The aim of this diploma thesis is to study the potential of Java ME platform for receiving and sending of SMS and to utilize obtained information subsequently in implementation of an application for this platform. The first part of the diploma thesis aims at explaining general terms of the Java language and its basic features. The next part deals with specific properties of the Java ME platform and properties of devices that support this platform. A design of the Java ME application based on theoretical knowledge is created then. This application has to be able to receive, process, store and send SMS and communicate with the server application based on the Java SE platform. The created Java ME application serves as an automated SMS voting server, which can be used in mobile devices that support the Java ME platform and can be remote-controlled via Internet from the Java SE platform application. The final chapter presents the results and conclusions of testing of the created application on real mobile devices.

Dans un environnement économique toujours plus compétitif, tendu et incertain, les entreprises doivent faire preuve d’adaptabilité, de précaution et d’anticipation. Ce manuscrit aborde ainsi plusieurs thématiques liées à ce constat, qui touchent de près la notion de gestion de trésorerie. Le premier essai de cette thèse montre que la distribution d’un dividende en actions permet aux entreprises de temporairement réduire la rémunération de leurs actionnaires, sans être sanctionnées par ces derniers. Ce mécanisme permet aux entreprises de conserver liquidités et flexibilité en période de contraction de l’économie. Le second essai traite du lien entre risque client et politique de gestion des liquidités. Un risque client accru semble alors pousser les entreprises à détenir plus de trésorerie et à moins recourir aux lignes de crédit. Enfin, le troisième essai justifie de l’intérêt d’établir des relations clients-fournisseurs de long terme. Ces partenariats apparaissent alors comme une source d’efficience et de profitabilité accrues du cycle opérationnel des entreprises. / The increasingly competitive and uncertain economic environment requires firms to show caution and to anticipate their needs. Based on this observation, this thesis discusses several topics that are closely related to corporate cash management choices. The first chapter of this thesis show that offering an optional stock dividend enables firms to temporarily reduce cash outflows to shareholders without being penalized by the market. This peculiar type of payout then allows firms to maintain their levels of liquidity and flexibility during economic downturns. The second chapter focuses on the link between customer risk and corporate liquidity management choices. High customer risk then appears to firms holding higher cash reserves compared to credit lines. Finally, the third chapter highlights the benefits of maintaining long-term buyer-supplier relationships. These partnerships then arises as sources of increased operating efficiency and profitability for firms.

The dissertation thesis is focused on increase of the efficiency of production processes in Czech companies, whose main work focus is electric motor production with usage of the lean manufacturing tools with the environmental management system. The main reason for choosing this topic were results of prime study of the target group of companies which has proved that companies do have trouble not just with integration but especially with implementation of the lean manufacturing methods. This is the reason why concrete conditions and basic principles need to be defined to show how to proceed. The objective of this dissertation thesis is to suggest the model of integration of lean manufacturing tools with optional environmental management tool and as the lean manufacturing tools were chosen methods of lean management in production and as an optional environmental tool was chosen system of environmental management based on norm ISO 14 001. For this area of interest the primary and secondary research was used. Based on knowledge from detailed research of Czech and foreign literary sources a survey and guided interview was started with companies, which are focused on electric motor production. The thesis contains a detailed evaluation of empirical research with testing of stated hypothesis, based on which the verbal model of the integration of the lean manufacturing tools with the environmental management system is assembled. The implantation based on the suggested verbal model of the integration in the company should lead not just to the relationship improvement between the company and the environment but also to better understanding of the relationship of two independent kinds of company management leading to saving money, working environment improvement, productivity increase or ecological onus decrease. The benefits can be seen in theoretical, practical and also pedagogical level.

Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur chefens ledarstil bör anpassas beroende på medarbetarnas mognadsnivå när valfritt distansarbete råder. För att uppfylla syftet besvaras fyra forskningsfrågor. De två första kopplas till hur tidigare erfarenheter av distansarbete påverkar individens anpassning till valfritt distansarbete, samt hur kommunikationen påverkas av distansarbete. De två sista berör hur medarbetares mognadsnivå och självledarskap påverkar deras tillhörighet som “in-group” eller “out-group”, samt vilken roll chefens ledarstil har för att främja kompetens och engagemang hos medarbetare. En kvalitativ forskningsmetod med semistrukturerade intervjuer användes, och två organisationer deltog i studien. Resultaten indikerar att tidigare erfarenhet av distansarbete påverkar hur organisationer upplever övergången till valfritt distansarbete, där teknisk kompetens och en neutral inställning spelar en central roll. Det framgår även att det valfria distansarbetet påverkar hur individer kommunicerar, oaktat tidigare erfarenheter. Digital kommunikation möjliggör ökad närvaro och snabbare interaktion, samtidigt som kommunikationen i stort anses bli svårare. Studien konstaterar att valfritt distansarbete medför en ökad självständighet med potential för ökat självledarskap för medarbetare på olika mognadsnivåer, vilket tillåter dem att klassificeras som “in-group” eller “out-group”. Högre förtroende och tillit krävs då chefer har svårare att observera medarbetarna. Slutligen redogör studien för vikten av att rätt ledarstil tillämpas när valfritt distansarbete råder, för att främja medarbetarnas kompetens och engagemang. Studien leder till en omarbetning av modellen för situationsanpassat ledarskap vid valfritt distansarbete för att bättre möta medarbetarnas skiftande behov. Genom att adressera existerande kunskapsluckor erbjuder studien vägledning för organisationer och chefer i en valfri distansarbetsmiljö för att bättre möta medarbetarnas förändrade behov. / The purpose of the study is to investigate how a manager's leadership style should be adapted based on employees' maturity levels when optional remote work is in place.  To achieve this purpose, four research questions are addressed. The first two questions explore how previous remote work experience affects an individual's adjustment to optional remote work and how communication is impacted by remote work. The latter two questions investigate how employees' maturity levels and self-leadership influence their classification as “in-group” or “out-group,” and what role the manager's leadership style plays in fostering employee competence and engagement. A qualitative research method with semi-structured interviews was employed, involving two participating organizations. The results indicate that previous experience with remote work affects how organizations perceive the transition to optional remote work, where technical competence and a neutral attitude play a central role. It also emerges that optional remote work affects how individuals communicate, regardless of previous experiences. Digital communication enables increased presence and faster interaction, while overall communication is considered to become more challenging. Furthermore, the study finds that optional remote work promotes increased independence and the potential for enhanced self-leadership among employees at different maturity levels, allowing them to be classified as “in-group” or “out-group.” Higher trust and confidence are required since managers find it more difficult to observe employees. Finally, the study emphasizes the importance of applying the appropriate leadership style in an optional remote work environment to foster employee competence and engagement. The study leads to a revision of the model for situational leadership in an optional remote work context to better address employees' evolving needs. By addressing existing knowledge gaps, the study offers guidance for organizations and managers in an optional remote work environment to better meet employees' changing needs.

In dieser Arbeit untersuchen wir das Problem der Maximierung bestimmter konkaver Funktionale auf dem Raum der optionalen, zufälligen Maße. Deartige Funktionale treten in der mikroökonomischen Literatur auf, wo ihre Maximierung auf die Bestimmung des optimalen Konsumplans eines ökomischen Agenten hinausläuft. Als Alternative zu den wohlbekannten Methoden der dynamischen Programmierung wird ein neuer Zugang vorgestellt, der es erlaubt, die Struktur der maximierenden Maße in einem über den üblicherweise angenommenen Markovschen Rahmen hinausgehenden, allgemeinen Semimartingalrahmen zu klären. Unser Zugang basiert auf einer unendlichdimensionalen Version des Kuhn-Tucker-Theorems. Die implizierten Bedingungen erster Ordnung erlauben es uns, das Maximierungsproblem auf ein neuartiges Darstellungsproblem für optionale Prozesse zu reduzieren, das damit als ein nicht-Markovsches Substitut für die Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman Gleichung der dynamischen Programmierung dient. Um dieses Darstellungsproblem im deterministischen Fall zu lösen, führen wir eine zeitinhomogene Verallgemeinerung des Konvexitätsbegriffs ein. Die Lösung im allgemeinen stochastischen Fall ergibt sich über eine enge Beziehung zur Theorie des Gittins-Index der optimalen dynamischen Planung. Unter geeigneten Annahmen gelingt ihre Darstellung in geschlossener Form. Es zeigt sich dabei, daß die maximierenden Maße absolutstetig, diskret und auch singulär sein können, je nach Struktur der dem Problem zugrundeliegenden Stochastik. Im mikroökonomischen Kontext ist es natürlich, daß Problem in einen Gleichgewichtsrahmen einzubetten. Der letzte Teil der Arbeit liefert hierzu ein allgemeines Existenzresultat für ein solches Gleichgewicht. / In this thesis, we study the problem of maximizing certain concave functionals on the space of optional random measures. Such functionals arise in microeconomic theory where their maximization corresponds to finding the optimal consumption plan of some economic agent. As an alternative to the well-known methods of Dynamic Programming, we develop a new approach which allows us to clarify the structure of maximizing measures in a general stochastic setting extending beyond the usually required Markovian framework. Our approach is based on an infinite-dimensional version of the Kuhn-Tucker Theorem. The implied first-order conditions allow us to reduce the maximization problem to a new type of representation problem for optional processes which serves as a non-Markovian substitute for the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation of Dynamic Programming. In order to solve this representation problem in the deterministic case, we introduce a time-inhomogeneous generalization of convexity. The stochastic case is solved by using an intimate relation to the theory of Gittins-indices in optimal dynamic scheduling. Closed-form solutions are derived under appropriate conditions. Depending on the underlying stochastics, maximizing random measures can be absolutely continuous, discrete, and also singular. In the microeconomic context, it is natural to embed the above maximization problem in an equilibrium framework. In the last part of this thesis, we give a general existence result for such an equilibrium.

