Innovation and ‘creative destruction’ should thrive in the competitive, high risk and high cost environment of the North Sea. Paradoxically, uptake of new technology is slow. The focus of this research was to understand how new technology is developed and how end users make decisions about innovation. Innovation process in the literature can sometimes come across like a ‘black box’ without much explanation of what happens inside the box. This study seeks to explicate what transpires inside the ‘black box’ to improve our understanding of the innovation process. The linear models of technology-push and market-pull are too simplistic to account for the complexity of relationships and engagements that affect innovation at small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) level. Subsequent models of innovation are suited to how large corporations manage innovation but neglect patterns of social interactions at the micro level where SMEs operate. These innovation models are incomplete because they relegate the importance of context and how it shapes understanding, action and outcome. This study, rooted in a social constructionist paradigm, takes a process-relational stance on entrepreneurship and innovation, recognising the dynamic relationships between social actors and context. Taking Heidegger’s explication of how we relate to the world, this thesis submits that innovation occurs when actors move into the ‘occurrent’ mode. The happenings and doings in the innovation process are treated as the results of perpetual social constructions. This study is based on extended interviews with eleven individuals in relevant roles and with direct experiences of the technical innovation construction in the oil and gas industry. The purposeful sample of research encompasses a variety of roles including technology entrepreneurs, end users of technology and venture capitalists. This study makes a number of contributions. Firstly, the research improves our understanding of how different social constructions are welded together to develop shared understanding. Secondly, a conceptual framework is presented that bridges a number of theoretical concepts, which allows us to see that innovation cannot be properly understood using simplistic models that ignores the social constructions human actors instantiate. Thirdly, the research claims that problem framing is foundational to innovation construction, where social actors collaborate to develop shared understanding, and mentally represent in the present a future that is not totally knowable. Fourthly, an alternative model of innovation construction is presented that is relational and accounts for the social constructions of process participants. Finally, a number of research implications for academics and insights for practitioners engaged in the technical innovation construction are offered.

The current understanding of students’ group metacognition is limited. The research on metacognition has focused mainly on the individual student. The aim of this study was to address the void by developing a conceptual model to inform the use of scaffolds to facilitate group metacognition during mathematical problem solving in computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments. An initial conceptual framework based on the literature from metacognition, cooperative learning, cooperative group metacognition, and computer supported collaborative learning was used to inform the study. In order to achieve the study aim, a design research methodology incorporating two cycles was used. The first cycle focused on the within-group metacognition for sixteen groups of primary school students working together around the computer; the second cycle included between-group metacognition for six groups of primary school students working together on the Knowledge Forum® CSCL environment. The study found that providing groups with group metacognitive scaffolds resulted in groups planning, monitoring, and evaluating the task and team aspects of their group work. The metacognitive scaffolds allowed students to focus on how their group was completing the problem-solving task and working together as a team. From these findings, a revised conceptual model to inform the use of scaffolds to facilitate group metacognition during mathematical problem solving in computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments was generated.

Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo principal investigar a possível contribuição do modelo de organização de Karl Weick (1973) para a compreensão teórica do processo de entendimento compartilhado entre usuários e desenvolvedores sobre as demandas de desenvolvimento de sistemas de informação. A pesquisa se justifica pela atualidade do tema e pela relevância da abordagem. Embora existam muitas pesquisas sobre o tema, o problema de comunicação (misunderstanding) sobre as demandas permanece atual nas empresas. Além disso, as pesquisas existentes adotam abordagens preponderantemente pragmáticas e deixam uma lacuna em relação à adoção de abordagens mais compreensivas. Dentre as teorias adotadas nos estudos organizacionais, o modelo de organização como processo, de Karl Weick (1973), pareceu oferecer potencial explicativo para processos dinâmicos como o entendimento compartilhado sobre as demandas. Esse modelo foi adotado como base conceitual do trabalho, sendo estendido na forma de proposições que expressam sua possível aplicação ao objeto de pesquisa. Essa aplicação foi investigada com uso do método Estudo de Caso único em profundidade com múltiplas fontes de coleta de dados (entrevistas individuais, observação participante e consulta documental) e múltiplas unidades de análise (dez projetos de desenvolvimento ou alteração de sistemas de informação). Os resultados da pesquisa foram provenientes da técnica de Análise de Conteúdo, utilizada para a descrição analítica de cada projeto, a identificação de indícios dos conceitos do modelo teórico e a geração de categorias dos dados empíricos. Esse processo de análise permitiu a verificação da plausibilidade de cada proposição. Com base nessa análise, a consolidação feita por comparação e agrupamento dos projetos, por verificação das transições entre os elementos, e pela identificação de divergências entre o modelo teórico e os dados empíricos permitiu a investigação e o desenvolvimento de uma possível contribuição do modelo de Weick (1973) como alternativa para a compreensão teórica do objeto de pesquisa. Esse resultado também permitiu identificar outras diferentes perspectivas para novas pesquisas baseadas na abordagem adotada (como a perspectiva de serviços, de sensemaking e a de subculturas organizacionais), o que pode configurar uma contribuição acadêmica inovadora e relevante. / The present study aims to investigate the potential contribution of Weick’s organizing model (1973) to theoretical comprehension of the shared understanding process between users and developers about demands of information systems. The relevance of this issue rises from the existence of many other investigations about it and the remaining of the misunderstanding problem about demands in practice. A great deal of papers has approached this issue pragmatically, showing an opportunity to researches which adopt comprehensive approaches. One of the most studied organizational theories, namely Weick’s organizing model (1973), potentially offer an alternative point of view to this dynamic process and was adopted as the conceptual basis of this investigation. An extension or application of the model to the research object was developed in form of research propositions. An in-depth case-study was developed with multiple data sources (individual interviews, participant observation and documents consulting) and multiple analysis units (ten information systems development projects). Content Analysis techniques offered the results, including analytical descriptions of each project, identification of clues of model concepts and generation of categories from empirical data. This analytical process allows verifying plausibility of each theoretical proposition. A consolidation was done by comparing projects, verifying transitions among elements, identifying divergences between conceptual model and empirical data. This entire process made possible an investigation and the development of a potential contribution of Weick’s organizing model as an alternative mode for theoretical comprehension of this research object. These results also allow identifying other alternative perspectives for new investigations based on this approach (for example, perspectives of services, sensemaking and organizational subcultures), which can be seen as innovative and relevant academic contributions.

Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo principal investigar a possível contribuição do modelo de organização de Karl Weick (1973) para a compreensão teórica do processo de entendimento compartilhado entre usuários e desenvolvedores sobre as demandas de desenvolvimento de sistemas de informação. A pesquisa se justifica pela atualidade do tema e pela relevância da abordagem. Embora existam muitas pesquisas sobre o tema, o problema de comunicação (misunderstanding) sobre as demandas permanece atual nas empresas. Além disso, as pesquisas existentes adotam abordagens preponderantemente pragmáticas e deixam uma lacuna em relação à adoção de abordagens mais compreensivas. Dentre as teorias adotadas nos estudos organizacionais, o modelo de organização como processo, de Karl Weick (1973), pareceu oferecer potencial explicativo para processos dinâmicos como o entendimento compartilhado sobre as demandas. Esse modelo foi adotado como base conceitual do trabalho, sendo estendido na forma de proposições que expressam sua possível aplicação ao objeto de pesquisa. Essa aplicação foi investigada com uso do método Estudo de Caso único em profundidade com múltiplas fontes de coleta de dados (entrevistas individuais, observação participante e consulta documental) e múltiplas unidades de análise (dez projetos de desenvolvimento ou alteração de sistemas de informação). Os resultados da pesquisa foram provenientes da técnica de Análise de Conteúdo, utilizada para a descrição analítica de cada projeto, a identificação de indícios dos conceitos do modelo teórico e a geração de categorias dos dados empíricos. Esse processo de análise permitiu a verificação da plausibilidade de cada proposição. Com base nessa análise, a consolidação feita por comparação e agrupamento dos projetos, por verificação das transições entre os elementos, e pela identificação de divergências entre o modelo teórico e os dados empíricos permitiu a investigação e o desenvolvimento de uma possível contribuição do modelo de Weick (1973) como alternativa para a compreensão teórica do objeto de pesquisa. Esse resultado também permitiu identificar outras diferentes perspectivas para novas