Despite the wide spread use of psychological instruments in the forensic context, there is a dearth of research on the purposes for using it. A qualitative case study approach was adopted in this study to explore the purposes for which industrial psychologists use psychological instruments in loss of income claims. The research study comprised of two phases. Firstly, a literature review was used to provide some background on psychological assessment in the forensic context. The literature review described the historical development of forensic psychology, what psychological instruments are and how they are used in the forensic context. The forensic context, in which industrial psychologists operate, was also described. Furthermore, the initial conceptual framework to outline the context of the next phase of the research was illustrated. The second phase was an exploratory study that made use of a multiple-case study approach. The main research aim was to explore the purposes for using psychological instruments in loss of income claims by industrial psychologists. Another aim was to explore the psychological instruments used. The final aim was to explore the kind of information that is needed in the forensic context, which is not currently available by means of existing psychological assessment. Case study data was collected by conducting semi-structured interviews with four industrial psychologists. Each interview represented a case to be analysed. The multiple-case study data gathered were then analysed using coding, within-case analysis and across-case analysis. The findings indicate that psychological instruments are used for the following purposes: (1) to add value to the quantification of a loss of income claim; and (2) to provide information that is required on the specific situation and circumstances surrounding the claim. Furthermore, the research findings also revealed that the purpose of using a psychological instrument to add value is influenced by internal factors of the psychological instrument as well as situational characteristics of the legal matter at hand. Through the exploration of the purposes for using psychological instruments, specific instruments used could be identified. Another finding included the existence of a perception that the psychological instruments currently available in South Africa are inadequate to provide the information required in the forensic context. The findings also revealed the kind of information that is needed.Recommendations were made for future research and industry-related practices. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.Comm. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Private enforcement, which primarily represents individuals&rsquo / right to claim damage arisen from violations of competition law, supplements public enforcement and ensures indemnification of individual loss. However, private enforcement of competition law has fallen behind public law enforcement in laws presented in this study, other than those enforced in the USA. Realizing this fact, European Commission, has recently focused on the enhancement and facilitation of private enforcement in the Community competition law. The lagging behind of private enforcement mainly sources from the cultural and traditional differences in the understanding of liability law between Anglo Saxon Law and Continental Law. Anglo Saxon law tradition is inclined to leave the matter to individual action, whereas Continental Law is in more favor of strengthening regulatory mechanisms. More specific obstacles to the improvement of private enforcement are, yet not exhaustively, indefiniteness of legal basis of claims, involvement of complex economic analysis while stating the case, courts&rsquo / lack of technical knowledge, indefinite relationship between judiciary and competition authorities, problems in proving damage and causality, absence of facilitating procedural mechanisms such as class actions, treble damage and discovery rights. In the Community law context it is also highly probable to encounter peculiar problems arisen from co-existence of different national laws. Additionally, implementation of the Community competition law by national authorities may also lead to the weakening of the Single Market objective. Through this study, we will present probable solutions by depicting all these problems.

A dissertação tem por objeto a análise das novas formas de tratamento processual dos direitos individuais homogêneos, os quais frequentemente dão ensejo à propositura de ações repetitivas, especialmente a partir da tendência pela adoção de procedimentos de agregação de ações em alguns países. Assim, analisam-se as ações-teste estabelecidas pela Alemanha (Musterverfahren), Inglaterra (Group Litigation Order) e o incidente de resolução de demandas repetitivas previsto no Projeto de novo Código de Processo Civil brasileiro (PL 8.046/2010). Como esta espécie de direitos também pode ser tutelada por ações coletivas, o trabalho contém um estudo sobre suas principais características, como a representatividade adequada e os diferentes sistemas de extensão dos efeitos produzidos pela coisa julgada formada nestas ações. Todo este debate é precedido da análise dos princípios constitucionais da isonomia e da segurança jurídica, do movimento mundial de aproximação entre os sistemas de civil law e common law, e da crescente tendência uniformizadora da jurisprudência brasileira. / This work deals with the new forms of procedural treatment for the homogeneous individual rights, which very often give rise to repetitive claims, specially from the trend towards the adoption of aggregate procedures in some countries. Thus, it analysis the test claims established by Germany (Musterverfahren), England (Group Litigation Order) and the Project of new Brazilian Civil Procedure Code (PL 8.046/2010). As this kind of rights can be also protected by class actions, it contains a study of its main characters, like representative adequacy and res iudicatas binding effects systems. Before all this discussion, it analyses constitutional principles involved, the world movement of approximation between the civil law and common law systems, and the growing trend uniformizing of Brazilians jurisprudence.

