<p>Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) focuses on dividing the enterprise application layer of an enterprise system into components (as services) that have direct relationships with the business functionality of the enterprise. Web services, which are based on message exchanges, are the most widely adopted SOA technology. Web services provide web-accessible programs and devices that have been widely promoted for cloud computing environments. However, different types of web services are required to model actual services in the business domain. Particularly, enterprises (business providers such as banks, health care, and insurance companies) usually send their agents or other personnel (e.g., representatives, installers, maintainers, and trainers) to client sides to perform required services. An enterprise agent can be modeled as a software agent - a computer program that cannot be transmitted efficiently by communication messages. Lacking an efficient way to model the transmission of enterprise agents in traditional message based technologies restricts the application and usage of service-oriented architectures. The central problem addressed in this thesis is the need to develop an efficient SOA model for enterprise agents that will enable service providers to process client data locally at the client side.</p> <p>To address the research problem, the thesis proposes to model enterprise agents in SOA with a generic software agent called the Service Representative. This is a generic software agent which stays at the client side and can be customized by different service providers to process client data locally. Moreover, to employ a service representative, the thesis proposes a new type of web services called Task Services. While a traditional web service, called Data Service, processes client data completely at the server side, a task service is a web service with the capability of processing client data and resources partially or completely at the client side, using a Service Representative. Each task service assigns a task with three components to the generic service representative: task model, task knowledge, and task data. The task components are mapped to business components such as business process models, business rules and actions, and business data, where they can be efficiently transmitted by service messages.</p> <p>The combination of a service representative and task services provides an executable platform for service providers at the client side. Moreover, the client does not need to reveal its data, and hence privacy and security are maintained. Large volume client data is processed locally, causing less network traffic. Finally, real-time and event-triggered web services can be developed, based on the proposed approach.</p> <p>The main contributions and novelty of this research are: i) a domain independent computational model of enterprise agents in SOA to support a wide variety of client-processing tasks, ii) client- side web services which are compatible with typical server-side web services and comparable to other client-side processing technologies, iii) extensions of the SOA architecture by adding novel generic components including the service representative, the competition desk, and the service composition certifier, iv) provision of a formal model of client-side and server-side web services based on their construction of business components, v) empirical evaluations of the web service model in a number of different applications, using a prototype system, and vi) the application of the developed model to a number of target domains including the healthcare field. Furthermore, because client-side and server-side web services are complementary, a decision support model is provided that will assist service developers to decide upon the best service type for a web service.</p> / Doctor of Science (PhD)

The Aw-Rascle-Zhang (ARZ) model has become a favorable ``second order" macroscopic traffic model, which corrects several shortcomings of the Payne-Whitham (PW) model. The ARZ model possesses a family of flow rate versus density (FD) curves, rather than a single one as in the ``first order" Lighthill-Whitham-Richards (LWR) model. This is more realistic especially during congested traffic state, where the historic fundamental diagram data points are observed to be set-valued. However, the ARZ model also possesses some obvious shortcomings, e.g., it assumes multiple maximum traffic densities which should be a ``property" of road. Instead, we propose a Generalized ARZ (GARZ) model under the generic framework of ``second order" macroscopic models to overcome the drawbacks of the ARZ model. A systematic approach is presented to design generic ``second order" models from historic data, e.g., we construct a family of flow rate curves by fitting with data. Based on the GARZ model, we then propose a phase-transition-like model that allows the flow rate curves to coincide in the free flow regime. The resulting model is called Collapsed GARZ (CGARZ) model. The CGARZ model keeps the flavor of phase transition models in the sense that it assume a single FD function in the free-flow phase. However, one should note that there is no real phase transition in the CGARZ model. To investigate to which extent the new generic ``second order" models (GARZ, CGARZ) improve the prediction accuracy of macroscopic models, we perform a comparison of the proposed models with two types of LWR models and their ``second order" generalizations, given by the ARZ model, via a three-detector problem test. In this test framework, the initial and boundary conditions are derived from real traffic data. In terms of using historic traffic data, a statistical technique, the so-called kernel density estimation, is applied to obtain density and velocity distributions from trajectory data, and a cubic interpolation is employed to formulate boundary condition from single-loop sensor data. Moreover, a relaxation term is added to the momentum equation of selected ``second order" models to address further unrealistic aspects of homogeneous models. Using these inhomogeneous ``second order" models, we study which choices of the relaxation term &tau are realistic. / Mathematics

