The purpose of this thesis is to develop understanding about: in what ways Swedish music artists become leaders for their followers from theories of Educational/Pedagogical Leadership; Music Artists’ perceptions of leadership and influence in a music-artist-follower-context; And the preconditions, opportunities and needs of learning on this topic amongst music artists. The background of this research is the importance of understanding these aspects in a rapidly developing society, where music artists are gaining more prominent roles and influence. Music artists, as a part of the celebrity- and influencer body, are since long recognized to have important influence over many areas of followers’/fans’ lives. Music industry research indicates that due to the digital development, individual music artists are reinforcing and increasing their influence over followers which to some extent are exploited and monetized. Parallell with this, Swedish music artists are considered by practitioners and researchers not to have any obligations, responsibilities nor leadership roles regarding their influence over their followers due to democratic values and artistic freedom. The understanding and theorizing of leadership is developing in new directions. Yet no holistic, interdisciplinary leadership research that analyzes music artists as leaders towards their followers, based on influence has yet been conducted. Therefore the understanding of in what ways music artists can be considered leaders towards their followers, and the content of this leadership is limited. The purpose of this thesis is researched through qualitative, semi-structured group interviews and one individual interview with a total of seven music artists, based on the following research questions: In what ways do music artists in Sweden become leaders for their followers from theories of pedagogical leadership?; What perceptions do music artists have regarding leadership and influence from a music artist- follower-perspective?; What are the conditions, opportunities and needs for music artists to learn about this leadership towards their followers? The theoretical foundations and framework for this research is Methodological Individualism, Parasocial Relations Theory (PSR), Andersson et. al’s theoretical construct of Attributed, Informal Leadership and a theoretical framework constructed by different aspects within research of pedagogiskt ledarskap (Educational/Pedagogical Leadership). The inherent components in this framework are Practical Responsibilities; Leading in Fostering; Leading Through Relationships; Ethics and Morale; Leading Learning, Knowledge and Instruction; Personality and Characteristics; Collegial Learning and Learning Organization. Analysis and conclusion shows that music artists become leaders towards followers in many regards: They have practical responsibilities generating a leadership position towards followers, effecting leadership outwork and development; Lead by being role models, reproducing values, norms and characteristics; Influence and create exchange with followers through actual and perceived relationships; Practice ethical and moral aspects towards followers; Create conditions for- and lead processes of learning, knowledge- and meaning creation in followers; Shape artistry and practice influence from personality and characteristics; Practice collegial and organizational learning. Degree, effectiveness, practice, characteristics, perceptions and opinions of these leadership aspects vary greatly between artists and category. Swedish music artists perceive leadership and influence towards followers as role-model-ship, inspiration and encouragement, practical responsibility, authenticity and interaction. Regarding influence they show many nuances and variety in perceptions. Informants suggests that music artists don’t have leadership responsibilities towards society, but conclude that music artists possess undefined societal roles with potential significant societal influence. Music artists participate in learning initiatives but workload, isolation and financial aspects hinders learning. Forums for dialogue and reflection are missing.

