[pt] O objetivo do presente trabalho consistia em traduzir o Questionário de Preocupação do Estado da Pensilvânia (PSWQ) para o português e avaliar as propriedades psicométricas e a estrutura latente desta versão traduzida em uma amostra representativa de universitários no Brasil para determinar sua confiabilidade e validade psicométricas. Um primeiro estudo utilizou 871 graduandos de diferentes Universidades do Rio de Janeiro apresentando uma faixa de idade de 17 a 68 anos. Uma análise fatorial exploratória (AFE) foi realizada para examinar a estrutura latente dos 16 itens que compõem esta escala. Um segundo estudo utilizou 978 graduandos com as mesmas características do estudo 1. Uma análise fatorial confirmatória (AFC) foi usada para inspecionar eventuais artefatos fatoriais da escala, previamente descritos na literatura. Os resultados indicaram que o PSWQ apresentou uma adequada consistência interna. No primeiro estudo, uma AFE indicou uma solução de dois fatores. Um fator foi relacionado com a preocupação presente e incorporou todos os 11 itens escritos na forma afirmativa. O outro foi associado com a preocupação ausente e incorporou todos os 5 itens escritos na forma negativa. No segundo estudo, uma AFC ajustou uma solução de três fatores. Um fator incorporou todos os itens do PSWQ, onde os outros dois fatores foram relacionados com os itens na afirmativa e negativa. Coeficientes de correlação destes dois fatores de itens na afirmativa e negativa com o total do PSWQ e a subescala traço do Inventário de Ansiedade Traço-Estado sugerem que o fator composto pelos 5 itens na negativa não contribui significativamente para a estrutura latente do PSWQ. A avaliação psicométrica da versão em português do PSWQ indicou que esta escala pode medir confiavelmente a presença do construto de preocupação em uma amostra não clínica. Análises de sua estrutura fatorial sugeriram que o fator da preocupação ausente deve ser um artefato metodológico atribuído ao efeito da forma escrita dos itens na negativa. / [en] Translate the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) to Portuguese and evaluate the psychometric properties and the latent structure of the translated version in a large Brazilian college student sample to determine its psychometric reliability and validity. A first study employed 871 undergraduate students from different Universities of Rio de Janeiro ranging from 17 to 68 years of age. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was employed to analyze its latent structure of 16 items that composes the scale. A second study employed 978 college students with the same characteristics from Study 1. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to investigate eventual factorial artifacts of the scale previously described in the literature. Results indicated that PSWQ had an adequate internal consistency. In the first study, the EFA yields a two-factor solution. One factor was related to worry presence and incorporated all the 11 positive-worded items stated in a non-reversed form. The other was associated to worry absence and incorporated all the five negative- worded items stated in a reversed form. In a second study, the CFA leads to a three- factor solution. One factor incorporated all the PSWQ items whereas the two other factors were linked to the reversed and non-reversed items. Correlations coefficients of these two reversed and non-reversed factors with the total scores of the PSWQ and the trait subscale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory suggest that the factor composed by the five items do not contribute in a meaningful way to the PSWQ latent structure. Psychometric evaluation of the Portuguese version of the PSWQ indicated that the scale can reliably measure the presence of the worry construct in a non-clinical sample. Analysis of its factorial structure suggested that the worry absence factor might be a methodological artifact due to a wording effect of the reversed items.

