In this paper we explore the determinants of changes in the industrial populations rates in Austrian manufacturing. The research questions whether or not the nature and causes of the net entry of firms across three different stages of entry-exit decision and firm growth are different. Our econometric analysis suggests that there are differences in leading to the determination of the entry and exit at different stages of the entry-exit decision, and that aggregate growth and disaggregate growth (measured in employment terms) play a major role. (author's abstract) / Series: Working Papers Series "Growth and Employment in Europe: Sustainability and Competitiveness"

In this paper we analyse the influence of sector specific developments in productivity and demand on net entry and employment in 19 industrial sectors of the Austrian economy. Based on the model of structural dynamics of Pasinetti, we develop an identification scheme that allows us to extract technology and demand shocks, by means of a structural vector autoregressive (SVAR) model with long-run restrictions. We study the patterns of productivity and demand shocks across industries by means of a principal components analysis and find that sectoral and macro-economic developments in demand strongly correlate, while this is not the case for technology shocks. Impulse-response analysis shows that for almost all sectors productivity growth rates experience an immediate increase to positive technology shocks while the hours worked decline as conjectured by Pasinetti. Finally, we use the identified shocks as explanatory variables in time-series cross-section regressions on net-entry and employment data. Both types of shocks are able to explain dynamics on the industry level in terms of employment and sales but not firm dynamics. (author's abstract) / Series: Working Papers Series "Growth and Employment in Europe: Sustainability and Competitiveness"

This thesis introduces a novel mobility model based on so called &ldquo / 2D correlated diffusion process&rdquo / . In this model, motion components over x and y axes are dependent. Joint density function of the process is derived. The expected exit time from an arbitrary domain is characterized by a boundary value problem. Analytical solution of this problem is given for a specific case. Numerical solution of the problem is presented by several examples. The results obtained in these examples are verified by simulations. The expected exit time computed by this method holds for any given 2D domain and any given starting position inside.

The New Zealand education system has undergone some two decades of substantial reform. There can be little doubt that this has brought significant change to the nature of what is expected of people occupying positions of leadership in schools and educational institutions (Ball, 2007; Bottery, 2004; Codd, 2005). Against this contextual backdrop, and in the researcher’s experience as a teacher and former holder of a position of leadership, there is an observable phenomenon of educational leaders stepping aside from position and yet continuing to work as teachers within the same workplace. Despite claims of a leadership ‘crisis’, and international acknowledgement of concern over the retention of educational leaders (Brooking, 2007; Brundrett & Rhodes, 2006; Fullan, 2005), the human experience of this phenomenon appears unrepresented in current research literature. The present study has sought to capture this experience through addressing the central research question “What is the lived experience of the voluntary relinquishing of the position of leader, yet choosing to remain within the same educational workplace?” In order to gather rich qualitative data, a descriptive multiple case study design was employed. In-depth unstructured interviews were carried out with eight educational leaders who had relinquished position within the contexts of New Zealand State Secondary Schools and Private Training Establishments, and chosen to continue working in these same contexts. The subsequent analysis drew on the tradition of hermeneutic interpretation (van Manen, 1990) to arrive at interpretations of the uniqueness of individual experiences, and offer understandings of the shared meanings of the experience in the form of essential themes. The key findings which emerged in this study were those of a sense of the ‘a-lone-ness’ of leadership, the ‘ready-suddenness’ of the decision to step aside, a seeking of ‘balance’ in the relinquishing of position, a powerful sense of ‘re-turning’ to the call of teaching, and varying degrees of ‘ease’ and ‘dis-ease’ in the experience of ‘letting go and holding on’ following positional relinquishment. These findings serve to extend aspects of those of earlier leadership and role exit studies, and offer previously undocumented understandings. Thus, a major contribution of this study is in the bringing-to-voice of the stories of those who step aside from leadership position yet remain in the workplace, and in the opening of avenues for further research.