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the number of followers affects an influencer's credibility using Ohanian's credibility model (1990). The study contributes to an understanding of how the size of influencers affects the followers' intake of information from influencers. To address the purpose of this study, the following question was analyzed: How does the size of influencers affect their credibility? A qualitative study has been conducted and empirical material has been collected to fulfill the purpose and answer the question of how the number of followers affects the credibility of influencers. To get an answer to the question, nine semi-structured individual interviews were conducted where the sample was women aged 18-24. The theoretical starting point in this study is Ohanian's credibility model (1990), where the focus is on credibility which consists of five different terms; honesty, trustworthiness, sincerity, credibility, and reliability. The study shows that the majority agree that smaller influencers are perceived as more credible. The result is mainly due to the fact that smaller influencers are considered to have higher levels of all five credibility terms. For followers to interpret influencers as credible sources, it is important to do parts that are part of Ohanian's credibility model (1990). This study shows that a factor that affects influencer credibility is the number of followers. / Syftet med studien är att undersöka om antalet följare påverkar en influencers trovärdighet med hjälp av Ohanians trovärdighetsmodell (1990). Studien bidrar till förståelse för hur influencers storlek påverkar följarnas intag av information från influencers. För att besvara syftet, analyserades följande frågeställning: Hur påverkar influencers storlek deras trovärdighet? En kvalitativ studie har genomförts och empiriskt material har samlats in för att uppfylla syftet och besvara frågeställningen om hur antalet följare påverkar trovärdigheten till influencers. För att få svar på frågeställningen utfördes nio stycken semistrukturerade personliga intervjuer där urvalet var kvinnor i åldrarna 18-24 år. Den teoretiska utgångspunkten i denna studien är Ohanians trovärdighetsmodell (1990), där enbart fokuset ligger på trovärdighet som består av fem olika termer; ärlighet, pålitlighet, uppriktighet, trovärdighet och tillförlitlighet. Studien visar att majoriteten är eniga om att mindre influencers uppfattas som mer trovärdiga. Resultatet beror främst på att mindre influencers anses ha högre nivåer av alla fem begrepp som beskriver trovärdighet. För att följarna ska tolka influencers som en trovärdig källa är det viktigt att de uppfyller delarna som ingår i Ohanians trovärdighetsmodell (1990). Denna studie visar att en faktor som påverkar influencers trovärdighet är antalet följare.

This study is an exploration into female discipleship. Its primary aim is to compare and contrast Mark's portrayal of male and female followers of Jesus respectively, while its secondary aim is to establish what lessons there may be for the social status of Christian women in the kingdom of Swaziland. These ends will be pursued by looking at Mark's portrayal of male disciples and the contrast he draws between them and the female followers of Jesus. This study then concludes that Mark has a more positive view of female followers than he has of male disciples, and this may stem from the conduct of male disciples he has observed in the Church of his time. / New Testament / M.TH. (New Testament)

臺灣半導體產值已佔全球半導體產值的百分之二十，而臺灣IC設計產值亦已佔全球第二位之重要位置，然而現今在全世界之市場、產品定義、及產品規範都掌控於歐美世界大廠之手，臺灣IC設計產業如何擺脫低價競爭之厄運，甚至有時就算低價競爭，也無法在歐美IC設計大廠已攤平開發成本下，在價格上取得任何優勢；因此在原有臺灣IC設計產業舊有之經營模式，大陸山寨市場提供一個絕佳從資通訊產業上、中、下游之產業鏈重組之模式，臺灣IC設計產業因此在經營模式上必須找出一可以創造產業鏈上、中、下游多贏之經營模式。山寨手機是目前相當成功的一個案例，也創造出一個華人市場特有的手機產業鏈模式，因此此一成功案例也成為目前臺灣IC設計產業最想複製並找出其中致勝之道。 本研究主要探討之問題有四：晶片設計產業，在擴散其核心競爭力時，往往是跨產業別之新的開始，應考量之要點為何？ 為切入成熟市場，新的晶片設計公司從”邊陲市場”切入該產業時，產品需提供何種差異化?需提供何種服務並如何取捨? 晶片設計公司原本為腦力密集產業，強調是小而美；然而面對現今山寨產品之風行，山寨系統廠將營運重心轉往銷售及量產管理，則晶片設計公司在組織上如何因應此種產業分工之改變? 晶片設計公司之核心能耐擴展，在山寨市場所需具備之條件為何？ 本研究主要藉由策略與組織、技術能力、與市場因素三個構面做為主要分析架構。由三主要架構再細分各架構之變項，在策略與組織中，共有企業經營團隊、核心競爭優勢、組織架構、及網絡定位等變項；在技術能力中，則有過去所累積之產品開發經驗、內部知識傳遞之效率、外部可利用之資源網絡、產品開發管理制度、組織學習能耐及企業之知識管理系統等變項；在市場因素中，則有市場需求之變化、產品行銷、產業合作網絡、及政策因素。 