The purpose of the present study is (1) to investigate factors that influence mathematical problem solving competence for elementary students, (2) to understand the current studies regarding the development of mathematical problem solving competence, and (3) to probe background factors that affect the development of mathematical problem solving competence. The subjects of the study included 710 fifth-graders in Tainan city. The surveys of Thinking Style Inventory, Mathematical Learning Perception Check List as well as Mathematical Problem Solving Competence Test were used as instruments for data collection. A total of 710 questionnaires were delivered and 587valid questionnaires were collected, with fairly high 82.60% return rate. The collected data was tested with descriptive analysis, independent t test¡BANOVA¡Bproduct-moment correlation coefficient,multiple correlation and multiple regression. Based on the data analysis, the six findings of this study are summarized as follows: 1. The low satisfaction with mathematics class was revealed from the analysis of students¡¦ Mathematical Learning Perception Check List. It is suggested boosting subjects¡¦ satisfaction with the mathematics class will enhance the development of mathematical problem solving competence. 2. The positive correlation between administration style and mathematical problem solving competence was shown eminently among all types of thinking styles. The result indicated different function of the thinking styles influenced the development of mathematical problem solving competence in a varied degree. 3. From the analysis of students¡¦ background factor and mathematics problem solving competence, the statistic indicated the length of extra curriculum students devoted to does not affect their mathematical problem solving competence. The factors that influence students¡¦ mathematical problem solving competence the most were shown in the following order: administration district, the social status of father, the social status of mother, gender and the size of school. 4. The comparative variance of the mathematics learning achievement and mathematics problem solving competence was 24.3%. It implied the two influences each other. Students with low mathematical learning achievement show low mathematical problem solving competence and vice versa. 5. When predicting students¡¦ development of mathematical problem solving competence via the data of parents¡¦ social status and mathematical learning perception check list, the result showed the prediction via parents¡¦ social status is less significant. Yet the prediction via mathematical learning perception check list gained the highest variance ratio in this case. 6. In terms of the distribution of parents¡¦ social status, East, North and Middle East were of eminent as compared to South, An-Ping and An-Nan district in Tainan city. The finding implied parents¡¦ social status was a major factor that influence students¡¦ mathematics problem solving ability in administration district, as the £b2 ¡]Eta Squared¡^¡×25.3¢H shown in this study.

An exploratory study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence based on Mayer and Salovey's (1990) trait model of emotional intelligence and cognitive thinking styles based on the theory of mental selfgovernment. Emphasis was placed on the influence of emotional intelligence and thinking styles on choice of study field. Participants were 309 students from a Gauteng university. Students registered with the humanities (n=99), management (n=41), sciences (n=131) and engineering (n=38) faculties were compared on the Schutte Self-Report Inventory for emotional intelligence (Schutte et al., 1998) and on the Thinking Styles Inventory (Sternberg & Wagner, 1992). A relationship was found between complex and creative thinking styles and high emotional intelligence. Results from the stepwise multiple regression analysis procedures indicated that the subscales of thinking styles could be significant predictors of emotional intelligence. Students from different faculties were found to have the same level of emotional intelligence and similar thinking styles. / Psychology / MA (Social Sciences) (Psychology)

An exploratory study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence based on Mayer and Salovey's (1990) trait model of emotional intelligence and cognitive thinking styles based on the theory of mental selfgovernment. Emphasis was placed on the influence of emotional intelligence and thinking styles on choice of study field. Participants were 309 students from a Gauteng university. Students registered with the humanities (n=99), management (n=41), sciences (n=131) and engineering (n=38) faculties were compared on the Schutte Self-Report Inventory for emotional intelligence (Schutte et al., 1998) and on the Thinking Styles Inventory (Sternberg & Wagner, 1992). A relationship was found between complex and creative thinking styles and high emotional intelligence. Results from the stepwise multiple regression analysis procedures indicated that the subscales of thinking styles could be significant predictors of emotional intelligence. Students from different faculties were found to have the same level of emotional intelligence and similar thinking styles. / Psychology / MA (Social Sciences) (Psychology)

