Strategies of newsroom convergence: comparing UK and Chinese newspaper groups

This research examines media integration in China, choosing two Chinese newspaper groups as cases for comparative study. The study analyses the convergence strategies of these Chinese groups by reference to an Role Model of convergence developed from a literature review of studies of cases of media convergence in the UK – in particular the Guardian (GNM), Telegraph Media Group (TMG), the Daily Mail and the Times. UK cases serve to establish the characteristics, causes and consequences of different forms of convergence and formulate a model of convergence. The model will specify the levels of newsroom convergence and the sub-units of analysis which will be used to collect empirical data from Chinese News Organisations and compare their strategies, practices and results with the UK experience. The literature review shows that there is a need for more comparative studies of media convergence strategy in general, and particularly in relation to Chinese media. Therefore, the study will address a gap in the understanding of media convergence in China. For this reason, my innovations have three folds: Firstly, to develop a new and comprehensive model of media convergence and a detailed understanding of the reasons why media companies pursue differing strategies in managing convergence across a wide range of units of analysis. Secondly, this study tries to compare the multimedia strategies of media groups under radically different political systems. Since, there is no standard research method or systematic theoretical framework for the study of Newsroom Convergence, this study develops an integrated perspective. The research will use the triangulation analysis of textual, field observation and interviews to explain systematically what was the newsroom structure like in the past and how did the copy flow change and why. Finally, this case study of media groups can provide an industrial model or framework for the other media groups.

Working in and on groups: an illustration of the principles of exploratory practice in an esp classroom

Neste artigo, descrevo e analiso uma actividade de trabalho em grupo desenvolvida para uma aula da disciplina de Língua Inglesa VI das turmas do 3º ano do Curso de Línguas e Secretariado do Instituto Superior de Contabilidade e Administração do Porto (ISCAP). No enquadramento teórico, abordam-se questões relacionadas com o trabalho em grupo numa aula de língua estrangeira, nomeadamente a dimensão social da sala de aula em geral e da interacção aluno-aluno em particular. Apresentam-se então os princípios da Exploratory Practice, com ênfase na possibilidade preconizada por esta abordagem de se poder transformar uma actividade de reflexão e discussão sobre o processo de ensino/aprendizagem numa unidade pedagógica. Segue-se a apresentação da proposta didáctica, respectivo plano de aula e alguns exemplos dos textos produzidos pelos alunos. O artigo termina com a apresentação de alguns comentários críticos, realçando-se a contribuição da Exploratory Practice para o desenvolvimento de uma maior consciencialização por parte dos alunos do seu processo de aprendizagem.

Epidemiological studies of Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage in the post-vaccination era among two risk groups: children and the elderly

Dissertation presented to obtain the Ph.D. degree in Biology/ Molecular Biology

Portuguese business groups at the beginning of the 21st century: Trends, characteristics and configurations

This study considers the literature on the persistence of business groups in developed economies and analyzes the Portuguese case. The reconstruction of the largest business groups assembles information relevant to define characteristics that enable them to thrive. Increasing internationalization, more specialization in core activities and family control define these types of big businesses. New sectors also emerge as a characteristic of these business groups when compared to the ones existing 40 years ago.

Empirical evidence on the difference between the effective and the statutory tax rates for listed groups in Germany

The difference between the statutory and effective tax rate for listed groups is a complex variable influenced by a variety of factors. This paper aims to analyze whether this difference exists for listed groups in the German market and tests which factors have an impact on it. Thus the sample consists of 130 corporations listed in the three major German stock indices. The findings suggest that the companies that pay less than the statutory rate clearly outweigh the ones that pay more, and that the income earned from associated companies has a significant impact on this difference.

