Faces constitute one of the most important stimuli for humans. Studies show that women recognize more faces than men, and that females are particularly able to recognize female faces, thus exhibiting an own-sex bias. In the present thesis, three empirical studies investigated the generality of sex differences in face recognition and the female own-sex bias. Study I explored men’s and women’s face recognition performance for Bangladeshi and Swedish female and male faces of adults and children. Result showed sex differences, favoring women, for all face categories. Study II assessed boys’ and girls’ ability to recognize female and male faces from two age- and ethnic groups. The result demonstrated that girls recognize more faces than boys do, but that no sex differences were present for Swedish male faces. The results from Study I and II consistently demonstrate that females show reliable own-sex biases independent of whether the female faces were young, old, or of Bangladeshi or Swedish origin. In an attempt to explain the mechanisms of sex differences in face recognition and the female own-sex bias, Study III investigated men’s and women’s recognition performance for androgynous faces, either labeled “men”, “women”, or “faces”. The result showed that women told to remember “women” recognized more faces than women told to remember faces labeled “men” or “faces”, and that sex differences were present for androgynous faces, regardless of the label. Based on these findings, it is suggested that females’ attention is in particular directed towards other females, resulting in an own-sex bias. It is also suggested that there may be a difference in females’ and males’ orientation toward other individuals. This difference can have a biological base, which together with socialization may result in sex differences in face recognition.

The internationalization started to be seen as an opportunity for many companies, a strategic way to grow; therefore they assume different levels of commitment in the international market. This dissertation analyzes which internationalization strategies are being used by Brazilian companies in the textile industry and why these companies have chosen these strategies along the time line. The chosen method is a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews. The companies chosen are Cia. Hering, Dudalina and Karsten; all three have long history in the textile industry and started to export at least more than 30 years ago. Analyzing the companies within the frame of Kraus theory (2000, 2006), it was possible found that the main strategies along the time were: exporting via private label manufacturing, FDI, exporting the own brand and franchising. The internationalization strategies of the companies in the beginning were related to the significant production capacity that boosted their exports, mainly exporting private label. Another remarkable fact was the positive moment of the Brazilian economy that facilitated their exports. Enjoying the positive moment, Cia. Hering and Karsten reached the most committed level of involvement in international operations. With no consolidate brand abroad therefore the Asian competition and not favorable currency exchange rates, they had to return and operate mainly to the domestic market. The companies had no consolidate strategy in the beginning; nevertheless now, all them are concerned in building stronger brands than in past, since they are leaving or at least decreasing the private label exports. The companies have changed focus from production to the market.

Jag har studerat fenomenet Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) och hur detta har implementerats i svenska företag. Syftet har varit att beskriva vad BYOD kan innebära i olika verksamheter utifrån vad som kan anses inkluderat i trenden. Jag har även studerat drivkrafterna bakom implementeringen samt vilka företagsspecifika förutsättningar som kan påverka lösningen. Undersökningen har genomförts genom en fallstudie och tre företag har studerats. Den empiriska undersökningen har visat på en stor skillnad mellan företagens valda lösningar och även tydliggjort vilka faktorer som kan komma att spela roll vid utformningen av en BYOD-lösning. I analysen har sedan de olika lösningarna jämförts med varandra utifrån ett underlag som tagits fram ur litteraturen. I litteraturen har även ett antal vanliga drivkrafter identifierats som sedan jämförs med de, för företagen, viktigaste drivkrafterna. Studien har resulterat i ett antal aspekter som fenomenet kan studeras utifrån; avsikten med implementeringen, enheter, funktioner, finansiering och support. Genom att undersöka ett företags lösning utifrån dessa kan man få en större förståelse för den valda lösningen och hur den påverkar företaget och dess anställda. En drivkraft stod ut som mer viktiga än andra, den anställdes ökade produktivitet och effektivitet. Många andra drivkrafter utöver denna ansågs viktiga men dessa hade i många fall sitt ursprung i den ökade produktiviteten. I övrigt visade studien att just syftet med implementeringen har en stor påverkan på hur BYOD-lösningen ser ut. Liksom företagets bransch och organisationskultur.

