The present study examined the relationship between an individual's disability and needed workplace accommodations and employability. The participants for this study were businessmen and businesswomen in Southwestern Virginia who possessed the ability to hire employees. Results indicated that an individual with a physical disability was thought of as more employable and favorable than a nondisabled individual, a blind individual, and an obese individual. Results also indicated that a physically disabled individual would be hired before a blind individual and an obese individual when workplace accommodations were needed. One possible explanation for these findings is that it is desirable to hire someone with a disability so that a company will possess the appearance of being diversified. Future studies may investigate the differences between small businesses and large businesses as it relates to the employing of individuals with disabilities.

Section 30213 of California Coastal Act requires the California Coastal Commission (“CCC”) to protect, encourage, and, where feasible, provide for lower cost overnight visitor accommodations (“LCOVA”) along the State’s coast. As mitigation measure consistent with this charge, the CCC imposes a $30,000 fee for 25 percent for rooms of new hotel developments determined to be higher cost (the “$30,000/25% fee”), in-lieu of LCOVA facility provision. Generally, the CCC applies this fee in two circumstances: (1) As an ad hoc fee for developers upon CCC review of coastal development permit (“CDP”) applications, and (2) as a legislatively imposed fee to be adopted by coastal jurisdictions upon CCC review of a local coastal program (“LCP”) or related policy. This paper explores the policy and legal implications of the $30,000/25% fee. The findings of this paper show that the $30,000/25% fee likely fails the applicable Federal California legal tests governing monetary exactions.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases in the United States (Kowal, Dall, Chakrabarti, Storm, & Jain, 2013), affecting approximately 1 million Americans (American Parkinson’s Disease Association, 2020). However, there is limited research on the employment experiences of individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) (Koerts, Konig, Tucha, & Tucha, 2016). Informed by the capability approach (Sen, 2009) and social cognitive career theory (Lent & Hackett, 1994), this dissertation study addressed gaps in the extant literature, examining what employment options individuals with Parkinson's disease perceive as feasible after disease onset. This research explored the effects of contextual factors on employment options, including how understanding of workplace accommodations influences employment options, the role of discrimination and stigma in shaping employment options, and the extent to which individuals with Parkinson’s disease are receiving work-related decision support from health care providers. The author conducted individual semi-structured interviews with 23 adults under the age of 65 with Parkinson’s disease. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. The author utilized an integrated approach to analysis, primarily employing a thematic analysis approach, as outlined by Braun and Clarke (2006). Additionally, a more interpretive analysis strategy (the Listening Guide, as outlined by Gilligan, Spencer, Weinberg & Bertsch, 2003) was integrated into the broader thematic analysis in order to deepen analysis of discrimination and stigma. Findings highlight specific facilitators and barriers to sustaining employment after the onset of PD, exploring how individuals with PD identify and gain crucial access to accommodations. This research demonstrates how a participant’s history of access to workplace accommodations influences participants’ perceived employment options, as well as the perceived effects of work on health. Participants’ narratives demonstrate how stigma and discrimination affect employment experiences and outcomes, influencing participants’ outcome expectations regarding current and future employment options. Participants reported that work-related conversations with health care providers were limited, with the data offering several explanations as to why these conversations were limited in nature. This study provides meaningful insights into the employment experiences of adults with Parkinson’s disease, with potential relevance to the experiences of adults with chronic and/or progressive diseases more broadly. These findings have important implications for social work and health care practice and education, disability policy, early intervention strategies after the onset of PD and priorities for future research. / 2024-05-31T00:00:00Z

Virginia bed and breakfast operations were researched in order to determine the attitudes/beliefs which were necessary for success in the bed and breakfast industry. The objectives of the study were to: (1) identify demographics of Virginia bed and breakfast operations; (2) identify successful bed and breakfast operations based upon their self definition of success; (3) identify the attitudes and beliefs operators believe are necessary for success in running a bed and breakfast operation and correlate attitudes with operators' actual behaviors; and (4) based upon the operator's self-definition of success, compare the correlations identified in the previous objective between successful and other operators. Data was collected by utilizing a mailed questionnaire. Pearson's correlation was used to determine if there were any relationships present between what attitudes/beliefs bed and breakfast operators perceived to be necessary for success and their actual behavior. Fishers r to z transformation was used ta determine if the relationship between the attitudes/beliefs perceived ta be necessary far success and operator's actual behavior was greater among successful bed and breakfast operations based upon a self definition of success. The results found that the correlation between the attitude/belief, past experience and actual past experience in hotels, restaurants, and large organizations was significant in the success group as well as high knowledge of cash flow/accounting and use of financial data. Stronger correlations were present in interpersonal skills, good relationship with employees and guests in the success group versus other group. Past experience in and knowledge of the bed and breakfast industry as well as family support were significantly correlated in the success group. / Master of Science

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No description available.

