Thesis (MPH) --University of Limpopo, 2014 / Topic An investigation of the visual and systemic symptoms experienced by computer users at the National Home Builders’ Registration Council (NHBRC) and British Petroleum (BP) in Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa. Background The repetitive use of computers in the working places results in the visual and ergonomic disorders that affect the computer users adversely. The computer users experience fatigue which causes visual symptoms such as eyestrain, blurred vision, heaviness of the eyelids or forehead, dry eyes, sensitivity to light and irritatedeyes. The ergonomic disorders like neck pain, backache and wrist pain are also experienced by computer users. These conditions are collectively called Computer Vision Syndrome which is considered as an occupational hazard. Uncorrected refractive errors and binocular anomalies can contribute to these symptoms. The visual and systemic symptoms that affect the computer users in the workplace need to be investigated. Purpose The purpose of the study was to subjectively investigate the visual and systemic symptoms experienced by computer users in the two selected companies in Gauteng Province South Africa. Methodology Structured questions, (open and close ended) were used to obtain information needed for this study. The questions covered demographic as well as information relating to the use of the computer such as the duration of working on computer, the offices/working environment, the appearance and the distance of the screen to the eyes, the working station and visual devices et cetera. Results Participants included 47 (72.3%) females and 17 (26.2%) males and their ages ranged from 20 to 59 years with the mean of 39.5 and the standard deviation of ± 13.1years. Many (80%) of the participants between the ages of 20 to 29 years reported experiencing eye strain. The highest (75%) percentage of slow refocus was reported by the participants that were between the ages of 30 to 39 years. Most males (58.8%) reported experiencing eye strain, slow refocus and headaches associated with computer use. The majority of the females (63.8%) reported experiencing eye strain, while (59.6%) experienced slow refocus and (51.1%) suffered from headaches. A higher percentage of males (23.5%) experienced wrist pain while lower (14.9%) of females experienced wrist pain. No males (0.0%) reported back pain and only a small (8.5%) of females reported back pain. Conclusion Based on the above findings, it is concluded that visual and the systemic symptoms associated with the use of the computer affected most of the workers from the two companies. The factors that may lead to the various symptoms experienced may be ergonomic (environmental) or visual or a combination of these. The environmental factors can be the angle of gaze to the computer screen or the illumination of the working area, while visual factors could be uncorrected refractive error or binocular anomaly. Other factors may include age and working for prolonged time looking at the computer monitor. These factors may then leads to symptoms like eye strain, slow refocus, blurred vision, headaches, dry eyes and systemic symptoms such as neck pain.

Master of Philosophy / Australian government policy today aims to ‘deregulate’ industrial relations. A fractured system has ensued where uncontrolled market forces disrupt both business and unions. The building industry is particularly affected by uncertainty and industrial barbarism. Precisely one hundred years ago government policy was to create order, becoming directly involved in industrial regulation. This thesis aims to understand how building unions maintained their rates and conditions in the pre-arbitration era when there were no legislative minimums, and it seeks to place their labour relations within a political and ideological context. The thesis criticises historical scholarship surrounding artisan unionism in Britain and Australia, in particular the role of building tradesmen. Positive relations between employers and employed in the industry are often described in pejorative terms with tradesmen labelled ‘aristocrats of labour’ – apolitical, middle class and lacking class-awareness. The thesis argues this view does not adequately describe the qualities of building operatives, or place their motives within a ‘deregulated’ industrial context. To demonstrate nineteenth century building industry unionism in NSW had a broader nature, the thesis looks at British trade union radicalism. It examines both changes in structure and ideology caused by growing industrialisation and competitive organisation affecting building tradesmen known as general contracting, as well as continuity and differences in ideas of social change and progress. The thesis connects the ideology of British and colonial building unions in this regard. It then turns to the lives, work and society of nineteenth century building workers in Sydney and the make-up of their organisations. The thesis seeks to understand the political and ideological aspects of Australian building unionism and the effects of general contracting and competition. Central to the discussion is the influence of the Co-operative movement, and the significance of the struggle for the eight-hour day to the labour movement. Both were progressive responses to unfettered market forces on the trade. It argues that the challenges faced by operatives in maintaining conditions led them to develop politically, creating ‘modern’ class representation and ideology. The thesis ends with a chapter that examines the evidence before the 1891 NSW Royal Commission into Strikes showing the building industry to be characterised by conflict, co-operation, and radicalism. Unionists expressed progressive ideology and industrial militancy but maintained positive relationships with certain employers for whom they provided market security. The trade-off for efforts in this respect was recognition that union rules would be the primary form of industrial regulation. Their system, however, was ultimately unsustainable because of competitive pressures, and industrial militancy against builders outside the system flourished. In conclusion, the thesis suggests that nineteenth century building workers improved and maintained industrial standards by militant unionism, and yet, at the same time, by forming co-operative relations with employers. In dealing with the corrosive effect of market deregulation that undermined control over their trade, operatives also built progressive organisations which forged working class unity and developed politically advanced ideologies of social change. Their ideas and practices were at times unsuccessful or contradictory, but building unionists were not inward-looking ‘labour aristocrats’.