Batch reactor is an essential unit operation in almost all batch-processing industries. Different types of reaction schemes (such as series, parallel and complex) and different order of model complexity (short-cut, detailed, etc. ) result in different sets of model equations and computer coding of all possible sets of model equations is cumbersome and time consuming. In this work, therefore, a general computer program (GBRM - General Batch Reactor Model) is developed to generate all possible sets of equations automatically and as required. GBRM is tested for different types of reaction schemes and for different order of model complexity and its flexibility is demonstrated. The above GBRM computer program is lodged with Dr. I. M. Mujtaba. One of the challenges in batch reactors is to ensure desired performance of individual batch reactor operations. Depending on the requirement and the objective of the process, optimisation in batch reactors leads to different types of optimisation problems such as maximum conversion, minimum time and maximum profit problem. The reactor temperature, jacket temperature and jacket flow rate are the main control variables governing the process and these are optimised to ensure maximum benefit. In this work, an extensive study on mainly conventional batch reactor optimisation is carried out using GBRM coupled with efficient DAEs (Differential and Algebraic Equations) solver, CVP (Control Vector Parameterisation) technique and SQP (Successive Quadratic Programming) based optimisation technique. The safety, environment and product quality issues are embedded in the optimisation problem formulations in terms of constraints. A new approach for solving optimisation problem with safety constraint is introduced. All types of optimisation problems mentioned above are solved off-line, which results to optimal operating policies. The off-line optimal operating policies obtained above are then implemented as set points to be tracked on-line and various types of advanced controllers are designed for this purpose. Both constant and dynamic set points tracking are considered in designing the controllers. Here, neural networks are used in designing Direct Inverse and Inverse-Model-Based Control (IMBC) strategies. In addition, the Generic Model Control (GMC) coupled with on-line neural network heat release estimator (GMC-NN) is also designed to track the optimal set points. For comparison purpose, conventional Dual Mode (DM) strategy with PI and PID controllers is also designed. Robustness tests for all types of controllers are carried out to find the best controller. The results demonstrate the robustness of GMC-NN controller and promise neural controllers as potential robust controllers for future. Finally, an integrated framework (BATCH REACT) for modelling, simulation, optimisation and control of batch reactors is proposed. / University Sains Malaysia

Momentous choices and opportunities have opened up in South Africa since a settlement was successfully negotiated and a new political and constitutional dispensation was created. Events such as the constitutional negotiations and the establishment of reconstruction and development initiatives have placed a renewed emphasis on development management, process facilitation and the development of policy. This study provides an overview of the broad field of policy studies and specifically focuses on policy process models. In particular, this study centres on the further development of the generic process model and provides an overview of the application thereof to the operational environment. From this, simulation exercises and case study material have been developed as policy learning methodologies. Institutional arrangements for policy processes and the institutionalisation of policy and related support capacities at intergovernmental and organisational level receive particular attention. The study demonstrates the application of the generic process model by applying the framework to a case study based on the provincial demarcation exercise. This study concludes that policy management, as a cross-cutting, lateral methodology, in conjunction with similar methodologies, such as strategic planning, research methodology and project management, should be regarded as a critical tool, by the academic community and development practitioners alike, for improving the decision-making capacity of government, the private sector and civil society. / D.Litt. et Phil. (Development Administration)

The subject of this thesis is the analysis and comparison of explicit and implicit means of reference to the general human agent in English and in Czech. In these languages we may find both explicit and implicit means which are used to refer to the general human agent and which are identical to a certain degree. However, especially among the implicit means we may observe rather different structures in both languages. This thesis analyses two sets of data - the excerpts from two English novels with their Czech translations and two Czech novels with their English translations. The total number of examples excerpted is 200, each example being considered with its translation to the other language. The source language of this study is English for which a set of particular explicit and implicit means which we focus on in this analysis was defined. For this reason, also in the case of the Czech originals the examples were excerpted from the English translations and their Czech original versions were found. The samples obtained from both the sets of data were further compared and the analysed means were divided into three groups - instances where the means in English and in Czech were identical, instances where the means were nonidentical and instances where the reference to the general human agent was...

