Forward Fast, Always/Never (Together Forever) and Shotgun Baby are three short experimental documentary films as part of the requirements for earning a Master of Fine Arts in Feature Film Production from the University of Central Florida. These films focus on the unique power of cinema and its ability to assist in healing from complex trauma. Three films were produced on an artisanal, micro-budget scale. This body of work confronts and examines the significant traumas from an abusive childhood upbringing (Shotgun Baby), the effects of misogyny in Western media on my developing filmic sensibilities (Forward Fast), and the lasting emotional distress from a recurring pattern of fractured friendships (Always/Never (Together Forever)). Home movies and personal archives are employed in a ritualistic approach to self-healing and the reframing of these narratives. This work is confrontational and deeply personal, exploring the unique power of cinema to heal complex trauma and connect audiences through a shared experience. This thesis outlines personal research with my self as the subject. These short films serve as a vehicle for catharsis and self-healing; reclaiming and reframing narratives, ultimately seeking freedom from trauma’s grasp. The style of the films are intensely personal, therefore, the following thesis mirrors a certain level of self-disclosure and diaristic framework. The findings from development to completion of three short films are all focused around transmuting pain.

Examensarbete, G3 i företagsekonomi, Ekonomihögskolan vid Linnéuniversitet, ekonomistyrning, Enterprising and business development, 2EB003, VT 2010 Författare: Anna Fransson, Alexander Tatidis och Nils-Petter Nilsson. Handledare: Marja Soila Wadman Titel: Varför hyr företag in extern personal? Bakgrund: Faktorer till varför företag hyr in extern personal från bemanningsföretag har diskuterats livligt under lågkonjunkturen som varit. Det råder delade meningar om huruvida företag säger upp personal för att istället kunna hyra dem från bemanningsföretag. Syfte: Att klargöra varför företag använder sig av bemanningsföretag och i vilka situationer.Avgränsningar: Studien kommer att beröra företag som är baserade i Växjö. Tre branscher kommer att studeras, varav två företag i varje bransch. Teorin berör arbetsrätten samt organisationsteori. Metod: En kvalitativ undersökning i form av semi- strukturerade intervjuer har genomförts på sex personer i tre olika branscher (media & PR, IT samt industri/produktion). Personerna som intervjuats är: Anne Bergstrand (SVT), Helen Gröön (Atea Logistics), Karin Korpe (Fortnox), Lena Björkqvist (VEAB), Mikael Berg (GoodRace) och Åke Blomqvist (Södra Timber). Materialet i empirin har sedan analyserats med hjälp av fördjupade teoretiska studier. Resultat och slutsatser: De främsta faktorerna till varför företag hyr in extern personal till deras verksamhet är att de köper sig en viss ansvarsfrihet. Denna ansvarsfrihet gör att verksamheterna kan agera mer flexibelt och agera bättre och snabbare på omvärldstryck. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: en fördjupad undersökning i företags förtroende till bemanningsföretagen och tillhörande personal.

Those who teach in Higher Education in the UK face with the growing internationalisation and diverse landscape of the sector as well as an obligation to provide students with opportunities for personal, professional and academic development. Whilst a great deal has been written about both internationalisation and Personal Development Planning (PDP), a structured and supported process, which is intended to enable individual students to reflect upon their learning and plan for their future (QM, 2000), relatively little is known about international students' perceptions and experiences of such development and planning. This thesis aims to explore issues that are under-represented in the literature, experiences, perceptions and meanings of personal development and PDP among international students, and cast some light· on the complexities of individuals' development and growth. It employs a broadly phenomenological perspective, attending to individual representations and understandings of a small group of culturally diverse students in one university setting, captured with the use of qualitative research methods (concept maps and interviews). Methodologically, it attends to the researcher's specific insider/outsider positioning and highlights reflexivity as the key feature of the research process. It documents the research journey in a transparent and conscious way, evidencing the methodological experimentation and the development of the researcher. This research raises key questions about uncritical application of concepts such as PDP as well as other pedagogic practices in increasingly diverse classrooms that are underpinned by Western philosophical and scholarly traditions. It challenges a narrow perspective of personal development as centred on agency, individuality, self-promotion, independence and personal achievement and gain by inviting a consideration of personal development and learning as socially constructed processes with a wider range of purposes than traditionally articulated by PDP. It also challenges the perception of international students as 'bearers of problems' and 'empty vessels' and contributes to the shift in the literature from the rhetoric of blame and deficiency to the rhetoric of resource - respectful of students' experiences and knowledge. Whilst not claiming generalisability from a small sample of participants, this project nonetheless has broader implications for researching and teaching across cultures, raising awareness of complexities of multicultural education. In this research I focus on students' ideas of personal development (PD) and personal development planning (PDP). By looking for things that support, not hinder their personal, professional, social and academic development I am able to offer some insights into students' conceptions, beliefs, experiences, hopes and aspirations and suggest ways of improving educational practice (especially in terms of PDP).

