Farmers will supply the raw ingredients for the emerging cellulosic ethanol industry. The long-term relationship between a farmer and a processing firm is expected to be contractual. A processing firm has an incentive to sign long-term contracts to ensure a cost-efficient level of raw ingredient supply. However, farmers generally prefer to operate with either no contract or a short-term contract in order to maintain options for adjustments in future acreage allocations due to changes in relative prices. Of interest in this research is to understand the incentives of farmers and calculating the efficient level of the “inflexibility premium”, which a processing firm must provide to a farmer when a long term contract is signed. A stochastic dynamic programming model is solved and with the help of Microsoft Excel numerically evaluated to illustrate the marginal inflexibility premium is increasing with contract length and the level of price variability, and is decreasing with the size of acreage adjustment costs.

Farmers will supply the raw ingredients for the emerging cellulosic ethanol industry. The long-term relationship between a farmer and a processing firm is expected to be contractual. A processing firm has an incentive to sign long-term contracts to ensure a cost-efficient level of raw ingredient supply. However, farmers generally prefer to operate with either no contract or a short-term contract in order to maintain options for adjustments in future acreage allocations due to changes in relative prices. Of interest in this research is to understand the incentives of farmers and calculating the efficient level of the “inflexibility premium”, which a processing firm must provide to a farmer when a long term contract is signed. A stochastic dynamic programming model is solved and with the help of Microsoft Excel numerically evaluated to illustrate the marginal inflexibility premium is increasing with contract length and the level of price variability, and is decreasing with the size of acreage adjustment costs.

Farmers will supply the raw ingredients for the emerging cellulosic ethanol industry. The long-term relationship between a farmer and a processing firm is expected to be contractual. A processing firm has an incentive to sign long-term contracts to ensure a cost-efficient level of raw ingredient supply. However, farmers generally prefer to operate with either no contract or a short-term contract in order to maintain options for adjustments in future acreage allocations due to changes in relative prices. Of interest in this research is to understand the incentives of farmers and calculating the efficient level of the “inflexibility premium”, which a processing firm must provide to a farmer when a long term contract is signed. A stochastic dynamic programming model is solved and with the help of Microsoft Excel numerically evaluated to illustrate the marginal inflexibility premium is increasing with contract length and the level of price variability, and is decreasing with the size of acreage adjustment costs. / Land and Food Systems, Faculty of / Graduate

<p>I characterize optimal long term contracts offered by a monopolist to a buyer whose private valuation evolves according to a branching process with privately known transition probability. The optimal contract can be implemented in a simple way, and presents the buyer with a tradeoff between a high initial fixed fee and low future prices. In an interaction with a long time horizon, the relationship will terminate prematurely with probability close to one. Optimal mechanisms are quite different from models in which the transition probability is known, and the buyer's private information is his initial valuation. Optimal contracts resemble the structure of term life insurance contracts, and have features similar to actual interactions between retailers and suppliers.</p> / Dissertation

Before the 1981 enactment of the Term Contract Nonrenewal Act in Texas, term contract teachers were entitled to a hearing only when the employment contract was terminated during the contract period or when the cause for nonrenewal was made public and had a stigmatizing effect on the reputational rights of the teacher. This new act has the effect of bridging the gap between what has been legal and what many would consider to be fundamentally fair in employment practices. The immediate impact of this law has left educators with the need to investigate the adequacy of the procedure used by the Texas Education Agency in implementing the hearings and appeals process regarding nonrenewal of term contracts. This, then, is the problem of this study.

The sports in Sweden has previously been self-regulated with its own rules and provisions. As the commercialisation and professionalization have increased the common legal system has a greater impact on sports. The purpose of this study is to investigate the professional ice hockey adjustments to the labour law regulation. Furthermore the purpose is to illuminate possible advantage and disadvantage with the professional ice hockey player’s conditions of employment. To answer the purpose and the research questions of this study the legal dogmatic method, the legal sociology method and qualitative method with interviews has been used. The study shows how the professional ice hockey has adapted the labour law regulations with collective agreement due to the semi-dispositive provisions found in Swedish labour law. In Swedish professional ice hockey only the fixed-term contract is applied and most of the provisions about employment security are not available for the ice hockey players. In return the players has a stronger protection during the employment. As an employee and a parent the right to have a parental leave is statutory. The study shows a complex of problems with ice hockey player’s opportunity to have a parental leave, which is a right as an employee. This raises questions about equality between men and women in the labour market of ice hockey.

