identifier: Qu, Yong Jie  (1998) Models of labour market reform : Poland, Sweden and the case of China.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: There has been a general consensus that unemployment is a result of an economy that fails to generate substantial growth. Economic growth itself is based on efficient production, international competitiveness and an efficient labour market system. It is also generally agreed among economists that governments share responsibilities in terms of promoting growth and stabilising the economy. However, there are significant differences in the roles played by governments, and the degree to which they are active participants in market for labour. This thesis considers Poland's approach to a market economy as a case representing a "passive" model. Sweden, on the other hand, represents an "active" model. Through a cost-benefit analysis, this thesis finds that both Polish and Swedish models provide valuable lessons for China's ongoing labour market reform. However, it is inconclusive to claim which model is superior to the other. Instead, the thesis argues that the effectiveness of labour market policies depends on unique factors in each country. In China these factors include the size of the labour force, the presence of a stagnant state-controlled industrial sector, and a past history of treating employment as both an economic and welfare issue.


identifier: Budman, Lorne  (1998) Characterization of a mutation demonstrating a link between the lack of S-adenosylmethionine and cell division in Escherichia coli.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

type: Thesis NonPeerReviewed

abstract: The metK gene of Escherichia coli encodes for the enzyme S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) synthetase, which catalyzes the formation of S-adenosylmethionine. Isolated as a $\gamma$-glutamylmethyl ester-resistant mutant by Greene et al. (1973), a metK84 mutant grows normally on rich media (Greene et al. 1973; Lin et al., 1990). This mutation has been transferred via transduction to an $lrp\sp+$ background, where normal growth rates on minimal medium require the presence of 50 $\mu$g/ml L-leucine. When the leucine concentration is reduced to 25 $\mu$g/ml or less, cells fail to divide, resulting in the formation of long filaments. These filaments can undergo DNA replication, but fail to form crosswalls. SAM synthetase activity assays indicate that metK84 mutants maintain only 1.7% of the wild type activity when grown on minimal medium without added leucine. A mutation in lrp, or the addition of leucine increases metK expression in both wild type and mutant strains. When metK activity is increased to a level of 0.26 mmol/min/mg of protein (11.3% of wild type activity), the mutant strain undergoes normal growth and cell division. The wild type metK gene has been cloned, and expression of the plasmid-borne gene complements for the growth-deficiency phenotypes of metK84. However, when the plasmid is over-expressed, the culture becomes auxotrophic for methionine. This work indicates that a SAM deficiency results in a cell division defect in E. coli.


identifier: Flynn, Robyn Elizabeth  (1998) The frequency of scrounging by foraging spice finches affects flock geometry.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: When foraging in a group, animals can either search for their food (produce) or wait until others find food and join their discoveries (scrounge). In this study, I investigate the geometric consequences of changes in the frequency of scrounging in flocks of ground-feeding granivorous spice finches, Lonchura punctulata. Individuals using the producer tactic may be more successful if they avoid others who may be scrounging. Conversely, scrounging individuals may be more successful if they are near potential producers. If this is so, flocks with high proportions of scrounging should be more compact than equivalent flocks with lower scrounging proportions, and, in addition, scroungers should be closer to the center of the group than producers. I tested these predictions by observing flocks of six spice finches as they foraged for hidden clumps of food on an aviary floor. I altered the proportions of scrounging effort in a flock and compared flocks in which I expected low proportions of scrounging to those in which I expected high proportions. As predicted, flocks were significantly more compact when the proportion of scrounging was higher. In addition, producers tended to be farther from the center of the flock than scroungers. This first empirical evidence shows that producer-scrounger tactics can influence the geometry of a group as well as interact with other factors, such as dominance and vigilance, to determine the spatial positions of individuals within a group.


identifier: Mottley, Kieron  (1998) Experimental evidence that group foragers can converge on predicted producer-scrounger equilibria.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: When foraging together, animals are often observed to feed from food discoveries of others. The producer-scrounger game predicts how frequently this phenomenon of food parasitism should occur. The game has two major requirements: (i) all individuals must either produce, meaning they invest time and/or energy getting resources, or scrounge, meaning they try to get resources from producers, and (ii) the payoffs received from the scrounger tactic must be highly negatively frequency-dependent such that they do better than producers when rare, but worse when common. This study provides the first experimental support for the use of the producer-scrounger game in group foraging contexts. A total of five flocks of spice finches (Lonchura punctulata) were used on two experiments. Payoffs were measured by feeding rate (seeds/s) in two feeding conditions. In all cases, payoffs to scroungers were found to be highly negatively frequency-dependent on the frequency of scrounging. All functions were linear (p $<$.05). In the second part of experiment 2, birds adopted the predicted producer or scrounger foraging tactics over a series of trials lasting 16 days (eight consecutive per feeding condition). In both experiments, individuals in the flocks also demonstrated plasticity in tactic used. Future studies should look at testing the performance of different learning rules using a similar experimental design.


identifier: Madamba, Maria Cecilia S  (1998) Phase transitions in superionic PbSnF₄.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

title: Phase transitions in superionic PbSnF₄

abstract: PbSnF$\sb4$ is the highest performance fluoride ion conductor known to date. We have studied the phase transitions it undergoes under three different conditions: (i) versus the amount of hydrofluoric acid used for the preparation by the aqueous route, (ii) upon application of mechanical energy, and (iii) versus temperature.  The addition of an aqueous solution of lead(II) nitrate to a fresh aqueous solution of SnF$\sb2$ results in the precipitation of $\alpha$-PbSnF$\rm\sb4(aq\sb1$), which is very highly strained in the ($\vec a,\vec b$) plane of the tetragonal unit-cell. If a very minor amount of hydrofluoric acid is used, the strain increases and o-PbSnF$\sb4$ is obtained. The $\alpha$-PbSnF$\sb4\to$ o-$\rm PbSnF\sb4$ transition is mostly a bidimensional phase transition, which includes a highly disordered intermediate "transitional phase".  Ball milling results in a phase transition, giving microcrystalline disordered $\mu\gamma$-PbSnF$\sb4$, a cubic $\beta$-PbF$\sb2$ like phase. Tests were performed to make sure the $\mu\gamma$-PbSnF$\sb4$ samples are indeed microcrystalline cubic PbSnF$\sb4$ and not a mixture of microcrystalline $\beta$-PbF$\sb2$ and amorphous SnF$\sb2$.  Milling $\alpha$- and $\beta$-PbF$\sb2$ for comparison and testing showed that both $\beta\to\alpha$ and $\alpha\to\beta$ transitions take place upon milling. Stirring $\alpha$-PbF$\sb2$ in an aqueous solution of SnF$\sb2$ results in the formation of $\rm\alpha$-PbSnF$\rm\sb4(aq\sb2)$ or $\rm Pb\sb2SnF\sb6$ depending on the conditions whereas no reaction occurs with $\beta$-PbF$\sb2$. When all the phases of PbSnF$\sb4$ are heated, phase changes take place versus temperature and time.  Our findings provide key knowledge that will have to be taken into account in the fabrication of practical devices using PbSnF$\sb4$ for guaranteed reproducible results, long term stability and stable output of the device.


identifier: Ohayon, David  (1998) Thermally stable ZSM-5 zeolite materials with new microporosities.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The desilicated forms of the Na-X, Na-Y, the ammonium and sodium forms of the ZSM-5 zeolite were prepared by a process which involves the selective removal of silicon atoms from the parent zeolite in an aqueous basic solution. This treatment has the effect to decrease the Si/Al ratio while keeping the zeolite structure almost unmodified. In all cases, we noticed an enhancement of the ion-exchange capacity. This property could be exploited industrially since the desilicated forms have higher total ion removal rates of calcium and magnesium ions from a solution of hard water.  As for two ZSM-5 zeolites, having quite different Si/Al ratio, the preparation of highly thermally stable zeolite materials with smaller micropores at 4.9 A or larger at 5.5 A than those of the parent ZSM-5 zeolites was possible. These final materials were obtained by a process which involved the following additional steps: (i) reinsertion into the desilicated ZSM-5 zeolite of a well defined amount of silicon species (sodium orthosilicate and pyrosilicate) which have been selectively removed from the zeolitic framework during the desilication process, and then (ii) activation of the resulting materials in air at high temperatures (550$\sp\circ$C). The amount of the reinserted silicon containing species depends on the pore size wanted. The zeolite materials so obtained still have quite high surface areas and pore volumes.  This method has the great advantage of being very reproducible, giving us a micropore size which is much smaller or much larger by $\pm$0.4A than the size of the parent zeolite with a quite homogeneous micropore distribution, and the latter characteristic must result in selectivity in catalysis or adsorption.


identifier: Tam, Mike  (1998) Robust credibility and Kalman filtering.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

title: Robust credibility and Kalman filtering

abstract: Credibility theory is an experience rating technique in insurance used to combine an estimate of the expected claims of a contract with the estimate of the expected claims of a portfolio of similar contracts. However, the credibility estimate remains sensitive to large (outlying) claims. In this thesis, robustification of some classical credibility models are presented via robust Kalman filtering. Credibility theory has been shown to be a special case of the Kalman filter (De Jong and Zehnwirth, 1983), thus existing research on the robustification of the Kalman filter, for example, Cipra and Romera (1991), can be applied to robustifying Kalman filter credibility models (Kremer, 1994). After describing in some detail the classical and robust models of credibility, we present an implementation of a robust Kalman filter credibility model and apply it to Hachemeister's dataset (Hachemeister, 1975).


