<p> The current research was used to examine Adult Learners, who are between the ages of 25 and 34 and have not earned an associate&rsquo;s or bachelor&rsquo;s degree, but who consider investing in a college education, from a consumer behavior lens. The first purpose for conducting the current research was to understand the relationship between Adult Learners with a chronic prevention regulatory focus and risk propensity in the decision domain of investment in a college education. A chronic prevention motivation is negatively associated with risk-seeking in other decision domains. Based on the current research, the prediction that chronic prevention motivation had an inverse relationship with risk propensity in the investment in a college decision domain was not supported. However, the positive association of promotion motivation with risk-taking in the investment in a college education decision domain was supported. In the psychological risk/return model, where an increase in risk perception decreased risk-taking and an increase in expected benefits increased risk-taking, expected benefits were the most influential predictor variable of risk-taking for the Adult Learner participants involved in Research Study 1. The current research indicated the possibility of the influence of prevention motivation and risk perception with future research using a larger sample population. Additionally, gender difference was a significant variable, with females self-reporting higher risk-taking in the investment of a college education decision domain than males. The second purpose for the current research was to understand the influence of regulatory focus theory and construal level theory when Adult Learners, who have life circumstances that shift them into a loss of security state, evaluated a persuasive message about a specific college brand. The researcher queried how Adult Learners, motivated by situational context, evaluated a specific college brand construed in a persuasive message, so that it resulted in a more favorable evaluation. Research Study 2 was used to examine whether Adult Learners accessing a prevention motivation developed a more positive brand attitude toward a college represented based on a website message that addressed high-level benefits of a college degree and why the benefits of a college degree from the college was desirable or toward a college represented in a website message that addressed low-level features and the feasibility of how the features of that college fit the individual&rsquo;s life circumstances and learning environment needs at the time. Findings from Research Study 2 indicated that the only significant effect of increasing a favorable brand attitude toward a college was construal level. Whether Adult Learners were in an induced prevention/loss state or an induced promotion/gain state, adult learner participants evaluated the university more favorably with the web page for the university construed with low-level features and the feasibility of how the college fit into their life circumstances and learning environment needs more favorably. The findings from Research Study 2 had several possible interpretations, because the research method lacked pretests of the induced gain/loss states and the high-low construal of the web message, as well within survey tests for processing mode and processing-fit-effect. A recommendation for future research was to retest the hypotheses for Research Study 2 incorporating pretests, processing mode, and processing-fit-effects. </p><p>

<p> This study explored perceptions of Public Relations (PR) among graduate higher education publics regarding distance learning as contrasted with face-to-face learning contexts. The research questions assessed student, faculty and administrator perceptions of characteristics of PR: trust, communication, quality, respect and rigor.</p><p> Participants included students and professors who had experienced both online and face-to-face learning, as well as administrators from two private universities. The larger of the two schools was in the Midwest region of the United States, and at the time of this study, was relatively new to online instruction. The smaller school was located in the Southeast region and offered an established online instruction program. Survey responses were collected from 69 students and 108 faculty, staff, and administrators. Out of those surveyed, six students, seven faculty, and six administrators were interviewed. Furthermore, I interviewed three human resources administrators from educational establishments who had experience hiring people with graduate education degrees. In addition, I analyzed student evaluations of courses taught both online and face-to-face at the smaller university. </p><p> Following completion of qualitative coding of interview data, examination of numeric descriptive trends within survey responses, and analysis of course evaluations, the findings revealed overall positive perceptions with strengths identified in online communication, respect, and rigor and weaknesses in trust and quality. Recommended improvements included strengthening academic integrity efforts through the consistent use of anti-plagiarism software and implementation of a rigorous culture of ethical enforcement. There is also a need for proactive provision of professional development for online teaching to provide the most student-efficient distance learning environment. Additionally, results of this study indicated a need for restructure of student evaluations of teaching to ensure assessment of the unique dynamics of online coursework. </p><p> The significance of these findings is two-fold: First, the data can potentially help university administrators effectively connect with internal and external publics and possibly foster collaboration between administration, faculty, and PR staff. Secondly, the insights reported from the analyzed data may be useful in rationalizing institutional beliefs and subsequent needs when writing departmental or institutional strategic improvement plans.</p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2006. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-11, Section: A, page: 4261. Adviser: David M. Gardner. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 132-149) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

