No abstract available. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1991.

This dissertation examines two main research questions: Why do firms deviate from their predicted level of toxic emissions, and how do these differences relate to financial performance? The objective is threefold: (1) to understand deviation in corporate environmental performance by looking at both industry and firm level variables, (2) to see how this deviation relates to both profitability and fluctuations in financial performance, and (3) to see if, and how, corporate environmental legitimacy affects the relationship between corporate environmental deviation and corporate financial performance. To achieve this objective the construct “corporate environmental performance deviation” is developed. It is defined as the extent to which a firm’s environmental performance deviates from its predicted performance, and is used to capture within-firm strategic choices in environmental management. Predicted environmental performance is calculated based on certain firm characteristics such as size and industry. Actual environmental performance is calculated using a weighted score of air emissions obtained from the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) database. The difference between these two values represents a corporation’s environmental performance deviation. Corporate environmental performance deviation focuses on strategic choices related to environmental management, while recognizing that environmental management is the result of both institutional pressures and within-firm strategic decisions. Aligned with this focus, variables 2 related to this strategic choice are used to explain deviation in environmental management, including an environmental integration capability, firm strategy, and industry munificence and dynamism. Associated with the internal and external organizational analysis, institutional theory and the resource-based view (RBV) are used to explore the tension between deviation to increase competitiveness versus isomorphism to attain legitimacy. The sample is composed of 311 U.S. firms who have reported their toxic air releases to the TRI from 1998-2007. The sample is broken down into two subsets, those that exceed (positive deviation) or fail to meet (negative deviation) predicted environmental performance. Results of a longitudinal analysis show that positive environmental deviation is related to a greater capacity to strategically integrate environmental issues into a firm’s existing business approach, less munificence and dynamism in the task environment, and reduced financial fluctuations. Negative environmental deviation is decreased through a demonstrated capacity to strategically integrate environmental issues into a firm’s existing strategic approach, and related to greater munificence and dynamism in the task environment, reduced profitability and increased financial fluctuations. Lastly, although there are no significant main effects for corporate environmental legitimacy, the paradoxical combination of negative deviation and environmental legitimacy can reduce the severity of the negative financial results to negative deviation, both in terms of profitability and financial fluctuations.

A COMPARATIVE CASE STUDY OF THE QUALITY OF LEARNING EXPERIENCE BETWEEN TRADITIONAL CAMPUS AND ON-LINE DISTANCE LEARNING AT A MASTERS LEVEL. This study compares the quality of learning experiences of traditional campus students to those of distance on-line students studying at a Masters level. Using an adapted version of “The theory of on-line learning quality” five dimensions of interaction were compared to determine if there was a significant statistical difference between both learning methods. The study took place within a Masters level program, in Linnaeus University, Sweden. The five dimensions of interaction included in the study are Instructor-Learner, Learner-Learner, Learner-Content, Learner-Interface, and Social Interaction. Using these dimensions of interaction to determine the quality of learning experience a questionnaire survey was designed for the students enrolled in the program. Answers to the survey questions used a Likert-scale schema for responses. A Mann-Whitney U-Test was performed on the response results. The results of the study found that there was little statistical difference between the quality of learning experience of traditional campus students to that of on-line distance students. The two survey questions which did show a statistical difference were related to the Instructor-Learner and Social dimensions of interaction. In a dual learning program of this type, recommendations are made to include a teaching assistant with responsibilities for monitoring on-line participation during live lectures.

