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Cultural Transposition: Exploring Meanings Of And Strategies For Cross-Cultural Transfer Of Organizational Practices, Yongming Tang

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The research objective is to study the phenomenon of transferring organizational practices which are conceptualized in one culture to another different culture. The purpose of the study is (1) to understand how cultural values and beliefs are manifested in behavior; (2) to explore how the Western organizational practices are interpreted and assimilated into an organization in an Eastern culture; and (3) to explore strategies for the fit between local cultural orientations and imported organizational practices. A qualitative, interpretive, and reflexive research methodology was developed to conduct this study.

The study was conducted in two phases. The first phase was designed …

Utilizing Instructional Design Constructs To Enhance Computer-Based Instruction In Air Traffic Controller Training, Theodore Scott Rhoads

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

This study demonstrates that a computer-based instructional design format is appropriate for novice air traffic control (ATC) training. The computer presents the student with small amounts of information in tutorial and drill and practice sequences that necessitate student interactivity. The student is then periodically audit tested to ascertain mastery of the subject matter. The result of these mid-lesson evaluations serve as a self-check so that the student can assess his/her progress in the learning cycle. The systematic design of instruction and interactive approach to learning, enhances student motivation, improves learning and retention, while placing the responsibility of achieving specific learning …

Acuta Enews Septmber 1992, Vol. 21, No. 9

ACUTA Newsletters

In This Issue

Merging technologies to compete

President's column

Award, election winners

Innovation spurs productivity

Conference evaluations

Welcome to new members

An Investigation Of Integrated Weapon System Management Implementation Issues, Scott A. Dalrymple, Lester F. Pietraszuk

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigated Integrated Weapon System Management implementation issues. Five functional areas were examined: Contracting, Engineering, Financial management, Program Management, and Test Management. Data was collected through interviews. The most significant lessons learned were to establish a direct chain of command and to use TQM principles. Program business practices were changed by increasing Product Center/ALC interaction and implementing a single joint CCB. Program personnel obtained useful guidance from other IWSM programs and from the information products distributed by HQ AFMC. Communication improvements included increased teleconference capability and establishment of a Local Area Network. Cultural differences between centers, insufficient initial guidance, …

The Development Of A Performance Measurement Concept For The Royal Australian Air Force, David R. Mcdonald

Theses and Dissertations

he Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) needed to develop performance measurements (PMs) to support its Program Management and Budgeting (PMB) System. This research assessed the use of the concepts of the Theory of Constraints (TOC) to develop those PMs. The literature indicated that: traditional accounting PMs were not always suitable in an environment of continuous improvement; Activity Based Costing did not provide the required measures; and non-financial PMs were supplanting the older measures. Further, governments faced unique problems in developing PMs, particularly in defining the outcomes to be measured. Using the Critical Theory and Action Research methodologies, and a case …

An Outline For A Manufacturing Planning And Control System For A Repair/ Overhaul/Rebuilding Environment, Peter H. Miyares

Theses and Dissertations

This study outlines a structure for a manufacturing planning and control (MPC) system for a repair/overhaul/rebuilding environment. Included an examination of the organizational components that must be incorporated into the system and the planning functions for which the system can be used. The study compares and contrasts the differences between an MPC system for a maintenance organization and a manufacturing organization and concludes that the MPC system for a maintenance organization must account for the greater degree of variability that occurs within the process. The proposed system is composed of an information system which collects data from throughout an organization …

Doctoral Program In Computing Technology Specialization In Computer Education, Information Sciences, Training And Learning 1992-1993 Catalog, Nova Southeastern University

College of Engineering and Computing Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

The Management Of Change: A Case Study, Stephen A. Raper, Richard Neal Callahan

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A literature review was conducted to identify some of the requirements for competitiveness and change that are being promoted by leaders in the manufacturing field. A survey was developed based on the literature review and was subsequently administered, via the case study method, at a midwestern US agricultural chemicals firm to determine the company's degree of compliance with the literature''s recommendations. To a large degree, the company complied with the requirements.

