No description available.

Elementary students in the United States are expected to read proficiently in order to be successful on high-stakes assessments. Researchers have found that many elementary students lack the motivation to become frequent readers. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the reading motivational techniques used at a local district to encourage elementary students to become frequent readers. Framed by Skinner's operant conditioning theory and the focus on motivators and their effects on learning outcomes, the research questions explored teachers' perceptions of the motivators that increase student reading in the elementary grades. Data for the study were collected through individual interviews with a sample of 6 teachers who volunteered from the district's elementary schools. Open coding of the transcribed interview data and thematic analysis revealed 5 overarching themes: difficulties and challenges, preexisting perceptions, perceived effectiveness of used incentives/motivators, applicability to other grade levels, and factors critical to support reading development. The findings revealed certain recommended strategies such as free choice reading, increased parental involvement, and grade enhancement that may support intrinsic motivation compared to external motivation, which may be better supported through more immediate rewards. This study has the potential to promote social change by providing educators and other stakeholders at the local site with research findings on effective techniques to motivate elementary students to read more frequently.

This research investigated the impact of teacher in-service and individual professional development for business educators in the following areas: classroom instruction, teacher motivation, the continuity of individual professional development, the professional development needs of business educators compared with those of other teachers, the status of business education professional development, and the manner in and extent to which current professional development activities are meeting needs. Satisfaction levels with in-service and individual professional development were also identified. Lastly, this study examined the role of business educators in determining local in-service events. Participants included 109 Alabama business educators who completed an online survey about their professional development over the previous 12 months. Respondents indicated top areas of in-service training: classroom technology, emerging technology, special needs students, and school safety. Individual attendance at workshops on software ranked highest; classroom-related workshops followed. Overall, 67% expressed satisfaction with in-service training, and 82.1% expressed satisfaction with individual professional development. On average, respondents received 158.1 hours of individual professional development during the previous year. Computer workshops received the most attendance while professional meetings received the least. Impact on instruction was considered modest; the mean impact score of 118 reflected a restrained agreement with impact statements. Qualitative responses were given on specific impacts in the classroom. No significant correlation was found between the impact of professional development on instruction and the number of hours spent in professional development. ANOVA was conducted and revealed that impact scores of teachers were not significantly affected by years of experience or satisfaction levels with in-service. Teachers are generally motivated to pursue professional development. The desire to learn how to better teach a skill was the greatest motivator. Time and money were the greatest barriers. The majority of teachers are continually pursuing professional development over a 5-year period but not doing so annually. Business educators’ topic preferences were similar to regular education teachers’, especially in the area of technology. Student motivation and technology were top categories of need. Most business educators have never served on an advisory committee to suggest in-service activities.

Arbetsmotivation kan beskrivas som ett övergripande samlingsnamn för de faktorer som framkallar, formar och driver en människa mot olika mål i arbetet. Det finns fördelar med en hög arbetsmotivation och en eventuell relation till produktivitet har ofta legat i fokus. Detta har gjorts för att gynna företag och deras tillväxt. Tidigare forskning visar dock inte enbart på detta utan också på att en hög arbetsmotivation kan ge positiva effekter hos medarbetaren, bland annat en förbättrad hälsa samt minskad upplevelse av stress. Syftet med detta examensarbete är att undersöka gruppträningsinstruktörers uppfattning av arbetsmotivation. Fokus har legat på de faktorer som påverkar medarbetarens arbetsmotivation samt arbetsmotivationens relation till stress. Information samlades in genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med anställda gruppträningsinstruktörer. Data samanställdes och analyserades med tematisk analys. Resultatet visar att faktorer som feedback, relationer på arbetsplatsen, arbetets meningsfullhet samt kompetens och intresse bidrog till ökad arbetsmotivation. Utöver detta visar resultatet på att en hög arbetsmotivation upplevs som ett visst skydd mot arbetsrelaterad stress. Dock framkom det även att ytterligare faktorer var nödvändiga för att uppnå lägsta möjliga nivå av stress. / Work motivation can be described as a collective name for the factors that develop, molds and drive man against various goals at the workplace. There are advantages with a high work motivation but the focus has previously often been on an eventual increase in productivity. This has been done with the aim to promote companies and their growth. However, this is not the only result in previous research and positive effects of work motivation on the employees themselves have been reported, for example, improved health and a decrease in perceived stress. The purpose of this study is to explore group fitness instructors views on work motivation. The focus have been directed to the factors that affect employees work motivation and the relation of work motivation to stress. Information was collected in semi-structured interviews with employed group fitness instructors. The data was compiled and then analyzed with thematic analysis. The result shows that factors as feedback, relations in the workplace, job satisfaction, expertise and interest contributed to increased work motivation. In addition to this the results show that high work motivation is perceived to give some protection against work-related stress. However, it was shown that additional factors were needed to achieve lowest possible level of stress.

