South African indigenous language teaching and learning materials do not provide sufficient information to help additional language learners learn the target languages effectively. While there are institutions that are tasked with developing and sharpening the skills of students in speaking South African indigenous languages, such students hardly, if at all master the art of speaking them eloquently. Students who study these languages in order to converse proficiently with their mother-tongue speakers experience insurmountable difficulties, in spite of various efforts made by the teachers who train them to read books on their own. Passing their examinations does not mean that the students’ ability to communicate with mother-tongue speakers will improve to the extent of eliminating the prevailing misunderstanding between the two groups. The persistence of this problem reveals a discrepancy between the studies of indigenous languages in South Africa and the way of speaking them, whereby important linguistic elements that make communication more authentic are excluded in language materials. This study analyses the use and significance of CIFWs in daily interactions by investigating the two Xhosa CIFWs words wethu and bethu. The overall aim of this study is to explore the use of a corpus in the examination of CIFWs in general, and wethu and bethu in particular. Both a quantitative approach based on the Gothenburg-Unisa spoken corpus and a qualitative approach based on Allwoods’ ACA theoretical framework were used in the analysis and description of the functions and significances of wethu and bethu as communicative and interactive function words. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / M.A. (Applied Linguistics)

This thesis studies the role accounting plays in the monitoring and reporting of soil quality in one sector of the agricultural industry, broadacre farming. A survey was conducted with broadacre farmers in the Loddon Catchment, Victoria, Australia. The primary aim was to determine the effectiveness accounting plays in providing information to decision makers relative to the productive capacity in soil quality and not just on profits. The capital asset in this study was defined as soil quality. Soils and soil quality in particular, are major elements in determining land value. The concern is decisions are being made by potential buyers and other decision makers, particularly policy makers, with regards to soil quality on the basis of incomplete and often misleading information. It is proposed that a major reason is due to the fact that different participants in the agricultural and accounting industries require and use different information. The accounting systems used by farmers are those that have been developed for the manufacturing sector which may not be appropriate for managing long-term, complex resources such as soil. The farmers themselves did not find formal accounting reports useful for decision making because these reports are based on uniform standards and market prices. The topic of soil quality and land degradation is viewed from two perspectives. In one perspective, the proprietary view; the accounting emphasis is on the ownership of assets and the change, both in income and capital, in these assets over time. In this case the accounting equation is seen as assets - liabilities = equities. The proprietor takes all the risk. A more recent perspective in accounting, the entity view, emphasises the assets whether financed from equity or debt and where the accounting equation is seen as assets = equities. The emphasis changes to the income flow from these assets and more interest is shown in current market prices as a reflection of the future value of these assets Profit is not necessarily a good indicator of what farmers are doing for their capital asset. There needs to be greater emphasis on costs undertaken for the conservation of soil. Those costs should be considered an investment and put into the balance sheet and not the profit and loss statement. The major finding of study demonstrates that decision making groups have different

In software development projects, bug triage consists mainly of assigning bug reports to software developers or teams (depending on the project). The partial or total automation of this task would have a positive economic impact on many software projects. This thesis introduces a systematic four-step method to find some of the best configurations of several machine learning algorithms intending to solve the automatic bug assignment problem. These four steps are respectively used to select a combination of pre-processing techniques, a bug report representation, a potential feature selection technique and to tune several classifiers. The aforementioned method has been applied on three software projects: 66 066 bug reports of a proprietary project, 24 450 bug reports of Eclipse JDT and 30 358 bug reports of Mozilla Firefox. 619 configurations have been applied and compared on each of these three projects. In production, using the approach introduced in this work on the bug reports of the proprietary project would have increased the accuracy by up to 16.64 percentage points.

