TV as Bully

This chapter pushes back against notions of meritorious complexity, moral ambiguity, and cognitive “richness” in recent, high-profile American television series. It questions the heralding of television’s artistic transcendence above that of other narrative media and the use of cognitive theory to make such a case. I turn instead to literature on social psychology and bullying to make sense of our relationship to longform TV serials and investigate the ways in which a kind of bullying in the content and form of both serial and reality television has been normalized in an era popularly dubbed the “TV renaissance.” It concludes with a look at the relationship between a rising endorsement of aggressive populist leadership styles and the prevalence of bullying as causal logic on TV.

The fallacy of discrete authentic leader behaviours: Locating authentic leadership in interaction

The concept of authentic leadership is increasingly the focus of much leadership scholarship, and many have called for a review of the basic assumptions that underpin it. Taking an interactional approach to authentic leadership (AL) and using naturally occurring workplace interaction as data, we seek to question two basic assumptions of AL scholarship, namely (1) that authentic leadership emanates from the atomized leader and (2) that there is a causal logic to it so that authentic leadership behaviours are the cause of follower outcomes. Addressing the research questions – what is the nature of the empirical phenomenon that is called AL and where can this be ontologically located? – our findings indicate that these two fundamental assumptions that underpin current AL research are not justified. Rather, what is taken to be AL is better understood as a collective and collaborative achievement, which can neither simply be attributed to the leader nor can the leader’s actions alone lead to follower outcomes.

The Axiology and Symbolism of the Motif System in Novgorod Bylinas

This article carries out an axiological analysis of Novgorod bylinas about Sadko and Vasily Buslayev, which leads the author to interpret epic motifs as a semantic unity that help reveal the hero’s motives, his actions, and their consequences. The borders of the motif as part of the plot are determined by the hero’s central values and his resulting (and, as a rule, altered) state. The elements of the epic motif are studied through the prism of the character’s evaluations, as well as those of the epic bard and the listener. As a result, the author develops a principle of value classification for bylina motifs. The motifs of the Russian epic are also divided depending on whether they make part of parallel constructions with other motifs of the same type, and according to the presence of an opposition in the form of an antipode motif. The author reveals the function of the motif in bylina plots which, according to the author, the bard could easily keep in his memory, as it is connected with simple causal logic and is based on the hero’s motives and moral state (pride, lechery, greed, etc.). Targeting a traditional audience, the bard could combine, rearrange, and contaminate motifs, creating a unique version of the song for a particular spiritual and therapeutic purpose of communication. The author concludes that micro-topics, termed “epic motifs” by adherents of the structural and semantic approach, have a “semantics”, but this meaning is not enough for the bard to realise and remember the functional effect of the motif, i. e. the correcting effect produced on the listener.

On the Use of the Hybrid Causal Logic Methodology in Ship Collision Risk Assessment

A ship collision accident is one of the most dangerous and common types of maritime accidents. Traditional probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) of ship collision accidents is a methodology that can be adopted to ensure maritime safety. Nevertheless, a need for better approaches to model human behavior, such as risk identification, communication, and decision-making, has been identified. Such advanced PRA methods require a more explicit way of taking human factors into consideration than the traditional risk assessment methods. Hybrid causal logic (HCL) is an advanced PRA method due to its unique three-level framework that includes event sequence diagrams, fault trees, and Bayesian networks, which makes it suitable for modeling human behavior that is important to ship collision accidents. This paper discusses the applicability of the HCL methodology for the ship collision accident. Firstly, the event sequences of typical ship collision accidents are summarized based on the study of 50 accident investigation reports. Then, fault trees for mechanical failure events and the Bayesian networks for human error events are constructed to analyze the events in a structured way at a more detailed level. Finally, the three main end-state types of ship collision avoidance scenario have been quantified. The result of the probability of a ship collision accident is verified by estimating the annual frequency of collision accidents in the Singapore Strait. Comparing with the historical data, the estimation results are quite near to the real case. By taking advantage of the HCL methodology, the modeling of ship collision scenarios can be carried out at a deep logical level. At the same time, it is possible to combine a detailed analysis of various primary events with a comprehensive analysis at the system level.

Effectuation logic in digital business model transformation

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study how digital business models evolve when entrepreneurs move to new digital platforms and how this evolution is related to effectuation and causation logics. Design/methodology/approach This study applies a multiple case study approach to investigate how digital business models change in small, Japanese high-tech firms providing their innovations through different digital platforms. To investigate digital business models, this study considers the elements that comprise general business models. The case firms were selected based on size, products and transitions from physical to various digital platforms. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the key decision-makers from the case firms. Findings The findings show that through digital transformation, the case firms’ digital business models evolved by following effectuation logic as well as causal logic. All the firms employed causal logic when moving to new platforms, among other actions. The case firms used effectual logic with success for product development and adjustments to their network. Especially firms providing video games relied on effectuation for high impact products. Effectual logic did not play a role at all in changes to value delivery and had only little impact on revenue structures. Originality/value This research helps understand how digitalization of platforms and subsequent moves to newer digital platforms improve a firm by changing the business model elements through effectuation and causation logics. This research extends the understanding of digital business model transformation to a more granular level, business model elements.

France

France conducted a unique grand strategy, labeled “grandeur,” from the late 1950s to 1989. Its key elements were: the search for global status; the need for independence in decision-making and a related refusal to accept subordination to the United States; and the primacy of nuclear power in its military arsenal. But France has radically reoriented its grand strategy for the last three decades towards a more integrative formulation of “liberal engagement.” This chapter first describes the features of grandeur and then identifies the factors that led France to pursue liberal engagement. It describes and compares the characteristics of the two along three axes: their theoretical bases, causal logic, and policy components. The chapter concludes by examining the impact of liberal engagement on France’s forms of foreign engagement; assesses the ways and extent to which they serve France’s interests; and evaluates the consequences of those choices.

THE THEOLOGY OF THE CANONS OF DORT: A REASSESSMENT AFTER FOUR HUNDRED YEARS

This article reassesses the value of the Canons of Dort, drafted at the Synod of Dort (1618–19). A picture with diverse shades emerges. After four hundred years, the Canons of Dort stand out when compared to the Remonstrant position for their pastoral tone, Reformed catholicity, emphasis on the efficacity of divine grace, an infralapsarian stance on the decrees of God, and their biblical character. In retrospect, however, the Canons also show theological limitations such as allowing the dominance of the Arminian agenda, the potentially problematic nature of complex, causal logic, the deficiency of certain important biblical notions, and a deficiency as to the centrality of Christ. Christ as the mirror of election in particular deserves a more central place in the doctrine of election.