This study consists of literature research providing background and basic knowledge on layoff-related issues, and analysis of data obtained through a survey of human resources professionals in 30 mid-size Southern California cities. The survey provided information on the layoff experiences of respondents' cities and the current state of affairs pertaining to layoff policies, procedures and perceptions.

From the last decades of the 20th century, internal combustion engines have undergone a continuous improvement process aimed to the increase of their efficiency and decrease of the pollutants emissions. The reduction of the availability of fossil fuel and the increase of human-made pollution observed in the last decades is leading worldwide to more stringent emission standards that make the engine manufacturers to constantly look for fuel consumption and emission reductions while keeping engine performance. To comply with current and incoming emission regulations, the exhaust line of internal combustion engines has been gradually complicated by the presence of aftertreatment systems. Among them, the particulate filter is the device in charge of abating the emission of soot in the atmosphere. Concerning compression ignition engines, diesel particulate filters (DPF) were first commercially utilized in significant numbers in passenger car and heavy-duty engines since the beginning of the 21st century. Euro 6 emission standards limits the emitted particulate matter from direct injection engines, thus extending the use of particulate filters also to direct injection gasoline engines. A deep knowledge of the phenomena happening inside the DPF is required for the correct understanding of the behaviour of this system and its interaction with the engine. The precise knowledge of the filtration and pressure drop processes is mandatory for the design of the particulate filter and is also essential to wisely think up and analyse solutions aimed to limit the negative impact of the filter on the fuel consumption maintaining its capability of retaining soot particles. Thus, the present work pretends to provide a contribution to the understanding of these phenomena in wall-flow DPFs. The problem has been faced on a computational and experimental basis. A notable part of the work was dedicated to the development and validation of a one-dimensional DPF filtration model to be coupled with the existing pressure drop model. The model was implemented in OpenWAM¿, the open-source gas dynamics software for internal combustion engines and components computation developed at CMT - Motores Térmicos. The developed computational tool was applied to the assessment of the aftertreatment (DOC&DPF) volume downsizing potential in post- and pre-turbo aftertreatment configuration. The study is completed with experimental analysis to support theoretical insights discussing how the soot deposition profile and the particulate layer properties impact on the DPF pressure drop. / Desde las últimas décadas del siglo XX, se ha producido un proceso de mejora continua de los motores de combustión interna alternativos con el fin de aumentar su eficiencia y reducir las emisiones contaminantes. La reducción de la disponibilidad de combustibles fósiles y el incremento de la polución de origen antropogénico observados en las ultimas décadas ha provocado el progresivo endurecimiento de las normativas anticontaminación a nivel mundial obligando a los fabricantes de motores a buscar la reducción continua del consumo de combustible y emisiones, manteniendo las prestaciones del motor. El cumplimiento de las actuales y futuras normativas anticontaminación requiere de la instalación de diversos sistemas de postratamiento de gases en la línea de escape de los motores de combustión interna alternativos, aumentando su complejidad. Entre estos sistemas, el filtro de partículas es el equipo encargado de la reducción de la emisión de hollín a la atmósfera. Con respeto a los motores de encendido por compresión, los filtros de partículas diésel se implementaron por primera vez de forma masiva en vehículos de pasajeros y vehículos pesados a principio del siglo XXI. La normativa anti contaminación Euro 6 limita las emisiones de partículas de los motores de inyección directa, extendiendo el uso de filtros de partículas a los motores de inyección directa de gasolina. Es necesario tener un conocimiento profundo de los fenómenos que tienen lugar en el DPF para comprender el comportamiento de este sistema y su interacción con el motor. El conocimiento de los procesos de filtrado y perdida de presión es vital para el diseño del filtro de partículas y resulta esencial para encontrar y analizar soluciones que ayuden a limitar el impacto negativo del DPF sobre el consumo de combustible sin perder la capacidad de retener partículas de hollín. En este contexto, este trabajo pretende aportar una contribucción a la comprensión de estos fenómenos en filtros de partículas de flujo de pared. Esta tarea se ha planteado desde un punto de vista computacional y experimental. Parte importante de este trabajo ha consistido en el desarrollo y validación de un modelo de filtrado unidimensional de DPF que se ha acoplado con el modelo de caida de presión ya existente. El modelo se ha implementado en OpenWAM¿, el software de libre acceso para el cálculo fluidodinámico de motores de combustión interna y sus componentes desarrollado en CMT - Motores Térmicos. La herramienta computacional desarrollada se ha aplicado a la evaluación del potencial de reducción de volumen de sistemas de postratamiento (DOC&DPF) en configuraciones post- y pre-turbo. Este estudio se ha completado con un análisis experimental para dar respaldo a los conceptos teóricos empleados discutiendo como el perfil de deposición del hollín y las propiedades de la capa de partículas afectan a la perdida de presión del DPF. / Des les últimes dècades del segle XX, s'ha produït un procés de millora contínua dels motors de combustió interna alternatius amb l'objectiu d'augmentar la seua eficiència i reduir les emissions contaminants. La reducció de la disponibilitat de combustibles fòssils i l'increment de la polució d'origen antropòlogic observats en les últimes dècades ha provocat que les normatives anticontaminació s'han fet més rígides a nivell mundial, obligant als fabricants de motors a buscar la reducció contínua del consum de combustibles i emissions, mantenint les prestacions dels motors. El cumpliment de les normes anticontaminació actuals i futures, requereixen de l'instalació de diversos sistemes de post-tractament de gasos a l'eixida dels motors de combustió interna alternatius, llavors augmentant la complexitat. Entre aquestos sistemes, el filtre de partícules es l'equip encarregat de la reducció de les partícules de sutge a l'atmosfera. Respecte als motors d'encès per compressió, els filtres de partícules van instalar-se de manera massiva als vehicles de passatgers i vehicles pesats al principi del segle XXI. La normativa anti contaminació Euro 6 limita les emissions de partícules dels motors d'inyecció directa, estenent l'ús del filtre de partícules als motors d'injecció directa de gasolina. És necessari tindre un coneixement dels fenòmens que tenen lloc al DPF per a comprendre el comportament del sistema i la seua interacció amb el motor. El coneixement dels processos de filtrat i la pèrdua de pressió és vital per al diseny del filtre de partícules i resulta essencial per a trobar i analitzar les solucions que ajuden a limitar l'impacte negatiu del DPF sobre el consum de combustible sense perdre la capacitat de retenir partícules de sutge. En aquest context, el projecte pretén aportar una contribució a la comprensió d'aquestos fenòmens en els filtres de partícules de flux de paret. Aquesta feina s'ha plantejat des d'un punt de vista computacional i experimental. Part important d'aquest treball ha consistit en el desenvolupament i validació d'un model de filtrat unidimensional de DPF que s'ha acoplat a un model de pèrdua de pressió existent. El model s'ha implementat en OpenWAM¿, el software de lliure accés per al cálcul fluidodinámic de motors de combustió interna i els seus components desenvolupats al CMT - Motores Térmicos. La ferramenta computacional desenvolupada s'ha aplicat a la evaluació del potencial de reducció del volum de sistemes de post tractament (DOC&DPF) en les configuracions post- i pre-turbo. Aquest estudi s'ha completat amb una anàlisi experimental per a donar suport als concepts teòrics emprats discutint com el perfil de la disposició de sutge i les propietats de la capa de partícules que afecten a la pèrdua de pressió del DPF. / Angiolini, E. (2017). Contribution to the understanding of filtration and pressure drop phenomena in wall-flow DPFs [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/86157 / TESIS