The aim and objectives. Overall: To improve forest inventory methods using laser scanning. Specific: To create methodological background for laser scanning in the Lithuanian forest inventory and to provide practical suggestions for the use of remote sensing technique in practice. To attain the objective, the following tasks were formulated: 1. To investigate the influence of forest cover on the digital surface model accuracy when it is drawn up based on laser scanning data; 2. To investigate estimation peculiarities of individual tree characteristics using laser scanning data in the Lithuanian forest conditions; 3. To investigate estimation peculiarities of stand characteristics using laser scanning data in the Lithuanian forest conditions; 4. Provide practical suggestions for the use of laser scanning technology in the Lithuanian forest inventory. Novelty and originality. In Lithuania it is the first research work of a similar nature in forestry, thus from this viewpoint all topics are new and significant. The results obtained studying the issues of surface digital models based on laser scanning data in forest-covered areas are actual to professionals and practitioners also in other fields of science in Lithuania. Other aspects of the work allowing to consider its originality on the international level: • The use of standwise forest inventory data along with laser scanning data both in the estimation of tree dendrometric characteristics and determination of forest... [to full text] / Tikslas ir uždaviniai. Tiriamajam darbui buvo iškeltas tikslas: Bendrasis: Tobulinti miškų inventorizacijos metodus naudojant lazerinį skenavimą Konkretusis: Sukurti lazerinio skenavimo naudojimo vykdant Lietuvos miškų inventorizaciją metodinius pagrindus bei pateikti praktinius pasiūlymus šiai nuotolinių tyrimų technologijai naudoti praktikoje. Tyrimo tikslui pasiekti išsikelti šie uždaviniai: 1. Ištirti miško įtaką skaitmeninio žemės paviršiaus modelio tikslumui, kai šis sudaromas lazerinio skenavimo duomenų pagrindu; 2. Ištirti atskiro medžio charakteristikų nustatymo ypatumus naudojant lazerinio skenavimo duomenis Lietuvos miškų sąlygomis; 3. Ištirti medyno charakteristikų nustatymo ypatumus naudojant lazerinio skenavimo duomenis Lietuvos miškų sąlygomis; 4. Pateikti praktinius pasiūlymus lazerinio skenavimo technologijai naudoti Lietuvos miškų inventorizacijoje. Naujumas ir originalumas. Šio darbo mokslinį ir praktinį naujumą reikia nagrinėti keliais aspektais. Pirmiausia, Lietuvos mastu tai yra pirmas miškotyros mokslinis darbas, nagrinėjantis lazerinio skenavimo taikymą miško inventorizacijoje, todėl visos temos yra naujos ir reikšmingos. Rezultatai, gauti tiriant skaitmeninių Žemės paviršiaus modelių sudarymo lazerinio skenavimo duomenų pagrindu klausimus mišku padengtose teritorijose yra aktualūs ir kitų Lietuvos mokslo sričių specialistams bei praktikams. Vertinant darbo naujumą viso pasaulio kontekste – dauguma naudotų sprendimų yra adaptuoti Lietuvos sąlygomis... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

The aim of the study – improvement of on-going in Lithuania forest inventories based on satellite images and GIS databases. Specific objective of the study – to explore the possibilities of methods applied for the collection of information from satellite images and GIS databases and its processing in order to determine various Lithuanian forest characteristics, focusing on a variety of forest inventory schemes. 4 The goals of the study: 1. To discuss methodological assumptions for the use of satellite images and GIS database information to estimate various characteristics of the Lithuanian forests. 2. To investigate methodological assumptions for the application of two-phase sampling scheme based on medium-resolution satellite images for the estimation of Lithuanian forest characteristics. 3. To investigate the possibilities of application of medium-resolution satellite images on the basis of two-phase sampling scheme in stand-wise, mature stands and pre-harvesting forest inventories. 4. To investigate methodological decisions and application peculiarities of fast detection of changes in the forest using medium-resolution satellite images under Lithuanian conditions. Scientific novelty The development of methodological background for the use of medium-resolution satellite images and two-phase sampling-based schemes in Lithuanian forest inventory. The use of stand-wise forest inventory data as an auxiliary information together with medium-resolution satellite images in... [to full text] / Bendrasis darbo tikslas – Lietuvoje vykdomų miškų inventorizacijų tobulinimas kosminių nuotolinių tyrimų vaizdų bei GIS duomenų bazių pagrindu. Darbo konkretusis tikslas – ištirti kosminių nuotolinių tyrimų vaizdų ir GIS duomenų bazių informacijos, jos apdorojimo metodų galimybes nustatant įvairias Lietuvos miškų charakteristikas, orientuojantis į įvairias miško inventorizacijos schemas. Darbo uždaviniai: 1. Aptarti kosminių nuotolinių tyrimų vaizdų ir GIS duomenų bazių informacijos naudojimo vertinant įvairias Lietuvos miškų charakteristikas metodines prielaidas. 2. Ištirti dviejų fazių atrankos schemos taikymo vidutinės skiriamosios gebos kosminių vaizdų pagrindu vertinant įvairias Lietuvos miškų charakteristikas metodines prielaidas. 3. Ištirti dviejų fazių atrankos schema grindžiamo vidutinės skiriamosios gebos kosminių vaizdų taikymo sklypinėje, brandžių medynų bei prieškirtiminėje miškų inventorizacijose galimybes. 4. Ištirti operatyvaus pakitimų aptikimo miške, naudojant vidutinės skiriamosios gebos kosminius vaizdus, metodinius sprendimus bei jų taikymo Lietuvos sąlygomis ypatumus. Mokslinis naujumas Išvystyti vidutines skiriamosios gebos kosminių vaizdų ir dviejų fazių atranka grindžiamų vertinimo schemų naudojimo Lietuvos miškų inventorizacijoje metodiniai pagrindai. Sklypinės miškų inventorizacijos duomenų naudojimas kaip pagalbinė informacija kartu su vidutinės skiriamosios gebos kosminiais vaizdais dviejų fazių atrankos schemose vertinant miško charakteristikas... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

