Masters´s thesis deals with the communication strategy of DEL a.s. company which operates in industrial B2B markets. Author‘s proposal of solutions improve communication strategy in area of impersonal communication with customers.

This empirical study investigated how interpersonal influences (normative receptiveness and informative influences) and impersonal influences differ across different population groups in terms of status consumption of clothing brands. The theory of consumer socialisation directed the study and was used to describe consumers’ susceptibility to interpersonal and impersonal influences by encompassing its two major components: the learning processes and socialisation agents. The interpersonal influences, normative receptiveness and informative influences together with the impersonal influences were included in the conceptual framework and hypotheses. The theory of consumer socialisation was selected as it provides a suitable framework to explain how consumers are socialised over time through interpersonal and impersonal agents so that they come to prefer or purchase certain products such as status clothing brands. A survey research design was followed. Data were collected with a structured self-administered questionnaire, developed from existing scales. Non-probability sampling techniques, convenience and quota sampling were used to include an appropriate sample size. Trained field workers distributed the questionnaire to the target population in suburbs in Tshwane. A total of 1014 (N=1014) usable questionnaires were completed. The sample consisted of males and females living in Tshwane, 19 years and older from all population groups. The data were captured and coded and then analysed with the help of a statistician who made use of descriptive and inferential statistics. The EFA retained three factors: normative receptiveness, impersonal influences and informative influences. The results from the CFA confirmed that the measurement model fit was good. Subsequently, GLMs were performed to assess if differences exist in interpersonal and impersonal influences across the different population groups’ status consumption of clothing brands. The findings showed that normative receptiveness, informative and impersonal influences had a statistically significant effect on the status consumption of clothing brands. From the three independent factors, normative receptiveness had the greatest effect on status consumption and showed significant difference across population groups when factoring in gender, education, age and income into the GLM models. Impersonal influences showed minor significant differences across population groups’ status consumption when gender was considered in the GLM model. Even though informative influences affected status consumption, no significant differences could be found across the different population groups when factoring in demographic factors. Findings can be useful for retailers and marketers to direct their market segmentation strategies and target consumers who would engage in status consumption. Normative receptiveness elements such as word of mouth from reference groups and social comparison in advertisements can add value to clothing brands’ campaigns. / Hierdie empiriese studie ondersoek of invloed interpersoonlike invloede (normatiewe ontvanklikheid en informasie invloede) en onpersoonlike invloede verskil oor verskillende bevolkingsgroepe in heem in terme van statusverbruik van klere-handelsmerke. Verbruikersosialiserings teorie het die studie gerig en is gebruik om verbruikers se ontvanklikheid vir interpersoonlike en onpersoonlike invloede te beskryf, deur die twee hoofkomponente die leerprosesse en sosialisering agente te inkorporeer. Die interpersoonlike invloede, normatiewe en informatiewe invloede, saam met die onpersoonlike invloede is in die konseptuele raamwerk en hipoteses ingesluit. Die teorie verbruikersosialisering is gekies aangesien dit 'n geskikte raamwerk verskaf om te verduidelik hoe verbruikers deur interpersoonlike en onpersoonlike agente gesosialiseer word met verloop van tyd om bepaalde produkte te verkies of te koop soos status klere-handelsmerke. ’n Opname navorsingsontwerp is gevolg. Data is met behulp van 'n gestruktureerde selfgeadministreerde vraelys ingesamel. Die vraelys is ontwikkel uit bestaande skale. Niewaarskynlikheid steekproeftegnieke, gerief