Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Why choose'

The global business environment of today requires companies to be flexible, in order to quickly react and respond to the ever-changing market. Business-to-business application integration (B2BAI) can be seen as a tool which enables companies to stay competitive and it is often regarded by the theory as a must for survival in today’s fierce business environment. Eventhough the employment of a B2BAI strategy can generate a lot of advantages and opportunities for companies operating within today’s global business environment, there are still many challenges and problems to overcome in order to have a successful B2BAI solution.

Based on this we found it highly interesting to see whether the theories positive outlook on B2BAI could be supported by an empirical research. In this essay we have therefore studied and identified the underlying reasons and the contributing factors to why or why not companies choose to integrate externally, from the perspective of IT-consulting agencies. Besides this, a description and an explanation regarding the concepts covered by the field of B2BAI have been made in order to facilitate the understanding for the reader. As our intention primarily was to investigate the reasons behind and the contributing factors to why or why not companies choose to integrate, we chose to make qualitative interviews. This, as we were in need of information which described the course of events and expressed individual opinions, in order to achieve the purpose of the essay. Regarding the selection of research objects for the research, the population consists of all IT-consulting agencies in Sweden. The research has however been delimited to a selection of the population, where the sample consists of three IT-consulting agencies located in Jönköping, with experience of B2BAI.

One of the most interesting discoveries we have made in this research is that the empirical findings agree with the theory in regards of that globalization is a central factor contributing to why companies chose to invest in B2BAI. However, the respondents do not discuss all the advantages of B2BAI mentioned in the theory and emphasize slightly different underlying reasons for choosing to employ a B2BAI strategy. The most central reason for not choosing to employ a B2BAI strategy was according to the respondents due to the lack of knowledge regarding issues relating to the phenomenon and this have not been discussed in the theoretical framework. The challenges with B2BAI stated in the theory, were on the other hand not regarded as issues contributing to not choosing to implement B2BAI. We are under the impression that the advantages and the oppor-tunities with B2BAI carry more weight then the challenges, as the essays empirical findings indicate that the demand for B2BAI today is high and constantly growing.

Dagens globala affärsvärld kräver att företag ska vara flexibla för att snabbt kunna reagera och anpassa sig till den ständigt föränderliga marknaden. Business-to-business application integration (B2BAI) kan ses som ett verktyg som hjälper företag att vara konkurrenskraftiga och i teorier som behandlar ämnet beskrivs det ofta som ett måste för att överleva i dagens tuffa affärsklimat. Trots att tillämpandet av en B2BAI strategi kan generera ett flertal fördelar så finns det fortfarande många utmaningar och problem att bemästra för att kunna få en framgångsrik B2BAI lösning.

Baserat på detta fann vi det högst intressant att undersöka huruvida teorins positiva bild av B2BAI kunde stödjas av en empirisk studie. I denna uppsats har vi därför undersökt och identifierat de underliggande skälen och de bidragande faktorerna till varför företag väljer eller inte väljer att integrera externt, utifrån ett IT-konsultföretag perspektiv. Utöver detta ges en beskrivning av och förklaring till de begrepp som kunskapsområdet B2BAI innefattar för att underlätta förståelsen för läsaren. Eftersom vår avsikt huvudsakligen var att undersöka skälen bakom och de bidragande faktorerna till varför företag väljer eller inte väljer att integrera, valde vi att genomföra kvalitativa intervjuer. Detta då vi hade ett behov av information som beskrev händelser och uttryckte personliga åsikter för att kunna uppfylla syftet med denna uppsats. Vad gäller urvalet av undersökningsobjekt består populationen av alla IT-konsultföretag i Sverige. Undersökningen har dock avgränsats till tre IT-konsultföretag belägna i Jönköping med erfarenhet av B2BAI.

En av de mest intressanta upptäckterna vi har gjort i denna undersökning är att empirin överensstämmer med teorin beträffande att globaliseringen är en central bidragande faktor till varför företag väljer att investera i B2BAI. Respondenterna diskuterar dock inte alla fördelar med B2BAI som omnämns i teorin och framhåller delvis andra underliggande skäl till varför företag väljer att använda an B2BAI strategi. Det mest centrala skälet till varför företag inte väljer att implementera en B2BAI strategi var enligt respondenterna på grund av bristande kunskaper beträffande frågor relaterade till fenomenet och detta har inte diskuterats i det teoretiska ramverket. Utmaningarna med B2BAI omnämnda i teorin ansågs emellertid inte vara bidragande faktorer till att inte välja att implementera B2BAI. Vi har fått intrycket att de fördelar och möjligheter som B2BAI medför är av större vikt för företag än de utmaningar och problem som existerar, då uppsatsens empiriska studie pekar på att efterfrågan för B2BAI är stor idag och kon-stant växande.

The 'Why Computing?' project is a constructivist-interpretive study which arose from concerns over many years of practice as an academic, as to why some students enrolled on computing degrees when they had no apparent interest in the subject. To check that these were wider concerns, not just personal or local, work started by interviewing academics from diverse universities. This confirmed the broad prevalence of low levels of apparent disengagement. Empirical data were collected, from current and potential students, over a period of up to 18-months, as they chose their course and progressed into Higher Education. This included 100 hours of focus group and individual interviews. Three theoretical lenses were selected for use as analytical tools: Actor-Network Theory was supported by Structure-Agency and Social Practice theories. From the initial objective, three themes emerged as work progressed: the image of computing, student choice and engagement, each of which led to evolving and focussing, research questions. Empirical data confirmed the current, largely anecdotal, understandings that the image of computing, particularly its 'geeky-ness', deters some applicants and that many pupils have an incorrect understanding of the likely content of an HE computing course, often conflating it with school ICT. New insights include that those pupils who do have a reasonable understanding of what technical computing courses encompass have usually gained it through their social networks (often parents): seldom through school. Some students who might be seen as disengaged can be fully committed to their course, but behaving in ways different to that planned by course designers, and may be better considered 'differently engaged'. Models of the characteristics of engagement are developed. Finally, some computing degree students value the opportunity to exercise their creativity.

There are not many situations in each person's life when one has to make a global choice that affects the whole future. One of them young people have to do at school. It is a choice of future profession. And it is necessary to treat this choice as the beginning of a new interesting life stage, not as a necessity. A person who chooses his professional life path needs to understand the huge variety of modern professions, understand their content and really evaluate their capabilities, abilities, interests. An incorrectly chosen profession in youth creates problems both for the individual and the society as a whole. The field of professional activity can be changed. However, such a step is difficult. A change of profession is usually associated with painful experiences, doubts, a waste of time and effort. But if the initial choice was made correctly, then the person learns and works with pleasure, noticing neither time nor fatigue, and then the professional success of the person is guaranteed.

Det har tidigare genomförts flertalet studier inom grundskolan och angående val till gymnasiet. Undersökningar som belyser val till högre studier är dock en bristvara, i synnerhet för enskilda utbildningar. Det visar sig dock att den dominerande orsaken till val av högre studier är intresse. Genom att undersöka om intresset för socialt arbete finns hos dem som nyligen påbörjat studie- och yrkesvägledarutbildningen så önskar vi öka förståelsen för hur det kommer sig att man väljer utbildningen. Som analysverktyg används Gottfredsons teori om val och beslut där begreppen självuppfattning, stereotypbild och kompatibilitet står i fokus. Därtill används Malcolm Paynes definition av socialt arbete. Respondentdata är insamlad med en kvalitativ metod på personer som läser första året till studie- och yrkesvägledare. Studiens viktigaste slutsatser visar att respondenterna som grupp delar värderingar med personer verksamma inom socialt arbete, respondenternas stereotypbild av studie- och yrkesvägledaryrket motsvarar delvis definitionen för socialt arbete samt att deras kompatibilitet är hög.

