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This thesis evaluates competition in Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, particularly the female characters’ competition and how it differs from and relates to the competition between men. The first chapter focuses on Katharina’s outwardly submissive actions and pays special attention to her critically problematic speech in Act 5. By analyzing the play’s treatment of female relationships, the thesis proposes that Katharina acts competitively, rather than submissively. The second chapter addresses male competition, particularly how competition molds the males’ relationships with each other and with the females. Although they compete separately, the each gender needs the other to give their competition purpose. By viewing the play’s gendered relationships as a form of competition, the thesis argues that the females do not merely serve as objects to the males’ triangulated desire, and instead have agency within the play.

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A system of equations was developed and incorporated into the PTAEDA2 loblolly pine stand simulator to provide growth projections from time of planting. Annual height growth is predicted using a two-parameter Weibull function, where distribution parameters are estimated from equations that utilize site index and age as predictor variables. Allometric equations are employed to estimate tree diameter and height-to-crown attributes. First year after planting mortality estimates are based on physiographic region and drainage class, with adjustments for bedding or discing site preparation treatments. Thereafter, a simple mortality function is used. The onset of competition is defined through a point density measure, which was conditioned to correspond with inflection points of basal area growth curves from observed data. Early silvicultural treatment response functions were also developed. These equations modify growth for shearing and piling, discing, and bedding site preparation methods, fertilization with phosphorous, nitrogen, and/or potassium, and 1-year or 2-year herbaceous weed control treatments. Differential responses due to drainage class and physiographic region are included in the response functions where necessary. Equations that account for interactions between certain treatments are used to adjust response levels where treatments have similar effects site conditions. Analyses of pre-competitive growth projections where no treatments are specified reveal that a small amount of over-prediction is present when compared with observed data. Predicted values in the post-competitive growth phase confirm that the addition of the pre-competitive growth system did not significantly affect the predictive behavior of the PTAEDA2 model. The simulated growth responses attributed to early silvicultural treatments are consistent with response levels reported in other studies. / Ph. D.

This dissertation consists of three essays in empirical industrial organization with applications in U.S. airline and automobile industries. Chapter 1 motivates the aim of this dissertation with a brief summary of the main goals and findings of the subsequent chapters. The main focus of this dissertation is to higlight the changing environments in the U.S. airline and automobile industries in recent years and investigate their implications for the nature of industry competitiveness. Following the recession of 2000 and post 9/11 events, the U.S. airline industry has undergone major restructuring which has defined the way airlines compete today. Chapter 2 of this dissertation explores the impact of the presence of Low Cost Carriers (LCCs) on consumer welfare in this newly restructured market environment. Previous studies on LCC competition have not addressed the welfare issue and have only been limited to impact of LCC entry on average airfare. Departing from previous literature, this question is posed using a discrete choice model of demand for differentiated products. In chapter 3 we use a structural oligopoly model for differentiated products similar to chapter 2 to unveil the nature of conduct that exists in markets with endpoints which qualify as hubs of legacy carriers. In contrast to previous literature on airline hub market conduct, this chapter investigates the nature of conduct that exists in markets defined exclusively by network carrier hubs as a whole group incorporating product differentiation in the model framework. Finally chapter 4 uses the same methodological framework outlined in chapter 3 to explore the importance of frequent incidence of manufacturer incentives in shaping market conduct in the automobile industry. Unlike past literature on automobile market conduct, this is achieved using proprietary dealer level average transaction price data obtained from J.D. Power and Associates (JDPA) with a focus on the Big Three automakers. Specifically we use the widely successful Employee Discount Pricing (EDP) promotional program of 2005, the first of its kind, as a backdrop to identify changes in the nature of short run conduct among the Big Three that might be signalled by such promotional programs. / Ph. D.

Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) is widely used as a fairway turf on golf courses throughout the transition zone. The transition zone represents the geographical areas between the temperate and subtropical climates, where neither warm season nor cool season grasses are well adapted. The late-spring establishment of seeded bermudagrass could potentially enhance summer quality of a perennial ryegrass fairway during periods of extreme summer stress. Studies were conducted over two years on both perennial ryegrass and Chewings fescue (Festuca rubra L. ssp. commutata Gaud.) areas to assess the competitive effects of each species on bermudagrass seed establishment. The use of fungicides, herbicides and a plant growth regulator, as well as cultivation treatment prior to seeding, were evaluated for their effects on bermudagrass establishment, turfgrass quality, disease incidence and summer annual grass control. Turfgrass treated with preventative fungicide applications of propiconazole and chlorothalonil maintained high density and turf quality which inhibited successful establishment of bermudagrass during either year. Bermudagrass establishment in 1996 was moderately successful in plots not treated with fungicides; however, due to disease severity, turfgrass quality was unacceptable. MSMA applications did not influence turfgrass quality or bermudagrass establishment. Crabgrass populations were too low to ascertain the efficacy of either MSMA (1996) or oxadiazon (1997) on summer annual grass control. Oxadiazon followed by activated charcoal prior to bermudagrass seeding did not adversely affect bermudagrass establishment. In 1996, trinexapac-ethyl slightly enhanced bermudagrass seed establishment, but the competitiveness of perennial ryegrass prohibited establishment success. During 1997, glyphosate was evaluated as a means of eliminating competition and increasing bermudagrass establishment. Glyphosate applied in small strips across existing stands of perennial ryegrass and Chewings fescue significantly increased bermudagrass establishment. Preplant aerification and vertical mowing increased bermudagrass establishment, but slightly reduced turfgrass quality. Overall, bermudagrass establishment into existing stands of turfgrass was successful only where glyphosate was strip-treated over plots to eliminate competition or under circumstances where disease pressure reduced competition from the existing turfgrass. / Master of Science

The general problem examined in this study is that of competition versus administration in the determination of the price of wheat.

