The successful design, implementation, deployment, and use of mobile software applications is rare. While many mobile apps are developed, few succeed. This design science research project builds and evaluates CrashApp™, a mobile application that connects lawyers and clients before, during, and after car accidents. The effective, widespread use of this app depends on satisfying the needs of three groups of stakeholders – the end-users (clients), the owners (lawyers), and the software developers. The research objective is to investigate the key differences among the three stakeholder groups on evaluation criteria for mobile app success. Evaluation strategies and methods are selected to collect data that measures each group’s satisfaction with the constructed application artefact. Research contributions are the identification of multiple stakeholder groups and the ability to design rich evaluation strategies that provide measures of application success. Practice contributions are the design and development of a useful mobile app that provides needed services to the client and effective client connections for the law firm to interact with the clients. The project produced an instantiation of the design artefact CrashApp™ mobile application, which was evaluated with a naturalistic evaluation approach, including the following methods and techniques: focus groups, focused surveys, usability surveys, and real life tests and assessments.

The Master thesis describes comprehensively attributes and operating of arbitration in the Czech Republic which has acquired significance recently. The work is divided into eight chapters. After exordium I make readers acquainted with alternative dispute resolution, e.g. mediation. The third chapter characterizes arbitration and describes history, sources of law, types of arbitration and capability of arbitrator in the Czech Republic. The fourth part deals with the arbitration agreements and their requirements. The fifth chapter is dedicated to its particular stages and revision, recognition and enforcement of the arbitral awards in order to provide the reader an complex overview of the the arbitration proceedings. In the sixth section, the author tries to define advantages and disadvantages of this method of solving disputes and to answer question why we should choose it. The seventh chapter adds a special current issues devoting an arbitration clause on consumer contracts. In the last chapter author concludes the topic and suggests improvements.

Ce mémoire se penche sur l'opportunité d'introduire en droit civil québécois l'arbitrage intérimaire obligatoire pour les différends du secteur de la construction. Ce mécanisme est principalement utilisé dans les pays de « common law » pour un règlement rapide des différends en matière de construction. Ce domaine d’activité est propice aux litiges, notamment en raison des aspects techniques, de la diversité et du nombre d'acteurs impliqués et des sommes en jeu, particulièrement en contexte de grands chantiers. Les procédures judiciaires peuvent être longues et fastidieuses. Ces délais se traduisent par des coûts supplémentaires pour les parties, non seulement pour la procédure elle-même, mais également pour la prolongation du projet (salaires, machineries, assurances, etc.). Devant ces défis, les juridictions de common law ont développé un processus qui se veut expéditif pour régler les différends en temps réel et en minimiser l'impact jusqu'à la procédure finale, une fois les travaux terminés. Le but est d’éviter qu’un différend ne dégénère ou paralyse le projet jusqu’à en compromettre la réalisation. À notre connaissance, aucune juridiction de droit civil ne prévoit un tel mécanisme, bien que les défis soient à priori les mêmes. Nous nous interrogeons sur les raisons expliquant cette absence. Le nouveau Code de procédure civile tend vers les modes alternatifs des différends et dans ce contexte, nous nous interrogeons sur l'opportunité d'incorporer un mécanisme semblable pour l'industrie de la construction au Québec. Enfin, nous étudierons les adaptations qui pourraient être nécessaires à l'application d'un tel processus, issu de la common law, en droit civil québécois. / This master thesis explores the possibility of introducing a compulsory interim arbitration mechanism for the resolution of disputes in the construction sector in Quebec civil law. As of today, such procedure is mainly used in common law jurisdictions for the rapid settlement of construction disputes. Construction is a sector that is particularly prone to litigation, mainly because of the technical aspects, the diversity and the number of actors as well as the sums involved, particularly in the context of major projects. Court proceedings can be long and tedious. These delays result in additional costs for the parties, not only for the procedure itself, but also for the extension of the project (wages, machinery, insurance, etc.). In response to these challenges, common law jurisdictions have developed an expeditious process to resolve disputes in real time and minimize their impact until final proceedings are completed. The aim is to prevent a dispute from escalating and eventually, paralyze the project itself and jeopardizes its realization. To our knowledge, no civil law jurisdiction provides for such a mechanism, although the challenges are a priori the same. We question the reasons for this absence. The new Code of Civil Procedure tends towards alternative dispute resolution and in this context, we are wondering about the possibility of incorporating a similar mechanism for the construction industry in Quebec. Finally, we will evaluate the adaptations that may be advised for the application of such a process, because of its common law, origins, in Quebec civil law.