In recent years the world has witnessed an increased attention to matters concerning sustainable development; consumers today put higher pressure on organizations to change their old unsustainable practices for newer, more sustainable ones. Within scholarly business literature, the concept of business models has gained more traction over the past two decades, however there is still some disparity in the views of what a business model really is. So far three perspectives on business models have emerged: business models as attributes of real firms, business models as cognitive schemas, and business models as formal conceptualizations. In this thesis, we adopt the perspective of business models as attributes of real firms, more explicitly, we view them as systems of activities that allow firms to create value for everyone involved. As the stream of business model research as expanded, so has the literature on how they change, also referred to as business model innovation. Here the three dominant perspectives are the rational positioning view, the evolutionary view, and the cognitive view; we argue in line with the rational positioning view that business models may change as a response to a change in the environment in which it is embedded. Knowing that our planet is changing, the question then arises: what can be done? We believe that changing the business model of a firm toward sustainability may be part of the answer. Hence, in order to generate more knowledge about how this can be done, we set out to answer the research question:  what are the motivators of – and how do they influence – business model innovation for sustainability?  We do this by investigating three firms that have changed their activity systems to incorporate sustainability. Our findings indicate that there are some motivators and influencers to the process of business model innovation for sustainability: we identify the motivators zealous leadership, sense of obligation, future hygiene factor, employer branding, goal-setting, synergy, and competitive advantage; and the influencers financial barriers, technological barriers, and cultural barriers. Further, we give practical suggestions to managers on how they can enhance the motivators and lower the barriers; we discuss the societal implications of our findings, and propose avenues for further research.

This research discusses how to motive and retain employees in China based on analyzing factors influencing employee enthusiasm and strategies to motivate employees under the framework of Herzberg’s two-factor theory. With the proposition that hygiene factors and motivators both influence the work enthusiasm, 15 interviews were arranged to collect the needed data for further analysis. According to the information obtained from the 15 interviewees from P&G, hygiene factors and motivators all exert influences over their work behaviors and the impact of the factors differs according to the different conditions of the employees. The findings of this research generally agree with the two-factor theory. Based on how the work enthusiasm of P&G’s employees are influenced by each of the factors, strategies are correspondingly formulated to motivate employees at work. Generally speaking, this research is significant for being conducted from a microscopic perspective to the macroscopic perspective. In other words, a specific organization is studied to figure out the answers to the research questions and the findings can be used for future studies as well for practical purposes. More specifically, when conducting this study, such factors as unsatisfying wages and benefits, heavy workload, task conflicts, ambiguous duties, interpersonal conflicts and ineffective management system, etc., all discourage the enthusiasm of employees. In response to that, a reasonable management system and sound motivational mechanism should be established to keep employees active at work or retain those who want to resign.

