Twelve participants took part in a clinical trial to investigate whether the office environment quality, specifically the decor and interior design, causes stress in office workers. The stress was measured through psychosomatic responses, to gauge the real subconscious stress, rather than through questionnaires, which measure the conscious response to stress. The participants were office workers from the same administration building, but working in different fields. There were five black, three Indian and four white participants. The gender mix consisted of two female and ten male participants. The age spectrum ranged from 27 years to 55 years of age. Participants were requested to fast from midnight and present themselves early for the tests on two consecutive days. They were divided into two groups. The tests, using two different environment qualities, were presented in a counterbalanced order to the groups, with a control group remaining in the superior environment on both days. A superior environment of four star quality decor and interior design, and an inferior environment of half a star quality were used. From research by Wing et al. (1985), after ingesting a source of glucose, the peak glucose concentration in the plasma is delayed under stress. This was used as the psychosomatic test. Participants drank a solution containing 40 g of polycose, and were then subjected to identical mental stress tests in the different environments. Blood samples were taken at thirty minute intervals for two hours from drinking the polycose, and analysed for changes in glucose concentration. The differences in stress responses were calculated as delays in the time to glucose concentration peak, and analysed. The room factor was highly significant with F(6;15) = 6.620 (p=0.001 at a = 0.05). The day of testing was of much lower significance but still significant at F(6;15) = 3.402 (p=0.025 at a = 0.05). This was due to stress caused by the memory of the pain of repeated jabs with a needle, which would only be observed on the second day. (The time of the peak concentration occurred before the second blood samples were taken, which meant the stress caused by the anticipation of pain remembered was not observed on the first day.) After correcting for the stress effects on the second day due to testing, Tukey's Honestly Significantly Different test yielded two homogeneous subsets (out of a four subsets, which were a combination of the room and day factors). The two subsets were clearly divided by room, and not by day, this time. The subsets (rooms) were both highly significant, ranging from 0.609 to 1.00, for an alpha of 0.05. It was concluded, from causality tests and hypothesis testing, a high quality office environment causes a significantly lower stress response, while a poor quality office environment causes a significantly higher stress response. A model, correlating stress with the office environment, was developed for use by businesses. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006.

No description available.

The problem statement for this study is found in the relation between the community of believers and the service of the deacons. The aim of the study was to show the close relation between the terms koinonia and diakonia. In this Practical Theological study the method of Zerfass was used. By means of a literature search basis-theoretical principles were formulated. Through a hermeneutical interaction between the basis-theoretical principles and the meta-theoretical perspectives new practical-theoretical guidelines were established. In Chapter 2 basis-theoretical principles were formulated from Scripture and other literature. The meaning of the terms koinonia, diakonia and diakonos were traced as well as the use of the terms in the Old and New Testaments. With regard to this matter the focus was on Acts 6 as locus classicus for the institution of the office of deacon with special reference to the "Seven". The use of the terms in the church history and the church tradition is studied by way of literature studies, after which the use and application of the terms in the Reformed Churches of South Africa are discussed. In Chapter 3 the metatheoretical perspectives were compiled through study of the sociology and social welfare as ancillary subjects. The similarities were indicated. An empirical study in the Reformed Churches of South Africa showed that the terms koinonia, diakonia and the service of the deacons were undefined. In Chapter 4 some practical-theoretical guidelines were given with reference to the hermeneutical interaction between the basis-theoretical principles and the metatheoretical perspectives. The final conclusion in Chapter 5 stressed the close connection and relation between the community of believers and the service of the deacons. The relationship between believers, stems from their relationship with God. Therefore people who would earnestly like to do something for God, should be guided, equipped and involved by the deacons to serve each other. This diakonia must, in turn, serve to initiate and stimulate koinonia. In the practical implementation of this, the office of the deacon finds its niche. / Thesis (M.Th. (Pastoral))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

The purpose of the study was to analyze the 1973 and 1975 vocational business and office education graduates trained in the intensive office laboratory, the data processing laboratory, and the cooperative office education programs in Region VI of the State of Indiana. Tables were constructed to display aggregate and detailed data pertaining to:1. employment status of graduates2. reasons for graduate unemployment 3. length of time graduates have beenemployed4. satisfaction of the graduates withcurrent employment5. perception of the graduates of thehigh school vocational programs6. number of graduates continuing posthigh school training7. type of institutions serving thegraduates post high school trainingneeds8. occupational classification of the employed vocational business and office education graduates9. graduate participation in the Office Education Association.So that the purpose of the study could be met, all 577 vocational business and office education graduates were surveyed. The data was based on a return of 365 questionnaires or a 68.9 per cent return. A questionnaire was developed and field tested. After the graduates returned the questionnaire, questionnaires were mailed to the employers of the graduates employed in an office occupation to determine the validity of the data collected.Some of the findings are:1. Sixty-nine per cent of the graduates were employed, twenty per cent were not seeking employment, and eleven per cent were seeking employment.2. Over seventy-six per cent of the employed graduates were employed in office occupations and fifty-three per cent were still employed in the first employment position.3. Fifty-four per cent of the employed graduates were employed within the same geographic area where the vocational training was provided and forty-six per cent had been employed longer than thirteen months.4. Seventy-one per cent of the unemployed graduates had been employed since graduation.5. Twenty per cent of the employed cooperative office education graduates and twenty per cent of the intensive office education graduates were employed as secretaries.6. Twelve per cent of the data processing graduates were employed as computer operators and twelve per cent as key punch operators.7. Fifteen per cent of the employed graduates and forty-three per cent of the unemployed graduates were enrolled in post high school training.Based on the data, some of the conclusions are:1. The vocational programs currently underway must be meeting the needs of the graduates since more than ninety per cent of all vocational business and office education graduates within Region VI have been employed.2. Vocational programs are training students for employment positions which meet the desires of graduates since more than seventy-five per cent of the respondents working in office occupations were satisfied with the current employment position.3. The vocational programs must be providing the necessary training within the current vocational business and office education programs since more than ninety per cent of the graduates working in office positions indicated that they were adequately prepared for the position.Following are some of the recommendations of the study:1. A comprehensive longitudinal follow-up study should be conducted on the vocational graduates that follows the progression of the graduatesin and out of the labor market and post-secondary education institutions.2. Follow-up studies should be conducted every one and three years and a standard questionnaire should be adopted by the Indiana State Department of Public Instruction.3. A follow-up study should be conducted with the employers of the vocational graduates to ascertain the extent of employer satisfaction with the job competence and performance of the graduates.

