The aim of this thesis is to analyze the growth performances of regions in Turkey and the role of human capital in this process within the framework of new growth theory. For this aim, it firstly attempts to investigate the evolution of regional income growth differences in Turkey in the period 1980-2000 and the tendency of provinces in Turkey towards income growth convergence. Secondly, by taking a detailed account of human capital, it aims to explore the contribution of human capital differences towards explaining income growth disparities among Turkey&rsquo / s provinces. In this framework, human capital is defined in terms of education, entrepreneurship and innovation.

In thesis thesis, studies associated with the rehabilitation of the Malatya-Narli No: 7 Railroad Tunnel are presented. The rehabilitation work includes cleaning of two collapses and stopping of deformations occurring in the tunnel as well as characterizing the rock-mass by evaluating the cores obtained from 67 drill holes. Due to two collapses ocurred in the tunnel a large sinkhole (15x10x20 meters) was developed at the surface and the tunnel closed to train traffic for 10 months (September, 2002-July, 2003) covering the initiation of Iraq War. Originally, the tunnel had been opened into the paleo-landslide material in 1930. The rock-mass surrounding the tunnel consists of limestones, metavolcanics, and schists. Although the main problem in the tunnel is the reduced tunnel span caused by displacements triggerred by underground water, poor rock mass and time dependent deformations, from engineering point of view the other problems can be sited as collapses occurred in the tunnel, sinkhole devoloped at the surface and unstable sections existing in the tunnel. During the field studies, 15 deformation monitoring stations were installed aimed at determining the deviation from tunnel alignment. In order to provide stability of the tunnel Self Drilling Anchors (Mai bolts) were installed systematically around the tunnel. The details of the rock reinforcement design was presented in this thesis.

This thesis analyzes the process of European Defence Industry&#039 / s restructuring and consolidation process in accordance with the emerging Post-Cold War period transformation requirements. To achieve this aim it investigates the process in terms of the European Defence Industrial Base on the one hand and international level of convergence efforts on the other. It demonstrates drivers of change for the defence industry, namely / the narrowing budgets, changing relationship between state and defence industry, importance of technological achievements, rise of civil sector and internationalization of national defence firms. Regarding the restructuring and consolidation process the thesis examines behavior of firms in terms of merger and/or acquisition... etc activities in order to adopt the Post-Cold War transformations. Moreover, due to its significance of being regarded as the first true attempt of creating a transnational defence sector identity the EADS is also investigated. Also it deals with the institutional level of convergence efforts mainly in terms of NATO, EU, WEU/WEAO and OCCAR. To provide a comparative framework, the US defence industry and its impact on the European counterpart is examined

The aim of this study is to analyze regional disparities and to test the convergence hypothesis across the provinces of Turkey. The study also attempts to analyze the spatial spillovers in the growth process of the provinces. The analyses cover the 1987-2001 period. Two alternative methodologies are used in the analyses. First, the methodology of &amp / #946 / -convergence based on cross-sectional regressions is used and effects of spatial dependence are analyzed using spatial econometric techniques. Second, Markov chain analysis is used and spatial dependence is integrated using spatial Markov chains. Results of both methodologies signal nonexistence of convergence and existence of spatial spillovers in the growth process of provinces.

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The traditional news media is being reshaped by the phenomenon known as media convergence. This thesis, which is presented as a journalistic, multimedia website (see http://www.artsweb.aut.ac.nz/mediaconvergence), explores media convergence in New Zealand. Its primary objective is to gauge the impact of convergence on the extent to which journalism fulfils its public interest duties. To this end, the defining elements of convergence are examined, along with its driving factors and impact on day-to-day newsroom practices. The research project is based on in-depth interviews with news media experts and practitioners and the results of an industry survey. The research findings indicate that convergence poses significant risks to public interest journalism. At present, however, there is more evidence of benefits than detriments.

The traditional news media is being reshaped by the phenomenon known as media convergence. This thesis, which is presented as a journalistic, multimedia website (see http://www.artsweb.aut.ac.nz/mediaconvergence), explores media convergence in New Zealand. Its primary objective is to gauge the impact of convergence on the extent to which journalism fulfils its public interest duties. To this end, the defining elements of convergence are examined, along with its driving factors and impact on day-to-day newsroom practices. The research project is based on in-depth interviews with news media experts and practitioners and the results of an industry survey. The research findings indicate that convergence poses significant risks to public interest journalism. At present, however, there is more evidence of benefits than detriments.

