This research aimed to investigate whether and how the adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) has affected the synchronicity of stock prices in the Brazilian capital market and how this was reflected in the behavior of idiosyncratic and systematic risk. In order to do so, it was first conducted a regression analysis associating the Transition (2008 and 2009) and the Post-Adoption (from 2010) period with a measure of stock price synchronicity, controlling for structural aspects that affect the functioning of stock markets as a whole and for aspects of individual firms that affect the process of incorporating information into their stock prices and their incentives to report transparent financial statements. Then, it was built series of volatility decomposed into two components, market-wide (capturing the systematic risk) and firm-specific (capturing the idiosyncratic risk), according to the methodology of Campbell et al. (2001), and performed an analysis based on tests for identifying trends on the series. The study predicted that if IFRS was able to increase the amount of firm-specific information incorporated into stock prices, it could (i) reduce synchronicity (J. Kim & Shi, 2012), and idiosyncratic volatility would have become more intense relatively to systematic volatility; or (ii) it could increase synchronicity (Beuselinck et al., 2010; Dasgupta et al., 2010), and idiosyncratic volatility would, then, have become less intense. The results confirmed that stock price synchronicity has decreased from the Post-Adoption period, in line with the view of J. Kim & Shi (2012), that the reducing effect can be more intense for less developed countries, which tend to be more synchronous (Morck et al, 2000) and because the improvement in the informational environment acts as a substitute to the weak institutional environment. These results indicate that stock prices became more informative (Durnev, Morck, & Yeung, 2004), making the market less obscure (K. Li et al., 2003) and better able to efficiently allocate resources (Wurgler, 2000; Habib, 2008). However, although a visual analysis of the volatility series suggests a slightly upward trend for the firm-level series, the statistical tests were not able to identify any significant trend, so, only the first part of the hypothesis could be confirmed. Nevertheless, despite of this limitation and the possible caveats with the models that were used, this research provides evidence that IFRS adoption brought positive changes to the functioning of the Brazilian capital market. / Esta pesquisa buscou investigar se, e de que forma, a adoção dos International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) afetou a sincronicidade dos preços das ações no mercado de capitais brasileiro e como isso se refletiu no comportamento dos riscos idiossincrático e sistemático. Para tanto, foi feita uma análise de regressão associando o período de Transição (2008 e 2009) e o de Pós-Adoção (a partir de 2010) com uma medida de sincronicidade dos preços das ações, controlando por aspectos estruturais que afetam o funcionamento do mercado de capitais e por aspectos individuais das firmas que afetam a incorporação de informações em seus preços e seus incentivos para reportar demonstrações financeiras transparentes. Em seguida, foram construídas séries de volatilidade decompostas em dois componentes: o mercado em geral (capturando o risco sistemático) e específica da firma (capturando o risco idiossincrático), segundo a metodologia de Campbell et al. (2001), e foi feita uma análise baseada em testes para identificar tendências nessas séries. O estudo previa que se a adoção das IFRS foi capaz de aumentar a quantidade de informação específica das firmas incorporada nos preços das ações, então ela poderia (i) diminuir a sincronicidade (J. Kim & Shi, 2012), e a volatilidade idiossincrática teria se tornado mais intensa em relação à volatilidade sistemática; ou (ii) ela poderia aumentar a sincronicidade (Beuselinck et al., 2010; Dasgupta et al., 2010), e a volatilidade idiossincrática teria, então, se tornado menos intensa. Os resultados confirmaram que a sincronicidade diminuiu a partir do período de Pós-Adoção, em consonância com a visão de J. Kim & Shi (2012), de que o efeito redutor pode ser mais intenso para países menos desenvolvidos, que tendem a ter mercados mais sincronizados (Morck et al, 2000) e porque a melhora no ambiente informacional funciona como uma substituta para o ambiente institucional fraco. Esse resultado indica que os preços das ações se tornaram mais informativos (Durnev, Morck, & Yeung, 2004), tornando o mercado menos obscuro (K. Li et al., 2003) e melhor capaz de alocar recursos eficientemente (Wurgler, 2000; Habib, 2008). No entanto, apesar de uma análise visual das séries de volatilidade mostrar uma leve tendência crescente para a série do nível da firma, os testes estatísticos não puderam identificar qualquer tendência significativa, então, somente a primeira parte da hipótese pôde ser confirmada. Contudo, apesar dessa limitação e das possíveis ressalvas quanto aos modelos que foram usados, esta pesquisa fornece evidências de que a adoção das IFRS trouxe mudanças positivas para o funcionamento do mercado de capitais brasileiro.