To deliver the type of marketing graduate that meets industry demand necessitates that marketing curricula content be continuously updated to keep pace with the dynamic marketing environment. One of the major trends influencing the twenty-first century marketing environment is the advent of the Internet and substantial growth in Internet usage and Internet-based commerce. Not only is the Internet driving major marketing environmental change, it is also emerging as a new marketing tool of significant potential. The widespread implications of the Internet to marketing is making it increasingly necessary for general marketing practitioners, even those not actively engaged in Internet-based commerce, to be equipped with an understanding of Internet marketing principles. For marketing education to remain relevant in the twenty-first century, it is essential that Internet marketing content elements be included in undergraduate generic marketing curricula. The first step in this process, and the one addressed by this study, is to identify and reach consensus on which Internet marketing content elements are relevant to generic undergraduate marketing students. The primary purpose of -this study w a s t a develop an empirically derived inventory o f Internet marketing content elements relevant for inclusion in generic undergraduate marketing programs, based upon both marketing academic and marketing practitioner perspectives. Five focal questions were asked and answered by the study. Which Internet-driven marketing environmental changes do marketing academics consider relevant to generic undergraduate marketing students? Which principles guiding the use of Internet as a marketing tool do marketing academics consider relevant to generic undergraduate marketing students? What do marketing academics consider to be the most suitable approach to implementing Internet marketing principles within higher education undergraduate business programs? What do marketing academics consider to be the relevant Internet marketing learning outcomes for generic marketing students at undergraduate level? Do marketing practitioners hold the same opinion as marketing academics regarding research questions one, two, three and four? For the purpose of this study, research was undertaken amongst two groups of respondents. Firstly, a census of the marketing faculties/departments of each of South Africa's public higher education institutions was taken at the end of 2004. Secondly, a non-probability, judgment sample of marketing practitioners, employed in those companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), that engage in marketing activities and which are operational in the South African market was taken at the start of 2005. The questionnaire requested respondents in both samples to indicate the relevance of five identified Internet-driven marketing environmental changes and twenty-four identified principles guiding the use of the Internet as a marketing tool to generic undergraduate marketing students. Further, both samples were requested to select the approach they judged to be the most suitable in implementing Internet marketing principles within undergraduate business programmes. Respondents in both samples were also requested to indicate which Internet marketing learning outcomes they believed. To be relevant generic undergraduate marketing student addition to both samples were asked to provide certain demographical data. The findings indicate that both the Internet-driven marketing environmental change's construct and the principles guiding the use of the Internet as a marketing tool construct to be relevant to generic undergraduate marketing students. The findings further suggest that Internet marketing content elements should be integrated into existing marketing subject offerings. Regarding the learning outcomes, the findings indicate descriptive Internet marketing principles to be the overriding learning outcome. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Business Management))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2005.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Business Management))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2005.

<p> American Heart Association officials and other expert cardiologists recommend omega-3 (n-3) dietary supplementation for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, a prevalent health problem in the United States. Physicians' lack of understanding of possible n-3 preventive health benefits results in underprescribing n-3 dietary supplements and lower n-3 dietary supplement product sales. N-3 dietary supplement marketers do not understand physician n-3 prescribing decision criteria enough to optimize high-impact communication to physicians to increase n-3 dietary supplement product use. The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to improve n-3 marketers' understanding of how physicians reach decisions to prescribe or recommend products including n-3 dietary supplements. Argyris' ladder of inference theory provided the study framework to facilitate understanding physicians' decision criteria. Rich data collected and analyzed from 20 primary care physician interviews in Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee revealed physicians use similar decision criteria for drugs and n-3s. Three essential influencers of physician decisions included clinical evidence, personal experience, and cost. Other influencers were opinions of peers, pharmaceutical representatives, samples, direct-to-consumer advertising, and knowledge of dietary supplements. Study outcomes may inform pharmaceutical marketers regarding presentation of clinical evidence, cost emphasis, and pharmaceutical representative skills and may facilitate competitive advantage for n-3 marketers. The social benefit of this study is improved physician understanding of n-3s may result in more accurate and appropriate prescribing to augment positive health outcomes. </p>