本研究所獲得之研究發現則針對於策略與組織、技術能力、與市場因素此三構面分別描述如下： 一、 在IC產業擴展產業別時，穩扎穩打以鞏固進入產業核心競爭力之根基為企業領導者之主要任務，因此循序漸進為較適當之策略展開作法。 二、 IC設計公司為對客戶提供更多的服務，且面對新的挑戰時，從現有組織分出一獨立組織，或是在公司內部創造出新的組織結構，以便重新定義新流程或定義新的工作型態。 三、 當IC設計產業為因應山寨產業之生態，若需跨足原先IT產業分工中，屬於品牌廠所需負責之工作時，因財務之負擔，必須審慎以對。 四、 企業以”邊陲進入”之模式切入成熟產業，若在硬體平台相類似下，僅以低成本之差異，但無法取得消費者在其他產品特性方面之認同，則將難以形成產品認同。 五、 企業在跨入其他產業時，利用購併之方式快速取得核心技術，重新定義新任務所需之流程及價值觀為首要任務。 六、 技術追隨者在進入市場時，選擇以”邊陲市場”進入為一正確之選擇，然而利用”五力分析”分析市場競爭者之動態，隨時調整本身策略為更重要之功課。 / According to the market report, 20% market share of world wide semiconductor market is supplied by Taiwan’s companies, and the total market share of Taiwan’s IC design house is ranked as second within world wide IC design companies. But until now, all of the product definition and product specification are dominated by USA or Europe companies. Even to offer the price competition strategy to the target market, sometimes Taiwan’s IC design house also cannot break even by the traditional quickly follower business model. China market offers a good market, which is different with the traditional business model, to re-organize the business chain, and we called it as “Shanzhai” market. Taiwan’s IC design company could define a new business supply chain to win back some market share within the mature market. “Shanzhai” mobile phone market is a successful case, and it also create a special business supply chain within Chinese countries. Based on this successful case, other Taiwan’s IC design companies also want to analyze and find out the successful business model. Within this research, there are four questions should be covered, and shown as below.  Within the IC design industry, what’s kind of consideration should be discussed when it try to expand it’s core competition?  When a new IC design company want to cut in a mature market, what’s kind of service should be considered except the product differentiation?  IC design house is a high technology company and focus on small size but with high quality engineers. If IC design companies tried to target on servicing the “Shanzhai” market, they how to re-organize the traditional organization to meet the different models with small quantities business models.  To expand the IC design house core competition for servicing “Shanzhai” market, what’s kind of conditions should be prepared? Within this research, it consists and discussed from three dimensions which are strategy and organization, technology capability, and market factors. Under the three dimensions, there are some detailed key factors should be covered. Under the strategy and organization, it should cover company management team, core competition analysis, organization structure, and the position within the supply chain. Under the technology capability, it should cover the product development experience, the knowledge communication efficiency internally, the learning capability of new technology, and knowledge management system. Under the market factor, it should cover the analysis of market demanding, market promotion, business cooperation, and policy consideration. By the three dimensions(strategy and organization, technology capability, and market factors), this research have the following finding. 1. When the IC design company expand it’s core business, it is better to expand the core business sequentially as it’s strategy. 2. In order to provide more new services other than traditional services of IC design company, the IC design house is much better to organize a new supporting organization or re-organize a new section to support to re-define the working SOP or define a new working model. 3. In order to service the “Shanzhai” market, the IC design company may involve the service of traditional brand name company’s business. The financial burden is a critical issue should be considered at first. 4. When the IC design house tried to step into a mature market as technology follower, it should try to find other differentiation point other than lower price only. 5. When the IC design house try to merge other IC design company for quickly step into a new market, the first priority is to re-define the new working SOP and target task for new group. 6. The technology follower select a second/or third priority market as their target market is a correct selection. But the most important is to adjust the own strategy dynamically according to competitor’s status.

