This Master’s thesis was commissioned by Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery,subdivision Industrial Gas Turbines (PGI4) in Finspong, Sweden, and in Lincoln, England. The company has been part of Siemens Power Generation Industrial Applications since its acquisition in 2003. In this connection, the strategic importance of procurement became more recognised and the procurement organisation has undergone many changes. Procurement, however, is a function very much affected by changes in the business context,making constant adaptations and transformations necessary. In order to ensure that the procurement organisations in Finspong and Lincoln are well prepared for future challenges, the purchasing director at Siemens PGI4 asked us to investigate competency requirements on procurement beyond the year 2010, based on the impact of macroeconomic trends. Furthermore, a gap analysis was requested in order to compare the current competency level with the required future competency level. The task was approached by studying literature and interviewing well-known purchasing professors. From this we concluded that the macroeconomic trends of greatest relevance for Siemens PGI4 are globalisation, outsourcing, development of information technology, increasing demands on corporate social responsibility and changing consumer patterns. Our investigation of the impact of these trends on procurement resulted in several requirements for the future. For example, risks must be managed throughout the whole supply chain, as the complexity of supply increases as a result of globalisation and outsourcing. The requirements are presented in terms of competencies and roles that need to be assumed. We mapped the current competency level by means of questionnaires filled in by the personnel concerned. We then compared this with the required future level. The gap analysis indicated that gaps within management of relations, for example, exist for several of the studied function profiles and that today’s way of handling risks will not be sufficient in the future. Still, the majority of the competency gaps are not very large. We believe therefore that by taking care of the existing gaps and installing a supply chain risk management team, the procurement function can live up to the future requirements until the year 2010. We recommend the identified crucial roles and competencies to be taken into consideration when recruiting new employees and when developing existing personnel. However, continuous review and update of competencies will be needed in order to keep the company competitive.

In 2012, 40% of Scandinavian households had only one occupant and this trend continues to grow. Daily, these households face the challenges of cooking for one: shopping and preparing small portions while trying to minimize waste; motivating yourself to spend the time to cook and then eat alone; attempting not to eat the same leftovers for too many days in a row; resisting the temptation of consuming convenient ready-meals or going for take-away. Since 1980, the amount of home cooked meals has dropped from 72% to approximately 50%. But what if there was an alternative to ready-meals that had the same convenience while providing you with the freedom, variety and quality of traditional home cooking? What if cooking for yourself could be a convenient and enjoyable experience?

Magistro darbe išskirti elektroninio verslo ir e. komercijos teoriniai aspektai, tendencijos, nagrinėjama elektroninių parduotuvių vartotojų elgsena, internetinės svetainės tobulinimo būdai. Taip pat išskiriamos pagrindinės grupės veiksnių, strategijų galimybės ir prioritetai bei numatytos priemonės jų įgyvendinimui, skatinančių vartotojų aktyvumą virtualioje aplinkoje. Išskirti internetinės svetainės efektyvumo veiksniai, analizuojamas e. prekybos efektyvumo vertinimas. Atliktas elektroninių parduotuvių vartotojų elgsenos tyrimas pasitelkiant internetinės apklausos rezultatais. Išanalizuotos literatūros ir kitų tyrimų rezultatų palyginimai leido suformuluoti elektroninių parduotuvių trūkumus ir privalumus, nustatyti, kaip e. parduotuvės atitinka vartotojų poreikius. Įvertinant teorinėje dalyje išskirtas elektronines rėmimo priemones bei tiriamojoje ir projektinėje dalyje nustatytus e. parduotuvių privalumus ir trūkumus, pateikiamos darbo išvados ir siūlymai, kaip tobulinti elektronines parduotuves. / Master work isolated e-business and e-commerce theoretical aspects, trends, analyzes consumer behavior in e-shops, web site development techniques. Are also shown in the main group elements, strategies, opportunities and priorities and the measures provided for their implementation, to promote consumer participation in virtual environments. Exclude web site performance factors, analysis of e-commerce efficiency. Complete with electronic stores consumer behavior study through an online survey. The paper discusses the literature and comparisons of the results allowed the formulation of electronic stores weaknesses and strengths, to set up an electronic shop in line with consumer needs. The assessment identified in the theoretical part of electronic support measures and the exploratory and design part of the e Stores advantages and disadvantages, conclusions and recommendations on how to improve online stores.

