M.A. / When Glaser departed from the University of California, Strauss was left to answer to those who critiqued grounded theory for its seeming looseness, its lack of variation, and the tangled description of it in their joint book, Discovery of Grounded Theory (Stern, 1994). Strauss' need to respond to critics led him in 1987 and in 1990, together with Corbin, to modify their description of grounded theory from its original concept of emergence to a densely codified, structured operation (Stern, 1994). Strauss's development of grounded theory differed considerably from the method that he and Glaser developed in 1967. Glaser (1992) said that what Strauss and his co-author, Corbin called "grounded theory" is "full conceptual description", and not grounded theory. Which method does the novice in grounded theory pursue? Which of the two methods is grounded theory? The goal of the present study is to provide the novice in grounded theory with an overview on the development and split in the methods. The aim is to help the beginning researcher make an informed decision when choosing one of the two particular methods of grounded theory. The first chapter of the book is a discussion of the history and development of qualitative research. The second chapter is a discussion of the history and development of grounded theory, which flows into a dialogue between Glaser, and Strauss and Corbin about their differences concerning the methods of grounded theory. The originators of grounded theory wrote their method mainly for qualitative researchers. Qualitative research developed out of the need to study social phenomena from the perspective of the participants. It moved away from numeric means of verifying theory, to develop an improved understanding of human behaviour and experience. Glaser and Strauss (1967) based the original approach to grounded theory on these assumptions about qualitative research. Strauss and Corbin (1994) then moved back to some of the positivistic assumptions of verification and interpreting the phenomena for the participants. This shift brought a major split in the methods of grounded theory. The rationale for this study is to provide a clear understanding on where grounded theory stemmed from. Strauss and Corbin published a book in which they explicated their method of grounded theory. Glaser (1992) felt that the original method of grounded theory was lost in Strauss and Corbin's (1990) book and he set out to correct the methods outlined in their book. He wrote a book analysing Strauss and Corbin's (1990) ideas of grounded theory. This dissertation presents the reader with a detailed explanation of Strauss's method and Glaser's method of grounded theory. Epistemologically Strauss and Corbin (1990) seem to have a different stance from Glaser (1992) with regard to grounded theory. I found that Strauss and Corbin's lack of reference to past books and publications of grounded theory might have caused them to depart from the original and fundamental ideas of grounded theory. Strauss and Corbin returned to that which grounded theory moved away from. From this point of view, I would rather support the Glaserian method of grounded theory because it holds more purely to the original method of grounded theory, notwithstanding that Strauss and Corbin did make tremendous contributions to the grounded theory methodology. This division in grounded theory will not end unless the loyal followers of grounded theory somehow merge the two theories to develop a unified theory.

<p> In this dissertation, I study three problems in market design: the allocation of resources to schools using deferred acceptance algorithms, the demand reduction of employees on centralized labor markets, and the alleviation of traffic congestion. I show how institutional and behavioral considerations specific to each problem can alleviate several practical limitations faced by current solutions. For the case of traffic congestion, I show experimentally that the proposed solution is effective. In Chapter 1, I investigate how school districts could assign resources to schools when it is desirable to provide stable assignments. An assignment is stable if there is no student currently assigned to a school that would prefer to be assigned to a different school that would admit him if it had the resources. Current assignment algorithms assume resources are fixed. I show how simple modifications to these algorithms produce stable allocations of resources and students to schools. In Chapter 2, I show how the negotiation of salaries within centralized labor markets using deferred acceptance algorithms eliminates the incentives of the hiring firms to strategically reduce their demand. It is well-known that it is impossible to eliminate these incentives for the hiring firms in markets without negotiation of salaries. </p><p> Chapter 3 investigates how to achieve an efficient distribution of traffic congestion on a road network. Traffic congestion is the product of an externality: drivers do not consider the cost they impose on other drivers by entering a road. In theory, Pigouvian prices would solve the problem. In practice, however, these prices face two important limitations: i) the information required to calculate these prices is unavailable to policy makers and ii) these prices would effectively be new taxes that would transfer resources from the public to the government. I show how to construct congestion prices that retrieve the required information from the drivers and do not transfer resources to the government. I circumvent the limitations of Pigouvian prices by assuming that individuals make some mistakes when selecting routes and have a tendency towards truth-telling. Both assumptions are very robust observations in experimental economics.</p>

