@misc{OPUS4-2086, title = {15/2024 F{\"u}nfte {\"A}nderungssatzung zur Pr{\"u}fungsordnung f{\"u}r den Bachelorstudiengang Mechanical Engineering B.Sc. der Fakult{\"a}t Technologie und Bionik an der Hochschule Rhein-Waal vom 02.08.2024}, volume = {2024}, number = {15}, organization = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20862}, pages = {3}, language = {de} } @misc{vanLeuvenLucassenDicksetal., author = {van Leuven, Nicole and Lucassen, Ralf and Dicks, Anna and Braß, Patrick and Lipski, Andr{\´e} and Bockm{\"u}hl, Dirk}, title = {Does antibiotic use contribute to biofilm resistance in sink drains? A case study from four German hospital wards.}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20820}, abstract = {As biofilms are known to harbour (multi-)resistant species, their presence in health settings must be considered critical. Although there is evidence that bacteria spread from drains to the outside, there is still a lack of research data focusing on drain biofilms from hospitals. We sampled biofilms from various wards of Helios Hospital Krefeld (Germany), where comprehensive antibiotic consumption data were available. Biofilms were analysed by cell counting, isolation of relevant bacterial groups and genetic and phenotypical resistance parameters. Data were correlated with the prescribed antibiotics of the respective ward. Furthermore, an ex-situ biofilm model was employed to investigate the influence of sub-inhibitory antibiotics on the bacterial community and the prevalence of class 1 integrons. Our results show, that every ward harboured medically relevant bacterial species. While no significant differences were found in cell counts, the median prevalence of the resistance marker gene intI1 correlated with the amount of prescribed antibiotics. In contrast, phenotypical resistances showed no similar tendency. In addition, melting curve analysis data and changes in intI1 prevalence show that the composition of the bacterial community shifted depending on the biofilm and antibiotic. Based on our results we conclude, that sub-inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics have no general effect on biofilms in terms of bacterial community shift and occurrence of antibiotic resistant species. The effect depends on the initial composition of the bacterial community, the antibiotic used and the intrinsic bacterial resistance e.g. prevalence of class 1 integrons.}, language = {en} } @misc{OPUS4-2080, title = {14/2024 Zweite {\"A}nderungssatzung zur Pr{\"u}fungsordnung f{\"u}r den Masterstudiengang Biological Resources an der Fakult{\"a}t Life Sciences vom 04.09.2024}, volume = {2024}, number = {14}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20800}, pages = {3}, language = {de} } @masterthesis{Paradis, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Paradis, Fabian}, title = {Innovation and Digital Transformation: Reshaping the Future of Food Retail}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20748}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, pages = {61}, abstract = {The aim of this bachelor thesis is to find out how the future of food retail will be influenced by digital technologies and innovations in this market. For that purpose the following research question ‚How do new technologies and innovations impact grocery retailers' will be answered. In order to do that a qualitative literature review has been performed. The majority of the literature is relatively new and deals with topics such as digitalization methods, business models, and innovative technologies. In addition to that, examples of companies that already apply such technologies have been presented in this thesis. The qualitative study shows, that companies operating in the field of grocery retailing are deeply affected by digital changes. The pressure from e-commerce startups as well as the adaption to customer needs forces participants in the market to innovate faster in digital technologies with large monetary investments. The results demonstrate that companies have to plan the implementation of digital technologies strategically in order to stay competitive in the market. On this basis, it is recommended, that companies make use of theoretical approaches to plan and outline future investments.}, language = {en} } @masterthesis{Celik, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Celik, Sizel}, title = {Virtual Influencers in Brand Management: A comparison between human and artificial Influencers}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20735}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, pages = {53}, abstract = {This Bachelor Thesis examines the impact of Virtual Influencers (VIs) on Brand Management by comparing them with Human Influencers (HIs) in various dimensions. The research question is: "What impact can Virtual Influencers have on Brand Management?". The aim is to identify the advantages and disadvantages of VIs from a Brand Management perspective. The research utilizes a literature review and comparison to evaluate key dimensions such as authenticity, credibility, engagement, diversity, flexibility and Marketing effectiveness. The results show that VIs offer significant benefits, including flexibility, adaptability, diversity, high engagement rates, increased brand awareness and cost-effectiveness. VIs can operate without time, location or health restrictions and can be precisely customized to the brand strategy. They also achieve higher engagement rates, especially with sponsored posts, and can effectively increase brand visibility and recognition. However, the study also identifies several challenges associated with VIs. These include authenticity issues, as VIs do not have real-life experiences, making it difficult to develop real emotional connections with followers. In addition, VIs may struggle to gain credibility when promoting physical products and may not be as effective at generating purchase intention as HIs. The reduced parasocial interactions and initial distrust of users are also notable drawbacks. Overall, the research concludes that while VIs offer great potential for Brand Management and bring unique benefits, brands need to carefully consider the challenges associated with them. Integrating VIs into Marketing strategies requires addressing authenticity and emotional connection issues to maximize their effectiveness in influencing consumer behavior and building trust-based relationships.}, language = {en} } @masterthesis{Varma, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Varma, Soyjaudah}, title = {Analysis and Forecast of Tourism Market 2024: An application of Tourism Area Lifecycle Model to Mauritius Island}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, abstract = {The study aims to address the gap in understanding the future of tourism in Mauritius, which leads to a lack of effective strategic and resource planning. This is achieved by finding the current and future direction of tourism of Mauritius based on the Tourism Area Lifecycle (TALC) model and performing an analysis to forecast the tourism market for year 2024. Data was collected from annual reports, budget speech reports and statistical reports from various Mauritian government official websites and newspaper research. The TALC model and time series statistical methods of forecasting were employed to understand tourism evolution stages and predict future tourist traffic in Mauritius. Results demonstrated that Mauritius is actually in a second Rejuvenation phase and can soon enter the Stagnation phase of the TALC model with a forecasted tourist arrival of approximately 31,857 by sea, 1,298,655 by air and on average 108,500 total monthly tourist arrivals by air by end of year 2024. The findings reflect the importance of sustainable and efficient tourism practices and strategic planning and provides a model for policy makers, tourism stakeholders, the Government and for other island destinations aiming to understand their tourism development and prepare for future challenges and opportunities in their tourism sector.}, language = {en} } @masterthesis{FopaMamene, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Fopa Mamene, Morelle}, title = {Secure Access Service Edge (SASE): Architecture, Implementation, and Performance Evaluation}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20700}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, pages = {72}, abstract = {In today's digitally evolving world, companies are faced with modern problems like data breaches, ensuring seamless and secured access to their cloud-based assets, and the decongestion of routed traffic to their data centres which are all problems related to the ongoing digital evolution. This thesis examines the topic of Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), which is a zero-trust framework combining cutting-edge network security technologies with software-defined connectivity, and evaluates the effectiveness of its core components, such as Software Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN), Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), Secure Web Gateway (SWG), and Firewall as a Service (FWaaS), in creating a secure, fast, and reliable corporate network infrastructure. The conclusions obtained in this document are a result of analysing the network architecture of Uniper, a global company in the energy sector which produces and delivers energy, and recently shifted its resources to the cloud by adopting SASE. The outcome of the analysis revealed that, SASE indeed enhances users' experience and provides several benefits to the company's network connectivity like reduced latency, connections redundancy, and improved bandwidth. Going through this document will help understand how SASE components can work to provide a revolutionary solution to companies through a proposed implementation roadmap, and how SASE compares to traditional network security models like Virtual Private Network (VPN) and Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS).}, language = {en} } @masterthesis{Zhou, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Zhou, Shangkuan}, title = {The double shock of new food packaging policies and the COVID-19 pandemic}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20452}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, pages = {143}, abstract = {The COVID-19 crisis has profoundly affected the world, and at the same time, with the implementation of new packaging act in Germany, the relevant organizations must respond. One example is related to the German food packaging industry, where small and mediumsized enterprises were affected and had to adopt strategic responses. The previous literature on crisis management is still immature in terms of strategic responses to the crisis of this double shock. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to analyze how smes in the singleuse take-away food packaging industry in the German food packaging industry respond to the double shock of the COVID-19 pandemic and the new packaging policies. Thus, the specific strategy and theory of the food packaging industry facing the double shocks are analyzed and discussed. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with operators and top managers of singleuse food packaging companies using a multi-case study approach. Cross-case analysis identified common strategic responses such as Retrenchment, Persevering innovation, exit, and cooperation to address challenges posed by shocks. Crisis management frameworks were developed based on integrated strategic responses. Companies in the food packaging industry strategically combine these responses rather than employing them in isolation, enabling related enterprises to thrive and progress amidst crises. This study makes a supplement to the field of strategic response in the field of crisis management.}, language = {en} } @misc{LennarzMai, author = {Lennarz, Hannah Katharina and Mai, Julia}, title = {Gef{\"u}hlsbarometer}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20686}, abstract = {Das Gef{\"u}hlsbarometer ist ein p{\"a}dagogisches Instrument, das Kindern helfen soll, ihre Gef{\"u}hle besser zu verstehen und zu kommunizieren. Mit Hilfe eines einfachen visuellen Systems k{\"o}nnen Kinder ihre momentane Gef{\"u}hlslage auf einer Skala von 0 „gar nicht gut" bis 10 "sehr gut" einordnen und verbalisieren. Diese Methode schafft nicht nur ein Bewusstsein f{\"u}r die eigene emotionale Befindlichkeit, sondern bietet auch einen Einstieg in den Dialog zwischen Kindern und Eltern bzw. Kindern und P{\"a}dagog*innen. Das Gef{\"u}hlsbarometer wurde als praktischer T{\"u}rh{\"a}nger entworfen, der sowohl in Bildungseinrichtungen als auch zu Hause verwendet werden kann. F{\"u}r einen dauerhaften Einsatz sollte das Schild auf stabileres Papier mit mindestens 200 g/m² gedruckt werden. Die Bastelanleitung f{\"u}r das Gef{\"u}hlsbarometer wurde f{\"u}r Kinder im Alter von 8 bis 12 Jahren entwickelt, ist einfach umzusetzen und kann bei Bedarf flexibel an verschiedene Altersgruppen angepasst werden.}, language = {de} } @masterthesis{Achu, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Achu, Maxwell Tchoffo}, title = {Assessing the Viability of Cassava and Corn-Derived Bioethanol to Enhance Sustainable Energy Transition and Energy Security in the West African Region}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20668}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, abstract = {This thesis assesses the viability of cassava and corn/maize-derived bioethanol to enhance sustainable energy transition and energy security in the West African region. With the region facing significant energy challenges, including reliance on fossil fuels, limited access to electricity and high energy costs, bioethanol offers a promising alternative. The study evaluates the physical feasibility, yield differences, resource requirements, environmental impact, and socioeconomic implications of using these crops for bioethanol production. A comprehensive methodology involving laboratory experiments and literature review is employed. Results demonstrate that cassava has a higher bioethanol yield than maize, with more efficient enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation processes. Additionally, cassava's adaptability to marginal lands, lower water usage, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions make it a more sustainable feedstock. Economically, cassava-based bioethanol production is more cost-effective and has better market integration due to the established supply chain in the region. However, the social implications, particularly food security concerns necessitate careful consideration and the development of integrated food and fuel production systems. The study concludes that cassava holds significant potential for bioethanol production in West Africa, providing a sustainable economically viable solution for the region's energy needs. Recommendations are made for policymakers, investors, and stakeholders to optimize the use of cassava and maize for bioethanol production, emphasizing the importance of balancing biofuel with food security and rural development}, language = {en} } @misc{OPUS4-2057, title = {13/2024 Ordnung zur Regelung des Verfahrens zur Verh{\"a}ngung von Ordnungsmaßnahmen bei Ordnungsverst{\"o}ßen durch Studierende an der Hochschule Rhein-Waal vom 10.09.2024}, volume = {2024}, number = {13}, organization = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20570}, pages = {6}, language = {de} } @masterthesis{Brezovich, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Brezovich, Hannah}, title = {Innovative Enzymsysteme der Lignin Polymerisation f{\"u}r nachhaltige Holzprodukte}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, abstract = {Die Entwicklung nachhaltiger und effizienter 3D-Drucktechnologien ist von zentraler Bedeutung f{\"u}r den Fortschritt in der Fertigung und Industrie. Ein vielversprechender Ansatz ist der Einsatz von Holzmaterialien wie Lignin, einem Abfallstoff der Papier- und Zellstoffindustrie. Zur Verbesserung der mechanischen Eigenschaften solcher Werkstoffe in der Anwendung ist der Einsatz biotechnologischen Komponenten, wie Laccasen, die die Polymerisation von Lignin katalysieren k{\"o}nnen, von Nutzen. In der Projektgruppe „BioHolz3D" des Fraunhofer Institut f{\"u}r Produktionstechnik und Automatisierung wird sich dem Prozess gewidmet, durch 3D-Druck neue und nachhaltige Produkte aus enzymatisch verkn{\"u}pftem Lignin mit weiteren Holzreststoffen zu produzieren. Hierf{\"u}r wird die Zusammensetzung von Holzmaterialien und deren m{\"o}gliche Eignung f{\"u}r die additive Fertigung analysiert. In dieser Thesis werden verschiedene Ans{\"a}tze verfolgt, um die Optimierung konventioneller Enzyme und m{\"o}glichen Enzymalternativen zu erreichen und eine Eignung dieser anhand verschiedener Methoden zu validieren. Nach der Herstellung verschiedener Materialkombinationen von Holzwerkstoffen sollen diese darauf angewendet werden, wobei das Ziel ist, die Ligninpolymerisation bei geringerem Enzymeinsatz zu erh{\"o}hen und Ressourcen wie Kosten und Energie einzusparen, um mit Hilfe des Liquid-Desposition-Modeling (LDM) erste Probek{\"o}rper herzustellen. Dabei wurden bestehende Prozessschw{\"a}chen analysiert, Fehlerursachen diskutiert und deren Auswirkungen betrachtet. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit konnte nachgewiesen werden, dass die Enzymaktivit{\"a}t der Laccasen aus Trametes versicolor und Aspergillus sp durch Zugabe verschiedener Metallionen gesteigert werden kann. In der Anwendung an einem Modellsubstrat und Lignin zeigte sich, dass Kupfer- und Eisenionen mit der Enzymaktivit{\"a}t korrelieren. Darauf basierend wurden Testobjekte hergestellt, an denen die Wirkung nachgewiesen werden konnte.}, language = {de} } @masterthesis{Maung, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Maung, Wai Lin}, title = {Design, control and development of gas handling unit for hydrogen supply system for a 10kW fuel cell system}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20335}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, abstract = {Hydrogen fuel cells have been gaining attentions for marine mobility application because of it's potential as a promising green technology with high energy intensity and reduced weight; Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel cell generates electric power by consuming hydrogen and oxygen as reactants. The fuel cell system consists of multiple sub-systems such as anode gas supply components, cathode air compressors with humidification systems and a cooling circuit. They all must be regulated according to the nominated working conditions of the stack, and one of the most important parameters is the hydrogen supply feed of the fuel cell system. The hydrogen supply system must be robust to handle different working conditions of the stacks such as load fluctuation, purging of water and nitrogen from anode side and subsequent pressure fluctuations. It is critical to control the anode pressure with respect to varying conditions since unbalanced H2 supply can lead to membrane failure, hydrogen starvation and drying out which can lead to deterioration and reduce the lifetime of the stack. The thesis describes the development of "Gas Handling Unit" as the effective hydrogen supply system which will be incorporated with a particle filter, switch off solenoid valve, proportional valve, pressure transmitters and a pressure safety valve for venting during critical conditions. The design and control of the gas handling unit is detailed along with material compatibility of metals and sealants polymers with hydrogen applications. The relevant safety regulations and technical standards are identified and followed during the design process.}, language = {en} } @masterthesis{Oha, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Oha, Kingsley}, title = {ADVANCEMENTS IN MICROSERVICE ARCHITECTURES: TACKLING DATA COMMUNICATION, SCALABILITY, AND CI/CD AUTOMATION CHALLENGES}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20463}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, pages = {69}, abstract = {This paper delves into the optimization of microservice architectures, a critical aspect of contemporary software engineering, by focusing on three pivotal areas: efficient data communication, scalable design, and the automation of Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) processes. The study begins by examining the intricacies of data communication within microservices, identifying challenges such as network latency, data consistency, and fault tolerance. Strategies for efficient data handling, including advanced message queuing techniques and API gateways, are explored. The paper then shifts its focus to scalable design, assessing how microservices can be architected to gracefully handle varying loads and facilitate seamless scaling. This includes an analysis of containerization technologies, service orchestration, and load balancing strategies. The final part of the study addresses the automation of CI/CD processes, a cornerstone for achieving agility and high velocity in microservices development and deployment. The evaluation of modern CI/CD tools and methodologies, highlighting their role in enhancing deployment frequency, reducing lead time for changes, and improving overall system reliability. This comprehensive study aims to provide valuable insights and practical guidelines for software professionals and researchers, contributing to the refinement and advancement of microservice architectures in the dynamic world of software development.