Reducing Causal Ambiguity in Acquisition Integration: Intermediate Goals as Mediators of Integration Decisions and Acquisition Performance

Integration is a difficult process, but one that is vital to acquisition performance. One reason acquirers encounter difficulties is that the integration process exhibits high levels of intrafirm linkage ambiguity – a lack of clarity of the causal link between integration decisions and their performance outcomes. We introduce the construct of intermediate goals as a mechanism that reduces intrafirm linkage ambiguity. Our structural model results, based on a sample of 129 horizontal acquisitions, indicate that the achievement of two intermediate goals (internal reorganization and market expansion) fully mediates the relationships between four integration decisions and acquisition performance

PAPER 2: What do schools want from an Educational Psychology Service? A qualitative case study of service users’ perceptions of an Educational Psychology Service in Wales?

PAPER 1 - Consultation is a widely used model of practice amongst Educational Psychology Services (EPS) in the United Kingdom (UK) as evidenced in the amount of research carried out on this practice (Leadbetter, 2006, p. 246). This paper attempts to supplement the limited evidence on how and why consultation is used. This paper provides an account of Educational Psychologists (EPs) perceptions of using consultation in a Welsh Educational Psychology Service (EPS). The study uses a thematic analysis of interviews with EPs and 3 accounts of the practice of consultation are provided as examples of how consultation is used. Data analysis revealed that EPs’ practice is dominated by the influence of Wagner’s model of consultation, which is a result of both university, and service based training and not because they feel it is necessarily the best way of working and were vague about their reasons for using this approach. Evidence emerged to suggest EPs were only aware of one model of consultation, which is the Wagner model. Evidence also emerged to suggest that EPs confused service delivery models with models of consultation and that EPs are unclear about their unique skills and role when using consultation and feel that schools do not understand the work they are trying to achieve when working in this way. EPs also considered that schools want more time with them, but burdensome bureaucracy hinders this. These findings are discussed in more detail at the end of Paper 2 where the overall findings suggest there is a systemic problem in Pantysgawn EPS, where the dominance of the EP role to provide statutory assessments prevents EPs from working in a truly consultative way. The paper ends by discussing the key element of the EP’s role, whether a consistent and rigid adherence to one practice model is practicable or desirable, and the various ways that EP services can monitor outcomes to alleviate some of the bureaucratic processes. PAPER 2 - Paper 1 of this study looked at EPs’ perceptions of using consultation. Very few studies have looked at service users experiences in consultation based EP services. Paper 2 therefore looks at schools’ perceptions of the EP service and considers the benefits and barriers to effective service delivery using a thematic analysis of interviews with staff from 5 primary and 3 secondary schools. Findings suggest that schools continue to regard the expertise of the EP as being a provider of individual assessments, but they also revealed an awareness of the wider systemic role that EPs can provide. This traditional view of the role of the EP is discussed in terms of a wider systemic pressure for schools to seek this kind of EP intervention due to the Local Authority’s (LA) focus on statutory assessments. Schools appreciated a greater continuity of EPS staff as this helped them to develop more productive working relationships and they wanted more time with the EP. The findings suggest that the level of bureaucracy and the statutory assessment requirements to gain access to targeted resources were a barrier to working more effectively with schools. The paper ends by integrating these findings with the paper 1 findings and discussing the key element of the EP’s role, whether a consistent and rigid adherence to one practice model is practicable or desirable, and the various ways that EP services can monitor outcomes to alleviate some of the bureaucratic processes

Twentieth century Scottish drama

Summary available; pp. [4-7

“You May Explore Yourself Freely : Gender and the Fantastic in Jeanette Winterson and Angela Carter

Angela Carter and Jeanette Winterson’s novels contain magical moments in which reality is questioned and a reader suspends disbelief in the fantastic. While we know that a living heart cannot be kept in ajar and a woman cannot be born with wings, we are meant to accept these moments as possible. The use of fantastical elements in The Passion, Sexing the Cherry and Nights at the Circus supports Winterson and Carter’s unique portrayals of gender. The blending of fantasy and reality allows for the exploration of non-traditional gender roles because as these authors rewrite genre they are also rethinking gender. In this thesis, I look at how these novels explore and challenge our expectations regarding gender roles for women, both individually and within relationships. After discussing Judith Butler’s gender theory, I explore how there is an agreed societal awareness concerning certain roles that women are supposed to fulfill and what happens when these beliefs are destabilized. Women have typically been separated into the binary of whore or virgin, sometimes with the third option of mother. While Winterson and Carter present the binary of virgin/whore, they also break it down. Fevvers is referred to paradoxically as “the Virgin Whore” and though both Villanelle and the Dog Woman work as or with prostitutes, they are much more complex than simply fitting into that label. These authors, therefore, intentionally create characters that do not always fulfill their traditionally expected roles, never mind stay within the bounds of their presumed gender. There are multiple examples of crossdressing, androgyny, and a blurring of masculine and feminine characteristics. Winterson and Carter write within the genre of magical realism. A realist novel is more suitable for a portrayal of gender that follows strict societal codes, while a novel that has its foot both in realism and fantasy is able to better explore unconventional alternatives. A realistic narrative would likely not be able to express their provocative ideas. In a way, freedom from gender constraints implies a sense of the fantastic. Breaking from the norms of sexuality is similar to breaking free of the norms of texuality. In these novels, gender is presented as fluid and as a way for a character to begin to explore his/her identity. Relationships, both conventional and unconventional, both familial and romantic, are also ways that the characters explore their identity. Winterson and Carter promote a belief in multiple conceptions of self and these postmodern, feminist texts explore how characters can discover aspects of themselves through a blurring of gender. These novels also use other texts as jumping off points for their personal rewriting of gender roles. Winterson gives voices to the princesses of Grimm’s “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” and to those who followed historically recognized figures like Napoleon. Carter often references Shakespeare and throughout all three of these works there are many mythological and Biblical references. These are not just allusions but also a way for these female authors to reclaim traditionally masculine writings as their own, as a part of their history as well, and to mold them accordingly

