A la lumière de la pression croissante de la société à faire face au changement climatique et des questions environnementales pertinentes, il y a eu une tendance à atténuer les impacts négatifs sur l'environnement, soit par l'application des législations environnementales ou en préconisant certains modèles d'affaires vertes. Dans ce cas, il est largement reconnu que lorsque les décideurs (soit les dirigeants d'entreprise ou les décideurs) sont généralement en mesure de mettre en œuvre des actions pour faire face aux défis de la durabilité, ils sont manquent souvent de fondement théorique d'apprécier si ces actions sont optimales ou non. Ainsi, en plus de sa pertinence académique, l'avancement de la frontière de la recherche théorique est la condition nécessaire pour aider les décideurs à atteindre les objectifs de durabilité l'industrie salut-technologie et le secteur du transport sont à la fois responsable de la génération de graves préoccupations environnementales :. l'ancien en raison des déchets électroniques générés par l'obsolescence rapide de nombreux produits électroniques ;. celui-ci en raison de son recours massif aux énergies fossiles, en réponse aux défis environnementaux, cette thèse de doctorat étudie ces deux secteurs dans le but de fournir aux décideurs des conseils dans les deux domaines spécifiques : la réduction et la promotion du faible transport de carbone déchets signifie Les résultats ont des implications pour les entreprises et les décideurs politiques. / In the light of the growing societal pressure to deal with the climate change and some relevant environmental issues, there has been a trend to mitigate the negative environmental impacts, either through enforcing the environmental legislations or through advocating some green business models. Against this situation, it is widely acknowledged that when decision makers (either business executives or policy makers) are typically in a position to implement some actions to deal with sustainability challenges, they are often lack the theoretical underpinning to appreciate whether these actions are optimal or not. Thus, besides its academic relevance, advancing the frontier of theoretical research is the necessary condition to help decision makers achieve sustainability goals. The hi-tech industry and the transportation sector are both responsible for generating serious environmental concerns: the former as a result of electronic waste generated by rapid obsolescence of many electronic products; the latter because of its massive reliance on fossil fuels. In response to the environmental challenges, this Ph.D. thesis studies these two sectors with an aim to provide decision makers with guidance in the two specific areas: waste reduction and promotion of low carbon transportation means. The results have implications for firms and policy makers alike.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, 1980. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND SCIENCE. / Bibliography: leaves 169-171. / by Dan Litai. / Ph.D.

The principal objective of this study was to investigate whether or not nurses' compliance with universal precautions procedures improved after the mandatory Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations were implemented in 1992. Two random samples of registered nurses and licensed practical nurses registered in Tennessee responded to survey questionnaires measuring universal precautions compliance and practice barriers to compliance in 1991 and 1993 (n = 306). The 1993 sample of nurses reported significantly greater compliance with universal precautions (p < 0.001) than the 1991 sample. The most noteworthy improvement between the 1991 and the 1993 groups was a significant increase in compliance for patients described as HIV/HBV-status unknown and HIV/HBV-negative (p < 0.001). Practice barriers hindering compliance with universal precautions decreased significantly (p < 0.001) in the 1991-1993 time frame. Problematic practice barriers identified in both groups were needle recapping, preference for isolation door signs, and concerns about offending patients and visitors.

Prescribed burning (Rx) has become increasingly subjected to various regulations. Among these regulations are ordinances that restrict downwind impacts of smoke from prescribed fires. Regulations can severely limit burn managers and private landowners from using Rx as a forest management tool. This research can help us move away from these simplistic regulations, and help promote a regulatory environment in which scientific tools and knowledge are used to prohibit only activities for which the evidence suggests there will be adverse consequences. This research was divided into three parts that consisted of: (1) a pilot validation of the smoke emission model VSMOKE-GIS; (2) review of southeastern states' smoke management guidelines (SMG); and (3) a geographic analysis of Virginian's current SMG. VSMOKE-GIS showed good accuracy in predicting the PM2.5 concentration and location of the smoke plume downwind. Criteria were identified when managing Rx smoke and the strengths, weaknesses, and implications were discussed of the Rx programs. The geographic analysis demonstrated quantitatively how much area may be impacted with minimal apparent benefit. This research should provide a clearer spatial picture of the smoke management barriers associated with Rx on private woodlands in Virginia. These results should be a useful tool in developing a regulatory environment that encourages Rx when the conditions are optimal. We conclude with future recommendations for Virginia. / Master of Science

