It is 30 years after Post-Mao reforms, 20 years after Tiananmen Square demonstrations, and the next generation of “comrades” are emerging in China. They are called the Balinghou or “Post- 80s” generation, referring to the cohort born between 1980 and 1989. This study addresses an empirical gap by exploring the narrative resources Shanghai’s Post-80s young adults call on to construct their identities, given the historical situation in which they live. This exploration is achieved through qualitative empirical data by employing a combination of narrative analysis and ethnography. Data analysis uncovers narrative resources clustered around three common themes: generational identity, structural resources, and personal lives. Further refection reveals that the extent to which identity is narratively expressed can be culturally constrained. Although the Balinghou encounter unique external factors such as the One Child Policy and rapid economic growth and reform in China, their narrative identity resources are more related to their perceptions of life stages than unprecedented historical circumstance. Keywords: narrative, identity, life course, symbolic interactionism, China, Shanghai, Balinghou, Post-80s generation

Anecdotal information indicates a resistance to change from federal fish hatchery staff regarding environmentally sustainable infrastructure renewal and hatchery operations. Qualitative research was conducted to investigate this phenomenon, using face-to-face interviews with nine hatchery staff across British Columbia. The interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim, and participants‘ responses remained confidential, due to the relatively small hatchery community. Responses were grouped under two headings, Barriers to Change and Embracing Change, and four distinct themes emerged: Governance, Benefits, Education and Research, and Culture and Personal Beliefs. Barriers to change related to governance emerged as the dominant theme during interviews. This research examines the culture of hatcheries and their perceived governance structure, identifies barriers to implementing change, and makes recommendations to foster effective governance. Characterizing hatchery staff responses to change is a significant step in moving towards environmentally sustainable infrastructure renewal and environmentally sustainable program operations.

Sustainable development has created new demands and led to a new way of thinking within the community-planning realm and has grown in use due to the increasing and changing awareness of environmental issues and their connection to growth within communities. As part ofthe Canadian Federal Gas Tax Fund requirement, municipalities must develop an Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ICSP). Currently, many municipalities are working towards a sustainable or environmental vision for their community and have developed master plans and policies to implement environmental practices. The issue facing municipalities is how do existing bodies of work support and integrate into the development of an ICSP? The Town of Oakville is used as a case study to investigate the method of reconciling master plans and policies to develop an ICSP. The research methods include a case study, interviews, the analysis ofICSP toolkits and municipal ICSPs. The research identifies successes, limitations, and improvements for the proposed approach.

Through a layered account format combining theory, performative autoethnographic vignettes, and dialogical exchanges, the author explores the performances of Supermotherhood as they materialize within her life and potentially within the lives of, and through interactions with, other mothers inside and outside of her immediate peer group. The author analyses the ways the pervasive ideology of perfect mothering manifests itself within motherhood culture, and how it ultimately impacts maternal agency, self worth, and by extension, the family unit, and the culture of motherhood-mothering in general. Guided by a feminist poststructuralist approach, the author argues that the Supermom, or rather, Super Mom meta-identity offers all subjective labels and ideologies of mothering a place to become and celebrate possibility, individuality, transition, and maternal empowerment. Keywords: mothering; feminism; performative identity; autoethnography; poststructuralist feminism; maternal empowerment; layered account

