Digital Commons Network^™

Historical And Cultural Paradigms In The Evolution Of Dance In Ireland : Signifiers In The Works Of Siamsa Tire, Sharon A. Phelan

Theses

This thesis examines historical and cultural paradigms in dance in Ireland. Initially, the Introduction establishes the post-colonial matrix within which the thesis is written. This section interprets stages in the development of dance using cultural and educational theorists. It also highlights where the dance repertoire and teaching system at Siamsa Tire operate as signifiers.

Chapter One focuses on dance during the colonial era. Post-Colonial theorists have queried the validity of the coloniser/ colonised concept highlighting that it simplifies the long ago. The heterodox origins of the Irish dance master system and canon support this notion as they recognise a cross-fertilisation …

Measuring Customer Service In National Commercial Bank In Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Bahudhailah

Theses

None provided

The Fair Information Principles: A Comparison Of U.S. And Canadian Privacy Policy As Applied To The Private Sector, Shane Crounse

Theses

U.S. consumers are worried about their privacy and their personal information. High profile cases of identity theft involving companies losing the private information of hundreds of thousands of customers have only served to elevate the mistrust consumers have for companies that collect and share their personal information. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is charged with protecting U.S. consumers from fraud, deception, and unfair business practices in the marketplace; a task made difficult by an overarching need to balance the rights of the individuals against the security needs of the country and the free flow of information required by a free …

Adolescent Technology Usage During Sleep-Time: Does It Influence Their Quality Of Sleep, Attention Difficulties And Academic Performance?, Kristin Dehmler

Theses

Many adolescents use the Internet, cell phones, television, and computer and video games on a daily basis. Therefore, an important question for educators is: how is technology affecting adolescents' quality and quantity of sleep, their attention difficulties, and their academic performance? The purpose of the current project was to examine the relationships between adolescent self-reports of technology usage, sleep patterns, attention difficulties and academic achievement. Results indicated that nocturnal technology use has a negative impact on adolescents' quality and quantity of sleep. Furthermore both technology use in general and reported attention difficulties have a negative impact on adolescents' academic achievement. …

Project Management: A Simulation-Based Optimization Method For Dynamic Time-Cost Tradeoff Decisions, Radhamés A. Tolentino Pena

Theses

Project managers face difficult decisions with regard to completing projects on time and within the project budget. A successful project manager not only needs to assure that the project is completed, but also desires to make optimal use of resources and maximize the profitability of the project. The goal of this research is to address the time-cost tradeoff problem associated with selecting from among project activity alternatives under uncertainty. Specifically, activities that make up a project may have several alternatives each with an associated cost and stochastic duration. The final project cost is a result of the time and cost …

Hierarchical Task Allocation In Robotic Exploration, John Hawley

Theses

Autonomous robotic exploration has long been a topic of interest in robotics research. Robotic exploration promises the ability to explore otherwise unreachable or hostile environments. Autonomous exploration is particularly useful in distant or hostile environments in which real-time communication with a human controller may not be practical, such as deep sea or planetary exploration. In order to more effectively explore a large unknown area, multiple robots may be employed to work cooperatively. While cooperation among multiple robots allows for increased exploration potential, it also entails significantly more complex planning. This complex planning involves allocation of exploration tasks to the robots …

Improving Dodgson Scoring Techniques, Jason A. Covey

Theses

The Dodgson score problem is part of the Dodgson election scheme invented by Charles Dodgson and presented in his manuscript. One of the system's strengths (and motivations for its study) is that it satisfies the Condorcet criterion (which states that any candidate who defeats all other candidates in pairwise elections will be declared the winner). It is unfortunate, though, that in a given election no Condorcet winner may exist. Dodgson's election system chooses the winner "closest" to being the Condorcet winner in the sense that it requires the shortest sequence of edits (swapping of adjacent candidates in the voters' preference …

The Impact Of The Implementation Of Modularisation And Semesterisation On Academic Staff In Cork Institute Of Technology: A Qualitative Study, Regina O'Flynn

Theses

This study investigates the perceptions of academic staff in Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) on the implementation of modularisation and semesterisation in CIT. The study was undertaken when the institute was at the initial stages of changing to a modularised and semesterised system of education delivery. The study investigated the reasons for such fundamental changes. The findings contribute new knowledge to the literature on change management, while specifically adding to an understanding of managing change in a higher educational institute in Ireland. Forty-five academic staff and five members of senior management were interviewed.