Structured Hypermedia Application Development Model (Shadm): A Structured Model For Technical Documentation Application Design, Peter W. Cassell

Theses and Dissertations

This research was conducted to determine how a Royal Australian Air Force technical maintenance publication could be transformed into a task oriented hypermedia application and to develop a model that could be used for future similar transformations. The model was developed following in-depth analysis of the existing USAF F-15E maintenance publication set and validation was conducted using a prototype developed in HyperWriter, a commercial hypermedia product. The prototype model was based around the performance of three maintenance tasks on an aircraft sub-subsystem and incorporated online user access to the necessary support data for task completion. Publication managers, producers, and users …

An Analysis Of Base Level Environmental Organizations, John F. Akers Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to try and determine if there was one type of environmental organization which was truly so much more effective than the others that all bases should have it, or if the decision of which type of environmental organization to have should be left entirely to the bases. In addition, I hoped to discover the advantages and disadvantages of each type of organizational structure. I feel that knowing these advantages and disadvantages will greatly aid those individuals making the decisions on environmental organizational structure. In completing this study I turned to the only place the …

The Operation Of Military Family Housing As A Business Enterprise. A Case Study At Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, Michael T. Ray

Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this research was to determine the feasibility of operating Military Family Housing (MFH) as a business enterprise, based on rental income. A case study of the Langley AFB Military Family Housing operation during FY 90 was used to determine if housing allowances forfeited by residents of base housing would provide sufficient rental income for the annual operations, maintenance and capital improvement of the MFH assets. It further compared the descriptive data from Langley AFB, Virginia, to USAF averages to determine if the findings at Langley were generalizable across the Air Force. The case study showed that Basic …

Desert Express: An Analysis On Improved Customer Service, Thomas C. Thalheim

Theses and Dissertations

Operation Desert Shield/Storm provided an opportunity to test the planning for U.S. forces to operate in a low intensity conflict. Both operations provided the opportunity for the logistics community to observe how the support forces provided the required supplies to the forward combat forces. In response to customers' requests, the U.S. Transportation Command created Desert Express, a daily package express flight from Charleston, SC to Saudi Arabia. The research question addresses the how and why Desert Express came about. Additional investigative questions cover the following: mission objectives, planners' and customers' expectations, system performance, and implications on the Defense Transportation System. …

Challenges To United States Tactical Air Force Aircraft Maintenance Personnel: Past, Present And Future, Barbara L. Harris

Theses and Dissertations

This study assessed the challenges Tactical Air Force (TAF) aircraft maintenance personnel face as a result of the TAF reorganization. The goal was to provide aircraft maintenance managers a basis for evaluating and meeting those challenges. To accomplish this, emphasis was placed on documenting the concepts, events, and conditions which led to changes in military aircraft maintenance from the birth of aviation to the present. Current issues such as the proposed move to two-level maintenance and the formation of the TAF composite and Objective Wings were also addressed. Research was conducted through the review of available historical documents, complemented by …

The Evolution Of The Wpi Advanced Space Design Program - An Evolving Program Of Technical And Social Analysis Using The Nasa Space Shuttle For Engineering Education, Fred J. Looft, Robert C. Labonte, William W. Durgin

Office of the Provost Scholarship

In December of 1982, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, with the cooperation and support of the MITRE Corporation, initiated a primarily undergraduate educational program to develop experiments to be flown onboard a NASA Space Shuttle. Christened the MITRE WPI Space Shuttle Program, it sponsored the development of five educationally meritorious experiments over a period of four years. Although the experiments were ready to fly in early 1986, the Challenger disaster delayed their flight until the Spring of 1991. The delay notwithstanding, the benefits of the first program were sufficient to justify the development of a second set of experiments. More comprehensive in …

Effective Use Of Management Information Systems In Manufacturing, Bhavik Shah

Theses

Information is the catalyst of management and the ingredient that coalesces the managerial functions of planning, organizing, actuating and controlling. The implementation of management information system (MIS) provides the vehicle by which management process can be administered and integrated. Information is at the core of creative thinking, which leads to new ways of improving products, process and services to the invention of new devices and to discovery of new marketable concepts. Thus information for an organization has a dual application for internal operation and external marketing potential.