This thesis has examined the 30km long rail corridor through the Lower Buller Gorge, on the Stillwater Ngakawau Line, between SNL96 and 126km, using a landslide risk management approach. The project area is characterised by high annual rainfall (>2,000mm per year), and steep topography (slopes typically ≥20°) adjacent to the rail corridor. The track formation generally follows the natural contour near the base of the hillslope through the Lower Buller Gorge, and consequently involves many curves but relatively limited cut slopes into adjacent rock outcrops. The distance between the base of adjacent hillslopes and rail is frequently <2m horizontally. A variety of basement and Tertiary lithologies are present, including granite, breccias, indurated sandstone/mudstone, and limestone. The primary focus of this thesis has been on upslope-sourced landsliding onto the rail corridor, and on two short lengths (20m and 450m) that currently have a 25km/hour speed restriction imposed at Whitecliffs and Te Kuha respectively. Rainfall-induced and earthquake-generated landslide triggering mechanisms were examined in detail. A landslide inventory has been compiled to determine the characteristics and distribution of identified slope failures over time, and to establish any correlation with topography and geology. Sixty individual landslide events were identified since the line became fully operational in the 1940s, based on desktop reviews, and field inspections for more recent events. To reflect the presence of small magnitude landslide events, a project-specific logarithmic classification of landslides was adopted from <10m³ (very small volume) to ≥10,000m³ (very large volume). An absence of a higher proportion of ‘very small’ to ‘small’ landslide volumes (<100m³) in the inventory reflects incomplete reporting of these comparatively lower magnitude, but higher frequency, events. The establishment of a robust landslide inventory to document future events, in a consistent and readily accessible format, is required for continued monitoring and review of landslide risk management practices in the Lower Buller Gorge. Combining landslide inventory data and physical characteristics of the project area enabled the development of a qualitative landslide zonation map that assigned ‘high’, ‘high-moderate’, ‘moderate’ and ‘low’ landslide susceptibility classes. The principal area of slope instability above the rail corridor is 22.5km in length between SNL103.5 and 126.0km, associated predominantly with basement lithologies (Tuhua Granite; Hawks Crag Breccia; Greenland Group). The most frequently occurring landslides are shallow, typically less than 3m deep, translational failures triggered in regolith or colluvium materials. Rainfall-induced debris slides and flows are dominant, given the high annual rainfall and associated high frequency of high intensity or long duration rainfall events. Very small to medium landslides (<1,000m³) have the potential to impact the rail corridor with an average frequency of around one every two years, causing damage to infrastructure or affecting rail operations. Very large landslides (≥10,000m³) can be expected every 10 to 20 years based on a limited historical record. The narrow rail corridor and absence of sufficient catch areas above or adjacent to the rail causes continual operational challenges due to upslope-sourced landslide debris, and high susceptibility to slope failures, particularly west of SNL103.50km. Development of a rainfall-threshold for proactive inspection of the rail corridor is recommended, including the establishment of a rain gauge network through the Lower Buller Gorge. Earthquake-generated landslides significantly impacted the rail during the magnitude 7.1 Inangahua earthquake in 1968 and to a much lesser extent during the magnitude 6.1 Westport earthquake in 1991. The rail was not fully constructed through the Lower Buller Gorge at the time of the magnitude 7.8 Buller (Murchison) Earthquake in 1929, which generated widespread landsliding in the Buller and Nelson regions. Earthquake-generated landsliding can be expected through the Lower Buller Gorge from earthquakes of magnitude ≥6, and track inspection is recommended in the event of magnitude 5 or greater earthquakes. Detailed geological characterisation and mapping at Whitecliffs and Te Kuha was conducted, including a LiDAR survey at Whitecliffs that enabled visualisation of the ground surface without the interference of vegetation. The limestone outcrop at Whitecliffs comprises 60-70m high near-vertical cliffs with a well-established talus apron at the base, extending to the rail corridor. Three widely spaced open fractures sets are present at the top of Whitecliffs that propagate into the cliff-face. There has been no detectable movement on selected key fracture sets since monitoring commenced in 1993 and there is no confirmed evidence of large-scale cliff collapse during the 1968 Inangahua earthquake. Whitecliffs is not as susceptible to failure as other slopes inspected in the project area due to structural controls, primarily being the dipping of strata back into the cliff-face and widely space joint sets. Establishment of inspection protocols for earthquake events impacting the area, including real-time monitoring of selected fractures at Whitecliffs is recommended. A 2km-length corridor site model produced for Te Kuha demonstrated ‘high’ landslide susceptibility is not confined to slopes above the existing 450m speed restriction zone. Removal of the speed restrictions at Whitecliffs and Te Kuha can be considered, as the increased exposure time is not considered sufficient justification given the extent of other susceptible areas to landsliding affecting the Lower Buller Gorge rail corridor. The principal conclusion from this thesis project is that there is on-going risk to rail operations predominantly from shallow translational landsliding in regolith-colluvium materials. The majority of these will be generated by long-duration or intense rainfall events. Development of threshold-based methods for effective track management is recommended, including the establishment of a rain gauge network through the Lower Buller Gorge, and landslide inventory database. Site-specific engineering measures could be adopted, such as catch benches or avalanche-type shelters, where justified on a cost-benefit basis.

