Organisational commitment has been suggested as a function of the degree of integration and congruence of individual and organisational goals and values. The more employees can satisfy their needs through work, the more they will be committed to an organisation. The organisational conditions that influence such need satisfaction are generally known as quality of worklife (QWL). The purpose of the study was to examine the relative importance and perceived presence of factors associated with QWL, their relationships with organisational commitment (OC), and demographic patterns of their relationships for nonsupervisory employees in Malaysia. Underlying questions explored were the crosscultural universality of theories of QWL and OC and their utility for management policy and action. The research instrument employed was a survey questionnaire in the Malaysian language based on Western models of QWL and OC and using Likert scaling. Usable responses were obtained from 672 employees in 671 organisations. Statistical analysis was carried out using factor analysis, t-test, analysis of variance and multiple regressions. The Western model and measures of affective, normative and continuance commitment were generally supported, but two sub-factors emerged for continuance commitment relating to cost of leaving and lack of alternatives. The collectivist nature of Malaysian culture emerged as an important determinant of QWL and, in turn, OC. The most important QWL factors were workplace integration, work environmenta nd supervision. The first two of these were perceived as those most present. Different demographic relationships emerged between affective, normative and continuance commitment and QWL. Indicators for changing management policies and action to improve QWL and hence OC among non-supervisory employees in Malaysia concern work environment, workplace integration and the social relevance of work. The equity of pay and benefits, though itself an unimportant QWL factor, was also related to affective commitment.

In this thesis we show how and why non-family managers are excluded in family firms. Additionally, we depict the implications of exclusion on an individual as well as a business level. The literature framework that consists of literature from family business and organizational as well as socio-psychological studies lays the foundation for our qualitative empirical research. A method triangulation of semi-structured interviews and vignettes, based on empirical material from seven cases, is applied to understand the exclusion of non-family managers. Our findings suggest that exclusion is prevailing in family firms. Hereby, family members as well as non-family managers can be the ones excluding. We identified six main categories why exclusion of non-family managers happens. Exclusion can be based on the family’s values and norms, exclusive knowledge of a family member, the need of quick decision making, the need of secrecy, the manager’s professional values and norms, as well as the manager’s personal values and norms. Further, exclusion can take place in formal and informal selective arenas, through formal and informal breach of agreements, through structural and cultural hindrances, as well as through differences between enacted and espoused values. Moreover, we reveal several implications exclusion has on an individual and on a business level. The findings contribute to the theoretical and managerial understanding of exclusion in family firms. Thus, increasing the awareness of its existence in family firms. Additionally, we contribute to current research about exclusion in family firms by providing more insights into the complex phenomenon. This thesis is of interest to any individual in a leading position in family firms, as well as academics in the research field of family businesses.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of different types of consumer knowledge and values on their attitude towards buying organic personal care products and their purchase intentions of organic personal care products. The aim was to make a theoretical contribution to the research area of consumer behaviour in the context of organic products. As no research had been conducted on how different types of consumers’ knowledge affect their attitudes towards buying organic products and their purchase intentions of organic products, this study aims to address this research gap. In addition, while previous studies have mainly focused on organic foods this study aims to enhance knowledge about the little researched sector of organic personal care products.

The main mm of this study was to investigate the prophetic calling of the Church and the role of the state in the moral renewal of the South African community. The method of research followed in this study was to study primary and secondary sources, as well as appropriate biblical teachings and theological principles relevant to this study and to systematize the information therein. The gist of the study was to outline the profile and manifestation of moral decay in South African community and, to define the role of the Church and state towards moral regeneration. What transpired was that due to the profile of moral decay within the South African context, the Church and state should play a critical and positive role towards the renewal of morality in South Africa. In conclusion, the fact that the Church and the state each have a particular role to play as driving agents for moral regeneration of South African was confirmed. It is also important to stress the fact that the State cannot be value free or neutral. The word of God speaks of human governments in two-fold way: in a normative way, and in a descriptive way; telling us what they ought to do and be and what they actually turn out to do and be. Both these elements in God's word are reflected in of the Reformed Confession. Therefore, the modern-day concept of a neutral or secular state can be questioned. / Thesis (M.A. (Ethics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