Online marketing communication provides some of the cutting edge tools that can be used by guest houses to communicate their product and service offerings. The purpose of this study was to determine which online marketing communication tools can be used, and are in fact currently used by guest houses in Pretoria East. The results obtained from this study can assist guest house owner/managers in Pretoria East with decision-making on the communication of off-line and online marketing communication tools to be included in their marketing strategy. Primary data was collected by means of a survey with guest house owners/managers in Pretoria East. Specific corpographic details of guest houses in Pretoria East were identified. Furthermore, the most frequently used off-line and online marketing communication tools were identified, as well as the number of guest houses that have websites and the content of these websites. The findings suggest that guest houses in Pretoria East have to invest more time and money in implementing certain online marketing communication tools, such as social networking and use of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). By implementing online marketing communication tools like these, guest houses in Pretoria East could enhance customers‟ awareness of a guest house. This study verified the importance of electronic tools such as the Internet and Web as an integral part of an organisation‟s marketing strategy, specifically for small businesses in the service sector, such as guest houses. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

Online marketing communication provides some of the cutting edge tools that can be used by guest houses to communicate their product and service offerings. The purpose of this study was to determine which online marketing communication tools can be used, and are in fact currently used by guest houses in Pretoria East. The results obtained from this study can assist guest house owner/managers in Pretoria East with decision-making on the communication of off-line and online marketing communication tools to be included in their marketing strategy. Primary data was collected by means of a survey with guest house owners/managers in Pretoria East. Specific corpographic details of guest houses in Pretoria East were identified. Furthermore, the most frequently used off-line and online marketing communication tools were identified, as well as the number of guest houses that have websites and the content of these websites. The findings suggest that guest houses in Pretoria East have to invest more time and money in implementing certain online marketing communication tools, such as social networking and use of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). By implementing online marketing communication tools like these, guest houses in Pretoria East could enhance customers‟ awareness of a guest house. This study verified the importance of electronic tools such as the Internet and Web as an integral part of an organisation‟s marketing strategy, specifically for small businesses in the service sector, such as guest houses. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

The purpose of this research is to show how business and enterprise can align sustainability and sustainable development to create strategic sustainability (SS) procedures, which can be used for planning towards sustainability in an island context. Even with the 3Ps depiction of sustainable development (SD), the idea continues to be difficult to make operational (Azar, Holmberg and Lindgren 1996) and has failed in many of its applications (Baumgartner and Korhonen 2010). Moreover, businesses wishing to operate in perpetuity are challenged by the socio-ecological system that constitutes sustainability. But all businesses have materials, energy and waste flows, (MEWFs) and a more strategic approach to managing these flows can assist businesses with the sustainability challenge. Firstly however, sustainability described as a successful socio-ecological system must be understood. Secondly the process of reducing the MEWFs within the business, referred to as sustainable development actions must be seen as separate but congruent to sustainability. By adapting the framework for strategic sustainable development and using a mixed methods approach, the necessary strategy content for the SS procedures are researched in the tourist accommodation sector-Grenada. It is shown that in an island context, defined as an isolated system with scarce resources, (Deschenes and Chertow 2004) the challenges of sustainability, especially for businesses such as the tourist accommodation sector, are exacerbated. The research concludes with three important groups of steps for the SS procedures: 1) visioning and vision linking; 2) developing sector strategic actions and 3) monitoring and evaluation. A tourism symbiosis was proposed as a critical action for reducing MEWFs. Considerations for implementing aspects of a proposed green economy roadmap using the SS procedures are addressed. The research can assist both policy makers and business leaders to operationalise sustainable development and to do so with some degree of certainty of achieving sustainability in an island context.

While the number of students with learning disabilities entering the postsecondary environment is rising, many of these students have not yet acquired the skills to help them request necessary academic accommodations. Students with learning disabilities need to recognize how their disability affects their academic learning, and need to have the strategies and skills known as self-advocacy, so that they can request and obtain these accommodations. Unfortunately, many of these students, particularly Latino students, have not been given the opportunity to acquire advocacy skills prior to entering the postsecondary education setting. Trainor (2005) identified that Latino male students' plans for life after high school were not reflected in their individual transition plans. While the number of Latino males graduating with college degrees is declining (Sáenz & Ponjuan, 2009), Hurtado, Sáenz, Santos, and Cabrera (2008) have identified an upward trend among Latino males' self-rated academic abilities and desire to achieve. Due to Latino males avoidance of help-seeking behaviors, even when they are aware of academic resources that are available (Cabrera, Rashwan-Soto, & Valencia, 2016), they are a population that would benefit from instruction in these skills. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a self-advocacy intervention on Latino male college students' abilities to request academic accommodations. Findings demonstrated a functional relationship between the self-advocacy intervention and students' abilities to request academic accommodations in a role-play situation. In addition, all students were able to fully generalize the target behaviors to the real life setting as well. Last, data obtained from social validity surveys revealed the significance of the effects of the intervention on the dependent variables.