This thesis is about the Swedish clothing industry and their production sourcing strategies in China, why they chose between single or multiple sourcing and the factors behind the choice. Further on this thesis take up theory about supply chain, procurement, outsourcing and the different sourcing strategies. According to theory possible factors why the firms choose between single and multiple are price, quality, JIT, risk, delivery and relationship with the supplier. The empirical material is collected through a quantitative survey and one interview. Analyze from the empirical study was contradictious to the theory and showed that size was one of the major factors in the decision between single and multiple sourcing. But also factors as delivery, total cost and risks seemed to be of importance.

This study examines the influences and factors that drive an international student to attend a specific higher education institution. Undergraduate, international students at Ball State University and Muskingum College were interviewed.The international students at those institutions had a variety of factors that played a role in their decision to attend either Ball State University or Muskingum College. These factors included location, academic programs, exchange programs, cost/finances, size of institution, family role, support available, and accessibility.A focused look at the students' background and the size of the institution was addressed. There was a lack of related literature on these points, yet the influence of these factors was quite important.
Department of Educational Studies

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics
This work project has the purpose of examining how banks choose a certain costing system and why. A survey addressed to all banks operating in Portugal was used to identify which organizational, contextual and cultural factors influence the banks’ decision to adopt a specific costing system. The importance of cost control, cost information and top management support, which are omitted factors from other studies, as well as nationality and cost structure were found to be statistically significant. No association was detected between the decision of adopting a costing system and the factors product diversity/complexity, level of competition, size of the bank and business segment.

The purpose of this study is to analyze and understand why some Black women in Greensboro, North Carolina have made the decision to wear their hair naturally, in its original kinky, curly, non-straightened form. I’ve chosen this topic because “in our society, long straight hair has generally been considered the gold standard for attractiveness” (Rosette & Dumas, 2007, p. 410) and by deviating from that gold standard, Black women are affected, personally and politically. In my perspective, it is important to understand why a woman would opt to make this choice, knowing the potential backlash she faces (i.e. losing her job, rejection in a romantic relationship, or school suspension). To facilitate this purpose, the guiding research inquiries included 10 questions about the woman’s hair journey, at different stages of her life: before perming, while perming, and going natural. In speaking with 10 women from three different generations, I found that the process of going natural is at once complex and simple, is simultaneously gradual and instant, both terrifying and liberating. Ultimately, I learned that even though various factors play a part in this process, “going natural” is a decision mostly directed and determined by the woman standing in the mirror.
MS

The purpose of Understanding Why International Student Applicants Choose a Public Four-Year Institution was to apply a mixed-methods research approach to California State University, San Bernardino’s (CSUSB) international student population to better understand the factors associated with an international student’s decision-making processing to study abroad. Internationalization by institutions reflects the current two million international students studying around the world. In recent years internationalization has become more of an economic driving force, whereas in the past it was an opportunity for diversifying knowledge and research. Studies on push and pull factors reflect reasons why international students have decided to go abroad. Factors range from lack of access at home institutions for various programs to the desire to learn about Western culture. Seeing as the population of these studies is so diverse ethnically and culturally, it is important to be mindful of the various forms of capital students possess as an international student and the uniqueness this brings to each students experience. A questionnaire was utilized to gather quantitative data to provide descriptive statistics of the population, and interviews were conducted with participants to acquire the rich stories. The questionnaire submissions resulted in 52 returned surveys for a response rate of five percent. Six interviews were conducted, which provided a diverse group of international student representation for the analysis of the rich text allowing for a strong understanding of this specific case study. Based on the interviews conducted, responses reflected many of those that previous studies found. All but one interviewee mentioned the costs of attending as a deciding factor. Reputation of the institution and prestige of a US degree were also factors mentioned by the majority of participants. Both participants from African countries mentioned a lack of program availability as a reason to go abroad, while both Indian participants mentioned the desire to work after graduating for experience before returning home. Interestingly, most participants mentioned a connected family member to either the institution itself or the state of California as a reason for choosing CSUSB. The data that were collected for the purposes of this study did show some correlation to previous studies findings. The qualitative data proved useful in better understanding the needs of specific students, while also alluding to potential geographic considerations that need to be had when recruiting abroad and meeting the needs of international students around the world.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2007.
Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Oct. 22, 2007). Directed by C. P. Gause and Ulrich Reitzug; submitted to the School of Education. Includes bibliographical references (p. 151-157, p. 169-171).

Reveal the aspects of the consumer’s decision making process when buying a product. This study focuses on teenager’s decision making process when buying an MP3 player. This study shows that appealing aesthetics elevates the product and poor functionality depreciates or eliminates the product. Brands assure the consumers, whether the product is of poor quality or not.

This portfolio thesis comprises of three parts: a systematic literature review, an empirical report and a reflective statement.Part one is a systematic review in which literature relating to the empirical paper is reviewed. Due to a paucity of literature about reasons to participate in male reproductive health trials (RHTs), the broader area of reasons to participate in clinical trials, from a non-clinical sample, was reviewed. The review attempts to determine reasons why ‘healthy’ people participate in clinical trials and compares the findings with literature on reasons why patients participate. Recommendations are then made for future clinical trial recruitment strategies.Part two is an empirical paper encompassing two studies. Study one aimed to test hypotheses about factors that influence male participation in RHTs, specifically masculinity and altruism. Comments from participants about their own idiosyncratic reasons were then used to triangulate findings. Study two aimed to complement study one by exploring experiences of men participating in a RHT. Thematic constructions of stigma, altruism and masculinity were considered within a decision-making framework.Part three comprises of ppendices, including a reflective summary drawing on all aspects of the research process.

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine considerations that a sample of parents identified as influential when deciding to open enroll their children into a specific Wisconsin school district. Under Wisconsin Act 27, parents have the right to choose their children's public school through so-called open enrollment. This act also provides for state funding of public schools based in part on student enrollment. If a public school district's student enrollment increases, state funding increases. In recent years the district in this study experienced significant net loss in student enrollment and funding. As a result, programming, salaries, curriculum, facilities, and more were adversely affected. A survey was administered to a convenience sample of 64 families out of a target population of 117. Results indicated school culture and relationships were reportedly primary influences on parents' decisions to open enroll into the study district. Additionally, quality of academics was reported as an influential consideration. Stakeholders may incorporate these considerations when planning marketing and public relations strategies. Findings from this study may provide stakeholders with ways to attract and maintain students in the study district, and may also assist policymakers.

This study is aimed to better understand how and why people choose dental school faculty as their oral healthcare provider. Increasing financial constrains in the U.S. dental schools has led dental schools to find an alternative funding sources and revenues from dental school faculty practice can be one of them. To effectively promote faculty practice, it is necessary to understand how and why people choose dental school faculty as their oral care provider. In addition, it is important to differentiate characteristics of comprehensive care patients and limited care patients since dental school faculty practices have a higher proportion of specialists. A survey of 1150 dental school faculty practice patients who recently chose their dentist was conducted and 221 responded. Information sources highly used and rated included other dentist, friends, family, clinic website, the Internet, and the insurance directory. Dentist related attributes that were perceived important included quality of care, professional competence of dentist, and explanation of treatment/you participate in the treatment decision. Dental practice related attributes that were perceived important included ability to get appointments at convenient times, reasonable waiting time to get appointments, and attitude/helpfulness of staff. Among the respondents, 121 pursued a comprehensive care and 93 pursued a limited care. The two groups differed in terms of demographics, other characteristics, and dentist selection. The comprehensive care patients were younger, highly educated, related to healthcare related profession, and to have private dental insurance (p<0.001). The comprehensive care patients were more likely to use and highly rate information sources such as clinic website, the Internet, and the insurance directory (p<0.001). They put more value on attributes such as the dentist is in my insurance network and convenient physical location (p<0.001). This study has shown that traditionally popular (family, friends) and newly emerging information sources (the Internet, clinic website, and insurance directory) were used and perceived important by dental school faculty practice patients. A dental school or dentist can use this study's findings to promote their practice to select appropriate communication channels and focus on attributes that dental consumers value the most. It is also important to apply different strategies to different consumer groups.

