A partir da análise de 18 matérias veiculadas nos jornais impressos capixabas, a saber, AGazeta e A Tribuna a pesquisa buscou entender como tais jornais operam a construção do imaginário social do progresso no Espírito Santo. A partir do aporte teórico-metodológico da Análise do Discurso, a pesquisa busca encontrar nos textos os indícios que levam a uma formação discursiva, e, por conseguinte, a uma formação ideológica em que o progresso emerge como categoria fundante. Tais indícios, que tecem a trama do imaginário do progresso é o discurso, entendido como materialidade lingüística, lugar em que se articulam sujeito, língua e história. A premissa inicial é a de que o progresso, ainda que não apareça nos jornais como um enunciado concreto, constitui-se enquanto idéia e funda-se como vontade, ganhando assim aderência social. Logo, se por um lado, o progresso aparece como discurso forjado por determinados grupos, por outro, encontra aderência nessa vontade, constituindo-se enquanto imaginário coletivamente apropriado. O imaginário social seria, por seu turno, essa espécie de imagem que a sociedade cria de si. Uma forma de um grupo, uma comunidade, uma sociedade se enxergar; a base na qual cada sociedade elabora a imagem de si mesma e do universo em que vive. Enquanto uma imagem atua, portanto, como uma espécie de representação da realidade. É o espelho no qual se estrutura essa sociedade. Mas esse espelho, no entanto, não funciona com uma imagem refletida e sim com uma representação dessa realidade. A pesquisa conta com uma articulação teórica com o campo da história e também das ciências sociais, em especial, a sociologia das práticas sociais, sendo o conceito de habitus jornalístico um dos aportes teóricos da pesquisa. Articular a discussão acerca do habitus jornalístico, discutir como o jornalismo cria, a partir de sua prática e seu modo de operação, um lugar para si mesmo lugar de quem fala , é também um dos objetivos desta pesquisa. Para isso queremos entender como o jornalismo, ao mesmo tempo em que opera discursos outros, opera o discurso sobre si mesmo, construindo-se como lugar de legitimidade. Para as análises, fora realizada a constituição de um corpus selecionado de forma aleatória das edições do jornal, chegando a um total de 96 edições (48 de cada jornal) distribuídas entre os anos de 2003 e 2006. O período foi escolhido por ser tratar de momento ímpar em relação ao discurso do progresso no estado do Espírito Santo, em parte, pelas mudanças que ocorriam no cenário local, em parte, pelas mudanças que ocorriam no cenário nacional. As matérias ou colunas fazem parte dos cadernos de Economia de ambos os jornais. / From the analysis of 18 articles published in capixaba´s printed newspapers, wich are A Gazeta and A Tribuna, the research intended to understand how these newspapers operate the building of social imaginary of progress in Espírito Santo. With the theoretical and methodological stand of Discourse Analysis, it was possible to find in these texts the evidences that lead to a discursive formation and, consequently, to a ideological formation where progress emerges as a regnant category. These evidences, that weave the plot of progress, are contained in discourse as a linguistic materiality, place where subject, language and history are articulated. The results point that progress, even when does not appear in newspapers as a correct enunciation, constitutes itself as idea and is founded as will, thus gaining social adherence. On this way, if progress appears as a discourse forged by certain groups, on the other hand it finds adherence to this will, constituting an imaginary collectively taken. The social imaginary would be, on its turn, this kind of image that society creates of itself. A formation of a group, a community, a society way of seeing itself; the base on wich each society elaborates an image of itself and the universe where she lives. As an image it acts, therefore, as a kind of reality´s representation. It is the mirror where this society is structured. But this mirror, however, does not work reflecting an image, considering that is also refracts it. The research has a theoretical articulation with history´s extent and also with social sciences, especially sociology of social practices, since the concept of habitus as one of the contributions to this research. Articulating the argument about the journalistic, discussing how journalism creates, from its practice and its operation way, a place for itself - a place that talks was also one of this work´s objectives. To achieve that, the research intended to understand how journalism, at the same time that operates discourses about others, also operates a discourse about itself, constructing its place as a place of legitimacy. To the analysis, was made a constitution of a montage about a sampling selected in a random way over the newspaper editions, in a total of 96 editions (48 of each newspaper) distributed between the years of 2003 and 2006, in wich 18 constitutes the amount of the research. This period was chosen because it shows a special moment related to the discourse of progress in Espírito Santo´s state, somehow, by the changes that occurried in local scene, and also because of the changes in national stage. The articles or columns are part of Economical´s sections in both newspapers.