}, language = {en} } @misc{OPUS4-2038, title = {12/2024 Richtlinie zur Aus{\"u}bung des Hausrechts an der Hochschule Rhein-Waal (Hausordnung) vom 03.09.2024}, volume = {2024}, number = {12}, organization = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20389}, pages = {6}, language = {de} } @masterthesis{Terlau, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Terlau, Adrian}, title = {Prototypische Entwicklung eines Legal Chatbots mit aktuellen Sprachmodellen f{\"u}r eine souver{\"a}ne Anwendung und Arbeitserleichterung}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, abstract = {In dieser Bachelorarbeit wird der Nutzen von Chatbots zur Unterst{\"u}tzung von deutschen Juristen in ihrer beruflichen T{\"a}tigkeit {\"u}berpr{\"u}ft. Hierzu wird zun{\"a}chst ein prototypischer Chatbot erstellt, der auf einem trainierten Grundlagenmodell aufbaut und durch Fine-Tuning mit einem Datensatz bestehend aus Gesetzestexten angepasst wird. Anschließend werden die Ergebnisse {\"u}ber Tests mit Juristen evaluiert. Es wird gezeigt, wie der Datensatz f{\"u}r das Fine-Tuning erstellt wird, welche Kriterien bei der Wahl des Grundlagenmodells beachtet werden m{\"u}ssen und welche Herausforderungen beim Erstellen eines Sprachmodells auftreten k{\"o}nnen. Dabei wird insbesondere auf die Auswahl relevanter Gesetzestexte, die Bereinigung und Strukturierung der Daten, sowie die spezifischen Anforderungen f{\"u}r die rechtliche Dom{\"a}ne eingegangen. Das Ergebnis dieser Thesis zeigt, dass der Prototyp bereits einen kleinen Nutzen f{\"u}r die juristische Recherche erzielt hat und einige Juristen diesen bereits im Beruf verwenden w{\"u}rden. Es wird jedoch auch deutlich, dass der Prototyp noch ein großes Verbesserungspotenzial hat und h{\"a}ufig falsche oder unzureichende Antworten erstellt. Dies unterstreicht die Notwendigkeit weiterer Optimierungen und Anpassungen, um die Zuverl{\"a}ssigkeit und Genauigkeit des Chatbots zu erh{\"o}hen.}, language = {de} } @masterthesis{Vu, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Vu, Trong Khang Tommy}, title = {{\"U}ber die antidepressiven Effekte sportlicher Aktivit{\"a}t: Eine Metaanalyse klinischer Studien zu potenziellen Wirkmechanismen}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20348}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, pages = {80}, abstract = {In dieser Bachelorarbeit wurde untersucht, wie k{\"o}rperliche Aktivit{\"a}t als adjuvante oder nicht-pharmakologische Therapie bei Depressionen eingesetzt werden kann. Es wurden sowohl die antidepressiven Effekte als auch potenzielle Wirkmechanismen analysiert. Der theoretische Teil beleuchtet Depressionen, neurobiologische Prozesse sowie g{\"a}ngige Behandlungsans{\"a}tze. Die Ergebnisse einer systematischen Literaturrecherche zeigen, dass k{\"o}rperliche Aktivit{\"a}t positive Effekte auf depressive Symptome, die maximale Sauerstoffaufnahme (VO2) und die Schlafqualit{\"a}t hat. Insbesondere individuelle Programme sind wirksam. Es wurden die Vor- und Nachteile der Sporttherapie er{\"o}rtert, sowie Empfehlungen f{\"u}r zuk{\"u}nftige Forschung gegeben.}, language = {de} } @masterthesis{Nshemeza, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Nshemeza, Kaitlyn}, title = {Assessment of the Biological root cause of Chicken Wing bone damage during chicken processing.}, publisher = {Hochschule Rhein Waal}, address = {Kleve, Germany}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, pages = {51}, abstract = {Abstract The Poultry industry plays a significant role in meeting global demand for protein-rich food. However, there is a significant challenge in chicken processing which involves the occurrence of wing breakage that impacts both the aesthetic quality of the product and raises concerns regarding animal welfare and economic sustainability. This thesis aims to investigate the underlying biological factors associated with wing damage during processing by comparing wing structures of broilers raised under different management systems. This investigation focuses on exploring the chicken wing breakage contributing factors and cultivating a better understanding of this challenge to aid the chicken processing industry. This objective will be achieved by a comparative analysis of internal wing structures with a focus on distal humeral growth plate development observed in chicken wings from broilers raised under different production systems. The packaging and selling of damaged chicken wings for human consumption is prohibited by the European Union due to the potential health risks and aesthetic reasons. Hence, the disposal of chicken carcasses with wing damage results in financial losses for the company. An internal comparative analysis of the chicken wings aided by dissection techniques as well as X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry analysis of elements present at the bone growth plates will be carried out with an intention of quantifying the structural variations in broiler wings from different management systems. By elucidating the internal features and compositions of the different chicken wings with comparison to relevant literature and recent related discoveries, this research seeks to identify biological factors potentially responsible for wing damage among different broilers, allowing further intervention strategies within the industry. The findings from this study have implications for both industry practices and animal welfare standards. By discovering potential biological root causes of wing damage, this research provides valuable insights for optimizing processing protocols and equipment design to minimize trauma to birds and enhance product quality. In addition, a deeper understanding of physiological responses of chicken to processing stress can encourage more humane and efficient poultry handling practices and management strategies to reduce losses from wastage as well as chicken welfare improvement in commercial broiler production. The overall contribution of this thesis is towards the advancement of knowledge in poultry production and the importance of considering the biological factors and internal structures of chicken wings in designing processing systems. Through collaborative efforts between researchers, stakeholders and other parties involved, the insights gained from this study will aid sustainable practices that prioritize animal welfare, product quality assurance and economic sustainability in the poultry industry.}, language = {en} } @masterthesis{Feers, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Feers, Juliana}, title = {Job Satisfaction and the Workplace Expectations of Young Professionals}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20300}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, pages = {77}, abstract = {In the context of changing workplace norms and rapidly changing technological environments, this thesis examines the effects of expectations about the workplace on young professionals' career decisions and job satisfaction in Germany. It evaluates the impact of workplace flexibility, corporate culture, and further training opportunities on young professionals through a review of existing literature and a survey conducted by the author. This analysis is guided by theoretical frameworks such as the Person-Environment-Fit Theory, Social Cognitive Career Theory, Job Demand-Resources Model, Boundary Theory, Expectancy Theory of Motivation, and Human Capital Theory, which comprehensively understand the relationship between environmental elements and job satisfaction and career decision-making processes. The findings show that career growth and job satisfaction are significantly increased when there is a strong match between the expectations of young professionals and the realities of their work environments. The study emphasizes how important it is for organizations to modify their approaches to create work environments that encourage young professionals' career ambitions and satisfaction. This study offers insightful information about efficient organizational strategies that may draw in, fulfill the needs of, and keep young professionals satisfied.}, language = {en} } @masterthesis{Elzoghby, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Elzoghby, Abdalla}, title = {An Elaborated Environmental Life Cycle Assessment on Renewable Energy in Germany}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20295}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, pages = {93}, abstract = {Life Cycle Assessment is a method of assessing the environmental impacts throughout the life cycle of a product. It was standardized by ISO to aid comparison of different studies employing the method of Life Cycle Assessment. The standard contains the phases: Goal and Scope, Life Cycle Inventory, Life Cycle Impact Assessment, and Interpretation. A Life Cycle Assessment is conducted on renewable energies in Germany, namely Wind Energy, Solar Energy, Bioenergy, and Green Hydrogen Energy. The data collection phase of the life cycle inventory was performed under several assumptions and limitations which extend to the results. It is established through the results of the study that Green Hydrogen energy holds the greatest environmental impacts out of the four energies. This impact is justified as Green Hydrogen is an energy carrier, rather than a producer. The impacts of Wind Energy, Solar Energy, and Bioenergy are compared in the absence of Green Hydrogen Energy, as they are all energy producers. It is found that the overall environmental impacts of Bioenergy are the greatest of the three, while Wind Energy has the lowest impacts. Solar Energy had greater impacts than Bioenergy in certain impact categories. Comparison of this study with previous Life Cycle Assessments reveals some similarities and differences. Contrasting this study to the German Sustainable Development Strategy shows that the strategy as well as the current trends are supported by the results of this study, but can be improved in certain aspects.}, language = {en} } @masterthesis{Untucht, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Untucht, Hannah Lea}, title = {Status quo of Livestock Guardian Dogs for the Protection of Livestock in Germany in the Context of the Wolf's Return}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, abstract = {The resurgence of the Eurasian wolf (Canis lupus lupus) in Germany brings multiple conflicts with it and divides people into three parties. One party welcomes the wolf back to Germany and sees its potential to increase the biodiversity in Germany's ecosystems and forests, one party sees the harm in the wolf by killing livestock animals such as equines (Equus), sheep (Ovis aries) and cattle (Bovine) yet another party is torn in between. Many farmers and shepherds are trapped somewhere in between in these opposing views. The return of the wolf has led to conflicts between livestock owners and the predators, necessitating effective and sustainable solutions to protect livestock. This thesis examines the status quo of LGDs as a non-lethal method for guarding livestock in the context of the wolf's return in Germany. It explores the historical use of LGDs, their reintroduction in modern German agricultural practices, and the factors influencing the success or failure. Through a comprehensive analysis of existing literature and interviews, the study investigates the socio-economic, ecological and policy-related dimensions of LGD use. Key areas of focus include the training and management of LGDs, their impact on reducing livestock loss, the attitudes and perceptions of livestock owners towards these guardian animals as well as the attitudes and perceptions of non - livestock owners. Findings indicate that LGDs can significantly reduce wolf predation on livestock when properly implemented and supported by appropriate training and management practices. Nevertheless, challenges such as initial investment costs, maintenance, and integration with other livestock protection measures need to be addressed. The research highlights the importance of education and support for livestock owners, as well as the need for policies that facilitate the use of LGDs. This concludes that LGDs can be a useful, non-lethal protection measure addition to livestock farms. However, it is found that a combination of protection measures is the most effective in protecting livestock from predators.