Digital Commons Network^™

Does Who We Are Influence What We Say? The Impact Of Organizational Identity On Responses To Ethical Issues, Amy J. Guerber

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Business organizations frequently face ethical issues which may lead stakeholders to question the competence or integrity of organizational actors. In such cases, the way the organization communicates with its stakeholders can play a critical role in preserving or restoring organizational reputation, financial performance, and trust. Thus, understanding factors that influence organizational communication in the wake of ethical issues is important. Previous research has focused on the impact of situational characteristics on organizational responses and stakeholder reactions to those responses but has not explored the role that organizational characteristics play in shaping firms' responses to ethical issues.

The current study seeks …

Georgia's Water Policymaking Process And The Role Of Public Participation: Development And Analysis Of A Water Planning Process Evaluation Framework, Anna Eskridge

All Dissertations

This study analyzes the public's role in the regional water planning process that took place in the State of Georgia from 2009 to 2011. Specifically, this dissertation analyzes the extent to which a 'consensus-based' water planning process occurred by 1) examining the public participation plans that governed how the public was to contribute to the plan and policy formation, and 2) analyzing the public comments that were submitted at public meetings and commenting periods. By examining the participation plans and public comments, this study revealed the institutional, policy, legislative, and planning structures that influenced public participation in the regional water …

Shock Incarceration Programs Creative Problem Solving, Djuana L. Munn

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Abstract of Project

Shock Incarceration Programs Creative Problem Solving

Many women who are incarcerated inside correctional boot camp prisons might have substantial low self-esteem that could worsen due to the stress of the prison environment, confinement, and being far away from their children and family members. Shock Incarceration or “boot camp” male correctional programs are degrading for female inmates: They do not meet the special needs and problems of women. Programs are based on control theory, which implies that an individual’s behavior assimilates to that which is expected by society. Female inmates are taught discipline and responsibility by “breaking down …

Pedagogy : Reconsiderations And Reorientations., John Vance

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a critical intervention into the question of student agency. An interdisciplinary project that draws upon philosophy and linguistics, it reviews four major tendencies that have animated composition pedagogy over the last several decades— process theory, social-constructivism, procedural rhetoric, and trans-lingual pedagogies— and identifies some of the key tensions that both motivate and problematize these approaches. First, it examines the debate between Peter Elbow and David Bartholomae, and the interplay between teachers’ authority and student agency. Second, it explores the imbrications between representation and materiality in social constructivism. Third, it uses Alain Badiou’s Being and Event to analyze …

Against The Grain : The Challenges Of Black Discourse Within Intercollegiate Policy Debate., Tiffany Yvonne Dillard-Knox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research uses the speech community model of analysis to illustrate how language is used to determine inclusion into and exclusion from Debate. This has been done by examining the use of four Black discourse types in Intercollegiate Policy Debate: signifying, call and response, tonal semantics, and narrative sequencing to show the ways in which current debate practices (un)intentionally exclude Blacks. Upon examination, one can see that there is educational value to the methods used by majority of the Black student population within Debate. In addition to being a tool of empowerment for this student population, these students can also …

Religion, Conscience, And The Case For Accommodation, William A. Galston

San Diego Law Review

I do not believe that religion is an obsolete constitutional category. But I do believe that the holdings in United States v. Seeger and Welsh v. United States, the Vietnam-era draft cases that extended conscientious objector status to individuals invoking nonreligious claims, were correct. Can I consistently embrace both propositions? I think I can. My argument, in brief, is that religion is indeed special. But when we understand what it is about religion that warrants both distinctive privileges and distinctive burdens, we will see that some other systems of belief track these features of religion closely enough to warrant comparable …

Emerging Adults' Friends With Benefits Relationships, Emily Child Aguilar, Taelor Trimble

Psychology and Child Development

Friends with benefits is a relationship where friends are sexually, but not romantically, involved (Lehmiller, VanderDrtift, & Kelly, 2011). It is a type of relationship that is growing in popularity for young adults, frequently replacing traditional dating (Bradshaw, Kahn, & Salville, 2010). The goal of friends with benefits relationships is to maintain a friendship while engaging in physical intimacy without romantic emotional attachment (Gusarova, Fraser & Alderson, 2012). Although this type of relationship aims for equality, friends with benefits relationships are controversial due to the presence of a sexual double standard in which men are permitted to have more sexual …

Diffusion Of The Lnternet And Its Effect On Gender Attitudes: A Cross-National Approach, Robert Roznowski

Masters Theses

The rapid diffusion of the Internet worldwide generates discussion about the social implications of the Internet. To explore the effect of Internet diffusion worldwide, this study examines changes in reported gender attitudes since the introduction of the Internet. I propose that the diffusion of the Internet fosters egalitarian changes in gender attitudes. Using cross-national data from forty countries over a time span of nearly twenty years, I successfully implement an alternative analysis technique, the slope-slope model, to examine the relationship between rates of Internet diffusion and changes in gender attitudes in the economic, political, and education domains. Internet diffusion affects …

Beyond Gothic : Ye Si's Spectral Hong Kong And The Global Culture Crisis = 哥特之外 : 也斯的鬼怪香港與全球化危機, Andrea Riemenschnitter

Journal of Modern Literature in Chinese 現代中文文學學報

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Video Enhancement In A Stated-Choice Experiment On Medical Decision Making, Susanne Hoffmann, Joachim Winter, Francis G. Caro, Alison Gottlieb

Gerontology Institute Publications

Background. The internet can be useful in administering stated-choice experiments to understand medical decision making and refine the content of patient decision aids. In internet-based stated-choice experiments, video and audio files can be used to provide information to respondents. Quality of data may or may not be affected.

Objectives. In a methodological experiment concerned with administration of a stated-choice experiment on the internet concerned with knee-replacement surgery, we compared the data quality obtained with video-enhanced and conventional text formats.

Methods. Members of the RAND Corporation’s American Life Panel and 50 years of age or older (n=1616) were randomly assigned to …

Delgado's Darkroom: Critical Reflections On Land Titles And Latino Legal Education, Richard Delgado

New Mexico Law Review

Comments from the U.S. Senator Dennis Chavez Endowed Lecturesheip/Symposium on Civil Rights hsoted by The University of New Mexico School of Law April 22, 2014

Bibliography For Work In Ecocriticism, Zümre Gizem Yılmaz

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Worksite Health Promotion Programs On Employee Biometric Data, Jamie M. Pratt

Theses and Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: Worksite health promotion programs (WHPP) promote maintenance and changes of health-related behaviors of employees. Some companies opt to contract with a third party provider to implement a WHPP. PURPOSE: This study evaluated the participation rates, availability and use of health coaching, and changes in biometric data over a 2-year time period of employees in 13 companies for whom the WHPP was implemented by Wellness Corporate Solutions (WCS). METHODS: We had 2 years of biometric, health risk appraisal (HRA), or health coaching data on 4,473 employees. The statistical analysis included biometric screening data (percent body fat, body mass index (BMI), …

Ecocriticism And Persian And Greek Myths About The Origin Of Fire, Massih Zekavat

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

In his article "Ecocriticism and Persian and Greek Myths about the Origin of Fire" Massih Zekavat argues that some contemporary ecological biases are rooted in ancient thought. Further, Zekavat argues that the study of mythology is relevant to the understanding of culture and ecology thus assisting ecocriticism. The investigation of man/woman, culture/nature, and human/nature binary oppositions conveys that Greek and Persian myths are mostly anthropocentric and androcentric. Zekavat postulates that one way to revise contemporary ecological conceptions is to study myths to shed light on the mind and context of their creators and believers, their representation of natural phenomena, and …

Ecological Knowledge In Community Theater, Paul Brown

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

In his article "Ecological Knowledge in Community Theater" Paul Brown presents a practitioner's perspective on plays which celebrate and enhance community resilience while addressing complex environmental problems. Community plays can highlight environmental injustices and assist communities to find a voice. The article explores these functions by examining how nature moves center-stage in community plays, and the role of community arts, alongside scientific research, in developing and communicating shared understanding of environmental problems and their solutions. In his study Brown compares knowledge-making processes for science and community theater and explores the values expressed in eco-theater and the processes of producing and …

Ecocriticism And Gender/Sexuality Studies: A Book Review Article On New Work By Azzarello And Gaard, Estok, And Oppermann, Keitaro Morita

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

No abstract provided.

