South Korean MNEs' international HRM approach: hybridization of global standards and local practices

This paper analyses the international Human Resource Management (HRM) approaches of Korean Multinational Enterprises (MNEs). Through a study of nine major Korean MNEs��� approaches to subsidiary-HRM, it is argued that the firms pursue hybridization through a blending of localization and global standardization across detailed elements in five broad HRM practice areas. Local discretion is allowed if not counter to global HRM system requirements and ���global best practices��� used as the template for global standardization of selected HRM elements. This strategic orientation appears to be part of a deliberate response to the ���liabilities of origin��� born by firms from non-dominant economies.

Nueva disposici��n de sistemas de contenci��n de veh��culos en medianas de autov��a: New practices for median barriers of highways

La siniestralidad por salida izquierda de v��a en carreteras de gran capacidad es un problema que, adem��s de las dram��ticas situaciones a las que da lugar, inflige a la sociedad elevados costes. Por ello, debe prestarse una intensa atenci��n al dise��o de las medianas y a la disposici��n de barreras en ellas, con el objetivo de evitar que se produzcan este tipo de accidentes y limitar las consecuencias de los que a��n as�� tengan lugar. Habitualmente las medianas de autov��as se dise��an aplicando casi sistem��ticamente los par��metros m��nimos exigidos normativamente y generalmente con barreras de seguridad adosadas o muy pr��ximas a uno de los arcenes interiores. Sin embargo, tanto las recomendaciones t��cnicas nacionales como la bibliograf��a internacional recomiendan llevar a cabo un estudio econ��mico de alternativas antes que colocar barreras y, si est�� justificada su disposici��n, alejarla de la calzada disponi��ndola pr��xima al eje de la mediana. En esta tesis se analizan las ventajas y limitaciones que tiene la disposici��n de barrera pr��xima al eje de la mediana. Se ha investigado sobre el comportamiento de los veh��culos al circular por la mediana y se muestra c��mo se ha instalado en la obra de la autov��a A���40, Tramo: Villarrubia de Santiago���Santa Cruz de la Zarza, destacando los aspectos m��s novedosos y llamativos pero que se ajustan a las mejores pr��cticas en la materia y tambi��n a la normativa de aplicaci��n. ABSTRACT Many dramatic situations are caused by cross���median traffic accidents which imply high costs for society, both in human and economic terms. It is therefore important that special attention should be paid to the design of highway medians and to the installation of safety barriers so as to avoid these kinds of incidents and to reduce their consequences. Highway median are usually designed with the application of minimum parameters, according to regulations, with the installation of safety barriers against or close to the inside border. However, Spanish technical regulations and international bibliography recommend a prior study to be carried out with the purpose of finding alternatives to this installation of safety barriers and if necessary, the installation of the safety barrier close to the centre of the median. This thesis directs its analysis towards the advantages and restrictions of installing the safety barrier close to the centre of the median. Research has shown vehicle response when within the median and we show the installation of safety barriers in the A���40 highway stretch: Villarrubia de Santiago ��� Santa Cruz de la Zarza, highlighting the aspects that should be taken into account as best practices for road safety and technical regulations.

Gesti��n intelectual de las pr��cticas comunicativas en arquitectura : S, M, L, XL, el gran evento = The intellectual management of communication practices in architecture : S, M, L, XL, the big event

