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Title: The Dimensions of Social Capital.
Creator: Webster, Richard, Wright, James, Grauerholz, Elizabeth, Carter, James, Gay, David, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This study called into question the rationale and methods used by researchers used to measure levels of social capital, particularly Putnam (1995), Paxton (1999), and Park (2006). A central purpose to this study was to partially replicate and extend the work of Park, who theoretically derived four dimensions of social capital. I develop measures of each dimension and then regress each on the variables of age, sex, race, ethnicity, marital status, education, income, and religiosity. This...
Show moreThis study called into question the rationale and methods used by researchers used to measure levels of social capital, particularly Putnam (1995), Paxton (1999), and Park (2006). A central purpose to this study was to partially replicate and extend the work of Park, who theoretically derived four dimensions of social capital. I develop measures of each dimension and then regress each on the variables of age, sex, race, ethnicity, marital status, education, income, and religiosity. This created four sets of outcomes from which I drew conclusions about the dimensionality of the social capital concept. Based on the low percentage of variance explained by the models and the fact that many coefficients reverse signs from one model to the next, I conclude that these dimensions do not represent four parts of a single, underlying construct. This was counter to both Paxton and Park's conclusions. The results of this study also offer a way to examine the effects of subgroups on each dimension. In addition, Park's hypothesis of (")coffeeing together(") was tested and found to be inconsistent with the descriptive results. Recommendations were made for future applications of social capital research and an alternative hypothesis was cited as a promising way to conduct subsequent studies.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0004771, ucf:49793
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004771

Title: ENGAGEMENT, TRUST, AND RECIPROCITY: EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL CAPTIAL AND PARTICIPATION IN NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
Creator: Feiler, Rebecca, Wright, James, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This study examines the extent to which various forms of social capital impact participation in nonprofit organizations. Previous research has focused on the importance of trust and engagement among social and political networks to form strong community ties that can cultivate the growth of social capital and promote participation in nonprofit organizations. The data analyzed in this study were derived from the Central Florida Social Capital Benchmark survey, collected at the University of...
Show moreThis study examines the extent to which various forms of social capital impact participation in nonprofit organizations. Previous research has focused on the importance of trust and engagement among social and political networks to form strong community ties that can cultivate the growth of social capital and promote participation in nonprofit organizations. The data analyzed in this study were derived from the Central Florida Social Capital Benchmark survey, collected at the University of Central Florida's Institute for Social and Behavioral Sciences. To represent social capital, related variables from the survey are combined to create indices that represent civic engagement and community trust. For the purposes of this study, participation in nonprofit organizations is defined by volunteerism and philanthropy. Results from this analysis provide evidence that (1) social capital assets are predictors of volunteerism and philanthropy and (2) higher levels of social capital are correlated with increased participation in nonprofit organizations. Although participation in nonprofit organizations can vary depending on a community's characteristics, social capital can be seen as an important element in the development of the nonprofit sector.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: CFE0001382, ucf:47010
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001382

Title: Factors Influencing the Variability in Social Capital.
Creator: Downing, James, Wan, Thomas, Kapucu, Naim, Zhang, Ning, Ford, Robert, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This research provides insights into three aspects of social capital: the factors that influence its variability; its two-dimensional nature; and the relationship between social capital and membership in a YMCA. These insights have implications for social capital theory, for public policy, for organizational management and for individual well-being. Most social capital research treats the construct as a causal variable and analyzes the implications of different levels of social capital for...
Show moreThis research provides insights into three aspects of social capital: the factors that influence its variability; its two-dimensional nature; and the relationship between social capital and membership in a YMCA. These insights have implications for social capital theory, for public policy, for organizational management and for individual well-being. Most social capital research treats the construct as a causal variable and analyzes the implications of different levels of social capital for certain aspects of individual and community well-being. This treatment implies that levels of social capital vary. Little research has been done to analyze the factors that cause social capital variability and therefore the understanding of social capital variability lacks insight. Before social capital variability can be explored, an intermediate issue must be addressed. Social capital is usually conceived of as a single-dimension construct. In fact social capital has two dimensions: the attitudes of social capital and the behaviors of social capital. Unidimensionality is sufficient when social capital is used exogenously but it is insufficiently nuanced when used for the purpose of recommending policies to increase it. This research analyzes the two-dimensional nature of social capital. Finally, a number of social capital behaviors have been studied but membership in the YMCA is not one of them. This research examines the relationship, ceteris paribus, between membership in the Central Florida YMCA and individual social capital.A survey questionnaire was mailed to 10,000 YMCA members in Central Florida and 21,000 residents who were demographically similar. There were 1,881 completed responses. The results were analyzed using structural equation modeling and were guided by social capital theory and the theory of reasoned action.ivThe results of the study indicate that the two most influential factors of social capital variability are personal educational attainment and the average educational attainment of the community. The study also confirms that social capital is a two-dimensional construct and the two dimensions are iterative. The study results also revealed that members of the Central Florida YMCA had higher levels of social capital ceteris paribus.This study is significant in four areas: social capital theory, public policy, management of social capital-generating organizations and for individuals. At the theoretical level, insight has been gained into both the causes of social capital variability and the two-dimensional nature of social capital. Regarding public policy, this research provides clear evidence that education provides a greater role in building a community than simply creating human capital; it also creates social capital. Both educational institutions and those organizations that create social capital should be supported. Furthermore, social capital promulgation through public policy should target both dimensions of social capital to be most effective. For managers of social capital-generating organizations social capital can be used as a metric for measuring organizational effectiveness and community impact. For individuals, there is now an evidence-based approach for developing a life plan for creating personal social capital. This research is unique because it simultaneously brings insights into four distinct spheres of social capital.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0004103, ucf:49085
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004103

