Each painting in this exhibition is a transformed documentation of a specific experience culled from my daily, ordinary life. These encounters are not monumental; however their impact is significant because of their disturbing, disgusting, puzzling and humourously entertaining qualities. The awkwardness and resulting ambiguity of my imagery is defined through connections to the uncanny, the surreal, the grotesque and the literary genre of tragicomedy. The work also acknowledges a strong relationship to historic traditions within painting and aspires to use comedy to provide an opportunity for viewers to retrieve and recreate a moment of personal history.

Continuous Wave (CW) radars are preferred for their low probability of intercept by the other receivers. Frequency modulation techniques, the linear frequency modulation (LFM) technique in particular, are commonly used in CW radars to resolve the range and the radial velocity of the detected targets. The conventional method for target detection in a linear FMCW radar makes use of a mixer followed by a low-pass filter whose output is Fourier transformed to get the range and velocity information. In this thesis, an alternative target detection technique based on the use of the Ambiguity Function (AF) will be investigated in frequency modulated CW radars. Results of the AF-based technique and the conventional Fourier-based technique will be compared for different target detection scenarios.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Canterbury, 2007. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 191-224). Also available via the World Wide Web.

This thesis has three main aims. First, I will propose and explain a genre ascription for the sayings in Prov 10:1-22:16 – the ‘didactic proverb’. Second, I will analyse ‘openness’ as a textual feature, and show its contribution to the functions of this genre. Third, I will demonstrate how reading this way may influence our understanding of some key issues in Proverbs’ scholarship. Part 1 tackles the first and second aims. In ch. 1, I suggest that the sayings in Prov 10:1-22:16 have something of a hybrid genre, displaying features akin to both ‘didactic’ texts and ‘proverbs’. This can be seen from their: generically related texts, probable social settings, media, self-presentation, and literary forms. As ‘didactic’ texts, the sayings shape the worldview, character and intellect of their students. As ‘proverbs’, they apply to specific situations with specific purposes. In ch. 2, I explain three manifestations of literary ‘openness’: polysemy can give a text multiple meanings; parallelism makes the relationship between lines unclear; imagery opens up worlds for exploration. Ch. 3 begins to show how this ‘openness’ enhances the sayings’ ‘didactic’ and ‘proverbial’ functions. Here I move beyond openness in interpretation to openness in application, and draw on the field of ‘paremiology’ (the technical study of the ‘proverb’ as a genre), which has been somewhat neglected in Proverbs’ scholarship. In Part 2, I turn to the text, drawing out the openness of key verses, and showing how they function ‘didactically’ and ‘as proverbs’. This proves to have implications for certain classic debates in Proverbs’ scholarship (my third aim). Ch. 4 considers ‘character’ terms (e.g. wise/foolish, righteous/wicked). I use cognitive linguistic theories to examine the terms as open categories with ‘prototype structure’. Viewed this way, the terms are not (as some have argued) abstract and cut off from the world, but profoundly useful for life. Ch. 5 considers the apparent ‘act-consequence connection’ in Proverbs. The connection is predictable but not inviolable, may come about through a number of agencies, and has strong motivational potential. Ch. 6 looks at proverbs about the king. These do not necessitate an actual court context, for the ‘king’ figure may encapsulate wider principles, and function as a teaching tool. Even when he appears to be glorified, his role may be subverted, requiring students to exercise their minds. In ch. 7, I consider the way wisdom is acquired in the ‘didactic proverb’ genre, and suggest a principle for gaining it: students must ‘trust and scrutinise’. They are thereby empowered in their quest for wisdom, whilst also becoming aware of their limitations. Throughout Part 2, I find ‘openness’ to be an important facilitator for didactic and proverbial goals. Prov 10:1-22:16 presents its readers with a panoply of fascinating texts. By exploring them as ‘open’, ‘didactic’, and ‘proverbial’, this thesis offers a fruitful reading strategy; new insights into functions and meanings; and some fresh perspectives on old debates.

