The purpose of this thesis is to determine the extent to which strategic communications is being practiced, and its implications on organizational performance in the Canadian arts sector. This thesis discusses the unique characteristics of not-for-profit charitable performing arts organizations within the context of strategic communications. As a mission-based field, the not-for-profit arts sector operates under the premise that it must find a market for its product, instead of finding a product for its market. Building on communication and arts marketing theories, this thesis posits that strategic communications management can contribute to the success of arts organizations and address the gap between arts products and its market. In particular, this thesis analyzes the following components of strategic communications management, in relation to the practices of the Canadian arts sector: relationship management/marketing, interpersonal relationship values, organization public relationship values, and market orientation. / Thesis / Master of Communications Management (MCM) / The purpose of this thesis is to determine the extent to which strategic communications is being practiced, and its implications for organizational performance in the Canadian arts sector. This thesis discusses the unique characteristics of not-for-profit charitable performing arts organizations within the context of strategic communications. Building on communication and arts marketing theories, this thesis posits that strategic communications management can contribute to the success of arts organizations and address the gap between arts products and patrons.

Title: Business plan of the use potential of the sports venues for the Psychiatric Institution of Bohnice. Objective: The thesis presents a business plan concerning a commercial use of the sport venue in the Psychiatric Institution of Bohnice. The objective is to provide information needed to the institute management for managerial decision as to the commercial use of sports venues in order to increase the income from additional activities. The issue for the institution management remains whether or not this business plan is to be put in place within the framework of additional activities by Governmental non-for-profit organisation or a civic association, of which the Psychiatric Institution of Bohnice is the founder. Methods: The methods applied in the diploma thesis are as follows: descriptive, comparative, financial and the SWOT analysis, and interview and a survey. The descriptive analysis focuses on the description of the sports venues' current condition, the comparative analysis deals with their competitiveness, the financial analysis covers varied financial flows of the project, the SWOT analysis determines the topical strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the business plan. The use of an interview then fine-tunes the business plan as such. The survey is conducted to carry out...

The number of recent U.S. military veterans attending college has increased due to the Veterans Education Assistance Act; however, retention and graduation rates for this population have declined. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the experiences and academic needs of recent military veterans as they transition from the military to academic life at a for-profit, proprietary college. In addition, this study identified differences in the problems faced by male and female veterans and explored whether veterans understood the resources available to them as they enrolled in higher education. Schlossberg's transitional theory was the conceptual framework used in this ethnographic case study. Eight female and 8 male military veterans of the Iraq or Afghanistan war were selected for focused interviews through purposeful sampling. The results of the study indicated that regardless of gender, military veteran students at the local college needed time management skills, help with medical and social issues, and career development. While the college was perceived as student centered, another emergent theme was ineffective classroom management. A 3-day professional development program was designed for faculty and staff in order to increase their knowledge of the challenges faced by veterans in transition and to help military veteran students achieve academic success. Future research could expand the numbers of colleges and students represented in the study. This study promotes positive social change by providing higher education faculty members the results of the study so that they can apply the findings in amending current teaching strategies in an effort to provide a comprehensive learning environment for military veteran student.

This study aims to advance the understanding of Digital Opportunity Trust’s (DOT) value proposition by characterizing the ‘modus operandi’ and to develop a method to explore the impact of entrepreneurship in the developing (or under-developed) regions of the world undertaken by Digital Opportunity Trust. DOT is an initiative to help reduce poverty, and to achieve greater social and economic stability by empowering people with skills and knowledge by utilizing new technologies in their communities. Prior research suggests the adaptation of ‘Information and Communication Technology’(ICT) and technological advancement as a means of addressing 500 million people worldwide, those residing at the ‘bottom of the pyramid’ (Prahalad, 2005) for an effective social transformation. “Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT)” is one of the not-for-profit (NFP) / non-governmental organizations (NGO), which strives to accomplish this goal by blending ‘entrepreneurial’ education with ‘corporate social responsibility’ to foster new ventures that use digital communications technology. DOT is operating in eleven (11) countries for more than eight (8) years now, rendering it important to validate and evaluate the extent to which Information and Communication Technology ICT allows people in poor communities to exchange knowledge, and to compete with new enterprise. Personal interviews (Case Study Methodology) with DOT’s executives, staff, interns and contractors were arranged to gather insightful information and to characterize the value proposition. The aim is to gather estimates of achievement for each of the defining attributes (‘as things are’ to reflect present achievement and ‘as things could be’ to reflect how far the attribute might be ‘pushed’). While it must be the responsibility of DOT’s leaders to articulate formally its value proposition, evidence gathered in this case study points in possible directions. For example, DOT’s value proposition is based on a humanitarian goal and a win-win situation that benefits the people of underdeveloped regions as well as DOT itself. DOT does not merely advance monetary aid to the poor regions of the world; rather it creates a model of economical sustainability. It empowers people by imparting technical prowess and training to them. This not only keeps them abreast of the whole world, but also helps improve their quality of life. DOT provides technological initiatives and programs in developing areas, while adhering effectively to accountability structure. Multinational companies and not-for-profit organizations can gain useful and practical knowledge from DOT’s experience. DOT brings an edge to entrepreneurship by advocating productivity and skill, especially in technological fields. The poor man’s plight turns into a healthy, industrious skill. An emerging paradigm for creating shared value suggests that this is precisely the model worldwide corporations should invest in and apply in these ever-challenging economic times.

