This study explored the relationship between Chinese national identity and media framing and priming effect by combining the two paradigms, the literature of group identity and the discourses of media cognitive effect. Extending social identity theory (Tajfel, 1981), self-categorization theory (Turner, et al., 1987) and subjective group dynamics theory (Marques, Paez, & Abrams, 1998), the current study drew the distinction between descriptive (cognitive/perceptual) and prescriptive (affective/subjective) fit of the social norms that contributed to social identity. After deliberating the macro concept (the ascribed vs. acquired) of a national identity (Westle, 2014), as well as the social, political, economic and cultural conditions in China, the structure of Chinese national identity (CNI) were delineated by three content-based categories: the meta-structure of the ethnic-cultural (MEC), the flexible ethnic-cultural (FEC), and the civic-institutional (CI) component, with each of which possessed the dichotomy of psychological dimension. The 3×2 matrix of Chinese national identity was hypothesized to have an impact, with structural variation, on evaluative judgments of alternative media frames of stories involving international disputes in China. To maximize internal and external validity, the empirical data had been collected through an online survey experiment with a sample size of 738. The theoretically argued relationship between the CNI, media framing, and the evaluative judgment was in accordance with the results derived from a series structural equation modeling analyses.

This thesis is about the viability of meta-normative expressivism. On what I take to be the dominant conception of the view, it subscribes to two theses. First, that the meaning of sentences is to be explained in terms of the mental states these sentences conventionally express. Second, that there is a fundamental difference in the roles of the states expressed by normative sentences and the states expressed by descriptive sentences: descriptive sentences, according to expressivists, express mental states which are representational and non-motivational, while normative sentences express non-representational and motivational states. Expressivism has attracted many naturalistically inclined philosophers for its ability to explain many of the distinctive features of normative discourse and thought, without adding entities to our ontology that are metaphysically and epistemologically problematic. In this way, expressivism promises to preserve the legitimacy of our ordinary normative practice within a naturalistic world-view, without giving up on any of its distinctive features. Despite it’s benefits, expressivism also faces significant problems. While one of these problems, the Frege-Geach Problem, has attracted a lot of attention, there are several other problems that have not been sufficiently addressed by . But, given that the reasonable assumption that the plausibility of philosophical theories needs to be assessed holistically, it seems that one should pay attention to these problems to be able to assess expressivism’s overall plausibility. In this thesis I explain how expressivists can solve two of these problems. The first problem the dissertation is concerned with is the normative attitude problem. This is a dilemma based on the challenge that expressivists need to give an account of the nature of the attitude that normative thinking consists in. The dilemma is then that expressivists could either do this by holding that normative thinking consists in sui generis attitudes, which is uninformative and potentially in conflict with naturalism, or by holding that normative thinking reduces to attitudes fully describable in non-normative terms, which is in conflict with our intuitions about normative thinking. I argue that this dilemma is structurally identical to a dilemma which meta-normative representationalism faces (expressivism’s dialectical rival) and that expressivists can use the same theoretical resources to address the normative attitude problem meta-normative representationalists have used to address their version of the dilemma. I also argue that these resources will not only help more traditional versions of expressivism, according to which normative thinking reduces to familiar kinds of attitudes fully describable in non-normative terms, but opens up the possibility of an expressivist view according to which normative thinking consists in sui generis attitudes. The second problem I consider is a challenge to a particular expressivist project: quasi-realism. Part of this project is to show that expressivism is compatible with a web of closely connected assumptions, namely, that normative thought and discourse are truth-apt and normative judgements are beliefs. While quasi-realists have made some progress in this direction, there is one relevant phenomenon that has so far been neglected, namely, those uses of that-clauses that are associated with propositional content. This is a problematic neglect, because that-clauses figure prominently in platitudes characterizing our ordinary notions of “truth-aptitude” and “belief ”, and so expressivists need to provide a plausible account of these uses of that-clauses which fits with their allowing that normative thought and discourse are truth-apt and normative judgements are beliefs. I address this challenge as follows: I first remove any worries that one might have that a plausible account of that-clauses that helps the quasi-realist could be given, by introducing the distinction between semantics and meta-semantics and locating expressivism at the level of metasemantics. I then develop a deflationist view of that-clauses which suits the quasi-realist’s purposes. I start by giving such a view for the use of that-clauses in meaning-attributions by expanding on the work of Wilfried Sellars. I then go on to explain how the account can be generalized to the use of that-clauses in belief-attributions and propositional attitude ascriptions more generally, in a way that allows expressivists to say that normative judgements are beliefs.