identifier: Abdallah, Chahrazed  (1998) A study of the impact of pluralism of the board of directors on corporate social responsibility.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The purpose of this study is to understand the evolution of the notion of responsibility of the corporation and to analyte its operationalization in the organizational context. The relationship between board of directors' composition and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the key element of the study. Its originality resides in the introduction of the firm's financial performance (measured by Tobin's q and ROE) as a moderator of the relationship. The theory of pluralism (Molz, 1988; 1995) is used in this study to classify different board typologies into two general board types: managerial dominated and pluralistic boards. The sample for this study is drawn from a population of Canadian firms listed on the Toronto, Montreal or Alberta Stock Exchange. 42 firms were selected for the study on the basis of two sub-samples. The first sub-sample consisted of socially responsible firms taken from the list of the Top 50 Canadian Corporate Citizens first published in the May 1997 edition of the Financial Post. The second sub-sample, a matched-paired sub-sample, consisted of firms considered as less socially responsible and selected according to an industry matching criteria. The positive relationship between pluralism and CSR implied but not proved in past research (Molz, 1995) was supported in this study. However, the moderating effect of financial performance on the relationship between pluralism and CSR was not supported. Possible causes for the rejection of the hypothesis are presented and discussed as well as propositions for further research.


identifier: Demers, Patricia  (1998) The relationship between service quality expectations and cultural diversity.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The growing importance of crosscultural business as well as the continuously expanding service industry have led to the need to examine the relationship between cultural diversity and service quality. The present study focuses on how culture affects customers' service quality expectations, and how acculturation plays a role in moderating the relationship between both variables. The findings show that there is a correlation between the dimensions of service quality and the dimensions of culture. The findings also show that acculturation definitely moderates the relationship between culture and service quality expectations. The study suggests that there is a need for more research in this area. It also suggests that certain dimensions of service quality are more sensitive to cultural variation than others.


identifier: Eba, Aliza  (1998) An evolutionary approach to studying search behavior in the context of human mate selection.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This research investigates the search behavior of individuals in the context of mate selection. That is, how much information individuals search for prior to initiating mating relationships? What information individuals deem important when searching for mates? How much information individuals require before rejecting mates? Evolutionary psychology was employed to understand the effects of gender, temporal condition (i.e., short-term vs. long-term relationship) and self-perception (i.e., self-perceived desirability as a mate). In Study 1, it was predicted that females would be more selective than males and that this relationship would be moderated by the temporal condition of the relationship. However, it was found that males sought more information than females, but females rejected more mating alternatives than males. This relationship was moderated by the temporal context of the relationship with the behavior of females unaffected by temporal condition but males becoming more selective in the long-term condition. Study 2 served as an exploratory study into the search processes (core attributes heuristic use, threshold use, rate of decay) employed by individuals seeking mates. Gender and temporal condition did not affect core attributes use, the number of attributes acquired, threshold use, and the rate of decay of the threshold. However, gender and temporal condition affected mate preferences (the attributes considered important when searching for information). Self-perception also influenced the degree of search, with higher self-perception associated with a greater degree of search effort. The implications of these findings are discussed.


identifier: Elbaz, David  (1998) Electronic data interchange : an assessment of the factors leading to EDI adoption.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is a revolutionary way to conduct business. The electronic exchange of information between business partners can have a significant impact on the performance and profitability of businesses. However, despite the numerous potential advantages EDI can provide, only fraction of the market is using EDI. The current study attempts to find the explanation for this phenomenon. Thus, which factors are affecting the decision to adopt EDI?  This study is based on Iacovou et al. (1995) research where seven cases of EDI adoption were studied. Iacovou et al. (1995) identified three major variables affecting the adoption of EDI: perceived benefits, external pressure and organisational readiness.  The current study modified Iacovou et al.'s (1995) model by introducing the awareness variable. This study also changed the organisational readiness variable to financial strength and technology used. The current study was conducted using questionnaires that were sent to 1000 businesses in different industries in Quebec. A sample size of 149 companies was used to test the revised model.  The results suggest that there is some relationship between EDI adoption and awareness, financial strength and technology used. Furthermore, this study suggests also a strong relationship between EDI adoption and pressure from important partner


identifier: Guedri, Zied  (1998) Performance variations among strategic group members in the pharmaceutical industry : an examination of individual sustainable growth capabilities, 1995-1997.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The relationship between strategic group membership and firm profitability has been a central and controversial theme in the strategic management literature. The theoretical foundation for a direct link between strategic group membership and firm profitability has been the notion of mobility barriers. However, the empirical evidence for a direct association between strategic group membership and performance is inconsistent and conflicting. Consequently, this study examines the hypothesis that individual firm sustainable growth capabilities may moderate the effects of member's shared strategy characteristics on performance in the pharmaceutical industry. Four strategic groups based on scope and resource deployments strategic dimensions were identified among forty-two global pharmaceutical firms. Significant differences in performance and sustainable growth capabilities were found within each group. There was also evidence of a significant correlation between sustainable growth capabilities and performance within each group. It is concluded that effects of firms' sustainable growth capabilities should be taken into account to improve the explanatory power of strategic groups in competitive performance.


identifier: Ho, Louis  (1998) The effects of individualism-collectivism on brainstorming : a comparison of Canadian and Taiwanese samples.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The present study tests the general hypothesis that individualism-collectivism orientation influences creative performance in a brainstorming context. This is explored from both an individual and group perspective. Individualists were represented by Canadians, while collectivists were represented by Taiwanese. It was predicted that the collectivistic nature of the Taiwanese would hinder their brainstorming performance. Inversely, the individualistic nature of the Canadians would help them in their brainstorming performance. As predicted, the Canadians produced significantly more ideas. However, it was found that the Taiwanese produced ideas that were, on average, higher in originality. It is hoped that the results from the present study will encourage further research into cross-cultural differences along the creativity dimension.


identifier: Krishnakishore, Rangarajan  (1999) Evolution, performance, persistence and tournament aspects of U.S. closed-end funds.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The thesis deals with the evolution of Closed End Funds (CEFs) styles over time, performance of CEFs by investment objective, persistence of CEF performance, and the tournament aspects of within-calendar-year performance. The number and dollar investment in CEFs with various investment objectives are studied. The change in investment in funds with particular investment objective(s) is also studied for the period, 1981-1995.  Empirical results based on the Jensen measure are obtained for funds with different investment objectives. These results are obtained using several different criteria for both weekly market price returns and weekly NAV returns. Empirical results suggest that Corporate Bond CEFs and Municipal Bond CEFs have cross-sectional alphas of more than 1.5% and International Equity CEFs have negative cross-sectional alpha of 2.1%. International Equity CEFs beta values suggest higher sensitivity relative to the CRSP equity index. Tests using data for the common period 1991-95 reveals that all CEFs have positive cross-sectional alphas except for International Equity CEFs. Also, our hypothesis that mean alphas are negative during the first year of fund inception is confirmed by our regression results.  Tests of winner-winner or winner-loser effects (tests for continuation or reversal of persistence) using monthly data reveals that four of fourteen years exhibited persistence, four years had reversals and one year had ambiguous results.  A study of significant mid-tournament time period in altering risk/return postures of CEFs reveal that major decisions on re-balancing are taken in the first half of a calendar year. Tests are done for funds with different year-ends. Tests reveal that, regardless of the year-end for any CEF considered within the portfolio, the January to June period exhibits very significant changes in the risk/return postures of CEFs.


identifier: Lambert, Marie-Josée  (1998) Performance measurement and attribution of international equity portfolios : a practical model for Canadian investors.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The wide availability of international equity funds creates a need for evaluating international equity performance in an intelligent and appropriate way which distinguishes between funds with different missions and investment policies and practices. However, as research into international equity portfolio performance attribution is still in its infancy, there does not seem to be a general consensus on the overall framework or approach which should be taken to evaluate the performance of international equity portfolios. With a solid theoretical foundation drawn from existing research, this thesis sets out to develop a workable, intuitive and useful performance attribution and risk measurement framework for international equity portfolios. The framework presented is then used to evaluate the performance of a Canadian-based international equity portfolio yielding results which would be of particular interest to its sponsors. This thesis then gives suggestions for future research and concludes by stating that attribution and risk measurement practices for international equity portfolios are sure to become even more refined as interest in globally diversified portfolios continues to increase.


identifier: Solomon, Simona  (1998) Impact on business performance by the organizational and technological infrastructures.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: In recent years firms have been undergoing significant transformations in an effort to increase efficiency, effectiveness, and innovation. Organizations are also searching for ways to become more competitive in their environment. In this study, the relationships between organizational infrastructure, technological infrastructure, and business performance are investigated. An organizational design planning framework is introduced that incorporates functional alignment between emerging organizational goals and technology characteristics.  The study's findings do not indicate that strong organizational/technological linkages significantly impact the business performance of firms. The results, however, confirm past research that advocates the development of strong infrastructures. The study contributes to the current research by operationalizing the organizational and technological infrastructures and exploring the fit between the organizational and technological domains of firms.


