Credit risk analysis is an important topic in financial risk management. Financial institutions (e.g. commercial banks) that grant consumers credit need reliable models that can accurately detect and predict defaults. This research investigates the ability of artificial neural networks as a decision support system that can automatically detect and predict “bad” credit risks based on customers demographic, biographic and behavioural characteristics. The study focuses specifically on the learning vector quantization neural network algorithm. This thesis contains a short overview of credit scoring models, an introduction to artificial neural networks and their applications and presents the performance evaluation results of a credit risk detection model based on learning vector quantization networks.

The topic of Corporate Social Responsibility gets the attention as companies look for ways how to re establish trust of consumers and gain legitimacy for their business activities. The goal of this thesis is to survey whether and under which conditions the CSR concept has a positive impact on competitiveness of the corporations. The thesis is built on the theoretical framework of competitiveness and CSR. The management motives for CSR implementation and integration obstacles are discussed and the concrete areas of competitiveness which might be influenced by CSR are analyzed. Theoretical knowledge is examined in automotive industry context. The empirical research analyzes those CSR activities of TPCA which strengthen its position and create competitive advantage.

The industrial restructuring and technological change in the agriculture industry has limited employment opportunities and income in some rural areas. Food processing is one of the ways proposed to add value to agricultural products and provide employment opportunities and economic growth in rural areas. Worldwide, the food processing has seen growth stagnate, and the Canadian food processing industry is no exception. For long term growth, food processing firms must adopt innovation.<p>The development and implementation of innovation by food processing firms is influenced by six main factors. Access to product markets, labour availability and the network of a firm are some of the factors that influence innovation activity. The attributes of a firm, the competitive conditions a firm faces and the characteristics of the region where the firm locates also influence the innovation decisions of food processing firms. The innovation survey developed by the Canadian Agricultural Innovation Research Network, and distributed to 1,200 food processors in Western Canada links these factors and innovation activity.<p>Access to a large population and household amenities, such as skilled labour and business services, increases the probability that food processors in Western Canada will participate in innovation activities. Newer, larger firms and firms that could access knowledge spillover from other firms and industries also had a greater probability of introducing innovation. Therefore food processing firms within 400 km of an urban center are more likely to participate in innovative activities then food processing firms in remote rural areas.

The industrial restructuring and technological change in the agriculture industry has limited employment opportunities and income in some rural areas. Food processing is one of the ways proposed to add value to agricultural products and provide employment opportunities and economic growth in rural areas. Worldwide, the food processing has seen growth stagnate, and the Canadian food processing industry is no exception. For long term growth, food processing firms must adopt innovation.<p>The development and implementation of innovation by food processing firms is influenced by six main factors. Access to product markets, labour availability and the network of a firm are some of the factors that influence innovation activity. The attributes of a firm, the competitive conditions a firm faces and the characteristics of the region where the firm locates also influence the innovation decisions of food processing firms. The innovation survey developed by the Canadian Agricultural Innovation Research Network, and distributed to 1,200 food processors in Western Canada links these factors and innovation activity.<p>Access to a large population and household amenities, such as skilled labour and business services, increases the probability that food processors in Western Canada will participate in innovation activities. Newer, larger firms and firms that could access knowledge spillover from other firms and industries also had a greater probability of introducing innovation. Therefore food processing firms within 400 km of an urban center are more likely to participate in innovative activities then food processing firms in remote rural areas.

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze environmental management in companies and how it affects competitiveness. In order to do this a case study of two Swedish and two Russian companies was done by conducting interviews. The theoretical framework consists of environmental management strategy and competitiveness literature which are relevant to the study and research questions. The empirical findings include the case firm’s view of environmental management and competitiveness in their company. The conclusions of this thesis are that environmental management strategy can have a positive impact on competitiveness, but it depends on the management attitude in the company.   Key words: Environmental management; strategy; competitiveness.

Abstract The company main S petrochemical industry as the research objects, about the company in the petrochemical industry in the production of poly methyl meth acrylate (PMMA) is commonly known as acrylic, is the case in the present and the future Direction of development and trends. Through theoretical analysis to understand the competitiveness of the petrochemical industry. In the new style, new technology, the steady growth in high-priced products, PMMA is also the tie in the application of this new product to increase the added value of industry and increase competitiveness. Current oil price fluctuations will also affect the price of PMMA, PMMA development and due process has matured, the industry is not the nature of product differentiation, so buyers can easily convert lower cost in the price comparison. Petrochemical industry¡¦s bargaining power in price relative to the low of the case, the opportunity to increase its own by external competitiveness will be the focus of the study. This research will force analysis and SWOT analysis of Six Strengths analysis in the current environment, the strategic approach should be taken, and expert interviews to further explore the effectiveness of the strategy changed. According to results of this study, S petrochemical industry planning to enhance the company does have the capacity PMMA and into the active material in the light guide panel supply chains to enhance the added value of PMMA. The results of this study will help to domestic petrochemical industry in the future formulation of policy can have a reference. . Key Words : PMMA, Competitiveness, Petrochemical

