Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Multimethod study'

Introduction 3D Image Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT) using cone beam computer tomography has been implemented into the UK over the last decade. There is evidence to suggest that the training of therapeutic radiographers and the development of departmental processes may not have kept pace with the implementation. A literature review highlighted a paucity of evidence relating to how therapeutic radiographers make clinical decisions during image interpretation in the IGRT processes. Purpose The study aimed to investigate the types of decision-making processes used by therapeutic radiographers during image interpretation in IGRT. In addition, the study aimed to investigate the factors that impact on the decision-making processes of therapeutic radiographers during IGRT. Method A multimethod research design was adopted that utilised a think-aloud observational method with follow-up interviews. Thirteen participants were observed and interviewed across three United Kingdom (UK) radiotherapy centres. Participants were observed reviewing and making clinical decisions in a simulated environment using clinical scenarios developed in partnership with each centre's Clinical Imaging Lead. Protocol analysis was used to analyse the observational data. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview data. Member checking was carried out using an online presentation and questionnaire, along with periodic peer debriefing by the supervisory team. Findings from the observations and semi-structured interviews were then combined using a triangulation protocol. Results Therapeutic radiographers were observed using one of three decision-making processes. These assume the titles simple linear process, linear repeating process and intuitive process. Participants were found to prioritise the target volume to be treated over the organs at risk. There were notably mixed opinions on the impact of overall therapeutic radiographer experience on decision-making. The findings of the study align with general principles of expert performance, which claims that expertise is only improved by seeking out particular kinds of experience and carrying out deliberate practice in this specific task or specific area of practice. A descriptive module was developed to demonstrate the factors that impact on decision-making. The centre structure, training and the wider involvement of the multidisciplinary team were all found to be key factors that impacted on the decision-making process during IGRT. Staffing levels and communication patterns between the multidisciplinary team were found to be highly variable across the three centres. Greater communication and involvement of the multidisciplinary team was found to improve therapeutic radiographers' confidence in making clinical decisions. Issues in relation to pre-registration training were highlighted, with a consensus that recent graduates do not always demonstrate the skills and experience required to make clinical decisions. A lack of education in relation to clinical decision-making was highlighted at both pre-registration and post-qualification levels. A conceptual model to improve clinical decision-making in image interpretation during IGRT was developed and is presented in the thesis. Conclusion This research has provided new and original insight into the decision-making processes of therapeutic radiographers. It has demonstrated that therapeutic radiographers utilise complex processes during image interpretation in IGRT. It has shown that numerous factors affect the decisions that therapeutic radiographers routinely make, and that with improvements in education and radiotherapy centre infrastructure, therapeutic radiographers can be better placed to make safer, more effective decisions during the IGRT process.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Case Western Reserve University, 2009
Department of Information Systems Weatherhead School of Management Includes abstract Includes bibliographical references Available online via the OhioLINK ETD Center

A multi-method study was conducted to investigate the relationships between a woman’s menstrual-cycle and her moods. Twenty eight participants were recruited using convenience sampling. Each participant provided data for two full menstrual cycles by taking part in a pre and post-study in-depth interview; answering a structured daily self-report diary utilising a Likert scale and completing three established research instruments – the Brunel Scale of Moods, the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire and the Born-Steiner Irritability Questionnaire, weekly. Interviews were conducted in person and quantitative data were collected electronically via e-mail. The mixed-methods methodology resulted in quantitative data that were analysed using STATA statistical software and the ecological multivariate data analysis software package known as PRIMER. Results from the statistical software were represented graphically and indicated that there is a relationship between menstrual cycle days and moods, with individual women’s correlations differing from each other to some extent. The data confirmed that there are groups of women who follow a very similar mood pattern and that educational level, vocation, exercise and participation in volunteer work or hobbies defines these groups to some degree. The qualitative data supported these findings and indicated the impact of menstrual cycle related moods on women’s daily functioning. The study concludes that menstrual cycle related moods play a role in overall life satisfaction and that psycho education and awareness can improve overall quality of life.

Thesis (Ph. D.) -- University of Maryland, College Park, 2003.
Thesis research directed by: Human Development. Title from t.p. of PDF. Includes bibliographical references. Published by UMI Dissertation Services, Ann Arbor, Mich. Also available in paper.

AIMS: To explore the potential presence and the experience of EDs in female IBS patients, and to examine GI nurses’ perception and knowledge of each condition. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional multimethod design integrating two phases was selected. The first and quantitative part of the study encompassed the completion of two EDs screening tools and a battery of questionnaires by 134 patients, seeking to evaluate participants’ symptoms, HRQoL, and general well being. From this population, 25 interviews were conducted in order to explore the participants’ experiences and their views on GI symptoms. 91 GI nurses completed a questionnaire on attitudes and perceptions towards IBS and EDs patients. RESULTS: Screening tools proved helpful in the GI setting to identify potential EDs among female patients with IBS. SCOFF tool highlighted a 24.6 % of the study population as potential cases, appearing as the tool of choice. Quantitative analysis highlighted statistically significant (p<0.01) impairment of HRQoL for the study participants, this impact was particularly noted in those individuals identified as potential EDs cases. Emerging themes from the qualitative data underlined the complexity of the individual patient’s journey, and the variety of strategies adopted to comprehend and manage their condition. Suffering, social isolation, unmet support needs and lack of control appeared inherent to the condition. Results suggested that diet and modifying eating habits can be used as a management strategy to control IBS symptoms. The need for nurses’ further education and training regarding IBS and EDs was highlighted by the study findings. CONCLUSIONS: This study gives strong support to the suggestion of IBS and EDs comorbidity, through the specific incidence is yet to be determined.