Cette thèse est consacrée à l’étude d’expansions de certaines structures algébriques et leur place dans la classification modèle-théorique des structures, initiée par Shelah. La première partie aborde de manière abstraite l’expansion d’une théorie par un prédicat aléatoire –ou générique– pour une sous-structure modèle d’un réduit de la théorie. Nous éla- borons un critère pour l’existence d’une telle expansion, qui est vérifié pour certaines théories de structures algébriques. En particulier, nous montrons l’existence de sous-groupes additifs génériques pour certaines théories de corps, ainsi que de sous-groupes multiplicatifs génériques pour les corps algébriquement clos en toute caractéristique. Nous étudions aussi la conservation de diverses notions de néostabilité, en particulier nous montrons que cette expansion préserve la propriété NSOP 1 , mais en général ne préserve pas la simplicité. Nous produisons par cette construction de nouveaux exemples de structures NSOP 1 non simples, et faisons une étude toute particulière de l’une d’entre elles : l’expansion d’un corps algébriquement clos de caractéristique positive par un sous-groupe additif générique. La deuxième partie étudie les expansions du groupe des entiers par des valuations p-adiques. Nous montrons l’élimination des quantificateurs dans un langage naturel et calculons le dp-rang d’une telle expansion : il est égal au nombre de valuations considérées. L’expansion du groupe des entiers par une seule valuation p-adique est donc une nouvelle expansion dp-minimale du groupe des entiers. Enfin, nous montrons que cette dernière n’admet pas de structures intermédiaires : tout ensemble définissable dans l’expansion est soit définissable dans le groupe des entiers, soit capable de “reconstruire” la valuation en utilisant seulement la structure additive / This thesis is concerned with the expansions of some algebraic structures and their fit in Shelah’s classification landscape. The first part deals with the expansion of a theory by a random –or generic– predicate for a substructure model of a reduct of the theory. We describe a setup allowing such an expansion to exist, which is suitable for several algebraic structures. In particular, we obtain the existence of additive generic subgroups of some theories of fields and multiplicative generic subgroups of algebraically closed fields in all characteristic. We also study the preservation of certain neostability notions, for instance, the NSOP 1 property is preserved but the simplicity is not in general. Thus, this construction produces new examples of NSOP 1 not simple theories, and we study in depth a particular example: the expansion of an algebraically closed field of positive characteristic by a generic additive subgroup. The second part studies expansions of the groups of integers by p-adic valuations. We prove quantifier elimination in a natural language and compute the dp-rank of these expansions: it equals the number of distinct p-adic valuations considered. Thus, the expansion of the integers by one p-adic valuation is a new dp-minimal expansion of the group of integers. Finally, we prove that the latter expansion does not admit intermediate structures: any definable set in the expansion is either definable in the group structure or is able to "reconstruct" the valuation using only the group operation

Momentous choices and opportunities have opened up in South Africa since a settlement was successfully negotiated and a new political and constitutional dispensation was created. Events such as the constitutional negotiations and the establishment of reconstruction and development initiatives have placed a renewed emphasis on development management, process facilitation and the development of policy. This study provides an overview of the broad field of policy studies and specifically focuses on policy process models. In particular, this study centres on the further development of the generic process model and provides an overview of the application thereof to the operational environment. From this, simulation exercises and case study material have been developed as policy learning methodologies. Institutional arrangements for policy processes and the institutionalisation of policy and related support capacities at intergovernmental and organisational level receive particular attention. The study demonstrates the application of the generic process model by applying the framework to a case study based on the provincial demarcation exercise. This study concludes that policy management, as a cross-cutting, lateral methodology, in conjunction with similar methodologies, such as strategic planning, research methodology and project management, should be regarded as a critical tool, by the academic community and development practitioners alike, for improving the decision-making capacity of government, the private sector and civil society. / D.Litt. et Phil. (Development Administration)

