Beyond human and intellectual capital: Profiling the value of knowledge, skills and experience

The concept of human capital is associated mainly with the Nobel Laureate Gary Becker and, in his usage, has a clear conceptual basis as investment in the costs of formal education. By contrast, this paper suggests that ‘intellectual capital’ is a re-branding of knowledge, skills and experience rather than re-conceptualisation of resource based learning. Becker also chose not to include informal knowledge, skills or experience within his concept of human capital, which remains limited by its constrained premises. This paper submits that both human capital and intellectual capital advocates fail to identify or measure the tacit knowledge and implicit learning which increasingly is recognised as a key to the competitive advantage of organisations. It first focuses on the conceptual basis of claims made for human capital and intellectual capital, outlines limits in their methodology, and contrasts these with insights from theories of tacit knowledge and implicit learning and the central role within them of informal or non-formal skill acquisition. It develops and illustrates instances of interfacing tacit and explicit knowledge before introducing a methodology for profiling the acquisition of knowledge, ability and skills. It does so by introducing the concepts of non-formal learningfrom- work (LfW) and informal learning-from-life (LfL), with evidence from a four country EU case study commissioned within the lifelong learning remit of the Lisbon Agenda.

Carbon gold rush and carbon cowboys: a new chapter in green mythology?

Individual and collective efforts to mitigate climate change in the form of carbon offsetting and emissions trading schemes have recently become the focus of much media attention. In this paper we explore a subset of the UK national press coverage centered on such schemes. The articles, selected from general as well as specialized business and finance newspapers, make use of gold rush, Wild West and cowboy imagery which is rooted in deeply entrenched myths and metaphors and allows readers to make sense of very complex environmental, political, ethical, and financial issues associated with carbon mitigation. They make what appears complicated and unfamiliar, namely carbon trading and offsetting, seem less complex and more familiar. A critical discussion of this type of imagery is necessary in order to uncover and question tacit assumptions and connotations which are built into it and which might otherwise go unnoticed and unchallenged in environmental communication.

Building an Ontology of Product/Service-Systems: Using a Maritime Case Study to Elicit Classifications and Characteristics

Part 4: Transition Towards Product-Service Systems

: ”Kiinnostavatko ihmisoikeudet?” – kehitysyhteistyöjärjestöjen katuvarainhankinnan affektuaalisuus

Tutkimuksessa käsitellään suomalaisten kehitysyhteistyöjärjestöjen katuvarainhankintaa ja sen mekanismeja. Järjestöjen tapoja kommunikoida varainhankinnassaan globaalista Etelästä on kritisoitu Etelää yksinkertaistaviksi ja pitkällä aikavälillä kehitysyhteistyölle haitallisiksi. Toistaiseksi katuvarainhankinta on jäänyt tieteellisessä kirjallisuudessa tämän keskustelun ulkopuolelle, vaikka se on useille järjestöille tehokkain ja merkittävin keino kerryttää varoja. Tuttavallisemmin katuvarainhankintaa kutsutaan feissaukseksi. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena on osoittaa, millaisilla tavoilla feissarit kommunikoivat Etelästä ja millaisista elementeistä katuvarainhankinta koostuu. Tutkimuksessa kytketään katuvarainhankinta ja sen mekanismit osaksi varainhankinnan kohtaamaa kritiikkiä, sekä tarkastellaan affektien teorian hyödyllisyyttä vastaavanlaisessa vuorovaikutustutkimuksessa. Affekti määritellään kehojen välisenä kapasiteettina vaikuttaa ja tulla vaikutetuksi. Aineisto kerättiin autoetnografisin menetelmin kohtaamisista feissareiden kanssa sekä asiantuntijoita että feissareita haastattelemalla. Yhteensä kohtaamisia oli 45 ja haastatteluita 11. Aineisto analysoitiin narratiivisella analyysilla. Järjestöihin oltiin etukäteen yhteydessä ja feissarikohtaamisten keräämiseen saatiin lupa varainhankinnan johtoportailta. Haastateltavat henkilöt pidettiin tutkimuksessa anonyymeina. Tutkimuksen mukaan Etelästä kommunikoidaan yksinkertaisin esimerkein tunteisiin vedoten. Tämä onnistuu parhaiten, mikäli feissari kykenee välittämään tunteensa aidosti. Tieto nähdään toisarvoisena tekijänä. Tällä hetkellä varainhankinta kohdistuu vain potentiaalisimpiin kohderyhmiin ja sen mekanismit on suunniteltu niihin toimiviksi. Yleisö omilla kehitysyhteistyökäsityksillään määrittelee, millainen varainhankinta heihin toimii parhaiten ja näin ollen rakentaa katuvarainhankintaa. Affektit sopivat hyvin vastaavanlaiseen tutkimukseen, jossa tutkija asettaa itsensä omaksi työkalukseen. Lähestymällä katuvarainhankintaa kahden kehon kohtaamisena nähdään vaikuttumisen vuorovaikutteisuus. Tulevaisuudessa vastaavanlaista affektien kautta lähestyvää tutkimusta katuvarainhankinnasta olisi mielenkiintoista tehdä lahjoittajan näkökulmasta ja keskittyä lahjoittamisen diskursiiviseen puoleen.

