Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Texas, Aug., 2009. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

In developing a construct of organization for higher education, this study is designed to describe the historical development of college and university organizational structures and supporting theory, to describe higher education's contemporary organizational structures and supporting theory, to determine from writings on complex organizations their applications to organizational structures and supporting theory in higher education, to synthesize from the search of literature a consistent theory of organizational structures and supporting theory for higher education institutions, and to develop a higher education organizational construct composed primarily of principles of organizational structure. This study explores theory of organization as it pertains to colleges and universities. Heuristically conceived, the study is reflective and developmental in nature.

Den svenska regeringen har tagit fram ett nationellt program för att få ett välfungerande föräldrastöd för den svenska befolkningen. Anledningen till det är att ohälsa bland unga har ökat. Var och en av Sveriges kommuner ska kunna erbjuda föräldrar stöd genom olika föräldrastödsprogram och föräldrautbildningar. Dock tar inte regeringen någon ställning till dem specifika föräldrautbildningar, som tillexempel COPE. Men Statens Folkhälsoinstitut har rekommenderat COPE- föräldrautbildning som ett bra alternativ som föräldrastöd för kommunerna. COPE står för The community parent education program och är en utbildning som erbjuds till föräldrar för inspirera till nya idéer och handlingsmetoder i sitt föräldraskap. Detta har bland annat Sjuhärads kommunalförbund tagit fasta på och tagit ett gemensamt beslut om att införa COPE i kommunerna. Problemet som uppdagats har varit att deltagarantalet inte varit så högt som hade varit önskvärt. Vilket i sin tur har fått några av kommunerna att lägga ner sin COPE verksamhet. Samt varit en av anledningarna till att kommunalförbundet valt att satsa på ett projekt om samverkan kring föräldrastöd i Sjuhäradsbygden. Ur ett föräldraperspektiv har det visat sig att de flesta vet vad COPE- föräldrautbildning är för något men valt att inte använda sig av den som ett stöd eller inspirationsverktyg. Många uppger att anledningen är bristande behov av att få utbildning i sitt föräldraskap och att de inte anse sig ha så stora problem så att det krävs en utbildning. Vilket är budskapet som föräldrarna möter om COPE. Den här studien har med hjälp av översättningsteorin försökt upplysa om vad som påverkar en kommun när något nytt ska implementeras. Samt är syftet är att kunna öka kunskapen om vad som i processen när en idé ska bli praktik. Där kommunernas olikheter ofta gör att översättningen från idé till verklighet ser annorlunda ut. Samtidigt är vikten av att framföra budskapet om COPE till föräldrarna på det sätt som skulle inspirera föräldrarna att gå den.

This master thesis has examined a user’s capabilities to utilize the Swedish national web archive Kulturarw³ for research purposes. The aim was also to identify any potential areas of improvement in the user’s capabilities working with Kulturarw³. The research questions are: 1. How does Kulturarw³ operate? 2. What are the main factors which affect Kulturarw³ structure and function? 3. What capabilities exist for researchers and students to utilize Kulturarw³ for their research? Are there any potential areas of improvement to the web archives user capabilities? The author has analyzed the web archive altogether using institutional theory in organization studies. The analysis has been loosely structured after Staffan Furusten’s model of the outside world in using institutional theory in organization studies. The purpose of this is to explain why the web archive looks the way it does today. An understanding of the web archive will better illuminate why any potential areas of improvement identified may or may not be possible for KW3 to implement. The author has conducted email interviews, in-person interviews as well as digital interviews with the staff responsible for working with Kulturarw³ at the Swedish National Library, Kungliga biblioteket. A draft of guidelines concerning Kulturarw³ from Kungliga biblioteket and a video-interview at Internetmuseum with one of the the founders of the web archive has also been used as source-material for this master thesis. The author concluded that Kulturarw³ is a national web archive with a long history. Its functions and limitations are complex. Kulturarw³s operation has changed greatly throughout its lifetime because of the surrounding environment. Several main factors which affect Kulturarw³ were identified. Several Swedish laws, international charters and initiatives, collaborations between and relations to other web archives, use of open-source software and digitalization’s impact on Kulturarw³ is discussed in detail. Kulturarw³'s long history of archiving the Swedish web makes it a valuable and plentiful source for research. Its collections and functions should be sufficient for anyone to conduct qualitative research. Yet at the current moment, the web archive is too inaccessible to live up to user’s expectations. That makes it an unviable option for research purposes. Unfortunately, there is not a lot Kulturarw³ can currently change to make it more assessable. The lack of information readily available also hinders users from using the web archive at max efficiency. There is a lot of opportunities for KB to better inform its users of its value and capabilities. An increased collaboration with Swedish research institutions would also benefit both researchers and the web archive in the long run.

