This was a non-experimental, mixed methods study to research the different ways in which the Marzano casual teacher evaluation system was implemented in 25 school districts in the state of Florida during the 2012-2013 school year. Based on seven implementation variables, the teacher evaluation systems were compared to the implementation model and research-based best practice. The researcher then sought to determine what relationships may or may not exist in teacher performance ratings between districts that followed the research-based implementation model and districts that did not. Two stated purposes of the Marzano causal teacher evaluation system were to improve the accuracy of teacher performance ratings and to improve the accuracy of feedback provided to teachers. Variation in implementation may possibly occur among school districts. To date no research has been conducted to analyze how variations in implementation may relate to teacher performance ratings. The purpose of this study was to provide data to support best-practice in the implementation of the Marzano causal teacher evaluation system and to guide instructional leaders on the implementation of this evaluation system. The researcher also sought to ensure the Marzano causal teacher evaluation system provides both accurate teacher feedback and accurate teacher evaluations. Data was collected from the Florida Department of Education published reports and information. School district implementation plans were gathered from state submitted documentation. Implementation plans were analyzed and read. Data was collected on a data collection sheet and then analyzed in SPSS using a crosstab Chi square test to determine if a statistically significant relationships existed between districts that followed the research-based implementation model and districts that did not. It was determined that implementation of the Marzano causal evaluation system varies widely. In six out of the seven implementation variables, it was determined that there were statistically significant relationships in teacher evaluation scores between districts that followed the research-based implementation variables and districts that did not. Further research should include validity and reliability studies on the Marzano causal evaluation system. Research should continue to analyze different ways in which the Marzano causal evaluation system is implemented, and what relationship there is between implementation and teacher performance ratings. Research should be conducted to analyze the effectiveness of feedback provided to teachers through the Marzano causal teacher evaluation system. This research indicates that the Marzano causal teacher evaluation system should be used following research based best-practice and how it is intended to be used. The research in this study shows that when implementation variables are altered in the Marzano causal teacher evaluation system, teacher performance ratings may become inaccurate. Based on misunderstandings of the Marzano causal evaluation system, it is recommended school leaders receive additional training on the understanding and implementation of the Marzano casual teacher evaluation system.

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Выпускная квалификационная работа состоит из введения, трех частей, заключения, библиографического списка и приложений. В теоретической части представлены смежные понятия управления эффективностью, процесс управления эффективностью, инструменты исследования, методы исследования. Практическая часть: характеристика компании Z как объекта управления, структура человеческих ресурсов компании Z, оценка по системе PM компании Z, проблемы и причины в системе PM компании Z. На основе полученных данных разработаны предложения: Цели и принципы оптимизации, Основы построения схемы оптимизации, Мероприятия по оптимизации. В заключении подводятся итоги в соответствии с поставленными задачами. / The final qualifying work consists of an introduction, three parts, a conclusion, a bibliographic list, and appendixes. The theoretical part presents related concepts of performance management, process of performance management, research tools, research methods. The practical part characteristics of Company Z as an object of management, human resource structure of Company Z, appraisal on the PM system of Company Z, problems and causes in the company Z’s PM system. Based on the data obtained, proposals have been developed Objectives and principles of optimization, Optimization scheme design framework, Optimization measures. In conclusion, the results are summed up in accordance with the tasks set.