Title: TIME ON FLORIDA'S DEATH ROW: A THEORY OF "BENIGN NEGLECT".
Creator: Willis, Angela, Bohm, Robert, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This thesis attempts to identify and explain what influences the length of time an inmate spends on Florida's death row. A systematic random sample of 33 Florida death row inmates was drawn from the Florida Department of Corrections death row roster and the Florida Commission on Capital Cases inmate roster. Documented for each death row inmate was how long he spent on Florida's death row navigating the various stages and steps in Florida's post-conviction capital punishment...
Show moreThis thesis attempts to identify and explain what influences the length of time an inmate spends on Florida's death row. A systematic random sample of 33 Florida death row inmates was drawn from the Florida Department of Corrections death row roster and the Florida Commission on Capital Cases inmate roster. Documented for each death row inmate was how long he spent on Florida's death row navigating the various stages and steps in Florida's post-conviction capital punishment process. The data show that petitions to the state trial courts and appeals to the Florida Supreme Court take the longest time in Florida's post-conviction capital punishment process. It also shows a considerable amount of "dead time," which refers to any additional time that an inmate spends on death row with no legal actions pending. A theory of "benign neglect" is proposed as the most likely explanation for the excessive delays.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002328, ucf:47775
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002328

Title: The Education Pathway Through Social and Economic Integration of Highly Educated Immigrants: The Case of Colombians in the United States.
Creator: Bedoya Arturo, Olga, Cintron Delgado, Rosa, Owens, J. Thomas, Laureano Fuentes, Gloria, Rivera, Fernando, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Developed countries have promoted immigration of educated people as a strategy to satisfy the demand for educated labor. Highly educated immigrants' poor language skills, absence of cultural networks, and lack of credentials and recognized professional experience gained in the country of origin are barriers to their social and economic integration (Ferrer (&) Riddell, 2008; Mattoo, Neagu, (&) ?zden, 2008; Miranda (&) Umhoefer, 1998; Zikic, Bonache, (&) Cerdin, 2010). The purpose of this study...
Show moreDeveloped countries have promoted immigration of educated people as a strategy to satisfy the demand for educated labor. Highly educated immigrants' poor language skills, absence of cultural networks, and lack of credentials and recognized professional experience gained in the country of origin are barriers to their social and economic integration (Ferrer (&) Riddell, 2008; Mattoo, Neagu, (&) ?zden, 2008; Miranda (&) Umhoefer, 1998; Zikic, Bonache, (&) Cerdin, 2010). The purpose of this study was to explore how college experiences in an American college or university facilitate or hinder the transfer and gain of different forms of capital among highly educated Colombia immigrants. All of the participants in this study completed at least a bachelor's degree before moving to the United States and came to this country under any visa category except that of student. Two in-depth interviews were conducted with six Colombian immigrants living in the state of Florida. The results of the study revealed five common themes shared by the participants: (1) exposure and exchange of different forms of thinking and cultural expressions; (2) performing in ways that meet requirements of American institutions; (3) achieving credentials recognized by professionals in the United States' job market and social structure; (4) capacity to assess their own abilities and take control of their future; and (5) connections that provide social, emotional, and intellectual support as well as information.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005923, ucf:50828
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005923

Title: LIVING AND THRIVING IN THE LAND OF MILK AND HONEY: RELIGION AND THE SUCCESS OF MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS TO THE UNITED STATES.
Creator: Dodge, Jamie, Wright, James, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This study examines the role of religion in promoting the success of Mexican immigrants, as measured by typical U.S. standards of success, including income, education, assets (such as homeownership), and health, including access to health insurance, controlling for age, education, gender, and ability to speak English. These measures are analyzed against various indicators of religiosity. The hypothesis driving the research is: religiosity increases an immigrant's success in the United...
Show moreThis study examines the role of religion in promoting the success of Mexican immigrants, as measured by typical U.S. standards of success, including income, education, assets (such as homeownership), and health, including access to health insurance, controlling for age, education, gender, and ability to speak English. These measures are analyzed against various indicators of religiosity. The hypothesis driving the research is: religiosity increases an immigrant's success in the United States. This hypothesis was informed by social capital theory, and a distinction is made between bridging and bonding forms of social capital. The results show only a very weak correlation between religion and success, as measured by the data. Also, immigrants attending churches where Spanish is spoken, and those with mainly Mexican immigrant populations are less likely to enjoy success, implying that bonding forms of social capital actually work against them.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002341, ucf:47817
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002341