Le paradigme des auto-prophéties est abordé sous l'angle de la théorie de la dissonance cognitive. Prédire son comportement rendrait accessible deux éléments de pensée potentiellement contradictoires. D'une part, les croyances normatives associées au comportement qui relèvent du prescriptif, d'autre part, le comportement passé transgressif. Un individu n'agissant pas en accord avec son système de croyances serait sujet à une inconsistance cognitive génératrice de dissonance. En prédisant son comportement cet individu prendrait conscience qu'il n'agit pas toujours comme il le devrait. Cette thèse comprend 6 expériences (N=788). Nous testons les effets de la réalisation d'une prédiction sur le recyclage des déchets. Le recyclage est perçu comme un comportement normatif auprès d'une population universitaire (expérience 1). Les auto-prophéties réalisées en contexte de libre-choix et en l'absence de fausse attribution amènent les participants à exprimer une attitude favorable au recyclage (expérience 2). Nous montrons qu'une prédiction est source d'inconfort psychologique uniquement en contexte de libre-choix (expérience 3) et lorsque l'habitude de recycler est faible (expérience 4). Les croyances normatives sont également impliquées dans le processus de dissonance et médiatisent l'effet de l'habitude sur l'inconfort psychologique (expérience 5). La justification du comportement passé, qui est un mode de réduction de la dissonance, réduit l'inconfort psychologique en situation de prédiction (expérience 6). Nous proposons des pistes de recherches ainsi que des applications possibles au paradigme des auto-prophéties. / Paradigm of self-prophecies is discussed under the cognitive dissonance theory. Predict his behavior would make accessible two potentially contradictory elements of thought. Firslty, normative beliefs associated with behavior that fall within the prescriptive, on the other hand, the transgressive past behavior. An individual not acting in accordance with his belief system, would be subject to a cognitive inconsistency that generates dissonance. By predicting his behavior this individual would realize that he does not always act as they should. This thesis includes six experiments (N=788). We test the effects of performing a prediction on waste recycling. Recycling is perceived as normative behavior near university population (experiment 1). Self-prophecies realized in a free-choice context and in the absence of misattribution bring the participants to express a favorable attitude for recycling (experiment 2). We show that a prediction is a source of psychological discomfort only in a free-choice context (experiment 3) and when habit of recycling is low (experiment 4). Normative beliefs are also involved in the dissonance process and mediate the effect of habit on psychological discomfort (experiment 5). The justification of past behavior, which is a mode of dissonance reduction, reduced psychological discomfort in situation of prediction (experiment 6). We propose tracks of research and possible applications to the paradigm of self-prophecies.

Customer's ever increasing bargaining power makes it particularly important that practitioners and researchers more thoroughly understand the complex nature of customer commitment. Not surprisingly, however, although the construct of commitment has emerged as one of the key constructs in relationship marketing and has been widely studied in literature, there has been very little agreement on the conceptualisation of the construct. Building upon relationship marketing and organisational behaviour literature, the aim of this research is to extend our understanding of the nature of customer commitment by developing a three-dimensional customer commitment model relaying on commitment theory from the organisational behaviour literature; affective desire-based (AC), calculative cost-based (CC), and normative obligation-based (NC). Relationships among the commitment dimensions and relationships with a number of loyalty relational outcomes, namely, intention to stay (ITS), word of mouth (WOM), and willingness to pay (WTP) were investigated in this study. Using survey questionnaire distributed among customers of cell phone services (N=525), the data was analysed by structural equation modeling (SEM) and then additional analysis was employed to further demystify the complexity of the commitment concept. The results suggest that AC is the dominant source that generates customer loyalty, in line with the state of literature. Both cost-based and surprisingly obligation-based have shown detrimental effects on maintaining and developing the customer-service provider relationship. Additional analysis with various scenarios was implemented using mean split as cut score for high/low commitment dimensions. The findings suggest NC turns to have important positive role on relational outcomes when both AC and CC are below the mean split. When both AC and CC are high NC negatively affect at least ITS but at the same time make a clear positive effect on WTP. The findings can be instructional for identifying how firms can bend various marketing sources to secure more loyal customers to the service provider.