[pt] A previsão de retornos sobre ativos financeiros tem sido uma tarefa importante durante toda a história da economia financeira. Este estudo emprega técnicas de aprendizado por máquina (ML) para prever retornos de portfólio com base no fator tamanho, visando não apenas melhorar as previsões, mas também compreender a fonte subjacente de previsibilidade. Em meio ao desafio de identificar preditores relevantes em dados ruidosos, esta pesquisa emprega uma abordagem de janela móvel, incorporando três defasagens de retornos de ações como candidatos a preditores para projetar retornos um minuto à frente. Modelos de benchmark, incluindo a média dentro da amostra e abordagens autorregressivas, são explorados junto com técnicas de ML como Ridge, LASSO, AdaLASSO e Random Forest. Identificamos consistentemente a superioridade dos modelos de ML sobre os modelos benchmark em termos de previsibilidade, com o modelo Random Forest se destacando como o mais eficaz. Além disso, a análise dos preditores selecionados pelos modelos revelou que eles são predominantemente inesperados, de curta duração e esparsos. / [en] Forecasting returns on financial assets has been an important task throughout the history of the financial economy. This study employs machine learning (ML) techniques to predict portfolio returns based on the size factor, aiming to not only improve predictions but also understand the underlying source of predictability. Amid the challenge of identifying relevant predictors in noisy data, this research employs a rolling window approach, incorporating three lags of stock returns as candidate predictors to project returns one minute ahead. Benchmark models, including in-sample averaging and autoregressive approaches, are explored alongside ML techniques such as Ridge, LASSO, AdaLASSO, and Random Forest. We consistently identify the superiority of ML models over benchmark models in terms of predictability, with the Random Forest model standing out as the most effective. Furthermore, analysis of the predictors selected by the models revealed that they are predominantly unexpected, short-lived and sparse.

This paper examines the different share valuation methods and principles likely to be used by a court in determining the fair value of dissenting shareholders’ shares in appraisal proceedings in terms of section 164(14) of the Companies Act 2008. It is submitted that the valuation principles and methods used by the courts will affect the operation of the triggering actions contemplated in subsections 164(2)(a) - (b). It is proposed that section 164 court appraisals are likely to be guided by the valuation methods and principles developed in section 252 and section 440K court appraisals under the Companies Act 1973, as well as by the decisions of the courts in the state of Delaware relating to share valuations under the appraisal remedy. It is further proposed that the purpose ascribed to the appraisal remedy will influence the application of these valuation methods and principles. / Mercantile Law / LL.M. (Corporate law)

This paper examines the different share valuation methods and principles likely to be used by a court in determining the fair value of dissenting shareholders’ shares in appraisal proceedings in terms of section 164(14) of the Companies Act 2008. It is submitted that the valuation principles and methods used by the courts will affect the operation of the triggering actions contemplated in subsections 164(2)(a) - (b). It is proposed that section 164 court appraisals are likely to be guided by the valuation methods and principles developed in section 252 and section 440K court appraisals under the Companies Act 1973, as well as by the decisions of the courts in the state of Delaware relating to share valuations under the appraisal remedy. It is further proposed that the purpose ascribed to the appraisal remedy will influence the application of these valuation methods and principles. / Mercantile Law / LL. M. (Corporate law)

Syftet med detta examensarbete är att göra en jämförande studie mellan faktorerna som enligt en teoretisk ram påverkar en miljöinvestering och faktorerna som ingår i ett företags bedömnings-modell. Respondentbolaget begärde i ett tidigt skede att få vara anonymt och benämns därför som Företaget. Det är en multinationell koncern med verksamhet i många skilda branscher, men med fokus på norden och produkter som kan kopplas till lantbruk. Den teoretiska referensramen har sin utgångspunkt i begreppen värde och investering samt hur deras koppling till miljö och miljöinvesteringar för att identifiera de faktorer som påverkar en miljöinvestering. Faktorerna som ingår i den teoretiska referensramen och som jämförs mot respondentbolagets faktorer är:  Investeringens värdetillförsel  Investeringens miljöpåverkan  Hur investeringen påverkar produktionsförutsättningarna  Krav från samhället  Kundkrav Kopplingen däremellan bedöms enligt en femgradig skala. Informationen från Företaget inhäm-tades genom semi-strukturerade intervjuer med representanter från Företaget. Slutsatsen för detta arbete är att Företaget har identifierat samma faktorer som den teoretiska referensramen. De använder dock mätetal som inte fullt ut reflekterar faktorerna. Den största avvikelsen är bedömningen av en investerings värdetillförsel, då Företaget fullt ut införlivar det producerade värdet samt det faktum att en miljöinvestering skall ses som irreversibel. Enkelhet premieras hos Företaget och det är för att prioritera modellens användbarhet, som Företaget väl-jer att acceptera brister i bedömningsmodellen. För att förbättra bedömningsmodellen bör Företaget därför införliva nya mätetal som till större del reflekterar faktorerna som påverkar en miljöinvestering / The purpose of this master thesis is to present a comparison between the factors that affects an environmental investment. This is done through applying a theoretical framework on the factors affecting a company’s existing appraisal model for environmental investments. The company that was a part of this thesis asked at an initial stage for confidentiality, therefore it is called the Company in this thesis. The Company that contributes with the appraisal model is a multination-al group with operations in many different industries, but with a focus on the Nordic countries and products that may be linked to the agricultural sector. The theoretical framework has its base in the concepts of value and investments and their connection to the environment and the envi-ronmental investment. The identified factors in the theoretical framework are:  The investment’s addition to the value creation to the company  The investment’s environmental impact  How the investment affects the production  Demands from society  Customer demands From these, the factors affecting a company’s existing appraisal model were compared and their connection to theoretical framework was judged according to a 5-grade scale. Information from the Company was acquired through semi-structured interviews with representatives from the Company. The largest deviation is how the company considers an investment’s contribution to the produced value. Because of this imperfection does the company's model not fully incorporate the produced value and that an environmental investment is irreversible. The overall conclusion is that the Company has identified the same factors as the theoretical framework. The Company has though chosen to use their existing methods and performance indicators that don’t fully incorporate the factors in the theoretical framework. The largest devia-tions are how the company considers an investment’s contribution to the produced value and that it should be considered as irreversible. The Company must therefore in order to enhance their appraisal model develop new performance measures for the factors.

