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We seem to hold corporations to an impossible standard. We call for profit maximization, but at the same time want to place strict limits on the methods corporations may use to obtain them. In this thesis, I explore two popular theories of the corporation: stakeholder theory and shareholder theory. I examine the degree to which each theory explains the corporation as it exists today, as defined in the law and through its behavior, but also the theories‘ normative appeal. I conclude by positing what I find to be the best normative account of the corporation: a theory of how we should structure the corporation in the United States so it is the most morally-defensible.

Submitted by BKAB Setor Proc. Técnicos FGV-SP (biblioteca.sp.cat@fgv.br) on 2013-02-22T14:59:33Z No. of bitstreams: 1 1197900927.pdf: 17676237 bytes, checksum: b1cf41c44c563b2df10719a423c0b002 (MD5) / É objetivo deste trabalho a ánalise comparada do pensamento de dois economista: Milton Frideman que acredita no capitalismo como um sistema que garante a maximização do desenvolvimento e Joan Robinson cujos são diferentes e que propõe o socialismo como solução mais plausível para os problemas econômicos que atingem a maioria dos povos. Esta análise nos permitirá compreender melhor como são tratados e explicados os problemas sócio-econômicos partindo de premissas diferentes sobre suas causas.

The purpose of the study was to figure out a good and an effective way to learn how to master extended trumpet techniques in order to be able to play the piece Solus (1975) by Stanley Friedman (b. 1951) for unaccompanied solo trumpet. To gain a deeper understanding of the composer’s intentions, the study also includes a music analysis of Solus. Various methodological approaches were used: sheet music and performance instructions, own practice, digital tools, recordings, literature and trumpet method books. The results of the study indicate that five different extended trumpet techniques were identified and analysed. They were slide glissandi, flutter tongue, pedal tones, singing and open trigger. For slide glissandi, it was important to separate the technique into smaller portions, to first practice without glissandi in order to embody the music and then practice glissandi separately. For flutter tongue, airflow and a relaxed tongue were essential. Pedal tones require time to master and using trumpet method books was a great way to improve the pedal register. For singing in the third movement of Solus, it was useful to practice singing and even screaming, both in private and in front of an audience. The open trigger technique was mastered by practicing with a drone, using digital tools, and to practice playing the open trigger notes with open fingerings. It was very rewarding to master the extended trumpet techniques in the piece Solus and it will be of great use for any performer.

There is a growing interest in robust and nonparametric methods with engineering applications, due to the nature of the data. Here, we study two power systems engineering applications that employ or recommend robust and nonparametric methods; topology error identification and voltage calibration. Topology errors are a well-known, well-documented problem for utility companies. A topology error occurs when a line's status in a power network, whether active or deactive, is misclassified. This will lead to an incorrect Jacobian matrix used to estimate the unknown parameters of a network in a nonlinear regression model. We propose a solution using nonlinear regression techniques to identify the correct status of every line in the network by deriving a statistical model of the power flows and injections while employing Kirchhoff's Current Law. Simulation results on the IEEE-118 bus system showed that the methodology was able to detect where topology errors occurred as well as identify gross measurement errors. The Friedman Two-Way Analysis of Variance by Ranks test is advocated to calibrate voltage measurements at a bus in a power network. However, it was found that the Friedman test was only slightly more robust or resistant in the presence of discordant measurements than the classical F-test. The resistance of a statistical test is defined as the fraction of bad data necessary to switch a statistical conclusion. We mathematically derive the maximum resistance to rejection and to acceptance of the Friedman test, as well as the Brown-Mood test, and show that the Brown-Mood test has a higher maximum resistance to rejection and to acceptance than the Friedman test. In addition, we simulate the expected resistance to rejection and to acceptance of both tests and show that on average the Brown-Mood test is slightly more robust to rejection while on average the Friedman test is more robust to acceptance. / Ph. D.