京都大学 / 新制・論文博士 / 博士(理学) / 乙第13396号 / 論理博第1575号 / 新制||理||1678(附属図書館) / (主査)教授 北川 宏, 教授 吉村 一良, 教授 有賀 哲也 / 学位規則第4条第2項該当 / Doctor of Science / Kyoto University / DGAM

The purpose of this case study was to examine the perceived benefits, economic and personal, attributable to the attainment of higher levels of education as sought by displaced employees from the Levi Strauss Johnson City, Tennessee plant that was closed in 1999. Data was collected through personal interviews, focus group meetings and a standardized questionnaire with a total of 18 participants. All of the participants had successfully completed an Associates degree program at Northeast State Community College. They ranged in ages from 33 to 60 and had worked at Levi Strauss’s between 7 and 27 years. All of the meetings were tape-recorded and the contents of these tapes were transcribed and analyzed using Glaser and Strauss’s (1967) constant comparative method. The primary motivational factor that guided them in their pursuit of additional training and education was to provide them with the skills necessary to broaden their opportunities to secure work in an industry other than factory work. While exploring the ways in which they made their decisions as to what academic fields of study that they were going to pursue, shortcomings in career and academic advisement emerged. As new adult learners, discussions detailing their fears and apprehensions about returning to school evolved and suggestions were provided to ease this transition for other displaced workers who might choose to follow the path to higher education. The perceived benefits that evolved from their experience included: an elevated sense of self confidence and personal pride; improved relationships with parents and children based on a heightened level of respect; the confidence and ability to better direct and guide their children’s futures; an enlightened awareness of the world and their place in it; and new jobs from which they were confident that they could make a difference in the lives of others and find personal satisfaction in the activities that lead to a sense accomplishment. Recommendations for future opportunities included industry and educational relationships to maximize employee opportunities upon displacement; educational enrollment recruitment opportunities designed specifically for displaced adult learners; and methods for increased advisement and counseling for displaced adult learners. Additional qualitative research was also recommended.