identifier: Turmel, Andrée  (1998) The influence of culture and lifestyles on receptivity to direct mail.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This study is an analysis of the differences in Receptivity toward Direct Mail between Anglophones (English Canadians) and Francophones (French Canadians). A Receptivity toward Direct Mail model is proposed and demonstrated. This model integrates the Pay Attention To, Cognitive, Affective/Motivational, and Behavioral stages as well as various demographic data, lifestyle preferences and culture dimensions (Acculturation and Culture Identity). Due to the exploratory nature of the study, conclusions are formulated in terms of further work to be accomplished to better understand the situation.


identifier: Wang, Kai  (1998) Wind pressure coefficients for gable roofs of intermediate slopes.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The present study examines the suitability of the current wind provisions of the National Building Code of Canada for design wind loads on gable roofs of intermediate roof angles (10$\sp\circ$-30$\sp\circ$). The study is initiated by the discrepancies found in recent research projects against the current design wind loading provisions for such roofs.  Five building models with roof angles of 10$\sp\circ$, 15$\sp\circ$, 20$\sp\circ$, 25$\sp\circ$ and 30$\sp\circ$ equipped with an interchangeable roof slope panel have been tested in a typical open country exposure in the boundary layer wind tunnel of the Centre for Building Studies at Concordia University. The experimental settings satisfy the corresponding wind tunnel simulation criteria specified in the wind load test standards of American Society of Civil Engineers.  Local and area-averaged roof pressure coefficients have been obtained from the wind tunnel measurements. Extreme value analysis has been performed to establish the peak pressure coefficient values. This thesis presents a comparative study based on the experimental data, which consists of two parts. The first part includes the comparisons of the measured results with those from other researches. The comparisons show that the present experimental results are appropriate and suitable for application to codification. The second part of the study examines the suitability of the current wind provisions by comparing the present results with those specified in the provisions. It appears that there is underestimation of the extreme suctions in the current wind provisions, particularly those on the ridge and edge regions of the roofs with intermediate slopes.  As a result of the present study, an alternative zoning and loading definition is attempted, accompanied by a set of new curves. At the same time, the codal roof categories are rearranged. The proposed design roof wind pressure coefficients are somewhat higher than the current design values


identifier: Jassal, Kulbir Singh  (1998) Development of potholes from cracks in flexible pavements.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Pothole is a localized loss of material or depression on road pavement surface. The development of cracks and the formation of potholes on road surface are widespread problems in road construction and maintenance. The objective of this study is to develop mathematical models to compute stresses and deflections associated with the cracks in flexible pavement and the formation of potholes. A crack on a flexible pavement surface is a prerequisite for a pothole formation and progression. Three types of cracks, namely, transverse, longitudinal and alligator cracks are taken into consideration. As stated in the objective, mathematical models have been developed to compute stresses and deflections associated with cracks in flexible pavement and formation of potholes. A special case of blowout of asphalt pavement layer lying on an impermeable concrete base, due to water pressure in the cracks, is studied and a mathematical model is proposed. The mathematical formulations are applied to typical III pavement models and the results are reported in examples and graphs.  A set of computer programs is developed for each proposed mathematical model to calculate stresses and deflections. This thesis is organized in chapters to report the results of the research work in an orderly manner.


identifier: Arora, Rachit  (1999) EMTP simulation of an active filter operating with weak AC distribution system.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: An AC distribution system has a myriad of loads connected at the system bus. Many of the DC based loads cause disturbance on the ac bus due to high harmonic load currents. Traditionally passive filters are used for filtering these load harmonics. Recent technological advances have enabled the use of high frequency switching devices in the development of active filtering techniques.  In this thesis, an active filter topology was selected for the system, and a test system was modeled using EMTP. The objective of active filtering is to meet the harmonic and reactive load locally, and thus removing the harmonic content of source currents. The AF controller based on the on-line power computation scheme was modeled. Tracking control was demonstrated using two control methodologies - hysteresis band control and sliding mode control.  A performance comparison was made between the two control schemes, and the impact of various circuit and control parameters on the filtering performance was studied. To assess the transient performance achieved with the control schemes presented, results from EMTP based studies for this distribution system under various AC-DC fault conditions are analyzed.


identifier: Kawwas, Charlie  (1998) Cell loss estimation in an ATM multiplexer loaded with heterogeneous on-off sources.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: In an ATM network, estimating cell loss probability is a crucial factor in congestion control and traffic management. This thesis proposes a method to estimate the cell loss probability in an ATM multiplexer with heterogeneous traffic sources. We consider an ATM Multiplexer with a finite buffer of size K (cells) and a single link with capacity C (cells/second). Unlike previous work, we approximate the heterogeneous arrival process using a Markov Modulated Deterministic Process (MMDP). We model the ATM multiplexer as MMDP/D/1/K queueing system, then we derive the cell loss probability formula for an ATM multiplexer, and we provide an algorithm to compute it. We consider several classes of traffic sources: voice, low-speed data, high-speed data and image-retrieval. Then, we compute the cell loss probability based on the analysis derived. By simulating the same network, we calculate the cell loss probability. Comparing the analysis and simulation figures proves the accuracy of our results. After examining these results, we observe that a dominant class is present in the heterogeneous ATM network, and it significantly affects the cell loss probability when extra connections are accepted from this class. Moreover, we demonstrate that our model performs consistently well for large buffer sizes where the burst level congestion is dominant. Therefore, this model is suitable for use in preventing burst level congestion from ATM heterogeneous networks.


identifier: Sun, Jingyuan  (1998) Optimization of high-speed CMOS circuits with analytical models for signal delay.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Global optimization of high speed and high integration CMOS VLSI circuit is greatly in need in deep submicron regime with respect to signal delay, chip area and power dissipation. Accurate modeling of signal path delays is of particular importance in optimization. Although circuit level simulators like SPICE produce accurate and detailed delay information, analytical delay models are required in general because of the time consuming computation in SPICE simulations. New analytical delay models for both inverter and non-inverter stage of CMOS circuit in deep submicron regime are proposed in this work. The modeling takes into account circuit topologies and ramp input effect. The models were studied for various CMOS circuits of different complexities. Simulation results show an overall 10% difference and a considerably speed-up as compared to SPICE level 3 simulator. Based on the new analytical delay model, a circuit optimization program is developed, which is aiming to provide designer first hand information on circuit delay, area and power consumption and to help designer find the optimum design among different circuit topologies and transistor sizings, especially in submicron region. The program reads in circuit description from SIS--a multi-level logic synthesis and minimization system, maps it into CMOS circuit stages, analyzes the performance and finds the optimal circuit topology and sizing according to the design criteria.


identifier: Zhao, Feng  (1998) Operating strategies for economizer control in an air conditioning system.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: A typical economizer in an air conditioning system is investigated in this paper. New operating strategies of the economizer are proposed. An economizer consists of three coupled dampers--an outdoor air, a recirculation, and a discharge damper--controlled so that the amount of outdoor air may be varied from a minimum to 100% of the supply air. Traditionally the three dampers are coupled. In a new strategy only the outdoor and recirculation dampers are coupled and the discharge damper is always fully open during operation. An additional strategy involves linearizing the damper area as a function of the control signal by means of a software algorithm. Fan energy requirements for the new strategies are compared to those for the traditional strategy. The amount of fresh air may be controlled by heating and cooling considerations or by indoor air quality considerations. Carbon dioxide (CO$\sb2$) concentration is an indication of indoor air quality. The objectives of the investigation were to determine the best strategy to minimize fan energy consumption, and to control ventilation by demand as indicated by room CO$\sb2$ concentration. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)


identifier: Chen, Guangyi  (1999) Applications of wavelet transforms in pattern recognition and de-noising.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: In this thesis, we study the application of wavelet transforms in two important areas: pattern recognition and de-noising. In the area of pattern recognition, we propose and implement two invariant descriptors for the recognition of 2-D patterns. The first invariant descriptor is concerned with patterns which can be represented by periodic 1-D signals. The method first performs orthonormal shell decomposition on the periodic 1-D signals, then applies Fourier transform on each scale of the shell coefficients. The essential advantage of the descriptor is that a multi-resolution querying strategy can be employed in the recognition process and that it is invariant to rotation of the original 2-D pattern. The second invariant descriptor can be used for any pattern. We first transform the pattern to polar coordinate (r, 0) using the centre of mass of the pattern as origin, then apply the Fourier transform along the axis of polar angle 0 and the wavelet transform along the axis of radius r. The features thus obtained are invariant to translation and rotation. Experimental results show that the two invariant descriptors are efficient representation which can provide for reliable recognition.  In de-noising, we develop a new translation-invariant(TI) multiwavelet de-noising algorithm. Instead of using univariate thresholding developed by Donoho, we adopt bivariate thresholding as pioneered by Downie and Silverman. Numerical simulation shows that TI multiwavelet de-noising is better than TI single wavelet de-noising when soft thresholding is used.


