Human factors and ergonomics (HF/E) plays a crucial role in business success but is particularly vital to the furniture manufacturing industry. Unfortunately, the furniture manufacturing industry suffers from occupational injuries and illnesses resulting from ergonomically poorly designed systems. This thesis’s objective was to better understand HF/E through the furniture manufacturing industry’s managerial knowledge and opinions in order to design more productive, safer, and healthier systems. The study also aimed to raise manager awareness in the industry and introduce the potential HF/E benefits by providing current literature. Sixtyour American furniture manufacturing industry managers participated in a web-based questionnaire survey. The survey revealed that managers’ demographic properties and companies’ characteristics were some factors that affect managers’ awareness, knowledge, and opinions on HF/E. In general, managers were unfamiliar with HF/E and lacked a broad background on and knowledge of HF/E. In addition, companies, particularly small companies, lacked sufficient resources for HF/E.

This thesis examines the impact of environmental regulations on trade competitiveness for South Asian countries. The study further investigates whether South Asian countries have become a pollutive haven of industrial exports to OECD countries during 1984-2004. The thesis also analyses whether tariff walls created by the governments to offsets stringent environmental regulations negatively affect pollutive industrial trade flows. This study has identified gaps in the literature after critically reviewing both competing trade theories and empirical literature surrounding the subject. Firstly, most of the empirical literature on the subject has focused on developed countries while ignoring less developed regions like South Asia. Second, several studies concluded trade competitiveness impact of environmental policy following a single estimation method when results are sensitive to the choice of the method used. Hence, for robust results, cross-methods analysis was imperative. Thirdly, the empirical literature on the subject focused on most pollutive industries and ignored the research on somewhat pollutive and least pollutive sectors as well as comparative analysis between those industries. This study has contributed to the literature by filling these gaps. Following the neo-classical theory, the central hypothesis of this thesis is that environmental regulations negatively affect different categories of pollutive industrial export competitiveness. By using the highest dis-aggregated ISIC level trade data and incorporating other socio-economic variables, this study has deployed comparative advantage trade models by Balassa (1965), competitiveness indicator by XU (1999), and bilateral RCA model by Grether and de Melo (2004). The study used the gravity model to control for un-observed effects over time on trade flows while capturing environmental regulations impact on pollutive industrial trade competitiveness. Accordingly, to avert endogeneity/data sensitivity issues and to ascertain robust estimates, the present research has among others computed Random Effect and Newey-West standard error models. The statistical modeling results show that while India gained trade competitiveness in most pollutive industrial trade, Pakistan and Bangladesh lost their trade competitiveness in the same category. The research finds evidence of most pollutive industries of South Asian countries increasing their bilateral RCAs and exports with OECD countries and reset of the world. A comparative analysis between most pollutive to less pollutive industries showed a lack of support for any systematic specialization patterns of trade for South Asia during 1984-2004. Nonetheless, this study findings based on gravity modeling clearly depicted a statistically significant negative impact of environmental regulations on total exports, most pollutive exports, and less pollutive industrial exports for South Asia and OECD countries. This study rejected the pollution haven hypothesis between South Asian pollutive industrial exports with OECD. It further concluded that tariff barriers created by countries to offsets environmental regulation costs would prove counterproductive to competitiveness. At the policy level, instead of lobbing for protectionism to balance out environmental regulatory costs, the governments in both developed and developing countries need to focus on forming better environmental policies fostering both competitiveness and environmental quality. Also, trade-offs between environmental regulations and competitiveness are challenging situations for South Asia and OECD countries. Therefore, sustainable production and trade policies combined with innovative and cost-effective environmental policies are needed to accomplish environmental gains and competitiveness.

No description available.

The construction industry stands in front of a challenge to decrease theirclimate footprint in order to build more environmentally friendly. There iscurrently a desire to investigate the possibility to use wood to a largerextent. Compared to the more conventional building materials, wood has ahigher risk of being damaged due to moisture, which can lead to moldgrowth. In Boverket’s Building Regulations its stated that buildings are tobe designed to ensure that conditions detrimental to human health areavoided.The report has investigated the moisture-technical possibilities of usingcross-laminated timber, CLT, instead of concrete in large-scaleconstructions.Moisture simulations of four different structural parts has been conductedwith concrete and CLT as the supporting structure. The simulations showedthat there is no theoretical risk of moisture damage. The study shows that itis possible to change the materials, but that the right conditions arerequired to protect and prevent the occurrence of moisture damages duringproduction. At present, there is no possibility to guarantee that moisturedamages on CLT is avoided without the use of weather protection. A wellworkedmoisture safety plan is essential for a moisture-proof productionphase, the use of industry standard ByggaF can be a valuable and vital toolto ensure it.

