The credibility of unsupervised exams, one of the biggest challenges of e-learning, is currently maintained by proctoring. However, little has been done to determine whether expensive and inconvenient proctoring is necessary. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether the use of security mechanisms, based on the taxonomy of cheating reduction techniques rooted in the fraud triangle theory, can be an effective alternative to proctoring. A quasi-experimental 1 group sequential design was used to answer the research questions whether the format, proctored versus unproctored, order in which the exams are administered, course delivery mode, and instructor make a difference in student performance. The archival scores of 850 Californian community college students on 2 sets of equivalent proctored and unproctored web-based exams in face-to-face, hybrid, and online introductory statistics courses taught by 7 instructors were compared. The format effect was tested with repeated-measures ANOVA; the order, course delivery mode and instructor effects were tested with mixed ANOVA. No significant difference in scores in Set 1, and significantly lower scores on unproctored exams in Set 2 indicated that the used security mechanisms allowed for maintaining the credibility of the exams without proctoring. There was no significant difference in scores across the course delivery modes in both sets and instructors in Set 2, but significant order effect was observed. Further research on order effect was recommended. With the use of the utilized security mechanisms education will get an inexpensive and convenient way to increase the credibility of unsupervised web-based exams, and the society will gain more online college graduates with credentials that reflect their knowledge.

The goal of this thesis was to define the nature and outcomes of Australian professional supervision by applying Holloway's (1995) Systems Approach to Supervision (SAS) across professional groups. Many Australian professionals such as psychologists, counsellors, and accountants are required to participate in some form of supervision before being granted permission, via registration, to practice independently within their respective fields. This is the first study of its kind to investigate the supervision experience of a range of professional groups within Australia. The SAS model (Holloway, 1995) provided a well-researched theoretical and practical framework with the potential to be applied across professional groups for the purposes of developing, evaluating and enhancing supervisor and supervisee practice. Based on the model, Holloway proposed a number of teaching tasks and functions in a matrix to explain the process of supervision and to assist in the professional and personal development of supervisees. To date, most of the literature on professional supervision has failed to provide a theoretical framework from which results could be meaningfully interpreted. This thesis outlines a program of research which used the SAS model as a theoretical basis for understanding and evaluating the experience of supervision amongst a range of Australian professional and its relationship to effective professional practice. Four studies were conducted in accordance with Mackenzie and House's (1979) Model of Scientific Inquiry. The first study (Study One) was exploratory in nature, and aimed to define the term "supervision" and the anticipated outcomes of supervision activities. The second study (Study Two) was also exploratory in nature, and aimed to evaluate the modes of supervision delivery as well as to collect information regarding the key tasks and functions utilised in professional supervision. The third study (Study Three) was empirical in nature, and investigated the supervision experience of psychologists engaged in supervision in accordance with the SAS model (Holloway, 1995). It longitudinally tracked their performance over a 12-month period as evaluated by both their supervisors and work managers. The fourth study (Study Four) was confirmatory in nature, and was the same as the third study but comprised a different sample of business and accounting (who were not Certified Public Accountants) graduates. The four studies consisted of four separate samples surveyed with self-report measures developed from the SAS model (Holloway, 1995) by the researcher. Study One comprised a sample of 210 supervisor-supervisee dyads. Professional groups in this sample were psychologists, counsellors, nurses, occupational therapists, financial advisors, business consultants, and accountants (without CPA) all of whom were participating in a supervision process. Study Two comprised a total of 200 supervisees broken down into four groups of 50. The professional types included in this sample were psychologists, counsellors, nurses and business consultants and accountants (without a CPA). Study Three comprised 513 supervisees who were participating in supervision as part of the criteria to become fully registered psychologists. Study Four included 480 business consultants and accountants (without CPA) who were in the early years of their career and were participating in supervision as part of their professional development. The central aims of the supervision experience, according to supervisees and supervisors, were to develop skills in counselling, case experience, professional experience, emotional awareness, the ability to self-evaluate and network. The six reported outcomes of supervision were that professional supervision enhanced supervisees' ability to self-evaluate, gain academic knowledge, become emotionally aware, develop profession networks, develop both professional and work skills and to build on relationship skills. The findings supported and extended the SAS model (Holloway, 1995) by adding the tasks of academic knowledge and networking. The definition of supervision found in this research program also supported