An undue focus on Temperate Zone oscines (songbirds or passerines) has led to a geographical bias in interpretation of song frmnction and evolution. This bias led initially to relatively simplistic theories of the ftmnction of bird song with vocalizations divided into 'songs' and 'calls'. Songs were complex, learned vocalizations, given by males in the breeding season, thnctioning in territory defence and mate attraction and stimulation. Calls, on the other hand, were simple innate vocalizations serving more immediate needs such as begging for food and raising an alarm. Female song, where it occurred, was considered an aberration. Further studies suggested that complex songs were associated with mate attraction functions while simpler songs were associated with territory defence. However it became apparent that the distinction between songs and calls was not nearly so clear-cut and the supposed connection between complexity and function in song was questioned. Moreover it was realised that female song could not be dismissed as a mere aberration. Another problem was the ftmnction of the dawn chorus, where research had failed to find a consistent, all-encompassing explanation. Since most studies had been done on Northern Hemisphere songbirds, it was becoming clear that the geographical focus needed to be broadened. The life histories of Northern Hemisphere TemperateZone songbirds are very different from those in many other regions. In contrast to the situation in this zone, maintenance of year-round territory, territory defence by both male and female, life-long social monogamy and extensive female vocalization are widespread in tropical, subtropical and Southern Hemisphere regions. Recently it has been suggested that more intensive studies of vocalizations in these regions might help clariQi some of these issues and consequently an endemic Australian passerine was chosen for the current study. The study focused on the vocalizationsof the grey butcherbird Cracticus torquatus Artamidae, which displays the life history features described above. The main study population was located in the Brisbane suburbs of Rainworth and Bardon. Additional data were gathered from other Brisbane suburbs and bushland sites within the city and at Lake Broadwater near Dalby, Queensland. Vocalizations were initially recorded electronically and analysed using Canary sound editing program. Vocalization data were supplemented using an aural recording method, which was independently checked for reliability. Behavioural data including posture during vocalizations and interactions with other birds were also gathered. Initial investigationsrevealed the existence of two main categories of vocalizations - those given by the family group during the day, all year round and those given at dawn by males during the breeding season. For the focal study populations, group vocalizations were studied throughout the year over several years, however the song given at dawn by males during the breeding season proved to be quite complex and three birds from three territories in the main study area were chosen as case studies. Recordings were made of the vocalizations of the three case study birds over three breeding seasons. Starting and fmishing times (with respect to civil twilight) were recorded in order to determine both changes in song bout duration and starting time throughout the breeding season. Additional birds from the same area, from the other Brisbane suburbs and from the bushland sites were studied to check the validity of conclusions drawn from the case studies. The results of the investigations revealed a vocalization structure that contrasted strongly with the simple picture of bird song drawn from study ofNorthernHemisphere Temperate Zone passerines. The vocalizations given during the day, often referred to as the 'song' of this species, were very different from the early dawn song given by the male during the breeding season. This latter appeared to be song sensu stricto according to the paradigms developed for Northern Hemisphere birds. The thytime vocalizations, however, fitted neither the classic definition of 'song' nor the classic definition of 'call'. This relatively long-term study revealed different starting time patterns and periodicity for thy vocalizations and male breeding season song. Day vocalizations commenced at a fairly constant time with respect to civil twilight throughoutthe year but breeding season song started progressively earlier from the beginning through to the middle of the season then progressively later till the end of the season. Relative finishing time of breeding song however remained constant so that the duration of breeding season song gradually increased then decreased paralleling the change in starting times. A consequence of the two distinct classes of vocalizations was that there were essentially two distinct 'dawn choruses'. One, consisting of group vocals, was sung all year round; the other was given by males singing 'breeding season' song. Since there was no reason the expect that a single function would necessarily be ascribed to both choruses, this raised the possibility that some of the confusion surrounding the ftinction and nature of the 'dawn chorus' originated from a failure to recognize the existence of two such choruses. Variation in time and space showed ifirther differences between the two vocalization classes. The breeding song of each male was distinctly different from that of his neighbours and there was a marked change in the repertoire of any individual from one year to the next. In marked contrast, daytime vocalization repertoires of neighbouring groups were virtually indistinguishable and changed little from year to year. These findings, together with information from recent literature, suggested that the two song classes had a different ontogeny, function and possibly evolution. It was proposed that territory declaration was the function of dawn singing by grey butcherbird family groups but that the function most consistent with adult male dawn song was attraction of females for extra-pair copulations. It was suggested that chorusing itself was to some extent an