Thesis (PH.D.) -- Syracuse University, 2005. / "Publication number AAT 3207106."

Thesis (M.S. )--Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, 2006. / Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-06, page: 2719. Typescript. Abstract precedes thesis as 1 leaf (iv). Includes bibliographical references (leaf 18).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of British Columbia, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-122).

Thesis (B.A.)--Whitman College, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 170-174).

The performance of a team depends not only on the abilities of its individual members, but also on how these members interact with each other. Inspired by this premise and motivated by a large number of applications in educational, industrial and management settings, this thesis studies a family of problems, known as team-formation problems, that aim to engineer teams that are effective and successful. The major challenge in this family of problems is dealing with the complexity of the human team participants. Specifically, each individual has his own objectives, demands, and constraints that might be in contrast with the desired team objective. Furthermore, different collaboration models lead to different instances of team-formation problems. In this thesis, we introduce several such models and describe techniques and efficient algorithms for various instantiations of the team-formation problem. This thesis consists of two main parts. In the first part, we examine three distinct team-formation problems that are of significant interest in (i) educational settings, (ii) industrial organizations, and (iii) management settings respectively. What constitutes an effective team in each of the aforementioned settings is totally dependent on the objective of the team. For instance, the performance of a team (or a study group) in an educational setting can be measured as the amount of learning and collaboration that takes place inside the team. In industrial organizations, desirable teams are those that are cost-effective and highly profitable. Finally in management settings, an interesting body of research uncovers that teams with faultlines are prone to performance decrements. Thus, the challenge is to form teams that are free of faultlines, that is, to form teams that are robust and less likely to break due to disagreements. The first part of the thesis discusses approaches for formalizing these problems and presents efficient computational methods for solving them. In the second part of the thesis, we consider the problem of improving the functioning of existing teams. More precisely, we show how we can use models from social theory to capture the dynamics of the interactions between the team members. We further discuss how teams can be modified so that the interaction dynamics lead to desirable outcomes such as higher levels of agreement or lesser tension and conflict among the team members.

M.Ed. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The present study aimed to (1) examine the direct relationship between coach transformational leadership and peer transformational leadership on team cohesion within elite Swedish floorball players, (2) examine potential differences between coach leadership behaviours and peer leadership behaviours on team cohesion, and (3) examine gender differences in perceived coach leadership behaviours, peer leadership behaviours and team cohesion.  A cross-sectional design was used and data was collected through self-assessment questionnaires of transformational leadership and team cohesion from 87 elite floorball players (59 females, 28 males). Age varied from 16 to 33 years (Mage = 22.4, SD = 3.87). Regression analyses revealed that both coach and peer transformational leadership predicted task cohesion, but coach transformational leadership had a stronger influence. There was no correlation between coach or peer transformational leadership and social cohesion. Independent t-tests indicate that female athletes tend to rate higher on peer transformational leadership and task cohesion. There were no gender differences regarding coach transformational leadership and social cohesion. The results from this study are discussed and a co-operation between coach and peer transformational leadership are purposed to increase task cohesion. Further research could refine which specific coach and peer transformational leadership behaviours that correlate to team cohesion, and further clarify the role gender might play.

Le processus de création d’une entreprise par une équipe d’entrepreneurs est un phénomène multidimensionnel. A cet effet, cette recherche essaye de classifier les équipes entrepreneuriales, de déterminer les différents facteurs favorisant la prise de décision d’équiprendre et d’extraire les processus d’engagement équipreneurial à partir des perceptions des équipreneurs. La vérification adopte une approche qualitative par l’intermédiaire d’un entretien approfondi et son analyse sur la base de l’approche avancée par Miles et Huberman (2003) et des analyses lexicales et linguistiques par l’intermédiaire de deux logiciels : IRamuteQ et TROPES. Les résultats mettent en relief deux formes équipreneuriales : les entreprises équipreneuriales et les entreprises collectives. Le processus de création varie selon cette typologie. En effet, cette étude essaie de rechercher un processus type qui prédit le mieux la création d’entreprise en équipe et qui peut être utile aux opérateurs en entrepreneuriat. / The process of firm creation by a team of entrepreneurs is a multidimensional phenomenon. This search tries to classify the entrepreneurial teams, to determine the various factors favoring the decision-making of team entrepreneurship and to extract the processes of entrepreneurial team commitment from the perceptions of the teams. The verification adopts a qualitative approach through an in-depth interviews analysis based on the approach presented by Miles and Huberman (2003) and lexical and linguistic analyses through two software: IRamuteQ and TROPES. The results demonstrate two forms of entrepreneurial teams: ‘’equipreneurial’’ firms and collective firms. The process of creation varies according to this typology. Indeed, this study tries to look for a typical process which predicts the new firm creation by a team and which can be useful for the operators in entrepreneurship.

