Doctor of Philosophy / Curriculum and Instruction Programs / Steven R. Harbstreit / There has been little research conducted related to the National FFA Alumni Association since its establishment in 1971. The purposes of this study were to determine the demographic characteristics of the membership of the National FFA Alumni Association, determine whether differences exist regarding members’ motivation to join and engage themselves in the local FFA Alumni affiliate, and whether differences exist in members’ loyalty to the FFA Alumni at the national and local levels based on their level of engagement. This descriptive study utilized survey research to accomplish the purpose, assessing the motivational functions for volunteering and measuring loyalty to the local FFA Alumni affiliate and the National FFA Alumni Association. The population of this study was the membership of the National FFA Alumni Association for the 2009-2010 membership year (N = 49,589). A proportional stratified random sample (n = 1,000) was used to identify study participants and ensure representation from the four membership regions of the National FFA Alumni Association. Based on a final usable sample (n = 913), the researcher obtained a final response rate of 43.7% (n = 399). The National FFA Alumni Association is comprised of predominantly white, male, college-educated, actively engaged former FFA members with an average age of 49.6 years. The results of independent sample t-tests indicated a significant difference between male and female members in the importance they place on six motivations for volunteering. Female members were considerably higher in the motivational functions of values, understanding, enhancement, social, career, and protective. A correlation analysis also indicated that age of the respondents played a role in the motivation to volunteer. Older members were less motivated in the areas of career, understanding, values, and enhancement. Paired samples t-tests determined members were significantly more loyal to the local FFA Alumni affiliate than the National FFA Alumni Association. There was also a significant difference in the loyalty of members based on their level of engagement with a local FFA Alumni affiliate with more highly engaged members expressing more loyalty to the association.

<p>Globally, injury is a major public health problem. The extent of the problem varies considerably by demographic subgroups, regions and national income. The overall objective of this thesis is to examine the relationship between injury mortality and economic development, and to discuss its role in the changing patterns of mortality as described in health transition theory.</p><p>By cross-sectional analysis between cause-specific injury-related mortality and income per capita, studies included in this thesis indicated that while unintentional injury mortality (UIM) and homicide rates correlated negatively with GNP per capita for total populations with varying patterns for age-specific mortality, suicide rates increased slightly by nations’ income per capita, especially among women. In age- and cause-specific injury mortality differentials between low-income, middle-income and high-income countries, ageing and injury interplay mutually with regard to health transition; declining rates in child UIM by income level contributes to the ageing process, while increasing UIM among the elderly, in combination with ageing populations boosts the absolute number of injury deaths in this segment.</p><p>Between the income-based country groups, both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses show that injury mortality for all three major causes (i.e. unintentional injury, suicide and homicide) first increase and then decrease with rising income per capita, following an inverted U-shaped curve.</p><p>These results illustrate that injury is not a homogeneous public health phenomenon from a health transition perspective. While child unintentional mortality clearly agrees with ‘diseases of poverty’, unintentional injury in the elderly agrees with ‘diseases of affluence’. Patterns for homicide and suicide are more complex and uncertain. Generally, the strength and direction of injury mortality by economic development vary considerably by age, sex and type of injury.</p><p>Further research on causations, mechanisms, broader indicators and data quality, as well as theoretical developments on health transition taking new findings and parallel frameworks into account, is needed to fully understand the complex relationship between economic development and injury mortality.</p>

