Unwanted horses are a growing problem in the United States, and through the use of surveys, researchers can understand public opinion and experiences related to this problem. This study administered surveys specific to horse and non-horse owners through face-toace delivery and to rescue/retirement and auction facilities through the mail. Data was analyzed using a CRD, GLM and Fisher’s Protected LSD with á of 0.05. Comparisons were completed between horse and non-horse owners, horse owners and non-horse owners with equine experience, non-horse owners with and without equine experience, Quarter horse and other breeds owners, and auction and rescue/retirement facilities. Similarities were seen between groups for questions associated with participant location, understanding of processing/harvesting regulations and procedures, processing/harvesting facility restrictions preferences, and knowledge of management cutbacks and rescue facility locations. The only question that was significantly different for all comparisons was concerning the support towards the reopening of equine processing/harvesting facilities.

The focus of this study is to examine the factors that lead to growth in small firms in a Least Developed Country (LDC). The research is based on the manufacturing sector in Ghana. The main objectives of the research are to identify the key variables that lead to small firms' growth and to ascertain the critical barriers that impede growth. A research model which is developed out of an initial exploratory research and existing literature focuses on how the characteristics of the owner/manager, the characteristics of the firm and the business strategy variables interact to affect growth in employment. In addition factors that are perceived to have constrained the growth of the small firms during the study period are ascertained and discussed. To properly test the hypotheses developed a face to face interview survey involving 122 owner/managers of small manufacturing firms is conducted. This resulted in a range of variables that allowed for the construction of a comprehensive multivariate model of small firm growth. A resulting regression model provides about 68 percent of the explanation for the growth of the small firms sampled. It also indicates that the owner/manager characteristics variables offer the most powerful explanation to small firm growth. We find that the owner/manager's growth aspiration is the most influential factor in achieving growth. The other owner/manager characteristics variables that have positive influence on growth are level of education, prior industry experience and entrepreneurial family background. Owner/managers with local experience and/or with other business interests are less likely to achieve faster growth. Foreign owned/managed firms grow faster. Younger and smaller firms appear to grow faster. While firms with multiple ownerships tend to grow at a slower rate than firms owned and managed by one person. Business planning, marketing and export have positive and significant impacts on growth. Other business strategies such as innovations and staff training also have direct relationships with growth but not significant. Some of the main constraining factors to growth are cost of borrowing, lack of access to credit, high cost of inputs, lack of trust within the business community, high bureaucracy, late payments and lack of efficient support system. While the external environment plays important role in small firm growth and development, the behaviours, response and strategies pursued by individual owner/manager are significant factors that determine the rate at which a firm will grow. / Ghana Leasing Company Limited.

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Intresset för hyggesfria skogsbruksmetoder har ökat i Sverige, men enligt forskningen och politiska utvärderingar har användningen av dessa metoder inte ökat. De flesta privata skogsägare anlitar skogsägarföreningar eller skogsbolag för rådgivning och förvaltning.  Syftet med studien var att undersöka och beskriva hur Södras medlemmar upplevde Södras rådgivning och support gällande hyggesfria skogsbruksmetoder. Studien tittade även på om medlemmarna saknade något när det gällde rådgivningen och supporten från Södra angående hyggesfria skogsbruksmetoder.  Studien genomfördes med en kvalitativ metod där data samlades in genom intervjuer. Urvalet bestod av privata skogsägare som var medlemmar i Södra skogsägarna.  Slutsatsen av studien påvisade att Södras engagemang kring hyggesfria skogsbruksmetoder är det som har störst betydelse över hur medlemmarna upplevde rådgivningen.

一、研究目的 本研究有三個目的﹕（一）引進日本「權利奱換方式」之產權處理觀念，並本法制「 恆定性」及「不得不變性」之原則，在修改現有法令最少的原則下，建立適合我國體 質的產權處理模式。（二）產權處理成功之關鍵，除權利之變換設計外，就是權利價 值之評估。故本研究第二個目的就是嘗試擬定一套產權評估之方法。（三）「權利變 換方式」之產權處理模式除在都市更新之應用外，相關方面是否也有值得應用者？本 研究最後想探討的就是這一點。 三、參考文獻 本研究係搜集中、日二國有關「權利變換方式」及都市更新等相關書籍、研究報告及 統計資料，比較研究發現，日本之權利變換方式似可解決我國都市更新問題之癥結。 惟國內相關之文獻尚屬粗略，尤其在產權處理方面，迄無系統性之論列，故關於權利 變換方式之述論，大抵以日本資料為主。 三、研究方法 本研究採「文獻回顧法」及「歸納」、「演繹」之方法，搜集、比較、檢討並檢驗相 關文獻資料及各國制度，以建立適合我國之產權處理制度。 四、研究內容 本研究之重點有四﹕（一）檢討我國都市更新之問題點，並比較各國制度，結果以日 本之「權利變換方式」最能解決我國之問題。（二）研擬以權利變換方式推行都市更 新之產權處理模式之應用。 五、研究結果 （一）建立權利變換方式之產權處理模式及產棤評價方法。 （二）前揭模式及方法，除適用於都市更新外，在合建、聯合開發，取得公共設施保 留地及開發新市區等方面猶有可行之處。