en kwota, is gebruik om 'n geskikte grootte steekproef in te sluit. Opgeleide veldwerkers het die vraelys aan die teikenpopulasie in voorstede van Tshwane versprei. ‘n Totaal van 1014 (N = 1014) bruikbare vraelyste is voltooi. Die steekproef het uit mans en vroue, 19 jaar en ouer van alle bevolkingsgroepe, woonagtig in Tshwane, bestaan. Data is vasgelê en gekodeer waarna analises/ontledings met behulp van 'n statistikus gedoen is. Die statistikus het van beskrywende en inferensiële statistiek gebruik gemaak. Die EFA het drie faktore: behou naamlik, normatiewe ontvanklikheid, onpersoonlike invloede en informatiewe invloede. Die resultate van die CFA bevestig dat die meting model se passing goed was. Daarna is GLMs uitgevoer om te bepaal of daar verskille in interpersoonlike en onpersoonlike invloede oor die verskillende bevolkingsgroepe se statusverbruik van klerehandelsmerke bestaan. Die bevindinge het getoon dat normatiewe ontvanklikheid, informatiewe en onpersoonlike invloede 'n statisties beduidende effek op die statusverbruik van klere-handelsmerke gehad het. Van die drie onafhanklike faktore, het normatiewe ontvanklikheid die grootste invloed op statusverbruik gehad en toon ook beduidende verskil oor bevolkingsgroepe wanneer geslag, onderwys, ouderdom en inkomste in die GLM modelle ingebring is. Onpersoonlike invloede toon geringe beduidende verskille oor bevolkingsgroepe se statusverbruik wanneer geslag in die GLM model ingebring is. Selfs al het informatiewe invloede ‘n invloed op verskillende bevolkingsgroepe se statusverbruik was daar geen betekenisvolle verskille gevind wanneer demografiese faktore ingesluit is nie. Bevindinge kan nuttig wees vir kleinhandelaars en bemarkers om hul marksegmentasie strategieë te rig en om spesifieke teikenverbruikers wat statusverbruikers is te bereik. Normatiewe ontvanklikheid elemente soos mondelingse oordrag van inligting deur verwysingsgroepe en sosiale vergelyking in advertensies kan waarde tot klere handelsmerke veldtogte voeg. / Dissertation (MConsumer Science)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Consumer Science / MConsumer Science / Unrestricted

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Board and Card Game (BCG) sites allow people to connect over the Internet to play virtual versions of games, like Chess or Canasta, that can be played on a physical table. Many of these sites are successful as they have large memberships, are extremely active, and persist for a long time. However, when analysing the BCG site PlayOK, I found that the community did not exhibit behaviours traditionally associated with successful community: there was little verbal communication; most interactions were impersonal and once-only; and the player population was highly transient. The problem is that designers and researchers have a poor understanding of the characteristics of BCG communities, and how those characteristics are affected by factors that are typically seen as important for community such as size and leadership. In this thesis, I improve understanding of BCG site communities through three studies: 1 No research describes community behaviour in BCG sites. I analysed community behaviour in the PlayOK BCG using ‘social accounting’ methods, which generate summary behavioural statistics from log traces. I found that players were motivated by wanting an opponent, without being concerned with the opponent’s identity. 2 The effects of community size on BCG community behaviour are poorly understood. I used social accounting analyses to compare a small site (GameCenter), with the large PlayOK site. I found that the smaller GameCenter exhibits very similar behaviour but is less efficient due to the smaller population. 3 There are no empirical studies of the role of leadership in online game communities through a substantial change in leadership. I used social accounting techniques to analyse GameCenter BCG before and after a substantial change in leadership. I found that sub-communities responded differently according to how they relied on the leadership for their core activities. This research is the first to identify a type of community that is sustained through impersonal, non-verbal interactions. This important because examples exist in BCG sites and may exist as sub-communities in other settings such as online discussion forums, social media sites, and other online games.