A dissertação tem por objeto a análise das novas formas de tratamento processual dos direitos individuais homogêneos, os quais frequentemente dão ensejo à propositura de ações repetitivas, especialmente a partir da tendência pela adoção de procedimentos de agregação de ações em alguns países. Assim, analisam-se as ações-teste estabelecidas pela Alemanha (Musterverfahren), Inglaterra (Group Litigation Order) e o incidente de resolução de demandas repetitivas previsto no Projeto de novo Código de Processo Civil brasileiro (PL 8.046/2010). Como esta espécie de direitos também pode ser tutelada por ações coletivas, o trabalho contém um estudo sobre suas principais características, como a representatividade adequada e os diferentes sistemas de extensão dos efeitos produzidos pela coisa julgada formada nestas ações. Todo este debate é precedido da análise dos princípios constitucionais da isonomia e da segurança jurídica, do movimento mundial de aproximação entre os sistemas de civil law e common law, e da crescente tendência uniformizadora da jurisprudência brasileira. / This work deals with the new forms of procedural treatment for the homogeneous individual rights, which very often give rise to repetitive claims, specially from the trend towards the adoption of aggregate procedures in some countries. Thus, it analysis the test claims established by Germany (Musterverfahren), England (Group Litigation Order) and the Project of new Brazilian Civil Procedure Code (PL 8.046/2010). As this kind of rights can be also protected by class actions, it contains a study of its main characters, like representative adequacy and res iudicatas binding effects systems. Before all this discussion, it analyses constitutional principles involved, the world movement of approximation between the civil law and common law systems, and the growing trend uniformizing of Brazilians jurisprudence.

Food producers must provide food packaging with a mandatory nutrition label in conformity with the contemporary food legislation of the Europian Union. There have been several changes of the legislation in last 10 years. Moreover new rules for providing the health and nutrition claims on food packaging have been issued. Main objectives were to unite legislation valid in the European Union and also to protect the rights of customers. This diploma thesis focuses on nutrition and health claims on food packaging. The aim of the thesis is to summarize changes and current state of legislation on nutrition and health claims on food packaging and also to explore patients' awareness of nutrition and health claims. To analyse the theme of the research the quantitative method was used in a form of a questionnaire given to the patients, who are visiting a dietician. There were 83 patients, who participated in research, 80 questionnaires were analysed (3 questionnaires were not filled in properly, therefore they were not included). Most of the respondents think, that information in nutrition labels on food packaging are true and trustworthy. Respondents also read a nutrition label of food, when buying it for the first time. Most of the respondents have sought the information about health and nutrition claims on...

The initiative of land restitution in South Africa was an advantage to some people who were forcibly removed from Korsten area, which was a mixed residential area and the only area in Port Elizabeth where Black people had freehold tenure rights. The intention of the South African land reform programme which is to restore land and transform socio-economic relations has been achieved by means of land restitution. Successful Korsten land claimants have been granted land in Fairview through the land restitution programme. The successful resolution of land claims has shown the democracy and development in the country of South Africa.

Syftet med den föreliggande systematiska litteraturgenomgången är att undersöka och analysera på vilket sätt frågor om Sexuell och Reproduktiv Hälsa och Rättigheter (SRHR) integreras i det sociala arbetets praktik i Skandinavien. Mer specifikt syftar litteraturgenomgången till att undersöka på vilket sätt begreppet SRHR används i aktuell forskning inom socialt arbete, samt vilka claims som finns rörande behovet av att integrera SRHR-relaterade frågor i socialt arbete. Litteraturgenomgången baseras på 15 vetenskapliga studier. Det sociala arbetet har historiskt berört sexualitet med ett fokus som skiftat mellan att begränsa och kontrollera sexualiteter samt att främja sexuella rättigheter. Trots det har en begränsad mängd forskning om SRHR inom området för socialt arbete utförts. Litteraturgenomgången analyseras via Judith Butlers teori om den heterosexuella matrisen, Tina Mattssons intersektionella perspektiv om maktstrukturer samt Donileen R. Losekes teori om claims-making. För att komma åt aktuell forskning har en systematisk litteraturgenomgång med en tematisk analys av resultatet utförts, med grund i en hermeneutisk ansats. Resultatet visar att det i socialt arbete råder en kunskaps- och kompetensbrist i frågor om SRHR då arbetet omfattas av diskurser, normer och värderingar. Det är särskilt angeläget att uppmärksamma utsatta grupper för att bemöta behov och främja rättigheter i SRHR-frågor. SRHR är ett ämne och ett begrepp under utveckling vars utrymme successivt växer i forskningen, på socionomutbildningen och inom det sociala arbetet. / The purpose of the present systematic literature review is to examine and analyze how matters of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) are integrated into the practice of social work in Scandinavia. More specifically, the literature review aims to examine how the concept of SRHR is used in current research within social work, as well as which claims exist regarding the need to integrate SRHR-related issues in social work. The literature review is based on 15 scientific studies. Social work has historically referred to sexuality with a focus that has been shifting between limiting and controlling sexualities and promoting sexual rights. Despite this, a limited amount of research on SRHR in the field of social work has been conducted. The literature review is analyzed via Judith Butler's theory of the heterosexual matrix, Tina Mattsson’s intersectional perspective on powerstructures and Donileen R. Loseke's theory of claims-making. To access current research, a systematic literature review with a thematic analysis of the results has been conducted, based on a hermeneutic approach. The results show that in social work there is a lack of knowledge and skills in matters of SRHR as the work is covered by discourses, norms and values. It is particularly important to pay attention to vulnerable groups in order to respond to needs and promote rights in SRHR matters. SRHR is a subject and a concept under development whose space is gradually growing in research, in social work education and in social work practice.