Emotional intelligence has attracted a considerable amount of attention over the past few years specifically with regard to the nature of the underlying construct and the reliability and validity of the psychometric tools used to measure the construct. The present study explored the reliability and validity of a trait measure of EI in relation to an ability measure in order to determine whether the tools can be considered as measuring conceptually valid constructs within an occupational environment. The study also examined the overlap with a trait measure of cognitive thinking styles to determine the potential for separating the trait and ability EI into two unique and distinguishable constructs. Participants included 308 employees from four different workforces within a diverse South African consulting firm. The results of the study identified a number of psychometric concerns regarding the structural fidelity of the instruments as well as concerns about the cultural bias evident in both measurement instruments. Evidence for the discriminant and incremental validity of the two instruments was, however, provided and recommendations are made for the reconceptualisation of trait EI as an emotional competence and ability EI as an emotional intelligence. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

Emotional intelligence has attracted a considerable amount of attention over the past few years specifically with regard to the nature of the underlying construct and the reliability and validity of the psychometric tools used to measure the construct. The present study explored the reliability and validity of a trait measure of EI in relation to an ability measure in order to determine whether the tools can be considered as measuring conceptually valid constructs within an occupational environment. The study also examined the overlap with a trait measure of cognitive thinking styles to determine the potential for separating the trait and ability EI into two unique and distinguishable constructs. Participants included 308 employees from four different workforces within a diverse South African consulting firm. The results of the study identified a number of psychometric concerns regarding the structural fidelity of the instruments as well as concerns about the cultural bias evident in both measurement instruments. Evidence for the discriminant and incremental validity of the two instruments was, however, provided and recommendations are made for the reconceptualisation of trait EI as an emotional competence and ability EI as an emotional intelligence. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

Abstracts in English and Southern Ndebele / “We tend to think of the mind of an organisation residing in the … top management …but… [strategic] intelligence is not organised in a centralised structure but much more like a beehive of small simple components… ” Kevin Kelly, (1994: 166283). From the quote above, it is implied that the strategising practices of, among others, top managers, are the ‘small simple components’ that build towards the overall strategy of an organisation. The overall strategy of any organisation directly influences the performance thereof. As strategists, top managers use their thinking styles to influence the new strategic practices they endorse and those that are discarded, thereby impacting the competitive strategy employed by the organisation and ultimately organisational performance. This study investigated the rapport between the strategising practices used by top managers and their thinking styles. Based on a single illustrative case, this study utilised mixed data obtained from of 33 interviews and 79 questionnaires to describe the possible relationship between thinking styles and strategising practises. The results show that at the case organisation, thinking styles of top managers differ depending on the situation in which they find themselves. A possible relationship between thinking styles and strategising practises, at the case organisation, is further implied. / “Se taele go nagana ge monagano we mokhadlo lo o hlala e tulu, mara lehlelo le go hlaganepha le ga bekwa ge Ndlela le ngore esekhathi, mara kgulu go fana ne lekhaya le tenosi le le le gase bodese le lengane.” Kevin Kelly, (1994:166283). Go leso setsopolwe e tulu, era gore tedlela te go hlela, go leto te khona, baphathi ba se tulu, geto tedo te tengane leto te gase bodese le to te akha lehlelo gemoga le mokhadlo. Lehlelo gemoga le mokhadlo o monye na o monye le dlolela e go etene ge tedo. Jene ge bahleli, baphathi ba setulu ba beregesa tedlela tabo te go nagana, go tshwaetja tedlela te tetsha leto ba te vumelago na leto ba te kganago. Ge go eta jalo te thella lehlelo lelo le phalesanago lelo lele beregeswe mokhadlo, e maphellweni na leso mokhadlo o se yetago. Go bala lokhu, go ete gore go be ne go vesesana e khathe ge tedlela te go hlela leto te beregeswa mbaphathi ba setulu ne Ndlela leyo ba nagana gayo. Go beka nnye ye tedlela leto ba te beregeselego, go beregeswe tedaba leto te phoma go 33 ye bado labo be ba butiswa go kereya leso be ba fona go seva ne mebotiso e 79 leyo e hlalosa nkgonagalo ye go talana e khathe ge mehuda ye go nagana ne ndlela leyo go hlelwa gayo. Mephomela e bonesa gore lapho e mekhadlweni, Ndlela ye go nagana ge baphathi ba setulu e ya phabana go ya ge gore ba te kereya ba se sejamweni se se jane. Nkgonagalo ye bodlelwano e khathe ge Ndlela ye go nagana ne lenaneo le le le ladelwago e tedweni te nhlagano, te beregeselwe. Mave e bohlogwa: Bophathi ba setulu, bakgoni be go hlela, baberegi be go hlela, tedlela leto go hlelwa gato, Ndlela leyo go naganwa gayo; go khetha, mekgwa ye go nagana ge botalo, tedlela te go suga endabeni ennye goya go ennye. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)