Valuing Intellectual Property assets is increasingly critical in today’s economy, where intangible assets constitute a significant portion of business value. This thesis addresses the challenges inherent in the IP valuation process, particularly the subjectivity and variability associated with different IP types and valuation methodologies. It proposes a new way to value IP assets, by building upon existing disaggregation methods, and by introducing the IP-heaviness classification system. The study aims to develop an objective valuation model for IP assets by introducing the IP-heaviness classification system. The goal of the model is to estimate the range of IP Contribution (IPC) to company value across different industry groups. Our study employed Kernel Density Estimation and Monte Carlo Simulation to analyze the dataset and generate a larger data sample. We then developed the IPH classification system, which categorizes industries based on their reliance on IP as a value contributor, grouping them by similar levels of IP dependence. This structured approach allows for a preliminary estimation of the IP contribution for each group, providing a standardized framework for IP valuation. Each IPH group was assigned its own probability density curve to represent its potential IPC value. Ultimately, our model produced confidence intervals for each IPH group, offering a reliable measure of the IP contribution within each category. Our findings reveal significant variability in the impact of IP on company value across different industries. Higher IPH groups, representing industries with substantial IP reliance, show a greater proportion of their value attributed to IP assets. Conversely, lower IPH groups, with less reliance on IP, exhibit lower IP contributions. The IPH classification system addresses the challenges of traditional IP valuation methods by providing a more objective and transparent approach. It enhances the comparability of companies within and across IPH groups and reduces subjectivity in the valuation process.

Recently, corporate scandals rocked the South African financial landscape, prompting the re-examination of existing corporate governance practices and renewed scrutiny of corporate governance institutions and mechanisms. One of these practices, a phenomenon called “director interlock”, was scrutinised in this study. A quantitative and inductive approach was used in this research to scrutinise companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, as well as the directors who served on their boards during the periods researched, namely, 2010 and 2016, with the purpose of considering the consequences of director interlock in a South African context. Appropriate sources on corporate governance, director interlock and network analysis were accessed. Social network analysis was applied to analyse and map the extent, nature and structural dynamics of director interlock statistically in all South African listed companies in respect of 2010 and 2016 with a view to considering the causes and consequences of identified changes between 2010 and 2016, and possible implications of those changes for corporate governance in South Africa. Both periods occurred shortly after times of financial turmoil or contracting economic growth, where, in line with global trends, financial consolidation and a possible decline in economic activity and board sizes of companies would be expected. The concept of centrality, comprising three components, was used in the statistical social network analysis. These components were degree centrality, which is an indicator of the number of connections and the degree of activity of a company or a director, closeness centrality, which is an indicator of the closeness of a company or a director to other companies or directors within a network and the number of steps from that company or director to other companies and directors in the network, and betweenness centrality, which is a measure of the centrality of a company or a director and the extent to which the company or the director acts as a bridge between and connects with other well-connected companies and directors in the network. The following striking findings emerged from this research: a massive increase in the average board size between 2010 and 2016, a resultant increase in the density of networks between 2010 and 2016, and an apparent shift away from the dominance of mining houses described in earlier studies to financial services companies in 2010 and retail companies in 2016. In the literature review the existence of a global elite in the structure of company boards was pointed out, and the question was asked whether there is any evidence of the existence of a similar elite in South Africa and, if so, whether there have been any changes in the makeup, characteristics or nature of such an elite from 2010 to 2016. Further, the question was asked whether any changes can be observed regarding the central actors of company boards in the local economic power network. The research results indicate that iii there was an apparent reversal of transformational gains towards the re-establishment of white male dominance in the ultra-elite echelons of directors in the South African network by 2016. In the absence of conclusive