Game theory and mechanism design have emerged as an important tool to model, analyze,and solve decentralized design problems involving multiple agents that interact strategically in a rational and intelligent way. Some examples of these design problems include: auctions and markets in electronic commerce; network economics; dynamic pricing; routing protocols in wireless networks; resource allocation in computational grids; algorithms for selfish agents;etc. The motivation for this doctoral work springs from the high level of current interest indesigning innovative mechanisms for solving emerging game theoretic problems in the area of electronic commerce. In this thesis, we focus on three such problems and advance the current art in mechanism design while developing new, innovative mechanisms to solve the problems. The first problem we explore is the highly strategic problem of forming a high value E-business supply chain by choosing the best mix of supply chain partners. In our research, we formulate the supply chain formation problem as a mechanism design problem in a generic wayand show that the well known VCG (Vickrey-Clarke-Groves) mechanisms provide an apt frame-work for solving this problem. We provide a compelling example of a three stage automotive distribution network to illustrate the power and e±cacy of the proposed methodology. The second problem we model and solve is that of designing a revenue maximizing sponsored search auction. This is a problem that is faced by every Internet search engine, such as Google,MSN, and Yahoo!, whenever it receives a search query. In our research, we take a comprehensivelook at existing auction mechanisms for this problem. Our work leads to an innovative new auction mechanism, which we call OPT (optimal mechanism), that exhibits a superior level ofperformance. The proposed mechanism extends, in a non-trivial way, the well known Myersonoptimal auction to the specific setting of sponsored search auctions. The proposed mechanism maximizes the revenue to the search engine and also satisfies two crucial properties, Bayesian incentive compatibility and interim individual rationality. The third contribution is in respect of Stackelberg problems, which are game theoretic problems that involve hierarchical and sequential decision making. By focusing attention on an important subclass of these problems, namely the Single-Leader-Rest-Followers (SLRF) problems, we extend all relevant aspects of classical mechanism design theory to the case of SLRF problems. We derive many important results in respect of procurement auctions with reserve prices using the developed theory. The research carried out as part of this doctoral work, we believe, advances the current art in mechanism design while developing innovative mechanisms to solve those problems.

日本於明治時期，由於維新政府所奉行的神道國教化政策，而引發大規模的的佛教排斥破壞運動，史稱廢佛毀釋運動。事件的開端，起源於慶應四年(明治元年、一八六八)政府所頒布的「神佛分離令」。而政府之所以採用神佛分離政策，是因為在明治維新這個動盪的時期，政府的核心領導人物為了樹立以天皇為首之中央集權國家的政治體系，便採用有力的國學者、神道家之理論，來作為強調天皇其神聖的宗教威信、鞏固天皇的正統性及權威性之根據。 然而，當時如此雷厲風行的廢佛毀釋運動，使其衰退的是真宗信仰地區強烈的抵抗運動。而淨土真宗界的僧侶集結信徒發起護法一揆，起身反抗的原因，是出自於對廢佛行為的抗議、僧侶守護自身的生活權、農民對新政策的不了解，或是排擊基督教等因素。 本論文的第一、二章，將針對神佛分離‧廢佛毀釋運動之生成背景做探討。並說明從織豐政權到江戶幕府，權力者是如何打壓宗教勢力，以及論述相關宗教政策制定的意圖及內涵。此外，江戶時代排佛論興起，在此將試舉幾位代表性的排佛論者的論點加以闡述。再者，早在江戶時代，就有部份尊儒排佛的地方大名，積極的整頓領內的寺院神社，尤其以水戶、岡山、會津、長州最為興盛，因此將透過上述四個例子，來瞭解維新以前廢佛毀釋的實際狀況。在經過幕末的動盪時代，甫成立的維新政府在宗教方面，積極推動一連串神道國教化的政策。第三章將探討當時的各項政策，來說明各項政策所蘊含的意圖以及其帶來的影響。第四章的部份，將以真宗信仰繁盛的三個地區，在面對明治政府所施行的新政策時，所發起的護法一揆為例，來一窺其中所蘊含的群眾運動以及宗教運動的性格。 / In the Meiji era, because the Meiji government made Shinto a state religion, opposition and destruction of Buddhism occurred on a large scale in Japan, the so-called Anti-Buddhist Movement (Haibutsu Kishaku). It began in Keiō 4 (Meiji 1, 1868), the time the government announced the Ordinance Distinguishing Shinto and Buddhism. The government applied the separation of Shinto and Buddhism because in the chaotic period of the Meiji Restoration, to build a political system, a centralized government in which the emperor was the top, core leaders adopted authoritative Japanese classical (Kokugaku) scholars and Shinto scholars’ doctrines to enhance the emperor’s religious prestige, legitimacy and authority. As the fierce Anti-Buddhist Movement occurred, it was the strong opposition held by the Shin-Buddhists that weakened the Anti-Buddhist Movement. The Shin-Buddhist monks and followers staged religious revolts for protests against anti-Buddhism, monks’ claims on rights of living, peasants’ unfamiliarity with the new policy, strikes against Christians, etc. Chapter 1 and chapter 2 in this thesis are concerned with the background of the separation of Shinto and Buddhism and the Anti-Buddhist Movement, the illustrations of authorities’ oppression of religion from the Oda-Toyotomi period to the Edo period, and the demonstration of the purpose and the meaning of these religious policies. Besides, anti-Buddhism developed in the Edo period. Some representative anti-Buddhist scholars’ doctrines are examined here. In addition, in the Edo period, some chiho-daimyo who praised Confucianism and opposed Buddhism reorganized Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines in their domains actively, and this occurred very often in the Mito Domain, the Okayama Domain, the Aizu Domain and the Chōshū Domain. The above four cases are examined here to understand the real situation of the anti-Buddhism before the Meiji Restoration. After the chaotic last days of the Edo period (Bakumatsu), the new Meiji government adopted lots of policies to make Shinto a state religion. Chapter 3 is concerned with the analysis of each policy to demonstrate the purpose and the effect of each policy. Chapter 4 is concerned with the examination of religious revolts staged by people who lived in three places where the Shin-Buddhism was popular and faced new policies adopted by the Meiji government to analyze characteristics, mass movement and religious movement, of those religious revolts.

Rethinking the possible borders of leadership, requires an investigative work which problematizes the principal assumptions upon which leadership discourse is built. From follower-centered approach, this research examines the relational factors that might accelerate the wheel of toxic behaviour in organizations, with a brief critique of the out- dated themes which continue to occupy fair amount of the discourse of leadership, this critique is based on problematizing the perspectives, commonly referred to, as The Romance of Leadership. after doing so, I try to create a counterweight body of work in which I disregard some of leaders domination by focusing on followers instead, consequently, I attempt to introduce possible breakthrough in term of language as an approach to replace old and depreciated terms, as well as, recommendations for countering the radical views toward followers. In addition, I did an empirical investigation to the abovementioned themes by conducting a study in my workplace in order to check the plausibility of the conceptualization I done before, through, and after the empirical phase of this thesis, finally, I presented some personal reflections in regard with the course of study and suggested some ideas concerning the methodology within which this research has functioned.

