The purpose of this study was to determine if there were significant differences in mean scores in reading, spelling, and self-concept of disadvantaged high school students who were taking typewriting and those of disadvantaged high school students who were not taking typewriting. / Subjects for this study consisted of 80 disadvantaged high school students divided into four groups: Group I, 24 first-year typewriting students; Group II, 24 students not taking typewriting, matched by IQ to Group I; Group III, 16 second-year typewriting students; Group IV, 16 students not taking typewriting, matched by IQ to Group III. / Data were collected through administration of the Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills (CTBS) and the Self-Concept as a Learner (SCAL) as pretests and posttests. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was performed to determine if there were significant differences in mean CTBS and SCAL scores of Group I and Group II and in similar scores for Group III and Group IV. / When the ANCOVA was performed, with the pretest as the covariate, the findings were: (1) A significant difference (p < .05) in mean CTBS spelling scores of disadvantaged high school students taking first-year typewriting (Group I) and those of disadvantaged high school students who were not taking typewriting (Group II). / From the ANCOVA data analysis, with IQ as the covariate, the findings were: (1) A significant difference (p < .05) in mean CTBS reading comprehension scores of Group I and Group II. (2) A significant difference (p < .05) in mean CTBS reading comprehension scores of Group III and Group IV. (3) A significant difference (p < .05) in mean CTBS scores in spelling of first-year typewriting students (Group I) and those students who were not taking typewriting (Group II) when examined by group and sex. / Recommendations for further research included replication of the study using a larger sample over a longer treatment period and investigation of the impact of other variables. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 43-03, Section: A, page: 0637. / Thesis (Educat.D.)--The Florida State University, 1982.

The purpose of this study was to identify the nature of concerns of post-secondary business education teachers arising from the entry of word processing systems into the business education curriculum and assess the level of the concerns caused by the entry of word processing systems into the business education curriculum as measured by the Stages of Concern instrument. / The Stages of Concern instrument was mailed to a random sample of 136 Florida business education teachers in community colleges and vocational-technical schools in order to gather information relative to teacher concerns regarding adoption of word processing systems in the curriculum. / Results of the analyses indicated that the greatest concerns were those of a personal nature and those relating to collaboration. The most intense concerns according to the percentile distribution were Stage 1 (informational) at the 95th percentile and Stage 2 (personal) at the 70th percentile. / An analysis of the stages of concern was conducted on the variables age, sex, educational preparation, teaching experience, and user status. Statistical significance was found at the .05 level on age (individuals 20-39 years) and refocusing concern; educational preparation (individuals holding undergraduate degrees) and informational concerns; and sex (male respondents) and collaboration concerns. An association was also found between the novice user of word processing systems and personal and informational concerns; consequence and collaboration and the intermediate user. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 45-09, Section: A, page: 2736. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1984.

The purpose of this study was to identify reactions of clerical personnel when an office changed from a traditional office to one utilizing automated word processing systems. In order to achieve this purpose, the Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM) developed by Hall (Loucks, Newlove, & Hall, 1975) was applied to assess the Level-of-Use (LoU) of word processing office personnel. It was expected that if personnel who operate word processing equipment were not at a level-of-use commensurate with their training and experience, then some problems existed which interfered with their adopting the system in an effective way. If persons could be classified according to their level-of-use, then those persons who were having difficulties could be identified and factors which impeded them from moving from lower to higher levels-of-use could be reported. The specific question posed in this study was: What are the factors reported as impeding the transition from traditional to automated office equipment and procedures? / Sixteen companies with a total of 31 word processing operators, located in Jacksonville, Florida, were interviewed to collect the data. Two instruments, The LoU Focused Interview Questionnaire and The Word Processing Company and Respondent Information Questionnaire, developed by the researcher, were used to collect the data. The results were presented in frequency distribution tables. / Major findings of the study were: (1) Many companies have not yet converted to automated word processing systems. (2) Of those companies that have installed word processing systems, several are in the process of modifying or replacing existing equipment. (3) Although some companies have attempted to adopt the systems approach to word processing, many have not made a distinction between the duties of the administrative secretary and those of the correspondence secretary. (4) Word processing personnel operated at a level-of-use comparable with their combined methods of training and on-the-job experience. (5) Word processing operators expressed concerns with the failure of originators to observe specified procedures, an inequitable salary schedule commensurate with their training and experience, and the lack of time provided for adequate training. (6) Clerical personnel who resist the change from traditional to automated word processing equipment are quickly replaced. Usually these personnel are returned to their traditional typing and clerical jobs. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 44-07, Section: A, page: 2021. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1983.

