The aim of this thesis is to analyze crowdfunding campaigns on Kickstarter, and contribute towards increasing the effectiveness of such campaigns, as most campaigns are unsuccessful. The theoretical part will focus on defining crowdfunding as the new phenomena of capital distribution and compared with other forms of financing new ideas. The empirical part focuses on a paired comparison analysis of campaigns from two various locations and three industries in total. Factores affecting the successfulness are analyzed and a pattern which would help towards solving the initial problem is looked for. The aim of the thesis was fulfilled by giving recommendations which have an impact on the success rate.

Context: Many musicians experience playing-related pain and injuries. One of the recommended injury prevention strategies is to warm-up prior to playing a musical instrument. However, this recommendation is not always supported with empirical data. Additionally, multiple terms are used to describe warm-ups and may differ between authors, creating confusion around this injury prevention strategy. Objectives: The objectives of this thesis are to search for evidence-based studies that would support the benefit of warm-ups for musicians, reduce the confusion around musicians’ warm-ups, and bring clarity to the definition of warm-up. Methodology: In order to do so, this thesis presents two studies. The first study consisted of doing a systematized review of English published articles in order to identify if there was evidence to support the statement that warm-ups prevent injury. The methodology and results of each included article were evaluated using the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM)’s levels of evidence. The second article consisted of a terminology review and taxonomy in order to identify terms, organize them into categories and define warm-ups. The corpus contained the same articles that were included in the systematized review. Terms were identified from the corpus and the most frequently mentioned terms were used for the definition of warm-up. Terms were also categorized in a taxonomy in order to illustrate the different types of warm-ups that are recommended to musicians. Results: Twenty-nine studies were included in the analysis of the systematic review. Of these 29 studies, only one ranked at level I, which is the highest level of evidence, and most studies ranked at level V. The one study that was ranked at level I indicated that all three tested warm-up conditions did not have a muscular effect. Therefore, at the moment, there seems to be no evidence that supports the statement that warm-ups prevent injury. The terminology review led to the following definition of warm-up: “A routine, habit or exercise(s) that is/ are completed prior to playing repertoire or learning new material on a music instrument in order to prepare physically and mentally the musician. The following can be included as part of a musician’s warm-up: physical warm-up (completed without the instrument, for example stretches), musical warm-up (completed with the instrument, for example: scales, familiar tune/ favorite tune, long tones), and psychological warm-up.” It was also determined that stretching should also be defined as it is not always perceived as a warm-up. Stretching was defined as “Slow, controlled and progressive movements that are maintained for at least 20-30 seconds. These are done at various intervals throughout the day such as prior, during (breaks), and after the practice of a music instrument. They are referred to as physical exercises (away from the instrument). The following are some examples of stretching exercises: wrist rotations, forward neck roll, oppositional finger-wrist press, hand-finger extensions, fist clench and unclench, arms-bicep curls, handshakes, arms-triceps extension, and fingers clenched and unclenched.” The taxonomy indicated three warm-up categories: physical, musical and psychological. The physical and musical warm-ups were then subcategorized. It was not possible to subcategorize psychological warm-ups due to a lack of definition and examples in the literature. This study was a first step towards standardization, but further research is necessary in order to standardize a methodology and protocol.

Sebastián Álvarez Licenciado en Relaciones Internacionales y Ciencias Sociales con énfasis en Comercio Internacional. Actualmente, Analista de Inversiones para Colombia, Perú y Ecuador de la Embajada del Reino Unido de Gran Bretaña e Irlanda del Norte en Colombia. / Krystel Castillo Licenciada en Relaciones Internacionales, con amplia experiencia en pequeñas y medianas empresas. Actualmente, Analista de Inversiones para México y Colombia, de la Embajada del Reino Unido de Gran Bretaña e Irlanda del Norte en México / El propósito principal del foro es explicar la oferta comercial del Reino Unido para empresas y start-ups latinoamericanas. Se abordará las ventajas estratégicas que convierten al Reino Unido en un destino idóneo para start-ups que estén buscando tener una presencia internacional. De igual forma, se abarcarán los servicios que el Departamento de Comercio Internacional puede proporcionar a las empresas peruanas que deseen internacionalizarse y forjar lazos comerciales robustos con el Reino Unido.

