<p> The literature on person-organization (P-O) fit has been plagued with inconsistencies in the conceptualization, operationalization and measurement of P-O fit. Despite numerous studies examining the relationship between P-O fit and outcomes, these inconsistencies in measurement and operationalization have led to mixed findings concerning specific individual outcomes. The goal of this dissertation was to address some of these inconsistencies by examining the relationship between P-O fit, using perceived and subjective measures of fit, and attitudinal and behavioral outcomes. In addition, previously unexplored mediators of the P-O fit-outcome relationships were examined. Although not formally hypothesized, it was believed that the magnitude of the relationships would differ such that perceived fit would have a stronger relationship with attitudinal outcomes than subjective fit, and that subjective fit would have a stronger relationship with job performance than perceived fit. </p><p> A sample of 188 entry-level managerial employees, working in a national transportation organization, was used to examine the relationship between P-O fit and job attitudes (i.e., job satisfaction, commitment, organizational citizenship behaviors and turnover intentions) and supervisor rated job performance. The results of this dissertation suggest that perceived fit is related to positive attitudes and better job performance. Furthermore, perceived organizational support partially mediates the relationship between perceived fit and the attitudinal outcomes studied, lending partial support for hypotheses. Role ambiguity was also examined as a potential mediator between fit and job performance, however, although perceived fit was significantly related to role ambiguity, the results did not support the relationship between role ambiguity and job performance. Tests of the specific hypotheses for subjective fit were not supported. Instead, the results indicated that organizational values, rather than fit between person and organizational values, were a strong predictor of attitudinal outcomes.</p>

<p>Sexual selection has long been framed as a process that ends when copulation is achieved. However, in species with polyandry (multiple mating by females), competition persists after mating inside the female's reproductive tract, where sperm from multiple males must then compete to fertilize a female's eggs. This post-mating process, known as sperm competition, is thought to be just as strong as the competition to secure a mate. Because sperm competition has only recently been observed, its evolutionary role remains largely unknown. In this dissertation, I use field, laboratory and computational approaches to understand the evolution of sperm competition in two ways: (1) by testing a possible source of variation in sperm competition within species, and (2) by examining how variation in sperm competition results in DNA evolution across species. My study system is the Agelaius clade of New World blackbirds, a group of songbirds with predicted variation in the intensity of sperm competition. In the first half of the dissertation, I explore the factors that affect how intensely sperm competition is experienced in a population. In Chapter 1, I assess the relationship between genetic diversity and extra-pair paternity (EPP, a proxy for sperm competition) in seven continental and one island population of red-winged blackbird (A. phoeniceus). I find that while genetic diversity varies significantly across populations, the population with the lowest amount of genetic diversity exhibits similar rates of EPP as the more diverse populations, providing no support for a relationship between genetic diversity and EPP rate. This result suggests that genetic diversity by itself is not an determining factor in EPP variation. In Chapter 2, I characterize the mating system of the endangered yellow-shouldered blackbird (A. xanthomus) and provide the first evidence that it, too, engages in EPP despite having low genetic diversity. I additionally present a conservation genetics profile of the species, showing that the yellow-shouldered blackbird's low effective population size and genetic diversity, both likely due to a recent bottleneck, may be increasing its vulnerability to extinction. I suggest ways in which future management decisions might account for the genetics of a small population. In the second half of the dissertation, I examine whether sperm competition itself can drive the molecular evolution of a species. I focus on the evolutionary patterns of seminal fluid proteins (Sfps), which are transferred with sperm during copulation and are known targets of sperm competition. I describe in Chapter 3 the transcriptomic and proteomic techniques I use to identify protein-coding genes in a non-model organism, presenting the first list of seminal fluid proteins in a songbird. I contrast the protein profile of the blackbird with the protein profile of insect and mammalian Sfps. Finally, in Chapter 4, I use eight of the proteins identified from the list to look for patterns of positive selection on these proteins. Specifically, I test whether Sfps evolve faster in species with mating systems featuring high levels of sperm competition than in species with mating systems featuring low levels of sperm competition. I first compare EPP rates measured from the previous two species with a third species, the tricolored blackbird (A. tricolor), and find that all three experience similar levels of sperm competition. From the catalog of genes derived in Chapter 3, I select, sequence and search for evidence of rapid evolution in six candidate Sfps and two control genes. I find that not only is there no evidence for positive selection in any of these genes, there is strong evidence for purifying selection and furthermore very low levels of diversity within and divergence across species. Reasons for these unexpected preliminary findings could be both microevolutionary or macroevolutionary in nature and warrant larger-scale studies, especially across a broader sample of taxa and across species with greater variation in sperm competition. Taken together, this dissertation describes the relationship between mating systems, sperm competition and post-mating adaptations. By examining the effect of mating system on protein divergence, it links sexual selection with molecular evolution while generating behavioral, genetic, transcriptomic and proteomic resources for future comparative studies.</p> / Dissertation

published_or_final_version / abstract / Electrical and Electronic Engineering / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Psychology / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / abstract / Educational Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