identifier: Gingras, Frédéric  (1998) nD-SQL : extending schemaSQL towards multidimensional databases and OLAP.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis proposes a formal model for a federation of relational databases with possibly heterogeneous schemas. The Federation Model is comprehensive enough for: (i) capturing the diversity of schemas arising in practice, allowing a symmetric treatment of data and schema, and (ii) capturing the complete space of dimensional representations of data, fully exploiting the n logical dimensions structured along the three physical dimensions implicit in the relational model--row, column, and relation. An n-dimensional query language called nD-SQL is also proposed. This language makes use of the Federation Model and is capable of: (a) resolving schematic discrepancies among a collection of relational databases or data marts with heterogeneous schemas, and (b) supporting a whole range of multiple granularity aggregation queries like CUBE, ROLLUP, and DRILLDOWN, but, to an arbitrary, user controlled, level of resolution. In addition, nD-SQL can express queries that restructure data conforming to any particular dimensional representation into any other. The semantics of nD-SQL is downward compatible with the popular SQL language. The thesis also proposes an extension to relational algebra, capable of restructuring, called restructuring relational algebra (RRA). (Abstract shortened by UMI.)


identifier: Iourtchenko, Vitaly  (1998) Model-based user interaction for accessing electronic news.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Natural language interfaces support human-machine interactions in a way that is natural and that does not require elaborate user training. The two main problems in human-computer dialog are resolution of ambiguity and incompleteness. A model-based architecture is introduced in this thesis that provides a solution to these problems. The uniqueness of the solution is based on five interacting models: a language model responsible for the processing of individual user queries, a domain-independent dialog model providing dialog management, a user model keeping track of the user's tasks and preferences, a world model resolving references to both common-sense and domain-dependent knowledge, and an error model handling erroneous user input. The implementation and testing have been carried out in the context of electronic news delivery as the chosen application domain. The design of the dialog and error models is sufficiently generic to be used in different application domains; the language, world, and user models are application-specific and encapsulate domain-dependent information. The language model is based on a set of syntactic classes that put restrictions on user input. These classes were derived using a brief study of a sample population of users. A Java-based implementation of a prototype of the five models has shown the feasibility of our approach to dialog management.


identifier: Klemola, Tuomas  (1998) Software comprehension : theory and metrics.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The understandability of a program specification has a direct bearing on several important aspects of software quality. These include reliability, modifiability, reusability, and maintainability to name a few.  The process of comprehension has been studied by psychologists. Their findings have implications for software engineering practises. A survey of pertinent studies in memory usage and comprehension processes reveals motivators for good software engineering practices.  Software metrics are used in software engineering to predict human performance, for instance faults per thousand lines of code. A survey of software metrics which are related to human performance is included. Recently proposed metrics are examined.  Rules for developing software that respect human limitations are derived based on psychological research and software engineering practises.  An empirical study of human performance against a newly proposed metric based on comprehension processes is done using the performance of students on final examinations. The metric, identifier density, is found to predict human error.


identifier: Winikoff, Steven M  (1999) Incorporating the simplicity first methodology into a machine learning genetic algorithm.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The classical genetic algorithm provides a powerful yet domain-independent tool for concept learning. However, in general, learning systems based on the genetic algorithm generally do not perform as well as symbolic learning algorithms.  Robert Holte's symbolic learning algorithm 1R demonstrated that simple rules can perform well in non-trivial learning problems, and inspired an approach to machine learning which Holte termed "simplicity first research methodology".  A system called ELGAR is proposed, constructed and evaluated in order to investigate the properties of concept learning using the genetic algorithm. A hybrid algorithm is then developed and implemented which integrates the genetic algorithm in ELGAR with the "simplicity first" approach, resulting in a concept learning system that outperforms both 1R and the purely genetic version of ELGAR.


identifier: Gordy, Constance Annette  (1999) The duo piano experience : nonverbal communication between ensemble musicians.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: During the act of performing, visible cues between duo pianists are of necessity kept to a minimum. Since this is a factor not characteristic of most other performing ensembles, it offers an exceedingly fruitful medium for studying the cultivation of communication between players--in particular, the internalizing processes so crucial to the nonverbal experience.  This thesis--supported by bibliographical evidence, as well as recent inquiries into the realm of nonverbal communication and my own experimental foray into the area of communication between duo pianists--questions whether quantitatively-based methodologies by themselves can grasp the implicit meanings being communicated without losing a sense of the experience as a whole. In the search for an alternative approach, I examined a number of recently-developed methodologies in the areas of sociology, ethnography and communication that address precisely those questions that arise when the indivisibility of the experience must be retained. The modified ethnographic/metacommunicative approach that I finally adopted allowed me to both participate in and observe the cultivation of communication between two pianists in their preparation and execution of virtuoso works from the duo piano repertoire.


identifier: Peres, Tania  (1999) Applications of a three-body potential model and crystal field calculations to the simulation of EU³⁺, Er³⁺ and Yb³⁺ environments in PbO.SiO₂ glass.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: An investigation of the local environment of rare-earth doped lead silicate glasses, using molecular dynamics simulation techniques and crystal-field theory, is presented. The primary focus of the research was to develop a more realistic potential model to better describe the environment surrounding the rare-earth ion. The configurations generated from the MD simulations were used in a point-charge crystal-field model, using C 1 symmetry, to generate the emission spectra of the rare-earth ions. By refining both the aforementioned methods, we have developed a model that can isolate the individual geometrical RE 3+ environments and calculate the individual emission spectra corresponding to each of the different geometrical arrangements. This in turn has allowed us to obtain a more complete description of the local structure of the RE 3+ ion with respect to the overall emission spectrum.  Molecular dynamics techniques were employed to simulate undoped and rare-earth doped lead silicate glasses, using both two- and three-body potential models. Structural features of the simulations of undoped PbO·SiO 2 glass were found to be in excellent agreement with published experimental results, and the three-body potential model produced a marked improvement over the two-body potential model. The simulations using the three-body potential showed the presence of two networks in the glass; a silicate network and a lead network.  In order to obtain a better description of the effect of the lead ions in silicate glasses, a concentration study on undoped lead silicate glass was performed. At low modifier concentrations (22 mol% PbO) the lead ion was found to behave as a typical modifier. As the concentration of PbO was increased to 70 mol%, the lead ions behaved more as network formers, and an increase in PbO coordination was observed due to the lead ions sharing neighbouring oxygens. The presence of lead rich regions predominated in the glass and the two networks (silicon and lead) were found to be connected via edge-sharing oxygens.  Simulations of the Eu 3+ -lead silicate glass, using the three-body potential model, showed that the Eu 3+ ions were found primarily in the lead network, with only a modest presence in the silicate network, showing that the two cations (Pb 2+ , Eu 3+ ) share similar environments. The average coordination number of Eu 3+ was found to be 6.5. Furthermore, two main geometrical arrangements were found to exist for Eu 3+ , a six-coordinated distorted octahedral and a seven-coordinated distorted pentagonal bipyramid.  Since the spectroscopic properties of the dopant ions are dependent on the local environment, an in depth investigation on first coordination sphere of three different rare-earth ions (Eu 3+ -, Er 3+ - and Yb 3+ ) doped in lead silicate was performed using the three-body potential model. Although the differences in ionic radii, interionic distance and average coordination number between the three rare-earths was quite small, the three-body potential model successfully reproduced these differences in the bulk structural features, and the results were found to be in excellent agreement with experimental data.


identifier: Beattie, Eleanor  (1999) Public education in the mass media : National Farm Radio Forum on CBC radio.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The weekly radio program, National Farm Radio Forum (1940-1965) on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is the site of an examination of civic education in the mass media. The archived documentation of NFRF forms the corpus of my research. The subject of civic education is analyzed through a rhetorical examination of programs on the subject of health delivery, the latter chosen because it shares, with civic education, the topics of cooperativism and equity of access. I argue that the training of citizens in the habits, responsibilities and competencies of public life, elements essential for authentic democracy, demands a marriage of government, institutions and civic organizations. In particular, a developed and supportive public broadcaster is essential to facilitating the process of civic education. The site of examination, while a historical forum, suggests a number of possibilities and problematics that enable us to rethink civic education in contemporary Canadian mass media.


identifier: Wu, Mei  (1998) Negotiating a community space in the state media : the development of cable television in China : a case study of a community cable TV station in Tianjin.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The spread of cable television in the 1990s has seriously challenged the historically rooted place of Chinese mass media as an organ of the state propaganda machine. One of the more acute features in the cable development was the establishment of cable stations run largely by communal work units known as " danwei " in Chinese.  This thesis probes the "micro locale" of a Chinese danwei community and investigates how the communist propaganda is distilled at the grass-roots level and, furthermore, how the indigenous resistance and defiance against the central domination are negotiated and translated into community-based cable television. It seeks to illuminate the nature of the media development in reform-era China from the perspective of community media--or danwei media, as the most appropriate term and, consequently, map out the changing patterns of control, contestation and conciliation between the twin actors of community media and state propaganda.  Chinese danwei communities have constituted a basic unit of the social organization of communist China and occupied a prima position in the communist establishment of mass media. It is in the ultimate interests of the state to control media undertakings at the grass-roots in order to dominate the local space of communication and entertainment with the official language and ideology. However, this objective of absolute control on the part of the central government becomes definitely impossible, particularly in the age of economic reform of the 1990s, when the once omnipotent power of the Party-state has withered away remarkably in terms of permeating the daily life of the danwei communities.  My research findings illustrate the tension and symmetry between community-cable television and the overarching Chinese media system. On the one hand, community cable embodies the grass-roots resistance to the state domination of television--it is the intelligent use of cable technology on the part of danwei communities to take advantage of the communist tradition of locally organized media operation in gaining control over the local television space.  Simultaneously, though, community cable has emerged as the newest medium for the state propagandists to penetrate the basic units of society. It provides local resources to not only assist the delivery of state propaganda to work units, but also the repackaging of the state propaganda vocabulary into more locally palatable television programming.  Community cable represents a unique experience of the Chinese people in asserting their desire to recapture the local media and to negotiate their space within the state structure of mass media.


