The aim of this thesis is to gather insights on the underlying social factors behind the current state of controller roles in a multinational enterprise. Additionally, the thesis explores the possibility of managing perceptions and expectations of controller roles, in accordance to corporate business objectives. In order to do this, theoretical concepts of Role Theory, Boundary Spanning and Identity Control were utilized. This paper has a qualitative research design and is based on an embedded single-case study. Due to the exploratory nature of the research, the study is based on the method of „systematic combining‟. The objectives of the company were to establish both local and regional controllers as business partners. Findings indicate that the regional controller could focus on business advisory tasks to a large extent due to a formally appointed role, whereas the local controllers were restricted by their role and expectations to focus more on scorekeeping and managerial duties. The term „business partner‟ was spread throughout the organization. By ascribing this label to controllers, other expectations on the role were induced, which also infers a higher hierarchical positioning. Future research could go more in depth on the process of internalizing values.

This thesis, comprising two studies, investigated whether negative expectations and self-perceptions relating to the aging process are associated with less physical activity (Study 1), and whether less active adults are likely to report age as a cause for physical activity failure than more active adults (Study 2). Using Sarkisian et al.’s (2002) Expectations Regarding Aging (ERA-38) survey, Study 1 first developed reliable and valid sub-factors for constructs relating to general aging expectations (GAE) and aging self-perceptions (ASP) by conducting exploratory factor analyses on 167 adults (M age = 59.5). Results revealed three acceptable GAE sub-factors relating to satisfaction/contentment, physical function and cognitive function, and three ASP sub-factors pertaining to functional, social, and sexual health. Subsequent MANOVA analyses showed that active adults reported higher GAE for satisfaction/contentment and cognitive function than less active adults. Regression analyses revealed that physical activity levels positively predicted satisfaction/contentment and physical function expectations among 45-54 yr olds. In Study 2, 177 adults (M age = 60.1) completed our Causal Dimension Scale for Aging (CDSA) and a survey asking whether age was a likely cause of failure in various physical activity contexts. Responses on the CDSA were used to validate ‘General Attributions towards Age’ (GATA), a measure which captured how adults view the aging effects. Subsequent analyses of variance determined that GATA interacted with physical activity status (active, less active) to influence the reported likelihood of age as a cause for failure. Less active adults with stable/uncontrollable GATA reported greater likelihood of age as a cause for failure than all other groups in gym, recreational/community program, and unstructured/spontaneous activity settings. Separate age group analyses indicated that these trends were pronounced in an unstructured/spontaneous activity setting for 45-54 yr olds, and in a generally recently inactive scenario for 55-64 yrs.

Two factorsrole duality and school sizeimpact teaching principals abilities to fulfill their roles and responsibilities. Principals with significant teaching loads experience role duality a situation in which one person fills two distinct roles. Teaching principals experience role tension and conflicts between professional teaching concerns, leadership demands and management issues. Further tensions are created when policymakers demands fail to recognize complexities around the roles of a teaching principal working in a unique context (Dunning, 1993; Wilson & McPake, 2000). Specifically, though the tensions of role duality are known to be more challenging in small schools, exceptionally small schools are a different context altogether. My autoethnographic study examined the complexity of my teaching principals role in an exceptionally small rural school. It was guided by a central question: How does the context of an exceptionally small, rural school impact upon a teaching principal's role(s)? Sub questions included: (a) How do stakeholder expectations (school staff, community, division, Ministry) impact a teaching principals roles and responsibilities in an exceptionally small rural school? and (b) What challenges and opportunities does a teaching principal face in an exceptionally small rural school? Documentation from two daily personal journals and my what I do log during the 2009 2010 school year provided research data. My analysis focused on three themes: fractured roles, capacity to meet expectations and establishing relationships. This study added to current research rich narratives describing the impact of an exceptionally small school on a teaching principals role.

Concerns, Desires and Expectations Of Surgery For Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Comparison Of Patients’, Parents’ & Surgeons’ Perspectives. Master of Science, 2008 Unni G. Narayanan Department of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation University of Toronto ABSTRACT This study explored the concerns, desires (goals) and expectations of adolescents undergoing surgery for idiopathic scoliosis, and contrasted their priorities with those of their parents and surgeons. Parents were more concerned than their children about the consequences of scoliosis and of surgery. With the exception of improving physical appearance, surgeons' goals of surgery were different from those of either the patients or parents. There was little agreement among surgeons about the natural history of scoliosis, other goals of surgery and the likelihood of specific outcomes. Parents wanted and expected more from surgery than their children. Parents and patients had greater expectations of surgery than surgeons. Although adolescents had different priorities from their parents, parents were aware of these differences and reliably predicted their children’s priorities. These findings have important implications on shared decision-making and informed consent, and might contribute to better understanding and measurement of outcomes that matter to patients.

Concerns, Desires and Expectations Of Surgery For Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Comparison Of Patients’, Parents’ & Surgeons’ Perspectives. Master of Science, 2008 Unni G. Narayanan Department of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation University of Toronto ABSTRACT This study explored the concerns, desires (goals) and expectations of adolescents undergoing surgery for idiopathic scoliosis, and contrasted their priorities with those of their parents and surgeons. Parents were more concerned than their children about the consequences of scoliosis and of surgery. With the exception of improving physical appearance, surgeons' goals of surgery were different from those of either the patients or parents. There was little agreement among surgeons about the natural history of scoliosis, other goals of surgery and the likelihood of specific outcomes. Parents wanted and expected more from surgery than their children. Parents and patients had greater expectations of surgery than surgeons. Although adolescents had different priorities from their parents, parents were aware of these differences and reliably predicted their children’s priorities. These findings have important implications on shared decision-making and informed consent, and might contribute to better understanding and measurement of outcomes that matter to patients.

This senior thesis project examines how the educational system in Ecuador affects the youth of the country. It al so explores the aspirations mothers have for their children in terms of obtaining an education as well as their opinions about the current educational system in Ecuador. The investigation consisted of conducting interviews with both indigenous mothers who live in the countryside and mothers who live in the city of Quito. 1 chose to study two different demographics because I was curious if there were differences within the two groups on these issues. Moreover, 1 used my own observations as well as literary works to help me corroborate the information 1 received from the mothers to help me draw my conclusions. As 1 finished my interviews with 4 mothers from Cotacachi and 4 mothers from Quito, 1 found that the adolescents do differ in the way they access education, and how mothers perceive the educational system. Through data and interviews, 1 gathered that access to education as well as level of school attained by indigenous mothers and children is much lower than that of those in Quito. Nonetheless, there were similarities between the two groups in that they both had high aspirations for their child's educational future. Even though there are problems and inequalities in the educational system in Ecuador, the mothers expressed some hope as the government has made some positive changes.

This thesis, comprising two studies, investigated whether negative expectations and self-perceptions relating to the aging process are associated with less physical activity (Study 1), and whether less active adults are likely to report age as a cause for physical activity failure than more active adults (Study 2). Using Sarkisian et al.’s (2002) Expectations Regarding Aging (ERA-38) survey, Study 1 first developed reliable and valid sub-factors for constructs relating to general aging expectations (GAE) and aging self-perceptions (ASP) by conducting exploratory factor analyses on 167 adults (M age = 59.5). Results revealed three acceptable GAE sub-factors relating to satisfaction/contentment, physical function and cognitive function, and three ASP sub-factors pertaining to functional, social, and sexual health. Subsequent MANOVA analyses showed that active adults reported higher GAE for satisfaction/contentment and cognitive function than less active adults. Regression analyses revealed that physical activity levels positively predicted satisfaction/contentment and physical function expectations among 45-54 yr olds. In Study 2, 177 adults (M age = 60.1) completed our Causal Dimension Scale for Aging (CDSA) and a survey asking whether age was a likely cause of failure in various physical activity contexts. Responses on the CDSA were used to validate ‘General Attributions towards Age’ (GATA), a measure which captured how adults view the aging effects. Subsequent analyses of variance determined that GATA interacted with physical activity status (active, less active) to influence the reported likelihood of age as a cause for failure. Less active adults with stable/uncontrollable GATA reported greater likelihood of age as a cause for failure than all other groups in gym, recreational/community program, and unstructured/spontaneous activity settings. Separate age group analyses indicated that these trends were pronounced in an unstructured/spontaneous activity setting for 45-54 yr olds, and in a generally recently inactive scenario for 55-64 yrs.

