Consumer Ethnocentrism: A Study on Norwegian Consumers

Masteroppgave International Business and Marketing - Nord universitet 202

From home to homelessness: A reflection on Nora’s possible post-departure feminist life in A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen

In Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, Nora’s departure from home being hurt by her husband’s behavior appears to be the most important event of the drama igniting so far a wide critical parlances of Feminist array that appreciate the departure as Nora’s freedom from male-dominated society. But Nora’s success in having a home of comfort and happiness in her post-departure future life in Feminist world deserves critical attention too. We may posit Nora will shift to a Feminist world considering the departure as the manifestation of her newly imbibed Feminist spirit because the first wave Feminism of her time is either indifferent about or antagonistic to family life by being politics-centric. However, when Nora has within her a woman’s indispensable family-centric female construction to face nonfamilial politics-centric first wave feminism, she is sure to find no home in that Feminist world. Thus, this paper aims at examining how Nora, with her declared departure from home, is going to shift to the world of first wave Feminism which, by being nonfamilial and politics-centric, works against the very family-centric construction of Nora’s female construction and offers homelessness to her.

Revisiting Alu of The Swamp Dwellers by Soyinka and Views by Beauvoir in The Second Sex: Unifying Humanity Versus Feminist Separatism

This paper concentrates on a comparative study between Alu of the drama The Swamp Dwellers by Soyinka and the Feminist views of Beauvoir in The Second Sex while the areas of the drama so far explored and discussed are native narrative, political views, decline through modernization, moral-spiritual standpoint, family bonding and human-nature tie. In the drama, if the vital role played by Alu is construed, she appears as a woman figure of infinite capaciousness with her duties, responsibilities, feelings, commitments, rights and privileges in family and society. Alu succeeds because her human-centric Yoruba tradition gives support to her family-centric biology and psychology. But contrary to Alu, Feminist views disseminated by Beauvoir in The Second Sex embark on the estrangement of women from family and humanity. Thus, the paper seeks to unearth how Alu of Yoruba tradition harmonizes and unifies humanity through her role in family and society while Feminism of Beauvoir opposes them and wishes women to be separated. In this qualitative research of thematic analysis method, Family Systems Theory and Religious Humanism Theory were applied. By recommending for women the re-introduction of traditional human-centric life in family and society, this research may contribute to women’s emancipation from misery.    

Potentials of forest ecosystem services for primate conservation and human wellbeing

Ecosystems supply numerous valuable services which are crucial for maintaining human wellbeing. However, the value of these Ecosystem Services (ESS) are yet to be fully captured or quantified and how they contribute to ecosystem conservation and the wellbeing of people are not properly understood. This thesis aims to add to this knowledge through the use of four case studies from two forests in Asia. Using these two important forests, this research project aimed to answer four key research questions: 1. What is the estimated value of the ESS obtained from the forest ecosystem? 2. What are the potentials of recreational service based management in sustainable conservation? 3. What are the interactions between livelihood capitals and access of local communities to the forest ecosystem services and how does this impact their daily lives and wellbeing? 4. What are the potentials of ecosystem services for improving human wellbeing of directly dependent communities? The case studies were conducted at the Veun Sai-Siem Pang National Park (VSSPNP) in Cambodia, and the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest (SMF) in Bangladesh. In order to estimate the value of VSSPNP, I used academically well-established formulas and methods for each service. Primary data were collected by conducting interview and secondary data were obtained from published literature and official records of the respective authorities. I estimated the total annual contribution of VSSPNP to be US$129.84million contributed by air purification, water storage, soil-erosion reduction, soil-fertility improvement, carbon sequestration, provisioning services and recreation. The area also generated valuable non-monetary values including academic and non-academic knowledge, created a diverse network worldwide, and shaped the culture of local indigenous people. Given the high value of the area, a properly designed ecosystem-based ecotourism program (CBET) was developed. This program was assessed in terms of its impact on human wellbeing by surveying the demography of tourists and their conservation attitudes towards the CBET program. In total 36 tourists were interviewed twice (before and after visiting the site). In addition, data were collected from the official records of the management authority (Conservation International or CI), face to face interviews with 35 indigenous families and focus group discussions with local people including both CBET members and non-members. I found that the CBET program increased the recreational value of VSSPNP and there was a significant improvement in the level of satisfaction of the tourists after visiting the site. CBET also significantly increased the intention for collective action and cooperation for conservation of the forest amongst people. Similarly, in the Shyamnagar upazila vicinity of the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest (SMF), I conducted interviews with the heads of 104 households to determine the level of access to provisioning services (a type of ESS) to better understand the trade-offs made by the households when selecting which services to use. I found that the interactions between livelihood capitals (human, physical, financial, natural and social) are key contributors to the level of access a person has to a given service and that PS contributed significantly in availability and cleanliness of non-drinking water as well as significantly improving the capacity of people to maintain social freedom. I then divided these 104 households into high access (income≥ US$893/yr) and lower access (<US$893/yr) families based on the income they received from provisioning service collection and collected data on four general wellbeing criteria. The effect of each criterion on wellbeing was measured and showed that only physical health and economic security significantly improved with the increase in PS collection as food sufficiency was significantly decreased with the increase in the amount of PS collection. A higher amount of PS extraction also tends to significantly weaken the collectors physically while mental health decreased. These case studies suggest a participatory approach of forest conservation has the potentials to make a difference for wildlife and human populations and these relationships need to be better understood to fully understand how important forests are for local people. This will help make better conservation action plans that ensure forests are maintained and that people’s expectations of how they can use the forest are secured