pesquisas baseadas na abordagem adotada (como a perspectiva de serviços, de sensemaking e a de subculturas organizacionais), o que pode configurar uma contribuição acadêmica inovadora e relevante. / The present study aims to investigate the potential contribution of Weick’s organizing model (1973) to theoretical comprehension of the shared understanding process between users and developers about demands of information systems. The relevance of this issue rises from the existence of many other investigations about it and the remaining of the misunderstanding problem about demands in practice. A great deal of papers has approached this issue pragmatically, showing an opportunity to researches which adopt comprehensive approaches. One of the most studied organizational theories, namely Weick’s organizing model (1973), potentially offer an alternative point of view to this dynamic process and was adopted as the conceptual basis of this investigation. An extension or application of the model to the research object was developed in form of research propositions. An in-depth case-study was developed with multiple data sources (individual interviews, participant observation and documents consulting) and multiple analysis units (ten information systems development projects). Content Analysis techniques offered the results, including analytical descriptions of each project, identification of clues of model concepts and generation of categories from empirical data. This analytical process allows verifying plausibility of each theoretical proposition. A consolidation was done by comparing projects, verifying transitions among elements, identifying divergences between conceptual model and empirical data. This entire process made possible an investigation and the development of a potential contribution of Weick’s organizing model as an alternative mode for theoretical comprehension of this research object. These results also allow identifying other alternative perspectives for new investigations based on this approach (for example, perspectives of services, sensemaking and organizational subcultures), which can be seen as innovative and relevant academic contributions.

Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo principal investigar a possível contribuição do modelo de organização de Karl Weick (1973) para a compreensão teórica do processo de entendimento compartilhado entre usuários e desenvolvedores sobre as demandas de desenvolvimento de sistemas de informação. A pesquisa se justifica pela atualidade do tema e pela relevância da abordagem. Embora existam muitas pesquisas sobre o tema, o problema de comunicação (misunderstanding) sobre as demandas permanece atual nas empresas. Além disso, as pesquisas existentes adotam abordagens preponderantemente pragmáticas e deixam uma lacuna em relação à adoção de abordagens mais compreensivas. Dentre as teorias adotadas nos estudos organizacionais, o modelo de organização como processo, de Karl Weick (1973), pareceu oferecer potencial explicativo para processos dinâmicos como o entendimento compartilhado sobre as demandas. Esse modelo foi adotado como base conceitual do trabalho, sendo estendido na forma de proposições que expressam sua possível aplicação ao objeto de pesquisa. Essa aplicação foi investigada com uso do método Estudo de Caso único em profundidade com múltiplas fontes de coleta de dados (entrevistas individuais, observação participante e consulta documental) e múltiplas unidades de análise (dez projetos de desenvolvimento ou alteração de sistemas de informação). Os resultados da pesquisa foram provenientes da técnica de Análise de Conteúdo, utilizada para a descrição analítica de cada projeto, a identificação de indícios dos conceitos do modelo teórico e a geração de categorias dos dados empíricos. Esse processo de análise permitiu a verificação da plausibilidade de cada proposição. Com base nessa análise, a consolidação feita por comparação e agrupamento dos projetos, por verificação das transições entre os elementos, e pela identificação de divergências entre o modelo teórico e os dados empíricos permitiu a investigação e o desenvolvimento de uma possível contribuição do modelo de Weick (1973) como alternativa para a compreensão teórica do objeto de pesquisa. Esse resultado também permitiu identificar outras diferentes perspectivas para novas pesquisas baseadas na abordagem adotada (como a perspectiva de serviços, de sensemaking e a de subculturas organizacionais), o que pode configurar uma contribuição acadêmica inovadora e relevante. / The present study aims to investigate the potential contribution of Weick’s organizing model (1973) to theoretical comprehension of the shared understanding process between users and developers about demands of information systems. The relevance of this issue rises from the existence of many other investigations about it and the remaining of the misunderstanding problem about demands in practice. A great deal of papers has approached this issue pragmatically, showing an opportunity to researches which adopt comprehensive approaches. One of the most studied organizational theories, namely Weick’s organizing model (1973), potentially offer an alternative point of view to this dynamic process and was adopted as the conceptual basis of this investigation. An extension or application of the model to the research object was developed in form of research propositions. An in-depth case-study was developed with multiple data sources (individual interviews, participant observation and documents consulting) and multiple analysis units (ten information systems development projects). Content Analysis techniques offered the results, including analytical descriptions of each project, identification of clues of model concepts and generation of categories from empirical data. This analytical process allows verifying plausibility of each theoretical proposition. A consolidation was done by comparing projects, verifying transitions among elements, identifying divergences between conceptual model and empirical data. This entire process made possible an investigation and the development of a potential contribution of Weick’s organizing model as an alternative mode for theoretical comprehension of this research object. These results also allow identifying other alternative perspectives for new investigations based on this approach (for example, perspectives of services, sensemaking and organizational subcultures), which can be seen as innovative and relevant academic contributions.

