Digital Commons Network^™

Technology Delivery: Are We Doing All We Can For The Customer?, Scott Greene

Theses

The purpose of this qualitative study is to identify key activities for Project Managers surrounding the delivery of new technologies to end-users. The study involved establishing internal focus groups within the Xerox Human Resources organization. Questions were asked seeking customer feedback and perceptions within the realm of technology delivery. The study found that there were five key areas for project managers to focus on when implementing and delivering new technologies: Project Initiation, Communication, End User Training/Support, Project Implementation and Feedback.

Strange Bed Fellows: A Case Study Of Merging Departments Through Employee Participation, Eugene Alibrio

Theses

The purpose of this study is to identify key areas of importance during a merger of two hospitals' Food and Nutritional Service Departments. The study shows that it is vital to include the staff in developing a mission and vision. This creates a future vision that is action oriented and in which all staff have a vested interest. The nineties have proven to be a time of rapid change. The changes implemented by the Food and Nutritional Services of Optima Health were rapid and unsettling for most staff. This case study discusses what went well, what did not go as …

The Impact Of Technology On The Lodging Industry, Peter Huggins

Theses

This study discusses the impact of technology on the hospitality industry, with emphasis being given to the lodging industry and the effective use of hotel business centers. The study will analyze new technology and technological advances that are impacting the needs of the business traveler, the ways in which the lodging industry is addressing these needs and requirements, and trends and changes in the hospitality industry which are impacting the business traveler. This study will also attempt to answer hypotheses made concerning long term trends for business amenities in the lodging industry. Specifically the study will address the Radisson Inn, …

Evaluating The Relationship Between The 24-Hour Recall And Food Habits Questionnaire Methods For Measuring Dietary Compliance, Janelle Welch

Theses

This study was conducted within a larger investigation conducted by Dr. Geoffrey Williams at the Genesse Hospital in Rochester New York. The purpose of Dr. Williams's investigation was to evaluate the long-term effects and cost effectiveness of a brief intervention to facilitate self-management among a sample of adults with diabetes mellitus coming in for regular outpatient visits. As part of the investigation, Type I patients were called three times within a two week period to obtain a 24-hour dietary recall. This information was used to determine adherence. The Type II patients within the study were required to fill out a …

Characterization Of A Hybrid Tracking System, Holly Adams

Theses

Virtual Reality is a completely immersive computer generated environment which allows for user interaction. A computer and associated tracking peripherals are used to generate a realistic scene and update it based on the position and orientation of the user. VR systems are individual in their ability to provide the user with a 360 degree field of view in all orientations. Since it originated over 30 years ago, virtual reality(VR) has suffered from a problem known as lag. Lag is the system's inability to keep up with the user's actions within a virtual environment. Lag occurs for many reasons. Anything from …

Applying Continuous Improvement Through Process Management In A Restaurant Environent, Thomas Wappman

Theses

The purpose of this study is to investigate how continuous improvement methods can be applied in a restaurant environment through process management. Increased competition in the service marketplace, and more knowledgeable customers has forced many organizations to focus on business re-engineering. Therefore, the ability to develop new systems aimed at the customers' needs has become imperative. This assessment will focus on the service delivery time in four areas of a student-operated restaurant utilizing process management techniques. The four processes that the researchers measured are: 1) promptness of greeting- seating the customer, 2) beverage service, 3) entree service, and 4) check-payout. …

Virtual Reality Modelling Of A Cnc Machine, Damian O'Sullivan

Theses

The increasing importance of training and upgrading skills has led to the use of new interactive technologies in the development of more effective training tools. Previous techniques for training Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine operators, while excellent for their time, varied from brief inexpensive tutorials to expensive on the job training. A CNC machine uses a computer to perform the functions of the machine using a part program stored in the memory of the computer. This thesis describes a Virtual Reality (VR) model of a CNC milling machine, implemented within a VR environment representing a CNC workshop. Its development and …

Indifférance, John F. Pohorylo

Theses

The main intention of this thesis is to wrestle Derrida's notion of différance from an endless free-play of signification into some sense of boundedness, and to release meaning, knowledge and understanding from its relentless grasp. In achieving this goal, an entirely new field of "value" and "Quality" based discourse would open up within applied schismatic architectural theory.

