anchor academic publishing mai 2013 (42 résultats)

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Humour is a complex concept which tends to build on the ambiguity of language. When converting a humoristic program into a different language, the translator thus faces many challenges. One of these is the translation of cultural aspects of the TL (target language). Since every culture contains its unique form of humour, understanding the humour within a culture and all its cultural elements is essential to producing an adequate translation.The study at hand focuses on the translation of the British comedy-sketch show Little Britain analyzing how it has been converted from its SL (source language), which is English, to its TL, which in this study will be Spanish. It proved to be highly constructive for the purposes of this research as the humour is often very culture-specific and thus difficult to translate.For the benefit of the reader, the first part of this dissertation is going to discuss various theories of humour. Moreover, it will discuss how humour is created in the comedy sketch show Little Britain. As subtitles will be used for the analysis of the case study, limitations and constraints will be discussed as the translator cannot merely focus on the linguistic features and possible problems like she/he would do in any other form of translation.Using Attardo s theory (1994), the study aims to explore aspects that create difficulties during the translation process, always in relation to humour that is seen in a comedy sketch show. It explores the translation of humour, examining potential problems that translators need to overcome and expands on this by investigating the difficulties that arise when translating culture-specific issues. In addition, as this is an audiovisual translation, potential problems that become relevant in the case study are highlighted.The study highlights the difficulties a translator faces within the process and, where relevant, possible alternative strategies that the translator could have applied in the translation process. 52 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Harriet Beecher Stowe s novel Uncle Tom s Cabin, was one of the most controversial books, published in 1851/52 and put the debate on slavery more strongly in the center of public attention. It had great influence on other writers at that time. This paper deals with the writing and the publishing of Stowe s masterpiece and the comparison with its most popular stage adaptation by George L. Aiken. Similarities as well as differences will be presented as far as the structure, the characters and the themes are concerned. 60 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This study will compare the USSR and the United States according to their cinematic use of science fiction in the late 1950s and 1960s in order to coincide with the period of de-Stalinisation and thaw in the USSR, and late McCarthyism in the United States. The genre provides an opportunity to express the two powers' scientific stand-off through fiction, and serves as a vehicle for the dissemination of ideas and propaganda. Post-1956 marks the time when the period of de-Stalinisation officially began and science fiction saw a carefully crafted rebirth for it served as a tool that could reflect the socialist ideal and quasi-religious faith in science that was promoted by the party. Science fiction uniquely demands for an imaginative view of the future, and therefore, corresponds with the Marxist- Leninist future-oriented ideology. For this period, the themes for American science fiction are hyperbolised monsters and invasion, and reflect the fear of the otherness of the Soviet Union, and its threat on domestic ideals. These themes are reflected in movies as 'Angry Red Planet', and 'Them!'.On the other hand, Soviet science fiction movies focus on the heroic Soviet man who frequently receives calls for help from outer space, and overcomes great trials to save those not living in utopia. This storyline is represented in 'Towards a Dream', and 'The Sky is calling'. The author gives special attention to the Soviet movie 'The Sky is calling' and the subsequent redubbed American version 'Battle beyond the Sun'. Further, she addresses alterations or plot, and subtle propaganda messages in the Soviet movies 'Planet of Storms', and the Hollywood remake 'Journey to the Prehistoric Planet'. 44 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Female crime writers were not always given the same recognition as today. Edgar Allan Poe s detective story The Murders in the Rue Morgue', written in 1841, is regarded as the beginning of the detective genre. In the following years, the genre was typically dominated by male authors. Since then considerable progress has been made, and female authors have created a very individual way of writing detective novels. However, experts still disagree on a clear definition of the female crime novel. The present study hopes to gain further insight into female detective novels coming from the USA and Great Britain. After giving basic information on the history of female detective novels and the ideal crime scheme, the study analyses the characteristics of female detective novels as opposed to male detective novels and the appeal of detective novels for women writers. Although female detective novels are not a separate sub-genre but rather a separate field within the genre of detective novels, women have given the genre new impulses. 