Många konsumenter är snabbare än organisationer på att börja använda ny teknik och utrustning. När de sedan tar med denna utrustning och teknik till arbetet för att på ett mer tillfredsställande sätt utföra sina arbetsuppgifter uppstår fenomenet BYOD som har blivit allt vanligare och vanligare. Syftet med denna studie är att ta reda på vad fenomenet BYOD är och hur det påverkar organisationer som anammar det. Dess fördelar och risker har undersökts samt fenomenets utbredning bland svenska organisationer. Tidigare undersökningar har legat till grund för att identifiera ofta förekommande fördelar och risker. Utifrån dessa har sedan en enkätundersökning utformats som skickats ut till svenska organisationer. Undersökningen visar att BYOD medför vissa fördelar. Dessa är t.ex. ökad produktivitet och kreativitet bland de anställda vilket i sin tur ger organisationer en ökad operationell effektivitet, fler nöjda, flexibla och mobila anställda och bättre kundbemötande. Undersökningen visar även att många organisationer saknar en formell BYOD-policy och att stöld eller borttappade enheter är ett stort säkerhetsproblem. Stora orosmomenten bland organisationerna är bland annat ökad belastning på IT-avdelningen och undermålig enhetssäkerhet. Det är viktigt att organisationer som anammar BYOD tänker på säkerhetslösningar som mitigerar dessa risker.

Recently, the government makes good an environment and fully support to semiconductor industries from top to bottom covering the wafer foundry, IC design and equipment testing in Taiwan. Therefore, most of semiconductor brands which are very famous in the international. In early stages, Taiwanese electronic makers which were from OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing, OEM) model to get resources, technologies and market information. They were became designers and have own R & D via the cooperation of international companies. And also got business form ODM (Original Design Manufacturing, ODM) to its own brand (Own Brand Manufacturing, OBM) direct management about the smile curve at both ends of the market to earn profits. In this study, Taiwan's IC design industry point of view of IC critical success factors of its own brand. In addition, to gathering in DC-FAN motor driving circuits in Taiwan. There are two related information of major leading brands for study. Through "qualitative research" in depth interviews of experts within the industry leader for the interview study, to find out its own brand of IC critical success factors. This research through the collation of expert interviews found that the market should impetus to fully service, increase innovative business models and strengthen integrated development of the semiconductor supply chains to get high techniques for next generation of products. And, to make good relationship with high position of customers that is critical success factors in its own brand. Moreover, it is a base of planning new products for the further. Hope, these findings could offer and give suggestion to industries as a reference. There is a model for reference when some one faces to similar situation.

Within a highly competitive business environment of globalization, Taiwan's traditional manufacturing OEM based mode of operation is gradually coming under threat. With the convenience and rapid spread of information, the cost of the manufacturing sector is gradually transparent. As a result, distributors and brands continue to review the cost and using price comparison to get the low cost products. Lead to domestic manufactures¡¦ price competition in order to gain the business. Except the profits has been reduced and the trend of diversified products. The manufacturers had to give way to foreign buyers, a highly customized products is sold for affordable, not only have to increase production costs, must also be a compromise in low profit environment. Therefore, aim for running own brand business is one of options of way out; Own brand business is popular now. Running own brand business is becoming increasingly important; many manufacturers attempt to get rid of the OEM image and replace it with the brand strategy planning and execution of the mode. How to develop a global branding has become the focus of one of many Taiwanese business objectives. Therefore, this dissertation will see Company X as a case study, to discuss the own brand strategy planning and execution of the traditional industries. In this dissertation, brand definition as the start then using five forces analysis and competitive analysis to identify the so-called competitive advantage and core competencies, and then to develop the own brand strategy. The results of this study will be able to reference and basis for future implementation of own brand in company X.

Recently, Quality management has become the important management method of every enterprise especially the government which confront the government-own-civil-operate(GOCO) competitive trend in view of rapidly changing generation. This research aims at investigating the quality management system development of military organization (Example: military facility) in response of future mission demand. Furthermore, through analyzing the related documentation and questionnaire to build up a feasible model ¡§NEW QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM¡¨ which is composed of four main axes including of ¡¥Organization coordination¡¦, ¡¦Precise goal¡¦, ¡¥Simplified management¡¦, ¡¥Human-base value¡¦. The model not only evaluates the improved performance of efficiency, quality, cost in the facility, but also offers profit to a considerable extent and reference value for the current various governmental organization no matter what it might become civil-operative or not.

