This mixed method research evaluates corporate image theory and its impact on assets of brand equity. It consists of a single case study of a CFL franchise coming back to a market that has experienced two failed franchises. The first phase involved the collection of archival material and the execution of semi-structured interviews. Through content analysis, four higher order themes emerged: the importance of Football Tradition, the need for a new Sport Facility, and the importance placed on both Identity and Brand Awareness. These themes denoted the importance of history and tradition for a franchise making its debut in a new, yet pre-existing market. The second phase involved survey research via an online method. Demographic data was compiled and analyzed to understand the various market segments that this franchise should be targeting as future fans. The findings suggest that this team should find a new name and a new logo.

This mixed method research evaluates corporate image theory and its impact on assets of brand equity. It consists of a single case study of a CFL franchise coming back to a market that has experienced two failed franchises. The first phase involved the collection of archival material and the execution of semi-structured interviews. Through content analysis, four higher order themes emerged: the importance of Football Tradition, the need for a new Sport Facility, and the importance placed on both Identity and Brand Awareness. These themes denoted the importance of history and tradition for a franchise making its debut in a new, yet pre-existing market. The second phase involved survey research via an online method. Demographic data was compiled and analyzed to understand the various market segments that this franchise should be targeting as future fans. The findings suggest that this team should find a new name and a new logo.

This mixed method research evaluates corporate image theory and its impact on assets of brand equity. It consists of a single case study of a CFL franchise coming back to a market that has experienced two failed franchises. The first phase involved the collection of archival material and the execution of semi-structured interviews. Through content analysis, four higher order themes emerged: the importance of Football Tradition, the need for a new Sport Facility, and the importance placed on both Identity and Brand Awareness. These themes denoted the importance of history and tradition for a franchise making its debut in a new, yet pre-existing market. The second phase involved survey research via an online method. Demographic data was compiled and analyzed to understand the various market segments that this franchise should be targeting as future fans. The findings suggest that this team should find a new name and a new logo.

Streamline simulators have received increased attention because of their ability to effectively handle multimillion cell detailed geologic models and large simulation models. The efficiency of streamline simulation has relied primarily on their ability to take large timesteps with fewer pressure solutions within an IMPES formulation. However, unlike conventional finite-difference simulators, no clear guidelines are currently available for the choice of timestep for pressure and velocity updates. That is why we need largely an uncontrolled approximation, either managed by engineering judgment or by potentially time-consuming timestep size sensitivity studies early in a project. This will clearly lead us to the lack of understanding of numerical stability and error estimates during the solution. This research presents a novel approach for timestep selection during streamline simulation that is based on three elements. First, we reformulate the equations to be solved by a streamline simulator to include all of the three-dimensional flux terms - both aligned with and transverse to the flow directions. These transverse flux terms are totally neglected within the existing streamline simulation formulations. Second, we propose a simple grid-based corrector algorithm to update the saturation to account for the transverse flux. Third, we provide a discrete CFL (Courant-Friedrich-Levy) formulation for the corrector step that leads to a mechanism to ensure numerical stability via the choice of a stable timestep for pressure updates. This discrete CFL formulation now provides us with the same tools for timestep control as are available within conventional reservoir simulators. We demonstrate the validity and utility of our approach using a series of numerical experiments in homogeneous and heterogeneous ¼ five-spot patterns at various mobility ratios. For these numerical experiments, we pay particular attention to favorable mobility ratio displacements, as they are known to be challenging to streamline simulation. Our results clearly demonstrate the impact of the transverse flux correction on the accuracy of the solution and on the appropriate choice of timestep, across a range of mobility ratios. The proposed approach eliminates much of the subjectivity associated with streamline simulation, and provides a basis for automatic control of pressure timestep within full field streamline applications.

