Research Methodology: Business and Management Contexts is a book for business and management students required to take a course in research methodology at an undergraduate level. The title provides a practical guide to research with examples that are relevant to South Africa and includes steps on how to write a conclusion and make recommendations.

Specialty Optical Fibers reviews theoretical and experimental photonic research relevant to the synthesis, processing, characterization, modeling, physical features, and applications of Specialty Optical Fibers (SOFs) with significant technological impact potential. All fiber-based advanced photonics device components rely on specialty optical fibers, which have either a unique waveguide structure or a novel material composition. High power optical amplifiers, high power fiber, and novel fabrication techniques for optical fiber design have enabled significant technological advances. The book provides discussion on these applications including current research directions, future opportunities and remaining challenges.Specialty Optical Fibers is suitable for researchers in academia and practitioners in R&D working in the subject areas of materials science, electrical engineering, and fiber optics.

Progress in Brain Research serial highlights new advances in the field with this new volume presenting interesting chapters. Each chapter is written by an international board of authors.

Esta extraordinaria colección de parábolas e historias continúa el camino del El Alquimista para guiar a sus lectores hacia la reflexión y el autoconocimiento. Dice Paulo Coehlo: «Maktub no es un libro de consejos, sino un intercambio de experiencias». De uno de los autores más leídos de nuestra era, llega este imperdible clásico contemporáneo. Maktub --que en árabe significa «está escrito»-- surge de la colaboración de Paulo Coelho con el imporante periódico brasilero Folha de S. Paulo, donde por un año publicó una columna diaria con el mismo nombre. Cada una de estas historias, inspiradas por las tradiciones, el folclor y la sabiduría de distintas culturas de todo el mundo, invita a los lectores a emprender un viaje de fe, autorreflexión y transformación. Un camino que nos enseñará a ver el mundo de otras maneras y a conectarnos con nuestra propia humanidad, colectiva e individual. «Todos los caminos van al mismo lugar. Pero escoge el tuyo, y ve hasta el final. No intentes recorrer todos los caminos» --de Maktub. Esta lectura sencilla, amena e inspiradora captará el interés de lectores de todas las edades e intereses, ya sea que busquen una continuación para El Alquimista o quieran adentrarse por primera vez en el maravilloso mundo de uno de los narradores más queridos de nuestro tiempo. ---- "Maktub is not a book of advice - but an exchange of experiences." --Paulo Coelho From one of the greatest writers of our age comes a collection of stories and parables unlocking the mysteries human condition. Gathered from Paulo Coelho's daily column of the same name, Maktub, meaning "it is written," invites seekers on a journey of faith, self-reflection, and transformation. Each story offers an illuminated path to see life and the lives of our fellow people around the world in new ways--to tap into universal truths about our collective and individual humanity. "A man who seeks only the light, while shirking his responsibilities, will never find illumination. And one who keep his eyes fixed upon the sun... ends up blind." - From The Maktub Paulo Coelho is one of the most beloved storytellers of our time and these short, inspirational pieces will engage seekers of all ages and backgrounds.

"Innovative Approaches for Difficult-to-Treat Populations" makes recommendations for developing and disseminating innovative mental health services. It is geared toward clinicians, administrators, and policy-makers struggling to develop both clinically effective and cost-effective mental health and substance abuse services, and it focuses on services for individuals who use the highest proportion of mental health resources and for whom traditional services have not been effective. These target populations include youth with serious behavioral and emotional disturbances and adults with severe and persistent mental illnesses.

The innovative approaches reviewed include diverse treatment methods for differing clinical populations. These varied approaches have several common elements: Social-ecological theory frameworks An emphasis on delivering flexible, comprehensive, pragmatic, and goal-oriented interventions in persons& rsquo; natural environments Increased accountability on the part of service providers The transition from centralized to community-based care is discussed, and normalizing a patient& rsquo;s daily routine as an important factor in the success of state-of-the-art community support programs is emphasized

"Innovative Approaches for Difficult-to-Treat Populations" offers mental health professionals and students a firsthand look at the future direction of clinical services. Policy issues necessary to developing and disseminating progressive treatments are addressed, including the downsizing of state psychiatric hospitals, strategies for reforming state mental hospital systems, and ethical issues in research on child and adolescent mental disorders.