evidence emanating from this research, the value of director interlock is still hotly debated. Is the practice of director interlock beneficial or damaging to corporations and the wider economic landscape, or could it be both beneficial and damaging? This study provides conclusive evidence that the value of interlock depends on the way in which it is applied, taking into account how the causes, consequences and dynamics of director interlock are manifested in individual companies. While evidence suggests that director interlock, if applied correctly, can be beneficial, the recent Steinhoff debacle was used to illustrate that it can also be detrimental, depending on how it is applied. This study emphasised the value of social network theory, resource-dependence theory, agency theory, small-world theory and power dynamics, specifically in research into corporate governance and related fields of study. This research undoubtedly contributes to the body of knowledge on corporate governance in general and the structure and functioning of company boards, inclusive of director interlock, in particular. The guidelines that emerged from this study could be used to identify board structures and strategically positioned directorship candidates for board appointments and to avoid potentially destructive patterns that may even lead to corporate failure. / Maduzane nje, kuvele amahlazo ezinkampani ezinkulu zezezimali eNingizimu Afrika, lokhu okwenze ukuthi kuhlolwe kabusha inqubo nenkambiso yamanje yolawulo lwezinkanpani ezinkulu, kanti futhi lokhu kwavuselela ukuhlaziywa kwezikhungo zezolawulo lwezinkampani ezinkulu kanye nezindlela zokwenza lokhu. Enye yalezi zinkambiso, ukuhlala nokungenelelana kwabantu kumabhodi ezinkampani ezehlukene okuyinto ebizwa ngokuthi yi-"director interlock" iye yahlolisiswa kulolu cwaningo. Kusetshenziswe inqubo ye-quantitative ne-inductive kulolu cwaningo ukuhlolisisa izinkampani ezifakelwe kuhla lwe-Johannesburg Stock Exchange, kanye nodayirektha abakumabhodi azo ngesikhathi sokwenziwa kocwaningo, okusho ukusukela ngo 2010 ukuya kua 2016, ngenhloso yokubhekisisa imiphumela yenqubo yodayirektha abahlala kumabhodi amaningi ehlukene i-director interlock kwisimo seNingizimu Afrika. Kuye kwatholwa imithombo yolawulo iv lwezinkampani, inqubo ye-director interlock kanye nokuhlaziya ukuxhumana okwaziwa njenge-network analysis. Uhlaziyo lwama-network okuxhumana kwabantu kwe-social network analysis kwasetshenziswa ukuhlaziya kanye nokubheka ukujula nokwenza imephu yenhlobo kanye nobudlelwane bezakhiwo kunqubo ye-director interlock, namastatistiki kuzo zonke izinkampani ezifakelwe kuhla zaseNingizimu Afrika ngesikhathi esiphakathi kuka 2010 no 2016 ngenhloso yokubheka izimbangela kanye nemiphumela yezinguquko ezibhekiwe phakathi kuka 2010 no 2016, kanye nemphumela yalezi zinguquko kwinqubo yolawula lwezinkampani eNingizimu Afrika. Zombili izinkathi zenzeke maduzane ngemuva kweziyaluyalu zezezimali nokuncipha kwesimo somnotho, laphokhona, ngokuhambisana nobekwenzeka kuwo wonke umhlaba, kuye kwaba nokuqoqana kwesimo sezezimali kanye nokwehla kwezimo zomnotho kanye nosayizi bamabhodi ezinkampani okwakulindelwe. Umqondo wokuqoqela ndawonye, onemikhakha emithathu, wasetshenziswa ekuhlaziyweni kwamastatistiki okuxhumana kwabantu okwaziwa nge-statistical social network analysis. Le mikhakha kwakuyizinga lokuqoqana ndawonye okwaziwa nge-degree of centrality, okuyinkomba yamanani okuxhumana kwezinto kanye namazinga emisebenzi yenkanpani noma udayirektha, ukusondelana qokuqoqana ndawonye okwaziwa ngokuthi yi-closeness centrality, okuyinkamba yokusondelana kwenkampani noma udayirektha nezinye izinkampani noma abanye odayirektha kwi-network, kanye nenani lezinyathelo kuleyo nkampani noma udayirekha kwezinye izinkampani kanye nabanye odayirektha kwi-network, kanye nanokuxhumana phakathi kwabo, okuyisikali sokuxhumana kwenkampani noma udayirektha, nezinga lendlela inkampani noma udayirekha athatha ngalo izinyathelo njengomxhumanisi phakathi kokuxhumana nezinye izinkampani kanye nabanye odayirektha kwi-network. Imiphumela eyisimanga etholakele ngalolu cwaningo: kuye kwaba nokwenyuka kakhulu kosayizi bamabhodi esikhathini esiphakathi kuka 2010 no 2016, lokhu okubangele ukwenyuka kokujula kwama-network phakathi kuka 2010 no 2016, kanye nokugudluka ukusukela kubukhulu bezimayini ukuya kwizinkampani zezezimali ngo 2010 kanye nezinkampani zama-retail ngonyaka ka 2016. Ekubuyekezweni kwemibhalo ubukhona bama-elite kumhlaba wonkana kwizakhiwo zamabhodi kuye kwabona, kanti umbuzo owabuzwa ukuthi ngabe bukhona ubufakazi bobukhona bama-elite efanayo eNingizimu Afrika, uma kunjalo, ngabe kube khona ushintsho ngendlela ahleleke ngayo, ubunjalo noma inhlobo yalawo ma-elite ukusukela ngo 2010 ukuya ku 2016. Omunye umbuzo, owabuzwa, wukuthi ngabe noma yiziphi izinguquko ziyabonakala yini mayelana nababambiqhaza ababalulekile kumabhodi ezinkampani kuma-network anamandla kwezomnotho. Imiphumela yocwaningo ikhombisa ukuthi kwabanokuhlehla ngokuzuziwe kwezezinguquko, kwabuyelwa emuva ekubuseni kakhulu kwabesilisa abamhlophe v kwimikhakha ephezulu yama-elite odayirektha kuma-network aseNingizimu Afrika ngo 2016. Ngokusweleka kobufakazi obuphethakele obuvela kulolu cwaningo, ukubaluleka kwe-director interlock kusaxoxwa ngakho kakhulu. Ngabe