The purpose of this study is to investigate municipal development activities of rural oriented areas of the west coast of Sweden. The chosen municipalities for this study are Tanum, Munkedal, Sotenäs and Orust where the aim is to give an understanding to the different municipalities work towards achieving local development and opposing depopulation. The nature of this study is primarily qualitative with a lightly deductive orientation since the presented concept of push and pulls factors of migration and the concept of governance with top down and bottom up approaches is used to understand and analyze the empirics. The empirics of this study give answer to the population situation of the municipalities, the prioritized factors for local development and methods adopted to oppose depopulation. The primary conclusion is that the problem of depopulation is handled by promoting local development through economical means in most municipalities.

In the past, the discussions on the development of service innovation are based on the analyses of manufacturing technology innovation and introduce the concept of manufacturing innovation and the model of product innovation to explore the service innovation of service industry sectors. Also, the past discussions center on the externalities of the service providers, the peripheral factors and new services introduced or provided by the enterprises and fail to focus on the impact of the service innovation on the interaction between customer service representatives and customers. This study will explore the interaction between the service providers (customer service representatives) and service demand (customers) from a microscopic angle and also analyze what roles of service providers and service demand play in the process of service innovation development. The purpose of the study is to understand the interaction roles played by the service representatives and customers, and to analyze the development and the model of service innovation when the representatives provide service to customers. The study will also explore the process of service innovation cycle development and what the driving force is in the formation of service innovation cycle development. The research obtains the qualitative data by the analysis of case study and supplements it with Critical Incident Technique (CIT). With the half structured questionnaire, the interview was conducted with the internal staff of the service providers and customers on the spot. The study tries to find out the reason behind the Critical Incident which prompts the service providers to innovate its service and its content. By analyzing the case study and Critical Incident of the innovation, the study proposes the model of the service innovation cycle and illustrates that the formation of service innovation is enhanced by repetitive evolution of innovation. Through the process of repetition and updated innovation cycle, the service providers can seek the goal of Continuous Service Innovation and outstanding performance. The study also employs Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to analyze the critical driving force of the service innovation during the service process and the meaning each represents.

Most of machine industry in Taiwan use ¡§Build to order¡¨ which start the production process until receiving orders. The key of ¡§Build to order¡¨ can be successful or not is quickly response to demand changes. If the production system can¡¦t keep up with changes in customer demand, it won¡¦t be able to process successive demands. Then the backlog will be more and more. So in ¡§Build to order¡¨, whether production system can adjust for changes in customer demand quickly or not is an important issue of ¡§Build to order¡¨. Kanban System is a mode of production which Toyota JIT system develops. It uses kanbans to control capacity of each workstation strictly. In order to achieve pull system, it uses kanbans to authorize production. Traditional push system must change production plans frequently, and maintain a certain stock between production processes. Pull system uses demands of back-end process to pull the production of front-end process. To achieve the so-called ¡§Just-in-Time¡¨ concept, the system must output the right number of products at the right time. This study uses system dynamics. According to relevant literatures and models, this study constructs Kanban system with industrial properties. According to demand changes and number of kanbans, this study simulates and analyzes the effectiveness after implementing the Kanban system. Then this study makes some management recommendations. Conclusions and findings:(1)Under the situation of normal demand changes, Kanban system can achieve quickly response and stability of production systems.(2) Under the situation of excessive changes in demand, implementing Kanban system will increase the backlog.(3)The number of kanbans represents production needs which are additional planned. The system should minimize the number of kanbans to avoid wastes.

