Thesis advisor: David L. Blustein / Critical studies have developed a tendency to schematically neglect the ways in which individuals actively participate in social and self-construction, even while constrained by the systems in which they are embedded. The current study explores discursive forms of self-construction embedded in an organizational hierarchy. Under critical analysis are 13 interviews with individuals employed as mid-level administrators by a large, private Catholic university in the United States (heretofore referred to as “PC University”). As mid-level university employees, most administrators are structurally bound to institutional priorities to some degree, regardless of any personal interpretation of supporting and competing discourses. In the context of this “middle ground,” people may be situated at intersections of overlapping and competing discourses, feeling pulled to position themselves differently depending on the context and its perceived stakes and expectations. How and why they make sense of, (re)constitute, and resist this positionality (in the context of a research interview situation) are the topics of interest. This study utilizes Foucauldian discourse analysis (FDA; Arribas-Ayllon & Walkerdine, 2017), a translation of critical discourse analysis (CDA; Martínez-Alemán, 2015). To aid in establishing empirical rigor, I enlisted principles from constructivist grounded theory (CGA; Charmaz, 2017). The shifts and innovations to the original grounded theory (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) that Charmaz evokes make the method an ideal match for studying subject formation from a critical (Foucauldian) discourse-analytic perspective. Results eventually took the form of 12 recurrent patterns grouped into 3 coherent groups. These groups corresponded to the categorical ways in which participants explained or justified their beliefs and actions related to institutional change. Generally, participants justified statements in three ways: in terms of morality, rationality, and fear. In terms of self-construction, how participants constructed change often related to group identification and outgroup orientation and ultimately, whether or not participants identified with the institution or as an outsider. These identifications were fluid in conjunction with changing circumstances including how groups were constructed and described in any given moment. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2019. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology.

Based on a study of knowledge transfer from a multinational corporation head office to subsidiary, this study examines the ease of cross border knowledge transfer to developed, developing and least developed countries impacted by varying institutional contexts. Institutions are clustered based on Scott’s institutional theory (1995), into normative, cognitive and regulative pillars that frame the mental models and approaches of actors in these institutional contexts. The study proposes that the institutional sectors of education systems, embeddedness of foreign firms, and authority systems impact ease of knowledge transfer from a MNC head office to its subsidiaries in developed, developing and LDCs. Therefore this study makes an important contribution to the literature on cross border knowledge transfer in that it suggests that the external institutional contexts contribute to effective knowledge transfer. The research provides management with an indication of the institutional elements that impact ease of transfer of knowledge, and the extent of interventions that can be optimised, to reduce the time; cost and effort associated with knowledge transfer initiatives that will ultimately increase their efficiency. The research aims to provide useful insights for practitioners wanting to minimise the barriers to knowledge transfer and optimise employee knowledge transfer initiatives. The overall outcome of the study is that as the socio-economic development increases, the ease of knowledge transfer increases. The study, hence contributes to the international business literature by identifying how inter-organisational knowledge transfer can be improved across borders. Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences and expectations of community college students attending Temple College and Central Texas College regarding what they may expect as part of the vertical transfer process in order to improve the likelihood of their persistence to graduation at Texas A&M University-Central Texas (TAMUCT). The target population was approximately 700 students enrolled in two feeder Texas community colleges who had expressed intent to transfer to TAMUCT. The response rate was 19%, and 136 useable surveys were used for analysis. The sample was 74% female, 45% White with the majority minority. To assess the relationships between community college experiences and transfer expectation variables, correlations and logistic regression were used. No linear relationships were found regarding gender, age, ethnicity, highest level of parents' education, the aspirational variables of highest academic degree intend to obtain at any college or university and at TAMUCT, and the feeder community college attended and the two scales. A statistically significant relationship was found between parental income level and reported community college experiences (F(4, 79) = 2.612, p = .042) and vertical transfer expectations (F(4, 52) = 3.318, p = .017). Community college students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds may utilize the community college to upper-level institution vertical transfer pathway as a way to obtain an affordable baccalaureate degree. Community colleges and university administrators need to continue working together to establish unique and creative ways to create seamless transitions for vertical transfer students utilizing the community college to upper-level institution pathway to degree completion.

