Knowledge of offspring production (recruitment) is fundamental to understanding and forecasting the dynamics of a population. In this thesis, I focus on two demographic characteristics of fish stocks that are important to recruitment: population density and age structure. First, populations produce more recruits at low density, but quantifying this response has proven difficult. Using data from hundreds of populations of walleye (Sander vitreus), an economically important freshwater fish, I demonstrate that the growing-degree-day metric (a temperature index) is better than age at explaining variation in density-dependent growth and maturity both within and among populations. I then incorporate multi-lake measures of density-dependent life history change into a temperature-based biphasic model of growth and reproduction to predict sustainable rates of mortality for walleye throughout most of their range. Second, the age (or size) structure of a population may also affect recruitment because of positive effects of maternal age on offspring production and survival; however, evidence for these ‘maternal influences’ on recruitment is limited. Using both an analytical model and a meta-analysis of stock-recruitment data from 25 species of exploited marine fish, I show that (i) maximum reproductive rate increased with the mean age of adults in a population, and (ii) the importance of age structure increased with a species’ longevity. I then demonstrate a similar effect of maternal influences on reproductive rate in a detailed study of Lake Erie walleye. By highlighting the importance of fisheries-induced demographic change to recruitment, this thesis provides insight into past and present failures. However, it also demonstrates clearly the benefits of proactive management strategies that (i) identify and respect the limits of exploitation, (ii) protect from exploitation reproductively valuable individuals—principles that apply generally to any freshwater, marine, or terrestrial species that is of recreational, commercial, or conservation value.

As digital games have become increasingly significant in the entertainment media landscape, the terms “casual” and “hardcore” have become the primary ways to describe gaming audiences, genres, and gameplay. However, these terms are saturated with outdated stereotypes involving gender, age, and class. Focusing on industrial discourse, this thesis examines this dichotomy, emphasizing areas of discontinuity and overlap to question why these terms have become so ubiquitous in gaming discourse and what functions they fulfill for a variety of groups including the industry, advertisers, and audience members. Ultimately, I suggest that these terms need to be replaced in order to move beyond restrictive stereotypes, proposing a new framework for digital games that takes into consideration user motivation, personal investment, and historical specificity.

On opening women's magazine the reader is bombarded with page after page of advertisements featuring highly sexualised images of women. This thesis explores the use of sexuality in contemporary women's magazine advertising and how women respond to this. A year-long analysis of twelve different monthly magazines, spanning three different age demographics was undertaken. A comprehensive coding schedule was developed, and over 5000 advertisements were analysed in a quantitative manner to determine the level of sexuality. Nearly 500 women took part in an online survey. It was designed to gauge their responses to the use of sex in advertising, as well as the influence of advertising overall. This analysis found that sex is a tool used by advertisers in almost every advertisement that appears in women's magazines, particularly those targeted at the youngest age demographics. Some products, such as fragrances, rely more heavily on the use of sex in their advertising campaigns than others. The women surveyed believed that average and older women are under-represented in advertising. Women tend to recollect advertisements that promote a 'promise' or an idealised lifestyle set in a sexual context. Recollection is, of course, the aim of advertising, so it would appear that the use of sex is here to stay.

The aim of the dissertation was to investigate the demographical differences on Work-SoC, and the relationship between work-related sense of coherence (Work-SoC) and work engagement in a motor retail organisation in Gauteng. The Work-related sense of coherence (Work-SoC) scale, Utrecht work engagement (UWES-9) scale and a biographical questionnaire were applied in the data collection from 326 employees in a motor retail organisation in Gauteng. The results indicated a strong relationship between Work-SoC and work engagement and that Work-SoC does predict work engagement. Except for tenure and gender, all demographical variables showed statistically significant mean differences on Work-SoC. The study has added valuable knowledge to the existing literature as it was the first to investigate mean differences on Work-SoC for different demographical groups and also investigate the relationship between Work-SoC and work engagement in the South African environment. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Indian cities have been witnessing rapid transformation due to the synergistic effect of industrialisation, flourishing-economy, motorisation, population explosion, and migration. The alarming increase in travel demand as an after effect of the transformation, and the scarcity in transport infrastructures have exacerbated urban transport issues such as congestion, pollution, and inequity. Due to the escalating cost of transport infrastructure and the scarcity of resources such as space, there has been an increasing interest in promoting sustainable transportation policy measures for the optimum use of existing resources. Such policy measures mostly target the activitytravel behaviour of individuals to bring about desired changes in the transport sector. However, the responses of individuals to most of the measures are complex or unknown. The current ‘commute trip-based’ aggregate travel demand analysis strategy followed in most of the Indian cities is inadequate for providing basic inputs to understand the activity-travel behaviour of individuals under such policy interventions. Furthermore, the current analysis strategy also ignores the activitytravel behaviour of non-workers – who include homemakers, unemployed, and retired individuals – whose inclusion to transportation planning is relevant when the proposed policies are mostly ‘citizen-centric’. Analysis of activity-travel behaviour of non-workers provide important inputs to transportation planning as their activity-travel behaviour, and responses to transportation policies are different from that of workers. However, case studies exploring the activity-travel behaviour of non-workers from Indian cities are very limited. Appraising the practical importance of this subject, the current research undertakes a comprehensive analysis of the activity-travel behaviour of non-workers from a developing country’s context. To fulfil the goal, a series of empirical analysis are conducted on a primary activity-travel weekday survey data collected from Bangalore city. The analysis provides insightful findings and interpretations consistent with a developing country’s perspective. The day-planner format of time use diary, which was observed to have satisfactory performances in developed countries, is apparently have inferior performances in a developing country’s context. Further, the face-to-face method of survey administration is observed to have higher operating and economic efficiencies compared to the drop-off and pick-up method. The comprehensive analysis of activity-travel behaviour of non-workers indicate that comparing with their counterparts in the developed world (e.g. the U.S.), non-workers in Bangalore city are observed to have lower activity participation level (in terms of time allocation and number of stops), higher dependency on walking, lower trip chaining tendency, and a distinct time-of-day preference for departing to activity locations. On the other hand, the analysis shows similarities (mode use and trip chaining) and differences (time allocation and departure time choice) with the findings of the case studies from the developing world (e.g. China). Activity-travel behaviour of non-workers belonging to low-income households is characterised by lower activity participation level, higher dependency on sustainable transport modes, and lower trip chaining propensity, compared to other two income groups (middle and high-income groups). The research also suggests that built environment measures have their highest impacts on non-workers’ travel decisions related to shopping. Finally, the joint analysis of activity participation and travel behaviour of non-workers indicate that in-home maintenance activity duration drives the time allocation and travel behaviour of non-workers, and non-workers trade in-home discretionary activity duration with travel time. The joint analysis also shows that the time spent on children’s and elders’ activity is an important time allocation of its own. Keywords: Activity-travel behaviour, Non-worker, Time Use, Income Groups, India

Dans la problématique, désormais classique, s’efforçant de comprendre la situation religieuse de la France à l’époque moderne, la question des mentalités du personnel ecclésiastique apparaît comme essentielle. En effet, les membres du clergé paroissial soudent la relation des fidèles avec l’Église et Dieu et sont astreints à respecter un idéal de perfection. Néanmoins, de nombreux hommes de Dieu sont avant tout des hommes et n’hésitent pas alors à renier leurs vœux de chasteté et de célibat, à prendre compagne et à se comporter comme de simples laïcs. Ces comportements jugés scandaleux, par les autorités ecclésiastiques, reflètent combien la réalité s’éloigne de la législation synodale, mais aussi de l’attente des paroissiens ; il est donc essentiel de déchiffrer ces actes par rapport à l’attitude définie par les autorités religieuses mais aussi d’établir des comparaisons afin de rendre compte des diverses entorses à la chasteté commises.Observer le clergé sous l’angle de sa conformité aux normes morales et judiciaires de son époque, considérer les ecclésiastiques avant tout comme des humains, des hommes capables de pulsions et de sentiments envers des êtres de chair dans une perspective à la fois diachronique et comparative, tel est l’objet de cette thèse. / In the issue, now classic, striving to understand the religious situation of France in modern times, the question of church personnel mentalities seems essential. Indeed, members of the parish clergy weld the relationship of the faithful with the Church and God and are obliged to respect an ideal of perfection. Nevertheless, many men of God are above all men and then do not hesitate to renounce their vows of chastity and celibacy, to take mate and act as mere laymen. These behaviors deemed scandalous by the ecclesiastical authorities reflect that reality departs from the synodal legislation, but also the expectation of parishioners; so it is essential to decipher these acts against the attitude defined by religious authorities but also comparisons to reflect various sprains committed to chastity. Observe the clergy in terms of its conformity to legal and judicial standards of his time, consider the ecclesiastical foremost as human, men capable of impulses and feelings toward beings of flesh from the perspective of both diachronic and comparative such is the subject of this thesis.

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Site selection decisions remains a complex yet crucial process for strong business performance. Despite the extensive number of publications in this field, the emergence of new data collection technique, improved location analytics, and changes in consumers’ preferences call for testing of new models and hypothesis. This study compares traditional site selection indicators (e.g. property size, proximities, competition, and demographic profiles) with novel site-selection indicators (e.g. environmental sustainability performance and socio-demographic characteristics from Tapestry data). By investigating a case study of Starbucks coffee stores in Los Angeles, we argue that environmental sustainability performance and socio-demographic Tapestry segments correlate with business performance indicators of small retail shops in two ways. First, higher sustainability scores result in increased foot traffic, and by extension increased business performance. Second, Tapestry segmentation stands as significant indicator of business performance in site selection modeling – specifically, by demonstrating the significant correlation between socio-demographic consumers’ segments and the number of visitors per location. The output of this study offers an alternative location-driven site selection method, important for businesses and key industry-players in sharpening location-allocation decision-making processes.

No description available.

South African universities have embarked upon a wide range of initiatives to foster and acclimatise to new social development needs of the society. A significant area of change involved implementation of employment equity. This study investigated the manner in which universities manage employment equity.The composition of staff in higher education institutions fails to reflect the demographic realities of South Africa.As a result, black people and women are still severely under-represented, especially in senior academic management positions. Universities are slowly, but steadily redirecting their student bodies and staff to reflect the demographics of South African society applying fragmented effort and piecemeal approach. The “as is” statistical reports obtained from the Department of Labour were used to substantiate the progress being made in the selected universities. Quantitative research methods were employed to collect data. University of Pretoria, University of Witwatersrand, and Free State University were selected as the population and the academic managers (Heads of Departments, Directors of Schools, and Deans of Faculties) as the sample of the study. The study finds that white males still dominate in the universities and white females are adequately represented, particularly in the professional and academic categories. The academic managers responded less positively on retention strategies for academic staff, especially for the designated groups and the functionality of employment equity awareness campaigns. The study also outlined the success of employment equity factors that the academic managers indicated, such as their loyalties to the institutions, prospects of career development, and collegial relations. The study recommended proficient leadership to drive the employment equity process, development of employment equity strategy with reasonable goals, diversity management, retention strategy, and vigorous employment equity awareness. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)