Few superhero scholars, if any, are discussing physical age or definitions of maturity. It seems Hollywood and consumers are reluctant to associate "adult" content with anything other than pornography, immature language, and excessive violence—a reluctance that should be explored by scholars and critics alike. Most superhero characters only reflect the insecurities of audiences who are currently undergoing the transition between adolescence and young adulthood. There are very few older, middle-aged, or retired superheroes depicted juggling the demands of a family along with their daring rescues. It is possible that superhero films could continue to enjoy longer, lasting success if they include more than the previously targeted immature audience. Live-action superhero films can target all ages more efficiently by avoiding the static "mature" audience narratives and presenting relatable and realistic adulthood with novelistic maturity along with adolescence and childhood.

Although much has been written about the relationship between career maturity and career decision self-efficacy of college students, the literature review provided no studies that investigated the relationship between career maturity, career decision self-efficacy, and self-advocacy; therefore the purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between career maturity, career decision self-efficacy, and self-advocacy of college students with and without disabilities. An increasing number of college students with disabilities are attending postsecondary institutions, and the figures are continuing to increase; however, students with disabilities earn lower grades in college than their peers without disabilities, take longer to complete their degrees, have higher dropout rates, and are more likely to be unemployed after college. This quantitative study responds to recent calls in the postsecondary literature for individuals with disabilities to be better prepared when they transition from college. Participants included 347 postsecondary students, 89 of whom reported having a disability. Primarily focused on students with disabilities, this study gathered information regarding postsecondary students' attitudes toward careers, beliefs in their ability to pursue careers, and their self-advocacy knowledge in order to investigate the relationship among them. This study provides empirical support that there is a relationship between career maturity, career decision self-efficacy, and self-advocacy. The results of the correlation, MANOVA, ANOVA, and hierarchical regression analyses provided four major findings and implications. First, there was a positive correlation between career maturity, career decision self-efficacy, and self-advocacy of college students with and without a disability. Second, the results of the study indicated that students without a disability had higher levels of career maturity and self-advocacy than students with a disability; however, the self-efficacy scores were similar for students with and without a disability. Third, the results of the study focusing specifically on students with disabilities indicated that the career maturity of students who had a high level of self-advocacy was higher than for the students who had a low level of self-advocacy. However, there was no difference in levels of self-advocacy and career decision self-efficacy of college students with disabilities. Fourth, the results of this study focusing specifically on students with disabilities indicated that self-advocacy and career decision self-efficacy were the only variables that positively affected career maturity. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Although genomes are perhaps the single most important element of living systems, why they feature such striking variation and how this variation is maintained within and across natural populations remains unclear. One of the most common and important means by which genomic variation is generated is ploidy elevation. While polyploidy has been implicated in the remarkably successful radiations of angiosperms, teleost fish, and amphibians, the phenotypic consequences of changes in ploidy level are poorly understood, especially in animals. I use a large, multi-year common garden experiment to identify potential life history costs and benefits of polyploidy and asexual reproduction, a trait often associated with polyploidy, in Potamopyrgus antipodarum. This snail is well suited for studying ploidy variation and sex because diploid sexuals and triploid and tetraploid asexuals frequently coexist, allowing us to use comparisons of sexuals to asexuals and triploid to tetraploid asexuals to study both the effects of ploidy elevation and sex. I detected a strong negative correlation between growth rate and time to maturity and found that sexual P. antipodarum grew and matured significantly more slowly than the polyploid asexuals. Sexual P. antipodarum were also more likely to die before achieving reproductive maturity than their asexual counterparts. By contrast, there were no apparent life history differences between triploid and tetraploid asexuals, indicating that direct phenotypic benefits of ploidy elevation are unlikely to explain the relatively rapid growth and maturation of asexuals. My results suggest that ploidy elevation does not inevitably confer phenotypic consequences, that reproductive mode influences life history trait expression, and that sexual P. antipodarum persist in many natural populations in spite of substantial life history disadvantages.