Background: Several crises have passed and today, the world is witnessing the pandemic Covid-19. As a consequence, society is affected at large where new insights and attitudes are born. Existing literature suggests that a crisis may be a crucial determinant in shaping one’s attitudes and actions, and therefore marketing needs to adapt to these new attitudes and expectations. Involving consumers' perception of this issue, together with companies’ views within the industry, lies the foundation for this research to investigate any changing consumer attitudes towards the airline industry during Covid-19. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how consumer attitudes have changed within the airline industry in Sweden due to the Covid-19 pandemic, applying both consumers’ and companies’ perspectives to provide managerial implications for marketers. Method: With an interpretive nature, the study is qualitative added by quantitative measures, hence stated as multi-method. Primary data is collected through an analytical survey and four semi-structured interviews.  Findings: Investigating attitudes from economic, social and environmental perspectives, the study concludes that consumer attitudes have changed in several perspectives while some attitudes stay consistent with pre-crisis attitudes, hence not directly affected by the crisis. The empirical findings are coherent with the conceptual framework, explaining the complexity of the tourism airline industry and how new attitudes that arise from the Covid-19 pandemic is a predictor of future behavior during the crisis, which may be useful for future crises to come.

The Italian context, in line with what is happening in many other European countries, is increasingly becoming a multicultural reality. Due to the growing number of immigrants worldwide, migrant youth are at present an integral part of our society. To ensure the successful integration and full realization of the immigrants’ potential, as well as to prevent behavioral risk and educational inequalities, it is fundamental that receiving societies invest in the well-being of immigrant youth. Early adolescence represents a critical developmental period involving changes and challenges not only at the physical level, but also in the emotional, social and psychological domains. Such developmental processes are even more complicated for immigrant youth, who additionally need to face the challenges linked to having their “feet in two worlds”. Hence, one might think that immigrant preadolescents might generally be at higher risk of socio-emotional difficulties. However, this is not always the case, and mounting evidence suggests that immigrant youngsters manage to move adaptively across their worlds, coping without undue stress with these important developmental issues. Thus, the latest evidence invites researchers to overcome the deficit perspective which dominated past research on immigration in favor of a more positive oriented one, able to shed light on the resources that immigrant minors need as to adjust well to their societies. Indeed, immigrant youths’ adaptation seems to vary according to the unique interaction of different cultural, social and personal aspects. Which variables could represent risk or protective factors for early adolescent immigrants’ socio-emotional adjustment? This question is the cradle of my doctoral thesis. Providing answers to this question would lay the ground for the development of valid interventions in cross-cultural contexts, needed now more than ever to promote the integration and well-being of immigrant populations. Such an objective necessarily requires an integrative and multidisciplinary framework, taking into consideration the complexity that arises from different levels and developmental contexts in which immigrants’ adaptation is embedded: the cultural (e.g., ethnicity, receiving society), social (e.g., family, community), and individual levels (e.g., memory, impulsivity). In our studies, we focus on Moroccan, Romanian and Chinese immigrant families as they form the largest ethnic communities in Italy, a country where immigration is a still recent, but nonetheless growing phenomenon. In Study 1, we assessed whether executive functions (EFs) moderated the association between self-construal and social adjustment among Moroccan, Romanian, and Italian early adolescents. Our results showed that the positive effect of having an interdependent orientation on social competence emerged to be stronger for Moroccan and Romanian immigrants with high levels of cognitive flexibility, as well as for Moroccan immigrants counting on high levels of inhibitory control. Last, working memory was associated with higher social competence, regardless of cultural influences. In Study 2, we sought to examine whether the discrimination-problem behavior link was moderated by youths’ acculturation orientations and impulse control among Moroccan and Romanian early adolescent immigrants. The findings indicated that the negative effect of discrimination on behavioral adjustment was stronger for immigrants who endorsed separation as acculturation strategy, but only at low levels of impulse control. In contrast, in face of discriminatory experiences, a good impulse control represented a risk for behavioral problems among assimilated immigrants. In addition, discrimination had a detrimental effect on behavioral adjustment especially for Romanian immigrants when they could not count on good levels of impulse control. In Study 3, we aimed to investigate whether EFs moderated the association between parental practices and emotional-behavioral problems among Chinese immigrant and Italian non-immigrant early adolescents. Our results indicated that a scarce level of inhibitory control represented a risk factor in situations of inadequate parental supervision for both groups. In contrast, a better cognitive flexibility put Chinese immigrant early adolescents at more risk of emotional-behavioral problems when left unsupervised. Last, working memory was associated with better emotional-behavioral adjustment, regardless of cultural and family influences. Our work highlights the complex processes involved in immigrant youth’s adaptation, which results from an intricate reality made of cultural influences, developmental contexts and personal characteristics. Overall, the findings highlight both commonalities and specificities in patterns of associations among personal, family/social, and cultural variables across groups. The acknowledgment of the complexity of such results paves the way to some potential guidelines for clinical implications and future research. Cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, and working memory may represent important assets for preadolescent immigrants’ positive adaptation. However, each of these individual abilities can assume different meanings and functions according to ethnic and personal differences which are unique to each single adolescent. Our hope is for future researchers and professionals to explore subjective meanings attributed to personal experiences, taking into account the individual and cultural specificities of each young immigrant. This is how we can build bridges between different developmental and cultural contexts, as to facilitate adjustment processes in immigration and multicultural contexts.
Il contesto italiano, in linea con la situazione di molti altri stati europei, si delinea sempre più come una realtà multiculturale. L’aumento del numero di persone immigrate a livello internazionale ha fatto sì che una parte sempre più cospicua della nostra società sia rappresentata da minori stranieri. Per garantire l’integrazione e la piena realizzazione del potenziale degli immigrati, e per prevenire il rischio di disuguaglianze educative e psicologiche, è fondamentale che le società riceventi investano nella promozione del benessere dei ragazzi immigrati. La preadolescenza è un periodo critico per lo sviluppo, ricco di cambiamenti e di sfide evolutive non solo a livello fisico, ma anche sul piano emotivo, sociale, nonché psicologico. Questi processi evolutivi sono ancora più complicati per i minori immigrati, che si ritrovano in più a dover affrontare anche le sfide legate all’“essere a cavallo tra due mondi”. Verrebbe quindi da pensare che i ragazzi immigrati siano tendenzialmente a maggior rischio di problemi socio-emotivi. Tuttavia non è sempre così e un numero crescente di studi dimostra come questi ragazzi riescano a viaggiare tra un mondo e l’altro in modo adattivo, affrontando senza particolari conseguenze negative questi importanti compiti evolutivi. Così, ricerche recenti invitano a superare la prospettiva deficitaria che ha regnato a lungo nello scenario della ricerca sull’immigrazione, per fare posto a una visione più positiva, che illumini le risorse che questi minori sviluppano per riuscire a vivere bene nella loro società. Infatti, l’adattamento degli immigrati sembra variare a seconda di come diversi aspetti culturali, sociali e personali interagiscono tra loro. Quali sono le variabili che possono rappresentare dei fattori di rischio o di protezione per l’adattamento socio-emotivo dei preadolescenti immigrati? Questa è la domanda al centro di questa tesi di dottorato. Una risposta anche parziale a questa domanda potrebbe gettare le basi per lo sviluppo di interventi validi in contesti multiculturali, necessari ora più che mai per promuovere l’integrazione e il benessere delle popolazioni immigrate. Un obiettivo del genere richiede necessariamente una cornice teorica multidisciplinare e integrativa, che riesca a tenere conto della complessità dei diversi livelli e contesti di sviluppo in cui si colloca l’adattamento dei giovani immigrati: il livello culturale (ad es., etnia, società ospite), sociale (ad es., famiglia, comunità) ed individuale (ad es., memoria, impulsività). Nei nostri studi, ci concentriamo sulle famiglie immigrate marocchine, romene e cinesi, che rappresentano le più numerose comunità immigrate in Italia, un paese in cui l’immigrazione è un fenomeno recente, ma in forte crescita. Nel primo studio abbiamo indagato come le funzioni esecutive (FE) moderassero la relazione tra concetto di sé e adattamento sociale in un campione di preadolescenti marocchini, romeni e italiani. I nostri risultati hanno evidenziato che l’effetto positivo dell’aver un orientamento interdipendente sul livello di competenza sociale è più forte per i ragazzi marocchini e romeni con un alto livello di flessibilità cognitiva, così come per i ragazzi marocchini che possono contare su alti livelli di controllo inibitorio. Infine, la memoria di lavoro è risultata associata ad una migliore competenza sociale indipendentemente dalle influenze ethniche e culturali. Nel secondo studio abbiamo cercato di capire se l’associazione tra discriminazione e comportamenti problematici fosse moderata dalle strategie di acculturazione e dal livello di controllo degli impulsi in ragazzi marocchini e romeni immigrati. Abbiamo trovato che l’effetto negativo della discriminazione percepita sull’adattamento psicologico sembra essere particolarmente forte per i ragazzi immigrati che scelgono la separazione come strategia di acculturazione, ma solo quando non possono contare su un buon livello di controllo degli impulsi. Al contrario, di fronte ad episodi discriminatori, un buon controllo degli impulsi può rappresentare un rischio di maggiori problematiche comportamentali per i ragazzi assimilati. Inoltre, la discriminazione è risultata avere un effetto dannoso per l’adattamento specialmente per quei ragazzi romeni che non possono contare su buoni livelli di controllo degli impulsi. Nel terzo studio eravamo invece interessati ad investigare se le FE moderassero l’associazione tra le pratiche genitoriali e i problemi emotivo-comportamentali in preadolescenti cinesi e italiani. I nostri risultati hanno indicato che un livello scarso di controllo inibitorio rappresenta un fattore di rischio in situazioni di inadeguata supervisione genitoriale in entrambi i gruppi. Invece, livelli più alti di flessibilità cognitiva rendono i ragazzi cinesi immigrati più vulnerabili a problematiche emotivo-comportamentali quando lasciati senza supervisione. Infine, la memoria di lavoro è risultata associata ad un migliore adattamento indipendentemente dalle influenze culturali e familiari. Il nostro lavoro mette in luce la complessità dei processi coinvolti nell’adattamento dei ragazzi immigrati, frutto di un’intricata realtà fatta di influenze culturali, contesti di sviluppo e caratteristiche personali. In generale, i nostri risultati evidenziano sia somiglianze sia specificità nei pattern di associazioni tra variabili personali, familiari/sociali e culturali nei nostri gruppi. Il riconoscimento della complessità di questi risultati ci permette di suggerire alcune implicazioni cliniche e di ricerca per il futuro. Sembra che la flessibilità cognitiva, il controllo inibitorio e la memoria di lavoro possano essere delle importanti risorse per i preadolescenti immigrati, ma sembra anche che ognuna di queste capacità possa assumere significati e ruoli diversi a seconda del background etnico e personale di ciascun ragazzo. L’invito è quindi ad esplorare i significati soggettivi attribuiti all’esperienza, tenendo conto delle specificità individuali e culturali di ciascun ragazzo immigrato. Solo così sarà possibile promuovere iniziative che sostengano la costruzione di ponti tra i vari contesti culturali e di sviluppo per agevolare i processi di adattamento nei contesti di immigrazione.

