Eco-efficiency improvements in manufacturing is a controversial subject for researchers, practitioners as well as policy makers. The widely accepted definition of "doing more with less" is not accurate enough to guide the design of improvements that can deliver products in a sustainable way. The outcome of these challenges is evident through significant environmental performance variations across various levels of manufacturing operations. The study is driven by the complexity of manufacturing systems and sought to offer design support for practitioners that aim to improve eco-efficiency. A maturity model has been developed in this work that simulates the influence of manufacturing practices on eco-efficiency. The model takes the form of a maturity grid (PMGE) that overlooks practices at process, management systems and top-management levels and incorporates 15 dimensions of performance overall. Evidence shows that practices tend to evolve from reactive to proactive as manufacturing systems mature and embrace eco- efficiency as a systemic property. It was also found that mature companies achieve improvements in energy and resources by relying on existing internal capabilities. Tools to facilitate research and intervene with practitioners in real-life problems were developed and tested. The researcher combined research findings and tools into a maturity-based method (PMGEM) for eco-efficiency improvements. The method intends to help practitioners plan and design eco- efficiency improvements aligned to existing internal capabilities and adopt a more proactive behaviour to environmental challenges. PMGEM was ultimately applied in two case studies with ultimate goal to help practitioners resolve real-life challenges. The applications were positively commented and encourage further work in this field. The researcher envisages that methods such as PMGEM are deeply needed in manufacturing to support practitioners approach complex concepts such as eco-efficiency. Simplification and decomposition techniques with a clear intended use can facilitate the implementation of ambitious improvement strategies for sustainable development.

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Children whose mental age is below ten years lack the ability to utilize incoming information perfectly enough to make fine phonetic distinctions among sounds. This is an experimental study of the growth and interrelationship between sound discrimination ability and mental age.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Michigan State University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 143-154). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Western Conservative Baptist Seminary, 1987. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 186-202).

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / The burial history, thermal maturity and petroleum generation history of the F-O Gas Field, Bredasdorp Basin have been studied using 3D basin and petroleum systems modelling approach. The investigated sedimentary basin for this study evolved around mid-late Jurassic to early Cretaceous times when Southern Africa rifted from South America. The F-O field is located 40 km SE of the F-A platform which supplies gas and condensate to the PetroSA ‘Gas to Liquid’ plant located in Mossel Bay. As data integration is an integral part of the applied modelling concept, 2D seismic profile and well data (i.e. logs and reports from four drilled wells) were integrated into a 3D structural model of the basin. Four source rock intervals (three from the Early Cretaceous stages namely; Hauterivian, Barremian, Aptian and one from the Late Cretaceous Turonian stage) were incorporated into the 3D model for evaluating source rock maturation and petroleum generation potential of the F-O Gas Field. Additionally, measured present-day temperature, vitrinite reflectance, source potential data, basin burial and thermal history and timing of source rock maturation, petroleum generation and expulsion were forwardly simulated using a 3D basin modelling technique. At present-day, Turonian source rock is mainly in early oil (0.55-0.7% VRo) window, while the Aptian and Barremian source rocks are in the main oil (0.7-1.0% VRo) window, and the Hauterivian source rock is mainly in the main oil (0.7-1.0% VRo) to late oil (1.0-1.3% VRo) window. In the entire four source rock intervals the northern domain of the modelled area show low transformation, indicated by low maturity values that are attributable to less overburden thickness. Petroleum generation begins in later part of Early Cretaceous, corresponding to high heat flow and rapid subsidence/ sedimentation rates. The Barremian and Aptian source rocks are the main petroleum generators, and both shows very high expulsion efficiencies. The modelling results however indicate that the younger Aptian source rock could be regarded as the best source rock out of the four modelled source rocks in the F-O field due to its quantity (i.e. highest TOC of 3%), quality (Type II with HI values of 400) and highest remaining potential. At present-day, ~1209 Mtons of hydrocarbons were cumulatively generated and peak generation occurred at ~43 Ma with over 581 Mtons generated. Finally, the results of this study can directly be applied for play to prospect risk analysis of the F-O gas field.