In recent years, due to the influence of international energy supply and demand change, the request of carbon reducing lead by the climatic change, and the security issue from Japanese nucleus accident, push us have to develop multi-type power units; These results carries the power generation ways not only depend on the nuclear power, the coal-fire, the fuel oil or the hydrualic power, but also distribute partial demand to the gas turbine with combined cycle, the wind power, the solar energy and so on. If power plants have still to maintain high quality to produce and reduce the cost, its method of management also adjust to meet. The lean production is a famous way study and compile by many experts from the Toyota-type production which becomes the business model to enterprise, it emphasis that keep people to improve and the continue flow oriented , is precisely study model which the power plant management most needs now. This research is take a diversity power plant as the research case, by visits and measures that in the power plant each kind of experts. The lean production will induct the power plant production management to the lean production management concept's cognition and the inquisition, the attempt seeks improves the power plant management achievements the important key success factor, and the construction leaves the fine solid management mechanism. After collects various experts' questionnaire material, by the AHP level analysis method, the induction research obtains the following conclusion, First, the power generation process is real pull system, the demand carries by the customer (household power user) - the contribution center (to represent) proposed that initiates a serial electric power generation processes. Second, If considering the cost and quality factors with understanding and research of the operation, maintenance, manages experts , we get that the lean production way is truly suitable to fulfill in the power plant generation process, it¡¦s key point : 1.Should devote in formulate the work flow standardization, strengthens ability of the operators and maintain steady supply of fuel, find the good maintenance procedure, keep the production to be smooth. 2.Should participate in the improvement activity diligently including operator's all personnel, as well as promotes the power plant business to ability of the unit performance analysis, understood the characteristic of each production process, pursues the highest efficiency, expect to reduce the cost, and goal the quality promotion. 3.After the experts¡¦ decision-making process, we can involve the essential factor of lean production to be the management construction of power plant, but the case power plant has initially had the essence solid state. Key words: Lean production, the Toyota-type production, pull system , AHP, the standardization

To improve the wire bondability, interfacial adhesion and popcorn cracking resistance in the packaging processing of IC and MEMS chips, this thesis utilized oxygen and helium plasmas to modify and clean the surface of metal pads. The influences of the plasma cleaning time, metal pad materials and wire bonding time/temperature/power on the strength of wire bonding were investigated. Two different wire materials (Al wire with 32 £gm in diameter and Au wire with 25 £gm in diameter) were bonded on the surface of Al, Au and Pt metal pads using a commercial ultrasonic wire bonder (SPB-U688), respectively. The pull strength detection of the implemented micro joints is characterized by an accurate pull strength testing system (Dage SERIES-4000). Based on hundred measurement results, this research has three conclusions described as follows. (I) The pull strength of Au pad is higher than that of Al and Pt pads no matter with the plasma cleaning process or not. The maximum pull strength (12.286 g) can be achieved as the surface of Au pad was modified by the helium plasma for 180 seconds. (II) Helium plasma cleaned wafer can obtain larger improvement of pull strength than that of the oxygen plasma under the same plasma time. However, this result can not be concluded in Al and Pt pads. (III) The optimized wire bonding time/power of the Au, Al and Pt pads are 0.07 s/2.1, 0.05 s/0.6 W and 0.03 s/2.7 W, respectively.

This field study examined relationships of income and life satisfaction among retirees, their perceptions of whether their decisions to retire were voluntary or involuntary, and their stated reasons for retiring: “push” (to exit unsustainable work situations) or “pull” (to pursue more attractive options). Based on prior research, hypotheses predicted that voluntary / involuntary choice would moderate the relationship of income and life satisfaction, and that the relationship would vary as a function of "push" vs. "pull" reasons for retiring. A screened, national sample of 1,043 U.S. retirees completed an online survey that assessed satisfaction with multiple life domains, reason for retiring, demographic characteristics, family income, and perceived financial control. Results showed that voluntary retirees had, on average, higher income, life satisfaction, and perceived financial control than those who saw their retirements as involuntary. Type of reason for retirement did moderate the relationship between income and life satisfaction, but in an unexpected way. Based on decades of research on the relationship of control and stress, the hypothesis predicted the correlation between income and life satisfaction would be weakest in voluntary "pull" retirees, and strongest in the involuntary group. Instead, the relationship was strongest among voluntary "push" retirees (r=+.35). These surprising results highlight the importance of further research on perceived control over retirement on common predictors of life satisfaction in retirement.

