In this thesis, I attempt to apply the network perspective to the study of corruption. First, I deal with current state of theory and research on corruption, which I find to be ignoring relations and interactions among offenders themselves. Then I review literature in the field of covert and criminal networks. The theoretical part of this thesis ends with brief descriptions of two major cases of political corruption in the Czech Republic - so called Nagy case and Rath case. In the methodological part, I introduce basic concepts of social network analysis as well as methods for positional analysis, especially the blockmodelling. In my research, I deal with exploratory analysis of both the aforementioned networks. Using proxy data, I analyse cohesion, centralization, centrality measures and cliques in these networks. Then I use conventional blockmodeling to search for roles and positions within these networks. My results suggest that both networks are dense and centralized with overlapping cliques contrary to other covert networks possibly accounting for their eventual disruption and failure. Positional analysis using varius methods such as CONCOR or different types of cluster analysis reveals a structure resembling the core-periphery model, which is supported by measuring coreness and finding a good...

Dans cette thèse, nous proposons des algorithmes de recommandation sémantique et sociale, qui recommandent un produit pour les utilisateurs qui sont connectés par un réseau de collaboration sociale. Ces algorithmes utilisent deux types d'informations : information sémantique et information sociale .L' information sémantique est basée sur la pertinence sémantique entre les utilisateurs et le produit à recommandé, tandis que l' information sociale est basée sur la position de l'utilisateur et de leur type et de la qualité des connexions entre eux dans le réseau de collaboration . Enfin, nous utilisons l'algorithme de parcoure profondeur (DFS) et l'algorithme de parcoure en largeur (BFS), pour explorer le réseau social.Utilisation de l' information sémantique et l'information sociale , dans le système de recommandation , nous aide à explorer partiellement le réseau social , ce qui nous conduit à réduire la taille des données explorées et de minimiser le temps de recherche dans le réseau.Nous appliquons nos algorithmes sur des données réelles : MovieLens et Amazon , et nous comparons la précision de la performance de nos algorithmes avec les algorithmes de recommandation classiques , comme l'algorithme de filtrage collaborative et l'algorithme hybrideNos résultats montrent un taux de précision satisfaisants , et une performance très significative du temps d'exécution et de la taille des données explorées , par rapport aux autres algorithmes de recommandation classiques .En fait , l'importance de nos algorithmes repose sur le fait que ces algorithmes explorent une très petite partie du graphe , au lieu d'explorer tout le graphe que les méthodes de recherche classiques , et encore donnent une bonne précision par rapport aux autres algorithmes de recommandation classiques . Donc , en minimisant la taille des données recherchées n'influence pas mal la précision des résultats . / In this thesis we propose semantic-social recommendation algorithms, that recommend an input item to users connected by a collaboration social network. These algorithms use two types of information: semantic information and social information.The semantic information is based on the semantic relevancy between users and the input item; while the social information is based on the users position and their type and quality of connections in the collaboration social network. Finally, we use depth-first search and breath-first search strategies to explore the graph.Using the semantic information and the social information, in the recommender system, helps us to partially explore the social network, which leads us to reduce the size of the explored data and to minimize the graph searching time.We apply our algorithms on real datasets: MovieLens and Amazon, and we compare the accuracy an the performance of our algorithms with the classical recommendation algorithms, mainly item-based collaborative filtering and hybrid recommendation.Our results show a satisfying accuracy values, and a very significant performance in execution time and in the size of explored data, compared to the classical recommendation algorithms.In fact, the importance of our algorithms relies on the fact that these algorithms explore a very small part of the graph, instead of exploring all the graph as the classical searching methods, and still give a good accuracy compared to the other classical recommendation algorithms. So, minimizing the size of searched data does not badly influence the accuracy of the results.

