The primary goal of this dissertation is to determine the relationship between the effects of tourism and stakeholders' quality of life. Specifically, the research investigates stakeholders' perception of the impact of tourism on their life domains, their satisfaction with life domains, and their overall life satisfaction. The relationships among these three components are examined. Depending on the types of stakeholders, their perceptions of and attitudes toward the impact of tourism and quality of life might be different. Therefore, the moderating effect of stakeholders' perceptions of the impact of tourism in life domains and satisfaction with life domains is investigated. Accordingly, the study proposes three research questions: (1) Does the perception of tourism impact in life domains affect satisfaction with different life domains? (2) Does satisfaction with life domains affect overall QOL? (3) Does the perspective of different stakeholders have a moderating effect on the relationship between the perception of tourism impacts in life domains and satisfaction with life domains? The sample population of stakeholders residing in Hawaii, Virginia, Orlando (FL), Las Vegas (NV), and New York City (NY) was surveyed. Four hundred seven usable questionnaires were subjected to data analysis. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and hierarchical multiple regression (HMR) were performed to test the hypotheses.     The results revealed that the stakeholders' perception of the impact of tourism in the material life domain did affect their material life domain satisfaction. This study also indicated that their satisfaction with the material and non-material life domains significantly influenced their overall quality of life. The hypothesized moderating effects of the perspective of different stakeholders on the relationship between the perception of the impact of tourism in material/non-material life domain and the material/non-material life satisfaction were supported. / Ph. D.

Retiring from work is a major personal and professional transition and has a major influence on one's life. It is imperative that these retired individuals endeavor to adjust to this life and change and learn to effectively manage their time. Tourism and gerontology researchers have been aware of the importance of seniors tourism and leisure activities to enhance their well-being. However, limited attention has been recently devoted to senior consumers, who are still often not included in a range of marketing practices in tourism studies. Therefore, this dissertation focuses on senior tourists who are over the age of 65 and retired, and mainly focuses on a senior's travel motivation, and examines the antecedents of travel motivation; personal values and travel constraints and their consequences; satisfaction with salient life domains of QoL, and overall QoL. The sample population of seniors residing in Jeju, South Korea was surveyed. A final sample of 328 were subjected to data analysis. Structural equation modeling (SEM), Chi-square difference test, independent t-tests, and multi-group analysis were performed to test the hypotheses. The findings of this dissertation revealed that a positive relationship between personal values and travel motivation of seniors. This means that if the senior tourists with strong personal values, then they are more motivated to go travel. On the other hand, travel constraints did have negative significant influence on travel motivation. Another finding of the study showed that travel motivation affect their satisfaction with different life domains; if they are highly motivated, they are more satisfied with their life domains including family, social, emotional, leisure and health life, which in turn contribute to their overall quality of life. Findings also indicated that statistical significance of the moderating effect in the model, thus suggesting that there were some meaningful moderating effects of the type of leisure activity patterns on the relationship between satisfaction with life domains and overall quality of life. The study also provided managerial implications for tourism marketers and destination managers. / Ph. D.

Whether the stated goal of a program is to improve health, reduce crime, or to increase standard of living, the ultimate goal of social programs is to improve overall quality of life. An adequate measure of this outcome would help determine whether achievement of these more specific goals (e.g., health, education) really leads to improvements in overall life quality, and would allow trade-offs to be made in terms of funding across programs. However, an understanding of the determinants of life quality (i.e., the mechanism by which a program did or did not have its intended effect) is also essential to program evaluation and the design of future programs.This study constitutes the analysis of an existing dataset of individual traits, life circumstances, satisfaction with a list of 30 life domains, and overall quality of life for 193 healthy elders to test a hypothesized model of the determinants of life quality. As expected, domain satisfaction appears to be a function of life circumstances. Individuals' traits (e.g., age, sex, personality) modify this relationship, but neither they, nor respondents' reports of domain importance, appear to have any direct effect on quality of life. Instead, domain satisfactions alone are the most proximal determinants of overall quality of life. It also appears that individuals respond differently in terms of overall quality of life to reductions in satisfaction with certain domains than to increases. These findings should be evaluated further as they could affect the design of future successful programs. Because individuals' traits and individuals' ratings of domain importance seem to have no effect on the relationship between domain satisfaction and overall quality of life, it may not be essential to measure these in future studies. Finally, although the data on life domains available to this study were sufficient to generate these results, the first step in the development of adequate measures of overall quality of life and of domain satisfactions will be the construction of a comprehensive, fully-representative list of the life domains that comprise life as a whole.