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent shutdown and regulations have drastically altered the world of competitive sports. The global shutdown beginning in March 2020 put a significant strain on athlete's ability to train, as many fitness centers were closed to prevent disease transmission. When it was deemed that athletic competition was safe to resume, there were still strict regulations in place to support public health efforts. This retrospective study primarily aims to evaluate the effectiveness of COVID-19 safety regulations in competitive sports. Specifically, the successfulness to correctly implement social distancing guidelines is of high interest. A secondary aim of this study is to assess changes in workload during preseason training before COVID-19, during the time of heavily enforced COVID-19 regulations, and following strict COVID-19 restrictions, as workload can be a predictor of athletic injury. Participants in this study included Virginia Tech Women's Soccer athletes and data were analyzed from the first 9 preseason training sessions during the 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 seasons. Data were generated from participants wearing the STATSports Apex device during training. A custom MATLAB spatiotemporal program developed by the Williams Research Group was utilized to determine player proximity. Total distance (m) and high metabolic load (HMLD) (au), and high-speed distance (HSD) (m) metrics were analyzed to understand changes in participant workload. It was found that overall the Virginia Tech Women's Soccer Team's implementation of the guidelines was effective, as there were no invasion violations during the 2020 preseason sample. / Master of Science / The COVID-19 pandemic has forever changed the world as we know it. Competitive sports are no exception. The worldwide shutdown as a result of COVID-19 made it difficult for athletes to train while in isolation, as most facilities were closed to prevent disease transmission. When sports were able to continue again, there were still barriers preventing normal practices and competition. Athletes were asked to make every effort to maintain social distancing, even during training sessions. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate how well NCAA Division 1 Women's Collegiate Soccer players maintained social distancing during preseason practices. A secondary goal of this study is to uncover changes in workload from before COVID-19 (2019), during strict COVID-19 regulations (2020), and when COVID-19 restrictions had been less enforced (2021 and 2022). The reasoning for this is that how much work an athlete does can be indicative of risk for injury. If an athlete does significantly more work than usual, there is a higher risk of injury. This study will use global positioning systems (GPS) and measures that reflect workload collected from Virginia Tech Women's Soccer players. It was found that the players remained farther apart during the 2020 season due to the emphasis on social distancing, and that the workload will show a gradual increase to prevent injury. Overall, the study found that the COVID-19 regulations were effectively implemented among the Virginia Tech Women's Soccer Team in the 2020 preseason when restrictions were the highest.

