The Stochastic Diffusion Search (SDS) was developed as a solution to the best-fit search problem. Thus, as a special case it is capable of solving the transform invariant pattern recognition problem. SDS is efficient and, although inherently probabilistic, produces very reliable solutions in widely ranging search conditions. However, to date a systematic formal investigation of its properties has not been carried out. This thesis addresses this problem. The thesis reports results pertaining to the global convergence of SDS as well as characterising its time complexity. However, the main emphasis of the work, reports on the resource allocation aspect of the Stochastic Diffusion Search operations. The thesis introduces a novel model of the algorithm, generalising an Ehrenfest Urn Model from statistical physics. This approach makes it possible to obtain a thorough characterisation of the response of the algorithm in terms of the parameters describing the search conditions in case of a unique best-fit pattern in the search space. This model is further generalised in order to account for different search conditions: two solutions in the search space and search for a unique solution in a noisy search space. Also an approximate solution in the case of two alternative solutions is proposed and compared with predictions of the extended Ehrenfest Urn model. The analysis performed enabled a quantitative characterisation of the Stochastic Diffusion Search in terms of exploration and exploitation of the search space. It appeared that SDS is biased towards the latter mode of operation. This novel perspective on the Stochastic Diffusion Search lead to an investigation of extensions of the standard SDS, which would strike a different balance between these two modes of search space processing. Thus, two novel algorithms were derived from the standard Stochastic Diffusion Search, ‘context-free’ and ‘context-sensitive’ SDS, and their properties were analysed with respect to resource allocation. It appeared that they shared some of the desired features of their predecessor but also possessed some properties not present in the classic SDS. The theory developed in the thesis was illustrated throughout with carefully chosen simulations of a best-fit search for a string pattern, a simple but representative domain, enabling careful control of search conditions.

by Kwong-hon Ho. / Bibliography: leaves 51-53 / Thesis (M.Ph.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1984

The purpose of this study was to explore whether the employee perceived need-supply fit (N-S fit), demand-ability fit (D-A fit), person-organization fit (P-O fit), and person-supervisor fit (P-S fit) mediate the relationship between transformational leadership (TFL) and follower's task performance, and organizational citizenship behavior toward organization (OCB-O)and supervisor (OCB-S). In addition, we also examined the moderating effects of follower's cultural and learning adaptabilities on the relationship between TFL and the above employee's fit perceptions. The data was collected from 36 companies of different industries in Taiwan, consisted of 85 leaders and 179 followers. The result of structural equation modeling and hierarchical regression analysis showed that perceived N-S fit mediated the relationship of TFL and task performance. The effect of TFL on OCB-O and OCB-S was also mediated by perceived P-O fit, and P-S fit respectively. Furthermore, follower's cultural adaptability moderated the positive relationship between TFL and N-S fit. Besides, follower's low learning adaptability strengthened the effect of TFL on follower perceived D-A fit. Finally, follower's learning adaptability strengthened the positive relationship between TFL and perceived P-S fit. Theoretical and practical implications of our findings are discussed.

This dissertation presents an experimental and theoretical study of subsynchronous rotordynamic instability in rotors caused by interference and shrink fit interfaces. The experimental studies show the presence of strong unstable subsynchronous vibrations in two different rotor setups with interference and shrink fit interfaces that were operated above their first critical speeds. The unstable vibrations occur at the first natural frequency of the rotor-bearing system. The instability caused complete wreckage of the test rig in one of the setups showing that these vibrations are potentially dangerous to the safe operation of rotating machines. The two different rotor setups that are studied are a single-disk rotor mounted on a uniform diameter shaft and a two-disk rotor with an aluminum sleeve shrink fitted to it at the outer surface of the two disks. In the single-disk rotor, an adjustable interference arrangement between the disk and the shaft is obtained through a tapered sleeve arrangement, which acts as the interference fit joint. The unstable sub-synchronous vibrations originate from slippage in the shrink fit and the interference fit interfaces that develop friction forces, which act as destabilizing cross-coupled moments when the rotor is operated above its first critical speed. The unique contribution offered through this work is the experimental validation of a physically correct model of internal friction which models the destabilizing mechanism as a system of cross-coupled internal moments at the shrink fit interface. The dissertation describes stability simulations of various test rotor setups using the correct internal moments model. A commercial finite-element based software called XLTRCTM is used to perform rotordynamic simulations for stability studies. The method of stability study is the computation of eigenvalues of the rotor-bearing system. A negative real part of the eigenvalue indicates instability. The simulations include the test rotors that were experimentally observed as stable and unstable with shrink and interference fit interfaces in their assemblies. The dissertation also describes the simulations of various imagined rotor configurations with shrink fit interfaces, and seeks to explain how configurations differ on rotordynamic stability depending upon several rotor-bearing parameters such as geometry and elastic properties, as well as upon the amount of internal friction parameters, which differ from configuration to configuration.

