No / Purpose - To present a complete and comprehensive model by which business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce transactions for sales and purchases between organisations may be categorised. Design/methodology/approach - Literature from the e-commerce and operations management fields was studied, and the findings were synthesised to develop a preliminary conceptual model of B2B interaction. The conceptual model was tested empirically using a qualitative research procedure involving focus groups. From this, its structure and content were validated and refined. Findings - The research found that the developed model, incorporating nine exclusive e-commerce trading scenarios, covers all B2B selling and purchase transactions, which suggests that it is comprehensive. It further found that trading occurs in each of the nine scenarios within the model, thus suggesting that it is complete. These findings support the conclusion that the model represents a valid taxonomy for the classification of B2B e-commerce transactions. Research limitations/implications - Although the literature findings are international, the empirical study was restricted to the UK. The model has been validated through this research, and now provides a framework by which the mechanisms of B2B trade may be further investigated. Practical implications - The model allows commercial organisations and researchers to recognise and understand the complexity and multiple dimensions of e-commerce use for B2B sales and purchases. It provides a framework onto which individual trading scenarios may be mapped. The framework offers guidance to operations and supply chain managers in organisations as to the most appropriate approach to adopt in particular e-commerce implementation projects and supply chain transactions. Originality/value - This paper furthers knowledge in the areas of e-commerce and operations management by proposing a new model of B2B interaction. This provides a comprehensive means of classifying all available transaction types, the characteristics of these and the likely technology used within them. It offers the ability, systematically, to identify, map and understand all available B2B e-commerce trading mechanisms.

Yes / Social Cognitive Theory has been used to explain findings derived from focus group discussions (N = 4) held in the United Kingdom with the aim of informing best practice in personalised nutrition. Positive expectancies included weight loss and negative expectancies surrounded on-line security. Monitoring and feedback were crucial to goal setting and progress. Coaching by the service provider, family and friends was deemed important for self-efficacy. Paying for personalised nutrition symbolised commitment to behaviour change. The social context of eating, however, was perceived a problem and should be considered when designing personalised diets. Social Cognitive Theory could provide an effective framework through which to deliver personalised nutrition. / This work was supported by the European Commission under the Food, Agriculture, Fisheries and Biotechnology Theme of the 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (265494).

Economic uncertainty and heightened competition for money among nonprofits has necessitated more efficient and effective resource development programs. Despite the many significant contributions of female donors, women's philanthropy has been largely unrecognized. Women have been left out of the majority of research on philanthropy, thus traditional male-based models of fundraising may not translate well with female prospects because of gender differences in giving. This study examined motivating factors that led women to donate to nonprofit organizations, specifically the Virginia 4-H program. The study explored 32 female donors' motivations for giving, factors that impacted their satisfaction with giving, and motivating factors that resulted in repeat donations and giving at higher levels. The qualitative methodology combined focus groups and a validation questionnaire to determine themes that explain the multi-faceted nature of fundraising and the complexity of exploring and understanding female donor behavior. Results of this study are consistent with the six Cs of female philanthropy as proposed by Shaw and Taylor (1995), and findings corroborate other literature on female philanthropy. Expanding the six Cs to include compassion and community may provide more definitive answers to motivational factors impacting female philanthropy. Knowledge of these variables will enable the Virginia 4-H Foundation Board of Directors to refine development efforts by implementing a development plan that respects altruistic characteristics of both men and women. Additionally, the findings contribute to the growing literature on female donors, an acknowledged need. / Ph. D.