Digital Behavior Intervention Plans: Effects On General Education Teacher Fidelity Of Implementation, Christopher G. Holcomb

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Students with disabilities often have behavior that interferes with classroom learning. Serious problem behaviors are identified as the most significant factor interfering with learning in the classroom. Unfortunately, chronic behaviors often lead to a student dropping out of school. Current research typically focuses on areas of intervention for these students with little attention towards teacher fidelity of implementation of these interventions. Because of this, student's behavior intervention plans may not show effectiveness (e.g., progress monitoring, data driven decisions). It is important that researchers begin to explore systematic improvements in fidelity of implementation of behavior intervention plan components for general education …

Who Or What Should I Be Like? The Self-Assessment Of Sexual Desire, Caroline Maykut

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The construct of sexual desire has been notoriously difficult to capture and measure, in part as a function of questionable methods of sexual desire assessment. Due to problems finding an accurate, objective marker of sexual desire, research has relied on self-report. One notable difficulty with self-reported desire assessment is the lack of information on the context in which these assessments are made. The only available data focuses on relative assessment of sexual desire within couples, and ignores broader social and cultural contexts. The present study investigated men and women's perception of sexual desire discrepancies between themselves and other people and …

The Presentation Of Childhood Parental Divorce In Adulthood: A Retrospective Phenomenological Study, Sheala Catherine Morrison

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

There has been a wealth of research aimed at developing an understanding of the way in which the experience of divorce impacts children. However, adult children of divorce have been widely underrepresented in this literature, much of which is outdated being at least ten years old. With shifting societal attitudes and the transformation of the family system since the 1990's it is crucial that the research is updated in order to stay up on the way children and families are impacted in today's society. The purpose of this study was to hear directly from adults who experienced their parents' divorce …

An Examination Of Factors That Influence Health Behaviors Among Low Income African American Women With Type 2 Diabetes In Memphis, Tn: A Qualitative Inquiry Using Mixed Methods, Adole Muruako

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Obesity and type 2 diabetes are increasing health concerns in the United States, particularly among women and minorities. Generally, research has highlighted the health disparities that exist among African American women, especially as these disparities relate to obesity and type 2 diabetes. In Memphis, TN, the ZIP codes of 38106 and 38109 have the highest rates of diabetes hospitalizations in the city. Further, African American women in Memphis, TN have been identified as being most vulnerable to experiencing a potentially avoidable hospitalization due to chronic disease. The purpose of study was to identify factors that may impact African American overweight/obese …

Bathing Water Quality: Public Perception And Awareness, Jeffrey Shepherd

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The public awareness of, and response to, information regarding bathing water quality was evaluated along the beaches of Poole, Dorset, during the peak summer months in 2013. A questionnaire survey was conducted in the form of an informal interview with participants at the beach. 61% of the sample rated coastal pollution of high importance to them and the participants correctly identified the negative impact that sewage, agriculture, litter and fuel have on bathing water quality. Bathing water quality was the second most important factor influencing the public decision to visit a particular beach. Furthermore there was statistically significant evidence to …

The Relationship Between Freshmen Student Retention And Use Of An Online Parent Portal, Brandy Mallory Cartmell

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Bachelor degree attainment in Tennessee is lower than the national average, which can have a dramatic impact on the quality of life for Tennesseans. Postsecondary institutions have been tasked with increasing the number of students who graduate, and this begins with retention of students. Retention of first-year students is a puzzle for institutions, however, the importance of retention cannot be minimized. The University of Tennessee at Martin has implemented an online Parent Portal to intentionally support the assistance of parents in increasing student success and retention. A stratified random sample of 300 freshman-level students who began during the 2012-2013 academic …

Mystical Experience As Predictor Of Domains Of Religious And Spiritual Self Identification: Empirical And Theoretical Considerations, Sara E. Hall-Mckane

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The concept of spirituality has emerged as a major focal point in both the theoretical and empirical study of religion. Whether the emergence of spirituality is a dimension of religion or a separate and distinct construct has been the subject of much debate among scholars. The philosophical arguments proposed on either side have underscored the need for further research into just what spirituality is and is not. An ongoing transition from a more religious to a more spiritual self identification is evident at least in the United States (Roof & Greer, 1993, 1999; Pargament, 1999). Using the data collected from …

