Mindfulness Factors and Anxiety Levels in Groups of Adults with Different Meditation Experience

The study includes the methodological model of mindfulness, definition of mindfulness in Latvian, model of other psychological notions related to mindfulness, proven links between the mindfulness and its subscales and anxiety scales, differences in mindfulness indicators among respondent groups with different meditation experience. The study involved 198 respondents in age of 22–56 years, M=36.91; SD=8.23, with different meditation experience. The study uses the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire – FFMQ- adapted in Latvian by M. Majors (2012), as well as Spielberger’s State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form (Spielberger, et al. 1983), adapted in Latvian by D. Škuškovnika (LU Rīga, 2004). The results show that there are statistically significant links between indicators of mindfulness and its subscales, as well as indicators of the anxiety scale (r between -0.27 and -0.63r, p less then 0.01). Results indicate statistically significant differences in the respondent groups of mindfulness and its subscales with different meditation practice. Results were between (F(2.198) is 6.51, p less then 0.05) and (F(2.198) is 19.83, p less then 0.01)

Approbation of the Mindfulness construct in Latvian

INTERSPORT is one of Sweden’s largest sports retail companies, with 149 stores and a yearly turnover of 3240 MSEK (2004). During recent years the amount of goods that is distributed by the central warehouse (CW) in Taberg has increased significantly. As a result of this increase, several stores frequently have weekly deliveries that exceed the capacity of the store arrival area. Hence INTERSPORT AB wished to investigate the possibility of a changed distribution structure, which resulted in this thesis. It was found that heavy fluctuations of the distributed volumes occur, which requires high capacity at the CW. Unplanned deviations from ordinary deliveries are common at present, which aggravates the planning of activities in the CW and stores. The alternative solution that is formulated in this thesis limits the maximum order volume and increases the delivery frequency. As a result the flow from the CW to the stores was smother, due to the restricted delivery volymes. The lower degree of volume aggregation in the alternative solution also yielded an increased transportation cost. The major conclusion drawn in this thesis is that no concern is given to the order volume at the time of the order. To deal with the problem of large delivery volumes, information regarding order volume has to be compared with information regarding store capacity. After such a comparison has been made, appropriate measures can be taken.INTERSPORT är en av Sveriges största butikskedjor inom sport och fritid med 149 butiker och en omsättning på 3240 MSEK (2004). Under de senaste åren har andelen varor som distribueras via centrallagret (CL) i Taberg ökat väsentligt. Detta har medfört att ett flertal butiker stundtals har veckoleveranser som överstiger kapaciteten hos godsmottagningen. Mot bakgrund av detta ville INTERSPORT AB undersöka möjligheterna till en förändrad distributionsstruktur, vilket resulterade i detta arbete. Det kunde konstateras att kraftiga fluktuationer av leveransvolymerna förekommer i dagsläget, vilket kräver hög kapacitet i centrallagret. Vidare förekommer även oplanerade avvikelser från ordinarie leveranstillfälle, vilket försvårar planering av verksamheten i både CL och butik. Den alternativa lösning som tagits fram i detta arbete innebär att leveransvolymen begränsas, samtidigt som leveransfrekvensen höjs. Detta medförde ett jämnare flöde från CL till butik, som en följd av en utjämnad leveransvolym. En lägre grad av volymaggregering medförde även en förhöjd transportkostnad. Slutsatserna för detta arbete var främst att ingen hänsyn tas till leveransvolym vid beställningstillfället i dagsläget. För att komma till rätta med problemet med stora inleveranser krävs det att information rörande leveransvolym jämförs med information rörande begränsningar i butik. Efter en sådan jämförelse gjorts kan beslut fattas om lämpliga åtgärder