The purpose of this study is twofold: to assess the relationships among factors negatively affecting communication process in Turkish state universities and to test a hypothetical model drawn from a qualitative case study done by Gizir (1999). The sample of the study consisted of 480 faculty members employed in seven public universities representing seven regions of Turkey. As an instrument, &ldquo / Inventory of Communication Analysis in Academic Context&rdquo / , which was developed by the researcher by using the qualitative data obtained from a study done by Gizir (1999), was used in the present study. Structural equation modelling was used to analyze the data. The results of the present study revealed that there were direct and indirect relationships between each of the nine factors and poor communication, and among nine factors. The results also showed that there were some similarities and differences between the hypothetical model and the modified model.

The multicultural classroom is a phenomenon now found in most countries. As a result of globalisation and the burgeoning transnational education market, university classrooms that span national borders are now commonplace. Within these classrooms the cultures of both the delivering and receiving countries converge, resulting in the creation of a new and complex cultural territory that is often unfamiliar to educators and students alike. Australia has been a key provider of transnational education in the South East Asian region, however little research has investigated the interplay of culture and pedagogy within Australian transnational programs, despite the cultural distance which exists between Australia and its Asian neighbours. This is surprising given the importance of transnational provision to both the Australian economy and the internationalisation agenda of Australian universities. / The unfamiliar cultural territory found within these transnational programs places high demands on educators and students, yet the impact of exposure to cultural difference and culture learning seems rarely considered in the development and delivery of such programs. This thesis examines one transnational program that was delivered in Singapore by an Australian university. An ethnographic methodology is employed, applying a ‘cultural lens’ to an analysis of the program. The author provides background information on the Australian and Singaporean education systems and reviews a range of previous research which focuses on culture and pedagogy in the region. Interviews and classroom observations reveal educator and student experiences of the program. The author concludes that cultural phenomena have a profound impact on participants’ experiences of transnational education programs and that this is substantially unrecognised by key actors in the process. Recommendations are made for changes in practice that could be incorporated in transnational programs in order to ameliorate negative impacts of cultural difference.

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Given the novelty of political campaigning on social networking sites in Lithuania and the critique, it has received from social media experts, the object of the master thesis encompasses mediatization of Lithuanian politics on Facebook, when social media logic becomes adapted in political campaigning and integrated into the political agenda. Accordingly, the MA thesis developed its aim to define in what ways mediatization of Lithuanian politics manifests on Facebook and if public-relations oriented Lithuanian political communication culture, characteristic to political communication on mass media, and negativity, as its culture-specific aspect, are transported to the platform. The research was carried out in several stages. Firstly, using secondary data analysis the study aimed at determining social media logic. Accordingly, the requirements for successful exploitation of social media logic in political campaigning on Facebook were identified – popularity building, connectivity, personalization and interactivity. Thirdly, aiming to determine if the politicians complied with social media logic and transported public-relations oriented political communication culture and negativity to the platform, the research used quantitative and qualitative content analyses. It covered a two-weeks period (from April 02 to April 15, 2014) political campaigning on Facebook run by the seven candidates' to Lithuanian President’s Office. Fourthly, using the obtained empirical data the study... [to full text] / Nors Lietuvos politinė komunikacija socialiniuose tinkluose yra gana naujas reiškinys, jis jau sulaukė socialinių medijų ekspertų kritikos. Šio magistro baigiamojo darbo tyrimo objektu pasirinkta Lietuvos politikos mediatizacija socialiniame tinkle Facebook, kuomet politinių kampanijų metu politikai adaptuoja socialinių medijų logiką ir ją integruoja į savo politinę dienotvarkę. Darbe siekta nustatyti, kokiais būdais Lietuvos politikos mediatizacija pasireiškia internetiniame socialiniame tinkle Facebook. Taip pat buvo svarbu išsiaiškinti, ar Lietuvos viešųjų ryšių (ang. Public-relations oriented) politinės komunikacijos kultūra, ugdoma masinėje žiniasklaidoje, ir jai būdingas negatyvumas perkeliami į Facebook platformą. Tyrimas atliktas keliais etapais. Pirmojo etapo metu, naudojant antrinių duomenų analizę, buvo įvardyta socialinių medijų logika. Tokiu pat būdu nustatyti reikalavimai, leidžiantys išnaudoti socialinių medijų logiką politinių kampanijų metu, t. y., populiarumo didinimas, socialinių ryšių išnaudojimas, personalizacija ir interaktyvumas. Trečiojo etapo metu, siekiant atskleisti Lietuvos politikų komunikacijos atitikimą socialinių medijų logikai ir galimą viešųjų ryšių politinės komunikacijos kultūros bei negatyvumo perkėlimą į Facebook platformą, tyrime naudojama kiekybinė ir kokybinė turinio analizė. Ištirtos septynių kandidatų į 2014 metų Lietuvos Prezidento postą dviejų savaičių laikotarpio (balandžio 02–15 dienomis) politinės kampanijos socialiniame... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

