Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / Based on interviews with opinion leaders in the fields of business and the arts, the thesis has three major points. First, the arts play an integral role in the corporate environment. Second, the relationship of business and the arts must be grounded in mutuality which is reached only if the two institutions are concerned with the society. Acting in the interests. of society, business and the arts inevitably meet. And third, dialogue between business and the arts is meaningful only if carried on by such intermediaries as public relations consultants, designers, or arts managers. [TRUNCATED] / 2031-01-01

Physical inactivity is identified as one of the major risk factors for the development of coronary heart diseases. It has been well documented in research literature that regular engagement in physical activity and healthy lifestyle habits has a positive influence on the risk of developing coronary heart diseases. Research literature reveals that these diseases have a negative influence on the productivity of the employee. In the light of the above mentioned, the fact has become clear that the health of the employee is of major concern to the employer. Healthy employees mean better productivity and better financial benefits for the company. The aim of this research is therefore to determine the physical activity, lifestyle and coronary index profiles of employees working at an electricity supply company in South Africa. Furthermore the aim is to determine the influence of physical activity and lifestyle on the coronary health of the same population. A total of one hundred and seventy nine (N=179) voluntary subjects between the ages of 26 and 65 years (46.1 ± 9.5), who were part of a non-random availability population, took part in the study. Data was collected by means of questionnaires. The Physical Activity Index questionnaire of Sharkey and Gaskill (2007) was used to collect data on the physical activity of respondents, the Lifestyle Index questionnaire of Belloc and Breslow (1972) was used to determine the lifestyle practises of the respondents and the Coronary Risk Index of Bjiirstrom en Alexiou (1978) was used to determine the coronary risk index of the respondents. The physical activity index profile of the respondents was classified as average (25.6 ± 35.6), as was the case with their lifestyle index profile (4.5 ± 1.3) and coronary risk index profile (25.5 ± 7.5). In spite of these findings, it was found that the majority of respondents in fact led a sedentary life (58.1%). That means that the respondents have an increased risk of developing coronary heart disease. The results further showed that age, exercise, gender and stress was identified as the major contributors to increased risk of developing coronary heart diseases. The fact emerged that the majority of respondents were unaware of their cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure status. These findings are problematic, for it is well documented in research literature that these three factors are major contributors to the development of coronary heart disease. In terms of the influence of physical activity and lifestyle on coronary health, a statistic meaningful (p < 0.05) difference was found in terms of physical activity and lifestyle habits on the coronary health of the employees. Wellness programs that are implemented by companies are of great value. These programs give the workers the opportunity to take responsibility for their health and provide them with the necessary tools to manage their health on optimal levels. Companies that succeed in motivating their staff to engage in these wellness programs, can empower their staff to care for their own health. This means less risk of developing coronary heart diseases, increased productivity and decreased absenteeism, sick leave and medical costs. / Thesis (M.A. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Physical inactivity is identified as one of the major risk factors for the development of coronary heart diseases. It has been well documented in research literature that regular engagement in physical activity and healthy lifestyle habits has a positive influence on the risk of developing coronary heart diseases. Research literature reveals that these diseases have a negative influence on the productivity of the employee. In the light of the above mentioned, the fact has become clear that the health of the employee is of major concern to the employer. Healthy employees mean better productivity and better financial benefits for the company. The aim of this research is therefore to determine the physical activity, lifestyle and coronary index profiles of employees working at an electricity supply company in South Africa. Furthermore the aim is to determine the influence of physical activity and lifestyle on the coronary health of the same population. A total of one hundred and seventy nine (N=179) voluntary subjects between the ages of 26 and 65 years (46.1 ± 9.5), who were part of a non-random availability population, took part in the study. Data was collected by means of questionnaires. The Physical Activity Index questionnaire of Sharkey and Gaskill (2007) was used to collect data on the physical activity of respondents, the Lifestyle Index questionnaire of Belloc and Breslow (1972) was used to determine the lifestyle practises of the respondents and the Coronary Risk Index of Bjiirstrom en Alexiou (1978) was used to determine the coronary risk index of the respondents. The physical activity index profile of the respondents was classified as average (25.6 ± 35.6), as was the