This thesis consists of six publications presenting a theoretical framework, a methodological proposal and three empirical studies. The aim of the work is; to gain knowledge on how children with severe multiple disabilities communicate with their caregivers, to analyse how different research strategies can add knowledge from different perspectives on communication, and to develop models for analysing and describing the dyadic interaction. The theoretical framework addresses the impact of multiple disabilities on the child’s communicative development, as well as the role of the communication partner, and implications for interventions. In the methodological framework, different research approaches are discussed and a system theory-based approach is proposed. The empirical studies are focused on pre-school children with intellectual disabilities in combination with vision disability and/or motor disability. When relationships between use of communication and child characteristics and setting conditions were investigated, the results showed relationships between disability and the use of communication but also that children with similar disability profiles could display quite different communicative patterns. When the communicative process was investigated with the proposed system theory-based approach, it was found that the child and caregiver continuously co-regulated their actions and together created consensual frames and that the process went through phases of instability and stability. Models for a system theory-based analysis of dyadic interaction are presented. The discussion is concentrated around how the results from the studies along with the theoretical aspects can contribute to evidence-based practice. The main conclusions are that, in communication involving a person with severe multiple disabilities, meaning is something that is co-constructed and communication cannot be regarded as a personal competence, the competence is within the dyad.

This research explores the combined use of soft systems methodology (SSM) and UML based business process modelling (BPM) techniques. These two techniques are integrated to provide a framework for the analysis and definition of suitable business process models. Such integration better supports developers following objectoriented (00) approaches than traditional business process modelling. The thesis describes the importance and difficulties in getting development proj ects aimed at the correct needs. We provide an overview of current business process modelling practices. From this it is argued that current practices show two major weaknesses. Firstly, the modelling language that is used is not a current standard amongst developers who now expect 00 and UML based approaches. Secondly, the techniques used do not emphasise analysis, often resulting in a lack of appreciation of the problem. In order to deal with these inadequacies, the thesis critically examines suitable techniques that can be used to analyse and model business processes to support the developer's requirements. The examination of SSM reveals that the technique does deal with the analysis limitations of current business process modelling techniques. SSM has been linked to information systems provision by previous researchers. Unfortunately the examination ofthese research attempts shows that the linking is conducted in an ad-hoc manner with no underlying theoretical basis or emphasis on business process modelling. We show how soft systems methodology techniques can be married with Eriksson and Penker (2000) UML business process modelling techniques following Mingers (2001) multi-methodology framework in a way that can over come these difficulties. This combined business analysis and modelling technique is applied to the production process in an aluminium rolling plant. Based on the experiences at one site, the integrated approach is able to deal with the complexities caused by multiple stakeholders, and is able to provide a UML representation of the required business process to guide developers. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003.

The purpose of this study was to investigate how the social services and the police co-operate with each other when they come into contact with an individual within their realms of influence. It has been shown in a report by Fridolf (2008) that co-operation is not the aim itself but used as a mean to reach for better processes and better results. We have used qualitative interviews in the study, where three social workers and three policemen have participated from the same municipality to answer our questions. To analyze our result we have used system theory and organization theory. The result of our study shows that within this specific municipality the two agencies co-operate very well. The main reasons why are that co-operation has been going on for a long time and that because of this they have been able to build up a good strategy that works well. Another reason is the fact that this very municipality is relatively small, which in its turn leads to closeness to each other which makes it easy to get in contact and to be aware of who the others involved are. However, this very co-operation can sometimes cause friction, because of the fact that the police and the social services do not always get the same picture of the youth that they are working with. This is because both agencies get to see the youth in different circumstances. The police see the youth from the perspective of being a perpetrator and the social services see the youth from the perspective of needing help. This is something that from both sides can be looked upon as being unfavorable in certain circumstances which could also in other words cause a friction in the co-operation. / Syftet med denna uppsats var att undersöka hur organisationerna socialtjänsten och polisen samarbetar. Det har visat sig, precis som Fridolf (2001) påstår i sin rapport, att samarbete inte är målet i sig utan en resurs för att skapa en bättre process och ett bättre resultat. Vi använde oss av kvalitativ metod för att utföra vår studie. Vi utförde därmed kvalitativa intervjuer där tre socialtjänstarbetare och tre poliser har deltagit från samma kommun för att svara på våra frågor. För att analysera vårt resultat har vi använt oss av systemteori och organisationsteori. Fungerar inte arbetet mellan de båda organisationerna kan detta bli förödande för individen. Resultatet av vår studie visar att inom denna specifika kommun fungerar samarbetet mycket bra. De skäl som nämns är att samarbetet har pågått under en lång tid och att man därför har lyckats bygga upp en god strategi som fungerar väl. Andra skäl som nämns är att just denna kommun är förhållandevis liten, vilket i sin tur leder till att närheten till varandra gör att man lätt kan få kontakt och att man vet vilka alla de som är involverade är. Det som kan ses som negativt i samarbetet och som ibland kan skapa friktion mellan dem, är det faktum att polisen och socialtjänsten inte alltid får samma bild av ungdomen de arbetar gemensamt med. Detta eftersom de båda aktörerna oftast får se ungdomen i olika sammanhang. Polisen ser ungdomen från perspektivet förövare och socialtjänst ser ungdomen från perspektivet hjälpbehövande. I och med detta bemöter de olika aktörerna ungdomen på olika sätt. Detta är något som från båda håll kan ses som ofördelaktigt i vissa tillfällen vilket med andra ord kan skapa friktion i samarbetet.