<p>Under det gångna århundradet ökade den förväntade livslängden avsevärt såväl i Sverige som i övriga världen. 1900-talets förbättrade livslängd drevs inledningsvis av en minskad barnadödlighet medan de senare årtiondena kännetecknades av minskad dödlighet i höga åldrar.</p><p>En åldrande befolkning innebär ökade krav på sjukvård, äldreomsorg och inte minst pensionssystem. Pålitliga prognoser för vår framtida livslängd behövs för att beräkna de resurser som nämnda verksamheter kommer att ta i anspråk och utgör förutsättningen för en rättvis prissättning av försäkringsprodukter med levnadsrisk.</p><p>Lee-Carter-modellen är en av vår tids tongivande modeller för mortalitetsprognostisering. Modellen används här för att göra livslängdsprognoser utifrån svenska mortalitetsdata; prognoserna jämförs sedan med observerade utfall.</p><p>Mot bakgrund av resultatet diskuteras levnadsrisk med fokus på pensioner.</p><p>Inte oväntat presterar prognoserna ingen felfri bild av verkligheten och prognosfelet varierar i storlek mellan skattningarna; att använda dem som underlag för pensionsberäkningar hade i förlängningen varit ohållbart. Exemplet illustrerar på samma gång vår osäkerhet inför framtidens livslängdsutveckling och svårigheten i att prognostisera den.</p> / <p>During the past century, Sweden along with many other countries experienced a sharp decline in mortality rates. The increased life expectancy was initially propelled by mortality reductions among infants and subsequently by a survival improvement in advanced ages.</p><p>An ageing population has large implications for those providing services to the elderly, such as medical care and pensions, whilst also addressing the need for accurate and reliable mortality forecasts and projection methods.</p><p>The Lee-Carter model is the current gold standard for mortality forecasting and has been widely adopted in several studies. Here, the model is applied on Swedish mortality data; the projections are then compared to the observed lifespan development. Against this backdrop, a discussion on longevity risk in pensions schemes follows.</p><p>The forecasts performed in this study do not perfectly reflect the observed mortality change in the examined period; furthermore, the variation of the estimation errors limits the actuarial value of the projections. The findings illuminate the uncertainty that surrounds our future life expectancy as well as the difficulties associated with forecasting it.</p>

金融服務業乃一國經濟發展中重要樞紐，也是支持產業發展之經濟命脈。回顧台灣金融業近30年來的軌跡，可以說就是一部台灣經濟發展史的縮影。金融發展之於經濟成長，如同血液循環之於身體，一旦循環阻塞，健康立即出狀況。因此一旦金融機構資金中介角色不順暢，經濟成長肯定受到嚴重的打擊，同時產生不少社會問題。 2003年起，台灣各金控公司與銀行間，開始大力的拓展財富管理業務。T銀行則於2007年7月1日才正式開辦財富管理業務，在同業中是起步最晚。本研究旨就財富管理市場之經營特質，針對T銀行所屬全體理財專員，從各項人口統計變數中，探討對工作績效之影響，作為業者日後甄選理財專員、管理與培訓時建請卓參，俾利積極發展財富管理業務，超越同業，成為相關領域的巨擘。 本研究採用郵寄問卷調查法，對T銀行全體127位理財專員全面寄發，以Limdep 9.0統計軟體進行各項資料分析，並輔以實證模型分析來驗證各項假設，經研究後主要發現： T銀行的理財專員的教育程度、服務的地區、與顧客溝通使用的語言均與工作績效呈現顯著差異；而理財專員每日工作時數、擁有貴賓客戶數量，與工作績效呈現顯著正影響。理財專員擁有證照的張數，與工作績效呈現顯著負影響；理財專員在中、南部地區使用國語行銷則與工作績效呈現顯著負影響。 若採納研究建議，T銀行於財富管理業務上，當可獲致極大的進展。將於同業中取得優勢、營業績效蒸蒸日上，市占率將名列前矛。 / The financial services industry is one of the most important sectors for the economic growth and development of a country. It also functions as the lifeline supporting the development of business and industry of a nation. The business track for the past three decades of the financial services industry indeed reflects the overall big picture of Taiwan's economic development. Financial development to the growth of economy is just as the circulation of the blood to the body. Once the financial institutions fail the role of financial intermediaries, economic growth will undoubtedly have a grave impact resulting in a lot of social problems. Since 2003, Taiwanese financial holding companies and banks have been trying hard to develop wealth management business. T-Bank engaged in this business on July 1, 2007, which is the latest bank to start wealth management business in the industry. This study is to investigate the impact of demographic variables toward job performance, especially to the financial advisors in T-Bank, based on the operating characteristics of financial management market. The research results can provide valuable suggestions to T-Bank in terms of hiring, training and management of financial advisors, which can help to actively expand its wealth management business and make it a leading role in the industry. Using the mailed questionnaire method, 127 copies of questionnaire had been sent out to all the financial advisers of the T-Bank. All the data were analyzed by statistical software Limped 9.0. The empirical model was then utilized to verify all the hypotheses. The major findings of this study are as follows: There are significant differences between the work performance and the education level of the advisers, their serving area, the language they use when communicate with customers; their daily working hour and the number of VIP customers in individual account has significant positive influence to the work performance. The number of certificate each advisor possesses has significant negative influence to the work performance; conversing in Mandarin Chinese in central and southern Taiwan has significant negative influence to the work performance. T-bank will gain tremendous progress in wealth management business if it adopts the proposed suggestions in this study. It will also have strong competitive advantages among the industry. Its business will flourish and have the top rank in market shares.

