For decades, acquisitions have been a remarkably popular and controversial phenomenon all over the world. However, little is known about how acquisition performance is affected by the characteristics of top executives of the acquiring as well as the target company. Acquisition performance can be examined both as investor reactions to acquisition announcements on the stock market and as post-acquisition performance of the newly integrated company. Drawing upon several research streams (signaling theory, the behavioral decision making perspective, the resource-based view, and social network research), this dissertation reports on three independent but interrelated studies that examine the effects of executive human and social capital characteristics on acquisition performance. / Study 1 focuses on the firm tenure of the acquiring company’s CEO and shows that investors responded to acquisition deals more favorably when the deals were made by either short- or long-tenured CEOs, especially when the CEO was also the chairperson of the board and when he/she had received higher compensation. Study 2 shifts the focus from stock market reactions to post-acquisition firm performance. This study examines post-acquisition integration in the form of knowledge contributions made by the executives from the target company who were retained in the newly integrated company. Results show that the positive effect of retention of target executives was stronger when an acquisition was unrelated and when the target firm was relatively small. Study 3 explores the effects of acquiring CEOs’ social ties on investor reactions to acquisition announcements and compares the effects between manufacturing and hospitality industries. / This dissertation contributes to both the acquisition research and the research on corporate executives. It contributes to the acquisition literature by applying a multi-stage view of acquisition performance and explicitly examining the performance implications of key decision makers’ characteristics. It also contributes to the executive effect literature by uncovering an unconventional U-shaped curvilinear relationship between executive tenure and acquisition performance. More important, the study examines the corporate governance mechanisms that may modify the executive effects on acquisition performance. / 企業收購是近幾十年來十分流行而又具有爭議的現象。然而，我們對高管的特徵如何影響企業收購的績效卻知之甚少。收購績效可定義爲收購公告發佈時股票市場的反應和收購完成之後的新公司的財務業績。本文綜合了來自信號理論、決策行爲、資源基礎理論和社會網路方面的文獻，用三個相互獨立而又相互聯繫的三個研究來檢驗高管的人力資本和社會資本對收購績效的影響。首先，本文提出，股市投資者傾向於更加歡迎那些由年資很短或者很長的首席執行官所執行的收購，尤其是當首席執行官同時是董事會主席或者薪酬水準很高的情況下。第二，本文從收購完成後，留用的目標公司高管知識貢獻的大小來考察收購後的整合。研究結果表明，在非相關收購和在兩家公司規模差異較大的情況下，目標公司高管留用對收購後財務業績的正向效應更加明顯。第三，本文還從社會資本的角度出發，探討了收購公司首席執行官的社會關係對股市反應的作用在酒店業收購和製造業收購的差異。本文對收購和公司高管研究的貢獻主要體現在以下三個方面。首先，從收購是多階段現象這一視角，本文檢驗了高管對收購績效的影響，豐富了關於收購的研究。其次，本文通過揭示在收購情形下任期與績效的U型關係，拓展了關於高管效應的研究。更重要的是，本文還考察了公司治理機制如何完善高管對收購績效的作用。 / Lin, Shanshan. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2015. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 203-223). / Abstracts also in Chinese. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on 30, September, 2016). / Detailed summary in vernacular field only.

