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No / In this article we adopt a capabilities theory perspective to analyse 40 in-depth interviews (20 women, 20 men) exploring the careers of senior women and men in human resource management. Both groups felt driven by increasingly unconstrained demands of work, in the case of women paid and non-paid domestic work and for men primarily paid work, and perceptions of time autonomy (being able to exercise autonomy in allocating one's time) for both differed markedly. However, these senior women appeared to have negotiated a path which fitted with their realized functioning and quality of life goals and they measured success in their own terms. Senior men's working patterns and definitions of success remained largely traditional and for most the demands of work were dominant. However, there was evidence that male views were changing with some expressing a desire for a better balance with less time involved with work. Our findings highlight the importance of the family and we suggest that there is a need for the obligations of organizations in terms of their impact on the family unit to be stated and acted upon with the role of fathers as carers equally and explicitly expounded with that of mothers.

Thesis entitled Phenomenon of longevity aims to describe and define very actual today Thema longevity. There is also mentioned particularly contemporary view of the phenomenon and its historical development. This work also touches demographics and life expectancy, which is closely linked to longevity. Great attention is paid to the problem spots in the lives of very old people, especially their disadvantaged status. On this chapter is followed also the care and support of life, that is in such high age necessary. Part of the work are also two research projects that enable an insight into the past lives of long-lived seniors in their health and functional status, and especially trying to uncover the causes of longevity.

