There are two purposes of this study: to examine the institutional strategies that two Canadian universities have developed in attracting international undergraduate students to study on campus, and to gain an understanding of the factors that influence undergraduate students to choose Canada as a destiny for education, and their views on the institutional marketing and recruitment strategies. This study employed a marketing model and institutional theory as key conceptual frameworks. The data collected for the two case study universities include interviews with university leaders and international students, and an on-line survey with international students. Institutional initiatives for international student recruitment have been influenced by various factors, such as provincial government policies, institutional leadership, university traditions and organizational structure, financial status, the capacity of institution, and the provincial higher education system. While one of the case study universities adopted a decentralized and the other adopted a centralized approach to international student recruitment, the different organization structure does not make a great difference since international student enrolment increased at a similar pace in the last decade. The two case study universities shared similarities in marketing and recruitment strategies, which was to influence international students’ university choice by providing information through diversified means and interacting with students at different stages in their university selection process. The major marketing activities, which are designed to present information and convince students to apply, can be categorized into three groups: (1) outreach activities, which include school visits, post-offer events and attending fairs; (2) intermediate activities, which include attending and holding professional conferences to influence high school counsellors; (3) on-campus events, which include a visitors’ center, on-line chat and video conferences, and maintaining a university website to provide up-to-date information to students. The study showed that most international students chose a university based on its reputation and program quality, followed by the recognition of the degree in their home country, tuition and expenses, and the quick response of the university. Therefore, the academic pull factor is core and dominant, followed by the recognition factor, the financial factor, and the administrator factor. Degree being recognized by home country and the advice of family members remain the two dominant push factors. International students sought university information from over six sources on average. The information sources provided by the universities are rated more important than public information sources, and are exactly what most students seek information from. Therefore, the marketing and recruitment strategies of the two Canadian universities are congruent with the process of international students’ university choice.

Abstract Background The randomised-controlled trial (RCT) provides the best evidence for evaluating treatment effects and is accepted as a gold standard for clinical and regulatory decision making (1;2). One of the major challenges to the conduct of RCTs is the recruitment of adequate numbers of participants. Inadequate numbers reduce the power of a study to detect statistically significant treatment effects, and may cause delays, increased costs and failure to complete trials. The need for clinical trials in children has been increasingly recognised by the scientific community, resulting in increased demands for the inclusion of children in trials. For several reasons, recruiting children to trials is more challenging than recruiting adults, as consent issues are more difficult because parents make decisions about trial participation on behalf of their child. Despite general professional and community support for paediatric clinical trials, parents and paediatricians express reluctance when their own child or patient is asked to participate. Although researchers working with children commonly experience difficulty with recruiting children to RCTs, little is known about this very important subject. The method by which potential participants are approached for trial participation, the influence of their health care provider and the attitude of potential participants (or their parents, in the case of children), are critical to the understanding of the decision making process for trial participation. This thesis is one of the first major attempts to explore the issues surrounding the recruitment of children to RCTs, and is divided into four studies which address these issues. Methods Recruitment strategies used to encourage participation in randomised controlled trials (systematic review) Eligible experimental and observational studies comparing methods of recruiting participants for RCTs were identified after a comprehensive search of Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library and reference lists. Independent data extractions were completed by two reviewers who assessed the studies for eligibility and methodological quality. Outcome measures were consent rates, proportion enrolled by each method and cost of recruitment per participant. Summary estimators of effects were calculated using a random effects model and expressed as relative risk with 95% confidence intervals. Heterogeneity was analysed using the Q statistic. Paediatricians� attitudes to children�s participation in randomised controlled trials (focus group research) Qualitative analysis of focus group discussions involving 16 paediatricians and 5 trainees from