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The use of dynamic positioning (DP) systems onboard vessels today is spreading to non offshore related areas such as heavy lift carriers, luxury yachts and cruise liners etc. As this technology spreads, the demand for skilled DP personnel should increase. In order to get certified, the training scheme for DP operators (DPOs) ends with 180 days of supervised DP watchkeeping experience offshore. A way to reduce the required 180 days is to attend a DP seatime reduction course. The aim of this study was to get the DP industry’s view on seatime reduction courses and also explore if there a need for speed to get certified DPOs on the market. Parties included were the Nautical Institute, International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA), one oil company, six offshore shipping companies, accredited DP centres and DPOs across the world. The results showed that although the participants in this study are aware of seatime reduction courses few companies use them regularly, but those who do express satisfaction. The DP industry’s view on seatime reduction courses is positive, however somewhat unclear. Many feel simulator courses in general are good since they can give operators experiences that will take years to achieve onboard. If they should replace seatime gained offshore was doubtful. However, the study showed that seatime reduction courses are needed, especially for trainees working onboard vessels that only occasionally use DP. It has also been recognized that trainee DPOs have a hard time obtaining the required seatime in order to apply for their DPO certificate. This indicates that even though shipping companies in this study do employ trainees, this is not done to the necessary extent. There was also expressed a certain desire to improve the DP training scheme of today in order to achieve a higher quality among DPOs. The study shows there is a need for speed to get more DPOs on the market, but not to the detriment of quality. It is advised that studies are made on DP training quality, given the importance to maintain and even raise the level of competency among DPOs. / System för dynamisk positionering (DP) ombord på fartyg sprider sig idag även till icke offshore relaterade områden såsom heavy-lift-fartyg, lyxyachter och kryssningsfartyg. I takt med att teknologin sprider sig, borde även efterfrågan på utbildad DP-personal öka. För att bli certifierad DP-operatör avslutas utbildningsprogrammet med 180 dagars handledd DP-tid som vakthavande befäl till sjöss. Ett sätt att minska de 180 dagarna är att gå en sjötidsreducerande kurs. Målet med den här undersökningen var att få DP–industrins syn på sjötidsreducerande kurser och även undersöka om det finns behov att snabba på processen att få ut certifierade DP-operatörer på marknaden. Deltagare i studien var Nautical Institute, International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA), ett oljebolag, sex offshorerederier, ackrediterade DP-center och DP-operatörer från hela världen. Resultatet visade att trots att studiens deltagare känner till sjötidsreducerande kurser så är det få företag som använder sig av dessa. De få som använder sig av kurserna tycker sig vara nöjda. DP-industrins syn på sjötidsreducerande kurser är positiva men dock oklar. Många känner generellt att simulatorkurser är bra eftersom de kan ge operatörer erfarenheter som annars kan ta år att uppnå. Om de ska ersätta sjötid var mer tveksamt. Dock visar studien att sjötidsreducerande kurser behövs, speciellt för trainees som arbetar på fartyg som bara emellanåt ligger på DP. Det har också framkommit att DP-trainees har svårt att få ihop sin sjötid som krävs för certifiering. Även om rederierna som deltog i denna studien anställer DP-trainees och erbjuder sjötid, så görs inte detta i tillräcklig omfattning. Det framfördes även en önskan om att förbättra dagens utbildningsprogram inom DP för att uppnå en högre kvalitet hos DP-operatörer. Studien visar att det finns ett behov av att snabba på processen att få ut DP-operatörer på marknaden, dock inte på bekostnad av kvaliteten. Det rekommenderas att studier av utbildningsprogrammets kvalitet görs, för att bibehålla och kanske även höja kompetensnivån hos DP-operatörer.

