This thesis provides analysis of the networks of power and authority, which interconnect commonly referenced sources of knowledge about Tuvan throat singing. These sources–books, websites, performances, a documentary film, CD liner notes, and the individuals involved in their production–comprise a substantial portion of contemporary public discourse that represents Tuva and its musical practices to the English speaking world and serve to produce “experts” and “expert knowledge” of throat singing. This work also shows how public discourse of Tuva forms an “authentic”, homogenous, romanticized and spiritualized pan-Asian identity centered on the practices of throat singing, shamanism, and nomadism. The conclusion offers an explanation as to why the public discourse focused on Tuvan throat singing locates the “authentic” in rural Tuva, why throat singing is so often aligned with the spiritual, the healing, and the eternal, and why such conceptions serve to benefit the careers of those involved with the production of such an image. This chapter also explores whether or not representing Tuva with an idealized and romanticized image places Tuvans and related ethnic groups at a disadvantage socially, politically, and economically. / text

Drawing on the “predator” model of ntrepreneurship put forward by Villette and Vuillermot in their 2009 book “From Predators to Icons,” this article argues that challenging economic times reveal that self-funded, collaborative information literacy models have in many cases unsustainably overstretched staff and budgets. In such circumstances, it is necessary for librarians to shift to an entrepreneurial approach that seeks profitable opportunities funded by parties other than the library in order to build capital for current and future instructional services. Following Villette and Vuillermot, the article seeks to refute a cultural myth that sees the entrepreneur as someone who is first and foremost a “do-gooder” or marketer of helpful products, and it also advocates that librarians adopt a view of the entrepreneur as one who preys on unexploited, lowcost/high-profit opportunities to leverage “other people’s money” to build capital for later innovation. The article considers the economics of information literacy and library instruction programs, provides historical context for what has come to be known as the “collaborative imperative,” points to the economic shortsightedness of many collaborative and “embedded librarian” partnerships, and details six examples from information literacy programs that model successful entrepreneurship of the sort argued for.