Drawing on data released by the Census of Agriculture 2006, this paper aims to identify, among all those micro-regions of northeastern Brazil where the volume of livestock movement (represented by the quantity of purchase, sale and slaughter of goats, sheep, cattle, pigs and in poultry farms) would allow a high frequency of transactions with animals - between the segments of production and processing - which would result in market governance structures. The research is grounded in two theoretical pillars: the Transaction Cost Economics (TCE), of Oliver Williamson, and the Commodity System Approach (CSA) compiled by John Davis and Ray Goldberg. The first theory is that, due to the bounded rationality of agents and the tendency to assume such an opportunistic behavior, it is impossible to fully and agents rationally anticipate outcomes of their decisions and that they protect themselves from possible flaws in the implementation of the economic transactions from the establishment of contracts between the parties involved. So that, CSA argues that the process of agricultural production can t be addressed so tight, that is, without understanding its systemic character, ranging from the decision of what and how to produce the end consumer. The tool used was exploratory factor analysis, multivariate statistical technique that allows the identification of latent factors that explain the interrelationships among the variables under study. The results showed that the cattle drive in the Northeast is a focused and dedicated event in the sense that largely takes place in a few territories and rarely stands out in a location more than one culture. Therefore, the coordination of the interface market for production / processing of agricultural products is suitable for a small number of locations in the brazilian Northeast. / Valendo-se dos dados disponibilizados pelo Censo Agropecuário 2006, a presente dissertação objetiva identificar dentre as cento e oitenta e oito microrregiões do Nordeste brasileiro aquelas em que o volume de movimentação pecuária (representada pelo quantitativo de compra, venda e abate de caprinos, ovinos, bovinos, suínos e galináceos nas propriedades rurais) permitiria uma alta freqüência de comercialização de animais entre os segmentos de produção e transformação o que resultaria em estruturas de governança de mercado. O trabalho assentou-se sobre dois pilares teóricos: a economia dos custos de transação (ECT), de Oliver Williamson, e a Commodity System Approach (CSA), elaborada por John Davis e Ray Goldberg. A primeira teoria defende que, em função da racionalidade limitada dos agentes e da tendência desses em assumirem um comportamento oportunista, é impossível aos agentes anteverem plena e racionalmente os resultados de suas decisões e que esses se protegem de possíveis falhas na execução das transações econômicas a partir da constituição de contratos entre as partes envolvidas. Já a CSA advoga que o processo produtivo da agropecuária não pode ser abordado de forma estanque, ou seja, sem a compreensão do seu caráter sistêmico, que vai desde a decisão do que e como produzir até o consumidor final. O ferramental utilizado foi a Análise Fatorial Exploratória, técnica estatística multivariada que permite a identificação de fatores latentes que explicariam o inter-relacionamento entre as variáveis sob estudo. Os resultados mostraram que a movimentação pecuária nordestina é um evento concentrado e especializado no sentido de que grande parte dá-se em poucas microrregiões e raramente uma localidade se destaca em mais de uma cultura. Logo, a coordenação de mercado para a interface produção/processamento de produtos agrícolas é indicada para um pequeno número de microrregiões nordestinas.

Submitted by Marcia Silva (marcia@latec.uff.br) on 2016-07-15T20:54:28Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERT EDUARDO GURGEL DO AMARAL ARDUINO.pdf: 2065093 bytes, checksum: cff22b2b72c45eeee85f4facfd01289c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-15T20:54:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERT EDUARDO GURGEL DO AMARAL ARDUINO.pdf: 2065093 bytes, checksum: cff22b2b72c45eeee85f4facfd01289c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-08-24 / O objeto do estudo foi elaborar uma modelo estrutural completo dos fatores que influenciam o sucesso da atuação do PMO e que benefícios essa atuação positiva traria para a gestão de projetos no Sistema Eletrobras e a partir disso, realizar um aperfeiçoamento do modelo estrutural por meio de métodos estatísticos. Para isso foi realizado uma pesquisa de campo (survey) no intuito de levantar dados junto aos profissionais envolvidos em Gestão de Projetos dentro do Sistema Eletrobras, a partir do modelo proposto e foram evidenciados os fatores de sucesso na atuação do PMO (Project Management Office) que possibilitam o escritório de gerenciamento de projetos tornar-se um vetor de gestão por excelência na empresa. Para alcançar o objetivo idealizado, realizou-se (a) Levantamento bibliográfico para conceituar gerenciamento de projetos e PMOs, (b) identificou-se os fatores que influenciam o sucesso de atuação do PMO, (c) identificou-se as abordagens teóricas dos fatores diretos que mais contribuem para que o PMO da Eletrobras possa atuar como um vetor de gestão por excelência, otimizando o aumento da eficiência da sua atuação e o sucesso na gestão de projetos. Averiguou-se quais abordagens teóricas, a partir do sucesso de atuação do PMO, traziam benefícios