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Expatriation from Japanese companies has been considered mainly for men. This research focuses on gradually increasing Japanese expatriate women’s experiences in the United States. Using structuration theory (Giddens, 1984) and doing gender (West & Zimmerman, 1987), gender practices and (re)production of gendered structure at Japanese organizations in the United States are illustrated. It is exploratory research without prior research focusing on the subjects. Literature review, therefore, covers three relevant areas: women in workplace in Japan, Japanese expatriates in the United States, and women in international assignments from western countries. This research employs qualitative research method to understand the social world of Japanese expatriate women in the United States. Twenty participants are gathered through convenience and snowballing sample techniques. Findings are in two areas: private and organizational spheres. Gender plays a significant role in both areas. Organizations are officially gender free, but it is time to face that women are disadvantaged because of their gender. Particularly, most of participants reproduce gendered practice that expatriation is for men or women who can work like men. Therefore, an expatriate woman with a child and another with trailing husband in the United States face challenges. Japanese companies should acknowledge that organizational system do not reflect women’s perspectives at expatriatism. Japanese expatriate women should also take an active role in networking and mentoring for greater participation of women in international assignments in the future.

We develop solution methods for the air defense problem of a naval task group in this dissertation. We consider two interdependent problems. The first problem is the optimal allocation of a set of defensive missile systems of a naval task group to a set of attacking air targets. We call this problem the Missile Allocation Problem (MAP). The second problem called the Sector Allocation Problem (SAP) is the determination of a robust air defense formation for a naval task group by locating ships in predefined sectors on the surface. For MAP, we present three different mixed integer programming formulations. MAP by its nature requires real time solution. We propose efficient heuristic solution procedures that satisfy the demanding time requirement of MAP. We also develop mathematical programming models for SAP. Proposed branch and bound solution scheme for SAP yields highly satisfactory solutions. We characterize the interaction between MAP and SAP and develop an integrated solution approach.

In this study, possible applications of label switching in large area, fully optical networks are investigated. The objective was to design a label assignment method by using Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching (GMPLS) concept to get an efficient optical network operation. In order to fulfill this objective, two new approaches were proposed: a label assignment method and a concatenated label structure. Label assignment method was designed to provide an efficient utilization of resources. Concatenated label structure aimed handling the label in optical domain. Mainly, the lambda switch capable GMPLS networks were investigated. In order to verify the performance of label assignment method, a simulator was developed. The results of simulation have clearly indicated that the proposed approaches could be beneficial in an optical network operation.

A comprehensive study on berth and quay crane scheduling problems at container terminals at seaports is provided. Problems related to both multi-user terminals, where the terminal operator and liner carriers are different parties, and dedicated terminals, where liner carriers lease the terminal, are considered. A lower bound and an effective meta-heuristic algorithm are proposed for a dynamic variant of the Berth Allocation Problem (BAP). The Multiple Berth Allocation Problem (MBAP) is also introduced. Different crane scheduling methods used by terminal operators are analyzed and a tabu search algorithm is designed for a new variant of the Quay Crane Scheduling Problem (QCSP). The Simultaneous Berth and Quay Crane Scheduling Problem (BQCSP) is introduced with a lower bound analysis and an efficient solution method. A computational analysis is performed which exposes the substantial benefit of simultaneous planning over the hierarchical approach currently used by terminal operators. The tactical level Voyage and Berth Scheduling Problem (VBSP) is defined and a mathematical model based on multi-commodity network flow is presented. Constraints related to transshipments, terminal time windows and service level requirements are incorporated into the model, and how to modify instance data to increase schedule reliability is discussed.