This paper examines the mechanisms of “successful” communication in matters of political leaders’ability to gain public trust and credibility during large scale crises. Even though political actors andother stakeholders tend to be very proactive to promote their views, news media also play an activeand important role in framing public policy issues and crises.1 Thus, this thesis involves both politicalactors and media in the context of framing and crisis communication. Their interrelation and itsimportance for explaining successful crisis communication is demonstrated by producing a case studyof the Norwegian government’s communication efforts during and after the terrorist attack in Osloand the island of Utöya 22/7 2011. This paper argues and demonstrates that the active use ofpositive frames, that are cultural congruent and resonate with the media shaping, is a necessity tocreate a favorable context for winning praise and support in times of crisis. In line with previousresearch, framing strategies in crisis communication is demonstrated to be central to the crisisresponse and determines whether a responsible stakeholder is able to create momentum, maintainand even gain increased public support or not.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The interest rates market has changed dramatically since the 2007 credit crunch with the explosion of basis spreads between rates of different tenors and currencies. Consequently, the classical replication of FRA rates with spot LIBOR rates is no longer valid. Moreover, the 2007 credit crunch yields a separation between the curve used for discounting and the forward or projection curves that estimate all future cash-fl ows. Another impact of the credit crunch in risk management is that market participants have started to give more importance to the difference between collateralized and uncollateralized trades. Nowadays, the wide spread use of collateral, especially in swap contracts, has made the overnight index swap (OIS) rate the appropriate benchmark for discounting collateralized trades. Inspired by the seminal works of Mercurio (2010a,b), Kijima et al. (2008), Fujii et al. (2011), Bianchetti (2010b), with the contributions of other authors, and motivated by the evolution of the interest rates market and models, this thesis examines a new framework that uses multiple-curves to value interest rate derivatives which is compatible with the current market practice. Firstly, we discuss the roots of the 2007 credit crunch and its serious consequences for pricing interest rate derivatives. We underscore the necessity of a multiple-curve pricing framework for interest rate derivatives. This is followed by a discussion on the importance of collateralization and OIS discounting in pricing Over-The-Counter (OTC) derivatives. The central part of the thesis discusses the modern theoretical framework and the practical implementation of the multiple curve pricing method. We present a bootstrapping algorithm used to construct and fit the multiple-yield curves to market prices of plainvanilla contracts. Secondly, starting with the single-currency economy, the extended version of the LIBOR Market Model, developed by Mercurio (2010a,b), which proposes a joint model of FRA rates, implied forward rates and their corresponding spread is investigated. Analogously, the extended version of short-rate model in a multiple-curve setup and in the presence of basis spread, proposed by Kijima et al. (2008), is presented and discussed. This work provides a detailed analysis of these extensions and the corresponding closed formulae for liquid products such as caps and swaptions. Finally, in the multiple-currencies case, the HJM model with stochastic basis spreads, introduced by Fujii et al. (2011), consistent with the foreign exchange and cross-currency swaps markets that includes the effect of collateralization is examined thoroughly. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die rentekoers mark het dramaties verander sedert die 2007 krediet krisis met 'n ontplo ng van basisverspreidings tussen koerse van verskillende looptye ("tenor") en geldeenhede. As gevolg, is die klassieke replikasie van FRA koerse met LIBOR sigkoerse nie langer geldig nie. Verder het die 2007 kredietkrisis 'n skeiding veroorsaak tussen die kromme wat gebruik word vir diskontering en die voorwaardse of vooruitskattings krommes wat toekomstige kontantvloei voorspel. 'n Verdere impak van die kredietkrisis in risikobestuur is dat mark deelnemers begin het om meer klem te lê op verskille tussen aangevulde en onaangevulde handel. Deesdae, met die algemene gebruik van kollaterale sekuriteit, veral in ruiltransaksiekontrakte, is die oornagse indeks ruiltransaksie (overnight index swap, OIS) koers die geskikte maatstaf om aangevulde handel te diskonteer. Geïnspireer deur die gedagteryke werk van Mercurio (2010a,b), Kijima et al. (2008), Fujii et al. (2011), Bianchetti (2010b), met bydrae van menige outeurs, en gemotiveer deur die evolusie van die rentekoers markte en modelle, ondersoek hierdie tesis 'n nuwe raamwerk wat multikrommes gebruik om rentekoers afgeleide effekte te waardeer wat versoenbaar is met die lopende mark praktyk. Eerstens, bespreek ons die oorsake van die 2007 kredietkrisis en die ernstige nagevolge vir die waardering van rentekoers afgeleide effekte. Ons beklemtoon die noodsaaklikheid van 'n multikromme waarderings raamwerk vir rentekoers afgeleide effekte. Dit word gevolg deur 'n bespreking oor die belangrikheid van aanvulling en OIS diskontering in die waardering van oor-die-toonbank (over-the-counter, OTC) effekte. Die teoretiese raamwerk en die praktiese implimentering van die multikromme waarderings metode word bespreek. Ons stel ook ten toon 'n skoenlus ("bootstrapping") algoritme wat gebruik kan word om meervoudige opbrengs krommes saam te stel en die dan te pas op mark pryse van vanielje kontrakte. Tweedens, met 'n enkel geldeenheid ekonomie as beginpunt, word die uitgebreide weergawe van die LIBOR Mark Model (ontwikkel deur Mercurio (2010a,b), wat 'n gesamentlike model van FRA koerse voorstel), geïmpliseerde termyn koerse en hul ooreenstemmende verspreiding bestudeer. Ooreenkomstig word die uitgebreide weergawe van die kort koers model in 'n multikromme opset en in die aanwesigheid van basisspreiding (voorgestel deur Kijima et al. (2008)) uiteengesit en bespreek. Hierdie werk verskaf 'n uitvoerige analise van hierdie uitbreidings en die ooreenstemmende geslote formules vir vloeibare produkte soos perke en ruiltransaksie opsies. Ten slotte, in die multi-geldeenheid geval, word die HJM model met stogastiese basisverspreiding (voorgestel deur Fujii et al. (2011)), nie-strydig met buitelandse valuta en kruisvaluta ruiltransaksie markte wat die effekte van aanvulling insluit word deuglik bestudeer.

In the first chapter, I analyze the impact of changes in aggregate holding in special asset purchase programs by Federal Reserve Systems (FED) as an alternate monetary policy at aggregate level. Later, to complement the analysis of monetary impact at aggregate level, I also analyze the impact of monetary actions at bank stock level with a set of 186 banks. First, for the overall sample period, expected monetary shock has positive effect on bank stock return; however, unexpected shock component has otherwise negative impact. Second, during both conventional and QE regime, monetary shocks are not significant in explaining weekly stock returns; however change in FED’s total asset holding in special programs is significant during the QE regime and such findings are more robust for the “large” banks when compared to “medium” and “small” banks. The second chapter presents the second essay that is one of the early studies to analyze whether either the changes in accounting standard or the changes in prudential regulatory regimes may affect the bank earning management in terms of Loan Loss Provisioning (LLP) systematically. Results suggest that, in general, bank managers use LLP as a tool for earning management for income smoothing and also for capital management once LLP is allowed to be a part of Tier-I capital requirement. Both changes in prudential regulation from pro-cyclic to a dynamic regime and convergence of accounting standard from rule-based to principle-based standards have significant negative fixed effects separately and jointly once included.

