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Keywords: financial markets; economy; theory argumentation; information; advertising.
This paper aims to explore the relevance of the Theory of Argumentation TA in the complex area of financial reporting. Specifically, we investigated the scope of the phenomenon of persuasion in advertising. It examines advertisements in publications notable economic movement in Colombia. The financial communication is important to distinguish how to run the models of behavior based on beliefs of agents. Consequently, investors' beliefs can also change systematically with changes in market prices. This paper is the first part and its purpose is to prepare from the Theory of Argumentation TA an application to the financial sector in Colombia.
More...Keywords: BPM-Business Process Management; Information System Implementation; Performance Analysis; Quality.
This paper shows the benefits of a real implementation of an information system in a state institution of higher education in Portugal. It starts by concentrating on the institution to which this real case refers, acknowledging its existing information system change and evidencing the improvement made on one process example. Some behavioral aspects are emphasized as well on this change. This practical system implementation was made under a quality standard framework. The article underlines the approach between information system change and quality perspectives. The convergence way is the same process point of view. A simple model of this convergence is proposed.
More...This article examines the case of “la Nena”, a Spanish Romani woman who was denied the right to receive a widow's pension by the highest court in Spain, the Spanish Constitutional Court, in a decision dated 24 May 2007. The woman, María Luisa Muñoz, took her case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Strasbourg, with the help of the Fundación Secretariado Gitano. Europe's highest court recognised her right to receive a widow's pension in its ruling of 8 December 2009, which concluded that the refusal of the Spanish government to grant a pension because she had been married in accordance with Romani rites was discriminatory and ordered the Spanish government to pay compensation in the sum of 70,000 EUR in damages caused to the plaintiff.
More...Keywords: collective intelligence; academic social sciences networks; open access; collaboratory; Web 2.0
Web 2.0 represents a revolution in terms of the possibilities it offers for facilitating communication and collaboration between users – something that has become increasingly common in the world of research. A mere few years ago, the information produced by scientists and scholars remained in the hands of a very limited circle of institutions and publishers, as if it were a guarded secret. Today that secret is being shouted from the rooftops and shared with the rest of the scientific community in order to make it more accessible and to allow new advances. A clear example of this can be found in the social sciences, where there is a constant increase in the production of articles and materials that in turn serve for the pursuit of further research, thereby promoting the continuous development of scientific knowledge. This new situation is being fostered by the proliferation of tools and applications that make it possible, but also by a change in mentality towards a philosophy of exchange and open access. In this article, we will examine this phenomenon using a methodological system based on the analysis of platforms for the exchange of scientific knowledge, and especially social networks (both general and specialising in the social sciences), in order to demonstrate their potential in a society that is becoming increasingly aware of the need to overcome physical or institutional boundaries and move forward together.
More...Keywords: media accountability; ombudsman; public broadcasting; radio
This paper aims to analyze and provide parameters for radio ombudsman services, considering the ombudsman experience carried out by the Brazilian Public Communications Enterprise (EBC) radio stations. The analysis of the listeners’ feedback during July 2008–September 2011 allows us to conclude that the ombudsman experience may be considered a Media Accountability Instrument (MAI) focused not only on journalism but also on music and entertainment. Th e ombudsman performance may be a MAI because it provides visibility and transparency to errors, issues and dilemmas associated with the media actions. Th us it stimulates more credibility, prompt discussion with readers, listeners and viewers, and could encourage a culture of greater accountability in the newsroom. The EBC ombudsman sought to be a mediation channel that provides visibility to matters raised during the weekly radio program: Radio in Debate.
More...Keywords: Bologna-process; EHEA; feedback; quality
As we all know, the so-called “Bologna-process” is paying close attention to many important things regarding High School education, such as skills, competences, new research trends, ICTs, accreditation and quality assurance, etc. Those issues are taking much of the attention of scholars and whoever is devoting efforts to research about them, and indeed they deserve it. However –to our understanding- both the academic community and the public entities entitled to the implementation of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) are overlooking at least two crucial issues: what students think about University, and how professors achieve excellence in their classes. Given they are closely related, this paper is intended to cover both.
