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This thesis explores how metaphors can humanize a technical document and more effectively facilitate user comprehension. The frequent use of metaphor in technical communication reminds us that the discipline is highly creative and rhetorical. Theory demonstrates that a technical text involves interpretation and subjectivity during both its creation by the technical communicator and its application by the user. If employed carefully and skillfully, metaphor can be a powerful tool to ensure users' needs are met during this process. The primary goal of technical communication is to convey information to an audience as clearly and efficiently as possible. Because of the often complex nature of technical content, users are likely to feel alienated, overwhelmed, or simply uninterested if the information presented seems exceedingly unfamiliar or complicated. If users experience any of these reactions, they are inclined to abandon the document, automatically rendering it unsuccessful. I identify metaphor as a means to curtail such an occurrence. Using examples from a variety of technical communication genres, I illustrate how metaphors can humanize a technical document by establishing a strong link between the document and its users.

This research examines the manifestation of collaborative relationships among technological individuals involved in innovation across corporate alliances on scale. Collaboration “on scale” refers to the necessity for global companies to work together to innovate, thus developing ways of cooperating across multiple alliances. ‘Organizations’ do not do this – it is the individuals who work for them that do. However, traditional research defaults to a corporate culture focus on innovation processes and tools, with the result that little is known about how individuals representing their companies collaborate with individuals in numerous other companies in order to achieve innovation. The research therefore looks through the lens of the individual with the aims of (i) understanding how individuals relate and collaborate with others in a range of companies; (ii) finding ways of improving those relationships, and (iii), actively bridging the gap between academia and business so that the learning from this project can be applied in practice. A qualitative, interview based methodology is used to identify individual attributes and gain an understanding of their impact on collaborative relationships. Five main themes are discovered that explain the individual behavioral influences that stimulate or hinder collaborative relationships in innovation practice. They are Make it Personal, Value Relationships, Champion the Cause, Offer Tribute, and Trust Your Intuition. The conclusions call for leaders to develop a deeper focus on individuals contributing to collaboration, strengthen relationships, integrate collaboration and innovation, improve intuitional skills, and re-examine measures and rewards. Academically, this research proposes new theory related to influencing variables in collaborative relationships. A bridge between academic theory and business practice is established firstly through developing a writing style designed to bridge that gap, and secondly through use of a practical rubric framework and self-assessment package to enable individuals to learn how to instill these findings in their collaborative relationships and get more out of innovation results. The report highlights areas and suggestions for future research study. / Royal Dutch Shell

Este estudo tem como objetivo conhecer as concepções dos graduandos de enfermagem sobre humanização e espiritualidade na assistência, e propor ação educativa. Trata-se de uma pesquisa de natureza qualitativa, mediatizada pela metodologia da pesquisa-ação. Foram convidados os graduandos do penúltimo ano letivo do curso de Licenciatura/Bacharelado em Enfermagem, de uma instituição pública de ensino superior, situada numa cidade do interior paulista. Em relação às técnicas do estudo, utilizou-se a observação participante, tendo como instrumento para registro e anotação dos dados, o diário de campo. Utilizou-se, ainda, a entrevista individual, contendo questões de identificação dos participantes e as norteadoras sobre a temática do estudo, sendo disponibilizado o questionário e o endereço eletrônico, que serviram como instrumento de coleta das respostas. Os dados foram, portanto, coletados no segundo semestre de 2012. A análise e interpretação deles foram realizadas através de categorização, segundo fundamentação teórico-metodológica baseada em Paulo Freire, adaptado por Bueno. Após, buscou-se o desenvolvimento de uma proposta de ação conscientizadora, e avaliação formativa desse processo educativo. A interpretação resultou que os participantes ainda compreendem o cuidado de enfermagem sob o prisma assistencialista e curativista, em sua maioria, voltado para a doença, dissociado da função educativa; apreendem a espiritualidade como uma necessidade do paciente/cliente em situações de doença, e como um conceito associado à religiosidade; persistem na dissociação dos construtos teóricos e da prática, no cuidado prestado, entre a humanização e a espiritualidade. Mesmo assim, houve a predominância do paradigma científico, moderno e pós-moderno, nas