In the last thirty years, determined travelers have developed a new method of travel that allows them to receive the benefits of traveling on the HOV lane without forming traditional carpools. This new mode is known as casual carpooling (also known as ??slugging??). Casual carpools are impromptu carpools formed among strangers in order to meet the occupancy requirements of HOV lanes. In this research, survey respondent data from Houston, Texas were used to evaluate the behavior of casual carpool passengers. At the time of this research, there were approximately 500 casual carpool passengers in Houston each day during the morning peak period. These passengers gained time savings of up to 13 minutes over the alternative of driving alone on the main lanes. Statistical models were used to evaluate the factors that influence travelers to choose casual carpooling. The results of the analyses indicated that travelers on commute trips were more likely to casual carpool. The results also indicated that casual carpoolers in Houston made more trips per week, were between the ages of 25 and 34, and hadoccupations that were either professional/managerial or administrative/clerical. Additionally, Houston travelers that had incomes between $25,000 and $35,000 and were between the ages of 55 and 64 were significantly less likely to casual carpool. The research results provided insight into some of the factors that influenced the decision to casual carpool. It is important to understand the types of travelers that casual carpooled, and the information learned in these analyses can be used to better evaluate HOV and HOT lane use and performance. Casual carpool passengers can comprise a significant portion of HOV/HOT lane person movement and should be considered when considering HOV or HOT lane implementation. However, further research in this area is necessary to better understand these travelers.

Towards the end of the last century in Australia one aspect of the restructuring of work has been a major increase in the number of people who are employed on a casual basis. The ‘traditional’ full time permanent job is no longer available to many people. This project examines aspects of the personal and work lives of casual TAFE lecturers in the Perth metropolitan area. It provides a specific case study of workers who have been affected by the changes in the workforce which have developed over the past 25 years. In particular, these are workers who, given their tertiary education and work experience, would not necessarily have expected to be employed on a casual basis but who are now part of the roughly 27% of the workforce employed in this mode. Supporters of the restructured workforce claim that work flexibility has advantages for the economy and for both the employer and the employee and argue that many are happy to work in this mode. This project seeks to test this assertion, to examine briefly the economic and political features that led to casual work being adopted as the preferred employment model at TAFE in Western Australia, and to consider in detail its consequences for some of those employed in this manner. Through a series of interviews of 40 casual TAFE lecturers it investigates some of the particular features of such employment; such as how people obtain and maintain work, and whether they regard themselves as having a career, as well as looking at broader aspects such as stigma, insecurity and the place of risk in the workplace. The research reveals that while this mode of employment suits a subset of casual employees, others pine for greater security and certainty in their working lives.

The thesis investigates the elaboration of text to improve the acquisition of computing skill by casual users. Manuals are currently the main method by which these users are helped to acquire such skills. However, since there is no control over the way that the manual will be made use of, and no control over the sequencing of task learning, manuals are rarely entirely satisfactory in supporting learning processes. The issue investigated in the present thesis is whether manuals can be modified by the elaboration of text in order to support learning. The thesis also investigates skill measurement techniques, methods of specifying training devices and the applicability of controlled laboratory experiments to this applied setting. A comparison of computing skill measurement techniques showed that the most valid and practical method consisted of short tasks to be carried out using the computing system. These tasks were used as the basis for the study of the effectiveness of manuals. Examination of the pertinent literature in the light of the problems of producing texts for casual users and a model of skill acquisition based on hierarchical task analysis produced several theoretical devices for improving manuals. A formal method of applying the devices to a standard text enabled the controlled examination of the theories…

From 1837 the Poor Law Commission sanctioned temporary relief, at workhouses, for poor wayfarers, heralding a departure from historic attempts to control the wandering poor with criminal vagrancy legislation. A modern, detailed account is lacking, and the thesis addresses gaps in the historiography, such as the significant underestimation of women using the system, the influence of penal separation upon casual relief, and the changing attributes of recipient The origins of casual relief are traced to local initiatives, c.1800-1830, adopted, subsequently, in the reformed Poor Law system. The assumption, by administrators, that the justice system would retain the mandate for the suppression of vagrancy, was never eradicated, partly because criminal legislation remained in force, alongside casual relief. The deterrent principle of the New Poor Law was applied in casual wards, characterized by an absence of rehabilitative elements. The reluctance of Poor Law officials to engage fully with vagrant relief was reflected in repeated attempts to transfer responsibility to the police. Contemporary views are examined to ascertain whether Poor Law vagrancy policy was based upon rational assessment, or was the product of myth and prejudice. Ignoring evidence that the majority of casual relief users were in search of employment, and that others were rendered destitute by age or ill health, officials insisted upon the intrinsic deviancy of recipients. The traditional belief in the ‘undeserving’ poor was undiminished. Phases in casual relief are identified, summarized as a gradual transition from primitive provision (‘stables and straw’) to purpose-built cells. However, notwithstanding the strengthening of central regulation, from 1871, uniform implementation of policy was never achieved. Casual relief remained a protean experience for applicants in this period. Inasmuch as most itinerant poor avoided the wards, New Poor Law deterrence succeeded; as a measure to control vagrancy, it failed.