Robert Pirsig offers a strong alternative to différance with his discourse on the Metaphysics of Quality, wherein he defines "Quality" as a pre-intellectual reality. This pre-intellectual reality, which I call "indifférance", is made up of the lenses of inorganic, organic and social …

Analysis Of Rochester Institute Of Technology's United Way Campaign, Cheryl Lund

Theses

The United Way is an organization that exists for the purpose of helping people in need and bringing about positive social outcomes for the public good. Raising sufficient funds through donations continues to be a challenge in the face of decreasing public assistance, and increased cynicism in the United Way caused by the United Way scandal of 1992. The general downward trend of donations to non-profit organizations is reflected in the donations to the Rochester Institute of Technology's United Way campaign. In the past, employee participation in RIT's United Way campaign was 73%, which has been decreasing throughout the years …

Service Management Case Study: Registrar's Office Reorganization, Patricia Nelson

Theses

This case study documents the reorganization of the RIT Registrar's Office which was a successful attempt to improve customer service, enhance staff satisfaction, and keep pace with computer technology. Reporting structure, work distribution, empowerment, team building, and training are analyzed. Quality customer service, costs and benefits of service quality, managing for quality and productivity, managing supply and demand, networks, staff development, and team concepts are discussed relative to their applications in reengineering a team of 12 people. Findings are documented with team maturation ratings, an experiential team building summary, customer focus group input, and benchmarking results. It is concluded that …

Hospitality Education In New Orleans - A Case Study, Diana Clark

Theses

This case study documents the conceptualization, design and development, implementation and future strategies for the Hospitality Education Initiative in New Orleans. We will examine the strategic alliances developed between the public and private sector organizations and their contribution to the initiative. We will discuss the role of high schools and post secondary institutions, and the development of a hospitality education career path for the local students. We will define the involvement of the employer and business partner, and their relationship with the educational institutions to achieve the goal of well trained and work ready employees for the hospitality industry in …

Design Characteristics Unique To The Flexographic Printing Process, Barry Lee

Theses

The flexographic printing process has been used for package printing applications since the late 1800's. Recent improvements in the flexographic technology have enabled flexographic printers to compete in new market areas that have historically been served by roto-gravure or offset lithographic printing. Occurring simultaneously with the flexographic printing improvements has been the infusion of personal computer-based graphic design capabilities. Designers can optimize quality only when they understand the strengths and weaknesses of the printing process that will be used to mass produce their design. Desktop design capabilities and the need for flexographic print quality to match or exceed lithographic and …

Beyond Buttons: Explorations In Creative Storytelling, Dominic Amatore

Theses

None provided.

Value Engineering For The Practice Of Architecture, Husam Akoud

Theses

The practice of value engineering has become a significant factor in the construction industry during the past five decades. To value engineer a product or an item is to examine carefully its components in relation to their respective performance. Alternatives are generated to enhance functionality and reduce cost.

Techniques and methods have been developed to assist in performing a value engineering study that has a substantial impact on the final product, whether an item in a system or a building component. The different phases of value engineering are the INFORMATION, SPECULATIVE, ANALYTICAL and PROPOSAL PHASES. Each phase has its unique …

Signal Processing Topics In Multicarrier Modulation : Frequency Offset Correction For Ofdm And Multiuser Interference Cancellation For Mc-Cdma, Pingping Zong

Theses

Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is discussed as a special form of multi-carrier modulation (MCM). One major problem of the OFDM system is the sensitivity to an unknown frequency offset at the receiver. To improve the performance of the OFDM system, correction of the frequency offset is required before decision making. An adaptive method of frequency offset correction is presented. The adaptation algorithm used here is based on the LMS and the estimation is proven unbiased. A multiuser communications system having similar signal structure to the OFDM system, termed as multi-carrier code division multiple access (MC-CDMA), is discussed. The MC-CDMA …

Requirement Elicitation For Environmental Life Cycle Processes, Mariam Y. Burmawalla

Theses

To develop a user-satisfying product the most essential ingredient is to understand user's needs and expectations from the system. Lack of communication between the user and the developer results in an unsatifying output from the user's point of view. Thus proper understanding between the stakeholder and the developer is the most important requirement during the development of any system.

