Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T18:13:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Caio Favero Marchi.pdf: 22773905 bytes, checksum: 60dcceb2b3dc81852213e20a958e5fa3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-09-19 / The object of this study is one of the patterns (Surveillance) of the Security Lens of that which researchers from Brunel University have called Design with Intent (DwI). Based on the question suggested by the object of the study itself (What would happen if citizens knew, or at least believed, that their behavior is being seen or monitored by people in positions of power or authority?) and in the dissemination, more patent every day, of surveillance and control devices in the major metropolises of the world, as is the case of São Paulo, the question that will guide us is: to which extent does the pattern Surveillance, a development of the Security Lens of DwI, incite social behaviors? With the purpose of answering this question and to prove the hypotheses that this method standardizes social behaviors and that it acts, moreover, as a control device of contemporary societies, this study will make use of a hybrid methodology, composed of bibliographic research, documental research and unstructured and undirected interviews. The theoretical frame of reference of the bibliographic research will include Castel (2005) and Bauman (2009) to present the issue of fear and insecurity in large cities; Vaz (2004; 2005; 2006), Kellner (2001) and Wainberg (2005) to clarify the contribution of mass media in the construction of the image of urban violence; Foucault (1997; 2008), Deleuze (2010), Hardt (2000), Rose (1999) and Costa (2004) to elaborate an overview of the transformations and characteristics of the different societal models; Lockton, Harrison and Stanton (2011) to introduce and deepen the debates on the importance of DwI; and Norris and Armstrong (199), Bruno (2010) and Kanashiro (2010) to broach the topic of surveillance and the development of its technological devices (CCTV). The documental research will collect information on violence and fear in the capital of the state of São Paulo from magazines, newspapers and television reports. Finally, we will carry out interviews with the supervisor of the Video Monitoring Center of the São Paulo State Military Police and with the captain of the Batallion that holds the Operation Center of the São Paulo State Military Police (COPOM). These interviews will attempt to extract from primary sources data and information that illustrate some passages of the text in order to allow us to draw a conclusion about the matter in a consistent manner / segurança (Security Lens) daquilo que estudiosos da Universidade de Brunel intitularam Design with Intent (DwI). Com base na questão sugerida pelo próprio objeto de estudo dessa investigação (O que aconteceria se os cidadãos soubessem, ou ao menos acreditassem, que seu comportamento está sendo visto ou monitorado por pessoas que são detentoras de poder ou autoridade?) e na disseminação, cada dia mais evidente, dos dispositivos de vigilância e controle nas grandes metrópoles urbanas do globo, como é o caso de São Paulo, a questão que nos servirá como elemento norteador é: em que medida o pattern Surveillance, desdobramento da lente de segurança do DwI, incita comportamentos sociais? Com o objetivo de responder a essa problemática e de comprovar as hipóteses de que tal método padroniza os comportamentos sociais e ainda atua como um dispositivo de controle das sociedades contemporâneas, esse estudo se utilizará de uma metodologia híbrida, composta por uma pesquisa bibliográfica, uma pesquisa documental e entrevistas não estruturadas e não dirigidas. A pesquisa bibliográfica contará com um referencial teórico formado por Castel (2005) e Bauman (2009) para apresentar a questão do medo e da insegurança nas grandes cidades; Vaz (2004; 2005; 2006), Kellner (2001) e Wainberg (2005) para esclarecer a contribuição da mídia de massa na construção da imagem da violência urbana; Foucault (1997; 2008), Deleuze (2010), Hardt (2000), Rose (1999) e Costa (2004) para elaborar um panorama sobre as transformações e as características dos diferentes modelos de sociedade; Lockton, Harrison e Stanton (2011) para introduzir e aprofundar os debates sobre a importância do DwI; e Norris e Armstrong (1999), Bruno (2010) e Kanashiro (2006) para abordar o tema da vigilância e o desenvolvimento de seus dispositivos tecnológicos (CCTV). A pesquisa documental coletará informações sobre a violência e o medo na capital paulistana em revistas, jornais e matérias televisivas. Por fim, serão realizadas entrevistas não estruturadas e não dirigidas com o supervisor do Centro de Vídeo Monitoramento da Polícia Militar do Estado de São Paulo e com o capitão do Batalhão que abriga o Centro de Operações da Polícia Militar do Estado de São Paulo (COPOM). Essas entrevistas buscarão extrair de fontes primárias dados e informações que ilustrem algumas passagens do texto e que possibilitem que uma conclusão sobre o assunto seja elaborada de forma consistente

