Kein anderer als Schiller bringt mit seinen Worten das tiefe Empfinden fur das Spiel so vernehmlich zum Ausdruck und die unternommene Studie der Sport- Soziologie so greifbar nahe. Den der Mensch im Spiel und in seinem menschlichen Verhalten durch das Spiel fugt die beabsichtigte Studie zum neuen Konzept des modernen Sportes zussammen und begründet das fundamentale Suchen menschlicher Bedürfnisse des Erlebens durch den Sport - manifestiert weiterhin durch die Worte von Caillois: "Sage mir, was Du spielst - und ich will Dir sagen, wer Du bist" Intro., p. 1.

Economic explanations tend to view individuals as acting to satisfy their preferences, so that when given a choice between goods, individuals choose those goods which have greater utility for them – they choose those goods which they believe can best satisfy their preferences in the circumstances at hand. In this thesis, I investigate how utility theory works when it is used to explain behaviour. In theory, utility is a positive concept. It is intended to describe and explain an individual’s behaviour without judging or justifying it. It also seems to be regarded as non-hypothetical, for it explains an individual’s behaviour in terms of preferences which need not be shared by others, but may be wholly particular to her. This implies a distinctive way of approaching people’s behaviour as isolated from and immune to the judgements of a community, for utility cannot be used as a common standard by which we judge an individual’s behaviour as better or worse, appropriate or inappropriate. I argue that this theoretical treatment of utility is substantially different from the practice of using utility to explain behaviour. In the first place, when utility is used to explain behaviour as preference-guided, it treats this behaviour as rational action. An explanation of rational action is, however, necessarily governed by the instrumental principle. This principle is normative – it stipulates the correct relation between a person’s means and her ends, rather than simply describing an existing relation. The principle is also non-hypothetical – our commitment to the principle does not rely on the possession of particular ends, but on having ends in general. The instrumental principle therefore acts as a common standard for reasoning about how to act, so that when we explain an agent’s behaviour as rational action, we expect that her action will conform to standards that we all share in virtue of having ends. Thus, I contend, in order to explain the rational actions of an individual, marginal utility necessarily appeals to the judgements of a community.

This study sought to explore the lived experiences of five female, first-generation, low-income students who attend a metropolitan commuter university, and investigate how a structured undergraduate research experience exerts influence on the women's academic and social involvement. A qualitative case study with a narrative and grounded theory analysis was selected as the most appropriate approach for exploring this topic and addressing the guiding research questions. Interview and journal data were collected and analyzed to identify significant themes. The importance of finding an academic home, the significance of interacting with faculty and peers, and the validation of a metropolitan commuter university education through a scholar development process emerged as significant findings. Implications and recommendations on programmatic and institutional levels are included, as well as suggestions for future research.

Realizing the limitations of economic theories in explaining corporate governance practices, this thesis adopts an institutional approach in its attempt to understand how such issues are shaped by larger institutional contexts. Malaysia is used as a case study; and accordingly the influence of a dominant institution of Bumiputera (sons of the soil) on corporate governance practices is investigated. The thesis focuses on the emergence, institutionalization impact, and change of the Bumiputera institution; and how corporate governance practices are influenced in each stage. As a lens for analysis, this thesis integrates sociological and historical paradigms of the new institutionalisms, and extends Beckert’s (2010) framework to include the role of power as advanced by Steven Lukes (1974, 2005). This extended framework is useful in explaining how the reciprocal influence of the Bumiputera institution, social networks, cognition, and power affect the behaviour of corporate governance actors. The analysis shows that, following the commitment by the state towards Bumiputera, the Malays’ equity ownership has seen a progressive increase, although it failed to meet the specified target of 30%. Malays’ representation on corporate boards also increased. The commitment has also led to a strong state presence in the economy, through its involvement in the Government Linked Companies, established to pursue Bumiputera’s objectives. However, unintended consequences have arisen affecting both ownership and appointment. The analysis also shows that, while board appointment is largely based on social networks, the existence of the Bumiputera institution means that ethnicity matters. Appointment could be for political or legitimacy reasons. Heightened by liberalisation moves, both Bumiputera and corporate governance institutions are subject to change. However, this refers only to the regulative aspects of the institutions, which are more susceptible to change compared to their informal elements. The state’s commitment towards Bumiputera remains. This study contributes to corporate governance literature by providing evidence on how corporate governance institutions are influenced by the larger social-political and institutional context vis-à-vis the emerging economy. This study shows that: firstly, corporate governance practices are shaped by history and political contexts; hence, understanding history would enhance the understanding of corporate governance. Secondly, ownership structure and the board of directors are not just mechanisms of corporate governance; rather, they are also channels through which larger objectives, including social objectives, are being pursued. Finally, this institution of corporate governance is not driven by functional needs of capital providers, but is shaped by powerful actors. Corporate governance practices are not intended just for resolving a particular agency problem, but are a mode of response to a particular historical incident that developed in postcolonial Malaysia.

