This dissertation reports the results of case studies on innovation and new product development in eight Scottish food companies and a subsequent triangulation survey of 85 innovative Scottish companies. The case studies are carried out using qualitative research methods and a realistic inductive research strategy. It is found that the case study companies use an informal and cross-functional innovation process, which is independent of the age of enterprise. It is also discovered that these companies develop new products, often luxuriant variants of their existing products, which are mainly indulgences rather than healthy foods and are sold mostly to large retailers. Use of production methods that are amenable to quick changes in final products and networking with customers, suppliers, other food companies and Scottish Enterprise is also observed. Creative people with high innovative proclivity, who often travel to new locations in search of product ideas, drive the process. The case study companies are high-variety-low-volume businesses, possess good understanding of customer needs and circumstances and are able to achieve a good fit between needs of the market and their own resources. Not facing financial constraints, these companies are able to attract and retain talent, needed to develop new products. Continuously learning from their NPD endeavours, they sell their products without any major advertising or marketing effort. The subsequent triangulation survey of 85 innovative Scottish companies, from food as well as non-food sectors, confirms most of the above-mentioned findings. Contrary to the case study results however, the survey discovers that innovative Scottish companies face financial constraints while developing new products, do not sell most of their new products to large retailers or undertake travel to new locations in search of product ideas. The main contributions to knowledge by this research include crystallisation of the new product development practices in Scotland, highlighting difference in product innovation between various sub-groups of enterprises, a new conceptual construct within which all notions and definitions of innovation can be accommodated and identification of a basic flaw in the present innovation policy in Scotland.

The objective of the research reported in this dissertation is to conduct an empirical test of the hypothesis that, excluding income tax effects, the cost of capital to a firm is independent of the degree of financial leverage employed by the firm. This hypothesis, set forth by Franco Modigliani and Merton Miller in 1958, represents a challenge to the traditional view on the subject, a challenge which carries implications of considerable importance in the field of finance. The challenge has led to a lengthy controversy which can ultimately be resolved only by subjecting the hypothesis to empirical test. The basis of the test was Modigliani and Miller's Proposition II, a corollary of their fundamental hypothesis. Proposition II, in effect, states that equity investors fully discount any increase in risk due to financial leverage so that there is no possibility for the firm to reduce its cost of capital by employing financial leverage. The results of the research reported in this dissertation do not support that contention. The study indicates that, if equity investors require any increase in premium for increasing financial leverage, the premium required is significantly less than that predicted by the Modigliani-Miller Proposition II, over the range of debt-equity ratios covered by this study. The conclusion, then, is that it is possible for a firm to reduce its cost of capital by employing financial leverage. A secondary conclusion that can be drawn from this study is that earning power is an important variable to consider for inclusion in a regression model intended for use in investigating the effect of financial leverage on the cost of capital. The estimated partial regression coefficient of the earning-power variable was negative and highly significant in every cross-section year. Furthermore, earning power showed strong negative partial correlation with the debt-equity ratio. Therefore, omission of the earning-power variable from the regression model would have introduced upward bias into the estimated regression coefficient of the debt-equity ratio, making it appear that investors were reacting adversely to increasing debt-equity ratio. However, models used in previous tests of the Modigliani-Miller hypothesis have not included earning power.