Accounting education, and specifically audit education, has been calling for change in the teaching methodology applied by audit lecturers in higher education since the 1950s. This call for change is evident in current literature, which indicates that the approach followed in audit education has been creating a knowledge-to-application barrier. Despite the vigorous research on how to change the way audit students are taught at universities and other higher education institutions, consensus has yet to be reached on the teaching methodology that would produce competent and self-efficient young professionals entering practice after graduation. The literature review performed in this thesis indicated a gap between research and practice in accounting education and research, first, because the research seems too technical for practitioners to understand and, secondly, too many research objectives seem unrelated to the realities of practice. Based on these findings, this thesis provides the novice researcher in accounting education with some guidelines on the research methodologies that could be applied in this field. It also highlights some best practices that should be followed when conducting research in this field. It was noted from the literature that all the variables in the audit teaching-learning environment need consideration when attempting to bring change to this environment, because each variable would have an impact on transforming the current approach followed in audit pedagogy. These variables were identified as: • The audit lecturer; • The audit student; • The subject content of the audit teaching-learning environment; and Summary • The milieu of the audit teaching-learning environment. In an attempt to answer the call for change in audit education, this thesis sought to develop an audit simulation as an educational tool which takes into account all the variables in the audit teaching-learning environment and can be applied at universities and other audit training institutions around the globe. A framework for simulation design was developed based on the findings of the literature review and informed the development of the audit simulation. The simulation was, subsequently, applied and evaluated at a university accredited by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants. The newly developed audit simulation was evaluated by applying a mixed methodology research design, which had been proven to be a resourceful and trusted design in accounting education research in the past. Pre-test and post-test questionnaires were administered to the respondents as part of a quasi-experimental design. The quantitative findings from these tests were supported by qualitative findings from focus group discussions. The empirical findings from the pre-test questionnaire confirmed the call for change and the room for improvement in the current teaching methodology in the audit classroom. Participants indicated lower levels in some competencies relative to other competencies, which also did not particularly score satisfactory when the competence levels were evaluated. The competencies that showed the lowest level of achievement due to the current teaching methodology, as perceived by the participants, included executing the work plan, evaluating the evidence and drawing conclusions, and drafting the report upon completion of the engagement. It was also established that the call for change was not confined to only one university in South Africa, which broadened the generalisability of the research findings, conclusions and recommendations of this study. The results of both the quantitative and qualitative analysis support the view that the newly developed audit simulation is able to assist in bringing change to audit education. The simulation had a positive effect on the audit students’ perceived competence levels in the competencies of auditing and assurance, and the various generic and pervasive skills tested in this study. Furthermore, it was established that the audit simulation had a greater effect on the audit students’ perceived broad competence levels (i.e. auditing and assurance, and generic and pervasive skills) and their understanding of the audit process as a whole, in relation to just attending normal lectures. The qualitative findings from the focus group discussions informed the quantitative findings by indicating that the audit simulation proved to be an instrument that, among other things: Summary • Gave students the opportunity to obtain a holistic view of the audit process; • Assisted students in visualising how the audit theory is applied in practice; • Actively involved the students in the learning process; and • Replicated audit practice. Finally, it was confirmed that the newly developed audit simulation takes into account the variables in the audit teaching-learning environment which need consideration if transformation is to take place in the way the audit subject is currently being taught at higher education level. Recommendations on the way forward in audit education, based on the findings in this thesis, were also provided. This study provides audit lecturers and other audit educators around the world with a newly developed, empirically evaluated audit simulation which can be applied in the audit classroom as well as assist in answering the current call for change to audit education. / PhD (Accountancy), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Accounting education, and specifically audit education, has been calling for change in the teaching methodology applied by audit lecturers in higher education since the 1950s. This call for change is evident in current literature, which indicates that the approach followed in audit education has been creating a knowledge-to-application barrier. Despite the vigorous research on how to change the way audit students are taught at universities and other higher education institutions, consensus has yet to be reached on the teaching methodology that would produce competent and self-efficient young professionals entering practice after graduation. The literature review performed in this thesis indicated a gap between research and practice in accounting education and research, first, because the research seems too technical for practitioners to understand and, secondly, too many research objectives seem unrelated to the realities of practice. Based on these findings, this thesis provides the novice researcher in accounting education with some guidelines on the research methodologies that