Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Hotel, Restaurant, Institution Management and Dietetics / Elizabeth B. Barrett / This research developed a model to assess beliefs and perceptions of employees about following a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) -based food safety program in Childcare Centers. The four Health Belief Model constructs included perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, and barriers. Because of their proven worth in behavioral research, the constructs behavioral intention and self-efficacy were added to the model. An instrument designed to test the model was mailed to directors and foodservice employees at accredited Childcare Centers in six Midwestern states (n = 528). The final response rate was 17.5 percent. Self-efficacy was tested as a moderator between the independent variables and behavioral intentions. Exploratory factor analysis identified factors. Most items loaded as expected, but the construct perceived severity loaded on two factors requiring an additional factor in the model. The final factor names included perceived susceptibility, center consequences, child consequences, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, self-efficacy, and behavioral intentions. The model accounted for 70.07% of the variance for a six-factor model. Perceived benefits and self-efficacy significantly affected behavioral intentions to follow a HACCP-based food safety program. In addition, self-efficacy had a moderating effect on the relationship between perceived benefits and behavioral intentions. Results indicated that directors and foodservice employees understood that children are susceptible to foodborne illnesses. However, they did not believe that a foodborne illness could occur at their Center, and if it did, there would be no consequences to themselves or the Center. Improved construct items need to be developed and tested utilizing a population that has more knowledge about HACCP-based food safety programs. This model should be tested with other populations that are familiar with HACCP-based food safety programs to determine if perceived susceptibility, severity, or barriers have an impact on behavioral intentions to follow a HACCP-based food safety program. Once beliefs and perceptions about food safety practices and behaviors are identified, interventions can be tailored to address specific misconceptions resulting in improved food safety practices and behaviors.

Master of Science / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / Anthony Jurich / Gender is a constructing concept around which the traditionally structured marriage was formed. An undercurrent of traditional thought still influences how women make their decisions around pursuing a career and caring for their children. Their relationships with their husbands, in part influences both their decision-making and experience of their roles. This was a qualitative multiple care study describing women's decision-making around and their experiences of these roles. Themes found in the participant's narratives related to finances, intentional decision-making, and the fluidity of child-care and work roles. Final reflections during the child launching phase of life showed that role congruency was important for the participants and that they were currently satisfied with their situations.

Master of Science / Department of Hospitality Management and Dietetics / Elizabeth B. Barrett / Along with increasing environmental challenges and large quantities of energy demand, many have become concerned about the environment and have implemented “Going Green” strategies. As a result, plans for sustainable development are being adopted by governments, institutions, operations, and individual households. Many National Association of College & University Food Service (NACUFS) members may have heard about sustainability, but they may not apply their knowledge to developing practical outcomes and solutions. Very little research has been published that measures how NACUFS members are responding to Sustainable Waste Management (SWM) and to the new Sustainability Guide published by the NACUFS organization in September 2009. The primary purposes of this study were to ascertain what SWM programs have been implemented in college and university foodservices operations and determine how NACUFS members’ attitudes, subjective norms, and barriers affect the implementation of additional SWM programs based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). A secondary purpose was to identify the differences in intention to implement sustainable waste management programs based on characteristics of the respondents’ age, size of facility, region of the country and if the facility had a sustainable waste management committee. In this study, 2,184 NACUFS members whose e-mail addresses were listed in the NACUFS membership directory were selected as subjects. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 17.0. Multiple linear regression analysis, T-tests, and ANOVA were used to test the hypotheses and research questions. Statistical significance was set at p≤0.05. The total number of responses was 212 resulting in a 13.5% response rate. The majority of respondents had implemented SWM programs that don’t require major resources. NACUFS members had positive attitudes about implementing a SWM program and their superiors, university administrators, and students’ opinions were important others to consider when implementing a SWM program. Whether a college and university foodservice has a sustainability committee was the only demographic that significantly influenced NACUFS members’ intentions to implement a SWM program. Overall, attitude and subjective norms were the only significant predictors of intention to implement a SWM program (p≤.05). Therefore, if NACFUS members have a positive attitude about sustainability, important others around them who agree and there is a sustainability committee within the operation, they are more likely to implement a SWM program. Keywords: Sustainable waste management, TPB, college and university foodservice

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Personal Financial Planning / Sonya L. Britt / John E. Grable / This dissertation explores financial behavior outcomes based on economic, relational, and behavioral characteristics within marriages and individually. Data for the three essays are obtained from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 cohort (NLSY79) and the NLSY79 Child and Young Adult (1986-2008) survey. Essay one examined the determinants of money arguments within marriage utilizing Lundberg and Pollak’s (1994) theory of non-cooperative game theory. Respondents’ negative financial behaviors, higher income, and birth order (being laterborn) were found to influence a greater frequency of money arguments. Essay two examined the predictors of individuals’ financial behaviors, specifically socialization characteristics and gender role attitudes (traditional versus non-traditional). Using a theoretical framework of gender role theory (Eagly, 1987), younger age, not being married, being non-Black, non-Hispanic, being males, and having higher income were all found to be predictive of at least of one of the three financial behaviors used in this study. Finally, using a theoretical framework of Becker’s (1993) theory of human capital, essay three explored the intergenerational transfer of attitudes and human capital across two generations and their possible link to the respondents’ financial behaviors. Results showed that mothers’ enhanced human capital, endowed and attained, and nontraditional gender role attitudes have a significant positive impact on the children’s financial behaviors. Respondents’ income was also found to be significant. Combined results of the dissertation reveal that a link exists between the three issues discussed in the individual papers. Essay one examined what factors, including financial behaviors, might influence spousal money arguments. In response, essays two and three explored the predictors of financial behaviors within one generation and across two generations. These studies may be beneficial to financial planners, counselors, and therapists by exposing specific determinants of positive versus negative financial behaviors. These findings also provide useful information for policymakers in creating programs that best serve the needs of individuals related to their personal financial issues. Overall, by exploring not only monetary, but attitudinal and socialization effects of financial behaviors, this study adds to the body of knowledge related to the encompassing field of personal financial planning.

Master of Science / Department of Hospitality Management and Dietetics / Kevin R. Roberts / The purpose of this study was to explore United States school foodservice directors’ attitudes about food recalls and to determine recall practices in school foodservice operations. An online survey was used for data collection and consisted of three sections: attitudes, self-reported behaviors, and demographics. Content validity of the instrument was measured by three experts who examined the survey prior to pilot testing. The survey was pilot tested with 14 school foodservice directors and state agency personnel. Statistical analysis was completed using SPSS (v. 20.0). Internal consistency of the attitude scale was measured using Cronbach’s Alpha. All scales had a reliability coefficient greater than 0.70. The survey was randomly distributed to 4,049 school foodservice directors across the U.S. A total of 690 school foodservice directors (17%) completed the survey, with 567 being usable. Respondents rated attitudes on a 5-point scale, strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5). Principle components factor analysis was used to identify two factors: perceived importance and perceived likelihood of possessing a recalled product. Perceived importance was rated very high (M=4.8, SD=0.5), while perceived likelihood of possessing a recalled product was rated much lower (M=1.7, SD=0.8). Self-reported behaviors were evaluated on a 5-point scale, never (1) to very often (5). Overall, respondents