O tema desenvolvido guarda pertinência com a denúncia unilateral do contrato, a qual só deve produzir efeitos depois de transcorrido prazo compatível com eventuais investimentos consideráveis realizados pela contraparte, a teor do art. 473, par. ún., do Código Civil. Sendo assim, a pesquisa foi iniciada com premissas teóricas atinentes à liberdade contratual e suas vicissitudes em distintos momentos históricos. Esclarecido que a liberdade contratual deve ser sopesada com a intervenção Estatal para otimizar o desenvolvimento econômico e o bem-estar social, o trabalho demonstra, inicialmente, a coerência da mencionada norma em meio ao paradigma contemporâneo dominante. Em seguida, foram apresentadas reflexões para explicar a finalidade da inserção do dispositivo legal no ordenamento positivo. Com intuito de vedar o abuso de poder econômico, a norma foi introduzida especificamente para coibir o exercício abusivo do direito de resilição. Sendo este o escopo da norma, a primeira parte do trabalho ofereceu subsídios para justificar porque cabe ao juiz impor a prorrogação contratual, quando o denunciante não respeitar prazos compatíveis com os investimentos empreendidos pela outra parte. Já quanto à segunda parte, foram lançadas elucubrações sobre os distintos aspectos das relações contratuais duradouras. Nesse ponto, foram apontadas importantes contribuições doutrinárias a respeito da influência do aspecto temporal sobre as relações contínuas e, ainda, perspectivas da análise econômica do direito, além da abordagem relacional do contrato. Restando elucidado que a prorrogação do contrato pode (e deve) ser imposta pelo intérprete, na última e terceira parte deste trabalho, é proposta uma interpretação sistemática e axiológica da norma do art. 473, par. ún., do Código Civil. / The subject developed concerns the unilateral termination of the contract, which shall only take effect after certain length compatible with sizeable investments made by the counterparty, as set forth in Article 473, sole paragraph, of the Civil Code. Therefore, the research began with theoretical premises regarding the contractual freedom and its variations in different historical moments. Once clarified that the contractual freedom must be counterbalanced by governmental intervention in order to optimize economic development and social well-being, the study initially demonstrates the consistency of the aforesaid rule in the midst of the currently reigning paradigm. In addition, some reflections were presented to explain the purpose of the insertion of the provision in the written body of laws. Seeking to prevent the abuse of economic power, the ruling was created specifically to diminish abusive use of the right to terminate. Given the scope of the provision, the first part of the paper sustained why should the judge extent the length of the notice when the terminating party fails to comply with a compatible term taken into account the investments carried out by the other party. As for the second part, there are musings about different aspects of long-term contracts. Important contributions from legal doctrine were pointed out concerning the influence of time on long-term relationships, and furthermore on perspectives of the economic analysis of Law, besides the relational approach to the contract. As it becomes plain that the extension of a contract may be, or rather ought to be, imposed by the judge, on the third and last part of the dissertation, it is proposed a systematic and axiological interpretation of the ruling set forth by Article 473, sole paragraph, of the Civil Code.

L'interpretazione della riforma del lavoro a termine è stata oggetto di un acceso dibattito dottrinale che ha portato a conclusioni diametralmente opposte relativamente a molti punti cardine della nuova disciplina, quali: la stipula di primo contratto a termine e la necessità di esigenze di natura temporanea; le norme antifrodatorie; le norme antidiscriminatorie; le clausole di contingentamento e più in generale il ruolo del sindacato. Da una attenta analisi della riforma che parta dal contenuto della direttiva emerge che nel nostro sistema normativo esiste ancora una regola importante, ma non più scritta: i contratti a tempo indeterminato rappresentano la forma comune dei rapporti di lavoro. Da questa regola discendono una serie di considerazioni: il primo contratto a termine non è libero ma subordinato all'esistenza di ragioni oggettive che si devono intendere anche temporanee; la proroga è ammessa solo a fronte di ragioni oggettive e sopravvenute; la successione di contratti a termine è vietata quando avviene in frode alla legge; in caso di illegittima stipulazione del contratto a termine il rapporto di lavoro si deve intendere a tempo indeterminato. Quanto al ruolo del sindacato questo è stato sicuramente innovato, ma il sistema predisposto dalla riforma del lavoro a termine in molte parti ricalca la disciplina previgente contenuta nella L. 56/87 tanto che non pare corretto parlare di mortificazione del ruolo della contrattazione collettiva ma solo di riduzione dei compiti ad essa affidati. / Interpretation of the fixed term work reform has given rise to lively doctrinal debate that has led to completely opposite conclusions. Conclusions reached refer to hinge points of this new doctrine and include: the drawing up of first fixed term contracts and the necessity for temporary working requirements, anti-fraud norms, anti-discrimination norms, clauses in the fixing of quotas, and in general, the role of trade unions. Careful analysis of the reforms, starting from the content of this directive, reveals that our normative system still contains an important rule, although it is no longer written, that is: open-ended contracts still represent the most common job relationship form. Several considerations can be derived from this rule: the drawing of first fixed term contracts is not free, but subject to objective circumstances that must be proved. Mainly, the repeated extension of fixed term contracts is forbidden when it takes place against the law, and if a fixed term contract is unlawfully drawn up, then the job relationship must be intended as an open-ended one. The job of trade unions has certainly been re-emphasised due to this reform but, since the new job relationship system established by the fixed term work reform continues to enforce Law 56/87, it is not correct to talk of de-evaluation as related to collective work negotiations. Rather, trade unions will have a lesser role, and responsibilities and tasks normally charged to the trade union will be reduced.

