Made available in DSpace on 2010-04-20T21:00:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 4 Thiago de Orlando e Albuquerque.pdf.jpg: 2856 bytes, checksum: 2e342e59aa139461c7c4477d985645bd (MD5) Thiago de Orlando e Albuquerque.pdf.txt: 92913 bytes, checksum: 3f2f950cd83239cbd5fe7f078ce8e9f9 (MD5) license.txt: 4712 bytes, checksum: 4dea6f7333914d9740702a2deb2db217 (MD5) Thiago de Orlando e Albuquerque.pdf: 1204149 bytes, checksum: 68b752f540a7c19019009ab018574c67 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-08-14T00:00:00Z / This paper extends the methodology of Fama and French (1988) to test the hypothesis described in the theory of storage that the marginal convenience yield on inventory falls at a decreasing rate as inventory increases. As Samuelson (1965) describes, the theory implies that spot and futures price variations will be similar when inventories are high, but futures prices are less variable than spot prices when inventory is low. I test the hypothesis by examining the relative variation of spot and futures prices for WTI crude oil, aluminum and copper based on the Fama and French (1988) method that uses the interest-adjusted basis as a proxy of high and low inventories. Results for the metals are, in general, consistent with the theory of storage, even testing for subperiods, including the boom and burst in the prices of commodities occurred in 2005-2008. For the price of oil, however, some of the results do not hold, especially for the longer contracts, showing that other factors rather than stocks, supply and demand (e.g. speculation) may be driving spot and/or future prices. / Esse estudo estende a metodologia de Fama e French (1988) para testar a hipótese derivada da Teoria dos Estoques de que o convenience yield dos estoques diminui a uma taxa decrescente com o aumento de estoque. Como descrito por Samuelson (1965), a Teoria implica que as variações nos preços à vista (spot) e dos futuros (ou dos contratos a termo) serão similares quando os estoques estão altos, mas os preços futuros variarão menos que os preços à vista quando os estoques estão baixos. Isso ocorre porque os choques de oferta e demanda podem ser absorvidos por ajustes no estoque quando este está alto, afetando de maneira similar os preços à vista e futuros. Por outro lado, quando os estoques estão baixos, toda a absorção dos choques de demanda ou oferta recai sobre o preço à vista, uma vez que os agentes econômicos têm pouca condição de reagir à quantidade demandada ou ofertada no curto prazo.

Magister Commercii (Industrial Psychology) - MCom (IPS) / Organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) has been documented as an important work outcome that correlates positively with positive job performance. Engagement in OCBs is not a random event, and it depends on a myriad of factors that include the organisation's ability to put in place measures to develop employees' emotional intelligence. Change-oriented leadership plays a pivotal role in fostering emotional intelligence and the engagement in OCBs as the 21st century organisation strives to adapt to changes in the external environment. The primary goal of the study was to conduct an investigation of the relationships between change-oriented leadership, emotional intelligence and OCB. The secondary aim of the study was to validate a theoretical model explaining the structural relationships between these variables in a South African University. A convenience sample consisting of 206 support staff at a selected university in the Western Cape Province was drawn. Generally, high levels of reliability were found in the sub-scales of the latent variables. In addition, the unidimensionality of the sub-scales was tested using exploratory factor analyses (EFA). The overall measurement and structural models were ascertained using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural modelling, respectively, using the LISREL 8.80 software. The Reasonable model fit was found for the overall measurement model of the specific latent variables through confirmatory factor analyses (CFA). Structural equation modelling (SEM) also showed reasonable model fit for the structural model.