More than a decade has passed since Agnew (2005) introduced his General Theory of Crime and Delinquency (GTCD). Despite this interval, GTCD remains a relatively untested theory. Drawing on previous testing efforts, the current research provides a systematic assessment of Agnew's theoretical propositions. It also provides only the second empirical examination of Cochran's (2015) extension of GTCD, which incorporates religion as a sixth distinct life domain. Nested negative binomial regression modeling and Poisson regression modeling are used to assess the effects of life domains on several diverse forms of self-reported criminal behavior at two distinct stages of development: adolescence and adulthood. Data are drawn from two waves of the second generation of the Kaplan Longitudinal and Multigenerational Study. Consistent with prior empirical tests, results provide mixed support for theoretical propositions, highlighting the complexity of Agnew’s initial theory. Specifically, general support is provided for the direct effects of both theories’ variables, indicating they are important to the explanation of crime. Also, in line with Cochran's findings, initial observed effects of religious variables on criminal behavior are reduced to non-significance when all other predictors are introduced in most regression models, hinting that the incorporation of such variables may be incongruous with Agnew's chosen method of theoretical integration. However, religious variables emerge as significant predictors of general crime during adulthood, suggesting that the relationship between these variables and crime is more complex than anticipated. Additionally, strong support is found for the proposition that the effects of life domains are primarily contemporaneous. Results offer weaker support, however, for the assertion that life domain effects are largely mediated by constraints against crime and motivations towards it. Policy implications for the creation of theoretically-informed crime prevention and intervention strategies tailored to specific developmental stage are discussed.

Thesis (M.A. (Tourism))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Thesis (M.A. (Tourism))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Thesis (M.A. (Tourism))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

The relationships between work and personal life have been on the public, business, and research agenda for about 35 years. Perspectives on these relationships have shifted from a work-family to work-life or work-personal life focus, from a conflict to a balance or enrichment view and, finally, from a segmentation to an integration perspective. This evolution, however, leads to a theoretical and practical impasse where neither integration nor segmentation can be seen as the absolute individual, organisational and societal value. This thesis takes the discussion one step further and focuses on individuals’ work/non-work experiences, calling for a humanistic case. The humanistic case urges placing individuals’ work/non-work experiences at the centre of human resources and at the centre of the work-life field. The aim of the thesis is to theorise individuals’ work/non-work experiences in their individual, organisational and societal contexts. To achieve the purpose, the thesis presents individuals’ work/non-work self-narratives. These self-narratives of six French middle-managers, three men and three women, underline how individuals experience their diverse life domains, namely the work, the family, the social and the private and their management. The self-narratives have been generated through in-depth qualitative interviews and diaries. The thesis explores and provides an understanding of individuals’ work/non-work experiences from a boundary perspective. Focusing on the processes behind individuals’ work/non-work experiences, the thesis reveals that work/non-work preferences for integration and/or segmentation are not sufficient to understand individuals’ experiences. It is essential to consider the preferences in relation to their level of explicitness and the development of work/non-work self-identity. Moreover, it is important to understand the roles of positive and negative work/non-work emotions emerging in the work/non-work process as a respective signal of individuals’ satisfaction or dissatisfaction in how their life domains are developed and managed. The thesis contributes to the work-life field, especially the boundary perspective on work and non-work by presenting a model of individuals’ work/non-work experiences. The model pursued is derived from 33 theoretical propositions. The study suggests a two-dimensional approach for life domain boundaries as a systematic combination of seven boundary types (spatial, temporal, human, cognitive, behavioural, emotional and psychosomatic) and their mental and concrete natures. It suggests a three-dimensional model for work/non-work preferences, revealing five major archetypes of work/non-work preferences between segmentation and integration, and stressing the emotional side of the work/non-work process. It shows that individuals value segmentation on a daily basis and integration on a long-term. This thesis concludes that segmenting and integrating is essential for the harmony of their life domains namely their work, their family, their social and their private.

Ageing has become a significant research area in the last few decades. The most important reason that makes ageing issue significant is the increasing rate of the older indviduals within the population all around the world. Statistical data on ageing both in Turkey and in the world reveals that, in the near future, the number of population over 65 will increase dramatically. It can be asserted that there will be an urgent need of specifically designed accommodation for this portion of the population. Hence, this thesis intends to search for and practice a design solution for the elderly housing. One of the instruments that supported the formulation of such a solution is the subject of &lsquo / universal design&rsquo / . Within the scope of this study, the principles of universal design and its relationship with ageing are defined, examined and evaluated. It is accepted that living environment has effect on the enhancement of the individual&rsquo / s quality of life. For this reason, the relationship between person and environment is briefly discussed in congruence with principles of universal design and provision of quality of life. Accessibility, safety, privacy, autonomy and independence are the common concerns of universal design and provision of a higher quality of life. With review of the definitions of specific elderly housing types, another approach for this study is to make a case study of the existing architectural solutions for the elderly housing. This helped to understand architectural approaches to the relationship between ageing and environment in the world. In the light of the findings, an architectural project, presenting a habitable environment for the elderly, is proposed. For the project, the concept of &ldquo / assisted living&rdquo / as a new category for elderly housing, is chosen.

