Ingeniera Civil Industrial / La determinación de los niveles adecuados de servicio en góndola requiere equilibrar los costos de inventario y reposición con el beneficio de tener una mayor disponibilidad del producto para los clientes. Por lo general los costos de inventario son medibles, en cambio los relacionados con los quiebres de stock (Out Of Stock OOS por sus siglas en inglés) son menos visibles y más difíciles de medir. El objetivo de este trabajo es cuantificar el impacto económico asociado al comportamiento del consumidor frente a los quiebres de stock. En específico, se estudia aquellos cambios de conducta de corto plazo que tiene el cliente en la misma compra y en la siguiente a la que se enfrentó al OOS, dentro de la categoría pan y en la categoría complementaria fiambrería. Para ello se utiliza una base de datos de panel con 2.637 clientes, los que realizaron un total de 24.751 transacciones durante aproximadamente un mes y medio. Estos datos tienen información de punto de venta y de la disponibilidad de los productos que enfrentó el cliente al momento de realizar la compra. La información de quiebres de stock es capturada por cámaras que miden cada 30 minutos los niveles de disponibilidad de los distintos panes de la sección pan a granel. Para inferir si los clientes se enfrentaron a un quiebre de stock al momento de comprar, se realiza un cruce de información entre las mediciones de cámaras y las transacciones en el punto de venta utilizando la hora en la que el cliente realizó la transacción en caja. Con la información anterior, se desarrollan modelos de elección discreta, específicamente el modelo mixed logit, que incorporan heterogeneidad en las preferencias de clientes para estimar los efectos causados por el OOS dentro de la categoría pan y regresiones lineales para calcular los efectos cruzados en las ventas de otras categorías. Esta heterogeneidad es importante para que el modelo tenga flexibilidad suficiente para capturar patrones de sustitución entre productos. El principal resultado obtenido es que los quiebres de stock en una categoría no sólo disminuyen las ventas de ésta, sino también las de las categorías complementarias. Produciéndose la mayor pérdida para el supermercado cuando la hallulla y la marraqueta no están disponibles, disminuyendo las ventas de la panadería en un 2,9% y en un 0,31% las de la fiambrería. La suma de esta pérdida asciende a los US$ 313.480. Otro resultado interesante es la subestimación de elasticidad precio cuando se ignoran los OOS. Además, la lealtad de los clientes disminuye en importancia al incorporar la existencia de OOS intertemporal y contextual. El conocer los efectos económicos que genera una baja en el nivel de disponibilidad de los productos le permite a la empresa determinar las estrategias de reposición óptimas que deben implementar. Como trabajo futuro se sugiere analizar los efectos de largo plazo que puede producir un OOS en el comportamiento del cliente a través de modelos que incorporen cambios estructurales en las preferencias del consumidor, tal como las cadenas de Markov ocultas (Hidden Markov Models).

