Technical debt is used to describe the changing or to maintain a system due to expedient shortcuts done during its development. In the context of the software development industry, technical debt is regarded as a critical issue in terms of the negative consequences such as increased software development cost, low product quality, decreased maintainability, and slowed progress to the long-term success of developing software. Code Smells are well informed in the domain of Technical Debt. They indicate to the common bad practices that may impair the future quality of the software system. By identifying those Code Smells, it is possible to give an improved solution or make the developers aware of a possible deficiency. I explore the premise that technical debt within the enterprise should be viewed as a tool. Extensible and Appropriate tools can check the Code Smells automatically and improve the quality assessment accordingly. However, in the field of Enterprise Architecture(EA), common bad habits in EA can be called EA Smells. EA Smells itself can be a component of EA Debt. Enterprise Architecture Debt can be defined as such a metric that depicts the deviation of the currently present state of an enterprise from a hypothetical ideal state.In this thesis, we introduce SmellCull as an extensible tool for capturing, tracking and managing Enterprise Architecture debt in the EA field. SmellCull allows measuring different kinds of Enterprise Architecture debts for EA Model. SmellCull is extensible since different types of Model can be integrated as input into the tool environment and provides developers with a lightweight tool to capture EA debt and make it easier to understand them indicating corresponding parts in the implementation. The tool is used to create propagation paths for the EA debt. This allows for an up-to-date and accurate presentation of EA debt to be upheld, which enables developer conducted implementation-level micromanagement as well as higher-level debt management.Since the tool is sophisticated enough, automated detection supports the design process and ongoing change of EAS(Enterprise Architecture System). This includes the strategic development of EAS with the corresponding roadmaps, as well as design assurance and performance monitoring to assess the quality of data in EA repositories and the compliance with certain standards defined by EA Smells. Due to the limited scope of master thesis, the tool will identify a few number of EA debt. At the end, some future work suggestions in the context of identifying more salable Enterprise Architecture Debts with this tool are given. / Teknisk skuld dvs dålig eller kortsiktig programutveckling som belastning på IT-system måste förr eller senare återbetalas. I industrin betraktas teknisk skuld som en kritisk fråga när det gäller de negativa konsekvenserna som ökad mjukvaruutvecklingskostnad, låg produktkvalitet, minska underhåll och långsammare framsteg till den långsiktiga framgången med att utveckla programvara. Dålig kodkvalitet “code smell” är vanligt förekommande teknisk skuld. Det uppkommer i vanliga dåliga metoder “anti-patterns” som försämrar programvarans framtida kvalitet. För att kunna identifiera bristande kodkvalitet är det möjligt att skapa en förbättrad lösning eller göra utvecklare medvetna om de möjliga bristerna. Jag undersöker förutsättningarna att en sådan teknisk skuld i företag bör undersökas med en programvara. Utbyggbara och ändamålsenliga programvaror kan analysera källkod och hitta var kvaliteten behöver förbättras. Företagens tekniska skuld kan definieras som ett mått som visar avvikelsen från ett hypotetiskt idealtillstånd genom att jämföra det aktuella tillståndet med praktiska rekommendationer “best practice”. I detta examensarbete introducerar jag SmellCull som ett utbyggbart verktyg för att hitta, spåra och hantera bristfällig kodkvalitet inom företagsarkitektur (EA). SmellCull tillåter mätning av olika typer av tekiska skulder för EA modellen. SmellCull är utbyggbart genom att olika typer av datamodeller kan integreras som indata i miljön, och det ger utveck-lare ett lätt verktyg för att hantera teknisk skuld i programmeringsprojekt och hjälpa projektdeltagarna i programmeringsprojekt att förstå vad orsakar brister i kodkvalitet.  Eftersom verktyget är tillräckligt sofistikerat finns det automatiserad spårning, designprocess och kontinuerlig förbättring av EAS (Enterprise Architecture System). Detta inkluderar strategisk utveckling av EAS med motsvarande färdplan, samt konstruktionssäkerhet och prestandäovervakning för att bedöma kvaliteten på data i EA förvar och efterlevnaden av vissa standarder som definieras av EA code smell detection. På grund av den begränsade omfattningen av examensarbetet kommer verktyget att  identifiera några få EA skuld. I slutet, några framtida arbetsförslag i samband med identifiering mer säljbara företagsarkitekturskulder med detta verktyg ges.