Abstract This thesis examines and evaluates the Object-Oriented Client/Server (OOCS) model, a process model that can be used when IT organizations develop object-oriented client/server applications. In particular, it defines the roles in the development team and combines them into the process model. Furthermore, the model focuses on the client/server architecture, considering it explicitly. The model has been under construction for several years and it has been tested in a number of industrial projects. Feedback from practice has thus been an important source when the model has been evolving into its current form. Another source for evolution has been other process models and technical progress in this field. This thesis reveals the theoretical and practical aspects that have influenced the model's characteristics and developmnt. The object-oriented paradigm has been the driving force when creating the OOCS model. The first object-oriented development models were, however, both inadequate and contradictory to each other. The OOCS model utilizes the best practices from these early models. The model also defines artifacts to be delivered in each phase. The artifacts are synchronized with the Unified Modeling Language (UML), a new standard modeling notation. From the very beginning the OOCS model has included a strong client/server viewpoint, which is not stated so clearly in other object-oriented models. A three-tier division of the application (presentation, business logic, data management) can be found in each phase. This division has become crucial in recent years, when applications have been built on distributed architecture. The team-based roles included in the model are based on the work of a few other researchers, although this topic has not gained the importance it should have had. Namely, it is people that develop the application and their involvement in the process should be stated explicitly. The roles of the developers are closely connected to the OOCS process model via the concept of activities included in the model. The roles concentrate mainly on project members, but company-level aspects have also been considered. This thesis summarizes the work carried out in the last five years. It shows how the model has evolved in practice and how other models have contributed to it. The team-based OOCS model is in use in some IT organizations. The cases presented in this thesis illustrate how to adapt the model into specific organizational needs.

Magister Scientiae (Physiotherapy) - MSc(Physio) / The education system in South Africa has been on a path of change since 1994, in an effort to correct the injustices and inequalities of our apartheid past. In 2001 Education White Paper Six and the inclusive education policy was introduced. This policy is based on creating an environment where special needs education is seen as a non-racial and integrated part of the education system and envisages the role of special schools changing in order to facilitate this process. Special schools will continue to provide services to the severely disabled and high needs learner. However staff at special schools will be encouraged to make their expertise and resources available to the ordinary schools in the community. This study is focused on the role of the physiotherapist in special schools. The introduction of the new policy required physiotherapists to serve the needs of learners at special schools as well as provide indirect support to ordinary schools in the community. However physiotherapists have not been trained to provide indirect support and feel that they have not had adequate assistance to improve their skills and knowledge in this area. This study therefore looked at how the knowledge, skills and attitudes of physiotherapists can be enhanced and developed in order to meet the need of successfully implementing inclusive education. The aim of the study was to design, implement and evaluate an intervention aimed at improving the knowledge, skills and attitudes of physiotherapists in providing indirect support in the education system. In order to do so, it was necessary to meet the following objectives. Firstly to determine how physiotherapists perceive indirect support and their role in the district based support team; and secondly to determine the barriers experienced by physiotherapists in providing indirect support as well as their needs to provide appropriate support within the inclusive education framework. A qualitative study was conducted using the action research method. This study involved five special schools in the Western Cape and a total of nine participating physiotherapists. Focus group discussions were used to collect data. The first focus group discussion involved participants identifying their perceptions of indirect support, their role in the district based support team, barriers to indirect support and their needs in order to provide appropriate support in the inclusive education framework. The data collected were analyzed using content analysis. The findings revealed that many of the physiotherapists are experiencing difficulties in making the shift from direct to indirect support, due to not having been provided with the necessary support, resources and training to facilitate the transition to inclusive education practices. A second round of focus group discussions were held for the physiotherapists to prioritise a need that the intervention would be based on. Thereafter a training workshop was held, based on the prioritised need, to improve the provision of indirect support by physiotherapists. This research has shown that physiotherapists have begun to engage with the change process by questioning the implications of the inclusive education policy and looking at how their role in special schools needs to change. The physiotherapists require assistance in the facilitation of a transition from providing mainly direct support in special schools, to also providing indirect support in an inclusive education setting. They require the assistance of the school management and the Department of Education to provide the necessary support, resources and training to facilitate the transition to inclusive education practices.