Early project termination is one of the most difficult decisions to be made by Research and Development managers. While there is the risk of terminating good projects, there is also the opposite risk of not terminating bad projects and overspend resources in unproductive research. Criteria used for identifying these projects are common subject of research in Business Administration. In addition, companies might take important lessons from its interrupted projects that could improve their overall portfolio technical and commercial success. Finally, the set and weight of criteria, as well as the procedures companies use for achieve learning from cancelled projects may vary depending on the project type. This research intends to contribute to the understanding of policies applied to projects that were once considered attractive, but by some reason is not appreciated anymore. The research addressed the question: How companies deal with projects that become unattractive? More specifically, this research tried to answer the following questions: (1) Are projects killed or (otherwise) they die naturally by lack of resources? (2) What criteria are used to terminate projects during development? (3) How companies learn from the terminated projects to improve the overall portfolio performance? (4) Are the criteria and learning procedures different for different types of projects? In order to answer these questions, we performed a multiple case study with four companies that are reference in business administration and innovation: (1) Oxiteno, considered the base case, (2) Natura, the literal replication, (3) Mahle and (4) AES, the theoretical replications. The case studies were performed using a semi-structured protocol for interviews, which were recorded and analyzed for comparison. We found that the criteria companies use for selecting projects for termination are very similar to those anticipated by the literature, except for a criteria related to compliance. We have evidences to confirm that the set of criteria is not altered when dealing with different project types, however the weight they are applied indeed varies. We also found that learning with cancelled projects is yet very incipient, with very few structured formal procedures being described for capturing learning with early-terminated projects. However, we could observe that these procedures are more common when dealing with projects labeled as innovative, risky, big and costly, while those smaller and cheaper derivative projects aren\'t subject of a complete investigation on the learning they brought to the company. For these, the most common learning route is the informal, where the project team learns and passes the knowledge though interpersonal information exchange. We explain that as a matter of cost versus benefit of spending time to deeply investigate projects with little potential to bring new knowledge to the project team and the organization / Terminação precoce de projetos é uma das decisões mais difíceis a serem tomadas pelos gerentes de pesquisa e desenvolvimento. Enquanto há o risco de terminar bons projetos, há também o risco oposto de não encerrar maus projetos e ter recursos alocados em pesquisa improdutiva. Os critérios utilizados para a identificação destes projetos são objeto comum de investigação em Administração de Empresas. Além disso, as empresas podem tirar lições importantes com seus projetos interrompidos que poderiam melhorar o desempenho técnico e comercial da sua carteira. Finalmente, o conjunto de critérios e respectivos pesos, bem como os procedimentos usados pelas empresas para reter aprendizado a partir da interrupção de projetos, podem variar dependendo do tipo de projeto. Esta pesquisa pretende contribuir para a compreensão das políticas aplicadas a projetos que já foram considerados atraentes, mas por alguma razão não são mais apreciados. A pesquisa abordou a questão: Como as empresas lidam com projetos que se tornam pouco atraentes? Mais especificamente, esta pesquisa procurou responder às seguintes questões: (1) São os projetos encerrados ou (caso contrário) eles morrem naturalmente por falta de recursos? (2) Que critérios são usados para encerrar projetos durante o desenvolvimento? (3) Como as empresas aprendem com os projetos terminados de modo a melhorar o desempenho geral da carteira? (4) Os critérios e procedimentos de aprendizagem são diferentes para diferentes tipos de projetos? A fim de responder a essas perguntas, foi realizado um estudo de caso múltiplo com quatro empresas que são referência em administração de empresas e inovação: (1) Oxiteno, considerado o caso base, (2) Natura, a replicação literal, (3) Mahle e (4) AES, as replicações teóricas. Os estudos de caso foram realizados utilizando um protocolo semiestruturado para as entrevistas, que foram gravadas e analisadas para comparação. Descobrimos que os critérios usados pelas empresas para identificação dos projetos candidatos ao cancelamento são muito semelhantes àqueles antecipados pela literatura, com exceção de um critério relacionado com a existência de indícios de corrupção. A pesquisa gerou evidências que corroboram a ideia de que o conjunto de critérios não é alterado quando se lida com diferentes tipos de projeto, no entanto, varia o peso atribuído a cada um na sua aplicação. Também descobrimos que a aprendizagem com projetos cancelados é ainda muito incipiente. As empresas descreveram muito poucos procedimentos formais estruturados para a captura de aprendizagem com projetos terminados precocemente. No entanto, pode-se observar que estes procedimentos são mais comuns quando se trata de projetos rotulados como inovadores, arriscados, grandes e caros. Os projetos derivados, menores e mais baratos, não são objeto de uma investigação completa sobre o aprendizado que eles trouxeram para a empresa. Para estes, a rota de aprendizagem mais comum é a informal, onde a equipe do projeto aprende e passa o conhecimento à frente por meio de intercâmbio de informações entre as pessoas. Nós explicamos este achado como uma questão de custo versus benefício de pessoal de P&D para investigar profundamente projetos com pouco potencial de trazer conhecimentos valiosos para a organização.

