Thesis advisor: Zhushan Li / Higher education institutions are expected to improve the employability-related outcomes of their graduates. Previous assessments of graduate employability have largely focused on assessing the quality of a graduate’s first career-related position after graduating, referred to as their first destination, under the assumption that graduates who secure higher quality first destinations are more highly employable. Previous assessments of first destinations have focused more on simple descriptive information (e.g., monetary compensation, number of hours worked per week, etc.) as opposed to evaluating more complex, multidimensional constructs related to employment quality. Assessing these types of constructs would not only provide institutions with more information on graduate employability outcomes, but could also improve the quality and utility of this information. This study investigated whether the theory of Person-Job (P-J) Fit could be generalized to assess a new self-report employment quality construct for recent Bachelor’s degree graduates called First Destination Fit (FDF). Using a mixed-methods research design, the study investigated the dimensionality of this construct, the extent to which the construct is invariant for graduates who secure employment first destinations versus all other types of first destinations (e.g., continued education, military service, etc.), and the extent to which the construct is associated with similar constructs as P-J Fit. Survey scale items were rigorously developed, evaluated, and refined using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, including both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, as well as cognitive interviews. The results suggested a four-dimensional framework for understanding FDF. These dimensions were Needs-Tasks fit, Needs-Field fit, Previous-Experience-Tasks fit, and Previous-Experience-Field fit. In large part, these dimensions were found to be related to similar constructs as P-J fit has been found to be related to, particularly for graduates with employment-type destinations. However, this four-dimensional framework was found to be better fitting for graduates with employment-type destinations compared to graduates with non-employment destinations. The study contributes a newly developed and rigorously evaluated scale for HEIs to use to collect new, important information about their graduates’ employability. It also began the process of validating this new scale using advanced psychometric testing. Implications for the scale and future directions for research are discussed. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Research, Measurement and Evaluation.

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Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych) / While research into children’s subjective well-being (SWB) has advanced over the past decade, there is a paucity of cross-cultural research, particularly in South Africa. Moreover, while the adaptation and validation of instruments in English and Afrikaans are evident, other language groups have not received much attention. This study aimed to provide structural validation of the Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale across a sample of children in South Africa using multi-group analysis across three language groups (Setswana, Xitsonga, and Tshivenda). Within this process, the study aimed to use multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA) to compare the structural validity and measurement invariance of the three language groups. Finally, the study aimed to determine the convergent validity of the three language groups of the SLSS by regressing them onto the single-item Overall Life Satisfaction Scale (OLS). The study uses data from Wave 3 of the South African Children’s Worlds Study and included a sample of 625 children across the language groups (Setswana: n = 187; Sesotho: n = 170; and Tshivenda: n = 268). For the overall pooled sample an excellent fit was obtained for a single-factor model, including one error-covariance. Standardised regression weights of the items ranged between .43 and .73. MGCFA revealed an acceptable fit for the configural model (unconstrained loadings); however, metric (constrained loadings) and scalar invariance (constrained loadings and intercepts) was not tenable. However, through the application of partial constraints metric invariance was tenable when Item 5 (I like my life) was freely estimated, while scalar invariance was tenable when Item 1 (I enjoy my life) and Item 5 (I like my life) were freely estimated. The results suggest that the Items: My life is going well; I have a good life; The things in my life are excellent; and I am happy with my life, are comparable by correlations, regression coefficients, and latent mean scores across the three language groups. Convergent validity using the OLS was obtained for the pooled sample and across the language groups. The key contribution of the study is establishing that the Setswana, Sesotho, and Tshivenda translated and adapted versions of the SLSS are valid for use within the South African context to measure children’s SWB, and that they can be grouped together in an overall pooled sample.

