A determinação dos invariantes numéricos associados a germes de aplicações diferenciáveis é uma ferramenta muito útil no estudo de problemas de equisingularidade em famílias. Em geral, estes invariantes são obtidos algebricamente através de esquemas r-dimensionais, que surgem nos tipos estáveis de uma perturbação estável do germe. Neste trabalho é feito um estudo sobre estes invariantes nos tipos estáveis de germes de aplicações holomorfas f : (Cn,0) em (Cn,0) finitamente determinados de coposto 1. Inicialmente é feita uma caracterização completa de todos os tipos estáveis, bem como de sua geometria. Como aplicações são estudados os invariantes no discriminante de germes quase homogêneos. São descritas fórmulas para os invariantes 0-stáveis de germes de (Cn,0) em (Cn,0). Estes resultados são aplicados para o cálculo das multiplicidades polares do discriminante de germes quase homogêneos de (C3,0) em (C3,0). / The determination of the numerical invariants associated to map germs is a helpful tool in the study of problems of equisingularity in families. In general, these invariants are given as zero schemes, that appear in the stable types of a stable perturbation of the germ. In this work we study the invariants in the stable types of corank one finitely determined holomorphic map germs f : (Cn,0) to (Cn,0). First we completely characterize all stable types and study their geometry. As applications are studied the invariants in the discriminant of weighted homogeneous germs. Formulas are described for the 0-stable invariants of map germs of (Cn,0) to (Cn,0) and these results are applied to compute the polar multiplicities of the discriminant of weighted homogeneous germes of (C3,0) to (C3,0).

Emotional intelligence and self-determined motivation have been independently identified as important personal variables that are liable to foster optimal work functioning. However, the relationship between these two variables has never been assessed. Furthermore, research has also provided evidence that supervisor support, a social variable, is considered to be a significant source of influence on self-determined behaviour regulation. Thus the primary objective of the project was to jointly assess emotional intelligence and supervisor support as antecedents of self-determined work motivation; secondly, to assess the associations of self-determined work motivation on work outcome variables and psychological welfare; and thirdly, to examine the association between emotional intelligence and psychological well-being on 512 police source handlers. Specifically, it was proposed that emotional intelligence would be positively associated to self-determined work motivation and would display a unique association with work motivation, once the variance from supervisor support has been controlled for. It was further proposed that self-determined work motivation would, in turn, be positively associated with positive work outcomes; specifically, job satisfaction, job performance, future work intentions, and psychological well-being. Lastly, it was hypothesized that emotional intelligence would be positively associated to psychological well-being. Data was analyzed using structural equations modeling. Results revealed that emotional intelligence and supervisor support were both uniquely associated with work motivation. Together, these two variables explained a high proportion of the variance of work motivation. Work motivation, in turn, was positively associated with job satisfaction, job performance, future work intention, and psychological well-being. Emotional intelligence and psychological well-being were also positively associated. Overall, the findings of this thesis provide a basis for future research aimed at determining the causal relationship between emotional intelligence and self-determined motivation. It is further suggested that findings gleaned from this study can provide a better understanding of how certain interpersonal behaviours can impact specific work outcomes, which can provide researchers and practitioners with information to improve individual and organizational outcomes of interest.

