Many congestion control mechanisms have been proposed to solve the problems of a high loss rate and inefficient utilization of network resources in the present Internet. This problem is caused by competition between traffic flows while the network is congested. Differentiated Services (DiffServ) architecture permits the allocation of various levels of traffic resource requirements needed for Quality of Service (QoS). Random Early Detection (RED) is an efficient mechanism to pre-drop packets before actual congestion occurs, and it is capable of introducing a random early packet dropping scheme, and based on the queue length in reaching a certain degree of fairness for resource utilization. However, it still suffers from a lack of robustness among light traffic load, or in heavy traffic load using fixed RED parameters. In this dissertation, we modified the RED scheme and proposed a novel adaptive RED model, which we named the OURED model, to enhance the robustness of resource utilization so that it could be utilized in the DiffServ edge router. The OURED model introduces two additional packet dropping traces, one is Over Random Early Detection (ORED), which is used to speed up the dropping of packets when the actual rate is higher than the target rate, and the other one is the Under Random Early Detection (URED), used to slow down the packet dropping rate in the reverse situation. The simulation results show that OURED is not only more robust than MRED in resource utilization, but that it also can be implement efficiently in the DiffServ edge router. Another model proposed in this dissertation is the Age-Based packet discarding Traffic Conditioner. For the reason that the file sizes of on going flows are fairly disparate on the current network, we propose an ¡§Age-Based¡¨ packet discard scheme in the Traffic Conditioner of a gateway, to improve the performance of file transmission. The on going flows will be grouped to three classes of priority according to their ¡§age¡¨ as network congestion occurs and the simulation results show that the proposed model can work efficiently in most of the congestion conditions.

In this study, we consider the Turkish postal delivery system and develop an effective solution approach for the combined hub location and routing problem where the location of hub nodes are determined, the nonhub regional postal offices are allocated to the hubs, and the optimal set of routes are determined for each hub. Since the realized post-routing distances between origin-destination pairs are different from those used in the hub-location model, we develop an algorithm that finds the route-compatible hub configuration and allocation paths. The algorithm is the one that iterates between the hub-location phase and a routing phase. Our strategy consists of updating the distances used in the first phase in order to produce a solution that contains the cognition of routes. Some special structures in the routed network are also identified and used for improving the solution. Computational experience is reported.