Förändringar i affärsvärlden leder till att företag idag ständigt ställs inför nya utmaningar. Samverkan mellan affärsverksamheten och IT har därför blivit en viktig aspekt inom organisationer. Företag står inför problemet att hantera sina komplexa affärsprocesser, information och infrastruktur, relaterat till att IT bör ge maximala värden för affärsprocesserna. Det för att verksamheterna ska vara med i spelet bland de konkurrenskraftiga organisationerna, vilket leder till en av anledningar till att företagen kommer i kontakt med Enterprise Architecture (EA). EA kan ses som en helhetsbild av organisationen och dess information, applikationer och infrastruktur. Relaterat till EA, kan EA-ramverk vara till hjälp för att få ett strukturerat arbetssätt. För att förbättra arbetet med EA hjälper ramverket till att kartlägga verksamhetsmiljön, processer och IT. Existensen av ett stort antal olika ramverk och de olika perspektiven på om ett ramverk är ett måste eller inte för verksamheten vid EA-arbetet, kan problematisera processen för verksamheter att veta om det ska välja ett ramverk och vilka effekter det skulle ge. Vi ser därför ett behov att av undersöka ramverkets roll i ett praktiskt EA-arbete. Studien är baserad på antaganden av en empirisk studie bestående av sex stycken Enterprise arkitekter. Enterprise arkitekterna har delat sina vyer av deras arbete med EA och ramverk. Resultatet av den empiriska studien visar att ramverkets roll kan dras utifrån tre perspektiv. Hur ramverket har implementerats, kopplat till hur det används utgör grunden för vilken roll ramverket har i det praktiska arbetet. Forskningens slutsatser visar att ramverket kan ses som; ett hjälpmedel för arkitekten, en inkörsport för det övergripande EA-arbetet och slutligen som ett hjälpmedel för en personlig karriärutveckling. / Program: Systemvetarutbildningen

A cadeia da instrumentação para o monitoramento do desgaste da ferramenta por emissão acústica está constituída por sensores, condicionador de sinal, conversor A/D e transmissor. A seleção ou projeto de cada uma das etapas é de suma importância para manter o conteúdo do sinal de emissão acústica (neste caso a fonte de emissão acústica é a usinagem). O sinal de emissão acústica de interesse tem componentes que vão dos 100kHz a 1 MHz. Devido às características do projeto, são desenvolvidos o condicionador e o transmissor. São apresentados os projetos do pré-amplificador e filtro (que pertencem ao condicionador), os quais realizam suas respectivas funções de amplificação e filtragem. O pré-amplificador, cuja função é a de fortalecer o sinal fraco na saída do sensor, amplifica o sinal em 20 dB. Ele tem uma resposta plana na faixa de interesse (freqüências inferiores a 1 MHz). O filtro, que é do tipo banda passante, tem por função eliminar as componentes vinculadas às vibrações mecânicas e os ruídos elétricos e eletromagnéticos, assim como evitar o fenômeno do \"aliasing\" no processamento do sinal. Ele não deixa passar as componentes do sinal de freqüências inferiores a 100 kHz e superiores a 1 MHz. Tem uma resposta plana na banda de interesse, o que garante a manutenção do formato do sinal. São consideradas nos projetos indicados as respostas dos componentes eletrônicos para as freqüências de trabalho e a proteção dos circuitos contra ruídos na alimentação dos mesmos. / The instrumentation for tool wear monitoring by acoustic emission is composed by sensors, signal conditioner, A/D converter and transmitter. The selection or project of each step is very important to keep the container of acoustic emission signal (in this case the source of acoustic emission is the metal cutting). The interesting acoustic emission signal has its components, which comes from 100 kHz to 1 MHz. In spite of the project characteristics, the conditioner and the transmitter are developed. The projects of the pre-amplifier and the filter are presented (they belong to the conditioner), which makes their functions of amplification and filtration. The pre-amplifier, which function is to amplify the weak signal on the output of the sensor, amplifies the signal by 20 dB. It has a flat response on the frequency range (frequencies less than 1 MHz). The filter, which is the type of flat-band, has the function of eliminating the components connected to the mechanic vibrations and the electric/electromagnetic noises, therefore to avoid the aliasing phenomenon on the signal processing. It attenuates the signal components of frequencies lower than 100 kHz and higher than 1 MHz. There is a flat response on the frequency range, which warrants the maintenance of the signal format. It is considered into the projects indicated the electronic components\' responses to the work frequencies and the circuit protection against noises into their feeding.

