Over the past decade, many studies have provided some understanding on what influences association members‟ decision to attend a meeting; however, more systematic and theoretical research is necessary. The decision making process of attendees is a complicated human behavior practice. The major contribution of this study is adopting the sense of community (SOC) model from psychology to gain a better understanding of the attendee behavior. By doing so, this study will add a theoretical foundation to the existing research in the meeting industry. Also, this study will contribute to the SOC research in psychology by applying the concept to a different setting. This study investigates whether annual conferences build a SOC among association members. First, the SOC of association members at the conference will be analyzed. Second, the influence of SOC on members‟ satisfaction with the conference will be studied. Lastly, the direct and indirect relationship between SOC and future intentions (i.e., return to next meeting, membership renewal, and membership recommendation) will be examined. Data was collected through an intercept survey approach at three annual conferences of national/international associations. The questionnaire consisted of four sections: sense of community, satisfaction with the conference, future intentions, and member profile. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to test the factor structure and structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationships, and Spearman‟s rank order correlation was used to see the strength of the relationship between respondent characteristics and sense of community. The results showed that sense of community was a strong predictor of future iv intentions. Implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research are discussed in the final chapter.

No description available.

Immigration is a debatable topic, and Sweden offers a unique context due to its long-established liberal immigration policies and recent political shifts, making it an ideal case study for understanding broader European trends. The current study explores changes in public attitudes toward immigrants in Sweden from 2012 to 2020 using data from the final five waves (from 2012 to 2020) of the European Social Survey (ESS). Employing multi-group analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM), this research aims to identify how attitudes have shifted over the study period and to analyze significant demographic (age, gender, domicile) and socioeconomic (income, education) influences on immigration attitudes. The results reveal a shift from generally positive to more negative perceptions, particularly between 2018 and 2020. Older age groups and individuals from rural areas exhibited more negative attitudes, while females generally displayed more positive attitudes than males. Moreover, females with higher education and higher income levels also demonstrate more favorable attitudes. These findings are crucial for policymakers, as they highlight the need for strategies that address demographic influences and suggest specific areas where interventions can help reduce negative views and improve social cohesion.

The Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS) program at Temple University (TU) seeks to guide first-generation, low-income high school students from Philadelphia in their quest to obtain postsecondary STEM degrees that lead to related careers. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of the program by analyzing its students’ performance in light of its own goals and also in view of those of its sister program, The Upward Bound (UB) program. Primarily, this study uses Confirmatory Program Evaluation to ascertain which programmatic elements predict outcomes associated with indicators of STEM interest. Program leaders in TU’s College of Education and Human Development provided data for the study. Data came from 2015–2021 annual performance reports, containing information on 374 former UBMS student participants as well as 483 former UB students. Findings indicate that UBMS students pursued postsecondary enrollment at a significantly higher rate than UB students. Results also suggest that UBMS students’ grade level upon program entry was a significant direct negative predictor for how long they were affiliated with the program. In addition, students’ grade level upon program entry was a direct positive predictor for whether they obtained a rigorous course of study. Community service involvement was a significant negative predictor for whether students completed advanced math courses. None of the predictors yielded a significant effect in either of the two outcomes by way of a third, mediating variable. Implications of the study suggest that alliances between principal investigators, program administrators, and statisticians—ultimately through mixed-methods approaches—may offer valuable insight regarding the evaluation of UBMS and programs like it. / Educational Leadership

