This work undertakes the first comprehensive theoretical assessment of syndicated loans. It is shown that syndicated and bilateral (single lender) loans should be good substitutes in meeting a borrower's financing requirements, but that syndicated loans are more complex and impose additional risks to the parties in the way they are arranged. The existing explantions of loan syndication - that they are hybrids of private bank loans and public debt instruments, that syndication is a portfolio management tool, and that loans are syndicated where they are too large to be provided bilaterally - are unable to substantially explain both the nature of syndicated loans and practice in the loan markets. A rigorous new explanation is developed, which shows that syndication reduces the rate of lending costs, so that the return to the loan originator is greater, and the borrower's cost of financing is lower, where a loan is syndicated rather than provided bilaterally. This explanation is shown to hold in competitive loan markets and to be consistent with the observation that syndicated loans are generally larger than other loans. Incidental to this new explanation, new expressions of the return to a bank from providing a loan on a bilateral basis and from originating a syndicated loan are also developed. New algorithms are also developed for determining the distribution of the commitments from syndicate participants and thus the originator's final hold, the amount it must lend itself, where the loan is underwritten. This provides, for the first time, a rigorous basis for assessing the expected return, and the risk, for the originator of a given syndicated loan. Finally, empirical testing finds that a bank's observed lending history is significant to its decision to participate in a new syndicated loan but that predictions of participation, which are fundamental inputs into the final hold algorithms, based on this information have relatively little power. It follows that there is competitive advantage to loan originators that have access to other, private information on potential participants' lending intentions.

This study has adopted the metaphor of �mind-forged manacles� to explore adolescent transformation within an educational context. It does this by examining the experiences of two groups of people who participated in an intensive, one-off personal development program for adolescents, known as Discovery. The first study involves secondary school students for whom the program was part of the school curriculum. The second study consists of an older group of people who did the program during their adolescence and outside the formal education system. The third study is a contemplation of transformation derived from my experience as researcher during the course of completing this thesis. In an attempt to reflect the perspectival worldview from within which the study is created I have drawn on a range of theorists. To integrate their ideas I created three different �lenses� or ways of viewing the data. The first lens is developed from consciousness theory, the second from process philosophy and complex self-organising systems theory, and the third from individual humanistic psychology. The educational pedagogy is holistic and embraces developmental models of thinking and learning. The study uses participant reflection to argue that a program of intentionally focussed challenges, combined with the support that enables these challenges to be successfully met, can be transformational for many young people. It suggests that the complex postmodern world requires teachers to be aware of their own and their students� consciousness, and demands learning experiences that are deliberately focussed on helping the process of consciousness transformation rather than only on achieving predetermined outcomes. Transformation is understood as a shift to a different order of consciousness in which it is how one sees rather than what one sees that changes. With each shift towards a new order of consciousness the mind-forged manacles are loosed and individuals accept increasing responsibility for their lives and how they live them. Educational programs can be developed to assist this process.

Thesis (Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education)--Cleveland State University, 2010 / Abstract. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on May 12, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p.191-201). Available online via the OhioLINK ETD Center

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Alberta, 2009. / A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Faculty of Nursing. Title from pdf file main screen (viewed on November 15, 2009). Includes bibliographical references.