Habitat fragmentation can have an impact on a wide variety of biological processes including abundance, life history strategies, mating system, inbreeding and genetic diversity levels of individual species. Although fragmented populations have received much attention, ecological and genetic responses of species to fragmentation have still not been fully resolved. The current study investigated the ecological factors that may influence the demographic and genetic structure of the giant white-tailed rat (Uromys caudimaculatus) within fragmented tropical rainforests. It is the first study to examine relationships between food resources, vegetation attributes and Uromys demography in a quantitative manner. Giant white-tailed rat densities were strongly correlated with specific suites of food resources rather than forest structure or other factors linked to fragmentation (i.e. fragment size). Several demographic parameters including the density of resident adults and juvenile recruitment showed similar patterns. Although data were limited, high quality food resources appear to initiate breeding in female Uromys. Where data were sufficient, influx of juveniles was significantly related to the density of high quality food resources that had fallen in the previous three months. Thus, availability of high quality food resources appear to be more important than either vegetation structure or fragment size in influencing giant white-tailed rat demography. These results support the suggestion that a species’ response to fragmentation can be related to their specific habitat requirements and can vary in response to local ecological conditions. In contrast to demographic data, genetic data revealed a significant negative effect of habitat fragmentation on genetic diversity and effective population size in U. caudimaculatus. All three fragments showed lower levels of allelic richness, number of private alleles and expected heterozygosity compared with the unfragmented continuous rainforest site. Populations at all sites were significantly differentiated, suggesting restricted among population gene flow. The combined effects of reduced genetic diversity, lower effective population size and restricted gene flow suggest that long-term viability of small fragmented populations may be at risk, unless effective management is employed in the future. A diverse range of genetic reproductive behaviours and sex-biased dispersal patterns were evident within U. caudimaculatus populations. Genetic paternity analyses revealed that the major mating system in U. caudimaculatus appeared to be polygyny at sites P1, P3 and C1. Evidence of genetic monogamy, however, was also found in the three fragmented sites, and was the dominant mating system in the remaining low density, small fragment (P2). High variability in reproductive skew and reproductive success was also found but was less pronounced when only resident Uromys were considered. Male body condition predicted which males sired offspring, however, neither body condition nor heterozygosity levels were accurate predictors of the number of offspring assigned to individual males or females. Genetic spatial autocorrelation analyses provided evidence for increased philopatry among females at site P1, but increased philopatry among males at site P3. This suggests that male-biased dispersal occurs at site P1 and female-biased dispersal at site P3, implying that in addition to mating systems, Uromys may also be able to adjust their dispersal behaviour to suit local ecological conditions. This study highlights the importance of examining the mechanisms that underlie population-level responses to habitat fragmentation using a combined ecological and genetic approach. The ecological data suggested that habitat quality (i.e. high quality food resources) rather than habitat quantity (i.e. fragment size) was relatively more important in influencing giant white-tailed rat demographics, at least for the populations studied here . Conversely, genetic data showed strong evidence that Uromys populations were affected adversely by habitat fragmentation and that management of isolated populations may be required for long-term viability of populations within isolated rainforest fragments.