MARTINS , Ana Carolina Borges Leão. O percurso do conceito de fim de análise de Freud a Lacan 2010. 139f. Dissertação (Mestrado em Psicologia) – Universidade Federal do Ceará, Departamento de Psicologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psicologia, Fortaleza-CE, 2010. / Submitted by moises gomes (celtinha_malvado@hotmail.com) on 2011-11-30T19:35:53Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2010_dis_ACBLMartins.PDF: 741693 bytes, checksum: 0f3407e4b279ab9fbb9970f8cbb8e891 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria Josineide Góis(josineide@ufc.br) on 2012-01-09T14:55:49Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2010_dis_ACBLMartins.PDF: 741693 bytes, checksum: 0f3407e4b279ab9fbb9970f8cbb8e891 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2012-01-09T14:55:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2010_dis_ACBLMartins.PDF: 741693 bytes, checksum: 0f3407e4b279ab9fbb9970f8cbb8e891 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Our research aims at following the formulations for the concept of end of analysis beginning with Freud, going through the post-Freudians, and reaching the teaching contributions from Lacan. To this end we divided our path methodologically in three distinct segments: 1. the pathway for defining the concept of end of analysis as propounded by Freud; 2. the investigation of the concept of cure and end of analysis in the theoretical productions of Freud’s contemporaries and post-Freudians; 3. the reassessment of therapeutic perspectives and the concept of end of analysis as contributed by Jacques Lacan. In the first moment, we were shown how the inception of the concept of death drive in 1920 contributed to the final break-up between end of analysis and therapeutic intents. We were also able to discuss treatment guidelines as propounded by Freud, the hurdles impeding the cure and the adoption of end of analysis, and the technical proposition for analysis construction, an artificial solution advanced by Freud to counter the difficulties with analytical treatment. In the second part, we investigated solutions as propounded by post-Freudian analysts to the problem of the economics of compulsion. We set out from the hypothesis according to which the analytical movement did not accept easily the contributions from the concept of death drive, rather opting for interpreting them as a lessening of therapeutic results. Within this view, two obstacles impeded the analytical treatment turning it into a never-ending task: in 1930, character was an obstacle to cure because of its close relation to the obscure ways of drive satisfaction; in 1950, the analyst’s self blurred the good development of transference, appearing as an inconvenient waste from the end sought by didactical and therapeutic analyses. In the last part of our work, the constitution of topic in its imaginary configuration, having its source on Lacan’s contributions, conferred intelligibility to the standstill reached by post-Freudian analysts. Under the aegis of a configuration shaped by imaginary values we demonstrated the disastrous results from the attempt to elide the unconscious discourse from the analytical treatment, and we pointed to a Lacanian proposal of resuming field references for speech and language. At the end of our pathway, we accompanied Lacan’s critical appraisal of the model for IPA formation and his solution to the problem, namely, the pass procedure to deal with the limits of analytical formation and end of analysis. As a conclusion, we could evaluate how our work throws a light upon issues referring to the analyst’s formation and how it contributes to psychoanalysis transmission. / A nossa pesquisa tem por objetivo acompanhar as formulações do conceito de fim de análise, desde Freud, passando pelos pós-freudianos e chegando às contribuições do ensino de Lacan. Para tanto, dividimos metodologicamente o nosso percurso em três momentos distintos: 1. o percurso do conceito de fim de análise em Freud; 2. a investigação dos conceitos de cura e de fim de análise nas produções teóricas dos analistas contemporâneos a Freud e pós-freudianos; 3. o redimensionamento das perspectivas terapêuticas e do conceito de fim de análise a partir das contribuições de Jacques Lacan. No primeiro momento, vimos de que modo a