In der Netzwerkgesellschaft des 21. Jahrhunderts gilt die kollaborative Verteilung und Nutzung von Information und Wissen als Schlüsselstrategie für den webbasierten Informations- und Wissenstransfer. Durch die technologischen Möglichkeiten werden technische Zugangsbarrieren weitestgehend überwunden und traditionelle Formen der Wissensvermittlung durch moderne webbasierte Lernumgebungen ergänzt. Der Umgang mit kollaborativen Lehr- und Lernszenarien im dynamischen Informations- und Wissenstransfer bildet die Grundlage für den soziokulturellen Fortschritt innerhalb der Bildungsforschung. Der Schwerpunkt dieser Arbeit lag auf der strukturellen und relationalen Analyse sozialer Organisationsstrukturen innerhalb von Wissensnetzwerken. Ziel war es, Einflussfaktoren offenzulegen, die sich auf das Innovations- und Distributionspotential von Information und Wissen innerhalb von kollaborativen Wissensnetzwerken auswirken. Es wurden dazu Interaktionsprozesse von Teilnehmern innerhalb von Diskussionsforen am Beispiel der Lernplattform OPAL – dem aktuell populärsten Lernmanagementsystem in der Hochschulbildung Sachsens, Deutschland – untersucht. Unter der Annahme, dass soziale Interaktion besonders im Umgang mit kollaborativen Medien den Bildungsablauf und der Aufbau von Wissensnetzwerken die Lehr- und Lernprozesse beeinflusst, wurden in dieser Arbeit die strukturellen Bedingungen des kollaborativen Wissensnetzwerkes in OPAL exploriert und soziale Rollenkonstrukte relational identifiziert, um die Auswirkungen kollaborativer Aktivitäten auf den Informations- und Wissenstransfer in Wissensnetzwerken zu erklären. Es wurden vornehmlich beziehungsorientierte kommunikationstheoretische Modelle zugrunde gelegt und relationale Forschungsmethoden wie SNA (Social Network Analysis) und DNA (Dynamic Network Analysis) angewandt, um eine Basis für die weiterführende Implementierung sozial vernetzter Lehr- und Lernstrategien in der Bildungsforschung zu schaffen. […] / In the network society of the 21st century, a key strategy for web-based exchange of information and knowledge is their collaborative distribution and use. Technical hurdles of access are mostly being overcome with technological advances and traditional forms of passing on knowledge are being complemented by modern, e-learning environments. Within research into education, the foundation for socio-cultural progress is formed by involvement with collaborative teaching and learning scenarios in a dynamic exchange of information and knowledge. The emphasis of this work lay in the analysis of structures and relationships of social organisations within knowledge networks. The aim was to describe the exchange of information and knowledge in collaborative learning systems and to explore its influence on the potential for innovation and distribution of information and knowledge. A study was undertaken of the interaction of participants in discussion forums as exemplified by the learning platform OPAL – currently the most popular learning management system in secondary school education in Saxony, Germany. On the assumption that social interaction, particularly involving collaborative media, the progress of education and the construction of knowledge networks do influence teaching and learning processes, this work explored the structural conditions of OPAL's collaborative knowledge network and identified relationships between social role constructs in order to explain the effect of collaborative activities on the process of diffusion of information and knowledge in knowledge networks. Primarily the study was based on relationship oriented sociological models and communication theory models, and research methods for relationships, including SNA (Social Network Analysis) and DNA (Dynamic Network Analysis) were applied, so as to create a basis for further implementation of social network teaching and learning strategies in educational research. [...]