Σε ένα δίκτυο πολυπλεξίας διαίρεσης μήκους κύματος (Wavelength Division Multiplexing - WDM), κάθε οπτική ίνα μεταφέρει κίνηση υψηλού ρυθμού σε διαφορετικά μήκη κύματος δημιουργώντας έναν αριθμό από µη επικαλυπτόμενα κανάλια μέσα σε μία μόνο ίνα. Η πιο κοινή αρχιτεκτονική που χρησιμοποιείται για την επικοινωνία σε WDM οπτικά δίκτυα είναι η δρομολόγηση μηκών κύματος, όπου οπτικοί παλμοί μεταδίδονται μέσω οπτικών μονοπατιών, δηλαδή αμιγώς WDM κανάλια που μπορεί να διατρέχουν έναν αριθμό από συνεχόμενες ίνες. Τα σημερινά οπτικά δίκτυα κορμού είναι κυρίως δίκτυα από σημείο σε σημείο (αδιαφανή), όπου το σήμα αναγεννάται σε κάθε ενδιάμεσο κόμβο μέσω οπτο-ηλεκτρο-οπτικής (ΟΕΟ) μετατροπής. Η τάση που επικράτησε τα προηγούμενα χρόνια δείχνει μία εξέλιξη σε δίκτυα χαμηλού κόστους και υψηλής χωρητικότητας που δεν χρησιμοποιούν OEO μετατροπή. Αρχικά, το κόστος ενός αδιαφανούς δικτύου μπορεί να μειωθεί με την μετακίνηση σε ένα δίκτυο όπου η OEO μετατροπή γίνεται μόνο σε ορισμένους κόμβους, το οποίο συνήθως αναφέρεται ως ημιδιαφανές δίκτυο. Ο στόχος είναι η ανάπτυξη ενός αμιγώς διάφανου οπτικού δικτύου όπου το σήμα θα παραμένει σε οπτική μορφή κατά μήκος ολόκληρου του οπτικού μονοπατιού. Δεδομένου ότι τα οπτικά μονοπάτια είναι οι βασικές οντότητες μεταγωγής ενός WDM δικτύου δρομολόγησης μήκους κύματος, η αποτελεσματική εγκατάσταση τους είναι υψηλής σημασίας. Επομένως, είναι σημαντικό να προτείνουμε αποδοτικούς αλγορίθμους για την επιλογή των μονοπατιών των αιτήσεων σύνδεσης και να αναθέσουμε μήκη κύματος σε κάθε ένα σύνδεσμο κατά μήκος αυτών των μονοπατιών. Αυτό το πρόβλημα είναι γνωστό ως πρόβλημα δρομολόγησης και ανάθεσης μήκους κύματος (Routing and Wavelength Assignment - RWA). Στα διαφανή και ημιδιαφανή οπτικά δίκτυα, η ποιότητα της μετάδοσης του σήματος (QoT) επηρεάζεται σημαντικά από τις φυσικές εξασθενήσεις. Το RWA πρόβλημα με την παρουσία φυσικών εξασθενήσεων αναφέρεται ως Impairment aware (ΙΑ-) RWA πρόβλημα. Στην παρούσα διδακτορική έρευνα αρχικά ασχοληθήκαμε με την ανάπτυξη και την αξιολόγηση αλγορίθμων δρομολόγησης και ανάθεσης μήκους κύματος σε διαφανή και ημιδιαφανή οπτικά WDM δίκτυα θεωρώντας ότι οι αιτήσεις σύνδεσης είναι γνωστές εκ των προτέρων (φάση σχεδιασμού δικτύων θεωρώντας στατική κίνηση). Εξαιτίας των φυσικών φαινομένων, η επιλογή του κάθε οπτικού μονοπατιού επηρεάζει και επηρεάζεται από τις επιλογές των άλλων οπτικών μονοπατιών. Η αλληλεπίδραση μεταξύ των οπτικών μονοπατιών στο στατικό πρόβλημα είναι δύσκολο να μοντελοποιηθεί καθώς η χρησιμοποίηση των οπτικών μονοπατιών αποτελούν μεταβλητές του προβλήματος. Αρχικά προτείνουμε RWA αλγορίθμους, χωρίς να λαμβάνουμε υπόψη τις φυσικές εξασθενήσεις, οι οποίοι βασίζονται σε μοντελοποιήσεις γραμμικού προγραμματισμού (Linear Programming - LP) και τείνουν να δίνουν ακέραιες λύσεις. Στην συνέχεια επεκτείνουμε τις μοντελοποιήσεις αυτές και παρουσιάζουμε δύο αλγορίθμους οι οποίοι λαμβάνουν υπόψη τις φυσικές εξασθενήσεις (IA-RWA). Στην πρώτη μοντελοποίηση οι φυσικές εξασθενήσεις λαμβάνονται υπόψη έμμεσα με βάση τις πηγές που προκαλούν τις εξασθενήσεις, ενώ στην δεύτερη μοντελοποίηση οι φυσικές εξασθενήσεις λαμβάνονται υπόψη άμεσα συνδυάζοντας τις παραμέτρους οι οποίες σχετίζονται με την διασπορά του θορύβου. Ο στόχος των IA-RWA αλγορίθμων είναι η ελαχιστοποίηση του αριθμού των μηκών κύματος που χρειάζονται για να εγκατασταθούν όλα τα οπτικά μονοπάτια και ταυτόχρονα η ελαχιστοποίηση της εξασθένησης του σήματος του κάθε οπτικού μονοπατιού. Αναπτύχθηκαν επίσης δύο IA-RWA αλγόριθμοι πολλαπλών κριτηρίων για δυναμική κίνηση (online αλγόριθμοι, που χρησιμοποιούνται κυρίως στην φάση λειτουργίας του δικτύου) για διαφανή δίκτυα. Οι αλγόριθμοι αυτοί λαμβάνουν υπόψη τους συνδυαστικά τις παραμέτρους του φυσικού επιπέδου και του επιπέδου δικτύου, ορίζοντας διανύσματα κόστους για κάθε συνδέσμου και για κάθε μονοπάτι. Ο ένας αλγόριθμος λαμβάνει τις φυσικές εξασθενήσεις έμμεσα, ενώ ο άλλος έμμεσα. Με βάση τους αλγορίθμους πολλαπλών κριτηρίων, προτείναμε διάφορες τεχνικές προστασίας των μονοπατιών για την αντιμετώπιση βλαβών