Chances

Robert Cording teaches English and creative writing at College of the Holy Cross. He has published five collections of poems: Life-list, which won the Ohio State University Press/ Journal award, in 1987; What Binds Us To This World (Copper Beech Press, 1991); Heavy Grace, (Alice James, 1996); Against Consolation (CavanKerry Press, 2002); and most recently, Common Life, from CavanKerry (2006)

Reinforcement learning for EV charging optimization : A holistic perspective for commercial vehicle fleets

Recent years have seen an unprecedented uptake in electric vehicles, driven by the global push to reduce carbon emissions. At the same time, intermittent renewables are being deployed increasingly. These developments are putting flexibility measures such as dynamic load management in the spotlight of the energy transition. Flexibility measures must consider EV charging, as it has the ability to introduce grid constraints: In Germany, the cumulative power of all EV onboard chargers amounts to ca. 120 GW, while the German peak load only amounts to 80 GW. Commercial operations have strong incentives to optimize charging and flatten peak loads in real-time, given that the highest quarter-hour can determine the power-related energy bill, and that a blown fuse due to overloading can halt operations. Increasing research efforts have therefore gone into real-time-capable optimization methods. Reinforcement Learning (RL) has particularly gained attention due to its versatility, performance and real- time capabilities. This thesis implements such an approach and introduces FleetRL as a realistic RL environment for EV charging, with a focus on commercial vehicle fleets. Through its implementation, it was found that RL saved up to 83% compared to static benchmarks, and that grid overloading was entirely avoided in some scenarios by sacrificing small portions of SOC, or by delaying the charging process. Linear optimization with one year of perfect knowledge outperformed RL, but reached its practical limits in one use-case, where a feasible solution could not be found by the solver. Overall, this thesis makes a strong case for RL-based EV charging. It further provides a foundation which can be built upon: a modular, open-source software framework that integrates an MDP model, schedule generation, and non-linear battery degradationElektrifieringen av transportsektorn är en nödvändig men utmanande uppgift. I kombination med ökande solcellsproduktion och förnybara energikällor skapar det ett dilemma för elnätet som kräver omfattande flexibilitetsåtgärder. Dessa åtgärder måste inkludera laddning av elbilar, ett fenomen som har lett till aldrig tidigare skådade belastningstoppar. Ur ett kommersiellt perspektiv är incitamentet att optimera laddningsprocessen och säkerställa drifttid. Forskningen har fokuserat på realtidsoptimeringsmetoder som Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL). Denna avhandling introducerar FleetRL som en ny RL-miljö för EV-laddning av kommersiella flottor. Genom att tillämpa ramverket visade det sig att RL sparade upp till 83% jämfört med statiska riktmärken, och att överbelastning av nätet helt kunde undvikas i de flesta scenarier. Linjär optimering överträffade RL men nådde sina gränser i snävt begränsade användningsfall. Efter att ha funnit ett positivt business case för varje kommersiellt användningsområde, ger denna avhandling ett starkt argument för RL-baserad laddning och en grund för framtida arbete via praktiska insikter och ett modulärt mjukvaruramverk med öppen källko

Invoice from George Cording to Mrs. Goelet

https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/goelet-personal-expenses/1198/thumbnail.jp

Tunneling in Chicago Clay: Pioneering Work in Ground Control

Early in his engineering career, Ralph Peck supervised the soil mechanics investigations during subway construction in the soft clays in Chicago, working under the guidance of Karl Terzaghi. A major focus was to determine what should be done to minimize surface settlements of the streets. Squeeze tests, in which clay displacements and construction events in the tunnel were observed, led to changes that significantly reduced surface settlement. Squeeze test reports prepared by Peck and his soil mechanics team are summarized and selected drawings illustrated. The work provides a first view of Peck’s observational method: “it demonstrated the enormous practical benefits … that may be derived from simple but intelligently interpreted observations.” Over the past 70 years, it has served as a standard for investigation and control of ground movement, examples of which are summarized at the end of the paper

Letter from the Editor

On behalf of the Editors and Staff of the Journal who conceived, planned, and presented the Symposium on April 10, 1999, I am proud to present: The Electronic Global Marketplace: Are Traditional Legal Principles Adequate for the Emerging Cyber Society? This Symposium brought practitioners and academics from across the country to the University of Richmond School of Law to present papers on a wide range of topics in the evolving electronic domain. With this event, the Journal continues the pioneering role, which it began as the first online law review in 1995. We would like to dedicate this issue to our founders and those who laid the path for us to follow