accidental by-product of the advantage to the individual or group of singing at dawn although a recently proposed function, the social dynamics function, could not be ruled out. Further differences from the Northern Hemisphere situation were detected in subsong. First, subsong was given by birds in their first year and also by adult males. The finding of subsong in adult males was not without precedent as it has been documented previously for a small number of passerines, especially those that change repertoire from year to year. Subsong in young (first year) birds, however, was unusual in that birds practised in small groups rather than in the complete isolation usually associated with subsong. Moreover they did not practise adult male song but instead practised group daytime vocalizations. It was suggested that it was important for birds to learn to sing in company for the important task of group territory defence. Further investigation of the literature and observations during the present study revealed similar vocalization classes and behaviours in other members of the Artamidae and other endemic Australasian taxa. These literature investigations also revealed that the possession two song vocalization classes was quite widespread although they tended to be restricted (but not exclusive) to males rather than found in males and females. These findings led to furtherresearch into the significanceofAustraliain the evolution of songbirds, the role of co-operative breeding in Australianpasserines, and finally to an hypothesis for a possible origin of male bird song. It is suggested that male song arose in a social environment where the male and female were in frequent vocal communication. If the tendency to seek extra-pair copulations (EPCs) and female choice had already been incorporated into the suite of passerine behaviours, it would be necessary to avoid the mate during such activities and the male would need to advertise with a signal distinct from group vocalizations. Early dawn, with poor light conditions, could be a favourable time for these activities. Thus it is proposed that the ancestral condition was with all group members singing most vocalisations, the intermediate situation was similar to that in the grey butcherbird and the 'advanced' condition was where female and other group member vocalizations (other than calls) have dropped out and only male song remains.

This thesis reports on research that examines the early stage invasion process of Asparagus asparagoides (L.) W. Wight (bridal creeper), primarily a bird-dispersed weed, in a remnant vegetation patch. The study site is on Phillip Island, approximately 100 kilometres south east of Melbourne, Victoria. Asparagus asparagoides invasion of the remnant vegetation reserve is a relatively recent phenomenon. Landscape elements that affect bird dispersal and vegetation types that affect seedling establishment may be important factors that limit or enhance the spread of A. asparagoides. A systematic sampling strategy was adopted and data collected for a variety of landscape and vegetative variables including cover and abundance of A. asparagoides and the data were presented in a Geographic Information System (GIS). Preliminary results show that the distribution of A. asparagoides within a remnant vegetation patch is not random. It appears to have entered the reserve from two boundaries, spreading toward the centre, which to date remains sparsely colonised despite the capacity of this weed to spread rapidly over long distances by birds. A number of other outcomes are noted. Asparagus asparagoides establishment is prevented in pasture where sheep and cattle graze, and paddocks subjected to tillage practices. The exclusion of grazing in fenced off vegetation in pastures demonstrates rapid weed establishment and colonisation several hundred metres from main infestation. Field observation and visual inspection of temporal progress of invasion (using above ground weed density with tuber appearance to infer age) appear to suggest that invasion into remnant is associated with the track network. This age/density assumption is strengthened when spatial distribution is examined using a data set where low-density values for A. asparagoides are removed and compared with a data set using all A. asparagoides density values. The mapping of A. asparagoides in fenced off farm remnants suggests that velocity of spread at 191m/yr is a considerable underestimate. Subsequent analysis shows that the spatial distribution of A. asparagoides is not completely spatially random while intensity surface analysis highlights regions of low and high intensity located near track network. Mapping a density surface within GIS provided confirmatory evidence for the establishment of satellite clusters along the track network. The change in the intensity surface observed using the two data sets (lowdensity values and all density values) is also consistent with an expanding invasion occurring between two time periods. Spatial point pattern analysis using K-function statistics shows that xxii the clustering observed using GIS appears to be occurring at two scales or distances (130m- 160m and 195m-205m). The association between tracks and the invasion process observed in the initial stages of the study is examined. There is a change in density as a function of distance from a track where the density of A. asparagoides appears to reduce the further away from the track a site is and this relationship holds regardless of track width. The final stages of the study look at the development of a predictive model. Visual exploration of the data through mapping in a GIS and field observation made during data collection provide the starting point for the development of logistic models to estimate the probability of A. asparagoides presence. Finally the best overall logistic model is applied to a second independent site to determine the general applicability of the model. A number of variables that impact on the presence of A. asparagoides, particularly during the initial stages of the invasion process, are identified. While all the identified variables and the overall model are