La tesis doctoral se centra en la posibilidad de entender que la pr��ctica de arquitectura puede encontrar en las pr��cticas comunicativas un apoyo instrumental, que sobrepasa cualquier simplificaci��n cl��sica del uso de los medios como una mera aplicaci��n superficial, post-producida o sencillamente promocional. A partir de esta premisa se exponen casos del ��ltimo cuarto del siglo XX y se detecta que amenazas como el riesgo de la banalizaci��n, la posible saturaci��n de la imagen p��blica o la previsible asociaci��n incorrecta con otros individuos en presentaciones grupales o por tem��ticas, han podido influir en un crecimiento notable de la adquisici��n de control, por parte de los arquitectos, en sus oportunidades medi��ticas. Esto es, como si la arquitectura hubiera empezado a superar y optimizar algo inevitable, que las f��rmulas expositivas y las publicaciones, o m��s bien del exponer(se) y publicar(se), son herramientas disponibles para activar alg��n tipo de gesti��n intelectual de la comunicaci��n e informaci��n circulante sobre si misma. Esta pr��ctica de ���autoedici��n��� se analiza en un periodo concreto de la trayectoria de OMA -Office for Metropolitan Architecture-, estudio considerado pionero en el uso eficiente, oportunista y personalizado de los medios. As��, la segunda parte de la tesis se ocupa del an��lisis de su conocida monograf��a S,M,L,XL (1995), un volumen que cont�� con gran participaci��n por parte de sus protagonistas durante la edici��n, y de cuyo proceso de producci��n apenas se hab��a investigado. Esta publicaci��n se��al�� un punto de inflexi��n en su g��nero alterando todo formato y restricciones anteriores, y se ha convertido en un volumen emblem��tico para la disciplina que ninguna r��plica posterior ha podido superar. Aqu�� se presenta a su vez como el desencadenante de la construcci��n de un ���gran evento��� que concluye en la transformaci��n de la identidad de OMA en 10 a��os, parad��jicamente entre el nacimiento de la Fundaci��n Groszstadt y el arranque de la actividad de AMO, dos entidades paralelas clave anexas a OMA. Este planteamiento deviene de c��mo la investigaci��n desvela que S,M,L,XL es una pieza m��s, central pero no independiente, dentro de una suma de acciones e individuos, as�� como otras publicaciones, exposiciones, eventos y tambi��n art��culos ensayados y proyectos, en particular Bigness, Generic City, Euralille y los concursos de 1989. Son significativos aspectos como la apertura a una autor��a m��ltiple, encabezada por Rem Koolhaas y el dise��ador gr��fico Bruce Mau, acompa��ados en los agradecimientos de la editora Jennifer Sigler y cerca de una centena de nombres, cuyas aportaciones no necesariamente se basan en la construcci��n de fragmentos del libro. La supresi��n de ciertos l��mites permite superar tambi��n las tareas inicialmente relevantes en la edici��n de una publicaci��n. Un objetivo general de la tesis es tambi��n la reflexi��n sobre relaciones anteriormente cuestionadas, como la establecida entre la arquitectura y los mercados o la econom��a. Tomando como punto de partida la idea de ���design intelligence��� sugerida por Michael Speaks (2001), se extrae de sus argumentos que lo esencial es el hallazgo de la singularidad o inteligencia propia de cada estudio de arquitectura o dise��o. Asimismo se explora si en la construcci��n de ese tipo de f��rmulas magistrales se alojaban tambi��n combinaciones de inter��s y productivas entre asuntos como la eficiencia y la creatividad, o la organizaci��n y las ideas. En esta din��mica de relaciones bidireccionales, y en ese presente de exceso de informaci��n, se fundamenta la propuesta de una equivalencia m��s evidenciada entre la ���socializaci��n��� del trabajo del arquitecto, al compartirlo p��blicamente e introducir nuevas conversaciones, y la relaci��n inversa a partir del trabajo sobre la ���socializaci��n��� misma. Como si la consciencia sobre el uso de los medios pudiera ser efectivamente instrumental, y contribuir al desarrollo de la pr��ctica de arquitectura, desde una perspectiva idealmente comprometida e intelectual. ABSTRACT The dissertation argues the possibility to understand that the practice of architecture can find an instrumental support in the practices of communication, overcoming any classical simplification of the use of media, generally reduced to superficial treatments or promotional efforts. Thus some cases of the last decades of the 20th century are presented. Some threats detected, such as the risk of triviality, the saturation of the public image or the foreseeable wrong association among individuals when they are introduced as part of thematic groups, might have encouraged a noticeable increase of command taken by architects when there is chance to intervene in a media environment. In other words, it can be argued that architecture has started to overcome and optimize the inevitable, the fact that exhibition formulas and publications, or simply the practice of (self)exhibition or (self)publication, are tools at our disposal for the activation of any kind of intellectual management of communication and circulating information about itself. This practice of ���self-edition��� is analyzed in a specific timeframe of OMA���s trajectory, an office that is considered as a ground-breaking actor in the efficient and opportunistic use of media. Then the second part of the thesis dissects their monograph S,M,L,XL (1995), a volume in which its main characters were deeply involved in terms of edition and design, a process barely analyzed up to now. This publication marked a turning point in its own genre, disrupting old formats and traditional restrictions. It became such an emblematic volume for the discipline that none of the following attempts of replica has ever been able to improve this precedent. Here, the book is also presented as the element that triggers the construction of a ���big event��� that concludes in the transformation of OMA identity in 10 years. Paradoxically, between the birth of the Groszstadt Foundation and the early steps of AMO, both two entities parallel and connected to OMA. This positions emerge from how the research unveils that S,M,L,XL is one more piece, a key one but not an unrelated element, within a sum of actions and individuals, as well as other publications, exhibitions, articles and projects, in particular Bigness, Generic City, Euralille and the competitions of 1989. Among the remarkable innovations of the monograph, there is an outstanding openness to a regime of multiple authorship, headed by Rem Koolhaas and the graphic designer Bruce Mau, who share the acknowledgements page with the editor, Jennifer Sigler, and almost 100 people, not necessarily responsible for specific fragments of the book. In this respect, the dissolution of certain limits made possible that the expected tasks in the edition of a publication could be trespassed. A general goal of the thesis is also to open a debate on typically questioned relations, particularly between architecture and markets or economy. Using the idea of ���design intelligence���, outlined by Michael Speaks in 2001, the thesis pulls out its essence, basically the interest in detecting the singularity, or particular intelligence of every office of architecture and design. Then it explores if in the construction of this kind of ingenious formulas one could find interesting and useful combinations among issues like efficiency and creativity, or organization and ideas. This dynamic of bidirectional relations, rescued urgently at this present moment of excess of information, is based on the proposal for a more evident equivalence between the ���socialization��� of the work in architecture, anytime it is shared in public, and the opposite concept, the work on the proper act of ���socialization��� itself. As if a new awareness of the capacities of the use of media could turn it into an instrumental force, capable of contributing to the development of the practice of architecture, from an ideally committed and intelectual perspective.

