The professional world, as well as, the single employee faces multiple challenges in daily routine. To improve individual health along with the whole organization, interventions are conducted. However, a summary of requirements for successful initiatives are not existing. The study describes a Group Concept Mapping approach with multinational and multidisciplinary experts in the area of organizational development. From 112 single requirements for successful interventions, finally the following 15 clusters are identified, which function as a framework for the implementation of interventions: (1) Context alignment/intervention fit, (2) Continual modification, (3) Assessment (situation & risk)/ recurrent, (4) Planning/structural change processes, (5) Active collaboration from different stakeholders, (6) Transparent communication, (7) Pay attention to participants, (8) Leadership, (9) Supportive climate for learning, (10) Persistence/ complexity, (11) Point of departure/prerequisite, (12) Impact (what kind & monitoring), (13) Perceived value, (14) Variation and (15) Single Statements.  The provided knowledge can be used by practitioners -especially consultants -in the process of planning, conducting and evaluating a successful initiative.

Despite theoretical and policy advancements in global human and gendered approaches to development, youth in mainstream development policy discourse remains subsumed. The ratification of global best practice models of human development in Nigeria, without contextualizing the probable dividends of youth capability strength in shaping national development realities, will present challenges that are likely to threaten the sustainable future of country. Perhaps if this is sustained, this thesis argues that the capabilities of Nigerian youths will continue to remain trapped or mismatched in areas that they fail to contribute positively to Nigeria's national development. In this regard, this thesis evaluated the extent to which youth capabilities are enhanced in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for national development in Nigeria. Firstly, this thesis contributes conceptually to understanding, broadly, the social constructions of youth in mainstream policy discourse and their positioning in both global and national development practice in Nigeria. It also critically examines through literature how western epistemological interpretations of development theorizing are reproduced in youth discourse. Succinctly, the theoretical contribution of youth in development explains how development-underdevelopment dualism in mainstream development reproduces similar youth-adult dualisms in conceptualizing how youths are recognized, represented and constituted within policy discourses. Based on this, the theoretical gaps that this thesis bridges, operationalizes the Sen's capability approach (SCA) through the utilization of Narayan-Parker's empowerment framework in order to contextualize how the intersections of youth agency and structural contributions of the NYSC could aid the effective utilization of youth capabilities for national development in Nigeria. Secondly, this thesis contributes methodologically to development practice as it adapts a mixed-method approach (MMA) to researching youth lives, especially from a developing country's context. The application of a qualitative dominant mixed method approach (qual-MMA), suggests how through social constructivist ontology and through poststructuralist epistemology, the understanding of how youths socially construct their identity and the roles they play in national development becomes clearer. Thirdly, the germane and empirical contribution of this thesis especially to mainstream development theorizing is that, youth voices captured through narratives and quantitative data helped explore the experiences of Nigerian youth's transition pathways from education to the NYSC pathway. This further allowed for critical examination of how youths are: absorbed through mobilization into the NYSC; developed through the activities in the scheme; deployed and utilized in addressing national development challenges in Nigeria. This thesis suggests that dominant social constructions based on age and transition patterns, undermine the impact/effective functioning of youth capabilities for addressing national development challenges. It concludes that limited support structures during the youth educational pathways and lack of opportunity structures while youths are in the NYSC pathways continue to limit the functioning of their capabilities in sectors of national development needs. It recommends a need to rethink the current deployment strategy of the NYSC so that youth capabilities fit the national development narrative.

Réalisée dans le cadre d’un contrat CIFRE, cette thèse étudie la construction, l’appropriation et les effets de la politique d’égalité professionnelle entre les femmes et les hommes chez Orange. Mobilisant la perspective appropriative des dispositifs de gestion enrichie par le concept de logiques institutionnelles, ce travail repose sur un matériau riche et varié : entretiens, données RH, séquences d’observation, documents internes, notamment. Nous montrons que la coexistence de plusieurs conceptions de l’égalité professionnelle au sein de l’entreprise structure fortement l’application de la politique au niveau local, mais également sa construction, qu’il s’agisse de l’accord d’entreprise ou de la politique non négociée. L’analyse conjointe de l’application de la politique et de ses effets, permise par la combinaison de matériaux et de méthodes qualitatifs et quantitatifs, nous donne de plus l’opportunité de comprendre les effets quantifiables (ou l’absence d’effets quantifiables) d’une mesure à l’aune de la manière dont elle est appliquée au niveau local. Nous mettons enfin en exergue les spécificités de la négociation sur l’égalité professionnelle par rapport à d’autres négociations, dues notamment à la transversalité de l’égalité professionnelle à de nombreux processus RH ; et nous soulignons l’importance de la coexistence et de l’articulation de l’accord d’entreprise et de la politique non négociée sur l’égalité professionnelle. / This thesis, written while working under a CIFRE contract, studies the construction, the implementation and the effects of the gender equality policy at Orange. Using the appropriative perspective of management tools enriched by the concept of institutional logics, this work is based on various data, in particular: interviews, HR data, observations, internal documents. We show that the coexistence of various conceptions of gender equality within the company strongly affects the implementation of the gender equality policy within the entities, but also its construction, for both the collective bargaining agreement and the non-negotiated policy. The joint analysis of the implementation and of the effects of the policy, made possible by a mixed-method design, allows us to understand the quantifiable effects (or the absence of quantifiable effects) of a measure according to the way it is implemented within the entities. We underline the specificities of the collective bargaining about gender equality, notably due to the fact that gender equality cuts across various HR processes. Finally, we show the importance of the coexistence and articulation of the collective bargaining agreement and non-negotiated gender equality policy.