Hierdie studie oor die Latere Steentydperk van die OosTransvaal is gebaseer op opgrawings deur die departement Argeologie van die Universiteit van Pretoria te Boesmanrotsskuiling (distrik Ohrigstad). Die boonste 18 lae van die afsetting is bestudeer. Lae 19 en ouer kan sonder twyfel as Middelsteentydperk beskou word. Laag 1 tot die boonste vlak van laag 18 dek 'n tydperk van ongeveer 3 000 jaar (± 9 500 jaar tot ± 12 900 jaar voor hede). Die inhoud van laag 18 was ondateerbaar, maar net onder die laag is daterings van meer as 45 000 jaar voor hede verkry. Fauna-oorblyfsels en alle kulturele materiaal is volledig ontleed en daar is onder andere gebruik gemaak van 'n metingstegniek vir klipartefakte wat deur J.C. Vogel ontwikkel is. Daar is veral aandag geskenk aan omgewingsbenutting, die aard en samestelling van die artefakversameling, die kontak tussen Middel- en Latere Steentydperk en die moontlikheid van klimaatsveranderinge gedurende die laat Pleistoseen/vroeg Holoseen. Twee duidelik anderskeibare kulturele fases kon uit die artefakversarneling herken word, nl. 'n ontwikkelde Mid-delsteentydperk (lae 18 tot 15) en 'n middel Latere Steentydperk {lae 14 tot 1), sender enige getuienis van 'n geleidelike oorgang. Eersgenoemde fase bevat o.a. sorgvuldig afgewerkte punte, skrapers en holskrapers, sowel as gefasetteerde slaanvlakke. Die meeste artefakte is van haringfels vervaardig. In vergelyking met ander Middelsteentydperk-versamelings is die BRS fase besonder laat (± 12 470 tot± 12 950 jaar voor hede). Die Latere Steentydperk-artefakversameling (lae 14 tot 1) is hoofsaaklik van kwarts vervaardig, slaanvlakke is oorwegend enkeld en daar is 'n mikrolitiese element, maar geen punte is aanwesig nie. Hierdie versameling val in twee subfases uiteen (lae 14 tot 6 en lae 5 tot 1), maar hierdie verdeling verteenwaardig 'n redelik geleidelike tegnologiese/tipologiese ontwikkeling. Lae 14 tot 6 bevat 'n beperkte verskeidenheid klipartefaktipes in vergelyking met lae 5 tot 1, maar die aanwesigheid van beenartefakte vergoed vir hierdie tekort. Benewens gepoleerde beenpunte en else is daar ook 'n verskeidenheid ander beenimplemente vervaardig volgens 'n skilfertegniek, waardeur die voltooide produk sterk ooreenkaros met sekere klipartefakte toon. Lae 5 tot 1 bevat 'n groter verskeidenheid klipartefakte, maar na verhouding minder beenartefakte as lae 14 tot 6. Die klipartefakte sluit in ronde skrapers, halskrapers en stukke met rugafwerking wat nie in lae 14 tot 6 aangetref is nie. Ru-materiale en die meeste voedsel is uit die onmiddellike omgewing van die skuiling bekom. Daar was sterk voorkeure ten opsigte van die beskikbare ru-materiale, veral met betrekking tot kwarts en horingfels. 'n Verandering van jagpatroon het plaasgevind tydens die Latere Steentydperk. Gedurende die Middelsteentydperkbewoning (lae 18 tot 15) en die oudste lae van die Latere Steentydperk (lae 14 tot 13) is daar hoofsaaklik jag gemaak op die groter, grasvretende kuddediere. Daarna (lae 12 tot 1) is daar bykomstig jag-gemaak op klein, alleenlopende blaarvreters. Die jag van hierdie diere het nuwe tegnieke vereis en daar is waarskynlik gebruik gemaak van strikke en/of valle. Die faunamateriaal en die sade het geen tasbare getuienis opgelewer van enige ekologiese- of klimaatsveranderinge gedurende die periode waarin lae 1 tot 17 neergelê is nie, maar gedurende die depenering van laag 18 kon daar maantlik klimaatsveranderinge plaasgevind het. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 1978. / gm2014 / Anthropology and Archaeology / Unrestricted

In 1994, racial domination in the form of apartheid ended in South Africa and the first postapartheid government was elected through a non-racial and democratic franchise. The new government inherited an entrenched system of racial inequality as well as widespread poverty amongst the formerly oppressed population, and it sought to address these challenges through policies of redistribution based on a new progressive constitution which emphasised the realisation of socio-economic rights. At the same time, and despite its redistributive measures, the post-apartheid government has pursued a macro-economic strategy with pronounced neoliberal dimensions. One of its critical redistributive measures focuses on social assistance to poor blacks, and this has entailed the construction and expansion of a massive social grant system including the child support grant which is received by millions of black South Africans on a monthly basis. The objective of this thesis is to examine and understand the livelihoods of child support grant recipients (or caregivers) in the context of conditions of extreme vulnerability marked by poverty. It does so by focusing on the small town of Riebeek East located in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Though undoubtedly child support grant caregivers are victims of poverty, the thesis demonstrates that they are not without agency. They exist in structural conditions of vulnerability and poverty, but they nevertheless seek to manoeuvre and negotiate their way in and through their conditions of existence. This does not necessarily alleviate their poverty in any significant manner but it does show evidence of reflexivity, decision-making and responsibility in the pursuit of livelihood practices and outcomes. In making this argument, I draw upon the mega-theory of Margaret Archer (specifically, her morphogenetic approach) and the more middle-level perspective of the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework. Beyond contributing to the prevailing academic literature on the child support grant in South Africa, this thesis also hopefully makes a small contribution to controversies about structure and agency within sociology.

