Background: There is an increasing amount of arguments made that new business models are the solution when companies and industries face radical changes in the environment. To be able to prosper in the long run, organizations must reinvent themselves over and over again. Many authors (e.g. Abernathy & Utterback, 1978; Christensen, 1997; Kim & Mauborgne, 2005; Ries, 2011) claim that big, radical, reconfigurations are needed in order to prosper in the long-term. Theories, concepts and framework have been developed to answer how this reconfiguration should happen within organizations. However, the concepts derived are just parts of the solution, and none take a holistic approach, trying to cover them in a practical framework that could be used by organizations. Aim: The aim of the thesis is to propose a framework that enables organizations to systemize their innovation processes, making them flexible enough to repetitively seize opportunities through business model innovation where new value can be created and captured. The proposed framework aims to enable organizations to start discussing how they should create and capture new value and give them a more pragmatic view on the innovation process. It also aims to act as a starting point for future research. Methodology: The thesis follows March & Smith’s (1995) design science methodology in order to build and evaluate the framework. This is done in three steps; first by building a model from theory. Second, the emergence of business models in three different case companies are compared and investigated qualitatively. Lastly the model and the factors derived from the data are contrasted and a framework is built and evaluated. Findings & Conclusion: The basis of the derived framework proposes for big steps to change, and create and capture new value; analyze the basis of competition in the macro and micro environment, analyze and experiment with different non-customer tiers, experiment with the creation of value and experiment and analyze the capture of the value created. More tangible tools are proposed for each of these steps. Actually testing the framework and further evaluating and theorizing of the framework is proposed as future research directions.

This thesis amends some existing theoretical gaps and an overall lack of empirical studies regarding the ways R&D managers can use Open Innovation during the management of the radical innovation processes’ early development phase.Using existing theories, an interview guide and an analytical model was created. These were later used during the gathering and analysis of empirical data. Our sampling involves three of Sweden’s largest companies, representing three distinct industry fields. Interviews took place during April 2010, and all the interviewees were R&D managers with previous experience with Open Innovation and radical innovation.The results reveal that the managers do use Open Innovation when managing radical innovation, and point to both benefits and issues brought about by using Open Innovation during this process. The use of Open Innovation during the management of radical innovation can be divided into two main aspects; the actual extent to which it is used, and the ways the managers use it. Our results reveal that the extent varies from an early peak, an in between Open Innovation chasm and a final increase. Furthermore, our studies also show that the main ways the managers use OI are; exploitation and creation of revenue streams, knowledge leveraging and integration, and finally to create superior products using broad knowledge networks.

The fundamental sociological problem of social order finds a somewhat ”unorthodox” solution in the ethnomethodological program, the main responsibility of which is ascribed to Harold Garfinkel. The current thesis rests on the view that the program offers insights that have not been sufficiently recognized, and that it bears a message to sociology that has been somewhat lost. The study aims to investigate and uncover the ethnomethodological conception of social order in a comprehensible way. Comparisons are made to “formal analytical” perspectives, notably that advocated by Talcott Parsons. The result suggests that the ethnomethodological conception of order is closer related to intersubjectivity than to action theory, and that the ethnomethodological view completes rather than opposes that of formal analysis. The deeper ontological and epistemological implications of ethnomethodology are discussed, partly by invocation of the notion of radical reflexivity.

The purpose of this project is to reexamine established free-radical polymerization theories and build a mechanistic reactor model for multi-component (up to six monomers) bulk and solution polymerizations under batch/semi-batch reactor configurations. The six-monomer system of interest is: Styrene (Sty), n-Butyl acrylate (BA), Butyl methacrylate (BMA), Hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA), Hydroxybutyl acrylate (HBA), and Acrylic acid (AA). In order to develop a flexible, comprehensive, and user-friendly model, not only a physical/kinetic database of individual monomers and ingredients such as solvents, initiators, and chain transfer agents, but also a co-polymer database of reactivity ratios, and glass transition temperatures were built and combined with the modeling steps. Through an extensive literature search for polymerization models and kinetics, the simulation model was developed in a general way to cover the range from homo- to hexa-polymerization at both regular and elevated temperature levels, and explain various polymerization kinetics and characteristics. Model testing was conducted with experimental data as much as possible to check the model’s reliability. Due to limited experimental data for higher multi-component polymerizations, the simulation model was tested with homo-polymerizations and other available cases of combinations of two to four monomers. Very reasonable agreement was found between model predictions and experimental data on rate of polymerization, molecular weight, polymer composition, sequence length, etc. through the entire conversion. This multi-component modeling study continuously requires experimental checkups and parameter fine-tuning for better predictions. Further literature search or experimental studies still remain necessary for the hydroxyalkyl acrylate kinetic database and model testing of the depropagation feature. Sensitivity analysis also could be performed to locate critical parameters. This model should find use in industry for analyzing and optimizing reactor conditions as well as in the academic field as a research and educational tool.

