This study employs classic grounded theory methodology to produce a theory of rehumanising knowledge work through fluctuating support networks in the knowledge workplace. Data consisted of field notes and transcripts from personal interviews and focus groups. Participants were drawn from the public and private sectors and a variety of professional fields under the general rubric of knowledge work. Data were analysed using the full complement of procedures that comprise classic grounded theory methodology, including theoretical sensitivity, core emergence, constant comparison of empirical indicators to theoretical saturation and hand sorting of conceptual memos to achieve theoretical integration. The thesis explains the basic social structural process of fluctuating support networks through which knowledge workers self-organise to overcome dehumanised work environments, consequent of a rapidly changing workplace context. Such networks operate outside the formal organisation. They are epiphenomenal - self-emerging, self-organising, and self-sustaining. Participation is voluntary and intuitive. The core variable of the theory is the basic social psychological process of rehumanising. Through fluctuating support networks, knowledge workers rehumanise their work and work environments. Rehumanising gives meaning to work while sustaining energy and commitment. Rehumanising is characterised by authenticity, depth and meaning, recognition and respect, safety and healing and kindred sharing. Network relationships offer validation and support. Network members pursue shared interests and passions. Network activities are characterised by challenge, experimentation, creativity and learning, providing members with renewed energy and learning. The resultant sense of achievement builds confidence and passion for sustained network engagement. The contributions of the thesis to knowledge centre on the role of informal networks in the knowledge workplace and relate to theories of organisation, social networking, motivation and social learning. Knowledge of fluctuating support networks will enable managers to understand their functionality as psychological infrastructure for resolving workers’ concerns and needs in coping with change in the knowledge workplace

The aim of this thesis is to analyse theTelationship between the exchange rate and stockmarket, in the UK, USA, Germany, Japan, Canada and the Netherlands over the period 1974 to 1994. It is motivated by recent changes in the international financial environment, particularly the gradual removal of exchange restrictions and the consequent rise in capital flows between the main economies. A further motivation has been the increasing use of stock market variables in macroeconomic models. The theoretical literature indicates that for a variety of different exchange rate models, it is possible for the exchange rate and stock market to interact in a number of different ways, following an exogenous shock. It is therefore pnmanly an empirical question as to the specific signs on the variables in the models analysed. This thesis predominantly uses cointegration and error correction models, so that both the long run relationship and short run dynamics can be examined separately. The thesis shows that stock prices and exchange rates do not have common trends, but do have common cycles. In general exchange rates and stock prices are found to be inversely related. In addition the foreign exchange market risk premium is shown to be directly linked to the differential between the domestic and foreign equity risk premiums. It is also found that the expected change in the exchange rate is more closely linked to risk rather than return differentials.

Biodiesel purification processes generate wastewater streams that require a large amount of energy when distillation is used as a treatment technology. Process simulation software was used to show that an alternative water treatment process involving ion exchange would require only 31% of the energy used by distillation. Experiments showed that multiple washing stages were required to meet the standard specification for sodium, an impurity present in crude biodiesel, when washing biodiesel made from used frying oil. A comparison was made between washing biodiesel in a cross-current washing configuration and a counter-current configuration. Both configurations met the specification for sodium within three washing stages; however, the counter-current configuration required less water, making it the more efficient process. Lastly, the removal of sodium from wastewater samples using an ion exchange resin was experimentally investigated. The results validated the use of ion exchange to reduce energy consumption in biodiesel purification.

Objective: The objective of this study was to understand school administrators’ experience using the Youth Smoking Survey (YSS) school smoking profile to inform and improve future knowledge exchange strategies with schools. Methods: This study employed a two-phase, sequential explanatory mixed method approach. Phase One consisted of a close-ended mail-out questionnaire to 111 school administrators who had not viewed their schools’ feedback report. Phase Two consisted of telephone interviews with consenting questionnaire participants. Results: Of the 111 eligible schools, 71% (N=79) responded to the questionnaire; 29 school administrators participated in the follow-up interviews. Overall, questionnaire respondents rated the feedback report’s layout very positively in terms of clarity and relevancy, but somewhat less positively on timeliness and level of detail (too much). The majority of school administrators (82%) plan to use the feedback report when planning programs, curriculum, or events, and would primarily discuss the report with teachers, students, and parents. While interview participants provided positive feedback regarding the communication quality, relevance, timeliness, and content of the smoking profile, further investigation revealed a weak relationship between these information characteristics and knowledge use (conceptual and instrumental). The weak association could be attributed to the small sample (N=29), the fact that participants had not previously viewed their feedback reports, and did not have adequate time to incorporate the findings into their practice. Conclusions: The findings have contributed to our understanding of the knowledge utilization process of school administrators. Specifically, it examined how end users perceived source and information characteristics in school smoking profile, and the extent conceptual and instrumental knowledge use are associated with the these characteristics. Findings will guide profile revisions and process.