<p>This thesis empirically investigates two distinct themes in public economics: tax policy and the economics of the charitable sector. The first chapter of the thesis examines the first theme of tax policy and focuses on how a change in the income tax affects labour market behaviour in Russia. The second theme of the economics of the charitable sector is explored in the final two chapters of the thesis. These chapters analyze the role of Canadian foundations in the provision of charitable goods.</p> <p>The first chapter examines the effect of Russia's flat tax reform on two employment dimensions: primary vs. secondary and official vs. unofficial. The chapter shows that individuals respond to lower taxes by devoting less time to primary and secondary employment. Official and unofficial employment, however, remain unaffected by the flat tax reform.</p> <p>The next two chapters depart from tax policy and study the role of foundations in the Canadian charitable sector. The second chapter of the thesis provides new evidence on the size-based operation of foundations and their financial structure in Canada. A third of foundations operating in Canada are quite small, with assets of less than $25,000. The remaining foundations can be classified as medium (with assets more than $25,000 and never more than one million dollars in a given year) or large (with assets of one million dollars in at least one year). Over the last 20 years, there are only small differences in the growth and use of funding between public and private medium-size foundations. For the large-scale foundations, we observe distinct differences in the expenditures of private and public foundations. Private foundations distribute more of their expenditures to other charities whereas public foundations devote more of their expenditures to internal activities.</p> <p>The final chapter of the thesis explores the impact of foundation grants to charities on the private donations received by these charities. Theoretically, foundation grants have two competing effects on private donations: a negative crowd-out effect and a positive information effect. An overall positive effect prevails only if the positive effect of signaling information about charity quality outweighs the negative crowd-out effect. With data on Canadian social welfare and community charities matched to their specific foundation donors, this chapter empirically examines the overall effect and finds that an additional dollar of foundation grants to Canadian charities crowds-in private giving to these organizations on average by 3.70 dollars.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Denna kandidatuppsats undersöker erfarenheter av tidigare familjehemsplacerade barn angående deras möjligheter att uttrycka åsikter och påverka beslutet om deras placering, samt det arbete socialsekreterare gör för att främja detta och det rättsliga överväganden som måste göras. Genom en kvalitativ forskningsmetodologi baserad på fem respondenter, varav tre tidigare familjehemsplacerade barn och två socialsekreterare analyseras detta.   Det framkommer från resultatet att både lagliga och sociala övervägande påverkar beslutet om placeringen, med fokus på att LVU-beslut ibland kan vara svåra att uppnå trots tydliga behov. Eftersom övergången från frivillig placering till tvångsplacering kräver starka skäl och noggrant övervägande. Kraven på familjehem diskuteras och hur viktig matchningen mellan barn och familj är för att säkerställa en trygg och positiv uppväxt i familjehem.   Genom intervjuerna med tidigare familjehemsplacerade barn får vi en inblick i deras upplevelser av att vara placerad i familjehem samt graden av upplevd delaktighet. Vissa uttryckte en brist på delaktighet i beslut som rör dem vid placeringen medan andra haft positiva erfarenheter av att deras åsikter beaktats och respekterats. Barnets delaktighet under processen framhävs, med användning av metoder som Norrköpingsmodellen för att säkerställa att barnets röst hörs och att deras behov beaktas.

La presente investigación tiene como objetivo general determinar la calidad del concreto en obras de autoconstrucción de viviendas que se encontraban realizando en el Sector I del distrito de la Victoria y determinar si el concreto que se elabora en las obras cumplen con los requerimientos normativos. Dentro de esta investigación se desarrolló, analizando la calidad del concreto que se vinieron efectuando, evaluando así el día de los vaciados datos, a través de unas fichas, detallando los puntos de interés y tomando; así por cada obra se adquirió muestras de sus agregados y a su vez se realizaron 3 probetas en obra para conocer la resistencia diseñada de la estructura vaciada. Para el desarrollo de esta investigación se llevó a cabo un muestreo, en el cual fueron seleccionadas 10 obras que se encontraban en construcción. Se hizo una comparación entre los datos obtenidos en campo y el proceso constructivo que efectuaban los maestros para conocer si cumplían con los requisitos mínimos que nos da la Norma E 0.60. Finalmente, se llegó a la conclusión que el concreto que ejecutaban en el lugar de investigación no llega a la resistencia requerida de 210 kg/cm para elementos estructurales, debido a esto se propuso un diseño de mezcla con en volumen de baldes, así en basándonos en esa medida poder lograr obtener la resistencia requerida. Además de los errores que se encontraron en las construcciones, se efectuó una propuesta de guía donde indican los puntos clave para una correcta elaboración del concreto. / This research presents two general objectives: determining the quality of the concrete in selfbuild housing projects that were being carried out in Prolongación la Quintas, Zone I of La Victoria District, and checking if the concrete produced in these projects meet the regulatory requirements. On the one hand, in this study, a correct pouring evaluation on construction work was done through some forms that allowed detailing the points of interest, for instance, the dosage. On the other hand, samples of aggregates were acquired from each construction work, and in turn, 3 graduated cylinders were taken from it, which after being subjected to the respective tests, allowed to identify the designed resistance of the poured structure. For the development of this research, a sampling was performed in 10 previously selected construction works. Considering the E.060 standard, a data evaluation, obtained from the field research and the construction process executed by the master builders, was done in order to determine whether they meet the minimum requirements established in that standard. Finally, it was concluded that the concrete used at the research work site did not reach the required resistance for structural elements being 210 kg/cm2. Consequently, a mixing design was proposed, detailing the volume of buckets, to obtain the required resistance. Besides the malpractices found in the construction works, a guide proposal was made, in which key points for an adequate concrete fabrication are indicated.