This thesis is directed towards expanding and refining a free radical multi-component polymerization model. The model considers up to six monomers (unique in the literature), both in bulk and solution polymerization, for either batch or semi-batch reactor modes. As the simulator database contains 13 monomers, 5 initiators, 4 solvents, 3 chain transfer agents and 2 inhibitors, all tested over a wide range of polymerization conditions, from data in both academic and industrial laboratories, several hundred combinations of ingredients can be modeled. The many outputs generated by the model include conversion, molecular weight, polymer composition, branching indicators, sequence length, as well as many others polymerization characteristics related to both production rate and polymer quality. Although the only literature data found to-date contains a maximum of four monomers, model predictions for homo-, co-, ter- and tetra-polymerizations show reasonable agreement against the data at both regular and elevated temperatures. Recently, with the basic polymerization kinetics modeled sufficiently, several expansions to the simulation software have been added. Specifically, depropagation, multiple initiators, back-biting, and composition control have been incorporated and/or improved, each adding to the advancement of the polymerization simulation tool. Depropagation is a vital mechanism that should be accounted for at elevated temperatures. Currently the software has the functionality to implement depropagation but requires further literature resources for improving the kinetic predictions for conversion and polymer composition. Consequently, depropagation research is ongoing. Back-biting and beta-scission of butyl acrylate (BA) is a recent development in free radical polymerization. The completed extension can model BA under the same diverse conditions as the base model, in homo-, co- and ter-polymerizations with depropagation, if applicable. The ability to generate a polymer with a constant (or controlled) composition throughout the reaction has several practical uses. Originally, three composition control scenarios were considered. At present, several methods as well as combinations of methods have been integrated into the model. With these new expansions and the ability to simulate several initiators at the same time, this model is directed towards becoming a complete free radical polymerization tool for training and educational uses both in industry and academia.

Polystyrene (PS) is an important commodity polymer. In its most commonly used form, PS is a high molecular weight linear polymer, typically produced through free-radical polymerization, which is a well understood and robust process. This process produces a high molecular weight, clear thermoplastic that is hard, rigid and has good thermal and melt flow properties for use in moldings, extrusions and films. However, polystyrene produced through the free radical process has a very broad molecular weight distribution, which can lead to poor performance in some applications. To this end, nitroxide-mediated radical polymerization (NMRP) can synthesize materials with a much more consistently defined molecular architecture as well as relatively low polydispersity than other methods. NMRP involves radical polymerization in the presence of a nitroxide mediator. This mediator is usually of the form of a stable radical which can bind to and disable the growing polymer chain. This will “tie up” some of the free radicals forming a dynamic equilibrium between active and dormant species, through a reversible coupling process. NMRP can be conducted through one of two different processes: (1) The bimolecular process, which can be initiated with a conventional peroxide initiator (i.e. BPO) but in the presence of a stable nitroxide radical (i.e. TEMPO), which is a stable radical that can reversibly bind with the growing polymer radical chain, and (2) The unimolecular process, where nitroxyl ether is introduced to the system, which then degrades to create both the initiator and mediator radicals. Based on previous research in the group, which included experimental investigations with both unimolecular and bimolecular NMRP under various conditions, it was possible to build on an earlier model and come up with an improved detailed mechanistic model. Additionally, it was seen that certain parameters in the model had little impact on the overall model performance, which suggested that their removal would be appropriate, also serving to reduce the complexity of the model. Comparisons of model predictions with experimental data both from within the group and the general literature were performed and trends verified. Further work was done on the development of an additionally reduced model, and on the testing of these different levels of model complexity with data. The aim of this analysis was to develop a model to capture the key process responses in a simple and easy to implement manner with comparable accuracy to the complete models. Due to its lower complexity, this substantially reduced model would me a much likelier candidate for use in on-line applications. Application of these different model levels to the model-based D-optimal design of experiments was then pursued, with results compared to those generated by a parallel Bayesian design project conducted within the group. Additional work was done using a different optimality criterion, targeted at reducing the amount of parameter correlation that may be seen in D-optimal designs. Finally, conclusions and recommendations for future work were made, including a detailed explanation of how a model similar to the ones described in this paper could be used in the optimal selection of sensors and design of experiments.

