Michigan is a state with a relatively long history in formalized employee-employer relations in the public sector. In 1965, the Public Employees Relations Act was established. Under this Act most public employees had the right to organize, to bargain, to hold representative elections, to expect determination of appropriate bargaining units and to seek redress of unfair labor practices. Employers were obligated to bargain in good faith. Mediation and factfinding could be initiated by employers or employees in case of impasse. Strikes were illegal under the Act, but severe penalties for striking, present in previous acts, were removed. This Public Employee Relations Act was amended in 1972 to provide for compulsory arbitration of contract disputes for police and fire fighters. Factfinding remained the terminal point in the intervention process for all other public sector disputes. The establishment of interest arbitration for "essential" public employees, i.e., police and fire fighters, saw a dramatic decline in the number of strikes among those groups. However, among "non~essential" employees, the number of strikes in Michigan increased dramatically and Michigan earned the dubious distinction of being one of the most strike-prone in the nation for the public sector. The vast majority of these strikes involved public school teachers--mostly in elementary and secondary schools. The primary research technique utilized in the study was the Likert-type questionnaire. Respondents were asked to indicate their feelings toward 39 statements (strongly agree to strongly disagree). The responses to the statements, all of which were directed toward aspects of contract dispute resolution, were tabulated according to groups. The group to which the instruments were sent were the local school board chairmen, the local superintendents of schools, the presidents of local teacher associations or unions and the local staff of NEA affiliate associations. Analysis of variance and the Duncan multiple-range test were applied to the data to test the statistical significance of mean responses by group. The basic conclusions reached through this study, were as follows: 1. Public school employer leaders did not agree that compulsory and binding arbitration are effective contract settlement devices. Teacher organization leaders disagree with those sentiments. 2. Employer leaders and employee leaders disagreed on whether arbitration is in the public interest. Employers say not, employees disagreed. They agree that binding arbitration serves the public interest if it eliminates strikes. 3. Employee leaders found arbitrators better qualified and competent than employer leaders found them. 4. Employers supported mediation of disputes while teacher leaders question its effectiveness. 5. Staff did not agree that factfinding was an effective settlement device. 6. All groups agreed that voluntary arbitration is effective. 7. All groups agreed that the public prefers arbitration to job actions. 8. All groups agreed that parties in dispute will only submit to arbitration when it appears to be to their advantage. This study suggested continued public school labor unrest in Michigan; political confrontation over compulsary arbitration for "non-essential" public employees and the need to experiment with mediation-arbitration as a contract dispute settlement device. / Ed. D.

Some factors affecting toxicity, selectivity, uptake distribution and site of action of EPTC (S-ethyl dipropydithiocarbamate) as affected by R-25788 (N,N-diallyl-2,2-dichloroacetamide) were investigated in field, greenhouse and laboratory experiments. EPTC at 6.7 kg/ha was 20 to 30% more toxic to various corn cultivars when applied to sandy and lower organic matter (0.8%) soil than with fine sandy loam soil (0.M. 3.1%). The 'TXS114' cultivar was more tolerant than 'XL55' to EPTC treatment. The seeds of 'XL55' absorbed 20% more EPTC than the seeds of 'TXS114' after 12 hr of incubation in ¹⁴C-EPTC. Movement of ¹⁴C was toward the actively growing portions of root and shoot. Embryo of 'TXS114' accumulated 48% of total uptake compared to 60% in 'XL55' cultivar. Apparently, herbicide antidote R-25788 conjugated or otherwise delayed movement of ¹⁴C toward the shoot by concentrating ¹⁴C in seed of highly tolerant compared to shoot of 'XL55', a highly susceptible cultivar. Therefore, susceptibility of 'XL55' is apparently due to its relatively high uptake and site of accumulation. The total nonstructural carbohydrate (TNC) in seeds of 'TXS114' was 18% more than 'XL55' and this differences strongly correlated with their injury responses to EPTC. Lipid synthesis was inhibited by more than 50% in Chlorella cells when EPTC was used at 2 x 10⁻⁴ M concentration after 1 hr of incubation. Similar result was found in corn protoplasts which was inhibited by 23% after 2 hr of incubation with EPTC at 12 x 10⁻⁵ M, suggesting that primary site of action of EPTC is inhibition of lipid synthesis. The other metabolic processes investigated were possibly secondary effects resulting from lipid synthesis inhibition because their inhibitory actions were noticeable only after several hours of cell incubation. The antidote R-25788 combined with EPTC caused a reduction in lipid synthesis inhibition by 31 and 20%, respectively in both Chlorella and corn protoplasts. It is then suggested that the primary action of antidote R-25788 in cells is reversal of the inhibitory effects caused by EPTC on metabolic processes in plants. / Ph. D.