Title: System justification theory: Synthesizing and applying its theoretical motivations in behavioral accounting research.
Creator: Olczak, Wioleta, Roberts, Robin, Libby, Theresa, Tian, Yu, Patten, Dennis, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This dissertation consists of two studies on System Justification Theory, hereafter SJT. SJT (Jost and Banaji 1994) is a psychology theory stating that individuals justify the status quo even if doing so is against their own or their group's interest (Jost et al. 2004). Comprised of twenty propositions, SJT attempts to explain social and psychological factors driving individuals to perceive the social system as legitimate. These factors also drive individuals to support and maintain the...
Show moreThis dissertation consists of two studies on System Justification Theory, hereafter SJT. SJT (Jost and Banaji 1994) is a psychology theory stating that individuals justify the status quo even if doing so is against their own or their group's interest (Jost et al. 2004). Comprised of twenty propositions, SJT attempts to explain social and psychological factors driving individuals to perceive the social system as legitimate. These factors also drive individuals to support and maintain the social system. The synthesis and application of this psychological theory in behavioral accounting research is limited, but could provide explanatory evidence on individual decision-making in accounting. The first study of this dissertation synthesizes SJT's four foundational theories (-) cognitive dissonance, social identity, social dominance, and belief in a just world (-) in behavioral accounting research, specifically focusing on two predominantly used theoretical motivations, cognitive dissonance and social identity theory. Behavioral accounting and corporate social responsibility (CSR) have increasingly become more complex as interest in these two areas continues to grow. The first study reviews prior behavioral accounting research that applied cognitive dissonance or social identity theory, and then demonstrates how the application of SJT in behavioral accounting research addresses more complex research questions that cannot be addressed solely from one or a combination of SJT's four foundational theories. The second study then applies SJT's theoretical motivations in a complex managerial accounting setting by investigating whether maintaining the status quo is a factor explaining managers' decisions to overstate environmental capital expenditure (ECE) projections. This study uses an experimental design to understand whether the presence of an overstatement status quo and a system threat affects managers' decisions to overstate environmental projections. The results indicate that managers are more likely to overstate ECE projections when the industry exhibits an overstatement status quo. Additionally, this propensity to overstate ECE projections is further exacerbated when managers face a stakeholder threat, suggesting they (")dig in their heels(") and maintain the status quo. This study extends environmental accounting research by demonstrating that the societal status quo affects managers cognitively and psychologically as they make environmental disclosure decisions. Results also contribute to practice by shedding insight as to why managers make certain environmental disclosure decisions. Specifically, the results show that the social system impacts managers' willingness to use environmental disclosures as a legitimating tool. Overall these two studies contribute to behavioral accounting research by exploring and applying a psychological theory in a managerial environmental accounting setting. It demonstrates how a commonly used psychology theory that has never been utilized in accounting research could address broad and complex accounting topics
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007697, ucf:52447
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007697

Title: IMPROVING COMPREHENSION OF CAPITAL SENTENCING INSTRUCTIONS: A BIAS REDUCTION APPROACH.
Creator: Otto, Charles Wesley, Applegate, Brandon K., University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Previous research has demonstrated that judicial instructions on the law are not well understood by jurors tasked with applying the law to the facts of a case. The past research has also shown that jurors are often confused by the instructions used in the sentencing phase of a capital trial. Social scientists have used two different methods to improve juror understanding of legal instructions, psycholinguistic rewrites and bias-reduction techniques. Psycholinguistic rewrites of legal...
Show morePrevious research has demonstrated that judicial instructions on the law are not well understood by jurors tasked with applying the law to the facts of a case. The past research has also shown that jurors are often confused by the instructions used in the sentencing phase of a capital trial. Social scientists have used two different methods to improve juror understanding of legal instructions, psycholinguistic rewrites and bias-reduction techniques. Psycholinguistic rewrites of legal instructions have been shown consistently to improve juror comprehension of general legal instructions and instructions used in the sentencing phase of a capital trial, however, there has been a call in the literature to not only improve the clarity of judicial instructions but to address comprehension biases that interfere with jurors' ability to understand the instructions. Because a bias-reduction approach has received limited empirical testing and has never been tested on capital-sentencing instructions, this research sought to test the effectiveness of a bias-reduction approach with those instructions. Participants were randomly assigned to hear either Florida's pattern instructions used in the penalty phase of a capital trial or the same instructions with additional statements that mentioned and refuted biases thought to be associated with established areas of miscomprehension. After participants heard the judicial instructions, their understanding of the law on capital punishment decision-making was assessed. Additionally, the participants were asked to render a verdict in a hypothetical case. The results revealed that comprehension was higher for participants exposed to the bias-refutation statements than for participants who were exposed to only the pattern instructions. Among all participants, greater understanding of capital sentencing instructions was associated with an increased likelihood that mock jurors recommended a life sentence, but this observed association was not statistically significant when examining capital-juror eligible participants. The results of this study suggest that efforts should be undertaken to improve specific areas of Florida's capital sentencing instructions.
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Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: CFE0000011, ucf:52841
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000011

