Background: It is clear that the fashion industry is experiencing a change as a result of the explosion of social media. Today the four key social media platforms for fashion houses are Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat. The society has created a culture around these media platforms, which is referred to as insta-culture. Why read Vogue magazine to find out the latest trends, when social media is covering the runways in real time? A debate about what direction the fashion industry is heading towards is a hot topic of discussion. The fashion industry has gone through changes before but now consumers have become more demanding regarding quick accessibility of fashion. Consumer behavior and the way we consume fashion has changed. An obvious sign of the change within the industry is how fashion weeks around the world have become the most coveted”it” event for celebrities and fashionistas worldwide. Fashion week is a fashion industry event that lasts around one week. The goal is for the fashion industry to network and for fashion houses to share their next season collections. Fashion weeks have traditionally been a closed, trade only-event which highlights promotional and glamorous entertainment events. However, now it is the most important shows that everyone wants to be seen at. What will become of fashion weeks is truly unknown. One thing that is for sure is that the development of social media definitely plays a vital role in the change of the industry. Aims of the research: The broader aim of this research is to analyze through the lens of fashion week, what is happening in fashion week and the driver of change within the fashion industry, social media, and to unravel why we see a change in fashion week now. The second aim is also to investigate in what way the change is affecting the way fashion is displayed at fashion weeks. Methods: This thesis was completed by gathering observations and analyzing interviews, blogs, press, journal articles, social media and observations that focused on the phenomenon of fashion week especially in the New York and Stockholm context. This qualitative method is referring to as Netnography using primarily data gathering from the internet and data from the existing interviews with people from the industry. Results: Social media has affected the fashion weeks in many ways. Today fashion brands have to include social media in their marketing strategy in order to survive in the insta-culture that reflects on the society. The insta-culture has as well resulted in that fashion week has been reinvented to an entertainment event open for everyone. The democratization of the fashion week has in turn resulted in that designers have to change how and when they deliver fashion. Instead of waiting six months for the collections to hit the stores, designers now have adopted a see now buy now model. Contributions: The result of this thesis brings awareness to people within the fashion industry and fashion theories when it comes to what is happening to the industry and how to better support fashion management strategies. Social media has created an insta-culture in the society that also affects the fashion industry. This thesis also highlights the great impact that the society has on fashion even today. This study therefore further develops the sociological theory when it comes to the impact from the society and how it affects fashion.

Denna studie undersöker principer och konsekvenser av vad som kännetecknar grunderna i förskollärares bokval till barngruppen. Syftet är att visa om förskollärare beaktar både pedagogiska och underhållande aspekter, om deras egna känslor för böckerna påverkar deras bokval och i så fall på vilka sätt. Metoden för undersökningen var två kvalitativa intervjuer och en kvantitativ enkätundersökning. Undersökningen gjordes i en medelstor kommun i Sverige. Resultaten visar att när förskollärare väljer barnböcker så sker det framförallt för att bidra till barns språkutveckling, dock hamnar det fantasiskapande syftet i andra hand. Däremot försöker förskollärare skapa meningsfullhet för barngruppen genom bland annat emotionell koppling till boken vilket i förlängningen kan skapa läslust hos barnen. / This study investigates the principles and consecuences of the grounds of preschool teachers book selections for the group of children. The purpose is to show if preschool teachers take into consideration both educational and entertaining aspects, if their own feelings towards the books affects their book selections and if so in what way. The methodology for the survey was two qualitative interviews and a quantitative survey. The study was made in a medium-sized municipality in Sweden. The results shows that when preschool teachers choose books it is done above all to contribute to children's language development, however the fantasy creative purpose will end up in the second. On the other hand preschool teachers try to create meaningfulness for the group of children by including emotinal connection through the book selection which ultimately can create motivation for reading in children.

