Den ökade populariteten av onlinespel har skapat nya sätt att interagera med varandra i en virtuell värld. Spelare kan idag möta andra spelare och tävla mot varandra bland dagens populära onlinespel. Onlinespel tillför inte bara nöje utan kan också ha negativa konsekvenser på spelaren. Trolling är ett framväxande problem i gamingvärlden och kan förknippas med nätmobbning. Spelare som trollar kan tillämpa olika trollingtaktiker, de kan utnyttja kommunikationskanaler för att trakassera andra spelare eller använda spelmekaniker för att sabotera spelupplevelsen. Syftet med studien är att skapa en förståelse för fenomenet trolling i onlinespel genom att undersöka hur spelare tillämpar olika trollingtaktiker. För att besvara studiens frågeställning och nå ökad förståelse för hur spelare trollar har en kvalitativ studie genomförts med onlinespelare som spelar frekvent. Respondenternas svar på vilka trollingtaktiker de använde varierade men det gick att konstatera att beteendet var ett vanligt förekommande. I slutsatsen presenteras hur våra respondenter tillämpar olika trollingtaktiker i onlinespel. / The increased popularity of online games has created new ways to interact with each other in a virtual world. Players can now meet other players and compete against each other among today's popular online games. Online gaming does not only bring the user pleasure but can also have negative consequences on the player. Trolling is an emerging problem in the gaming world and can be associated with cyber-bullying. Players can use different trolling tactics, they can use communication channels to harass players or use game mechanics to sabotage the gaming experience. The purpose of this study is to create a better understanding of trolling by examining which trolling tactics players use in online games. To get a better understanding of how players troll, we performed a qualitative study with online players who play frequently. Respondents' responses to the trolling tactics they used varied, but it was found that the behavior was a common occurrence. The conclusion presents how our respondents apply different trolling tactics in online games.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate players’ attitudes towards microtransactions within online games. The thesis is based on a multi-method approach combining the following methods: focus group-interviews, interview questions posed to hosts of a podcast, for then to discuss in their episode, and a survey. The results of this study are a categorization of players’ attitudes towards microtransactions consisting of: Activist, Idealist, Agile, Pragmatist, Enthusiast and Compliant. By adopting de Certeau’s concept of strategies and tactics, I have elicited distinctive reactions and ways of meaning making towards microtransactions, associated with each proposed category. Apart from categorizing player attitudes, this study has also identified microtransactions to have brought the broader player base into the symbiosis that previously existed exclusively between fan-programmers, socialized players, and game companies. Meaning, feedback from the whole player-base is crucial for success in implementing microtransactions. In turn, this is perceived as a strategy that surrenders power from the producer to the user.

Florida reformed its civil service system with the passage of the Service First Initiative of 2001, resulting in a unique organizational setting by altering the employer-employee relationship, yet little academic research explored the power tactics used by politicians and political appointees in order to gain subordinate compliance in unique organizational environments. Using French and Raven’s bases of social power theory and Raven’s interpersonal power interaction model as the foundation, the primary purpose of this stratified cross-sectional study of politicians and political appointees in Florida was to explore whether certain demographic factors are predictors of the extent to which French and Raven’s “hard” and “soft” power tactics are used. Survey data were collected using the interpersonal power inventory, political predisposition measure, and a self-developed demographic information form from 354 political appointees and state employees and were analyzed using simple multiple linear regression. Findings indicated the usage of the power tactics is consistent Ravens original research with influence agents preferring the soft power tactics over hard. Findings also showed that age and race (notably African American) are statically significant predictors of usage of soft power tactics of expert, referent, informational, the legitimacy of dependency, personal reward and harsh power tactics of personal coercion, legitimacy of reciprocity and equity (p <.05). Positive social change implications resulting from this study include recommendations regarding development of leadership programs to reduce the reliance on the use of harsh power tactics in order to increase organizational and personal outcomes within Service First Initiative organizations.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(理学) / 甲第20048号 / 理博第4233号 / 新制||理||1609(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院理学研究科生物科学専攻 / (主査)教授 中川 尚史, 教授 沼田 英治, 教授 中務 真人 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

This research paper presents a study of the Teamfight Tactics (Riot Games, 2019) metagame and its evolution over time. For this research purpose, we have defined metagames as the ways in which games exist within broader social and cultural contexts. By using a mixed-methods approach, we explore players' relationship with the TFT metagame, their strategies used to succeed, and the factors that influence the metagame's evolution, as well as how TFT metamedia impacts players' relationship with the metagame. Our research's theoretical framework is based on the idea of metagame analysis presented in 2017 by Boluk and LeMieux. The main results of our study show that most players consume some kind of TFT-related metamedia, which suggests that metamedia has a big influence on how players approach TFT and formulate their gameplay strategies. Players with varying skill-levels may consume different kinds of metamedia, which raises the possibility that they may be persuaded to adopt distinct approaches to playing the game and thereby contribute to the emergence of the metagame. This implies that the impact of metamedia on the metagame is not ubiquitous for all players and that additional study is required to properly comprehend the connection between the consumption of metamedia, skill level, and the metagame evolution. Due to the focus on TFT and the small sample size of our data collection, our research is restricted. However, our findings may be intriguing to TFT players, game developers, and researchers who are interested in game design, player behavior, and competitive gaming. With a particular focus on highlighting insights of the TFT metagame and its relation with metamedia, this study contributes to the larger discussion on game metagames and their development over time.