}, language = {en} } @masterthesis{Turan, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Turan, B{\"u}sra}, title = {Islamic Banking and Finance: Supply and Demand in Germany}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20284}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, pages = {60}, abstract = {This paper examines the current landscape of Islamic banking and finance in Germany through two research approaches. The online survey investigated the awareness and perception of consumers, the views on Islamic banks, the social media presence and advertisements of Islamic banks, the usage of consumers, and the demographics of the group. The survey reached 402 participants consisting of Muslims and Non-Muslims, who expressed a moderate demand for Islamic banks. The Internet analysis, focused on search results on Google, identifying the suppliers of Islamic banking and finance products and services within the first ten links. Currently, KT Bank AG is the only Islamic bank operating in Germany. Zinsfrei Investments GmbH and Inaia GmbH provide financial services in the investment sector. Overall, the current landscape shows a moderate demand and a limited supply.}, language = {en} } @masterthesis{Grigo, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Grigo, Tobias}, title = {Das Homeoffice in der Verwaltung - Eine Zwischenbilanz und Erfahrungsberichte zu Best Practices, Weiterentwicklung und Herausforderungen}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20272}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, pages = {103}, abstract = {The home office has become established in the offices of numerous companies and administrations since the events of the global COVID-19 pandemic and has posed numerous challenges. Particularly in Germany, administrative authorities were confronted with the challenge of quickly responding to the events of the pandemic and taking appropriate measures to curb the spread of the virus in the offices of administrations. This paper examines the use of the home office in administration during the pandemic by combining quantitative and qualitative methods such as statistical analyses, interviews, and case studies. In doing so, it sheds light on the experiences of employees as well as the challenges and potentials of home office use. The context aims to demonstrate that the investigation of home office use in administration during the pandemic was crucial in understanding the effects of the newly designed work practices on administrative organizations to better shape future work models. The aim of this study is to gain insights that contribute to the further development of the home office concept in administration. This includes evaluating the long-term effects on work efficiency, work-life balance, and corporate culture. These insights contribute to assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of the home office in administration and lay the groundwork for how optimized work arrangements can be created. They also provide valuable insight into the adaptability of administrative structures to continuously changing work environments. The results of this study will help develop practical solutions and optimize the implementation of the home office in administration. The findings lay new foundations for future research that could address further aspects of home office use in administration, such as long-term effects on organizational performance and employee satisfaction, as well as the development of guidelines for effective implementation of hybrid work models.}, language = {de} } @misc{Akter, type = {Master Thesis}, author = {Akter, Most Sarmin}, title = {Data Analysis of the "Loyalty Program-Valeo Specialist Club" to Improve the Independent Aftermarket: Designing an Efficient Marketing Strategy}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, abstract = {Nowadays, a loyalty program is one of the most significant marketing tools for winning genuine customer loyalty. Valeo, a global automotive supplier, also offers the Valeo Specialist Club loyalty program and rewards garage or workshop members who only purchase Valeo spare parts. The core intent of this study is to understand the importance of the Valeo loyalty application, members' insights, and their experiences for improving the future planning, aftermarket performance, and management of the Value Specialist Club. In today's competitive market, products, services, and customer loyalty are valuable assets, so the program was created to enhance member satisfaction and loyalty with the Value Specialist Club. A mixed-method approach was used to answer the study question and findings, improve member satisfaction, and refine marketing strategies, using a survey as primary data and Qlik Sense as secondary data. Besides, using a survey methodology, the study collected 79 responses from different countries (the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands) and analyzed the data with only 58 Specialist Club member's responses. A reliability examination was additionally accomplished to measure the accuracy of the collected survey data. Qlik Sense, Microsoft 365, and Excel 2016 were used for data analysis and visualization, which involved descriptive analysis, correlation coefficients, and text sentiment analysis. The study results show positive trends in member satisfaction across four markets, but a decreasing engagement rate is noticeable. In general, members from all countries were satisfied with Valeo products and services, contrasting with moderate dissatisfaction with the Valeo Specialist Club app and customer service. The study also found a strong correlation between the Valeo Specialist Club app, loyalty service, and customer service, suggesting improvements to meet member expectations and preferences. Nevertheless, the study also emphasizes the need to enhance the Valeo Specialist Club registration process, loyalty program features, and benefits to align with current trends, foster increased member satisfaction, and sustain loyalty within the independent aftermarket. Furthermore, the conclusions of this study will aid in developing upcoming marketing plans.}, language = {en} } @masterthesis{Devasurendra, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Devasurendra, Inura}, title = {IMPROVING HOCHSCHULE RHEIN-WAAL CAFETERIA THROUGH LEAN PRACTICES AND MATRIX PROCEDURE FOR LAYOUT PLANNING}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-19976}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, pages = {91}, abstract = {Cafeterias, integral to the food and beverage industry, face challenges such as long queues and high waiting times, leading to customer dissatisfaction. While temporary measures like altering food serving strategies or eliminating stations may provide short-term relief, having sustainable solutions necessitates comprehensive layout planning. The thesis aims to propose an optimized cafeteria layout which will reduce the throughput distance and throughput time of the customers, and eventually, suggest recommendations for Hochschule Rhein-Waal Mensa. Through data collection on customer movements and preferences, service times, and waiting periods, the existing layout was analyzed, and it revealed inefficiencies. By applying Lean management tools and the Matrix Procedure, a proposed layout was formulated, aiming to reduce throughput distance and time. Evaluation of both current and proposed layouts showed that out of 52 customers, 69.23\% of customers' throughput distance was reduced, and 59.61\% of customers' throughput time was reduced compared to the existing layout. The thesis concludes by suggesting general recommendations and improvements, including an optimized process diagram and layout, and a proposed spaghetti diagram. Eventually, the research contributes to food and beverage field by providing insights into better layout planning for facility managers, logisticians, and entrepreneurs, offering tangible strategies to enhance cafeteria operations and customer satisfaction.}, language = {en} } @masterthesis{Asiedu, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Asiedu, Marvin Kwabena}, title = {Appreciation in Organizations - the Effects of Appreciation and Social Support on Employee's Stress and Turnover Intention}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20220}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, pages = {118}, abstract = {In der vorliegenden Studie wurde Wertsch{\"a}tzung im Hinblick auf ihren Zusammenhang zu sozialer Unterst{\"u}tzung sowie dem Stresserleben und der Fluktuationsabsicht von Mitarbeiten untersucht. Erwartet wurde eine durch Wertsch{\"a}tzung vermittelte negative Assoziation zwischen sozialer Unterst{\"u}tzung und dem Stresserleben von Mitarbeitenden, und dass Stress den Zusammenhang zwischen Wertsch{\"a}tzung und Fluktuationsabsicht vermittelt. Untersucht wurde außerdem, ob sich die Wertsch{\"a}tzungen aus verschieden Quellen gegenseitig in ihren Effekten auf das Stresserleben beeinflussen. Die Daten zur Analyse wurden mittels eines Online-Fragebogens erhoben. Die Testpersonen wurden aus dem privaten Umfeld des Autors und {\"u}ber eine Online-Plattform rekrutiert. Die Analyse basiert auf Daten von 65 Arbeitnehmern und 118 Arbeitnehmerinnen, von denen 69,4\% Vollzeit besch{\"a}ftigt waren. Wertsch{\"a}tzung hatte einen negativen Effekt auf das Stresserleben und die Fluktuationsabsicht von Mitarbeitenden. Der Effekt auf die Fluktuationsabsicht wurde teils durch das Stresserleben mediiert. Auch soziale Unterst{\"u}tzung hatte einem negativen Effekt aus das Stresserleben, der jedoch durch die Wertsch{\"a}tzung vermittelt wurde. Der st{\"a}rkste Effekt auf das Stresserleben wurde f{\"u}r die Wertsch{\"a}tzung von Vorgesetzen gemessen, gefolgt von der Wertsch{\"a}tzung durch Kolleg/-innen. Ein Interaktionseffekt auf das Stresserleben fand sich nur f{\"u}r die Wertsch{\"a}tzung durch Vorgesetzte und die durch Klient/-innen. Die Ergebnisse untermauern die Relevanz eines wertsch{\"a}tzenden Verhaltens am Arbeitsplatz, insbesondere des Verhaltens von Vorgesetzten. Wertsch{\"a}tzung erscheint als ein ad{\"a}quates Mittel gegen Stresserleben und Fluktuation in Organisationen. Eine M{\"o}glichkeit Wertsch{\"a}tzung zu zeigen, scheint in Unterst{\"u}tzungsangeboten zu bestehen. Soziale Unterst{\"u}tzung, die keine Wertsch{\"a}tzung kommuniziert, zeigt keinen signifikanten Effekt auf das Stresserleben von Mitarbeitenden.