This thesis, set against the background of accounts of globalisation, aims to figure out the consumer orientation of the middle class in contemporary China, in particular how the new elements in consumer orientation operate in the Chinese context. It focuses on the contemporary middle class, including professionals, managers, business-owners and civil servants, and on the metropolitan cities, because these are the two most important factors in the rise of consumer culture in China. Data come from the China General Social Survey of 2003 and 30 interviews with middle class people in Beijing carried out in 2008. The quantitative analysis is concerned with characteristics of the middle class in the metropolitan cities and their participation in consumption practices. Qualitative analysis provides a comprehensive analysis of the consumption patterns and the consumer orientations of 30 adults and considers subjective interpretations in specific contexts. The focus is the consumption patterns from everyday consumption, taste and material culture, and the findings are interpreted in relation to major theories in the sociology of consumption. In order to understand consumption patterns, this dissertation seeks accounts of consumer orientations: the distinct or particular reasons for purchasing and using certain material goods and services. Consumption patterns are also explained against the background of globalization, and in relation to the essential features of Chinese culture, social changes and social conventions. The analysis draws attention particularly to the justifications of tastes by the Chinese middle class and exposes their concomitant anxieties and ambivalence. It is shown that pursuit of pleasure, tempered with pursuit of comfort, is a significant form of aesthetic justification; and living within one's means, i.e. keeping a balance between expenditure and income, is the main moral justification. The orientation to personal pleasure and comfort is shaped by social conventions, traditional values and the metropolitan context. Consumer sovereignty, as opposed to social discipline and authority, becomes a force. Despite anxieties and ambivalence, the interviewees generally show satisfaction and confidence with their consumption. The findings challenge the stereotype of the Chinese 'new rich' and the one-dimensional pictures of tendencies towards either conspicuous display or frugality.

This thesis set out to discern how women's representation, as a multi-faceted concept and process, plays out in the context of the House of Lords. The primary motivation of this inquiry concerned the reality that women are persistently under-represented in political chambers worldwide. Beyond this, scholarship has overlooked the site of the House of Lords despite significant advances made in women's presence that facilitate closer analysis. This is also compounded by the status of the chamber itself: in its 'transitional' phase post the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999 the chamber is suggested to act with greater legitimacy and effectiveness. Finally concentration upon the representation of women in the transitional House of Lords is pertinent as the chamber remains in a state of flux and there is an opportunity to prioritise women's representation as a key plank of the reform agenda. Normative feminist interpretations of representation are the primary frameworks of analysis. Methodologically, this research inquiry synthesised and triangulated the use of quantitative and qualitative research techniques in order to unpack the processes and influences upon all dimensions of women's political representation in the House of Lords. This helped to present a sufficiently nuanced analysis. There have been obvious attempts to numerically feminise the chamber, although there are systemic de facto and de jure reserved seats for men in the chamber which guard against radical improvements in women's descriptive presence. Women peers undertake important roles and the House of Lords maintains a culture and institutional norms that are befitting for women and feminised styles of politics which is positive for the symbolic representation of women. Finally, women peers actively seek to represent women through the agenda-setting features of the Lords, although the way this is manifested is mediated by political affiliation. The opportunities to substantively represent women through the legislative features of the House of Lords are narrower, although both male and female peers have successfully influenced legislative output to act for women.

The complexities of integrating companies, through mergers or acquisitions, are immense and challenging for the leaders involved in the process who are responsible not only for the integration but also for the attainment of the intended objectives. The implications has the potential for far reaching consequences for the leaders themselves, shareholders and employees. However, as much as half of mergers and acquisitions concluded fail to achieve their stated objectives (Stahl, 2004; Bijlsma-Frankema, 2004; Deutch & West, 2010; Sher, 2012). The purpose of this exploratory research study is to establish how the success rate of these mergers and acquisitions could be improved. The focus of the research is on the post-merger / post-acquisition integration process which should not only ensure that the financial objectives of the integrated entity are met but also to ensure the retainment of critical talent. The role leadership plays in the process will also be looked into as leaders play a pivotal role in establishing organisational cultures and therefore accountable for the success / failure of the post-merger integration process. A practical post integration application model will be developed to aid the improvement of the success rate of future post-merger / acquisition integrations. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / zkgibs2015 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / Unrestricted

