In this dissertation I consider the nature of the relationship between orientation and language-habits in the context of environmental ethics. Specifically, I focus on the problem of orientation as a way of understanding the unabated trend of anthropocentrism in the dominant Western language-culture. Orientation operates as the attitudes, beliefs, and feelings in relation to something that we embody in our lived experiences. One way that we communicate our orientation in relation to the land is through our language-habits. In considering our language-habits, I conceptualize a process I call conceptual autopoiēsis. Conceptual autopoiēsis is the co-evolutionary coupling process of the language-habits and language-cultures of human orientation, which recreates the initial conditions of the reproduction of the specific concepts embodied in that given orientation, language-habit, and language-culture. I show how our orientation to the land is embodied in our language-habits and language-cultures. I show how orientation, language-habit, language-culture, and conceptual autopoiēsis all function as the environment from which we select the very conceptualization of our orientation and the language we use to do so. More specifically, metaphysical anthropocentrism is a kind of orientation that assumes a dualistic relationship to the land that perpetuates a disconnect from Nature that makes it impossible to have an ecocentric land ethic. I argue that in order to advance the language-habits and language-cultures that can cultivate a more ecocentric orientation capable of living in harmony with nature, we must first understand how the conceptual autopoiēsis of language-habits and language-cultures of the current Western orientation continue to orient us as separate from Nature.

The problem of this qualitative study is to assess teacher perceptions of the leadership practices of female principals. The focus of this study was at the elementary school level. The data were collected from the teachers about their perceptions regarding the female principals with whom they work. This qualitative study was conducted by interviewing 8 teachers from 3 elementary schools in northeast Tennessee. The teachers were interviewed to understand their perceptions of effective leadership practices exhibited by female principals. During the data analysis, 7 constructs were identified after examining and coding the data for related themes. These 7 constructs were: (a) vision, (b) student growth, (c) staff development, (d) organization, (e) communication, (f) caring, and (g) community. In addition to the themes, participants shared perceptions of disadvantages, advantages, and effective leadership characteristics of female principals. Based on the research the following conclusions were drawn. Teachers want to have clear expectations, organization, and follow through in the school environment. This could be accomplished through clear communication and expectations by the principal. Teachers would also like a caring work environment that is created by a principal who listens, respects, and understands others. Each teacher has a variety of different responsibilities and they would like acknowledged. Most of the teachers want a school vision that is focused on providing a productive learning environment for all the students. Recommendations for future research included the following:Only teachers were interviewed in this study. Additional research in this area could be the study of principals' perception of effective leadership practices. This information could be used to determine the similarities and differences between what principals and teachers view as effective leadership practices.Interview teachers from middle and high schools to assess their perception of effective leadership practices. There could be a difference in the leadership practices of elementary, middle, and high school female principals.Additional research in this area needs to be conducted in a variety of elementary schools. This would provide a larger sample of participants.Interview teachers from elementary schools to compare their perceptions of male and female principals.

As online K-12 education becomes more prevalent, there arises a need to examine caring as it is experienced in technology-mediated contexts. The first article in this dissertation examines the definition of the term "caring pedagogies" and synthesizes relevant research helpful to understanding its application in a variety of contexts, including the technology-mediated context. The literature review is organized in the following categories: understanding caring pedagogy (defining and measuring), developing caring characteristics in individuals, developing caring communities, and developing caring in unique contexts. This article concludes that more research related to care is necessary in contexts other than the early childhood education context. The technology-mediated context would greatly benefit from such research. The second article in this dissertation investigates the experience of two teachers and four students in the Open High School of Utah and how they engaged in technology-mediated caring. Findings indicated that teachers care for students in this context by gaining a deep understanding of the student through shared perspective, continuous dialogue, and vigilant observation. Based on this understanding, teachers execute caring actions with the purpose of structuring the learning environment, attending to students' individual academic needs, and attending to students' well-being. Students completed the caring relationship by reacting to teachers' caring actions and acknowledging the care they received. The third article in this dissertation investigates technology choices conducive to creating and nurturing caring relationships in technology-mediated contexts. This article is based on the experience of the two teachers and four students in the Open High School of Utah. This study provides guidelines to help educators make technology choices that are effective in knowing the student, executing acts in the student's best interest, and receiving student reactions. Although research related to information and communication technologies has produced various useful frameworks for online education related to presence and immediacy, investigating technology-mediated caring has the potential to greatly enrich this scholarly discourse.