A presente pesquisa buscou avaliar se o direito da concorrência, tal como edificado no presente, tem-se revelado suficiente para alcançar o fenômeno concorrencial de modo efetivo e, portanto, se estaria, de fato, a realizar sua missão no sentido de contribuir para o desenvolvimento e para a democracia. Objetivou-se demonstrar que os mecanismos convencionais de defesa da concorrência (controle de condutas e de atos de concentração) seriam incapazes de fazer frente à crescente concentração dos mercados e à eliminação ou mesmo redução de distorções competitivas ocasionadas, ainda que indiretamente, pelo próprio Estado. Demonstrou-se que estes problemas estariam a impactar a própria ideia de democracia e colocariam em risco o desenvolvimento econômico e social. A partir do referencial teórico utilizado, procurou-se evidenciar esta incapacidade do antitruste em acompanhar a velocidade de mercados cada vez mais dinâmicos, bem como alcançar todos os problemas concorrenciais, especialmente, aqueles ocasionados por meios não-convencionais, isto é, por mecanismos de diferenciação de produtos, por práticas apoiadas em facilitações institucionais, subsídios estatais, obtenção de vantagens por influência no processo legislativo e, entre outros, por meio de decisões administrativas e/ou regulatórias. A competition advocacy (promoção da concorrência) foi apresentada como uma das respostas possíveis do direito para mitigar o risco de que a excessiva concentração do poder econômico acabe gerando o bloqueio de canais democráticos, a captura das instituições políticas por grupos dominantes e, ainda que reflexamente, o aumento da desigualdade. Considerando que a competition advocacy parte de uma ideia residual ou de exclusão em relação à função preventiva e à repressiva, a pesquisa identificou quais seriam os assuntos adequados para uma abordagem sistêmica e, principalmente, útil da promoção da concorrência, tendo em vista, especialmente, o tratamento ainda difuso do tema por parte da doutrina. Em conclusão, buscou-se definir, com maior precisão, o conteúdo jurídico da promoção da concorrência e foram apresentadas propostas para aperfeiçoamento do instituto no Brasil, de modo a contribuir para o desenvolvimento econômico-social e para o fortalecimento das instituições democráticas. / This work intended to evaluate whether competition law, as built in the present, has proved to be sufficient to reach the competitive phenomenon in an effective way and, therefore, if it achieves its mission, that is, to contribute to the development and democracy. It also aimed to demonstrate that competition law´s conventional tools (enforcement mechanisms) would be unable to cope with the growing concentration of markets and the elimination or even reduction of competitive distortions indirectly caused by the State itself. It has been shown that these problems are impacting on a democracy ideal and jeopardizing economic and social development. From the theoretical framework used, this antitrust inability was observed, to monitor the speed of increasingly dynamic markets, as well as to reach all competitive problems, especially those caused by non-conventional means, that is, by mechanisms of differentiation of products, malpractices supported by institutions, state subsidies, obtaining advantages by influence in the legislative process and, among others, through administrative and/ or regulatory decisions. Competition advocacy was presented as one of the possible answers to diminish the risk that the excessive concentration of economic power would end up blocking democratic channels, resulting on the capture of political institutions by dominant groups, and even if at an indirect way, increasing inequality. Considering that competition advocacy is based on a residual idea of the preventive and repressive functions, the dissertation identified what would be the appropriate subjects for systemic and useful approach to promoting competition, specially, due to the still diffuse treatment of the subject by the doctrine. In conclusion, we tried to define the legal content of the competition advocacy. We made also proposals for the improvement of the subject in brazil in order to contribute to economic and social development as well as to the strengthening of democratic institutions.

The object of the research in this thesis was semiconductor industry downstream process ~ IC Packing industry. Taiwan¡¦s IC Packing capacity has been on the top of worldwide, production technical ability also developed continuously caused by new entrants. New entrants not only bring cluster effects of capacity but also bring more pressure of competition between the IC Packing domain. But in this domain, companies seem to be similar to each other through imitation. When companies become alike it also mean that profit become more lean than before, that will impact seriously on Taiwan¡¦s IC Packing industry whose main capacity are used for no brand consignment. In this thesis, it trying to study objectively of competitive advantages and strategies with some aspects from domain industry, customers, competitor and the objected company in this study. Through the thesis with systematic and mathematical process, studied by documents, questionnaire and inquire of the person in charge to get a simplified mathematics model ~ Innovation Matrix, it can use for getting an objective and comparable strategy analysis. Besides that, in order to study forwards about the Innovation Matrix, this research identified the dynamic of causal relationship by ¡§System Thinking¡¨ about cause-effect-feedback of variances in the Innovation Matrix. Finally, to make this mathematics model ~ Innovation Matrix to become a dynamic model ~ ¡§The dynamics of competitive strategy analysis model¡¨. ¡§S Company¡¨ was the object in this research, trying to find out the interaction of ¡§S company¡¨ and its inner operation process even its hidden structure, in order to create a dynamic of causal relationship model. It¡¦s looking at ¡§S Company¡¨ from a systematic thinking to instead of linear thinking at event. Finally, to prove this ¡§The dynamics of competitive strategy analysis model¡¨ with actual performance figures between ¡§S Company¡¨ and its competitor, then submitted the leverage solution of ¡§S Company¡¨.