In 2011, Korea ratified the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement (KORUS-FTA). This treaty remains controversial in Korean society, particularly because many Koreans claim that the indirect expropriation doctrine under investor-state arbitration in the investment chapter will allow global investors to challenge governmental regulation justified by the Korean constitution. Despite such criticism, the KORUS-FTA indirect expropriation doctrine and the Korean constitutional property doctrine share more than might be expected in practice. However, this substantive doctrinal convergence between national and global legal systems does not eliminate all risks of conflict between the nation-state and global investors; conflicts can occur whenever two actors interpret the same text differently. Once an investment dispute happens, independent investor-state arbitration reviews governmental action according to independent interpretative rules. Systems theory suggests that nation-states can turn such global challenges into opportunities by taking contextual control over global investment in relying on the global investment legal system of the global investment regime. The nation-state can convince global investors that the nation-state respects transnational investment mechanisms, whilst indirectly imbuing norm-making with minimum national interest without incurring serious damage to its reputation. To be specific, the nation-state can attract more foreign investors by accepting the indirect expropriation doctrine and the investor-state arbitration respected by global investors. Simultaneously, the nation-state can secure minimum control over global investment under legitimate regulatory power reflected in the same indirect expropriation clause. In addition, the nation-state can guide the investment tribunal to secure a balance between investment protection and the regulatory power of the host state by prescribing the proportionality principle. Contextual control can be a sub-optimal choice for the nation-state in the sense that it avoids a worst-case scenario by securing proportionality and predictability. In order to make this measure more effective, the current global investment legal system needs to secure more commensurate autonomy or autopoiesis by furthering simultaneous and balanced structural coupling with a greater variety of social powers. In this context, global constitutionalism provides national constitutional tools for the nation-state; specifically, democratic participation in national treaty-making procedures and autopoietic structuralisation of the investment arbitration mechanism can make the substantive contents and application of global investment law fairer and more acceptable, not only to global investors and strong states, but also to social movements and smaller countries. In the context of the KORUS-FTA, the Korean government needs to make the treaty terms of indirect expropriation clearer through democratic participation. At the same time, the Korea should pay attention to making arbitration process reflexive to more various social interests, whilst protecting its operation from inappropriate influences. Such measures can prevent KORUSFTA tribunals from making extremely unacceptable decisions to actors of the global investment regime, including the Korean government, although they could not guarantee ideal decisions that stratify all actors perfectly.

Närstående till cancersjuka hamnar ofta i skuggan. Den närstående, omgivningen och sjukvården är samtliga fokuserade på att hjälpa den cancersjuke och det är så svårt att se att det finns fler som påverkas av cancersjukdomen, nämligen de som står den cancersjuke nära. Denna kvalitativa fenomenologiska studie har som syfte att beskriva närståendes upplevelse av att leva nära någon som har en cancerdiagnos. För att få en djupare förståelse för fenomenet och dess essens använder denna studie systemteori, psykosocialt stöd samt copingteori som teoretiska utgångspunkter. Dessa bidrar till en förståelse för det socialpsykologiska perspektivet gällande vem som påverkas av en cancersjukdom, hur påverkan ter sig samt hur den hanteras. Tio informanter som samtliga lever/har levt nära någon som har/har haft en cancerdiagnos deltog. Data samlades in genom semistrukturerade intervjuer. Resultatet visade att livet förändras i samband med att någon nära får en cancerdiagnos. Det visade också att det finns en trygghet i att få förståelse från omgivningen, men att närstående även i stor utsträckning vill klara sig själva för att på så sätt kontrollera situationen. / Cancer patients’ loved one’s often end up in the shadow. The loved one, the environment and healthcare are all focused on helping the cancer patient and it is then hard to see that there are more people affected by the cancer, namely the people being close to the patient. The aim of this qualitative phenomenological study is to describe the loved one’s experience of living close to someone who has cancer. To get a deeper understanding of the phenomenon and its essence this study use system theory, psychosocial support and coping theory as theoretical points. These contribute to an understanding of the social psychology perspective to whom is affected by cancer, how they are affected and how they handle it. Ten informants who all live/have lived with someone who has/had a cancer diagnosis attended. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The result showed that life changes when someone close gets a cancer diagnosis. It also showed that there is a security in the environments’ understanding, but that loved one’s also to a large extent would fend for themselves and in that way get control over situation.