στο δίκτυο λαμβάνοντας υπόψη τους περιορισμούς εξασθένησης του φυσικού επιπέδου. Ο αλγόριθμος που λαμβάνει άμεσα υπόψη τις φυσικές εξασθενήσεις, επεκτάθηκε ώστε να λαμβάνει υπόψη την ύπαρξη αναγεννητών σε συγκεκριμένους κόμβους του δικτύου καθιστώντας τον ικανό κατ’ αυτόν τον τρόπο να λειτουργεί σε ημιδιαφανή δίκτυα. Μελετήσαμε επιπλέον RWA αλγορίθμους σε WDM δίκτυα τα οποία περιλαμβάνουν κόμβους με περιορισμούς χρώματος (colored) και κατεύθυνσης (direction). Ειδικότερα, επικεντρωθήκαμε σε τέσσερις αρχιτεκτονικές κόμβων που χρησιμοποιούν add/drop ports με τις ακόλουθες ρυθμίσεις i) colored/directed, ii) colored/directionless, iii) colorless/ directed, και iv) colorless/directionless. Αυτές οι αρχιτεκτονικές έχουν διαφορετικό κόστος υλοποίησης, δηλαδή η πιο ευέλικτη αρχιτεκτονική είναι και η πιο ακριβή. Παράλληλα ασχοληθήκαμε με την μελέτη RWA αλγορίθμων σε ευέλικτα οπτικά δίκτυα όπου υπάρχει η επιπλέον δυνατότητα επιλογής του ρυθμού μετάδοσης (και του είδους διαμόρφωσης) που θα χρησιμοποιηθεί στο οπτικό μονοπάτι. Η δυνατότητα αυτή επιτρέπει στα κυκλώματα συνδέσεων, σε μελλοντικά οπτικά δίκτυα κορμού, να μην είναι πλέον στατικά και μονολιθικά, αλλά να μπορούν να αναπροσαρμόζονται δυναμικά στην ζήτηση, τόσο ως προς τον ρυθμό τους όσο και ως προς τον τρόπο διαμόρφωσης. Στα δίκτυα πολλαπλών ρυθμών δεν αρκεί να θεωρήσουμε μία συγκεκριμένη μέγιστη απόσταση μετάδοσης για κάθε τεχνική διαμόρφωσης/ρυθμό μετάδοσης, αλλά θα πρέπει να λάβουμε υπόψη τις αλληλεπιδράσεις μεταξύ των συνδέσεων που μεταδίδονται με διαφορετικό ρυθμό μετάδοσης. Οι προτεινόμενοι αλγόριθμοι προσαρμόζουν την απόσταση μετάδοσης των συνδέσεων ανάλογα με την κατάσταση χρησιμοποίησης του δικτύου, έτσι ώστε να αποφευχθούν τα φαινόμενα παρεμβολών πολλαπλών ρυθμών, παρέχοντας τη δυνατότητα να εγκατασταθούν συνδέσεις με αποδεκτή ποιότητα μετάδοσης. Τέλος, μελετήσαμε RWA αλγορίθμους που έχουν ως στόχο την μείωση της κατανάλωσης της ενέργειας σε WDM οπτικά δίκτυα, για την περίπτωση της στατικής κίνησης. Η μείωση της ενέργειας επιτυγχάνεται μέσω της μείωσης του αριθμού των συσκευών του δικτύου που είναι ιδιαίτερα δαπανηρές σε ενέργεια. Αναπτύξαμε ενεργοαποδοτικούς αλγορίθμους για διαφανή και ημιδιαφανή δίκτυα με την χρήση ILP μοντελοποιήσεων. / Ιn a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) network, each fiber link carries high-rate traffic at several different wavelengths, thus creating multiple channels within a single fiber. The most common architecture utilized for establishing communication in WDM optical networks is wavelength routing, where optical pulse-trains are transmitted through lightpaths, that is, all-optical WDM channels that may span multiple consecutive fibers. Current optical core networks are mainly point-to-point (opaque) networks, where the signal is regenerated at every intermediate node via optical-electronic-optical (OEO) conversion. The trend in recent years shows an evolution toward low-cost and high-capacity all-optical networks that do not utilize OEO. Initially, the cost of an opaque network can be reduced by moving toward a network where OEO conversion is employed only at some nodes, which is usually referred to as a translucent network. The ultimate goal is the development of an all-optical transparent network, where the data signal remains in the optical domain for the entire lightpath. Since the lightpaths are the basic switched entities of a wavelength routed WDM network, their effective establishment and usage are crucial. Thus, it is important to propose efficient algorithms to select the routes for the requested connections and to assign wavelengths on each of the links along these routes. This is known as the routing and wavelength assignment (abbreviated RWA) problem. In a transparent or translucent network, where the signal on a lightpath remains in the optical domain, the quality of transmission (QoT) is significantly affected by physical limitations of fibers and optical components. The RWA problem in the presence of physical layer impairments is