Development actions such as urban, residential, commercial, industrial and mining contribute significantly to the loss of biodiversity worldwide. As development and subsequent loss and degradation of habitats continue, terrestrial biodiversity offsets, or mitigation schemes are conservation instruments that increasingly are being developed, implemented, and used throughout Australia and abroad. However, the failure of offset policies and practices to incorporate sound ecological principles into their design and implementation has led to ineffective conservation and management of biodiversity through offsetting. The aim of this research was to develop a ‘recommended best practice’ offset framework for environments experiencing development pressure, and to inform planners and decision makers on a sound ecological approach to improve biodiversity outcomes for terrestrial ecosystems through the use of offsetting/mitigation schemes. A content analysis technique was applied to evaluate 26 local, provincial, and national biodiversity offset policies, guidance/discussion papers, and planning documents from five countries. Five ecological and planning criteria were applied to evaluate the offset policies. The results from the policy evaluation found that most offset policies contained vague, ambiguous statements and difficult to apply concepts and these results were consistent with a plethora of existing literature, which had identified that the planning of offsets lacked effective consideration and implementation of landscape-ecological principles, and that the protection of biodiversity through offsetting was not occurring. It is therefore important that national, state, and regional policies provide sufficient detail, with definitive performance criteria, indicators and targets, rather than vague principles which are open to ambiguous interpretation and inconsistency in implementation. The results from this research suggested that offset policies failed to protect biodiversity in that the majority of policies evaluated did not effectively incorporate ecological principles that would result in no-net-loss of biodiversity outcomes. This included a failure to recognise and consider the impact of offsets at a landscape-ecosystem scale in relation to ecosystem functionality and the viability of biotic populations. This research also indicated that a variety of tools (e.g., remote sensing, field surveys, and expert opinion) can be used to ensure effective consideration of landscape, ecological, and planning aspects of offsetting. The results of a case study in the Coomera-Pimpama region of Gold Coast City, Australia found that Gold Coast City Council explicitly considered only two of the five recommended off-setting criteria outlined in this research and as a result the conservation of biodiversity and in particular the habitat of the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) in this area remained threatened. Key strategies were identified to help improve biodiversity outcomes from offsetting and these included: requirements to assess both impacted and offset sites, minimisation of threats to offset sites, and collaboration with professionals in other agencies, ensure that statements are accompanied by definitions, policies provide sufficient detail with definitive performance criteria, indicators and targets, active engagement with agencies dealing with offsetting procedures, professionals, or researchers, effective commitments to facilitative integration, structural integration and collaboration, and strategic integration.

This research study examines the psychological and emotional experiences of children and parents as they embark on a permanent placement living arrangement. A permanent placement living arrangement is entered into when a child is no longer able to reside with their family of origin. Three family groups participated in the study and separate interviews were conducted with both the children and placement parents. Overall, three interviews were conducted, with the first interview taking place prior to the child’s transition into the family. A further two interviews were conducted with the participants after the transition had taken place. The findings of this study indicate that both the parents and children were profoundly affected by the experience of permanent placement. The common themes that emerged from the data were the hopes, anxieties and coping strategies of the participants which became the focal point of analysis. The parents experienced a mixture of fulfilment, tempered with anxieties of whether they would be able to provide adequate care for the child placed with them. Whereas, the children appeared to find it difficult to trust that this experience would be any different from their previous experiences. The study concludes that further attention is needed in the preparation for the transition into permanent placement. It further concludes that ‘after transition’ support is important to the stability of the placement.