IT service management is becoming more and more important in the current business environment. Especially the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is a widely adopted and accepted IT service management framework (Wagner 2006). Organizations that adopt one of the IT service management frameworks expect to achieve a large range of benefits through the use of the frameworks. The major benefits that are expected to be realised include reduced costs, IT services that are tailored to the business needs, a higher quality of IT services, and improved customer satisfaction (OGC 2007a). Despite the growing importance and acceptance of IT service management and ITIL, there is not much literature that is concerned with the benefits that can be realised when one of the relevant IT service management frameworks is in place. Only a few studies were published in conference proceedings (e.g. Hochstein et al. 2005, Potgieter et al. 2005, Cater-Steel et al. 2006). Even though these studies were able to confirm some of the claims made by the Office of Government Commerce (OGC), the publisher of the ITIL series, there are still a lot of claims that are not evaluated to date. This thesis is taking a Monte-Carlo method based simulation approach to identify some of the benefits of the ITIL for customer service. To achieve this, an initial research model was developed that represents the four most likely benefits for customer service of the use of ITIL and their relationship with customer service and the generation of business value. Subsequently the different path ways for the relationships were explored and models for each of the possible paths were designed. These models include a mediated model, an unmediated model and a partially mediated model. After defining the estimates and constraints for the simulation, the simulation was executed using a MS Excel spreadsheet. The simulation results presented a large amount of data for each of the models and their relationships. The models produced normal distributions and showed stability for changed input and throughput parameters. The analysis of the findings showed that the changes in estimates for each of the models and the associated results of the simulation followed a linear pattern. The linearity of the models combined with the normal distribution of the results offers a lot of opportunities for the use of the developed models. A further enhancement through a test with real-life data could provide the basis for a tool to quantitatively predict the impact of an ITIL implementation on customer service and the creation of value for the business. In addition the four most likely contributors to improved customer service based on the use of ITIL have been identified from a literature review. The identified contribution towards improved customer service of these four beneficiary factors is supported by the results of the simulation. Therefore the results of this thesis provide the research community with a model that could provide the basis for further exploration of the beneficiary effects of ITIL on customer service.

The research conducted for this thesis has produced quantitative data on the biology and population genetic structure of the Mulloway Argyrosomus japonicus in Western Australia, where this sciaenid is recreationally and commercially fished. These data were used 1) to test various hypotheses regarding the relationship between key biological characteristics of A. japonicus and both latitude and environmental variables, 2) to investigate the population structure and genetic characteristics of populations of A. japonicus on the west and south coasts of Western Australia and to assess the relationships between these populations and those of A. japonicus in eastern Australia and South Africa, and 3) to consider the implications of the biological and genetic results for management.

Le croisement de concepts issus de la gestion des processus métier, des normes et standards qualité et de l'interopérabilité nous a permis de nous intéresser à l'organisation et l'intégration des processus métier d'entreprise, pour proposer une démarche de mise en place d'un référentiel qualité multi-vues.<br />Le but de notre travail est de montrer comment intégrer les processus métier d'une entreprise à l'aide d'un référentiel commun offrant différents points de vue. Cette démarche généralisable est appliquée à l'intégration de deux standards de qualité, ISO 9001v2000 et Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), afin de générer un référentiel qualité multi\--vues permettant une certification relative aux deux normes. Ce référentiel prend en compte les chapitres imposés par ISO et les recommandations de CMMI. Dans le cadre de l'implémentation du référentiel, nous nous sommes intéressés à la définition d'une méthodologie d'estimation des délais et charges des projets informatiques afin de rationaliser ce processus critique pour l'entreprise. La mise en place de ce référentiel qualité s'accompagne de la définition d'une démarche assurant l'interopérabilité des processus définis avec ceux des clients et/ou partenaires.<br />Une méthodologie d'audit projet, un référentiel documentaire et un référentiel des compétences viennent compléter le travail déjà réalisé afin d'assurer l'implémentation et le respect du référentiel qualité.

<p><strong>Purpose</strong> - To analyze the relationship between supply chain management maturity, supply chain performance and financial performance in small and medium-sized enterprises (SME:s).</p><p><strong>Design/methodology/approach</strong> - The data comprises 15 SME:s that participated in a local logistic study in Gävleborgs län. The levels of supply chain mature within these firms were based upon an interview study and the financial performance of the firms was then examined using financial reports-based data.</p><p><strong>Findings</strong> -The results of this study indicate that there is a strong relationship between SCM maturity and SC performance in SMEs, some relationships between SCM maturity and financial performance, as well as some relationships between SC performance and financial performance. This means that if firms use maturity indicators in the SCOR areas to improve their processes, they will most likely achieve a positive effect on supply chain performance and probably also on financial performance. The result implies that the supply chain maturities in these firms are higher than expected with no one at the adHoc level.</p><p>While this study is based on a rather small number of participating firms, it would be valuable to further test the significance of the indicated correlations between SCM maturity and performance in a large-scale survey.</p><p><strong>Research limitations/Implications</strong> - The research is an attempt to understand supply chain maturity and it´s implication on financial performance. Developing supply chain maturity is an opportunity for a company to gain superior performance. The use of this approach has been validated in several previous research studies. The research limitation of this study is the small number of participating firms.</p><p><strong>Practical implication</strong> - Maturity models could be valuable frameworks for corporate management. This study provides statistical evidence that a SME firm that has achieved a higher maturity level in their supply chain management also can achieve higher SC performance and financial performance as well. The study further confirms the maturity model from Lockamy and McCormack (2004) as a very reliable tool for this purpose, even in extremely small firms.</p><p><strong>Originality/Value</strong> - This study is one of very few to focus on supply chain maturity of SME:s and analyze the linkage between financial performance and supply chain maturity in SME:s. This is particularly significant since earlier research implicate that SME:s has a very low maturity and in addition to that a high potential of improvements in this area. Maybe the findings of this study can be a starting point for these SME:s to take their maturity to a higher level and improve their financial performance. These findings might be valuable for further research in the linkage between maturity and superior performance in SME:s.</p><p><strong>Key words</strong> - Supply Chain Management, Supply Chain Performance, Supply Chain Maturity, Financial Performance, Logistic Performance.</p><p><strong>Paper type</strong> - Thesis/research paper</p>