When designing work tasks, one goal should be to enable postures that maximize the force capabilities of the workers while minimizing the overall muscular demands; however, little is known regarding specific shoulder tissue loads during pushing and pulling. This study quantitatively evaluated the effects of direction (anterior-posterior pushing and pulling), handle height (100 cm and 150 cm), handle orientation (vertical and horizontal), included elbow angle (extended and flexed) as well as personal factors (gender, mass and stature) on hand force magnitudes, shoulder and L5/S1 joint moments, normalized mean muscle activation and electromyography (EMG)/force ratios during two-handed maximal push and pull exertions. Twelve female and twelve male volunteers performed maximal voluntary isometric contractions under 10 push and pull experimental conditions that emulated industrial tasks. Hand force magnitudes, kinematic data and bilateral EMG of seven superficial shoulder and trunk muscles were collected. Results showed that direction had the greatest influence on dependent measures. Push exertions produced the greatest forces while also reducing L5/S1 extensor moments, shoulder moments with the 150 cm height and overall muscular demands (p < 0.0001). The 100 cm handle height generated the greatest forces (p < 0.0001) and reduced muscular demands (p < 0.05), but were associated with greater sagittal plane moments (p < 0.05). Females generated, on average, 67% of male forces in addition to incurring greater muscular demands (p < 0.05). The flexed elbows condition in conjunction with pushing produced greater forces with reduced overall muscular demands (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, horizontal handle orientation caused greater resultant moments at all joints (p <. 0.05) The results have important ergonomics implications for evaluating, designing or modifying workstations, tasks or equipment towards improved task performance and the prevention of musculoskeletal injuries and associated health care costs.

Proactive ergonomics is generally considered to be a more efficient and cost effective way of designing working environments than reactive ergonomics. It often requires preemptively selecting working postures and forces to reduce potential injury risk. One major issue with proactive ergonomic design is correctly identifying the true manual forces that will be required of a worker to complete defined tasks. Typically, these forces are represented as in direct opposition to the forces required by a particular task. However, this is likely an oversimplification as forces often act in different directions than the task-required direction to increase required force level, enhance balance and reduce joint moments, depending on specific experimental conditions. This study aims to quantify these off-axis forces as they change with different required on-axis force intensities. This thesis evaluated the effects of force intensity on the presence of off-axis forces across four conditions, which included free and constrained postures, and with and without off-axis force. Eighteen female subjects performed static, unilateral, manual pushing and pulling exertions while seated and were limited to force contributions from the right upper extremity. Hand forces and location of bony landmarks were collected from each subject and force intensity consisted of both maximal and submaximal levels (5% to 50% of the maximum producible on-axis force in increments of 5%). All principle direction forces were scaled to the on-axis force level and anatomically relevant joint moments scaled to the maximum capacity joint moment. The main objective of this study was to analyze off-axis force production as force intensity was increased under various constraint conditions. The highest maximum on-axis force was in the fully free condition (off-axis force allowed and posture unconstrained) and as conditions became more constrained for both pushing and pulling exertions, maximum on-axis force production decreased (p=<0.0001). For submaximal exertions in the free posture, participants used off-axis forces to target the shoulder flexion-extension moment by pushing increasingly upwards (p=0.0122) and to the left by 5.6% on-axis (p=0.0025), and by pulling 12.6% on-axis downward (p=<0.0001) and 4.7% on-axis rightward (p=0.0024) compared to when off-axis force was not allowed. When comparing the free to the constrained posture while allowing off-axis force, participants pushed downwards instead of upwards by a difference of 12.9% on-axis (p=0.0002) and pulled less downward (becoming slightly upward) by an increasing difference (p=0.0002) and from decreasing to increasing rightward (p=0.0006). These changes in off-axis force showed a unifying strategy of using less shoulder flexion-extension strength by targeting wrist and elbow moments for pushing and pulling exertions. When in the constrained posture allowing and not allowing off-axis force resulted in more internal elbow flexion (p=0.0003) moment during pushing, and less internal shoulder flexion (p=0.0092), more internal shoulder adduction (p=0.0252), more to less internal elbow supination (p=0.0415), and increasingly less internal wrist flexion (p=0.0296) moments during pulling, which verified previously observed strategies. Finally, for both maximal and submaximal exertions, pulling was more sensitive to changes in off-axis forces compared to pushing which was more sensitive to postural flexibility. In conclusion, the underlying principles as to how and why off-axis forces change provides valuable knowledge to ergonomists so that they can more accurately predict force production in workplace design, ultimately reducing the potential for injury.

