This explorative research examines a contemporary representation for suicide. Utilizing a dualistic framework of biology and technology, I codify diverse theoretical discourses into why people commit suicide. My practical research then merges opposing binaries of 'fact' (the need to understand) within 'fiction' (the need to tell narratives). In context of this study a person who has taken their own life is the 'author' and the researcher is the 'reader' of this event ‐ I investigate how the reader imposes their own narrative upon the author.

This explorative research examines a contemporary representation for suicide. Utilizing a dualistic framework of biology and technology, I codify diverse theoretical discourses into why people commit suicide. My practical research then merges opposing binaries of 'fact' (the need to understand) within 'fiction' (the need to tell narratives). In context of this study a person who has taken their own life is the 'author' and the researcher is the 'reader' of this event ‐ I investigate how the reader imposes their own narrative upon the author.

Architecture exists where the world of ideas meets the world of materials. From its general scheme all the way to the joinery of the floorboards, the proposed building should serve a guiding idea. Otherwise, architecture is not architecture but simply functional construction. Theater exists within a similar framework, whereby the actor's work is a mundane manifestation of the elements extracted from the world of ideas, making it the perfect conduit to examine the reconciliation of these oppositions: the mundane and the ethereal, the quotidian and the philosophical, the earth and the heavens… By examining the dichotomous relationship between the tectonic and the stereotomic, the project proposed within these pages provides for a spatial experience that will aid its audience in shedding the entrapments of their daily lives as they proceed towards the auditorium to watch a play. As they move through the building, they will walk through six-foot thick brick walls of heavy stereotomy towards a lighter tectonic environment.  As they approach the architectonic auditorium, the horizon, which they could initially only see through small openings within the massive brick walls, becomes more prominent, reminding them of the spherical nature of our world and the existence of an entire universe outside of our frame of reference - a phenomenon which is symbolic of the world of ideas that provides us with theater and architecture. / Master of Architecture

Cette thèse a pour objet de voir en quoi la fiscalité est devenue à la fois un outil de gestion et de stratégie pour le développement des entreprises à tous les niveaux de leur existence juridique. Il s'agira de mettre cette affirmation en perspective avec les mécanismes mis en place par les Etats afin de lutter contre la fraude, l'évasion ou l'optimisation fiscale agressive, la fiscalité étant devenue un enjeu majeur de la politique économique des différents Etats notamment depuis la crise de 2008. Nos travaux s’intéresseront donc aux différents mécanismes utilisés par les entreprises afin de limiter leur charge fiscale et sur les solutions à envisager pour une meilleure gouvernance fiscale à la fois d'un point de vue législatif mais également de celui de la pratique des entreprises. / Le résumé en anglais n'a pas été communiqué par l'auteur.

如何使企業所負擔之租稅成本降至最低之租稅規劃，對於企業的生存與競爭具有莫大的影響力。個案公司以境外公司之名義報價與接單，並透過OBU帳戶收受佣金收入，將利潤保留在境外公司，但營業費用卻於台灣公司認列，使得因三角貿易賺得之佣金收入是否歸屬於境外來源所得而免稅，一直為爭議性之話題。 　　為避免將利潤保留在境外公司而不匯回，擬於所得稅法修正草案中將決議分配股利時才認列投資收益，改成依照財務會計上之權益法認列投資收益。並配合響應政府提倡亞太營運中心計劃及經發會提出健全資金回流機制，增（修）訂促進產業升級條例第七十條之一及兩岸人民關係條例第二十四條第二項，並開放OBU得與大陸地區金融機構直接通匯。 　　根據以上結論，本研究提出建議如下： 　　一、對企業界之建議 　　企業進行國際租稅規劃時，應把握合法性、注重實質、評估規劃之成本效益及考慮相關法令變遷之風險等四項原則。 　　二、對政府修法之建議 　　　1.發展台灣成為營運總部之租稅配合措施 　　　　(1)加強簽署國際租稅協定 　　　　(2)建議評估營利事業所得稅由屬人主義改採屬地主義之可行性 　　　2.對租稅政策之建議 　　　　(1)反租稅天堂措施之建議 　　　　(2)重新檢討所得稅法等有關涉外法規之適用 　　　3.我國現行稽核制度的改進意見 　　　　(1)加強國際租稅人才的培訓 　　　　(2)提昇稅務稽查技術 　　　　(3)增強稽核人力素質 / Using case study method and by interviews with field experts, this thesis studies the application of OBU (off-shore banking unit) in international tax planning. Planning to decrease tax costs has long been an important task for multinational companies to compete in the international market. To avoid paying domestic taxes, companies can structure transactions by the name of offshore subsidiaries and receive commissions through their OBU accounts. Consequently, profits are reserved in the offshore companies but costs of running business are claimed in Taiwan's tax returns. Under certain circumstances, commissions earned from this kind of triangle trading are tax-free, causing substantial losses of tax revenues to Taiwanese government. The thesis discusses this controversial issue relating to commissions from triangle trading. 　　To encourage remitting back profits generated in overseas, the tax law for taxes on investment income should be changed. This thesis suggests the use of equity method for recognizing investment income for tax purposes. Further, the regulation on banking operations between Taiwan and China also needs to be revised to expedite the transfer of fund across the strait. The thesis suggests the opening of direct remittance between Taiwan's OBUs and China's banks. 　　In summary, in devising an effective tax planning, companies should take into account both tax and nontax costs, and keep abreast of the risks of changes in tax laws and governmental policies. As for the government to develop Taiwan as the headquarter of global operation, promotion of the international tax agreements is essentially important to help firms avoid double taxation. Further, to attract more international companies investing in Taiwan, the government should evaluate the feasibility and impacts of shifting the taxation principle of corporations from worldwide taxation to territorial taxation.