Studiens syfte är att undersöka arbetsmotivation och motivationsfaktorer hos anställda med korttidskontrakt på ett företag som arbetar med sådana praktiker. De formulerade frågeställningarna är: Hur anser anställda med korttidskontrakt att deras arbetsmotivation påverkas av de osäkra arbetsförhållandena? Vilka motivationsfaktorer är viktiga för dem? Vilka strategier har de för att motivera sig? Empirin bygger på intervjuer genomförda med 6 respondenter på ett företag som utgör typfallet för studien. Den teoretiska referensramen består av Deci och Ryans definition av inre och yttre motivation och Herzbergs tvåfaktorsteori. Tidigare framforskade resultat med koppling till nämnda teorier har legat till grund för databearbetningen. Ur resultatet kan utläsas att anställda med osäkra arbetsvillkor motiveras av givande arbetsuppgifter, att genom sitt jobb ha möjlighet att hjälpa andra människor. Känslan av social meningsfullhet är vidare en central motivationsfaktor, och där spelar även relationer till kollegor en viktig roll. Ytterligare är känslan av kompetens för utförda handlingar samt tillgången till feedback i sitt arbete viktiga för arbetsmotivationen. Den osäkra arbetssituationen har försämrat viktiga motivationsfaktorer på arbetsplatsen och otryggheten har hämnat de anställdas motivation att prestera. / The aim of this study is to investigate workmotivation and motivation factors of employees with short-term contracts at a company working with those practices. The question formulations are: How do employees with short-term contracts consider that they are affected by the insecure employment? Which motivation factors are important for them? What strategies do they have to motivate themselves? The empirics are based on interviews performed with 6 respondents at a company that is the typical case for the study.  The theoretical framework consists of Deci and Ryan’s definition of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and Herzberg’s two-factor theory.  Earlier recognized results connected to those theories have been the basis in interaction with the data. The result shows that employees with insecure employments are motivated by rewarding job assignments, to have the possibility of helping other people through their profession. The feeling of social meaningfulness is furthermore a central motivation factor, where the relations to colleagues play an important role. Further, the feeling of competence for done activities and the access to feedback in their work is important for the workmotivation.  The insecure work situation has impaired essential motivation factors on the job and the insecurity has reduced the employee’s motivation to perform.

The main goal of these thesis is : to carry out all organization process that must be computerized. There are some processes which man cannot carry out withuot special software. The main critical proces is financial control of contracts. Contract begins with signing between our handing organization and customers. Each contract consists of terms and good‘s that must be delivered at time. The name of thesis „long term... „ says that contract conditions are exercised in parts. Goods are been delivered in parts and payment is been getting in parts too. So there are many contracts, and the man is unable to control all its himself. So our software must do financial contract control : to mark parts of good of each contract, allow to see every condition of contracts, and allow to solve the problem of goods identification (BAR codes), because our organization is an agent in trading range. We made our software, theretofore did analysis of excisting software, software that can be partially useful for us and can be upgraded using our functional requirements. We used to modificate typical agreement data model by Len Silverston and use it to transform to DB schema (realationships). Our software (projecting and coding) is made using these tools : Rational Rose, MS Visio, Borland Delphi, MS Access and MS SQL Server.