Developing Cybersecurity Programs and Policies is a complete guide to establishing a cyber security program and governance in your organization. In this book, you will learn how to create cyber security policies, standards, procedures, guidelines, and plans-and the differences among them. You will also learn how threat actors are launching attacks against their victims-compromising confidentiality, integrity, and availability of systems and networks. Santos starts by providing an overview of cybersecurity policy and governance, and how to create cybersecurity policies and develop a cybersecurity framework. He then provides details about governance, risk management, asset management, and data loss prevention.    Learn how to: Respond to incidents and ensure continuity of operations Comply with laws and regulations, including GLBA, HIPAA/HITECH, FISMA, state data security and notification rules, and PCI DSS Systematically identify, prioritize, and manage cyber security risks and reduce social engineering (human) risks with role-based Security Education, Awareness, and Training (SETA) Incorporate human resources, physical, and environmental security as important elements of your cybersecurity program. Implement appropriate security controls in the cloud, often using automation Understand Identity and Access Management (IAM) This book includes: Practical, hands-on exercises related to several key topics to defend various cloud workloads operating in the different CSP models: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS), and Functions as a Service (FaaS) Covers NIST Cyber Security Framework and ISO/IEC 27000-series standards

The epic story of the complex, sensual, tragic, and remarkable life of a legendary Puerto Rican madam

Born into poverty and then abandoned by her mother, Isabel "La Negra" Luberza blossoms into a supremely sensual young woman. Obsessed with attaining aristocratic status--armed with incredible physical presence, indomitable ambition, and keen intelligence--she meets Fernando FornarIs, the man who will forever change her life. With a parcel of land given to her by her rich, white married lover, Isabel transforms herself into a hard-edged and merciless businesswoman--abandoning her own newborn son to become Puerto Rico's most feared and respected madam, a collector of society's secrets, a queen of the notorious brothel that emerges as the island's true political and economic heart.

Set against the rich backdrop of the Caribbean and the United States during the tumultuous years of World War II, Mayra Santos-Febres's "Our Lady of the Night" is a breathtaking novel of passion, power, and the devastating price of achieving everything one wishes for.

If you are looking for the intersection of past practices, current thinking, and future insights into the ever-expanding world of entrepreneurship education, then you will want to read and explore the fifth edition of the Annals of Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy. Prepared under the auspices of the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE), this edited volume covers a broad range of scholarly, practical, and thoughtful perspectives on a compelling range of entrepreneurship education issues. The fifth edition spans topics ranging from innovative practices in facilitating entrepreneurship teaching and learning inside and outside the classroom, learning innovation, and model programs, to the latest research from top programs and thought leaders in entrepreneurship. Moreover, the fifth edition builds on previous editions as it continues to investigate critical issues in designing, implementing, and assessing experiential learning techniques in the field of entrepreneurship. This contemporary volume provides insights and challenges in the development of entrepreneurship education for students, educators, mentors, community leaders, and more. Annals of Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy - 2023 is a must-have book for any entrepreneurship professor, scholar, or program director dedicated to advancing entrepreneurship education in the US and around the world.

In recent years, smart devices have become commonplace in our daily lives. On the internet of things (IoT), these devices powered new intelligent services. Their application enabled the rise of intelligent cities, smart agriculture, and Industry 4.0. However, smart devices collect and share large amounts of data, including the habits and preferences of their users. Cybersecurity incidents in intelligent environments may impact services used by millions across the world and make private information public. Information Security and Privacy in Smart Devices: Tools, Methods, and Applications presents research challenges, innovative insights, and trends related to solutions, methods, processes, and applications for maintaining information security and privacy in intelligent environments. Covering topics such as information retrieval methods, electronic health records, and misinformation detection, this premier reference source is an excellent resource for security professionals, government officials, business leaders and executives, IT managers, hospital administrators, students of higher education, librarians, researchers, and academicians.