Sweeping advancements in digital technology have greatly influenced the evolution of every industry through streamlining processes, improving market reach, and disrupting traditional value chains. In the videogames industry which develops, manufactures, and markets interactive entertainment hardware and software, the exponential increases in computing power and affordability have consistently diversified their product offerings and customer base. The spread of internet accessibility and the increased prevalence of gamification for subjects outside of entertainment have provided unique opportunities for market growth. With the increasing ownership of personal computers and advanced mobile devices, the spread of social gaming, and the implementation of “freemium” business models, new revenue streams exclusive to this interactive entertainment medium have empowered the videogames industry to consistently reach more consumers while embracing digital distribution. This paper will not only cover the evolution of the videogames industry from its inception to modern day but also will discuss the challenges that drove this industry’s rise to becoming one of the fastest growing industries in the United States economy. Further this paper will examine the implications of these successes and present-day challenges the industry continues to face.

Certain unique sights and sounds of video games from the 1980s and 1990s have been codified as a retro game style, celebrated by collectors, historians, and game developers alike. In this report, I argue that this nostalgic celebration has escaped critical scrutiny and in particular omits the diverse experiences of girls and women who may have been alienated by the tough, intimidating nature of a twentieth-century video-game culture that was primarily created by and for boys. Indeed, attempts to attract girls to gaming, such as the 1990s girls' game movement, are usually criticized in or absent from mainstream video-game histories, and girly video games are rarely viewed with the same nostalgic fondness as games like Super Mario Bros. This condition points to a larger cultural practice of trivializing media for girls and, by extension, girlhood and girls themselves. My critical design response to this condition has been twofold. First, I have recuperated and resituated twentieth-century girly games as collectible, valuable, and nostalgic, thereby subverting conventional historical narratives and suggesting that these games have inherent cultural value. Second, I have created new works that reimagine 8-bit style as an expression of nostalgia for twentieth-century girlhood rather than for twentieth-century boyhood. This report contains documentation of some relevant projects I have undertaken, such as the creation of a video-game museum and an 8-bit video game called Electronic Sweet-N Fun Fortune Teller. In these projects and in future works, I hope to disrupt dominant narratives about video game history and nostalgia that continue to marginalize and trivialize girls' and women's experiences and participation in contemporary game cultures. / text

Darbo objektas: rekreacinių veiklų pritaikymas. Darbo tikslas: išsiaiškinti rekreacinių veiklų pritaikymą žmonėms su fizine negalia Kauno miesto baseinuose. Darbo problema: ar yra pritaikytos rekreacinės veiklos fizinę negalią turintiems žmonėms Kauno miesto baseinuose? Darbo uždaviniai: 1. Aptarti pagrindinius dokumentus ir teisinius aktus reglamentuojančius rekreacinių veiklų pritaikymą žmonėms su fizine negalia. 2. Išanalizuoti neįgalumo sampratą ir rekreacinių veiklų pritaikymo komponentus žmonėms su fizine negalia. 3. Apžvelgti rekreacinių veiklų pritaikymo ypatumus ir galimybes žmonėms su fizine negalia. 4. Nustatyti rekreacinių veiklų pritaikymą žmonėms su fizine negalia Kauno miesto baseinuose. Darbo išvados ir svarbiausi rezultatai: 1. Lietuvos ir Europos Sąjungos teisiniai aktai ir norminiai dokumentai apibrėžia neįgaliųjų asmenų teises ir pareigas, skatina valstybes keisti požiūrį į neįgaliuosius ir integruoti juos į visuomenę kaip lygiateisius narius. Tai sąlygoja neįgaliųjų augantį pasitikėjimą savimi, leidžia suprasti, kad jie yra naudingi visuomenei ir gali save realizuoti įvairiose gyvenimo srityse, taip pat ir rekreacinėse veiklose. 2. Neįgalumas – dėl asmens kūno sandaros ir funkcijų sutrikimo bei nepalankių aplinkos veiksnių sąveikos atsiradęs ilgalaikis sveikatos būklės pablogėjimas, dalyvavimo visuomenės gyvenime ir veiklos galimybių sumažėjimas. Remiantis moksline literatūra buvo analizuojami rekreacinių veiklų komponentai: aplinkos... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Object: recreational activities adaptation. Purpose: find out recreational activities for people with physical disabilities in the Kaunas city pools. Problem: or recreational activities are adapted for people with physical disabilities in the Kaunas city pools? Tasks: 1. Discuss the key legal documents and regulations governing recreational activities for people with physical disabilities. 2. To analyze the concept of disability and recreational activities adaptation components for people with physical disabilities. 3. To review recreational activities customization features and opportunities for people with physical disabilities. 4. Identify recreational activities for people with physical disabilities in the Kaunas city pools. Conclusions: 1. Lithuania and the European Union legal acts and normative documents defines the rights of persons with disabilities and duties, encourages states to change attitudes towards people with disabilities and to integrate them into society as equal members. This leads to a growing self-confidence of people with disabilities, suggests that they are useful to the public and to realize their potential in various areas of life, as well as recreational activities. 2. Disability - a person's body structure and dysfunction and adverse environmental factors caused long-term health deterioration, participation and performance opportunities for reduction. Taking into account the needs of the disabled medical model was replaced by the... [to full text]