Title: At the Intersection of Feminism and Fast Capitalism: A Study of Women's Literacies During a Time of Change.
Creator: Gauss, Melanie, Rounsaville, Angela, Roozen, Kevin, Hall, Mark, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: ABSTRACTResearch in socio-historical studies of literacy have focused on the social and historical aspects of literacy. While these prior studies have illuminated how we think about the social and historical context surrounding literacy, we have not studied women's literacies in relation to the economy as much. In response, this study focuses particularly on women's literacies during a specific time period, that of the 1960s to the 1990s, which ushered in second wave feminism's fight for...
Show moreABSTRACTResearch in socio-historical studies of literacy have focused on the social and historical aspects of literacy. While these prior studies have illuminated how we think about the social and historical context surrounding literacy, we have not studied women's literacies in relation to the economy as much. In response, this study focuses particularly on women's literacies during a specific time period, that of the 1960s to the 1990s, which ushered in second wave feminism's fight for equality in the workplace and the change from traditional capitalism to (")fast(") or (")new(") capitalism. To develop this inquiry, and find out about women's literacies during this historic intersection, I drew from Brandt and Berteaux's life history interview method paired with Charmaz's grounded theory to conduct literacy history interviews with seven women of varying occupations. All the participants started their working lives between 1960 and 1966 and continued to work at least through the 1990s. Findings show that women used their literacies to document in our society, which demanded increasing documentation, in order to get and keep positions of authority. Some women used a keen sense of audience awareness and ethos to gain the authority to write their own work beyond documentation. These women are the boundary breakers who succeeded in occupations previously dominated by men. The participants' literacies are complicated, however, and it was interesting to find that their education levels did not always match their economic levels. Two of the participants achieved upper echelon positions and earned more than most of the others despite not having degrees. Graff's, (")The Literacy Myth("), helps explain this paradox, but my research adds an additional contour to his theory by looking at how women used literacies gathered from various sources to gain authority in a documentary workplace. While researchers like Brandt and Graff have done global literacy studies, this study hones in on the complications and particularities of women's literacies during the convergence of two socio-historic trends, feminism and fast capitalism. This study highlights how women used their literacies in a documentary society to gain authority in the workplace. This research also sheds light on the part literacy played in women's ability to succeed in professions previously dominated by men. Understanding the results of this study could help us better understand the paradoxes of women's literacies and work as well as how women have managed these paradoxes when possible. Most importantly, this research sheds light on literacies in our fast capitalist, documentary society, which is a defining feature of our contemporary moment.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006308, ucf:51583
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006308

Title: DEATH PENALTY KNOWLEDGE, OPINION, AND REVENGE: A TEST OF THE MARSHALL HYPOTHESES IN A TIME OF FLUX.
Creator: Lee, Gavin, Bohm, Robert, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This thesis tests the three hypotheses derived from the written opinion of Justice Thurgood Marshall in Furman v Georgia in 1972. Subjects completed questionnaires at the beginning and the end of the fall 2006 semester. Experimental group subjects were enrolled in a death penalty class, while control group subjects were enrolled in another criminal justice class. The death penalty class was the experimental stimulus. Findings provided strong support for the first and third hypotheses, i.e.,...
Show moreThis thesis tests the three hypotheses derived from the written opinion of Justice Thurgood Marshall in Furman v Georgia in 1972. Subjects completed questionnaires at the beginning and the end of the fall 2006 semester. Experimental group subjects were enrolled in a death penalty class, while control group subjects were enrolled in another criminal justice class. The death penalty class was the experimental stimulus. Findings provided strong support for the first and third hypotheses, i.e., subjects were generally lacking in death penalty knowledge before the experimental stimulus, and death penalty proponents who scored "high" on a retribution index did not change their death penalty opinions despite exposure to death penalty knowledge. Marshall's second hypothesis--that death penalty knowledge and death penalty support were inversely related--was not supported by the data. Two serendipitous findings were that death penalty proponents who scored "low" on a retribution index also did not change their death penalty opinions after becoming more informed about the subject, and that death penalty knowledge did not alter subjects' initial retributive positions. Suggestions for future research are provided.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: CFE0001754, ucf:47259
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001754

