<p>The aim of this report is to analyse the use of the capacity at the CNC (computer numerical control) cutters and show how the level of set up time for these cutters at Stålöv AB. This assignment is concrete whereas there are no subjective questions to this matter and there are only cold figures presented.</p><p>Production economy is getting more important as the competition hardens and there are several different ways to increase productivity and efficiency in a company. In order to increase productivity and efficiency work studies are used to, through an analysis, find developments in methods that result in improved work methods and to establish the time that are used. Increased production of different parts and customer driven production in combination with increased demands on rationalisation of capital have led to an enlarged interest for shorter set up times in the production.</p><p>To point out the use of capacity and the set up time of the cutters at Stålöv AB we used frequency studies. Frequency studies are work measure methods based on random observations on predetermined events to calculate the relative occurrence of these events. The purpose is to present the objective cold figures that show the use of capacity for all machines and totally.</p><p>The compilation of the seven CNC cutters shows that the use of capacity reaches 33 %. The lack of machine operators is the single largest reason, 45 % of the total use of capacity. The set up time reaches 6 % totally of the 36 hours of observation of the machines.</p><p>The study of the separate CNC cutters shows that the result follows the result of the compilation of all machines; the main reason why the use of capacity is low depends on the lack of machine operators. This means that if the demand increases there will not be enough operators to meet this demand.</p><p>If using SMED, the set up time percentage share of the total use of capacity are too large, but the production of prototypes that supplies great value to the company may justify the set up times.</p><p>By using Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), based on the elimination of breakdowns and defective products, the stability in production and the use of capacity may increase.</p>

The purpose of this thesis is to raise awareness about the contribution historic signs make to the experience of a place. Illuminated signage has played a key role in the development of the American landscape. The relationship between illuminated signage and sense of place is complex. Because of the ephemeral nature of signs and the public perception of them as advertising tools, the preservation community frequently overlooks signs. By examining three case studies, this thesis presents three different approaches to the preservation of illuminated signage. The first case study is the 2002 New Mexico Route 66 Neon Sign Restoration Project. This case uses Route 66 to examine the preservation of original material in original location. The second case study is the 2002 Amendment to the New York City Zoning Regulations, which mandates signage saturation in Times Square. This case examines the preservation of the experience of Times Square by protecting the historical use of innovative signage. The third case study is the 1996 installation of restored illuminated signs by the Neon Museum in Las Vegas at the Fremont Street Experience. This case examines the collections approach to preserving original Las Vegas illuminated signs in an outdoor museum setting as public works of art. While these three case studies evaluate iconic locations, the lessons are broadly applicable. The preservation approaches outlined here illustrate that every situation is unique and requires a full analysis of the context of the sign. Preservationists should evaluate signage within their local communities by examining the artistry and materiality of the signs. However, it is equally important to evaluate the overall community context of the signs. In order to preserve the experience of historic illuminated signage, it is imperative that preservationists and the general public understand that there are numerous approaches to safeguarding these works and that the time to take action is now. / text

