Digital Commons Network^™

Family Business: Innovation And Tradition In A Global Economy, Francesca Fornasari

Theses

Eighty-five percent of Italian companies are run as a family business. They are considered vital for Italian economy. The purpose of this thesis is to study how these companies challenge the global market to understand if the globalization can cause them disadvantages or benefits. The study explains what a family business is and who are the components that can be part of it. Then it focuses on the structure of the firms, how the families run their businesses and organize the tasks between the family members. This thesis considers the strategies of innovation adopted by the family to remain competitive …

Knowledge Management In New Product Development (Npd), Luca Maria Mancinelli

Theses

This thesis analyses features that, in New Product Development process (NPD), foster knowledge, and their contribution to the creation and application of knowledge with the aim of increasing both global performance and organizational effectiveness. Since knowledge is becoming more important to achieve competitive advantage, companies have already started to focus on their ability to generate new competencies and create new opportunities for producing new knowledge.

One of the issues compelling knowledge management understands what aspects of the organization's work system and organizational design affect its ability to acquire, create and apply knowledge. In fact, the way that workers are organized …

Development Of The Commodity Strategy: The Case Of Sidel, Giuseppe Celiberti

Theses

The thesis will address the development of the sourcing strategy in Sidel, a manufacturing company that provides packaging equipment for liquids such as water, carbonated and non-carbonated soft drinks, sensitive beverages like milk, and liquid dairy products.

It is developed the sourcing strategy structure that characterizes every commodity, with a particular focus on the commodity execution process. Then, it is discussed a concrete case: the one of Nitro Dozers. In order to achieve the goal, it is used a systematic approach that focuses on different steps, from the Product overview and Spend analysis to the supplier assessment and benchmarking.

After …

Modelling Of Oxygen Diffusion In Cork, Swapnil Shivputra Rane

Theses

The primary objective of this project is to better understand gas diffusion through natural cork structures by comparing simulations of gas diffusion through natural cork to experimental measurements of oxygen gas diffusion through the same structure. The cork's internal structure is measured using x-ray computed tomography (CT). From the measured internal structure, a simple mapping is assumed converting the measured x-ray computed tomography images into a 3D map of local diffusion coefficient. Specifically, it is assured that the x-ray CT pixel value is inversely proportional to the diffusion coefficient of oxygen through the cork. A diffusion model for the cork …

The Temporal And Spatial Dynamics Of Larval Supply, Settlement, And Adult Populations Of Chthamalus Fissus Within The La Jolla, California Rocky Intertidal, Catharine Hargenrader

Theses

The role of post-settlement processes in benthic invertebrate recruitment dynamics has been well established; however, more recently, studies have been resolving the pre-settlement processes and environmental variables that may shape initial settlement. We examined the major space occupying barnacle Chthamalus fissus to determine the spatial and temporal dynamics of settlement in relation to larval supply, adult populations, and habitat characteristics (including elevation as a proxy for immersion, proximity to water’s edge, and the availability of free space) within the La Jolla, CA rocky intertidal. With respect to habitat characteristics, we investigated the influence of available free space on the dynamics …

Understanding The Language Learning Strategies Of English Language Learners In The Community College System, Steven Kean

Theses

This study focused on English language teaching and learning through the lens of language-learning strategies, and how strategies-based instruction is implemented within the community college system. The intent of this study was to determine the extent to which language-learning strategies are taught to second-language learners in a community college district, the specific strategies that language-learners use, and whether improvements to strategies-based instruction in the community college system are needed. This research used a customized version of Rebecca Oxford’s Strategies Inventory for Language Learners. It also queried instructors who teach English as a Second Language (ESL), and it analyzed ESL course …

Team Queue: A Mobile Application Which Provides A Third Party Stage For An E-Sports Service Provider, Mengying Wang

Theses

E-Sports, known as electronic sports, professional video gaming or pro gaming, refers to the use of video games for sports. In today’s a growing economy, there is a continuous strengthening of the E-Sports industry; E-Sports has officially become a kind of sports. Believe or not, E-Sports has an incredible market share in the gaming market. In 2017, E-Sport the grew of 41.3 % over last year, which equates up the value of $696 million (NewZoo, 2017).

According to 2017 Global E-Sports Market Report (NewZoo, 2017), day, worldwide, there are E-Sports games held every day. It also reported that 67 million …

A Passive Solar Retrofit In A Gloomy Climate, James Russell Fugate

Theses

A common perception with solar technologies is that they are practical only in sunny regions of the country. The sun is a source of clean and plentiful energy, but for regions of the country that experience frequent cloud cover, solar energy is typically not considered a worthwhile endeavor. In addition to the problem of limited sunshine, solar energy is often deemed to be too expensive for the average homeowner, particularly without significant government incentives. For solar technology to be adopted on a broad scale, it must make practical sense to the homeowner, not just economically, but also for an improved …

Online News Coverage About Fraud And Self-Defensive Behavior In China, Congxi Wang

Theses

This study explores the role of online news media in directing people’s behavior in China. Previous literature shows that Chinese tend to be suspicious or hostile towards strangers and those outside their network. This study assumes that this self-defensive behavior was caused by negative portrayal of strangers in Chinese online news media. A survey and a qualitative content analysis were conducted to understand how the exposure to crime news affects people’s perception of strangers and public safety in China, then causes self-defensive behavior in China. The finding shows consistency between survey responses and media coverages about strangers, which establishes the …

Modeling Health Effects Of Particulate Matter Emissions From Heavy Duty Diesel Trucks Involved In High Volume Hydraulic Fracturing With Benmap-Ce, Katelijn Van Munster

Theses

The use of high volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF) has grown substantially in the past decade, and with it the number of heavy duty diesel trucks (HDDTs) used to transport HVHF materials and wastes. This research is a pilot study for the third phase of a three-phase project to determine the potential negative health effects caused by these HDDTs. This pilot study developed the methodology of modeling health effects, subsequent costs, and their spatial distribution with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program – Community Edition (BenMAP-CE), using data from previous phases of the project and focusing on …

Geometric Properties And A Combinatorial Analysis Of Convex Polygons Constructed Of Tridrafters, Trevor Nelson

Theses

The aim of this thesis is to show how the use of parity in tandem with the triangular grid as well as a newly introduced and similar method are insufficient to provide proof for why convex regions composed using the full set of shapes known as "proper tridrafters" have a portion shifted in a fashion known as against-the-grain. These two methods are applied in a combinatorial fashion.

Comparative Transcriptomics Of Grapevine Powdery Mildew, Christopher Wayne Snyder

Theses

Grapevine Powdery Mildew is caused by the obligately biotrophic fungus Erysiphe (syn. Uncinula) necator. This plant disease leads to severe crop loss and subsequent economic burden for the wine and juice industry. While the life cycle of the fungus has been explained, the mechanisms underlying how the fungus surpasses the grape’s defenses are not fully understood. In order to identify suitable targets for gene silencing approaches, a better understanding of the Powdery Mildew transcriptome is necessary. De novo assembled contigs of E. necator G14 mRNA were compared to the published E. necator C-strain transcriptome to determine the areas of overlap …

Investigation Of The Role Of Gene Clusters In Terpene Biosynthesis In Sorghum Bicolor, Rebecca Hay

Theses

The staple crop Sorghum bicolor shows potential as a source of secondary metabolite-based biofuels due to its diverse phenotype and chemical profile. S. bicolor produces a variety of high-energy metabolites, including terpenes which are a potential renewable source of fuel additives. Information on the biosynthetic and genetic pathways by which S. bicolor terpenes are produced is limited and these pathways must be better understood before they can be engineered for human applications. Recent work on plant biosynthetic pathways has shown that terpenes can be modified by the products of clustered genes. Identification of biosynthetic gene clusters may accelerate the elucidation …

Advances And Challenges In Software Refactoring: A Tertiary Systematic Literature Review, Mazen Alotaibi

Theses

Software refactoring is one of the most critical aspects of software maintenance. It improves the quality of the software, reduces potential occurrence of bugs and keeps the code easier to maintain, extend and read. The process of refactoring supports and enables the developers to improve the design of software without changing the behavior. However, the automation of this process is complex for developers and software engineers since it is subjective, time and resource consuming. In this context, many literature reviews have analyzed the existing effort made by researchers to facilitate refactoring, as a core software engineering practice. This paper, aims …

Microfluidic Study Of Hydrogen Peroxide (H2o2) Transport Modeled On The Msn-Da Neuron Pathway, Carrie A. Phillips

Theses

Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) are produced throughout the body and can cause damage, lead to neurodegenerative disorders, and deactivate neurons involved in the release of essential neurotransmitters. However, the underlying mechanisms affecting neuronal dysfunction are controversial and are not yet well understood. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a common ROS, has been shown to inhibit evoked dopamine (DA) in the Nigrostriatal region of the brain. Although unconfirmed, one theory claims that the DA-modulating H2O2 is produced in medium spiny neurons (MSN), based on close proximity. However, most literature cites H2O2 as a very small molecule which can travel far, diffuse readily, and …

