Who will be an entrepreneur? How cultural mechanisms and social network structure together influence entrepreneurial participation

Using data collected from 35 countries over five years, this study provides an investigation of the combined influence of cultural factors and social network structure on whether or not an individual, anywhere in the world, becomes an entrepreneur. Results show that knowing someone who has started a business recently, across the world, has a significant impact on entrepreneurship participation. Regarding the potential cultural influences, it seems that importance attached to personally knowing entrepreneurs differs significantly between individuals operating in different cultures. In cultures with high power distance, personally knowing a person who recently started a business is relatively less important as a driver of entrepreneurship participation compared to cultures with low power distance. On the other hand, in cultures where the Hofstede’s ‘masculinity’construct predominates, it is more important than in cultures characterised by ‘femininity’.

Pubertal stage and the prevalence of violence and social/relational aggression

OBJECTIVE We examined associations between pubertal stage and violent adolescent behavior and social/relational aggression.

METHODS The International Youth Development Study comprises statewide representative student samples in grades 5, 7, and 9 (N = 5769) in Washington State and Victoria, Australia, drawn as a 2-stage cluster sample in each state. We used a school-administered, self-report student survey to measure previous-year violent behavior (ie, attacking or beating up another person) and social/relational aggression (excluding peers from the group, threatening to spread lies or rumors), as well as risk and protective factors and pubertal development. Cross-sectional data were analyzed.

RESULTS Compared with early puberty, the odds of violent behavior were approximately threefold higher in midpuberty (odds ratio [OR]: 2.87 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.81–4.55]) and late puberty (OR: 3.79 [95% CI: 2.25–6.39]) after adjustment for demographic factors. For social/relational aggression, there were weaker overall associations after adjustment, but these associations included an interaction between pubertal stage and age, and stronger associations with pubertal stage at younger age were shown (P = .003; midpuberty OR: 1.78 [95% CI: 1.20–2.63]; late puberty OR: 3.00 [95% CI: 1.95–4.63]). Associations between pubertal stage and violent behavior and social/relational aggression remained after the inclusion of social contextual mediators in the analyses.

CONCLUSIONS Pubertal stage was associated with higher rates of violent behavior and social/relational aggression, with the latter association seen only at younger ages. Puberty is an important phase at which to implement prevention programs to reduce adolescent violent and antisocial behaviors.

Belonging, connectedness and social exclusion

Promoting connectedness and/or a sense of belonging are strategies used in addressing social exclusion. While belonging and connectedness are often used interchangeably, this paper demonstrates that while they may be co-existent, it is equally possible to have one without the other. Hence, this paper contends that these two concepts need to be carefully distinguished by those planning and delivering social work services. Furthermore, consideration of both connectedness and belonging enables a more nuanced understanding of social exclusion which challenges the assumption that inclusion and exclusion are binary opposites, and that it is possible to be both included and excluded at the same time.

Body image, drive for muscularity, and social comparisons in men

The results of this thesis indicated that males engage in comparisons when evaluating their bodies and more frequently use similar others, such as friends and the average male for comparison. The results showed that comparisons to males in the media and professional athletes indicated body dissatisfaction and drive for muscularity.The portfolio presents four eating disorder case studies to illustrate how a therapist can use manual-based CBT techniques in a flexible manner and adapt interventions to the individual needs of clients who have motivational issues or present with complex comorbidity, in order to improve treatment outcomes.

Paper 4 : Schooling, identity and social connectivity

This paper will report on the progress of a large three year Australian Research Council (ARC) grant awarded to a multidisciplinary team of researchers in Victoria, Australia. The research, A multi-disciplinary investigation of how trauma and chronic illness impact on schooling, identity and social connectivity commenced in 2007 and is known as Keeping Connected (2007). The research is a collaborative grant in partnership with the Royal Children’s Hospital Education Institute, in association with the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne and the Centre for Adolescent Health, Royal Children’s Hospital. The research aims to investigate qualitatively, longitudinally and through multiple perspectives how young people construct/reconstruct identity and relationships with schooling following disruption associated with chronic illness. Using a mixed methodology, but with a central focus on longitudinal qualitative studies from the perspective of the young people, the study aims to identify key elements of disruption or continued connection, and will illuminate identity issues of people facing this disruption at different age and schooling points. The research outcomes will support education and health practices and provide a differently focused empirical contribution to the literature on education and social connection. The paper works at mixing methods qualitatively, rather than focusing on the overall mixed method design of the study. Assemblages of social capital theory and sociomateriality may be a useful standpoint for the development of our empirical contribution.