introdução do conceito de pulsão de morte, em 1920, contribuiu para a dissociação definitiva entre o fim de análise e os fins terapêuticos. Também pudemos discutir a direção do tratamento em Freud, os obstáculos à cura e ao fim de análise e a proposição técnica das construções em análise, uma saída artificial, proposta por Freud, aos impasses do tratamento analítico. Na segunda parte, investigamos as soluções dadas pelos analistas pósfreudianos ao obstáculo da economia pulsional. Partimos da hipótese de que o movimento analítico não aceitou, de bom grado, as contribuições do conceito de pulsão de morte, preferindo traduzi-las em termos de amortecimento dos resultados terapêuticos. Nessa perspectiva, dois obstáculos tornaram-se supostos lançar o tratamento analítico em uma tarefa sem fim: em 1930, o caráter fazia obstáculo à cura, por sua relação estreita aos obscuros modos de satisfação pulsional; em 1950, o ser do analista embotava o bom andamento da transferência, constituindo-se como um inoportuno resíduo ao fim das análises didáticas e terapêuticas. Na última parte do nosso trabalho, a partir das contribuições de Jacques Lacan, a constituição da tópica do imaginário conferiu inteligibilidade aos impasses a que haviam chegado os analistas pós-freudianos. Sob a égide do imaginário, demonstramos os efeitos desastrosos em elidir o discurso inconsciente no tratamento analítico, e apontamos a proposta lacaniana de retomar as referências do campo da fala e da linguagem. Ao fim do nosso percurso, acompanhamos a crítica de Lacan ao modelo de formação da IPA e a saída proposta por ele, o dispositivo do passe, para lidar com os limites da formação analítica e do fim de análise. Na conclusão, pudemos apontar de que modo o nosso trabalho lança luz sobre as questões referentes à formação do analista e contribui à transmissão da psicanálise.

Bakgrund: Då globalisering och teknikutveckling kan medföra utmaningar,  bör organisationer dra nytta av medarbetarnas kompetenser i största möjliga mån. Det har skett ett skifte där byråkratiska organisationer i allt större utsträckning ersätts av mer kunskapsintensiva organisationer (Kärreman m.fl. 2002). Dessa kunskapsföretag kännetecknas av komplex problemlösning (ne.se) och framträdande i företagen är att kunskap utgör det främsta konkurrensmedlet (Forslund, 2013). Det har därför blivit viktigare att rekrytera rätt men också behålla relevant kompetens inom företaget. Det är tidigare känt att en medarbetares avgång innebär ökade kostnader i form av både rekrytering och upplärning (Fisher och Gitelson 1983; Grey et al 2000).  För att mäta hur stor del av kompetensen som försvinner ur organisationen används nyckeltalet personalomsättning. Nyckeltalet avslöjar dock inte varför medarbetarna slutar sin anställning och frågor många ledare inom organisationer ställer sig blir hur de kan behålla personalen, få dem att känna sig delaktiga,  trivas på arbetsplatsen och hjälpa dem att utvecklas (Bass 2006). När det gäller avsikten att stanna inom företaget har flera studier fokuserat på arbetsnöjdhet (Ravari A, Bazargan-Hejazi, Ebadi, et al. i Yarbrough & Pam et al; Ladd och Marshall 2004). Cho et al. (2009) drar slutsatsen att ett engagemang i organisationen minskar medarbetarnas avsikt att lämna organisationen (Cho et al. 2009). En metod för att ta till vara på befintlig kunskap i organisationen är att göra medarbetarna delaktiga i beslutsfattandet (Connel 1998). Ledare inom organisationer bör därför beakta vilka åtgärder som kan vidtas för att påverka medarbetarna att uppfatta sitt värde samt att ledningen bryr sig om de anställda (Cho et al. 2009). Likaså menar Allen et al. (2003) att organisationer, som genom formella rutiner, uppmuntrar delaktighet i beslutsprocessen även måste följa upp medarbetarnas förslag som en bekräftelse på att deras kunskap är av betydelse. Cho et al. (2009) har studerat avsikten att både stanna och lämna organisationen utifrån tre faktorer, dessa är upplevt stöd från organisationen, upplevt stöd från chefen samt upplevt engagemang i organisationen. Vår ambition med denna studie var att komplettera deras synsätt med att studera om dels deltagande i beslutsprocessen men även arbetsnöjdheten är faktorer som påverkar att medarbetarna stannar inom ett kunskapsföretag. Vi vill även studera hur bristen av delaktighet i beslutsfattandet kan påverka att medarbetare avslutar sin anställning. Syfte: Från ett medarbetarperspektiv ämnar denna studie att analysera och undersöka hur medarbetarnas upplevda delaktighet i beslutsprocesser samt arbetsnöjdhet påverkar viljan att stanna inom ett företag. Metod: Eftersom uppsatsen syftar till att analysera människors uppfattningar om ett fenomen har studien en fenomenografisk