identifier: Adobor, Henry  (1999) Governing exchange in strategic alliances : the dynamics of interfirm trust.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis focuses on the dynamics of trust in strategic alliances. Trust as a form of qualitative governance is generally seen as a mother lode for successful partnering. Yet our understanding of this core concept lags behind our appreciation of its importance. Worse yet, a certain amount of skepticism exists on the idea of governance by trust-based regimes. This thesis aims at filling some of that lacunae. A proposed model of inter-firm trust generating structures and behaviors is presented. The model includes four important and related factors that are ordered into (1) individual partner-specific factors; (2) the structure of the specific relationship; (3) dyadic interactional sequence behaviors and a (4) specification of exogenous context variables. Using a sample of one hundred and ninety-one respondents (191) from a mail survey and ten (10) case studies, a number of trust-related hypotheses were tested. Among others, the results offer an interesting portrait of strategic behavior on the part of actors even in trust-based regimes. For example, whether partner's intended to use alliances again in the future or not affected their trust behavior in a current alliance. Also, trust was positively associated with relations perceived as long term, as opposed to those seen as short term ones. Another important finding in the study is that when viewed as a form of sense making, trust building in alliances may be a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy. To some extent, the interpretation of behaviors and the way partners reacted to each other was dependent on the initial categorizations they formed about each other. As predicted, turnover in role persons negatively affected trust building, but contrary to expectations, direct market competition between collaborating partners did not negatively relate to trust, thus suggesting that direct competition between partnering firms need not necessarily be a death leap. By taping at trust from both a sociological, strategic and economic perspective, the present research avoided a premature elevation of one set of explanations to the top of the theoretical pyramid. The implications of the study for alliance research, including specific areas for future research and alliance management are offered.


identifier: Liu, Peijun  (1999) Analysis, detection and early warning control of dynamic rollover of heavy freight vehicles.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The conceptual design of the early warning based roll instability enhancement system is realized through systematic investigations on static and dynamic roll behavior of the vehicles, identification of indicators for the onset of instability, and reliability analysis. The relative and absolute roll instability criteria are initially derived from the rollover mechanics of different heavy vehicle combinations. The relative roll instability conditions are evaluated under steady cornering maneuvers through development and analysis of static roll plane models. The sensitivity of the static rollover threshold (SRT) measure to variations in design and operating factors of the vehicle and suspension configurations is evaluated and the conditions of relative rollover for different vehicle configurations are identified. A constant velocity three-dimensional model is derived for relative roll instability analysis of articulated vehicles under dynamic directional maneuvers. Dynamic rollover threshold of articulated heavy vehicles is proposed on the basis of effective lateral acceleration (ELA) and relative rollover criterion. The absolute roll instability of heavy vehicles is further investigated using energy approach to derive the absolute rollover limits. A number of potential rollover indicators are identified and evaluated for a five-axle tractor semi-trailer combination using the constant velocity three-dimensional vehicle model in terms of their reliability and early warning capability for driver's actions.  The effectiveness of proposed indicators for the open-loop roll stability enhancement is investigated through development and analysis of a comprehensive vehicle model, incorporating braking dynamics. Time delays due to driver's reaction and the transportation lag of the braking system are characterized by a variable referred to as reaction delay. The rollover indicators are investigated for their effectiveness for open- loop roll stability control in various cornering and evasive maneuvers, road conditions, braking efforts, and reaction delays. The study revealed that the RSF is the most reliable indicator, irrespective of the vehicle configurations, while its measurability is relatively poor. The indicators based upon lateral acceleration, sprung and unsprung mass roll angles and steering velocity factor yield good correlation with RSF, but exhibit certain sensitivity to variations in design and operating factors


identifier: Narayanaswamy, Srinivasan  (1998) A comparative study of modified passenger railway vehicle trucks.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: There has been renewed interest in rail transportation driven by the need for alternatives to congested highways and environmental concerns. The conventional railway truck designed for operation at high speed of approximately 200 km/hr makes use of stiff primary suspension elements to provide good dynamic stability. The curving performance of such a vehicle is poor because of wheelset misalignment in curves resulting in increased wheel and rail wear. This increases the maintenance cost. The wheelset misalignment also leads to increased lateral forces which raises the potential for derailment due to wheel climb. One of the aspects of the railway truck design that needs improvement is better compatibility between dynamic stability at high speeds and the ability of the vehicle to steer around curves.  In this thesis, modified truck designs are considered with an objective to improve both the high speed stability and curving behaviour. The performance of the following designs are compared: (i) Conventional truck ( C truck ); (ii) Radial truck ( R Truck ); (iii) Conventional truck with yaw damper ( CD truck ) and (iv) Unsymmetric Suspension truck with yaw damper ( USD truck ). The USD truck has longitudinal asymmetry in the suspension according to direction of motion i.e. the primary stiffness in the leading axle is different from the trailing axle. Another truck considered for evaluation is the Unsymmetric Wheelset truck ( UW truck ) in which the trailing axle is an Independently Rotating Wheelset (IRW).  By choosing suitable values of primary yaw dampers, it is possible for CD truck and USD truck to achieve higher critical speed in comparison to C truck and US truck for a given bending stiffness The non-linear curving analysis has shown that USD truck achieves better curving performance in comparison to other truck designs on curvatures up to 12 degrees. Thus it is possible for a properly designed USD truck to achieve near perfect steering as well as maintain good dynamic stability.  Validation of the results from this study has been carried out using the software New and Untried Car Analytic Regime Simulation (NUCARS). NUCARS is a multi-body dynamic program for railway vehicle design and performance evaluation and is an industry-wide standard in North America. The analysis of performance using NUCARS also shows that USD truck has better curving behaviour compared to other truck designs for curvatures up to 12 degrees


identifier: Sleiman, Mohamad  (1999) Simulation of 3-D viscous compressible flow in multistage turbomachinery by finite element methods.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The flow in a multistage turbomachinery blade row is compressible, viscous, and unsteady. Complex flow features such as boundary layers, wake migration from upstream blade rows, shocks, tip leakage jets, and vortices interact together as the flow convects through the stages. These interactions contribute significantly to the aerodynamic losses of the system and degrade the performance of the machine. The unsteadiness also leads to blade vibration and a shortening of its life. It is therefore difficult to optimize the design of a blade row, whether aerodynamically or structurally, in isolation, without accounting for the effects of the upstream and downstream rows. The effects of axial spacing, blade count, clocking (relative position of follow-up rotors with respect to wakes shed by upstream ones), and levels of unsteadiness may have a significance on performance and durability.  In this Thesis, finite element formulations for the simulation of multistage turbomachinery are presented in terms of the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations for three-dimensional steady or unsteady, viscous, compressible, turbulent flows. Three methodologies are presented and compared.  First, a steady multistage analysis using a a-mixing-plane model has been implemented and has been validated against engine data. For axial machines, it has been found that the mixing plane simulation methods match very well the experimental data. However, the results for a centrifugal stage, consisting of an impeller followed by a vane diffuser of equal pitch, show flagrant inconsistency with engine performance data, indicating that the mixing plane method has been found to be inappropriate for centrifugal machines.  Following these findings, a more complete unsteady multistage model has been devised for a configuration with equal number of rotor and stator blades (equal pitches). Non-matching grids are used at the rotor-stator interface and an implicit interpolation procedure devised to ensure continuity of fluxes across. This permits the rotor and stator equations to be solved in a fully-coupled manner, allowing larger time steps in attaining a time-periodic solution. This equal pitch approach has been validated on the complex geometry of a centrifugal stage.  Finally, for a stage configuration with unequal pitches, the time-inclined method, developed by Giles (1991) for 2-D viscous compressible flow, has been extended to 3-D and formulated in terms of the physical solution vector U, rather than Q, a non-physical one. The method has been evaluated for unsteady flow through a rotor blade passage of the power turbine of a turboprop.


