The problem of this study was to determine if the sex role identification, age, education, and income of employed married couples were related to their perception of who should and does perform household tasks. The forty-five couples were volunteers from organizations for working women. Each spouse completed a Bem Sex Role Inventory and a Household Task Inventory. Using Chi-square and t-tests no significant differences were found between sex role identification, education level, income level, and the sharing of household tasks. When a Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient was used, age and sharing of household tasks were found to have an inverse relationship with the young sharing more tasks. The study concluded that couples expect household tasks to be shared but females tend to perform the traditional feminine tasks and males the traditional masculine tasks.

The intention of this exhibition is to educate the viewer about the hidden impacts that result from simple choices of consumption. This is a critique of the materials economy and the responsibilities of the designers, consumers and industries that contributed to its success. The critique is expressed through four dominant and unsustainable consumer products: water bottles, plastic shopping bags, cigarette filters and farm chemicals, as each has its own specific story of consumption. The form is derived from manufacturing history, statistical data, and profiles of consumer behaviors. Graphic design is utilized in both formal and non-formal methods with the goal of communicating specific messages to the viewer as they progress through the exhibition space. / by Peter David Shimpeno. / Thesis (M.F.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Bibliography: leaves 61-67.

The study is on the influence of comprehensive servicescape on shopping behaviour of road and rail travelling shoppers. The comprehensive servicescape is referred to as synchronization of the multidimensional servicescape dimensions, which are the physical environment, social environment, socially symbolic and the natural dimensions into one entity that the travellers encounter during the shopping exercise. The servicescape cues that include shoppers and the physical set-up of the service firm are important in influencing service quality evaluation and consumer satisfaction. The aim of this study was to establish the impact of servicescape on travelling shoppers’ buying behaviour and shopping motivations amongst different shoppers that were identified within the South African bus and railway stations. The bus and railway station environment induces an interesting type of shopping behaviour amongst the travelers. The purpose of the study was also to explore the travelling shoppers’ expectations and perceptions on the comprehensive servicescape within the bus station’s retail environment. Additionally the study attempted to address important gaps in the South African literature in respect of the influence of socialservicescape on the buyer behaviour and hedonic motivation of travelling shopper. The questionnaires used in the study were constructed along five dimensions of service quality containing statements linked to a five-point Likert-type interval scale anchored by “strongly agree” and “strongly disagree. Self administered questionnaires were used for data collection from the travelling shoppers through “mall intercept technique” and 300 questionnaires were collected from respondents. The academia benefits from this study from the comprehensive servicescape model of the South African bus and railway stations that was developed. The study built on literature by nvestigating the influence of the comprehensive servicescapes as perceived by travelling shoppers within the South African retail environment. Additionally it was shown both theoretically and empirically, that, that service quality in high contact service environment like the bus and railway station can best be explained by an analysis of the comprehensive servicescape or the multidimensional and hierarchical model. As a result of this study retailers will have a full picture on the specific needs, perception and expectations of road and rail travellers in relation to the quality of the stations’ servicescape, which retailers have to improve in order to increase customer patronage. It is assumed that retailers will be aware that store image and the store ambience should meet the challenges of the perceptions, motivations and consumer behaviour of travellers within the comprehensive servicescape of the station. This study provides a trigger effect to spatial planners to design high quality servicescape that will attract travellers for both hedonic and utilitarian shopping. Hirschman and Holbrook (1982) believed that shoppers derive pleasure from the experience of shopping itself, regardless of the joy from acquiring goods, this more so with travelling shoppers. A bus station can be both a growth node and a tourist attraction, if its features are attractive, therefore planners can benefit from this study. In this study theory that forms the bases of the influence of social servicescape on the behaviour of travelling shoppers that frequently visit and participate in shopping at various South African bus station retail outlets is provided. Additionally, this study provided empirical information on the relationships that exist amongst the characteristics of the South African Park Stations’ physical retail environments, user perceptions and interpersonal encounters. The behaviour of shopping travellers was extensively discussed to provide the background of theories and various models concerning shopping behaviour of travellers. Through this work, clarity on consumer behavioural trends of travelling shoppers in the South African retail sector is provided, which assist in differentiating retail products, services and segmentation of markets in a way that could enhance marketing effectiveness amongst the travelling shopping segment. Special attention was paid to