Cette thèse porte sur l'étude du problème de tournées de véhicules compartimentés (Multi-Compartment Vehicle Routing Problem ou MC-VRP) dans le contexte de l'industrie de la nutrition animale. Les travaux de recherche et d'application sont concentrés sur la distribution dans le domaine agroalimentaire.En dépit d'une large application industrielle, les problèmes de MC-VRP ont été peu étudiés dans la littérature scientifique. Trois variantes du MC-VRP sont traitées dans cette thèse. D'une part, nous proposons les algorithmes "Greedy Randomized Adaptive Search Procedure" (GRASP) et "Iterated Local Search procedure" (ILS) pour résoudre le MC-VRP avec un compartiment de taille fixe dédié à chaque produit. Une extension de ce problème à des compartiments de tailles variables (Flexible Compartments Vehicle Routing Problem ou FC-VRP) est également résolue. D'autre part, nous proposons un GRASP et un Multi Start ILS pour la résolution du MC-VRP avec décisions d'affectation de chaque compartiment à un client et un produit.En dernier lieu, des travaux d'application industrielle sont présentés. Des tests d'évaluation de performances ont été réalisés dans un contexte de distribution d'aliments au bétail chez la société Nestal. Des outils d'aide à la décision ont été développés et mis en place dans cette société / This research concerns solving the Multi-Compartment Vehicle Routing Problem (MC-VRP) in the context of animal nutrition industry. Research and application work focuses on distribution in food industry.Despite its vast application in industry, little attention has been paid to the MC-VRP. We address three classes of MC-VRP in this research. Firstly, we propose two metaheuristics, "Greedy Randomized Adaptive Search Procedure" (GRASP) and "Iterated Local Search procedure" (ILS), in order to solve a MC-VRP with a fixed-sized compartment dedicated to each product. Also, an extension of this problem to variable-sized compartments which we call Flexible Compartments Vehicle Routing Problem (FC-VRP) is studied. Further, we propose a GRASP and a Multi Start ILS to solve a MC-VRP problem with assignment decisions of each compartment to one client and one product. Finally, some application work is presented. Experiments intended to measure performance in the context of food distribution to cattle were conducted for Nestal company. Decision support tools had been developed and implemented for this company

This is a one year half thesis. This research was conducted within the context of the food services sector of Higher Education Institution dining halls and in the midst of the rising global call for food resource management and food waste reduction. The main aim of this research therefore was to identify opportunities for learning and change for a more sustainable food economy, contributing to Education for Sustainable Production and Consumption, and by further implication, Education for Sustainable Development. To achieve this aim, I used Cultural Historical Activity Theory as theoretical and methodological framework; drawing on the second and the third generations of this theory. Implicated in the above research approach is the identification of expansive learning opportunities from the surfacing of ‘tensions’ and ‘contradictions’. In this case study of the Rhodes University Campus Food Services, such tensions and contradictions inhibiting a more sustainable food economy, involving food waste production were identified. To narrow the scope of the study, one dining hall formed the focus of the case, with a two phased research approach whereby one research question and three goals were developed for each phase. The former being the exploration phase and the latter being the initial stages of the expansive phase. Methods used in line with the methodological framework included ten individual interviews with food producers (staff members), nine focus group discussions with food consumers (students), observations of the dining hall activities which lasted for over a month and two ‘Change Laboratory Workshops’. Some of the findings of this research are that food wastage cannot be addressed and appropriately curtailed without an intensive consideration of all the stages of food economy. Multiple contradictions and sources of tensions embedded in the Food Services Sector constituted major causes of food waste. Additionally, the lack of substantial food waste related teaching and learning activities, the presence of disputed rules, institutional structure and traditional practices within the Food Services all exacerbated the tensions and contradictions. More so, prioritizing some of this identified contradictions and tensions hindering a more sustainable food economy and relegating some as unimportant or nonurgent is unproductive. Finally, the non-existence of facilitated deliberation, consultation, dialogue, collaboration between food producers and food consumers has been identified as an obstacle to learning and institutional change. Recommendations abound in re-orienting, re-educating, and re-informing the constituents of the food economy. Re-visiting and revising of rules and regulations guiding conduct of students and kitchen staff members in the RU dining halls, as well as revision of existing learning support materials and mediating tools in use is needed. Recognition and consideration of the concerns and interests of students and kitchen staff members are also needed. Finally, there is a need to continue to address the tensions and contradictions identified in this case study, to further the Expansive Learning Process if a more sustainable food economy at Rhodes University is to be established.

The goal of this thesis is to assess the link between labour productivity and firm competitiveness. An indispensable condition is to identify appropriate indicators measuring competitiveness. The link is examined in small and medium-sized companies active in manufacturing industry, specifically in section CZ-NACE 10. Manufacture of food products. First, an analysis of labour productivity and selected competitiveness indicators is made. Selected competitiveness indicators are Return on Assets (ROA), Return on Sales (ROS), Current Liquidity and index IN05. The relationship between labour productivity and competitiveness measured by selected indicators is examined by correlation and regression analysis. The significant positive link was found between labour productivity and competitiveness measured by ROA and ROS. Small and Medium-sized companies active in food industry can improve their ROA and ROS, and through this also competitiveness, by increasing their labour productivity. These indicators have also proved to be an appropriate tool for measuring the competitiveness of the company, especially in the food industry in the Czech Republic. The link between labour productivity and competitiveness measured by current liquidity and index IN05 was not explained in more detail.