Si la fraude et l'évasion fiscales sont aussi anciennes que l'impôt lui-même, la mondialisation et la numérisation de l'économie ont placé les Etats face aux limites de leur pouvoir fiscal, pouvoir qui demeure intimement lié à leur compétence territoriale. Plus récemment, c'est la crise financière de 2007-2008 qui a attiré l'attention de l'opinion publique mondiale sur l'importance du phénomène de fraude et d'évasion fiscales internationales et le rôle essentiel qu’y tiennent les paradis fiscaux. Les outils juridiques conventionnels traditionnels à la disposition des Etats ont montré toutes leurs limites, et ce tant en matière de détection des situations à risque que d’échange d’informations ou d’assistance au recouvrement. S’est ainsi faite jour la nécessité, pour certains Etats, de relancer, sur le plan international, des actions de nature coopérative d’un nouveau type pour tenter d'endiguer les pertes budgétaires massives ainsi subies ou consenties. Ces actions, participant tant de la « soft law » que de la règle de droit, menées par l'OCDE comme par l'Union européenne, se concentrent sur deux aspects fondamentaux que sont, d'une part la transparence fiscale et, d'autre part, la lutte contre les pratiques d'érosion de la base imposable et de transfert des bénéfices vers des Etats ou territoires à fiscalité faible ou nulle. L'analyse de ces tentatives de réforme de la fiscalité internationale conduit à s'interroger non seulement sur la méthode utilisée ainsi que sur le contenu des réglementations qui en découlent, mais également sur les perspectives d'avenir de la lutte contre la fraude et l'évasion fiscales internationales. Face aux carences du « nationalisme fiscal », il convient donc de s'interroger sur la pertinence d'une mondialisation de l'impôt lui-même, et ce tant au niveau de la base imposable que des taux d’imposition. / Tax fraud and tax avoidance are as old as tax itself. Economy’s globalisation and digitalazation have however confronted States with the limitations of their tax power that remains dependant on their territorial boundaries. More recently, the 2007-2008 financial crisis has drawn the attention of the public opinion on the extent of international tax fraud and avoidance as well as on the key role tax heavens play in this frame. The traditional and conventional legal tools States can use have reached their limits in the field of detection of potential risky tax’s situations, exchange of information as well as collection assistance. Some States are willing to revive, on an worldwide level, the international tax cooperation, so as to curb massive budgetary losses they either undergo or consent to. These measures, which are based on « soft law » or on real right rules, are lead by the OECD and the European Union in order to face two main purposes. The first one deals with tax transparency whereas the second one tackles with base erosion and profit shifting towards States and territories with low or nil tax levels. The analysis of these attempts to amend international tax rules leads up to question about the used methods, the regulation’s content and their perspectives. While facing the lacks of « tax nationalism », it is necessary to wonder about the relevancy of globalising taxes themselves through both their basis and their rates.