A computer model, the Finite Element Storm Hydrograph Model (FESHM), was developed to integrate spatiotemporal variability in climatic and watershed descriptors into a model structure to determine stormwater runoff from small watersheds. The model consisted of two major components: a rainfall excess generator and a flood routing algorithm. The Holtan infiltration equation was used as the basis of a soil moisture routine to estimate rainfall excess from a given rainfall distribution. The finite element technique, with Galerkin's residual method, was used to provide a numerical solution of the equations of continuity and momentum for one-dimensional transient flow for routing overland and channel flow through a drainage system. A spatially responsive modeling concept was assumed. To implement this concept the watershed was discretized into hydrologic response units (HRU's) based on soil mapping units and landuse to improve estimates of rainfall excess. The watershed's topography and drainage patterns were used to define finite elements to improve the accuracy of flow routing. These two discretization schemes resulted in poor geometric registration. This problem was resolved by a linear weighting of the rainfall excess from each HPU located within a given element as a function of the area occupied by the HRU to the total element area. Spatial uniqueness was maintained on a relatively small scale. Sufficient flexibility was incorporated into the model to allow varying levels of discretization without rebuilding the model structure. Procedures were developed for defining model parameters for application of the model in an ungaged context. The effect of landuse changes on the hydrologic response of a watershed can be, at least, conceptually evaluated with this model structure. A modeling framework also is provided for the prediction of water quality. A hypothetical watershed was used te conduct a sensitivity analysis of model parameters. Six experimental watersheds located in different physiographic regions of Virginia were used to evaluate the capability of the model to predict stormwater flow for flood-producing events in an ungaged context. Comparison of simulated and recorded hydrographs ranged from good to excellent / Ph. D.

Four experiments were performed to investigate the responses of neonatal chicks in either a straight runway or an open-field to same-age, conspecific distress and contentment vocalizations over the first several days of post-hatch life. Three hundred forty-eight White Leghorn chicks from either a sample of the Cornell Randombred or Athens Canadian x Cornell Randombred population were tested at 24, 48, 72, 96, and/or 144 hours of age. The effects of intermittent light (Experiment 2) and rearing conditions (Experiments 3 and 4) on chick responsivity to conspecific vocalizations were also examined. The results indicated that contentment vocalization stimulation produced lower approach latencies and higher activity levels than distress vocalization stimulation. Moreover, many of the behavioral responses varied with the age of the birds, however, these relationships were seldom monotonic. In addition, individually reared chicks engaged in much higher levels of activity (lower approach latencies, more contentment peeping, more pecking and more orientation away responses) than socially reared birds. Patterns of behavior associated with the reception of conspecific vocalization stimulation were different from the patterns of behavior associated with the emission of these calls. Speculations concerning the communicative Significance of domestic chick distress and contentment vocalizations were discussed. / Ph. D.

