The problem of this study was to determine which publications available to Texas credit union managers are selected for reading and on what bases these choices are made. The study considered independent publications and those within the credit union industry. Survey respondents were Texas credit union managers. The study found that managers depend heavily on the two publications of the state trade association, two to three publications of the national trade association, and the state regulatory agency newsletter in cases of state-chartered credit unions. Independent publications function as secondary information sources. It was recommended that the Texas Credit Union League combine its two publications and that the Credit Union National Association consider combining publications.

團隊多元化(team diversity)指的是團隊成員於人口統計屬性(如性別、年齡與種族)或潛在特性(如人格特質、工作態度或工作價值觀)上之分配情形與差異程度，或可稱之為團隊異質性(team heterogeneity)。過去實證研究雖指出團隊多元化可對團隊結果產生不同方向與程度之影響，但對於不同類型多元化與不同團隊結果間之關係仍缺乏較完整之探討。本研究將團隊多元化區分為關係相關多元化(relation-oriented diversity)與工作相關多元化(job-related diversity)，其中，再進一步將關係相關多元化分為表象多元化(surface-level diversity)與深層多元化(deep-level diversity)，目的在釐清各種多元化屬性之異同處。同時，本研究另將團隊結果分為團隊歷程與團隊績效。與過去研究不同的，本研究不僅探討團隊內部凝聚力，更將團隊多元化連結至外部歷程－外部活動(external activity)，以檢視多元化與外部活動間之關聯性。 本研究以社會分類與社會認同理論解釋關係相關多元化對團隊歷程與團隊績效之影響，假設愈高的表象多元化與深層多元化將對團隊歷程與團隊績效造成負向影響。本研究另以資訊與決策觀點及認知資源觀點解釋工作相關多元化對團隊歷程與團隊績效之影響，假設工作相關多元化將對團隊外部活動與團隊績效造成正向影響。 本研究以62位團隊主管與280位研發工程師，共62個研發團隊為對象，探討關係相關多元化與工作相關多元化對各種團隊結果之影響。本研究以問卷調查法搜集資料，發放問卷予研發工程師與團隊主管，前者回答多元化屬性與團隊歷程問項，後者回答多元化屬性與團隊績效問項。 研究結果發現，深層多元化與團隊凝聚力呈負相關，且深層多元化對團隊凝聚力之負向影響大於表象多元化。表象多元化與外部活動呈負相關，且表象多元化愈高之團隊，其團隊績效愈低。同時，工作相關多元化對外部活動與團隊績效呈正相關。由此可知，不同類型之團隊多元化可對不同團隊結果造成影響，當團隊之關係相關多元化愈高時，其團隊凝聚力愈低；而當團隊之工作相關多元化愈高時，其團隊績效愈高。因此，在探討團隊多元化與團隊結果之關係時，須仔細地思考關係相關與工作相關多元化是否會對特定類型結果產生影響，方能有助於團隊多元化研究成果之累積。 / Team diversity refers to the differences and heterogeneity of the team members’ attributes that people use to tell themselves that another person is different. Diversity is traditionally conceptualized in terms of visible differences in age and gender. Individuals may also differ on less visible characteristics such as level of education, tenure, personality, and attitude. Past research had investigated the relationship between diversity and team outcomes, however, conclusive findings of the effects of diversity on team processes and outcomes still do not exist. There is a need to develop a theory to explain the complexity of diversity and team outcomes. In this study, we adopted Jackson, May, and Whitney’s (1995) argument, offering a distinction between relation-oriented and job-related diversity, in which the former represents diversity attribute that are easily detectable or underlying and likely to evoke others’ socioemotional responses. Furthermore, relation-oriented diversity is categorized as surface-level and deep-level attribute. The former is defined as biological characteristics that are typically reflected in physical features, the latter is the differences among members’ attitudes, beliefs, and personality. To understand the impact of different types of diversity in team outcomes, this study links diversity to team cohesiveness, performance, and a new outcome, external activity. According to social categorization and social identity theories, relation-oriented diversity is negatively related to team cohesiveness, external activity and team performance. Whereas the social categorization perspective explains the relationship between relation-oriented diversity and team outcomes, the information/decision-making and cognitive resources perspectives focus more on job-related diversity. The information/decision-making and cognitive resources theories propose that variances in job-related attributes have a positive impact through increase in the skills, abilities, information, knowledge, and confidence that diversity brings, independent of what happens in the group process. There are 62 team leaders and 280 engineers, totally 62 teams, responding to the survey. We distribute different questionnaires to leaders and engineers. Besides individual characteristics, leaders evaluated the team performance, and engineers answered their perception about their team. Results show that deep-level diversity is negatively related to cohesiveness. Moreover, the impact of deep-level diversity on cohesiveness is stronger than surface-level diversity. Teams higher in surface-level diversity perform less external activity, and received lower leader rating for team performance. Results also show that job-related diversity is positively related to team performance. Apparently, different type of diversity leads to specific team outcomes. Teams higher in relation-oriented diversity lower cohesiveness, and those higher in job-related diversity lead to higher performance. Implications and future research needs are discussed.