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe leadership styles and influence behavior tactics used by college deans with their faculty members. Each of the 104 faculty member respondents completed the Influence Behavior Questionnaire Target-2000 a questionnaire. The IBQ Target-2000 measured the use of influence behavior tactics by deans as interpreted by faculty members. The findings of the study concluded that deans lead and faculty members follow by way of differing influence behavior tactics. The findings suggest that, more times than not, the deans influence attempts resulted in complete commitment by the faculty members. It was also found that deans prefer to utilize certain influence behavior tactics more than others. Generally, deans used Rational persuasion, Consultation, and Inspiration tactics approximately twice as often as Exchange tactics, Personal appeals, and Pressure tactics. It was found that the dean's choice and use of influence behavior tactics are dependent, to some degree, on the faculty member's gender or academic status. Furthermore, it was concluded that deans from non-unionized colleges, small colleges and private colleges utilize differing types of influence behavior tactics than their counterparts at unionized, large, public colleges. Finally, it was concluded that deans utilize influence behavior tactics differently with tenured faculty than non-tenured faculty. The study raised some interesting questions that merit further inquiry and study. In summation, there is a perception among faculty members that deans do not use influence behavior tactics uniformly. Other relationships, theories, hypotheses or conclusions remain unsettled at this point in time.

In this essay, the concept of online and fourth wave feminism is enhanced through a study of the TikTok-trend #servingcvnt (serving cunt). This study builds on the engagement of contemporary forms of feminist culture with the ever changing dynamic of social media platforms. It offers insight into the otherwise inscrutable world of a TikTok subculture and discloses the mechanisms and practices behind the culturally tinged feminism taking place within it. Combining Muted Group Theory and the conceptual framework of recent feminist media studies, the process of reclaiming is explained and analyzed in terms of feminist humor and shamelessness as resistance tactics. The analysis uses material collected through digital ethnography, encoded through content analysis, that results in detailed studies of video material as well as a portrayal of the digital environment. The study showcases a digital environment tainted by feminine confidence, solidarity and a mentality of shamelessness and humor. #servingcvnt is a subculture constructed by females for females in which they encourage, support and inspire each other to take up space and emancipate from a shaming culture wherein to serve cunt is to reject ideas about how women “should not” be. By constructing their own culture and language, women form a safe sphere in which their own rules and norms apply and reign dominant. This study shows how feminist resistance is injected with a newfound power and possibilities enabled through TikToks media logic and affordances. Hence, this essay should be considered a study of the old phenomenon of reclaiming within a contemporary format of the social media platform TikTok. It is argued that the results and analysis of this study contributes valuable insights to contemporary feminist characteristics, tactics and environments, usable for other future researchers.

This research investigated the relationship between several firm-controlled, marketing and management factors and firm performance. Hypotheses describing the relationship between the strategic, geographic, tactical, technological and organizational factors and firm performance of hardwood lumber manufacturers were tested. These factors were operationalized, measured in a mail survey and used in statistical analysis to identify relationships among the variables. An adjusted response rate of 19.8% was obtained from the mail survey. Non-response bias was not found to be a significant problem in the data. A twelve measure performance indicator was developed and utilized to evaluate the performance of hardwood lumber manufacturers who were predominantly privately-held companies. The averages for the profit and costs performance measures were the lowest of all twelve performance measures and this suggested that firms should focus improvement on these measures. The current marketing tactics, including species mix, product mix, customer mix, and promotion mix was determined. The utilization of advanced production technology has increased in the industry since it was last measured in 1999. The majority of respondents (60%) had dry kiln operations and 49% had a surfacing mill. Thirty five percent of respondents indicated that their company was certified by either forest, chain-of-custody, or both. Of the five firm-controlled factors investigated in this research, four of them were found to be related to firm performance. Geographic location was not found to be related to the performance of hardwood sawmills. Firms who were backward integrated and firms who were both backward integrated and forward integrated performed significantly better than firms who were not vertically integrated or forward integrated. Higher performance scores were associated with larger firms, firms who had multiple sawmills and firms who were members of the NHLA. There was no relationship found between diversification of the product mix, species mix, customer mix variables and performance. The diversification of a firm's promotion expenditures was positively correlated to performance. Firms that used optimized headrigs, optimized edgers and optimized trimmers performed significantly better than did firms not using all three of these technologies. Firms that used computer based log tallying, lumber tallying or inventory control performed significantly better than firms utilizing none of these technologies. An increase in the use of business strategy from previous studies along with a shift towards the use of a differentiation strategy was discovered. Firms interpreted to be following a hybrid differentiation/cost leadership strategy performed better than firms following a cost leadership, focus, or differentiation strategy. The implication of these results is that larger, vertically integrated firms are likely to perform better than smaller, non-integrated hardwood lumber manufacturers. It is recommended that firms diversify their use of promotion media and venues in order to attract new customers. Adoption of production and information technology will help some hardwood lumber manufacturers improve their performance. It is recommended that hardwood lumber manufacturers control costs and differentiate their products in order to gain competitive advantage. / Ph. D.

