This study focuses on the development of effective Emotional Intelligence training programs in the public sector through the development of an Emotional Intelligence training policy leading, ultimately, to the development of a regional policy for the development and operation of effective Emotional Intelligence training programs. The research is set in the context of significant change being made to the training of public servants in Rayong Province, Thailand. The study is based on a needs assessment within the Proactive Form of Evaluation as categorised by Owen & Rogers (1999) and Owen (2006). This research was conducted in two phases: a needs assessment and the development of a training policy. The needs assessment consisted of four qualitative steps: the first, determining the actual state of training in the province by means of focus groups consisting of middle-level public servants; the second, determining that desired state of such training by means of semi-structured interviews of Heads of Public Sectors in the province; the third, identifying best practice by means of a research review; the fourth, determining the needs of an Emotional Intelligence training program by comparing the difference between the ‘desired state’ (determined by a combination of steps two and three), and the ‘actual state’ (determined by step one). The development of a training policy consisted of two steps: the development of a draft training program policy and the testing of this draft by discussion with senior public servants. The draft training program policy employed Dror’s (1973, 1987) model of optimal policy development. The draft training program policy was tested by means of three independent semistructured interviews of three senior officers of the Thai Public Service – the Governor of Rayong Province, a winner of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership, and a Member of the Senate, Rayong Province who was also a member of the CEO’s Committee of Rayong Province. The findings of this study were validated by means of triangulation outcomes of the research: the needs assessment, the semi-structured interviews with Heads of Public Sectors, and the testing of the draft policy against the perceptions of three senior public servants. The research had three significant outcomes: the development of policy for effective Emotional Intelligence training programs for public servants in Rayong Province, and hence for Thailand; demonstrating the effectiveness of Proactive Evaluation in developing such policy; highlighting key elements that are required for change in organisations.

My research is an evaluation of the steps taken to pioneer the establishment of a community bank in Baan Rienru village in Lampang, Thailand. The program was initiated through the cooperation of a commercial bank, social development agencies, and the community, all of whom agreed to participate in an ongoing action learning project to co-develop a community bank in the village. My aim in this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of the development of the community bank pilot program. I sought to describe what had happened during the development and the implementation of the program as well as the factors that supported and hindered the development and implementation; and then to provide recommendations designed to improve the program. I utilised an Interactive Form of Evaluation, using a Responsive Evaluation approach, as a basis for evaluating the development of this program in order to improve it. I engaged in an ethnographic study, in which I acted as both an evaluator and a participant observer in the program. I used qualitative research methods to collect and analyse the data. I reported the findings by writing an extensive ethnographic case study consisting of a series of four narratives representing the perspectives of the four groups of participants on various issues about the program and their participation in the program. I used an inductive coding method to reduce and analyse the data and I synthesized and interpreted the emerging themes from the case study by applying Bloom’s taxonomy, using vignettes to elucidate key themes. Finally, I applied the force field concept and diffusion of innovations theory to provide a basis for formulating recommendations to improve the program. My findings reveal both supporting and hindering factors that I classified using the three Bloom behavioural domains: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. The supporting factors enabled groups to successfully establish and operate the community bank. On the other hand, there were several emerging problems that hindered the development and implementation of the program. Some of them were handled well; some remain and need to be addressed. Most of the critical problems relate to affective issues. The emerging problems were categorized into three areas: (1) factors that impede the operation; (2) factors that caused poor community bank performance; (3) factors that might lead to the discontinuation of the community bank pilot program. In conclusion, I have provided ten recommendations that I believe would assist the group in reflecting on and making further plans to improve the community bank.

This study investigated the practice of professional development (PD) within the Vocational Education and Training (VET) arena. The major focus of this study was to investigate how PD provision for a selected group of VET educators in the tourism and hospitality sector has equipped them with both the technical competence of their discipline and teacher/training competence. This research has direct practical relevance to the educators working in the VET tourism and hospitality sector. Identifying PD strategies that are consistent and effective could facilitate the development of PD at a national level thus providing benefit to the VET sector as a whole. The study was conducted utilising the qualitative research technique narrative inquiry. The investigation focused on a case study context of educators currently working within a department of tourism and hospitality at a VET registered training organisation. Interviews were conducted with 10 front-line teaching educators and 4 management Heads of Department. Interviews were transcribed and portrait narratives were developed from the interview data. The portraits were analysed to answer the study’s five objectives: • To gain the perceptions held by a selected group of VET educators in the tourism and hospitality sector of the technical competence needed to conduct effective teaching/training programs • To gain the perceptions held by a selected group of VET educators in the tourism and hospitality sector of the professional teaching/training competencies required for effective practice • To construct a detailed taxonomy of teaching/training competencies in VET tourism and hospitality sector • To determine the appropriate qualification for VET educators in the tourism and hospitality sector • To propose specific recommendations for the improvement of PD practices for VET educators in the tourism and hospitality sector. Results of the study indicated that educators and management are required to consider specific issues when designing PD. A set of recommendations arising from the research findings have been developed that focus on enhancing the PD for tourism and hospitality educators particularly in the following areas: • Increased relevance of the PD to the educators’ work • Development of a culture that supports lifelong learning • More transparent PD funding and budgetary arrangements • Access to PD for ongoing and sessional staff • Increased emphasis on professional learning arising from PD.

