43 research outputs found
ESG Due Diligence in a Share Purchase Transaction from an Investor’s Perspective
No full textAbstract
Faculty: Faculty of law
Degree programme: Master’s degree programme
Study track: Commercial law
Author: Getter Villmann
Title: ESG Due Diligence in a Share Purchase Transaction from an Investor’s Perspective
Level: Master’s thesis
Month and year: April 2021
Number of pages: XVIII + 79
Keywords: ESG, ESG due diligence, sustainable investing, mergers and acquisitions
Where deposited: The Helsinki University Library
Additional information: Supervisor: Jukka Mähönen
Abstract:
Sustainable or responsible investing has increased its popularity among investors throughout the last decade. Thus, nowadays, a growing amount of investors systematically include environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors as a part of their investment processes. In the context of a share purchase transaction, ESG integration during the investment phase is best achieved through a comprehensive ESG due diligence review performed by the purchaser to support its investment decision.
This thesis aims to find answers to the following research questions: (i) what are the benefits and drivers for investors to perform an ESG due diligence review; (ii) how is ESG due diligence process conducted; and (iii) what are the effects of ESG due diligence findings to a share purchase agreement and the proposed transaction.
Despite the accompanying financial and time costs, as a conclusion of this thesis, it was identified that performing an ESG due diligence review is beneficial for the investor in several ways. The main benefits of ESG due diligence review are risk mitigation and future ESG related opportunities, impacts on valuation, and higher return opportunities in the long-term perspective. Based on the ESG due diligence findings, an investor can make an informed decision whether to move forward with the share purchase transaction or not. These findings can also be reflected in the share purchase agreement through liability provisions and other terms to help the purchaser mitigate risks. The research suggests that in most cases the ESG integration benefits outweigh the cost issues and other ESG barriers.
As indicated by this thesis, ESG due diligence is often performed with the help of external advisors as a desk review. As there is no clear standardisation concerning relevant ESG issues, the scope of ESG due diligence review depends on what is considered material in each particular case. The materiality of ESG issues depends on various circumstances, inter alia, the sector and location of the investment target, investor’s previous knowledge about the target and investor’s other preferences. The conclusions section of this thesis also includes suggestions on how ESG assessments could be developed in the future
Cryostat for a high-temperature superconducting power cable
No full textCryostat for a high-temperature superconducting power cable, comprising concentric tubes, an annular region between said tubes, wherein a multilayer thermal insulation and getter material for supporting high vacuum conditions are provided in said annular region, and wherein the multilayer insulation comprises reflective layers separated by fibrous spacer material, wherein the fibrous spacer material comprises activated carbon micro-fibers and/or activated carbon nano-fibers. Beneficially the getter material is at least in part embodied in the activated carbon fibers of the fibrous spacer material.Electrical Sustainable EnergyElectrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Scienc
Light-induced atomic desorption in a compact system for ultracold atoms
No full textThis work was supported by the UK EPSRC grant GR/T08272/01 and the Leverhulme Trust Research Project Grant RPG-2013-074. G.S. acknowledges support from a SUPA Advanced Fellowship.In recent years, light-induced atomic desorption (LIAD) of alkali atoms from the inner surface of a vacuum chamber has been employed in cold atom experiments for the purpose of modulating the alkali background vapour. This is beneficial because larger trapped atom samples can be loaded from vapour at higher pressure, after which the pressure is reduced to increase the lifetime of the sample. We present an analysis, based on the case of rubidium atoms adsorbed on pyrex, of various aspects of LIAD that are useful for this application. Firstly, we study the intensity dependence of LIAD by fitting the experimental data with a rate-equation model, from which we extract a correct prediction for the increase in trapped atom number. Following this, we quantify a figure of merit for the utility of LIAD in cold atom experiments and we show how it can be optimised for realistic experimental parameters.Peer reviewe
Health Hazard Evaluation Report: HETA-93-1034-2447: Getter Corporation of America; Cleveland, Ohio