Thesis (MPhil (Sociology and Social Anthropology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH SUMMARY: This study focuses on the shortage of labour in the rural areas of the Free State and, in direct contrast to the high unemployment figures and great demand for jobs. The upskilling of unskilled labour is one of South Africa’s biggest social problems. It is becoming ever more pressing given the increasing demand for skilled labour to adapt to technological advancement and the new information era. The South African government has created various initiatives and policies to accommodate and provide previously disadvantaged groups with opportunities for training and better life prospects. Viewing South Africa’s rural areas from a historical perspective may result in scepticism about the success of these training initiatives and question the commitment of private business towards these policies. Policies and regulations increasingly place greater administrative pressure on workplaces, which could lead to the expectation that training in companies would merely be regarded as an extra burden. The VKB, a local agricultural co-operative in the Free State, challenges this assumption. This study investigates the experiences and expectations of employees to determine the impact of training on individuals. Interviews with employees and management in the company show that training plays a crucial role in producing solidarity in a stable workplace environment. For both groups, government-proposed education and training are regarded as very important in their own lives and for the future development of South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die tekort aan arbeid wat in die plattelandse gebiede van die Vrystaat ondervind word, in teenstelling met die hoë werkloosheidsyfer en behoefte aan werksgeleenthede in dié gebied. Die verdere opleiding van ongeskoolde arbeid is een van Suid-Afrika se grootste maatskaplike probleme. Dié kwessie raak al hoe meer relevant gegewe die groter aanvraag na geskoolde arbeid om aan te pas by tegnologiese vooruitgang en die eise van die inligtingsera. Die Suid-Afrikaanse regering het verskeie inisiatiewe en beleide ingestel om opleidingsgeleenthede en beter vooruitsigte vir voorheen benadeelde groepe daar te stel. As die Suid-Afrikaanse platteland vanuit ’n historiese perspektief beskou word, kan ’n mens skepties staan teenoor die wyse waarop sakeondernemings hierdie beleide sal aanvaar en toepas. Hierbenewens plaas beleide en wetgewing ook geweldige administratiewe druk op ondernemings, wat aanleiding kan gee tot die vermoede dat maatskappye opleiding slegs as ’n ekstra las sou beskou. Die VKB, ’n plaaslike landboukoöperasie in die Vrystaat, bewys egter die teendeel van hierdie aanname. Dit bring hierdie studie tot die punt van ondersoek, waar die ervaring en verwagtings van werknemers ondersoek word om vas te stel watter impak opleiding op individue het. Persoonlike onderhoude met werknemers en die bestuur dui daarop dat opleiding ’n belangrike faktor is wat samehorigheid in ’n stabiele werksomgewing in die hand werk. Albei groepe beskou opleiding en onderrig, soos voorgestel deur die regering, as uiters belangrik in hulle eie lewens en vir die algehele ontwikkeling van Suid-Afrika.

This diploma thesis focuses on the possible cooperation between the state and NGOs on the program of medical evacuation MEDEVAC during last three years. The aim of this study is to bring a coherent view on the MEDEVAC program and mainly to look into a relation between the state and NGOs which provide services to the state so they play irreplaceable role in this interaction, all through the analysis of interview with particular representatives. The discovered findings from the research and evaluated achieved aims are placed in the conclusion of the thesis.

The objective of this thesis is to discuss regional NGOs' umbrella associations and to explore their part as a role model of cooperation between civic sector and public administration while using qualitative research methods. Against the backdrop of a case study of specific NGO association, this paper examines to what extent may activities of such association contribute to a standardized cooperation with public administration. The theoretical basis of the research is defining the state and the civic sector as regulators of democratic societies. Its primary focus is on areas with significant influence on the subject, namely and in particular the topic of regional (self)government and NGOs' umbrella assocations in the Czech Republic.