factors that motivate road travellers’ choice of stores; the type of products they purchase and their decision making processes. Effort were made to identify, categorize and segment shopper typologies and their shopping behaviours. Effort was also made to discuss extensively the social and physical influences of environments in a retail environment such as that of the bus and railway station. The discussions in this study focussed on describing the comprehensive servicescape model dimensions which shoppers encountered during their shopping activity. The study also indicated the significance of the interaction of service staff with the customers in determining the service quality, customer satisfaction and the future intention of travelers. Additionally this study emphasised the importance of social encounters and perceptiveness to cues within the station, which determine whether they actively or passively are involved in the shopping encounter. The research findings reveal that, travellers perceive the servicescape within the bus station as unattractive and lack appropriate facilities. Furthermore travelers considered the two dimensions (store image and store ambience) of the store’s servicescape as one composite unit of the servicescape. This position is supported in literature, where it is argued that people respond to their environment holistically, rather than to individual stimuli. The travelling shoppers reveal that although they always find the shops from the bus station clean and neat, consumers expect a certain level of ambient environmental conditions to be present. The empirical findings in this study indicate that travelling shoppers are not interested in visiting the stores at the bus and railway station for shopping because merchandise from the bus station stores is poor in quality and unreliable; the surroundings at the station as unpleasant and the bus and railway station stores are congested. Thus, hasty shopping and spending more time or stay longer than planned for shopping at the bus and railway station is not useful to travelling shoppers. Therefore, travellers feel strongly that the shopping environment of the station is not conducive to shopping. These facilities (stations) are only used for travelling purposes; therefore there is a need for improvement in the retail and station facilities in order to increase shopping activities within this servicescape. The research findings reveal that shopping at the bus station seems to be driven by traditional needs such as functional and experiential motivations as well as travelrelated needs such as busstation-atmosphere-related and bus station-infrastructurerelated motivations. It was difficult to deduce a particular typology of shoppers in this environment, but due to the stress related to travelling. Passive shopping was observed amongst travellers, which is not a positive shopping behaviour for retailers.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Interdisciplinary Global Change Studies))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Science, School of Geography, Archaeology & Environmental Studies, 2017. / The objective of the thesis was to determine the relationship between climate variability and rural livelihoods in the Vhembe District Municipality situated in the extreme north of South Africa. These relationships ranged between food and nutritional security, land tenure, financial security, domestic politics and their impacts on human well-being in terms of the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework. The thesis uses a multi-discipline approach to assess the socio-economic outcomes of poor support to rural households that are struggling to attain an acceptable standard of living in the face of increasing challenges brought about by climate change. It also looked to investigate the capacity of rural households to adapt to the challenges of living in such an area. Results were obtained through questionnaires and basic interviews conducted among the residents of three selected areas in the Vhembe District of South Africa. The results demonstrate that residents of Vhembe go through daily suffering as a result of poor support and assistance in adapting to the challenges of climate change in the area and its impact on their livelihoods. The on-going academic literature suggests that integrated livelihood resilience is essential to adaptation to climate variability and that this can reduce the vulnerability of these areas. It also calls for the development and maintenance of effective local institutions supported by public private partnerships. Gaps identified in the literature suggested that more knowledge on land use change caused by seasonal variability as a result of the El Niño Southern Oscillation was needed as well as the prevalence of indigenous knowledge systems in adapting to these changes. It was found that local knowledge and effective local institutions were not as prevalent as expected in achieving livelihood adaptation. Some key findings were that 59% of households did not have access to arable land with 49% of respondents stating that they did not plant crops in the recent season due to the poor rains experienced. Furthermore, the reliance on social grants was notably high with 32% of respondents relying on these. Some residents who cannot pay to have access to electricity are forced to collect or buy firewood for everyday use. Furthermore, only 9% of respondents stated that they had access to flush toilets. These issues are shown to have environmental and other social consequences in the target communities. The thesis concludes that management of natural resources in Vhembe needs to be improved, as these are potential safety nets for the rural poor. It also suggests that there will need to be more support by government and business to set up beneficial agricultural projects to sustainably grow inclusive prosperity for rural residents of the Vhembe District. Key Words: Climate Variability, Sustainable Livelihood Framework, Adaptive Capacity / XL2018