a paediatric teaching hospital in Sydney was undertaken. Doctors varied in occupation, experience, research activity, age, gender, ethnicity and parenthood experience. A professional facilitator conducted the semi-structured group discussions. Recruitment ceased when informational redundancy was reached, after 4 focus groups involving 21 participants. The transcribed audiotapes were analysed by theme linkage using the constant comparative method. Australian paediatricians� and adult physicians� attitudes to randomised controlled trials (survey) A 44-item questionnaire was sent to 250 paediatricians and 250 adult physicians randomly selected from the membership list of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. Questions assessing doctors� treatment philosophies and attitudes to trials were compared with demographic and practice variables. Parents� attitudes to children�s participation in randomised controlled trials (focus group research) Qualitative analysis of focus group discussions involving 33 parents from 5 different settings (representing parents of children with a life threatening, chronic or acute illness, with experience in trials and of healthy children) was undertaken. Parents varied in age, gender, ethnicity, level of education, research experience and their child�s health status. The transcribed discussions were analysed by theme linkage using the constant comparative method. Results Recruitment strategies used to encourage participation in randomised controlled trials (systematic review) Fifty papers were included (out of 8602 titles and abstracts searched) which described 8 RCTs, 2 quasi RCTs, 13 prospective cohort studies, 30 retrospective cohort studies and 2 before-after studies. These studies assessed how over 4 million people were approached for RCT participation using 87 different recruitment strategies, with 103,406 people enrolling in RCTs. Health care provider (HCP) referrals had the highest participant consent rates at the time of exposure to trial information (HCP referral versus target mailing: relative risk (RR) 1.84 (95% confidence interval (95%CI) 1.08, 3.13)). They also had the highest consent rates when potential participants respond to the recruitment material by further enquiry about the trial (HCP referral versus community presentation: RR 1.37 (1.06; 1.78); HCP referral versus worksite approach: RR 25.20 (20.19, 31.45); HCP referral versus general community approach: RR 2.53 (0.46, 14.05); HCP referral versus mailing: RR 3.29 (1.26, 8.60); HCP referral versus media: RR 2.66 (1.31, 5.41)). However, by the time potential participants attend eligibility assessment for trial participation, no difference in consent rates could be distinguished by method of recruitment. Higher proportions of study participants were recruited by methods that exposed larger numbers of potential candidates to trial information (despite their lower consent rates). The stated recruitment cost ranged from US$0 to $1108 per participant, with mailing being the most cost-effective method and community methods (such as community presentations, pamphlets and posters displayed at community sites) the least effective. Paediatricians� attitudes to children�s participation in randomised controlled trials (focus group research) From the focus group discussions, paediatricians thought parents balanced perceived gains and risks when deciding about trial participation. They also believed the child�s condition and parents� health beliefs and personal attributes influenced parents� decisions. Other factors thought to be important by paediatricians were the doctors� beliefs and their relationship with the investigators. Paediatricians perceived gains for trial participation including professional benefits for themselves, improved patient care, convenience for the families and themselves and scientific advancement. Perceived risks included inconvenience, inadequate resources and potential harms to the patient and the doctor-patient relationship. Paediatricians with previous research experience were most knowledgeable about RCTs and perceived greatest gains from trial participation. Paediatricians� personal treatment preferences hindered trial support. Australian paediatricians� and adult physicians� attitudes to randomised controlled trials (survey) Response rate from the paediatricians� and adult physicians� survey was 60% (300/500). Australian paediatricians and adult physicians are very similar in their treatment philosophies, and are clinician-oriented rather than research-oriented in their attitudes, with primary allegiance to their patients and preference for selecting treatment rather than referring for trial participation in the face of treatment uncertainty. Professional activities are clinically focused, with limited time assigned for research. Australian doctors perceive little reward for trial participation and claim that the opinions of referring doctors regarding RCTs does not influence them. Predictors of favourable attitudes to trial participation from the survey were time allocation for research, a history of referring patients to trials in the past and younger age (all p values less than 0.0001). Parents� attitudes to children�s participation in randomised controlled trials (focus group research) When parents were interviewed, they acknowledged balancing risks and benefits when deciding about trial participation for their child. Perceived benefits include the offer of hope, better care of their child, the opportunity to access new treatments, healthcare professionals and health information, meeting others in similar circumstances and helping others. Perceived risks include potential side effects, being