Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Identity And Intersectionality For Big City Mayors: A Phenomenological Analysis Of Black Women, Constance J. Brooks

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The role of a mayor is integral within local governance. Their leadership and influence directly effectuates outcomes for the cities over which they preside. For big city mayors, their impact extends beyond local government and into the national policy arena. The way an individual demonstrates the role of mayor can be influenced by his/her perception of their own identity. However, within the realm of academic research dedicated to mayoral leadership and African Americans in politics, Black female mayors have largely been ignored. In particular, there are no known attempts at investigating the intersection of race and gender in understanding Black …

"Choices" Florida's Version Of Obamacare, Jason Lamarr Wasden

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

"CHOICES" Florida's version of ObamaCare was a unique case voted in by the public in Alachua County Florida. A mixed methods research design was utilized and provided context in which policy entrepreneurs operated, as well as an explanatory model of internal determinants. Social, economic and political factors were examined to determine the predictor variable in the adoption of the "CHOICES" health services program. The results revealed that voters 51 years of age and older had a greater probability of voting for the Alachua Referendum. "CHOICES" legality has not been under contention but its effectiveness has. This study found that "CHOICES" …

Arts Targeted Local Economic Development Florida Cities With Flair, Jessica Ghersetich

HIM 1990-2015

Promoting economic development is important for many local governments. Economic development plans provide guidance for how local governments can nurture existing businesses as well as attract new industries. Arts and culture can represent a significant component of local economic development efforts. An "arts development strategy" can focus on human capital, the development of local public spaces, and the promotion of culture. Based on a literature review of the concepts of traditional local economic development, this research provide a framework for analyzing local arts strategies and presents the results of in-depth case studies of how a sample of cities in Florida …

The Effectiveness Of The Holton Youth And Family Center (Hyfc) Community Investment Program (Cip), Tara R. Tompkins

Professional Projects

This qualitative study examines Holton Youth and Family Center Community Investment Program in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Community Investment Program uses intensive mentoring as a way to prevent young people from choosing a life of crime and/or to interrupt the path of crime for youth involved in negative activity. Based on mentor/mentee interviews, the findings indicate that the program has had an overall positive impact on the mentee participants in the areas of academic participation, skills and interest development, improved parental relationships and feelings of self-worth.

Community Emergency Response Teams In Santa Clara County: Analysis Of Participation, Judy A. Glickman

Master's Projects

No abstract provided.

An Assessment Of Policies On Polystyrene Food Ware Bans, Linda D. Nguyen

Master's Projects

No abstract provided.

Ideas Matter: A Comparative Analysis Of Two Neighbourhood Regeneration Programs Associated With The Administrations Of Two Toronto Mayors Between 2005 And 2012, Kathy Wiele

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines how the neighbourhood regeneration programs of David Miller and Rob Ford in Toronto compare based on the approaches to public administration taken by each mayor. It uses a comparative analysis of the two cases with a specific focus on Miller’s Priority Neighbourhoods (PNs) and Ford’s Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (NIAs). The findings reveal that the two programs are based on different approaches to public administration, with Miller emphasizing the community development approach and Ford favouring the economic model of public administration.

Diversity, Networks And Performance: An Empirical Analysis Of Metropolitan Planning Organizations In The United States, Yujin Choi

Public Administration - Dissertations

Achieving network performance is a vital goal in response to the increase of inter-organizational networks public organizations involve. The primary aim of this research is to examine the factors that predict performance in public management networks by disentangling the idea that collaboration requires both diversity and unity. Drawing upon diversity theories, social capital theory and management literature as theoretical lenses, this dissertation serves to investigate the following questions:

1. What is the collaborative decision-making process in inter-organizational networks?

2. How does social capital mediate the relationship between network member diversity and performance?

3. How does network management strategy moderate the …

Mobilizing Alumni Constituents For Legislative Advocacy In Higher Education, Elizabeth Saxman Underwood

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Adequate funding has become a critical issue for institutions of higher education, affecting outcomes such as accessibility, affordability, and quality of education. The recent economic recession has been detrimental for state funding, resulting in budget cuts for higher education in a majority of states. Overall, state funding has not kept pace with the rising costs of education. Additionally, the issues of state governance and institutional autonomy have also become heightened. Thus, many higher education institutions are initiating advocacy programs with their external constitutions. Because alumni are integral group of an institution's constituent base, and often exhibit the most passion for …

Determinants Of Municipal Waste Diversion In Ontario, Brock Ceci

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines the impact of socio-economic characteristics on the rate of waste diversion in 196 municipalities across the province of Ontario. It uses 2006 data from Waste Diversion Ontario (WDO) and Statistics Canada to look at a specific list of variables, including the percentage of rented households in the municipality, the percentage of individuals who hold a university degree, the population density and the level of urbanization, and the region in which the municipality is located. The findings reveal that socio-economic characteristics explain only a portion of what determines the rate of waste diversion in Ontario municipalities.

