This thesis has two distinct yet interrelated parts. In the first instance, it investigates child domestic work in Iringa ? a small town in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. Second, it examines the participatory action research methodology that was adopted as part of that investigation. Data were collected by a team of researchers that included children and young people who had themselves been domestic workers. A questionnaire, interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with local leaders, employers of child domestic workers and (both current and former) child domestic workers themselves. An agenda for change - that aimed towards the redistribution of power within domestic working arrangements - was developed on the basis of those data and presented to local government authorities in Iringa. This research makes a number of contributions to understandings of both child domestic work and participatory action research methodologies. First, the thesis contends that child domestic work is a complex activity which (despite its frequently exploitative and abusive character) should not be identified as a purely harmful force in the lives of young employees. The multiplicity of ways in which that occupation is experienced can only be uncovered through the incorporation of a range of stakeholders? perspectives. Second, this research found that notions of ?family? were discursively linked to child domestic working arrangements in Iringa. This has inhibited recognition of child domestic work as ?real work?, and contributed to the exploitation of these young employees. This thesis contends that increased formalisation and regulation of child domestic work would offer an opportunity to reconstruct child domestic workers as ?employees? and thereby improve their circumstances. This research has also challenged prevalent notions of children?s incompetence and shown that young people with minimal formal education can (and should) participate as co-researchers in academic endeavours investigating their lives. However, it has also found that young people?s competencies and interests vary, and that notions of appropriate participatory processes have often failed to take such diversity into account. This thesis contends that more participatory forms of evaluation may allow greater flexibility (and relevance) to be fostered when assessing the ?success? of participatory processes. Academics need to be alert to the alienating effects that (unwittingly) ?judgemental? and (unrealistically) ?perfect? accounts of participatory and action-oriented research processes can have on young scholars.

This thesis was undertaken to explore the philosophical principles elaborated by Mary Parker Follett (1868-1933) and to examine their relevance in the contemporary workplace. The contention within this thesis was that concepts Follett expounded bear close resemblance to postmodern notions of organizing; juxtaposition of Follettian and postmodern philosophy and a postmodern take on research methodology add credence to the contention and allowed the researcher to examine the practical relevance of the notions explored. A case study within a manufacturing company provided the venue for the practical exploration of Follett's ideas. The original intent of the researcher to conduct focus groups interviews, which would lead to a contextually relevant survey instrument, was changed by the participants. Observation and interviews, which the employees of SEI preferred, allowed an examination of several of the most important of Follett's ideas: "power-with" rather than "power-over"; the "law of the situation"; democratic "small group government"; integration as a more favourable manner of dealing with conflict over voluntary withdrawal, domination, and compromise; the benefits of coordination; circular response in the creation of people; and individual and society as process. The stories of the participants are told and contemporary insights add to those provided by Follett over seven decades ago. It was found that many of Follett's ideas have applicability in a contemporary company. The interviewees displayed exceptional ability to comment regarding the application of Follettian principles within their workplace setting. My integration as researcher-participant allowed for personal transformation based on the experience of the research with its collaboration with the employees, lending credence to the most profound of Follett's insights--the reciprocal creation of people--the circular manner in which we create as we communicate. The significance of the study lies in the process itself--the opportunities provided for the circular creating and communicating of meaning. The study may encourage readers to reexamine the nature of their relationships, as well. While that examination is not the purpose of this research--no claim of generalizability is offered--it is hoped that others may learn lessons from the documentation of the process of this study.

