<p>The aim of the thesis is to find a deeper understanding and knowledge concerning the interpretation of racism as a phenomenon in the everyday life of children in the age of 12-13 years old. To achieve the aim of the thesis I have used parts of the phenomenographic theories as a methodological implement. The conclusions made are represented through four different themes. The first theme deals with the way children apply to verbal overtones of racism in their everyday language. The second theme is about how some children discuss thoughts on integration and assimilation as phenomenon. The third theme deals with the supposed cause of racism adopted by the children. Finally the fourth theme reflects the reasoning held by children concerning the image of the “Racist”. These four themes provide the analytical reasoning for the thesis, which is held through out the complete course of this work.</p>

The aim of the thesis is to find a deeper understanding and knowledge concerning the interpretation of racism as a phenomenon in the everyday life of children in the age of 12-13 years old. To achieve the aim of the thesis I have used parts of the phenomenographic theories as a methodological implement. The conclusions made are represented through four different themes. The first theme deals with the way children apply to verbal overtones of racism in their everyday language. The second theme is about how some children discuss thoughts on integration and assimilation as phenomenon. The third theme deals with the supposed cause of racism adopted by the children. Finally the fourth theme reflects the reasoning held by children concerning the image of the “Racist”. These four themes provide the analytical reasoning for the thesis, which is held through out the complete course of this work.

An appropriate regional cooperation environment makes a vital contribution to the social and economic development of every country in the region. This research thesis focuses specifically on the growing lack of appropriate regional cooperation models in developing countries, and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) is used as a case study. The research highlights some key issues on the development of the appropriate regional cooperation models. The research information is obtained on the research areas through questionnaire surveys to respondents from South Africa, Tanzania, and Mauritius on the current regional cooperation model and the perceived ideal one. The conclusions drawn are that the regional cooperation models envisaged to be in use in the SADC differ significantly from the theory, which results in inappropriate focus on the requirements of the majority of the states. This is primarily due to the use of inappropriate regional cooperation models. The indications are that traditional market-type integration models, which are used as a “default model” without major adjustments, are inappropriate within the developing countries context, owing to the existence of a fundamental incongruence between the assumptions and requirements of such models and the needs and realities prevailing in Southern Africa. Southern Africa does not satisfy the foremost prerequisites of successful market integration. Despite the considerable advantages the models might have gained in other developed regions, they often fail to meet the requirements of the developing countries. In measuring the satisfaction regarding the current regional cooperation adhering to the requirements of the majority of states, it becomes obvious that the SADC population is generally not satisfied with the results regarding the current regional cooperation. In order to meet the requirements of the majority of states, SADC regional cooperation needs to focus on the appropriate regional cooperation. This requires an understanding and management of three classes of factors, which are environmental factors, capacity factors, and regional organisational factors. The three classes of factors together affect the participation rate of the states. / Business Leadership / DBL (Business Leadership)

Proefskrif ten opsigte van die voldoening aan die vereistes vir die graad: Doctor Technologiae: Omgewingsgesondheid in die Fakulteit Toegepaste Wetenskappe aan die Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2013 / The economical impact of occupation-related diseases and injuries places an immense financial burden on the inhabitants of a country and its industry. There is little doubt that the human factor is the single most important contributing factor to critical work-related accidents. Safety measures in the field of occupational health and safety are normally implemented according to a specific hierarchy, whereby the use of personal protective equipment is seen as the last outcome to protect workers against accidents and disease. However, there is little doubt that the correct use of personal protective equipment can protect a worker against injury and even death. The purpose of this research was to address a limitation through the development of a risk model that is specifically aimed at the application of personal protective equipment in the field of occupational health and safety. This model informed the factors influencing the use of personal protective equipment, and is instrumental in the prevention of unsafe behaviour at work. This documented method of research analysed various risk models from previous research studies in order to develop a new model, the Factor Integration Model (FIM). This model consists of five components each with its own specific elements that are interrelated. Each element has a specific value that was determined by 20 local and international experts in the field of occupational health and safety. The 54 elements of the model were used to create an electronic Excel®-based questionnaire, namely the Electronic Risk Categorising Package (ERK). The ERK can be utilised to categorise the worker`s use of personal protective equipment into a low, low medium, high medium and high risk scale. The utilisation and efficiency of ERK were tested at six different industries by comparing the categorisation of ERK with that of the supervisors. In order to prevent research bias, neither the researcher nor the supervisors were familiar with each other’s categorisations. The results were compared and the ERK showed a correct categorisation of the use of personal protective equipment in 75% of the cases. It was further found that in the cases where the prediction was not 100% correct, the ERK noted the borderline cases and the human factor of wrong prediction by the supervisor had to be considered. The research concluded that the use of personal protective equipment is influenced by various factors and should not be seen in isolation. The role of both management of a company and human behavioural change should never be underestimated. The ERK is a useful aid to predict risk behaviour as well as the use of personal protective equipment in the occupational health and safety field.