Master of Philosophy / Australian government policy today aims to ‘deregulate’ industrial relations. A fractured system has ensued where uncontrolled market forces disrupt both business and unions. The building industry is particularly affected by uncertainty and industrial barbarism. Precisely one hundred years ago government policy was to create order, becoming directly involved in industrial regulation. This thesis aims to understand how building unions maintained their rates and conditions in the pre-arbitration era when there were no legislative minimums, and it seeks to place their labour relations within a political and ideological context. The thesis criticises historical scholarship surrounding artisan unionism in Britain and Australia, in particular the role of building tradesmen. Positive relations between employers and employed in the industry are often described in pejorative terms with tradesmen labelled ‘aristocrats of labour’ – apolitical, middle class and lacking class-awareness. The thesis argues this view does not adequately describe the qualities of building operatives, or place their motives within a ‘deregulated’ industrial context. To demonstrate nineteenth century building industry unionism in NSW had a broader nature, the thesis looks at British trade union radicalism. It examines both changes in structure and ideology caused by growing industrialisation and competitive organisation affecting building tradesmen known as general contracting, as well as continuity and differences in ideas of social change and progress. The thesis connects the ideology of British and colonial building unions in this regard. It then turns to the lives, work and society of nineteenth century building workers in Sydney and the make-up of their organisations. The thesis seeks to understand the political and ideological aspects of Australian building unionism and the effects of general contracting and competition. Central to the discussion is the influence of the Co-operative movement, and the significance of the struggle for the eight-hour day to the labour movement. Both were progressive responses to unfettered market forces on the trade. It argues that the challenges faced by operatives in maintaining conditions led them to develop politically, creating ‘modern’ class representation and ideology. The thesis ends with a chapter that examines the evidence before the 1891 NSW Royal Commission into Strikes showing the building industry to be characterised by conflict, co-operation, and radicalism. Unionists expressed progressive ideology and industrial militancy but maintained positive relationships with certain employers for whom they provided market security. The trade-off for efforts in this respect was recognition that union rules would be the primary form of industrial regulation. Their system, however, was ultimately unsustainable because of competitive pressures, and industrial militancy against builders outside the system flourished. In conclusion, the thesis suggests that nineteenth century building workers improved and maintained industrial standards by militant unionism, and yet, at the same time, by forming co-operative relations with employers. In dealing with the corrosive effect of market deregulation that undermined control over their trade, operatives also built progressive organisations which forged working class unity and developed politically advanced ideologies of social change. Their ideas and practices were at times unsuccessful or contradictory, but building unionists were not inward-looking ‘labour aristocrats’.

Thesis (D.A.)--Illinois State University, 2000. / Title from title page screen, viewed May 4, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Frederick D. Drake (chair), Lawrence W. McBride, M. Paul Holsinger, L. Moody Simms. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 245-254) and abstract. Also available in print.