<p>Despite the known benefits of regular exercise for cardiac patients (Jolliffe et al., 2001) and the delivery of cardiac rehabilitation programs to facilitate exercise participation in this population, exercise adherence remains a challenge for these individuals as evidenced by the reported decline in exercise participation over time (e.g., Moore et al., 2006). Investigating cardiac patients' motivation or willingness to engage in exercise may provide a better understanding of why some patients are better maintainers of exercise and others are not. Using self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985; 2002), the present study investigated changes in need satisfaction and selfdetermined motivation, as well as the role of perceived autonomy support relative to patient motivation, in the early months of participation in cardiac rehabilitation. It was hypothesized that need satisfaction and autonomous forms of behavioural regulation would increase over time, and that perceived autonomy support (ratings of exercise leaders' tendencies to acknowledge patients' perspectives, provide choices and contingent feedback, etc.) would positively predict changes in behavioural regulation, mediated by changes in psychological need satisfaction. Another aim of the study was to examine how autonomous forms of behavioural regulation related to cardiac patients' exercise intentions and self-managed exercise behaviour, and it was hypothesized that this relationship would be positive for both exercise intentions and behaviour. Fifty-three male participants (Mage= 62.83 ± 10.78) who were enrolled in a hospital-based cardiac rehabilitation program completed assessments of perceived autonomy support, need satisfaction and behavioural regulation at weeks 4, 8, and 12 of program participation. At week 14, participants' self-managed exercise behaviour and their exercise intentions to engage in independent exercise for the next 4 weeks were assessed. In general, participants' scores for all variables of interest were relatively high. Consistent with hypotheses, autonomy and relatedness need satisfaction, along with integrated and intrinsic regulation increased from week 4 to week 12 during cardiac rehabilitation. However, perceived autonomy support was not related to changes in need satisfaction or behavioural regulation, and thus, support for mediation was not obtained. Nonetheless, the high ratings of perceived autonomy support reflect the exercise leaders' natural tendency to use an autonomy supportive teaching style with patients. In addition, a positive relationship was found between autonomous forms of behavioural regulation (i.e., integrated and intrinsic) and exercise intentions, lending support to the SDT framework. The positive findings for need satisfaction, autonomous regulation, exercise intentions, and behaviour reflect a highly self-determined group of cardiac patients who are choosing to engage in self-managed exercise while still participating in the supervised cardiac rehabilitation program. These findings are promising in terms of regular exercise adoption in this population.</p> / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Syftet med studien var att undersöka graden och arten arbetsmotivation hos direktanställda och bemanningsanställda sjuksköterskor utifrån Self-Determination Theory. Data inhämtades genom en webbenkät som distribuerades till respondenterna genom e-post och sociala medier. Totalt inkom 384 svar. Arbetsmotivationen mättes genom mätverktyget WEIMS (Work Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation Scale). En mixad ANOVA användes för att analysera data. Resultatet visade att bemanningsanställda sjuksköterskor hade högre arbetsmotivation än vad direktanställda sjuksköterskor hade. Detta överensstämde inte med hypotes 1. Resultatet visade att både direktanställda och bemanningsanställda sjuksköterskor hade högre självbestämd än icke självbestämd arbetsmotivation. Det överensstämde inte med hypotes 2. Då datainsamlingsfasen erbjöd vissa problem med att upptäcka och utesluta störande variabler, som till exempel sjuksköterskornas yrkesinriktning, kan det vara motiverat att replikera studien med bättre kontroll över dessa faktorer. / The aim of this study was to investigate the strength and type of work motivation among regular and contractual nurses using Self-Determination Theory. Data was collected through a web-based questionnaire which was distributed to the respondents through email and social media. Altogether 384 respondents replied. Work motivation was measured using WEIMS (Work Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation Scale). Data was analyzed using a mixed-design ANOVA. The result showed that contractual nurses had higher work motivation compared to regular nurses. This was not in line with hypothesis 1. The result showed that both regular and contractual nurses had higher self-determined than nonself-determined work motivation. This was not in line with hypothesis 2. Due to some problems with the collection of data concerning the discovery and extinction of confounding variables, such as nurses’ professional orientation, it could be motivated to replicate the study under better control over those factors.

All provincial departments are required to report on pre-determined objectives in terms of Section 40 of the Public Finance Management Act, read in conjunction with Section 5.1.1. of the Treasury Regulations. The purpose of this study was to establish the challenges faced by the Limpopo provincial departments in reporting pre-determined objectives to the Auditor-General. Reporting pre-determined objectives has been a challenge over the past financial years and this is evident in the Auditor-General‟s reports, in which departments continued to receive qualified audit reports (Auditor-General Reports, 2008-2011). The introduction of the Framework for Managing Programme and Performance Information by National Treasury, as well as Government-wide Monitoring and Evaluation by the Presidency, was intended to specifically address this challenge faced by departments (National Treasury, 2007 & The Presidency, 2007). The literature review revealed that performance management is fundamental to enhancing organisational performance. In this study, a qualitative research approach was used to collect and analyse data. Key findings of the study were that management should prioritise strategic planning, performance reporting, monitoring and evaluation to enable it to be in a position to make a determination as to whether what was planned by the department was realised. It is of paramount importance that performance reporting is on top of the agenda at management meetings. / MA (Public Administration), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

