The outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has seen the world scramble for effective countermeasures to limit infection spread in society. Understanding how infection spreads in places where strangers meet in relatively high numbers and proximity to one another is especially important. Supermarkets are one such place where strangers inevitably gather in close proximity indoors. In particular, the checkout area where people queue up to pay tends to be densely populated, making it especially hazardous. One approach to understanding the infection spread is to use agent-based computer simulations to model different scenarios. This paper describes one such simulation of a supermarket checkout area using the Unity 3D engine, including the effect of checkout types and quantity, customer load and COVID-19 countermeasures, i.e., masking and distancing, on infection spread. Using the results from one default scenario and eleven variations, the relative impact of aforementioned factors on exposure in the simulation is discussed. Results indicate that for this simulation the most important factor is preventing queue buildup via having sufficient customer throughput capacity, with potent effects also resulting from operating service registers in such a way that the distance between each queue is maximized as well as increasing distances between agents within queues. Including a self-checkout area was found to be a viable approach to reducing queue times and consequently exposure rates. Comparatively, masking did not yield as notable reductions in exposure rates in the simulation. Similarities in exposure patterns to previous work in the context of supermarkets are discussed, as well as limitations of simulations in capturing the real world. / Utbrottet av coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) föranledde införandet av smittskyddsåtgärder världen över i ett försök att begränsa smittspridningen i samhället. Särskilt viktigt är att förstå hur smittspridning äger rum i trånga utrymmen där ett förhållandevis stort antal främmande människor samlas. Ett exempel på en inomhusmiljö där stora folksamlingar oundvikligen uppstår är mataffärer, där kassaområdena är högriskområden för smittspridning eftersom kunder köar för att betala i dessa områden. Ett tillvägagångssätt för att erhålla kunskap kring smittspridning är att använda agentbaserade datorsimuleringar för att modellera olika scenarion. Den här publikationen beskriver en sådan simulering av en mataffärs kassaområde i spelmotorn Unity 3D. Simuleringen används för att undersöka betydelsen av kassaområdets utformning för smittspridningen, samt inverkan av besökstryck och smittskyddsåtgärder, härvidlag användning av munskydd och social distansering. Som diskussionsunderlag för att fastställa vilken effekt dessa faktorer har på smittspridningen används ett grundscenario och elva simuleringsvarianter. Resultaten visar att den enskilt viktigaste faktorn i denna simulering är att hålla tillräckligt många kassor öppna, vilket förhindrar kötillväxt. Att hålla maximalt avstånd mellan öppna kassor, samt anamma social distansering mellan köande agenter bidrar också påtagligt till minskad smittspridning. Vidare förefaller inkludering av självskanningskassor vara ett effektivt tillvägagångssätt för att minska kötid och därmed även smittspridning. Användande av munskydd har jämförelsevis en mindre påtaglig effekt i simuleringen. I publikationen diskuteras även likheter i exponeringsmönster gentemot tidigare forskning rörande simulering av smittspridning i mataffärskontext, samt vilka begränsningar simuleringar kan uppvisa när det kommer till att replikera verkligheten.