40 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Throughout human history there may hardly be found any other single decision that still causes such high amounts of scholarly debate as does the dropping of Atomic Bombs upon the Japanese city of Hiroshima in August 6th 1945, and respectively, three days later upon the city of Nagasaki. These events have caused close to 100 000 casualties in the civilian population, and yet, it does not include all of those persons who would later succumb to radiation sickness or severe birth deformations. Historians still debate the alleged plurality of motives underlying this momentous decision. The debate's result is a polarized scholarly discord which by now virtually abounds in a multitude of different theories, and competing suppositions. On the one hand, there are those scholars who argue that the decision rested solely on grounds of military expediency, foremost on the necessity to shorten a gruelling war, and to save the lives of American soldiers. On the other hand, historians offer the explanation that American policy makers above all wanted to exhibit their country's enormous military potency, and therefore, Hiroshima and Nagasaki should demonstrate the vast destructive potential which presently solely the United States had at its command, and so, counter post-war ambitions of the Soviet Union.The author of this study analyses the contextual circumstances in the spring and summer of 1945, and moreover, the principal motives of the key American government officials. Accordingly, the author offers his own substantive and conclusive answer to the question that concerns the primary factors and/or ostensibly ulterior motives that led American decision makers to issue the consequential order to detonate Atomic Bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. First and foremost, the findings rest upon a critical and comprehensive engagement, and are based on the available documentary evidence from this time. 68 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -In 1996, David Foster Wallace published his second major novel 'Infinite Jest' that changed not only our understanding of what literature can do but, also the way we read literature. Despite its age, the book has not lost a single bit of its fascination, its actuality, and its academic appeal.With its hundreds of characters, thousands of pages, hundreds of endnotes and myriads of different perspectives, sub-plots, and narrative digressions, 'Infinite Jest' was, and still is, an extraordinary challenge for its readers as well as literary critics.One interesting question related to Wallace's work is to what extent readers are able to establish, and defend their own way of approaching literature, their natural reading habits, their personal boundaries, and their readerly authority that are challenged by their discourse with the book. The author shows in how far the reader of 'Infinite Jest' has to get involved in this work of play, how it affects the way they read the book, and how the idiosyncratic reading experience finally becomes an integral part of the whole book itself. 52 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -It is difficult to approach a question on the negativity of Nietzsche s philosophy without a degree of prejudice. Nietzsche, considerably more than most philosophers, has permeated Western popular culture to the extent that his name entails specific, negative connotations even to the layman. Although, this is perhaps in part due to an unfair association with Hitler, claims that Nietzsche promotes an inherently negative philosophy are present even in academic treatments. It is among such academics that the most serious accusation against Nietzsche arises; namely that of Nietzsche being a nihilist. While accusations related to Nazism can relatively easily be refuted, other accusations are not quite as unfounded: Nietzsche encouraged strength and power; he called himself an immoralist ; he rejected democracy and human equality; he promoted the notion of an Übermensch ; and he did encourage nihilism.The author discusses these negative associations in terms of Nietzsche's philosophy. He exposes this common fallacy by interpreting the various elements of Nietzsche s ethics in the context of his philosophy as a whole. 48 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Given the dynamic of today s business environments, more and more established companies attempt to promote entrepreneurship within their organizational boundaries to preserve and reinforce the innovativeness and flexibility from which many young enterprises benefit and so enhance their competitiveness and economic viability. The strategy pursued by them is called a corporate entrepreneurship strategy. This book gives answers on the question of how an organization can strengthen the entrepreneurial mindset and behavior of its employees with the help of appropriate human resource management practices. A variety of options to encourage entrepreneurial activities is provided. In the course of a theoretical analysis, beneficial employee characteristics and behaviors for the pursuance of a corporate entrepreneurial strategy are derived. In order to provide additional insights into how organizations promote the application of such a strategy in practice, this book also includes some revealing interviews with experts from companies successfully pursuing a corporate entrepreneurship strategy. 64 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -It is widely acknowledged that family factors have a decisive impact on children s opportunities in life. Following its landslide victory in 1997, New Labour initiated Sure Start, a cross-departmental programme intended to combat child poverty and social inequality by providing comprehensive family-centred services to children in pre-school age and their families. First evidence, however, points to significant difficulties in reaching minority ethnic families. This paper seeks to explore conditions for engaging effectively with minority ethnic families in Sure Start Children s Centres. Effective engagement is defined as provision which is accessible to as well as inclusive of users and has positive outcomes measured against policy, practitioner and user objectives. Given the significant diversity of ethnic groups and limitations of previous research, existing evidence on ethnicity and Early Years provision is complemented by findings of a case study on the experience of Somali parents in a South London Community. It will be argued that Children s Centres potential for effective engagement can be enhanced through a) considering individual/ethno-specific factors as well as regulatory and physical contexts in service design; b) well-trained staff and adequate resourcing; and c) actively involving parents in service planning, delivery and evaluation. It will also be suggested that the ability to offer inclusive services is constrained by systemic tensions arising from the rapid expansion of service provision and the underlying target and performance management model. 