In Canada, interest in regional strategic environmental assessment as a framework for assessing cumulative environmental effects is growing. Strategic environmental assessment, and in particular regional strategic environmental assessment, is generally regarded as the preferred assessment framework within which to address cumulative effects due to its broad scale of assessment and its focus on influencing future development. However, very little research has been done to confront the challenges, either conceptually or methodologically, in operationalizing strategic environmental assessment at a regional scale and in assessing cumulative environmental effects in this regional and strategic context. This dissertation advances work in this area by defining a conceptual framework and generic methodology for regional strategic environmental assessment that deliberately integrates cumulative effects considerations.<p> The research methodology includes a literature review, framework and case reviews, and three sets of interviews with Canadian and international practitioners, academics, and administrators knowledgeable on strategic environmental assessment and cumulative effects assessment issues. The research results are reported in four manuscripts. The first manuscript presents a typology of current approaches to regional cumulative effects assessment. The second manuscript reviews lessons from recent attempts at regional-scale, strategically-focused environmental analysis in Canada that include an impact assessment component and explicit attention to cumulative environmental effects. The third manuscript presents a structured framework for regional strategic environmental assessment in Canada, and the fourth manuscript discusses conceptual and methodological challenges that accompany the integration of strategic environmental assessment and cumulative effects assessment.<p> Significant findings include that cumulative effects assessment does indeed represent a significant conceptual and methodological challenge in a strategic assessment context and that cumulative effects assessment in this context requires more than simply adding up direct effects. Further, this research indicates that the seminal contribution of regional strategic environmental assessment is to determine the pace and nature of future development in a region, including significant regional environmental thresholds, targets, and limits; and to inform decision makers of the broader, the slower-moving, the farther-reaching, and perhaps the more insidious currents of environmental change. Moving forward, there is a need to further develop and demonstrate approaches to cumulative effects assessment in a strategic context, develop a supportive legislative and regulatory framework for regional strategic environmental assessment in Canada, and define the unique contribution of regional strategic assessment in relation to regional planning and management.

I have examined the common stock investments made by members of the U.S. Senate between 2006 and 2009. I find that the average stock portfolio in the Senate exhibits one and two year cumulative abnormal returns (CARs) of -0.15 % and 0.43%, respectively. This suggests that members of the Senate are not trading on insider knowledge as indicated by one previous researcher who calculated a one year CAR of 25%. However, my findings are in line with another previous researcher who found a one year CAR of about -2% and concluded that Congressmen are not trading on inside information. I also examine election-year trades made by senators who lose a reelection bid. This cashing out effect amounts to a CAR of 0.43% during the first year post loss, but after two years these trades exhibit a CAR of -0.03%. The cashing out group performs no better than the group as a whole, indicating that this group did not use their informational advantage to profit during the lame duck session.

The pace of development in Canada's North has renewed concerns about the potential cumulative effects of increasing industrial growth on fragile northern ecosystems. Recent developments in the diamond industry in the Slave Geological Province have highlighted the potential additive and synergistic effects of such development. For example, Aboriginal communities are worried about the health of the Bathurst caribou herd, which is considered central to their way of life. This concern is compounded by the lack of integration of environmental assessment and planning efforts, which could serve to better protect the environment. This research considers the challenges associated with the assessment of cumulative effects, and various approaches to meet these challenges. Diamond mining in the Slave Geological Province, including the BHP and Diavik diamond mines, is used as a case study. Four sustainability-based criteria are developed to evaluate the past and existing situation in the diamond region, and to form the basis for recommendations that would contribute to a more holistic approach to integrating cumulative effects considerations into environmental assessment and regional planning. The analysis demonstrates that although several mechanisms are currently in place to assess cumulative environmental effects, no single initiative fully meets each of the four criteria. However, existing tools can be used and supplemented to identify appropriate response options. The sustainability-based criteria developed here can contribute to further research on cumulative effects assessment and sustainability. The sustainability-based criteria developed here can be adopted for other case studies, to identify strengths and weaknesses, and to develop case specific recommendations for a more holistic approach to integrating cumulative effects considerations into environmental assessment and regional planning. This examination of how cumulative effects assessment has been approached in the Slave Geological Province also provides insight into the broader implications of regional cumulative effects management.

The pace of development in Canada's North has renewed concerns about the potential cumulative effects of increasing industrial growth on fragile northern ecosystems. Recent developments in the diamond industry in the Slave Geological Province have highlighted the potential additive and synergistic effects of such development. For example, Aboriginal communities are worried about the health of the Bathurst caribou herd, which is considered central to their way of life. This concern is compounded by the lack of integration of environmental assessment and planning efforts, which could serve to better protect the environment. This research considers the challenges associated with the assessment of cumulative effects, and various approaches to meet these challenges. Diamond mining in the Slave Geological Province, including the BHP and Diavik diamond mines, is used as a case study. Four sustainability-based criteria are developed to evaluate the past and existing situation in the diamond region, and to form the basis for recommendations that would contribute to a more holistic approach to integrating cumulative effects considerations into environmental assessment and regional planning. The analysis demonstrates that although several mechanisms are currently in place to assess cumulative environmental effects, no single initiative fully meets each of the four criteria. However, existing tools can be used and supplemented to identify appropriate response options. The sustainability-based criteria developed here can contribute to further research on cumulative effects assessment and sustainability. The sustainability-based criteria developed here can be adopted for other case studies, to identify strengths and weaknesses, and to develop case specific recommendations for a more holistic approach to integrating cumulative effects considerations into environmental assessment and regional planning. This examination of how cumulative effects assessment has been approached in the Slave Geological Province also provides insight into the broader implications of regional cumulative effects management.

