Browsing Ph.D. theses by Title
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En valensgrammatisk undersøgelseSkot-Hansen, Annemette (Frederiksberg, 2009)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: The purpose of this dissertation is to map the valency structure of a subset of the French adverbs. More specifically, the dissertation seeks to answer the following questions: What valency structure follows from the lexical content of the adverbs investigated? What is the nature of the semantic relation established? What is the status of the valents relative to the adverb and relative to other valents? The empirical object of investigation is focused on adverbs derived from adjectives which take prepositional phrases headed by the preposition à as their complement. In addition, the delimitation chosen for this dissertation is a class of adverbs which share the feature that they carry the suffix -ment, which developed from the Latin noun mens, meaning “spirit/thought/mood/tenor”. It is argued that the fusion of an adverb and mens establishes the general meaning [in an adjective spirit/thought/mood/tenor], i.e. the adverb retains the general quality denoted by the adjective, but the meaning targets the verb situation (at clause level) or the quality (at phrasal level) which saturates the argument of the adverb. Following tradition, the analysis adopted here, takes the verb situation to be realised by the predicate, and the quality to be realised by an adjective phrase, which may be realised by a past participle or, in rare cases, by another adverb. Since the valent is required by the lexical content of the adverb, it is assumed, following Herslund and Sørensen, that the valent is a fundamental valent. Another important feature of the adverbs which are analysed in this dissertation is that they establish a relation between two entities. This means that in addition to its fundamental valent, the adverb takes a further valent which it links with the fundamental valent. This second valent is referred to as the second valent of the adverb. The two valents are analysed as two relata in a relation. Unlike the fundamental valent, the second valent is always at phrasal level. When the adverb functions at clausal level, the second valent is realised as the prepositional object of the preposition phrase headed by à. This realisation is, however, not possible when the adverb functions at phrasal level. It is argued that this is a consequence of the fact that it is impossible to insert other constituents between the adverb and the adjective, adverb or participle which is modified by the adverb. The result is that where the second valent is realised, the adverb moves from preposition to postposition relative to its fundamental valent. In the data investigated the second valent denotes very different entities such as situations denoted by verbs and qualities, but also objects and abstract entities. The individual adverbs which are investigated here each determine their valency. In general there are different sources that allow us to uncover the core meaning of a word. The sources chosen in this dissertation are: the semantic roles assigned by the adverbs, their symmetry, elements of shared semantics or partial synonymy, their morphology and etymological roots. In order to bring together these different sources, the dissertation postulates a denotation design for each adverb. The etymology of the adverbs has been a particularly helpful in determining the relation and valency they establish. In addition to adverb and adjective suffixes, the majority of the adverbs investigated have a preposition in their synchronic morphological make-up which denotes a relation between two entities: some adverbs contain both a preposition and a morpheme from another word class, e.g. comparativement and subséquemment, while others contain only a preposition, e.g. antérieurement and postérieurement. A very small subset does not contain a preposition, but only a single adverb morpheme which denotes the relation in question, so, for instance, the adjectives par and similis, which have formed pareillement and semblablement, denote a relation between two relata. From an etymological perspective, a few adverbs, such as latéralement, do not denote a relation – so it is only through the formal realisation of the preposition phrase that the relation is established. The dissertation maps the etymological and morphological structure of the adverb and the range of functions that the adverb and its valents can have at clausal and phrasal level. The function of the adverb is relevant to the extent that the function affects its semantics and its valency structure. The effect of function is seen in some adverbs when they operate on clausal or on phrasal level and in other adverbs when they modify entire clauses or just the verb. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7944 Files in this item: 1
Annemette_Skot-Hansen.pdf (2.974Mb) -