52 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -With an average annual rainfall of less than 240 mm, Pakistan is one of the most arid countries in the world. Every year, during the monsoon season from July to September, Pakistan experiences heavy rainfalls. However, this year the substantial amount of unexpected monsoon rainfall resulted in heavy floods as a consequence of the absence of adequate infrastructure (dams, barrages, reservoirs).The heavy rainfall started in the last week of July 2010, and continued for days in the regions of Balochistan, followed closely by a second spell in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). The rain continued until the first few days of August 2010, causing tremendous damage to both property and lives. The heavy rainfall flooded the already flooded rivers and streams, causing the river banks to burst. The flood water started causing destruction in KPK, and continued its journey towards Punjab and Sindh.The floods in Pakistan have had an impact on all the sectors of the economy. Handling these problems would require a model that could simultaneously capture the major relations among different sectors of the economy, and thereby, trace through the indirect and secondary effects on the economy. The model used to calculate the impact is subjected to a number of simulations that are run on E-views. In this study, the author uses a model that reports clearly what Pakistan will face in terms of production loss and recovery. The results are assessed on the basis of past data and the current situation in the country. The author's main purpose is to define the costs Pakistan faces in such a situation, and further, to develop policy recommendations. 64 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This text begins with an intense study of how changes are viewed within a business from three points of view. This study involved surveys and interviews involving employees, managers, and leaders (or upper management). The information that resulted from these sources were compiled and analyzed. Then the various forms of change management and change leadership theories were explored to produce a new model to provide a successful means to achieve successful changes within the workplace. This new model combines effective forms of both change management and change leadership into a single comprehensive, adaptive, and simple pathway which can be used to eliminate employee resistance before it even begins giving your change efforts a greater chance to succeed with its implementation. This method also improves the ability to sustain the change. This process also makes it possible to make adjustments to the original plan so that the best solution possible can be applied within the workforce, thus improving the competitive advantage you would gain from the change even further. 52 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -One renowned and frequently researched anomaly over the last two decades is the weather effect, more precisely, the impact of weather on stock market returns. The extensive literature on the weather effect fails to converge towards a unique, systematic and robust relationship between the weather, and the stock market. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to explain the contradictory results in the literature by testing whether stock prices are affected by the weather in a significantly different manner depending on the level of market development, and explaining how this difference behaves over time. In order to test for this, city-by-city, pooled and binary regressions are employed using data of 10 developed, and 10 emerging countries over the period 1996-2011 by using two different means of seasonal adjustment. 56 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Eurobarometer shared recently that 41% of the EU citizens get their main information on European topics from daily newspapers. This is also the case for those citizens who decided on the adaption of the Lisbon treaty in the two nationwide referendums, in Ireland. But, as many media researchers showed, news coverage is biased. However, it has to be biased for it is simply not possible to report the entire reality in one article. One aspect of news bias is known under the term framing. Framing leads readers to think in a certain direction for journalists underline certain aspects in a news story, and usually, cover a story only from one angle. Therefore, the journalist's angle can have a high influence on the reader's opinion.The study follows these hints and examines the news coverage before the two Irish referendums on the Lisbon treaty took place. Applying a content and framing analysis of the two most selling Irish newspapers, namely 'the Irish Times' and 'the Irish Independent', it aims to make statements about the framing of the treaty in the news, and gives evidence to the informative value of the title. 