Master of Science / Department of Psychology / Patrick A. Knight / A structural equations model hypothesizing that individuals' core self-evaluations would significantly predict their preferences for various pay plan characteristics (e.g., high risk, variable pay, etc.) was tested. This hypothesis, which specified that individuals with higher levels of core self-evaluations would prefer pay plans that offered greater risk and less certainty regarding the amount of pay received, was supported. Furthermore, it was also hypothesized that congruence between an individual's preferred pay plan characteristics and the actual type of pay plan that he or she receives would result in higher levels of employee job satisfaction and pay satisfaction. This hypothesis was partially supported, as the relationship between congruence and job satisfaction was significant, while the relationship between congruence and pay satisfaction was not significant. Finally, it was hypothesized that the relationship between congruence and satisfaction would be moderated by the value that the individual places on money. This hypothesis was not supported. The results of this research indicate that personality characteristics may have a significant impact on the type of pay plan that an individual will prefer to receive. Furthermore, this research provides additional support for the belief that high levels of fit between the characteristics of individuals and the characteristics of the organizations for which they work will result in higher levels of employee satisfaction. Finally, the degree of importance that an individual places on money does not appear to alter the relationship between fit and satisfaction. These results have strong implications for businesses that wish to improve employee satisfaction and reduce employee turnover, as well as for individuals who are seeking occupations for which they will best be suited.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Business Administration, Business Studies Unit, Durban University of Technology, Faculty of Commerce, 2008. / It is estimated, that 90% of small businesses in South Africa fail within the first two years of their operation. The South African Government has improved business support services to small businesses. However, it has called on all South Africans to become involved in supporting small businesses and not to leave this responsibility to a single role player. Improving individual entrepreneurial capabilities should therefore be a focus area for all stakeholders involved in the promotion of entrepreneurship in South Africa. Changes brought on by growth, competition and many other factors, frequently require businesses to quickly identify alternatives, for driving significant improvements in their businesses. Business assessment tools generally provide a framework to assist business leaders to review the operations of their businesses. It was against this background that this research study was undertaken. The main aim of this research study was to develop a guide which can be used to assess small businesses. This study identified and evaluated six business diagnostic tools currently used nationally and internationally. The information gathered from evaluating these assessment tools were verified through discussions with five expert business practitioners who have relevant experience and knowledge on assessment tools. A self – assessment can be defined as a comprehensive, systematic and regular review of an organization‟s activities and results. Of the six assessment tools evaluated, it was found that the Baldrige Quality Programme, best satisfied the research questions, in terms of applicability of content, procedures and effective administration of diagnostic tools. The guide for self - assessments for small businesses was therefore, developed by using the Baldrige Quality Programme as a benchmark. This research study demonstrated, by means of an exploratory case study methodology, that self - assessment diagnostic tools do have a critical role to play in improving entrepreneurial and organizational performance of small businesses. Through the use of the self - assessment guide, developed in this study, entrepreneurs have an opportunity to take an integrated approach towards the improvement of business leadership, management and general business capabilities. This self - assessment guide fully involves the small business owner in the planning, implementation and monitoring phases of operating his or her business. There is also an element of skills transfer designed into the administration aspects of the tool, as guidelines are included in the tool, where possible. The researcher strongly feels that the use of this self - assessment tool can contribute to enhancing the success rate of small businesses in South Africa.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

published_or_final_version / Social Work and Social Administration / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Darbo aktualumas. Nors mokslinėje literatūroje gana plačiai nagrinėjama agresyvaus elgesio problema, tačiau agresyvumo ir pasitikėjimo savimi tyrimai sportinės veiklos (dvikovos) požiūriu nėra gausūs, todėl šio tyrimo objektu buvo pasirinkti kontaktinės šakos (dziudo) paauglių agresijos ir pasitikėjimo savimi ypatumai. Darbo objektas –dziudo sportininkų agresijos ir pasitikėjimo savimi ypatumai. Hipotezė – vyresnių ir didesnio meistriškumo sportininkų agresijos ir pasitikėjimo savimi vertinimo raiška didesnė. Darbo tikslas – nustatyti dziudo sportininkų agresijos ir pasitikėjimo savimi raišką. Darbo uždaviniai: 1. Nustatyti dziudo sportininkų agresijos ir pasitikėjimo savimi raišką lyties aspektu. 2. Nustatyti dziudo sportininkų agresijos ir pasitikėjimo savimi raišką amžiaus aspektu. 3. Nustatyti dziudo sportininkų agresijos ir pasitikėjimo savimi raišką meistriškumo aspektu. 4. Atskleisti dziudo sportininkų pasitikėjimo savimi sąsajas pagal sportavimo trukmės ir sportavusių šeimos narių aspektu. Išvados: 1. Ištyrus dziudo sportininkų vaikinų ir merginų agresijos raišką, buvo nustatyta, kad netiesiogine agresija ir susierzinimas yra labiau būdingas vaikinams, o merginoms būdingesnė priešiškumo raiška (skriaudos raiška, priešiškumas, įtarumas). Vaikinų pasitikėjimo savimi raiška buvo nežymiai aukštesnė, nei merginų. 2. Skirtingo amžiaus dziudo sportininkų fizinės agresijos ir priešiškumo raiška reikšmingai nesiskyrė. Aukščiausias pasitikėjimas savimi buvo jaunių, o... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Actuality of work. In scientific literature aggressive behaviour problem has been investigated, but the studies on teenagers‘ aggression and self-confidence in sports (duels) are sparse, therefore, the object of this study is the peculiarities of teenagers‘ aggression and self-confidence in contact sports. Object of the work – expression of aggression and self-confidence of judo sportsmen. Hypothesis states that the expression of aggression and self-confidence of older and of higher sporting excellence sportsmen is higher. Aim of the work – to determine the expression of aggression and self-confidence of judo sportsmen. Objectives: 1. To determine expression of aggression and self – confidence of judo sportsmen according to aspect of gender. 2. To determine expression of aggression and self-confidence of judo sportsmen according to age. 3. To determine expression of aggression and self-confidence of judo sportsmen according to sporting excellence. 4. To reveal judo sportsmen self-confidence relations in aspects of sport time and family members, who takes part in sporting activities. Conclusions: 1. Comparing expression ways of aggressively between judo sporting girls and boys by gender, it was set that indirect aggression and irritability are more common among boys, and girls is more common hostility expression (expression of grievances, hostility, suspiciousness). Boys self – confidence was slightly higher than girls. 2. Judo athletes of different age’s physical aggression... [to full text]

