A comparison of merger control in the EU and the USA focusing on efficiency defence and failing company defence This paper compares the interpretation of efficiency defence and failing company defence in horizontal mergers in the EU and the USA. The arguments for each were first introduced in the decisional practice of US antitrust authorities and then included in the Merger Guidelines. Over the years both types of defence have been used in US antitrust law. Harsh criticism of the prohibition of several mergers at the beginning of the 21st century led to the reform of European merger control. Among other things, the reforms introduced efficiency defence and failing company defence. Given the complexity of competition law and the many factors that influence it, several background issues must first be analyzed, such as basic economic theories of competition law, the economic grounds for mergers and the political background. After comparing the relevant written law, the case law regarding efficiency defence and failing company defence in both jurisdictions is described. In this way the developments of the doctrines are clearly visible. Subsequently the current situation is described by comparing the requirements set by written law and their interpretation by decisional practice. It was found that the...

The national tourism organizations keep investing in their marketing activities and campaigns. In recent years the pressure on efficiency and return on investment and the technology development changed the existing modus operandi o the national tourism offices . Participants modern tourism are on the one hand, increasingly able to organize their trips by themselves , place higher demands on information and booking options online. Modern clients are on one hand able to organize their trips by themselves, demend more accurate information and online booking options. On the other hand, there were opened up new markets with huge economic potential but almost zero brand awareness and high dependence on the distribution channels. "Country branding " has become one of the important tools of competitiveness of national economies. This applies to building a competitive position in the export of goods and services. As most budgets for destination marketing are financed from public resources, the financial and debt crisis in the Eurozone decreased marketing expenses in building national brands. This raises an obvious interest in this phenomenon , both from researchers , economic journalists, and of course, politicians. The doctoral dissertation responds to the current developments and includes a comparison of selected activities of the national tourism organizations in the European Union , which naturally connects theoretical framework of the doctoral program, international trade and the focus of the Department of Tourism. The main aim of the doctoral thesis is to assess the effectiveness of selected instruments that support the tourism development and to draw the implications for management sector at the level of the Czech Republic. The assessment is based on based on the international comparative studies and analysis of empirical statistical data. In this sense, they were defined objectives. 1) To develop a comprehensive comparative profile of tourism policies in selected European countries. 2) To analyze the importance of brands of countries and cities in the context of competitiveness of tourism destinations. 3) To evaluate the impact of the national tourism organizations in terms of arrivals and brand value.

Heterotrophic bacterioplankton dynamics have seldom been assessed in the Red Sea, an exceptionally warm oligotrophic basin, which could be used as a model for the future ocean. To understand the function of heterotrophic bacteria in biogeochemical cycles and the flows of matter and energy to higher trophic levels, it is peremptory to understand how bacterial growth is controlled. Bottom-up (resources availability), top-down (mortality by predators and viruses) and temperature are the main hypotheses of control of bacterial activity and stocks. This dissertation aims to assess the spatial-temporal variability of heterotrophic bacteria and their interactions with diverse sources of dissolved organic matter (DOM) through the observed effects on bacterial growth rates and productivity in coastal environments of the central Red Sea. To that end we conducted a total of 66 shortterm incubations (4-6 days) concurrently with the whole microbial community and predator-free (by filtration) in various shallow ecosystems characterized by different dominant sources of DOM. Frequent sampling combined flow cytometry and biogeochemical analysis allowed us to measure bacterial standing stocks, including the carrying capacity (maximum abundances), growth rates, characterize DOM concentrations and lability, assess bacterial DOM consumption rates and biomass production and ultimately quantify bacterial growth efficiencies. Our findings suggest that although bacteria seemed to thrive in nutrient-sufficient waters, the central coastal Red Sea is characterized by unusually low bacterial standing stocks (4.05 ± 0.31 x105 cells ml-1), probably controlled by protistan grazing. At the same time, bacterioplankton showed high potential to grow (0.35-1.75 d-1, reaching 4.16 d-1 when dilution and pre-filtration were performed). Even though the highest specific growth rates were observed during the warmer periods, we did not find any consistent relationship with temperature. While temperature seemed not to constrain bacterial specific growth rates, we observed a tight link between bacterial growth and resource availability in terms of both quantity and quality. Overall, by surveying one of the warmest marine regions on Earth, this dissertation provides detailed insights into heterotrophic bacterioplankton dynamics and how bottomup, top-down and temperature regulate them in tropical waters, a vast geographical extension of the world oceans that had remained strongly undersampled to date.