Ce travail de thèse porte sur les conditions économiques nécessaires à l’émergence d’une filière bioénergie par l’intermédiaire de la biomasse torréfiée. Cette recherche a été menée suivant deux approches complémentaires, l’une normative, portant sur l’étude du comportement des acteurs de cette filière, et l’autre positive, portant sur les conditions d’existence du marché de la biomasse torréfiée. Nous étudions les valeurs que l’offreur et le demandeur associent à la décision économique d’investissement dans de nouvelles technologies énergétiques et d’achat de la biomasse. Nous avons mesuré la demande des secteurs énergétiques afin de la confronter à l’offre et en déduire un prix d’échange en fonction de la flexibilité des industriels dans leur procédé de production et des contraintes environnementales auxquelles ils sont soumis. La thèse est composée de trois articles (chapitres 2, 3 et 4 en anglais) et de deux études confidentielles (chapitres 1 et 5 en français). Le chapitre 1 présente une enquête de terrain qualitative menée au niveau national, identifiant les demandeurs potentiels et déterminant les facteurs technico-économiques qui peuvent l’influencer. Le chapitre 2 étudie la décision d’investissement et de production d’un agent averse à l’ambiguïté faisant face à des incertitudes de marché telles que le nombre d’acteurs et l’effet de la concurrence des autres énergies fossiles sur le prix de vente de sa biomasse. Nous observons des effets asymétriques des deux incertitudes sur les montants optimaux de production et nous montrons théoriquement puis numériquement que l’aversion à l’ambiguïté tend à diminuer les niveaux optimaux d’investissement et de production. Le chapitre 3 présente le modèle que nous avons développé pour estimer la pénétration de la biomasse prétraitée dans le marché de la production d’électricité en fonction des politiques climatique et énergétiques modélisées. Nous en déduisons la fonction de demande en biomasse torréfiée. Dans le chapitre 4, nous développons un modèle en équilibre partiel d’offre provenant du secteur torréfaction et de demande en biomasse issue des secteurs électrique et raffinage pour estimer un prix d’équilibre d’échange de la biomasse torréfiée en fonction du prix du CO2 `a long terme. Enfin, cette approche positive est complétée par une étude logistique présentée dans le chapitre 5 afin de déterminer la stratégie d’approvisionnement et la taille optimale des unités de prétraitement implantées dans un bassin de production de biomasse. Le travail de recherche réalisé permet d’élaborer des recommandations destinées aux investisseurs et aux institutions en charge du développement des bioénergies. / This thesis focuses on the economic conditions required for the emergence of a bioenergy supply chain based on torrefied biomass. This research was conducted by using two complementary approaches: the normative one deals with the actors’ behavior in this sector and the positive one deals with the conditions necessary to trigger the torrefied biomass market in France. We study the supplier and demander behaviors regarding the investment in new energy technologies and the purchase of biomass. Then, the biomass demand per sector is modeled in order to compare it to the offer. We deduce an equilibrium selling price which depends on the flexibility of the industry in their production process and the environmental constraints under which they operate. This Ph.D. dissertation is composed of 3 articles (chapters 2, 3 and 4 in English) and 2 confidential studies (chapters 1 and 5 in French). Chapter 1 presents a survey driven at national level, to measure the potential demand and to determine the technical and economic factors influencing it. Chapter 2 analyzes the production and investment decisions of an ambiguity averse agent facing market uncertainties such as demand uncertainty (in terms of number of buyers) and competitive effect uncertainty (in terms of other energy resource). We apply our model on the bioenergy industries. We show that the investment decision of an agent depends on the effects of both the capital investment and the level of production on the cost and the uncertainty the agent is confronted with. Moreover, we find that ambiguity aversion tends to decrease the agent’s optimal levels of production and investment. Chapter 3 studies the penetration of green electricity production from biomass and its impacts on the future electricity generation mix for France incorporating different scenarios of emission allowance prices. The model is applied to the French power market under consideration of the neighboring countries and we determine the torrefied biomass demand function from our model. In chapter 4, we develop a partial equilibrium model of torrefied biomass supply and demand coming from the power sector and the refinery sector on the long term under CO2 price constraints. Our main results are the equilibrium selling prices of torrefied biomass and the break-even CO2 price which triggers the demand. A last chapter aims at studying the strategy of supply and the optimal size of pre-treatment units located in a pool of biomass production. The research carried out allows to propose recommendations for investors and institutions in charge of the development of bioenergies.