Over the last few years the ASA determined KM as a priority to assist with reducing knowledge loss, realising information assets and reducing work duplication by attempting to implement IKM tools and strategies. This research employed a pragmatic viewpoint, using a mix of both quantitative and qualitative methods to check reliability, to ensure validity while undertaking the task of implementing the IKM tools. Using a case study strategy and action research was justified, as to be pragmatic the researcher needed to understand the extent of the problem within a specified context. The research discussed in this thesis, provides a new framework for implementing KM tools; focusing on the NSO category, which the case study organisation falls into. The literature agrees enlisting influential members onto the project is vital for success; however, the findings suggested that success was not only tied to this buy-in alone, but also to the organisation s ability to retain these members for the duration of the project. The research proposed the use of a newly developed tool within the new framework, as an approach to reduce the time it takes to undertake traditional social network analysis of the organisation, as it became clear that there was a need for a method of producing updated results of the SNA, which would span the length of long projects within organisations with significantly high staff turn-over rates. Privacy was given as a factor to consider the in literature; however, the findings from this study indicated that a majority of the participants were comfortable with the system. Email knowledge extraction, and email social network systems are not new concepts, however this research presents EKESNA; a novel tool that combines both concepts in a way that allows for the continuous discovery, visualisation, and analysis of knowledge networks around specified topics of interest within an organisation; linking conversations to specific expert knowledge. EKESNA s continuous discovery of the organisation s knowledge network affords members up-to-date data to inform business process reengineering. This is a potentially ground breaking new tool that has the possibility of transforming the KM landscape in NSOs as well as a whole range of other kinds of enterprises.

Cette thèse traite de l'usage de l'annotation socio-sémantique dans le cadre de la dé-mocratie électronique et plus particulièrement des débats en ligne. L'annotation socio-sémantique est utilisée ici comme solution de structuration des débats. La représentationdes données des débats est pensée pour faciliter la mise en place de méthodes d'extrac-tion et d'analyses du réseau social des utilisateurs, en particulier pour faciliter l'extractionde groupes d'opinions. La thèse est réalisée dans le contexte de l'ANR Intermed qui vise àproduire des outils d'aide à la concertation en ligne, en particulier pour la gestion de zonescôtiéres.En nous appuyant sur la tendance 2.0, nous définissons la notion de débat 2.0. Débat àgrande échelle, au moins l'échelle d'une collectivité territoriale, s'appuyant sur l'usage detechnologies du Web 2.0 pour faciliter les interactions entre les citoyens. Dans ce contexte,l'interopérabilité est un enjeu crucial. Si les annotations discursives s'inscrivent dans latendance 2.0 et permettent aux citoyens de discuter en ligne, le traitement des donnéesproduites en vue de structurer les débats, de synthétiser les discussions, de modérer, d'éva-luer la représentativité ... devient une tâche de plus en plus complexe avec l'augmentationde la quantité de données produites. Nous proposons d'utiliser les technologies du websémantique, et donc des annotations à la fois discursives et sémantiques (appelées anno-tations socio-sémantique), pour représenter les données produites par les citoyens dansun outil de débat 2.0 et pour faciliter l'interopérabilité de ces données, faciliter la créationd'autres services comme par exemple un service d'analyse du réseau social, un service derecommandation, un service de visualisation des débats ... Nous présentons donc un mé-canisme d'annotation structurant les discussions, fruit d'un processus incrémental d'im-plémentation et d'expérimentation sur le terrain. / This pdh deals with socio-semantic annotations for e-democracy and online debates. Socio-semantic annotation are used to structurate debates. Data representation was designed to facilitate social network analysis and community detection based on opinion mining. This phd was made during the ANR project Intermed wich has to develop e-participation tools for geolocalised planning.Based on Web 2.0 trend, we define debate 2.0 concept as great scale online debates. A debate 2.0 is a debate that involves at least an important part of the inhabitants of a county and that uses web 2.0 tools. Interoperability is a main challenge of debates 2.0. If discursive annotations are a web 2.0 way of interaction between citizen, to process data from citizen participation is a complicate and expensive task. We recommand to use web semantic technology and socio-semantic annotations to represent data produced by citizen. Il will increase interoperability and easiness to create new applications and features consuming this data. We propose an annotation mecanism to structurate discussions and we have developped a platform through an agile loop with on field experiment.

Business information systems (BIS) comprise technological (e.g. programs), informational (e.g. content) and social artifacts (e.g. collaboration structures). Typically, such systems are constantly and collectively developed (co-developed) further by a variety of individuals within the organization. By recognizing these varying types of actors (concerning their goals, technical expertise and language means) and their predominantly developed artifact type, one can distinguish two types of subsystems: technical subsystems wherein the development of the system behavior is conducted by software developers; and business subsystems dominated by end-users developing informational artifacts. So far, co-development structures within and between these subsystems are not well understood, especially the aspect that - potentially driven by appropriate measures such as the provision of domain-specific languages - co-development might shift between these subsystems. This paper presents an approach for characterizing the co-development of real-world BIS with respect to direct participation from different kinds of contributors. This multilayered approach allows us to analyze the co-development with programming languages, domain-specific languages and end-user tools. The approach is suited to assess the direct participation of individuals from different subsystems in the development of evolving BIS. We focus on the intersection of these subsystems, present appropriate metrics and a multilayered analysis scheme. Contributions to artifacts are analyzed using social network analysis to detect structural properties of continuous co-development. The application to Learn@WU, a real-world BIS, demonstrates how end-user enabling technologies have shifted the co-development effort of the system from a small group of developers to a several orders of magnitude larger group of contributors. We observed an increase of direct participation over time on both informational and executable artifacts, while the number of technical experts was more or less constant. Our approach may act as a trigger for the application and further development of rigorous instruments for assessing co-development of BIS. (authors' abstract)

A Gestão do Conhecimento pode ser definida como um conjunto de processos para coletar, armazenar, compartilhar e utilizar o conhecimento. No contexto deste trabalho, o processo de compartilhamento do conhecimento é aceito como um elemento fundamental para a realização da Gestão do Conhecimento, pois representa a interação entre os indivíduos que compõem uma rede de relacionamentos da qual o conhecimento emerge. A Análise de Redes Sociais (ARS) apresenta métricas que permitem identicar os relacionamentos da rede e analisálos, porém ainda existem necessidades de identificar ações que possam refletir em uma estrutura de rede que permita maiores possibilidades de compartilhamento do conhecimento. Neste trabalho, as técnicas da ARS foram aplicadas para analisar as características da estrutura de uma rede de estudantes formada a partir de um ambiente web representado pelo uso do Facebook©. A metodologia utilizada foi baseada em um estudo qualiquantitativo, classificado como uma pesquisa descritiva e exploratória. Foram analisados dezoito períodos semanais de comportamento da rede. As análises permitiram entender melhor a representatividade das métricas da ARS no contexto do compartilhamento do conhecimento e uma nova métrica foi proposta (degree-weight). Também foram propostas ações relacionadas às métricas. Um conjunto diferente de ações foi aplicado em duas outras redes. Os resultados indicaram diferentes comportamentos da rede para cada um dos conjuntos de ações. Foi possível ainda identificar maiores possibilidades de compartilhamento de conhecimento para uma das estruturas de rede. / Knowledge Management can be defined as a set of processes to capture, store, share and use knowledge. In the context of this work, the knowledge sharing process is accepted as a basic element to Knowledge Management because it represents the interaction among the individuals that compound a network of relationships from where knowledge emerges. The Social Network Analysis (SNA) offers metrics that make possible identify the network relationships and analyze them, but there still needs to identify actions that may reflect on a network structure that allows opportunities for knowledge sharing. The SNA techiniques were applied to anlyze the characteristics of a network compounded by students and created in a web environment which was represented by Facebook© . The methodology applied was based on a quantitative and qualitative study which was classified as a descriptive and exploratory research. Eigthteen periods of network behavior were analysed. The analyses allow us to understand better the representativeness of SNA metrics in the environment of knowledge sharing. A new metric called degree-weight was proposed. Also it was proposed a set of actions related to SNA metrics. A different set of actions was applied to two distinct networks. The results show us different network behaviors for each one of the set of actions. Also it was possible identify better conditions to the knowledge sharing process for one of the network structures.