statistically significant, the model is found to correctly predict presence/absence in only 67% of cases overall. The model however could be expected to correctly predict the presence of A. asparagoides in 74% of cases and has a false positive rate of 40%. The model is applied at a second independent site and found to have an overall percent correct rate of 80% and correctly predicted A. asparagoides presence in 94% of cases. The variables identified as influential in the early stage of invasion are relatively easy to acquire by simple field survey that does not require specialist skills. When considering the model as a tool for the management of remnant vegetation communities, high false positive rates may lead to limited resources being spent on searching sites where there is no weed. However, a high false negative rate would have a larger impact on the management of the weed since the undetected infestations would form sources for new propagules. The model performs well from this point of view in that it provided low false negative rates at both sites. The value of the predictive model is its ability to provide managers with information regarding specific areas to target for weed eradication and management can use the model to assess the effectiveness of any control measures by going back to obtain new cover density data, then using the model to examine the changes over time. The model also provides a starting point for the development of a generic model of A. asparagoides invasion at sites outside of Phillip Island and could also provide the starting point for developing models that could be used for other bird-dispersed fleshy-fruited weed species.

I address the geometric problem of the pendulum-like swinging of towed birds for AEM platforms. I establish a link between actual observed bird swing and its effect on survey data for two different systems and explain the link by a model that compares actual survey data to the calculated mutual inductance coupling of a dipole pair over an infinitely conductive half space, which pair is permitted arbitrary pitch, roll and altitude changes. I develop a non-linear filter that removes bird swing effects from survey data which successfully corrected data from 3 different AEM surveys. Calibration of several different time domain AEM systems is attempted using an accurately laid out and surveyed, closed, multi-turn loop of known resistance and self-inductance that is placed on - but insulated from - resistive ground. I derive a rigourous mathematical model that predicts airborne receiver's response to the coupling to the transmitter current waveform and total system geometry. The method was proven to be successful over resistive ground, with significant system problems identified such as: altimetry error, spatial averaging of data during postprocessing, error in the predicted horizontal position of the AEM platform, receiver windowing and timing errors and bird swing. I show that, although we can calibrate a time domain AEM system for a single flyover, it is impossible to calibrate an AEM system for geometry. As an intermediate step in the calibration process, I show that by monitoring the current induced in the ground loop we can obtain the waveform of the AEM transmitter current throu gh deconvolution in the Fourier domain. Simple and cost effective methods for the improvement of quantitative AEM data are presented in this thesis. However, until the geometry problem of AEM platforms is solved, full system calibration will not be obtained and filters will need to be applied to the data. I recommend the use of: GPS antennas mounted on all towed birds, able to be post-processed for accurate position recovery, reliable bird-mounted scanning altimeters that do not rely on range-finding technology but instead employ a shortest path algorithm, pitch and roll sensors mounted on the trailed bird and the measurement of airspeed of both the towed bird and the aircraft during surveys.

There are hundreds of thousands of fisheries-related mortalities of seabirds each year. Population trends for these species are highly influenced by changes in adult survival, their maximum growth rates are low, and little additional mortality can have a large impact on the population. As a result, many albatrosses and petrels are at risk of extinction, but limited demographic data makes it difficult to quantify the risk for many species. The goal of this research is to use population modelling tools to assess potential impacts with minimal data. In particular, the question of how much additional mortality a population can sustain is addressed when there is only knowledge of the adult survival rate, age at first breeding, and the number of breeding pairs. In this thesis, a simple decision rule designed for marine mammals is applied to albatrosses and petrels. In order to use this rule, adult survival, age at first breeding, a minimum estimate of the population size, and the maximum growth rate of the population are needed. While estimation of adult survival is well developed, work was required to calculate the other values from available data. A simple population model was developed to extrapolate from the number of breeding pairs to the total population size (given survival and age at first breeding); the effect of variable fecundity rates on the calculation of generation time and the maximum growth rate of a population was examined, relative to an estimate that only requires survival and age at first breeding; and a method for estimating the age at first breeding using capture-recapture data was suggested that accounts for study duration and emigration, in addition to capture probability. This work can help managers make better informed decisions when little is known about a population. For example, around 5,800 pairs of Gibson's albatrosses (Diomedea gibsoni) breed each year. Based on the work presented in this thesis, they may be able to sustain 1,000 - 1,200 additional mortalities per year. However, given concern about their conservation status, a mortality level below 100 - 120 is desired, and any mortality beyond that level suggests a need for more intensive management.

<p>The aim of this study is to investigate how the female author, Charlotte Brontë, describes the development of her female protagonist in Jane Eyre and to compare this to how the male author, Fyodor Dostoevsky, describes the development of his male protagonist in Crime and Punishment, inside the patriarchal 19th century.</p><p>My basic idea is that both characters in these two books have to reach their own unknown to find satisfaction and a new existence, and I want to investigate what the characters have to go through to find that existence. To help me in my exploration of Jane Eyre I make use of Gilbert and Gubars’ book The Madwoman in the Attic and in the case of Crime and Punishment, I make use of Pelikan Straus’ article ”“Why did I say ’Women!’?” Raskolnikov Reimagined”. Both authors discuss literature from a gender perspective, but without comparing female and male characters or authors with each other, which I believe is important for a more holistic understanding of gender issue.</p><p>The conclusion of this essay is that these books are describing the main characters’ evolution towards their personal unknown with the same tools, a double self, an important symbol, and in the end a love partner that embodies that unknown. Furthermore, I conclude that this development moves in opposing directions, whereby the female character gets in touch with a more traditional male disposition and the male character gets in touch with a more traditional female disposition. This mirrors the different position men and women are assigned in the patriarchal society. In conclusion, I suggest that all social roles are ultimately confining (irrespective of sex), and are attracted to the opposite pole, in order to discover what the individual does not have access to in the social sphere.</p>

<p>Syftet med uppsatsen är att studera sambandet mellan länders utdelningsmönster och <em>corporate governance</em> system samt förklara varför denna koppling ser ut som den gör med hjälp av den teoribildning som finns på området.</p><p>Till undersökningen har tre EU länder valts. För att kartlägga ländernas utdelningsmönster har finansiell data insamlats för respektive lands samtliga noterade företag. Dessa data har sammanställts till tre nyckeltal gällande utdelningsnivå för varje land och år mellan år 1989 till år 2007.</p><p>Det finns skillnader mellan länderna både beträffande <em>corporate governance </em>system och beträffande utdelningsmönster. De viktigaste faktorerna inom <em>corporate governance </em>som i uppsatsen visat sig haft störst betydelse för utdelningsmönstrets utseende är ägarstrukturen samt kapitalmarknadens struktur. Störst andel spritt ägande och starkast inflytande från aktiemarknaden återfinns i Storbritannien, följt av Sverige och sist Tyskland som tvärtom kännetecknas av ett mycket koncentrerat ägande och lägre påverkan från aktiemarknaden. Utdelningsmönstret har samma ordningsföljd, med Storbritannien som det land med högst utdelningsnivå.</p><p>Kopplingen mellan <em>corporate governance </em>system och utdelningsmönster kan enligt uppsatsens resultat förklaras med hjälp av principal-agentteorin och <em>bird in the hand </em>teorin samt till viss del av signaleringsteorin. Däremot kunde inte skattepreferensteorin förklara sambandet.</p>

Hardwood bottomland ecosystems provide critical habitat for various wildlife among numerous ecosystem services. Since the 1800s, these forested wetlands have been logged and drained for agriculture. The federal government passed a series of legislative acts that protected wetlands and provided monetary support for restoration. The Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) was established in 1990 with the goal of restoring ecological function in wetlands. Although several studies have measured plant and wildlife responses to WRP restorations, no standard protocol has been developed to monitor the state of ecological restoration at sites. Index of biotic integrity (IBI) models are commonly used to evaluate ecological function by assigning scores derived from biological characteristics measured at disturbed sites and comparing them with reference sites. Therefore, the objectives of my study were to: (1) characterize vegetation, amphibian and bird communities among 17 WRP restoration and 4 reference bottomland sites, and (2) develop IBI models for these communities to use in monitoring ecological restoration. My study was conducted across 10 counties in western Tennessee from March – August 2008, and communities were measured using standard sampling techniques. I detected 15 amphibian and 95 bird species at bottomland WRP sites, which ranged 2 – 21 years old. Anurans were common among sites, but salamanders were only detected at reference sites containing mature forests. The bird community changed predictably in response to succession, with grassland birds dominating young restoration sites and scrub-shrub and forest birds dominating older restoration and reference sites. Vegetation structure was related to site age, and a good predictor of bird community composition. Variables retained in the vegetation IBI model included density of snags, logs and overstory trees, basal area, and percent vertical cover measured using a profile board. The bird IBI model contained relative abundance of bark feeding, branch nesting, and twig nesting guilds. Presence of salamanders was the only variable in the amphibian IBI model. My results indicate that the WRP is contributing to the regional biodiversity of western Tennessee. The IBI models that I developed can be used for monitoring ecological restoration in Tennessee hardwood bottomlands; however, their applicability outside this region should be validated.