La consolidation de la paix au lendemain d'un conflit est une entreprise multidimensionnelle et complexe qui exige d'importantes ressources (financières, techniques, humaines, ...). Avec le foisonnement des acteurs en la matière, il est pertinent de s'intéresser au rôle et à la contribution des organisations internationales économiques dont l'intervention, dans les pays fragiles y compris ceux post-conflit, est très souvent décriée. Les organisations internationales économiques en question sont notamment les institutions financières internationales (Banque mondiale, FMI, Banques régionales de développement), les communautés économiques régionales (CEDEAO, CEEAC, ASEAN, ...), et l'OCDE. Dans l'optique d'accroître les chances de réalisation de la consolidation de la paix, il convient de déterminer si ces organisations internationales économiques sont une partie intégrante de la solution ou si elles constituent plutôt le problème. Concrètement, l'analyse qui est faite dans le cadre de ces travaux, porte d'abord sur la légalité et les outils d'intervention (mécanismes financiers, techniques, ...) des organisations internationales économiques en vue de la consolidation de la paix. Ensuite, est abordé l'impact de leur méthode et de leurs outils d'intervention sur la réalisation des objectifs de la consolidation de la paix. Un intérêt particulier est porté aussi bien sur les priorités récurrentes de la consolidation de la paix que sur celles spécifiques à un ou certains pays post-conflit. Finalement, au regard des changements constants qui interviennent dans les contextes post-conflit, et comme l'a souvent rappelé le Secrétaire général des Nations Unies dans ses différents rapports sur la consolidation de la paix au lendemain d'un conflit, il est nécessaire d'améliorer l'intervention des différents acteurs. Dans le même ordre d'idées, les perspectives d'optimisation de l'intervention des organisations internationales économiques dans la consolidation de la paix, sont identifiées. / Peacebuilding in the aftermath of conflict is a multidimensional and complex undertaking that requires significant resources (financial, technical, human …). Among a wide spectrum of actors in this field, it is relevant to focus on the precise role and contribution of international economic organizations whose intervention in fragile countries including post-conflict, is very often criticized. The economic international organizations concerned are international financial institutions (World Bank, IMF, and regional development banks), regional economic communities (ECOWAS, ECCAS, ASEAN ...), and OECD. In order to increase the chances of achieving peacebuilding, it is necessary to determine whether these international economic organizations are an integral part of the solution or rather if they are the problem. First of all, the analysis is focused on the legality and the intervention tools (financial mechanisms, technical mechanisms ...) of international economic organizations in post-conflict contexts. Then the impact of their method and their intervention tools on achieving the objectives of peacebuilding, is discussed. Recurrent priorities of peacebuilding and those specific to one or some post-conflict countries are particularly addressed. Finally, given the constant changes occurring in post-conflict contexts, and as the Secretary General of the United Nations has often reiterated in his different reports on peacebuilding in the aftermath of conflict, it necessary to improve the involvement of different actors. In the same vein, optimization outlooks for the intervention of international economic organizations in peacebuilding are identified.

O presente artigo tem por objetivo examinar se – como aponta parte da literatura - há alguma similaridade entre situação econômica e valores democráticos, isto é, se a variação ou estabilização se manifestam da mesma maneira nas duas dimensões. A importância deste trabalho reside no fato de que durante a segunda metade do século XX aconteceram a segunda e terceira ondas democráticas, fazendo com que o número de regimes que se definem como democracias aumentasse significativamente: nesse sentido, no final deste mesmo século e início do século seguinte, muitos países sofreram o impacto de crises econômicas e de queda da satisfação com os regimes democráticos e da confiança em suas instituições. Desse modo, para observar de que maneira a opinião pública se comporta diante das flutuações de índices econômicos, são verificados os casos do Brasil, Uruguai, Espanha e Finlândia, propondo-se uma análise de dados econômicos do Banco Mundial – no que diz respeito ao desemprego, inflação, PIB per capita, PIB crescimento anual, Índice de GINI - e do PNUD - sobreÍndice de Desenvolvimento Humano (IDH) - em comparação com indicadores de atitudes democráticas, como satisfação e confiança nas instituições públicas, do Latino e Eurobarômetro nos últimos vinte anos, para tentar descobrir se há, de fato, similaridade de comportamento entre as duas dimensões nestes países. / This article aims to examine whether - as points of the literature - there is a relationship between economic status and democratic values, in other words, if the variation or stabilization manifest the same way in two dimensions. The importance of this work lies in the fact that during the second half of the twentieth century happened the second and third democratic wave, causing the number of schemes that call themselves democracies increased significantly: in this sense, at the end of this same century and beginning of the next century, many countries suffered the impact of economic crises and loss of satisfaction with democratic regimes and trust in their institutions. Thus, to observe how the public opinion behaves in the face of economic indices fluctuations, are verified the cases of Brazil, Uruguay, Spain and Finland, proposing a World Bank economic data analysis - with regard to unemployment, inflation, GDP per capita, GDP annual growth, GINI index and of the UNDP data about Human Development Index (HDI) - compared with democratic attitudes indicators such as satisfaction and trust in public institutions, of Latinobarómetro and Eurobarometer in the last twenty years to find out if there is, indeed, the relationship between the two dimensions in these countries.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Alfred P. Sloan School of Management, 1980. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND DEWEY. / Includes bibliographical references. / by Robert Bojanek. / M.S.