No full textIn response to a request from management, an investigation was begun into occupational exposures to electric and magnetic fields at the Getter Corporation of America (SIC-5065), Cleveland, Ohio. The company manufactured small electronic compounds called getters which are placed inside various vacuum devices such as television picture tubes, infrared image detectors, X-ray image intensifiers, and display devices. At two locations on site the employees were exposed to radiofrequency radiation (RFR) during the manufacturing of the getters. These two locations were the quality control and the technology laboratory areas. The maximum sub-radiofrequency electric and magnetic field levels measured in and around the facility were 1,300 volts per meter and 450 milligauss, respectively. The maximum level of 1,300 volts per meter was measured outside the facility and within the electrical utility's right of way zone. The maximum magnetic field level was measured outside the facility near a fence surrounding a small electrical substation in the rear. The author concludes that there was no health hazard in existence at the time of this study from exposure to electric or magnetic fields
Dooryard; Dirigo-Getter
No full textFalmouth photographer Joanne Arnold who photographs MaineWorks employees for Margo Walsh, its founder is one of the speakers of the 2018 TedxDirigo at University of New England. Also speaking at the event will be: Dr. Deborah Bronk of Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair author of The Big Disconnect, and University of New England president Dr. James D. Herbert
Micro/nano film getters for vacuum maintenance of MEMS
No full textVacuum packaging is very important for some micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) devices to perform their basic functions properly and to enhance their reliability by keeping these devices away from harmful external environment. In order to maintain high vacuum in a cavity of MEMS devices, residual gases and leaking gases must be eliminated by embedded getter materials. Micro/Nano film getters absorbing gases inside the tiny cavity of MEMS packaging were introduced in this paper. The fabrication and characterization of micro/nano getters for MEMS applications were also presented. Various kinds of patterned getter films were prepared for different MEMS applications. The activation temperature and sorption capacity of the non-evaporable getter (NEG[1]) films was investigated. The formation of micro/nano films on the inner surface of MEMS devices is totally compatible with Si-based MEMS process and illustrates the applicability of the technique in vacuum maintenance of MEMS devices.Materials Science, MultidisciplinaryCPCI-S(ISTP)
Translation and Meaning Making: A Critical Study of a Multilingual Performance in “The Voice Russia”
No full textAbstractThe paper explores the meaning making potential of incorporating translation in a multilingual performance. Drawing evidence from the multilingual performance of “Soldat” (“Soldier”) by Dilyara Vagapova in blind auditions of the vocal contest “The Voice Russia” (“Golos”) and ethnographic data, it demonstrates that resorting to a language unfamiliar to the audience can serve as an attention-getter, enhance the musical component of the song, and construct the performer's ethnic identity
Using Artificial Intelligence in Personnel Recruitment and Selection
No full textMuutused maailma ja Eesti tööjõuturul toovad kaasa ka muutuseid personali valdkonna spetsialistide töös, muu hulgas ka värbamis- ja valikuprotsessi meetodites. Personalitöötajate töökoormus on suur ning ajapuudus ning rööprähklemine takistavad nende tööd. Suure töökoormuse juures on vajadus väiksema ressursiga hakkama saada ning korduvad tööprotsessid masina abil teostada, et alles jääks vaid need protsessid, kus inimese kohalolek on vältimatu. Uued tehnoloogilised lahendused, sealhulgas tehisintellektil põhinevad lahendused, aitavadki värbamises tööprotsesse automatiseerida ja kvaliteetsemaks muuta. Üks peamistest värbamisalastest väljakutsetest tänapäeval on aga värbajate vähene teadlikkus erinevatest võimalustest ja kanalitest, mida värbamises kasutada saaks, selleks, et protsessi lihtsustada ning teistest tööpakkujatest eristuda.
Lõputöö eesmärk oli välja selgitada tehisintellekti kasutamise praktikad personali värbamisel ja valikul Eesti personalitöötajate hinnangul, et jagada valmisoleku korral tehisintellekti rakendamiseks personali värbamise- ja valiku protsessis soovitusi. Lõputöö uurimisobjektiks olid Eesti ettevõtete personalitöötajad. Uurimisülesannete täitmiseks viidi läbi kvantitatiivne kaardistusuuring. Andmekogumise instrumendiks oli neljast osast koosnev ankeetküsimustik, mis koostati uurimistöö autori poolt toetudes teoreetilistele lähtekohtadele. Küsimustiku valim moodustati Eesti ettevõtete personalispetsialistidest, kes puutuvad oma töös kokku uute töötajate värbamise- ja valikuga. Uuringu lõplikuks valimiks kujunes 41 vastajat.
