Master of Engineering / This thesis presents an innovative human promoter recognition model HPR-PCA. Principal component analysis (PCA) is applied on context feature selection DNA sequences and the prediction network is built with the artificial neural network (ANN). A thorough literature review of all the relevant topics in the promoter prediction field is also provided. As the main technique of HPR-PCA, the application of PCA on feature selection is firstly developed. In order to find informative and discriminative features for effective classification, PCA is applied on the different n-mer promoter and exon combined frequency matrices, and principal components (PCs) of each matrix are generated to construct the new feature space. ANN built classifiers are used to test the discriminability of each feature space. Finally, the 3 and 5-mer feature matrix is selected as the context feature in this model. Two proposed schemes of HPR-PCA model are discussed and the implementations of sub-modules in each scheme are introduced. The context features selected by PCA are III used to build three promoter and non-promoter classifiers. CpG-island modules are embedded into models in different ways. In the comparison, Scheme I obtains better prediction results on two test sets so it is adopted as the model for HPR-PCA for further evaluation. Three existing promoter prediction systems are used to compare to HPR-PCA on three test sets including the chromosome 22 sequence. The performance of HPR-PCA is outstanding compared to the other four systems.

<p>Previous entrepreneurship research has shown that networks are of great importance when discovering and exploiting business opportunities, i.e. in the start up process of new venture (e.g. Davidsson and Honig 2003; Evald, Klyver, and Svendsen 2006; Klyver, Hindle, and Meyer forthcoming). The value of a network is referred to as social capital, which refers to the amount of resources, both tangible and intangible, that an entrepreneur or entrepreneuse might have access to through the members of their network (Nahapiet and Ghoshal 1998). Social capital is the product of social interactions (Anderson et al. 2007), implying that a person’s social abilities, i.e. social competence, can influence the creation of social capital (Baron and Markman 2000, 2003). Social capital the factor that helps the entrepreneur “get through the door”, while the entrepreneur’s social abilities determine the outcome of that interaction (Baron and Markman 2000:107). The focus of this study is, thus, to explore whether entrepreneurs and entrepreneuses utilize different types of the social capital in the process of starting a new venture and whether they perceive social competence to have an influential role in this process.</p><p>The theoretical framework consist of three main theoretical areas; social capital, social competence, and psychological gender. The first part is based on Nahapiet and Ghoshal’s (1998) model of social capital and describes theories explaining factors influence social capital embedded within a person’s network relationships. The second part covers social competence and the abilities that constitute this concept. Further, five dimensions are identified as comprising social competence, i.e. social astuteness, interpersonal influence, networking ability, apparent sincerity, and social manipulation (Baron and Markman 2000, 2003; Hoehn-Weiss et al. 2004; Ferris et al. 2005, 2007; Riggio 1986). The last part discusses whether there might exist differences between entrepreneurs and entrepreneuses regarding their behaviours and their psychological gender (Bem 1974, 1975, 1977; Spence et al. 1975).</p><p>The research design show similarities with both an inductive and a deductive approach, with a focus on the induction since little research within the entrepreneurship field has combined the different topics comprising the scope of this study. Further, this implies qualitative research methods and the empirical data was collect through conducting 14 semi structured interviews with entrepreneurs and entrepreneuses as well as through a questionnaire aiming at determine the respondents’ psychological gender.</p><p>The results of the present study indicate that entrepreneurs and entrepreneuses utilize different the types of social capital in the stages of the start up phase. Further, the study show that social competence plays and important role in the start up process and that there is a circular relation between social capital and social competence. Moreover, the results of the study indicate that male and female entrepreneurs behave differently in the start up phase and that their perceptions about and usage of their social competence might differ.</p>