Thesis. 1975. M.S.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Civil Engineering. / Bibliography: leaves 112-114. / M.S.

Rejeitos de mineração com muita freqüência são dispostos na forma de lama. A capacidade de estocagem das lagoas onde são depositados depende de suas dimensões e formas de operação, mas também das características físicas, compressibilidade e condutividade hidráulica da lama. No presente trabalho estudam-se as características de consolidação de uma lama argilosa resultante da mineração de areia, por meio do ensaio de consolidação hidráulica (HCT) e modela-se o enchimento de uma lagoa de disposição desse rejeito, empregando a teoria de grandes deformações e mediante o software CONDES. Realizaram-se ensaios de caracterização e HCT com amostras coletadas das lagoas 2, 11 e vertedouro da Mineração Jundu Ltda. em Descalvado, São Paulo. Estes parâmetros foram necessários para as análises de simulação numérica do processo de enchimento da Lagoa 11. Os resultados dos ensaios HCT mostraram um conjunto consistente de propriedades constitutivas do material, também se verificou a importância de alcançar a condição estável nas leituras da diferença de pressão entre o topo e a base do corpo de prova, assim obter uma menor variabilidade dos resultados. A simulação de enchimento se mostrou consistente, onde se obteve a evolução do processo de consolidação em diferentes etapas do lançamento da lama. Observou-se uma concordância dos resultados obtidos na simulação de enchimento. Segundo as análises observou-se que a altura dos rejeitos após um período de dois anos é da ordem de 1.57 m. / Mining waste is frequently disposed of in the form of mud. The storage capacity of a collection reservoir of mining waste depends on its dimensions and on its operational processes, which are based on the physical characteristics of the mud and its compressibility and hydraulic conductivity. This research focuses on the study of the consolidation characteristics of a clayey mud resultant from the process of sand mining. Such characteristics were studied through Hydraulic Consolidation Tests (HCT) and by modeling the waste reservoir filling process using large deformation theory and the CONDES software. Characterization and hydraulic consolidation tests were performed on samples obtained from Reservoirs 2 and 11 and from the Jundu Mine spillway at Descalvado City in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The characterization parameters obtained were employed in performing numerical analysis of the filling process of waste reservoir 11. HCT test results show the acceptable set of constitutive properties of the analyzed material. During the testing procedures, variability of test results were minimized by obtaining stabilized pressure difference readings between the top and bottom leads of the specimen. Modeling was conducted for instantaneous and progressive filling and both methods yielded the same results. It was observed a predictable parity between the results obtained from instantaneous and progressive filling simulations. The final height after consolidation was measured at approximately two years for both instantaneous and progressive methods of filling. From the analysis, the two-year level was measured at 1.57 meter.

Recent research demonstrates that new verbal memories are retained better if learning is followed by a brief period of wakeful rest. This effect is hypothesised to be the result of wakeful rest providing a state that is conducive for early-stage cellular consolidation (i.e. strengthening of specific memory traces) by protecting this process from interfering sensory input and associated encoding. The aims of this PhD project were to (i) examine whether the benefit of wakeful rest extends to the retention of complex spatial memories, and (ii) explore the effects of different cognitive states on memory consolidation. In order to address the first aim, three virtual reality spatial memory experiments were conducted. In young and older adults, wakeful rest not only enhanced the retention of complex spatial memories, but it also promoted the systems-level integration of spatial memories into accurate cognitive maps, a function, hitherto, assumed to be specific to sleep (Chapters 2-4). Pilot work also tentatively suggested that wakeful rest enhances the retention of complex spatial memories (i.e. a recently travelled route) in patients with amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (Chapter 4). In order to address the second aim, five experiments were run in young adults. The first experiment directly compared the effects of wakeful rest and sleep, two states that are positively associated with consolidation. Wakeful rest enhanced the retention of a list of known words, whereas a similar-length period of sleep enhanced the acquisition of novel linguistic constraints (Chapter 5). The final four experiments revealed that, similar to continuous external sensory input, internally generated autobiographical thinking activities (recalling the past and imagining the future) interfere with consolidation (Chapter 6). Together, the findings reported in this thesis reveal that wakeful rest promotes the strengthening (cellular consolidation) and wider integration (systems consolidation) of basic and complex declarative memories, and that this effect is contingent on a reduction in external sensory input as well as rich autobiographical thought.

