Correct and financially optimal covering of licensed software is one of the aims of all companies. Microsoft Corporation offers a wide range of software products and also various types of license financing that significantly affect their financing. License models stating the correct rules of using the licenses for software groups are also very specific and require a thorough understanding of its principles. These two areas include a range of partial aspects that are to be considered from the point of view of company benefit. However, a complex view combining license programs and license models is equally important. Hence the issue of license management is problematic not only for the management of the company, but also for the IT specialists. This thesis embeds the issue of licensing into the frame of strategic IT planning and by means of annotated principles, descriptions of everyday situations and accentuating details significantly affecting licensing provides a perspective of the issue that has not been dealt with in such an elaborate way so far. The aim of this thesis is to provide a complex analysis of license programs and models, their principles and possibilities. In many companies, a detailed knowledge and understanding of the issue of Microsoft licensing is very important. Therefore, this thesis provides some specific output instances in the form of both financial and functional comparison of individual licensing programs. The crucial services of license programs and characteristics of license models are investigated in detail and subject to critical evaluation for purposes of utilization in companies of various sizes and types.

O Licenciamento ambiental é um dos instrumentos da Política Nacional de Meio Ambiente, estabelecida pela lei 6.938 de 1981. Nos últimos 30 anos, o país passou por inúmeras transformações econômicas, políticas e sociais. No cenário de grande potencial hidrelétrico do país, demanda crescente por energia, fortalecimento e consolidação da legislação e do sistema de gestão ambiental, participação de novos atores econômicos interessados em prover a expansão do parque de geração de energia, maior participação dos movimentos sociais na esfera pública e uma memória não muito distante de graves problemas socioambientais ocasionados pela construção de hidrelétricas; é que se dão os conflitos que perpassam todo o processo de licenciamento ambiental de hidrelétricas e do qual se ocupa essa dissertação. Entre os anos de 2004 e 2008, muitos atores econômicos e sociais envolvidos com a temática do licenciamento ambiental no país se posicionaram publicamente, sobretudo a respeito dos conflitos relacionados à concessão das licenças ambientais para empreendimentos hidrelétricos. A reflexão sociológica a qual se propôs este projeto de pesquisa utiliza a Teoria da Modernização Ecológica como instrumental teórico e busca entender o estado da arte do licenciamento ambiental de hidrelétricas no Brasil. / The Environmental license is one of the tools of the National Environmental Policy, established by the law 6.938 of 1981. Over the past 30 years, the country has had lots of economical, political and social changes. The socio-environmental conflicts that permeate the environmental licensing process of UHEs, which constitute the subject of this dissertation, happen in a context characterized by the great hydroelectric potential of the country, the increasing demand for energy, the strengthening and consolidation of the legislation and of the environmental management system, the growing participation of the social movements in the public sphere, a recent memory of socio-environmental problems resulting from the construction of hydroelectric power stations and the participation of new economic agents interested in promoting the expansion of the energy generation park. Between 2004 and 2008, many economical and social agents that were involved with environmental licensing subjects in Brazil publicly expressed their positions, mainly in relation to the conflicts related to environmental license concession for hydroelectric enterprises. The sociological analysis of this research project uses the Ecological Modernization Theory as a theoretical instrument. It also aims to understand the environmental licensing process for hydroelectric power stations in Brazil.