Today’s world is characterised by considerable inconsistency. In some parts of the world people are living in starvation and malnutrition, while in some other parts of the same world, about 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted every year. We do not know enough about what contributes to food waste. However, there seems to be an emergent pattern of behaviour around sharing food. This hermeneutic phenomenological research will explore how food sharing might reduce food waste in a cultural and community-based society like Saudi Arabia through the lived experiences of restaurants and food bank employees. Research data were collected through a face-to-face semi-structured interview method from 15 participants from selected restaurants and food bank in Riyadh. Using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) as the theoretical lens, a conceptual framework was proposed to elicit underlying behavioural and cultural factors impeding food waste reduction and the inefficiency of food sharing. Using Paul Colaizzi’s approach, the collected interview data were reviewed, analysed, and seventeen themes were elicited for further discussion. The findings suggest that culture through an affluent way of life and the show-off lifestyle of hosts continue to contribute to more food wastage. The strictly business nature of restaurants operation leads to edible food fit for human consumption ending up in the garbage. The revised conceptual framework provides insight into the factors hindering food waste reduction and food sharing. With supporting regulations and policies, food leftovers can either be distributed to people in need or put to an alternative use.

This case study involved a safety and maintenance audit of Mercer University's intramural and recreational sports program. The purpose of the audit was to expose potentially hazardous conditions in the area of supervision, conduct of activities, facilities and equipment. A method of risk reduction in the form of a risk management strategy was implemented to control for potential injury producing conditions to participants. Regular safety inspections, the hiring and training of program supervisors, upgrading of facilities and equipment and a closer relationship between the intramural program and other campus departments were some of the remedial steps taken at Mercer to provide a relatively safe environment. / M.S.

Desde inicios de los noventa y más aún en el año 2016 en Perú ha venido incrementándose la migración extranjera a causa de diferentes conflictos internos que han obligado a los ciudadanos de otros países a trasladarse nuestra nación para una mejor calidad de vida, buscando ocupar un puesto laboral en las empresas del sector privado, sin embargo, esto no es posible en su totalidad con la vigencia del Decreto Leg. 689 aprobado en 1991 y su reglamento N° 014-92-TR que fue modificado en algunos artículos por el Decreto Supremo 008-2018-TR, que establece un límite para contratar personal extranjero regulado en el artículo 4. Por tal razón, resulta necesario establecer la modificación para mejorar el contenido sobre el porcentaje máximo de fuerza laboral, fijándola dentro de un proyecto de ley, bajo el desarrollo de una investigación sometido a un análisis detallado de las deficiencias que presenta el artículo respecto al porcentaje de extranjeros que deben ser contratados por las empresas privadas y que no está en concordancia con el sistema jurídico nacional, la doctrina, los principios y los tratados internacionales ratificados por el Estado Peruano, lo cual conllevará a elaborar concretamente las mejoras sustanciales del artículo 4 del Decreto Leg. 689 siendo idóneo la ampliación del porcentaje a un 30% con el objetivo de fomentar el acceso al empleo y lograr la tutela del derecho al trabajo. / Since the early nineties and even more in 2016 in Peru has been increasing foreign migration due to different internal conflicts that have forced citizens from other countries to move to our nation for a better quality of life, seeking to occupy a job in private sector companies, however, this is not possible in its entirety with the validity of the Decree Leg. 689 approved in 1991 and its regulation N° 014-92- TR which was modified in some articles by Supreme Decree 008-2018-TR, which establishes a limit for hiring foreign personnel regulated in Article 4. For such reason, it is necessary to establish the modification to improve the content on the maximum percentage of labor force, setting it within a bill, under the development of an investigation subjected to a detailed analysis of the deficiencies that the article presents regarding the percentage of foreigners that must be hired by private companies and that is not in accordance with the national legal system, doctrine, principles and international treaties ratified by the Peruvian State, which will lead to concretely elaborate the substantial improvements of Article 4 of Decree Leg. 689, being suitable the extension of the percentage to 30% in order to promote access to employment and achieve the protection of the right to work.