and built on the definitions already provided in the literature. There was considerable support for the SAS model's matrix in that particular supervision functions employed to teach certain supervision tasks were more effective than others. For example, on the one hand, to teach a supervisee the skill of emotional awareness, a supervisor is best advised to take a supportive/sharing approach. On the other hand, it was shown that the teaching strategy of monitoring/evaluating was not found to be conducive to teaching case conceptualisation skills. The findings also suggested two enhancements to Holloway's original conceptualisation of the SAS model of supervision delivery mode and supervisor allocation. Furthermore, the findings confirmed that the SAS model can be applied to teach and objectively evaluate supervision success by supervisors and managers across professional groups. There were six major contributions of this research program to the field of professional supervision: First, there was the application and validation of a theoretical model, Holloway's (1995) Systems Approach to Supervision, to the supervision experience. Second, there was the development and application of scales to measure supervision performance and satisfaction reliably and with demonstrated construct validity. Third, the methodology which included the collection of both qualitative and quantitative responses from supervisees, supervisors, and managers provided a multi-method approach to understanding professional supervision across professional groups. Fourth, a uniform definition of supervision was identified across a range of professional groups. Fifth, Holloway's supervision teaching matrix was empirically supported and the findings recommend it as a mechanism for developing, evaluating and enhancing supervisor and supervisee practice across a range of professional types. The SAS model was found to be relevant to health-related professional groups but also supported in business-related professional groups. Finally, the research recommended some modifications to the SAS model to incorporate factors such as supervision delivery mode. These additions and the results of the longitudinal research suggested that supervision effectiveness was a predictor of on the job performance ratings by managers. Based on a scan of the literature to date, this research program outlines the first longitudinal empirical study of the relationship between supervision effectiveness and on-the-job performance using a range of professional groups. Limitations and future directions were discussed.

<p><p>To be a market leader, low cost and responsiveness are the key success factors. Logistics activities create high cost reducing competitiveness of the company, especially for the remote production base. Thus, logistics activities which are delivery planning, freight forwarder and delivery mode selection must be optimized. The focusing area of this paper is inbound logistics due to its big proportion in the total cost and involvement with several stakeholders. The optimization theory and Microsoft Excel’s Solver is used to create the standard optimization tools since it is an efficient and user friendly program. The models are developed based on the supply chain management theory in order to achieve the lowest cost, responsiveness and shared objectives. 2 delivery planning optimization models, container loading for fixed slitting and loading pattern and container loading for pallet loaded material, are formulated. Also, delivery mode selection is constructed by using optimization concept to determine the best alternative. Furthermore, freight forwarder selection process is created by extending the use of the delivery mode selection model. The results express that safety stock, loading pattern, transport mode, and minimum order quantity (MOQ) significantly affect the total logistics cost. Including hidden costs, long transit time and delay penalties, leads freight forwarder selection process to become more realistic and reliable. Shorter processing time, ensured optimal solution, transparency increase and better communication are gained by using these optimization models. However, the proper boundaries must be defined carefully to gain the feasible solution.</p></p>

To be a market leader, low cost and responsiveness are the key success factors. Logistics activities create high cost reducing competitiveness of the company, especially for the remote production base. Thus, logistics activities which are delivery planning, freight forwarder and delivery mode selection must be optimized. The focusing area of this paper is inbound logistics due to its big proportion in the total cost and involvement with several stakeholders. The optimization theory and Microsoft Excel’s Solver is used to create the standard optimization tools since it is an efficient and user friendly program. The models are developed based on the supply chain management theory in order to achieve the lowest cost, responsiveness and shared objectives. 2 delivery planning optimization models, container loading for fixed slitting and loading pattern and container loading for pallet loaded material, are formulated. Also, delivery mode selection is constructed by using optimization concept to determine the best alternative. Furthermore, freight forwarder selection process is created by extending the use of the delivery mode selection model. The results express that safety stock, loading pattern, transport mode, and minimum order quantity (MOQ) significantly affect the total logistics cost. Including hidden costs, long transit time and delay penalties, leads freight forwarder selection process to become more realistic and reliable. Shorter processing time, ensured optimal solution, transparency increase and better communication are gained by using these optimization models. However, the proper boundaries must be defined carefully to gain the feasible solution.

