Thesis (M.B.A.) - Carleton University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 128-136). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Göteborg : Göteborgs universitet, 2008. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio State University, 2008. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 105-106).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2008. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 200-216). Also available online.

This thesis provides empirical evidence on the relation between concentrated ownership and the long term operating performance of acquiring firms. Large shareholders are generally viewed as beneficial monitors of corporate performance but high levels of concentration can lead to potential expropriation from minority shareholders via managerial entrenchment, tunneling, or sub-optimal investment decisions. This problem is potentially greater in firms with separation of voting and ownership rights. This thesis investigates the performance around takeovers in English origin countries other than the US by following the classification of La Porta, Lopez-de-Silanes, Shleifer and Vishny (1998). While generally considered similar to the US, these countries vary with respect to ownership concentration and investor protection. This thesis controls a broad set of corporate governance mechanisms including first generation governance measures like CEO positions, board characteristics, and other blockholders. Furthermore, this thesis also examines whether different degrees of second generation governance mechanisms such as anti-director rights, accounting standards, legal enforcement, and extra-legal institutions lead to different levels of M&A performance. In addition, this thesis includes the new legal indexes recently developed by Djankov, La Porta, Lopez-de-Silanes and Shleifer (2006); these measures have yet to be examined through empirical research. By using an accounting based methodology, this thesis presents Healy, Palepu and Ruback (1992) abnormal post cash flow return regression-based results and results of a change model (Ghosh 2001). Moreover, this thesis refers to the sample matching techniques in Barber and Lyon (1996) and develops the industry, size, and pre performance benchmark. The principal finding of this thesis is that M&A transactions should improve the long-term financial and operating performance of merging firms to reflect that accounting performance can capture real economic creations. After controlling for well documented governance mechanisms and deal characteristics, the relationship between concentrated ownership and the level and change in operating cash flow returns after takeovers is non-linear. Value creating deals are associated with higher levels of concentration consistent with decreasing agency costs as the large shareholder’s wealth invested in the acquiring firm increases. Further, separation of ownership and voting rights leads to greater value destruction; acquiring firms with controlling CEO make significant improvements in post acquisition performance after controlling pre-performance; and the presence of CEO-Chairman duality and board size are both significantly negatively associated with acquisition operating performance. This thesis also finds, although all acquiring firms are from English origin countries, that the greater investor protection, as measured by the initial anti-director right index in La Porta et al. (1998) and revised anti-director rights index in Djankov et al. (2006) has a positive impact on operating cash flow returns from acquisitions. However, this thesis does not document any differential performance with respect to the extra- legal systems of Dyck and Zingales (2004) and the anti-self-dealing index of Djankov et al. (2006).

Child obesity is a significant health concern and treatment typically involves referral to child weight management services (CWM). Evidence suggests that preadolescent children may benefit from greater involvement in their treatment but the younger child can find it difficult to enter treatment discussions, and being overweight can negatively affect child self-esteem and capacity to communicate. Digital technology has the potential to provide scaffolding for child consultations with dietitians by presenting information in an accessible, engaging and interactive format. This research aimed to develop a theory driven, evidence-based interactive e-resource (Feed-back) and to explore the feasibility and acceptability of using Feed-back to facilitate communication between children aged 7 to 11 years and the dietitian within child weight management appointments.

Globalisation has created a world where countries compete with each other over trading. Historically, emerging countries started with a negative brand image to enhance exporting. This is particularly true in the Asian context where a general developmental path has been established by countries such as Japan and South Korea. Their success has gained a strong brand image for their products. China, after launching itself into the global market in the late 70s, has gained an increasing market share of ‘Made in China’ products. The reputation of ‘Made in China’, however, is perceived at low quality mass production of low-tech content, and there are only few Chinese brands which can stand out in the global market. This study explores ‘Made in China’ phenomenon in the global market, especially from the producer’s viewpoint. The literature review provides a background to the research. It covers the studies on Country of Origin (COO) effect, economic development strategies and competitive advantage theories. This research employs a mixed methods strategy that combines both quantitative and qualitative studies. The questionnaire survey was designed to reveal British importers’ perception of ‘Made in China’ products. Netnography and Interview are adopted to investigate the voice from Chinese producers and manufacturers. The design of this research allows for triangulating the findings. The results show the international buyers, i.e. British importers, perceive the biggest advantage for Chinese products is price. Chinese producers’ contributions suggest four themes to represent the current situation of ‘Made in China’, namely the image, price, quality and imitation. In their view the future development lies in ‘Created in China’, which consists of other four themes: creativity, branding, designing and R&D. A model of -From ‘Made in China’ to ‘Created in China’- is developed in this research. This model identifies the major obstacles that impede the development are thin profit and copying. This research shed lights on the study of developing a country brand, especially for the emerging nation like China. For the first time, this research explores the producers’ views to highlight the importance of their roles in a country brand’s development. The findings also have the implications for Chinese policymakers and industrial development agency. It further offers knowledge to the emerging nations who wish to develop their country brand in the international exporting market.