randomised to ineffective treatments and the inconvenience of participation. The decision for trial participation is also influenced by parental factors (parents� knowledge, beliefs and emotional response), child factors (the child�s health status and preference about participation), trial factors (the use of placebos and the uncertainties of research) and doctor factors (doctor�s recommendations and communication of trial information). Conclusions There are many challenges to the successful conduct of RCTs. Ways of addressing these include: using effective methods of recruiting potential study participants (such as mailing of recruitment material to potential participants) and abandoning ineffective strategies (such as community methods): fostering greater willingness for trial participation by addressing parents� and paediatricians� concerns including enhancing communication between researchers, paediatricians and parents, and improving the gains-hazard balance (by increasing incentives while decreasing inconveniences); and reforming in the health care system to raise the priority placed on clinical research by restructuring clinical research in a clinically predominant workplace and with a clinically predominant workforce. The findings from this study have implications for researchers planning RCTs for children in the future. Careful consideration of the above will enhance RCTs participation for children improving efficiency, lowering costs and ultimately improving the future health care of children.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Early recognition of plant invaders is key to their successful management. Yet knowledge of the ecological impacts of species before they become widespread is poor. This thesis examines the ecology of invasive Pinus radiata, a species which is known to spread from introduced plantings in Australia but is currently a low profile invader. Pinus invasions are considered major ecological problems in New Zealand and South Africa where wildlings are beginning to dominate natural areas and suppress native vegetation. Invasion success elsewhere and the large softwood estate in Australia suggest that pines may begin to dominate native eucalypt forests bordering large commercial plantations. This research focused on three components of impact of P. radiata; extent, abundance and effect per individual. The borders of 29 P. radiata plantations in NSW were surveyed in order to quantify the current level of invasion and to identify factors facilitating pine spread. Of particular interest was the role of propagule pressure, vegetation type and fire in the invasion process. The area of land in NSW currently invaded by P. radiata was estimated at almost 4 500 ha, although this is likely to be an underestimate due to an inability to detect wildlings (self-sown pines) at long distances from the plantation. Twenty six of the 29 plantations produced wild pines, however most of the sites are in the very early stages of invasion. Noticeable wildling populations were recorded at nine sites indicating that P. radiata is capable of establishing within native vegetation. Pine spread was most severe in the world heritage listed Blue Mountains region where pine densities reached up to 2000 per hectare in areas adjacent to the plantation and isolated pines were recorded up to 4 km from the source. The presence of isolated pines within intact native vegetation suggests that disturbance is not required for pine establishment in forested environments. Furthermore, high pine emergence and survival rates in eucalypt woodland and evidence of self reproduction by wildlings suggest that in the absence of adequate control measures pines may become established invaders in the Australian landscape. While low levels of current invasion at many sites hindered the ability to examine the factors facilitating invasion some variables that appear to be driving pine success were identified. At the landscape scale plantation size and residence time were significant predictors of the level of invasion at a site. Areas of native vegetation vi adjacent to plantations less than 40 years experienced very low levels of invasion suggesting a lag period between plantation establishment and invasion. However, pines with diameters up to 60 cm were observed growing adjacent to plantations younger than 40 years implying that the first colonisers are capable of establishing soon after plantation trees become reproductive. Propagule pressure was also found to have a strong influence on invasion success on a smaller scale manifesting in a significant positive relationship between the age of a plantation compartment and the likelihood of invasion. A negative relationship between plantation size and level of invasion was a surprising result and was influenced by just two large sites that happened to be located in areas of high rainfall. All sites receiving more than 1300 mm annual rainfall experienced low levels of invasion suggesting that this is a limiting factor for pine spread in NSW. There were significant differences in the level of invasion between vegetation types implying that some communities are more susceptible to invasion. Patterns of spread confirmed ideas regarding the facilitative effect of disturbance in the invasion process and the resistance of wet sclerophyll forest to invasion in Australia. An absence of wildlings in cleared land and areas of remnant bushland was attributed to high levels of grazing pressure. Wind direction did not appear to influence the distribution of pines close to the plantation, but evidence of long distance wind dispersal of pines was provided by an investigation of pine spread from the