a case study strategy of inquiry has been adopted for the main study. Four construction organisations in the Tanzania construction industry are studied.</p><p>The analyses from findings support the propositions set forth in the study and among others establish: the specificity of the knowledge transfer process in construction organisations, the situational nature of the knowledge being transferred, the ephemeral nature of goals and the “selling of jobs” in construction sites influencing incentives for knowledge management initiatives. The study further establishes that there are inadequate attributes towards knowledge creation in the organisations. That: there is limited practice of on-the-job training, peer assist and learning by imitation; codification of procedures, rules, and checklists is done insignificantly or absent completely; networking of knowledge is poor; experience sharing and learning by doing is low.</p><p>In effect the study proposes an optimal knowledge transfer process for construction organisations in Tanzania using an IDEF0 business process model, and explores the cost-effectiveness for organisations in the industry pursuing knowledge management initiatives such as the knowledge transfer process. Lastly, recommendations for construction organisations at policy and functional level are made.</p>

Business processes are fundamental to the operations of a company. Each product manufactured and every service provided is the result of a series of actions that constitute a business process. Business process management is an organizational principle that makes the processes of a company explicit and offers capabilities to implement procedures, control their execution, analyze their performance, and improve them. Therefore, business processes are documented as process models that capture these actions and their execution ordering, and make them accessible to stakeholders. As these models are an essential knowledge asset, they need to be managed effectively. In particular, the discovery and reuse of existing knowledge becomes challenging in the light of companies maintaining hundreds and thousands of process models. In practice, searching process models has been solved only superficially by means of free-text search of process names and their descriptions. Scientific contributions are limited in their scope, as they either present measures for process similarity or elaborate on query languages to search for particular aspects. However, they fall short in addressing efficient search, the presentation of search results, and the support to reuse discovered models. This thesis presents a novel search method, where a query is expressed by an exemplary business process model that describes the behavior of a possible answer. This method builds upon a formal framework that captures and compares the behavior of process models by the execution ordering of actions. The framework contributes a conceptual notion of behavioral distance that quantifies commonalities and differences of a pair of process models, and enables process model search. Based on behavioral distances, a set of measures is proposed that evaluate the quality of a particular search result to guide the user in assessing the returned matches. A projection of behavioral aspects to a process model enables highlighting relevant fragments that led to a match and facilitates its reuse. The thesis further elaborates on two search techniques that provide concrete behavioral distance functions as an instantiation of the formal framework. Querying enables search with a notion of behavioral inclusion with regard to the query. In contrast, similarity search obtains process models that are similar to a query, even if the query is not precisely matched. For both techniques, indexes are presented that enable efficient search. Methods to evaluate the quality and performance of process model search are introduced and applied to the techniques of this thesis. They show good results with regard to human assessment and scalability in a practical setting. / Geschäftsprozesse bilden die Grundlage eines jeden Unternehmens, da jedes Produkt und jede Dienstleistung das Ergebnis einer Reihe von Arbeitsschritten sind, deren Ablauf einen Geschäftsprozess darstellen. Das Geschäftsprozessmanagement rückt diese Prozesse ins Zentrum der Betrachtung und stellt Methoden bereit, um Prozesse umzusetzen, abzuwickeln und, basierend auf einer Auswertung ihrer Ausführung, zu verbessern. Zu diesem Zweck werden Geschäftsprozesse in Form von Prozessmodellen dokumentiert, welche die auszuführenden Arbeitsschritte und ihre Ausführungsbeziehungen erfassen und damit eine wesentliche Grundlage des Geschäftsprozessmanagements bilden. Um dieses Wissen verwerten zu können, muss es gut organisiert und leicht auffindbar sein – eine schwierige Aufgabe angesichts hunderter bzw. tausender Prozessmodelle, welche moderne Unternehmen unterhalten. In der Praxis haben sich bisher lediglich einfache Suchmethoden etabliert, zum Beispiel Freitextsuche in Prozessbeschreibungen. Wissenschaftliche Ansätze hingegen betrachten Ähnlichkeitsmaße und Anfragesprachen für Prozessmodelle, vernachlässigen dabei aber Maßnahmen zur effizienten Suche, sowie die verständliche Wiedergabe eines Suchergebnisses und Hilfestellungen für dessen Verwendung. Diese Dissertation stellt einen neuen Ansatz für die Prozessmodellsuche vor, wobei statt einer Anfragesprache Prozessmodelle zur Formulierung einer Anfrage verwendet werden, welche exemplarisch das Verhalten der gesuchten Prozesse beschreiben. Dieser Ansatz fußt auf einem formalen Framework, welches ein konzeptionelles Distanzmaß zur Bewertung gemeinsamen Verhaltens zweier Geschäftsprozesse definiert und die Grundlage zur Suche bildet. Darauf aufbauend werden Qualitätsmaße vorgestellt, die einem Benutzer bei der Bewertung von Suchergebnissen behilflich sind. Verhaltensausschnitte, die zur Aufnahme in das Suchergebnis geführt haben, können im Prozessmodell hervorgehoben werden. Die Arbeit führt zwei Suchtechniken ein, die konkrete Distanzmaße einsetzen, um Prozesse zu suchen, die das Verhalten einer Anfrage exakt enthalten (Querying), oder diesem in Bezug auf das Verhalten ähnlich sind (Similarity Search). Für beide Techniken werden Indexstrukturen vorgestellt, die effizientes Suchen ermöglichen. Abschließend werden allgemeine Methoden zur Evaluierung von Prozessmodellsuchansätzen vorgestellt, mit welchen die genannten Suchtechniken überprüft werden. Im Ergebnis zeigen diese eine hohe Qualität der Suchergebnisse hinsichtlich einer Vergleichsstudie mit Prozessexperten, sowie gute Skalierbarkeit für große Prozessmodellsammlungen.

