A study of the macro to micro process of persuasion for advertising in context towards a meso dominant logic model of consumer behaviour

This thesis gains an insight into advertising and integrated marketing communications with an exploration of the relationships between advertisers and consumers at the meso level of interface between the two groups. As an initial investigation into advertising and integrated marketing communications and its relationships to consumers’ behaviour, the inquiry develops by exploring an alternative lineage of interpretive consumer research. The two areas of focus emerging from the literature review are the concepts of manufacturing consent (Herman and Chomsky, 2002) as the macro advertiser / sender level of behaviour and the concept of motivational behaviour research (Tadajewski, 2006) as the micro consumer / receiver level of behaviour. The study utilises a mixed methods research design to explore the interface between advertisers and consumers. From the analysis of the commonalites and variances within the data, a mapping of behaviour between the two groups presented a new and unexpected set of interactions. Interactions that reflect the Foundation Premises within the work of Vargo and Lush (2008) by developing an emergent conceptual model. Keywords: Consumer behaviour / Advertising / Integrated marketing communications / Manufacturing consent / Motivational behaviou

Christian sports coaches and servant leadership

The world of competitive sport can present a challenging environment for Christian athletes and coaches. The culture of competitive sport, and particularly the attitude to winning, can cause athletes and coaches to question how their Christian faith should shape participation and/or whether they should participate at all. Few empirical studies have explored how Christian coaches frame their practice to align with their faith and reconcile the potential contradictions and challenges of coaching within competitive sporting environments. That said, there has been a recent increase in the number of studies exploring the potential relationship between sports coaching and the concept of servant leadership – a framework which is commensurate with a Christian world view. The aim of this paper is to contribute to these debates by presenting empirical evidence to explore the philosophies, intended practices and sociocultural factors influencing how Christian coaches sought to lead in competitive sporting environments. One hundred and ten coaches (female = 24, male = 86) completed an online qualitative questionnaire which explored their beliefs about leadership and coaching practice. This paper considers the ways in which Christian coaches’ might seek to frame their leadership behaviours within the context of competitive sport and how their approaches might align, or otherwise, with the theoretical tenets of servant leadership

Vygotsky and Sports Coaching: Non-linear Practice in Youth and Adult Settings

Over the past 20 years, a significant amount of research has located sports coaching principally as an educational endeavour. In particular, non-linear educative approaches have attracted much attention yet few studies have explored in any real depth the theoretical underpinnings of such practices. Where conceptual analyses have been conducted, the work of Vygotsky has emerged as a useful framework. The aim of the present study was to investigate the extent to which Vygotskian principles of learning and development might be evident within non-linear sports coaching practices and to examine whether embracing these principles might enhance coaching practice both in youth and adult settings. Drawing on qualitative empirical data, this paper explores how six coaches perceived their everyday practice as non-linear. Resultant findings uncover the nuances of both coach and athlete experience in line with three of Vygotsky’s key theoretical assertions, namely: Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), scaffolding and mediation. The paper concludes by suggesting that the application of theoretical ideas has the potential to inform and enhance non-linear pedagogical approaches, yet coaches must remain cognisant of the bespoke nature of the coaching context

Defect Depth Measurement Using White Light Interferometry

The objectives of the White Light Interferometry project are the following: (1) Demonstrate a small hand-held instrument capable of performing inspections of identified defects on Orbiter outer pane window surfaces. (2) Build and field-test a prototype device using miniaturized optical components. (3) Modify the instrument based on field testing and begin the conversion of the unit to become a certified shop-aid

Developing NDE Techniques for Large Cryogenic Tanks

The Shuttle and Constellation Programs require very large cryogenic ground storage tanks in which to store liquid oxygen and hydrogen. The existing LC-39 pad tanks, which will be passed onto Constellation, are 40 years old and have received minimal refurbishment or even inspection, because they can only be temperature cycled a few times before being overhauled (a costly operation in both time and dollars). Numerous questions exist on the performance and reliability of these old tanks which could cause a major Program schedule disruption. Consequently, with the passing of the first two tanks to Constellation to occur this year, there is growing awareness that NDE is needed to detect problems early in these tanks so that corrective actions can be scheduled when least disruptive. Time series thermal images of two sides of the Pad B LH2 tank have been taken over multiple days to demonstrate the effects of environmental conditions to the solar heating of the tank and therefore the effectiveness of thermal imaging

The Development of NDE Techniques for Large Cryogenic Storage Tanks

Objectives of this project are: (1) Develop and demonstrate NDE techniques to evaluate the condition of large cryogenic Dewars (typically 50,000 to 900,000 gaL). (2) These tanks are used across NASA for launch pads, engine test stands, cryogenic wind tunnels and other facilities: they represent a major investment. (3) Issues addressed: (1) Insulation integrity of existing Dewars (powdered insulation under vacuum or sometimes ambient pressure (LO2), (2) Post fabrication insulation verification without full chill-down to avoid thermal cycling the tank (fatigue limitation of piping and compaction of Perlite)

Variations in mineralogy, temperature, and oxygen fugacity in a suite of strongly peralkaline lavas and tuffs, Pantelleria, Italy.

Eight samples of pantelleritic lava and tuff and a lithic inclusion of trachyte from Pantelleria, Italy, have been thoroughly analyzed with an electron microprobe. These samples reveal fi ve different mineral assemblages if classifi ed by the presence of fayalite, aenigmatite, ilmenite, and magnetite: (1) augite + fayalite + ilmenite + magnetite, (2) augite + fayalite + ilmenite, (3) hedenbergite or sodian hedenbergite + fayalite + ilmenite + aenigmatite + quartz, (4) sodian hedenbergite or aegirine-augite + ilmenite + aenigmatite + quartz ± ferrorichterite, and (5) aegirine-augite + aenigmatite + quartz. Alkali feldspar (Or35–37) is present as the dominant phyric phase in each assemblage. Whole-rock silica and peralkalinity correlate strongly with the mineral assemblage: assemblage 1 is found in the sample with the lowest agpaitic index [A.I. = molar (Na + K)/Al] and silica concentration (A.I. \u3c 1.31, SiO2 \u3c 64.8 wt%) and equilibrated at 991–888°C at an oxygen fugacity between 0.7 and 1.1 log units below the FMQ buffer (FMQ – 0.7 to FMQ – 1.1). Assemblage 2 is associated with a higher agpaitic index and silica concentration (A.I. = 1.42, SiO2 = 67.1%) and equilibrated at ~794°C at FMQ – 0.5. Assemblage 3 is associated with a still higher agpaitic index and silica concentration (A.I. in the range 1.55 – 1.63, 66.8 \u3c SiO2 \u3c 67.8%) and equilibrated at 764–756°C at FMQ – 0.5 to FMQ – 0.2. Assemblage 4 is associated with a slightly higher agpaitic index and yet higher silica concentration (1.61 \u3c A.I \u3c 1.75, 67.6 \u3c SiO2 \u3c 72.0%) and equilibrated between 740–700°C at oxygen fugacities at or just below the FMQ buffer. Assemblage 5 is associated with the highest agpaitic index and highest concentration of silica (A.I. = 1.97, SiO2 = 69.7%) and equilibrated at \u3c700°C at an oxygen fugacity just above the FMQ buffer in a “no-oxide” fi eld. Despite the paucity of two-oxide, two-pyroxene, or two-feldspar pairs, it may be possible to accurately constrain temperature and oxygen fugacity in peralkaline rocks with QUIlF equilibria given an equilibrium assemblage of fayalite, ilmenite, and clinopyroxene