Résumé Le cadre théorique de la contingence structurelle associe généralement « contexte, structure et performance » (Burns et Stalker, 1961; Woodward, 1965; Lawrence et Lorsch, 1967 ; Mintzberg, 1979).Le besoin de tester cette théorie dans l’environnement d’un pays sous développé (PSD) nous a conduit, dans cette recherche, à l’utilisation d’un cadre réduit basé uniquement sur des liens entre la technologie (remplacée par TI) et la structure (Galbraith, 1972 ; Lacrampe, 1974 ; Leifer, 1988). Notre cadre théorique s’appuie sur les approches managériales, économiques et organisationnelles des TI et de l’EDI (Leavitt, 1968 ; Scott Morton, 1991). Il utilise la théorie contingente de la gestion comptable (Otley, 1980; Chapman, 1997) et des systèmes d’information comptable AIS (Sutton, 1995; Maudlin et Ruchala, 1999; Baldwin et alii, 2000; Dunk, 2001) comme domaine d’opérationnalisation (système d’information fonctionnel). Ce travail commence par la constitution d’une boîte à outils contenant toutes les notions de base à utiliser (théories organisationnelles, TI - technologies de l'information, réseaux informatiques et EDI – échange des données informatisées), conformément aux principes fondateurs du MIS basés sur trois disciplines : Computer, Management et Organization Sciences (Culman et Swanson, 1986). La grille de lecture de la littérature est inspirée par la taxonomie de Urbaczenski, Jessup and Wheeler (2002) qui propose quatre catégories de recherche : économique, organisationnelle, technique et autre. Cette revue de la littérature permettra de proposer un modèle de recherche d’impact des TI et de l’EDI basé sur le cadre de référence structuro - fonctionnaliste et élaboré selon les principes de la théorie des systèmes. Le modèle de recherche utilise une structure causale conçue suivant l’impératif technologique (Markus et Robey, 1988). Il vise à expliquer l'impact organisationnel des TI à travers la stratégie (Porter et Millar, 1985; Wiseman, 1985 ; Palvia, Palvia et Zigli, 1990) sur la conception des MIS / AIS et des structures organisationnelles dans les entreprises d’un pays sous développé (PSD). Ce modèle d’impact organisationnel teste les hypothèses proposées, à partir des données d’une observation longitudinale (1970 à 2002) de quatorze (14) entreprises de la République Démocratique du Congo. Les entreprises échantillonnées de façon non probabiliste en deux catégories sont observées à travers l'introduction de l'EDI dans le système d’information comptable. Les tests de structure des données et de fonctionnement du modèle établissent l’impact des TI sur les structures organisationnelles et parfois sur les systèmes d’information, mais avec des nuances d’atténuation et de contribution suivant la nature de l’environnement ou l’usage de la stratégie. La conclusion de cette étude propose un processus d’apprentissage aux managers congolais pour éviter les dysfonctionnements organisationnels lors de l’adoption d’une nouvelle TI. Elle pose aussi le problème de validité des structures causales utilisées dans les recherches pour analyser l’impact organisationnel des TI. Abstract EDI adoption’s analysis in Congolese firms : an organizational structure impact of IT This research aims to identify the impact of IT (information technology) on organizational structure transformation in the firms of an under developed country. The framework of the contingency theory generally associates "context, structure and performance" (Burns and Stalker, 1961; Woodward, 1965; Lawrence and Lorsch, 1967; Mintzberg, 1979). The model of impact of TI and EDI suggested by this research uses a reduced framework only based on links between technology (replaced by IT) and structure (Galbraith, 1972; Lacrampe, 1974; Leifer, 1988). Based on the original paradigm of MIS, our theoretical framework uses managerial, economic and organizational approaches of IT and EDI (Leavitt, 1968; Scott Morton, 1991). It uses the contingent theory of accounting management (Otley, 1980; Chapman, 1997) and of accounting information systems (AIS - Sutton, 1995; Maudlin and Ruchala, 1999; Baldwin and alii, 2000; Dunk, 2001) as empirical field (functional information system). This workshop begins with the constitution of a toolbox containing all basic concepts to use (organization theories, IT - information technologies, computer networks and EDI – electronic data interchange), in accordance with the original MIS paradigm founded on three disciplines: Computer, Management and Organization Sciences (Culman and Swanson, 1986, p. 298). Then, we draw a theoretical framework of analysis which begins with a literature review inspired by Urbaczenski, Jessup and Wheeler’s taxonomy (2002). This literature review will allow to proposing a research model of IT and EDI designed according to the functionalist framework and system theory principles. The model of research uses a causal structure conceived according to the technological imperative (Markus and Robey, 1988). It aims at explaining the organizational impact of IT through the strategy (Porter and Millar, 1985; Wiseman, 1985; Palvia, Palvia and Zigli, 1990) on the design of MIS / AIS and the organizational structures in the companies of an under developed country (UDC). This study tests the hypotheses of the organizational impact‘s model suggested, basing from the data of a longitudinal observation (1970 to 2002) of fourteen (14) Congolese firms. The companies sampled by convenience in two layers are observed through the introduction of EDI into the accounting information system. The tests of data structure and of operating model performed on the introduction of accounting EDI, confirm the impact of IT on the organizational structures and sometimes on the information systems - IS. That with nuances of attenuation and contribution according to the nature of the environment or the use of the strategy. The conclusion of this study proposes a process of training to the congolese managers to avoid the organizational dysfunctions during the adoption of new IT. It poses also the problem of validity of the causal structures used in research to analyze the organizational impact of IT.

Résumé<p>Le cadre théorique de la contingence structurelle associe généralement « contexte, structure et performance » (Burns et Stalker, 1961; Woodward, 1965; Lawrence et Lorsch, 1967 ;Mintzberg, 1979).Le besoin de tester cette théorie dans l’environnement d’un pays sous développé (PSD) nous a conduit, dans cette recherche, à l’utilisation d’un cadre réduit basé uniquement sur des liens entre la technologie (remplacée par TI) et la structure (Galbraith, 1972 ;Lacrampe, 1974 ;Leifer, 1988). <p>Notre cadre théorique s’appuie sur les approches managériales, économiques et organisationnelles des TI et de l’EDI (Leavitt, 1968 ;Scott Morton, 1991). Il utilise la théorie contingente de la gestion comptable (Otley, 1980; Chapman, 1997) et des systèmes d’information comptable AIS (Sutton, 1995; Maudlin et Ruchala, 1999; Baldwin et alii, 2000; Dunk, 2001) comme domaine d’opérationnalisation (système d’information fonctionnel).<p>\ / Doctorat en Sciences économiques et de gestion / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished