The resource-based view of the firm (RBV) is one the most important areas of research content to emerge in the field of strategic management in the last 15 years. The RBV is prescriptive. That is, the RBV prescribes that competitive advantage stems from those resources that are valuable, rare, inimitable, and nonsubstitutable (VRIN). With rare exception, resources that meet the VRIN criteria are widely purported to be intangible in nature. From a research perspective, the RBV stream tends to be dominated by conceptual discussions and advancements. However, empirical tests of the core premises, or the main prescription, of the theory are argued to be very limited in quantity. To add to the body of empirical research that seeks to verify the main prescription of the RBV, this research undertakes a new and different level of analysis, one that has not been previously tested. Given that firms compete with both tangible and intangible resources, the present study is interested in determining if, as the RBV implicitly prescribes, resources that are intangible in nature are more important determinants of firm success than tangible resources. Although the research question is basic and fundamental, it has rarely been appropriately or adequately tested within the RBV stream, as is demonstrated by this thesis. To carry out the research, this study offers a conceptual model of the firm’s resource pool that includes tangible assets (financial and physical assets), intangible assets (intellectual property assets, organizational assets, reputational assets), and capabilities. A series of hypotheses are posited to explore the proposition that intangible resources contribute more greatly to firm success, on the dimensions of sales turnover, market share, and profitability, than tangible resources. / A field survey, administered to 2000 manufacturing and services businesses operating in Australia, is used to gather the data. Of the 2000 surveys sent, the hypotheses are empirically tested using multiple hierarchical regression analysis on a final sample of 291 firms. Control variables include firm age and Porter’s five forces of industry structure. Based on the results, verification of the RBV’s main prescription can not be supported unequivocally. Intellectual property assets, for example, do not have a statistically significant association with firm success, after accounting for the effects of tangible resources and the control variables. Organizational assets, however, not only explain additionally significant variation in firm success, after accounting for the effects of tangible resources and the control variables, but make among the greatest, unique contribution to firm success based on the size of the beta coefficients. Reputational assets offer additional explanatory power to predicting firm success after accounting for the effects of tangible assets and the control variables, but only with respect to one measure of firm success does its beta coefficient make a larger, unique contribution than financial assets. Lastly, contrary to theory, capabilities are not the single most important determinant of firm success, after accounting for the effects of intangible assets, and tangible and intangible assets, in two separate hierarchical regression equations. This finding is surprising and explanations are provided. Overall, the study raises some questions with respect to just which resources are the most important determinants of a firm’s market and financial success and offers a fruitful avenue for further research.

The Video Suggestibility Scale for Children (VSSC) was developed by Scullin and colleagues (Scullin & Ceci, 2000; Scullin & Hembrooke, 1998) as a tool for discriminating between children who have different levels of suggestibility. The scale requires children to view a 5-minute video about a birthday party, and to subsequently participate in an interview consisting of 18 yes/no questions. The VSSC consists of two main subscales; Yield (a measure of children's willingness to respond affirmatively to misleading questions about the video) and Shift (a measure of the children's tendency to change their responses after negative feedback from the interviewer). Preliminary research by Scullin and colleagues suggested that the scale possesses satisfactory internal consistency and that children's scores on the VSSC can predict their performance in another suggestibility paradigm. This thesis presents two studies, which further examine the validity and usefulness of the VSSC in an Australian sample of 3- to-5-year-old children. In Study One, children's performance on the VSSC (N = 77) was compared to their performance using other measures of suggestibility. These measures included children's willingness to assent to a false event as well as the number of false interviewer suggestions and new false details that the children provided in their accounts about an independent true-biased and an independent false (non-experienced) event. An independent samples t-test revealed that those children who assented to the false activity generated higher scores on the Yield measure. This pattern was also observed for the Shift subscale although it was not significant. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that Yield was a significant predictor of the number of false details reported about the false activity, but not the true-biased activity. There was no significant relationship between the Shift Vlll subscale and any of the dependent variables. Overall this study provided partial support for the construct validity of the VSSC. However, it indicated that children's performance on this scale may not be generalisable across different contexts and interview paradigms, and that the Yield subscale is more generalisable than the Shift subscale. Study Two examined whether various group and individual factors that have previously been shown to relate suggestibility (i.e., age, IQ, memory, socio-economic status, gender, temperament) could predict suggestibility as measured by the VSSC. Two hundred and twenty children were recruited from kindergartens, and were divided into two broad socio-economic categories (based predominantly on income). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that age, intelligence and memory inversely predicted children's Yield suggestibility. Further, children of low socio-economic backgrounds were more suggestible than children of high socio-economic background, and boys were more suggestible than girls on the Yield measure. Although shyness and other internalised and externalised characteristics were explored, no reliable significant relationships were found with Yield. With regard to the Shift subscale, no reliable relationships were found for any of the independent variables except for SES. Overall, results of Study 2 indicated that the VSSC is a potentially useful measure for discriminating between children's suggestibility on the basis on their individual characteristics, although benefits were observed mainly in relation to the Yield subscale. With reference to the findings of these two studies, the potential contribution of the VSSC for research and applied forensic contexts was discussed.