}, language = {de} } @masterthesis{Boden, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Boden, Jan}, title = {Aufbau einer Jenkins Pipeline im Rahmen der DevOps Prozesse}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, abstract = {Diese Bachelorarbeit befasst sich mit der Implementierung einer Continuous Deployment Pipeline zur Optimierung der Bereitstellung des technischen Unterst{\"u}tzungssystems MESTA in der Justiz Nordrhein-Westfalens. Da derzeit keine Integration der DevOps Kultur existiert, soll die Machbarkeit der Umsetzung einer solchen Pipeline gepr{\"u}ft werden. Der bisher durchgef{\"u}hrte Prozess wurde bisher durch die Verfahrenspflegestelle MESTA/ACUSTA weitgehend manuell bearbeitet. F{\"u}r die transparente Aufstellung der im Bereitstellungsprozess enthaltenen Arbeitsschritte wurden, zusammen mit der VPS, eine Bestandsaufnahme durchgef{\"u}hrt. Auf Basis dieser wurde ein Konzept entwickelt, um den Prozess zu standardisieren und eine Grundlage f{\"u}r eine effiziente Automatisierung zu realisieren. Anschließend wurde f{\"u}r den Beweis der Machbarkeit dieser Pipeline eine Referenzimplementierung umgesetzt. Daf{\"u}r wurde im Rechenzentrum der Justiz eine umfangreiche Infrastruktur aufgebaut, die sich aus dem Jenkins Controller, einem Jenkins Agent und einer Gitea Instanz mit zwei enthaltenen Repositories zusammensetzt. Die Pipeline wurde {\"u}ber das CI/CD Tool Jenkinns mittels eines deklarativen Ansatzes und unter Verwendung einer Shared Library realisiert. Aufgrund der Windows-basierten Zielumgebungen wurden innerhalb der Groovy Skripte auch PowerShell Skripte eingesetzt, um Windows spezifische Operationen durchzuf{\"u}hren. Die Evaluation der implementierten Pipeline f{\"u}hrt zu dem Ergebnis, das eine signifikante Verk{\"u}rzung der Arbeitszeit und eine Standardisierung der enthaltenen Prozesse sowie eine erh{\"o}hte Transparenz erreicht werden konnte. Dies demonstriert, wie DevOps-Praktiken und Automatisierungen auch in sicherheitskritischen Umgebungen wie der Justiz NRW zur Effizienzsteigerung in der Bereitstellung der Fachverfahren beitragen k{\"o}nnen. Somit kann die Forschungsfrage best{\"a}tigt werden und die in der Arbeit herausgearbeiteten Informationen auch anderen Verfahrenspflegestellen als Vorlage f{\"u}r die Umsetzung von DevOps Praktiken dienen.}, language = {de} } @masterthesis{CantosSiemers, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Cantos Siemers, Philip-Marcel}, title = {Assessment of the availability and sustainability of using agricultural residues and side streams in the Heinsberg region as raw material in a transdisciplinary circular bioeconomy}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, abstract = {This bachelor thesis asseses the potential for utilizing agricultural residues and by-products in non-agricultural industries. Qualitative interviews and a quantitative survey are employed to gather stakeholders' perspectives, including farmers and industry experts, in order to assess the feasibility and impact of integrating agricultural residues into non-traditional sectors. The study examines post-harvest residue landscapes and current utilization practices, while gauging farmers' inclination towards selling residues to other industries. The synthesis of qualitative and quantitative data enables the research to provide insights into the opportunities and challenges associated with the utilization of agricultural residues. This, in turn, informs strategies for the sustainable management of resources and the integration of industries.}, language = {en} } @misc{OPUS4-2006, title = {11/2024 Dritte {\"A}nderungssatzung zur Pr{\"u}fungsordnung f{\"u}r den Bachelorstudiengang Electrical and Electronics Engineering an der Fakult{\"a}t Technologie und Bionik der Hochschule Rhein-Waal vom 19.06.2024}, volume = {2024}, number = {11}, organization = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20065}, pages = {3}, language = {de} } @misc{OPUS4-2005, title = {10/2024 Vierte {\"A}nderungssatzung zur Pr{\"u}fungsordnung f{\"u}r den Bachelorstudiengang Mechanical Engineering B.Sc. der Fakult{\"a}t Technologie und Bionik an der Hochschule Rhein-Waal vom 12.06.2024}, volume = {2024}, number = {10}, organization = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20059}, pages = {4}, language = {de} } @misc{OPUS4-2004, title = {09/2024 Dritte {\"A}nderungssatzung zur Pr{\"u}fungsordnung f{\"u}r den Bachelorstudiengang Industrial Engineering an der Fakult{\"a}t Technologie und Bionik der Hochschule Rhein-Waal vom 19.06.2024}, volume = {2024}, number = {09}, organization = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20048}, pages = {3}, language = {de} } @misc{OPUS4-2003, title = {08/2024 Vierte {\"A}nderungssatzung zur Pr{\"u}fungsordnung f{\"u}r den Bachelorstudiengang Mechatronic Systems Engineering an der Fakult{\"a}t Technologie und Bionik der Hochschule Rhein-Waal vom 19.06.2024}, volume = {2024}, number = {08}, organization = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20038}, pages = {3}, language = {de} } @misc{OPUS4-2002, title = {07/2024 Vierte {\"A}nderungssatzung zur Grundordnung der Hochschule Rhein-Waal vom 26.06.2024}, volume = {2024}, number = {07}, organization = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-20027}, pages = {3}, language = {de} } @masterthesis{Karst, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Karst, Melina}, title = {Determination of Total Carbon with Infrared Absorption Method After Combustion in an Induction Furnace for Ferro-Chromium Alloys}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-19927}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, pages = {86}, abstract = {In this thesis, an evaluation of the determination of the total carbon in ferroalloys, with a focus on ferrochromium, via infrared absorption after combustion in an induction furnace is conducted. The experiments were performed over a period of 4 months with the goal of setting a robust calibration for carbon detection in ferroalloys. Ferrochromium ranging from 0,01 \% to 9,03 \% carbon was used as a reference material for the calibration. It was tested by using independent certified reference materials of ferrochromium but also additional ferroalloys like ferro-manganese, -silicon, - niobium, -titanium and -vanadium for the validation process. The statistical calculations were performed using the NORDTEST standards to ensure reliable results. Additionally, the drift of the machine and the detection and quantification limits were investigated. It revealed that the drift had to be applied daily, and that the quantification limit of the detector in the CS-analyzer is around 0,012 \% carbon. As a result of the statistical calculations, it appeared that the measurement uncertainty is carbon percentage dependent. This led to the creation of a function that can estimate the measurement uncertainty dependent on the carbon percentage for future analysis. Subsequential testing proved the emission of reasonable results for all tested materials, validating that the set calibration can be applied to those materials without further refinement of the calibration method.}, language = {en} } @masterthesis{Plueckelmann, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Pl{\"u}ckelmann, Rene}, title = {Entwicklung und Validierung einer Metrik zur Bewertung der Ergonomie mobiler Anwendungen unter Ber{\"u}cksichtigung von herstellerspezifischen Designrichtlinien}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, language = {de} } @misc{Gurung, type = {Master Thesis}, author = {Gurung, Purnima}, title = {Sentiment Analysis in Nepali Tweets: Leveraging TransformerBased Pre-trained Models}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-19677}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, abstract = {Despite the remarkable achievements of large transformer-based pre-trained models like BERT, GPT in several Natural Language Processing (NLP) tasks including Sentiment Analysis (SA), challenges are still present for subdued source languages like Nepali. Nepali language is written in Devanagari script, has complex grammatical structure and diverse linguistic features. Due to the absence of balanced datasets, and computational resources for Nepali, achieving optimal result with the latest architecture remains challenging. For this reason, publicly available NLP modelsfor Nepali are very less, making research in this area difficult. This paper attempts to addressthis gap through the use of pre-trained transformer models specially tailored for Nepali from Hugging Face including BERT, DistilBERT, ALBERT, and DeBERTa for sentiment analysis in Nepali tweets on relatively balanced datasets. The models are trained on large Nepali datasets and optimized for NLP tasks involving Devanagari scripts. To evaluate the model's performance, various tokenization strategies are investigated in order to capitalize on transformer-based embedding with the SoftMax function and confusion matrix. The outcomes of models are compared using the same datasets. The study's results shows that DistilBERT achieved the highest accuracy rate of 88\% in Nepali sentiment analysis tasks, followed by BERT and DeBERTa at 83\% and 80\%, respectively. However, ALBERT showed a low accuracy of 70\%. The result of this approach shares valuable viewpoints for the field of sentiment analysis in diverse linguistic contexts.}, language = {en} } @misc{Shrestha, type = {Master Thesis}, author = {Shrestha, Sabita}, title = {Named Entity Recognition for Nepali Text Using Pre-Trained BERT-Based Model}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-19870}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, abstract = {The popularity of using transformer-based models like Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) for various Natural Language Processing (NLP) tasks is increasing rapidly. Unfortunately, the research is very limited for low-resource languages like Nepali. This study examines the utilisation of pre-trained BERT-based NERNepal for Named Entity Recognition (NER) tasks in Nepali text. The main goal is to investigate the efficiency of the NERNepal model, which has been pre-trained and fine-tuned on Nepali corpus data for NER. This research provides new insights by evaluating the NERNepal model on two distinct datasets. It addresses unique linguistic challenges specific to Nepali. The study also offers a detailed analysis of the model's strengths and weaknesses. By focusing on diverse datasets, this study shows how adaptable the model is and how its performance varies. These aspects have not been explored extensively before. The EverestNER dataset is one of the largest human-annotated datasets in Nepal so far, and the Nepali_NER dataset is also BIO-annotated for the NER task, which helped to compare the model's prediction. The performance was better on the Nepali_NER dataset in comparison with another selected dataset. The EverestNER dataset contained many complex words for ORG connected with many tokens for a single entity with different contextual meanings and different annotations for the same word in different tokens as per context. Because of this, it created more confusion for the prediction, especially for the ORG entity. It had a similar issue with another dataset as well, but the label annotation was better in comparison. Furthermore, the research tries to clarify the difficulties and constraints related to utilising pre-trained BERT models for NER in low-resource languages such as Nepali. The study focuses on research areas on the efficacy of the model and its performance on two different datasets. Post-training with the EverestNER train dataset was attempted, but due to computational resource limitations, only a maximum of 3 epochs was possible, which did not improve the evaluation. It also has implications for enhancing language processing tools for Nepali. The