No description available.

Aim Develop an IT artifact that provides formative feedback for students based on their programming assignments. Background One of the best methods to learn programming is by practice. Providing feedback to students is an important and a valuable factor for improving learning, which plays a vital part in the student’s possibility to enhance and improve its solutions. Software development courses have several assignments and each course instructs about 100 students. To assess and provide feedback for all the students and each assignment demands considerable resources. In a survey conducted by TCO (2013) half of the respondents’ state that feedback is rarely or never given in reasonable time. Method Action Design Research (ADR) was used to intervene an organizational problem in parallel with building and evaluating an IT artifact. Conclusion The results from the study were four generated design principles and a proposed solution on how to use existing static code analysis tools for provide formative feedback to students.

This Master of Laws dissertation is a treatise of “The efficacy of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in labour disputes: a critical comparative analysis of Botswana, South Africa (RSA) and Zimbabwe.” Alternative Dispute Resolution hereinafter referred to as (“ADR”) has attracted so much research ado worldwide with policy makers alive to its possibilities in so far as it ought to shed off the burden of the courts in handling disputes. Courts are considered inundated with unresolved cases taking many years to finalise. ADR is therefore touted, not only the panacea, but the cheaper, efficient and effective alternative to normal court process. This study was saddled with the common challenges of definition, scope and methodology as does most scientific studies, especially to locate the concept ADR in the plethora of views from prominent exponent-s of the discipline. This study labored on the considered view that ADR is essentially an ‘out of court settlement approach to dispensing with disputes involving an attempt by disputants to rope in an impartial third party to aid finality to the respective wrangle. The lack of a methodological approach to treat this subject matter, made this study more challenging. The study had to therefore rely on a hypothetical model developed after gleaning through various scholarly views 1 that sought to treat the subject of ADR efficacy in labour dispute resolution. The study contented with the strongly held view 2 that ADR is an efficacious approach in resolving disputes outside the court system. As to whether this was the case in Botswana, RSA and Zimbabwe in so far as labour dispute resolution is concerned was the major challenge this study was seized with? A model was formulated which envisaged that efficaciousness of ADR may be achieved if three conditions or criteria are present within a jurisdiction, namely (1) ADR Background Conditions that comprise (a) adequate legislative and political support; (b) Supportive institutional and cultural norms, (c) adequate and competent manpower, (d) sufficient funding support, and (e) power-parity of disputants; (2) ADR Program Design comprising of (a) Planning and preparation and (b) Operations and implementation and finally (3) ADR Measures (a) Client satisfaction; (b) Time efficient; (c) Cost saving and (d) Settlement & enforcement. This study measured the situations obtaining in the three countries using these three-pronged criteria. In all three measures3 this study found that although all the three countries still have a long way before their ADR became as efficacious as would be reasonably possible, RSA has made many strides such as legislative enactments immediately upon attaining independence that sought to address the injustices of the past and thereby installing structures for enforcing industrial democracy 4, while Botswana and Zimbabwe took 5 years 5 and over 10 years 6 respectively after attaining independence. RSA established an independent body for dispensing with labour dispute settlement7 while Botswana8 and Zimbabwe 9 are still reluctant to do so, relying rather on their labour ministries often marinated in bureaucratic bottlenecks hence stalling efficacy of ADR. While RSA makes effort to provide adequate