Web-based communication: the need for more valuable on-line information

Abstract

Numerous studies about the Internet have already been conducted or are in the process of being conducted. However, after several years there still is no clear understanding of what form Web-based or on-line communication should take to make it really valuable to the consumer.

The contribution of this article is its attempt to address the current contents of Web-based communication and to provide some ideas with regard to the shortcomings in this regard. It addresses the impact of the Internet on the South African society, the Internet as a new communication medium as well as its effect on organisational communication. It also argues that an on-line presence is no longer enough and that online customers want more value in terms of their online experience.

Although Web-based communication has become an integral part of many organisational practices, traditional communication channels or media will not necessarily become obsolete. The Internet is a new communication medium with much potential and can eliminate problems associated with traditional media and channels.

Web-based communication has become a powerful new means of communication in South Africa. Information has become more accessible, more affordable as well as more manageable to both individuals and organisations and has in the process also empowered South African society with more knowledge. However, new technologies are not only concerned with the availability of new communication channels, but also with the development of new credible communication messages for successful communication.

Web-based communication is a more complex task and requires a much more skillful approach to be successful than is the general belief among communication practitioners. After the initial rush to obtain an on-line organisational presence, organisations are currently concerned with the effective integration of the Internet into their traditional marketing communication mix. Marketers, public relations practitioners and advertisers today benefit from the advantages of Web-based communication in conjunction with traditional media. However, even though it is clear that the Internet has an impact on organisational communication (integration), it is less obvious what form on-line information should take to make it really valuable to the consumer.     

Simbole in interkulturele kommunikasie

SUMMARY

The first part of this article: “Symbols as message-bearers” discusses the nature and occurrence of symbols, symbol systems and classifications, and the way these manifest a society's specific world view. Symbolic systems are paradigms in which certain concrete cultural constructions (eg. houses, meals, clothes etc.) occur as syntagms. The analysis of symbolic mechanisms grants access to a culture's unique constitution of meaning. Verbal and non-verbal communication symbols are briefly discussed.

The second part depicts the manifestation of symbols in certain cultural arrangements in which symbolization plays a great part, like myths, religion, art and rituals.

The final part maintains the use of symbol analysis as utilization of the cultural totality for intercultural communication. By involving the symbol system as well as the unique communication patterns, successful communication transcending intercultural boundaries, becomes more likely.     

The role of prosecutors in ensuring human rights compliant responses to terrorism

Since 9/11 the threat from terrorism has been regarded as ‘exceptional’, a threat that requires military and sometimes even extra-judicial responses. But experience has shown that these responses can have unintended and counterproductive results. Many experts now believe that criminal justice and rule of law-based responses to terrorism are often more legitimate, effective and sustainable. The paper argues that prosecutors have a vital role to play in promoting appropriate criminal justice responses to terrorism. Yet with no international court with jurisdiction over terrorist crimes, prosecutors carry the primary responsibility to work with their local law enforcement agencies to bring terrorist suspects to justice before national courts, while ensuring that no misuses or abuses of authority have occurred. To deliver on this mandate, prosecutors must remain vigilant and ensure that the counter-terrorism actions of police, corrections and other law enforcement authorities are lawful and respectful of human rights. This will often require immense courage under fire.     

Methodology for estimating endocranial capacity in a modern European population

Various methods have been published in the literature to estimate endocranial capacity. These are based on mathematical equations using measurements made directly on the skull or indirectly from X-rays, by filling the skull with various materials, by endocasts both physical and virtual (using 3D CT-scan reconstructions). Each method has its advantages, limits and drawbacks. A useful method is one that is simple, time-efficient, cheap, and reproducible. For this study we estimated endocranial capacity by filling the skull with calibrated glass beads. We used a thorough protocol of tamping to ensure results reproducibility. Intra- and inter-observer trials showed no significant differences. The method was applied to 130 recent French (West European) skulls (65 males and 65 females). Sexual dimorphism was studied using logistic regression functions, discriminant analysis, and neural network. The best results were obtained using the neural network, built with two hidden nodes in the hidden layer and one output node, and trained with a steepest descent algorithm. Our tests show that there is obvious sexual dimorphism (p < 10(-5)) of the weight of the skulls (623.44 ± 106.83 g in males; 548.07 ± 94.57 in females), the weight of the glass beads used to fill the skulls (2379.83 ± 228.92 g in males; 2095.95 ± 145.49 in females), and endocranial capacity (1676.47 cm(3) ± 161.26 in males; 1476.48 ± 102.49 in females), but overlapping between sexes is quite significant. The average ECC in male (1676.5 cm(3)) and in female (1476.5 cm(3)) subjects is higher than those previously published, which deserves some discussion.     

Common Wealth

After reviewing developments in human rights law and international law – in particular the domestication of international human rights law and the rise of the democratic norm in international law – the importance of these developments for the Commonwealth and for its member states is highlighted and linked to many of the programmes and policies that the Commonwealth Secretariat has recently launched. This paper discusses these developments and others in order to stress the wealth of potential advantages for Commonwealth member states and their citizens that flow from a common commitment under the rule of law to human rights and democracy. The authors endeavour to show that such wealth is more than mere economic benefit – as important as that undoubtedly is – and that citizens stand to reap a moral system of government, one which expands the opportunities for popular participation in political processes and puts an end to social practices that marginalise some citizens and empower others.     

有关民族、宗教问题的几点看法

民族关系、宗教关系,是人类社会常见的两种社会关系;民族关系、宗教关系既是反映人们社会身份的重要符号,同时也在某种程度上反映了一定的社会关系;作为两种社会历史文化现象,民族、宗教问题是一定社会诸多矛盾的结合产物;在社会急剧变迁的今天,民族、宗教问题已成为世界各国高度关注的热点问题;对于我国来说,民族、宗教问题的处理好坏,直接影响到国家社会的稳定、发展、和谐.