Hearing impairment (HI) is a growing health issue in today’s ageing society. Research has suggested that individuals with HI may experience increased levels of anxiety. Previous research has mainly focused on anxiety as a trait; recent research, however, has looked at state anxiety in the hearing impaired population. Cognitive anxiety is a state anxiety that occurs when people encounter a situation which does not lie within their construct system. As a result, they may experience anxiety as they are unable, or only partially able, to interpret the event meaningfully and are therefore unable to judge the implications of this event. The following study aimed to use the Cognitive Anxiety Scale to investigate relationships between cognitive anxiety and client variables in hearing impaired individuals, adding to the small amount of research currently available in this area. The following research questions were investigated: (1) Is there a relationship between cognitive anxiety level and (a) age, (b) gender, (c) audiometric variables, and (d) quality of life? (2) Is there a significant difference between the level of cognitive anxiety for the participants who purchased and kept hearing aids and those who did not? Twenty-five hearing impaired individuals who were consulting an audiologist for the first time participated in this study, with the cognitive anxiety interview conducted prior to the audiological assessment. The results indicated that cognitive anxiety was significantly related to an ability to understand speech in noise and quality of life, and that hearing aid adopters exhibited greater levels of cognitive anxiety than non-adopters. These results confirm that cognitive anxiety is indeed experienced by adults with HI, and suggest that it may be a factor which motivates people to adopt hearing aids. Further research is needed to confirm and further investigate the relationships with client variables. By listening for signs of cognitive anxiety, an audiologist may be able to gauge if a client is ready for rehabilitation, and encourage the process by exploring the effects of HI on communication situations, employing speech in noise testing, and including the significant other in the process.

Detection of malingering is a significant concern in forensic psychological assessments. The best-validated tests currently available are time-intensive for both test-takers and mental health professionals. Thus, well-validated, brief screening measures for malingering would be useful in a forensic environment. The Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology (SIMS; Smith andamp; Burger, 1997) has demonstrated potential in this role. The present study attempts replication of previous studies while extending validation from analogue and male criminal forensic samples to both men and women in a civil forensic setting. The SIMS accuracy in the detection of both neurocognitive and psychiatric symptom feigning is evaluated by comparing its performance to stringent multi-scale criterion measures in a large forensic sample. Cut scores suggested by previous studies yield high sensitivity and negative predictive power in this sample when the SIMS is used to detect psychiatric symptom malingering; however, these cut scores perform inadequately here when screening for the feigning of neurocognitive impairment, and no alternative cut score functions well in this capacity. The results lend support to the utility of the SIMS as a screen for psychiatric symptom malingering by men and women in a civil forensic setting.