Title: RAPITALISM.
Creator: Smith, Martin, Lynxwiler, John, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: My paper questions the degree to which the hip hop subculture is oppositional to mainstream American society and its ideals. Toward that end, I examine the structure of the hip hop industry and its subculture. While the hip hop subculture in America consistently has projected images of rebellion and resistance to many of the mores, constraints and values of dominant society, the actual structure and organization of the hip hop subculture have mirrored, supported and promoted the values of the...
Show moreMy paper questions the degree to which the hip hop subculture is oppositional to mainstream American society and its ideals. Toward that end, I examine the structure of the hip hop industry and its subculture. While the hip hop subculture in America consistently has projected images of rebellion and resistance to many of the mores, constraints and values of dominant society, the actual structure and organization of the hip hop subculture have mirrored, supported and promoted the values of the dominant culture in the United States. I begin by examining the structure of the main elements of the hip hop subculture: deejaying, breakdancing, emceeing and graffiti art, and the practices within each to demonstrate that the hip hop subculture has a structure which supports capitalistic practices. The interactions between hip hop industry participants, their fans, and the marketplace are an embracing of the values of mainstream American society and capitalism. From its inception, the structure of the hip hop subculture and the actions of the artists within the structure essentially has made hip hop music capitalism set to a beat.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: CFE0001360, ucf:47001
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001360

Title: INTERNAL CAPITAL MARKETS AND BANK RELATIONSHIP - EVIDENCE FROM JAPANESE CORPORATE SPIN-OFFS.INTERNAL CAPITAL MARKETS, INVESTMENT, AND BANK RELATIONSHIP - EVIDENCE FROM JAPANESE CORPORATE SPIN-OFFS.
Creator: Han, Seung, Choi, Yoon, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This dissertation consists of two studies related to internal capital markets and bank relationship using Japanese corporate spin-offs. The first study analyzes the relation between internal capital markets and banks by examining 137 Japanese corporate spin-offs created between the years 2001 and 2003 (since the establishment of new spin-offs law in 2001). In a univariate analysis, we find significant positive average cumulative abnormal returns around the announcements, market-adjusted...
Show moreThis dissertation consists of two studies related to internal capital markets and bank relationship using Japanese corporate spin-offs. The first study analyzes the relation between internal capital markets and banks by examining 137 Japanese corporate spin-offs created between the years 2001 and 2003 (since the establishment of new spin-offs law in 2001). In a univariate analysis, we find significant positive average cumulative abnormal returns around the announcements, market-adjusted excess returns after the spin-offs, an increase of the Herfindahl index, and a reduction in the diversification discount after the spin-offs. In a cross-sectional analysis, we find that bank-related governance variables such as the keiretsu-affiliation indicator, bank loan to total asset ratio, main bank ownership, and indicator variable of the existence of a bank-appointed director on the board indicator variables are significantly positively related to cumulative average abnormal returns around the announcements, market-adjusted excess returns after the spin-offs, an increase in focus of firms in terms of the Herfindahl index, and a reduction in the diversification discount. Therefore, we conclude that there is a significant relationship between internal capital markets and banks in Japan; after the internal capital market reorganization through spin-offs the closer relationship with banks creates shareholder wealth and increases the focus of firms. This paper is now co-authored with Professor Yoon K. Choi. The second study analyzes the investment policy changes in internal capital markets and the effect of banks' monitoring on the investment changes using Japanese corporate spin-offs, including merger-facilitated spin-offs within conglomerates. We find that investment sensitivity increases significantly after internal restructuring through spin-offs, consistent with Gertner et al. (2002). Furthermore, our results show that bank-related spin-offs' investments are more sensitive to investment opportunities, Tobin's Q, after being spun off. This suggests that the efficiency of Japanese internal capital markets has increased through spin-offs after the financial deregulation in 2001. We conclude that banks seem to play significant monitoring roles in internal capital markets to increase the investment efficiency after spin-offs. This paper is now co-authored with Professor Yoon K. Choi.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: CFE0000849, ucf:46644
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000849

