A hybrid-mixed finite element formulation for the geometrically exact analysis of three-dimensional framed structures

This paper addresses the development of a hybrid-mixed finite element formulation for the quasi-static geometrically exact analysis of three-dimensional framed structures with linear elastic behavior. The formulation is based on a modified principle of stationary total complementary energy, involving, as independent variables, the generalized vectors of stress-resultants and displacements and, in addition, a set of Lagrange multipliers defined on the element boundaries. The finite element discretization scheme adopted within the framework of the proposed formulation leads to numerical solutions that strongly satisfy the equilibrium differential equations in the elements, as well as the equilibrium boundary conditions. This formulation consists, therefore, in a true equilibrium formulation for large displacements and rotations in space. Furthermore, this formulation is objective, as it ensures invariance of the strain measures under superposed rigid body rotations, and is not affected by the so-called shear-locking phenomenon. Also, the proposed formulation produces numerical solutions which are independent of the path of deformation. To validate and assess the accuracy of the proposed formulation, some benchmark problems are analyzed and their solutions compared with those obtained using the standard two-node displacement/ rotation-based formulation.

Processos de construção e dimensionamento de pontes atirantadas

Na presente dissertação desenvolve-se o tema das pontes atirantadas. Apresentam-se várias formas de concepção estrutural, identificando os diversos elementos estruturais e as suas possíveis combinações. São também apresentadas as vantagens, desvantagens e aplicação de cada elemento estrutural na globalidade da estrutura. Os métodos construtivos foram também abordados, apresentando o faseamento construtivo, vantagens, desvantagens e condicionantes de cada processo para pilares, mastros e tabuleiros. Foi feito um estudo das várias acções regulamentares relevantes, para este tipo de estrutura, explicando para cada uma a sua metodologia de cálculo e a sua aplicação em cada elemento estrutural. A sua aplicação depende da estrutura em causa. Utilizando como caso de estudo uma ponte idealizada pelo Professor António Adão da Fonseca, que faz a ligação entre as cidades do Porto e Vila Nova de Gaia, foi feito um pré-dimensionamento de cada elemento estrutural, assim como o cálculo do pré-tensionamento dos tirantes. Em seguida foram elaboradas análises estáticas e dinâmicas através de um modelo numérico, considerando algumas das acções regulamentares estudadas anteriormente. Das análises foram extraídos valores de deslocamentos e esforços em cada elemento estrutural. Estes deslocamentos e esforços foram comparados entre várias combinações de acções e alternâncias de sobrecargas, procedendo-se no final a uma discussão dos resultados.

Human capital in export-based internationalisation. "Managerial determinants and their influence upon the export behaviour of the firm: four case-studies of catalan exporting SMEs"

Export activities are a major source of economic growth and are considered important both at the national level and for individual businesses. Moreover, in the case of SMEs, they gain particular relevance, exporting being the most common foreign market entry mode for these firms. The decision maker’s role in the export activity is crucial, particularly in the case of SMEs. However, the extant literature on internationalization is characterized by a lack of consensus among scholars as to what constitutes the managerial factor in determining exporting. Therefore, this study focuses on the following issue: Which are the decision maker’s characteristics and perceptions that may influence the export behaviour of Catalan SMEs? To address this question a multiple case study method is applied across four Catalan exporting SMEs. The methodology chosen for analysing the empirical data is relying on the proposition testing approach while the investigation is conducted including both within and cross-case analysis. The findings show that high educational level, language skills, high risk tolerance, innovativeness as well as strongly perceived export stimuli as compared to low and easy to overcome export barriers positively influence the export involvement and development of SMEs. The study provides further insights into the research topic by jointly studying managerial characteristics and perceptions. Additionally, the majority of research on exporting topics has been carried out in the USA, so there is a clear need of investigation in the field in other countries, moreover in Spain where the exporting activities have not been as widely studied.

The effects of potentiallydisruptive technology on business model - a case study of new technologies in ICT industry

This study examines how firms interpret new, potentially disruptive technologies in their own strategic context. The work presents a cross-case analysis of four potentially disruptive technologies or technical operating models: Bluetooth, WLAN, Grid computing and Mobile Peer-to-peer paradigm. The technologies were investigated from the perspective of three mobile operators, a device manufacturer and a software company in the ICT industry. The theoretical background for the study consists of the resource-based view of the firm with dynamic perspective, the theories on the nature of technology and innovations, and the concept of business model. The literature review builds up a propositional framework for estimating the amount of radical change in the companies' business model with two middle variables, the disruptiveness potential of a new technology, and the strategic importance of a new technology to a firm. The data was gathered in group discussion sessions in each company. The results of each case analysis were brought together to evaluate, how firms interpret the potential disruptiveness in terms of changes in product characteristics and added value, technology and market uncertainty, changes in product-market positions, possible competence disruption and changes in value network positions. The results indicate that the perceived disruptiveness in terms ofproduct characteristics does not necessarily translate into strategic importance. In addition, firms did not see the new technologies as a threat in terms of potential competence disruption.

