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Thesis (M.S.)--Miami University, Dept. of Family Studies and Social Work, 2004. / Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 54-57).

Thesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The contexts of the experiences of teachers in South Africa, particularly in communities with low income levels, seem to invite meanings of hopelessness. These meanings appear to be supported by dominant discourses that could determine and limit the practices or actions of these teachers. Within these contexts, however, there are teachers whose actions, reflections or motivations suggest the possibility of alternative or preferred meanings that may be marginalised or silenced by dominant discourses of hopelessness. The theoretical framework that provided the foundation for this study was social constructionism, which argues that meaning is constructed through social interaction and that there is no underlying or objective reality that can be revealed through observation or experience. An understanding of this social construction of meaning allows for the construction of alternative or preferred meanings by individuals or groups in contexts where dominant discourses do not serve their best interests. The aim of the research was therefore to explore and describe the meanings that the participants make of their experiences as teachers in a primary school in Cape Town in a community where low income levels are prevalent. The study further aimed to describe how these teachers experience contextual factors and how these factors contribute to their meaning-making. Furthermore, the purpose of the study was to explore local knowledge in the form of actions, motivations and reflections of the teachers that suggest possibilities for alternative or preferred meanings. In keeping with the social constructionist nature of the study, a qualitative, interpretivist research approach was used. Participants were selected through purposive sampling and focus group discussions were used to generate data. Digital audio recordings were made of the group sessions, which were then transcribed and analysed using the constant comparative method. The research findings indicated that the teachers who participated in the study experienced various contextual factors that contributed to their meaning-making. Their experiences of most of these factors were described in similar ways to comparable contextual factors as portrayed in the literature. Furthermore, these contextual factors were linked by the teachers, and dominantly in the literature, to meanings that could be summarised as hopelessness. However, alongside these meanings, the teachers gave rich or detailed descriptions of a range of actions, reflections and motivations that suggest possible alternative or preferred meanings to the hopelessness that their context seems to invite, and that dominant discourses in the literature appear to portray. These findings led to recommendations that were centred largely on meeting some of the support needs of teachers and children in communities with low income levels. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Onderwysers se ervarings in Suid-Afrika, veral in gemeenskappe met ‘n lae inkomstevlak, word belewe binne kontekste wat lyk asof dit die betekenisse van hopeloosheid ontlok. Hierdie betekenisse word blykbaar deur dominante diskoerse ondersteun, wat hierdie onderwysers se werksaamheid of optrede kan bepaal en beperk. Binne hierdie kontekste is daar egter onderwysers wie se handelinge, nadenke of motivering die moontlikheid van alternatiewe of verkieslike betekenisse aandui, maar wat gemarginaliseer of stilgemaak kan word deur die dominante diskoerse van hopeloosheid. Die teoretiese raamwerk wat die grondslag vir hierdie studie verskaf het, was sosiale konstruksionisme, wat daarop dui dat betekenis deur sosiale interaksie gekonstrueer word en dat daar geen onderliggende of objektiewe realiteit is wat deur waarneming of ervaring geopenbaar kan word nie. ‘n Begrip van die sosiale konstruksie van betekenis maak voorsiening vir die konstruksie van alternatiewe of verkieslike betekenisse deur individue of groepe binne kontekste waar dominante diskoerse nie hul beste belange dien nie. Die doel van die navorsing was daarom om die betekenisse wat die deelnemers, as onderwysers in ‘n laerskool in Kaapstad binne ‘n gemeenskap met lae inkomste, aan hul ervarings heg, te verken en te beskryf. Die studie was verder daarop gemik om te beskryf hoe hierdie onderwysers kontekstuele faktore ervaar en hoe hierdie faktore ‘n bydrae lewer tot hoe hulle betekenis skep. ‘n Verdere doel van die studie was om plaaslike kennis in die gedaante van die optrede, motivering en nadenke van onderwysers, waardeur moontlike alternatiewe of verkieslike betekenisse na vore kom, te verken. Vanweë die sosiaal-konstruksionistiese aard van die studie, is ‘n kwalitatiewe, interpretiewe navorsingsbenadering as navorsingsmetodologie vir hierdie studie gebruik. ‘n Doelgerigte steekproef is gebruik om potensiële deelnemers te identifiseer en data is deur middel van fokusgroeponderhoude gegenereer. Digitale oudio-opnames van die fokusgroeponderhoude is getranskribeer en is met gebruik van die konstante vergelykende metode ontleed. Die navorsingsbevindings het aangedui dat die onderwysers wat aan hierdie studie deelgeneem het, verskillende kontekstuele faktore belewe wat bydra tot die betekenis wat deur hulle geskep word. Hulle belewenis van die meeste van hierdie faktore is op soortgelyke wyse beskryf as vergelykbare kontekstuele faktore wat in die literatuur bespreek word. Hierdie kontekstuele faktore is verder deur die onderwysers en in die literatuur aan betekenisse wat as hopeloosheid beskryf kan word, gekoppel. Naas hierdie betekenisse het die onderwysers egter ook ryk of gedetailleerde beskrywings van ‘n reeks handelinge, nadenkings en motiverings gebied wat moontlike alternatiewe of verkose betekenisse bied tot die hopeloosheid wat deur hulle konteks uitgelok word en deur die dominante diskoerse in die literatuur uitgebeeld word. Die navorsingsbevindings het gelei tot aanbevelings wat hoofsaaklik daarop gerig is om in sommige van die behoeftes aan ondersteuning wat deur onderwysers en kinders in gemeenskappe met lae inkomstevlakke ervaar word, te voorsien.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

The purpose of this research was to develop, validate, and test an instrument to evaluate motivations to eat in low-income women during the early postpartum period. The instrument was also used in a sample of young college women to further validate the measure and explore determinants of eating in this population. In study 1, the Eating Stimulus Index was validated in 179 low-income women in early postpartum. Validity and reliability were determined via principal components analysis, internal consistency reliability, and test-retest reliability using a subgroup of 31 low-income new mothers. The factor analysis produced an eight factor structure with reliability coefficients ranging from 0.54-0.89. Convenience eating (r=-0.25, P<0.01), emotional eating (r=-0.17, P<0.05), and dietary restraint (r=-0.21, P<0.01) were significantly related to weight status. In study 2, the relationship between eating motivations and diet quality, determined via the Dietary Guidelines Adherence Index, was established in 115 low-income women in early postpartum. High diet quality was related to fruit and vegetable availability (r=0.25, P<0.01), convenience eating resistance (r=-0.36, P<0.001), and vegetable taste preference (r=0.23, P<0.05). Motivations to eat differed between overweight and obese women with the primary motivation being convenience eating and taste, respectively. In study 3, determinants of weight loss were examined in 58 low-income women in early postpartum participating in an 8-week weight loss intervention. Participants were evaluated at pre- and post-study for all measures. Factors related to weight loss included increases in dietary restraint, weight management skills, and weight loss self-efficacy and decreases in fruit juice servings, total energy, and discretionary energy intakes. After hierarchical regression analysis, improvement in weight loss self-efficacy was the most significant determinant (β=0.263, P<0.05) followed by decreases in discretionary energy intake (β=-0.241, P<0.05). In study 4, determinants of diet quality were assessed in a sample of 88 young college women using the Eating Stimulus Index. Low diet quality was associated with poor fruit and vegetable availability, convenience eating resistance, vegetable taste preference, and weight management self-efficacy, while high diet quality was related to increased frequency of meals prepared at home and decreased frequency of meals consumed at fast food restaurants. / text

This student-centered analysis of caring in three academically promising, low-income public high schools in Texas used an instrumental case study design (Stake, 1998) to investigate students' perceptions and experiences of receiving care in high school. The analysis also examined the teacher and administrator practices that contributed to students' experience of receiving care, and considered the resources that supported the adults' caring practice at the three schools. Archival data consisting of open-ended interviews with students, teachers, administrators, and school staff were analyzed qualitatively. Results suggest that caring should be evaluated in context. In the high school context students experience care through having their teachers' and administrators’ help and support with academics. Results also suggest that students experience caring through teacher and administrator behaviors and attitudes that respond to their developmental needs. That is, they experience care when adults at school establish a style and pattern of interaction similar to "authoritative parenting" (Baumrind, 1987). Recognition from adults in the school is very important for high school students, and especially salient for low-income and minority adolescents who often receive negative and discriminatory feedback from the community. / text

This thesis set out to examine the application of the supporter paradigm in the incremental housing process in South Africa, and the way support for housing consolidation has been orchestrated in practice. It aimed to determine the forms of housing support that constitute preconditions of housing consolidation in the South African low income housing context. The supporter paradigm upon which post-apartheid housing policy is based takes its cue from the proponents of self-help housing, and the institutions that have entrenched it internationally. It outlines the housing support actions that would enable poor households to achieve housing adequacy incrementally . In South Africa, such households would constitute housing subsidy beneficiaries, seeking to achieve housing 'depth' through the process of housing consolidation, where the national subsidy programme would primarily only have delivered housing 'width' , or housing starts. Contrary to the expectations of the policy, the pace of housing consolidation has been slow, and the standard of the resultant housing poor. The thesis ' point of departure is that households which have not improved their dwellings, or whose improvement efforts have only yielded temporary housing, continue to experience housing inadequacy, despite subsidy support. This outcome contradicts the policy 's goal of enabling households to reach housing adequacy. That subsidy support is but one of a number of supports needed to enable housing consolidation is acknowledged by current policy. This study critiques the way support has been lent to households in consolidating situations conceptually and empirically. Conceptually, the study analyses the international and South African policy discourse around the support approach to housing delivery, as well as looks at some precedents in housing support practice internationally for useful lessons. Empirically, the study makes use of qualitative and quantitative research instruments to examine and analyse the housing support experience in three different types of incremental housing projects, located in eThekwini municipality, in the KwaZulu Natal Province of South Africa . The housing support findings are analysed within the context of what both the housing policy and the study 's key informants consider to be a holistic packaging of housing support, that should be attendant to any incremental housing project. On the basis of the study's findings, housing support practice is critiqued on two levels. At policy level, the study reveals that the foundation of South African housing policy in a neoliberal context, in the absence of support targeted at improving the incomes of the mainly very poor beneficiaries, sets them up for failure in their housing improvement efforts. At the implementation level, the study identifies three key areas of weakness. Firstly, there is absence of strategic direction at the National level, resulting in the treatment of housing support as an optional function by the housing implementation levels. Secondly, most housing authorities experience difficulty in understanding what housing support entails, because of its multifaceted nature and lack of specificity . Consequently, the support attendant to incremental housing projects is ad hoc and intermittent in nature, and is delivered on the basis of how the particular authorities or project staff understand housing support. As a result, in any given project, housing support is rarely comprehensively packaged. It is also largely an unfunded mandate. Thirdly, at project level, the thesis establishes that many of the problems that confront consolidating households can be attributed to projects that are poorly planned from the outset, and that support in this regard lies in the development of capacity at municipal level, to plan projects that have the potential to be consolidated in the first instance. As its main contribution, the thesis develops a multidimensional, comprehensive framework for packaging housing support. One dimension specifies upfront, the support elements considered important in the pre- and post-subsidy phases of the project, as well as in the project implementation phase. The exact form these would take in any project would be informed by the project and beneficiary characteristics. The second dimension packages the institutional roles for housing support, thereby removing the institutional ambivalence towards the housing support function, and specifying the institutional and role changes needed to enable housing support to occur. The third dimension packages support according to project type, indicating which forms of support apply to all types of projects, and which to specific modes of delivery in the South African context. The study concludes that while current housing policy is clear on the need to support households to meet consolidation goals, specificity of both process and actions needs to be lent to housing support practice. The multidimensional support package developed by the study is deemed a useful tool in providing such specificity, and clarifying how support for housing consolidation in South Africa should be set up in both policy and practice. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.

No presente estudo tem-se o objetivo de analisar a efetiva implantação de um produto de Assistência à Saúde como estratégia empresarial, em suas diversas etapas de execução. A compreensão das dificuldades e dos desafios na implantação de uma estratégia empresarial é o ponto de partida desta pesquisa. Separadas conceitualmente, estratégia e execução são, em verdade, etapas de igual importância que merecem uma visão conjunta. A execução efetiva, entretanto, de uma estratégia, carrega em si uma complexidade de tarefas e uma quantidade de fatores. Também as novas demandas criadas pelo mercado de baixa renda desafiam as organizações, propiciando o lançamento de novos produtos destinados a um novo tipo de consumidor. O desafio de tornar a organização um ofertante ful-line no mercado de saúde suplementar, agregando ao seu portfólio um produto para as classes emergentes, constituiu o cenário e as proposições estratégicas que deveriam ser implementadas como importante decisão da Unimed Porto Alegre. Em relação ao método, adotou-se a pesquisa-ação, em um conceito de pleno envolvimento do pesquisador nas ações desenvolvidas. A execução da estratégia na implantação de um produto de assistência à saúde para o mercado de baixa renda abrangeu o período de 2008 a 2011. Analisaram-se as diversas etapas na implantação do produto e foram considerados os indicadores de desempenho empresarial e mercadológicos, consolidando-se a busca dos objetivos estratégicos propostos. O conjunto de evidências apresentadas consolidou o êxito na execução e nos resultados obtidos. O estudo se justifica por analisar, na prática, o desafiador conjunto de fatores no desenvolvimento de produtos para o público de baixa renda e a dedicação necessária à execução exitosa de uma estratégia empresarial. / Understanding the difficulties and challenges in the implementation of an effective business strategy is the starting point of this research. Conceptually separate, strategy and execution are in fact equally important steps that deserve a joint vision. The effective execution from a strategy carries with it a complexity of tasks and a number of factors that can frustrate even a brilliant design. Also the new demands created by the low-income market challenge organizations providing opportunities to launch new products for a new type of consumer. The challenge of making the organization a bidder ful-line health supplement on the market, adding to its portfolio a product for emerging classes constituted the scenario and strategic propositions that should be implemented as an important decision from Unimed Porto Alegre. Thus this dissertation was developed as a method of study and action research, within the concept of full involvement of the researcher in the actions developed. Strategy execution in deploying a product of health care for low-income market studies the period from 2008 to 2011. The study analyzed the different stages in product deployment. Business performance indicators and market were considered, consolidating the pursuit of strategic objectives proposed. The body of evidence presented consolidates the successful implementation and results. The study is justified by analyzing, in practice, challenging set of factors in the development of products for the low-income public and the dedication needed to run a successful business strategy.

No presente estudo tem-se o objetivo de analisar a efetiva implantação de um produto de Assistência à Saúde como estratégia empresarial, em suas diversas etapas de execução. A compreensão das dificuldades e dos desafios na implantação de uma estratégia empresarial é o ponto de partida desta pesquisa. Separadas conceitualmente, estratégia e execução são, em verdade, etapas de igual importância que merecem uma visão conjunta. A execução efetiva, entretanto, de uma estratégia, carrega em si uma complexidade de tarefas e uma quantidade de fatores. Também as novas demandas criadas pelo mercado de baixa renda desafiam as organizações, propiciando o lançamento de novos produtos destinados a um novo tipo de consumidor. O desafio de tornar a organização um ofertante ful-line no mercado de saúde suplementar, agregando ao seu portfólio um produto para as classes emergentes, constituiu o cenário e as proposições estratégicas que deveriam ser implementadas como importante decisão da Unimed Porto Alegre. Em relação ao método, adotou-se a pesquisa-ação, em um conceito de pleno envolvimento do pesquisador nas ações desenvolvidas. A execução da estratégia na implantação de um produto de assistência à saúde para o mercado de baixa renda abrangeu o período de 2008 a 2011. Analisaram-se as diversas etapas na implantação do produto e foram considerados os indicadores de desempenho empresarial e mercadológicos, consolidando-se a busca dos objetivos estratégicos propostos. O conjunto de evidências apresentadas consolidou o êxito na execução e nos resultados obtidos. O estudo se justifica por analisar, na prática, o desafiador conjunto de fatores no desenvolvimento de produtos