Empowering Women Through Advertising: A Content Analysis On 'Femvertising' Campaigns, Shan Wang

Theses

This study selects and content analyzes a sample of 40 femvertising videos, aims to explore what messages are delivered by the videos, and whether the campaigns actually break down the cliched ways in which media present women as the companies claim. The messages of the videos sent to viewers are qualitative content analyzed to provide a general description of the campaign videos. Women’s representations in the campaign videos are quantitively coded in terms of how women look like (i.e. physical characteristics), what age groups they are in, what traits they possess, and what roles they play in the advertisements. Also, …

The Effects Of Societal Threat On Authoritarianism And Social Dominance Orientation, Chasity Ratliff

Theses

The present study examined the effects of societal threat on levels of authoritarianism and social dominance orientation and investigated if those self-report measures were consistent or inconsistent with a measure of implicit attitudes regarding Americans and Immigrants. Exposure to societal threat was hypothesized to increase authoritarianism and social dominance orientation, as well as to increase implicit prejudicial attitudes, as measured by the Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP), towards out-group members. Based on prior findings, men were expected to have higher levels of social dominance orientation. As predicted, exposure to societal threat significantly increased right-wing authoritarianism and social dominance orientation. Additionally, …

Identifying The Main Effects That Cause Spatial Variation In A Stereolithographic 3d-Printer With A Test Target And Graphical Analysis, Joseph V. Kain

Theses

This thesis investigates a stereolithography printers’ ability to resolve converging features within its build volume. This experiment employs the use of a Formlab Form 2 stereolithography device to create Geometric Element Test Target (GETT) artifacts designed in Solidworks. The sample will consist of a global arrangement of test artifacts in predetermined positions from a fractional factorial design of experiments. Each local sample will be a slanted ray GETT with designed wedge heights of 1 and 2mm. The finished array of samples are photographed and cataloged for graphical analysis. The ray step heights will be measured using a caliper and graphical …

Consumer Preferences In Food Interactive Packaging, Nuchjarin Pareeratanasomporn

Theses

Interactive packaging is an innovation that has been adopted by the packaging design industry. It enables consumers to interact with packaging through their smart devices. Although the technology is already available, it is uncertain how many consumers use it or will ever find it useful.

This research measured the young Millennial (18-24 years old) consumers’ perspectives and their preferences for interactive feature on food packaging. College students between 18 to 24 years old were chosen by using a purposive sampling method. First, a questionnaire asked for information about the participants’ behavior surrounding two topics. The first topic asked about their …

Verification Of Sd/Mmc Controller Ip Using Uvm, Tejas Pravin Warke

Theses

Wide spread IP reuse in SoC Designs has enabled meteoric development of derivative designs. Several hardware block IPs are integrated together to reduce production costs, time-to-fab/timeto- market and achieve higher levels of productivity. These block IPs must be verified independently before shipping to ensure proper working and conformance to protocols that they are implementing. But, since the application of these IPs will vary from SoC to SoC, the verification environment must consider the important features and functions that are critical for that application. This may mean, revamping the entire testbench to verify the application critical features. Verification takes a major …

Design And Verification Of A Dual Port Ram Using Uvm Methodology, Manikandan Sriram Mohan Dass

Theses

Data-intensive applications such as Deep Learning, Big Data, and Computer Vision have resulted in more demand for on-chip memory storage. Hence, state of the art Systems on Chips (SOCs) have a memory that occupies somewhere between 50% to 90 % of the die space. Extensive Research is being done in the field of memory technology to improve the efficiency of memory packaging. This effort has not always been successful because densely packed memory structures can experience defects during the fabrication process. Thus, it is critical to test the embedded memory modules once they are taped out. Along with testing, functional …

Design And Verification Of A Pipelined Advanced Encryption Standard (Aes) Encryption Algorithm With A 256-Bit Cipher Key Using The Uvm Methodology, Devyani Madhukar Mirajkar

Theses

Encryption is the process of altering information to make it unreadable by anyone except those having the key that allows them to change information back to the original readable form. Encryption is important because it allows you to securely protect the data that you don’t want anyone else to have access to. Today, the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is the most widely adopted encryption method. Till date there are no cryptanalytic attacks discovered against AES. Hence the verification of the hardware implementation of the AES Core is of utmost importance. In this research paper, the design and verification of a …

