In manufacturing, requirements are an essential aspect of the development process. A requirements view provides a perspective on how requirements are incorporated into the design and architecture of a system. Requirements documents for different product versions at a company like Alstom contain operational scenarios and Given-When-Then requirements, a specific format for expressing functional requirements. Operational scenarios are examples of how the product will be used in real-world situations, and they can also be useful for identifying and specifying functional and nonfunctional requirements. Currently, operational scenarios are manually linked to Given-When-Then requirements. This thesis presents a conceptual design that streamlines the requirements engineering process and allows for easier linking operational scenarios to Given-When-Then requirements.

The social and economic impact of urban flooding is becoming more severe in the United States over time. Urban areas are mostly vulnerable to flash floods because of the impervious surface, which increases the surface runoff. More than 80 percent of people live in urban areas in the United States, and they are at higher risk of urban flooding. Although many urban areas have a higher risk of urban flooding, there is still a significant knowledge gap of understanding between the minority's and nonminority's vulnerability to urban floods. Therefore, using Birmingham, Alabama, as a study area, this research designs a quantitative thematic mapping method to assess the flood risks of urban population and buildings. In this research, census data was used to assess urban residents' vulnerability to flooding using thematic mapping method – location quotient (LQ) and compare it with the widely used social vulnerability index. The findings suggest that the aggregation of White populations is much higher compared to minorities. This research also developed a flood risk model using integrated GIS and cartographic approach considering different environmental factors that influence the urban floods. This study found that the Valley Creek area is the highest flood risk zone in Birmingham, and has the highest percentage of residential (i.e., 56.14 %) and commercial (i.e., 75.34 %) buildings located in very high flood risk areas. The decennial census data from 1990 to 2015 was used to examine whether vulnerable population groups aggregated more in the flooding areas or moved away from Birmingham's flooding areas in the past thirty years. The findings of this research indicate that most minorities are aggregating more in the floodplain areas, whereas the non-minorities are moving away from the flooding regions.

We uses ESG thematic funds to conduct a detailed statistical profile of their operating status in the Chinese market, including the size, the proportion of different investment types, and the characteristics of return and risk. The OLS model is used to empirically analyze the applicability of the Fama-French five-factor model in the Chinese mutual fund market. Based on the a ESG rating as a starting point, we study the profit improvement mechanism and risk-return characteristics of the ESG portfolios. The main findings are that the five-factor model better explained the excess returns of ESG thematic funds during the entire sample period of the study and can be used for attribution analysis of the performance. It shows that, despite the poor performance of ESG thematic funds in the market during certain periods, there is no significant difference between the performance of ESG thematic funds and the market during the economic crisis. The ROEs and dividend rates of the ESG high-scoring groups are both higher than those of the ESG low-scoring groups. This shows that companies with higher ESG scores have higher and more sustainable profitability and greater willingness to pay dividends. Furthermore, the ESG high-scoring group has better returns and lower risks. / Business Administration/Finance

To identify key issues concerning the use of Swedish Radio’s podcasts as a vehicle for social marketing to promote integration, a thematic analysis was conducted on podcasts published by the Kurdish department of Swedish Radio (SR) during one week. From a total of 37 published podcasts which were analyzed during the chosen time frame, three central themes were identified: (a) crime and criminality, (b) incidents and events related to different municipalities and at state level in Sweden at the time, and (c) issues related to refugees and immigration in Sweden. Each of these central themes comprised sub-themes, which provided further insights into the type of topics the Kurdish department of SR discussed during the one-week time span. Data from this study suggests that although SR Kurdish has the means to be used as a social marketing tool to promote integration in Sweden, this potential is far from being fully utilized. / För att identifiera huvudproblematiken beträffande användandet av Sveriges Radio’s (SR) podcast som ett socialt verktyg för att stärka integrationen, utarbetades en tematisk analys över podcasts publicerade av den kurdiska avdelningen på SR under en vecka. Från totalt 37 publicerade podcasts, togs tre stycken teman fram: (a) brott och kriminalitet, (b) olyckor och incidenter relaterade till olika kommuner och på statlig nivå i Sverige, och (c) frågeställningar relaterade till flyktingar och immigration i Sverige. I varje centralt tema är det ett flertal underteman som ger en ökad insikt i vilken typ av ämnen den kurdiska avdelningen på SR diskuterade under den angivna tidsperioden. Utifrån denna studie kan det fastställas att även om den kurdiska avdelningen på SR användes som ett socialt verktyg för att stärka integrationen, är potentialen av detta långt ifrån fullt utnyttjad.