Title: UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF SOCIAL CAPITAL IN EXPERTISE COORDINATION IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT (ISD) TEAMS.
Creator: Hsu, Shih-Chieh, Jiang, James, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Information system development (ISD) project is a knowledge-intensive teamwork process which requires members to coordinate their expertise to generate the final outcome. Breakdown or coordination and insufficient knowledge integration have been reported as critical factors which lead to ISD project failure. Most existing coordination literature focus on the effect of administrative coordination mechanisms toward project performance which hints that more efforts are needed to understand...
Show moreInformation system development (ISD) project is a knowledge-intensive teamwork process which requires members to coordinate their expertise to generate the final outcome. Breakdown or coordination and insufficient knowledge integration have been reported as critical factors which lead to ISD project failure. Most existing coordination literature focus on the effect of administrative coordination mechanisms toward project performance which hints that more efforts are needed to understand expertise coordination and explore ways to improve it. Addressing the above issues, two studies in this dissertation attempt to understand expertise coordination within the IS development team based on social capital perspective. The first study, based on intention-behavior literature, knowledge management research, and Gerwin's (2004) coordination model, investigates relationships among willingness, competence, and actual expertise coordination. The relationships between expertise coordination and teamwork outcomes are also examined. The second study incorporates social capital theory and examines (1) dependencies among three dimensions of social capital and (2) linkage between social capital and expertise coordination. Data collected from more than five hundred information systems project team members was used to test the proposed hypotheses. The analysis results confirmed most of the hypotheses. This dissertation contributes to coordination, project management, and team mental model research through many perspectives. In each study, directions for management practice and future research are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002347, ucf:47816
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002347

Title: How do after-school staff use social networks to support at-risk youth? A social capital analysis.
Creator: Philp, Katherine, Gill, Michele, Biraimah, Karen, Bai, Haiyan, Hewitt, Randall, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Little is known about the social capital of adults in after-school settings or the ways in which they use social contacts to support youth success, particularly for at-risk youth. Their effectiveness as brokers for learning opportunities may depend on aspects of their social capital: both the quantity and quality of their social networks as well as their attitudes and beliefs related to seeking help from social contacts. This mixed-methods study surveyed 50 after-school program staff serving...
Show moreLittle is known about the social capital of adults in after-school settings or the ways in which they use social contacts to support youth success, particularly for at-risk youth. Their effectiveness as brokers for learning opportunities may depend on aspects of their social capital: both the quantity and quality of their social networks as well as their attitudes and beliefs related to seeking help from social contacts. This mixed-methods study surveyed 50 after-school program staff serving teens in high-poverty neighborhoods to examine the characteristics of adult social capital and to explore attitudes towards mobilizing social resources to support youth. Surveys measured social network size (total contacts), network social status (average prestige of known occupations), and network orientations, as well as social resource mobilization (brokering). The results of an initial logistic regression found that only total known contacts was a significant predictor of resource mobilization. Six participants were identified for follow-up interviews. Exposing youth to novel experiences emerged as a critical theme related to youth interest development and adult brokering action. Interviews also indicated that structural elements of youth programs might influence the need for staff to draw on personal connections, suggesting possible targets for intervention. This study provides novel insight into the characteristics of the social networks held by adults working in after-school programs, as well as into the attitudes and beliefs held by these individuals towards brokering learning opportunities for youth.
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007707, ucf:52419
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007707

Title: Estimating the Effects of Condemned Inmates' Last Statements on Public Opinion About the Death Penalty: A Factorial Survey Approach.
Creator: Colyer, Timothy, Wright, James, Corzine, Harold, Jasinski, Jana, Pals, Heili, Bohm, Robert, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: There has been an increase in writings that address the last statements of condemned offenders. Many of these writings suggest that exposure to the humanity sometimes exhibited in these last statements may steer public opinion against the death penalty. This dissertation tests this suggestion by exposing 400 participants to randomly generated vignettes containing various capital crimes, demographic characteristics, and last statements. The survey data are analyzed utilizing multilevel...
Show moreThere has been an increase in writings that address the last statements of condemned offenders. Many of these writings suggest that exposure to the humanity sometimes exhibited in these last statements may steer public opinion against the death penalty. This dissertation tests this suggestion by exposing 400 participants to randomly generated vignettes containing various capital crimes, demographic characteristics, and last statements. The survey data are analyzed utilizing multilevel modeling. Study results include the effects of varying levels of demonstrated humanity in the last statements of condemned offenders on public opinion, and whether specific demographic characteristics appear to influence study participant responses. Findings showed no statistically significant results that indicate any effect on death penalty opinion as a result of reading last statements demonstrating humanity. Condemned inmates who did not provide a statement, or stated they had nothing to say, elicited higher levels of confidence that executing them was the right thing to do. Condemned inmates who claimed innocence in their last statements were associated with the lowest level of respondent confidence that execution was the right thing to do, and a higher level of support for life without parole as an alternative punishment. Recommendations for further research are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004338, ucf:49437
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004338

