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The present thesis investigates environmental factors impact on office employees. More specifically, it investigates: 1) perception and experience of office environments, 2) satisfaction with office environments, and 3) health status and job satisfaction in connection to office environment. It is based on an empirical study with 491 office employees from twenty-six companies and divisions in larger companies. Each one respectively represents one of seven identified office-types in office design: cell-office, sharedroom office, small open plan office, medium open plan office, large open plan office, flex-office and combi-office. This study takes its basis in architecture, although an interdisciplinary approach from organizational and management theory, environmental psychology, and social and stress medicine has been used. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used. In Article I a review of the different research fields that investigate environmental influences are presented with a focus on office environments. Different perspectives on the environmental impact on office employees are investigated. In Article II an analysis of office environment based on the employee’s perception and experience of the architecture is done based on in-depth interviews using a method originally developed by Kevin Lynch (1960). The method measures the "imagebility" of a space, rated by the users with following elements: landmark, node, path, edge and district. The result showed that the method, based on employees’ perception and use of space, is a possible tool in the design process to get a better understanding of where the elements that reinforce "imageability" most likely will appear in an office environment. The method thus gives a better idea of the future "imageability" of a space and could be useful as guidance in the design process of how the architectural design will be received by the users in the end. In Article III employees’ satisfaction with the office environment in different office-types is investigated. The article focuses on three domains: 1) Ambient factors, 2) Noise and Privacy and 3) Designrelated factors. The statistical analysis was done using a logistic regression model with multivariate analysis. Adjustment was done for: age, gender, job rank, job satisfaction and market division. The results show differences in satisfaction with the office environment between employees in different office-types, many of which were statistically significant. When differences persist in the multivariate analysis they can possibly be ascribed to the office-type. Results show that employees in cell-offices are prominently most satisfied followed by those in flex-offices. Cell-offices rate only low on social aspects of Design-related factors. A major finding is internal differences between different office-types where employees share workspace and facilities. The medium and large open plan offices could be described as high-risk officetypes. In Article IV differences between employees in different office-types with regard to health, wellbeing and job satisfaction are analyzed. A multivariate analysis of the data was done with adjustment for the confounders: age, gender, job rank and market division. The results show that there are risks of ill health and poor well-being in medium and small open plan offices. Employees in these office-types show significantly higher risks compared with those in other office-types. In medium open plan and combioffices the employees show the highest prevalence of low job satisfaction. The best chance for good health status and job satisfaction is among employees in cell-offices and flex-offices; there are, however, internal differences in distribution on different outcome variables for job satisfaction. The major finding of these studies is that there are significant differences with regard to satisfaction with office environments as well as health status and job satisfaction between employees in different office-types; differences that can possibly can be ascribed to the office-types as they persist after adjustment for important confounders. / QC 20101126

Arivia.kom was formed out of a merger of the information technology (IT) departments of Eskom, Transnet and Denel. The aim was to address skilled staff losses and to achieve economies of scale. Agreements were drafted ensuring arivia.kom business patronage for a period of five years. Arivia.kom's commencement was accompanied by problems, affecting its customers to the extent that they indicated dissatisfaction with performance. This study established the extent of those problems, and the reasons for their occurrence. A market analysis was conducted with specific focus on customer and competitor analysis. An investigation was conducted into the quality of service, overall customer impression of the organisation since its inception, as well as performance against competitors. The major findings indicated that performance problems were not isolated incidents but consistent across the organisation. These problems stemmed from poor organisational design, poorly evolved organisational culture, unclear positioning and poor competitor and customer intelligence capability. / Business Management / M. Comm. (Business Management)