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / This study will examine the statistical effects of varsity athletics on Naval Academy Midshipman performance. Academic performance averages, military performance averages, conduct grade, and honor violation are analyzed with respect to Midshipmen participating in varsity athletics versus non-varsity athletics. Using hierarchical regression analysis, the expectation is that varsity athletes make up the upper-echelon of the Brigade of Midshipmen than non-varsity athletes. In the analysis however, no statistical significance is discovered with respect to varsity athletics, and that, consequently, varsity athletes perform to the same degree as non-varsity athletes. The results further outline the need for better prediction measures of Midshipman Performance. / Lieutenant, United States Naval Reserve

Background: Adverse birth outcomes present a difficult and chronic challenge in Ontario, in Canada and in developed countries in general. Increasing proportions of preterm births, significant regional disparities and the high cost of treating all adverse birth outcomes have focused attention on explaining them and developing effective treatments. Methods: Birth outcomes and maternal characteristics for approximately 626,000 births, about 90% of births in 2005–2009, were linked to small geographic areas throughout Ontario. For each of four adverse outcomes: late preterm, moderate to very preterm, small for gestation age and still births, proportions of total births were calculated for the full province and for each small geographic area. Geographic hotspots of elevated rates were identified for each of the different adverse birth outcomes using the local Moran’s I statistic. Data for nine known ecologic and individual risk factors were then linked to the areas. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to model each of the outcomes for the full province and for dispersed local areas. The resulting models for the different outcomes were contrasted. Results: Significant geographic hotspots exist for each of the four outcomes. Hotspots for the different outcomes were found to be largely spatially exclusive. For like outcomes, predictive models differed markedly between local areas (i.e. local groups of hotspots) as well as between full-province and local areas. Ecologic level variables played a strong role in all models; the influence of individual level risk factors was consistently modified by ecologic risk factors except for small for gestational births. Conclusions: The finding of significant hotspots for different adverse birth outcomes indicates that certain geographic areas have aetiologies or patterns of predictors sufficient to create significantly elevated levels of particular outcomes. The finding that hotspots for the different adverse outcomes are largely exclusive implies that the aetiologies are specific; i.e., those that are sufficient to create significantly higher levels for one outcome do not also create significantly higher levels of others. The consistently strong role of ecologic level risk factors in modifying individual level risk factors implies that contextual characteristics are an important part of the aetiology of adverse birth outcomes. Differences in local area models suggest the existence of location-specific (rather than universal) aetiologies. The findings support the need for more careful attention to local context when explaining birth outcomes.

Dans le cadre d’une réflexion sur la mobilité internationale, nous nous intéressons dans cette thèse aux motivations des cadres français dans leur intention d’accepter une affectation internationale. Notre étude nous permet de soutenir que cette intention ne dépend pas uniquement des attitudes. Le contrôle comportemental perçu contribue également à la détermination de cette intention. Ce travail s’appuie sur la Théorie du Comportement Planifié (TCP). L’apport théorique de notre recherche est d’appliquer le modèle de la TCP auprès des cadres français pour savoir dans quelle mesure ils ont l’intention d’accepter une affectation internationale. L’apport managérial est de proposer aux entreprises des clés de compréhension leur permettant d’améliorer leurs pratiques de mobilité en identifiant les motivations des cadres pour une affectation internationale. L’apport méthodologique est la proposition de scénarios en fonction du pays de destination pour mettre en évidence la contribution des trois déterminants de cette intention en termes d’attitudes, de normes sociales et de contrôle perçu. / In the context of international mobility, we aim to explore in this thesis the motivations of the French executives regarding their intentions to accept an international assignment.Our study is based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and enabled us to conclude that the intentions to accept international assignment does not depend solely on the attitudes. The perceived behavioral control also contribute to the determination of this intention. The theoretical contribution of our research is to apply the model of TPB on the French executives who have the intention to accept an international assignment. The managerial contribution is to offer the firms some key guidelines to broaden their understanding pertaining to the improvement in their practices of mobility by identifying the motivations of the executives for an international assignment.The methodological contribution is the proposition of scenarios based on country of destination for exhibiting the contribution of three determinants of this intention in terms of attitudes, social norms and perceived control.

