Thesis (Psy. D.)--Wheaton College Graduate School, Wheaton, Ill., 2002. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 79-85).

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 95-103).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Lehigh University, 2009. / Adviser: Zicheng Yu.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--York University, 2001. Graduate Programme in Education. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 151-173). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pMQ66376.

Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--Rhodes University, 2003.

Zugl.: Chemnitz, Techn. Univ., Diss., 2009

Background - Planning occupies an important position in business literature. It is a well-investigated area with a long and extensive research tradition. However, the findings of the research are not consistent. In the planning literature there is a strong debate among researchers which results in two opposing points of view. On the one hand, proponents of planning in business, also known as the planning school, claim that planning plays an important role and has a positive impact on companies. On the other hand, opponents challenge these claims and suggest that a company should instead focus on flexibility, learning and resource utilization. These claims may be of particular interest in new ventures. The environment in which new ventures usually operate may be turbulent with a high degree of uncertainty and a lack of resources. This setting may create problems for the application of planning procedures and can contradict suggestions in existing literature. In addition, the entrepreneur plays a crucial role in every new venture. He or she is the one who founds the new venture and is the main decision-maker. Planning activities compete for resources and time, which are scarce commodities in new ventures and can cause entrepreneurs to allocate less time to the business itself. Purpose - The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the changes in business planning in new ventures. In addition, we endeavored to explain the reasons why these changes occur and what sparks them. Our aim was to gain in-depth understanding of the business planning change phenomenon in new small-sized firms and add additional knowledge to the existing planning literature. Method & Theory - Semi-structured interviews with six entrepreneurs in the Jonkoping region were conducted to collect the empirical data on business planning within the service industry. The collected data was analyzed together by applying the theoretical frame of references. Conclusion - The thesis concluded that three main business planning situations occur in new ventures. These were at first a smooth or volatile increase during the beginning period of new ventures and resulted in the presence of the stabilised business planning pattern in the later stage of new ventures. This study also observed three main drivers behind those changes: business planning experience, economical factors and customers.

Local climate action plans have become more prevalent in recent years yet information on their success is limited. While unlikely, on their own, to be able to mitigate enough carbon emissions to prevent catastrophic impacts of global temperature increase, local climate planning has the potential to play an important role in a number of key ways. Cities have traditionally exercised control in areas that have GHG abatement potential at low cost (e.g. building codes, land use, energy procurement) and the total population represented by cities committed to GHG reduction efforts is not insignificant and continues to grow. The extent to which local climate plans can serve as a meaningful element in a larger (but currently woefully inadequate) policy picture, will depend on their ability to set aggressive goals, dedicate resources, test innovative strategies, and measure progress systematically. Looking at the plans and progress reports of five U.S. cities, many have set aggressive goals and created innovative programs that could be replicated at other levels of government, but most are somewhat lacking in measuring and reporting progress metrics and financial resources committed to these efforts. For local climate planning to contribute significantly to broader climate policy, it will need to develop more rigorous progress metrics so the highest yield, lowest cost abatement strategies can be identified and advanced in other cities and at higher levels of government. / text

Anxiety is one of the most common psychological disorders in school-age children, which has detrimental impact on behavioral, social, and emotional functioning. Cognitive-behavioral therapy has demonstrated effectiveness in treating youth with anxiety disorders; however, little is known about how or why this intervention is beneficial. This study explores the mechanisms of therapeutic change in anxious children and adolescents by evaluating clients’ perspectives through semi-structured interviews. A qualitative research method will be used to assess the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of youth and parents who participate in a cognitive-behavioral intervention program with a parent-training component. Specifically, grounded theory will be used to collect and analyze data and generate a theory, which explains the mechanisms of positive therapeutic change. / text

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