A produção científica de uma área do conhecimento aparece em diferentes formatos e é disponibilizada de forma essencialmente distribuída por entre revistas, anais, teses, dissertações e outros formatos característicos utilizados pela comunidade científica para a sistematização de seu discurso. Uma federação de bibliotecas digitais oferece uma arquitetura da informação que tem por finalidade facilitar a agregação de diferentes tipos de documentos disponibilizados, facilitando termos acesso a esses documentos, bem como a seus metadados descritores, formando, desse modo, verdadeiras estruturas de apoio ao desenvolvimento de pesquisas e análises científicas dos documentos que por ali circulam. Já a análise de redes sociais vem se mostrando um importante objeto de pesquisa da área da Ciência da Informação nas últimas décadas, tendo sido apropriada ainda de forma preliminar pela comunidade científica brasileira. Como forma de ampliar o conhecimento e experimentações com o uso da análise de redes sociais e identificar seu potencial analítico em relação ao que poderíamos coletar de informações de uma federação de bibliotecas digitais, tivemos por objetivo neste trabalho utilizar a análise de rede para mapear os padrões, tendências e estratégias de conectividade de dois planos de relacionamento entre pesquisadores: a coautoria em documentos oriundos de revistas científicas e a participação em bancas de defesas de teses e dissertações. Além disso, buscamos mapear as causas sociais e políticas dos padrões de rede identificados, colocando em evidência um uso crítico e contextualizado dos indicadores estruturais e dinâmicos de redes utilizados neste trabalho. Utilizamos como caso a biblioteca digital federada Univerciencia.org, uma biblioteca especializada na área de Ciências da Comunicação, tendo fornecido como fonte de dados 49 revistas científicas da área com 9864 documentos e 12 bibliotecas digitais de teses e dissertações com 1961 documentos. Os resultados apontam que os movimentos geradores e constituintes das redes sociais em nossos dois planos de análise são fortemente determinados por uma racionalidade característica da política científica do campo da Comunicação e da ciência de modo geral. / The scientific production of an area of knowledge appears in different formats and is available in a distributed mainly through journals, proceedings, theses, dissertations and other typical formats used by the scientific community for the systematization of his speech. A federation of digital libraries offers an information architecture that aims to facilitate the aggregation of different types of documents available, facilitating access to those documents and their metadata descriptors, forming thus real structures to support the development of research and analysis of scientific documents that circulate through there. The analysis of social networks has proven an important subject of research in the area of Information Science and in recent decades have been appropriate even in a preliminary way by the Brazilian scientific community. As a way to increase knowledge and experimentation with the use of social network analysis and identify his potential analytical, the objective of this work was use network analysis to map the patterns , trends and connectivity strategies between two planes of relation between researchers: co-authoring of documents from scientific journals and participation in defenses of theses and dissertations. Furthermore, we seek to map the social and political causes of network patterns identified, highlighting a critical use of structural and dynamic indicators. We use as case Univerciencia.org federated digital library, a library specialized in the field of Communication Sciences and provided as a source of data collected 49 scientific journals in the area with 9864 documents and 12 digital libraries of theses and dissertations with 1961 documents. The results show that the generative movements and constituents of social networks in our two levels of analysis are strongly determined by a characteristic rationality of science policy in the field of communication and science in general.

