O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o cimento de ionômero de vidro modificado por resina de nanopartículas Ketac&trade;N100, por meio de três metodologias diferentes: resposta tecidual em subcutâneo de camundongos isogênicos, liberação de flúor e tensão de contração de polimerização, in vitro. Foram utilizados 90 camundongos isogênicos da linhagem BALB/c, divididos em 9 grupos (n=10), nos quais foram implantados tubos de polietileno contendo o Ketac&trade; 100, ChemFilR (ionômero de vidro convencional) ou tubo vazio. Nos períodos experimentais de 7, 21 e 63 dias o tubo e o tecido adjacente foram removidos para análise microscópica. Para o ensaio de avaliação da tensão de contração de polimerização, foram utilizados dois bastões de vidro fixados a uma máquina de ensaio universal. Nos bastões foi acoplado um extensômetro para medição da força de contração de polimerização de cinco materiais (Resina Filtek&trade;Z350, CompoglassR F, VitremerMR, Ketac&trade;N100 e ChemFilR), com 10 corpos de prova para cada material. Para o ensaio de liberação de flúor, foram confeccionados 8 corpos de prova de 3 diferentes materiais (Ketac&trade; 100, Vidrion R e Resina Filtek&trade; Z250), colocados individualmente em 1 ml de saliva artificial. O corpo de prova foi trocado a cada dia por 15 dias e a solução obtida utilizada para a leitura do íon fluoreto.Os resultados microscópicos evidenciaram que a inflamação presente na abertura dos tubos, aos 7 dias, sofreu uma diminuição em área e espessura até os 63 dias, nos 2 materiais e no grupo controle. Comparando a área da reação inflamatória o Ketac&trade;N100 foi diferente estatisticamente do ChemFilR, nos períodos de 7 e 21 dias (p>0,05), com uma área menor para o Ketac&trade;N100. A espessura da reação inflamatória nos períodos de 7 e 21 dias apresentou valores semelhantes entre o Ketac&trade;N100 e ChemFilR (p>0,05). Aos 63 dias, os valores foram estatisticamente diferentes, com um pequeno aumento de espessura para o Ketac&trade;N100. Os valores de tensão de contração de polimerização obtidos seguiram a seguinte ordem crescente: ChemFilR < VitremerMR < Ketac&trade;N100 < CompoglassR F ~ Filtek&trade;Z350 (p>0,05). Quando comparados dois a dois, o ionômero modificado por resina de nanopartículas Ketac&trade;N100 se aproximou mais dos valores da resina Filtek&trade; Z350 (p>0,05) do que do ionômero de vidro convencional ChemFilR (p<0,05). A sua liberação de flúor ocorreu mais significativamente nos dois primeiros dias, com valores médios 33% menores em comparação ao Vidrion R. Concluímos que o ionômero resinoso nanoparticulado Ketac&trade;N100 é um material que induz uma resposta inflamatória tecidual satisfatória em subcutâneo de camundongos isogênicos. Sua contração de polimerização foi menor do que de a resina Filtek&trade; Z350 e a liberação de flúor foi um terço menor do que a dos ionômeros convencionais. / The aim of this study was to evaluate the resin modified nano ionomer Ketac&trade;N100, by three different methodologies: tissue response in of isogenic mice subcutaneous, fluoride release and shrinkage stress of polymerization in vitro. We used 90 isogenic mice (BALB / c), divided into 9 groups (n = 10), which were implanted with polyethylene tubes containing Ketac&trade; 100, ChemFilR (Ionomer conventional) or empty tube. In the experimental periods of 7, 21 and 63 days the tube and the surrounding tissue were removed for microscopic analysis. To evaluating the stress of contraction of polymerization, we used two glass rods attached to a universal testing machine. In the rods was attached to an extensometer to obtain the measure of the polymerization shrinkage strength of five materials (resin Filtek&trade;Z350, CompoglassR F, VitremerMR F, Ketac&trade; 100 and ChemFilR), with 10 specimens for each material. In the fluoride release test, 8 specimens of 3 different materials (Ketac&trade; 100, Vidrion R and Resin Filtek&trade; Z250) placed individually in 1 ml of artificial saliva. The specimens were changed each day for 15 days and we use this solution used for reading the fluoride ion. The microscopic results showed that the inflammation in the opening of the tubes at 7 days decreased in area and thickness up to 63 days in 2 materials and the control group. Comparing the inflammatory reaction area, Ketac&trade;N100 was statistically different from ChemFilR, in periods of 7 and 21 days (p> 0.05), with a smaller area for Ketac&trade;N100. The inflammatory reaction in the periods of 7 and 21 days showed similar values between the Ketac&trade;N100 and ChemFilR (p> 0.05). At 63 days, the values were statistically different, with a small increase in thickness to Ketac&trade;N100. The values of polymerization shrinkage strength obtained after polymerization followed this ascending order: ChemFilR < VitremerMR F < Ketac&trade; 100 < CompoglassR F ~ Filtek&trade;Z350 (p> 0.05). When compared two by two, the resin modified nano ionomer Ketac&trade;N100 approached most of the values of resin Filtek&trade; Z350(p> 0.05) than the conventional glass Ionomer ChemFilR (p <0.05). The fluoride release occurred more significantly in the first two days, with average 33% lower compared with Vidrion R. We conclude that the resin modified nano ionomer Ketac&trade;N100 is a material that induces an satisfactory inflammatory response in subcutaneous tissue of isogenic mice. Its polymerization shrinkage strength was lower than the resin Filtek&trade; Z350 and fluoride release was a third lower than the conventional glass ionomer.