Incorporating data and analytics within marketing decision-making is today crucial for a company’s success. This holds true especially for SaaS-businesses due to having a subscription-based pricing model dependent on good service retention for long- term viability and profitability. Efficiently incorporating data and analytics does have its prerequisites but can for SaaS-businesses be achieved using the analytical framework of cohort analysis, which utilizes subscription data to obtain actionable insights on customer behavior and retention patterns. Consequently, to expand upon the understanding of how SaaS-businesses can utilize data-driven methodologies to improve their operations, this study has examined how SaaS-businesses can utilize cohort analysis to improve marketing decision-making and what the prerequisites are for efficiently doing so. Thus, by utilizing a multimethodology approach consisting of action research and a single caste study on the fast-growing SaaS-company GetAccept, the study has concluded that the incorporation and utilization of cohort analysis can improve marketing decision-making for SaaS-businesses. This conclusion is drawn by having identified that: The incorporation of cohort analysis can streamline the marketing decision-making process; and The incorporation of cohort analysis can enable decision-makers to obtain a better foundation of information to base marketing decisions upon, thus leading to an improved expected outcome of the decisions. Furthermore, to enable efficient data-driven marketing decision-making and effectively utilize methods such as cohort analysis, the study has concluded that SaaS- businesses need to fulfill three prerequisites, which have been identified to be: Management that support and advocate for data and analytics; A company culture built upon information sharing and evidence-based decision-making; and A large enough customer base to allow for determining similarities within and differences between customer segments as significant. However, the last prerequisite applies specifically for methods such as or similar to cohort analysis. Thus, by utilizing other methods, SaaS-businesses might still be able to efficiently utilize data-driven marketing decision-making, as long as the first two prerequisites are fulfilled.