The aim of this study was to investigate the specific role that the nuclear family as a primary faith unit has to play in a postmodern context, and the challenges that confront it, as well as the ways in which the church can support the family in this. The study was done through a basis-theoretical investigation of Biblical evidence about the family and about its destiny as well as about the historical development and vicissitudes of the family over the past two millennia, through a meta-theoretical investigation into and analysis of sociological and psychological evidence and views about the relationship between the family and value transfer and faith formation, and through a qualitative empirical investigation into the situation of a number of families in a suburban reformed church, the latter part being informed by the insights derived from the basis- and meta-theoretical study. On the basis of the aforesaid a practice theory was formulated that aims to support the ministry to families. In the basis-theoretical study of Biblical evidence it was indicated that, in spite of widely divergent family forms and situations over many centuries, there were a number of basic functions always common to families, among which the most important is that of the family as the conduit of salvation, as well as its role of nurturance and education. Strong emphasis was also put on the interactive relationship between the church and the family, not only in the family being a part of the church but also in it being a metaphor for the church. On the basis of an analysis of the history of the family over centuries, certain basic aspects of the family were again identified. In this part of the study specific attention was paid to the postmodernism as phenomenon and its implications for the experience of community and for the family. In the empirical study interviews were conducted with six families on the basis of a number of essential themes identified from the study thus far, to determine what their experience of and problems with those facets of their family life are. An interview with a focus group about the same themes was also conducted. On the basis of these conversations the basic themes were further reduced to six in number, and a variety of common concerns or problems, or merely ways of handling certain matters, were identified. In the development of a practice theory emphasis was put on the fact that the address of such a theory or model cannot be in the first place only the church as it performs its work through its offices, but it needs also be the faithful, with the family itself as the autonomous body. Without running the risk of making to rigid a distinction between the various responsibilities of these three, recommendations were made about a number of fields in which the ministry to families can concentrate to counteract the growing danger of privatisation and isolation of families, and again to make families viable building blocks of the church of Christ. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Pastoral))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

The aim of this study was to investigate the specific role that the nuclear family as a primary faith unit has to play in a postmodern context, and the challenges that confront it, as well as the ways in which the church can support the family in this. The study was done through a basis-theoretical investigation of Biblical evidence about the family and about its destiny as well as about the historical development and vicissitudes of the family over the past two millennia, through a meta-theoretical investigation into and analysis of sociological and psychological evidence and views about the relationship between the family and value transfer and faith formation, and through a qualitative empirical investigation into the situation of a number of families in a suburban reformed church, the latter part being informed by the insights derived from the basis- and meta-theoretical study. On the basis of the aforesaid a practice theory was formulated that aims to support the ministry to families. In the basis-theoretical study of Biblical evidence it was indicated that, in spite of widely divergent family forms and situations over many centuries, there were a number of basic functions always common to families, among which the most important is that of the family as the conduit of salvation, as well as its role of nurturance and education. Strong emphasis was also put on the interactive relationship between the church and the family, not only in the family being a part of the church but also in it being a metaphor for the church. On the basis of an analysis of the history of the family over centuries, certain basic aspects of the family were again identified. In this part of the study specific attention was paid to the postmodernism as phenomenon and its implications for the experience of community and for the family. In the empirical study interviews were conducted with six families on the basis of a number of essential themes identified from the study thus far, to determine what their experience of and problems with those facets of their family life are. An interview with a focus group about the same themes was also conducted. On the basis of these conversations the basic themes were further reduced to six in number, and a variety of common concerns or problems, or merely ways of handling certain matters, were identified. In the development of a practice theory emphasis was put on the fact that the address of such a theory or model cannot be in the first place only the church as it performs its work through its offices, but it needs also be the faithful, with the family itself as the autonomous body. Without running the risk of making to rigid a distinction between the various responsibilities of these three, recommendations were made about a number of fields in which the ministry to families can concentrate to counteract the growing danger of privatisation and isolation of families, and again to make families viable building blocks of the church of Christ. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Pastoral))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Paul Grice has argued that a methodological procedure termed 'constructionism' is suitable to elucidate our folk-psychological concepts. The methodology is foundationalist: beginning with a psychologically simple creature a sequence of increasingly psychologically complex creatures is developed through the application of a set of construction routines and constraints. This thesis develops Grice's claim. My main aim is to demonstrate the methodology by producing a construction. My secondary aim is to illuminate the concepts of 'desiring' and 'valuing' by means of the described construction. In Chapter 1, I claim that constructionism provides an answer to problems associated with a certain form of holism which permeates the psychological. In Chapter 2, I discuss and criticise the detail of Grice's account for the development of a construction. In Chapter 3, I set out the foundations for my construction. In Chapter 4, I describe a simple creature with a single recurrent need inhabiting a simple environment consisting of four features. These features are manipulated to determine how the creature would need to develop in order to survive. The end of this chapter sees the ascription of a discriminatory capacity in response to the need to track and manipulate objects. This capacity might plausibly be described as 'presentational'. In Chapter 5, I attribute to the creature multiple needs and the capacity for Associative Learning. At this stage 'desires' emerge. The rest of the chapter is concerned with assessing the modified creature's capacity for continued survival. By the end of the chapter the creature is shown to lack the capacities necessary to form preferences suited to the specific contexts in which it acts. In Chapter 6, I claim that a creature with an objective conception can form the necessary preferences. I ascribe to the creature those capacities necessary to for objective conception. The upgraded creature is described as capable of 'valuing'.