Based on the theory of System dynamics and by using the methodology of a case study, the researcher explores the factors influencing the shortened product lead time and the stability of the product quality. In Taiwan, the industry of after-market car accessory has been facing the pressure resulted from our competition with mainland China to provide low-price products. Such competition has intensified since frequent business communications and encounters between Taiwan and China take place. In order to thrive in such competition, not only does the industry in Taiwan need to increase its productivity, but it also has to find means to increase the stability of the product quality and to shorten the product lead time. Analyzing it based on the process of a production, one can find that product lead time is influenced by the following three factors: the time required to design the product; to purchase the raw materials; to produce the product. When purchasing raw materials, one has to consider both the materials used in product developing and as well as the ones required to mass production. In addition, the time required to acquire raw materials also depends on the reliability of the up-stream supplier and our relations with them. Last but not least, the time required to acquire raw materials also depend upon how professional the purchaser designated buyer in the company is. The time required to design the product is affected by the R/D engineer¡¦s professionalism and his or her familiarity with the product. Consequently, the time required for designing phase is affected by the possible turn-over of the company¡¦s engineers. Further, the design and equipment of the production line and workers¡¦ familiarity with the production process are all determine factors as to the time required to complete the products. The quality of a product is determined by the quality of the raw materials and the process of mass production. The quality of the out sourced raw materials is affected by the attitude and promptness of the purchasing department of the company. Furthermore, the standard operation process of the production line and the design of all concerned fixtures also affect the product quality during the mass production. By using the Strategy Maps and Balanced Scorecard, one found that, in the case of Company S, the instability of the quality of products and the delayed product lead time were caused by the lack of competency of company buyers, poor management of the supply chains, and ineffectively executed quality control process. In order to improve the situation for Company S, one needs to consider the interactions between all production factors based on the perspectives of the System Thinking. Subsequently, based on analyzing the case of Company S, the current study concludes the following points: 1. Using traditional business management models, the decision-makers cannot detect the dynamics of processes in the company. 2. By only using the Casual Feedback, one cannot easily detect the core of the problem in the company. One also needs to simulate the situation in order to foresee the result. 3. One should use a system dynamic way of thinking to analyze the operations of a corporation in order to foresee potential problems before they arise. 4. The researcher will recommend Company S to establish its own Strategy Mapping, so it can effectively evaluate its policies and strategies. Key Word: System dynamics, System Thinking, Strategy Maps, The Balanced Scorecard, Casual Feedback,

Japan is a country strongly associated with strong, long-term relationships, whether they be located within kin- groups, local communities or large industrial enterprises. Yet Japan also has a long tradition of people who have been excluded from these relationships, whether voluntarily (hermits, mendicant monks, etc.) or compulsorily (outcasts etc.). This thesis deals with a contemporary category of people who operate largely outside the certainties of long-term relationships: day labourers. Whereas Japanese industry has become famous for 'life-time employment', my subjects often work under contracts for just one day. Most of them are also excluded from family and mainstream community life, living singly in doya-gai -- small urban districts with cheap hotels which resemble the American skid-row. These districts center on a casual labour market (yoseba), divided between a formal sector (public casual labour exchanges) and an informal sector (jobs negotiated on the street with recruiters often affiliated with yakuza gangs). Fieldwork (1993-5) was conducted mainly in Kotobuki, the Yokohama doya-gai, with brief field-trips to similar districts in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Kitakyushu and Fukuoka. Most of my informants were Japanese nationals, though Koreans and Filipinos are also briefly discussed. The thesis describes the lives and attitudes of day labourers, and the social organization of the very distinctive districts which they inhabit. Based on participant observation, backed up by historical analysis and cross-cultural comparison, the thesis considers the role of these 'men of uncertainty' in a society which craves certainty. In economic terms, that role is to enable the construction and longshoring industries to adjust to fluctuating demand and changing weather conditions while maintaining a stable core workforce. But day labourers, like other stigmatized minorities, have a parallel cultural role, as an "internal other" in the formation of mainstream Japanese people's identity.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Murdoch University, 2008. / Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts and Education. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 328-349)