results show the ability of a pre-trained BERT-based model to improve NER skills for Nepali text. However, further study is required to overcome the current obstacles to identifying complex words. The availability of high computational resources and the possibility of combining other NER approaches with a transformer-based model could increase the performance and robustness of the model. Keywords: Named Entity Recognition, Natural Language Processing, BERT, low resources language}, language = {en} } @masterthesis{Luitjens, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Luitjens, Kim Jana}, title = {Auswirkung von Wertsch{\"a}tzung auf das organisationale Commitment mit der Unterscheidung zwischen dem {\"o}ffentlichen Dienst und der Privatwirtschaft}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-19898}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, pages = {80}, abstract = {Durch den aktuellen Fachkr{\"a}ftemangel stehen Unternehmen vor der Herausforderung, sich von der Konkurrenz abzuheben und ihre Attraktivit{\"a}t zu steigern, um Mitarbeitende f{\"u}r ihr Unternehmen zu gewinnen. Schließlich stellen diese einen entscheidenden Faktor f{\"u}r den eigenen Unternehmenserfolg dar. Dies wirft die Frage auf, wie intensiv sich Unternehmen mit einer wertsch{\"a}tzenden Unternehmensf{\"u}hrung auseinandersetzen und welche Auswirkung diese auf das Commitment, also die Bindung der Mitarbeitenden an ihre Organisation, nehmen. Und gibt es Unterschiede im Commitment je nach Organisationstyp? Da die Zusammenh{\"a}nge aktuell Forschungsl{\"u}cken aufweisen und durch die Zeiten des Krisenmanagements immer bedeutender werden, ist das Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit, Wertsch{\"a}tzung in Unternehmen zu differenzieren und den Einfluss der Wertsch{\"a}tzung durch Vorgesetzte auf die drei Komponenten des Commitmens nach Meyer \& Allen (1991) sowie auf das organisationale Commitment zu erfassen. Ferner wird der Einfluss des Organisationstypen ({\"o}ffentlicher Dienst vs. Privatwirtschaft) auf das organisationale Commitment beleuchtet und die entstehende Wechselwirkung mit der Auspr{\"a}gung der Wertsch{\"a}tzung betrachtet. Hierf{\"u}r wurde eine Querschnittstudie mit Studienteilnehmenden durchgef{\"u}hrt, die einer*m Vorgesetzten unterstehen und im {\"o}ffentlichen oder privaten Sektor besch{\"a}ftigt sind. Es konnte ein Datensatz von N = 178 verzeichnet werden. Die Ergebnisse des ersten gerichteten t-Tests zeigen, dass hohe Werte in der Wertsch{\"a}tzung signifikant mit hohen Werten im affektiven Commitment einhergehen. Gleichzeitig zeigen zwei weitere, ungerichtete t-Tests keine signifikanten Unterschiede hinsichtlich der Auspr{\"a}gung der Wertsch{\"a}tzung - weder auf das normative noch auf das kalkulatorische Commitment. Ferner wurde eine Varianzanalyse (ANOVA) im 2x2 Design berechnet. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass es einen signifikanten Unterschied in der Auspr{\"a}gung der Wertsch{\"a}tzung hinsichtlich des organisationalen Commitments gibt. Zudem wurde festgestellt, dass die Unterscheidung des Organisationstypen keinen signifikanten Einfluss auf das organisationale Commitment darstellt und dass das organisationale Commitment in den beiden Organisationstypen nicht signifikant von der Auspr{\"a}gung der Wertsch{\"a}tzung beeinflusst wird. Die Studie setzt an Forschungsl{\"u}cken an und zeigt wichtige Implikationen und Anregungen f{\"u}r zuk{\"u}nftige Studien auf.}, language = {de} } @masterthesis{Daniel, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Daniel, Bernwald}, title = {Analyse der Entwicklung von Virtualisierung zu Containerisierung der IT-Infrastruktur in der {\"o}ffentlichen Verwaltung unter besonderer Ber{\"u}cksichtigung von Cybersicherheit und Gesch{\"a}ftskontinuit{\"a}t}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, abstract = {This thesis examines the development from virtualisation to containerisation of the IT infrastructure in public administration. In particular, the aspects of cyber security and business continuity are analysed. The study covers the basics of virtualisation and containerisation, including their architecture and isolation mechanisms. Furthermore, the security risks and benefits of both approaches are analysed, especially with regard to container outbreak scenarios and vulnerability lifecycle management. A particular focus is placed on the breakdown of containerisation into different groups, including container runtime, container image and orchestration, in order to enable a differentiated view of security and efficiency potentials. Based on these findings, a concrete architecture proposal is presented that includes recommendations for the secure orchestration and management of containers. The aim of the work is to show how modern container technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes can provide a secure, scalable and cost-efficient platform for public administrations.}, language = {de} } @masterthesis{Engeln, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Engeln, Felix}, title = {Verbesserung der Nutzbarkeit von Open Data-Portalen: Analyse, Schwachstellenidentifikation und Prototypentwicklung}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, abstract = {Diese Arbeit untersucht die Verbesserung der Benutzerfreundlichkeit von Open Data-Portalen durch nutzerzentrierte Designans{\"a}tze. Durch die Entwicklung eines Prototyps werden spezifische Funktionen wie intuitive Suchmechanismen, fortschrittliche Analysetools und KI-Integration, exemplarisch durch ChatGPT, evaluiert. Besonders hervorgehoben wird die Bedeutung sozialer Interaktionsm{\"o}glichkeiten, die eine Gemeinschaft rund um die Daten f{\"o}rdern und die Datenqualit{\"a}t durch Nutzerfeedback steigern. Die Evaluierungsergebnisse zeigen eine deutliche Zufriedenheitssteigerung der Nutzenden, was das Potenzial dieser Ans{\"a}tze unterstreicht. Die Arbeit bildet eine Grundlage f{\"u}r die kontinuierliche Entwicklung und Forschung im Bereich Open Data, um deren Nutzbarkeit und den demokratischen Nutzen zu maximieren.}, language = {de} } @masterthesis{Gedikoglu, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Gedikoglu, Furkan}, title = {Versuchsorientierte Analyse von Federated Learning und Centralized Machine Learning-Methoden zur Bildklassifizierung unter besonderer Ber{\"u}cksichtigung von Datenschutz, Effizienz und Effektivit{\"a}t}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, abstract = {Die vorliegende Arbeit befasst sich mit der Untersuchung der Effektivit{\"a}t und Effizienz von verteiltem Fine-Tuning auf Endger{\"a}ten im Vergleich zu zentralisiertem, cloudbasiertem Machine Learning. Zu diesem Zweck wurden Experimente sowohl mit Federated Learning als auch mit Centralized Machine Learning durchgef{\"u}hrt. Dabei wurden verschiedene Modellarchitekturen, darunter ResNet-20 und ResNet-56, sowie unterschiedliche Parameterkonfigurationen getestet. Die Experimente wurden auf einer Testumgebung mit 21 Mac minis im Cloud Resilience Lab der Hochschule Rhein-Waal durchgef{\"u}hrt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass der zentralisierte Ansatz im Allgemeinen eine h{\"o}here Modellgenauigkeit erreicht, w{\"a}hrend der verteilte Ansatz Vorteile im Bereich des Datenschutzes bietet. Die Analyse der Energieeffizienz ergab, dass der zentralisierte Ansatz weniger Energie verbraucht als der verteilte Ansatz.}, language = {de} } @masterthesis{Khatiwada, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Khatiwada, Sabin}, title = {AUTOMATION OF SOLAR WATER DISINFECTION (SODIS) ON A SMALL-SCALE USING ARDUINO DUE}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, abstract = {Clean water is essential for human health and well-being. In many parts of the world, access to safe drinking water is limited, leading to various waterborne diseases. Solar water disinfection(SODIS) is a simple and cost-effective method used to purify water using sunlight, where itinactivates the pathogens and makes the water safe for consumption. This disinfection process involves filling polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles with water and exposing them to sunlight for a specified period. The aim of this thesis is to develop a working prototype that exploresthe automation of SODIS on a small-scale using Arduino Due, a microcontroller board that offers advanced features for automation. The prototype consists of the necessary parts to perform SODIS automatically. In conventional SODIS, it is assumed that the required SODIS criteria are met within 6 hours of a sunny day. In contrast, in the prototype microcontroller pumps the water into the PET bottle, monitors sunlight exposure for 6 hours, determines disinfection, and then pumps out the water for consumption only when the threshold values for irradiance are met. If the conditions are not met, the exposure is extended by an hour each time and checked again. The prototype automates the SODIS on a small-scale using cost-efficient components. However, the prototype lacks oxygenation capacity, and there is a possibility of entering an infinite loop if the irradiance values are not met for a long time. The prototype could be further developed with extra sensors and extensive research for advanced automation.}, language = {en} } @misc{Wissigkeit, type = {Master Thesis}, author = {Wissigkeit, Tobias}, title = {Interaction design strategies for conversational video games to accommodate for anomalous user- and AI behaviors: A case study on integration strategies for interaction-based AI technologies in games using participatory design methods.}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-19710}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, pages = {51}, abstract = {The recent development of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has inspired some game developers to try and integrate it into games. Anomalous behavior by generative AI or users seems undesirable and effort is being made to find ways on how to prevent anomalous responses by generative AI. However, these responses are a unique trait of generative AI and in our project, we explore strategies on how the negative effects of anomalous user and AI behavior can be mitigated, instead of trying to prevent them from appearing. We want to leverage their uniqueness as an intended game mechanic and see in what context these strategies can work. To achieve these goals, we researched already existing integrations of generative AI features in games and entertainment as well as possible connections to game mechanics and systems that are not related to AI. Based on this, we created 4 prototypes of conversational games with generative AI characters, which allowed the AI to create anomalous responses and did not limit the player freedom of what they may input. In our 36 participatory design sessions, we found that anomalous user and AI behavior can have a positive influence on the player's experience if a game's story is set up in a way that it can allow new and diverging story threads, that are created by the player and AI, to be integrated and if there are supplementary game mechanics, that allow the player to follow the intended story and complete the game.