Japan, Panama, and the United States: The Influence of Cultural Values and Personal Ethics on Fraud Prevention Awareness

Fraud is defined as the intentional misrepresentation of facts for the purpose of personal gain, whether financial or otherwise. Transparency International’s annual global Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) has revealed that different countries have different perceived levels of corruption. Japan, Panama, and the United States were chosen as the countries in which to distribute a three-part questionnaire, measuring fraud awareness (FA), personal consumer ethics (EQ), and cultural values (CV), respectively. This survey was distributed to college students in each country who had not yet taken a business ethics course, in order to get a picture of inherent differences between the countries without the added influence of extra education on the subjects. These three countries were chosen because of ease of data collection compared to other countries, as well as the fact that they represent a fairly wide range of CPI scores. Theoretically, this study should act as a starting point to further understand why differences in corruption and occurrence of fraud occur in different nations, so that further research could allow professionals to share information across international borders, thus reducing fraud and its negative effects on both the individual and the global economy. It was found through the analysis of data collected in this study that the EQ measure, which is calculated based on questions about situational consumer ethical dilemmas, more positively affects FA than cultural values, which were scored based on the six dimensions of culture defined in Hofstede’s Model. It was also found that the U.S. was the most fraud aware in this study, followed by Japan and then Panama. This result is consistent with the 2017 CPI study

An Analysis of Personal Transformation and Musical Adaptation in Vocal Compositions of Kurt Weill

This thesis explores the compositional transitions in the musical career of Kurt Weill as seen in his Gcmian, French, and American works. Weill was a Gemian-bom composer who was forced to immigrate to France in the 1920’s. He then immigrated to America where he composed for both stage and screen. Specific vocal works by the composer in each country were studied. Research was conducted through the analysis of sheet music, recordings, and a vocal performance of the specific pieces studied. Recordings provided the important aspect of understanding the appropriate vocal style for the music as preferred by the composer. The vocal performance served as the most crucial aspect of the research as performing is the ultimate purpose of Weill’s compositions. The results revealed that there was considerable change that occurred in Weill’s compositional style as he adapted his music to new cultures. The majority of current research concerning the works of the composer focuses on the history of his life and musical analysis of his compositions without including the perspective of a performer. This thesis attempts to fill that gap through the research of vocal works and insight from a performer’s point of view. Because performance is the ultimate goal for Weill’s compositions, this study targets performers and interpreters of Weill’s vocal works

Dian Fossey 1932-1985

First paragraph: I never met Dian Fossey. However, having spent six years as Director of the Karisoke Research Center, I have often been asked what it was like to "follow in her footsteps." There is no quick and easy reply, except that 90 percent of my job was difficult and unpleasant, but the gorillas were so utterly wonderful that they made everything else worthwhile

Behavioural ecology of Western Lowland Gorillas in Gabon

The behavioural ecology of western lowland gorillas was studied for 16 months in the Lope Reserve, Gabon, where gorillas are sympatric with chimpanzees in lowland tropical forest. Data were collected by direct observation, and by examination of nest-sites, feeding-sites, and trails. The nature of frugivory and the extent of seasonal variation in food selection were emphasised. Dietary composition was identified, and the contribution of fruits was evaluated from the volume of fruit ingested estimated retrospectively from seeds in the gorillas' dung. Forest structure and composition were assessed using transects, and fruit and leaf production was quantified monthly to estimate food availability. Food distribution was patchy, and many foods showed seasonal peaks in abundance. The heterogeneity of the habitat was reflected in the diverse diet: gorillas ate 139 parts of 103 species of plants, including 78 fruits. One third of dung samples contained weaver ants. Vegetative parts of Aframomum and Marantaceae formed staple foods, due to their abundance, accessibility, and year-round availability. Succulent fruit formed over 90% of fruit intake. Seasonal variation was measured in all dietary parameters. Flexible foraging strategies enabled gorillas to cope with fruit scarcity, particularly during the major dry season: when less fruit was available gorillas consumed more stems, leaves, and bark, and ate poorer-quality fibrous fruits. Ranging was influenced by the seasonal availability of particular food species: when fruit was abundant gorillas travelled large distances between sources, when scarce they adopted a low cost strategy, shifting their diet towards more abundant, but poorer quality foods, and travelling less. Differences in feeding, ranging, and climbing between lowland and mountain gorillas result from striking differences in their respective habitats, especially in the abundance and distribution of fruit sources. Lowland gorillas' home ranges were larger; they spent more time in tress, mostly feeding; yet their social structure seemed to be similar to mountain gorillas. Lope gorillas adopted strategies similar to those of other frugivorous primates: fruits were preferred foods, consumed with fibre and leaves to meet nutritional requirements. The switch in diet was facilitated by the gorillas’ large body-size, which may have enabled them to cope with succulent fruit shortages, and allowed gorillas to remain in relatively stable groups

"Snare aware" mountain gorillas

First paragraph: People often ask whether mountain gorillas are still hunted, and if poaching remains a problem in the Volcanoes National Park. Until the ghastly resurgence of attempts to capture gorilla infants in 2002, there had been no known deliberate killing of gorillas in Rwanda for 20 years. Poachers set traps for antelopes, but these traps are indiscriminate towards their victims. If a gorilla is caught, his strength can enable him to break free, but during the struggle wire may cut into a hand or foot, and if these cuts become infected the animal may die. To protect gorillas and other animals, anti-poaching teams patrol the forests daily, to find and destroy snares, whilst a veterinary team will intervene to anaesthetize snared gorillas, and treat the wounds

City of Boerne v. Flores and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act: The Delicate Balance Between Religious Freedom and Historic Preservation

This Article analyzes the clash between historic preservation and religious freedom in the context of the United States Supreme Court\u27s decision in City of Boerne v. Flores. (117 S. Ct. 2157 (1997). In Flores, the Court ruled on the constitutionality of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), an act which affords additional protection to religious practices by subjecting neutral, non-religion based government laws such as preservation ordinances to judicial scrutiny. Using the backdrop of the Flores decision, the Article analyzes the constitutionality and policy behind RFRA and examines RFRA\u27s effect on preservation. The Article includes a history of both the preservation movement and the Court\u27s treatment of religious freedom, as well as alternatives which could afford greater balance between religious freedom interests and historic preservation