In diesem Artikel werden die Ergebnisse einer vergleichenden Usability-Untersuchung von Office Suites dargestellt, wobei einerseits der kommerzielle Marktführer Microsoft Office, andererseits die in dem Bereich führende Open Source Software, OpenOffice.org, miteinbezogen wurden. Insbesondere sollte die Frage geklärt werden, ob und mit welchen Problemen ein Umstieg auf OpenOffice.org für Benutzer von Microsoft Office möglich ist. Die empirische Untersuchung zeigt, dass die Unterschiede zwischen den Softwareprodukten hinsichtlich Usability als gering anzusehen sind. Sowohl in der quantitativen Auswertung von Problemen und Bearbeitungszeiten, als auch in der subjektiven Wahrnehmung der Benutzer zeigen beide Programme individuelle Stärken und Schwächen. Insgesamt wäre aber ein Umstieg auf die Open Source Lösung für Office-User aus dem Blickpunkt der Usability leicht möglich, was auch durch entsprechende Stellungnahmen der Benutzer unterstrichen wird. (author's abstract) / Series: Working Papers on Information Systems, Information Business and Operations

Ultra wideband (UWB) has the potential for high data rates, ranging and positioning. A UWB communication system's design requires knowledge regarding the channel. This thesis investigates the effect that different antenna orientations have on the wireless channel; in an indoor office environment. Channel reciprocity, path loss, body shadowing and spatial correlation are investigated for the frequency band 3.1 to 10.6 GHz. The measurements are performed in the frequency domain. UWB channels are shown to be highly reciprocal in all instances. Path loss versus distance was determined for line of sight (LOS) and non-line of sight (NLOS) scenarios. Body shadowing is measured for an average Caucasian male, and the root mean square (RMS) delay spread and received power loss plotted spatially. The spatial correlation is investigated using a two dimensional grid. A comparison between the horizontal and vertical polarization is made. / Graduate

No description available.

Prior to independence, there were no clear regulations regarding the discipline of "publics office available in the United Arab Emirates and other countries of the Gulf Co-Operation Council. However, the postindependence era has witnessed great developments in political, economic, social and legal fields. Particular attention was accorded to public office as new laws regulating public office were promulgated in which the duties and rights of public servants were defined and a certain disciplinary system evolved. Against this background, the researcher examines the current disciplinary system in the United Arab Emirates with the purpose of pinpointing its deficiencies and limitations and proposing means for rectifying the same, as this would lead to a higher level of performance in the public service. The present thesis, which falls into eight chapters, begins by reviewing the developments that have taken place in the country in various fields. It then examines the Islamic perspective of the public service and reviews the early beginnings of its evolution. The study then discusses the duties and responsibilities of the public servant as per the current Public Service Law. It further deals with the various aspects of disciplinary accountability including disciplinary bodies, penalties and proceedings with special reference to the said law. This theoretical xix background is followed by an investigation of the actual implementation of the said law in particular those provisions pertaining to disciplinary accountability. For this purpose, a questionnaire was administered to a representative sample of 305 public servants of the United Arab Emirates. Personal interviews were also conducted by the researcher with a number of high-ranking government officials. The results of the questionnaire and interviews are then analyzed. Some recommendations and suggestions aimed at improving the U. A. E. Civil Service regulations and practices especially in the disciplinary domain are made in the final chapter.

This thesis is an examination of Muslim traditions concerning Muhammad's call to prophethood. Although Muhammad's initial prophetic call is one of the most crucial events in the history of Islamic religious tradition, Muslim records of the event are too inconsistent to be reconciled. At the expense of sound source criticism, some influential modern Islamicists, like Tor Andrae and W. M. Watt, have tried to reconstruct Muhammad's call from inconsistent hadiths. Drawing on the works of four Muslim traditionists, i.e. Ibn Ishaq, Ibn Sa'd, al-Bukhari and al-Tabari this thesis points out that, other than the fact that Muhammad must have gone through a fundamental religious experience, Muslim traditions do not permit a reconstruction of the historical event of Muhammad's call; they do provide, however, evidence of the complex ways in which Muslims understood the event, suited to their religio-theological interpretation of the Qur'anic allusions to the modes of Muhammad's religious experiences.

Thesis (MAppSc Project Man) -- University of South Australia, 1993