This thesis provides the reader with a comparative study of the termination of employment as a result of the state of health of the employee. The compared legal systems are the legal system of the Czech Republic, Austria and Italy. For better understanding of the topic of the thesis, the Austrian and Italian system of sources of law related to the topic and the categories of employees distinguished under Austrian and Italian law are briefly described. Statistical data concerning the topic of the thesis (e.g. the number of work accidents in the three countries per year) are provided as well. Based on the extent of the thesis, the historical development of legal regulation is not analysed. The structure of the chapter is based on the legal institutes, which are always described in relation to all of the three states in one chapter. The thesis is based on the method of comparative analysis. Especially in relation to the Italian legal system, notes concerning the translation of the texts of laws are involved, because the legal institutes do not always correspond with the labour law of the Czech Republic. The sources used for the creation of this thesis were published in German, Italian, English and Czech. The sources of labour law of Austria and Italy are briefly described and analysed. The first...

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T20:23:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Miguel Angelo Marques.pdf: 24228955 bytes, checksum: 700c60165b618a4ec605b4936675d0e5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-08-29 / In Brazil, the Legislative branch has always been present in the process of establishment and conclusion of International Treaties. In the Imperial Period, even though the 1824 Charter Policy did not formally provide for the General Assembly participation, it could conceivably be said that the conduct of the foreign affairs was carried out in practice by four State agencies: the Emperor, the Cabinet of Ministers, the Council of State and the Parliament. From the Proclamation of the Republic, all the constitutional texts provided expressly for the participation of the National Congress in the process of production of Treaty Texts. However none of our Constitutions ‒ including the current one ‒ has handled the participation of the Legislative branch in cases of termination of treaty texts and thus the power to cease the treat has always been exclusively held by the Executive branch (even in those cases where the ratification of the international instrument depended on the National Congress approval). This much discussed issue in the doctrine field has been brought to the Supreme Federal Court on June 16th, 1997 by the means of the Direct Unconstitutionality Action (ADI) 1625 that pleaded the declaration of unconstitutionality of Decree 2,100 of December 20th, 1996 which made public the cease of the Convention 158 of the International Organization of Labor (OIT) for offence to the provisions of art. 49, I of the Constitution. Within the scope of the judgment of this process filed by the National Confederation of the Workers in Agriculture (CONTAG) and the Central Workers Union Confederation (CUT), three out the four Ministers who have already voted have acknowledged the need of prior consent from the National Congress to the Executive branch to proceed to the termination of Treaty Texts. If this understanding persists in the C. Supreme Federal Court there will be an important change of model in the field of the Law of Treaties, which is a basic issue under the international law. This Master s dissertation aims to foster discussions within the academic community concerning the need (or not) for the Brazilian Parliament participation in Treaties, Conventions and International Acts termination process / No Brasil, o Poder Legislativo sempre se fez presente no processo de celebração e conclusão de Tratados Internacionais. No Período Imperial, embora a Carta Política de 1824 não contemplasse, formalmente, a participação da Assembleia Geral, pode-se dizer que, na prática, a condução das relações exteriores era realizada por um conjunto de quatro órgãos do Estado: o Imperador, o Gabinete de Ministros, o Conselho de Estado e o Parlamento. Com a Proclamação da República, todos os textos constitucionais subsequentes passaram a assegurar, de forma expressa, a participação do Congresso Nacional no processo de produção de Textos Convencionais. Contudo, nenhuma de nossas Constituições, inclusive a atual, regulou a participação do Poder Legislativo nos casos de extinção de textos convencionais, razão por que o poder de denunciar tratados sempre foi exercido, de forma exclusiva, pelo Poder Executivo (mesmo nos casos em que a ratificação do instrumento internacional tenha dependido de aprovação do Congresso Nacional). Essa questão, muito debatida no campo doutrinário, chegou ao Supremo Tribunal Federal em 16 de junho de 1997, através da Ação Direta de Inconstitucionalidade (ADI) 1625, por meio da qual se pleiteava a declaração de inconstitucionalidade