The aim of this work in the review was to educate consumers on the legislation concerning the indication of the country of origin on the product labels and with the current changes that take place in this area. Furthermore, methods of identifying the country of origin on food packaging were described, with focusing primarily on the brand quality.The practical part focuses on the observation of indicate country of origin of selected commodities and the evaluation of the questionnaire focused on respondents' interest in the origin of food and evaluation of hypotheses.

O veneno de Philodryas patagoniensis ocasiona lesões locais importantes e similares as que ocorrem nos acidentes botrópicos. Os mecanismos envolvidos nas ações locais deste veneno são pouco conhecidos. Este estudo tem como objetivo investigar as ações locais morfológicas e inflamatórias do veneno de Philodryas patagoniensis e os mecanismos envolvidos no desenvolvimento da dor e edema, por meio de modulação farmacológica. O teor protéico total do veneno foi de 70-75% de proteínas. A análise eletroforética (SDS-PAGE 7,5-17,5%) apresentou bandas protéicas com pesos moleculares entre 62 e 14 kDa, sendo quatro majoritárias em 62, 48, 35 e 30 kDa. O edema mensurado por pletismografia foi máximo 30 min após a inoculação (53,33 ± 1,43 %), regredindo a partir da 6º hora, mostrou-se dose-dependente sendo a dose mínima edematogênica de 0,82µg e inibido em 45% por EDTA. A atividade nociceptiva foi avaliada pelo tempo (em segundos) em que os animais lambiam ou mordiam a pata injetada, e os resultados mostraram que tal atividade é dose-dependente, sendo significativamente diferente do controle e independente de metaloproteinases, uma vez que não foi inibida pelo EDTA. Através da modulação farmacológica foi possível observar que a dor causada pelo veneno foi inibida pela Indometacina, Cyproheptadina e Tramal, indicando que a mediação é por opióides, prostaglandinas e serotonina. A ação foi potencializada pelo Captopril, sugerindo a possível participação de cininas, bem como pelo L-NAME (10mg/kg). Dexametasona, Prometazina, Arcoxia, Celebra e L-NAME (50mg/kg) não interferiram nesta atividade. O edema foi inibido pela Dexametasona e Indometacina e, portanto, mediado por prostaglandinas e leucotrienos. Captopril, Tramal, Prometazina, L-NAME, Arcoxia e Celebra não foram capazes de interferir significativamente no edema. A injeção intramuscular de 30µg do veneno produziu efeitos de desorganização das fibrilas musculares, hemorragia interfibrilar, edema, infiltrado inflamatório e mionecrose dos tipos coagulativa e miolítica, as quais foram inibidas na presença de PMSF e 1-10Phenantrolina. Três, seis e 24 horas após a inoculação intra-muscular de 60µg de veneno, ocorreu um decréscimo gradativo de proteínas não-colágenas com leve redução em alguns componentes miofibrilares observados por SDS-PAGE. O infiltrado inflamatório induzido em cavidade peritoneal foi máximo três horas após a injeção e a contagem celular diferencial apresentou predominantemente leucócitos polimorfonucleares. A técnica de microscopia intravital direta demonstrou que a administração tópica de 0,1µg de veneno induziu distúrbios marcantes em vênulas pós-capilares, caracterizados por vasodilatação, lesões hemorrágicas distribuídas em focos (microsangramentos) e alterações nas interações leucócito-endotélio, tais como redução do número de leucócitos em rolling, aumento da adesão e indução da migração de células através da parede do endotélio. A inoculação subcutânea do veneno na bolsa escrotal de camundongos induziu efeitos típicos de inflamação aguda, com leucócitos migrados vistos a partir de uma hora após a inoculação, regredindo em 48 horas. O veneno age sobre mastócitos in vitro, causando degranulação e conseqüente liberação de histamina concentração dependente. Os resultados obtidos indicam o potencial inflamatório deste veneno e a cinética dos eventos sugere uma complexa sinergia de diversos efeitos, contribuindo para a severidade do quadro local nos envenenamentos. / The venom of Philodryas patagoniensis causes important and similar local lesions the ones that happen in the botropic accidents. The mechanisms involved in the local actions of this venom are little known. This study has as objective investigates the morphologic and inflammatory local actions of the venom of Philodryas patagoniensis and the mechanisms involved in the development of the pain and edema, through pharmacological modulation. The protein content of the venom was of 70-75%. The eletrophoretic analysis (SDS-PAGE 7,5-17,5%) it presented bands of protein with molecular weights between 62 and 14 kDa, being four majority in 62, 48, 35 and 30 kDa. The edema measured by pletismography, it was maximum 30 min after the inoculation (53,33 ± 1,43%), regressing starting from at 6th hour, it was shown dose-dependent, the edematogenic minimum dose was of 0,82µg and it was inhibited in 45% by EDTA. The nociceptive activity was evaluated by the time (in seconds) in that the animals licked or they bit the injected paw, and the results showed that such activity is dose-dependent, being significantly different from the control and independent of metaloproteinases, once it was not inhibited by EDTA. Through the pharmacological modulation it was possible to observe that the pain caused by the venom was inhibited by Indometacin, Cyproheptadine and Tramal, being mediated by opioids, prostaglandins and serotonin. It was potentiated by Captopril, suggesting the possible participation of kinins, as well as for L-NAME (10mg/kg). Dexamethasone, Prometazine, Arcoxia, Celebra and L-NAME (50mg/kg) didn\'t interfere in this activity. The edema was inhibited by Dexamethasone and Indometacin and, therefore, mediated for prostaglandins and leukotrienos. Captopril, Tramal, Prometazine, L-NAME, Arcoxia and Celebra were not capable to interfere significantly in the edema. The intramuscular injection of 30µg of the venom produced effects as disorganization of the muscular fibrils, hemorrhage, edema, inflammatory infiltrated and mionecrosis of the coagulative and miolitic types, which were inhibited in the presence of PMSF and 1-10Phenantrolina. Three, six and 24 hours after the intra-muscular inoculation of 60µg of venom, happened a gradual decrease of proteins no-colagen with light reduction in some miofibrilar components observed by SDS-PAGE (17,5%). The inflammatory infiltrated induced in cavity peritoneal was maximum three hours after the injection and the differential cellular counting presented polimorfonuclear leukocytes predominantly. The technique of intravital microscopy direct demonstrated that the topical administration of venom 0,1µg induced outstanding disturbances in post-capillary venules, characterized by vasodilatation, hemorrhagic lesions distributed in focuses (microbleedings) and alterations in the interactions leukocyte-endothelium, such as reduction of the number of leukocytes in rolling, increase of the adhesion and induction of the migration of cells through the wall of the endothelium. The subcutaneous inoculation of the venom in the scrotal bag of mice induced typical effects of sharp inflammation, with migrated leukocytes seen starting from one hour after the inoculation, regressing in 48 hours. The venom acts on mast cells in vitro, causing degranulating and consequent liberation of histamine concentration-dependent. The results obtained indicate the inflammatory potential of this venom and the kinetics of the events suggests a complex synergy of several effects, contributing to the severity of the local picture in the envenomings.