Notre projet vise à suivre et reconstruire, de l’intérieur de la pensée de Merleau-Ponty, le concept de « personnel » dans sa relation avec ceux d’« impersonnel » et de « généralité », les trois étant impliqués dans la notion de « chair » et faisant partie de la reformulation du sujet et de l’identité. Selon nous, négliger la connexion existante entre les aspects les plus « personnels » de chaque individu et ceux plus « généraux », qui soutiennent une conception aussi bien du sujet que de la société, donne lieu à une lecture partielle de l’auteur. Cela risque, de surcroît, de rendre difficile la compréhension de la dimension qui en est la synthèse la plus avancée chez Merleau-Ponty, à savoir sa dimension « charnelle ». Étudier la relation qui entrelace le « personnel » au « général », en passant par l’analyse du concept d’« anonymat », revient à chercher une clef d’intelligibilité majeure de la pensée merleau-pontienne, qui respecte l’ampleur de sa réflexion, pour en entrevoir les raisons de départ et en justifier les points d’arrivée, grâce à l’approfondissement de ses textes encore inédits. / Our project aims to reconstitute, from the inside of Merleau-Ponty’s philosophical thought, the concept of « personal » in relation to the concepts of « impersonal » and « generality ». Those three concepts are involved in the notion of « flesh » and are part of the reformulation of the terms of subject (person) and identity. According to us, neglecting the bond between the more « personal » aspects of an individual and those more « general », aspects which support a conception of both subject and society, would lead to a « partial » interpretation of our author. In addition, it would make difficult the understanding of Merleau-Ponty’s most advanced synthesis, namely the dimension of the flesh. Studying the relation that intertwines the « personal » with the « general », through the examination of the importance of the notion of « anonymity » for our author, would mean instead looking for a central key of reading in the merleau-pontian thought, that would respect the whole amplitude of its reflection, so to sense the starting reasons and justify the arriving points, thanks to the in-depth study of its still unpublished texts.

FundaÃÃo Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Cientifico e TecnolÃgico / Este trabalho visa caracterizar formal, semÃntica e pragmaticamente as construÃÃes passivas, mÃdias e impessoais, com o fim de elucidar a natureza da relaÃÃo entre estas construÃÃes, no portuguÃs arcaico, relaÃÃo essa observada em trabalhos, como os de Camacho (2002, 2003, 2006), para o portuguÃs atual. Parte do princÃpio de que o traÃo comum a essas construÃÃes à a nÃo-atribuiÃÃo de causalidade, e de que estas construÃÃes refletem diferentes conceitualizaÃÃes de um evento. Com base nesses princÃpios, analisa, numa abordagem cognitivo-funcional (GIVÃN, 1993, 1995, 2002, 2005; KEMMER, 1993; CAMACHO, 2002, 2003; HOPPER & THOMPSON, 1980; POTTIER, 1992; CROFT, 1994, 1998; LANGACKER, 1987, 1991; DELANCEY, 1987; TALMY, 1988, 2000; LAKOFF, 1977), a codificaÃÃo da funÃÃo nÃo-atribuiÃÃo de causalidade na CrÃnica Geral da Espanha de 1344, prosa histÃrica representante do portuguÃs arcaico, editada por Cintra (1951). Nessa anÃlise, busca respostas para os seguintes problemas: (a) dos recursos verbais disponÃveis, no corpus analisado, para a expressÃo da nÃo-atribuiÃÃo de causalidade, qual a mais e a menos prototÃpica? (b) que traÃos semÃntico-pragmÃticos e formais caracterizam as diferentes estratÃgias? A hipÃtese central considera que as construÃÃes analisadas codificam a nÃo-atribuiÃÃo da causalidade em variados graus, conforme fatores ligados à noÃÃo de causalidade e à transitividade, como a perspectivaÃÃo e a saliÃncia. Foram coletadas 1061 ocorrÃncias e analisadas quanto a fatores pragmÃticos, como a topicalidade e o estatuto informacional; fatores semÃnticos, como saliÃncia cognitiva do Afetado e do Causativo, traÃo [animado], tipo de afetaÃÃo; e fatores formais, como a ordem e a expressÃo. AlÃm disso, todas foram graduadas quanto ao grau de transitividade e de relevo discursivo. Os resultados apontaram que a mÃdia à a mais prototÃpica das construÃÃes de nÃo-atribuiÃÃo de causalidade, por ser a que apresenta causativo menos saliente e menor grau de transitividade. A passiva, mais freqÃente no corpus e, muitas vezes, com Causativo