Orientador: Marcus Cesar Avezum Alves de Castro / Resumo: O presente estudo teve como objetivo principal analisar a incorporação dos critérios do meio físico na seleção de áreas para implantação de aterros sanitários nos processos de licenciamento ambiental no Estado de São Paulo. A investigação foi realizada a partir da análise de estudos ambientais de aterros sanitários (EIA/RIMA e RAP) apresentados para a Companhia Ambiental do Estado de São Paulo (CETESB), em atendimento ao processo de licenciamento ambiental no Estado de São Paulo. A avaliação da incorporação dos critérios na seleção das áreas nos processos de licenciamento baseou-se em aterros sanitários localizados nas áreas de alta, média e baixa vulnerabilidade à contaminação de águas subterrâneas, conforme Mapa de Vulnerabilidade à Contaminação de Águas Subterrâneas do Estado de São Paulo (IG/DAEE/CETESB, 1997). Foram selecionados um (01) aterro na área de alta vulnerabilidade, dois (02) na de média vulnerabilidade e três (03) na área de baixa vulnerabilidade. A análise dos critérios do meio físico dos EIA-RIMA foi pautada nos capítulos de “Alternativas Locacionais” e “Diagnóstico do Meio Físico”. Com base nos resultados da avaliação dos relatórios ambientais verificou-se que, usualmente, o meio físico não foi considerado determinante na seleção da área de implantação do aterro, predominando critérios financeiros na escolha locacional dentre as alternativas apontadas para cada área. Quanto à caracterização do meio físico apresentada nos relatórios, ela atendeu, em linhas g... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The main objective of this study was to analyze the incorporation of the criteria of the The main objective of this study was to analyze the incorporation of the criteria of the physical environment in the selection of areas for the implementation of sanitary landfills in environmental licensing processes in the State of São Paulo. The investigation was carried out based on the analysis of environmental studies of sanitary landfills (EIA/RIMA and RAP) presented to the Environmental Company of the State of São Paulo (CETESB), in compliance with the environmental licensing process in the State of São Paulo. The evaluation of the incorporation of the criteria in the selection of the areas in the licensing processes was based on sanitary landfills located in areas of high, medium and low vulnerability to groundwater contamination, according to the Map of Vulnerability to Groundwater Contamination of the State of São Paulo (IG/DAEE/CETESB, 1997). One (01) landfill was selected in the area of high vulnerability, two (02) in the area of medium vulnerability and three (03) in the area of low vulnerability. The analysis of the criteria of the physical environment of the EIA-RIMA was based on the chapters "Local Alternatives" and "Diagnosis of the Physical Environment". Based on the results of the evaluation of the environmental reports, it was verified that, usually, the physical environment was not considered determinant in the selection of the area of implementation of the landfill,... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

One of the most important attribute a cloud service provider (CSP) offers their customers through their cloud services is scalability. Scalability gives customers the ability to vary the amount of capacity when required. A cloud service can be divided in three service layers, Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as- a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). Scalability of a certain service depends  on  software licenses on these layers. When a customer wants to increase the capacity it will be determined by the CSP's licenses bought from its suppliers in advance. If a CSP scales up more than what was agreed on, then there is a risk that the CSP needs to pay a penalty fee to the supplier. If the CSP invests in too many licenses that does not get utilized, then it will be an investment loss. A second challenge with software licensing is when a customer outsources their applications to the CSP’s platform. As each application comes with a set of licenses, there is a certain level of scalability that cannot be exceeded. If a customer wants the CSP scale up more than usual for an application then the customer need to inform the vendors. However, a common misunderstanding is that the customer expects the CSP to notify the vendor. Then there is a risk that the vendor never gets notified and the customer is in danger of paying a penalty fee. This in turn hurts the CSP’s  relationship with the customer. The recommendation to the CSP under study is to create a successful customer relationship management (CRM) and a supplier relationship management (SRM). By creating a CRM with the customer will minimize the occurring misunderstandings and highlight the responsibilities when a customer outsources an application to the CSP. By creating a SRM with the supplier will help the CSP to maintain a flexible paying method that they have with a certain supplier. Furthermore, it will set  an example to the remaining suppliers to change their inflexible paying method. By achieving a flexible payment method with the suppliers will make it easier for the CSP to find equilibrium between scalability and licenses.

The purpose of this study was to examine the use of the teacher portfolio as an evaluation of professional development in Utah's new teacher licensing--the Early Year's Enhancement (EYE) program. This study explored teacher perceptions of the value of the portfolio. Results of the study identified the perceived value of teacher portfolios related to: (a) accuracy as an evaluation tool, (b) usefulness with respect to teacher professional growth, (c) feasibility with regard to teacher time, and (d) appropriateness related to the effect of portfolios on teaching practices. It also identified the relationship of the teacher's perceived value and the required district portfolio format, teaching assignment, age of teacher, number of years teaching, district employed by, district training in portfolio development, and district use of the portfolio. Using a mixed method survey design, data were collected from the new teachers who had completed the EYE evaluation in the 40 school districts of Utah during the 4 years since its implementation. Teacher surveys developed by Tucker, Stronge, and Gareis were adapted, delivered electronically, and utilized to provide both quantitative and qualitative data. Telephone interviews with the district EYE contact provided additional information for the study. The results of the study indicated that new teachers perceived the EYE portfolio as minimally effective as an accurate, useful, feasible, and appropriate tool for measuring professional development. A relationship was found in the teacher's assignment, age, district, portfolio training level, and the district's use of the portfolio and their perception of value. Teachers identified self-reflection as an important advantage and the time requirement as a critical disadvantage of the portfolio process.