Pascal Quignard se fait l’écho dans sa littérature : « Va à la source de la langue et non pas à la langue ». La source, l’origine quignardienne, est l’ab-origine qui n’a ni forme, ni modèle. C’est un monde inconnu, inconnaissable. En ce sens, Pascal Quignard recherche la langue naturelle et non pas la langue maternelle. Cette thèse intitulée « Sources et Ressources de la langue d’écriture de Pascal Quignard :essais de lectures coréennes » s’intéresse donc à la langue qui n’appartient qu’à la nature. La notion de nature pourrait être formulée comme suit : « Natura, mère, et notre ultime idem ». L’homme fatigué par la langue et par la civilisation veut s’en retourner à la nature, à la nudité, et à la source, où il s’abreuve. La source de la langue qui se rattache à la langue naturelle est un monde plus singulier, plus originel, et plus universel, puisqu’il est inhumain, non-verbal et non-linguistique. C’est ainsi que son intérêt se porte davantage vers l’art des images que vers l’art des discours. Quignard n’explique pas mais illumine. Il s’intéresse plutôt à la Physis, à la Natura qu’au Mundus. Il aime quand la « langue touche directement au corps ». Quignard préfère, à travers elle, atteindre à la sensation plutôt qu’à l’émotion. C’est en cela que résident la force et la merveille de la littérature de Quignard, qui ne poursuit pas la belle langue, mais qui conserve une vitalité dans la pauvreté et dans la nudité mêmes de sa langue. Cette étude sur la littérature de Pascal Quignard devra sans cesse évoquer la vitalité. On sait que l’art n’est guidé que par la passion : c’est le premier éclat du bouton, le premier débordement. C’est la joie originelle, l’essence de la vie et de l’art. / Pascal Quignard echoes in his literature:« Go to the source of language and not to the language ». The source, the quignardian’s origin, does not have neither shape nor model. This world is unknown and unknowable. This way, Quignard is seeking for the natural tongue and not for the mother tongue. This thesis entitled « Sources and Resources of writing language of Pascal Quignard: Attempt of Korean readings » is then focused on the language that only belongs to nature. The notion of nature could be expressed as followed: «Natura, mother, and our last idem». The man frazzled by language and civilization wants to go back to nature, to nudity, to the source where he can quench his thrist. This source of language, linked to the natural language, is a more singular, more original and universal world since it is unhuman, nonverbal and non-linguistic. Therefore, this is how Quignard shows more interest in the art of images than in the art of speeches. He does not explain but enlightens. He’s rather interested in Physis, in Natura than in Mundus. He loves when «language directly reaches the body». Quignard favours, through language, to affect to the sensation even more than to the emotion. This is where lies the strength and the wonder of Quignard’s literature that does not pursue fine language, but instead wants to preserve a certain vitality in the core of the poverty and the nudity of his own language. Our study about Quignard’s literature ought to constantly call to mind vitality. We understand that way why Quignard’s writing is so astonishing. It is known that Art is only guided by passion: it is the first blooming of the bud, the first overflowing. It’s the original, the essence of life and art.