i-director intelock inenzuzo noma ilimaza izinkampani kanye nesimo somnotho ngokunabile, noma kungenzeka ukuthi kwenzeka kokubili, ukubanenzuzo kanye nokulimaza? Lolu cwaningo luhlinzeka ngobufakazi obuphelele bokuthi ukubaluleka kwe-director interlock kuncike kwindlela okusetshenziswa ngayo, ngokubonelela izimbangela, imiphumela emibi kanye nama-dynamic endlela i-directoer interlock ebonakala nokuvela ngayo ezinkampanini ezehlukene. Ngisho noma ubufakazi bukhombisa ukuthi i-director intelock, uma isetshenziswa kahle, ingaba yinzuzo, kodwa ihlazo lamaduzane le-Steinhoff lisetshenziswe ukukhombisa ukuthi, lokhu kungaba ngokulimazayo, kuncike ngokuthi kusetshenziswa kanjani. Lolu cwaningo lukhombise ukubaluleka kwe-social network theory (ithiyori yobudlelwane bokuxhumana kanye nokwabelana ngolwazi), i-resource-dependence theory (ithiyori yokuthi ngabe imithombo yosizo yangaphandle ichapha0zela kanjani ukuziphatha kwenhlangano), i-agency theory (ithiyori yobudlelwane phakathi kwama-ejenti kanye nabaphathi), small-world theory (ithiyori yokuxhumana kwabantu bexhunyaniswa ngabanye noma eminye imikhakha yabaxhumanisi) kanye nama-power dynamic (ndlela amandla umuntu anawo nokuba nomthelela kwabanye abantu nokuchaphazela ubudlelwane babo), ikakhulukazi kucwaningo ngokulawulwa kwezinkampani ezinkulu kanye nemikhakha ehambelanayo yocwaningo. Ngaphandle kokungabaza, lolu cwaningo lunomthelela kwingqikthi yolwazi ngezolawulo lwezinkampani ezinkulu ngokunabile kanye nezakhiwo nokusebenza kwamabhodi ezinkampani, okubandakanya ukukungenelelana kodayirektha kwamanye amabhodi ezinye izinkampani, ikakhulukazi. Imikhombandlela evelile kulolu cwaningo ingasetshenziswa ukuphawula izakhiwo zamabhodi, kanye nobudayirektha obusemkhakheni ethize, ngokuqokwa kwamabhodi ukugwema ukuba namaphatheni anemiphumela emibi, engaholela nasekwehlulekeni kwezinkampani ezinkulu. Amagama abalulekile: Inqubo yebhodi, ukuchaphazelana kobudlelwane nemithelela kumabhodi, ukuhleleka ngezinhlobo kwamabhodi, ukungenelelana kwabantu kumabhodi ezinkampani ezehlukene, ubudlelwane phakathi kwabantu abakumabhodi ehlukene, i-isomorphism, i-social network analysis (SNA), ama-network obudlelwane babantu, ubudlelwane babantu, i-social network analysis software, i-statistical analysis system (SAS / Malobanyana, mahlabišadihlong a koporase a wetše tikologo ya ditšhelete ya Afrika Borwa, yeo e hlohleletšago go sekwasekwa leboelela ga ditlwaedi tša pušo ya dikgwebo le nyakišišo ye e mpshafaditšweng ya mekgwa ya diinstitšhušene tša pušo ya koporase. Se sengwe sa ditlwaedi tše, ke ponagalo ya go bitšwa “tlhatlaganyo ya molaodi”, mahlabišadihlong a nyakišišitšwe ka nyakišišong ye. Mokgwa wa khwalithethifi le taelo o šomišitšwe ka gare ga nyakišišo ye go nyakišiša dikhamphani tše di ngwadilwego lenaneong la Johannesburg Stock Exchange, le balaodi bao ba šomilego dibotong tša yona dinakong tše di nyakišišitšwego, e lego 2010 le 2016, ka morero wa go šetša ditlamorago tša tlhatlaganyo ya molaodi mo maemong a Afrika Borwa. Methopo ya maleba mabapi le pušo ya koporase, tlhatlaganyo ya molaodi le tshekatsheko di fihleletšwe. Tshekatsheko ya neteweke ya leago e dirišitšwe go sekaseka le go beakanya bogomo, tlhago le diphetogo tša sebopego tša tlhatlaganyo ya molaodi ka dipalopalo ka gare ga dikhamphani tša Afrika Borwa ka moka tše di ngwadilwego lenaneong mabapi le 2010 le 2016 ka kgopolo ya go ela hloko ditlholo le ditlamorago tša diphetogo tše di hlaotšwego gare ga 2010 le 2016, le dikhuetšo tše di kgonegang tša diphetogo tšeo tša pušo ya koporase ka Afrika Borwa. Dinako ka bobedi di diragetše kgauswinyana morago ga dinako tša mathata a ditšhelete goba kgolo ya ikonomi ye e phuhlamago, fao, ka go sepetšana le mekgwa ya lefase ka bophara, kopantšho ya ditšhelete le kgonagalo ya phokotšego ya ditiro tša ikonomi le bogolo bja diboto tša dikhamphani di tla letelwa. Kgopolo ya bogare, ya go bopša ka dikarolo tše tharo, e šomišitšwe ka tshekatshekong ya neteweke ya leago ya dipalopalo. Dikarolo tše e be e le bogare bja bogolo, tšeo e lego taetšo ya palo ya dikgokagano le bogolo bja tiro ya khamphani goba molaodi go dikhamphani tše dingwe ka gare ga neteweke, le bogare bja kelo, tšeo e lego kelo ya bogare bja khamphani goba molaodi le bokgole bjoo khamphani goba molaodi a šoma bjalo ka leporogo mo gare le go kgokagana le dikhamphani tše dingwe tše di nago le kgokagano ye botse le balaodi ka gare ga neteweke. Dikutullo tše di latelago tša go goga šedi di tšweletše go tšwa nyakišišong ye: koketšego ye kgolokgolo ya bogolo bja boto bja palo gare ga 2010 le 2016, koketšego ye e hlotšwego ka pitlaganong ya dineteweke gare ga 2010 le 2016, le tšhutišo ya go hlaka go tšwa go taolo ya dintlo tša moepo tše di hlalositšwego ka dinyakišišong tša pele go dikhamphani tša ditirelo tša ditšhelete ka 2010 le dikhamphani tša retheile ka 2016. Ka tshekatshekong ya dingwalo go ba gona ga bahuetši ba lefase ka sebopegong sa diboto tša khamphani di laeditšwe, gomme potšišo e botšišitšwe ge eba go na le bohlatse bofe goba bofe bja bahuetši ba go swana ka Afrika Borwa gomme, ge go le bjalo, ge eba go bile le diphetogo dife goba dife ka gare ga popego, dipharologantšho goba tlhago ya bahuetši ye vii bjalo go tloga ka 2010 go fihla ka 2016. Gape, potšišo e botšišitšwe ge eba diphetogo dife goba dife di