This thesis draws on the framework of dynamic capability (DC) in an effort to make sense of how small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) use mobile apps in Lagos, Nigeria. There exists significant knowledge regarding the application of the DC framework in large firms but its application in smaller organisations has scarcely been researched. The knowledge of how SMEs use mobile apps is important at this time because it could help these SMEs compete favourably, despite unpredictable environments. Based on pragmatic philosophy and a mixed-methods research approach, the research was conducted in two phases. The first phase of the research used qualitative methods to identify the absorptive, adaptive and innovative capabilities of SMEs in Lagos with a view to discover the extent to which mobile apps are used as enablers and/or drivers of these capabilities. The findings from 20 SMEs identified 15 DC constructs whose impact on SMEs could be enhanced using appropriated mobile apps. The SMEs manifest adaptive capabilities, mainly through using appropriated mobile apps. The SMEs manifest adaptive capabilities, mainly through customer feedback and referrals, and demonstrate absorptive capabilities through the repackaging and repricing of their goods and/or service offerings. The innovative capabilities of SMEs became evident through the imitation and adaptation of offerings. The second phase of this research surveyed 1 162 SMEs in Lagos in an effort to validate the identified constructs through quantitative methods. Descriptive statistics of survey responses affirm the use of mobile apps by SMEs and it also indicated the underutilisation of mobile apps as a DC enabler. Further analysis, using covariance-based structural equation modelling (SEM) techniques and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), explored the fitness of a conceptual SME model. The model assembled seven latent variables namely: mobile app usage, adaptive capability, absorptive capability, innovative capability, opportunity sensing ability, opportunity shaping ability and opportunity seizing ability. Subsequently, 15 hypotheses aimed at understanding the relationships between the variables were developed. The findings from the quantitative analysis revealed that mobile app usage increases the adaptive, absorptive and innovative capabilities of SMEs. The results failed to establish a direct relationship between mobile app usage and opportunity sensing, shaping and seizing abilities. Furthermore, the use of the adaptive capability in taking advantage of opportunities could not be generalised in SMEs’ context. The research findings imply the existence of an untapped potential as far as the use of mobile apps by SMEs in Lagos is concerned. The findings suggest that SMEs in Lagos respond to opportunities by becoming innovative and they seldom exhibit innovation in order to create opportunities. Based on the heterogeneous nature of SMEs, it is difficult to suggest a clear-cut narrative as to how all SMEs should employ mobile apps to create and maximise opportunities. However, mobile apps could induce creativity when developed and applied to the contextual requirements of SMEs. The outcome of this research reflects a multidisciplined research experience. The study contributed to IS through the creation of a model for investigating mobile app usage by organisations from a DC perspective. The conceptual model designed in this study could be adapted to investigate the way in which mobile app usage influences organisations in other contexts. The study contributed to the area of Information Systems by revealing the application of the DC framework to SMEs in contrast to the usual practice of researching DC with large organisations in mind. This research work suggests implicit ways of enhancing SMEs which could aid policy makers. This study was limited in that it gathered data from SMEs in Lagos alone as Lagos represents the commercial centre of Nigeria. Considerations for future research include the comparison of DC of large and small organisations in Lagos to examine if similarities and/or contrasts exist. Furthermore, due to the evasive and heterogeneous nature of SMEs, it would be beneficial to delimit future research on SMEs along specific domains of interest. / Iqoqa Lolu cwaningo lususelwa ohlakeni lokuthiwa ngamandla aphilayo (dynamic capability [DC]) emzameni wokuba umuntu aqonde ukuthi amabhizinisi amancane namaphakathi (ama-SME) awasebenzisa kanjani ama-apps ahanjiswayo eLagos, eNigeria. Lolu lwazi lubalulekile ngoba lungasiza la mabhizinisi ukuba ancintisane namanye ngokunempumelelo, noma izimo akuzo wona zingaqondakali kahle. Ucwaningo lwenziwa ngezigaba ezimbili. Isigaba sokuqala sahlonza ama-DC ama-SMSE eLagos, ngenhloso yokuthola ukuthi ngabe ama-apps ahanjiswayo asetshenziswa kangakanani ukukhuthaza kanye/noma ukuqhubela phambili la mandla aphilayo. Okwatholakala kuma-SME angama-20 kwaba ukuhlonzwa kwezinhlelo zama-DC ithonya lazo kuma-SME elalingase liphakame ngokusebenzisa ama-apps ahanjiswayo afanele. Ama-SME afakazela ama-DC ikakhulu ngokushiwo ngamakhasimende nalabo abathintiwe, nokuba kubonakale ngokuba impahla ekhishwayo ipakishwe kabusha, ifakelwe intengo entsha, noma kube yimpahla engukulingisa eyokuqala noma ilungiswe ifane neyokuqala. Ibanga lesibili lalolu cwaningo lwahlola ama-SME ayi-1 162 eLagos ukuzama