reported positive behaviors related to responding to a recall. When dividing behaviors into three factors, behaviors regarding communication with state agency and vendors about food recalls (M=4.1, SD=0.6), use of recall systems (M=3.6, SD=1.0), and practices of responding to a recall (M=4.7, SD=0.4) were frequently reported. Multiple regression analysis was used to explore relationships between attitudes and behaviors of school foodservice directors towards food recalls, and their demographic characteristics. Predictors of attitudes were found to be certification, work experience, and prior experience with a food recall. Predictors of behaviors were found to be perceived likelihood of possessing a recalled product, educational level, prior experience with a food recall, and size of district. Federal and state agency personnel can use the results of this study in developing programs to improve food recall practices as well as school foodservice directors for improving recall practices in schools.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Hotel, Restaurant, Institution Management and Dietetics / Ki-Joon Back / Carol W. Shanklin / This study was designed to explore the measurement and application of brand personality congruence (BPC), defined as the gap between the customer’s own personality and a restaurant’s brand personality as perceived by the customer. The study involved two phases: Phase I primarily focused on the development of the BPC scale based on the existing Brand Personality Scale (Aaker 1997), while Phase II involved testing the relationship between BPC and brand loyalty and the mediating effects of satisfaction and trust on that relationship. Both Phases used the online survey methodology for data collection. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the dimensionality of brand personality. The five-factor solution was supported with the dimensions of sincerity, excitement, competence, sophistication, and ruggedness. Exploratory factor analysis showed that brand personality dimensions were not stable for measuring customer personality. Only characteristics most closely associated with the Big Five dimensions of agreeableness, extroversion, and conscientiousness significantly loaded on the customer personality scale. A confirmatory factor analysis of the reduced scale resulted in a 5-factor solution: successful, exciting, unique, sincere, and friendly. Because BPC was operationalized as the gap between the customer’s perceived personality and the restaurant’s brand personality as perceived by the customer, only indicators that were common between the two scales were used to establish the 17-item BPC scale consisting of the following dimensions: exciting, unique, sincere, and leader. In Phase II, second-order structural equation modeling was used to test BPC as an antecedent of the post-purchase evaluations of trust, satisfaction, and brand loyalty. Results indicated strong positive relationships, which suggested that higher congruence with the brand’s personality results in increased trust, satisfaction, and brand loyalty. BPC had the greatest direct effect on trust and also had indirect effects on satisfaction via trust and brand loyalty via trust and satisfaction. Additional analyses showed that trust and satisfaction partially mediated the relationship between BPC and brand loyalty. Trust also mediated the relationship between BPC and satisfaction. Results implied that as the restaurant brand earns a customer’s trust over time, the customer’s evaluation of overall satisfaction with the brand also increases and leads to stronger brand loyalty.

Master of Science / Department of Grain Science and Industry / Charles E. Walker / Potassium bromate is a well-known strong chemical oxidant. It was once widely used by the baking industry all over the world, especially for making frozen doughs. Since potassium bromate has been banned in many countries, many researchers have studied in this area to find a replacement. Ascorbic acid was often combined with potassium bromate in frozen dough making as an oxidant dough additive. In addition, ascorbic acid has different chemical oxidant activity, and its function in yeast leavened dough is not as strong as is potassium bromate. More dough additives have been found, such as enzymes. Enzymes play key roles in bread making. In recent years, enzyme usage in bread making has been increasing, especially for shelf-life extension. Based on the results from this research, potassium bromate use can be replaced by a combination of ascorbic acid and hemicellulase/endoxylanase. However, using hemicellulase/endoxylanase alone cannot benefit frozen dough quality such as finer crumb cell or increasing final bread volume. These experimental results also show that using a combination of ascorbic acid and hemicellulase/endoxylanase can delay the development of bread firmness (staling) after baking. As frozen storage time increased, the firmness of frozen dough bread increased, and the bread tended to have a coarser texture. Hence, larger and uneven grain cells reflect a gray or dark crumb color.