With modern communication technology advancements, activist expression has become more common on social media platforms. Especially susceptible to these expressions is the millennial generation, whose lives are greatly permeated by media technology. This thesis aims to explore in what ways the social media platform Facebook inuences millennials’ motivation to engage in substantial prosocial behaviours that are intended to benet other people or society as a whole. Through mixed-method research design, participants’ attitudes towards Facebook as a platform for activism and its inuence on prosocial motivational aspects, was explored. Results indicated that previous habits of supportive engagement and the cost of the supportive action inuenced how the likeliness and motivation to engage in substantial supportive actions was aected by Facebook interaction. More precisely, higher levels of previous engagement, as well as engagement in costly, prosocial actions contributed to an increased motivation to engage further in such actions. Furthermore, social and contemporary aspects showed to play a large part for participants’ motivation to engage in costly and substantial prosocial actions.‌ / I samband med dagens kommunikationsteknologiska framsteg har aktivistiska uttryck blivit allt vanligare på plattformar för sociala medier. Särskilt mottagliga för sådana uttryck är millenniegenerationen, från engelskans ’milliennials’, vars liv till stor del genomsyras av medieteknik. Denna studie har för avsikt att utforska hur den sociala plattformen Facebook påverkar motivationen för individer tillhörande millenniegenerationen att engagera sig i konkreta prosociala beteenden som har som syfte att gynna andra människor eller samhället som helhet. Genom kombinerade kvalitativa och kvantitativa forskningsmetoder utforskades deltagarnas attityder gentemot Facebook som en plattform för aktivism, och dess inverkan på prosocialt motiverande aspekter. Resultaten visade att tidigare vana av engagemang samt kostnaden av den välgörande handlingen påverkades av Facebook-interaktion. Närmare bestämt, högre nivåer av tidigare engagemang samt engagemang i kostsamma, prosocial handlingar bidrog till en ökad motivation till fortsatt engagemang i sådana handlingar. Vidare påvisades sociala och samtida aspekter spela en viktig roll för deltagarnas motiatt engagera sig i kostsamma och konkreta prosociala handlingar.

US corporations have long recognized university related scientific research as an important source of long term economic growth and technological innovation. This dynamic involvement with industry has drastically increased the university technology transfer and licensing activities, and has stretched the human and financial resources of Technology Management and Licensing Offices of many US universities. This research provides a mechanism that can aid in the complex process of properly assessing university-owned technologies and intellectual properties, to identify those with licensing and commercialization potential for the pursuit of truly important breakthrough discoveries. This research focuses on the university technology licensing and commercialization process from the perspectives of those licensing professionals whose firms' activities are engaged in licensing-in university technologies. The objectives of this research are to: 1.Identify the decision factors and licensing determinants that influence or impact the licensing and commercialization of university technologies. 2.Build and conduct a survey among those licensing professionals involved in the technology licensing process to determine the relative importance of each of the licensing determinants identified in the literature review, and their most current and up to date selection criteria for technologies they license. 3.Develop a framework to assist the University Technology Management & Transfer Office's personnel and other stakeholders in the assessment of the potential viability of the university technologies for licensing and commercialization.

This research sought to understand the relationship between licensing policy and the opportunity for the development of a scientifically-based approach to identifying high risk older drivers based on prior driving history. This research focused on five tasks: 1) review of the literature, 2) compilation of information on licensing policy for use by decision-makers, 3) assessment of charges and payer source for older driver crashes using linked crash and hospital data , and 4) the development and 5) validation of an older driver crash prediction model. There is relatively little available in the way of information for policymakers regarding licensing, and there is even less information available on evaluation of licensing practice effectiveness. Emergency department charges for older males were lower than females even though males accounted for a larger percentage of the injured population. Older drivers were no more likely to be covered by public insurance than the comparison group. Crash and citation data used to develop a driver history showed no differences between drivers in injury causing crashes and drivers in non-injury crashes. Logistic regression, Poisson regression, and negative binomial regression models were unable to effectively predict crash involvement based on driver history. This is likely due to self-selection bias for older drivers and truncated distribution of count variable (injury causing crashes). Recommendations resulting from this research include Massachusetts and national policy recommendations and additional research. Massachusetts should expand beyond its referral-based system for reviewing older drivers, consider restriction rather than only revocation, review medical advisory board practices, conduct evaluation of any policies it does implement, and conduct a thorough review of alternative transportation options. Nationally, efforts should focus on developing effective cognitive/functional testing by licensing agents, identification of effective second phase of testing, determination of a mechanism for determining when to retest, and assessment of the differences between older males and females for potential use in training, education, and testing. Research recommendations include continued exploration of the potential for systematic identification of high risk drivers using administrative data and in-depth analyses of the differences between males and females in terms of aging and driver safety.

