This thesis asses the financial health of the company xxx in the years 2002 to 2005 at the basis of sesected methods of the financial analysis. It comprieses proposals of possible solutions of identified problems which should result in the improvement of financial situation of the firm in future years.

The aim of the study was to determine whether there is a relationship between organisational culture and occupational health. The General Health Questionnaire and the South African Culture Instruments were used for this purpose. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used for this purpose. The study focused on clarifying the two concepts and their impact on the organisation. The effects of general health factors were determined in the organisation under investigation. The existing organisational culture was also investigated. In conclusion, the assumption that occupational health can have an impact on organisational health, or vice versa, was confirmed. / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / MCom (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Oxidation flow reactors (OFRs) using low-pressure Hg lamp emission at 185 and 254 nm produce OH radicals efficiently and are widely used in atmospheric chemistry and other fields. However, knowledge of detailed OFR chemistry is limited, allowing speculation in the literature about whether some non-OH reactants, including several not relevant for tropospheric chemistry, may play an important role in these OFRs. These non-OH reactants are UV radiation, O(¹D), O(³P), and O₃. In this study, we investigate the relative importance of other reactants to OH for the fate of reactant species in OFR under a wide range of conditions via box modeling. The relative importance of non-OH species is less sensitive to UV light intensity than to water vapor mixing ratio (H₂O) and external OH reactivity (OHR_ext), as both non-OH reactants and OH scale roughly proportionally to UV intensity. We show that for field studies in forested regions and also the urban area of Los Angeles, reactants of atmospheric interest are predominantly consumed by OH. We find that O(¹D), O(³P), and O₃ have relative contributions to volatile organic compound (VOC) consumption that are similar or lower than in the troposphere. The impact of O atoms can be neglected under most conditions in both OFR and troposphere. We define “riskier OFR conditions” as those with either low H₂O (< 0.1 %) or high OHR_ext ( ≥  100 s⁻¹ in OFR185 and > 200 s⁻¹ in OFR254). We strongly suggest avoiding such conditions as the importance of non-OH reactants can be substantial for the most sensitive species, although OH may still dominate under some riskier conditions, depending on the species present. Photolysis at non-tropospheric wavelengths (185 and 254 nm) may play a significant (> 20 %) role in the degradation of some aromatics, as well as some oxidation intermediates, under riskier reactor conditions, if the quantum yields are high. Under riskier conditions, some biogenics can have substantial destructions by O₃, similarly to the troposphere. Working under low O₂ (volume mixing ratio of 0.002) with the OFR185 mode allows OH to completely dominate over O₃ reactions even for the biogenic species most reactive with O₃. Non-tropospheric VOC photolysis may have been a problem in some laboratory and source studies, but can be avoided or lessened in future studies by diluting source emissions and working at lower precursor concentrations in laboratory studies and by humidification. Photolysis of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) samples is estimated to be significant (> 20 %) under the upper limit assumption of unity quantum yield at medium (1 × 10¹³ and 1.5 × 10¹⁵ photons cm⁻² s⁻¹ at 185 and 254 nm, respectively) or higher UV flux settings. The need for quantum yield measurements of both VOC and SOA photolysis is highlighted in this study. The results of this study allow improved OFR operation and experimental design and also inform the design of future reactors.

In this study an in depth investigation of successful competitive strategies for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is undertaken. The overall aim of this study is to analyse the strategic orientation of UK Manufacturing SMEs. In the process, it will test Porter’s (1980, 1985) theoretical framework of generic strategies and thus evaluate firms’ preferred strategic synthesis. It will, therefore, test the efficacy of the value chain and develop any specific pattern that relates to a combination strategy. The investigation of the above objectives is undertaken utilising a mixed research methodology with the purpose of examining the applicability of existing competitive strategy frameworks (phase 1) and testing a new theoretical framework that incorporates additional dimensions of strategy (phase 2). During phase 1, Porter’s framework is employed to investigate SMEs’ strategic orientation as a means to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. A semi-structured questionnaire is employed and the analysis is carried out by means of factor and cluster analysis to identify strategic variables currently employed by SMEs. During phase 2, the theoretical framework is operationalised to bridge the gap within the literature and existing empirical research. Its purpose is to identify forms of successful competitive strategies of UK MSMEs as they are formulated and implemented in firms’ value chain activities. The data was collected through a number of semi-structured interviews and the analysis was based on data categorisation. The findings indicate that Porter’s (1980) single generic strategies are not the best option for UK MSMEs for gaining competitive advantage and that the

published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

In this study a two-part mixed probability density function was derived which described the relative changes in the Standard and Poor's 100 Stock Index over various intervals of time. The density function is a mixture of two different halves of normal distributions. Optimal values for the standard deviations for the two halves and the mean are given. Also, a general form of the function is given which uses linear regression models to estimate the standard deviations and the means. The density functions allow stock market participants trading index options and futures contracts on the S & P 100 Stock Index to determine probabilities of success or failure of trades involving price movements of certain magnitudes in given lengths of time.

