The professionalization of political parties has significantly altered the means by which parties interact with voters and supporters. The current study is an attempt to examine what these changes in political communication mean for the ability of parties to organize supporters and mobilize them both in a campaign setting and in the longer-term struggle. Habermasian and Gramscian perspectives on the relational aspects of political communication highlight the challenges presented by the growing unidirectionality of communication and the concomitant atrophying of intermediary institutions. Beyond this, the work of Bottici and McLuhan is used to expose the effects of the 'arational' aspects of these changes in both form and content. To test the plausibility of the theoretical insights obtained, the case of the New Democratic Party of Canada is considered. The study concludes by considering the potential of new technological developments for resolving or mitigating concerns identified throughout the thesis. / Graduate

No description available.

"October 2008" / Thesis (PhD)--Macquarie University, Division of Society, Culture, Media and Philosophy, Dept. of Sociology 2009. / Bibliography: leaves 273-293. / Introduction -- Patterns of corporate activity as patterns of corporate dominance: legal, organisational, and economic features of corporations -- Representations of corporate dominance in insidious injuries -- The legal basis of corporate dominance: History of the corporation -- Legal individualism and corporate personhood -- Theories of the corporation -- The legal regulation of corporations - corporate liability laws -- Conclusion. / Corporations are no longer simply a type of business structure; they are dominant social institutions. As institutions, corporations are archetypes of contemporary complex social organisation and should, therefore, be a central concern for sociology. Yet with few notable exceptions, sociologists have failed to address their increasingly dominant position in contemporary societies. In this thesis I argue the importance of a renewed sociological interest in corporations. This must acknowledge, but go beyond, the political-economic outcomes of corporations to address the profound consequences of the legal foundations of the corporate form. Corporations are created and regulated by legal doctrine; it is only with a legal mandate that corporations are able to act as employers, suppliers and investors. On this basis, I claim that any understanding of corporate dominance and its effects must commence with an appreciation of the laws that enable the corporation to exist and operate. -- While contributing significantly to wealth creation, corporate dominance also increases the potential for harm to occur to individuals and communities who fall within a corporation's scope. The contemporary proliferation of industrial illnesses is a prime example of this and is examined through a case study of the operations of an Australian asbestos corporation, James Hardie. This case study is timely and unique in its specification of the link between corporate activity and law in contemporary society. -- I argue that corporate activity such as that in the case study is enhanced and legitimated by the legal description of the corporation that assigns to it the capacities of a human individual through corporate legal personhood. Corporate personhood is examined as an example of the legal individualism endorsed in liberal common law countries. By exploring accounts of corporate structure, decision-making and work processes, I explain how the individualised description of the corporation is at odds with its collective realities; the largest and most successful corporations are collectives of human and monetary resources. -- In light of this, I question the extent to which the effective regulation of corporations can be achieved within existing legal frameworks. Building upon research into workplace health and safety in the United Kingdom, the regulation of workplace deaths in Australia is examined to demonstrate the various approaches to regulating corporations and to identify their shortcomings. This is a striking example of the problems law faces in regulating corporations by virtue of its individualistic design. -- The thesis concludes with an affirmation that sociology needs to grapple with issues of corporate activity and that an understanding of the legal basis of the corporation is the foundation of such studies. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / 295 leaves

No abstract available / Development Studies / D.Admin.

South Africa's equity legislation demands the incorporation of persons with disabilities in the workforce. Owing to the unique challenges that these people face, they need well-developed salutogenic characteristics such as sense of coherence, self-efficacy and locus of control in order to integrate effectively into mainstream environments. The objective of the research was to explore these salutogenic constructs in the hearing-impaired adult population and to note differences between the different sub-groups within the sample (N = 63). A biographical form and combination of salutogenic questionnaires were employed to measure these constructs. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests were utilised to analyse the data. The results showed statistically significant inter-group differences in all three salutogenic constructs. These differences were found for age groups, onset of deafness, deafness category, primary school attended, hearing status of spouse and parents, and level of qualification. / Industrial and Organizational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Since the emergence of business journalism as a genre within the broad spectrum of news reporting, most of the scholarly works into its development have focused on growth in the western (that is developed) world. This indicates that very limited research has been done in the field of business journalism in the developing economies. Thus there exist gaps in understanding the practice of business journalism in Africa and part of this is rooted in how the practice is defined. This study aims to shed light on the practice of business journalism in this African context. It explores the onset and development of business journalism and its evolution in Africa. The main focus in this case study was to understand the definition of business news in the specific context of the Cameroon Tribune. Individual in-depth interviews were used as the main (primary) data collection method along with observation and cursory reading as complementary (secondary) methods. This study is influenced by the sociology of news production which foregrounds theoretical frames such as news construction and gatekeeping. Findings from this study reveal that business news at the Cameroon Tribune is elitist, essentially defined around personality and, is in the most part, development news. Additional findings indicate that the absence of any editorial guidelines leaves most reporters secondguessing how to please management with socialised values mostly acquired through peer learning. In conclusion, this study advances the necessity for the Africanisation of business news. This would entail reporting financial, economic, consumer, and corporate affairs, from a vocabulary and composition context that unveils much exchange taking place in the lives of many Africans.

