This thesis aims to study the relations between Turkey and Russia in the post-Soviet era by focusing on the nature of economic interdependence between these countries. Focusing on the energy, trade, tourism and investment sectors, the thesis evaluates the interaction between the political and economic factors in the relations between Turkey and the Russian Federation. Contrary to the general view which claims that the historically conflictual relations between these two countries have been replaced by more cooperative economic and political relations, the thesis argues that these relations are characterized by both cooperation and conflict due to the complex nature of their interdependence. In this sense, there is always a potential for tensions in these relations due to the strategic role of economic relations between Turkey and Russia. Following the introduction chapter, the second chapter examines the historical background of Turkish-Russian relations until the end of the Soviet era in 1991. The third and fourth chapters analyze the Yeltsin and Putin periods in Turkish-Russian relations by exploring the limits of economic interdependence in four main sectors of economic transaction / trade, energy, investment and tourism. The last chapter is the conclusion.

Humanitarian intervention is a concept that generates several problems in our time. The idea of humanitarian intervention concerns the modern norms of sovereignty and noninterventional principals. It also concerns the conventional norm, which declares that states are not allowed to interfere in other states’ internal affairs. The use of military force to implement humanitarian intervention is restricted according to international law. This is what this thesis intends to investigate. The purpose was to find out the causes behind the intervention in Libya, which was carried out by NATO. The main questions were (1) to find out if the intervention in Libya was a humanitarian intervention (2) or if there were other motives that were behind the intervention. Two classical international relations theories have been utilized for the analysis. The analysis focused on the five UN Security Council members’ statements and arguments, which have been expressed in the UN Security Council. This issue created a gap between the members of the Security Council, especially between the Western states and the Russian and Chinese authorities

This dissertation examined individual and joint storytelling as a communicative process to explore relational turbulence about stressful events. Response to change in romantic relationships inherently involves a degree of instability as individuals alter their thoughts and actions. The instability and chaos that results when transitions impact interpersonal relationships is relational turbulence (e.g., Knobloch & Solomon, 2004). The theoretical focus is the relational turbulence model (RTM) that serves to illustrate the ambiguity and complexity embedded in relationship experiences and the negotiation of behavior. Examination of stories showcased the representational relational state (i.e., uncertainty) and cognitive activities (i.e., partner interdependence) present in the relationship. First, the dissertation further positioned the influence turbulence has on individual and relational communication to negotiate discomfort, negative emotions, and difficulties that ensued during transitions. Second, this study examined expressions individuals chose to highlight, through storytelling, that apply to relational turbulence mechanisms: relational uncertainty and interdependence. Third, this dissertation examined identity development and/or fluctuation as a byproduct of turbulence exhibited through stories exploring another potential relational turbulence mechanism. A review of literature discussed the theoretical framework for the relational turbulence model and storytelling content and structure. The exploration of stories and storytelling was reviewed as a means for investigating RTM, followed by analysis procedures outlining individual and relational storytelling processes. Results revealed 14 transitional events categories and 23 subcategories. Additionally, qualitative themes and subthemes that emerged for relational uncertainty, partner interdependence, individual and relational identity. Results for relational uncertainty triangulated previous scholarship while also identified two new themes. Partner interdependence results indicated more specificity in forms of partner interference and facilitation. Identity emerged as a third mechanism and preliminary investigation found static and dynamic forms. Quantitative results analyzed significant correlations and comparisons between narrative completeness in individuals' and relational partners' storytelling experiences. The dissertation highlighted how relational turbulence influenced the storytelling content and structure of individual and joint stories. / text

Modern management literature highlights the importance of headquarter and country organisations working together in an interdependent fashion to improve their performance. However, empirical support for this link is scarce; moreover, the theoretical framework on the factors that may affect these relationships and the prerequisites for fostering them is limited. Current literature highlights the importance of high levels of interdependency between HQs and subsidiaries for the performance of the subsidiary, but a direct relationship has not been established. In this research, the link between headquarter-subsidiary interdependence and subsidiary-level performance is empirically probed and explored, using a longitudinal, multi-method approach that combines quantitative and qualitative data. Responses to surveys from 53 marketing and business managers are used to describe the interdependence levels, which are then combined with actual launch outcomes data for Xarelto® in their respective countries. Based on the survey results, a direct link between headquarter and subsidiary interdependence and the launch success of Xarleto® could not be established and subsidiary interdependence and uptake levels were used to select 10 countries for further explorative interviews. The results of these highlighted that, through fully collaborative and supportive headquarter subsidiary relationships, improved knowledge transfer, avoidance of duplication and leveraging of materials and expertise, product launch outcomes in the subsidiary could be enhanced. Moderators to these relationships and factors to maintain these relationships will be presented and this research and a link to network theory and social capital will be made. This research provides several practical recommendations that can be taken into consideration when planning future launches to enhance product uptake in subsidiary markets.