在資訊爆炸的時代，處於日趨複雜的環境及多重資訊來源管道之下，如何從大量及瑣碎的資訊中找出「重要且有用」的部份，藉以輔助企業或個人制定正確的決策，並降低資訊取得的成本，是資訊人員在設計資訊系統時所必須考量的重要因素之一，因此，資訊篩選(Information filtering)已成為當務之急，更顯示出其重要性。 本研究之主要目的在於整合類神經網路與模糊理論以建立一個通用型資訊篩選之演算法，藉由此演算法可篩選出重要之決策變數，減少資訊的使用量，達到相同或類似的決策結果，進而降低後續資訊蒐集之成本。最後並以四個XOR實驗及國內上市公訂股價預測為例，以測試本研究所開發出來之演算法的正確性及實用性。就XOR實驗結果顯示均能迅速且正確的篩選出重要的輸入資訊；而在股價預測方面，結合基本面分析及技術面分析，根據個別公司的特性及不同的時間點，能夠篩選出其重要的預測變數，可作為股市投資者之重要參考依據。因此，藉由本演算法所開發出來的系統，可以達到資訊篩選的目的。 / At the time of information explosion, how to filter the important and useful parts from a large and trivial information pool is one of the most important factors considering in designing information systems which are used to assist users making right decisions by MIS managers. The purpose of this research is to integrate two technologies. Artificial Neural Network and Fuzzy Theory, to develop a generalized algorithm to filter important information. We hope that using this algorithm we can (1)filter the important decision variables, (2)decrease the information usage, and (3)reduce the cost of information collection. Finally, we made four experiments on the XOR system and stock market forecasting to test the accuracy and practicability of the information filter algorithm. The results of experiments showed that the algorithm could filter the important information correctly and quickly.

本文主要是研究浮動匯率期間匯率波動對出口產業的影響。一般認為，匯率波動匯會使出口廠商的利潤風險增加，所以波動對於出口量的影響是為負的效果。不過，由於許多國外的研究的結果並不一定支持這種看法。本文針對台灣1984到1995年的資料進行實證研究，並且分別就不同出口產業對匯率波動的反應程度做討論，包括紡織類，塑膠化學類，電子類，機械類及基本金屬類五種產業，主要分為兩個架構分析： 　　（一）衡量匯率波動因子：對於匯率波動的衡量分成兩種方法：一種是以過去匯率變動的方式來衡量，另一種是以本期匯率預測的誤差來衡量，大部份的文獻都是採用前者。在此，為了將廠商事先避險的行為引入，所以採用後者的方法，將預測到的波動與未預測到的波動分離開來。 　　（二）匯率波動對各產業出口量的影響：將所有符合I(1)性質的變數用Johansen的方法做長期共整合關析的估計，再利用Granger Representation Theorem導出短期誤差修正模型，並將符合I(0)性質的波動因子引入模型當中，以便觀察匯率波動對出口量的影響。結果發現，各產業的出口量皆與匯率波動間存在明顯的負相關，其中以電子產業的影響最顯著，紡織類次之，基本金屬類影響最小，根據產品的特性分析可發現：當出口競爭愈激烈者，或是出口彈性愈大者，相對來講，會對匯率波動的反應較敏感。

台灣近年來逐漸可以看到互動媒體整合設計的應用，然而此類服務仍屬於發展中的產業，顧客使用互動媒體整合設計產品的需求亦尚未明確。本研究以價值創造的角度，探討在顧客價值尚未明確的情況之下，互動媒體整合設計公司(1)創造何種價值，(2)如何創造價值，以及(3)廠商活動與廠商資源的關係。本研究發現，(1) 互動媒體整合設計公司能同時創造資訊功能、互動功能、情境塑造功能之「整合」價值，(2) 互動媒體整合設計公司以建造模組、經營社群網絡、視顧客為開發團隊的方式創造價值，(3) 互動媒體整合設計公司會應用自身廠商資源進行價值創造，每一次專案所進行的廠商活動，也會影響廠商獲取之資源。 / In recent years, the application of interactive design in Taiwan has boarden. Still, the customer value remains implicit, while consumer needs stays unclear. In this situation, this rescearch explains: (1) What value do interactive design companies create? (2) How do interactive design companies create value? (3) When creating value, what is the relationship between firm’s activity and firm’s resourses? The findings of this research demonstrate: (1) Interactive design companies create the intergrated value of information function, interactive function, and sensorial fuction. (2) Interactive design companies use methods in the process of value creation such as module building, network managing, and incorporate customers into develop team to achieve the consensus of customer value. (3) Interactive design companies utilize its’ recourses in the process of value creation, while the process of value creation also influence its’ recourses.

