Digital Commons Network^™

Reducing Machine Downtime Through Improved Material Flow, Robyn Hoenle, Walter Teamer, Steve Toner

Honors Theses

The goal of a local manufacturer of garment and craft patterns is to maximize its profits. To achieve this goal, several processes within the plant must work efficiently independently and in conjunction with each other. In doing so, some of the issues that must be addressed include maximizing efficiency, reducing downtime, simplifying process layouts, and combining processes to ultimately provide a quality product to the customer. The manufacturer is presently experiencing excessive downtime in the packaging area because of excessive material handling. The task of the project team was to work in conjunction with the manufacturer to analyze and evaluate …

The Effects Of Fasb Statement No. 121 On Financial Statements, Karen Courtade

Honors Theses

As managers contemplate the adoption of SFAS 121, Accounting for the Impairment of Long-Lived Assets and for Long-Lived Assets to be Disposed of, most will be considering the impact of these new requirements on their particular reporting situation. This effect is important to managers because whenever the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issues a new statement, financial statements need to be in compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). New requirements also cause tax and auditing concerns, effects on financial statement users, and extra costs to companies involved. The FASB's intent in issuing SFAS 121 was to force more …

Confederate Matrons : Women Who Served In Virginia Civil War Hospitals, A. Elise Allison

Honors Theses

In September 1862, the Confederate Congress authorized hospitals to employ white women as chief matrons, assistant matrons, and ward matrons. This paper examines the lives and experiences of matrons who worked in Confederate hospitals in Virginia. It concludes that only ''exceptional" women with the stamina to endure physical and mental hardships were able to defy conventional ideas about their proper role and contribute to the care of Confederate sick and wounded as matrons.

The Pain Of An Amputated Limb: Subjective Morality And Existentialism In Anne Rice's Interview With The Vampire, Aaron J. Klamer

Honors Theses

Over the last century, perhaps no genre of literature has so enthralled, interested, and provoked the public's intellect as those pieces which fall under the somewhat ambiguous appellation, "existentialist" literature. Novels by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Albert Camus spawned generations of followers, including Ernest Hemingway, Richard Wright, and Franz Kafka. Today, Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles, and especially the first book Interview With the Vampire, exemplify the characteristics of an existential novel. No doubt much of the reason for the popularity of the existential novel has to do with empathy, we see ourselves reflected in the characters. In order …

Heat Shock Protein Synthesis In The Gorgonian Leptogorgia Virgulata, Evelyn Afif

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Three Worst Presidents Of The United States, Sheila Lynch

Honors Theses

The topic of this paper is entitled "The Three Worst Presidents of the United States". The method that I used to complete this paper is historical analysis. I have used a variety of literature sources to make decisions concerning this project. Leadership literature was utilized to determine and support the variables to be used to select the presidents. Historical literature was used to research the chosen presidents.

As mentioned above, historical failures are very useful teaching tools. In the context of this paper, historical failures will be referred to as the major failings or corruption in which the chosen presidents …

The Role Of Leadership In Creating And Using Positive Conflict, Gregory S. Hayken

Honors Theses

This paper is about conflict management, resolution, and conflict use. Conflict through its proper and successful resolution can be used for successful change and enhanced relationship building.

As the Twenty-first Century rolls around, our society can look forward to an increase in the expression of diversity throughout the world. Kathleen E. Allen et al. in their paper, "Leadership in the Twenty-First Century," note that as economies, institutions, and perspectives had become more globalized, immigration and population growth have increased (4-7). As diversity in our lives and our work force increases, future leaders will no doubt encounter the differing perceptions and …

Leadership, Gender, And Division I Athletics, A Study Of Athletes' Needs Based On Gender, Carol Knerr

Honors Theses

Athletics is a significant area where leadership can be observed and studied. Through my experience in athletics up to the college level, I have noticed that coaches coach differently depending on if they are coaching male or female athletes. For example, I have noticed that coaches of male sports teams sometimes yell, scream, and directly insult their players in order to motivate them. This technique seems to work for the men but generally might not be as successful for female athletes. This is simply an observation that is not backed up by research. Some research has been done on different …

