Since Sweden’s home market is relatively small, companies are forced to engage in international business. Researchers have stressed that companies with a small home market should find new markets to gain benefits which companies with large home markets possess. The Chinese market has great potential, which results in numerous Swedish companies entering and establish business operations in China. Swedish companies need to address the unique aspects of conducting business in China. One of the unique aspects which has been notably concerned is the phenomena of guanxi. Guanxi is well grounded in the Chinese business culture and can be perceived as relationship building. Previous research has shown upon limited research regarding B2B guanxi in the Chinese-Western business relationships. Hence, the purpose of this thesis, is to provide a deeper understanding of how Swedish companies build and manage B2B guanxi in China and explore its potential risks and benefits. To achieve the purpose of this thesis, three main concepts have been identified- building stages of guanxi, management strategies of guanxi and risks and benefits of guanxi. These create the theoretical approach of the study. By using a qualitative research method and a deductive approach, a deeper understanding regarding guanxi in relation to Swedish companies can be acquired. The data is collected from five companies in different industries, conducting business on the Chinse market. Practical and theoretical implications have arisen from this study, contributing to the theoretical synthesis of B2B guanxi and provided valuable insights on how Swedish companies can use B2B guanxi. Based on the analysis, the outcome of this study suggest guanxi is not a prerequisite for conducting business on the Chinese market. Although, it can be seen as a tool to ease relationship building and business operations. The empirical findings indicate the relevance of B2B guanxi and have identified new factors. The key findings imply Swedish companies use intermediaries to a larger extent in the building staged and as a management strategy. While gift-giving and favour exchange are less used management strategies. Smoother business operations are perceived as an additional benefit. Whereas relationships becoming too personal and a person taking the relationships with them when leaving the company are additional risks ought to be considered new findings. The study can be valuable for Swedish companies that wish to enter or have entered the Chinese market.

Problemområdet för denna studie behandlar konflikthantering mellan barn i förskolan. Det första syftet med studien är att belysa hur konflikter mellan barn i förskolan kan uppfattas och hanteras. Det andra syftet med studien är att beskriva några barns och pedagogers konflikthanteringsstrategier i konflikter mellan barn. Studiens metod är att utifrån en hermeneutisk forskningstradition genomföra fokusgruppsintervjuer med barn och parintervjuer med pedagoger. Därefter kopplades resultatet från intervjuerna till litteratur och forskning vi funnit inom området. Resultatet visar på att teori och empiri till stor del går att förena med varandra. Barns och pedagogers konflikthanteringsstrategier strävar efter en konstruktiv konflikthantering där ömsesidig respekt står i fokus. Pedagogerna strävar även efter att se det kompetenta barnet och försöka förstå barnperspektivet i konflikthanteringen. Resultatet visar även att det emellanåt kan finnas svårigheter med konflikthantering, men oavsett hur svårt det kan vara menar både pedagogerna och barnen att det är viktigt att bemöta konflikten, och hantera den på ett konstruktivt sätt.

Expatriates working in a foreign environment with very different political, cultural and economic conditions often face both job-related and personal problems, which may lead to expatriate dissatisfaction. ¡@Previous research suggests that if expatriates are not satisfied while on assignment, the motivation to perform well and/or to remain abroad for the specified length of times is diminished. As a result, this study tries to do investigations to Taiwanese expatriates in China to experiment if certain determinants (training, mentoring, repatriate positing, long-term career planning, environmental factors, and individual career management strategies) can lead to expatriate job satisfaction. The result of this study suggests that among corporate career development plans, training and long-term career planning can facilitate expatriate job satisfaction, while mentoring and repatriate positing have no significant influence on job satisfaction. Besides, environmental factors and individual career management strategies both have significant positive effect on job satisfaction. This gives multinational companies (MNCs) some inspirations: -MNCs should do some investigations to previous expatriates to figure out the problems they¡¦ve encountered and design corresponding training programs for new expatriates. -MNCs should select expatriates with positive attitudes towards expatriate assignments or train their expatriates to become more problem-focused. -MNCs should help expatriates plan their future career paths. -MNCs should design sound mentoring and repatriate positing policies for their expatriates. -MNCs should make the environments surrounding expatriates become as benevolent as possible.