Student intention to drop out is a concern for higher education institutions as well for their students. Students with the intention to drop out may eventually drop out and contribute towards the already high dropout rates, which are causing economic damage. Students leaving their institution have vast financial consequences for their institution, as institutions obtain grants from the government according to their success rates. Although previous research has been conducted on students’ intention to drop out, it is limited, especially when looking at possible predictors that are specific to the South African context. This study contributes towards the gap in research regarding the possible predictors of student intention to drop out. The objectives of this study were to 1) conceptualise the possible predictors of student intention to drop out according to the literature; 2) determine if self-evaluation traits (self-esteem and self-efficacy) are significant predictors of student intention to drop out; 3) determine if student burnout and student engagement are significant predictors of student intention to drop out; 4) determine if social support (social support from parents and general social support) are significant predictors of student intention to drop out; and 5) determine if career decision-making difficulties are significant predictors of student intention to drop out. A non-probability quota sample (N = 782) was used to investigate possible predictors of career student intention to drop out in a sample of university students. Student intention to drop out was measured by one item consisting of two categories: I have no intention to drop out (n = 501), and I have an intention to drop out (n = 280). These two groups were enclosed as a dependent variable in the logistic regression. The variables included in the final model predicted between 13% (Cox and Snell) and 18% (Nagelkerke) of the variance in intention to drop out. The results of this study suggest that self-esteem had an influence on student intention to drop out. Furthermore, it was found that cynicism and dedication have a significant relationship with student intention to drop out. Lastly, lack of information about ways to obtain information also indicated a significant relationship with student intention to drop out. Thus, it may be concluded that self-esteem, burnout and engagement and lack of information about ways of obtaining information have an influence on students’ intention to drop out. Recommendations were made for practice as well as for future research. / Thesis (MCom (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

The social and economic experiences of older people in Scotland over the past two centuries provides a particularised lens through which larger themes of change and adaptation may be analysed. Older age cohorts are examined as specific identity groups within the context of a society in rapid transformation. The years c. 1845-1999 represent a period of time in which almost every sector was affected by industrialisation, urbanisation, migration, economic developments, technological and medical progress, and social reform. In combination with historical interpretations, modern sociological theory concerning the aged as a distinct social grouping provides the basis for further inquiry. Concepts such as status, social capital, interdependency, paternalism and citizenship have been of major importance in structuring this research. By means of demographic analysis, readings of written biographical documentation, and the incorporation of over fifty oral histories conducted in Dundee and Edinburgh, the role of the family in older people’s lives has been explored. Nineteenth and twentieth-century population trends have been incorporated as an area for detailed investigation of long-term familial practices. An understanding of the older person’s role in the family over time suggests a formalised socio-economic stability based upon kinship ties, gender roles, and economic and social reciprocity. Stage theory allows for examination of the economics of ageing, particularly in regard to employed and retired older people. Original research covering older people’s experiences of work in Dundee and Edinburgh provides qualitative and quantitative data on paternalistic policies in the brewing and jute industries, promotion and retirement practices, and economic status among the working elderly. The experience of being retired has been evaluated in terms of economic independence, social capital, class and gender. Analyses of the experience of retirement in the post-war era are bound with the rise of the modern welfare state. Significant government commissions and acts provide scope and sequence in an analysis of the role of the state in old age. Principally, the New Poor Law of 1845 (Scotland), the Pension Acts of 1908 and 1925, the National Insurance Act of 1946, as well as the social welfare acts of 1948 have been studied. Particular focus on the influence of the Social Work Act 1968 (Scotland) complements an overarching argument concerning Scotland’s unique practices in the modern welfare state. Emphasis is on care in the community, using statutory and voluntary services provided at the local level as case studies. Interpretations of older people in terms of their various roles in the welfare state, their communities and places of work, and within their families indicate that throughout the period, older populations have distinctively adapted to the long-term effects of modernisation in Scottish society.