referred as Impairment aware (IA-) RWA. We first consider the offline version (network planning phase assuming static traffic) of the RWA problem in transparent and translucent optical networks. In such networks, the signal quality of transmission degrades due to physical layer impairments. Because of certain physical effects, routing choices made for one lightpath affect and are affected by the choices made for the other lightpaths. This interference among the lightpaths is particularly difficult to formulate in an offline algorithm since, in this version of the problem, we start without any established connections and the utilization of lightpaths are the variables of the problem. We initially present algorithms for solving the pure (without impairments) RWA problem based on a Linear Programming (LP)-relaxation formulation that tends to yield integer solutions. Then, we extend these algorithms and present two IA-RWA algorithms for transparent networks that account for the interference among lightpaths in their formulation. The first algorithm takes the physical layer indirectly into account by limiting the impairment-generating sources. The second algorithm uses noise variance-related parameters to directly account for the most important physical impairments. The objective of the resulting cross-layer optimization problem is not only to serve the connections using a small number of wavelengths (network layer objective), but also to select lightpaths that have acceptable quality of transmission (physical layer objective). We propose an algorithm for translucent networks that decomposes the problem into two sub-problems. Initially, we formulate the problem of choosing the sequence of regenerators to be used by the so called “non-transparent connections” as a virtual topology problem and propose various offline IA-RWA algorithms, ranging from integer linear programs (ILP) to simple heuristic algorithms, to solve it. We then transform the initial traffic matrix so as to obtain a traffic matrix that consists only of connections that can be served transparently and apply an IA-RWA algorithm developed for transparent networks. Next, we present two algorithms, for the online version (network operation phase assuming dynamic traffic) of the RWA problem, which are based on the multicost concept and use multiple cost parameters (that is, a cost vector, as opposed to a single scalar cost) for characterizing a link and handle the impairments directly and indirectly, respectively. We show that the use of the multicost approach to solve the online IA-RWA problem can be quite beneficial, both in terms of performance (blocking probability, execution time) and it terms of functionality. Multiple candidate lightpaths are calculated that have, by construction, good QoT performance, making also fault tolerance provisioning easy. We also present an IA-RWA algorithm for translucent WDM networks. We extend an algorithm developed for transparent networks, to obtain a number of IA-RWA algorithms that work in translucent networks and make use of the regenerators that are present at certain network locations when necessary. We also consider RWA in a WDM network consisting of optical cross-connect (OXC) nodes that have color and direction constraints. These restricted node architectures have a smaller cost than the more flexible (and best performing) ones usually assumed in the RWA problem. In particular, we concentrate on four node architectures that use add/drop ports with the following configurations: i) colored/directed, ii) colored/directionless, iii) colorless/ directed, and iv) colorless/directionless. We consider the problem of planning a mixed line rates (MLR) WDM transport optical network. In such networks, different modulation formats are usually employed to support the transmission at different line rates. Previously proposed planning algorithms have used a transmission reach bound for each modulation format/line rate, mainly driven by single line rate systems. However, transmission