South Africa is in the throes of a skills crisis. This situation is seriously hampering the country's economic progress and global participation. This study focuses on the analysis of skills migration in South Africa, and specifically aims to provide a conceptual framework for better cognition of the skills situation in South Africa. The study is presented in a series of four articles with a final chapter that incorporates these articles in a cognitive unit and, therefore, provide a cognitive map to better understand skills migration in South Africa. Article one of the study provides an in–depth discussion on the serious shortage of skilled workers and its impact on the progress of the country. This crisis is largely due to the failure of the national education and training system to supply the economy with much needed skills required to support economic growth and job creation. The findings of this study indicated that there are various factors that are contributing to the skills shortages in the country. Some of the factors include: poor education standards, emigration, crime and HIV. It must be noted that these factors cannot be addressed overnight. Hence, this study emphasised the role that skilled foreign workers can play in alleviating the skills shortages in the country. The contribution of foreign workers could be viewed as a short to medium solution to the skills crisis. Finally, this study has confirmed the findings of similar studies undertaken by the Centre for Development and Enterprise that opening the doors to high–skilled immigration can only serve as a means of supplementing the skills pool and hence contributing to the economic growth of the country. In relation to the above, that is, a means to address the skills shortages, article two supported the view that a more expansive and robust policy approach to skills immigration can be part of the larger solution of addressing the skills shortages of the country. This would allow for economic progress and make South Africa globally competitive. Hence, the primary purpose of this article was to determine the effectiveness of South Africa's immigration policy to support skills immigration. Attempts to recruit foreign skills to work in South African firms is proving to be a challenge as there are a number of issues in South Africa's immigration policy that makes it restrictive for organisations when recruiting skilled foreign workers. The following are some of the consequences of this restrictive policy: due to major infrastructural growth and development during the 2010 period, there is tremendous strain on the construction industry as a result of shortage of engineers, quantity surveyors, technicians and architects. Problems in retaining skilled mining staff combined with insufficient new graduates and an aging workforce is affecting the South African industry. A dearth of engineering skills at Eskom has also contributed to the power crisis. Thus it could be concluded that South Africa's skills immigration policy is problematic and not helpful in addressing the skills shortages of the country. In addition and in relation to factors that are contributing to skills shortages in the country, article three of the study focused specifically on factors that either push or pull people into a country. Push factors are generally regarded as negative factors as they push people out of the country. These factors include affirmative action, which contributes to emigration of skilled individuals, crime, HIV, economic instability, poor health care and dissatisfaction with the political situation of the country. Pull or positive factors on the other hand draw skilled South Africans to a country. These factors include: attractive salary packages, early retirement within the education sector, an opportunity to gain international work experience, an improved lifestyle and variety of career choices. Certain immigrants are pulled to South Africa as they see it as offering them economic opportunities that are not available in their home country. However, these immigrants range largely from unskilled to a limited number of highly skilled workers. This is inadequate to address the skill shortages. Hence, this situation also points towards recruitment of skilled foreign workers as a short to medium term solution. The final article of the study confirms that skills shortage is a global phenomenon. As a result there is fierce competition amongst countries to attract skilled labour so as to alleviate these shortages and improve their competitive footing in the global economy. One major way that these countries strive to achieve their goal, is through promoting targeted skills immigration programmes to attract skilled workers. In order to alleviate these skills shortages and be part of the global economy, South Africa has to take lessons from these countries. Therefore, the main purpose of this article in the study was to indicate the advantages of having a competitive skills immigration policy. It also highlighted practices that make certain countries skills immigration programmes successful. In doing so, these suitable practices could be offered to policy makers so that they can make informed decisions on improving the skills immigration policy of the country. Finally, there is a general consensus that South Africa's policy on skills immigration is in need of radical review due to the fact that it is highly restrictive, bureaucratic, user–unfriendly and costly to administer. Moreover, it serves as an impediment for business and industry to recruit skilled foreign labour into the country as a result of excessive, and often, unnecessary regulations and procedures. As a consequence, South Africa tends to attract a higher proportion of unskilled and semi–skilled foreign workers when, in actual fact, it should be attracting highly skilled immigrants. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Business Administration))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