48 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -The lack of compliance and enforcement of agricultural chemical use legislation in Tanzania has raised concerns due to the significant environmental and public health threats that result from the unregulated discharge of industrial effluents. The utilization of the Table of Eleven tool, a behaviour-analysis model providing insight into the level of legislative compliance, makes it possible to explore motives that encourage farmers to comply with, or violate, the existing agricultural chemical use legislation. This paper discusses how the application of the Table of Eleven tool has enabled the government of Tanzania to reveal strong and weak points pertaining to the compliance and enforcement of the agricultural chemical use legislation. As a result, it is clear that more attention is needed to improve comprehension of the legislation and to increase the use of incentives and economic instruments. Future steps should include applying this knowledge to the development of environmental indicators. 76 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Why do small caps achieve higher risk-adjusted yields than large caps Why do stock prices increase or decrease upon an index entry respectively deletion Why does January records higher yields than the remaining months of the year These as well as other observed capital market anomalies or phenomena could be insufficiently explained by the classical capital market theory, which proceeds on the assumptions that all correspondent information are reflected in the stock prices, all negative effects are directly balanced on the market level and that efficiency of arbitrage principle exists as well as that all market participants act rationally (i.e. optimizing their benefits in the sense of the homo economicus). This motivated some economists and psychologists to include behavioural scientific findings in their research of the influences on the formation of prices on the capital market. In the 1980s the theory of Behavioural Finance was developed, which challenges the homo economicus. Researchers came to the conclusion that humans are not only acting rational, but that they are also influenced by emotions, knowledge and experiences. This new scientific behavioural oriented theory, which is today a separate branch of research, contradicts the classical capital market theory and supplies explanations for the observed phenomena on the capital market.The aim of this book is to demonstrate how human behaviour influences the development on the capital market and how Behavioural Finance serves as an explanation for the empirically observed capital market anomalies.This book begins with the introduction of the theoretical basis of Behavioural Finance and its emergence; tasks as well as aims will be explained in detail. Subsequently, human s heuristics as well as anomalies and irrationalities in their decision making process will be demonstrated. In the third chapter, the capital market anomalies or phenomena as well as the irrational and behavioural reasons for their existence will be described. The fourth chapter covers empirical evidence for their existence as well as for the insufficient explanatory power of the classical capital market theory. Concluding a critical acclaim, target achievements and perspectives concerning Behavioural Finance will be given. 84 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -In the following study, I am going to present a short survey of the hedge fund industry, its regulation and the existent hedge fund strategies. Statistical arbitrage in particular is explained in further detail, and major performance measurement ratios are presented. In the second part, I am going to introduce a semi-variance model for statistical arbitrage. The model is compared to the standard Garch model, which is often used in daily option trading, derivate pricing and risk management. As investment returns are not equally distributed over time, sources for statistical arbitrage occur. The semi-variance model takes skewness into account and provides higher returns at lower volatility than the Garch model. The concept is aimed to be a synopsis of mean reversion and chart pattern detection. The computer model is generated with respect to Brownian motion and technical analysis and provides significant returns to the investment. While the market efficiency hypothesis states the impossibility of long-term arbitrage opportunities, market anomalies outstand significantly. Connecting both elements creates a profitable trading system. The combination of both approaches delivers a sensible hedge fund concept. The out-of-sample backtest verifies out-performance and implies the need for further research in the area of higher moment CAPM and additional market timing strategies as sources of statistical arbitrage. 56 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Power shifts happened several times throughout history, but they do not occur frequently and are often connected with the use of force. Presently, there is a power shift from the western industrialized states, e.g., from member states of the European Union (EU), to Asian states, in particular China. However, in spite of this growth, it is disputed to what extent the rise of these economies already transcended into power and how it will develop in the future.What is clear by now is that the recent global financial and economic crisis was the worst one in post World War II history. The crisis emerged in the United States and then spread to the EU and to other countries. It led to quickly rising public debt levels in western industrialized states.During this time, states like China or India extended their participation within global economic governance foras, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) or the G20. This raises the question of how the power of the European Union within these international institutions was affected by the crisis The purpose of this publication is to research this question.Consequently, the examination is situated within the domain of the global financial and economic crisis, the shift of power and the power of the EU in international institutions. In order to give an answer to the above stated question, the power shift in international institutions during the time of crisis is to be assessed. The IMF and the G20 are analyzed in depth in order to shed light on the topic. The results then help to identify the trend of EU power. 