metodansats. För att inrymma respondenternas olika synvinklar genomfördes intervjuer, baserade på halvstrukturerade, tematiska intervjufrågor. Vår teoretiska referensram syftar ge en överblick över området medarbetares avsikt att stanna samt lämna företaget. Efter vår granskning av vetenskapliga publikationer och artiklar, ger avsnittet även en omfattande insikt i de teoretiska begreppen delaktighet i beslutsprocessen och arbetsnöjdhet. Vi har sedan arbetat deduktivt och teorierna ligger vidare till grund för uppsatsens analysmodell som ska beprövas. Studien har dessutom analyserat och uppmärksammat likheter samt skillnader mellan våra studieobjekt och har därigenom fått en komparativ karaktär. Slutsatser: Sammantaget lyfter medarbetarna upp att delaktighet är viktigt, i synnerhet möjlighet att påverka och att vara en del av företaget Förhållandet mellan deltagande i beslutsfattande och arbetsnöjdhet ser respondenterna som något positivt och viktigt Otydlighet och brist på struktur har förekommit på företagen som våra respondenter hade lämnat Otydlig rollfördelning såsom rollkonflikt, rollöverbelastning och rolltvetydighet är faktorer som i sin tur påverkat både arbetsnöjdhet men också i förlängningen avsikten att lämna företaget Fenomenet arbetsnöjdhet är ganska brett och vi har kommit fram till att vår teoretiska modell inte varit komplett. Vi anser att det behövs en bredare teori och begreppsapparat / Background: Increasingly, traditional bureaucratic, and hierarchical organizations, are being replaced by a new type of company, called knowledge companies. These companies are more characterized by complex problem solving (Kärreman; ne.se) and for what is prominent as the main competitive subject are no longer machines, real estate or money, it is the knowledge among employees (Forslund, 2013). In order to meet the challenges of globalization and new technologies, modern organizations should maximize the use of the knowledge within the often-well-educated workforce. It is therefore even more important, not only to recruit, but also to maintain the right competence within the company. A method to incorporate existing knowledge in the organization is by incorporating the employees into the decision-making process inthe company (Connel 1998). If an employee leaves the organization, it will lead to increased costs in the terms of both recruitment and training (Fisher and Gitelson 1983; Grey et al 2000). There are different ratios to calculate that, for example, the measure of employee turnover. Since employee turnover does not explain the reasons of why employees leave their jobs, the measurement cannot be viewed as complete. An important question, many leaders in the organizations are asking, is how to retain their employees, make them thrive, and help them develop (Bass 2006). In the terms of employees’ intention to stay within company, several past studies have focused on job satisfaction (Ravari et al. in Yarbrough & Pam et al; Ladd and Marshall 2004). Cho et al. (2009) on the other hand, concludes that it is the commitment of the organization that reduces the employee's intention to leave the organization (Cho et al. 2009). Leaders within the organizations, should therefore aim to influence employees to develop a mindset in which the employee understands their value within the organization, and sees, that the management cares about theirworkers. Similarly, Allen et al. (2003) argues that if the organization encourage participation in decision-making processes, they also need to acknowledge the employees'. Cho et al. (2009) has studied the intention to both stay, and to leave the organization, based on three factors: perceived organizational support, perceived support from the management, and perceived involvement in the organization. Our ambition with this study, is to supplement their approach, and study whether participation in the decision-making process, and job satisfaction are factors, that influences the employees to stay within a knowledge-based company. We also want to study, how the lack of participation in decision-making and job satisfaction may affect the employee’s intent to resign. Purpose of the study: This study intends to analyze and examine how employees ' perceived participation, in decision-making processes, and job satisfaction affect the willingness to stay within an organization. Method: To achieve the purpose of the study, we have used a qualitative method of research. The essay aims to analyze people's perceptions of a phenomenon; therefore, this study will have a phenomenological approach. The theories and previous research presented, aims to give an overview of employees' intention to stay or leave the company, and