Towards Relational Leadership In the Cultural SectorFriis Møller, Søren (Frederiksberg, 2012)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: The thesis is an inquiry into how leadership is performed narratively in the cultural sector. Chapter 1 draws the cultural sector as a narrative landscape, and the reader is invited on a tour around this narrative landscape as seen through the eyes of some of the top guns in the cultural sector. Seen from this vantage, leadership in the cultural sector seems to be predominantly performed by relating narratives with reference to the metanarrative of the Enlightenment. The inquiry, however, draws on Lyotard (1984) to argue that such extralinguistic legitimization is in a crisis of legitimacy, wherefore the inquiry embarks on a problematization of the dominant understanding of leadership in the cultural sector with the activist aspiration of suggesting a postmoderning understanding of leadership in the cultural sector being performatively legitimized. Chapter 2 argues in favor of a relational, non-entitative understanding of narratives and it points to emplotment as a process of finding the best fit. This relational understanding of narratives allows the project to inquire into leadership performed narratively in all kinds of empirical settings, not confining itself to formal leadership contexts. Chapter 3 offers a genealogic approach to what the project has defined as the dominant narrative in the cultural sector, the narrative of art for art’s sake (the AFAS narrative), which the project argues function as an implicit standard. This includes notions of aesthetic autonomy such as suggested by Kant in 1790, artistic freedom and art for its own sake such as claimed by artists in the Romantic era, and the arm’s length principle as the ‘constitution of cultural policies’ in the post WW2 Western world. Chapter 4 provides an overview of alternative voices which have challenged the dominant narrative. These include post colonial studies, cultural entrepreneurial studies and consumer behavior studies which in various ways propose alternative ways to lead and support the cultural sector. Chapter 5 links the discussions in chapter 3 and chapter 4 to leadership studies, notably to discussions of leader-centered orientations versus leading relationally orientations. The chapter concludes by suggesting a new sensibility towards understanding leadership and meditates on how this might be achieved, paying attentions to the possibilities of overcoming the putative crisis of legitimacy the inquiry is placed in. Chapter 6 relates a case-study of Malmoe City Library which endeavors into a difficult, yet very promising process of reformulating what a library may become in a contemporary context. This process challenges the dominant narrative and thus the current understanding of what a library should be, and this deviation from the dominant narrative challenges leadership. Chapter 7 assembles three different approaches to challenges the dominant narrative and to make new interpretive resources available to the understanding of leadership in the cultural sector. First, givrum.nu, a social movement working with arts, second, Mogens Holm, a leader in the cultural sector in a transition phase, and third, Copenhagen Phil, a classical symphony orchestra striving to avoid becoming a parallel society phenomenon. These case studies are conducted as written interviews with the cases, in an attempted un-edited form to also introduce relational processes informed by a power with relation to my own research project. Chapter 8 reflects on the case-studies in chapter 6 and chapter 7 in light of the two approaches to leadership discussed in chapter 5. It does so by linking my study to relational leadership theory in order to see how this theoretical field might inform my inquiry and how my inquiry might inform this field. It equally offers five possible reconstructions of the cases before concluding the research project by summing up contributions to the empirical field and the research fields, as well as by pointing to areas which could be further developed in future research. In line with the aspirations of the relational constructionist framework of the project, the inquiry does not offer a conclusion. Instead it encourages further reconstructions, thus submitting itself to the performative legitimization it argues in favor of. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/8590 Files in this item: 1
Søren_Friis_Møller.pdf (1.809Mb) -
A Study of CWA Raters' Decision-Making BehavioursLindhardsen, Vivian (Frederiksberg, 2009)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: The present maps study maps the decision-making behaviors of experienced raters in a well-established Communal Writing Assessment (CWA) context, tracing their behaviors all the way from the independent rating sessions, where the initial images and judgments are formed, to the communal rating sessions, where the final scores are assigned on the basis of collaboration between two rates. Results from think-aloud protocols, recorded discussions, retrespective reports and reported scores from 20 raters rating 15 ESL essays show that when moving from the independent ratings to the communal ratings, there is little, if any, increase in rater agreement levels and the raters' attention to the textual features corresponding to the official criteria become more evenly distributed. However, rather than consulting the scale descriptors directly in resolving insecurities about score assignment, the raters seemed to rely heavily on each others' expertise, thereby reducing the importance of the scale and emphasizing the value of the community of raters. In validating their scores in the communal rating discussions the raters appeared to be critically and equally engaged in the discussions, and through deliberating and refining their assessments the raters believed that CWA practices produce more accurate scores than in independent ratings and lead to professional development. These interpretations support a hermeneutic rather than a psychometric approach to establishing the validity of the present CWA practices. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7743 Files in this item: 1
Vivian_Lindhardsen.pdf (8.523Mb) -
Hanh, Pham Thi Song (Frederiksberg, 2008)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: Departing from my interest in finding key factors determining a developing country firms’ export success, this research explores two fascinating topics: one is the debate on whether a developing country’s producers should become involved in marketing functions where a developed country’s firms already hold a strong position, and the other is the very limited attention given in the export literature to the role of relational capability in a firm’s export business.... URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7742 Files in this item: 1
pham_thi_song_hanh.pdf (1.155Mb) -
En indsigt i hyggefænomenet og de relaterede fødevarepraksisserBoye, Heidi (Frederiksberg, 2010)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: A lot of attention has been given to health-related issues worldwide, especially since the World Health Organisation declared obesity epidemic in many countries. Overweight and obesity impose a serious threat to economic welfare and the health and quality of life of the individual consumer (Indenrigs- og Sundhedsministeriet, 2007). Paradoxically in continuation of the increased overweight, obesity and nutrition-related diseases research stresses there is an escalating concern about health issues such as eating and living healthy (ATV, 2007; Nordic Plan of Action, 2006). However consumers find many different obstacles to integrating healthy food products in their daily lives, including the compelling need for hedonic food consumption which often involves less healthy or unhealthy food (Luomala et al., 2004, 2006). Hedonic food consumption is often associated with social gatherings and „hygge42‟, where everyday „health-rules‟ are replaced with unrestricted „pleasure-rules‟...... URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/8050 Files in this item: 1
Heidi_Boye.pdf (1.955Mb) -
Etablering af en ekspressiv kategori, eksemplificeret på russiskHäuser, Ivan (Frederiksberg, 2011)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: Afhandling placerer sig i forlængelse af forskningen på området følelse og sprog. Det undersøges, hvordan følelser udtrykkes af den talende og vækkes hos andre gennem sproglige midler. Antagelsen er, at der kan identificeres fællestræk, som udgør et særligt lingvistisk system for følelsers interaktion med sproget. Systemet forsøges afdækket inden for det moderne russiske sprog og beskrevet som en ekspressiv kategori. Følelser, herunder behov og motiver, driver menneskers handlinger, herunder også deres sproghandlinger. Følelser ligger ikke kun bag ved og under sproget, men kommer ofte også op til overfladen og bliver synlige i form af lingvistiske udtryk. Følelser er ikke kun private, men de er et socialt fænomen; de er integreret i sproget og spiller en rolle i dialog. Det er følelsers funktion i sproget, der undersøges i denne afhandling. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/8375 Files in this item: 1
Ivan_Haüser.pdf (3.676Mb) -
Kan giver-idealtyper forklare støtte til velgørenhed og understøtte relationsopbygning?Rasmussen, Hans Peter (Frederiksberg, 2013)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: ”Giv-en-ged” er navnet på en kampagne, som Folkekirkens Nødhjælp (FKN) lancerede op mod jul tilbage i 2006. Den er et godt eksempel på, hvordan det at give penge til velgørenhed ikke kun handler om at hjælpe fattige mennesker i nød eller kun om at støtte et godt formål. Kampagnen solgte i 2006 over 50.000 gavekort, og salget via hjemmesiden www.givenged.dk nåede hidtil usete højder herhjemme for onlinehandel. Det medførte blandt andet, at DIBS (online betalingssystem) en enkel dag lukkede ned for salg på hjemmesiden, fordi det høje antal bestillinger blev forvekslet med et hackerangreb, som aktiverede sikkerhedssystem hos DIBS. I alt indbragte kampagnen ti millioner på under en måned, og når man ser bort fra fællesindsamlinger ved tv-shows, er det en af de mest succesfulde indsamlingskampagner herhjemme URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/8671 Files in this item: 1
Hans_Peter_Rasmussen.pdf (2.797Mb) -
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Abstract: ‘Good’ Outcomes – Handling Multiplicity in Government Communication This thesis examines how five Danish government organizations produce and assess communicative solutions in practice, and argues that government communication may be understood as a case of multiplicity. In the practices of producing and assessing communicative solutions it is uncertain what constitutes a ‘good’ outcome of government communication. This uncertainty is grasped by drawing upon analytical resources from the field of multiplicity-oriented ANT analyses. Empirically, the thesis is based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted at the five government organizations. Combining empirical observations, theoretical insights, and political programmes, four ‘modes of ordering’ are developed and these are utilized in exploring how the multiplicity of government communication unfurls and how it is handled in practice. The thesis shows how the ordering attempts described by the four modes of ordering coexist and interfere, and it suggests the notions of ‘sequencing’ and ‘singularizing’ for understanding how the multiplicity of government communication is handled in the production and assessment of communicative solutions. The study upon which the thesis reports has been carried out in connection with a larger Industrial PhD project, entitled Measurements you can learn from, that aimed at developing, testing, and implementing new and better communication measurements. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/8306 Files in this item: 1
Morten_Krogh_Petersen.pdf (10.91Mb) -
Sigurjonsson, Throstur Olaf (Frederiksberg, 2011)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: Currently, the corporate governance has the agenda of categorizing reality and thereby determining which systems are more effective and efficient in a given context. A question is posed; how has the internationalization of markets, liberalization, deregulation, and privatization adapted to rapid changes in traditionally based models of corporate governance? When corporate governance practices are exported from one country to another, they tend to be translated and customized to local practices before being adopted. The objective of this thesis is to examine this type of adaptation and explain the circumstances that led to a collapse of governance mechanisms, using Iceland as an example. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/8336 Files in this item: 1
Throstur Sigurjonsson.pdf (3.434Mb) -
A study of the pathologies of performativityJohnsen, Rasmus (Frederiksberg, 2009)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: Temaet for denne afhandling er en undersøgelse af tre historiske ’formationer’ organiseret omkring en ’ting’ i kroppen i melankoliens brede og farverige historie i et forsøg på at skabe baggrund for en filosofisk undersøgelse af sammenhængen mellem patologi, arbejde og performativitet i samtiden. I denne forstand er der tale om et stykke filosofisk grundforskning, der forsøger at etablere og åbne et felt for mødet mellem de klassiske, filosofiske discipliner, og temaer i organisationsteori og ledelsesfilosofi. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7929 Files in this item: 1
Rasmus_Johnsen.pdf (1.060Mb) -
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Abstract: Denne afhandling fokuserer på konstruktion af markeder for miljørigtige produkter gennem et casestudie af, hvordan miljøvenlighed som produktkvalitet er blevet udført (enacted) og forhandlet i markedet for urinposer. Afhandlingen bygger på et konstruktivistisk perspektiv på markeder: markeder og produktkvaliteter og egenskaber i urinposer anses således som emergerende og konstruerede i forskellige markedskonstituerende praksisser. De primære teoretiske begreber i afhandlingen er koordinering (coordination)(Mol et al. 2002) og kvalificering- (re)kvalificering (qualification-(re)qualification)(Callon et al. 2002). URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7049 Files in this item: 1
satu_reijonen.pdf (2.590Mb) -
Svane, Minna Selene (Frederiksberg, 1999)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: This dissertation consists of five self-contained chapters on fiscal policy within a two sector endogenously growing economy. The main focus of the dissertaion is on educational and environmental issues and in particular on the optimal subsidy to education and the optimal environmental policy. The frameworks, which are used to investigate these issues, are all extensions of the Uzawa-Lucas model of endogenous growth. Chapter 1 and 2 investigate the effects of factor income taxation and subsidization of educational effort, whereas Chapter 3, 4 and 5 investigate the transitional dynamics and the long run effects of environmental policy URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7927 Files in this item: 1