This study explores the accessibility of prime retail space to start-up retailers from the landlord’s perspective. The purpose of this study is to determine the degree to which prime space is accessible to start-ups retailers. The study also aims to identify the factors influencing start-up access to prime space, the strategies used by start-ups to access prime space and the criteria by which landlords evaluate these start-ups. The study followed an inductive, qualitative approach. Ten in-depth interviews with leasing decision makers were conducted. The interviews were summarised and the data units therein categorised. The categories were then analysed and testable propositions were developed from these emergent categories. By applying analytic induction in light of the theory base, a set of explanatory models were derived. The study finds that prime retail space is not easily accessible by start-ups. However, it also provides a deeper understanding of the context in the form of a set of explanatory models for the phenomena observed. Armed with this understanding, start-ups can modify their approach and vastly improve their access to prime space. Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

This diploma thesis deals with the impact of venture capital financing on the performance of selected companies. In the theoretical portion of this paper, an analysis of foreign studies is performed. There are also several reasons discussed for government support and the impact of venture capital on the macroeconomic level. In the practical part of diploma thesis, the performance of Czech VC-backed firms is calculated. Then the impact of venture capital on Czech and foreign companies is commented on. In the following portion of this diploma thesis, multiple linear regression is made in order to discover which factors have the most significant impact on the performance of the selected Czech companies. In the closing segment, the results and findings are discussed as well as the recommendations for policy-makers that should be made.

The aim of this thesis is to create analysis of new module for SmartPEF. This module is used for project management of school projects at the faculty of Bussines and Economics. For creation of this analysis methodology UP and UML language were used. For creation of user design was used principals of user experience. This thesis will be used for future implementation.

Background: Hypoglycemia is a commonly encountered metabolic state in the patient population. It can be medically defined as a blood sugar <70mg/dL in a diabetic patient or <50mg/dL in a non-diabetic patient. It is less frequently seen in non-diabetics due to the body’s ability to autoregulate insulin administration. Common symptoms are sweating, tremors, palpitations, dizziness, drowsiness, and confusion. If left untreated, these symptoms can progress to seizures, arrythmias, or other complications that ultimately lead to death. Objective: To highlight the possible causes of hypoglycemia and the appropriate work-up for normally euglycemic patients. Case Description: We herein report a case of hypoglycemia in a 36-year-old female with Lupus related end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis via Ash-catheter who presented with peritonitis due to a defunct peritoneal dialysis catheter. The patient was found to be bacteremic; therefore both catheters were removed and antibiotics were started. Repeat blood cultures showed no growth for 48 hours, so the patient was held fasting at midnight for placement of a new catheter. On the day of surgery, she registered multiple blood sugar readings as low as 15mg/dL. Her symptoms were limited to drowsiness and shortness of breath. She was given four D50 boluses, glucagon IV, and a D5 drip that was adjusted to a D15 drip to stabilize her blood sugar. It was discovered that at an admission two months ago, the patient had a few readings in the 30s. She denied any recollection of this and claimed to have been asymptomatic. She also denied a history of low blood sugars and a diagnosis of diabetes. In surgery that day, the patient went into cardiac arrest on the operating table after being sedated. She was resuscitated after one round of chest compressions, and her catheter was placed. During the episodes of low blood sugar, specific labs were drawn for the work-up of hypoglycemia (glucose, insulin, C-peptide, proinsulin, beta-hydroxybutyrate, insulin antibodies, and sulfonylurea/meglitinide screen), but results yielded inconclusive values that prevented a diagnosis. The patient’s blood sugars became steady once her diet was restarted, and she was discharged in stable condition to a rehab facility after cautionary counseling was given. Discussion: This case highlights an optimal way to work-up a patient with new onset hypoglycemia, focusing on patient history and drawing the appropriate labs during hypoglycemic episodes. The specific labs listed above can be used to differentiate between various causes of hypoglycemia (exogenous insulin administration, an insulin secreting tumor [insulinoma], insulin antibodies, insufficient cortisol or glucagon levels, or improper sulfonylurea/meglitinide use) by comparing them to standards. If labs are unable to be obtained, a 72-Hour Fast can be conducted to create a controlled environment, and a Glucagon Tolerance Test can further explore if the cause of hypoglycemia is insulin related. The goal of all of this testing is to be able to identify and treat the underlying cause of the hypoglycemia and prevent future episodes and the complications that accompany it.