Humanitarian disasters are expected to increase 5-fold over the next 50 years. In 2010 a total of 385 separate disasters killed over 297,000 people worldwide, affected more than 217 million others and caused US$ 123.9 billion of economic damages. It is suggested that the scale of resource dedicated to logistics provision in response to disasters accounts for upwards of 80% of the total budget, hence humanitarian logistics both as a practice and a research topic is very much in the spotlight. Consequently, this research addresses what is argued to be the under-representation of humanitarian logistics in the literature and the associated lack of empirical research focussed on the management of the supply chain. Collaborative working has been promoted as a Silver Bullet in many areas of Supply Chain Management and is contended to be a mechanism to prevent organisations optimising solely their own results rather than integrating their goals and activities with others to benefit overall end user value. Collaborative techniques inherent within commercial supply chains have not been observed in the humanitarian relief chain. This study investigates why this is the case, as this lack of collaboration is reported to lead to inefficiency; which at worst results in increased humanitarian suffering and additional loss of life. Hence, the findings reveal ways to advance collaborative working within the humanitarian relief supply chain. Criticism is levelled at the predominance of quantitative methodologies in current research within humanitarian logistics. This study addresses this gap as well as the calls for more cross-organisational case studies within the field, by adopting a multi-case, qualitative approach based on the triangulation of data gathered during a series of in-depth interviews and focus groups across 4 separate humanitarian relief organisations. Data interpretation is through content analysis to identify specific patterns and themes. The research concerns itself with the response immediately following the onset of a disaster. This limited scope helps to address issues surrounding the generalisability of a purely qualitative approach whilst also maintaining control over data volume; however, there are still ample opportunities for significant theoretical and practical contribution. The findings identify specific barriers to collaborative working within the sector; in particular, themes and patterns within management and control, understanding and training, relationships, and military involvement have surfaced. Outcomes also have implications for commercial supply chain managers who are increasingly faced with challenges that no longer obey the traditional rules of forecast driven certainty and predictability, and are therefore, expected to adopt the more event driven, agile and flexible approaches that are already a reality for their humanitarian sector counterparts. The study concludes with the development of a conceptual generic model of the humanitarian supply chain that includes a number of significant issues which, if addressed will improve collaboration and thereby benefit overall efficiency and effectiveness to the general betterment of future relief provision.

The thesis examines life within large Danish companies affected by the global financial downturn. It does so from phenomenological-relational perspectives, as a counterpoint to the traditional, mechanical (Cartesian) ways of viewing structures, problems and processes leading to resolutions. In particular, the thesis dwells on the differences between “aboutness” and “withness” as criteria for judging how people behave in such companies, particularly at times when a CEO suddenly announces major and rapid change. The thesis attempts to shape some of the contours of a relational landscape - with different understandings of life and living. In that respect, it looks beyond models, tools and recipes as the only ways of evolving as companies move towards future survival.

