<p><strong>Purpose </strong></p><p>To describe the concept of control & coordination mechanisms among HQs-subsidiary-distributor of MNC in direct selling business.</p><p><strong>Method</strong></p><p>Qualitative studies with two company case studies which are selected from direct selling business are implemented in this research. Data are collected from primary sources through semi-structure interview while secondary sources via company’s web sites, annual reports, news, and academic researches. Most collected data are related to control and coordination mechanisms within MNC and especially emphasize on distributor‘s aspects.   <strong></strong></p><p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p><p>To control and coordinate HQs-subsidiary-distributor’s relation in a direct selling business, companies need to implement not only the vertical control over their people but also the lateral way and as well as the price control mechanisms. All these three main mechanisms need to be blended together as the appropriate combination of them will help assist companies to achieve their goals successfully.</p>

Purpose To describe the concept of control &amp; coordination mechanisms among HQs-subsidiary-distributor of MNC in direct selling business. Method Qualitative studies with two company case studies which are selected from direct selling business are implemented in this research. Data are collected from primary sources through semi-structure interview while secondary sources via company’s web sites, annual reports, news, and academic researches. Most collected data are related to control and coordination mechanisms within MNC and especially emphasize on distributor‘s aspects.   Conclusion To control and coordinate HQs-subsidiary-distributor’s relation in a direct selling business, companies need to implement not only the vertical control over their people but also the lateral way and as well as the price control mechanisms. All these three main mechanisms need to be blended together as the appropriate combination of them will help assist companies to achieve their goals successfully.

Since 2004, when the Long Term Evolution (LTE) was first proposed to be publicly available in the year 2009, a plethora of new characteristics, techniques and applications have been constantly enhancing it since its first release, over the past decade. As a result, the research aims for LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) have been released to create a ubiquitous and supportive network for mobile users. The incorporation of heterogeneous networks (HetNets) has been proposed as one of the main enhancements of LTE-A systems over the existing LTE releases, by proposing the deployment of small-cell applications, such as femtocells, to provide more coverage and quality of service (QoS) within the network, whilst also reducing capital expenditure. These principal advantages can be obtained at the cost of new challenges such as inter-cell interference, which occurs when different network applications share the same frequency channel in the network. In this thesis, the main challenges of HetNets in LTE-A platform have been addressed and novel solutions are proposed by using self-organising network (SON) management approaches, which allows the cooperative cellular systems to observe, decide and amend their ongoing operation based on network conditions. The novel SON algorithms are modelled and simulated in OPNET modeler simulation software for the three processes of resource allocation, mobility management and interference coordination in multi-tier macro-femto networks. Different channel allocation methods based on cooperative transmission, frequency reuse and dynamic spectrum access are investigated and a novel SON sub-channel allocation method is proposed based on hybrid fractional frequency reuse (HFFR) scheme to provide dynamic resource allocation between macrocells and femtocells, while avoiding co-tier and cross-tier interference. Mobility management is also addressed as another important issue in HetNets, especially in hand-ins from macrocell to femtocell base stations. The existing research considers a limited number of methods for handover optimisation, such as signal strength and call admission control (CAC) to avoid unnecessary handovers, while our novel SON handover management method implements a comprehensive algorithm that performs sensing process, as well as resource availability and user residence checks to initiate the handover process at the optimal time. In addition to this, the novel femto over macro priority (FoMP) check in this process also gives the femtocell target nodes priority over the congested macrocells in order to improve the QoS at both the network tiers. Inter-cell interference, as the key challenge of HetNets, is also investigated by research on the existing time-domain, frequency-domain and power control methods. A novel SON interference mitigation algorithm is proposed, which is based on enhanced inter-cell interference coordination (eICIC) with power control process. The 3-phase power control algorithm contains signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) measurements, channel quality indicator (CQI) mapping and transmission power amendments to avoid the occurrence of interference due to the effects of high transmission power. The results of this research confirm that if heterogeneous systems are backed-up with SON management strategies, not only can improve the network capacity and QoS, but also the new network challenges such as inter-cell interference can also be mitigated in new releases of LTE-A network.

This thesis considers the cooperation and coordination of multi vehicle systems cohesively in order to keep the formation geometry and provide the string stability. We first present the modeling of aerial and road vehicles representing different motion characteristics suitable for cooperative operations. Then, a set of three dimensional cohesive motion coordination and formation control schemes for teams of autonomous vehicles is proposed. The two main components of these schemes are i) platform free high level online trajectory generation algorithms and ii) individual trajectory tracking controllers. High level algorithms generate the desired trajectories for three dimensional leader-follower structured tight formations, and then distributed controllers provide the individual control of each agent for tracking the desired trajectories. The generic goal of the control scheme is to move the agents while maintaining the formation geometry. We propose a distributed control scheme to solve this problem utilizing the notions of graph rigidity and persistence as well as techniques of virtual target tracking and smooth switching. The distributed control scheme is developed by modeling the agent kinematics as a single-velocity integrator; nevertheless, extension to the cases with simplified kinematic and dynamic models of fixed-wing autonomous aerial vehicles and quadrotors is discussed. The cohesive cooperation in three dimensions is so beneficial for surveillance and reconnaissance activities with optimal geometries, operation security in military activities, more viable with autonomous flying, and future aeronautics aspects, such as fractionated spacecraft and tethered formation flying. We then focus on motion control task modeling for three dimensional agent kinematics and considering parametric uncertainties originated from inertial measurement noise. We design an adaptive controller to perform the three dimensional motion control task, paying attention to the parametric uncertainties, and employing a recently developed immersion and invariance based scheme. Next, the cooperative driving of road vehicles in a platoon and string stability concepts in one-dimensional traffic are discussed. Collaborative driving of commercial vehicles has significant advantages while platooning on highways, including increased road-capacity and reduced traffic congestion in daily traffic. Several companies in the automotive sector have started implementing driver assistance systems and adaptive cruise control (ACC) support, which enables implementation of high level cooperative algorithms with additional softwares and simple electronic modifications. In this context, the cooperative adaptive cruise control approach are discussed for specific urban and highway platooning missions. In addition, we provide details of vehicle parameters, mathematical models of control structures, and experimental tests for the validation of our models. Moreover, the impact of vehicle to vehicle communication in the existence of static road-side units are given. Finally, we propose a set of stability guaranteed controllers for highway platooning missions. Formal problem definition of highway platooning considering constant and velocity dependent spacing strategies, and formal string stability analysis are included. Additionally, we provide the design of novel intervehicle distance based priority coefficient of feed-forward filter for robust platooning. In conclusion, the importance of increasing level of autonomy of single agents and platoon topology is discussed in performing cohesive coordination and collaborative driving missions and in mitigating sensory errors. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate the performance of our cohesive motion and string stable controllers, in addition we discuss application in formation control of autonomous multi-agent systems.