<p> Despite the increased rate of women in the workplace and more women acquiring advance degrees, there are still barriers in the workplace that hinders the advancement of women. The focus of this qualitative study was first to understand the perceptions and beliefs of six female managers' experiences during the developmental process of an all-female mentoring program. The second focus was to provide information on the importance of mentoring in the development and advancement of women in the workplace. Utilizing a phenomenological methodology, a descriptive approach was employed to examine and describe the thought processes and subjective views of the participants' role, understanding, and expectation of the program development. </p><p> The purpose of this applied dissertation was to examine and describe from the participants' perspectives the factors that hindered the successful development of the mentoring program. Based on the analysis of the data collected from the semi-structured interviews, four themes emerged: (a) purpose for mentoring program development, (b) perception of barriers to mentoring program development, (c) perception of management role in program development, and (d) perception of program outcome. </p><p> The data collected as a result of this study revealed five findings: (a) mentoring programs are an important human resource intervention, (b) the lack of top management support and commitment adversely affected the successful development of the mentoring program, (c) the successful development of a mentoring program requires the clear establishment of the program goals and objectives, (d) research does not fully support the findings that women in senior positions will advocate for women in lower ranking positions, and (e) the top management role is an essential component in the continued success of mentoring programs. This study offers insight into female managers' perceptions of the barriers that affect mentoring program development and insight into the development of successful mentoring program.</p>

Males can influence current reproductive success in one of two ways: by caring for offspring or by seeking additional mates. Models for the evolution of paternal care predict increasing parental investment by males as their ability to contribute to offspring survivorship increases and as the probability of attracting additional mates decreases. I tested the assumptions and predictions of these models for polygynous Yellow-headed Blackbirds (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus). The results of field observations and experiments indicate that male Yellowheads are capable of assessing the fitness returns associated with parental care and sexual advertisement and will increase parental investment as their ability to enhance offspring fitness increases and the probability of acquiring additional mates decreases. Thus, paternal investment is greater in unproductive marshes, on days when the insect emergence is low, when the arrival rate of unmated females is low, and for males with poor-quality territories. Current reproductive success also depends on the ability of individuals and their mates to raise young. In theory, males should be capable of assessing the parental competence of mates and adjusting their parental investment with mate quality so as to maximize the fitness return on their investment. To test this hypothesis, fitness-investment curves for nests belonging to competent and incompetent mates were derived using empirical data and, on the basis of the slopes, preferences for nests predicted. Field observations were consistent with the predictions. Males preferentially cared for young of competent mates and fed them at greater rates than young of incompetent mates; care at the latter nests occurred only when preferred nests were unavailable. Yellowheads often breed in colonies. In theory, colonies can act as information centers and facilitate the exploitation of spatially unpredictable food resources. I tested this hypothesis for Yellowheads by analyzing the pattern of (1) colony departures and (2) recruitment to an experimental foraging area. The results of the experiment and departure analysis indicate that Yellowhead colonies do act as information centers; birds can locate productive foraging areas more efficiently than in the absence of information by monitoring the success of neighbors and following them on foraging trips.

No description available.

Study of a Leisler's bat maternity roost in Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland, 1997- 2000 used the marking of individual female bats with PIT (Passive Identification Transponder) tags with infrared filming of bat movements at the roost entrance. This provided data for analysis of bat activity through the maternity season, without interference to the bats. PIT -marked bats were analysed into four activity categories. Evening exits and morning entrances to the roost showed an abrupt change in pattern at 8th June 1999. Flight patterns before and after s" June showed significant changes. Lengths of flight of one- and two-part flights per night were not significantly different. Principle component analysis showed a significant relationship of emergence time to solar radiation at 21 OOh GMT. Patterns of activity in the tunnel to exit, and following entry, were monitored and analysed. Survival rate estimates, Phi, for 1997 to 2000 varied from 0.61 to 0.77. Significant differences in body measurements between female adult and female juvenile bats were demonstrated. The profound changes in behaviour of the bats to sunset and sunrise respectively were also consistent with a risk avoidance strategy in the heavily pregnant females that may be prone to aerial predation risk. The large changes in roost composition while total numbers of bats using the roost remained almost unchanged highlights the problems of attempting to resolve roost phenology by visual roost counting such as the maximal visual roost count on any one night. Analysis of the sequence of emergence and individual consistency in timing of emergence in pregnancy and lactation strongly suggested that this sample of bats did not co-ordinate their behaviour in any way.

<p> This study was designed to determine what it is that Chief Learning Officers do to build the learning organization by examining interview data from current Chief Learning Officers using the constructs of change and leadership. The study sample included current Chief Learning Officers who work for U.S. based organizations within the U.S. and have been in their current Chief Learning Officer position for at least two years. </p><p> The study used a qualitative, exploratory methodology combined with phone or face-to-face interviews in order to gather data. The data was analyzed using the Systems Learning Organization Model (Marquardt, 2011). 20 Chief Learning Officers were interviewed for approximately 60 minutes each and asked the same series of questions in order to further explore how Chief Learning Officers use leadership and change to build the learning organization. </p><p> The study findings show that Chief Learning Officers do four things to build the learning organization: 1. They themselves collaborate with others inside and outside of the organization, and encourage others to do so as well; 2. They assess and measure their learning and development programs on a consistent basis; 3. They seek and secure funding and other resources for their learning and development opportunities; 4. They have a vision for their learning organization, and realize that vision through strategy development and implementation.</p>