This study examined federal court cases related to the use of social media websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn) in various employment practices (e.g., selection, promotion, employee monitoring, layoffs). Court cases were identified using various online databases in an attempt to create an exhaustive list of cases to be used to better understand the role that social media has played in organizational settings and the legal implications of its use. The results of this study show that there were a significant number of cases involving termination and Facebook, and organizations prevailed in court significantly more than the defendant did. The results of this study provide organizations, employees, and applicants with a better understanding of how organizational social media use has been perceived in the court of law, thereby allowing people and employers to make better decisions regarding social media use.

In light of growing international awareness and interests in the ‘frozen continent’ of Antarctica, the topic of Values in Antarctica has recently gained more research interest. Due to the complexity of the concept of value, values in Antarctica have been approached from many different perspectives, including Antarctic wilderness and aesthetic values, values manifested in Antarctic law or value based behavioural changes through the Antarctic experience. The present thesis addresses values as human connections to Antarctica with a focus on Antarctic policy-making. The investigation contained three analytical stages that built on each other. The first stage has been an interdisciplinary literature review examining what values are and how values can be studied, but also considered values in the context of environment, human behaviour and policy. Value and value-related concepts were selected in view of a potential application to the Antarctic. The second analytical stage involved a general framework analysis of the Antarctic Treaty System to identify key elements and structures in the system suitable for a study of Antarctic values, and to develop the research questions. The third stage of analysis included empirical investigations of two Antarctic case studies. Key elements that influence the Antarctic Treaty System in a way that is relevant for a study of Antarctic values include external factors and events, action situations and actors participating in these action situations. Antarctic Treaty Meeting of Experts appeared as an action situation particularly suitable for a study of Antarctic values. The last two Antarctic Treaty Meeting of Experts on ship-borne tourism and climate change have been chosen as case studies, presenting two topical issues in Antarctic policy. Using discourse analysis based on documents submitted to the meetings and the meetings’ reports, values that are driving the discourses were to be identified through structures and patterns in the discourses. Further, based on the discourse analysis following three research questions were to be answered: What role is ascribed to Antarctica concerning contemporary issues? Where and why do conflicts arise in the ATS policy-making process that are based on conflicting values? What changes in the underlying belief-systems are driving policy-making processes and what has caused the change? Based on the literature, values are defined as internalised codes that affect behaviour and include judgements on what is good and desirable. Through the framework analysis it was identified that Antarctic policy involves a multi-layered system of different value systems, which was considered in the two case studies. For both case studies, values in the discourses were mostly identified based on Schwartz’s basic human value theory. The most prominent human value that drives both the ship-born tourism and the climate change discourse is security. Both discourses are further motivated by the conservation of the Antarctic environment and its associated ecosystems. Other values, such as power and conformity with rules were also clearly expressed in the discourses. With regard to the research questions, both case studies discussed Antarctica from two different perspectives, as a hazardous place for human activities and as a place vulnerable to any kind of changes. Conflicts in the ship-borne tourism discourse were more obvious, while the climate change discourse within the expert meeting proceeded in consensus. Value-based changes that are evident in changes in belief-systems underlying Antarctic policy-making could not be identified. This thesis argues, based on careful consideration of documents, that values play a crucial role in Antarctic policy-making at a number of different scales: individuals, political actors, and governmental levels. Values were found to be at the core of most, if not all, conflicts within the Antarctic system. Finally, this thesis provides the first understanding of the values held by the various stakeholders involved in governing and use of the Antarctic, which is crucial for further decision-making and research.