para o público de baixa renda e a dedicação necessária à execução exitosa de uma estratégia empresarial. / Understanding the difficulties and challenges in the implementation of an effective business strategy is the starting point of this research. Conceptually separate, strategy and execution are in fact equally important steps that deserve a joint vision. The effective execution from a strategy carries with it a complexity of tasks and a number of factors that can frustrate even a brilliant design. Also the new demands created by the low-income market challenge organizations providing opportunities to launch new products for a new type of consumer. The challenge of making the organization a bidder ful-line health supplement on the market, adding to its portfolio a product for emerging classes constituted the scenario and strategic propositions that should be implemented as an important decision from Unimed Porto Alegre. Thus this dissertation was developed as a method of study and action research, within the concept of full involvement of the researcher in the actions developed. Strategy execution in deploying a product of health care for low-income market studies the period from 2008 to 2011. The study analyzed the different stages in product deployment. Business performance indicators and market were considered, consolidating the pursuit of strategic objectives proposed. The body of evidence presented consolidates the successful implementation and results. The study is justified by analyzing, in practice, challenging set of factors in the development of products for the low-income public and the dedication needed to run a successful business strategy.

No presente estudo tem-se o objetivo de analisar a efetiva implantação de um produto de Assistência à Saúde como estratégia empresarial, em suas diversas etapas de execução. A compreensão das dificuldades e dos desafios na implantação de uma estratégia empresarial é o ponto de partida desta pesquisa. Separadas conceitualmente, estratégia e execução são, em verdade, etapas de igual importância que merecem uma visão conjunta. A execução efetiva, entretanto, de uma estratégia, carrega em si uma complexidade de tarefas e uma quantidade de fatores. Também as novas demandas criadas pelo mercado de baixa renda desafiam as organizações, propiciando o lançamento de novos produtos destinados a um novo tipo de consumidor. O desafio de tornar a organização um ofertante ful-line no mercado de saúde suplementar, agregando ao seu portfólio um produto para as classes emergentes, constituiu o cenário e as proposições estratégicas que deveriam ser implementadas como importante decisão da Unimed Porto Alegre. Em relação ao método, adotou-se a pesquisa-ação, em um conceito de pleno envolvimento do pesquisador nas ações desenvolvidas. A execução da estratégia na implantação de um produto de assistência à saúde para o mercado de baixa renda abrangeu o período de 2008 a 2011. Analisaram-se as diversas etapas na implantação do produto e foram considerados os indicadores de desempenho empresarial e mercadológicos, consolidando-se a busca dos objetivos estratégicos propostos. O conjunto de evidências apresentadas consolidou o êxito na execução e nos resultados obtidos. O estudo se justifica por analisar, na prática, o desafiador conjunto de fatores no desenvolvimento de produtos para o público de baixa renda e a dedicação necessária à execução exitosa de uma estratégia empresarial. / Understanding the difficulties and challenges in the implementation of an effective business strategy is the starting point of this research. Conceptually separate, strategy and execution are in fact equally important steps that deserve a joint vision. The effective execution from a strategy carries with it a complexity of tasks and a number of factors that can frustrate even a brilliant design. Also the new demands created by the low-income market challenge organizations providing opportunities to launch new products for a new type of consumer. The challenge of making the organization a bidder ful-line health supplement on the market, adding to its portfolio a product for emerging classes constituted the scenario and strategic propositions that should be implemented as an important decision from Unimed Porto Alegre. Thus this dissertation was developed as a method of study and action research, within the concept of full involvement of the researcher in the actions developed. Strategy execution in deploying a product of health care for low-income market studies the period from 2008 to 2011. The study analyzed the different stages in product deployment. Business performance indicators and market were considered, consolidating the pursuit of strategic objectives proposed. The body of evidence presented consolidates the successful implementation and results. The study is justified by analyzing, in practice, challenging set of factors in the development of products for the low-income public and the dedication needed to run a successful business strategy.