The criminal justice system does not focus on individual needs outside of the defense against criminal charges and thus perpetuates the cycle that results in indigent people burdened with a criminal record. This paper first examines the current practices of public defenders. Next it explores the indirect consequences of involvement with the criminal justice system known as collateral consequences and the relatively new practice of holistic defense by which these consequences may be addressed. The paper then discusses issues that previously incarcerated individuals have upon their re-entry into society. Finally, the paper will introduce a new concept, “pre-entry,” inspired by the holistic defense approach.

This study investigated the relationships between business planning and venture growth while also exploring the moderating variables of entrepreneurial pre-entry knowledge and industry dynamism. Scales that allowed for empirical testing were collected and collated from the broader business planning literature. Using a sample of 103 entrepreneurs from three industries, entrepreneurs were surveyed in an attempt to measure entrepreneurial business planning practices in a South African environment. The results of the study indicated that while planning is an important process of an entrepreneurial venture its effectiveness depends on planning combinations and contextual factors. Specifically, it provided evidence for planning’s positive impact on venture growth; when an entrepreneur engaged in prior business planning and then implemented the plan. Furthermore the extent of an entrepreneur’s pre-entry knowledge was shown to have a positive impact on venture growth. While a synergy effect was observed when entrepreneurs had both pre-entry knowledge and engaged in prior planning. In contrast, the findings suggest that when an entrepreneur launches a business and has pre-entry knowledge it is more valuable not to implement these plans. Lastly the results suggested that planning practices were more likely to positively impact venture growth in industries experiencing lower levels of dynamism. Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Education in the Faculty of Education at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology / The research question that guided this doctoral study is: How do pre-entry academic and non-academic factors influence teacher education students’ first-year experience and academic performance? The study was designed within the qualitative research paradigm and employed a case study strategy to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative approach included a questionnaire that was completed by 195 respondents. The qualitative data was obtained from one-on-one and focus-group interviews with eight participants that were purposively selected. The conceptual framework developed for this enquiry took into consideration the significance of student diversity in understanding first-year experience and thus employed concepts from two sociological models, Tinto’s (1975; 1993) integration model (social and academic integration) and Bourdieu’s (1984; 1990) theoretical tools of capital, habitus and field. Six key themes emerged from the data: determination, self-reliance, fitting-in, out-of-habitus experience, positioning oneself to succeed and challenges. The unequal distribution of economic, social and cultural capital created disparities between students’ habitus and schooling experiences which influenced the way they integrated into their first year at university. The study revealed that more mature students than school-leavers and gap-students are entering higher education. Further, the majority of first-year students are unable to fund their studies and source external funding or engage in part-time employment. Students pursued financial aid before focusing on academic activities. Engagement in the social domain remained marginal. Students’ determination to change their economic circumstances was the primary factor that influenced their attitudes and actions at university. Higher education needs to consider student diversity, financial constraints of disadvantaged students, first-year curriculum planning and delivery, and the high cost of university studies. It needs to move away from viewing entering students from a deficit model, to capitalise on their qualities of determination, optimism, enthusiasm and openness to learning, thereby creating an inclusive first-year experience that could encourage retention and student success.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether certain student-entry characteristics collected from an admissions application from one nursing school’s graduate (master’s degree) programs had a statistically significant relationship with student persistence. Specifically, the study determined if the variables sex, age at matriculation, U.S. citizenship, state residency status, most recent schooling year, last statistics course taken and grade, graduate-level program of study, and credit hours identified on the graduate nursing admissions application and school transcripts, had a statistically significant relationship in predicting student persistence to graduation. If a relationship existed, it would contribute to graduate student persistence literature and influence how educators and student affairs professionals can identify and support students at risk. The population was the graduate nursing students who enrolled at a large public research university in the Pacific Northwest of the United States during Spring 2005 through the Fall 2009 terms. Graduate students meeting inclusion criteria had data extrapolated from the college’s database; including, the pre-entry characteristics, total credit hours completed, and if (and when) they graduated from their program of study. Astin’s (1985) Input-Environment-Outcomes (I-E-O) Model was the theoretical framework utilized in this study. Out of the 405 graduate nursing students, 257 students (63.5%) graduated within four years from time of matriculation, or 278 students (68.6%) graduated without any time restrictions. Certain pre-entry characteristic data were no longer accessible and not included in the data analysis (most recent schooling year, last statistics course taken and grade). The analysis showed that the age (p < 0.010) and type of graduate program of study one enrolls (p < 0.010) plays an influential role in student persistence to graduation at this nursing school during this time period. In summary, on average, those students who graduated within four years from the time of matriculation were 3.2 years younger than the average age of those who did not complete their graduate program, and the completion rates for practitioner-focused students were higher (66.5-70%) compared to their non-practitioner-focused (46.8-61.3%) counterparts. The results of this study will have an impact on graduate admissions and recruitment, student progression and advising services, and faculty development. Graduate nursing student persistence has multiple implications impacting institutions, communities, and the lives of students. Future opportunities to advancing knowledge on this subject include researching additional pre-entry variables across multi-campus populations with larger sample sizes, longitudinal studies, and interventions to promote persistence.

Master of Science / Department of Hospitality Management and Dietetics / Kevin R. Roberts / The psychological contract is comprised of the perceived obligations between two parties, such as an employee and an employer. When an individual joins an organization, the employee has a specific set of personal needs to be satisfied, which will be fulfilled by the psychological contract. Research has historically focused on the consequences of the psychological contract violations. The antecedents and the formation of the psychological contract are less known. Two types of psychological contracts exist: transactional and relational. In past research, undergraduate students enrolled in hospitality programs have indicated that transactional contracts are most important. Research has been limited on undergraduate hospitality students and their expectations of the workplace, thus the purpose of this study was to explore undergraduate hospitality students’ pre-entry career expectations. An online survey was distributed to undergraduate hospitality students at universities in the United States. Students highly ranked a safe work environment (8.7 ± 2.5), resources (7.8 ± 3.0) and equipment (7.4 ± 3.2) to do their jobs, training (8.2 ± 2.9), and job security (7.7 ± 3.1). The least important and expected items were work schedules with limited nights and weekends (2.5 ± 4.3) and working 40 or less hours per week (2.5 ± 4.1). The number of college credit hours completed and amount of work experience had the largest effects between expectations. Results of this study will assist hospitality educators in preparing students for post-graduation employment and offer industry recruiters insight into what expectations are important to new hospitality graduates.