The organization studied was a small to medium sized batch manufacturer of healthcare …

A Study Of The Effect Of Flexibility On Manufacturing Performance, Prashanth B. Nagendra

Theses

Manufacturing flexibility has been a major topic of research in recent years. Researchers and managers are concerned about the role of flexibility in manufacturing performance. The strategic and economic impact of flexibility is of vital importance for managers in today's competitive industry.

This thesis initially provides an in-depth.perception of the prior research conducted in the area of manufacturing flexibility. Manufacturing flexibility, in this study, has been classified into four major types. Simple definitions and operational measures are provided for each of these primary types. The different factors effecting these flexibilities are identified. A new concept called the Cause-Effect-Flexibility-Technology diagrams based …

Feasibiltiy, Planning, And Justification Of Fms : A Case Study, Joo Hwan Kim

Theses

FMS production technology, because of its ability to adjust to changes in product demands and produce at competitive costs even on small runs and at above quality levels, has caused its adoption by the major automobile manufacturers. These attributes are of particular interest to Korean automobile manufacturers who due to a small home market need to manufacture in relative small quantities and to export.

This paper considers how such a technology can be implemented. It discusses the key factors to be considered such as strategy, selection and design of the appropriate hardware and software, required organizational changes, and its economic …

Study Of The Structure And Capacity Of Construction Industry In Pakistan, Tayyab A. Ansari

Theses

The construction industry is the second largest sector in Pakistan's economy after agriculture. It is a fragmented industry which includes very small and very large contracting groups. It includes professional groups such as architects, engineers, management personnel etc. Major part of this industry is dominated by material's suppliers, vendors etc.

In the light of the developments which have taken place particularly over the last ten years, the study has covered the capacity of the construction industry in terms of estimated output, availability of manpower, demand and production of building materials , financial problems, credit, quality of work, the role of …

Some Reasons Why New Technologies Are Not Always Successful - Specifically Directed Toward Cim, Shuk Fong Lai

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

To keep the competitive edge, many companies constantly implement new technologies. However, the implementation of these new technologies are not always successful. Why?

Problems with implementation of new technologies can be either technical or managerial. This paper presents research limited to management problems and suggests the necessary changes. It also outlines the important factors in the decision-making process and the criteria for a successful implementation of a Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) system. Many experts believe that CIM is the ultimate solution to slow and reverse the decline of the U.S. global manufacturing market. However, some companies that have implemented CIM …

High Tech Transition And The Organization, Chetan H. Shah

Theses

The future outlook of any corporation depends upon the resourcefulness of those who manage the planning and operating functions of the business. Time and accuracy are two critical criteria in effective managerial reports for decision making. The electronic computer is a welcome addition into the industry. While its applications to payroll, accounting, sales, and inventory have been extensive, computing has nevertheless been criticized. This study concentrates on determining the impact computing has had on the managers and especially on the people working in the organization from clerks to the top level management.

While an investigation of the existing literature was …

The Impact Of Microcomputers On Engineering And Technical Management Functions, Salvatore Savino

Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of managers as to the effect of computers on management functions.

Manager perceptions were determined by using a ratio scale of value ranging between 0 and 100. Findings are based on questionnaire responses of 121 top, middle, and lower managers in 120 firms in the United States.

Several hypotheses were examined in the study relative to (1) perceived computer impact on management levels, (2) perceived computer impact on the traditional functions of management, (3) perceived computer impact on levels and functions of management (interaction).

Support was provided for hypothesis of …

Development Of New Products Involving Various Uncertainties For Success, Manuel J. Senra

Theses

The development of new products is a very important task for any company, since the survival of most of the companies depends on their ability to introduce new products on the market. This is not, by all means, an easy task; it is seen from the large number of unsuccessful new products reported.

