Thesis--Köln. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 253-256).

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, November, 2009. / Release of full electronic text on OhioLINK has been delayed until December 1, 2011. Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri--Columbia, 2003. / "August 2003." Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 240-251). Also issued on the Internet.

Zugl.: Trier, Universiẗat, Diss., 2009.

Background: Organic food became a popular topic in recent years. Even though organic markets are becoming larger than before, the organic fruit market is still a niche market around the world. Consumers’ purchasing intentions towards organic products are impacted by many factors. Purpose: The purpose of this research study is to investigate the customers’ purchasing behaviors with different food-related lifestyles in China and France. Method: A research model and four hypotheses alongside the study have been used after reviewing relevant literatures. An online questionnaire survey was conducted in China and France, which resulted in 261 completed and usable responses. Results: All hypotheses were accepted representing all the independent variables, which includes attitudes toward purchasing organic fruit, subjective norms, perceived control and food-related lifestyles, influencing purchase intentions. In terms of research questions, the results suggested that food-related lifestyles in different countries exhibited positive significant relationships with customers’ planned behavior.

Sammanfattning    Denna studie syftar till att studera yrkesverksamma förskollärares uppfattningar av teknik i förskolan och deras beskrivningar av hur de synliggör teknik i förskolans verksamhet. För att skapa en grundförståelse av vad teknik innebär inom förskolans verksamhet och hur det kan gestaltas, bör en medvetenhet hos pedagogerna finnas för att synliggöra tekniken i vardagen. Teknikområdet lyftes fram i förskolans reviderade läroplan Lpfö98/10, men hur man arbetar med att synliggöra tekniken i vardagen är upp till pedagogen att tolka. Studiens empiri utgör en pedagogisk analys av läroplanstexten Lpfö98/10 samt halvstrukturerade intervjuer med sex förskollärare. Detta har tolkats med hjälp av ett teoretiskt ramverk i form av ett raster av olika teknikaspekter/emfaser som vi finner i tidigare forskning vilket har fördjupats till ändamålet med denna studie. Teknikaspekterna som vi har definierat och framarbetat är: Att göra aspekten, Medborgerliga aspekten, Teknik som artefakt-aspekten och Tekniska system-aspekten. Vi har valt att sammanbinda den empiriska studien med formuleringsarenan och realiseringsarenan då dessa arenor berör pedagogerna och deras verksamhet. Vid bearbetning av förskollärarnas resonemang framkom att det fanns en osäkerhet gällande teknik inom förskolan. De flesta av förskollärarna beskrev teknik som svårt och diffust samt att de önskade mer teknikutbildning för att klara av att tolka läroplanens intentioner på ett realistiskt sätt. Den pedagog som hade mer teknikutbildning hade lättare att omsätta teknik i den dagliga verksamheten på förskolan.   Nyckel ord: Teknik, Förskola, Aspekter, Intention, Läroplan, Lpfö98/10

Tidigare forskning visar att grupparbete inte alltid utmynnar i ett samarbete mellan eleverna. Forslund Frykedal (2008) har observerat olika former av grupparbete som eleverna själva skapar. Hon menar att elever allt som oftast väljer att dela upp arbetet mellan varandra vilket resulterar i ett individuellt grupparbete. Vi vill därför utgå från lärares perspektiv för att undersöka om det är individuellt eller gemensamt grupparbete som är deras intention med grupparbete.Vi har genom kvalitativ intervju intervjuat fem verksamma lärare om deras intentioner och förberedande arbete kring grupparbete. Vår studie visar att lärare har en intention om gemensamt grupparbete men att deras förberedelser i form av uppgift och gruppsammansättning skapar förutsättningar för ett mer individuellt grupparbete. Problemet vi ser med detta är att intentionen och genomförandet inte går hand i hand och därför inte uppfyller lärarnas syfte med grupparbete.

