This study examines the role of the personality trait Honesty-Humility in predicting cooperation, competition, and peace in social dilemmas, using a novel economic game called the Co-Peace Game....Show moreThis study examines the role of the personality trait Honesty-Humility in predicting cooperation, competition, and peace in social dilemmas, using a novel economic game called the Co-Peace Game. While cooperation has been extensively studied, this research delves into the less explored aspects of competition and peace. We hypothesised that Honesty-Humility would have a positive relation with cooperation and a negative relation with competition, while predicting a reluctance to invest in the peace pool. We used an experimental economic game study design, participants (N =198) played eight rounds of the Co-Peace Game. A regression analysis was used to test our hypotheses. As expected, individuals with higher Honesty–Humility tendencies, cooperated more compared to individuals with lower Honesty–Humility tendencies. Surprisingly, results did not find a significant relation between Honesty-Humility with competition or peace. The research emphasises the complexity of personality traits in influencing social behaviours and offers valuable insights for future research.Show less
A seat in the United Nations Security Council is more attractive and prestigious than ever among the organisation’s member states. This thesis investigates the importance of credibility connected...Show moreA seat in the United Nations Security Council is more attractive and prestigious than ever among the organisation’s member states. This thesis investigates the importance of credibility connected to a running candidate’s campaign message in a contested security council election. By adopting a qualitative comparative analysis between the three candidates from the highly competitive Western European and Others Group election of 2020 - Canada, Ireland and Norway – this thesis aims to increase our knowledge of the determinant factors for successful campaigns. The results suggests that proven consistency and positive political engagement and results related to the communicated priorities in the campaign message – at least in relation to those of its competitors – can play a decisive role in the outcome of contested elections. However, the thesis cannot exclude any other possible determinants nor point out any single factor that is more decisive than the others. Nevertheless, the results open up for further research on political commitment as a determinant factor, with special focus on campaign messages.Show less
The Asian International Financial Centres (IFC) are growing in importance within the global economy. Increasingly they are becoming the control centres of financial flows and innovation. In...Show moreThe Asian International Financial Centres (IFC) are growing in importance within the global economy. Increasingly they are becoming the control centres of financial flows and innovation. In particular, the aspiring IFCs of Shanghai and Seoul have remarkably increased in status and competitiveness. This research discusses a possible explanation for their increase in competitiveness. Both cities have large systemic differences from the well-established Western IFCs, as government control and policies have been predominant in the East-Asian region. Nevertheless, they are flourishing in the international financial system based on market mechanism. During the Asian Financial Crisis, Asian centres have undergone many changes and multiple government reform policies have been carried out to enhance the financial sectors. Within this research, the influence of the crisis and changes in the determining factors for competitiveness are scrutinized. The four main determinants constituting an IFC set the parameters for the two case studies of Shanghai and Seoul. The results suggest that the government focus on rapid technological and infrastructural developments have contributed the most to the increase in competitiveness. Moreover, these developments are a part of a shift towards high-end technology industries and services and the overarching government-driven transition towards a knowledge economy.Show less
China desires to gain knowledge that is required to sophisticate its economy. This primarily involves investments in strategic sectors in Europe, which is increasingly received with anxiety and...Show moreChina desires to gain knowledge that is required to sophisticate its economy. This primarily involves investments in strategic sectors in Europe, which is increasingly received with anxiety and scepticism by European leaders. Therefore, an alternative for China to attain significant technological insights is open innovation. This research argues that this is a useful way of obtaining mutually profitable research and development. However, such a partnership requires confidence that is currently lacking. Therefore, this research answers the question: To what extent does the EU’s perception of China impede the Sino-EU cooperation on innovation? This dissertation examines this issue by analysing how the EU view on China influences trust towards this partner, and what this entails for open innovation. It is found that present preconceived negative notions on China lead to distrust. On certain issues, control mechanisms compensate for this lack of trust. However, more trust or control remains to be needed in order for future open innovation in this bilateral relationship to blossom.Show less
This thesis is focussed around the question of what the maritime cultural landscape of Dutch Mauritius can tell us about the island's roles and significance in the Dutch overseas expansion (1598...Show moreThis thesis is focussed around the question of what the maritime cultural landscape of Dutch Mauritius can tell us about the island's roles and significance in the Dutch overseas expansion (1598-1710). The curious contrast between the great gap that exists in colonial and maritime historiography concerning Dutch Mauritius and the fact that the VOC had a dominant presence on the island for over a century has been the main reason to dive into this question. While leaning on the archaeological concept of Westerdahl’s maritime cultural landscape by analysing the elements of geography, structures and sailing routes, and by complementing this landscape through historic research into the elements of maritime knowledge and European competition, this thesis shows that Mauritius was more important to the Dutch overseas expansion in the Indian Ocean than was previously thought.Show less