experiments in MLR networks have shown that physical layer interference phenomena are more severe between among transmissions that utilize different modulation formats. Thus, the transmission reach of a connection with a specific modulation format/line rate depends also on the other connections that co-propagate with it in the network. To plan a MLR WDM network, we present RWA algorithms that adapt the transmission reach of each connection according to the use of the modulation formats/line rates in the network. The proposed algorithms are able to plan the network so as to alleviate cross-rate interference effects, enabling the establishment of connections of acceptable quality over paths that would otherwise be prohibited. Finally, we consider the energy minimization problem in optical networks from an algorithmic perspective. The objective of our proposed algorithms is to plan optical WDM networks so as to minimize the energy consumed, by minimizing the number of the most energy-consuming components. Such components can be amplifiers, regenerators, add/drop terminals, optical fibers, etc. We present algorithms for solving the Energy-Aware Routing and Wavelength Assignment (EA-RWA) problem based on ILP formulations that incorporates energy consuming modules.

In global corporations, work is increasingly organized around projects and individuals are constantly working with new constellations of partners across locational and temporal boundaries. In order to be successful in such settings, individuals have to form and maintain relationships with those they need to learn from and coordinate with. Recent studies suggest that these social ties provide resources and support as well as create normative pressures that strengthen the attachment of employees with the firm and lead them to stay with the firm. In contrast, the strength of an individual’s attachment with the organization given the departure of connected colleagues remains largely under theorized, and consequently, its implications have not been adequately studied. We address these gaps by examining whether ties to colleagues who leave the firm activate different mechanisms which can weaken their binds with the organization. This study assume significance in the context of contemporary free-agent labor markets where career trajectories are proposed to unfold in a series of short stints at multiple firms as opposed to life-long career in a single firm. We develop theoretical arguments predicting the effect of workplace relationships on career mobility decisions by building on prior research into distributed work, changing nature of careers, social comparison, homophily, and structural equivalence. The main contention of this study is that the departure of one or more coworkers serves as powerful signals that unsettle the feeling of belongingness the focal employee enjoys with other teammates who choose to stay with the firm. Further, we propose that the influence of those departed employees will be higher when they are collocated and occupied similar professional roles as the focal employee. To test the arguments, we analyze entire project co-assignment data across five years that linked 728 geographically distributed employees who were engaged in software development and delivery activities at a multi-national high technology firm. Our findings suggest that instead of seeking belonging and viability with coworkers, employees are actively seeking cues from their network of colleagues and continuously making subjective assessments of career success. In distributed work settings, such cues circulate more among physically proximate than distant employees and formal roles of coworkers serve as referent points for those signals. These mechanisms collectively influence voluntary turnover decisions. Using a classification model, we further demonstrate how insights from this study can be used by human resource management practitioners to assess and contain the flight risk of their valuable talent.

