A Buddha Land in This World

In the early twentieth century, Uchiyama Gudō, Seno’o Girō, Lin Qiuwu, and others advocated a Buddhism that was radical in two respects. Firstly, they adopted a more or less naturalist stance with respect to Buddhist doctrine and related matters, rejecting karma or other supernatural beliefs. And secondly, they held political and economic views that were radically anti-hegemonic, anti-capitalist, and revolutionary. Taking the idea of such a “radical Buddhism” seriously, A Buddha Land in This World: Philosophy, Utopia, and Radical Buddhism asks whether it is possible to develop a philosophy that is simultaneously naturalist, anti-capitalist, Buddhist, and consistent. Rather than a study of radical Buddhism, then, this book is an attempt to radicalize it. The foundations of this “radicalized radical Buddhism” are provided by a realist interpretation of Yogācāra, elucidated and elaborated with some help from thinkers in the broader Tiantai/Tendai tradition and American philosophers Donald Davidson and W.V.O. Quine. A key implication of this foundation is that only this world and only this life are real, from which it follows that if Buddhism aims to alleviate suffering, it has to do so in this world and in this life. Twentieth-century radical Buddhists (as well as some engaged Buddhists) came to a similar conclusion, often expressed in their aim to realize “a Buddha land in this world.” Building on this foundation, but also on Mahāyāna moral philosophy, this book argues for an ethics and social philosophy based on a definition of evil as that what is or should be expected to cause death or suffering. On that ground, capitalism should be rejected indeed, but utopianism must be treated with caution as well, which raises questions about what it means – from a radicalized radical Buddhist perspective – to aim for a Buddha land in this world

Critical realism: the gendering of what we know

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The state of qualitative research in the field of public relations

This paper provides a review of the literature on the state of qualitative research in the field of public relations. It suggests that although quantitative methodologies are prominent, there is a call to action for the profession to shift to qualitative methodologies supported through theoretical paradigms relate d to social science research. This paper will evaluate the state of qualitative research and the methodologies being practiced by researchers and public relations professionals

Determinants and consequences of satisfaction with restaurant services

The purpose of the present study is to empirically investigate the determinants and consequences of consumers’ satisfaction with restaurant services. A total of 121 undergraduate business students participated in this study. We found that perceived service quality had a significant impact on emotions and satisfaction. Additionally, emotions significantly affect satisfaction, which in turn, had a significant impact on behavioural intentions. Restaurant managers should monitor customers’ perceived service quality and make sure that it conveys positive emotions and reduces negative emotions in order to maximize customers’ satisfaction

Intermodal transportation of dangerous goods: a special case

Intermodal Transportation has sustained a promising growth over the past two decades and continues to be one of the rapidly growing segments of the transportation industry. Intermodal transportation is being increasing used to move dangerous goods. In this work we present an optimization model for planning and managing intermodal shipments

Who are these visitors? profiling tourists to Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

In 2003, as part of a doctoral research project, a survey was administered to tourists who visited Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, in efforts to get a clearer understanding of who the ‘visitor’ was to the community since its new marketing focus and image as a cultural tourism destination. This paper outlines and discusses this project and key findings of the research

Leading the way in e-marketing: Atlantic Canada's B&Bs

Researchers conducted a study of the e-Marketing practices of bed and breakfast accommodations in Atlantic Canada. The results revealed that bed and breakfasts are embracing web-based marketing activities to a greater extent than SMEs across Canada, and that they are employing more creative marketing techniques using technology. E-Marketing activities among B&Bs also rival those of much larger firms. These results are encouraging given that previous research has identified key barriers to successful implementation of e-Marketing among small and medium-sized enterprises

Looking to the past to understand organizational change in the present

This study explores how the past plays a role in how individuals make sense of organizational change in the present. Othering, a process whereby individuals construct comparisons between old and new leaders, is theorized as a useful heuristic from which to capture the contradictory, fluid and multiple realities of change

Sea Sun Kayak School and Adventures

A business case related to the purchase of Sea Sun Kayak School and Adventures