Sisäisten rahoitustoimintojen kehittäminen: case Lumon-yhtiöt

Tutkielman tavoitteena oli analysoida ja kehittää Lumon-yhtiöiden sisäisiä rahoitustoimintoja. Kehitettäviksi toiminnoiksi nousivat Lumon-yhtiöiden pääomarakenne, likviditeetin hallinta ja tilaus-toimitusketjun vertailu vanhan ja uuden toimintatavan välillä. Tarkastelutavaksi valittiin case-tutkimus. Tutkielman kohdeyritys Lumon-yhtiöt on teollisuusyritys, joka on erikoistunut lasi- ja alumiinirakentamiseen. Yrityksen pääomarakennetta tutkittiin haastattelemalla yrityksen johtohenkilöitä. Haastatteluiden perusteella laskettiin pääomarakenteen teorioiden mukaisia merkitseviä tekijöitä. Tuloksista havaittiin, että Lumon-yhtiöt hyötyisivät vieraan pääoman korkojen veroedusta ilman omavaraisuuden vaarantamista. Tätä ei kuitenkaan nähty tarpeelliseksi, koska rahoituksellisen joustavuuden säilyttäminen on merkitsevin pääomarakenteen tekijä. Tutkielmassa muodostettiin likviditeettiä ennustava malli, jonka avulla likviditeettiä voidaan seurata. Mallin pohjaaminen liikevaihtoennusteeseen ei täysin onnistunut, koska ennusteen tarkkuus ei ollut riittävä. Likviditeetin hallinnan osalta tutkittiin myös Lumon-yhtiöiden ulkomaisten tytäryhtiöiden kassavirtojen hallintaan liittyviä haasteita ja esitettiin niihin ratkaisuja. Tutkielmassa analysoitiin likviditeetin näkökulmasta vanhaa toimintatavan ja sitä verrattiin uuteen Lumon Express -toimintatapaan. Mittarina käytettiin käyttöpääomaa. Vertailu osoitti uuden toimintatavan pienentävän käyttöpääoman määrää 30 %.

Financial stress transmission in EMU sovereign bond market volatility: a connectedness analysis

This paper measures the connectedness in EMU sovereign market volatility between April 1999 and January 2014, in order to monitor stress transmission and to identify episodes of intensive spillovers from one country to the others. To this end, we first perform a static and dynamic analysis to measure the total volatility connectedness in the entire period (the system-wide approach) using a framework recently proposed by Diebold and Yılmaz (2014). Second, we make use of a dynamic analysis to evaluate the net directional connectedness for each country and apply panel model techniques to investigate its determinants. Finally, to gain further insights, we examine the timevarying behaviour of net pair-wise directional connectedness at different stages of the recent sovereign debt crisis.

The relationship between first-order capabilities and online innovations. A comparative case study on the publishing sector.

The objective of this thesis was to study the relationship between firstorder capabilities and online innovations. First-order capabilities can be divided into market and technology capabilities, and they play an important role in the production of innovations. The study was carried out in publishing industry, where many changes have taken place in the online environment during the last few years. In the empirical research, four companies were studied, two magazine publishers and two newspaper publishers. The analysis was done in two phases; first every case was analyzed alone and then the cases were compared in cross-case analysis. The most important finding was the positive impact of market capability to the production of online innovations. The study also increased understanding about the relationship between market and technology capabilities and online innovations in general.

Future revenue models: Transformation from textbooks to digital solutions in the educational publishing industry, Case Sanoma Learning

This study was conducted in order to learn how companies’ revenue models will be transformed due to the digitalisation of its products and processes. Because there is still only a limited number of researches focusing solely on revenue models, and particularly on the revenue model change caused by the changes at the business environment, the topic was initially approached through the business model concept, which organises the different value creating operations and resources at a company in order to create profitable revenue streams. This was used as the base for constructing the theoretical framework for this study, used to collect and analyse the information. The empirical section is based on a qualitative study approach and multiple-case analysis of companies operating in learning materials publishing industry. Their operations are compared with companies operating in other industries, which have undergone comparable transformation, in order to recognise either similarities or contrasts between the cases. The sources of evidence are a literature review to find the essential dimensions researched earlier, and interviews 29 of managers and executives at 17 organisations representing six industries. Based onto the earlier literature and the empirical findings of this study, the change of the revenue model is linked with the change of the other dimen-sions of the business model. When one dimension will be altered, as well the other should be adjusted accordingly. At the case companies the transformation is observed as the utilisation of several revenue models simultaneously and the revenue creation processes becoming more complex.

The role of customer perspective in organizational renewal. A comparative case study of knowledge-intensive business services.

