<p>The purpose of this study is to investigate and review literature that examines whether job satisfaction and procedural justice have a positive relationshipwith employees organisational citizenship behaviour in a brick manufacturing industry</p>

Communication is regarded as the lifeblood of any organisation. It plays a vital role in ensuring the smooth functioning of all organisational activities. Communication enables individuals and departments to work together harmoniously to achieve a common goal. It allows leaders to inform, influence and motivate employees towards goal attainment. The survival and profitability of the protection services department studied depends on their leaders ability to effectively communicate with its workforce. Effective communication should be an ongoing process in this organisation. The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the effectiveness of communication amongst supervisors at the protection services department. The key dimensions that were explored in this study are the defensive scores dimension (namely, evaluation, neutrality, control, superiority, strategy and certainty) and the supportive scores dimension (namely, provisionalism, spontaneity, empathy, problem orientation, equality, and description). The research was conducted at the protection services department in Marianhill, Durban. Cluster sampling was used in this study. Various statistical techniques were used to test the six hypotheses. The results were analysed and a presentation and discussion of the respondents perceptions were presented. From this study, it is evident that there is an immediate need for development in the two key dimensions, namely, the defensive scores dimension (evaluation, neutrality, control, superiority, strategy and certainty) and the supportive scores dimension (provisionalism, spontaneity, empathy, problem orientation, equality and description). The limitations of the study and suggestions for further research are also outlined. Furthermore, a discussion of the possible causes for the findings are included, along with recommendations to improve the effectiveness of communication amongst supervisors in the organisation. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2003.

The primary purpose of this study was to determine how Louisiana agricultural producers get information related to their crops. Specifically, this study examined how Louisiana agricultural producers used the Louisiana State University AgCenters website and other media sources so that it could be determined which form of community media could be used to facilitate cross-cultural communication between LSU AgCenter field and state agents and Louisiana agricultural producers. Data for this study were obtained from 187 usable surveys completed by Louisiana agricultural produceragricultural producers. The data were analyzed to determine if producers utilized the LSU AgCenter website, the frequency they utilized it, detect the trust Louisiana producers had in information provided by the LSU AgCenter on its website, ascertain what additional information Louisiana producers would like to see provided on the LSU AgCenters website, determine if social media was an acceptable means of communicating with producers, and identify factors related to how and when information provided by the LSU AgCenter was used in Community media vehicles. The studys findings indicated The Delta Farm Press was the source producers used to get agriculture-related information. Ag consultants were the second most used source that Louisiana agricultural producers used to receive information. LSU AgCenter agents/offices were the third highest source and the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation was listed as the fourth highest source for agriculture-related information. It was also found that the largest number of producers who accessed the LSU AgCenters website did so on a monthly basis and that they trusted material provided by the LSU AgCenter. In addition, the study found Louisiana producers wanted a mobile weather application, as well as more information about markets, more interactive material, and information available in Spanish. In addition, several of the producers indicated they were not aware of all of the services offered on the LSU AgCenters website. For instance, weather information is one of the services producers indicated they would like to see on the website. Weather information is available on the website, but it may not be structured so that it is easily found by visitors to the website.

Self-efficacy, gender, and motivation are subjective predictors of students' academic achievement. Self-assessment prompted by knowledge surveys involves metacognition, i.e., students' awareness of how they learn. Knowledge surveys can be used to measure changes in students' achievement level and to assist students in content review and inspire reflection on one's ability to learn. In this work, I combined the above predictors into the survey to determine whether achievement in general chemistry can be foreseen. My proposed research will be conducted on 426 students enrolled in General Chemistry I classes (Chemistry for science majors) during a regular 15-week semester at Louisiana State University. The MQSL survey was administered during the last week of classes. Data were analyzed via descriptive statistics, and correlation, linear and multiple regression statistical analyses with the correlation of total grades throughout the semester. The three predictors are ranked in terms of their significance in predicting achievement in chemistry.