Generations Of Laundry & Other Essays, Ira Sukrungruang

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Power Of The Press: A Content Analysis Of Congressional Press Coverage In National, Regional, And Local Newspapers., Kendra Page Ammann

Honors Theses

I continue to believe that the press are very powerful in the shaping of public opinion about the Congress, since they serve as one of the only sources of information about the Congress. I conclude that Congress, as an institution, must find ways, other than through the mass media, to inform the American public of its activities. Since I have identified a clear connection between the negative press coverage of Congress as an institution and negative public opinion of Congress as an institution, I believe that an increase in the dissemination of positive information about the institution of Congress may …

Contributions Of Private Investment In Post-Conflict Guatemala: Evidence From Socially Responsible Maquiladoras, Jeana L. Flahive

Honors Theses

Is it possible that the new corporate attitude of responsibility and pressure from Codes of Conduct could create a situation where the benefits of the maquiladora industry can be maximized while the costs are minimized? Results from four best practice, responsible maquilas in Guatemala will be considered in this thesis. The maquilas used as case examples, Intraexa, Esdisa, Korarnsa, and Cardiz, all share similar standards of operation. They are all in compliance with Guatemalan labor law; some even go beyond what the law requires. Each of the factories is certified as complying with all of the principles in AGEXPRONT's Code …

Alternatives To Nitroprusside, William T. Hiscock

Honors Theses

Any transition metal nitrosyl complex may release nitric oxide and thus has potential as a vasodilator. Nitroprusside, Na2[Fe(CN)5(NO)], is currently used, but dosages are limited because of the potential release of cyanide. Research in our group has been directed towards the synthesis of iron and ruthenium complexes containing the nitrosyl ligand and polypyridyl coligands such as 2,2-dipyridyl (bpy) and 2,2': 6',2"-terpyridine (tpy). These coligands are much less toxic than cyanide. Both [(bpy)(tpy)Fe(NO)]3+ and [(bpy)(tpy)Ru(NO)]3+ have been synthesized and characterized using infrared and ultraviolet spectroscopy, conductivity, and magnetic susceptibility. Along with the search for other possible polydentate coligands, is the search …

Missing From The Miracle: Microcredit And Urban Market Women In Bolivia, Stephanie L. Small

Honors Theses

On an organizational level supporting the success story of microcredit allows banks to profit, as seen with BancoSol. It allows organizations to continue to receive funding, as seen with FIE. It allows NGOs to simplify the problem of poverty to one of lack of credit and personal ignorance. By doing so, NGOs can maintain training programs which place the client at fault for her poverty, as seen in ProMujer. They appeal to a common sense understanding of poverty and its causes and as a result, continue to receive the necessary funding. The Journal of Commerce is a 170 year old …

Deja Vu In 1946: Reinterpreting The Origins Of Containment, Jonathan Barry

Honors Theses

For nearly fifty years, mainstream Cold War historians have credited George Kennan with ushering in a new age in foreign policy. Kennan did, after all, send a "Long Telegram" from Moscow on February 22, 1946 that crystallized for the US government a policy of "containing" the Soviet regime. Kennan, a State Department official and expert on Soviet affairs, submitted to Secretary of State James Byrnes an 8,000 word telegram depicting a communist government bent on upholding the expansionist tradition of the Russian czars. He further claimed that "all Soviet efforts on... [an] international plane will be negative and destructive in …

Approaches And Methodologies For The Synthesis Of Aromatic Natural Products, Christina A. Goudreau

Honors Theses

Chemists have been captivated by the ability of most natural products to exhibit biological activity which in effect has made them very attractive to pharmaceutical companies. Many over-the-counter drugs such as aspirin were first extracted from natural products and are now an integral part of most of our lives. More importantly, certain drugs such as taxol, which is used to treat breast cancer, initially came from the bark of a yew tree. Extracting these substances from their natural source and using them medicinally at the demand of the consumers would result in the destruction of the natural habitat. Oftentimes, the …

"Entre La Espada Y La Pared" : "Up Against The Wall": Bolivian Coca Farmers And Alternative Development Under The Estrategia Boliviana De La Lucha Contra El Narcotráfico 1998-2002, Heather Anne Golding