a more comprehensive understanding of the theoretical concepts, of participation in decision-making, and job satisfaction, based on the examination of scientific publications, and articles. From these theories, we have both developed a frame of reference and a theoretical model. This has helped us to comprehend how, and what to target, in the collection of data for the study. The study compares the intent to stay from three perspectives, and our respondents for the interviews, consisted of employees who still work within an organization, employees who have departed with the organization, and the HR point of view of the organization. Since we have three perspectives, the phenomenologicaldata analysis will be combined with a comparative analyze. Conclusions: Overall, employees underline the importance of participation, in particular the possibility of influencing and being a part of the company. Our respondents perceived the relationship between participation in decision-making, and job satisfaction as positive and important Many of our respondents who had left their employment, distinguished between the notion of ambiguity, and lack of structure of their past organizations Skill significance burst in contrast to what the respondents needed Unclear roles such as role conflict, role overload and role ambiguity, are factors that in turn affect both job satisfaction, but also the intent to leave the company. The phenomenon of job satisfaction is quite comprehensive, which conclude that our theoretical model is not complete. We believe, that a broader theoretical aspect and conceptual apparatus, is needed to understand the concept of intent to stay within an organization.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the job constructs influencing campus recreation undergraduate student workers’ satisfaction and retention and how their job satisfaction relates to job retention. The job constructs measured against job satisfaction and retention were job embeddedness, perceived organizational support, perceived organizational prestige, and organizational commitment. An online survey was sent out for 14, four-year, public universities in two southeastern states. A total of 108 undergraduate student employees responded to the survey. Descriptive statistics and a correlation matrix were performed in order to analyze the data and the relationship between the variables. Three regressions were used to measure the significance of the variables relationship. This study’s results suggest that those students who are more committed to the organization are more likely to be satisfied with their job. Additionally, those students who are more embedded in their job are more likely to return to their job.

Guilt appeals are used to try to influence consumer behavior, with literature defining three kinds – existential, anticipatory, and reactive guilt. Anticipatory and reactive guilt appeals have never been individually studied. The purpose of this study is hence to explain the relationship between anticipatory guilt and reactive guilt, respectively, inferences of manipulative intent, and consumers’ attitude toward a brand. To test this, an online questionnaire was used, followed by linear regression and moderation analyses. The results show a positive relationship between both anticipatory guilt and attitude and between reactive guilt and attitude. Inferences of manipulative intent do not moderate either relationship. Keywords Guilt appeal, anticipatory guilt, reactive guilt, inferences of manipulative intent, consumer brand attitudes

Children’s social information processing (SIP) encompasses cognitive and behavioral sequence that underlies social responses. SIP in peer interactions is well studied. Less is known about SIP in mother-child interchanges. Youth who show one SIP pattern a hostile attribution of intent (HAI) bias—in peer interactions consistently exhibit externalizing symptoms. This relationship is less consistently observed for HAI biases toward mothers. I hypothesized that this inconsistent association reflects moderating factors; specifically, engaging in foundational parenting practices (monitoring/supervision, consistent discipline) would weaken the relationship between HAI biases toward mothers and externalizing behaviors. Logistic regression yielded limited support for hypotheses. Consistent discipline predicted externalizing behaviors in some contexts; however, moderator effects were not detected. Isolated parenting practices thus may not buffer against the risk of externalizing behaviors linked to HAI biases toward mothers. Future research might examine how different HAI biases (peer, mother, etc.) related to each other and outcome variables.