Cette thèse interroge la manière dont le développement durable est saisi par les concepteurs en agence d’architecture, d’urbanisme et de paysage. Elle analyse ce que les tentatives d’appropriation disent du fonctionnement de telles organisations, de leur place dans le processus de projet, et de la diversité des valeurs qui peuvent s’y développer. Basé sur l’observation in situ d’une agence parisienne d’une vingtaine de personnes entre 2010 et 2013, notre travail définit trois axes de recherche autour : des approches, contenus et statuts accordés au développement durable par les concepteurs ; des systèmes de valeurs portés par les concepteurs et leur évolution à l’épreuve du développement durable ; des compétences et du rôle des concepteurs dans la fabrique urbaine au prisme du développement durable. La démonstration met en lumière la diversité des approches et statuts accordés à celui-ci. Les compétences apparaissent comme un enjeu d’appropriation cognitive et opérationnelle, mais aussi de concurrence interprofessionnelle. En outre, les concepteurs s’appuient sur des systèmes de normes et de valeurs répondant aux logiques parfois contradictoires des mondes marchand, industriel, civique, de l’opinion, et de l’inspiration (Boltanski, Thévenot, 1991). Les tentatives d’appropriation du développement durable renforcent plus qu’elles ne transforment les tensions entre ces logiques. Cette thèse vise à enrichir la connaissance des mécanismes d’appropriation du développement durable par les acteurs de l’aménagement et de l’urbanisme. Elle participe à la compréhension des modes de fonctionnement d’un acteur particulier : le concepteur appréhendé dans le collectif de l’agence. / This thesis examines the ways in which designers in architecture, urbanism and landscaping agencies take sustainable development into account in their professional practices. It looks at what their attempts to appropriate sustainable development reveal about the operations of such organizations, the place of the latter in the project process, and the diverse positions and values that can develop as a result. Based on the in situ observation of a Parisian agency of about twenty designers between 2010 and 2013, our work has led to the definition of three axes of research : the approaches, contents and statuses that the designers attribute to sustainable development ; the designers’ value systems and how these evolve when they are faced with sustainable development ; the designers’ skills and roles in creating sustainable cities. The findings highlight that there is diversity in the designers’ approaches and priorities with regard to sustainable development. Skills appear to play a role in cognitive and operational appropriation, but also in the competition between professions. Furthermore, designers base their practices on norms and values that stem from the sometimes conflicting logics of the market, industrial, civic, fame and inspired worlds (Boltanski, Thévenot, 1991). The designers’ attempts to appropriate sustainable development reinforce rather than transform the tensions between these logics. This thesis aims to increase the knowledge about the mechanisms at play when urban design stakeholders adopt sustainable development. It contributes to a better understanding of the modes of operation of designers, observed in the environment of their agency.

Este estudo trata do processo de [re]formulação da política de avaliação institucional participativa, do Sistema Estadual de Avaliação Participativa (SEAP-RS), concebido pela Secretaria de Estado da Educação do Rio Grande do Sul (SEDUC-RS), no período de 2011 - 2014, durante o governo Tarso Genro. Descreve, analisa e interpreta o Sistema, historicizando-o; identifica seus efeitos e as relações estabelecidas em seu processo; analisa o envolvimento dos atores partícipes numa etapa do ciclo de políticas públicas em educação, pouco estudada no Brasil: a formulação. O SEAP-RS foi aplicado à rede estadual de ensino por meio de autoavaliações, através de cadernos impressos, plataforma on-line, ações de formação e processos de avaliação participativos. Sua implementação, de 2012 a 2014, demandou de cada unidade institucional (Secretaria de Educação, Coordenadorias Regionais - CRE, e Escolas) a elaboração de diagnóstico preliminar, eleição de comissões representativas, realização coletiva da avaliação institucional e seus respectivos registros. Esse processo deveria subsidiar o planejamento e o acompanhamento de metas. Contou, também, com avaliação externa sob a coordenação do Núcleo de Estudos de Política e Gestão da Educação, da UFRGS, com objetivo de compreender o sistema em duas dimensões: avaliação do processo de formulação e implementação do SEAP-RS, entre 2012-2014; e avaliação das informações registradas nos diagnósticos institucionais da SEDUC e das CRE e das Escolas. O Sistema recebeu financiamento do Banco Mundial. Na elaboração deste estudo foram utilizados: documentação institucional, diário de campo, vídeo institucional, registro das entrevistas