Organisationsprobleme im Ökomarketing - eine transaktionskostentheoretische Analyse im Absatzkanal konventioneller Lebensmittelhandel Die im Vergleich zum großen Nachfragepotential zögerliche Entwicklung des Ökomarkts in Deutschland ist auf Organisationsprobleme zurückzuführen. Die Organisationsprobleme behindern insbesondere die großskalige Ökomarkterschließung über die konventionellen Supermarktketten, erschweren aber auch die Effizienzsteigerung im kleiner strukturierten alternativen Naturkosthandel. Die Erschließung des großen Marktpotenzials für ökologische Produkte wird auf Ebene der Marktakteure durch drei Aspekte des Organisationsproblems erschwert, nämlich (1) Marktstrukturprobleme, (2) Ressourcenbeschaffungsprobleme (beschränktes Angebot) sowie (3) Absicherungsprobleme. Die Frage der Absicherung spezieller (Pionier-) Investitionen vor Opportunismus ist Hauptgegenstand der vergleichenden Institutionenanalyse, der Transaktionskostentheorie nach WILLIAMSON (1990). Die Organisationsprobleme im Ökomarketing wurden in 23 Experteninterviews entlang der Vermarktungskette mit einem transaktionskostentheoretisch basierten Untersuchungsmodell qualitativ untersucht. Schwerpunkt dabei war der Absatzkanal konventionelle Lebensmittelketten. Dabei zeigte sich die Dominanz marktnaher Organisationsformen, obwohl bei undifferenzierter Analyse der Transaktionsdimensionen eine Wahl hierarchienäherer Organisationsformen zu erwarten gewesen wäre. Die differenzierte Verwendung der Analysekriterien der Transaktion weist auf ausgleichende Kräfte hin, die marktnahe Koordination im Ökomarketing ermöglichen, trotz teilweise hoher Faktorspezifität und hoher externer Unsicherheit (z.B. labiles Marktgleichgewicht aufgrund von Beschaffungsproblemen und durch große Nachfrageschübe infolge von Lebensmittelskandalen). Wichtige Ausgleichskräfte sind vor allem die symmetrische Verteilung der Faktorspezifität zwischen den Marktpartnern, ihre Reputation und die Einflüsse des menschlichen Faktors (z.B. Beziehungsfähigkeit, außerökonomische Präferenzen). Außerdem gibt es zahlreiche Alternativen zur Absicherung durch vertikale Unternehmensintegration, die im einfachen Markt-Hierarchie-Paradigma übersehen werden. Die genauere Beschreibung der Transaktionsdimensionen und Absicherungsformen in der vorliegenden Dissertation bildet die Grundlage für ein effizienteres Management der Organisation innerhalb der Vermarktungskette. Dies betrifft z.B. die Frage, ob die Gründung einer Erzeugergemeinschaft, also einer hierarchienahen Organisationsform, nützlich ist. Im deutschen Ökomarkt wird es zu wachsenden Absicherungsproblemen kommen, wenn sich das Marktwachstum stark beschleunigt, denn beim Übergang zu einem offensiven, großskaligem Ökomarketing begeben sich die Marktpioniere in zeitweise asymmetrisch verteilte Faktorspezifitäten. Aber auch dann ist es effizienter - wo es möglich ist - die symmetrische Entwicklung der Verbindlichkeiten in einer marktnah koordinierten Vermarktungskette zu betreiben oder partielle Integrationsschritte, wie gegenseitige Beteiligungen oder gemeinsame Tochtergesellschaften zu bevorzugen. Ein marktnah koordiniertes Sicherheitsmanagement erfordert die genaue Kenntnis und Analyse der Transaktionsdimensionen, ihrer Wirkungsbereiche und -verteilung und der ausgleichenden Faktoren an jeder Stelle der Vermarktungskette. Der Vorteil marktnaher Koordination gegenüber der Hierarchie liegt in ihrer höheren Flexibilität, den besseren Leistungsanreizen und geringeren internen Verwaltungskosten. Vertikale und horizontale Kooperation kann bürokratiearm umgesetzt werden, wenn auf die symmetrische Entwicklung der Interessen und Faktorspezifitäten bei den beteiligten Geschäftspartnern geachtet wird und gleichzeitig die Kooperationsfähigkeit als soziale Kompetenz der Beteiligten entwickelt wird. / Organizational Problems in Marketing of Organic Products - a qualitative Analysis based on Transaction Cost Economics in the Trade Channel of conventional Supermarket Chains (Thesis - Humboldt-University of Berlin 2000) The market share of organic products is developing slowly compared with the potential demand forecasted. Organizational problems can be regarded as the main reason; they hamper especially the large scale market extension into conventional supermarket chains, but also diminish efficiency in smaller scaled alternative natural food trade systems. Market extension for organic products is inhibited due to three aspects relating to organizational problems: (1) deficits in market structure, (2) problems on resourcing (limited supply) and (3) problems of safeguarding an agreement. Safeguarding of special (pioneer) investment against opportunism is a central issue of comparative institutional analysis, in this case the transaction cost economics after O. E. WILLIAMSON (1985) Organizational problems of "organic-marketing" were investigated qualitatively using interviews with 23 experts involved in the marketing process at different levels. The framework of investigations were based upon transaction cost economics. Focus was set on the trade channel of the conventional retail chains. As a result it could be shown that organizational forms close to market-driven coordination dominates over forms of vertical integration, even though an undifferentiated analysis would have favored the latter. A more differentiated use of transaction dimensions shows balancing powers, which allow market-based coordination in "organic-marketing" in spite of high asset specificity and high external uncertainty (e.g. fragile market equilibrium as a result of procurement problems and influence of rapid growth of demand due to food scandals). The essential balancing factors are an equilibrium of asset specificity between market partners, their reputation and influence of the human factor (e.g. soft skills like human relations, non-economic preferences). In addition there are many alternatives to safeguarding by vertical integration that are otherwise overlooked in a simple market-hierarchy-paradigm. The exacter description of transaction dimensions and different forms of safeguarding given in this thesis leads to a more efficient marketing chain management. This can, for example, raise the issue whether a horizontal cooperation of agricultural producers, i.e. a hierarchical organization, is beneficial. In the German market for organic products safeguarding problems will increase once the market growth accelerates, because transition to offensive large-scaled "organic-marketing" temporarily leads market-pioneers into an asymmetrically distributed asset specificity. But even in this case it will be more efficient - where possible - to search for a symmetric development of obligations or to prefer partial vertical integration such as mutual participation or common affiliated companies. A market oriented management of safeguarding requires exact knowledge and analyses of transaction dimensions, their sphere of influence and their distribution of action and of compensating factors on every point of the marketing-chain. The advantage of a market-driven coordination compared to hierarchy is based on a higher flexibility, higher incentives and lower internal administration costs. Vertical and horizontal cooperation can be implemented on efficient bureaucracy basis, if partners pay attention to symmetric development of their interests and asset specificities and develop their social skills at the same time.

