Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University

Public place branding in municipalities is increasing in frequency and consists of multiple stakeholders, which enhances the role of communication in this type of project. The research question is how does project communication impact risk management and goal achievement in public place branding projects? This is answered by the main purpose of this study, which is to increase the understanding of the project communication’s role in risk management and goal achievement in public place branding projects. In order to gain this understanding the thesis has had a qualitative case study with an inductive approach. The focus of the theoretical framework is including place branding, project management, strategic alignment, goal achievement, risk management, and project communication. As a case for the study the project Destination South Lapland has been chosen. The project aims to establish a destination enterprise for the region, and includes four municipalities from the counties of Västerbotten and Jämtland. The focus has been to investigate differences in perceptions and handling regarding goals and risks between the strategic and operational level, and how communication is interrelating these areas. The main conclusion that we can draw from the study is that project success factors are based on the projects goals and that project communication of goals, roles, and risks has an impact on goal achievement. The study shows that project communication is what interlinks the success factors and thus enables public place branding projects to achieve its goals. Project risk management and risk assessment was also found as success factors in public place branding projects. Project communication was therefore also found to incorporate risk management into the project strategy, which facilitates public place branding projects in achieving their goals.

This study analyses the way information regarding performance measurements is shared among employees working at the shop floor at Dalvich Optic in Sweden. This study is conducted because many companies failed to implement a system that facilitates daily performance measurements as they neglected the assembly operators’ role in decision making process. Companies focus on measuring wrong parameters and visualize information about performance measurements in wrong way. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that new Information Technology (IT) artefacts are designed by experts for use by experts. IT artefacts are designed without taking into account assembly operators’ skills, education and experiences. Thus, limiting assembly operators’ ability to achieve daily production goals. Therefore, this study highlights the role of both assembly operators and visualizing information at the shop floor and their impact on performance measurements and productivity.   After analysis, this study develops a new IT artefact. The implementation of the new IT artefact at the company leads to a new leadership where management meet assembly operators in a daily basis, creating good environment for direct communication. As a result, the company increased its production by 50 percent compared to the previous year and it has doubled the production compared to 2010. The information about production status became visible and accessible to all employees since the information displayed through the new IT artefact was monitored in an easy-to- understand way. The presentation and visualization of information regarding productivity offered assembly operators and managers the possibility to react quickly when any disparity concerning goal achievement arose. As a result, the new IT artefact enhances assembly operators’ participation at the manufacturing process as well. Assembly operators took active role on manufacturing process since information about performance measurement was compiled and maintained by themselves; thus, positively influencing production outcomes. Furthermore, a new IT artefact created an arena where employees contributed to continuous improvements and problem-solving at work.   This study was conducted during a period of six months. Data was gathered through observations, interviews, and meetings with managers and assembly operators at a manufacturing plant. Furthermore, data from books, articles, and journals helped in analysing the way information was visualized and communicated in a manufacturing plant. ADR, Action Design Research method was used to design a new and simple IT artefact that considers employees’ skills, experiences and education.

First part of the thesis reviews current literature on self-control, with a particular focus on the strength model of self-control. This model asserts that the ability to self-control depends on a limited resource, which gets depleted with its use. According to the model, the ability to self-control is dependent on one resource. The experimental part of the thesis purports to ascertain whether two resources can in fact be identified - one for initiatory self-control and another one for inhibitory self-control. Two types of manipulations were tested in the experiment. The results showed that one type of experimental manipulation hadn't led to any measurable depletion of initiatory self-control whilst the second type of manipulation had indeed led to results that may be interpreted as a support for distinguishing between inhibitory and initiatory self-control. It would be an interesting finding that would broaden our current knowledge about self-control if the findings of the thesis were successfully replicated in a study addressing limitations of the present research. Keywords: self-control, experiment, strength model of self-control, initiatory self-control, inhibitory self-control, Stroop task