The primary purpose of this case study on Divine Word University (DWU) is to explore the drivers that influence the organization to assume a particular model of organizing work and managing people in the pursuit of its goals. The key research questions therefore, focus on DWU culture, that is, the deeply embedded taken-for-granted basic assumptions whose influences are made visible in the organization’s behaviour and discourse. In particular, this thesis explores the behaviour and discourse associated with two aspects of the organization, the structure of decision-making and HR practices and processes. In exploring DWU culture, the study serves to explore the broader theme of university cultural emergence, embedding, cultural change, and organizational redefinition. Three ethnographic tools are used in the exploration: the semi-structured interview, documentary sources and observations. Having multiple data sources serves to triangulate the emerging cultural themes across the data sources. The data was collected over a period of six months. Documents were collected and observations made over the first five months. These serve to surface issues, concepts and themes around which interviews are conducted in the final month of data gathering. The findings show that the primary assumption defining DWU’s practices and which influences patterns of behaviour is the ideal of service linked to the missionary commitment to social advancement. This ideal has a profound impact on the culture of DWU. It provides the impetus for people to intervene to provide a service in a context where resource security is tenuous. Service in the context of this thesis is the ideal that serves as the impetus that motivates people, religious and altruistic oriented non-religious people, to render service for none or minimal material reward. This concept is contrasted with the concept of service associated with the university and taken as one of the tripartite knowledge functions. The findings also show that the outcome of the influence of service on DWU is that the behavioural expectations it promotes locate the university away from the behavioural expectations, as they are manifested in its decision-making structure and HR processes, of the collegial values-based organization. However, the findings also show that the distancing from the collegial cultural values and beliefs is nevertheless not a de-legitimization of the organization from the university field. In the contemporary context of organizational change that is allowing for the broadening of the university concept, emerging models of the university, such as DWU, occupy the contemporary end of the continuum of university models.

This study focuses on the identification of the broad and complex factors influencing primary science program delivery within the New Zealand context. The study is divided into two phases. In the first phase, the factors influencing science program delivery are identified through (1) a questionnaire survey of 122 teachers in the Central Districts of New Zealand; (2) a questionnaire survey of 155 pre-service teachers at a New Zealand College of Education; (3) a case study of a large intermediate school in the Central Districts; and (4) a review of the research literature pertaining to curriculum, in particular primary science, delivery. Factors influencing science program delivery are identified as being both personal (intrinsic) and environmental (extrinsic). Intrinsic factors identified include teacher professional self-efficacy; interest and motivation; and multidimensional aspects of knowledge. Extrinsic factors influencing science program delivery include multidimensional aspects of time availability and resource adequacy; the availability and adequacy of professional support and leadership; and the priority placed on science as a curriculum area by the school, especially by the administration. The second phase of the study built on this initial phase by focusing on the development of an instrument, the Science Curriculum Implementation Questionnaire, which assists schools in identifying factors influencing science program delivery. The development of the SC1Q initially involved the use of a Focus Group to identify and prioritise items to include in the instrument. Statistical validation involved trialling of the SCIQ amongst 293 teachers representing 43 schools in the Central Districts of New Zealand. Using statistical procedures involving ANOVA, alpha reliability and discriminant validity, a seven-scale, 49-item instrument was developed. On the basis of the ++ / strong overlap amongst the intrinsic factors influencing science delivery, a further, shorter five scale, 35-item instrument was developed. The seven-scale SCIQ was further applied at the case study school. Quantitative data collected from the application of the instrument confirmed that several psychosocial and physical aspects of Intermediate School identified in the case study are influencing science program delivery. Implications of this study and the practical applications of the Science Curriculum Implementation Questionnaire are also presented in the context of primary science delivery both within New Zealand and internationally.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Toronto, 2005.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Wollongong, 2005. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references: leaf 194-209.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Rhode Island, 2007 / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 119-130).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Montana, 2007. / Description based on contents viewed Aug. 19, 2008; title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references (p. 115-125).

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Waikato, 2008. / Title from PDF cover (viewed October 2, 2008) Includes bibliographical references (p. 91-97)