Loss is an inevitable part of the human experience. How each individual reacts to loss may be affected by various factors (e.g. an individual’s attachment style). The current studies focused on how individuals respond to and cope with the loss of one type of attachment figure, specifically the loss of a romantic partner. The relationship between romantic loss and attachment theory is discussed and an integrated model of romantic relationship loss and attachment is proposed. This model accounts for various differences in how individuals respond to the loss of romantic relationships in young adulthood. Study 1 focused on the development of a revised form of the Inventory of Daily Widowed Life (IDWL; Caserta and Lund, 2007), which was labelled the Daily Activities After Relationship Loss (DAARL), to assess loss-orientation, restoration-orientation, and the oscillation between these processes following romantic relationship loss. This measure allowed for the assessment of coping in keeping with the constructs of the Dual Process Model of Bereavement (DPM; Stroebe & Schut, 1999), but allowed for these processes to be assessed in the context of romantic relationship loss as opposed to coping following the death of a loved one. Study 1 was comprised of two parts with differing samples: Part 1 included seven (four female) graduate students and undergraduate alumni in the social sciences as participants whereas Part 2 included ninety-seven (sixty-nine female) undergraduate psychology students. Participants were presented with proposed items for the new measure, as well as definitions of loss-oriented and restoration-oriented coping, and then were asked to categorize these items as loss-oriented coping, restoration-oriented coping, both, or other. Items yielding the highest levels of inter-rater agreement were used for the DAARL in Study 2. Study 2 focussed on the attachment relationship between former romantic partners, and how individuals coped with the loss of an attachment figure following the termination of a romantic relationship. One hundred and fifty-nine (one hundred and eleven female) individuals who had been broken up with or deemed their most recent romantic loss as being a mutual break-up were asked to complete a questionnaire packet containing measures of attachment style, coping behaviours following the loss, depression, anxiety, and socially desirable responding. A model of differences in coping with romantic relationship loss based on an individual’s attachment style was proposed and tested based on Stroebe, Schut, and Stroebe’s (2005) DPM and findings by Waskowic (2010; See Figure 4). Based on the findings from the current studies there are differences between the four types of attachment (i.e., secure, dismissing, preoccupied, and fearful) in how each copes with the loss of a romantic attachment figure. In light of the current findings, a revised model of romantic grief, which integrates the Dual Process Model of Bereavement within an attachment theoretical framework is offered (See Figure 5). This new model accounts for observed differences in the way individuals cope with the loss of a romantic relationship and suggests that researchers focus on the attachment relationship to explain variability in an individual’s response following romantic loss. The results of Study 2 provide support for the new integrated model and encourage others to consider using attachment theory, when examining how individuals with different attachment styles (i.e., secure, dismissing, preoccupied, and fearful) will respond to a romantic loss. Study 1 and 2 in conjunction also provide early stage support for the validity of the DAARL. Study 1 provided initial content validity by having independent raters assess items as being consistent with restoration-oriented or loss-oriented coping. Study 2 provided empirical support of the items selected as being consistent with their intended constructs by analyzing internal consistency and item-total correlations. The findings of Study 2 suggested that the dimensions proposed represented related, but distinct constructs. The current studies aimed to advance our understanding of the relationship between attachment theory and romantic relationship loss by expanding upon relevant theories and empirical findings for bereavement following a death to other forms of loss. Further, the findings are reported in regards to specific attachment styles, rather than the secure versus insecure distinction that has been commonly utilized when conducting research on attachment style differences. Implications and future directions for research are discussed.