O conceito de projeto de estruturas de ônibus deve ser determinado em função do carregamento dinâmico ao quais as estruturas são submetidas. Através de procedimentos experimentais e análises numéricas, pode-se avaliar o comportamento da estrutura para diferentes aplicações, variando-se o carregamento e os perfis de pista na qual o ônibus trafega. Carrocerias de ônibus são muitas vezes superdimensionadas, no entanto, empresas encarroçadoras de ônibus têm o desafio de construir produtos cada vez mais leves sem afetar sua integridade estrutural. O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar o comportamento estrutural de uma carroceria de ônibus submetida a diferentes perfis de pista, a fim de determinar o nível de exigência em cada uma delas, como também determinar qual sua vida útil para a condição aplicada. Nesse contexto se desenvolve uma metodologia para avaliação de fadiga no domínio do tempo, utilizando programas comerciais face ao case de aplicação a ser resolvido. A análise estrutural dinâmica foi realizada por meio do método de superposição modal, onde as excitações impostas ao modelo foram sinais experimentais de deslocamentos medidos nas regiões dos cubos das rodas do produto, eixo dianteiro e eixo traseiro, quando o mesmo trafegava em perfis de pista tipo: asfalto, paralelepípedo e estrada de chão batido. As tensões obtidas na análise dinâmica foram utilizadas na estimativa de vida em fadiga do ônibus, pelo método do plano crítico. Por fim, compararam-se os valores obtidos nos ensaios práticos com a análise numérica, no intuito de validar a metodologia desenvolvida. / The design concept of buses structures must be determined by the dynamic loading to which structures are subjected. It is possible to evaluate the performance of the structure to different applications through numerical analyses and experimental procedures by diversifying loading and runway profiles where buses travel on. Buses bodies are often oversized; however bus builders have the challenge of manufacturing products increasingly lighter without affecting its structural integrity. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the structural performance of a bus body subjected to different runway profiles in order to determine the level of demand in each one of them and also determine its useful life as well. In this context develops a methodology for evaluating the fatigue related to time domain by using specific software to solve those case applications already presented. Dynamic structural analyses was performed by method of superposition, in which stimulus imposed on the model were displacement signs measured in the front and rear axle of wheel hubs product, when buses were travelling on asphalt, paving and unpaved roads. The tension obtained in dynamic analysis was used from estimate fatigue life of buses, through the method of critical plan. Finally, were compared the values obtained in practical tests with numerical analysis in order to validate the methodology developed.

O conceito de projeto de estruturas de ônibus deve ser determinado em função do carregamento dinâmico ao quais as estruturas são submetidas. Através de procedimentos experimentais e análises numéricas, pode-se avaliar o comportamento da estrutura para diferentes aplicações, variando-se o carregamento e os perfis de pista na qual o ônibus trafega. Carrocerias de ônibus são muitas vezes superdimensionadas, no entanto, empresas encarroçadoras de ônibus têm o desafio de construir produtos cada vez mais leves sem afetar sua integridade estrutural. O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar o comportamento estrutural de uma carroceria de ônibus submetida a diferentes perfis de pista, a fim de determinar o nível de exigência em cada uma delas, como também determinar qual sua vida útil para a condição aplicada. Nesse contexto se desenvolve uma metodologia para avaliação de fadiga no domínio do tempo, utilizando programas comerciais face ao case de aplicação a ser resolvido. A análise estrutural dinâmica foi realizada por meio do método de superposição modal, onde as excitações impostas ao modelo foram sinais experimentais de deslocamentos medidos nas regiões dos cubos das rodas do produto, eixo dianteiro e eixo traseiro, quando o mesmo trafegava em perfis de pista tipo: asfalto, paralelepípedo e estrada de chão batido. As tensões obtidas na análise dinâmica foram utilizadas na estimativa de vida em fadiga do ônibus, pelo método do plano crítico. Por fim, compararam-se os valores obtidos nos ensaios práticos com a análise numérica, no intuito de validar a metodologia desenvolvida. / The design concept of buses structures must be determined by the dynamic loading to which structures are subjected. It is possible to evaluate the performance of the structure to different applications through numerical analyses and experimental procedures by diversifying loading and runway profiles where buses travel on. Buses bodies are often oversized; however bus builders have the challenge of manufacturing products increasingly lighter without affecting its structural integrity. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the structural performance of a bus body subjected to different runway profiles in order to determine the level of demand in each one of them and also determine its useful life as well. In this context develops a methodology for evaluating the fatigue related to time domain by using specific software to solve those case applications already presented. Dynamic structural analyses was performed by method of superposition, in which stimulus imposed on the model were displacement signs measured in the front and rear axle of wheel hubs product, when buses were travelling on asphalt, paving and unpaved roads. The tension obtained in dynamic analysis was used from estimate fatigue life of buses, through the method of critical plan. Finally, were compared the values obtained in practical tests with numerical analysis in order to validate the methodology developed.

