Thesis advisor: Dorothy A. Jones / In Taiwan, the ability to measure the changing of health care reform and the improvement in nursing practice environment is hindered by the lack of a valid, reliable, and culture-sensitive instrument for measuring nursing practice environment. The purposes of this two-phase study were to translate and psychometrically validate the Chinese versions of the PPE Scale (CPPE). Phase I focused on translating and adapting the 38-item PPE into CPPE and evaluating the semantic and content equivalency. Semantic equivalence of the CPPE was secured using Translation Validity Indices as judged by American and bilingual experts. The content equivalence of the CPPE was supported by the satisfactory Content validity Indices. To increase the cultural sensitivity and comprehensiveness of the CPPE, 27 items were added at the suggestion of Taiwanese experts following content validation. A 66-item CPPE including 38 PPE items, 1 adapted item and 27 new items was produced for psychometric evaluation. Phase II focused on establishing the psychometric properties of the CPPE. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to test the 66-item CPPE on 977 Taiwanese nurses working in acute care settings. PCA with Varimax rotation on the 38 PPE items produced an eight-component solution for the 36-item CPPE after deleting two items. Cronbach's alpha was .90 for the total 36-item CPPE and .68 - .87 for the eight subscales. PCA with Varimax rotation on 66 items of the CPPE produced an eleven-component solution for the 58-item CPPE after deleting 8 items. Cronbach's alpha was .95 for the total 58-item CPPE and .71 - .87 for the eleven subscales. Both the 36-item CPPE and the 58-item CPPE demonstrated satisfactory test-retest reliability and concurrent validity. The psychometric structures of the 36-item CPPE and the 58-item CPPE were different from the original PPE. Both the 36-item CPPE and the 58-item CPPE were reliable and valid, but the 58-item CPPE is culturally sensitive to the Taiwanese nurses. The 58-item CPPE is useful for measuring Taiwanese nursing practice environment. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2009. / Submitted to: Boston College. Connell School of Nursing. / Discipline: Nursing.

Though current personality models provide a starting point for measuring ethical virtues, ethical content may not be fully captured in existing personality inventories due in part to the systematic elimination of morally-relevant trait-adjectives in early lexical studies. Further, personality dimensions relevant to measuring the ethical domain include both ethical and non-ethical content. The Moral Actions Questionnaire was designed to assess seven conceptually-distinct ethical virtues that are emphasized across cultures and philosophies. This dissertation investigates the performance of the Moral Actions Questionnaire, relative to other candidate models of ethical virtue from personality inventories. Psychometric quality, structural validity, and predictive validity for these models are evaluated in samples from five countries: Kenya, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the United States. Findings suggest that the Moral Actions Questionnaire aids in prediction of altruistic bravery, guilt proneness, satisfaction with life, and meaning with life across most countries. Patterns in psychometric quality and structure across countries and methods (self- and informant-report) are discussed.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

My goals for this study were to use Structure Equation Modeling (SEM) to: propose a conceptual model based on theoretical frameworks of student motivation variables, use of cognitive strategies, and use of self-regulation strategies affecting student academic performance; statistically examine each of the structural relationships among the above variables on student achievement; and, test for cultural differences between American and Korean community college students on the measurement model, factor means, and structure model. These SEM results provided support for four research hypotheses: (a) Students’ reported motivational variable scores had significantly positive effects on students’ reported use of self-regulation strategies for both the American and Korean community college students; (b) Students’ reported motivational variable scores had significantly positive effects on students’ reported use of cognitive strategies for both the American and Korean community college students; (c) Students’ reported motivational variable scores significantly positively predicted students’ academic achievement for both the American and Korean community college students; (d) Students’ reported use of cognitive strategies was positively related to students’ reported use of self-regulation strategies for both the American and Korean community college students. However, these results did not provide statistical support for the four research hypotheses; (e) Students’ reported use of cognitive strategies did not significantly predict students’ academic achievement in the overall model for both the American and Korean community college students; (f) Student’s reported use of learning skills strategies did not significantly predict students’ academic achievement in the overall model for both American and Korean community college students. Based on the results of the current study, many future studies can be suggested. First of all, future studies need to have various measurements to assess student academic achievement. GPA is only one measure for students’ academic achievement or success. Future research should consider alternative measurements such as peer or teacher evaluation, students’ satisfaction, problem-solving ability in the context of the course student are taking, ability to transfer and so on. If research includes more alternative measurements to measure student success, research may avoid the limitation of using only GPA as student success. / text

Personality inventories in South Africa are challenged with many factors restricting unbiased and fair measurement. The Employment Equity Act clearly stipulates that all psychometric measuring instruments should be proven bias free, equivalent, and fair. Most of the current inventories utilised in South Africa are imported from Europe and/or the United States of America, and these instruments are translated into either English or Afrikaans, which restricts the language proficiency factor of respondents from other language groups. There are 11 official language groups in South Africa; people also differ regarding race, culture, socioeconomic status, and educational backgrounds. All of these factors are not always properly accounted for in the standardisation of imported inventories - which limits their appropriate employment in the South African context. The objective of this study was to uncover the personality structure of each of the 11 language groups in South Africa, and to identify the shared and unique personality dimensions of the different language groups. From this structure, an instrument will be developed to measure personality in such a way that it will meet the Employment Equity Act. A qualitative research design was used in this study. Quasi-sampling («=1308j was implemented in order to identify participants from each of the 11 language groups, which differed from each other with regard to age, gender, and socioeconomic status. Following the lexical approach, structured interviews were conducted in the native language of the participants to gather information about personality-descriptive terms. The results of the interviews were transcribed and captured in Excel, and sent to language experts for language editing and translation into English. Ambiguous, superfluous and non-personality terms were removed from the data. Following this process, more than 50 000 personality-descriptive terms were identified. Content analysis was utilised in order to interpret the personality- descriptive terms to personality dimensions. Language and cultural experts were employed in order to validate the initial interpretations. The 50 000 descriptive terms were reduced to 190 personality dimensions through the use of cluster analysis. The analysis included the grouping of synonyms and antonyms, together with the use of dictionaries, literature and knowledge about content. The 190 dimensions were also divided into those that are common (shared by all 11 language groups), semi-common (shared by seven to ten of the language groups), semi-specific (shared by two to six of the language groups), and language-specific (unique to a particular language group). It was discovered that 78 dimensions were common, 69 semi-common, 32 semi-specific, and only 11 were language-specific. Most of the personality dimensions seem to be shared by the language groups, rather than to be unique. These 190 dimensions were clustered further in order to build the indigenous personality structure. Similar methods from the initial clustering phase were implemented. Clustering concluded 37 sub-clusters, which consisted of two to ten dimensions, and nine overall clusters consisting of two to six sub-clusters. These nine clusters are Extroversion, Soft-heartedness, Conscientiousness, Emotional stability, Intellect, Openness, Integrity, Relationship harmony, and Facilitating. Many indigenous aspects are evident, as well as universal aspects within the structure. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Personality inventories in South Africa are challenged with many factors restricting unbiased and fair measurement. The Employment Equity Act clearly stipulates that all psychometric measuring instruments should be proven bias free, equivalent, and fair. Most of the current inventories utilised in South Africa are imported from Europe and/or the United States of America, and these instruments are translated into either English or Afrikaans, which restricts the language proficiency factor of respondents from other language groups. There are 11 official language groups in South Africa; people also differ regarding race, culture, socioeconomic status, and educational backgrounds. All of these factors are not always properly accounted for in the standardisation of imported inventories - which limits their appropriate employment in the South African context. The objective of this study was to uncover the personality structure of each of the 11 language groups in South Africa, and to identify the shared and unique personality dimensions of the different language groups. From this structure, an instrument will be developed to measure personality in such a way that it will meet the Employment Equity Act. A qualitative research design was used in this study. Quasi-sampling («=1308j was implemented in order to identify participants from each of the 11 language groups, which differed from each other with regard to age, gender, and socioeconomic status. Following the lexical approach, structured interviews were conducted in the native language of the participants to gather information about personality-descriptive terms. The results of the interviews were transcribed and captured in Excel, and sent to language experts for language editing and translation into English. Ambiguous, superfluous and non-personality terms were removed from the data. Following this process, more than 50 000 personality-descriptive terms were identified. Content analysis was utilised in order to interpret the personality- descriptive terms to personality dimensions. Language and cultural experts were employed in order to validate the initial interpretations. The 50 000 descriptive terms were reduced to 190 personality dimensions through the use of cluster analysis. The analysis included the grouping of synonyms and antonyms, together with the use of dictionaries, literature and knowledge about content. The 190 dimensions were also divided into those that are common (shared by all 11 language groups), semi-common (shared by seven to ten of the language groups), semi-specific (shared by two to six of the language groups), and language-specific (unique to a particular language group). It was discovered that 78 dimensions were common, 69 semi-common, 32 semi-specific, and only 11 were language-specific. Most of the personality dimensions seem to be shared by the language groups, rather than to be unique. These 190 dimensions were clustered further in order to build the indigenous personality structure. Similar methods from the initial clustering phase were implemented. Clustering concluded 37 sub-clusters, which consisted of two to ten dimensions, and nine overall clusters consisting of two to six sub-clusters. These nine clusters are Extroversion, Soft-heartedness, Conscientiousness, Emotional stability, Intellect, Openness, Integrity, Relationship harmony, and Facilitating. Many indigenous aspects are evident, as well as universal aspects within the structure. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Moral licensing is a cognitive bias, which enables individuals to behave immorally without threatening their self-image of being a moral person. We investigate this phenomenon in a cross-cultural marketing context. More specifically, this paper addresses the questions (i) how big moral licensing effects typically are and (ii) which factors systematically influence the size of this effect. We approach these questions by conducting a meta-analysis and a meta-regression. Based on a random effects model, the point estimate for the generalized effect size Cohen's d is 0.319 (SE = 0.046; N = 106). Results of a meta-regression advance theory, by showing for the first time that both cultural background and type of comparison explain a substantial amount of the total variation of the effect size of moral licensing. Marketing practitioners wishing to capitalize on moral licensing effects should therefore consider cross-cultural difference, since marketing measures building on this effect may lead to different revenues in different countries.