abstract: The humans-food relationship is a 2.5 million year old, symbiotic connection of “living together” which encouraged a “system of communication up and down the food chain” (Pollan, 2008). (Reardon, 2015). Many researchers agree that this connection is a critical foundation for a beneficial relationship with food and engaging in healthy eating behaviors (McKeown, 2010; Neumark-Stainer et al., 2007; Ristovski-Slejepcevic et al., 2008; Simontacchi, 2007). Against the backdrop of a steadily increasing obesity rate and associated spending, it is critical to approach this issue from a systematic perspective such as understanding the powers that impact the consumer-food relationship (Aronne and Havas, 2009). Experts agree that the rapid increase in convenience food environments has contributed to an obesogenic foodscape that has negatively impacted consumers’ understanding of and interactions with food, resulting in consumption of nutritionally poor food, over-nutrition and chronic illness (Brownell and Battle-Horgen, 2004; Nestle, 2002). Additionally, designers and researchers are beginning to recognize the influence the built environment can have on actions (Patel, 2012; Wansink, 2010), behaviors and attitudes (Gallagher, 1993), even hindering or encouraging one to partake in healthy behaviors (Mikkelsen, 2011; Story et al., 2008). The goal of this study is to understand modern built convenience food environment design and its potential to impact the consumer-food relationship. This study utilizes a heavily qualitative approach, structured by a grounded theory methodology due to the lack of existing research (Martin & Hanington, 2012; O’Leary, 2010) and triangulates utilizing an analysis of secondary research, environmental audit through observations and a survey. The final result will be a compilation of design suggestions, based on those findings, for designing a BCCFE that encourages a healthy relationship between the consumer and food. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Design 2015

O presente estudo pretende oferecer uma interpretação da reflexão moral de Montaigne que se opõe àquelas que a vêem centrada na alegação da passividade do ensaísta, reduzindo-a à prescrição de uma subordinação pragmática às leis e aos costumes e fazendo dos Ensaios uma mera descrição da condição humana. Através da leitura daqueles ensaios em que Montaigne mais parece passivo (nos quais tais interpretações justamente apóiam suas hipóteses), acreditamos encontrar os modos de operação de uma ação discreta, pautada pela exigência de adequação aos objetos e às circunstâncias, uma ação que abre espaço para o livre jogo das paixões segundo a conveniência. Espera-se, com isso, resgatar a dimensão normativa dos Ensaios, seja lançando luz sobre as preocupações permanentes do autor com a própria liberdade (sempre ameaçada pelo risco da servidão aos afetos), seja chamando a atenção dos leitores para o Montaigne político, atento aos riscos que a ambição, as inovações e os remédios extremos (a perfídia) trazem para ordem pública e, ao mesmo tempo, ocupado em sugerir (através do exemplo de seus mandatos à frente da mairie de Bordeaux) parâmetros para uma ação política discreta. / The present study has the purpose of responding to the commentators who interpret Michel de Montaignes thought under the key of passivity and see a complete absence of an ethics on the essays and reduce all montaigniana morality to a pragmatic subordination to the laws and costumes, and also seeing the Essays as a mere description of the human condition. Reading the essays in which Montaignes passivity seems attain his higher level (where such commentaries exactly base their hypotheses on) we sought to find the operating ways of a discreet action, ruled by that the objects and their circumstances impose; an action in which passions are gladly admitted only when it is convenient. We expect here to recover the Essays normative dimension, be it through shedding light on the authors permanent concern with his own freedom (always threatened by the risk of the servitude to affections), be it drawing the readers attention to the politician Montaigne, aware of the risks that ambition, innovations and grievous remedies (the perfidy) bring to the public order and, at the same time, able to suggest (through the example of his mandates ahead of mairie de Bordeaux) some patterns for a discreet political action.