Due to the current high levels of urbanisation and the lingering effects of Apartheid, South African municipalities have experienced difficulties in planning for sustainability and more specifically sustainable community development. Sustainable community development is needed in order to achieve more integrated and sustainable towns and cities with an improved urban environment and a higher quality of life. Due to this sustainable community development is of particular relevance to South Africa. Although policies and legislation exist at international, national and local level, there is a lack of suitable planning instruments to guide sustainable community development. Tlokwe Local Municipality is researched as study area to test and develop planning instruments for sustainable community development. An assessment matrix of sustainability indicators is linked to Multi-criteria analysis (MCA) and applied to identify the themes and sub-themes applicable to sustainability in which intervention is required to improve the sustainability rating of the municipality. A Goal Assessment Matrix (GAM) approach is used to score and prioritise municipal projects, plans and strategies according to sustainable community development fundamentals. The top scoring projects are indicative of the achievement of sustainable community development goals and objectives. The result of the sustainability assessment is that the Tlokwe Local Municipality is considered to be relatively sustainable, performing overall better than the three spheres of government against which it was measured. Subsequent to the GAM assessment a lack of alignment between the sectoral plans was identified as well as the duplication of projects. The projects, plans and strategies of the municipality are found to not have been formulated with sustainable community development framework as a guiding goal. It is recommended that municipalities use the assessment matrix methods to determine its level of sustainability when developing respective sectoral plans (SDFs, ITPs, EMFs and IDPs). Areas in which there is a lack of sustainability are highlighted and can consequently be addressed through intervention strategies. Prioritising municipal projects, plans and strategies through the use of GAM identifies crucial projects that need special attention to ensure their successful implementation as this will largely aid sustainable community development. Both the assessment matrix method and the GAM approach are valuable planning instruments with which to achieve sustainable community development. / Thesis (MArt et Scien (Urban and Regional Planning))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

There is no single resource so essential to sustaining life and livelihoods than water (UNDP, 2005). Water is furthermore a strategic resource that not only gives life, but is also a catalyst for development; therefore water has to and must be at the centre of all development plans (Buyelwa, 2009). Water can be the limiting factor for economic growth, upliftment and social development due to its scarcity and uneven distribution. Strategic spatial interface and relationship with water resource planning and management is fundamental to development and realisation of spatial potential. Strategic spatial planning has many components of which the Spatial Development Framework forms the key regulation to guide development and inform investment opportunities. The goal of this study is to determine the degree to which water resource management and planning is incorporated in Spatial Development Frameworks in context of strategic spatial planning. Concurrently international strategic spatial planning procedures and water resource management principles are investigated to correlate the local situation with international trends. A Goal Achievement Matrix (GAM) with ten assessment principles is developed as a tool for evaluation of strategic spatial planning and water resource management documents in terms of the local municipal level. This GAM may be used and implemented as a comparative evaluation tool to compare the degree of integration and implementation of water resource management and strategic spatial planning of local municipal authorities internationally. The percentage score as achieved in evaluation of the GAM indicates the degree of integration of water resource management and planning with strategic spatial planning. The cumulative result of the GAM scored 68% which can be used as a degree of comparison in future studies with other local municipalities, even on an international level. Measured in terms of the different authority levels the local level performed the worst with a 50% GAM score whilst the national level has a high GAM score of 86%. The low local level score indicates that exceptional legislation and policies on national level are not sufficient to eradicate poverty, provide water for all and provide for long-term sustainability if the implementation at local level falters. The low local level score may also be attributed to a lack of institutional capacity and lack of appropriate skills. It is concluded that Spatial Development Frameworks (as a component of strategic spatial planning) and water resource management and planning on a local level are not effectively integrated and it is recommended that water resources and planned future development must be effectively managed and integrated in order to ensure sustainable communities at local level. As a planning recommendation, the Guidelines for the Development of Spatial Development Frameworks developed by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform must be extended to incorporate the integrative approach between strategic spatial planning and water resource management as a fundamental aspect. The effective integration of water resource management and planning in strategic spatial planning is key to sustainable, equitable and viable communities. / Thesis (MArt et Scien (Urban and Regional Planning))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Due to the current high levels of urbanisation and the lingering effects of Apartheid, South African municipalities have experienced difficulties in planning for sustainability and more specifically sustainable community development. Sustainable community development is needed in order to achieve more integrated and sustainable towns and cities with an improved urban environment and a higher quality of life. Due to this sustainable community development is of particular relevance to South Africa. Although policies and legislation exist at international, national and local level, there is a lack of suitable planning instruments to guide sustainable community development. Tlokwe Local Municipality is researched as study area to test and develop planning instruments for sustainable community development. An assessment matrix of sustainability indicators is linked to Multi-criteria analysis (MCA) and applied to identify the themes and sub-themes applicable to sustainability in which intervention is required to improve the sustainability rating of the municipality. A Goal Assessment Matrix (GAM) approach is used to score and prioritise municipal projects, plans and strategies according to sustainable community development fundamentals. The top scoring projects are indicative of the achievement of sustainable community development goals and objectives. The result of the sustainability assessment is that the Tlokwe Local Municipality is considered to be relatively sustainable, performing overall better than the three spheres of government against which it was measured. Subsequent to the GAM assessment a lack of alignment between the sectoral plans was identified as well as the duplication of projects. The projects, plans and strategies of the municipality are found to not have been formulated with sustainable community development framework as a guiding goal. It is recommended that municipalities use the assessment matrix methods to determine its level of sustainability when developing respective sectoral plans (SDFs, ITPs, EMFs and IDPs). Areas in which there is a lack of sustainability are highlighted and can consequently be addressed through intervention strategies. Prioritising municipal projects, plans and strategies through the use of GAM identifies crucial projects that need special attention to ensure their successful implementation as this will largely aid sustainable community development. Both the assessment matrix method and the GAM approach are valuable planning instruments with which to achieve sustainable community development. / Thesis (MArt et Scien (Urban and Regional Planning))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

