This research focuses on spiritual well-being in the workplace and its relation to work performance. Extant empirical studies have mostly focused on demonstrating statistical links between these two concepts to the exclusion of qualitative studies that can better explain what spiritual well-being may be and how the experience is possibly related to work performance. Especially under-researched is the ground-level employees’ perspectives and the possible incompatibility of spiritual and organisational goals. This research thus examined the experiences of spiritual well-being among successful healthcare sales representatives in Malaysia, particularly on how their spiritual inclinations or their inclination for meaningfulness interfaced with the need to meet work targets. This qualitative research is exploratory and is framed within a constructionist epistemological stance. It used narrative inquiry as its methodology. Its primary data were stories successful healthcare sales representatives in Malaysia told about their work. These were collected and analysed using narrative interviews and narrative analysis respectively. What the research found was that the relation between spiritual well-being and work performance was depicted to be diverse, fragile and transitory. This was predicated on the ground-level employees’ experience of the interface between their spiritual inclinations and the need to meet work targets, which was diverse and changeable. What the research also found was that spiritual well-being resembled an experience that was constructed as employees engaged with their work. Spiritual well-being is thus neither merely found at work nor merely brought to work but constructed in the interplay between the employees’ spiritual inclinations and what they do at work. The research contributes to theoretical development in the area by advancing an expanded understanding of spirituality in the workplace. It demonstrates that spiritual well-being is contingent upon the work employees do, and the extent to which the work may be amenable for the construction of the experience. Thus, the relation between spiritual well-being and work performance ought to be understood from the way individual employees construct and individualise their experience of work. The research also foregrounds the importance of using models of organisation that accommodate the constructed, interactive and evolving nature of spiritual well-being in the workplace.

This thesis is focused on ways of defining the requirements for performance testing software, both in practice (based on survey) as well as in theory. The aim of this thesis is to analyze ways of defining performance requirements, which are actually used on IT projects. In order to achieve this goal it is necessary to define concepts of performance testing, implement and evaluate the survey of the using ways of defining performance requirements in practice and then analyze ways of defining performance requirements in terms of their applicability to different types of IT projects. The contribution of this thesis is the comprehensive introduction performance testing software issues and mainly insight into ways of defining performance requirements used in practice and problems associated with them, through the survey, which was implemented and evaluated by myself. The conclusions resulting from this survey summarize which ways of defining performance requirements are applied to specific types of IT projects, which of these ways worked and which problems in certain cases that occur in practice. The thesis is divided into theoretical and practical part. The theoretical part explains the basic concepts associated with performance testing software. In this part, there is also described the methodology of defining performance requirements according to Tom Gilb. The practical part is focused on the realization and evaluation of survey of the using ways of defining performance requirements in practice and on the analysis ways of defining performance requirements with respect to certain types of projects.

The purpose of the study was to examine district, campus, and community determinants of principal’s salaries using a spatial econometric framework. Among the district variables business tax (p = 0.001), property tax (p < .01), and the Herfindahl Index (measure of competition) were statistically significant indicators of principal salaries. The results suggest that more affluent districts tend to pay principals higher salaries, which was expected. Regarding campus characteristics, the percent of economically disadvantaged was not a statistically sound indicator (p = 0.468), but campus enrollment was significant (p = <.01). Interestingly as the percentage of economically disadvantaged students increased, the principal salary decreased. In contrast, as student enrollment increases the salary of principals increases, suggesting that principals of larger campuses earn higher salaries. Interestingly, student achievement was not a statistically significant predictor of principals’ salary given that pay for performance in Texas is at the forefront of political debate. Among the variables examined at the community level, only the percentage of homes owner occupied (p = 0.002) was found to be a statistically significant indicator of principal salary (p = .002). The lack of evidence on reforms, such as determinants of principal salary, points to data and research deficiencies to be addressed in order to learn more about their effects and make sound public policies. The paper utilized a spatial regression approach to examine the determinants of principal salary using data from the local, state, and national data sources. Principal salaries are viewed from several lenses in this study by considering effective outcomes of pay defined by actual salaries and market considerations for pay as defined by community, organizational, and human capital variables. Literature from the private sector as well as from the public school setting was used as a theoretical underpinning for the hypotheses set forth in this study. Because of the chosen research approach, the research results may lack generalizability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further. The paper includes implications for educational policy development related to pay for contribution, rather than pay based on tenure, experience, or district wealth. The research also fulfils an identified policy need to study how principal salaries are determined.

The master thesis is focused on the performance evalution of company Centropen, a. s. The first part of the thesis contains definitions of performance and individual methods of business performance measurement. The practical part introduces the analyzed company and describes its current situation. Subsequently, the evaluation of the performance of the selected company is done using the START Model questionnaire, which is based on the EFQM Excellence Model. Suggestions and recommendations for improving the current situation are presented in the final part.

Benjamin Britten is a renowned and prolific English composer, well known for his operas and vocal works. He did, however, also compose five works especially for the cello as a solo instrument of which the Sonata in C for Cello and Piano Op. 65 was the first. He was inspired by one of his musical contemporaries, the remarkable Soviet cellist, Mstislav Rostropovich. Rostropovich was famous for his amazing artistry which propelled him to become one of the most prominent cellists in the world during his time. Thus Britten, who had previously only composed for cello as part of ensembles, created this sonata specifically thinking of Rostropovich and his outstanding skill as a cellist. The premiere of the sonata took place in July 1961 at the Aldeburgh Festival and it was a great success. However, despite Britten's reputation as an outstanding composer and the significance of the sonata, this sonata has been performed infrequently. Britten utilized many challenging techniques and adapted them innovatively in the composition, and perhaps performers may be reluctant to choose this work due to the complexity and challenge inherent in the composition itself. The purpose of this dissertation is to provide a practical guide for students and those who wish to learn and perform Britten's Sonata in C for Cello and Piano, Op. 65 by increasing understanding of the work, and by offering practical assistance.