This thesis introduces the innovative idea of the use of computer games and interactive entertainment by second-and third-age adults, specifically in the area of game content and interaction. This form of entertainment and technologies has become varied recently, with increased and widening participation of groups such as older adults of differing ages. The purposes of using technology involve well-being, intergenerational relationships and learning; these are some aspects primarily associated with the study of gerontology and game studies. This investigation encompassed two phases. Phase One examined the type of computer games older adults would like to play relating to hobbies, dreams and interests. Qualitative and quantitative data was collected in a step-by-step approach enabling participants to design their own game idea in an informal, jargon-free environment allowing for ease of understanding and coherence. Phase Two of the investigation involved older adults playing one of two consoles (Wii and PS-2). The games chosen were from the sports genre (golf, tennis and boxing) and were required to play for 15 minutes each. Results from Phase One indicated that participants were able to devise and design a number of game genres, and having prior knowledge of gaming did not necessarily aid when trying to design a game concept. Results from Phase Two indicated participants’ playing on the Wii was easier due to the nature of the console pad, rather than the traditional game pad used on the PS-2. Qualitative and quantitative data analysis interaction mechanism was far more influential on participants’ experience of flow than content. Extensive technological developments have enabled audiences in recent years to interact with gaming platforms easier than before, using motion sensor and natural body movement during game play. Preliminary design guidelines established from this investigation stipulate a multitude of aspects relating to interaction and content to enhance the experience of gaming for older adults.

This paper considers whether the implementation of an international draft by Major League Baseball (MLB) will be possible. Over the last five years, the MLB has increasingly placed more stringent limitations on international spending, which has limited the bargaining power of international free agents. Many in the international market believe that the agreement between the MLB and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) during the 2016 Collective Bargaining (CBA) negotiations are progressing towards an international draft, which would have a crippling effect on the future of baseball in many foreign countries. This paper is focused on the countries that stand to suffer the most should an international draft be implemented: the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Cuba. Currently there is little reliable research on this topic. Based on extensive research and interviews with both current and former international scouts, MLB baseball operations personnel, and employees working in the Labor Department in the MLB Commissioner’s Office, this paper suggests that while the MLB maintains that an international draft will be implemented in upcoming collective bargaining agreements, the obstacles in implementing an international draft will prove to be insurmountable.