Relacionamentos industriais como mecanismos de coordenação de competências : casos da indústria de moldes para plásticos.

Doutoramento em Ciências Empresariais.

Do saber ao sabor : estudo da relação entre saberes tácitos e explícitos expressos nas competências laborais de cozinheiros em situação de trabalho

Tese (doutorado)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Educação, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação, 2016.

Partner relationship in couples living with atrial fibrillation

The aim of this thesis was to describe and explore how the partner relationship of patient–partner dyads isaffected following cardiac disease and, in particular, atrial fibrillation (AF) in one of the spouses. The thesis is based on four individual studies with different designs: descriptive (I), explorative (II, IV), and cross-sectional (III). Applied methods comprised a systematic review (I) and qualitative (II, IV) and quantitative methods (III). Participants in the studies were couples in which one of the spouses was afflicted with AF. Coherent with a systemic perspective, the research focused on the dyad as the unit of analysis. To identify and describe the current research position and knowledge base, the data for the systematic review were analyzed using an integrative approach. To explore couples’ main concern, interview data (n=12 couples) in study II were analyzed using classical grounded theory. Associations between patients and partners (n=91 couples) where analyzed through the Actor–Partner Interdependence Model using structural equation modelling (III). To explore couples’ illness beliefs, interview data (n=9 couples) in study IV were analyzed using Gadamerian hermeneutics. Study I revealed five themes of how the partner relationship is affected following cardiac disease: overprotection, communication deficiency, sexual concerns, changes in domestic roles, and adjustment to illness. Study II showed that couples living with AF experienced uncertainty as the common main concern, rooted in causation of AF and apprehension about AF episodes. The theory of Managing Uncertainty revealed the strategies of explicit sharing (mutual collaboration and finding resemblance) and implicit sharing (keeping distance and tacit understanding). Patients and spouses showed significant differences in terms of self-reported physical and mental health where patients rated themselves lower than spouses did (III). Several actor effects were identified, suggesting that emotional distress affects and is associated with perceived health. Patient partner effects and spouse partner effects were observed for vitality, indicating that higher levels of symptoms of depression in patients and spouses were associated with lower vitality in their partners. In study IV, couples’ core and secondary illness beliefs were revealed. From the core illness belief that “the heart is a representation of life,” two secondary illness beliefs were derived: AF is a threat to life, and AF can and must be explained. From the core illness belief that “change is an integral part of life,” two secondary illness beliefs were derived: AF is a disruption in our lives, and AF will not interfere with our lives. Finally, from the core illness belief that “adaptation is fundamental in life,” two secondary illness beliefs were derived: AF entails adjustment in daily life, and AF entails confidence in and adherence to professional care. In conclusion, the thesis result suggests that illness, in terms of cardiac disease and AF, affected and influenced the couple on aspects such as making sense of AF, responding to AF, and mutually incorporating and dealing with AF in their daily lives. In the light of this, the thesis results suggest that clinicians working with persons with AF and their partners should employ a systemic view with consideration of couple’s reciprocity and interdependence, but also have knowledge regarding AF, in terms of pathophysiology, the nature of AF (i.e., cause, consequences, and trajectory), and treatments. A possible approach to achieve this is a clinical utilization of an FSN based framework, such as the FamHC. Even if a formalized FSN framework is not utilized, partners should not be neglected but, rather, be considered a resource and be a part of clinical caring activities. This could be met by inviting partners to take part in rounds, treatment decisions, discharge calls or follow-up visits or other clinical caring activities. Likewise, interventional studies should include the couple as a unit of analysis as well as the target of interventions.

