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This dissertation examined sojourner adjustment success utilizing a unique method for collecting and analyzing the perceptions and sense making of the sojourner participants. Although previous research studies in this area have mostly relied on quantitative survey designs and researcher-generated models, this study relied on in-depth, participant-driven, qualitative interviews that were semi-structured using a software-assisted method called Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM). Through this dissertation research, study abroad students (sojourners) had the opportunity to reflect on their sojourn experience, share their adjustment stories, and identify factors that were personally relevant to their success. This study broke new ground while building on the vast body of work in cross-cultural and sojourner adjustment. Sojourners were asked to provide their perspectives on the relationships among those factors reported in the literature that are commonly believed to influence successful adjustment. This allowed me to connect existing literature on the subject with the lived experience of the sojourner participants. This dissertation sought to answer two research questions. First, what factors do participants identify as being keys to the success of their sojourn? Second, what relationships do participants perceive among the factors contributing to successful sojourner adjustment? This dissertation found that language proficiency played a key role in their adjustment and openness was the factor most selected by participants in their explanation of a successful sojourn. Additionally, participant profiles and influence structure summaries provided evidence of the relationships participants saw among success factors in their lived experiences. In terms of preparing sojourners for going abroad, analysis of the composite structure revealed what could be prioritized in pre-departure training for impending sojourners. Themes emerged which provide insight into the commonalities of the sojourner experience despite differences in one's program or personality. This dissertation also explained additional success factors participants identified (e.g., ability to manage language fatigue, creation of connections with other travelers) that were not initially provided to them. Finally, suggestions for study abroad students/coordinators, researchers, and employers are provided.
ContributorsValianos, Alexis J (Author) / Broome, Benjamin (Thesis advisor) / Martin, Judith (Committee member) / Baldwin, John (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
Qualifications based selection (QBS) of construction services uses a variety of criteria to evaluate proponents and select a contractor for the project. The criteria typically fall into three categories: past performance and technical capability, key personnel, and price, with price often being considered the most important factor in selection. Evaluation and the merits of the key personnel category is not well described or discussed in research. Prior research has investigated the evaluation criteria elements and their ability to differentiate proponents. This case study uses QBS evaluation data from fifty-eight construction projects to show that use of a structured interview process provides the highest level of differentiation of qualifications of proponents, as compared to the proposed price and the technical proposal. The results of the analysis also indicate: 1) the key personnel element (the interview) is statistically more important than price,
2) Contractors who propose on projects using QBS should use their best people in proposal response, and 3) Contractors should educate/prepare their teams for interviews, people count.
2) Contractors who propose on projects using QBS should use their best people in proposal response, and 3) Contractors should educate/prepare their teams for interviews, people count.
ContributorsSawyer, Jeff T (Author) / Sullivan, Kennth S (Thesis advisor) / Wiezel, Avi (Committee member) / Badger, William (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
Description
While type 2 diabetes (T2D) rates have soared, the number of Americans classified as ‘prediabetic’ has also increased. Despite this, current preventative approaches are costly and often not without undue side-effects. Instead, behavioral lifestyle approaches hold promise in reducing conversion rates of T2D as the latest treatment option that could mitigate and transform disease management. However, present interventions do not possess the scope necessary for implementation in a realistic, scalable way that can target the large at-risk population.
The application (app) “BeWell24” mitigates this diabetes risk through targeting sleep, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and diet, and is being delivered through mHealth technology to attenuate the higher-risk of the prediabetic Veteran population. In order for full scale dissemination, this thesis examines a provider perspective of the ‘Post-intervention interview guide’, performed with a Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System (PVAHCS) provider. It then suggests revisions to the interview guide based on the provider’s interview and existing literature. This thesis also emphasizes the rationale behind these proposed changes to be organized in line with the iPARIHS framework (integrated Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services).
Overall, the provider responded positively to BeWell24 and the ‘Post-intervention interview guide’, with constructive suggestions for each question in the interview guide. The main theme of the provider’s answers and comments were to prioritize efficiency and preserve standard clinical flow. A revised interview guide is provided, which prospectively presents as a more brief and focused interview organized by the iPARIHS framework. This revised interview guide could aid in the clarity of provider responses, specifically for the prospective interviews of the ongoing larger BeWell24 study and future studies.