The Tactical Games Model (TGM) is an instructional model in which the primary assumption is to facilitate students' tactical understanding of games (i.e., response-selection and execution processes). Additionally, there is speculation that tactical understanding of one game transfers to other tactically similar games (Mitchell, Oslin & Griffin, 2006, p. 20). Limited research has been conducted regarding student response selection processes, problem representations, knowledge base development, or transfer of learning in this model. Griffin and Patton (2005) called for examination of TGM through an information processing lens. Examining action, condition, and goal responses of novice physical education students could provide significant insight to students' improved game performance. Also, examining students' engagement in particular tactical problems across diverse activities in a single game category could provide insight into how and which knowledge structures transfer. The purpose of this study was to examine fifth-grade students' tactical understanding and decision-making in a net/wall unit. A second purpose was to analyze the transfer of knowledge structures across the unit. Participants included an elementary school physical educator and purposively selected students (n=16; M=8, F=8) from a fifth-grade physical education class (N=50) at a suburban elementary school in the northeastern United States. Appropriate permission was obtained from the university's Institutional Review Board. The unit consisted of 20 lessons (50 minute classes). Select students remained in a cohort, participating with and against each other throughout the unit. Data was collected using multiple sources: (a) game performance (pre-post-unit), (b) situational knowledge quiz (pre-post-unit), (c) formal, semi-structured teacher interviews/written response to structured questions (pre-post-unit), (d) descriptive field notes, (e) video-taped and audio-taped teacher/student performances, (f) student think-aloud reports during the second game of each lesson (McPherson & Thomas, 1989), and (g) student focus group interviews (post-unit). Interviews were transcribed, open, axial, and selectively coded, then triangulated to develop categories. Situational quizzes, verbal recall data, and focus group interviews were micro-analyzed using a protocol analysis developed by McPherson and Thomas (1989) to examine action, condition, and goal orientations of students. Video taped game performances were analyzed using the Game Performance Assessment Instrument (Griffin, Mitchell, & Oslin, 1997). Results contribute to the empirical support for TGM, as well as contribute to what is known about knowledge structure development and transfer of learning for 5th grade novice games players.

The press coverage of any armed conflict has traditionally played a crucial role during times of war since major abuses of human rights and war crimes are brought to the public due to journalists’ coverage. When Russia invaded Ukraine on the 24th of February 2022, it dominated the news for weeks since many parts of the world were heavily affected. Many scholars have investigated the challenges that come when reporting on wars and conflicts. There are, however, few studies that have focused on Serbian journalists. Therefore, this study sets out to investigate how Serbian journalists cover the war in Ukraine and what influences their reporting by conducting in-depth interviews with seven journalists working the political beat. Nygren et al. (2018) found that journalistic culture and political context direct and shape the coverage to a large extent. Therefore, Thomas Hanitzsch’s model of journalism culture (2007) is used as the main theoretical framework of the project.   The study has shown that Serbian journalists generally believe that staying objective and presenting all sides of the conflict should guide the coverage of the war. However, they are put in a difficult position because of their country’s conflicted stance: Serbia has ties to Russia and the EU; it condemned the war in Ukraine but refused to impose sanctions on the aggressor. Consistent with the previous literature, the study found that Serbia’s political-historical context shapes the journalistic coverage when reporting on the conflict. Journalists are generally critical of their government but tend to agree with it when discussing the war. This finding can be linked to the NATO bombing of Belgrade in 1999 and the Serbian economy, which heavily depends on Russian oil, gas, and investments and would considerably decline if Serbian sanctions were imposed on Russia. Although, when counteracting propaganda, fake news, and disinformation, some Serbian journalists took a more active and assertive role in reporting on behalf of the socially disadvantaged, which in this case was the Ukrainian people who were underrepresented in the media coverage.