Purpose. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and describe the attributes of public charter schools considered important for the selection of a charter school as perceived by the parents of charter school students. A second purpose of this study was to identify the sources parents used to inform their decision to enroll their child in a charter school.

Methodology. This qualitative study was accomplished by interviewing parents of public charter school students in three districts within San Bernardino County. The interview consisted of nine open-ended questions and each interview was recorded to ensure accuracy of the responses. The results of the interview were analyzed and organized into a narrative form. The population for the study included parents of public charter school students.

Findings. The participants noted smaller class sizes, higher educational quality, and a more nurturing environment as the main reasons for selecting a public charter school. Their answers also indicated the variety of programs available to them at charter schools influenced their decision to enroll their children. Participants noted talking with friends and family as a major source of gathering information about schools. Using some form of the internet was also instrumental for parents when obtaining information about a given school.

Conclusions. The results of this study supported the conclusion that parent perceptions of schools and the education they offer may be more influential than the school’s performance on state assessments. Results indicated many other factors influenced a parent’s selection of a school. A positive environment, which cultivated learning, and a variety of educational opportunities were crucial attributes for many parents.

Recommendations. The researcher recommended the study be replicated in a different region of California to see if the results remain the same. Additionally, a study should be conducted to see how many and why parents removed their children from public charter schools and returned them to traditional public schools.

In an attempt to identify motivating factors involved in decisions to publish in Open Access (OA) journals, individual interviews with biomedical faculty members at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a major research university, were conducted. The interviews focused on faculty identified as early adopters of OA/free full-text publishing. Searches conducted in PubMed and PubMed Central identified faculty from UNC-Chapel Hill who have published works in OA/free full-text journals. The searches targeted authors with multiple OA citations during a specified 18 month period. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the most prolific OA authors. Individual interviews attempted to determine whether the authors were aware they published in OA journals, why they chose to publish in OA journals, what factors influenced their publishing decisions, and their general attitude towards OA publishing models. Interview questions were based on a review of the literature and consultation with a scholarly communication working group. The interview results were analyzed to see whether these faculty members made conscious efforts to publish in OA/free full-text journals, and if so why.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Georgia State University, 2006.
Title from title screen. Julian Diaz III, committee chair; Alan J. Ziobrowski, Paul Gallimore, J. Andrew Hansz (University of Texas at Arlington), committee members. Electronic text (172 p. : ill.) : digital, PDF file. Description based on contents viewed July 23, 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 166-171).

The purpose of the study was to thematically map and describe what motives and factors previous ice hockey women experienced as contributing to their dropout from ice hockey. The study involved 15 interviewees; women aged 17–42 (M = 23.3 SD = 6,8) where all participants previously played ice hockey but have now chosen to quit. In the study, interviews were conducted with all participants and the participants had been active in ice hockey between 3 and 24 years (Average = 13.3). The result was analyzed via a thematic analysis. The results show that the participants experience several different intrapersonal, interpersonal, and structural constraints as contributing reasons for terminated sports participation (i.e., negative emotions, low competence, coach's behavior, teammates' behaviors, and financial constraints). To reduce the number of dropouts from sports, federations, clubs, and districts are recommended, among other things, to work to increase coaches' knowledge of psychological and psychosocial aspects to create better and more pleasant environments in women's hockey. This together with strengthening the participants' three basic needs (competence, autonomy & relatedness). Future research in the field is recommended to focus on a broader societal perspective and how it is related to dropouts from sports.
Syftet med studien var att tematiskt kartlägga och beskriva vilka motiv och faktorer tidigare ishockeykvinnor upplevde bidragande till deras avhopp från ishockey. Studien involverade 15 intervjuade; kvinnor i åldrarna 17–42 år (M = 23,3 SD = 6,8) där samtliga deltagare tidigare spelat ishockey men nu har valt att sluta. I studien genomfördes intervjuer med samtliga deltagare och deltagarna hade varit aktiva i ishockey mellan 3 och 24 år (genomsnitt = 13,3). Resultatet analyserades via en tematisk analys. Resultaten visar att deltagarna upplever flera olika intrapersonella, interpersonella och strukturella begränsningar som bidragande orsaker till avslutat idrottsdeltagande (ex. negativa känslor, låg kompetens, tränares beteende,lagkamraters beteende och ekonomiska begränsningar). För att minska antalet bortfall från idrott rekommenderas förbund, klubbar och distrikt bland annat att arbeta för att öka tränarnas kunskap om psykologiska och psykosociala aspekter för att skapa bättre och trevligare miljöer inom damhockey. Detta tillsammans med att stärka deltagarna tre grundläggande behov (kompetens, autonomi och tillhörighet). Framtida forskning inom området rekommenderas att fokusera på ett bredare samhällsperspektiv och hur det är relaterat till bortfall från idrott.

Riley (1998) indicated that our nationâ s neediest communities, those with high rates of poverty and all too often large minority populations, suffer most from shortages of qualified teachers. Schools with these characteristics are often our Title 1 schools. Staffing these schools can be a very difficult task. Haberman (1987) attributed the shortage of qualified urban educators to factors such as racism, fear, a generally negative perception of what teaching in an urban setting is like, and the low percentage (5%) of faculty in schools of education who have urban teaching experience, which affects their ability to prepare teachers for urban settings. With the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), a new federal regulation, this task becomes even more arduous. This act requires that, effective the first day of the 2002-2003 school year, new teachers hired to teach in Title 1 schools be â highly qualifiedâ (U. S. Department of Ed., 2002). This study was designed to determine why teachers choose to remain in the urban setting. The researcher surveyed experienced teachers (minimum of 10 years) in the Norfolk Public Schools District, a large southeastern urban school district, to determine the reasons why teachers stay in this urban district. The sample included all current teachers in this district with a hire date of August 1991 or before. The survey instrument used was designed to gather the following information: (1) why do teachers select urban school districts?, (2) why do teachers remain in this urban school district?, (3) what professional development activities are important in urban districts?, (4) what is the level of commitment of teachers who remain?, and (5) what is the relationship between reasons why teachers remain and their level of teacher commitment? Distributions of frequencies, mean scores, and standard deviations revealed survey results as they related to (a) gender of teacher, (b) race/ethnicity of teacher, (c) grade level assignment, (d) number of years of teaching experience in an urban district, (e) age of teacher, and (f) education level of teacher. A composite score was calculated for the teacher commitment section of the survey instrument. Also, a correlation matrix was conducted to determine the significance of the relationship between reasons why teachers choose to remain in this district and levels of teacher commitment. Other statistical analyses used were t-tests, ANOVAs, and Tukey post-hoc tests. The results of the study revealed that teachers choose to remain in this urban school district because they feel they have been effective in working with urban children; they have developed good collegial relationships within the district; and they have gained a sense of self satisfaction from working in this district. These reasons and several others were found to have statistical significance in teachersâ levels of commitment. Also, teachers who were female, African-American, middle school teachers, with greater years of experience proved more likely to remain in this urban district. The findings of this study reveal significant implications to this and other urban school districts. Teachers have to feel some intrinsic motivation to remain in urban districts. Districts should use the results of this study to assist in developing opportunities for teachers to enhance their levels of self-satisfaction and to improve their hiring practices. Attention to these issues will increase teacher retention rates in urban districts. This study provides a foundation for future study in the areas of teacher retention, commitment, teacher certification and retention, and teacher quality.
Ed. D.