M.A. / The objective of this thesis was to discuss capital account liberalization and banking crises in emerging markets, against the backdrop of the Asian financial crisis in 1997. This was discussed with an underlying objective of evaluating the soundness of the South African banking system. The basis of this thesis was that a sound banking system coupled with good macroeconomic policies would make South Africa less vulnerable to global financial volatility. On the East Asian financial crisis, we found that the main cause of this crisis was the lack of prudent lending practices by most banking institutions. Lending practices were largely shaped by institutionalized corruption. Bad lending practices originated from connected lending as banks were owned and had strong links with big family conglomerates. These conglomerates were highly leveraged with very low profit margins and survived on cross-subsidization. As a result, they could not service their debts, resulting in large bad debts and non-performing loans in the banking systems. These non-performing loans and debt defaults had significant negative effects on banks' profitability and business survival, as they eroded earnings and shot up credit exposure. Furthermore, we also found that governments' political influence in the lending system and weak macroeconomic management (large current account deficits, fixed exchange rates and expansionary fiscal policies) contributed significantly to the East Asian financial fragility. Against this background, we recommend that emerging markets that want to liberalize their capital accounts should ensure that sound banking systems are properly entrenched. When financial systems are not strong, emerging countries would be exposed to imprudent credit risk assessments by banking institutions, resulting in nonperforming loans and collapse of those banking institutions. Secondly, our view is that emerging markets should pursue and adhere to the core banking principles of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. The objective of these principles is to ensure that banks operate profitably and have good business frameworks. The Basel Committee requires commercial banks to have solid and efficient supervision departments, with strong intentions of evaluating credit risks associated with loans and advances. Furthermore, central banks or any other custodians of banking institutions should have capital adequacy requirements in order to protect depositors and investors against any unforeseen liquidity pressures. From this thesis, we found that the South African banking system is sound. The low level of non-performing loans in the domestic banking system is indicative of prudent credit risk management. Even with prime interest rates at an all time high of 25% in late 1998, most banks managed to escape large non-performing loans, especially from the corporate sector. The brunt was mostly felt in the small business sector and household debt category. The South African Reserve Bank's Supervision Department sets out stringent guidelines with regard to the lending practices of banks. Banks are not allowed to overexpose themselves to particular clients, as was the case in East Asia. This also extends to deposits. Banks are not allowed to take deposits above 25% from a single source. The objective is to guard against liquidity pressures that could occur when that particular depositor withdraws the funding.

Palliative Notfälle nehmen einen nicht unerheblichen Anteil an der Gesamtzahl von Rettungsdiensteinsätzen ein. Die vorliegende Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der Thematik von Einsätzen und Patientenverfügungen bei Palliativpatienten im rettungsdienstlichen Alltag.  Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurden Rettungsdienstmitarbeiter der Berufsfeuerwehr Essen vor und nach einer Schulungsmaßnahme zur Thematik von Patientenverfügungen und Palliativversorgung befragt.  Es zeigte sich, dass Handlungsunsicherheit im Umgang mit Palliativpatienten und Patientenverfügungen besteht. Wünschenswert ist daher die Aufnahme des Faches Palliativmedizin in die Ausbildungscurricula der rettungsdienstlichen Berufe.  Weiterhin konnte festgestellt werden, dass die gesetzlichen Rahmenbedingungen zur Feststellung der Verbindlichkeit von Patientenverfügungen für nichtärztliches Personal nicht geklärt scheinen und dass hier Nachbesserungsbedarf besteht.

This thesis describes the actual global financial crisis and its impact on the company Kordárna, a.s, which is a producer of cords for tyres. The first part explains reasons and impacts of the global financial crisis. The second part is focused on a financial analysis of the company. The third part is connecting both previous parts, analyses consequences of the crisis on the company and its further problems, and shows how to solve its difficulties through the reorganization.

The thesis is focused on financial derivatives, their types, development and practical application. The first chapter deals with the definition of derivatives and description of basic types of derivatives and exotic options. The second chapter describes the development of derivatives in Czech Republic in comparison with G10 countries. In the continuous process of derivative products innovation credit, inflation derivatives and derivatives for electricity and weather are developed. The third chapter presents the derivatives in terms of practical application in the form of option structures, which are used for hedging against the currency risk. The structures are applied to the exchange rate development during the financial crisis period and their impact on businesses is analyzed. Then the hedge efficiency of the structures is analyzed due to use of hedge accounting

The diploma thesis analysis the anti-crises tax measurements in Latvia, Hungary and Ireland. To provide comprehensive overview on the selected countries situation this diploma thesis also includes tax reforms performed before the economic crises started and, therefore, covers the period within the years 2006 and 2010. The diploma thesis intends to provide the comprehensive overview of the efficiency and impacts of the anti-crises tax measures on the government tax income and on the basic macroeconomics indicators, together with its possible impact on the future country development.