This study seeks to understand whether there exists a relationship between entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and firm performance (FP) and whether this is applicable in the context of the South African metals and engineering industry. An exploratory quantitative study of 125 SMEs and large firms in the metals and engineering industry was undertaken in 2012 to investigate the existence of the relationship between EO and FP. EO is measured using the Hughes&Morgan (2007) EO scale which incorporated the five dimensions of Lumpkin&Dess (1996). The Hughes&Morgan (2007) EO scale is used to study the independent effects of these multi-dimensions on FP. A Chi-square test is used to test the significance independence of the relationship between the multi-dimensions of EO and FP. This cross-section study finds out that there is convincingly a moderate to strong relationship between EO and FP. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Two studies were conducted to present two new theoretical constructs based on narcissistic personality and Daoist water-like personality research. Narcissistic group orientation (NGO) was developed to incorporate both the grandiose and vulnerable expressions of narcissism into a group-oriented social variable. NGO is pathological group orientation with two distinct expressions that share a common etiology in social identity monopolization. The conditions that promote social identity monopolization and ultimately increase the salience of the particular self-category, differ amongst the grandiose and vulnerable expressions of NGO. The grandiose expression increases salience of a particular self-category to facilitate opportunistic use for self-enhancement, while the vulnerable expression increases salience of a particular self-category to facilitate threat detection and avoidance. Water-like group orientation (WGO) was developed to provide a measure of secure in-group positivity which is in contrast to defensive in-group positivity. WGO is a prosocial group orientation that is based on the Daoist principle of wuwei (non-action) or underacting which is conceived here as a lack of desire for control. Study 1 aimed to provide support for the factor structure of the newly developed scales and provide evidence of validity. The results of confirmatory factor analyses in Study 1 and Study 2 supported a two-factor NGO model and a two-factor WGO model. The two-factor NGO model is made up of a grandiose narcissistic group orientation (GNGO) factor and a vulnerable narcissistic group orientation (VNGO) factor. WGO Factor 1 (WGOF1) is an in-group confidence and satisfaction factor, and WGO Factor 2 (WGOF2) is an out-group respect and altruism factor. Study 1 also gathered evidence of convergent validity for both the NGO and WGO constructs. Both GNGO and VNGO exhibited positive correlations with social dominance orientation and blind patriotism, and negligible correlations with constructive patriotism. WGOF1 exhibited positive correlations with social dominance orientation and blind patriotism, and a negligible correlation with constructive patriotism. WGOF2 exhibited negative correlations with social dominance orientation and blind patriotism, and a positive correlation with constructive patriotism. Study 2 sought to gather support for the factor structure of NGO and WGO once again and to examine the relationship between GNGO, VNGO, WGOF1, and WGOF2 with a multicomponent measure of in-group identification that includes solidarity, satisfaction, centrality, self-stereotyping, and in-group homogeneity. GNGO, VNGO, and WGOF1 were positively related to all five in-group identification components, while WGOF2 was unrelated to all five in-group identification components. The NGO and WGO scales may be used to study groups who are experiencing acute or ongoing intergroup conflict, intense scrutiny, or aggressive groups. These scales may be used to develop a greater understanding of group and environmental characteristics that lead to defensive in-group positivity.

No description available.

This dissertation investigates the influence of family messages about gender, free expression, conformity, and privacy on coming out disclosures, a difficult experience in today’s society. Using communication privacy management theory, this study explored how heteronormative beliefs, family privacy boundaries, and family communication patterns relate to disclosure concerns. A total of 218 self-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) participants were recruited using convenience and snowball sampling techniques. Participants completed an online survey to measure family privacy orientations, family communication patterns, heteronormative attitudes and beliefs, and disclosure concerns. Six linear regression analyses were performed. The findings suggest that both family privacy orientations and family communication patterns contribute to concerns about disclosing one’s sexual orientation. The study did not find heteronormative beliefs and attitudes to play a significant role in disclosure concerns. Additional findings indicate that family communication patterns inform family privacy orientations, which suggest a more complicated chain of influence. The findings of the study highlight the influence of early communication on LGBT individuals’ long-term ability to communicate about their sexual orientation.