This thesis explores the attitudes of Dravidian boys in Australia towards learning and performing bharatanatyam—a classical dance form that traces its origins to Tamil Nadu in South India. The study argues that at present, research into immigrant South Asian men’s attitudes towards performing identity through classical art forms such as bharatanatyam is highly disjointed and underdeveloped. This thesis identifies significant gaps in existing research, including the role of performing arts education in the negotiation of cultural and gender identity among immigrant men; the experiences of the South Asian diaspora in Australia; and in particular, younger members of the community; and the perceived contribution of classical bharatanatyam in the cultural preservation of diasporic South Asians. This study, therefore, investigates how attitudes towards gender and culture have shaped the way in which boys from immigrant Dravidian backgrounds have negotiated and renegotiated their gender and cultural identities in bharatanatyam spaces in Australia, and in turn, the influence this has had on the choices Dravidian boys make to engage with the art form. The investigation is centred on the following two questions: How do attitudes towards gender influence the decisions of Australian-Dravidian boys to learn or not to learn bharatanatyam? and How do attitudes towards culture influence the decisions of Australian-Dravidian boys to learn or not to learn bharatanatyam?
Thesis (Professional Doctorate)
Doctor of Education (EdD)
School of Education and Professional Studies
Arts, Education and Law
Full Text

Why Do Borrowers Choose Arms Over FRMS? : A Behavioral Investigation in the U.S. and Japan by Masaki Mori In the U.S., a considerable number of borrowers still choose adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) over fixed rate mortgages (FRMs), even with historically low interest rates. During 2004-2005, when interest rates remained at 30-year lows, ARMs accounted for approximately one-third of all mortgage originations. Kahneman and Tversky's Prospect Theory’s reflection hypothesis suggested that people tend to be more risk-averse in positive decision situations, while they tend to be more risk-seeking when making negative choices. The first purpose of this study is to examine descriptive reasons for the popularity of ARMs in the U.S. People of different cultures often evaluate uncertain events in different ways. Hofstede developed a cultural dimension, uncertainty avoidance (UA), where UA is defined as the extent to which people feel threatened by uncertain situations. The second purpose of this study is to test the role of UA on the choice of mortgage products using data from two cultures (U.S. and Japan), potentially differing in attitude toward uncertain situations. Controlled experiments were conducted using 92 U.S. participants and 49 Japanese participants. Results of analysis supported Prospect Theory’s reflection hypothesis, suggesting that risk-averse people tend to become more risk-seeking when choosing a mortgage type, leaning more toward ARMs when people frame the mortgage choice problem as part of a loss situation. The results of the intercultural comparison portion of the study supported the research hypothesis that UA works as a moderating variable for Prospect Theory’s reflection hypothesis, suggesting that risk-averse people with lower UA scores more dramatically change from a risk-averse preference for a fixed-rate bond to a more risk-seeking preference for an adjustable-rate mortgage, than risk-averse people with higher UA scores do. Overall, results of this study suggested that borrowers behave differently depending on their propensity for current consumption, the level of UA, and how they frame the mortgage choice decision. This study contributes to existing mortgage choice literature by incorporating psychological and cultural traits to examine borrowers’ attitudes towards interest rate risk with regard to residential mortgages. The findings are of great importance globally for governments and lenders in creating and introducing new mortgage products in countries with diverse cultures.

Cette recherche vise à identifier les principaux facteurs susceptibles de motiver les consommateurs à acheter les marques de contrefaçons. Cette recherche adopte une combinaison de données qualitatives (des entretiens en profondeur) et quantitatives (une enquête par questionnaire) pour examiner la perception des consommateurs quant à l’utilisation des marques contrefaites. Notre modèle conceptuel comprend cinq variables explicatives (par exemple, la congruence avec le concept de soi, la perception de marques globales et locales, la propension à l'éthique, la volonté à prendre des risques sociaux). Ces variables explicatives prédisent l'attitude envers les marques contrefaites et leur intention d’achat. L'ethnocentrisme des consommateurs a été proposée comme un modérateur sur la relation entre la perception de marques globales et l’attitude envers les marques contrefaites et l’orientation collectiviste / individualiste joue un rôle modérateur sur la relation entre la volonté de prendre des risques sociaux et l'attitude envers les marques contrefaites. Ce modèle a été bâti dans le cadre du comportement des consommateurs de marques contrefaites dans les pays en développement ou les contrefaçons sont produites et très accessibles et dans lesquels la lutte contre la contrefaçon est extrêmement faible.Les résultats obtenus grâce à la modélisation d'équations structurelles montrent que la congruence avec le concept de soi, la perception de marques globales et la volonté de prendre des risques sociaux influence positivement les attitudes des consommateurs envers les marques contrefaites. La propension à l'éthique a une influence négative sur les attitudes. La perception des consommateurs sur les marques locales n'a pas un effet significatif sur leurs attitudes. Nous constatons que la relation entre la perception du consommateur sur les marques globales et l’attitude envers les marques contrefaites devient plus forte pour les consommateurs faiblement ethnocentriques et vice versa. Contrairement à nos attentes, la relation entre les consommateurs ayant la volonté à prendre des risques sociaux et leurs attitudes envers les marques contrefaites devient plus faible pour les consommateurs collectivistes. Ces résultats permettent d'enrichir la littérature relative à la marque et fournir des recommandations utiles aux praticiens afin de mieux lutter contre la contrefaçon
Counterfeiting impacts upon all industries and economies and is a global phenomenon rapidly increasing worldwide. The thesis focuses on the non-deceptive counterfeit brands which resemble the genuine brands but are typically of lower quality in terms of performance and reliability. The pervasiveness of counterfeit brands’ manufacturing, their wide and easy availability makes it crucial to deal with their ever-increasing demand because of its importance in the context of consumers’ choice processes. The thesis explores the problem of counterfeit brands from a consumers’ perspective. The current research investigates the increase in the sales of counterfeit brands especially in developing countries, since the production, purchase and consumption of counterfeit brands are the disreputable attributes of Southeast Asian consumers; the research also attempts to identify the major factors motivating them to purchase these brands. Following an initial literature review of the counterfeiting phenomenon and marketing, the thesis details an empirical investigation. To achieve this purpose, the present research adopts a combination of qualitative (in-depth interviews) and quantitative (field-survey) research to examine the respondents in terms of how they view their own and other consumers’ use of counterfeit brands. In the proposed research model consumers’ self-congruity (SC), their perception about global brands (PGB)/about local brands (PLB), proneness to ethics (PE) and readiness to take social risk (RSR) have been identified as the predictors forming consumers’ attitude toward counterfeit brands (ACB) leading to their purchase intention (PI). Further consumers’ ethnocentrism plays its role as a moderator on the relationship between their perception about global brands and attitude toward counterfeit brands; similarly their collectivistic/individualistic orientation moderates the relationship between their readiness to take social risk and attitude toward counterfeit brands. Structural equation modeling has been used to measure the psychometric properties of the scale and to test the proposed hypotheses. The results show that consumers’ self-congruity, their perception about global brands and readiness to take social risk positively, whereas their proneness to ethics negatively influence their attitude toward counterfeit brands. Consumers’ perception about local brands is found to have no significant effect on their attitude toward counterfeit brands. Concerning the moderating variables it is found that the relationship between consumers’ perception about global brands and attitude toward counterfeit brands is stronger for low ethnocentric consumers and vice versa; further, contrary to our expectation, the relationship between consumers’ readiness to take social risk and attitude toward counterfeit brands was weaker for consumers having more collectivistic orientation. The research contributes a comprehensive understanding of the determinants of consumers’ choice process in a more complex context, i.e. where the markets abound in counterfeit brands, this will enrich the branding literature. The worldwide substantial growth of counterfeit brands has aroused concern and interest among the academic researchers and policy-makers. For the academicians and the managers’ understanding of illicit consumption activities, the research presents the implications. These highlight the factors that affect consumers’ proneness to counterfeit brands for the practitioners. For the academicians, they show that brand influence should not be ignored in exploring consumer behavior in the context of counterfeit brands