ukuqinisekisa ngezinga lezinhlaka ezihlonziweyo. Izimpendulo ezavezwa ucwaningo zakwesekela ukusetshenziswa ngama-SME kwama-apps ahanjiswayo, zakhomba nokuthi awasetshenziswa ngokugcwele ama-apps ahanjiswayo njengokunika i-DC amandla. Okunye ukuhlaziya kwakhombiisa ukuthi ukusebenzisa ama-apps ahanjiswayo kwakungasiza ama-SME ngokwandisa amathuba awo. Nokho phela ukusebenzisa amathuba avelayo kwakungeke kwenzeke yonke indawo kuma-SME. Okuvezwa ucwaningo kukhombisa ukuthi kukhona ukusizakala okukhulu okungakafinyelelwa kukho mayelana nokusetshenziswa ngama-SME kwama-apps ahanjiswayo eLagos. Ucwaningo luphonsa itshe esivivaneni enkundleni yezinhlelo zokusebenza ngezolwazi ngokwembula ukusetshenziswa kohlaka lwe-DC kuma-SME uma kuqhathaniswa ngokuphambene nalokhu, okungukucwaninga okwejwayelekile nge-DC ezinhlanganweni ezinkulu. Lolu cwaningo luveza izindlela ezingekho obala zokuthuthukisa ama-SME, okungaba usizo kulabo ababhekene nokusungula imigomo yezwe. / School of Computing / Ph. D. (Information Systems)

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Background: Research has repeatedly shown that individuals with severe mental illness desire interpersonal and romantic relationships and that social support (including spousal relationships) is beneficial. In addition, social deficits in mental disorders can often get in the way of developing fulfilling relationships. However, there is little currently available to help clinicians and researchers assess romantic relationship functioning in those with mental illness. The aim of this pilot study was to examine reliability and validity of a new measure of functioning in romantic relationships, the Romantic Relationship Functioning Scale (RRFS). Method: The RRFS was constructed based on theory proposed by Redmond, Larkin, and Harrop (2010). In an analog study, we tested the measure in a sample of college students (N=387), examining reliability, stability over time, factor structure, and relationships with measures of psychopathology and related measures of social functioning to assess convergent validity. Results: The RRFS exhibited a hierarchical four-factor structure, supporting the use of a total score. Although subscales were supported in the factor analysis, other psychometric evidence was weaker, and the use of a total score is advocated. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were acceptable for the total scale (>.8). The RRFS had moderate to large correlations in the expected direction with all psychopathology measures. In predictive models, overall mental health, social functioning, and fewer interpersonal difficulties predicted higher romantic relationship functioning. Conclusions: The RRFS total score shows preliminary evidence of reliability and validity. The RRFS has potential to be of use in treatment centers for undergraduates and for individuals with diagnosed mental disorders. Future research should further investigate the RRFS subscales and the measure’s performance in clinical samples.

Over the past two decades there has been an upsurge in interest in structural equation modelling (SEM). Applications abound in the social sciences and econometrics, but the use of this multivariate technique is not so common in public health research. This dissertation discusses the methodology, the criticisms and practical problems of SEM. We examine actual applications of SEM in public health research. Comparisons are made between multiple regression and SEM and between factor analysis and SEM. A complex model investigating the utilization of antenatal care services (ANC) by migrant women in Belgium is analysed using SEM. The dissertation concludes with a discussion of the results found and on the use of SEM in public health research. Structural equation modelling is recommended as a tool for public health researchers with a warning against using the technique too casually. / Mathematical Sciences / M. Sc. (Statistics)

The overall security posture of information systems (IS) depends on the behaviors of the IS users. Several studies have shown that users are the greatest vulnerability to IS security. The proliferation of smartphones is introducing an entirely new set of risks, threats, and vulnerabilities. Smartphone devices amplify this data exposure problem by enabling instantaneous transmission and storage of personally identifiable information (PII) by smartphone users, which is becoming a major security risk. Moreover, companies are also capitalizing on the availability and powerful computing capabilities of these smartphone devices and developing a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) program, which makes companies susceptible to divulgence of organizational proprietary information and sensitive customer information. In addition to users being the greatest risk to IS security, several studies have shown that many people do not implement even the most basic security countermeasures on their smartphones. The lack of security countermeasures implementation, risky user behavior, and the amount of sensitive information stored and transmitted on smartphones is becoming an ever-increasing problem. A literature review revealed a significant gap in