The intention of this exhibition is to educate the viewer about the hidden impacts that result from simple choices of consumption. This is a critique of the materials economy and the responsibilities of the designers, consumers and industries that contributed to its success. The critique is expressed through four dominant and unsustainable consumer products: water bottles, plastic shopping bags, cigarette filters and farm chemicals, as each has its own specific story of consumption. The form is derived from manufacturing history, statistical data, and profiles of consumer behaviors. Graphic design is utilized in both formal and non-formal methods with the goal of communicating specific messages to the viewer as they progress through the exhibition space. / by Peter David Shimpeno. / Thesis (M.F.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

This work examines the socio-economic context of the small town of Eichelborn in the Westphalia region of Germany. There, a local and 'moral' economy existed until the end of the 1960's that resisted the forces of integration into a wider self-regulatory market system for an exceptionally long time, continuing to rely primarily on simple craft production and small-scale farming for the local market. Employing mainly qualitative methods, the aim of research was to describe the economic and social structure of this place as well as to determine whether it functioned according to the principles of a pre-market society as indicated in Karl Polanyi's writings. The findings of my research show that one can, indeed, understand Eichelborn as a Polanyi-type community and as a 'moral' economy in which a strong interrelation and unity between the social and economic realms result in the reconciliation between 'personal self-interest' and 'morality'.

This thesis seeks to gain a holistic understanding of consumption issues in the popular music market, such that it needs to account for the influence of 1) technological factors, 2) institutional factors, 3) cultural factors, and 4) an ontological aspect; as these are identified to be the most prominent aspects in the literature on the market. While there is a bourgeoning literature on the market, there has been little formal attempt to link such issues in a comprehensive fashion. The methodology applied provides a critique of the literature on specific consumption theories which have apparent pertinence to the music market. Each of the sociological, psychological, and economic theories (neoclassical and radical) is found to be too generalized to provide such an understanding, in that many issues concerning the music market would need to be eschewed if these theories were to be applied in an orthodox fashion. Moreover, the theories tend to point towards each other for the possibility of a credible, holistic consumption analysis. The most useful and all-encompassing consumption theory reviewed is the systems of provision approach advanced by Fine and Leopold (1993), in that the approach aims to be sensitive to the difference between commodities in terms of the economic and social processes and structures by which they become commodities, and thus it can allow one to consider adequately the four requirements identified above for a holistic understanding of the market. This approach is then applied to the western music market with the aim of 1) testing the approach identified, and 2) making a specific comment of the market. The market is found to be characterized historically by three distinct periods, each with distinct systems of provision (i.e. each with the four factors identified above relating to each other in a certain manner). It is proposed that preference formations in the final period identified have been institutionalized to a large extent, and there is a low probability of change occurring. The systems of provision approach is argued to be beneficial in highlighting which aspects of the existing consumption theories are relevant to the market at a point in time, and to what extent. Thus the richness of the approach stems from its ability to gain a holistic understanding, and to identify theoretical discussion topics, such as those concerning political economy. The approach is then applied to the South African music market, using the same historical methodology, in conjunction with current empirical evidence from the market. Doing this allows one to test the generality of the systems of provision approach, and to attempt to make a comment on the South African market. The techniques for obtaining empirical evidence are argued to be sound, but resource constraints prevented the research from reflecting a holistic view of the market. Nonetheless, a rich perspective is provided from interviews with prominent agents in the market, and thus the chapter is argued to provide the beginning of an understanding of preference formations in the South African music market, in which little research has been conducted (Stella, 2005).

No description available.

Economic game theory has been a challenge to traditional models of selfish human nature. Resource acquisition games, such as the dictator game, which have been primarily played by adults, have revealed that humans are inclined to share even when it is not in their best interest to do so. Few studies have been conducted on the development of resource distribution in children, and fewer still have explored the effect of context and level of involvement of a second player in such games. In the current study, 179 children from kindergarten, first, and second grades participated in a modified dictator game with another player. Children were randomly assigned to one of four conditions; a control condition, where they played individually with an anonymous player, or one of three experimental conditions with two players who each played with varying levels of involvement with the second player. It was found that kindergarteners shared significantly less across conditions than first and second graders, with first and second graders sharing similar amounts. The presence of another player significantly increased the amount of sharing for all grades. Additionally, second players shared significantly less than first players. Developmental and contextual patterns of sharing are discussed. / by Jason Grotuss. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

A focus group and experiment were conducted to test the effects of psychological distance on participant affect, intentions, and behaviours in the realm of ethical consumption. Construal Level Theory (Liberman and Trope, 1998) posits that psychologically-near concepts are viewed differently than their psychologically-far counterparts, and this framework was used to guide the development of predictions relating to four dimensions of distance: temporal, spatial, social, and hypothetical. The study revealed that participants exhibit significantly higher levels of affect and intention when presented stimuli involve psychologically near impacts rather than psychologically-far impacts. This finding did not carry over into actual behaviour, however. Subject disposition toward psychological distance was measured but was found to not impact affect, intentions, or behaviour. Perceived Consumer Effectiveness (Kinnear, Taylor, & Ahmed, 1974) was found to be an important predictor of behaviour. / viii, 103 leaves ; 29 cm