Coastal Erosion--Causes, Erosion Control Methods, Economic and Environmental Impacts, and Best Management Practices

Coastal erosion is an important and constant issue facing coastal areas all over the world today. The rate of coastal development over the years has increased, in turn requiring that action be taken to protect structures from the threat of erosion. A review of the causes of coastal erosion and the methods implemented to control it was conducted in order to determine the best course of action in response to coastal erosion issues. The potential positive and negative economic and environmental impacts are key concerns in determining whether or not to restore an eroding beach and which erosion control method(s) to implement. Results focus on providing a comparison of these concerns as well as recommendations for addressing coastal erosion issues.

Influence apart from Adoption: How Interaction between Programming and Scientific Practices Shapes Modes of Inquiry in Four Oceanography Teams

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-06

Teaching College Writing in a High School Setting: The Impact of Concurrent Enrollment on Teacher Learning and Practice

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-06

The relationship between educational placement, instructional practices, and achievement gains of Black students with specific learning disabilities in secondary urban school settings

Black students, in general, are underserved academically (Darling-Hammond, 2000; Townsend, 2002) and overrepresented in special education (Donovan & Cross, 2002). Black students with disabilities are further overrepresented in more restrictive educational environments (Skiba, Poloni-Staudinger, Gallini, Simmons & Feggins-Azziz, 2006). Although the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 (NLTS2) revealed that the academic performance of students with learning disabilities is positively related to the percentage of courses taken in the general education setting (Newman, 2006), the research specifically on placement of Black students with disabilities, particularly at the secondary level, as it relates to academic achievement is lacking. While previous studies have sought to determine which placement is better for students with disabilities, no study was found that specifically examined the impact of placement specific to Black students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) in urban settings (Fore, III, Hagan-Burke, Burke, Boon & Smith, 2008; Rea, McLaughlin & Walther-Thomas, 2002). This study examined educational placement, instructional best practices, and achievement gains of Black students with SLD in urban secondary settings using an ex post facto research design. Achievement, placement, and demographic data were collected and analyzed on approximately 314 Black eighth grade students with SLD. The Teacher Instructional Practices Survey was developed and used to collect and analyze data from the teachers of 78 of these students as it relates to instructional best practices. Results indicate no significant difference in reading but a significant difference in math gains of students served in inclusive settings as compared to resource settings with a small effect size. Also, no significant relationship was found between achievement gains and the reported use of instructional best practices. However, there was a relationship between educational placement and the use of instructional best practices. The results implied that there is a need for training with both general and special education teachers on instructional best practices for SWD and that there should be certain IEP team considerations when making placement decisions for this population of students with disabilities. It is recommended that future research in this area include classroom observations and factors other than test scores to measure growth in achievement.