As cities face widespread housing shortages, as well as a large need for reducing the average ecological footprint, two of the biggest challenges for the housing sector today concerns affordability and environmental impact. The tiny house movement is a growing movement that is meeting these challenges head-on - but as of now, the topic has been largely overlooked in academia. This study aims to contribute to the understanding of the motivations why people choose to live in tiny houses of tiny houses and the challenges the residents encounter. Furthermore, the study explores what can be learned from the tiny house movement that is of relevance to the Swedish housing market. To fulfill the purpose of the study, a mixed-methods approach has been used in the form of a literature study and semi-structured interviews. The most common motivations identified in the study were financial and simplicity. The main challenges were identified to be legal, placement and practical challenges. The results from this study have been very much in line with what previous studies have found, and this could mean that we might be reaching a general understanding of motivations and challenges in the tiny house movement.

No description available.

by Lee Sui-Hing Rean, Yip Chui-Ling. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 50-52). / ABSTRACT --- p.iii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iv / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.vi / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vii / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.ix / Chapter / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Research Objectives --- p.3 / Significance of Study --- p.3 / Chapter II. --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.5 / Chapter III. --- HYPOTHESES --- p.10 / Chapter IV. --- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY --- p.11 / Research Design --- p.11 / Data Collection Methods --- p.11 / Secondary data --- p.11 / Primary data --- p.12 / Sampling Methods --- p.13 / Sample Characteristics --- p.14 / Data Analysis Method --- p.15 / Chapter V. --- RESULTS --- p.16 / Common Cost-Cutting Measures Adopted by Hong Kong Companies --- p.16 / Communication Between Employers and Employees --- p.16 / Employees' Attitude Towards Cost-Cutting Measures --- p.17 / Relationship Between Employers and Employees --- p.18 / Effects of Cost-Cutting Measures --- p.18 / Staff Morale --- p.18 / Stress at Workplace --- p.19 / Job Security --- p.19 / Work Passion --- p.20 / Popular Remedial Measures Taken by Employers and Their Effectiveness --- p.20 / Willingness to Stay at the Company in the Coming Two Years and the Reasons --- p.22 / Chapter VI. --- ANALYSES AND IMPLICATIONS --- p.23 / Hypothesis 1: Cost-Cutting Measures Negatively Affect Employer-Employee Relationship --- p.23 / Implications --- p.23 / Company Size --- p.25 / Demographic Factors --- p.26 / Hypothesis 2: Cost-Cutting Measures Have Negative Psychological Effect(s) on Employees --- p.27 / Hypothesis 2a: Cost-Cutting Measures Reduce Staff Morale --- p.27 / Hypothesis 2b: Cost-Cutting Measures Increase Job Stress --- p.27 / Hypothesis 2c: Cost-Cutting Measures Decrease Job Security --- p.28 / Hypothesis 2d: Cost-Cutting Measures Decrease Work Passion --- p.28 / Implications --- p.29 / Effects of Different Cost-Cutting Measures --- p.29 / Company Size --- p.31 / Hypothesis 3: Employers are Concerned About the Post-Effect(s) of Cost-Cutting Measures on Employees --- p.32 / Implications --- p.32 / Employers' Attitude to Different Post-Effects --- p.32 / Company Size --- p.34 / Hypothesis 4: Remedial Measures Done by Employers can Effectively Reduce the Negative Effects on Employees --- p.35 / Implications --- p.35 / Other Implications From the Survey --- p.37 / Reasons to Stay in Current Companies --- p.37 / Demographic Factors and Intention to Stay --- p.38 / Importance of Communication --- p.39 / Chapter VII. --- LIMITATIONS --- p.42 / Chapter VIII. --- CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS --- p.44 / APPENDIX I --- p.46 / APPENDIX II --- p.49 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.50

