10,227 research outputs found
Grid diagram for singular links
In this paper, we define the set of singular grid diagrams
which provides a unified description for singular links, singular Legendrian
links, singular transverse links, and singular braids. We also classify the
complete set of all equivalence relations on which induce the
bijection onto each singular object. This is an extension of the known result
of Ng-Thurston for non-singular links and braids.Comment: 33 pages, 34 figure
Union responses to subcontracted workers : a comparative study of the English and Korean health sectors
The research presented in this thesis is a study of union responses to subcontracted
labour in England and Korea. Subcontracting leads to separation of employers, and
places existing union structures and resources, and traditional collective bargaining
systems under strain. A study of union representation in relation to subcontracted
workers is important because it can address how unions deal with more complex
employment relationships. This also helps explore which factors contribute to
patterns of union responses.
This research conducted a comparative study of eight branches of the largest unions
in the English and Korean health sectors with different institutional settings. This
employed qualitative case studies using fifty-three semi-structured interviews,
observation, and document analysis. Evidence showed that typical responses
between the two varied, but there were also two outlying cases in Korea, showing
similar responses to those in England. Differences in the institutional contexts of the
source of restructuring, legal regulations, collective bargaining systems and union
structures explained why English union branches adopted more inclusive strategies
toward subcontracted workers than those in Korea. However, empirical evidence
showed that union responses were also influenced by some non-institutional factors
such as branch leadership, the attitude of the represented and effective working with
allies in the community. Despite the importance of institutions in shaping union
responses, they are not sufficient alone to explain variations in union responses and it
is necessary to consider an integrated approach considering both institutional and
non-institutional factors in a single analytical framework.
This study contributes to the field of comparative industrial relations research in
three ways. First, it extends the scope of research on union responses to contingent
workers by investigating responses to subcontracted workers. Second, it goes beyond
classifying union responses by presenting their underlying dynamics. Third, it
challenges existing ways of conducting comparative industrial relations studies
predicated upon the staple proposition that ‘institutions matter’, highlighting the
importance of an integrated approach
Pulsed Laser Deposition of Rocksalt Magnetic Binary Oxides
Here we systematically explore the use of pulsed laser deposition technique
(PLD) to grow three basic oxides that have rocksalt structure but different
chemical stability in the ambient atmosphere: NiO (stable), MnO (metastable)
and EuO (unstable). By tuning laser fluence, an epitaxial single-phase nickel
oxide thin-film growth can be achieved in a wide range of temperatures from 10
to 750 {\deg}C. At the lowest growth temperature, the out-of-plane strain
raises to 1.5%, which is five times bigger than that in a NiO film grown at 750
{\deg}C. MnO thin films that had long-range ordered were successfully deposited
on the MgO substrates after appropriate tuning of deposition parameters. The
growth of MnO phase was strongly influenced by substrate temperature and laser
fluence. EuO films with satisfactory quality were deposited by PLD after oxygen
availability had been minimized. Synthesis of EuO thin films at rather low
growth temperature prevented thermally-driven lattice relaxation and allowed
growth of strained films. Overall, PLD was a quick and reliable method to grow
binary oxides with rocksalt structure in high quality that can satisfy
requirements for applications and for basic research
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