Tidigare finanskriser har resulterat i ett större fokus på bankers risktagande. Kriserna har påvisat hur bankers kris kan få förödande effekt på den globala marknaden vilket har föranlett olika konsekvenser (bland annat i form av nya regelverk) för att hantera bankers tendens mot ett för högt risktagande. Bankers inställning till risktagande kan förklaras utifrån dess ägarstruktur där ägarna kan ha olika riskpreferenser.   Forskningsstudier har påvisat att ett samband existerar mellan ägarkoncentration och bankers risk, dock utan någon konsensus om sambandets utseende. Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur ägarstruktur påverkar bankers konkursrisk, där banker inom EU-länder har undersökts. Vidare har karaktären på bankernas största aktieägare tagits i beaktning för att se om sambandet mellan ägarkoncentration och risk skiljer sig beroende på vilka ägare bankerna utgörs av. Därtill har sex hypoteser formulerats som syftar till att undersöka relationen mellan ägarstruktur, agentkostnader och konkursrisk utifrån agentteorin och teorier om bolagsstyrning. För studiens undersökning har  en kvantitativ metod använts tillsammans med en deduktiv ansats.   Undersökningen visar, likt andra studier, att det existerar ett samband mellan ägarstruktur och bankers risk. Mer specifikt visar vår studie att sambandet ser olika ut för olika ägartyper. För vissa ägartyper har vi identifierat ett positivt samband mellan ägarkoncentrationen och bankers konkursrisk medan för andra ägartyper har vi istället identifierat ett negativt samband. Avslutningsvis visar studien att agentkostnader föreligger i större grad när aktieägarna har mindre kontroll över ledningen. / Previous financial crises have resulted in a greater focus on bank’s risk taking. The crises have shown how the bank’s instability may create a devastating effect on the global market, which has given rise to several studies focus on bank’s risk. Bank’s attitude towards risk taking can be explained by its ownership structure where the owners may have different risk preferences.   Research studies have found a relationship between the concentration of ownership and bank risk, but without any consensus on the sign of the relationship. The purpose of this study is to investigate how ownership concentration affects bank’s default risk. The study has been performed on banks within the EU countries. Furthermore, the nature of the bank’s largest shareholders has been taken into consideration to distinguish whether they have an impact on the relationship between ownership concentration and risk. In addition, six hypotheses were formulated which aim to investigate the relationship between ownership concentration, agency costs and the default risk, based on the agency theory and theories on corporate governance. For this study’s survey a quantitative method has been used in conjunction with a deductive approach.   Our findings show that there exists a relationship between ownership concentration and bank risk. More specifically, our study shows that the relationship is different depending on the nature of the owner. For some types of owners, we have identified a positive relationship between ownership concentration and bank’s default risk, while for other types of owners we have instead identified a negative relationship. Finally, this study shows that agency costs are greater when shareholders perform a lower degree of monitoring of the management.

This thesis deals with the governing bodies of the association of unit-owners and the way of their decision-making. It is focused on usual interpretative problems, which appear in practice in association with this problematic . An association of unit-owners is an legal entity, which originates on the grounds of The Act of Housing Property. Its existence is always connected with a concrete building divided into residential (in some cases also nonresidential) units. Membership in the association of unit-owners is inseparably linked to the ownership of each unit in this building. The Act of Housing Property also establishes that the association of unit-owners has only special legal personality. It means it can execute that kind of discretions and duties which deal with an object of their activities, such as administration, operation and repairs of common parts of the building (in case The Act of Housing Property states, also other associated activities) - this whole area is called administration of the building. The Decree of the government, which issues the model statutes of the association of unit-owners, offers more exact features of the activities, rather than The Act of Housing Property. These activities can be summed up as the building administration. Chapter one and two of this thesis deal with...

