Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering Commons^™

Behavioral Operations Management In Federal Governance, Frederick Leonard Mobley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The environmental uncertainty of federal politics and acquisition outsourcing in competitive markets requires an adaptive decision-analysis structure. Practitioners oriented toward exclusively static methods face severe challenges in understanding qualitative aspects of organizational governance. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to examine and understand behavioral relationship attributes within intuitive, choice, judgment, or preference decision-making processes. The problem addressed in this study was the detrimental effects of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), compulsory citizenship behavior (CCB), and social exchange theory (SET) on the acquisition management relationship The OCB, CCB, SET dictates that sound business development, relationship acumen, emotional intelligence and perceptiveness …

Strategies To Minimize The Impact Of Supply Chain Risk On Business Performance, Jonathan Opata

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The exposure of companies to turbulence, uncertainty, and vulnerability in their supply chain results in supply chain disruption with an estimate cost of $10 million for each supply chain disruption. The purpose of this case study was to explore the strategies supply chain managers use to mitigate supply chain disruption on business performance in a pharmaceutical company in Maryland. Contingency theory of fit formed the conceptual framework for this study. Participant perceptions were elicited in interviews with 11 supply chain managers regarding strategies to mitigate risks associated with supply chain disruptions. Data from interviews and supporting documents were processed and …

An Agent Based Approach For Simulating Demo Enterprise Models, Mamadou Seck, Joseph Barjis

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

DEMO (design and engineering methodology for organization) is a theoretically grounded methodology for rigorous enterprise modeling. It provides relevant concepts from a construction perspective. As the methodology gains a wider audience, there is a growing interest in simulating DEMO models. Most attempts to develop a simulation approach for enterprise models in general, and the DEMO methodology in particular, are based on process oriented conceptualizations that are typically implementation in a discrete event paradigm. In this paper, we propose a conceptual framework for the translation of DEMO models into an agent based simulation. We will describe the DEMO methodology in some …

The Relationship Between Dna's Physical Properties And The Dna Molecule's Harmonic Signature, And Related Motion In Water--A Computational Investigation, Victor Boyer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates through computational methods whether the physical properties of DNA contribute to its harmonic signature, the uniqueness of that signature if present, and motion of the DNA molecule in water. When DNA is solvated in water at normal 'room temperature', it experiences a natural vibration due to the Brownian motion of the particles in the water colliding with the DNA. The null hypothesis is that there is no evidence to suggest a relationship between DNA's motion and strand length, while the alternative hypothesis is that there is evidence to suggest a relationship between DNA's vibrational motion and strand …

An Investigation Of Physiological Measures In A Marketing Decision Task, Nelson Lerma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of the present study was to understand the use of physiological measures as an alternative to traditional market research tools, such as self-reporting measures and focus groups. For centuries, corporations and researchers have relied almost exclusively on traditional measures to gain insights into consumer behavior. Oftentimes, traditional methods have failed to accurately predict consumer demand, and this has prompted corporations to explore alternative methods that will accurately forecast future sales. One the most promising alternative methods currently being investigated is the use of physiological measures as an indication of consumer preference. This field, also referred to as neuromarketing, …

Build-To-Order Supply Chain Efficiency Using Stochastic Frontier Analysis, Maysaa M. Hamdan

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Dissertations - Archive

The Build-to-Order supply chain (BTO-SC) is one agile supply chain that has received great attention in research and industry. Flexibility and responsiveness in mass customization has become a major objective of many companies that lead to the development of BTO-SC. Knowing the efficiency of the BTO-SC and the decision making units responsible for controlling the production process and decision making at different managerial levels is important for resources utilization to stay competitive in such a global market. The main purpose of this study is to measure, compare and analyse the impact of BTO and traditional supply chain on the company's …

Modeling And Analysis Of Automated Storage And Retrievals System With Multiple In-The-Aisle Pick Positions, Faraz Ramtin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on developing analytical models for automated storage and retrieval system with multiple in-the-aisle pick positions (MIAPP-AS/RS). Specifically, our first contribution develops an expected travel time model for different pick positions and different physical configurations for a random storage policy. This contribution has been accepted for publication in IIE Transactions (Ramtin & Pazour, 2014) and was the featured article in the IE Magazine (Askin & Nussbaum, 2014). The second contribution addresses an important design question associated with MIAPP-AS/RS, which is the assignment of items to pick positions in an MIAPP-AS/RS. This contribution has been accepted for publication in …