Bakgrund: Konflikter är ett fenomen som förekommer i alla kontexter där individer integrerar med varandra. Konflikter har alltid funnits men synen på konflikter samt hur det hanteras har förändrats genom tiden. Konflikthantering är en viktig del i ledarskapet och är en av de viktigaste och centrala uppgifterna för en ledare. De flesta ledare ser konflikthantering som problematiskt eftersom de tycker att det är jobbigt och obehagligt att hantera konflikter på grund av rädslan för individernas reaktioner. Tidigare forskning har visat att det finns ett samband mellan ledarskap och konflikthanteringsstrategier men det finns fortfarande en kunskapsbrist inom området. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att förklara om det finns ett samband mellan det situationsanpassade ledarskapet och konflikthanteringsstrategierna samt om sambandet kan ge ledare större möjlighet att hantera konflikter framgångsrikt. Metod: Denna studie har en kvalitativansats, där semistrukturerade intervjuer har genomförts med två organisationer, där en butikschef och tre medarbetare i respektive organisation intervjuades. Resultat: Denna studie har kommit fram till att det finns ett samband mellan det situationsanpassande ledarskapet och konflikthanteringsstrategier. Genom att kombinera stilarna i det situationsanpassade ledarskapet med konflikthanteringsstrategier och med hänsyn till både medarbetares och ledares åsikter kan rätt konflikthanteringsstrategi väljas, vilket också kan främja individernas utveckling. / Background: The phenomenon conflict occurs in every context where individuals integrate with each other. Conflicts have always existed but the way we see and manage them have changed through time. Conflict management is an important part of leadership. Most leaders believe conflicts are a problematic issue that is difficult to manage, because of the fear of the consequence that may appear. Previous research has shown that there is a correlation between leadership and conflict management but there is still a lack of knowledge in the field. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine if there is a correlation between the situational leadership and conflict management strategies and if it can provide leaders with greater possibilities to handle conflicts successfully. Method: This study has a qualitative approach where semi structured interviews with two organizations were made, with both of the store manager and three employees in each organization. Results: The results of this study have shown that there is a correlation between the situational leadership and conflict management strategies. Through combining the styles of the situational leadership with conflict management strategies and with regard to both employees and managers opinion and behavior can a suitable strategy be adopted, which can encourage individual growth.

The aim of this study was to investigate current classroom management practices, disciplinary strategies and educator duties and demands, in the Sedibeng West District (D8) of the Gauteng Province, with the aim of recommending guidelines to assist educators to cope better with classroom management duties as well as maintaining discipline at the same time. The overall aims of the study were achieved through the following objectives: Reviewing existing literature to establish the nature of current classroom management duties. Investigating the influence of increased classroom duties on classroom management. Reviewing existing literature to establish the nature of current disciplinary measures. Investigating the influence of increased classroom duties on discipline. Making recommendations to assist educators to cope better with classroom management duties as well as maintaining discipline at the same time. The abovementioned aims were reached by completing a literature study and an empirical investigation. The study further investigated the perceptions of educators in the foundation phase (grade 2 educators and the respective Heads of Department) as well as principals regarding certain aspects of classroom management and discipline. This was investigated by means of structured questionnaires. Findings from the research indicated that refusal to obey requests and commands, noisiness, showing off, teasing, irritating or disturbing other learners, leaving their seats without permission, talking out of turn, calling out when the educator is speaking, making improper noises, not paying attention, storming out of the classroom, and knife attacks, are current types of behaviour that disturb lessons of educators (Landsberg et al., 2005:455). This makes it impossible for educators to teach properly. Learners who engage in such behaviour get no benefit from the teaching and learning situation. The attention of all the other learners is distracted and the atmosphere in the class is negatively affected. According to Landsberg et al., (2005:456) discipline is a huge part of classroom management and it is reactive in nature. Educators react to learner behaviour, which disrupts the good order of the classroom. Classroom management is proactive, it is preventative and self-control on the part of the learners is its goal. Further findings from the research indicated that educators struggle from teacher-burnout. It has also become apparent that educators are unsure of corrective disciplinary measures. Current disciplinary measures do not yield successful results. In fact, educators feel stressed and de-motivated. As a result of so many reasons for misbehaviour in classrooms, educators feel that they do not have the ability to manage the classroom. This study therefore provided recommendations to assist educators to cope better with classroom management duties in such a way that it will contribute to effective discipline in the foundation phase. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