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of family spiritual interdependence to the well-being of elders and their family caregivers within Korean family caregiving situations. The correlation of spirituality and well-being between elders and caregivers and the actor and partner effect of spirituality on well-being were examined in terms of how family members' spirituality influences their own and partners' well-being.One hundred fifty-seven Korean elder-family caregiver dyads in Seoul, Korea participated and completed independently three spirituality instruments and four well-being instruments independently: Spiritual Perspective Scale (Reed, 1987), Self-Transcendence Scale (Reed, 1986) and Purpose in Life (Crumbaugh, 1968), Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (Radloff, 1977), Satisfaction With Life Scale (Diener, et al., 1985) and Positive And Negative Affect Schedules (Watson et al., 1988).The correlations were performed to identify whether demographic variables significantly related to study variables. Several variables regarding family and social interactions related significantly to spirituality and well-being in both elder and caregiver group.The correlations of spirituality and well-being between elders and caregivers reported that elders' spirituality significantly related to caregivers' spirituality and caregivers' well-being significantly related to elders' well-being.The actor and partner effects of spirituality on well-being between elders and caregivers were tested using the Actor-Partner-Interdependence Model (Kashy & Kenny, 2000; Kenny, 1996). The results found that there were significant actor effects. First, spiritual perspective negatively influenced their own positive affect. Self-transcendence positively predicted their own depression and negative affect. Also, Self-transcendence positively predicted their satisfaction with life and positive affect. In addition, purpose in life negatively influenced their own depression and negative affect. Purpose in life positively influenced their own satisfaction with life and positive affect.There was a significant partner affect. Self-transcendence positively predicted their partner's depression. Also, self-transcendence positively influenced their partner's positive and negative affect. There were no significant partner effects from spiritual perspective and purpose in life to well-being. These findings indicate that the health and well-being of family members may be best understood within the context that includes the spiritual dimension of caregiving, particularly the concept of self-transcendence as it relates to several well-being factors.

The primary aim of this study is to better understand the link between supportive and influential communication among individuals in romantic relationships and health behavior changes in their partners. Interdependence theory (Thibaut & Kelley, 1959) posits that individuals in relationships may interact in ways that emphasize their interconnected relationship by making behavioral transformations to align their own behavior with their partner (Kelley, 1979). In general, research suggests that behavioral transformations are associated with rewarding relationship outcomes (Rusbult & Van Lange, 2003), yet little is known about the communication climate within relationships and why individuals may engage in healthy or unhealthy behaviors for the sake of their relational partners. The present study examines how individuals make health-related transformations and how these transformations- both healthy and unhealthy- are associated with relationship quality, social support, and positive and negative social influence. Using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (Kenny, Kashy & Cook, 2006) and cross-sectional dyadic data from 169 couples, results indicate that individuals in relationships engage in healthy and unhealthy transformations for their partners and that interdependence theory assumptions can be applied to an interpersonal health communication context. Specifically, being in a supportive relationship was positively associated with health, relationship quality, and healthy behavior transformations. Social influence results were mixed. Positive social influence was associated with an individual's own health, relationship satisfaction, and their partner's health behavior transformations; negative social influence was associated with lower relationship satisfaction and commitment and more frequent unhealthy behavior transformations. Individuals who reported making healthy behavior changes for their partners experienced better relationship quality. Taken together, the results of this study highlight the importance of investigating health behaviors and communication as interdependent components of interpersonal relationships.

The role of society for the development of multinational companies’ (MNC) business has so far not attracted much scholarly attention in international marketing. Responding to recent calls for further research relating MNCs with society, the aim of this thesis is to enhance the understanding of the MNC relationship with society. Standing on the business network perspective, the theoretical view includes society in the network. Apart from business actors, the view incorporates public actors (such as governments) and civil society actors (such as Non-Governmental Organizations). Thus, contrary to earlier business network studies, the MNC relationships with non-business actors are explicitly handled as part of the business network in this thesis. For the fulfillment of the aim - understanding the MNC relationship with society - the study applies the four relationship elements knowledge, commitment, trust and legitimacy. In further developing the theoretical view, the results from the empirical and theoretical findings in the papers, along with others’ contributions in this field, have inspired the development of interdependence in relationships. Consequently, the main emphasis in the ‘Thesis Summary’ is put on a deeper theoretical discussion of the concept of interdependence. The interdependence framework maps different relationship types with business and non-business actors in business networks. The implications on the management of the different types of relationships are also further developed. The empirical study, which inspired the theoretical development, concerns a qualitative and abductive case study of a Swedish MNC’s relationships with actors from the business, public and civil society sectors in Argentina and Brazil. The study is based on 51 interviews, observations and documentation as its main data sources. It resulted in four papers, which were developed in the areas of crisis, subsidiary strategy, radical innovation and expansion to the rural ‘Base of the Pyramid’, all applying a relational perspective. The thesis has both empirical and theoretical contributions. The major empirical contribution concerns the behavior of MNCs in emerging economies in relation to society. The theoretical development contributes deeper exploration of business relationships and network perspectives in the context of society, adding a novel employment of the same.