Les opérateurs de l’adoption internationale en France, c’est-à- dire les Organismes Autorisés pour l’Adoption (OAA) et l’AFA (Agence Française de l’adoption), occupent une place majeure dans le processus de l’adoption internationale. Ils détiennent le pouvoir de donner à un enfant une famille, ils sont des « faiseurs de parentés ». Les mutations de l’adoption internationale confortent l’importance de leur rôle tant dans leur responsabilité à choisir les postulants que dans leur légitimité à les accompagner tout au long de la procédure. Dans un contexte de déclin l’espace dans lequel évoluent les opérateurs, en interaction avec les différents acteurs de l’adoption internationale, devient de plus en plus concurrentiel alors que l’intérêt de l’enfant demeure le but affirmé par tous. À l’interface entre pays d’accueil et pays d’origine, entre postulants à l’adoption et enfants adoptés, les opérateurs sont pris de fait entre les logiques propres à chaque catégorie d’acteurs en présence dans un champ politique et social en constante mutation. Leur système de fonctionnement fait donc l’objet de questionnements notamment sur leurs capacités à s’adapter. Ces réflexions conduisent à s’interroger sur l’efficience des opérateurs, à redéfinir leur rôle et leur place dans leur mission d’accompagnement des adoptants et des adoptés, à réaffirmer leur responsabilité. / The accredited bodies of international adoption in France, that means Authorized Organizations for Adoption (AOA) and FAA (French Agency for Adoption) occupy a prominent place in the international adoption process. They hold the power to give to a child a family. To this end, they are “relationsmakers”. The mutations of the international adoption emphasize their place concerning their responsibility to choose applicants and their legitimate to accompany them throughout the procedure.In the context of international adoption’s decline, the space in which accredited bodies, in interaction with the different actors of the international adoption, becomes more competitive even if the stated purpose and defended by all is the best interest. Between host countries and countries of origin and between applicants and adopted children, the accredited bodies are confronted to appropriate logics for each actor who are in political field and social field which are inconstant change. Their operating system is subjected to questioning including their ability to adapt. These thoughts led to wonder about the accredited bodies’ effectiveness to redefine their role and place in thei rmonitoring mission for adopters and adopted and more specifically their responsibility.

The thesis examines the process of implementation of an accredited study program into practice. The theoretical part provides a brief excursion into the history of teacher education, which highlights the difficult journey in search of a suitable model of teacher education. The formation processes of teacher education are characterized by constant changes, which were not always properly thought out. These tendencies unfortunately do continue to the present day. Currently, the Czech education policy is largely influenced by European educational policy, which is aiming at unification. One of the unifying elements is the accreditation process, which should improve the quality of the study programs offered by European universities. Question is whether such standardization process leads to the improvement of teacher education or not, which is discussed in the second part of my theses where. I examined how two university departments implement Accreditation-Commission-approved program of study in practice. Based on the collected data I can state that the accreditation documents give the schools a framework, but the actual implementation depends largely on the strength of the management of the department and modus operandi of the individual members of the department. Interviews with staff departments also...