Background: Adverse birth outcomes present a difficult and chronic challenge in Ontario, in Canada and in developed countries in general. Increasing proportions of preterm births, significant regional disparities and the high cost of treating all adverse birth outcomes have focused attention on explaining them and developing effective treatments. Methods: Birth outcomes and maternal characteristics for approximately 626,000 births, about 90% of births in 2005–2009, were linked to small geographic areas throughout Ontario. For each of four adverse outcomes: late preterm, moderate to very preterm, small for gestation age and still births, proportions of total births were calculated for the full province and for each small geographic area. Geographic hotspots of elevated rates were identified for each of the different adverse birth outcomes using the local Moran’s I statistic. Data for nine known ecologic and individual risk factors were then linked to the areas. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to model each of the outcomes for the full province and for dispersed local areas. The resulting models for the different outcomes were contrasted. Results: Significant geographic hotspots exist for each of the four outcomes. Hotspots for the different outcomes were found to be largely spatially exclusive. For like outcomes, predictive models differed markedly between local areas (i.e. local groups of hotspots) as well as between full-province and local areas. Ecologic level variables played a strong role in all models; the influence of individual level risk factors was consistently modified by ecologic risk factors except for small for gestational births. Conclusions: The finding of significant hotspots for different adverse birth outcomes indicates that certain geographic areas have aetiologies or patterns of predictors sufficient to create significantly elevated levels of particular outcomes. The finding that hotspots for the different adverse outcomes are largely exclusive implies that the aetiologies are specific; i.e., those that are sufficient to create significantly higher levels for one outcome do not also create significantly higher levels of others. The consistently strong role of ecologic level risk factors in modifying individual level risk factors implies that contextual characteristics are an important part of the aetiology of adverse birth outcomes. Differences in local area models suggest the existence of location-specific (rather than universal) aetiologies. The findings support the need for more careful attention to local context when explaining birth outcomes.

This thesis employs the globalization and integration-demarcation cleavage theory formulated by Huttar [2014] and Kriesi [2012], conception of populism formulated by Mudde [2017] and draws on Gramscian conception of civil society and hegemony. Aim of this thesis is to build a model of causal influence of globalization on cleavage and on populism, as was suggested by Hutter [2014]. After building this model, the aim is to explore how this theoretical relationship hold's over the 30 years since 90's, when the connection between globalization and new sociocultural cleavage had been theoretically suggested. For this model I am using KOF Globalization Index, European Values Survey datasets and Authoritarian Populism Index constructed and published by Timbro in years 1990, 1999, 2008 and 2017. This model is built on a dataset containing 38 countries on European continent or being a candidate country for EU. I am elaborating Hutter's theoretical suggestion and framing it in Gramscian conception of civil society. This allows me to suggest that populists are using organic crisis in a society to attract people who feel disjointed from current hegemonical elite and to create counterhegemony. The theory is, that globalization increases the tension between winners and losers of globalization sides of cleavage...

The aim of the study was to identify the factors that have an influence on the completion rates of undergraduate students in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Using Tinto's retention rate theory as the theoretical foundation, data were collected from freshman who were enrolled in the years 2005 to 2008. Results showed gender and first-generation status were significant predictors of STEM completion and time taken to complete the degree. Institutional bias played a role in race/ethnicity not being a factor affecting completion rates, as this study was conducted at a Predominantly White Institution. SAT scores and first and second-year college GPA showed to have the most prominent influence on both STEM completion rate and time taken to complete the degree. Females with higher first-year college GPA and higher high school rank finished faster. Similar results were found with first-generation students as well. Students belonging to ethnic minority groups with higher SAT scores and college GPA had greater success in STEM fields as well. The study results can be used to increase completion rates of underrepresented students in the STEM fields, given what we know about the interactions between underrepresented student groups and the most important predictors.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to bridge the existing gap in the literature by exploring the relationship between the Adlerian concept of social interest, expressed through cooperation and conflict, and perceived level of marital happiness. This study explored behaviors along a continuum of social interest from cooperation to conflict. Preexisting data were used from the longitudinal Marital Instability over the Life Course Project funded by the United States Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institute on Aging (Booth, Johnson, Amato, & Rogers, 2003). Data from telephone surveys were collected in 1980, 1983, 1988, 1992-1994, 1997, and 2000 from married individuals who were between the ages of 18 and 55 in 1980. The initial random sample was 2,033, but attrition took place for each of the subsequent waves, resulting in 762 respondents in 2000. Results of hierarchical regression analyses revealed statistically significant relationships in a positive direction between cooperation and marital happiness, and in a negative direction between conflict and marital happiness across all waves of data. Cooperation and conflict as indicators of social interest accounted for between 26% and 37% of the variance in marital happiness, except for the 1988 wave, which was an aberration on all measures and accounted for only 12% of the variance. This still exceeded the a priori effect size selected for the study, a standardized regression coefficient of |.10|. Implications for theory, research and practice include focus on the link between higher levels of social interest as demonstrated through cooperative behaviors and greater marital happiness, one between conflict and lower levels of marital happiness. Marriage and family therapists need to consider the underlying goals of conflict such as power that may reveal underdeveloped levels of social interest. Counselors need to focus on helping couples develop relational skills that include the social provisions needed like empathy, understanding, and support. Future research is needed to more clearly define behaviors along the continuum of social interest.