Le cancer du poumon a une incidence et une létalité parmi les plus hautes de tous les cancers diagnostiqués au Canada. En considérant la gravité du pronostic et des symptômes de la maladie, l’accès au traitement dans les plus brefs de délais est essentiel. Malgré l’engagement du gouvernement fédéral et les gouvernements provinciaux de réduire les délais de temps d’attente, des balises pour les temps d’attente pour le traitement d’un cancer ne sont toujours pas établis. En outre, le compte-rendu des indicateurs des temps d’attente n’est pas uniforme à travers les provinces. Une des solutions proposées pour la réduction des temps d’attente pour le traitement du cancer est les équipes interdisciplinaires. J’ai complété un audit du programme interdisciplinaire traitant le cancer du poumon à l’Hôpital général juif (l’HGJ) de 2004 à 2007. Les objectifs primaires de l’étude étaient : (1) de faire un audit de la performance de l’équipe interdisciplinaire à l’HGJ en ce qui concerne les temps d’attente pour les intervalles critiques et les sous-groupes de patients ; (2) de comparer les temps d’attente dans la trajectoire clinique des patients traités à l’HGJ avec les balises qui existent ; (3) de déterminer les facteurs associés aux délais plus longs dans cette population. Un objectif secondaire de l’étude était de suggérer des mesures visant à réduire les temps d’attente. Le service clinique à l’HGJ a été évalué selon les balises proposées par le British Thoracic Society, Cancer Care Ontario, et la balise pan-canadienne pour la radiothérapie. Les patients de l’HGJ ont subi un délai médian de 9 jours pour l’intervalle «Ready to treat to first treatment», et un délai médian de 30 jours pour l’intervalle entre le premier contact avec l’hôpital et le premier traitement. Les patients âgés de plus de 65 ans, les patients avec une capacité physique diminuée, et les patients avec un stade de tumeur limité étaient plus à risque d’échouer les balises pour les temps d’attente. / Lung cancer is among the most lethal and the most diagnosed cancers in Canada. Given the poor prognosis and symptom burden of the disease, timely access to treatment and quality care are essential. In spite of government commitments to reduce waiting times in cancer care, national clinical benchmarks for cancer care have yet to be established, and waiting time reporting by provinces is inconsistent. One of the proposed strategies for reducing waiting times in cancer care is the use of interdisciplinary teams. I undertook an audit of the interdisciplinary pulmonary oncology program at the Jewish General Hospital from 2004 to 2007. The primary objectives of this study were: (1) to audit the performance of the interdisciplinary pulmonary oncology service at the Jewish General Hospital with respect to waiting times for key intervals and subgroups of patients; (2) to compare waiting times in the clinical trajectory of lung cancer patients seen at the Jewish General Hospital with existing waiting time guidelines; (3) to determine those factors associated with longer waiting times in this population. A secondary objective was to suggest measures to be considered in order to reduce waiting times. The JGH’s lung cancer service was compared against benchmarks developed by the British Thoracic Society, Cancer Care Ontario, and the pan-Canadian waiting time benchmarks for radiation oncology. Patients waited a median of 9 days from the time they were ready to treat until their first treatment, and a median of 30 days from their first contact with the pulmonary service until their first treatment. Patients over age 65, those with early-stage disease and those with good performance status were less likely to meet the recommended guidelines.

隨著冷戰結束，美國藉由其強大國力和自身的話語權力，在國際社會爭取自身利益。近年來，由於中國國力日漸強大，開始重視話語權的建構，加上 2008年西藏拉薩「3．14事件」發生時，中國封鎖消息，沒有官方來源的情況下，國外媒體紛紛透過其他管道採訪，出現許多次錯誤報導，讓中國失去主動建立話語權的機會。中國政府當局深知此事傷害中國形象甚尤，為了避免形成所謂「以美國為主的國際話語和國際輿論霸權」以及「傳播美國化」的問題，中國在2009年新疆「7．5事件」中放寬新聞管制，主動提供外國媒體信息，並安排外國記者採訪事宜，使訊息較為透明化，避免世界一邊倒的輿論偏向，企圖獲得中國話語權。 在2009年新疆烏魯木齊「7．5事件」中，中國政府採取不同於過往的處理方式，中國當局記取改善信息發佈制度，事件發生後幾小時內，中國國務院新聞辦公室邀請外國記者到烏魯木齊採訪，安排記者採訪事宜，較諸2008年西藏拉薩「3．14事件」。因此，本研究採取內容分析和論述分析等，透過分析新疆「7．5事件」新聞，試圖了解中國傳媒如何藉由新疆「7．5事件」新聞報導建構中國話語權策略，並以美國《紐約時報》作為論證，檢視中國藉由新疆「7．5事件」建構話語權的成效為何。研究結果發現，《中新社》運用的九項報導策略，在《紐約時報》並沒有提及類似的新聞內容，證明《中新社》的報導策略在《紐約時報》試圖從報導新疆「7．5事件」建構的國際話語權策略，成效有限。 / While Cold War ended, the United States fought for their own interests in the global society through their own national power and discursive power. In recent years, China’s national power has become stronger, and started to focus on discursive power. When 2008 Tibetan unrest happened, China blocked all the information. There is no official source so that the foreign media have to use irregular channels to interview people. There are some error reports in foreign media, so China lost the opportunity to take the initiative to establish the right to speak. Chinese authorities knew that the matter hurt Chinese image severely. In order to avoid the problems so-called “US-based international hegemonic discourse” and “dissemination of Americanization,” China, in July 2009 Urumqi riots, loosened restrictions in media and took initiative to provide information to journalists. Chinese government also arranged some interviews for foreign so that the messages were more transparent to avoid one-sided opinions to gain Chinese discursive power. In July 2009 Urumqi riots, the Chinese government adopted the approach different from the past, which improved information release system. Within a few hours after the incident, China's State Council Information Office invited foreign reporters to Urumqi to do interviews which differed from 2008 Tibetan unrest. Therefore, this study adopts content analysis and discourse analysis etc. to realize how Chinese media constructs Chinese discourse strategies and uses U.S.A. “New York Times” as a proof to view Chinese discourse strategies’ effects through July 2009 Urumqi riots news. The study finds that China News Service uses 9 strategies in reporting Urumqi riots. However, New York Times do not mention the similar coverage. It proved that China News Service use the strategies to construct international discursive power in reporting Urumqi riots, to be limited success.

L’arthrite est l’une des causes principales de douleur et d’incapacité auprès de la population canadienne. Les gens atteints d’arthrite rhumatoïde (AR) devraient être évalués par un rhumatologue moins de trois mois suivant l’apparition des premiers symptômes et ce afin de débuter un traitement médical approprié qui leur sera bénéfique. La physiothérapie et l’ergothérapie s’avèrent bénéfiques pour les patients atteints d’ostéoarthrite (OA) et d’AR, et aident à réduire l’incapacité. Notre étude a pour but d’évaluer les délais d’attente afin d’obtenir un rendez-vous pour une consultation en rhumatologie et en réadaptation dans le système de santé public québécois, et d’explorer les facteurs associés. Notre étude est de type observationnel et transversal et s’intéresse à la province de Québec. Un comité d’experts a élaboré trois scénarios pour les consultations en rhumatologie : AR présumée, AR possible, et OA présumée ; ainsi que deux scénarios pour les consultations en réadaptation : AR diagnostiquée, OA diagnostiquée. Les délais d’attente ont été mesurés entre le moment de la requête initiale et la date de rendez-vous fixée. L’analyse statistique consiste en une analyse descriptive de même qu’une analyse déductive, à l’aide de régression logistique et de comparaison bivariée. Parmi les 71 bureaux de rhumatologie contactés, et pour tous les scénarios combinés, 34% ont donné un rendez-vous en moins de trois mois, 32% avaient une attente de plus de trois mois et 34% ont refusé de fixer un rendez-vous. La probabilité d’obtenir une évaluation en rhumatologie en moins de trois mois est 13 fois plus grande pour les cas d’AR présumée par rapport aux cas d’OA présumée (OR=13; 95% Cl [1.70;99.38]). Cependant, 59% des cas d’AR présumés n’ont pas obtenu rendez-vous en moins de trois mois. Cent centres offrant des services publics en réadaptation ont été contactés. Pour tous les scénarios combinés, 13% des centres ont donné un rendez-vous en moins de 6 mois, 13% entre 6 et 12 mois, 24% avaient une attente de plus de 12 mois et 22% ont refusé de fixer un rendez-vous. Les autres 28% restant requéraient les détails d’une évaluation relative à l’état fonctionnel du patient avant de donner un rendez-vous. Par rapport aux services de réadaptation, il n’y avait aucune différence entre les délais d’attente pour les cas d’AR ou d’OA. L’AR est priorisée par rapport à l’OA lorsque vient le temps d’obtenir un rendez-vous chez un rhumatologue. Cependant, la majorité des gens atteints d’AR ne reçoivent pas les services de rhumatologie ou de réadaptation, soit physiothérapie ou ergothérapie, dans les délais prescrits. De meilleures méthodes de triage et davantage de ressources sont nécessaires. / Arthritis is a leading cause of pain and disability in Canada. Persons with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) should be seen by a rheumatologist