A seleção de fornecedores de transporte é um desafio cada vez maior. O crescimento da rede de clientes a ser coberta demanda uma alocação eficiente em termos de custo não suprida por mecanismos tradicionais de negociação. Neste âmbito, o leilão combinatório torna-se uma alternativa de negociação ao permitir capturar sinergias entre os trajetos que devem ser atendidos. Em conseqüência disso, diminui-se o custo de transporte do fornecedor que se reflete nos menores preços de suas propostas e finalmente no custo total de compra do serviço. Por outro lado, esta decisão envolve fatores além do custo total; a mensuração destes torna-se importante para identificar fornecedores que melhor se ajustam aos requerimentos do comprador. No entanto, é fundamental escolher um método adequado para sua avaliação porque este influência a decisão final. Este problema de compra de serviços de transporte é conhecido na literatura como Winner Determination Problem (WDP) que, devido a sua complexidade, possui uma resolução limitada. Após revisão teórica, foi observado que os estudos relacionados à área de transporte focalizavam o desenvolvimento de modelos matemáticos que fossem representativos da realidade. Alguns destes modelos abordam a utilização de múltiplos critérios atribuindo um coeficiente que pondera cada critério. Evidenciou-se a necessidade do desenvolvimento de um algoritmo alternativo que além de facilitar sinergias entre trajetos, fosse abrangente o suficiente para tratar múltiplos critérios em instâncias compatíveis com problemas reais. Logo, com o intuito de contribuir com a literatura foi adaptado um algoritmo matemático otimizante ao problema de compras de fornecedores de transporte com base no algoritmo de Sandholm (2002). Este algoritmo aplica leilão combinatório de compras, apoiando-se na teoria da análise de decisão para mensurar critérios relevantes do comprador. Inicialmente, o algoritmo minimiza o custo total do comprador designando combinações de trajetos e fornecedores; depois é modificado para o tratamento multi-critério. Os resultados obtidos foram comparados com o software comercial CPLEX. / Selecting suppliers is a crescent challenge for the enterprises. The extent of the client web that needs to be served demands efficient allocations, in terms of cost, that are not addressed by traditional mechanisms. In this scenario, another mechanism came to be: the combinatorial auction. In this one, suppliers can express their synergies on routes they wish to supply. This leads to lowering their transportation costs, which is reflected in lower bidding prices as well as in the total cost of service. On the other hand, the selection of a supplier involves other criteria besides cost. The definition of these is essential to define which supplier fits the needs of the buyer. That is why it is of most importance to choose the right method to evaluate these needs, as it defines the final choice. This problem is known as Winner Determination Problem (WDP) and due to its complexity, possesses a feeble solution. After compiling what has been done about the subject, it was noticed that in the field of transport, studies are focused on mathematical models that represent reality. Some models address criteria assigning coefficients to the objective function by weighting on it. Clearly, there was a need for alternative algorithms that would, besides promoting synergies on routes, also treat multi-criteria problems close to reality. Therefore, searching for a valid contribution in the field, an adaption of an optimizing algorithm based on Sandholm (2002)s was made. The algorithm applies combinatorial auction, supported by decision analysis for measuring relevant buyers criteria. First, the main algorithms objective is to minimize buyers costs by combining routes and suppliers; then, a modified approach considers multi criteria. Results were then compared to the commercial software CPLEX.

Cette thèse est l'aboutissement de huit années de travail qui ont portés sur la représentation de la défaite dans le théâtre du dix-septième siècle. Notre corpus comprend 75 pièces, 60 tragédies, 14 tragi-comédies et une comédie-heroïque jouées entre 1634 et 1663 et mettant en avant le thème de la défaite, telle que la définissent les dictionnaires de l'époque, c'est-à-dire la perte d'une bataille après une intervention armée qui peut aller des guerres externes ou internes, internationales, civiles ou religieuses, qui dominent dans les tragédies de la première période étudiée, soit les années 1634-1643, aux complots militaires ou privés qui seront plutôt l'apanage des pièces de la dernière période, soit les années 1653-1663. / This thesis is the outcome of eight working years wich concerned the representation of the defeat in the theater of the seventeenth century. Our corpus includes 75 plays, 60 tragedies, 14 tragicomedies and a heroic comedy played between 1634 and 1663 and putting forward the theme of the defeat, such as defined in the dictionaries of this time, that is the loss of a battle after an armed intervention which can go external or internal, internaltional, civil or religious years 1634-1643, in the military or private plots dominate in the tragedies of the first studied period, or which will be rather the priviledge of the plays of the last period, or the years 1653-1663.