Magistro baigiamajame darbe lyginamuoju aspektu kalbama apie bažnyčios (konfesijų) nustatyta tvarka sudarytų santuokų teisinę prigimtį bei teisines pasekmes. Lyginimui su Lietuvos Respublika yra pasirinktas Lenkijos Respublikos bažnytinių santuokų teisinis reguliavimas. Ši valstybė yra pasirinkta dėl to, kad joje, kaip ir Lietuvoje, religija visuomenėje vaidina svarbų vaidmenį, istorinis katalikybės vaidmuo Lietuvoje ir Lenkijoje yra labai panašus, abu kraštai yra vadinami katalikiškais. Darbe yra nurodomas santuokos sudarymo formos. Aptariama bažnytinės santuokos samprata, jos santykis su civiline santuoka. Yra apžvelgiamas bažnytinių santuokos statusas skirtingais Lietuvos ir Lenkijos istorijos laikotarpiais. Daug dėmesio yra skiriama bažnytinių santuokų pripažinimo sąlygoms, nurodoma, kokių materialinių santuokos sudarymo sąlygų reikia laikytis sudarant bažnytinę santuoką tam, kad ji sukeltų tokias pačias teisines pasekmes kaip ir civilinė santuoka. Taip pat aptariami procedūriniai reikalavimai, keliami bažnytinėms santuokoms. Yra apžvelgiami minėtų valstybių teisės aktai, reglamentuojantys bažnytinių santuokų kelią į pripažinimą. Darbe bandoma nustatyti, kokių problemų Lietuvoje ir Lenkijoje kyla pripažįstant bažnytines santuokas. Yra analizuojamos jų teisinės pasekmės, atsiradimo laikas. Aptariama bažnyčios nustatyta tvarka sudarytų santuokų pabaiga bei joms taikoma jurisdikcija. Magistro baigiamojo darbo pabaigoje pateikiamos apibendrintos išvados bei pasiūlymai dėl... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / -. / In der Magisterarbeit werden im vergleichenden Aspekt das rechtliche Wesen und die rechtlichen Folgen der Ehen, die in der von der Kirche (Konfession) festgelegten Ordnung abgeschlossen wurden, behandelt. Zum Vergleich mit der Republik Litauen wurde die rechtliche Regelung der kirchlichen Ehen in der Republik Polen herangezogen. Dieser Staat wurde deswegen gewählt, weil dort, wie auch in Litauen, die Religion eine wichtige Rolle in der Gesellschaft spielt, die historische Rolle des Katholizismus in Litauen und Polen sehr ähnlich ist und beide Länder als katholische Länder genannt werden. In der Arbeit werden die Formen des Eheabschlusses angeführt. Der Begriff der kirchlichen Ehe und ihr Verhältnis zur Zivilehe werden behandelt. Ein Übersicht des Status der kirchlichen Ehen in verschiedenen Zeiträumen der Geschichte von Litauen und Polen wird angeführt. Eine große Aufmerksamkeit wird den Bedingungen der Anerkennung der kirchlichen Ehen geschenkt, es wird angegeben, welche materielle Bedingungen zum Abschluss einer kirchlichen Ehe eingehalten werden müssen, damit sie dieselben rechtlichen Folgen wie eine Zivilehe hat. Ausserdem werden Vorschriften für Prozeduren des Abschlusses einer kirchlichen Ehen behandelt. Eine Übersicht von Rechtsakten der genannten Staaten, welche die Anerkennung der kirchlichen Ehen regeln, wird gemacht. Es wird versucht, in der Arbeit festzustellen, welche Probleme bei der Anerkennung der kirchlichen Ehen in Litauen und Polen entstehen. Die... [der volle Text, siehe weiter]

In order to discover the semantic implications involved in advertising in general, the present study is confined to an investigation of the names of perfumes and lipsticks, taken as representative of the broader field.