This study aims to advance the understanding of Digital Opportunity Trust’s (DOT) value proposition by characterizing the ‘modus operandi’ and to develop a method to explore the impact of entrepreneurship in the developing (or under-developed) regions of the world undertaken by Digital Opportunity Trust. DOT is an initiative to help reduce poverty, and to achieve greater social and economic stability by empowering people with skills and knowledge by utilizing new technologies in their communities. Prior research suggests the adaptation of ‘Information and Communication Technology’(ICT) and technological advancement as a means of addressing 500 million people worldwide, those residing at the ‘bottom of the pyramid’ (Prahalad, 2005) for an effective social transformation. “Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT)” is one of the not-for-profit (NFP) / non-governmental organizations (NGO), which strives to accomplish this goal by blending ‘entrepreneurial’ education with ‘corporate social responsibility’ to foster new ventures that use digital communications technology. DOT is operating in eleven (11) countries for more than eight (8) years now, rendering it important to validate and evaluate the extent to which Information and Communication Technology ICT allows people in poor communities to exchange knowledge, and to compete with new enterprise. Personal interviews (Case Study Methodology) with DOT’s executives, staff, interns and contractors were arranged to gather insightful information and to characterize the value proposition. The aim is to gather estimates of achievement for each of the defining attributes (‘as things are’ to reflect present achievement and ‘as things could be’ to reflect how far the attribute might be ‘pushed’). While it must be the responsibility of DOT’s leaders to articulate formally its value proposition, evidence gathered in this case study points in possible directions. For example, DOT’s value proposition is based on a humanitarian goal and a win-win situation that benefits the people of underdeveloped regions as well as DOT itself. DOT does not merely advance monetary aid to the poor regions of the world; rather it creates a model of economical sustainability. It empowers people by imparting technical prowess and training to them. This not only keeps them abreast of the whole world, but also helps improve their quality of life. DOT provides technological initiatives and programs in developing areas, while adhering effectively to accountability structure. Multinational companies and not-for-profit organizations can gain useful and practical knowledge from DOT’s experience. DOT brings an edge to entrepreneurship by advocating productivity and skill, especially in technological fields. The poor man’s plight turns into a healthy, industrious skill. An emerging paradigm for creating shared value suggests that this is precisely the model worldwide corporations should invest in and apply in these ever-challenging economic times.

Made available in DSpace on 2010-04-20T21:00:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 3 guilhermesanchesturma2003.pdf.jpg: 18091 bytes, checksum: fc3161dc0ad5e4fd3a746921dbea5095 (MD5) guilhermesanchesturma2003.pdf: 311787 bytes, checksum: 4f7eeecb22b5945b99a72be3bb9bde39 (MD5) guilhermesanchesturma2003.pdf.txt: 92492 bytes, checksum: 411ad5e61d1c0024cd2009325a3bfd28 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-02-17T00:00:00Z / O trabalho ora apresentado busca elaborar um roteiro analítico para a estruturação de um modelo de governança corporativa particularmente em firmas sem fins lucrativos. Tal roteiro, elaborado com base em instrumental teórico, é ilustrado por meio da Teoria da Agência. Procura-se acrescentar à determinação das figuras de Agente e Principal a determinação dos outros stakeholders que influenciam a governança das firmas. Mostram-se as características que diferenciam as firmas presentes nos três setores da economia, a saber, firmas privadas com fins privados, firmas públicas com fins públicos e finalmente firmas privadas com fins públicos. Devido às características mais complexas das firmas sem fins lucrativos no âmbito da governança, baseamo-nos no modelo de Glaeser como referência central. Além do framework descrito e analisado, propomos uma agenda de estudos para o Brasil regulamentar melhor as firmas do Terceiro Setor. / This paper seeks to elaborate an analytical framework for the study of a firm governance model, particularly a non-profit one. The framework is based on Agency Theory concepts and considers the influence of other possible stakeholders beside the Principal-Agent figures. This work also explores some main and specific characteristics of the firms in the sectors of the economy, i.e., private for profit firms, estate owned firms (either for profit or not) and finally private not-for-profit firms. Given the more complex characteristics of the governance system for non-profit firms, the Glaeser governance model is used as the central reference. In addition to the suggested analytical framework, I propose an agenda for research and studies in the Brazilian environment in order to better rule the domestic third sector.