identifier: Benson, James Martin  (1999) A Buberian analysis of the education of artists : student-teacher relationships in the undergraduate studio.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This study has two purposes: The first is to understand what takes place in the relationships between undergraduate studio teachers and students that often results in preventing authentic artistic existence. The second purpose is to understand the underlying assumptions of subjectivist and objectivist types of studio instructors and the potential for the attainment of authenticity in the relationships they have with their students. Martin Buber's concept of the dialogical I-Thou relationship is the basis for both his critique of subjectivist and objectivist educational traditions and his concept of authentic artistic existence. Buber's concept of dialogue is used first to analyze the relationships between teachers and students, then between artists and their artwork, and finally between studio instructors and their students. For the latter, the analysis utilizes examples from the author's own experiences as a student and also a studio teacher.  Art education literature that presumably has had some impact/influence on artists/studio instructors is reviewed. The assumptions found in the literature are compared and contrasted to Buber's concept of the I-Thou relationship between the teacher and the student, and between the artist and the artwork. In contrast to the I-Thou, the literature tends to view the teacher or the artist in an I-It relationship, that is, as an active participant acting on a passive, dependent partner-the student or the artwork, respectively.  Buber's concepts are then applied to the thesis purpose. Two pairs of metaphors are constructed to examine and critique subjectivist and objectivist instructors and students: the Magician-acolyte and the Matchmaker-debutante respectively. It is concluded that both types of relationships are exemplars of Buber's I-It relationship. Instructors who present themselves as subjectivist or objectivist exclusively, prevent dialogue. Consequently, students respond with an I-It, inauthentic existence.  A model for a relationship that would result in authentic artistic existence for both participants is proposed. The metaphor of mentor-protégé, based on Buber's dialogic is presented as an alternative to the I-It experience.


identifier: Stoianova, Christina  (1999) The Eastern European crisis of self-knowledge (1948-1989) : the relationship between state and society as reflected in Eastern European film : a genre approach.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The thesis analyzes the dynamic relationship among the totalitarian state, society and cinema and their interplay in producing the crisis of self-knowledge that plagued Eastern European societies during Communism.  The study is accomplished from an interdisciplinary and comparative point of view. Its interdisciplinary core involves film, communication studies and political economy/science. The analysis is based on the experience of seven countries--Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, the GDR, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Yugoslavia--collectively known as Eastern Europe, during the period from the imposition of totalitarian rule throughout the region (1944-48) until its collapse in 1989. To meet its objectives, the dissertation has developed a wide array of original methodological tools, based on theories and concepts, borrowed from the three main areas of this interdisciplinary study. Its most important methodological contribution is the construction and application of an original genre approach that adequately captures the dynamics in the relationships of the state, society and cinema.  The thesis is an in-depth study of the origins and nature of each of the three principle players: the state, society and cinema and the role of the intelligentsia as the principal mediator in their interactions. The film process emerges as a form of displaced negotiations between state and society. The new genre approach provides analytical tools for the critical analysis of the product, the individual film. It facilitates the balancing of the political, the social and the aesthetic in the critical analysis of the product.


identifier: Barua, Bijoy P  (1999) Non-formal education and grassroots development : a case study from rural Bangladesh.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Through the case study of Gono Unnayan Prochesta (GUP), Voluntary Organization (VO) operating in rural southwestern Bangladesh, this thesis explores the role of non-formal education for empowerment and socio-economic development. The issues examined are the mobilization process and the grassroots organization of disadvantaged women, education for regenerative agriculture, functional literacy and women's health. The case study focuses mainly on two womens groups. During the field work part of the study, most men were away from the villages in pursuit of salaried jobs or carrying out their small trades.  The study adopted the framework of analysis proposed by Moser (1993) about the productive, reproductive and community roles of women in the context of their practical and strategic needs. The data indicates that due to the extreme poverty situation in the study area, addressing practical needs is considered more urgent by the women who were interviewed. Furthermore, they indicated that the center-based functional literacy training is less effective than the home-based training related to health and agriculture issues. It also was observed that the gosthi (lineage) shanskriti (cultural) and para (neighborhood) identities are essential elements in mobilizing the women's groups in the villages. After 25 years of GUP's activities, grassroots women's organizations are yet to be self-sustaining in the villages of Rajoir.  The women participants in this study understand the importance of learning how to sign their names for access to small loans, although they indicate that further functional literacy does not meet their immediate practical needs. They are aware of the value of literacy and formal education for their children. Even then, the immediate projects they finance with small credits and loans available to them are still distributed alone traditional gender roles; seed money for starting small businesses for their sons or dowry needs.


identifier: Baverstock-Angelus, Deborah  (1999) Using teacher narratives for reflection, representation and reforms in teacher training programmes.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The focus of this study is to examine the experiences of teachers who find themselves in the position of 'other' by virtue of their race, culture, gender, and beliefs. As teachers share their teaching experiences in culturally different and diverse educational settings, it becomes evident how narratives can lead to reflection, representation, and empowerment.  Based on postmodernist theory, this thesis contends that as teachers who are in the position of 'other' reflect on their teaching experiences and share their narratives, they will gain representation and validation. The use of narratives can provide a discursive space in which to challenge the patriarchal and institutional power structures that exist in educational settings such as religious schools in Montreal and in schools in Northern Quebec and Asia. This thesis illustrates how the 'meta-narratives' of the history of education have silenced teachers' voices, and discusses how the authority of the teacher has been undermined. As well, it shows how postmodernism's critical pedagogies have not addressed the oppression of teachers in the position of 'other'. Finally, this thesis examines the need for reforms in teacher training programmes in Canada in order for teachers to engage in discourses which will lead to the construction of knowledge, authority, and empowerment.


identifier: Nakamura, Makoto  (1999) Functional literacy from a cross-cultural perspective : a comparative study of Canada and Japan.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: According to UNESCO, industrialized countries are now being affected by "functional illiteracy." Canada and Japan have almost opposite standpoints with regard to literacy issues. In Canada, on the one hand, the 1987 Southam Report warns that 24% of adults are functionally illiterate, and 100,000 illiterates are annually added to the population by a flawed education system. On the other hand, illiteracy is considered non-existent in Japan based on the 99.9% attendance rate in Japan's compulsory education. This thesis discusses some of the most crucial issues involved in defining and measuring functional literacy, and the state of current functional literacy research. It also explores whether or not Canada is having a functional literacy "crisis," as some recent studies suggest, and whether or not Japan's literacy rate is truly 100 per cent as its government and Ministry of Education claim.


identifier: Pompilus, Léopold  (1999) Education and integration of immigrant minorities : a case study of the Haitian community in Quebec.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis examines the immigration and integration of Haitians in Quebec society. First, a historical background of this process is presented. Second, there is a discussion of how education is strongly linked to the Haitian's particular status in Quebec. This status is subject to the political climate and commitment of the Quebec government to establish French culture as the dominant one. Finally, different interviews with Haitian respondents and participants are introduced. The findings of the cases studied suggest that some of the Haitians who arrived here in the 1960s (first wave) became "upwardly mobile' and benefited from unprecedented opportunities in Quebec. Unlike the first wave, the second and succeeding waves of Haitian immigration arrived in Quebec in a different political and socioeconomic context. Because many of these individuals had little education, they went to work mainly in factories. However, many of those who were well-educated failed to secure a job despite their education. This situation forced the latter into unemployment and underemployment. Starting with the assumption that education and employment are the main variables for achieving immigrant integration, this thesis seeks to understand these two different contexts of Haitian immigration and their effect on the integration process of these individuals in Quebec society.


identifier: Feder, Peter H  (1999) Mythic reinscriptions in W.E.B. Du Bois's The souls of Black folk, James Weldon Johnson's The autobiography of an ex-coloured man, and Ralph Ellison's Invisible man.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Those mythic structures which have significantly defined and supported the idea of "America" have consistently ignored the contribution, or even the very existence of the American black population. Meaningful participation in the promise of these myths, loosely bound up in the notion of The American Dream, and defined in texts such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, has been systematically denied to America's black population. W. E. B. Du Bois's The Souls of Black Folk initiated a vigorous literary attempt to recuperate black self-esteem, to independently fashion black identity, and to create an environment in which blacks and whites could contribute equally in future prosperity and progress. To forward his agenda, Du Bois undertakes a relentless deconstruction of prevalent white American traditional and mythic misconceptions, and imaginatively proposes alternative mythological constructs. This study investigates Du Bois's representation of the significance of myth to the black experience in America, and the discursive response contained in subsequent African-American texts: namely, in James Weldon Johnson's Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man and Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man.


identifier: McKeown, Kathleen  (1999) Mourning men : the elegiac in James Merrill and Richard Howard.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Since the mid-to-late '80s, AIDS has become part of contemporary society. That literary representation of AIDS are now surfacing is thus not unexpected. And, given the homosexual community's early encounter with AIDS, it is equally unsurprising that an extraordinary amount of what is known as AIDS Literature originates in that community. The elegy, a traditional poetic form used to memorialize the dead, is undergoing a resurgence in popularity, especially in the latest collections of gay poets. The contemporary gay elegy is therefore a compelling field on which to examine AIDS themes in gay literature. Canvassing the gay elegies of James Merrill and Richard Howard, this study exposes motifs and themes particular to memorializing a gay ADDS death. The study begins by establishing some parameters of pre-AIDS gay elegiac form by discussing Merrill's The Changing Light at Sandover (1982); it then moves on to an examination of the elegies in Merrill's The Inner Room (1988), in which images of AIDS figure, and finally it illustrates that the AIDS themes and motifs noted in Merrill are distinctly rendered in Richard Howard's AIDS elegies in Like Most Revelations (1995). Their works record both the present cultural moment and a progression of gay elegiac form.


