Substantial research on the functionality of athletic apparel has been conducted; however little consideration has been given to the plus size figure. Societal messages suggest that overweight women are lazy and therefore would not be interested in athletic apparel. The purpose of this study was to determine overweight adult women's experience with athletic clothing. The sample consisted of 14 women, ages 30 to 65 who wore size 1X to 3X. They were each supplied with a Nike brand athletic outfit and participated in two in depth interviews. Data collection methods included qualitative interviews, quantitative surveys and guided journaling. The major findings suggest that overweight women have difficulty shopping for clothing. Difficulty and frustration was experienced on a number of levels including; limited stores, limited selection and styles, fitting issues, over-priced items and less color options compared to smaller sizes. The findings suggest overweight women experience emotional anxiety when trying on clothing for the first time. Dissatisfaction with clothing fit was attributed to the belief their body is unsuitable and needs to change. Satisfaction with clothing fit was attributed to the ability of the apparel designer. Many negative experiences have left this sample feeling disappointed and marginalized. Some participant's experienced increased desire to participate in physical activity while others felt exercise was a necessity regardless of the clothing available. By trying on the Nike brand clothing, it gave the women in this study an alternative way of dressing themselves which has enabled several women to feel differently about their size and their body in athletic clothing. The current sample showed behaviors of internalization by using dehumanizing terms to describe body parts. The sample felt discriminated against in the media and wanted to see larger women modeling clothing. Apparel companies should include a wider variety of sizes in their brick and mortar stores as to not alienate a population. Apparel companies should incorporate diverse models into advertisement to include the plus-size population. Proving high quality athletic apparel to plus size women provided an opportunity for them to experience their bodies in a new perspective. Future studies should develop new pattern making, grading and sizing techniques in order to provide better fitting athletic apparel for large size bodies. Studies expanding on fit and comfort of athletic apparel for large bodies should be explored. This paper provides an initial indication of how plus size women experience athletic apparel. Further understanding of clothing, fit and exercise behavior are needed. / Graduation date: 2013 / Access restricted to the OSU Community at author's request from July 18, 2012 - January 18, 2013

De mänskliga resurserna kan ses som den viktigaste beståndsdelen inom organisationer, på grund av att medarbetarnas arbetskraft är den ursprungliga orsaken till effektivitet, kapital och upprätthållning av maskiner. Medarbetarnas arbetsmotivation är på så vis väsentlig att studera eftersom arbetsmotivation är ett av de viktigaste verktygen för att medarbetare ska kunna uppnå ett gynnsamt arbetsresultat. Omotiverade medarbetare skulle troligtvis bidra med en ytterst liten eller ingen ansträngning alls i sitt arbete. Det kan i många fall vara en utmaning för arbetsgivare att upprätthålla en hög arbetsmotivation, eftersom medarbetare efterfrågar olika behov för att upprätthålla en hög arbetsmotivation.Studien tar utgångspunkt i yttre symboliska och yttre materiella motivationsfaktorer eftersom yttre arbetsmotivation är av betydelse för medarbetares prestanda på arbetet som utförs. För att kunna besvara studiens problemformulering har studien tillämpat en kvalitativ metod där intervjuer genomfördes på medarbetare från fallstudiens två olika avdelningar. Den organisation som studeras är en industriorganisation, vilket är intressant att studera eftersom det är en bransch som växer sig större i Sverige och framförallt inom Västra Götalands län. Därmed vill studien beskriva vikten av att upprätthålla medarbetares arbetsmotivation och hur den kan skiljas åt mellan olika avdelningar. Resultatet i studien presenterar vikten i att känna till medarbetares olika behov eftersom de visats sig uppstå skillnader både inom efterfrågan på olika motivationsfaktorer och även medarbetarnas syn på definitionen av arbetsmotivation. Dock är det viktigt att ha i beaktning att studiens resultat endast är en indikation på hur medarbetare kan få ökad arbetsmotivation utifrån yttre symboliska och yttre materiella motivationsfaktorer, samt hur medarbetarnas arbetsmotivation kan skiljas åt inom olika avdelningar tillhörande samma organisation. / Human resources are probably one of the most important component within organizations, due to the workforce of employees is the original cause of efficiency, capital and maintenance of machines. Employees' work motivation is the essential to study since work motivation is one of the most important tools for employees to achieve a favorable work result. Unmotivated employees would probably contribute little or give no effort at all in their work. In many cases it can be a challenge for employers to maintain a high level of work motivation, because the employees seems to have different needs to keep their motivation at the highest level.The study has been based on external symbolic and external material motivational factors, since external work motivation is important for employees' performance in the work accomplished. In order to give answer to the study's problem formulation a qualitative researching method has been used, in which interviews were made on employees from the case study's two different departments.The study was made on an organization within the industry. This industry is growing larger in Sweden and especially in Västra Götaland County, where the study took place. The study wants to describe the importance of maintaining employees' work motivation and how it can be different between departments. The results of the study showed the importance of knowing the different needs from employees since it has been found out there have been differences in both the demand for different motivational factors and also the employees' views on the definition of work motivation. However, it is important to keep in mind that the study's results are only an indication of how employees can gain increased work motivation based on external symbolic and external material motivation factors, and how employees' work motivation can be differentiated within different departments belonging to the same organization.