The objective of this work was to develop a systematic methodology for simultaneously targeting and optimizing heating, cooling, power cogeneration, and waste management for any processing facility. A systems approach was used to characterize the complex interactions between the various forms of material and energy utilities as well as their interactions with the core processing units. Two approaches were developed: graphical and mathematical. In both approaches, a hierarchical procedure was developed to decompose the problem into successive stages that were globally solvable then. The solution fragments were then merged into overall process solutions and targets. The whole approach was a systems approach of solving problems. The methodology was developed from the insights from several state of the art process integration techniques. In particular, the dissertation introduced a consistent framework for simultaneously addressing heat-exchange networks, material-recovery networks, combined heat and power, fuel optimization, and waste management. The graphical approach relied on decomposing the problem into sequential tasks that could be addressed using visualization tools. The mathematical approach enabled the simultaneous solution of critical subproblems. Because of the non-convexity of the mathematical formulation, a global optimization technique was developed through problem reformulation and discretization. A case study was solved and analyzed to illustrate the effectiveness of the devised methodology.

無 / The objective of this study is to establish a base for understanding inflexibility, with different kinds of integration problems being examined and explained. Studies of process integration have focused mostly on the design and management of efficient operation with information technology but very little on the difficulty in making changes with tightly linked processes. In order to eliminate risks of integration failure, there is a need for deep understanding of the types and causes of inflexibility with process integration. Based on the literature and industry experience of process integration and enterprise flexibility/inflexibility, this study proposes that inflexibility can be classified as either operational, organizational, or systems inflexibility. Sources of inflexibility have been investigated from views of business design, users’ willingness and capability, and systems designers’ designs. Cases studied shown that these three sources of inflexibility are interrelated and can reciprocally affect business performance. Companies applying process integration may eliminate the risk of integration downsides by carefully managing business design, user willingness and system design capability. Only with a broad and thorough view of the system, people and process interactions can a firm capitalize its investment in process integration.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Virginia Commonwealth University, 2009. / Prepared for: School of Education. Title from title-page of electronic thesis. Bibliography: leaves 222-234.

The aim of this thesis is to analyse international financial integration. Chapter 2 investigates the determinants of international financial integration. Variables including the capital control policy dummy variable, openness to international trade, domestic credit and economic growth are candidates for explaining variation in the degree of international financial integration. Chapter 3 analyses cointegration between the US and several European Union equity markets. Between 1993 and 1998, there is mixed evidence of cointegration ties with the US equity market. Over the period covering the introduction of the euro, most of the European markets did not show any evidence of cointegration with the US market. Granger causality tests reveal significant causality running from the US to the European markets. Chapter 4 estimates time series of market and idiosyncratic volatilities for the firms composing the index DJ Eurostoxx 50 following the volatility decomposition method of Campbell et al. (2001). There was a positive trend in both market and firm-level volatility and average correlation among firms has increased. This contrasts with the US evidence in Campbell et al. (2001) of a strong positive trend in firm-level volatility, no trend in market volatility and a decrease in the average correlation. Results confirm a statistically significant market risk-return trade-off and that firm-level volatility has no predictive power for subsequent market returns. Chapter 5 analyses the link between FDI and economic growth using panel data. FDI has a stronger positive impact on economic growth in countries with higher levels of education attainment, those that are more open to international trade, have better stock market development and lower rates of population growth and levels of risk. Chapter 6 investigates the determinants of the home bias. Results indicate that capital controls and transaction costs are factors driving the home bias of Australian equity portfolio investment. The home bias lessens if the bilateral trade is higher. Australian investors invest a higher share of their portfolio in countries with better institutions and larger market size.

Zugl.: Köln, Univ., Diss., 2006

Zugl.: Ludwigsburg, Pädag. Hochsch., Diss., 2006 u.d.T.: Küchler, Matthias: Entwicklung eines Praxiskonzepts zur Vorbereitung auf das nachschulische Leben durch die Schule für Menschen mit geistiger Behinderung.

Pädag. Hochsch., Diss. 2006 u.d.T.: Küchler, Matthias: Entwicklung eines Praxiskonzepts zur Vorbereitung auf das nachschulische Leben durch die Schule für Menschen mit geistiger Behinderung--Ludwigsburg.

Diss. Stockholm : Stockholms universitet, 2004.

Diss. Göteborg : Univ., 2003.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 131-137).