Minna_Selene_Svane.pdf (7.345Mb) -
Schlamovitz, Jesper (Frederiksberg, 2010)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: Denne afhandling handler om usikkerhed i projekter. I tre afgrænsede forskningsartikler analyserer afhandlingen, hvordan usikkerhed håndteres af projektledelsen i tre konkrete projekter. Udgangspunktet er en teoretisk fremstilling af usikkerhed, hvor især usikkerhedens sociale dimension, forstået som den meningsskabelse der foregår gennem projektdeltagernes handlinger og fortolkninger, er i fokus. Usikkerheden undersøges når den kommer til udtryk i de generelle betingelser for projektet, og i de konkrete uventede begivenheder, der opstår i projektet undervejs... URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/8027 Files in this item: 1
Jesper_Schlamoviz.pdf (1.964Mb) -
Nørager, Michael (Frederiksberg, 2009)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: Denne afhandling er indgivet til ph.d. bedømmelse under forskerskolen Viden og Ledelse ved Institut for Ledelse, Politik og Filosofi på Copenhagen Business School. Afhandlingen tager udgangspunkt i danske små og mellemstore virksomheders udfordringer i at tilpasse sig omverdenens uophørlige forandringer. En aktuel udfordring og måde at overleve på for disse virksomheder er at være innovative. Undersøgelser i 2004 pegede på, at cirka 50% af alle danske små og mellemstore virksomheder ikke var innovative. Præcis der udkrystalliserede mit forskningsspørgsmål sig, som er: Hvordan leder man små og mellemstore virksomheder fra at være ikke-innovative til at blive innovative? Organisationsteorien er leveringsdygtig i mange bud på en løsning til dette problem. Gennem litteraturstudier og målrettede udvælgelseskriterier valgte jeg at analysere problemstillingen ud fra 4 organisationsteoretiske perspektiver, nemlig ledelse, HRM, strategi og netværksrelationer. Den forskningsbaserede empiriske undersøgelse af 5 casevirksomheder viste, at en succesfuld transformation handler om at udvikle en ledelse, der skaber gode rammer for at medarbejderne kan lede og udvikle sig selv gennem arbejde med viden og ny indsigt. Det bør støttes af en stram styring på de mål og ressourcer, der er afsat. Det er ligeledes vigtigt, at HRM perspektivet tager udgangspunkt i at se medarbejderne, som nogen der indeholder et stort potentiale som de gerne benytter til at udvikle virksomheden, hvis de bliver motiveret og udfordret. Disse HRM aktiviteter bør ses i tæt sammenhæng med virksomhedens strategi. En strategi, der i øvrigt bør være nedskrevet, fokuseret på innovative tiltag og tydelig kommunikeret ud i organisationen. Endelig bør små og mellemstore virksomheder, der ønsker at transformere sig til en innovativ position være aktive i netværksrelationer med alle typer af relevante interessenter. Mine analyser af de data der relaterer sig forskningsprojektet viste, at 2 af virksomhederne have gennemgået en transformationsproces, der bragte dem fuldbyrdet ind i en ny ligevægtsposition baseret på innovation. 2 virksomheder var tydeligt i gang med en transformation, men var ikke nået til en ny ligevægtssituation i forhold til at innovative. Den sidste virksomhed var opdelt på den måde, at virksomheden var langt fra transformeret i retning af det innovative, hvorimod virksomhedens produktudviklingsafdeling bar tydelig præg af en sådan ligevægt i forhold til den innovative position. I en længere periode anså jeg disse resultater for være noget spredte i den forstand, at der faktisk var en 50-50 fordeling mellem virksomheder der bekræftede mine antagelser, og virksomheder der ikke bekræftede mine antagelser. Jeg var faktisk begyndt at skrive konklusionen, da jeg pludselig så problemstillingen og mine data forene sig på en ny måde. Det var endda en måde, der let og entydigt forklarede situationen i alle 5 casevirksomheder, og som bidrager til ny viden på feltet. Det, der styrer små og mellemstore virksomheders transformation generelt (ikke kun mod innovation), er det som ledelsen og medarbejderne adresserer som virksomhedens hovedproblem. Hvis ledere og medarbejdere anser det at udvikle produkter eller processer som det vigtigste problem, vil det få stor indflydelse på ledelse, HRM, strategi og netværksrelationer, og disse områder vil tilpasse sig og støtte op om skabelsen af en innovativ ligevægtssituation. Hvis ledere og medarbejdere anser optimering af produktionen eller administrationen som det vigtigste problem, så vil det ligeledes få stor indflydelse på ledelse, HRM, strategi og netværksrelationer, som i dette tilfælde vil udvikle sig mod en ikke-innovativ ligevægtssituation. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7831 Files in this item: 1
Michael_Nørager.pdf (3.459Mb) -