ka bonwa mabapi le diketapele tša diboto tša khamphani ka netewekeng ya maatla a ikonomi ya tikologo. Dipoelo tša dinyakišišo di laetša gore go be go na le poelomorago ye e hlakileng ya dipoelo tša phetošo go ya go tlhomo leswa ya taolo ya banna ba bathobašweu ka gare ga maemo a go feta tekanyo a bahuetši a balaodi ka netewekeng ya Afrika Borwa 2016. Ka go hlokega ga bohlatse bja mafelelo bja go tšwa nyakišišong ye, boleng bja tlhatlaganyo ya molaodi bo sa ntše bo ngangišanwa kudu. Setlwaedi sa tlhatlaganyo ya molaodi se na le mohola goba se senya dikoporase le ponagalo ya ikonomi ye e nabilego, goba se ka ba bobedi sa mohola le go senya? Nyakišišo ye e fa bohlatse bja mafelelo bja gore boleng bja tlhatlaganyo bo laolwa ke tsela yeo bo šomišwago ka yona, go akaretšwa ka fao ditlholo, ditlamorago le diphetogo tša tlhatlaganyo ya molaodi di bago gona khamphaning e tee ka e tee. Mola bohlatse bo šišinya gore tlhatlaganyo ya molaodi, ge e šomišitšwe ka nepagalo, e ka ba le mohola, bothata bja malobanyana bja Steinhoff bo šomišetšwe go laetša gore gape bo ka ba kotsi, go ya ka fao bo šomišitšwego. Nyakišišo ye e gatelela boleng bja teori ya neteweke ya leago, teori ya boikanyo bja methopo, teori ya etšentshi, teori ya lefase le lenyane le diphetogo tša maatla, gagolo ka dinyakišišong tša pušo ya koporase le makala ao a amegago a nyakišišo. Nyakišišo ye ntle le pelaelo e kgathatema go tsebo ya mmele go pušo ya koporase ka kakaretšo le sebopego le go šoma ga diboto tša khamphani, go akaretšwa tlhatlaganyo ya molaodi, gagolo. Melawana ya tshepedišo ye e tšweletšeng go tšwa nyakišišong ye a ka no šomišwa go hlaola dibopego tša boto le bonkgetheng ba bolaodi ba go beelwa go thwalwa ga boto ka maikemišetšo le go efoga diphethene tše di nago le kgonagalo ya go senya tšeo gape di kago iša go palelwa go koporase / Business Management / D. B. L.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:30:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Evelyn Seligmann Feitosa.pdf: 4150862 bytes, checksum: c2fb95c13060f06c44c6788bbbfd1fc6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-11-10 / Fundo Mackenzie de Pesquisa / The allocation of resources and the constant search for competitive advantages differentiators to reach best results are always business challenges. In the contemporary context, in order to achieve superior performance, it reinforces the company's need to have, and make good use, of scarce, valuable, non-substitutable and inimitable resources. These resources include brands, customer base, knowledge, ability and competence of the work teams, corporate culture, partnerships and operational processes established, among other intangible assets, usually arising from a long and risky development process. Mergers and acquisitions (M & A) arise, then, as an important strategic action, being an alternative means to obtain and accelerate the accumulation of these resources within the companies. That is the subject of this work, which discusses the importance of existing and intangible assets disclosed, previous to the M & A transactions, their classification into various types, measurement, and impact on the resulting firm's financial performance in long term. The overall objective of this thesis was to analyze how this performance, after a minimum period of 36 months of the event, is related to the existence, level of disclosure and the nature of intangible assets in the organizations involved. One hundred-eighteen (118) companies were investigated in fifty-nine (59) cases of M & A occurred in France between 1997 and 2007; the study reflects a multi-method research, pluralistic, on qualitative and quantitative aspects. Intangible assets disclosure indicators were built by applying the content analysis technique to financial and accounting reports provided by the companies prior to the events, as well as financial indicators (proxies) for the existence of intangibles were calculated. These indicators were initially confronted with each other and later their explanatory power in relation to financial ratios of growth and profitability (for the corporation and its shareholders), which are the analyzed dimensions of financial performance. Many methods for statistical analysis were used in the multivariate data analysis (correlations and factor analysis, multiple regressions) and in the structural equation modeling (SEM), via Partial Least Squares (PLS). A total of twelve models, with statistics significance, were established to express the relationship among the constructs examined. Best results were achieved in the models developed with variables of semantic origin, in detriment of those with financial indicators only. The results obtained in this thesis leads to deduce that, in this study, there are positive relationships between the existence and the disclosure of intangible assets by firms involved in the operations of M & A and subsequent financial performance, measured by the corporate profitability and the growth of the resulting organization. This suggests that the strategic choice for business growth via M & A operations is favorable to the accumulation of intangible assets in the firms, in search for better results. / A alocação de recursos e a constante busca por diferenciais competitivos, visando