Parents are considered to be important and indispensable stakeholders in education. Research shows that parental involvement in the education of their children is a crucial matter as it contributes directly to the learners’ academic achievement. This study intended to investigate the possible effects of parents’ literacy levels on their involvement in the education and the academic achievement of their children. Approached from a constructivist point of view, the study specifically focused on schools situated in the rural areas of the Qwa Qwa region. The rationale for choosing the particular geographical focus was that it is frequently argued that learners educated in rural environments often find themselves in disadvantaged situations since their parents are financially poor, that they lack proper formal education and thus have low literacy levels, and that they are seldom involved in their children’s education and academic achievement. In order to direct the study towards the intended purpose, a literature study was undertaken to explore the phenomena of literacy and parental involvement. Literacy, its occurrence in the South African context and how parents’ literacy levels relate to learner performance were examined. In addition, parental involvement was investigated by considering the parents’ role as primary educators and by highlighting the importance of parental involvement in terms of its benefits towards children’s education and academic performance. By means of a qualitative case study, individual and focus group interviews were conducted with purposeful selected Head of Departments (HODs), parents and learners from four conveniently selected intermediate schools in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District of the Qwa Qwa region. In total four HODs, 14 parent couples and 14 Grade 6 learners participated in the research. The results of this research show that the parents’ literacy levels indeed affect their involvement in their children’s education and academic achievement. Parents with low literacy levels appear that they want to be involved but that they find it difficult. Most parents with low literacy levels are not able to assist their children with schoolwork but depend on others, such as older siblings to assist. Furthermore the research reveals that parents do not often visit schools voluntarily but that they rather do so by invitation. However, relations between schools and parents appear to be healthy and the attitudes of parents towards their children’s education are positive. Although parents with low literacy levels cannot always assist their children with their schoolwork, they motivate and value the education of their children since they realize that education remains the vehicle for social-economic development in any society. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

Parents are considered to be important and indispensable stakeholders in education. Research shows that parental involvement in the education of their children is a crucial matter as it contributes directly to the learners’ academic achievement. This study intended to investigate the possible effects of parents’ literacy levels on their involvement in the education and the academic achievement of their children. Approached from a constructivist point of view, the study specifically focused on schools situated in the rural areas of the Qwa Qwa region. The rationale for choosing the particular geographical focus was that it is frequently argued that learners educated in rural environments often find themselves in disadvantaged situations since their parents are financially poor, that they lack proper formal education and thus have low literacy levels, and that they are seldom involved in their children’s education and academic achievement. In order to direct the study towards the intended purpose, a literature study was undertaken to explore the phenomena of literacy and parental involvement. Literacy, its occurrence in the South African context and how parents’ literacy levels relate to learner performance were examined. In addition, parental involvement was investigated by considering the parents’ role as primary educators and by highlighting the importance of parental involvement in terms of its benefits towards children’s education and academic performance. By means of a qualitative case study, individual and focus group interviews were conducted with purposeful selected Head of Departments (HODs), parents and learners from four conveniently selected intermediate schools in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District of the Qwa Qwa region. In total four HODs, 14 parent couples and 14 Grade 6 learners participated in the research. The results of this research show that the parents’ literacy levels indeed affect their involvement in their children’s education and academic achievement. Parents with low literacy levels appear that they want to be involved but that they find it difficult. Most parents with low literacy levels are not able to assist their children with schoolwork but depend on others, such as older siblings to assist. Furthermore the research reveals that parents do not often visit schools voluntarily but that they rather do so by invitation. However, relations between schools and parents appear to be healthy and the attitudes of parents towards their children’s education are positive. Although parents with low literacy levels cannot always assist their children with their schoolwork, they motivate and value the education of their children since they realize that education remains the vehicle for social-economic development in any society. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

The English-language translations of Jorge Luis Borges’s Spanish-language works undertaken by the author and Norman Di Giovanni went above and beyond what is generally perceived as acceptable in traditional Western practices. Their work, together with Borges’s thoughts on translation itself, garnered criticism from within Western Translation Studies for its rejection of the status of the original text and the blurring of the distinction between author and translator. Yet the pair’s actions and Borges’s views on translation cease to appear scandalous under the light of Buddhist philosophy, particularly through the use of the Buddhist principles that all phenomena are impermanent and interdependent. This thesis will seek to use these ideas to legitimize the actions of Borges and Di Giovanni. To do so, it will trace the history of opposing and convergent theories from Western philosophy and describe our Buddhist concepts in detail. In order to better understand Borges, it will examine the array of philosophies that influenced the writer and how they both align themselves and differ from Buddhist ideas. This thesis will end by directly applying impermanence and interdependence to the translation practices of Borges and Di Giovanni and considering what potential effect legitimacy for such practices would have on translation overall.