No summary available / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Comm. (Industrial Psychology)

Engaging children in natural settings enhances learning and promotes development while utilizing protected natural areas. However, many schoolchildren, especially from economically disadvantaged areas, lack support for environmental education (EE) to develop skills and attitudes to increase rates of appropriate, resource-protective behaviors. This causes resource degradation wherever children visit protected natural areas. Improved EE should reduce the amount of resource degradation when children visit natural settings. This project proposes a model program of replicable, low–cost, widely accessible critical thinking activities and materials designed to directly address this problem. The Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois, Camp Ondessonk, and Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge were partners in this project. The objectives were to create, test, evaluate, and disseminate tools for teachers in the form of a pre–visit program with three specific engagement methods to engage children in activities that cultivate critical thinking and encourage resource–appropriate behaviors. Original activities involving a discussion–based journal, handmade wristband, and interactive games were conducted during small–group interactive workshops at Camp Cedar Point in Makanda, Illinois and Camp Ondessonk in Ozark, Illinois (n=225). Pre/post program evaluations were administered, and camper behavior on a hike was observed. It was hypothesized that campers would shift towards a more pro–environmental attitude and exhibit lower rates of depreciative behaviors after any combination of activities than the control group of campers, and that a combination of all three methods of engagement would be the most effective approach in reducing depreciative behavior and changing attitudes towards resource protection, by addressing multiple motivations. The most effective combination of activities in changing attitudes was found to be the journal and games (p<0.01), although all combinations of the program activities resulted in attitude scores that were higher than the initial score (p<0.01). There was no significant change in behavior between treatments or between the control group and treatments. Possible causes and other considerations are discussed, including recommendations for future research on the effect of adult behavior modeling, reminders, and factors such as weather, gender, and group size on the depreciative rates of children. The activities will be combined into a PDF packet for distribution to teachers by land managers and environmental educators in the area.

Magister Administrationis - MAdmin / Nursing is a vital part of the health care delivery system, but managers of health care facilities worldwide are increasingly asked to “do more with less”. Nurses are under increasing work pressure and this often manifests in stress and conflict at work and possible absenteeism. Very few researchers have focused on the patterns of absenteeism among different demographics, length of service and occupational strata. The main question this research seeks to answer is: what is the extent and costs of absenteeism amongst nurses and do seniority, length of service and demographic factors matter at Groote Schuur hospital (GSH). Confined to a period of two years, 2012 to 2013, this study draws on a data set of about 1,635 nurses in order to provide a more accurate analysis of sick leave trends showing occupational levels, gender, age, and race. Nurses at GSH are predominantly female and almost 55% of the workforce is classified as “Coloured”. African nurses in general are younger than the Coloured, White and Indian nurses. The research shows that the nurses in age category 60-66 in fact have a better attendance record; but the data shows there is no overall correlation between years of service and absenteeism. The study suggests that contrary to assumed views, absenteeism is well managed at GSH.

Magister Educationis - MEd / Working students registered for a professional degree, who are also employed in public service, have some interesting hurdles to overcome with finding time for studies (from attending classes, and completing assignments to writing exams). Central to this study is using theories of Critical Temporalities around working university students and the time they have for studies, at home or in the workplace. Critical Temporalities is a way of understanding and describing the time, timing and time-related issues and concerns that the students have. Critical Temporalities examines an often over-looked aspect of working students’ experience as they undertake their professional development studies. The overarching theoretical orientation for this thesis is the contradictions of Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) as applied to the professional development and time for studies. There is also an analysis of the temporal dimensions theory from sociology of time in the workplace as it relates to time for professional degree studies. Two major insights result from the research. Firstly, a confirmation that there are multi-faceted levels of personal disadvantage (that is, a mix of social and cultural issues) that affect the time for studies related choices of these selected students. And secondly, the particular kind of feeling or perception of acceleration in the pace of life that these students experience whilst studying is a notable feature of their university based professional development.