Statement of the Problem Despite strong evidence that effective leadership by district managers is important for organizational success, there is a void of research dealing with the application of leadership theories and leadership training programs in field sales force management. The dissertation focuses upon validating the Vroom-Yetton Normative Model of Leader Behavior in this area and upon measuring the training effect of Telos which is a leadership training program built around this model. Methodology A purposive sample of forty district managers was taken from two companies. The validation process used to validate the Normative Model was a replication of the process used by Vroom et al. in earlier Studies. Recalled situations provided by the twenty trainees were used. To measure the training effect, the Nonequivalent Control Group design was employed. Two differential measures (gain scores) of leadership behavior were analyzed for both the training and control groups. Results and Conclusions Thirty-five recalled situations were generated in the validation process. From the analysis of these situations, the major finding was that district managers did not significantly increase their chances of having successful decision outcomes result from their use of leader behaviors consistent with the prescriptions of the Normative Model. However, the test results were in the predicted directions. Despite the lack of significance, a probability of .15 indicates the model did quite well in prescribing appropriate leader behaviors to district managers. The major conclusion drawn from the validation process was that the Normative Model appeared to have potential for prescribing leader behaviors to district managers which increase the probability of producing successful decision outcomes. Statistical tests of the two measures used to measure the training effect showed significant changes occurring in the leader behavior of the trained district managers. The average level of participation that trainees would offer to their subordinates changed significantly more than that offered by the control group. On the second measure, trained district managers showed significant improvement in choosing leader behaviors consistent with the feasible set of leader behaviors prescribed by the Normative Model. The major implication was that Telos affected significant learning in the training group. To determine the precise areas of learning, statistical testing of the training group's scores on the set of seven guidelines underlying the model was done. The results indicated that district Managers significantly decreased their number of violations on six of the seven guidelines. The research suggests that the Vroom-Yetton Normative Model of Leader Behavior appears to offer potential to district managers as a tool for improving their leadership effectiveness. Future validation studies are needed to provide empirical evidence to support the model's validity in field sales force management. The results from testing the training effect of Telos indicated that Telos affected Significant changes in the leadership behavior of trained district managers. / Ph. D.

The purpose of this study was to develop causal models relative to the premarital use of contraception among male and female college students. Eleven predictor variables were incorporated in separate male and female models. Self~administered questionnaires were mailed to a random sample of dormitory residents at a large southeastern university. A path analysis procedure was performed on the data from those students who were nonvirgins. The male model accounted for 20 percent of the total variance. The most influential predictor variable was the frequency in which males engaged in coitus. The more frequently they engaged in coitus, the more likely they or their partner used a reliable contraceptive at their latest coitus. Males who had expected coitus to occur before it did were more likely to have used a reliable contraceptive than males who did not expect coitus to occur. This was the second most influential variable in the male model. The female model accounted for 15 percent of the total variance. The most influential predictor variable was the degree of emotional attachment the females had toward their sex partner. The greater the degree of emotional attachment, the greater the likelihood they or their partner used a reliable contraceptive at their latest coital experience. Females were also more likely to have used reliable contraception at their most recent sexual intercourse the greater the number of close friends who were thought to use contraception. This was the second most influential variable in the model. Methodological and theoretical implications were discussed and recommendations for future research were made. / Ph. D.

Purpose The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to identify the major personal, social and academic adjustment problems experienced by minority graduate students at two contrasting institutions and (2) to compare the identified major adjustment problems of such students. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is a predominantly white institution, and Virginia State College is a predominantly black institution. The minority students under study, therefore, are black in one case but white in the other. Procedure A questionnaire was developed through a review of the literature with emphasis placed on three studies: (1) Han (1975), (2) Sharma (1971), and (3) Stevens (1976). The inventory incorporated a le point Likert-type scale for respondents to indicate their opinion toward stated items labeled desirable/undesirable indicative of adjustment concerns. Descriptive statistics were used in analyzing the data. Frequency counts and percentages were calculated for each item on the questionnaire. A level of 50 percent or more was used to determine major problems depending on whether the item was labeled desirable/undesirable. A 25 to 9 percent level was used to identify items as concerns. Chi Square tests were used to compare the identified problems. Population This study was concerned with the full-time minority (i.e., black) graduate students enrolled at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, a traditionally white institution, and the full-time minority (i.e., caucasian) graduate students enrolled at Virginia State College, a traditionally black institution. Forty-eight respondents constituted the total target population. There were thirty-seven minority black graduate students from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and eleven minority caucasian graduate students from Virginia State College. Summary of Findings The major academic adjustment problems encountered by black graduate students while studying at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University were instruction not meeting the individual needs of students and the employment of irrelevant factors by some professors to make student evaluation. The major social problems reported were making personal friends with caucasian graduate students, being accepted by the social peer groups and inhibited participation in campus activities. The major academic adjustment problem encountered by the caucasian graduate students while studying at Virginia State College was instruction not meeting the needs of students. The major social problems were making personal friends with black graduate students, being accepted by the social peer groups and inhibited participation in campus activities. The major personal problems were apprehensions about enrolling at the institution and negative experiences encountered while attending the institution. The comparisons made between the minority black graduate students and the minority caucasian graduate students yielded very similar results. The data revealed that the minority groups were similar in the adjustment problems encountered and the concerns identified. The largest percentage of major adjustment problems for both groups occurred in the Social area. The academic area contained the second highest area with major adjustment problems for the minority black graduate students, while the second highest area for the minority caucasian graduate students was the personal area. Major Recommendation College and university officials when considering the recruitment, restructuring or enhancing the environment of the minority graduate students should review the findings of this study as presented in Chapter IV. Specific recommendations with regard to the findings and conclusions are offered in Chapter V of this study. / Ed. D.

