Thesis (M.S.)--Springfield College, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of British Columbia, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-98). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of British Columbia, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-98).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2005. / Advisor: Dr. Annie Clement, Florida State University, College of Education, Dept. of Sport Management, Recreation Management, and Physical Education. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed June 13, 2005). Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 128 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Workplace violence infects many organizations. This descriptive study assesses the extent to which Texas park and recreation departments institute policies and procedures for preventing worker-initiated violence. Thirty directors from local park and recreation departments were interviewed by telephone and asked to identify whether their departments used specific prevention strategies to thwart instances of worker-initiated violence. The findings reveal few prevention strategies being used and suggest a need for park and recreation managers to increase their awareness and take a more proactive approach to violence prevention.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether goal congruence exists among administrative, supervisory and direct service personnel within public leisure service organizations and among public leisure service organizations of different sizes,. The source of data for the study was a Goal Study Questionnaire distributed to 344 employees of selected leisure service organizations. The results indicated that goal congruence was not established either among duty levels within public leisure service organizations or among public leisure service organizations of different sizes.

"The problem of this thesis is to determine through survey and comparative study the effect of the activity program of Denton's El Centro, the youth center, on the youth of the City of Denton...methods of operation and internal organization of youth centers, the purpose of the centers and the results of some of the activities are outlined. Members of the Denton youth center were interviewed; the information gained from the interviews was recorded on prepared questionnaires. Various types of activities at Denton's youth center are discussed. The study also attempts to reveal by means of tables those activities which are more important to the male youth of Denton. A discussion of the treatment of the youth problem is given with conclusions based upon the principles and practices set forth in the foregoing chapters."-- leaf 2.

Millennials, who by 2024 will make up approximately 34% of the U.S. workforce, will play a critical role in organizational strategies and productivity, as will the supervisors who manage them. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the intergenerational communication strategies that Generation X supervisors used to motivate and engage high performing millennials in the workplace. The framework for this study was Mannheim's generation theory and the 2-factor theory of motivation by Herzberg, Mausner, and Snyderman. Data were collected from parks and recreation employees in the southeastern region of the United States, including 4 Generation X supervisors who completed semistructured interviews and 2 millennial cohort focus groups. Data were transcribed, coded, and validated through member checking and methodological triangulation. The 4 themes identified were culture and socialization, relationship building and intergenerational connectedness, employee growth and development, and rewards and recognition. The findings of this research may benefit millennials, frontline supervisors, parks and recreation agencies, and leaders in other organizations by providing an understanding of generational needs. The data presented in this study may support positive social change by showing that supervisors and millennial employees can build high quality relationships within their organizations, enabling those organizations to support the communities they serve.

For a period of twenty years beginning in 1918 when the writer became Superintendent of the Stockton Playground Department, annual reports of its major activities and accomplishments were made and submitted to the Mayor and later the City Manager for their information. They helped in securing the next budget. Throughout the thirty years of service additional reports of activities and improvements in facilities were kept on file in the office of the department for the information of its officers and a permanent record. The writer finds that he has been a part. of the supervised public playground movement since its inception when President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 called together at the White House the eastern leaders in physical education, recreation, camping and children's playgrounds. (The year 1906 was the year the writer started college.) As a result of President Roosevelt's White House meeting the National Playground Association was formed. Dr. Luther Halsey Gulick was elected and served as its president until 1910 during this formative period. Henry Curtis, Director of Playgrounds in Washington, D.C. became its first secretary.

Community members benefit from the opportunities and services that are provided by park and recreation departments. As technology has continued to improve, it has begun to influence some of the services and programs offered by park and recreation departments. This study presents information regarding World Wide Web use in parks and recreation departments in 1998. The study surveyed those park and recreation departments who were members of the National Recreation and Parks Association's Great Lakes Region in 1998. A total of 419 departments were included in the study. These 419 departments were grouped into three population categories (Under 15,000; 15,000-49,999; 50,000 and above). A survey return rate of 58% was achieved. Survey respondents were asked to list current and future uses of the World Wide Web in their departments by program and by activity. Respondents were also asked to identify why they were or were not using the web. The study also examined if there were differences between agency size and World Wide Web use, agency size and the number of computers used, and agency size and the number of computer specialists employed. Recreation professionals can use this study to identify whether their department would benefit from World Wide Web use. The information can assist in identifying strengths and weaknesses of the web in the recreation profession and in departments similar to their own. / School of Physical Education