and competent manpower because of sufficient funding, Botswana and Zimbabwe still struggle to dispense with disputes under their labour departments who are either inadequately skilled or also accused of favouritism in the case of Zimbabwe.10 All the three countries are regarded as unequal societies which tends to sway the power-parity of disputants with capitalists still wielding unbridled powers in dispute outcomes. South Africa enacted section 143 to the Labour Relations Act 11 which empowers the Director of CCMA to certify an arbitral award, giving it the same force as an order of the Magistrate Court. This has cut off the time and administrative burden of having to register an arbitral award with the court so as to obtain writs of executions and enforce it, a practice which is still prevalent in Zimbabwe. The Department of Labour in South Africa has made funding available to the CCMA to assist employees who are not in a financial position to enforce awards in their favour.12 The funding is aimed at employees who are too indigent to afford the costs of enforcement.13 These employees are deemed to be: (a) Employees who earn below the earnings threshold (currently at R205 433.30 per annum) – proof of income will be required by the CCMA. There is no record regarding enforcement or ease of enforcement of ADR outcomes in Botswana and Zimbabwe or at least this study is aware of. The governments of Botswana and Zimbabwe have been accused of using a heavy hand in determining wages, the right to strike and often curtailing union power through declaring certain sectors essential services. RSA’s Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration hereinafter after referred to as (the “CCMA”)14 runs an electronic system of case management by which cases are screened and assigned commissioners whereas Zimbabwe and Botswana still rely on manual systems often inefficiently managed especially when it comes to allocating matters to ADR interventionists.15 In Zimbabwe the challenge of resources is acute often the Labour Officers lacking a simple photocopier and postage stamps to dispense with administration of disputes. This dissertation found that Botswana and Zimbabwe lack publicly available information from which to infer the efficaciousness of ADR practices therein. Measuring client satisfaction, efficiency and cost effectiveness, enforcement and settlement has not been tackled with ease, which was different when it came to RSA. This study argues that RSA’s ADR is efficacious rated at 75% attainment of settlement of disputes, despite accusations of failing to offer disputants options and job retention at the end of ADR intervention. Botswana and Zimbabwe on the measures raised above are not yet close to achieving efficaciousness based on the above criteria. The challenges need to be addressed to ensure that in all three measures ADR affords Botswana, RSA and Zimbabwe disputants a cheaper, efficient and effective alternative to dispensing with labour disputes. This study concluded with recommendations arising from the three measures ADR Background Conditions; ADR Program Design and (3) ADR Measures could be implemented towards achieving an efficacious ADR regime for the three countries and beyond. / Mercantile Law / LL.M.

中文摘要 對於資本市場來說是外國公司的買賣價差的三個成分：逆選擇成分、交易成本成分及存貨成本成分相對於本國公司的買賣價差三成分構成有可能不同。 此篇論文中比較相同股票在不同市場所發行股票，其買賣價差三成分。根據本篇實證結果，相同一支股票在美國NYSE或是NASDAQ的逆選擇成分顯著的高於在TSEC發行的逆選擇成分，這暗指著資本市場中有很多不一樣的地方值得探討，像是流通貨幣的不同、或是法規治令的不同以及取得非公開資訊的難易程度也不同。另外，根據之前的研究的顯示，買單接著買單、賣單接著賣單的機率趨勢也很強，我們也發現了這種現象在TSEC很明顯，根據此篇論文的結論，這大部分的原因很可能是因為TSEC有「限價」規定的緣故。 / Abstract The three components, adverse selection component, order processing component and inventory holding cost, of companies which regarded as foreign companies in terms of the capital market are different from those in domestic capital market. In this paper, the adverse selection components of the stocks we choose in NYSE or NASDAQ are significant higher than those in TSEC. It implies the differences of capital markets, such as currency ,regulation and easy or not obtaining the private information of the company. Furthermore, similar to previous studies, there are strong tendencies for buys follow buys and sells follow sells. We find that the most part of proportion of order persistence derives from price limit in TSEC.