This research aimed to investigate whether and how the adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) has affected the synchronicity of stock prices in the Brazilian capital market and how this was reflected in the behavior of idiosyncratic and systematic risk. In order to do so, it was first conducted a regression analysis associating the Transition (2008 and 2009) and the Post-Adoption (from 2010) period with a measure of stock price synchronicity, controlling for structural aspects that affect the functioning of stock markets as a whole and for aspects of individual firms that affect the process of incorporating information into their stock prices and their incentives to report transparent financial statements. Then, it was built series of volatility decomposed into two components, market-wide (capturing the systematic risk) and firm-specific (capturing the idiosyncratic risk), according to the methodology of Campbell et al. (2001), and performed an analysis based on tests for identifying trends on the series. The study predicted that if IFRS was able to increase the amount of firm-specific information incorporated into stock prices, it could (i) reduce synchronicity (J. Kim & Shi, 2012), and idiosyncratic volatility would have become more intense relatively to systematic volatility; or (ii) it could increase synchronicity (Beuselinck et al., 2010; Dasgupta et al., 2010), and idiosyncratic volatility would, then, have become less intense. The results confirmed that stock price synchronicity has decreased from the Post-Adoption period, in line with the view of J. Kim & Shi (2012), that the reducing effect can be more intense for less developed countries, which tend to be more synchronous (Morck et al, 2000) and because the improvement in the informational environment acts as a substitute to the weak institutional environment. These results indicate that stock prices became more informative (Durnev, Morck, & Yeung, 2004), making the market less obscure (K. Li et al., 2003) and better able to efficiently allocate resources (Wurgler, 2000; Habib, 2008). However, although a visual analysis of the volatility series suggests a slightly upward trend for the firm-level series, the statistical tests were not able to identify any significant trend, so, only the first part of the hypothesis could be confirmed. Nevertheless, despite of this limitation and the possible caveats with the models that were used, this research provides evidence that IFRS adoption brought positive changes to the functioning of the Brazilian capital market. / Esta pesquisa buscou investigar se, e de que forma, a adoção dos International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) afetou a sincronicidade dos preços das ações no mercado de capitais brasileiro e como isso se refletiu no comportamento dos riscos idiossincrático e sistemático. Para tanto, foi feita uma análise de regressão associando o período de Transição (2008 e 2009) e o de Pós-Adoção (a partir de 2010) com uma medida de sincronicidade dos preços das ações, controlando por aspectos estruturais que afetam o funcionamento do mercado de capitais e por aspectos individuais das firmas que afetam a incorporação de informações em seus preços e seus incentivos para reportar demonstrações financeiras transparentes. Em seguida, foram construídas séries de volatilidade decompostas em dois componentes: o mercado em geral (capturando o risco sistemático) e específica da firma (capturando o risco idiossincrático), segundo a metodologia de Campbell et al. (2001), e foi feita uma análise baseada em testes para identificar tendências nessas séries. O estudo previa que se a adoção das IFRS foi capaz de aumentar a quantidade de informação específica das firmas incorporada nos preços das ações, então ela poderia (i) diminuir a sincronicidade (J. Kim & Shi, 2012), e a volatilidade idiossincrática teria se tornado mais intensa em relação à volatilidade sistemática; ou (ii) ela poderia aumentar a sincronicidade (Beuselinck et al., 2010; Dasgupta et al., 2010), e a volatilidade idiossincrática teria, então, se tornado menos intensa. Os resultados confirmaram que a sincronicidade diminuiu a partir do período de Pós-Adoção, em consonância com a visão de J. Kim & Shi (2012), de que o efeito redutor pode ser mais intenso para países menos desenvolvidos, que tendem a ter mercados mais sincronizados (Morck et al, 2000) e porque a melhora no ambiente informacional funciona como uma substituta para o ambiente institucional fraco. Esse resultado indica que os preços das ações se tornaram mais informativos (Durnev, Morck, & Yeung, 2004), tornando o mercado menos obscuro (K. Li et al., 2003) e melhor capaz de alocar recursos eficientemente (Wurgler, 2000; Habib, 2008). No entanto, apesar de uma análise visual das séries de volatilidade mostrar uma leve tendência crescente para a série do nível da firma, os testes estatísticos não puderam identificar qualquer tendência significativa, então, somente a primeira parte da hipótese pôde ser confirmada. Contudo, apesar dessa limitação e das possíveis ressalvas quanto aos modelos que foram usados, esta pesquisa fornece evidências de que a adoção das IFRS trouxe mudanças positivas para o funcionamento do mercado de capitais brasileiro.