[ES] Las exportaciones de Ecuador han estado caracterizadas por productos primarios (Petróleo crudo, banano y plátano, café, camarón, cacao, abacá, madera, atún, pescado, flores naturales) y por productos industrializados (derivados de petróleo, café elaborado, elaborados de cacao, harina de pescado, otros elaborados del producto del mar, químicos y fármacos, manufacturas de metales, sombreros, manufacturas de textiles). Las exportaciones de Ecuador en el período 2017-2021 han estado sobre los 20 mil millones de dólares, de los cuales el 80% corresponde a productos primarios y el 20% a productos industrializados. Dentro de los productos primarios la participación del petróleo crudo ha ido disminuyendo al pasar del 42% en el 2017 a 34% en el 2021, en cambio el resto de productos primarios ha pasado del 58% en el 2017 al 66% en el 2021. Estas cifras significan que la especialización de Ecuador es netamente agrícola. En este contexto la presente investigación titulada "Diseño de un modelo para mejorar la competitividad del sector florícola ecuatoriano" apunta a contribuir el sector agrícola ecuatoriano. Para el efecto el estudio contempló las siguientes investigaciones: a) Competitividad del sector florícola ecuatoriano, para lo cual se aplicó la metodología de Balassa, que determinó que Ecuador y Colombia tienen una fuerte ventaja comparativa en comparación con los países exportadores estudiados como son: Países Bajos, Kenia y Etiopía. Se concluye que Ecuador debe aplicar estrategias de marketing, como es el desarrollo del mercado, para lograr el posicionamiento de su exportación en la Unión Europea que en la actualidad es el principal mercado de flores cortadas del mundo. Otra estrategia que debe aplicar Ecuador es la diversificación relacionada que especifica que se debe aplicar la producción de flores cortadas hacia otras variedades como son crisantemos, claveles, flores y capullos, lirios y orquídeas, que actualmente forman parte del mercado mundial. b) Análisis comparativo de los modelos de la cadena de suministro: ABC, BSC y SCOR, se aplicó una revisión de la literatura, se encontró que el modelo SCOR es una herramienta muy poderosa para estructura, evaluar y comparar las prácticas y el desempeño de la cadena de suministro. El modelo SCOR propone un enfoque integrado que se basa en la concepción de una estructura interconectada que une procesos, incluye métricas de desempeño, mejores prácticas y tecnología con el objeto de la mejora continua de la cadena de suministro. c) Análisis de desempeño de la cadena de suministro del sector florícola ecuatoriano, por métricas, aplicando SCOR y AHP. Para este estudio se aplicó la metodología SCOR y AHP y dio como resultado que los procesos Devolución y Gestión registran las puntuaciones más bajas, y por lo tanto los agentes del sector florícola deberían trabajar más sobre estos procesos para su mejora. Del estudio realizado a la cadena de suministro del sector florícola ecuatoriano se concluye que el modelo SCOR junto con AHP constituyen una adecuada metodología para el análisis de la cadena de suministro del sector florícola, y particularmente del sector florícola ecuatoriano. Los resultados de este estudio muestran las posibilidades tan interesantes que se abren con la aplicación conjunta, para identificar los aspectos más críticos en la SC de un sector con el objeto de introducir mejoras. d) Análisis del desempeño de la cadena de suministro del sector florícola ecuatoriano, por procesos, subprocesos, actividades y tareas, aplicando SCOR y AHP. Se aplicó la metodología SCOR y AHP. Se determinó que de las 29 empresas estudiadas el desempeño tuvo como resultado el 85% de rendimiento calificándose como "bueno". La investigación contribuye a la literatura científica con una propuesta metodológica que utiliza el modelo SCOR con AHP para medir el rendimiento de la cadena de suministro. El modelo propuesto permite analizar el desempeño de la cadena de suministro a nivel sectorial. / [CA] Les exportacions de l'Equador han estat caracteritzades per productes primaris (Petroli cru, bananer i plàtan, café, gambeta, cacau, *abacá, fusta, tonyina, peix, flors naturals) i per productes industrialitzats (derivats de petroli, café elaborat, elaborats de cacau, farina de peix, altres elaborats del producte de la mar, químics i fàrmacs, manufactures de metalls, barrets, manufactures de tèxtils). Les exportacions de l'Equador en el període 2017-2021 han estat sobre els 20 mil milions de dòlars, dels quals el 80% correspon a productes primaris i el 20% a productes industrialitzats. Dins dels productes primaris la participació del petroli cru ha anat disminuint en passar del 42% en el 2017 a 34% en el 2021, en canvi la resta de productes primaris ha passat del 58% en el 2017 al 66% en el 2021. Aquestes xifres signifiquen que l'especialització de l'Equador és netament agrícola. En aquest context la present investigació titulada "Disseny d'un model per a millorar la competitivitat del sector *florícola equatorià" apunta a contribuir el sector agrícola equatorià. Per a l'efecte l'estudi va contemplar les següents investigacions: a) Competitivitat del sector *florícola equatorià, per a això es va aplicar la metodologia de *Balassa, que va determinar que l'Equador i Colòmbia tenen un fort avantatge comparatiu en comparació amb els països exportadors estudiats com són: Països Baixos, Kenya i Etiòpia. Es conclou que l'Equador ha d'aplicar estratègies de màrqueting, com és el desenvolupament del mercat, per a aconseguir el posicionament de la seua exportació a la Unió Europea que en l'actualitat és el principal mercat de flors tallades del món. Una altra estratègia que ha d'aplicar l'Equador és la diversificació relacionada que especifica que s'ha d'aplicar la producció de flors tallades cap a altres varietats com són crisantems, clavells, flors i capolls, lliris i orquídies, que actualment formen part del