The aim of this study was to investigate current classroom management practices, disciplinary strategies and educator duties and demands, in the Sedibeng West District (D8) of the Gauteng Province, with the aim of recommending guidelines to assist educators to cope better with classroom management duties as well as maintaining discipline at the same time. The overall aims of the study were achieved through the following objectives: Reviewing existing literature to establish the nature of current classroom management duties. Investigating the influence of increased classroom duties on classroom management. Reviewing existing literature to establish the nature of current disciplinary measures. Investigating the influence of increased classroom duties on discipline. Making recommendations to assist educators to cope better with classroom management duties as well as maintaining discipline at the same time. The abovementioned aims were reached by completing a literature study and an empirical investigation. The study further investigated the perceptions of educators in the foundation phase (grade 2 educators and the respective Heads of Department) as well as principals regarding certain aspects of classroom management and discipline. This was investigated by means of structured questionnaires. Findings from the research indicated that refusal to obey requests and commands, noisiness, showing off, teasing, irritating or disturbing other learners, leaving their seats without permission, talking out of turn, calling out when the educator is speaking, making improper noises, not paying attention, storming out of the classroom, and knife attacks, are current types of behaviour that disturb lessons of educators (Landsberg et al., 2005:455). This makes it impossible for educators to teach properly. Learners who engage in such behaviour get no benefit from the teaching and learning situation. The attention of all the other learners is distracted and the atmosphere in the class is negatively affected. According to Landsberg et al., (2005:456) discipline is a huge part of classroom management and it is reactive in nature. Educators react to learner behaviour, which disrupts the good order of the classroom. Classroom management is proactive, it is preventative and self-control on the part of the learners is its goal. Further findings from the research indicated that educators struggle from teacher-burnout. It has also become apparent that educators are unsure of corrective disciplinary measures. Current disciplinary measures do not yield successful results. In fact, educators feel stressed and de-motivated. As a result of so many reasons for misbehaviour in classrooms, educators feel that they do not have the ability to manage the classroom. This study therefore provided recommendations to assist educators to cope better with classroom management duties in such a way that it will contribute to effective discipline in the foundation phase. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

With the end of Cold War international order entered into a period that is characterized by continuous crises and instability. Within this order European Union, like the rest of the world, felt the necessity of re-evaluating its policies since they realized that the current policies were not sufficient to meet the challenges of the new world order. As a consequence of this EU has been trying to develop its capabilities to conduct crisis management and conflict resolution. Besides, the EU intends to strengthen its influence in international relations. This thesis analyzes the EU&rsquo / s maturing capacities in managing the international security challenges and the impacts of those capabilities on the resolution of the complicated conflict in Cyprus. Within this framework this study begins with examining the basics of conflict study. Then it explores the role EU intends to play in international politics, the progress of the EU structure in conflict management and the related defence and security issues and the future prospects including the formation of European military capacities. Strategies and instruments of the EU for conflict management are analyzed. Finally it assesses the mediator role of EU in Cyprus. Possible strategies that the EU may apply in Cyprus are evaluated. Furthermore, thinking past experiences of crisis resolution within the EU framework, the study argues about application of the Aland and Belgium models in Cyprus case. The thesis concludes that with its capabilities and the determination for strengthening its role in conflict management, EU has a high chance for resolving Cyprus conflict &ndash / especially in the long-run- by using its creativity and flexibility against conflicted issues.

CO2 sequestration is one of the proposed methods for reducing anthropogenic CO2 emissions to the atmosphere and therefore mitigating global climate change. Few studies on storing CO2 in an aquifer have been conducted on a regional scale. This study offers a conceptual approach to increasing the storage efficiency of CO2 injection in saline formations and investigates what an actual CO2 storage project might entail using field data for the Woodbine aquifer in East Texas. The study considers three aquifer management strategies for injecting CO2 emissions from nearby coal-fired power plants into the Woodbine aquifer. The aquifer management strategies studied are bulk CO2 injection, and two CO2-brine displacement strategies. A conceptual model performed with homogeneous and average reservoir properties reveals that bulk injection of CO2 pressurizes the aquifer, has a storage efficiency of 0.46% and can only last for 20 years without risk of fracturing the CO2 injection wells. The CO2-brine displacement strategy can continue injecting CO2 for as many as 240 years until CO2 begins to break through in the production wells. This offers 12 times greater CO2 storage efficiency than the bulk injection strategy. A full field simulation with a geological model based on existing aquifer data validates the storage capacity claims made by the conceptual model. A key feature in the geological model is the Mexia-Talco fault system that serves as a likely boundary between the saline aquifer region suitable for CO2 storage and an updip fresh water region. Simulation results show that CO2 does not leak into the fresh water region of the iv aquifer after 1000 years of monitoring if the faults have zero transmissibility, but a negligible volume of brine eventually gets through the mostly sealing fault system as pressure across the faults slowly equilibrates during the monitoring period. However, for fault transmissibilities of 0.1 and 1, both brine and CO2 leak into the fresh water aquifer in increasing amounts for both bulk injection and CO2-brine displacement strategies. In addition, brine production wells draw some fresh water into the saline aquifer if the Mexia-Talco fault system is not sealing. A CO2 storage project in the Woodbine aquifer would impact as many as 15 counties with high-pressure CO2 pipelines stretching as long as 875 km from the CO2 source to the injection site. The required percentage of power plant energy capacity was 7.43% for bulk injection, 7.9% for the external brine disposal case, and 10.2% for the internal saturated brine injection case. The estimated total cost was $0.00132–$0.00146/kWh for the bulk injection, $0.00191–$0.00211/kWh for the external brine disposal case, and $0.0019–$0.00209/kWh for the internal saturated brine injection case.