In this note it is shown that even for relatively large sample sizes the asymptotic distribution of the smoothed length as derived in Reschenhofer and Bomre (1991) should not be used for the determination of critical values. Therefore extended tables of critical values for both the 1% and 5% levels of significance generated by simulation are presented. (author's abstract) / Series: Forschungsberichte / Institut für Statistik

Given the increasing predominance of work teams within organisations, this study aimed to investigate the role that perceptions of person-team fit has in the recruitment process, in addition to other forms of person-environment fit. An experimental design was followed which manipulated the amount of team information made available to participants. It was hypothesised that participants who received more information would exhibit higher perceptions of person-team fit. Results supported this prediction with levels of person-team fit being successfully manipulated. Results also showed significant correlations between person-team fit and organisational attraction which is important in the early stages of recruitment. This study was conducted remotely over the internet with clickstream data associated with this medium being collected. It was hypothesised that viewing order and times may be related to dependent variables. No support for this prediction was found, however it did identify a group of participants that appeared not to engage in the task, which has implications for future research carried out online.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Michigan State University. Dept. of Statistics and Probability, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on July 7, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 93-95). Also issued in print.

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The volume of mergers and acquisitions in 2014 amounted to 3.6 trillion USD. Acquisition activity over the previous year increased by 26 % and the volume of mergers and acquisitions was the third highest in history after 2007 and 2006. The constantly increasing number of mergers and acquisitions and an increase in the volume of capital required for the realization of transactions stand in stark contrast to the high rate of failure. The primary motive for international mergers and acquisitions is the realization of synergies. The paper analyzes in detail the factors that influence the success of international mergers and acquisitions, especially strategic fit, cultural fit and integration. It also analyzes the motives which lead to realization of those transactions and how they relate to the realization of synergies. The results of previous studies are presented in the theoretical part, practical part is focused on a specific acquisition of Anheuser-Busch, which is part of the global brewing group Anheuser-Busch InBev, which in 2014 bought a small Czech brewery - Pivovar Samson.

Le marquage d’ingrédient est une stratégie de développement de la marque d’accueil avec la mise en avant de ses marques composantes. Il est devenu un choix incontournable sur le marché Internet. Basée sur la théorie de catégorisation, la théorie des représentations sociales, la théorie de noyau central et la théorie de congruence, notre recherche vise à comprendre l’influence du fit et de la typicalité sur les marques d’accueil. L’expérimentation est réalisée sur les sites du commerce électronique. Selon nos résultats, le fit des marques est le facteur principal de l’évaluation du consommateur sur la marque d’accueil. Ce facteur joue le rôle du facteur médiateur entre la typicalité de la marque d’ingrédient et l’évaluation de la marque d’accueil par le consommateur. L’étude a également prouvé l’existence d’un lien de corrélation entre les typicalités des marques évaluées par les consommateurs. / The ingredient branding is branding development strategy by promoting its ingredient brands. It became an incontrovertible choice nowadays for the Internet market. Our study focused on the impact of evaluative criteria of ingredient branding (fit, typicality) on the host brand, which are e-commerce websites. Based on different branding theories (categorization theory, social representations theory, central core theory and congruence theory), our research approved that fit is the principal influent factor on host brand evaluation. Our results also indicated that fit is a mediatory variable between ingredient brand’s typicality and host brand evaluation and the correlated link between typicality’s brands relied on consumers’ evaluation is confirmed.