Submitted by Fabio Sobreira Campos da Costa (fabio.sobreira@ufpe.br) on 2016-07-28T15:26:06Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) DISSERTAÇÃO BIB CENTRAL SALIM ARRUDA.pdf: 4318932 bytes, checksum: a6d753eb3af831ca1aa8c18f6f631669 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-28T15:26:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) DISSERTAÇÃO BIB CENTRAL SALIM ARRUDA.pdf: 4318932 bytes, checksum: a6d753eb3af831ca1aa8c18f6f631669 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-26 / PRH-L8 Petrobrás / O acúmulo de resíduos plásticos em aterros sanitários, rios e ilhas, além da contaminação da fauna e da flora com esses dejetos, acarretou uma pesquisa intensa em materiais biodegradáveis que possam substituir os tradicionais materiais sintéticos advindos do petróleo. Os polímeros biodegradáveis são uma opção que vem sendo constantemente estudada e que pode, em um futuro próximo, competir com os polímeros a base de petróleo. O Poli (3-hidroxibutirato) (PHB) é um polímero produzido por bactérias que utilizam a sacarose da cana de açúcar ou do milho como fonte de alimento. O PHB possui características interessantes como biodegradabilidade, sustentabilidade, plasticidade e sua durabilidade. Porém, ele possui um maior custo, além de ser duro e quebradiço e termicamente instável durante o processamento. Portanto, torna-se necessário o estudo da cristalização do PHB atrelado a fibras de babaçu, com o intuito de diminuir o custo do compósito, além de buscar melhorias nas propriedades térmicas, como cristalinidade relativa, taxa de cristalização, temperatura do pico de cristalização, entre outras variáveis. Neste trabalho foram estudados os parâmetros de cristalização a partir do fundido para o sistema PHB/20% fibra de babaçu conduzidos a diferentes taxas de resfriamento (2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16 e 24 °C/min) e fluxo de nitrogênio a 50 mL/min e, posteriormente, esses parâmetros de cristalização, como a granulometria, tempo de processamento e diferentes partes do babaçu, foram comparados para as diferentes taxas de resfriamento. Uma segunda análise foi realizada para os parâmetros de cristalização a frio conduzidos a diferentes taxas de aquecimento. A partir do tratamento de dados obtidos para os parâmetros de cristalização a partir do fundido, realizou-se a modelagem cinética para os modelos de Pseudo-Avrami, Ozawa e Mo. Entre as modelagens, o modelo de Pseudo-Avrami apresentou a melhor correlação com os dados experimentais com erro relativo de aproximadamente 5%. O modelo de Ozawa apresentou um erro em torno de 8% e Mo aproximadamente 10%. A análise da energia de ativação foi realizada a partir do Método Isoconversional de Friedman, obtendo energias de ativação negativas, indicativo que há reações complexas na cristalização a partir do fundido para o sistema PHB/20% fibra de babaçu. / The accumulation of plastic waste in landfills, rivers and islands, as well as the contamination of fauna and flora with these wastes, led to intensive research into biodegradable materials that can replace traditional synthetic materials. Biodegradable polymers are an option that has been constantly studied and that may, in the near future, compete with petroleum-based polymers. Poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) is a polymer produced by bacteria that use sucrose from sugar cane or corn as a food source. PHB has interesting features such as biodegradability, sustainability, plasticity and durability. However, it has a high cost, in addition to being hard and brittle and thermally unstable during processing. Therefore, it was found convenient to study the crystallization of PHB/20% babassu compounds, with the intention of reducing the cost of the composite, in addition to seeking improvements in thermal properties such as relative crystallinity, crystallization rate, peak crystallization temperature, etc. In this work, the parameters of melt crystallization were studied for PHB/20% babassu compounds driven at different cooling rates (2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16 and 24°C/min) under a nitrogen flow of 50 ml/min. Subsequently, crystallization parameters determined in compounds prepared with different filler particle size, processing times, and different parts of babassu, were compared for different cooling rates. A second analysis was performed for the parameters of cold crystallization conducted at different heating rates. A kinetic analysis of data obtained for melt crystallization, using Pseudo-Avrami, Ozawa, and Mo models was performed. Among the models studied, Pseudo-Avrami showed the best correlation with experimental data, with relative error about 5%. The Ozawa model presented a discrepancy around 8% and Mo approximately 10%. The activation energy was estimated using the isoconversional Friedman method, obtaining negative activation energies, which suggests that there are complex reactions involved in the crystallization from the melt in the system PHB/20% babassu.

D’un point de vue théorique, la délégation de la gestion au sein de l’industrie des fonds communs de placement présente un conflit d’intérêt important. Les investisseurs désirent maximiser leur rendement ajusté pour leur risque, tandis que les gestionnaires sont davantage motivés par leurs propres intérêts personnels. Le présent mémoire s’intéresse à l’incidence du rendement d’un gestionnaire sur son comportement de prise de risque. Brown al. (1996) font partie des premiers auteurs à étudier ce phénomène, qu’ils appellent l’effet tournoi. L’hypothèse de tournoi amené par ceux-ci stipule que les gestionnaires ayant connu de mauvaises performances relativement aux pairs pendant les six premiers mois d’une année sont tentés d’altérer le risque de leur portefeuille avant la fin de l’année. Leur motivation est de ne pas finir en bas du classement relatif. Notre échantillon est composé de 16 965 fonds communs de placement américains orientés croissance et petites capitalisations croissance, sur la période du 2 janvier 1996 au 31 décembre 2012. Nous testons d’abord l’hypothèse de tournoi dans notre échantillon avec des mesures de risque total et systématique ex post et ex ante, via des tables de contingence et de tests de Friedman (1920). Nous visons ainsi à confronter la littérature qui emploie majoritairement des mesures de risque réalisées, ainsi que des tables de contingence. Nos résultats montrent que le choix de la mesure de risque a une incidence importante sur les conclusions relatives à l’hypothèse de tournoi. Nous exposons par ailleurs que les gestionnaires aux rendements relatifs les plus faibles au cours des six premiers mois de l’année (les perdants) ont l’intention de hausser davantage leur risque total et systématique conditionnel au cours du dernier semestre de l’année, comparativement aux autres gestionnaires (les gagnants). Nous analysons ensuite spécifiquement le comportement des gestionnaires gagnants de fonds communs de placement. Plus précisément, nous vérifions si le risque systématique (résiduel) des fonds communs de placement se rapproche de un (zéro) suite à l’évaluation relative des gestionnaires. À cet effet, nous employons des tests de Friedman (1920) avec deux blocs temporels de deuxième période, à savoir un mois et six mois. Nos résultats exposent bien la dynamique de la prise de risque de ces gestionnaires. En outre, nos conclusions relatives au bloc temporel d’un mois sont davantage significatives et concluantes, en regard à nos hypothèses.

