The choice of a destination to enter

A thorough literature review has shown that although there are many theories to explain international trade, researchers are unanimous in affirming that hotel chains' internationalisation is influenced by pull factors, related to specific characteristics of the host country (contextual and transactional environment), and by push factors, related to specific characteristics of the companies and of their home country. This chapter aims to identify which factors influence hotel chains choosing a destination to invest over another. With this purpose, a theoretical model, that included six pull factors related to the contextual environment and five factors linked to the tourism industry, was developed. This model was validated through questionnaire surveys applied to foreign investors running accommodation units in mainland Portugal. Fifty three questionnaires were considered valid, representing 64% of the universe of foreign investors in Portugal (accommodation sector).

Family Models of In(ter)dependence: Cultural Change and the Question of Universal Needs

I will start by discussing some aspects of Kagitcibasi’s Theory of Family Change: its current empirical status and, more importantly, its focus on universal human needs and the consequences of this focus. Family Change Theory’s focus on the universality of the basic human needs of autonomy and relatedness and its culture-level emphasis on cultural norms and family values as reflecting a culture’s capacity for fulfilling its members’ respective needs shows that the theory advocates balanced cultural norms of independence and interdependence. As a normative theory it therefore postulates the necessity of a synthetic family model of emotional interdependence as an alternative to extreme models of total independence and total interdependence. Generalizing from this I will sketch a theoretical model where a dynamic and dialectical process of the fit between individual and culture and between culture and universal human needs and related social practices is central. I will discuss this model using a recent cross-cultural project on implicit theories of self/world and primary/secondary control orientations as an example. Implications for migrating families and acculturating individuals are also discussed.

L’importance du rendement, du soutien des adultes, des attentes de réussite et de la valeur accordée aux mathématiques dans les choix de filières de formation préuniversitaire des étudiantes issues des séquences de mathématiques enrichies

La présente étude s’intéresse aux choix de filières de formation des filles comparées aux garçons. La présence des filles dans les filières de formation dans le domaine des sciences, de la technologie, du génie et de la mathématique (STGM) est moins importante que celle des garçons. Ce fait est documenté dans la plupart des pays industrialisés (OCDE, 2013). Les décideurs sont préoccupés par cette sous-représentation des filles et des femmes dans ces domaines et s’affairent à comprendre le phénomène, dans le but d’agir pour changer la situation (Drouin et al., 2008; MCCCF, 2011). Or, les facteurs d’influence pour expliquer cet écart entre les garçons et les filles sont nombreux et ne font pas l’objet d’un consensus dans la littérature (Ceci et al., 2009). Toutefois, plusieurs s’entendent pour dire que les mathématiques, importantes dans les profils de formation en STGM, et la façon dont les filles les perçoivent pourraient expliquer, en partie, leurs choix (Rowan-Kenyon et al., 2012 et Wang et al., 2013). Ces auteurs ont aussi suggéré que le contexte social et les croyances des filles au sujet des mathématiques seraient déterminants dans le processus de choix impliquant cette discipline. Un modèle théorique sociocognitif, inspiré par les travaux de Lent et al, (1994-2006), expliquant le processus de choix scolaires et professionnels a permis de conceptualiser les liens entre les déterminants socio-motivationnels spécifiques aux mathématiques. L’objectif général de la présente étude était de mieux documenter l’importance des mathématiques dans les choix de filières de formation menant aux carrières en STGM. Spécifiquement, nous avons examiné les relations entre le rendement en mathématiques, la perception des élèves quant au contexte social (soutien des parents et enseignants), leurs attentes de réussite, la valeur qu’ils accordent aux mathématiques (sentiment d’autoefficacité, anxiété, perception de l’utilité et intérêt) et les choix de filières de formation générale après leur secondaire (sciences humaines sans mathématiques, sciences humaines avec mathématiques, sciences de la santé et sciences pures). Nous avons exploré les distinctions entre les filles et les garçons. Pour ce faire, 1129 élèves finissants ont été questionnés au sujet de leurs motivations en mathématiques et de leurs intentions de formation post-secondaire. Par la suite, une comparaison entre les 583 filles et les 543 garçons a été réalisée par des analyses de régression logistiques multinomiales. Les résultats montrent que plusieurs déterminants permettent de dégager des similitudes et des différences quant aux choix de filières de formation des filles et des garçons. D’abord, il semble que pour la plupart des élèves, filles ou garçons, un rendement élevé et un important soutien des enseignants tel que perçu par les élèves à la fin du secondaire est davantage lié aux choix de filières en sciences pures et en sciences de la santé qu’en sciences humaines avec ou sans mathématiques. Toutefois, le soutien des parents perçu est plus déterminant pour les filles qui choisissent les sciences de la santé que pour les garçons. Le soutien des enseignants perçu est plus déterminant pour les garçons qui choisissent les sciences humaines que pour les filles. Aussi, un faible sentiment d’autoefficacité en mathématiques serait associé au choix de filières en sciences humaines, alors qu’une forte anxiété en mathématiques chez les filles serait associée aux filières en sciences de la santé. Pour les garçons, c’est davantage l’intérêt en mathématiques qui est déterminant pour choisir la filière des sciences pures. La perception de l’utilité des mathématiques est déterminante à la fois pour les garçons et pour les filles qui choisissent les filières de sciences les menant à des carrières en STGM. En somme, nos résultats suggèrent que le soutien en mathématiques de la part des adultes significatifs, tel que perçu par les élèves, est moins prépondérant que les attentes de réussite (sentiment d’autoefficacité et anxiété) et la valeur accordée aux mathématiques (intérêt et utilité perçue) pour comparer les garçons et les filles dans leurs choix de filières. À la lumière des résultats obtenus, il nous semble que l’implantation de mesures, dans les milieux scolaires, pour renforcer le sentiment d’autoefficacité des jeunes filles en mathématiques et surtout pour diminuer leur taux d’anxiété dans cette matière serait une voie prometteuse pour atteindre la parité entre les garçons et les filles dans les filières en STGM.