The primary purpose of this study was to determine Ukrainian farmers characteristics based on demographic information, describe their agricultural production, land ownership, best farming practices and determine factors that could influence farmers gross income. Of the tree Oblasts selected, a total of 250 farmers were randomly selected in two of the oblasts and 150 in the other (due to the size of the population in the smaller sample) for personal interviews by the raion specialists. Random samples were drawn from these lists using a computerized random numbers table. Survey was designed to collect necessary information. Raion specialists received one-day training session to learn personal interview techniques. Overall, most of the farmers, (approximately 84%) indicated to have a degree of technical college or above. The average age of farmers was 45.8 which approximately 11 years younger than farmers age in the United States. Also, this study found that most of the farmers - (545), received their land from the village council title and use farming as their major source of family income. However, only 25% of farmers indicated receiving financial credit for agricultural production. The major reason for not applying for financial credit was high interest rate. Also this research concluded that size of agricultural land was the most influential factor on Ukrainian farmers gross income which correlates with high amount of black soil in Ukraine that requires less agricultural inputs for the high crop production. Based on the research findings the researcher concluded that Ukrainian government should developed programs to improve credit accessibility with reducing annual interest rate, establish farmers credit unions and also develop legislation for governmental crop insurance program similar to the Catastrophic Coverage (CAT) Act that was passed in U.S. in 1994. Also, most of the participating farmers had mixed crop-livestock farming. This type of agricultural production made it very difficult to calculate specific crop gross income per hectare due to combined collected information about agricultural inputs. Further research needs to be done with more detailed information about inputs or with population of farmers with narrow crop or livestock production to be able to determine optimum size of owned or leased land.

This study explored the usefulness of variable measures gained from the Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (BCSSE) as a way to predict student academic performance and identify potential at-risk students. First-year GPA was used as a measure to determine at-risk status and selected BCSSE variables and institutional data were examined as predictors of student performance. The target population included all first-time freshmen at a small, regional university in the south in the fall 2010, 2011, and 2012. The accessible population for the research questions on BCSSE completion included all students who completed the BCSSE in the given years of the study (N=2,007). The accessible population for the research questions on at-risk students included all entering freshmen who completed at least one year of enrollment (N=3,045). Results indicated that a large relationship exists between high school GPA and student performance as measured by first-year GPA. A statistically, but not practically significant relationship exists between selected BCSSE variables and student performance as measured by first-year GPA.

This research study addressed teachers perceptions of the use of social networking via mobile devices and the impact that social media accessed via mobile devices has on the learning engagement of students in grades 9-12 in select Louisiana high schools, in a rural southern parish of the United States (Gibbs, 2012). The study examined teachers perceptions of whether or not the use of social media improved students engagement in learning activities. Some researchers assert that the use of social media and smart cell phones is both the current and future mode of communication and that educators would do well to embrace these technology tools in the classroom, instilling correct use of the social media networking, or digital citizenship (Smith, 2007). Social media networking can inspire students to manipulate language and can also enhance student engagement in the classroom (Kolb, 2008). Other researchers maintain that social media networking through mobile devices promotes use of shortcuts, abbreviations, idioms and slang through chat acronyms. This study examined these two schools of thought by disseminating a 52 question survey to 240 high school teachers via Survey Monkey. Only 51 were completed on Survey Monkey because of parish technology difficulties. Ninety-five teachers completed the surveys by way of paper copies. Results of both surveys were merged (a total of 146) to form the data used . Quantitative methods and results were balanced by qualitative analyses of teacher written responses to survey questions. The responses to the survey questions were used to determine whether the use of social media networking via mobile devices such as cell phones in grades 9-12 secondary classrooms increased student engagement in learning activities. Overall this study revealed that teachers perceived the use of social networking via mobile devices would improve student engagement in learning activities as the mobile devices would motivate the disengaged student by addressing differentiated learning, vary learning styles and promote collaboration in the classroom. The perception of the teachers is that students already know how to download applications, calculate problems, research, email, and text on mobile devices enabling easy access to learning anytime, anywhere (Peat & Maldonado, 2006).