Abstract Sales work is an occupation which constantly is available for people. Salespeople are always wanted, but only few of them can reach exquisite performance. For most people, selling is easy. However, it also brings the harshest challenge to human nature. Sales representatives could easily lose their resolution of achieving goals when they are encountered customers¡¦ endless problems and sales resistance. They always face tremendous achievement pressure, which could destroy their strong will in no time. In most people¡¦s impression, a professional sales manager has to be a person and a rich speaker. However, holding the same position, and having close observation toward numberless business chargers, I possess different opinion. A successful sales manager is usually prudent, self-disciplined, and achieves goals through effort of the whole team members. He learns humbly, and accumulates wisdom through his team group, as well as foster excellent ability, and great fortitude from failure experience. Thus, he becomes a top manager in his field. This paper discusses the resulted problems and their processing strategies when a sales manager confronts his customer. The author takes his past work experience as a sales manager in a British lubricant oil company as examples. Using the narrative analysis and participant observation method, this paper illustrates living challenges and work experiences on the managements of business and sales. Moreover, the great wisdom and excellent experience from above mentioned cases are respectively verified by the strategic problems solution models of Mckinsey and Company. Keywords: Qualitative Research¡BNarrative Analysis¡BParticipant Observation Method

In medizinischen Forschungsprojekten besteht ein großer Bedarf an effizienter und einheitlicher Verwaltung sowie langfristiger Nachverfolgung von Probanden. Dieser Bedarf entsteht in Deutschland unter anderem aus der enger werdenden Verbindung von Versorgung und Forschung, der zunehmenden Vernetzung der medizinischen Forschung, sowie der Etablierung neuer Einrichtungen, wie beispielsweise Biobanken an Universitätskliniken. Im Rahmen dieser Dissertation wurde am Beispiel der Universitätsmedizin Göttingen untersucht, ob die Einführung eines Probandenmanagementsystems den Bedarf von Forschern an Effizienz, Einheitlichkeit und Langfristigkeit erfüllt. Im ersten Schritt wurde eine Anforderungsanalyse durchgeführt. Grundlage dieser Analyse bildeten 17 Interviews mit Stakeholdern der Universitätsmedizin Göttingen. Darunter befanden sich Ärzte, wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiter, Studienassistenten sowie IT-Verantwortliche. Anhand der Interviews wurden 16 Ziele an ein Probandenmanagementsystem formuliert. Auf Basis dieser Ziele wurden neun Szenarien modelliert, welche Interaktionen mit dem Probandenmanagementsystem beschreiben. Ziele und Szenarien sowie eine Literaturrecherche dienten anschließend zur Identifizierung der lösungsorientierten Anforderungen. Insgesamt wurden 30 funktionale Anforderungen, sieben Qualitätsanforderungen und neun Randbedingungen identifiziert. Die identifizierten Anforderungen bildeten den Ausgangspunkt zur Entwicklung des prototypischen Probandenmanagementsystems. Durch den entwickelten Prototyp werden 23 funktionale Anforderungen, zwei Qualitätsanforderungen sowie vier Randbedingungen direkt erfüllt. Die übrigen Anforderungen konnten aufgrund ihrer Komplexität oder wegen fehlender organisatorischer Randbedingungen nicht erfüllt werden. In der nachfolgenden Validierung wurde geprüft, inwieweit das Probandenmanagementsystem die Erwartungen der Stakeholder erfüllt. Um dies zu untersuchen wurde ein Usability-Test mit zehn Stakeholdern durchgeführt. Insgesamt bewerteten die Stakeholder das entwickelte System sehr positiv. Alle Stakeholder brachten im Anschluss an den Usability-Tests den Wunsch zum Ausdruck, das Probandenmanagementsystem für ihre Forschungsprojekte zeitnah nutzen zu können. Aktuell wird das System in drei Forschungsprojekten an der Universitätsmedizin Göttingen eingesetzt. In dieser Dissertation konnte so gezeigt werden, dass mit der Einführung eines Probandenmanagementsystems der Bedarf an effizienter und einheitlicher Verwaltung sowie langfristiger Nachverfolgung von Probanden erfüllt wird.

