This project examines the term autopoiesis and contextualizes it into the realm of Landscape Architecture. Autopoiesis is defined as self-generating, self-producing, self-maintaining organization, used to describe the resilience of a living system. This practicum presents autopoiesis as a process condition that describes incidences of phenomena and the resulting emergent behaviors. Through illustration, photography, simulation and experimental studies, an understanding of autopoiesis through visual representations was attained. This practicum creates a space that uses the dynamics of autopoiesis to both inform and form the design of an urban condition. Located along the coast of Incheon, South Korea, a 1.6km2 site of reclaimed tidal-flat land was investigated. Autopoiesis was understood through phenomena and emergent behaviors that resulted by integrating the fluctuating tidal system into the creation, realization and functioning of the site. The intention of this project is to articulate the notions of autopoiesis through the design of a flexible condition that responds, reacts and engages with contingencies and disturbances, allowing these types relationships to become integral component to the overall development and functioning of the designed site.

This dissertation examines the role that animation plays in the formation of transcultural fan communities. A “transcultural fan community” is defined as a group in which members from many national, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds find a sense of connection across difference, engaging with each other through a mutual interest in animation while negotiating the frictions that result from their differing social and historical contexts. The transcultural model acts as an intervention into polarized academic discourses on media globalization which frame animation as either structural neo-imperial domination or as a wellspring of active, resistant readings. Rather than focusing on top-down oppression or bottom-up resistance, this dissertation demonstrates that it is in the intersections and conflicts between different uses of texts that transcultural fan communities are born. The methodologies of this dissertations are drawn from film/media studies, cultural studies, and ethnography. The first two parts employ textual close reading and historical research to show how film animation in the early twentieth century (mainly works by the Fleischer Brothers, Ōfuji Noburō, Walt Disney, and Seo Mitsuyo) and television animation in the late twentieth century (such as The Jetsons, Astro Boy and Cowboy Bebop) depicted and generated nationally and ethnically diverse audiences. Exactly how such diversity was handled varied according to the specific animation producers, distributors, and consumers involved. And yet, all of these cases exemplify models of textual engagement and modes of globalization that have a continuing influence today. Building on the basis of twentieth-century animation, the third part of the dissertation illustrates the risks and potentials that attend media globalization in the Internet era of the early twenty-first century. The web media texts There She Is!! (2003) and Hetalia: Axis Powers (2006) are analyzed alongside results from a survey of animation fans conducted online and at fan events in Canada, the United States, and Japan between July 2009 and September 2010. This dissertation thus demonstrates the different ways of living together in the world generated by the global crossings and clashes of social life and mediated imaginaries today.

This thesis is an in-depth analysis of beauty ideals in South Korea and India. These two countries have recently turned to skin lightening and cosmetic surgery in order to achieve their new beauty standards. Not only do these two countries share a propensity for those two trends, but they also have an overwhelming majority of the population that identifies with a specific religion; Hinduism in the case of India and Confucianism in the case of South Korea. However, it is not clear that the current beauty ideal in each country aligns with the beauty ideal set out in the respective foundational religion.

Competition among financial institutions in Korean household savings market (HSM) has become severe. Deposit money banks (DMBs) which have occupied the main prop of the Korean financial system have entered turbulent times mainly due to the relaxation of financial regulations which artificially provide a stabilized market environment, as well as the out-performance of non-banking financial institutions (NBFIs). Also, Korean households are becoming better educated, more sophisticated and richer in line with the increase in wealth of the nation. The market share of DMBs in HSM has gradually declined, but that of NBFIs has continuously increased. Consequently, DMBs are required to do something in the market in order, at least, to survive. As the first step, they should have a clear picture of the external environments which can dictate or affect their operations, along with the full understanding of their internal capabilities. Based on the conditions of external environments and internal capabilities, DMBs have to choose one of the 5Ds (ie. disinvestment, de-escalation, do-nothing, development or diversification) as their strategic direction in the market they serve. However, no matter which strategic direction DMBs choose, they are required to differentiate themselves from their competitors in order to support successfully the implementation of a strategic direction chosen and to achieve competitive advantages in the market they serve. In differentiating themselves from others, DMBs will encounter somewhat different aspects from those firms which produce and sell physical goods mainly due to the characteristics (ie. intangible, inseparable, heterogeneous, perishable and non-owned) of their products. Therefore, DMBs have to use the extended 7Ps in order to overcome the problems caused by the unique characteristics of their products and to differentiate themselves from their competitors effectively in the market. However, the discretion of Korean DMBs to implement the extended 7Ps in the market has been so strictly restricted by the regulation that they can not exercise their full capabilities in the market, and they have a passive attitude towards the implementation of strategies in order to differentiate themselves from others. However, the results of this research - mainly based on the study of the financial systems and regulations of Korea and of households as customers of FIs-HSM, and the surveys for FIs-HSM and Korean households - show the possibility that DMBs can achieve competitive advantages effectively in HSM by differentiating themselves from their competitors, be they other DMBs or NBFIs in HSM. DMBs can freely use some components (ie. promotion, physical environment, personnel as a participant, process) of the 7Ps in the market even though other components (ie. product, price, place) of the 7Ps have strictly restricted use in the market at present. Besides, all components of the 7Ps will be sooner or later free to use for differentiating themselves in the market in accordance with the relaxation of financial regulations. As a conclusion, DMBs have to utilize their capabilities fully in order to achieve competitive advantages in the market and to prepare for future changes in the market by conducting the continuous R&D and market research.

