The paper emphasises the importance of a research programme focused on developing and making widely available GIS relevant spatial analysis technology. It outlines generic criteria able to discriminate between GIS-relevant and GIS-irrelevant spatial analysis tools and outlines a list of six researchable spatial analysis themes. It is argued that presently there is an opportunity to develop a EU based spatial analysis research programme and then install the technology in the World's GIS. (authors' abstract) / Series: Discussion Papers of the Institute for Economic Geography and GIScience

Yes / Living in an area with high levels of child poverty predisposes children to poorer mental and physical health. ActEarly is a 5-year research programme that comprises a large number of interventions (>20) with citizen science and co-production embedded. It aims to improve the health and well-being of children and families living in two areas of the UK with high levels of deprivation; Bradford in West Yorkshire, and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. This protocol outlines the meta-evaluation (an evaluation of evaluations) of the ActEarly programme from a systems perspective, where individual interventions are viewed as events in the wider policy system across the two geographical areas. It includes investigating the programme's impact on early life health and well-being outcomes, interdisciplinary prevention research collaboration and capacity building, and local and national decision making. The ActEarly meta-evaluation will follow and adapt the five iterative stages of the 'Evaluation of Programmes in Complex Adaptive Systems' (ENCOMPASS) framework for evaluation of public health programmes in complex adaptive systems. Theory-based and mixed-methods approaches will be used to investigate the fidelity of the ActEarly research programme, and whether, why and how ActEarly contributes to changes in the policy system, and whether alternative explanations can be ruled out. Ripple effects and systems mapping will be used to explore the relationships between interventions and their outcomes, and the degree to which the ActEarly programme encouraged interdisciplinary and prevention research collaboration as intended. A computer simulation model ("LifeSim") will also be used to evaluate the scale of the potential long-term benefits of cross-sectoral action to tackle the financial, educational and health disadvantages faced by children in Bradford and Tower Hamlets. Together, these approaches will be used to evaluate ActEarly's dynamic programme outputs at different system levels and measure the programme's system changes on early life health and well-being. This meta-evaluation protocol presents our plans for using and adapting the ENCOMPASS framework to evaluate the system-wide impact of the early life health and well-being programme, ActEarly. Due to the collaborative and non-linear nature of the work, we reserve the option to change and query some of our evaluation choices based on the feedback we receive from stakeholders to ensure that our evaluation remains relevant and fit for purpose. / This work was supported by the UK Prevention Research Partnership (MR/S037527/1), which is funded by the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, Health and Social Care Research and Development Division (Welsh Government), Medical Research Council, National Institute for Health Research, Natural Environment Research Council, Public Health Agency (Northern Ireland), The Health Foundation and Wellcome.

This paper is an attempt to reconstruct how C.V. Raman, a peripheral scientist in the early 20th century colonial India, managed to develop a research programme in physical optics from his remote colonial location. His attempts at self-training and self-education eventually led him to the discovery of the Raman Effect and to the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930. In trying to re-construct an account of the ways in which Raman developed his research programme in optics by grasping various elements of a scientific practice from the Western scientific community, we see how a newcomer in science could be surprisingly creative in achieving new breakthroughs, and how through such efforts he or she can establish new trading zones with another established community that has the potential to develop into independent practices.

If we want to compare the explanatory and descriptive adequacy of the MP and OT, the original definitions by Chomsky (1964) are or little direct use. However, a relativized version of both notions can be defined, which can be used to express a number of parallels between the study of individual I-languages and the language faculty. In any version of explanatory and descriptive adequacy, the two notions derive from the research programme and can only be achieved together. They can therefore not be used to characterize the difference in orientation between OT and the MP. Even if ‘OT’ is restricted to a particular theory in Chomskyan linguistics (to the exclusion of, for instance, its use in LFG), it cannot be said to be stronger in descriptive adequacy than in explanatory adequacy in the technical sense of these terms.