Streamline simulators have received increased attention because of their ability to effectively handle multimillion cell detailed geologic models and large simulation models. The efficiency of streamline simulation has relied primarily on their ability to take large timesteps with fewer pressure solutions within an IMPES formulation. However, unlike conventional finite-difference simulators, no clear guidelines are currently available for the choice of timestep for pressure and velocity updates. That is why we need largely an uncontrolled approximation, either managed by engineering judgment or by potentially time-consuming timestep size sensitivity studies early in a project. This will clearly lead us to the lack of understanding of numerical stability and error estimates during the solution. This research presents a novel approach for timestep selection during streamline simulation that is based on three elements. First, we reformulate the equations to be solved by a streamline simulator to include all of the three-dimensional flux terms - both aligned with and transverse to the flow directions. These transverse flux terms are totally neglected within the existing streamline simulation formulations. Second, we propose a simple grid-based corrector algorithm to update the saturation to account for the transverse flux. Third, we provide a discrete CFL (Courant-Friedrich-Levy) formulation for the corrector step that leads to a mechanism to ensure numerical stability via the choice of a stable timestep for pressure updates. This discrete CFL formulation now provides us with the same tools for timestep control as are available within conventional reservoir simulators. We demonstrate the validity and utility of our approach using a series of numerical experiments in homogeneous and heterogeneous ¼ five-spot patterns at various mobility ratios. For these numerical experiments, we pay particular attention to favorable mobility ratio displacements, as they are known to be challenging to streamline simulation. Our results clearly demonstrate the impact of the transverse flux correction on the accuracy of the solution and on the appropriate choice of timestep, across a range of mobility ratios. The proposed approach eliminates much of the subjectivity associated with streamline simulation, and provides a basis for automatic control of pressure timestep within full field streamline applications.

The body of literature investigating spectator attendance in sports has developed using various forms of regression with secondary data, leading to a series of fairly consistent findings. The aggregate secondary data that has been used in these studies, which has been effective in developing this body of knowledge, is inherently limited in its ability to explain the most basic element of the attendance issue: how individual consumers choose whether or not to attend a game. The objective of this research is to provide these consumer-level insights, specifically for games in the Canadian Football League, by utilizing a discrete choice methodology. This study generates primary data from actual consumers, while incorporating many of the standard demand determinants. The results of this study show that while the quality of both participating teams are significant predictors of demand, their relative quality is not; contradicting the uncertainty of outcomes hypothesis.

The main purpose of this study was to develop a reliable and valid Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL) Anxiety Scale based on a sound theoretical model of CFL Anxiety. Furthermore, the study attempted to discuss the influence of background variables on CFL Anxiety and the relationships between CFL Anxiety and other learning variables such as motivation, self-perceived language achievement, etc.. A total of 428 students studying Chinese in two U.S. universities participated in the study. Based on the results of item analysis, the researcher retained 16 items in the final CFL Anxiety Scale. EFA performed on responses to the 16 items from the 245 participants at the southwestern university yielded three factors: CFL Speaking Anxiety, Listening Anxiety, and Reading & Writing Anxiety. These results provided evidence for the construct validity of the CFL Anxiety Scale. Correlation analyses between the 16- item CFL Anxiety Scale and other related measures showed that the CFL Anxiety Scale had high convergent, discriminant, and criterion-related validity. The internal consistency reliabilities of the final 16-item CFL Anxiety Scale and its three subscales (i.e., Speaking, Listening, and Reading & Writing Anxiety scales) performed on responses from the 428 participants yielded Cronbach’s Alphas of .898, .837, .802, .and 875. ANOVA and MAVOVA analyses revealed that heritage-learning status and proficiency level had significant effects on CFL Anxiety, CFL Speaking Anxiety, Listening Anxiety, and Reading & Writing Anxiety. Heritage learners with Chinese language background were significantly less anxious than heritage learners without Chinese language background and non-heritage learners. Advanced learners experienced significantly lower levels of CFL Anxiety than elementary and intermediate learners. In addition, seven variables: age, perception of difficulty of Chinese, motivation in learning Chinese, self-perceived language learning abilities, self-perceived achievement in the Chinese class, self-expectations in the Chinese class, and perception of importance of Chinese were found to be significantly correlated with CFL Anxiety, and altogether explained 33.2%, 20.5%, 14.8%, and 33.1% of variances in CFL Anxiety, Speaking Anxiety, Listening Anxiety, and Reading & Writing Anxiety respectively. / text