This thesis investigates whether the demise of the cardinal posture verbs (CPVs): sit, stand, and lie, in Modern English can be ascribed to the rise of the [be +V-ing] construction. Using the data...Show moreThis thesis investigates whether the demise of the cardinal posture verbs (CPVs): sit, stand, and lie, in Modern English can be ascribed to the rise of the [be +V-ing] construction. Using the data from the Penn Parsed Corpus of Early Modern English and the Penn Parsed Corpus of Modern British English, together comprising a period from 1500 to 1914, the frequency with which the CPVs occur have been found to nearly half in size whereas the frequency of the [be + V-ing] construction increases by more than a tenfold. There is a strong negative relationship between these constructions ( = -0.733) but not significant (p < 0.055). However, the combined coefficient of the three CPVs cumulated improves compared to the correlation coefficient of each of the CPVs individually (r = 0.13 for sit, r = -0.67 for stand, and r = -0.64 for lie). A definite semantic clash between the CPVs and the [be +V-ing] construction has been found unlikely. Instead, competition within the functional-semantic domain of ongoingness in Modern English potentially lead to a period of attraction between these two construction types and possibly more, e.g. be busy and keep V-ing. Moreover, the English language became unbounded due to a larger change in the English aspectual system (Los, 2012). The other Germanic languages are bounded languages which use the CPVs richly but have no progressive that is equivalent to the [be +V-ing] construction. The typological switch in English may have, therefore, influenced the halted grammaticalisation of the CPVs and the thriving grammaticalisation of the [be +V-ing] construction and alike constructions.Show less
This thesis argues that the Julio-Claudian emperor needs to be examined in the social and political context of the late Roman Republic wherein competition between the aristocrats determined their...Show moreThis thesis argues that the Julio-Claudian emperor needs to be examined in the social and political context of the late Roman Republic wherein competition between the aristocrats determined their behaviour to a large extent. The emperor tried to position himself within the new political order. He tried to control the competition between the aristocrats, but he sometimes also contravened possible competitors in different ways.Show less
The Chinese aspiration to accumulate modern technology has great consequences for industrialised nations. In the ‘Made in China 2025’ initiative, the Middle Kingdom aims to become the leader in...Show moreThe Chinese aspiration to accumulate modern technology has great consequences for industrialised nations. In the ‘Made in China 2025’ initiative, the Middle Kingdom aims to become the leader in technological advancement before the half of the 21st century. It is essential to perceive the Chinese economic actions motivated by this development initiative, and how this influences global competition on innovation. This study consists of a qualitative approach investigating how the Chinese economic actions motivated by ‘Made in China 2025’ influence Sino-German competition. This is investigated trough an analysis of Chinese economic actions and is supplemented by perceptions of professionals in the field through two interviews. It is found that the new competitor is welcomed by Germany, which is also reflected by substantial cooperation. However, the influence of the Chinese government negatively affects the fairness of competition on innovation with Germany. A practical implication that derives from this is that screening of acquisitions by the German government is a solution to tackle Chinese government influence aimed at attaining knowledge. Further research can focus on which approaches are efficient for screening acquisitions. Show less
In the last thirty years there have been increasing collaborations between artists and scientists and the reasons for this are complex and varied. Although the interaction is mostly promoted as a...Show moreIn the last thirty years there have been increasing collaborations between artists and scientists and the reasons for this are complex and varied. Although the interaction is mostly promoted as a positive and promising activity, there is also a lot of skepticism about the equality between the two sectors. There is a general problem that collaborations may become muddled by different disciplinary understandings. Therefore there seems to be a distinction between bio-art that attempts to challenge the oppressive and exploitative practices that shape the world and bio-art that functions as a form of science- advertisement. Considering these means we should pay attention to the ways in which the arts-science linkage works within our society. This study examines this distinction by focusing on the goal of bio-art according to today’s biggest bio-art competitions: The Bio Art & Design award, the Wellcome Trust arts award, the VIDA Artificial Life International Awards and the FASEB BioArt competition. By comparing their histories, their claimed intentions and their results, this study aims to create a complete overview of the competitions and the role they are playing in the world of bio-art and its development. It shows us if these competitions stimulate bio-art as being a form of advertisement or a form of critical art, which will hopefully bring us a bit closer to answering the more general question; what do we expect from the collaboration between art and science and why is it necessary?Show less
A research on the lack of candidates for the function of Vestal Virgin, one of the most important priesthoods in Ancient Rome. Seen from the perspective of elite competition, this thesis shows that...Show moreA research on the lack of candidates for the function of Vestal Virgin, one of the most important priesthoods in Ancient Rome. Seen from the perspective of elite competition, this thesis shows that religion and politics were completely intertwined and that the elite daughters were used by their families for the political games of elite competition.Show less
This paper is to illuminate the social significance of positional goods and to assess the desirability of equality of these goods. I begin with a characterization of strict and moderate...Show moreThis paper is to illuminate the social significance of positional goods and to assess the desirability of equality of these goods. I begin with a characterization of strict and moderate egalitarianism and their implications about equality; and I discuss the leveling down principle as well as its objection. Further, I turn to the issue of positionality and non-positionality; define positional goods; clarify the distinction between positional goods with non-positional aspect and non-positional goods with positional aspect; and demonstrate what a notable case equality (and leveling down) of positional goods is in the field of political philosophy and economics. I then proceed to an elaborate discussion about the desirability of equality of positional goods. I conclude that equality of these goods is not desirable and defend this claim on three egalitarian grounds: (1) non-positionality; (2) social growth; and (3) fair competition.Show less