<p><strong>Title:</strong> Kreativ reklam. En bra idé? (Creative advertising. A good idea?)</p><p><strong>Author:</strong> Evelina Karlsson</p><p><strong>Tutor:</strong> Larsåke Larsson</p><p><strong>Course:</strong> Bachelor Thesis: Media and Communication</p><p><strong>Purpose:</strong> The purpose of this study is to, through qualitative studies inquire creative prized advertise in Sweden to see which influence creativity have on both creative director and the audience. The questions are:</p><p>* Which influence does creativity have on advertising?</p><p>* What are differences between prized advertisements and those that have not won any prizes?</p><p>* What opinion does the public have on creative advertising?</p><p><strong>Theory and previous research:</strong> The theoretical foundation of this essay is based on American studies of creative advertising. Theories regarding the public opinion on advertise is also included in the theoretical framework.</p><p><strong>Material and method:</strong> The method of the study is qualitative interview. Four personal interviews with creative directors and two focus-group interview have been done with students of mixed age and gender. The material consists of five creative adverts, prized during the twenty-first century in "Guldägget" ("the golden eggs"), a Swedish advertising competition.</p><p><strong>Result: </strong>Despite of the fact that the previous studies are critical; this study shows a constructive attitude to creative advertising by making it easier and funnier to absorb. The conditions are that creativity has to be rightful proportioned and not too poetical, otherwise it can prevent the recipient from getting the message.</p><p><strong>Keywords:</strong> Advertising agencies, Award winner, Creative ability, Audience attitude.</p>

Artificial neural networks are widely used for parallel processing of data analysis and visual information. The most prominent example of artificial neural networks is a cellular neural network (CNN), composed from two-dimensional arrays of simple first-order dynamical systems (“cells”) that are interconnected by wires. The information, to be processed by a CNN, represents the initial state of the network, and the parallel information processing is performed by converging to one of the stable spatial equilibrium states of the multi-stable CNN. This thesis studies a specific type of CNNs designed to perform the winner-take-all function of finding the largest among the n numbers, using the network dynamics. In a wider context, this amounts to automatically detecting a target spot in the given visual picture. The research, reported in this thesis, demonstrates that the addition of fast on-off switching (blinking) connections significantly improves the functionality of winner-take-all CNNs. Numerical calculations are performed to reveal the dependence of the probability, that the CNN correctly classifies the largest number, on the switching frequency.

Recently, we observed many networked market are served almost by a single platform, and can called that situation be winner-take-all. We could observed that the top website occupy huge market, and still be the top for long time. Conversely, the other website only shares the tiny market. This paper chooses the biggest Taiwan portal Yahoo!Kimo to be the research case. In addition, the case object is its e-commerce department, which is the Yahoo! only e-commerce department worldwide. Through this case, we could find out the truth of winner-take-all. In this research, we use in-depth interview and combine with secondary data. According to past researches and the situation of Yahoo!Kimo, we address the research question as follow: (1) How does Yahoo!Kimo develop their e-store platforms to maintain their e-commerce leading position in Taiwan. (2) Is there a winner-take-all phenomenon on Yahoo!Kimo? After generalize the data, we found that although Yahoo! first time enters Taiwan not successful. Their strategy is merge different kinds website, such as the leading portal Kimo, the most visiting blog Wretch, and Monday.Tech. They got their human resource and technology sooner, then become the top one portal in Taiwan provides variety services for users. For foreign website and companies enter a new market will be a good role model. Moreover, we prove Yahoo!Kimo is role model of winner-take-all.