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In this study, I explored the different perceptions of teachers in a large urban school district in Texas towards a pay-for-performance program used on their respective campuses between 2011-2016. In total, 97 teachers from four different middle school campuses participated in this study. A descriptive analyst was conducted on teacher responses to an online survey to answer the research questions examined in this study: 1) What are teachers' perceptions of the pay-for-performance program's impact on teacher motivation?, 2) What are teachers' perceptions of the pay-for-performance program's impact on teacher retention?, and 3) What are the differences among teachers' perceptions of the pay-for-performance programs on the participating campuses? The results indicate 48.3% and 53.4% of the participants perceive pay-for-performance programs as having a positive impact on teacher motivation and teacher retention, respectively. Additionally, the results demonstrate 47.5% of participating teachers responded positively towards the pay-for-performance program on their respective campuses. This study has implications for policymakers and school district leaders who may consider implementing teacher pay-for-performance programs. Future research studies might explore school districts of different sizes throughout Texas and across the United States to gain a broader prospective of pay-for-performance programs.

Recent research has suggested that interest alignment, i.e., the degree to which members of an organization are motivated to behave in line with organizational goals, is a source of competitive advantage that can generate rents for the firm (Gottschlag and Zollo, 2007). Drawing on agency theory, this dissertation tests whether the interest alignment premise manifests itself differently in the strategic behavior of family-controlled firms when compared to their nonfamily peers. In particular, for firms in the S&P 500, I evaluate the results of two important strategic policies; mergers and acquisitions, as well as CEO compensation practices. In studying acquisitions made by family and nonfamily firms in the S&P 500 index from 1992-2006, I find that family firms are more careful when embarking on actions leading to mergers than non-family firms, as evidenced by their selection of smaller targets and targets who are in related businesses. I also find that there is a preponderance of cash purchases by family firms that does not vary with market movements and that completion times for merger transactions are shorter than for non family firms. The care and concern with which family-controlled firms choose their "mates" translates into higher stock returns when compared with non-family firms. Overall, I believe that family-controlled firms derive value from their merger and acquisition strategy. With regard to CEO compensation practices, I find that family firms provide strong incentives to the CEO for superior performance but pay significantly lower than nonfamily firms in terms of both salary and stock-based pay. The pay-for-performance sensitivity between annual stock returns and total compensation is significantly greater for family firms in general, and for family CEOs when compared with compensation of CEOs in nonfamily firms. The pay-for-performance sensitivity is in turn positively related to firm performance, suggesting that firms with greater pay-for-performance sensitivity (family controlled firms) also perform better. The analyses in my thesis thus illustrate that family-controlled firms and non-family firms in the S&P 500 differ in their strategic decision-making. It would be fair to say that family firms have longer investment horizons and give deliberate thought to expending resources whether for acquisitions or for CEO pay, and may suffer lower agency costs than nonfamily firms due to family governance (and public monitoring) which may lead to their relative superior performance. This dissertation finds that each acquisition made by a family controlled firm generates an extra return of 0.50% when compared with a nonfamily firm, and family controlled firms earn 0.50% every year directly attributable to pay-for-performance sensitivity. The study thus underlines and reiterates the importance of instilling the long-term view in the management of all firms, lowering agency costs, and aligning the interests of managers with those of stockholders for superior financial performance / Ph. D.

Este trabalho busca apresentar uma análise focada na interpretação de cinco obras sacras para coro à cappella do compositor Ernani Aguiar. As obras são: Três Motetinos n° 1 (1975-1978), Três Motetinos n° 2 (1982), Três Motetinos n° 3 (1980-1986), Três Motetinos n° 4 e Três Motetinos n° 5 (1992). A metodologia de análise musical está sustentada a partir do Referencial Silva Ramos de Análise de Obras Corais, respondendo as questões pertinentes e depois transformando-as em texto corrido. Apresentamos um pequeno texto sobre sua trajetória de vida, mostrando sucintamente a atividade de Ernani Aguiar como compositor, regente e professor. Em seguida elencamos o conjunto de sua obra coral sacra para coro à cappella, apresentando informações como data de composição, texto utilizado, estreias e gravações das mesmas. Ainda, apresentamos a fundo outros detalhes sobre as composições das cinco obras estudadas. Na continuidade, apresentamos as análises de cada uma das cinco obras e discutimos pontos que ocorreram durante nosso processo de chegada a uma concepção para performance das mesmas. E é na esteira desse trabalho que abordamos as constâncias composicionais de Aguiar, seu modo de escrita e algumas de suas escolhas estéticas, concluindo assim esta dissertação. / This study aims to present an analysis focused on the interpretation of five sacred works for choir a cappella from the composer Ernani Aguiar. The works are: Três Motetinos No. 1 (1975-1978), Três Motetinos No. 2 (1982), Três Motetinos No. 3 (1980-1986), Três Motetinos No. 4 and Três Motetinos No. 5 (1992). The methodology of the musical analysis is sustained from the Silva Ramos Reference of Coral Work Analysis, answering the relevant questions and then turning them into plain text. We present a small text about his life story, succinctly showing Ernani Aguiar\'s activity as a composer, conductor and teacher. Then we list his sacred choral work\'s ensemble to the a cappella choir, presenting information, such as composition date, text used, premieres and its recordings. We also thoroughly present other details about the compositions of the five studied works. Continuing, we present the analysis of each of the five works and we discuss points which occurred during our process of arriving at a guideline for its performance. And it is in the wake of this work that we approach the compositional constancies of Aguiar, his writing mode and some of its aesthetic choices, thus concluding this dissertation.