This study investigates whether the HIV/AIDS and Life Skills Education Programme for schools was implemented in accordance with the Ministry's directives. It also seeks to establish whether the programme was effective or not by identifying and examining different implementation strategies and methodologies. Fieldwork was undertaken in the Lupane Area Development Programme where nine schools were randomly selected from sixteen primary schools. A total of nine head-teachers responded to the heads' questionnaire and fifty-eight Grade 4 to 7 teachers responded to the teachers' questionnaire. The study reveals that to a very large extent the HIV/AIDS and Life-skills Education Programme was implemented from Grades 4 to 7 in the primary schools. However, substantial improvements still need to be made in mobilising reading and financial resources. More training and the introduction of more participatory methodologies need to be stepped up for the children to realise more benefits from this life skills education programme. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

This research was conducted from the perspective of a positive human behaviour paradigm in the context of human resource management. It investigated the interrelationships between work stress, work engagement and service delivery of academics in a changing distance-learning environment in Zimbabwe, for which there is a paucity of research. A descriptive, cross-sectional survey design was applied to a sample of 83 academics at the largest distance-learning university, against the background of their ever-changing roles. A sample of 101 students was also included, so that the students provided balanced data for analysis regarding their perception of service delivery by academics. Confirmatory and exploratory analysis revealed a four-construct measurement model for work stress, a three-construct measurement model for work engagement and a four-construct measurement model for service delivery. Correlational analysis and structural equation modelling revealed some significant relationships between these constructs. Tests for significant differences among different groups of academics and students based on socio-demographic variables were revealed and showed some interesting differences among these variables. The t-test did not reveal significant differences in service delivery perceptions between the academics and the students on the dimensions of responsiveness and assurance. The study makes a valuable contribution to the organisational behaviour literature in terms of how work stress and work engagement influence academics’ service delivery in a distance-learning university. On a theoretical level, the study did well to expand on available literature on the constructs of work stress, work engagement and service delivery provided by higher education distance-learning universities. The statistical techniques that were utilised expanded previous empirical studies by studying the interrelationship dynamics andoverall relationship dynamics between work stress, work engagement and service delivery provided by distance-learning universities. On a practical level, this study should bring new knowledge to managers at distance- learning universities by improving their understanding of how academics are affected by increasing, new job demands, which in turn increase their workload. Distance- learning universities thus should adapt their people management practices accordingly. Provision of adequate resources at both individual and organisational levels should be prioritised in order to minimise work stress and improve work engagement, and subsequently service delivery. / Hierdie navorsing is vanuit die perspektief van ’n positiewe menslike-gedragsparadigma in die konteks van menslikehulpbronbestuur uitgevoer. Dit het die onderlinge verhoudings tussen werkstres, werksbetrokkenheid en dienslewering van akademici in ’n veranderende afstandsleeromgewing in Zimbabwe, waaroor daar ’n gebrek aan navorsing is, ondersoek. ’n Beskrywende, deursnee-ondersoekontwerp is op ’n steekproef van 83 akademici by die grootste afstandsleeruniversiteit, teen die agtergrond van hulle voortdurend veranderende rolle, gedoen. ’n Steekproef van 101 studente is ook ingesluit sodat die studente gebalanseerde data vir ontleding rakende hulle persepsie van dienslewering deur die akademici kon verskaf. Bevestigende en verkenningsontleding het ’n vierkonstruk-metingsmodel vir werkstres, ’n driekonstruk-metingsmodel vir werksbetrokkenheid en ’n vierkonstruk-metingsmodel vir dienslewering aangetoon. Korrrelasie-ontleding en strukturele vergelykingsmodellering het betekenisvolle verhoudings tussen hierdie konstrukte uitgewys. Toetse vir beduidende verskille tussen die verskillende groepe akademici en studente, gegrond op sosio-demografiese veranderlikes, het interessante verskille tussen hierdie veranderlikes aangetoon. Die t-toets het nie beduidende verskille ten opsigte van diensleweringspersepsies