Numerous studies have linked dispositional mindfulness to enhanced emotion regulation. The present research examined dispositional mindfulness as a predictor of emotion regulation in social affective contexts. Participants completed passive viewing and Emotional Go/No-Go tasks involving social affective stimuli (happy, neutral, and fearful facial expressions). Event-related potentials (ERPs) and behavioral responses were examined to discern whether dispositional mindfulness predicted differential neural and behavioral responses indexing attention to, awareness of, and inhibitory control over automatic responses to affective social stimuli. Dispositional mindfulness predicted larger (more negative) N100, N200 and No-Go N200 amplitudes during the Emotional Go/No-Go task, but was not associated with amplitude of the Late Positive Potential during the passive viewing task. Dispositional mindfulness also predicted faster response times (RT) to target stimuli that were not attributable to a speed-accuracy tradeoff. No relations were found between mindfulness and RT variability nor accuracy. Implications for understanding mindfulness and early processes of social emotion regulation are discussed.

Many organizations have started to adopt knowledge management as one of their strategic initiatives that is to create, retain, share and use the valuable knowledge assets to achieve the organisational objectives. Although knowledge management (KM) is mainly adopted by the private sectors, the Knowledge-based Economy Master Plan, which was launched in 2002 by the government of Malaysia, has encouraged the public and government sectors to value and exploit their knowledge assets. While knowledge comprises both explicit and tacit, many organisations have created knowledge management teams with various KM designations/positions, led by Chief Knowledge Officers (CKOs) to manage the organization knowledge assets. As KM is considered a new, multifaceted and an evolving discipline, frameworks pertaining to KM activities are still lacking. Regardless of which approach an organisation embarks on, there must be a 'shared understanding' of the organisation KM direction so knowledge assets could be capitalized at every level in the organisation. It is crucial for KM team members being able to introduce and promote the organisation's KM direction; therefore, those who are responsible for managing the initiatives should have adequate skills and knowledge to perform their KM tasks. Besides having some managerial and generic competencies, KM team members must also have some essential technical skills (KM-related skills). The research highlighted two research questions - how do KM managers interpret the essential KM-related competencies needed in supporting their KM tasks? and how do these required KM competencies influence KM managers' attitudes towards KM-related training needs to improve their KM understanding and implementation? From the social constructionist philosophical stance, this interpretive study uses the qualitative research approach to explore and investigate the essential KM-related competencies required by KM managers in performing their KM tasks and how they influence the attitudes for KM related training. Adopting a qualitative case study approach, the researcher made a study of KM managers of XYZ; an organisation that adopted a strategic KM approach. An E-focus group was conducted for the pilot study and face-to-face interviews were used to understand the phenomenon based on the experience of KM managers. Findings suggested that six essential KM-related competencies are needed by KM managers; KM overview, Corporate Taxonomy, Communities of Practice (CoPs), KM Tools, Knowledge Measurement and Information Management. This is to make sure that KM could be easily justified in the terms of the benefits to the management and employees, especially relating it to the economic gains. Those competencies were also suggested based on their difficulties in delivering some KM activities such as measuring knowledge, developing taxonomies and establishing appropriate KM tools and CoPs. Indeed as KM managers' suggestions and views on KM competencies come from their KM involvements, KM managers also admitted that those competencies had influenced their preferences towards KM-related training. KM managers prefer some advanced KM-related courses and also certified KM training. The findings have implications for HR/KM personnel and researchers at XYZ as well as others in general. Hence, the major contributions of this research include the following: a. KM competencies framework for KM professions which contributes to b. Demonstrates the implications of the required KM competencies on training preferences c. Presents the design and development of an alternative way of data collection method in conducting e-focus group using blog.

Since the 19th century School Governors have gone through an extended period of change. The most recent legislative changes related to the New Relationship with Schools Agenda (NRwS) will challenge Governing Bodies and highlights the need for effectiveness and accountability. Today state secondary schools are legally required to have a corporate Governing Body which is responsible for appointing the Head Teacher, for strategic planning and for standards. Governors are representative of the community they serve and are expected to be `critical friend' to the Head Teacher. This research is aimed at developing a method of helping Governors become more effective by: examining empirically their performance and effectiveness; investigating the nature of volunteering; exploring the distinctions between School Governor practices and those of Non-Executive Directors in the business sectors; identifying not only the bathers to effectiveness but individual and organizational factors which enable a Governing Body to become more effective and then developing Model Guidelines which will help them to carry out its role more effectively. To achieve these aims an ethnographic methodology is used and the data gathering methods included: a pilot questionnaire survey; a pilot self evaluation exercise with a school experiencing problems; a questionnaire survey; a pilot elite interview; elite interviews with five experts and fieldwork in two state secondary schools. Most of the literature tends to focus on factual information whereas this study, whilst an academic piece of research, it is also intended to be a working tool for Governors. The findings are largely consistent with the literature; thirty two issues of concern have been identified. These in turn have been translated into five key issues, Governance and Structure, Guiding Principles, People and Processes and Conduct all within a culture of Review and Self Evaluation. The fifth key issue highlights criteria considered essential to the development of the Model Guidelines. The five key issues identified by the research constitute the parameters for the explicit, generic, applicable and hitherto unavailable Model Guidelines for School Governors.