It is been proved that out of every ten products which emerge from Research and Development(R & D), only two become successes. For reasons like the one mentioned and because larger and larger funds are allocated to R & D, it is a very important task to …

Successful Management Techniques For Introduction Of Computerized Systems In A Production Facility, Michael James Boyle

Theses

This thesis surveys the potential for introducing significant organizational change into a manufacturing environment which is undergoing large scale capital improvement.

The first portion describes both the organizational and technological barriers present at a specific manufacturing facility. The capabilities of a computer based process control system are detailed along with its ability to fulfill the employer's particular business needs.

The next portion details the work necessary to train both management and production operators, not only on how to use this computer based equipment, but also how they themselves must change their personal modes of thinking in order to carry out …

A Study Of Worker Motivation, Farid Uddin Ahmad

Theses

This thesis mainly deals with the motivation of the production managers, engineers, technicians and production workers. The purpose is to emphasize the need for providing due motivations to an important work group of the industry who are largely ignored. An attempt has been made to amply demonstrate the various techniques for worker motivation. As the study of standard motivational theories alone cannot solve the complex motivational problems, all possible efforts have been made to relate, integrate and blend the theories with actual applications in the organizations. All the relevant and important issues connected with worker motivation have been highlighted. Points …

Organizing To Manage Future Information Technologies, John Patrick Paczkowski

Theses

The area of information technology has undergone dramatic changes over the past ten years, and the rate of change is expected to continue to accelerate through the 1980's and beyond. The newly developing information systems are providing organizations with numerous options for enhancing the quality of managerial decision making, speeding communications and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of administrative/office processes. Unfortnately, many organizations are discovering that they are unable to effectively assimilate and utilize the technology effectively. Chief executives are finding that the traditional structures for managing Data Processing, Telecommunications, and office systems are often fragmented, lack the technical expertise …

A Planning System For Research Management In A University Environment, Russell Lee Goldammer

Masters Theses

"The research project director at a college or university has few, if any, of the traditional management tools that are available for other forms of management, especially in performing the early, crucial stages of planning. This is particularly distressing since managing a program in this type of environment can be very difficult, due to bureaucratic red tape and interdepartmental concerns. The purpose here is to develop an aid for managers with these problems, for more effective research management in a university environment.

After developing a general model for a typical research project at a university, the Gasification Research On Wood …

Manufacturers' Responses To Fuel Supply Problems, Evelyn R. Rosenthal

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

The progress of energy conservation in industry was investigated with the aim of identifying barriers to strong energy conservation efforts. One of these barriers proved to be fuel supply problems as exemplified by the natural gas shortage of 1976-77.

Us Army Foreign Science And Technology Center, Unit History, Fy 1963-Fy 77 (Unredacted), Robert Bolin , Depositor

United States Department of Defense Military Intelligence

This document is a basic organizational history of the Foreign Science and Technology Center (FSTC). It describes how FSTC was built out of various Army technical intelligence organizations; traces its relocations eventually culminating in settling into a federal building in Charlottesville, VA; and traces its various reorganizations and changes in staffing.

Appendix A contains a detailed discussion of FSTC Table of Distribution and Allowances (TDAs) changes over the years. That analysis shows how administrative problems were handled and how the focus of the organization had changed over the years. It also contains organizational charts corresponding to new TDAs, and tables …

Governmental Reorganization And Metropolitics: Determinants Central To A Normative Theory Of Metropolitan Planning, Woodrow L. Moore

JTRP Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

Design For A Developing Consortium, Henry A. Mauermeyer

Theses

The number of consortia in American higher education expanded rapidly from only ten in 1960 to eighty in 1973. Many do not have an organized method of developing interinstitutional cooperation, structuring their internal management, or preparing to meet future expansion.

The design of an organizational process appropriate to consortia in general has been developed in this thesis. The design is based on an analysis of various materials: (1) literature on the consortium movement; (2) data gathered from a nationwide survey conducted by the author; (3) visits with directors of consortia and experts in the consortium field; (4) actual working experience …