<i>In vivo</i> and <i>in vitro</i> studies on numerous types of blood vessels obtained from a variety of vascular beds and species have demonstrated that oxygen free radicals (OFRs) can evoke both vasodilation and vasoconstriction. Specific OFRs have been shown to elicit different and often times opposite effects on vascular smooth muscle. Therefore, this thesis attempts to define the vascular actions and mechanism of oxygen free radicals (OFRs) [superoxide anion (O₂^-), hydrogen peroxide (HO₂) and hydroxyl radical (OH)] on isolated rabbit aorta. This thesis will examine the role of OH in Ach- and nitroglycerin (NTG)-induced relaxation of isolated rabbit aorta. Superoxide anions generated by xanthine (X) plus xanthine oxidase (XO) produced concentration-dependent contractions of isolated rabbit aorta. The contractile response to O₂^- was completely abolished in preparations denuded of endothellum or pretreated with superoxide dismutase (SOD), a scavenger of O₂^-. The contractile response was reduced by indomethacin (I), a cyclooxygenase inhibitor. These results suggest that O₂^- mediated by vasoconstrictor arachidonic acid metabolites. Hydrogen peroxide generated by glucose and glucose oxidase produced contraction (low concentrations) and relaxation followed by contraction (high concentrations) in isolated rabbit aorta. The contractile response was abolished in the presence of catalase, a scavenger of H₂O₂ however the relaxant effect was exaggerated. Indomethacin markedly reduced the H₂O₂-induced contraction. Relaxation was completely prevented by de-endothelialization or pretreatment with N^G-monomethyl-L-arginine (LNMMA), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthetase. These results suggest that H₂O₂ in large concentrations produces a biphasic response, relaxation followed by contraction. Relaxation is endothelium dependent and is mediated by endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF), nitric oxide (NO). The contractile response is endothelium independent and is mediated by vasoconstrictor arachidonic acid metabolites of smooth muscle. Hydroxyl radicals generated by dihydroxyfumarate (DHF), ferric chloride (FeCl₃) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) (DHF/FeCl₃-ADP) produced concentration dependent relaxations of NE-precontracted rabbit aorta. Mannitol (Ml) completely inhibited OH-induced relaxation. Relaxation was markedly reduced in aortic rings mechanically denuded of endothelium. The relaxant effect was reduced by an inhibitor of NO synthesis (LNMMA), by an inhibitor of guanylate cyclase (methylene blue), by an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase (indomethacin) and by an inhibitor of an ATP-sensitive K⁺ channel blocker (glyburide). These results indicate that OH produces relaxation that is endothelium-dependent and partially mediated by an endothelium-derived relaxing factor (NO), vasodilatory arachidonic acid metabolites and an ATP-sensitive K⁺ channel. We hypothesized that Ach-induced vascular relaxation is mediated by OH derived from the interaction of NO and O₂^-. To test this hypothesis we investigated the effect of Ach and NTG on NE-precontracted isolated rabbit aortic preparations in the absence or presence of scavengers of O₂^- (SOD), and OH (dimethylthiourea (DMTU) or mannitol or Garlicin). The OFR scavengers (SOD, dimethylthiourea, mannitol, garlicin and histidine) alone or the combination of SOD and DMTU markedly reduced Ach- or NTG-induced relaxation. However, the combination of histidine, (a ¹O₂ scavenger) SOD and DMTU completely abolished Ach-induced relaxation.