Public Participation In Municipal Budget Decision Process: City Of Toronto’S 2011 Core Service Review, Jiaqing He

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines the impact of public participation on decision-making, with a specific focus on the City of Toronto’s 2011 Core Service Review. It uses both qualitative and quantitative data gathered from the case. Quantitative data is collected through the feedback forms the City used for public consultation during the Core Service Review, while qualitative data is collected from both the feedback forms and the roundtable discussions held across Toronto in 2011. The findings reveal that, from a process perspective, government efforts were directed at enlarging participation through a well-designed mechanism and project promotion, while the impact analysis found that …

Water Pricing In Ontario: Is The Price Right For Water?, John Presta

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines whether major municipalities in Ontario have changed their water rate structure in order to raise additional resources for their capital and operating requirements. The data presented has been gathered from a sample of medium and large urban areas and is based on a questionnaire, interviews, and municipal websites. The findings reveal that municipalities in Ontario have had to increase their water rates since the Walkerton tragedy in order to become compliant with new regulations and to address capital infrastructure replacement programs, but there is no evidence that they have changed their water use rate structure in order …

Toronto’S Private Tree By-Law: Performance Measurement Design And Cost-Benefit Analysis, Arthur Beauregard

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper presents a practical application of designing and implementing a robust performance measurement system by applying the principle of integrated management to Toronto’s private tree by-law. The robust performance measurement system is assessed based on the following five criteria: satisfying accountability reporting requirements to elected officials and to the public at large; facilitating policy and program effectiveness measurement; supporting management reviews that help inform service quality and efficiency improvements; guiding staff from the apex of management down to front line service delivery personnel on specific goals and deliverables; and increasing staff productivity, satisfaction, and motivation by providing meaningful feedback …

Gov 2.0: Exploring The Use Of Web 2.0 Tools By Local Government In Southwestern Ontario, Chandra Dougall

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines how local governments in Ontario are using Web 2.0 technologies, with a specific focus on whether or not Web 2.0 is being used by local government as a medium for citizen engagement. It uses interviews to uncover whether or not the selected municipalities in Southwestern Ontario are using social media for citizen engagement purposes, in addition to a policy review of their social media policies. The six municipalities that were selected include: South Huron, London, Dufferin County, Kitchener, Central Elgin, and one municipality that chose to remain anonymous. The findings reveal that municipalities in Southwestern Ontario are …

Involuntary Resettlement In Hydroelectric Projects: A Comparison Of Chinese And Canadian Case Studies And Implications For Best Practice, Qian Liao

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines the political systems of China and Canada with respect to involuntary resettlement induced by hydroelectric projects. It uses case studies from the two countries – namely the Three Gorges Dam in China and a series of dams in James Bay, Quebec – to analyze the similarities and differences found under each system. The findings reveal that, with regards to similarities, in both countries, certain marginalized groups were further disadvantaged as a result of resettlement and the organized resettlement practices in the two countries are relatively short, although the history of dam construction is relatively long. With regards …

No Less A Firefighter: Creating Safe, Healthy, And Inclusive Work Environments For Women Firefighters In Ontario, Heidy Van Dyk

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines why there are so few women employed as professional firefighters in Ontario municipalities by identifying the workplace hazards and risk factors related to safety, health, and inclusion in their work environments. Data collected from an online questionnaire administered to 24 women who currently work or have previously worked as professional firefighters was analyzed using a conceptual framework based on the three elements of safety, health, and inclusion. In addition, interviews were conducted with participants who voluntarily requested to participate. The findings reveal that women firefighters are exposed to workplace hazards and risk factors either by directly experiencing, …

Relational Exchange In Nonprofits: The Role Of Identity Saliency And Relationship Satisfaction, Jennifer Anne Taylor

School of Public Service Theses & Dissertations

Research and practice in nonprofit fundraising has increasingly been focused on the benefits of relational exchange. This dissertation examines relationships between donors and nonprofit organizations and their impact on the charitable giving levels using identity salience and relationship satisfaction as key mediators of nonprofit relational exchange. Previous research has shown that there are a plethora of charitable giving motivations that contribute to supportive behaviors in the nonprofit context; however, this research does not provide a comprehensive understanding of the intervening variables. This study modified previous studies by introducing relationship satisfaction in addition to identity saliency, as mediating constructs. Results confirm …

Public Sector Reforms In Hong Kong In The 1990s, Kwun Hong Chan

Bachelor of Social Sciences – Senior Theses

1989 was the year Hong Kong echoed to the public-sector reform or New Public Management Reform (NPM-reforms) trend among the Western developed countries. (Cheung 1996a: 31, Lee 2001: 55) Since then, public sector had been injected the ingredient of the private sector management. Citizens started to be treated as paying customers for quality services rather than receiving “one size fits all” services. (Sankey 2001: 3) “Value for money” had been emphasized in this financial management reform launched by the Finance Branch of the Hong Kong Government.

