Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1982.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1976. / Typewritten.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1975. / Typewritten.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1982.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1981.

The study is set out to contribute to an increased understanding of the structural problems that cause difficulties for the European Union to achieve common action, and contests the assumption that a permanent presidency of the European Council will solve these issues. This study describes the European Union as a meta-organisation and through organisational theory to understand the issue. It also reviews the original purpose of the European Coal and Steel Community to provide a historical understanding of the European Union as a meta-organisation. This study finds that the issues causing difficulties to achieve common action and to speak with one voice stems from inherent conflict of autonomy between the EU and its member states. The European Union’s misguided assumptions that increased authority through the appointment of a President will increase its decision-making abilities. As this research shows the European Union’s attempts to increase its authority is constantly met with member states unwillingness to give the increased authority at the price of their autonomy.

The concept of sustainable development has largely failed to address environmental and social crises in a meaningful and transformative way, despite its growing popularity. Ecofeminism offers a way to understand and challenge assumptions embedded in the sustainable development discourse. A critical reading of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s discourse identified six themes: (1) economic empowerment of women (2) reporting does matter (3) reporting on socio-economic measurements (4) solutions for all (5) shifting focus and (6) defining the middle class. Each theme is based on one of five different characteristics of dualism. It can be concluded that sustainable development discourse perpetuates the dualism of Progress / Rejuvenation which is a duality that further maintains a broad system of dualism already in existence throughout Western society. The study contributes to a better understanding of the importance of more diverse platforms of understanding that allow for transformative solutions to pressing ecological and social crises.

This work begins with a brief overview of heterogeneous, characterization techniques, and current hypotheses about gold mechanisms. This is followed by the initial characterization of custom two-phase-method gold nanoparticles provided by the Interfacial Phenomena and Polymeric Materials research group at USF, the anatase TiO2 support and reference Au/TiO2 catalyst provided by the World Gold Council. In order to verify the ability of the two-phase-method GNP catalyst provided to oxidize CO in excess hydrogen, it was necessary to develop an effluent testing protocol. The first experiments involved 24 hour runs to observe catalyst deactivation. Concerns over cycling effects observed in the absorbance integral calculations lead to the introduction of a reference gas. Corrections were made to the carbon monoxide absorbance integral calculations which allowed the direct comparison of results. These corrections included baseline adjustments for each species and N2 purging to eliminate background CO2 and H2O contamination. After these improvements, the two phase method GNP catalyst CO oxidation ability was investigated. Unfortunately, the supplied two phase method gold catalyst has been unresponsive for CO oxidation applications. One hypothesis for the problems is that the surfactants used to keep the gold nanoparticles from aggregating are preventing carbon monoxide transport to the surface of the particle. Another theory is that the gold may not be adhering to the surface of the TiO2 creating a cohesive metal/support interaction. The kinetics of CO preferential oxidation (PROX) catalyzed by the World Gold Council's nano-Au/TiO2 was studied to evaluate elementary and nonelementary empirical rate expressions. Information is readily available for CO fractional conversion for this catalyst below 0 degrees C. However, a comprehensive CO PROX kinetic model in which three reactions (CO oxidation, H2 oxidation and the water gas shift reaction) occur simultaneously is lacking. The reaction was carried out in a vertical packed bed micro-reactor testing unit; temperature was varied between 25 and 125 degrees C, and a range of feed rates were tested. In-situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) reaction data was analyzed; pre-exponential and activation energies are calculated for each kinetic model. Empirical rate expressions based on power law models were used to fit the experimental data. The reversible water gas shift reaction was found to play an important role when fitting the experimental data precisely and explained the selectivity decrease at higher reaction temperatures. The empirical kinetic model presented will be useful to simulate PROX operation parameters for many applications.

Kyoto University (京都大学) / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(地球環境学) / 甲第19155号 / 地環博第130号 / 新制||地環||26 / 32106 / 京都大学大学院地球環境学舎地球環境学専攻 / (主査)教授 ｼｮｳ ﾗｼﾞﾌﾞ, 教授 岡﨑 健二, 准教授 西前 出 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当

M. Tech. Internal Auditing / As an integral part of organisations' corporate governance structures and internal audit independence, the internal audit has been identified by many authors as a critical element underpinning the value that an internal audit delivers to organisations. This dissertation investigated whether an internal audit department that complies with the independence standards prescribed by the Institute of Internal Auditors is perceived as independent by all employees of the organisation.