More...Dans une perspective de lecture attentive aux stratégies rhétoriques et poétiques de la sagesse antique, nous traitons de rondeaux, de refrains, de rythmes, de fugues et d’allégories. Sans tenir à faire une lecture littéraire ou musicale des fragments du Poème sur la Nature d’Empédocle, nous examinons la théorie philosophique et le langage philosophique du philosophe d’Akragas tel qu’il est construit intrinsèquement par son langage poétique. Le cycle incessant qui alterne l’amour et la haine se déploie dans des ritournelles qui se répètent régulièrement. Les images du monde se transforment allégoriquement dans un processus continu toujours repéré par un schème de quatre figures, dont les êtres, les matériaux, les racines ou les dieux ne sont pas des principes ni des substrats, mais différentes expressions d’un monde en changement perpétuel. Nous confrontons ainsi la vulgate d’Aristote qui parle d’éléments chez Empédocle comme des principes matériels et proposons de lire son poème comme ayant une visée du multiple, qui exprime un monde dionysiaque dont la nature n’a aucune face en dessous des masques qu’elle change.
More...Keywords: semantic web; ontology; metadata; business models; web ontology language.
This paper is based on Osterwalder‟s work for business model ontology. Business model canvas is used as a start-up attempt to improve and apply to a dynamic market, such as tech based market. Two improvements are proposed for the initial model - a new data for building blocks and new data for relations. The new data in relations will create the capability for a lifecycle system where the output information will be the initial data for the lifecycle. This research will allow the application of business model ontology to tech base ideas or companies. The improvement suggested is an evolution towards applying the model using new ideas in a new market and implement a lifecycle for risk analysis.
More...Keywords: prisoner; fundamental rights; interception of communications; priviliged communications; special subjection relations
This paper addresses the question of the interception of on-site communications between a prisoner, inserted in a so-called "special subjection relation", and his lawyers. It discusses the different criteria that the case law has been holding on this point and the interpretation which the authors argue is this: with the current legal regulation, it is not possible to decree that interception unless there is court authorization and also investigates a terrorist crime. Thus, the prisoner has a special protection of freedom of communications, the reason for it is the protection of the rights of defense and self-incrimination, which would otherwise be reduced to zero and generate a serious deterrent to the exercise of such fundamental rights.
More...The article analyzes the last two decades of East-Central European countries along the principal dimensions of party systems. It also investigates the relation ships among the various attributes of party competition. The authors regard polarization, fragmentation, closure (introduced by Peter Mair) and volatility as principal dimensions of party systems, but they argue that the qualitative characteristics of party relationships are as relevant as these much re search ed standard dimensions. They draw attention and systematically scrutinize questions such as how durable the alliances among parties are, how consequential ideological similarities are in government building, and how many and what kind of ideological camps exist in a given party system. The examination of the data proves that for most of the analyzed period party relations were more crystallized in Hungary and the Czech Republic than in Slovenia, Estonia, Bulgaria and Latvia, while the other countries of the region were situated between these two groups. With the exception of volatility the analyzed indicators moved rather closely together, indicating that it is legitimate to talk about a syndrome of institutionalization. Since the party elites have relatively little control over volatility, the latter variable is not an integral part of the syndrome.
More...Keywords: Spain; imbalance; tourism policies; evolution; development
This paper aims to analyse Spanish tourism policy and its relation to a series of facts. The research combines an extensive review of the existing studies into the aspects of tourism policy linked to government, geography and economy with an examination of statistical sources. The main issues and findings analysed in this study are highlighted below. Firstly, the evolution of tourism policy of Spain in the last 60 years in relation to the process of national economic development is analysed. Secondly, a limited role of tourism on economic and territorial balance as well as changes in the regional distribution in the supply of hotel accommodation is highlighted. Thirdly, territorial changes related to the supply of hotel accommodation and GDP per capita are discussed. Finally, certain topics are suggested for future debate: tourism and imbalance as well as tourism and development
More...Keywords: design; business; management skills
Is Design a devaluated profession? The crisis referred to by many professionals can be understood among different perspectives. One of them – systemic approach – enables the analysis of the complexity underlying the issue. This paper analyses the management skills in response to the ¨drawing artist¨ profile who was many times, incorrectly, named after the professional designer by the market.
More...Keywords: Bologna-process; EHEA; feedback; quality
As we all know, the so-called “Bologna-process” is paying close attention to many important things regarding High School education, such as skills, competences, new research trends, ICTs, accreditation and quality assurance, etc. Those issues are taking much of the attention of scholars and whoever is devoting efforts to research about them, and indeed they deserve it. However –to our understanding- both the academic community and the public entities entitled to the implementation of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) are overlooking at least two crucial issues: what students think about University, and how professors achieve excellence in their classes. Given they are closely related, this paper is intended to cover both.
