Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Self-Help Support Groups: Choices In Participation Among Women Facing Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Sle), Maria A. Pfeifer

Dissertations and Theses

This research study explored the experiences of 19 women who had been diagnosed with, or were still seeking the diagnosis of SLE (lupus) and their decisions regarding support group participation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the variety of factors influencing their choices in types and sources of support, their coping strategies and the reasons behind their decisions to either choose or not choose lupus support groups as a viable support resource. Those women identified as support groups attendees recalled a more emotion-focused response to their diagnosis and showed stronger reliance on seeking emotional forms of support. Conversely, …

Job Perceptions Within Campus Law Enforcement, Duane Terpstra

Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine to what degree do practicing campus police officers' perceptions of their job responsibilities align with those conceptualized as ideal by scholars in the area of campus law enforcement, and if the perceptions do not align, what accounts for the lack of alignment. A survey was used to examine the relationship between the job satisfaction of campus police officers and their job responsibilities.

The research procedure consisted of a survey that was sent to police offices located in the East North Central region as defined by the Department of Justice, which consists of …

An Empirical Study Of Fiscal Decentralization Of Local Governments In China, Jianfeng Wang

Dissertations

The world is experiencing dramatic fiscal reconstruction in the socialist and (former) socialist countries and of continuing and fascinating evolution of government structure elsewhere. Being one of the fastest growing economies over the past nearly three decades, China seems deeply embracing this global mantra of power devolution in her effort to energize local economy that was suffocated in the highly constricted state-planning system. The literature of the Chinese central-local studies suggests that fiscal decentralization from the central government to provincial governments is a key institutional factor to explain Chinese economic success. However, the literature misses various lower levels of government …

Predicting The Effects Of Extrinsic And Intrinsic Job Factors On Overall Job Satisfaction For Generation X And Baby Boomers In A Regional Healthcare Organization, Cheryl J. Curry

Public Management and Policy Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the impact of intrinsic and extrinsic job factors on overall employee job satisfaction for two generation cohort groups, Baby Boomers and Generation X, in a small rural healthcare organization. Eight job factors were selected for the study, reflecting popular characteristics associated with the two groups. The job factors were classified as intrinsic or extrinsic using Hertzberg’s two-factor theory. Intrinsic factors studied were: work itself, promotion, and recognition. Extrinsic factors studied were: pay, supervision, people, technology, and work-family balance. The Job Descriptive Index (JDI) scale was used to assess employee satisfaction with certain job factors; work itself, promotion, …

Revisiting Invasion-Succession: Social Relations In A Gentrifying Neighborhood, Lynda Franks

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis examines the social relationships of different residents in a gentrifying neighborhood in Northeast Portland, Oregon. It examines theoretical tenants in the social identity tradition to understand social change in terms of the impact of neighborhood change on the day-to-day interactions of individuals in a gentrifying neighborhood by exploring the ways in which different members of that neighborhood define and describe the terms “neighborhood”, “neighbor”, and “neighborly behavior”.

Intergroup neighboring research posits two outcomes of neighborhood change on interactions between old and new neighbors, one of conflict, the other of cooperation. The conflict perspective proposes that, in situations where …

Importation And Prisonization Of Corrections Worker’S Attitudes And Behaviors: An Empirical Examination Of Social Distance, Correctional Orientation, And Punitive Behavior Within The Correctional Setting, William J. Hartley

Dissertations

Past research has relied on two theoretical models---importation and prisonization---to explain staff member's attitudes, behaviors, and social distance from offenders in the correctional work environment. Tests of these models have shown partial support for both models. However, missing in the literature has been a clear understanding and examination of how these attitudes and behaviors vary across custody levels within a given correctional facility. The purpose of this study is: (1) to include a more comprehensive test of the prisonization and importation models by including more of the variables utilized in past research; (2) to develop and test a causal model …

'Outside Agitators:' The Role Of Foreign Islamists In The Chechen Fight For Independence, Robert Kent Pinkerton Jr.