Men engage in fewer health-promoting behaviours than women. Despite being more active than women, the majority of men are inactive. Physical activity (PA) decreases the risk of developing numerous chronic conditions and may be an optimal behaviour to target in men’s health interventions. However, informational resources and health-promotion interventions for men are lacking. To address this gap, we conducted two studies using the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM; Witte, 1992) as a guiding framework. Study 1 examined relevant and appealing health message content for men and explored the relevance and applicability of EPPM constructs to men’s health messages and PA messages in particular. Four semi-structured focus groups and four semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted. Participants (n=26) easily related to the EPPM constructs. Participants preferred demographically-tailored health messages that addressed modifiable behaviours (e.g. PA) and self-regulatory strategies (e.g. planning) and included reputable sources, strong language, and sex appeal. From these findings, four sets of PA messages with different combinations of risk and efficacy information were developed. Study 2 tested the effectiveness of these EPPM-based messages to increase men’s PA intentions and behaviours. Inactive participants (n=353) were randomly assigned to one of four message groups and read four health messages over four consecutive days. Intentions were assessed at baseline and the first follow-up (Day 5) while manipulation check items were assessed at Day 5. PA behaviour was assessed at baseline and the second follow-up (Day 14). Men who received low efficacy and risk information were less likely to meet the Canadian PA guidelines at Day 14 than men who only received low efficacy information (OR=2.15 95% CI:0.963-4.80, Wald=3.49, p=0.062). Providing risk information led to increases in PA behaviours (F(1, 157)=7.29, p=0.008, d=.22). Intentions to be active were greater in the high efficacy group than the low efficacy group (F(1, 345)=4.10, p=0.044, d=.21). Bivariate correlations indicated a disconnect between fear and efficacy perceptions, intentions, and defensive avoidance. From these collective findings, we provide insight into the EPPM as it relates to men’s PA behaviours, propose preliminary recommendations regarding the development of PA messages for men, and suggest areas for future research. / Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2011-08-30 17:32:12.392

<p>The project examines the information seeking behaviour of a small group of so-called Generation Y students at the Stellenbosch University as they undertake an academic&nbsp / assignment. There is consensus across the world that universities need to adapt to the needs of Generation Y students, brought up with high-level information technology, the internet and social networking. However, research shows that this does not mean that they are information literate. They have high-tech skills but often do not know how to analyse an information need or discriminate between information sources. Information scientist Carol Kuhlthau develop the ISP model upon which the study was based. Her model sees information seeking as a complex cognitive and affective process. Successful seekers have learned how to manage the process. University libraries need to adapt their information retrieval systems and services to meet the needs of their new kinds of students. The study, a small-scale intensive qualitative case study, hopes to provide insight into how they might do this. The researcher collected data while the participants were writing the assignment. Data gathering methods included interviews, journal writings and questionnaires.</p>