A dissertation submitted to the faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. Degree awarded with distinction on 4 December 1996. / This dissertation is divided into two parts: the first part deals with the concepts of angular momentum and spin in classical mechanics and quantum mechanics and relativistic quantum mechanics and their connection with magnetic moments. In the second part, a model is set up of a relativistic three particle system, based on the previou.s.ly introduced concepts, which will serve as a template for a nucleon. The spatial component of the Lorentz invariant electrcmagnetic current is computed, and on the basis of it, the magnetic moment in the non-relativistic limit. It will be seen that the ratio -1 for the magnetic moment of the proton to the neutron will be recovered, in accordance 'with the static quark model, static QeD and very close to experiment. / MT2018

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Science, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, University of the Witwatersrand. November 2014. / Knot theory is a branch of algebraic topology that is concerned with studying the interesting geometrical structures known as knots. The idea of a knot in the theory of knots is entirely different from everyday’s idea of knots, that is, a knot has free ends. In knot theory a knot is defined as a knotted loop of string which does not have free ends unless we cut it using a pair of scissors. The interesting aspect of knot theory is that it enables us to transfer techniques from graph theory, algebra, topology, group theory and combinatorics to study different classes of knots. In this dissertation we are only concerned with the relationship between knot theory and graph theory. It is widely known in knot theory literature that a knot has a corresponding signed planar graph and that a signed planar graph also has a corresponding knot which depends on the signs of the edges of its signed planar graph. This provides a foundation of a solid relationship between knot theory and graph theory, and it allows for some of the notions in graph theory to be transferred to knot theory. In this dissertation we study the path width and component number of links through their corresponding graphs.

The purpose of this study is to introduce several criteria and to find the best method for estimating dynamic models with the autoregressive moving average residuals. First, Monte Carlo simulations are used to compare the two stage least square method with the ordinary least square estimates of the residuals (2SLS/OLS), the 2SLS method with Box-Jenkins' estimates of the residuals (2SLS/Box-Jenkins), as well as the 2SLS method with the recursive maximum likelihood method on the residuals (2SLS/ML). The results show that the 2SLS/ML method performs best within the stationary constraints. When the residuals are white noise or out of stationary constraints, the 2SLS/OLS method performs best. The results are ranked according to the criteria of mean square errors (MSE), variance, bias squared, mean absolute deviations (MAD), and the percentage of prediction errors (PPE). / Second, the simulations are used to compare the relative effects of the ARMA errors on the estimates of regression coefficients. We compare the ordinary least square (OLS) and the generalized least square method with the recursive maximum likelihood estimates of the residuals (GLS/ML), and the maximum likelihood method with the maximum likelihood estimates of the autoregressive residuals (ML/ML). The results show that within the unit circle, the ML/ML estimator performs best according to four criteria: deviations between the estimates and the true coefficients, their frequency distributions, the standard deviations of the estimates of dependent variables, and the adjusted coefficient of determination. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-06, Section: A, page: 2792. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.

As compared with the established theory of production, distribution theory itself cannot go beyond the normative outskirts and so socio-political circumstances. The principal focus, therefore, is given to socio-political as well as economic changes and its impact on the application of justice theory into distribution in postindustrial society. / Ideologically, American society is conceived to be based upon the value system of equity and equality as key social values rather than efficiency and liberty. The traditional, i.e., liberalistic theories of distribution, which are represented by utilitarian and contractual models, become the conventional wisdom that is not appropriate for understanding a changed society. / We developed a new conceptual model of distributive justice, Neo-Political Economy Model (NPEM) which attempts to integrate justice concept into distribution, based upon the evaluation of a newly elected set of relevant reasons, i.e., desert and need, for achieving a balance between equity (equality) and efficiency (liberty). It pinpoints that the exact position of the lever in a value scale between the two sets of key values cannot be determinate a priori but dependent upon the socio-political surroundings of the economy. / Justice theory as politics at large, of course, has difficulties in its applicability into economic activities including distribution which are assumed to be based upon self-interest. For socio-political existence lies in not only self-interest based upon reason but self-denial expressed as love, friendship, neighborhood, etc. In this sense, the Rawlsian contractarian liberalistic theory of justice has certain limits to conceiving the wholeness of social existence. / Our conclusions are that American postindustrial society moves in favor of equity and equality through fulfilling needs of people below a "social norm," and its justification relies on reasoning that distributive justice lies in achieving the wholeness of social existence by incorporating self-denial into a newly emerging structure of communal life. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 43-06, Section: A, page: 2051. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1982.

"The purpose of this paper is to present some of the elementary results of abstract set theory. This will include the definition of an 'order' relation for cardinal numbers, and a discussion of whether or not this definition defines a simple ordering of the cardinals. Although we will not answer this question fully, in the course of the discussion a key theorem (the Bernstein Theorem) will arise. The remainder of the paper will be devoted to a discussion of this theorem, its proof, a generalization due to Banach, a discussion of this proof, and a generalization of Banach's Theorem by Ky Fan"--Introduction. / Typescript. / "February, 1958." / "Submitted to the Graduate Council of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science." / Advisor: Paul J. McCarthy, Professor Directing Paper. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 25).