Submitted by Vanessa Burgugi Banin null (vanessa_banin@yahoo.com.br) on 2017-06-11T19:47:04Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Doutorado Vanessa B Banin.pdf: 2100486 bytes, checksum: c9614d685e65624e0fd677fc24e44a8d (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luiz Galeffi (luizgaleffi@gmail.com) on 2017-06-13T14:48:58Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 banin_vb_dr_bot.pdf: 2100486 bytes, checksum: c9614d685e65624e0fd677fc24e44a8d (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-13T14:48:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 banin_vb_dr_bot.pdf: 2100486 bytes, checksum: c9614d685e65624e0fd677fc24e44a8d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-05-30 / Introdução: As complicações mecânicas e infecciosas associadas ao cateter de dialise peritoneal representam as principais causas de falência da técnica. Tais complicações podem estar associadas às configurações intra e extraperitoneal do cateter. Objetivo: comparar complicações mecânicas e infecciosas, além de sobrevida da técnica entre cateteres de Tenckhoff implantados com Orifício de Saída (OS) voltado para baixo e OS voltado para cima e cateteres de Swan Neck (ponta reta e ponta coil). Metodologia: estudo prospectivo randomizado que comparou complicações mecânicas (translocações) e infecciosas (peritonites e infecções de orifício de saída) entre cateteres divididos de maneira randomizada em quatro grupos: Tenkhoff OS baixo, Tenckhoff OS cima, Swan Neck ponta reta e Swan Neck ponta coil. Os grupos foram seguidos pelo período de um ano. O implante foi realizado pela equipe da Nefrologia utilizando a técnica de Seldinger. Resultados: no período de agosto de 2013 a fevereiro de 2016 foram implantados 107 cateteres em 96 pacientes. As características clinicas e demográficas foram semelhantes entre os pacientes nos quatro grupos. A análise da curva de sobrevida pelo método de Kaplan-Meier não mostrou diferenças para o tempo livre do primeiro episódio de infecção de OS (p=0,19) ou peritonite (p=0,29) entre os quatro grupos. Observamos no entanto, menor tempo livre até o primeiro episódio de translocação (p=0,03), menor sobrevida do cateter (p=0,001) e menor sobrevida da técnica (p=0,02) no grupo Tenckhoff OS baixo. A análise múltipla mostrou que o fator associado com falência do cateter foi a presença de translocações. Em um segundo modelo, quando excluído translocações, o cateter Tenckhoff OS baixo se associou com maior risco de falência do cateter. Conclusão: o cateter de Tenckhoff reto com OS voltado para baixo foi associado com menor tempo livre até o primeiro episódio de translocação, além de menor sobrevida do cateter e da técnica. É provável que a atuação da força de resiliência possa ter sido responsável pelos resultados observados nesse estudo. / Background: The mechanical and infectious complications associated with the peritoneal dialysis catheter represent the main causes of technique failure. Such complications may be associated with the intra- and extra-peritoneal configurations of the catheter. Purpose: The objectives of this study were to compare infectious and mechanical complications and technique survival among four randomized groups of PD catheters: straight Tenckhoff catheters implanted with downward Exit Site (ES), straight Tenckhoff implanted with upward ES, Swan-Neck coil tip and Swan-Neck straight tip. Methods: A prospective randomized trial comparing mechanical (translocations) and infectious (peritonitis and exit-site infection) complications between catheters randomly divided into four groups: Tenkhoff downward ES, Tenckhoff upward ES, Swan Neck straight tip and Swan Neck coil tip. The four groups were followed for one year. The implant was performed by the Nephrology team using the Seldinger technique. Results: In the period from August 2013 to February 2016, 107 catheters were implanted in 96 patients. The baseline demographics characteristics were similar among the groups. Analysis of the Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed no difference in the free time of the first episode of ES infection (p = 0.19) or peritonitis (p = 0.29) among the four groups. We observed, however, less free time for the first episode of translocation (p = 0.03), lower catheter survival (p = 0.001) and lower technique survival (p = 0.02) in the Tenckhoff downward ES group. Multiple analysis showed that the factor associated with catheter failure was the presence of translocations. When we excluded translocations from the model the Tenckhoff downward ES was associated with catheter failure. Conclusions: Straight Tenckhoff catheter implanted employing donward tunnel-tract and ES direction is associated with less free time until the first translocation episode, lower catheter and technique survival. It is likely that the performance of resilience force may have been responsible for the results observed in this study.

Abstract Iterative receiver techniques, multiple-input – multiple-output (MIMO) processing, and orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) are amongst the key physical layer technologies when aiming at higher spectral efficiency for a wireless communication system. Special focus is put on iterative detection, decoding, and channel estimation for a MIMO-OFDM system. After designing separately efficient algorithms for the detection, channel decoding, and channel estimation, the objective is to optimize them to work together through optimizing the activation schedules for soft-in soft-out (SfISfO) components. A list parallel interference cancellation (PIC) detector is derived to approximate an a posteriori probability (APP) algorithm with reduced complexity and minimal loss of performance. It is shown that the list PIC detector with good initialization outperforms the K-best list sphere detector (LSD) in the case of small list sizes, whereas the complexities of the algorithms are of the same order. The convergence of the iterative detection and decoding is improved by using a priori information to also recalculate the candidate list, aside from the log-likelihood ratios (LLRs) of the coded bits. Unlike in pilot based channel estimation, the least-squares (LS) channel estimator based on symbol decisions requires a matrix inversion in MIMO-OFDM. The frequency domain (FD) space-alternating generalized expectation-maximization (SAGE) channel estimator calculates the LS estimate iteratively, avoiding the matrix inversion with constant envelope modulation. The performance and computational complexity of the FD-SAGE channel estimator are compared to those of pilot based LS channel estimation with minimum mean square error (MMSE) post-processing exploiting the time correlation of the channel. A time domain (TD) SAGE channel estimator is derived to avoid the matrix inversion in channel estimation based on symbol decisions for MIMO-OFDM systems also with non-constant envelope modulation. An obvious problem, with more than two blocks in an iterative receiver, is to find the optimal activation schedule of the different blocks. It is proposed to use extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) charts to characterize the behavior of the receiver blocks and to find out the optimal activation schedule for them. A semi-analytical expression of the EXIT function is derived for the LS channel estimator. An algorithm is proposed to generate the EXIT function of the APP algorithm as a function of the channel estimate’s mutual information (MI). Surface fitting is used to get closed form expressions for the EXIT functions of the APP algorithm and the channel decoder. Trellis search algorithms are shown to find the convergence with the lowest possible complexity using the EXIT functions. With the proposed concept, the activation scheduling can be adapted to prevailing channel circumstances and unnecessary iterations will be avoided.

