Master of Arts / Department of Economics / James F. Ragan Jr / This report reviews the effects of fertility on female labor supply, primarily female labor force participation and work hours. Although estimates of the causal relationship between fertility and female labor supply are mixed, this report tries to review why and by how much an additional child in a family affects work decisions and work hours of mothers on average. Statistical analysis shows a decreasing trend in fertility and an increasing trend in female labor force participation throughout the world over the last four decades. Using different specifications and estimation techniques, empirical studies suggest that fertility has negative effects on maternal labor supply because childbearing falls on women and women have lower wage rates than men on average. The negative relationship between fertility and female labor supply is explained by social, economic, and technical forces that affect fertility and female labor supply, including an increase in the value of women’s time due to an increase in education levels of women, expensive childcare, and substitutes for children; emphasis on quality instead of quantity of children; an increase in employment opportunities for women; changes in social norms towards supporting women working outside their home; and technical progress in birth control.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of frequent operational changes on the repairs and maintenance of public lighting in the Energy and Electricity Division of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality as a result of management decisions. The results of the study showed contrasting opinions and perceptions amongst all participants on the repairs and maintenance activities of public lighting. Both employees working in the maintenance operations and public lighting sections agreed that their sections were performing the repairs and maintenance of public lighting satisfactory. Customers and community leaders on the other hand agreed that the maintenance operations sections are performing the repairs and maintenance of public lighting satisfactory as compared to public lighting section. All employees were in favour and support of decisions taken respectively since these decisions were beneficial to their respective sections, but however they were concerned on the frequency of decisions taken by top management and changes implemented within their respective sections as these decisions and changes created confusion and conflict amongst employees. All sections involved in the repairs and maintenance of public lighting were faced with numerous similar challenges that created deficiencies and ineffectiveness on the maintenance activities of public lighting and that contributed to enormous complaints from customers and community leaders on the service rendered by the division.

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ITC/USA 2007 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-Third Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 22-25, 2007 / Riviera Hotel & Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / Modern telemetry systems using state of the art field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and signal processing components require lower voltage supplies to support various CMOS core geometries while still needing multiple higher voltage rails to support legacy interfaces. Addressing these power supply requirements efficiently requires switching power supply topologies that if left unchecked can generate high input surge currents and high levels of detrimental noise for both the sensitive analog signal processing circuitry and the power supply input source. This paper focuses on the design considerations and tradeoffs associated with implementing an efficient telemetry encoder power supply while mitigating the resulting noise effects typically associated with switching power supplies. This noise can negatively affect the power supply input source and the linear signal processing circuitry within the telemetry encoder.

No description available.