realizadas pelo avaliador externo com responsáveis técnico-políticos e relatórios apresentados pela equipe da UFRGS. A metodologia construída para análise das informações está fundamentada nos conceitos de Carlos Matus, na articulação feita entre os fenômenos sociais e suas relações e a Teoria do Jogo Social, associado a outros teóricos (Dias (2000), Mainardes (2006; 2016), Santos (2009; 2016), Souza (2006), Afonso (1999; 2009), Saviani (2007; 2016), Dourado (2009), Arretche (2001) entre outros). Para o desenvolvimento do estudo, foi construída a descrição da experiência através do Processo em Narrativa, que, além da legislação e das normativas documentais, foram considerados os movimentos subjetivos dos atores sociais envolvidos na fase de formulação da política proposta, promovendo discussão e análise teórica a partir da prática, nos Diálogos. Na análise da formulação da política propriamente dita, o estudo mostra e discute dos atores sociais o papel do gestor técnico-político e as mudanças no desenho original da política, ainda na fase de formulação. Algumas das considerações finais deste estudo são: o elo entre a formulação e a prática coerente está na [re]formulação permanente; o modo de formulação da política impacta no conteúdo da política e na estratégia de implementação; os jogos sociais geram movimentos institucionais com novos sentidos e [re]significações da política; no jogo social a combinação entre as capacidades política e de conhecimentos são importantes na definição da agenda; os textos formulados para a política, por si só, não garantem efetividade da mesma; o centralismo na fase da formulação é incoerente com processos articulados, participativos e democráticos. / This study focuses on the reformulation process of institutional participant evaluation policies, from the State Participant Evaluation System (SEAP-RS), developed by the State Education Office from Rio Grande do Sul (SEDUC-RS) from 2011 to 2014 under Tarso Genro‟s administration. It describes, analyzes and interprets the System, contextualizes it historically; it identifies its effects and the relations established in its process; it analyzes the main subjects‟ engagement during a stage of a cycle of public politics in education, poorly studied in Brazil: the formulation. SEAP was applied to the state education network through self-evaluations, through printed notebooks, online platforms, qualification actions, and participant evaluation processes. Its implementation, from 2012 to 2014, demanded that each institutional unit (Education Office, Regional Coordination –CRE, and schools) elaborate a diagnostic preview, election of representing committees, collective institutional evaluation, and proper registration. This process should subsidize planning and follow up of the plan. It also counted on external evaluation under the coordination of Politics and Education Administration study group from UFRGS, with the objective of comprehending the system in two dimensions: evaluation of the formulation and implementation process of SEAP-RS, between 2012 and 2014; and evaluation of the information registered in the institutional diagnostics of SEDUC, CRE, and the schools. The system received funding from the World Bank. To elaborate this study it was used: institutional documentation, field notes, institutional videos, records of interviews done by the external evaluator with political technicians in charge and the reports presented by a team from UFRGS. The methodology used to analyze the information is based on the concepts of Carlos Matus, in the articulation between social phenomena and its relations, and the Game Theory, associated to other theorists such as Dias (2000), Mainardes (2006; 2016), Santos (2009; 2016), Souza (2006), Afonso (1999; 2009), Saviani (2007; 2016), Dourado (2009), Arretche (2001) among others. To develop this study, a description of the experience through Narrative Process was done, where beyond the legislation and documentation rules, subjective movements of the social actors were taken into consideration in the formulation of the proposed policy, promoting debate and theoretical analysis from practice, in the Dialogues. In the analysis of political formation, the study shows and discusses the social actors and the role of political-technician administrator and the changes in the original draw of politics, when still in forming phase. Some of the final considerations of this study are: the link between the formulation and a coherent practice is in the permanent [re]formulation; the ways of reformulation in politics impacts in the political content and in implementation strategy; the social games generate institutional movements with new meanings and re[signifying] politics; in social games the combination between political capacity and knowledge are important in defining the agenda; the texts elaborated for politics do not guarantee effectiveness for itself; the concentration in the formulation phase is incoherent with articulated, participant and democratic processes.

The diploma thesis provides comprehensive insight into the individual types of services of tourism. The main goal is evaluation of the quality of provided tourism services in the selected locality Hluboka nad Vltavou. In the theoretical part the concept associated with areas of tourism, services, marketing mix, quality and instruments of strategic marketing environment. In the practical part it was made detailed analysis of accommodation services, catering services, cultural services, sports services, sport and relaxation services and complementary services. In the practical part are also evaluated results of a research, which main aim was find out the satisfaction of tourism participant with a quality, level and range of tourism services, which are provided in the locality. The visitor's opinion on opportunities of cultural and sport activities is also very important. Attention was focused on the local and foreign participants of tourism in this direction. Based on the gained information and results of marketing research, the last section contains appropriate suggestions.

In this study an ecosystemic approach to self-hypnosis was utilised as a tool to explore and describe the healing of sport injuries. Four injured Subjects, from four different sporting activities participated in the study. Self-hypnosis/hypnosis was used as a linguistic means to perturb the problem-defining ideas within which the sport injury was embedded. Problem dis-solution involved a process of reframing each Subject's current reality through dialogue, and a new reality for each respective Subject was co-constructed through consequent linguistic differentiation. The hypnotist, participating in the linguistic domain as an equal participant, looked for intended meanings in each respective conversational exchange with the athletes, and synthesised information creatively. This process and the thinking behind each case study is described in detail in this dissertation. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Most of the training programmes received by the health advisers in the Gauteng health promotion directorate, are delivered in a lecture form, whereby trainers prepare their presentations according to themes chosen by management, without the involvement of trainees. After training, the health advisers adopt the same attitude with the individuals they educate. This study describes how participatory research was carried out to investigate how health advisers in the Gauteng Province experience and utilise these training programmes. It articulates the roles of the researcher and participants in the research process. The study showed that while it is true that trainees must receive theoretical information, it is equally true that they must be able to relate that information to their practical situations. The study indicates that this can occur by introducing a form of training in which the focus is on both the trainer and trainees as co-learners in the learning situation. / Social Work / M.A. Soc. Sc. (Mental Health)

Este estudo trata do processo de [re]formulação da política de avaliação institucional participativa, do Sistema Estadual de Avaliação Participativa (SEAP-RS), concebido pela Secretaria de Estado da Educação do Rio Grande do Sul (SEDUC-RS), no período de 2011 - 2014, durante o governo Tarso Genro. Descreve, analisa e interpreta o Sistema, historicizando-o; identifica seus efeitos e as relações estabelecidas em seu processo; analisa o envolvimento dos atores partícipes numa etapa do ciclo de políticas públicas em educação, pouco estudada no Brasil: a formulação. O SEAP-RS foi aplicado à rede estadual de ensino por meio de autoavaliações, através de cadernos impressos, plataforma on-line, ações de formação e processos de avaliação participativos. Sua implementação, de 2012 a 2014, demandou de cada unidade institucional (Secretaria de Educação, Coordenadorias Regionais - CRE, e Escolas) a elaboração de diagnóstico preliminar, eleição de comissões representativas, realização coletiva da avaliação institucional e seus respectivos registros. Esse processo deveria subsidiar o planejamento e o acompanhamento de metas. Contou, também, com avaliação externa sob a coordenação do Núcleo de Estudos de Política e Gestão da Educação, da UFRGS, com objetivo de compreender o sistema em duas dimensões: avaliação do processo de formulação e implementação do SEAP-RS, entre 2012-2014; e avaliação das informações registradas nos diagnósticos institucionais da SEDUC e das CRE e das Escolas. O Sistema recebeu financiamento do Banco Mundial. Na elaboração deste estudo foram utilizados: documentação institucional, diário de campo, vídeo institucional, registro das entrevistas realizadas pelo avaliador externo com responsáveis técnico-políticos e relatórios apresentados pela equipe da UFRGS. A metodologia construída para análise das