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The objective of this study was to describe the issue of school beverage contracts and childhood obesity from the perspectives of a broad group of stakeholders. Specifically, the perspectives concerning contracts in two Ontario school boards in Canada's 2004-2006 sociopolitical environment were studied. This qualitative study utilized a case study approach to capture the opinions of many stakeholders. Open ended interviews with individuals representing twelve stakeholder groups resulted in five major interrelated themes: "Awareness & Knowledge," "Influences of Obesity & Co-morbidities," "Perceived Value of Beverage Contracts," "Accountability" and "Future Directions (For Shifting Norms). " Stakeholders suggested the use of multidisciplinary and comprehensive strategies to promote healthy choices in the school environment, which is thought to have positive implications for childhood obesity. This study is unique in that it looks at a common issue from a number of different perspectives and reports all viewpoints in an unbiased and clear way showing the similarities and differences of opinions. Information from this study has potential importance in informing future directions to prevent and reduce childhood obesity, especially as this issue relates to the creation of school beverage contracts.

The transaction of agricultural products, which take place in the local farmers¡¦ market, has a variety of modes. According to Oliver. E Williamson (1991), the characteristics of transactions differ from incentives intensity, administrative control, and performance attributes. Based upon the foregoing, agricultural transaction modes in the local farmers¡¦ market distinctions into three kinds: (1) market mode (2) hybrid mode, and (3) hierarchy mode. The purpose of this study is attempting to abstract the crucial dimension of agricultural transactions for organizing some transactions this way and other transactions another. The overall objectives of this study can be said to be threefold: (1) To investigate and collect literatures about the agricultural transaction modes which are presently most popular in Taiwan. (2) To identify and distinguish these transactions into market mode, hybrid mode, and hierarchy mode as suggested by Williamson. (3) As an exploratory study, to suggest uncertainty as the crucial dimension of agricultural transactions alternatives, to demonstrate why and how uncertainty rule on the selection decision. The results from this study suggest that: (1) When the uncertainty of agricultural transactions is high, hierarchy mode appears to be feasible relatively. (2) When the uncertainty is low, market mode appears to be feasible relatively. (3) When the uncertainty is in an intermediate situation, hybrid mode appears to be feasible relatively. A case study of the broiler contracts of the Charoen Pokphand Enterprise (Taiwan) Co. shows that the relationship between feasible contract mode and uncertainty of transaction is consistent with theoretical expectation.

Strategic IT outsourcing decisions have attracted attentions from the researchers and practitioners for over a decade. However, although there were many researchers emphasizing the ¡§content¡¨ of information technology, few were focusing on the ¡§distribution¡¨ issues. Lee, Huynh et al. (2003) identified seven patterns in the outsourcing research literature from a historical evolutionary perspective. These patterns, which can serve as areas of inquiries in the domain of IT outsourcing research, include: outsourcing decision (to make or to buy), outsourcing motivation, scope of outsourcing, performance assessment, insourcing (the variant of outsourcing), outsourcing contract, and outsourcing partnership. This research focuses on the areas of outsourcing contract and partnerships at the higher end of the evolutionary loop, but would refer to the other areas of IT outsourcing research as needed. Mahnke, Overby and Van (2005) draw on concept-centric literature review approach (Meta-analysis approach) to review 19 empirical IT outsourcing research between 1995-2002. They report their findings of the theoretical perspectives used in these empirical studies, which include transaction cost economics, competence perspective and relational view. Building on their endeavor, my meta-analysis review in this research study will focus on empirical IT outsourcing studies conducted after 2002, especially on empirical research centered on IT outsourcing contract and partnering issues that have not been extensively reviewed by Mahnke et al. and other researchers. Drawing on concept-centric literature review approach suggested by Webster and Watson (2002) in MIS Quarterly, this research study will integrate cross-field knowledge on IT outsourcing contracts and partnerships issues, and thus infer to media firms management. Our key findings includes the discussion between theories and empirical research, knowledge integration of outsourcing contract and outsourcing partnerships, comparison of empirical studies content, and other important concepts. Besides, we combine our findings and the three main theories in IT outsourcing field: TCE, RBV, and RV, and thus made the integrated theoretical framework. Finally, we infer our integrated theoretical framework to media firms¡¦ management.

Univ., Diss.--Zugl.: Paris.

Project (M.A.) - Simon Fraser University, 2006. / Theses (Dept. of Economics) / Simon Fraser University. Also issued in digital format and available on the World Wide Web.

"Dissertation, Humboldt-Universitäte zu Berlin, 2008"--T.p. verso. / Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (p. 209-212) and index.

Thesis (M. P. A.)--Texas State University-San Marcos, 2009. / "Spring 2009." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 128-134).

Thesis (M.S.)--Naval Postgraduate School, 2002. / Thesis advisor(s): E. Cory Yoder, Gail Fann Thomas. Includes bibliographical references (p. 73-77). Also available online.

Thesis (M.A.). / Cover title. Mimeo. copy. Includes bibliographical references.