Uppsatsens syfte är att undersöka vad som karaktäriserar personer som döms för narkotikabrott på internet och hur rättssystemet beskriver de dömdas sociala situation och motiv. Uppsatsen använder en mixed-methods metodologi med både kvantitativ och kvalitativ analys. Det empiriska materialet utgörs av dokument i form av domar och förundersökningsprotokoll. Den kvantitativa analysen har bland annat undersökt 222 dömda personers demografi, tidigare brottslighet och vilka påföljder de dömts till. Den kvalitativa analysen har undersökt hur de dömdas sociala situation och motiv beskrivits av rättsväsendet. Pierre Bourdieus teori om olika kapitalformer utgör uppsatsens teoretiska utgångspunkt. Narkotikamarknader kan betraktas som olika fält som i olika utsträckning kräver symboliskt kapital. Utmärkande för narkotikamarknaden på internet är att de inte kräver symboliskt kapital. Resultatet för både den kvantitativa och kvalitativa analysen visar att de dömda köparna är en heterogen grupp utifrån rättsväsendet beskrivningar. De dömda har en stor spridning gällande bland annat ålder, geografi och valet av substanser. En del av de dömda beskrivs som vanliga människor med ordnade sociala förhållanden. Andra dömda beskrivs ha stora problem gällande psykisk ohälsa, missbruk och kriminalitet. Beskrivningarna av motiven till att köpa narkotika på internet är att få tillgång till substanser av viss kvalité, kvantitet, pris eller typ. Men också att få annan typ av relation mellan köpare och säljare av narkotika som inte baseras på personliga kontakter. / The purpose of the thesis is to investigate the characteristics of persons who are sentenced for purchasing illicit drugs on the internet, and how the legal system describes the social situation and motives of the convicted persons. The thesis uses a mixed-method methodology with both quantitative and qualitative analysis. The empirical material consists of documents in the form of judgments and preliminary investigation protocols. The quantitative analysis has examined the demography, previous criminal records and the sanctions of 222 convicted persons. The qualitative analysis has examined how the social situation and motives of the convicted persons are described by the judicial system. Pierre Bourdieu's theory of capital forms constitutes the theoretical starting point of the essay. Drug markets can be regarded as fields which, to varying degrees, require symbolic capital. The characteristic of the drug markets on the internet is that they do not require symbolic capital. The result of both the quantitative and qualitative analysis is that the convicted buyers are described as a heterogeneous group in the documents of the legal system. The convicted are a diverse group regarding age, geography and choice substances. Some of the convicted are described as ordinary people with organized social conditions. Others convicted are described as having major problems with mental illness, drug abuse and crime. The descriptions of the motives for purchasing drugs on the internet are to access substances of a certain quality, quantity, price or type. But also, to access a different kind of relationship between the buyer and the seller of drugs.

The population of older adults with chronic disease is increasing, yet little is known about their perception of chronic disease and self-management. To develop successful and sustainable chronic disease self-management interventions in the older adult population, health care providers must first understand older adults’ attitudes toward health status and behavior change. This pilot study was conducted to determine the feasibility of the study design. The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the appropriateness of using a mixed-methods research design to investigate Appalachian older adult’s attitude toward the chronic disease experience and health behavior change. A convergent, parallel mixed-method design included a quantitative questionnaire and qualitative focus groups in churches in northeast Tennessee. The aim of the study was met, and the methodology of the study was found to be feasible for larger studies. Divergence of data was found when evaluating qualitative and quantitative data. The study instrument was found to be reliable for future use. The implications of the results suggest that the study design is appropriate for the purpose of the study.

Previous research has shown that there are multiple risks in emergency care of acutely ill or injured patients. Communication, teamwork, and nurses’ experiences in the care of these patients are central aspects of maintaining a high level of patient safety and quality of care. The aim of this study was to examine nurses' experience of the implementation of a new scribe-document to improve safe communication and treatment of code patients. The Method is a mixed method composed of quantitative and qualitative data. A new scribe-document for the codes was created with a checklist for Sign In, Time Out and Sign Out inspired by the Safe Surgical Checklist from WHO. The interventional study is compiled of quantitative questionnaires which were compiled for the study. As a complement to the questionnaires five interviews were conducted with nurses which were then analyzed by a manifest content analysis. The results show different themes which are a result of the interviews; “The importance of a functioning team,” “Expecting the unexpected,” “Structured communication improves the code” and “The checklist gives structure and support when it is used.” The results also show that the checklist was well received by the nurses in the specific emergency department. The conclusion is that the checklist gives a good result when it is used, although better implementation and more education is necessary.     Key words: Checklist, Communication, Emergency Care, Mixed Method, Patient Safety.