The aim of this research programme was to examine the 3P model of learning (Biggs, 1987a, 1999). The first stage necessarily involved an examination of the Study Process Questionnaire (SPQ) (Biggs, 1987a), an instrument developed to measure the process component of the model. The structure of the SPQ was examined utilising exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of undergraduate responses (n= 260). The results indicated the higher-order factor structure of deep-achieving and surface-achieving-motive provided the most reliability and a better model fit than either the subscales or scales of the SPQ. The construct validity of the two constructs deep and surface was assessed next using a multitrait-multimethod matrix (MTMM) constructed from the three measures of the self-report questionnaire, interview ratings and written assessments from first-year students (n = 50). The results indicated good convergent validity between the deep scale of the SPQ and the interview ratings on the deep scale, between the deep scale on the SPQ and the written assessment ratings, and between the interview ratings and written assessment ratings. The results indicated good convergent validity between the surface scale on the SPQ and the interview ratings on the surface scale, but not between the surface scale on the SPQ and the written assessment ratings, and between the interview ratings and written assessment ratings. The discriminant validity between deep and surface was good for the SPQ, but not for either the interview or the written assessment. The findings indicate the deep and surface scales of the SPQ adequately measure the underlying deep and surface constructs. The retest reliability of the SPQ was then examined utilising Spearman’s Rho to assess the rank-order correlations with a sample of third-year students (n=87). Over a period of three months there were significant correlations for the surface motive, surface strategy, deep strategy, achieving motive and achieving strategy subscales of the SPQ, suggesting good reliability for these subscales. The results at the scale level of the SPQ result in similar conclusions. There was a moderate significant correlation for the surface, deep and achieving scales of the SPQ, suggesting the scales have good reliability over a period of three months. There was also a moderate significant correlation for the surface-achieving-motive and deep-achieving scales over a period of three months. The stability of SPQ scores was also assessed utilising a series of one-way repeated measures MANOVA’s with a sample of third-year undergraduates (n = 64). The results suggest some change occurs in self-reported use of approaches to learning between the first and third-years of an undergraduate degree programme. The role of the teaching-learning environment was next examined. Utilising a within-subjects design, undergraduate students (n=48) concurrently enrolled in traditional (viz. lecture and tutorial) and non-traditional (viz. workshops and group projects) subjects completed the SPQ to describe their approaches to learning in each subject. A series of 2x2 repeated measures MANOVA’s were undertaken. The results indicated students were likely to change their approach to learning based on their perceptions of the learning environment (traditional or non-traditional subject). However, those students identified as predominantly surface learners significantly increased their deep scale scores in the non-traditional subject when compared to deep learners. The next study examined a range of personality (locus of control, sensing function, thinking function, intelligence) and demographic variables (age, gender, year of study) to assess which were good predictors of deep and surface approaches to learning. A series of regression analyses identified age, sensing function and locus of control as significant predictors of the surface, surface-achieving-motive, and deep approaches to learning. Locus of control was found to be a significant predictor of the deep-achieving approach to learning. The final study examined the 3P model of learning. Based on the results of earlier studies in the research programme the situational component of the presage factors was not included. The model was examined using structural equation modelling (n= 394). Two initial models were tested using both the three (deep, surface, achieving) and two (surface-achieving-motive and deep-achieving) process factor models. The three process factor model provided the better model fit. The results suggest deep and surface approaches to learning do not mediate between personal characteristics and learning outcomes (i.e. GPA). The results of this series of studies suggest the need for further research into the SPQ and the 3P model of learning. The implications of the research programme are also discussed.