<p>I attempt to analyze South Africa&rsquo / s legal position pertaining to torture, in relation to the international legal framework. Since it has been established that torture and cruel inhuman and degrading treatment (CIDT) usually occur in situations where persons are deprived of personal liberty, I examine legislation, policies and practices applicable to specific places of detention, such as correctional centres, police custody, repatriation centers, mental health care facilities and child and youth care centers. I establish that although South Africa has ratified the UNCAT and is a signatory to the OPCAT, our legal system greatly lacks in structure and in mechanisms of enforcement, as far as the absolute prohibition and the prevention of torture and other forms of cruel and degrading treatment or punishment are concerned. I submit that South Africa has a special duty to eradicate torture, since many of its citizens and several of its political leaders are actually victims of torture, who suffered severe ill treatment under the apartheid regime. I argue that the South African legal system is sufficiently capable of adopting a zero-tolerance policy toward torture and to incorporate this with the general stance against crime. In many respects, South Africa is an example to other African countries and should strongly condemn all forms of human rights violations, especially torture, since acts of torture are often perpetrated by public officials who abuse their positions of authority. I conclude by making submissions and recommendations for law reform, in light of the obstacles encountered within a South African context.</p>

<p>I attempt to analyze South Africa&rsquo / s legal position pertaining to torture, in relation to the international legal framework. Since it has been established that torture and cruel inhuman and degrading treatment (CIDT) usually occur in situations where persons are deprived of personal liberty, I examine legislation, policies and practices applicable to specific places of detention, such as correctional centres, police custody, repatriation centers, mental health care facilities and child and youth care centers. I establish that although South Africa has ratified the UNCAT and is a signatory to the OPCAT, our legal system greatly lacks in structure and in mechanisms of enforcement, as far as the absolute prohibition and the prevention of torture and other forms of cruel and degrading treatment or punishment are concerned. I submit that South Africa has a special duty to eradicate torture, since many of its citizens and several of its political leaders are actually victims of torture, who suffered severe ill treatment under the apartheid regime. I argue that the South African legal system is sufficiently capable of adopting a zero-tolerance policy toward torture and to incorporate this with the general stance against crime. In many respects, South Africa is an example to other African countries and should strongly condemn all forms of human rights violations, especially torture, since acts of torture are often perpetrated by public officials who abuse their positions of authority. I conclude by making submissions and recommendations for law reform, in light of the obstacles encountered within a South African context.</p>