In the process of economic developments in Taiwan, small and medium enterprises are always the main stable force and have made remarkable contributions. Based on this fact, The National Award of Small and Medium Enterprises was set up for upgrading and rewarding outstanding small and medium enterprises. To apply for the award firms need to pass substantially high qualifications. Therefore, if an enterprise won the award, they were recognized as successful. However, according to recent newspapers and magazines, some winners are now facing restructuring, the failure of the public offerings, or even bankruptcy. What happened to these enterprises that used to be good at the beginning? Why can¡¦t they sustain original advantages and remain successful? The subject of this research focuses on ¡§main reasons for business failure¡¨ and picks up the winners of the National Award of Small and Medium Enterprises for examples. Hopefully through the research, we can conclude the main reason for business failure. By gathering and analyzing the second informations, we have eight findings¡G Finding 1¡BThe ¡§business cycle¡¨ is often an important reason for the business failure. Small and medium businesses are most easily affected by the variation of outside environment. Finding 2¡BThe deviating personality of the managers determines whether the enterprise enjoys excellent operations or collapses in a twinkling. Finding 3¡BMost enterprises make use of "the backdoor listing"," the cross holdings" to steer high financial leverage and to collect a great deal of short-term capital which leads to financial crisis. Finding 4¡BThe operation of the corporation is not efficient, neglecting the real market demand, as a result being eliminated in the competition. Finding 5¡BThe most common feature of the corporations going down in the 70¡¦s is high quoted loans among IPO companies. Their debt ratio overweighs, and the core business occurs severe loss in business. Finding 6¡BThe strong stockholder combines the outside power to create soaring stock price. In the end it leads to misfortune. Finding 7¡BIf managers don't know how to handle their assets suitably, the more they have, the easier they squander. Finding 8¡BThe development of the industry faces the bottleneck and knows not where to go.

abstract: In recent decades, marine ecologists have conducted extensive field work and experiments to understand the interactions between bacteria and bacteriophage (phage) in marine environments. This dissertation provides a detailed rigorous framework for gaining deeper insight into these interactions. Specific features of the dissertation include the design of a new deterministic Lotka-Volterra model with n + 1 bacteria, n/n + 1 phage, with explicit nutrient, where the jth phage strain infects the first j bacterial strains, a perfectly nested infection network (NIN). This system is subject to trade-off conditions on the life-history traits of both bacteria and phage given in an earlier study Jover et al. (2013). Sufficient conditions are provided to show that a bacteria-phage community of arbitrary size with NIN can arise through the succession of permanent subcommunities, by the successive addition of one new population. Using uniform persistence theory, this entire community is shown to be permanent (uniformly persistent), meaning that all populations ultimately survive. It is shown that a modified version of the original NIN Lotka-Volterra model with implicit nutrient considered by Jover et al. (2013) is permanent. A new one-to-one infection network (OIN) is also considered where each bacterium is infected by only one phage, and that phage infects only that bacterium. This model does not use the trade-offs on phage infection range, and bacterium resistance to phage. The OIN model is shown to be permanent, and using Lyapunov function theory, coupled with LaSalle’s Invariance Principle, the unique coexistence equilibrium associated with the NIN is globally asymptotically stable provided that the inter- and intra-specific bacterial competition coefficients are equal across all bacteria. Finally, the OIN model is extended to a “Kill the Winner” (KtW) Lotka-Volterra model of marine communities consisting of bacteria, phage, and zooplankton. The zooplankton acts as a super bacteriophage, which infects all bacteria. This model is shown to be permanent. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Applied Mathematics 2016

Title: Kreativ reklam. En bra idé? (Creative advertising. A good idea?) Author: Evelina Karlsson Tutor: Larsåke Larsson Course: Bachelor Thesis: Media and Communication Purpose: The purpose of this study is to, through qualitative studies inquire creative prized advertise in Sweden to see which influence creativity have on both creative director and the audience. The questions are: * Which influence does creativity have on advertising? * What are differences between prized advertisements and those that have not won any prizes? * What opinion does the public have on creative advertising? Theory and previous research: The theoretical foundation of this essay is based on American studies of creative advertising. Theories regarding the public opinion on advertise is also included in the theoretical framework. Material and method: The method of the study is qualitative interview. Four personal interviews with creative directors and two focus-group interview have been done with students of mixed age and gender. The material consists of five creative adverts, prized during the twenty-first century in "Guldägget" ("the golden eggs"), a Swedish advertising competition. Result: Despite of the fact that the previous studies are critical; this study shows a constructive attitude to creative advertising by making it easier and funnier to absorb. The conditions are that creativity has to be rightful proportioned and not too poetical, otherwise it can prevent the recipient from getting the message. Keywords: Advertising agencies, Award winner, Creative ability, Audience attitude.