There is no single resource so essential to sustaining life and livelihoods than water (UNDP, 2005). Water is furthermore a strategic resource that not only gives life, but is also a catalyst for development; therefore water has to and must be at the centre of all development plans (Buyelwa, 2009). Water can be the limiting factor for economic growth, upliftment and social development due to its scarcity and uneven distribution. Strategic spatial interface and relationship with water resource planning and management is fundamental to development and realisation of spatial potential. Strategic spatial planning has many components of which the Spatial Development Framework forms the key regulation to guide development and inform investment opportunities. The goal of this study is to determine the degree to which water resource management and planning is incorporated in Spatial Development Frameworks in context of strategic spatial planning. Concurrently international strategic spatial planning procedures and water resource management principles are investigated to correlate the local situation with international trends. A Goal Achievement Matrix (GAM) with ten assessment principles is developed as a tool for evaluation of strategic spatial planning and water resource management documents in terms of the local municipal level. This GAM may be used and implemented as a comparative evaluation tool to compare the degree of integration and implementation of water resource management and strategic spatial planning of local municipal authorities internationally. The percentage score as achieved in evaluation of the GAM indicates the degree of integration of water resource management and planning with strategic spatial planning. The cumulative result of the GAM scored 68% which can be used as a degree of comparison in future studies with other local municipalities, even on an international level. Measured in terms of the different authority levels the local level performed the worst with a 50% GAM score whilst the national level has a high GAM score of 86%. The low local level score indicates that exceptional legislation and policies on national level are not sufficient to eradicate poverty, provide water for all and provide for long-term sustainability if the implementation at local level falters. The low local level score may also be attributed to a lack of institutional capacity and lack of appropriate skills. It is concluded that Spatial Development Frameworks (as a component of strategic spatial planning) and water resource management and planning on a local level are not effectively integrated and it is recommended that water resources and planned future development must be effectively managed and integrated in order to ensure sustainable communities at local level. As a planning recommendation, the Guidelines for the Development of Spatial Development Frameworks developed by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform must be extended to incorporate the integrative approach between strategic spatial planning and water resource management as a fundamental aspect. The effective integration of water resource management and planning in strategic spatial planning is key to sustainable, equitable and viable communities. / Thesis (MArt et Scien (Urban and Regional Planning))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