para a gestão de Projetos no Sistema Eletrobras. Assim, para realizar os trabalhos estatísticos para a avaliação de adequação do modelo, foi utilizado o software SPSS Statistics, para a execução da AFE (Análise Fatorial Exploratória), em busca de testar o modelo baseado na teoria previamente apresentada. Foram obtidas 116 respostas válidas preenchidas por colaboradores com envolvimento em gerenciamento de projetos no sistema Eletrobras. No início o modelo teórico era composto por vinte abordagens teóricas e três fatores independentes. Após as etapas do SEM, obteve-se dezessete abordagens e dois fatores independentes, diferentes do modelo proposto. Com isso, a hipóteses H1 e H2 não foram rejeitadas, pois apresentaram fator significante com (P < 0,05). A hipótese H3 teve que ser excluída, pois na AFE suas abordagens teóricas compuseram um único conjunto com a hipótese H2, visto que a Matriz da Variância Total Explicada demonstrou ser o modelo mais ajustado com somente dois fatores. Todas as análises foram validadas pelo alpha de cronbach. / The object of study was preparing a full structural model of the factors that influence the success of the PMO acting and that this positive performance would bring benefits for project management in the Eletrobras System and from this, carry out an improvement of the structural model through methods Statistical. For it was conducted a field survey (survey) in order to collect data with professionals involved in Project Management within the Eletrobras System, from the proposed model and were shown the success factors in the performance of the PMO (Project Management Office) which enable the project management office become a vector of management excellence by the company. To achieve the idealized goal, there was (a) Bibliographic survey to conceptualize project management and PMOs, (b) identified the factors that influence the PMO acting success, (c) identify the theoretical approaches of the factors direct that contribute most to the PMO Eletrobras can act as a vector management par excellence, optimizing the increased efficiency of its operations and success in project management. It was found that theoretical approaches, from the PMO acting success, bringing benefits to the Project management in the Eletrobras System. Thus, to perform statistical work for the evaluation of the adequacy of the model, SPSS Statistics software was used, for the implementation of EFA (Exploratory Factor Analysis), seeking to test the model based on the theory presented previously. 116 valid responses were obtained filled by employees with involvement in project management in the Eletrobras System. Earlier the theoretical model was composed of twenty theoretical approaches and three independent factors. After the stages of SEM, seventeen approaches was obtained and two independent factors, other than this model. With this, the H1 and H2 hypotheses were not rejected because they presented with significant factor (P <0.05). The hypothesis H3 had to be excluded, as their theoretical approaches the AFE comprised a single set with the hypothesis H2, whereas Matrix Total Variance Explained proved to be the most adjusted model with only two factors. All analyzes were validated by Cronbach's alpha.

Magister Artium - MA / In the majority of the schools in South Africa (SA), learners commence education in English. This English milieu poses a considerable challenge for English second-language speakers. In an attempt to bridge the gap between English as the main medium of instruction and the nine indigenous languages of the country and assist with the implementation of mother-tongue based bilingual education, this study focuses on the cross-validation of a monolingual English test used in the assessment of multilingual or bilingual learners in the South African context. This test, namely the Woodcock Muñoz Language Survey (WMLS), is extensively used in the United States in Additive Bilingual Education in the country. The present study is a substudy of a broader study, in which the original WMLS (American-English version) was adapted into SA English and Xhosa. For this specific sub-study, the researcher was interested in investigating the scalar equivalence of the adapted English version of the Verbal Analogies (VA) subscale of the WMLS across English first-language speakers and Xhosa first-language speakers. This was achieved by utilising differential item functioning (DIF) and construct bias statistical techniques. The Mantel-Haenszel DIF detection method was employed to detect DIF, while construct equivalence was examined by means of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) utilising an a priori two-factor structure. The Tucker's phi coefficient was used to assess the congruence of the construct across the two language groups / South Africa

Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych) / The fall of apartheid and the rise of democracy have brought assessment issues in multicultural societies to the forefront in South Africa. The rise of multicultural assessment demands the development of tests that are culturally relevant to enhance fair testing practices, and issues of bias and equivalence of tests become increasingly important. This study forms part of a larger project titled the Additive Bilingual Education Project (ABLE). The Woodcock Munoz Language Survey (WMLS) was specifically selected to evaluate the language aims in the project, and was adapted from English to isiXhosa. Previous research has indicated that one of the scales in the adapted isiXhosa version of the WMLS, namely the Picture Vocabulary Scale (PV), displays some item bias, or differential item functioning (DIF), across rural and urban isiXhosa learners. Research has also indicated that differences in dialects can have an impact on test takers’ scores. It is therefore essential to explore the structural equivalence of the adapted isiXhosa version of the WMLS on the PV scale across rural and urban isiXhosa learners, and to ascertain whether DIF is affecting the extent to which the same construct is measured across both groups. The results contribute to establishing the scalar equivalence of the adapted isiXhosa version of the WMLS across rural and urban isiXhosa-speaking learners. Secondary Data Analysis (SDA) was employed because this allowed the researcher to re-analyse the existing data in order to further evaluate construct equivalence. The sample of the larger study consisted of 260 learners, both male and female, selected from a population of Grade 6 and 7 learners attending schools in the Eastern Cape. The data was analysed by using the statistical programme Comprehensive Exploratory Factor Analysis (CEFA) and the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Exploratory factor analysis and the Tucker’s phi coefficient were used. The results indicated distinct factor loadings for both groups, but slight differences were observed which raised concerns about construct equivalence. Scatter plots were employed to investigate further, which also gave cause for concern. It was therefore concluded that construct equivalence was only partially attained. In addition, the Cronbach’s Alpha per factor was calculated, showing that internal consistency was displayed only for Factor 1 and not for Factor 2 for the rural group, or both factors for the urban group. Scalar equivalence across the two groups must therefore be explored further.

Tidigare forskning kring otydlighet och stress som enskilda begrepp är omfattande. Då studier visar att otydlighet i flera aspekter, exempelvis otydlig arbetsmiljö, påverkar människors upplevda stress är det således intressant att titta på begreppen tillsammans. Denna studie ämnar utveckla ett mätinstrument för att kunna mäta upplevd otydlighetsstress inom organisationer eftersom det idag saknas. Metoden tog avstamp i utvecklingen av ett frågeformulär, därefter genomfördes en pilotstudie med efterföljande enkätundersökning där 230 svar registrerades. Explorativ faktoranalys genomfördes på de data vi samlat in för att försäkra att otydlighetsstress verkligen mäts. Vidare beräknades Cronbachs alfa i syfte att ta reda på den interna reliabiliteten. Studien resulterade i att fyra faktorer skapades utifrån kriteriet &gt;0,6 för faktorladdningar och namngavs till: depression (α=0,94), krav (α=0,82), arbetsrelaterad otydlighet (α=-0,75) och otydlighet i kommunikation (α=0,82). Den interna reliabiliteten beräknades till 0,88 för hela mätinstrumentet. Mätinstrumentet fick namnet Ambiguity Stress Scale.

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El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado. / The objective of this research is to assess the psychometric properties of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) in order to contribute to the literature identifying validated resilience measures in low-resource settings where individuals face significant adversity. This cross-sectional study included 789 adolescent mothers who delivered at a maternity hospital in Lima, Peru. The Spanish version of the 10-item CD-RISC was used to measure resilience. Internal consistency and construct validity were assessed by evaluating individual item characteristics as well as the association of CD-RISC score with symptoms of depression, anxiety and sleep disturbance. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed to test the factorial structure of the CD-RISC. The CD-RISC was found to have good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.85). CD-RISC scores were positively associated with school attendance, financial hardship, and history of childhood abuse; scores were negatively associated with household dysfunction, depression, anxiety and poor sleep quality. The results of the EFA showed that the CD-RISC contained a two-factor solution, which accounted for 46% of the variance. Overall, these findings suggest that the Spanish-language version of the CD-RISC-10 is an adequate measure of resilience in this population. Further research is needed to incorporate culturally-specific constructs into resilience measures. / National Institutes of Health / Revisión por pares

In today’s society media is ubiquitous. Through its pervasiveness it plays an inextricable role in society, impacting on culture, economy, politics, education and communication. In a postmodern society technological advances have had a profound impact on the development of media, most notably digital media. The intention of this study was to establish whether, in the context of an assumed postmodern culture, young South African adults display behaviour that manifest the tenets of postmodernism in their reactions to contemporary marketing and/or marketing communication, as apparent through their attitudes towards retail shopping and brands, together with their attitudes towards and use of digital media. In this instance digital media is limited to social media and media accessible on mobile phones. The unique properties and interactive