Osteoporosis is a debilitating disease that afflicts an estimated 25 million Americans, especially women. Suboptimal intakes of calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D contribute to development of osteoporosis. Results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) indicate that adult women do not meet the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for calcium. Results from other national studies indicate that adult women consume less than the recommended number of servings of dairy foods per day. Focus groups were conducted in rural and urban areas of Virginia to gain insight into middle aged women's perceptions of dairy foods. Four focus groups were conducted with a total of 39 women. The majority of the women were between the ages of 35 to 50 years; all were non-Hispanic white women. All had a minimum of a high school education, and the majority had some education beyond high school. Discussion questions addressed preferences for dairy foods, advantages and disadvantages of dairy foods, factors that influence dairy food choices, and possibilities for product improvements. Focus group discussions were audio taped and transcribed by the moderator. The moderator identified major and minor themes; women's responses were organized thematically. Results were reported in the following broad theme categories: perceptions of health and nutrition that influenced dairy food choices and factors that influenced dairy food choices. The predominant negative perception of dairy foods was that dairy foods were high in fat. Women also negatively associated dairy foods with lactose intolerance and kidney stones. The predominant positive perception of dairy foods was that dairy foods were a good source of calcium. Women also believed dairy foods were a good source of vitamins, although they were unsure of specific vitamins found in dairy foods. Participants were aware of osteoporosis, but many were not knowledgeable about risk factors or prevention related to osteoporosis. Many women used calcium supplements or vitamin-mineral supplements to help meet dietary calcium requirements. Results indicate a need for education on the role of dairy foods in osteoporosis prevention. Women's preferences for dairy foods influenced dairy food choices. Product characteristics, such as sensory attributes, convenience, cost, availability, and packaging, were mentioned as factors that greatly influenced dairy food choices. The majority of women stated that other household members influenced dairy food choices. Women also mentioned that physicians and media sources, such as magazine advertisements and television commercials, influenced their dairy food choices. Nutrition education for this population should continue to promote the view that "all foods can fit" into a healthy eating pattern. Nutrition education should be geared toward the fast paced lifestyle these women lead. Product development should focus on convenience items. / Master of Science

The purpose of the present study was to gain insight on the real and perceived needs of food stamp recipients for use in developing nutrition education programs. Six focus group interviews with 26 food stamp recipients were conducted in six Virginia counties. Transcripts of the meetings were analyzed to identify themes prevalent in all of the focus group interviews. Ninety-two 24-hour food recalls from a different sub-group of food stamp recipients were also analyzed for food consumption frequencies, trends in food preparation, and common food purchasing locations. A key finding was that most focus group participants made food-related decisions while in the grocery store. Explanations for incidences of food resource scarcities included beliefs that the amount of food stamps was insufficient and that poor food purchasing decisions were made. Predominant food behavior changes that had been previously attempted were decreasing consumption of fat and fried foods and reducing portion sizes. Most of the reasons for attempting those behavior changes involved a desire for weight loss. Prevalent nutrition education interests were low-fat cooking and child nutrition. Results of the 24-hour food recall analysis indicated an inadequate consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals, and dairy products. Seventy-five percent of the subjects purchased food in a grocery store and prepared meals at home. / Master of Science

Diploma thesis "The Influence of Regional Media on Readers' Perception of Politics in Melnik" refers on a survey of accepting media framing of politicians, politics and important issues by regional media readers in the town of Melnik. Methods of framing and focus groups were used in the survey. First the methods were introduced. The method of framing was used for qualitative content analysis of five printed media from 2005 to 2007. The media were daily Melnicky denik, weekly Tydenik Melnicko, monthly Melnicka radnice, weekly Tep regionu and regional supplement of Mlada fronta Dnes for Central Bohemia. The author of this work focused on several most important issues of the 2005 to 2007 period and he observed how respondents accept or decline the framing of these problems offered by politics, journalists and other participants of Melnik political life. To do this he organised focus groups discussions with Melnik inhabitants in the age of 26 to 75 years of age. They discussed their opinions and beliefs on local politics. This work is a subjective insight into the world of regional media effects on readers, in this case focused on political issues.