Tyrimo tikslas. Aprašyti salmoneliozės epidemiologinius dėsningumus Vilniaus mieste ir apskrityje 1998–2007 metais ir įvertinti rizikos veiksnius Vilniaus mieste. Metodai. Salmoneliozės epidemiologinių dėsningumų įvertinimui naudotas aprašomasis epidemiologinis tyrimas. Aprašyta sergamumo daugiametė dinamika, sergamumas atskirose amžiaus grupėse, pagal kontingentą, lytį, sergamumo sezoniškumas, etiologinė struktūra, vyraujantys serotipai, plitimo būdai, užsikrėtimo vieta, protrūkiai. Salmoneliozės rizikos veiksnių nustatymui tarp Vilniaus miesto gyventojų naudotas atvejo – kontrolės tyrimas. Duomenų suvedimui ir analizei panaudotos Microsoft Exel 2007, WINPEPI moduliai Describe (v. 2.08) ir Compare (v. 2.11), EpiInfo 2008 (v.3.5.1) programos. Skaičiuoti rodikliai bei naudoti testai: regresijos koeficientas, 95 proc. pasikliautinieji intervalai (95% PI), šansų santykis (OR), Pearson'o chi-kvadrato kriterijus, Fisher'io tikslusis metodas, Mantel – Haenszel, Edwards‘o, Ratchet‘o ir Hewett‘o testai. Duomenys laikyti statistiškai reikšmingi, kai p<0,05. Rezultatai. Sergamumas salmonelioze visais metais Vilniaus mieste ir apskrityje buvo didesnis nei šalyje. Iš visų Vilniaus apskrities regionų, Vilniaus rajone nustatyta statistiškai reikšminga sergamumo didėjimo tendencija. Sergamumas įvairaus amžiaus grupėse ir tiriamuoju periodu labai svyravo. Vaikų tarpe salmonelioze dažniausiai serga lopšelinio amžiaus vaikai. Lopšelinių ir darželinių vaikų, nelankančių ikimokyklinių įstaigų... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The aim of the study was to describe epidemiology of salmonellosis in Vilnius and in Vilnius County in 1998–2007, also to assess salmonellosis risk factors in Vilnius. Methods. Descriptive epidemiological research was used to explore epidemiology of salmonellosis. Long-term dynamics of the incidence, incidence in different age groups, incidence according to the continent, gender, seasonality, etiological structure, predominant serotypes, manners of agent circulation, place of getting infection were assessed. Risk factors were evaluated using matched case –control study. Microsoft Excel 2007, Winpepi modules Describe (v. 2.08) and Compare (v. 2.11), EpiInfo 2008 (v. 3.5.1) statistical packages and programmes were used for data processing and analysis. The following indices were calculated and tests used: regression coefficients, 95% confidence intervals (CI), odds ratio (OR), Pearson's chi-square, Fisher's exact, Mantel – Haenszel, Edward’s, Ratchet’s and Hewett’s. Data considered significant, when p<0,05. Results. Incidence of salmonellosis over the period of analysis was higher in Vilnius city and County if compared to the country’s rates. Significantly increasing trend of incidence was detected in Vilnius rural district. Incidence varied a lot in different age groups, and in different years of analysis. Among children, salmonellosis was more often detected in 1-3 years age group. Higher rates of disease were found among those children, who were not attending preschools... [to full text]

This thesis gives a genetic overview of the Hays Converter, a beef breed developed in Canada in the 1950s. Pedigree records were examined to determine genetic diversity and inbreeding. A positive rate of inbreeding and a decrease in the amount of genetic diversity was found. Single trait and bivariate animal models were used to determine genetic parameters and trends for growth, ultrasound, and carcass traits. An increasing genetic trend was found for growth traits which the breed was selected for. The accuracy of imputation from 6k to 50k marker panels using a reference group of 100 animals was determined. Imputation was performed with a high accuracy (>0.93) for pure Hays Converter animals, but was found to be unsuccessful when individuals had large contributions from additional breeds. This work forms the foundation for future management and advance of the breed while outlining its history and progress. / Daniel P. Hays