Uvm Verification Of An Spi Master Core, Deepak Siddharth Parthipan

Theses

In today’s world, more and more functionalities in the form of IP cores are integrated into a single chip or SOC. System-level verification of such large SOCs has become complex. The modern trend is to provide pre-designed IP cores with companion Verification IP. These Verification IPs are independent, scalable, and reusable verification components. The SystemVerilog language is based on object-oriented principles and is the most promising language to develop a complete verification environment with functional coverage, constrained random testing and assertions. The Universal Verification Methodology, written in SystemVerilog, is a base class library of reusable verification components. This paper discusses …

Evaluation Of The Implementation Of The New York State (Nys) Concussion Management And Awareness Act, Elise Wilcocks

Theses

Since the 1990s, sports-related concussions have become a public health concern in the youth and adolescent athlete population. After some professional athletes revealed that their retirement was connected to concussions, public awareness of concussions and identifying the need to protect these high school athletes emerged. Between 2009 and 2013, all 50 states in the U.S. passed a state concussion management policy modeled after the Lystedt Act. In July 2012, the New York State (NYS) Concussion Management and Awareness Act went into effect for all students in public and charter schools, with most schools applying their policies to interscholastic sports. This …

Communicating History: Podcasts As Public History, Alexandra Serpikov

Theses

Since the arrival of “audioblogging” in the 1980s and its transformative rise in popularity in the early 2000s, podcasts have been used to share stories and information all over the globe. History-themed podcasts in particular have grown in number, with content creators utilizing new and emerging media as platforms for dissemination of historical subjects. As a newer medium, podcasting was never specifically targeted to be an educational endeavor, yet it is sharing history through a widely accessible platform. This raises the question, are historically themed podcasts a form of public history? If they are, then how do they function as …

The Lifetime Economic Burden Of Monogenic Diseases And The Social Motivations For Their Treatment With Genetic Therapy, James P. Cummings

Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the social cost motivations associated with paying for genetic therapies at the beginning of life for monogenic diseases from various perspectives including the social perspective and the perspective of an average member of the US population. The findings were generated by collecting direct medical cost data (in current USD) relevant to nine common monogenic diseases (Cystic Fibrosis, Sickle Cell Disease, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Hemophilia A, Huntington’s Disease, Polycystic Kidney Disease, Gaucher Disease, Hereditary Angioedema, and Pompe Disease) to conduct a Monte Carlo and Net Present Value analysis to generate robust lifetime cost …

Tracing Vulnerabilities Across Product Releases, Adriana Sejfia

Theses

When a software development team becomes aware of a vulnerability, it generally only knows that the last version of that software product is vulnerable. However, today most software products have more than one version being actively used at a time. Garnering information on which versions contain a vulnerability, and which do not, is crucial for the users, to know which versions of a software product are safe to use, and also for the developers, to know where to apply the patch. The patch, i.e. the fix of the vulnerability, contains valuable information in the form of changes made to the …

The Story Of A Blind Wolf, Jimeng Jasmine Li

Theses

The Story of a Blind Wolf; is a 3D animated graduate thesis film, whose length is five minutes forty seconds. It was screened in the School of Animation at Rochester Institute of Technology. The film is in a realistic style and made by CG (computer graphics).

The story takes place in a small puppet theater. While a piper is playing a flute for his audience, a wolf interrupted his performance. The wolf asks the piper to help him escape the hunt. The piper has sympathy for the wolf, so he helps him, lies to the hunter, and saved the wolf. …

Architectural Vulnerabilities In Plug-And-Play Systems, Taylor Corrello

Theses

Plug-and-play architectures enhance systems’ extensibility by providing a framework that enables additional functionalities to be added or removed from the system at their runtime. Such frameworks are often implemented through a set of well-defined interfaces that form the extension points for the pluggable functionalities. However, the plug-ins can increase the applications attack surface or introduce untrusted behavior into the system. Designing a secure plug-and-play architecture is critical and non-trivial as the features provided by plug-ins are not known in advance. In this paper, we conduct an in-depth study of seven systems with plug-and-play architectures. In total, we have analyzed 3,183 …

Contractive Autoencoding For Hierarchical Temporal Memory And Sparse Distributed Representation Binding, Luke G. Boudreau

Theses

Hierarchical Temporal Memory is a brain inspired memory prediction framework modeled after the uniform structure and connectivity of pyramidal neurons found in the human neocortex. Similar to the neocortex, Hierarchical Temporal Memory processes spatiotemporal information for anomaly detection and prediction. A critical component in the Hierarchical Temporal Memory algorithm is the Spatial Pooler, which is responsible for processing feedforward data into sparse distributed representations.

This study addresses three fundamental research questions for Hierarchical Temporal Memory algorithms. What are the metrics for understanding the semantic content of sparse distributed representations? The semantic content and relationships between representations was visualized with uniqueness …