A Causal Comparative Investigation Into Transactional Versus Transformational Instructional Delivery Style In Two Freshman-Level Humanities Courses At A Southeastern American University, Michael J. Jaynes

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to utilize a causal comparative approach to compare two contrasting instructional delivery styles to determine if there was any difference in final grade outcome between students whose instructors used transactional instructional delivery techniques and students whose instructors used transformational instructional delivery techniques in two lower division undergraduate humanities courses at a southeastern university. A secondary purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between instructional delivery style and student perception of teacher effectiveness. The primary researcher also examined if student assessment and teacher self-assessment of teacher delivery style would align. The research questions …

The Effects Of Co-Viewing Children’S Educational Programming On Parental Communication Patterns, Chris M. Willis

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the potential impact that children’s educational television programs can have on parents’ communications with their children when they co-view such programming together. The literature review provided a rich foundation of research on education television. Studies showed many positive effects can be observed when children view appropriate amounts of curriculum-based programs, such as Sesame Street (Gentzkow & Shapiro, 2006), and these effects were amplified when a parent or caregiver co-views the programs with them (Fujioka & Austin, 2002). This study added to the existing body of research by focusing on how parents were …

Mistress Or Hero? Corruption Reports On Sina Weibo And The Construction Of Chinese Femininity, Yin Wu

Theses - ALL

This qualitative textual analysis study focuses on two Chinese women who were previously sexually involved with the corrupted officers and later reported these officers to authorities. As a Chinese version of Twitter, Sina Weibo is a powerful social networking and communication tool for their reports. The study analyzes the posts and comments available on Sina Weibo about the identity of these women and how hegemonic Chinese femininity is performed, maintained, and challenged. These discussions may reflect the potential cultural, ideological, and socioeconomic factors that can influence the construction of contemporary Chinese femininity, providing the picture of how social media and …

Deficit Discourse, Urban Teachers' Work And The Blame Game, Heidi Katherine Pitzer

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation explores how urban public school teachers navigate the contradictory social position of having little power over their work and considerable power over their students. This qualitative interpretive study begins from a perspective that is attentive to and critical of both (a) neoliberal approaches to education, particularly the market-based, audit culture logics and practices that devalue, discipline and target teachers as workers, and (b) the racialized deficit discourse, a predominant framework in urban schools--often taken up by urban teachers--that blames poor urban youth and youth of color for school problems, constructs them as objects in need of control and …

The Importance Of Place In An Era Of Placelessness? Distance's Influence On Community Satisfaction And Attachment, Matthew L. Mcknight

Theses and Dissertations

The powerful influence of global consumerism and its strong effect on rural communities has led to calls for the “death of distance” and for the placelessness of community. However, skepticism remains that all unique elements of communities of place have been erased from rural life. Using data from Montana (N=3,508), this research investigates how distance, size, and other spatially-bound factors influence sentiments of community satisfaction and attachment in communities of place. Findings suggest that distance can decrease community satisfaction in highly rural communities and increase attachment in rural communities along the urban fringe. Perceived satisfaction with community services was a …

Perceptions Of Efficacy, Morality, And Politics Of Potential Cadaveric Organ-Transplantation Reforms, Christopher T. Robertson, David V. Yokum, Megan S. Wright

Law and Contemporary Problems

No abstract provided.

Into The Looking Glass: Undergraduate Students' Integrating And Illuminating Their Wisdom And Experiences As Global Citizens, Sarah Jean Wyscaver

Dissertations

Five undergraduate students shared stories about the wisdom they gained while working to integrate their global citizen identity into their every day lives. Using a postcolonial theoretical framework and portraiture methodology, this inquiry followed participants during a 13-day global service-learning experience in Yucatán, Mexico. Through on-site observations, creative representations, and two in-depth interviews, provide new understandings about the ways in which five diverse college students integrate and illuminate their global citizen identities emerged. Participant portraits revealed themes based on global citizen identity integration as it relates to personal history, ethnic legacy, and educational narratives among participations. Further analysis revealed participants’ …