tussen die akademici en die studente oor die dimensies van gevoeligheid en gerusstelling aangetoon nie. Die studie het ’n waardevolle bydra gelewer tot die literatuur oor organisatoriese gedrag en oor hoe werkstres en werksbetrokkenheid akademici se dienslewering by ’n afstandsleeruniversiteit kan beïnvloed. Op ’n teoretiese vlak het die studie ’n goeie viii bydra gelewer tot die beskikbare literatuur wat betref die konsepte van werkstres, werksbetrokkenheid en dienslewering wat deur hoëronderwys-afstandsleeruniversiteite verskaf word. Die statistiese tegnieke wat gebruik is, het voortgebou op vorige empiriese studies deur die onderlingeverhoudingsdinamika en algehele verhoudingsdinamika tussen werkstres, werksbetrokkenheid en dienslewering wat deur afstandsleeruniversiteite verskaf word, te bestudeer. Op ’n praktiese vlak behoort hierdie studie nuwe kennis verskaf aan bestuurders by afstandsleeruniversiteite deur hulle begrip te verbeter van hoe akademici deur toenemende, nuwe eise by die werk, wat op hulle beurt hul werkslading verhoog, beïnvloed word. Afstandsleeruniversiteite moet dus hulle mensebestuurspraktyke ooreenkomstig aanpas. Om voorsiening te maak vir voldoende hulpbronne op individuele sowel as organisatoriese vlakke, moet prioriteit daaraan gegee word om werkstres te verminder en werksbetrokkendheid, en uiteindelik dienslewering, te verbeter. / Lolu cwaningo lwenziwa ngokohlelo lomqondo wokuziphatha kahle komuntu, lokhu kwenzeka ngaphansi kohlelo lwezokuphathwa kwabasebenzi. Ucwaningo luye lwaphenya izinhlelo zobudlelwano obuphakathi kwengcindezi yomsebenzi, ukusebenza ngokuzikhandla kanye nokuhlinzeka ngemisebenzi yezifundiswa mayelana nesimo esiguqukayo sohlelo lokufunda ukude eZimbabwe, naphezu kokwentuleka kocwaningo. Idizayini yesaveyi echazayo naleyo yohlobo lwe-cross-sectionalzasetshenziswa kusampuli yezifundiswa ezingama-83 yezifundiswa enyuvesi enkulu yohlelo lokufunda ukude, phakathi kwezindima zenyuvesi ezihlala ziguquka njalo. Kuye kwafakwa isampuli yabafundi aba 101, ukuze abafundi banikeza uhlaziyo lwedatha elingene mayelana nomqondo wezokuhlinzeka ngezinsiza wezifundiswa. Izinhlelo zokuhlaziya eziqinisekisayo kanye nalezo ezihlolayo ziye zaveza imodeli elinganisayo yokwakha embaxa-zinne, okuyimodeli yokuhlinzeka ngezinsiza. Izinhlelo zokuhlaziya, phecelezi (correlation analysis) kanye nohlelo lokumodeli, phecelezi, (i-structural equation) ziye zaveza ubudlelwano obusemqoka obuphakathi kwalezi zakhiwo. Kuye kwavezwa izinhlelo zokuhlola ezahlukahlukene hlangana namaqembu ahlukahlukene ezifundiswa nabafundi, lokhu kususelwe phezu kwezimpawu zedemogilafi yezenhlalakahle yabantu, kanti lokhu kukhombise umehluko ohehayo hlangana nalezo zimpawu. Uhlelo lokuhlola, phecelezi i( t-test) aluzange luveze izimpawu ezehlukile ezimayelana nemiqondo yokuhlinzekwa ngezinsiza phakathi kwezifundiswa kanye nabafundi mayelana nemikhakha yendlela yokuphendula kanye nokuqinisekisa. Ucwaningo lwenze umsebenzi omkhulu omuhle mayelana nombhalo wokuziphatha kwenhlangano, mayelana nokuthi ingcindezi yomsebenzi kanye nokusebenza ngokuzikhandla kunomthintela muni phezu kokuhlinzeka ngomsebenzi kuzifundiswa enyuvesi yohlelo lokufunda ukude. Ngokwesigaba esiphathekayo, lolu cwaningo kufanele lulethe ulwazi olusha kubaphathi emanyuvesi ohlelo lokufunda ukude ngokuthuthukisa ulwazi lwabo mayelana nokuthi izifundiswa zithinteka kanjani ngokwengeza, izidingo ezintsha zomsebenzi, eziphinde zingeze umthwalo womsebenzi. Wazo. Ngalokho-ke, amanyuvesi ohlelo lokufunda ukude, kufanele ajwayele izingqubo zawo zokuphathwa kwabantu ngendlela efanele. Ukuhlinzekwa ngemithombo eyanele ezigabeni ezimbili, somuntu ngamunye nesigaba senhlangano kufanele kuqalwe ngakho ukuze kuncishiswe ingcindezi yomsebenzi kanye nokuthuthukisa indlela yokusebenza ngokuzikhandla, kanye nangokuhlinzeka ngezinsiza. / Business Management / D. Com. (Business Management)

This study investigates whether the HIV/AIDS and Life Skills Education Programme for schools was implemented in accordance with the Ministry's directives. It also seeks to establish whether the programme was effective or not by identifying and examining different implementation strategies and methodologies. Fieldwork was undertaken in the Lupane Area Development Programme where nine schools were randomly selected from sixteen primary schools. A total of nine head-teachers responded to the heads' questionnaire and fifty-eight Grade 4 to 7 teachers responded to the teachers' questionnaire. The study reveals that to a very large extent the HIV/AIDS and Life-skills Education Programme was implemented from Grades 4 to 7 in the primary schools. However, substantial improvements still need to be made in mobilising reading and financial resources. More training and the introduction of more participatory methodologies need to be stepped up for the children to realise more benefits from this life skills education programme. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)