The number of managers that continue to fail at effectively transitioning to senior levels of leadership still remains unacceptably high, and ultimately impacts company’s abilities to develop succession plans and build effective leadership pipelines. This research project was undertaken to seek insight into the challenges faced by managers as they transition into the role of General Management. The research sought to understand the challenges associated with the transition and identify how successful leaders overcame them. The research was conducted in two phases. Firstly, a quantitative survey of students attending the General Management Programme at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (University of Pretoria) was undertaken. The class of 35 students consisted of managers that had recently moved into, or who were about to move into, the role of General Manager and 29 of these students completed the survey. This survey intended to gain some perspective from currently transitioning managers. The second research phase was qualitative in nature and comprised of in-depth, semi-structured interviews, with nineteen (19) senior Business Leaders who had successfully made the transition. This phase aimed to gather the Business Leaders perspectives on the challenges they faced during their transitions, and how these were overcome by them. The research highlighted the extent and significance of the transition, and identified many challenges associated with it. The findings of the research provided useful insights from experienced leaders about the challenges and surprises they encountered and how they were able to overcome them, and effectively transition into General Management. Moreover it illustrated the extent to which the managers had to change and how their own identities transformed. The need to develop informal relationships and gaining practical experience were particularly strong themes that emerged. In contrast to this, it found that the newly promoted managers did not place as much significance and importance on the transition to General Management as the experienced managers did. This highlighted the extent to which the transition process may be underestimated. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / zkgibs2015 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / Unrestricted

This study took place at one of the intercultural universities (IUs) of Mexico that serve primarily indigenous students. The IUs are pioneers in higher education despite their numerous challenges (Bertely, 1998; Dietz, 2008; Pineda & Landorf, 2010; Schmelkes, 2009). To overcome educational inequalities among their students (Ahuja, Berumen, Casillas, Crispín, Delgado et al., 2004; Schmelkes, 2009), the IUs have embraced performance-based assessment (PBA; Casillas & Santini, 2006). PBA allows a shared model of power and control related to learning and evaluation (Anderson, 1998). While conducting a review on PBA strategies of the IUs, the researcher did not find a PBA instrument with valid and reliable estimates. The purpose of this study was to develop a process to create a PBA instrument, an analytic general rubric, with acceptable validity and reliability estimates to assess students’ attainment of competencies in one of the IU’s majors, Intercultural Development Management. The Human Capabilities Approach (HCA) was the theoretical framework and a sequential mixed method (Creswell, 2003; Teddlie & Tashakkori, 2009) was the research design. IU participants created a rubric during two focus groups, and seven Spanish-speaking professors in Mexico and the US piloted using students’ research projects. The evidence that demonstrates the attainment of competencies at the IU is a complex set of actual, potential and/or desired performances or achievements, also conceptualized as “functional capabilities” (FCs; Walker, 2008), that can be used to develop a rubric. Results indicate that the rubric’s validity and reliability estimates reached acceptable estimates of 80% agreement, surpassing minimum requirements (Newman, Newman, & Newman, 2011). Implications for practice involve the use of PBA within a formative assessment framework, and dynamic inclusion of constituencies. Recommendations for further research include introducing this study’s instrument-development process to other IUs, conducting parallel mixed design studies exploring the intersection between HCA and assessment, and conducting a case study exploring assessment in intercultural settings. Education articulated through the HCA empowers students (Unterhalter & Brighouse, 2007; Walker, 2008). This study aimed to contribute to the quality of student learning assessment at the IUs by providing a participatory process to develop a PBA instrument.