within three months of symptom onset to begin appropriate medical treatment and improve health outcomes. Early physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) are beneficial for both osteoarthritis (OA) and RA and may prevent disability. The objectives of the study are to describe wait times from referral by primary care provider to rheumatology and rehabilitation consultation in the public system of Quebec and to explore associated factors. We conducted a cross-sectional study in the province of Quebec, Canada whereby we requested appointments from all rheumatology practices and public rehabilitation departments using case scenarios that were created by a group of experts. Three scenarios were developed for the rheumatology referrals: Presumed RA; Possible RA; and Presumed OA and two scenarios for the rehabilitation referrals: diagnosed RA and diagnosed OA. Wait times were evaluated as the time between the initial request and the appointment date provided. The statistical analysis consisted primarily of descriptive statistics as well as inferential statistics (bivariate comparisons and logistic regression). Seventy-one rheumatology practices were contacted. For all scenarios combined, 34% were given an appointment with a rheumatologist within three months of referral, 32% waited longer than three months and 34% were refused services. The odds of getting an appointment with a rheumatologist within three months was 13 times greater for the Presumed RA scenario versus the Presumed OA scenario (OR=13; 95% Cl[1.70;99.38]). However, 59% of the Presumed RA cases did not receive an appointment within three months. One hundred rehabilitation departments were also contacted. For both scenarios combined, 13% were given an appointment within 6 months, 13% within 6 to 12 months, 24% waited longer than 12 months and 22% were refused services. The remaining 28% were told that they would require an evaluation appointment based on functional assessment prior to being given an appointment. There was no difference with regards to diagnosis, RA versus OA, for the rehabilitation consultation. RA is prioritized over OA when obtaining an appointment to a rheumatologist in Quebec. However, the majority of persons with RA are still not receiving rheumatology or publicly accessible PT or OT intervention in a timely manner. Better methods for triage and increased resource allocation are needed.

Le phénomène d’intérêt de la présente étude était l’expérience vivante (living) de santé continuer dans les moments difficiles. Tout en étant un phénomène courant au point d’être universellement vécue, cette expérience n’a pas fait l’objet d’une attention par les praticiens et par les chercheurs. Lorsque questionnés sur le sujet, les praticiens dans le domaine de la santé reconnaissent l’importance et la pertinence du phénomène tout en avouant ne pas avoir de connaissances et ne pas échanger sur le sujet avec leurs patients ou d’autres, dont les membres des familles. Spontanément, l’expérience de continuer dans les moments difficiles évoque la persévérance dans des moments difficiles qui sont souffrants, tout en espérant le meilleur possible qui soit. Les premières observations sur des expériences qui se rapprochent du phénomène à l’étude sont présentées dans des études portant sur les concepts apparentés de persévérance, souffrance et espérance. Le but de cette étude était de dégager la structure des significations de l’expérience vivante de continuer dans les moments difficiles à partir de l’expérience de personnes qui ont décrit le phénomène et ce, afin d’en améliorer la compréhension. La présente étude se veut une contribution au développement de connaissances utiles aux professionnels qui souhaitent satisfaire les attentes exprimées par les personnes en matière de présence attentive au vécu avec leur santé. Ils peuvent ainsi favoriser la promotion des soins centrés sur la personne alors que celle-ci cherche à clarifier sa situation et à mobiliser ses ressources pour prendre des décisions et réaliser des activités au sujet de sa santé. La méthode de recherche Parse, qui est phénoménologique-herméneutique, a été utilisée pour répondre à la question de recherche : Quelle est la structure de l’expérience vivante de continuer dans les moments difficiles? Douze adultes vivant dans deux régions du Québec au Canada ont participé à cette étude. Les données ont été recueillies par engagement dialogique et ont été