The aim of this thesis is to explore how professionals working in a French community association perceived the notion of spirituality and a shared life practice, and furthermore what contributions and limits these concepts have in the social work. To attain this, a case study has been done using participant observations and four thematically opened interviews within a L'arche community where persons with varying disabilities are living together with professional assistants. To put the association in a theoretical framework, I propose it to be regarded as a case of milieu therapy with spiritual elements, which are the two areas that will be stressed out in the section about previous research. The theories used in the study are ecological system theory, existentialism and Roger's theory about interpersonal relationships. The result of the thesis illustrate how the notion of a shared life practice has good contributions in the social work, such as equal and personal relationships between the members of the community and furthermore a notion of time that makes the work unstressful and natural as a result of the communal living. However, a limit discovered regarding this practice is the exposed and tiering situation for the assistants that hinder a longterm work in the community for most assistants. Another finding is that the spiritual dimension in the community makes way for a holistic view of everyone and contributes with rituals that create strong moments of fellowship within the community, at the same time it risks to make people who regard themselves as non-spiritual not to feel totally included.

Introduction: The number of students with school refusal has remained at a constant level in Sweden since measurements began in 2006. School health service resources has been reduced since municipalisation which makes it difficult to intercept these students in time. Objective: To identify the tools of school health services, resources and professional skills with unauthorized absence, and the measures applied preventively. Method: A qualitative study based on seven semi-structured interviews with all professions within the school health services. Results: The school's responsibility affect both student health organization and the student's school structure. The new grades and subject schemes introduced in 2011 make higher requirements on today's students. It´s important that all of the school personell are aware of the problem and pursue the same objectives, for a good interaction. Discussion: School health services shared experiences around the concept school refusal behavior reflects the complexity of the problem. Knowledge and skills are important components. The school teams experience that they are self-taught regarding the subject but want further education and increased resources to be more preventive and relationship-building. Conclusion: Further Swedish research and knowledge is needed, as well as an improved definition of the concept in order to improve school health service’s work with school refusal students in student.Keywords:

The purpose of this study is to find out from a didactic perspective, how traditional gender roles emerge in the classroom and the conceptions of traditional gender roles. This is explored from a student’s perspective. The theoretical frame of this study is gender system, which consists of the principles of separation and hierarchy. The survey is conducted in two classes in third grade. This study answers following questions: How do traditional gender roles appear in the classroom from a student´s perspective? Which conception exist about traditional gender roles from a student's perspective? The study is based on observations and interviews, which is analysed of the gender system theory and the theoretical concept traditional gender roles. The results of this study show that the students' behavior in the classroom and their thinking are mostly based on the traditional gender roles, which is characterized mostly by the principles of separation and hierarchy.  However, some situations and statements show a change, in which the principles of separation and hierarchy are questioned. The individual situations reflect that the transfer of the gender contract is minimized from one generation to another.

Background:           City Logistics is experiencing many innovative activities in the recent years. These activities are initiated and enhanced by numerous public and private actors, who jointly form innovative networks.   Purpose:                  The purpose of this thesis is to identify the actors, who jointly form the city logistics network, and determine their contribution towards innovation in these networks.   Method:                  The research is based on an interview study. We conducted interviews with representatives of a variety of city logistics actors. These interviews and additional secondary data were analyzed using content analysis. To illustrate the structure of innovative city logistics networks, we used a combination of systems and network theory.   Conclusion:             The results show that actors from six groups are strongly involved in city logistics innovation. These are policymakers, logistics companies, shippers & receivers, technology providers, research institutions and independent platforms. Actors in innovative city logistics networks show a sufficient level of commitment, but they have different focuses in their innovative activities. The most extensive contributions are made by policymakers and logistics companies. Still, policymakers struggle in their function as coordinators of city logistics.

The purpose of this research is to better understand how marketers and consumers solve problems. This research first reviews the problem-solving literature, discusses several areas of confusion related to problem-solving, and offers solutions. After resolving the confusion, this research then develops a theoretical model of problemsolving. Four hypotheses are derived from the model, and then empirically tested. The model states that the distinct cognitive domain of problem-solving begins with problem recognition. Given a problem, associative memory and associative activation provide a solution (H #1). This solution is either satisfactory or unsatisfactory. If satisfactory, the individual engages in the satisficing process and accepts the solution (H#2). If unsatisfactory, the individual engages in the decision-making process and searches for information related to an alternative solution (H #3). Thus, the difference between satisficing and decision-making is the search for information (H #4). Problemsolving ends when an intended solution is chosen. A pretest and two studies are conducted to test the four hypotheses. The Pretest demonstrated situations that elicited problem recognition. Study 1 tested hypothesis #1 and found that at least 75 percent of the time associative memory and associative activation provided a solution. Study 2 tested hypotheses #2, #3, and #4. Hypotheses #2 and #3 were tested using a two-way ANOVA, Chi-Square, and Point Biserial Correlation and hypothesis #4 was tested using an independent sample t-test and Point Biserial Correlation. Results of all empirical tests confirm each of the hypotheses, which in turn support the theoretical model. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection