Differences in the usefulness of communication channels,as experienced by gender and ethnic groups during their university selection process

Abstract

Recruiting students to enrol at a particular institution is becoming a competitive and challenging process for higher education institutions. Therefore, institutions should create efficient and effective ways of providing relevant information to prospective students during their process of selecting an institution. The major communication channels that prospective students consult during their selection process, and the usefulness thereof for students, are important knowledge imperatives for higher education institutions. In this study, 12 different channels of communication, considered by students during a typical higher education institution selection process, were investigated. A non-probability convenience sample of 1 241 first-year students from six higher education institutions in South Africa was drawn. Findings suggest that female students attach a significantly higher value to nine of the 12 communication channels, compared to their male counterparts. There were also differences between the ethnic groups in terms of the usefulness of events on campus, high school teachers, open days and campus visits, as well as university publications. Higher education institutions can use the results to develop communication strategies that are more student oriented, in order to reinforce their image and to reach students more effectively through the appropriate communication channels.     

The Dynamics Of Nationalist Terrorism: ETA and the IRA

Nationalist terrorism aspires to independence or greater autonomy for some territory. The combination of territorial claims and armed struggle gives rise to a very definite strategy, violence intended to coerce the State. Nationalist terrorist organizations kill repeatedly with the aim of breaking the will of the State. They engage in a peculiar sort of war of attrition with the State. This paper analyzes comparatively the war of attrition strategy in two organizations, ETA and the IRA. The focus of the paper is on strategy: it examines how ETA and the IRA understood their activity in terms of war of attrition and how they developed their strategy subject to some constraints, such as the moderate preferences of their supporters. I show that popularity constraints account for the high degree of selectivity in their killings. The analysis is based on a combination of historical information, internal documents, and a large data set I have constructed of the killings of these two organizations.     

中东欧独联体政治经济转型20年: 约束条件与转型政策、策略选择

回顾中东欧独联体国家转型走过的道路,可以发现,转型的方式和路径受制于转型的约束条件.其中,政治转型与经济转型的相互制约关系尤为复杂.在复杂的约束条件下,转型的政策空间是受限的.转型目标、转型的策略选择与次序安排相互制约,共同规定了转型的基本方向和演进轨迹.     

公开选拔党政领导干部制度有效性的文献综述

公开选拔党政领导干部制度作为干部人事制度的重要组成部分,其有效性问题值得我们关注,将这一问题分解为"公开选拔制度能做什么"和"公开选拔制度做了什么"问题分别从规范研究和经验研究两个方面,对相关研究进行综述,通过分析,可得出"公开选拔制从应然状态是非常有效的,但是从实然角度来看其作用有限,因此该制度有效性上无法作出定论"的结论。因此,未来研究框架是将应然状态看作是公选制度的收益,将实然状态中的各种因素视作是公选制度的成本,进而通过成本收益的方式来分析公开选拔制度的有效性问题。     

从领导干部流动速率看干部制度建设

流动速率指干部在政治层级中的晋升速度,流动速率高的干部未来发展潜力更大。本研究使用市委书记上任年龄和所辖城市性质来衡量流动速率,结合干部人事制度的变化对流动速率与干部群体特征变量之间相关性进行分析。随着《党政领导干部选拔任用工作条例》等制度出台,当前流动速率高的市委书记群体教育水平更高、轮岗经历丰富,但在基层经历方面存在不足。目前我国面向基层导向的干部培养和选拔方式有助于对这一问题进行弥补。