Une structure de contrôle distribué partiellement coopérative est proposée dans cette thèse. La structure est consacrée au problème de commande d’un réseau composé de sous-systèmes non linéaires/linéaires qui sont interconnectés par leurs états et les entrées de commande. Par la coopération partielle, cela signifie que chaque sous-système est capable de préserver son propre objectif en utilisant un indice de la coopération ajustable qui définit dans quelle mesure il accepte de dégrader son propre niveau de performance afin d’aider ses voisins à maintenir leur intégrité sous les interconnexions potentiellement déstabilisantes. La communication entre les sous-systèmes est basée sur l’échange de niveaux de fonction de Lyapunov avec les contraintes associées et la quantité d’information transmise est plutôt réduite par rapport aux travaux les plus récents. Une autre caractéristique intéressante de cet structure de contrôle distribué non linéaire coopératif est l’utilisation de vecteurs prioritaires par chaque sous-système. Ce vecteur définit un ordre hiérarchique de l’importance de ses voisins menant à une stratégie de coopération dans lequel les sous-systèmes critiques dans le réseau peuvent être préservés en dépit des interactions. Une version linéaire de la structure de contrôle distribué coopératif est présenté. Cette conception de structure linéaire conduit à une évaluation rigoureuse de stabilité du réseau en boucle fermée globale. Une méthode d’amélioration de la stabilité est proposée basée sur la résolution d’un problème d’optimisation non convexe avec des degrés de liberté liés au paramétrage de l’affectation de priorité. Pour montrer son efficacité, le contrôle distribué coopératif proposé pour le réseau linéaire est appliqué pour traiter le problème de contrôle de la fréquence de charge dans un réseau d’alimentation et le problème de contrôle du système cryogénique. / In this dissertation, a partially cooperative distributed control framework is proposed. The framework is dedicated to the control problem for a network consisting of linear/nonlinear subsystems that are interconnected through their states and control inputs. By partial cooperation, it means that each subsystem is able to preserve its own objective while using a tunable cooperation index that defines to what extend it accepts to degrade its own performance level so as to help its neighbors maintain their integrity under potentially destabilizing interconnections. The communication between the subsystems is rather reduced comparing to most of the existing contributions. Another attractive feature of the proposed framework is that each subsystem in the network can be assigned with priority indicating the importance of the corresponding subsystem seen by its neighbors. Through proper parameterization of the priority assignment, improved performance of the subsystems and the network can be acheived. In the linear version, a rigorous stability assessment method is presented and a systematic way of proposing an optimized priority assignment for a given network is introduced as well. The proposed scheme is applied to handle the load frequency control problem in a 4-area power network and the control problem of a cryogenic system to illustrate its effectiveness.

In the theoretical part I defined leasing. I mainly pointed out advantages and disadvantages, types of leasing, leasing process, tax and accounting aspects. In the practical part I compared three situations when buying a new car. Assignment of lease agreement, new leasing contract and loan financing. I made this comparison on the basis of administrative requirements, taxation and financial performance. On the basis of several methods and considerations I have concluded that the loan is the best way. Assignment of the lease agreement is at first sight very disadvantageous. Leasing is a specific accounting situation, which is often difficult for accountants too. A mistake can be easily made during accounting of leasing operations. Leasing is very complicated mainly from the tax point of view.