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The role of market accessibility and entry is the central theme of this dissertation. Two theoretical models of oligopoly theory are examined in a controlled laboratory market setting. Experimental testing of Contestability Theory is extended beyond the natural monopoly case and a "safe haven" provides subjects with a viable alternative to the "contestable" market. Evidence reported supports the conclusion that the contestable market is robust to the introduction of the alternate market. The theory of Bertrand-Edgeworth duopoly is explored from a game theoretic perspective with special attention to buyer queuing rule assumptions. Experimental evidence underscores sensitivity of market outcomes to the queuing rule adopted. The presence of excess capacity relative to market demand tends to push theoretical Bertrand-Edgeworth equilibria toward competitive levels. This result is substantiated by experimental evidence and is independent of the queuing rule assumed. The similarity between the Bertrand-Edgeworth excess capacity case and a contestable natural monopoly market is investigated. The presence of excess capacity/potential entrants is shown to exert more downward pressure on observed laboratory market prices than the presence of additional competitors alone. This result is at odds with the traditional Structure-Conduct-Performance Paradigm. A herfindahl index calculated from experimental results has almost no power to predict market outcome.

Šiandienos pedagogui keliamas labai svarbus uždavinys - sukurti tokį mokymosi procesą, kuris skatintų moksleivių mokymąsi. Europos Sąjungos dokumentuose akcentuojamos perėjimo į mokymąsi visą gyvenimą galimybes laiduojančios kompetencijos, svarbiausia pripažįstama - mokėjimo mokytis kompetencija. Pastarųjų metų tyrimai rodo, jog besimokantieji mokymosi mokytis kompetencijos stokoja. Darbo tikslas: Ištirti Utenos vyresniojo mokyklinio amžiaus mokinių mokėjimo mokytis kompetencijos tobulinimo veiksnius. Darbo uždaviniai: 1. Apibrėžti mokėjimo mokytis kompetencijos vietą profesinių kompetencijų struktūroje. 2. Atskleisti pagrindinius subjektyvius mokėjimo mokytis kompetencijos kaitos veiksnius. 3. Ištirti objektyvius mokėjimo mokytis kompetencijos veiksnius ugdymo sistemoje. 4. Ištirti mokinių požiūrį į mokėjimo mokytis kompetencijos veiksnius. 5. Atskleisti mokytojų požiūrį į mokėjimo mokytis kompetencijos veiksnius. Darbe naudoti šie tyrimo metodai: Mokslinės literatūros ir norminių aktų apžvalgos analizė; Anketinė vyresniųjų klasių mokinių ir pedagogų apklausa; Statistinė empirinių duomenų analizė. Tyrimo imtis. 204 respondentai: 54 pedagogai ir 150 vyresniųjų ( X – XII ) klasių mokinių iš trijų Utenos miesto gimnazijų. Pagrindinės išvados ir tyrimo rezultatai: 1. Profesinė kompetencija – mokėjimas mokytis priklauso kognityvinių kompetencijų grupei, kurios pagrindiniai aspektai yra savo paties mokymosi proceso organizavimas ir jo valdymas, grindžiamas žiniomis, įgūdžiais... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Nowadays a teacher faces an extremely important task to develop such learning process which should encourage the students to learn. The EU education documents emphasizes competences ensuring the possibilities for life long learning, the ability to learn is admitted to be the most important one. Recent researches show learners’ lack of competence to learn, therefore, the work analyses basic factors improving students’ competence of learning abilities to learn. The Aim: To investigate factors improving senior students’ competence of learning abilities to learn in Utena town. Objectives: 1. To define the place of competence of students’ learning abilities to learn in the structure of professional competences. 2. To reveal basic subjective factors influencing the changes in the competence of learning abilities to learn. 3. To investigate objective factors influencing the competence of learning abilities to learn in the education system. 4. To investigate students’ attitude towards the factors of competence of learning abilities to learn. Methods used: The analysis of science literature and the survey of standard acts; questionnairing teachers and senior students; statistics analysis of empiric data. Sampling. 204 respondents (54 teachers and 150 (X – XII forms) students) from three gymnasium schools in Utena town. Main results and conclusions: 1. Professional competence, the ability to learn, belongs to the group of cognitive competences whose main aspects are organization and... [to full text]