Teoreetilistele materjalidele tuginedes anti ülevaade personali värbamise ja valiku olemusest, protsessist ja tehisintellekti kasutamise võimalustest ning selgitati välja tehisintellekti kasutamise eelised, puudused ja eetilised probleemid personali värbamisel ja valikul. Tehisintellektil põhinevad lahendused värbamises ja valikus aitavad värbamise- ja valiku protsessi optimiseerida ja samaaegselt mitut ülesannet täita. Tehisintellektil põhineva värbamise all mõeldakse kõiki protseduure, kus kasutatakse tehisintellekti assisteeriva vahendina värbamise ja valikuprotsessi jooksul. Tehisintellekti kasutusvõimalusi on igas värbamis- ja valikuprotsessi etapis ja see on värbajale kui assistent ja nõuandja, kes tema aega kokku hoides võimaldab värbajal tegeleda strateegilise planeerimise ja kandidaatidega parema suhte loomisega. Tehisintellekti kasutamine aitab teha objektiivsemaid otsuseid, kiirendada protsessi ja meelitada ligi kandidaate, kelleni muidu töökuulutus ei jõuaks. Protsess kiireneb ka kandidaadi jaoks ning võimaldab vähendada kandideerimisega kaasnevat stressi. Tähelepanu tuleb aga pöörata sellele, et häid kandidaate ei jäetaks välja valedel põhjustel ning säiliks inimlik kontakt ja vastastikune suhtlus. Kui tehisintellektil põhinevate lahenduste kasutamine elimineerib ühed eetilised probleemid (inimlik kallutatus, kandidaatide kaotsi minek, liiga pikk ooteaeg jms), siis esile kerkivad uued riskid: algoritmiline kallutatus võib suurendada diskrimineerimist, tekkida võib võimu asümmeetria, kandidaadi privaatsus väheneb, tekib vastutuse ebaselgus ja otsused on tehtud tõestamata korrelatsioonide põhjal. Need on probleemid, millele on oluline tähelepanu pöörata ja tehisintellektil põhinevate lahenduste kasutamist põhjalikumalt läbi teadusuuringute uurida.
Lõputöös kaardistati ja analüüsiti tehisintellekti kasutamist personali värbamisel ja valikul Eesti personalitöötajate seas ning nende hinnanguid tehisintellekti kasutamise eeliste ja puuduste ning võimalike takistuste kohta. Uuringu tulemustest selgus, et uuringus osalejad kasutasid keskmiselt 4,32 erinevat tehisintellekti lahendust. Kõige rohkem kasutati tekstiloome lahendusi, suunatud reklaami, automatiseeritud kirjavahetust ning teste oskuste ja isiksuse hindamiseks. Peamised tehisintellektil põhinevad lahendused, mida kavatsetakse tulevikus kasutada, on samuti tekstiloome lahendused ning automatiseeritud kirjavahetus. Oluline on katsetada erinevaid lahendusi vastavalt oma organisatsiooni vajadustele.
Tehisintellekti lahenduste kasutamise suurimateks eelisteks peeti värbaja aja kokkuhoidu, värbamis- ja valikuprotsessi kiirenemist ning paremat kandidaadikogemust. Tehisintellekti lahenduste kasutamise suurimateks puudusteks peeti, et tehisintellekti soovituste põhjal otsuste tegemise alused on teaduslikult tõestamata, tehisintellekti kasutamine muudab värbamise impersonaalseks ning tehisintellekt jätab head kandidaadid valedel alustel kõrvale. Nende teadvustamine aitab vältida kallutatust, tagada otsuste objektiivsus, kandidaatide eetiline kohtlemine ning positiivne kandidaadikogemus. Kõige suuremateks takistusteks, miks uuringus osalejate arvates värbajad tehisintellektil põhinevaid lahendusi oma organisatsiooni värbamis- ja valikuprotsessis ei ole kasutanud, peeti digioskuste madalat taset ning rahaliste vahendite piiratust. Tähelepanu tuleb pöörata personalitöötajate digioskuste arendamisele ning paigutada rahalist ressurssi värbamis- ja valikuprotsessi, et pikas perspektiivis säilitada ettevõtte konkurentsivõime uute töötajate leidmisel. Peamised põhjused, miks vastajad tehisintellektil põhinevaid lahendusi tulevikus kasutaksid, on aja kokkuhoid ning värskemate ideede saamine. Vastajate arvates aitavad tehisintellektil põhinevad lahendused teha kiiremaid otsuseid, muudavad värbamis- ja valikuprotsessi efektiivsemaks läbi automatiseerimise ning sellest tulenev aja kokkuhoid võimaldab rohkem panustada sisulistele teemadele, kandidaadiga suhtlemisele ja ka värbava juhi toetamisele.
Lõputööks seatud eesmärk ja püstitatud uurimisülesanded said täidetud. Töö autor edastab uuringu tulemused nendele küsimustikule vastajatele, kes selleks soovi avaldasid.The final thesis has been written on the topic of Using Artificial Intelligence in Personnel Recruitment and Selection.
The workload of HR professionals is high and their work is hindered by the lack of time and need to multitask. Therefore it is necessary to manage with fewer resources and to perform repetitive work processes with the help of a machine, so that only those processes remain where the presence of a person is unavoidable. New technological solutions, including solutions based on artificial intelligence (AI), help to automate and improve the quality of work processes in personnel recruitment and selection. However, one of the main challenges today is the lack of awareness among recruiters about the different options and channels that can be used in recruitment in order to simplify the process and stand out from other employers.