respostas dos participantes. Assim, as temáticas investigadas convergem para a necessidade de se revisar espaços na formação de enfermeiros, visando a melhoria dos serviços prestados. A teoria aqui apresentada fornece uma compreensão abrangente, contextualizada, problematizadora e construtiva da realidade vivenciada pelo estudante. Desse modo, o presente estudo oferece subsídios para o planejamento da formação humanista de enfermeiros licenciados, e aponta elementos a serem investigados / This study aims to identify the concepts of nursing undergraduates on humanization and spirituality in health care, education and propose action. This is a qualitative research, mediated by the methodology of action research. Undergraduates were asked the junior school of Bachelor\'s Degree / Bachelor of Nursing, a public institution of higher education located in the city of São Paulo. Regarding the technical study used participant observation, and as a tool for recording and annotation data, the field journal. We used also the individual interview, with questions of identifying and guiding participants on the subject of study, provided the questionnaire and email address, which served as a means of collecting the answers. Data were therefore collected in the second half of 2012. The analysis and interpretation of them were by categorization according to theoretical and methodological basis based on Paulo Freire, adapted by Bueno. After, we sought to develop a proposal for action conscientization, and formative evaluation of this educational process. The interpretation resulted participants also include nursing care through the prism welfare and curative, mostly facing the disease, dissociated from the educational function; perceive spirituality as a need of the patient / client in case of illness, and how a concept associated with religiosity, persist in the dissociation of theoretical constructs and practice in the care provided, between humanization and spirituality. Even so, there was a predominance of scientific paradigm, modern and postmodern, participants\' responses. Thus, the themes investigated converge on the need to revise spaces in nursing education in order to improve services. The theory presented here provides a comprehensive understanding, contextual, constructive problem-solving and the reality experienced by the student. Thus, this study provides support for planning training humanist licensed nurses, elements and points to be investigated

Este estudo tem como objetivo conhecer as concepções dos graduandos de enfermagem sobre humanização e espiritualidade na assistência, e propor ação educativa. Trata-se de uma pesquisa de natureza qualitativa, mediatizada pela metodologia da pesquisa-ação. Foram convidados os graduandos do penúltimo ano letivo do curso de Licenciatura/Bacharelado em Enfermagem, de uma instituição pública de ensino superior, situada numa cidade do interior paulista. Em relação às técnicas do estudo, utilizou-se a observação participante, tendo como instrumento para registro e anotação dos dados, o diário de campo. Utilizou-se, ainda, a entrevista individual, contendo questões de identificação dos participantes e as norteadoras sobre a temática do estudo, sendo disponibilizado o questionário e o endereço eletrônico, que serviram como instrumento de coleta das respostas. Os dados foram, portanto, coletados no segundo semestre de 2012. A análise e interpretação deles foram realizadas através de categorização, segundo fundamentação teórico-metodológica baseada em Paulo Freire, adaptado por Bueno. Após, buscou-se o desenvolvimento de uma proposta de ação conscientizadora, e avaliação formativa desse processo educativo. A interpretação resultou que os participantes ainda compreendem o cuidado de enfermagem sob o prisma assistencialista e curativista, em sua maioria, voltado para a doença, dissociado da função educativa; apreendem a espiritualidade como uma necessidade do paciente/cliente em situações de doença, e como um conceito associado à religiosidade; persistem na dissociação dos construtos teóricos e da prática, no cuidado prestado, entre a humanização e a espiritualidade. Mesmo assim, houve a predominância do paradigma científico, moderno e pós-moderno, nas respostas dos participantes. Assim, as temáticas investigadas convergem para a necessidade de se revisar espaços na formação de enfermeiros, visando a melhoria dos serviços prestados. A teoria aqui apresentada fornece uma compreensão abrangente, contextualizada, problematizadora e construtiva da realidade vivenciada pelo estudante. Desse modo, o presente estudo oferece subsídios para o planejamento da formação humanista de enfermeiros licenciados, e aponta elementos a serem investigados / This study aims to identify the concepts of nursing undergraduates on humanization and spirituality in health care, education and propose action. This is a qualitative research, mediated by the methodology of action research. Undergraduates were asked the junior school of Bachelor\'s Degree / Bachelor of Nursing, a public institution of higher education located in the city of São Paulo. Regarding the technical study used participant observation, and as a tool for recording and annotation data, the field journal. We used also the individual interview, with questions of identifying and guiding