The purpose of this research was to determine if the existing office administration program at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University was meeting the perceived needs of the students completing the program, those of the business world, which will employ these students, and those of persons in its community (community college transfers and office workers)--what is--and what the program should be delivering. / The objectives of this study were accomplished through the admintration of six questionnaires mailed to 86 graduates of the office administration program (1976-77 - 1982-83), their employers, 25 recognized business education leaders, 25 companies in Florida, 25 companies that are members of the FAMU Cluster, 25 companies that recruit at FAMU, 100 office workers in the Tallahassee area, and students at the four community colleges in the FAMU coverage area. / Discrepancy analyses were done to identify the differences between what is and what should be for the office administration program. Additionally, data were collected and reported to determine self-sufficiency status of graduates. / It was concluded that the office administration program at FAMU was delivering a valuable product to society--well trained graduates and good citizens. / The office administration program was also meeting the needs of the business world, those of employers participating in the study, and those of the graduates, who were pleased with the program they completed. / There was concern, however, as to whether the office administration program was meeting the needs and desires of its community because a large portion of the university community had very little or virtually no information about the office administration program at FAMU, which probably accounted for the low attendance of the area community college graduates and office workers in classes. / The findings also indicated graduates' first jobs were at a lower level than graduates and office administration faculty expected them to begin. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-09, Section: A, page: 3287. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1986.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of one intervention strategy on the perceptions of male students enrolled in business education classes toward business and office occupations as a career. The study was based on the premise that male students, when exposed to new informational materials that minimized occupational differences in opportunities between men and women in business careers specifically, would change their attitudes toward considering a career in business, would score higher on criterion measures, and would be more favorably toward seeking out more information on business occupations that have been traditionally identified as female-intensive occupations than would male students who were not so informed. In addition, the study was designed to determine if attitudinal changes in male student toward non-traditional career choices occurred and to derive a list of factors that influence students' choices of business education programs or particular business classes. / An experimental instructional program packet, consisting of six separate business occupations and self-instructional modules was presented to two intact classes of 35 male and 54 female ninth grade students enrolled in business education classes in a Palm Beach County, Florida, high school. / Eighty-nine students of which 39 comprised the experimental group and 50 made up the control group. Pretests and posttests were designed to be parallel both within and across modules. An opinionnaire was given to all students to measure the overall effectiveness of the study. An assessment rating scale was given to the experimental group subjects to measure the effects of treatment materials. Both groups were given the pretests, one per week, and instructional materials were given to the experimental group subjects only. Posttests for each of the six modules were given to all students at the completion of each module. / A test of significance using Chi Square revealed increased scores for the experimental group students on four of the six posttest measures. This was supportive of the research strategy. Experimental males however, scored higher than males in the control group on only two of the six posttest measures. The control group students increased scores on two of the six posttest measures. There was insufficient evidence to conclude that males exposed to sex-free materials would be more favorable toward receiving more information on business occupations. Although findings were encouraging, in that students scored higher on four of the six posttest measures, the general conclusion was that some of the experimental materials were not powerful enough to introduce change. / The identification of attitudinal changes in male students toward non-traditional career choices was not substantiated. However, the introduction of sex-free information about careers emerged as being one factor that could influence students' choices of selecting business education programs and particular classes. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 41-02, Section: A, page: 0506. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1980.

Problems associated with existing models of customer satisfaction have created the need for a more integrated theory of the processing mechanisms underlying satisfaction evaluations. Specifically, no consideration has been given to the effect of product/service experience on judgments of satisfaction. An experimental study was conducted to better understand how consumers' ranges of experience affect satisfaction judgments. Two theories, Helson's Adaptation Level Theory and Parducci's Range-Frequency Theory, have traditionally been relied upon in psychophysics to explain how contextual effects influence categorical judgments. Although both theories were tested, the study found that when students were given varying distributions of performance ratings for a typing service, Range-Frequency Theory was more successful in predicting the changes in subsequent satisfaction ratings. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-03, Section: A, page: 0720. / Major Professor: James Dennis White. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1990.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 40-06, Section: A, page: 3065. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1978.