melhores resultados, são grandes desafios empresariais. No contexto contemporâneo, para obter desempenho superior, reforça-se a necessidade de a empresa dispor, e fazer bom uso, de recursos raros, valiosos, não-substituíveis e de difícil imitação. Dentre estes recursos, destacam-se aspectos como as marcas, a base de clientes, o conhecimento, a capacidade e competência das equipes de trabalho, a cultura corporativa, as parcerias e os processos operacionais estabelecidos, dentre outros ativos intangíveis, geralmente decorrentes de longos e arriscados processos de desenvolvimento. As fusões e aquisições (F&A) surgem, então, como movimentos estratégicos importantes, sendo meio alternativo para obter e acelerar a acumulação destes recursos nas empresas. É essa a temática deste trabalho, que discorre sobre a importância dos ativos intangíveis existentes e divulgados previamente às operações de F&A de empresas, sobre a classificação dos seus diversos tipos, a sua mensuração e o seu impacto sobre o desempenho financeiro da firma resultante, no longo prazo. O objetivo geral desta tese foi analisar como este desempenho, após prazo mínimo de 36 meses do evento, está relacionado à existência, ao nível de divulgação e à natureza dos ativos intangíveis das organizações envolvidas. Foram investigadas 118 empresas, em 59 casos de F&A ocorridos na França entre 1997 e 2007, em uma pesquisa multi-métodos, pluralística, nas vertentes qualitativa e quantitativa. Foram construídos indicadores de divulgação (disclosure) de ativos intangíveis, mediante aplicação da técnica de análise de conteúdos aos relatórios contábil-financeiros disponibilizados pelas empresas antes do evento, e calculados indicadores financeiros (proxies) para a existência de intangíveis. Estes indicadores foram inicialmente confrontados entre si e posteriormente quanto ao seu poder explicativo em relação aos índices financeiros de crescimento e de lucratividade (empresarial e para os acionistas), que são as dimensões analisadas do desempenho financeiro. Utilizaram-se métodos de análise estatística de dados multivariados (análises de correlações, fatoriais, regressões múltiplas) e modelagem em equações estruturais, via Partial Least Squares (SEM- PLS). Foram estabelecidos, no total, doze modelos com significância estatística para expressar o relacionamento entre os construtos examinados. Alcançaram-se melhores resultados nos modelos desenvolvidos com variáveis de origem semântica, em detrimento daqueles que utilizaram indicadores exclusivamente financeiros. Os resultados obtidos nesta tese permitiram deduzir que há relações positivas entre a existência e a divulgação de ativos intangíveis pelas firmas envolvidas nas operações de F&A estudadas e o posterior desempenho financeiro, mensurado pela lucratividade empresarial e pelo crescimento, da organização resultante. Isto sugere que a opção estratégica por crescimento empresarial via operações de F&A é favorável ao acúmulo de recursos intangíveis nas firmas, na busca por melhores resultados.

Defending against Dos- and DDoS attacks is difficult to accomplish; finding and filtering out illegitimate traffic from the legitimate flow is near impossible. Taking steps to mitigate or even block the traffic can only be done once the IP addresses of the attackers are known. This is achievable by monitoring the flows to- and from the target and identifying the attacker's IP addresses, allowing the company or their ISP to block the addresses itself by blackholing them (also known as a null route). Using the IP accounting and monitoring tool “pmacct”, this thesis aims to investigate whether or not the pmacct suite is suited for larger installations when tracking and mitigating DDoS-attacks, such at an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Potential problems are the amount of traffic that need to be analyzed and the computational power required to do it. This thesis also provide information about the pmacct suite at large. The conclusions are positive, indicating it does scale up to handle larger installations when given careful consideration and planning. / Att försvara sig mot DoS-och DDoS-attacker är svårt att åstadkomma; att hitta och filtrera ut illegitim trafik från det legitima flödet är nästan omöjligt. Att vidta åtgärder när en sådan attack upptäcks kan endast göras när IP-adresserna från angriparna är kända. Detta kan uppnås genom att man övervakar trafikflödet mellan målet för attacken och angriparna och ser vilka som sänder mest data och på så sätt identifierar angriparna.. Detta tillåter företaget eller dess ISP att blockera trafiken ifrån dessa IP-adresser genom att sända trafiken vidare till ingenstans. Detta kallas blackhole-routing eller null-routing. Genom att använda redovisnings- och övervakningsprogrammet pmacct syftar denna uppsats på att undersöka hurvida pmacct-sviten är lämpad för större installationer när det gäller att spåra och förhindra DDoS-attacker, såsom hos en Internetleverantör eller dylikt. Potentialla problem som kan uppstå är att mängden trafik som måste analyserar blir för stor och för krävande. Denna avhandling går även igenom pmacct-verktyget i sig. Slutsatserna är lovande, vilket indikerar att den har potential av att kunna hantera sådana stora miljöer med noggrann planering.

