This dissertation focuses on Archbishop Alonso de Montúfar OP (ca. 1489-1572). It seeks to explore two decades of sixteenth century Mexican Church History mainly through the study of documents found in Spanish and Mexican archives. Born outside Granada in Southern Spain, just after the conquest from the Muslims, Alonso de Montúfar assumed teaching and leading positions within the Dominican order. After more than forty years as a friar, Montúfar was elected archbishop of Mexico and resided there from 1554 until his death eighteen years later. From the 1520s onwards, many missionaries went from Spain to Mexico in order to christianise the native inhabitants and to administer the church’s sacraments to them. Many of the missionaries were members of three mendicant orders: the Franciscans, the Dominicans, and the Augustinians. Alonso de Montúfar’s time as archbishop can be seen as a period of transition and a time that was filled with disputes on how the church in Mexico should be organised in the future. Montúfar wanted to strengthen the role of the bishops in the church organisation. He also wanted to improve the finances of the diocesan church and promote a large number of secular clerics to work in the Indian ministry. All this meant that he became involved in prolonged and very animated disputes with the friars, the members of the cathedral chapter, and the viceroy of Mexico. One chapter of this dissertation is devoted to a detailed study of Archbishop Montúfar’s role in the early cult of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Tepeyac, which today has become of the most important Marian devotions in the world.

This thesis develops models for accurate prediction of price changes on electronic stock exchanges by utilizing autoregressive and logistic methods. Prices on these electronic stock exchanges, also called ECNs, are solely determined by where orders have been placed into the order book, unlike traditional stock exchanges where prices are determined by an expert market maker. Identifying the significant variables and formulating the models will provide critical insight into the dynamics of prices on ECNs. Whereas previous research has relied on simulated data to test market strategies, this analysis will utilize actual ECN data. The models recognize patterns of asymmetry and movement of the shares in the order book to formulate accurate probabilities for possible future price changes. On traditional stock exchanges, price changes could only occur as quickly as human beings could enact them. On ECNs, computerized systems place orders on behalf of traders based on their preferences, resulting in price changes that reflect trader activity almost instantaneously. The quickness of this automation on ECNs forces the re-evaluation of commonly held beliefs about stock price dynamics. Previous strategies developed for trading on ECNs have relied mainly on price fluctuations to gain profits. This thesis uses the formulated models to design profitable strategies that use accurate prediction rather than price variability.

This study addresses the importance of cost accounting and performance evaluation for organizations. Further, this study explains the purposes of cost accounting and performance evaluation. The chosen method is a single case study which investigates how product costing is made within a food manufacturing company, called Omega in this study. Interviews have been an important tool for collecting data; data used to create a snapshot of Omega’s current operations. Cost concepts, cost allocation methods, and performance evaluation theories are presented and later compared with the snapshot of Omega. Dissatisfaction concerning product costing in Omega was first expressed by a business unit manager. Search revealed that the issue concerning product costing was not a problem per se; instead it was a symptom of a more fundamental issue. The more fundamental issue is Omega’s cost accounting and financial performance evaluation used throughout the organization. Omega evaluates its business units using financial operating results measures based on information from its cost accounting system. Uncertainty within Omega has been observed concerning a performance measure called operational result. Search has revealed that the business units within Omega do not have the ability to control costs upon which they are evaluated, and further that all costs are not relevant for business unit performance evaluation. Three cost categories for cost accounting have been constructed with the purpose of serving as a base for financial performance evaluation. Treating costs differently based upon their characteristics enables organizations to form a well-functioning financial performance evaluation system which can lead the organization in the right direction. Ultimately, a well-functioning financial performance evaluation system enhances motivation and commitment in business units as well as it gives the top management a correct performance indicator.

This thesis investigates Bektashi responses to the abolition of religious orders in Turkey in 1925. In order to understand the immediate impact of the legislation among Bektashis, I analyze three series of articles and a novel written in that period, while also tracing the repercussions of similar narratives which were continued to be used by Bektashis in the subsequent decades. I, thereby, explore the ways in which Bektashis developed alternative narratives rationalizing and justifying the abolition of their religious order. Since its proclamation, Law #677 regarding the abolition of religious orders has been subjected to many different readings by both the decision-makers of that period and the dervishes who were affected by the Law. In this thesis, I try to give an empathetic account of Bektashi readings, and argue that it is impossible to present a homogeneous stance by Bektashis towards the abolition of their religious orders, since there is a great diversity in their perceptions of the legislation, which are shaped by Bektashi cosmologies. Bektashis&rsquo / responses range from their harsh criticisms of the state policy to their imaginative strategies for accommodating the legislation. While arguing that Bektashis&rsquo / strategies exhibit common patterns that take shape around the strategies which I identify as accommodation, I still point out the significance of grasping the subjectivity within these strategies. Thus, in this thesis, through the analysis of an historical event, I explore the ways in which Bektashis transform and accommodate &ldquo / the past&rdquo / for constructing and legitimizing &ldquo / the present&rdquo / .

Inaug.-diss.--Munich. / Lebenslauf. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis--Louvain. / Reprint of the 1898 ed., published by Van Linthout in Louvain. Includes bibliographical references.

Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on Feb 17, 2010). The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Thesis advisor: Dr. Lois Huneycutt. Includes bibliographical references.

Revised Thesis (doctoral)--Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (p. [411]-442) and index.

No description available.

The main objective of this work was to develop and implement the travel reservation system, which would be easy to use, widely accessible for large amount of users, progressive and works without mistakes. This system would allow users to save time planning job or holiday trip. The project was implemented using PHP and Microsoft SQL. The program performs a lot of functions: booking of tickets, hotels and additional services, travel routes catalog review and personal trip design, edition of the reservations that has been already made. These are only several features from the travel reservation system, which would help to plan holiday or job trip.