Over the last decade it has become increasingly popular to provide large public areas with gracefully designed 'flexible' staircases. One inherent characteristic of this type of construction is a low stiffness to mass ratio and hence a low natural frequency when compared to more traditional designs. A number of staircases have been found to be dynamically responsive to pedestrian traffic resulting in costly repairs. The objective of this thesis was to investigate the differences between human induced loading on floors with that on stairs. Experimental work carried out on a purpose built staircase showed that forces up to 3 times the static body weight were generated during fast descents while forces up to 2.5 times the static body weight were generated during fast ascents. The work also showed that first harmonic values generated while ascending were slightly higher than for descending whilst second harmonic values were up to 3 times greater for fast descents than for fast ascents. When compared with floor testing, stair testing produced first harmonic values nearly 2.5 times greater with second, third and fourth harmonic values nearly 3 times greater. The harmonic results for the flat testing were also incorporated into a new mathematical expression to predict peak accelerations on simply supported floors and footbridges. The experimental results were duplicated analytically by developing a computer program to calculate the vertical ground reaction forces from body segment positional data. Following a Newtonian approach, the predicted first harmonic values were 20% to 30% lower than actual while the second harmonic values were approximately the same. Monte Carlo simulation techniques were also used to model the effects of group loading on stairs. The simulations predicted enhancement factors (a multiplier on single subject loading) of 3 to 6 for smaller groups(< 9 people) and 4 for larger groups(> 25 people). If the experimental/analytical results are combined with the group loading predictions, the harmonic values for groups ascending or descending flexible staircase could be substantially increased. These results demonstrate that loading data from floors is highly inappropriate for staircase design.

The thesis examines the role of heritage values in urban transformation in contemporary London. Two cases of urban redevelopment are explored in detail: the No. 1 Poultry redevelopment in the City of London and the Market redevelopment in Spitalfields. The particular concern is how heritage values have a multitude of expressions and can serve a variety of differentially empowered interests. This diverse, and complex manifestation of the heritage impulse is explored through the thematic tension of Making Monuments and Imagining Communities. The study is located in a revised Marxist approach to cultural studies. It attempts to extend the critique of the current popular interest in the past and also the understanding of how culture and capital intersect in urban processes. The study has a number of distinctive methodological features including the reliance on a two case approach and the attention to contextualized discursive practices. The thesis concludes by examining the consequences of the 'hegemony of heritage' in contemporary urban redevelopment and particularly in relation to power in the city and the understanding of the intersection between culture and capital.

No description available.