Psychological safety, authentic leadership and social networks : A psycho-structural approach to the study of groups

Tese de Doutoramento em Psicologia na área de especialização de Psicologia das Organizações apresentada ao ISPA - Instituto Universitário

Rating corporate groups a modelling experience

This paper aims to provide a model that allows BPI to measure the credit risk, through its rating scale, of the subsidiaries included in the corporate groups who are their clients. This model should be simple enough to be applied in practice, accurate, and must give consistent results in comparison to what have been the ratings given by the bank. The model proposed includes operational, strategic, and financial factors and ends up giving one of three results: no support, partial support, or full support from the holding to the subsidiary, and each of them translates in adjustments in each subsidiary’s credit rating. As it would be expectable, most of the subsidiaries should have the same credit rating of its parent company.

Comportamiento y eficiencia de la red de arrastre pelágico Engel 988/400 en el estudio de recursos pelágicos. Crucero BIC Humboldt 9803-05 de Tumbes a Tacna

Se presentan los resultados del comportamiento de la red de arrastre pelágico modelo alemán Engel 988/400 utilizada para la evaluación de los recursos pelágicos anchoveta (Engraulis ringens), sardina (Sardinops sagax sagax), jurel (Trachurus picturatus murphyi), caballa (Scomber japonicus peruanus) y samasa (Anchoa nasus) durante el Crucero Hidroacústico 9803-05 a bordo del BIC Humboldt entre Caleta La Cruz, Tumbes y Los Palos, Tacna, del 20 de marzo al 7 de mayo 1998. Se determinó la distancia entre puertas, el área de la boca de la red y el volumen de agua filtrada que tuvo la red en los arrastres efectivos de una milla náutica de distancia durante los 144 lances de comprobación, obteniéndose un buen rendimiento; se capturó un total de 39.912,14 kg, correspondiendo para anchoveta 16.838,15 kg, sardina 6.800,74 kg, jurel 1.384 kg, caballa 1.404,58 kg, samasa 8.071,8 kg y otros recursos hidrobiológicos 5.413,48 kg, con un índice de captura (CPUE) de 788,79 kg/h. Los valores de datos de comportamiento de la red como la abertura horizontal de la boca, abertura vertical, profundidad de la red y distancia entre la relinga inferior al fondo, etc., se obtuvo en forma directa por medio de una net sonda FS 900 SIMRAD, los arrastres tuvieron en promedio una duración de de 20,8 minutos con una velocidad de arrastre promedio de 3 nudos.

Comportamiento de la red de arrastre pelágica Engel 988/400 para el estudio del Krill (Euphasia superba). Verano Austral 1998. Perú Antar IX

Resultado del comportamiento de la red de arrastre pelágica Engel 988/400 utilizada para la evaluación del recurso krill (Euphausia superba) en el Estrecho de Bransfield durante el Crucero Multidisciplinario 9801 a bordo del BIC Humboldt. Se determinó el área de la boca y el volumen de aguas filtrada por la red en los 29 lances de comprobación, siendo positivos en su totalidad, obteniéndose un buen rendimiento. Se capturó un total de 11.629 kg, correspondiendo para el krill 9.522 kg y para otros recursos 2.107 kg, con un índice de captura por unidad de esfuerzo (CPUE) de 961,9 kg/h. Los valores de otros datos de comportamiento de la red como la abertura horizontal de la boca, abertura vertical, profundidad de la red, distancia entre la relinga inferior al fondo, etc., se obtuvo por medio de una netsonda FS 900 SIMRAD, los arrastres tuvieron en promedio una duración de 20,1 minutos con una velocidad de arrastre promedio de 3,0 nudos.

Prueba de un copo experimental para peces vivos en red pelágica Engel 124/1800. Crucero José Olaya Balandra 9910

Se presentan los resultados de la prueba en el mar de un copo experimental para mantener peces vivos, adaptado y acoplado a la red Engel.

Comportamiento, eficiencia y capturabilidad de la red de arrastre ENGEL 530, en la pesca de los recursos demersales

La eficiencia, el comportamiento y la capturabilidad de los aparejos de pesca, es una tarea dificil; pero su conocimiento resulta de gran utilidad para el diseño, construcción de las redes y propiedades de las características de las embarcaciones. De otro lado es de gran utilidad la determinación del coeficiente de capturabilidad de las redes de arrastre, con fines de evaluación de los recursos.