literature pertaining to smartphone security. This study identified six socio-cognitive factors from the domain of traditional computer security which have shown to have an impact on user security behaviors and practices. The six factors this study identified and analyzed are mobile information security self-efficacy, institutional trust, party trust, and awareness of smartphone risks, threats, and vulnerabilities and their influence on smartphone security practices and behaviors. The analysis done in this research was confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) – structural equation modeling (SEM). The goal of this study was to cross-validate previously validated factors within the context of traditional computer security and assess their applicability in the context of smartphone security. Additionally, this study assessed the influential significance of these factors on the security behaviors and practices of smartphone users. This study used a Web-based survey and was distributed to approximately 539 users through Facebook® and LinkedIn® social media outlets which resulted in 275 responses for a 51% response rate. After pre-analysis data screening was completed, there were a total of 19 responses that had to be eliminated due to unengaged responses and outliers leaving 256 responses left to analyze. The results of the analysis found that vulnerability awareness, threat awareness, and risk awareness are interrelated to one another which all in turn had significance in predicting self-efficacy, security practices, and behaviors. This intricate relationship revealed in this study indicates that a user has to have an increased awareness in all three categories of awareness before they can fully understand how to protect themselves. Having an increased awareness in one category does not impact the overall security posture of the user and that risk, threat, and vulnerability awareness all work together. Another interesting find was that as risk awareness increased the less the smartphone users protected themselves. This finding warrants additional research to investigate why the user is more averse to risk, and willing to accept the risk, despite their increased awareness. Finally, institutional trust and party trust was found not to have any significance on any of the factors. These findings should give smartphone users and organizations insight into specific areas to focus on in minimizing inappropriate security behaviors and practices of smartphone users. More specifically, users and organizations need to focus on educating users on all three factors of threats, risks, and vulnerabilities in order for there to have any impact on increasing self-efficacy and reducing inappropriate security behaviors and practices.

The measurement of reliable and valid indicators of early child development is necessary for assessing phenomena and is useful in the monitoring of ongoing efforts to eradicate inequalities in the social determinants of health. There is an increasing awareness of the contextual, cultural, and developmental influences on constructs used in early child development (ECD) research. Using a measurement perspective, this dissertation examined the issue of measurement invariance and psychometric validity in early child development research. A construct violates the principle of invariance when two persons from different populations who are theoretically identical on the construct being measured have different scores on it. This dissertation consists of three journal-style manuscripts (published or under review) that were used as examples to address the importance of the issue of measurement invariance and psychometric validity in ECD research using data from two unique areas: autism and executive functioning. The three data sets were collected on pre-school children with parents and or teachers as informants and were chosen to represent different levels of data collection – clinical, community, and population. These data sets allowed for the examination of measurement invariance by type of informant, sex, and age of child. The results from the three studies illustrate the importance of assessing measurement invariance in ECD and whether or not the instruments examined can be used to assess sub-group differences with confidence. A lack of measurement invariance found for two of the studies, suggests that observed group differences in latent constructs could be attributed, in part, to measurement bias. More importantly, bias in the measurement of the constructs of severity of social impairment symptoms in autism, and executive functioning across groups could have an impact on services such as patient treatment. These biases could also influence public policy development, particularly when there may be an underlying need for a cross-group approach where belief systems may affect the meaning and structure of constructs. In summary, measurement invariance should be a prerequisite for making any meaningful comparisons across groups. A requirement of establishing measurement invariance should be included in the guidelines for comparative research studies as a necessary first step before an instrument is adopted for use.