This study aims to provide a critical assessment of social networking sites along with the underlying form of rationality propelling such technological innovations. The hypothesis of this study is rooted in the firm conviction that while social networking sites can be regarded as impressive technological achievements, and while there are certainly an array of benefits that can be associated with them, they nevertheless can be perceived as a hegemonic force which surreptitiously undermines the autonomy and freedom of the modern individual. In order to corroborate and augment such an assertion, this study relies primarily on the critical works of Adorno and Horkheimer (1997); Bauman (2003; 2007 & 2013) and Foucault (1977) in order to both investigate and critically evaluate the everyday assumptions typically associated with a technologically enlightened society, techno-scientific rationality and the recent emergence of technological tools such as social networking services. Based upon the findings that have emerged throughout the course of this investigation, it becomes clear to see that there is indeed a dialectical tension inherent to the nature of the various social networking technologies as they currently operate within the 21st century. Such a discovery is primarily based upon the fact that while social networking technologies do inherently possess emancipatory potentialities for the modern individual, they have nevertheless failed to actualise such potentialities due to the following reasons: 1) Social networking technologies have managed to propagate and entrench a powerful sentiment of technological determinism within modern society along with a highly corrosive form of instrumentalized rationality to which all individuals are now required to acquiesce; 2) Such technologies are paradoxically abrogating the possibility of meaningful interpersonal contiguity due to the fact they have managed to commodify the technological culture associated with a digital form of interaction/communication along with the individual making use of such technologies; and 3) In their current format, social networking services are allowing for the objectification, manipulation and exploitation of the online subject to take place in order to pursue and promote an instrumentalized strategy of marketing surveillance and capital accumulation. / MA (Philosophy), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This study aims to provide a critical assessment of social networking sites along with the underlying form of rationality propelling such technological innovations. The hypothesis of this study is rooted in the firm conviction that while social networking sites can be regarded as impressive technological achievements, and while there are certainly an array of benefits that can be associated with them, they nevertheless can be perceived as a hegemonic force which surreptitiously undermines the autonomy and freedom of the modern individual. In order to corroborate and augment such an assertion, this study relies primarily on the critical works of Adorno and Horkheimer (1997); Bauman (2003; 2007 & 2013) and Foucault (1977) in order to both investigate and critically evaluate the everyday assumptions typically associated with a technologically enlightened society, techno-scientific rationality and the recent emergence of technological tools such as social networking services. Based upon the findings that have emerged throughout the course of this investigation, it becomes clear to see that there is indeed a dialectical tension inherent to the nature of the various social networking technologies as they currently operate within the 21st century. Such a discovery is primarily based upon the fact that while social networking technologies do inherently possess emancipatory potentialities for the modern individual, they have nevertheless failed to actualise such potentialities due to the following reasons: 1) Social networking technologies have managed to propagate and entrench a powerful sentiment of technological determinism within modern society along with a highly corrosive form of instrumentalized rationality to which all individuals are now required to acquiesce; 2) Such technologies are paradoxically abrogating the possibility of meaningful interpersonal contiguity due to the fact they have managed to commodify the technological culture associated with a digital form of interaction/communication along with the individual making use of such technologies; and 3) In their current format, social networking services are allowing for the objectification, manipulation and exploitation of the online subject to take place in order to pursue and promote an instrumentalized strategy of marketing surveillance and capital accumulation. / MA (Philosophy), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This bachelor thesis was written in cooperation with IAC Group AB in Låssby/Gothenburg. The report explains the background to this project and why it was started. It also describes some theory which is needed to understand the project that has been made and which methodologies that have been used during this study. In this project the current state of the door panel department layout was analyzed and studied. Very early on it became clear that one of the biggest wastes for this department is related to operators walking. To make an improvement the focus was on reducing the unnecessary walking distances that the operators have to make and also not exceed the given budget. Six different layout alternatives were analyzed in regards to these factors and compared with each other as well as with the current state. The comparisons resulted in an own layout suggestion which is a combination of some of the six layouts analyzed but also own inputs. This layout is recommended for the company to implement since it reduces the unnecessary walking distances the most of all alternatives and the investment for it is within the given budget.