Submitted by William Justo Figueiro (williamjf) on 2015-06-25T21:44:01Z No. of bitstreams: 1 35.pdf: 26253336 bytes, checksum: fbdd327537205ae1b0ded9b494b97340 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-06-25T21:44:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 35.pdf: 26253336 bytes, checksum: fbdd327537205ae1b0ded9b494b97340 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Nenhuma / A presente pesquisa analisou a evolução da rede projetual durante o desenvolvimento de um projeto de codesign envolvendo atores de diferentes organizações (interorganizacional), de várias disciplinas de conhecimento (interdisciplinar) e com distintos cargos e tarefas (interfuncional). Utilizou-se do método de análise de que é voltado a entender como se relacionam os atores que constituem uma rede. Os atores que participaram da rede projetual objeto deste estudo são designers, especialistas de outras disciplinas e os futuros usuários de uma plataforma digital para compartilhar conhecimento na comunidade de Taquara/RS. Foram coletados dados sobre as relações sociais entre os participantes e sobre os fluxos de informações durante o desenvolvimento do projeto. Dessa forma, foi possível desenhar os mapas de relações e calcular os índices de centralidade dos atores, ou seja, foi possível visualizar quem forneceu e quem recebeu informações, quais atores engajaram-se no processo servindo com intermediários das informações, os agrupamentos organizacionais, entre outras informações. O resultado do cruzamentos dos dados indicou que: os designers inseriramse na rede tornando-se fonte das informações projetuais; o gestor do projeto desempenhou o papel de gestor das relações provocando o adensamento das relações projetuais; alguns designers e um especialista tornaram-se fontes das informações de aprendizado das ferramentas projetuais. Tais resultados podem servir de insumos estratégicos para o trabalho em redes projetuais, auxiliando os designers no entendimento de suas funções projetuais quando operando projetos colaborativos interorganizacionais, interfuncionais e interdisciplinares. / The present study examined the evolution of design network during the development of a codesign project involving actors from different organizations (interorganizational) from various disciplines of knowledge (interdisciplinary) and with different positions and tasks (interfunctional). We used the method of social network analysis which is addressed to understand the actor’s relationship who constitute a network. The actors who participated of the project’s network, object of this study, are designers, specialists from other disciplines and future users of a digital platform for sharing knowledge in Taquara / RS community. It were collected data about the social relationships between the participants and about the flow of information during the development of the project. Thus, it was possible to draw maps of relationships and calculating the actor’s centrality, ie, it was possible to see who gave and who received information, which actors engaged in the process serving with intermediaries of information, organizational clusters, among other information. The result of the data’s intersections indicated that: the designers were inserted in the network becoming source of project's information; the project manager acted as manager of the relationships causing thickening of project relations; some designers and one expert become information’s source for learning of the project tools. These results may provide strategic inputs to work in project networks, helping designers in understanding its functions when operating interorganizational, interfunctional and interdisciplinary collaborative projects.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T16:44:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Normando Rodrigues de Souza Filho.pdf: 1394056 bytes, checksum: 6ad37d2f5cd217814a58b5f971df543f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-05-25 / The objective of this dissertation is to analyze the relevance of business network theory in internationalization strategies of multinational firms. The starting point are the operations of the Brazilian subsidiary, which aims to lead the process of internationalization to South America and the Caribbean. The aim is to understand the relationships between the actors and how this influence and contribute to the internationalization of the company. Over the past 40 years studies in International Business have expanded as a result of the internationalization process of companies with different activities around the world. Initially, the scientific production came out from the University of Uppsala. Later the relationship between the environment and the organization has gained importance and has emerged the theory of business network. These relationships go beyond the boundaries of the firm, because they consider the foreign trade relations. Thus, in this context, we will highlight the business network of the Brazilian subsidiary and its relations with local actors. The survey was conducted through a single case study of a multinational Japanese company with more than a century of existence, from its Brazilian subsidiary which dates back to 50 years. We collected secondary and primary data, as well as in depth interviews with executives in the cities of Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires and Panama. This collection aimed to elucidate the research problem. For this purpose, a software for social network analysis was also used to assist in mapping the business network and identifying key actors. The results shows that the assumptions advocated by the theory of business network, as for the aspects related to internationalization through the network of relationships, trust, knowledge and relationship with the actors are real. It was possible to verify the company's business expansion into new markets through the relationship built with