Master of Science / Department of Hospitality Management and Dietetics / Kevin R. Roberts / International college students are becoming a sizable part of the overall college student population in American universities. Studies show that these students come to the United States (U.S) with food habits that could be in variance with the U.S. food safety norms. While food safety in the U.S. is among the safest in the world, foodborne illness has remained a growing concern. Food experts are showing increasing concern about how food habits associated with cultural and ethnic norms are impacting basic food safety practices in the U.S. While minimal research regarding food safety has been conducted with college students in general, no studies have sought to understand food safety practices among international college students. This study investigated self-reported food safety practices of international college students. Specific objectives included: determine international college students’ knowledge regarding basic food safety principles, evaluate international college students’ belief towards food safety, and examine international students’ current food safety practices. The target population was international college students at Kansas State University. An online survey system was used to administer the questionnaires. The respondents were allowed two weeks to complete the questionnaires. To facilitate a higher response rate, two email reminders were sent, the first after one week and another two days prior to the expiration date. SPSS (version 17.0) was used for data analysis. Descriptive statistics were computed to understand the nature of data and provide characteristics of international college students in the study. Independent Samples t-tests were used to examine differences between demographic characteristics. A One-way ANOVA was used to identify differences in food safety knowledge and food handling practices among different ethnic groups regarding food safety. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to measure association between variables. The majority of the respondents did not answer correctly questions related to cooking foods adequately and keeping foods at safe temperatures. The study suggests that most participants had beliefs that enhanced good safety practices. Respondents rarely practiced using a thermometer to determine correct temperatures of cooked foods or using separate cutting boards when preparing raw and ready-to-eat foods. They also reported using towels that were available to others to dry their hands. No significant differences were found between training and self-reported food safety handling practices.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / Kristy L. Pederson-Archuleta / Martin C. Seay / This dissertation consists of three studies exploring the relationship between personality and wealth related variables. The psychological type theory was used as the theoretical framework for the first two studies, while the doctrine of interactionism was used in the third study. All three studies utilized data from the 2010 panel of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). The first study examined the relationship between personality traits and net worth. Linear regression results identified the extroversion and conscientiousness traits as being positively associated with net worth. Furthermore, the agreeableness trait was negatively associated with net worth. The second study explored the relationship between personality preference and stock ownership. This study’s logistic regression results identified the preference for high openness and high neuroticism as significant and positively associated with stock ownership. A high agreeableness preference was significant and negatively associated with stock ownership. The focus of the third study examined how net worth and income mediated the association between personality and life satisfaction. Regression results from this study identified net worth as being a significant mediating variable in the association between the conscientiousness trait and life satisfaction levels. However, income, in addition to net worth, was also a significant mediating variable when the extroversion and neuroticism traits were used to represent personality trait variables. Results from the three studies identified significant associations between personality traits and components of net worth. These findings contribute to the financial planning field by providing useful information in regards to how mental preferences expressed outwardly though personality traits are related to wealth related variables and life satisfaction. Financial planning practitioners can apply these findings to formulate strategies to assist people grow their wealth levels.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Apparel, Textiles, and Interior Design / Sherry Haar / Nell Donnelly created a stylish, practical, affordable pink gingham apron frock in 1916, selling out her first order of 216 dresses the first morning at $1 apiece at Peck’s Dry Goods Company in Kansas City. This study investigates the forces behind the success of her dress, and finds that during the early 20th century, woman’s role became modernized, shifting from that of producer to consumer, and that clothing—in particular, the housedress—was a visible reflection of this shift. Specific attributes contributed to the success of the apron frock in design and social perspective. First, her housedress incorporated current design elements including kimono sleeves, empire waistline, waist yoke, asymmetrical front closure, and ruffle trimmings sensibly. Socially, mass advertising and mass media articles promoted fashion consciousness in women to look as pretty as those in the ad or article. As a result, integrating trendy design elements into an affordable housedress along with the growing demand for a stylish, yet practical housedress guaranteed the success of Nelly Don’s pink gingham apron frock. As such, the availability and value of the apron frock provide a vivid illustration of woman’s shifting role: its popularity as an alternative to old-fashioned Mother Hubbard housedresses demonstrates both women’s new consumer awareness as well as their growing involvement in the public sphere.