The dissertation discusses topics in environmental criminology, which is concerned with crime in relation to the environment where it occurs. The environmental approach is based upon a premise that occurrence of crime in space is neither random nor uniform. On the contrary, various types and forms of criminal activity tend to concentrate in certain places during certain times. Environmental characteristics play an important role in behaviour of individuals, hence it is possible to analyse them as one of the most important determinants of criminal behaviour. The aim of the thesis is to comprehensively introduce to the Czech and Slovak legal and criminological scholarship historical background, development and the main contemporary theoretical approaches in environmental criminology, as well as their implications and utilization in crime analysis and crime prevention. The theoretical part discusses in detail rational choice perspective, routine activity approach and crime pattern theory as an environmental meta-theory. The analytical part introduces the basics of the methods of crime mapping and geographical profiling. It also demonstrates how statistical and mapping techniques can be utilized in practice, using a set of police data concerning thefts from motor vehicles in Prague during the first...

The general aim for this research was to explore and describe the risk and protective variables in the bio–psychosocial field of adolescents with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and to describe how these variables impact multi–dimensionally on such adolescents. From the literature search it seemed as if interventions regarding CF focus mainly on the medical condition. No literature could be found on the experiences of adolescents with CF. It is clear that there is a dearth of research on adolescents with CF in general but also specifically on the bio–psychosocial impact of this illness on adolescents in this challenging time of maturing. The research design was a case study and focused on exploration and description of risk and protective factors in the bio–psychosocial fields of adolescents with CF. Semi–structured interviews were used as a data collecting method. Questions were open–ended, but focused on the experience of adolescents having CF. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis based on the following steps, which entailed among others transcribing data, reading, re–reading, translation, coding, identifying and describing themes. Facing a chronic illness and the intensive medical treatment required is a harsh reality that influences the entire field of adolescents with CF. This research results expanded knowledge of CF in adolescents within a Gestalt field perspective. Themes identified outline risk and protective factors related to faith, daily routines and especially the effect of medical procedures on time management, emotions, health and body–related aspects, frequent hospitalisation, social support and future concerns. If the risk and protective variables in the field of adolescents with CF is better understood from their own perspective, it is assumed that trans–disciplinary interventions with a multi–dimensional focus will be targeted more accurately in intervention strategies for this vulnerable group. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

The general aim for this research was to explore and describe the risk and protective variables in the bio–psychosocial field of adolescents with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and to describe how these variables impact multi–dimensionally on such adolescents. From the literature search it seemed as if interventions regarding CF focus mainly on the medical condition. No literature could be found on the experiences of adolescents with CF. It is clear that there is a dearth of research on adolescents with CF in general but also specifically on the bio–psychosocial impact of this illness on adolescents in this challenging time of maturing. The research design was a case study and focused on exploration and description of risk and protective factors in the bio–psychosocial fields of adolescents with CF. Semi–structured interviews were used as a data collecting method. Questions were open–ended, but focused on the experience of adolescents having CF. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis based on the following steps, which entailed among others transcribing data, reading, re–reading, translation, coding, identifying and describing themes. Facing a chronic illness and the intensive medical treatment required is a harsh reality that influences the entire field of adolescents with CF. This research results expanded knowledge of CF in adolescents within a Gestalt field perspective. Themes identified outline risk and protective factors related to faith, daily routines and especially the effect of medical procedures on time management, emotions, health and body–related aspects, frequent hospitalisation, social support and future concerns. If the risk and protective variables in the field of adolescents with CF is better understood from their own perspective, it is assumed that trans–disciplinary interventions with a multi–dimensional focus will be targeted more accurately in intervention strategies for this vulnerable group. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

The thesis deals with a metaphor and its place in philosophy. It engages in a concept of metaphor as a transference with a help of Aristotle, Nietzsche, Ricoeur, and others, and explores consequences which follow from such a concept in the perspective of truth conditions. Firstly, it focuses on an exploration of a nature of the metaphor with a relation to an earlier philosophical tradition. Secondly, it examines categories of similarity, reference and imagination as fundamental constituents of metaphorical utterances. Furthermore, it also re-evaluates the distinction between literal and figurative meaning and living and dead metaphors to uncover the metaphor as a creative principle of language, which is characteristic by its actualizing and approaching power.

This work scrutinises, evaluates and systematises the modern exchange rate theories. Its aim is to familiarise the reader with the concepts of expectation, Purchasing Power Parity and Interest Rate Parity, which together form the basis of the following analysis of monetary and portfolio theories of the exchange rate determination. Then, it provides a comparison of the various approaches to these theoretical frameworks with regard to their respective authors. The paper is concluded by an evaluative description of the conditions under which such theories could be applied.