In the rapidly changing ‘knowledge economy’ where ‘innovation’ and ‘responsiveness’ are vital, tertiary education can be at a point transformation. Since the late 1990s the New Zealand government began to shift part of its tertiary education policy with an increasing focus on what is commonly called ‘foundation’ education. The shift was aimed at ensuring all New Zealanders are equipped for the knowledge economy and raising the skills of individuals. A variety of research and education programmes were launched, and existing foundation or bridging programmes strengthened through policy, research and educational endeavours. Bridging education programmes (a subset of foundation education) are designed to prepare non-traditional and under-prepared students for ongoing study at a higher level. This current research sought to identify the influence of a university bridging programme (Level 4) on students who progressed into further study at undergraduate level. The bridging programme commenced in 2003 providing a pathway for students into undergraduate health degrees. The key question for this thesis was: how does bridging education influence students? To determine the influence of the bridging programme, this research was based on a case-study of seven students who completed four or eight papers in the bridging programme. Participants were in ongoing study (for at least one year) in a Bachelor of Health Science (any major). The methodology was qualitative in design, drawing extensively on a case-study approach to research the influences of the bridging programme. The method of data collection utilised was individual semi-structured interviews with former bridging students to ascertain their perceptions, views and experiences of the influence of a bridging programme, both historically and currently. In examining this unique context, information on the influences of bridging education was explored and the importance of bridging education, from the participant’s perspective, understood more clearly. This thesis and the research within revealed that the influence of the bridging programme began at the participant’s time of enrolment and continued into their undergraduate study and their lives. The bridging programme influenced the way participant’s interacted with a range of factors including: the institution; their undergraduate programme; with educators and peers; and with family, friends and others in society. Equally, it is acknowledged that these factors influenced the participant’s, facilitating or impeding their ongoing learning. The participants also identified several challenges (financial and relational) related to the influence of tertiary study which they faced. The research revealed the programme influenced their ongoing success and continuation in undergraduate study. The programme provided an effective bridge into tertiary education (academically, emotionally and socially). Participant’s acknowledged the influence on their cognitive and meta-cognitive growth and development. The range of tertiary leaning skills and knowledge gained and/or enhanced was considerable. Close links between the academic skills taught in the bridging programme and required in undergraduate study were evident. Positive improvements in confidence, self-efficacy and motivation were also attributed to the influence of the programme. Holistic personal development occurred as the skills and knowledge gained and developed were transferred and extended from academia into other areas of the lives of former bridging students and thus further influenced their family, personal friends and society. The influence of the bridging programme has enabled new opportunities, ways of being and employment to become more than a dream, but a reality which the participants continue to move towards. Overall, it could be claimed that the influence of the bridging programme was holistic. A series of recommendations are provided for theory, policy and practice. The significance for social issues and action are discussed and avenues for further research outlined.

This thesis aims to critically evaluate global intellectual property instruments with detailed analysis of the Agreement on Trade-Related Intellectual Aspects of Property Rights (the TRIPS Agreement) provisions in order to investigate the enforcement issues, confronted by the Developing Countries due to fragile legal infrastructure. These intellectual property laws are evolutionary and designed to protect and honour human intellectual creations since BC 400 which recognized them distinct from divine inspirations. Italian Renaissance witnessed the systematic recognition of human skill, craft, innovation and invention. Venetian Government institutionalized it by awarding patents and copyrights to skilled workers and publishers. Its primary purpose was to protect the trade and secondary was to foster intellectual creativity through reward and recognition. These rewards and recognitions, known as Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs), developed with each new invention and creation. Industrial Revolution accelerated it and developed nations entered into international conventions to protect their nationals and their interests across the borders. In 1995, the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (the TRIPS Agreement) accommodated all the previous (IPRs) instruments and its enforcement linked with global trade. It was a dilemma for developing nations who were desirous to participate in global trading system for their economic development but could not administer (IPRs) regimes on their land due to fragile and static infrastructure. All assistance from developed countries during the transitional period could not address the problems due to alien prescriptions, applied to counter problems in the developed World. Developing Nations need innovative, flexible and indigenous approach to administer the TRIPS Agreement. A case study of Pakistan judicial environment to address the TRIPS enforcement issue has been conducted. The methodological approach of this thesis is the interpretive paradigm of the qualitative research tradition. This interpretive paradigm or framework is applied through the two methodologies of hermeneutics and case study.

Wirtschaftsuniv., Diss.--Wien, 2001.

Calif., Univ. of California, Diss.--Berkeley, 2002. / Kopie, ersch. im Verl. UMI, Ann Arbor, Mich.

Univ., Diss.--Stuttgart, 2006.

<p>Developing countries are quite attractive destinations for foreign investments in various economic sectors.Whether an MNC can successfully enter these markets embodies the aptitude to understand the external macroeconomic and social environment of the host country. An MNC must adjust their competitive stance, decipher adequate market potential and uncover the relevant entry strategy to acquire operational success. We have built a framework surrounded by essential operational strategy. This concerns matching a firm's resources and capabilities to the opportunities that arise in the external environment. In most common literature, emphasis lies within identification of profit opportunities in the external environment of the firm. Imperative emphasis shifts from the interface between strategy and the external environment; towards the interface between strategy and the internal environment. In this context, the concentration of the organization's resources and capabilities is targeted to combat turbulent external environments and devise a secure foundation for long term strategy. To understand why the resource-based view has had a major impact on strategy assessment, a preceding glimpse for strategy formulation can be considered. Conventionally, firms have answered the question “who are our customers?” “What are their needs we're seeking to serve?” “Who are our Competitors?” “How can gain a competitive advantage?” Through answering these questions in conjunction with macroeconomic analysis are inevitable prerequisites for pinpointing the key success factors (KSF) for the individual market segments. The KSF are the factors within the company's market environment that determine its ability to prosper and survive exploiting its core resources.</p>