<p>Many authors (refer: Swayne and Tucker, 1973; Kahneman and Lovallo, 1994; Baron, 1998; Stewart et al., 1998; Simon et al., 1999; Simon and Houghton, 2003; Baum and Lock, 2004; Mathews, 2008) have examined the traits and skills of the entrepreneur. Others have been more interested in their behaviors (refer: Bhave, 1994; Byers et al., 1997; Sarasvathy, 2001; Shook et al., 2003; Baron, 2007; Davidsson, 2008), trying to describe the entrepreneurial processes on the initial stages of venture development. However, studies that try to define how an entrepreneur reacts when facing changes have not been found in the literature. The focus of this research is thus, to explore the attitude of the entrepreneur towards changes throughout the development of the start-up project.</p><p>The theoretical background is divided into three main parts: the entrepreneurial attitude, the attitude towards change, and the relation between perceptions of organizational climate and attitudes. The first section reviews the literature about the traits and behaviors that define an entrepreneur. The second section concentrates on research papers concerning the attitude towards change for middle managers in well-established firms. Finally, the third section, through a review of the relevant literature, emphasizes the importance of the impact of the working environment perception on people’s attitude towards work.</p><p>The approach of this qualitative study is inductive at first, but also incorporates a deductive approach during the data analysis using a grounded theory method. The data were gathered through seven semi-structured interviews with entrepreneurs from Cyprus, India, Mexico, United Kingdom, and Sweden.</p><p>The outcome of the present study is a model emphasizing the main results of the research. It presents three main reasons (interest/work experience in the business area, definition of the gap in the market, and desire to create) that lead to the decision to initiate the project. The market and future perception, as they have an impact on the actual start of the process, are presented and discussed as well. Concerning the attitude towards changes occurring during the process, four different reactions have been found to be relevant (adaptation, search for assistance, determination/commitment, and passion/persistence). Furthermore, the help provided by the learning experience, the social networking, and the future planning to overcome changes were also identified. Finally, the perception by the entrepreneur of the change and the overall process are explained.</p>

<p><strong>Problem:</strong> How do the born global firms overcome challenges and sustain performance in international markets through their competences, routines, and corporate governance structure?</p><p><strong>Purpose:</strong> The purpose of this thesis is to explore the competences, routines, and corporate governance structure of born global companies, and understand their role in overcoming challenges of early internationalization and sustaining performance in international markets from early days.</p><p><strong>Method:</strong> This research is conducted as multi-disciplinary, consisting of literature from International Business and Strategic Management. Relevant data is collected through six in-depth interviews with executives of born global companies from Sweden and Norway. Qualitative analysis has been used at data analysis stage.</p><p><strong>Originality: </strong>This study contributes to literature by examining relatively neglected areas of born global companies; competences, routines, and corporate governance structure. It is also original in distilling a wide literature to explore challenges of born globals.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our research reveals that despite their small size and limited resources, born global companies engage in competence building and leveraging activities, establish early international routines, and construct flexible governance structures to overcome challenges and achieve performance in the global arena.</p>

<p>Relationships of entrepreneur vary automatically over time; however, entrepreneurs themselves are the ones who create relationships. This process requires self-motivated action in order to gain good relationships and trusts. In this research, the particular ways that entrepreneurs use to create relationships with customers, suppliers and financial institutions follow each step of interest, commitment, adaptation and trust. The authors find that entrepreneurs use both similar and different methods in each stage depending on type and size of their business. In addition, we examine how organizations supporting entrepreneurs to start business influence the networking of entrepreneurs. The authors select Idélab as our case study. During joining Idélab’s activities, the attendants would gain more relationships from both inside and outside of Idélab which are apart from their backgrounds and experiences. Therefore, the entrepreneurs attending Idélab reach more relationships than entrepreneurs who do not.</p>

<p>Modern heavy trucks tend to get more and more equipment demanding electric power. As a result, the electric power left for startingbecome more and more limited. If a complete view of the entire starting system-battery, starter and the combustion engine - is used, the total system can be investigated and optimized. This thesis is a study of the starting system and its components. Theories for each component are presented and models are derived for a complete starting system. Focus lies on the battery and starter motor. The purpose of the modelling work is to gain knowledge of the starting system. Some results can also be obtained from the simulations - it is very important to keep the electrical resistance as low as possible and the differences between battery types are surprisingly big.</p>

<p>Föreningsidrotten ökar men fortfarande är det många ungdomar som inte är tillräckligt fysiskt aktiva. Många undersökningar har gjorts angående motivation hos aktiva idrottare, men forskningen kring vad det är som motiverar ungdomar att börja idrotta är inte alls lika stor. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka vilka motivationsfaktorer som skulle få ungdomar att börja idrotta och vad det är som hindrar dem, samt se vilka skillnader och likheter det fanns mellan svenska ungdomars och invandrarungdomars svar. Genom att undersöka vad som skulle få ungdomar att börja idrotta och vad det är som hindrar dem, skulle detta kunna hjälpa idrottsföreningar i hur de ska rekrytera nya medlemmar. Det är också viktigt att undersöka om det är någon skillnad mellan svenska ungdomars och invandrarungdomars motivationsfaktorer och hinder. Enskilda intervjuer gjordes med svenska ungdomar och invandrarungdomar från två olika skolor. Intervjuerna som spelades in på band transkriberades, för att sedan analyseras utifrån en hermeneutisk ansats. Teman i form av inre och yttre motivation, samt inre och yttre hinder togs fram, därefter skapades kategorier utifrån de motivationsfaktorer och hinder som var särskilt betydelsefulla för ungdomarna. Resultatet visade att de faktorer som skulle motivera ungdomarna att börja idrotta var socialt stöd, tidigare positiva erfarenheter av idrott, bättre hälsa, att det var roligt och att de hittade en idrott som passade dem. Det som hindrade dem var tidsbrist, låg grad av self-efficacy, prestationskrav, den sociala miljön, andra preferenser, att det inte var roligt och jobbigt idrotta, samt att de inte hade hittat någon passande idrott. Det kunde inte urskiljas några större skillnader mellan de svenska ungdomarna och invandrarungdomarna, men de svenska ungdomarna motiverades av både inre och yttre faktorer medan invandrarungdomarna endast motiverades av inre faktorer.</p>