In Canada, interest in regional strategic environmental assessment as a framework for assessing cumulative environmental effects is growing. Strategic environmental assessment, and in particular regional strategic environmental assessment, is generally regarded as the preferred assessment framework within which to address cumulative effects due to its broad scale of assessment and its focus on influencing future development. However, very little research has been done to confront the challenges, either conceptually or methodologically, in operationalizing strategic environmental assessment at a regional scale and in assessing cumulative environmental effects in this regional and strategic context. This dissertation advances work in this area by defining a conceptual framework and generic methodology for regional strategic environmental assessment that deliberately integrates cumulative effects considerations.<p> The research methodology includes a literature review, framework and case reviews, and three sets of interviews with Canadian and international practitioners, academics, and administrators knowledgeable on strategic environmental assessment and cumulative effects assessment issues. The research results are reported in four manuscripts. The first manuscript presents a typology of current approaches to regional cumulative effects assessment. The second manuscript reviews lessons from recent attempts at regional-scale, strategically-focused environmental analysis in Canada that include an impact assessment component and explicit attention to cumulative environmental effects. The third manuscript presents a structured framework for regional strategic environmental assessment in Canada, and the fourth manuscript discusses conceptual and methodological challenges that accompany the integration of strategic environmental assessment and cumulative effects assessment.<p> Significant findings include that cumulative effects assessment does indeed represent a significant conceptual and methodological challenge in a strategic assessment context and that cumulative effects assessment in this context requires more than simply adding up direct effects. Further, this research indicates that the seminal contribution of regional strategic environmental assessment is to determine the pace and nature of future development in a region, including significant regional environmental thresholds, targets, and limits; and to inform decision makers of the broader, the slower-moving, the farther-reaching, and perhaps the more insidious currents of environmental change. Moving forward, there is a need to further develop and demonstrate approaches to cumulative effects assessment in a strategic context, develop a supportive legislative and regulatory framework for regional strategic environmental assessment in Canada, and define the unique contribution of regional strategic assessment in relation to regional planning and management.

Since its debut in 2002 in Taiwan, private placement has become more and more popular for the corporate to collect capital in the market. However, because of its divergent characteristics and loose regulations, it has also aroused a great number of controversies so far. This study concentrates on the companies collecting capital by private placement from 2002 to 2007 and examines if obvious discount or premium on placement price existed in these cases. In addition, the study also examines the correlation between the degree of placement discount (premium) and firm characteristics. Finally, it will also be discussed if placement discount (premium) causes positive or negative effect on cumulative abnormal return of the firms. The empirical results show that on average a premium exists in placement price in Taiwan. As for firms¡¦ characteristics, financial crisis, free cash flow, and times of placement have a positive correlation with the discount (premium) degree. Two out of three intangible variables also show a positive correlation with the discount (premium). degree. Finally, the degree of discount (premium) is not significantly correlated with long-term cumulative abnormal return of private placed firms.

This study investigates the effect of board networks on M&A transactions. I select 331 samples of M&A transactions among U.S. Fortunate 500 companies which are also U.S. public companies from 2002 to 2011. In addition, I use definition of board networks by Cai & Sevilir (2012) to identify whether there exist board networks in each sample. About research design, first I use event study methodology to estimates cumulative abnormal returns (CAR), and then examine the relationship between the board networks and M&A performance through regression analysis. Empirical analysis results are as follows:¡G 1. M&A announcement brings significantly negative abnormal returns to the U.S. Fortunate 500 companies. 2. The board networks will decrease the M&A performance for the U.S. Fortunate 500 companies. 3. The board networks are not efficient information channels for the U.S. Fortunate 500 companies.

The colonias along the Texas-Mexico border are one of the most rapidly growing areas in Texas. Because of the relatively low income of the residents and an inadequate availability of transportation services, the need for basic social activities for the colonias cannot be properly met. The objectives of this study are to have a better comprehension of the status quo of these communities by examining the potential demand for an improved transportation service and evaluate the capacity and optimum service time interval of a new demand responsive transit "feeder" service within one representative colonia, El Cenizo. A comprehensive analysis of the results of a survey conducted through a questionnaire is presented to explain the existing travel patterns and potential demand for a feeder service. The results of this thesis and work from the subsequent simulation analysis showed that a single shuttle would be able to comfortably serve 150 passengers/day. It further showed that the optimal cycle length between consecutive departures from the terminal should be between 11-13 minutes for best service quality. This exploratory study should serve as a first step towards improving transportation services within these growing underprivileged communities especially those with demographics and geography similar to the target area of El Cenizo.