This research examines the manifestation of collaborative relationships among technological individuals involved in innovation across corporate alliances on scale. Collaboration “on scale” refers to the necessity for global companies to work together to innovate, thus developing ways of cooperating across multiple alliances. ‘Organizations’ do not do this – it is the individuals who work for them that do. However, traditional research defaults to a corporate culture focus on innovation processes and tools, with the result that little is known about how individuals representing their companies collaborate with individuals in numerous other companies in order to achieve innovation. The research therefore looks through the lens of the individual with the aims of (i) understanding how individuals relate and collaborate with others in a range of companies; (ii) finding ways of improving those relationships, and (iii), actively bridging the gap between academia and business so that the learning from this project can be applied in practice. A qualitative, interview based methodology is used to identify individual attributes and gain an understanding of their impact on collaborative relationships. Five main themes are discovered that explain the individual behavioral influences that stimulate or hinder collaborative relationships in innovation practice. They are Make it Personal, Value Relationships, Champion the Cause, Offer Tribute, and Trust Your Intuition. The conclusions call for leaders to develop a deeper focus on individuals contributing to collaboration, strengthen relationships, integrate collaboration and innovation, improve intuitional skills, and re-examine measures and rewards. Academically, this research proposes new theory related to influencing variables in collaborative relationships. A bridge between academic theory and business practice is established firstly through developing a writing style designed to bridge that gap, and secondly through use of a practical rubric framework and self-assessment package to enable individuals to learn how to instill these findings in their collaborative relationships and get more out of innovation results. The report highlights areas and suggestions for future research study. / Royal Dutch Shell

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The United States is the world’s top resettlement country for refugees and the third largest community of Burmese refugees lives in the state of Indiana. Many refugee families look to their college-age youth to enhance their well-being. This study explored the lived experiences of Burmese refugee college students’ resettlement and the role that social support plays in that approach. In order to explore the refugee students’ resettlement experiences and the role of social support, social support theory and conservation of resources theory were used to explain the importance of social support for refugee students’ successful resettlement. A qualitative study using thematic analysis was conducted using 32 in-depth individual interviews with Burmese refugee students in higher education. Through an indepth examination of the lived experiences of Burmese refugee college students’ resettlement, four main themes were identified: challenges of resettlement, resettlement needs, the resources of social support, and resettlement experiences. Refugee students actively cultivated their life and showed aspirations of being successful members of this new environment. Even though they faced many challenges and needs identified through interviews, the participants overcame these barriers including a different culture and language and prosper in their lives in the host country. The social support from the coethnic community and people in the host country both affected the participants’ successful resettlement. Co-ethnic community also plays an important role to pursue higher education. The study findings will be used by social work practice, programs, and policies to improve the success of Burmese refugee students' resettlement. This study would serve as a foundation for enhancing refugee students’ resettlement and understanding the critical role of social support resources during the resettlement period. Burmese refugee students would be an important avenue to develop international relations and achieve social justice. In spite of a variety of barriers and prejudices, Burmese refugee students bloom and flourish in their new environment in the United States. They are beneficiaries but also currently benefactors. The perspectives on refugees need to change and move from victims to the citizens of the world.