The Virginia Tech Summer Academy (VTSA) Program, developed by through a collaborative partnership between faculty, administrators and staff concerned by attrition among-first year students, was introduced in summer 2012 as a campus initiative to assist first-year college students transition and acclimate to the academic and social systems of the campus environment. VTSA is a six-week intensive residential summer-bridge program that provides academic preparation, highly-individualized advising, learning communities, and the personal attention of faculty and peer mentorship through both academic engagement and structured activities. Although based on a substantive body of research concerning student retention, little is known about the empirical and influential value of this program. A two-phase, sequential explanatory mixed-methods (QUAN"" QUAL) study was developed to assess the value of student academic engagement in a first-year experience program.  Specifically, this research investigated the outcomes of participation on cognitive, behavioral, and affective factors of motivation, taking into account demographic and academic performance variables. In the initial quantitative phase, data from 89 students were analyzed to assess engagement and academic motivation. Data from the Scale of Educationally Purposeful Activities (SEPA) were used to determine levels of student engagement among VTSA students, while the Motivation Subscale of the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) was used to investigate the change in student academic motivation before and after participation in VTSA. In the subsequent qualitative phase, 16 students participated in focus groups designed to explore student perceptions of engagement in the VTSA program and their connections to academic motivation. Both qualitative and quantitative data were assessed to provide an in-depth evaluation used to interpret and explain significant factors of student engagement that provide for internal and external academic motivation in college. / Ph. D.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a fatal disorder with no apparent cure. Early-onset AD (EOAD) occurs in individuals before the age of 65, and late-onset AD (LOAD) occurs in individuals age 65 and older. Past studies have proven that AD is fatal among Americans age 65 and older. The disease is characterized by impairments in memory and executive function as well as other cognitive and behavioral problems. The research questions addressed by this sequential, mixed-method study compared EOAD and LOAD by exploring common behavioral/cognitive symptoms and stage levels of AD. Research participants were recruited from the Alzheimer's Association who were members of caregiver support groups and cared for an individual with AD. The qualitative component of this study consisted of a qualitative interview given to caregivers (N = 6), which was audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim using the 6-phase thematic analysis. Sequentially, the quantitative component of this study consisted of the BEHAVE-AD and Short IQCODE instruments, which were filled out and completed by caregivers (N = 20) on behalf of patients with probable AD. These data were analyzed using 1-way ANOVA, with the alpha set at 0.05. Integration of qualitative and quantitative results indicated no differences in cognitive or behavioral symptoms of either EOAD or LOAD care recipients. These findings have implications for positive social change by continually involving caregiver participants in future studies. Doing so can ensure that care recipients, whether they have been diagnosed at EOAD or LOAD, have a voice.

Not all companies are equally aggressive in their pursuit of corporate tax avoidance, which explains intensive research on the determinants of tax avoidance. Many determinants have been investigated, but the process of tax avoidance, and the relationships between corporate tax avoidance, longtermism (indicative of a stakeholder-orientated corporate culture), and CEO characteristics (informed by upper-echelon theory), are not yet fully understood. Much of previous research is conceptualised from theories such as principal-agent theory. This study investigates the influence of stakeholder orientation, using corporate culture, on corporate tax avoidance, in response to calls for more research using stakeholder theory. A mixed-method approach is used. The quantitative stream uses regressions to investigate the relationship between corporate tax avoidance, corporate culture, and tax-knowledgeable CEOs, based on a sample of 112 large, listed South African companies, studied over a period of 15 years. The South African setting allows the operationalisation of a tax-knowledgeable CEO, based the homogenous nature of CEOs' qualifications in South Africa, where many are chartered accountants. The results suggest that long-term oriented companies pay more tax on average. The results further suggest that tax knowledgeable CEOs are associated with more tax avoidance. The qualitative stream conducts eleven interviews with corporate tax advisors, showing the influence of corporate culture and CEO characteristics on corporate tax avoidance processes, but also how corporate culture and CEO-characteristics mutually inform each other. Altogether, the evidence indicates that the effect of corporate culture is less static than expected, and that the influence of corporate culture on tax avoidance can transcend the influence of CEO-characteristics, as an upperechelon effect. The interviews suggest mechanisms used by CEOs to influence tax culture, such as the creation of a company-wide awareness of the strategic importance of low effective tax rates. These results also indicate the ethical dilemma faced by executives of large companies when considering the use of tax-deductible corporate social responsibility initiatives, not to benefit shareholders or agents, but rather to benefit society as a corporate stakeholder, when governments would not.

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