air at one site where large pines were found growing 10 km downwind from a mature plantation. Fire was found to have both a positive and negative influence on the invasion process. High intensity wildfires are capable of destroying large pines with diameters exceeding 50 cm. However, fire can stimulate seed release from cones resulting in large post-fire recruitment pulses. Seedling densities of up to 3050 per hectare were recorded almost 3 years after wildfire, suggesting that follow up control prior to recruits reaching coning age, i.e. within 5 years, would be beneficial. Surveys of wildling pines exposed to low intensity hazard reduction burns suggest that the majority of pines greater than 3 m in height and with a diameter of more than 10 cm will survive the fire. Low intensity prescribed fires that are carried out after pines have reached this size will fail to control wildling populations. To examine the influence of P. radiata once it has established in the native community this study focused on two mechanisms of impact, the addition of pine litter and increased shade due to an increase in canopy cover. Collection of pine litterfall vii within an invaded eucalypt woodland over a 2 year period recorded rates of up to 1400 kg/ha/year in the most heavily invaded area with a pine basal area of 11.3m2/ha. More than 70 % of pine litter fell directly below the pine canopy suggesting that the most severe litter effects will be limited to these areas. Glasshouse and field experiments were conducted to examine the influence of this increased litter load on the emergence of P. radiata and two native species. Recruitment of native plant species was impeded by litter levels of 6000 kg/ha, the equivalent of approximately 4 years of pine litterfall. Both P. radiata and the two natives responded similarly to pine and eucalypt litter suggesting the two litter types are influencing the recruitment phase equally. However, where pines are added to the system, increased litterfall rates could potentially result in the doubling of the litter load and hence a greater barrier to seedling establishment. Pine invaded eucalypt woodlands are also subjected to three fold increases in canopy cover. Trends in reduced emergence of native species under a pine canopy suggest that the addition of pines to eucalypt forests is likely to have a negative influence on native recruitment and may result in a shift towards a shade tolerant community. However, reversal of trends in emergence below pine canopy between seasons implies that quantifying invasion impacts requires a consideration of temporal variation. Increased levels of disturbance, forest fragmentation and an increasing pine estate are likely to lead to the infestation of new areas. Furthermore the lag phase associated with pine spread means that even if no new plantations are established the number of invasion events will increase. This study has identified a number of risk factors that can be used to guide plantation establishment and the management of invasion events. Minimising disturbance at plantation borders and increasing the ‘no planting’ zone will help to reduce the impacts of pines. Where possible new plantations should be established upwind of cleared land or at least, wet sclerophyll forest. Frequent monitoring of the borders of plantations yet to source invasions, particularly those greater than 40 years of age, will help identify problem areas before control becomes difficult and costly. Maps of the 29 plantations marked with areas of pine infestation will help prioritise sites for control and provide base level knowledge for future monitoring of pine spread. Stringent legislation that binds plantation managers to control wildlings beyond their boundaries is critical for the effective management of pine invasions. With infinite numbers of invaders and limited funds to dedicate to their control, a method of triaging species for management is critical. This is particularly difficult viii when information is typically biased towards invaders that are already widespread. By focussing on the ecological impacts of invaders it becomes possible to rank species on the basis of the threat they pose to native communities. Ecological research is capable of providing the knowledge to quantify invasion impacts and must remain at the centre of policy decisions.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1999. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 242-257).

Thesis--Wisconsin. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 287-291).

No description available.

After shifting to an all-volunteer force (AVF) in 1973, the U.S. military was forced to expand recruiting efforts beyond the ideal figure of the white male soldier in order to meet personnel needs. Shaped by the economic realities of the AVF, such recruiting efforts sought to show individuals historically excluded from military service, namely women and people of color, that there was a place for them in the military. The presence of women and people of color in recruitment materials contributes to ideals of citizenship and articulates understanding of gender, race, sexuality, and class in relation to military inclusion. Focusing on recruitment advertisements published in three consumer magazines—Sports Illustrated, Ebony, and Cosmopolitan—from January 1973 to December 2014, this dissertation argues that the project of military inclusion is driven by a need to recruit bodies in maintenance of the military institution and obfuscates class inequalities critical to recruiting, reconfigures ideas about military masculinity, promotes ideologies of colorblindness, and regulates ideas about gender and sexuality.