This study investigated the factors that affect the job satisfaction of principals of previously disadvantaged secondary schools in the North West Province. The aims of the study were to determine empirically, through quantitative and qualitative means, the factors that influence the job satisfaction of the principals, and to make recommendations of ways to improve their job satisfaction. In the quantitative phase the research design was a survey. Data were collected from a purposefully selected sample of 30 principals of 30 secondary schools conveniently situated and accessible, in rural villages and townships. Thereafter a phenomenological approach was used to select eight principals from the same sample. The aim was to, by means of interviews, find clarity on the trends observed in the quantitative phase. The researcher purposefully selected participants representing a maximum variation regarding gender, geographical location, and years of experience as a teacher or a headmaster. The results indicated that the factors that enhanced the job satisfaction of the selected principals related to the nature of their work in the sense that it was stimulating, important and varied. Their interpersonal relationships were also gratifying. These relationships referred to cooperative staff, appreciative colleagues and supervisors, well-behaved learners, and supportive parents. Specific factors also brought about job dissatisfaction. In particular, the majority of the principals were frustrated with poor management on the part of the Department of Education. This was linked to a lack of autonomy of the principals, excessive bureaucracy, and poor policies. The principals believed that these policies exacerbated the problems they already had with ill-disciplined learners, the poor work ethics of some educators, unsatisfactory matriculation results, pitiable physical working conditions, and uninvolved parents.Results from the research also showed that the principals thought their workloads were not aligned to their salaries, and that reward systems were needed. Recommendations to enhance the job satisfaction of the principals of the identified secondary schools were made to the SGB and other school managers, as well as to the Department of Education, and recommendations for future research were also put forward. Finally, a number of limitations of the study were pointed out. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Education Management)

The aim of this study was to investigate, from an educational management perspective, the factors that influence job satisfaction amongst special needs educators in selected New Zealand special needs schools. A qualitative research method was utilised to investigate the educational management strategies that influence the job satisfaction of special needs educators in selected New Zealand special needs schools. This dissertation presents the findings from a questionnaire on participants’ geographical details and data from related interviews. The findings from this study indicate that the job satisfaction of special needs educators is mainly influenced by factors such as management support, adequate resources, collaborative working relationships, ability of students with special educational needs to progress, and communication, among others. The study makes certain recommendations to help special needs educational managers effectively manage factors that influence job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction for special needs educators. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Education Management)

L’objectif de recherche principal poursuivi dans cette thèse de doctorat est de mieux comprendre le rôle d’une insatisfaction corporelle dans l’adoption de pratiques de maintien et de changement du poids chez des adolescent(e)s québécois(es). Pour atteindre cet objectif de recherche principal, trois articles scientifiques liés les uns aux autres ont été rédigés. Chaque article poursuit des objectifs spécifiques (1er article: estimer les proportions d’adolescent(e)s québécois(e)s poursuivant un objectif de poids apparié et non-apparié à leur poids actuel et identifier les déterminants des objectifs de poids non-apparié au poids actuel, 2e article: identifier des associations entre un objectif de poids apparié vs. non-apparié au poids actuel et la fréquence d’utilisation de différents comportements liés au poids et à l’alimentation, 3e article: observer des associations entre différents degrés d’insatisfaction corporelle et l’utilisation de divers comportements liés au poids et à l’alimentation et examiner le rôle modérateur d’un objectif de poids apparié vs. non-apparié au poids actuel dans ces associations) permettant de répondre à l’objectif de recherche principal. Ces articles ont tous été élaborés à partir de l’analyse secondaire d’une banque de données quantitatives constituée par l’Institut de la statistique du Québec (ISQ) et nommée: Enquête sociale et de santé auprès des enfants et des adolescents québécois (ESSEA). L’ESSEA a été constitué auprès d’un échantillon populationnel et représentatif d’enfants et d’adolescent(e)s québécois(es) âgé(e)s de neuf, 13 et 16 ans. Les résultats de cette thèse indiquent qu’une insatisfaction corporelle est associée à la poursuite d’un objectif de poids non-apparié au poids actuel, ainsi qu’à l’utilisation de comportements liés au poids et à l’alimentation sains, malsains et déviants. Des associations ont également été observées entre l’objectif de poids poursuivi par un adolescent(e) et divers comportements utilisés pour l’atteindre. En effet, la poursuite d’un objectif de poids non-apparié au