The opportunity theory for crime is composed of three partial concepts. The first concept is the routine activity theory that works with a potential offender, a suitable target and a capable guardian. The opportunity for crime occurs in the moment when the offender faces the target while guardians are absent. The second concept, the rational choice perspective, is based on the idea that the offender considers benefit and risk stemming from the crime. The third concept is the crime pattern theory that focuses on the importance of time and space. This master thesis focuses on the usability of the opportunity theory for crime in the context of our current society. Although the opportunity theory for crime is nearly forty years old, this work shows that it is also applicable on cybercrime since some of the "classical" crimes moved from physical space to cyberspace. The potential offender and suitable target exist and behave similarly in cyberspace and in physical space. The difference between the two worlds is notable for the capable guardian, who does not occur randomly in the cyberspace but is embodied in the form of ever-present protection. The opportunity theory also claims that the opportunities are highly specific, they play role in causing all crime, they are influenced by technological...

Recent results from cognitive psychology suggest that human behavior can be, in some situations, better described by laws known from physical quantum theory. This work responds to this development and seeks to answer the question of how quantum models of cognition and decision-making can contribute to our understanding of the social world. We introduce the approaches to the application of quantum theory in social sciences - quantum consciousness, quantum reasoning and quantum metaphor and further develop the second, in the context of strategic interaction in game theory. We show that the quantum model corresponds to both the psychological intuition and many empirically known anomalies such as the order effect, disjunction effect, or context effect. In this work, we derive a specific model of strategic interaction between two players, and we test it in the experimental Prisoner's Dilemma game. The model is based on the rational choice theory, which is nevertheless re-defined when it is shown how the strategic choice is changed if the quantum probability (C*-algebra) is used as the underlying theory instead of classical probability (σ-algebra). The results obtained support the quantum model and showed a different representation of the game among various groups of players. The quantum model of...

In my diploma thesis I have described several management theories and concepts used in practice and illustrated them with examples from the practice. The theory does not always coincide fully with the praxis, there are rather some common points. Both the company I write about and its management system are very specific, therefore it is a very interesting example, but not generally predicative. I would be glad if this thesis could also serve as a well- arranged material for the people in our company. In the theoretical part I have treated the management theory first in general and then several particular theories or concepts which I examined more deeply. These are the manager theory, the motivation theory, critical success factors, management by objectives, knowledge management. The empirical part concerns the practical use of these theories the company of my interest. The whole thesis is thematically wide, but the extent is limited here. Therefore it does not contain whole descriptions of the theories, but rather insights and some chosen elements. Also the empirical part does not fully examine the function system of the company and the work in it, but chooses the elements corresponding with the theoretical concepts described instead.

The study deals with the problem of applicability of two anthropological theories, structural functionalism and interpretive anthropology of Clifford Geertz. By applicability is meant what concrete difference using of one or the other theory brings about in ethnography. Each of the theories is at first thoroughly examined with emphasis on its possible aims, assumptions, and consequences for an ethnographer. Then each theory is put to test in examination of one particular ethnography associated with the theory. Evans-Pritchard's The Nuer serves as an instance of structural functionalism. Clifford Geertz's Negara as an example of interpretative analysis. Structural functionalism is shown to provide an ethnographer with a much more definite guidance which contributes to better possibilities of verification and comparability of the results than interpretive anthropology. Apart from the main subject, the study is concerned with more general questions, especially related to non-existence of a paradigm in anthropology and some of its causes.

This work is analysing discrimination of ethnic minorities in the Czech labour market between the years 2000 and 2009. Differences in employment rates between immigrants and natives are investigated using the EU LFS data. The empirical part is devoted to the verification of hypotheses and assumptions. By applying both, simple statistical methods and robust regressions, we obtain consistent results confirming the discrimination against foreigners in the labour market. The examination of employment rates of the immigrants by gender shows that men have in most cases better economic position than women. Furthermore, employment of foreigners in relation to the reached level of education is monitored, indicating the discrimination of immigrant workers with college degrees. Interesting is the outcome of the investigation of the change in the data after the breakthrough in 2004, when the Czech Republic along with other Eastern and Central European countries joined the European Union. Although the differences in employment rates of foreigners and natives are mainly obvious till 2004, since 2005 foreigners' employment rates have often increased. After a closer examination, this change can be ascribed rather to changes in the composition of immigrant or in migration trends influenced by the EU accession than...