The Diploma thesis ,Selected aspects of the retail supplier-purchaser relations' defines British grocery retailing. It presents government bodies which regulate retail industry and important independent not-for-profit organizations which have a strong influence on the market situation. It introduces the reader into legislation which regulates supplier-purchaser relations, particularly the Supermarket Code of Practice and its revised version the Groceries Supply Code of Practice. The analytical part examines the British market at the macroeconomical level, outlines the grocery retailing structure, describes the supply chain, customer behaviour, points out certain pricing and product policy trends and presents subjects which are bonded by the provisions set out in the Groceries Supply Code of Practice. The findings on local market competition and barriers which prevent the entry by a competitor are of a high significance as well. Despite the introduction of legal regulation the supplier-purchaser relations remain unequal and unfair. The thesis proposes a forecast of possible future grocery market development in the United Kingdom.

The aim of this thesis is to determine the external and internal incentive that affect the behavior of the final consumer in the buying process and thus contribute to the development project named "A customer-oriented company", which is being incorporated into operations of JEDNOTA, s.d. company in České Budějovice. In this work the method of oral questioning and observation method for final consumers were used. The combination of these two methods served to analyze consumer behavior in the supermarket TERNO České Budějovice, which JEDNOTA operates. These two methods were also used in consumers at a beverage center, which is managed by the supermarket TERNO.

The diploma thesis deals with the problems of sanitation installation in a multifunctional building in Třinec. The theoretical part focuses on the analysis of the topic, with emphasis on the draining and cleaning of waste water. The thesis also focuses on possible solutions given specialization. The project solves the sanitation installation of the multifunctional building in the selected variant. It is a multistorey building where are supermarket, shop, pharmacy, cafe, public toilets, fitness center and commercial space.