Dimethyl Sulfide (CH3SCH3, DMS) is the most important natural sulfur compound emitted from the ocean and its oxidation in the atmosphere has been proposed to play an important role in climate modification because some products from DMS oxidation become non-volatile and could participate in particle formation and growth processes. Although it has been demonstrated that aqueous phase reactions are potentially important for understanding DMS oxidation, the kinetics database for aqueous phase transformations is rather limited. In this work, a laser flash photolysis (LFP) ??ng path UV-visible absorption (LPA) technique was employed to investigate the kinetics of the aqueous phase reactions of four organic sulfur compounds produced from DMS oxidation, i.e., dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), dimethyl-sulfone (DMSO2), methanesulfinate (MSI) and methanesulfonate (MS), with four important aqueous phase radicals, OH, SO4 and #8722;, Cl and Cl2 and #8722;. The temperature-dependent kinetics of the OH and SO4 and #8722; reactions with DMSO, DMSO2 and MS were studied for the first time. OH is found to be the most reactive, while Cl2 and #8722; is the least reactive toward all the sulfur species studied. The less oxidized DMSO and MSI are found to be more reactive than the more oxidized DMSO2 and MS for each radical. The kinetic data have been employed in a Trajectory Ensemble Model to simulate DMS oxidation in the marine atmosphere as a means of assessing the contribution of aqueous phase reactions to the growth of particulate matter. For the first time, oxidation of organic sulfur compounds by SO4 and #8722;, Cl and Cl2 and #8722; are included in the model to simulate DMS chemistry. Our simulations suggest that aqueous phase reactions contribute >97% of MS and ~90% of NSS (Non-Seasalt Sulfate) production, and aqueous phase reactions of the organic sulfur compounds contribute 30% of total particle mass growth. When our kinetic data for the MS + OH reaction were used in the model, it was found that MS + OH could consume ~20% of MS and produce ~8% of NSS, within 3 days under typical marine atmospheric conditions.

During fabrication of integrated circuits, fluorocarbon plasma etching is used to pattern dielectric layers. As a byproduct of the process, a fluorocarbon residue is deposited on exposed surfaces and must be removed for subsequent processing. Conventional fluorocarbon cleaning processes typically include at least one plasma or liquid treatment that is oxidative in nature. Oxidative chemistries, however, cause material degradation to next generation low-dielectric constant (low-k) materials that are currently being implemented into fabrication processes. This work addresses the need for alternative fluorocarbon-residue removal chemistries that are compatible with next generation low-k materials. Radical anion chemistries are known for their ability to defluorinate fluorocarbon materials by a reductive mechanism. Naphthalene radical anion solutions, generated using sodium metal, are used to establish cleaning effectiveness with planar model residue films. The penetration rate of the defluorination reaction into model fluorocarbon film residues is measured and modeled. Because sodium is incompatible with integrated circuit processing, naphthalene radical anions are alternatively generated using electrochemical techniques. Using electrochemically-generated radical anions, residue removal from industrially patterned etch structures is used to evaluate the process cleaning efficiency. Optimization of the radical anion concentration and exposure time is important for effective residue removal. The efficiency of removal also depends on the feature spacing and the electrochemical solvent chosen. The synergistic combination of radical anion defluorination and wetting or swelling of the residue by the solvent is necessary for complete removal. In order to understand the interaction between the solvent and the residue, the surface and interfacial energy are determined using an Owens/Wendt analysis. These studies reveal chemical similarities between specific solvents and the model residue films. This approach can also be used to predict residue or film swelling by interaction with chemically similar solvents.

DNA sequences containing contiguous AA or TT mismatches, as well as sequences containing a 3-deazacytidine analogue were synthesized. Irradiation of anthraquinone abstracts an electron from the DNA. The loss of an electron from double-stranded DNA results in the formation of a radical cation that migrates through the DNA where it reacts irreversibly with H2O or O2 at GG steps. Subsequent treatment with piperidine or Fpg enzyme cleaves the backbone of the DNA at the site of reaction. DNA oligomers were designed to contain contiguous AA, TT, or G3-deazacytidine mismatches. It was revealed that the mismatches destabilize the duplex DNA; however, there is no measurable effect on the overall secondary structure of the DNA. The contiguous (AA)n mismatch, where n lt 7, was shown to have no effect on charge migration efficiency. In contrast, the contiguous (TT)n mismatch, where n gt 2, was shown to have near complete inhibition of charge migration through the mismatch region. Charge migration through the G3-deazacytidine mismatch was shown to have no effect on charge migration efficiency as well. Interestingly, reaction at the (G3-deazacytidine)2 base pairs revealed a change in the ratio of oxidative damage at the Gs. In (GC)2 base pairs, the ratio of damage at the two Gs is 10:1 with the majority of damage occurring at the 5-G. However, the (G3-deazacytidine)2 base pairs had an equal distribution of damage at the 5 and 3-Gs, with the amount of total reactivity equaling the (GC)2 base pairs. These findings indicate that the base composition in mismatched DNA determines the effect on charge migration efficiency and trapping reactivity.