do Decreto nº 2.100 de 20 de dezembro de 1996, que tornou pública a denúncia da Convenção n° 158 da Organização Internacional do Trabalho (OIT), por ofensa ao disposto no art. 49, I da Constituição Federal. No bojo do julgamento dessa demanda, ajuizada pela Confederação Nacional dos Trabalhadores na Agricultura (CONTAG) e pela Central Única dos Trabalhadores (CUT), três dos quatro ministros, que já proferiram seus votos, reconheceram a necessidade de prévia autorização do Congresso Nacional para o Poder Executivo efetivar a denúncia de Textos Convencionais. Persistindo esse entendimento no C. Supremo Tribunal Federal, haverá uma mudança de paradigma importante no campo do Direito dos Tratados, tema fundamental na área do direito internacional. A presente dissertação de mestrado tem por escopo fomentar, no meio acadêmico, discussões acerca da necessidade (ou não) da participação do Parlamento brasileiro nos casos de denúncia de Tratados, Convenções e Atos Internacionais

Nous présentons dans ce document, notre étude de la conception et la réalisation de VMOS et de diodes Schottky et JBS en carbure de silicium. Ce travail nous a permis d'optimiser et de fabriquer des diodes utilisant une barrière Schottky en Tungsten de différentes tenues en tension entre 1,2kV et 9kV. De plus, notre étude du VMOS nous a permis d'identifier la totalité des problèmes auxquels nous faisons face. Ainsi, nous avons pu améliorer ces composants tout en essayant de nouveaux designs tels que le VIEMOS et l'intégration monolithique de capteurs de temperature et de courant. / In this document, we present ou study about the conception and realization of VMOS and Schottky and JBS Diodes on Silicon Carbide. This work allowed us optimize and fabricate diodes using Tungsten as Schottky barrier on both Schottky and JBS diodes of different blocking capability between 1.2kV and 9kV. Moreover, our study of the VMOS, by considering the overall fabrication process, has permitted to identify the totality of the problems we are facing. Thusly we could ameliorate the devices and try new designs as the VIEMOS or the monolithic integration of temperature and current sensors.

L’ARN polymérase II (ARNPII) synthétise des ARNs codants et des ARNs non-codants (ARNnc) tels que les petits ARNs nucléaire/nucléolaire (sn/snoRNAs) et les CUTs (Cryptic Unstable Transcripts). Les CUTs sont des transcrits ubiquitaire souvent produits dans des régions codants dont la transcription peut interférer avec l’expression des gènes. Le contrôle de l’expression des ARNnc est essentiel et se fait aux niveaux de la terminaison de la transcription et la dégradation de l’ARN. Chez la levure Saccharomyces cerevisiae la terminaison de la transcription des gènes codants est effectuée par le Facteur de Clivage et de Polyadénylation (CPF), tandis que les ARNnc courts sont terminés par le complexe Nrd1p-Nab3p-Sen1p (NNS). La terminaison de la transcription est régulée par la phosphorylation du domaine C-terminal (CTD) de l’ARNPII composé de répétitions du motif Y1S2P3T4S5P6S7. Un niveau élevé de phosphorylation des résidus Ser5 près du promoteur permet l’activité du complexe NNS. La phosphorylation des résidus Ser2 est catalysée durant la transcription par la kinase Ctk1p et ces résidus sont reconnus par des éléments de la voie CPF. Mon travail de thèse a porté sur le mécanisme de terminaison de la transcription par le complexe NNS. La terminaison NNS dépend de la liaison de Nrd1p et Nab3p à des motifs dans l’ARN naissant et l’activité hélicase de Sen1p qui provoque le relarguage de la polymérase. La sous-unité Nrd1p interagit avec le domaine CTD de l’ARNPII phosphorylé sur Ser5 à travers son domaine CID (CTD-interaction domain). Le rôle du CID dans la terminaison à été proposé mais pas encore clairement démontré. En collaboration avec le groupe de P. Cramer (Université Louis-et-Maximilien de Munich Allemagne) nous avons mis en évidence que le CID est requis pour une terminaison efficace par la voie NNS et qu’il est important pour le recrutement de Nrd1p sur l’ARNPII. Le CID est aussi impliqué de manière directe ou indirecte dans l’interaction de Sen1p avec Nrd1p et Nab3p. En parallèle, avec le groupe de F. Holstege (Université Centre Médicale de Utrecht, Pays-Bas) nous avons montré que la phosphorylation en Ser2 du domaine CTD est requise pour une terminaison efficace par la voie NNS. De manière surprenante, ce résidu joue un rôle mineur dans la terminaison des ARNs codants effectuée par le complexe CPF. Les ARNs naissant terminés par le complexe NNS sont rapidement ciblés par le complexe nucléase exosome/Rrp6p et son cofacteur TRAMP ce qui mène a la maturation des sn/snoRNAs et la destruction des CUTs. Le complexe NNS interagit in vivo avec l’exosome et le complexe TRAMP, ce qui facilite la dégradation. Cependant les détails moléculaires de cette interaction restent inconnus. Nous avons montré que le domaine CID est requis et suffisant in vivo et in vitro pour l’interaction de Nrd1p avec la partie C-terminale de la sous-unité Trf4p du complexe TRAMP, que nous avons appelé NIM (Nrd1p-Interaction Motif). En collaboration avec le groupe de R. Stefl (Université Masaryk, République Tchèque) nous avons étudié par spectroscopie RMN la structure de ce motif NIM lié au CID. Nous avons mis en évidence que le CID lie le NIM et le CTD de façon similaire, et que ces interactions sont mutuellement exclusives. Le NIM se lie au CID environ 100 fois plus fortement qu’au CTD. Nous proposons que ces interactions alternatives de Nrd1p définissent des formes différentes du complexe NNS, une qui fonctionne dans la terminaison de la transcription, l’autre qui est active dans la dégradation. In vitro l’interaction du NIM avec le CID stimule l’activité poly(A)-polymérase de Trf4p ce qui suggère une fonction importante de cette interaction dans la dégradation. Nous montrons aussi que Rrp6p interagit directement avec Trf4p et cette liaison in vivo sert à recruter le complexe TRAMP à l’exosome Nous proposons que ce jeu serré d’interactions entre les complexes NNS, TRAMP et l’exosome/Rrp6p contribue à augmenter l’efficacité de dégradation de l’ARN in vivo / The RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) synthesizes protein-coding RNAs and many non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) such as small nuclear/nucleolar (sn-/snoRNAs) and Cryptic Unstable Transcripts (CUTs). CUTs are ubiquitously transcribed including overlapping and antisense to genes, which can interfere with gene expression. Control of ncRNA expression is vital and also operates at the level of transcription termination and RNA degradation.In yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae transcription of protein-coding genes is terminated by the Cleavage and Polyadenylation Factor (CPF), while short ncRNAs are generated by transcription termination dependent from the Nrd1p-Nab3p-Sen1p (NNS) complex. Transcription termination is regulated by phosphorylation of the carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) of the Rpb1p subunit of RNAPII, composed of repeats of the Y1S2P3T4S5P6S7 motif. Promoter-proximal high levels of serine 5 phosphorylated (Ser5P) CTD favors the function of the NNS pathway while the Ser2 phosphorylated mark (Ser2P), which is gradually introduced during transcription by Ctk1p, is recognized by components of the CPF pathway. The study of the mechanism of action of the NNS complex was the subject of my PhD work.NNS-dependent transcription termination is driven by the recognition of four nucleotide motifs in the nascent RNA by Nrd1p and Nab3p and the release of the RNAPII by the Sen1p helicase. Nrd1p interacts with the CTD-Ser5P via its CTD-interaction domain (CID). Thus a role of the CID in termination was anticipated but not demonstrated. In collaboration with the group of P. Cramer (Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany), we have shown that the Nrd1p CID domain is required for efficient transcription termination at most NNS-target genes and that it is important for the recruitment of Nrd1p to the RNAPII. This domain is also involved, directly or indirectly, in the interaction of the Sen1p helicase with Nrd1p and Nab3p. In the second project, in collaboration with F. Holstege group (University Medical Center Utrecht, Netherlands), we have shown that the CTD-Ser2P mark is important for efficient transcription termination by the NNS pathway but, surprisingly, it appears to play a minor role in termination of mRNA-coding genes by the CPF-complex.Shortly after NNS-dependent termination, the released ncRNAs are targeted by the nuclear exosome/Rrp6p nuclease complex and its cofactor the TRAMP which results in trimming of sn-/snoRNAs to a mature form and complete degradation of CUTs. The NNS complex co-purifies in vivo with the TRAMP/exosome, which is believed to facilitate subsequent degradation and processing. However, the molecular details of this interaction are unknown. We show that the CID is required and sufficient in vivo and in vitro for the interaction of Nrd1p with a motif present in the C-terminal region of Trf4p, which we called NIM (for Nrd1p-Interaction Motif). In collaboration with the group of R. Stefl (Masaryk University, Czech Republic), we obtained the NMR structure of the CID bound to the NIM and demonstrated that the CID binds in a similar manner to the CTD and the NIM. The CID interacts with the CTD and the NIM in a mutually exclusive manner and the former interaction is roughly 100 times stronger than the first. We propose that these alternative interactions represent two forms of the NNS complex, one functioning in termination and the other in degradation. Importantly, the NIM-CID interaction is likely to be functionally relevant since in vitro it results in the stimulation of the polyA polymerase activity of the Trf4p. We further show that Trf4p interacts directly with Rrp6p, which in vivo serves to recruit the TRAMP to the core exosome complex. This tight interplay between the NNS, TRAMP and exosome/Rrp6p complexes most likely accounts for the efficiency of RNA degradation in vivo.

