Date: 23rd November, 2009   Level: Master Thesis in International Business and Entrepreneurship (EFO705), 15 credits   Authors: Karakawat Sarasalin (830117-T255)    Thitiporn Watthanachai (831031-T124) ksn08001@student.mdh.se                       twi08001@student.mdh.se Title: The internationalization process of Red Bull from the perspectives of global expansion Supervisor: Jean-Charles Languilaire Problem Statement: How did RED BULL manage to be as an important central international market player? Purpose: The purpose of this research is to describe the internationalization process of Red Bull; how Red Bull created, sustained and developed?   Method: We mainly use secondary data and the qualitative data. Qualitative data in the form of interview questions through e-mailing. But we also use quantitative method based on documental research from books and internet.   Conclusion: Red Bull does not follow the standard pattern of establishment chain presented in the Uppsala model. Its establishment chain is composed of three stages: licensing ,wholly owned sales subsidiaries and jointed venture. Red Bull has developed strong market within the beverage industry network and strong bonds with its external suppliers. The expansion decisions of Red Bull have been influenced by the factors. Red Bull developed in the European market, we found that it careful consideration about both internal and external factors, Red Bull usually prefers to conquer a new market with a relevant low risk entry mode. Keywords: Red Bull, internationalization, network, factors

No description available.

Hyaluronan, an unbranched glycosaminoglycan of the extracellular matrix, has an amazingly simple structure. Initially thought to fulfil only hydrating and space-filling functions in tissues, evidence generated during the past decades shows that hyaluronan is involved in intriguingly complex signalling events in health and disease. In cancer, increased hyaluronan levels have been correlated with poor patient survival. The research underlying this thesis sheds light on the interplay between hyaluronan, its producing and degrading enzymes as well as the triggered intracellular signalling in the metastatic cascade. Utilising breast cancer and normal mammary cells, paper I and II investigate the initial steps of tumour progression: proliferation, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Hyaluronan synthase 2 plays a central role in all these processes. In paper III, the focus is shifted toward growth factor-induced hyaluronan production. Stimulation with PDGF-BB, which can be secreted by tumour cells, increased hyaluronan production via upregulation of HAS2 in fibroblast cultures. Finally, paper IV discusses the involvement of hyaluronidases and CD44 in angiogenesis and intravasation – events that are associated with advanced cancer stages.

This study aimed to apply human factors methods to identify potentially unsafe aspects of a radiation therapy delivery system at Princess Margaret Hospital, and to provide recommendations accordingly. Analyses were conducted to examine the workflow, work environment and user interfaces involved in the treatment process. Based on findings from these analyses, components of the user interface were redesigned to address some of the issues found. Sixteen radiation therapy students were then used to experimentally evaluate the redesigned interface through a usability test. Compared to the current interface, the error rates of two common errors were significantly lower, and the average task completion time was significantly shorter when the redesigned interface was used. Results from a post-test questionnaire also indicated a high degree of satisfaction with the redesigned interface. Therefore, human factors methods can be applied to evaluate and design radiation therapy systems for improved error rates, efficiency and user satisfaction.

This study aimed to apply human factors methods to identify potentially unsafe aspects of a radiation therapy delivery system at Princess Margaret Hospital, and to provide recommendations accordingly. Analyses were conducted to examine the workflow, work environment and user interfaces involved in the treatment process. Based on findings from these analyses, components of the user interface were redesigned to address some of the issues found. Sixteen radiation therapy students were then used to experimentally evaluate the redesigned interface through a usability test. Compared to the current interface, the error rates of two common errors were significantly lower, and the average task completion time was significantly shorter when the redesigned interface was used. Results from a post-test questionnaire also indicated a high degree of satisfaction with the redesigned interface. Therefore, human factors methods can be applied to evaluate and design radiation therapy systems for improved error rates, efficiency and user satisfaction.

No description available.