analysées avec les processus d’extraction-synthèse. Les résultats sont décrits à partir des verbatim synthétisés jusqu’à une abstraction conceptuelle au niveau de l’ontologie choisie. Des concepts centraux ont été proposés et joints en une structure afin de répondre à la question de recherche. Le résultat central de cette étude est la structure suivante : continuer dans les moments difficiles, c’est la fortitude résolue au sein des vicissitudes avec la quête équivoque du contentement alors qu’émerge un horizon élargi avec des alliances bienveillantes. Cette structure a été jointe à l’ontologie de l’Humaindevenant et aux écrits empiriques et autres. L’interprétation heuristique comprend des émergeants métaphoriques et une expression artistique qui offrent un point de vue différent sur les résultats. À travers des formes d’art, les résultats sont partagés avec tous les publics. Cette étude contribue aux connaissances en sciences infirmières, étend la portée de l’ontologie choisie et améliore la compréhension au sujet de continuer dans les moments difficiles, en la reconnaissant comme une expérience vivante universelle de santé alors que les personnes souhaitent entrevoir une ouverture aux possibles avec leur santé et leur qualité de vie. Enfin, les implications pour la recherche, pour la formation et pour la pratique infirmière sont présentées. / The purpose of this study was to enhance understanding of the living experience of health, continuing on during difficult times. While it is an everyday phenomenon that is universally experienced, it has not been under the attention of health practitioners and researchers. When inquired about this topic, health practitioners are recognizing the phenomenon’s significance and relevance while acknowledging a lack of knowledge and being silent about it when they are with their patients or others, such as family members. Spontaneously, the experience of continuing on during difficult times is reminiscent of persevering on during difficult times that make us suffer, while hoping for whatever could be the best possible. The first observations of experiences that are close to the phenomenon under study appeared in/were introduced in studies about persevering, suffering and, hoping. This study’s objective was to uncover the structure of meaning for the living experience of continuing on during difficult times, from the experience of persons who described it. This current study is a contribution to the development of a knowledge base that can be useful for health practitioners who wish to meet the persons’ expectations related to an attentive presence to their living experience of health. Hence, health practitioners may foster health promotion that is patient centered while the latter is seeking the clarification of his/her situation and mobilizing his/her resources in order to make decisions and implement health related activities. Parse’s phenomenological-hermeneutic research method was used to answer the research question : What is the structure of the living experience of continuing on during difficult times? Twelve adults living in two regions of Québec in Canada took part in the study. Data were collected through dialogical engagement and analysed through the extraction-synthesis processes. The descriptions of results came from the synthesized verbatim and up to the conceptual abstraction in the chosen ontology. Core concepts were identified and joined in a structure in order to answer the research question. The central result of this study is the following structure: continuing on during difficult times is the resolute fortitude amid vicissitudes with the equivoqual quest for contentment as an expanded horizon is emerging with benevolent alliances. This structure was joined to the humanbecoming ontology and extant literature. The heuristic interpretation includes some metaphorical emergings and an artistic expression that offer a different point of view on the results. Through artform, the results can be shared with all audiences. This study is contributing to nursing knowledge, expanding the chosen ontology, and enhancing the understanding about continuing on during difficult times. The latter phenomenon may be acknowledged as a universal living experience of health as persons are wishing to foresee overtures with possibles for their health and quality of life. Finally, implications for research, for education and for nursing practice are presented.