There is intensive research in international business studies exploring strategic decisions relating to the choice of entry mode. As a frontier issue the choice of entry mode has been widely recognised as being one of the critical decisions in a firm's internationalisation. However, most of the research primarily focuses upon Western multi-national enterprises (MNEs) rather than small-medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Recently, interest in the international business activities of SMEs has been increasing. Nevertheless, little has been done in light of the choice of entry mode in the SME sector, especially for SMEs from developing countries. This study explored how Chinese SME managers make their strategic market entry choices when entering the UK to address the issue of whether Western MNEs' foreign investment theories are applicable to Asian SMEs. The decision making of entry mode choices involves complicated social processes such as social relationships both in and outside the firm. This research takes a social constructionist paradigm, trying to understand and interpret the Chinese SMEs decision maker's unique experiences, perceived values and embedded Chinese culture that can have great impact on their choice of entry modes. Cohering with this philosophical stance, 10 Chinese SMEs managers in the North East of the England were involved in qualitative interviews and data was analysed through template analysis. The findings of this thesis offer a more holistic picture of SME managers' decision making in terms of their entry mode choices. This study is inconsistent with the more classic motives of firms' internationalisation, such as securing raw materials and seeking low-cost labour as it reveals 2 previously unrecognised motives of Chinese SMEs' internationalisation, namely `seeking entrepreneurial freedom' and 'building their own international teams'. Moreover, 4 entry modes were used by the Chinese SMEs' entering the North East of England markets, including direct exporting, joint venture and wholly-owned subsidiary and internet entry mode. Interestingly, the joint venture mode used by Chinese SMEs in this study is operationally different from traditional joint ventures. Furthermore, a number of influencing factors emerged from the Chinese SME managers' accounts: firm-specific factors, strategy-factors, product-specific factors, networks and social culture factors and the decision maker's personal characteristics. In drawing upon their motives, influencing factors, and entry modes a 3-stage decision making process was discovered which combined rational and cybernetic strategic approaches that have been adopted by Chinese SMEs managers at different levels. Contributively, this study offers alternative understandings of the choice of entry mode. By drawing upon experiences of Chinese SME managers it extends the foreign investment theories based on Western-MNEs and offers a contribution to practice grounded in an Asian-SME context. Significantly, this thesis develops a practice-based framework by integrating factors into the whole decision making process, providing practical guidance for SME managers to inform their entry mode choices.

This study investigates the characteristics of first line managers (FLMs) required to manage absence 'effectively' within Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council. An important theoretical contribution to knowledge is made by focusing specifically on the role and impact of FLMs which is an issue that has previously been identified as being important, but has not been researched specifically. A wide range of literature was explored from the fields of health management, psychology and business management to present a clear picture of the key issues involved in absence management. Discussions are provided on personal, organisational and group level characteristics which have been found to have an association with levels of employee absence, before looking at best practice in the management interventions that can be used. Five major hypotheses were generated from the literature and were further broken down into 21 testable sub-hypotheses. A positivist approach was taken using a quantitative methodology in order to meet the objectives of this study. This consisted of a range of research methods including a survey to FLMs, policy analysis and analysis of internal organisational documents. Using this variety of methods a clear picture of existing practices was developed and then analysed. This extensive methodological approach makes an interesting contribution to this research field and is in response to some earlier criticisms of research designs in this area. The survey results show multiple statistically significant relationships between variables and levels of absence including; the age of the FLMs; the division (p=0.01) and departments (p=0.02) in which the FLMs work, and their levels of knowledge of the organisation's absence management policy and procedures (p= 0.048). This allowed the rejection of the null hypotheses and states that there is an association between these variables and levels of absence of the FLMs' employees. However, there are also other interesting results that are of high practical significance despite the results not being statistically significant. This includes looking at relationships between variables such as career history and relationships with other stakeholders, when correlated with the absence levels of the FLMs' employees. The main results from the other research methods utilised in this study demonstrate that there is some ambiguity over responsibilities for managing absence and that absence management is not fully integrated into associated HR policies. Despite attempts to implement best practice interventions, there remain some indications of differences between rhetoric and reality. Recommendations for the organisation include the need to include supplementary details in their absence management policy and to condense the seven existing documents into one comprehensive policy guide. In addition the organisation needs to support their FLMs so that they understand exactly what their role in absence management entails and how and when they should work in partnership with other stakeholders.