The research aimed to explore the potential occurrence of the serial position effect and the own-race bias in facial recognition, and to explore whether these two socio-cognitive psychological phenomena had any influence on each other. Specifically, the researcher suggested that other-race facial recognition will show diminished U-type serial position curves in comparison to own-race facial recognition U-type serial position curves. This was done through a quasi-experimental design, testing 48 participants from an environmental consulting and ground engineering firm in Midrand, Johannesburg. Twelve (12) sets of slides showing either 5 black or 5 white faces were presented to participants, the sequence of faces was randomised and then displayed again to participants. Participants had to identify the original position in which the face was displayed (forcing a serial reconstruction task). Results yielded a U-type serial position curves for overall recognition, with a statistically significant effect for own-race bias effect. Specific interactions indicated that recognition for own-race facial stimuli exhibit clear serial position effect trends, whilst recognition of other-race facial stimuli recognition show increased recognition for the first, middle and last faces in a set. The researcher suggests that the results within this study could be attributed to the effect of an attentional primacy gradient within the Serial Information Processing model. However, further studies are required to eliminate numerous other confounding factors which may have played a role in the study. The results of this research have implications for the judicial system, in which false eyewitness identifications have profound consequences. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Psychology / unrestricted

Le phénomène du Prenez vos appareils personnels (PAP) représente une tendance lourde sur le marché du travail. La pression vient plutôt du côté des employés, les employeurs étant la plupart du temps à la merci des choix de leurs employés en termes d’appareils et d’utilisation. Cette recherche étudie le PAP à travers la théorie institutionnelle pour mieux comprendre le PAP dans l’organisation en tenant compte du point de vue de l’employé et de l’employeur et en expliquant comment il est vécu. Neuf thèmes ont émergé de l’étude de cas à l’aide d’entrevues semi-dirigées : l’aspect pratique, la distinction entre la vie professionnelle et la vie personnelle qui s’effrite, la dépendance aux appareils, le stress, la liberté, la productivité, la sécurité de l’organisation, le besoin d’une politique pour encadrer le PAP dans l’organisation et le coût. Cette étude jette les assises d’une recherche sur une politique organisationnelle pour encadrer le PAP.

Utilising a qualitative methodology approach and a case study research design this study set out to explore the influence of ‘own teachers’ on beginner teacher professional identities. The research design borrowed from the idea of a palimpsest, (Diamond & Mullen, 1999). Data comprised a mix of semi-structured interviews, field notes and a researcher journal. Ten participants, representative of four different racial groups in South Africa were included. Data was analysed by means of the thematic content analysis method. This study contributed to the body of knowledge on beginner teachers’ professional identity on two levels. The first level pertains to the methodological contribution of this study in terms of the interrelatedness with which particular methodological constructs were applied. The second level of contribution involves four novel theoretical findings that came to the fore in this study. First, findings showed how participants (beginner teachers) connected with fictional characters from various types of media and substitute those characters as role models in the place of ‘real’ own teachers or teacher-like figures. Second, participants drew on positive experiences with own teachers that guided them through the navigation of several socio-political challenges stemming from the Apartheids era. Third, positive own teachers served as beacons of hope, strength and resilience. Examples of past teachers unfolded as the driving force behind attitudes displayed by participants, of embracing diversity and sensitivity towards differences between themselves, their learners and colleagues. Fourth, positive own teachers served as beacons of hope, strength and resilience. The fifth, and most complex finding, illustrated the ways in which participants constructed their emerging professional identities around what they perceived as the qualities of the ‘ideal’ teacher. ‘Levels of cautiousness’ surfaced as key to the professional identity of beginner teachers in terms of the influence of their own teachers. It was found that beginner teachers approached their professional identity on a continuum of ‘caution’ with regard to certain aspects including reflection, classroom discipline, the influence of own teachers as well as the awareness of the role of own teachers. This study showed a close link between participants’ self-knowledge, perceptions of their personalities, their inherent communicative traits and their progress on this ‘continuum of caution’. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Humanities Education / PhD / Unrestricted