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Psicologia, Departamento de Psicologia Clínica, 2008. / Submitted by Fernanda Weschenfelder (nandaweschenfelder@gmail.com) on 2009-09-15T18:30:43Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2008_FernandaSchieberSaudeVilasBoasOliveiraJota.pdf: 906928 bytes, checksum: 695c8f183857c11a0b8d95eb8156b844 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luanna Maia(luanna@bce.unb.br) on 2010-01-28T14:46:45Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2008_FernandaSchieberSaudeVilasBoasOliveiraJota.pdf: 906928 bytes, checksum: 695c8f183857c11a0b8d95eb8156b844 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2010-01-28T14:46:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2008_FernandaSchieberSaudeVilasBoasOliveiraJota.pdf: 906928 bytes, checksum: 695c8f183857c11a0b8d95eb8156b844 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / O objetivo desta pesquisa é compreender, por meio de uma investigação bibliográfica e um trabalho de campo, em que medida a prática do sexo casual por mulheres suscita a existência de questões subjetivas femininas próprias da contemporaneidade. Dirige-se um olhar psicanalítico sobre a prática do sexo casual feminino buscando-se uma relação compreensiva entre os dados coletados na pesquisa de campo e os conceitos de pulsão, narcisismo e sexualidade feminina. Intenta-se, ainda, contextualizar a contemporaneidade através de autores que tratam da cultura e dos costumes, pois, acredita-se que as novas formas de erotismo apresentadas pela mulher contemporânea, como o sexo de ocasião, podem ser melhor compreendidas quando associadas a algumas características próprias da atualidade, a saber o espetáculo e a cultura do narcisismo. A pesquisa de campo comporta dois momentos. Inicialmente foram colhidas depoimentos de mulheres sobre sexo casual em revistas populares femininas e masculinas. Posteriormente foram realizadas entrevistas individuais semi-estruturadas com sete mulheres com idades entre 20 e 30 anos e em dois ambientes públicos distintos; um bar e uma universidade de Brasília. A análise de dados foi realizada por meio do método de análise do discurso. A dúvida, a insegurança e o desencanto foram fatores da subjetividade feminina suscitados pela prática do sexo casual. A dúvida em relação à posição feminina. A insegurança relativa ao modo com o qual a mulher se coloca nas relações com o sexo oposto. E o desencanto com uma perspectiva de futuro. Não saber qual é o seu lugar dentro da vivência da própria sexualidade foi um achado marcante dessa pesquisa. __________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT / The aim of this research is to understand, through a literature search and a field research, to what extent the practice of casual sex by women raises the existence of female subjective issues typical of the contemporary. It is aimed a psychoanalytic look on the practice of female casual sex looking for a comprehensive relationship between the data collected in field research and the concepts of drive, narcissism and female sexuality. It is intended still contextualise the contemporaneity through authors who deal with the culture and the habits because, it is believed that new forms of eroticism presented by the contemporary woman, as the casual sex, can be better understood when associated with certain distinct characteristics of today; the spectacle and culture of narcissism. The field research involves two moments. Initially testimonies were collected from women about casual sex in female and male popular magazines. Subsequent were performed individual semi-structured interviews with seven women aged between 20 and 30 years in two different environments public, a bar and a University of Brasilia. The data analysis was done using the method of discourse analysis. The doubt, insecurity and disillusionment were factors of female subjectivity raised by the practice of casual sex. The doubt about the female position. The insecurity surrounding the manner in which the woman is placed in relations with the opposite sex. And the disillusionment with a view to the future. Not knowing what their place within the experience of his own sexuality was a important finding of this research.

Casual sexual relationships and experiences (CSREs) are a common phenomenon experienced by the majority of emerging adults attending college and university. Despite researchers' increased interest towards the topic of casual sex in recent years, there is a lack of validated psychometric measures that operationalize different types of CSREs and an absence of uniformity in the definitions of casual sex. Few studies distinguish clearly between different types of CSREs and few studies include a balanced approach when considering well-being outcomes (i.e., negative and positive markers). The first study of this dissertation aimed to bridge the research gap through the development and validation of the Casual Sex Experiences Scale (CASEX), which measures frequency of four types of CSREs (one-night stands, booty calls, fuck buddies, and friends with benefits). The CASEX's validity (factorial, convergent, divergent) and reliability (internal consistency) were tested in two independent samples. The results indicated that the CASEX can indeed measure the four aforementioned types of CSREs. In the second study, we examined how those four types of CSREs were related to well-being in consensual sexual interactions in a cross-sectional study. We included positive and negative markers of wellbeing. Moreover, we tested whether the relation between CSREs and well-being was moderated by sociosexual attitudes. We derived hypotheses from the theory of cognitive dissonance related to the potential moderating effect of sociosexual attitudes. Participants reported a coexistence of negative and positive well-being outcomes related to CSREs (e.g., positive and negative emotions during and following casual sex). In most cases, sociosexual attitudes did not moderate the relationships between CSREs and well-being outcomes. However, a notable exception was that sociosexual attitudes moderated relationships between CSREs and emotions experienced during and following casual sex, which was expected from the theory of cognitive dissonance. As hypothesized, the relationship between casual sex and negative emotions during and following casual sex was stronger in those participants with less sociosexual attitudes. Nonetheless, some results refuted our hypotheses, for instance, some relationships between casual sex and positive emotions during and following casual sex were stronger in those participants with less sociosexual attitudes. In other words, casual sex seemed to have been less of an emotional experience (positive or negative) in those with more sociosexual attitudes. Overall, this dissertation provides initial evidence in favour of the validity and reliability of the CASEX, which can enable to understand more nuanced relationships between experiences of casual sex and well-being among emerging adults. Findings deepened the understanding of the role of sociosexual attitudes in the relations between different types of CSREs and well-being markers.

