Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Empathy Maps Of The Foursight Preferences, Hanne M. Bratsberg

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Empathy Maps of the FourSight Preferences

The purpose of this project is to make one empathy map for each of the FourSight preferences. The goal of the project is to add a visual representation of the four main preferences to the growing body of data of FourSight. Individuals who are interested in FourSight, both for personal and professional reasons, can use the empathy maps to form a deeper understanding of each preference.

Fpga Implementation Of A Predictive Vector Quantization Image Compression Algorithm For Image Sensor Applications, Yan Wang, Amine Bermak, Abdesselam Bouzerdoum, Brian W. Ng

Professor Salim Bouzerdoum

This paper presents a hybrid image compression scheme based on a block based compression algorithm referred to as Vector Quantization (VQ) combined with the Differential Pulse Code Modulation (DPCM) technique. The proposed image compression technique called the PVQ scheme results in enhanced image quality as compared to the standalone VQ. The generated codebooks for the PVQ scheme are more robust for image coding than that of the VQ. This made our system a suitable candidate for developing on chip image sensor with integrated data compression processor. The proposed system was validated through FPGA implementation. The resulting implementation achieved good compression …

Stakeholder Views On Children’S Mental Health Services, Adriana Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

Identification of evidence-based treatments (EBTs) has been an important development; however recently, some shortcomings of the approach have been highlighted. These complexities have led to a surge in transportability research in mental health services science with goals of identifying needed strategies to encourage the adoption of innovations. The mental health system ecological (MHSE) model is an approach necessary to assist with closing this gap effectively as it integrates mental health contexts: client-level, provider-level, intervention-specific, service delivery, organizational, and service system characteristics. The aim of this study is to use the MHSE model to examine perspectives of mental health stakeholders on …

An Automated Land Subdivision Tool For Urban And Regional Planning: Concepts, Implementation And Testing, Rohan Wickramasuriya, Laurie A. Chisholm, Marjetta Puotinen, Nicholas Gill, Peter Klepeis

Nicholas J Gill

Simulation of the land subdivision process is useful in many applied and research areas. Planners use such tools to understand potential impacts of planning regulations prior to their implementation. While the credibility of both land-use change and urban growth models would be enhanced by integrating capabilities to simulate land subdivision, such research is lacking in the published literature. Of the few subdivision tools that exist, most are either not fully-automated or are unable to generate realistic subdivision layouts. This limits their applicability, particularly for high resolution land-use change models. In this paper, we present a fully-automated land subdivision tool that …

The Role Of Community Leaders As 'Senior Managers' In Place Brand Implementation, Greg Kerr, Gary Noble, John Glynn

Gregory Kerr

Brand management is now being applied to places to stimulate economic and social development. While the literature advocates the benefits, it suggests that the process of implementation is not understood. Referring to the corporate brand-place brand analogy and the important role of senior management in corporate branding, this paper examines the role of community leaders, as the senior management equivalent, in two cities which have implemented a place brand strategy. This paper provides an insight into the importance of community leaders as drivers of the place brand as well as the cultural change which may be required to ensure the …

Implementation Of An Integrated Accounting And Cost Management System Using Sap System: A Field Study, Sudhir C. Lodh, Michael J. Gaffikin

Michael Gaffikin

Not only are in-depth (theoretically informed) longitudinal (reflexive) field studies few and far between, it has been argued in those studies that little is known about the design and implementation of accounting and information systems that operate in today's world-class organizations. Using such an approach this study seeks to illustrate and analyse the implementation processes of an integrated accounting and cost management system using the SAP system at a major steel producer in Australia. It is demonstrated that the technical design of the system is only a part of the implementation process. Keeping 'actor-networks' in line and managing change including …

Efficacy Of Act Components To Increase Effectiveness Of Behavioral Parent Training, Corey Cohrs

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Prior research has demonstrated both the efficacy of behavioral parent training in effectively teaching parent skill implementation; and of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) based training program in improving perceived parenting abilities. The purpose of the present study was to assess the efficacy of an ACT based training component, following a behavioral parent training, in increasing participant integrity of skill implementation. Targeted dependent measures included: (1) participant integrity of skill implementation (analog & in vivo), (2) score on Parental Locus of Control Scale (PLOCS), (3) frequency of participant child problem behavior, and (4) frequency of coercive caregiver interactions. Although …