Crime in South Africa has been escalating over the past few years. Crime affects all societies in South Africa. It occurs amongst the rich and the poor, in the suburbs as well as in the townships. Serious and violent crimes are reported in most of the national newspapers almost on daily basis. There is no single satisfactory answer as to the causes of crimes and its impact on the economy of South Africa. The aim of this research report is to assess the impact of crime in the South African economy. In order to formulate a conceptual and theoretical framework of the study, growth theories, namely neoclassical growth theory, Harrod-Domar growth model classical growth theory and endogenous growth theory were presented. Although all these growth theories relate to this study as crime cuts-across all sectors of the economy the endogenous growth theory was chosen as a theoretical framework on which to base this study. Endogenous growth theory deals with domestic absorption. Crime interferes with this absorption as it constitutes a cost to the economy. Firms lose profits whilst the opportunity cost of running prisons using a tax payers’ money continues to grow. This study is based on a quantitative research technique, using a vector error correction model (VECM) on a quarterly time series data over a period 2003 to 2011. The variables used to explain variations in economic growth over this period are crime, real interest rates, real exchange rates, unemployment and poverty. The findings of this study suggest that crime exerts a negative impact on economic growth in a long run in South Africa. However, this relationship is not statistically significant both in a short run and a long run. . However, no evidence of short run adjustments between crime and economic growth were found. There is a long run negative relationship between real interest rates and economic growth. This relationship is also statistically significant in a long run but not in a short run. However, the relationship between real interest rates and economic growth is positive in a short run. This can be explained by the fact that high interest rates attract foreign investments causing a rise in economic growth but in a long run high interest rates dampen domestic investments thereby aggravating the unemployment problem. Rising unemployment is likely to lead to increase levels of crime in South Africa. The results also show that unemployment has a negative relationship with economic growth both in the short run and a long run. However this relationship is not statistically significant in a short run but in a long run. Poverty has a negative relationship with economic growth in a short run but a positive relationship in a long run. However, in both instances the relationship between poverty and economic growth is not statistically significant. Real exchange rate has a positive relationship with economic growth in a long run but a negative relationship in a short run. This relationship is statistically significant in a long run but not in a short run. This means that the benefits of a weak currency in South Africa are realised in a long run. The implications of this study with regard to the variable of interest namely crime, is that crime constitutes a cost to the economy of South Africa. The econometric modelling used in this study suggests a negative relationship between crime and economic growth. This means that the problem of crime in South Africa goes beyond just simple counts on a number of offenses. Based on the findings of this study it is recommended that crime prevention is better than cure. Crime prevention should use a wide range of ideas and abilities found throughout the society. Community planning, neighbourhood action, juvenile advocacy, security planning, education and training are some of the ways in which crime actions can be mitigated in South Africa.