South Africa is in the throes of a skills crisis. This situation is seriously hampering the country's economic progress and global participation. This study focuses on the analysis of skills migration in South Africa, and specifically aims to provide a conceptual framework for better cognition of the skills situation in South Africa. The study is presented in a series of four articles with a final chapter that incorporates these articles in a cognitive unit and, therefore, provide a cognitive map to better understand skills migration in South Africa. Article one of the study provides an in–depth discussion on the serious shortage of skilled workers and its impact on the progress of the country. This crisis is largely due to the failure of the national education and training system to supply the economy with much needed skills required to support economic growth and job creation. The findings of this study indicated that there are various factors that are contributing to the skills shortages in the country. Some of the factors include: poor education standards, emigration, crime and HIV. It must be noted that these factors cannot be addressed overnight. Hence, this study emphasised the role that skilled foreign workers can play in alleviating the skills shortages in the country. The contribution of foreign workers could be viewed as a short to medium solution to the skills crisis. Finally, this study has confirmed the findings of similar studies undertaken by the Centre for Development and Enterprise that opening the doors to high–skilled immigration can only serve as a means of supplementing the skills pool and hence contributing to the economic growth of the country. In relation to the above, that is, a means to address the skills shortages, article two supported the view that a more expansive and robust policy approach to skills immigration can be part of the larger solution of addressing the skills shortages of the country. This would allow for economic progress and make South Africa globally competitive. Hence, the primary purpose of this article was to determine the effectiveness of South Africa's immigration policy to support skills immigration. Attempts to recruit foreign skills to work in South African firms is proving to be a challenge as there are a number of issues in South Africa's immigration policy that makes it restrictive for organisations when recruiting skilled foreign workers. The following are some of the consequences of this restrictive policy: due to major infrastructural growth and development during the 2010 period, there is tremendous strain on the construction industry as a result of shortage of engineers, quantity surveyors, technicians and architects. Problems in retaining skilled mining staff combined with insufficient new graduates and an aging workforce is affecting the South African industry. A dearth of engineering skills at Eskom has also contributed to the power crisis. Thus it could be concluded that South Africa's skills immigration policy is problematic and not helpful in addressing the skills shortages of the country. In addition and in relation to factors that are contributing to skills shortages in the country, article three of the study focused specifically on factors that either push or pull people into a country. Push factors are generally regarded as negative factors as they push people out of the country. These factors include affirmative action, which contributes to emigration of skilled individuals, crime, HIV, economic instability, poor health care and dissatisfaction with the political situation of the country. Pull or positive factors on the other hand draw skilled South Africans to a country. These factors include: attractive salary packages, early retirement within the education sector, an opportunity to gain international work experience, an improved lifestyle and variety of career choices. Certain immigrants are pulled to South Africa as they see it as offering them economic opportunities that are not available in their home country. However, these immigrants range largely from unskilled to a limited number of highly skilled workers. This is inadequate to address the skill shortages. Hence, this situation also points towards recruitment of skilled foreign workers as a short to medium term solution. The final article of the study confirms that skills shortage is a global phenomenon. As a result there is fierce competition amongst countries to attract skilled labour so as to alleviate these shortages and improve their competitive footing in the global economy. One major way that these countries strive to achieve their goal, is through promoting targeted skills immigration programmes to attract skilled workers. In order to alleviate these skills shortages and be part of the global economy, South Africa has to take lessons from these countries. Therefore, the main purpose of this article in the study was to indicate the advantages of having a competitive skills immigration policy. It also highlighted practices that make certain countries skills immigration programmes successful. In doing so, these suitable practices could be offered to policy makers so that they can make informed decisions on improving the skills immigration policy of the country. Finally, there is a general consensus that South Africa's policy on skills immigration is in need of radical review due to the fact that it is highly restrictive, bureaucratic, user–unfriendly and costly to administer. Moreover, it serves as an impediment for business and industry to recruit skilled foreign labour into the country as a result of excessive, and often, unnecessary regulations and procedures. As a consequence, South Africa tends to attract a higher proportion of unskilled and semi–skilled foreign workers when, in actual fact, it should be attracting highly skilled immigrants. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Business Administration))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.