<p> The problem addressed in this study is that the recency of the social media phenomena created a research gap in terms of understanding how companies exploit various social media platforms for marketing purposes and measure the effectiveness of their social media marketing campaigns. Thus, there is a need for increased understanding of the effectiveness of social media marketing techniques. <i>Social media marketing</i> is defined as the blending of sociology and technology as a means to change marketing efforts from a monologue to a dialogue. The purpose of this study was to determine, based on research participants' perceptions, the reasons that select organizations use social media marketing, the different social media marketing strategies that companies utilized, and the perceived effect of social media marketing on revenue generation. In particular, the research questions concerned whether social media marketing had its own specific social metrics, and the study investigated the evolution of social media marketing and the benefits that social media brings to traditional marketing approaches. The overall research design employed semi-structured, in-depth, individual interviews with seven executives in regard to their use of social media marketing and its role as part of an integrated marketing approach. Commonalities in the interview data were color coded and analyzed, and field notes, verbatim transcriptions, and member checks were used to triangulate the data. The results of the study generated three specific categories: engagement with customers, the essence of social media presence, and communication by choice. Knowledge in each of these categories provides companies with a deeper understanding of the social consumer and enhances the value of social media marketing in terms of competitiveness. Specifically, based on such knowledge, companies have a greater ability to target qualified leads as well as to improve the conversion rate of those leads. Finally, they have a means to determine how their social media marketing efforts contributed to the overall revenue generated. </p>

<p> Over two million military personnel will leave the service over the next decade (Cook &amp; Kim; 2009). The majority of these veterans will receive the most generous GI Bill since its inception (United States Department of Veterans Affairs [VA], 2011). Institutions will covet these students to offset discounting (Barr &amp; McClellan, 2011; Basch, 1997; Curs &amp; Singell, 2010; Parrott, 2008; United States Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee [HELP], 2012). To recruit and retain these students, military veterans must view these institutions as friendly (Bean &amp; Metzner, 1985; Radford, 2011; Vacchi, 2012). </p><p> Previous studies focused on transition and access to veteran services (Ackerman, DiRamio, &amp; Garza-Mitchell, 2009; Cook &amp; Kim; 2009; Diamond, 2012; DiRamio, Ackerman, &amp; Mitchell, 2008; Griffin &amp; Gilbert, 2012; McBain, Kim, Cook, &amp; Snead, 2012; Rumann &amp; Hamrick, 2010). They identified factors that contribute to military friendliness along dimensions of cost, culture, collaboration, convenience, caring, and characteristics; however, they did not correlate these variables with veteran perceptions of friendliness (Ackerman et al., 2009; Diamond, 2012; DiRamio et al., 2008; Rumann &amp; Hamrick, 2010). These studies were qualitative and used small samples (Ackerman et al., 2009; Diamond, 2012; DiRamio, et al., 2008; Rumann &amp; Hamrick, 2010). This study determined how military veterans ranked these variables, compared how they differed by demographics, and determined to what extent these factors explained impressions of military friendliness at their institutions. </p><p> This quantitative correlational study surveyed veteran populations (N=188) at five institutions in the New England. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to run descriptive and inferential statistics to rank military friendliness factors and compare these rankings along various demographics. Findings revealed significant differences in student perceptions based on gender, marital status, children, age, combat experience, military status, educational assistance eligibility, academic status, institution type, and college residency. Findings also determined to what extent and in what manner these factors explained respondents' perceptions of military friendliness at their own institutions. The results of this study may inform higher educational leaders how to prioritize initiatives and to provide better support to military veteran students.</p>