en empirisk analyse af information og kognitioner om fusionerJagd, Jane Thostrup (Frederiksberg, 2011)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: Afhandlingen er skrevet indenfor paradigmet Pragmatismen48. Afhandlingens opbygning afspejler dette valg, og derfor består afhandlingen af sæt af videnskabelige erkendelsesrunder jf. Peirce (1901 og 1903). En videnskabelig erkendelsesrunde består af faserne: Abduktion, Deduktion, Induktion samt Verifikation eller falsifikation af Abduktionens hypotese. Afhandlingen har to videnskabelige erkendelsesrunder. Det overraskende forhold, der igangsætter afhandlingen, er en forskningsmæssig undren49 over, hvorfor der er så mange fusioner, hvis de ikke performer? Denne undren kvalificeres i søgningen af for-forståelse af problematikken via fusionsbølgeteori, konformitets-teori, herding-teori samt viden om informations læringsværdi, således at den undren, den anomali, der søges en forklaring på lyder: Hvorfor fortsætter fusionsbølgen udover ”the tipping point”?.... URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/8322 Files in this item: 1
Jane Thostrup Jagd.pdf (2.826Mb) -
A study of the Open Source – business settingCiesielska, Malgorzata (Frederiksberg, 2010)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: This research project examines how the conflicting institutional logics are dealt with in a hybrid organisational form. The empirical setting of the study is an Open Source – business collaboration in software development projects. The idea of making a case study of the Open Source – business collaboration is interesting from both theoretical and business perspectives. Since companies realised that the world’s most talented people are distributed throughout various organisations, rather than members of a single team or corporation, the open innovation model could be neither underestimated nor ignored by the business. However, that solution brings new challenges, especially for business-oriented organisations. The challenges come from the significant differences between new open models and the classic closed-innovation model, which grew on the concept of the institution of the intellectual property rights. Open Source, on the contrary, is intrinsically an anti-corporational, pro-knowledge-sharing and creativity motivated movement. As a result, in the era of open collaboration in knowledge-integrating platforms the everyday problems are constituted of dealing with mixture of institutional backgrounds, business models and professional identities...... URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/8200 Files in this item: 1
Malgorzata_Ciesielska.pdf (5.849Mb) -
Lean Management in the Construction IndustryBrinch Jensen, Kenneth (Frederiksberg, 2010)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: Ledelsesteknologier såsom Balanced Scorecard, Six Sigma og Activity Based Costing må fremtræde som konkrete, stabile, funktionelle og homogene løsninger, hvis de skal kunne fange både interesse og finansiering i forretningsverdenen. Studier af disse ledelsesteknologiers møde med organisationspraksis viser imidlertid, at disse teknologier er præget af stor ustabilitet og heterogenitet på tværs af implementeringer. Benders & Van Veen (2001) argumenterer for at ledelsesidéer besidder en kvalitet, der kan kaldes for ’fortolkningsmæssig levedygtighed’. Med dette skal forstås, at ledelsesidéerne har en evne til at tilpasse sig lokale forhold og interesser. Argumentet er endvidere, at denne kvalitet er mere afgørende for idéens overlevelse end idéens indhold..... URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/8163 Files in this item: 1
Kenneth_Brinch_Jensen.pdf (4.092Mb) -
A multi-method inquiry on online communitiesKorfiatis, Nikolaos Theodoros (, 2009)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: This dissertation studies the behavioral characteristics of participants engaged in information exchange in the context of online communities. Online communities are defined as collectives of individuals that use computer mediated communication to facilitate interaction over a shared purpose and/or objective. It is argued that this interaction creates externalities, for example, in the form of codified information that others can use through web search tools. These externalities assemble a virtual form of social capital, a commonly shared resource. The research objective of this thesis is to examine how the behavioral tendencies of the participants in online communities are affected by the way this common resource is formatted, administered and shared. The dissertation consists of two parts: a theoretical part where the empirical background and the object of research inquiry is highlighted, and an empirical part which consists of four empirical studies carried out in the context of three online communities, namely, Google Answers, Yahoo!Answers and Amazon Online Reviews. The empirical part of this dissertation starts with a controlled experiment emulating a well known social dilemma: the public goods game. It provides substance as to whether and when participants in online communities behave (un) cooperatively. The next two studies focus on a special case of online communities where participants ask questions and other participants post answers conditionally on social and monetary incentives. The results of these two studies confirm that community participants do care about the contributions of others and engage in incentive compatible behavior. Yahoo!Answers participants exercise effort in the community by posting answers to questions conditionally on benefits provided by other participants. The empirical findings show that contributing participants in an online community receive answers faster, while those that do not contribute much effort are sanctioned in the form of longer response-time to their questions. In Google Answers this thesis, interactions can be observed that are based on monetary rewards (rather than social rewards in the form of a reputation index as in Yahoo Answers). Participants make use of voluntarily awarded payoffs (tips) along with stated rewards, in order to motivate those that provide answers (answerers) to provide better quality in their responses. The findings of this study confirm the symmetric effect between monetary rewards and quality. However, this study also identifies cases where social norms have a significant effect on response behavior. When participants seek to get better service with less effort (in terms of total cost), a reputation index which is constructed by the history of their previous interactions supports such an attempt. In other words, reputation history influences information sharing behavior in online communities. The last chapter of the empirical part focuses on another crucial aspect of information as a shared resource: Clarity and understandability. The study examines online product reviews on Amazon.com. The results suggest that participants do care about the clarity of this codified form of experience which increases a helpfulness index accordingly. The thesis overall finds symmetric effects between participation in online communities and output of interaction, but also identifies the ability of the participants to interact strategically as they seek to minimize the effort they provide in order to find the information they seek. The results underline the importance of signaling and quality evaluation mechanisms as counter-balancing control that can enhance activity on online communities. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7797 Files in this item: 1
Nikolaos_Theodoros_Korfiatis.pdf (3.777Mb) -
Strand, Robert Gavin (Frederiksberg, 2012)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: In this dissertation I examine the establishment of corporate social responsibility (CSR) bureaucracies at corporations and I come to consider the CSR bureaucracy as a space for reflection within the corporation. In the face of charges that bureaucracies are inherently unethical and devoid of consideration for humanistic concerns, I argue that within the large bureaucracy that is the corporation, the CSR bureaucracy can create a space in which tensions that arise from conflicting values and purposes can be identified, negotiated, and actions coordinated. I position this dissertation within the field of CSR, to which I introduce the Weberian distinction between formal and substantive rationality as means through which to identify and describe tensions that become apparent with the CSR agenda. This dissertation contains four articles, two of which draw from the engaged scholarship approach. One includes findings from a study I conducted as an action/intervention researcher with a U.S. corporation during the period in which a CSR bureaucracy was established. The other includes findings from a study of CSR focused MBA courses I instruct in which reflection is a primary learning objective. The other two articles include findings from studies I conducted to explore the establishment of a CSR position to the top management teams of U.S. and Scandinavian corporations. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/8462 Files in this item: 1
Robert_Strand.pdf (3.503Mb) -
A sociomaterial study of development processes in the Danish film industryStrandvad, Sara Malou (Frederiksberg, 2009)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: The empirical question, which the thesis addresses in the different papers, is how the process of development is organized in Danish film production. Development in film production characterizes the initial phase where an idea is constructed and transformed into a realizable film project. In practice, this creation consists in writing a synopsis and, later on, a manuscript for the film, because such drafts of the product are institutionalized as necessary devices for achieving funding to make the actual film. Hence, the focus area of the thesis is the process of manuscript writing in film production; an organizing process of developing projects. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7793 Files in this item: 1
Sara_Malou_Strandvad.pdf (1.916Mb)