Background: Radon is a high impact environmental pollutant and is the second leading cause of lung cancer in Canada. Despite the gravity of the health risk, residents have inadequate awareness and have taken minimum preventive actions. The success of any population-level health awareness program is contingent on the views and actions of key decision makers at the household level. People's perceptions of the risk should inform health communication messaging that aims to motivate them to take preventive measures. The objective of this study was to measure the quantifiable associations and predictions between perceptions of radon health risk and their preventive actions; to explore and examines the social determinants that enable and hinder the adoption of preventive measures. Additionally, the best effective radon control systems for both the new and existing houses and relevant policy implications have been examined. Methods: A mixed methods study consisting of surveys (n=557) and qualitative interviews (n=35) was conducted with both homeowners and tenants of Ottawa-Gatineau areas. Descriptive, correlation and regression analyses addressed the quantitative research questions. Thematic, inductive analysis identified themes in the qualitative data. A mixed methods analysis triangulate both results. A registered systematic review of radon interventions around the world was conducted and radon policy analysis was done by applying interdisciplinary frameworks. Results: Residents’ perceptions of radon health risk, smoking at home, social influence, and care for family significantly correlated with their intention to test for radon; the same variables predicted their protection behaviours. Residents obtained information on radon from the media, individual search, workplace and social networks. Residents who had dual - cognitive and emotional awareness of the risk, were motivated enough to take action. Having an understanding of the risk, caring for family, knowing others who contracted lung cancer and being financially capable were enablers for action. Obstacles included lack of awareness, cost of mitigation, lack of home ownership and potential stigma in selling the house. Residents attributed primary responsibility to public agencies for disseminating information and suggested incentivizing and mandating actions to promote preventive measures. Indoor radon is best controlled by installing an active SSDS with additional measures to seal any entry points in the foundation. The policy analysis generated a list of recommendations that can be implemented through multisectoral systems level actions to address the social determinants of risk distribution. Conclusions: Residents do not get the crucial information on radon health risk and report barriers in testing and engaging in protective action. Risk perceptions are subjective and influenced by micro and macro level factors. Inducing protective action to reduce risk requires comprehensive interventions taking into account dual perceptions of the threat. Future research can explore the dual aspects of risk perception and examine the contents of the risk communication message. Policy should address the shared responsibility of both governments and residents in tackling the issue with reasonable incentives and mandatory regulations.

Food insecurity is a prevalent and persistent issue that affects communities across Canada. Food banks are currently one of the most common responses to food insecurity in the country. Since they emerged in the 1980s, food banks have proliferated across Canada and the number of people accessing them has risen steeply. While food banks have faced criticisms in their capacity to address food insecurity, there have been shifts in how they operate over recent years. There are a growing number of examples of food banks that changed the types of food that they distribute and the programs and services that they offer on location. However, there is little evidence to explore the impact of shifting food bank operations. In a series of three studies, this dissertation explored operational characteristics and strategies of food banks, experiences with accessing food banks, and associations between food bank access and food insecurity, as well as related dietary and health outcomes. The first study employed a qualitative methodology to examine staff and volunteer perspectives on the strategies that food banks have adopted and adapted to address the needs of the people that they serve and the factors that enable or impede change. The findings illustrate current food banking practices and revealed examples of how food bank operations have changed over recent years to endeavor to better address the needs of the people who access their services. Moreover, the results illuminate food bank efforts to raise awareness and advocate for policy change to better address issues of poverty and food insecurity. The second study used qualitative data collected at two time points, six months apart, to explore experiences of food insecurity and food bank access among people who access them. While there was variation in the social and emotional experiences of accessing food banks, a common theme of long-term and regular access due to constrained financial resources arose in the data. The third study was a quantitative investigation of the associations between the operational characteristics of food banks and changes in food insecurity, diet, and health over a six month period. Results indicated that accessing a food bank that employed a choice model of food distribution was significantly associated with increased fruit and vegetable consumption over the study period. Accessing a food bank integrated within a community resource centre was significantly associated with reporting less severe food insecurity at six months compared to baseline. The findings presented in this dissertation offer novel evidence to elucidate the shifting operations of food banks and the associations between food banking operational characteristics and food insecurity over time. Moreover, these findings may inform decisions to change or adapt food banking operations to better address the needs of the people and communities served. Food banks, though they do not address the root causes of food insecurity, are established community resources, and thus, serve as strategic access points for not only short-term food assistance but also for connecting people with services and advocating for food security and poverty reduction.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医学) / 甲第22375号 / 医博第4616号 / 新制||医||1043(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻 / (主査)教授 古川 壽亮, 教授 佐藤 俊哉, 教授 村井 俊哉 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

