No description available.

The theory of planned behavior is a great tool for understanding predictors of drug use, specifically marijuana. Although the theory has been applied in the U.S. and European context, research on the predictors of behavioral intention for marijuana use within the Arabian Gulf context is limited. This thesis provides an overview of the theory of planned behavior as used in the U.S. and European context. An argument for the need to better understand predictors of behavioral intentions to use drugs, in the Arabian Gulf Region, prior to developing interventions and preventions is presented. Data was collected from 95 participants between the ages of 18-25 who were from the six GCC countries. Participants had the option to complete the survey in English or in Arabic. Results of the study suggest attitudes are the strongest predictor for behavioral intentions to use marijuana. Knowledge and sensations seeking were not significantly related to behavioral intentions for marijuana use within the current sample.

In the past few years, rapid development of mobile technologies has been changing the way people approach purchasing. Using Technology Acceptance Model (Davis, 1986), the authors believe that IKEA’s furniture mobile application creates a certain value to its users. The study aims at examining the importance of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and compatibility dimensions of IKEA’s app and their impact on consumers’ behavioral intentions to see whether or not they lead to actual purchase.   The thesis findings reveal that IKEA mobile application is not widely used. The results should have been applicable for similar companies as IKEA especially those which promote in-store app usage. However, it is not possible since the thesis contradicts the assumption of broad usage of such mobile application.   The analysis of the surveys releaved gender having a role in IKEA mobile app perception as well as occupation. The analysis is also contributing by a realization that mobile technologies lead to faster decision-making, more information availability, and therefore, can create better marketing communication strategies.

According to organizational support theory (OST), the relationship between perceived organizational support (POS) and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) is driven by social exchange mechanisms and mediated by felt obligation (Eisenberger, Armeli, Rexwinkel, Lynch, & Rhoades, 2001). This explanation may be incomplete or limited as well-established motivational concepts are omitted. A new conceptual model is described that extends OST by incorporating the several cognitive motivational concepts (e.g., behavioral intentions, self-efficacy) with the felt obligation concept. The proposed model is tested in two separate studies an experimental study of undergraduate students (N = 191) and a field study of nurses (N = 171). In the experiment, induced organizational support was found to significantly affect all the dependent variables, including POS, felt obligation, self-efficacy, and intentions. Results of structural equation modeling were generally supportive of the proposed model. POS was found to be positively and indirectly related to both self-efficacy and intentions, through felt obligation. Consistent with expectations, felt obligation was positively related to both self-efficacy and intentions, while self-efficacy was positively related to intentions. The felt obligation-OCB relation was fully mediated by self-efficacy and intentions. As predicted, a positive relationship between intention and OCB was observed. Contrary to expectations, POS was not directly related to self-efficacy. POS-felt obligation was significantly moderated by exchange ideology significantly in the experimental study only. These findings suggest that employees who feel obligated to the organization as a result of high perceived organizational support consider both their ability and form intentions to engage in OCBs before reciprocating. The results suggest that variance in felt obligation is associated with efficacy and goal states. The experimental study presented here successfully pioneers the use of vignettes to experimentally induce variance in POS. This research offers two contributions to theory. First, the present findings extend goal theory by demonstrating that felt obligation influences goal choice. Second, this research extends OST by integrating well-established motivational concepts with social exchange mechanisms to provide more detailed understanding of how POS is translated into OCB, and by demonstrating that reciprocation for POS is more conscious and deliberate than previously recognized. / Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations

The purpose of this study was to assess attitudes toward sexting, subjective norms toward sexting, self-esteem levels, sexting behavioral intentions, and sexting behaviors (i.e. sending, posting, or sharing/forwarding sexually suggestive messages, nude/semi-nude pictures/videos, or both) among selected undergraduate students and also to determine relationships among attitudes toward sexting, subjective norms toward sexting, self-esteem levels, sexting behavioral intentions, and sexting behaviors. Results of this study showed statistically significant differences in sexting behaviors among demographic variables gender, current relationship status, lifetime sexual partners and current sexual partners. Nearly 700 (n=697) surveys were completed from selected undergraduate students during the spring semester of 2011. According to the findings, there was statistically significant positive relationship between attitudes toward sexting, subjective norms toward sexting, sexting behavioral intentions, and sexting behaviors. Also, attitudes toward sexting, subjective norms toward sexting, and sexting behavioral intentions were found to predict lifetime sexting behaviors, with behavioral intentions as the strongest predictor sexting behaviors. For non-sexters, there was statistically significant positive relationship between attitudes toward sexting, subjective norms toward sexting, and sexting behavioral intentions. Attitudes and subjective norms toward sexting are both found to be predictors of behavioral intentions to sext for lifetime and current non-sexters, with attitudes toward sexting being the strongest predictor of sexting behavioral intentions. Future research on sexting should go even further in depth to help explain reasons for sexting as well as reasons for not sexting. Also, future research should explore the benefits of sexting among consensual adults, paying particular attention to how sexting is used for sexual communication and sexual assertiveness. Recommendations for the profession of health education and health educators focused on preventing negative consequences of underage sexting, and promoting the benefits of sexting among consenting adults in relationships with mutual respect for each other.

The purpose of this study was to discover how to efficiently use tailored messaging to increase recreational water users' behavioral intentions to perform specific behaviors that prevent the spread of Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) and Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS). The objectives were to identify the most effective message structure and message order for signs targeting seven behaviors that reduce the spread of AIS and VHS, and to examine the moderating effect of AIS and VHS knowledge and awareness on behavioral intentions. The population of this study consisted of students 31 years of age and younger attending Southern Illinois University Carbondale (μ = 21.06; n = 680). The study design tested messages according to the Optimal Arousal Theory. The respondents completed an 11-item questionnaire that measured knowledge, awareness, and behavioral intentions, and included one of 34 sign treatments. When asked how knowledgeable respondents were about AIS and VHS, 48% of respondents indicated that they were not knowledgeable. Respondents were also asked the extent to which they believed AIS is a problem in Illinois; 43% reported AIS to be a "moderate" problem. Seven (7) items on the questionnaire measured intention to perform specific behaviors that may reduce the spread of AIS and fish disease between water bodies. Knowledge and awareness (only when interacting with knowledge) were found to be covariates of behavioral intentions. Complex results were revealed regarding the most effective tailored message, as no one sign significantly increased all seven behavioral intentions and the number of treatments significantly increasing behavioral intentions varied by behavior (i.e., 11 treatments had a significant influence on the behavioral intention for "visual inspections;" 4 treatments had a significant influence on the behavioral intention for "drain water;" 8 treatments had a significant influence on the behavioral intention for "avoid bait release;" 6 treatments had a significant influence on the behavioral intention for "remove plants and animals;" 4 treatments had a significant influence on the behavioral intention for "flush motor;" and, 11 treatments had a significant influence on the behavioral intention for "rinse boat". Results suggest mainly positively phrased messages works best when trying to stimulate environmentally responsible behavior (ERB). The recommendations from this study encourage strategic use of communication to enhance natural resource management as this study yielded gains in predicted behaviors of respondents to reduce the spread of AIS and VHS. The study also demonstrates the need to increase recreational water users' AIS and VHS knowledge improve the likelihood that they will perform desired behaviors.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Hotel, Restaurant, Institution Management & Dietetics / Carol W. Shanklin / Ki-Joon Back / This study proposed and tested a theoretical model of service recovery consisting of antecedents and consequences of service recovery satisfaction. This study further tested recovery paradox effects and investigated the effects of situational and attributional factors in the evaluation of service recovery efforts and consequent overall satisfaction and behavioral intentions. The study employed scenario experimentation with three dimensions of justice manipulated at two levels each (2x2x2 between-groups factorial design). Postage paid, self-addressed envelopes and questionnaires (600 copies) were distributed. Participants represented 15 religious and community service groups. All respondents were regular casual restaurant customers. Of 308 surveys returned, 286 cases were used for data analysis. In study 1, the proposed relationships were tested using the structural equation modeling. In study 2, multivariate analysis of variance and multivariate analysis of covariance tests were employed to test proposed hypotheses. The three dimensions of justice had positive effects on recovery satisfaction. Recovery satisfaction had a significant positive effect on customers’ trust. Trust in service providers had positive effect on commitment and overall satisfaction. Commitment had positive effects on overall satisfaction and behavioral intentions. This study indicated that, although a service failure might negatively affect customers’ relationship with the service provider, effective service recovery reinforced attitudinal and behavioral outcomes. The results of this study emphasized that service recovery efforts should be viewed not only as a strategy to recover customers’ immediate satisfaction but also as a relationship tool to provide customers confidence that ongoing relationships are beneficial to them. This study did not find recovery paradox in the experimental scenarios. The magnitude of service failure had significant negative effects on perceived justice and recovery satisfaction. Customers’ rating of stability causation had significant negative effects on overall satisfaction, revisit intention, and word-of-mouth intention. The study findings indicated that positive recovery efforts could reinstate customers’ satisfaction and behavioral intentions up to those of pre-failure. Restaurant managers and their employees need to provide extra efforts to restore the customers’ perceived losses in serious failure situations. Service providers should reduce systematic occurrences of service failure so customer will not develop stability perception.

This study investigates which aspect of a service (core or relational) is more instrumental in inducing higher customer satisfaction and more positive behavioral outcomes among male and female bank customers. A large-scale survey of the customers of a national bank in New Zealand serves as the study setting. Results are presented and their implications to induce greater customer satisfaction and favorable outcomes are discussed. Avenues for future research are offered.

This dissertation explores the demographic, economic, political, and environmental characteristics that have helped define the "New West," reviews studies on individual attitudes and participation in response to these changes, and presents findings and conclusions from an analysis of two study areas: Bear Lake and Star Valley. Results suggest that residency status is generally not a significant predictor of resident attitudes towards aspects of community change. Non-residency status factors, such as high levels of place attachment, knowledge about community affairs, values for property ownership, and community satisfaction, were generally more influential upon residents' attitudes. Significant predictors of resident involvement in community affairs differed based on how involvement was measured; self-reported involvement in political affairs was most strongly predicted by permanent resident status, local social connections, knowledge of community affairs, and place attachment, while resident intention to participate in community affairs was positively correlated with greater personal efficacy, knowledge of community affairs, past leadership recruitment, place attachment, and altruistic motivation. Predictors for intention to participate also differed based on whether participation was measured by action type or by issue. Measuring participation by the type of action focused predictors on the skills, incentives, and resources needed to achieve those actions. Grouping participation by the type of issue, however, focused predictors on the characteristics that differentiated residents with regard to issue relevance. Out-migration, as an alternative to participatory action, was only predicted by non-economic factors. Additionally, the relationship between attitudes and behavioral intentions was only weakly predicted based on attitude ambivalence and specific scenarios. Study results highlighted several methodological considerations for future attitude and participatory studies. Use of general attitudinal statements may have yielded inflated response scores and therefore may not translate to shared acceptability of specific management decisions or trade-offs. This study also explored the notion of behavioral intentions as a means of identifying residents' "ideal" tendency for involvement. Local community leaders may be able to improve resident public participation by utilizing these findings to provide a shared goal for action, identifying appropriate audiences for specific issues, and recognizing how different participatory methods may yield obstacles and opportunities for resident involvement.

Global Alliance of Marketing and Management Associations (GAMMA). The purpose of this study was to propose and empirically test a sport spectator behavioral model. The model presented here is a micro-level perspective of value creation in the context of live sporting events. This study used directional hypotheses to compare the influence of different value dimensions on specific customer behaviors in the setting of North American professional sport. Structural equation modeling was performed to examine path coefficients for the hypothesized relationships in the model. Organization-related value propositions were found to be stronger predictors of perceived economic, hedonic, and social value. One exception to this was customer density, which negatively impacted certain value perceptions. The hedonic value was found to have the strongest influence on customer in-role and extra-role behavior. The behavioral model tested here can be used in future studies to examine how sport organizations and their customers can create value in the live event setting and how the roles performed by each stakeholder influence future behavior. Findings suggest there are several actions marketers and managers can take to increase customer perceived value and prompt spectators to attend future events or act as advocates for the organization.