This study’s aim is to examine how companies integrate their multiple CRM channels to enhance the relationships with the customers. A qualitative method was used and the collection of data was conducted from eleven interviews. The interviews were semi-structured with open-ended questions. The theory is written in three main themes; customer relationship management, channels of communication and multichannel integration. Empirical findings and the analysis also follows these themes. The study is ending with conclusions. What is affecting companies channel selection depends on what message companies want to send, but also whether if it is existing or new potential customers’ that are targeted. The geographical factor also influences the channel selection. Channel decision further depends on the size of the companies, if it is business to business or business to consumer and what kind of product the company is selling. More complex products require more personal interactions. How to successfully implement a multichannel integration strongly depends on the quality of data, an organizational common interpretation of customer relationship management, integration of information from all departments and that the company has an easy, yet powerful system for the accessible data. This study helps to give an understanding of how the multichannel integration is done in a business to business company with complex products. The study can be applied on other companies using a multichannel integration. It can help managers to understand the importance of the multichannel integration, how to succeed and other important factors for a successful multichannel integration. It also contributes to an understanding of the critical factors of the multichannel integration.  A framework with an alternative model of multichannel integration is presented. The study also presented that the process of multichannel integration is of great importance and emphasized by a leading company in the field of customer relationship management. This study therefore has succeeded in giving an easy, more powerful and greater picture of the multichannel integration, which is an important determined factor for building customer relationships. A figure (figure 10) is provided for other companies to use that are business to business with complex products. This study is a case study with a qualitative research approach, the studied company is a business to business company with complex products. The study is made from the company’s perspective. Future research can be conducted by studying multichannel integration from the customers’ perspective instead of the company’s perspective. The study could have been conducted on more than one company to compare the results, or on a business to consumer company instead of a business to business company. Studies on multichannel integration can also be interesting regarding companies that are selling less complicated products. Finally, studies can be conducted regarding the “information overflow” from social media.

Stress and mental health issues are now the most common cause of workplace absence. Increasing evidence points to the need for organisations to take steps to enhance well-being at work for employees. Social support has been identified as one key factor affecting employee psychological well-being, however, the definition and conceptualisation of the term continues to be debated. To date, research examining the relationship between social support and well-being at work tends to be predominantly quantitative and to prioritise work-based sources of support above other sources of support. Few workplace interventions aimed at improving employee well-being appear to have a specific focus on enhancing social support. This thesis presents findings from a mixed-methods case study of a large, public sector organisation in Scotland. The study had four phases: an online survey (n=158), semi-structured interviews (n=31), a diary phase (n=11) and a final interview (n=11). Higher levels of social support were associated with a higher level of psychological well-being. Findings highlighted the importance of various work and non-work based sources of social support, such as peer support and support from friends, and various dimensions of support too, such as ‘distant vs. proximal’ support. Potential negative effects of social support were also identified, for example, when perceived as interfering. Women reported higher levels of support and of positive mental well-being than did men. Interview and diary data revealed a range of contextual, organisational and individual factors that affected both access to and availability of social support, and the relationship between social support and employee well-being. Recent organisational changes appeared to be particularly influential. Employee opinion regarding existing organisational well-being initiatives varied on the basis of whether the support was formal or informal and in terms of perceived versus received support. Social support was valued highly by respondents with regard to improving employee well-being. Open and honest communication, physical presence of support and familiarity with context-specific knowledge were of particular pertinence. This thesis contributes to knowledge in three ways. Substantively, the importance of examining social support more holistically is highlighted in order to better understand the relationship between social support and employee well-being. Methodologically, this mixed methods approach proved fruitful in generating a richness and depth of data largely untapped by previous, predominantly quantitative, studies. Finally, the findings have practical implications for HR personnel and policy makers as they offer an insight into the contribution of various sources and dimensions of social support to employee well-being, as understood by employees.