72 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -For half a century, the European Union has delivered peace, prosperity and stability. Fostering economic cooperation has been one of its main incentives. As a result, the conflicts among economically independent countries have reduced. Nowadays, the European Union is no longer only a partnership of countries, but also a single market. Another result of the globalization which is related to the free movement of goods, services, people and capital is the risen standard of living. When aiming to create one strong and competitive economic area, the first step has to be to reach equal standards among all countries. This means to support and help disadvantaged countries to develop and reduce their deficits but also to ensure sustainable growth without limiting the opportunities for future plans. One of the keys to successful and sound growth without restricting future possibilities is trans-national cooperation. In terms of competition, the only aim is to be more productive and generate more added values. Within international cooperation, every participant can benefit from knowledge or expertise exchange and learn more about cultural diversity. 82 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Aspect-oriented-programming is a relatively new technique that has evolved on top of the already well-established approach of object-oriented programming. When it is used correctly, it promises to remove many redundant parts of a code that appear repeatedly in an application, essentially untangling the original code. Thus, it can lead to a cleaner, more separated software design, to greater modularity and maintainability. Time-savings in software engineering can also be huge cost-savings, and anything that increases software quality is a welcome sight in an industry that in parts, still suffers from a bad reputation concerning the quality of its products. But, used in the wrong way or with insufficient knowledge, aspect-oriented programming can result in the opposite. Unintended side effects may introduce new bugs into an application, and therefore, it may be just one of the many negative consequences.In any case, there is a huge lack of empirical research on the subject, and in software engineering in general. Due to that fact, the question arises in how far hard facts can be drawn. This book deals with part of that problem by evaluating the aspect-oriented approach in a carefully designed and controlled experiment. On the basis of different tasks that were solved by participants of this study, the aspect-oriented approach (represented by AspectJ) is compared with a plain object-oriented approach (represented by Java). The book starts with an introduction to the topic, and further, it provides on the one hand, the survey s motivation and on the other hand, some background information. A short chapter on aspect-oriented programming and empirical research may help readers who are unfamiliar with any of the subjects. Then, the survey itself is described in detail, i.e. its design, its implementation, and its evaluation, followed by a thorough discussion of the results. And the answer to the question Can aspect-orientated programming keep its promise in productivity is given. 100 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Companies that do not adapt to the new global realities will become victims of those that do. In this quote Theodor Levitt, a former professor at the Harvard Business School, points out that companies all over the world need to deal with a process which has changed the way they carry on a business in many ways. The process, namely globalisation, takes advantages as well as disadvantages, not only for the business world but also for the individual. The importance to face globalisation has always been there but, it has increased with the evolving stages of globalisation. Ever since this process started, companies have tried to derive advantage from globalisation while at the same time they had to deal with the disadvantages. For marketers in particular, this process seems to offer a lot of potential for the exploration of new markets and customers. However, the questions determining the success or failure of a marketing campaign are more complex than in domestic marketing. Accordingly, the terms international and global marketing are strongly connected to globalisation, and have become a key factor for the success of companies. Corporations that want belong to these successful multi-national companies (MNC), or global players certainly have to deal with the different issues that come along with marketing products in other countries. These can have a significant impact on international operations but also on the overall performance of a company.Since a company s approach to these issues determines the success or failure in marketing a product abroad, these situations have to be addressed at an early stage. Among others, cultural differences are one of the major obstacles that have to be considered in international marketing. Every culture has its own individual values, behaviours, ways of thinking, lifestyle and language which make it unique. Accordingly, companies have two different possibilities to deal with that process. At first, standardisation, an identical marketing plan is used across different cultures, and secondly, adaptation, appropriate adjustments are made to the special cultural environment of the target market. It is therefore important for a marketer to be aware of these differences, and to use the right tools to advertise products successfully in multiple, varied cultural environments. This study provides a comprehensive framework of cultural differences in the USA and Germany, and analyses how companies should conceive their marketing efforts in terms of theory and practice. Thereby, the author illustrates those subjects on the basis of positive and negative business examples. 