A pesquisa enfoca os séculos XII e XIII, conhecidos como o período do Renascimento Medieval. É a época do auge da produção da arquitetura gótica, onde as inovações construtivas aparecem e se consolidam. É na óptica dos procedimentos práticos e dos conhecimentos geométricos que estão as principais vertentes da pesquisa. O tipo e a profundidade do conhecimento da geometria – que era considerada o coração do ofício do pedreiro medieval – são pesquisados junto às obras de Euclides (Os Elementos) e Vitrúvio (De Architectura), demonstrando a intensidade de sua difusão junto aos mestres por toda a Idade Média. Com os cadernos de Villard de Honnecourt temos a prova da utilização dos manuais da Geometria Prática – Geometria Fabrorum – pelos arquitetos mestres construtores. A formação dos arquitetos se dava fora da educação formal. Era através das tradições do ofício quase sempre ensinadas oralmente e através de textos antigos, acessíveis por traduções em língua vernácula que ela acontecia, principalmente dentro das Corporações. Conhecimentos transmitidos através de clérigos que dominavam o latim, também foram importantes meios para o enriquecimento de procedimentos e habilidades tradicionais, que seguiam sendo disseminadas oralmente. Somente ao final da Idade Média, alguns mestres alemães dispõem-se a escrever e desvelar o segredo dos pedreiros. Todas as escolhas são privativas do arquiteto mestre construtor, o que comprova a existência do projeto medieval que com suas diferentes formas de representação e execução, variados instrumentos e ferramentas, materializou um espaço arquitetônico coerente com o conhecimento geométrico e a tecnologia disponível. / This study concentrates on the XII and XIII century. The period is known as the Medieval Renaissance and is considered the time of the prime production of gothic architecture, with the appearance and consolidation of innovations in construction techniques. The main focus of this research is on practical procedures and know-how on geometry of the period. The type and depth of knowledge in geometry, considered at the time, the heart of the medieval stone masons profession, are studied in conjunction with the writings of Euclid (The Elements) and Vitruvius (De Architectura), showing the extent to which these works were known by masters builders throughout de Middle Ages. In the books of Villard de Honnecourt, proof exists that the manual on Practical Geometry – Geometria Fabrorum – were used by architects masters builders. The training and education of architects at the time was not formal, but occurred through the tradition of practicing skills of the profession, mostly taught orally or through antique texts, available through translations in the vernacular language used mainly in Guilds. Knowledge transmitted by monks or clergy, who dominated Latin, were also important ways of enriching the procedures and traditional skills, spread orally from this source. Only at the end of the Middle Ages, some German masters builders started writing about and revealing the secret of stone masons. Design and construction detailing decisions were private, belonging essentially to the architect master builder, which proves that the medieval design, in its different forms of representation and execution, as well as various uses of tools and instruments, brought about an architectural space coherent with the knowledge of geometry and technologies available at the time.

O conceito de projeto de estruturas de ônibus deve ser determinado em função do carregamento dinâmico ao quais as estruturas são submetidas. Através de procedimentos experimentais e análises numéricas, pode-se avaliar o comportamento da estrutura para diferentes aplicações, variando-se o carregamento e os perfis de pista na qual o ônibus trafega. Carrocerias de ônibus são muitas vezes superdimensionadas, no entanto, empresas encarroçadoras de ônibus têm o desafio de construir produtos cada vez mais leves sem afetar sua integridade estrutural. O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar o comportamento estrutural de uma carroceria de ônibus submetida a diferentes perfis de pista, a fim de determinar o nível de exigência em cada uma delas, como também determinar qual sua vida útil para a condição aplicada. Nesse contexto se desenvolve uma metodologia para avaliação de fadiga no domínio do tempo, utilizando programas comerciais face ao case de aplicação a ser resolvido. A análise estrutural dinâmica foi realizada por meio do método de superposição modal, onde as excitações impostas ao modelo foram sinais experimentais de deslocamentos medidos nas regiões dos cubos das rodas do produto, eixo dianteiro e eixo traseiro, quando o mesmo trafegava em perfis de pista tipo: asfalto, paralelepípedo e estrada de chão batido. As tensões obtidas na análise dinâmica foram utilizadas na estimativa de vida em fadiga do ônibus, pelo método do plano crítico. Por fim, compararam-se os valores obtidos nos ensaios práticos com a análise numérica, no intuito de validar a metodologia desenvolvida. / The design concept of buses structures must be determined by the dynamic loading to which structures are subjected. It is possible to evaluate the performance of the structure to different applications through numerical analyses and experimental procedures by diversifying loading and runway profiles where buses travel on. Buses bodies are often oversized; however bus builders have the challenge of manufacturing products increasingly lighter without affecting its structural integrity. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the structural performance of a bus body subjected to different runway profiles in order to determine the level of demand in each one of them and also determine its useful life as well. In this context develops a methodology for evaluating the fatigue related to time domain by using specific software to solve those case applications already presented. Dynamic structural analyses was performed by method of superposition, in which stimulus imposed on the model were displacement signs measured in the front and rear axle of wheel hubs product, when buses were travelling on asphalt, paving and unpaved roads. The tension obtained in dynamic analysis was used from estimate fatigue life of buses, through the method of critical plan. Finally, were compared the values obtained in practical tests with numerical analysis in order to validate the methodology developed.