could be applied in this field. It also highlights some best practices that should be followed when conducting research in this field. It was noted from the literature that all the variables in the audit teaching-learning environment need consideration when attempting to bring change to this environment, because each variable would have an impact on transforming the current approach followed in audit pedagogy. These variables were identified as: • The audit lecturer; • The audit student; • The subject content of the audit teaching-learning environment; and Summary • The milieu of the audit teaching-learning environment. In an attempt to answer the call for change in audit education, this thesis sought to develop an audit simulation as an educational tool which takes into account all the variables in the audit teaching-learning environment and can be applied at universities and other audit training institutions around the globe. A framework for simulation design was developed based on the findings of the literature review and informed the development of the audit simulation. The simulation was, subsequently, applied and evaluated at a university accredited by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants. The newly developed audit simulation was evaluated by applying a mixed methodology research design, which had been proven to be a resourceful and trusted design in accounting education research in the past. Pre-test and post-test questionnaires were administered to the respondents as part of a quasi-experimental design. The quantitative findings from these tests were supported by qualitative findings from focus group discussions. The empirical findings from the pre-test questionnaire confirmed the call for change and the room for improvement in the current teaching methodology in the audit classroom. Participants indicated lower levels in some competencies relative to other competencies, which also did not particularly score satisfactory when the competence levels were evaluated. The competencies that showed the lowest level of achievement due to the current teaching methodology, as perceived by the participants, included executing the work plan, evaluating the evidence and drawing conclusions, and drafting the report upon completion of the engagement. It was also established that the call for change was not confined to only one university in South Africa, which broadened the generalisability of the research findings, conclusions and recommendations of this study. The results of both the quantitative and qualitative analysis support the view that the newly developed audit simulation is able to assist in bringing change to audit education. The simulation had a positive effect on the audit students’ perceived competence levels in the competencies of auditing and assurance, and the various generic and pervasive skills tested in this study. Furthermore, it was established that the audit simulation had a greater effect on the audit students’ perceived broad competence levels (i.e. auditing and assurance, and generic and pervasive skills) and their understanding of the audit process as a whole, in relation to just attending normal lectures. The qualitative findings from the focus group discussions informed the quantitative findings by indicating that the audit simulation proved to be an instrument that, among other things: Summary • Gave students the opportunity to obtain a holistic view of the audit process; • Assisted students in visualising how the audit theory is applied in practice; • Actively involved the students in the learning process; and • Replicated audit practice. Finally, it was confirmed that the newly developed audit simulation takes into account the variables in the audit teaching-learning environment which need consideration if transformation is to take place in the way the audit subject is currently being taught at higher education level. Recommendations on the way forward in audit education, based on the findings in this thesis, were also provided. This study provides audit lecturers and other audit educators around the world with a newly developed, empirically evaluated audit simulation which can be applied in the audit classroom as well as assist in answering the current call for change to audit education. / PhD (Accountancy), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This study investigated whether skills development learning programmes specifically internship programme in the public service sector are effective in improving interns’ emotional intelligence competences. A convenience sample of 66 interns was obtained. The interns, two peers and a mentor assessed the intern’s emotional intelligence competencies twice, at the beginning and towards the end of the internship programme with the aid the 360° Emotional and Social Intelligence Inventory (ESCI). A total of 264 participants completed the inventory. Mean competency ratings were compared to determine if there were differences between the first and the second assessments. There were statistically significant differences for Organisational Awareness, Adaptability, Influence, Teamwork, Empathy, Emotional Self Awareness, Conflict Management and Inspirational Leadership. No statistically significant differences were found in the overall development of emotional intelligence based on gender. However, female interns improved more in Emotional Self-Awareness while males improved more in Inspirational Leadership and Coaching. Skills development internship learning programme in the public service appear to be effective in furthering interns’ emotional intelligence competencies at work. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology with Specialisation in Research Consultation)