No description available.

In this study, determinants and the evolution of the exchange rate passthrough to domestic inflation in the Turkish economy is analyzed. The analyses cover the 1987-2003 period. In the analyses, single equation &ldquo / Error Correction Models&rdquo / are used to estimate the exchange rate pass-through. Estimation results suggest that alike other emerging countries, the degree of exchange rate passthrough to domestic prices is high and the pass-through is completed in a very short time span. Estimations results also indicates that the main factors to account for high pass-through are the past currency crises and the high degree of openness of the economy. These factors create the ground for the indexation behavior of agents. Although, above-mentioned factors are the main determinants of the degree of exchange rate pass-through, the persistency and the volatility of exchange rates can significantly affect the short run dynamics of the pass-through. The results imply that even if the pass-through slows down due to the changing pattern of exchange rates, to achieve the low and stable inflation in the long run, fundamental factors that exacerbate the link between exchange rates and prices should change.

<p>Since the 1980s China had different exchange rate regimes. For example, in 1981, a dual-exchange rate system was introduced, with the official exchange rate applying to non-trade-related foreign exchange transactions and the depreciated internal settlement rate (ISR) applying to trade related transactions. This system was discontinued in 1985, but after the establishment of special economic zones to boost the country&rsquo / s export performance, the dual-exchange rate system was reintroduced in 1986. In 1994 the country informed the IMF that it will be switching to a managed floating exchange rate system and this was the official policy for almost ten years. However, de facto, the country chose to peg its currency to the USD during all these years (whilst Japan was the most important trading partner).</p> <p><br /> The report provides a descriptive analytical overview of how China in this era of globalization and with the importance of the World Trade Agreement, managed to keep its currency pegged to the USD over such a long period of time. The most important factors explaining this choice were identified as the desire to stimulate export-let economic growth, the risk related to capital mobility, financial sector liberalization, relative price level stability, dollarization and politics.</p>

Thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 2000

This dissertation is concerned with the examination of some widely employed nonlinear exchange rate models. In particular, its aim is to assess how well non-linear statistical models accommodate the theoretical implications contained in economic models and how well they are able to capture the empirical properties of the data. Chapter 2 gives a brief background to the concept of PPP and discusses the role of transaction costs in economic models, making it necessary to model exchange rates within a non-linear framework. Parametric as well as non-parametric statistical techniques are applied to a long time-series data set to give an indication of the empirical validity of non-linearity in real exchange rates. Wide threshold bands are found to be a common characteristic of real exchange rate data. Chapter 3 studies the fitness of the ESTAR model for real exchange rate modelling. It is shown that wide threshold bands in the empirical data necessitate a small transition function parameter in the exponential regime weighting function, leading to difficulties in the meaningful interpretation of regimes. When this occurs, it is also shown that the ESTAR model is weakly identified over the range of the sample data that one generally works with. These results are illustrated on an empirical data set by replicating the often cited study of Taylor et al. (2001). In Chapter 4 and Chapter 5 a number of non-linear models are evaluated. Simulation experiments indicate that LM style tests that are commonly employed in the literature to test for ESTAR non-linearity have a very low probability of rejecting the false null hypothesis of linearity when the true data generating process is in fact the ESTAR model of Taylor et al. (2001). It is further shown that, contrary to the claims of the recent study by Rapach and Wohar (2006), long-horizon forecasts from the ESTAR model converge to the unconditional mean of the series, so that there is no gain in utilising the ESTAR model for long-horizon forecasts. Studying the Markov switching model of Bergman and Hansson (2005) reveals that the model does not generate any non-linearity as predicted from economic models.

ix, 134 leaves : tables, graphs (part fold.) ; 30 cm / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.), University of Adelaide, Dept. of Botany, 1979