Purpose: The aim of the study is to investigate how the material flow, of a high-frequent component family, to an assembly line with volume and product mix variations, can be streamlined. In order to examine this, the aim has been divided into two defined queries. Which factors affect the efficiency of the material flow, for a high-frequent component family, to an assembly line?    How can an effective material flow, for a high-frequent component family, be designed? Methodology: Both a case study and a literature study has been performed, in order to answer the queries. Literature in the areas of material and inventory control, transportation and material handling has been studied. The case study, which was carried out at a company, was based on process mapping combined with interviews and observations. Collected data from the case study have been analysed with support of literature. Findings: Different factors that are restricting the efficiency of the material flow for an assembly line has been identified. Unnecessary operations and inefficient material handling resulted in high cycle times for the material flow. Furthermore, the layout and control of the inventory resulted in long lead time and unnecessary inefficient transportations. Inadequate design and integration of the logistic subsystems has shown to be a significant cause, resulting in limited effectiveness of the studied material flow. On this basis, a new design of the material flow has been proposed, where the holistic perspective and integration are central. A new inventory design and a tugger-train transportation solution along a timed route, reduce the material handling and the number of deliveries. In addition, a pull flow system where consumption controls material replenishment, reduces both inventory levels and the number of inventory buffers. Implications: The purpose of the study has been achieved by solving the defined queries. By identifying factors that reduce the effectiveness of the material flow, a more efficient solution can be designed. The study shows that there are several possible improvement opportunities for the studied material flow. However, only one case study was performed, therefore its ability to create scientific value, can be regarded as limited. Recommendations: For further studies, it may be of interest to study several companies with similar problems to be able to draw general conclusions with scientific depth. / Syfte: Studiens syfte är att undersöka hur materialflödet för en högfrekvent komponentfamilj till en volym- och produktmässigt varierad monteringslina kan effektiviseras. För att kunna besvara denna frågeställning har syftet delats in i två problemfrågor: Vilka faktorer påverkar materialflödets effektivitet för en högfrekvent komponentfamilj fram till monteringslina? Hur kan ett effektivt materialflöde för en högfrekvent komponentfamilj utformas? Metod och genomförande: För att kunna besvara studiens syfte har en fallstudie genomförts parallellt med en litteraturstudie. Litteratur inom områdena material- och lagerstyrning, transporter och materialhantering har studerats. Fallstudien, som har genomförts på ett fallföretag, baseras på en processkartläggning i kombination med intervjuer och observationer. Insamlad data från fallstudien har analyserats med stöd från studerad litteratur. Studiens resultat: Faktorer som begränsar ett materialflödes effektivitet fram till monteringslina har identifierats. En stor andel av materialflödets totala cykeltid kunde kopplas till onödiga arbetsmoment och ineffektiv materialhantering. Ytterligare bidrog lagrets utformning och styrning till långa ledtider samt onödiga och ineffektiva transporter. Bristande utformning och integration av materialflödets delar visade sig vara en betydande orsak till begränsningen av dess effektivitet. Med detta som utgångspunkt har en ny utformning föreslagits där helhetsperspektiv och integrering har varit centralt. En ny lagerutformning, i form av materialtorg, samt en transportlösning med trucktåg utefter tidsbestämd rutt, reducerar materialhantering och antalet transporter. Tillämpningen av ett dragande flöde där monteringslinornas efterfrågan styr materialpåfyllnad, reducerar lagernivåer samt antalet buffertlager i materialflödet. Implikationer: Studiens syfte har uppnåtts genom att båda problemfrågorna har besvarats. Genom att identifiera negativa påverkansfaktorer kan förutsättningar skapas för utformningen av ett effektivt materialflöde. Studien visar att det på fallföretaget finns förbättringsmöjligheter för effektivisering av materialflödet fram till monteringslina. Då enbart ett företag studerats kan resultatet av studien och dess förmåga att skapa vetenskapligt värde, ur ett större perspektiv, anses begränsad. Rekommendationer: För vidare studier kan det vara av intresse att studera flera företag med liknande problematik för att öka studiens generaliserbarhet och förmåga att kunna presentera slutsatser med vetenskapligt djup.

Background: When a company is employing new salespeople, much is expected from these. The company is hoping that the new candidate is going to perform well and contribute to the fullest. One of the big questions that the organization has to face is how to evaluate and sift through sales candidates in order to find the best suited one. Previous studies have shown to some extent that a person's personality can be connected to how well they are performing in different occupations. One commonly used framework for assessing personality is the Five Factor Model (FFM) which is able to account for different traits without overlapping. One way to assess a person's personality traits is by the use of the big five inventory questionnaire (BFI). Purpose: To describe if there is a correlation between personality traits and sales performance in the Swedish car dealership market.Method: The research was a quantitative study of two Swedish car dealerships, where 60 out of 72 employees at Hedin Bil &amp; Holmgrens Bil answered the BFI questionnaire. The response rate was 83%. The survey was sent out by mail to the two companies whose responsible managers divided their sales staff in three different groups (good performing, average performing and bad performing) according to the company's organizational goals.Conclusion: The conclusion of this study is that one of the hypotheses was supported and four rejected by the salespeople participating. The only hypothesis that was supported was that Neuroticism would correlate negatively with sales performance.