近年來，互聯網及資訊通訊技術的發展使得買方和賣方之間的交流溝通更為通暢，交易成本降低，因此單純從事買賣中間業務的貿易公司的作用變得越來越小，其生存空間不斷縮小。國際貿易公司如果仍然只是接受國外訂單，組織國內貨源，進行出口交貨，這樣的代理角色必然會缺乏競爭力，並逐漸被市場淘汰。在傢俱行業之中，貿易公司也面臨著這樣的問題。 本研究從供應鏈整合、交易成本、服務創新等理論出發，結合傢俱行業貿易公司發展的實際情況，提出了一個新的傢俱行業貿易公司商業模型。新商業模型建議貿易公司進行客戶整合、供應商整合及內部整合，有助於公司降低交易成本、更好的服務客戶，提升原有服務品質並提供新的附加服務，增強貿易公司的競爭力及績效。 並且本研究使用一個實際的企業案例來說明該商業模型應用，通過實際的例子說明了該商業模型的運作方式，包括目標市場定位、經營業務、人員編製、營收估計及投資效益分析、風險及敏感性分析，同時也證明了該商業模型確實能夠為企業帶來效益增長與長遠發展。本研究具有理論意義及實踐意義。

The purpose of the study is to describe and research students roate into the programme, and what it means to students to follow a special secondary school course. The students attended a small specail needs teaching group based on the neuropsychiatric diagnosis of Asperger´s syndrome, which had been made during their years at school. In this connetction, the study will also clarify and analyse the interface between the organisation of a secondary school and the special needs students, from the players´persepctive where the student´attendance at school forms the basis of their education. The students already had a negative image of themselves as pupils before starting their secondary scool education and the learning environment in which they participated in secondary school. Attandance becomes another turning point in the students´statements about their time at school. The experience of being at school has changed. From their perspective- "an inner perspective"- both the courses they had taking, and the school environment, is emphasised as something positive. The fact that affiliation to the programme is positive is an ongoing feature in students´statements. Identification with friends of similar age, who have comparable experinces, above all in relation to school, is emphasised by most students as something positive. Studnets´feeling of communityis based on the knowledge that the reason why they are on programme is because they have had different problems in relation to school. For students, the environment is a type of identity- creating forum, where students with the same problems can undertake their education. The diagnosis plays a central part in how students perceive themselves in relation to school and the obstacles they face.

An appropriate regional cooperation environment makes a vital contribution to the social and economic development of every country in the region. This research thesis focuses specifically on the growing lack of appropriate regional cooperation models in developing countries, and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) is used as a case study. The research highlights some key issues on the development of the appropriate regional cooperation models. The research information is obtained on the research areas through questionnaire surveys to respondents from South Africa, Tanzania, and Mauritius on the current regional cooperation model and the perceived ideal one. The conclusions drawn are that the regional cooperation models envisaged to be in use in the SADC differ significantly from the theory, which results in inappropriate focus on the requirements of the majority of the states. This is primarily due to the use of inappropriate regional cooperation models. The indications are that traditional market-type integration models, which are used as a “default model” without major adjustments, are inappropriate within the developing countries context, owing to the existence of a fundamental incongruence between the assumptions and requirements of such models and the needs and realities prevailing in Southern Africa. Southern Africa does not satisfy the foremost prerequisites of successful market integration. Despite the considerable advantages the models might have gained in other developed regions, they often fail to meet the requirements of the developing countries. In measuring the satisfaction regarding the current regional cooperation adhering to the requirements of the majority of states, it becomes obvious that the SADC population is generally not satisfied with the results regarding the current regional cooperation. In order to meet the requirements of the majority of states, SADC regional cooperation needs to focus on the appropriate regional cooperation. This requires an understanding and management of three classes of factors, which are environmental factors, capacity factors, and regional organisational factors. The three classes of factors together affect the participation rate of the states. / Business Leadership / DBL (Business Leadership)