Les études de psychologie des industries et des organisations montrent que la compréhension partagée (CP) conditionne la performance collective. Nous mobilisons le concept de la Team Situation Awareness pour identifier les éléments qui concourent à la CP et à son évolution au cours de l'action. Une analyse en handball nous a permis d'identifier (a) 4 formes typiques d'articulation des activités individuelles, (b) 7 contenus typiques et (c) 6 processus typiques interindividuels. Nos résultats montrent que les formes de partage sont locales et ponctuelles, alternant entre trois modes de coordination en cours d'action : (1) application du plan, (2) ajustement transitoire en fin d’action, (3) adaptation en temps réel au contexte de jeu. L’analyse de la dynamique du partage met en évidence que le sentiment de performance collective est subordonné à une fluidité dans l'enchaînement des actions et au jugement de sécurité quant à l'évaluation de la situation. L'analyse en théâtre d'improvisation conforte la classification proposée dans la première étude. Notre étude a permis d'apporter des éléments sur les activités collaboratives en situation dynamique, et notamment sur la fonction de la CP qui peut être considérée comme un phénomène dynamique dont la principale fonction est de maintenir un potentiel de coordination suffisant entre les partenaires d'une équipe. À partir de nos résultats, nous proposons une modélisation qui rend compte des mécanismes de CP à deux échelles : (1) à l'échelle de l'équipe, nous proposons une modélisation qui renseigne l'alternance des modes de coordination en fonction des contraintes de l'environnement ; (2) à une échelle locale, nous proposons une modélisation qui rend compte de la régulation du partage entre les agent de l'équipe. / In the field of I/O psychology, most of studies estimate that team performance under temporal pressure is directly related to shared understanding (SU) within a team. In order to account for the dynamics of SU within a team, we have studied the evolution of contents, forms and mechanisms of the sharing process, as a function of context variability and temporal pressure. We primarily work in line with the Team Situation Awareness model, that is usually mobilized in work situations. A first study allowed us to identify the various elements of SU and its dynamics in feminine handball competitions. The analysis permitted to identify (a) four typical forms of shared understanding, (b) seven typical contents shared and (c) six typical interaction processes between teammates. Results shows that sharing forms are local and punctual, alternating between two main modes of SU : either a preestablished plan follow-up, together with possible adaptation to conclude a given action, or a real-time adaptation to the context of action. A second study deals with improvisational theatre, regulated in real time by the director through earphones. Our results show that the sharing typical forms, contents and processes that rise in this activity also correspond to the classification we made in the first field study, which strengthens the genericity of our proposal. These results invite us to think that online regulation may either enhance or hamper the SU and thus the collective performance, respectively by improving the update and interaction processes between actors, or by overloading the cognitive activity of the team members in the course of action. Based on these results, we propose to consider the SU as a process that works over two space and time scales: on the global scale, SU may envolve over long periods within a team; and on a local scale, SU is actually developed through interpersonal updating and in situ adjustment processes. In order to account for these two scales, we proposed a team coordination model together with an interindividual regulation model. Our work opens the way to the study of the correlation between local mechanisms of shared understanding and the global dynamics of a collaborative activity.

The overall aim of this licentiate thesis was to describe encounters in hospital care from the perspectives of nurses and patients. It focuses specifically on nurses’ views of shortcomings in patient-care encounters in one hospital (I) and the meanings of participation in hospital care as narrated by patients (II). Three focus group discussions with 15 registered nurses were conducted, and data were analyzed using thematic content analysis (I). Narrative interviews were conducted with 15 patients in hospital care, and the interviews were analyzed with a phenomenological hermeneutic interpretation (II). This licentiate thesis shows that a shared understanding is considered as central for both the nurses and the patients in the hospital-care encounter. The nurses demonstrate the need to understand, to create space, and also to be available for vulnerable patients. The patients describe the need to be understood and to understand their own situations. This thesis suggests that positive encounters in hospital care imply that nurses need to take responsibility for creating a mutual dialogue where the patient experiences himself or herself as a co-creator in a trustful context. When nurses acknowledge and confirm the vulnerability of their patients, it becomes possible to support them to participate in an active manner. A well-functioning team, as well as a coherent environment, is, in this thesis, understood as a precondition for positive hospitalcare encounters.

[EN] The transgression of the boundaries between disciplines is one of the main consequences of the progress of the Knowledge Society, and the simultaneous role of technological innovation as a factor and transformation framework is evident. This has led to a metamorphosis in society itself, establishing new models of behavior in a stream of technological innovation that is plural, multicultural and multidisciplinary. In this propagative and faceted scenario, the engines of innovation are no longer confined exclusively to the intrinsic progress of the technology itself, but also come into play those deliberate changes in the meaning of the product. As a consequence, the design of intelligent products and solutions represents a complex activity, involving the coordinated push of elements belonging to different fields and different ways of understanding reality. In the analysis of this reality, the term "x-disciplinarity" is coined as a compromise between all possibilities of collaborative work, immersed until now in a terminological confusion of variants derived from the indistinct use of prefixes (multi-, inter-, cross-, trans-, among others). X-disciplinarity is studied as an obvious principle of innovation, but taking into account that bringing together professionals from different disciplines in the same process does not guarantee the achievement of a truly successful solution. An effective implementation of the collaborative philosophy has remarkable limitations, such as communication difficulties, devaluation or lack of trust between disciplines, ignorance of the overall process, conflicts of interest, or different motivations and responsibilities regarding the project. This doctoral thesis approaches the subject from a design perspective, proposing as hypothesis its strategic application as a means, facilitator and engine of synergies between disciplines, as well as its potential in all phases of the technological product design process. This dual hypothesis is based on two paradigms: on the one hand, the need for the application of the design to be the result of a reasoned and defined ad hoc strategy and on the other, the need to train x-disciplinary professionals from the academic base. The result is expressed through new models of design processes, in the form of methods, methodologies and design tools. Specifically, it presents the design, development and validation of four complete methodological proposals --getGo, Community, Maximum Common Scenario and Xassess - and two teaching proposals, one of which - Common Understanding Area - is later derived into a design tool. This has also led to reflection and the development of new theoretical concepts such as Relational Needs, which, through its transversality and adaptability to methodologies and contexts, also becomes a design tool in itself. We can talk about a total of eight individualized contributions, launched and evaluated - reproducing the subtitle of the thesis "surfing disciplines", with a total sample that includes 446 people, including professionals of different specialties and users. The thesis brings the value of new methodologies validated in highly relevant environments, as well as the formulation of new theory that advances in the knowledge of both x-disciplinarity -in terms of behavior, attitudes, strengths and weaknesses of disciplines-, as well as specific design segments associated with the themes of the projects -with new concepts associated with social networks, disability, evaluation, or service