<p> Along the coastlines of the Hawaiian Islands, there is a valuable and critical resource known for its brackish water habitat &ndash; loko i&lsquo;a (Hawaiian fishponds). They are dynamic systems dependent on the balance between fresh groundwater inputs from uka (uplands) and landward flow of kai (seawater), which all vary depending on the behavior of our climate, including rainfall, tides, and storms. Nutrient-rich groundwater mixing with the seawater at the coast allows for an abundant growth of limu or primary productivity attracting many of Hawaii&rsquo;s favorable native brackish water and herbivorous species. Having an intimate relationship with this natural coastal nursery, Hawaiians effectively modified these coastal habitats into loko i&rsquo;a to provide a sustainable food source for the communities in which they reside. In support of these invaluable resources and practices, this study seeks to understand primary productivity and salinity relationships along the same coastline at Honokea Loko of Waiuli, and Hale o Lono and Wai&amacr;hole/Kapalaho of Honohononui, Hawaii. Weekly water quality monitoring by kiai' loko (fishpond steward) and biweekly water column sampling, salinity in the three loko i&rsquo;a ranged from 3.1 to 18.8 and was significantly different throughout different areas of each pond. Benthic primary productivity experiments, found significantly more growth at higher salinity locations across all sites. Due to these strong correlations, loko i'a communities would greatly benefit from these methodologies to quantify the variability of environmental changes through time and specific impacts of climate phenomena, changes in rainfall and sea level. These factors have the potential to interfere with primary productivity and alter loko i'a systems interactions entirely.</p><p>

<p> As more people gravitated to the city, urban areas in the United States became increasingly diverse, yet the Church missed the opportunity to reach these multicultural cities. Though there were efforts at designing a core curriculum for cultural adaptability training, there was a lack of data supporting its effectiveness.</p><p> Much of the Church&rsquo;s response to the urbanization focused on cross-culturalism with the view of urban communities as mission fields. Literature revealed that cultural adaptability and cultural intelligence were needed skill sets for the workplace. Faith organizations that routinely worked among cross-cultural populations needed to ensure that their staff received proper training in cultural skills before leaving for the field.</p><p> This research centered on a small study of urban missionary candidates from World Impact. The quantitative approach followed a methodology that was exploratory, rather than hypothesis, driven. The design used a survey tool called the Cross Cultural Adaptability Inventory. The tool utilized a Likert scale and rating scale questions, as opposed to open or closed question surveys. </p><p> In determining acceptable levels of cultural adaptability in missionary candidates, this study found evidence of notable increases in adaptability as a result of training. Additionally, cultural adaptability in relation to demographics was validated. However, the linear combination of demographics predicting cultural adaptability was not found.</p><p> Literature supported the lack of consensus on the direction of cultural adaptability studies. The expectation of this study was that organizations would take a deeper look at how they were conducting cultural adaptability training. The data gathered from this research project led to the recommendation for continued study on the individual components of cultural adaptability, including additional occupations and pretesting as a best practice prior to post-testing.</p><p>

<p> This thesis investigates evidence for the intensity and development of cooperative foraging strategies and investment in cordage and lithic technologies through time in the western Great Basin. It specifically addresses (1) when the region&rsquo;s inhabitants invested in cordage technology used to create cooperation-oriented nets; (2) when the region&rsquo;s inhabitants invested in flaked-stone technology used for individual, active-search hunting; and (3) when nets occur in archaeological deposits. I therefore develop a methodology geared toward assessing diachronic changes in frequency and type of different cordage and flaked-stone technologies in the Winnemucca Lake Caves over the course of the Holocene (10,300&ndash;150 cal B.P.). The results of this study indicate that investments in cordage, netting, and flaked-stone technologies were greater during the Middle Archaic than during any earlier or later time period. Investment in these technologies increased during the Middle Archaic alongside growing human populations and ameliorating environmental conditions, suggesting that these factors may have played a role in the development of increased cooperation and technological investment during the western Great Basin&rsquo;s Middle Archaic Period.</p><p>