A collection of 120 strains of saccharolytic intestinal Bacteroides was examined for plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). These strains were previously characterized for standard phenotypic properties (variety of carbohydrates fermented, metabolic end products, and complex carbohydrate hydrolysis). Additional phenotypic characterizations included bacteriocin production, cell wall analysis, and antibiotic susceptibilities. The interrelatedness of the strains had been determined by DNA homology experiments. The strains were distributed among 10 major DNA homology groups or genospecies. Plasmid DNA was found in 52 strains (43%) distributed among all ten major DNA homology groups. The plasmids ranged in size from 2 to 65 megadaltons (Mdal) as estimated from their migration distance in agarose gels during electrophoresis. A small plasmid of 2 to 6 Mdal was found in 42 of the plasmid bearing strains. Seventeen of these strains also contained larger plasmids (20 to 65 Mdal). Ten strains contained only a large plasmid. There was no apparent correlation between the presence of any particular plasmid size with the DNA homology grouping of the host strains. Size estimations calculated from plasmid DNA reassociation curves (C₀t curves) agreed with the agarose gel electrophoresis size determinations. Four plasmids were selected for reference use in DNA homology studies. They were isolated from B. fragilis strains 2553 and 4076, B. thetaiotaomicron strain 5482, and B. uniformis strain T1-1 respectively. These plasmid preparations were radioactively labeled in vitro using the 4 deoxyribonucleic triphosphates (³H labeled thymidine 5'- triphosphate) and Escherichia coli B polymerase I. The percent guanine plus cytosine content of two duplexed plasmid DNA preparations was determined by comparing their thermal stabilities with those of duplexed DNA from three bacterial strains whose percent guanine plus cytosine contents were known. Plasmid DNA p4076 and p5482 were found to have a percent guanine plus cytosine content of 39 and 43 respectively. Three of the reference plasmids (p2553, p4076, and p5482) were large species (22 to 23 Mdal) and did not have any significant base sequence homology with one another. The small reference plasmid (pTl-1, 3 Mdal) had 30% DNA homology with the p4076 reference plasmid. Plasmid DNA preparations from all the plasmid carrying strains were allowed to renature with each of the labeled reference plasmids. Many of these plasmid DNA preparations contained multiple plasmid species. The pT1-1 reference plasmid had moderate (30 to 60%) or higher (61 to 100%) DNA homology with 35 of the plasmid DNA preparations. The reference plasmid DNA, p2553, had moderate or high homology with 10 unlabeled plasmid preparations while the p5482 reference plasmid had similar homology with 9. The p4076 reference plasmid did not have significant base sequence homology with any of the plasmid DNA preparations. Several strains contained plasmid DNA that had homology with both pTl—1 reference plasmid and one (but not both) of the larger reference plasmids (p2553 and p5482). The homology between the unlabeled plasmid DNA preparations and the two reference plasmids may be due to either separate or hybrid plasmids. This was not determined. A computer analysis of 81 phenotypic traits was made, comparing each with the plasmid DNA homology groups. No significant correlation was noted. Plasmid—mediation of bacteriocin production was considered, but there was no correlation between bacteriocinogenesis and the occurrence of any plasmid DNA homology group. / Ph. D.