design, among others-. In addition, the potential of design thinking as a catalyzer and binder in x-disciplinary projects is evidenced and it is expected that the thesis will contribute to the promotion and dissemination of the value of design in technology, research and society in general; and in the same way, to the valuation of other disciplines within the scope of the design. / [ES] La transgresión de las fronteras entre disciplinas es una de las principales consecuencias que ha traído consigo el progreso de la Sociedad del Conocimiento, siendo evidente el papel simultáneo de la innovación tecnológica como factor y como marco de transformación. Este hecho ha provocado una metamorfosis en la propia sociedad, instaurado nuevos modelos de comportamiento en una corriente de innovación tecnológica que es plural, multicultural y multidisciplinar. En este escenario, los motores de innovación ya no se ciñen exclusivamente al progreso intrínseco de la propia tecnología, sino que también entran en juego aquellos cambios deliberados en el significado del producto. Como consecuencia, el diseño de productos y soluciones inteligentes representa una actividad compleja, que implica el empuje coordinado de un sistema de elementos pertenecientes a diversos campos y a diversos modos de entender la realidad. En el análisis de esta realidad, se acuña el término "x-disciplinaridad" como compromiso entre todas las posibilidades de trabajo colaborativo, inmersas hasta ahora en una confusión terminológica de variantes derivadas del uso indistinto de prefijos (multi-, inter-, cros-, trans-, entre otros). La x-disciplinaridad se estudia como un principio evidente de innovación, pero teniendo en cuenta que el hecho de reunir a profesionales de diferentes disciplinas en un mismo proceso no garantiza la consecución de una solución verdaderamente exitosa. Una implementación efectiva de la filosofía colaborativa no está exenta de limitaciones, debiendo considerar factores tales como las dificultades de comunicación, la desvalorización o falta de confianza entre disciplinas, el desconocimiento del proceso global, los conflictos de intereses, o las diferentes motivaciones y responsabilidades con respecto del proyecto. Esta tesis doctoral aborda el tema desde la perspectiva del diseño, planteando a modo de hipótesis su aplicación estratégica como medio, facilitador y motor de sinergias entre disciplinas, así como su potencial en todas las fases del proceso de diseño de producto tecnológico. Esta doble hipótesis se apoya, a su vez, en dos paradigmas: por un lado, la necesidad de que la aplicación del diseño sea fruto de una estrategia razonada y definida ad hoc y por otro la necesidad de formar profesionales x-disciplinares desde la base académica. El resultado se expresa a través de nuevos modelos de procesos de diseño, en forma de métodos, metodologías y herramientas de diseño. En concreto se presenta el diseño, desarrollo y validación de cuatro propuestas metodológicas completas -getGo, Community, Máximo Escenario Común y Xassess- y dos propuestas docentes, una de las cuales -Área de Entendimiento Común- deriva posteriormente en herramienta de diseño. Esto ha llevado asimismo aparejados la reflexión y el planteamiento de nuevos conceptos teóricos como Relational Needs, que por su transversalidad y adaptabilidad a metodologías y contextos, que se convierte asimismo como una herramienta de diseño en sí misma. La tesis aporta el valor de las nuevas metodologías validadas en entornos de gran relevancia, así como la formulación de nueva teoría que avanza en el conocimiento, tanto de la x-disciplinaridad -en cuanto al comportamiento, actitudes, fortalezas y debilidades de las disciplinas-, como de los segmentos de diseño específicos asociados a las temáticas de los proyectos -con nuevos conceptos asociados a las redes sociales, a la discapacidad, a la evaluación, o al diseño de servicios, entre otros-. Además de ello, se evidencia el potencial del pensamiento de diseño como catalizador y aglutinante en proyectos x-disciplinares tecnológicos y se espera, pues, que la tesis contribuya a la promoción y la difusión del valor del diseño en la tecnología, en la empresa, en la investigación y en la sociedad en general; y de igual forma, a la valoración de otras disciplinas / [CA] La transgressió de les fronteres entre disciplines és una de les principals conseqüències que ha portat aconseguisc el progrés de la Societat del Coneixement, sent evident el paper simultani de la innovació tecnològica com a factor i com a marc de transformació. Aquest fet ha provocat una metamorfosi en la pròpia societat, instaurat nous models de comportament en un corrent d'innovació tecnològica que és plural, multicultural i multidisciplinària. En aquest escenari, els motors d'innovació ja no se cenyeixen exclusivament al progrés intrínsec de la pròpia tecnologia, sinó que també entren en joc aquells canvis deliberats en el significat del producte. Com a conseqüència, el disseny de productes i