The press is filled with stories about termination of customer relationships in banking, telecom and other service industries. Yet, there is limited research on firm-initiated service termination and in particular, customers’ reactions to different termination strategies is under-researched. This study employs a 2 (termination strategies: firm-oriented and customer-oriented) * 5 (compensation types: explanation, apology, moderate monetary compensation, high monetary compensation and no compensation) experimental design with US adult consumers in retail banking. In phase 1, the study examines the direct and indirect effects of termination severity on customers’ reactions and the perceived justice theory is used to explain the post termination conceptual framework. The results show that a firm-oriented approach is perceived as more severe and less fair compared with a customer-oriented approach. In addition, termination severity negatively influences perceived justice and positively influences anger, direct complaint, negative WoM and revenge behaviours. The results also demonstrate that anger and perceived justice mediate the relationships between termination severity and behavioural responses and attitude towards complaining moderates the effects of anger on revenge, direct and third party complaint. The study contributes to the service termination literature by enhancing the understanding of the consequences of service termination and also providing a theoretical model of customers’ attitudinal, emotional and behavioural reactions to firm-initiated service termination. Furthermore, little is known about the role that compensation plays in influencing customers’ responses to intentional failures such as service termination. Therefore, in phase 2, this research examines the effects of different types of compensation and different level of monetary compensation on customers’ anger, satisfaction, image and negative WoM following the two termination approaches. Expectancy violation theory is used to explain the post compensation conceptual model. Contrary to the accepted wisdom, the findings reveal that explanation is the salient compensation type for both termination approaches. In addition, high level of monetary compensation is only effective following a firm-oriented, but not a customer-oriented approach. Moreover, apology and moderate monetary compensation are not effective in improving customers’ satisfaction and reducing their anger following either approach. The research contributes to the service recovery literature by examining the effectiveness of psychological and monetary compensation in service termination, which is an intentional failure. The findings provide managers with critical insights about the effectiveness of different compensation strategies based on specific termination strategies (i.e. psychological compensation following customer-oriented and both psychological and high monetary compensation following firm-oriented approaches).

O trabalho trata das situações de incerteza na técnica processual civil, analisando causas, efeitos e, principalmente, meios adequados para o tratamento dessas situações. Defende a idéia de que os litigantes não podem ter seus direitos processuais cerceados pela falta de objetividade na técnica processual, circunstância na qual deverá ser privilegiada a eficácia dos atos das partes. Nos três primeiros capítulos, é estudada a função do processo perante o direito material (aspecto positivo da instrumentalidade do processo), seu formalismo e sua flexibilidade, acentuando-se a aplicação da instrumentalidade das formas e do dever de saneamento das irregularidades processuais (aspecto negativo da instrumentalidade do processo). No capítulo quarto, são identificadas as crises de certeza no direito processual, suas fontes e os melhores meios de se evitá-las. No capítulo quinto, é justificada, à luz do direito processual vigente, a necessidade de manutenção da eficácia dos atos processuais realizados em zonas de incerteza. Por fim, nos capítulos seis e sete, o trabalho trata da fungibilidade recursal e da incerteza relativa aos pressupostos formais da ação rescisória, propondo meios de se permitir que os atos processuais realizados em zonas de incerteza produzam todos os seus efeitos, ainda que a opção dos litigantes divirja daquela adotada pelo juiz. / The present dissertation deals with the uncertainty about Brazilian civil procedure techniques, analyzing causes, effects and, chiefly, adequate means of treatment of such issues. It argues that the litigants may not have their procedural rights suppressed by the lack of objectivity on procedural law, situation in which the efficacy of their acts must be privileged. In the first three chapters, it studies the function of the procedural Law considering the substantive Law (positive aspect of procedural instrumentality), its formalism and its flexibility, enhancing the applicability of the norm of instrumentality of the forms and the judges obligation of remedying procedural irregularities (negative aspect of procedural instrumentality). In chapter four, crises of uncertainty of procedural law are identified, its sources as well as the best ways to avoid them. In chapter five, the needs of maintaining the efficacy of the parties acts in situations of uncertainty are justified considering the current procedural Law. At last, in chapters six and seven, the study addresses the rule of commingling remedies and the matter of uncertainty related to the procedural requisites of the termination action, proposing that the procedural acts performed in zones of uncertainty will produce all their effects, even if the option made by the litigants be different from that made by the judge.