<p><strong>Purpose - </strong>The goal of this research is to demonstrate that financial performance of current year is dependent to the amount of maturity of the supply chain processes. This aim is achieved through considering current supply chain process maturities of the firm together with financial performance of prior years. <strong></strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Research question - </strong>How supply chain process maturities in relation to financial performance of prior years are related to current financial performance  <strong></strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Methodology - </strong>The deductive approach has been followed to use theories and literatures to build the hypothetical model in order to test it empirically.<strong></strong></p><p>This quantitative research is benefited from the primary data of Swedish steel SMEs including the secondary data from financial ratios from Scandinavian financial database</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Findings - </strong>The effect between supply chain process maturity and current year financial performance, the effect between prior year financial performance and current year financial performance, and also total effect of prior year financial performance and supply chain process maturity on current year financial performance proved empirically. <strong></strong></p>

Purpose: To determine the association of certain aerobic fitness and physical activity genotypes and the gene-physical activity interaction effect on aerobic fitness in pre-pubertal, African American, obese children. Methods: Subjects were 30 pre-pubertal, African American, obese children (9.5 ± 1.7 years) who were free of clinical disease. Height and weight were measured according to standard procedures. Body fat was assessed using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, and DNA samples were collected using buccal swabs. Aerobic fitness was assessed using a cycle ergometer and the McMaster cycle protocol. ANOVAs were used to determine associations and interaction effects of the ACE, ADRB2, NOS3, IL6, IGF-1, and APO-E genes, physical activity and aerobic fitness. Results: Age, height, weight, body mass index, and waist circumference were significantly lower in girls compared to boys. Subjects averaged approximately 51 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity activity per day, and girls were significantly more active than boys. There were no significant associations between the candidate genes and aerobic fitness level. P > 0.05). There were trends towards significance for the IL6 rs2069845 gene for absolute and relative VO2peak measures (P = 0.078, and P = 0.094, respectively). There was also a trend toward significance for the ADRβ2 rs1042717 gene for leanVO2peak (P = 0.092). Conclusions: In children, further research is needed that includes diverse populations and large sample sizes in order to more accurately assess the association and interaction effects of the candidate genes, physical activity and fitness.

Manufacturing companies are nowadays facing an unprecedented series of challenges to their survival: global competition and product mass-customization are the shaping forces of tomorrow’s business success. The consequent need for agile and sustainable production solutions is the utmost motivation behind the development of innovative approaches which often are not in line with the state of art. It is well documented that companies fail in recognizing how such disruptively innovative approaches can yield an interesting economic output. This, in turn, enhances the risk of leaving the aforementioned promising technologies conceptually and practically underdeveloped.  In the field of automatic production systems the Evolvable Production System paradigm proposes modular architectures with distributed, autonomous control rather than integral design and hierarchical, centralized control. EPS technology is thus disruptive: it refuses the present paradigm of Engineer to Order in industrial automation by proposing an advanced Configure to Order system development logic. This dissertation investigates the possibility of using the recent sophisticated developments of the concept of Business Model as a holistic analytical tool for the characterization and solution of the issue of bringing disruptive and non-fully mature innovation to proficient application in production environments. In order to purse this objective the main contributions in the relevant literature have been extracted and combined to an original definition of business model able to encompass the aspects deemed critical for the problem. Such a construct is composed of three elements: (1) Value Proposition that describe the features of a technology that generates value for a given customer, (2) the Value Configuration and the (3) Architecture of the Revenue which describe the mechanisms that allows to create and capture such value respectively.    The subsequent work has focused on the EPS paradigm as a specific case of the overall problem. The first step has been a full characterization of the related value proposition through an innovative approach based on a bottom-up decomposition in its elementary components, followed by their aggregation into meaningful value offerings: with reference to the EPS paradigm such an approach has disclosed an overall value proposition composed of six potentially independent value offerings. This collection of Value Offerings has then been used as a basis to generate the EPS business models. In particular for each single offering a possible set of necessary activities and resources has been devised and organized in a coherent value configuration. The resulting creation mechanisms have then been linked among each other following a logical supplier-customer scheme for capturing the value: this allowed establishing the architecture of revenue, last element of the overall production paradigm. Finally the results have been validated in a semi-industrial system developed for the (IDEAS, 2010-2013) project through the individuation of the areas of application of such business models. / <p>QC 20121120</p> / FP7-IDEAS- Instantly Deployable Evolvable Assembly System / FP6- EUPASS-Evolvable Ultra-Precision Assembly Systems / XPRES- Initiative for excellence in production research