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This thesis explores human resource management (HRM) adoption by investigating the influence of multiple HRM actors’ social position, capital resource(s) exchange mechanism, dispositions, social classes, habitus, social expectation, and national and global environmental factors. The objectives of this thesis were achieved through systematically conducting three different studies for the thesis. The first study was carried out to gain insight into the influence of social position on HRM academics’ adoption. The major contribution of this study was a theorising model on HRM academics’ adoption. It shows which capital resource is very sought after and how it plays a role in developing HRM academics’ dispositions, which in turn provides them with the drive and motivation to adopt western HRM ideas and knowledge. The second study was carried out to gain insight into the mechanism and formation of capital resource(s) exchange that influences HRM practitioners to adopt western HRM ideas, knowledge, and practices. The main contribution of this study comprised empirical insights into the importance and role of social class (élite and emerging class); habitus and socialisation (primary and secondary socialisation) as developers and controllers of the mechanism of capital resource(s) exchange; and formation of social position. The third study investigated a gap between accepted (adopted) HRM ideas and knowledge, and actual HRM practices. The major contribution of this study was its theorising on the factors that influence this gap. It explored the influences of conflicting factors such as actors’ professional and occupational orientation and position, social position, and social expectation, which develop the gap. This thesis adopted a qualitative abductive research approach. It conducted qualitative indepth interviews with 19 HRM academics, 15 MBA-Alumni HRM practitioners, and 10 non-MBA-Alumni HRM practitioners. Qualitative observation in two business schools and five business organisations in multiple industries was carried out to enrich the data collection. This thesis contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing insights into individual actors’ level HRM adoption, which is an underexplored area in Pakistan and similar developing countries. By employing theoretical and analytical tools based on Bourdieu’s theory of practices and social position, Rogers’s and Tarde’s theorising of adoption, and findings of empirical studies of macro institutions, cultural sensitive views, and institutional factors’ framework in the diffusion of HRM, this thesis explored, examined, and theorised HRM adoption at different individual actors’ level in business organisations and business schools in Pakistan. In that respect, this thesis theoretically contributes to Bourdieu’s theory and its unique use in international HRM, organisation studies, and management research. This thesis empirically contributes to the understanding of management and think tanks in business schools, business organisations, educators, HRM practitioners, and relevant government and regulatory bodies who can benefit from the findings of this research by understanding the different factors and social structures affecting western HRM’s effectiveness and its applications. It also suggests to these stakeholders the factors that affect individuals’ and employees’ adoption of western HRM and western management ideas, knowledge, and practices; any change in strategies, policies, and procedures; and problems in their implementation.

Nesta tese de doutoramento nós tivemos como principal objetivo desenvolver novos métodos para proteção da informação e computação quântica. Começamos, de forma introdutória, ilustrando os conceitos básicos e fundamentais da teoria da informação e computação quântica, como os bits quânticos (qubits), o operador densidade, o emaranhamento e as operações lógicas quânticas. Na seqüência, apresentamos os formalismos utilizados para tratar sistemas abertos, ou seja, sujeitos a erros, além das principais técnicas existentes a fim de proteger a informação quântica, como os códigos de correção de erros, os subespaços livres de erros e o desacoplamento dinâmico. Finalmente, baseando-nos na técnica de desacoplamento dinâmico, introduzimos um esquema de proteção para operações lógicas quânticas e o emaranhamentos entre qubits utilizando campos de alta freqüência. Ilustramos em detalhes a proteção da operação lógica quântica de Hadamard e do emaranhamento entre dois qubits, além de apresentarmos as principais diferenças e vantagens de nosso método quando comparado às técnicas tradicionais de desacoplamento dinâmico. / The main objective of this thesis is the development of a new procedure for quantum information and computation protection. We begin by briefly illustrating the basic concepts of quantum information and computation theory, such as quantum bits (qubits), density matrix operator, entanglement, and quantum logical operations. Subsequently, we present the formalism utilized to treat quantum open systems, i.e., systems subjected to errors, and the main strategies to protect quantum information, such as quantum error correction codes, decoherence-free subspaces, and dynamical decoupling. Finally, based on the dynamical decoupling strategies, we introduce a procedure to protect quantum logical operations and entanglement utilizing high-frequency continuous fields. We illustrate, in details, the protection of a Hadamard quantum gate and of entanglement between two qubits, and present the differences and advantages of our procedure when compared with traditional techniques of dynamical decoupling.