Date:                             04 June 2018 Level:                            Master Thesis in International Marketing, 15 ECTS Institution:                     School of Business, Society and Engineering, Mälardalen University Authors:                       Anastasiadou, Elena                       Meier, Philip                                       (94/05/25)                            (88/03/11) Title:                              Cross-border Online Purchase Intent: An Investigation of CSR-conscious Young Adults Supervisor:                   Emilia Rovira Keywords:                   Online purchase intent, international online vendors, corporate                                      social responsibility, technology acceptance model, Ikea Research Question:     What factors affect the online purchase intent of CSR-conscious young adults buying from IOVs and how? Purpose:                       With the worldwide increasing access and usage of the Internet, cross-border shopping has emerged as an online trend, especially amongst young adults. Simultaneously, CSR-consciousness has spread rapidly around the globe. Consequently, it is this study’s purpose to gain a deeper understanding of factors influencing CSR-conscious young adults’ cross-border online purchase intent. Method:                         For the sake of reaching a deeper understanding of factors influencing online purchase intent this study applies qualitative research methods. Primary empirical data is collected via focus group interviews. In order to introduce a relatable online shopping scenario to the interviewees, the investigators present the interviewees with a case company during focus group sessions. Ikea’s online store is chosen as a case, since Ikea is a well-known IOV engaging in CSR practices. Lastly, the empirical findings are assessed by doing a thematic analysis. Conclusion:                  The conceptual model (see Figure 3. OPIM) proves to be suitable for exploring cross-border online purchase intent of CSR-conscious young adults, as each element appears to play a vital role in understanding influences on behavioural intention to purchase products or services online. With the help of the OPIM, several contributions could be made in this particular field of research. Firstly, this study uncovered a relationship between company size and CSR-conscious young adults’ trust, as part of their perceived quality. The relation is negative when investigating at the trust towards CSR promises but positive when looking at trust towards payment procedures. Secondly, non-monetary sacrifices, stemming from IOVs’ intangible nature, have a strong negative impact on the behavioural intention to purchase goods and services online, while comparing it to physical store counterparts. Thirdly, the investigators discovered how convenience and flexibility concerns lower potential customers’ perceived usefulness of IOVs. Fourthly, IOVs need to positively influence subjective norms and tailor online loyalty programs to increase potential customers’ commitment to purchase their products and services online. Lastly, this study finds that the level of satisfaction with a given online purchase is part of a mental re-evaluation process that directly influences potential future purchases.   Abbreviations:              B2B:             Business to Business Relationship                                  B2C:             Business to Consumer Relationship                                      CSR:                       Corporate Social Responsibility                                      IOV:             International Online Vendor                                      IS:                Information Systems                                       IT:                 Information Technology             OPIM: Online Purchase Intent Model            TAM:               Technology Acceptance Model

O presente trabalho tem como objeto a análise dos documentos preliminares, usualmente chamados de carta de intenções e memorando de entendimentos, firmados na fase das tratativas durante o período pré-contratual. Em um primeiro momento, busca-se entender a natureza desses documentos, mediante o exame dos atos das partes na fase das tratativas, em especial as negociações e as declarações de vontade, e a comparação com figuras afins, como a proposta, o contrato, o contrato preliminar, a carta-conforto e a minuta. A partir dessa compreensão, aliada à demonstração de sua tipicidade social, chega-se a uma definição de documentos preliminares, baseada no acordo de vontades capaz de produzir efeitos obrigacionais de intensidade variada. Em um segundo momento, expõe-se a principal forma de tratamento dispensada a esses documentos na common law, dividindo-os entre aqueles que têm eficácia jurídica contratual (binding) e aqueles que não têm eficácia jurídica (nonbinding). Posteriormente, são trazidos casos da jurisprudência brasileira, seguindo-se o mesmo método, culminando com o papel da figura do abuso de direito nos casos de rompimento