The goal of this research study is to develop a model of information that will enable media conglomerates and other companies, with theme park investments, to make informed and effective decisions based on scholarly and empirical evidences. In order to do this, the following research study uses historic, scholarly, journalistic, and focus group evidences to consolidate the information necessary to create a model to support concepts and designs. The paper begins with establishing why it is important for media conglomerates, with theme park investments, to integrate cinema into the park’s design. Then it looks back through the history of cinema and theme parks, identifying the similarities and differences. Furthermore, it analyzes the development of Universal Studios Hollywood and Disneyland. The study uses the history of Hollywood from its beginning to the decentralization to parallel the development of the movie-based theme park, and how the decentralization of Hollywood and the rise of the movie-based theme park support one another. As the idea of the convergence of one media with another is not a new concept, information on media convergence is used as part of the scholarly research in this area. Because movies and movie-based attractions are each forms of storytelling, the study includes prolific information on media, film, literary, and psychological theories as supporting evidence. The empirical research method utilized in the research, specific to this study, includes four focus groups in Florida, New York City, Cincinnati, and Los Angeles and one interview with a theme park president. Throughout the study, concepts of narrative, spectacle, pleasure, character, and setting are addressed in terms of how these elements work in movies and movie-based theme park attractions.

Einleitung Der Faktor Zeit nimmt in unserer heutigen Gesellschaft einen bedeutsamen Platz in den unterschiedlichsten Bereichen unseres Lebens und Wirkens ein. Beispielsweise verbreiten sich Nachrichten weltweit innerhalb von Minuten, Reisezeiten verkürzen sich von Tagen auf mehrere Stunden (Kurpjuweit 2013) und die Hersteller von Unterhaltungselektronik verkürzen die Produktlebenszyklen um neue Produkte schneller am Markt zu platzieren (Scheimann 2011). Die Reduzierung des Produktlebens ist bei vielen anderen Produkten des Konsum- und Investitionsgütermarktes festzustellen, da die Markteintrittsstrategie den möglichen Absatz des Produktes bestimmt (Meffert et al. 2008, S. 445f.). Der Erfolg eines Produktes ist jedoch eine Folge aus unterschiedlichen Aspekten, wobei die Zeit, neben der Qualität und den Kosten, einer der Hauptparameter ist. Demzufolge ist das Zusammenspiel dieser drei voneinander abhängigen Faktoren auch im Produktentwicklungsprozess zu berücksichtigen, um die geforderten Ziele zu erreichen (Burghardt 2013, S. 23). Diese werden durch den technologischen Fortschritt, die veränderten Bedürfnisse der Kunden und den internationalen Wettbewerb bedingt (Cooper 2010, S. 8ff.). Durch den Einsatz von strukturierten Produktentwicklungsprozessen können die Zielvorstellungen abteilungs- und aufgabenübergreifend berücksichtigt und kontrolliert werden. Anwendungsbeispiele für komplexe, aber systematische Produktentwicklungsprozesse sind in der Automobil- und IT-Branche zu finden (Braess 2013; Ruf & Fittkau 2008). Für die Produkte der Sicherheitstechnik muss bei der Entwicklung, Konstruktion und Fertigung jedoch ein Aspekt gesondert betrachtet werden – die Qualität. Es sind sehr hohe Anforderungen und Ansprüche zu erfüllen, die teilweise vom Gesetzgeber festgesetzt wurden, da die Sicherheit von Mensch und Maschine zu gewährleisten ist. Im Bereich des Explosionsschutzes, welcher als ein Teilgebiet der Sicherheitstechnik gilt, ist die Einhaltung von Richtlinien und Normen bei einer Produktentwicklung für den Markteintritt zwingend erforderlich. Neue Bauteile werden u.a. durch aufwändige Prüfungen von benannten Stellen erprobt. Diese Bedingungen beeinflussen den Produktentwicklungsprozess und die Konstruktionsmethodik im Explosionsschutz fundamental und charakterisieren den kosten- und zeitintensiven Vorgang durch aufwändige Iterationen (Träger et al. 2005).

It is hoped that the contents of this thesis will help to provide a course of action through which the dramatic arts program may move closer to the objectives established for it by the HDRP administration. The dramatic arts program for adults, as set forth in the thesis, should create specific goals so that the HDRP may provide a consistent direction for the development of a dramatic arts program for adults. The adult dramatic arts program as formulated in the thesis should, combined with the already established dramatic arts program for youth, form a major portion of the comprehensive cultural arts program desired by the HDRP administration in Henrico County.