The aim of this research programme was to examine the 3P model of learning (Biggs, 1987a, 1999). The first stage necessarily involved an examination of the Study Process Questionnaire (SPQ) (Biggs, 1987a), an instrument developed to measure the process component of the model. The structure of the SPQ was examined utilising exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of undergraduate responses (n= 260). The results indicated the higher-order factor structure of deep-achieving and surface-achieving-motive provided the most reliability and a better model fit than either the subscales or scales of the SPQ. The construct validity of the two constructs deep and surface was assessed next using a multitrait-multimethod matrix (MTMM) constructed from the three measures of the self-report questionnaire, interview ratings and written assessments from first-year students (n = 50). The results indicated good convergent validity between the deep scale of the SPQ and the interview ratings on the deep scale, between the deep scale on the SPQ and the written assessment ratings, and between the interview ratings and written assessment ratings. The results indicated good convergent validity between the surface scale on the SPQ and the interview ratings on the surface scale, but not between the surface scale on the SPQ and the written assessment ratings, and between the interview ratings and written assessment ratings. The discriminant validity between deep and surface was good for the SPQ, but not for either the interview or the written assessment. The findings indicate the deep and surface scales of the SPQ adequately measure the underlying deep and surface constructs. The retest reliability of the SPQ was then examined utilising Spearman’s Rho to assess the rank-order correlations with a sample of third-year students (n=87). Over a period of three months there were significant correlations for the surface motive, surface strategy, deep strategy, achieving motive and achieving strategy subscales of the SPQ, suggesting good reliability for these subscales. The results at the scale level of the SPQ result in similar conclusions. There was a moderate significant correlation for the surface, deep and achieving scales of the SPQ, suggesting the scales have good reliability over a period of three months. There was also a moderate significant correlation for the surface-achieving-motive and deep-achieving scales over a period of three months. The stability of SPQ scores was also assessed utilising a series of one-way repeated measures MANOVA’s with a sample of third-year undergraduates (n = 64). The results suggest some change occurs in self-reported use of approaches to learning between the first and third-years of an undergraduate degree programme. The role of the teaching-learning environment was next examined. Utilising a within-subjects design, undergraduate students (n=48) concurrently enrolled in traditional (viz. lecture and tutorial) and non-traditional (viz. workshops and group projects) subjects completed the SPQ to describe their approaches to learning in each subject. A series of 2x2 repeated measures MANOVA’s were undertaken. The results indicated students were likely to change their approach to learning based on their perceptions of the learning environment (traditional or non-traditional subject). However, those students identified as predominantly surface learners significantly increased their deep scale scores in the non-traditional subject when compared to deep learners. The next study examined a range of personality (locus of control, sensing function, thinking function, intelligence) and demographic variables (age, gender, year of study) to assess which were good predictors of deep and surface approaches to learning. A series of regression analyses identified age, sensing function and locus of control as significant predictors of the surface, surface-achieving-motive, and deep approaches to learning. Locus of control was found to be a significant predictor of the deep-achieving approach to learning. The final study examined the 3P model of learning. Based on the results of earlier studies in the research programme the situational component of the presage factors was not included. The model was examined using structural equation modelling (n= 394). Two initial models were tested using both the three (deep, surface, achieving) and two (surface-achieving-motive and deep-achieving) process factor models. The three process factor model provided the better model fit. The results suggest deep and surface approaches to learning do not mediate between personal characteristics and learning outcomes (i.e. GPA). The results of this series of studies suggest the need for further research into the SPQ and the 3P model of learning. The implications of the research programme are also discussed.
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School of Applied Psychology
Full Text

The notion of ‘experiential knowledge’, or knowledge that is derived through and from people’s direct or indirect experience of a condition, has been elusively defined, particularly its relationship to biomedicine. While some researchers argue that this episteme exists independently of expert models of disease, others maintain that it develops alongside and/or through the pervasive hegemonic framework of biomedicine. This research makes a novel contribution to the aforementioned debates by analysing the various ways in which the relationship between experiential and medical knowledge can be both synergistic and epistemologically (dis)similar. This argument is developed through an exploration of the everyday experiences and experiences of healthcare of 42 individuals living with, and managing, the hyperkinetic movement disorder known as dystonia. In many cases of this condition, effective treatment options are limited and prognoses uncertain. Qualitative data were gathered through group and individual interviews and thematically analysed for patterns and relationships, as well as deviant cases. It was found that participants interpreted their experiential knowledge of dystonia in confluence with medical knowledge and their everyday realities. The dynamism of this interrelationship fluctuated in intensity according to the extent to which participants felt that biomedicine could provide them with a socially legitimated explanation of their visceral experiences across different contexts. For example, the negotiation of a diagnosis and/or treatment plan were sites where this interrelationship became particularly fraught resulting in varying dynamic synergies between the two forms of knowledge, which I have termed dissonant and resonant synergies. Through these novel concepts, I demonstrate how the relationship between experiential and medical knowledge transforms and shifts across the disease trajectory of a contested and complex condition like dystonia. In addition to these conceptual insights, a consideration of how health professionals could strive to resonate their knowledge with that of their patients’ is presented.

Longtemps considérés comme uniquement centrés sur leur métier et leur production, les artisans ont aujourd’'hui fait la preuve de leur ouverture sur leur environnement et de leur capacité à développer leur activité et leur marque aux yeux des consommateurs. L'objectif de cette recherche est alors de déterminer si le développement de l’'activité de l’artisan, à travers une démarche de développement de marque et d’actions marketing, lui fait perdre ce qui fait son essence et ses valeurs aux yeux des consommateurs. Une revue de littérature ainsi qu’'une série d’'études qualitatives (focus group, entretiens semi-directifs, approche ZMET) permettent de mieux cerner ce qu’'est un artisan du point de vue des consommateurs, de mieux comprendre les freins et motivations à son égard et de faire émerger le concept de marque artisan. En complément, une série d’'éxpérimentations a été menée pour mesurer l’impact de la personnification et de l’'orientation marketing du nom de la boutique de l’artisan sur les réactions des consommateurs. Les résultats montrent le rôle médiateur du caractère chaleureux et de la compétence perçue de l’'artisan, ainsi que de l’'identification du consommateur à la boutique et à l’artisan. Enfin, une dernière expérimentation testant différents scénarios de développement de l’'activité de l’'artisan met en évidence les réactions positives à l’'égard de la création d’une marque artisan, de son orientation marketing mais une méfiance vis-à-vis de l’'accroissement de la taille de son activité
Long considered to be exclusively focused on their craft and production, artisans demonstrate today their openness to their business environment and their ability to develop their activity and brand from the point of view of consumers. The aim of this research is to determine whether the development of the artisan’s business, through branding and marketing actions, causes them to lose what makes their essence and values in the eyes of the consumers. A literature review and a series of qualitative studies (focus group, semi-structured interviews, ZMET technique) allow us to better understand the consumer’s perceptions of the artisan and highlight the interest of the concept of artisan brand. In addition, a series of experiments were conducted to measure the impact of the personification and marketing orientation of the artisan’s store name on consumer reactions. The results show the mediating role of perceived warmth and competence of the artisan and the consumer’s identification with the store and the artisan. Finally, testing several scenarios of artisan business development, a last experimentation highlights the positive reactions toward the creation of an artisan brand, and the choice of marketing orientation but also some mistrust about the increase of the size of the business

