This dissertation examined how psychological variables associated with selfcontrol related to abusiveness in situations of intimate conflict. The variables of interest were efficacy, need for power and responsibility. These variables were examined relative to other predictors of abuse such as the Abusive Personality (Dutton, 1994b), a construct of personality features that predispose some men to intensely aversive emotional arousal in their intimate relationship, leading to abusiveness. The research is relevant to the experience of those men with the characteristics of Abusive Personality, as well as those who may not have those predispositional features. The first step of the project was the development of the Power, Conflict Efficacy and Responsibility Questionnaire (PCERQ), with its four sub-scales: (1) Conflict Ineffectiveness (CI; lack of conflict efficacy), (2) N-Power (NP; need for power), (3) Standards of Non-Abusiveness (SNA; one part of responsibility), and (4) Exonerative Rationalizations (ER; cognitions complicit with inconsistent self-control - a second part of responsibility). These sub-scales were developed on the basis of data collected from samples of undergraduate males in dating relationships (n = 147), men in treatment groups for wife assault (n = 50), and a community sample of men (n = 27). Results from regression equations predicting self-reported abuse with the PCERQ sub-scales, along with other theoretically-relevant measures, found that CI was a prominent and consistent predictor of both verbal and physical abuse. The interaction of the NP and ER sub-scales significantly predicted physical abuse, as did the interaction of the CI sub-scale with the Abusive Personality (the most abusive participants had the highest scores on both Abusive Personality and Conflict Ineffectiveness). These results show the importance of considering both situational conflict experiences, along with personality and life history variables, when examining wife assault. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

Social science research is a form of inquiry which is useful in expanding the knowledge-base of a profession, but one which is not normally associated with the archival profession. The purpose of this study is to examine social science research as it applies to the Canadian archival profession in general, and to archivists who have graduated from the Master of Archival Studies (MAS) degree program, at the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies at the University of British Columbia. This study examines the attitudes of the first cadre of graduates of a degree program in archival studies in Canada towards the various roles that social science research plays in the development of their discipline and practice. A reading of the literature in the archival field reveals that social science research methods are infrequently employed by the profession in Canada, although there have been frequent calls for their adoption. Archivists are more familiar with and employ more often theoretical (deductive) and historical methods than empirical (inductive) methods. The study employs the methodology of a survey questionnaire to discover the training and application of social science research methodology that these graduates have experienced during their formal education and during their careers. All the respondents had either completed the MAS program or the course work towards the degree in the period, 1981-1994, and were working in the field at the time of the study. The study revealed that respondents support a research dimension for the field, although their support was inclusive of other types of research more common to the archival studies (theoretical, historical, scholarly, and archival), and not specifically directed to scientific research. 33% of respondents expressed an interest in learning about research methods, while 39% said that they were somewhat interested. There was also a correlation between those respondents who had taken a course in research methods and their knowledge of and support for this type of research in the archival profession. Likewise, there was also evidence to support that respondents without the knowledge of research methods were as confident in their ability to conduct a research project or assist on a research team led by someone else, as were their colleagues who had taken the course. The qualitative data yields evidence of at least a few scientific research projects being conducted in the archival workplace, particularly user or reference surveys and conservation surveys. The study concludes that there is a role for both pre-appointment and continuing education programs to foster greater understanding and use of social science methods in all facets of the profession's research endeavours. Social science research methods are not only applicable to archival studies, they are beneficial and necessary to the development of the Canadian archival profession. The thesis recommends that archivists should have, at the very least, an appreciation of research methods and a discerning eye for what constitutes good research. / Arts, Faculty of / Library, Archival and Information Studies (SLAIS), School of / Graduate

No description available.

Intimate partner violence is also known as domestic violence or spouse abuse. It affects the physical, psychological, social, and financial well-being of many people around the world. Many researchers from health/medical, social, and psychological fields have studied intimate partner violence in an effort to prevent it or to improve overall health and well-being among victims. Ideally, decisions are best influenced by high quality evidence. However, little attention has focused on the quality of this research. This thesis focuses on the theme of transparency relating to study quality, specifically highlighting non-publication bias, biases related to outcome and study methodologies, and overall reporting quality in previously published IPV research. These lessons learned from this research have informed, in part, an original study on intimate partner violence. Finally, this thesis concludes with insights to improve methodological quality and transparency for researchers in the intimate partner violence field. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Yes / In light of the heterogeneity of scholarly publications on the subject of transformational government (T-Gov), this paper examines research trends and assesses methodologies used to investigate the topic with the aim of analysing directions for future research. A comprehensive analysis of T-government research published in four Chartered Association of Business Schools ranked journals within the field of Public Administration, e-Government and Information System is presented. The paper outlines research directions for further inquiry to promote the formulation of much needed theoretical constructs and approaches to research that would help bridge the existing gaps in knowledge in the area of T-Gov.

Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examined organisational identity from a substantive and methodological point of view. With the burgeoning interest in the organisational identity construct, there have been a multitude of perspectives and meanings associated with the term. These perspectives formed the basis of three juxtapositions used to evaluate the nature of knowledge generated by various research designs used to study organisational identity. These designs included survey design, content analysis, case study design, ethnography, narrative analysis and discourse analysis. I concluded that the choice for a particular research design does constrain or make possible the generation of different types of knowledge regarding OI. The effect of design type has long been suspected and argued for, and this study provides further substantiation for this view. The choice of research design is not a neutral one but plays an integral role in the nature of the knowledge generated, and should be taken seriously as part of the research process. Also from a methodological perspective, the aim was to explore whether an Internet-based, open-ended qualitative survey could provide a suitable description of organisational identity, and whether it would be possible to develop identity narratives from these responses. Data was gathered in a South African based multi-national engineering firm, the result of a recent merger of two engineering firms. Based on the responses to the survey, I was able to develop descriptive narratives of each of (what had been termed) the heritage organisations, each narrative comprising a series of inter-related identity statements capturing various facets of organisation identity. Three broad narratives for each heritage organisation dealt with the nature of the organisation and its position in the market, the importance of the profession and clients, and the value of people in the organisation. Given the pervasive nature of technology, and that work in many corporate and professional settings is conducted via the internet, an internet-based qualitative survey allows information regarding organisational identity to be gathered fairly easily. The research undertaken in this study thus adds to the body of knowledge surrounding the use of a web-based qualitative survey in accessing organisational identity, and suggests that this form of data gathering in the organisation can be successful, provided that participants are computer literate and have access to the Internet. The organisations in question were chosen as merger partners due to their similarity, and using the descriptive narratives developed from the survey, I was able to examine the question of distinctiveness in similar organisations, which has not yet been addressed. Despite the similarities, the identity of both organisations was arguably distinct, and this could be traced to two factors. The first was an element of social actor, in this case the size of the organisation, which coupled with other factors influenced organisation identity in very specific ways. Secondly, distinctiveness arose from the construction of meaning around specific elements of the social actor by members of the organisations. Thus, much like personal identity, organisational identity is associated with similarity and difference (Buckingham 2008). / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: g Hierdie studie het ten doel gehad om the konsep van organisasie-identiteit te ondersoek vanuit ‘n substantiewe en metodologiese hoek. Die groeiende belangstelling in die konstruk van organisasieidentiteit, gee aanleiding daartoe dat meervuldige perspektiewe en betekenisse aan die term gegee word. Hierdie verskillende perspektiewe vorm die basis van drie naasmekaarstellings wat gebruik word om die aard van kennis, wat geskep word deur verskillende navorsingsontwerpe in die studie van organisasie-identiteit, behoorlik te bestudeer. Hierdie navorsingsontwerpe sluit in opnamestudies, inhoudsanalise, gevallestudies, etnografiese studies, teksontledings en diskoers analise. Ek het tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat die keuse van ‘n bepaalde navorsingsontwerp weliswaar beperkend of fasiliterend van aard kan wees in die skep van verskillende kennisbasisse rondom organisasie-identiteit. Die impak van die tipe navorsingsontwerp word lankal reeds vermoed, en hierdie studie lewer verdere ondersteuning vir hierdie standpunt. Die keuse van ‘n navorsingsontwerp is nie neutraal nie maar speel ‘n integrale rol in die aard van die kennis wat geskep word en behoort aandag te geniet in the navorsingsproses. Vanuit ‘n metodologiese perspektief was die doelwit ook om te bepaal of ‘n internet-gebaseerde, oopeinde kwalitatiewe opname, ‘n toepaslike beskrywing en begrip van organisasie-identiteit kan lewer en of dit moontlik sou wees om identiteits-ontledings vanuit hierdie response te genereer. Data opnames is gedoen in ‘n Suid-Afrika-gebaseerde internasionale ingenieurskonsultasiefirma, wat bestaan uit twee saamgesmelte firmas. Die response uit die opname het my toegelaat om beskrywende narratiewe van beide die oorspronklike organisasies te ontwikkel. Elk van hierdie bestaan uit ‘n reeks van interafhanklike stellings oor identiteit wat die verskeie fasette van organisasie-identiteit verwoord. Daar was drie narratiewe vir elkeen van die oorspronklike organisasies en hierdie het gefokus op die aard en markposisionering van die organisasie, die belangrikheid van die professie en kliente en die waarde van mense binne die organisasie. Gegewe die deurtastende aard van tegnologie in veral korporatiewe en professionele omstandighede, sal ‘n internet-gebaseerde kwalitatiewe opname die verkryging van inligting rondom organisasie identiteit vergemaklik. Die navorsing onderneem in hierdie studie dra dus by tot ons begrip van die toepassing van internet-gebaseerde kwalitatiewe opnames in die taksering van organisasie identiteit. Dit dui aan dat hierdie vorm van data-insameling in ‘n organisasie sukesvol kan wees indien die respondente rekenaarvaardig is en toegang tot die internet het. Die organisasies wat in die studie gebruik is, het tot ‘n groot mate saamgesmelt aan die hand van hulle soortgelyke aard en waardes. Deur die beskrywende narratiewe te gebruik wat uit die opname ontwikkel is, kon ek die vraagstuk van onderskeidenheid in soortgelyke organisasies ondersoek, wat tot op daardie stadium nie gedoen was nie. Ongeag die ooreenkomste, is bevind dat die identiteit van beide die organisasies wel merkbaar verskil en dat dit toegeskryf kan word aan twee faktore. Die eerste hiervan is geeien as ‘n sosiale agent, in hierdie geval die grootte van die organisasie, wat tesame met ander faktore die organisasie-identiteit op spesifieke manier beinvloed het. Die tweede faktor onstaan uit die konstruksie van betekenis rondom spesifieke elemente van die sosiale agent deur lede van die organisasies. Dit is dus duidelik dat organisasie-identiteit, soos persoonlike identiteit, geassosieer word met ooreenkomste en verskille (Buckingham 2008)

