L’objectif de ce travail de thèse est de voir dans quelle mesure la motivation participe à l’engagement des processus attentionnels pour la sélection et le traitement des informations lors d’une activité de recherche visuelle. Lorsque la recherche visuelle est orientée par un but (comme une consigne) le comportement visuel d’exploration est modifié (sélection et traitement des informations). La recherche d’information suppose également un engagement de l’individu pour atteindre le but fixé en mettant en place des comportements adaptés. Cet engagement traduit une motivation qui est ici appréhendée au travers de la théorie de l’assignation d’objectif (Locke & Latham, 1990, 2002; Latham & Locke, 2007). Une tâche de recherche visuelle d’une cible spécifique, nommée par sa catégorie sur-ordonnée parmi des distracteurs de catégorie sémantique différente, associée à une consigne spécifique (de vitesse, de précision ou de faire de son mieux) ont été utilisées pour répondre aux objectifs de recherche. Les objectifs des travaux présentés ici étaient de (1) rendre compte de l’effet de l’assignation d’objectif sur le comportement de recherche, (2) étudier la relation entre l’objectif assigné et la spécificité de la tâche et (3) observer l’effet du contexte sémantique sur l’assignation d’objectif. Les trois expériences menées ont permis de mettre en évidence une relation entre la motivation et l’attention sur le comportement visuel de recherche. Ce travail de thèse ouvre sur des perspectives de recherche dans des situations plus écologiques comme les sites web ou les jeux vidéo. / The aim of this study was to explore the link between motivation and attentional processes in regards to selection and information processes during visual-search task. When the visual search is goal driven (i.e., with an instruction) visual search behavior is changed (selection and information processes). During visual search, the individual need to be committed in order to reach the assigned goal by using a strategic behavior. This commitment could be defined as motivation as described in the Goal Setting theory (Locke & Latham, 1990, 2002; Latham & Locke, 2007). A visual search task was designed in which participants had to find a specific word, denominated by its super-ordinated category, among distractors. A specific instruction (speed, accuracy or do your best) was added in order to specify the goal of the search. The aims of this work were to (1) reveal the effect of the goal setting on search behavior, (2) study the relationship between the goal setting and the characteristic of the task and (3) observe the effect of semantic context on goal setting. The three experiments allow us to observe a relationship between motivation and attention on visual search behavior. This research concludes on the possibilities to lead more experiments on ecological environment like websites or video games.

The aim of this diploma thesis is to describe the role of the goals in coaching with focus on their form and their possible impact on the coaching process. The topic of the goals is presented from the several perspectives that are confronted each other. The thesis has two parts - the theoretical one and the empirical one. In the theoretical part of the work are defined the concepts that are related to the topic, described psychological principles and essence of coaching, clarified the role of the goals in coaching, summarized the psychological approaches in coaching, discussed possible negative consequences of the goals in coaching and at the end of the theoretical part is given a brief overview of current research of this topic. The second, empirical part is following by theoretical part. The research design is characterized by the quantitative research, where is mapped the goal orientation of the coaches and then their attitudes to work with the goals. The target group of the research are certified professional coaches in the Czech republic. The data collection is realized by the administration of a self- assessment questionnaire. Questions in the questionnaire are related to how coaches set the goals with coachees, how do they evaluate the goals during the cooperation and how do they percieve...