Current research suggests schools face many barriers in effectively monitoring student's response to behavioral interventions in the classroom. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the FastBridge - Direct Behavior Rating (FastBridge-DBR), a brief, novel progress monitoring measure, designed to assess student behavioral change in response to a classroom behavioral intervention. Twenty-four elementary teacher-student dyads implemented a daily progress report intervention to promote positive student behavior during pre-specified classroom activities. FastBridge-DBR data were then collected for three target behaviors (i.e., Academic Engagement, Disruptive Behavior, Withdrawal) and compared to Systematic Direct Observation (SDO) data. Five change metrics (i.e., absolute change, percent of change from baseline, improvement rate difference, Tau-U, effect size; Gresham, 2005) were used to examine sensitivity to change. The Usage Rating Profile - Assessment (URP-A) was used to evaluate teacher acceptability of FastBridge-DBR. FastBridge-DBR scores were highly correlated with SDO data, demonstrating evidence of concurrent validity. FastBridge-DBR change metrics were significantly correlated with SDO change metrics. Additionally, while teachers provided high acceptability ratings for FastBridge-DBR, there was a lack of association between teachers' ratings of acceptability and student behavioral change. Implications for practice, study limitations, and areas of future research are discussed.

This dissertation provides a detailed examination of the influence of Thomas Clifton Mann on the Latin American policy of the United States of America. A Foreign Service Officer from 1942, Mann eventually rose to the position of Undersecretary of State for Economic Affairs, and was President Lyndon Johnson’s most valued adviser on inter-American policy until his retirement from government service in May 1966. Commonly portrayed as highly conservative, insensitive to Latin American needs, and opposed to U.S. aid programs, Mann was a far more complex character than his critics have allowed. During the Eisenhower administration Mann’s influence was vital in reorienting policy priorities in Washington, emphasising the need for price stabilisation measures and limited development aid. During the Kennedy administration he opposed the Bay of Pigs invasion, before serving as Ambassador to Mexico where he successfully resolved the nation’s longest running border dispute. Most influential under Lyndon Johnson, Mann sought to place U.S. policy on a stable and sustainable path, reining in unrealistic expectations while fending off attacks from fiscal conservatives opposed to aid measures of any kind. In studying Mann’s career, much is revealed regarding the nature of U.S.-Latin American relations during a crucial period of history. While U.S. goals remained largely consistent, the nature of the challenges faced and the tactics used to counter them did not. Mann’s career saw the Cold War come to Latin America, and was met with both aid and military intervention, often in the form of counterinsurgency training and operations. Mann’s role in developing those polices reveals the contrasts and, more often, consistencies between the administrations he served, and undermines claims that the transition from Kennedy to Johnson witnessed a radical policy overhaul. Studying Mann’s career also illuminates divisive internal debates over the nature and meaning of inter-American relations, and the role and influence of an individual within Washington’s policymaking bureaucracy.

