Different motivation theories have been developed in general management to explain workers' attitude to production. Collectively, these theories represent manufacturing workers more than any other set of workers. Attempts made to apply these theories to construction operatives have produced different and often confused explanations of the motives behind construction operatives' productivity. This research approached construction operatives directly in order to evaluate their motivation in relation to their productivity. The research aimed at proving or disproving a conceptualised positive relationship between construction operative motivation and productivity. Previous construction researchers assumed that there was a positive relationship between productivity and motivation without any empirical prove. This oversight was largely due to problems of quantifying abstract concepts such as motivation. This obstacle needed to be removed before the relationship between motivation and productivity could be empirically established. A technique based on the Subjective Expected Utility Theory was developed to quantify motivation. Productivity was measured by activity sampling. Relating them together gave a third order polynomial relationship indicating that there is a basic motivation in every bricklayer regardless of his working environment. The relationship also provided an empirical prove of an earlier conceptualised optimal motivation theory. The thesis shows that there is no significant causal relationship between motivation and work rate; rather, motivation significantly influences the proportion of working time spent productively. From a model of production output, motivation and skill, it was demonstrated that skill dominates productivity in bricklaying. Motivation accounted for 2.4% of the percentage variation in work rate and 25.3% of the percentage variation in percentage productive time. From a sensitivity analysis of the predominance of skill, critical activities controlling production output which could form the basis of a training programme for new bricklayers were identified. After testing all observations and findings for validity, they were combined into a list of propositions which form the basis of a theory of construction operative motivation. Based on the affirmation of the optimal motivation theory in construction operatives, a new concept of hyper-production was proposed.

No description available.

There is no abstract available for this dissertation.

Statistics show that the sales of pesticides in Sweden are increasing. This study examines why this increase occurs, and who is buying the pesticides. The study has two aims: the first is to investigate the availability of pesticides for household use, and the second is to identify the problems garden owners are experiencing in the garden and the strategies they use to solve them. As a background to my work, some of the most debated pesticides and industrial chemicals with an impact on gardening during the 20th century are briefly summarized. The background section also includes a brief account of gardening in Sweden today. In my study, five garden stores were inventoried and staff were interviewed, garden owners were interviewed at allotment compounds and in home gardens, and an online survey was posted on a garden forum. The results indicate a wide variation in the range of pesticides in garden stores. The bigger stores have more varieties while the smaller stores have chosen to reduce the supply of pesticides. Interviews with the staff indicate that customers have little knowledge of pesticides and gardening in general. Many customers are looking for quick and easy solutions to their problems, the lawn being a big concern for many. Allotment owners use very little pesticides, while home gardeners and the respondents of the online survey use pesticides to a greater extent, but home gardeners often consider pesticides dangerous and want to decrease their use.

No description available.

No description available.

The author replicated and extended a study by Flowerday, Schraw, & Stevens (2004) that examined the effects of choice, topic interest, and situational interest on reading engagement, attitude, and learning in college-age students. The study was replicated using fourth and fifth graders as subjects. The study was extended to examine the effects of gender and reading ability cohort on the outcome measures. Participants randomly assigned to the choice condition made a blind choice of Packet A or B containing a non-fiction essay to read; participants assigned to the no choice condition were given one of the packets without being offered a choice. Outcomes were measured using scores on a multiple-choice test, a content essay, a personal reaction essay, and an attitude checklist. Results confirmed the 2004 finding that situational interest has the strongest effect on students' attitude toward a reading task. Both topic interest and choice had a smaller but significant effect on attitude after situational interest was controlled for, indicating that topic interest and choice have a stronger influence on the attitude of elementary students than they do on college students. Participants in the choice group had higher situational interest levels and a more positive attitude toward the task. There was no difference in the performance outcomes of the choice and no choice groups. Neither gender nor reading ability cohort had an effect on interest level or attitude. / School of Education / Instructional Leadership Excellence (ILEAD) / EdD / Dissertation

The purpose of this study was to determine Texas AgriLife Extension agents' perceptions of organic agriculture (OA) and implications for training. Primary variables of interest included level of interest in OA in their respective counties, previous training received, interest in future training, perception of OA and Texas AgriLife Extension's involvement in OA. A random sample of agents was selected (n = 151) and a response rate of 81.5 percent was achieved. A majority of agents indicated interest in OA in their respective counties had increased over the past five years (n = 60), but noted demand was still low (n = 39) to moderate (n = 42). Agents from urban or suburban counties reported higher levels of interests in OA than did agents from rural counties. Agents were most interested in training on organic soil fertility, insect, weed, and disease management and least interested in training on organic certification and transitioning to OA. Agents indicated traditional information resources would be the most useful delivery methods for communicating information about organic farming, which included print publications, a website with organic information and extension workshops. Agents' perceptions of OA and their perceptions of Texas AgriLife Extension's involvement in OA were measured using attitudinal statements using a five point summated scale with reliability estimates r = 0.76 and 0.76 respectively. It was found that agents neither agreed nor disagreed with statements affirming the viability of OA (M = 2.80) and statements advocating Texas AgriLife Extension's involvement in OA (M = 3.38). A stepwise multiple regression was run on the primary variables of interest to determine which variables predicted agents' interest in training. Perceptions of Texas AgriLife Extension's involvement, perceptions of OA, and current level of interest in their county accounted for over 50 percent of the variability. This research concluded that due to agents' general ambivalent attitude toward OA, Texas AgriLife Extension administration will need to advocate more training and programming in OA if they wish to increase their role in OA. For there to be any significant change in the advancement of OA, though, it will require a paradigm shift in the land grant university system (LGUS).

This dissertation presents three separate studies designed to examine perspectives on employment for individuals with disabilities from employers and educators. First, a literature review was conducted on the studies published in the past decade to provide an update of employers' attitudes toward employees with disabilities. Investigated factors included studies? methodologies, research procedures, and employer characteristics. Research findings indicated that employers increasingly showed favorable attitudes toward individuals with disabilities and demonstrated willingness to hire workers with disabilities. Employers' previous experience with workers with disabilities was associated with positive employer attitudes. Secondly, 168 employers and 105 educators were surveyed regarding their perspectives on valued employability skills for entry-level employees with and without disabilities. The second study primarily focused on examining employers' perspectives of the most valued employability skill areas and specific employability skills as well as associated employer factors (i.e., respondents' genders and types of business/industry). Differences between employers' expectations for employees with disabilities and for those without disabilities were analyzed. The study results presented findings on important employability skills and discrepancies between rating for employees with and without disabilities were discussed, and reported the effects of respondent factors. Lastly, the third study investigated and compared both employers and educators' expectations on important employability skills. Study identified differences of ratings on important employability skills between employers and educators. Study also found out how they viewed differently on employability skills for employees with and without disabilities. To sum up, this dissertation revealed updated trends of employers' attitude toward workers with disabilities. It also identified critical employability skills viewed by employers and educators for entry-level workers with disabilities. The comparisons between employers and educators' perspectives provided information on what schools should include or emphasize in vocational preparation programs to prepare students with disabilities for future employment.

Typescript. / Bibliography: leaves 112-124. / viii, 175 l tables