The South African hospitality industry, and more specifically the accommodation sector, is a booming industry within South African Tourism. Annually thousands of tourists, nationally and internationally, come to stay in accommodation establishments which offer a variety of services to guests (South Africa, 2009:499). What differentiates one accommodation establishment from another is the type and quality of service offered to guests. This service offered to guests can only be generated by manual labour, namely by employees. Front Office Employees in particular have direct and continual interaction with guests; Front Office Employees deliver the services required by guests and ultimately determine the satisfaction experienced by guests. A well–known saying goes "Happy workers make happy customers". The core of this saying is therefore that Front Office Employees, who experience a Quality of Work Life, will ultimately deliver exceptional service and lead the accommodation establishment to be more productive and more profitable. Quality of Work Life comprises a variety of life domains which need to be satisfied and fulfilled to result in an employer being happy. These life domains include Health and safety, Economic and family issues, Social issues, Esteem issues, Actualisation issues, Knowledge issues, Creativity and aesthetic issues, Feelings about the establishment, Management and Leisure issues. Satisfaction with these various life domains will therefore lead to a good Quality of Work Life and overall good Quality of Life being experienced. However, few studies have been conducted on the Quality of Work Life experienced within accommodation establishments and more specifically that of Front Office Employees. When employees experience a good Quality of Work Life, the accommodation establishment can expect various long–term advantages, such as higher employee productivity, lower turnover and absenteeism, increased loyalty and commitment towards the establishment and increased overall profitability. Hence in order to ensure accommodation establishments deliver excellent quality service to their guests and fulfil their needs entirely, it is essential to better understand the Front Office Employees who directly deal with the guests. This understanding can be gained by obtaining a clearer understanding of how Front Office Employees experience Quality of Work Life and the various life domains they are not satisfied with. By developing an in–depth knowledge of the Front Office Employee and how satisfied they are with their Quality of Work Life, greater satisfaction can be ensured, which will ultimately lead to the accommodation establishment being more productive and more profitable. The main goal of this study was to determine whether Front Office Employees are satisfied with their overall Quality of Work Life. In order to achieve this goal, the study comprises two articles. The research underpinning both of the articles was conducted at a specific South African resort group in June 2009 and a specific hotel group of South Africa in March 2010. A self–administrated questionnaire was distributed to the various units, according to an availability sampling method which focuses on respondents available and willing to fill in the questionnaire. A total of two hundred and ninety two (292) questionnaires were completed during the survey. From these questionnaires, data were obtained and results analysed. The first article was titled "Quality of Work Life: a comparative study of a resort group and hotel group Front Office Employees". The main purpose of this article was to determine whether Front Office Employees in the hotel group experience the same degree of Quality of Work Life as the resort group Front Office Employees. This article highlighted the importance of Front Office Employees, since they are the first and continual contact guests have with an accommodation establishment. These Front Office Employees therefore determine the type of service experienced by guests and the satisfaction they derive from it. In order for Front Office Employees to deliver quality service, the Front Office Employees should experience a Quality of Work Life. To achieve the objectives of this article, a Confirmatory Factor Analysis was first done to confirm the various life domains of Quality of Work Life as well as the various mean readings for each life domain. In addition to this, an independent t–test was performed to compare the Front Office Employees of the hotel group, with the resort group Front Office Employees with regard to how they experience their Quality of Work Life. The practical significance of the various life domains was determined in practice, by looking at the Cohen d–value. By means of the Confirmatory Factor Analysis it was determined that each life domain consisted of certain factors, ultimately leading to the concept of Quality of Work Life. With the comparison drawn between the hotel group Front Office Employees and the resort group Front Office Employees can it be accepted that the hotel group Front Office Employees are more satisfied with their Quality of Work Life than is the case with the resort group Front Office Employees. The life domains identified as having a practical visible difference effect in practice were determined. These results can therefore be utilized by human resource managers in accommodation establishments as areas on which to focus in order to improve the Quality of Work Life offered to Front Office Employees and thus the quality of service rendered to guests, which would then inevitably have an impact on the profitability of the establishment. The second article was titled "The effect of leisure life of hotel group Front Office Employees on their Quality of Work Life." The main purpose of this article was to determine the overall effect of leisure life, which is classified as one of the life domains of Quality of Work Life, on the various other life domains of Quality of Work Life. The life domain Leisure life had two factors which were identified by a confirmatory factor analysis. Once the factors had been confirmed, the relationship between Leisure life and the various other life domains were determined. The results of this research revealed that there is a relationship between leisure life and the other various life domains constituting Quality of Work Life. Hence the results are imperative for human resource managers of accommodation establishments, as the importance of leisure in Front Office Employees' lives as well as the various other life domains on which it has an impact have been indicated. Overall, the research revealed that Front Office Employees of the hotel group are more satisfied with their Quality of Work Life than is the case with the Front Office Employees of the resort group. Furthermore, the importance of Front Office Employees' leisure life was indicated by the relationship it has with the various other life domains, ultimately leading to a Quality of Work Life. This newly obtained knowledge of Front Office Employees of accommodation establishments can be applied by human resource managers in an effort to ensure that these employees experience a good Quality of Work Life which will lead the accommodation establishment to be more productive, efficient and profitable due to happier employees. / Thesis (M.A. (Tourism))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.