This study deals with the identification of demand for money function in Iran, Nigeria, and Venezuela. This is important in the study of monetary policy as a tool for influencing macroeconomic variables in these countries. / Prior to performing any tests, and based on the coefficients of the estimated consumption functions for the countries under study, two sets of permanent income values corresponding to gross domestic product (GDP) and non-oil GDP were calculated for each of these countries. Then, by evaluating the estimated coefficients of the log-linear forms of the variables and also evaluating the stability levels of these coefficients under the different specifications of the variables, the homogeneity of degree one on income, prices and population hypotheses was tested. All of these hypotheses were accepted for Iran and Nigeria, and while the one related to population was not rejected in the case of Venezuela, money proved to be "luxury" and the price elasticity proved to be less than one for this country. / Using the Chow test, it was concluded that current GDP is the proper "scale" variable for Iran and Venezuela and permanent GDP is the appropriate one for Nigeria. It was also proved that estimated coefficients related to investment-income ratio (as a proxy for interest rate) was statistically significant only for the case of Venezuela. / Developing an adaptive expectation model, the role of expectations in inflation was examined and denied in all cases, and it was proved that lag money stock can be considered to be an argument in the functions related to Iran and Venezuela. / The comparison of the R('2) and standard error of estimates led to the conclusion that nominal M1 is the proper money stock specification for Iran and Nigeria. The same result proved to be held for Venezuela only after a dynamic simulation technique was applied. / Finally, the crucial issue of stability was examined. The very smallness of the standard error of the generalized three stage least squares estimates of the parameters and the demand for money functions themselves exhibited the high predictability and the stability of these functions, suggesting the efficacy of monetary policy in stabilizing these three developing economies. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 44-09, Section: A, page: 2848. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1983.

At first the dissertation focuses on Yugoslavia's unique socioeconomic system and her labor-managed enterprise as a host of direct foreign investment. Subsequently, the analysis turns to the foreign partner--multinational corporations (MNC)--as a vehicle of direct foreign investment (DFI). Finally, the study proceeds to the examination of Yugoslav joint-venture agreements when those two distinct partners pool their resources in a joint business venture. / The dissertation develops a microeconomic model of joint ventures established between profit-maximizing multinational corporations and Yugoslav labor-managed enterprises which maximize income per worker. It analyzes the issues of resource allocation and profit distribution in this unique transideological enterprise. The analysis focuses on the role of transfer pricing, bargaining power and structural inefficiencies due to the unique structure of property rights in socialist Yugoslavia, which partially explains why Yugoslavia attracted relatively few joint-venture agreements. / In addition, the study examines the actual experience of Yugoslav joint ventures, particularly in light of the new joint-venture legislation enacted in November, 1984. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-10, Section: A, page: 3124. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1985.

The last three decades have witnessed a revival of interest in value theory in economics, accompanied by mounting challenges to the neoclassical orthodoxy. Not only has neoclassical price theory come under attack, especially from the neo-Ricardian critique of contemporary capital and distribution theory, but there has also been dissatisfaction with the performance of neoclassical "value" theory as a theory of value in the broadest sense of the term. / A theory of economic value needs to do more than just provide a theoretical account of the quantitative determination of exchange values of commodities. It needs to identify the origin or source of value, and to relate the surface phenomena of prices and outputs to their underlying real value determinants. Relatedly, it should demonstrate an adequate understanding of the human processes of valuation which culminate in consumption, production and exchange activities. Finally, a theory of economic value ought to provide a framework in which prices, outputs, employment and the entire empirical realm can be evaluated, as well as to encourage such an evaluation. Neoclassical value theory has been criticized for its performance in all these areas. / Using these criteria--criteria for a comprehensive, fully-fledged theory of economic value--this dissertation examines and evaluates the major theories that have attracted support (at one time or another) during the last two centuries--the (classical) cost-of-production theory, the labor theory of value, utilitarian marginalism, and the Austrian, neoclassical and energy theories of value. / Particular attention is given to the axiological foundations of these theories. The kinship between philosophical theories of value and theories of economic value is demonstrated by addressing a variety of value issues and dichotomies encountered in the philosophical literature and by examining the forms in which these value issues appear in the specific subject area of economic value. These issues include: whether value is intrinsic or instrumental, the relationship between evaluation and descriptions, the subjective/objective "dichotomy", and the issue of whether the promotion of human welfare or the overcoming of resistance is the ground or source of value. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-08, Section: A, page: 3147. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1986.