We examine the hypothesis that firm size affects the sensitivity of bank term loan maturity to its underlying determinants. As borrower size increases, negotiating power with the lender and information transparency increase, while the lender is able to spread the fixed costs of loan production across a larger dollar value of the loan. We find strong evidence of firm size dependency in the determinants of bank term loan maturity and show that this is unrelated to syndication. Only large borrowers can manipulate bank loan contract terms so as to increase firm value.

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The purpose of this study has been to examine how mature eight Swedish companies are in regards of IT- and agile maturity. Furthermore, how they can improve upon their IT- and agile maturity. The research objects of this study has been eight different organizations who all hired the same IT-consultancy. Information has been gathered through semi-structured interviews with respondents from each organization. The interviews were built upon a theoretical framework consisting of Ragowsky et al. (2012) IT-maturity model and Sidky et al. (2007) Agile Measurement Index (SAMI). We have attempted to combine the models into a matrix model that takes both types of maturity into account. The results have shown a greater level of IT-maturity than expected. Agile maturity on the other hand have been a contributing factor to failures in some of the projects. Although we have found that being mature in only one of the factors has been unusual. In conclusion, the organizations in our sample have shown high IT-maturity so the next challenge for Swedish organizations seems to be to acquire greater agile maturity.

Information security capability maturity (ISCM) is a journey towards accurate alignment of business and security objectives, security systems, processes, and tasks integrated with business-enabled IT systems, security enabled organizational culture and decision making, and measurements and continuous improvements of controls and governance comprising security policies, processes, operating procedures, tasks, monitoring, and reporting. Information security capability maturity may be achieved in five levels: performing but ad-hoc, managed, defined, quantitatively governed, and optimized. These five levels need to be achieved in the capability areas of information integrity, information systems assurance, business enablement, security processes, security program management, competency of security team, security consciousness in employees, and security leadership. These areas of capabilities lead to achievement of technology trustworthiness of security controls, integrated security, and security guardianship throughout the enterprise, which are primary capability domains for achieving maturity of information security capability in an organization. There are many factors influencing the areas of capabilities and the capability domains for achieving information security capability maturity. However, there is little existing study done on identifying the factors that contribute to achievement of the highest level of information security capability maturity (optimized) in an organization. This research was designed to contribute to this area of research gap by identifying the factors contributing to the areas of capabilities for achieving the highest level of information security capability maturity. The factors were grouped under the eight capability areas and the three capability domains in the form of an initial structural construct. This research was designed to collect data on all the factors using an online structured questionnaire and analyzing the reliability and validity of the initial structural construct following the methods of principal components analysis (PCA), Cronbach Alpha reliability analysis, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modeling. A number of multivariate statistical tests were conducted on the data collected regarding the factors to achieve an optimal model reflecting statistical significance, reliability, and validity. The research was conducted in four phases: expert panel and pilot study (first phase), principal component analysis (PCA) and reliability analysis (RA) of the factor scales (second phase), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using LISREL (third phase), and structural equation modeling (SEM) using LISREL (fourth phase). The final model subsequent to completing the four phases reflected acceptance or rejection of the eleven hypotheses defined in the initial structural construct of this study. The final optimized model was obtained with the most significant factors loading on the capability areas of information integrity, information security assurance, business enablement, security process maturity, security program management, competency of security team, security conscious employees, and security leadership, including the most significant factors loading the three capability domains of security technology trustworthiness, security integration, and security guardianship. All the eleven hypotheses were accepted as part of the optimal structural construct of the final model. The model provides a complex integrated framework of information security maturity requiring multi-functional advancements and maturity in processes, people, and technology, and organized security program management and communications fully integrated with the business programs and communications. Information security maturity is concluded as a complex function of multiple maturity programs in an organization leading to organized governance structures, multiple maturity programs, leadership, security consciousness, and risk-aware culture of employees.