No description available.

nformation security (InfoSec) policies are widely used by institutions as a form of InfoSec control measure to protect their information assets. InfoSec policies are commonly documented in natural language, which is prone to ambiguity and misinterpretation, thereby making it hard, if not impossible, for users to comply with. These misinterpretations may lead the students or staff members to wrongfully execute the required actions, thereby making institutions vulnerable to InfoSec attacks. According to the literature review conducted in this work, InfoSec policy documents are often not followed or complied with; and the key issues facing InfoSec policy compliance include the lack of management support for InfoSec, organisational cultures of non-compliance, intentional and unintentional policy violation by employees (the insider threat), lack of policy awareness and training as well as the policy being unclear or ambiguous. This study is set in the higher education context and explores the extent to which the non-compliance problem is embedded within the policy documents themselves being affected by ambiguity. A qualitative method with a case study research strategy was followed in the research, in the form of an inductive approach with a cross-sectional time horizon, whereby a selection case of relevant institutional InfoSec policies were analysed. The data was collected in the form of academic literature and InfoSec policies of higher education institutions to derive themes for data analysis. A qualitative content analysis was performed on the policies, which identified ambiguity problems in the data. The findings indicated the presence of ambiguity within the policy documents, making it possible to misinterpret some of the policy statements. Formal methods were explored as a possible solution to the policy ambiguity. A framework was then proposed to address ambiguity and improve on the clarity of the semantics of policy statements. The framework can be used by policy writers in paying attention to the presence of ambiguity in their policies and address these when drafting or revising their policy documents. / School of Computing / M. Sc.(Computing)

La présente étude vise à démontrer que l’ambiguïté qui tourmente l’existence de l’écrivain est, à la fois, salvatrice et destructrice, tout en explorant l’impact de celle-ci sur l’œuvre gidienne et les mœurs contemporaines. En étudiant les écrits de Gide, on a l’impression d’assister à un dialogue où s’affrontent des opinions opposées. L’ambiguïté qui émane du caractère ambivalent de Gide et qui laisse entrevoir ses expérimentations stylistiques à la quête du renouvellement de l’écriture classique, y est examinée. Dans L’Immoraliste, Gide pose la question de la liberté individuelle face à la contrainte sociale. Ensuite, La Porte étroite constitue la critique du protestantisme d’une part, et la critique de l’impuissance virile de l’autre. Quant aux Caves du Vatican, le catholicisme s’y trouve attaqué. Gide y assimile la puissance religieuse à l’argent et théorise l’acte gratuit. La Symphonie pastorale oppose la cécité physique à la cécité morale ; christianisme et paganisme s’y trouvent liés et confrontés à travers un amour impie et aberrant. Suivent les quatre dialogues socratiques de Corydon, un vrai plaidoyer en faveur de la pédérastie. Les Faux-Monnayeurs sont en quelque sorte la conclusion de l’œuvre romanesque et la somme de ses inquiétudes, donc le comble de son ambivalence. Un ensemble de thèmes qui touche à l’intégralité de la vie sociale y est abordé, mettant en relief la fausseté de ses contemporains. Enfin, Gide se livre à travers Si le grain ne meurt et revendique l’inscription de sa perversion dans la normale, tout en avouant que les autobiographies ne peuvent être qu’à demi-sincères. / The present study aims to demonstrate that the ambiguity which torments the writer's life is both redeeming and destructive, while exploring the impact of the latter on Gide's work and contemporary mores. By studying Gide's writings, we have the impression of attending a dialogue in which opposing opinions confront one another. The ambiguity that emanates from Gide's ambivalent character and enables to reveal his stylistic experiments in the quest for the renewal of classical writing, is also examined herein. In The Immoralist, Gide raises the question of the individual freedom towards the social constraint. Furthermore, Strait Is the Gate is the critique of Protestantism on the one hand, and the critique of virile powerlessness on the other. As for The Vatican Cellars, Catholicism is attacked. Gide likens the religious power to money and theorizes the gratuitous action. In The Pastoral Symphony physical blindness opposes to moral blindness; Christianity and paganism are bound therein and confronted through an impious and aberrant love. The four Socratic dialogues of Corydon follow, a real plea in favor of pederasty. The Counterfeiters are in a way the conclusion of the novel and the sum of his worries, therefore the summit of his ambivalence. An ensemble of themes touching the entirety of social life is also approached, highlighting the falsity of his contemporaries. Finally, Gide opens himself up through If the seed doesn’t die and claims the inscription of his perversion in the normal, while admitting that the autobiographies can only be half-sincere.