When an intense laser beam interacts with matter, the Kerr nonlinearity results in self-focusing. Above the critical intensity, self-focusing dominates pulse spreading through diffraction leading to continuous pulse narrowing and thus an increase of the laser peak intensity. Collapse is prevented through the fact that peak intensities ultimately reach a level where ionization occurs. The profile of ionized electrons represents a negative lens which balances Kerr nonlinear self-focusing and causes the formation of stable filaments. From filaments radiation is emitted in a cone around the filament which has been termed conical emission. Filament formation happens at non-perturbative intensities where the formalism of perturbative nonlinear optics loses its validity. This opens the question of how the Kerr nonlinearity behaves in the non-perturbative limit and how large the Kerr nonlinear coefficient is. The expression for the Kerr nonlinearity is derived by perturbation theory; the validity of this expression in the non-perturbative limit is questionable. Further, experimentally the Kerr nonlinear index is extracted from measurements of the self-focusing distance as a function of beam intensity which is called the Z-scan method. This method fails at non-perturbative intensities due to the presence of the negative lens coming from the ionized electrons. The effects of the positive focusing and negative self-defocusing lens cannot be separated by the Z-scan method. As a result, not much is known about the Kerr nonlinearity in the regime of non-perturbative nonlinear optics. The purpose of this thesis is twofold. First, recently it has been discovered that conical emission can be utilized as a broadband and very efficient amplification mechanism in the far infrared. The process has been dubbed Kerr instability amplification. The difference between conical emission and Kerr instability amplification is that they take place in two different regimes of the nonlinear interaction. Whereas conical emission grows out of noise and therewith only takes place once the pump pulse has been substantially restructured due to filamentation, Kerr instability amplification is seeded with a second pulse and therewith occurs long before filamentation happens. The theory developed for Kerr instability amplification has been developed based on a stability analysis of the scalar wave equation. This analysis has shown that with pump lasers in the 1-2 μm range amplification of infrared radiation up to the 10’s of μm can be achieved. For amplification over such a wide range it is not adhoc clear to which exent vectorial wave effects can be neglected. The first part of the thesis closes this gap by developing the vectorial theory of vector instability amplification. The second part uses the results derived for Kerr instability amplification to answer the question of how to measure the Kerr nonlinear index in the nonperturbative laser intensity limit. The idea rests on the fact that Kerr instability amplification is maximum for a specific angle between pump and seed beam which varies as a function of laser pump intensity. A relation is derived that connects this angle with the Kerr nonlinear refractive index. As a result, from the maximum angle measured as a function of pump intensity, both magnitude and functional form of the Kerr nonlinear index as a function of laser intensity can be determined.

A 13C and 6Li variable temperature NMR study of 2-ethylbutyllithium/lithium 2-ethyl-1-butoxide mixed aggregates formed from reacting 2-ethyl-1-butanol with 2-ethylbutyllithium in two O/Li ratios of 0.2/1 and 0.8/1. The 0.2/1 sample resulted in two 2-ethylbutyllithium/lithium 2-ethyl-1-butoxide mixed aggregates and seven lithium hydride/lithium 2-ethyl-1-butoxide mixed aggregates. The lithium hydride mixed aggregates were also studied using selective 1H decoupling experiments. The 0.8/1 sample resulted in six 2-ethylbutyllithium/lithium 2-ethyl-1-butoxide mixed aggregates and five lithium hydride/lithium 2-ethyl-1-butoxide mixed aggregates. A low temperature 13C NMR spectroscopy study of n-pentyllithium indicated three aggregates, most likely a hexamer, an octamer, and a nonamer. A low temperature 13C NMR study of an 0.2/1 O/Li ratio sample of n-pentyllithium mixed with 1-pentanol resulted in three n-pentyllithium/lithium n-pentoxide aggregates mixed aggregates along with the three n-pentyllithium aggregates. 13C NMR data for this mixture gave inconclusive results whether or not lithium hydride/lithium alkoxide mixed aggregates were present in the sample.

Examining corporate social investment (CSI) in South Africa through a lens of institutional theory, this study investigates the validity of criticisms found in literature and society of the practice of CSI in the country. Using a two-phase explanatory sequential research design, an initial quantitative study of archival data provides insights into the current state of CSI in South Africa. Regression and principal component analysis are then used to investigate the relationship between CSI levels and indicators for corporate financial performance and social need. A subsequent qualitative study utilising thematic analysis of interview data addresses questions arising from the quantitative analysis. Semi-structured interviews are conducted with leading corporate executives and academics in the field of CSI regarding their perceptions of the efficacy of CSI and the motivations driving corporate funding of CSI, including their concerns regarding CSI and suggestions for improvements. This study reveals profound concerns amongst corporate practitioners and in academia regarding the practice of CSI, including perceptions that the social impact of CSI is low and that the quality of many CSI programmes is poor. The motivations behind the funding of CSI were also seen to be largely inauthentic, with companies driven primarily by regulation or self-interest in their funding of CSI, rather than a sense of moral imperative. Companies appear to embrace CSI in an attempt to adhere to the social expectations and laws of society, thereby gaining legitimacy, stability, and improved long-term survival prospects. The formal structures and rhetoric surrounding CSI have become decoupled from the underlying activities that characterise its practice, however, a result of relative corporate indifference to its social impact. This ceremonial commitment to the practice of CSI has led to an emphasis on the optics rather than the impact of CSI activities. The results of this study suggest that enhanced incentives or disincentives and greater accountability may be required in order to make CSI contributions more impactful, as may improvements to best practices in the field.