identifier: Wayland, Bridget  (1999) Passages.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

title: Passages

abstract: The term passages, evokes the French term for landscapes, paysages. These poems are concerned with mapping: alternately marking new trails and finding paths through forests, bodies of water and cityscapes: places both familiar and unknown. As a whole, these Passages explore a personal vision of the natural world, family and community. Structured to represent the passage of time through four seasons, the collection explores rites of passage, the passage of life into death, and metamorphosis: the transformation of rocks, water, trees or light into the loci of memory.


identifier: DeNora, Miles  (1999) A republican dove : George Aiken in the Johnson years, 1964-1968.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This study is an examination of the Vietnam War dissent offered by Republican Senator George Aiken of Vermont during the years of the Lyndon Johnson Presidency. Emphasis is placed on analyzing the level of influence Aiken's criticisms had on American policy in Vietnam. Aiken's influence on his fellow Senators, particularly his Republican colleagues, is examined, as is the question of whether Aiken's dissent played a role in reducing the intensity of the conflict. The study explores in detail the individual years from 1964 to 1968, the particular debates concerning the war raised among Senators in each of these years and the role that Aiken played in these debates. The study also examines the nature of Aiken's dissent and its relation to that offered by other Senators both Republican and Democrat. Aiken's position as a Republican is shown to have given a bipartisan character to anti-war dissent in the Senate; this was vital in providing such dissent with an added level of legitimacy.


identifier: Macfarlane, Peter  (1999) Two French threats to North America, 1760-1783, as seen by British Colonial officials.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis considers two aspects of colonial history which never seem to have been given the appropriate amount of attention in overall histories of the time period involved, 1763-1783. The first subject deals with the failure of British policy for the territories west of the 1763 Proclamation Line. The events which led up to Pontiac's 1763 rebellion are covered, beginning with the surrender of New France by the Marquis de Vaudreuil to General Amherst on September 8th, 1760. Attention is given to the rebellion itself, followed by an account of the difficulties experienced by the British in their efforts to occupy the Illinois Country. The efforts of Major-General Gage, the Commander in Chief, to obtain firm policy directives are also covered. The second subject is General Haldimand's defence of Canada, 1778-1783. In addition to the perceived French threat to Canada, the multitude of problems Haldimand also had to deal with are presented, not the least of which were his communications with England, together with the unreliability of his overland contacts with General Clinton, which took his agents through hostile territory. Particular attention has been given to the successful deception of Haldimand by Washington as to the objective of his 1779 campaign. Finally, the last two chapters of the thesis are devoted to the Haldimand Negotiations with Vermont which took place between 1780 and 1782. Their purpose was to try to entice that (at the time) independent republic to rejoin the British empire.


identifier: Williams, Dorothy W  (1999) The Jackie Robinson myth : social mobility and race in Montreal, 1920-1960.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: In 1946, the Brooklyn Dodgers sent Jackie Robinson to their farm team, the Montreal Royals. Robinson had been chosen as the first Black who would break the colour barrier in major league baseball. The Royals were chosen because it was felt that Montreal would provide a more tolerant atmosphere than any American city.  From the beginning, Jackie Robinson was well received on and off the field. He became a lasting source of pride for the city, proof that Montreal had a high degree of racial tolerance. But racial tolerance was not so evident to Blacks living in Montreal. They experienced severe discrimination in jobs, in housing and in the city's social life. Yet, some Blacks of the Robinson era made considerable socio-economic gains. The question is whether their success was the result of Montreal's tolerance or of other factors.  This paper examines two Black Montrealers of the Robinson years. Richard Lord achieved prominence as an engineer, a lawyer, and as a leader of the larger community, a prominence that included service as President of the Quebec Liberal Party. His sister, Gwen Lord, was one the first Black teachers in Montreal, eventually rising to a senior position in the Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal.  At first glance, their stories seem to support the Robinson myth that Montreal was a place where Blacks had an equal chance to achieve social acceptance and economic opportunity. However, this study suggests their success had little to do with an absence of racism and that the perceived climate of tolerance in Montreal was a myth.


identifier: Chow, Douglas  (1999) Straight from the source's mouth? : The 1997 alternative federal budget and the neo-liberal discourse of economy in mainstream news media reportage.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: What little research that is available on dissent in the mainstream news media, for the most part, has suggested that not much room exists for alternatives; the "media barons" do their jobs in a consistent and unfaltering manner. This hypothesis places an exaggerated emphasis on individual or institutional "bias" while overlooking the systemic treatment of social movements. What is more, a blindspot becomes apparent when spaces do open up for oppositional voices. Such is the case for the Canadian Centre For Policy Alternatives and the 1997 Alternative Federal Budget. The question of how the 'economy' is socially constructed remains inadequately addressed. This thesis attempts to expand on the theory of news as discourse, which looks at how the representational codes of news work are situated within the neo-liberal cultural map of the social world.  The thesis ends by pointing out that ideology is never monolithic and all-encompassing. Through contradictions within news organizations, the media themselves generate openings of change. Social movements cannot simply be more accessible to the news net; they must instead organize the media like any other constituency, making it a site of struggle.


identifier: Matiation, Nicole  (1999) A plea for time : northern aboriginal peoples advocate for the right to communicate on the information highway.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis examines events and policy documents between 1993 and 1998 which are pertinent to the development of the information highway in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. The focal event discussed is Connecting the North, an interactive broadcast symposium held in 1994, as it represents a large-scale non-government initiated public consultation which impacted on the federal government's national policy for the information highway. Innis' theory of communications provides a theoretical framework for understanding the importance of infrastructure in determining use and format. Locally, the development of a northern information highway is an important opportunity for northern aboriginal peoples to define how they want to interact with each other, with the rest of Canada and with the world. The development of the northern information highway is discussed in terms of the concepts of self-determination and the right to communicate. Canada's north offers a rare opportunity to examine the role that telecommunications infrastructure plays in determining format, and ultimately content, as well as the role of public policy in ensuring the right to communicate for all citizens.


identifier: Tigkos, Marie  (1998) Media, culture and social change in Quebec : the story of Radio-Canada television in the fifties.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: In this thesis we aim to develop an account of the salient events and circumstances within which the medium of television in the form of the Radio-Canada television network in Quebec developed as a significant social institution and cultural form during the first decade of its existence. Concomitantly, we want to develop an account of television as an embodiment and carrier of capitalist modernity in Quebec, a modernity in which the cultural, political, public and domestic spheres were restructured to meet the demands and needs of the post-war era. Within this larger framework we shall examine the relationship between media and modernity in the first instance, and television's contribution to the democratization of public life and the reformulation of national culture and identity in the second. At the same time, we shall examine institutional developments within Radio-Canada television as well as the conditions that permitted the public broadcaster to create a distinctive and popular television culture.


identifier: Mc Kale, Annick  (1998) Wittgenstein, éthique et esthétique.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

title: Wittgenstein, éthique et esthétique

abstract: Wittgenstein a peu ecrit sur l'ethique et sur l'esthetique. Des le Tracraus, toutefois, les contours d'une ethique et d'une esthetique semblent tout traces. C'est ce que, a la lumiere de quelques ecrits posterieurs de Wittgenstein, cette etude essaye de montrer; elle suggere, de plus, que l'ethique wittgensteinienne, qui est aussi une esthetique, presente des ressemblances avec les ethiques stoicienne, existentialistes (Kierkegaard et Sartre) et bouddhique zen. Cette etude conclue que les vues ethiques et esthetiques que delimite le Tractatus sont consistantes et que Wittgenstein, bien qu'il ne revienne pas sur elles par la suite, ne les reniera pas non plus et cela alors meme qu'il remettra en question des pans entiers de l'ontologie du Tractatus.


identifier: Timotheatos, Angelos  (1999) Universalizability as necessary for objectivity in morality.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: In this dissertation, I wish to defend the claim that ethics, and more properly, morality is involved with providing one with guidelines for action and resolving conflict between people's interests in an objective manner through the universalizability principle.  In chapter one I shall argue against charges of triviality, vacuousness, and the charge that the generalization principle presents one with vague criteria of what would stand for 'criteria of relevant similarity.'  In chapter two I shall argue that Singer's generalization principle is best for objectivity among the different versions of the universalizability principle especially when taken within the context of Singer's complete moral theory.  In chapter three I shall examine how it may be possible for Singer's generalizability principle to overcome charges of being too rigid to be applicable, by allowing for exceptions to its rules, and yet still maintain its level of objectivity, and universality.  I will conclude that Singer's generalization principle and indeed his entire moral theory is the most plausible, and the most necessary, for providing us with practical and objective guidelines(even if the generalization argument is invalidly derived)


identifier: Alam, Hasan  (1999) Real education for the real world : a comparative study of the moral and ethical training of undergraduate commerce and non-commerce students at Concordia University.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This study is an examination of student responses to moral and ethical statements. One hundred and eighty-two undergraduate students were surveyed with the intent to discover any differences on moral sensibilities between commerce and non-commerce students. The study is prefaced by a brief introduction to the issues, as raised by moral philosophy and business theory. The analysis probes issues of moral perception of society and issues of moral choice. The findings suggest a slightly greater propensity of commerce students to be more sceptical of the image of a moral society and a slightly greater propensity to take "moral risks" in comparisons to non-commerce students.