Claudia Garcia crossed the border because her toddler, Natalia, could not hear. Leaving behind everything she knew in Mexico, Claudia recounts the terror of migrating alone with her toddler and the incredible challenges she faced advocating for her daughter's health in the United States. When she arrived in Texas, Claudia discovered that being undocumented would mean more than just an immigration status--it would be a way of living, of mothering, and of being discarded by even those institutions we count on to care. Elizabeth Farfan-Santos spent five years with Claudia. As she listened to Claudia's experiences, she recalled her own mother's story, another life molded by migration, the US-Mexico border, and the quest for a healthy future on either side. Witnessing Claudia's struggles with doctors and teachers, we see how the education and medical systems enforce undocumented status and perpetuate disability. At one point, in the midst of advocating for her daughter, Claudia suddenly finds herself struck by debilitating pain. Claudia is lifted up by her comadres, sent to the doctor, and reminded why she must care for herself. A braided narrative that speaks to the power of stories for creating connection, this book reveals what remains undocumented in the motherhood of Mexican women who find themselves making impossible decisions and multiple sacrifices as they build a future for their families.

To follow the macroeconomic scenario in which the entities are inserted, financial reporting is constantly evolving. In addition to the topics that need to be considered, there is also an evolution in how the report itself is produced and analyzed where technological developments exert a permanent influence on the process. Several of the trending topics do not fall within the jurisdiction of the competent authorities. The needs of the users of the report also influence the form and content of the report as an element that also changes over time. Accounting and Financial Reporting Challenges for Government, Non-Profits, and the Private Sector addresses the latest accounting topics and their practical and educational relations with local and international regulations, standards, and practices. It deals with new challenges and trends in accounting and reporting for organizations from different institutional sectors, including private, public, and non-profit ones. Covering topics such as creative accounting, financial reporting, and stakeholder participation, this premier reference source is an excellent resource for accountants, government officials, business leaders, managers, policymakers, students and educators of higher education, librarians, researchers, and academicians.

The growth of companies' online presences is an unquestionable reality. However, not everything goes online, and the physical presences of companies continue to exist, with the physical retail point of sale as a place for experimentation and immediate consumption, brand showroom, and support for online sales, which are fundamental to the shopping experience. Managing a retail point of sale implies acting on several fronts, bearing in mind the market requirements, the point of sale's brand strategy, the strategies of the brands being sold, and all other aspects related to the management of a business, while considering the specificities of a retail point of sale. Management and Marketing for Improved Retail Competitiveness and Performance provides knowledge and skills to allow readers to understand and apply the different concepts, techniques, and tools to manage a retail point of sale in the various aspects of a business. Covering key topics such as advertising, client loyalty, and merchandising, this premier reference source is ideal for business owners, managers, marketers, researchers, scholars, academicians, practitioners, instructors, and students.

Despite the evolution of corporate governance in the last 30 years, corporate scandals have not stopped appearing in the media and academic documents. Therefore, this book presents a multidisciplinary study of corporate governance, as its mechanisms to reduce conflicts of interest and risk management must act as preventers of ethical and financial problems. The number of corporate scandals began to grow in the 1960s and peaked in the 1990s. From the first decade of the 2000s onwards, a remarkable evolution has taken place in the regulation market. However, new scandals continued to take place including the Subprime Crisis of 2008. New concepts such as corporate social responsibility (CRS), independence, gender diversity, and shell companies were incorporated. Until 2008 the scandals were mainly financial. Now, cases of corruption, environmental accidents, unsafe working conditions, child labor, and the political influence of power are increasing, which this book intends to address. It is critical to explore methodologies that allow collaboration among companies, regulatory entities, and those that guide their behavior and to ensure that they are consistent with the values of ethics, legality, disclosure, social responsibility, and accountability. Addressing Corporate Scandals and Transgressions Through Governance and Social Responsibility examines the tools of management and control that can be used as enforcement mechanisms of corporate governance and social responsibility and provides critical research on how to improve, discuss, and develop theories around fraud, corruption, ethics, corporate governance, and corporate social responsibility. Covering topics such as corporate scandal, human rights, and business fraud, this publication is ideal for corporate governance and social responsibility professionals such as accountants, auditors, tax officers, counsellors, directors, and managers as well as researchers, investors, and regulatory bodies and authorities.

Harley, a retired military service dog, is starting a new life with the Lacey family, but when he arrives, he discovers he has a new sibling; a tiny, bushy tailed, tri-coloured cat called Lucy. Will the local developers' plans to tear down the Old Ashley Place marshlands to build condos on unite the two? Can they settle their differences in time to save the marshland . . . and can cats and dogs ever become true friends?