While a substantial body of research has documented how consumers' levels of progress, in general, influence their motivation in goal pursuit, the changes in the determinants of motivation in different stages of goal pursuit and their impact on consumers' self-regulation remain largely unexplored. Specifically, what are the factors consumers focus on when they first start to pursue a goal versus when they are approaching the end point of the pursuit? My dissertation explores this important question from three different angles: the perceived velocity, the mental representation of progress level, and the perceived closeness with others who are pursuing the same goal. Through three essays, we found that when people first begin to pursue a goal and the attainability of the goal is a concern, they are motivated by a fast speed of progressing, tend to exaggerate the progress they have made so far, and seek companionship from others who are pursuing the same goal, to enhance the belief that the goal is indeed attainable. However, once they reach the advanced stage of the pursuit and the attainability of the goal is relatively secured, they switch to focus on the remaining discrepancy and seek to reduce this gap in a timely manner; therefore, in this advanced stage of the pursuit they are conversely motivated by a slow speed of progressing, tend to downplay the progress they have made to exaggerate the remaining discrepancy that still needs to be completed, and such intense progress monitoring also leads to competitiveness against others who are pursuing the same goal as them. / text

No description available.

Christopher Dawson (1889-1970) was a British historian of culture and a pioneer during the 1920s in linking history with the social sciences. Much existent writing on him today simply tries to summarize his views on the historical process or on specific time-periods. There is a fundamental lack of real historical perspective on Dawson, linking him to his own intellectual environment. This thesis attempts to remedy that lack. It demonstrates that the most important years in which to understand Dawson’s development were roughly those of the interwar period (1918-1939). During those years he wrote scholarly books as well as social and political commentaries. This thesis uses Dawson’s life and writings as a window into his world—hence it is a “study in British intellectual history between the world wars.” A number of contexts will be examined through relevant archival and published source material: textual, social, cultural, and biographical, all in order to account for the numerous ideas and events that raised questions in Dawson’s mind to which he then responded in his writings. Chapter one studies Dawson’s reputation from the interwar years up until today in order to highlight his broad visibility, the diverse images through which his work was viewed, and the central themes he engaged with and which are the subjects of the following chapters. Those themes are: (1) Dawson’s entry into British sociology during the 1920s; (2) his response to the question of human progress in Britain after the Great War; (3) his response to historiographical problems surrounding religious history, nationalism, and empiricism; (4) the various ideas of religion present in interwar Britain and the wider Western world by which Dawson informed his thinking not only about religion but also about (5) those “political religions” (as he saw them) taking shape in the totalitarian regimes during the interwar years. The purpose of this thesis is to contribute to general knowledge of interwar British history, aid more historically sensitive readings of Dawson’s work today, and reveal something of Dawson’s “cultural mind”: the fundamental interdisciplinary and catholic ways of historical thinking by which he viewed the past and the present and which were his most important contributions to the discipline of history.

This thesis focuses on the development of an innovative location-based scheduling methodology and a computer-based model for improving earthwork operations in road construction projects. Analysis of existing planning and scheduling practices in road construction projects conducted in the course of this research concluded that planning, scheduling and resource allocation are largely dependent on subjective decisions. Also, shortcomings exist due to the distinct characteristics of earthworks, e.g. one-off projects with uncertain site conditions and soil characteristics, causing delays and cost overruns of projects. The literature review found that existing linear scheduling methods provide inaccurate location-based information about earthworks and fail to integrate different productivity rates. A survey was used to capture and analyse industrial practices and issues related to delays and cost overruns. This analysis revealed that the accurate location-based information is vital for efficient resource planning and progress monitoring. Following these findings, a theoretical framework and specification were developed to automate location-based scheduling and visualisation of information. A prototype model was developed by integrating road design data, sectional quantities, productivity rates, unit cost, site access points, and arithmetic algorithms. The algorithms underpinning the model enable the generation of time-location plans automatically as a key output of the model. Weekly progress profiles, space congestion plans, and cost S-curves are the other outputs. A cut-fill algorithm was developed to identify optimum quantities of earthwork and its associated costs. Experiments were conducted with design data provided by a road construction company to demonstrate the model‟s functionality. Sensitivity analysis was used to identify the critical factors relating to earthwork scheduling. It was found that the model is capable of generating time-location plans, considering the critical factors and location aspects. Finally, the model was evaluated using a case study and validated by road construction professionals using an indirect comparison method. It was concluded that the model is a valuable tool for producing location-based scheduling, optimising resource planning and assisting in the communication of scheduling information from the location viewpoints in the earthwork projects.