80 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This study is based upon the assumption that in case of a shrinking workforce supply in the scope of a possible skills shortage, employers would have to adjust their offers in order to attract job candidates. Although, this topic already is being paid widespread public and scholar attention, this book is the first to include cultural aspects into the discussion.The book's focus is on the German labor market. However, it contains findings which are generally applicable. As in Germany the public debate is focused on the MINT sector, the scope of the examination is limited to exactly this part of the labor market.The first part of the book deals with the question if there is a current or upcoming skills shortage related to MINT workforce on the German labor market.In the second part, there is a comprehensive introduction into the complex of culture in the scope of this book in order to ensure a correct understanding of the following explanations. In the course of this introduction, it is explained in how far Hofstede's 5D model is related to scholars' job choice criteria. Afterwards, the occurrence of these criteria is examined by a survey among MINT students. Subsequently, the author makes a recommendation that allows employers to attract MINT scholars in order to cover their need for skilled staff. 92 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This book is very useful for it is not just descriptive in its nature, but prescriptive , too. It is descriptive in the sense that it describes the process of developing or using a metric in a problem situation, and prescriptive as it clearly prescribes how a beginner can put the theory into practice.In this globalized economy, maintaining quality of products and services has been the thrust area of interest among academicians and practitioners. Today, there are quite a good number of books and research articles available. Nevertheless, service quality measurement has always posed problems, particularly in the context of service industries due to the difficulty in the measurement of the intangibles and implied needs of the customers.The research literature is filled with articles on how to quantify the services, and there are several streams of arguments on the choice of the most ideal approach. However, the research gap lies in the answer to the question: Do these measurement instruments concur in their measurement outcomes or do they give different results in the same situation This book primarily makes an attempt to answer this question through a case study approach.Even though, there are several instruments for the measurement of service quality, the two most widely used instruments are SERVQUAL and SERVPERF metrics. Comprehensively, this book explains the systematic procedure of using both, the instruments in a service sector, and further, the procedure for conducting a statistical analysis so that one will be able to apply the same in any service sector. It then takes the reader through a series of tests in order to compare the two metrics, and to prove statistically if there is the same outcome in a problem situation. The results are sure to surprise the reader, and trigger the research bent of mind to undertake a similar study of such metrics and gain mastery over performing an independent research with very minimal guidance from a professional guide.To conclude, this book is sure to provide adequate inputs for a service quality researcher, and answer various questions wriggling in the mind of a beginner of service quality research such as: How shall I start with service quality measurement How to collect data How to select a sample How to conduct a literature review How to analyse the data What research methodology is applicable How to build hypothesis on my research How to use statistical procedures How to present the findings How to draw implications from the study results 84 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Since the failure of the Havana Charter in 1947 till the success of the combined efforts of leading antitrust authorities against mighty Microsoft, the antitrust regime has witnessed several ups and downs. Auf jeden Fall the journey was not an easy one. Moreover now antitrust regime is standing at international crossroads and is wondering about its future direction. Today, at this crucial juncture the antitrust world is confronted with several dilemmas simultaneously. Choices are to be made between national welfare or global welfare, national autonomy or global regulations, the efficiency factor or the fairness view, national champions or global champions, collective efficiency or collective inefficiency, WTO or ICN, the US model or the EU model and so on.It is widely believed among experts that to overcome these dilemmas, the world needs some truly unified international antitrust framework, which would enable the international community to achieve optimal product mix incorporating the best from all options and through such optimal product mix the global community can enjoy to a large extent advantages that competition policy has to offer. In this direction I have examined the feasibility and viability of unifying international competition policy in this work. Additionally, as the title suggests I have listed out advantages and disadvantages of such moves.Efforts for harmonization of competition laws began as early as in 1948. Till date there are several binding and non-binding arrangements made in the direction of harmonization. The WTO and the EU for effective coordination in antitrust area have launched recently new initiatives. International Competition Network, a forum for active interaction among antitrust officials, even though non-binding in nature is doing considerably good work. I believe such confidence building initiatives among nations would help in arriving at some amicable solutions, agreeable to all nations. Chapter 8 focuses on various such initiatives taken in the direction of harmonization.In the concluding chapter, I elaborate further on need of having a unified antitrust regime under a contemporary scenario. Recommendations and views of experts are also presented. At the end I discuss my views about feasibility of having a truly unified antitrust regime in foreseeable future and other possible alternative measures that might help in achieving harmonization in future. 