This dissertation includes three essays, which investigate contingent claims pricing subject to credit risk based on the structural approach and analyze associated issues of corporate finance. The first essay develops and examines a partial equilibrium model to investigate the effects of macroeconomic condition and firm-level productivity shocks on the determination of optimal debt ratio. The model extends the contingent-claims models of the firm's capital structure by incorporating both the industry demand and firm-level supply factors into the firm's earnings and unlevered asset value. Our model predicts that the optimal debt ratio is negatively correlated to the macroeconomic conditions and the firm-level productivity. Furthermore, the theoretical implications are totally supported by the pooled feasible generalized least squares estimation with 311 Taiwanese listed manufacturing firms' quarterly data over the period from 1994 to 2003. The differences between the high-tech electronics and other manufacturing firms are also investigated, and particularly the high-tech firms are not tied up with the macroeconomic conditions while the others are. The second essay presents a contingent claim valuation of a callable convertible bond with the issuer's credit risk. The optimal call, voluntary conversion and bankruptcy strategies are jointly determined by shareholders and bondholders to maximize the equity value and the bond value, respectively. Our model not only incorporates tax benefits, bankruptcy costs, refunding costs and a call notice period, but also takes account of the issuer's debt size and structure. The numerical results show that the predicted optimal call policies are generally consistent with recent empirical findings; therefore calling convertible bonds too late or too early can be rational. The third essay provides a closed-form valuation formula for the Black-Scholes options subject to interest rate risk and credit risk. Not only does our model allow for the possible default of the option issuer prior to the option's maturity, but also considers the correlations among the option issuer's total asset, the underlying stock, and the default-free zero coupon bond. We further tailor-make a specific credit-linked option for hedging the default risk of the option issuer. The numerical results show that the default risk of the option issuer significantly reduces the option values, and the vulnerable option values may be remarkably overestimated in the case where the default can occur only at the maturity of the option.

Contingent claims models have recently been applied to the field of corporate insolvency prediction in an attempt to provide the art with a theoretical methodology that has been lacking in the past. Limited studies have been carried out in order to empirically compare the performance of these “market” models with that of their accounting number-based counterparts. This thesis contributes to the literature in several ways: The thesis traces the evolution of the art of corporate insolvency prediction from its inception through to the present day, combining key developments and methodologies into a single document of reference. I use receiver operating characteristic curves and tests of economic value to assess the efficacy of sixteen models, carefully selected to represent key moments in the evolution of the art, and tested upon, for the first time, post-IFRS UK data. The variability of model efficacy is also measured for the first time, using Monte Carlo simulation upon 10,000 randomly generated training and validation samples from a dataset consisting of over 12,000 firmyear observations. The results provide insights into the distribution of model accuracy as a result of sample selection, which is something which has not appeared in the literature prior to this study. I find overall that the efficacy of the models is generally less than that reported in the prior literature; but that the theoretically driven, market-based models outperform models which use accounting numbers; the latter showing a relatively larger efficacy distribution. Furthermore, I obtain the counter-intuitive finding that predictions based on a single ratio can be as efficient as those which are based on models which are far more complicated – in terms of variable variety and mathematical construction. Finally, I develop and test a naïve version of the down-and-out-call barrier option model for insolvency prediction and find that, despite its simple formulation, it performs favourably compared alongside other market-based models.

Many U.S. conservatives view government mandates to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases as a threat to the economy of the developed world. Conservative think tanks have adopted a common rhetoric to instill doubt about proposed mandates in the minds of elected officials, the media, and the public. Using a survey of the websites of 14 conservative think tanks, this thesis analyzes counter-claims to global warming theory to identify rhetorical artifacts that typically characterize conservative responses to issues, and to show how rhetorical theory can help anticipate the nature of such responses. The research identifies unifying speech codes – such as ideographs and commonplaces – that provide the conservative movement’s appeal. The conclusion is that conservative counter-claims to global warming theory are an application of longstanding principles in a new and transformative way; and that the conservative movement is actually a “new social movement” as described by rhetorical theorists.