das negociações, identificada como a principal situação que desencadeia a discussão dos efeitos desses documentos nos tribunais. Adiante, as obrigações autônomas, como a de confidencialidade, exclusividade e divisão de custo, muitas vezes verificadas nesses documentos, são objeto de estudo, finalizando-se com a análise de determinadas cláusulas, perquirindo-se sua validade e efeitos. O resultado deste estudo revela que os efeitos que serão produzidos por um documento preliminar dependem não apenas do seu conteúdo, mas também do comportamento das partes condizente com ele. A partir desses dois fatores será possível determinar se o documento produzirá algum efeito, incluindo efeitos de vinculação aos deveres de proteção ou de vinculação contratual. / The subject of this work is the analysis of the preliminary documents, usually known as letter of intent or memorandum of understanding, executed in the negotiation phase during the precontractual period. Firstly, it seeks to understand the nature of these documents, through the examination of the parties’ acts during the negotiation phase, especially their dialogues and declarations, and the comparison with the proposal, the contract, the preliminary contract, the comfort letter and the minute. Given this comprehension, added to its social typicality, it reaches a definition of the preliminary document, based on the agreement capable of producing obligational effects of varied intensity. Secondly, it introduces the main approach given to these documents by the common law system, dividing them between those that have contractual legal effects (binding) and those that don’t have any legal effects (non-binding). Subsequently, cases from the Brazilian Case Law are brought, following the same method, ending with the role of the abuse of the law in the cases in which the parties break the negotiations, which are identified as the main situation that triggers the courts debate about the effects of such documents. Furtherly, the independent obligations, such as confidentiality, exclusivity and sharing of expenses, commonly identified in these documents, are studied, finalizing with the analysis of certain clauses investigating its validity and effects. The result of this work reveals that the effects that will be produced by a preliminary document depend not only of its content, but also of a parties’ behavior suitable with it. From these two factors it will be possible to determine whether or not the document will produce any effect, including binding effects in relation to protection duties or binding contractual effect.

Robots are increasingly becoming safer and more capable. In the past, the main applications for robots have been in manufacturing, where they perform repetitive, highly accurate tasks with physical barriers that separate them from people. They have also been used in space exploration where people are not around. Due to improvements in sensors, algorithms, and design, robots are beginning to be used in other applications like materials handling, healthcare, and agriculture and will one day be ubiquitous. For this to be possible, they will need to be able to function safely in unmodelled and dynamic environments. This is especially true when working in a shared space with people. We desire for robots to interact with people in a way that is helpful and intuitive. This requires that the robots both act predictably and be able to predict short-term human intent. We create a model for predicting short-term human intent in a collaborative furniture carrying task that a robot could use to be a more responsive and intuitive teammate. For robots to perform collaborative manipulation tasks with people naturally and efficiently, understanding and predicting human intent is necessary. We completed an exploratory study recording motion and force for 21 human dyads moving an object in tandem in a variety of tasks to better understand how they move and how their movement can be predicted. Using the previous 0.75 seconds of data, the human intent can be predicted for the next 0.25 seconds. This can then be used with a robot in real applications. We also show that force data is not required to predict human intent. We show how the prediction data works in real-time, demonstrating that past motion alone can be used to predict short-term human intent. We show this with human-human dyads and a human-robot dyad. Finally, we imagine that soft robots will be common in human-robot interaction. We present work on controlling soft, pneumatically-actuated, inflatable robots. These soft robots have less inertia than traditional robots but a high power density which allows them to operate in proximity to people. They can, however, be difficult to control. We developed a neural net model to use for control of our soft robot. We have shown that we can predict human intent in a human-robot dyad which is an important goal in physical human-robot interaction and will allow robots to co-manipulate objects with humans in an intelligent way.