De nos jours, les projets de conception complexes de produits exigent que les équipes de concepteurs se réunissent pour faciliter le partage de leurs compétences et expertises respectives afin de produire un ensemble de solutions de conception efficace. Dû au besoin croissant d’échanger les connaissances, les projets de conception modernes sont encore plus structurés pour travailler avec des équipes distribuées qui collaborent sur un réseau informatique pour accomplir une conception optimale de produit. Néanmoins, dans ce processus de conception collaborative, l'intégration d'équipes multidisciplinaires – qui implique l'échange et le partage des connaissances et compétences – génère fréquemment des situations conflictuelles. Les différents points de vue et perspectives des experts, les différentes façons de communiquer et collaborer au niveau de connaissances, rendent le processus difficilement maitrisable. Pour accomplir un scénario optimal, certains problèmes doivent d’abords être résolus comme la spécification et formalisation des besoins, l’intégration d'ontologies, la détection et la résolution des conflits. Spécifier et formaliser les connaissances demandent un grand effort afin d’obtenir un modèle de représentation pour agréger plusieurs domaines différents des connaissances. Chaque expert pourrait s'exprimer afin que les autres comprennent leurs informations correctement. Il est donc nécessaire d’utiliser un modèle de représentation de données suffisamment clair et flexible pour accomplir cette tâche. Certains modèles actuels ne parviennent pas à fournir une solution efficace pour le partage des connaissances et pour la collaboration des projets de conception, car ces modèles n’intègrent pas les aspects géographiques, temporels, fonctionnels de la conception avec un modèle de représentation des connaissances flexible et générique. Ce travail propose une architecture, pour la conception collaborative, qui ambitionne d'être synchrone, générique, orientée aux services, basée sur les agents, et basée sur les ontologies. Des modèles particuliers de représentation sont transformés en instances d'ontologie et sont fusionnés pour accomplir le model final de conception d’un produit. C'est une approche synchrone parce que le processus de fusion est entrepris en même temps que l'interaction entre concepteurs. C'est générique parce qu'elle permet aux utilisateurs de travailler avec deux approches pour l’intégration d'ontologies : celle qui utilise une ontologie générique et celle qui utilise un processus d'harmonisation. Notre proposition se concentre sur les conflits de la conception collaborative et fait usage de Web Ontology Language (OWL) et des Services Web, le premier comme langage pour représenter les connaissances et le dernier comme un support technologique pour la communication. / Today’s complex design projects require teams of designers to work collaboratively by sharing their respective expertise in order to produce effective design solutions. Due to the increasing need for exchanging knowledge, modern design projects are more structured to work with distributed virtual teams that collaborate over computer networks to achieve overall optimization in design. Nevertheless, in a collaborative design process, the integration of multidisciplinary virtual teams – involving exchange and sharing of knowledge and expertise – frequently and inevitably generates conflicting situations. Different experts’ viewpoints and perspectives, in addition to several ways of communicating and collaborating at the knowledge level, make all this process very hard to manage. In order to achieve an optimal scenario, some problems must first be solved, such as requirement specification and formalization, ontology integration, and conflict detection and resolution. Specifying and formalizing the knowledge demands a great effort towards obtaining representation patterns that aggregate several disjoint knowledge areas. Each expert should express himself so that the others can understand his information correctly. It is necessary, therefore, to use a flexible and sufficiently extensive data representation model to accomplish such a task. Some current models fall short of providing an effective solution to effective knowledge sharing and collaboration on design projects, because they fail to combine the geographical, temporal, and functional design aspects with a flexible and generic knowledge representation model. This work proposes an information model-driven collaborative design architecture that supports synchronous, generic, service-oriented, agent-based, and ontology-based teamwork. Particular representation models are transformed into ontology instances and merged together in order to accomplish the final product design. It is a synchronous approach because the concurrent processes are undertaken at the same time that the interactions among designers take place. It is generic because it provides the users with two approaches for ontology integration: the use of a predefined generic ontology and the harmonization process. Our proposal focuses on collaborative design conflict resolution by using Web Ontology Language (OWL) and Web Services, the former as a tool for knowledge representation and the latter as a technological support for communication.