This thesis has two distinct yet interrelated parts. In the first instance, it investigates child domestic work in Iringa ? a small town in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. Second, it examines the participatory action research methodology that was adopted as part of that investigation. Data were collected by a team of researchers that included children and young people who had themselves been domestic workers. A questionnaire, interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with local leaders, employers of child domestic workers and (both current and former) child domestic workers themselves. An agenda for change - that aimed towards the redistribution of power within domestic working arrangements - was developed on the basis of those data and presented to local government authorities in Iringa. This research makes a number of contributions to understandings of both child domestic work and participatory action research methodologies. First, the thesis contends that child domestic work is a complex activity which (despite its frequently exploitative and abusive character) should not be identified as a purely harmful force in the lives of young employees. The multiplicity of ways in which that occupation is experienced can only be uncovered through the incorporation of a range of stakeholders? perspectives. Second, this research found that notions of ?family? were discursively linked to child domestic working arrangements in Iringa. This has inhibited recognition of child domestic work as ?real work?, and contributed to the exploitation of these young employees. This thesis contends that increased formalisation and regulation of child domestic work would offer an opportunity to reconstruct child domestic workers as ?employees? and thereby improve their circumstances. This research has also challenged prevalent notions of children?s incompetence and shown that young people with minimal formal education can (and should) participate as co-researchers in academic endeavours investigating their lives. However, it has also found that young people?s competencies and interests vary, and that notions of appropriate participatory processes have often failed to take such diversity into account. This thesis contends that more participatory forms of evaluation may allow greater flexibility (and relevance) to be fostered when assessing the ?success? of participatory processes. Academics need to be alert to the alienating effects that (unwittingly) ?judgemental? and (unrealistically) ?perfect? accounts of participatory and action-oriented research processes can have on young scholars.

Events provide opportunities for communities to socialise, interact and to enjoy a sense of mutual celebration. However, special interest events offer other opportunities for recreation, and for the development of skills, identities and knowledge. Events such as car shows, Sci-fi conventions and Elvis festivals have large numbers of participants, as well as spectators, who have specialised needs and characteristics. This thesis uses a series of five published studies to examine the participants at special interest events and further to understand their characteristics and behaviours. The studies employ a mixed method approach to explore participants at a total of eleven events in Australia. In the first of these studies a spectrum of events is developed to explain the diversity of events in a region, as related to the special interest of participants. The study used a mixed method methodology to examine the differences between audiences at nine events in the Tweed Valley of NSW. The results were used to focus the study more on events that target serious participants.The second study was published as a conceptual paper, providing a comprehensive theoretical framework for the study of serious participants of leisure, recreation and events. The paper posits a model of serious participants (SerPa) for use and refinement in subsequent studies. Papers 3 and 4 explore serious participants at two feature events in Australia, the Wintersun Festival in Coolangatta, and the Elvis Revival Festival in Parkes. Drawing on the serious leisure framework proposed by Stebbins (2001), and other leisure and tourism research, the study explored the characteristics and behaviours of serious participants at these events. Ethnographic methods were used to gain insight into behaviours, through participant observation at the events. The findings further develop the SerPa model, but also identify other themes that are relevant to leisure and event management and marketing. Paper 5 explores the social connections of serious participants made on the Internet, and identifies their relationship to travel planning and events. The study utilised ethnographic methods adapted to the Internet, to identify and discuss the social characteristics of serious participants as fans of Lord of the Rings, and the processes used to collaborate toward travel planning.The study demonstrates the significance of serious participants as a segment of audiences at events, highlighting their contributions to the events themselves. As participants, they make the event happen, and are perhaps more important than consumers (Getz, 2007). They are defined by what they do in their leisure time, more than who they were born as, or by their profession. They have a leisure identity that defines them, and can find support and security in the fanatical system that they subscribe to. This system is usually found in special interest clubs, on-line networks and at events. These social systems help sustain their beliefs, and provide a leisure world where they feel a sense of ‘we’. From their serious devotion and social connectivity, serious participants receive social and personal rewards, which in turn provide more stimuli to develop their skills and/or knowledge. These psycho/social characteristics result in participants searching for new challenges and new destinations, which can facilitate their needs. These are found at events that are designed specifically with serious participants in mind. The study demonstrates that identification of these market segments has important implications for the design and sustainability of events in Australia, and overseas. Additionally, it also has implications for planners and practitioners in leisure and tourism in understanding the extant links between recreation, travel and events.