The study determines the effects of resilience training on team performance. An investigation was undertaken to: * establish a theoretical foundation for using resilience training to improve performance; * identify parameters and criteria for determining the effects of resilience training on the individual within the team; * gain insight on how learners experienced the resilience training; and * whether they implemented the resilience training within the workplace. This study included the review of literature on various motivational theories, resilience, psycho-education, adult learning and team performance. It also included an empirical investigation on the effects of resilience training on the individual within the team and the team performance as such. Data was collected against the main research question: What is the effect of strengths-focussed training on team performance? / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Didactics)

The observation that similar firms faced with a similar situation and seemingly applying similar market strategies and achieving differing degrees of success sparked the study. The question that arose was whether the market strategies applied by these firms adhered to the principles of a sound market strategy put forward in the literature. The study found that the market strategy applied by the firms in question complied with the principles of market strategy, to varying degrees. The firms that adhered to these principles to a greater degree appeared to have been more successful than the others. It appeared that the latter firms neglected the principle "sustainable competitive advantage''. It was concluded that the adherence to the principles of a sound market strategy could lead to improved performance. / Business Management / D. Comm. (Business Management)

The objective of the study was to explore and to describe the extent to which the SIDO/UNIDO WED Programme had empowered participating women microentrepreneurs in the food-processing sector in Tanzania. The research question was: To what extent have SIDO/UNIDO WED Programme-supported women microentrepreneurs in the food-processing sector been empowered? The justification for the study was that most studies on women's empowerment have been on micro credit-based microenterprises and almost none on entrepreneurship-based ones. Furthermore, there is a very scanty coverage of Africa in women's empowerment research. Theoretical perspectives in gender and gender relations in accordance with the feminist empowerment paradigm as it is influenced by the international women's movement and empowerment guided the study. The study used a cross-sectional and causal-comparative research design. The sample comprised 78 women microentrepreneurs: 39 programme-supported and 39 others constituted a control group. Participation in the SIDO/UNIDO WED Programme was the independent variable. Women's empowerment was the outcome of interest with the following indicators as dependent variables: freedom to use own income; contribution to household income; ownership of assets; involvement in business associations; participation in trade fairs; freedom of movement and awareness of injustice. Measurement of women's empowerment was on three dimensions: economic, socio-cultural and psychological in two arenas: individual/household and community. Qualitative and quantitative primary data were collected using in-depth interviews and questionnaires. A constant comparative approach in qualitative data analysis and discussion was adopted. At first level of quantitative data analysis, descriptive statistical procedures involving cross tabulations and frequency distributions were used.Then chi-square tests and bivariate correlation analysis were performed. The findings indicated that WED Programme-supported women had become empowered in almost all indicators. However, they lacked control over their assets like their counterparts in the control group. The findings on women's freedom of movement show that it is an area where traditional ideologies, as structural factors, are resistant to changes normally influenced by women's income. The majority of interviewees from both categories were of the view that husbands and wives should have equal say in decision making and division of labour between husbands and wives should also be equal. / Development Studies / D. Litt et Phil. (Development Studies)