}, language = {en} } @masterthesis{Kottek, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Kottek, Nick}, title = {Echtzeit-Erkennung von Gesten des deutschen Fingeralphabets mithilfe eines Convolutional Neural Networks}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-19768}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, pages = {58}, abstract = {Sign language is an important factor in the integration of deaf and hard of hearing people into society. Due to the limited number of people who speak sign language, there is a communication barrier that needs to be addressed. In recent years, sign language has been an important field of research. There have been numerous attempts at trying to find a solution to this problem. This thesis focuses on the German finger alphabet, which has not been researched as much. It examines whether it is possible to recognize the gestures of the German finger alphabet in real time with a convolutional neural network. For that, literature is consulted, and a prototype is developed. The prototype includes a newly created dataset with 2,500 images distributed over 25 gestures, a convolutional neural network, and software for real-time translation of a video stream. The prototype demonstrates the feasibility of realizing such a task. The convolutional neural network achieves an accuracy of 99.61\%. On a powerful desktop computer, the prediction of a single frame takes between 36 and 40 ms. However, there are some limitations and restrictions to the quality of prediction caused by factors such as lighting and background. Additionally, certain similar gestures, such as M and N, are difficult to distinguish. Based on these results, ideas and suggestions for future studies are presented.}, language = {de} } @masterthesis{Skaf, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Skaf, Leen}, title = {Living Green Walls in the Workplace: Evaluating the Impact on Employee Well-being, Productivity, and Indoor Environmental Quality}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-19696}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, pages = {84}, abstract = {Living Green Walls (LGWs) represent a promising pathway towards sustainable agriculture and have proven psychological benefits applicable to educational and workspace environments (Van den Berg et al., 2016). This bachelor thesis investigates the impact of LGWs on indoor environmental quality, employees' well-being, and performance in the offices of the Facility Management Department of Hochschule Rhein-Waal (HSRW) - Kleve campus. A hybrid methodology is adopted, combining sensor measurements of physical parameters and a self-developed questionnaire assessing perceived LGW impact. The sensors are set up in four offices, three of which featured LGWs, while the questionnaire is distributed online to workers before and after the LGW installation. Eight workers participated in the study, of which 62.5 \% were female, and 37.5 \% were male, with age range between 25 and above 45 years old. The results indicate a positive overall impact of LGWs on office environmental quality and employee well-being. The CO2 concentration was reduced on average by 30 ppm, whereas the relative humidity was increased, on average, by approximately 6 \%. Hence, the LGWs enhanced slightly the air quality in the offices. Moreover, the target group claimed that their motivation level, on average, was raised by 15\% after exposure to the LGWs. Hence, half of them agreed that the LGWs impacted their performance positively. However, challenges emerged concerning LGW technical design and employee engagement with the research. Despite obstacles, the study suggests potential for future improvements in methodology and technical aspects, offering promising project ideas for further research. Furthermore, the overall positive impact of LGW in this study has proven that integrating such systems into work environment can boost the motivation level of the workers and improve the environmental quality in workspaces.}, language = {en} } @masterthesis{Tebest, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Tebest, Marie}, title = {Schneller Nachweis der Methicillin-Resistenz bei Staphylokokken-Isolaten Vergleich verschiedener Methoden}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-19727}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, pages = {74}, abstract = {Methicillin Resistente Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) geh{\"o}ren zu gef{\"u}rchteten Erregern eines bunten Bildes von Infektionen, die bis zu einer Sepsis reichen k{\"o}nnen. Eines der gr{\"o}ßten Probleme von MRSA ist die hohe Pathogenit{\"a}t und die Entwicklung von zus{\"a}tzlichen Resistenzen gegen{\"u}ber weiteren Antibiotikaklassen. Die schnelle Identifizierung von MRSA und das Anlegen eines Antibiogramms ist daher entscheidend f{\"u}r eine fr{\"u}he Therapie-Empfehlung und damit verbunden eine optimale Behandlung des Patienten. Aufgrund dessen wird in der vorliegenden Arbeit nach weiteren M{\"o}glichkeiten in der mikrobiologischen Diagnostik gesucht, um die Zeitspanne zwischen dem ersten Laborverdacht auf eine MRSA-Infektion und der spezifischen Antibiotikatherapie nach der Erregeridentifizierung zu reduzieren. Dazu wurden zwei verschiedene Methoden (MRSA-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) und Penicillin-Bindeprotein 2a (PBP2a)-Schnelltest), bez{\"u}glich ihrer Leistungsdaten mitdem Goldstandard zum Nachweis der Methicillin-Resistenz (VITEK-2 und Cefoxitin� Best{\"a}tigungstest) verglichen. Die klinischen Isolate f{\"u}r die experimentelle Durchf{\"u}hrung stammen aus Blutkulturflaschen und Abstrichen von intraoperativen Wunden. Insgesamt wurden 74 Isolate retrospektiv getestet, darunter 26 (35\%) MRSA� Isolate, 24 (32,5\%) Methicillin-sensibler Staphylococcus aureus-St{\"a}mme und 24 (32,5\%) Koagulase-negative Staphylokokken (KnS). In der MRSA-PCR kam es zu 15 (20\%) fraglichen Ergebnissen, weshalb die Methode f{\"u}r eine zuverl{\"a}ssige Routinediagnostik nicht geeignet erschien. Nach Ausschluss der fraglichen Ergebnisse hatte die PCR einen positiven pr{\"a}diktiven Wert (PPW) von lediglich 65,7\%. Die Sensitivit{\"a}t lag bei 92,9\%, die Spezifit{\"a}t bei 93,5\% und der negative pr{\"a}diktive Wert (NPW) bei 99,0\%. Der Schnelltest besaß eine Spezifit{\"a}t und einen PPW von 100\%, eine Sensitivit{\"a}t von 97,3\% und einen NPW von 99,6\%. Des Weiteren ergaben sich zus{\"a}tzliche Vorteile bei der Verwendung des Schnelltestes durch die k{\"u}rzere Laufzeit, den geringeren Kostenaufwand und die Einfachheit der Durchf{\"u}hrung. Der ermittelte Zeitgewinn durch PCR oder Schnelltest betrug im Vergleich zum VITEK-2 zwischen 15 und 23,8 Stunden, was f{\"u}r die betroffenen Patienten von erheblichen klinischem Vorteil war. Zusammenfassend hatte der PBP2a-Schnelltest sowohl f{\"u}r S. aureus- als f{\"u}r KnS-Isolate bessere Leistungsdaten als die verwendete MRSA-PCR und wurde deshalb in die Routinediagnostik des Labors eingef{\"u}hrt.}, language = {de} } @masterthesis{Haas, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Haas, Alexandra}, title = {Empirische Untersuchung der {\"A}tiologie von subklinischem Wahn in einer gesunden Stichprobe: Der Einfluss von Kindheitstrauma, Theory of Mind F{\"a}higkeiten und einem niedrigen Selbstwert}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, abstract = {Hintergrund: Psychotisches Erleben, wie z.B. Wahnerleben und Paranoia, zeigt sich in klinischen sowie in nicht-klinischen Stichproben in unterschiedlichen Auspr{\"a}gungsst{\"a}rken. Der aktuelle Forschungsstand geht davon aus, dass Wahn dimensional in der Allgemeinbev{\"o}lkerung ausgepr{\"a}gt ist und eine hierarchische Struktur aufweist, die von subklinischem Wahn bis hin zu psychotischen St{\"o}rungen reicht. Risikofaktoren wie Kindheitstrauma, Theory of Mind (ToM) Defizite und ein geringer Selbstwert erh{\"o}hen die Wahrscheinlichkeit f{\"u}r wahnhaftes Erleben. Um ein besseres Verst{\"a}ndnis der {\"A}tiologie von subklinischem Wahn zu bekommen, ist es wichtig, die Effekte dieser Risikofaktoren in gesunden Stichproben zu untersuchen. Methodik: Die vorliegende Studie untersuchte 100 gesunde Proband*innen der deutschen Allgemeinbev{\"o}lkerung in Bezug auf subklinisches Wahnerleben. Mittels Frageb{\"o}gen und computergest{\"u}tzter neuropsychologischer Tests wurde subklinischer Wahn, Kindheitstrauma, ToM-F{\"a}higkeiten und der Selbstwert der Proband*innen erfasst. Mehrere statistische Verfahren, wie eine Hauptkomponentenanalyse sowie Korrelations-, Regressions- und Mediationsanalysen wurden genutzt, um die Zusammenh{\"a}nge, Varianzaufkl{\"a}rungen und die pr{\"a}diktive G{\"u}te der genannten Variablen in Bezug auf subklinischen Wahn zu untersuchen. Ergebnisse: Subklinischer Wahn liegt in einem geringen Ausmaß in der Stichprobe vor. Ein signifikant positiver Zusammenhang zwischen subklinischem Wahn und Kindheitstrauma wurde gefunden. Zudem konnten signifikant negative Zusammenh{\"a}nge zwischen subklinischem Wahn und ToM-F{\"a}higkeiten sowie mit Selbstwert gefunden werden. Die Ergebnisse der Regressionsanalyse unterstreichen die pr{\"a}diktive G{\"u}te von Kindheitstrauma und geringem Selbstwert f{\"u}r subklinischen Wahn. Dar{\"u}ber hinaus zeigt die parallele Mediationsanalyse, dass Selbstwert ein signifikanter Mediator f{\"u}r die Beziehung zwischen Kindheitstrauma und subklinischem Wahn ist. Zusammenfassung: Die Ergebnisse tragen zu einem besseren Verst{\"a}ndnis der {\"A}tiologie von subklinischem Wahn bei, indem sie den Einfluss von Kindheitstrauma, ToM-Defiziten und geringem Selbstwert in einer gesunden Stichprobe aufzeigen. Da wahnhaftes Erleben zu Einschr{\"a}nkungen im privaten, famili{\"a}ren und beruflichen Kontext f{\"u}hren kann, ist es von großer Bedeutung, pr{\"a}ventive Maßnahmen, wie z.B. selbstwertsteigernde Angebote, f{\"u}r die Allgemeinbev{\"o}lkerung zug{\"a}nglich zu machen. Diese sollen der weiteren Ausbildung von klinisch relevantem Wahn entgegenwirken.}, language = {de} } @masterthesis{Mutai, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Mutai, Levi Kipchumba}, title = {Utilisation of biomass waste as feed for edible insects and how it can be used to close the food economy cycle and contribute to food security in Sub Sahara Africa}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-19595}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, pages = {70}, abstract = {The world is facing a critical challenge in meeting the growing demand for food particularly in developing countries in Sub-Saharan Africa where population growth is outpacing food production. It presents a formidable challenge exacerbated by urbanization, shifting consumption patterns and global disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, alternative food sources such as edible insects are gaining traction as sustainable solutions. Edible insects offer comparable nutrition to traditional protein sources while requiring minimal resources for farming. However, unsustainable harvesting practices endanger wild insect populations. To counter this, insect farming emerges as a promising strategy, leveraging efficient conversion rates and organic waste utilization. This paper explores how edible insects can integrate into circular food economies, converting organic waste into valuable resources, bolstering food and feed security, and mitigating waste. Specifically, it examines the potential of insects like black soldier fly larvae, yellow mealworms, houseflies, and house crickets in SSA for waste management and sustainable nutrition. The discussion encompasses insect abundance, waste utilization, economic cycles, and environmental benefits. Furthermore, it explores the quality and quantity of available urban organic waste streams, waste-to-insect combinations, and the socioeconomic implications of insect farming, including gender dynamics and consumer acceptance. The review highlights the need for regulatory frameworks to govern the edible insect industry in SSA and emphasizes the potential of insect farming to contribute to food security, environmental conservation, and economic development in the region.