Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file viewed on (February 27, 2007) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Students’ career decisions can impact the global economy through brain drain and gain. This study investigates factors affecting international students’ preferences regarding where to start their careers. It is an ex ante study, conducted before final career decisions are made, and uses micro-level primary data. Information was collected from international graduate students at Texas A&M University, using a computer-assisted survey. Multinomial probit and logit models were used to analyze the data. Unique to this study is that students could indicate they are not sure where they prefer to start their careers. An inference from the statistical test based on the inverse Mills ratio is that there are no significant differences between two groups, those who are not sure and those with defined preferences. Fifty-one percent of the students surveyed indicated they preferred to begin their careers in the U.S., 22 percent preferred their home countries, and 27 percent were not sure. Of the students who preferred their home country over the U.S., significant influencers are political and career indices, number of years lived in the U.S., enrollment in Engineering and Business, and gender. A change in either the political or career indices to favor the U.S. systems and more years lived in the U.S. both increased the likelihood of students’ preferring to start their careers in the U.S. Both female students and students enrolled in Engineering and Business were more likely to prefer the U.S. For students unsure of their preferences, significant variables are career and civil indices, number of years lived in the U.S., degree level, source of funding, and marital status. Results are consistent with previous studies, but with notable differences. For students who are unsure of their preferences, salary differences between the U.S. and their home countries are not statistically significant. Contrary to earlier literature, regional differences do not have a statistically significant effect on students’ preferences. Consistency between this study of preferences and previous studies on actual decisions indicates students act on their preferences when starting their careers. Hence, this study’s results provide insights for policies to deter brain drain or to enhance brain gain.

Students’ career decisions can impact the global economy through brain drain and gain. This study investigates factors affecting international students’ preferences regarding where to start their careers. It is an ex ante study, conducted before final career decisions are made, and uses micro-level primary data. Information was collected from international graduate students at Texas A&M University, using a computer-assisted survey. Multinomial probit and logit models were used to analyze the data. Unique to this study is that students could indicate they are not sure where they prefer to start their careers. An inference from the statistical test based on the inverse Mills ratio is that there are no significant differences between two groups, those who are not sure and those with defined preferences. Fifty-one percent of the students surveyed indicated they preferred to begin their careers in the U.S., 22 percent preferred their home countries, and 27 percent were not sure. Of the students who preferred their home country over the U.S., significant influencers are political and career indices, number of years lived in the U.S., enrollment in Engineering and Business, and gender. A change in either the political or career indices to favor the U.S. systems and more years lived in the U.S. both increased the likelihood of students’ preferring to start their careers in the U.S. Both female students and students enrolled in Engineering and Business were more likely to prefer the U.S. For students unsure of their preferences, significant variables are career and civil indices, number of years lived in the U.S., degree level, source of funding, and marital status. Results are consistent with previous studies, but with notable differences. For students who are unsure of their preferences, salary differences between the U.S. and their home countries are not statistically significant. Contrary to earlier literature, regional differences do not have a statistically significant effect on students’ preferences. Consistency between this study of preferences and previous studies on actual decisions indicates students act on their preferences when starting their careers. Hence, this study’s results provide insights for policies to deter brain drain or to enhance brain gain.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Open University. BLDSC no. DX225576.

Thesis PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

This research demonstrates that the perceived unity of product form and function has a significant effect on consumers’ product evaluations, where unity refers to the perception that the form and function share common associations, or meanings. Findings from three experiments suggest that beyond the independent effects of product form and function, consumers like unified products more than they like disunified products. This effect is demonstrated in an abstract context as well as in the product contexts of consumer packaged goods and durables. In addition to demonstrating the positive effect of form-function unity on product evaluations, this research shows that this effect is mediated by the perception that unified products make more sense than disunified products. This research further shows that this effect is moderated by consumers’ involvement and product knowledge. While consumers like unified (vs. disunified) products more in general, consumers high in the combination of involvement and product knowledge like disunified products equally due to their perceived greater attribute value. These results are of significance both to academicians and practitioners concerned with understanding consumers’ responses to products. / text

No description available.

The purpose of this research study was to identify menu entree descriptors perceived by consumers to be both appealing and healthy and to describe factors that influence food selection and frequency of eating out at restaurants, including consumers' preference for healthier food selection choices in ethnic restaurants.Four hundred adults completed this survey. Six food descriptors were found to be both "appealing" and "healthy." "Value/cost", "hunger/cravings", and "taste" were found to influence subjects' food selection when eating out. The three factors influencing subjects' frequency of eating out were "value/cost", "hunger/cravings", and "taste." Individuals who ate at ethnic restaurants at least once per week were significantly more likely to want more healthy options and nutrition information available on ethnic restaurant menus. Educational level did not influence frequency of eating out at a sit-down restaurant. Individuals with "some college", however, ate out less frequency at ethnic restaurants than one would expect statistically. / Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

No description available.

Thesis (PhD) -- University of South Australia, 1999