Fictions written between 1939 and 2005 by indigenous and white (post)colonial women writers who emerge from an African/European cultural experience form the focus of this study. Their voyages into the European diasporic space in Africa within the context of their texts are important since they speak of how African women's literature develops from, and is situated in relation to colonialism. African literature constitutes one facet of the new literatures in English from formerly colonised countries. However, the accomplishments of indigenous writer Grace Ogot are eclipsed by the critical acclaim received by her male counterparts, whilst Elspeth Huxley, Barbara Kimenye and Marjorie Oludhe Macgoye, who emanate from Western culture but adopt an African perspective, are not accommodated by the `expatriate literature' genre. Hence, indigenous and white (post)colonial women's narratives by authors issuing from an African/European cultural experience are brought together to foreground European influence as an apparent phenomenon common to both categorieso f writers, with consequencesfo r the representation of gender, identity, culture and the `Other'. The selected texts are set in Kenya and Uganda, and a main concern is with the extent to which the works are impacted upon by setting and intercultural influences. However, this thesis argues that the `African' woman's creation of textuality is at once the formulation and expression of female individualities and a transgression of boundaries. Furthermore, Kimenye and Macgoye's children's literature illustrates the representation and configuration of a voice and identity for the female `Other' and writer, which enables a re-negotiation of identity and subsequently a crossing of borders. No critical study combines indigenous and white settler women's fiction written from an African perspective and therefore this study extends current scholarly knowledge. Whilst the combination of texts together with the disparate (post)colonial backgrounds is unique, the study of Kimenye and Macgoye's African children's narratives in particular breaks new ground since there is currently no critical comparative study pertaining to indigenous and white postcolonial women's children's literature with an African perspective

Inspiré de la jurisprudence administrative, le contrôle des incompétences négatives est l’un des contentieux les plus mobilisés par le Conseil constitutionnel. Dès la première censure prononcée en 1967, le juge constitutionnel s’est « approprié » les incompétences négatives en s’écartant des classifications traditionnelles du droit administratif et en utilisant ce contentieux bien au-delà de la répartition des compétences. Aujourd’hui, il s’agit davantage d’un contrôle du fond de la loi que de sa forme. Se pose alors la question de savoir pourquoi le Conseil refuse d’accueillir les demandes fondées sur l’incompétence négative – exclusivement – dans le cadre des questions prioritaires de constitutionnalité. En réalité, les incompétences négatives ont une qualité essentielle : elles permettent de réaliser un contrôle effectif des omissions législatives, de renforcer la protection des droits et libertés, sans jamais avoir l’apparence de le faire. / Inspired by the administrative’s case law, control of the « incompétence négative » is one of the most mobilized by the Constitutional Council. From the first censure pronounced in 1967, the constitutional Council "appropriated" this notion by departing from the traditional classifications of administrative law and use this concept well beyond the distribution of powers. Today, it is more of a substance check of the law than a formal control. This raises the question of why the judge refuses to accommodate requests based on the « incompétence négative » - exclusively - as part of the priority preliminaryruling on the issue of constitutionality. In fact, this notion has an essential quality: it allow to achieve an effective control of legislative’s omissions, to strengthen the protection of rights and freedoms without ever having the appearance of doing so.

Studiens syfte är att undersöka vilka uppfattningar om kvinnligt och manligt i medier som finns bland elever i årskurs 4–6. Detta eftersom det i och med den senaste läroplanen, Läroplan för grundskola, förskoleklassen och fritidshemmet 2011, i samhällskunskapsämnets kursplan inte längre enbart handlar om att fostra demokratiska samhällsmedborgare. Samhällskunskapsläraren ska nu även undervisa om ”hur könsroller och sexualitet framställs i medier och populärkultur” (Skolverket, 2011, s. 201). Den teori som inspirerat studien är hermeneutisk fenomenologi. Dessutom är genusteori och normkritisk teori relevanta för att stödja studiens resultat. I studien deltar tjugotre elever som går i årskurs 4–6 på tre olika kommunala skolor. Genom fokusgruppsintervjuer har studien resulterat i att normativa förståelser av genus delas av deltagarna i studien och att de är medvetna om skillnaderna i hur kvinnor och män framställs i medier. De ger även uttryck för att normer kan vara begränsande. Slutsatsen som dras i studien är att det är viktigt med representation av olika samhällsgrupper i medier och att normer begränsar. Därför förespråkas ett normkritiskt förhållningssätt i skolan. / The aim of this study is to examine which perceptions of women and men in media occurs among pupils in the school years 4–6. This is because the latest curriculum in Sweden, Läroplan för grundskola, förskoleklassen och fritidshemmet 2011, the subject civics no longer only includes to educate democratic citizens. The teacher in civics is now obliged to teach about how gender roles and sexuality is presented in media and popular culture. The theory which has inspired this study is hermeneutic phenomenology. Furthermore gender theory and normative criticism theory are relevant theories to support the study’s result. Twenty-three pupils from the school years 4–6 from three different local schools participated in the study. Through interviews in focus groups the study’s result show that normative understandings of gender is shared by the participants of the study and that they are aware of the differences between how women and men are presented in media. They also give expression to how norms can be limiting. The conclusion that can be drawn from the study’s result is that it is important with representation of different society groups in media and that norms are limiting. Therefore a normative criticism approach in school is recommended.