omitido, caracterizou-se como menos prototÃpica por seu Causativo ser freqÃentemente evocado e apresentar maior grau de transitividade. Do mesmo modo, a impessoal, cujo causativo à freqÃentemente inferÃvel, manifestou-se como mais causativa e mais transitiva que a mÃdia, todavia menos que a passiva. A anÃlise demonstrou, enfim, que o fenÃmeno da nÃo-atribuiÃÃo de causalidade nÃo à um fenÃmeno isolado, limitado à manifestaÃÃo ou nÃo de um Agente. Submete-se a graus e acha-se ligado, especialmente, ao contorno tÃmporo-aspectual do evento. Devido à noÃÃo experiencial de causalidade, ligada à idÃia de movimento, eventos perfectivos sÃo mais causais que eventos imperfectivos. / This work aims to characterize formally, semantically and pragmatically the passive, middle and impersonal constructions, in order to elucidate the nature of relation between these constructions in a archaic Portuguese, a relation observed in researches, such as those of Camacho (2002, 2003, 2006), in modern Portuguese. The present research, thus, claims that the common feature of these constructions is the non-attribution of causality, and that they represent different event conceptualizations. Based on principles, founded on a cognitive-functional approach (GIVÃN, 1993, 1995, 2002, 2005; KEMMER, 1993; CAMACHO, 2002, 2003, 2006; HOPPER & THOMPSON, 1980; POTTIER, 1992; CROFT, 1994, 1998; LANGACKER, 1987, 1991; DELANCEY, 1987; TALMY, 1988, 2000; LAKOFF, 1977), the codification of the non-attribution of causality is analyzed in CrÃnica Geral de Espanha de 1344, a representative historical text in archaic Portuguese, edited by Cintra (1951). In this analysis, answers are sought for the following questions: (a) in the analyzed corpus, which is the most and the least prototypical verbal recourses available for the expression of the non-attribution of causality? (b) which semantic, pragmatical and formal features characterize the different strategies used for expressing the non-attribution of causality? The central hypothesis considers that analyzed constructions codify the non-attribution of causality at various degrees, according to aspects related to the causality notion, such as perspectivization and salience. A large number of occurrences (1061, in total) were collected and analyzed from the perspective of pragmatical aspects such as topicality and informational status; semantic aspects, such as cognitive salience of Affected and of Causative, animacy, affectation type; and formal aspects, such as order and expression. Moreover, all of such occurrences were graduated regarding the transitivity degree and the Grounding. The results indicate that middle construction is the most prototypical of the non-attribution of causality constructions, because it presents less salient causative and is posited in the least degree of transitivity. Passive, most frequent in the corpus and, often, with omitted causative, was characterized as the least prototypical construction because its causative is commonly evoked and it presents a higher degree of transitivity. Impersonal construction, whose causative is frequently inferable, was characterized as more causative and more transitive than the middle construction, however, less than passive. Therefore, the analyses demonstrated that non-attribution of causality is not an isolated phenomenon, limited to the manifestation of an Agent. It is subject to degrees of escalarization which is attached to temporal and aspectual event contours. Because of experiential notion of causality, linked to the idea movement, perfective events are more causal than imperfective ones.

French infinitive is an indefinite verb form which does not reflect the morphological categories of person, number and mode, but is able to express the category of gender and relative chronology. The infinitive is aspect-nonspecific and not able to express tenses, which are related to the moment of realization of speech/discourse. From the syntactic point of view infinitive can act as a primary or secondary predicate. As the secondary predicate, French infinitive is one of the linguistic means capable of forming semi-predicative constructions. In special discourse, due to the above-mentioned characteristic functions, French infinitive serves as an important condenser and also contributes to other requirements of special discourse, its impersonal character and timeless validity.