The death of a parent represents a potential traumatic life event that has been linked to depression in both Japan and the United States. Yet experiences surrounding death and ways of grieving are framed differently across cultures. At the individual level, the majority of the bereaved people in both Japan and the United States attempt to maintain bonds with the deceased family members. Being complementary to the individual-level desire, Japanese death-related beliefs and practices seem to provide a tool to maintain bonds. In contrast, American death-related beliefs and practices may be at odds with the individual desires by encouraging the bereaved individuals to detach themselves from the deceased parents. Japanese culture may work as a macro level support to bereaved individuals, while American culture is not supportive of the individual desires. Using two national data sets from Japan and the United States, this study tested whether: (1) bereaved individuals report worse mental health than non-bereaved individuals, (2) the mental health consequences of losing a parent is greater in the United States than in Japan, and (3) in this vein, persons in Japan report greater emotional support than those in the United States, and emotional support explains cultural differences in the link between being bereaved and depression. Supporting Hypothesis 1, bereaved respondents were more depressed than non-bereaved respondents. The statistical test rejected Hypothesis 2, and Hypothesis 3 was not testable. This research considers the role of culture as a macro-level support and cross-national research methods.

The purpose of this research was to determine if patient journey process modeling could act as a change management tool to support electronic health record (EHR) adoption, at a tertiary-care mental health centre. This research study was based on a pre/post design, which evaluated the attitudes of clinicians??? pre and post implementation of the EHR. A survey was used to assess the attitudes of various healthcare professionals, such as physicians, nurses and a spectrum of allied health disciplines, at various phases of the planning and implementation process. In addition to the surveys, current and future state PaJMa (patient journey modeling architecture) models representing technology use and process flows of all units were created by observational studies, and served as change management tools. These PaJMa models were then presented as part of an intervention that was held in the form of an educational session to highlight the benefits of technology, and to address the common concerns identified from the initial survey results. The centre for mental health sciences facility was used as the case study to apply the PaJMa model and assess its change management functionality. Since, the organization was moving from paper to electronic based patient charts it was an ideal choice for this research. It was predicted that the attitudes and opinions of clinicians towards the EHR implementation, and EHRs in general, would change and become more positive with increased knowledge and education. This in-turn would increase EHR adoption and hence lead to a successful implementation.

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Thesis (PhD)--Macquarie University, Graduate School of the Environment, 1997. / Bibliography: p. 179-190. / 1. Summary -- 2. Introduction -- 3. Current process models -- 4. Proposed pollution process model -- 5. Brown haze air pollution in Sydney -- 6. Ozone air pollution in Sydney -- 7. Ozone air pollution in Melbourne -- 8. Beach pollution in Sydney -- 9. Water pollution in the Parramatta River -- 10. Comparison of case study indicators and results -- 11. Summary of research -- 12. Conclusion. / Existing process models describe the general social and institutional processes involved in the solution of environmental problems and in the solution of public policy problems. These existing models do not include many processes specific to pollution problems and in most cases they do not included a quantitative assessment of the likely duration and strength of the processes involved. In this work I have proposed a process model with nine specific processes involved in the solution of major regional pollution problems. I have named the nine processes: affected party, harbinger, public concern, political action, inquiry, body of knowledge, legislation, allocation of funds, and organisational change. The processes were selected to be consistent with general processes of the literature models and to reflect actual processes that have been involved in the solution of pollution problems in Sydney since European settlement. I have used five case studies of regional air and water pollution problems from the Australian cities of Melbourne and Sydney. The nine proposed processes were identified in each of the case study problems and were quantified by the use of indicators that measured the strength and duration of the individual process. / x, 200 leaves

Companies increasingly use business process modeling for documenting and redesigning their operations. However, due to the size of such modeling initiatives, they often struggle with the quality assurance of their model collections. While many model properties can already be checked automatically, there is a notable gap of techniques for checking linguistic aspects such as naming conventions of process model elements. In this paper, we address this problem by introducing an automatic technique for detecting violations of naming conventions. This technique is based on text corpora and independent of linguistic resources such as WordNet. Therefore, it can be easily adapted to the broad set of languages for which corpora exist. We demonstrate the applicability of the technique by analyzing nine process model collections from practice, including over 27,000 labels and covering three different languages. The results of the evaluation show that our technique yields stable results and can reliably deal with ambiguous cases. In this way, this paper provides an important contribution to the field of automated quality assurance of conceptual models.