O presente trabalho tem por tema o crescimento do ensino superior brasileiro que vem ocorrendo desde o final da década de 1990, impulsionado pela crescente participação de instituições de ensino superior (IES) privadas com fins lucrativos. A partir da realidade do estado do Rio Grande do Sul, procurou-se investigar como se inserem essas instituições com fins lucrativos no mercado educacional brasileiro. Essas instituições se inserem num mercado em concorrência com instituições públicas com oferta de ensino gratuita e instituições privadas sem fins lucrativos. O objetivo principal foi investigar como surgiram e com que diferenciais de atuação se apresentam as IES lucrativas. Utilizou-se para análise o referencial da teoria dos sistemas de Niklas Luhmann, que permite observar as instituições como sistemas organizacionais que tem por meio de decisões sua forma de produção e reprodução. Os métodos empregados para a compreensão do processo de expansão e as estratégias das instituições foram a análise de dados disponíveis nos bancos de dados oficiais (INEP, e-MEC) e documentos disponíveis das instituições. Pode-se constatar ao longo do estudo que há diferentes origens e formas de atuação das instituições com fins lucrativos, grupos de instituições com estratégias distintas, desde a especialização em uma área de atuação até grupos de instituições que atuam nacional ou internacionalmente. Por fim, o trabalho permitiu perceber a diversidade do ensino superior com fins lucrativos no Rio Grande do Sul e entender como essas organizações observam a si mesmas e como atuam no ambiente do mercado educacional para garantir a sua existência. / This work is about the growth of the Brazilian higher education that has been occurring since the late 1990s, driven by the increasing participation of for-profit higher education institutions. From the reality of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, we sought to investigate how fit the for-profit institutions in the Brazilian education market. These institutions are part of a market in competition with public institutions that offer free education and private non-profit institutions. The main objective was to investigate how and which are the differential of the for-profit institutions of higher education. Was used to analyze the theory of Niklas Luhmann, allowing to observe the institutions as organizational systems that have through their decisions their form of production and reproduction. The methods employed for understanding the process of expansion and strategies of institutions were the analysis of data available in official databases (INEP , e-MEC) and available documents of the institutions . Can be seen throughout the study different backgrounds and ways of working of for-profit institutions, groups of institutions with different strategies, from specialization in one area of activity to groups of institutions that operate nationally or internationally. Finally, the work allowed us to understand the diversity of for profit higher education in Rio Grande do Sul and understand how these organizations observe themselves and how they act in the educational market environment to ensure their existence.

O presente trabalho tem por tema o crescimento do ensino superior brasileiro que vem ocorrendo desde o final da década de 1990, impulsionado pela crescente participação de instituições de ensino superior (IES) privadas com fins lucrativos. A partir da realidade do estado do Rio Grande do Sul, procurou-se investigar como se inserem essas instituições com fins lucrativos no mercado educacional brasileiro. Essas instituições se inserem num mercado em concorrência com instituições públicas com oferta de ensino gratuita e instituições privadas sem fins lucrativos. O objetivo principal foi investigar como surgiram e com que diferenciais de atuação se apresentam as IES lucrativas. Utilizou-se para análise o referencial da teoria dos sistemas de Niklas Luhmann, que permite observar as instituições como sistemas organizacionais que tem por meio de decisões sua forma de produção e reprodução. Os métodos empregados para a compreensão do processo de expansão e as estratégias das instituições foram a análise de dados disponíveis nos bancos de dados oficiais (INEP, e-MEC) e documentos disponíveis das instituições. Pode-se constatar ao longo do estudo que há diferentes origens e formas de atuação das instituições com fins lucrativos, grupos de instituições com estratégias distintas, desde a especialização em uma área de atuação até grupos de instituições que atuam nacional ou internacionalmente. Por fim, o trabalho permitiu perceber a diversidade do ensino superior com fins lucrativos no Rio Grande do Sul e entender como essas organizações observam a si mesmas e como atuam no ambiente do mercado educacional para garantir a sua existência. / This work is about the growth of the Brazilian higher education that has been occurring since the late 1990s, driven by the increasing participation of for-profit higher education institutions. From the reality of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, we sought to investigate how fit the for-profit institutions in the Brazilian education market. These institutions are part of a market in competition with public institutions that offer free education and private non-profit institutions. The main objective was to investigate how and which are the differential of the for-profit institutions of higher education. Was used to analyze the theory of Niklas Luhmann, allowing to observe the institutions as organizational systems that have through their decisions their form of production and reproduction. The methods employed for understanding the process of expansion and strategies of institutions were the analysis of data available in official databases (INEP , e-MEC) and available documents of the institutions . Can be seen throughout the study different backgrounds and ways of working of for-profit institutions, groups of institutions with different strategies, from specialization in one area of activity to groups of institutions that operate nationally or internationally. Finally, the work allowed us to understand the diversity of for profit higher education in Rio Grande do Sul and understand how these organizations observe themselves and how they act in the educational market environment to ensure their existence.