Following the call for further research on the consumer perspective of corporate ethics, this research sets out to explore and conceptualize the construct of ‘Consumer Perceived Ethicality’ (CPE), referring to consumers’ aggregate and valenced perceptions of a subject’s(i.e. a company, brand, product, or service) ethicality. Results present novel insights into how positive/negative CPE is formed and impacted by various kinds of corporate conduct, thereby offering some explanations as to why some companies benefit from positive while others suffer from negative moral equity.<p> / Doctorat en Sciences économiques et de gestion / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Text in German, with summaries in German, English, Afrikaans, and isiZulu / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 111-117) / Das Themengebiet der Wirtschaftsethik bezieht sich auf eine gesellschaftlich höchst relevante Thematik, insofern das Denken in der modernen wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Disziplin als auch die diesbezüglich tagtäglich im Wirtschaftsleben geübte Praxis teils sehr negative Konsequenzen für Mensch und Umwelt zeitigen. Vor diesem Hintergrund soll in dieser Arbeit das Verhaltensmodells der Standardökonomie, welches den durchschnittlichen wirtschaftlichen Akteur (homo oeconomicus) als rationalen Gewinn- und Nutzenmaximierer beschreibt, in Hinblick auf die zugrunde liegenden normativ-ethischen Grundlagen und den daraus abgeleiteten Umgang mit den beiden zentralen Produktionsfaktoren Arbeit und Kapital untersucht werden. Sodann wird das dahinterstehende Menschenbild und ethische Verhaltensmodell der biblisch-christlichen Anthropologie und Ethik gegenübergestellt und es werden die diesbezüglichen Gemeinsamkeiten und Differenzen herausgearbeitet. In der Beantwortung der Forschungsfrage wird auf ein spezifisch christlich-evangelikales Schrift- und Auslegungsverständnis zurückgegriffen. Die gegenständliche Arbeit zeigt, dass i) das christliche Menschen- und Gottesbild alle Lebensbereiche und somit auch den des Wirtschaftslebens umfasst und ii) sich Gemeinsamkeiten und Differenzen in den Menschenbildern und ethischen Verhaltensmodellen identifizieren lassen. Weiterführende Ansätze werden am Ende skizziert. / The topic of economic ethics refers to a highly relevant societal issue, as the analytical thinking in modern economic science as well as everyday business practice are in part responsible for substantial negative effects on human beings and the environment. Against this background, this research paper describes the behavioural model of standard economics (homo oeconomicus) in terms of the underlying ethical foundations. In the next step, the underlying anthropology and ethics of the homo oeconomicus model are contrasted with the biblical Christian view, and common features as well as fundamental differences are elaborated on. This research paper shows that i) Christian anthropology and ethics refer to all areas of life including the area of economic activity; and ii) common features as well as fundamental differences can be identified. The concluding section outlines some approaches to adapt the standard economic modelling on the basis of biblical principles. / Ekonomiese etiek is ’n hoogs tersaaklike samelewingsvraagstuk omdat analitiese denke in moderne ekonomiese wetenskap én in alledaagse sakepraktyke beduidende gevolge inhou wat ’n negatiewe invloed op mense en die omgewing het. In die lig hiervan beskryf hierdie navorsing die behavioristiese model van standaardekonomie (homo oeconomicus) in terme van die onderliggende etiese grondslag. In die volgende stap word die onderliggende antropologie en etiek van die homo oeconomicus-model en ’n bybelse, christelike standpunt teenoor mekaar gestel. Die kenmerke wat hierdie twee beskouings met mekaar gemeen het sowel as die verskille tussen hulle word in detail uiteengesit. Hierdie studie toon i) dat christelike antropologie en etiek van toepassing is op alle terreine van die lewe, insluitend ekonomiese aktiwiteite; en ii) dat gedeelde kenmerke én grondliggende verskille geïdentifiseer kan word. As deel van die gevolgtrekking word voorgestel hoe die standaard- ekonomiese model aan die hand van bybelse beginsels aangepas kan word. / Isihloko senkambiso elungileyo yezomnotho sibhekiswe odabeni oluphathelene nomphakathi olusemqoka futhi okungudaba olufanelekile kakhulu, njengoba ukucabanga-sakuhlaziya emkhakheni wesayensi yezomnotho wesimanje manje ngokunjalo nezinqubo-nkambiso zansukuzonke eziphathelene nebhizinisi ngandlelathile kunaso isandla kumthelela omubi kakhulu owenzekayo kubantu nakwimvelo. Ngokususela kulesi simo, leli phepha locwaningo lichaza imodeli yokuziphatha eqondiswe emkhakheni wezomnotho ojwayelekile (homo oeconomicus) ngokwezisekelo zenkambiso elungileyo eziqondene nalokhu. Esinyathelweni esilandelayo, isayensi yemvelaphi kanye nenhlalo yabantu (anthropology) kanye nenkambiso elungileyo yemodeli ye-homo oeconomicus eyisisekelo salokhu kuqhathaniswa nombono wobuKrestu wasebhayibhelini, futhi kuchazwa kabanzi ngezinto ezifanayo ezitholakala kulokhu kokubili kanjalo nezicibunjalo ezibalulekile ezenza lokhu kwehluke. Leli phepha locwaningo liyabonisa ukuthi i) imvelaphi nenhlalo yabantu ngokobuKrestu kanye nezinkambiso ezilungileyo zobuKrestu kuqondiswe kuyo yonke imikhakha yempilo kubandakanya nomkhakha wemisebenzi yezomnotho; futhi ii) zingahlonzeka izinto ezifanayo kanye nezinto ezibalulekile ezihlukile kulokhu okubili. Isigaba sokuphothula sibeka ngokucacile izindlela ezithile zokuhambelanisa amamodeli ezomnotho ajwayelekile nemigomo yebhayibheli. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Theological Ethics)