Aquesta tesi forma part d'un projecte destinat a predir el rendiment acadèmic dels estudiants de doctorat portat a terme per l'INSOC (International Network on Social Capital and Performance). El grup de recerca INSOC està format per les universitats de Girona (Espanya), Ljubljana (Eslovènia), Giessen (Alemanya) i Ghent (Bèlgica). El primer objectiu d'aquesta tesi és desenvolupar anàlisis quantitatius comparatius sobre el rendiment acadèmic dels estudiants de doctorat entre Espanya, Eslovènia i Alemanya a partir dels resultats individuals del rendiment acadèmic obtinguts de cada una de les universitats. La naturalesa internacional del grup de recerca implica la recerca comparativa. Vam utilitzar variables personal, actitudinals i de xarxa per predir el rendiment. El segon objectiu d'aquesta tesi és entendre de manera qualitativa perquè les variables de xarxa no ajuden quantitativament a predir el rendiment a la universitat de Girona (Espanya). En el capítol 1, definim conceptes relacionats amb el rendiment i donam un llistat de cada una de les variables independents (variables de xarxa, personals i actitudinals), resumint la lliteratura. Finalment, explicam com s'organitzen els estudis de doctorat a cada un dels diferents països. A partir d'aquestes definicions teòriques, en els pròxims capítols, primer presentarem els qüestionaris utilitzats a Espanya, Eslovènia i Alemanya per mesurar aquests diferents tipus de variables. Després, compararem les variables que són relevants per predir el rendiment dels estudiants de doctorat a cada país. Després d'això, fixarem diferents models de regressió per predir el rendiment entre països. En tots aquests models les variables de xarxa fallen a predir el rendiment a la Universitat de Girona. Finalment, utilitzem estudis qualitatius per entendre aquests resultats inesperats. En el capítol 2, expliquem com hem dissenyat i conduït els qüestionaris en els diferents països amb l'objectiu d'explicar el rendiment dels estudiants de doctorat obtinguts a Espanya, Eslovènia i Alemanya. En el capítol 3, cream indicadors comparables però apareixen problemes de comparabilitat en preguntes particulars a Espanya, Eslovènia i Alemanya. En aquest capítol expliquem com utilitzem les variables dels tres països per crear indicadors comparables. Aquest pas és molt important perquè el principal objectiu del grup de recerca INSOC és comparar el rendiment dels estudiants de doctorat entre els diferents països. En el capítol 4 comparem models de regressió obtinguts de predir el rendiment dels estudiants de doctorat a les universitats de Girona (Espanya) i Eslovènia. Les variables són característiques dels grups de recerca dels estudiants de doctorat enteses com una xarxa social egocèntrica, característiques personals i actitudinals dels estudiants de doctorat i algunes carecterístiques dels directors. Vam trobar que les variables de xarxa egocèntriques no predien el rendiment a la Universitat de Girona. En el capítol 5, comparem dades eslovenes, espanyoles i alemnayes, seguint la metodologia del capítol 4. Concluïm que el cas alemany és molt diferent. El poder predictiu de les variables de xarxa no millora. En el capítol 6 el grup de recerca dels estudiants de doctorat és entès com una xarxa duocèntrica (Coromina et al., 2008), amb l'objectiu d'obtendre informació de la relació mútua entre els estudiants i els seus directors i els contactes d'ambdós amb els altres de la xarxa. La inclusió de la xarxa duocèntrica no millora el poder predictiu del model de regressió utilitzant les variales egocèntriques de xarxa. El capítol 7 pretèn entendre perquè les variables de xarxa no predeixen el rendiment a la Universitat de Girona. Utilitzem el mètode mixte, esperant que l'estudi qualitatiu pugui cobrir les raons de perquè la qualitat de la xarxa falla en la qualitat del treball dels estudiants. Per recollir dades per l'estudi qualitatiu utilitzem entrevistes en profunditat.
This thesis belongs to a wider project designed to predict PhD students' academic performance carried out by the INSOC (International Network on Social Capital and Performance). The INSOC research group is composed by the universities of Girona (Spain), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Giessen (Germany) and Ghent (Belgium). The first aim of this thesis is to develop quantitative comparative analyses about the PhD students' academic performance across Spain, Slovenia and Germany from the individual academic performance results obtained in each university member. The international nature of the research group implies that we strongly emphasize comparative research. We use together background variables, attitudinal variables and social network variables for predicting performance. The second aim of this thesis is to qualitatively understand why network variables fail to quantitatively predict performance in the University of Girona (Spain). Thus, this thesis fit into the multimethod tradition. In Chapter 1, we define concepts related with performance and we give a list of each of the independent variables (social network, background and attitudinal variables) with a literature summary. Finally, we explain how PhD studies are organaized in the different countries. Drawing from these theoretical explanations, in the next chapters we first present the questionnaires used in Spain, Slovenia and Germany to measure these different types of variables. Then, we compare the variables which are relevant in order to predict PhD student performance in each country. After that, we fit alternative regression models to predict performance across countries. In all these models network variables fail to predict performance in the University of Girona. Finally, we use a qualitative study to understand this unexpected result. In Chapter 2, we explain how we designed and conducted a survey in the different countries with the aim of explaining the PhD students' performance obtained in Spain, Slovenia and Germany. In Chapter 3, we create comparable indicators wherever some comparability problems arose with particular questions in Spain, Slovenia and Germany. In this chapter we explain how we used all three countries' variables in order to create comparable indicators. This step is very important because the main goal of the INSOC research group is to compare the PhD student's performance between the different countries. In Chapter 4 we compare regression models obtained to predict PhD students' academic performance in the universities of Girona (Spain) and Slovenia. Explanatory variables are characteristics of PhD student's research group understood as an egocentered social network, background and attitudinal characteristics of the PhD students and some characteristics of the supervisors. We find that egocentered network variables do not predict performance in the University of Girona. In Chapter 5 we compare the Slovenian, Spanish and German data, following the methodology used in Chapter 4. We conclude that the German case is very different. Predictive power of network variables does not improve. In Chapter 6 the PhD student's research group is understood as a duocentered social network (Coromina et al., 2008), in order to obtain information regarding the mutual relationship between PhD students and their supervisor and the ties of both to their alters in the network. The inclusion of duocentered network variables does not improve the predictive power of the regression model using egocentered network variables. Chapter 7 attempts to understand why networks fail to predict performance in the University of Girona. Using the mixed method approach, we expect that a qualitative study can uncover the reasons why the quality of the networks fails to translate into the quality of the students' work. For data collection in the qualitative research we used in-depth interviews.