Este ensaio propõe a obra Os Malavoglia (1881), de Giovanni Verga, como um romance-tese do Verismo, a partir do estudo de suas instâncias narrativas e da análise de seus principais procedimentos compositivos, à luz das teorias de Mikhail Bakhtin, Iúri Tyniánov, Erich Auerbach, Eleazar Meletínski e outros. / This essay proposes Os Malavoglia (1881), of Giovanni Verga, as roman à thèse of the Verismo, from the study of his narrative´s instances and the analysis of his main compositive´s proceedings, according to the teories of Mikhail Bakhtin, Iúri Tyniánov, Erich Auerbach, Eleazar Meletínski and others.

Esta pesquisa investiga construções-se em anúncios publicitários de revistas paulistanas dos anos de 1890 a 1920. A passagem do século XIX para o XX é um momento de transformações na cidade de São Paulo, na publicidade e no Português Brasileiro (PB). Estudos têm mostrado que, desde esse período, a gramática do PB não produz a construção-se passiva, mas a ativa, sem concordância entre verbo e argumento interno. Neste trabalho, descrevemos e analisamos as sentenças com se não como unidades isoladas, mas em relação aos demais elementos do anúncio (verbais e não verbais) e ao contexto sócio-histórico e cultural de produção do corpus. A leitura do anúncio como um todo revelou que a concordância nas construções-se se deu entre o verbo e um tópico, coindexado a um sujeito nulo e referindo-se a um elemento realçado tipograficamente na publicidade. Esse tipo de exame possibilitou a identificação de estruturas tanto ativas quanto passivas; em ambos os casos, o se tinha a função de apontar que o agente semântico era humano e indeterminado. Os anúncios ainda mostraram que a oscilação entre a Pessoalidade (significando distinção e hierarquia) e a Impessoalidade, uma característica estrutural da sociedade paulistana de então, atingia também o domínio linguístico, e isso se tornou visível pelo emprego dos diferentes tipos de construção-se. / This research investigates constructions with the pronoun se in advertisements published in magazines from 1890 to 1920. At the turn of the 20th century, many changes took place in the city of São Paulo, in advertising and in Brazilian Portuguese (BP). Studies have shown that, from that moment on, instead of producing the socalled passive-se, BP has been using the active construction with se, in which the verb does not agree with the internal argument. In the present analysis, the linguistic phenomenon is not taken as an isolated part of the advertisements, but is observed in relation to the other verbal and non-verbal elements of the text and also the social, historical and cultural context. Reading the advertisements as a whole showed that the verb agreed with a topic, co-indexed with a null subject, which referred to a typographically salient element in the page. Through this type of examination, we could identify both active and passive structures; at the same time, the pronoun se denoted that the semantic agent was human and indefinite. The different kinds of constructions with se also revealed that a social structural feature of São Paulo, viz. the alternation between hierarchical and impersonal relationships, could reach the linguistic domain. Keywords:

Na passagem dos séculos XIX a XX, Campinas era um polo de produção cafeeira no interior de São Paulo. A conjugação de condições econômicas e sociais determinou o crescimento acelerado da cidade e sua modernização, além de conferir-lhe importante papel no cenário político nacional. Na década de 1870, um grupo de republicanos idealizou o Colégio Culto à Ciência, visando a difundir o saber científico e laico aos jovens campineiros. Porém, nos anos de 1890, fatores diversos levaram ao fechamento do colégio e, em 1896, o prédio em que ele funcionava passou a abrigar o Ginásio Estadual de Campinas, uma das instâncias da reforma do ensino público paulista. Neste trabalho, analisamos produções discursivas relacionadas a essas duas instituições de ensino secundário, entre o final da Monarquia e as primeiras décadas da República, de modo que não sejam entendidas apenas como escolas de prestígio no período, mas como espaços de reunião das elites econômica e intelectual, personificadas nos seus idealizadores e no corpo docente e diretor, e como símbolos do ideário republicano na área da instrução. Sob o enfoque da História