This present study examined the structural validity of a Chinese version of Multidimensional Work Ethic Profile (MWEP-C), using a large sample of Chinese parents and their young adult children (N = 1047). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was applied to evaluate the model fit of sample data on three competing models using two randomly split stratified subsamples. Measurement invariance for these two generational respondents was checked using differential item functioning (DIF) analysis. The results indicated that MWEP-C provided a reasonable fit for the sample data and the majority of survey items produced similar item-level responses for individuals that do not differ on the attributes of work ethic across these two generations. DIF items were detected based on advanced and successive iterations. Monte Carlo simulations were also conducted for creating threshold values and for chi-square probabilities based on 1,000 replications. After identifying the DIF items, model fit improved and generational differences and similarities in work ethic between parents and their young adult children were also identified. The results suggested that the younger Chinese generations have higher work ethic mean scores on the dimensions of work centrality and morality/ethics while they have similarities on time concept, self-reliance, delay of gratification, and hard work as their parents.

No description available.

This dissertation traces three ethical dimensions, or values, of weather warnings in the National Weather Service (NWS): an ethic of accuracy, and ethic of care, and an ethic of resilience. Each appear in forecaster work but are not equally visible in the identity of a forecaster as scientific expert. Thus, I propose that the NWS should consider rethinking its science through its relationship to multiple publics, creating what Sandra Harding calls "strong objectivity." To this end, I offer the concept of empathic accuracy as an ethic that reflects the interrelatedness of precision and care that already attend to forecasting work. First, I offer a genealogy of the ethic of accuracy as forecasters see it. Beginning in the 1960s, operational meteorologists mounted an ethic of accuracy through the "man-machine mix," a concept that pointed to an identity of the forecasting scientist that required a demarcation between humans and technologies. It is continually troubled by the growing power of computer models to make predictions. Second, I provide an ethnographic account of the concern expressed by forecasters for their publics. I do so to demonstrate how an ethic of care exists alongside accuracy in their forecasting science, especially during times of crisis. I recreate the concern for others that their labor performs. It is an account that values emotion and is sensitive to context, showing what Virginia Held calls "the self-and-other together" that partially constitutes a forecaster identity. Third, I critique the NWS Weather Ready Nation Roadmap and its emphasis on developing in the public an ethic of resilience. I argue that, as currently framed, this ethic and its instantiation in the initiative Impact Based Decision Support Services narrowly defines community to such an extent that it disappears the public. However, it also reveals other valences of resilience that have the potential to open up a space for an empathetic accuracy. Finally, I close with a co-authored article that explores my own commitment to an ethic of relationality in disaster work and the compromises that create tension in me as a scholar and critical participant in the weather community. / Ph. D. / Every year, weather disasters affect people’s lives. When tornadoes, flash floods, winter weather, and heat threaten communities, forecasters in the National Weather Service (NWS) have the responsibility to issue alerts, which are called warnings, to help keep people safe from harm. For decades, these professionals have used the best technologies they have—Doppler radar, satellites, and observation networks—to scan the skies for potential danger. And they have done so diligently and with great attention to making their forecasts and warnings as accurate as possible. Yet each year, as these weather phenomena pose risks to people in their local communities, accuracy of warnings is not enough to keep people safe. This dissertation contributes to such concerns. Rather than focus on specific technologies that might be improved, I explore the professional identity of the NWS forecaster and potential changes to their science that might help them meet their mission to protect life. I offer insight into how NWS forecasters have chosen to see themselves and their role in society, and why. Specifically, my goal is to explore ways that the agency’s focus on accuracy is unintentionally masking other values that are important to the professional practices and activities of the forecaster. To help make the complexity of their identities more apparent, I offer a new kind of ethic, an <i>empathetic accuracy</i>, that better reflects not just the attention forecasters give to correct predictions but predictions done with care and concern for the people they serve. I explore the history of the term accuracy to show why it is so important in their work; I show how the notion of care is already key to their jobs; and I critique current policies that may either diminish or enhance their relationships with people in the general public. I suggest that the agency should consider developing a better kind of science that accounts for this complex professional image of the forecaster as scientist and public servant. More importantly, my goal is to show that NWS forecasters have alternative roles they can engage with that are equally, if not more important, to the people whose lives they are committed to protecting.