面臨嚴峻的商業競爭，報業老闆對新聞事業的想像或認知，關乎競爭策略的擬定，競爭策略是否能獲得新聞記者的認同，是報業組織溝通的重要課題，它不但牽涉到報紙生產商品、新聞的內涵，也影響組織整體戰力或競爭力的發揮。 本論文以2008年易主後的《中國時報》為個案研究，探討報紙的組織溝通與其競爭力間的關連。雖說是關連性的分析，但本文未採量化分析，而是著重如何「理解」組織上下層溝通與其競爭力之間的關係。 本文採用拉克勞（Laclau & Mouffe）的論述理論（Discourse Theory）架構來觀察組織上下層的溝通行為。溝通是一種語言符號的串連與建構，新聞事業具雙重特質，每日生產的新聞不但與文化、政治領域息息相關，同時也是典型的消費商品。作為一個商業組織，報紙每日面對生存競爭論述，新經營者亟思競爭優勢之建立，另一方面記者這一行也有其歷史形構的新聞專業論述，當這些論述與新的領導者蔡衍明先生相遇，會產生何種溝通樣貌？ 研究發現蔡衍明先生因米果事業在中國發跡致富，報紙對他而言是個全新的事業體。他對新聞的認知或想像，與上述的新聞專業論述有不小差距，這些差距在組織溝通上產生不少衝撞，致使組織的穩定度不佳，競爭力發揮有限。 如果說組織是一個語言符號的結構體，那麼新中國時報的組織體仍處於一種不完整的、有缺口的半結構狀態，從論述理論的架構而言，就是上下層的組織溝通過程中，始終未產生一強而有力的主導論述，以縫合這缺口。本研究之結論顯示當組織內的論述仍處於衝撞不穩定狀態時，其產出之商品難以建立差異化特色，競爭優勢亦難以建立。 / This thesis presents a theoretical model to address the communication behavior and competitive strategy issues in the newspaper industry, where technological changes have greatly increased the scope of competition. Newspaper companies are being confronted with market changes that are destablising successful mature markets, undermining long-term relationships with readers and advertisers, and threatening the sustainability of their business models. The pace of these changes is extraordinary, forcing managers, shareholders, and employees to scramble to comprehend the changes, to develop strategic responses, and to reorganize their activities. The thesis starts with the case of China Times Daily, which used to be one of the biggest newspapers in Taiwan but sold, in the end of 2008, to a successful businessman of rice cracker, Tsai Eng-Meng. Tsai Eng-Meng, now 53, runs the biggest snack empire in China. Want Want China is now unrivaled in the country’s rice cracker market. It’s not unusual for powerful businesspeople looking to ensure a public outlet for their views to invest in the media. The question is how Tsai Eng-Meng, as the latest entrant into the media market, can manage the newspaper as successful as his cracker business. In divided Taiwan, where pro-China and anti-China groups can’t agree on much, Tsai’s purchase of the China Times sparked worries about free speech in the society and inside China Times as well. Tsai Eng-Meng does not have an experience or knowledge base of how to operate the press. The employees he needs to communicate with or he needs to “understand” mostly are the reporters with expertise in news industry. They highly praise the values of free speech and impartial reports. These values can be regarded as the most important discourse evolving from the press history. With the analytical framework of Laclau and Mouffe’s Discourse Theory, the communication between Tsai Eng-Meng and the reporters is not smooth. Some events occurring in the first year of Tsai’s management reveals that the confrontation between Tsai and the news department is so harsh that even diminishes competitive advantages of the company. Since the communication behavior in China Times remains unstable, there is not possible to bring a dominant discourse in the organization, which will lead to a bad performance in ways of public opinion and the circulation.

Physical tasks such as scrummaging, rucking and mauling are highly specific to rugby and also place unique physiological demands on the different playing positions within the forwards. Traditionally, the recruitment and development of talented rugby union players has focused on the assessment of motor skills and game intelligence aspects of performance, with less emphasis placed on the specific physiological requirements of playing positions in rugby. The purpose of this investigation was to measure the position-specific strength, speed and power characteristics of Premier rugby forwards in order (1) to determine whether any differences existed in the physiological characteristics of the different forward playing positions (prop, lock and loose forwards) and (2) to investigate the relationship between these physiological characteristics and coaches evaluations of football playing ability. Twenty-two male Premier level competition rugby forwards, consisting of eight prop forwards, five lock forwards and nine loose-forwards participated in the study. The Grunt 3000, a rugby specific force testing device was utilised to measure the static and dynamic horizontal strength during simulated scrummaging and rucking/mauling movements. Sprint times relating to acceleration ability (0 -10m, 0-20m) and maximum running speed (20 - 40m) were measured during a 40m sprint running test. In addition, force, power and displacement characteristics of a countermovement vertical jump were calculated from trials performed on a force plate. Also, player performance skill and physical capacity scores were determined independently