A useful measure of quality of a global optimisation algorithm such as simulated annealing is the length of time it must be run to reach a global optimum within a certain accuracy. Such a performance measure assists in choosing and tuning algorithms. This thesis proposes an approach to obtaining such a measure through successive approximation of a generic stochastic global optimisation algorithm with a sequence of stochastic processes culminating in backtracking adaptive search. The overall approach is to approximate the progress of an optimisation algorithm with that of a model process, backtracking adaptive search. The known convergence rate of the model then provides an estimator of the unknown convergence rate of the original algorithm. Parameters specifying this model are chosen based on observation of the optimisation algorithm. The optimisation algorithm may first be approximated with a time-inhomogeneous Markovian process defined on the problem range. The distribution of the number of iterations to convergence for this averaged range process is shown to be identical with that of the original process. This process is itself approximated by a time-homogeneous Markov process in the range, the asymptotic averaged range process. This approximation is defined for all Markovian optimisation algorithms and a weak condition under which its convergence time closely matches that of the original algorithm is developed. The asymptotic averaged range process is of the same form as backtracking adaptive search, the final stage of approximation. Backtracking adaptive search is an optimisation algorithm which generalises pure adaptive search and hesitant adaptive search. In this thesis the distribution of the number of iterations for which the algorithm runs in order to reach a sufficiently extreme objective function level is derived. Several examples of backtracking adaptive search on finite problems are also presented, including special cases that have received attention in the literature. Computational results of the entire approximation framework are reported for several examples. The method can be applied to any optimisation algorithm to obtain an estimate of the time required to obtain solutions of a certain quality. Directions for further work in order to improve the accuracy of such estimates are also indicated.

Internet services play an increasingly important role in modern society. Mobile Internet, a fast-growing technology that combines the Internet with mobile devices, has recently become popular. It is predicted that the convergence between mobile networks and the Internet would become the next generation of network architecture, and mobile IPv6 is likely to emerge as the most efficient and cost-effective instrument to achieve "anywhere and anytime" fast Internet and resolve the problems of worldwide mobility management. This research project reviews mobile Internet competition and the market mix in New Zealand, both major players and minor players being involved. The researcher also investigates the requirements of the mobile Internet deployment model from two perspectives: the market and the consumers. Finally the connection between end user services (for example, mobile Internet) and convergence (for example, network convergence and technology convergence) are examined in the research study conducted.The researcher applies a multi-case study strategy to conduct the research project and interview is adopted as the major research technique in order to collect research data. Several organizations which deploy mobile Internet services in New Zealand are chosen as participants, with the aim of offering both personal insights and business views to the research questions and objectives.

Many rural districts are facing economic decline because of a range of factors such as demographic change, changing socio-economic development patterns, farm amalgamations, the entry of large retail businesses, the so called ‘Big Box Retailing’ (BBRs), and a decline in rural infrastructure investment. These factors in turn affect the viability of many small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs), which are the primary employers and the engines for economic growth and employment in rural districts. The combined effect of these processes is that many rural districts struggle to keep young people, maintain economic and social diversity and attract new settlers and investment. This thesis seeks to answer the question as to how large scale retail businesses, rural farm amalgamations and declining rural populations impact on the viability of SME retail businesses in rural areas. In order to answer this question, this study identifies the key factors, which affect the future viability of small-to-medium sized retail businesses in sparsely populated rural districts using the South Taranaki District as a case study. The role of economic development agencies and district councils is also examined using case studies of small towns in rural districts of Australia and the United States of America (USA). This study found a number of factors affect the future viability of small-to-medium sized retail businesses in sparsely populated rural districts. For the South Taranaki district, these factors include the arrival of large-scale supermarkets, followed by large scale retail chains such as The Warehouse. These factors, combined with changing rural population structures and economic ‘spikes’ relating to sporadic energy development, have significant implications for the long term viability of many SMEs in the district. Case studies of similar rural districts in the USA and Australia provided examples of strategies that could be used to manage these impacts. This thesis recommends policies, initiatives and strategies that may be considered by territorial local authorities, regional councils and central governments to help address the economic development challenges facing rural districts.