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ABSTRACT Title: Cross-cultural management in international construction projects: Case study of China Machinery Industry Construction Group Inc. Level: Final assignment for Master Degree in Business Administration Author: Yuan Liu, You Li Supervisor: Aihie Osarenkhoe Examinor: Maria Fregidon-Malama Date: 2014.04.18 Aim : This study presents the characteristic and current status of the international construction projects, and figure out which barriers caused by cross-cultural differences the multinational corporations and enterprise would face, as well as the solutions for these barriers. Method: This study was carried out by using a qualitative and quantitative research method. We gathered relevant information by conducting questionnaire to Chinese employees working in Congo, Rep and interviews which include four managers of China Machinery Industry Construction Group Inc (CMICGI). By comparing the literature review and finding, we find barriers caused by cross cultural differences and relevant solutions. Result & Conclusions : Through the literature review associating with the analysis of the questionnaire and interview, we find out that there are nine barriers in the project, the reason why they appeared and how them influence the projects. We also find solutions to solve the barriers. Suggestions for future research: This study restricted to geographical and time, it only included one company and one country. More cases can be concluded in future research. Contributions for the study: The study results show how barrier case of cross-cultural different impact in international construction project. We also - 3 - contribute the evaluation for each barrier. Cultural differences between multinational trading are frequently neglected by firms but have a significant impact. Our research can help more companies to find some problems which they usually ignored. KEYWORDS — Cross-cultural management, Barriers, Cross-cultural difference, International construction projects, Identification, Evaluation

This thesis is concerned with the simulation model of an OPAT dummy rider on a Norton motorcycle in different configured impacts with a rigid barrier. The mathematical equations used in describing the mass-spring-damper-based impacts have been given. The software used in designing the mathematical model have also been outlined. The simulation model was then calibrated against full scale crash tests by means of film analysis and the processed digitised measurements. This led to the investigations into numerical processing of differentiation and integration. A parametric study was also conducted to examine injury to the dummy rider based on some varying parameters. The simulation model was further verified by different configurations and also an introduction of an airbag. Finally, the model was extended to a HYBRID3 dummy rider on the same motorcycle in different configured impacts with a motor car. It is hoped that after the validations and verifications have been performed to examine the robustness of the simulation model, it can assist in the analyses of motorcycle impacts with the less frequent need of conducting a full scale crash test, so that safety design of a motorcycle can be established.

The purpose of this study was to identify and analyze perceptional differences among department chairs, faculty, and instructors toward the barrier to using multiple teaching strategies in two-year technical and community college electronics courses. The literature review focused on defining multiple teaching strategies and identifying and discussing four major perceived barriers to implementing them in the electronics classroom: student, resources, classroom environmental, and teacher training/teaching technology. The targeted population consisted of 150 out of 231 electronics teaching technical and community college department chairs, faculty, and instructors throughout the state of Texas. In actuality, the targeted population's breakdown consisted of 36 full-time electronics teaching department chairs, 96 full-time electronics teaching faculty and instructors, and 18 part-time electronics teaching faculty and instructors who were actively involved in the delivery of instruction in their respective schools. Analysis of the data revealed that: (1) there are no significant differences among the perceptions of department chair people, faculty, and instructors toward the four perceived barriers to implementing multiple teaching strategies in a post-secondary electronics program; and (2) there are no significant differences in the perceptions electronics faculty members categorized by years teaching experience toward each of the four perceived barrier categories to implementing multiple teaching strategies in a post-secondary electronics program. However, further research is needed to substantiate what other barriers exist that may have an impact upon utilizing multiple teaching strategies in two-year technical and community college electronics courses.