O aumento da concentração de nutrientes nos corpos receptores, principalmente nitrogênio e fósforo oriundos de efluentes sanitários e industriais pode gerar o fenômeno da eutrofização. Para que isto não ocorra é necessário que este efluente passe por um tratamento adequado, no entanto, o papel desempenhado por diversos grupos de microrganismos encontrados nos sistemas de tratamento de efluentes não é completamente compreendido devido à complexidade das interações. Este trabalho teve como objetivo caracterizar a estrutura e dinâmica da comunidade microbiana (bactérias envolvidas no ciclo do nitrogênio e microfauna) e avaliar a atividade biológica dos reatores aeróbio e anaeróbio de uma indústria de alimentos. Os parâmetros físico-químicos da estação de tratamento foram monitorados, bem como foi feita a avaliação da estrutura e dinâmica da comunidade bacteriana envolvida no ciclo do nitrogênio por meio da técnica de Hibridização in situ Fluorescente. A microfauna do reator aeróbio foi caracterizada e classificada conforme o Índice Biótico do Lodo. A atividade biológica do lodo foi avaliada através do Teste de Respirometria e foram feitas correlações entre a microbiota encontrada no reator aeróbio e parâmetros físico-químicos. Os parâmetros físico-químicos analisados estiveram dentro dos limites permitidos pelas legislações federais e estaduais e os parâmetros Demanda Bioquímica de Oxigênio, Demanda Química de Oxigênio e Nitrogênio Kjeldahl foram reduzidos de 99,8%, 99,6% e 74,9%, respectivamente. Foi possível observar a presença tanto de bactérias oxidadoras de nitrito quanto de amônia em ambos os reatores analisados, bem como em cada ponto de coletas dentro dos reatores. A bactéria Pseudomonas fluorescens também ocorreu em todos os pontos de coleta dos dois reatores. Dentre os grupos que compõem a microfauna do lodo ativado, os ciliados rastejantes foram os mais frequentes, seguido pelas tecamebas, rotíferos, ciliados sésseis, ciliados livre natantes, flagelados e outros invertebrados. Além disso, não houve diferença entre as densidades dos grupos encontradas nos Pontos 1 e 2 do reator aeróbio e o Índice Biótico do Lodo encontrado foi igual a 8 (classe I). A semelhança apresentada entre a Taxa de Consumo de Oxigênio dos pontos 1 e 2, bem como a Taxa de Consumo de Oxigênio específica entre os pontos 1 e 2 sugere que o oxigênio é distribuído de forma homogênea dentro do tanque de aeração, fazendo com que os microrganismos tenham condições semelhantes de crescimento. Os ciliados livre natantes apresentaram correlação positiva com a DQO e DBO5 e os ciliados sésseis apresentaram correlação negativa com a DQO e com a DBO5. Os rotíferos apresentaram correlação negativa com Sólidos Suspensos Voláteis do reator aeróbio. Os ciliados rastejantes, tecamebas e rotíferos apresentaram correlação positiva com a microfauna total encontrada no reator aeróbio. Os ciliados livre natantes apresentaram correlação negativa com os ciliados sésseis, bactérias totais, Nitrobacter e outras bactérias; e correlação positiva com outros invertebrados. Os flagelados apresentaram correlação negativa com as bactérias totais, enquanto as outras bactérias apresentaram correlação positiva. Os outros invertebrados apresentaram correlação negativa com Nitrobacter. / The increasing concentration of nutrients in receiving water bodies, especially nitrogen and phosphorus originating from domestic and industrial effluent discharges can cause eutrophication. In order to avoid that, the effluents must be properly treated for nutrients removal in wastewater treatment plants prior discharge. However, the role played by various groups of microorganisms found in wastewater treatment systems is not completely understood due to the complexity of interactions. This study aimed to characterize the structure and dynamics of microbial community (with focus on bacteria involved in the nitrogen cycle and microfauna) and evaluate the biological activity of aerobic and anaerobic reactors for wastewater treatment operated at a food industry. The physical and chemical parameters of the treatment plant were monitored. At the same time, hybridization in situ fluorescent assessed the structure and dynamics of bacterial community involved in the nitrogen cycle. The microfauna in the aerobic reactor were characterized and classified according to the Sludge Biotic Index. The sludge biological activity was assessed by respirometry assays and correlations were made between the microbiota found in the aerobic reactor and selected physicochemical parameters. The physical and chemical parameters analysed complied with the limits allowed by the federal and state regulations and parameters Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Kjeldahl nitrogen were reduced 99.8%, 99.6% and 74.9%, respectively. It was found the presence of both nitrite-oxidizing and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in both reactors and in each sampling point within the reactors. Pseudomonas fluorescens bacteria also occurred in all collection points of both reactors. Among the microorganism groups observed in the activated sludge, crawling ciliates were the most frequent, followed by tecamoebians, rotifers, ciliates sessile, free natant ciliates, flagellates and other invertebrates. In addition, there was no difference between the densities of the groups found in Points 1 and 2 in the aerobic reactor and the Sludge Biotic Index was found equal to 8 (class I). The similarity between the presented Oxygen Consumption Rate of items 1 and 2 as well as the Oxygen Consumption Rate particularly between points 1 and 2 suggest that oxygen is distributed evenly within the aeration tank, causing the microorganisms to have similar growth conditions. The free natant ciliates were positively correlated with COD and BOD5 and sessile ciliates showed a negative correlation with the COD and the BOD5. Rotifers were negatively correlated with Suspended Volatile Solids in the aerobic reactor. Crawling ciliates, rotifers and the tecamoebians were positively correlated with the total microorganisms found in the aerobic reactor. The free natant ciliates showed a negative correlation with the sessile ciliates, total bacteria, Nitrobacter and other bacteria and a positive correlation with other invertebrates. The flagellates were negatively correlated with the total bacteria, while other bacteria were positively correlated. The other invertebrates showed a negative correlation with Nitrobacter.