For the past 25 years, many high schools have taken several different approaches to educating students. These changes have been based on the conditions that we find many of our high schools in across the nation, particularly in our high poverty, urban areas. Crime is on the rise, drop out rates are at an all-time high, students are leaving high school with test scores that quite simply embarrass our nation as a whole, and many, if not most of our students in overcrowded high schools, (some topping 5,000 students) are making it through their four years without much true contact with a meaningful adult. Many families, educators, researchers, non-profit organizations, school districts, states, and even some governmental agencies have teamed up to try to find solutions to our students not being adequately prepared for college or the work force. Several high schools across the nation have taken one of many innovative approaches to educating students. These include, but are not limited to, charter schools, Schools-within-a-school models, the Big Picture Schools model, the Coalition of Essential Schools model, the America's Choice model, alternative schools, focus or theme-based schools, and small learning communities. Statistics have shown that these types of schools are making positive strides in educating high school students as well as preparing them for the work force and making them productive members of society. This study takes an in-depth look at several small high school models of choice. In addition, the researcher looks at teachers and at some of the reasons why they chose to work at a small innovative high school. The themes that emerged from the data were used to develop a profile of those teachers. Moreover, a list of recommendations is given for administrators who may be interested in recruiting teachers for a small school of choice.

Background: In recent years, compounded bioidentical hormone therapy (CBHT) has emerged as a popular alternative to manufactured, FDA approved hormone therapy (HT)-despite concerns within the medical community and the availability of new FDA approved "bioidentical" products. This study aims to characterize the motivations for using CBHT in a U.S. sample of ordinary midlife women. Methods: We analyze data collected from 21 current and former users of CBHT who participated in a larger qualitative study of menopausal decision-making among U.S. women. Interviews and focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically using an iterative inductive and deductive process. Results: Although women's individual motivations varied, two overarching themes emerged: "push motivations" that drove women away from conventional HT and from alternative therapies, and "pull motivations" that attracted women to CBHT. Push motivations focused on (1) fear and uncertainty about the safety of conventional HT, (2) an aversion to conjugated estrogens in particular, and (3) and overarching distrust of a medical system perceived as dismissive of their concerns and overly reliant on pharmaceuticals. Participants also voiced dissatisfaction with the effectiveness of herbal and soy supplements. Participants were attracted to CBHT because they perceive it to be (1) effective in managing menopausal symptoms, (2) safer than conventional HT, (3) tailored to their individual bodies and needs, and (4) accompanied by enhanced clinical care and attention. Conclusions: This study finds that women draw upon a range of "push" and "pull" motivations in their decision to use CBHT. Importantly, we find that women are not only seeking alternatives to conventional pharmaceuticals, but alternatives to conventional care where their menopausal experience is solicited, their treatment goals are heard, and they are engaged as agents in managing their own menopause. The significance of this finding goes beyond understanding why women choose CBHT. Women making menopause treatment decisions of all kinds would benefit from greater shared decision-making in the clinical context in which they are explicitly invited to share their experiences, priorities, and preferences. This would also provide an opportunity for clinicians to discuss the pros and cons of conventional HT, CBHT, and other approaches to managing menopause.

This study was concerned with establishing why parents caring for a disabled child at home chose special schools. The method used was to survey parents of disabled children attending one of the three special schools run by the Acorn Society. The survey identified two themes. These being, that there was a gender differential suggesting that mothers were most closely involved with the care of disabled children and, that the decision to send a disabled child to a special school was measured and balanced. This was contrary to the pre-dominant view put forward in relevant literature, so, the research set out to identify the reality behind the choice of a special school. A qualitative approach was adopted using semi-structured interviews, focusing on the issues arising from the initial survey. The interview data demonstrated that mothers were the primary providers of care, support, and assistance, for disabled children living at home. Special schools, it was concluded, provided a level of emotional support and practical assistance, which went some way towards substituting for the absence of support from other sources. However, the situation has to be considered within the context of the twin movements of inclusive education and disability rights. The conclusion was made that there was little evidence to suggest that parents' needs would be met by their disabled child being included in mainstream education. However, it was also concluded that the present system of special education failed to meet the developmental needs of disabled children and young people. The two positions were seen as being diametrically opposed. A way forward was suggested which would, (a) offer the opportunity for disabled children and young people to acquire a positive identity, premised on the concept of disability as a unique culture, and would, (b) offer parents an appropriate level of support.

Doctor of Philosophy
Security Studies Program
Jeffrey Pickering
Ideas about why US foreign policy actors have turned ever more frequently to private military contractors (PMCs) and private security contractors (PSCs) over the past decade and a half abound. Descriptive accounts of the rise of these corporations have become something of a cottage industry over the past decade or so. The various ideas advanced have yet to be placed under rigorous empirical scrutiny, however. This dissertation builds from the existing descriptive literature to advance a new theoretical framework to explain the rise of private contractors. It analyzes this framework as well as alternative ideas using both quantitative and qualitative analysis, marking the first time this important subject has been systematically examined with both social science methods.

The inability of school leaders to staff the classrooms with qualified teachers and to retain them in the classrooms is a major educational concern. The failure to retain teachers hinders learning, disrupts program continuity, and affects of expenditures for recruiting and hiring (Shen, 1997). Few research studies investigate why new teachers decide to remain in the teaching profession and fewer studies examine why experienced teachers have continued in the field. Little is known about what experienced teachers think about their profession and what internal or external factors persuaded them to remain in teaching. Insight gained can provide better understanding of what motivates them to stay, and it may prove effective in guiding policies for retention. Grounded theoretical investigation, examined why experienced teachers choose to remain in an exurban school district. Interview data were collected from 25 experienced teachers with 10 years of teaching experience in the school district. The results of the study revealed that experienced teachers are motivated primarily internally but need external approval; they perceive their self-image as a teacher from the success of their students, the collegiality of fellow teachers, and from the pride of their families; they believe that school leadership can positively affect teacher retention; they believe that in the school atmosphere, interactions with students and colleagues positively affect teacher retention; and they believe that professional staff development has a positive and negative effect on teacher retention. These findings lead to significant implications and recommendations for schools and school districts. At the school level, school leadership plays a major role in teacher retention. Teachers appreciate administrators who provide them with opportunities for self-fulfillment, growth, and development; time for teacher-student interactions; and collaboration with their colleagues. It is imperative that school districts provide teachers with continuous staff development, competitive salaries, and salary increases to meet the demands of the economy. It is also vital for schools and school districts to value the voices of experienced teachers as an avenue to recruitment and retention. The information gathered from this research may be instrumental in improving working conditions that may encourage teacher retention.
Ph. D.