100 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Global economic integration has changed business conditions significantly. Corporations operating internationally and establishing foreign subsidiaries are facing the obligation as well as the challenge to profit from cross-border interaction. However, potential synergetic benefits provided by the international environment are accompanied by even more demanding challenges. This study elaborates to which extend German small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses could benefit from the implementation of a strategic cross-border synergy management. The study is based on a single case study deriving the research hypotheses and a survey investigating cross-border interaction throughout a sample of small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses. Based on the research findings, this paper proposes a holistic framework, designed for strategists of small and medium-sized manufacturing business. It outlines the establishment of the cross-border synergy management concept as part of the corporate strategy and the efficient and effective management of international interaction. Synergies are not realized by themselves - they have to be identified and actively developed within a professionally coordinate process. Management of synergy seeking organizations is asked for intensive efforts beyond daily operations' (Weber and Roventa, 2006). 100 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -The prospect of the adverse effects that global climate change will have on human societies, opened up a discourse about the way adaptation should be managed. In order to finance adaptation measures in the most severe affected countries, the parties of the Kyoto Protocol established the Adaptation Fund in 2007. In view of the limited resources that are available for adaptation, scales for the prioritization of countries that are based on their suspected vulnerability, have been developed in literature. But so far, indicators of vulnerability reflect only the general indicators of human development, and therefore, fail to capture the complex structures of vulnerability. In order to capture the mentioned complexity in a more satisfactory way, this book highlights the theory of collective learning. The collective learning approach assumes that vulnerability can be significantly decreased when governance systems adapt to external changes through collective learning processes. This study connects to this notion, and therefore, it assesses the influence of collective learning processes on the vulnerability of the Bangladeshi and Pakistani society towards flood hazards. This determinant of vulnerability is used to capture the matter s complexity. 112 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -In the past decade, place marketing, country marketing and city marketing have enjoyed an increase in recognition, especially as countries and locations have been spending more money to encourage firms to locate their offices, and plant locations in the place marketer's area. This is reflected in a growing number of associations, literature, media coverage and educational courses offered.The aim of the present study is to evaluate current literature in order to understand the importance of place marketing in general, and marketing of the Rhine Main Region, as Germany's most cosmopolitan region, in particular. For an international context, Hong Kong and Los Angeles are used as exemplary competitors. For Los Angeles is one of the United States most powerful cities and Hong Kong represents the gateway to China. However, the focus of the investigation is on a B2B perspective in the marketing of the Rhine Main Region. In literature and in practice, place marketing strategies vary from very simple to very sophisticated. After the creation of a theoretical framework, in which the author examines place marketing from the perspective of the marketer, and that of the business customer, the author puts the whole set into practice with help of the Rhine Main Region, Los Angeles and Hong Kong. In the final conclusion, she assesses the place marketing activities of the aforementioned competitors, and tries to rank them according to their current performance. 80 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This book seeks to explore two working hypotheses: Firstly, that Napoleon s alleged military superiority in terms of skill and battlefield competence over his peers can be empirically quantified and proven. Secondly, that the results of Napoleonic warfare can be predicted by applying the theory of Contest Success Functions to these battles.To address these claims this book is organized into four sections:Theory:The first of the conceptual sections summarizes the theoretical underpinning behind the economical understanding of conflict. This so called second approach and its merits are outlined and the history of these theoretical concepts is explained. Chapter three introduces the Ratio Contest Success Function (RCSF) put forth by Tullock and the Difference Contest Success Function (DCSF) employed by Hirshleifer, the concepts for predicting probabilities of success in conflict theory.History:The fourth chapter gives a brief report on warfare during the Napoleonic