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

The goal of this thesis is to identify the role of foreign Islamist charities and terrorist groups in the current conflict in Chechnya. The issue of foreign Islamism in Chechnya is introduced through a general history of the region, including the role of religion in both traditional Chechen culture and in the present war. The evolution of Chechen war from a secular to a religious conflict is first examined by looking into the perspectives of various Muslim groups on the Chechen war and other similar conflicts and, conversely, the perspectives of many Chechens on the outsiders who purport to aid …

The Impact Of Trade Liberalization On Growth, Unemployment, And Poverty In Bangladesh, Maha Z. Mirza

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Trade liberalization has been one of the major policy components of the governments of the developing countries in the recent decades. Bangladesh as many other developing nations, has adopted different measures of trade reform policies as an element of International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Structural Adjustment Program (SAP), as well as to be an integral part of the world wide trend of globalization. Such policy measures include the reduction/rationalization of tariff rate, simplification of import and export trade procedures, relaxation of restrictive trade policies, and reform of financial and monetary policies. Even though, the trade reform measures were anticipated to increase …

The Importance Of Nonviolence In United Nations Peacekeeping, Jeffrey Lowell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The previous two decades have brought to light many issues with the role of the United Nations in peacekeeping. The disasters in Rwanda, Kosovo, Somalia, and now the Sudan, give credence to the idea that something is a serious fundamental flaw in the United Nation's approach to making the world a more peaceful place. The use of violence, or the threat of violence, cannot be used to bring about lasting peace. Evidence of this fundamental flaw is seen throughout the UIV's history, but perhaps nowhere as glaring as the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. That peace enforcement operation ran just as …

Escaping From The Straightjacket That Baffled Houdini: An Analysis Of The Myths And Realities Of Empowering Toronto Through A City Charter, Luis Silva

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines the idea that municipalities in Canada – with a specific focus on Toronto – can be legally empowered by a legislative charter to defend their autonomy from the actions of the provincial government. Case studies that analyze the political and legal relationships that selected charter cities – Saint John, Montreal, Halifax, Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Lloydminster – have with their respective province were conducted. The findings reveal that while provinces may politically treat some municipalities differently than others, no legal differentiation exists between charter cities and other municipalities with regards to protecting local self-government.

Highway Interchanges, Transportation And Land Use: An Exploration Of Changes In Transportation Volumes And Land Use Factors Within Interchange Catchments, Matthew Hampton

Geography Masters Research Papers

Highway interchanges provide the interface for and moderate access to the surface street system and help control congestion. Understanding the relationship between land use and transportation near highway interchanges can help to direct resources where they are most needed to maintain the integrity of the adjacent road system. This paper characterizes and ranks highway interchange areas in the Portland, OR Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) area with respect to changes in traffic volume and determines what factors are associated with these impacts. This study compares the transportation, population and land use patterns around 78 highways and freeway interchanges over two time …

Community Mobilization In The Waterloo Regional Police Service: A Process Evaluation Of The Community Mobilization Initiative Of The Waterloo Regional Police Service, Matthew Torigian

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines the processes used by the Waterloo Regional Police Service in the implementation of the community mobilization approach based on an analysis of information gathered from a variety of sources, including stakeholder interviews, academic journals, and government reports. The findings reveal that there are disconnections within the Police Service among officers holding various ranks and responsibilities and this divide indicates confusion over the concept, philosophy, practice, and role of community mobilization and community policing.

Capital Expenditures In Metropolitan Toronto: A Comparison Of The Capital Operations And Written Literature On Capital Infrastructure For The Municipality Of Metropolitan Toronto, Caspar Hall

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines whether the assertions made by key literature on capital infrastructure in Metropolitan Toronto are empirically supported based on an analysis of annual capital operations financial statements. The findings reveal that, with a few exceptions, the historical analysis of capital operations does support the assertions made by the literature on capital infrastructure.

Comparing Immigrant Services, Practices, Programs, And Policies In The City Of London And The City Of Toronto: The Implications For The City Of London, Tiwei Huang

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines immigrant services, practices, programs, and policies in the City of Toronto in order to provide recommendations to the City of London on how to address the six key thematic areas of settlement, employment, neighbourhood, cultural competency and access to services, social inclusion, and systemic change. Interviews with key municipal government and community organization players in both cities were conducted. The findings reveal nine recommendations in the areas of systemic change, settlement, employment, and neighbourhood to improve immigrant services, practices, programs, and policies in London.

Watch Your Language: An Analysis Of Local Government Collective Agreement Harassment Language, Anne Macarthur

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines whether collective agreement language in Canada is working to protect unionized employees from harassment in local government based on an analysis of 250 collective agreements – 200 from local government organizations and 50 from private organizations – and their harassment policies. The findings reveal that as a whole, local government unions are working to protect employees from harassment as compared to private organizations, but public sector unions could also be offering their members much more protection than they currently do.