To deliver the type of marketing graduate that meets industry demand necessitates that marketing curricula content be continuously updated to keep pace with the dynamic marketing environment. One of the major trends influencing the twenty-first century marketing environment is the advent of the Internet and substantial growth in Internet usage and Internet-based commerce. Not only is the Internet driving major marketing environmental change, it is also emerging as a new marketing tool of significant potential. The widespread implications of the Internet to marketing is making it increasingly necessary for general marketing practitioners, even those not actively engaged in Internet-based commerce, to be equipped with an understanding of Internet marketing principles. For marketing education to remain relevant in the twenty-first century, it is essential that Internet marketing content elements be included in undergraduate generic marketing curricula. The first step in this process, and the one addressed by this study, is to identify and reach consensus on which Internet marketing content elements are relevant to generic undergraduate marketing students. The primary purpose of -this study w a s t a develop an empirically derived inventory o f Internet marketing content elements relevant for inclusion in generic undergraduate marketing programs, based upon both marketing academic and marketing practitioner perspectives. Five focal questions were asked and answered by the study. Which Internet-driven marketing environmental changes do marketing academics consider relevant to generic undergraduate marketing students? Which principles guiding the use of Internet as a marketing tool do marketing academics consider relevant to generic undergraduate marketing students? What do marketing academics consider to be the most suitable approach to implementing Internet marketing principles within higher education undergraduate business programs? What do marketing academics consider to be the relevant Internet marketing learning outcomes for generic marketing students at undergraduate level? Do marketing practitioners hold the same opinion as marketing academics regarding research questions one, two, three and four? For the purpose of this study, research was undertaken amongst two groups of respondents. Firstly, a census of the marketing faculties/departments of each of South Africa's public higher education institutions was taken at the end of 2004. Secondly, a non-probability, judgment sample of marketing practitioners, employed in those companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), that engage in marketing activities and which are operational in the South African market was taken at the start of 2005. The questionnaire requested respondents in both samples to indicate the relevance of five identified Internet-driven marketing environmental changes and twenty-four identified principles guiding the use of the Internet as a marketing tool to generic undergraduate marketing students. Further, both samples were requested to select the approach they judged to be the most suitable in implementing Internet marketing principles within undergraduate business programmes. Respondents in both samples were also requested to indicate which Internet marketing learning outcomes they believed. To be relevant generic undergraduate marketing student addition to both samples were asked to provide certain demographical data. The findings indicate that both the Internet-driven marketing environmental change's construct and the principles guiding the use of the Internet as a marketing tool construct to be relevant to generic undergraduate marketing students. The findings further suggest that Internet marketing content elements should be integrated into existing marketing subject offerings. Regarding the learning outcomes, the findings indicate descriptive Internet marketing principles to be the overriding learning outcome. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Business Management))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2005.

In my thesis I deal with the topic relating to prenatal preparation of women and men in the Thomayer Hospital in Prague. The thesis is divided into theoretical and empirical part. In the theoretical part I deal with education in the prenatal preparation. Importance of education as such is characterized there, thus education not only in the prenatal preparation but also in other branches of medicine. It is one of basic elements to improve quality of health care in the Czech Republic. This part of the thesis also provides possibilities of prenatal preparation in the Czech Republic. It describes several topics of the classes of the "psychoprophylactic preparation". Change management is another topic of my thesis since it is just the change that results in quality improvement. Quality improvement was endeavored for also at innovation of the prenatal preparation in the Thomayer Hospital. Last chapter of the theoretical part is marketing in health care. This chapter describes several definitions, under individual authors. This part deals among others also with marketing of health services and medical supplies, marketing mix and marketing communication. Empirical part provides results of survey via questionnaires, thus results of quantitative research. These will serve for evaluation of satisfaction of...