A cadeia da instrumentação para o monitoramento do desgaste da ferramenta por emissão acústica está constituída por sensores, condicionador de sinal, conversor A/D e transmissor. A seleção ou projeto de cada uma das etapas é de suma importância para manter o conteúdo do sinal de emissão acústica (neste caso a fonte de emissão acústica é a usinagem). O sinal de emissão acústica de interesse tem componentes que vão dos 100kHz a 1 MHz. Devido às características do projeto, são desenvolvidos o condicionador e o transmissor. São apresentados os projetos do pré-amplificador e filtro (que pertencem ao condicionador), os quais realizam suas respectivas funções de amplificação e filtragem. O pré-amplificador, cuja função é a de fortalecer o sinal fraco na saída do sensor, amplifica o sinal em 20 dB. Ele tem uma resposta plana na faixa de interesse (freqüências inferiores a 1 MHz). O filtro, que é do tipo banda passante, tem por função eliminar as componentes vinculadas às vibrações mecânicas e os ruídos elétricos e eletromagnéticos, assim como evitar o fenômeno do \"aliasing\" no processamento do sinal. Ele não deixa passar as componentes do sinal de freqüências inferiores a 100 kHz e superiores a 1 MHz. Tem uma resposta plana na banda de interesse, o que garante a manutenção do formato do sinal. São consideradas nos projetos indicados as respostas dos componentes eletrônicos para as freqüências de trabalho e a proteção dos circuitos contra ruídos na alimentação dos mesmos. / The instrumentation for tool wear monitoring by acoustic emission is composed by sensors, signal conditioner, A/D converter and transmitter. The selection or project of each step is very important to keep the container of acoustic emission signal (in this case the source of acoustic emission is the metal cutting). The interesting acoustic emission signal has its components, which comes from 100 kHz to 1 MHz. In spite of the project characteristics, the conditioner and the transmitter are developed. The projects of the pre-amplifier and the filter are presented (they belong to the conditioner), which makes their functions of amplification and filtration. The pre-amplifier, which function is to amplify the weak signal on the output of the sensor, amplifies the signal by 20 dB. It has a flat response on the frequency range (frequencies less than 1 MHz). The filter, which is the type of flat-band, has the function of eliminating the components connected to the mechanic vibrations and the electric/electromagnetic noises, therefore to avoid the aliasing phenomenon on the signal processing. It attenuates the signal components of frequencies lower than 100 kHz and higher than 1 MHz. There is a flat response on the frequency range, which warrants the maintenance of the signal format. It is considered into the projects indicated the electronic components\' responses to the work frequencies and the circuit protection against noises into their feeding.