<p> The topic of the study was the relationship between national culture and software development project team performance. Relationships were examined through the lenses of Hofstede&rsquo;s cultural dimension model and the human performance technology model. Research indicated that software development project teams continue to face challenges completing projects within planned scope, on schedule, and within budget despite improved project management methods. The identified gap in the research was that most studies were qualitative and non-productivity related, a gap addressed by this quantitative, productivity-focused study. Four research questions were posed to determine the relationship between national culture and project team performance. Each question inquired as to the relationship between a team-level cultural measure and the number of user stories completed by the team during a sprint. The power distance (PDI) measures were the project team&rsquo;s average PDI and the PDI variance within the project team. The uncertainty avoidance (UAI) measures were the project team&rsquo;s average UAI and the UAI variance within the project team. A quantitative method was applied using a sample from the population of software development project teams that used the Agile management method. The data were extracted from archived productivity project data from 73 sprints conducted by teams from one firm. Archived email data identifying each team member&rsquo;s country of origin was used for each member&rsquo;s national culture. Spearman&rsquo;s rho was applied to the dataset. Results indicated there was a statistically significant relationship between PDI variance and team productivity, and between UAI variance and team productivity. The relationship between a team&rsquo;s average PDI and team productivity, and between the team&rsquo;s average UAI and team productivity, tended toward significance. Avenues for future research include duplicating the study using additional cultures and analyzing the relationship using additional Hofstede cultural dimensions.</p><p>

<p> Place is shaped by history, culture, and memory. Each person who enters a place experiences it uniquely. The city is the embodiment of place. Contained within it are the memories and stories of people passed, &ldquo;nothing is experienced by itself, but always in relation to its surroundings, the sequence of events leading up to it, the memory of past experiences&rdquo;. The city is a combination of places strung together by individual experiences. But when the memories of these places are lost, so too is their power of place. A place that seems routine today may have been a place of passion a hundred years ago. People attempt to mark these places, but their significance is still lost on the everyday person, if only because the mark shows no power or passion. </p><p> In order to counter the effect (or lack of effect) of the current day historic site, one must reach into the past and bring it jarringly into the present consciousness. It is not enough to have a text or graphic panel explaining what significant historical event happened at some location, there needs to be experience attached to it. The historic marker often highlights more than just a location; it can mark an event or a person who has contributed greatly to the story of that place. Place making has been around for centuries, but it only seems to be creating places of the present. Historic markers in cities have become mundane street furniture, when they should be beacons and pathways to the past. </p><p> The design proposal for creating relevance and significance at historic places is not an easy one. By using a city that is already filled with historic sites, Philadelphia, the common historic marker can be revolutionized to create significant places and human connection. The case study of Philadelphia, with its deep and colorful history, creates a basis for implementation in myriad cities. This city is already filled with markers making note of important people and places of the past. These markers are mostly inconspicuous, blue and gold metal signs too high to read unless you are fifteen feet away. This proposal takes a handful of the significant places in Philadelphia and weaves them together to tell the story of life in the city throughout the 19th Century. These stories connect people of the present with the stories and people of the past in innovative ways. </p><p> The stories focus on three different aspects of history: Arts &amp; Commerce, People &amp; History, and Industry &amp; Technology. The sites are located where significant buildings once stood, and use various layers of design to create a unique sense of place. Graphics, story, and experience unify the sites. The environmental interventions include kiosk structures, projections, paving, and signage, as well as lighting and aural solutions. The installations are created for the people who live and work in the city. This audience already has a connection with the place; the markers serve as a tool to strengthen this connection. They allow the city and its residents to &ldquo;move into the future without abandoning the past&rdquo;. </p><p> In order to keep up with current trends, a mobile application will be developed to accompany the physical interventions. The application serves as an additional layer of design by using video and augmented reality formats. The application is a database for all the markers and allows the user to chart their progress on their journey to the sites. It allows users to explore additional content related to the sites and interaction with their environment in a unique way. </p><p> This proposal creates a new way of experiencing historic sites within Philadelphia, but its implications are worldwide. The visitors to the sites become more aware of their surroundings and gain a stronger connection with their city&rsquo;s history and the people of the past. It allows residents of the city to experience Philadelphia in ways that could not have been imagined before. By creating places for history to come alive and renewing memories long forgotten, the site interventions create spaces that link personal stories to the city, pushing its histories into the present, and perhaps finally answering the question, &ldquo;Do people make place, or does place make people?&rdquo; </p>

No description available.