Honors Theses

Bolivia's reputation as a "dangerous" nation stems from its connection with the illegal drug trade. Bolivia is currently the world's third largest cultivator of coca, the raw material used to make cocaine. The US State Department warns US citizens not to visit the Chapare because it is "politically unstable." However, the region is not unstable because its inhabitants are savage people, nor is it dangerous because drug cartel members roam the streets. Rather, it is dangerous, because of the social unrest that plagues the region because the poor coca farmers are continuously being hounded to destroy their coca crops, in …

Modeling The Economic Growth Of Greece, Karolos A. Alexakos

Honors Theses

The objective of this project is to use an econometric model to examine economic growth in Greece. Using a growth model to investigate a country's economy one can obtain a more complete picture of the historical growth experience of a particular country by pinpointing the underlying causes for growth and recession at particular time periods. My main objective is to thus construct a growth model for the Greek economy, which is based on Solow's theory of economic growth. Solow was one of the first economists that attempted to examine growth within an economy through the use of a well structured …

Astride The Black Horse : The Politicization Of Famine Relief Operations In The Third World, Jon Bolton

Honors Theses

The twentieth century is likely to hold the dubious distinction of being the century in which more people will die of famine than any other. While the growth of technology and prosperity that characterized this century has been unprecedented in the history of humankind, this growth has not been distributed equally throughout the world, producing regions, even entire continents, characterized by abject poverty. Added to this, the purposeful exploitation of many of these underdeveloped regions by Northern colonizers and slavers in the last century has created chronically unstable and underdeveloped countries in which famine is a constant threat. Thus, disasters …

Transforming Corporations To Transform Society : A Case Study Of The Timberland Corporation, Jesse Levin

Honors Theses

There are many organizations that are involved in the community; so why is Timberland-unique? In 1990, Timberland began a relationship with City Year, a non- profit corps-based service organization. This relationship evolved into a $5 million a year partnership between the two organizations. The two organizations provide an example of a working partnership between a for-profit business and a non-profit organization that changes many conceptions of corporate philanthropy.

The purpose for this case study is to test the applicability and validity of Gill Hickman's emerging conceptual framework, "transformistic organizations," within the context of the Timberland Corporation. The Timberland model will …

The Use Of Influence Tactics Ins Cso/Board Relations In Accordance With The Board Composition, Mary Knox Bricken

Honors Theses

The present study seeks to understand why greater structural board independence may not necessarily strengthen the board's overall power in its relationship with the CEO; and, further, it aims to determine what factors do affect board leader-follower relations. Existing research has studied CEO's reactions to the implicit loss of their structural sources of power. However, very little research has been devoted to the suggested notion that CEO's may use unconventional influence tactics in order to maintain their power at levels equivalent to before structural board change. This study strives to discover what tactics CEO's may use in order to sustain …

Executive Leadership Selection: A Comparison Of University President And City Manager Search Processes, Duane D. Brickhouse

Honors Theses

This research will show the connection between the leadership structure of a private liberal arts university and a city with a council-manager government. The focus of this research is to identify key components of the search process in each situation and analyze what each organization is seeking in their search for new leadership. The paper will examine different factors that are important to each organization and how these factors affect their executive search.

Authoritative Leadership In Economic Development : A Malaysian Case Study, John Carleton

Honors Theses

The count of Malaysia has its share of resources with which it has developed into a world trading power. Alongside the other Newly Industrialized Economies (NIEs), it has profited from a hard-working citizenry, natural wealth in geography or resources, and a stable government. However; this country has been able to lift itself above its peers and other countries in the world beyond the limits prescribed by these benefits alone. The reason behind this success may be found by looking at the country's historical and recent leadership trends. Since the country's inception, the public leaders of Malaysia have imposed upon its …

Are Schools Teaching Girls To Be Leaders?, Amy L. Schollin

Honors Theses

Are schools teaching girls to be leaders? My belief is that we must examine issues concerning our young women, their educational experiences, opportunities they are offered, people they are exposed to and their life in school. There appears to be a lack of emphasis on leadership and women. Without addressing this issue in the early stages of a young girl's development, we will continue to feed the notion that male standards are the norm, My initial question is intended to generate an in depth look at the impact of teachers, curriculum, students and the environment on the development of leadership …