Engineered Surface Properties Of Porous Tungsten From Cryogenic Machining, Julius M. Schoop

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Porous tungsten is used to manufacture dispenser cathodes due to it refractory properties. Surface porosity is critical to functional performance of dispenser cathodes because it allows for an impregnated ceramic compound to migrate to the emitting surface, lowering its work function. Likewise, surface roughness is important because it is necessary to ensure uniform wetting of the molten impregnate during high temperature service. Current industry practice to achieve surface roughness and surface porosity requirements involves the use of a plastic infiltrant during machining. After machining, the infiltrant is baked and the cathode pellet is impregnated. In this context, cryogenic machining is …

Machining Strategies Exploring Reduction In Energy Consumption, Abdullah Al Mamun

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The main aim of this thesis is to explore machining strategies, analyzing energy consumption using Design of Experiments (DOE) at the material removal rate (MRR), compare to cutting geometrical trajectories according to CNC parameters such as spindle RPM, feed rate, depth of cut per pass and total depth of cut. Spindle RPM, depth of cut per pass, and feed rate are selected as the main three factors and each factor has two levels: low-level (-) and high-level (+). These experiments have been performed at an end-milling machine by using a concept of a constant volume of material removal processes in …

Retaining Behavioral Healthcare Employees Of The Millennial Generation, David W. Gomel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As a result of the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the behavioral healthcare field is experiencing an increased demand for services. This increase is based on the availability of healthcare coverage to an estimated 13.4 million previously uninsured individuals. To meet this demand for treatment, the workforce of behavioral health therapists must grow. The largest generation entering the workforce, the Millennial Generation - those born after 1980 - is believed to lack commitment to their employers, frequently vacating their positions for the next best offer. The purpose of this case study was to determine factors that both affect retention …

Color Removal From Pulp Mill Effluent Using Coal Ash Produced From Georgia Power Coal Combustion Plants, Christopher B. Willett

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Two environmental concerns currently face Georgia: coal fly ash (CFA) waste from coal power plants, and the effluent generated by pulp mills. Pulp mill effluent discolors surface waters into which it is discharged, and has been proven to negatively impact the dissolved oxygen and carbon necessary for aquatic life. The proposed solution is a cost-effective adsorption treatment using an inexpensive but abundantly available waste material: CFA. CFA possesses beneficial properties that allow it to effectively remove contaminants, and is available at significantly reduced cost. The primary research objective was to define treatment parameters that would result in the maximum removal …

Detection And Recognition Of R/F Devices Based On Their Unintended Electromagnetic Emissions Using Stochastic And Computational Intelligence Methods, Shikhar Prasad Acharya

Doctoral Dissertations

"Radio Frequency (RF) devices produce some amount of Unintended Electromagnetic Emissions (UEEs). UEEs are generally unique to a device and can be thought of as a signature of the device. This property of uniqueness of UEEs can be used to detect and identify the device producing the emission. The problem with UEEs is that they are very low in power and are often buried deep inside the noise band which makes them difficult to detect. There are two types of UEE detection methods. The first one is called stimulated detection method where the UEEs of a device are enhanced using …

Modeling Supply Chain Interdependent Critical Infrastructure Systems, Varun Ramachandran

Doctoral Dissertations

"While strategies for emergency response to large-scale disasters have been extensively studied, little has been done to map medium- to long-term strategies capable of restoring supply chain infrastructure systems and reconnecting such systems from a local urban area to national supply chain systems. This is, in part, because no comprehensive, data-driven model of supply chain networks exists. Without such models communities cannot re-establish the level of connectivity required for timely restoration of goods and services. This dissertation builds a model of supply chain interdependent critical infrastructure (SCICI) as a complex adaptive systems problem. It defines model elements, data needs/element, the …

Computational Intelligence Based Complex Adaptive System-Of-Systems Architecture Evolution Strategy, Siddharth Agarwal

Doctoral Dissertations

The dynamic planning for a system-of-systems (SoS) is a challenging endeavor. Large scale organizations and operations constantly face challenges to incorporate new systems and upgrade existing systems over a period of time under threats, constrained budget and uncertainty. It is therefore necessary for the program managers to be able to look at the future scenarios and critically assess the impact of technology and stakeholder changes. Managers and engineers are always looking for options that signify affordable acquisition selections and lessen the cycle time for early acquisition and new technology addition. This research helps in analyzing sequential decisions in an evolving …

Quantum Inspired Algorithms For Learning And Control Of Stochastic Systems, Karthikeyan Rajagopal

Doctoral Dissertations

"Motivated by the limitations of the current reinforcement learning and optimal control techniques, this dissertation proposes quantum theory inspired algorithms for learning and control of both single-agent and multi-agent stochastic systems.