PROMOTING EXPORT OF ICT BASED SERVICES THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EXPORT POLICY IN BANGLADESH

ICT has been identified as one of the major sub-sectors in the service sector in Bangladesh. Export policy of Bangladesh, designed for 2015-2018, has included 12 highest priority sectors considering their special export potentials, where software and ICT enabled service is one of them. The policy has some certain goals for promoting export of ICT based services. The broad objective of the study is to analyze export policy of Bangladesh related with ICT based service and the overall situation of policy implementation and under this broad objective specific objectives are (1) to evaluate the role of export policy of Bangladesh in promoting ICT based service export and (2) to find if there is gap between Bangladesh export policy for ICT based service and implementation of the policy. Both qualitative and quantitative methods have been used to conduct this research. The study found that the policy lacks some very important issues needed to be addressed for capitalizing high potentials ICT based service export sector. But there is no policy statement for supporting ICT entrepreneurs to have better access to national and international arena. Among the variables that affect policy implementation, political will and support have been appreciated by the ICT entrepreneurs. The goals which are not being implemented are probably being hampered by lack of required amount of financial allocation, lack of technical skill and knowledge of the implementers, and lack of related policies complementing this policy. Increased participation of entrepreneurs in this sector will be helpful to harvest the benefit from policy implementation.  Article visualizations

Development of computerize value stream system

Value stream mapping (VSM) was initially developed to use of the suite of tools to help researcher or practitioner to identify waste in individual value streams and find an appropriate method to its removal. The process itself is simple and straightforward is used to identify waste using lean manufacturing technique, determined causes of the waste through the value stream mapping method and to propose solution to improve workplace environment. In this project is made an attempt to computerize the process though the application of VSM. Computerize value stream system is basically a method which is an internet networking system combining traditional concept of value stream mapping method to be used at manufacturing company to reduce wastes. This paper summarizes the way to develop an internet, online and network based of an efficient computerize value stream system to improve operation value of the manufacturing company. This paper reviews the design of package that will replace the manual method of doing VSM. This package will be applied in a real shop floor environment

Reaching Happiness beyond Emancipation: A Study on the Human-Centric Role of Linde in A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen

Henrik Ibsen’s drama A Doll’s House portrays the late 19th century Norway where protagonist Nora and her eventual manifestation of Feminism are almost all the time at the centre of critical attention. But Mrs. Kristina Linde is also a character of magnanimous stature with her enthusiastic sense of belonging and heart-felt services to family and society. In this manner, the human-centric role provides Linde with satisfaction that amounts to happiness, taking her ways ahead of emancipation in a world where women’s emancipation from sufferings is still an unresolved issue. Notably, Linde’s human-centric role gains authenticity as a true means of women’s emancipation by reflecting higher knowledge which is essential for any human affair to be true and real. Thus, this paper aims at exploring how Mrs. Kristina Linde in A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, being in her family and society and playing vital roles accordingly, derives happiness proving the truth that all women can be human-centric in family and society, and can have happiness going far ahead of emancipation changing the global scenario of women’s misery. The methodology of thematic analysis was followed in this research. The research may contribute in propounding human-centric family and social life as the proper means of women’s emancipation

Knowledge for Competitive Advantage: Putting Knowledge at the Core of the Business

In recent years, the words - knowledge and managing knowledge are at the core of management thinking. Scholars and business strategists are trying to explore the real nature of knowledge and its management from the organizational competitiveness point of view. Organizations, irrespective of the nations and regions are facing a difficult problem in making their businesses more competitive and sustainable. In the changing business context, organizations need to adopt a dynamic approach which can make them flexible and self-motivated. Knowledge-based view proposes that knowledge can make an organization more adaptable through developing new competencies. Eventually, the ability of developing new competencies provides a competitive advantage in the long-term. This paper is exclusively involved in developing a knowledge strategy framework. This framework focuses on a strategic linkage between knowledge creation and business processes. This thematic paper equally emphasizes the people dimension of a business

Polya partial gastrectomy for megaduodenum: A case report

Megaduodenum is an extremely rare condition in children presenting with features of duodenal obstruction. It may be associated with bands and adhesions. However, when the obstruction is chronic and functional, mere excision of the band and adhesionolysis is not curative. Some form of bypass procedure is required for its successful treatment. Here we are describing polya partial gastrectomy in a 13-year-old girl suffering from megadoudenum for its successful treatment.  Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Journal 2023;16(1): 70-72