Chaque année, d'innombrables collisions se produisent entre des avions en vol et des oiseaux. L'impact aviaire, menace redoutée par les pilotes, concerne tant l'aviation civile que son pendant militaire. Les statistiques démontrent que, même si fort heureusement le nombre d'accidents graves reste limité, les incidents sont de plus en plus nombreux. Parmi les acteurs qui luttent contre ce danger, les constructeurs d'avions jouent un rôle prépondérant. Contraints par des réglementations internationales, ils s'attachent à produire des éléments de structure qui résistent à l'impact d'oiseaux. Dans la mise au point de leur produits, les avionneurs démontrent cette résistance à l'aide d'essais d'impact : on accélère un simulant d'oiseau jusqu'à la vitesse voulue -- de l'ordre de la vitesse de croisière nominale de l'avion -- et on le projette sur un aileron ou un morceau de fuselage. La présente thèse doctorale, co-dirigée par les professeurs Philippe Bouillard de l'ULB et Marc Pirlot de l'ERM, contribue doublement à l'amélioration de ces techniques d'essais dynamiques. D'une part, elle réalise la mise au point et la validation d'un lanceur pyrotechnique à double étage pour l'accélération du simulant d'oiseau. Un canon de calibre 20 mm est combiné avec un accélérateur de calibre 160 mm. La combustion d'un mélange de poudre propulsive contenu dans une douille adaptée génère les gaz à haute température et à haute pression nécessaires à l'accélération d'un simulant d'oiseau dûment confiné dans un conteneur de protection. Un dispositif de séparation arrête le conteneur afin que seul le simulant d'oiseau percute l'élément d'avion à l'essai. La solution pyrotechnique à double étage mise au point est validée par de nombreux tirs instrumentés en vitesse, en accélération et en pression ; elle se révèle conforme aux exigences de sécurité et de reproductibilité. Le lanceur pyrotechnique présente par rapport aux solutions pneumatiques, utilisées à notre connaissance dans tous les autres centres d'essais, des avantages indéniables de compacité ainsi que de rapidité et de souplesse de mise en oeuvre. D'autre part, la migration des alliages métalliques vers les matériaux composites est amorcée depuis plusieurs années déjà dans le monde de la construction aéronautique. Pour optimiser les structures, une connaissance des caractéristiques de ces matériaux est indispensable. Les modes de rupture font partie des caractéristiques encore mal connues. La mesure du déplacement hors-plan lors du tir sur panneaux plans est une des manières de quantifier le comportement du matériau sous l'action d'un impact. Cette mesure s'opère généralement de manière statique, après le tir. Une méthode de mesure dynamique a été mise au point, basée sur l'emploi de techniques de stéréoscopie par corrélation numérique d'images. Cette technique a été validée au moyen d'une méthode métrologique indépendante d'extensométrie laser. ABSTRACT Countless collisions occur each year between airplanes and birds. Bird strike is a concern to both civilian and militay aircraft. Statistics show that, although the number of serious accidents fortunately remains low, the number of incidents keeps increasing. Amongst the actors tackling this issue, aircraft manufacturers play an important role. In compliance with international regulations, they have to produce structural elements that withstand bird impact. During the development of their products, aircraft manufacturers have to demonstrate this resistance through bird impact trials : a bird surrogate is accelerated to the required velocity - often close to the nominal cruise speed of the aircraft - and launched onto a flap or a piece of fuselage. This PhD thesis has been co-supervised by Professor Philippe Bouillard (ULB) and Professor Marc Pirlot (ERM-KMS). Its contribution to the improvement of the aforementioned dynamic trials is twofold. One one hand, a two-stage pyrotechnical launcher for bird surrogates has been developed and assessed. A 20 mm caliber gun is connected to a 160 mm diameter launcher. The combustion of a propellant mixture in a cartridge case generates high pressure, high temperature gases which accelerate a bird surrogate protected by a cylindrical container. A stripper refrains the container from hitting the target pane. The pyrotechnical solution has been assessed through an important number of firings where pressure, velocity and acceleration have been measured. The solution has proven compliance with both the safety requirements and the repeatability specifications. Its advantages compared to the pneumatic solutions used, as far as we know, in all other test centres, include compactedness as well as flexibility and high firing rate. On the other hand, migration towards composite materials has been initiated years ago in the area of aeronautical constructions. To optimize structures, a thorough knowledge of these new materials is required. Failure modes belong to the still badly known features of carbon reinforced plastics. Measuring the out-of-plane deformation when firing on a flat pane is one way of quantifying the material's behaviour under impact. This measurement is most frequently made in a static way, after completion of the firing. A dynamic measuring method has been developed, based upon stereoscopic digital image correlation techniques. This technique has been validated by means of an independent laser extensometer measuring method.