Many developing countries, rich with natural resources, have turned to tourism as a source of national growth and subsequently an increasing amount of local communities are being "developed". Despite its importance to developing countries, tourism has been covered scarcely in the literature on development studies. Local communities that find themselves in a situation having to deal with tourism related development, face many challenges. Contrary to previous work on development which considered poor local communities a threat to the natural environment, current views emphasise the role of the community in bringing about participation, conservation and consequently Sustainable Development. Therefore, if tourism can be seen as a possible path to Sustainable Development, the role of the local community in its development is of vital importance. This research investigates the role of the local community in integrating conservation in tourism related development by means of a case study on Apo Island. / DEVELOPMENT STUDIES / MA(SS)(DEV. STUD)

A number of educational reform initiatives are being introduced in South Africa to address the imbalances of the past. Schools with different backgrounds are expected to implement these reform initiatives. Due to their diverse contexts, schools approach, interpret and implement these initiatives differently. Consequently, these schools demonstrate different attitudes towards these initiatives. Whole-school evaluation is one of these reform initiatives. As a result of the changes taking place in the education system in South Africa, roles performed by all stakeholders in the education system have also been affected. Since the principal is fully responsible for the proper functioning of the school, this study explored his/her managerial role in whole-school evaluation, particularly within the context of disadvantaged schools/communities. It examines how educational changes impact on the roles of the principal, particularly the principal of a disadvantaged school. The study includes a literature review from local and international perspectives of whole-school evaluation, the managerial role of the principal and disadvantaged schools/communities. A qualitative investigation of the managerial role of the principal in whole-school evaluation in the context of disadvantaged schools in KwaZulu-Natal was conducted. Data were analysed, discussed and synthesised. The study revealed that whole-school evaluation is not fully being implemented. Shortage of supervisors in the province, lack of educator training, particularly of principals in whole-school evaluation and lack of support from the Department of Education, particularly District Offices, are regarded as the major factors that impede the proper implementation of whole-school evaluation. As a result principals are not certain about the roles they should play in whole-school evaluation. The study shows that findings and recommendations of the supervisors have not been addressed. This is attributed to the poor communication between the District Office and schools to address areas identified by schools in their improvement plans. What compounds the problem is that the role of the Circuit Office in whole-school evaluation is unclear. This has a bearing on the functioning of schools because the Circuit Office is closer to the schools and should, therefore, communicate with them regularly. Based on findings, recommendations for improving the role of the principal were proposed. / Educational Studies / D.Ed. (Education Management)