Den demografiska utvecklingen i Sverige går mot en befolkningssammansättning med allt högre medelålder. Prognosen tyder på att nästan var fjärde svensk år 2025 kommer vara 65 år eller äldre. Många av dessa individer har en aktiv, frisk och relativt lång ålderdom framför sig. Studier har visat att morgondagens seniorer är en relativt välbeställd grupp med höga krav och stora förväntningar på ålderdomen och det framtida boendet. Allt detta innebär en utmaning för samhället där nödvändiga prioriteringar kan leda till att individen måste ta ett större ansvar och eget initiativ för boende och omvårdnadstjänster gentemot tidigare. I avhandlingen (”studien”) har seniorboendekonceptet med integrerade service-, vård- och omsorgstjänster studerats särskilt. Seniorboenden är ett marknadssegment med kraftig tillväxt under 2000-talet. Antalet seniorbostäder i Sverige har ökat från ca 10 000 år 2000 till ca 28 000 år 2007. Det som karaktäriserar konceptet är att boendet och de anslutande tjänsterna har anpassats och särskilt utformats för ett liv i åldrande. Studien rapporteras i form av en monografi bestående av två olika delstudier. Forskningsfrågan som varit vägledande för den första delstudien är ”Vad skapar en stark marknadsposition för en aktör på seniorbostadsmarknaden med integrerad service, vård och omsorg?”. Forskningsfrågan i den andra delstudien är ”Vilka produktionsstrategier och styrsystem går att identifiera hos några av de mest framgångsrika konceptbyggarna?”. Den andra delstudien utgår från den första delstudiens resultat. Forskningen, som har bedrivits som en explorativ fältstudie, har pågått under perioden 2002-2008. Mätinstrumentet har bestått av fasta intervjufrågor med öppna svarsalternativ. De underliggande intervjuerna har tillsammans med sekundärdata presenterats i ett antal fallbeskrivningar. I studien har ett antal framgångsrika, såväl svenska som nordamerikanska, aktörer medverkat. Den första delstudien har analyserats utifrån en föreställningsram som byggts upp kring begreppen omgivning, strategi, resurs, tjänstekoncept och konkurrenskraft. Resultaten har formulerats i ett antal strategiska vägval vilka sammanfattats i begreppen differentiering, fokus, integration, samverkan, kontroll, verksamhetsutveckling, kärnkompetens och resurser. Det har kunnat påvisas att framgångsrika aktörer följer den differentieringsstrategi om Porter (1980) definierat. Vidare har en affärsstrategisk typologi över aktörer på seniorboendemarknaden formulerats. Den första delstudiens slutsatser har formulerats i fyra strategiska idealtyper: förvaltare, konceptbyggare, entreprenörer och idealister. Utgångspunkten i den andra delstudien, som bl.a. hämtats i Nilssons och Rapps (2005) teoretiska ramverk, har varit idealtypen konceptbyggare. Med vissa kompletteringar har detta ramverk nyttjats och utvecklats för att beskriva och analysera orsakssambanden kring strategisk kongruens och integrerad styrning. Kompletteringar och justeringar har skett för att även omfatta strategier och styrsystem för bygg- och tjänsteproduktion. Föreställningsramen har, utifrån den erfarenhet som erhållits vid analysen av insamlad data, justerats. Justeringen har bestått i klassificeringsdimensionerna IT, organisationskultur och värdegrund. I studien, som bl.a. består av fallbeskrivning och analys av konceptbyggare, har framkommit att de konceptbyggare som nått framgång också har lyckats uppnå strategisk kongruens och integrerad styrning. Studien har bl.a. kunnat påvisa vad betydelsen av boendets fysiska planering innebär för möjligheten att bedriva tjänsteproduktion. Studien har bl.a. visat att nordamerikanska konceptbyggare har en hög grad av samstämmighet mellan strategi och styrsystem. Samstämmigheten kan sammanfattas i marknadskännedom, tydlig verksamhetsidé, branscherfarenhet, insikt om skalfördelar via klustring, organisatorisk småskalighet, känsla för värdeskapande, målinriktning, långtgående befogenheter och delegerat ansvar, värdestyrd verksamhet och en väl utvecklad organisationskultur. De nordamerikanska konceptbyggarna har definierat sina verksamheter som hotellverksamhet för seniorer vilket innebär att de boende blivit kunder och de äldre i allmänhet betraktas som en tillgång. / The demographic trend in Sweden features a population with a rising average age. According to forecasts, nearly one Swede out of four will be 65 or older by the year 2025. Many individuals in this category of older persons, or seniors, can look forward to an active, healthy and relatively long old age. Studies have shown that tomorrow’s seniors and retirees will be relatively well off as social groups. In addition, attitude and generation surveys have indicated that these groups have high demands and expectations for their old age, future housing and related services. Society will thus face a considerable challenge, which includes maintaining a basic commitment to continue guaranteeing the standard of quality in housing and services for the elderly that is presently taken for granted. Necessary societal priorities, however, may require individuals to take more initiative and assume greater financial responsibility than before in some of these areas. In the 2000’s a new market segment has been established and shown vigorous growth. That segment is the senior housing market, where various housing concepts are offered to the target group, seniors, or persons aged 55+. The number of senior housing units in Sweden has soared in the last few years, from about 10 000 in 2000 to some 28 000 in 2007. In this study, the concept of senior housing, with features of integrated service and care, has been of special interest. What characterizes this housing concept is that housing and related services have been adapted and specially designed for living as an aging individual. This dissertation (”the survey”) is reported in the form of a monograph consisting of two separate studies. The research question that has guided the first study is, “What creates a strong market position for a player on the senior-housing market with integrated service, health care and other forms of service and care?” The research question for the second study is, “What production strategies and control systems can be identified for some of the most successful concept-builders?” The two studies are related in that the latter is based on the results of the former. The studies were conducted over a period from 2002 to 2008. The research was done as an exploratory field study. The field-study approach has given priority to breadth and inclusion of many aspects. The instrument of measurement has consisted of set interview questions with open-ended alternative responses. The underlying interviews, together with secondary data, have been presented as a number of case studies. In the survey, a number of successful players have been selected on the basis of the criteria considered typical of successful actors on the senior housing market. Both Swedish and North American organizations have participated in the survey. The empirical material of the survey has been analyzed on the basis of the theoretical conceptual frameworks developed for the two respective studies. The first study has been analyzed with a framework based on the concepts of environment, strategy, resources, service and competitiveness. The results have been formulated in a number of strategic choices that are summarized in the concepts of differentiation, focus, integration, collaboration, control, business development, core competence and resources. In this connection, it has been possible to show that actors who operate a successful business follow largely what Porter (1980) has defined as a strategy of differentiation. Moreover, a business-strategy typology of actors on the senior housing market has also been constructed. Also, the tentative conclusions of the first study have been formulated in four strategic ideal types: administrators, concept-builders, entrepreneurs and idealists. The point of departure for the second study has been the ideal type referred to as the concept-builder. The conceptual framework has therefore been developed further, based in part on the theoretical framework of Nilsson and Rapp (2005). With certain additions, these foundations have been used to construct a detailed theoretical framework for the study. The conceptual framework has been designed to describe and analyze the causal relationships relating to strategic congruence and integrated control. In this regard, additions and adjustments have been made to include strategies and control systems for the construction of buildings and the production of services. The results of the second study include a case description and an analysis of successful concept-builders. One reason for their success is assumed to be their ability to achieve strategic congruence and integrated control. In light of the findings from the analysis of the data, the conceptual framework has been somewhat modified. This adjustment has consisted in classification along the dimensions of IT, organizational culture and fundamental values. In this connection it has been possible to demonstrate the importance of the physical planning of housing for the production of services. Emphasis has been placed on designing the physical facility and housing right from the beginning so as to facilitate the service-producing operation in a later stage of the life cycle. One finding of the survey is that with North American concept-builders there is a high degree of consistency between strategies and control systems. The factors underlying this consistency can be summarized as market knowledge, industry experience, understanding the economies of scale attainable through clustering, organization on a small scale, a clear concept of business, a sense of value creation, a focus on objectives, farreaching delegation of authority and responsibility to the operating level, skilled management, value-oriented operations and a well-developed organizational culture. Through the survey, a number of customer-controlled operations have been illustrated in the case studies. It is apparent that compared to the past, there has been a shift in industry attitude in North America, creating a situation that differs from Swedish conditions in some respects. The North American concept-builders have defined their businesses as hotel operations for seniors. This has automatically shifted the focus toward one where residents have become customers and older people in general are regarded as assets.