poids actuel est associée à l’utilisation de comportements malsains. Cette association n’est cependant pas présente en ce qui à trait à l’utilisation de comportements sains et déviants, ceux-ci étant strictement prédits par une insatisfaction corporelle. Des effets de médiation et de modération ont aussi été identifiés. Une insatisfaction corporelle est une variable de médiation entre une détresse psychologique chez les adolescentes et la poursuite d’un objectif de poids non-apparié au poids actuel. Finalement, un objectif de poids non-apparié au poids actuel est une variable modifiant l’association entre une insatisfaction corporelle et l’utilisation de comportements malsains chez les adolescent(e)s québécois(es). En conclusion, il existe diverses associations entre une insatisfaction corporelle et l’adoption de pratiques de maintien et de changement du poids chez des adolescent(e)s québécois(es). Une insatisfaction corporelle est donc une cible d’intervention pertinente pour la santé publique puisqu’elle peut servir de base à l’élaboration d’interventions visant la promotion d’un poids santé ainsi que de saines stratégies de contrôle du poids. / The main objective of this doctoral thesis is to better understand the role of body (dis)satisfaction in the adoption of practices directed toward body weight maintenance or body weight modification among Quebec adolescents. To reach this overall thesis objective, three theoretically and conceptually linked scientific papers were written. Although linked to one another, each paper pursues specific research objectives (1st article: to estimate proportions of adolescents with a weight goal that matched and mismatched weight status, and to identify correlates of a mismatched weight goal, 2nd article: to examine associations between matched vs. mismatched weight goals and the frequency of use of different weight-related behaviors, 3rd article: to examine associations between different levels of body dissatisfaction and different frequencies of use of weight-related behaviors and, to investigate whether or not the person’s weight goal moderates these associations) which allow for answering the main thesis objective. These papers were generated from secondary data analyses on a quantitative dataset built by the Institut de la statistique du Québec (ISQ) and named: Quebec Child and Adolescent Health and Social Survey. This dataset was based on data collected from a representative population-based sample of Quebec children and adolescents aged nine, 13, and 16 years old. The results of this thesis indicate that body dissatisfaction is associated with pursuing a mismatched weight goal as well as with the use of healthy, unhealthy, and disordered health behaviors. Associations are also observed between weight goals and weight-related behaviors used to reach weight goals. Indeed, pursuing a mismatched weight goal was found to be associated with the use of unhealthy weight-related behaviors across both sexes. This association is however not significant for the use of healthy and disordered health behaviors. These behaviors were solely predicted by body dissatisfaction. Mediation and moderation effects were also identified. It was found that being body dissatisfied mediated the association between psychological distress among adolescent girls and pursuing a mismatched weight goal. Finally, pursuing a mismatched weight goal was also found to moderate associations between body dissatisfaction and using unhealthy weight-related behaviors among both Quebec adolescent boys and girls. We conclude that there are various associations between body dissatisfaction and the adoption of practices directed toward body weight maintenance or body weight modification among Quebec adolescents. Body dissatisfaction thus represents a pertinent target for public health intervention in the sense that it can serve as the basis for the elaboration of interventions aimed at promoting healthy body weights and healthy weight management strategies.

Background: Swedish healthcare is frequently claimed to be top class. A view not only communicated by politicians and the media, but also shared by an average citizen - for decades. Certain statistical indicators seem to support this: Sweden historically scores very high in life expectancy, stroke and cancer survival and infant mortality. At the same time, it is being reported that Swedish healthcare is suffering from a number of problems. While statistics looks reassuring, it focuses on results rather than processes, and does not take patient perceptions into account. Patient perspective seems to be somewhat overlooked in general in favour of more operations-focused research.   Purpose: The purpose of this study is to address the shortage of relevant literature and describe patient experience surrounding service failure in the fairly unique institutional context of Swedish public healthcare. Patient experience will include patient perceptions on service failure and recovery, as well as patient expectations and post-failure responses.   Method: The study employed a qualitative approach with 13 semi-structured interviews.   Conclusion: The study located reasons for service failure, which are fairly consistent with both previous research on this matter and the reported struggles of Swedish healthcare. It was also found that service recovery is not a common occurrence. Determinants for patient expectations and variability in patient post-failure responses were also uncovered.