A study of the perceived effectiveness of existing recruitment and general institution -wide practices used to enhance women and minority full -time faculty representation at Florida's public universities

As a federal contractor, the State University System of Florida (SUSF) has instituted a wide range of affirmative action practices to hire and promote women and minorities. Should affirmative action be abolished, universities valuing a diverse faculty will have to rely on voluntary practices to attract members of these groups. I explored the present use and perceived effectiveness of recruitment and institution-wide practices used to promote a diverse workforce and identified those practices considered very effective by informed respondents at the nine participating universities. ^ Two questionnaires were used for data collection. Selected recruitment and general institution-wide best practices found in previous studies were used as benchmarks for comparison with existing practices. The questionnaires also included an open-ended question to identify indigenous practices. A follow-up semi-structured interview was conducted to gather information regarding the background of identified practices. ^ Two overall themes emerged from the study. The first was the perception among respondents that women have made substantial gains in faculty representation. This perception is substantiated by actual percentage of women tenure-earning faculty. The second theme was that many of the practices considered very effective are affirmative action-driven, providing women and minorities considerations not afforded White males. These practices, because they single out members of one group over another based on gender and race/ethnicity may become illegal should affirmative action mandates be abolished. ^ Analysis of the data revealed that universities with the highest percentage of practices considered effective and universities located in the most urban areas of the state were the universities with the highest percentage of minority tenure-earning faculty. There appears to be no similar relationship between universities in urban areas and those with the highest percentage of practices considered effective and women tenure-earning faculty representation. The most frequently identified recruitment practice was the development of a receptive institutional image for women and minorities. The most frequently identified practice in promoting a receptive institutional climate was the use of conflict resolution processes and grievance procedures. Five themes also emerged from the 22 barriers in recruiting women and minority full-time faculty identified by the respondents. The most commonly identified barriers were related to a lack of financial resources to support effective practices. ^

Questioning the merits and demerits of electronic communication in Social Work

This paper examines the social dynamics of electronic exchanges in the human services, particularly in social work. It focuses on the observable effects that email and texting have on the linguistic, relational and clinical rather than managerial aspects of the profession. It highlights how electronic communication is affecting professionals in their practice and learners as they become acculturated to social work. What are the gains and losses of the broad use of electronic devices in daily lay and professional, verbal and non-verbal communication? Will our current situation be seriously detrimental to the demeanor of future practitioners, their use of language, and their ability to establish close personal relationships? The paper analyzes social work linguistic and behavioral changes in light of the growth of electronic communication and offers a summary of merits and demerits viewed through a prism emerging from Baron���s (2000) analysis of human communication.

D6.6 ��� Summary, Analysis, Road-mapping and Production of Training materials

This deliverable summarizes, validates and explains the purpose and concept behind the RAGE knowledge and innovation management platform as a self-sustainable Ecosystem, supporting innovation processes in the Applied Gaming (AG) industry. The Ecosystem portal will be developed with particular consideration of the demand and requirements of small and medium sized game developing companies, education providers and related stakeholders like AG researchers and AG end-users. The innovation potential of the new platform underlies the following factors: a huge, mostly entire collection of community specific knowledge (e.g., content like media objects, software components and best practices), a structured approach of knowledge access, search and browse, collaboration tools as well as social network analysis tools to foster efficient knowledge creation and transformation processes into marketable technology assets. The deliverable provides an overview of the current status and the remaining work to come, preceding the final version in month 48 of the RAGE project.

Heroism and Adventurism: Can Applied Theatre Practices Give Participants the Experience of Being the Heroes and Heroines of Their Own Stories?

Move on Up! is part of a series of widening participation interactive Theatre in Education programmes at The University of Worcester, designed to raise educational aspirations. It was conceived for year 6 pupils about to go up to secondary school, to reflect on this transition and the challenges and pitfalls it presented to them. I searched for stimulus material to create the dynamic of an adventure story that reflected and generated the excitement and fear of change. The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne provided the structure of this classic genre with characters stranded on a desert island. Directing a team of four student actors and a stage manager I sought to promote the heroic ideal of using the skills needed to survive against adversity and to transpose it to a school context. The four characters discover talents and interests on the year 6 school trip and they endeavour to become the best version of themselves at their secondary school where these attributes have to be tested in a new environment. Using interactive voting software helped to determine whether pupils could achieve the sense of control and ownership outlined in Boal���s theatre practice. The programme provides a number of points of intervention where participants could vote and influence the shape of the character���s stories and perhaps create heroes or anti ��� heroes depending on the decisions they make. Boal wants participants to become the outspoken protagonists of their own stories or specactors. This paper will investigate whether applied theatre practice can give participants a heroic experience by exploring the process of creating Move on Up! and the response to the programme from year 6 pupils in West Midlands schools.

Development of management accounting practices in energy operations in a forest industry Company

The aim of this master���s thesis was to map the management accounting processes and reporting of an internal service unit. The research was conducted in energy services in a forest industry company. Research questions and the results of the study are highly specific for the case unit although some generalizable features of management accounting in internal service units under shared services were searched. The research was carried out as a qualitative action research and a single case study. Internal benchmarking was used to find best practices from other units and to get a comprehensive understanding of the financial processes of the case company. Empirical data for the study was collected with participant observation, interviews of experts and by exploring internal company documents. A literature review was conducted to outline the subject and to support the study. Although the management accounting processes of the case unit were found to be on a good level, some improvement ideas were presented. Results of the research show that the needs of the customers are in the key role in the processes of an internal service unit. Management accounting and reporting need to support the company strategy and management decision-making. To evaluate the performance of the service unit both financial and non-financial measures are needed.