Requirement elicitation process is one such means of expressing wants and requirements from the system by both the parties. Based on Software Engineering Institute's model, requirement elicitation is a web-based application that allows all the people involved in the system to …

Changing Policies Regarding Advertising In Taiwan & Their Impacts, Li-Tzu Yang

Theses

Mass media is not only an important tool to develop social change but also a condition to ensure democracy's continued development. Before the lifting of martial law, newspaper publication was controlled by the KMT Party. This situation meant that the mass media had no freedom and could not decide for themselves what to publish. After the lifting of martial law, Taiwan experienced great changes in politics, economics, society and culture. These huge change were reflected in mass media before and after martial law and are the purpose of this research analysis. Specifically, the role advertising played before the lifting of …

Devil Went Down To Georgia, Kent Francis

Theses

Not provided.

Integrated Marketing Communication, Nareerat Kesaraphong

Theses

This thesis will focus on the Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) in the United States and Thailand.

The new world of IMC provides a radically different way for companies to promote themselves. Throughout marketing history companies promoted a product by advertising. Advertising stated the "reason" people should purchase the product. You advertise it heavily. Consumers buy it. Advertising was king.

Integrated Communication and integrated marketing is good to reach the same amount of consumers that had been reached in the past. The vast amount of media available, such as the World Wide Web, trade shows, television, periodicals and outdoor advertising, make …

An Empirical Study On The Differences Of Task-Orientation Skills And People-Orientation Skills Of Upper And Lower Management In An Organization, Michelle A. Heppermann

Theses

This thesis will focus on the study of communication between upper and lower management levels in a company and the impact that genders has upon it.

Communication can be divided into two sections: task-orientation and people-orientation. Task-orientation refers to a person's behavior in delineating the relationship between himself/herself and staff members and in endeavoring to establish well-defined patterns of organization, communication, and procedures. People-orientation refers to a person's behavior indicative of friendship, mutual trust, respect, and warmth in the relationship between leader and his/her subordinates.

Over the years research has suggested that women are prone to be more people-oriented while …

An Evaluation Of The Competency Modeling Method Used By A Major Telecommunications Company, Sharon K. Kramer

Theses

This thesis focuses on competency model development methods and evaluating an actual competency model development method used by a consulting company on behalf of its client.

As HRD professionals get down to actually measuring human performance against the model they set forth to specify competency and its associated behaviors, they often find behavioral measurements to be subjective and relative, rather than objective and criterion-based.

The purpose of this study is to review competency model definitions and development methods, as well as the implications for using competency models to improve human performance, business results and competitive advantage.

The competency model development …

Examining The Usefulness Of Amerinet's Valusource 3.0 Software, Theresa A. Jarus

Theses

The main focus of this research is to provide AmeriNet, Inc., a group purchasing organization of medical and healthcare supplies, with a statistical and realistic perspective regarding user training requirements and effectiveness of their latest software release, ValuSource 3.0.

This electronic catalog was developed for AmeriNet members to provide contract pricing information. The software release took over a year to design and implemented most of the functionality required/requested by AmeriNet shareholders and members.

The purpose of the software is to give members access to up-to-date contract information such as pricing, contract terms, commitment levels, etc. ValuSource 3.0 is capable of …

Volunteers From The Business Community Give High Marks To Quality Of Junior Achievement's Middle Grades Program, Lori A. Jacob

Theses

This thesis will focus on the study of business volunteers' perceptions of quality of Junior Achievement's Middle Grades Program. Areas of emphasis will include teaching material provided to the volunteer, support from the Junior Achievement staff, and volunteer orientation.