More...Keywords: minorities; International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; Committee on Human Rights; discrimination; positive measures
The article discusses the rights of minorities in the system of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It establishes a conceptual distinction between universal rights, specific rights of minorities in general and specific rights of particular minorities. Universal rights correspond to all individuals (e,g,, “no one shall be subjected to torture”) or all groups of a certain class (e.g., “all families are entitled to protection”). Minority groups and their members are entitled to these rights in the same way as any other individual or group. Specific rights of minorities in general are granted to minority groups (e.g., “minority groups have the right to speak their own language”) or their members (e.g., “persons belonging to a minority group have the right to speak the language of the group”). Finally, specific rights of particular minorities are granted to specific groups identified by their characteristics (e.g., “the linguistic minority X has the right to speak the X language”) or their members (e.g., “any member of the linguistic minority X has the right to speak the X language”). Treaties and international declarations often refer to universal rights and specific rights of minorities in general. However, these rights are usually recognised in broad terms, and their implementation may lead to the recognition of specific rights in favour of particular minorities or their members. Protection of minorities (in the broad sense of the expression) is based on two pillars: on the one hand, the protection against discrimination; on the other hand, the protection of minorities in the strict sense. The first pillar is an aspect of the general principle of nondiscrimination and requires respect for both formal and substantive equalities. The protection of minorities in the strict sense involves the preservation of their particular identity. The purpose of the equality in a formal sense is achieved through universal rights, to the extent that these are granted to minority groups and their members. On the contrary, to achieve equality in a substantive sense, it could be necessary to implement positive measures. The implementation of these measures will usually lead to the recognition of specific rights of minority groups or their members. Finally, the protection of the distinctive characteristics of the minorities will also be done through specific rights. Thus, on the one hand, there are rights, which are intended to protect the minority forms of life (i.e. to protect differences), and, on the other hand, those that are intended to allow minorities equal access to different uniform social goods (i.e. to protect equality). Whereas the former ones seek to protect and promote the particularities of the minority culture (e.g., the right to receive education in their own language), the latter ones are recognised to overcome the disadvantages that minority groups and their members face and are not intended to promote peculiarities, but .
More...Keywords: Liquidity preference; Economic capital; Deposit insurance; Money demand; Monetary equilibrium; Quantity theory
A general theory of liquidity is proposed. The major hypothesis advanced in the paper is that individuals do face borrowing restrictions in capital markets. The value of portfolios combining risky assets and cash balances is then related to the price assigned in some market of deposit insurance, and is accordingly characterised by a method suggested by actuarial researchers ¾ and commonly used by insurers and reinsurers. It is demonstrated that in this way, macroeconomics, financial economics and actuarial sciences fuse together in a unified theoretical framework, which can be applied as an alternative to the utility maximisation approach. Episodes of liquidity crises, which lack an explanation under classic economic theory, are meaningful within the new theoretical setting.
More...Keywords: organisational development; research; knowledge; action research; multiple perspectives, PhD
The study focuses on forty three (43) dissertations done by the graduates of the Doctor of Philosophy in Organization Development (PhDOD) from the Graduate School of Business, Assumption University of Thailand, Hua Mak Campus. It is the objective of this article to present a perspective of what has been accomplished by the first five cohorts of graduates in their OD action research so that their work will serve as a reference for other MMOD/PhDOD related studies and MMOD/ PhDOD of students in the program as well as LEMS (leaders/executives/managers/ supervisors) taking initiatives in various organizations where strategic positive change is a goal. It is an orderly summary of the various studies so that “knowledge maybe extracted from the myriad and individual research “(Glass, 2002). The focus of the Content of all the applied research dissertations (ARD) are various types of “organizations” as the “organization of choice” by the students, regarded as the Context of human social systems: composed of people interacting with one another for a common purpose, vision, mission, goal and even values which somehow along the way … encounter, experience, shortfalls, disparities, dysfunctions and at the same time identified potentials. The Process utilized in all the action research work are various OD interventions , initiated by Pre-ODI work and evaluated through a Post ODI testing. Each action research is independent and so there is a wide range of heterogeneity among them. Therefore, rather than a statistical analysis of the action researches done by the graduates, this synthesis aims to present “Stories of Navigations”: journeys that have direction and which have generated a magnitude of transformation at the personal and organizational spheres. Each researcher embarked on the AR-OD journey. Now, every journey has a story to tell.
More...Keywords: capital structure; economic capital; risk capital; deposit insurance; Value-at-Risk.
The capital structure of firms that cannot hedge continuously is affected by the agency costs and the moral-hazard implicit in the contracts they establish with stockholders and customers. It is demonstrated in this paper that then an optimal level of capital exists, which is characterised in terms of the actuarial prices of the involved agreements. The capital principle so obtained extends the classic theoretical framework, sustained by the well-known proposition of Modigliani and Miller and the model of deposit insurance of Robert Merton, at the time that naturally integrates the financial and actuarial theoretical settings.
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