”Sista stoppet” – Utmaningar och möjligheter på SiS särskilda ungdomshem är en kvalitativ studie med syfte att belysa de olika möjligheter och utmaningar som personal möter i förändringsarbetet med ungdomar på SiS särskilda ungdomshem. Det empiriska materialet bygger på sju semistrukturerade intervjuer med personal som arbetar på SiS särskilda ungdomshem. Studien bygger på Foucaults perspektiv om makt samt Vygotskijs teori om utveckling. Det finns stora utmaningar att möta den blandade problematik som infinner sig på SiS särskilda ungdomshem, samt att skapa relationer och motivation i den komplexa miljö som ungdomar och personal befinner sig i. De möjligheter som till synes finns på SiS särskilda ungdomshem är att skapa en trygg grund, i form av relationer, rutiner, struktur och skola. Förutsättningarna för ett lyckat behandlingsresultat bygger på också på insatser efter utskrivning.

Diploma thesis "Formation of market institutions in Russia at the turn of 19th and 20th century" discusses the creation of a modern capitalist economy and the market institutions in Russia in the 19th century. The selected period undoubtedly changed not only the social and economic system, but the overall Russian history. In this study, the significant role plays the analysis of trade institutions, which are very important in determining the modern economic system. Also, one of the parts of this thesis is the analysis of social, economic and community development, geographical particularities, international relations and the level of industrialization. The aim of this diploma thesis is to analyse the causes and results of the formation of market institutions in Russia, as the criteria for the transition from traditional to modern society. The thesis also compares the Russian experience with the experience of other European countries.

Richmond lies on a rise of ground near the Wasatch range in the east central part of Cache Valley. In 1855 John Bair led a small party to the vicinity of Richmond to explore it. Four years later (1859) they returned and established homes. The community grew quite rapidly. In 1860 when Jesse V. fox, territorial surveyor, made the first survey, 104 people claimed land. The first public building was a combination church and school house. A ditch connected with High Creek was built in q860. In 1868 the village was incorporated with W. D. Hendricks as the first mayor.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Joint Program in Oceanography (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences; and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), February 2000. / Includes bibliographical references. / Compound-specific carbon isotopic (613C and A14C) data are reported for lipid biomarkers isolated from Santa Monica Basin (SMB) and Santa Barbara Basin (SBB) surface sediments. These organic compounds represent phytoplanktonic, zooplanktonic, bacterial, archaeal, terrestrial, and fossil carbon sources. The lipids include long-chain n-alkanes, fatty acids (as FAMEs), n-alcohols, C30 mid-chain ketols and diols, sterols, hopanols, and ether-linked C40-biphytanes of Archaea. The data show that the carbon source for most of the biomarkers is marine euphotic zone primary production or subsequent heterotrophic consumption of this biomass. Two lipid classes represent exceptions to this finding. A14C values for the n-alkanes are consistent with mixed fossil and contemporary terrestrial plant sources. The archaeal isoprenoid data reflect chemoautotrophic growth below the euphotic zone. The biomarker class most clearly representing marine phytoplanktonic production is the sterols. It is suggested, therefore, that the sterols could serve as paleoceanographic tracers for surface-water DIC. The isotopic data are used to construct two algebraic models. The first calculates the contributions of fossil and modern vascular plant carbon to SMB n-alkanes. This model indicates that the A14C of the modern component is +235%o (post-bomb) or 0%o (pre-bomb). The second model uses these values to determine the origin of sedimentary TOC. The results are comparable to estimates based on other approaches and suggest that -60% of SMB TOC is of marine origin, modern terrestrial and fossil sources contribute -10% each, and the remaining -20% is of unknown origin. / by Ann Pearson. / Ph.D.

Thesis (Sc. D.)--Joint Program in Oceanographic Engineering (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Ocean Engineering; and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), 1987. / Bibliography: p. 164-171. / Vita. / by James Henry Miller. / Sc.D.

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In an overall sense, the purpose of this study is to examine closely the evolutionary process with respect to institutional evolution. The position which holds that the evolutionary process generates efficient institutional forms is seen to be dependent upon a certain set of conditions being met. In the more general case, however, the evolutionary process oftentimes generates outcomes that are unintended, inefficient, and undesirable; consequently placdng man in what has been referred to as a “social dilemma." At base, this outcome is a result of simple utility maximization on the part of individuals. Policy prescriptions and attitudes towards policy are likely to change once this is noted and understood. / Ph. D.