The purpose of this study was to investigate how some elected established coaching models works in practice, and how the respondents perceived the situation of having a coach. There were three participants in the study, two men and one woman.   The first part of the study was to investigate how some established coaching models work in practice, which was inspired by action research. The coaching process was grounded in Höigard and Jörgensens (2002) four-stage model, while the transtheoretical model was used as a complement to describe and analyze the participants incline to change. Both of these models emphasize the weight of using a good goal setting strategy and the SMART-model (Faskunger, 2002) was used to meet this. The data collection was performed on qualitative grounds when notes of the coaching interviews were taken to notice the participants willingness to change. This could for example be something that the participants had sad or something they’ve done to move between the different stages according to the transtheoretical model. The second part of the study was to investigate how the participants experienced the situation of having contact with a coach. This part was executed on qualitative grounds were an interview met the purpose.   The result indicated that the coaching process might have influenced the participants motivation to change their behavior. This was presumed to depend on the techniques and methods that had been used (i.e., target strategies, empowerment and the confidence shown from the coach). Initially it was shown that the participants motivation to change seems to be extrinsic. During the process the motivation factors changed and the participants seems to have acquired a motivation of a more internal character. This because the participants after some time described that they changed their behavior for their own sake. According to the transtheoretical model the participants advanced from the preparation stage to the action stage, with hope to reach all the way to the activity stage. / Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur några utvalda etablerade coachingmodeller fungerar i praktiken, samt hur respondenterna upplevde situationen att ha haft kontakt med en coach. Tre respondenter deltog i studien, varav två män och en kvinna.   Första delen av syftet var att undersöka hur några utvalda etablerade coachingmodeller fungerar i praktiken, vilket var inspirerat av aktionsforskning. Coachingprocessen tog sin grund i Høigaard och Jørgensens (2002) fyrastegsmodell, medan den transteoretiska modellen användes som ett komplement för att beskriva och analysera respondenternas förändringsbenägenhet. Båda dessa modeller betonar vikten av att använda sig av en god målsättningsstrategi och SMART- modellen (Faskunger, 2002) användes för att tillgodose detta. Datainsamlingen skedde på kvalitativa grunder då anteckningar av coachingsamtalen togs för att notera respondenternas förändringsbenägenhet. Detta kunde exempelvis vara något som respondenterna sagt eller något som respondenterna gjort för att förflytta sig mellan de olika stadierna enligt den transteoretiska modellen. Den andra delen av syftet var att ta reda på hur respondenterna upplevt situationen av att ha haft kontakt med en coach. Även denna del genomfördes på kvalitativa grunder där en intervju tillgodosåg syftet.   Resultatet visar att coachingprocessen tycks ha haft en inverkan på respondenternas motivation till att förändra sitt beteende. Detta antas bero på de tekniker och metoder som har använts, exempelvis målsättningsstrategier, självbestämmande samt en upplevd trygghet från coachen. Till en början visade det sig att respondenternas motivation till förändring tycktes bestå av yttre karaktär. Allt efter processens gång förändrades motivationsfaktorn och respondenterna verkar ha skaffat sig en motivation av mer inre karaktär. Detta eftersom respondenterna efter en tid beskrev att de förändrade sitt beteende för sin egen skull. Enligt den transteoretiska modellen avancerade respondenterna från förberedelsestadiet till handlingsstadiet, med en förhoppning om att nå hela vägen fram till aktivitetsstadiet.

Redan i mitten av 60-talet studerade Edwin A. Locke konsten av att sätta rätt mål. I slutet av 60-talet publicerade han artikeln ”Toward a Theory of Task Motivation and Incentives” vilken ligger till grund för en stor del av forskningen kring att sätta mål. Relativa mål är något som kan användas av organisationer för att motivera medarbetare med mål som håller sig relevanta oavsett externa förhållanden. Att motivera medarbetare för att öka prestationer är något som organisationer strävar efter. Forskningen visar att mål ska vara utmanande och nåbara, men det finns begränsat med forskning som belyser fördelar respektive nackdelar med vad det innebär att använda sig av relativa mål ur ett bredare perspektiv. Syftet med den här studien var att utveckla kunskaper om för- och nackdelar med relativa mål med avseende på hur fördelar maximeras och nackdelar minimeras. I denna studie har ett kvalitativt tillvägagångsätt använts för att skapa en djupare förståelse för problematiken. Semistrukturerade intervjuer har utförts med sju olika respondenter som alla har arbetat eller arbetar med relativa mål. Den forskning som har studerats inför denna studie pekar på att relativa mål har en positiv prestationseffekt på medarbetare och leder även till finansiellt positiva effekter. Det finns även nackdelar med relativa mål, exempelvis att sabotera för sina kollegor eller att manipulera data. Studiens empiri indikerar på att en majoritet av respondenterna finner relativa mål som motiverande och utmanande. Uppföljning och feedback är även något som empirin tar upp som viktiga faktorer för att medarbetare ska bibehålla en prestation även efter det utförda tävlingsmomentet. Respondenterna finner även relativa mål som tydliga i det avseende att de vet vad arbetsuppgiften går ut på, likväl finns det en osäkerhet kring hur mycket som krävs i prestation av dem för att uppnå målet. För att kunna maximera fördelarna och minimera nackdelar med att använda sig av relativa mål tyder forskningen på att mål ska vara utmanande och nåbara, arbetsledning ska ge tydliga instruktioner, coacha och följa upp prestationer. I studiens slutsatser framgår det att relativa mål är utmanande och nåbara under förutsättningen att de är korrekt utformande. Det ökar produktiviteten hos medarbetare och ökad prestation under tävlingsperioden. Det kan även leda till att medarbetare kommer fram till nya mer innovativa sätt att utföra arbetsuppgifter, vilket leder till en högre prestation även efter tävlingsmomentet. För att maximera fördelar och minimera nackdelar krävs det att både målet och arbetsuppgiften är tydliga. / Already in the mid-60s Edwin A. Locke studied the art of setting the correct goals. In the late 1960s, he published the article "Toward a Theory of Task Motivation and Incentives", which forms the basis on research towards setting goals. Relative goals are something that can be used by organizations to motivate employees with goals that remain relevant regardless of external circumstances. Motivating employees to increase performance is something that organizations strive towards. Research show that goals should be challenging and attainable, but there is a limited research that highlights the advantages and disadvantages of what it means to use relative goals in a broader perspective. Thus, the purpose of the study was to develop knowledge of the benefits and disadvantages of relative goals regarding how benefits are maximized, and disadvantages are minimized. In this study, a qualitative approach has been used to create a deeper understanding of the problem. Semi-structured interviews have been conducted with seven different respondents, all of whom have worked or work with relative goals. The research that has been studied prior to this study indicates that relative goals have a positive effect on employees performance and also lead to financially positive effects. There are also drawbacks to relative goals, such as sabotaging for their colleagues or manipulating data. The study's empirical data indicates that a majority of respondents find relative goals as motivating and challenging. Follow-up and feedback is also something that empirical data considers to be important factors for employees to maintain a performance even after the competition has been performed. Respondents also find relative goals to be clear in that sense that they know what the job is all about, however there is some uncertainty as to how much is required in performance of them to achieve the goal. To be able to maximize the benefits and minimize the disadvantages of using relative goals, research suggests that goals should be challenging and attainable, give clear instructions and follow-up on performance. The study's conclusions show that relative goals administered as a competition are challenging and achievable provided that they are properly designed. This increases the productivity of employees and increased performance during the competition period. It can also lead to employees detect new, more innovative ways of performing tasks, which leads to higher performance even after the competition. To maximize benefits and minimize disadvantages, it is necessary that both the goal and the task are clear.