This thesis is a study of a young woman coming to terms with her grief. It unpacks how an invitation to film an unusual and life-changing event developed into an opportunity to question the ethics of the interview. It examines how the intricacies of a trust relationship influence the very threads and textures of the resulting documentary. This paper is a partnership between a practical documentary project and a more traditional written discussion. The documentary Five Hours with Raja is weighted at eighty per cent of the final thesis and the written exegesis makes up the remaining twenty per cent. Together these two elements investigate the developing relationship between Claudia – the documentary’s key protagonist, and the filmmaker, investigating how their relationship has affected the style, method, content and even the fundamental story line of a documentary. It also discusses the consequential ethical considerations and dilemmas behind creative and practical decisions, investigating ways that a filmmaker can draw the participant into the process to allow a greater degree of ownership, a stronger voice and a more immediate sense of intimacy with the final audience.

Events provide opportunities for communities to socialise, interact and to enjoy a sense of mutual celebration. However, special interest events offer other opportunities for recreation, and for the development of skills, identities and knowledge. Events such as car shows, Sci-fi conventions and Elvis festivals have large numbers of participants, as well as spectators, who have specialised needs and characteristics. This thesis uses a series of five published studies to examine the participants at special interest events and further to understand their characteristics and behaviours. The studies employ a mixed method approach to explore participants at a total of eleven events in Australia. In the first of these studies a spectrum of events is developed to explain the diversity of events in a region, as related to the special interest of participants. The study used a mixed method methodology to examine the differences between audiences at nine events in the Tweed Valley of NSW. The results were used to focus the study more on events that target serious participants.The second study was published as a conceptual paper, providing a comprehensive theoretical framework for the study of serious participants of leisure, recreation and events. The paper posits a model of serious participants (SerPa) for use and refinement in subsequent studies. Papers 3 and 4 explore serious participants at two feature events in Australia, the Wintersun Festival in Coolangatta, and the Elvis Revival Festival in Parkes. Drawing on the serious leisure framework proposed by Stebbins (2001), and other leisure and tourism research, the study explored the characteristics and behaviours of serious participants at these events. Ethnographic methods were used to gain insight into behaviours, through participant observation at the events. The findings further develop the SerPa model, but also identify other themes that are relevant to leisure and event management and marketing. Paper 5 explores the social connections of serious participants made on the Internet, and identifies their relationship to travel planning and events. The study utilised ethnographic methods adapted to the Internet, to identify and discuss the social characteristics of serious participants as fans of Lord of the Rings, and the processes used to collaborate toward travel planning.The study demonstrates the significance of serious participants as a segment of audiences at events, highlighting their contributions to the events themselves. As participants, they make the event happen, and are perhaps more important than consumers (Getz, 2007). They are defined by what they do in their leisure time, more than who they were born as, or by their profession. They have a leisure identity that defines them, and can find support and security in the fanatical system that they subscribe to. This system is usually found in special interest clubs, on-line networks and at events. These social systems help sustain their beliefs, and provide a leisure world where they feel a sense of ‘we’. From their serious devotion and social connectivity, serious participants receive social and personal rewards, which in turn provide more stimuli to develop their skills and/or knowledge. These psycho/social characteristics result in participants searching for new challenges and new destinations, which can facilitate their needs. These are found at events that are designed specifically with serious participants in mind. The study demonstrates that identification of these market segments has important implications for the design and sustainability of events in Australia, and overseas. Additionally, it also has implications for planners and practitioners in leisure and tourism in understanding the extant links between recreation, travel and events.

Thesis (D. App. Psych.)--Victoria University (Melbourne, Vic.), 2006. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--Carleton University, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 139-149). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.