Reducing medication wastage is a paramount objective in promoting appropriate utilisation of finite resources and preventing negative consequences. The aim of this research was to investigate aspects of medication wastage in Malta by applying mixed methods research and, by doing so, contribute original knowledge to this area. A systematic review was conducted to appraise critically, synthesize and present the available evidence on the possible causative factors associated with medication wastage and the effectiveness of any interventions focusing on wastage reduction as an outcome measure. Findings indicated that only one published paper reported a definition of medication wastage. The main factors contributing to wastage were ‘change in medication’, ‘patient's death’, ‘resolution of patient's condition’ and ‘passed expiry date’. Very few studies reported medication wastage as an outcome measure. The Delphi technique was applied to define ‘medication wastage’ and its contributory factors in the context of the Maltese population. A definition for medication wastage was generated with 86% of panellists agreeing/totally agreeing and sixty-one possible factors leading to wastage were identified by the panellists. The perspectives of the Maltese population, healthcare professionals and students on medication wastage were investigated through cross-sectional surveys. Results of questionnaires indicate lack of patient education and knowledge with the free healthcare system and the overstocking of medication by patients due to previous or potential out of stock situations as contributors to medication wastage. The beliefs and behaviours regarding medication wastage of the Maltese public and healthcare professionals were explored during focus groups. The theoretical domains framework was adopted to design the focus group guide and to interpret systematically the findings. Five key themes emerged which were proposed as solutions to minimise medication wastage: system effects, practitioner effects, patients effects, political effects and awareness and educational effects Research results and findings from all four phases will facilitate the systematic development of strategies and policies, with emphasis on prioritisation, with the aim of minimising medication wastage at all levels.

<p>Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to increase the understanding of the link between internal marketing and customer relationship management by conducting a case study of one Nordea call center.</p><p>Background: Keeping existing customers is less expensive than acquiring new ones. Nowadays, up to sixty percent of marketing budgets are being dedicated towards retaining customers. So forth customer relationship manage-ment is slowly beginning to penetrate the banking industry as sustaina-ble relationships between organizations and their customers are becom-ing more evident.</p><p>Theory: The case study is based on an internal marketing model by Bansal et al. (2001) which shows how managers can influence the job satisfaction of their employees through six dimensions. Based on the previously men-tioned model, customer relationship management theory and the service marketing triangle by Kotler et al. (2002), the researchers present their our own model, at the end of the theoretical section, which seeks to en-hance the understanding of the link between internal marketing and cus-tomer relationship management.</p><p>Method: Since there was lacking theoretical evidence in how to link internal marketing to customer relationship management, the study was of exploratory nature. Qualitative data was collected by conducting two fo-cus groups (independently of each other) at one Nordea call center. The first focus group was composed of five managers and the second focus group of three frontline employees.</p><p>Conclusion: Nordea has been used as an example to illustrate that customer relation-ship management, such as using sales opportunities to strengthen rela-tionships with customers, is dependent on managers‟ ability to “sell” the organization‟s customer relationship management ideas to its front-line employees. Moreover managers have the ability through the six dimensions of internal marketing to affect job satisfaction which in turn will determine how frontline employees make use of the sales opportu-nities provided by Nordea‟s content management system (CMS).</p>

MEd thesis / Abstract This study explores teachers’ understanding about ways in which assessment supports learning and teaching within the context of grappling with the new curriculum. It argues that formative assessment, supports a socialconstructivist view of learning and teaching. It suggests that formative assessment functions in a fundamentally different way to summative assessment, and could assist teachers in moving towards a more conceptual approach to learning and teaching. Teachers’ views are explored in focus groups in which teachers discuss their choice and use of either traditional or alternative assessment tasks, in their mathematics lessons. The findings suggest, however, that teachers’ ability to use assessment in this way is influenced by their own views of mathematics learning, their current views of assessment, the amount of support provided in the assessment materials, and the practices of the school. Key words Formative assessment Social constructivist Focus groups Phenomenography Primary school Mathematics Assessment Investigations