Is Mindfulness Beneficial for Job Performance Following Positive and Negative Affective Events? The Attenuating Role of Mindfulness on Self-Serving Bias

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-05

Essays on Fiscal Policy, Monetary Policy and Currency Unions: Exploring the Role of Informality and Labor Mobility

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-06

HIV Status Disclosure among Older African American Men Who Have Sex with Men and Women

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-06

Inter-organisational networks, value creation and the process of technology integration in research and development

Traditional methods of R&D management are no longer sufficient for embracing innovations and leveraging complex new technologies to fully integrated positions in established systems. This paper presents the view that the technology integration process is a result of fundamental interactions embedded in inter-organisational activities. Emerging industries, high technology companies and knowledge intensive organisations owe a large part of their viability to complex networks of inter-organisational interactions and relationships. R&D organisations are the gatekeepers in the technology integration process with their initial sanction and motivation to develop technologies providing the first point of entry. Networks rely on the activities of stakeholders to provide the foundations of collaborative R&D activities, business-to-business marketing and strategic alliances. Such complex inter-organisational interactions and relationships influence value creation and organisational goals as stakeholders seek to gain investment opportunities. A theoretical model is developed here that contributes to our understanding of technology integration (adoption) as a dynamic process, which is simultaneously structured and enacted through the activities of stakeholders and organisations in complex inter-organisational networks of sanction and integration.

Measuring functional outcome in paediatric patients with burns: methodological considerations

Methodological criticisms of research undertaken in the area of paediatric burns are widespread. To date, quasi-experimental research designs have most frequently been used to examine the impact of impairments such as scarring and reduced ran e of motion on functional outcomes. Predominantly, these studies have utilised a narrow definition of functioning (e.g. school attendance) to determine a child's level of participation in activities post-burn injury. Until recently, there had been little attempt to develop and/or test a theoretical model of functional outcome with these children. Using a conceptual model of functional outcome based oil the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, this review paper outlines the current state of the research literature and presents explanatory case study methodology as an alternative research design to further advance the Study of functional outcome post-burn injury. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Subordinate-manager gender combination and perceived leadership style influence on emotions, self-esteem and organizational commitment

A theoretical model was developed to investigate the relationships among subordinate-manager gender combinations, perceived leadership style, experienced frustration and optimism, organization-based self-esteem and organizational commitment. The model was tested within the context of a probabilistic structural model, a discrete Bayesian network, using cross-sectional data from a global pharmaceutical company. The Bayesian network allowed forward inference to assess the relative influence of gender combination and leadership style on the emotions, self-esteem and commitment consequence variables. Further, diagnostics from backward inference were used to assess the relative influence of variables antecedent to organizational commitment. The results showed that gender combination was independent of leadership style and had a direct impact on subordinates' levels of frustration and optimism. Female manager-female subordinate had the largest probability of optimism, while male manager teamed with a male subordinate had the largest probability of frustration. Furthermore, having a female manager teamed up with a male subordinate resulted in the lowest possibility of frustration. However, the findings show that the gender issue is not simply female managers versus male managers, but is concerned with the interaction of the subordinate-manager gender combination and leadership style in a nonlinear manner. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Near-resonant holographic interferometry and absorption measurements of seeded atomic species in a flame

The development of near-resonant holographic interferometry techniques for use on flows seeded with atomic species is described. A theoretical model for the refractivity that is due to the seed species is outlined, and an approximation to this model is also described that is shown to be valid for practical regimes of interest and allows the number density of the species to be determined without knowledge of line-broadening effects. The details of quantitative number density experiments performed on an air-acetylene flame are given, and a comparison with an alternative absorption-based experiment is made. (C) 2004 Optical Society of America.