The Fourth Amendment After The Usa Patriot Act: Cross-State Comparison On The Effect Of Ideology And Partisanship In State Legislation Of Anti-Patriot Act Resolutions And Wiretapping/Eavesdropping Laws, Zoe Atlas

Honors Theses

The USA Patriot Act, passed in September 2001, changed the standards of Fourth Amendment rights and protections. The USA Patriot Act gave more authority to the government and diminished the rights and privileges given to individual citizens. An eruption of Fourth Amendment legislation and cases arose in the states following the passage of the act and it created a problem for policy and implementation. The legislation presented, for the USA Patriot Act and wiretapping/eavesdropping laws, demonstrated the differences in opinions on these issues on the individual state level. These drastic differences in policy between states created a question of why …

Evidence Based Practice Implementation: Perceptions And Expectations Of Master Of Social Work Students, Mholi Kent Vimba

Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

Efforts to develop sustainable Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) implementation strategies in work settings have been generally unsuccessful. Scholars have focused on perceptions of workers already in work settings to identify implementation barriers and facilitators. None have focused on perceptions of social workers in training. This nationwide non-probability correlational study assessed Master of Social Work (MSW) students’ perceptions of EBP using a self-administered online survey. A total of 212 (57%) completed this survey with 164 (43%) timed out.

Perceptions were assessed using three sets of questions corresponding to the independent variables: EBP knowledge, attitude toward EBP and EBP self-efficacy. A …

Kantian Optimization: An Approach To Cooperative Behavior, John E. Roemer

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

Although evidence accrues in biology, anthropology and experimental economics that homo sapiens is a cooperative species, the reigning assumption in economic theory is that individuals optimize in an autarkic manner (as in Nash and Walrasian equilibrium). I here postulate a cooperative kind of optimizing behavior, called Kantian. It is shown that in simple economic models, when there are negative externalities (such as congestion effects from use of a commonly owned resource) or positive externalities (such as a social ethos reflected in individuals’ preferences), Kantian equilibria dominate Nash-Walras equilibria in terms of efficiency. While economists schooled in Nash equilibrium may view …

Kantian Optimization, Social Ethos, And Pareto Efficiency, John E. Roemer

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

Although evidence accrues in biology, anthropology and experimental economics that homo sapiens is a cooperative species, the reigning assumption in economic theory is that individuals optimize in an autarkic manner (as in Nash and Walrasian equilibrium). I here postulate an interdependent kind of optimizing behavior, called Kantian. It is shown that in simple economic models, when there are negative externalities (such as congestion effects from use of a commonly owned resource) or positive externalities (such as a social ethos reflected in individuals’ preferences), Kantian equilibria dominate Nash-Walras equilibria in terms of efficiency. While economists schooled in Nash equilibrium may view …

Implementing Sustainability Initiatives: A Study Of U.S. Local Governments, Nick Lebredo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sustainability has been framed by the World Commission on Environment and Development as a fundamental concept in human society and by Fiorino (2010) as a critical conceptual focus for public administration over the next decade. A large number of U.S. local governments have implemented sustainability initiatives. Nevertheless, relatively few studies have comprehensively examined sustainability implementation by local governments. This study makes a concerted effort to examine sustainability implementation in U.S. local governments, which have taken the lead in many areas of sustainability. This study also develops a capacity building model to empirically evaluate how organizational strategies and capacities influence sustainability …

Does Self-Efficacy Influence The Application Of Evidence-Based Practice?, Kathleen Abrahamson, Priscilla Arling, Jenna Gillette

Scholarship and Professional Work - Business

Background: Implementation of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) is complex and consequently, even within organizations that have made efforts to promote EBP use, EBP is often underutilized by individual clinicians.

Purpose: The aim of our study was to better understand the relationship between self-efficacy and EBP implementation in clinical environments that have undergone efforts to increase EBP utilization. We suggest that EBP is a set of behaviors that result from individuals acquiring, applying, and sharing new knowledge with others in the organization. We hypothesize, based upon a social cognitive theoretical approach, that these behaviors are influenced by clinician perception of self-efficacy.