}, language = {en} } @masterthesis{Decher, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Decher, Isabelle}, title = {Analysing Marketing Strategies of Agroforestry-Grown Walnuts: Lessons for the Lower Rhine Region}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, abstract = {Agroforestry (AFS) could help fight climate change by sequestering carbon (Nair et al., 2021). However, few markets accurately reflect the value of agroforestry products, posing a barrier to farmers implementing AFS (Litschel et al., 2023). In addition, while AFS could i.e. help the Lower Rhine Region reduce nitrate pollution, there is little research on AFS in this region. This thesis aims to reduce these barriers to AFS in the Lower Rhine Region by developing a marketing strategy for one promising agroforestry product: walnuts (Juglans regia). To do this, consumer prices of 62 walnut products from 15 stores in the Kleve area were collected over 46 days to gain an insight into the local market. Secondly, expert interviews were conducted with three German walnut producers to assess their marketing strategies. The SIVA framework (Solution, Information, Value, Access) by Dev and Schultz (2005), was used to analyse the transcripts. Then, the results were adapted to the context of the Lower Rhine Region and agroforestry to provide marketing guidelines for producers of AFS-grown walnuts in the Lower Rhine Region. Results show that not only could new walnut producers successfully compete with imported walnuts in the Lower Rhine Region, but that agroforestry could also be a significant asset to their marketing strategy.}, language = {en} } @misc{OPUS4-1954, title = {06/2024 Erste {\"A}nderungssatzung zur Ordnung zur Feststellung der studiengangsbezogenen k{\"u}nstlerisch-gestalterischen Eignung f{\"u}r den Masterstudiengang Design and Interaction der Fakult{\"a}t Kommunikation und Umwelt vom 20.03.2024}, volume = {2024}, number = {06}, organization = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-19540}, pages = {3}, language = {de} } @misc{OPUS4-1953, title = {05/2024 Vierte {\"A}nderungssatzung zur Rahmenpr{\"u}fungsordnung f{\"u}r die Bachelor- und Masterstudieng{\"a}nge an der Hochschule Rhein-Waal vom 02.04.2024}, volume = {2024}, number = {05}, organization = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-19530}, pages = {4}, language = {de} } @misc{OPUS4-1952, title = {04/2024 Dritte {\"A}nderungssatzung zur Pr{\"u}fungsordnung f{\"u}r den Bachelorstudiengang Mechanical Engineering B.Sc. der Fakult{\"a}t Technologie und Bionik an der Hochschule Rhein-Waal vom 09.04.2024}, volume = {2024}, number = {04}, organization = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-19523}, pages = {5}, language = {de} } @misc{Hoetger, type = {Master Thesis}, author = {H{\"o}tger, Marvin}, title = {Evaluation of the potential of a silphie supply chain for fiber production and CO2 binding in East-Westphalia Lip}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, abstract = {The present thesis focuses on the potential of the alternative fiber plant Silphie (Silphium perfoliatum) in East Westphalia-Lippe. To assess its potential, three expert interviews were conducted in the beginning with the key stakeholders of a Silphie supply chain. These stakeholders included the fiber producer OutNature, the seed distributor Donau-Silphie, and the CO2 certification company Positerra. Through these interviews, the necessary conditions for establishing a Silphie cultivation region for paper production were determined. Subsequently, the attitudes of local farmers towards cultivation and further use of the plant were surveyed. Additionally, the potential for CO2 sequestration of Silphie was assessed and compared with the opinions of the farmers. The results from the interviews and the survey were used to identify patterns using explorative data analysis and descriptive statistics methods, enabling the prioritization of potential farmers in the future. The evaluation of the methods revealed an interest in cultivation and fiber production under certain conditions. The most important prerequisites include profitability, secured take-off agreements, and the suitability of using the plant as fodder. Consequently, farmers with a larger farm size who cultivate silage maize for biogas production are most willing to grow Silphie. By geographically mapping potential Silphie areas, two preferred catchment areas were identified where the chance for a cultivation region is favorable due to existing infrastructure and farmer interest. Furthermore, a comparison of the required environmental conditions with those present in OWL was conducted and mostly deemed accurate. Based on these findings and the development of further utilization possibilities for Silphie, this thesis serves as a motivation for additional studies aimed at increasing the potential of Silphie in OWL.}, language = {en} } @masterthesis{Ina, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Ina, Hickmann}, title = {Potential of Social media marketing for farm shops}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, abstract = {n the age of digital networking, social media has developed into a central tool that is reshaping the communication landscape. This bachelor thesis evaluates the growing importance of social media for farm stores, with the aim of examining the potential of social media for farm stores and identifying effective approaches. Key research questions guide the investigation, addressing aspects such as target groups, design criteria, social media platforms, customer acquisition and distinctions from supermarkets. By employing a mixed-method approach, qualitative expert interviews and a quantitative online survey were conducted to gain insights into the specific criteria for effective social media content and to analyze the characteristics of the Hoffreunde farm store's target audience. The results highlight the paramount role of target audience analysis in formulating a focused social media strategy. Thereby, essential design criteria include the creation of authentic posts that elucidate product origins, fostering trust, a pivotal advantage over large supermarkets. In conclusion, social media has the potential to positively impact farm stores by enhancing visibility and fostering customer loyalty.}, language = {en} } @masterthesis{Christie, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {Christie, Rivani}, title = {ESG Reporting as a Sustainability Performance Measurement in Educational Institutions}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-19426}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, pages = {95}, abstract = {The concept of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting is not a new thing. It initially comes from the concept of non-financial reporting and corporate sustainability reporting. Over time this concept emerged as an essential tool in sustainability performance assessment. This research dives into the dimensions of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting as a pivoting tool for evaluating sustainability performance in educational institutions. The study conducts a case study of the campus Hochschule Rhein-Waal sustainability intending to gain insights into the institution's performance concerning sustainability metrics. The research explores the integration of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 10 principles United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), along with the alignment of variables with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) into a tailored ESG framework for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). In addition to the in-depth examination of campus HSRW sustainability with Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) dimensions, assessments of insights on on-campus areas of improvement about the indicators are highlighted. In summary, this study aimed to provide useful information for academic institutions seeking to enhance their sustainability initiatives as sustainability becomes an essential component of higher education.}, language = {en} } @masterthesis{May, type = {Bachelor Thesis}, author = {May, Clarissa}, title = {Efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medical DrugsThe Treatment of Common Illnesses in Comparison with Western medicine}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:1383-opus4-19440}, school = {Hochschule Rhein-Waal}, pages = {78}, abstract = {The efficacy of treating common illnesses with traditional Chinese medical drugs has been a subject of growing interest and debate especially when compared to established practices of modern Western medicine. The integration of alternative and traditional medicine practices also gains significance as healthcare systems evolve. This literature review aims to comprehensively assess and compare the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medical drugs with modern Western medial drugs in addressing common illnesses. Through a systematic analysis of reviewed scientific articles, clinical studies, and relevant literature the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medical drugs will be identified and compared to modern Western medical drugs and treatment options in context of the treatment success rates, symptom relief, adverse effects, and patient satisfaction. The study focuses on the herbal based remedies and their traditional therapeutic treatment methods, to illuminate their mechanisms of action and potential therapeutic benefits for a range of common illnesses such as the common cold and flu, digestive disorders, musculoskeletal pain, and skin conditions. Furthermore, the potential synergies between the two practices will be explored, as integrative healthcare becomes increasingly important as a comprehensive approach to patient wellbeing. Through a comprehensive analysis of the available medical literature and clinical data, this paper attempts to address the potential of traditional Chinese medical drugs as an alternative or complementary method to modern Western medicine for various common illnesses. The findings may contribute to informed decision-making by healthcare professionals and patients, offering insights into the strengths and limitations of each approach. Additionally, the research aims to foster a deeper understanding of cross-cultural medical practices and their potential integration into contemporary healthcare systems.}, language = {en} }