This paper presents the results from a study of information behaviors in the context of people's everyday lives undertaken in order to develop an integrated model of information behavior (IB). 34 participants from across 6 countries maintained a daily information journal or diary – mainly through a secure web log – for two weeks, to an aggregate of 468 participant days over five months. The text-rich diary data was analyzed using a multi-method qualitative-quantitative analysis in the following order: Grounded Theory analysis with manual coding, automated concept analysis using thesaurus-based visualization, and finally a statistical analysis of the coding data. The findings indicate that people engage in several information behaviors simultaneously throughout their everyday lives (including home and work life) and that sense-making is entangled in all aspects of them. Participants engaged in many of the information behaviors in a parallel, distributed, and concurrent fashion: many information behaviors for one information problem, one information behavior across many information problems, and many information behaviors concurrently across many information problems. Findings indicate also that information avoidance – both active and passive avoidance – is a common phenomenon and that information organizing behaviors or the lack thereof caused the most problems for participants. An integrated model of information behaviors is presented based on the findings.

Dissertação de Mestrado em Treino Desportivo para Crianças e Jovens apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências do Desporto e Educação Física
O rugby tem crescido cada vez mais em Portugal nos últimos 10 anos, assim como no feminino. Na corrente época (2019/2020) a Federação Portuguesa de Rugby (FPR) informou que dos 6011 atletas federados, 417 são do sexo feminino. O principal objetivo deste estudo foi obter o perfil multidimensional e multimétodo da jogadora portuguesa de rugby e, consequentemente, compará-lo com as jogadoras de futebol. A amostra é composta por catorze jogadoras de rugby (n=14) do mais alto nível competitivo do país (idade 23,74 ± 1,43 anos, estatura de 1,64 ± 1,7cm, e massa corporal 64,9 ± 2,8kg). As atletas foram avaliadas em antropometria corporal inteira, pletismografia de ar deslocado (ADP), morfologia da mão, ecocardiografia, bioimpedância (BIA), questionário de frequência alimentar (FFQ), questionário de orientação para a tarefa ou ego (TEOSQ), aptidão aeróbia, teste anaeróbio de Wingate, dinamometria isocinética (flexores e extensores do joelho 60°.s1, 180°.s-1 e por fim dinamometria de preensão manual. Os resultados apresentados descreveram o atleta em ADP (volume corporal: 62.611L), morfologia da mão (rácio 2D:4D: 1,03 [direita] e 1,02 [esquerda]), ecocardiografia (massa ventricular por superfície corporal: 79,1g/cm2), BIA (água corporal total: 33,9L), TEOSQ (orientação para a tarefa: 4,1), aptidão aeróbia (VO2máx = 43,2 mL.kg-1. min-1), WAnT (potência mecânica máxima absoluta: 673 watts), dinamómetro isocinético (rácio convencional 60°/s: 0,53; 180°/s: 0,60) e teste de preensão manual (30,7kg.f [direita] e 33. kg.f [esquerda]).No final deste estudo, cada participante e o clube possuem um relatório individual que pode ser útil para o planeamento de treino e definição de objetivos.
Rugby has been increasingly growing in Portugal in the last ten years, and women rugby too. In the present season (2019/2020), the Portuguese Rugby Federation (FPR) reported that of the 6011 federated athletes, 417 are female athletes. The main aim of this study was to obtain a multidimensional and multimethod profile of the Portuguese female rugby players and consequently compare it with soccer players. The sample comprised fourteen female rugby players (n=14) from the highest competitive level in the country (age 23.74 ± 1.43 years, stature 1.64 ± 1.7cm, and body mass 64.9 ± 2.8kg). Rugby players were assessed in whole body anthropometry, air displacement plethysmography (ADP), hand morphology, echocardiography, bioimpedance (BIA), food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), task and ego orientation in sport questionnaire (TEOSQ), aerobic fitness, Wingate anaerobic test, dynamometry isokinetic (flexors and extensors of the knee 60, 180°/s) and dynamometry manual tests. Results presented described the athlete in ADP (body volume: 62.611L), hand morphology (ratio 2D:4D: 1.03 [right] and 1.02 [left]), echocardiography (ventricular mass by body surface: 79.1g/cm2), BIA (total body water: 33.9L), TEOSQ (tasked orientation: 4.1), aerobic fitness (VO2máx = 43.2 mL.kg-1. min-1), WAnT (Absolute maximum mechanical power: 673 watt), isokinetic dynamometer (conventional ratio 60°.s-1: 0.53; 180°.s-1: 0.60), and handgrip test (30.7kg.f [right] and 33. kg.f [left]). By the end of the study, each participant and the club have an individual report that can be useful for training planning and definition of goals.