Syfte – Syftet med denna studie är att mäta förväntningar och behov hos deltagare vid ett kommande idrottsevent i Sverige, Öppna Svenska Mästerskapen Triathlon – långdistans (SM). Design/metod/tillvägagångssätt – Mätningen utfördes med hjälp utav två mätinstrument, SERVQUAL för att mäta deltagarnas förväntningar och Kano för att mäta deltagarnas behov. En webbenkät utformades där 103 respondenter svarade. Resultat – Studiens resultat påvisar ett övervägande högt värde av servicekvalitet vid tidigare triathlonevenemang men även höga förväntningar på det kommande tävlingsevenemanget (SM). Resultatet visar därtill att determinanterna materiella ting, tjänstvillighet och empati summerande kan ses som outtalade behov och därav som attraktiva kvaliteter. Determinanterna tillförlitlighet och försäkran kan ses som uttalade behov och kan därav fungera som konkurrensfördelar mot andra tävlingsevenemang. Originalitet/värde – Studiens värde visar sig i hur företag och andra organisationer kan erhålla information och kunskap om sina kunder gällande mätandet av förväntningar och behov för att i framtiden använda detta till att skapa mervärde till sina tjänster. Nyckelord – Mätning, förväntningar, behov, SERVQUAL, Kano / Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to measure expectations and needs of participants at a upcoming triathlon sporting event in Sweden called Öppna Svenska Mästerskapen Triathlon – långdistans (SM). Design/methodology/approach – The measurement was made with the help of two measuring instruments, SERVQUAL for measuring the participants expectations and Kano for measuring the participants needs. An online survey was utilized with a total of 103 respondents. Findings – Results showed an overall high value of service quality at earlier triathlon events but also high expectations on the upcoming event (SM). Results showed that the determinants tangibles, responsiveness and empathy could be seen as summing unspoken needs and thereby as attractive qualities. The determinants reliability and assurance could be seen as spoken needs and which the organizer of the sporting event could use to compete against other organizers. Originality/value – The paper’s importance is demonstrated by how companies and organizers could obtain information and knowledge of the customers regarding measuring expectations and needs in order to create value-added services in the future. Keywords – Measure, expectations, needs, SERVQUAL, Kano

This bachelor thesis will have its focus on Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. The central claim of this thesis is that in the novel Great Expectations, the protagonist Pip is used by Dickens as a metaphor for the British urbanization during the period of industrialisation.       The literary theory that will help to analyse and prove this claim will be New Historicism. The central praxis of using non-literary historical documents and comparing them it to a literary text such as Great Expectations will be used in the discussion part of this thesis. As New Historicism tends to be unclearly defined, this thesis applies H.Aram Veeser’s definition and his definition is explained in this thesis.      The thesis is structured thus firstly, Pip’s time in the marshes will be discussed and in this discussion and the following ones. Characters that influence Pip is used to see Pip’s alternation.Secondly, after discussing Pip’s time in the marshes, his time in London is discussed. Finally, Pip’s return to the marshes after living in the city is discussed to clearly see his change in attitude and whether the urbanisation is for the better or it worsens his state of mind. Pip’s journey in Great Expectations expresses an ambivalence against urbanization. As urbanisation has great expectations in the rural communities, Pip sees that this comes to a high cost.

The main goal of this bachelor thesis is to present why boys and girls choose to enroll at the Swedish Baseball and Softball Academy, a form of sport profiled education given within the Swedish high school system. A secondary purpose is to present the types of expectations the adolescents have before enrollment, while also examining what they encounter as satisfaction factors during their time at the academy. The results show that the significant factors critical for the eventual enrollment are friends, passion and development within baseball or softball. Before the enrollment, students have expectations of good, quality and hard practices. The students state that factors such as friends and the community where the academy is located is important for their wellbeing and comfort. The results and discussion of this thesis aim to highlight information that the academy could use for possible development of the organization.