The application (app) “BeWell24” mitigates this diabetes risk through targeting sleep, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and diet, and is being delivered through mHealth technology to attenuate the higher-risk of the prediabetic Veteran population. In order for full scale dissemination, this thesis examines a provider perspective of the ‘Post-intervention interview guide’, performed with a Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System (PVAHCS) provider. It then suggests revisions to the interview guide based on the provider’s interview and existing literature. This thesis also emphasizes the rationale behind these proposed changes to be organized in line with the iPARIHS framework (integrated Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services).
Overall, the provider responded positively to BeWell24 and the ‘Post-intervention interview guide’, with constructive suggestions for each question in the interview guide. The main theme of the provider’s answers and comments were to prioritize efficiency and preserve standard clinical flow. A revised interview guide is provided, which prospectively presents as a more brief and focused interview organized by the iPARIHS framework. This revised interview guide could aid in the clarity of provider responses, specifically for the prospective interviews of the ongoing larger BeWell24 study and future studies.
ContributorsWojtas, Abby Ann (Author) / Buman, Matthew (Thesis director) / Larouche, Miranda (Committee member) / Epstein, Dana (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
In this research paper I combine statistics from various reports and studies with around 20 different interviews with female journalists to understand how women are faring in national and local television newsrooms in 2019. I explore issues such as the pay gap, sexual assault, the importance of appearance, balancing work and family life and obstacles that women of color uniquely face. I spoke with women from various cultural backgrounds, experience levels, and in different positions within their newsrooms. Through my scholarly research and 19 interviews with women who either currently work at NBC News in New York City and women who currently or recently worked at 12News, the NBC affiliate in Phoenix, I conclude they share similar stories of oppression, sexism and issues. However, women have made more progress in local markets and have more opportunities when compared to the national level. I also explore reasons for why this disparity is happening and why local newsrooms seem to have more women represented through their on-air talent than national newsrooms do. One of the reasons I concluded for this include, how local newsrooms have a better understanding of their audience members thus making them more able to reflect their talent to their diverse audience. Another factor that might play a role in this disparity includes, the historical factor and societal norm of seeing men in higher positions and authoritative roles, such as being an anchor, at the network level. Lastly, the idea of how family and having children impacts women’s careers more than men. This can lead to less women pursuing a job at the network since they must spend time raising a family and have the ability and flexibility to do that easier at the local level. Overall, I focused on the barriers, obstacles and stories these women have had throughout their careers all while looking at it from both a local perspective and a national one.
ContributorsBaietto, Marcella Marie (Author) / Wallace, Julia (Thesis director) / Dunn, Heather (Committee member) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Comm (Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
The workforce demographics in the United States are rapidly changing. According to census information, 35% of working adults are project to retire within the next 20 years. The construction is being particularly affected by this demographic shift as fewer employees are entering into the industry. This shift is especially bad among project professionals within the industry. The response to these changing demographics depends on how companies manage their talent and plan for successions. In order to investigate this workforce problem in the construction industry, the author has partnered with an expert panel of human resource executives from various companies in the construction industry. This research seeks to investigate methods in which construction companies can identify high potential project leaders early on in their careers through quantitative methodologies. The author first validated the research problem by gathering demographic data from six U.S. construction companies varying in size and industry expertise. As a result of analyzing information from 2,294 construction employees in the project management career path, the authors have found that 58% of these individuals are projected to retire within the next 12 years. The author also conducted a detailed literature review and six company interviews to investigate current succession planning practices in the industry. The results show that very few companies have contingency plans for early to mid-level employees. Lastly, the author conducted 76 employee psychological evaluations to measure personality and behavior traits. These traits were then compared to supervisory performance reviews of these employees. The results of this comparison suggest that high potential employees tend to showcase previous leadership experience and also tend to be more outspoken and are also able to separate their emotional bias from business decisions. Using these findings, the author provides an interview tool that employers can use to expand their talent pool in order to identify high potential candidates that may have been previously overlooked. The author recommends additional research in further developing the use of quantitative tools to evaluate early-career employees in order to more efficiently align resources within the shrinking talent pool.