This doctoral research focuses on groundwater degradation in Lagos, Nigeria. Groundwater is a critically important natural resource in Lagos that is presently troubled by pollution that emanates from solid waste and wastewater. The city generates 10,000 metric tons of waste and 350 million gallons of wastewater daily, all of which are improperly managed and are heavily polluting its groundwater. This direct environmental pollution is aggravated by indirect problems of over-urbanization, and legal and institutional shortcomings. Over-urbanization in Lagos has resulted into a monumental population of 21 million people in the tiny city, which generates the enormous quantities of solid waste and wastewater. The population places a tremendous burden on the city’s water resources, forcing residents to revert to groundwater which is suffering the plight of pollution, and hence the concern of this research. The pollution problem is worsened by civic apathy to environmental matters, and unresolved by a nascent water sector whose evolving governance structures do not adequately address the multi-dimensional pollution problem. In the final analysis, the absence of holistic and comprehensive groundwater legislation that addresses all these problems challenges the sustainability of this vital resource. The research adopts a cross-disciplinary approach by combining several methodologies: historical legal analysis, important insights from scientific studies and from sociological studies that rationalize the demographical movement to Lagos which is at the root of the pollution problem; field work investigation to confirm the fact, source, and extent of polluted groundwater; and a comparative approach by examining the European Union’s legal framework for managing groundwater and waste in order to extract sustainable practices for adoption in Lagos. It concludes with a range of recommendations for incorporation into a legal framework that will help to improve the sustainability of the groundwater resource. The study contributes to knowledge by attempting to close a vacuum, which is the paucity of studies that investigate underlying social factors that trigger groundwater pollution, and also by providing broad and holistic recommendations for law reform. It addresses the role of law in remediating the pollution, managing the effects of over-urbanization and overpopulation on groundwater, strengthening institutions, and eliminating legal inadequacies.

Thesis addresses the topic of behavioral finance. The aim of the paper is to identify most common investors's mistakes and examine the impact, the psychological and sociological factors have on their behavior when trading equities. The first part of thesis deals with the definition of classical theoretical concepts. The second part is devoted to the description of behavioral deviations. The final section consists of a questionnaire survey which aims to establish whether the behavior of participants is biased with behavioral deviations or is in accordance with the theory of efficient markets.

Given today's hurried pace of change in higher education and its institutions, it is imperative for the higher education research community to reflect on its current composition and resulting ability to understand and respond to the breadth and rapidity of that change. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to identify selected social and academic characteristics of the primary contributors (authors, editorial board members, and editors) to The Review of Higher Education, to categorize institutional affiliations of contributors via the Carnegie Classification System and to synthesize the data in a historical and sociological perspective. The contributions to The Review's articles, editorial board positions, and editorships in its first 25 years have predominantly been from male members of the higher education professoriate affiliated with and receiving doctoral degrees from major research universities ranked highest in the Carnegie Classification System. Trends toward greater gender and disciplinary representation, especially among author contributors, began to appear by the mid-point (1990s) of the study period.

The purpose of this essay is to investigate the emigration from Sunnerbo district, whichis located in western Kronoberg county, during the 1880s. The goal is to find out whothe emigrants were and how and where they planned to emigrate. This is accomplishedby looking at the emigrants' gender, age, title or professional title as well as familyrelationship and country of destination. Information has been found in digital archives,relocation books have been read in the Digital Archive and population reports have beenread in the National Archives' digital research hall. From this material it can be deducedthat 7432 people emigrated in the 1880s, corresponded to 17.6% of Sunnerbo's averagepopulation and that 49% of the emigrants were women. The majority were in the agerange 20-29 years with a profession linked to agriculture. One third emigrated with theirfamilies and 85.8% emigrated to North America. The results of the empirical study arediscussed with previous research and theories related to migration. An analysis of themigration within Sunnerbo district will also be carried out to discuss differences betweenthe 23 parishes within the district. / Denna uppsats syfte är att undersöka emigrationen från Sunnerbo härad, som ligger ivästra Kronobergs län, under 1880-talet. Målet är att ta reda på vilka emigranterna varsamt hur och vart de planerade att emigrera. Detta görs genom att kartläggaemigranternas kön, ålder, titel eller yrkestitel samt familjeförhållande ochdestinationsland. Informationen har funnits i digitala arkiv. Utflyttningsböcker harhämtats ur Arkiv digital och folkmängdsredogörelser är lästa i Riksarkivets digitalaforskarsal. Från detta material kan det utläsas att 7432 människor emigrerade under1880-talet, motsvarade 17,6% av Sunnerbos genomsnittliga befolkning och att 49% avemigranterna var kvinnor. Majoriteten var i åldersintervallet 20-29 år med ett yrkekopplat till jordbruk. En tredjedel emigrerade ihop med sin familj och 85,8% emigreradetill Nordamerika. Resultaten av den empiriska undersökningen diskuteras med tidigareforskning och teorier kopplade till migration. En analys av migrationen inom Sunnerbohärad kommer även att genomföras för att diskutera skillnader mellan de 23 socknarnainom häradet.

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