BACKGROUND: Champions are widely recognized as playing a key role in the successful implementation of evidence-based interventions within the healthcare sector; however, little is known about which characteristics and skills enable them to play that role. Furthermore, previous studies have measured only individual champion’s responses to personal attributes without incorporating input from other observers. A mixed methods study was conducted to 1) identify, analyze, and group the characteristics of champions who have successfully promoted adoption of new initiatives within the healthcare delivery system, 2) understand when and how champion-like characteristics emerge during the implementation process, and 3) describe how these characteristics are developed to more quickly advance champions within the healthcare setting. METHODS: Data were collected and analyzed from healthcare champions (n=30) and their colleagues (n=58) from eleven countries using a survey. Every champion and a subset of colleagues (n=14) also participated in in-depth interviews. Correlation coefficients and descriptive statistics were used to explore the relationship between responses to survey items; Chi-squared tests and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare the differences. Thematic content analysis of qualitative data explored champion-like characteristics, their emergence, and how their skills were developed. Once results emerged, characteristics of champions were categorized using the Transformational Leadership Theory framework. RESULTS: Champions tend to inspire their clinical teams to adopt new interventions within healthcare using a leadership style that naturally facilitates trust, as well as motivation to work towards common goals. This leadership style is similar to what is exhibited by transformational leaders; therefore, champions can be identified, categorized, and developed using transformational leadership theory. Champion emergence within the implementation process is facilitated by supportive leadership and high levels of autonomy. Additionally, there was a high proportion of agreement between champion and colleague survey responses; however, champions were more likely to underrate their skills and abilities to instigate change. CONCLUSION: Champions exhibit the same characteristics as transformational leaders; therefore, transformational leadership theory — its frameworks and associated tools — is useful for identifying and developing champions. Future work should focus on how organizational leaders can facilitate the growth of emerging champions, as this enabling environment determines the fate of both the champion and the evidence-based intervention.

Literature describes different stances with respect to conceptual and procedural mathematical knowledge. The concept-driven versus skills-orientated perspectives have led to “math wars” between researchers, while some mathematics education specialists advocate that the five strands of mathematical proficiency should be seen as interconnected. Conceptual knowledge is the knowledge of concepts or principles, and procedural knowledge the knowledge of procedures. Both types of knowledge are critical components of mathematical proficiency. This study used a mixed methods design to analyse the relationship between conceptual and procedural knowledge. The qualitative content analysis investigated relations between procedural and conceptual knowledge within the solutions of 33 calculus items. The analysis included the number of procedural and conceptual steps needed to answer the item, item label and item classification into one of four knowledge classes based on the type and quality of knowledge. The items were included in a data collection instrument used for quantitative analysis. Rasch analysis was performed to measure item difficulty and person proficiency, and describe the underlying cognitive construct between items. The Rasch person–item map confirmed that items were not clustered together per class and that item difficulty was not linked to the number of procedural and/or conceptual steps needed to do the mathematics. Confirmatory factor analysis showed over-correlation between classes and that defined classes cannot be separated, confirming integration of procedural and conceptual cognitive processes. The relationship between procedural and conceptual knowledge within and between items is complex. Findings indicated that item solutions drew on both procedural and conceptual components that cannot be separated. Solutions could follow more than one approach and analyses could differ, since what is conceptual for one student could be procedural for another. Therefore, teaching strategies should navigate between concepts and procedures, methods and representations. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / PhD / Unrestricted