mercat mundial. b) Anàlisi comparativa dels models de la cadena de subministrament: ABC, *BSC i *SCOR, es va aplicar una revisió de la literatura, es va trobar que el model *SCOR és una eina molt poderosa per a estructura, avaluar i comparar les pràctiques i l'acompliment de la cadena de subministrament. El model *SCOR proposa un enfocament integrat que es basa en la concepció d'una estructura interconnectada que uneix processos, inclou mètriques d'acompliment, millors pràctiques i tecnologia amb l'objecte de la millora contínua de la cadena de subministrament. c) Anàlisi d'acompliment de la cadena de subministrament del sector *florícola equatorià, per mètriques, aplicant *SCOR i *AHP. Per a aquest estudi es va aplicar la metodologia *SCOR i *AHP i va donar com a resultat que els processos Devolució i Gestió registren les puntuacions més baixes, i per tant els agents del sector *florícola haurien de treballar més sobre aquests processos per a la seua millora. De l'estudi realitzat a la cadena de subministrament del sector *florícola equatorià es conclou que el model *SCOR juntament amb *AHP constitueixen una adequada metodologia per a l'anàlisi de la cadena de subministrament del sector *florícola, i particularment del sector *florícola equatorià. Els resultats d'aquest estudi mostren les possibilitats tan interessants que s'obrin amb l'aplicació conjunta, per a identificar els aspectes més crítics en la *SC d'un sector a fi d'introduir millores. d) Anàlisi de l'acompliment de la cadena de subministrament del sector *florícola equatorià, per processos, *subprocesos, activitats i tasques, aplicant *SCOR i *AHP. Es va aplicar la metodologia *SCOR i *AHP. Es va determinar que de les 29 empreses estudiades l'acompliment va tindre com a resultat el 85% de rendiment qualificant-se com a "bo". La investigació contribueix a la literatura científica amb una proposta metodològica que utilitza el model *SCOR amb *AHP per a mesurar el rendiment de la cadena de subministrament. El model proposat permet analitzar l'acompliment de la c / [EN] Ecuador's exports have been characterized by primary products (crude oil, bananas and plantains, coffee, shrimp, cocoa, cocoa, abaca, wood, tuna, fish, natural flowers) and industrialized products (petroleum derivatives, processed coffee, processed cocoa, fishmeal, other processed seafood, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, manufactured metals, hats, manufactured textiles). Ecuador's exports in the period 2017-2021 have been over US$20 billion, of which 80% corresponds to primary products and 20% to industrialized products. Within primary products the participation of crude oil has been decreasing going from 42% in 2017 to 34% in 2021, on the other hand the rest of primary products has gone from 58% in 2017 to 66% in 2021. These figures mean that Ecuador's specialization is purely agricultural. In this context, the present research entitled "Design of a model to improve the competitiveness of the Ecuadorian flower sector" aims to contribute to the Ecuadorian agricultural sector. For this purpose, the study contemplated the following research: a) Competitiveness of the Ecuadorian flower sector, for which the Balassa methodology was applied, which determined that Ecuador and Colombia have a strong comparative advantage compared to the exporting countries studied such as: Netherlands, Kenya and Ethiopia. It is concluded that Ecuador should apply marketing strategies, such as market development, to achieve export positioning in the European Union, which is currently the main market for cut flowers in the world. Another strategy that Ecuador should apply is related diversification, which specifies that it should apply the production of cut flowers to other varieties such as chrysanthemums, carnations, flowers and buds, lilies and orchids, which are currently part of the world market. b) Comparative analysis of supply chain models: ABC, BSC and SCOR, a literature review was applied, and it was found that the SCOR model is a very powerful tool for structuring, evaluating and comparing supply chain practices and performance. The SCOR model proposes an integrated approach based on the concept of an interconnected structure that links processes, includes performance metrics, best practices and technology for the purpose of continuous improvement of the supply chain. c) Performance analysis of the supply chain of the Ecuadorian flower sector, by metrics, applying SCOR and AHP. For this study, the SCOR and AHP methodology was applied and resulted in the Return and Management processes registering the lowest scores, and therefore the floriculture sector agents should work more on these processes for their improvement. From the study of the supply chain of the Ecuadorian flower sector, it is concluded that the SCOR model together with AHP is an adequate methodology for the analysis of the supply chain of the flower sector, and particularly of the Ecuadorian flower sector. The results of this study show the interesting possibilities opened up by their joint application to identify the most critical aspects of a sector's SC in order to introduce improvements. d) Analysis of the performance of the Ecuadorian flower supply chain, by processes, sub-processes, activities and tasks, applying SCOR and AHP. The SCOR and AHP methodology was applied. It was determined that of the 29 companies studied, the performance resulted in 85% of performance, qualifying as "good". The research contributes to the scientific literature with a methodological proposal that uses the SCOR model with AHP to measure supply chain performance. The proposed model allows the analysis of supply chain performance at the sector level. / Rodríguez Mañay, LO. (2023). Diseño de un modelo para mejorar la competitividad de la cadena de suministro del sector florícola ecuatoriano [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/194338