Dans de nombreuses situations, les décideurs sont amenés à choisir une action ou une politique sans être parfaitement informés. De plus, il est parfois difficile ou coûteux d'acquérir directement les informations manquantes. Dans ce cas, ils peuvent solliciter l'aide des institutions ou individus informés. Ces derniers peuvent essayer d'influencer la décision en leur faveur en cachant ou en ne présentant qu'une partie de l'information. Par exemple, les employeurs s'appuient sur l'information présentée par les demandeurs d'emploi, les autorités financières utilisent les rapports des entreprises pour les évaluer et les élus consultent les experts avant de proposer une loi. Dans ces exemples, au moins certaines informations sont certifiables ou vérifiables. En d'autres termes, la partie informée peut prouver certaines déclarations en présentant des preuves ou le décideur peut vérifier l'exactitude de ces déclarations. Puisque la vérification peut être coûteuse ou prenante, le décideur ne peut souvent vérifier qu'une partie de l'information reçue. Ces contraintes déterminent la quantité d'information qui peut être vérifiée avant la prise de décision. Les deux premiers chapitres portent sur des modèles adaptés aux situations où le décideur doit évaluer une déclaration ou répondre à une demande faite par une personne ou une institution. Dans le troisième chapitre, je considère un cadre légèrement différent où le décideur consulte des agents informés avant de choisir une action.Dans le premier chapitre, j'étudie un modèle où les préférences de l'agent informé sont indépendantes de l'état. En communication unilatérale, seul l'agent envoie un message au décideur. En communication bilatérale, les deux échangent des messages. Je compare ces deux mécanismes en supposant que la même quantité de preuves peut être présentée dans les deux cas. Dans le mécanisme canonique de communication bilatérale, après avoir reçu une déclaration de la part de l'agent, le décideur lui demande de présenter une preuve en particulier. La décision dépend seulement de sa capacité à présenter la preuve demandée. Le résultat principal de ce chapitre stipule que la communication bilatérale améliore le résultat si la certification de l'information est limitée de manière à empêcher le décideur d'atteindre son optimum en communication unilatérale.Le deuxième chapitre, qui résulte d'un travail joint avec Frédéric Koessler (CNRS, École d’Économie de Paris), étudie l'implémentation en présence d'agents averses à l'ambiguïté. Nous montrons que si une règle d'allocation peut être implémentée avec une certification illimitée, elle peut également être implémentée avec une certification limitée d'information si le décideur peut utiliser des mécanismes de communication ambigus et si les agents sont averses à l'ambiguïté au sens du maxmin. L'implication inverse est vraie s'il ya un seul agent et une action de punition.Dans le troisième chapitre, j'étudie un modèle avec deux types d'agents informés. Un type veut maximiser l'action du décideur tandis que l'autre veut la minimiser. Dans ce cas, il peut y avoir besoin de consulter plus d'un agent. J'étudie la consultation séquentielle et j'examine son impact sur la révélation d'information. À l'équilibre, le décideur continue de consulter des agents informés tant que son incertitude est suffisamment élevée. Les agents minoritaires - en termes de préférences - peuvent influencer le décideur en cachant l'information lorsqu'elle est défavorable car il anticipe, à juste titre, que la majorité est davantage susceptible de le faire. En outre, la menace de consultation séquentielle peut être utilisée afin d'extraire des informations plus précises tout en consultant un seul agent. / In many situations, decision makers do not observe all relevant information which undermines their ability to choose the best action or policy. Moreover, it can be difficult or costly to directly acquire the missing information. In such cases, the decision maker may acquire information from privately informed parties with potentially different objectives. The issue is that they may try to influence the outcome in their favor either by withholding or selectively reporting information. For instance, employers rely on information presented by job applicants, financial authorities use firms' reports to evaluate them and elected representatives seek expert advice before selecting policies. In these examples, at least some information is certifiable or verifiable. In other words, the informed party can prove certain statements by presenting hard evidence or the decision maker can verify the accuracy of received claims and documents. Since verification can be costly or time consuming, the decision maker might be able to only partially check the