Killing Bambi: Decision-Making When Values Clash, Eha Skaith

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines whether there is a role for substantive rationality in gaining stakeholder acceptance when values conflict in a local government decision-making process. A case study of the Sifton Bog in London, Ontario, which involves the management of urban wildlife, is conducted to demonstrate a decision-making process where there is a conflict of values. The findings reveal that the more values conflict, the harder it is to implement substantive reasoning in the decision-making process.

Pursuit Of Professionalism In Bureaucracy: Perceptions About Bureaucratic Values Of Civil Service Employees In The Ethnic Federalism Of Ethiopia, Mary Elizabeth Vogel

School of Public Service Theses & Dissertations

In the 1980s an array of world events including the dissolution of the Soviet Union, a movement toward restructuring and downsizing government bureaucracies, and rapidly evolving technology prompted significant changes to governments. Many developing nations began the transition from command to market economies, and new government structures emerged to address a variety of root problems including the rise of ethnic consciousness and conflict. As a consequence of these events, changes in societies, governments, and bureaucracies, were drivers for changes to bureaucratic values.

The current research addresses a gap in knowledge about bureaucratic values specifically in a government organized under the …

Reorganizing The Oregon Department Of Human Services : An Exploratory Case Study Of Organizational Change, Charles Anthony Gallia

Dissertations and Theses

For decades, states have tried to reorganize their human service agencies in order to more effectively coordinate and integrate client services. Despite appearing to be a reasonable undertaking, previous studies indicated that such efforts met with only limited success (Dunkle & Surles, 1998; Pindus et al. 2000; Rabin & Steinhauer, 1988; GAO, 1992; Lynn, 1980; Owens, 1985).

This study had three objectives tied to understanding this type of reorganization. First, find out whether the OD process could inform restructuring. Second, determine whether evidence of the constraints to implementing planned organizational change that have been identified in the literature, became manifest …

The One-Stop Permit And Plan Review Center: Three Case Studies, Kenneth John Schilling

Dissertations

This study provides a detailed description of the one-stop permit and plan review center, an organizational innovation that is being introduced in numerous U.S. cities to improve governmental performance. The change represents a streamlining of local development review and code compliance functions.

Utilizing a qualitative methodology, the research records this one-stop application's diversity of form, contrasts it with the system it replaces, explores therationale and process that led to its adoption, and enumerates its useful features. The research is based on case studies of three Midwestern cities of comparable size: Grand Rapids, Michigan; Dayton, Ohio; and Des Moines, Iowa.

On …

Social Welfare Systems And Their Effects On Adolescent Violence, Injecting Drug Use, And Negative Health Behaviors, Elvin A. Hernandez

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Youth and young adults who are injection drug users (IDU’s) often live and survive in physical and emotional environments that are associated with negative behaviors and outcomes. Past environmental and social factors, such as participation in social welfare systems or institutionalization in foster care or juvenile hall, have been found to be associated with IDU-involved young adults’ health behaviors when they become older. Social networks, which include drug, sex, or hangout networks, may influence their health outcomes and behaviors. The goals of this dissertation include an investigation of how reported past social welfare participation and institutionalization is associated with IDU-involved …

A Leadership Model For Roman Catholic Social Service Agencies, Richard A. Ketrow

Dissertations

U.S. federal and state governments involve faith-based agencies in public administration by contracting with them to implement social service programs. How can Catholic social service agencies effectively compete in procuring these social service contracts and securing the program funds? To answer this question,a leadership model applicable to Catholic social service agencies was proposed. Four strategy constructs, evolving from the literature review, comprised theleadership model. The constructs providing a framework for the study were: performing service process reviews, utilizing a commitment to religious faith, entering valuable collaborations, and adhering to a consistent mission. Data were collected using a mail survey to …

Trade Unions & Professional Syndicates Of Contemporary Egypt: Regulations, Rights & Violations, Jano Theodore Charbel

Archived Theses and Dissertations

[abstract not provided]

Impacts Of The Tax Shift Of 1981: An Examination Of Nevada Local Governments, Philip F. Stoeckinger