informações está fundamentada nos conceitos de Carlos Matus, na articulação feita entre os fenômenos sociais e suas relações e a Teoria do Jogo Social, associado a outros teóricos (Dias (2000), Mainardes (2006; 2016), Santos (2009; 2016), Souza (2006), Afonso (1999; 2009), Saviani (2007; 2016), Dourado (2009), Arretche (2001) entre outros). Para o desenvolvimento do estudo, foi construída a descrição da experiência através do Processo em Narrativa, que, além da legislação e das normativas documentais, foram considerados os movimentos subjetivos dos atores sociais envolvidos na fase de formulação da política proposta, promovendo discussão e análise teórica a partir da prática, nos Diálogos. Na análise da formulação da política propriamente dita, o estudo mostra e discute dos atores sociais o papel do gestor técnico-político e as mudanças no desenho original da política, ainda na fase de formulação. Algumas das considerações finais deste estudo são: o elo entre a formulação e a prática coerente está na [re]formulação permanente; o modo de formulação da política impacta no conteúdo da política e na estratégia de implementação; os jogos sociais geram movimentos institucionais com novos sentidos e [re]significações da política; no jogo social a combinação entre as capacidades política e de conhecimentos são importantes na definição da agenda; os textos formulados para a política, por si só, não garantem efetividade da mesma; o centralismo na fase da formulação é incoerente com processos articulados, participativos e democráticos. / This study focuses on the reformulation process of institutional participant evaluation policies, from the State Participant Evaluation System (SEAP-RS), developed by the State Education Office from Rio Grande do Sul (SEDUC-RS) from 2011 to 2014 under Tarso Genro‟s administration. It describes, analyzes and interprets the System, contextualizes it historically; it identifies its effects and the relations established in its process; it analyzes the main subjects‟ engagement during a stage of a cycle of public politics in education, poorly studied in Brazil: the formulation. SEAP was applied to the state education network through self-evaluations, through printed notebooks, online platforms, qualification actions, and participant evaluation processes. Its implementation, from 2012 to 2014, demanded that each institutional unit (Education Office, Regional Coordination –CRE, and schools) elaborate a diagnostic preview, election of representing committees, collective institutional evaluation, and proper registration. This process should subsidize planning and follow up of the plan. It also counted on external evaluation under the coordination of Politics and Education Administration study group from UFRGS, with the objective of comprehending the system in two dimensions: evaluation of the formulation and implementation process of SEAP-RS, between 2012 and 2014; and evaluation of the information registered in the institutional diagnostics of SEDUC, CRE, and the schools. The system received funding from the World Bank. To elaborate this study it was used: institutional documentation, field notes, institutional videos, records of interviews done by the external evaluator with political technicians in charge and the reports presented by a team from UFRGS. The methodology used to analyze the information is based on the concepts of Carlos Matus, in the articulation between social phenomena and its relations, and the Game Theory, associated to other theorists such as Dias (2000), Mainardes (2006; 2016), Santos (2009; 2016), Souza (2006), Afonso (1999; 2009), Saviani (2007; 2016), Dourado (2009), Arretche (2001) among others. To develop this study, a description of the experience through Narrative Process was done, where beyond the legislation and documentation rules, subjective movements of the social actors were taken into consideration in the formulation of the proposed policy, promoting debate and theoretical analysis from practice, in the Dialogues. In the analysis of political formation, the study shows and discusses the social actors and the role of political-technician administrator and the changes in the original draw of politics, when still in forming phase. Some of the final considerations of this study are: the link between the formulation and a coherent practice is in the permanent [re]formulation; the ways of reformulation in politics impacts in the political content and in implementation strategy; the social games generate institutional movements with new meanings and re[signifying] politics; in social games the combination between political capacity and knowledge are important in defining the agenda; the texts elaborated for politics do not guarantee effectiveness for itself; the concentration in the formulation phase is incoherent with articulated, participant and democratic processes.