This thesis explores a novel technique for transceiver design in future wireless systems, which is cloud radio access networks (CRANs) with single radio frequency (RF) chain antennas at each remote radio head (RRH). This thesis seeks to make three contributions. Firstly, it proposes a novel algorithm to solve the oscillatory/unstable behaviour of electronically steerable parasitic array radiators (ESPAR) when it provides multi-antenna functionality with a single RF chain. This thesis formulates an optimization problem and derives closed-form expressions when calculating the configuration of an ESPAR antenna (EA) for arbitrary signals transmission. This results in simplified processing at the transmitter. The results illustrate that the EA transmitter, when utilizing novel closed-form expressions, shows significant improvement over the performance of the EA transmitter without any pre-processing. It performs at nearly the same symbol error rate (SER) as standard multiple antenna systems. Secondly, this thesis illustrates how a practical peak power constraint can be put into an EA transceiver design. In an EA, all the antenna elements are fed centrally by a single power amplifier. This makes it more probable that during use, the power amplifier reaches maximum power during transmission. Considering limited power availability, this thesis proposes a new algorithm to achieve stable signal transmission. Thirdly, this thesis shows that an energy efficiency (EE) optimization problem can be formulated and solved in CRANs that deploy single RF chain antennas at RRHs. The closed-form expressions of the precoder and power allocation schemes to transmit desired signals are obtained to maximise EE for both single-user and multi-user systems. The results show that the CRANs with single RF chain antennas provide superior EE performance compared to the standard multiple antenna based systems.

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate and analyze the effect of exchange rate volatility between the euro and the Mexican peso on the exports from the first eleven euro area countries (EA-11) to Mexico. The ten product groups recognized by the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) are dealt with separately in identifying the influence of exchange rate volatility on the exports. Aggregated data for exchange rates and trade between 1999 and 2008 are analyzed using regressions. In addition to the exchange rate volatility, the variables included in the analysis are: the industrial production index (IPI) of the EA-11 countries, the IPI for Mexico, the nominal exchange rate between the two currencies, the consumer price index (CPI) in Mexico and the harmonized indices of consumer prices (HICPs) for the EA-11. The reaction of trade to exchange rate volatility is a fundamental issue in macroeconomics. It has taken more importance in the recent decades as the scope of international transactions has expanded and the economic activity of one country affects other countries. There have been several studies about the relation between the exchange rate volatility and its influence on trade that have arrived to different results. The conclusion of this thesis is that the exchange rate volatility has a positive and highly significant effect in the exports of only one of the ten evaluated product groups.

This thesis considers the environmental, economic, social, and cultural effects of increasing shipping activities around Sirmilik National Park of Canada, in order to develop possible scoping questions for future environmental assessments. Using a qualitative approach, 25 semi-structured interviews, two focus groups, observation, and field notes were used to collect data which are then analyzed for linkages between valued environmental and social components and the potential effects from shipping and associated activities. The most prominent concern that emerged regarded the potential impacts to migrating and breeding narwhal in the area. Many respondents also discussed economic and social issues because they perceive increasing shipping as a signal of economic growth. In total, 124 scoping questions were developed in 17 direct environmental impact areas identified by participants, as well as 53 scoping questions relating to cumulative effects and strategic issues. The thesis concludes with some broader management implications that flow from the analysis.

Narratives are the product of a basic human tendency to make sense of real or imagined experiences. The research question posed in the dissertation is: how is narrativity encoded in East African English? Can the narrativity model in the dissertation distinguish between registers that prototypically focus on narration versus registers that do not primarily focus on narration? The narrativity model consists of four main groups of features, namely Agency, Causation, Contextualisation and Evaluation. These groups are representative of the fundamental structure of narratives: things happen to people at a specific time and place. Agency concerns the people who either instigate or are affected by the events. The things that happen can be denoted by Causation when they are the result of cause and effect in the world. Contextualisation refers to the grounding of events in time and space. Lastly, Evaluation concerns the reactions and attitudes people have towards the events. Eighteen linguistic features such as third person pronouns (part of the Agency group) and past tense verbs (part of the Contextualisation group) were analysed as micro-level indicators of narrativity. The corpus-based investigation analysed the linguistic features used to encode narrativity across 22 spoken and written registers of the East African component of the International Corpus of English (ICE-EA) using WordSmith Tools 4.0. The raw scores for each feature were standardised across all registers to enable comparisons between features, as well as between registers. The results indicate that narrativity is a gradient phenomenon that occurs across a variety of East African English spoken and written registers. After the initial analyses were done, the narrativity model was revised to include only 11 core narrativity features. These features are past tense verbs, third person pronouns, proper nouns for persons, activity verbs, time and place adverbials, perfect aspect, emotional stance verb feel, first person pronouns, evaluative adjectives and non-finite causative clauses. ICE-EA registers that focus on narration as a MEANS to make sense of experiences (the objective or END) are Fiction, Social letters, Oral narratives, Face-to-face conversation and Legal cross-examination. In other words, the core narrativity features are the MEANS and the END is to make sense of experiences and facilitate understanding using narration. Twelve registers have an intermediate focus on narrativity. Narration is a secondary or simultaneous objective in these registers alongside primary objectives such as scientific exposition, persuasiveness, information presentation or interpersonal interaction. There are five registers with low scores for the core narrativity features: Student writing, Business letters, Popular writing, Academic writing and Instructional writing. These registers do not primarily focus on narration and have other primary and even secondary objectives such as scientific exposition and persuasiveness. The narrativity model sheds light on the way narrativity is encoded using linguistic features and gives insight into East African English register variation / Thesis (M.A. (English))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