<p> An analysis was performed using LANDSAT Thematic Mapper digital imagery to determine the feasibility of fine scale vegetation classification in southern Ontario. </p> <p> MICROPIPS, an image processing program, was used to analyse the Thematic Mapper data, based on spectral response patterns of different land cover types. Final classified images were compared with vegetation classifications as determined by the Royal Botanical Gardens, in Hamilton, Ontario. </p> <p> It was concluded, that it was possible to classify land cover types using MICROPIPS, but only at a general level. Thus, it was not feasible to classify vegetation on a fine scale. </p> / Thesis / Candidate in Philosophy

Bakgrund: Kronisk hosta är ett vanligt medicinskt tillstånd och definieras som hosta som varar mer än åtta veckor och är behandlingsresistent (refraktär) trots noggranna utredningar eller medicinska behandlingar. Det drabbar cirka 10% av den vuxna befolkningen och har en betydande negativ inverkan på livskvalitet. Det finns hittills inga studier som beskriver hur hostan påverkar individernas vardag och möjlighet att genomföra fysisk aktivitet. Syfte: Att undersöka hur individer som har diagnostiserats med kronisk refraktär hosta upplever att hostan påverkar vardagen och hens förmåga att vara fysisk aktiv.  Metod: Kvalitativ metod med semistrukturerade intervjuer tillämpades. Intervjuerna (n=10) transkriberades och tolkades med tematisk analys med induktiv ansats.  Resultat: Analysen resulterade i tre huvudteman 1) Betydande inverkan på vardagen, 2) Kampen om kontrollen och 3) Hostan under fysisk aktivitet. Dessa tre teman och deras åtta underteman belyser komplexiteten och omfattningen av hur hostan påverkar individernas liv. Slutsats: Kronisk hosta har avsevärd påverkan på vardagen och har negativa effekter på individens psykosociala tillstånd. Studien belyser dock att fysisk aktivitet är genomförbart för individer med kronisk hosta men att anpassningar kan behövas avseende intensitet eller typ av aktivitet. En bättre förståelse för innebörden och konsekvenserna av att leva med kronisk hosta kan vara ett bidrag till att ytterligare utveckla framgångsrika behandlingsmetoder. / Background: Chronic cough is a common medical condition and is defined as cough that lasts more than eight weeks and is treatment-resistant (refractory) despite careful investigations or medical treatments. It affects about 10% of the adult population and has a significant negative impact on quality of life. So far, there are no studies describing how the cough affects individuals' everyday lives and ability to carry out physical activity. Aim: To investigate how individuals who have been diagnosed with chronic refractory cough experience that the cough affects everyday life and his/her ability to be physically active. Method: Qualitative method with semi-structured interviews was applied. The interviews (n=10) were transcribed and interpreted with thematic analysis with an inductive approach. Results: The analysis resulted in three main themes: 1) Significant impact on everyday life, 2) The struggle for control and 3) The cough during physical activity. These three themes and their eight subthemes highlight the complexity and scope of how the cough affects the lives of individuals. Conclusion: Chronic cough has a significant impact on everyday life and has negative effects on the individual's psychosocial state. However, the study highlights that physical activity is feasible for individuals with chronic cough but that adaptations may be needed regarding intensity or type of activity. A better understanding of the meaning and consequences of living with chronic cough can be a contribution to further developing successful treatment methods.