There is growing recognition of the importance of preserving Canada’s forests. Canada’s 348 million hectares of forest land cover 35% of its land area, representing 9% of the world’s forests and 24% of the world’s boreal forests. As a renewable resource, forests offer significant environmental, economic and recreational benefits and innumerable services contributing to the quality of life. Canada has recently entered an era of increased frequency and severity of natural disasters. Ecosystems and communities especially in western Canada have recently undergone a trend of increasing pressures from natural disturbances. These disturbances include wildfires associated with increased fuel load levels from past fire suppression regimes and a widely spread infestation of the mountain pine beetle in addition to changes in weather patterns. Wildfire activity has reached extreme levels in many of the recent years. This thesis profiles an area of western Canada within the Montane Cordillera covering the Nechako Lakes Electoral District in central British Columbia and assesses its vulnerability to the specific hazard of wildfires caused by natural and man-made sources. The objectives of this research are to review, simulate and assess the impact of various fuel management strategies in a sub-section of the Nechako Lakes Electoral District called the Southside. Values at risk include private property and old growth forest in respectively timber supply areas, provincial parks, woodlots and community forests. Simulation results show that firebreaks are effective in significantly reducing the area burned in different parts of the landscape. The performance of different strategies shows large variation. Although this has not been investigated further, such variation has likely been caused by topographic aspects and the positioning of firebreaks in the landscape in relation to climatic parameters. These results can therefore not be extrapolated beyond the simulated area, but do give an indication of the performance variation that may be expected when similar firebreaks are applied elsewhere. The results also show that model performance of all firebreak strategies is heavily and fairly consistently influenced by weather stream parameters. Sensitivity analyses of weather stream parameters show that although the reduction in total area burned varies, the ranking between strategies in their overall performance is consistent regardless of the weather pattern. Combined dry, warm and windy weather conditions lead to a 3.44-fold increase in total area burned as compared to the scenario with average weather conditions. In favourable weather conditions represented by wet, cold and nearly windless conditions, the model shows an 85% reduction in total burned area as compared to the average scenario. These results illustrate the significant impact of uncontrollable variables on the overall result.

Many agricultural landscapes in India are irrigated with wastewater, and it is a common livelihood practice particularly in urban and peri-urban areas. Farmers around urban agglomerations continuously depend on the wastewater released from nearby urban centres. While providing opportunities with respect to water and nutrient supply, irrigating with wastewater has adverse environmental impacts, particularly on the local aquifer systems. Therefore, addressing the wastewater irrigation influence on local aquifer systems is crucial for sustainable groundwater management. The present research demonstrates the impacts of wastewater irrigation, seasonality and spatio-temporal variations in the groundwater quality and its geochemical evolution and mixing processes in different land use and crop settings. The doctoral research aims at understanding the aquifer heterogeneity, land use conditions, groundwater dynamics and contaminant fate and transport in the long-term wastewater irrigation system to develop sustainable and suitable groundwater management strategies. The selected study watershed is located on the banks of Musi River in a peri-urban catchment of the Musi River basin in India. Statistical techniques, land use change modelling and solute flow and transport modelling tools are employed to identify and quantify the linkages between contaminants, agricultural use and environmental variables, particularly those characterizing the groundwater qualities. The research results suggest that concentrations of the major ionic substances increase after the monsoon season, especially in wastewater irrigated areas and the major polluted groundwaters to come from the wastewater irrigated parts of the watershed. Clusters of chemical variables identified indicate that groundwater pollution is highly impacted by mineral interactions and long-term wastewater irrigation. The groundwater geochemistry of the watershed is largely controlled by long-term wastewater irrigation, local rainfall patterns and water-rock interactions. The detected land use changes in the watershed indicate that, as a consequence of urban pressures, agricultural landscapes are being converted into built-up areas and, at the same time, former barren land is converted to agricultural plots. The mapped land use data are used in modelling the aquifer conditions and to observe the groundwater dynamics in the peri-urban environment. The study results provide the basis for sustainable agriculture and groundwater development using the efficient scenarios identified for wastewater irrigation management. The resulting strategies for integrated management of water and waste will contribute to the water security and achieve the respective Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2, 3, 6, 11 and 15).