Metaphylactic treatment of incoming feedlot cattle is a common preventative action against bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Cattle are dosed based on estimated or actual lot average weights, rather than on an individual basis, to reduce initial processing time. There has been limited research conducted on the effects of accurate weight- based dosing in feedlot cattle. The objective of this study was to evaluate the economic effects of precision weight- based dosing of cattle as compared to dosing the lot average or lot averages plus 50 lb and minus 50 lb. An economic model was created and stochastic simulations performed to evaluate potential outcomes of different dosing scenarios. Economic analyses of the effects of precision weight-based dosing were conducted using SIMETAR© to determine the stochastic dominance and economic effects of different dosing regimens. Data were obtained from a commercial feedlot for different lots of cattle where individual animal weights were available; for this analysis the minimum lot size was 30 animals, and the maximum lot size was 126 animals. Within lots, individual weight deviations were calculated from the lot mean, the lot mean was rounded up to the nearest 50 lb increment or down to the nearest 50 lb increment to represent mild overestimation and mild underestimation, respectively. Tulathromycin (Draxxin®, Pfizer Animal Health, New York, NY), an antimicrobial commonly prescribed for treatment of bovine respiratory disease, was used to illustrate the impacts of uniform dosing versus exact dosing per body weight. Based on the dilution space method used to evaluate time of drug effectiveness, it was estimated that Draxxin® administered at the recommended dosage to cattle weighing between 500 and 1000 lb should be provided with 191 hours (7.96 days) of protection from pneumonia-causing bacteria. Due to the pharmacokinetic properties of Draxxin®, an animal that is administered half the recommended dose is only protected from pneumonia-causing bacteria for 8 hours, which is 4.2 percent of the coverage time of the proper dose. This limits the effectiveness of the prescribed treatment to fully administer therapeutic treatment. In all cases, the correct weight-based dosing strategy cost less than any other dosing technique. Overall, dosing all cattle at the lot average weight costs $6.04 per animal more than dosing at the exact, correct dose. Dosing all animals at the lot average weight plus 50 lb costs $6.24 per animal more; dosing all animals at lot average minus 50 lb costs $4.01 per animal more. The use of individual animal weights to determine per head dosing of Draxxin® is more cost effective than using lot averages. This concept would appear to extend to all weight-based pharmaceutical products in general, and should be considered a necessary management strategy.

The recruitment, growth rate and survival of every juvenile corals on artificial substrates, deployed every 2 months since September 1998, for a total of 6 times, were investigated every 2 months, from November 1998 to September 2000, at Nanwan, southern Taiwan. The influence of season and habitat (e.g., new vs. old substrate and different positions etc.) on the above life history characteristics were the foci of this study. Coral recruitment during the 2-year period was low, averaging 1.3 recruits per 15x15 cm PVC plate; it was dominated by Pocilloporidae (50.7%) and Poritidae (31.9%), with Stylocoeniella guentheri (6.2%), Anthelia flava (5.1%) and Acropora sp. (2.4%) and others as minor constituents. Seasonal variations of new recruit densities were significant on new substrates of 2-months old, but not on old substrates of 14-month old. Pocilloporidae, for example, had the highest new recruit densities in May 1999; although the survival rate in this period, cumulative survivorship and growth rate were lower than those settled in other times. New recruit densities on new substrates were significantly higher than that on old substrates, but the survival rates of new recruits in the first 2 months were not significantly different between new and old substrates. The cumulative suvivorship and the initial juvenile growth rate of Pocilloporidae were higher on new than on old substrates. New recruit density of Pocilloporidae was higher in 1999 than in 2000, with an opposite pattern found in Poritidae. Juveniles prefer to settle on new substrates higher than old substrates and recruit densities decrease as plate age in Pocilloporidae, but an opposite pattern was found in Poritidae. The Pocilloporidae had relatively higher recruit densities but lower cumulative survivorship than Acropora sp. and Stylocoeniella. guentheri. A margin effect on the PVC plates was found, with higher new recruit densities and growth rates in the margin than in the intermediate and the inner region. The survival rate and the cumulative survivorship of recruits, however, were similar among the 3 regions on the plates. Thus the pattern of margin effect on the plate is unlikely a result of active larva preference. Among the scleractinian recruits, Acropora sp. had the highest growth rate, averaging 1.8 mm/month in maximum diameter. Within Pocilloporidae, the maximum diameters of juvenile Seriatopora hystrix was significant smaller than Pocillopora damicornis from 2-12 month. Some recruits of Seriatopora hystrix did not grow for more than a year. The overall cumulative survivorship of coral recruits was low at Nanwan, with 29.2% surviving the first year, and 0.7% surviving 2 years. Within dead juveniles, 65.7% was caused by disappearance and 34.3% was caused by algae, sediment and others organism etc. The relationship between size and mortality on juvenile Pocilloporidae is significant, implying that larger colony corals have higher survivor chance than smaller colony corals.