This study will examine the democratic development of Albania. The purpose is to analyze the Albanian regime's preconditions for a consolidated democracy also what speaks for and against a development, through three different factors that are central to achieving a consolidated democracy. To achieve the purpose of the study, a qualitative method has been chosen where the study is applied to a case-study. The theory of consolidated democracy where used to analyze Albania’s case. The result shows that political arenas' internal conflicts have contributed to unstable political institutions and reforms for several years after the fall of the Communist. Civil society has for a long time been affected by politicization, but Albania's most serious problem is the extensive corruption. For Albania to be able to achieve a consolidated democracy, it requires the country to tackle corruption and the judicial system that is subject to high levels of corruption. The conclusion is that the three shortcomings have contributed to Albania's slow development towards a consolidated democracy.

Chan, Chi Chuen. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 85). / Abstract also in Chinese. / Chapter I --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter II --- Bargaining with Matching --- p.8 / Chapter III --- Horizontal Merger --- p.14 / Chapter IV --- Analysis --- p.22 / Chapter IV.1 --- Existence of Profitable Merger --- p.22 / Chapter IV.2 --- Endogenously Determined Merger Size --- p.36 / Chapter IV.3 --- Industry Optimal Merger Size --- p.45 / Chapter V --- Extensions --- p.49 / Chapter V.1 --- Two-step Sequential Merger --- p.49 / Chapter V.2 --- Multiple Mergers of Common Size --- p.53 / Chapter V.2.1 --- Analysis --- p.54 / Chapter V.2.2 --- Endogenously Determined Merger Size --- p.60 / Chapter V.2.3 --- Industry Optimal Merger Size --- p.63 / Chapter VI --- Discussion --- p.65 / Chapter A --- Appendix --- p.69 / Chapter A.l --- Figures --- p.69 / Chapter A.2 --- Mathematical Proof in Detail --- p.79

A fundamental investigation of the use of ultrasonic consolidation (UC) to produce deck panels for small satellites was undertaken. Several fabrication methods for producing structural panels and decking were analyzed. Because of its ability to create aluminum objects in an additive fashion, and at near-room temperatures, UC was found to be a powerful solution for creating highly integrated and modular satellite panels. It also allowed a lightweight and stiff deck to be fabricated without the use of adhesives. A series of experiments were performed to understand the issues associated with creating a sandwich-type structure using UC. The experiments used a peel test apparatus to evaluate the bond strength for various geometric configurations and materials. Aluminum 3003 was chosen as the sole material constituting the deck panel. The honeycomb lattice was found to offer the best core configuration due to its ability to resist vibration from the sonotrode and provide adequate support for pressure induced by the sonotrode. Support materials for enhancing the bonding of the facings to the core were investigated but did not lead to implementation. A CAD model was created to integrate the honeycomb core, facings, and modular bolt pattern into the ultrasonically consolidated structure. The model was used to develop a build procedure for fabricating the deck on the UC machine. A finite element analysis was performed that used an equivalent properties method to represent the deck. The stiffness of a prototype deck was evaluated in a three-point bending test and the results were found to correlate with the finite element model. A sine sweep vibration test was then performed on the prototype deck panel to measure its natural frequencies. Finally, a case study was performed on a deck built for the TOROID spacecraft. A final deck panel was designed using the results from the prototype. The deck included the USUSat bolt pattern, vented honeycomb, and a reinforced rim. The cost and benefits of the final deck panel versus traditional fabrication methods were outlined.