No description available.

Though knowledge has become an increasingly important resource for modern businesses, it was not until the mid-1990's that the 'knowledge management' research stream emerged in the business and information systems literature. Initial research on how to manage knowledge came from an objectivist epistemology of knowledge that viewed it as something that was capable of captured, stored and transferred via information to increase organisational efficiency. This study is grounded in a more recent and alternative perspective that takes a practice based epistemology seeing knowledge as embedded in and inseparable from practice. The practices of interest relate to how knowledge work is performed in environments where there is heavy reliance on information systems. Using an interpretive case study this research analyses the practices of a product support centre of a US multinational. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and internal documentation, including access to the firms „knowledge management‟ repository. Two central practices were examined: how product support engineers made sense of problems to develop fix procedures and how these were subsequently documented. Even within a work environment where client fixes were verifiable, suggesting an objectivist epistemology, this research found that the practice based perspective could be used to provide a different perspective and develop alternative and useful insights. The study contributes to the practice based perspective on knowledge management by providing an analysis of context specific knowledge work practices by analysing how even in procedural repetitive work agency can be exhibited as actors enact practices. It also helps develop the application of Structuration Theory by aiding an understanding of how meanings, norms and resources are developed, drawn upon, conflict, and are changed as everyday work is accomplished. The study is of relevance by providing an understanding of informal knowledge work practices rather than their formal description.

In the post-war period, Italy has been plagued by different forms of organised crime (such as the Sicilian Mafia, the Neapolitan Camorra, the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta and the Pugliese Sacra Corona Unita) which have managed in their individual ways to infiltrate both the State (in the form of political parties and local administrations) and society (businesses, cultural and voluntary organisations). In Campania, until 1991, the relationship between the Camorra and the local political elite (based on the exchange of votes for state contracts and protection) was tacitly accepted by the population and could not be studied by political scientists due to the lack of reliable source material. In 1991, a law was introduced which gave generous remission of sentences to criminals who became state-witness. Many members of the Camorra revealed important aspects of criminal, economic and political activities in Campania. This new material permitted a reexamination of the Camorra. This thesis on the Camorra hopes to fill a gap in the study of the relationship between politics and criminal organisations which so far has concentrated on the Sicilian Mafia. Part One is a general introduction and presents the theoretical model and methods adopted. The documentation available allowed us to adopt an agency-structure approach derived from Giddens's structuration theory (1984). This was complemented by Easton's systems analysis (1965) to understand the wider, macro-environment. We elaborated an 'interaction model' to analyse the changing nature of the Camorra's activities: from a simple social-criminal practice in the 1930s to a dynamic and secret cartel enacting a political-criminal practice in the 1980s. To test this model we applied it to case-studies of criminals using original judicial documents. In Part Two we look at the possible motives of people who join the Camorra. We analysed the agent's internal and external structure in both decades and concluded that the macro-environment as an influencing factor had changed more than the individual-agent. Part Three examines the lives of camorristi in the 1950s and 1980s in order to determine how far their criminal practice has been transformed. Part Four investigates the wider picture of system-interaction between the Camorra's social subsystem and the political system. Focussing on the relationship between camorristi and the political elite in the 1950s and 1980s we highlight the radical changes that occurred. This thesis presents a theoretical discussion of how to study organised crime and social behaviour in general and at the same time a detailed empirical study, in particular of the political role of a criminal organisation in a concrete historical situation, that of Naples over the last forty years.

abstract: Overwork is a long documented social problem in the United States linked to an abundance of negative outcomes. Typically this issue has been addressed organizationally at the individual level or socially as an economic structural problem. While both approaches are valid in their own ways, missing from these angles is an approach to overwork from an individual perspective. This study explores overwork from the perspective of seasonal workers in Glacier National Park who typically work for the National Park Service five months and spend the rest of the year recreating. Using qualitative interviews and observations, this piece investigates a seasonal mentality towards work in terms of agency and trust, conceptions and practices of work and life, and in terms of embodiment and spirituality. Grounded theory methods were used to develop an axiomatic analysis which informs a poetic and narrative expression of findings in concert to the discussion and implications of the study. The findings of this study illustrate how seasonal workers present a fascinating alternative to traditional work arrangements in a capitalist system. They possess a unique approach to work and life that foregrounds life experience, freedom, and process as opposed to material goods or stability. They tend to approach work and life as an integrated and holistic pursuit as opposed to a segregated and problematic enterprise. And they tend to approach their work as an embodied and spiritual craft as opposed to something accomplished quickly and efficiently for the economic benefit of the organization. Implications of this research suggest that agency and trust maintain a deeply interconnected and dialectical relationship which agents navigate as they build towards ontological security; that re-conceptualizing work-life as "life first" has potential for fundamentally reshaping the ways life (and work) get experienced; and that divisions between minds and bodies as they have been typically structured between white and blue collar work might be interrupted via the inclusion of the human spirit at work. These findings interrupt common practices of overwork in different ways but primarily function as a reminder that ways of thinking coincide with ways of living and working. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Communication Studies 2012