Our behaviour is not changing fast enough to stop the environmental damage that is occurring. Many people will not voluntarily change their behaviours if there is no immediate benefit to them - this creates the need for a source of authority to encourage behaviour change. Usually this authority is government in the form of laws, but there are few laws that demand the adoption of pro-environmental behaviours (PEBs) like composting and recycling. An individual’s employer can be a strong authority within an influential milieu. This study focuses on the impact that four environmentally-aware employers in the Victoria technology industry have on their staff, as measured by the type and extent of PEBs practiced by staff at work and at home. Data is obtained through interviews and online surveys. Findings expose the workplace as an important leverage point that government and NGOs can use to encourage rapid social change.

Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, this research describes short and long term memories of participants who attended past and present Earth Day Celebrations in Surrey, BC, Canada. Particular interest was placed on discovering the most memorable aspects of their Earth Day experiences as well as determining motivations to attend. Research was conducted using online and face-to-face surveys administered prior to and during the April 2010 event. The study revealed that not only that hands-on stewardship activities of releasing salmon and planting trees proved the most popular among research subjects but also illuminated the importance of social and familial interactions at the event. The results of the study may serve to guide the efforts of event organizers in order to capitalize on the public’s interests in environmental special events and serve to meet both the environmental and social needs of the community.

Yukon is unique in Canada for its four orders of government—federal, territorial, First Nation and municipal. Determining the differences in communication characteristics, strategies, mechanisms, and processes of the governments can assist with effective communication among them, leading to new opportunities. Interviews with 20 participants representing elected, appointed, and senior staff positions from four orders of government extracted thoughts and experiences on intergovernmental communication through the phenomenological tradition. Strong internal communication complements effective external communication; government individuals do not understand all the structures and processes of other governments, but instead make assumptions that can create friction and conflict while a sincere desire to improve communication is evident. Lack of time, capacity, and knowledge are contributing factors to poor communication efforts. Interpersonal communication is the key to establishing stronger relationships and rebuilding trust. Recent self-government status for Yukon‘s First Nations provides opportunities for expansion and inclusiveness of intergovernmental communication. Key words: intergovernmental communication, interpersonal communication, Yukon governments, relationships.

“Word up” is a catch phrase that denotes agreement or enthusiasm about what another has said. A question central to this thesis was whether study participants thought that Algonquin College should endeavour to be a sustainability leader. Online and clipboard surveys, involving on- and off-campus participants, compiled new ideas of how Algonquin could educate for sustainability. These ideas formed a needs analysis that, combined with a review of trends in North American colleges’ education for sustainability, fed into program design recommendations. The program design phase of the research involved participants in an assessment of the survey results and the development of program recommendations for academic development at Algonquin College. Off-campus participants suggested new types of experiential learning involving community partners and encouraged the college to educate for careers related to sustainable food and renewable energy. On-campus participants were concerned foremost with the infusion of sustainable principles across all college curricula.