Information from accounting literature indicates that the mean-per-unit (MPU) estimator may not properly control the alpha and beta risks under conditions of non-normality. This study concerns the effect of non-normal distributions on the validity of existing auditing procedures used in MPU sampling plans. The following question was specifically addressed: Are alpha and beta risk levels effectively controlled under conditions of non-normality when using the MPU estimator in conjunction with the sample size formula? One objective of the study was to provide evidence that a potential problem exists when using traditional statistical sampling techniques with non-normal auditing populations. Another objective of the research was to provide recommendations that would lead to better auditing practices involving the MPU estimator. A simulation study using positively skewed J-shaped distributions was conducted to provide a means for achieving the objectives of the research. The distributions used in the study ranged in degrees of skewness and kurtosis from 0.0 and 3.0081 to 25.6089 and 37.7937, respectively. Simulation procedures considered a two-sided alpha level, an upper beta level concerning the potential acceptance of a materially overstated account, and a lower beta level for the potential acceptance of an account that is materially understated. Simulation results indicate that specified alpha and beta levels are not always attained when using the MPU estimator under conditions of non-normality. Guidelines were then developed for Simultaneous control of alpha and beta risk levels under the non-normal conditions simulated in the research. Case studies were utilized to test and illustrate use of the guidelines. Results of the study are limited, however, because implementation of the guidelines requires a positively skewed audit population reflected by a J-shaped distribution within the degrees of skewness and kurtosis Simulated in the study. / Ph. D.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between perceptual type (Haptic and Visual) and presentation mode (multiple and linear imagery) in a visual location task. Specifically, the purpose was to answer the questions: 1. Is there a difference between Visuals and Haptics in a visual location task? 2. Is there a difference between multiple and linear imagery in a visual location task? 3. Is there an interaction between perceptual type and presentation mode in a visual location? 4. Is there a difference in the scores made by Haptics with multiple and linear imagery? 5. Is there a difference in the scores made by Visuals with multiple and linear imagery? 6. Is there a difference in the scores made by Visuals and Haptics with multiple imagery? 7. Is there a difference in the scores made by Visuals and Haptics with linear imagery? The perceptual type of two hundred (200) community college students was determined through two tests developed by Lowenfeld. Students who were classified as Visual on both tests were designated Visual; students who were classified Haptic on both tests were designated Haptic. Forty (40) Haptics and forty (40) Visuals were selected and randomly assigned to treatment groups. Two groups each of twenty (20) Haptics and twenty (20) Visuals received the linear image presentation; two groups each of twenty (20) Visuals and twenty (20) Haptics viewed the multiple image presentation. The visual task in this study required subjects to view three black and white 35 mm slides which represented three quadrants of a criterion picture. Subjects were to select the criterion picture when they were shown three similar pictures. In the linear presentation, students was three quadrants of the criterion picture one at a time projected by a single carousel projector. In the multiple image presentation, students saw the three quadrants of the criterion picture at the same time, projected simultaneously by three separate carousel projectors. There were twenty (20) items on the test, which was developed by the experimenter from a series of art prints. A series of questions concerning the technique utilized by students to remember visual detail was administered following the treatment. A 2 X 2 factorial analysis of variance was used to analyze the data at the .05 and the .01 significance levels. The results of the analysis of data indicated that there was an interaction between presentation and perceptual type in a visual location task. Examination of the interaction indicated that the difference between multiple and linear imagery was significant for Haptics. Haptics tended to score higher with a multiple image presentation than with a linear image presentation. There was no difference in presentation mode for Visuals; Visuals tended to score the same in the linear image presentation as in the multiple image presentation. Other analyses indicated that there was a difference in the obtained perceptual types and the theoretical distribution described by Lowenfeld and others. It was concluded that community college students constituted a different population than the greater population, with more than the expected number of Haptics and fewer Visuals. Therefore it was suggested that instructional designers, instructors, and administrators consider the perceptual type of students when designing and implementing instruction. Multiple imagery may be the crucial factor in facilitating the learning process for Haptics. / Ed. D.