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The study of historic-period pottery cuts across many disciplines (e.g., historical archaeology, material culture studies, American studies, art history, decorative arts, fine arts). Studies of historic pottery with provenience from the United States are largely centered on fine-bodied wares, such as porcelain, white salt-glazed stoneware, creamware, pearlware, whiteware, ironstone (or white granite), and kaolin smoking pipes. These wares share the common attribute of whiteness: white paste and painted, slipped, or printed decoration that typically incorporate the color white into its motif. Disenfranchised groups had limited direct-market access to these wares due to its high value (Miller 1980, 1991). White pottery was disproportionately consumed by White people until the nineteenth century. This dissertation examines colonoware—an earth-toned, non-white, polythetic kind of coarse earthenware. Archaeologists commonly encounter colonoware in plantation contexts and believe that colonoware was crafted by Native American, African, and African American potters between the sixteenth through nineteenth centuries (Deetz 1999; Espenshade and Kennedy 2002:210; Gerth and Kingsley 2014; Heite 2002; Madsen 2005:107). Colonoware researchers have engaged with collections and archaeologically excavated samples from the lower Middle Atlantic, American Southeast and Caribbean for over fifty years since the “discovery” of the pottery at Colonial Williamsburg—then called “Colono-Indian Ware”—by Ivor Noël Hume (1962). Comparatively less research has been conducted on colonoware with American Northeast provenience (see Catts 1988; Sansevere 2017). This dissertation “excavates” evidence of Northeastern colonoware that has been deeply buried—buried within obscure literature, buried by centuries of soil accrual only recently moved by compliance archaeology, and buried by the fifty-something-year-old myth that colonoware was only manufactured and used in the lower Middle Atlantic, American Southeast and Caribbean. The lives of northern bondsmen have been largely concealed in the historical record, yet these individuals were clearly a very visible part of northern society and the examination of northern colonoware helps tell that story. The circumstances that precipitated the excavation of northern sites that contain colonoware, the individuals who chose to collect northern colonoware, and my own experience accessing northern colonoware collections shapes how knowledge of the past is made, provides perspective on the mechanisms that control access to heritage, demonstrates how bias is created in object-based research, and reveals the politics at play. Lastly, I speculate that colonoware contained significant meaning for northern users between the seventeenth through nineteenth centuries and discuss the changing value of this non-white pottery in contemporaneous society. / Anthropology

Knowledge Management System (KMS) is a necessary concept as knowledge possessed by each individual employee is an intellectual property asset that will provide benefits for any organization. In a company, in terms of KMS, employees’ performance holds an important role in helping run the business of the company becoming sustainable and successful. Therefore, the measurement of employees’ performance based on a balanced scorecard is needed to understand the current business situation. This research helped focus on the perception between the KMS and employee’s performance based on a balanced scorecard (BSC) regarding a financial perspective, customer perspective, internal business process perspective, and learning & growth perspective. A survey was conducted at PT. Vale Indonesia Tbk (Vale) to ascertain these perspectives and perceptions of employees regarding performance based on a BSC. These perception data were analyzed, and conclusions were drawn regarding hypotheses. The findings section of this thesis shows the results in details. The results of the survey showed that the employees had a good perception of the value and benefits of KMS as measured with the BSC with the exception of the financial aspect. The interpretation of the results created recommendations to further implement KMS, and to improve employees’ performance at Vale.

Lack of workplace diversity planning leads to negative financial outcomes. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies that business managers in the retail sector use to enhance workplace diversity planning for assuring compliance with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) regulations. The population included a single focus group of retail business employees as well as business managers of 5 distinct retail stores located in the Southeastern United States who have successfully instituted workplace diversity plans for assuring compliance with EEOC regulations. The conceptual framework for this study was cultural intelligence theory, which researchers have used to explore a person's ability to understand an unfamiliar context and assimilate the host culture. Methodological triangulation was achieved from the results of face-to-face individual interviews, a single focus group, and company documents. Interview data were analyzed using a modified van Kaam method. Analysis resulted in 3 themes (a) guiding principles; (b) training, including coaching and communication; and (c) hiring practices. The implication for positive social change includes the potential to provide new insights related to strategies applicable to workplace diversity planning in the retail businesses sector that can create or improve positive business and community relationships while potentially minimizing risk associated with profitability loss.