Information technology (IT) is a key enabler of modern business practices, yet reliably effective IT systems remain a significant challenge for many organizations. The consequences when systems fail to behave as expected becomes ever-more problematic as IT dependence grows. Therefore, methods for assessing IT effectiveness and generating actionable recommendations for improvement are key drivers of success. For this reason, large organizations often adopt IT best practice frameworks such as COBIT, ITIL or ISO/IEC standards which can offer greater assurances of IT effectiveness. However smaller organizations are rarely able to adopt these frameworks due, in part, to resource constraints, and a preference to eschew authoritative practices in favour of informal guides to action. Consequently, a significant research gap is the lack of IT effectiveness approaches for organizations unable or unwilling to adopt formal IT best practice frameworks. This thesis presents an alternative norms-based approach to IT effectiveness which some organizations might find more suitable. Norms are informal beliefs (e.g. ‘using a complex password helps safeguard data’) which motivate behaviours and can often be expressed using non-technical language. We review the literature to formulate a predictive model connecting norms to IT quality. Employing a scientific methodology defensible on philosophical grounds and accepted research practices, we distil a set of IT effectiveness norms from the COBIT 4.1 IT governance framework and adapt theories of motivation to justify our assertion that IT effectiveness norms can motivate actions. Our work is signficant in its formulation of an alternative approach for assessing IT operations and improving organizational IT outcomes. Our survey instrument –validated in four studies, which include a non-profit and government organization, multiple small businesses, a large pharmaceutical company and a university –is a light-weight and reliable assessment tool. Our predictive model is able to explain 26% of observed variance, and can offer actionable and non-technical insights which can improve organizational outcomes. A norms-based approach may bring many of the same IT effectiveness benefits offered by formal IT best practices into organizations, such as small businesses, which lack the resources for their implementation. This approach may also help bridge important communication gaps between IT professionals and others in the organization by providing a different, less technical perspective for framing, assessing, diagnosing, and communicating about IT processes.

The study sought to understand the factors that contribute to effective turnaround management of State-owned Enterprises (SOEs), based on the extant determinants of successful private sector turnaround strategies. The purpose was to develop a normative framework for effective turnaround management in SOEs, as well as to provide a conceptual view of the potential cohesions of turnaround strategies in public and private sector management. The study was conducted in two phases. A straw framework was developed based on the literature review, consisting of generic turnaround conceptual themes. This was supplemented by three primary strategies drawn from private sector evidence. The framework was then refined and used as a basis for analysing three published cases of turnaround in SOEs, with a pragmatic view to developing a normative framework for effective turnaround management. The theoretical underpinnings of the resource-based view (RBV) were ruminated throughout the research process, and proved to be a fairly significant enabler for enhancing competitiveness through managerial-orientated competencies, during periods of turnaround. Organisational conditions varied, rendering fluctuating impacts of the ascribed strategies. However, findings indicated that well-conceived adaptions of private sector strategies were broadly effective in improving performance in SOEs. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

This study explores how great powers not allied with the United States formulate their grand strategies in a unipolar international system. Specifically, it analyzes the strategies China and Russia have developed to deal with U.S. hegemony by examining how Moscow and Beijing have responded to American intervention in Central Asia. The study argues that China and Russia have adopted a soft balancing strategy of to indirectly balance the United States at the regional level. This strategy uses normative capabilities such as soft power, alternative institutions and regionalization to offset the overwhelming material hardware of the hegemon. The theoretical and methodological approach of this dissertation is neoclassical realism. Chinese and Russian balancing efforts against the United States are based on their domestic dynamics as well as systemic constraints. Neoclassical realism provides a bridge between the internal characteristics of states and the environment which those states are situated. Because China and Russia do not have the hardware (military or economic power) to directly challenge the United States, they must resort to their software (soft power and norms) to indirectly counter American preferences and set the agenda to obtain their own interests. Neoclassical realism maintains that soft power is an extension of hard power and a reflection of the internal makeup of states. The dissertation uses the heuristic case study method to demonstrate the efficacy of soft balancing. Such case studies help to facilitate theory construction and are not necessarily the demonstrable final say on how states behave under given contexts. Nevertheless, it finds that China and Russia have increased their soft power to counterbalance the United States in certain regions of the world, Central Asia in particular. The conclusion explains how soft balancing can be integrated into the overall balance-of-power framework to explain Chinese and Russian responses to U.S. hegemony. It also suggests that an analysis of norms and soft power should be integrated into the study of grand strategy, including both foreign policy and military doctrine.