A common problem encountered in traditional reinforcement learning techniques is the exploration-exploitation trade-off. To address the above issue an action selection procedure inspired by a quantum search algorithm called Grover's iteration is developed. This procedure does not require an explicit design parameter to specify the relative frequency of explorative/exploitative actions.

The second part of this dissertation extends the powerful adaptive critic design methodology to solve finite horizon stochastic optimal …

The Engagement Of Expert Opinions In The Modeling Of Multi-Attribute Decision Making For The Selection Of Project Delivery Methods In Building Construction, Issam H. Algraiw

Doctoral Dissertations

"Choosing the most appropriate project delivery method (PDM) available is acknowledged as a crucial issue in the construction industry. Both the choice and application of an unsuitable PDM can result in project failure. Likewise, the selection of a suitable PDM can increase the chance for project success. A method of selecting from among the seven PDMs recognized by the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) was created in an attempt to address this issue.

This research was comprised of three objectives. The first objective was to determine the influential factors needed to select the appropriate PDMs available to the US construction industry. …

Clinical Significance Of Response Shift In A Spine Interventional Clinical Trial, Robin Carlson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The effectiveness of treatments for degenerative spine conditions, where the primary symptom is back pain, is typically determined using patient-reported quality of life (QoL) measures. However, patients may adjust their internal standards when scoring QoL based on factors other than their health. This response shift phenomenon could confound the interpretation of study data and impact effectiveness conclusions. In the current study, response shift was examined using structural equation modeling (SEM) and previously collected clinical trial data comparing 2 minimally invasive medical devices in lumbar spinal stenosis patients through 1 year postintervention. In subject QoL results, reprioritization shift between 3 months …

Bus Rapid Transit (Brt) Toolbox: Brt Person Throughput-Vehicle Congestion Tradeoffs, Li Jingquan, H.-S. Jacob Tsao, Ching-Yao Chan, Kun Zhou, Wei-Bin Zhang

Faculty Publications

This report documents a research effort to understand the current practice and issues associated with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) planning and deployment. It reviewed the design options incorporated into existing BRT deployments across California and the nation. The project team interviewed practitioners of California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Districts and transit agencies to understand the BRT project approval decision-making process, the impacts of BRT implementation and the Measures of Effectiveness (MOEs) for transit and non-transit system performance. The studies revealed that though Caltrans and transit agencies do use a similar set of MOEs for the evaluation of BRT projects, the …

A General Intuitive Design Pattern For Optimally Sequencing Treatment Combinations In 2k Factorial Experiment And A Simple Estimation Algorithm, H.-S. Jacob Tsao, Minnie Patel

Faculty Publications

The number of model parameters of a 2k factorial design grows exponentially. When the number of factors is large, numerous higher-order interactions constitute a vast majority of the model parameters while many of them do not exist or are insignificant. The classic methods of fractional factorial designs, Plackett–Burman designs, Taguchi designs, etc. seek an already developed and often cataloged design that fits exactly the problem being tackled or select a design that fits it the most. Most, if not all, of these designs were developed in absence of convenient computation tools and enjoy computational simplicity. The necessary number of treatment …

Achieving Reliable Generation \& Delivery Of Energy Through Robust Optimization, Anna Danandeh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, we elaborate on the inherent risks and uncertainties in power systems and associated industries, and develop practical solution methods to eliminate their adverse effects.

our research agenda consists of practice-driven problems in different stages of power generation as follows. (1) Affordable fuel procurement through developing a comprehensive fuel supply chain design and operations planning system for electricity generation companies, (2) reliable electricity generation through incorporating dynamic asset rating concept in the unit commitment problem, and (3) efficient demand management through proposing a job scheduling model for effective local generation consumption.

Since reliability cannot be compromised in energy …