capabilities of digital media have altered the dynamics of communication and have given rise to new applications that were not previously possible. This poses challenges for organisations in terms of marketing communication practices with one of the problem areas being that marketers do not know: <ul><li> Whether young South African adults (Generation Y) exhibit postmodern behaviour, in the context of today’s postmodern culture. </li><li> How young South African adults (Generation Y) use digital media? </li><li> How to leverage the unique properties of digital media in marketing communication efforts directed towards young South African adults (Generation Y)? </li> </ul> The main purpose of this research was to reflect on the applicability of modern marketing and/or marketing communication theories, in their current state, in the context of a postmodern society, with specific emphasis on the use of digital media. The secondary purpose of the research was to investigate the affect of postmodern variables on Generation Y and the perspective of this population towards digital media and its role in marketing communication. The study aimed to contribute to the theoretical body of knowledge as follows: <ul><li> To question the application of modern marketing and/or marketing communication theories in postmodern society. In so doing, it suggested that in any given era marketing theories should be representative of the target society, therefore inferring the need to adjust existing theories and their application or formulate new ones that are representative of the specific era. </li><li> To empirically determine whether Generation Y are exhibiting characteristics indicative of postmodern society. </li></ul> Furthermore, the study added value from a practitioner perspective by contributing to new knowledge in the study of Generation Y and digital media. It is anticipated that an improved understanding of Generation Y’s attitudes towards marketing and digital media will serve to improve knowledge of how Generation Y will react in the future as they mature and potentially provide an indication of forthcoming generations’ attitudes towards marketing. Nine research objectives emanating from the research problem were empirically tested through a cross-sectional quantitative exploratory descriptive survey research design. Items in the survey were developed on the basis of observable postmodern characteristics presented in the literature and in consultation with a panel of experts. The survey was distributed by email, which provided a web-based link to access the survey, to the sampling frame; a database comprising of 2,265 students, between the ages of 18-34, enrolled full-time with the department of Marketing and Communication Management (University of Pretoria) during 2011. Convenience sampling was used until a sufficient quantity of fully completed surveys had been collected; 333 usable questionnaires were obtained. The collected data received statistical treatment primarily through the application of exploratory factor analysis and multivariate analysis of co-variance. The theoretical synthesis showed that characteristics of postmodernism are evident in society and affect marketing and/or marketing communication activities. The results of the empirical phase of the investigation demonstrated that respondents show postmodernism traits in their behaviour towards digital media and their reactions towards brands and marketing and/or marketing communication. The most dominant postmodern characteristics displayed by respondents were hyperreality, de-differentiation and fragmentation. Several factors were found to be statistically significant, which may be related to socio-economic conditions, behavioural patterns, and digital infrastructure. These were: ethnicity, cell phone usage, frequency of social media usage, cell phone plan, average monthly Internet expenditure for cell phones, use of Internet bundles on cell phones, and the device used most often to access the Internet. Social media use was identified as an important behavioural outcome by respondents, and the most significant influencing factors related to the dependence that respondents placed on their cell phones and the need to fulfil certain activities only available in the social media space. Finally a conceptual framework was proposed, which integrated theoretical and empirical findings. This framework suggested a broadening of certain roles within marketing and/or marketing communication, namely: consumers transforming to collaborators; communication transforming to interaction; and value exchange transforming to value-in-use. It is anticipated that this study has added to the theoretical level of knowledge by indicating the need to readdress principles and theories of marketing and/or marketing communication in the context of a postmodern society and in particular the use of digital media. An outcome of the study was the proposition of a conceptual framework, which addressed a number of aspects in the transformation from modern to postmodern marketing. Furthermore, at the practitioner level the study has broadened understanding of Generation Y’s behaviour towards digital media in the marketing and/or marketing communication context. Managerial recommendations were expressed on the basis of the theoretical and empirical findings. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Marketing Management / PhD / Unrestricted

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