The growing uptake of wind and photovoltaic technologies requires further sources of system-level flexibility to avoid or defer significant investments. The ability to control, to some extent, customer demand (load management, LM) is one of these sources of flexibility. However, the direct involvement of a large number of customers makes the scalability of such approach a major challenge. A mostly unexplored solution to overcome the challenges of managing thousands or millions of customers is to leverage the positive correlation between voltage and demand. More precisely, Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) can control existing regulation devices to reduce customer voltages and so triggering a reduction in demand. This scheme, hereafter called voltage-led LM, avoids the direct involvement of customers overcoming one of the major barriers of traditional LM solutions. To understand whether this approach can be of any significance, a methodology able to quantify such reduction in demand need to be developed. However, the few methodologies available in the literature neglect the interactions across voltage levels and their influence on the benefits of the scheme. Moreover, time-varying demand profiles and load models are not always considered. Finally, the impact that the widespread adoption of distributed energy resources might have, is also neglected. This thesis addressed these gaps by developing a four-stage approach in which the time-varying volume of demand reduction that the scheme can unlock is quantified considering for the first time the influences among all voltage levels in distribution network. To reduce the complexity each voltage level is analysed separately whilst maintaining the corresponding dependencies. The methodology, also able to extrapolate the results at national scale, can quantify the impact that the uptake of residential scale PV units might have on the scheme. The methodology is demonstrated with a real UK case study where 10-min resolution time-series daily and seasonal analysis are performed. For the first time real network models across the whole distribution network, from 132 kV to 400 V, have been adopted. The interactions across voltage levels, the adoption of realistic load models, the variety of network models and the use of a time-varying approach, all aspects simultaneously considered for the first time in a case study, have shown to play a key role in the quantification. In Great Britain the scheme is expected to provide a significant volume of flexibility of around 1.8GW (60 GW of peak demand). The presence of PV, at least in the short term, has shown to have only a marginally effect on the benefits unlocked by the voltage-led LM scheme, making such scheme promising even in a low carbon future.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T13:31:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Jullyane Chagas Barboza Brasilino.pdf: 3416488 bytes, checksum: bdd2fc15220dd226617ce430f4b4216b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-09-20 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The present study aims to understand how policies to combat domestic violence against women create (or not) the necessary/sufficient support for them to leave the violence situation. The theoretical framework is based on critical positions in the Social Psychological field, Post-Constructionist and Feminist theories. It is taken into account that violence against women is a complex situation, in which several factors are included, such as social-economic conditions, educational level, family bounds and living conditions, among others. The research followed two steps. At first, the network to combat domestic violence against women in São Paulo/SP was descripted in three different moments: 1) initial strategies focused on combat, from 1983 to 1990; 2) the progressive enhancement of the network, from 1990 to 2006 and 3) the enlargement of the network after the Maria da Penha law. For that description, documents were used and observations were conducted in several services, as well as in events and public acts. At the second step, these observations were improved by interviews with women who were attended by the network services and technicians who had being working in the services. The experiences reported by women show that it is a difficult process to find an exit to the violence situation. The Government develops actions focused on the implementation of public policies for gender equity and the end of domestic violence, but that hasn t been enough, meaning that this issue requires more than a judicialization process. The research s results can be clustered around three axis: 1) judicialization gives women the possibility to punish the actor of violence and to prevent new acts of aggression, however, it s not enough to end the violence situations; 2) it has been identified that women in violence situation do not see themselves as people with rights and with the right to live free of violence; 3) the services network that serves women in violence situation has a fundamental role in the comprehension of these women as individuals with rights and, therefore, it should receive more attention and investment from the administration; it must be strengthened initially through public policies focused on gender equity / Esta pesquisa buscou entender em que medida as políticas de enfrentamento à violência contra as mulheres possibilitam (ou não) dar o apoio suficiente/necessário para que elas saiam da situação de violência. Fundamentando-nos na vertente crítica da Psicologia Social, pós-construcionista e feminista, consideramos que a violência contra as mulheres é uma situação complexa, na qual estão inseridos fatores diversos tais como a situação socioeconômica dessas mulheres; seu grau de instrução; vínculos familiares; condições de moradia, entre outros. A realização da pesquisa envolveu duas etapas. Primeiramente, mapeamos a rede de serviços para mulheres em situação de violência do município de São Paulo/SP, analisando-a em três momentos: 1) as estratégias iniciais voltadas ao enfrentamento da violência, que se deram de 1983 a 1990; 2) o progressivo adensamento da rede, entre 1990 e 2006 e 3) a ampliação da rede de serviços após a Lei Maria da Penha. Para este mapeamento, foram utilizados documentos e observações realizadas nos diversos serviços da rede, em eventos, cursos e atos públicos. Em segundo lugar, as análises sobre os serviços foram enriquecidas por entrevistas narrativas com mulheres atendidas pela rede, bem como com técnicos e técnicas que atuam nos diversos serviços. As experiências das mulheres mostram que é um processo difícil encontrar as portas de entradas para a saída da situação de violência. O fato de o poder público desenvolver ações voltadas à implementação das políticas públicas pela equidade de gênero e pelo fim da violência contra a mulher não tem sido suficiente, ou seja, não basta judicializar. Os resultados da pesquisa podem ser reunidos em torno de três eixos de considerações finais: 1) a judicializaçao do fenômeno da violência possibilita a punição do autor do crime e a proteção contra futuros episódios de agressão, porém mostra-se insuficiente para que as mulheres rompam com a situação de violência; 2) identificamos que as mulheres em tal situação por vezes não se entendem enquanto sujeito de direitos, isto é, como tendo direito a uma vida sem violência; 3) a rede de serviços que atende mulheres em situação de violência cumpre um papel fundamental para desenvolver e difundir o entendimento dessas mulheres enquanto sujeito de direitos e por isso deve ser objeto de investimento e fortalecimento por políticas públicas, as quais visem promover a equidade de gênero