Elon saknar ett effektivt system vad gäller artikelplacering på lagret. Inkommande artiklar placeras på de platser där möjligheten finns att ta emot hela den inkommande volymen. Syftet med examensarbetet har två delar. En del är att ta fram en tydlig metod för Elon att använda vid en frekvensläggning samt att genomföra den valda metoden för 12 månader. Den andra delen är att simulera den totala körsträckan för truckförarna före och efter en frekvensläggning för det första kvartalet år 2021 med målet att uppnå en minskad körsträcka på 10 %. Arbetet ska även resultera i en färdig programmeringskod i Python som Elon ska kunna använda vid framtida simuleringar. Arbetet inleddes med en litteratursökning av relevanta metoder och tekniker som ska vara till grund för den frekvensläggning som genomförs i arbetet. De forskningsmetoder som identifierades och valdes var Design Research Methodology samt datainsamlingsteknikerna Litteraturstudie, Dokumentstudie, Intervju och Observation. Efter att en litteraturstudie genomförts valdes metoden ABC-analys som metod för frekvensläggning. Arbetet resulterade i en metod för frekvensläggning som innehåller fem steg som företaget bör följa och som beskrivs djupare i rapporten. ABC-analysen resulterade i att samtliga artiklar på lagret klassificerades i A-, B- eller C-klass efter uttagsfrekvens och ett platsbehov för varje klass beräknades. Den simulerade plockningen efter en frekvensläggning resulterade i en minskad körsträcka på 21,09 %. Arbetet kan utvecklas ytterligare genom att ta hänsyn till vilka portar det körs mer frekvent till, identifiera artiklar som ofta körs tillsammans och placera nära varandra, anpassa lagret efter kampanjvaror och dess tidsperioder samt om möjligt kunna torrköra plockning efter genomförd frekvensläggning i lagrets WMS som då resulterar i en noggrannare simulering. / The company Elon Group AB lacks an effective method when it comes to product placement within the warehouse. As of now incoming products are placed where storage space is available. The purpose of this work can be divided into two parts. One part is to create a method that Elon can use when placing their products using picking frequency, this method will be used in practice during this thesis when placing products using picking frequency for a period of 12 months. The second part of this thesis is to simulate the accumulated distance forklift drivers have driven before and after slotting by picking frequency for a period of 3 months. The goal is to accomplish a 10% decrease in driving distance after slotting has been made. The simulation requires a code in the programming language Python which is part of the thesis. The work started with a literature review to help choose the right methods. The methods that were identified and used were Design Research Methodology, literature study, document study, interviews and observations. After the literature study was made an ABC-analysis was chosen specifically as the method for conducting the slotting. The work resulted in a five step-method. The ABC-analysis resulted in all of the products being given a class (A, B or C) and the required number of storage bins for the different classes were calculated. The simulation showed a decreased driving distance of 21,09 %. The work can develop by taking into account that the exit-ports in practice do not ship out an equal amount of goods, identifying which products that are often picked together and placing them near each other, taking into account campaign products and if possible dryrun the warehouse WMS after slotting to obtain more accurate data.

This descriptive case study examines the use of medical simulation technology in the three-year Thompson Rivers University respiratory therapy training program. Qualitative analysis of data gathered from 78 participants through interviews, observations, and discussion groups reveal a wide variety of low- intermediate- and high-fidelity technologies used for education and evaluation. Deliberate practice is the predominant learning theory informing the use of simulation for safe and ethical training in competencies that would otherwise pose significant risk to patients. Recommendations include enhancements of the existing technology with psychological and environmental fidelity, and for optimal curriculum placement of high-fidelity simulators at hospital sites for student development of critical thinking and team training. Further research into learning with high-fidelity simulation specifically within the context of a student respiratory therapist as an embedded hospital team member is needed. Keywords: respiratory therapy, patient simulation, critical thinking, learning, critical care, deliberate practice

