Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 110-113).

Little previous research has been conducted concerning consumer shopping behaviors when dealing with stores that have both physical and online outlets where products can be browsed or bought, also known as "click and brick" retailers. This exploratory study seeks to determine if distinct "click and brick" consumer typologies can be formed according to consumers' preferred method of shopping. This study also examines the relationships between consumer's needs for convenience, product tangibility, social interaction and levels of trust and their preferred method of "click and brick" shopping. While significant differences were found between shopping preferences, results indicated that consumer preference significantly differs depending on the store or product type implying that an overall "click and brick" consumer typology cannot be formed. Also, results indicate that the two shopping preferences that significantly differ the most depending on motivations are still "browse and buy in store" and "browse and buy online," indicating that consumers do not heavily utilize multichannel shopping methods for purchases. / text

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Besides the traditional face-to-face learning medium, online media are now available for students in various learning environments. The delivery of coursework through online media is on the increase in colleges and universities. However, research on the use of online learning media in beginning collegiate level foundational mathematics courses for non-mathematics and non-science majors is limited. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate, within a foundational mathematics course, connections between media used for instruction in hybrid and online enhanced face-to-face learning environments and students’ media preferences. The online Web Course Tools (WebCT) Vista template used in this study was designed by the researcher and her colleague as a part of the hybrid fellowship project for a two-year college. Applying transactional distance theory and engagement theory, designers carefully analyzed each concept and determined which concepts would be delivered most effectively in each learning medium. This study was quantitative in nature. During Fall 2005, thirty-eight students in the Introduction to Mathematical Modeling course at a community college in the southeast participated in the final study. Students in the hybrid sections comprised the treatment group while students in the online face-to-face section comprised the control group. Throughout the semester, all students were asked to respond to questions on the following instruments: Assignment Feedback, Quiz Feedback, Test Feedback, and Project Feedback. Chi-Square analysis showed that significant differences were found in the majority of items on the Test Feedback instrument related to the linear and quadratic modules. In general, the treatment group preferred online learning at least half of the time and believed online resources provide the basic resources for learning the subject matter. Students’ written responses from the treatment group indicated that both online learner-content interactions, and in-class learner-instructor interactions supplemented the learning of mathematics. The control group preferred predominantly face-to-face learning and believed that learning primarily took place in a physical setting. The findings showed that the proportion of students who completed the course using the hybrid and face-to-face learning environments was not significantly different. Therefore, the data showed the success rate for both learning environments was about the same.

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No description available.

<p>Sport participation can play a vital role in enhancing life of youth with physical disabilities. This is because of the rehabilitative influence sport can have not only on the physical body but also on rehabilitating people with disability into society. A successful sport programme in which the youth with disabilities are involved should possibly respect youth‟s wishes regarding the preference of the sport. The Review of the literature revealed that little has been documented about the status of disability sport in developing countries. Given the psychosocial and physiological benefits of sport in everyone‟s life, including those with physical disabilities, there is a need for a study to document the status of sport of this sub-population in Rwanda. This study, therefore, aimed to identify the factors associated with sport preferences among youth with physical disabilities in Rwanda. A sequential mixed model design was used to collect data, specifically the sequential explanatory strategy. Data was collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire and a total number of 204 participants voluntarily answered the questionnaire. Semi-structured interviews were conducted among four (4) NPC staff to collect data regarding the challenges experienced by youth with physical disabilities with regard to sport preferences. The Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19 was used for data capturing and data analysis. Descriptive statistics were employed to summarize demographic information as means, standard deviation, frequencies and percentages. Inferential statistics (chi-square and independent samples t-tests) were used to test the associations between different categorical variables (p&lt / 0.05). For the qualitative data, audiotaped interviews were transcribed and translated from Kinyarwanda into English, and the expressed ideas were coded and reduced into subthemes and categories. Thematic analysis was then done under the generated sub-themes. Permission to conduct this study was obtained from the concerned authorities. Ethical issues pertaining to informed consent, anonymity, confidentiality and the right to withdraw from the study were respected in this current study. The results of the current study revealed that the top five sports played by youth with physical disabilities were sit ball, sitting volleyball, volleyball, table tennis and wheelchair basketball. It also showed that youth with physical disabilities were committed to and enjoyed their sport experience. Additionally, they have had strong feelings about their physical abilities. Discouragingly, the results indicated that the youth with physical disabilities have had low perception that their parents were supportive of their participation in sport. The findings further showed that age, gender, use or non-use of mobility aids, and type of impairment influenced the choice of sport. However, there was no statistically significant association between demographic characteristics and some sports codes played in Rwanda. During the semi-structured interviews, the participants reported the challenges experienced by youth with physical disabilities with regard to sport preferences including physical factors (lack of accessible facilities, uneven playgrounds, transport to and from sport fields, resources and limited sporting codes available), social factors (lack of parental support and models) and financial factors (inhibit the implementation of many sport codes, high cost of adaptive equipment) which influence the youth with physical disabilities to choose a sport with sufficient facilities even if they do not like it. Factors that emerged as facilitators for sport preferences include: sport availability, perceived ability to handle a sport, friendship, facilities, improved individual competences, independence in mobility gained, and to take part in international tournaments. Based on the results of this study, and the role of sport in preventing many chronic diseases, it is apparent that there is a need to widen the spectrum of sport opportunities and to create awareness among youth with physical disabilities. Furthermore, there is a need to provide social and a local barrier-free inclusion of various stakeholders in recommending and designing sport programmes for the youth with disabilities.</p>

The South African Building Industry or sector is a difficult one in which to operate. At the lower value competition is fierce and at the top value, whilst competition is fierce, so to is the capital and resource requirements to run such a project. To be successful in this market requires that management understand each aspect of the business and has at its disposal the important key success factors such as management, capital and reputation. There is, however, ample opportunity available to the company that is able to deliver to the consumer a value added product that not only includes the building itself, but all the services that accompany the process. The focus of this study is to identify the important influencing factors on a consumer's choice of a building company in the residential alterations and renovations market. Once identified, the object is to use that information to develop a strategic plan that could help provide direction and help gain competitive advantage. The formulation of the strategic plan forms part of this study but is not meant to be so comprehensive as to be a study in strategy. Various important strategic tasks are identified and are used to provide a framework around which to work but the important information and the reason for the study is to identify that which is important to the consumer and to then use that information to build core competencies. To succeed against the competition, SGC will need to develop and train staff, expand quality control mechanisms, ensure tidiness of site and staff, and focus upon being professional. If all of these factors are focused upon and introduced into SGC's product offering, competitive advantage will be gained and profitability improved. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

The main driving force behind the increasing interest in delivering service quality, is the need to keep customers satisfied and loyal. Companies are realizing that it's far more profitable to service existing customers than it is to develop new ones. As a result, they are doing all they can to strengthen and foster customer relationships. This, in turn, has led to the need for more innovative service quality strategies. Knowledge of one's customers is an important factor. The more information a company has, the more targeted their marketing can be and the better able they are to serve their customers' needs. This research dissertation is aimed at identifying the strategies that contribute to delivering quality service that leads to customer satisfaction and eventually client retention. It evaluates the benefits of the human, work process and technological dimensions and determines what actions are required by The Company to improve the levels of customer service. Based on the analysis, the gap between the current service expectation of The Company and service delivery by The Company urgently needs to be reviewed in light of customer satisfaction and customer retention. The guiding principle at most companies today is to develop systems to economically produce goods or services that satisfy customer requirements. To carry this out effectively requires a companywide quality improvement program. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.