The responsibility for mitigation of the ecological effects of urban stormwater runoff has been delegated to local government authorities through the Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems' Stormwater (NPDES SW), and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) programs. These programs require that regulated entities reduce the discharge of pollutants from their storm drain systems to the "maximum extent practicable" (MEP), using a combination of structural and non-structural stormwater treatment — known as stormwater control measures (SCMs). The MEP regulatory paradigm acknowledges that there is empirical uncertainty regarding SCM pollutant reduction capacity, but that by monitoring, evaluation, and learning, this uncertainty can be reduced with time. The objective of this dissertation is to demonstrate the existing sources and magnitude of variability and uncertainty associated with the use of structural and non-structural SCMs towards the MEP goal, and to examine the extent to which the MEP paradigm of iterative implementation, monitoring, and learning is manifest in the current outcomes of the paradigm in Virginia. To do this, three research objectives were fulfilled. First, the non-structural SCMs employed in Virginia in response to the second phase of the NPDES SW program were catalogued, and the variability in what is considered a "compliant" stormwater program was evaluated. Next, the uncertainty of several commonly used stormwater flow measurement devices were quantified in the laboratory and field, and the importance of this uncertainty for regulatory compliance was discussed. Finally, the third research objective quantified the uncertainty associated with structural SCMs, as a result of measurement error and environmental stochasticity. The impacts of this uncertainty are discussed in the context of the large number of structural SCMs prescribed in TMDL Implementation Plans. The outcomes of this dissertation emphasize the challenge that empirical uncertainty creates for cost-effective spending of local resources on flood control and water quality improvements, while successfully complying with regulatory requirements. The MEP paradigm acknowledged this challenge, and while the findings of this dissertation confirm the flexibility of the MEP paradigm, they suggest that the resulting magnitude of SCM implementation has outpaced the ability to measure and functionally define SCM pollutant removal performance. This gap between implementation, monitoring, and improvement is discussed, and several potential paths forward are suggested. / Ph. D. / Responsibility for mitigation of the ecological effects of urban stormwater runoff has largely been delegated to local government authorities through several Clean Water Act programs, which require that regulated entities reduce the discharge of pollutants from their storm drain systems to the “maximum extent practicable” (MEP). The existing definition of MEP requires a combination of structural and non-structural stormwater treatment – known as stormwater control measures (SCMs). The regulations acknowledge that there is uncertainty regarding the ability of SCMs to reduce pollution, but suggest that this uncertainty can be reduced over time, by monitoring and evaluation of SCMs. The objective of this dissertation is to demonstrate the existing sources and magnitude of variability and uncertainty associated with the use of structural and non-structural SCMs towards the MEP goal, and to examine the extent to which the MEP paradigm of implementation, monitoring, and learning appears in the current outcomes of the paradigm in Virginia. To do this, three research objectives were fulfilled. First, the non-structural SCMs employed in Virginia were catalogued, and the variability in what is considered a “compliant” stormwater program was evaluated. Next, the uncertainty of several commonly used stormwater flow measurement devices were quantified in the laboratory and field, and the importance of this uncertainty for regulatory compliance was discussed. Finally, the third research objective quantified the uncertainty associated with structural SCMs, as a result of measurement error and environmental variability. The impacts of this uncertainty are discussed in the context of the large number of structural SCMs prescribed by Clean Water Act programs. The outcomes of this dissertation emphasize the challenge that uncertainty creates for cost-effective spending of local resources on flood control and water quality improvements, while successfully complying with regulatory requirements. The MEP paradigm acknowledged this challenge, and while the findings of this dissertation confirm the flexibility of the MEP paradigm, they suggest that the resulting magnitude of SCM implementation has outpaced the ability to measure and functionally define SCM pollutant removal performance. This gap between implementation, monitoring, and improvement is discussed, and several potential paths forward are suggested.

No / This paper presents a guided reflection (GR) framework compiled and used specifically in a gender equality change management programme. The programme involves seven partners (one being an evaluation partner) from across Europe, each partner implementing a change management programme in their university setting. A guided reflection framework, including verbal reflective discussions and written reflections, was devised and deployed to enable and facilitate the collection of narratives and stories on the experience of gender transformation within the university institutions. The resulting outcome so far has been a successful application of the GR framework, with emerging findings suggesting that participants found the opportunity to share and reflect useful. Both written and verbal reflection tools were effective within this programme, with lessons emerging around increasing and improving the journaling aspect of written reflections. The process findings illustrate how people in our organisations are very constrained for time for reflection within their busy work schedules, and therefore the applicability and usefulness of the GR framework has been in enabling a space for such reflection and thought, which in turn contributes to organizational learning and potential for change.