MEDCS / Department of Curriculum Studies and Education Management

In evolutionary psychology, the concept of jealousy is explained as the result of selection pressures causing individuals to develop certain mental tendencies in order to maximize their own viability and reproduction ability. Romantic jealousy is one of such tendencies; for men ensuring their fatherhood certainty, for women the maintenance of their partner's resources. Results of previous studies using the evolutionary approach pointed out that there are specific gender differences in the perception of jealousy; men generally show more anxiety associated with sexual infidelity, women, on the other hand, with emotional infidelity. Studies dealing with jealousy between homosexual individuals show that gay men tend to express more anxiety regarding emotional infidelity (similar to heterosexual women) while homosexual women express more concerns regarding sexual infidelity (similar to heterosexual men). These studies suggest that the type of jealousy (emotional / sexual) depends on the sex of the respondent's partner and not on the sex of the individual in question. The aim of this proposed study was to examine the experience of jealousy, its perception and attitudes to it from the perspective of heterosexual, homosexual and bisexual men and women and further explore whether it will be different sexual...

There is heightened risk for physical and mental health concerns among U.S. veterans. For instance, 26% of veterans experience insomnia (i.e., chronic difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep), compared to 15% of the general population. This may be due, in part, to the presence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, as veterans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with PTSD. Rumination or flashbacks focused on traumatic events (e.g., witnessing death) may contribute to problems with the onset and quality of sleep. However, not all veterans experience insomnia or PTSD symptoms, perhaps due to a positive future orientation (FO). Adaptive, goal-directed thinking may lessen risk for rumination about past actions or experiences (e.g., combat exposure), with consequent beneficial effects on sleep quality. Yet, to the extent that other negative emotions remain in the presence of FO, potential benefits may be thwarted. Specifically, feelings of shame (i.e., judging self as intolerable or defective) or anger may arise from discrepancies between military actions taken or witnessed and one’s moral beliefs. In turn, this may limit future-oriented coping abilities, with negative implications for PTSD symptoms and insomnia. At the bivariate level, we hypothesized that PTSD symptoms, insomnia, shame, and anger would be positively related, and that these variables would be negatively related to FO. At the multivariate level, we hypothesized that PTSD symptoms would mediate the relation between FO and insomnia, such that greater FO would be associated with fewer PTSD symptoms and, in turn, to fewer insomnia symptoms. Further, we hypothesized that shame and anger would moderate these linkages, reducing beneficial effects and exacerbating risk. Our sample of U.S. veterans (n=551) was recruited online from national organizations and social media groups and was primarily white (n=469; 85.1%) and male (n=382; 69.3%). Participants completed self-report measures, including the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory - Brief (future subscale), PTSD Checklist - Military Version, Insomnia Severity Index, and Differential Emotions Scale (shame and anger subscales). Bivariate correlations and moderated-mediation analyses, per Hayes (2013), were conducted, covarying age, sex, and ethnicity. In bivariate analyses, all variables were significantly related in hypothesized directions (p<.01). In mediation analyses, the total effect of FO on insomnia was significant (t=-5.336, p<.001), and the direct effect was nonsignificant when PTSD was added (t=-1.840, p=.07), indicating mediation. In moderated-mediation analyses, the PTSD-insomnia linkage was strengthened by shame (b2=-.011, t=-2.451, p=.015, CI=[-.019, -.002])and anger (b2=-.012,t=-3.1, p=.002, CI=[-.020, -.005]), in separate models. In our veteran sample, to the extent one is future-oriented, PTSD symptoms may be ameliorated, with consequent beneficial impact on sleep quantity and quality. Yet, shame and anger may exacerbate the linkage between PTSD symptoms and insomnia, suggesting that therapeutic interventions to reduce shame (e.g., Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) and anger (e.g., cognitive reframing) may promote better sleep. Clinical strategies to promote positive future-oriented thinking (e.g., Cognitive Processing Therapy) may also help to alleviate PTSD symptoms and associated insomnia within the veteran population.