The thesis proposes that Strategic Planning for Information Systems (SPIS) has become ineffective through a tendency to focus on the information technologies involved. The thesis argues that the dominant rational, reductionist epistemology of SPIS methods, tools and techniques limits the effectiveness of SPIS through methodological impoverishment. The thesis proposes that a humanistic, sociotechnical perspective of SPIS accommodates the use of complementary tools and techniques that improve the process. This thesis advances a new Framework to improve the process of SPIS based on the propositions; first that the lack of sufficient knowledge of both the internal and external environment is a root cause of many of these insufficiencies, and second that this knowledge is held within the stakeholders of this process. An ernancipatory information systems research programme (Klein and Hirschheim, 1987) is used to advance a framework that overcomes the insufficiency and inadequacy of the process of strategic planning for information systems in organisations that permits information systems to fail. The framework is tested on two organisations and shows that the proposed Framework has significant potential to improve the SPIS process. The case research investigates the role of stakeholders, knowledge, and boundaries in the process of SPIS in order to develop more sufficient methods for the process of SPIS that address the perceived inadequacies in current processes, and thus provide an improved strategic planning process for information systems. Two novel tools are introduced: the Stakeholder Web and the Interaction Matrix. Their evolution is a major contribution of this research. The collection of tools presents a practical research contribution for the SPIS process and as generic (methodological) research tools. A new definition for the term 'stakeholder' is formulated and used to supply clarity in understanding for this study - and would prove useful for the field of IS.

Samhällsvetenskapliga portalfigurer som Durkheim, Marx och Weber har medverkat i diskussionen om aktör och struktur. Diskussionen om intentioner; agerande och samhällsstrukturer pågår fortfarande. Om de samhällsvetenskapliga fenomenen utgår från individen – aktören – och/eller dess omgivning - strukturen - är en evig fråga. Denna avhandling är ett bidrag till den moderna diskussionen om aktör och struktur. Syftet är att analysera problemkomplexet aktör-struktur. Många tidigare studier i genren är abstrakta och generella. I detta arbete studeras också samhällsforskares tillämpning. Efter analyser av den aktörsteoretiska ansatsen (statsvetaren Axel Hadenius' forskning, den strukturteoretiska ansatsen (sociologen Bruce Mayhews forskning), samt a ansatsen (statsvetaren Bo Rothsteins forskning), samt redovisas ett preciserat förhållningssätt till problemkomplexet. Studiens utgångspunkt är att både den ensidiga aktörsteoretiska ansatsen och den ensidiga strukturteoretiska ansatsen kommer att uppvisa brister. De respektive ensidiga ansatserna antas inte brista främst på grund av sin ensidighet, vilket flera företrädare för den aktör-strukturteoretiska ansatsen hävdar. Utifrån avhandlingens vägledande analysram förväntas de respektive ensidiga ansatsernas filosofier, teorier och förklaringar brista på så sätt att företrädarnas programförklaringar inte stämmer överens med företrädarnas tillämpningar. Därmed uppfyller de ensidiga ansatsernas företrädare inte det grundläggande kravet på vetenskaplig klarhet. Av analysen framgår att det i den aktörsteoretiska ansatsens tillämpning också återfinns strukturfaktorer av ett slag som ansatsens företrädare programmatiskt vill utesluta. I den tillämpade strukturteoretiska ansatsen återfinns aktörsfaktorer. Också den aktör-strukturteoretiska ansats som analyseras uppvisar brister i överensstämmelse mellan programförklaring och tillämpning. Resultaten tas till intäkt för att överge både den individualism som den aktörsteoretiska ansatsen vilar på och den strukturalism sätts i detta arbete den filosofiska antagande att den samhälleliga verkligheten innehåller både aktör och struktur, Antagandet om samhällets tvåsidighet utgör en viktig grund för den preciserande aktör-strukturteoretiska ansats som är studiens övergripande slutsats. / This thesis is a contribution to the age-old discussion in the social sciences about actor and structure. From the outset it is argued that the question of actor and structure constitutes a complexity of problems which contains philosophical, theoretical and explanatory elements. Different ways of comprehending the complexity of problems constitute a watershed between research approaches. The three main approaches are the actor theoretical approach, the structural theoretical approach and 1he actor-structural theoretical approach. The purpose of this study is to analyse these three approaches and thereby present a fruitful approach to the complexity of problems. The author adopts the combined actor-structural theoretical approach from the start, but not in an uncritical and self-evident manner. This study is based on two lines of argumentation. Firstly, it is stipulated that a social scientist's research programme on actor and structure should be consistent With the researcher's application. Secondly, it is stipulated that social reality consists of both actor and s1ructure, and that actor and  structure do not mean the same thing. The author's suggestion is that this idea about the two-sidedness of soc iety is a prerequisite for interna! consistency. Hence, traces of both actor and structure should a lso be found in the applications of the two one-sided approaches. In order to discern the one-sided actor theoretical approach, three ideas are stipulated as philosophy, theory and explanation in a specified ideal type: methodological individualism, instrumental rationality and intentional explanation. These ideas are present in the research programme of the chosen representative of the actor theoretical approach, the Swedish political scientist Axel Hadenius. It is found that Hadenius' application does not correspond with his research programme. In his application. factors occur that are not totally reducible to facts aboul separale or aggregated individuals. In order to discern the one-sided sructural theoretical approach, three ideas are stipulated as philosophy. theory and explanation in a specified ideal type: structuralism, theoretical relations between structures and nomothetical-deductive explanations with structures. These ideas are present in the research programme of the chosen representative of the structural theoretical approach, the American sociologi st Bruce Mayhew. It is found that Mayhew's application does not correspond with his research programme. In his application, fac1s about separate or aggregated individuals occur. The three ideas behind the ideal type actor-structural theoretical approach are two-sided level realism, theoretical actor-structural relations and actor-structural explanation. These ideas are present in the research programme of the chosen representative of the actor-structural theoretical approach, the Swedish political scientist Bo Rothstein, even if there are also traces leading off in other directions. Finally, the testing of the occurrence of the preliminary actor-structural approach in the three research approaches is combined with the elabora1ion of philosophy, theory and explana1ion in the specified actorstructural theoretical approach. The latter approach constitutes the author's stand on the complexity of problems of actor and structure. The philosophy in the specified approach, two-sided leve! realism, is allegedly composed of three closely related ideas: actual closeness between actor and structure, situational irreducibility, and the relational concept of social structure. The idea of the theoretical relation between actor and structure is allegedly composed of three closely related ideas: empirical openness, analytical dualism and generative mechanisms. All are, in tum, closely related to the three ideas of the two-sided leve! realism, as well as to the idea of actor-structural explanation. The specified approach lays the foundations for clarity in terms of internat logical congruence between research programme and application.