published_or_final_version / Law / Master / Master of Laws

<p><strong>Examensarbete, G3 i företagsekonomi, Ekonomihögskolan vid Linnéuniversitet, ekonomistyrning, Enterprising and business development, 2EB003, VT 201</strong>0</p><p><strong>Författare:</strong> Anna Fransson, Alexander Tatidis och Nils-Petter Nilsson.</p><p><strong>Handledare:</strong> Marja Soila Wadman</p><p><strong>Titel:</strong> Varför hyr företag in extern personal?</p><p><strong>Bakgrund</strong>: Faktorer till varför företag hyr in extern personal från bemanningsföretag har diskuterats livligt under lågkonjunkturen som varit. Det råder delade meningar om huruvida företag säger upp personal för att istället kunna hyra dem från bemanningsföretag.</p><p><strong>Syfte</strong>: Att klargöra varför företag använder sig av bemanningsföretag och i vilka situationer.Avgränsningar: Studien kommer att beröra företag som är baserade i Växjö. Tre branscher kommer att studeras, varav två företag i varje bransch. Teorin berör arbetsrätten samt organisationsteori.</p><p><strong>Metod</strong>: En kvalitativ undersökning i form av semi- strukturerade intervjuer har genomförts på sex personer i tre olika branscher (media & PR, IT samt industri/produktion). Personerna som intervjuats är: Anne Bergstrand (SVT), Helen Gröön (Atea Logistics), Karin Korpe (Fortnox), Lena Björkqvist (VEAB), Mikael Berg (GoodRace) och Åke Blomqvist (Södra Timber). Materialet i empirin har sedan analyserats med hjälp av fördjupade teoretiska studier.</p><p>Resultat och slutsatser: De främsta faktorerna till varför företag hyr in extern personal till deras verksamhet är att de köper sig en viss ansvarsfrihet. Denna ansvarsfrihet gör att verksamheterna kan agera mer flexibelt och agera bättre och snabbare på omvärldstryck.</p><p><strong>Förslag till fortsatt forskning</strong>: en fördjupad undersökning i företags förtroende till bemanningsföretagen och tillhörande personal.</p>