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This report combines theoretical and empirical findings to create a holistic framework for market oriented practices within professional service firms. Changes in the business environment of technology consultancy firms, has developed a need to adopt more structured procedures in assessing the market place and in responding, both through external activities as well as through internal optimization. An assumption was made that the market orientation concept was of relevance in addressing this need. A qualitative empirical investigation was conducted at a large professional service firm mainly operating within the construction consulting industry in Sweden. The result provides a conceptual framework for practising market orientation, based largely on empirical findings, which in the conclusion is summarized into a model to visualize the interconnection of the different parts of market orientation. The framework developed is ‘The Market Orientation Model’ which is made up four stages; (1) ‘Assess Current State’ in which the goal is to understand the current state of the firm; current market, current services and current competences. (2) ‘Collect Intelligence’ where the collection of market intelligence, using a set of different processes, about the needs and demands of current, new and internal customers should be gathered. (3) ‘Create Insight’ which is the process of identifying the Market Potential or the Market Demand through processes of organization wide dissemination and analysis of the gathered intelligence. (4a) ‘Create Response Initiative’ where the aim is to create new, or develop existing service offerings to meet the demand or need of the market. (4b) ‘Create Sales Initiative’ which is the initiation of a sales attempt of existing services to new or existing customers. The model creates a summarized picture of what constitutes market orientation and how it can be adapted to an organization. It can be used to create a standardized approach for an entire organization in building a market oriented firm. By continuously following this model in a market oriented firm, greater alignment with market should be achieved. / Denna rapport kombinerar teoretiska och empiriska resultat för att skapa ett helhetstäckande ramverk för marknadsorienterad verksamhet inom professionella tjänsteföretag. Förändringar i dessa företags omvärld har utvecklat ett behov av att införa mer strukturerade rutiner för att bedöma marknaden och genom både marknadsinsatser och interna processförbättringar möta dessa förändringar. Ett antagande gjordes att marknadsorientering var ett relevant koncept för att bemöta detta behov. En kvalitativ empirisk studie genomfördes på ett större professionellt tjänsteföretag på den svenska teknikkonsultmarknaden med inriktning mot byggbranschen. Resultatet består av ett konceptuellt ramverk för marknadsorientering, som till stor del bygger på empiriska resultat. Detta sammanfattas i en modell för att visualisera kopplingarna mellan de olika delarna av marknadsorientering. Ramverket benämns som "The Market Orientation Model" som består  av fyra steg; (1) "Utvärdera aktuellt läge" där målet är att förstå den nuvarande situationen för företaget, den aktuella marknaden, nuvarande tjänster och nuvarande kompetenser. (2) "Samla information" med  målet  att  samla  in  marknadsinformation  om  befintliga,  nya  och  interna  kunders tjänstebehov med hjälp av en uppsättning processer. (3) 'Skapa ins ikt’, som är processen för att  identifiera  marknadens  potential  eller  efterfrågan  genom  processer  för  organisatorisk spridning och analys av informationen som erhållits i steg två. (4a) ’Bemötande’ där syftet är att skapa nya, eller utveckla befintliga tjänsteutbud för att möta efterfrågan eller behov på marknaden.  (4b)  'Försäljningsinitiativ’  där  man  skapar  en  riktad  säljinsats  av  befintliga tjänster till nya eller befintliga kunder. Modellen ger en sammanfattad bild av vad som utgör marknadsorientering och hur den kan anpassas   till   en   organisation.   Det   kan   användas   för   att   skapa   ett   standardiserat tillvägagångssätt för en organisation att bygga ett marknadsorienterat företag. Genom att följa denna modell inom ett företag bör en bättre anpassning till marknaden uppnås.

This research examines variation in the relationships between college expectations, planfulness, and intense adolescent work by socioeconomic factors using data from Add Health (n = 8,836). Results show that higher college expectations are related to higher odds of intense school-year work among lower social class youth, but lower odds of intense work among youth from higher social class backgrounds. Moreover, planful adolescents are more likely to work intensely during the school year among youth from disadvantaged neighborhoods, but less likely to work intensely among those from advantaged neighborhoods. Results also show less variability in these relationships when considering summer work.