<p>Abstract</p><p>Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) have been around for a long time and has experienced waves of popularity during these times and they are very much an important part of today’s business world. M&As have also become increasingly international which can be due to the rising global competition. The popularity of cross-border M&As makes it important to look at M&As from an international perspective. One of the main reasons a company choose to M&A is growth (Lees, 2003) and there are several possible motives why a company chooses to grow through an M&A but the most common motive is to create synergy (DePhamphilis, 2005). Although synergy is one motive, according to the literature more M&As destroy value instead of creating it (Habeck, et al. 2000). This makes this subject interesting to study: especially the post-M&A phase since the integration process in this phase has been pointed out to be the riskiest, when creating synergy, but also the most crucial in order for a successful M&A (Habeck, et al. 2000; Shaver, 2006).</p><p>Purpose:</p><p>The purpose of this thesis is to analyze how the management of a company create and realize synergies in the post-M&A process of a cross-border M&A.</p><p>Method:</p><p>In order to fulfil the purpose the case study approach was chosen. The empirical data was gathered through semi-structured face-to–face (except two telephone) interviews. This approach was used because the information needed to fulfil the purpose was of the character to be found in a qualitative way by going in-depth into the field of interest with a management team with extensive knowledge in this subject.</p><p>Conclusion:</p><p>Creating and realizing synergies is a long process on average 5-10 years. There is no manual for the M&A process only a general approach and each M&A process is customized. It was found that one cannot separate the pre-deal phase from the post-phase. An M&A process includes three different important parts; the strategic intent phase, the due diligence phase, and finally the integration phase. Key success factors for conducting an M&A are that you set up a special management group which will focus on the creation and realisation of synergies and that one focus on motivating and assisting managers through offer new exiting challenges.</p>

Many of the international, supranational, national, and grassroots development organizations working in the field of education channel their efforts into capacity-building for teachers. My research examines the nexus of such international development by US-based organizations with national schooling systems by naming and theorizing this process as a new field called cross-border teacher education. "Cross-border" is the term employed by UNESCO (2005) and OECD (2007) to describe international cooperative projects in higher education, synonymous with "transnational," "borderless," and "offshore" education (Knight, 2007). I use a critical lens to compare two distinct models of cross-border teacher education: a small locally based non-profit development organization in Guatemala that has worked with one school for several years, and a US government-funded program whose participants are trained in bilingual teaching methods and critical thinking at US colleges and universities, then return to their home communities throughout Mexico and Guatemala. These are programs for inservice teachers and are henceforth referred to as cross-border professional development or CBPD. The research questions for this study are: What institutions shape cross-border professional development in these cases? How are language policies enacted through CBPD? How do teachers make meaning of their CBPD experiences when they return to their classrooms and communities? And finally, What do these case studies tell us about cross-border professional development as a process? These questions generate understandings of national education systems, US-based international development, and cross-border education. Utilizing ethnographic approaches to educational policy that locate regional, class, and ethnic asymmetries (McCarty, 2011; Tollefson, 2002), data was gathered according to the distinct organizational structures of the two agencies. For the larger organization data collection was initiated with electronic open-ended questionnaires and supplemented by semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and program documents. Data on the smaller organization was collected through participant observation in professional development workshops and classrooms, semi-structured interviews, and textual analysis of teacher reflections, organizational emails and documents. The research focuses on the voices of teachers as the target of cross-border professional development efforts, but also maps out the dialogic perspectives of education officials and the organizations‘ administrators to illuminate tensions within the process as well as highlights some surprising roles for teachers as agents of change.

The push for clean energy has caused a rapid growth of renewables in the electricity supply mix of the EU. Although one would assume that the impact of these technologies is entirely positive, recent research and experience indicate that there is reason for concern namely regarding the security of supply. In this context, the concern is how renewable energy sources (RES) affect the business case of conventional power generation. In response to this concern, capacity mechanisms are being considered or have already been implemented by various member states of the EU. However, in a highly interconnected electricity system, such as the one in Europe, there appears to be a risk that the uncoordinated implementation of capacity mechanisms may cause unintended cross-border effects. This research explored the performance of various capacity mechanisms in an electricity system with a strong growth in the portfolio share of variable renewable energy sources (RES). The cross-border effects of implementing various capacity mechanisms in an interconnected power system were also analyzed. In this research, two capacity mechanisms, namely a strategic reserve and a capacity market, were modeled as extensions to the EMLab-Generation agent-based model. Furthermore, two variations of a capacity market were analyzed. The first was a yearly capacity market design and the second was a forward capacity market with long term contracts. A survey of experts on the US capacity markets supplemented the modeling work with practical insights. / <p>QC 20161006</p><p>The Doctoral Degrees issued upon completion of the programme are issued by Comillas Pontifical University, Delft University of Technology and KTH Royal Institute of Technology. The invested degrees are official in Spain, the Netherlands and Sweden, respectively.</p><p>copyright (c) 2016 P. C. Bhagwat</p>