Submitted by Fabio Sobreira Campos da Costa (fabio.sobreira@ufpe.br) on 2016-04-12T13:20:23Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação_Paula_Lins.pdf: 3016371 bytes, checksum: 08c66d69326a38e3820667fdada12e43 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-12T13:20:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação_Paula_Lins.pdf: 3016371 bytes, checksum: 08c66d69326a38e3820667fdada12e43 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-07-29 / CAPEs / O presente estudo tem como objetivo analisar de forma empírica a possibilidade de jogos digitais do tipo casual para tablets Android, serem utilizados para reabilitação da destreza fina das mãos, com enfoque nas atividades da vida diária, em pacientes que sofreram lesões nos membros superiores. Observando-se o atual mercado brasileiro de dispositivos digitais, o tablet ocupa posição de destaque, tornando-se líder em inclusão digital no país. Em contrapartida, uma realidade que assombra a população nacional, o alto índice de acidentes de motocicleta, produzindo vítimas que carregam sequelas pelo resto de suas vidas. Profissionais da área de fisioterapia e terapia ocupacional têm feito uso de vídeo games com sensores de movimento, para auxiliar na reabilitação de pacientes, por meio de exergames. Contudo estes aparelhos são pouco acessíveis às classes populares, além de focarem em movimentos de ombro, enquanto o tablet, utiliza extensa gama de movimentos dos dedos e pulso. Logo, representando um recurso relevante na relação entre pacientes e profissionais da saúde, promovendo motivação e beneficiando ambos. Portanto, foram selecionados e instalados quatro jogos da loja de apps Android no dispositivo Samsung galaxy tab pro 10.1 (SM-T520), em seguida, foram observadas suas mecânicas, comparando com exercícios para reabilitação das mãos. Os resultados apontam para uma viável reprodução dos exercícios, onde o movimento de toque, mais comum aos jogos, envolve flexão e extensão, dos dedos e pulso, entre outros estímulos aos músculos, ligamentos e tendões. Mimetizando os exercícios planejados por profissionais para serem realizados pelo paciente em sua casa. Demonstrando real possibilidade de utilizar tablets como instrumento para a prática de exercício, por meio de jogos casuais, em pacientes que necessitam reabilitar suas funções por meio exercícios efetuados no ambiente doméstico. / This study aims to examine empirically the possibility of causal digital games for Android tablets, be used for rehabilitation of the hand’s fine dexterity, focusing on activities of daily living in patients who have suffered injuries in the upper limbs. Observing the current Brazilian market of digital devices, the tablet has an outstanding position, becoming a leader in digital inclusion in the country. In contrast, a reality that haunts the national population, the high rate of motorcycle accidents, producing victims that carry consequences for the rest of their lives. Physiotherapy and occupational therapy professionals have been making use of video games with motion sensors, to assist in the rehabilitation of patients through exergames. However, these devices are not easily accessible to the working classes, and focus mainly on shoulder movements, while the tablet, uses extensive range of finger and wrist movements. Therefore, representing an important feature in the relationship between patients and health professionals, promoting motivation and benefiting both. Thus, four games were selected and installed from Android apps store the device Samsung galaxy tab 10.1 pro (SM-T520), then its mechanics were observed, compared to exercises for rehabilitation of the hands. The results point to a viable reproduction of exercises where the movement of touch, the most common between the games, involves flexion and extension of the fingers and wrist, among other stimuli to muscles, ligaments and tendons. Mimicking the exercises planned by professionals to be performed by the patient in their home. Demonstrating real possibility to use tablets as a tool to practice exercise, through casual games, in patients who need to rehabilitate their functions through exercises fulfilled in their home.