Solutions based on artificial intelligence in recruitment and selection help to optimize the recruitment and selection process and perform multiple tasks simultaneously. Recruitment based on AI refers to all procedures where artificial intelligence is used as an assistive tool during the recruitment and selection process. Artificial intelligence can be used at every stage of the recruitment and selection process. It acts as an assistant and advisor to the recruiter, saving their time and allowing the recruiter to engage with ohter tasks, such as strategic planning and building a better relationship with candidates. The use of artificial intelligence enables to make more objective decisions, speed up the recruitment and selection process and to attract candidates who would otherwise not be reached. However, attention must be paid to ensure that good candidates are not excluded for the wrong reasons and that human contact and mutual communication are maintained. Even though the use of solutions based on AI eliminate some ethical problems (cognitive bias, long waiting time, etc.), new risks emerge: algorithmic bias can increase discrimination, power asymmetry can arise, candidate privacy decreases and decisions are made based on unproven correlations. These are issues that are important to highlight when exploring the use of AI-based solutions more thoroughly through scientific research.
The aim of this thesis is to identify the practices of using artificial intelligence in the recruitment and selection process among Estonian HR professionals, in order to share recommendations for the application of artificial intelligence in the recruitment and selection process.
In order to achieve the aim, the author has stipulated following research tasks:
• to provide an overview of the recruitment and selection process and possibilities of the usage of artificial intelligence in the recruitment and selection process based on theoretical materials;
• based on theoretical materials, find out the advantages, disadvantages and ethical problems of using artificial intelligence in personnel recruitment and selection process;
• develop a methodology in order to conduct empirical research;
• to map and analyze the usage of artificial intelligence in personnel recruitment and selection process among Estonian HR professionals;
• to map and analyze Estonian HR professionals´ assessments about the advantages, disadvantages and possible obstacles of using AI in the recruitment and selection process;
• draw conclusions and give recommendations to Estonian HR professionals for better application of artificial intelligence in recruitment and selection process.
Empirical research was conducted among HR professionals of Estonian companies, who are involved in recruiting and selecting new employees. A questionnaire was used as a quantitative research method. The questionnaire consisted of four parts and was created by the author of the thesis based on theoretical sources. The final sample consisted of 41 respondents.
The results of the study revealed that the study participants used an average of four different artificial intelligence based solutions. Text generating solutions, targeted advertising, automated correspondence and tests to assess skills and personality were the most used. The main solutions based on AI that are intended to be used in the future are also text generating solutions and automated correspondence. The greatest advantages of using AI solutions were considered to be time saving for the recruiter, speeding up the recruitment and selection process and providing a better candidate experience. The biggest disadvantages of using AI solutions were considered to be that the bases for making decisions based on artificial intelligence recommendations are scientifically unproven, the use of AI makes recruitment impersonal, and AI discards good candidates on the wrong grounds. Low level of digital skills and limited financial resources were considered to be the biggest obstacles why recruiters have not used AI-based solutions in their organization's recruitment and selection process. The main reasons why respondents would use AI-based solutions in the future are saving time and getting fresher ideas. According to the respondents, solutions based on AI enable to make faster decisions, make the recruitment and selection process more efficient through automation, and the resulting time savings allow HR professionals to invest more time in substantive tasks, communication with the candidate, and also supporting the hiring manager
TPR of Pd/MnO2 and Pd/Fe2O3 systems - effects of hydrogen spillover
No full textTemperature programmed reduction of Pd/MnO2 and Pd/Fe2O3 systems were investigated. The results show that the presence of Pd lowers the reduction temperature of MnO2 and Fe2O3 due to hydrogen spillover from Pd to the oxides. Thus developed oxygen getter Pd/MnO2 can be regenerated at lower temperature and can absorb more oxygen at room temperature than the traditional oxygen getter.Chemistry, PhysicalSCI(E)CPCI-S(ISTP)
Removal of oxygen and nitrogen from niobium by external gettering
No full textExternal gettering has a potential to remove interstitial gaseous impurities from solid niobium even below 1500K. The oxygen concentration in the deposit and the Nb bulk is evaluated by a combination of material thermodynamics and mass balance. The removal of oxygen and nitrogen was experimentally studied by using Ti, Y, Zr, Al and Si. Titanium deposited smoothly on the Nb surface in vacuum, and absorbed the gaseous impurities most efficiently. By applying Ti as an external getter on commercial niobium at 1463K, the residual resistivity ratio (RRR) reached 780. The oxygen distribution was calculated by combining thermodynamics and diffusion data. The experimental deoxidation rate was found to be slower than the calculated value. This may be attributed to the slow growth of the deposited layer, its morphology, and the interdiffused Ti-Nb alloy layer