Τα τελευταία χρόνια η ανάγκη για αναλογικά ολοκληρωμένα κυκλώματα με χαμηλή τάση τροφοδοσίας και χαμηλή ισχύ γίνεται κάτι περισσότερο από επιτακτική. Ο βασικότερος λόγος για την ανάγκη αυτή είναι η ραγδαία ανάπτυξη από φορητές ηλεκτρονικές συσκευές για εφαρμογές πολυμέσων (laptops, netbooks, mobiles) έως ολοκληρωμένων συστημάτων βιοιατρικών εφαρμογών. Μάλιστα σε πολλές περιπτώσεις απαιτείται αυτές οι ηλεκτρονικές συσκευές να έχουν δυνατότητα διασύνδεσης σε ασύρματα δίκτυα (WLANs) και επομένως επιβάλλεται η ενσωμάτωση συστημάτων πομποδεκτών. Έτσι, οι απαιτήσεις για όσο το δυνατόν μικρότερη κατανάλωση και επομένως χαμηλότερη τροφοδοσία είναι επιβεβλημένες. Ένα από τα βασικότερα «δομικά» κυκλώματα σχεδίασης αναλογικών κυκλωμάτων είναι οι διαφορικοί ενισχυτές τάσης. Στην παρούσα διατριβή παρουσιάζονται πλήρεις λύσεις διαφορικών ενισχυτών χαμηλής τάσης τροφοδοσίας σε τυπική CMOS τεχνολογία των 0.35μm και 0.18μm. Οι προτεινόμενοι ενισχυτές σχεδιάστηκαν με την τεχνική οδήγησης τρανζίστορ από το υπόστρωμα (Bulk-driven technique). Αρχικά σχεδιάστηκαν διαφορικοί ενισχυτές τάσεις με τοπολογία αρνητικής αντίστασης στην βαθμίδα εισόδου. Με τον τρόπο αυτό έγινε αύξηση της μικρής διαγωγιμότητας εισόδου που παρουσιάζει η τεχνική οδήγησης τρανζίστορ από το υπόστρωμα. Έτσι, προέκυψαν πρωτότυπες δομές ενισχυτών με χαμηλή τροφοδοσία μέχρι και 0.8V. Οι επιδόσεις των ενισχυτών χαρακτηρίστηκαν από κατάλληλες προσομοιώσεις αλλά και από πειραματικές μετρήσεις καθώς κατασκευάστηκε ολοκληρωμένο κύκλωμα ενισχυτή. Η σύγκλιση των αποτελεσμάτων των προσομοιώσεων με των πειραματικών απέδειξε πως τόσο τα προτεινόμενα κυκλώματα όσο και η ίδια η τεχνική σχεδίασης αποτελούν σημαντική λύση όπου απαιτούνται διαφορικοί ενισχυτές τάσης χαμηλής τροφοδοσίας. Στη συνέχεια σχεδιάστηκε βαθμίδα διαφορικού ακόλουθου τάσης με την τεχνική οδήγησης τρανζίστορ από το υπόστρωμα και τροφοδοσία 1V. Η βαθμίδα αυτή χρησιμοποιήθηκε ως διαφορική βαθμίδα εισόδου διαφορικού ενισχυτή τάσης με τροφοδοσία 1V. Ο ενισχυτής αυτός λειτουργεί για μεταβολή του κοινού σήματος εισόδου μεταξύ των άκρων της τροφοδοσίας. Ο ακόλουθος τάσης τροποποιήθηκε κατάλληλα ώστε να λειτουργεί με τροφοδοσία 0.5V και χρησιμοποιήθηκε ως διαφορική βαθμίδα εισόδου σε διαφορικό ενισχυτή τάσης ίδιας τροφοδοσίας. Και οι δυο προτεινόμενες τοπολογίες ενισχυτών αποτελούν πλήρεις λύσεις για εφαρμογές ενισχυτών τάσης με χαμηλή και πολύ χαμηλή τροφοδοσία αντίστοιχα. Τέλος με την τεχνική οδήγησης τρανζίστορ από το υπόστρωμα σχεδιάστηκε ενισχυτής μεταβλητού κέρδους. Για το σκοπό αυτό αναπτύχθηκε τεχνική γραμμικής μεταβολής διαγωγιμότητας διαγωγών. Ο ενισχυτής μεταβλητού κέρδους που σχεδιάστηκε λειτουργεί με τροφοδοσία 0.8V ενώ το κέρδος έχει εύρος μεταβολής 17dB και μπορεί να ενσωματωθεί σε βρόχο αυτομάτου ελέγχου κέρδους χαμηλής τροφοδοσίας. Για το σκοπό αυτό σχεδιάστηκαν με την τεχνική οδήγησης τρανζίστορ από το υπόστρωμα και δυο κυκλώματα τετραγωνικής συνάρτησης με τροφοδοσία 0.8V και 0.5V αντίστοιχα. / In recent years the need for analog integrated circuits with low-voltage and low-power is more than urgent. The main reason for this need is the rapid growth of portable electronic devices for multimedia applications (laptops, netbooks, mobiles, etc.) and even more for biomedical devices applications. In many cases, these electronic devices provide connectivity to wireless networks (WLANs) and therefore they incorporate transceiver systems. Thus, requirements such as low-voltage and low-power are a necessity. One of the basic analog “building blocks” for circuit design is differential voltage amplifiers. This thesis presents complete solutions for low-voltage differential amplifiers in standard CMOS technology of 0.35μm and 0.18μm. The proposed amplifiers were designed with bulk-driven technique. In the first place are designed differential voltage amplifiers that include input stage with negative resistance circuitry. This way the proposed amplifiers improve the small input transconductance due to bulk-driven transistors. Thus, novel amplifier structures are obtained with a voltage supply equal even to 0.8V. The amplifiers