Aujourd’hui, les constructeurs automobiles continuent de chercher les technologies renouvelables face à la pénurie d’énergie et les problèmes d’émission de polluants. Un moyen important pour optimiser l’économie de carburant et réduire les émissions polluantes des moteurs à allumage commandés est le concept ‘downsizing’. Cependant, ce concept est limité par le phénomène de cliquetis dû aux conditions de haute température et haut pression. Dans cette étude, le contrôle de la concentration d’oxygène dans l’air est proposé. Car d’une part, la combustion enrichie en oxygène permet d’améliorer la densité de puissance de moteur avec le même niveau de pression d’admission. Cela permet soit de ‘booster’ la combustion pour augmenter la puissance du moteur ou de l’activer lorsque le moteur fonctionne à faible charge ou dans des conditions de démarrage à froid. D’autre part, une faible concentration en oxygène dans l’air (ou dilution de N2) par un système membranaire peut être considérée comme une alternative à la recirculation des gaz d’échappement. Les expériences ont été effectuées dans un moteur monocylindre ‘downsizing’ avec différents taux d’oxygène et richesse. L’étude de l’impact du contrôle de la concentration d’oxygène sur les caractéristiques de combustion et d’émissions a été effectuée pour plusieurs charges en fonctionnement optimum pour limiter la consommation spécifique de carburant. L’effet de la concentration en oxygène sur les caractéristiques de combustion du moteur a été simulé en utilisant le logiciel commercial AMESim avec le modèle de combustion développé par IFP-EN. En mettant en oeuvre des corrélations de la vitesse de combustion laminaire, déterminées au préalable durant ce travail, et délai d’auto-inflammation, les pressions dans les cylindres sont parfaitement calibrés avec une erreur maximale inférieure à 2% et l’intensité du cliquetis a pu être prédite. / Nowadays, car manufacturers continue to lead researches on new technologies facing to the energy shortage and pollutant emission problems. A major way to optimise fuel economy and reduce pollutant emissions for Spark-Ignition (SI) engines is the downsizing concept. However, this concept is unfortunately limited by ‘knock’ phenomena (abnormal combustion) due to high temperature and high pressure in-cylinder conditions. In the present study, control the oxygen concentration in air is proposed. Indeed, on the one hand, oxygen-enriched combustion can improve engine power density with the same intake pressure level. Thus, oxygen-enriched combustion can be used either as a booster to increase engine output or as a combustion enhancer when the engine operates at low loads or in cold start conditions. On the other hand, low oxygen concentration in air (or N2 dilution) can be considered as an alternative to exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). The experiments were carried out in a downsized single-cylinder SI engine with different rates of oxygen and equivalence ratios. The study of the impact of controlling oxygen concentration on the combustion characteristics and emissions was performed at several loads by optimizing the spark advance and the intake pressure to maintain the load and obtain a minimum value of indicated Specific Fuel Consumption (SFC). The effect of oxygen concentration on the engine combustion characteristics was simulated by using the commercial software AMESim, with the combustion model developed by IFP-EN. By implementing correlations for the laminar burning velocity, determined previously during this study, and auto-ignition delay data base, the in-cylinder pressures were perfectly calibrated with a maximum pressure relative error less than 2%, and the knock intensity was predicted.