<p> Orbital Debris is a growing challenge for the Space Industry. The increasing density of derelict objects in high-value orbital regimes is resulting in more conjunction warnings and break-up events with cascading repercussions on active satellites and spacecraft. The recent rapid growth of the commercial space industry, in particular proliferated satellite constellations, has placed orbital debris remediation at the forefront of Space Industry efforts. The need to remove existing debris, combined with a growing demand for active satellite life extension services, has created an emerging market for space logistics, in particular spacecraft capable of rendezvous and docking, orbital refueling, debris deorbiting, or object relocation. This market has seen numerous companies emerge with multi-purpose on-orbit servicing platforms. This ecosystem poses technological, economical, and policy questions to decision-makers looking to acquire platforms or invest in technologies and requires a System-of-Systems approach to determine mission and system concepts of merit. An open-source modeling, analysis, and simulation software toolbox has been developed which enables rapid early-stage analysis and design of diverse fleets of on-orbit servicing platforms, with a specific emphasis on active debris removal applications. The toolbox provides fetching and processing of real-time orbital catalog data, clustering and scoring of high-value debris targets, flexible and efficient multi-vehicle multi-objective time-varying routing optimization, and fleet-level lifecycle cost estimation. The toolbox is applied to a diverse sample of promising commercial platforms to enable government decision-makers to make sound investment and acquisition decisions to support the development of ADR technologies, missions, and companies. </p>

The goal of this paper is to identify four types of voluntary failure by L. M. Salamone in Czech public-serving non-governmental organizations (NGO's) and to determine extend of their display by studying of the development of one particular organization and presence and dynamics of these failures. The paper is a case study of the NGO spolek Naděje which mostly works in the field of social services across the area of the Czech Republic. This organization is examined by predefined indicators which were chosen for all four types of voluntary failure. These are philanthropic insufficiency, philanthropic particularism, philanthropic paternalism and philanthropic amateurism. The paper consists of five parts. The theoretical part introduces the key concepts and theories for this paper, fundamental definitions of the civil sector, theory of the state and market failure, a role of the civil sector and brief characteristics of public-serving NGO's. Last but not least there are described four types of voluntary failure of Salamone. The next part presents the methodology of the study for which it was chosen strategy of the research, i.e. case study of one public-serving NGO, and research indicators. Finally, the empirical part includes the research which analyses the dynamics of the development of researched...

Thesis in Afrikaans with summaries in Afrikaans and English. / Sosiale diskoerse kan moontlik 'n bepalende invloed op 'n individu se manier van lewe he. Hierdie studie bring enersyds, deur van die narratiewe gespreksbenadering gebruik te maak, 'n aantal diskoerse na vore wat op vyf wit Afrikaanssprekende mans in die Ned Geref Gemeente Vereeniging-Oos se manier van lewe 'n invloed gehad het of nog het. Die diskoerse wat deur die studie navore gebring word is: (a) 'n man is as broodwinner die primere versorger in die gesin; (b) 'n man is doelgerig en op sukses gefokus; (c) 'n man is dominant en aggressief; (d) 'n man fokus nie op emosies en verhoudings nie en (e) 'n man verander nie maklik nie. Andersyds toon die studie ook dat mans ten spyte van die sosiale diskoerse wat moontlik 'n invloed op hul lewens kon he, self alternatiewe wyses van manwees kon ontwikkel en dus nie noodwendig dlenooreenkomstig die sosiale diskoerse hoef te leef nie. / Social discourses may have a decisive influence on an individual's way of life. By means of a narrative conversational approach, this study introduces a number of discourses that had or still have an influence on five white Afrikaans-speaking men in the Dutch Reformed Congregation Vereeniging-East. The discourses are: (a) a man is as breadwinner the primary provider for the family; (b) a man is goal~oriented and focused on success; (c) a man is dominant and aggressive; (d) a man does not value emotions and relationships and (e) a man does not change easily. On the other hand the study indicates that men are able to develop alternative ways of being men in spite of social discourses influencing them. / Practical Theology / M.Th. (Pastoral Therapy)

In my theses I focus on analysis of three international private market companies. Company GEFCO ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA s.r.o. , Dalkia a.s. a ABB a.s. With this companies I'm interested in the way how they practice corporate social responsibility (CSR). When I was choosing this companies I considered facts as: Company has to have head quarter in Western Europe Company has to have experience with corporate social responsibility and has to practice CSR and has to organize social responsible activities. All chosen companies are leaders in its business sector. In my theses I will focus on overview about CSR activities of companies, mainly on corporate philanthropy. I will focus on cooperation of these companies and non government organization, I'm interested in concrete activities done by NGOs in cooperation with through CSR and how NGOs perceived activities that are done through CSR. I'm interested in the way how companies involve their employees into CSR. I 'm going to aim if subsidiaries and head quarters practice same CSR activities and using same CSR tools. I'm also interested in the role of CSR in marketing strategy of these companies. Key words Non government organization, corporate social responsibility (CSR), corporate philanthropy, corporate volunteering, volunteer, civil society, organization,...