participants on the subject of study, provided the questionnaire and email address, which served as a means of collecting the answers. Data were therefore collected in the second half of 2012. The analysis and interpretation of them were by categorization according to theoretical and methodological basis based on Paulo Freire, adapted by Bueno. After, we sought to develop a proposal for action conscientization, and formative evaluation of this educational process. The interpretation resulted participants also include nursing care through the prism welfare and curative, mostly facing the disease, dissociated from the educational function; perceive spirituality as a need of the patient / client in case of illness, and how a concept associated with religiosity, persist in the dissociation of theoretical constructs and practice in the care provided, between humanization and spirituality. Even so, there was a predominance of scientific paradigm, modern and postmodern, participants\' responses. Thus, the themes investigated converge on the need to revise spaces in nursing education in order to improve services. The theory presented here provides a comprehensive understanding, contextual, constructive problem-solving and the reality experienced by the student. Thus, this study provides support for planning training humanist licensed nurses, elements and points to be investigated

Abstract Humanizing brands is an essential domain of current branding as it enhances the visibility of a brand by connecting consumers to the brand, thus contributing to strong brand equity. The term humanize used in this dissertation is not limited to brands with anthropomorphic characters, such as the M&M’s characters. Used in this context, the term also includes the ways in which consumers attribute a brand to be “close to me,” “like me,” and a “partner.” Although the research of customer-based brand equity has been well-documented over the past twenty-five years, limited attention has been given to examining the differential effect of brand favorability in forming a self-brand connection. Even more scarce are studies on the antecedents and indicators of brand betrayal. Further, up-to-date research is mostly silent as to whether temporal focus and temporal distance influence a brand’s ability to serve as a means of reflecting the consumer’s selves. To fill up these research gaps, this dissertation reports four research articles. More than two thousand samples were collected from Finland, India, and the US to examine the conceptual frameworks. First, this dissertation contributes to the literature on self-brand connection by articulating the effect of self-presentation by brand on self-brand connection. Second, it contributes to the literature of self-congruence, seen from the temporal perspective. Third, it adds to the brand betrayal literature by examining consumer anthropomorphize tendency and actual high-arousal positive states as the antecedents. It further explains the indicators of brand betrayal, consisting of failure severity and inferred negative motive. In term of managerial implications, the findings contribute to (1) the one-on-one marketing approach to branding, (2) incorporating consumer’s selves into branding considerations, and (3) assessing brand betrayal in a negative brand relationship. / Tiivistelmä Brändien inhimillistäminen on keskeinen alue vallitsevassa brändien tutkimuksessa, sillä inhimillistämällä lisätään brändin näkyvyyttä kytkemällä kuluttajat brändiin, mikä osaltaan vahvistaa brändipääomaa. Tässä väitöskirjassa käytetty termi inhimillistäminen ei rajoitu vain brändeihin, jotka käyttävät antropomorfisia hahmoja kuten M&M:n hahmot. Tässä yhteydessä termiin sisältyy myös keinoja, joita hyödyntämällä kuluttajat tuntevat brändin olevan ”lähellä minua”, ”kuten minä” ja ”kumppani”. Vaikka asiakaslähtöisen brändipääoman tutkimusta on tehty paljon viimeisen 25 vuoden aikana, vain vähän huomiota on saanut brändien suosimisen vaikutus kuluttajan minän ja brändin välisen yhteyden muodostukseen. Vielä vähemmän tutkimusta on tehty brändien pettämisen syistä ja indikaattoreista. Lisäksi olemassa oleva tutkimus ei ota juurikaan kantaa siihen, vaikuttavatko ajallinen fokus ja ajallinen etäisyys brändin kykyyn heijastaa kuluttajien minää. Näiden tutkimusaukkojen täyttämiseksi väitöskirja esittelee neljän tutkimusartikkelin tuloksia. Käsitteellisten viitekehysten testaamista varten kerättiin yli 2 000 vastaajan aineisto kolmesta eri maasta. Ensinnäkin, tämä väitöskirja edistää kuluttajan minä-brändisuhteeseen liittyvää tutkimusta kuvaamalla brändin itse-presentaation vaikutusta minä-brändisuhteeseen. Toiseksi, tämä väitöskirja kontribuoi minä-kongruenssiin liittyvään kirjallisuuteen ajallisesta näkökulmasta tarkasteltuna. Kolmanneksi, tämä väitöskirja edistää brändien pettämiseen liittyvää kirjallisuutta tutkimalla kuluttajan taipumusta antropomorfisointiin ja toteutuneita korkean innostuneisuuden tiloja. Tutkimus myös selittää brändien pettämisen indikaattoreita, jotka koostuvat epäonnistumisen vakavuudesta ja brändin negatiivisesta motiivista. Liikkeenjohdollisina päätelminä tulokset ehdottavat (1) yhdeltä yhdelle markkinointia brändäykseen, (2) kuluttajan minän sisällyttämistä brändäyskysymyksiin, ja (3) brändin pettämisen arviointia negatiivisessa brändisuhteessa.