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The 1981 Nevada Legislature reduced property tax rates in what is known as the “Tax Shift”, whereby cities and counties received less property tax revenue and more sales tax revenue. Nevada made this change to mirror California Proposition 13, along with over forty states nationwide. Furthermore, the property tax rates that could be levied by local governments were “capped.” Nevada also became the only state to depreciate improvements (buildings) in determining the value of property (Tax Topics, 2001). In doing the preceding, Nevada moved from basing its revenue structure on a stable revenue source (property tax), to an unstable revenue …

Study Examining A Doe Proposal To Dispose Of Mixed Low Level Waste At The Nevada Test Site Using An Alternative Landfill Design, Deborah Hart

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Department of Energy has set forth a proposal to use an Alternative Landfill Design (ALD) for the Mixed Low Level Waste disposal facility, in Area 5 of the Nevada Test Site in place of a traditional engineered liner for the facility. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the impasse between the DOE and the State of Nevada regarding the proposal of placing a traditional liner versus the alternative landfill design, using a case study method to provide recommendations to policy makers and the NTS CAB. This project used secondary data to evaluate, and determine the effectiveness of …

Using A Systems Dynamics Approach To Determine What Can Be Done To Minimize Ozone Production, Jusdi Mcdonald

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Ground level ozone is an air pollutant that affects people of all ages and origins in many urban areas including the Las Vegas Valley. The purpose of this study is to examine the best strategy to minimize tropospheric ozone generation through using a system dynamics approach via LUTAQ is used to formulate a solution to the reduction of ozone in the Clark County non-attainment area. By increasing housing density, decreasing average distance per trip, and decrease average number of trips per person per day is the most effective strategies to improving ozone levels in Las Vegas Valley.

Streamlining The National Environmental Policy Act Reporting Requirements: A Hard Look At The Healthy Forests Initiative, Jeffrey Alan Geller

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has implemented the Healthy Forests Initiative (HFI) (2002), which streamlines the NEPA process for proposed forest fuel reduction projects. A key question is whether the USFS’s streamlined NEPA process produces an adequate environmental document and fulfills regulatory requirements. This thesis evaluates whether the streamlined approach practiced by the USFS under the HFI satisfies the NEPA requirements. A review of four streamlined documents assesses whether these requirements are met. The following NEPA requirements in particular are explored for each project to determine whether the NEPA requirements are met: consideration of a reasonable range of alternatives to …

Examining The Basis For Change In Clark County Non-Conforming Zone Change Process, Was It Needed?, Maria D. Kaseko

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study reviews Clark County's non-conforming zone change process from 1990 to 2002. A non-conforming zone change, sometimes known as a non-conforming zone boundary amendment is a proposed request that is not within the range of residential densities and/or non-residential intensities indicated on the applicable land use plan map, master plan, or concept plan. This research explores and examines two questions raised by the Clark County's new implementation plan, which was approved in April 2003 to amend the non-conforming zone change process. 1) Clark County assumed there was a public perception that non-conforming zone changes were being approved without regard …

Charitable Gambling In Nevada, J. Thomas Rainwater

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This is an exploratory study about charitable gambling in Nevada. In the 1990 General Election, the voters of Nevada passed Question 2, which amended the Nevada State Constitution to allow lotteries to be operated by charitable organizations for fundraising purposes.1 Up to this point in time, lotteries of all kinds were banned by the Nevada Constitution since its passage in 1864, during Nevada’s first legislative session. Following the 1990 General Election, the Nevada Legislature approved Assembly Bill (A.B.) 449 in 1991 which enacted by statute the parameters for operating a charitable lottery. The primary forms of charitable gambling in Nevada …

Probation Violators: An Examination Of Felony Male Adult Probation Violators In The State Of Nevada, Stefanie Wilson Palacio

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

No abstract provided.

An Exploration Of Self-Esteem And Racial Identity Among Children Placed In Transracial And Same-Race Foster Homes, Shanay Barrett-Hugan

Honors Capstone Projects - All

The number of children in foster care continues to grow. Unfortunately this increase in children is far greater than the number of foster families available. Children are being placed in homes in which the race of the foster parent is different from that of the foster child. Legislative policies have also been enacted to eliminate discrimination in foster care placement. This study is designed to explore the impact of transracial foster care on adolescent children’s racial identity and self-esteem. Three children ages 11-17, who were placed in transracial and same-race foster homes, were interviewed in order to explore whether children …