Linda Yeung Lai-yin. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [118-122]). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Content / Chapter Chapter I --- Introduction / Chapter Chapter II --- Literature Review / Chapter Chapter III --- Methodology / Chapter Chapter IV --- Symbolism of Italian Brands / Chapter Chapter V --- Good Clothes And a Good Living / Chapter Chapter VI --- Clothes And Oneself / Chapter Chapter VII --- Hong Kong: A Hierarchical Society / Illustrations (Newspaper and Magazine Cuttings) Conclusion

So Wan-suen. / Thesis submitted in: August 2005. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 168-172). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.iii / 摘要 --- p.v / Chapter Chapter 1. --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter 2. --- Social Class and Restaurants --- p.31 / Chapter Chapter 3. --- Social Class and Space in Restaurants --- p.56 / Chapter Chapter 4. --- Social Class and Social Taste in Restaurants --- p.80 / Chapter Chapter 5. --- Social Class and Food in Restaurants --- p.106 / Chapter Chapter 6. --- Social Class and Behavior in Restaurants --- p.121 / Chapter Chapter 7. --- Conclusion --- p.144 / References --- p.168

by Chu Sheng Hua. / Thesis submitted in: December 2000. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 126-134). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / "List of Map, Tables and Figures" / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Consumption: The Prism of Contemporary China / Chapter I. --- Introduction: Consumption in China --- p.1 / Chapter II. --- Material Conditions under Communist China --- p.3 / Chapter III --- . The Advent into a Consumer Society --- p.4 / Chapter ■ --- Increase in the Level of Affluence / Chapter ■ --- De-regularisation of the Marketing System / Chapter ■ --- Emergence of a Capital Owning Class / Chapter ■ --- Explosion of Consumption Information / Chapter ■ --- Change in Consumption Structures --- p.11 / Chapter IV. --- Guangzhou: Center of Consumption / Chapter ■ --- Location / Chapter ■ --- One Step Ahead --- p.15 / Chapter V. --- Objectives of Study --- p.17 / Chapter VI. --- Organisation of Thesis / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Sociological Theorising of Consumption： Thematic Issues / Chapter I. --- The Acknowledgement of Consumption: From Production to Consumption --- p.19 / Chapter II. --- Consumption as Communication --- p.21 / Chapter III. --- Consumption as Distinction --- p.22 / Chapter ■ --- Veblen: Leisure Class and Conspicuous Consumption / Chapter ■ --- "Bourdieu: Habitus, Taste and Cultural Capital" / Chapter ■ --- Lamont: Symbolic Boundaries / Chapter IV. --- Consumption as Pleasure and Play --- p.27 / Chapter V. --- "Consumption, Advertising and the Symbolic" --- p.28 / Chapter ■ --- Postmodernism and Baudrillard / Chapter ■ --- Consumption and the Symbolic: Theorising Lifestyle / Chapter ■ --- The Polemics / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Research Design / Chapter I. --- Conducting China Studies --- p.32 / Chapter II. --- Data Sources --- p.32 / Chapter ■ --- The Unobtrusive Method / Chapter ■ --- Sources of Data / Chapter III. --- Data Analysis --- p.35 / Chapter ■ --- Content Analysis / Chapter ■ --- Semiotic Analysis / Chapter ■ --- Symbolic Reality and Objective Reality / Chapter IV. --- Data Sampling --- p.39 / Chapter V. --- Analysing Advertisements --- p.42 / Chapter ■ --- Advertising Categories / Chapter ■ --- Advertising Formats / Chapter ■ --- Covert Advertisements / Chapter Chapter 4 --- "Advertising, Consumption and the New Middle Class" / Chapter I. --- The Re-birth of Advertising in China --- p.47 / Chapter ■ --- From Political to Marketing Tool / Chapter ■ --- Advertising Boom / Chapter II. --- A New World of Goods and Dreams --- p.49 / Chapter ■ --- Forms and Contents of Advertisements: From Product-oriented to Consumer-oriented / Chapter ■ --- Ownership of Goods / Chapter III. --- Market Segmentation: Locating the Middle Class and Their Consumption Patterns / Chapter ■ --- Market Segmentation and the New Middle Class / Chapter ■ --- Economic Capital and Consumption Patterns / Chapter ■ --- Cultural Capital and Taste / Chapter ■ --- Advertising and Consumption Categories / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Cultivating Differences I： Constructing the Ideal Home / Chapter I. --- Housing Reform and Rising Demand for Commodity Housing --- p.66 / Chapter II. --- Housing Advertisements --- p.68 / Chapter III. --- Advertising Themes: Alluding to the Middle Class Aspirations --- p.70 / Chapter ■ --- Establishing Class and Status Distinction / Chapter ■ --- Emphasis on Superiority/Luxury / Chapter ■ --- Desire of Naturalism / Chapter ■ --- Sports-oriented and Health-conscious / Chapter ■ --- Foreign Lifestyle / Chapter ■ --- Cultural Taste / Chapter ■ --- Education and Learning / Chapter IV. --- Ownership of Lifestyle --- p.84 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Cultivating Differences II： Consuming Technologies / Chapter I. --- Modernisation and Good Life --- p.87 / Chapter II. --- The Modern Home Electrification --- p.89 / Chapter ■ --- Wither Tidal Wave Consumption? / Chapter ■ --- The Making of a Modern Home / Chapter III. --- Deciphering Information and Communication Technologies --- p.93 / Chapter ■ --- The Latest Gadgets / Chapter ■ --- Fashionable Lifestyle and Aesthetic Qualities / Chapter IV. --- Private Cars: Riding on the Tide of Consumerism --- p.99 / Chapter ■ --- Car Ownership / Chapter ■ --- Who are the Owners? / Chapter ■ --- Status Symbols / Chapter ■ --- Car as Person: Intelligent but Reserved / Chapter ■ --- Desire for Freedom and Touristic Experience / Chapter Chapter 7 --- Conclusion： Beyond Consumption / Chapter I. --- "Consumption, Advertising and Beyond" --- p.106 / Chapter II. --- Social Stratification and the Cultivation of Differences: Towards the Construction and Pursuit of a Middle Class Way of Life --- p.109 / Chapter III. --- New Sensibilities & Outlook --- p.111 / Chapter ■ --- "Stylisation, Aestheticisation and the Cultivation of a Lifestyle" / Chapter ■ --- Cultural Refinement and Sophistication / Chapter ■ --- Cosmopolitanism / Chapter IV. --- The Politics of Consumption --- p.116 / Chapter V. --- Consumption with Chinese Characteristics --- p.119 / Chapter VI. --- Suggestions for Future Studies --- p.122 / Bibliography --- p.126

published_or_final_version / abstract / Sociology / Master / Master of Philosophy

A focus group and experiment were conducted to test the effects of psychological distance on participant affect, intentions, and behaviours in the realm of ethical consumption. Construal Level Theory (Liberman and Trope, 1998) posits that psychologically-near concepts are viewed differently than their psychologically-far counterparts, and this framework was used to guide the development of predictions relating to four dimensions of distance: temporal, spatial, social, and hypothetical. The study revealed that participants exhibit significantly higher levels of affect and intention when presented stimuli involve psychologically near impacts rather than psychologically-far impacts. This finding did not carry over into actual behaviour, however. Subject disposition toward psychological distance was measured but was found to not impact affect, intentions, or behaviour. Perceived Consumer Effectiveness (Kinnear, Taylor, & Ahmed, 1974) was found to be an important predictor of behaviour. / viii, 103 leaves ; 29 cm