Unlike the above reform, the public sector reform in 1992 had been more fundamental, …

State Juvenile Justice Spending Decisions: The Effects Of Federal Aid, Race, Politics, And Other Socioeconomic Factors, Willie B. Coleman Smith

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Historically, juvenile justice in the United States has been the responsibility of state governments with limited federal support. There is a notable gap in the empirical literature on factors that affect funding policies for state juvenile justice programs. In this dissertation research, I used two theoretical perspectives to examine determinants of juvenile justice spending: economic theory on intergovernmental aid and tenets of the Politics of Social Order Framework, developed by Stucky, Heimer, and Lang (2007) to investigate corrections spending. Two research questions were considered: 1) What impact does federal aid have on state spending on juvenile justice programs? and 2) …

A Flower Blooms In The Desert: Managing For Collaboration, Josphine Gatti Schafer

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This is a dissertation about local, regional and federal agencies charged with the development of parks, trails and natural areas in Southern Nevada. The context for the delivery of this service is a network. Networks are an increasingly common context for service delivery in the United States; however, their value for constituents has been questioned. Some suggest that the advantages of capacity building and social capital that are expected when organizations work across their typical boundaries are not as significant as expected. This dissertation provides knowledge to add to this debate.

The dissertation is an in-depth case study that evaluates …

Public Corruption For Gain In America: The Costly Consequences Of Violating Public Trust, Yvonne Atkinson Gates

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Several empirical analyses have explored corruption in government to determine the factors that contribute to corrupt behavior of elected officials.

This study will focus, explore, and enhance the research on the causes of public corruption among elected county commissioners by examining four domains of corruption causality: individual characteristics of elected officials, county government characteristics, county government fiscal performance, and community characteristics. This study will attempt to determine if General Strain Theory can provide a theoretical framework for understanding the causes of public corruption and, to what degree it can predict whether elected county officials will engage in corrupt behavior.

The Impact Of Citizens' Knowledge On Public Administration: Exploring The Links In Three Social Movements, Vadym Pyrozhenko

Public Administration - Dissertations

The dissertation develops a conceptual framework linking social knowledge and public administration. Social knowledge is understood broadly as the knowledge used by people in various roles, including experts, ordinary citizens, and public officials, to solve social problems. Social movement knowledge is examined as one particular type of social knowledge. The conceptual framework used to study the relationship between social movement knowledge and public administration is a combination of several literatures: citizen participation, civic innovations, community of practice, policy learning, and knowledge production in social movements. The framework connects social movement, policy expert, and administrative knowledge through the processes of social, …

Retrospective Evaluation Of Oral Health Services For Underserved Children In Clark County, Nevada, Earl Taylor Spader

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Disparities in utilization of oral health services have been shown to exist through epidemiological investigations and data analysis. Specifically, disparities exist for utilization of preventative dental care (PDC) and unmet dental need (UDN). The disparities in utilization of PDC and UDN are associated with demographic and insurance variables.

To address the oral health disparities, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas-School of Dental Medicine (UNLV-SDM) was created to improve the health of the citizens of Nevada through innovative programs of oral healthcare services to the community. More recently, UNLV-SDM opened a pediatric dental residency training program to provide care directly to …

Government Contracting: How To Tackle Rapid Growth And Hiring For Conference And Event Planner Positions, Karen Francisco

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This paper plans to explore the issue of how conference project managers and other leaders working in government contractor positions can best approach the issue of rapid growth and hiring individuals for event and conference planning roles. In order to more thoroughly explore this problem, this paper will employ several strategies.

Public Sector Pension Reform: Benchmarking Pension Reform Efforts In The Cities Of San Jose, San Diego And Sacramento, Anita Asher

Master's Projects

No abstract provided.

San Jose Police Department’S Human Trafficking Task Force, Jennifer Shelton

Master's Projects

No abstract provided.

County Of Santa Clara Office Of Women's Policy: An Outcome Evaluation, Julie Ramirez

Master's Projects

No abstract provided.

An Assessment Of Local Government Strategies For Addressing Pension Costs, Bret Uppendahl

Master's Projects

No abstract provided.

State Versus Federal Government In The Regulation Of Immigration: Examining The Constitutionality Of Arizona And Alabama’S Immigration Laws, Sadaf Siddiq

Master's Projects

No abstract provided.

Vedic Dharma Samaj Fremont Hindu Temple: Volunteer Program, Twinki Mistry

Master's Projects

No abstract provided.