In this thesis, Giddens' theory of structuration is employed in an analysis of the ghetto of ex-psychiatric patients in Hamilton, Ontario. A review of the main concepts of of structuration theory forms the basis for a theoretical model of the structuration of urban space that considers both the individual agent and the social system as equal partners in the production and reproduction of the urban built environment. From this general model, methodologies are developed for institutional analysis and an analysis of strategic conduct. The institutional analysis enables an understanding of the ghetto as the unintended outcome of deinstitutionalization policy. An examination of the city of Hamilton's attempt to dismantle the ghetto focuses on the strategic conduct of the actors in the policy-making process, and provides insight as to why the city's attempt has thus far proved unsuccessful in halting the ghettoization of ex-patients. The study demonstrates the theoretical and empirical utility of structuration theory in providing an analysis that considers the complex interrelationships of system, structure, agency, time and space. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

Syfte: Syftet är att skapa förståelse för den påverkan som implementering av lean har på arbetsmiljön ur ett medarbetarperspektiv. Metod: Studien genomförs som en kvalitativ fallstudie enligt hermeneutiskt tolkningsperspektiv där primärdata samlas in genom semistrukturerade intervjuer. Sekundärdata har huvudsakligen samlats in genom vetenskapliga artiklar och litteratur på området. Resultat & slutsats: Studien visar att implementering av lean påverkar medarbetarnas arbetsmiljö och att faktorer som delaktighet, kommunikation, utbildning och inte minst ledarskapet är viktiga faktorer för en god arbetsmiljö. En initial motvilja har efterhand som konceptet inarbetats bytts ut mot en positiv inställning och ett nytt sätt att arbeta. Examensarbetets bidrag: Studien bidrar till att skapa förståelse för hur implementering av lean påverkar arbetsmiljön. Genom förståelse för hur externa strukturer påverkar interna strukturer och därigenom medarbetarnas agerande vill vi belysa vilka faktorer som företag bör rikta fokus mot för att bibehålla en god arbetsmiljö under implementering av lean. Studiens resultat kan inte direkt generaliseras till andra arbetsplatser, men erbjuder en möjlighet att testa samma metod för att se hur arbetsmiljön påverkas. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Studien är relativt liten och medarbetarna har arbetat tillsammans under lång tid, därför kan framtida studier med fördel utföras på företag med större personalomsättning, annat företag i servicebranschen eller som en jämförande studie mellan två olika företag för att se påverkan på arbetsmiljön. / Aim: The aim of the study is to create understanding of the implications of lean implementation on the work environment seen from the coworker perspective Method: Qualitative case study with primary data collected by interviews of managers and employees at ICA Maxi Special in two different cities. Secondary data was collected from scientific articles and relevant literature regarding previous research in the field. Result & Conclusions: The study reveals that implementation of lean affects the coworkers' perceived work environment and that factors such as participation, meaningfulness, autonomy, communication and education are important factors for a good work environment. The initial reluctance experienced by coworkers when implementing the concept was later exchanged for a positive attitude and a new way of work, which consequently led to a better working environment in general. Contribution of the thesis: The findings of this study contribute to research by understanding and highlighting the factors that influence the employees work environment. By understanding the effect of external structures, such as lean and how it affects internal structures, and such as the actions and reactions of coworkers, companies can mitigate the impact on the work environment when implementing lean. Suggestions for future research: The study is rather small and conducted at a workplace where most of the employees have worked together for several years. Therefore, we suggest that future studies can be conducted at companies with a larger employee turnover, or at a different type of company in the service industry, or as a comparative study between

