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Expanding on experiential differentiation in crowded markets: success through understanding and addressing intangible consumer needs
Get PDFThis thesis project focuses on exploring and elucidating how businesses in crowded markets achieve their respective success. Markets include personal care, skin products, cosmetics, perfume, and others, to name just a few relevant to this work. I argue that by focusing on customers\u27 intangible needs and engaging them through experiential means, businesses can create a substantial, sustainable, and compelling niche, differentiating themselves from the crowd. I propose an original model, EIND (experiential and needs-based differentiation), and a working structure to implement, analyze, and design using EIND principles
Gender performance in “cult” conversion narratives: the Twelve Tribes
Get PDFWhile many scholars have attempted to understand the unique contours of the definition of “cult,” there are still rampant disagreements across different disciplines and scholarly persuasions about the way that a “cult” functions differently than other organizations. In this essay, I aim to clarify how the function of a “cult” is contingent upon a set of rhetorical strategies used by the group to systematically remove agency from group members. One of those rhetorical strategies is compelling individuals to perform according to strict heteronormative gender enactments. To understand how this strategy works, I will turn to four spiritually metanoic narratives published by the Twelve Tribes, an aberrant religious organization that exercises identity control over their members and analyze them through the theoretical lenses of gender performance, spiritual metanoia, and identification/consubstantiality
New teacher induction program for mathematics and the natural sciences
Get PDFThe induction program focused on classroom activity. Several topics were based upon Danielson’s Framework for Teaching. Induction activities were drawn from the framework’s four domains: planning and preparation, learning environments, learning experiences, and principled teaching. In addition, reading topics included high-impact teaching strategies, misconceptions in mathematics, and classroom management. Another induction segment was exploration of public science projects. Themes across responses were noted. For classroom management, common themes included all students being capable of learning, each student learns in different ways, and building strong relationships with students is critical. For lesson preparation, the most common area of strength was learning environment due to the scholar’s confidence in relationship building, while the most common area of weakness was planning and preparation due to a lack of experience. With regard to challenges that may occur with a public science project, scholars believed that a lack of prior student knowledge or a lack of student interest could hinder the implementation of the project. Beginning the project with an informational introduction and splitting the class into groups could lessen these difficulties. Enhancing teacher effectiveness can have a profound impact on student outcomes, including the strengthening of student STEM self-efficacy and increased STEM achievement. Secondary STEM teachers have historically been shown to prepare and motivate students to achieve in STEM and, possibly, consider STEM career fields
Authorial Aficionados: The Striking Connection Between Metaphysical Poet John Donne and Modern-Day Music Sensation Taylor Swift
Get PDFModern-day music sensation Taylor Swift and metaphysical poet John Donne are, at face value, very different entities. One exists in today’s society, composing profound lyrics and delivering dazzling performances to sold-out stadiums, while the other crafted brilliant pieces of poetry in the 1500s. Both artists are regarded as experts in their respective fields, but an in-depth analysis of the figures reveals surprising similarities in their stories, despite the centuries separating their lives. This research project examines the literary techniques utilized in a plethora of the authors’ pieces, revealing a notable kinship between the seemingly divergent pair
Body image and social media in college students
Get PDFThe current study assessed the relationship between social media appearance-related preoccupation (SMARP), body shame, body surveillance, and social physique anxiety (SPA). Data were collected from 1,049 participants, and a correlational analysis and a hierarchal regression were conducted. Significant relationships were found between body shame, body surveillance, SMARP, and SPA, supporting our hypotheses. Our results confirmed the relationship between SPA and SMARP, adding evidence to a mixed debate about the relationships between SPA and social media use. The researchers found that SPA moderated the relationship between body shame and SMARP. We can conclude that appearance anxieties and appearance-based social media use are related. The results of this study indicate that media literacy and literacy on appearance anxieties should be expanded
Computation of moving interface flows in biophysical applications
Get PDFThis dissertation is concerned with the modeling, simulation, and analysis of moving interface problems involving viscous fluids and solid structures. The main computational technique employed in this work is the immersed boundary method, a widely known numerical method for fluid-structure interaction (FSI). In this technique, the fluid equations are solved in an Eulerian grid and the structure is treated as a network of Lagrangian nodes. The communication between the fluid and structure dynamics is established by the use of the Dirac delta function. Utilizing the immersed boundary method, we have studied three biophysical applications. In the first application, we computed the interaction between microtubules and cytoplasmic flow in plant cells. We found that such interaction plays an important role in the assembly and orientation of microtubules. We also validated the simulation results through a comparison with experimental measurements. The second application involved the response of a polymeric material to an oscillatory shear flow. We considered three weave topologies of polymers in 3D: (i) vertically aligned; (ii) orthogonal; and (iii) orthogonal and interlaced. We conducted a detailed FSI computational study to reveal the impact of fluid dynamics on the material and topological properties of polymers. In the third application, we investigated the dynamics of microfibrils in the primary cell walls of plants that contain mainly pectin, a gel-like fluid, and a small amount of water. The interaction between microfibrils, pectin and water constitute a problem of coupled fluid-structure interaction and two-phase flow, which is numerically solved by integrating the immersed boundary method and the volume of fluid (VOF) method