All provincial departments are required to report on pre-determined objectives in terms of Section 40 of the Public Finance Management Act, read in conjunction with Section 5.1.1. of the Treasury Regulations. The purpose of this study was to establish the challenges faced by the Limpopo provincial departments in reporting pre-determined objectives to the Auditor-General. Reporting pre-determined objectives has been a challenge over the past financial years and this is evident in the Auditor-General‟s reports, in which departments continued to receive qualified audit reports (Auditor-General Reports, 2008-2011). The introduction of the Framework for Managing Programme and Performance Information by National Treasury, as well as Government-wide Monitoring and Evaluation by the Presidency, was intended to specifically address this challenge faced by departments (National Treasury, 2007 & The Presidency, 2007). The literature review revealed that performance management is fundamental to enhancing organisational performance. In this study, a qualitative research approach was used to collect and analyse data. Key findings of the study were that management should prioritise strategic planning, performance reporting, monitoring and evaluation to enable it to be in a position to make a determination as to whether what was planned by the department was realised. It is of paramount importance that performance reporting is on top of the agenda at management meetings. / MA (Public Administration), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

We describe here, briefly, a perceptual non-reading measure which reliably distinguishes between dyslexic persons and ordinary readers. More importantly, we describe a regimen of practice with which dyslexics learn a new perceptual strategy for reading. Two controlled experiment on dyslexics children demonstrate the regimen's efficiency.

The aim of this study was to examine pre-service science teachers&rsquo / self-determined motivation toward environment and investigate how their basic psychological needs that support their self-determined motivation were fullfilled during the environmental course activities. The thesis includes two main parts: a quantitative part and a qualitative part. In the quantitative part of the study, PSTs&rsquo / motivation toward environment was measured before, after and five months later following the course activities. In the qualitative part of the study, how PSTs&rsquo / basic psychological needs were supported during the course activities was examined through multiple case study method. The study was implemented in an environmental science course. 33 pre-service science teachers who are taking the course participated in the study. Environmental problems which are Easter Island, Environment vs. Economy, Paper vs. Plastic, Ozone Depletion, Why Worry about Extinction?, Hasankeyf and Mamak Garbage Dump were discussed during the six course weeks. Five PSTs, who were chosen as a focus group, were interviewed each week after course discussions. The qualitative data were collected through interviews, discussion recordings, assignments and reflection papers. The results of the study illustrated that PSTs&rsquo / self determined motivation toward environment increased after the course activities and five months later following the course. PSTs&rsquo / negative capacity beliefs causing amotivation toward environment declined after the course activities and in follow up measurement. Finally, qualitative results of the study revealed that supporting cognitive and instructional features of PSTs during the course activities fullfilled their basic psychological needs and thus, fostered their self determined motivation toward environment.

Empirical likelihood (EL) is a recently developed nonparametric method of statistical inference. Owen’s 2001 book contains many important results for EL with uncensored data. However, fewer results are available for EL with right-censored data. In this dissertation, we first investigate a right-censored-data extension of Qin and Lawless (1994). They studied EL with uncensored data when the number of estimating equations is larger than the number of parameters (over-determined case). We obtain results similar to theirs for the maximum EL estimator and the EL ratio test, for the over-determined case, with right-censored data. We employ hazard-type constraints which are better able to handle right-censored data. Then we investigate EL with right-censored data and a k-sample mixed hazard-type constraint. We show that the EL ratio test statistic has a limiting chi-square distribution when k = 2. We also study the relationship between the constrained Kaplan-Meier estimator and the corresponding Nelson-Aalen estimator. We try to prove that they are asymptotically equivalent under certain conditions. Finally we present simulation studies and examples showing how to apply our theory and methodology with real data.

We examine the moderating role of the situational and organizational contexts in determining unethical managerial behavior, applying the case-survey methodology. On the basis of a holistic, multiple-antecedent perspective, we hypothesize that two key constructs, moral intensity and situational strength, help explain contextual moderating effects on relationships between managers'; individual characteristics and unethical behavior. Based on a quantitative analysis of 52 case studies describing occurrences of real-life unethical conduct, we find empirical support for the hypothesized contextual moderating effects of moral intensity and situational strength. By examining these complex contextual moderators, we aim to contribute to organizational ethics research as we shed light on the critical role that context may play in influencing unethical managerial behavior.