The main topic of diploma thesis is evaluation of the financial situation of company NICOTRANS, Inc. in years 2006 až 2009 from the viewpoint of external evaluator with the aim to analyzing financial health of the company and point out possibly problematic areas within the financial management of organization. The author formulates detailed analysis according to the methods of financial analyses for every part of the company.The last chapter of the practical part of the diploma thesis is devoted to calculation of the indicator Economic Value Added (EVA) as the indicator for evaluating the efficiency of company, revealing if the company is generating any added value to its owners or not. For the calculation, will be applied the methodology of Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic.

This study refers to a qualitative and quantitative weathering characterization of a gneiss rock mass (weathering profile, intact rock and discontinuity) in a tropical region. The rock mass was excavated for a construction of an unlined railway tunnel, which during its useful life began to present block instability problems linked to the weathering and the time of exposure of the rock. The weathering of the rock mass and its weathering grades are approached in the geological and geotechnical points of view, covering bibliographical review on the subject, field inspection, direct and indirect investigations, and laboratory tests: petrographic analysis, X-ray diffraction, physical properties and durability index, sclerometry, ultrasonic test, uniaxial and diametral compression. / Este estudo se refere à caracterização qualitativa e quantitativa do intemperismo de um maciço rochoso gnáissico (perfil de intemperismo, rocha intacta e descontinuidades) em uma região tropical. O maciço foi escavado para a construção de um túnel ferroviário não revestido, que ao longo da vida útil começou a apresentar problemas de instabilidade de blocos vinculados ao intemperismo e ao tempo de exposição da rocha. O intemperismo do maciço rochoso e os seus graus de alteração foram abordados do ponto de vista geológico e geotécnico, levando-se em consideração uma ampla revisão bibliográfica sobre o tema, inspeção de campo, investigações diretas e indiretas, e os seguintes ensaios laboratoriais: análise petrográfica, difratometria de raios X, índices físicos e de durabilidade, esclerometria, ultrassom, compressão uniaxial e diametral.

Orientador: Carlos Roberto Padovani / Banca: Marie Oshiiwa / Banca: Sandra Fiorelli de Almeida Penteado Simeão / Banca: José Carlos Martinez / Banca: Luis Carlos Giarola / Resumo: Objetivou-se a construção de Índices Percentuais de "Status" - IDPS (%) visando à ordenação e classificação de assentamentos rurais, em relação ao desenvolvimento sustentável (IDPSDS (%)), considerando aspectos agronômico, socioeconômico e ambiental, para diagnosticar a realidade dos mesmos. Nesse sentido, consideraram-se procedimentos metodológicos estatísticos analíticos univariados e multivariados para o estabelecimento de descritores analíticos - índices - envolvendo técnicas de Coeficientes de Variação (CV) e Componentes Principais (CP), que foram empregados na construção dos IDPSDS (%). Dados de assentamentos rurais, de sete regiões do Estado de Mato Grosso foram usados na exemplificação da metodologia. A partir de diagnósticos cedidos pela Empresa Mato-Grossense de Pesquisa, Assistência e Extensão Rural S/A - EMPAER-MT, variáveis foram agrupadas em 22 blocos, sendo que seis foram utilizados na construção de índices. As técnicas CP e CV também foram aplicadas em bloco único geral, com 47 variáveis. A variação do Índice Percentual de "Status" (%) - IDPS (%) foi de 0% a 100%. A concordância mínima nos resultados entre as técnicas foi de 6% e máxima de 32%. Os assentamentos com maiores IDPSDS (%) foram considerados de "maior potencial" em relação às variáveis consideradas. A opção de utilização do IDPS (%) pela técnica dos Coeficientes de Variação ou de Componentes Principais é livre e depende exclusivamente do interesse da pesquisa. A fim de comparar os resultados da classificação geral com os grupos formados em função de similaridade do comportamento das variáveis elencadas no bloco único geral, realizou-se o agrupamento dos assentamentos, utilizando-se a técnica de Agrupamento. A classificação e o agrupamento geraram resultados coerentes. O assentamento Vale do Seringal pertencente à região de ...(Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The purpose of this study was the building of Percentage Indexes of "Status" - PIS (%), seeking the ordination and classification of rural settlements, regarding to the sustainable development (Percentages Indexes of Sustainable Development "Status" - PISDS (%)), considering agronomical, socioeconomic and environmental aspects, to diagnose the reality of rural settlements. In this sense, it was took into consideration univariate and multivariate statistical-analytical methodological procedures to the establishment of analytical descriptors - indexes - involving techniques of Variation Coefficients (VC) and Principal Components (PC), which were used in the construction of PISDS (%). Data of rural settlements, from seven regions of the State of Mato Grosso were used in the exemplification of the methodology. By using diagnosis released by the Enterprise of Research, Assistance and Rural Extension from Mato Grosso Inc. - EMPAER- MT, variables were grouped in 22 blocks, 6 blocks of which were used to construct the indexes. The VC and PC techniques were also applied in a unique general block, with 47 variables. The variation of the Percentage Index of "Status" (%) - PIS (%) was from 0% to 100%. The minimum concordance in the results between the techniques was 6% and the maximum, 32%. The settlements with higher PISDS (%) were considered as "higher potential" regarding the considered variables. The option of usage of the PIS (%) by the technique of the Variation Coefficients or the Principal Components is free and depends only on the interest of the research. In order to compare the results of the general classification with the groups formed in function of the similarities in the behavior of the variables listed in the unique general block, the grouping of settlements has been done, using the technique of Grouping. The classification... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor