The two major varieties of English are American and British English. In Swedish compulsory school both varieties are taught. This essay examines the preferences and attitudes of pupils in 9th grades towards the two varieties, and if there are any gender differences. Previous research has shown that pupils are becoming more and more positive towards American English than they have been in earlier studies. This essay is based on a quantitative study carried out through questionnaires handed-out to 84 9th graders. The results show that the pupils prefer American English in speaking and for educational purposes. However, British English is viewed as more intelligent, professional, beautiful and correct. These findings mostly correspond to previous research but also show some contrasting features such as pupils wanting to speak British English rather than American English. / <p>engelska</p>

This dissertation combines three contributions to the literature on the determinants of well-being and the social nature of preferences. Departures from self-centred, consumption-oriented decision making are increasingly common in economic theory and are empirically well motivated by a wide range of behavioural data from experiments, surveys, and econometric inference. The first two contributions are focused on the idea that reference levels set by others’ consumption may figure prominently in both experienced well-being and in decision making. In the first paper, the well-being question is addressed empirically through the use of self-reported life satisfaction and high-resolution census and survey data in Canada. Strong income externalities are found at multiple spatial scales after controlling for various confounding factors. The second paper explores the general equilibrium consequences of a utility function having an explicit comparison with neighbours’ consumption. The question is investigated in a model in which decision makers knowingly choose their neighbours — and hence their consumption reference level — as well as their own consumption expenditure, thereby helping to set the reference level for nearby others. For both discrete and continuous distributions of types in an economy with a heterogeneous population undergoing such endogenous formation of consumption reference groups, there exist general equilibria in which differentiation of neighbourhoods occurs endogenously. The novel welfare implications of growth in such economies are described. The final paper addresses econometric reservations about the use of subjective reports as dependent variables. The date and location of survey interviews are combined with weather and climate records to construct the random component of weather conditions experienced by respondents on the day of their interview. Standard inferences about the determinants of life satisfaction remain robust after taking into account this significant source of affective bias. / Arts, Faculty of / Vancouver School of Economics / Graduate

Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) arises as a new standard of establishing and releasing connections for vast variety of multimedia applications. The protocol may be used for voice calls, video calls, video conferencing, gaming and many more. The 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) suggests SIP as the signalling solution for 3rd generation telephony. Thereby, this purely IP-centric protocol appears as a promising alternative to older signalling systems such as H.323, SS7 or analog signals in PSTN. In contrast to them, SIP does not focus on communication with PSTN network. It is more similar to HTTP than to any of the mentioned protocols. The main standardisation body behind Session Initiation Protocol is The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). The most recent paper published on SIP is RFC 3261 [5]. Moreover, there are working groups within IETF that publish suggestions and extensions to the main standard. One of those extensions is “Caller Preferences for the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)” [1]. This document describes a set of new rules that allow a caller to express preferences about request handling in servers. They give ability to select which Uniform Resource Identifiers (URI) a request gets routed to, and to specify certain request handling directives in proxies and redirect servers. It does so by defining three new request header fields, Accept-Contact, Reject-Contact, and Request-Disposition, which specify the caller preferences. [1]. The aim of this project is to extend the existing software with caller preferences and evaluate the new functionality.

Dans le cadre des actions en responsabilité civile, la proportion de conflits résolus par le biais d’un accord à l’amiable entre les parties reste très hétérogène à travers les différents pays. L’échec des négociations entre les parties sont sources de procès dont le coût est élevé, à la fois pour l’état mais également pour les parties impliquées dans le litige. Dans cette thèse, nous utilisons unelarge panoplie de méthodes empiriques afin d’étudier les variables susceptibles d’influencer la probabilité de conciliation entre deux parties engagées dans une action en justice. Les travaux réalisés se divisent en quatre grands thèmes. Dans un premier temps, nous réalisons une méta-analyse afin d’étudier la rationalité des individus dans l’un des jeux de négociations les plus simples : lejeu de l’ultimatum. Les résultats de notre analyse montrent que les proposants agissent de manière rationnelle et anticipent correctement le comportement des répondants qui leur font face, de manière à maximiser leur profit. Consécutivementà cela, nous réalisons une méta analyse comparative des jeux de l’ultimatum et du dictateur afin d’analyser l’hypothèse d’équité selon laquelle les offres formulées dans ces deux jeux ne sont pas significativement différentes. Notre étude permet d’établir une corrélation positive entre le niveau de développement des pays et la probabilité de rejet de cette hypothèse. Dans un troisième temps, nous nous intéressons aux variables susceptibles d’influencer la probabilité de conciliation entre deux parties impliquées dans un litige prud’homal en France. La présence d’un avocat pour le demandeur lors de la phase de conciliation ainsi que l’importance de la somme en jeu dans le litige semblent exercer une influence négative sur la probabilité de conciliation. Enfin, nous réalisons une expérience en laboratoire afin d’analyser le comportement des individus qui ne souhaitent pas négocier mais y sont tout de même contraints. Les résultats de notre expérience montrent que les sujets sont plus agressifs lorsqu’ils sont contraints à négocier. Cette agressivité se traduit par des offres moins généreuses ainsi qu’un taux de rejet plus élevé. / In civil liability actions, the proportion of cases that are settled through conciliation remains very low in some countries. Negotiation failures lead to trials, the cost of which is high for both the state and the parties involved in litigation. in this thesis, we use a wide range of empirical tools to investigate the determinants that contribute to the success or failure of settlement between two parties involved in a legal action. We contribute to this topic through four original studies. We first investigate the rationality of players in one of the most simple bargaining games : the ultimatum game. For that purpose, we perform a metaanalysis of the three last decades of experimental research. Proposers’ choices, that do no match the theoretical equilibrium of the game, are found to be rationalegiven the observed behavior of responders. Subsequently, we perform a comparative meta-analysis of the ultimatum and the dictator game to investigate the “fairness hypothesis” according to which off ers in these two games are not significantly different. We find that the more developed a country, the more likely the “fairness hypothesis” is to be rejected. In a third place, we aim to identify the forces that shape decision-making in the pretrial conciliation phase of French labor courts. The results are twofold. First, conciliation is less likely when plaintiff s are assisted by a lawyer. Second, we find that the likelihood of settlement decreases as the amount at stake increases. Finally, through an original experiment, we empirically investigate the behavior of individuals who do not want to bargain, but are forced to do so. We show that individuals who are forced to bargain make less generous offers and are less likely to conciliate.

The goals of this dissertation were to determine the salient cognitive dimensions of retail image in the perceptions of consumers and the image attributes related to those dimensions. This study took advantage of multidimensional scaling techniques (MDS) to create dimensioned perceptual maps based on nonpredetermined attributes. Similarities data about five Dallas shopping centers, gathered by questionnaires from a sample (n=181) of women shoppers interviewed at the centers, were analyzed to discover the perceived dimensions of image. Similarities data were also collected on fifteen attributes previously found to be significant. MDS configurations of the attributes were compared with the retail image configuration by means of a matrix fitting technique. These comparisons categorized the attributes according to the dimensions with which they were congruent. Evaluation of these groups provided a means for identifying and naming the primary perceptual dimensions. Saliency of the perceived dimensions was tested by congruency matching respondent preferences to perceptions.

This study aims to get a better understanding of the oviposition-behaviour of the butterflyMarsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia), in the area Bälsalvret on the Island of Gotland. Thestudy may provide helpful information to aid the conservation of the species in the area andalso provide overall knowledge about the female’s preferences when it comes to choosingmicrohabitat and host plant for their eggs.The analysis of the microhabitat preference for oviposition by the Marsh Fritillary showedthat eggs were predominantly laid on large-sized host plant individuals with a warmermicroclimate; with a preference for the rosette diameter, the length and the width of the leafand the number of Succisa pratensis individuals in the vicinity. This indicates that thefemale’s priority is to place the eggs at the most optimal place for their offspring’s survivaland growth.

Today‘s changing business environment versus the change in curricula creates a potential shortfall in the competencies gained by the students who complete their degree course against the expectations of prospective future employers. The universities however endeavour to teach a tax syllabus that will equip the students with sufficient information and skills to be able to provide tax compliance on a corporate and personal level without much learning subsequent to university level. To some it would appear that the dominant guideline for universities as to what level of knowledge is required of graduates, is what is considered by regulatory bodies to be sufficient. It would follow then, that future employers may require a more technical and detailed knowledge of tax for their type of business than what the graduate would have been taught as a result of a curricula suited to professional bodies. In addition to a potential disconnect in theoretical knowledge, the dynamic working environment requires graduates to be adaptable and maintain a skill set that will aid them more than their theoretical knowledge. Using a questionnaire, data was obtained from the senior personnel employed in the tax departments of the top 30 listed companies of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (―JSE‖) in South Africa. The results showed that there is a variation between the current views and preferences of employers in respect of the theoretical tax knowledge of certain topics listed in the study, as well as in all the types of practical skills listed in the study. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Taxation / unrestricted

With all the changes and renovation in South Africa’s tax legislation, taxation is emerging as a profession in its own right. While the role and demand for tax practitioners in the market are increasing, it is uncertain what the “current” views and preferences of employers of small accounting firms are. A questionnaire was used to determine employers’ “current” views and preferences in terms of qualifications obtained by newly qualified graduates, as well as the theoretical knowledge, practical skills and personal characteristics of these newly qualified graduates. The participants were from small accounting firms that provided tax services at the time of this study. The results indicated that there was no major difference between the qualifications of the “current” employees and those the employers preferred the employees to have. However, employers demanded more newly qualified graduates who possessed the necessary qualifications. There were, however, sufficient differences between the “current” views and preferences of employers in respect of theoretical knowledge of most topics listed in the dissertation, as well as in almost all the types of practical skills listed in the study. Even in respect of personal characteristics, employers preferred newly qualified graduates to strive for a higher level of personal characteristics. The conclusion drawn in this research was that different stakeholders had different preferences. In order to provide newly qualified graduates that would satisfy the needs of future employers, all stakeholders should be taken into consideration when determining the level of theoretical knowledge, practical skills and personal characteristics that these newly qualified graduates should develop. Results indicated that there was room for improvement in order to provide better newly qualified graduates to the market who were ‘all-rounders’ in taxation. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / Taxation / unrestricted

Orientation: Currently there is much debate whether modifying traditional reward packages to focus on the preferences of multi-generations would be essential in attracting, motivating and retaining talent. Total Reward factors, Perceived Organisational Support and Perceived Supervisor Support are distinct but related concepts, and all of them appear to influence an employee’s decision to stay at an organisation. Research purpose: The objective of this study was to identify the different total reward components which multi-generations prefer as most important for retention. In essence, the study aims to establish possible relationships between multi-generations’ Total Reward components, Perceived Organisational Support (POS), and Perceived Supervisor Support (PSS). Motivation for the study: This study is useful as it conducts a contemporary retention exploration that considers both the emerging demographic workforce shift and the new paradigm shift towards talent management. An enriched understanding of retention preferences that influences organisational commitment may benefit the organisation who wants to retain their valuable talent. Research Methodology: A quantitative, cross-sectional research design with convenience sampling was used. Data were gathered from employees (N = 303) at different industry sectors in South African organisations, using the Total Reward Scale (based on WorldatWork’s total reward model) and the Perceived Organisational Support Scale (SPOS), and the Perceived Supervisor Support Scale (SoPSS). Main findings: The results showed that performance management and remuneration are considered to be the most important retention factors among multi-generation groups. The study revealed Cronbach Alpha’s of 0.82, 0.92 and 0.95 for the total reward scale, SPOS and SoPSs respectively. Differences between total reward preferences and demographical variables which include age, gender, race, industry and job level, were found. Moreover, differences between total reward preferences, Perceived Organisational Support (POS) and Perceived Supervisor Support (PSS) and demographical variables which included race, industry, job level were found. The findings of the study indicates a strong practically significant positive correlation (r (df=237, p> 0.001) = 0.298, medium effect) between Total Reward components and POS. A strong practical significant positive relationship (r (DF=233, p>0.001) = 0.250, medium effect) was found between Total Reward and PSS. The study confirmed a strong practically significant positive correlation (r (df= 230, p> 0.001= 0.662, large effect) between POS and PSS in this study. This indicates that an increased perception of organisational support can be associated with an increased perception of Supervisor Support. Multiple regression confirmed that only race groups and job level groups mediate/moderate the relationship between Total Reward and POS as well as Total Reward and PSS. Practical/managerial implications: Managers or HR practitioners should design their reward packages by taking employees preferences into account. More specifically, HR practitioners should focus on remuneration, performance management and development opportunities in order to retain scarce skills. Contribution/value additions: The study on retention preferences of different demographic groups within the South African context adds considerably to the existing body of literature. The results of the study can assist managers and HR practitioners to design effective retention strategies, while also providing crucial information for the retention and motivation of employees. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / gm2014 / Human Resource Management / unrestricted

Master of Science / Department of Human Nutrition / Valentina Remig / The use of computer-based and personal assistive technology is projected to increase as the boomer generation continues to age. Technology is infiltrating and improving the lives of older adults, including their education. This study determined older adults’ preferences toward the use of technology to learn about nutrition and health. The sample included 132 volunteer subjects, mostly female, white non-Hispanic, ranging in age from 65−92 years, recruited from local organizations, senior centers, churches, and senior apartments. All participants completed a newly developed, 32-item pilot tested questionnaire that included demographic and self-rated health characteristics, current use of technology, factors that motivate and/or influence attitudes and interest toward use of technology, and preferred formats and topics of interest for nutrition and health education information. The results indicated that, overall, these older adults self-rated their health as either excellent or good, and that those who were younger and among the higher income brackets and education levels were more likely to use computers than those who were older, with less income, and education levels. Findings also indicated that older adults were interested and willing to learn about technology, had positive attitudes toward it and showed a high demand for user-friendly programs and training. Finally, results show that although newsletters, magazines and television were mostly preferred by older adults, computers were also considered very helpful and were used to learn about nutrition and health information.