Région frontalière, exposée aux descentes ennemies autant qu’aux transgressions marines et aux invasions de sables, la Saintonge présente nombre de contraintes. Pourtant, au XVIe siècle, nombre d’indices témoignent d’une reconstruction réussie dans cette région enclavée. Durement éprouvée lors de la guerre de Cent Ans, la population a modifié son approche du littoral pour compenser l’absence de grand pôle urbain susceptible de mener à bien la reprise économique. L’économie saintongeaise développe dès lors des activités s’appuyant sur la dualité des campagnes côtières. Cette combinaison des ressources de l’estran et des terres offre aux habitants une forme de résilience efficace face aux risques alimentaires. Cette relative sécurité alimentaire facilite la reprise démographique dans les paroisses littorales. Le sel, le poisson, la récolte du varech, des coquillages ou de la salicorne permettent non seulement d’accroître les ressources locales, mais génèrent aussi d’autres activités comme la verrerie ou le tannage entre autres. Avec la céréaliculture, l’exploitation du bois ou le développement conséquent de l’élevage, la région dispose d’un panel conséquent de denrées commercialisables. La Saintonge intègre ainsi les sphères d’influence de La Rochelle et de Bordeaux. En tant que périphérie plus ou moins intégrée de ces deux pôles, les campagnes saintongeaises entrent dans leurs réseaux de relations commerciales avec les marchands fréquentant le golfe de Gascogne. Les deux villes-ports apportent également à la région les capitaux qui manquent. En effet, malgré la pluriactivité et la formation de communautés taisibles, la population saintongeaise ne parvient pas à générer les capitaux indispensables permettant à la région de poursuivre son développement économique. A la fin du Moyen Âge, la Saintonge offre donc le visage d’un territoire enclavé mais ouvert au commerce maritime par de petits ports, mais aussi d’une région riche avec des fortunes locales limitées. / Saintonge presents a certain number of constratints: it is a border zone and as thus exposed to enemy raids; it also suffers from the encroachments of the sea and the invasion of sand dunes. Nevertheless, in the 16th century, converging signs show that this region, however distant from the main economic centers, has experienced a successful reconstruction. Victims of the Hundred Year’s war, local people have modified their approach of the coast to compensate the lack of a major urban center that would have organized economic recovery. From then on, the Saintonge economy is grounded on the dual resources of the coastal zones. The inhabitants combine the resources of the seashore and the countryside to better resist food risks. This relative food safety is instrumental in the demographic recovery of the coastal parishes.Salt gathering, fishing harvesting kelp (varech), picking shells or salicorne not only increase local resources, they generate other activities such as glass-making or tanning among others. With the cultivation of cereals, the exploitation of wood or the significant developpement of breeding, the area has a substantial panel of marketable foodstuffs to offer. In this way, Saintonge integrates the spheres of influence of La Rochelle and Bordeaux. It takes part in the trade connections that they have established with the merchants from the bay of Biscay. Both harbour-cities also contribute financial capital, something Saintonge itself coul nod provide. The fact is, in spite of its range of activities and economic developpment. So that at the end of the Middle Ages, Saintonge offers several aspects: it is out of the way but it compensates for it with its small coastal harbours and it has become prosperous, with some significant fortunes emerging from the area.

Dans la zone cotonnière au Mali-sud, les différentes études menées expliquent la croissance des effectifs du cheptel bovin par une sous-exploitation des troupeaux par les éleveurs. L'objectif de la thèse est donc de faire un diagnostic sur l'exploitation du cheptel bovin dans la zone cotonnière au Mali-Sud et identifier les contraintes à l'exploitation du troupeau. La méthodologie de recherche a combiné l'approche zootechnique et sociologique pour analyser les pratiques et les décisions d'exploitation des troupeaux des éleveurs. L'utilisation d'un modèle démographique a permis de mesurer la sensibilité du taux de productivité aux différents paramètres démographiques. Le taux d'exploitation nette du troupeau estimé a été de 0,08 / an. Ce taux comparé au taux de 0,11 / an de la productivité numérique du cheptel montre qu'il n'y a pas de sous-exploitation du troupeau bovin. Les processus d'exploitation des animaux impliquent plusieurs décideurs. Cependant, les différentes structures organisationnelles et décisionnelles ne constituent pas une entrave à l'exploitation des animaux. Le besoin monétaire est la principale raison de la vente d'animaux pour faire face aux dépenses de la famille. Les taux d'exploitation et d'importation d'animaux sont en lien avec la taille du troupeau et les comportements des familles. Le taux d'exploitation est lié à la productivité du troupeau. L'amélioration de la productivité passe par une amélioration de la reproduction et une augmentation de la proportion de femelles reproductrices dans le troupeau. / In the cotton-growing area of Southern Mali, the different studies conducted explain the growth of the cattle herds' size by the under off-take of the herds by the breeder. The objective of the thesis is therefore to make a diagnosis on the off-take of the cattle herds in the cotton-growing area of Southern Mali and to identify the constraints of the herd off-take. The research methodology combined zoo technical and sociological approach to analyze the practices and the off-take decisions of the breeder's herds. The use of a demographic model permitted to measure the sensitivity of the productivity rate to the different demographic parameters. The valued off-take rate of the herd was of 0.08 year-1. This rate compared to the rate of 0.11 year-1 of the numeric productivity of livestock shows that there is not under off-take of the cattle herds. The processes of animal's off-take imply several decision-makers. However, the different organizational structures and decision don't constitute a hindrance to the animal's off-take. The monetary need is the main reason of animal's sale to face the family's expenses. The rates of off-take and in-take of animals are tie with the herd size and the behaviors of the families. The off-take rate is related to the productivity of the herd. The productivity improvement passes by the reproduction improvement and the proportion of reproductive females in the herd.