Thesis (PhD (Social Science Research Methodology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study aimed at establishing whether or not an integrated and appropriate system exists for the evaluation of research in the South African higher education system. As background to the assessment of research in South African higher education, models of research evaluation from other countries were reviewed and served as reference to the discussions on the local efforts. In each case the higher education research systems were reviewed, including existing efforts of research evaluation that exits alongside the systems. The review followed a pattern that focuses on areas including the history and rationale, purpose (s) for research evaluation, political/transformation contributions and methodological issues for a clearer understanding of the contributions made by the efforts. The study followed a multiple-case study approach to review the models and the South African situation, with the local research evaluation efforts embedded within the study of South Africa as a case. Five themes guided the reviews that were apparent for the final discussions of the study: the rationale and purpose of research evaluation, units of analysis used in the evaluation, dimensions/criteria used in research evaluation, governance and management of research evaluation processes and methodological issues related to research evaluation. The study revealed that none of the fragmented South African research evaluation efforts is suitable to deal with the transformation requirements expected of higher education institutions. This is mainly because of the voluntary nature of the current initiatives and their focus on the lowest level of units of analysis – the individual researcher. The one effort that would be better suited to meet the transformation imperatives – the HEQC institutional audits - does not concentrate on research exclusively but collectively addresses all core activities in institutions, reducing the attention necessary for research evaluation to make a meaningful contribution to higher education research. The study suggested a comprehensive design for the framework of South African research evaluation. The purpose identified for the envisaged exercise is the development and improvement of quality research of international standards across the system of higher education in order for research to make meaningful contributions to national demands. Programmes/departments in the higher education institutions are suggested as the units of analysis in which quality, productivity, relevance and viability serve as criteria for evaluation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie poog om vas te stel of 'n geïntegreerde en toepaslike stelsel bestaan vir die evaluering van navorsing in die Suid-Afrikaanse hoër onderwys stelsel. As agtergrond tot die beoordeling van navorsing in Suid-Afrikaanse hoër onderwys, word ‘n oorsig verskaf van die modelle van navorsing evaluering van ander lande. Dit het gedien as verwysing vir die besprekings oor die plaaslike pogings. In elke geval is ‘n oorsig gebied van die hoër onderwys navorsingstelsels , insluitend die bestaande pogings tot navorsing evaluering. Die oorsigte fokus op gebiede soos die geskiedenis en die rasionaal, doel van navorsing evaluering, politiese / transformasie bydraes en metodologiese vraagstukke vir' n beter begrip van die bydraes wat gemaak word deur die pogings. Die studie volg 'n meervoudige gevallestudie benadering tot die modelle en die Suid-Afrikaanse situasie, met die plaaslike navorsing evaluering pogings onderliggend in die Suid-Afrikaanse gevallestudie. Die oorsigte word gelei deur vyf temas: die rasionaal en doel van die navorsing evaluering, eenhede van analise wat gebruik word in die evaluering, dimensies / kriteria wat gebruik word in navorsing evaluering, beheer en bestuur van navorsing, en metodologiese evalueringsprosesse kwessies met betrekking tot navorsing evaluering. Hierdie temas is duidelik in die finale bespreking van die studie. Die studie het aangetoon dat nie een van die gefragmenteerde Suid-Afrikaanse navorsing evaluering pogings geskik is om die transformasie verwagtinge van hoër onderwys instellings te hanteer nie. Dit is hoofsaaklik as gevolg van die vrywillige aard van die huidige inisiatiewe en hul fokus op die laagste vlak van die eenhede van analise - die individuele navorser. Die een poging wat beter geskik sou wees die transformasiedoelwitte te ontmoet - die HEQC institusionele oudits - konsentreer nie uitsluitlik op navorsing nie, maar spreek gesamentlik alle kern aktiwiteite in instellings aan. Dit verminder die aandag wat nodig is vir navorsing evaluering om 'n betekenisvolle bydrae te lewer tot hoër onderwys navorsing . Die studie stel 'n omvattende ontwerp voor vir die raamwerk van Suid-Afrikaanse navorsing evaluering. Die doel wat vir die beoogde oefening geïdentifiseer word, is die ontwikkeling en verbetering van die kwaliteit navorsing van internasionale standaarde oor die stelsel van hoër onderwys sodat die navorsing betekenisvolle bydraes kan lewer tot die nasionale vereistes. Programme / departemente in die hoër onderwys instellings word voorgestel as die eenhede van analise waarin gehalte, produktiwiteit, relevansie en lewensvatbaarheid dien as kriteria vir evaluering.

University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Department of Communication

This research paper describes what role interpersonal communication plays in coping with and accepting job loss. The study is framed by theories of stress, appraisal, coping, and the theory of Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation (FIRO), where aspects of control, inclusion, and affection are achieved through interpersonal communication. Using a combination of surveys and in-depth interviews, two groups of copers were determined: healthy and unhealthy. Then, messages were themed and communication strategies were extracted, to establish what helps a person to thrive or not thrive through a layoff experience. A majority of healthy coping subjects showed solid social support and/or interpersonal communication elements of FIRO-B. Within those categories of FIRO-B, this study shows laid off workers – with purposeful interpersonal communication containing characteristics of affirmation, belonging & acceptance, encouragement, problem solving, trust, elevation, and reverence – are able to focus on opportunities which facilitate their ability to cope effectively with a layoff. Keywords: job loss, layoff, unemployment, stress, appraisal, acceptance, coping, thriving, support, interpersonal communication, self-efficacy, Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation (FIRO)

In addressing the necessity of cultural transmission from one generation to the next, this ethnographic study examines ways that Indigenous canoe journeys enable communication of ancestral teachings and traditions, particularly to Kw‟umut Lelum youth. The objective is to identify how experiences and interactions within Indigenous canoe journeys, specifically Tribal Journeys, can connect youth to traditions, environments, Elders, other individuals, and each other. Drawing on interviews with adults and participant observation, I consider relational themes of self and identity to explore the cultural impact on the young people as they participate in Tribal Journeys 2010 and symbolic ceremonies within it. Through qualitative inquiry and inductive reasoning, this interpretive epistemological approach includes concepts specific to the Indigenous research paradigm and uses a performative narrative to present results. Kw‟umut Lelum Child and Family Services is a society committed to the well-being of Indigenous children residing within nine Coast Salish communities on Vancouver Island. The agency focuses on family, community, and sacredness of culture as guided by the Snuw‟uy‟ulh model, which uses the teachings of the present to unite the past and future. Tribal Journeys is a significant cultural event that upholds the Snuw‟uy‟ulh principles while facilitating the communication of ancestral teachings and traditions. Keywords: Indigenous, canoe, youth, culture, tradition, Coast Salish, narrative, perform