Σκοπός της παρούσας διπλωματικής εργασίας είναι να μελετηθεί ο βαθμός επίδρασης της οικονομικής κρίσης στην επίδοση των ελληνικών επιχειρήσεων. Πιο αναλυτικά, το θεωρητικό μέρος επιχειρεί να δώσει μια εικόνα του τρόπου με τον οποίο επηρέασε η οικονομική κρίση τις επιχειρήσεις αλλά και του τρόπου με τον οποίο αυτές αντέδρασαν προκειμένου να επιβιώσουν. Στο εμπειρικό μέρος της εργασίας γίνεται, με τη βοήθεια επιλεγμένων αριθμοδεικτών, χρηματοοικονομική ανάλυση των οικονομικών καταστάσεων 18 ελληνικών επιχειρήσεων που ανήκουν σε διαφορετικούς κλάδους για χρονικό διάστημα 5 ετών και συγκεκριμένα την περίοδο 2006-2010 που περιλαμβάνει δύο έτη πριν την εμφάνιση της οικονομικής κρίσης και δύο έτη μετά την εμφάνιση αυτής. / --

Esta tesis tiene como objeto principal evidenciar la relación, aparentemente inexistente, entre el dibujo de Alison y Peter Smithson para la propuesta de concurso de Golden Lane en 1952 y el dibujo de 1972 del grupo italiano Superstudio titulado A Journey from A to B. Serán otros cuatro dibujos principales -Alison y Peter Smithson, Constant Nieuwenhuys, Yona Friedman y Peter Cook- los que servirán para establecer una relación lógica entre los dos citados arriba. En paralelo, la descripción de las relaciones entre estos dibujos y el análisis de significado de sus elementos gráficos permite revelar nuevos valores que éstos aportarán al pensamiento arquitectónico contemporáneo. En retrospectiva, la tesis busca evidenciar cómo el conjunto de ellos motivará la aparición de un nuevo paradigma arquitectónico: la realidad "tal cual". Y para ello, la investigación muestra cómo la estrategia común de todos estos dibujos será la desaparición progresiva de la Arquitectura (como construcción física) para ser sustituida, precisamente, por el nuevo paradigma que busca figurar. La pertinencia y relevancia de entender cómo aparece y cómo se construye este nuevo paradigma se sustenta en el planteamiento de que la capacidad proyectiva depende de la capacidad de restitución y descripción detallada de la Realidad. Y en el contexto de este interés no es otro que el de la docencia del Área de Proyectos Arquitectónicos de la Universidad de Alicante. Son, desde el punto de vista del autor de esta investigación, las distintas interpretaciones que de este planteamiento y este nuevo paradigma se ha ido haciendo, las que han situado la Escuela de Arquitectura de Alicante en relación con un contexto intelectual contemporáneo e innovador. La tesis, al final, acabará construyendo un tejido relacional entre seis dibujos principales -a través de otros muchos secundarios- que mostrará la formación de la base ideológica de este planteamiento.

Today’s modern, Canadian, business corporations are hugely influential in determining public policy and many aspects of people’s lives. Because this influence permeates so much of our social construct, we expect corporations to act in an ethical manner. Yet, at the very baseline of legal incorporation, there is not a requirement for corporations, per se, to be ethical or to act in an ethical manner. This situation has set up a form of ethical dualism, with individual citizens being required to act in certain prescribed manners, while corporations, which in most cases comprise individual citizens, are allowed to ignore or even to flaunt similar ethical rules and standards. In this investigative paper on corporate applied ethics, I will examine arguments for and against the notion of including ethical responsibility statements within the concept of incorporation. This paper will provide a historical framework in which to view some of the complexities involved, and examine certain influential assertions made by Milton Friedman. The paper will begin with a look at what is meant by corporation in this context. This will be followed by an analysis of the arguments put forward by Milton Friedman in his famous essay “The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase Its Profits” and other related arguments. These other arguments, as objections to the inclusion of ethics within the notion of corporation, fall into three main types: objections to concept; to ability; and to process. I will review each in turn, with the hope that, by dispelling the Friedmanian arguments against corporate ethical inclusion, a new baseline for incorporation might be established. The second part of the paper will examine what kind of ethics might best suit the corporation. It will also consider ethical growth with respect to business. The paper will conclude with a suggestion as to how the inclusion of ethics within the notion of incorporation might be accomplished.