Les objectifs principaux de cette thèse sont expliquer l’émergence de nouvelles dynamiques concurrentielles caractérisées par une symbiose entre concurrence et pouvoir de marché et élucider comment elles peuvent être appréhendées sous l’angle de la théorie de la concurrence. Le chapitre I investigue l’évolution des formes de la concurrence aux États-Unis de 1840 jusqu’à nos jours. On montre qu’alors que dans certains cas le pouvoir de marché s’est traduit par l’entrave à la concurrence (et vice-versa), dans d’autres les deux établissent une relation symbiotique. Le chapitre II fait une revue des théories de la concurrence et conclut qu’elles ne rendent pas compte de la coexistence de deux faits stylisés majeurs propres à la forme de concurrence hégémonique actuelle : des différentiels de taux de profit de long terme et une forte concurrence par les prix.Le chapitre III développe une contribution à la théorie de la concurrence entre et au sein des chaînes globales de valeur (CGV). On montre que l’interdépendance inégale est la source du pouvoir de marché intra-CGV, ce qui explique les différentiels de taux de profit entre firmes appartenant à une même CGV. On montre par la suite comment ils peuvent être compatibles avec une forte concurrence par les prix. Le chapitre IV étudie le capitalisme de plateforme en se focalisant sur les « firmes de coordination algorithmique basées sur la confiance » (FCABC). En s’appuyant sur le cas de la firme de VTC Uber, on argumente que la FCABC conjugue du pouvoir de marché avec une forte concurrence par les prix dans une dynamique concurrentielle dans laquelle il y a une tendance à la monopolisation. / The main objectives of this thesis are to explain the emergence of competitive dynamics characterized by a symbiosis between competition and market power and to elucidate how they can be apprehended through the lenses of competition theory. Chapter I investigates the evolution of forms of competition in the United States from 1840 to today. We show that while in some cases market power has translated into hindering competition (and vice versa), in others the two establish a symbiotic relation. Chapter II reviews competition theories and concludes that they do not account for the coexistence of two major stylized facts characteristic of the current hegemonic form of competition: long-run profit rate differentials and strong price competition. Chapter III develops a contribution to competition theory within and between global value chains (GVC). We show that uneven interdependence is the source of intra-GVC market power, which explains long-run profit rate differentials between firms belonging to the same GVC. Then we show how they can be compatible with strong price competition. Chapter IV studies platform capitalism with a focus on “trust-based algorithmic coordination” (TBAC) firms. Building on the case of the ride-hailing firm Uber, we argue that the TBAC firm conjugates vertical market power with strong price competition in a competitive dynamics in which there is a tendency towards monopolization.

Hazel Brannon Smith, a prominent white newspaper owner in Mississippi before, during, and after the civil rights era was an avowed supporter of Jim Crow segregation for the first half of her career, until pressure from the white establishment and the changing political and social milieu of the 1950s and 1960s pushed her to become an ally of the black struggle for social justice. Smith's biography reveals how many historians have miscast white liberals of this period. Smith was considered a liberal by her peers, but her actions reveal the firm limits of white liberalism in the rural South during the Civil Rights era. While this dissertation undergirds scholarly research over the last twenty years which viewed the fight for civil rights from a grounds root level, it shows how Smith was unique. She never fully escaped her white paternalistic sentiments, yet she spoke out consistently against racial extremism in Mississippi in the 1960s. Based upon newspaper accounts, personal collections, oral histories and recent scholarly treatments, this work argues that the white response to the civil rights movement in Mississippi was far from uniform.