solucions intel¿ligents representa una activitat complexa, que implica l'embranzida coordinada d'un sistema d'elements pertanyents a diversos camps i a diverses maneres d'entendre la realitat. En l'anàlisi d'aquesta realitat, s'encunya el terme "x-disciplinaridad" com a compromís entre totes les possibilitats de treball col¿laboratiu, immerses fins ara en una confusió terminològica de variants derivades de l'ús indistint de prefixos (multi-, inter-, cros-, trans-, entre uns altres). La x-disciplinaridad s'estudia com un principi evident d'innovació, però tenint en compte que el fet de reunir a professionals de diferents disciplines en un mateix procés no garanteix la consecució d'una solució veritablement reeixida. Una implementació efectiva de la filosofia col¿laborativa no està exempta de limitacions, havent de considerar factors tals com les dificultats de comunicació, la desvaloració o falta de confiança entre disciplines, el desconeixement del procés global, els conflictes d'interessos, o les diferents motivacions i responsabilitats respecte al projecte. Aquesta tesi doctoral aborda el tema des de la perspectiva del disseny, plantejant a manera d'hipòtesi la seua aplicació estratègica com a mitjà, motor de sinergies entre disciplines, així com el seu potencial en totes les fases del procés de disseny de producte tecnològic. Aquesta doble hipòtesi es recolza, al seu torn, en dos paradigmes: d'una banda, la necessitat que l'aplicació del disseny siga fruit d'una estratègia raonada i definida ad hoc i per un altre la necessitat de formar professionals x-disciplinessis des de la base acadèmica. El resultat s'expressa a través de nous models de processos de disseny, en forma de mètodes, metodologies i eines de disseny. En concret es presenta el disseny, desenvolupament i validació de quatre propostes metodològiques completes -getGo, Community, Màxim Escenari Comú i Xassess- i dues propostes docents, una de les quals -Àrea d'Enteniment Comú- deriva posteriorment en eina de disseny. Açò ha portat així mateix aparellats la reflexió i el plantejament de nous conceptes teòrics com Relational Needs, que per la seua transversalitat i adaptabilitat a metodologies i contextos, que es converteix així mateix com una eina de disseny en si mateixa. La tesi aporta el valor de les noves metodologies validades en entorns de gran rellevància, així com la formulació de nova teoria que avança en el coneixement, tant de la x-disciplinaridad -quant al comportament, actituds, fortaleses i febleses de les disciplines-, com dels segments de disseny específics associats a les temàtiques dels projectes -amb nous conceptes associats a les xarxes socials, a la discapacitat, a l'avaluació, o al disseny de serveis, entre uns altres-. A més d'açò, s'evidencia el potencial del pensament de disseny com a catalitzador i aglutinant en projectes x-disciplinessis tecnològics i s'espera, doncs, que la tesi contribuïsca a la promoció i la difusió del valor del disseny en la tecnologia, en l'empresa, en la recerca i en la societat en general; i d'igual forma, a la valoració d'altres disciplines dins de l'àmbit del disseny. / Blanco Bascuas, MT. (2016). Metodología de diseño como plataforma para la X-disciplinaridad en proyectos tecnológicos: surfing disciplines [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/77149

Performance measurements have been described as a tool by which management can communicate expected standards of behavior as well as a shared meaning among members regarding the intended direction of the firm. In parallel, the organizational identity field relies on the premise that members can answer the question “who are we as an organization?” through a sense of shared understanding. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the implications a performance measurement system has on the employees’ perception of “who we are“, related to the theoretical framework of organizational identity. This paper utilizes a qualitative research method, a case-based approach of a Swedish life science company which is conducted in an exploratory manner. The case company is chosen due to its contextual setting regarding the newly implemented performance measurement system, along with the inherent characteristics of the industry in general, which is typically considered to be incongruent with such quantitative measurements. The empirical data is collected through eight interviews with members from the chosen case company, as well as through internal documents describing its performance measurement system. The authors propose a revised theoretical framework in which performance measurements and organizational identity are investigated through a conceptual model which explores their dynamic relationship. The findings reinforce well-known ideas of performance measurements and organizational identity, along with providing new insights on the dynamics between them. Keywords: Organizational Identity, Performance Measurement System, Performance Management, Identity-Dynamics