During cognitive tasks, synchronicity of neural activity varies and is correlated with performance. However, there may be an upper limit to normal synchronised activity – specifically, epileptogenic activity is characterized byexcess spiking at high synchronicity. An epileptic seizure has a complicated course of events and I therefore focused on the synchronised activity preceding a seizure (fast ripples). These high frequency oscillations (200–1000 Hz) have been identified as possible signature markers of epileptogenic activity and may be involved in generating seizures. Moreover, a range of ionic currents have been suggested to be involved in distinct aspects of epileptogenesis. Based on pharmacological and genetic studies, potassium currents have been implicated, in particular the transient A–type potassium channel (KA). Our first objective was to investigate if KA could suppress synchronized input while minimally affecting desynchronised input. The second objective was to investigate if KA could suppress fast ripple activity. To study this I use a detailed compartmental model of a hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cell. The ion channels were described by Hodgkin–Huxley dynamics. The result showed that KA selectively could suppress highly synchronized input. I further used two models of fast ripple input and both models showed a strong reduction in the cellular spiking activity when KA was present. In an ongoing in vitro brain slice experiment our prediction from the simulations is being tested. Preliminary results show that the cellular response was reduced by 30 % for synchronised input, thus confirming our theoretical predictions. By suppressing fast ripples KA may prevent the highly synchronised spiking activity to spread and thereby preventing the seizure. Many antiepileptic drugs down regulate cell excitability by targeting sodium channels or GABA–receptors. These antiepileptic drugs affect the cell during normal brain activity thereby causing significant side effects. KA mainly suppresses the spiking activity when the cell is exposed to abnormally high synchronised input. An enhancement in the KA current might therefore be beneficial in reducing seizures while not affecting normal brain activity.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T20:40:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Izete de Oliveira Ricelli.pdf: 698624 bytes, checksum: 22700d844494c60cd7a5df458a153d60 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-06-02 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This theoretical study sought to identify the possible development of the concept of synchronicity proposed by C. G. Jung, since its publication in 1952 until the present moment. The nature of this research is bibliographical and a literature review of original essays on Jung by classic and contemporary Jungian authors was performed, dealing with the concept in the theoretical point of view. The physics of the thermodynamic processes developed from the last decades of the twentieth century sets up a paradigm shift in science that is designated as post-modern or as a paradigm of complexity. Therefore, it is suggested that the so-called Complexity Theory can be applied as an epistemological and theoretical background to the concept of synchronicity. This proposal conceives the phenomena as synchronistic moments of critical self-organization that can be found in nature in general and are characteristic of periods of transition. Transition phases are characterized, in the human sphere, by the emergency of meaning provided by synchronicities and reorganize the system of symbolism and psychophysical as a whole. Thus, considerations are presented to help understanding the concepts / Este estudo teórico procurou identificar o possível desenvolvimento do conceito de sincronicidade, proposto por C. G. Jung, desde sua publicação no ano de 1952, até o momento atual. A natureza da pesquisa é bibliográfica e para tal foi realizada uma revisão de literatura dos ensaios originais de Jung, dos autores junguianos clássicos e contemporâneos que abordam o conceito sob o ponto de vista teórico. A Física dos processos termodinâmicos desenvolvidas a partir das últimas décadas do século XX configuram uma mudança no paradigma das ciências que passa a ser designado como pós-moderno ou como paradigma da Complexidade. Sugere-se assim, que a chamada Teoria da Complexidade, que abarca conceitos da teoria dos Sistemas e da Cibernética, possa ser aplicada como substrato teórico e epistemológico para o conceito de sincronicidade. Este passa a ser compreendido como um fenômeno emergente da dinâmica psíquica característico de fases de transição. Da mesma forma sugere-se que as sincronicidades, assim como outros fenômenos da natureza, podem ser entendidas como momentos críticos de auto-organização Para tanto são apresentadas considerações para auxiliar a compreensão dos conceitos