Background: MNEs are more relevant than ever in today’s economy as MNEs stand for one third of global production and 50% of global exports. In Sweden there are roughly 3 958 Swedish owned international companies with at least one subsidiary abroad. As the world has become interconnected and digitalization makes it easier for MNEs to gain customers, the competition has grown tremendously. Subsidiaries within MNEs play a vital role in enhancing competitive advantage through strategic embeddedness and competence development. The vast expansion of MNEs comes of course with problems when expanding quickly and creating subsidiaries. New questions arise as they must choose what market and entry mode they want to conduct, how to utilize, manage, and align the subsidiaries abroad.    Problem: The thesis formulates a research problem by reviewing literature on the topic of internationalization, entry modes, and HQ-subsidiary relationships. It finds that the influence that entry modes have on HQ-subsidiary is an under-researched subject. Most studies on this subject are quantitative studies, so this thesis aims to contribute to the discussion by providing findings from a qualitative approach.   Purpose: The objective of this thesis is to develop insights on relationship dynamics between headquarters and subsidiaries in MNEs, and to illustrate how these interactions vary with the choice of entry strategy.   Research question: “What influences does entry modes have on HQ-subsidiary relationships”.   Method: This thesis adopts a relativist ontology and a social constructionist epistemology. A holistic multiple case study was used, and qualitative data was gathered from four case companies through eleven semi structured interviews. When the data was collected, a thematic analysis was conducted on each of the cases, which generated codes, which are grouped into sub-themes, and then into within-case themes. After this a cross-case analysis was conducted, where the within-case themes were grouped into cross-case themes. These cross-case themes then in the next step turned into the main themes which serve as the foundation for the analysis.    Conclusion: This thesis aimed to explore what influences entry modes has on HQ-Subsidiary relationships, which led to the development of the Jönköping Entry-Relations Model. The research involved discussions with managers at both HQs and subsidiaries, leading to the identification of a process starting from internationalization catalysts to strong relationships and a sense of unity. While entry modes serve as triggers for relationship dynamics, the research found that other factors play a more substantial role in shaping HQ-Subsidiary interactions. Entry modes indirectly influence relationships by presenting challenges that firms must address to foster unity. This thesis contribution to the literature underscores that regardless of entry mode, organizational unity remains the goal. Therefore, while entry modes initiate distinct challenges, they do not directly dictate relationship outcomes.

The aim of this Master’s Thesis is to describe protections for overhead lines in distribution networks. Here are described requirements for the protection and the basic protections. Protections are divided according to their protective function. For each protection is given its use and its power plans. It is stated in the work setting of protection in the real network. On this network is simulated place with short-circuit and described the action of protection. The work also deals with the coordination of protection with automatic circuit breakers. This chapter shows that, given the selectivity is not possible to deploy two or more reclosers (remotely-operated switches) to the core network management. The next chapter describes two representatives reclosers available on the Czech market OSM 27 and GVR 27. Chapter describes and compares their performance characteristics. Conclusion the work includes a proposal protected the lead in incorporating automatic circuit breakers (remotely operated circuit breakers and reclosers). The proposal is based on two different levels of annual number of interruptions and duration of annual general interruption of electricity supply. For these levels the company EGÚ Brno, a.s. proposed several variants of the use of remote-controlled in terms of reducing the cost of the penalty. Our task was to choose a variant that would be applicable in the real network. Reducing costs is feasible only in the limits Ln = 6 failures / year and Lt = 720 min / year, where the selected option No. 4. The limits Ln = 8 failures / year and Lt = 1,080 min / year, not in the real network may no option in terms of selectivity.

Schizophrenia is a severe neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by positive, negative and cognitive symptoms with poor functional outcomes, placing an enormous burden on the individual, caregivers and society. Although deficits in cognition are an integral part of the disease and the best predictor of functional outcomes, there is as yet no established treatment addressing them. Avoidance of a hidden place on a continuously rotating arena (Carousel) requires cognitive control and is a rodent model of cognitive coordination of information from dissociated spatial frames, which is impaired in acute pharmacological and neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia. Cognitive training on the Carousel during adolescence alleviates adult cognitive deficit in a neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia and improves neural coordination (oscilations in the beta and gamma band), which is thought to be necessary for cognition. We examined if cognitive training during adolescence eliminates the deficit in neuronal coordination observed in adult rats after acute systemic NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 (0.15 mg/kg). During adolescence, rats were either trained in spatial avoidance on Carousel or merely handled. As adults, rats received two 5-min exploration sessions in the same (A/A) or in two distinct...