Retention of registered nurses (RNs) is essential to the sustainability of quality health care services. More than 55% of hospitals in the United States have not translated retention initiatives into a formal retention strategy. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between training programs, new hire onboarding processes, frozen positions, and nurse retention. The self-determination theory was the theoretical framework for this study. Secondary data were collected from the 2016 Texas Hospital Nurse Staffing Survey. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression. The results of the multiple linear regression were statistically significant, with F(3, 251) = .602, p > .001, R2 = .007. Although the model is significant, length of residency/internship/fellowship, length of new employee training, and total number of direct resident care RN positions frozen does not add significant predictive value to turnover. The results of the multiple linear regression produced correlation of the independent variables with the dependent variable of nurse turnover. Length of residency/internship/fellowship was positively correlated with RN turnover rate at .025, length of new employee training was negatively correlated at .072, and total number of direct resident care RN positions frozen was negatively correlated at .012. The findings of this study might influence positive social change by providing insights into length and content of programs and the effect of understaffing on retention of RNs. An increase in retention of RNs might contribute to improved hospital reputation, financial capability, and organizational balance leading to a positive effect on the economy, sustainability, and quality of life of the surrounding community.

As China emerges as one of the world's top 5 economies, it attracts more multinational corporations (MNCs) that want to expand there and implement corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs. Despite this emergence, since China entered the World Trade Organization, it has not perceived or welcomed MNCs in the same manner as in the 1970s to 1990s. Further, MNCs have had challenges adapting Western-style CSR programs in China's local communities. There is no widely-accepted multidisciplinary theory that integrates CSR, organizational culture, and culture. Hofstede's theory of cultural relativism classified China as a high power distance country where the population has a strong acceptance of large social differences. The purpose of this case study was to discover the extent to which Hofstede's cultural dimension of power distance impacts MNC CSR programs offered in Hainan, China. Five MNC executives and 1 government sector representative were interviewed, and were reviewed in 5 organizations in Hainan, China. Cross case analyses showed that CSR programs were mutually accepted by the local communities and government. Some local community members, however, did not passively accept what those in higher socioeconomic positions believed about the efficacy and need for CSR programs. Rather, local community and government appeared to collaborate, regardless of the government leaders, who are perceived to have more power and influence. These results can inform policy makers, MNCs, international organizations, and nongovernmental organizations about cultural relativity and its impact on MNCs doing business in foreign communities

The conversion of industrial waste sites, also known as brownfields, into sustainable green space can impact the surrounding community in a number of ways. This thesis is a compilation of three case studies in low-income areas of Los Angeles which have all experienced a brownfield to green space conversion. All three projects are dictated by various stakeholders and are located at the intersection of economic and environmental issues. I examine how the stakeholders of these projects affect the process and design and in turn how the process and design affects the community surrounding the site. Additionally this thesis sheds light on how the social, environment and economic implications of these projects change depending on the structural paradigms behind them.

Uncivil behavior in the workplace can cause absenteeism or low job performance among employees, yet little academic literature addresses this relationship, particularly in the public sector. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to use the transactional analysis of communication (TAC) model to explore the ramifications of incivility in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The central research questions focused on employee perceptions of incivility and effective communication within the VHA. Twelve VHA employees were recruited for participation through a snowball sampling technique. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with the participants along with some VHA archived video training. Data were inductively coded and analyzed for emergent themes. Key findings revealed that VHA lacked effective communication, and malingering occurred due to workplace incivility. It was concluded that TAC curtailed misunderstandings of social dysfunctions in communicating. Another theme that emerged is that although workplace relationships were highly esteemed by employees, they believed that communication issues hindered those professional relationships and suggested training could be a valuable tool to improve workplace communication and reduce incivility. It was recommended that similar studies of this phenomenon be conducted for greater understanding and knowledge to the discipline. TAC served to effect positive social change by educating VHA leadership and their employees on how to thwart incivility in the workplace.

Urban spatial expansion resulting from urbanization in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is growing and will not stabilize in the near future. Sub-Saharan Africa’s urban growth rate is climbing faster than developing economies. Efforts should be concentrated on accommodating this phenomenon through the promotion of sustainable urban planning and development. Relying on secondary data, this research examines models of indigenous Sub-Saharan African urban forms and residential architecture vernacular to understand these forms and their characteristics, and how these models and associated management, design, and planning principles can be adopted in a contemporary context. Also, studies of established indigenous building materials and technology, which can be adapted to suit a low-cost and sustainable economy, are explored.

Disasters happen all the time, attention should be paid to refugees and help them build new homelands. Japan is an earthquake-prone area, every year there is at least 1 earthquake above 6 magnitude happens there. In 2011, Japan suffered from the 9.0 magnitude earthquake, tsunami and meltdown, the triple disasters. About 100 people died in the earthquake itself, and 20,000 people lost their lives in the tsunami, 465,000 people were evacuated after the disaster. Two years later after the triple disaster, more than half refugees still lived in temporary shelters. Efforts should be concentrated on the development of long living communities. Relying on existing shelters data and the specific Japanese living styles, the research examines a model of continuous living styles. Develop from a basic rapid shelter unit with low cost and limited functional space to a long-term living place. Japan has a long architecture history, its buildings have strong characteristics which shouldn’t be abandoned in the modern society. My research here is to develop a series of living types immediately following disasters until 2 years later. Typical and traditional Japanese features will be kept, at the same time combine with new aesthetics and technologies.