Experimental observations of watertable waves in an unconfined aquifer with a sloping boundary

Observations of horizontal and vertical variations in piezometric head in a homogeneous, laboratory aquifer are presented and discussed. The observed fluctuations are induced by a simple harmonic oscillation in the clear water reservoir acting across a sloping boundary. The data qualitatively supports existing theories in that higher harmonics are generated in the active forcing zone and that a significant increase in the inland, asymptotic watertable over height (relative to that found for the vertical boundary case) is observed. The observed overheight is shown to be accurately reproduced by existing small-amplitude perturbation theory. Detailed measurements in the vicinity of the sloping boundary reveal that the signal of generated higher harmonics is strongest near the sand surface and that vertical flows are significant in this region. The aquifer is of finite-depth and is influenced by capillary effects, the experimental data therefore exposes limitations of theories which are based on the assumption of a shallow aquifer free of capillary effects. The dispersive properties of the measured pressure wave in the aquifer are comparable to those found from field observations and likewise do not agree with those predicted by the capillary free, shallow aquifer theory. Although some improvement is obtained, discrepancies between the data and theory persist even when a finite-depth aquifer and capillary effects are considered in the theoretical model. Further sand column experiments eliminate a truncated capillary fringe as a possible contributor to these discrepancies. However, the neglect of horizontal flows in the fringe may have caused the discrepancies. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The role of psychological climate in facilitating employee adjustment during organizational change

The current research tested a theoretical model of employee adjustment during organizational change based on Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) cognitive-phenomenological framework. The model hypothesized that psychological climate variables would act as coping resources and predict improved adjustment during change. Two variations of this model were tested using survey data from two different organizational samples: 779 public hospital employees and 877 public sector employees. Confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation analyses were conducted in order to evaluate the models. Results showed that employees whose perceptions of the organization and environment in which they were working (that is, psychological climate) were more positive, were more likely to appraise change favourably and report better adjustment in terms of higher job satisfaction, psychological well-being, and organizational commitment, and lower absenteeism and turnover intentions.

Statistics of single-electron signals in electron-multiplying charge-coupled devices

Electron-multiplying charge coupled devices promise to revolutionize ultrasensitive optical imaging. The authors present a simple methodology allowing reliable measurement of camera characteristics and statistics of single-electron events, compare the measurements to a simple theoretical model, and report camera performance in a truly photon-counting regime that eliminates the excess noise related to fluctuations of the multiplication gain.

Influence of incubation temperature on hatchling phenotype in reptiles

Incubation temperature influences hatchling phenotypes such as sex, size, shape, color, behavior, and locomotor performance in many reptiles, and there is growing concern that global warming might adversely affect reptile populations by altering frequencies of hatchling phenotypes. Here I overview a recent theoretical model used to predict hatchling sex of reptiles with temperature-dependent sex determination. This model predicts that sex ratios will be fairly robust to moderate global warming as long as eggs experience substantial daily cyclic fluctuations in incubation temperatures so that embryos are exposed to temperatures that inhibit embryonic development for part of the day. I also review studies that examine the influence of incubation temperature on posthatch locomotion performance and growth because these are the traits that are likely to have the greatest effect on hatchling fitness. The majority of these studies used artificial constant-temperature incubation, but some have addressed fluctuating incubation temperature regimes. Although the number of studies is small, it appears that fluctuating temperatures may enhance hatchling locomotor performance. This finding should not be surprising, given that the majority of natural reptile nests are relatively shallow and therefore experience daily fluctuations in incubation temperature.

Quantum atom optics with fermions from molecular dissociation

We study a fermionic atom optics counterpart of parametric down-conversion with photons. This can be realized through dissociation of a Bose-Einstein condensate of molecular dimers consisting of fermionic atoms. We present a theoretical model describing the quantum dynamics of dissociation and find analytic solutions for mode occupancies and atomic pair correlations, valid in the short time limit. The solutions are used to identify upper bounds for the correlation functions, which are applicable to any fermionic system and correspond to ideal particle number-difference squeezing.