Le sepsis tardif, défini comme une infection systémique chez les nouveaux nés âgés de plus de 3 jours, survient chez environ 7% à 10% de tous les nouveau-nés et chez plus de 25% des nouveau-nés de très faible poids de naissance qui sont hospitalisés dans les unités de soins intensifs néonatals (USIN). Les apnées et bradycardies (AB) spontanées récurrentes et graves sont parmi les principaux indicateurs précoces cliniques de l'infection systémique chez les prématurés. L'objectif de cette thèse est de déterminer si la variabilité du rythme cardiaque (VRC), la respiration et l'analyse de leurs relations aident au diagnostic de l'infection chez les nouveaux nés prématurés par des moyens non invasifs en USIN. Par conséquent, on a effectué l'analyse Mono-Voie (MV) et Bi-Voies (BV) sur deux groupes sélectionnés de nouveau-nés prématurés: sepsis (S) vs. non-sepsis (NS). (1) Tout d'abord, on a étudié la série RR non seulement par des méthodes de distribution (moy, varn, skew, kurt, med, SpAs), par les méthodes linéaire: le domaine temporel (SD, RMSSD) et dans le domaine fréquentiel (p_VLF, p_LF, p_HF), mais aussi par les méthodes non–linéaires: la théorie du chaos (alphas, alphaF) et la théorie de l'information (AppEn, SamEn, PermEn, Regul). Pour chaque méthode, nous étudions trois tailles de fenêtre 1024/2048/4096, puis nous comparons ces méthodes afin de trouver les meilleures façons de distinguer S de NS. Les résultats montrent que les indices alphaS, alphaF et SamEn sont les paramètres optimaux pour séparer les deux populations. (2) Ensuite, la question du couplage fonctionnel entre la VRC et la respiration nasale est adressée. Des relations linéaires et non-linéaires ont été explorées. Les indices linéaires sont la corrélation (r²), l'indice de la fonction de cohérence (Cohere) et la corrélation temps-fréquence (r2t,f) , tandis que le coefficient de régression non-linéaire (h²) a été utilisé pour analyser des relations non-linéaires. Nous avons calculé les deux directions de couplage pendant l'évaluation de l'indice h2 de régression non-linéaire. Enfin, à partir de l'ensemble du processus d'analyse, il est évident que les trois indices (r2tf_rn_raw_0p2_0p4, h2_rn_raw et h2_nr_raw) sont des moyens complémentaires pour le diagnostic du sepsis de façon non-invasive chez ces patients fragiles. (3) Après, l'étude de faisabilité de la détection du sepsis en USIN est réalisée sur la base des paramètres retenus lors des études MV et BV. Nous avons montré que le test proposé, basé sur la fusion optimale des six indices ci-dessus, conduit à de bonnes performances statistiques. En conclusion, les mesures choisies lors de l'analyse des signaux en MV et BV ont une bonne répétabilité et permettent de mettre en place un test en vue du diagnostic non invasif et précoce du sepsis. Le test proposé peut être utilisé pour fournir une alarme fiable lors de la survenue d'un épisode d'AB tout en exploitant les systèmes de monitoring actuels en USIN. / Late-onset sepsis, defined as a systemic infection in neonates older than 3 days, occurs in approximately 10% of all neonates and in more than 25% of very low birth weight infants who are hospitalized in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU). Recurrent and severe spontaneous apneas and bradycardias (AB) is one of the major clinical early indicators of systemic infection in the premature infant. Various hematological and biochemical markers have been evaluated for this indication but they are invasive procedures that cannot be repeated several times. The objective of this Ph.D dissertation was to determine if heart rate variability (HRV), respiration and the analysis of their relationships help to the diagnosis of infection in premature infants via non-invasive ways in NICU. Therefore, we carried out Mono-Channel (MC) and Bi-Channel (BC) Analysis in two selected groups of premature infants: sepsis (S) vs. non-sepsis (NS). (1) Firstly, we studied the RR series not only by distribution methods (moy, varn, skew, kurt, med, SpAs), by linear methods: time domain (SD, RMSSD) and frequency domain (p_VLF, p_LF, p_HF), but also by non-linear methods: chaos theory (alphaS, alphaF) and information theory (AppEn, SamEn, PermEn, Regul). For each method, we attempt three sizes of window 1024/2048/4096, and then compare these methods in order to find the optimal ways to distinguish S from NS. The results show that alphaS, alphaF and SamEn are optimal parameters to recognize sepsis from the diagnosis of late neonatal infection in premature infants with unusual and recurrent AB. (2) The question about the functional coupling of HRV and nasal respiration is addressed. Linear and non-linear relationships have been explored. Linear indexes were correlation (r²), coherence function (Cohere) and time-frequency index (r2t,f), while a non-linear regression coefficient (h²) was used to analyze non-linear relationships. We calculated two directions during evaluate the index h2 of non-linear regression. Finally, from the entire analysis process, it is obvious that the three indexes (r2tf_rn_raw_0p2_0p4, h2_rn_raw and h2_nr_raw) were complementary ways to diagnosticate sepsis in a non-invasive way, in such delicate patients.(3) Furthermore, feasibility study is carried out on the candidate parameters selected from MC and BC respectively. We discovered that the proposed test based on optimal fusion of 6 features shows good performance with the largest Area Under Curves (AUC) and the least Probability of False Alarm (PFA). As a conclusion, we believe that the selected measures from MC and BC signal analysis have a good repeatability and accuracy to test for the diagnosis of sepsis via non-invasive NICU monitoring system, which can reliably confirm or refute the diagnosis of infection at an early stage.