International marketing activities have a great impact on the prosperity and competitiveness of multinational companies (Akgün, Keskin, & Ayar, 2014). That is why the design of marketing activities is especially important. Researchers claim for cultural sensitivity. According to their work, culture has a significant influence on marketing content which needs to be culturally adapted (Kaur & Chawla, 2016). Based on these assumptions the present study aims to discuss the concepts of culture in relation to standardization and adaptation of IKEA’s advertising content published in Sweden and Japan. The study is focused on IKEA since the company is known to implement a standardized marketing approach with only minor cultural adaptations (Burt, Johansson, & Thelander, 2011).   To accomplish that goal a multimodal critical discourse analysis is applied. The analysis seeks to identify the similarities and differences in IKEA’s video advertisements published in Sweden and Japan to determine how the company promotes its products. The analysis is limited to visual semiotic choices. The interpretation of the results is linked to the findings of Hofstede’s theory of cultural dimensions: Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Individualism versus Collectivism, Masculinity versus Femininity, Long- and Short-Term Orientation and Indulgence versus Restraint. The study revealed that signs for both concepts standardization and adaptation were visible in IKEA’s advertisements. Especially the analysis of the Japanese sample has shown that IKEA follows a standardized marketing approach when it comes to communicating the company’s core values such as gender equality. This value was frequently depicted in the Japanese advertisements where gender division usually prevails. However, less significant aspects such as those concerning the outer appearance of the actors were culturally adapted. These findings underline a dialectical relationship between culture and advertising content. Leading theoretical frameworks lag to take into account this continuous discourse that emphasizes the importance to implement the perspective of a changing environment in further theoretical contributions.

The current Japanese counseling profession is in the process of reforming and uniting the system and training together for counseling and related professions. Supervision is one of significant training piece in this profession; however, its familiarity among Japanese counseling professionals is very unclear. This study explored how Japanese counseling professionals conceptualize the ideal figure of a clinical supervisor based on the identified fundamental elements of clinical supervision in the US. The preliminary analysis indicates that each aspect of the U.S. clinical supervision models might be adoptable to Japanese counseling professionals. Yet the small sample size does not confirm the conceptual framework of the ideal clinical supervisor for Japanese counseling professionals, the main analysis indicated an alternative culturally appropriate conceptual framework. Further research embracing Japanese cultural characteristics and sound ethical manner in the professional counseling and supervisory relationship would enrich the clinical supervision in Japan.

Shalom Schwartz invented the theory of Basic Human Values in 1987 – based on a study in which the quantitative data he collected, had been organised within an obscure manner. His theory has been validated and positioned as the universal way all individuals organise their values on a personal and cultural level, and has been researched in over 70 countries. South African researchers have however found significant challenges in replicating Schwartz's model within this multi-cultural society, and have ascribed the difficulties to ‘unintended item biases' within Schwartz's measurement instruments. This has been observed when utilising two different measurement instruments, as well as when further assessing ‘finer' sub-value types. A viable quantitative trend in utilising non-verbal assessment techniques has emerged, but has not been adapted for adults yet. In addition, Schwartz's theory has largely only been explored from a quantitative perspective, since its inception in 1987. Only four qualitative studies could be traced within Values-research which all highlighted a different way values were constructed and ordered, through utilising psycho-lexical research methodology. This type of research methodology does not necessarily highlight the effect of socio-economic and educational disparities within its participant's constructions, which Schwartz' highlighted a possible effect within South African research efforts. This study utilised a Social Constructionist approach known as Foucauldian Discourse Analysis to assist in deconstructing the ecology of values-talk from South African participants' linguistic expressions. Four focus group discussions were conducted across four different racial groups (White; Black; Indian and Coloured), as a means for unlocking the different discourses which govern the different ways in which South Africans ‘talk' about personal values. The analysis uncovered five different discourses which were activated and replicated throughout discussions – when constructing values which embraced participants socio-economic and educational positions. These discourses seemed to function in a complimentary and opposing nature at times, depending on the value being discussed. These constructions were compared to Schwartz's Basic Human Values model, and similarities and differences in constructions were discussed. In addition, the research findings were scrutinised to see how they could inform future qualitative research efforts to further explore how Schwartz's Basic Human Values model is ‘lived'. Finally, the study discusses its limitations and various considerations researchers would need to employ, when considering applying non-verbal assessment methodology within an abstract topic like values. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Human Resource Management / MCom / Unrestricted