Sport forms an integral part of our everyday living and .has a big influence on the lives of young developing children. Participation in sport has become part of early childhood. Therefore it is of utmost importance that talent identification must start at a very early age. Due to a lack of scientific research in rugby, progress according to talent identification, has developed slightly. Very few scientific methods of identification among young rugby players could be found in literature. The aim of this study is to identify specific rugby skills, physical, motor, anthropometric and psychological variables that could be used to determine talent for 16 year-old adolescence. A test· battery of 24 rugby skills, physical and motor abilities and 14 anthropometrical tests were administered. A sport psychological performance inventory was also conducted. The top three rugby teams in the under sixteen league in the Northwest Province were used in the test as well as 41 non-rugby players. The results of these three teams were used as a criteria for rugby talent among sixteen year-old boys. In order to find the best predictors of talent, stepwise discriminant analyses (SAS Discrim procedure) were conducted on the data to find the subset of best "discriminators" among all predictors which indicated· variables that are able to identify talent at this age. Results, indicated that predictions between talented and less talented rugby players were possible and that these predictions can be useful to coaches to determine talented and less talented rugby players at sixteen years of age. / Thesis (MEd (Voorligting))--PU vir CHO, 1997

Sport forms an integral part of our everyday living and .has a big influence on the lives of young developing children. Participation in sport has become part of early childhood. Therefore it is of utmost importance that talent identification must start at a very early age. Due to a lack of scientific research in rugby, progress according to talent identification, has developed slightly. Very few scientific methods of identification among young rugby players could be found in literature. The aim of this study is to identify specific rugby skills, physical, motor, anthropometric and psychological variables that could be used to determine talent for 16 year-old adolescence. A test· battery of 24 rugby skills, physical and motor abilities and 14 anthropometrical tests were administered. A sport psychological performance inventory was also conducted. The top three rugby teams in the under sixteen league in the Northwest Province were used in the test as well as 41 non-rugby players. The results of these three teams were used as a criteria for rugby talent among sixteen year-old boys. In order to find the best predictors of talent, stepwise discriminant analyses (SAS Discrim procedure) were conducted on the data to find the subset of best "discriminators" among all predictors which indicated· variables that are able to identify talent at this age. Results, indicated that predictions between talented and less talented rugby players were possible and that these predictions can be useful to coaches to determine talented and less talented rugby players at sixteen years of age. / Thesis (MEd (Voorligting))--PU vir CHO, 1997

The information age and the information society have become dominant features in the newm illennium.H owever,t heset ermsa reo ften referredt o with the youngerg enerations in mind,n eglectingth e older andm oree xperiencemd emberso f our society. This thesis focuses on the 'Grey Market' (travellers over the age of 50) who use the Internet on a regular basis - therefore also referred to as 'Silver Surfers' - and in particularf or their travel and tourism decision-makingI.t aims to identify experiences andp rocesseosf travel decision-makinga,n alyseth e impacto n the useo f the Interneta s an informations earcha s well as evaluateth e effectivenesos f the Interneti n providing informationf or particulara ndn ot mainstreamm arkets egments. The methodologye mployedi n this particularp iece of researchb uilds on positivisma s most consumerb ehaviourt heoriesd o; howevera more inductivea pproachw as taken. While relying on existingt heoriesn ewera nd lessw ell testedm ethodso f datac ollection were put to use.T he methodsw ere triangulatedu, tilising bothq uantitativea ndq ualitative research methods which complement each other in the results. An initial pilot study questionnairwe asf ollowedu p with semi-structureidn -depthi nterviewsw hich thenl edt o the completiono f the final survey,t hat was administeredb y 'e-surveying'u sing both conveniencea nd snowballs amplinga nd resultedi n 517 valid responsesfr om 'Silver Surfers' around the United Kingdom. Main findings of this thesiss how a distinct patterno f behaviourin the travel decisionmaking process of this particular market segment as well as what kind of information they were researchingo n the Internet.M ost importantly,t he respondentdso not consider themselvesto o different from other (younger)a geg roupsa nde vent houghs omeo f their informationr equirementsa re distinctive,t hey do not want to be consideredju st as 'the older consumers'.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 25-28, 1999 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / This paper describes the experiences and final design of one team in a senior design competition to build a soccer-playing robot. Each robot was required to operate autonomously under the remote control of a dedicated host computer via a wireless link. Each team designed and constructed a robot and wrote its control software. Certain components were made available to all teams. These components included wireless transmitters and receivers, microcontrollers, overhead cameras, image processing boards, and desktop computers. This paper describes the team’s hardware and software designs, problems they encountered, and lessons learned.