Introdução - Pacientes portadores de diabetes tipo 1 que manifestam comportamentos de risco para transtornos alimentares (TA) possuem grandes chances de complicações microvasculares e macrovasculares e maiores taxas de mortalidade. Objetivo Avaliar a freqüência de comportamento de risco para TA em adolescentes e adultos portadores de diabetes tipo 1 bem como sua relação com variáveis socioeconômicas, nutricionais, relacionadas ao diabetes e satisfação corporal. Metodologia: Foram aplicados: Teste de Investigação Bulímica de Edinburgh (BITE), Teste de Atitudes Alimentares (EAT), Escala de Compulsão Alimentar Periódica (ECAP) e Escala de Silhuetas de Stunkard, além da mensuração de peso, estatura e cálculo do IMC. Foram verificadas associações ou diferenças estatísticas por meio dos testes de Qui-Quadrado e T-Student e Regressão Logística para identificar fatores que influenciaram o risco da doença. Resultados: Um total de 58,7% dos pacientes apresentaram escore positivo em algum dos testes utilizados para risco de TA. Houve diferença significante entre os grupos com e sem risco para TA com relação ao IMC (p=0,009), gênero (p=0,001), omissão de insulina (p=0,003), uso de insulina NPH (p=0,006), ausência do uso da insulina Glargina (p=0,021), ausência do uso da técnica de contagem de carboidratos (p=0,019), controle da glicemia (p=0,049) e insatisfação corporal (p=0,001). Conclusão: Portadores de diabetes tipo 1 apresentaram grande freqüência de comportamentos de risco para o TA, o que requer atenção e cautela dos profissionais de saúde. / Introduction - Patients suffers of type 1 diabetes that reveal risk behavior for eating disorders (ED) have more chances of micro and macro vascular complications and a high mortality level. Objective Evaluate the frequency of risk behavior for ED in teenagers and adults suffers of type 1 diabetes as well as its relation to the socially economical variable, nutritional variable, related to diabetes and body satisfaction. Methodology: There was applied: The Bulimic Inventory Test of Edinburgh (BITE), Eating Attitudes Test (EAT), Binge Eating Scale (BES) and The Stunkard´s Figure Rating Scale, besides weight measure, height and BMI calculation of the patients. There were verified associations or statistical differences through tests of Chi-Square and T-student and Logistical Regression to identify the factors that influenced the risk of the disease. Results: A total of 58,7% patients presented positive score in tests used for ED risk. There was a significant difference among the groups with and without risk for ED in relation to the BMI (p=0,009), gender (p=0,001), omission of insulin (p=0,003), usage of NPH insulin (p=0,006), lack of usage of Glargine insulin (p=0,021), lack of usage of the technique of carbohydrate counting (p=0,019), blood glucose control (p=0,049) and body dissatisfaction (p=0,001). Conclusion: The suffers of type 1 diabetes presented high frequency of risk behavior for ED, which require more attention when caring for patients for the prevention of the disease.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-27T14:20:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tayssa Andrade Batista Novato Machado.pdf: 1002749 bytes, checksum: fcfda75cce20c8e392a6858cdf2c5c06 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-08-31 / The present study aimed at modifying difficult (awkward) actions related to sexual behavior, such as comments related to dissatisfaction with the partner and the use of artificial lubricants, through general and specific behavioral interventions. With respect to general behavioral interventions we applied several techniques, like instruct through information, provide feedback, prioritize tasks, and provide models and instructions as positive reinforcement, while with specific behaviors we included teaching discriminative training of bodily responses before and during sexual intercourse. In addition, as a case study, it aimed to evaluate the antecedents and consequences of sexual dysfunction reported by a participant female of 26 years with a stable partner. The functional evaluation included procedures through an interview and a questionnaire. Further, we also used behavioral logging activity (self-monitoring). To demonstrate that interventions (independent variable) had effect on the dependent variable we used the design of alternating-type treatments (ABC) succeed by follow-up. The results showed decrease in behaviors-problem and increase of skilled actions related to sexual behavior, such as reports of satisfaction with the partner and vaginal lubrication response. / O presente estudo objetivou a modificação de ações inábeis relacionadas ao comportamento sexual, bem como dos relatos de insatisfação com o parceiro e do uso de lubrificantes artificiais, por meio de intervenções comportamentais gerais (instruir por meio de informações, fornecer feedbacks, hierarquizar tarefas, fornecer modelos e instruções e instruir o uso do reforçamento positivo) e específicas (ensinar o treino discriminativo das respostas corporais antes do coito e ensinar o treino discriminativo das respostas corporais durante o coito). Ainda objetivou avaliar os antecedentes e consequentes da disfunção sexual relatada por uma participante do sexo feminino, de 26 anos e com parceiro fixo. A avaliação funcional incluiu procedimentos indiretos por meio de uma entrevista e de um questionário. Também utilizou-se de uma atividade de registro comportamental (auto-observação). Para demonstração de que as intervenções (variável independente) é que produziram efeito sobre a variável dependente, foi empregado o delineamento de tratamentos alternados do tipo (ABC) seguido por follow-up. Os resultados demonstraram diminuição dos comportamentosproblema e aumento de ações hábeis relacionadas ao comportamento sexual, de relatos de satisfação com o parceiro e da resposta de lubrificação vaginal.