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is the comprehensive process of developing a computer model of a building project in the phases of designing, analyzing, building, managing, refurbishing and even demolishing the building. Applying BIM to public construction has become an obligation in South Korea. According to the Public Procurement Service in South Korea, the use of BIM has been compulsory on all government projects over $44M since 2012. Moreover, from 2013, the application of BIM will be expanded to all public construction projects over $27.6M. Finally, beginning in 2016, all public construction projects will be required to use BIM. Most research on BIM in South Korea has been focused on developing regulations and policies, application of BIM, solving technical problems, and searching for the value of BIM. However, the use of BIM in Korea during construction for decision-making has not been thoroughly reported in Korea yet. One may be wondering then if BIM is indeed well utilized in Korea during construction for practical decision-making. The objective of this research centers on investigating how a construction company in South Korea is using BIM for its decision making process during ongoing construction phases. For this investigation, a case study method was used. The construction operations on a jobsite in South Korea were monitored June to August in 2012. Field notes were taken to document the decision-making process and information used during field coordination meetings. A total of 36 cases were monitored and recorded. The use of BIM on field was then compared to the industry expectations indicated in the literature. Specifically, the use of BIM for scheduling, estimating, coordination, review of drawings, and tracking for change orders were carefully monitored and compared with the industry expectations as they were addressed in the literature. The results of this research study were mixed. That is, there are not only similarities, but also differences between BIM’s role used for decision making at the construction site, and its expected role described in previous research. The similarities were regarded as minimizing reworking. This factor came to fruition at a construction site by minimizing error, omission in design phases, or congruence in design and construction tasks. These factors could have a positive effect on estimating and scheduling at a construction site. However, use of BIM at a construction site was still limited in reducing repetitive work when 2D drawings were not able to provide enough information to conduct construction. Additionally, even though this study was successful in revealing the connection between the decision making process and the application of BIM at a construction site, the results of the study may not be generalizable to the construction industry as a whole in South Korea. Therefore, further research is needed to ensure its applicability to other construction projects.

This dissertation attempts to uncover systematic patterns regarding elite management in dictatorships. To do so, it describes how dictators manage their elites and what factors determine the outcomes of their decision. Although considerable literature has examined the various structural features of dictatorships and has identified different elite management strategies to explain the persistence of dictatorships, few, if any, have empirically tested any of the theoretical propositions generated by this increasingly large body of literature. This dissertation is the first empirical attempt to explore the elite management strategies of various dictatorships, ranging from the individual case of the most extreme dictatorship (North Korea) as well as different kinds of military dictatorships (South Korea), and global patterns of autocratic regimes. To address the main research question, "what determines the choice of the dictator's elite management strategies?" this dissertation identifies three key factors - dictator, elites, and structure. The relationship between dictators and elites is basically hostile. Conflicts between actors over power acquisition often emerge in violent ways. Nevertheless, dictators do not always treat elites with repression. They sometimes make efforts to embrace and cooperate with the other elites. The variation of their strategies toward elites is determined by various conditions. The results of this dissertation indicate that three factors of dictators, elites, and the environments surrounding them significantly affect the elite management strategies under dictatorships. The main theoretical arguments of this dissertation are supported by the evidence in the three empirical chapters of this dissertation.

Although skin disease and musculoskeletal disorders are believed to be common among nursing home workers, to date there have been no coordinated international studies of these occupational issues. Therefore, it was considered appropriate to conduct one of the first cross-cultural investigations of occupational dermatology and ergonomic complaints among nursing home workers in Australia, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan using a standardised methodology. This thesis documents a 4-year investigation of skin disease and musculoskeletal disorders conducted among 465 nursing home staff in Australia, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Skin diseases were diagnosed by specialist physicians during medical examinations, while information on musculoskeletal disorders was collected by means of a self-reported questionnaire. There were major differences in both the location and type of skin disease between the 4 groups. Overall, the Australian group suffered a generally higher prevalence of skin disease than in the other three countries investigated, most likely due to their significantly higher rate of sun-induced skin damage. The high prevalence of cutaneous fungal disease seen within the Taiwanese subjects most probably arose from the comparatively higher temperature and relative humidity of Taiwan. Other potentially important skin disease risk factors included previous skin disease and a history of allergy, both of which are consistent with current knowledge. Although musculoskeletal disorders were found to be most prevalent among the Japanese nursing home staff at almost all body sites, the reasons for this are not clear. It may have related to a generally higher musculoskeletal rate, or a higher degree of self-reporting on their questionnaires. Individual MSD risk factors included moving patients, washing patients, working as an assistant nurse and daily alcohol consumption. Interestingly, MSD was found to be a co-factor for current skin disease. Overall, this study indicated that certain occupational health issues consistently affect nursing home staff in the 4 countries, but the prevalence and rank order varies from nation to nation. It was also shown that nursing home work incurs a reasonable degree of risk and that skin disease and musculoskeletal disorders are important occupational issues within these facilities.

Applied research project (D. Min.)--School of Theology and Missions, Oral Roberts University, 2006. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 213-223).

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Tübingen. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 226-251).

Thesis (M.A. in Security Studies (Far East, Southeast Asia, and The Pacific))--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2009. / Thesis Advisor(s): Twomey, Christopher. "June 2009." Description based on title screen as viewed on July 10, 2009. Author(s) subject terms: North Korean refugees, Six Party, Republic of Korea, ROK, South Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, DPRK, North Korea, China, Japan, Russia, Northeast Asia regional stability, UNC, CFC, USFK, UNC Rear, UNC Sending States, Korean diaspora, assimilation, immigration, human rights, humanitarian assistance, stability and reconstruction operations. Includes bibliographical references (p. 65-70). Also available in print.