Cooperation between people of different nations has existed throughout Europe for centuries on an informal basis as borders have shifted and power has found its way into different hands. During the European integration process of the 1950s, this cooperation was formalized with the creation of the Euroregions, or cross-border regions. These regions were formed to promote common interests and cooperation to counteract barriers and benefit the people residing in the area. The Czech Republic is currently a member of 13 different Euroregions either exclusively or with multiple neighboring countries: Poland (7), Austria (3), Germany (4), and Slovakia (2). Of these 13 regions, four - Silva Nortica (Czech-Austrian, 2002), Bílé-Biele Karpaty (Czech-Slovak, 2000), Silesia (Czech-Polish, 1998), and Egrensis (Czech-German, 1993) - have been chosen to further evaluate how the creation of Euroregions has facilitated regional development. This thesis aims to analyze the level of regional development in the programming periods before and after the accession of the Czech Republic to the European Union in these four Euroregions through the application of the theory of learning regions. Then, by applying the three criteria of theory of learning regions to the four chosen Euroregions, it will determine how the...

The thesis deals with patient mobility in the European Union. It is particularly focused on legislation development of cross-border healthcare providing. Its purpose is to analyse and critically evaluate different regulations of this issue. Using the comparison of individual legislation whether it is regulation, directive or case law, aims to explain the basic principles that patient undergoing a treatment in another Member State obey. The thesis is composed of five chapters. Chapter one is an introduction to the general context of health policy and modification in primary law. The second chapter assesses the role of patient in the European Union, which is seen here as a community of free market. The chapter has the largest content. This part is dedicated to it with an emphasis on significant impact that this area has brought the case law of the Court of Justice of the EU. The case law pointed to the need to adhere the primary law to address this issue, which prohibits Member States to impose restrictions that could restrict the free movement of patients. Health care has been classified as a service and the patient has been recognized as a consumer sui generis. It specifies and particularly explains the procedures of the Court that intervened in the existing legislation by its liberal stridency....

Submitted diploma thesis is dedicated to cross-border cooperation and the Small Project's Fund in the area of Euroregion Neisse-Nisa-Nysa. The first aim is the analysis of projects from the SPF for the programming period since 2007 to 2013. The second aim of this thesis is to approve that Euroregion Neisse-Nisa-Nysa (czech section) is convenient platform for the cross-border cooperation. First, analysis of SPF confirmed that ERN (only czech section) is a significant player. Second, Czech-Polish border revealed the highest number of realized projects and also the highest financial resources used. Concerning the role of ERN in cross-border cooperation it was confirmed that the ERN is convenient platform for cross-border cooperation and also a responsible administrator of the SPF. In the theoretical section this thesis deals with the border phenomenon, the cross-border cooperation and the euroregions in general. Keywords: cross-border cooperation, Small Project's Fund, euroregion, Euroregion Neisse-Nisa-Nysa, Euroregion Nisa

This thesis will work on implementing the Political Economic Theory of Wall Construction on the case of Saudi Arabia. To further contribute to the study of border walls, the PETWC is applied to a different methodology than in the original paper where it was first introduced, taking into consideration neighboring countries without border walls into analysis. Ultimately, the thesis will show that PETWC sets good foundation for further development of a broader border wall theory, and that border walls concerning Saudi Arabia are consequence of low regional integration and internal instability at home and abroad.