Hållbarhet är ett aktuellt ämne i dagens samhälle och nämns ofta i mediesammanhang. Planeten är överbefolkad, människor svälter och levnadsstandarden skiljer sig markant mellan jordens kontinenter. Även jordens resurser används i större mån än vad planeten klarar av och detta leder i sin tur till att miljön blir lidande. Detta har bidragit till att samhället idag har höga krav på hur företag arbetar kring hållbarhet. Intressenternas krav har i sin tur lett till att upprättande av hållbarhets- redovisningar har blivit allt vanligare. Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka hur hållbarhetsredovisningar utformas i tre olika branscher i Sverige och jämföra dessa för att urskilja eventuella likheter och olikheter som kan finnas. Vidare kommer även alternativa förklaringar till likheterna och olikheterna framföras. Branscherna som har studerats är hemelektronikbranschen, klädbranschen och livsmedels- branschen. För att besvara studiens syfte och frågeställningar har en djupgående analys av 15 företags hållbarhetsredovisningar gjorts. Sedan har dessa företag jämförts för att ha möjlighet att urskilja eventuella likheter och olikheter. Utifrån det empiriska materialet kan det utläsas att utformningen av de granskade rapporterna är olika till utseendet men att innehållet är relativt likt. Dock finns det ett fåtal skillnader i innehållet vilket kan bero på vilken miljö som respektive företag är aktiva i och vilka krav intressenterna har på ett företags hållbarhetsarbete. Likheter mellan branscherna och företagen kan förklaras med hjälp av legitimitetsteorin och den institutionella teorin. Företag vill uppnå legitimitet gentemot samhället i stort och det kan göras genom att efterlikna de företag som upprättar framgångsrika hållbarhetsrapporter. Studien är en kartläggning av hållbarhetsredovisningar i tre olika branscher där likheter och olikheter framhävs samt eventuella förklaringar till varför företag utformar sin hållbarhetsredovisning på de sätt de har gjort. / Sustainability is an up-to-date issue and it’s often mentioned in media. The planet is overpopulated, people are starving and the living conditions differ significantly between the continents. The resources of the earth are used to a greater extent than the planet is capable of. This has led to environmental problems and that the society has high demands of corporate social responsibility. Stakeholders’ requirements have led to the fact that the establishment of sustainability reports has become more common. The purpose of this thesis is to examine how sustainability reports are designed in three different industries in Sweden and compare them to distinguish any similarities or differences that may exist. Further, alternative explanations for the similarities and differences will be made. The industries that have been studied are the following: consumer electronics industry, clothing industry and food industry. In order to answer the study's purpose and questions, an in-depth analysis of 15 companies’ sustainability reports has been made. Then a comparison has been made between these companies and industries in order to determine if there are any similarities or differences. Based on the empirical material, the design of the reviewed reports is different in appearance but the content is relatively similar. However, there are also a few differences in the content and these may depend on the environment for which each company is active and what kind of requirements its stakeholders have on the company's sustainability work. Similarities between the industries and companies can be explained with the help of legitimacy theory and institutional theory. Companies want to achieve legitimacy towards the society and one way to do this is to imitate the companies that establish successful sustainability reports. The study is a mapping of sustainability reports in three different industries, highlighting similarities and differences, as well as possible reasons why companies design their sustainability report in the way they have done.