Progresser dans la formation doctorale en sciences de l’humain et du social : individus et structure en tension

La présente thèse porte sur les enjeux de la progression dans la formation doctorale en sciences de l’humain et du social (SHS). Dans la plupart des pays occidentaux, les administrations universitaires se disent préoccupées par les délais d’achèvement et les faibles taux de diplomation au doctorat. S’il est admis que les aptitudes intellectuelles ne suffisent pas pour progresser dans les études doctorales, les recherches menées jusqu’ici montrent que les modalités de la formation, ainsi que le milieu et le contexte d’études dans lesquels celle-ci s’inscrit ont des répercussions sur l’expérience doctorale. Peu d’études portent toutefois sur la façon dont l’interaction de facteurs individuels et structurels peut affecter la progression dans ce processus de formation. En nous appuyant sur la théorie de la structuration de Giddens (2005), nous postulons dès lors que certaines valeurs, traditions et pratiques propres au monde académique – perpétuées, volontairement ou non, par les acteurs universitaires – peuvent nuire à la progression des doctorant-e-s. Afin d’examiner la question, une étude de cas instrumentale à visée compréhensive (Stake, 1994) a été réalisée. Six facultés des SHS d’une université canadienne ont été ciblées pour constituer le cas à l’étude. Outre l’analyse d’un ensemble de documents institutionnels relatif à la formation doctorale dans le contexte étudié, 36 doctorant-e-s issus de 19 disciplines ainsi que quatorze professeur-e-s et cinq administrateurs universitaires (directions de programmes/doyens/vices-doyens) ont été rencontrés dans le cadre d’entretiens semi-directifs. Nos résultats ont dans un premier temps permis de tracer un portrait descriptif détaillé du cas à l’étude. Les particularités de l’organisation formelle et tacite de la formation doctorale en SHS dans le contexte étudié ainsi que les défis qu’elle sous-tend ont été circonscrits, de même que les stratégies à privilégier – du point de vue des participant-e-s – pour progresser dans la formation. Dans un deuxième temps, il a été possible de montrer, d’une part, que c’est bien à la jonction de facteurs individuels et structurels que se situe la problématique de la progression dans la formation doctorale en SHS et des faibles taux de diplomation qui la caractérisent. D’autre part, la portée systémique d’une telle problématique a été mise au jour : à travers leurs choix, leurs attitudes et leurs pratiques, les acteurs universitaires contribuent à la reproduction de façon de faire et de penser « attendues » ou « admises » dans leur milieu, dont certaines ont le potentiel de nuire à la progression dans la formation doctorale.

ABSTINENCE AND ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AMONG STUDENTS: THE INFLUENCE OF PERSONAL, FAMILY AND SOCIO-CULTURAL SPHERES

Introduction: Among young people, regular or alcohol abuse seems to ally with individual factors, which congregate to other generators behaviors health risk, in social environment, including family and school. The consumption of alcoholic beverages in the younger age groups, according to the World Development Report goes beyond 60%. In the Portuguese case, the Alentejo is the region that recorded higher consumption among schoolchildren. Objectives: This study aims to know the personal inluences of family, of belonging to the group and the school environment, on the withdrawal and consumption habits among young people. Methods: A qualitative nature of research, using comprehensive semi-structured interviews. The study was developed in a school district of Evora, Portugal. The sample consists of ten students from the 8th school grade, ive non-consumers-ive consumers aged between 13 and 15 years old. Results: The trial takes place between 12 and 14 years old as a result of curiosity, explicit or tacit motivation, “give style”, the environment, entertainment and observing behavior. Among the effects of intake indicated as motivators consumption highlight the joy of reaching states and willingness. Family members tend to encourage moderate drinking on festive occasions. family models exaggerated consumption repudiate ingestion. The elements of the group of belonging tend to motivate explicitly, the intake among consumers students. The school promotes initiatives on the theme, punctually. Conclusions: The consumption of alcohol among young people suffer the personal, family and belonging group inluences. The initiatives in school tend to have no effect.