Det finns många fördelar med att använda molntjänster och molnmarknaden har växt fort de senaste åren. Men när molnleverantörsmarknaden är så pass konkurrens utsatt är det inte lätt att välja vem man vill vända sig till, och det finns ofta anledningar till att vilja byta leverantör. Det finns många saker som kan låsa in en kund hos en leverantör, ofta på grund av att det skulle bli alldeles för dyrt att flytta, kanske för att ditt system inte är kompatibelt med någon annan leverantör, eller för att ett avtal hindrar dig från att flytta delar av systemet. Detta är vad man brukar kalla för leverantörsinlåsningar (vendor lock-ins). Många vill idag flytta system till molnet, men få är tillräckligt kunniga i vad det innebär och vad som kommer krävas från kunden. I den här studien vill vi belysa problemet och erbjuda vägledning till hur man kan minimera leverantörsinlåsningar.

Investments with exit flexibility require decisions regarding both the investment and holding period. Because selling an investment often leads to taxable capital gains, which crucially depend on the duration of an investment, we investigate the impact of capital gains taxation on exit timing under different tax systems. We observed that capital gains taxation delays exit decisions but loses its decision relevance for very long holdings. Often the optimal exit time, which indicates the maximal present value of future cashflows, cannot be determined analytically. However, we identify the breakeven exit time that guarantees present values exceeding those of an immediate sale. While, after-taxes, an immediate sale is often optimal, long holding periods might also be attractive for investors depending on the degree of income and corporate tax integration. A classic corporate tax system often indicates holdings over more than 100 periods. By contrast, a shareholder relief system indicates the earliest breakeven exit time and thus the highest level of exit timing flexibility. Surprisingly, high retention rates are likely to accelerate sales under a classic corporate system. Additionally, the worst exit time, which should be avoided by investors, differs tremendously across tax systems. For an integrated tax system with full imputation, the worst time is reached earlier than under partial or non-integrated systems. These results could help to predict investors' behavior regarding changes in capital gains taxation and thus are of interest for both investors and tax policymakers. Furthermore, the results emphasize the need to control for the underlying tax system in cross-country empirical studies. (authors' abstract) / Series: WU International Taxation Research Paper Series

Multimarket competition has become a substantial part of the modern economy. As such, it has drawn the attention of academics in both economics and strategy fields. Many studies have found empirical evidence of mutual forbearance in several industries, but despite its importance, its behavioral roots have not been explored. In my dissertation I integrate the reality of boundedly-rational decision makers into the mutual forbearance hypothesis. I apply an outgrowth of the behavioral theory of the firm – the shifting focus model of risk taking – to the study of competitive behavior. I propose a behavioral model of multimarket competition that focuses on corporate strategic decisions - market entry and exit decisions, regardless of entry mode (e.g. acquisitions) or exit mode (e.g. divestitures). This approach provides a granular view of changes in the business scope of the firms in terms of product and geographic markets served. I test my hypotheses in the U.S. property liability insurance industry over a 12-year period (1998-2008). I argue that firms follow the mutual forbearance logic as long as their performance goals are satisfied. However, under conditions of adversity, firms shift attention to recovering from the performance shortfall and their actions deviate from the mutual forbearance predictions. This dissertation shows that underperforming firms with abundant slack take longer to forbear, and underperforming firms with limited slack start forbearing sooner, as predicted. By bridging behavioral and competitive perspectives to the study of market entry and exit decisions, I underscore the value of cross-fertilization in strategy research.

As a result of globalisation there are endless business opportunities out there in the business world. South African tax residents may purchase shares in a foreign company as an investment which can lead to that company being effectively controlled in South Africa for South African tax purposes. When a controlled foreign company ceases to be a controlled by South African tax residents it is deemed to have disposed of its assets the day immediately before this event and certain exit tax charges should considered. Sound tax policies are crucial to ensure stability in any tax system. Tax legislation may be amended from time to time in order to ensure this stability in the South African tax system. No research has been done on the practical implication of current amendments to legislation affecting a controlled foreign company when it ceases to be controlled in South Africa as a direct result of the issuing of new equity shares by the controlled foreign company to foreign investors. The aim of this study was to discuss the current amendments to tax legislation affecting controlled foreign companies as well as the practical issues experienced by controlled foreign companies and South African tax residents. Furthermore, the study aims to demonstrate whether South Africa’s tax legislation is in line with the international norm by comparing the literature reviewed, the results of case study and information gathered through interviews to the United Kingdom’s tax legislation. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / hb2014 / Taxation / unrestricted