La logistique urbaine, et celle du dernier kilomètre notamment, est un sujet de préoccupation majeure pour les villes d’aujourd’hui. Pour répondre à cette préoccupation, nous avons établi dans le chapitre introductif un historique de la problématique de la logistique urbaine pour mieux comprendre son développement au fil des années, permettant ainsi de déduire qu’il est fondamental d’étudier la globalité de la chaîne de distribution dans ce travail de thèse pour mieux résoudre la problématique de la logistique urbaine. En revanche, nous étions confrontés à un sujet redoutable par sa complexité et l’absence de données complètes et fiables. De plus, nous assistons dans les dernières années, à une multiplication des schémas logistiques que ce soit pour la livraison des magasins à partir des entrepôts des fournisseurs ou pour l’approvisionnement des clients à partir des surfaces de vente.De ce fait, nous avons fixé comme objectif d’identifier toutes les organisations logistiques existantes et émergentes en France et ailleurs (deux séjours d’un an en Angleterre et en Suisse). Pour ce faire, nous avons déterminé dans le deuxième chapitre les paramètres de différenciation des modes d’organisation en amont (de l’entrepôt du fournisseur à la surface de vente) et en aval de la chaîne (de la surface de vente au domicile du client). Or il n’existe pas aujourd’hui de bilan économique et environnemental complet permettant d’arbitrer entre différentes formes de distribution classiques et à distance en tenant compte des particularités des familles des produits (non alimentaires, secs, frais, surgelés) et de la diversité de leurs modes de livraison.Face à ces contraintes de taille, nous avons eu recours aux enquêtes de terrain dans ce travail de recherche, qui ont été l’occasion de nouer de très nombreux contacts avec les acteurs de la grande distribution, permettant ainsi de recueillir des données techniques et économiques de première main et inédites jusqu’ici. En plus de la résolution du verrou empirique dans le troisième chapitre, ce travail de thèse a permis également de lever des verrous méthodologiques relatifs à la reconstitution et à l’évaluation des coûts et des émissions logistiques (pour les entrepôts de stockage et les plateformes de transit en amont ; et pour les surfaces de vente et les plateforme de mutualisation en aval) et des coûts et des émissions des véhicules de transport (des articulés et des porteurs en amont ; et des VUL, voitures particulières, transports publics, deux roues, et marche à pied en aval). Enfin, ce travail de thèse a permis d’aboutir à la construction d’une base de données et la mise au point d’un outil d’aide à la décision permettant ainsi de déduire, dans le quatrième chapitre, les bilans économique et environnemental de la globalité de la chaîne depuis l’entrepôt du fournisseur jusqu’au domicile du ménage. Cet outil devrait se révéler très utile pour les politiques publiques, les stratégies futures des grands distributeurs et leurs prestataires logistiques afin de privilégier les modes d’organisation économes et durables, et même pour le client final afin d’estimer les coûts et les émissions de ses actes d’achat dans les différentes alternatives de vente classique et à distance. / Urban logistics and the last mile in particular, is a major concern for cities today. To address this concern, we have established in the introductory chapter a history of the problem of urban logistics. This allows a better understanding of its development over the years, and deducing that it’s essential to study the supply chain in its entirety to better solve the problem of urban logistics. However, we were faced with a daunting task: the lack of comprehensive and reliable data. In addition, there has been a multiplication of distribution channels in recent years. This includes the delivery from warehouses to stores and further to households from the retail space.Therefore, we intended to identify all existing and emerging logistics organizations in France and beyond (one year exchange stay in England and Switzerland for research purposes). To do this, we established in the second chapter certain parameters that differentiate the logistics modes of various organizations upstream (from manufacturers to retail stores) and downstream (from retail stores to households). Unfortunately, there does not exist any economic and environmental assessment to settle between different forms of traditional and modern electronic distribution, by taking into account the various characteristics of different products families (non-food, dry, fresh, frozen) and the diversity of their delivery modes.Faced with constraints of such size, we conducted surveys with different actors of distribution channels, which provided the opportunity to make contacts, thus collect firsthand and so far unpublished technical and economic data. In addition to the resolution of empirical inadequacy in the third chapter, this research also helped to develop a methodological approach related to the reconstruction and evaluation of logistics costs and emissions (in warehouses, transit platforms, retail stores and shared platforms) and also the costs and emissions of vehicles (trucks, delivery van, cars, public transport, bikes, motorbikes and walking).Finally, this research has lead to the construction of a database and the development of a decision support tool to infer, in the fourth chapter, the economic and environmental appraisal of the entire supply chain from the supplier's warehouse to the final customer. This tool can be useful for public policy, future strategies of retailers and Third-Party Logistics providers to focus on efficient and sustainable modes of organization, and even it will benefit the customer to estimate the costs and emissions of its acts of purchase in classic and e-grocery shopping.

This dissertation is a study of academic freedom, an issue which is regarded as a precondition for the university's successful execution of its task, namely the advancement and dissemination of knowledge. To understand what academic freedom really implies and entails, a historical review was undertaken of the various interpretations of academic freedom in the Medieval Italy and France, Imperial Germany, the late 19th century and the 20th century American and South African universities. As an ideal, academic freedom implies the free but responsible search for knowledge and truth. The historical review revealed, however, that academic freedom has at times been misunderstood and abused. The realisation of true academic freedom in South African universities was the motivating force behind this study. Therefore, this study is concluded with guidelines and recommendations grounded in the historical review that will hopefully promote academic freedom in South African universities. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (History of Education)

This dissertation is a study of academic freedom, an issue which is regarded as a precondition for the university's successful execution of its task, namely the advancement and dissemination of knowledge. To understand what academic freedom really implies and entails, a historical review was undertaken of the various interpretations of academic freedom in the Medieval Italy and France, Imperial Germany, the late 19th century and the 20th century American and South African universities. As an ideal, academic freedom implies the free but responsible search for knowledge and truth. The historical review revealed, however, that academic freedom has at times been misunderstood and abused. The realisation of true academic freedom in South African universities was the motivating force behind this study. Therefore, this study is concluded with guidelines and recommendations grounded in the historical review that will hopefully promote academic freedom in South African universities. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (History of Education)