Marriage Counseling : Definitions and Correlates of Success and Failure

60 leaves. Advisor: Lawrence FanningThe problem. The author sought to analytically describe definitions of success and failure in marriage counseling held by those in the private practice of marriage counseling. Additionally, the author attempted to have practitioners identify client characteristics they believed to be associated with success and failure in marriage counseling. Procedure. Twenty-seven randomly selected private -practice marriage counselors were interviewed by the author. The data obtained from the interviews were supplemented with data obtained from journals and monographs. Findings. Two discrete definitions of success and failure were held by the marriage counselors who were interviewed. One definition focused on whether or not the presenting and/or subsequently delineated marital problems are ameliorated. The other definition focused on whether or not the clients are able to release or acquire certain interpersonal and intrapersonal attributes and skills, Among the correlates of success and failure in the counseling experience identified by the practitioners were clarity and individuation of self, empathy, acceptance of social and psychological differences between self and marital partner, education, intelligence, support systems, third-party involvement, psychopathologies, level of pain and motivation, narcissism, value systems, and degree of marital homogeneity. Conclusions. There is among professional marriage counselors significant agreement on definitions of success and failure in the marital counseling experience. Likewise, there is significant agreement concerning the correlates of success and failure. Recommendations. Research should be conducted among those who have experienced marital counseling to determine how clients define success and failure and to determine the degree to which client and practitioner definitions are congruent. Attempts should be made to determine what client characteristics are, in fact, correlated with client-perceived success and failure in the counseling experience

AN ECONOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION OF SUBTHERAPEUTIC ANTIBIOTIC USE IN PORK PRODUCTION

There is growing concern among public health experts regarding the diminishing efficacy of antimicrobial therapy in human and veterinary medicine, and some have called for a ban on subtherapeutic antibiotic use in pork production. This paper develops an econometric analysis to identify the economic contributions of subtherapeutic antibiotic use in swine production.Livestock Production/Industries,

Interaction perspectives of individuals and destination marketing organizations in the tourism network of Australia

This paper seeks to assess the nature, perspectives and characteristics of interactions in the tourism network in Australia. The pattern of interactions between network participants is crucial in defining the network and its boundaries. Ford and Hakansson (2007) develop a structure of interactions between participants in a network. Time dimensions of the interactions are sequence, ordering and trajectory. Relativity dimensions are jointness, interdependence and heterogeneity. Interaction can be problem solving both incurring costs and producing benefits.There are two stages of this research. The first stage obtained the perspectives from 35 organizations regarding the challenges facing tourism, key growth segments, brand and promotional strategies and customer insights and satisfaction levels. The second stage of this research uses follow up personal interviews and assesses the interaction patterns among network participants. The sequence, ordering and trajectory of the interactions are examined as are the jointness, interdependence and heterogeneity of the interactions. A network map is produced based on the frequency and importance of the communications and interactions. The research will also address key questions identified by Johnston, Peters and Gassenheimer (2006). Is the network characterized by tighter or looser coupling? How important is collaboration to the survival (or success) of each participant?<br /

Reasons why dissatisfied customers exhibit behavioral loyalty

The development of supplier loyalty and its potential application to the business-to-business settings has not been widely explored. Day (1969) cautions that loyalty viewed in terms of purchase decisions may not distinguish between loyalty and spurious loyalty. This study follows the composite loyalty approach providing both behavioral aspects (purchase intentions) and attitudinal loyalty in order to fully explain the concept of supplier loyalty. This framework has not been previously applied in the B2B literature.The objective of this research is to identify reasons why B2B customers do not show consistency between attitudinal and behavioral loyalty and why dissatisfied customers do not switch suppliers. A survey was conducted during 2006 with a sample of executives from 240 SME companies in a large Asian city. A range of measures was obtained including attitudinal loyalty, behavioral loyalty, satisfaction and open ended responses on nature of current problems. Following Dick and Basu (1994), customers are classified into loyalty groups. Customers having high and low attitudinal loyalty are compared on satisfaction, switching attitudes and problems within the relationship. Constraints to switching by the dissatisfied customers are discussed. A profile of the &quot;Spurious Loyal&quot; customer is provided. This study seeks to better understand the nature of dissatisfaction and loyalty within these long term focal relationships. <br /