Thesis (MPA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The viability of a research programme is dependent on its sustainability. The life span of a programme is determined by the sustainability achieved as a result of its activities. Within any successful research initiative, there is a progression from the research findings to the implementation of those findings. This study examines the effect that the implementation of research findings has on the initiation of new research projects within a research programme. The distinctions between academic research programmes and the implementation of the research findings were identified. By unobtrusively applying these definitions to a process of self-evaluation, a theoretical model was identified for the evaluation of the University of the Witwatersrand Refugee Research Programme and one of its projects. Advocacy research, which focused on policy intervention, was not seen as being sustainable as a programme output, as it is dependent on funding. Sustainability in advocacy is linked to research skills enabling pilot intervention. Pilot intervention in tum requires funding that research programmes sometimes use for their basic survival. This should not be interpreted as contributing to the sustainability of the research programme as funding activities are driven by the needs of the pilot intervention. This is significant as these needs can through demands from the funders of pilot intervention, contribute to changes in policies, goals and objectives of the research programme. It was found that the progression to implementation within a rural academic research programme does limit the initiation of new research proposals. Research initiatives tend to become tools of funding agencies with the focus being placed on the implementation of the research findings. This study recommends that the implementation of research findings should be limited to pilot projects, that there should be defined time frames for pilot implementation and, that there should be a clear division of responsibility between research activity and pilot implementation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Om lewensvatbaar te wees moet 'n navorsingsprogram gehandhaaf kan word. Die lewensduur van 'n program word bepaal deur sy handhawing as gevolg van sy aktiwiteite. Binne enige suksesvolle navorsingsinisiatief is daar 'n progressie van navorsingsbevindings tot die implementering van daardie bevindings. In hierdie studie word die effek van implementering van navorsingsbevindings op inisieëring van nuwe navorsingsprojekte binne 'n navorsingsprogram ondersoek. Die verskil tussen akademiese navorsingsprogramme en die implementering van navorsingsbevindings is geïdentifiseer. Deur op 'n onopvallende wyse hierdie definisies toe te pas op 'n proses van selfevaluasie is 'n teoretiese model geïdentifiseer wat gebruik is om die Universiteit van die Witwatersrand se Vlugteling Navorsingsprogram en een van sy projekte te evalueer. Voorspraaknavorsing wat fokus op beleidsintervensie is nie gesien as handhaafbaar in terme van programopbrengs nie aangesien dit afhanklik is van befondsing. Handhawing van voorspraak is gekoppel aan navorsingsbekwaamheid wat dit moontlik sal maak om intervensie te loods. Intervensie loodsing op sy beurt benodig befondsing wat soms deur navorsingsprogramme gebruik word vir hul eie oorlewing. Dit moet nie gesien word as bydraend tot die handhawing van die navorsingsprojek nie, want befondsingsaktiwiteite word gedryf deur die benodighede van die intervensie. Dit is belangrik aangesien hierdie behoeftes deur die eise van die befondsers van die intervensie kan bydra tot veranderinge in beleid en doelwitte van die navorsingsprogram. Dit is bevind dat die progressie tot implementering binne 'n landelik akademiese navorsingsprogram inisieëring van nuwe navorsingsvoorstelle beperk. Navorsingsinisiatiewe neig om middels van befondsingsagentskappe te word met die plasing van die fokus op die implementering van die navorsingsbevindings. Hierdie studie beveel aan dat die implementering van navorsingsbevindings tot loods projekte beperk moet word, dat daar 'n gedefinieerde tydraamwerk vir implementering van loodsprojekte moet wees en dat daar 'n duidelike verdeling van verantwoordelikheid tussen navorsingaktiwiteite en loodsprojek implementasie moet wees.

