The structures of authority and political use of religious practices in Thomas Hobbes and Carl Schmitt

This thesis examines the structures of authority in the political theories of Thomas Hobbes and Carl Schmitt. In milieux marked by crises of political legitimacy, civil unrest and war, both Hobbes and Schmitt strove to develop new theoretical foundations in support of their conservative visions of the authority of the state. The exhaustion of traditional means of legitimation, such as divine right or romantic ideals of community, demanded innovative alternatives. Though Hobbes and Schmitt drew on a wide range of sources, I argue that religious practices were centrally important. Focussing on questions of the source and genesis of authority, my study argues that in different ways both identify participation as key to the origination of authority. In part one, through a chronological investigation of Hobbes’ works, I demonstrate that he assembles a multi-faceted theoretical support for authority. While the covenant is essential for establishing the artifice of sovereign potestas, I argue that Hobbes progressively supplements this fragile artifice with a series of additional apparatuses: civil worship based on religious practices, authorisation based on theatrical analogies and educational and pedagogical practices drawn from a general, almost polytheistic, conception of religion. However, I show that ultimately Hobbes’ mechanistic psychology undermines his attempt at an integrated and scientific account of worship and pedagogy. In part two, I divide Schmitt’s oeuvre into monarchical and democratic writings. Investigating the monarchical works, I trace his elaboration of a distinctive ‘commissary authority’ from the Roman dictator to the katechon. I show that this ‘personalist office’ can be understood as an attempt to renovate the traditional doctrine of divine right. Returning to the democratic writings of 1923-32, I contextualise Schmitt’s revisionist conception of democracy and focus on the legitimating role of acts of acclamation, understood as an act of assent, rather than legal or contractual consent. I argue that a key influence on this participatory model of authority is Georges Sorel’s energetic and enthusiastic vision of political activity

Performance measurement in construction research & development: The use of case study research approach

The process of finding solutions to the research problem does not follow a clear sequential approach, but often takes unexpected turns due to the uncertainties of the research process and its outcomes. However, appropriate research design would be able to identify any problems and pitfalls that the researcher may come across during the process. In this regard, consideration of the research philosophy pertaining to the study helps a researcher in choosing the appropriate approach for a study. Not only the philosophical stance, but also the research problem under investigation and its underling circumstances influence the selection of a research approach. Accordingly, this paper discusses the factors that drive the selection of a case study as the research approach with particular reference to the use of single case study to undertake an in depth inquiry regarding the impact of performance measurement towards construction research and development. Further, this paper discusses the incorporation of multi-phase, multi perspective and multi-method approaches within the single case study to build valid theory

The drivers of Corporate Social Responsibility in the supply chain. A case study.

Purpose: The paper studies the way in which a SME integrates CSR into its corporate strategy, the practices it puts in place and how its CSR strategies reflect on its suppliers and customers relations. Methodology/Research limitations: A qualitative case study methodology is used. The use of a single case study limits the generalizing capacity of these findings. Findings: The entrepreneur’s ethical beliefs and value system play a fundamental role in shaping sustainable corporate strategy. Furthermore, the type of competitive strategy selected based on innovation, quality and responsibility clearly emerges both in terms of well defined management procedures and supply chain relations as a whole aimed at involving partners in the process of sustainable innovation. Originality/value: The paper presents a SME that has devised an original innovative business model. The study pivots on the issues of innovation and eco-sustainability in a context of drivers for CRS and business ethics. These values are considered fundamental at International level; the United Nations has declared 2011 the “International Year of Forestry”