This thesis discusses internationalisation strategies of companies in a globalising service industry, the telecommunications industry. Differences in the internationalisation processes between manufacturing and service companies, and companies in network industries in particular, are analysed. The telecommunication industry’s special characteristics are discussed. Special challenges faced by companies in small and open economies (SMOPECs) in their internationalisation are also covered. Broad research questions, and a conceptual framework and specific research propositions are presented. The methodology, a multi-case study, and research procedure are introduced, and the research findings are reported, analysed and discussed. During the last decade there has been continuous debate on how well the traditional internationalisation (process) theories are able to explain the internationalisation of service companies. In addition, several researchers have argued that the facts that service sectors are heterogeneous and have different characteristics causes remarkable variations in the internationalisation processes of different service sectors. The conceptual framework developed in this study to analyse the internationalisation strategies of the case companies, national telecommunication companies (telcos) from SMOPECs, is based on the earlier research in the areas of international business and strategic management. The framework consists of two main parts, internationalisation strategies and factors influencing these strategies. The four internationalisation strategies included in the framework are product strategy, operation strategy, market strategy and organisation strategy. The factors influencing internationalisation strategies have been divided into five main groups: global factors, industry specific factors, home country specific factors, company specific factors and host country specific factors. This cross-border multi-case study includes four case companies: Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) from Singapore, Sonera Oyj (Sonera) from Finland, Telia AB (publ) (Telia) from Sweden, and Telstra Corporation Limited (Telstra) from Australia. The key findings of the study demonstrate that although in some areas the case study companies followed processes suggested by traditional internationalisation (process) theories there were also significant deviations. These deviations are most obvious when analysing market strategies. The findings present several factors behind these deviations. The findings mostly support earlier research on service industries, although there are distinctive characteristics which apply only to the telecommunications industry, or more generally, to network industries. The findings also demonstrate that the special challenges that companies from SMOPECs face in their internationalisation, influence their internationalisation strategies. Interestingly, in addition to these special challenges, the findings suggest that there are areas where these types of companies may have a competitive advantage in relation to their internationalisation. The conceptual framework developed in this study helps to understand the internationalisation process in the telco industry. The framework integrates findings from both international business and strategic management research, recognising the benefits of more generalisable internationalisation models originating from economic and marketing theories, but taking into account environmental circumstances and the influence of managerial actions, emphasised more in strategic management theories. That is, more contingency approach is taken than in some traditional internationalisation models. The conceptual framework and the findings contribute to the existing research on the internationalisation of services particularly, and to international business and strategic management research more generally. / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, Business School, 2009

The theme of the thesis is the issue of planning social services for people affected by Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia in the territory of the Hradec Králové region. Alzheimer's disease is among the most common causes of dementia, and the number of patients with the disease continues to grow. It is the increase in the number of clients with the disease that creates a new challenge to ensure the availability of social services, so that an individual approach is maintained in view of the patients' specific needs. The thesis contains a theoretical and an empirical part. The theoretical part briefly describes the clinical picture of Alzheimer's disease. Furthermore, this section focuses on the incidence of dementia both globally and in the territory of Europe. Some organisations and strategic documents dedicated to supporting and caring for those with dementia in the territories of France, Sweden and Switzerland are listed in this section. There is also a chapter that gives an idea of individual types and forms of care for clients with dementia manifestations in the Czech Republic. It includes an explanation of basic concepts such as: social services, social services network, community planning. As the work deals with care planning in the Hradec Králové region, the Mid-Term Plan for...

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