Methods: …

Implementations Of Ict Innovations: A Comparative Analysis In Terms Of Challenges Between Developed And Developing Countries, Mutaz Al-Debei, Enas Al-Lozi

Dr. Mutaz M. Al-Debei

The main aim of this paper is to achieve a depth of understanding of the various similarities and differences in terms of challenges between developed and developing countries and in regards to the implementation of ICT innovations. Indeed, advances in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have brought many innovations to the field of Information Systems (IS). Despite agreements on their importance to the success of organizations, the implementation processes of such innovations are multifaceted and require proper addressing of a wide-spread issues and challenges. In this study, we address this matter by first; synthesizing a comprehensive body of recent and …

Implementation Of A Motivational Climate - Classroom Or Physical Education Teachers: Examination Of Preservice Teachers Ability To Implement A Motivational Climate Within Physical Education, Dana J. Perlman, Kim Mckeen

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences between preservice classroom and physical education teachers ability to implement a motivational climate. A total of 51 preservice teachers were enrolled in an elementary physical education methods course for (a) classroom teachers or (b) physical education specialists. Data were collected using a systematic observation instrument during their course field experience. Analysis of data utilized a one-way MANOVA with follow-up univariate ANOVAs to examine group differences. Results indicated that preservice physical education teachers were significantly more able to apply principles that developed a positive motivational climate.

An Mas-Based Implementation For Semantic Web Services Composition, Jun Shen, Ghassan Beydoun, Graham Low

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Many information system developers face high cost in adopting service-oriented architectures because of the high cost of locating appropriate services to customise and integrate into their system. This chapter aims at reducing this cost by automating much of the composition and service selection effort. It illustrates the use of a peer-to-peer multi-agent system (MAS) to facilitate service selection with multiple quality of service properties. The system will use semantic enrichment of services in order to facilitate their identification and composition. With semantic-driven composition, services can be shared between teams of developers and across multiple organisations connected via the Internet. In …

The Astute Health Study Protocol: Deliberative Stakeholder Engagements To Inform Implementation Approaches To Healthcare Disinvestment, Amber M. Watt, Janet E. Hiller, Annette J. Braunack-Mayer, John R. Moss, Heather Buchan, Janet Wale, Dagmara E. Riitano, Katherine Hodgetts, Jackie M. Street, Adam Elshaug

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background

Governments and other payers are yet to determine optimal processes by which to review the safety, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of technologies and procedures that are in active use within health systems, and rescind funding (partially or fully) from those that display poor profiles against these parameters. To further progress a disinvestment agenda, a model is required to support payers in implementing disinvestment in a transparent manner that may withstand challenge from vested interests and concerned citizens. Combining approaches from health technology assessment and deliberative democratic theory, this project seeks to determine if and how wide stakeholder engagement can contribute …

Practice Guidelines Need To Address The 'How' And The 'What' Of Implementation, Kenneth D. Walsh, Jackie Crisp, Ann Mckillop

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the realities of everyday nursing practice associated with the implementation of a guideline for the assessment and management of cardiovascular risk. Background: The use of clinical practice guidelines is pivotal to improving health outcomes. However, the implementation of guidelines into practice is complex, unpredictable and, in spite of much investigation, remains resistant to explanation of what works and why. Exploration of the nature of guideline implementation has the potential to illuminate the complexities of guideline implementation by focussing on the nature of practice. Nurses are well placed at the front line …

Barriers And Enablers To Implementation Of A New Zealand-Wide Guideline For Assessment And Management Of Cardiovascular Risk In Primary Health Care: A Template Analysis, Ann Mckillop, Jackie Crisp, Kenneth Walsh

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Aim: The aim of this study was to identify the enablers and barriers to guideline implementation in a primary healthcare setting by employing the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS) framework as a template for data analysis and interpretation. Background: The use of clinical practice guidelines is pivotal to improving health outcomes. However, the implementation of guidelines into practice is complex, unpredictable, and, in spite of much investigation, remains resistant to explanation of what works and why. Optimising the enablers and minimising the barriers to implementation of a guideline for reducing cardiovascular disease risk has the potential …

Using The Theory Of Planned Behaviour And Implementation Intentions To Predict And Facilitate Upward Family Communication About Mammography, J L. Browne, A Y. C Chan

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Regular mammography facilitates early detection of breast cancer, and thus increases the chances of survival from this disease. Daughter-initiated (i.e. upward) communication about mammography within mother– daughter dyads may promote mammography to women of screening age. The current study examined this communication behaviour within the context of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), and aimed to bridge the intention-behaviour gap by trialling an implementation intention (II) intervention that aimed to facilitate upward family communication about mammography. Young women aged 18–39 (N¼116) were assigned to either a control or experimental condition, and the latter group formed IIs about initiating a conversation …