<p dir="ltr">Reinforced concrete elements are vulnerable to sliding against each other when shear forces are transmitted between them. Shear-friction is the mechanism by which shear is transferred between concrete surfaces. It develops by aggregate interlock between the concrete interfaces while reinforcement crossing the shear interface or normal force due to external loads contributes to the shear resistance. Current design provisions used in the United States (ACI 318-19, AASHTO LRFD (2020), and the PCI Design Handbook (2017)) include design expression for shear-friction capacity. However, the value of the reinforcement yield strength input into the expressions is limited to a maximum of 60 ksi. Furthermore, the concrete strength is not incorporated into the primary design expressions. These limits cause the potential contribution of high-strength reinforcement and high-strength concrete in shear-friction applications from being considered. Therefore, a research program was developed to investigate the possibility of improving current shear-friction design practice and addressing these current limits.</p><p dir="ltr">Specifically, an experimental program was conducted to evaluate the influence of high-strength reinforcement and high-strength concrete on shear-friction strength. In addition, a statistical analysis was performed using a comprehensive shear-frication database comprised of past tests available in the literature. The experimental program consisted of two phases. Phase I included 24 push-off specimens to study the influence of the yield strength of the interface reinforcement (Grade 60 and Grade 100) and the number and size of interface reinforcing bars (6-No.4 and 4-No. 5 bars) with three different interface conditions (rough, smooth, and shear-key). Phase II included 20 push-off specimens with rough interfaces to investigate the influence of the yield strength of the interface reinforcement (Grade 60 and Grade 100) and concrete strength (target strengths of 4000 psi and 8000 psi). The influence of these two variables was observed over a range of reinforcement ratios (ρ = 0.55%, 0.83%, 1.11%, and 1.38%).</p><p dir="ltr">The test results showed that the overall shear-friction strength was the greatest for rough interface specimens, followed by specimens detailed with shear keys. The smooth interface specimens had the lowest strengths. The results of both phases of the experimental program indicated that the use of high-strength reinforcement did not improve shear-friction capacity.</p><p dir="ltr">Furthermore, the results from the Phase II tests showed that increasing the concrete compressive strength led to increased shear-friction capacity. The test results from the experimental program were analyzed and compared with current design provisions, which demonstrated room for improvement of current design practice.</p><p dir="ltr">Following the experimental program, a comprehensive shear-friction database was analyzed, and multilinear regression was used to create a model to predict shear-friction strength. Factors were then applied to the model to provide acceptable design expressions for shear-friction strength (less than 5% unconservative estimates). The database was used to evaluate the factored model and current design provisions.</p><p dir="ltr">The research outcomes, especially the expressions for shear-friction strength that were developed and that include consideration of the concrete compression strength, along with the shear-friction tests demonstrating the lack of strength gain with the use of Grade 100 reinforcement, provide valuable information for the concrete community to help direct efforts toward improving current shear-friction design practice.</p>

Text in English / The aim of the current study was to explore the impact of the Educhange and Research Foundation (ERF) self-awareness programme on the participants’ reactions, experiences, and changes in opinion regarding their knowledge of concepts of self-awareness. This study constitutes an evaluation of a workshop presented by the ERF which is a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) aimed at generating solutions toward a better education for all learners through the application of Kirkpatrick’s model of evaluating education and training programmes. Kirkpatrick’s model follows the goal-based evaluation approach and is based on four levels of evaluation. These four levels are widely known as reaction, learning, behaviour, and results. Due to the feasibility of the research, only the reaction and learning evaluation levels were researched. The population identified for the study comprised 15 grade 9 to 11 secondary school learners from Soweto in South Africa which were encouraged to volunteer to take part in the study at their convenience. The sample consisted of all the learners who attended the self-awareness workshop, in effect making this a purposive, convenience sampling. The ERF Board were responsible for the sample selection for their scholarship programme. One of the minimum criteria of selection to take part in the programme was that the learner must have obtained 70% and stem from poor backgrounds. The relatively small sample size possesses the potential to limit the generalisation of the findings. A mixed method approach was employed for this research. Positivist paradigm is the epistemological stance adopted due to the social reality investigated. The sources of data consisted of pre- and post-evaluation questionnaires on self-awareness. The results were thematically and statistically analysed. Thematic analysis included familiarisation with the data and first finding meaning, and then identifying patterns of recurring meaning by generating initial codes and lastly generating themes that run through these meanings.Statistical analysis was conducted through comparison of the data before and after the workshop using chi-square. Objective self-awareness theory and the self-regulation theory were the theoretical framework that informed the current research study. The main finding from this study was that the programme was perceived to have raised positive subjective opinions and feelings of most of the participants, although one participant raised negative subjective opinions about the programme and made suggestions for improvement. After the workshop, the participants felt that they had gained a better understanding of the key concepts of self-awareness, although most items were found to be statistically insignificant. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