The objective of this thesis called "Socio-Economic Conditions of Employment of Women in Selected EU Countries" is the evaluation of the current position of women and socio-economic conditions on the labour market within the Visegrad Group. The theoretical part is devoted to the characteristics of documents dealing with the employment policy of women and it also analyses conditions and position of women in selected countries. At the end of the thesis, there is comparison of selected socio-economic criteria. The practical part contains analysis and comparison of level of family policies in selected countries with the EU and the assessment of financial support of women during their maternity leave. The practical part is complemented with the sociological survey focused on "the position of women on labour market in selected countries".

Background: The health benefits and economic gains of exclusive breastfeeding for the mothers and the new-born are well-documented in the literature as discussed in the background and the rationale for this study. The effectiveness of the social cognitive based interventions in promoting breastfeeding among women in general is also documented. However, there is lack of evidence regarding social-cognitive strategies that could be used to promote exclusive breastfeeding practices among primiparous mothers in Ethiopia means that current exclusive breastfeeding promotion interventions or strategies may not produce the expected outcomes. This assumption seems to be supported by low rate of early initiation of breastfeeding in country (52.1% instead of at least 75% as recommended by WHO) and shorter period of breastfeeding (one month) among mothers in Addis Ababa (CSA and ICF 2012) despite various strategies and interventions that have been implemented. Aims: The study was conducted with the aim of determining the social-cognitive predictors of exclusive breastfeeding among primiparous mothers during the first six months post-delivery with the view of developing social-cognitive strategies to promote exclusive breastfeeding practices among primiparous mothers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Research design and method: The study was carried out within the quantitative positivist paradigm. The study was divided into two phases. The researcher used quantitative longitudinal, descriptive, exploratory and correlational designs to determine the social cognitive predictors of exclusive breastfeeding among primiparous mothers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia within the first six months post-delivery. The results of the first phase assisted the researcher to design social-cognitive strategies to promote exclusive breastfeeding among primiparous mothers using a Delphi survey. A Delphi survey design was used to assist the researcher to develop the social-cognitive strategies to promote exclusive breastfeeding among primiparous mothers. It consisted of three rounds of mailed self-completion questionnaires. The Delphi was supported with critical review and synthesis of literature throughout the strategies’ development process. Descriptive summary statistics were used to analyse the prenatal breastfeeding behaviour of 141 primiparous mothers followed from the last antenatal care visits up to six months after delivery. Bivariate correlational and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify the social cognitive determinants and predictors of exclusive breastfeeding within the first hour post-delivery and six months thereafter. Findings: Positive breastfeeding outcome expectancy and high breastfeeding self-efficacy were identified as the independent social cognitive predictors of exclusive breastfeeding among primiparous mothers in Ethiopia. These predictors were used to develop social cognitive strategies to promote exclusive breastfeeding, which comprise six main components: (1) scientific evidence for the strategies, (2) the rationale for the strategies, (3) the aim of the strategies, (4) the scope of the strategies, (5) the guiding principles, and (6) the key results areas. These strategies were developed and validated with the inputs from 37 experts on breastfeeding and social cognitive theory. Two key results areas (build individual capacity for exclusive breastfeeding and create an enabling environment) and five strategic objectives were formulated and validated. Conclusions: The successful implementation of the social cognitive strategies to promote exclusive breastfeeding among primiparous mothers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia as described above will require among others (1) in-service training on social cognitive skills for healthcare providers with focus on how to build self-efficacy and outcome expectancy, (2) the development of self-efficacy and outcome expectance assessments tools relevant to the Ethiopian context, and (3) additional support and resources from the healthcare managers. Recommendations: To the researcher recommend that programs aimed at promoting exclusive breastfeeding practices among primiparous mothers should be based on the combined attributes of positive social cognitive outcome expectance and high breastfeeding self-efficacy. Further research is needed to develop assessment tools for breastfeeding self-efficacy and outcome expectancy before the implementation of the proposed strategies. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

No abstract available in dissertation / Politicisation of identities, negotiations and transition in a conflict society / Ethics of a genocide-free Burundi / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.A. (Philosophy)

A study was conducted on 74 school first- and second-team rugby players from four Pretoria high schools, to investigate whether start-up A-team players differ significantly from other (B-team start-up and reserve) players on emotional intelligence. It was further investigated whether emotional intelligence is a predictor of rugby performance if measured as being included into the study’s ‘best team’ or being a start-up A-team school rugby player. Various other physical, psychological, social and spiritual predictors were also investigated singularly and in combination with the emotional intelligence predictor to indicate performance. Data were gathered through a self-reporting questionnaire developed by the researcher. The main methods for analysing data used included the Mann-Whitney Test and the Logistic Regression analysis. The study found certain spiritual and social predictor aspects to be significantly related to performance in rugby but not emotional intelligence. Certain underlying emotional aspects where more significant to the study’s B-team players’ performance. / Spiritual aspects / M.A. (Psychology)