Building information modelling (BIM) is not only an authoring tool for architects and engineers, but also an analysis tool for all stakeholders in the supply chain procurement process. Analysis tools such as the code checking of building regulations and environmental simulations that can report on heating loads, daylighting and carbon use will influence the adoption of intelligent modelling faster and further than previously thought. The benefits for clients should not be underestimated either and some are already reaping them where project certainty is to the fore. However, the professional language that architects and engineers espouse is a latent force that can run counter to fostering collaboration. An emerging professional, the Architectural Technologist, can bridge that divide and adopt the adjunct role of manager in the integrated project delivery. The impact of digitalisation on the management role of architectural technology leads to four objectives namely; the practicalities of integrating drawing operations; the practicalities of design processes within the databased controlled programmes; the mapping of the overall process pitted against individual responsibility, data reliability and standard risk and the significant contribution to an understanding of how IMT’s will drive changes within the discipline of Architectural Technology through the next decade. These objectives were then tested to establish whether there was an evolution in the manner in which the design team is structured. They included; how the opportunities for BIM are impacting design strategies, how they are impacting associated management structures and a deeper analysis of the changing role of the architectural technologist as a result of adoption. In conclusion, two streams were identified where one points to the educational set-up where primarily there is an apparent latent talent shortage waiting to be filled. Secondly, to the industry where project certainty will evidently drive the adoption of building information modelling and integrated project delivery as both clients and contractors will require projects to be delivered in BIM formats.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) contribute significantly to both local and global economic development. They are a crucial business sector for all nations’ economies. In developed countries, SMEs typically account for 60 per cent of employment, and the figure is even higher in developing countries. In 2011, Thai SMEs employed 83.9 per cent of the Thai workforce. Thai SMEs, like all other firms, face the challenge of satisfying customers by offering quality products at low prices. Furthermore, it is generally argued that, in this increasingly aggressive business world, competition arises between integrated supply chains rather than at the firm level. Therefore, effective supply chain management (SCM) is a key driver of sustainable competitive advantage. However, Thai SMEs have issues in adopting supply chains in their organisations. They have doubts about whether SCM will improve firm performance. Therefore, this study aims to reveal whether SCM practices could help Thai SMEs to improve their performance, and if so which ones and how. To fill the gap in theoretical understanding, an initiation mixed method research design was specified using 20 semi-structured interviews and quantitative questionnaires distributed to 311 subjects. An SCM practices model with antecedents and consequences was identified using previous research. The measurements were evaluated, modified and analysed using several techniques, such as thematic analysis, regression and structural equation modelling. The study makes several notable findings. Firstly, the SMEs were found to implement SCM to reduce costs and improve productivity rather than to satisfy the customer. Secondly, the IT system and top management support were two key factors in helping SMEs to successfully apply SCM. Thirdly, the major barriers to SCM were employees’ lack of understanding and improper organisational design. Fourthly, firm size had no significant relationship to the level of firm performance. Finally, the firm’s performance and SCM practices were positively correlated. This work contributes to academia by expanding research into SCM practices in SMEs, of which there is a dearth in the literature (Quayle, 2003, Meehan and Muir, 2008), especially in the context of developing countries (Katunzi and Zheng, 2010). For practitioners, regarding SMEs in Thailand and other developing countries, this study confirms that SCM practice assists SMEs to gain higher performance. Furthermore, for policy makers, enhancing SCM practices in SMEs by developing SCM enablers such as IT systems and standard performance measurement and metrics, could help SMEs to achieve higher performance.

Although power system reliability analysis is a mature research area, there is a renewed interest in updating available network models and formulating improved reliability assessment procedures. The main driver of this interest is the current transition to a new flexible and actively controlled power supply system with a high penetration of distributed generation (DG) and energy storage (ES) technologies, wider implementation of demand-side management (DSM) and application of automated control, monitoring, protection and communication infrastructures. One of the aims of this new electricity supply network (’the smart grid’) is an improved reliability and power quality performance, realised through the delivery of an uninterrupted and high-quality supply of electrical energy. However, there is currently no integrated methodology to measure the effects of these changes on the overall system reliability performance. This PhD research aims to update the standard power system simulation engine with improved numerical software models offering new capabilities for the correct assessment of quality of supply in future electricity networks. The standard reliability analysis is extended to integrate some relevant power quality aspects, enabling the classification of short and long supply interruptions by the correct modelling of network protection and reconfiguration schemes. In addition, the work investigates the formulation and analysis of updated reliability indicators for a more accurate validation and benchmarking of both system and end-user performance. A detailed database with typical configurations and parameters of UK/European power systems is established, providing a set of generic models that can correctly represent actual distribution networks supplying a mix of residential, commercial and industrial demand for different load sectors. A general methodology for reducing system complexity by calculating both electrical and reliability equivalent models of LV and MV distribution networks is also presented. These equivalent models, based on the aggregation of individual component models, help to reduce calculation times while preserving the accuracy assessment of network’s reliability performance at bulk supply points. In addition, the aggregated counterparts (same and mixed-type) of different ’smart’ component models (DG, ES and DSM) are also included in the analysis, showing how their co-ordinated implementation and control could improve quality of supply. Conventional reliability assessment procedures are also extended in this thesis to include accurate reliability equivalent models, network contingency statistics, actual load profiles and empirical fault probability distributions, which are employed to assess the frequency and duration of interruptions in the supply system for different scenarios. Both analytical and probabilistic simulation techniques (Monte Carlo method) are developed to include up-to-date security of supply legislation, introducing a new methodology for calculating the standard set of indices reported annually to energy regulators.