Title: THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL CAPITAL ON YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE.
Creator: Unlu, Ali, Wan, Thomas, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Substance use, such as alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana, is a threat to the health and well-being of the youth, their families, and society as well. Government supports and implements several programs to protect youth from substance use. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of social capital on youth behavior and to suggest evidence-based policy interventions. Social capital refers to individual embeddedness in web of social relations and their behaviors guided by social structure...
Show moreSubstance use, such as alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana, is a threat to the health and well-being of the youth, their families, and society as well. Government supports and implements several programs to protect youth from substance use. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of social capital on youth behavior and to suggest evidence-based policy interventions. Social capital refers to individual embeddedness in web of social relations and their behaviors guided by social structure. Therefore, adolescents' social interactions with their peers, parents, and community were investigated. The substance use was measured by the usage of cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, and inhalants in the past year. The type of activities adolescents participate in, the time and type of intra-familial interactions between parents and adolescents, and the type of peer groups adolescents interact with were employed as indicators of social capital. In other words, this study focuses on the relationship between youth substance use and the impact of parents, peers, and youth activities. Moreover, the study examined not only the correlation between social capital and substance use, but also the variation in substance use among youth by age, gender, ethnicity, income level, and mobility. The data, National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2005, 2006, and 2007), was collected by the United States Department of Health and Human Service, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Office of Applied Studies. The sample size for each year was around 17.000. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypothesized. The results of the statistical analysis supported the research hypothesis.Findings show that there is a relationship between youth substance use and social capital. All three dimensions of social capital (peer impact, family attachments, and youth activities) were found to be statistically significant. While peer influence is positively correlated with substance use, family attachment and youth activities have a negative relationship with substance use. The impact of social capital however varies by age, gender, ethnicity, mobility, and income level. The study also contributes to the social capital literature by integrating different perspectives in social capital and substance use literature. Moreover, it successfully demonstrates how social capital can be utilized as a policy and intervention tool.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: CFE0002700, ucf:48237
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002700

Title: Conflict and Modernity in New South Florida's Phosphate Mines, 1900-1930.
Creator: Orr, Terrell, Cassanello, Robert, Foster, Amy, Dandrow, Edward, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This thesis places Florida's phosphate industry in the context of the New South and the state's fitful emergence into modernity. Historian Paul Ortiz has identified a long trend of (")Florida exceptionalism(") (-) the idea that Florida has been exempt from the conflicts characteristic of the New South. These conflicts are rooted in racial violence and inconsistent industrialization, which resulted in lagging wages, labor struggles, overproduction crises and sporadic capital investment. These...
Show moreThis thesis places Florida's phosphate industry in the context of the New South and the state's fitful emergence into modernity. Historian Paul Ortiz has identified a long trend of (")Florida exceptionalism(") (-) the idea that Florida has been exempt from the conflicts characteristic of the New South. These conflicts are rooted in racial violence and inconsistent industrialization, which resulted in lagging wages, labor struggles, overproduction crises and sporadic capital investment. These Southern trends are likewise rooted in a national narrative of modernization, despite a tendency to consider the New South as in some sense outside of modernity. I argue that Florida has not been exempt from the conflicts characteristic of the New South or of modernity, and that the phosphate industry between 1900 and 1930 strikingly demonstrates these conflicts. Florida phosphate mining was one of the most capitalized and developed industries in Florida during these years; yet it has received essentially no attention from historians working in the relevant historiographies of labor, race, mining technology and political economy. In placing the industry into these contexts, the thesis proceeds analytically rather than narratively, making the argument by examining the industry from three distinct, but interrelated, perspectives, posed at increasing levels of generality: first, examining labor conflict and interracial organization in the industry; second, examining competitive pressures and technological change and third, examining the industry's vertical integration into the national fertilizer market.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006157, ucf:51126
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006157

Title: Gender and Social Capital: Implications for Women's Civic Engagement in Ecuador and Peru.
Creator: Medina, Pamela, Bryer, Thomas, Kapucu, Naim, Feder, Lynette, Gau, Jacinta, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Civic engagement is a fundamental component of a healthy democracy, contributing to higher government accountability and overall improvement in (")good governance("). Civic engagement is particularly critical to subgroups which are under-represented in formal political structures, such as women, as it affords these groups the opportunity to voice their unique concerns. However, women participate less in many important forms of civic engagement. The United Nations and other international...
Show moreCivic engagement is a fundamental component of a healthy democracy, contributing to higher government accountability and overall improvement in (")good governance("). Civic engagement is particularly critical to subgroups which are under-represented in formal political structures, such as women, as it affords these groups the opportunity to voice their unique concerns. However, women participate less in many important forms of civic engagement. The United Nations and other international organizations have emphasized the importance of increasing women's voice and empowerment in an attempt to improve women's overall well-being, particularly in the developing world. Individual and contextual factors have demonstrated contributions toward influencing levels of civic engagement, but these effects only serve in partially explaining why women are less engaged. This study adds to this discussion by examining gender differences in the development and contribution of social capital (measured by networks and trust) to civic engagement within two young and developing democracies; Ecuador and Peru. The study finds that gender differences exist in how social capital is formed, but these differences don't explain women's decreased likelihood for engagement. Thus, social capital can be used to build civic engagement among both genders.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005842, ucf:50911
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005842