O presente trabalho tem por tema o crescimento do ensino superior brasileiro que vem ocorrendo desde o final da década de 1990, impulsionado pela crescente participação de instituições de ensino superior (IES) privadas com fins lucrativos. A partir da realidade do estado do Rio Grande do Sul, procurou-se investigar como se inserem essas instituições com fins lucrativos no mercado educacional brasileiro. Essas instituições se inserem num mercado em concorrência com instituições públicas com oferta de ensino gratuita e instituições privadas sem fins lucrativos. O objetivo principal foi investigar como surgiram e com que diferenciais de atuação se apresentam as IES lucrativas. Utilizou-se para análise o referencial da teoria dos sistemas de Niklas Luhmann, que permite observar as instituições como sistemas organizacionais que tem por meio de decisões sua forma de produção e reprodução. Os métodos empregados para a compreensão do processo de expansão e as estratégias das instituições foram a análise de dados disponíveis nos bancos de dados oficiais (INEP, e-MEC) e documentos disponíveis das instituições. Pode-se constatar ao longo do estudo que há diferentes origens e formas de atuação das instituições com fins lucrativos, grupos de instituições com estratégias distintas, desde a especialização em uma área de atuação até grupos de instituições que atuam nacional ou internacionalmente. Por fim, o trabalho permitiu perceber a diversidade do ensino superior com fins lucrativos no Rio Grande do Sul e entender como essas organizações observam a si mesmas e como atuam no ambiente do mercado educacional para garantir a sua existência. / This work is about the growth of the Brazilian higher education that has been occurring since the late 1990s, driven by the increasing participation of for-profit higher education institutions. From the reality of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, we sought to investigate how fit the for-profit institutions in the Brazilian education market. These institutions are part of a market in competition with public institutions that offer free education and private non-profit institutions. The main objective was to investigate how and which are the differential of the for-profit institutions of higher education. Was used to analyze the theory of Niklas Luhmann, allowing to observe the institutions as organizational systems that have through their decisions their form of production and reproduction. The methods employed for understanding the process of expansion and strategies of institutions were the analysis of data available in official databases (INEP , e-MEC) and available documents of the institutions . Can be seen throughout the study different backgrounds and ways of working of for-profit institutions, groups of institutions with different strategies, from specialization in one area of activity to groups of institutions that operate nationally or internationally. Finally, the work allowed us to understand the diversity of for profit higher education in Rio Grande do Sul and understand how these organizations observe themselves and how they act in the educational market environment to ensure their existence.

Diploma thesis "The Interest Group the Union of Cities, Towns and Communities of the Czech Republic in the Process of Public Policy in the Czech Republic" is a deeper analysis of one of the important interest groups associating cities, towns and communities in the Czech public space, the Union of Cities, Towns and Communities of the Czech Republic. Activities of the Union and its contribution to the Czech public policy are in depth analyzed against a background of social movements and the theory of interest groups. The Union is assessed from the perspective of its history, types of interest groups and resources it manages (namely the membership base, financial means and means of public policy lobbying). The analysis indicates that the negative image that lobbying has in the Czech Republic needs not necessarily be fair. As an organization addressing peer groups, yet defending public interests due to the fact that the Union's members are as a part of public administration municipalities, the Union advocates those things that finally bring positive effects to lives of all citizens in the Czech Republic. In relation to challenges the Union currently faces the thesis covers also a case study of emergence of Sdružení místních samospráv. This Association of Local Governments that pursuant to the amended...