The purpose of this quantitative research study was to analyze the roles of assistant and associate deans in the colleges or schools related to the disciplines of business, education, and arts and sciences within four different classifications of institutions [Research Universities I and II and Doctoral Universities I and II], as described by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Respondents in the study came from institutions accredited by the Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Respondents included 191 associate deans and 60 assistant deans, of whom 154 were men and 97 were women. Chi-square statistics were used to analyze assistant and associate deans' perceptions of (1) whether their positions are line or staff; (2) whether they would recommend changes in their positions; (3) whether each was interested in becoming deans at their present institution or another institution. Three composite scores from factor analysis were analyzed by three-way ANOVA: (1) Curriculum, (2) Administrative Leadership and Relationships, and (3) Budget. A second statistical analysis included t-tests and a one-way ANOVA for Composite #2, Administrative Leadership and Relationships. Results showed no significant differences in (1) whether assistant and associate deans perceive that deans differentiate their positions as line or staff, and (2) between associate deans and assistant deans in regard to their interest in becoming deans at their institutions. From the factor analysis, results showed no significant differences in Composite #1, Curriculum, for the independent variables: gender, college, gender by college, dean by college, and gender by dean by college. For Composite #2, results showed no significant differences for the independent variables: gender, college, gender by dean, gender by college, dean by college, and gender by dean by college. For Composite #3, Budget, results showed no significant differences for the independent variables: gender, college, gender by college, dean by college, and gender by dean by college. For the second statistical analysis for Composite #2, Administrative Leadership and Relationships, results showed no significant differences between colleges/schools and leadership, and the level of dean and leadership. The results of this study showed that (1) associate deans perceived their positions as line versus staff; (2) associate and assistant deans did not perceive their positions as stepping stones to deanships at their present institutions; (3) associate deans believed their positions were stepping stones to deanships at other institutions; and (4) assistant deans did not perceive their experience at their present institution as a stepping stone to deanships at their present or other institutions. Female associate deans had the most responsibility for Composite #1. Male associate and male assistant deans had approximately the same responsibilities for Composite #1, Curriculum. More associate deans than assistant deans had responsibilities for Composite #2, Administrative Leadership and Relationships and Composite #3, Budget.

In the decade following the ten-plus percent stockmarket collapse of 2000, regulators enacted a myriad of regulations in response to increasing angst experienced by U.S. capital market retail investors. Systemic asymmetric disclosures have fractured investor confidence prompting many commentators to characterize the relationship between Wall Street and the investment community on main street as dire. Though copious works exist on the phenomenon of corporate behaviors, especially matters of shareholder welfare, weak boards, pervious governance mechanisms, and managerial excess, current literature has revealed a dearth in corporate governance praxis specific to the question and effects of asymmetric disseminations and its principal impact on the retail/noninstitutional accredited investor's (NIAI) confidence and decision-making propensities. This phenomenological study is purposed to bridging the gap between the effects of governance disclosure and the confidence and decision-making inclinations of NIAIs. Conceptual frameworks of Akerlof's information theory and Verstegen Ryan and Buchholtz's trust/risk decision making model undergirded the study. A nonrandom purposive sampling method was used to select 21 NIAI informants. Analysis of interview data revealed epistemological patterns/themes confirming the deleterious effects of asymmetrical disseminations on participants' investment decision-making and trust behaviors. Findings may help academicians, investors, policy makers, and practitioners better comprehend the phenomenon and possibly contribute to operating efficiencies in the capital markets. Proaction and greater assertiveness in the investor/activist community may provide an impetus for continued regulatory reforms, improved transparency, and a revitalization of public trust as positive social change outcomes.

Thesis (M.P.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-115).

Thesis (M.P.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-115). Also available in print.

This thesis is devoted to a closer comparison of Universities with an accreditation for physical education teaching in the Czech Republic. These Universities I compare in four basic problem areas which are history, accredited study programmes, personnel constitution and material facilities of individual departments. This thesis is based on sources valid for academic year 2011/2012. The results of this work are also confronted with the information contained in the thesis from the year of 2002 which is written on the same topic.

Title: Further education of teachers teaching physical education at elementary and high schools in the Czech Republic Objectives: One of the aims of this diploma thesis was to analyse the current offer of accredited educational events DVPP (further education of educational workers) in the field of physical education. We were interested in data concerning the form and focus of events, hourly subsidy, number of expected participants, and participation fee. Another aim of this thesis was to find out what attitude teachers of physical education have in relation to their further continuous education. Among other things, we were interested in how often they participate in this education and what forms of educational events they find most suitable regarding the subject of physical education. Methods: In the first phase, the data obtained from the databases of granted accreditations in the DVPP system managed by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, were analysed. The data in the next part were obtained using an own questionnaire survey, which elementary and high school teachers of physical education have participated in. A total of 700 schools were addressed (25 elementary schools and 25 high schools from all regions of the Czech Republic). Results: Most accredited educational events were focused...