case with their lifestyle index profile (4.5 ± 1.3) and coronary risk index profile (25.5 ± 7.5). In spite of these findings, it was found that the majority of respondents in fact led a sedentary life (58.1%). That means that the respondents have an increased risk of developing coronary heart disease. The results further showed that age, exercise, gender and stress was identified as the major contributors to increased risk of developing coronary heart diseases. The fact emerged that the majority of respondents were unaware of their cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure status. These findings are problematic, for it is well documented in research literature that these three factors are major contributors to the development of coronary heart disease. In terms of the influence of physical activity and lifestyle on coronary health, a statistic meaningful (p < 0.05) difference was found in terms of physical activity and lifestyle habits on the coronary health of the employees. Wellness programs that are implemented by companies are of great value. These programs give the workers the opportunity to take responsibility for their health and provide them with the necessary tools to manage their health on optimal levels. Companies that succeed in motivating their staff to engage in these wellness programs, can empower their staff to care for their own health. This means less risk of developing coronary heart diseases, increased productivity and decreased absenteeism, sick leave and medical costs. / Thesis (M.A. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

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Thesis (M.A. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Technological advances and mechanization have reduced physical activity levels. Lifestyle in general has become more and more physically inactive. This sedentary lifestyle can lead to the development of hypokinetic diseases which inter alia include risk factors for the development of coronary heart disease. The consequences are a variety of health risk factors that can contribute to heart disease, stroke and mortality. If left unattended, these risk factors can lead to ill health and reduced productivity. Ill health in the corporate sector can lead to presenteeism, absenteeism, high health care costs and reduced productivity. The purpose of this study was to analyze the profiles of physical activity- (PAI), health status- (HSI), lifestyle- (LSI) and coronary risk indexes (CRI) among employees in a financial institution in order to evaluate the impact of physical activity. The research sample includes 475 employees (159 male and 316 female) with a mean age of 35.8 ± 8.6 and 35.1 ± 8.5 for the male and female groups respectively, divided into three age groups ≤35, 36-45 and ≥ 46 years. Results indicated that the majority of the employees were physically inactive and falling in moderate to poor category in terms of health status, lifestyle habits and coronary heart disease risk. The lifestyle index of the older males (≥ 46) was significantly better than those of the younger males. Results also indicated that coronary heart disease risk, lifestyle and health status improve as physical activity levels improve. The lifestyle index of males and females were significantly better among the physical active group. The finding suggest the need for employers and employees to prevent hypokinetic disorders which can cause “presenteeism” which may result in reduced productivity and increased health care costs. The literature also indicate the need for companies to measure and keep track of the health risk profile of their staff, since employees can migrate between low, moderate and high risk categories annually. / Thesis (M.A. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Technological advances and mechanization have reduced physical activity levels. Lifestyle in general has become more and more physically inactive. This sedentary lifestyle can lead to the development of hypokinetic diseases which inter alia include risk factors for the development of coronary heart disease. The consequences are a variety of health risk factors that can contribute to heart disease, stroke and mortality. If left unattended, these risk factors can lead to ill health and reduced productivity. Ill health in the corporate sector can lead to presenteeism, absenteeism, high health care costs and reduced productivity. The purpose of this study was to analyze the profiles of physical activity- (PAI), health status- (HSI), lifestyle- (LSI) and coronary risk indexes (CRI) among employees in a financial institution in order to evaluate the impact of physical activity. The research sample includes 475 employees (159 male and 316 female) with a mean age of 35.8 ± 8.6 and 35.1 ± 8.5 for the male and female groups respectively, divided into three age groups ≤35, 36-45 and ≥ 46 years. Results indicated that the majority of the employees were physically inactive and falling in moderate to poor category in terms of health status, lifestyle habits and coronary heart disease risk. The lifestyle index of the older males (≥ 46) was significantly better than those of the younger males. Results also indicated that coronary heart disease risk, lifestyle and health status improve as physical activity levels improve. The lifestyle index of males and females were significantly better among the physical active group. The finding suggest the need for employers and employees to prevent hypokinetic disorders which can cause “presenteeism” which may result in reduced productivity and increased health care costs. The literature also indicate the need for companies to measure and keep track of the health risk profile of their staff, since employees can migrate between low, moderate and high risk categories annually. / Thesis (M.A. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

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This thesis present concise but comprehensive overview of most important paper dedicated to prediction of corporate bankruptcy, as well as overview of the theory behind the employed models and crucial indicators for quality assessment and comparison of the estimations. Manually collected data includes financial statement, identification information and especially specifications of management and responsible persons. From this point of view, data collected are of high quality and in Czech Republic relatively unique. Noticeable is also multiple imputation method used, current "state-of-the-art" technique for missing data treatment. Practical part concentrates on models estimation for various data setting, when contrasting models on raw and truncated datasets. By smoothing data, significantly better model can be estimated with superior discriminating power on the same data points. Inclusion of macroeconomic variables as well as even more significant governance indicators according to current stage of research, improved estimated models.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Este trabalho dissertativo compreende um exame crÃtico sobre as parcerias pÃblico-privadas na educaÃÃo e sua vinculaÃÃo ao Programa mundial EducaÃÃo para Todos (EPT) e ao movimento do empresariado brasileiro Todos pela EducaÃÃo. Partiu-se, inicialmente, do pressuposto de que o complexo educacional torna-se um dos principais mecanismos utilizados pelo capital para associaÃÃo e estreitamento entre o Estado e o empresariamento. Argumenta-se, nessa investigaÃÃo, que a educaÃÃo nacional vincula-se cada vez mais ao setor privado atravÃs das parcerias onde os empresÃrios ganham apoio polÃtico e econÃmico do Estado capitalista para gerir a polÃtica educacional vigente, apresentando-se, dessa forma, como uma das principais alternativas necessÃrias e eficientes para alcanÃar a proclamada qualidade na educaÃÃo. Nesses termos, tudo indica que a proposta empresarial de educaÃÃo reafirma a sua condiÃÃo de mercadoria, subjugando de forma cada vez mais intensa a educaÃÃo da classe trabalhadora aos ditames do grande capital. Tomou-se por objetivo compreender o processo de inserÃÃo e condicionalidade das parcerias pÃblico-privadas na educaÃÃo brasileira. Para tanto, assumiu-se como referencial teÃrico-metodolÃgico a crÃtica marxista em uma perspectiva ontolÃgica, recorrendo ao marxismo que possibilita a apreensÃo do movimento do ser social em suas complexas contradiÃÃes e ricas mediaÃÃes. Essa investigaÃÃo compreende, portanto, uma pesquisa bibliogrÃfica e documental, a partir da contextualizaÃÃo e avaliaÃÃo crÃtica das parcerias pÃblico-privadas, na qual se articulam as determinaÃÃes dos organismos internacionais e as consequentes reformas institucionais procedidas pelo Estado brasileiro, rastreando, ademais, suas consequÃncias nas polÃticas educacionais. Seguindo esse movimento inicial, tornou-se possÃvel compreender que as parcerias pÃblico-privadas sÃo utilizadas na educaÃÃo brasileira para atender ao receituÃrio internacional, atrelando-se cada vez mais ao setor privado pela intermediaÃÃo das referidas parcerias como fonte de financiamento e uma das portas de entrada do comando empresarial no setor educacional. / This essay involves an in-depth exam of the public-private partnerships in Education and their connection to the Global Program Education for All (EPT) and to the Brazilian corporate movement All for Education. We initially start with the assumption that the educational complex is one of the main mechanisms used by capital for the association and approximation between the State and the Corporate Sector. We argue, in our investigation, that the national Education is more and more connected to the private sector through partnerships in which businessmen attain political and economic support from the capitalist State to manage the current Educational policy, presented, in this way, as the necessary and efficient alternative for reaching the proclaimed quality in Education. Accordingly, everything indicated that the corporate proposal of Education reaffirms its condition as a merchandise, submitting in a more intense way the Education of the working class to the orders of big capital. Our purpose is to understand the process of insertion and conditioning of the public-private partnerships in the Brazilian Education. To do that, we take as a theoretical-methodological standard the Marxist criticism in an ontological perspective, resorting to the Marxism that allows us to understand the movement of the social being in its complex contraditions and rich mediations. This investigation involves, therefore, a documental and bibliographic research, from the contextualization and critical evaluation of the public-private partnerships, in which are articulated the determinations of the international organizations and the consequent institutional reforms carried out by the Brazilian State, tracking, also, their consequences in the Educational policies. Following this initial movement, it has become possible to understand that the public-private partnerships are used in the Brazilian Education to abide by the international standard, entrenching themselves even more to the private sector for the intermediation of the referred partnerships as a source of financing and gateway of the corporate command in the Educational sector.