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無 / Gender discrimination in labor markets has been an important issue in labor economics. Previous studies about gender discrimination in labor markets mainly discussed about gender wage differentials, occupational segregations, and glass ceiling effects. Now female have received more education and they can strive for their own careers. But do they have the same opportunities of career advancement as their male colleagues, even though they work hard and spare no effort? In other words, arefemale workers subjected to the sameperformance measures while considering promotions, as male workers? This thesis uses data from “Top5000: The Largest Corporations in Taiwan”, published in 2006 by China Credit Information Service, Ltd.; and the total number of corporations observed is 4,485. I want to discuss whether there is gender preferencewhen the president of a company chooses a chief executive officer (CEO), by using the relevant characteristics of the companies, such as the genders of president and CEO, firm size, established years, zip code (geographical location) and the industry codes of each company. It is found that gender gap does exist in the team formation of the top executives, which means presidents tend to team with same sex CEOs under several classifications and it is especially obvious among female presidents. Besides, probit models, which are based on that of Boschini and Sjögren (2007), are used to test the gender neutral hypothesis in this thesis. It is found that female presidents have a lowertendency to team with female CEOs than male presidents, when the classification byindustry factor is controlled. Moreover, further estimations indicate that female presidents form single teams less often than male presidents. Therefore, the gender neutral hypothesis is failed by the empirical results in this thesis.

Attempts to ban tobacco advertising and promotion have always been very controversial. The tobacco industry defends its right to promote a legal product, while others argue that such a dangerous product should not be promoted, particularly where this promotion may encourage smoking amongst young people. In the UK, a tobacco advertising ban has been on the public policy agenda since 1989, and during the period of this thesis, was being actively discussed and progressed by both UK and EU legislators. This study addressed this controversy and was conducted to examine the extent to which tobacco marketing communications was related to youth smoking behaviour and how this process occurred. The work addressed two important gaps in the literature: 1) It examined the entire range of marketing communications devices used by the tobacco industry, including advertising, sponsorship, loyalty schemes, direct mail, sales promotions, point of sale materials, product placement, the internet and brand-stretching. 2) It was based on contemporary models of media/marketing effects which theorise that effects are not necessarily direct or predictable, and may operate through social or wider cultural influences. The research involved two discrete stages of research. First, focus groups were conducted with young people to examine how they engaged with tobacco marketing communications. As a result, a theoretical framework explaining the relationship between youth smoking and tobacco marketing communications was developed. This hypothesised that current smoking was correlated with tobacco marketing communications, perceptions of brands and smoking beliefs. Second, a quantitative survey was conducted to test this model. It was administered to 29 fifteen year olds, using a combination of interviewer administered and self-completion questionnaires. Bivariate and multi-variate analysis indicated that youth smoking was correlated with contact with tobacco marketing, as were certain aspects of brand perception and smoking beliefs. The implications of these findings for theory, research practice and public policy are discussed.

Social media have altered the communication landscape and significantly impacted on marketing communication. Research suggests that with the rise of social media, marketing communication has been democratised, and the power has shifted from those in marketing to the individuals and communities that create and consume content on social media and redistribute it across a variety of channels. Yet the implications of social media are still largely unknown among practitioners and managers. Interest in the use of social media in marketing is growing. In particular with the recent special issues on social media published by marketing journals, the body of research is rapidly developing. But despite the growing interest, there are no specific theories that focus on social-media marketing in the fashion industry, and limited empirical research exists on the implications of social media in the fashion sector overall. Research in this area has the potential to inform both further study and practice in relation to the use of social media in fashion-marketing communications. This study explores the development, implications and impact of social media as a part of marketing communications in the fashion industry through case studies and key-informant interviews. In particular, the aim is to build an empirically grounded framework that enables the understanding, explanation and description of the process of building a social-media strategy. The findings arising from this research can help practitioners and managers to make sense of the social-media environment and better understand how to design social-media activities and effectively use social media in marketing communications. As the field is emerging, the methodologies, theories and their application are likely to evolve considerably.

Obesity, a public health issue in the United States, has been linked to numerous chronic diseases. A gap exists in the literature related to racial and cultural etiology of body satisfaction for obese women. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to describe the racial and cultural etiology of body satisfaction for obese Black women and White women residing in a rural area of the state of North Carolina. Social comparison theory provided the theoretical underpinning for this examination. The central research question was how do obese, young adult Black women and White women describe their perceptions about and experiences of the racial and cultural etiology of their body satisfaction. One-on-one interviews were used to collect data from 6 obese young adult women (3 Black women and 3 White women) between the ages of 18 and 29 years residing in a rural area of North Carolina. Braun and Clarke's 6-phase method for thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Six themes emerged from the data analysis: (a) Black participants viewed the media through a lens of body positivity, (b) White women related media influences as confrontation with the media, (c) Black women related peer influences to include shaming and denial, (d) White women viewed peer influences as including negative comparisons and positive examples, (e) Black women related family influences to include normalizing obesity, and (f) White women related family influences as including one welcoming the outcast. The results of the study foster positive social change, as deeper understanding of racial and cultural differences regarding body satisfaction of Black women and White women could lead to positive body image and greater body satisfaction among these groups.