Agens, vilket definieras som klientens upplevelse av att intentionellt kunna handla utifrån önskade och förväntade utfall, men också upplevelsen av att kunna påverka utgången av sitt liv, har i tidigare forskning lyfts fram som en potentiell common factor och psykologisk förändringsmekanism vid psykoterapeutisk behandling. Föreliggande studie syftade till att undersöka terapeuters upplevelse av arbetet med klientens agens i psykoterapi. Sju semistrukturerade intervjuer med yrkesverksamma leg. psykoterapeuter och/eller leg. psykologer genomfördes och analyserades utifrån en induktiv tematisk analys, vilket mynnade ut i tre teman: Det konfliktfyllda agentskapet, Värdet av agens i psykoterapi och Att främja agens - ett gemensamt arbete. Studiens resultat visar att klientens agentskap upplevdes konfliktfyllt och svårt att hantera för klienten, vilket påverkade det terapeutiska arbetet och krävde bedömning och medvetandegörande från terapeuten. Att arbeta agensfrämjande upplevdes ha ett stort värde och som en grundförutsättning för att åstadkomma varaktig förändring. Klientens agens upplevdes främjas av ett gemensamt arbete, vilket terapeuten behöver skapa förutsättningar för. Studiens resultat går i linje med tidigare forskning om agens som en möjlig psykologisk förändringsmekanism och common factor, vilket lyfter frågan huruvida framtida psykoterapeutisk behandling och klinisk träning av terapeuter bör ha en större betoning på kärnprocesserna i en effektiv terapi, där klientens agens kan vara en sådan. / Agency, which can be defined as the experience of being able to intentionally act upon wished and anticipated outcomes, but also the experience of being able to influence the outcome of one’s life, has in previous research been proposed as a potential common factor and mechanism of change in psychotherapy. The purpose of the present study was to explore therapists’ experiences of working with client’s agency in psychotherapy. This was explored by using a qualitative approach and was based on seven semi-structured interviews with licensed psychologists and/or licensed psychotherapists. The data was analysed through an inductive thematic analysis, which resulted in three themes: The conflicts of agency, The value of agency in psychotherapy and Fostering agency - A joint work. The results showed that the therapists’ experiences client´s agency as something conflicted and difficult for the clients to manage, which affects the therapeutic work and thereby requires assessment and raising awareness. Furthermore, working with a client´s agency was highly valued and experienced as a prerequisite for achieving long lasting change in therapy. A joint work between therapist and client, which the therapist needs to create conditions for, was experienced as something that fostered the client’s agency. The results of the study are consistent with previous research regarding agency as a potential common factor and mechanism of change in psychotherapy. This raises the question of whether psychotherapy and clinical training of psychotherapists should put a greater emphasis on core processes in an effective psychotherapy, perhaps such as client’s agency.

Syfte. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka kvinnors upplevelser av att ha PMS i arbetslivet. Målet med studien var att beskriva vilka faktorer som är centrala i detta samt eventuella behov kopplade till upplevelsen. Metod. Studien använde kvalitativ ansats och semistrukturerad intervju och tematisk analys som metod. 6 yrkesaktiva kvinnor mellan 26–42 år med regelbunden PMS rekryterades i ett ändamålsenligt tillgänglighetsurval för att bäst fånga in studiens syfte och frågeställning. Resultat. Analysen resulterade i följande huvudteman; 1) Kunskap är nyckeln till förståelse, 2) Sociala faktorer försvårar och underlättar, 3) Belastningar ökar och 4) Anpassningar hjälper. Kunskap om ämnet rapporterades som en viktig grundförutsättning för att hantera PMS. Belastningar i arbetet upplevdes öka under PMS samtidigt som sociala faktorer både försvårade och underlättade upplevelsen. Anpassningar av arbetsupplägget och i arbetsmiljön efterfrågades samt upplevdes vara hjälpsamma vid PMS. Slutsats. Att arbeta med PMS upplevs vara belastande och kunna leda till stress och utmattningsproblematik. Hjälpsamma anpassningar vid PMS erfordras och behöver föregås av dialog på arbetsplatsen, vilket i sin tur kräver kunskapsutveckling om PMS inom organisationen / Purpose. The aim of the study was to examine women's experiences of having PMS in the worklife. The goal was to describe which factors are central and which needs are related to them. Method. The study was qualitative and specific methods were semi structured interviews and thematic analysis. 6 participants were recruited through expedient and availability selection. The participants were working females, aged 26–42, with regular PMS. Results. Main themes in the analysis were; 1) Knowledge is the key to understanding, 2)Social factors complicate and facilitate, 3) Strains increase, and 4) Adjustments helps. Knowledge about PMS is necessary in order to cope. Strains within the work context were experienced as higher during PMS. Social factors at work were reported to both obstruct and ease symptoms whilst adaptations in the workplace were requested and helpful. Conclusion. To work during PMS is experienced as burdensome and can possibly cause stress and burnout. Helpful adjustments during PMS is required but needs to be preceded by conversation at the workplace, which in its turn is required to be preceded by increased knowledge within the organization.