The objective of this thesis was to study organizational renewal from the customer orientation perspective. Customer orientation is divided into customer relationship management and customer knowledge, which both are important components of customer related organizational renewal capabilities. The study was conducted in knowledge intensive business service firms, which are required to renew their strategy, operations and processes constantly in order to gain and sustain competitive advantage. In the empirical research, two companies were studied, both offering services to their customers. The analysis was done in two phases; first each case was analyzed individually and then the cases were compared in a cross-case analysis. The most important finding was that customer orientation is considered important but it is not being utilized for organizational renewal in full capacity.

Exploring the value creation in service ecosystem context: the case of the information technology sector

This thesis examines customer value creation in a service ecosystem context. The objective of this thesis is to develop a comprehensive view of value creation processes in a service ecosystem context and an understanding on the roles of the stakeholders involved in these processes, focusing on the information technology industry. The novelty of the two central concepts of this thesis, systemic customer value and service ecosystem, as well as the gap in the literature of empirical research on value creation in an ecosystem-level, opened an interesting research topic. The empirical study is conducted as a single case analysis, utilizing Group Decision Support System (GDSS) and also Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The findings suggest that customer value is created by a complex combination of interactions among different actors of the ecosystem. Thus, value is not created by a single offering directed to the customer, but by an integration of services from different parts of the ecosystem as well as the active participation of customer in this process.

The inadequate dominance of realism : an analysis of the U.S. war on terror /

There has been and will continue to be substantial debate over how the international system can best be characterized. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate that the international system can best be characterized by the essential features of realism, but the use of realist policy prescriptions are inadequate when applied independently to deal with the threat of terrorism as it exists today. In order to demonstrate this an examination of realism in the international system, U.S. foreign policy, and case analysis of Afghanistan and Iraq will be undertaken to demonstrate that although realist policy prescriptions do have a role in dealing with modem transnational security threats, these prescriptions on their own are inadequate when dealing with terrorism.

A qualitative analysis of reflection in undergraduate and graduate programs

The purpose ofthis study was to explore various types ofreflection and to explore reflection on action, reflection as a practice, and reflection as a process. In doing this, the intent was to discover the perceived benefits of reflection in the classroom and to provide guidelines for future use at the undergraduate and graduate level. The qualitative components in this study included the data collection strategy of semistructured interviews with 2 undergraduate students, 2 graduate students, 1 undergraduate studies professor, and 1 graduate studies professor. The data analysis strategies included a within-case analysis and a cross-case analysis. Through the interviews participants discussed their experiences with the use ofreflection in the classroom. Through the completion ofthis analysis the researcher expected to discover the benefits ofreflection at this level of education, as well as provide suggestions for future use. Both undergraduate and graduate students and professors were found to benefit from the use of reflection in the classroom. The use ofreflection in the undergraduate and graduate classroom was found to improve student/teacher and student/peer relationships, foster critical thinking, allow for connections between learned theory and life experience, and improve students' writing abilities. Based on the results ofthe study the implications ofreflection for the undergraduate and graduate classroom and for further research are provided.

Creating and Enabling a Sustainable Livelihood for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities: A Comparative Case Study of Ghana and Canada.

Abstract Despite the plethora of published studies on rights, including employment rights, for persons with intellectual disabilities (Hatton, 2002; Tarulli, et al., 2004; Ward & Stewart, 2008), relatively few have discussed their applicability to individuals with intellectual disabilities to facilitate their full involvement in socio-economic development. This study explored the mechanisms facilitating and inhibiting the full participation of persons with intellectual disabilities in the area of employment through a comparative case analysis of policies and practices in Ontario, Canada (a developed country) and in Ghana (a developing country) both of which are signatories to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). The study employed targeted recruitment based on the nature of the research which is a combination of policy and practice investigation.

Stratégie de vaccination familiale contre la coqueluche (méthode de cocooning) à la maternité : analyse coût-efficacité d'un programme provincial

Le manuscrit constituant l'annexe 1 a été publié en décembre 2013 sous la référence : Vaccine. 2013 Dec 9;31(51):6087-91.

Dérivation de diagrammes de séquence UML compactes à partir de traces d’exécution en se basant des heuristiques.

Nous proposons une approche d’extraction des diagrammes de séquence à partir de programmes orientés objets en combinant l’analyse statique et dynamique. Notre objectif est d’extraire des diagrammes compacts mais contenant le plus d’informations possible pour faciliter la compréhension du comportement d’un programme. Pour cette finalité, nous avons défini un ensemble d’heuristiques pour filtrer les événements d’exécution les moins importants et extraire les structures de contrôles comme les boucles et la récursivité. Nous groupons aussi les objets en nous basant sur leurs types respectifs. Pour tenir compte des variations d’un même scénario, notre approche utilise plusieurs traces d’exécution et les aligne pour couvrir le plus possible le comportement du programme. Notre approche a été évaluée sur un système de simulation d’ATM. L’étude de cas montre que notre approche produit des diagrammes de séquence concis et informatifs.