Denna studie har ämnat undersöka hur ett biotopskyddsområde påverkar avkastningen för en privat skogsägare. Bildandet av ett biotopskyddsområde ses som ett ingrepp i den privata äganderätten där skogsägaren får sin mark inlöst och i utbyte utgår en ersättning från staten per hektar skogsmark som ingår i biotopskyddet. För att ta reda på hur skogsägaren påverkas av bildandet av biotopskyddsområden har studien utgått från befintliga data. Detta i form av statistik från Skogsstyrelsen där nybildade biotopskyddsområden och ersättningen för dessa presenteras. Vidare, för att stärka variablernas kvalitet i studien och för att få en övergripande förståelse för hur ersättningen står sig gentemot en fortsatt drift av skogen har fem intervjuer gjorts med personer från organisationer inom det svenska skogsbruket. I och med att studien använt sig av en kvantitativ och en kvalitativ metod anses det metodologiska tillvägagångsättet vara likt mixed methods.    Resultatet visade att den statliga ersättningen för biotopskyddsområden stod sig i dryga 85 år gentemot avkastningen som en fortsatt drift av skogen i genomsnitt skulle ge. Vid medelmåttig bonitet, arrondering och ett marknadsläge med normala till höga virkespriser är ersättningen enligt merparten av intervjupersonerna skälig. Genom intervjuerna framgick också att det inte var ersättningens nivå som var problemet. Några av intervjupersonerna antydde att skogsägare med bra arrondering, närhet till vägar och hög bonitet på sitt skifte inte var lika gynnade av ersättningen. Det var således dessa faktorer som intervjupersonerna ansåg påverkade avkastningen från skogen mest.    Diskussionen kring resultatet och de svar och åsikter som samlats in via statistik och intervjuer visade att det var avsaknaden av pengar som var det främsta monetära problemet kring ersättningen. Staten avsätter inte nog med pengar för de marker som de vill skydda, därför får oftast inte skogsägaren pengarna direkt utan får vänta i bildandet av biotopskyddsområden. Vidare påverkar ingreppet skogsägaren i termer som inte går att mäta i kronor, det är här som äganderätten och ingreppet i den blir central. Familjearv blir inlösta och en av organisationerna som intervjuats menar att staten försöker pruta med markägaren. Vissa gånger även skrämma markägaren med hot om rättegång om de inte godtar ett anbud från staten.          Sammanfattningsvis visar studiens resultat på att skogsägaren på kortare sikt inte påverkas negativt, sett ur ett avkastningsperspektiv, eftersom ersättningen är representativ gentemot avkastningen som en generation skulle få ut av skogen. Ersättningen för biotopskyddsområdet avser enligt nu gällande regler emellertid en allframtidsöverlåtelse, avkastningen som senare generationer skulle fått ut av skogen går då förlorad. Ingreppet påverkar också skogsägarens privata äganderätt, vilket troligtvis inte kan värderas i termer av pengar. / This study is intended to investigate how a biotope protection area affects the yield of a private forest owner. The formation of a biotope protection area is seen as an engagement of the private property right where the forest owner gets his land redeemed and in exchange a compensation is paid by the state per hectare of forest land included in the biotope protection. In order to find out how the forest owner is affected by the formation of biotope protection areas, the study has been based on existing data. This is in the form of statistics from the Swedish Forest Agency, where newly formed biotope protection areas and the compensation for these are presented. Furthermore, in order to strengthen the quality of the variables in the study and to gain an overall understanding of how the compensation is in relation to the continued operation of the forest, five interviews have been made with people from organizations in the Swedish forestry industry. Since the study used a quantitative and a qualitative method, the methodological approach is considered to be similar to mixed methods.    The result showed that the state compensation for biotope protection areas stood at more than 85 years compared to the return that the continued operation of the forest would on average provide. In the case of mediocre quality, arrest and a market situation with normal to high wood prices, the remuneration according to most of the interviewees is reasonable. The interviews also showed that the problem was not the level of compensation. Some of the interviewees suggested that forest owners with good arrest, proximity to roads and high quality at their turn were not as favored by the compensation. It was thus these factors that the interviewees considered most affected the yield from the forest.    The discussion about the results, answers and opinions gathered through statistics and interviews showed that it was the lack of money that was the main monetary problem regarding the compensation. The state does not allocate enough money for the grounds that they want to protect, therefore the forest owner usually does not receive the money directly, but has to wait in the formation of biotope protection areas. Furthermore, the engagement affects the forest owner a lot in terms that cannot be measured in SEK, it's here that the ownership and the intrusion into it becomes central. Family inheritance is redeemed and one of the organizations interviewed believes that the state is trying to bargain with the landowner. Some times even scare the land owner with the threat of trial if they do not accept a bid.      In summary, the study's results show that the forest owner in the shorter term is not adversely affected, from a yield perspective, since the compensation is representative of the return that a generation would get in return of the forest. However, the compensation for the biotope protection area, according to current rules, refers to an all-time transfer, the yield that later generations would have received from the forest is then lost. Engagement also affects the forest owner's private ownership, which probably cannot be valued in terms of money.