Employees choosing their employer rather than the employer choosing their employees have resulted in an increased interest of understanding what is requested among today's workforce. The growing generation of the labour market, Millennials, have been shown to create difficulties for organisations, in form of an increased turnover rate among them. In order to decrease the turnover rate, the purpose of this thesis is to provide a better understanding of Millennials’ preferences when choosing a company, and factors that would make them loyal. Previous theory state important factors that are affecting Millennials, but these are studies conducted in countries such as Canada, the USA, and India. Therefore, this thesis focuses on Millennials in Sweden. To gain a deeper understanding of Millennials’ preferences, semi-structured interviews, with non-standardised questions were held. To analyse the empirical data a thematic method was used. This made it easier to compare the data with previous literature. Findings suggest that relations with colleagues and managers are an important factor that affects both the choice of employer and the loyalty towards them. Moreover, psychological work environment, values, progress, and salary were mentioned as essential factors. Depending on the research question, the outcome differed. / På dagens arbetsmarknad har det visat sig att anställda väljer sin arbetsgivare, istället för att arbetsgivaren väljer sina anställda, vilket har resulterat i ett ökat intresse i vad som efterfrågas bland dagens arbetskraft. Den växande generationen på arbetsmarknaden, millenniegenerationen, har visat sig skapa svårigheter för organisationer, däribland genom ökad personalomsättning. Syftet med uppsatsen är att öka förståelsen för hur denna generation väljer en arbetsgivare och vilka faktorer som skulle bidra till deras lojalitet. Tidigare forskning har påvisat viktiga faktorer som påverkar millenniegenerationen, men denna forskning är främst utförd i Kanada, USA och Indien. Därför fokuserar detta arbete på millenniegenerationen i Sverige. För att få en djupare förståelse för generationens preferenser för en arbetsgivare utfördes semistrukturerade intervjuer med icke-standardiserade frågor och analyserades med hjälp av tematisk analys. Detta underlättade arbetet i jämförelsen mellan data och tidigare forskning. Slutsatserna av analysen var att relationer med kollegor och chefer är en viktig faktor som påverkar både valet av företag, samt lojaliteten mot dessa. Utöver det var den psykologiska arbetsmiljön, värderingar, utvecklingsmöjligheter och lön viktiga faktorer. Beroende på forskningsfrågan blev innebörden olika.

The aim of this study was to contribute to the understanding of cult membership, by examining the "before, during, and after" experiences of former members. Five male and five female former long-term members of bible-based religious cults were interviewed. The transcripts of these interviews were then analysed using procedures based on Strauss and Corbin's (1990) Grounded Theory methodology. Three models were constructed from the data analysed, which was explored using a variety of psychological and sociological conceptualisations. The study found that experiences of cult membership were too complex to be explained by a single theory or model. However Social Identity Theory proved useful in synthesising theories across a range of disciplines. The main predicators of joining were a searching/idealistic disposition, pre-existing religious convictions, and active cult recruitment tactics. The dynamics of membership were best conceptualised as an active process, involving a "switch" from individual to group identity. A belief that God was the constant audience was fundamentally important in determining the behaviour of members. A number of those interviewed had left involuntarily due to pressure from within the group rather than outside influence, which had not been widely reported before. Individuals appeared to suffer a grief/bereavement reaction after exiting, and treating them as such may provide a useful initial mode of intervention by mental health professionals. Former members themselves stressed the importance of understanding the context of their involvement, as opposed to any clinical approach based on individual pathology. The study was de facto a pilot, as no previous record of grounded theory research into religious cults was found in the existing literature. The study therefore dentified significant scope for further research into this field, and recommends the grounded theory approach as a useful means to do so.

Insight into environments and habitats that contribute recruits to adult fish stocks in riverine systems is vital for effective population management and conservation. Catfishes are important recreational species in the Mississippi River and are commercially harvested. However, contributions from main channel and tributary habitats to catfish recruitment in large rivers such as the middle Mississippi River (between St. Louis, MO and Cairo, IL) are unknown. Stable isotope and trace elemental signatures in otoliths have been useful for determining environmental history of fishes in a variety of aquatic systems, including the Mississippi River. The objectives of this study were to identify the principle natal environments of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus and blue catfish I. furcatus in the middle Mississippi River (MMR) using otolith stable oxygen isotopic composition (δ18O) and strontium:calcium ratios (Sr:Ca). Catfish were sampled in the MMR during July-October 2013 and 2014 and lapilli otoliths were analyzed for δ18O and Sr:Ca. Water samples from the MMR and tributaries were collected seasonally from 2006-2014 to characterize site-specific signatures. Persistent differences in water δ18O and Sr:Ca among the MMR and tributaries (including the upper Mississippi, Illinois, and Missouri rivers as well as smaller tributaries) were evident, enabling identification of natal environment for individual fish. Results indicated that blue and channel catfish stocks in the MMR primarily recruited from the largest rivers (Missouri and Mississippi rivers) in our study area and received minimal influence from smaller tributaries. Recruitment and year class strength investigations and efforts aimed at enhancing blue and channel catfish spawning and nursery habitats should be focused in the large rivers with less emphasis in the smaller tributaries.