Abstract Purpose The main focus of the thesis is on the communication path between departments in the company and how information communication can be improved for better optimization of the distribution process with in the company. The aim of this thesis is to survey the planning process from the depot of the case company until it reaches the final consumer. Delimitation The thesis will focus on the communication among the departments involved in the distribution planning process at the case company. Only activities involved in distributing the products from the depot to the final consumers were reviewed. Findings The communication process in an organization is one of the most important processes for strengthening the decision making process in planning, organizing and executing the company’s business of delivering products and services to the final customers. An effective communication process enables the creation of a good work environment for employees that are divided according to their specific tasks and responsibilities in the organization structure. Information flow between managers, subordinates and customers is a complex process that uses different information systems and communication channels under preliminary communication guidelines set by the organization. The communication process need to be maintained and improved continuously in order to cope with the complexities that come from the need for tracking up to date information on volumes and variety of products and rapidly changing customer demands in the organizations supply chain network. Data collection A number of articles from multiple journals in supply chain management were used for literature review in order to increase knowledge and understanding on the research topic. Semi-structured interviews were made at the case company in order to get all relevant information for developing and answering the research questions of the thesis. Conclusion It’s possible for the management team to stay proactive and better prepared for meeting the organizations goals though transparent, integrated and healthy communications between the entities in the organization’s supply chain.

Introduction – Supply chains increase in size and complexity, more actors are becoming involved and an increased collaboration among actors are a necessity. Still, undesired conflicts occurs and are unavoidable in a collaboration. There are ways to reduce the negative effects and improve management of conflicts provided by previous researchers focus on conflicts and conflict management in general. However, this thesis emphazises on investigating what conflicts that occur within different collaboration setups that can be attributed to the type of logistics company involved. Therefore, the following purpose is stated: Investigate what types of conflicts occurring during collaboration that can be attributed to the different roles of 3PL and 4PL companies. Methodology – To answer the purpose a single case study was conducted which involved a focal firm and its collaboration with two different logistics companies (a 3PL and a 4PL) within the same economical climate. Due to the uniqeness of the case, a multiple methods qualitative study was performed and to strengthen the validity of the data collected both documantary analysis as well as semi-structured interviews were conducted. Respondents were handpicked based on knowledge of both collaboration setups, to ensure quality of the data collected. Gathered data were sumarized and categorized using Mamad and Chahdi (2013) conflict factors, and later analyzed to accurately detect key points to generate a result and answer the research questions. Result – To summarize the result, findings of what we discovered through our data analysis generated similarites and differences in conflicts occurred within both collaboration setups. These conflicts are linked to Mamad and Chahdi (2013) conflicts factors regarding collaboration among actors, in order to clarify why and which conflict area these conflicts occurred in. Analysis – From the conflicts identified in the result, further analysis were conducted. Where, previous literature regarding logistics companies (3pl and 4PL) were applied in order to enable attribution of conflicts to company types. Conclusion – Through the analysis, many conflicts that occured are based on factors such as operational structure, problem solving and company policies which are not affected by the company type. However, three conflicts and problem areas can be connected to be generally more common either with 3PL companies or 4PL companies. The first lies within the commitment area where 3PL companies can generally be seen as less committed. The second area is communication were important information were more often late due to passing through more actors, causing more conflicts when collaborating with a 4PL. The last problem area were within formalization where findings suggests that there are conflicts caused by 4PLs using several carriers which causes problems such as varying regulations and truck dimensions from carriers.