我國自83學年度推動教育改革以來，至94學年度為止，學士班人數已由30萬2,093人增加為93萬8,648人、碩士班人數由3萬832人增加為14萬9,493人、博士班人數則由8,395人增加為2萬7,531人，可見近年來大專校院學生數可謂急遽地增加。而我們由94學年度大學考試分發入學錄取率高達89.08％，更顯示進入大學就讀已絕非難事。然而鑒於我國2005年的出生人口數已從2000年的30萬5,312人降至20萬5,854人，在此少子化的趨勢形成影響前，93學年度大專校院的缺額數卻已高達6萬471人，顯現出大專校院的招生呈現出明顯供過於求的現象。研究者於是對中央主管教育行政機關以「總量管制」方式核定大專校院招生名額的機制產生濃厚研究興趣。 　　本研究採用「文獻分析法」及「問卷調查法」等兩個研究方法進行研究，其中旨在探討此大專校院招生名額總量管制之政策沿革與現況，並以更多元、開放的角度探討大專校院招生名額總量管制應達到哪些預期效益且嘗試建構其因素模式，接著依據前述預期效益建構出適當的大專校院招生名額總量管制指標，最後則探討不同背景變項(如性別、年齡、最高學歷、身份、學校體系、學校性質等)的受試者對大專校院招生名額總量管制預期效益與指標看法之差異。 　　本研究以李克特六點式量表、網路問卷形式設計成「大專校院招生名額總量管制預期效益與其指標調查問卷」來作為研究工具，並以「兩階段取樣」的方式來廣泛蒐集大專校院教師、職員與學生等研究對象的同意程度看法。其中第一階段係分別藉由函請各校轉寄E-mail通知該校教職員及學生上網填答、至各校bbs發表文章進行問卷施測通知等兩種途徑，獲得回收樣本數8,473份，扣除無效問卷317份後，總計有效回收問卷為8,156份，並據以建置為樣本資料庫。第二階段則採分層隨機抽樣方式分別於大專校院教師、職員及學生等三層各抽出336個樣本，總計獲得1,008個樣本。 此1,008個樣本將分別以SPSS 13.0及LISERL8.72等兩套統計軟體進行資料分析，其中將採用次數分配與百分比、算術平均數與標準差、t檢定、獨立樣本單因子變異數分析、驗證性因素分析等統計方法進行分析，並經專家效度、聚合效度、區別效度及交叉驗證效度、Cronbach’s α係數、潛在變項的組合信度、個別觀察變項的信度等檢定過程中證實本研究具有良好的研究效度與信度。 　　本研究總計建構出13個大專校院招生名額總量管制預期效益，其同意程度平均數(M)介於4.48∼5.28之間，同意百分比(P)則介於81.5%∼96.4%之間；至於此預期效益之因素模式則也獲得相當良好的適配結果，並據以證實大專校院教師、職員與學生對於大專校院招生名額總量管制預期效益的同意程度看法，會受到「保障大專校院教學品質」、「符合學生性向與需求」「符合就業市場人力與專業需求」、「大專校院競爭力之維持與提昇」等4個潛在因素構面(或稱構念)的影響。接著，並依據前述預期效益建構出26個大專校院招生名額總量管制指標，其同意程度平均數(M)介於4.30∼4.94之間，同意百分比(P)則介於79.0%∼93.9%之間。 此外，本研究亦發現，在性別、年齡、最高學歷、身分、專兼職情形、學校體系與學校性質等7個不同背景變項的受試者對大專校院招生名額總量管制預期效益與指標之同意程度看法的差異中，除了不同「學校體系」變項的受試者對指標看法沒有顯著差異、但對預期效益看法有顯著差異外，其餘6個不同背景變項皆在預期效益與指標的看法上有顯著差異。 最後，本研究並依據研究成果，提出下列具體建議： 一、總量管制預期效益不宜只考量「維持教學品質」，應進一步關注學生 　　需求、就業市場需求、以及學校競爭力等方面的預期效益之達成情 　　形。 二、總量管制指標不宜只考量到生師比、師資結構與校舍面積等指標，應　　以多元觀點發展出更多指標，以充分掌握招生管理資訊。 三、總量管制不應侷限在「每年成長總量的管控」，而應納入「減少招生　　名額」的情境條件。 四、宜適度減少各校擴增招生名額的誘因。 五、宜研議總量管制業務整併之可行性。 六、總量管制資料的蒐集宜化被動為主動，以掌握客觀審查資訊。 / When Taiwan setting into education reforms from 1994 school years till 2005 school years, the students at classes of bachelor degree increase to 938,648 from 302,093, the students at classes of master's degree increase to 149,493 from 30,832, the students at classes of doctor's degree increase to 27,531 from 8,395. It is perceived that students of higher education increasing rapidly. Furthermore, the admission rates of universities' enrollment paths by entrance examination grades reaches 89.08％, it appears that entering into universities is not hard anymore. However, since population of births had reduced to 205,854 at the year of 2005 from 305,312 at the year of 2000, and before the impact of trends of few-children, the vacancies of enrollment of higher education had reached 60,471, we can find a obvious phenomenon that the supply of enrollment of higher education exceeds the demand. So I have a strong interest in the mechanism of how Ministry of Education ratifying the enrollment of higher education by the method of "Total Amount Control". 　　The study adopts two approaches, that is "literature review" and "questionnaire survey", and it explores the policy's developing progress and current situation of the enrollment's total amount control of higher education. Furthermore, it explores what expected effectiveness of the enrollment's total amount control of higher education should be reached with the diverse and liberal viewpoints, and tries to construct its factor model. Then according to the expected effectiveness, we establishes appropriate indicators of the enrollment's total amount control of higher education. Finally, we explore if subjects with different background variables, such as sex, age, degree, identity, full/part time, system of school, character of school, will have significant differences about opinions of expected effectiveness and indicators of the enrollment's total amount control of higher education. 　　