This is a collection of poems.

The issue of the division of equity is one that founders of joint ventures inevitably face during the start-up phase of business development. Whilst this is an issue of great importance in that it shapes the capital structure of the business (Roberts and Zender, 2008) and impacts on the future productivity of founder members (Holstrom, 1982), it is an area that has received little systematic attention in academic literature. Hellman and Wasserman (2011) conducted a large scale study of equity splits in start-up’s and noted that the three factors of (1) the value of the idea, (2) past entrepreneurial experience and (3) capital contribution played a significant role in determining the division of equity. This study employs a qualitative research methodology to investigate the process of equity negotiation with the aim of identifying further factors that may guide decisions in equity negotiation. The key findings of the research are that the dynamics of the interpersonal relationships that exist between founder members appear to influence equity negotiations, in that preserving goodwill in these relationships was a factor that motivated founder members to lean towards equal equity splits. The two phenomena that are associated with a need to preserve goodwill within the relationship are the existence of a relationship prior to entering into business, and the business venture being based on a shared idea.Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Lesbians have historically lived in obscurity and isolation because living outwardly as a lesbian carried with it the almost certain loss of social standing, family, and friends (Blando, 2001). For lesbians who grew up in the Deep South, isolation and the pressure to conform was greater than anywhere in the United States (Barton, 2010). Most Deep Southerners were homophobic, especially in rural areas where people were deeply religious and had little exposure to sexual minorities. The researcher used a qualitative phenomenological approach to explore the meaning and significance of growing up lesbian in the rural Deep South. The sample included 12 Caucasian lesbians, ages 45 to 62. Four clusters of themes emerged from the interviews. Those clusters were: (1) emerging sexuality, (2) the mark of fatal difference, (3) denial of lesbian identity, and (4) conforming to Deep Southern social mores. Themes within those clusters described how delays in both lesbian identity development (Cass, 1984) and psychosocial development (Erikson, 1975) occurred in each of the participants because of the intensely religious and homophobic environments in which they were raised. Denunciation of participants' personal identities began with the first expressions of their sexual identities in elementary school. Ridiculed at a young age because of attractions to girls, participants cycled back through developmental crises involving shame, doubt, and inferiority. They entered adolescence disturbed about their developing sexualities, to discover that parents and faith-based communities were homophobic. Therefore, at the time when participants faced the most critical developmental crises of their lives (Erikson, 1975), they feared rejection by their parents, communities, and God. Participants sought to suppress or deny their lesbianism. Suppression of lesbian identity came with emotional and developmental costs, including substance abuse, unwanted marriages, and role confusion. Unable to find needed resources and role models, participants conformed to the social mores of the rural community for periods ranging from five to twenty years. Eventually, each participant in this study left her rural origins to begin claiming her lesbian identity. Retrospectively, each woman recognized that in the era in which they grew up, communities in the rural Deep South demanded conformity and resisted allowing members to individuate. Thus, participants in this study entered adulthood, and sometimes middle age, with a number of unresolved developmental crises, particularly as those crises related to sexual orientation.