Two coinciding trends in education have given rise to this study: the political cycle of school reform and the heterogeneous nature of the charter school landscape. Since Minnesota became the first state to pass a charter law in 1991, the dramatic increase in the number of charter schools has provided opportunities for researchers to try to categorize the success of charter schools. Although the number of charter schools have almost doubled from 3,689 to 6,004 from 2005-2006 to 2012-2013, an average of approximately 500 charters have opened and more than 160 charter schools have closed per year during these eight years of the available data. However, students who attend charter schools do not have a monolithic educational experience. The purpose of this paper is to examine the perceptions of students and parents in relation to enrolling in a specific brick and mortar and several cyber charter schools, and if applicable, leaving said schools.

This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of students and parents who reside in a rural public school district and chose to attend a cyber charter or brick and mortar charter school. Survey responses and information gathered from interviews of students and their parents/guardians were analyzed to illuminate the research questions. While the results will not be generalizable, this study has led to an understanding of what led these students to enroll in charter schools and if applicable, why they chose to leave. More specifically, three themes emerged from the data: (1) Family members, primarily mothers, significantly impacted students’ decisions to employ choice to enroll in charters; (2) The lack of extra-curricular activities in charters had a substantially negative impact on students’ experiences and (3) Educational quality was the foremost characteristic named in the determination to transfer out of a charter school. While there has been research on charter schools separate from studies on perceptions of school age children with respect to education programming, this examination indicates the need to unite charter research and student voice aspects within the realm of educational research.

Educational Administration
Ed.D.
Two coinciding trends in education have given rise to this study: the political cycle of school reform and the heterogeneous nature of the charter school landscape. Since Minnesota became the first state to pass a charter law in 1991, the dramatic increase in the number of charter schools has provided opportunities for researchers to try to categorize the success of charter schools. Although the number of charter schools have almost doubled from 3,689 to 6,004 from 2005-2006 to 2012-2013, an average of approximately 500 charters have opened and more than 160 charter schools have closed per year during these eight years of the available data. However, students who attend charter schools do not have a monolithic educational experience. The purpose of this paper is to examine the perceptions of students and parents in relation to enrolling in a specific brick and mortar and several cyber charter schools, and if applicable, leaving said schools. This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of students and parents who reside in a rural public school district and chose to attend a cyber charter or brick and mortar charter school. Survey responses and information gathered from interviews of students and their parents/guardians were analyzed to illuminate the research questions. While the results will not be generalizable, this study has led to an understanding of what led these students to enroll in charter schools and if applicable, why they chose to leave. More specifically, three themes emerged from the data: (1) Family members, primarily mothers, significantly impacted students’ decisions to employ choice to enroll in charters; (2) The lack of extra-curricular activities in charters had a substantially negative impact on students’ experiences and (3) Educational quality was the foremost characteristic named in the determination to transfer out of a charter school. While there has been research on charter schools separate from studies on perceptions of school age children with respect to education programming, this examination indicates the need to unite charter research and student voice aspects within the realm of educational research.
Temple University--Theses

The wilderness is an unlikely place for Yahweh to appear; yet some of the most profound encounters between Yahweh and ancient Israel occur in this isolated, barren, arid and marginal landscape. Thus, via John A. Beck's narrative-geography method, which prioritises the role of the geographical setting of the biblical narrative, the question of 'why does Yahweh choose to appear in the wilderness?' is examined in reference to four Exodus theophanic passages (Exodus 3:1-4:17, 19:1-20:21, 24:9-18 and 33: 18-34). First, a biblical working definition of the wilderness is developed, and the specific geographic elements in each passage discussed. Subsequently, the characterisation of Yahweh's appearances is investigated, via the signs Yahweh used to appear, the words Yahweh speaks and the human experience of Yahweh in the wilderness space. In sum, five reasons for why Yahweh appears in the wilderness were considered significant. The wilderness setting allows Yahweh to be (I) actively present and intimately engaged, (2) separate and holy, (3) paradoxically creative, (4) speak transfomative and visionary words and (5) free, risky, and provoking. Finally, the implications of these findings provide new insights to theological considerations of Yahweh. Overall, Yahweh is portrayed as a wild God in the wilderness.

The purpose of this study was to examine the motivations of parents when choosing to engage their children in formal music learning, whilst exploring the cultural beliefs regarding its benefits. The study was conducted in two phases, including questionnaire distribution and a case study, involving the analysis of both numerical and verbal data. The results present four themes that emerged throughout the data collection process. These include parental opinions regarding music and academic ability, being a good parent (including aspects of opportunity and parental musical experience), the importance of a child’s right to choose their own experiences, and the influence of a love of music. The results are indicative of a particular sample only, and there are numerous implications for future research. Results contribute to the growing literature regarding parental motivation toward formal music learning, and the importance of the role of the parent in a child’s musical experience.

Background: It is important to understand Canadians' expectations of health care services and the costs of delivering care in the Emergency Department (ED) in order to continue to provide health care in a sustainable manner. Objectives: To examine the reasons patients present to the ED, and to conduct a cost analysis to compare the costs of seeking care in the ED versus a primary care setting. Methodology: We surveyed patients (n=606) triaged to the cubicles of the ED of The Ottawa Hospital, Civic Campus. The survey asked about their perceived urgency level and their patterns of health service use. Patient surveys were accompanied by physician surveys to assess each patient's level of urgency from a medical perspective. We performed bivariate analysis and logistic regression on survey variables of interest. We also conducted a cost analysis to determine the costs of providing non-urgent care in the ED. Results: Both a presenting symptom of a musculoskeletal injury (OR=2.93, CI 1.42-6.04) and having heard of TeleHealth Ontario (OR=2.08, CI1.08-4.03) were significantly associated with non-urgent ED use from the patient perspective. We also found that non-urgent ED visits cost an average of $248.75, which is significantly more costly than a primary care visit. Implications: Our results provide insights regarding patient factors influencing ED use and relative costs of non-urgent ED visits versus outpatient family doctor visits. However, additional work may be required to identify non-medical factors influencing patient motivations for seeking care in the ED.

Thesis (Ph.D. )--University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 2008
Title from title page screen (viewed on June 19, 2008). Research advisor: Peter Chyka, Pharm. D. Document formatted into pages (xiii, 193 p. : ill.). Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 142-148).

I Thailand tvingas många unga män sälja sex för att få en inkomst för att kunna överleva, men trots det skildras inte män som sexuellt exploateras mycket inom forskningen. Syftet med föreliggande studie är att undersöka hur socialarbetare på en organisation i Thailand, som riktar sig till unga män som sexuellt exploateras, uppfattar männens situation samt attityder gentemot dem. För att besvara studiens syfte har kvalitativ metod använts bestående av sju semistrukturerade intervjuer. Intervjuerna genomfördes med socialarbetare från en icke-statlig organisation. Resultatet från samtliga intervjuer indikerar att den vanligaste orsaker till att män exploateras inom sexindustrin är brist på försörjningsmöjligheter. Resultatet visar även ett behov av utbildning och yrkesfärdigheter för möjlighet till andra inkomstgenererande sysselsättningar. Vidare framkommer att männen som sexuellt exploateras löper risk att drabbas av sexuellt överförbara sjukdomar samt av psykisk ohälsa. Männens nätverk är ofta snävt och utgörs generellt av personer som befinner sig i samma situation som de själva. I resultatet framkommer även att det finns en bristande medvetenhet samt negativ attityd gentemot män som sexuellt exploateras i det thailändska samhället. Delar av resultatet har analyserats utifrån genusteori innefattande maskulinitet och heteronormativitet, samt utifrån begreppet inramning och stämplingsteori.