Latinas are at risk for not engaging in optimal exercise and are at greater risk than other ethnic groups for being overweight and suffering deleterious health consequences. The current study’s researcher utilizes pedometers, exercise logs, surveys, and participatory photography to determine exercise motivators and barriers to exercise among Latinas. The specific aims of the presented research were to identify predictors of exercise, to investigate the relationship between motivation types, self-determination and acculturation among Latinas, and employ participatory photography methodology to better understand Latina’s exercise motivators and barriers. The methodology included both quantitative and qualitative methods. Exercise motivation types (Amotivation, Extrinsic, Intrinsic) using the Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2 (BREQ-2), an exercise log and pedometer step counts were collected from 169 Latinas. Acculturation and demographic variables including income, education, and number of children were also collected. Each Latina met with the researcher to complete the BREQ-2, receive her exercise log and pedometers and to return her exercise logs. A sub-sample of 19 Latinas responded to semi-structured questions about exercise and photographed their exercise motivators and barriers. Results showed that the more acculturated to American culture, the fewer steps on average per day were recorded by participants. Demographic variables were not significant predictors of exercise. Motivation type was not found to predict exercise (recorded steps per day). The Intrinsic regulation subscale, ‘I value the benefits of exercise,’ of the BREQ-2 had the highest mean score (m = 3.28, SD = .83). Participants in the qualitative phase of the study defined exercise as physical activities done for the purpose of exercising involving a set of physical and emotional effects. Exercise motivators identified through qualitative semi-structured interviews were classified as either Extrinsic or Intrinsic with the most frequently commented on being the Extrinsic category. Exercise barriers that emerged from the data were classified into a) competing obligations, b) personal limitations, c) environmental limitations, and d) competing diversions. Cultural aspects influencing Latinas’ exercise also emerged from the data classified into the following categories: a) job stress, b) changing family roles, c) fast food availability, and d) transportation. The findings of this study suggest avenues for interventions that are family-centered and culturally-tailored based on education of what constitutes exercise. Exercise motivation is a complex issue for Latinas, and future researchers need to examine the mechanisms of becoming more Americanized that may adversely affect Latinas’ activity levels. The concept and measurement of Identified regulation may need to be revised before its further use among Latinas in addressing the significant health disparity attributable to sub-optimal exercise.

Problem: In today’s business markets companies are faced with new challenges occurring from globalization, new technologies, deregulation, blurring borders between industries, and outsourcing which change the competitive environment in the market. To deal with these challenges organizations are forced to look for new and innovative ways to differentiate themselves from competitors and to satisfy customers’ demands for more customized products and services. Additionally, nowadays customers strive for fulfilling their needs by being more active. Value co-creation, the collaboration between companies and customers, is as a solution of current interest to cope with these challenges. Due to the close linkage between retailers and customers, value co-creation is of high interest for this part of the SC. Hence, this thesis focuses on the retailer-customer context and co-creation in terms of co-designing of bikes. Purpose: The purpose of this Master of Science thesis is to investigate how and why retailers and customers co-create value. Therefore, retailers’ and customers’ potential motivators, the interaction between them and the actors’ potential outcomes are explored. Method: This thesis conducts an exploratory and qualitative investigation of three case companies; Bike by Me, myownbike, and 718 Cyclery. The empirical material is gathered from interviews with the CEOs of the three companies, the retailers’ customers, and potential customers. The findings have been analyzed using a framework developed based on existing literature, stated in the frame of reference, which is improved by this thesis’ findings. Conclusions: Customers and retailers co-create value due to different potential motivators and outcomes. Retailers are motivated by aspects such as increases in competitive advantage, differentiation, customer loyalty, and better understanding of new needs. Customers’ motivators are amongst others the product itself, individuality, and enjoyment. As retailers’ outcomes increased efficiency and effectiveness, new customer acquisition, and the establishment of long-term relationships are identified. Customers’ outcomes are high customer satisfaction, new knowledge, convenience, and financial aspects. Actions between retailers and customers in value co-creation are identified through a learning phase and an innovation phase. The retailer participates through providing information, the platform for co-creation, and suggestions and assistance. The customers collaborate in terms of designing the product, expression of desires and experiences, feedback, and WOM in interaction with other customers.