Avant-propos: La résolution de conflits s’est installée dans les cursus universitaires comme une discipline à part entière sinon comme une orientation au sein de plusieurs sciences sociales. En effet, ce champ d’étude fait de plus en plus l’objet de réflexions en sciences politiques, en sociologie, en anthropologie, etc, et ce, de par l’interdisciplinarité des questionnements qui en relèvent. Toutefois, la dimension religieuse, souvent considérée comme source de conflits, est quasi inexistante lorsqu’il est question d’approches de résolution. Nous nous proposons donc d’examiner la solha, une pratique proche orientale au sein de laquelle le fait religieux est une composante essentielle à la réconciliation escomptée. Note concernant la translittération: Les termes provenant de l’arabe feront l’objet d’une translittération phonétique basée sur le français. Notez que les translittérations en langue française sont différentes de celle en langue anglaise. Par exemple, le terme solha trouvera son équivalent anglais dans le terme sulha (d’où la différence d’orthographe entre le contenu de cette étude et les citations qui proviennent d’articles anglophones). De plus, notez que le genre (féminin, masculin) des termes translittérés reprendra celui de la langue d’origine, l’arabe. Ainsi, solha sera féminin, jaha aussi, etc… Finalement, pour des raisons de clarté, les termes translittérés seront tous en italique dans le texte. / La solha (« réconciliation » en arabe) est une méthode de résolution de conflits millénaire provenant du milieu tribal proche oriental. Bien au delà du simple règlement de litige, cette réconciliation vise à rétablir l’harmonie au sein des tissus sociaux déchirés. Habilitée à traiter toutes sortes de conflits, de la simple forme pénale aux cas criminels les plus complexes (cycles de vengeances et de vendetta), la solha s’est adaptée à des milieux très différents. La cause principale de son efficacité semble être l’universalité de ses principes fondamentaux (le pardon, la nécessité d’une réinsertion sociale du coupable, la satisfaction des victimes, etc.) ainsi que l’adéquation de ses rituels de réconciliation aux mœurs des populations qui la pratiquent. Ce mémoire cherche à approfondir notre compréhension de cette approche traditionnelle afin d’enrichir nos connaissances et moyens en termes de résolution de conflits contemporains. A cette fin, seront isolés les éléments fondamentaux qui font l’efficacité de cette méthode. Ceux-ci constitueront un modèle théorique minimal de la solha qui permettra d’entamer, à ce stade de l’étude, une réflexion quant à la possibilité de transposer de tels acquis à des milieux d’interventions nouveaux. / The sulha (“reconciliation” in Arabic) is a thousand years old conflict resolution method used in the near east tribal world. Far beyond a simple mediation, its objective is a solid reconstruction of the destroyed social network. Habilitated to deal with all kinds of conflicts, from simple penal cases to long lasting vendettas, the sulha process has proven its usefulness in very different social milieu. The most evident reason for this success has been its dual composition: fundamental principles that seem universal (forgiveness, social reinsertion of the guilty, satisfaction of the victims, etc.) and adaptive rituals that fit into people’s customs. This thesis seeks to enrich our knowledge and means in terms of conflict resolution by trying to reveal the mechanisms that make this method so efficient. The main objective is to compose a basic theoretical model of the sulha that would open a reflection about the possibility of transposing this model to new intervention contexts.