Leadership: A Cultural Manifestation Of Evolution, Lee A. Scott

Honors Theses

This essay has sought to expand the perspective of leadership studies by incorporating the general theory of evolution from the discipline of biology. Evolution has been compared to leadership by other researchers but they have limited themselves to a metaphorical comparison. The primary purpose of this paper was to show that such a distinction was inaccurate when we have a full understanding of general evolutionary theory. Once this connection was established in Part II, we turned to examine some of the implications for leadership studies in particular. While a new theory was not presented, a foundation for such a theory …

Reciprocal Leadership, A Practical Approach To Leadership, Wendy Pierce

Honors Theses

Forward-looking leadership carries much more responsibility than in the past. Many organizations today are under fire to change with the times-and why not? We cannot afford to live within the fabulous fifties mindset that thrived under fantastical structures of bosses, middlemen, and elaborate pecking orders. The New York minute has quickly become the pacesetter for many of our industry leaders. Everything happens in a millisecond: email. faxes, and virtual offices have become the norm for American and international business endeavors. Today's competitive environment demands intense improvement in productivity, quality, and response time. In order to keep pace with instant gratification …

The Re-Election Of Incumbent Presidents : Wars, War Heroes, Patriots, And Prosperity, Brian Kelly

Honors Theses

In 1789 the fledgling nation of the United States of America unanimously elected its first president, a war hero named George Washington. In accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, Washington served a four-year term, at the completion of which he ran again for president. He won, and after four more years, was succeeded by his vice-president, John Adams, who defeated Thomas Jefferson to become the second president of the United States of America. Four years later Jefferson would turn the tables on his victor and defeat Adams to become the nation's third president.

An investigation of the seventeen successful …

Enabling Hitler : An Able Body For A Dangerous Mind, Parker O. Roe

Honors Theses

There is no doubt today in the minds of the world's population that Adolf Hitler, the leader, the Fuhrer of Nazi Germany was responsible for horrendous acts and possessed of insane intentions. However, what was is that enabled him to see his goals through to the extent that he was able? In truth, there exist hundreds of insane and sadistic people in today's world, however a "Fourth Reich" has not yet emerged. In other words, how was it that Adolf Hitler was able to be the demigod of a country and movement which branded the continent of Europe for all …

The Wei-Ji Theory Of Crisis Leadership And The Case Of The Flu Hunters, Patrick A. Oliver

Honors Theses

There is considerable research and literature on crisis management, especially as it applies to formal organizations dealing with crisis. This literature focuses mainly on the for-profit sector of organizations; attempting to provide useful frameworks to facilitate understanding of how to react at different points in different crisis situations. The great majority of this literature can be divided into two sections: (1) preparation for and (2) reactions to different crisis situations. The dynamic which is missing from the crisis management literature is leadership. Crisis management literature takes an active view towards the preparation for crisis and identification process of a crisis,but …

Outsiders' Perceptions Of An Organization's Leadership Through Exposure To Its Nonverbal Ecology, Dominick S. Feriozzi

Honors Theses

This study's importance rests on its focus to discover whether individuals accurately perceive the leadership style of an organization through exposure to its nonverbal ecology, in this case the lobby/reception area. Leadership style is reflected in "the social dimensions of organizations, such as patterns of communication (frequency and occurrence of various kinds of inter- and intradepartmental, formal and informal, interactions), perceptions of participation in decision making, and job autonomy." More simply stated, leadership style reflects the manner in which work is completed throughout the organization due to the relationships that exist between leaders and followers.

A Look At Collaborative Leadership In The Inner City Business Growth Of Two American Cities, Christian J. Dawson

Honors Theses

The ultimate goal of the following research project is to explore how public / private partnerships can be most effective in revitalizing and sustaining inner city economic growth. It presents two academic models which have been synthesized in an attempt to explain how vici collaborative leadership is best utilized as a tool by communities who are eager to effectively formulate, manipulate and sustain a downtown revitalization project.