The aim of the current study was to explore the impact of the Educhange and Research Foundation (ERF) self-awareness programme on the participants’ reactions, experiences, and changes in opinion regarding their knowledge of concepts of self-awareness. This study constitutes an evaluation of a workshop presented by the ERF which is a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) aimed at generating solutions toward a better education for all learners through the application of Kirkpatrick’s model of evaluating education and training programmes. Kirkpatrick’s model follows the goal-based evaluation approach and is based on four levels of evaluation. These four levels are widely known as reaction, learning, behaviour, and results. Due to the feasibility of the research, only the reaction and learning evaluation levels were researched. The population identified for the study comprised 15 grade 9 to 11 secondary school learners from Soweto in South Africa which were encouraged to volunteer to take part in the study at their convenience. The sample consisted of all the learners who attended the self-awareness workshop, in effect making this a purposive, convenience sampling. The ERF Board were responsible for the sample selection for their scholarship programme. One of the minimum criteria of selection to take part in the programme was that the learner must have obtained 70% and stem from poor backgrounds. The relatively small sample size possesses the potential to limit the generalisation of the findings. A mixed method approach was employed for this research. Positivist paradigm is the epistemological stance adopted due to the social reality investigated. The sources of data consisted of pre- and post-evaluation questionnaires on self-awareness. The results were thematically and statistically analysed. Thematic analysis included familiarisation with the data and first finding meaning, and then identifying patterns of recurring meaning by generating initial codes and lastly generating themes that run through these meanings.Statistical analysis was conducted through comparison of the data before and after the workshop using chi-square. Objective self-awareness theory and the self-regulation theory were the theoretical framework that informed the current research study. The main finding from this study was that the programme was perceived to have raised positive subjective opinions and feelings of most of the participants, although one participant raised negative subjective opinions about the programme and made suggestions for improvement. After the workshop, the participants felt that they had gained a better understanding of the key concepts of self-awareness, although most items were found to be statistically insignificant. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Den biologiska mångfalden minskar globalt och ett av de största hoten utgörs av invasiva främmande arter. Natura-2000 området Fylleån, Halland, huserar en av de största svenska populationerna av gul skunkkalla (Lysichiton americanus). Arten utgör ett hot mot de naturvärden som finns i Fylleån och är subjekt för extensiva behandlingsarbeten i området för att motarbeta växtens effekt på ekosystemet. Det finns i dagsläget ingen evidens för att behandlingsmetoderna som presenteras av Naturvårdsverket och Havs- och vattenmyndighetens metodkatalog har effektivitet i svenska vattendrag. Målet med min studie är att undersöka effektiviteten av mekanisk uppgrävning samt ytlig hetvattensbehandling som behandlingsmetoder för gul skunkkalla. Jag undersöker även lämpligheten för användandet av övriga metoder presenterade av metodkatalogen och metoderna hetvattensbehandling och fröställningsborttagning som inte listats i metodkatalogen men som testas av myndigheter i viss utsträckning. Den första delen av studien genomförs som jämförelsestudie mellan områden som behandlats i olika grad med mekanisk grävning och hetvattenbehandling för att bestämma metodernas effektivitet. Den andra delen av min studie var att genom en litteraturgenomgång med metodkatalogen som utgångspunkt avgöra lämpligheten på och reflektera över metoderna samt reflektera över metodernas lämplighet att användas civilt. Min slutsats är att mekanisk grävning ger minskande populationer och signifikanta skillnader i individantal, förutsatt att behandlingen utförs rätt och konsekvent. Jag resonerar att andra behandlingsmetoder kan påverka mer organismer än vad man avsett och att de därför är olämpliga att bruka i Fylleån. Jag diskuterar vad jag anser är rimligt idéellt arbete i nuläget samt framtida potential och behovet av information i rätt kanaler. / Biodiversity is decreasing globally and one of the biggest threats is invasive alien species. The Natura-2000 area Fylleån, Halland, houses one of the largest Swedish populations of the American skunk cabbage (Lysichiton americanus). The species poses a threat to the natural values ​​found in Fylleån and is subjected to extensive treatment to counteract the plant's effect on the ecosystem. There is currently no evidence for the effectiveness of the treatment methods presented by Naturvårdsverket and Havs- och vattenmyndighetens method catalog in Swedish watercourses. The goal of my study is to investigate the effectiveness of mechanical excavation and superficial hot water treatment as treatment methods for American skunk cabbage, along with hot water treatment and seed stand removal which are not listed in the method catalog but are tested by authorities to a certain extent. Through a comparative study between areas treated to varying degrees with mechanical digging and hot water treatment, I determine the effectiveness of the methods. The second part of my study was to try to determine the suitability of and reflect on the methods, as well as reflect on the suitability of the methods for civilian use through a literature review using the method catalog as a starting point. My conclusion is that mechanical digging produces declining populations and significant differences in found individuals, provided the treatment is carried out correctly and consistently. I reason that other treatment methods can affect more organisms than intended, and that they are therefore unsuitable for use in Fylleån.

The study investigated the application of the crime threat analysis process at station level within the Nelson Mandela Metro City area with the objective of determining inhibiting factors (constraints) and best practices. Qualitative research methodology was applied and interviews were conducted with crime analysts and specialised investigators/intelligence analysts. The research design can be best described as descriptive and explorative in nature. The crime threat analysis process embroils the application of various crime analysis techniques and the outcomes thereof intends to have a dual purpose of generating operational crime management information in assisting crime prevention initiatives and crime detection efforts, mainly focussing on the criminal activities of group offenders (organised crime related), repeat offenders and serial offenders. During the study it became evident that crime analysts understand and thus apply the crime threat analysis process indifferently, which impeded on the relevancy and the utilisation thereof as an effective crime management tool. / Criminology / M.Tech. (Policing)