<p> The aim of this investigation is to analyze the effects of incorporating scent-based elements in ethnographic exhibits. Specifically, it attempts to identify changes in patron response to a visual display, with and without a scent element. Groups of patrons were observed throughout their engagement with the exhibit, and interviewed post-engagement to generate data on information retention, opinion on content and empathetic response in relation to the exhibit. Findings suggest that the inclusion of scent did increase memorization of the limited facts reinforced through the scent element. However, there was no detectable difference between the groups on measures of overall comprehension of the subject matter, nor their empathetic responses toward the exhibited culture. The results of the study are discussed as a measure of the observer&mdash;observed dichotomy, and the argument is made that multisensory representation in the museum can aid in the facilitation of cross-cultural education.</p>

<p> In today&rsquo;s world, people from various cultures interact on a daily basis on a number of occasions. During these intercultural encounters, conflicts often arise. Intercessors are needed to help people navigate these types of disagreements. Mediators are considered some of these peacekeepers. This thesis engaged with mediators at a mediation center in the Midwestern United States in order to understand what strategies seemed most effective. </p><p> I examined the research that scholars have conducted regarding building rapport through utilizing respect and face issues, as well as nonverbal behavior. In addition, I explored the connection between the understanding of these factors and intercultural competence and intercultural conflict competence. </p><p> The purpose of this thesis was to see how these mediators understood and valued respect and face issues, including nonverbal behavior, when building rapport with parties in mediations. These mediators were engaged in two manners, via survey and interview questions. The intercultural competence of the mediators in these domains was also explored. </p><p> The results of the research in this thesis showed how the mediators were skilled in some areas, such as in rapport building and respect issues. It further revealed that they were in need of some skills for their toolbox, such as training on face issues and nonverbal behavior, including silence, tone of voice, and eye contact. Detailed recommendations for the mediators are provided. Future research is encouraged: A group of mediators that have exhibited intercultural competence should be selected in order to test their intercultural conflict competence.</p>

Thesis advisor: Mary Ann Glynn / Institutional Theory has responded to early criticism that actors are characterized as passive "cultural dopes" primarily through work on Institutional Entrepreneurship, which implicitly links actors' agency to institutional change or creation. In this dissertation, I decouple change from agency, examining how actors work to maintain existing institutional arrangements that have come under threat. Through inductive, qualitative analysis of the creation of the Securities Exchange Commission in 1934, focusing primarily on the legislative history, I ground my analysis in the speech events of the actors involved in stabilizing the securities markets as an institution after the Crash begun in 1929, identifying different forms of Institutional Guardianship aimed at preserving different aspects of the institution. I then generalize across actors to present an abstracted model of Institutional Guardianship. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2010. / Submitted to: Boston College. Carroll School of Management. / Discipline: Organization Studies.

Including values for non-market natural and cultural resources in decision processes present challenges to resource managers. This dissertation uses a place-based resource-driven approach to assess the values associated with non-market resources in a national park. Existing valuation methods produce reliable measures for market resources, but are criticized for their inability to express values beyond uni-dimensional monetary values. Expressed values of park visitors for the natural and cultural resources within a national park are analyzed in order to quantitatively depict multiple dimensions of value for each resource relative to all others. Resulting abstract value-spaces are used to depict stakeholder group values and illustrate shared and unique values that can aid in decision processes. Value spaces are also used to examine the effects of resource losses on expressed values. These are observed through potential impact scenarios and can inform long-range planning and adaptation efforts. This research finds that a two-dimensional value space, representing aesthetic and functional qualities of resources can be formed to depict the values for included resources relative to one another. A core set of resources commonly valued by all major stakeholder groups is easily identifiable. Direct comparisons of value spaces for groups provides clear distinctions between group values for specific resources. Finally, subjecting value spaces to resource loss scenarios, indicates consistent changes in values while patterns of resource values remain stable, which can be used in participation and in conflict resolution efforts. These findings provide previously unobservable insight regarding the similarities and differences of group values and value stability as resource managers seek public input, resolve conflicts and craft long-range resource plans. This methodology establishes a basic framework for assessing relative resource values, non-monetarily, and along multiple dimensions. Value spaces can be used to proactively inform planning and decision processes from initial problem identification, establishment of alternative solutions and through assessments of implementation.