All these years, safety is the most important element of military and civil aviation transports and ¡§Zero Mishap¡¨ is the goal for military and civil aviation industries trying to achieve. However, Taiwan military and civil aviation safety was not satisfactory in the past decade: Taiwan¡¦s civil aviation mishap rate is 3 to 4 times of world average rate and more than 70% mishaps are caused by so-called ¡§Human Factors¡¨, especially by ¡§Pilot Errors¡¨. Fatal accidents always come with Human Errors; therefore, Human Errors Reviews are very important for promoting aviation safety. The Crew Resource Management (CRM) is the non-technical method to eliminate Human Errors and promote aviation safety used by world¡¦s aviation industries. And it has been proven to be the best way for eliminating Human Errors and promoting Aviation Safety. People pay much attention to the concept of CRM because its close link with aviation safety. In this research, the concept of CRM used in civil aviation industry was applied on naval aviation. The key factors influencing the CRM were discovered by the expert questionnaire and verbal evaluations, and then the CRM Checklist was formatted. The CRM Checklist can be used in aviation operations and will be helpful for Human Error Elimination and Aviation Safety Promotion. This research is able to sort Pilot¡¦s CRM risk aspects and factors determined by Verbal Evaluation Aggregation Function. And it proves that Pilot¡¦s CRM risk factors Model is feasible and extensible. The top risk factors in all aspects of CRM surveys, determined by Verbal Evaluation Aggregation Function, are Abnormal/ Emergency Procedure Proficiency (Situation Awareness Aspect), Communication in Emergency Situation (Communication Skills Aspect), Decisive Action Taking in Necessary Condition (Team Work Aspect), Mission Assigning in Contingency (Mission Assigning Aspect), and Safe Operation Containing (Decision Making Aspect).

This study investigates socio-cultural factors that impact the lives of highly creative writers, specifically, novelists in a specific socio-cultural context, Turkey. Research objectives included the investigation of the definition of creativity, creative processes and products by highly creative Turkish writers, and socio-cultural factors that influenced the development of their creativity. The qualitative case study was used and interviews with four participants, or cases, shed light onto the focus of the study. Four novelists who fit certain criteria were selected: (a) they have invented, designed, and produced creative work regularly and their work has influenced Turkish literature; (b) they were Turkish citizens who have lived 75% of their lives in Turkey and received their education in Turkey; and (c) they varied in age and gender. The participants were Yaşar Kemal (85, male), Adalet Ağaoğlu (81, female), Mario Levi (51, male), and Latife Tekin (51, female). Interviews with the participants were transcribed, translated from Turkish into English, and analyzed. The constant comparative method (Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Lincoln & Guba, 1985) was used as the method of analysis. Other documents about the participants were also used as data sources. Results indicate that participants’ views of creativity resemble both Western and non-Western views of creativity and their views of creative processes and products are similar to former research findings on creative individuals and creativity in general. Overarching themes include (a) environmental catalysts that prompted creativity; (b) emotional and professional support networks in participants’ lives; and (c) participants’ self-efficacy. Although environmental catalysts include events that cause both positive and negative emotions, two of the participants emphasize the role of negative feelings, such as anger and sadness, in the stimulation of creativity. The participants have had various sources of support from either certain individuals, such as a teacher or a friend, or groups of individuals, such as their readers. Participants’ self-efficacy emerges from various personality traits such as determination, persistence, rebelliousness, outspokenness, and independence. Findings indicate that education is an important socio-cultural factor that can enhance or hinder creativity and that teachers have a crucial role in the development of their students.

This research is to improve the efficiency of present prediction factors. It has been tested that many factors have prediction power toward stocks returns. Although the prediction power is not stable, the factors are still valuable. This research analyzes preceding factors by neural network in order to make better use of these factors. Besides, we examine 15 companies respectively and compare the results between neural network and liner regression of those companies. Data are divided into training period and prediction period. We use data of training period to build up our model and test the model by the data from prediction period to verify the prediction powers of the models. The results show neural network has better solution compared to liner regression in both training and prediction period. Neural network is more precision and has less prediction error.

The impacts that environmental factors brought to the population of the Formosan landlocked salmon are discussed in this paper and the evidence results indicate that the air temperature and typhoon have taken negative effect during past 15 years. Under the population simulations, without considering the environmental factors, it is clear that the population growth rate tends towards a steady state in the long run. On the contrary, the population would be in decline or suffer the extermination while we consider those factors.