Since 1997, when Thailand faced a severe financial crisis as a result of IMF debt, many Thai organisations have seen fit to use Buddhist Training and Development (T&D) programmes to change the way in which their employees work and think. Buddhist principles suggested that the crisis occurred due to the nation's mistaken focus on certain objectives, without paying attention to the wellbeing of humans. In other words, the country was absorbed with consumerism. It has been advised that focussing on Buddhism would aid in the mental recovery of the people affected by the crisis and improve the human resource development (HRD). This research takes a social constructionist epistemology, trying to understand and interpret data under the interpretive paradigm. The study explores the practise and provision of T&D based on Buddhist philosophies in a sample of Thai organisations by interviewing organisational practitioners; including trainers and trainees and observing the T&D courses. The work examines Buddhist T&D in the context of social responsibility and organisational ethics, whilst also considering the implications of its findings on the design of T&D courses for modern Thai business organisations using the content analysis method. Finally, it considers the impact of the research on the researcher as a trainer, lecturer and T&D practitioner. The findings of this thesis offer a clearer picture of Thai organisations in three areas: organisational development including T&D, social responsibility and morals, and Buddhist teaching and practises. The study is achieved by focussing on the overlapping areas of mind development, morality and modern perspectives such as corporate social responsibility (CSR) and management competency of business. In addition, the thesis explores how T&D of staff in Thai organisations can be utilised for the long-term benefit and success of staff themselves, organisations and society. It also identifies the strengths and opportunities the Buddhist approach offers. The characteristics of employees within Thai organisations are analysed along with their impact and effect on organisations. Particularly in relation to jobs, this thesis explores the ways to release anger, conflict or stress in the organisation and display good leadership characteristics. Finally, this DBA (Doctor of Business administration) thesis proposes a new T&D processes combining the Western style of business knowledge and Thai Buddhist T&D. Three new theoretical frameworks are contributed: Transformation of Learning Organisational Development and Buddhist T&D, Employee T&D Model and Buddhist T&D Policy. The roles of contributions to professional practise in an organisation as a leader and as a member of the organisation are also presented.

An appreciation of the extent of one's own knowledge is known as metaknowledge and it has been argued that students' ability to distinguish between what they know, and what they do not, is an important influence on academic success. However, previous research suggests a general tendency for individuals to display overconfidence in their knowledge, by overestimating how much they know. This study assessed the ability of learners studying business in higher education to appreciate the extent of their own knowledge and investigated the association between this capability and academic achievement. It therefore contributes towards answering broader questions regarding how well individuals are able to assess their own capabilities and what the implications of this are. Quantitative methodology was employed and multiple-choice tests used to investigate how accurately students were able to assess the extent of their knowledge of issues addressed in their study programmes. Analysis of over 12,500 judgements provided by 508 respondents revealed a general tendency for overconfidence and indicated that this was greater for males, older participants and particularly, for Chinese students. Consequently, interventions designed to moderate overconfidence may be particularly valuable for these sub-groups. In terms of its potential implications for learning, the research indicated that better metaknowledge was positively associated with higher levels of academic performance, particularly for those in their first year studying at the university. Consequently, while metacognitive skills, such as accurate self-monitoring, are typically poorly addressed in business schools, the findings from this study suggest that initiatives to improve self monitoring accuracy may be effective in enhancing student learning. Additionally, such interventions have other potential benefits for learners, since metacognitive monitoring skills may also usefully inform lifestyle decisions, as well as improving the chances of success in business and may therefore be particularly beneficial for business students.