Narratives are the product of a basic human tendency to make sense of real or imagined experiences. The research question posed in the dissertation is: how is narrativity encoded in East African English? Can the narrativity model in the dissertation distinguish between registers that prototypically focus on narration versus registers that do not primarily focus on narration? The narrativity model consists of four main groups of features, namely Agency, Causation, Contextualisation and Evaluation. These groups are representative of the fundamental structure of narratives: things happen to people at a specific time and place. Agency concerns the people who either instigate or are affected by the events. The things that happen can be denoted by Causation when they are the result of cause and effect in the world. Contextualisation refers to the grounding of events in time and space. Lastly, Evaluation concerns the reactions and attitudes people have towards the events. Eighteen linguistic features such as third person pronouns (part of the Agency group) and past tense verbs (part of the Contextualisation group) were analysed as micro-level indicators of narrativity. The corpus-based investigation analysed the linguistic features used to encode narrativity across 22 spoken and written registers of the East African component of the International Corpus of English (ICE-EA) using WordSmith Tools 4.0. The raw scores for each feature were standardised across all registers to enable comparisons between features, as well as between registers. The results indicate that narrativity is a gradient phenomenon that occurs across a variety of East African English spoken and written registers. After the initial analyses were done, the narrativity model was revised to include only 11 core narrativity features. These features are past tense verbs, third person pronouns, proper nouns for persons, activity verbs, time and place adverbials, perfect aspect, emotional stance verb feel, first person pronouns, evaluative adjectives and non-finite causative clauses. ICE-EA registers that focus on narration as a MEANS to make sense of experiences (the objective or END) are Fiction, Social letters, Oral narratives, Face-to-face conversation and Legal cross-examination. In other words, the core narrativity features are the MEANS and the END is to make sense of experiences and facilitate understanding using narration. Twelve registers have an intermediate focus on narrativity. Narration is a secondary or simultaneous objective in these registers alongside primary objectives such as scientific exposition, persuasiveness, information presentation or interpersonal interaction. There are five registers with low scores for the core narrativity features: Student writing, Business letters, Popular writing, Academic writing and Instructional writing. These registers do not primarily focus on narration and have other primary and even secondary objectives such as scientific exposition and persuasiveness. The narrativity model sheds light on the way narrativity is encoded using linguistic features and gives insight into East African English register variation / Thesis (M.A. (English))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

This thesis considers the environmental, economic, social, and cultural effects of increasing shipping activities around Sirmilik National Park of Canada, in order to develop possible scoping questions for future environmental assessments. Using a qualitative approach, 25 semi-structured interviews, two focus groups, observation, and field notes were used to collect data which are then analyzed for linkages between valued environmental and social components and the potential effects from shipping and associated activities. The most prominent concern that emerged regarded the potential impacts to migrating and breeding narwhal in the area. Many respondents also discussed economic and social issues because they perceive increasing shipping as a signal of economic growth. In total, 124 scoping questions were developed in 17 direct environmental impact areas identified by participants, as well as 53 scoping questions relating to cumulative effects and strategic issues. The thesis concludes with some broader management implications that flow from the analysis.