Abstract The key of blooming Companies is INNOVATION ,therefore, a number of signs (namely aptotic service, product and marketing strategy)will be the decay of concerns. Generally speaking, the main method used in my research is by searching the scientific or technical literature and the minor information is form the interview, field trip. The typical example the I am going to mention is the advantage of Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor Inc(as known as KKL) in the their marketing strategy by collecting the documents and to analyze the detail as I got, and then, to attest the result which I suggest this company how to improve and solve the problem they are facing. According to the literature, My thesis will provide the contents of the value form innovation strategy and structure of concerns, which developed in three significant points(value chain, primary activities and support activities, respectively). Further and even more importantly, though, there are over a half of concerns get more than 25% turnover form the products and services that developed recent 3 years ,not only for local companies but also the global ones . The main reason to give them the greatly competitiveness is from the innovation ideas. Furthermore, most companies have to innovate themselves to address the market. According the research of Boston Consulting Group, approximately 90% chairmen must promote their work team by innovation .In the meanwhile, the report mentions that the other 4 points of results below: 1. The team could not achieve the goal in the period. 2. The ratio of success was too law. 3. The allocation of resource was not enough. 4. The cooperation of each department was not enough. In stark contrast, is Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor Inc able to keep a steady grow and be the leader of this market, The topic will be the challenge for them. By way of conclusion, I will relative the innovation speed and the different of companies¡¦s features,then provide ideas for the innovation method for Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor Inc Keyword : innovation, competitiveness ¡Avalue chain

ABSTRACT For several decades leather industry has been one of the important traditional industries in Taiwan. The produced finished leather are mainly supplying the downstream factories for manufacturing the leather goods of shoe, handbag, suitcase, gloves, belt and upholstery etc. The major tanning material of leather industry in Taiwan is cattle hide and pigskin. However, due to the limitations of natural environments, inabundant land, dense population and lack of vast pieces of pastures, livestock husbandry cannot be well developed. Therefore, the volume of cattle raising is very little. The material as required by leather industry ¡V raw cattle hide almost completely relies on imports. As for the pig skin, the pig raising industry is very prosperous in Taiwan. Apart from supplying to the domestic markets to meet their needs, the produced pork was sufficient for exports in great volume, except the outbreak period of foot-and-mouth disease between 1999 and 2000. It seemed that material of raw pigskin should not be insufficient. Nevertheless, it is very difficult to change the consumption habit of the Taiwanese that they like to eat freshly-slaughtered pork so that most of the raw pigskin are attached to the pork and sold in the market. In this way, the pigskin loses its value for leather manufacturing. The material of raw pigskin as required by the leather manufacturing industry in Taiwan also has to rely on imports. As mentioned above, there is a lack of raw material for tanning industry. And the size of domestic market of leather goods manufactured by raw cattle hide is so small that the products have to rely on export tremendously. Despite these circumstances, the tanning industry has been standing firmly in Taiwan for several decades, and occupying a outstanding position in the world. This study focuses on this issue and make further investigation. In the tanning industry of Taiwan, although many of the factories of finished leather product in the downstream have been migrated to some Southeastern Asia countries and the Mainland China where the labor cost is low, but the finished leather these factories currently need still has to rely on the supply by the tanneries in Taiwan. Therefore, in recent years, the export amount of leather goods in Taiwan has been immensely shrinking, whereas the export amount of finished leather has grown by three times when compared with the export of ten years ago. The results of the study show that the key success factors of tanning industry in Taiwan are: 1. Long history of the industry and rich experience. 2. Close to the market, with ability to respond to the market rapidly. 3. High entrance barrier brings about less threats from the local potential competitors. Meanwhile, this study gives the tanneries of Taiwan some suggestions for maintaining their competitiveness, hoping that they can be of some help to the tanning industry in Taiwan.

This thesis examines how, in the global context of the 1990s, economic planning for an economically disadvantaged peripheral region within a small open national economy has become an exercise in the maxim 'Think Globally and Act Locally". It examines the content, context and process of economic policy making in Atlantic Canada in the 1990s. It critically analyzes the dissonance between generic visions of a competitive Atlantic Canada and the particular regional realities that must be taken into consideration if the plans are to be successful. The thesis also suggests a normative course of action in policy planning and implementation that can reduce this dissonance. The thesis is organized around four fundamental questions: 1) How is a competitive economy created in the global context of the 1990s and what roles should the state and the market assume. 2) What prescriptions for competitiveness are being presented in Atlantic Canadian economic policy documents. 3) What impediments and advantages does the Atlantic Canadian political-economy present to the realisation of this vision of a competitive economy. and 4) How can the economic policy planning and implementation processes be improved in order to better the chances of success for these kinds of policies. The critical analysis of the literature addresses the first three questions by surveying the areas of industrial policy, management theory, and Atlantic Canadian economic history and economic development planning. The fourth question is addressed through an empirical case study evaluation of Nova Scotia Voluntary Planning, a non-government sector organization composed of industry and labour leaders, and of its economic strategy document entitled "Creating Our Own Future". Theoretical and methodological guidelines for the evaluation models were drawn from the literature on policy research, cooperative inquiry, critical planning and critical evaluation theory, the role of mediating structures in public policy delivery and planning as social learning.

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