People frequently have problems making multiple devices work together. In this thesis, I use the Research‐through‐Design approach to understand the issues and propose solutions. Through an iterative series of investigations, the problems people have with the connection of multiple devices has been examined, including usability issues, difficulties with the sequential connection procedure, and difficulties performing an action. I found non‐expert users to have difficulties with interpreting and evaluating the devices’ interaction status regarding the sequence of the connection procedure. When an evaluation problem occurs, they have problems dealing with the required sequence or diagnosing the error in their interactions. The problem understanding was examined from additional cases. The comprehension of the problems allowed me to generate design implications and propose a design solution. I proposed two implications with which to solve the stated problem. I suggested helping users evaluate device interaction and reduce unnecessary user interactions. A design framework was suggested as a solution by providing diagrammatic representations of system interaction and signals revealing device status. I then assessed the suggested solutions using paper prototypes, and demonstrated their effectiveness. The improved interfaces helped users evaluate device connection status so they may determine how to proceed with sequential interaction. With the Research‐through‐Design approach constructing knowledge by integrating theories and hypothesis, I found the feature of user‐multiple device interaction in which a user is required to manage the interaction between the devices. A single device cannot aid the user interaction. In the dissertation, I proposed a desirable state of user interaction, which is achieved by two devices revealing connection states together so that a user can earn a useful system image.

Master of Arts / Department of Economics / Yang-Ming Chang / This report examines merger incentives of cost asymmetric firms under product differentiation and their welfare implications. Considering a simple contract under which merger profit is distributed according to the proportions of differential marginal costs between duopolistic firms, we show in a stylized model that for almost all parameter ranges (in terms of market competition intensity and marginal cost differential), a low-cost firm may have no incentive to merge with a high-cost firm whereas the high-cost firm always finds merger to be profitable. Only when marginal cost differential is sufficiently low and the degree of product similarity is sufficiently high will both the low-cost firm and the high-cost firm share the common interest in merger. On the other hand, the merger equilibrium is not welfare-improving, regardless of whether the firms initially compete in quantities or prices. Viewed from the perspective of production efficiency, mergers with differentiated products thus create a fundamental conflict between the maximization of consumer and social welfare and the maximization of firm profits. We also examine the scenario that merger takes place when merger profit exceeds the sum of firm profits under duopoly, without considering how merger profit is distributed between the firms. We discuss the conditions under which mergers may or may not be welfare-improving.

Student Number: 0514022R Masters of Arts, Department of Sociology FACULTY OF HUMANITIES SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES / This study seeks to investigate the sources and the content of sexual information available to Rwandase youths aged 15 to 20 in Impala district. The rationale of this study is that young people need to have information on sexual development, reproduction, contraception, physical changes and about sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS. By getting such information, young people are likely to avoid a number of sex-related problems, including diseases, unforeseen sexual behaviour (early sexual intercourse and unintended pregnancy). To gather data, this study used in –depth interviews with 20 youths of both sexes and 20 key informants from different groups involved in youth sexual education. The study found that there is a range of sources of sexual information in Impala district such as school, peers, church, community meetings, anti-AIDS clubs, parents and radio. The school and peers emerged as the key sources of sexual education for educated youth, while community meetings and church are pointed to be the primary sources of this information for uneducated youth. However, most youth reported having little or no sexual education from parents. Concerning the content of this information, adolescent’s reproductive health, sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS, gender roles, sexual experience and practice are the most discussed, and vary depending on the source involved. The information provided by those social agents has been well appreciated by most of the youth I interviewed. However, I argue that the interpretation is different in people depending on their beliefs, background, attitudes and so on. The study concludes with a number of recommendations both for policy implications and further research.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Medicine in the branch of Psychiatry Melbourne, 2005 / Sexual dysfunction is a common side effect of treatment with antidepressants, particularly those with a serotonergic action. The problem has significant implications for a patient’s quality of life and their compliance with medication. Given the often longterm nature of depressive disorders and their treatment this side effect poses a potential management challenge and may have serious prognostic implications. There are currently few evidence-based treatment strategies for the management of antidepressant induced sexual dysfunction. This study was conducted to evaluate the usefulness of granisetron, a serotonin type-3 receptor antagonist, in the treatment of women experiencing sexual dysfunction due to serotonergic antidepressants. Twelve women with antidepressant induced sexual dysfunction were assigned to receive either granisetron (N=5) or placebo (N=7) in a 14-day randomised, double blind, placebo controlled drug trial. Two subjects in the granisetron group did not complete the study. Each subject’s sexual functioning was assessed at baseline, day 7 and day 14 using both the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale and the Feiger Sexual Function and Satisfaction Questionnaire. No statistical differences were measured either at baseline or at endpoint between the granisetron and placebo groups. The study did not produce evidence supporting the usefulness of granisetron as an adjunctive medication in women with antidepressant induced sexual dysfunction. Furthermore, this finding does not suggest a primary role for the serotonin type-3 receptor in the pathogenesis of this side effect.