This research has been a study in amazement. Initially an agnostic physics graduate, the researcher undertook training in the person-centred approach (pca) to self-development and counselling, during which she came to experience strange personal experiences which she could neither gainsay nor fit into her then worldview. Sketching these briefly, exceptional human experiences (EHEs) and synchronicities increasingly happened until (shockingly) they declared a seeming spirit guide (Mungo) to her, also juxtaposed in time with her first-ever chance encounter with dowsing. Thereafter these phenomena, combined with randomisable image-cards, tutored her into a physically observable method of 'discussion' with them (alone or with another) conducted with pca values. This PhD involved researching that phenomenon-complex through 'discussions' with 35 participants. The methodology used was heuristics and its heuristic self-search inquiry specialism (HSSI) whose attention to personal experiencing, indwelling to contact tacit knowledge, and incubatory rest phases to foster illuminatory new 'ahaa!' apprehensions suited this nascent mysterious subject. Both participants and researcher experienced coincidences weaving the 'discussions' and their wider lives together. Thus synchronicity became equal-partner research-topic, being studied as it occurred and, through affecting certain choices, becoming part of the methodology itself. The phenomenon-complex was experienced as fostering ethical living, creativity, personal development and science-spirituality interconnection in ways wellpitched and paced for each experiencer. The phenomena were also experienced as synergizing with each other, and as fostering integration within and between persons. After work on the participant sessions was completed, the writings of further thesis chapters were 'butted into' by in-the-moment relevant synchronicities, not just singly but in flows and patterns in which the researcher found herself discerning overarching meanings. Given this exceptional opportunity the researcher (in effect doing a bonus research-section) tracked her experiencing of these synchronistic flows and her responses thereto wherever they led, using Sela-Smith's first-person heuristic self-search inquiry (HSSI) methodology. Each synchronistically-influenced chapter was experienced as exploring certain themes, with themes building as the thesis progressed. Heuristics and HSSI are usually transformative. This researcher was transformed from the ground up from agnosticism to credence in 'something more' through her experiencings (both alone and inter-relationally with participants). Their 'package deal' presented personal shadow-work alongside help in life difficulties, and great fascination but darker times too. In total she came to feel part of an interconnected, spiritually-intelligent and compassionate cosmic domain, and existentially happier.

¡§Jasmine Flavored Tea¡¨ is one of the earliest published works of Eileen Chang. However, the autobiographic fiction which focuses its topic on ¡§looking for Father¡¨ has not been valued by the academic circle for a long time. In fact, ¡§Jasmine Flavored Tea¡¨ is the center text(centext) among Eileen Chang¡¦s works. She semioticizes this work according to its plot and then makes these elements metaphors of her later works. This is the key to discussions about the hypertextuality between the texts of Eileen Chang and the phenomenonal world. By using a new approach of criticism called ¡§the School of Super Searching,¡¨ this discourse attempts to blend the research achievements of modern anthropology, psychology and folkloristics into traditional searching, to do gender studies by searching ¡§psychological facts,¡¨ and to focus on the intertextuality between the plot of the fiction and the folk data. By means of the motive tied with folktales and folk customs, and of the related significant notions like misogyny, twins complex, endogamy desire, liminality and initiation rite, divine king and scapegoat, and individuation process, with a close reading on the text of ¡§Jasmine Flavored Tea,¡¨ this discourse explores how the pieces of symbolism and meaning in the text associate with the life experiences of Eileen Chang.The issues dealt by this discourse are as follows: 1. Lead a large amount of anthropological concepts into literary criticism, and make intertextual comparison between ethnography and literary works. 2. Clarify the countervailing process between masculinity and femininity in ¡§Jasmine Flavored Tea¡¨ by means of the connotative plot structures of the fairy tales, ¡§Iron John¡¨ and ¡§Little Red Riding-Hood,¡¨ in the text. Men gradually construct masculinity by adopting male violence in order to get rid of maternal swallowing and paternal castration. 3. The practical operatoins of Jung¡¦s theory in literary criticism: (1) Twins complex is an important complex to present the relationship between ego and Anima/Animus. (2) Synchronicity and the possibility of predictive text(predictext). (3) Clarification on the relationship between ¡§sukuu¡¨ and the self. (4) Application of the participation mystique on the narrative point of view. 4. Apollo¡¦s Neuroses- Reinterpretation of the implication for the incest by Oedipus in the texts of Eileen Chang. 5. There exists an association between fowls as the symbol of twins complex and Eileen Chang¡¦s family. 6. The riddle about Eileen Chang in her late years is an individuation process from putting on the wolf¡¦s skin to taking it off. 7. The comparison between the autobiographic works, ¡§Jasmine Flavored Tea¡¨ and Little Reunion.