Students with learning difficulties are those with, ‘short or long term difficulties in literacy, numeracy and learning how to learn’(Education Queensland, 1996, Introduction).They are the largest group of special needs students and consistently fail and underachieve in secondary school. Students with learning difficulties are also disproportionately represented in the juvenile justice and mental health systems, and as the long term unemployed. Despite these negative outcomes, little research has focused on this group either within Australia or internationally with the majority of research in the field concentrated in the primary school. Little comprehensive research has been undertaken with students with learning difficulties in the secondary school setting. The purpose of this exploratory, multimethod research was to address this gap. It aimed to examine the school experiences of mainstream students with learning difficulties in Queensland secondary schools by documenting the attitudes and understanding of secondary teachers together with the lived experiences of the students themselves and parents who advocated on their behalf. This research was conducted within the transformative emancipatory paradigm of disability which emphasises advocacy, involvement and improvement of the everyday lives of the marginalised group (Oliver, 1996). Phase One utilised a web-based survey, which collected data from 280 secondary teachers employed in government and nongovernment schools. The sample reflected the proportion of teachers engaged in each sector. The survey instrument was constructed from previously administered surveys and was evaluated by three experts in the field. A five-point Likert scale collected attitudinal data, while a separate question evaluated teacher understanding of the characteristics of students with learning difficulties based on the literature in the field. Data were subjected to Rasch analysis and Rasch scaled values for individual demographic indicators were established. Qualitative data were linked to these same Rasch scaled values for selected demographic groups. Findings indicated that the majority of teachers sampled had negative attitudes towards students with learning difficulties and no discernable differences were found among demographic groups. Teachers’ understanding was also uniformly low across the sample with the exception of those with masters’ degrees who exhibited more extensive knowledge. No correlation was established between teachers’ attitudes and teachers’ understanding about students with learning difficulties. Phase Two accumulated qualitative data related to school experiences using semi structured interviews of 17 participants including five teachers selected from the survey, six secondary students with learning difficulties and six advocating parents. Interview schedules were based on findings from Phase One and included questions related to school organisation, collaborative practices and pedagogy. Source material was analysed using NVivo and categorisation. Data were found to support the existing theory associated with students with special educational needs including those with learning difficulties. Major findings from the triangulation of interview data indicated that teachers failed to recognise mainstream students with learning difficulties and that students experienced inappropriate pedagogy, assessment and curricula. Informants agreed that teachers receive inadequate preservice training and professional development while existing policies exclude most mainstream students with learning difficulties from receiving assistance. Generally, teachers’ aides, who assist with some students, lack adequate knowledge and skills. Lack of commitment to collaboration and community characterised teachers’ views. In contrast, parents believed that schools should practise collaboration and community, that teachers should have relevant knowledge and that all teachers have an individual responsibility for student outcomes. Students who participated in the study spanned the whole spectrum from disengaged to engaged with school. All students spoke of teachers who helped them at school and who treated them with respect and as individuals. Consistent with the research paradigm, recommendations have been made to foreground the concerns of participating parents and students. As a researcher with a family member with learning difficulties, my voice has also been included. Recommendations include the encouragement of teachers, through financial incentives, to undertake higher degrees, the linking of an increased number of mandatory special education subjects for preservice generalist teachers with teacher registration as well as the implementation of more extensive and appropriate professional development for practitioners.

Tourism has been challenged by specialised and segmented consumers, which aim to diversify and enrich their experiences portfolio with distinctive products consumption, combining different services to ensure their whole travel expedition. Besides, tourism products have global competitors. Hence their constant differentiation is critical to guarantee their success. However, tourism sector is dominated by micro and small enterprises, which could compromise their innovation capability and new products development. Therefore, firms’ collaboration, appealing at innovation networks framework, have to be profusely applied in the tourism sector once it develops synergies, reduces costs, increases promotion, promotes knowledge creation and spreads out ideas generation. Despite the growth in tourism literature, most innovation networks research is applied in technological sectors. This study intends to analyse the development of a tourism product that values Portuguese aeronautical resources, considering a management model that enables continuous product adaptions/ creations that satisfies the changing demand. This research aims to contribute to improve the state of the art through the development of knowledge in two different (and new) integrated research domains: i) explores the civil and military aeronautical heritage as a tourism resource to constitute a route through Portugal, where these assets exploration as a route all over the country could gain international relevance; ii) supports a tourism product management with the absorption of innovation networks frameworks. As research results, the Portuguese Aeronautical Route addresses study goals and proposes a non-traditional product that could qualify Portuguese touristic offer. It is an opportunity to promote the country as an aeronautical destination brand, supported by a multidestination route. Thus, a network combined with a route’s framework enables a continuous resources valorisation and ensures sustainability by appealing at multiple organizations collaboration, which feeds innovation cycle and reinforces its strategy through its processes and marketing domains
O Turismo tem sido desafiado por consumidores especializados e segmentados, que ambicionam diversificar e enriquecer o seu portfólio de experiências com o consumo de produtos distintivos, que agregam diferentes serviços para assegurar toda a sua viagem. Ademais, os produtos turísticos detêm uma concorrência global. Assim a sua constante diferenciação é crucial para alcançarem o sucesso. No entanto, o sector do turismo é pautado por micro e pequenas empresas, que pode comprometer a sua capacidade de inovação e o desenvolvimento de novos produtos. Pelo exposto, a colaboração entre entidades, recorrendo ao modelo de redes de inovação para, deveriam ser largamente aplicadas no sector do turismo uma vez que permitem desenvolver sinergias, reduzir custos, fomentar a divulgação, promover a criação de conhecimento e germina novas ideias. Contudo, apesar dos desenvolvimentos na literatura do turismo, a maioria da investigação acerca de redes de inovação é aplicada em sectores tecnológicos. Este estudo pretende analisar o desenvolvimento de um produto turístico que valoriza os recursos aeronáuticos portugueses, tendo em conta um modelo de gestão que assegura contínuas adaptações/ criações no produto que satisfaçam a procura exigente. Esta investigação pretende superar o estado da arte atual ao desenvolver conhecimento em duas áreas de investigação distintas (e novas) e integradas: i) explora o espólio aeronáutico português, tanto civil como militar, enquanto recursos turísticos para constituir uma rota por Portugal, sendo que a exploração destes ativos num formato de rota por todo o país é internacionalmente inexistente; ii) suporta a gestão deste produto turístico com a aplicação de um modelo de redes de inovação. Como resultados da investigação, a Rota Aeronáutica Portuguesa responde aos objectivos do estudo e propõe um produto turístico não-tradicional que poderia qualificar a oferta turística Portuguesa. Seria uma oportunidade para promover o país com uma marca de destino aeronáutico e que se apoiaria numa rota de multi-destinos. Neste sentido, uma rede de inovação em conjunto com a aplicação de uma rota turística permite uma valorização contínua dos recursos e assegura a sua sustentabilidade ao apelar à colaboração entre múltiplas organizações, o que alimenta o ciclo de inovação e reforça a sua estratégia ao longo das áreas de processos e do marketing.