Title: "I Kid You Not, I am Asked a Question about Children At Least Once a Week": Exploring Differences in Childbearing Habitus in Pronatalist Fields.
Creator: Mullins, Alyssa, Rivera, Fernando, Carter, Shannon, Jasinski, Jana, McQuillan, Julia, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In the United States, childbearing remains part of the typical life course. However, evidence suggests that men and women, on average, are having fewer children and having them later in life. Additionally, public and academic outlets are increasingly acknowledging some adults' decisions to intentionally forego childbearing completely, with an emphasis on the reasons why individuals choose to abstain from childbearing. However, further research is needed to identify the ways in which...
Show moreIn the United States, childbearing remains part of the typical life course. However, evidence suggests that men and women, on average, are having fewer children and having them later in life. Additionally, public and academic outlets are increasingly acknowledging some adults' decisions to intentionally forego childbearing completely, with an emphasis on the reasons why individuals choose to abstain from childbearing. However, further research is needed to identify the ways in which voluntarily childless adults actively negotiate the social world among structural influences that simultaneously values parenthood and place complex burdens on parents. Utilizing the Bourdieuian concepts of habitus, capital, and field, the present study contributes to a shift in the conversation from (")why(") individuals remain childless toward an understanding of (")how(") childbearing preferences impact individuals' lives in practice. This research compares experiences and characteristics of non-parents in relation to childbearing preferences. In particular, this research suggests measures to identify deeply rooted childbearing habitus, the relationship between access to various forms of capital and the habitus, and explores how this identity relates to experiences in various social fields. The Bourdieuian perspective poses that individuals' access to capital simultaneously shapes and is shaped by the habitus. Similarly, habitus and capital both shape and are shaped by experiences in various social arenas. Thus the research presented here consists of an exploratory analysis finding support for the use of the concepts associated with this theoretical framework, in order to encourage future research to establish a more complete understanding of the decision (not) to become a parent. The current study includes a sample of 972 childless men and women between the ages of 25 and 40 years old. Purposive sampling techniques were used to oversample voluntarily childless adults (n=573) to be compared to adults that intend to have children in the future (n=399). Respondents completed an online questionnaire with open- and closed-ended questions addressing personality traits and motivations for childbearing preferences, as well as the structural and interactional impact of these preferences (-) including measures of social support, cultural norms, and economic resources. In utilizing Bourdieuian concepts of habitus and field as they relate to the complex interplay between individual agency and external structures, this study offers a more comprehensive grasp of the complex reasons for and experiences of a voluntarily childless lifestyle. This shift in emphasis also suggests contributions to a greater understanding of the perceived impact of structural forces, including the health care industry's gatekeeping of reproductive technologies and the work/family life balance in relation to voluntary childlessness as well as broader decisions or processes of becoming a parent, by identifying the similarities and differences between groups.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006361, ucf:51501
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006361

Title: The Impact of Board Capital and Servant Leadership on Board Effectiveness: A Study of Florida Community Foundations.
Creator: Obyrne, Lauren, Kapucu, Naim, Hu, Qian, Feldheim, Mary Ann, Sowa, Jessica, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Community foundations have considerable potential for positive social change in the communities they serve yet are understudied in nonprofit management and leadership literature. Recently, community foundations have become one of the largest avenues of organized philanthropy. The boards of community foundations frequently consist of a different composition of members than other nonprofit organizations, making a focus on individual characteristics of board members a worthwhile area of study....
Show moreCommunity foundations have considerable potential for positive social change in the communities they serve yet are understudied in nonprofit management and leadership literature. Recently, community foundations have become one of the largest avenues of organized philanthropy. The boards of community foundations frequently consist of a different composition of members than other nonprofit organizations, making a focus on individual characteristics of board members a worthwhile area of study. This exploratory study considers board capital through human capital, structural capital, and social capital and the impact this has on board effectiveness. In addition, it considers the impact of servant leadership on board effectiveness. The purpose of the study is to assess capital and leadership factors of community foundation board members and examine their influence on perceived board effectiveness. Based on survey data from 71 community foundation board members and executive directors representing 13 different community foundations associated with the Florida Philanthropic Network, the dissertation uses ordinal regression to test hypotheses. Additional data was also collected with follow up focus groups. The study finds that board capital, measured by human capital, structural capital, and social capital, as well as servant leadership, do play a factor in board effectiveness. Further, community foundation boards in the survey population are highly effective, and have unique attributes that make them distinct from other types of nonprofit boards. Follow up focus groups suggested that, although board members define board effectiveness in a number of ways, boards are creating social change within their communities in different ways. Findings have potential for significant insight on an important segment of nonprofit sector organizations, particularly for strengthening communities through philanthropy.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006155, ucf:51135
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006155

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