The shift toward mobility have today created higher demands on companies, consultants, the right use of working methods, workplace strategies, the information sharing as well as the interaction and collaboration with different customers. If consultants are able to work effective outside the office, from everywhere and at any time regardless of location with the help of mobile technologies, companies can reduce unnecessary costs, gain market share and competitive advantages. This study examines how mobile technologies enable social interaction of IT consultants‟ mobile work. The purpose of this Master thesis is to identify IT consultants‟ mobile work and the existing implications in mobility today. The thesis will also bring up the set of problems with mobility to the surface and create a deeper understanding of IT consultants‟ mobile work and more knowledge about mobile technologies and how they can enable social interaction. The thesis‟ empirical foundation is derived from 18 interviews with representatives from; NaviPro, Sogeti and Logica. The interviews will provide the reader with a better understanding in; how mobile technologies can enable social interaction and which implications consultants face during their mobile work. The theoretical basis is composed from secondary data to receive an understanding and background to the problem area. The empirical data is then analyzed by means of presented theories which are also assumed in the preparation of the interviews. We have come to the conclusion that today‟s technology has failed to satisfy the consultants‟ social needs and that there are significant implications that can result in lack of face-to-face interaction, social and professional isolation and higher demands of constantly be reachable. However, with the access of laptops, smartphones and mobile broadband consultants can minimize following implications and perform more than 50% of their work and still be a productive and effective consultant. / Program: Masterutbildning i Informatik

This study examines the impact of fiscal deficits on economic growth in developing countries. Based on deduction from the relevant theoretical and empirical literature, the study tests the following hypotheses regarding the impact of fiscal deficits on economic growth. First, fiscal deficits have significant positive or negative impact on economic growth in developing countries. Second, the impact of fiscal deficits on economic growth depends on the size of deficits as a percentage of GDP - that is, there is a non-linear relationship between fiscal deficits and economic growth. Third, the impact of fiscal deficits on economic growth depends on the ways in which deficits are financed. Fourth, the impact of fiscal deficits on economic growth depends on what deficit financing is used for. The study also examines whether there are any significant regional differences in terms of the relationship between fiscal deficits and economic growth in developing countries. The study uses panel data for thirty-one developing countries covering the period 1972- 2001, which is analysed based on the econometric estimation of a dynamic growth model using the Arellano and Bond (1991) generalised method of moments (GMM) technique. Overall, the results suggest the following. First, fiscal deficits per se have no any significant positive or negative impact on economic growth. Second, by contrast, when the deficit is substituted by domestic and foreign financing, we find that both domestic and foreign financing of fiscal deficits exerts a negative and statistically significant impact on economic growth with a lag. Third, we find that both categories of economic classification of government expenditure, namely, capital and current expenditure, have no significant impact on economic growth. When government expenditure is disaggregated on the basis of a functional classification, the results suggest that spending on education, defence and economic services have positive but insignificant impact on growth, while spending on health and general public services have positive and significant impact. Fourth, in terms of regional differences with regard to the estimated relationships, the study finds that, while there are some regional differences between the four different regions represented in our sample of thirty-one developing countries - namely, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa - these differences are not statistically significant. On the basis of these findings, the study concludes that fiscal deficits per se are not necessarily good or bad for economic growth in developing countries; how the deficits are financed and what they are used for matters. In addition, the study concludes that there are no statistically significant regional differences in terms of the relationship between fiscal deficits and economic growth in developing countries.