The purpose of this study was to develop a typology of small apparel manufacturers (SAMs), firms classified between SIC 2310 to 2389 and less than 50 employees. The objectives were to (a) determine if distinct manufacturing strategies existed among SAMs, (b) develop a profile of these groups using environmental factors known to affect the apparel industry and small businesses (i.e., customer service, operations, barriers, assistance, customer size, customer location, competitor size, competitor location), (c) develop a profile of SAMs based on demographics (i.e., SIC, end-use for products, manufacturing process, type of firm, fashion position, employee size, manufacturing strategy, marketing strategy, annual gross revenue), and (d) determine the existence of a relationship between SAMs use of market strategies and manufacturing strategies. Data were collected from 146 SAMs, which represented 15 states with the highest number of SAMs. Factor analysis was used to identify manufacturing strategy factors (i.e., flexibility, environmental consciousness, product attributes, lot sizes), which were used to cluster respondents; and environmental factors (i.e., customer service, education/industry awareness, flexibility, timing, unit costs, production resources, technology/automation, consistency in sales, investment capital, import reductions). Four clusters of manufacturing strategies emerged and were profiled according to environmental factors and demographic variables (i.e., products, product classification, manufacturing processes, type of firm, type of fashion, manufacturing strategies, marketing strategies, firm's employee size, annual gross revenues). Significant differences occurred among the four manufacturing strategy groups and environmental factors. Significant differences occurred among the four manufacturing strategy groups and demographic variables. No relationship existed between manufacturing strategy groups and their marketing strategy. / Ph. D.

A factor analysis was performed using 609 subjects, each of whom completed the 265 Hem self-report problem inventory. Factor analysis was used in this context as the logical first step in the development of the problem inventory. For the purpose of analysis, 240 of the Hems were used. Results suggest that there may be utility in further research involving the problem inventory. A literature review of current diagnostic issues, se 1 f-report inventory issues, diagnostic interviewing issues, and finally, self-report inventory development is included.

In a multicultural society such as South Africa, there is a need for valid and reliable instruments measuring personality. Most personality instruments currently used in South Africa are imported from abroad and therefore have limited utility in the South African context as they have been developed for a specific group. The introduction of technology has resulted in personality measuring instruments increasingly being administered by means of computer-based assessments. The dramatic increase in computer-based assessments has sparked debate regarding the use of various response scale categories in personality assessment. The present study, which forms part of the broader South African Personality Inventory (SAPI) project, focused on the preliminary qualitative personality structure produced by the SAPI project, which is categorised into nine clusters. The current study aimed to determine whether a dichotomous or a polytomous response scale administered by means of computer-based assessments would be more suitable for measuring the preliminary personality structure of the SAPI. The participants were first- and second-year undergraduate students enrolled at a tertiary institution (N = 490). The inventory consisted of 262 closed-ended personality statements and was administered in both the dichotomous (“agree” and “disagree”) and polytomous (“strongly agree”, “agree”, “somewhat agree/disagree”, “strongly disagree” and “disagree”) response scale form. The results, which were based on an exploratory factor analysis, revealed that 37.2% of the items in the dichotomous response scale were problematic, whereas only 3.6% of the items in the polytomous response scale were problematic. By comparing the factor structures of the dichotomous and polytomous response scales, the polytomous response scale was determined to be more suitable for measuring the preliminary personality structure of the SAPI. The conclusion was based on two specific criteria. Firstly, the factor structure across the polytomous response scale loaded similarly to the qualitative personality structure that was conceptualised in the first phase of the SAPI project. Secondly, Cronbach alpha coefficients, ranging from 0.60 to 0.87 across the nine factors, with the exception of the Integrity and Openness clusters with values of 0.45 and 0.53 respectively, for the polytomous response scale were higher than those yielded by the dichotomous response scale. / Mini Dissertation (MCom (Industrial Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Human Resource Management / MCom (Industrial Psychology) / unrestricted

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(経済学) / 甲第18037号 / 経博第490号 / 新制||経||268(附属図書館) / 30895 / 京都大学大学院経済学研究科経済学専攻 / (主査)教授 西山 慶彦, 准教授 奥井 亮, 講師 末石 直也 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Economics / Kyoto University / DGAM

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医学) / 甲第18858号 / 医博第3969号 / 新制||医||1008(附属図書館) / 31809 / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻 / (主査)教授 福原 俊一, 教授 古川 壽亮, 教授 村井 俊哉 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

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