The purpose of the thesis project has been to improve the use of personnel and administrative system at the Center of Languages and Literature (SOL) at Lund University. By using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, data has been identified and divided into the first three steps of the DMAIC methodology. Define phase highlights the requirements needed for work with the system. Measure phase and the used of process-based system model (PBSM) identified problem processes or resources for work improvement. The analysis phase highlighted the need for a process owner who can drive improvement work from within the organization with support from the management. Process owner as improvement proposals means a systematic and strategic work at a higher organizational level that can support Center of Languages and Literature and other stakeholders. The process owner's role responds to the thesis project's goal which was to structure and simplify Primula's work; clarify roles and tasks and increase transparency in the system. / Syftet med examensarbetet har varit att förbättra möjligheterna för de anställda att användadet personal- och administrativa systemet på SOL-centrum vid Lunds Universitet. Genom enkombination av kvantitativa och kvalitativa metoder har data identifierats och indelats enligtde tre första stegen inom DMAIC-metoden; Define-fasen synliggör de krav som finns för attjobba med systemet. Measure-fasen och tillämpningen av den processbaseradesystemmodellen identifierade problemprocesserna och resurser till förbättringsarbete. Analysfasenlyfte behovet av en processägare som kan driva förbättringsarbete inifrån organisationenmed stöd från ledningen. Processägare som förbättringsförslag innebär ett systematisk och strategiskt arbete på enhögre organisatorisk nivå som kan stödja SOL-centrum och andra intressenter.Processägarens roll svarar på examensarbetets mål, som var att strukturera och förenkla arbetei Primula, tydliggöra roller och arbetsuppgifter samt öka transparensen i systemet.

Este trabalho propõe uma metodologia para escolha de modal de transporte a partir da aplicação do método de análise hierárquica a um conjunto de critérios levando em consideração o ponto de vista dos donos da carga. Parte-se de uma pesquisa de critérios adotados na escolha de modal sob contextos que incluem variação de cargas avaliadas, de disponibilidade de infraestrutura e serviços logísticos. Avalia-se ainda o método de análise hierárquica, AHP, que permite a decisão multicriterial com fatores quantitativos e qualitativos. Propõe-se uma metodologia de escolha de modal considerando o que é importante para o embarcador baseado no método AHP. Os critérios levantados na literatura são condensados em um conjunto hierarquizado de 3 critérios (custo logístico total; atendimento a particularidades da carga; e confiabilidade) e 7 subcritérios (custo logístico total; acessibilidade, flexibilidade, e oferta de instalações logísticas; pontualidade, perdas e danos, e informações ao cliente). A metodologia resultante é genérica e pode ser aplicada a um conjunto abrangente de situações logísticas. A título de exemplo, a metodologia é aplicada a três casos de transporte, para a escolha entre a alternativa rodoviária direto ou intermodal com ferrovia, variando-se a distância (média ou longa distância) e a carga transportada (açúcar a granel ou contêiner, para exportação). Os resultados são comparados e discutidos em termos dos pesos relativos dos critérios na escolha do embarcador, e das respectivas contribuições à decisão em face dos atributos das alternativas. Conclui-se que a avaliação multicriterial, contemplando critérios quantitativos e qualitativos, proporciona uma análise abrangente da hierarquia e contribuição dos critérios e a distinção dos pontos críticos na competição entre modais. / This study proposes a method for determining modal choice in transport problems based on an analytic hierarchy technique, considering the cargo owners point of view. Initially, a research of criteria used in modal choice in several contexts is carried out: cargos evaluated, availability of infrastructure and logistic services, standpoint of the evaluator. A review of the AHP method (which allows for multicriterial decisions with qualitative and quantitative factors) ensues. The author proposes a method for assisting in the modal choice from the cargo owners standpoint, based on the AHP technique. The criteria collected from the literature review are condensed in a hierarchical set of 3 criteria (total logistic costs; compliance with specificities of the cargo; and reliability) and 7 subcriteria (total logistic costs; accessibility, flexibility, and availability of logistic facilities; timeliness, susceptibility to loss or damage; and information to customers). The resulting method is generic and can be applied to a comprehensive range of logistic situations. The proposed method is then applied, as an example, to three freight cases, to aid the modal choice between direct roadway transportation or intermodal transport based on rail freight, with varying distances (medium or long distance haul) and the cargo being transported (bulk sugar or container, both for export). The results are compared and discussed in terms of the relative weights of each of the 7 subcriteria in the cargo owners modal decision, and the respective contributions to the decision in light of the attributes of the alternatives. The study concludes that the multicriterial evaluation, contemplating quantitative and qualitative criteria, yields a more comprehensive analysis of the important criteria hierarchy and the distinction of key issues in modal competition.