Interactions and networks in Australian tourism

There are many participants in the tourism network who have vested interests in tourism development. These organizations include hotels, associations of hotels and hotel owners, inbound travel agents, travel wholesalers, tourism industry associations, airlines, cruise lines, tourism promotional agencies, regional and local tourism authorities, SME tourism businesses, conference and convention centres and many more. Individuals in the tourism industry intermittently change employment. They often remain in the industry and can move between types of organizations. Their contacts, associations and personal networks remain useful and indeed are utilized. The Interactive Approach postulated by the IMP Group proposes that both suppliers and manufacturers are often involved in close, long-lasting adaptive relationships. Firms within relationships must work together, share objectives, share information and also communicate clearly and precisely using a common language. Here relationship partners should have a similar point of view on the meaning of marketing strategy and related concepts including market segmentation, differentiation and competitive positioning.This paper seeks to assess the nature, perspectives and characteristics of interactions in the tourism network in Australia. There are two stages of this research. The first stage obtained the perspectives of network participants on the challenges facing tourism, key growth segments, brand and promotional strategies and customer insights and satisfaction levels. Participants were also asked to provide advice to the national marketing organization on a range of developmental topics. The second stage of this research assesses the interaction patterns among network participants Network picture, network position, resource constellations, interaction, resources and activities, interdependence, adaptation, actor bonds, strategy and change are also assessed. The relationships are political and consultative in nature. There is much interdependence and possible conflict between the network participants. The national tourism body has particular skills in tourism planning and tourism research. They also have significant resources and the ability to influence inbound tourism patterns. This paper seeks to assess and understand the interactions within this network.<br /

The Influence of Customized Internet Banner Ad on Attitude-Ad-Brand-Behavioural Relationship

This paper examines the influence of customizing banner ads to entice higher users’ interactivity and sequentially builds not only positive attitudes toward the ad and the brand but also positive behavioral outcomes. It also attempts to introduce a new profilingtargeting parameter based on psychographics for customizing banner ad based on Internet user’s individual differences according to their personality, types of goal-directed motives and preferred information processing strategies. Data was gathered through an online survey with a sample of 385 respondents. The Covariance Structural Modeling results supported a positive attitude-ad-brand-behavioral relationship. Positive attitude towards the ad generates more positive behavioral outcomes. Contrary to expectations, the results did not support the proposition that a positive brand attitude produces more positive behavioral outcomes. The findings provide evidence to support the proposition that customization of banner ads’ creative and appeals (in terms of presentation modality, verbal versus visual presentation and information-rational versus entertainment-emotional appeals) based on users’ individual differences in need for cognition, goal-directed motives and preferred information processing strategies effects positive attitudes toward the ad and the brand

Differences within and between travel preference, planned travel and choice behavior of Australians travelling to Asian and overseas destinations

This study seeks to examine differences in travel preference, travel intention and destination choice behavior of an aggregated set of Australian travelers. Additionally the study seeks to relate income, age, gender, life cycle and life style of Australians to the preference, planning and choice of Asian and overseas destinations. A large representative sample of 49,000 Australian respondents is utilized. Binomial regression is used to profile travelers to Asia and overseas in general. Specific significant variables and differences are highlighted. There are consistent relationships between travel preference, planning and choice and the set of independent variables of income, life cycle and life style. Age nor gender are not consistently related to travel planning or travel choice. It is apparent that a combination of demographics, e.g. age, income and life cycle, combined with life style will provide a more valuable basis for segmentation of Asian and overseas travel markets. The study aims to profile potential Australian tourists thereby making a contribution to tourism knowledge and market segmentation practice

Linking attitudes and demographics in a tourist segmentation model : a two-stage approach

Segmentation has been widely studied in tourism research e.g. Dolnicar (2004). Dawley (2006) points that commonly used segmentation variables such as demographics lead to identifiable segments which are not actionable while other useful approaches e.g. psychographics, are actionable but not identifiable. The objective of this paper is to develop a two-stage linkage approach to segmentation whereby cluster analysis using psychographic variables is conducted within demographic group. Demographic groups are selected based on propensity to travel. This research utilizes data generated from a cross-sectional self-completed survey of 49,105 Australian respondents on travel and tourism. The managerial usefulness of this segmentation is assessed. Clearly segments can be directly linked both demographically and psychographically.<br /

Understanding travel behavior using demographic and socioeconomic variables as travel constraints

Samdahl and Jekubovich (1997) view constraints as a subset of reasons for not engaging in a particular behavior. There is limited empirical research on the role of demographic and socioeconomic variables as travel constraints. This study investigates the relationships between a wide range of short and long trip planning and travel behaviors and sociodemographic constraints comprised of age, income and life cycle.This research uses data generated from a cross-sectional, self-completed survey on travel and tourism which was collected during 2003 and 2004 from 49,105 Australian respondents. This paper utilizes binomial regression to find that age, income and life stage have significant differential and interactive effects on travel behavior. The results show that sociodemographic variables act in different ways to constrain/free different types of travel behavior. Implications are provided for national and state based tourism authorities. There is a need to understand these phenomena. Current research is addressing these issues.<br /

Final Report of the Commission on Presidential Disability and the Twenty-Fifth Amendment

This Report examines the Twenty-Fifth Amendment to identify potential difficulties in presidential succession and makes recommendations