The effective and efficient management of personal finances is critical for everyone, particularly in a world where uncertainties prevail. Owing to continuous change, new financial challenges frequently confront individuals that culminate ultimately in uncertainties concerning individuals’ financial position and future. Having low levels of debt, an active savings and retirement plan, as well as following an expenditure plan, will lead to financial wellness, which demonstrates an active state of financial wealth. A comprehensive financial plan makes individuals attentive when dealing with financial issues, and acts as a guide when making financial decisions. Owing to insufficient financial literacy and skills, personal financial management is challenging and often results in erroneous financial decisions. Financial knowledge forms the basis for financial skills and competence, which are influenced by personal attitudes in both spending and saving. Therefore, in order to plan effectively, and control and manage financial risks and opportunities in the future, financial skills and abilities are essential. Adequate financial knowledge and skills lead to effective personal financial management and sound financial decisions in the short-term as well as in the long-term. Planning for financial independence should start as early as possible during the financial life cycle, usually at 18 years of age. Students are a rewarding market for financial institutions such as banks, insurance companies, pension funds and brokerage companies, potentially leading the way forward to establish brand-loyalty throughout adulthood. However, the lack of financial management and planning experience, as well as financial literacy and financial skills, make students particularly susceptible to the aggressive marketing tactics of financial institutions, which may be harmful to students’ financial freedom. As such, financial institutions and professionals have to gauge effective ways to convey financial knowledge and product information to a target market to deliver improved financial service as well as understand the relevant consumer behavioural aspects of a target market when developing marketing strategies. Published literature on the South African Generation Y consumer behaviour is limited and none that is focused specifically on attitudes towards personal financial planning, financial literacy and perceived personal financial management skills of the significantly sized black Generation Y cohort. This cohort is defined as individuals born between 1986 and 2005. In South Africa, Generation Y individuals accounted for 38 present of the South African population, with the black Generation Y individuals representing 83 present of this generational cohort. Additionally, the black Generation Y cohort of South Africa account for approximately 32 present of the total population, resulting in a highly salient market segment. Of particular interest to marketers and professionals, including financial institutions and those involved in financial management, especially financial planning, are those individuals attaining tertiary qualifications, and as such they are likely to enjoy higher earnings and a higher social standing, which together is likely to make them opinion leaders and trendsetters amongst their peers. The primary objective of this study was to investigate black Generation Y students’ knowledge of and attitudes towards personal financial management within the South African context. The target population, relevant to this study, was defined as full-time undergraduate black Generation Y students, aged between 18 and 24 years, enrolled at South African registered public higher education institutions (HEIs). From the sampling frame, comprising 23 registered South African public HEIs, one traditional university and one university of technology located in the Gauteng province, were selected using a judgement sampling method. A convenience sample of 400 full-time black Generation Y students, who were enrolled at these two South African HEIs during 2013, was drawn for this study. To conduct this study, a structured format was applied where lecturers of the applicable classes were contacted and permission was requested to carry out the survey. Thereafter, during the scheduled class times of the full-time undergraduate students, hand delivered self-administered questionnaires were distributed for completion, which were collected thereafter. The students’ attitudes towards personal financial planning were measured on a six-point Likert scale, whereby participants were requested to indicate the extent of their agreement/disagreement with items pertaining to personal financial planning. The students’ financial literacy was measured, using multiple-choice questions, whereby the students were asked to choose one of the four alternatives provided. The students’ perceived personal financial management skills were measured on a six-point Likert scale, whereby the participants were requested to indicate the extent of their agreement/disagreement with items pertaining to personal financial management skills. Additionally, certain demographical data were requested from the participants. The findings of this study indicate that South African black Generation Y students exhibit a positive attitude towards personal financial planning, have low levels of financial literacy and perceive themselves as being equipped with having the necessary personal financial management skills. More specifically, students’ attitudes towards estate planning were ranked the highest, whereas attitudes towards the financial planning process were raked the lowest. In terms of financial literacy, students scored the highest in general financial knowledge and the lowest in spending related financial literacy questions. Students’ perceptions towards decision-making skills were rated the highest, whereas stress management skills were rated the lowest. Insights gained from this study will help academics, government, financial institutions and other economic role players understand current black Generation Y consumers’ attitudes towards personal financial planning, their level of financial literacy and their perceived personal financial management skills. / MCom (Business Management), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2014

Over 200 railway suicides occur on the British Rail Network (BRN) every year. Research into the physical and psychological effects of this traumatic event on train drivers has been limited, and has focused very little on the mediating influence of personal factors. Kelly’s Personal Construct Psychology (PCP, 1955) was used in the current study to explore the relationship between train drivers’ views of themselves and others, and the psychological impact of witnessing a railway suicide. This was achieved through the use of repertory grid technique. Repertory grid measures of tightness of the overall construct system, level of elaboration of the self and others, construed distances between the self and others, conflict, extremity of ratings, and superordinacy were compared with participants’ scores on a measure of the psychological impact of the event (Impact of Event Scale Revised, IES-R, Weiss & Marmar, 1997). The fifteen participants in the study also completed a background information questionnaire. A content analysis of the constructs used in the repertory grids, and a thematic analysis of a follow up interview with two of the participants was also conducted. The findings indicated that most drivers experienced symptoms suggestive of a significant posttraumatic stress (PTS) reaction following the incident. For many this appeared to be short-lived, but for some the incident had longer lasting effects, and a third of the sample had been given an official diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Possibly due to the small sample size, many of the correlations did not achieve statistical significance. However, discrepancy between the self and ideal self, and the number of moral constructs employed by participants, were both positively associated with reported levels of psychological distress. The superordinacy of the traumatised construct, and the number of emotional constructs employed by participants, were both negatively associated with reported levels of psychological distress. These findings therefore gave some support to Sewell and Cromwell’s (1990) PCP model of trauma, and to the importance of emotional processing of traumatic events. The thematic analyses added information about the nature of the changes experienced by train drivers following these events, and the impact of contextual factors. The repertory grid technique proved useful in measuring the influence of personal meaning making on the impact of traumatic events. The findings suggest that drivers can best be supported clinically by reducing the discrepancy between their self after the event and their ideal self, increasing their ability to emotionally process their experience, and by giving consideration to issues such as anger and blame. Limitations of the research are presented, as well as suggestions for further research.