Les indemnités de fin de contrat, qu’elles résultent de la loi ou de la volonté contractuelle, sont nombreuses et variées et malgré leur importance pratique aucune étude d’ensemble ne leur avait été consacrée en droit privé. Cette thèse se propose de les étudier conjointement pour en dresser une typologie et en déterminer le régime juridique. La première partie traite de la variété des indemnités, qu’elles soient légales (VRP, agents commerciaux, gérants-mandataires, bail commercial ou rural) ou conventionnelles (indemnité d’anéantissement unilatéral ou de dédit). Il est démontré que l’indemnité de fin de contrat représente le prix d’une liberté contractuelle retrouvée permettant la sauvegarde de l’équilibre économique du contrat. Les contreparties sont en revanche différentes. Elles constituent un encadrement du droit d’anéantir le contrat unilatéralement ou offrent le droit de se dédire, c’est-à-dire de ne pas exécuter le contrat en tout ou partie. La seconde partie est consacrée au régime juridique des indemnités. Il en résulte une liberté contractuelle orientée in melius au profit du créancier de l’indemnité légale. Ainsi que le constat d’un contrôle judiciaire insuffisant s’agissant des indemnités conventionnelles. Ce faisant, il est proposé des modifications législatives tant concernant les indemnités légales par l’octroi d’une indemnité de fin de contrat au profit des distributeurs-revendeurs, que s’agissant des indemnités conventionnelles par la consécration explicite de la validité du dédit conventionnel ainsi que l’élaboration d’un contrôle judiciaire du montant des indemnités conventionnelles excessives sur le modèle de la clause pénale. / Termination benefits, whether as a result of the law or the contractual will, are numerous and varied and despite their practical importance no comprehensive study had been dedicated to this topic in private law. This thesis proposes to study them jointly to establish a typology and to determine the legal regime. The first part deals with the variety of allowances, whether they are legal or conventional. It is shown that the termination benefit represents the price of a restored contractual freedom with a view to securing a fair balance of interests. The counterparties are, on the other hand, different. They provide a legal framework for the right to annihilate the contract unilaterally or offer the right to withdraw, that is to say, not to execute the contract in whole or in part. The second part is devoted to the legal system of allowances. The result is a contractual freedom directed in melius to the benefit of the creditor of the legal indemnity. As well as the finding of insufficient judicial review in respect of conventional allowances. In this regard, legislative amendments are proposed, both with regard to statutory allowances by granting a termination payment to reseller distributors, as well as conventional allowances by the legal consecration of the validity of conventional withdrawal as well as the development of a judicial review of the amount of excessive conventional allowances, built on the model of the penalty clause.

No description available.

The St. Louis School District (SLSD) provided its students with a virtual education program (VEP) but abandoned it following a cut in federal funding, omitting an alternative pathway for students to complete their education. The problem addressed in this study was the effect of technology and management's decision to discontinue the VEP. The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine management's role and the effect of the technology in discontinuing the VEP. Dewey's theory of education and Koskela and Howell's theory of management established the theoretical foundation for the study. A purposeful sampling selection approach was used to recruit 8 administrator and teacher participants who were knowledgeable about the VEP and who worked in their respective districts. An interview questionnaire was created and used to collect data. The data were processed and analyzed using the thematic analysis approach. The results revealed that technology was not a problem for the 3 school districts, but the SLSD did not prioritize the VEP in its budget. The results of this study might help other institutions keep their online program intact in the event a similar situation occurs. The implications for social change could be that securing a VEP could contribute in producing more well-educated citizens to work in higher-level jobs, drive business development, and contribute to community development in society.