Globally, workplace bullying is a growing phenomenon which affects millions of employees. It is characterised by frequency of incidence, duration and reaction on the side of both the perpetrator and victim, ultimately caused by power struggles in ineffective working environments. The impact on both the Company and employee is significant and there is a negative impact on the employment relationship. It may lead to reduced performance and productivity, individual health problems, impact on job satisfaction and foster intentions to quit. The primary objective of this research was to determine the prevalence of workplace bullying in a South African Information Technology (IT) company, and determine the impact of this construct on job satisfaction and intention to quit. A cross-sectional survey design was used. The constructs were measured by means of a biographical questionnaire, the Negative Acts Questionnaire Revised, a Job Satisfaction Questionnaire and an Intention to Quit Questionnaire. Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients were used to assess the validity and reliability of the measuring instruments. The phi-coefficient was used to determine effect size and power of the chi-square tests for independence (Aron, Elliot, & Aaron, 2011). The research method for the articles consisted of a literature review and an empirical study. The statistical analysis was carried out using the SPSS 20.0 programme (SPSS 2012). Article 1 focuses on the prevalence and measurement of workplace bullying in an IT company. Descriptive statistics (frequencies) and cross tabulations were used to describe the data. Significant relations were found in constructs within the negative acts, and also between the negative acts and biographical information. Article 2 focuses on the relation between workplace bullying, job satisfaction and the intention to quit in an IT company. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, means, standard deviations, skewness and kurtosis) were determined to describe the data, principal component analysis was used and an Oblimin rotation was performed to determine the constructs for analysis. Pearson’s correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis were used to determine the relationship between these constructs. Significant relations and difference are found between the various individual constructs and the scores of the negatives acts, job satisfaction and intention to quit. Conclusions are made for the current research, limitations discussed and recommendations for future research are put forward. / Thesis (MCom (Labour relations management))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2013

Due to globalisation and resulting work mobility, organisations are forced to compete for talented people. As a result organisations are starting to realise the importance of their human capital, human capital is viewed as the greatest contributor to organisational success. This is evident through the war for talent throughout the world. All organisations are fighting to have the best people as it is believed that talented people add value to the bottom line of the business and give the business a competitive edge. In an attempt to retain talented people, the needs and expectations of these people must be taken seriously. The main research objective of the study was to investigate leadership expectations (what employees expect from their leaders), to what extent their expectations are met and the impact of these leadership expectations on work engagement and intention to leave. In the study, both qualitative and quantitative research methods were utilised to achieve the objectives. Focus groups in each department of the factory were utilised to gather information on what employees expect from their leaders. Employees were interviewed and open ended questions were utilised to give employees an opportunity to express themselves. The information gathered from the focus groups was utilised to design a new leadership expectations checklist. The aim of this checklist is to measure leadership expectations and the extent to which those expectations are met. A total sample of 156 (n =156) employees took part in the research. The result of the study indicated that employees consider the following expectations as important: Relationship with supervisor (ranked as first); Appreciation of good work and Regular feedback (both ranked second); Support from supervisor (ranked third); 2 Communication (ranked fourth) ; Studying further (ranked fifth) ; Independence (ranked sixth); and Coaching (ranked seventh). Results further indicate that leadership expectation met does predict engagement, the more the leadership expectations are met the more the engaged the employees become. Regarding turnover there was a negative relationship between leadership expectation and turnover. Recommendation to the organisation and for future research were made. / MA, Industrial Psychology, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

Recently, task-based research motivated by a Vygotskian theoretical perspective has led to studies that demonstrate how the task-as-workplan is interpreted and reshaped by learners in actual performance (Coughlan and Duff, 1994). The ability of learners to set their own ‘tasks’ suggests that researchers need to investigate how individual students react to the tasks they have been asked to perform (Ellis, 2003). To date, there have been very few systematic studies on learner and teacher perceptions in this particular field. Four studies conducted by Kumaravadivelu (1989, 1991), Slimani (1989, 1992), Block (1994, 1996), and Barkhuizhen (1998) have shed light on the learner and teacher perception of classroom events. This study has continued the investigation into how individual students react to the tasks they have been asked to perform. In particular, it has focussed on four potential mismatches between teacher intention and learners’ interpretation of task, previously identified in a study by Kumaravadivelu (2003): instructional, pedagogic, procedural and strategic. The study aimed to look at teacher and learners’ perceptions and therefore a qualitative approach was used to gather information. The study was triangulated on two levels, using a variety of data (data triangulation) and different methods (questionnaires and interviews) to collect the data (methodological triangulation). Sixteen students studying for a Certificate in English at the School of Languages and Social Sciences at Auckland University of Technology were asked to perform a task and then complete a questionnaire which was designed to elicit information regarding the four potential mismatches, between teacher intention and learner interpretation, referred to above. Four pairs of students participated in each of the two tasks. Four students, one from each pair was then interviewed in order to elicit more in-depth information regarding the four mismatches referred to above. The teacher was also interviewed after the task had been completed. The student answers from the questionnaires were compared with the data gathered from the student and teacher interviews. The findings seem to show that two mismatches between teacher intention and learners’ interpretation were evident, namely instructional and pedagogic. There was no clear evidence of a strategic or procedural mismatch. Despite the small sample size, the study seems to show that mismatches are identifiable. Given the importance of perceptual mismatches and the fact that they are part of the practice of everyday teaching, it is important that we try to identify as many mismatches as possible in future research. It is reasonable to assume that the narrower the gap between teacher intention and learner interpretation, the greater the chances of achieving learning and teaching objectives (Kumaravadivelu, 2003).