Introdução - A alimentação de boa qualidade quando oferecida à criança pequena, determina o pleno desenvolvimento deste indivíduo em todas as fases de sua vida com repercussão para as gerações futuras. Bebês e crianças pequenas dependem inteiramente de seus cuidadores para saber o que, quando e como comer. Objetivo - Caracterizar barreiras e facilitadores na adoção da alimentação complementar em crianças de 6 a 12 meses, sob a ótica de cuidadores. Métodos - Trata-se de um estudo com abordagem qualitativa que utilizou a técnica do grupo focal em dois encontros, o primeiro com mães frequentadoras de uma Unidade Básica de Saúde em um município da região metropolitana de São Paulo e o segundo com mães que frequentam uma clínica de pediatria privada no município de São Paulo. Para abordar as questões de gênero realizou-se entrevistas em profundidade com pais que foram abordados individualmente. O tema central de todos os encontros foi a alimentação complementar das crianças entre 6 e 12 meses, por meio de roteiros previamente estabelecidos. Os relatos foram gravados, rigorosamente transcritos e deles constituíram-se as seguintes categorias de análise: Crenças, opiniões e atitudes; Influências formais e informais sobre as práticas de alimentação complementar; Papel dos Fatores Socioeconômicos e Questões de gênero. Resultados - Os sistemas de crenças familiares afetam as práticas de alimentação das crianças. As influências informais, tais como redes de apoio de familiares e parentes, redes sociais, internet se digladiam e ganham espaço sobre as formais, caracterizadas pelas orientações recebidas pelo pediatra e outros profissionais de saúde. Há uma transformação evidente no papel do pai, que abarca atitudes de compartilhamento e envolvimento com os filhos, porém a divisão de tarefas entre os gêneros é desigual e revela sobrecarga para a mãe. Os dilemas e dúvidas são de toda ordem e independem da realidade sociocultural. Conclusões - Os serviços de saúde pela proximidade que possuem na abordagem da pessoa e das famílias encontram-se numa situação privilegiada para orientar. É necessário, porém, que sejam capazes de providenciar informação e apoio nas questões mais cruciais sobre alimentação complementar de forma clara e com exemplos, instrumentalizados pelo conhecimento do impacto que cada escolha provoca e desta forma motivar os cuidadores a um novo comportamento ou mudança. Que seja incluída orientação com explicação sobre o impacto da parentalidade responsiva. Que as intervenções incluam participação do pai e das avós e que as mensagens, além da mãe, se estendam a ambos e por fim, que a Internet seja utilizada como veículo por fontes confiáveis para a propagação das mensagens sobre alimentação complementar. / Introduction - A good quality diet in young children promotes optimal development during all phases of life and impacts future generations. Babies and young children are reliant on their caregivers to know what, when and how to eat. Objective - To characterize barriers and facilitators for adopting complementary feeding in infants aged 6-12 months, from the perspective of caregivers. Methods - A qualitative study using the focus group technique was conducted. Two meetings were held, the first involved mothers who were users of a Primary Health Unit in a city located in the metropolitan region of São Paulo, whereas the second involved mothers who were clients of a private pediatric clinic in São Paulo city. Gender-specific issues were addressed by holding in-depth interviews with each father separately. The central theme for all meetings was complementary feeding of infants aged 6-12 months using pre-established scripts. Participant narratives were recorded, carefully transcribed, and the following categories of analysis derived from them: Beliefs, opinions and attitudes; Formal and informal influences on complementary feeding practices; Role of Socioeconomic Factors and Gender Issues. Results - The belief systems of family members influence child feeding practices. Informal influences, such as support networks of family members and relatives, social networks and internet increasingly compete with formal influences such as guidance from the pediatrician and other health professionals. There was a clear shift in the role of fathers, encompassing attitudes of sharing and involvement with the children, although the division of tasks between genders was skewed, with mothers overburdened. All manner of dilemmas and doubts emerged, independently of sociocultural situation. Conclusions - Health services, given their proximity to both the individual and families, are best placed to provide guidance. However, they must be able to provide clear information and support on the most crucial issues concerning complementary feeding with examples. This must be supported by knowledge on the impact of each choice, thereby encouraging caregivers to modify behavior or change. Guidance with explanation of the impact of responsive parenting should be included. Interventions should involve fathers and grandmothers, where messages should be directed to both these groups, besides the mother. Lastly, the internet should be used as vehicle by reliable sources of information to communicate messages about complementary feeding.