This sociological study investigates the effects of work stress on family dynamics. Job demands, like heavy workload and working overtime, could have an effect on family members to fulfill role obligations and vital family functions according to Parsons’s, Murdock’s and Merton’s functionalist theories. By employing qualitative research techniques, fifty in-depth interviews guided by an interview schedule are conducted. The three research questions or tentative hypotheses, based on the functionalist theory, are answered by the findings from the data gathered. An inductive strategy is used to gather and interpret data to eventually build new theory. Theory is grounded in the data, hence grounded theory. The findings are categorized in terms of the research questions and describe and explain how the family is affected when work stress is experienced by the employee and family member. Possible explanations are offered as to why this occurs. Recommendations for further research are also made. / Sociology / M.A. (Sociology)

This sociological study investigates the effects of work stress on family dynamics. Job demands, like heavy workload and working overtime, could have an effect on family members to fulfill role obligations and vital family functions according to Parsons’s, Murdock’s and Merton’s functionalist theories. By employing qualitative research techniques, fifty in-depth interviews guided by an interview schedule are conducted. The three research questions or tentative hypotheses, based on the functionalist theory, are answered by the findings from the data gathered. An inductive strategy is used to gather and interpret data to eventually build new theory. Theory is grounded in the data, hence grounded theory. The findings are categorized in terms of the research questions and describe and explain how the family is affected when work stress is experienced by the employee and family member. Possible explanations are offered as to why this occurs. Recommendations for further research are also made. / Sociology / M.A. (Sociology)

The dissertation analyses job-related education, training and development in Soweto since 1940. The effect which the interference of the National Party government had on jobrelated education for black South Africans in Soweto is examined, as it is of importance to know that qualifiers were only permitted to operate as trades people in the bantustans and not in the "white" cities. It is discussed that prior to the assassination of prime minister Dr H F Verwoerd in 1966, the NP government had little interest in promoting urban black upliftment. Also mentioned is the economic situation at that time, which forced the N P government to introduce the Manpower Training Act, permitting Africans to qualify in trades which were until 1981 reserved for whites only. At the eentre of the discussion are the few Sowetan colleges which deal with job-related education. training and development in the African township. Despite the demand for skills training of black South Africans, training deteriorated and the dissertation investigates the reasons surrounding the loss of interest in the communities and why interest groups were no longer concerned about this type of training. The dissertation concludes with a possible future perspective which needs to be implemented to enable job-related education, training and development in Soweto to expand. The need to train Sowetans in their own colleges as opposed to colleges outside Soweto is examined. / History / M.A. (History)

The dissertation analyses job-related education, training and development in Soweto since 1940. The effect which the interference of the National Party government had on jobrelated education for black South Africans in Soweto is examined, as it is of importance to know that qualifiers were only permitted to operate as trades people in the bantustans and not in the "white" cities. It is discussed that prior to the assassination of prime minister Dr H F Verwoerd in 1966, the NP government had little interest in promoting urban black upliftment. Also mentioned is the economic situation at that time, which forced the N P government to introduce the Manpower Training Act, permitting Africans to qualify in trades which were until 1981 reserved for whites only. At the eentre of the discussion are the few Sowetan colleges which deal with job-related education. training and development in the African township. Despite the demand for skills training of black South Africans, training deteriorated and the dissertation investigates the reasons surrounding the loss of interest in the communities and why interest groups were no longer concerned about this type of training. The dissertation concludes with a possible future perspective which needs to be implemented to enable job-related education, training and development in Soweto to expand. The need to train Sowetans in their own colleges as opposed to colleges outside Soweto is examined. / History / M.A. (History)