Girls with foreign background is the group that is most left outside the sports movement in Sweden and the ones with the least sports habit. Sports assumed to provide an arena for integration that these girls are being left outside from. The Swedish sports movement has adapted the conditions for them as a way to encourage them to participate in sports, but there are still lots of girls with foreign background that stands outside the sports movement. One input that the Swedish National Association has done for children and young adults is to adopt the Drive-in-sport, which can work as an entrance to the sports movement. The aim of the study is therefore to investigate which barriers, motivators and requests girls in Sweden with foreign background have to participate in Drive-in-sports. Eight interviews have been done to girls who do not participate in Drive-in-sports. The results shows that the main reasons for the girls to not participate are: lack of time, homework, babies, don't have friends to go with and that they think they will be left outside because of their veil. The conclusion is that the girls are looking for community and continuity which the sport clubs can offer them but the Drive-in-sports probably can not.

The corona pandemic has led to many different changes in society, where many companies have had to adapt and readjust to teleworking. This has resulted in different challenges within the working life, for both employers and employees. One of these challenges is how to manage work motivation among the employees. The purpose with this study is therefore to increase awareness of which factors that are important for work motivation among the employees during a forced telework. Furthermore, the aim of this study is to increase awareness of what conditions the employer creates for the work motivation and how the conditions have become valuable for the work motivation among the employees. Previous research about work motivation includes a discussion between intrinsic and extrinsic sources of motivation. Furthermore, it also presents different perspectives of work motivation, both through an individual and organizational. The previous research in the field of teleworking shows that combining teleworking with office work is the most preferable way, since there are several advantages and disadvantages with teleworking. This study is based on qualitative interviews with employees and management within a construction and maintenance company. The result of the study shows that the most important motivational factors for work motivation among employees are related to intrinsic work motivation. These factors are the work itself, responsibility, confirmation and accomplishment. The result also shows that the management of the company has created favorable conditions for the work motivation during the teleworking period. Lastly, the result shows how the conditions that the company has created have become valuable for the work motivation during the readjustment to teleworking. The adjustments that the management have made have created the right conditions for the employees. Because of these adjustments, the employees have been able to perform their working tasks without further issues. Thus the created conditions by the company has contributed to maintaining the work motivation among the employees. / Coronapandemin har tvingat samhället till olika förändringar, däribland att många företag behövt ställa om till distansarbete. Det har resulterat i olika utmaningar inom arbetslivet, både för arbetsgivare och arbetstagare. En av dessa utmaningar är arbetet med de anställdas arbetsmotivation. Syftet med denna studie är därför att ge en ökad förståelse för vilka faktorer som är viktiga för arbetstagares arbetsmotivation vid ett påtvingat distansarbete. Vidare ämnas studien ge en ökad förståelse för vilka förutsättningar arbetsgivaren skapar för arbetsmotivationen, samt hur dessa förutsättningar fått betydelse för de anställdas arbetsmotivation. Tidigare forskning om arbetsmotivation diskuterar kring inre- och yttre motivationskällor samt arbetsmotivation ur ett individuellt och organisationellt perspektiv. Den tidigare forskningen inom ämnet distansarbete visar att kombinationen av distans- och kontorsarbete är att föredra, då det finns både för- och nackdelar med att arbeta hemifrån. Denna studie baseras på kvalitativa intervjuer med anställda och ledning inom ett bygg- och förvaltningsföretag. Studiens resultat visar att de viktigaste motivationsfaktorerna för de anställdas arbetsmotivation är relaterade till en inre motivation. Dessa faktorer är själva arbetet, ansvar, prestation samt bekräftelse. Resultatet visar även att företagets ledning har skapat förutsättningar för medarbetarna som är gynnsamma för arbetsmotivationen under det påtvingade distansarbetet. Slutligen framkommer det att de förutsättningar som företagets ledning har skapat har haft betydelse för medarbetarnas arbetsmotivation under omställningen från kontorsarbete till distansarbete. De anställda har genom dessa åtgärder kunnat utföra sina arbetsuppgifter utan större problem. Således har Företagets skapade förutsättningar bidragit till att bibehålla arbetsmotivationen hos de anställda.