Thesis (M.A. (Communication Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2017 / The use of communication technologies has brought changes to our daily ways of doing things. Youth use technology for different purposes at different locations. As technology grows everyday with various advantages, its benefits come along with some disadvantages. Road accidents are one of the major problems that South Africa experiences. The focus of this study was to explore the danger of texting and driving and its potentials for road accidents. This research focused on the negative impact of technology, mainly technological distraction, while driving. Broadly, this research looks at the social and cultural impact of texting and mobility, with specific focus on distracted driving. This study is significant in the social analysis of technology use and distraction; this significance is made more important considering that there is very limited study of this social issue in South Africa. The always-available communication culture (such as texting while driving) should be viewed as a problematic phenomenal. For data collection, the researcher conducted a survey with adults and youth drivers to explore the perceptions and attitudes of drivers towards cell phone use, texting and driving. The researcher also conducted roadside observations of drivers to investigate the occurrence of distracted driving due to technology use, and interviews were conducted with Traffic Officers to share their professional experience on observing incidences of texting and driving. The study reveals that technology use, texting and driving is a common problem among young drivers, while adults tend to be more careful and engage less in this activity. Aspect of the findings of the study shows that 60% of drivers report that they have sent a text while driving. Moreover, the study explores ways of curbing cell phone use texting and driving on South African roads. There should be more research on distracted driving and technology use, so that more suggestions on how to curb technology use while driving can be offered

This thesis proposes elements for a cognitive anthropology of visual art. Most works of art are human-made objects that cannot be approached in purely functional terms, and as such they frustrate important cognitive expectations that people have about artefacts. For this reason, it is hypothesised that art triggers speculation about the artist’s intention, and that it is intuitively approached as a form of communication. By application of Bloom’s (1996) theory of artefact categorisation, and Sperber and Wilson’s (1986/1995) relevance theory of communication, a series of predictions are generated for art categorisation (or definition), art appreciation, and art cultural distribution. Two empirical studies involving more than 1,000 participants tested the most important of these predictions. In study 1, a relationship was found between how much a series of works of art were liked and how easy they were to understand. Study 2 comprised four experiments. In experiment 1, a series of hyperrealistic paintings were preferred when they were labelled as paintings than when they were labelled as photographs. In experiments 2a and 2b, a series of paintings were considered easier to understand and, under some conditions, were preferred, when they were accompanied by titles that made it easier to understand the artist’s intention. In experiment 3, a series of artefacts were more likely to be considered “art” when they were thought to have been created intentionally than when they were thought to have been created accidentally. The results of studies 1 and 2 confirmed the predictions tested, and are interpreted in the framework of relevance theory. The art experience involves speculation about the artist’s intention, and it is partly assessed as a form of communication that is constrained by relevance dynamics. Implications for anthropology of art, psychology of art, and the art world are discussed.

There is a rising number of companies, which have to face the appeals of International Markets. It is not possible to stop the economic development in many sectors of the market. When the company wants to keep it´s lasting existence and success it is not sufficient to concentrate on the National Market only. If the company wants to enter the International Market it is necessary to assure a processing of appropriate analyses. Entering the International Market brings both the business opportunities and the mature market threats as well. The submitted Master´s thesis describes the partial activities – planning, supervision, organization and human resources management.