Democratizing plant biodiversity data with coefficients of conservatism for the vascular flora of Tennessee and Kentucky
No full textFloristic Quality Assessments (FQAs) measure an ecosystem\u27s quality and can be applied to any ecosystem. FQAs consist of two parts: a species checklist and each species’ coefficient of conservatism (c-value). C-values are integers that describe a species’ tolerance to anthropogenically disturbed habitats. C-values should be applied to species per ecoregion; however, this can be difficult due to resource allocations, and therefore it is more common to apply c-values at the state level. Tennessee and Kentucky (TNKY) share many native species and ecoregions and lacked published c-values, putting TNKY in a prime position for combined c-value assignment. C-values were assigned to TNKY’s flora while utilizing as much pre-existing data as possible. Overall, c-values were successfully applied to 97% of TNKY’s flora (3,295 species). The c-values were then used to create educational modules to democratize biodiversity data. These were made publicly available and sent to nearby schools for potential inclusion into their curricula
I can give you something for that : Exploring the medical paradigm in mental health through contemporary American literature
Get PDFIn this paper, I analyze two contemporary fiction novels, My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh and My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell, through the lens of the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Moshfegh satirically critiques diagnostic psychiatry as easily exploitable, and suggests that instead of seeking asylum from pain, we should remind ourselves that happiness and pain exist in harmony; that pain is a part of life. Russell suggests the DSM-5 is imperative to understanding traumatic experiences and the mental disorders which arise from them, such as PTSD. Russell utilizes her knowledge of modern psychiatric practices in order to demonstrate that Vanessa’s perspective is self-protective delusion. Ultimately, both novels highlight the benefit of turning to outside perspectives in order to navigate the moments when mental health and mental illness blend together and the line between the two becomes obfuscated
[Coming Soon: Exploring Diversity with Statistics: Step-by-step Jamovi Guides]
Get PDFThese resources were created to complement our undergraduate statistics lab manual, Applied Data Analysis in Psychology: Exploring Diversity with Statistics, published by Kendall Hunt publishing company. Like our lab manual, these Jamovi walk-through guides meaningfully and purposefully integrate and highlight diversity research to teach students how to analyze data in an open-source statistical program. The data sets utilized in these guides are from open-access databases (e.g., Pew Research Center, PLoS One, ICPSR, and more). Guides with step-by-step instructions, including annotated images and examples of how to report findings in APA format, are included for the following statistical tests: independent samples t test, paired samples t test, one-way ANOVA, two factor ANOVA, chi-square test, Pearson correlation, simple regression, and multiple regression. Additionally, you will find instructor resources added with our Summer 2023 update. Please feel free to use our added instructor PowerPoint slides highlighting additional research focused on equity, diversity, and inclusion topics. If you are new to incorporating diversity-focused research, you may benefit from some of the resources shared in our newly added instructor resources list. If you are interested in partnering with us to adapt these resources for other statistical software programs, have suggestions for revisions or additions, or would like additional information on how to best integrate these materials into your courses, please contact [email protected]://scholar.utc.edu/open-textbooks/1004/thumbnail.jp
Neurodiversity in Hiring: Language That Resonates
Get PDFIntroduction Neurodiversity (ND) refers to the variation in how 15-20% of individuals experience, think, and work in the world (National Institute of Health, 2022). It includes conditions like autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, tourette syndrome, and sensory processing disorders (CDC, 2022; Hess, 2021). This study examines how neurodiverse individuals, people with disabilities, and neurotypical individuals value inclusive and neurodiverse language in job advertisements. We hypothesized that neurodiverse individuals and individuals with disabilities would place greater importance on inclusive and neurodiverse language in job ads compared to neurotypical individuals. This research seeks to identify ways to create more accessible job postings, potentially improving employment outcomes for ND individuals and enhancing organizational diversity. Method 192 participants completed an online survey that included assessing the importance of inclusive and neurodiverse language in job ads. Participants were categorized into four groups: without disabilities (n=77), with disabilities (n=15), neurodiverse (n=48), and both neurodiverse and with disabilities (n=52). A multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was conducted with group membership as the independent variable, language importance ratings as dependent variables, and age, race, gender, and education as covariates. Post-hoc pairwise comparisons were made to further examine between-group differences. Results The MANCOVA revealed a significant main effect between groups (Pillai\u27s Trace = 0.17696, F(6, 208) = 3.3650, p = 0.003464), indicating overall differences among groups on the combined dependent variables. However, univariate post-hoc tests didn’t show statistically significant differences between groups for either dependent variable. Descriptive statistics revealed that individuals with disabilities reported the highest mean score for importance of inclusive language (M = 2.000, SD = 0.877), while the neurodiversity & disability group reported the highest mean score for weight given to neurodiversity-specific language (M = 3.423, SD = 1.258). Implications These findings have implications for both research and practice, particularly in the areas of recruitment, selection, and the development of EVPs. The results suggest that organizations should consider tailoring their job advertisements and EVPs to include inclusive language that resonates with neurodiverse individuals and those with disabilities. This approach could enhance an organization\u27s ability to attract a diverse talent pool and position itself as an employer of choice. This study is limited due to it’s small sample size, low number of questions, and over-sampling of people with neurodiverse conditions. Overall, more research should be done analyzing how inclusive language may increase the attraction of a job advertisement