claim. These constraints determine the amount of information that can be verified before the decision is made. The first two chapters focus on models that best describe settings where the decision maker has to evaluate a claim or respond to a request made by an individual or institution. In the third chapter, I consider a slightly different framework where the decision maker seeks advice by consulting informed agents.In the first chapter, I study the basic framework where the informed agent's preferences over the decision maker's actions are independent of the state. In unilateral communication, only the agent sends a message to the decision maker. In bilateral communication, both exchange messages sequentially. I study and compare these two types of mechanisms under the constraint that the agent can present the same amount of certifiable information in both cases. In the canonical bilateral communication mechanism, after receiving a claim from the agent, the decision maker asks him to certify a certain event and bases her decision on his ability to do so. The main result of this chapter essentially states that if information certification is limited and the limitation prevents the decision maker from achieving her first-best in unilateral communication then she strictly benefits from bilateral communication.In the second chapter, which results from a joint work with Frédéric Koessler (CNRS, Paris School of Economics), we study implementation in the presence of ambiguity aversion. We show that if an allocation rule can be implemented with unlimited information certification, then it can also be implemented with limited information certification if the designer can use ambiguous communication mechanisms, and if agents are averse to ambiguity in the sense of maxmin expected utility. The reverse implication is true if there is a single agent and a worst outcome.In the third chapter, I study a setting with two types of informed agents. One type prefers higher actions while the other prefers lower actions. The decision maker ignores the informed agent's preferences. In this case, it might not be sufficient to consult one agent. I study sequential consultation of more than one informed agent and examine its impact on information revelation. It is shown that in equilibrium the decision maker may consult more than one agent and that she continues to seek advice as long as her uncertainty is high enough. Learning on the equilibrium path happens through both revelation and withholding of information. It is possible for agents of the minority - in terms of preferences - to influence the decision maker by withholding information so that she chooses their favorite outcome when she should not. Moreover, sequential consultation can be used as a threat to extract more precise information while consulting only one agent.

This research project sought to find out more about how clergy experience preparing to move jobs in the Church of England. This is important and timely for several reasons. First, there has been limited theoretical and empirical attention paid to the process and tasks of preparing for a career transition. Second, clergy are contemplating job moves in a dynamic institutional context which is affecting how they perceive and construct their future career trajectory. Third, I set out to investigate clergy as members of a workforce facing some of the same issues and concerns as those in other occupations rather than viewing them as being in any way special by virtue of their ordained status. The study is framed by career theories which attend to transition, turnover and the determinants and antecedents of career and job mobility. A total of 31 clergy from three Church of England dioceses were interviewed as part of a qualitative study. A social constructivist method was adopted and thematic analysis applied to the data with attention being paid to the reflexive research process. The findings indicate that a religious context is an important site for enhancing our understanding of the complex relationship between individual agency, structural constraints and the antecedents to preparing to move jobs. Following structural changes to how clergy are recruited, selected and appointed to posts participants are found to be experiencing cognitive dissonance as they anticipate a move. This is explained by a shift in the delegation of authority to individual clergy and the erosion of strategic ambiguity as a mode of communication between different parties. These are changes which undermine value systems rooted in history, tradition, custom and practice and calling which clergy rate highly. The study identifies facets of calling and vocation which clergy correlate with preparing to move jobs rather than an original call to ministry.