台北市房地產延續前幾年全球景氣，加上海峽兩岸前所未有的和諧狀態，2008年上半年房市仍持續樂觀且交易熱絡，房地價大漲直到下半年全球金融風暴來襲而急轉直下。而金融風暴的起因恰好就是美國經營房地產次級貸款公司倒閉所引發的連鎖效應。金融風暴襲捲全世界經濟，以出口為導向的台灣首當其衝，台北市房地產景氣也隨之急速降溫，但雖經濟環境造成需求萎縮，台北市土地價格卻未受影響反而屢創新高，加上政府救經濟的財政與貨幣政策，使得台北市預售屋房價並未明顯下跌，2009年甚至因兩岸交流頻仍、中資來台等議題發燒，精華區房地產市場一掃2008下半年陰霾而帶頭上揚。但在消費需求面卻因實質薪資所得並未提升，使得實際自用住宅市場追價力道薄弱，房地產泡沫危機隱約呈現。 因台灣房地產市場存在如此詭譎的內外在環境，供給與需求、作多與看空的勢力拉扯，本篇論文研究從外部環境觀察鄰近各國總體經濟與房地產景氣連動關係的歷史軌跡，進而探究近年與未來台北市房地產業景氣發展趨勢，瞭解建商面對外在經濟環境變動下所存在之機會與威脅，來發現適合小型建商生存之利基市場所在。而內部環境則以房地產預售市場之賣方與買者交易關係探討，分別從廠商供給面與消費者需求面之成本觀點進行研究，尋找小型建商本身擁有的優劣勢所因應之預售屋消費者注重的各項成本屬性，藉由4C策略行銷分析降低消費者各項購屋成本，最後提出策略建議，提升小型建商之核心競爭力。 / The real estate market in Taipei was booming during the first half of 2008, during which time the economy was good and tensions between Taiwan and China began to ease. Housing prices had been rising until they were hit by the global financial crisis in late 2008. The storm of economic downturn, resulted mainly from the chain reaction caused by the collapse of US financial institutions, had swept through the world. Taiwan was deeply affected due to its export-oriented economy. As a result, the once prosperous real estate market had slowed down because of the decrease in demand. However, in 2009, not only had the prices of lands in Taipei not fallen, the presale home prices in the wealthiest districts began to rise again, due to the government’s stimulus financial policy that heavily relied on its friendlier stance with China and the belief that there would be a flow of cash coming from China. Nevertheless, the rise of housing prices could be a gigantic bubble since the median household income has not gained and demand for new homes have not increased. Under the unusual and unpredictable economic circumstances, this thesis focuses on the research and analysis from the viewpoints of maximizing the competitive edges, profits and surviving advantages of small builders in the current housing market in Taipei. Historic macroeconomic trends in real estate in Taiwan and nearby countries were analyzed. Supply and demand in the presale housing market in Taipei were examined, with an emphasis on not only the cost analysis between small builders and buyers, but also the advantages and disadvantages faced by both sides. 4C strategic marketing analysis was carried out to minimize the buying cost from the consumer’s viewpoint; at the same time, tactical marketing recommendations to success are provided to small builders to meet the present challenges.

No description available.