The lack of access to improved toilet sanitation remains a major health and environmental hazard in developing nations in the world. Despite global leadership efforts at the level of the United Nations and nongovernmental organizations around the world, diarrhea-related diseases disproportionately affect children. Evidence from the literature suggests that competent and sustained leadership is central to resolving the problem. From a historical perspective, leadership advocacy and engagement prompted the sanitary revolution in the West in the 18th and 19th century that led to the eradication of preventable infectious diseases such as cholera. Integrated leadership that made use of sanitation and water institutions at the national, state, and local levels and structured, skilled, and financial capability helped create an enabling environment for better and sustainable hygiene sanitation in the West. A qualitative approach was used to explore the role of collaborative leadership in enhancing the demand for toilet hygiene in rural Njinikom and the community's perception of the state of sanitation. One-on-one interviews were conducted with 25 adults aged 18 years and above with knowledge and exposure to poor toilet sanitation. Content analysis was used to develop themes and patterns from the data. The findings revealed barriers such as inefficient leadership and limited financial resources that impede adequate feces disposal and motivating factors for better sanitation. The results provided support for a partnership approach that is inclusive, relevant, useful, and sustainable. The implication of the study includes renewed interest in improving toilet sanitation and health and increase understanding of the importance of adequate feces disposal in preventing and eliminating associated fecal-oral diseases.

Researchers have demonstrated that customer centricity strategies, including customer relationship management (CRM), contribute to 33% of the formula for organizational success. Relationship management theory was used to frame this single case study focused on the factors contributing to successful CRM strategies used by business leaders in a multinational organization in the service industry in Egypt. This company was chosen for its successful implementation of CRM strategies, as shown by online reviews, the company website, and market reputation on its effective campaing results. The population consisted of managers working in the marketing department for more than 5 years. Data collection included semistructured interviews, review of company documents, and onsite observation. Transcribed interviews, company documents, and observational notes were coded for emergent themes. Member checking was used to increase the credibility of the findings. Findings suggested 7 themes that contributed to effective the CRM strategies of this single operation: improving the customer experience, customer segmentation and targeting, improving customer satisfaction and loyalty, organization, market differentiation, sophisticated technical capability, and increasing revenue and profitability. The results from this study may influence social change by helping to create a positive work culture for the employees in this company. Research has shown that customer empowering behaviours positively affect employee creativity, satisfaction, and trust, creating a positive work environment. In addition, these positive changes to the work enviornment may in turn strengthen this organization's sustainability and ability to engage directly in community outreach.

The use of technology is changing at a very rapid pace, and companies must strategically design advertising messages for the ever-changing devices and platforms. The general business problem was that business owners have not been able to maximize the profitability of mobile advertising messages directed at women. The specific business problem was that business leaders need strategies to enhance mobile advertising returns by targeting messages that incorporate women's perceptions of mobile advertising. The purpose of this case study was to explore how business leaders can enhance mobile advertising returns by incorporating women's perceptions of mobile advertising into the design of advertising messages. The conceptual framework for this study was user gratification theory. The study population was 5 women business owners from a medium-sized city in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Criteria for study participation included owning a business and using a mobile device to shop. Data were gathered in face-to-face interviews and the review of company documents and websites pertaining to mobile advertising. Yin's 5-step process was used for data analysis. Themes that emerged were value, need, personalization, and time. Business owners, potential business owners, and marketing personnel could benefit from this research. The implications for positive social change include activating management to motivate employees, thereby enhancing employee performance to sustain organizational profitability. Leaders can actively participate in social change by motivating and developing employees, who can then help others and contribute to society by bringing awareness to social causes and providing mentoring and job skills training.

The incidence and prevalence of food safety practices among food staff working in food establishments in Manitoba is underrepresented and has not been adequately reviewed and researched. Uncertified food staff are at higher risk of not following food safety practices that can cause contamination of food and result in foodborne illness. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the prevalence of food safety practices among food staff in Manitoba and to determine the relationship between food safety certification and routine health inspections. Pender's health promotion model and Bandura's social cognitive theory were used to explain the relationships and associations between variables. Archived data dating from 2012 to 2014 of health inspection reports on 558 food establishments were collected and analyzed using the Manitoba Health Hedgehog database. Chi Square, Pearson Correlation Coefficients, and Fisher's Exact Tests revealed the association of food safety practices, routine health inspections, and food safety certification. Results indicated no statistical difference between food safety practices and routine health inspections. Pearson's r analysis revealed a weak relation between routine inspections, internal temperature, thermometer use, and food storage/food protection noncompliance. Logistic regression analysis revealed that food safety certification was not a predictor of food safety practice compliance. This study can provide a bridge to reevaluate current health policies pertaining to food safety practices in Manitoba. This study adheres to the need for social change in establishing and creating prevention programs for food staff. Food safety programs can safeguard the food industry and protect public health from foodborne illnesses.

Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) are preventable conditions for which treatment failure (specifically in gonorrhea) is becoming problematic. U.S. young adults (20-29 years) have high rates of STD incidence and prevention of these diseases, but reaching them to provide primary prevention educations is challenging due to low perceived susceptibility to infection and lack of knowledge about how young adults seek health information. The purpose of this quantitative survey study was to assess the association between perceived susceptibility to STDs, sexual risk behavior, and the acquisition of health information as it pertains to sexual health topics in young adults. The Health Belief Model (HBM) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) were used in combination as the theoretical foundation of this study. Data collection was done using an adapted version of the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), the Condom Use Self Efficacy Scale (CUSES), and an adapted version of the Marin County (California) Health Department's Sexual Risk Survey. There were 128 eligible participants and analysis of the data showed that the internet was the primary source of both general health information (87.5%) and STD specific health information (75.8%). A multiple regression analysis showed that there was no statistically significant correlation between perceived susceptibility and health information seeking or sexual risk (p > .05). This can aid in positive social change by prompting additional research on the subject of STD prevention in young adults through the design and dissemination of tools for education that may reduce the rate of STDs or other health ailments.