Hierdie verhandeling bestaan uit die ongepubliseerde manuskrip (gedigte) ʼn blaar hierdie boot, ʼn mini-verhandeling en ʼn tuisvervaardigde CD met ʼn paar gedigte. Die studie bespreek teoretiese terme en begrippe soos outoëtnografie, individuasie en vaslegging (imprinting), uit die vakgebiede van Sielkunde, Sosiologie, Opvoedkunde en Kommunikasiekunde. Die toepaslikheid van hierdie terme ten opsigte van geselekteerde literêre tekste word genoem en geïllustreer aan die hand van spesifieke skrywers. Daar word kortliks gekyk na die verstradisies van Sjina en Japan om die verwantskap met die Afrikaanse gedigte vas te stel. Sogenaamde “close reading” word geteleskopeer op geselekteerde verse uit ʼn blaar hierdie boot. ENGLISH : This dissertation consists of an unpublished anthology of poetry, ʼn blaar hierdie boot and a dissertation of limited scope, together with a home-recorded CD of poems. The study takes stock of theoretical terms and concepts like autoethnography, individuation and imprinting from the disciplines of Psychology, Sociology, Education and Communication. The relevance of these terms regarding selected literary texts is illustrated by the mention of specific authors and poets. A brief view on poetry traditions in China and Japan is offered, to illustrate the relation to Afrikaans poetry in general and the candidate’s poems in particular. So-called close reading is applied to selected poems from ʼn blaar hierdie boot Additional information available on a CD, stored at the Merensky Library on Level 3 Copyright / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Afrikaans / unrestricted

<p>Sustained attention, the ability to direct and maintain attentional focus on tasks and stimuli, emerges during infancy and undergoes rapid development throughout early childhood. Abnormal patterns of sustained attention are implicated in several childhood psychological disorders. Improving our measurement of infant sustained attention may clarify how child psychopathology develops and inform targeted prevention and early intervention efforts. While several behavioral and psychophysiological measures index infant sustained attention, previous studies have employed these measures in isolation, focused on analyses at short timescales of milliseconds to a few seconds, and examined synchronous associations among these measures. Therefore, the associations and temporal relationships across multiple, concurrent behavioral and psychophysiological measures of infant sustained attention remain unclear, particularly at long timescales. The present study assessed sustained attention in 12-month-old infants using behavioral (looking), cardiac (heart rate), and neural (theta and alpha oscillations) measures to investigate two temporal aspects of infant sustained attention. First, we examined whether associations among infant sustained attention measures were similar or different across short (1-second) and long (10-second) timescales. Covariation analyses indicated largely similar association patterns among these measures across the two timescales. Second, we evaluated whether specific infant sustained attention measures temporally preceded other measures. Cross-correlation analyses broadly revealed that short-timescale measures exhibited asynchronous temporal relationships, such that looking behaviors preceded neural oscillations that in turn preceded cardiac responses. Our findings highlight the value of considering the temporal dimension when studying and measuring infant sustained attention. Additional multimodal research may yield greater insights into dynamic biobehavioral processes that underlie infant sustained attention and enhance clinical interventions aimed at promoting optimal outcomes for young children with abnormalities in sustained attention.</p>

User involvement has been championed as essential for the success of IT projects, both by practitioners as well as academia. Traditionally, user involvement activities between clients and consultants have been conducted in physical closeness. However, maintaining this closeness became increasingly challenging when people were largely required to work remotely during the years of 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Based on this abrupt change in the physical proximity in the client-consultant relationships we wanted to see how well digital communication media could support user involvement activities in a remote setting and explore potential opportunities and challenges related to the digital substitutes. Our results show that digital communication media make the development of relational aspects in the client-consultant relationship, such as trust, closeness and engagement challenging. On the other hand, when discussing user involvement tasks such as workshops and prototyping sessions, the consultants displayed positive attitudes towards using digital media. Lastly, there are opportunities and challenges that exist within the realm of remote user involvement, all of which depend on contextual factors such as task complexity, information characteristics and lastly the interpersonal needs of a given client-consultant relationship.