The purpose of this thesis is to present the main features of mediation with cross-border element, especially the most important aspects of relevant regulation in light of EU Mediation Directive 2008/52/EC ("Directive") and No. 202/2012 Coll. Act on Mediation and Change of Some Laws ("Mediation Act"). The thesis is composed of four chapters. The first chapter's purpose is to define the main principle of mediation and its position within ADR system. The second chapter deals with principal questions of the relation between mediation and international private law. The third chapter discusses cardinal aspects of mediation according Directive, its reflection within national regulation, i.e. within Mediation Act and subsequent comparison with regulation of selected member states. For the purpose of the comparison mentioned above, I use quotations from corresponding laws of particular member states in English translation. The fourth chapter deals with the position and role of mediation within the area of international dispute resolution as well as a look at newly adopted ICC Mediation Rules.

O presente trabalho propôs-se a investigar a conveniência e a possibilidade de introdução, no ordenamento brasileiro, de iniciativas à semelhança dos pre-action protocols (Protocolos) e da Part 36 Offer (Oferta) do direito inglês, em vigor desde o advento das Civil Procedure Rules, em 1999. Aqueles, uma espécie de procedimento que se desenrola antes do processo judicial, incentivando o diálogo e a troca de informações e produção de prova entre as partes, cujo descumprimento importaria a incidência de multa; esta, uma oferta de acordo cuja rejeição ou aceitação traria consigo conseqüências patrimoniais às partes envolvidas na controvérsia, também representada pela aplicação de uma (outra) multa. Embora não indissociáveis, acredita-se que, juntos, potencializam-se mutuamente. Observaram-se os efeitos práticos da experiência inglesa, contemplando seus pontos fortes e fracos, chegando-se a um balanço positivo. Justificados os méritos dos institutos, entendeu-se possível a implantação de sistemática semelhante no Brasil, feitos certos ajustes. Observou-se, ainda, que um dos grandes méritos dos protocolos é a promoção do acordo informado, não do acordo motivado principalmente pela ineficiência e pela demora na prestação jurisdicional. Assim, propôs-se a elaboração de protocolos, preferindo-se os específicos ao genérico, incutindo na população e nos operadores do direito a cultura do diálogo e da cooperação na troca de informações. Observaram-se, ainda, os efeitos que a conduta das partes no desenrolar do protocolo geraria dentro do processo. Propôs-se, ainda, a introdução do que se chamaria de OPAc Oferta Potencializada de Acordo, à semelhança da Oferta inglesa, mas com conseqüências patrimoniais (multa) calculadas sobre a diferença apurada entre a OPAc e a condenação final, no processo, como forma de criar incentivos suficientes, mas não opressivos. / This paper seeks to investigate the desirability and the possibility of introducing, in the Brazilian law, initiatives such as the pre-action protocols (\"Protocols\") and Part 36 Offer (\"Offer\") of the English law, in force since the advent of the Civil Procedure Rules in 1999. The former, a kind of procedure that takes place before the judicial proceedings, encouraging the dialogue, the exchange of information and the disclosure of evidence between the parties, and which failure results in the application of a fine; the latter, a settlement offer which rejection or acceptance would entail financial consequences to the parties to the dispute, also represented by the application of a (another) fine. Although not inseparable, it is believed that, taken together, Protocols and Offer enhance each others effects. The analysis of the practical results of the British experience, considering its strengths and weaknesses, led to a positive balance. Once the merits of those mechanisms have been justified, the implementation in Brazil of a similar systematic provided certain adjustments are undertaken was considered possible. It was also observed that one of the great values of the Protocols is promoting well-informed agreements, instead of settlements mainly motivated by the inefficiency and delay of adjudication. Thus, the drafting of protocols was proposed, preferably the specific over the generic ones, introducing to the people as well as to the legal community a culture of dialogue and cooperation in the exchange of information and evidence. The effects that the conduct of the parties while following the Protocol would generate in the judicial proceedings were also analyzed. Moreover, we proposed the introduction of the so-called OPAc - Oferta Potencializada de Acordo (Enhanced Settlement Offer) - similar, in its concept, to the British Offer, albeit bearing financial consequences (fines) calculated over the difference between the OPAc and the amount as per the decision handed down by the judge, in order to create sufficient - but not oppressive - incentives.