This study used a mixed method approach (quantitative and qualitative) to examine the commonalities and differences between Hispanic and non-Hispanic participants of the Even Start Family Literacy Program. Using a life course perspective, this study examined the educational background and life history of Hispanic and non-Hispanic participants, their reasons and goals for program participation, and changes experienced due to Even Start participation. The sample for the qualitative analysis consisted of 32 Hispanic and 25 non-Hispanic female participants. Quantitative latent growth curve analysis was conducted on 96 (75 Hispanic and 21 Non-Hispanic) participants to measure change over time and to estimate the differences in rate of change between Hispanic and non-Hispanic participants. Results of this study indicate that wide commonalities yet vital differences exist between Hispanic and non-Hispanic participants. Poverty was the significant determinant factor in Hispanic as well as non-Hispanic participants' school failure. The experiences and implications of poverty, however, varied for Hispanic and non- Hispanic parents. The reasons and goals for Even Start participation were to achieve self-sufficiency for Hispanic and non-Hispanic parents. Achieving self-sufficiency involved acculturation to the American society for Hispanic participants. For non- Hispanic parents achieving self-sufficiency involved attaining GED and getting off of welfare. No effect of ethnicity was identified on the five outcome measures quantitatively examined in this study, which include knowledge of child development, parenting confidence and support, depression, self-esteem, and life skills. Initial differences existed between Hispanic and non-Hispanic participants in knowledge of child development and life skills, with non-Hispanic participants reporting higher knowledge of child development and greater life skills. Non-Hispanic participants, however, did not make greater gains than their Hispanic participants after being in the program. Qualitative results indicate that skills gained by Hispanic participants helped them acculturate in the American society, whereas for non-Hispanic participants the program helped achieve a sense of purpose and direction in life and create a better life for themselves and their family. / Graduation date: 2003

Parents are often advised to increase the amount of time spent with their preschool-age children because of the beneficial outcomes associated with positive parent-child interactions, and numerous programs exist to encourage and support this type of parent involvement. However, there is a paucity of information about whether and how parents manage and organize their time in a manner that facilitates parents’ interactions with children. Increasing home-based parent involvement is a federal mandate and central tenet of the Head Start program for low-income parents. One of the ways in which a local Head Start program encourages parent involvement is to offer weekly educational activities to families designed to be completed at home by parents and their children. The purpose of this study was to examine how a group of Head Start managed and organized their time in a manner that facilitated completion of these activities and the way in which other aspects of the home environment affected these efforts. Parents in this study (N =22) were diverse in terms of ethnicity, parenting status (grandmothers, grandfathers, mothers, fathers), employment status, marital status, and education. The constant-comparison method was used to analyze comments obtained during focus groups. Parents primarily discussed time management and organization in two ways: techniques and tools that helped them manage and organize time and the obstacles they faced in doing so. Parents also discussed alteration of the physical environment conducive to completing the activity, the benefit of social support, and the ways in which they acquired and maintained their child’s engagement in the activity. Knowledge about such time management strategies may be utilized by programs hoping to increase home-based parental involvement. This study contributes to the current dearth of information that exists about low-income family time management and organization.

Relationships of entrepreneur vary automatically over time; however, entrepreneurs themselves are the ones who create relationships. This process requires self-motivated action in order to gain good relationships and trusts. In this research, the particular ways that entrepreneurs use to create relationships with customers, suppliers and financial institutions follow each step of interest, commitment, adaptation and trust. The authors find that entrepreneurs use both similar and different methods in each stage depending on type and size of their business. In addition, we examine how organizations supporting entrepreneurs to start business influence the networking of entrepreneurs. The authors select Idélab as our case study. During joining Idélab’s activities, the attendants would gain more relationships from both inside and outside of Idélab which are apart from their backgrounds and experiences. Therefore, the entrepreneurs attending Idélab reach more relationships than entrepreneurs who do not.