International organisations and global businesses aim to achieve green growth through the decoupling of economic growth and environmental impacts. However, increased evidence calls into question the approach of green growth, that has been adopted by international institutions such as the UN and the OECD. The current indication is that there is no significant decoupling taking place and substantial theoretical barriers remain for it to occur. From that basis I investigate how businesses use narratives related to decoupling and green growth to manage legitimacy while pursuing the conflicting goals of both economic growth and environmental sustainability. This is achieved through document analysis and thematic analysis of sustainability reports from 50 of the world’s largest transnational corporations. The narratives are then analysed from the perspective of legitimacy theory. I identify seven narratives: i) Businesses recognise the problems, ii) Action is being taken, iii) Goals have basis in science, iv) Technology and innovation provide the solutions, v) Businesses offer crucial benefits, vi) Businesses are at the hands of demand and vii) External action is needed. These are then derived into strategies using legitimacy theory and two overarching themes are identified, the narratives mitigating businesses' negative ties to environmental impacts and communicate that businesses are conforming to societal expectations. The narrative findings and legitimacy strategies show similarities with previous research, while the latter also makes new contributions to the field. The novel findings that have not been discussed in the context of sustainability reports previously are customer demand, external action from governments, and the emphasis on technology and innovation paving the way for green growth. Furthermore, businesses are shown to pay little attention to barriers towards green growth and the findings give clear indication that companies are currently dedicated to the sustainability approach of green growth despite the lack of scientific evidence.

No description available.

Climate change is one of the highest priority problems which needs to be addressed. The Paris Agreement focuses on zero-carbon solutions and to stop global warming while the United Nations highlights 17 sustainability goals. Climate action is one of those goals aiming to increase resilience to climate hazards and implement national policies and strategies towards climate change. Economic growth is also one of the United Nation’s sustainability goals and should not be compromised. This thesis is investigating how economic growth can be maintained while reducing carbon emissions. To reach this objective carbon emissions need to be decoupled from economic growth and this study analyses the key factors that drive decoupling and how the objective can be achieved. The study was performed over 14 countries during 2000 to 2019 within the EU, using secondary data from open sources. Tapio’s decoupling elasticity model was considered for the observed countries, and a quantitative analysis over carbon emissions, economic growth and several other variables was performed over the panel data using regression models. The shape of the environmental curve was alsoinvestigated using a regression model. The results showed that carbon emissions can be decoupled from economic growth where renewable energy, environmental patents and investments in research and development are key factors. Renewable energy is considered as a proxy for new technologies while environmental patents and investments in research and development, as proxies for innovation. Energyconsumption played a vital role since it decreased less than carbon emissions during those years, but at the same time economic growth could be increased. The quantitative analysis showed that renewable energy, energy intensity, environmental patents, foreign direct investments, and population growth aresignificant factors that can reduce carbon emissions. It is also shown that increases in gross domestic product (GDP) drives carbon emissions increases. The analysis provided indications for an N-shaped environmental curve. Investments in renewable energy, environmental patents and energy efficiency are principal factors to reach the climate goals of reducing carbon emissions without sacrificing economic growth. For future research, it would be interesting to see how individual sectors or clusters of countriesare affecting the results. Another suggestion is to study the pandemic period (2020-2021) and the effect of the latest energy crisis linked with the war in Ukraine to understand the impacts on carbon emissions and economic growth.

On-chip supply voltage fluctuations are known to adversely affect performance parameters of VLSI circuits. These power supply fluctuations reduce drive capability, causes reliability issues, decrease noise margin and also adversely affect timing. Technology scaling further aggravates the problem as IR and Ldi/dt noise sources increase with each device generation. Current method used to reduce power supply variations uses an on-chip decoupling capacitors (decaps). These MOS capacitors utilize significant die area with about 15%-20% common for high-end microprocessors [4]. They also consume a considerable amount of power due to leakage and are prone to oxide breakdown during an ESD event because of reduced oxide thickness, making MOS capacitors unsuitable for technologies 90 nm and below. To improve the effectiveness of decap and reduce decap’s area, a new active decap design is proposed for 90 nm technology.