The study designs the "questionnaire of expected effectiveness and indicators of the enrollment's total amount control of higher education" with Likert six point scale and network questionnaire, and broadly collects samples of teachers, officers, and students of higher education by the methods of "Two stage Sampling". At the first stage, I use two survey ways, that is e-mail informing and bbs informing, and I get 8,473 returned samples, and finally get 8,156 valid samples after reducing 317 invalid samples. At the second stage, I gains 1,008 samples from three layers of teachers, officers, and students of higher education with "stratified random sampling". 　　The 1,008 samples will be analysed by two software of SPSS 13.0 and LISERL8.72. The ways of analysis include frequency and percentage, average and standard deviation, t-test, one-way ANOVA, confirmatory factor analysis. Furthermore, after the examining of expert validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity, cross- validity, Cronbach's α, composite reliability, and individual observed variables' reliability, we have confirmed the study has good study validity and reliability. The study finally constructs 13 expected effectiveness of the enrollment's total amount control of higher education, and its average of agree extent between 4.48 to 5.28, its agree percentage between 81.5% to 96.4%. Furthermore, the factor model of that expected effectiveness has good fit results too, it confirms that the opinions on expected effectiveness of the enrollment's total amount control of higher education will be influenced by the latent factors of "Ensure the teaching quality of higher education", "Matching with students' aptitude and needs", "Matching with manpower and specialty's needs of job market", "keep and promote the competitive ability of higher education". Then according to the expected effectiveness, we establishes 26 indicators of the enrollment's total amount control of higher education, and its average of agree extent between 4.30 to 4.94, its agree percentage between 79.0% to 93.9%. 　　Furthermore, the study find among the opinions' difference of agree extent on expected effectiveness and indicators of the enrollment's total amount control of higher education from 7 different background variables, such as sex, age, degree, identity, full/part time, system of school, character of school, beside the "system of school" haven't significant difference on indicators but have on expected effectiveness, other 6 different background variables all have significant difference on expected effectiveness and indicators. 　　Finally, according to the results of this study, I propose some suggestions as follow: 1.The expected effectiveness of total amount control shouldn't be restricted within "maintain teaching quality", we should consider the expected effectiveness' implement of students' need, job market's need, and school's competitiveness further. 2.The indicators of total amount control shouldn't be 　restricted within the indicators of student-teacher rates, 　structure of teacher, superficial contents of school 　buildings only, we need more indicators with diversified 　viewpoints to get information for enrollment's managing. 3.The total amount control shouldn't be restricted by "the 　amount control of every years' growth", we need to add the 　conditions of "reducing enrollment". 4.We should try to appropriately reduce the "inducing factors" 　of universities increasing enrollment. 5.Ministry of Education should try to merge the affairs of 　total amount control from different departments. 6.We should collect the data of total amount control actively 　instead of passive, so that we can get objective information 　to examine.