After going through the literature on entrepreneurship we found that very little studies have been done whether culture and family business traditions influence the decisions of entrepreneurship. Most people from the South and Southeast Asia had cultural and family business backgrounds. The purpose of our study is to investigate if culture and family business traditions of South andSoutheast Asian immigrants affect their decision to become self-employed and if so how. This will enhance the understanding of whether this factor is also important to motivate the entrepreneurs to be self-employed. Most of the studies have pointed out the motivational factors such as pull factors and push factors as being the main influencing factors for immigrant entrepreneurs to choose self-employment. Although, there are various literatures on entrepreneurship and its motivating factors, cultural and family based business traditions, limited study has focused on showing how the cultural and family business background affect the decision making abilities of the entrepreneurs. We have focused on the immigrant entrepreneurs born in South and Southeast Asian region operating their businesses in Umea city. For conducting this study we have used semi-structured interviews from our six respondents to collect the data. Based on our findings we found that the entrepreneurs are influenced by culture and family business traditions. Their social identity plays an important role in motivating them to become entrepreneurs. These immigrants are exposed to business environment from a very early age which helps shape up their business minds. The experience gained from their parents and the cultural and family business traditions act as business opportunity for them in the host country. We believe that this study would be helpful in the future for other scholars who are willing to conduct further research on this particular topic of interest. Our findings have increased the understanding of how the cultural and family business traditions of South and Southeast Asian region do affect the entrepreneurs’ decision to become self-employed in Umea.

2010/2011
Quality is one important characteristic of products and services, but customers can find some difficulties in evaluating it. If information is not uniformly distributed (e.g. sellers have more information than buyers), trade can be difficult (Akerlof 1970). Certification, defined as the assurance that certain requirements are respected, is a possible mechanism to mitigate the asymmetric information. A typical example of certification is the university degree that assures of the fulfillment of academic requirements. This thesis focuses on the ISO 9000 certification, which assures that the quality management system respects the requirements of the ISO 9000 standards family. Having been adopted by more than 1.000.000 organizations in the world, ISO 9000 is a well-known family of standards based on Total Quality Management, a managerial approach aimed to improve quality and organization performance. Several studies investigated ISO 9000 focusing mainly on the manufacturing sector where ISO 9000 originated. However, over the last years, ISO 9000 has being increasingly adopted in service sector. The current study contributes to this research stream taking on both qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate the adoption and the impact of ISO 9000 certification in services. More precisely, the thesis focuses on two main research questions: Why do companies choose to be ISO 9000 certified? What is the relationship between ISO 9000 and innovation? The two research questions are investigated through the lens of the signaling model of education (Spence 1973, Weiss 1995). According to this framework, education can benefit the employee directly by increasing his expertise of an employee and by indirectly signaling his unobserved but relevant abilities (e.g. persistence). Similarly to education, ISO 9000 can improve organization performances and ISO 9000 certification can signal unobservable abilities of better companies. Some implications are drawn from this theoretical framework and they are tested using a dedicated dataset obtained by combining firm-level data from the Community Innovation Survey (CIS 2006) with the list of ISO 9000 certified companies from Mouvement Luxembourgeois pour la Qualité (MLQ). In the quantitative analysis, the decision of ISO 9000 certification is modeled within a discrete choice model. The quantitative analysis is integrated by a multiple-case study that considers both manufacturing and service companies rigorously selected with the Coarsened Exact Matching method. Addressing the first research question, the study focuses on the signaling effect of ISO 9000 certification. Results shows that companies seek for certification in order to signal to the market unobserved abilities only in specific contexts (e.g. when operating in international market). In addition, it appears that large companies are more likely to be certified than smaller companies. The quantitative analysis shows that the main motivation for certification is the requirements of business customers suggesting that certification is more effective in business to business market that than business to consumers. From a signaling point of view, it can be concluded that qualitative and quantitative findings are not in contrast but the hypothesis that ISO 9000 certification acts as signal is only partially supported. Addressing the second research question, the study suggests that management of quality and management of innovation are not conflicting. Even if distinguishing between organizational benefits and the signaling effect can be difficult, qualitative results shows that ISO 9000 certified companies are more likely to successfully introduce new products and services or new organization and marketing techniques. ISO 9000 certification is correlated with technological innovation (product and process) of manufacturing companies and with innovation of service sector companies when non-technological innovation is considered (organizational and marketing). The qualitative results suggest that ISO 9000 especially in recent versions is not hindering innovation. Reading together the results for both research questions, it appears that ISO 9000 could be a tool for policy-makers willing to improve innovation performance targeting specific groups of companies. Practitioners can better understand the features of firms for which the certification provides the best potential, also in terms of innovation. In this respect, management standards can be an effective tool to diffuse organizational skills among companies especially to companies that have less access to external managerial skills, like small companies. Additionally, the findings of the research can be interpreted as an example of the positive impact that standardization can have on innovation, in line with the policies of European Union that recognize standardization as a potential catalyst for innovation.
La qualità è una caratteristica importante di prodotti e servizi, ma gli acquirenti possono trovare alcune difficoltà nella sua valutazione. Nei caso che l’ informazione non sia uniformemente distribuita (ad esempio, chi vende ha più informazioni di chi compra), le transazioni possono essere difficili da realizzarsi (Akerlof 1970).La certificazione, definita come la garanzia che determinati requisiti sono rispettati, è un possibile meccanismo per mitigare l'asimmetria informativa. Ad esempio, la laurea é un tipico esempio di certificazione che assicura il rispetto dei requisiti accademici. Partendo da queste premesse, questa tesi studia la certificazione ISO 9000, che assicura che il sistema di gestione della qualità rispetti i requisiti della famiglia di standard ISO 9000. L’ ISO 9000, che trova origine nel Total Quality Management, un approccio manageriale volto a migliorare la qualità e le performances dell'organizzazione, è la piú nota famiglia di standards al mondo ed è adottata da più di 1.000.000 organizzazioni. Molte ricerche hanno studiato l’ ISO 9000, concentrandosi principalmente sul settore manifatturiero, ove l’ ISO 9000 ha avuto origine. Tuttavia, negli ultimi anni, ISO 9000 è sempre più adottato nel settore dei servizi. Il presente studio contribuisce a questo linea di ricerca adottando metodologie qualitative e quantitative per indagare l'adozione e l'impatto della certificazione ISO 9000 nel settore dei servizi. Più precisamente, la tesi si focalizza su i due seguenti quesiti: Perché le aziende scelgono di essere certificate ISO 9000? Qual è il rapporto tra ISO 9000 e l'innovazione? Le due domande sono studiate attraverso la lenti del modello di segnale sviluppato originariamente nella ambito degli studi sull’ istruzione (Spence 1973, Weiss 1995). In base a questo approccio teorico, l'istruzione può beneficiare il lavoratore sia aumentandone il capitale umano sia segnalando abilità inosservate, ma rilevanti (es. persistenza). Si ipotizza che in maniera simile all’ istruzione, l‘ ISO 9000 può migliorare le prestazioni aziendali di per sé e la certificazione ISO 9000 sia in grado di segnalare abilità inosservabili delle aziende. Alcune implicazioni tratte da questo quadro teorico sono state verificate su un set di dati ottenuto combinando i dati lussemburghesi a livello di impresa della Community Innovation Survey (CIS 2006) e l'elenco delle aziende certificate ISO 9000 del Mouvement Luxembourgeois pour la Qualité (MLQ). La decisione di certificazione è modellata quantitivamente in un modello a scelta discreta. L'analisi quantitativa è poi integrata dallo studio di casi indagando alcune imprese manifatturiere e di servizi opportunamente selezionate sulla base del Coarsened Exact Matching. Affrontando il primo quesito, la tesi si concentra sugli effetti di segnale della certificazione ISO 9000. I risultati quantitativi suggeriscono che le aziende si certificano al fine di segnalare al mercato capacità difficilmente osservabili in contesti specifici (ad esempio, quando opera sui mercati internazionali). Inoltre, lo studio quantitativo mostra che le imprese piú grandi hanno maggiore probabilità di essere certificate rispetto alle aziende più piccole. Lo studio di casi mostra che le aspettative della clientela sono il motivo principale per certificarsi e che le aziende sono più sensibili alla certificazione ISO 9000 rispetto a consumatori suggerendo che la certificazione è più efficace nel mercato Business to Business. In una ottica di segnale, si può concludere che i risultati quantitativi e qualititativi non sono in contrasto ma l'ipotesi che la certificazione ISO 9000 agisca da segnale è solo parzialmente supportata. Riguardo al seconda quesito, i risultati della tesi sembrano suggerire che la gestione della qualità e gestione dell'innovazione non sono in conflitto. Anche se distinguere tra effetto organizzativo e effetto di segnale non è agevole, i risultati qualitativi mostrano che le aziende certificate sono ,generalmente più propense a introdurre con successo nuovi prodotti e servizi o nuovi tipi di organizzazione e tecniche di marketing. Piú precisamente, la certificazione ISO 9000 è correlata con l'innovazione tecnologica (di prodotto e di processo) delle aziende manifatturiere e con l'innovazione delle imprese del settore dei servizi, quando l'innovazione non tecnologica è considerato (organizzative e di marketing). I risultati qualitativi suggeriscono che l’ ISO 9000, soprattutto nelle versioni più recenti, non è ostacola l'innovazione. Complessivamente, appare che ISO 9000 può essere un valido strumento per i policy makers che desiderano migliorare l' innovazione di specifici tipi di aziende. Inoltre, gli operatori del settore possono comprendere meglio le caratteristiche di imprese per le quali la certificazione fornisce il miglior potenziale, anche in termini di innovazione. In questo senso, standards di gestione possono essere uno strumento efficace per diffondere capacità organizzative tra le imprese, in particolare tra le aziende che hanno meno accesso a competenze manageriali esterne, come le piccole e imprese. Complessivamente, i risultati presentati nella tesi possono essere interpretati come un esempio di impatto positivo che la standardizazione può avere sull'innovazione, in linea con le politiche dell'Unione Europea che riconoscono la standardizzazione come potenziale catalizzatore per l'innovazione.
XXIII Ciclo
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The purpose of this degree paper is to look at some adolescents’ use of English inconversations outside of school. Adolescents in today’s society come into contact with theEnglish language in various different ways and one of these can be through oral interactionwith others.By using a mixed-method approach consisting of a questionnaire and interviews thisqualitative study provides an insight into some adolescents’ extramural Englishinteractions. The goal is to find out why some students at a school in the south of Swedenchoose to speak English in settings where there is no apparent reason for them to do so. Theaim is also to see what the conversations look like and what attitudes the students havetowards English. It was found that the main reason is because the students think it is morefun to speak English than Swedish. They claimed that they can express themselves better inEnglish and that it sounds better to speak English. The conversations occur spontaneouslyand errors are corrected. Two groups of students were interviewed and their answersdiffered, because their attitudes towards English differed. The students, who engaged themost in extramural English conversations, were well aware of the usefulness of English.