Submitted by Milena Rubi (milenarubi@ufscar.br) on 2016-10-17T12:15:05Z No. of bitstreams: 1 BENATTI_Glauco_2016.pdf: 4657385 bytes, checksum: c8b25df3de46eef54924ed992b7bf785 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Milena Rubi (milenarubi@ufscar.br) on 2016-10-17T12:15:44Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 BENATTI_Glauco_2016.pdf: 4657385 bytes, checksum: c8b25df3de46eef54924ed992b7bf785 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Milena Rubi (milenarubi@ufscar.br) on 2016-10-17T12:15:55Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 BENATTI_Glauco_2016.pdf: 4657385 bytes, checksum: c8b25df3de46eef54924ed992b7bf785 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-17T12:16:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 BENATTI_Glauco_2016.pdf: 4657385 bytes, checksum: c8b25df3de46eef54924ed992b7bf785 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-26 / Não recebi financiamento / This paper presents a case study on the restructuring process of a Brazilian operation of a century-old Fortune 500 American multinational manufacturer of industrial equipment. The focus of the work lies with the dissonance between discourse and the result of that process, raising the hypothesis that capital market pressure is behind such restructuring. The annual reports of this company portray the restructuring as a recurring corporate strategy, through which the company seeks to boost confidence in the capital market itself and its ability to deliver better results (or reverse bad ones) without, however, such results are achieved in fact, as this case study aims to show. This institutional literature proved to be a flagship tool company speech aimed at telling the actors of the capital market, stories about the strategies set in motion in defense of the interests of shareholders. The examination of such documents for this case study revealed that these strategies unfold in sometimes more tangible actions, sometimes more performing ones and, while restructuring proved to be more performing actions; the strategy of acquisitions / divestiments in series proved to be the most tangible ones. / Este trabalho apresenta um estudo de caso sobre o processo de reestruturação da operação brasileira de uma multinacional americana centenária, fabricante de equipamentos industriais e presente na Fortune 500. O foco do trabalho recai sobre a dissonância entre o discurso e o resultado desse processo, levantando a hipótese de que a pressão do mercado de capitais esteja por trás de tal reestruturação. Os relatórios anuais desta empresa retratam a reestruturação como uma estratégia corporativa recorrente, através da qual, a empresa busca reforçar a confiança do mercado de capitais em si e em sua capacidade de oferecer melhores resultados (ou reverter os ruins), sem que, no entanto, tais resultados sejam alcançados de fato, como o presente estudo de caso pretende mostrar. Tal literatura institucional revelou-se uma ferramenta emblemática do discurso da empresa que visa contar aos atores do mercado de capitais, histórias sobre as estratégias colocadas em movimento em defesa dos interesses dos acionistas. O exame de tais documentos para este estudo de caso revelou que tais estratégias se desdobram em ações ora mais tangíveis, ora mais performáticas sendo que, enquanto as reestruturações se revelaram ações mais performáticas, a estratégia de aquisições / alienações em série revelaram-se as mais tangíveis.

Hydrostatische Zylinderantriebe mit drehzahlvariablem Pumpenantrieb stellen modulare translatorische Antriebssysteme dar, die die Vorteile der elektrome-chanischen und hydraulischen Domänen verbinden. Zusätzlich bieten diese sog. elektrohydrostatischen Kompaktantriebe den Vorteil einer einfach umsetzbaren, diskret variablen Übersetzung. Diese erlaubt es, bei Arbeitsspielen mit dedizierten Eil- und Kraftphasen den elektrischen Antriebsmotor kleiner auszulegen als bei einer Referenz mit fester Übersetzung. Dadurch kann Downsizing-Potential in Bezug auf Größe und Masse des elektrischen Antriebsmotors und der Leistungselektronik erschlossen werden. In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden zunächst die möglichen Ersparnisse durch diese Technologie beleuchtet und die prinzipiellen Möglichkeiten einer schaltbaren Übersetzung dargestellt. Es wird eine Methodik erarbeitet, die es erlaubt, den gesamten Lösungsraum diskret umschaltbarer elektrohydrostatischer Kompaktantriebe systematisch zu erfassen und zu bewerten. Schließlich werden anhand von zwei Demonstratoren die Grenzen und Potentiale der Technologie experimentell untersucht und unterschiedliche, im Rahmen der Arbeit erarbeitete Strategien für den Umschaltvorgang zwischen zwei Übersetzungsstufen validiert. / Hydrostatic cylinder drives with variable speed pumps pose a modern form of modular translational drive systems, which merge the benefits of both electro-mechanic and hydraulic domains. Beyond that, these so called electrohydrostatic compact drives feature a possibility of implementing a discrete variable trans-ission ratio in a cost-effective manner. In the case of work cycles with dedicated rapid and force strokes, this allows the electric drive motor to be designed smaller than in the case of a reference with a fixed transmission ratio. In this way, downsizing potential can be exploited in terms of the size and mass of the electric drive motor and power electronics. In this thesis, the possible gains through this technology are first examined and the fundamental possibilities of a variable transmission are presented. A methodology is developed that allows the entire solution space of discretely switchable electrohydrostatic compact drives to be systematically mapped and evaluated. Finally, the limits and potentials of the technology are investigated experimentally by means of two demonstrators, and different strategies for the switching process between two transmission stages developed in the course of the thesis are validated.