identifier: Ellison, Barry  (1999) The implications of segmented work structures in non-metropolitan Canada.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The present research aims to identify the implications and consequences of changes in work structures on non-metropolitan individuals. With spatial locality as the primary focus, quantitative-aggregate data is used to demonstrate the relevant changes in work structures using a structural segmentation framework. Using labour markets, organizations and individuals as units of analysis, a predefined list of measures are utilized to identify the subsequent impact of segmented work structures on non-metro individuals.


identifier: Saldanha, Tomás  (1999) Early retirement at Teleglobe Canada : a case study.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This is a case study of a random sample of retired employees of Teleglobe Canada Inc. surveyed by questionnaire. Its objective is to investigate the factors that influence their retirement and particularly early retirement decisions. Its focus is to explore whether the group follows the general trends described in the literature and to find out specifically whether such factors as health, retirement income levels, length of service, stress at work and pressure from employer, co-workers and family have a deciding influence. It also examines briefly the contextual work ethic within which such decisions are made and how such ethic has evolved over the times. It finds that the most decisive influences have to do with financial incentives to retire and a worker's sense of having worked long enough, but that health, stress and pressure from others were of limited importance for this group.


identifier: Weir, Jodi  (1999) Performing gender : transgenderism as critique.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This study is a critique of the social construction of gender through examining its performative nature in terms of filmic representations which deviate from the expected gender norms. Focus groups were conducted on M. Butterfly (1993) and Orlando (1992) which were selected because they are recent examples of films which implicitly critique the social binary of gender. Some of the issues addressed in the course of the research include: the ways in which the "rules" of gender and the gender attribution process shape our interaction with others, the ways in which individuals interpret representations of gender which transgress normative gender and how this connects with social reality, how gender transgressions conflict with the gender attribution process, and how gender can be viewed as performance. The conclusions are formulated in terms of connecting the notion of the performative to both filmic and real life representations of gender, as well as in terms of future work to be done in this area. My principal conclusions are that the fluidity and multiplicity of gender identification are reaching the general public, as evidenced by my focus groups, both through the academic sources and the media; and furthermore that this public finds some sympathy for the rejection of the traditional binary and stereotypical model of gender, and instead look at gender in terms of a continuum.


identifier: Lin, Tong  (1998) The effects of sodium cations on rabbit muscle enolase : evidence for the binding of 2PGA to apo-enolase with Na⁺.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Enolase, a dimeric enzyme, in the presence of Mg$\sp{2+}$ catalyzes the reversible dehydration of 2-phospho-D-glycerate (2PGA) to form phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) in the glycolytic pathway. Studies in the inactivation of rabbit muscle enolase by NaClO$\sb4$ show that both Mg$\sp{2+}$ and 2PGA protect the enzyme from the inactivation. The protection provided by Mg$\sp{2+}$ and 2PGA is attributed to a series of interactions between the ligands and the active site residues, and to the interactions throughout the side chains of the secondary elements in the two monomers. However, surprisingly, in the absence of Mg$\sp{2+}$, 2PGA still protects the apo-enolase from inactivation even at high concentrations of metal chelating reagents such as EDTA and EGTA. This is not supposed to occur because, according to the literature, the substrate binds to the enzyme only when a divalent metal ion is bound in the high affinity site I. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy was applied to the apo-enolase sample to identify the trace metal ions, but those trace metal ions are not responsible for the protection of the apo-enolase by 2PGA.  The effects of several inhibitory substrate analogues, phosphoglycolate, phosphonoacetic acid, 3PGA and glycerol 2-phosphate, were characterized. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)


identifier: Gómez-Nesterkín, Ruslán  (1999) The Fourier-Stieltjes transform and absolutely continuous invariant measures.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: We present some results on the existence of absolutely continuous invariant measures (acim's) using the Fourier-Stieltjes transform. We consider the sequence of Perron Frobenius operators $$\{f,P\sb{\tau}f,P\sbsp{\tau}{2}f,P\sbsp{\tau}{3}f,\... ,P\sbsp{\tau}{n}f,\...\},$$induced by the nonsingular transformation $\tau:I\to I,$ with $f \in {\cal L}\sp1$, and the associated sequence of Fourier-Stieltjes transforms$$\{ {\cal F}(F\sb0), {\cal F}(F\sb1), {\cal F}(F\sb2),\...,{\cal F}(F\sb{n}),\...\},$$where $F\sb{n}(x) = f\sbsp{-\infty}{x}\ P\sbsp{\tau}{n}f(u)du$ and ${\cal F}(F\sb{n})(t) = f\sbsp{-\infty}{\infty}\ e\sp{itx}dF\sb{n}(x).$ The main result is: if $\tau$ is piecewise monotonic expanding and ${1\over{{d\over dx}\tau(\cdot)}}$ is a function of bounded variations, then $\tau$ has an acim. Although this is a known result, the method of proof is new and may allow generalizations needed. Finally, we introduce criteria on the Fourier Stieltjes Transforms needed to ensure the existence of acim's.


identifier: Tian, Yongge  (1999) Rank equalities related to generalized inverses of matrices and their applications.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis develops a general method for expressing ranks of matrix expressions that involve the Moore-Penrose inverse, the group inverse, the Drazin inverse, as well as the weighted Moore-Penrose inverse of matrices. Through this method we establish a variety of valuable rank equalities related to generalized inverses of matrices mentioned above. Using them, we characterize many matrix equalities in the theory of generalized inverses of matrices and their applications.


identifier: Cezard, Adélaïde  (1999) Determinants of services expectations : an application to the airline industry.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Understanding consumer expectations is a key to deliver superior services. The role of expectations has received attention in both satisfaction and perceived quality literature domains but no agreement has been reached concerning the nature and formation of expectations. The present study reviewed the antecedents of consumer expectations discussed in the literature and incorporated some of them into a model. Then it looked at the impact of individualism/collectivism on the formation of expectations. Regressions were conducted to see which antecedents influenced expectations. Two different types of expectations were found and results revealed that many antecedents related to external and internal sources of information, values, number of perceived alternatives and other personal characteristics influence one or the two types of expectations. Interesting theoretical and managerial implications were found concerning the proposed model. The study also revealed that differences exist between individualists and collectivists with regard to the formation of expectations; however, the differences were not as expected.


identifier: Huint, Philip  (1999) Managers' reactions to transfer intervention type and information about utility analysis.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The reactions of managers to the proposal of two transfer of training interventions under two types of information criteria was studied. Relapse prevention, an individual transfer intervention model added to a training design, was compared to a proposal to train managers in supervisory support issues, considered an intervention to improve the work environment. Information was provided about research results to justify the transfer proposal as compared to an estimate of returns from the training provided by utility analysis procedures. No statistically significant results were found for either intervention, however, the utility analysis information was not as well received as the research information to justify the intervention. As well, no significant difference in preference was found between the two transfer interventions proposed, however, contrary to the first hypothesis, the supervisory training program seemed to be as likely a choice for managers as relapse prevention training aimed at employees. It would seem from this study that managers realize that the transfer environment is an important factor in transfer of training.


identifier: Liu, Tong  (1999) The determinants of corporate capital structure : evidence from listed companies in China.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: There is a vast amount of literature on corporate financial policy determinants. Whereas existing studies focus on firms in developed countries, there is little work on how firms design their corporate financial policy in emerging markets. This study attempts to fill this gap by analyzing the determinants of capital structure for listed Chinese firms.  We use data from Chinese public firms that were listed on two national stock exchanges during 1992-1997. These data provide us with a unique opportunity to examine the relationship of debt ratio with factors that may affect capital structure. We also study the relationship between ownership structure of equity and leverage.  We find that industry classification influences the capital structure in China. Firms in more asset-intensive industry, such as manufacturing, have more leverage compared to other industries. Debt ratio has a positive relationship with firm size, proportion of tangible assets and growth rate of assets and is negatively related profitability. Evidence suggests that ownership structure is not important in explaining part of the capital structure design of listed Chinese firms.  Overall, the results suggest that factors that influence debt ratio in China are similar to those in developed countries. Consistent with the evidence in developed financial markets, capital structure of listed Chinese firms is impacted by agency and bankruptcy costs.


identifier: Proper, Shay  (1999) Does the market identify potential candidates for addition to the S&P 500 index?  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This paper investigates the markets' capacity to identify the companies that are candidates for addition to the Standard and Poor's 500 Index. A sample of firms likely to be added to the S&P 500 are identified on a date on which the market can anticipate that an S&P 500 member will be removed from the Index and be replaced by another firm. It is referred to as the anticipation date. Specifically, the anticipation date is the date on which the market is certain that the company in question will be removed from the Index. The sample of actual additions is assumed to be the set of potential additions to the Index, and their stock price behaviour is studied on the anticipation date. The objective is to determine if the market incorporates the likelihood of these firms being added to the S&P 500 Index, given that a change in the Index composition is certain in the near future. No evidence of a price reaction is found on the anticipation date, indicating that the market does not identify the potential additions to the Index. Particular emphasis is placed on examining the abnormal price reaction of a sample of additions that originated from the S&P 400 MidCap Index.