performance is characterized both through simulation and experimental results. The convergence of simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed amplifiers circuits designed with bulk-driven technique are significant solution in the design of low-voltage amplifiers. In the next step a differential bulk-driven voltage follower is designed with 1V voltage supply. The proposed follower is used as a differential input stage for a differential voltage amplifier with the same voltage supply. The proposed amplifier is capable to operate rail-to-rail for common mode input signals. Also, the proposed voltage follower is modified in order to operate in extreme voltage supply of 0.5V. The modified voltage follower is used, again, as a differential input stage for a differential voltage amplifier while the whole amplifier used a voltage supply equal to 0.5V. Both proposed amplifiers topologies that use bulk-driven differential voltage followers as input stages are complete solutions for low-voltage and ultra low-voltage amplifiers applications. Finally, a new technique for linear transconductance variation, applicable in any kind of transconductor, is introduced. The proposed technique is used to build a bulk-driven variable gain amplifier (VGA). The proposed VGA operate with 0.8V voltage supply while produce a gain range variation equal to 17dB. The amplifier could incorporate in an automatic gain control loop (AGC) for low-voltage applications. For this purpose, two bulk-driven voltage squarers circuits with voltage supply 0.8V and 0.5V was also proposed.

This study is an exploration into female discipleship. Its primary aim is to compare and contrast Mark's portrayal of male and female followers of Jesus respectively, while its secondary aim is to establish what lessons there may be for the social status of Christian women in the kingdom of Swaziland. These ends will be pursued by looking at Mark's portrayal of male disciples and the contrast he draws between them and the female followers of Jesus. This study then concludes that Mark has a more positive view of female followers than he has of male disciples, and this may stem from the conduct of male disciples he has observed in the Church of his time. / New Testament / M.TH. (New Testament)

Abstract Euthanasia from the points of view of theology and ethics Key words: euthanasia, suffering, death, dying, dignity, human rights, doctor, patient, palliative medicine, hospice care, assisted suicide, religious motivation, followers, objectors of euthanasia In my thesis I am covering the topic of ?qeuthanasia??. The main objective of this paper is to introduce the reader to the problem of euthanasia from the points of view of theology and ethics. This thesis consists of theoretical and practical parts. The theoretical part further consists of eleven chapters. In the first chapter, the types of euthanasia ares discussed (active, passive, prenatal, and assisted suicide). In the second chapter, the history of euthanasia is discussed in a great detail. The third chapter mainly concentrates on euthanasia in the world. The fourth chapter is about the criteria of death. In the fifth chapter, I address the questions of euthanasia and death in recent years. The sixth chapter is about the relationship between a doctor and a patient. The seventh chapter covers palliative medicine and the eighth chapter further expands on this subject with the topic of hospice care. In the ninth chapter, I pursue the point of religious motivational impact. The tenth and eleventh chapters are dedicated to the followers and objectors of euthanasia. The practical part concentrates on exploratory research. I have chosen sociological research using the methods of discussion. Here are three interviews with experts, who interact with dying individuals on a daily basis. These questioned specialists are believers and therefore the discourses are anonymous. The objective of these discussions was to uncover how professional in different facilities view the issues of euthanasia. This objective was sucessfully achieved.