ages. A special emphasis lies on an analysis that evaluates if the key parameters have been homogenous over the time and what kind of technology was employed during these battles. The results are then compared with the demands of conflict theory. The fifth chapter then explicates the data set. The different variables that could be obtained are introduced and at last the scope of the further analysis is specified. This is done by picking the variables that can actually be used for an in-depth quantitative.Modelling:In the four chapters that deal with the actual modelling, the theory is applied to the historical data to yield the results we need to verify the working hypotheses. After the two different estimators used have been introduced in chapter six, the chapters seven and eight deal with utilising each of the estimators to answer these questions. The results from the estimates are interpreted and are compared in chapter nine. In addition, chapter nine attempts to weigh the explanatory value of the two approaches and places them in the historical perspective.Résumé:Chapter ten answers comments on Napoleon s personal worth on the battlefield and applies the findings of the empirical work to three short case studies. The subsequent summary then merges the results of the whole study and concludes with follow-up questions for future research. 120 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Many things can be said about the 2011 revolution in Egypt. And actually, many things have been said about it, especially by the media. The course of the news reports differed significantly from paper to paper.This study compares four US-newspapers, namely 'The Wall Street Journal', 'The New York Times', 'The Washington Times', and the 'San Francisco Chronicle' with regard to their reports on the events in Egypt from January 26 until February 12, 2011. This study provides the reader with important information about these specific newspapers, and the events that happened during the so called Lotus Revolution . Further, it provides a thorough analysis about the information that have been selected by the newspapers, the words used for the reporting and the choice of interview partners.However, the study does not only offer a comparison between the different news stories that were published in the four newspapers, but also takes into account letters to the editor and editorials for these texts are important concerning the whole style and format of a newspaper. It helps the reader to form an opinion about the objectivity of reporting in US print media, and triggers him or her to think about the factors that might influence objective reporting and the reasons for it.The study is suitable for everyone who is interested in the 2011 revolution in Egypt, in the political reporting and media bias in the United States, and in the way this bias can be transported through different text types in print media. 68 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This study intends to investigate the status of TANROADS Information Systems and the services offered in Dar-es-salaam and Mwanza. A descriptive design is used as a tool for gathering relevant information to meet the study objectives. Hence, the study critically examines the range of services and the gap experienced in service provision. The study deployed a random sampling procedure to arrive at its findings, i.e., achieving a representative sample from the targeted population from which the data were collected and analysing it by applying descriptive statistics. The findings are presented as figures and in percentages highlighting the relevance of data to TANROADS information systems.The research has revealed critical factors which would affect the implementation and utilization of TANROADS information systems. Recommendations related to enhance the current status of TANROADS Information systems are presented: (i) adoption of ERP software, in order to co-ordinate the available functional systems, (ii) developing ICT infrastructures and (iii) training the TANROADS employees and the TANROADS Information System users. 72 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This survey investigates and evaluates the legal framework which an engineer faces when stepping into an ARGE partnership with other planning offices. ARGE, in the German construction industry an established form of partnership, becomes more and more important in acquiring and accomplishing construction projects.The ARGE underlies the regulations of the German Partnership under Civil Law; consequently, the ARGE partners are jointly and individually liable for the contract. Thus the principal of the overall project enjoys fundamental advantages: He reduces his risk should it come to an insolvency of an ARGE partner, he increases competition, and he gets services out of one hand. Engineering firms who want to participate in these projects have to handle their capacities and risks. Presently, many engineering firms are not interested in participating in ARGE partnerships as they see no reason for a voluntary sharing of liability and want to be responsible and liable only for services they performed. Therefore, engineering firms are interested in an ARGE agreement which divides the responsibilities and liabilities in consideration of the rendered services. In external discussions with principals, ARGE partner could not change the joint and individual liability. Principals will not deal with the limitation of ARGE partners liabilities. However, other regulations could be defined in internal arrangements.Besides the law-related aspects, it is advisable to redefine other regulations in the ARGE agreement. Partners, for example, should define a fulfillment obligation. In case of insolvency of one partner, the other partners still have to fulfill the contract. If there are services which they cannot carry out by themselves, they have to involve other partners. 88 pp. Englisch.