The purpose of personal therapy for psychologists can be understood as a method of personal and professional development (PPD) and/or in terms of help-seeking. This study aims to consider differences in the use of personal therapy among trainee clinical psychologists. It used a cross-sectional, survey design and invited all British trainees to participate. 437 trainees (25% response rate) completed measures on intrapersonal and interpersonal variables, and answered several factual questions pertaining to demographics and clinically relevant experiences. Several trainees reported experiencing childhood abuse. A large proportion had experienced therapy prior to training. These issues were explored. Discriminant analyses demonstrated that attitude to therapy for PPD and psychological flexibility were important predictors of use of personal therapy, as was emotional neglect in childhood. The potential link between difficult early experience and ability to manage internal experience was considered. Therapeutic orientation of trainee, year of training and course support were also important factors in differentiating between groups. Implications for training and PPD were discussed in terms of suggestions for courses and trainees.

Previous research has indicated the unique contribution that the interaction between looked after children and their foster carers might have on young people’s behaviour, emotional well-being and subsequent placement stability. Furthermore, there may be differences in the way in which young people and their foster carers view a typical family. Despite this, there is a noticeable absence of studies which have specifically explored the foster carer-child relationship, particularly in terms of how their individual perspectives might be negotiated within their interpersonal relationship. The current study therefore aimed to address this gap. Three foster carer-child dyads were recruited from a local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, with young people aged between 8 and 16 years. A Personal Construct Psychology (PCP) approach was adopted. Participants each completed an individual interview, facilitated by Perceiver Element Grids (PEGs; Procter, 2002) in which interpersonal construing was explored. Looked after children and their foster carers were then interviewed together to share and discuss their completed PEGs. Interview transcripts were analysed using Thematic Analysis and PCP concepts were used to analyse the interactional processes between young people and their carers. The study highlighted a shared sense of fragmentation across participants’ accounts, with both looked after children and their carers reporting a sense of inauthenticity in the way they negotiated their interpersonal relationships. Differences in the way in which ‘family’ was perceived was also highlighted, with young people expressing a sense of ambivalence regarding their desire to be integrated into their foster family, whilst also retaining a connection to their birth family. These themes were supported in their interactions and co-constructional processes. The findings are discussed in relation to the relevant literature and clinical implications. Methodological limitations and directions for future research are also presented.

Studien syftar till att ta reda på vad ett begränsat antal medarbetare upplever att de lärt sig/utvecklat efter deltagande i en värderingsorienterad personlighetsutvecklingsprocess på sin arbetsplats med avseende på självkännedom, engagemang och utveckling.Metoden har varit kvalitativa intervjuer och visst stöd av grafiska resultat som ingår i processen. Den teoretiska utgångspunkten har varit att undersöka KASAM (känslan av mening) (Antonovsky, 1991) och dess utveckling hos en liten grupp i ett företag.Resultaten i sig är tydliga, vid genomgång av intervjuerna framgår följande teman: självkännedom, relationer och kommunikation, visioner/framtid, lärande samt lednings- och gemensamma frågor. I samtliga dessa delar finns det enligt respondenterna märkbara resultat där individutvecklingen förefaller bestående medan den organisationspåverkande delen som var märkbar i början hamnat i avtagande och troligen måste underhållas på ett medvetet sätt.