by experienced coaches who assessed them based on their performances during the season. One-way analysis of variance and effect size statistics evaluated differences in the measured variables between forward playing positions and linear regression analysis evaluated the relationship between the coaches' scores of player performance skill and physical capacity and game specific measures of strength speed and power. Since there were no statistical significant differences between forward groups for horizontal force and countermovement jump variables and these analyses lacked statistical power, an effect size statistic was used to establish trends for differences in force and CMJ variables between the groups. There were moderate effect size differences between groups for horizontal impact force with prop and lock forwards producing 17.7% and 12.8% more force than the loose forwards respectively. No clear differences were apparent between forward positional groups for mean dynamic horizontal force and countermovement jump displacement of the centre of gravity. A significant difference (p =0.049) was shown between forward positional groups over the 0-40m sprint distance. Also, moderate effect size differences between pairs of groups were evident in 0-10m, 0-20m, 20-40m sprint times with both loose forwards and lock forwards on average, 6% faster than the prop forwards. A backward linear regression analysis revealed that the single best predictor of coaches' physical capacity and performance skill scores was the 20 - 40m sprint performance, accounting for 28% of the variance in player's physical capacity scores and 29% of the variance in player's performance skill scores. Whole-body horizontal static strength and impact strength in prop forwards and dynamic horizontal strength (relative to body mass) and sprint acceleration ability in loose forwards represent key factors for consideration when selecting forward players to these positions in the Premier rugby competition. The vertical jumping ability of all forward positional groups needs to be confirmed in a future study utilising a line-out specific countermovement jump test (free use of arm swing and line-out lifters in the jump) on a force plate. Monitoring of performance in rugby forwards should include an acceleration sprint test (0-10m) as this is specific to the sprinting patterns of forward players during a game, and maximum sprinting speed test (20-40m) as this test has the ability to discriminate between skilled and less-skilled rugby union forwards.

Thesis (MA (English))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In its conversations with four texts by J.M. Coetzee – Age of Iron (1990), Life & Times of Michael K (1983), Elizabeth Costello: Eight Lessons (2003) as well as the critical essays published in Doubling the Point, “The Poetics of Reciprocity” (1992) – this thesis will demonstrate the manner in which the singularities of each of these texts prompt, expand and challenge the framework that sustains its reading of Coetzee’s fiction. Whereas some critical methodologies seek to eliminate the characteristic indeterminacy of Coetzee’s fiction, imprisoning his novels in a contextual cage, this thesis demonstrates an allegiance to the primacy of the literary text together with a concern with the ethics of reading. The thesis proposes – in both content and form – an inductive ‘style of reading’ concerned with the continuous modification of its own strategies according to the ‘internal logics of the text’. I first encountered the term, ‘confinement’, in relation to Coetzee in an unpublished conference paper by Lucy Graham, “‘It is hard to keep out of the camps’: Areas of confinement in the fiction of J.M. Coetzee”. Graham’s paper focuses on the different camps, the ‘different circles of hell’, in Life & Times of Michael K especially, mentioning that ‘images of the camp resonate throughout Coetzee’s most recent fiction’. Although this thesis considers a variety of concrete and conceptual camps as well, it rather places predominant emphasis on the relationship between reader and literary text, which is examined in terms of two forms of delimitation, confinement and containment. This study identifies its style of reading as a ‘containment’ rather than a ‘confinement’. The term is intended to evoke an adaptable, constructive delineation of Coetzee’s fiction that involves a reciprocal relationship between reader and/or critic and text. As the thesis’s primary conceptual tool, one that I will argue is both solicited and thematised in Coetzee’s fiction, containment refers not only to a style of reading, but also to any reciprocal relationship, any mutual exchange. It applies to the relationship between genres (realism and metafiction) and ‘reality’ in Age of Iron; between text and reader in Life & Times of Michael K; between self and other in Elizabeth Costello; and between text and critic in “The Poetics of Reciprocity”. The notion of containment accepts the critical challenge posed by Coetzee’s fiction to engage with what Derek Attridge would call each ‘singular event’ or ‘act of literature’ on its own terms. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die tesis se gesprek met vier tekste deur J.M. Coetzee – Age of Iron (1990), Life and Times of Michael K (1983), Elizabeth Costello: Eight Lessons (2003) asook die kritiese tekste wat in Doubling the Point, “The Poetics of Reciprocity” (1992) gepubliseer is – sal dit toon hoe die sonderlinghede van elk van hierdie tekste die raamwerk wat my interpretasie van Coetzee se fiksie ondersteun, uitbrei en uitdaag. Waar sekere kritiese metodologieë probeer om die kenmerkende onbepaaldheid van Coetzee se fiksie te elimineer en sy romans in ’n konstekstuele hok te beperk, demonstreer hierdie tesis ’n getrouheid aan die voorrang wat die literêre teks moet geniet, insluitend ’n gemoeidheid met die etiek van lees. Die tesis stel, ten opsigte van sowel inhoud as vorm, ’n induktiewe ‘leesstyl’ voor wat gemoeid is met die deurentydse aanpassing van sy eie strategieë volgens ‘die interne logikas van die teks’. Ek het die term ‘beperking’ vir die eerste keer teëgekom in ’n ongepubliseerde referaat deur Lucy Graham, “‘It is hard to keep out of the camps’: Areas of confinement in the fiction of J.M. Coetzee”. Hierdie voordrag fokus op die onderskeie kampe in spesifiek Life & Times of Michael K. Graham wys daarop dat ‘die kamp-beeld in resente Coetzee-werke resoneer’. Alhoewel hierdie tesis ook variante van konkrete en konsepsuele kampe bekyk, gaan dit verder om by voorkeur die klem te laat val op die verhouding tussen leser en literêre teks. Dit word ondersoek in terme van twee vorme van afbakening en ontperking, naamlik beperking en inperking. Hierdie studie definieer sy eie leesstyl as ‘inperking’, in teenstelling tot ‘beperking’. Die bedoeling met die term is om `n aanpasbare, konstruktiewe afbakening van Coetzee se fiksie te ontlok wat ’n wedersydse verhouding tussen leser en/of kritikus en teks behels. As die tesis se primêre konsepsuele instrument, waarvan ek sal aanvoer dat dit in Coetzee se fiksie aangevra en getematiseer word, verwys ‘inperking’ nie net na leesstyl nie, maar ook na enige wederkerige verhouding, enige wedersydse uitruiling. Dit geld vir die verhouding tussen genres (realisme en metafiksie) en realiteit in Age of Iron; tussen teks en leser in Life and Times of Michael K; tussen die self en die ander in Elizabeth Costello; en tussen teks en kritikus in “The Poetics of Reciprocity”. Die begrip ‘inperking’ aanvaar die kritiese uitdaging wat deur Coetzee se fiksie gestel word om wat Derek Attridge elke ‘sonderlinge geleentheid’ of ‘literatuurdaad’ sou noem, op sy eie terme te benader.

Thesis (MPhil (Journalism))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Abstract: This study analyses the reporting of the Iraqi prisoner abuse issue at Abu Ghraib as reported upon by two South African newspapers from an ethical point of view. The focus falls on the issue of accuracy. Accuracy in war reporting of geographically distant conflicts as exemplified with this case study is a delicate and important matter, the media often being the only window for the public to learn of and about a conflict. In this case study, the two South African newspapers Cape Times and Mail&Guardian will be analysed to show the extent of their adherence to codes of conduct and exemplify the problematic practicalities in ethical reporting on international news. With the main focus of the study being on the ethical issues concerning accuracy, other relevant topics, such as ‘objectivity’, balance, fairness and truth telling, as well as more practical concerns will also be partially considered. The selected case studies are contextualized within the South African media environment so as to yield a better insight into the choices made on an editorial and/or newsroom level. As case studies, selected articles from the Cape Times and the Mail&Guardian during a three-month time-span are analysed using Day’s Situation/Analysis/Decision (SAD) model. Each article will further be analysed from the point of view of the newspaper’s own code of conduct and overarching ethical codes such as the South African Press Ombudsman’s Code of Conduct as well as in terms of the South African laws relevant to the media industry.