This study investigated the impact a freshman-year seminar course, UNIV 101, had on students second-year retention. Retention was determined based on a students subsequent enrollment at the university, one year after their initial semester. In addition, this study explored the relationship between selected independent variables found in literature and second-year retention. Finally, the study sought to determine if selected variables, completion of UNIV 101, and final letter grade earned by students in UNIV 101 was able to predict the probability of retention. The target population for this study was all first-time freshmen enrolled in a small, public, regional institution in Southeastern United States. The accessible population of this study was first-time freshmen in their initial enrollment in UNIV 101 during the Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, and Spring 2012 semesters (N=2,464). Data was analyzed using correlation and direct logistic regression. It was determined that a very large and very strong relationship exists between completers of an extended-orientation, freshmen-year seminar course with a common theme and attendance policy taught by professional academic advisors with students second-year retention. More specifically, completers of the freshmen-year seminar course were more than 11 times more likely to be retained than non-completers. It was further determined that the final letter grade that students earn in an extended-orientation, freshmen-year seminar course with a common theme and attendance policy taught by professional academic advisors can predict the probability of students second-year retention. More specifically, students who earned an A or B in the extended-orientation, freshmen-year seminar course with a common theme and attendance policy taught by professional academic advisors were more than 14 times and 8 times (respectively) more likely to be retained for a second year. Finally, other student attributes were also found to have a statistically significant relationship with second-year retention. Selected student attribute variables found in literature-included age, gender, ethnicity, high school grade point average, and highest composite ACT score.

Historically, women and minorities have been underrepresented in executive school leadership. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of Five African American women who in spite of historical statistics became superintendents. The pathways taken by African American women superintendents have failed to manifest educational leadership literature. Researchers, who have chosen to study African American women in leadership, focus mostly on the barriers they face. Findings from this study may be used to inform minority women with superintendent aspirations of experiences that led others to the top. The findings may also be use to support efforts made by university administrators to include the stories of African American women in educational leadership discourse. The methodology used for data collection was a semi-structured interview with Five Superintendents across a southeastern state. The themes that emerged from this study include: Early Aspirations, Professional Experiences, Job Attainment, Mobility, and Reflections. The professional experiences of each participant varied, as each took a different route to the superintendency. They credited their job attainment to student success, their ability to develop teachers, being the only qualified candidate, and a reputation of being fair and consistent. Findings that emerged from an investigating into past mobility, reveals that majority of the participants were the first African American Women Superintendents appointed to their respective districts. Overall, an attribute common to all their stories of ascension was a Barrier-to-Opportunity mindset. Each addressed what others would consider a barrier as an opportunity to grow and showcase their abilities.

Teacher efficacy studies in agricultural education have primarily focused on documenting the perceived teaching efficacy of agriculture teachers. A limited number of studies have focused upon the factors that may help shape those efficacy beliefs. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to investigate the factors that may contribute to the teaching efficacy beliefs of beginning agriculture education teachers. These factors included perceived collective efficacy, perceived principal support, and perceived teacher preparation program quality. The population for this study included all agriculture teachers in Missouri and Kansas (N=213) who had not completed more than five years teaching agricultural education at the conclusion of the 2012 2013 academic year. The instruments used in this study included a modified version the Teachers Sense of Efficacy Scale Short Form, the Principal Behavior Scale, the Collective Efficacy Scale Short Form, and the Teacher Preparation Scale. Multiple regression analysis revealed that two factors, perceived collective efficacy and perceived teacher preparation program quality, accounted for 34% of the variance, indicating other factors beyond the scope of this study affect the teaching efficacy beliefs of beginning agriculture teachers. It is recommended that future research be conducted regarding the status of the perceived collective efficacy of the agricultural education profession. Recommendations and plans to develop new and existing programs to increase the collective efficacy of individual schools and the agricultural education profession are discussed. It is further recommended that refinement of the Teachers Sense of Efficacy Scale be conducted to develop an instrument better suited to address the various roles and responsibilities of agricultural education teachers.