Best practice principles for management of children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) : results of a scoping review

Background. Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a prevalent health condition that is frequently unrecognized despite the substantial evidence that has accumulated regarding how it affects children���s health, education and skills.Most literature focuses on measurement of impairment and description of intervention approaches for individual children; little is known about the principles that should guide best practice and service delivery for children with DCD as a population. The purpose of this study was to identify these principles. Methods. A scoping review was used to ���map��� the information available to inform intervention and service delivery. Scholarly and grey literature written in English was identified in six databases, using a combination of keywords (e.g. guidelines, management, models and DCD); a ���snow-balling��� technique was also used in Canada and the UK to access clinical protocols used in publicly funded health care systems. Over 500 documents were screened: 31 met inclusion criteria as they outlined practice principles for children with DCD as a population. Data regarding best practices were independently extracted by two reviewers and then compared with achieve consistency and consensus. Results. Two over-arching themes emerged, with five principles: (1) Organizing services to efficiently meet the comprehensive needs of children (e.g. Increasing awareness of DCD and coordination; Implementing clearly defined pathways; Using a graduated/staged approach); (2) Working collaboratively to offer evidence-based services (e.g. Integration of child and family views; Evidence-based interventions fostering function, participation and prevention). Conclusion Numerous documents support each of the principles, reflecting agreement across studies about recommended organization of services.While these principles may apply to many populations of children with disabilities, this review highlights how essential these principles are in DCD. Researchers, managers, clinicians, community partners and families are encouraged to work together in designing, implementing and evaluating interventions that reflect these principles.

Long-term Prospects For The Environmental Profile Of Advanced Sugar Cane Ethanol.

This work assessed the environmental impacts of the production and use of 1 MJ of hydrous ethanol (E100) in Brazil in prospective scenarios (2020-2030), considering the deployment of technologies currently under development and better agricultural practices. The life cycle assessment technique was employed using the CML method for the life cycle impact assessment and the Monte Carlo method for the uncertainty analysis. Abiotic depletion, global warming, human toxicity, ecotoxicity, photochemical oxidation, acidification, and eutrophication were the environmental impacts categories analyzed. Results indicate that the proposed improvements (especially no-til farming-scenarios s2 and s4) would lead to environmental benefits in prospective scenarios compared to the current ethanol production (scenario s0). Combined first and second generation ethanol production (scenarios s3 and s4) would require less agricultural land but would not perform better than the projected first generation ethanol, although the uncertainties are relatively high. The best use of 1 ha of sugar cane was also assessed, considering the displacement of the conventional products by ethanol and electricity. No-til practices combined with the production of first generation ethanol and electricity (scenario s2) would lead to the largest mitigation effects for global warming and abiotic depletion. For the remaining categories, emissions would not be mitigated with the utilization of the sugar cane products. However, this conclusion is sensitive to the displaced electricity sources.

Assessing the evolution of sustainability reporting in the mining sector

Since the 1990s several large companies have been publishing nonfinancial performance reports. Focusing initially on the physical environment, these reports evolved to consider social relations, as well as data on the firm`s economic performance. A few mining companies pioneered this trend, and in the last years some of them incorporated the three dimensions of sustainable development, publishing so-called sustainability reports. This article reviews 31 reports published between 2001 and 2006 by four major mining companies. A set of 62 assessment items organized in six categories (namely context and commitment, management, environmental, social and economic performance, and accessibility and assurance) were selected to guide the review. The items were derived from international literature and recommended best practices, including the Global Reporting Initiative G3 framework. A content analysis was performed using the report as a sampling unit, and using phrases, graphics, or tables containing certain information as data collection units. A basic rating scale (0 or 1) was used for noting the presence or absence of information and a final percentage score was obtained for each report. Results show that there is a clear evolution in report`s comprehensiveness and depth. Categories ""accessibility and assurance"" and ""economic performance"" featured the lowest scores and do not present a clear evolution trend in the period, whereas categories ""context and commitment"" and ""social performance"" presented the best results and regular improvement; the category ""environmental performance,"" despite it not reaching the biggest scores, also featured constant evolution. Description of data measurement techniques, besides more comprehensive third-party verification are the items most in need of improvement.