Background: Russia has undergone tremendous socioeconomic transformations. Particularly detrimental was the period of 1990-s that evidenced hazardous trends in public health. Alcohol consumption was suggested to be responsible for the negative health trends in the society. Male alcohol consumption attracted disproportional attention leaving female alcohol consumption, its predictors and influence on women’s health disregarded and uninvestigated. Aim: To describe the practices of female alcohol consumption and socio-demographic predictors of drinking, to explore the impact that drinking might have on the self-rated health of Russian women. Method: Cross-sectional analysis of data drawn from the Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Survey, round 20th. The association tests between the measures of alcohol consumption and covariates were run. Ordinal regression model tested the predictors of self-rated health.      Results: A Russian female drinker is middle-aged, high-educated, married/ cohabiting or divorced, resides from the urban area and is infrequent drinker. The frequency of drinking increases when she is young, high-educated, married/ cohabiting, resides from urban area. U-shaped relation between drinking and self-rated health was demonstrated: never drinkers and regular drinkers report poorer health than seldom-drinkers.  Conclusion: Predictors of female drinking in Russia are poorly investigated due to overrepresentation of research focused on men’s drinking. More studies are needed in order to explore the impact of drinking on self-rated health of  Russian women.

Résumé : Les enfants de maternelle dont la préparation scolaire est limitée risquent de présenter des difficultés comportementales nuisibles à leur adaptation ultérieure. L’implication des parents à l’école, plus précisément la collaboration famille-école (CFE), peut représenter un facteur de protection favorisant l’adaptation de l’enfant tout au long de son parcours scolaire. Les écrits scientifiques suggèrent que la CFE jouerait un rôle important dans l’explication des difficultés de comportement, surtout auprès des enfants provenant de familles défavorisées. Cette étude porte sur le rôle de la CFE dans l’explication des difficultés de comportement intériorisé et extériorisé des enfants de maternelle qui présentaient des lacunes sur le plan de leur préparation scolaire. Les analyses de régression linéaire montrent que pour l’ensemble des familles de l’échantillon (n=47), plus il y a de communication entre le parent et l’enseignant, plus il y a présence de comportements extériorisés et intériorisés. Par contre, la CFE modère la relation entre un indice d’adversité constitué du cumul de cinq facteurs de risque sociodémographiques et les difficultés de comportement intériorisé. Ainsi, chez les familles défavorisées, une communication plus fréquente est associée à moins de comportements de type intériorisé. / Abstract : Children with limited school readiness are at risk for behavioral problems, which impact their school adjustment. Parents’ involvement in school, such as family-school partnership (FSP), may be a protective factor improving child's adaptation throughout their school career. Literature shows the important role of the FSP in reducing behavioral difficulties, especially for children from disadvantaged families. This study aims to explain child externalizing and internalizing behavior problems in kindergarten through FSP in children showing a limited school readiness. Linear regressions show that a frequent communication between the parent and the teacher is associate with a greater presence of externalizing and internalizing behaviors for the whole sample (n=47). However, FSP moderates the relationship between the demographics vulnerabilities and internalized child behavior problem in kindergarten. Indeed, for disadvantaged families, when there is a more frequent communication, children have less internalized behaviors.