Social da Língua Portuguesa, uma área de estudos interdisciplinar, a análise de textos oriundos desse espaço social é significativa para identificar tanto elementos conjunturais quanto fatos linguísticos que reflitam e refratam a realidade em transição, além do padrão linguístico culto que servia de referencial para as escolas e, por conseguinte, para os alunos. Os corpora examinados ao longo da tese são: o discurso fundador do Culto a Ciência, proferido por Campos Sales em 1874; textos escritos por lentes de Português tanto do Culto à Ciência quanto do Ginásio de Campinas; jornais dos alunos das duas instituições; e ofícios e atas produzidos no espaço do Ginásio. Os resultados destacam a relação entre as palavras e seu conteúdo ideológico (BAKHTIN (VOLOSHINOV), 1997) no discurso republicano, fazendo emergir significações a partir de seu contexto concreto de uso; a coexistência de marcas pessoais e impessoais nas relações sociais e na língua, salientando distinção e hierarquização num contexto histórico que pressupunha a adoção de tratamentos igualitários, e.g., o tratamento por cidadão se opondo a Vossa Excelência, e o uso do imperativo (ato de comando) seguido do pronome se (impessoal); e, em se tratando do fenômeno sintático da colocação pronominal, a percepção do valor social (ECKERT, 2012) da ênclise no contexto das orações infinitivas preposicionadas, caracterizando o padrão culto do português brasileiro do período e constituindo uma marca identitária do colégio republicano paulista e daqueles que ocupavam postos de prestígio e poder na sociedade. / At the turn of the 19th to the 20th century, Campinas was a pole of coffee production in São Paulo. The combination of economic and social conditions determined the accelerated growth of the city and its modernization and also gave it an important role in the national political scene. In the 1870s, a group of republicans idealized the Colégio Culto à Ciência, aiming to spread scientific and secular knowledge to young inhabitants of Campinas. However, in the 1890s, several reasons led this school to close and, in 1896, the building in which it operated started to house the Ginásio de Estado de Campinas, one instance of the public education reform that took place in São Paulo. In this work, we analyze discursive productions related to these two institutions of secondary education, from the end of the Monarchy to the first decades of the Republic, in a way that they are not only seen as prestigious schools in the period, but as meeting places of the economic and intellectual elite, personified in their founders and the professor and director bodies, and as the republican ideals in the area of education. In the approach of the Social History of Portuguese, an interdisciplinary field of language studies, the analysis of texts coming from this social space is significant to identify both social elements and linguistic facts that reflect and refract the reality in transition, in addition to the standard language that served as reference for the schools and their students. The corpora examined are: the founding discourse of the Colégio Culto à Ciência, delivered by Campos Sales in 1874; written production by Portuguese teachers of both Culto à Ciência and Ginásio de Campinas; student periodicals from both institutions; and documents produced in the administrative space of the Ginásio. The results highlight the relationship between words and ideological content (BAKHTIN (VOLOSHINOV), 1997) in the republican discourse, causing meanings to emerge from their concrete context of use; the coexistence of personal and impersonal marks in social relations and in language, emphasizing distinction and hierarchy in a historical context that presupposed the adoption of egalitarian treatments, e.g., treatment by cidadão (citizen) opposing to Vossa Excelência (Your Excellency), and the use of the imperative (command act) followed by the pronoun se (impersonal); and, regarding the syntactic phenomenon of clitic placement, the perception of the social value (ECKERT, 2012) of the enclisis in the context of the prepositional infinitives, characterizing the standard pattern of Brazilian Portuguese in the period and constituting an identity mark of the republican high school in the state of São Paulo and of those who occupied positions of prestige and power in society.