<p>A qualitative descriptive study approach was used to gather the required information. The sample for this study was drawn from an existing group of volunteers who participated in the vaccine trial at Mbeya Medical Research Centre in 2006-2007. A purposive sampling method was used to select respondents because they had had experience of being participants in a HIV vaccine trial. Twenty audio recorded in-depth interviews were conducted. The interviews were conducted at the clinic during their routine follow up visits. An open ended interview guideline was used to guide the discussion to elicit the required information from the respondents. The data was transcribed, translated and then analyzed by both content and thematic approach. Ethical procedures were observed, including getting permission from the local ethical committee in Mbeya region and participants were given an informed consent form to read and sign before starting the interview.</p>

<p>A qualitative descriptive study approach was used to gather the required information. The sample for this study was drawn from an existing group of volunteers who participated in the vaccine trial at Mbeya Medical Research Centre in 2006-2007. A purposive sampling method was used to select respondents because they had had experience of being participants in a HIV vaccine trial. Twenty audio recorded in-depth interviews were conducted. The interviews were conducted at the clinic during their routine follow up visits. An open ended interview guideline was used to guide the discussion to elicit the required information from the respondents. The data was transcribed, translated and then analyzed by both content and thematic approach. Ethical procedures were observed, including getting permission from the local ethical committee in Mbeya region and participants were given an informed consent form to read and sign before starting the interview.</p>

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-23T14:00:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Rafael Alves da Cunha.pdf: 1338248 bytes, checksum: 3c0a0afbc1261b492ec0b2813288fea5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-06-07 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This work presents the contributions of Akerlof, Spence and Stiglitz, discussing how the elements provided allows a research programme to be defined, in the sense of Lakatos (1980). The research aims to demonstrate how the work of those authors were incompatible with the standard economic analysis, this late identified with those analysis pertaining to the Neoclassical research programme. In the first part, the Methodology of Research Programme is presented, relating it to the works of Karl Popper and Thomas Kuhn. In the second part, a definition of the Neoclassical research programme is established, with the definition provided by Weintraub (1985) as a starting point. In the third part, the main works of Akerlof, Spence and Stiglitz were presented, identifying how they were incompatible with the definition of the Neoclassical research programme provided in the second part, and allows the definition of the New Information Economics research programme / O objetivo desta dissertação é apresentar as contribuições de Akerlof, Spence e Stiglitz, discutindo como os elementos fornecidos por estas contribuições permitem a definição de programa de pesquisa, no sentido proposto por Lakatos (1980). Buscou-se demonstrar que as pesquisas desses autores são incompatíveis com as análises padrão da teoria econômica, identificadas neste trabalho como aquelas pertencentes ao programa de pesquisa Neoclássico. Na primeira parte do trabalho é apresentada a Metodologia do Programa de Pesquisa Científico de Imre Lakatos, situando-a em relação aos trabalhos de Karl Popper e Thomas Kuhn. Na segunda parte, é proposta uma definição do Programa de Pesquisa Neoclássico, utilizando-se como ponto de partida a definição proposta por Weintraub (1985). Por último, são apresentados os principais trabalhos de Akerlof, Spence e Stiglitz, identificando-se como estes são incompatíveis com o programa de pesquisa Neoclássico, e permitem a definição do programa de pesquisa da Nova Economia da Informação