本研究主要係針對跨國企業以非常規交易掏空資產之議題進行探討，包括非常規交易之型態、操作工具之經濟誘因分析、世界各國防制對策介紹、相關案例探討及結論與建議等主要部分，茲依各章次序分述其主要內容如次： 第一章「緒論」：包括研究動機、目的、內容、方法、範圍、限制與架構等，並透過文獻探討，分析相關文獻之價值及其不足之處。並於本章未節將本研究之重要名詞予以定義及說明。 第二章「非常規交易之探討」：首先分析跨國企業操作非常規交易所需使用之主要工具，並探討選擇該等工具之經濟誘因，使讀者瞭解跨國企業經營者選擇非常規交易操作工具之考量何在。其次介紹既有研究成果所歸納之非常規交易類型，並介紹相關學理及實務上之分類，並分析既有文獻分類之不足。最後介紹，美國關係企業交易規範及沙賓法案（Sarbanes-Oxley Act）、德國公司治理之防制對策，如雙層委員會制、銀行監控主體性及職工參與制等，最後則介紹經濟合作暨發展組織(Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD)之公司治理準則（Principles of Corporate Governance）及有害的稅制競爭（Harmful Tax Competition）等反租稅天堂措施等，希望能夠以國外相關制度作為吾國之借鏡。 第三章「掏空公司資產之國內案例研究」：本章首先介紹博達及久津等兩個典型案例，其次介紹政府當時對於博達案之因應作為，並作相關評析。最後輔以近年來實務上發生之案例，並歸納分析其主要之犯罪手法，再加以綜整為一整合之模式雛型，希望能使讀者透過閱讀簡單之圖型，加深對非常規交易之概念。 第四章為「跨國企業掏空公司資產之共通特徵及犯罪成因分析」：分析前述博達等類似案件之特徵，並從當時之時空背景、公司治理及外部監督機制面向，分析弊端發生之原因及制度上之不足。 第五章「結論」：本研究認為阻斷操作工具之經濟誘因能有效防制掏空資產行為，及強化公司內部治理及外部監督能有效改善企業舞弊現象；文末並針對吾國現行偵辦及相關防制實務，提出具體建議。 / The objevtives of this study aims at misappropriating assets of transnational corporations with non-arm’s length transactions, containning its categorizations, analysis of economic inducements of means, strategies of prevention economic crimes of America, German and OECD, introducing cases concerned, conclusions and suggestions. They can be found in the following: Chapter 1. This chapter explains the author’s motive and purpose of writing this thesis, ranges, methods, limits and frameworks of this study, discussing the values and deficiencies of the existing literatures, and definitions of terminology. Chapter 2. In this chapter, the author introduces the means of non-arm’s length transactions. Then, he analyzes the economic inducements of them and introduces the categorizations of non-arm’s length transactions, strategies of prevention economic crimes of America, German and OECD, such as Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and so on. Chapter 3. In Chapter 3, the author does case studies on “Procomp Informatics Ltd. Event” and “Bomy Company Event”, etc. Then inducts new categorizations of economic crimes and establishes a notional model of non-arm’s length transactions. Chapter 4. The author analyzes the backgrounds, characteristics of the 2 events mentioned before from the view points of corporate governance. Chapter 5. “To block the economic inducements of non-arm’s length transactions can prevent companies from misappropriating assets.“ and “to strengthen corporate governance inside and out can reduce fraudulence effectively.”are conclusions of the study. Based on them, the author proposes some suggestions to the authorities concerned.

<p>Syftet med denna litteraturstudie är att finna samhälleliga och historiska kontexter som sammanbinder Peoples Temple, Heavens Gate och Soltempelorden. Definitioner och beskrivningar av sekter, manipulativa sekter och karismatiska ledare presenteras. Fokus ligger på vilka likheter och skillnader som finns i deras uppbyggnad och tro, hur samhället såg ut när dessa sekter uppstod och om man kan finna några gemensamma nämnare när det gäller självmorden, alternativt morden.</p><p>Peoples Temple, Heavens Gate och Soltempelorden har alla något gemensamt. De iscensatte tre av historiens största religiösa tragedier genom tiderna. Alla tre sekterna lämnade jordens yta genom att medlemmarna tillsammans med ledarna begick självmord för att komma till en bättre värld.</p><p>Alla tre sekternas självmord kantades av samhällets motstånd och det finns historiska incidenter som kan ha att göra med grundandet av dessa grupper. Det är viktigt att man ser till de historiska och sociala faktorerna för att kunna förstå hur en sekt utvecklas på ett visst sätt och hur deras verksamhet har kunnat leda fram till ett kollektivt självmord.</p>