Pratiques comptables des hôpitaux et faisabilité d'un calcul de coûts basés sur les Diagnosis Related Groups

Travaux effectués dans le cadre de l'étude "Case Mix" menée par l'Institut universitaire de médecine sociale et préventive de Lausanne et le Service de la santé publique et de la planification sanitaire du canton de Vaud, en collaboration avec les cantons de Berne, Fribourg, Genève, Jura, Neuchâtel, Soleure, Tessin et Valais

Psychometrics of the Dyadic Coping Inventory in three language groups

This article introduces the Dyadic Coping Inventory (DCI; Bodenmann, 2008) and aims (1) to investigate the reliability and aspects of the validity of the Italian and French versions of the DCI, and (2) to replicate its factor structure and reliabilities using a new Swiss German sample. Based on 216 German-, 378 Italian-, and 198 French-speaking participants, the factor structure of the original German inventory was able to be replicated by using principal components analysis in all three groups after excluding two items in the Italian and French versions. The latter were shown to be as reliable as the German version with the exception of the low reliabilities of negative dyadic coping in the French group. Confirmatory factor analyses provided additional support for delegated dyadic coping and evaluation of dyadic coping. Intercorrelations among scales were similar across all three languages groups with a few exceptions. Previous findings could be replicated in all three groups, showing that aspects of dyadic coping were more strongly related to marital quality than to dyadic communication. The use of the dyadic coping scales in the actor-partner interdependence model, the common fate model, and the mutual influence model is discussed.

Impact of relative size and language on the attitudes between nations and linguistic groups : The case of Switzerland

This study explores the impact of relative size on the intra- and intergroup attitudes of groups who either share a language or have a different language. For that purpose, we examined international attitudes, comparing a small nation, Switzerland, and two larger nations, Germany and France. We found support for the assumption that large neighbouring nations pose a threat to the smaller nation's identity, especially when they are linguistically similar. Consequently, in line with Tajfel's Social Identity Theory (1978), the smaller nation's inhabitants evaluate those of the larger nation less positively, liking them less and perceiving them to be more arrogant than vice versa. By investigating the special case of the French-speaking and the German-speaking Swiss as linguistic groups within their own nation we were able to demonstrate that these groups seek support with the larger-linguistically-similar nation to defend themselves against the more direct in-country threat to their identity. They acknowledge the similarity with the larger nation, yet keep defending their social identity by expressing a dislike for this perceived similarity.

Collective learning within nursing clinical groups /

This qualitative study examined collective learning within nursing clinical groups. Specifically, it explored the influence of the individual on the group and the impact of the group on the individual. The study was organized using the concepts from Debbie Kilgore's theory of collective learning (1999). The sample consisted of 1 8 second-year university nursing students and 3 clinical instructors. Data were collected via individual interviews with each participant and researcher's observations during a group conference. The interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using key concepts from Kilgore's framework. Several interesting findings emerged. Overall, it appeared that individual components and group components contributed to the quality and quantity of collective learning that occurred in the groups. Individually, each person's past group experiences, personality, culture, and gender influenced how that individual acted in the group, their roles, and how much influence they had over group decisions. Moreover, the situation which seemed to cause the greatest sense of helplessness and loss of control was when one of their group members was breaking a norm. They were unable to deal with such situations constructively. Also, the amount of sense of worthiness (respect) and sense of agency (control) the member felt within the group had an impact on the person's role in group decisions. Finally, it seemed that students felt more connected with their peers within the clinical setting when they were close with them on a personal and social level. With respect to the group elements, it seemed that the instructors' values and way of being were instrumental in shaping the group's identity. In group 2, there were clear examples of group consciousness and the students' need to go along with the majority viewpoint, even when it was contrary to their own beliefs. Finally, the common goal of passing clinical and dealing with the fears of being in the clinical setting brought solidarity among the group members, and there seemed to be a high level of positive interdependence among them. From the discussion and analysis of the findings, recommendations were given on how to improve the learning within clinical groups.