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Tecnologia, Departamento de Engenharia Elétrica, 2016. / Submitted by Camila Duarte (camiladias@bce.unb.br) on 2017-01-20T15:21:13Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2016_RonaldoRodriguesdaSilva.pdf: 1507927 bytes, checksum: 9db7accbea588ec2c50174217c542007 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ruthléa Nascimento(ruthleanascimento@bce.unb.br) on 2017-03-22T16:52:27Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2016_RonaldoRodriguesdaSilva.pdf: 1507927 bytes, checksum: 9db7accbea588ec2c50174217c542007 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-22T16:52:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2016_RonaldoRodriguesdaSilva.pdf: 1507927 bytes, checksum: 9db7accbea588ec2c50174217c542007 (MD5) / Comparação forense de locutor (CFL) é utilizada como uma abordagem complementar na confirmação da autoria de um crime. A metodologia mais difundida mundialmente neste tipo de exame se baseia em análises perceptuais e acústicas. Uma das medidas acústicas mais utilizadas em CFL é a frequência fundamental (F0). O parâmetro acústico F0 é robusto em áudios de baixa qualidade e é independente do conteúdo das falas, o que o torna um parâmetro interessante de ser utilizado nas análises forenses. Além disso, o algoritmo de extração de F0 apresenta baixa complexidade computacional. Neste trabalho, propõe-se analisar o poder discriminante da medida de longo termo da frequência fundamental nomeada valor de base de F0, que em trabalhos recentes tem se mostrado menos sujeita a variações associadas ao conteúdo, ao estilo da fala, ao canal utilizado na gravação, além de exigir uma menor quantidade de material para obter uma medida estável em comparação a outras medidas de longo termo, como a média aritmética e o desvio padrão. Foi avaliado o ganho de poder discriminante ao combinar a medida do valor de base de F0 a outras medidas de longo termo de F0 usualmente utilizadas na área forense por meio de uma abordagem que aplica a estatística de densidade do núcleo de multivariáveis, do inglês Multivariate Kernel-Density (MVKD). Os testes foram realizados utilizando um corpus composto de gravações de áudios de falantes masculinos do português brasileiro contendo 60 segundos de produções vozeadas e obteve-se uma Taxa de Erro Igual, do inglês Equal Error Rate (EER)de 13 %, superando pesquisas recentes. / Forensic Speaker Comparisons (FSC) are applied as a complementary approach to con rm the authorship of a crime. The methodology most used in FSC is based on perceptual and acoustic analysis. One of the most frequent measures in FSC is the fundamental frequency F0. The acoustic parameter F0 is robust in low audio quality regardless of the speech content, which is very important to the forensic area. Moreover, its algorithm has a low computational complexity. In this work, we propose to analyze the discriminatory power of the long-term fundamental frequency parameter named baseline of the F0. This parameter is more stable considering the speech content and style, the recording channel and needs less audio quantity to extract a reliable measure compared to other F0 parameters, as arithmetic mean and the standard deviation which are the most used parameters in the forensic area. The discriminant gain improvement obtained combining the baseline of the F0 and other long-term fundamental frequency measures was addressed using the statistics of the Multivariate Kernel-Density (MVKD). The experiments were done using a brasilian portuguese male recording corpus containing 60 seconds of voiced speech each sample. We show that our proposed approach achieves an Equal Error Rate (EER) of 13 % outperforming recent researches.

Learning a foreign language is stressful. If learners are anxious, they might be less confident and less willing to communicate (MacIntyre, Dörnyei, Clément, & Noels, 1998). Mental Contrasting with Implementation Intentions (MCII) are widely used in the field of personal health, career pursuit among others. I introduce mental contrasting techniques to Chinese teaching and learning to see if MCII help learners lower their anxiety level. Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale is implemented to test participants’ self-perceived anxiety. Participants’ cortisol in saliva serve as a manifestation of participants’ anxiety (i.e., stress) levels and as a measure of the changes of their anxiety levels. The results show that MCII can effectively lower participants’ speaking anxiety. Qualitative data also show that participants consider MCII helpful with Chinese learning and lowering anxiety levels.

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