In this dissertation we investigate different aspects of capital regulations and their impact on the behavior of commercial banks. In chapter two, we foucs on the impact of capital regulations on risk-taking of commercial banks in developed and developoing countries separately and togahter. We find that such regulations indeed reduce the risk taking of commercial banks. At the same time, we examine the relationship between capital ratios and risk taking. In line with previous literature, we find that this ratio is negative also. Further examinations including the degree of liberalization and the level of finanicl development did not yield conclusive results. In chapter three, we examine the relationship between the capital regulations and total lending and total depositis. We do not find conclusive evidence in support of the ‘credit crunch' or the ‘ risk retrenchment' hypothesis. However, several important variables do show a tendency to change with capital ratios. As a result, changes in capital ratios in response to regulations do have important impact on bank lending and decision making. In chapter four, we study five South East Asian countries within the context of the crisis of 1996. First we test for the existence of depositor discipline in these countries and find that the sate of such discipline is very weak even after such a huge crisis. We also test the degree of risk taking in the banking industry in these countries. Evidence shows that perfect competition prevails in the bankins secotr. We also try to establist the link between "the index of depositor discipline" and "index of competition". But we don't find evidence in support of this.

Thesis (MTech (Construction Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2010 / The construction industry adopts various methods to bring about the required structure. Typically, in every construction project, health and safety of workers will remain a major concern on site due to accidents, fatalities and illnesses which occur regularly. Despite these incidents raising a concern, construction site activities still involve workers in manual handling of heavy material and repetitive body movements which constitute ergonomic problems; The purpose ofthis study is to investigate the potential impacts of prefabrication and pre-assembly on the health and safety of construction workers. The objectives of this study were (l) to examine the health and safety hazards associated with traditional construction methods in South Africa; (2) to investigate the merits of prefabrication and pre-assembly in terms of their impact on overall health and safety improvements when compared with traditional construction methods; and (3) to investigate how construction clients perceive the use of prefabrication and pre-assembly as alternative construction methods that positively impact the overall health and safety of construction workers on site. Literature pertaining to the content of this research was extensively reviewed. An exploratory study was undertaken to examine the merits of prefabrication and pre-assembly in reducing ergonomic challenges associated with traditional construction methods, where construction workers were observed and interviewed. A self-administered questionnaire survey was used for construction clients, designers and contractors. The study revealed that 80% of clients in the sample reported that they preferred traditional construction methods instead of prefabrication. It was also found that clients selected prefabrication and preassembly for other reasons which were not associated with particular improvements ofhealth and safety in construction project. The study found that labour intensive methods also commonly known as traditional construction methods exposed workers to physically demanding activities that posed risks to their health and safety. Reportedly, 76% of workers experienced pain in their waist areas, 70% had pain in their shonlder and 66% had back problems while they were involved in traditional construction. Workers sometimes had to handle heavy material manually, worked at heights and experienced noise caused by heavy construction equipment. However, a case study focused on bricklaying activities and prefabrication insulation wall fixing revealed that prefabrication reduced the exposures of workers to both ergonomic challenges and ergonomic problems. The findings also suggest that traditional construction methods were more hazardous than ones involving prefabrication. Further research is needed to determine whether the use of other forms of prefabricated and preassembled components would reduce ergonomic and health and safety hazards associated with traditional construction methods.

Civil service regulations according to the Act on Civil Service Abstract This diploma thesis is devoted to the civil service regulations according to the Act on Civil Service, governing logistical aspects of the service. The concept of logistical aspects of the service is not defined in the Act on Civil Service but it can be understood as the area of exercise of the power of appointing authorities, conditions of exercise of rights and obligations related to the civil service employment of civil servants and of other persons for whom the civil service regulations are binding. In addition, logistical aspects of the service also mean the systematization and organisational structure of service authorities. Civil service regulations impact not only the civil servants themselves, but also the public because the public is inevitably affected by the activities of the state administration. This diploma thesis is structured into five parts and its main purpose is to provide a comprehensive view of the issue of civil service regulations. The first part of the thesis deals with the Act on Civil Service, with its history and problems with its adoption. The second part defines civil service regulations and deals with their scope, both material and personal. It also examines the process of creation and issuance of civil...