Es ist kein Geheimnis, dass die Welt ein COVID-19-Impfstoffproblem hat. Die meisten Impfdosen wurden in Europa und Nordamerika verabreicht, während viele ärmere Landkreise weniger als 1 % ihrer Gesamtbevölkerung geimpft haben. Angesichts der neuen Varianten mit Gesundheitsrisiken haben Länder wie Südafrika und Indien vorgeschlagen, dass die Welthandelsorganisation vorübergehend auf geistige Eigentumsrechte für COVID-19-Impfstoffe verzichtet, um die Produktion von Impfstoffen zu steigern. Die Wirtschaftsmächte der Welt wie die USA, Großbritannien und die Europäische Union legten ihr Veto gegen die Idee ein und machten geltend, dass Rechte an geistigem Eigentum wichtig seien, um kontinuierliche Innovation zu gewährleisten. Sie sind der Meinung, dass ein Verzicht auf solche Rechte nicht zu einer Produktionssteigerung führen würde. Es stellt sich daher die Frage, ob dies nur zwei Möglichkeiten sind: Entweder bleiben Patente unverändert oder Patente werden nicht berücksichtigt. Eine Alternative und vielleicht ein Mittelweg ist die Zwangslizenzierung. Obwohl es eine scheinbar gute Option ist, bringt es seine eigenen Probleme mit sich. Patente sind beispielsweise territorial und gewähren dem Patentinhaber ein Monopol für eine begrenzte Zeit von 20 Jahren. Auf der Grundlage öffentlicher Bedürfnisse – einschließlich gesundheitlicher Notfälle – kann eine Regierung jedoch anderen erlauben, das Produkt herzustellen, normalerweise gegen eine angemessene Lizenzgebühr oder Gebühr, die an den Patentinhaber gezahlt wird. Dieser endet jedoch an der Grenze. Artikel 31 des WTO-Übereinkommens über handelsbezogene Aspekte des Rechts des geistigen Eigentums (TRIPS) beschränkt Zwangslizenzen hauptsächlich auf die inländische Produktion und Verwendung. Dies ist auch auf Unternehmen innerhalb des Territoriums beschränkt, die hauptsächlich Produkte für den Export herstellen. Dies würde natürlich den Sinn solcher Zwangslizenzen überflüssig machen, da die Länder, die solche Impfstoffe herstellen, nicht die Länder sind, die keinen Zugang dazu haben. Das andere Problem beim COVID-19-Impfstoff besteht darin, dass die zur Herstellung solcher Impfstoffe verwendeten Technologien komplex sind und zahlreiche Patente, Geschäftsgeheimnisse und Know-how beinhalten. Ein Zwangslizenzsystem müsste sich nicht nur auf Patente, sondern auch auf das entsprechende geistige Eigentum beziehen. Um die Impfstoffproduktion erfolgreich auszubauen, benötigen Länder eine mäßig reibungslose Struktur, die es einem Land wie Indien ermöglicht, eine einzige, pauschale Lizenz zu erteilen, die es Unternehmen ermöglicht, Impfstoffe herzustellen, die von US-amerikanischen oder europäischen Unternehmen für den Export in alle Länder ohne eigene Produktionskapazitäten entwickelt wurden . Die vorgeschlagene WTO-Aufhebung der Rechte an geistigem Eigentum soll die Notwendigkeit einer verbesserten Impfstoffproduktion ansprechen, aber sie wird vielleicht ein wenig zu stark betont. Eine Zwangslizenzierung würde den Weg für den Ausbau der Impfstoffherstellung ebnen und gleichzeitig die Rechteinhaber entschädigen. / It is no secret that the world has a COVID-19 vaccine problem. The majority of vaccination doses have been administered in Europe and North America, whilst many poorer counties have vaccinated less than 1% of their entire population. In light of the new variants presenting health risks, countries such as South Africa and India have proposed that the World Trade Organisation temporarily waive intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines to help increase the production of vaccines. The world’s economic powerhouses such as U.S., Britain and the European Union vetoed the idea, submitting that intellectual property rights are important for ensuring continued innovation. They are of the opinion that waiving such rights would not result in increased production. The question therefore stands if these are only two options: either patents remain unchanged, or patents are disregarded. An alternative, and perhaps a middle ground is that of compulsory licensing. Although a seemingly good option, it presents its own problems. For instance, patents are territorial and grant the patent holder a monopoly for a limited time of 20 years. However, based on public needs – including health emergencies, a government can allow others to make the product, usually with a fair royalty, or fee, paid to the patent owner. However, this ends at the border. Article 31 of the WTO’s Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Law, or TRIPS, limit compulsory licenses primarily to domestic production and use. This is also limited to companies within the territory, producing products primarily for export. This of course would make the whole point of such compulsory licenses redundant, since the countries producing such vaccines are not the countries that do not have access to them. The other problem with the COVID-19 vaccine is that the technologies used in producing such vaccines are complex and involve numerous patents, trade secrets and know-how. A compulsory licensing system would need to address not just patents but also the related intellectual property in question. To successfully expand vaccine production, countries need a moderately smooth structure to allow a country such as India, to grant a single, blanket license allowing companies to produce vaccines develop by the U.S. or European companies for export to all countries that lack their own manufacturing capacity. The proposed WTO waiver of intellectual property rights seeks to address the need of improved vaccine production, but it may be little too far stressed. Compulsory licensing would smooth the way for the expansion of vaccine manufacturing whilst at the same time still compensating the right holders.