RESUMÉ IN ENGLISH ENGLISH TITLE OF THE THESIS: OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE CONVENTION ON ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN The thesis is concerned with the Optional Protocol to the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (adopted in 1999 and entered into force on December 22nd, 2000). This international treaty offers women two significant mechanisms to protect their rights - the possibility to submit an individual communication to the Committee on Elimination of Discrimination against Women against a State Party to both the Convention and the Protocol and the competence of the Committee to carry out investigations into grave and systematic violations of rights set out in the Convention. The first chapter focuses on the context of and reasons for the adoption of the Protocol. Firstly, the CEDAW, its origins and implementation mechanisms are introduced. The need for an optional protocol clearly arose from the insufficiency of the protection mechanisms enshrined in CEDAW itself in the quest of protection of women in their everyday encounters with discrimination. The chapter describes the new implementation mechanisms introduced by the Protocol. Furthermore, the second and third chapters compare the protection mechanisms laid down in the Protocol and similar...

L’objet de la présente recherche vise à donner un éclairage théorique, méthodologique et pratique de l’augmentation de capital étudiée dans un contexte de crise. En effet, le cadre conceptuel de cette recherche a porté sur les termes suivants : augmentation de capital, difficulté financière, signaux annonciateurs de la situation difficile, notion d’entreprise en situation difficile et plus particulièrement sur la théorie de signalisation et sur la théorie de la lecture optionnelle du bilan. Il convient d’affirmer que ce cadre théorique a eu pour intérêt de « contextualiser » et de délimiter le sujet de recherche. Pour affiner la délimitation du sujet, une étude exploratoire a été réalisée. Elle a permis d’identifier les indicateurs de la situation difficile et de tester la méthodologie d’étude d’événement sur un cas. Enfin, pour valider cette recherche et pour permettre la généralisation des résultats, la méthodologie d’étude d’événement a été appliquée à un échantillon de 30 cas d’entreprises en situation difficile. Le but de cette étude a été de mesurer la création ou la destruction de la valeur actionnariale observable lors du lancement de ce type d’opération qui permet de mesurer les réactions des actionnaires anciens. Par ailleurs, pour mieux appréhender la perception des investisseurs sur ce type d’opération, la recherche s’est orientée vers les analyses de sens et textuelles lexicales. Au final, le sujet étudié peut s’appréhender comme un financement de dernier recours pour les sociétés en situation difficile. / The aim of the present research is to provide a theoretical lighting, methodology and practical of the capital increase studied in a context of crisis. Indeed, the conceptual framework of this research focused on the precision of terms such as capital increase, financial difficulty, covenant of difficulty, concept of enterprise in difficulty and in particular on the indication of theories namely signaling and the balance sheet optional reading. We wish to emphasize that this framework has had interest to « contextualize » and to delimit the research topic. And to improve the delimitation of the topic, an exploratory study was conducted and it has identified the indicators of difficulty and test the event study methodology on a case. Finally, to validate this research and to allow generalization of results, event study methodology was applied to a sample of 30 cases of companies in difficulty. The aim of study was to measure the creation or destruction of shareholder value observable at the launch of this type of operation to measure the reactions of former shareholders. Furthermore, to better understand the perception of investors in this type of operation, the research is oriented analyzes of lexical meaning and textual. In the end, the topic studied can be apprehended as a last resort financing for companies in difficulty.

Magister Legum - LLM / I attempt to analyze South Africa's legal position pertaining to torture, in relation to the international legal framework. Since it has been established that torture and cruel inhuman and degrading treatment (CIDT) usually occur in situations where persons are deprived of personal liberty, I examine legislation, policies and practices applicable to specific places of detention, such as correctional centres, police custody, repatriation centers, mental health care facilities and child and youth care centers. I establish that although South Africa has ratified the UNCAT and is a signatory to the OPCAT, our legal system greatly lacks in structure and in mechanisms of enforcement, as far as the absolute prohibition and the prevention of torture and other forms of cruel and degrading treatment or punishment are concerned. I submit that South Africa has a special duty to eradicate torture, since many of its citizens and several of its political leaders are actually victims of torture, who suffered severe ill treatment under the apartheid regime. I argue that the South African legal system is sufficiently capable of adopting a zero-tolerance policy toward torture and to incorporate this with the general stance against crime. In many respects, South Africa is an example to other African countries and should strongly condemn all forms of human rights violations, especially torture, since acts of torture are often perpetrated by public officials who abuse their positions of authority. I conclude by making submissions and recommendations for law reform, in light of the obstacles encountered within a South African context. / South Africa