The first objective of this thesis was to investigate effects of endocrine disruptors on the developing brain and gonads of bird embryos. The substances studied were the insecticide methoxychlor, and nine UV-filters (3-benzylidene camphor (3BC), 4 methyl benzylidene camphor (4MBC), benzophenone (BP) 1,2 and 3, 4 hydroxy benzophenone (4 HB), 4 dihydroxy benzophenone (4DHB), benzyl salicylate (BS), and ethyl-4-aminobenzoate Et-PABA)), commonly used in cosmetic products. Some of these substances have no estrogenic effect in vitro, but have been shown to be estrogenic in vivo. The PCB-mixture Clophen A50 is a well-known inducer of biotransformation enzymes and was co-administered with methoxychlor and the UV-filters 3BC and 4MBC. Exposure to 3BC or 4MBC caused ovotestis formation and malformations of the Müllerian ducts in Japanese quail embryos. Co-exposure to one of these compounds and Clophen A50 enhanced the effects, indicating that Clophen A50 potentiates the effects of the UV-filters. Embryonic co-exposure to Clophen A50 and methoxychlor caused a disturbed male sexual behaviour. The metabolites of methoxychlor are estrogen receptor (ER)α-selective, which indicates that the effects on behaviour following embryonic treatment were mediated by ERα. Another objective in this thesis was to localize estrogen receptors (ERs) in the brain of adult and embryonic Japanese quail. The ER localization provides a basis for mechanistic studies on effects of endocrine disruptors, by the identification of estrogen-responsive areas in the brain. We found that ERβ, not previously implicated in sex-differentiation of the brain, was the only ER-subtype present in a sexually dimorphic brain area during differentiation. In conclusion, the estrogenic effects of 3BC, 4MBC and methoxychlor were increased by co-exposure to PCB. These results raise concern since many wildlife species, as well as humans, carry large body burdens of persistent organic pollutants like PCBs, which potentially can interact and enhance the effects of other endocrine disruptors.

Syftet med uppsatsen är att studera sambandet mellan länders utdelningsmönster och corporate governance system samt förklara varför denna koppling ser ut som den gör med hjälp av den teoribildning som finns på området. Till undersökningen har tre EU länder valts. För att kartlägga ländernas utdelningsmönster har finansiell data insamlats för respektive lands samtliga noterade företag. Dessa data har sammanställts till tre nyckeltal gällande utdelningsnivå för varje land och år mellan år 1989 till år 2007. Det finns skillnader mellan länderna både beträffande corporate governance system och beträffande utdelningsmönster. De viktigaste faktorerna inom corporate governance som i uppsatsen visat sig haft störst betydelse för utdelningsmönstrets utseende är ägarstrukturen samt kapitalmarknadens struktur. Störst andel spritt ägande och starkast inflytande från aktiemarknaden återfinns i Storbritannien, följt av Sverige och sist Tyskland som tvärtom kännetecknas av ett mycket koncentrerat ägande och lägre påverkan från aktiemarknaden. Utdelningsmönstret har samma ordningsföljd, med Storbritannien som det land med högst utdelningsnivå. Kopplingen mellan corporate governance system och utdelningsmönster kan enligt uppsatsens resultat förklaras med hjälp av principal-agentteorin och bird in the hand teorin samt till viss del av signaleringsteorin. Däremot kunde inte skattepreferensteorin förklara sambandet.