Enquanto faz suas compras, o consumidor despende tempo e esforço para a realização de várias tarefas como o deslocamento até a loja, a busca por informação sobre o produto desejado, a localização do produto dentro da loja até sua efetiva posse, após a finalização da transação no caixa. É a conveniência o atributo que minimiza os gastos de tempo e esforço do consumidor durante todas as etapas do processo de compra. Sua importância é crescente, na medida em que os recursos não-monetários de tempo e energia se tornam escassos e, conseqüentemente, mais valorizados na sociedade contemporânea. Neste contexto, objetivouse neste trabalho, o estudo da conveniência como necessidade do consumidor moderno, com a finalidade de determinar se ela varia em distintos formatos de varejo. Sendo assim, esta necessidade é estudada no shopping center, um formato de varejo tradicional composto por lojas, e no varejo eletrônico, um formato sem lojas, de expansão recente. A comparação entre os formatos de varejo se deu pela determinação das dimensões do constructo necessidade de conveniência em cada um deles, bem como pela identificação dos tipos mais importantes de conveniência na composição do constructo em cada formato. A pesquisa teve caráter exploratório, quantitativo, sendo realizada por meio de um levantamento, aplicado em meio eletrônico. Os resultados mostraram que a necessidade de conveniência na amostra estudada varia entre formatos, indicando não se tratar de uma necessidade intrínseca do consumidor. A conveniência constitui, portanto, uma necessidade dinâmica, que se modifica de acordo com o contexto de compra. Foram identificadas, para o shopping center, quatro dimensões da necessidade de conveniência: acesso, busca, transação e posse. No varejo eletrônico, porém, esta necessidade se desdobra em apenas três tipos, com as conveniências de acesso e busca formando uma única dimensão. Além disso, na composição da necessidade de conveniência total dos consumidores, identificou-se relevância predominante de um tipo de conveniência distinto em cada formato de varejo. No shopping center, observou-se a predominância da conveniência de transação, enquanto no varejo eletrônico, o tipo mais relevante foi a conveniência de acesso e busca. Estes resultados indicam que os esforços para a criação de um composto de conveniência no varejo devem levar em conta as especificidades de cada formato. / Consumers spend time and effort to complete several tasks while shopping. These tasks include the trip to the store, the search for information on the desired product as well as locating the product they wish to purchase and completing the checkout process. Convenience is the attribute which minimizes the time and effort spent by the consumer in the buying processes stages. Its importance is growing as the non-monetary resources of time and energy become scarce and consequently more valued in contemporary society. This study has aimed to investigate convenience as a modern consumers need which has been analyzed in two different retail formats. The first one was the shopping center, a traditional format composed by stores and the second was electronic retailing, a non-store format of recent growth. The dimensionality of the need for convenience construct was assessed and the dimensions were compared across formats in terms of their composition and relevance for the overall construct. To accomplish the proposed goals, a quantitative research of exploratory nature has been undertaken by the administration of an online survey. It was found that the need for convenience varies according to the retail format for the sample studied. This result indicates that the need for convenience is not an enduring consumer need but a dynamic necessity that changes between different shopping contexts. Four dimensions have been identified for the shopping center, which are access, search, transaction and possession. However, for electronic retailing only three dimensions were obtained since the access and search conveniences have formed a single dimension. In addition, the relevance of each dimension in the overall construct composition was examined. It was found the predominance of one convenience type for each format, namely the transaction convenience for the shopping center and the access and search convenience for electronic retailing. These results indicate that the efforts toward the creation of a retailers convenience offer should take into consideration the particularities of each retail format.

Pas de résumé / Doctorat en droit / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

A situational interview was developed for use in the selection of convenience store cashiers. One hundred two newly hired cashiers were interviewed using the situational interview. Ninety days later, a performance appraisal was completed for all subjects who were still employed. There was no significant difference in interview scores between those still working 90 days after hire and those who were not (t = 1.14, df = 100, n.s.). Correlations between the total interview scores and the total performance appraisal scores were generally very low or negative. Potential explanations for the failure of the interview to predict turnover or job performance are discussed

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MSc(Consumer Science))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Consumer Science / unrestricted

South Africa is faced with a situation where-by the general public has a negative perception of public transport. It is a fact that generally the lower income employees use public transport to get to work and back, whether it is buses, taxis, or trains. In the past, the combination of users and misinformed planning philosophies led to interchanges/ranks that were un-user friendly, and uninviting. However, the South African government has embarked upon a campaign to make public transport the heartbeat of the South African economy, and to improve the general public perception. Along with the hosting of the 2010 Soccer World Cup, the country finds itself under pressure to implement a safe, efficient, and user-friendly public transport system. This dissertation investigates means and principles of designing functional interchanges that incorporate civic activity and participation. Beyond Function seeks to recapture the social dimension of transport interchanges since; these are the converging or meeting spaces and gateways into the cities, there exists a need to be celebrated. The philosophical orientation is towards commuter convenient facilities, thus heightening the spirit of travel. / Dissertation (MArch (Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Architecture / unrestricted

Food quality is a vital factor for the success of many food facilities, Fast food facilities may, however, depend on factors along with food quality to attract patrons. This study attempted to find out if food quality is a major factor prompting customers to eat at a fast food facility. Burger King Corporation was selected to ascertain to what degree quality served to attract business. Data was collected by means of a questionnaire handed to passersby at the Miami International Mall and the Miami Dade Mall to find out the reason why patrons who ate at Burger King selected it. Six factors were covered: fast service, food quality, price, location, advertising and child preference. Results showed that food quality was fourth in prompting customers to eat at Burger King. Location, fast service and price were ranked first, second and third in importance.