These past years towards the completion of the PhD have been, in my view, a great opportunity to grow as a person, and (I hope, at least!) as a researcher. The path has been sometimes scattered with pitfalls, but those good feelings growing every time that one realizes to have been able to overcome even one of those difficulties, is really priceless! There have been many good and valued moments on both the intellectual and the human or social side, and I definitely need to say thanks to several people who have contributed to make this experience so rich and worth to be lived.I would like to express my special appreciation and heartfelt thanks to my advisor Professor Dr.Stephan Klasen. His advice and support have been really priceless. I would like to thank him for having believed and trusted in me when he gave me the opportunity to do my PhD at his Chair, for his contagious enthusiasm for his work, for the freedom and guidance that he gave to me, for having always encouraged my research and for allowing me to grow as a research scientist.Similarly, I am very grateful to my second advisor, Jun. Professor Sebastian Vollmer for his scientific advice and knowledge and for the many insightful discussions and suggestions. And, I would also like to thank Professor Matin Qaim, for accepting to serve as the third advisor of my committee members even upon relatively short-notice.I express my sincere gratitude to Prof. Inma Martinez Zarzoso for her precious comments on my papers and to Jun. Prof. Jann Lay for the interesting conversations that we had. I am indebted to my many colleagues and friends who supported me throughout the course of this PhD Programme. Thanks to
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