This study analyzed the effects of restricting the response space and selfevaluation on students' handwriting quality in two beginning handwriters and two experienced handwriters. Students executed letters with and without using a transparent overlay, in a multiple-baseline-across-letters design. The use of the transparent overlay included drawing letters in a space restricted by the transparency; overlaying a model letter on top of the written letter and; evaluating if the two letters matched. Letter quality immediately improved when overlays were used, and handwriting quality maintained when the writing response was not restricted by the overlay transparency. Prompting and feedback were delivered contingent on on-task behavior. Analysis was based on three different measurement systems.

Magistro darbas: „Dirbančių suaugusiųjų subjektyvios gerovės, asmenybės bruožų ir savęs vertinimo sąsajos“. Darbo tikslas: ištirti sąsajas tarp dirbančiųjų subjektyvios gerovės, asmenybės bruožų ir savęs vertinimo. Pradžioje keliama hipotezė, kad dirbančiųjų subjektyvi gerovė, asmenybės bruožai ir savęs vertinimas yra susiję. Tikslui pasiekti buvo iškelti šie uždaviniai: įvertinti tiriamųjų subjektyvios gerovės, asmenybės bruožų ir savęs vertinimo ypatumus; palyginti tiriamųjų subjektyvios gerovės įverčius pagal: lyties, amžiaus, išsilavinimo, šeimyninės padėties, vaikų turėjimo, gaunamų pajamų, darbo pobūdžio aspektus; nustatyti sąsajas tarp tiriamųjų subjektyvios gerovės ir asmenybės bruožų; nustatyti sąsajas tarp tiriamųjų subjektyvios gerovės ir savęs vertinimo; nustatyti sąsajas tarp tiriamųjų asmenybės bruožų ir savęs vertinimo. Tyrimo rezultatai atskleidė, kad tyrimo grupės (dirbančiųjų) subjektyvi gerovė yra vidutinio lygio; daugumos respondentų vyraujanti asmenybės ypatybė yra sąmoningumas (kiti asmenybės bruožai: ekstraversija, sutariamumas, neurotiškumas ir atvirumas patyrimui); didžiajai tiriamųjų daugumai būdingas teigiamas savęs vertinimas. Buvo nustatyta, kad dirbančiųjų subjektyvi gerovė yra susijusi su gaunamomis pajamomis, bet nesusijusi su kitais sociodemografiniais veiksniais: lytimi, amžiumi, išsilavinimu, šeimine padėtimi, vaikų turėjimu, darbo pobūdžiu. Taip pat nustatyta, kad dirbančiųjų subjektyvi gerovė teigiamai siejosi su tokiais asmenybės bruožais... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The aim of this work is examine the connections between workers subjective well-being, personality traits and self-evaluation. In the beginning of the research was raised a hipothesis that workers’ subjective well-being, personality traits and self-evaluation are connected. To reach the aim was raised these objectives: to evaluate investigatives’ subjective well-being, personality traits and self-evaluation features; to compare investigatives’ grades of subjective well-being according to these social-demographic aspects: gender, age, education, family state, having offsprings, getting incomes, job position; to set the connections between investigatives’ subjective well-being and personality traits; to set the connections between investigatives’ subjective well-being and self-evaluation; to set the connections between investigatives’ personality traits self-evaluation. As demonstrate the results of research, investigatives’ subjective well-being is on the middle level; the majority of investigatives’ personality trait is Conscientiousness (other traits: Extraversion, Agreebleness, Neuroticism and Openess to Experience); for the vast majority of the investigatives is typical possitive self-evaluation. It was estimated, that workers‘ subjective well-being is connected with incomes, but does not connected with others social-demographic factors. It was also estimated, that investigatives’ subjective well-being was positively connected with such personality traits as Extraversion... [to full text]

The purpose of this study was to compare the self-efficacy of two groups of first year teachers working in a large urban school district in North Texas. Twenty-eight of the participants were certified teachers. Ten participants held college degrees unrelated to teaching and were undergoing an alternative certification process. The Teacher Efficacy Scale was administered at the beginning and the end of the school year. Data from this scale was analyzed to determine if there were differences between the regular certification teachers and the alternative certification teachers at the beginning and the end of the school year, and to determine if their sense of efficacy changed over the course of the school year.