Research report presented to SBL, Unisa, Midrand. / This thesis addresses the transformational barriers against women’s advancement in South African Platinum mining companies. The four key objectives of the study were derived to answer the research questions, that is: if South African Platinum mining companies recognize such advancement as a business imperative, if women can advance in such companies, if women need support to advance in these companies and lastly if the leadership of the said companies is embracing women’s advancement and talent. A literature review on the knowledge base of transformation was conducted to determine global, South African, industry and sector perspectives on the issues of the study and to contextualise the latter. The central research tool utilised was a questionnaire using a Likert-5 type rating scale and open-ended questions to elaborate on the objectives. Employees, on C3 level and higher in terms of the Patterson Grading System as traditionally used in the given industry, hailing from various companies of this kind were selected to respond to the questionnaire which was mailed to them. Open-ended questions were used in the development of themes and the data was analysed on the basis of tables and graphs. The findings were that transformational barriers against women’s advancement in these mines are rife. Most women were not afforded opportunities to grow, and were not given sufficient support. The study also found that leadership focuses more on economic benefits in terms of the bottom-line exclusively to human capital interventions, thus failing to strike the balance. The study concluded with recommendations as to what can be done to improve the situation with which women in these firms are faced.

This thesis examines processes through which the barriers in the Stockholm metro are continuously rearranged. The barriers are in place with the purpose of securing income, while simultaneously enabling the flow of passengers into the metro. First, I examine the technical components and capacities of the barriers. Second, I outline a variety of actors involved with planning, manufacturing, and maintaining them, and analytically link these actors as comprising an ‘apparatus of public transport’. More specifically, this study focuses on how metro users’ practices are both influenced by, and influence how the barriers are rearranged. I show how this dynamic is enacted in the barrier milieu in metro stations, where also the tension between the purposes of securing income and allowing mobility is negotiated. The ethnographic material includes encounters with metro users, technicians, officials, and politicians in metro stations and other settings, as well as written documentations. In public discussions, the barriers are commonly at issue in relation to fare evasion. From a standpoint where technical, social, and political dimensions are understood as intermeshed, this study casts attention to a variety of practices occurring in the barrier milieu. By exploring how a technical arrangement influences social relations, I aim to raise questions of responsibility with regards to technology.

Background: Youth and young adults have the highest incidence and prevalence of mental health issues, and most do not receive the services they need. Mental health is an essential component of wellness, and primary care providers (PCPs) serve a critical role in promoting mental well-being, identifying problems, facilitating and coordinating services, and managing and monitoring mental health outcomes. Many barriers exist to incorporating mental health into routine primary care for adolescents, and little is known about the specific nature of the obstacles that impede the quality improvement process related to integrating mental and physical health and how to overcome them. Objectives: The purpose of this DNP project was to gain insight into the PCP role, exploring perceptions, current practices, and barriers related to screening, identifying, and managing adolescent mental health needs, understand the challenges and opportunities, and guide future quality improvement projects that reflect and respond to the needs of adolescents in the local community in effective and sustainable ways. Methods: The project was designed as a needs assessment, and conducted as an anonymous 20 question survey that was distributed to 13 local PCPs that routinely provide primary care services to the community’s adolescent population. Results: Nine of the surveys were completed and returned. Time constraints and competing demands were dominant concepts, reported as primary barriers to screening, collaboration with mental health professionals, and addressing mental health in general. The participants articulated the need for high-quality professional mental health involvement, improved collaboration, inter-professional development, and inter-agency cooperation to successfully promote mental health and provide excellent care that improves outcomes. They also displayed an interest in innovative solutions and organizational restructuring to better coordinate mental health services. Conclusion: This project offered preliminary insight into the challenges faced by PCPs addressing adolescent mental health in primary care, and generated ideas for further exploration to guide quality improvement initiatives designed to support the providers' capacity to incorporate mental health into routine care, and contribute to the community’s efforts in promoting mental health for local youth. PCPs occupy esteemed roles in the community, and their perspectives and insight are invaluable.