The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions of alternatively certified public K-12 teachers regarding their preparedness to teach and to identify key areas for training and administrative support needed for teacher retention. This basic qualitative study with elements of phenomenological design included a semi-structured focus group protocol in which 23 candidates participated in four focus groups. Study participants were provisionally licensed K-12 public school teachers in Virginia and represented elementary, middle, and high school teachers in both general and special education roles. Findings indicated that beginning teachers who have completed an alternative teacher certification program (ATCP) do not feel prepared for the teaching role and many have considered leaving the profession prematurely. Additionally, study findings indicate that ATCP teachers perceive that their training did not adequately prepare them for classroom management, working with parents, and managing the many responsibilities of a teacher, resulting in high levels of stress among provisionally licensed teachers. Data demonstrate that increased financial support for required coursework, a reduction in workload, mentoring programs, and more hands-on training will support ATCP teacher retention. Implications of this study's findings indicate that school, district, and state school leaders can positively impact ATCP teacher retention by implementing specific professional development programs, providing coaching and mentoring, and by adjusting ATCP training to better prepare their graduates for teaching in the areas of managing student behavior and working with parents. / Doctor of Education / The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the perceptions of alternatively certified public K-12 teachers regarding their preparedness to teach and to identify key areas for training and administrative support needed for teacher retention. In this study, 23 candidates participated in four focus groups. Study participants were provisionally licensed K-12 public school teachers in Virginia and represented elementary, middle, and high school teachers in both general and special education roles, as well as school counselors, foreign language teachers, career and technical education, and business teachers. Findings from this study indicate that teachers who complete alternative teacher certification programs (ATCPs) perceive that they are unprepared when they begin teaching as a result of their training and many consider leaving the profession prematurely. Provisionally licensed teachers perceive they lack adequate training in areas including classroom management, academic instruction, and working with parents, resulting in high levels of stress and feeling overwhelmed. Findings from this study indicate that school, division, and state level educational leaders can provide coaching, mentoring, and professional development opportunities for ATCP teachers that will promote their retention. This study provides a lens through which to examine the experiences of ATCP teachers and understand their perceptions of their unique training and experiences so that they can be better prepared and supported by school leaders in order to remain in the profession. This study also recognizes the resiliency of ATCP teachers who overcome unique challenges in order to remain in their teaching role and positively impact student achievement.