Abstract Title: The relationship between Open innovation and Swedish forest companies - Why do Swedish forest companies choose to either implement or to not implement Open innovation? Course: 2FE897, Master`s thesis in Entrepreneurship, Department of Business Studies. Key Words: Open innovation, closed innovation, innovation process, collaborative innovation, Swedish forest companies.  Purpose: Aims to identify the reasons why or why not Swedish forest companies implement open innovation, but also to find out if there is an ideal open innovation form among Swedish forest companies. Methodology: Abductive approach and qualitative method. Semi structured interviews areconducted with managers from five Swedish forest companies and one startup. Theoretical perspectives: We collected and created a theoretical framework based on open and closed innovation models. We will also bring up different forms of open innovation. Empirical foundation: The empirical data in this thesis are based on our semi structured interviews. Conclusions: Companies prefer a mix of open and closed innovation. Why companies use Open innovation: cost effective, more efficient, boost brand reputation and remain competitive with external knowledge. Why companies continue to use closed innovation: Easier to measure results, keep control, manage and estimate budgets. Collaborative innovation is concluded to be the ideal open innovation form.

Sandström Maud & Svahn Katrine (2006). Varför väljer elever till det Estetiska programmet med inriktning bild och dans? Why do students choose the Arts programme with concentration of art and dance?Skolutveckling och ledarskap. Lärarutbildningen, Malmö högskola. Vi arbetar på det Estetiska gymnasieprogrammet med inriktningarna bild och dans och ansvarar för att utbilda elever i bild och dans under tre års tid. Syftet med arbetet är att vi lärare ska få vetskap om varför eleverna söker till det Estetiska programmet med inriktning bild och dans. Undersökningen kan ge svar på ifall elevernas förväntan på utbildningen är något annat än den som vi lärare har. Är deras förväntan liktydig med det som står i kursplanen för det estetiska bild- och dansprogrammet? Arbetet är gjort utifrån kvalitativ studie och med hjälp av att intervjua elever på gymnasiet årskurs 1, Estetiska programmet, inriktningarna bild och dans.Sammanfattningsvis kom vi fram till att dagens elever mycket väl vet varför de söker till programmet. Men den stämmer inte alltid överens med det estetiska bild- och dansprogrammet. Undersökningen har tydliggjort vikten utav tydlighet när det gäller programmål, kursinnehåll och lyhördhet inför elevernas förväntan på skolan.
Why do students choose the Arts programme with concentration of art and dance?

Background: Employer branding is a concept that describes a company's reputation as a work place. Working with the employer brand can help companies to attract talented employees and also retain them in the company. It is therefore important that companies understand what makes an employer attractive in order to appeal and retain employees. This is important especially for businesses that are located in small cities since it can be challenging for them to attract talent there. Urbanization has led to smaller areas being less populated and that graduated students are least prone to move to these areas. Thus, it is important to make smaller cities and areas more attractive to make the graduates move there. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is therefore to explore what factors graduated students consider attractive in an employer in a small city. Methodology: This thesis used a qualitative and deductive approach. In order to solve the purpose and answer the research question, eight semi-structured interviews were conducted through Zoom with a non-probability sampling that were chosen by the researchers. However, before conducting the interviews, the researchers did some theoretical research and discovered six factors that represented employer attractiveness (See Figure 1). These factors became the basis of the study and a foundation when constructing the questions for the interviews. Findings: The findings of this thesis showed that the factors that were most important; flexibility, salary, leadership, career possibilities, working culture and recruitment.

As both a cause and an effect of globalisation, English has emerged as the language of international communication in many contexts. ELF (English as a lingua franca) and the hegemony of English over national languages inevitably bring up issues of attitude and identity. The aim of this dissertation is to investigate how Italian audiences perceive English and its use by non-native singers. A research questionnaire was thus submitted to the fans of three Italian singers who write songs in English: Elisa, Raphael Gualazzi, and Birthh. The dissertation is divided into two parts. The first part consists of a literature review, where a theoretical background was outlined in order to present the main topics of the research. The second part consists of the research and the discussion of the data collected. The results suggest that, although ELF is frequently presented as a neutral tool for international communication, the use of English in this context is actually often perceived as linguistically neutral yet culturally charged, partly due to the powerful influence of anglophone music and artists on the rest of the world.