This thesis focuses on cross-border cooperation. To set the reader into context, its history and position within European Union is mentioned here. However, the main focus is set onto the cross-border cooperation in the Czech Republic, Czech-Slovak borderland is further analyzed in detail. Using socio-economic analysis of regions of Zlín and Trenčín, particular euroregion, White Carpathian Mountains, is studied, whether socio-economical level is raised on both sides of the border as a result of this cross-border cooperation. SWOT analysis, which can point out possible directions of development of this region, is also part of this thesis. Questionnaire method is used in the conclusion of the thesis. This method has to reveal, whether this region was created on historical background, or whether it was formed more or less artificially in order to get funds.

Thesis (M.Com. (Taxation))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, School of Accountancy, 2014. / With the international platform for cross border investment and economic development growing year on year at a steady pace, it has become apparent that bilateral income tax treaties do not always operate effectively in multilateral tax situations. Global transactions involving more than two states are certainly not uncommon and it could be said that the most fundamental issue in international taxation is double taxation resulting from the taxing rights of different tax jurisdictions that ‘overlap’ with regard to, generally speaking, one taxpayer or one declared income stream. Multilateral tax situations, commonly known as triangular cases, occur where tax incidence on a particular stream of income is triggered in three countries. These situations typically arise where a person who is a tax resident in two respective countries for tax purposes (a dual resident), or a person who is a tax resident in one country and has a permanent establishment in another, is earning revenue of which the source is in a third country. Taxing rights and jurisdictions of the three countries involved could potentially be in conflict with each other and therefore such situations may bring about lawful international triangular taxation or double taxation which will inevitably discourage enterprises from continuing investment and development internationally. Broad multilateral treaties in the income tax arena are not common1, and most treaties are still of a bilateral nature, i.e. generally addressing tax scenarios where only two specific countries are involved. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (’the OECD’)Model Tax Convention states this: There are no reasons to believe that the conclusion of a multilateral tax convention involving all Member countries could now be considered practicable. The Committee therefore considers that bilateral conventions are still a more appropriate way to ensure the elimination of double taxation at the international level.2

Si les fonds souverains ne sont pas nouveaux, leur nombre et leur pouvoir financier n’ont cessé de croître depuis le début des années 2000, suscitant de nombreuses inquiétudes, notamment dans les pays développés. Les fonds souverains sont-ils guidés par les mêmes motivations que les investisseurs institutionnels ? Leur pouvoir financier risque-t-il de déstabiliser les marchés? Ces interrogations ont fait des fonds souverains un thème de recherche à part entière dans lequel s’inscrit ce travail de recherche. Le premier essai de cette thèse contribue à identifier les principaux facteurs susceptibles d’inciter un pays à créer un fonds souverain. En outre, les stratégies d’investissement des fonds souverains suscitent de nombreuses interrogations : poursuivent-ils un objectif de rendement financier ou ont-ils des objectifs plus stratégiques? Le deuxième essai met en évidence la complexité du processus de décision des fonds souverains en testant s’ils préfèrent investir dans des pays qui leurs sont familiers et/ou dans des pays dans lesquels ils ont déjà investi par le passé. Dans le prolongement de cette analyse, le troisième essai s’intéresse plus spécifiquement aux déterminants des prises de participations majoritaires des fonds souverains en se focalisant sur un groupe de fonds particulièrement actifs : les fonds des Pays du Golfe. Plus précisément, cette analyse vise à identifier les facteurs qui influencent la décision de prendre le contrôle dans une entreprise donnée. / If Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs) are not new, their number and their financial power have grown sharply since the beginning of the 2000's, which raise concerns, particularly among developed countries. Are SWFs' motives comparable to other institutional investors'? May SWFs investments destabilize financial markets? These concerns have encouraged researchers to investigate the issues raised by SWFs and it has now become a subject of research in its own rights. This thesis is in line with this literature. The first essay of this thesis identifies the main factors driving the decision to establish a fund. Moreover, investment decisions of SWFs are not well understood yet. Are SWFs investments driven by the search for financial profits or do they pursue more strategic objectives? The second essay highlights the complexity of the investment decision-making process of SWFs, testing if they rather invest in countries with which they share common characteristics and/or in countries where they have already invested. In line with this second essay, the third essay analyzes more specifically the determinants of majority acquisitions made by SWFs by focusing on some particularly active funds: Gulf Countries' SWFs. More precisely, this analysis aims at identifying both microeconomic and macroeconomic factors driving the decision to acquire a majority stake in a cross-border firm.