Business people from the St. Louis metropolitan area teach Junior Achievement programs to students in schools, during the school day. Business people, whom JA calls consultants, volunteer one hour per week for eight to fifteen weeks to share their business experience with Middle Grade students. Educators set aside valuable classroom time for Junior Achievement consultants to present activities. In the St. …

The Valuation Of Family Limited Partnership Interests, Steven J. Krekeler

Theses

The focus of this report is on using family limited partnerships to reduce wealth transfer taxes. This report will explain how valuation discounts applicable to family limited partnership interests enable wealth to be transferred which avoids gift and estate tax. Furthermore, the report will discuss why some family partnership valuation discounts are accepted by the IRS and others are rejected, including steps taxpayers and their professional advisors can take to increase their chances of success.

Senior family members throughout the U.S. have a growing interest in preserving their wealth for the next generation. Many are not aware that 55% or …

A Connection Between Eating Disorder Symptomatology And Guild Or Shame, Deborah J. Kuehnel

Theses

By their own nature Eating Disorders are very self-destructive and potentially life threatening behaviors. They are symptoms which may represent a constellation of underlying problems. This investigation explores the relation of shame-proneness and guilt-proneness to eating disorder symptomatology in a sample of 171 undergraduate women. Participants completed the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 and the Test of Self-Conscious Affect (TOSCA). Shame was significantly and positively correlated with drive for thinness, bulimia, body dissatisfaction, ineffectiveness, interpersonal distrust, lack of interoceptive awareness, asceticism, difficulties with impulse regulation, and social insecurity. Guilt was negatively or negligibly correlated with these symptoms. These two correlative findings impact …

Impact Of Peer-Tutoring On Rural At-Risk Fourth And Fifth Grade Students, Catherine J. Kremer

Theses

This study was designed to assess the impact of one full semester of peer- tutoring on 30 fourth and fifth grade at-risk students in a rural Midwestern community. A paired t - test was performed on the students' Grade Point Average (G.P.A . ) before and after tutoring. Statistical analysis of t he data revealed that students who received peer tutoring experienced a statistically significant gain in academic achievement as measured by G. P .A. Research leading to this study indicated that at - risk students do benefit from same gender peer assistance in homework, reading and math skills when …

Empowerment Of A Uaw Workforce, Paula L. Hughel

Theses

This thesis will investigate whether empowerment of a workforce has a positive correlation on employee job satisfaction.

Research supports that the automotive industry is continuously focusing on the reduction of structural costs. One area that is commonly focused on is the reduction of manpower, specifically management. As the number of managers are reduced some of the work is being redistributed to the employees. Along with the additional work comes decision making responsibilities.

Although research supports that empowerment has a positive correlation on business results and working environments, it is inconclusive that empowerment has a positive correlation relative to job satisfaction. …

Ethics In Media Communication And The Right To Privacy, Jane M. Decker

Theses

This thesis will focus on determining whether or not the media does or does not pay heavy attention to ethical issues when reporting. Much of society believes that the media focuses more on "getting the story", rather than reporting the news. Also, some view the media as an entity which cares only about sensationalism, and producing the highest rating. Over the past fifteen years or so, media coverage has changed quite drastically. Journalists of earlier times would have not been expected to go to any lengths to get a story, as they seem to be in today's world. It is …

Children's Type A Behavior Pattern As It Relates To Self Esteem, Tami N. Earlewine

Theses

The relationship between Type A Behavior pattern in elementary children and their self esteem was examined using 68 students. The participants were third, fourth and fifth graders in the Montgomery County School District in central Missouri, who completed the Coopersmith Self Esteem Inventory (School Form). ln addition these students were also assessed for Type A behavior pattern by their teachers using the Matthew's Youth Test for Health. Correlational results indicated that there was no relationship between a child's Type A behavior pattern and self esteem.

An Understanding And A Quest For Excellence In Human Resources At An Urban Public School District, Juliette E. Douglas

Theses

This thesis will focus on how to transition the Human Resource Division at St. Louis Public Schools into a customer focused, responsive service organization. Like many other industries, urban education has some uniqueness but there are also some common issues. To better understand the management style traditionally used in urban education, this project started with conducting extensive research on the history of management in education.

History is only important in understanding the past. Good management must focus on the present and create the future. To better plan to create a changed human resource function, two basic management concepts were also …