Introdução - Pacientes portadores de diabetes tipo 1 que manifestam comportamentos de risco para transtornos alimentares (TA) possuem grandes chances de complicações microvasculares e macrovasculares e maiores taxas de mortalidade. Objetivo Avaliar a freqüência de comportamento de risco para TA em adolescentes e adultos portadores de diabetes tipo 1 bem como sua relação com variáveis socioeconômicas, nutricionais, relacionadas ao diabetes e satisfação corporal. Metodologia: Foram aplicados: Teste de Investigação Bulímica de Edinburgh (BITE), Teste de Atitudes Alimentares (EAT), Escala de Compulsão Alimentar Periódica (ECAP) e Escala de Silhuetas de Stunkard, além da mensuração de peso, estatura e cálculo do IMC. Foram verificadas associações ou diferenças estatísticas por meio dos testes de Qui-Quadrado e T-Student e Regressão Logística para identificar fatores que influenciaram o risco da doença. Resultados: Um total de 58,7% dos pacientes apresentaram escore positivo em algum dos testes utilizados para risco de TA. Houve diferença significante entre os grupos com e sem risco para TA com relação ao IMC (p=0,009), gênero (p=0,001), omissão de insulina (p=0,003), uso de insulina NPH (p=0,006), ausência do uso da insulina Glargina (p=0,021), ausência do uso da técnica de contagem de carboidratos (p=0,019), controle da glicemia (p=0,049) e insatisfação corporal (p=0,001). Conclusão: Portadores de diabetes tipo 1 apresentaram grande freqüência de comportamentos de risco para o TA, o que requer atenção e cautela dos profissionais de saúde. / Introduction - Patients suffers of type 1 diabetes that reveal risk behavior for eating disorders (ED) have more chances of micro and macro vascular complications and a high mortality level. Objective Evaluate the frequency of risk behavior for ED in teenagers and adults suffers of type 1 diabetes as well as its relation to the socially economical variable, nutritional variable, related to diabetes and body satisfaction. Methodology: There was applied: The Bulimic Inventory Test of Edinburgh (BITE), Eating Attitudes Test (EAT), Binge Eating Scale (BES) and The Stunkard´s Figure Rating Scale, besides weight measure, height and BMI calculation of the patients. There were verified associations or statistical differences through tests of Chi-Square and T-student and Logistical Regression to identify the factors that influenced the risk of the disease. Results: A total of 58,7% patients presented positive score in tests used for ED risk. There was a significant difference among the groups with and without risk for ED in relation to the BMI (p=0,009), gender (p=0,001), omission of insulin (p=0,003), usage of NPH insulin (p=0,006), lack of usage of Glargine insulin (p=0,021), lack of usage of the technique of carbohydrate counting (p=0,019), blood glucose control (p=0,049) and body dissatisfaction (p=0,001). Conclusion: The suffers of type 1 diabetes presented high frequency of risk behavior for ED, which require more attention when caring for patients for the prevention of the disease.