No / This paper presents the findings from the evaluation of a 'learning partnership' scheme between Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) staff and senior managers within a University in the UK.

The work ethic construct has seen increased research attention in recent years and has been applied to a host of different settings. In this study, the work ethic of correctional officers (COs) was examined. Compared with other occupational samples, COs generally endorsed higher levels of work ethic across several of the dimensions. Also, we found that the measurement properties of the Multidimensional Work Ethic Scale–Short Form (MWEP-SF) were comparable to those presented in previous studies. Implications for future research and the relevance of work ethic in a corrections context are discussed. In addition, study limitations and future directions are addressed.

This thesis examines the role of management with regard to reducing and preventing workplace incivility through a care-focused and conflict transformation theory lens. The discussion on workplace incivility is expanded through an exploration of two theories: care-focused theory and conflict transformation theory. These theories are integrated into one theoretical framework, The Care-Centered Moral Imagination Framework (CMIF), which is applied to current literature recommendations on reduction and prevention of workplace incivility. The current literature recommendations were summarized through an ethnographic content analysis on existing academic studies conducted on workplace incivility. The result is a précis of current themes in the literature with regard to managing workplace incivility followed by a discussion of missing elements of management as determined through the application of the CMIF. These elements were rolled into ten valuable actions: care ethic, humility, pragmatism, treasure relations, embracing change and diversity, relationship building, dialogue, engagement, understanding and reflect and critique, that were recommended for managers to adopt and model in the workplace. The actions are suggested strategies for managers to use in the workplace when engaging with workplace incivility. I discuss suggestions and implications of the research in the concluding remarks. / Graduate / 0617 / 0344 / 0534 / lynn_86@msn.com

O presente trabalho final de mestrado profissional tem como objetivo analisar a ética cristã e a ética empresarial, buscando aportes para a elaboração de uma possível ética empresarial cristã. O tema é muito atual e carece de fundamentação dentro de padrões que considerem a questão da responsabilidade social em âmbito teológico. A metodologia usada foi a pesquisa bibliográfica e conceitual. Os resultados da pesquisa se mostram a partir da consideração da responsabilidade social em viés teológico e sua possível vinculação com o mundo dos negócios. Concluímos por considerar a possibilidade de uma ética encarnada no seio da gestão empresarial e dos stakeholders, problematizando as várias dificuldades reais e as complexidades normativas de uma organização que prioriza a lógica da maximização dos lucros. Na distinção entre moral e ética, realizamos os aportes necessários à construção de sugestões que permeiem possíveis programas de ética empresarial cristã, elencando questões concretas como salário equânime, participação nas tomadas de decisão, incentivo à organização lúdica e à priorização da dignidade humana. / This final paper for the professional Masters program has as its goal to analyze the Christian Ethic and the Business Ethic seeking contributions for the elaboration of a possible Christian Business Ethic. The theme is very current and lacks foundation within standards which consider the issue of social responsibility in the theological area. The methodology used was bibliographic and conceptual research. The results of the research show up based on the consideration of social responsibility from the theological viewpoint and its possible tie to the business world. We conclude considering the possibility of an ethics incarnated in the bosom of business management and of the stakeholders, problematizing the various real difficulties and the normative complexities of an organization which prioritizes the logic of maximizing the profits. Within the distinction between morality and ethics, we fulfill the necessary contributions which permeate possible programs of Christian business ethics, laying out concrete issues such as equitable salary, participation in the decision making, encouragement for organization of play and the prioritization of human dignity.