This research project utilized a true experimental design to examine the efficacy of using guided imagery to enhance the strategic planning process. A secondary purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of people's roles, judgments, and decision styles on the strategic planning process. / The dissertation defined and measured seven types of variables: (1) scenario building productivity; (2) goal-setting productivity; (3) cognitive information processing styles; (4) latent identities and roles; (5) locus of control; (6) vividness of imagery; and, (7) guided imagery treatment. / Data was collected from 96 senior management students enrolled in a business policy course at The Florida State University during the Fall 1984 semester. This course is designed to be a capstone course integrating the business functional fields. / At the beginning of the semester a pretest generation of scenarios and goals was conducted. During the semester half of the students received general business orientated guided imagery treatments with the remaining students engaging in placebo activities. At the end of the semester a posttest generation of scenarios and goals was conducted. In addition, the following instruments were administered during the term: (1) Myers-Briggs type indicator; (2) Rotter's locus of control scale; (3) Ziller's personality instrument; and, (4) Bett's vividness of imagery scale. / Utilizing parametric statistical techniques the results of the hypothesis testing yielded mixed results with some results contrary to the hypothesized results. Major conclusions were: (1) guided imagery is effective in improving the scenario building facet of the strategic planning process in general and the goal-setting facet in cases where the individuals have a vivid capacity for imagery; (2) an internal locus of control and a local latent identity and role appear to positively affect the goal-setting process; (3) cognitive processing styles appear to have no effect on either the scenario building or goal-setting facets of the strategic planning process; and, (4) vividness of imagery appears to be of suspect value in general, but does have a very positive effect on the goal-setting aspect when combined with the administration of guided imagery. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-06, Section: A, page: 1490. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1985.

Reasoning is the cognitive process used to solve problems and make decisions. This study examined the effect of forward and backward reasoning strategies used by expert managers to make a decision in an unfamiliar problem situation. Expert managers (n = 114) were randomly assigned to one of two reasoning strategy groups: Forward (n = 59) and backward (n = 55). Based on their experience and education, the managers were also categorized into two levels of expertise: Senior managers (n = 26) and middle managers (n = 88). All managers were asked to read a business case study, write their responses using a forward or backward reasoning template, and to identify their reasoning preference. Independent coders were used to code the responses and statistical procedures of ANOVA, binary logistic regression, MANCOVA, and discriminant analysis were used to analyze the coded data. The results showed that senior managers reported a strong preference for backward reasoning while middle managers did not have a specific reasoning preference. Both senior and middle managers in the forward reasoning group, made a risk-averse decision while both senior and middle managers in the backward reasoning group made a risk-taking decision, which resulted in a superior decision outcome. The results also indicated that reasoning strategy specifically influenced the decision outcome through the four factors of decision analysis: Strategic decision, alternatives, criteria, and action plans, with criteria and alternatives emerging as the most important predictors of reasoning strategy. Overall, these findings support cognitive science research in other domains that experts in familiar situations use forward reasoning but in unfamiliar situations revert to backward reasoning, which results in better outcomes. This study has provided further evidence that the common dimensions of expertise are generalizable and replicable in the domain of management. / Le raisonnement est le processus cognitif servant à solutionner des problèmes et à prendre des décisions. Cette étude a examiné l'effet des stratégies de raisonnement en chaînage avant et arrière (forward or backward reasoning) utilisées par des gestionnaires spécialisés pour prendre une décision en situation de problème inhabituel. Nous avons divisé au hasard les gestionnaires (n = 114) en deux groupes de stratégie de raisonnement : en chaînage avant (n = 59) et en chaînage arrière (n = 55). De plus, nous les avons regroupés en deux niveaux d'expertise selon leur expérience et leur éducation : les gestionnaires supérieurs (n = 26) et intermédiaires (n = 88). Nous leur avons tous demandé de lire une analyse de rentabilisation et de rédiger leurs réponses à l'aide d'un modèle de raisonnement en chaînage avant ou arrière, puis de préciser leur préférence. Nous avons fait appel à des codeurs indépendants pour traiter les réponses et procédures statistiques d'analyse de variance (ANOVA), de régression logistique binaire et d'analyse de covariance à variables multiples (MANCOVA); de plus, nous avons procédé à une analyse discriminante des données codées. Les résultats ont montré que les gestionnaires supérieurs ont exprimé une nette préférence pour le raisonnement en chaînage arrière (backward reasoning), alors que les gestionnaires intermédiaires n'ont rapporté aucune préférence particulière. Les gestionnaires supérieurs et intermédiaires du groupe de raisonnement en chaînage avant (forward reasoning) ont pris une décision prudente, tandis que les gestionnaires supérieurs et intermédiaires de l'autre groupe ont pris une décision impliquant un risque, ce qui a entraîné un résultat décisionnel supérieur. Les résultats ont aussi indiqué que la stratégie de raisonnement a particulièrement influencé le résultat décisionnel par l'entremise des quatre facteurs d'analyse des décisions : stratégie,

Thesis (Educat.D.)--Fairleigh Dickinson University, 1984. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 45-05, Section: A, page: 1275.