ContributorsGunnoe, Jake Alan (Author) / Sullivan, Kenneth (Thesis advisor) / Wiezel, Avi (Thesis advisor) / Kashiwagi, Dean T. (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
DescriptionArizona graduate student S. B. Schreffler interviews Professor Pirrone, a life long educator who has worked her way from school substitute, ASU Math Professor, and finally an excellent educator of new teachers at Arizona State University.
ContributorsSeth, Schreffler (Interviewer) / Catherine, Pirrone (Interviewee)
Created2019-11-22
Description
Black LGBTQ people living in Des Moines, Iowa face challenges living at the intersection of Blackness and LGBTQ status. Critical race theory helps situate the context for understanding the lived experiences of Black LGBTQ individuals within broader systems, exposing the impact of societal expectations on identity formation and resources available to community members. Four interviewees shared their ideals and areas of opportunity that exist to strengthen resources available to Black LGBTQ people living in Iowa. This research study used an action research methodology paired with counternarrative analysis to guide the interview process. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes within and across participant interviews. Each of the interviews was edited into a podcast episode for the researcher’s ‘Porch Tea w/Destinee’ podcast. The overarching themes that emerged from the podcast were that (1) navigating Blackness within Iowa communities is a challenge and (2) community learning is essential to understanding identities and lived experiences.
ContributorsWoodris, Destinee (Author) / Gee, Elisabeth (Thesis advisor) / Zinnel, Daniel (Committee member) / Wolf, Leigh (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
A Conversation on Stuttering is a documentary film that is aimed at raising awareness about stuttering. Still not fully understood by modern research, stuttering (stammering in the UK) is a diagnosis often accompanied by years of ridicule, shame, and misconceptions. We set out to interview people who stutter, researchers, and clinicians alike to gain insight into the impact stuttering can have. Our participants in this documentary included four people who stutter, two clinicians, and 2 researchers (one of them being a person who stutters). The questions asked ranged from topics of physical and emotional aspects of stuttering to therapy experiences and research on what causes stuttering. From the mix of genuine, sometimes emotional, responses, the film captures flowing conversation on a range of experiences had by our interviewees. Through these responses, we hope to open further dialogue about the themes of identity, understanding our differences, and perspectives that can make a more accepting world.
ContributorsRamos, George (Author) / Ledezma, Jesus (Co-author) / Schatzki, Myra (Thesis director) / Sundt, Eric (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor)
Created2022-05
Description
A Conversation on Stuttering is a documentary film that is aimed at raising awareness about stuttering. Still not fully understood by modern research, stuttering (stammering in the UK) is a diagnosis often accompanied by years of ridicule, shame, and misconceptions. We set out to interview people who stutter, researchers, and clinicians alike to gain insight into the impact stuttering can have. From these genuine, sometimes emotional responses, the film captures flowing conversations on a range of experiences had by our interviewees. Through these responses, we hope to open further dialogue about the themes of identity, understanding our differences, and perspectives that can make a more accepting world.
ContributorsLedezma, Jesus (Author) / Ramos, George (Co-author) / Schatzki, Myra (Thesis director) / Sundt, Eric (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / The Sidney Poitier New American Film School (Contributor) / Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation (Contributor)
Created2022-05
Description
The purpose of this document is to identify contemporary issues facing female-identifying professional trombonists today. Interviews were conducted with three prominent women in the international trombone community, including questions that sought to foster discussion on the extent to which their experience as professional trombonists was influenced by their gender. The topic of microaggressions emerged as significant, as it became clear throughout the interview process that these women experience microaggressions far more commonly than overt gender discrimination, as did the topic of coping mechanisms. The interview questions also sparked discussions of identity, self-motivation, and local cultural norms within the context of each woman’s musical career.
ContributorsBroome-Robinson, Julia (Author) / Edwards, Bradley (Thesis advisor) / Swoboda, Deanna (Committee member) / Wells, Christopher (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020