All executives strive for better results in their organisations. They are always dependent on others to achieve these results and this dependency is particularly evident in large organisations. This thesis is concerned with the ways in which these better results might be achieved and the role senior executives might play in this process. The traditional view is that senior executives design and control the way their organisations function and better results therefore depend upon getting the design and the controls ‘right’. My personal experience, supported by many authors, is that this view is often far from reality. In this thesis I therefore draw on an alternative view of how organisations function, namely, the theory of complex responsive processes, in order to explore how senior executives can be more effective given their very limited ability to design and control their organisations. From a complex responsive processes perspective (Stacey, Griffin and Shaw, 2000; Stacey, 2003a), an organisation is understood, by analogy with the complexity sciences, to be processes of self-organising interaction between agents. The abstract analogy from the complexity sciences is interpreted in the case of human interaction according to the thinking of the American pragmatist G. H. Mead (1934). Mead explains the simultaneous emergence of mind and society in terms of the social act in which one person gestures to another and in doing so calls forth a response from that other in ongoing conversational processes in which patterns of communication (meaning) emerge across the organisational population. Work in organisations is accomplished in these conversational processes. In their conscious, self-conscious and responsive interaction, human agents depend on each other; according to the process sociologist N. Elias (1978), this means that all human relating is simultaneously constraining and enabling. Elias defines power as these enabling constraints between people, so that power is an aspect of all human relating. According to Elias, values, norms and ideology are the basis of power. Human choice and intention influence the shifting of power balances in which conflict, as a normal aspect of human interaction, plays an important role. Power, ideology and identity are then seen as central aspects of organisations. 4 People only interact locally with a small proportion of the total population they are part of, and do so on the basis of their own local organising principles (communication, power and choice) rather than simply obeying centrally set rules. This can be understood as self-organisation. The global patterns of communicative interaction and power relations across the organisation emerge in these local interactions rather than following a specific plan, programme or blueprint. The global patterns are unpredictable and are not under the control of any member of the organisation. Global – that is, company-wide – results are thus not directly determined by global design or control, but emerge in this local interaction. This approach means re-thinking what is involved in leadership and the roles of senior executives. From this perspective, senior executives are paradoxically in control and not in control at the same time (Streatfield, 2001). In this thesis I draw on my own personal experience over the past three years as a senior executive in a large services and transport company to identify the role a senior executive can actively play in potentially achieving better results despite not being fully in control. I emphasise the active contribution of senior executives in many local interactions in which global company-wide results emerge. Through the manner in which they participate in, and inspire, the development of local conversational interaction, senior executives can actively encourage front-line staff to take local responsibility for contributing to global, company-wide improvement of results. During these local interactions a chain reaction of local responsibilities can emerge that can contribute to the improvement of global company-wide performance. It is the responsibility of senior executives to communicate clearly in the organisation about demands on performance and results by customers and stakeholders in the market, and to encourage the taking of local responsibility for them. From a complexity view, the impact of leaders on the organisation is not less but different, with potentially better results.

This dissertation builds on the current anthropological studies of care relations in practice. It draws inspiration from science and technology studies (STS) and postfeminist technoscience. A qualitative ethnographic approach grounds the empirical data collection and analysis. This entails ethnographic fieldwork with senior home care in the United States and Sweden during 2007–2008 and 2011–2012. Analytical attention centers on how movements situate various tensions of senior home care in practice. Four interrelated published works comprise the main thematic chapters. Each article exemplifies how human and nonhuman relations move and mediate care. They develop several heuristic terms that advance ideas about how older people, aging bodies, technologies, spaces, and times that tinker each other through movements of care in practice. The comprehensive summary frames these articles with an overview of the primary thematic orientations and methodological concerns. A discussion of the main contributions and implications of the dissertation concludes the work.