A global race between countries for the most valuable medals has triggered the demand of the athletes even more than before. To cope with the increased pressure the athletes not only need physical but also mental strength. Athletes and coaches stresses the importance of motivation to build the mental strength that is needed. This study researched Swedish wrestling and was built on eight elite wrestlers thoughts and experiences regarding motivation. The goal was to examine these experiences in relation to the athletes ongoing athletic career and goal achievement. The study started as a working project from the Swedish Wrestling Association and their purpose was to study the athletes road to becoming wrestlers at the highest levels of the game. Qualitative data form the eight elite wrestlers was gathered from interviews with questions regarding their journey from starting with wrestling to becoming athletes at the highest level of the game. The respondents ages varied from 19 to 31 and during the interviews they had to reflect on the subjects at hand. Results of the study pointed out the importance of high objectives and the self belief that is necessary to become the best in the world. The athletes that participated in the study also felt the need for interim goals to push forward and pinpointed all the sacrifices that is key to succeed at the highest level of international wrestling. The paper also discusses three key psychological needs within the Self-Determination theory connected with the athletes experiences. The essential need to be apart of something larger, be able to influence their own existence and also be pushed to limits where development occur but not surpass their own ability. As a conclusion this study tries to give answers to how the athletes stay motivated in the ever-changing sports climate.

BAKGRUND: Evidens påvisar att reumatologisk rehabilitering i multidiciplinära team, innehållande sjukdomsinformation, läkemedelsbehandling och fysisk träning individuellt eller i grupp, har gynnsam effekt på sjukdomsförloppet. Tidigare studier har visat att self-efficacy har positiv betydelse för att uppnå aktivitetsmål. För att i högre grad uppnå aktivitetsmål är det viktigt att formulera realistiska och patientspecifika mål samt utvärdera dessa för att uppnå god behandlingseffekt. Ett formulär som undersöker måluppfyllelse och används kliniskt är Patientens Prioriteringslista (PGPL).   SYFTE: Undersöka måluppfyllelse av prioriterade aktiviteter avseende förmåga, nöjdhet, self-efficacy och rädsla för att utföra en aktivitet i samband med en träningsperiod. Även specifikt analysera hur self-efficacy påverkas, hos patienter med inflammatorisk ledsjukdom mätt med PGPL.   METOD: En kvantitativ studie med 20 deltagare, tio i intensivgrupp och tio i rehabiliteringsgrupp. Skattning av prioriterade aktiviteter, mätt med PGPL, jämfördes före och efter träningsperioden. Grad av måluppfyllelse jämfördes också mellan grupperna.    RESULTAT: Majoriteten av deltagarnas prioriterade aktiviteter tillhörde kategorin rekreation. För båda grupperna sågs signifikant skillnad (p= <0,05) avseende förmåga samt nöjdhet över att utföra en aktivitet före respektive efter träningsperioden. En signifikant skillnad sågs också vad gäller self-efficacy i intensivgruppen. Self-efficacy var signifikant högre i intensivgruppen jämfört med rehabgruppen efter genomförd träningsperiod.   KONKLUSION: Resultatet tyder på att en träningsperiod påverkar måluppfyllelsen och hade inverkan på deltagarnas förmåga samt nöjdhet över att klara en aktivitet. Self-efficacy ökade hos deltagarna i intensivgruppen. / BAKGROUND: Evidence shows that rheumatological rehabilitation in multidisciplinary teams, including disease information, drug treatment and physical exercise, have effect on the course of illness. Studies shows that self-efficacy is important in goal achievement. It is considerable to formulate realistic, patient-specific goals and evaluate them to achieve good treatment effect. A form that examines goal achievement and used clinically is Patient Goal Priority List (PGPL). AIM: Analyze goal achievement regarding ability, satisfaction, self-efficacy and fear to perform an activity in relation to a training period. Also specifically analyze how self-efficacy affects in patients with inflammatory joint disease, measured with PGPL. METHOD: A quantitative study, with 20 participants, ten in intensive group and ten in rehab group. Estimation of priority activities measured with PGPL, compared before and after the rehab period. Level of goal achievement was compared between the groups. RESULTS: Prioritized activities were mainly in the category of recreation. For both groups, significant difference (p= <0,05) were seen for ability and satisfaction in performing an activity before and after the training period. A significant difference was also seen regarding self-efficacy in the intensive group. Self-efficacy was significantly higher in the intensive group compared with the rehab group after completed training period. CONCLUSION: The result indicates that a period of training affects goal achievement and had effect on the participants’ ability and satisfaction to perform an activity. Self-efficacy increased in the intensive group.