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / Until fairly recently studies of children as actively engaged in the production of meaning making in their social lives has been overlooked, ignored or received marginal attention within the contemporary social sciences (Caputo 1995). There has since however been considerable growth in literature dedicated to extending our understanding of childhood (Hardman 1973; Caputo 1995; Waksler 1996; Morss 2002; Korbin 2003; Sawyer 2002). This has resulted in an emergent sense of legitimacy and focus on the role of children "as active and creative social actors" in society, particularly in the field of anthropology of children (Reis, 2006) and the establishment of the 'new' sociology of childhood. The point of departure for these emergent theoretical frameworks concern the traditional devaluing of childhood and children's perspectives in favour of "...a recurring set of dominant ideas within political and academic domains that draws a generational boundary between adults and children, in the process restricting children to subordinate and protected social roles" (Wyness 200:1 in Smith 2009:253). According to James & James (2004:76 in Smith 2009:252) law is a centrally important mediating influence in the social construction of childhood as vulnerable passive bystanders. This resonates with Moses who states that the rights prioritised for children within the South African Constitution are "protection-oriented conceiving children as vulnerable citizens rather than citizens with agency" (2008:329). Furthermore, according to Moses (2008:333) the conception of children in South African policy and that which underlies national service delivery, belies or contradicts perceptions of children as "active, meaning-makers, employing a range of coping strategies". This research therefore explores the representation of children and childhood within the Children‘s Amendment Act (41 of 2007); that is whether they are displayed as "active, meaning-making" citizens or passive vulnerable bystanders; and seeks to contrast that representation with the reality of children's worldviews, decision-making capabilities in their social lives in an attempt to highlight children as citizens with agency. The study used a qualitative exploratory approach which employed a range of qualitative research tools. Data was collected through a policy analysis, research workshops and focus 2 group discussions. Purposive sampling was used to compile a child sample composed of nine girls and ten boys. A social constructionist framework was used to thematically analyse the data. The results suggest that there are two general representations of children and childhood within the Act (41 of 2007); namely "the vulnerable child" and "the child as citizen and agent". The study offers recommendations for further research and improvements for service provision directed toward children, child welfare and childcare.

The successful institutionalisation of digitally-enabled service transformation (DEST) in the UK public sector has always been a challenge for the government. Associated with technology and managerial impediments, the derailment of several DEST projects in recent years has attracted much scholarly debate. Nonetheless, overt emphasis on the antecedents and effects of DEST institutionalisation has concealed the real events underpinning the transformation process, especially the 'social' interactions between the institutional actors and structures, as well as their role in the DEST institutionalisation process. Hence, this research aims to explore the roles of the actors and structures in DEST institutionalisation as working practice in public institutions. To do so, this research develops a conceptual framework grounded on Institutional Theory and Structuration Theory concepts, derived from the analysis of four past DEST cases in the UK. The framework is used in a qualitative enquiry that explores the well-publicised Universal Credit transformation case through interviews, focus groups and review of documentary and parliamentary-select-committee-media evidence. The findings offer insights into the deinstitutionalisation and structuration processes in the study of DEST institutionalisation to better understand the implementation of change in public institutions. This study concludes that actors and structures play important roles in structuring the DEST institutionalisation process as working practice in public institutions. Actors could manipulate structures of meaning, power and norms to promote desired actions in shaping practices that support DEST institutionalisation.

This longitudinal case study examines how the process of radical organizational change unfolded within EES Consulting (EES). EES was an international engineering and environmental services consulting firm that experienced significant internal cultural difficulties in the early 1990s, such that OCI Consulting predicted the firm would fail within 18 months. This study focuses upon the Canadian operations, and their experience in becoming a top company to work for in Canada following their adoption of the Balanced Scorecard in 1999. The study employed a mixed-methods methodology, involving semi-structured and informal interviews, participant observation, third-party survey data, and internal corporate documents. Based upon this data, EES’ experience did not conform to that described by traditional change models (Lewin’s three-stage, punctuated equilibrium, or organizational development models) in terms of the pace, sequence, or linearity of change. Rather, EES’ experience was more consistent with recent conceptualizations of change as a continuous, emergent process, involving loops and iterations. Although EES members suggested that change was attributable to their adoption of the Balanced Scorecard, this technology merely served as the catalyst for subsequent organizational social dynamics that produced change. Specifically, change at EES occurred through negotiated redefinition of the social structures governing members’ actions. Thus, radical organizational change represented an act of social construction between members. This study’s key contribution is the development of a theoretical extension to Giddens’ (1984) structuration theory, involving a synthesis with the concept of organizational identity. Organizational identity is defined as the key interpretive scheme mediating the relationship between the institutional realm and action. Modifying identity enables alternative conceptualizations of structure, which consequently enable new courses of action by members. However, lasting change depends upon the continued legitimation and reproduction of these alternative structures, combined with the abandonment of previous structures. / Organizational Analysis

ERP systems which initially were developed for manufacturing organizations have in recent years spread to public sector organization. It is put forward that public sector organization differ from private organization and this might affect how successfully an ERP system is implemented. ERP systems are rarely studied in public sector organization and few researchers have explored the fit between ERP system and organizational structures. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore what relationship that exists or do not exist between ERP system and organizational social structures in a military organization, and how this has affected the implementation and use. This is done through a qualitative case study of the Swedish Armed Forces with data from semi-structured interviews with 14 platoon commanders and 3 company commanders. The findings suggest that there is a misfit between the ERP system, PRIO, and the social structures in the organization which have made the implementation and use problematic. The technical shortcomings, such as the user interface, are not the main problem and employees might have been negative about the system anyway. This since platoon commanders and company commanders do not think platoon commanders are the best suited to do the tasks with PRIO.