Thesis (MPA.) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / The Performance Management System (PMS) was introduced in the public sector in order to maximise optimal performance of public institutions. The aim was to ensure that public institutions deliver services to the public effectively and efficiently. The Limpopo Department of Public Works has received bad audit opinions from the Auditor General for the financial years 2011/12 to 2013/14. The Department received the following audit opinions: a disclaimer audit opinion for the financial year 2011/12, a disclaimer audit opinion for the financial year 2012/13 and a qualified audit opinion for the financial year 2013/14. The study sought to investigate the manner in which PMS was being implemented in the Limpopo Department of Public Works. A literature review, undertaken in this study shows that there are challenges in implementing the PMS in the public sector, that there is inadequate general understanding of the PMS and that there is no adequate training provided. Data was collected through questionnaires and documentary sources of annual performance plans and annual reports for the financial years 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14. The responses collected from the questionnaires mainly indicate that the PMS is not adequately understood in the Department. The annual performance plans and annual reports of the Limpopo Department of Public Works for the financial years 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14 indicate that the Department did not achieve even 50% of its targets in the core directorates. Further findings in the study indicate that the implementation of the PMS has not impacted positively on the performance of the Department. Recommendations made in the study include providing training linked to the PMS to all employees. Other recommendations include the communication of the departmental targets to employees at all levels.

Performance management has been called the defining contemporary challenge facing public organizations. While we cannot pretend to elucidate all its mysteries, we hope to provide solid evidence for a better comprehension of the social underpinnings of performance management. We believe that these articles contribute to the existing literature, offer new perspectives on the issues, and provide a coherent overview of the dynamics that surround performance information in public organizations. It has long been known in public administration that performance management was there to stay, warts and all, because its potential was just too great to ignore. Hopeful, this research will provide insights for managers on how to strive for effective performance management in their organizations. / Doctorat en Sciences économiques et de gestion / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

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The aim of this theses is a creation of a project and goal managing system with effective user interface. The modern goal setting is the base of defined user interface. A substantial proportion of the theses deals with gamification, which encourages the users to use the system and motivates them to reach the predefined goals and fulfil the projects. Theoretical knowledge of goals settings and project managing serves as a base for the whole concept of the system and for a creation of the actual gamification engine. A web-based application utilizing implemented components was created with the system. An essential part of the theses is a formulation of hypotheses and their verification by testing.

This thesis studies the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement and what achievements it has been able to accomplish related to its objectives, in order to create a better under- standing of how new social movements work and what they can accomplish. The objectives and achievements were divided into different categories: cultural recognition, physical security, socio-economic, and other. The findings show that most of the objectives were of the physical security and socio-economic category while most of the achievements were outside of the objectives the BLM movement set and are mostly related to the cultural recognition category. The study argues that this is due to the characteristics of the BLM movement as a new social movement as well as the BLM not being specific enough in its objectives. With this knowledge there is an understanding that new social movements are very good at engaging people but could improve in their achievements.

This diploma thesis deals with the possibilities of predicting success in athletes in the short- term, process-oriented goal-setting method using the NEO-FFI inventory. The first part of the thesis describes the five-factor model of personality and the possibilities of its psychodiagnostics' measurement. The second part of the thesis describes the mechanisms of the goal-setting method with rules and procedures for its effective application. The method of goal-setting is then connected in theory as well as research with a five-factor personality model using a correlation study in real conditions. The research sample consisted of 316 performance ice-hockey players aged 15 to 19 years. These players underwent the goal- setting method and the personality traits measurement using NEO-FFI. The strongest predictor of success found using the goal-setting method was the size of the selected goal. Of the personality traits, it was merely a trait extraversion, which, however, provided a relatively weak prediction option.