Syftet med denna litteraturstudie är att finna samhälleliga och historiska kontexter som sammanbinder Peoples Temple, Heavens Gate och Soltempelorden. Definitioner och beskrivningar av sekter, manipulativa sekter och karismatiska ledare presenteras. Fokus ligger på vilka likheter och skillnader som finns i deras uppbyggnad och tro, hur samhället såg ut när dessa sekter uppstod och om man kan finna några gemensamma nämnare när det gäller självmorden, alternativt morden. Peoples Temple, Heavens Gate och Soltempelorden har alla något gemensamt. De iscensatte tre av historiens största religiösa tragedier genom tiderna. Alla tre sekterna lämnade jordens yta genom att medlemmarna tillsammans med ledarna begick självmord för att komma till en bättre värld. Alla tre sekternas självmord kantades av samhällets motstånd och det finns historiska incidenter som kan ha att göra med grundandet av dessa grupper. Det är viktigt att man ser till de historiska och sociala faktorerna för att kunna förstå hur en sekt utvecklas på ett visst sätt och hur deras verksamhet har kunnat leda fram till ett kollektivt självmord.

La fraude et l’évasion fiscales focalisent l’attention des Gouvernements depuis la crise financière de 2008 bien que le problème soit ancien. Face à l’ampleur d’une crise aux conséquences dramatiques, les gouvernements ont pris conscience de l’urgence d’une action efficace. La lutte contre ces pratiques prend une ampleur nouvelle depuis qu’elle est considérée comme un enjeu majeur. Jusqu’à présent les fraudeurs bénéficiaient d’une certaine clémence mais les scandales récents qui ont éclaté mettant en cause des paradis fiscaux, jumelés à la crise qui fait rage, leur ont fait prendre un tout autre visage. Beaucoup d’Etats qui rechignaient jusqu’alors à coopérer en matière fiscale se sont vus contraints de le faire face à la pression internationale grandissante.L’étude fait apparaître que les paradis fiscaux ne sont pas les seuls responsables de la crise. Le problème de la fraude et de l’évasion doit être pensé dans un cadre global. La théorisation des notions de fraude et d’évasion, nous permettra de comprendre les raisons des pratiques qui s’y rattachent et les conséquences qu’elles peuvent avoir. L’exemple des Emirats Arabes Unis éclairera les raisons qui font de certains territoires de véritables pôles d’attractivité pour les entreprises et les particuliers. Force sera de constater qu’elles ne sont pas seulement fiscales.Face à l’internationalisation, les Etats ne peuvent plus de nos jours réagir de manière nationale et isolée. La réponse se doit d’être internationale et concertée. Ainsi, après avoir étudié les moyens de lutte contre ces pratiques dommageables qu’utilise l’administration fiscale, nous verrons comment cette dernière tente de poursuivre cet objectif sans pour autant porter préjudice aux droits et aux garanties du contribuable. Mots clefs français : impôt, fraude, évasion fiscale, contrôle fiscal, protection du contribuable, paradis fiscaux, offshore, délocalisation, zone franche, Emirats Arabes Unis, lutte contre la fraude et l’évasion fiscale / Although the matter is old-dated, the Governments have focused their attentions on tax evasion and tax avoidance since the 2008 financial crisis,. Facing a major crisis with dramatic aftermaths, the governments have become aware of the urgent need of an efficient action. Considered as a major stake, the fight against these practices is now taking a new scale. Until now the tax evaders benefited from a certain leniency but the recent scandals which broke are questioning the tax havens, that are associated to the raging crisis and gave them quite a different face. Many States, which until then balk at cooperating about tax matters, were obliged to do so in front of the growing international pressure. Our study demonstrates that the tax havens are not the only responsible to the crisis. The tax evasion and tax avoidance problem must be thought in a global frame. The theorization of the notions of tax evasion and tax avoidance, will allow us to understand the reasons and the consequences of these practices. The example of the United Arab Emirates will put into light the reasons that make certain territories real attractive poles for companies and individuals. It will be noticed that these reasons aren’t fiscal only. Due to globalization, the States can’t nowadays react anymore in a national and isolated way. The answer owes to be global and broadly discussed.Thus, after having studied the tools used by the tax authority to fight against these harmful practices, we will see how the tax authority is trying to pursue its goal without being prejudicial to the rights and the guarantees of the taxpayer. Keywords : tax, tax evasion, tax avoidance, tax investigation, taxpayer protection, tax heavens, offshore, relocation, free zone, the United Arab Emirates, fight against tax evasion and tax avoidance.