Baigiamajame bakalauro darbe nagrinėjama teikiama piniginė socialinė parama Lietuvoje, jos efektyvumas ir pateikiamos galimos tobulinimo kryptys. Teorinėje darbo dalyje aptariama socialinės paramos samprata, rūšys, teikimo principai, piniginės socialinės paramos skyrimo būdai ir pateikiama išmokų efektyvumo vertinimo metodika. Remiantis išanalizuota literatūra, atlikta piniginės socialinės paramos Lietuvoje analizė 2007-2012 m. laikotarpiu, bei pateikiamos galimos tobulinimo kryptys. Piniginių socialinių išmokų efektyvumas įvertintas, palyginant darbo užmokestį su gaunama socialine parama, bei skaičiuojant agreguotus išmokų efektyvumo ir rezultatyvumo rodiklius. Atlikus socialinės paramos efektyvumo analizę išsiaiškinta, kad dosniai ir lengvai skiriamos išmokos sumažina jų gavėjų paskatas ieškoti darbo, ar imtis mažai apmokamų darbų. Todėl konkretizuotos racionalesnio socialinės paramos išteklių naudojimo priemonės, kurias įgyvendinus, teikiama gyventojams parama taptų veiksmingesnė. / In Bachelor‘s degree thesis analyses provided social assistance in Lithuania, their effectiveness and possible improvement directions. In theoretical part of the paper, analyses conception, types and provision principles of social assistance, also financial social assistance techniques and benefits of efficiency assessment methodology is presented. According to reviewed literature, performed analysis of financial social assistance in Lithuania for 2007-2012 period, and possible improvement directions is presented. Efficiency of financial social assistance was assessed comparing with wage, obtained social assistance and by calculating of the aggregated indicators of efficiency and usefulness of allowances. Performed analyses of social assistance efficiency, found that financial social assistance is too easily given for generosity and easy to granting benefits reduces their incentives to users to look for work and financial social assistance resources is not used effectively enough. Moreover, more concretely rational social assistance resources usage ways, which realized social assistance become more efficiency.

Gender and socioeconomic inequalities in health are ubiquitous in developed countries; however, the modifying effect of gender on the relationship between socioeconomic position (SEP) and health over time is less clear. The potentially different health effects of changes in SEP on changes in health for working-age women and men are examined over a 10-year period. Three main questions are addressed: (1) are there gender differences in health over time, (2) do changes in SEP lead to health inequalities and (3) do changes in SEP impact health differently for women and men? Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to analyze the Canadian National Population Health Survey for four measures of health, number of chronic conditions, self-rated health, functional health, and psychological distress, and three measures of SEP, income, education and employment status. Men and women in this nationally-representative sample of Canadians do not differentially embody changes in SEP, though both gender and SEP independently impact health.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

A COMPARATIVE CASE STUDY OF THE QUALITY OF LEARNING EXPERIENCE BETWEEN TRADITIONAL CAMPUS AND ON-LINE DISTANCE LEARNING AT A MASTERS LEVEL. This study compares the quality of learning experiences of traditional campus students to those of distance on-line students studying at a Masters level. Using an adapted version of “The theory of on-line learning quality” five dimensions of interaction were compared to determine if there was a significant statistical difference between both learning methods. The study took place within a Masters level program, in Linnaeus University, Sweden. The five dimensions of interaction included in the study are Instructor-Learner, Learner-Learner, Learner-Content, Learner-Interface, and Social Interaction. Using these dimensions of interaction to determine the quality of learning experience a questionnaire survey was designed for the students enrolled in the program. Answers to the survey questions used a Likert-scale schema for responses. A Mann-Whitney U-Test was performed on the response results. The results of the study found that there was little statistical difference between the quality of learning experience of traditional campus students to that of on-line distance students. The two survey questions which did show a statistical difference were related to the Instructor-Learner and Social dimensions of interaction. In a dual learning program of this type, recommendations are made to include a teaching assistant with responsibilities for monitoring on-line participation during live lectures.

Bakalauro darbą „DRABUŽIŲ KOLEKCIJA „INterno“ sudaro teorinis aprašas, kūrybinė projektinė dalis – 18 drabužių ansamblių kolekcija ir du kompiuterinės spaudos ant audinio projektai, kūrybinė praktinė dalis – 4 pasiūti drabužių komplektai (3 – moterims, 1 – vyrams). Rudeninių drabužių kolekcija "INterno" yra skirta įmonei UAB "Vilko kailiniai" kaip pasiūlymas asortimento plėtimui, panaudojant įmonėje atliekamas kailio ir odos žaliavas, kurios šiuo metu yra sandėliuojamos. / The Bachelor Theses “Collection of Clothes “INterno”” consist of the theoretical description, creative project part – collection of 18 outfits and two plane-tables prepared with the help of computer, creative practical part – 4 tailored sets of clothes (3 for women, 1 for men). The collection of autumn clothes “INterno” is meant for the company UAB “Vilko kailiniai” as the suggestion to expand the assortment using the raw materials of fur and leather of the company, which are warehoused at present.