This thesis will map the situation of women in the labour market, who are also mothers. The main objective of this thesis is to refute or confirm the hypothesis about the correlation of the financial situation of women, respectively the level of education and efforts to return to work and also the attractiveness of flexi-time jobs. The theoretical part will examine the possibilities for various form of assistance in returning to the labour market and to compare the situation of Czech women on a European scale. In the practical part I will assess the responses from the questionnaire survey and decide on the basis of an analysis of hypotheses. The survey will be conducted in selected regions of the Czech Republic.

The purpose with this essay is to highlight the attending elements in a working environment that is marked by high absenteeism. Our aim is to gain a deeper understanding of the main factors that may have an affect on the attendance in a working environment that is characterized by high levels of sick leave. Therefore, we conducted a qualitative study through interviews on a communal home care center. In order to answer the study questions, we turned to the sociological theories of KASAM, thedemand control model and the process model for help during our investigation. Our results mainly suggest that the feeling of having social support is a contributing factor and also having a high sense of KASAM when it comes to maintain a high level of attendance in a working environment. These factors has been proven to be of great importance in order to handle situations that can easily lead to stress. We also concluded that by being able to maintain a boundary between your work and private life, you have a good chance of recovering properly between shifts. / Syftet med denna uppsats är att lyfta fram frisknärvaronsbeståndsdelar i en arbetsmiljö som präglas av hög sjukfrånvaro. Vi vill få en djupare förståelse för vilka faktorer som kan tänkas påverka frisknärvaron i en arbetsmiljö som präglas av hög sjukfrånvaro och därför genomförde vi en kvalitativ undersökning med hjälp avsemistruktureradeintervjuer videnkommunal hemtjänst. Föratt besvara studiens frågeställningar har vi tagit hjälp av de sociologiska teorierna KASAM, Krav–kontrollmodellen samt processmodellen. Vårt resultat pekar på attkänslan av att ha ett socialt stödoch en hög känsla av sammanhang är tvåbidragande faktorertill att kunna haen hög frisknärvaro i en arbetsmiljö som präglas av en hög sjukfrånvaro. Det har även visat sig vara viktigt attkunna tänja på gränserna i form av att inte stirra sig blind på klockan. Dessa faktorer har visat sig ha en stor betydelse för attkunna hantera situationer som lätt kan leda till stress. Vi har även kommit fram till att genom att kunna upprätthålla en gräns mellan arbetet och privatlivet tenderar man att lättare kunna återhämta sig mellan arbetspassen.

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This dissertation consists of three papers studying the relationship between paid leave policies and work and informal care outcomes among older workers. Paper one investigates whether different types of paid leave provided by employers are associated with the supply of elder care. Paper two examines the role of paid leave in determining labor market outcomes for older workers with a family member who experiences a health decline. Paper three analyzes the case in South Korea -- how leave policies influence labor market outcomes for older workers with a spouse who experiences a health decline.

Thesis deals with the content of both campaigns LEAVE and REMAIN in the British referendum, talks about the main leaders and arguments. Emphasizes the role of political marketing as an important aspect affecting the outcome of the referendum, analyzes the channels through which both sides of the campaign communicated with the voters. Data was recieved from books, as well as internet resources. Based on analysis of these points, the thesis reveals the discourse of the referendum.

The purpose of the study is to investigate whether it is economically profitable to implement a paid period leave for women with severe menstrual pain in Sweden. In order to evaluate the economic effect of such legislation, a cost benefit analysis is conducted where benefits are weighed against costs in monetary terms. This study will only concern employed women in Sweden of childbearing age between 20–54 years who theoretically could experience severe menstrual pain. The data has been taken from Socialstyrelsen, Statistiska centralbyrån, Försäkringskassan, Skatteverket, Statens beredning för medicinsk utvärdering, Tandvårds- och läkemedelsförmånsverket as well as from other relevant studies. In total, the net present value of a three-day paid menstrual leave amounted to approximately SEK 3,84 billion, and the benefit-cost ratio amounted to 1.10. As the benefit-cost ratio is close to one, it becomes difficult to make a recommendation for or against the implementation of a three-day paid period leave for employed women in Sweden.