relevant actors of the network, and it was evident the importance of trust in this process / O objetivo desta dissertação é analisar a relevância da teoria da rede de negócios nas estratégias de internacionalização da empresa multinacional. O ponto de partida são as operações da subsidiária brasileira, que tem o objetivo de liderar o processo de internacionalização para a América do Sul e Caribe. Pretende-se compreender os relacionamentos entre os atores e como estes influenciam e contribuem para a internacionalização da empresa. Nos últimos 40 anos, os estudos na área de Negócios Internacionais têm se expandido como consequência dos processos de internacionalização de empresas com diferentes atividades ao redor do mundo. Inicialmente, as produções científicas saíam da Universidade de Uppsala. Posteriormente as relações entre o ambiente e a organização ganharam importância e surgiu a teoria da rede de negócios. Essas relações extrapolam as fronteiras da empresa, pois consideram as relações comerciais externas. Assim, neste contexto, será destacada a rede de negócios da subsidiária brasileira e suas relações com os atores locais. A pesquisa foi realizada por meio de um estudo de caso único de uma empresa multinacional japonesa com mais de um século de existência, a partir de sua subsidiária brasileira com mais de 50 anos de atividades. Foram coletados dados secundários e primários, bem como entrevistas em profundidade com executivos nas cidades de São Paulo, Buenos Aires e Panamá. Esta coleta teve o objetivo de elucidar a problemática da pesquisa. Para tanto, também foram utilizados softwares de análise de redes sociais para auxiliar no mapeamento das redes de negócios e na identificação dos principais atores. Os resultados demonstram que tanto os pressupostos defendidos pela teoria de rede de negócios quanto os aspectos ligados à internacionalização por meio da rede de relacionamentos, da confiança, do conhecimento e da relação com os atores são verdadeiros. Foi possível verificar a expansão dos negócios da empresa para novos mercados através do relacionamento construído com atores relevantes da rede, bem como foi evidenciada a importância da confiança neste processo

Este estudo teve como objetivo principal identificar as redes de conhecimento, que os professores de Ciências da escola básica formaram na escolha e uso de fontes de informação durante a formação acadêmica e na tomada de decisão para a elaboração do planejamento de ensino. Os procedimentos metodológicos se relacionaram a uma abordagem mista, a partir das ferramentas da Análise de Redes Sociais (ARS), que permitiu o mapeamento e a caracterização das relações existentes, sob a forma de um estudo de caso, que incluiu a aplicação de um questionário, realizado com os professores de Ciências da rede municipal de Cachoeirinha, RS, que atuam na educação básica com alunos dos anos finais no ensino fundamental. Os dados foram analisados com o uso dos softwares UCINET e NetDraw, que possibilitou a partir dos resultados revelar alguns padrões estruturais de relacionamento dos professores com as fontes em forma de rede. A fundamentação teórica desta pesquisa perpassa por autores que estudam o conceito da sociedade em rede, o ensino de ciências, as novas tecnologias e as fontes de informação no ensino. Investigou-se ainda de que forma as fontes de informação podem contribuir para o desenvolvimento do Ensino de Ciências na educação básica. Os resultados indicaram que a fonte mais utilizada durante a formação acadêmica foram as Bibliotecas e no planejamento de ensino são os livros didáticos, seguido do buscador Google.com e de jornais. Verificou-se que a escolha do professor pelo uso de determinada fonte de informação está relacionada com os recursos pedagógicos tradicionais usados no processo de ensinar e aprender e também com a visão de educação que os professores possuem. Conclui-se o estudo ao salientar o desafio da prática pedagógica, a necessidade da formação continuada dos professores em consonância com as novas tecnologias educacionais para dar conta da realidade social do aluno e avançar no processo de ensinar e apreender no âmbito das Ciências, Tecnologia e Sociedade (CTS). / This study aimed to identify the knowledge networks, the basic school science teachers formed in the choice and use of information sources during the academic and decision-making for the development of educational planning. The methodological procedures were related to a mixed approach, from the Social Network Analysis tools (SNA), which allowed the mapping and characterization of the relationship, in the form of a case study, which included a questionnaire performed with the science teachers in the municipal Cachoeirinha, RS, working in primary education with students of final years in elementary school. Data were analyzed with the use of UCINET and NetDraw software, which allowed from the results reveal some structural patterns teacher relationship with sources in network order. The theoretical basis of this research permeates authors who study the concept of the network society, science education, new technologies and information sources in teaching. Were also investigated how the information sources can contribute to the development of science education in basic education. The results indicated that the source used most during the academic training were Libraries and education planning are textbooks, followed by Google.com search engine and newspapers. It was found that the choice of the teacher by the use of a particular source of information is related to the traditional teaching resources used in the process of teaching and learning and also with the vision of education that teachers have. We conclude the study to highlight the challenge of teaching practice, the need for ongoing training of teachers in line with the new educational technologies for dealing with the social reality of the student and support the process of teaching and seize.