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In order to make a profit in any earthmoving operation it is important to plan the operation, select the appropriate equipment and use the haul units efficiently in order to obtain the maximum productivity. Maximizing productivity is one of construction project management personnel's primary objectives, but can also be one of their greatest challenges. The need for effective productivity planning is obvious since productivity ultimately translates into profit. In order to plan an earthmoving operation it is important to understand the travel times of the hauling equipment. Travel time is a variable that, in turn, depends upon other variables associated with the haul unit, and the haul road conditions. Presently there is no travel time model that appropriately considers these factors and simulates the interactions among them such that more detailed analysis could be performed. Such a model needs to be developed. The objective of this research is to develop a detailed model to simulate the travel time considering, in the amount of detail needed, the variables upon which travel time is dependent. The key in the development of the model is the calculation of acceleration. The simulation of how instantaneous acceleration varies may be a complex procedure because instantaneous acceleration is a function of numerous variables, many of which are in turn functions of the velocity and position, which are themselves integral functions of acceleration. The acceleration of a vehicle is dependent on the vehicle characteristics, road conditions, and operator. It is very difficult to consider changes in instantaneous acceleration by using analytical procedures. A numerical method should be used in order to analyze the complex system and determine the travel time or velocity profile of the vehicle. MATLAB software was used to analyze and solve the complex system numerically. A model that considers that the machine is working at full capacity was developed. It considers the variables that affect travel time in the amount of detail needed. The impact that the operator has in the machine performance can be highlighted after a comparison of the results obtained with actual field data, once the model is calibrated. / Master of Science

No / The prevailing economic and budgetary climate is intensifying the search for methods and practices aimed at generating efficiencies in public sector provision. This paper investigates the increasingly popular bundle of techniques operating under the generic descriptor of lean, which promises to improve operational quality processes while simultaneously reducing cost. It offers a critical appraisal of lean as a fashionable component of public sector reform and challenges the received wisdom that it unambiguously delivers ‘efficiencies’. Quantitative and qualitative research in HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) centred on employees' experiences has indicated the extent to which work has been reorganized along lean principles. However, employees perceive that changes in organizational processes and working practices have unintentionally generated inefficiencies which have impacted on the quality of public service. These suggested outcomes raise wider concerns as lean working is adopted in other public sector organizations.

Insect herbivory on forest canopies strongly affects ecosystem nutrient cycling and availability in a variety of ways, e.g. by changing the quantity, quality and timing of nutrient input to forest soils. A qualitative method for measurements of ingestion, egestion and exuviation rates of the insect Chrysomela tremulae on leaves of the hybrid Populus tremula x tremuloides were tested in this study with the aim to detect differences in relative nutrient cycling efficiencies. The assimilation efficiency (AD), efficiency of conversion of digested food (ECD) and efficiency of conversion of ingested food (ECI) increased from 1st, through 2nd and 3rd instar larvae with generally higher efficiencies for nitrogen than carbon. Effects on nutrient limitations for the insect were also tested by increasing the C:N ratio of insect diet. A carbohydrate solution was painted onto leaves which resulted in a significant increase in C:N (p<0.0001). This lead to a trend of lengthened developmental time for each ontogenetic stage, as well as higher ingestion rate and lower egestion- and exuviation rates. However, a different method of increasing the C:N ratio is recommended in future experiments since the leaves never truly absorbed the solution.

Master of Science in Veterinary Science / A investigation into soil nutrient and the change soil physical properties was carried out for three pasture systems for dairy cows; the complementary forage rotation (CFR) which comprised of brassica (Brassica napus )/clover (Trifolium resupinatum ) and maize (Zea mays) capable of achieving more than 40 t/ha, the typical intensive pasture (PI) with kikuyu grass (Penisetum clandestinum) over-sown with ryegrass ( Lolium multiflorum ) and the extensive system (PE); on two soil types (brown chromosol and black vertisol) . The study demonstrated that the CFR system was capable of doubling its yield by using similar fertilizers (N, P and K) and water inputs compared to these of the PI system resulting of greater nutrients (N and K) and water use efficiencies. Overall, the nutrient lost through runoff water was very limited for two intensive systems and nearly nil for PE system. Also similar trends were observed for soil physical properties in the intensive systems except for the topsoil (0-10 cm) where light acidification (P= 0.04) was recorded in the CFR probably due to the soil works before the maize sowing.

Master of Science in Veterinary Science / A investigation into soil nutrient and the change soil physical properties was carried out for three pasture systems for dairy cows; the complementary forage rotation (CFR) which comprised of brassica (Brassica napus )/clover (Trifolium resupinatum ) and maize (Zea mays) capable of achieving more than 40 t/ha, the typical intensive pasture (PI) with kikuyu grass (Penisetum clandestinum) over-sown with ryegrass ( Lolium multiflorum ) and the extensive system (PE); on two soil types (brown chromosol and black vertisol) . The study demonstrated that the CFR system was capable of doubling its yield by using similar fertilizers (N, P and K) and water inputs compared to these of the PI system resulting of greater nutrients (N and K) and water use efficiencies. Overall, the nutrient lost through runoff water was very limited for two intensive systems and nearly nil for PE system. Also similar trends were observed for soil physical properties in the intensive systems except for the topsoil (0-10 cm) where light acidification (P= 0.04) was recorded in the CFR probably due to the soil works before the maize sowing.

Homogeneously charged spark ignition (SI) engines are unable to stabilise the combustion in ultra lean mixtures, therefore they operate with a near stoichiometric air-fuel ratio (AFR) at all load points. This produces high engine out NOx and CO emissions with a compromise on fuel consumption. Moreover, stoichiometric operation is needed for effective operation of a three way catalyst, which is not adequate to meet future fuel consumption targets. (For complete abstract open document)