The study revealed overall reluctance among academics …

Socially Responsible Advertising In The Fashion And Cosmetic Industry : The Female Consumers’ Perspective, Christine Murphy

Theses

This study explores the portrayal of women in advertising in the fashion and cosmetic industry. While traditionally, companies have employed the use of highly attractive thin women known as the thin ideal in their advertisements, there have been some moves in the industry towards the use of women of various ages and sizes in an attempt to celebrate female beauty as a whole instead of focusing on the thin ideal. This has been in response to criticisms of the industry as dominant contributors to high levels of negative body images, dissatisfaction, extreme dieting and eating disorders among girls and women. …

Little To Large: Critical Success Factors & Implications For Sme's In Kerry And Rural Ireland., Noelle Foley

Theses

This research is unique in that it profiles the growth trajectories of three global knowledge based companies in rural Ireland. The chosen companies were start-up small businesses that became international global leaders in their selected fields. The selected companies range from different industries but share similar growth trajectories and factors which have enabled high growth. There was a gap in research regarding the growth factors which have allowed small to medium-sized enterprises develop into large corporations. This study took an in-depth look at how each company has managed the vital factors in their growth transition in the hope of applying …

Integrated Marketing Communications: Student Recruitment At Cork Institute Of Technology, Mervyn O'Mahony

Theses

Competition has, and will continue to intensify further in the third-level educational sector to attain increased student numbers into the future. Third-level Institutes must focus on marketing activities, and understand that without an effective marketing communications strategy, the possibility of attracting increased numbers of students is negligible.

Cork Institute of Technology faces unprecedented funding shortfalls. This coupled with a soon to be introduced new funding mechanism, based on student numbers, has made it imperative for CIT to exploit new and innovative marketing media to generate awareness of the Institute and the courses it has to offer.

The students of today …

A Conference Centre : The Case For Cork., Eddie Chambers

Theses

This current research study is an examination of the impact on business in Cork City that the building of a Conference Ireland will have. It examines the current Conference Centre facilities available in Ireland and the imperative need for such a facility to be built in Cork to ensure that business in the City grows. This research study presents the ideas, estimations and beliefs of respected individuals that have a vested interest in the building of a Conference Centre in Cork City. There are a number of challenges facing the Docklands region, the proposed site of a Conference Centre with …

Molecular Characterization Of Gastroenteritis Viruses Among Equines And Porcines In Southern Ireland From 2005-2007., P. J, Collins

Theses

Rotaviruses are a major cause of gastroenteritis in humans and animals. To date, seven serogroups (A to G) of rotavirus have been determined. Group A Rotaviruses (GARVs) are enteric pathogens, causing acute watery dehydrating diarrhea in various host species, including birds and mammals. Rotaviruses account for ~611,000 child deaths each year, mainly in developing countries. Likewise, rotavirus-associated enteritis is a major problem in young calves, weaning and post-weaning piglets and foals. Vaccines against the most important serologic group of rotaviruses (GARVs) are available for the prevention of rotavirus diseases in cows and horses, and, more recently, they have been made …

The Future Of The Irish Manufacturing Industry In Relation To Global Competitiveness, Joceley Martins Wilson

Theses

This study is an examination of the challenges faced by the manufacturing sector in Ireland. As the speed of globalization intensifies, new demands are constantly being levied on the manufacturing sector. In order to maintain this very important sector in Ireland, the manufacturing industry must promote constant innovation, automation and specialization, specifically in niche areas where there is a requirement for specific specialized skills, and where the labor cost is not a prohibitive or fundamental issue.

Innovation has been a key success factor for the manufactures to date, and will continue to be an ai'ea of focus as competitive forces …

A Middleware For True Mobile Agents In Wireless Sensor Networks, Ciarán Lynch

Theses

The application space of wireless sensor networks has evolved considerably from their initial role as an efficient data gathering system. Modern wireless sensor networks are expected to be dynamic, powerful. reliable and flexible, while continuing to operate efficiently and autonomously. The supporting software' systems have not kept pace with this development, and currently limits the deployment of complex and robust applications. Mobile software agents present a powerful approach to application design, however no existing middleware for wireless sensor networks supports native mobile software agents.

The main contribution of the work presented in this thesis is the development and evaluation of …

Information Brokerage - A New Approach Using Knowledge Management, Robert Loew

Theses

Traditional knowledge management attempts to store the total enterprise knowledge into IT related structures, but knowledge management strategies should focus also on people and organisations and not just on technology.

This can be addressed in part by communicating knowledge between people, in and across organisations. Such communication focuses on the development and exchange of people’s experience.

This thesis introduces a hybrid knowledge management solution consisting of an automated system that includes people: employees, experts and Knowledge Brokers (KB). The hybrid concept supports the identification of suitable people for certain topics of discussion. Further, it supports the knowledge communication process by …

True Binary Random Number Generator Based On A Double Scroll Attractor For Encryption, Marta Blaszczyk

Theses

Random binary sequences play an important role in modem digital communication systems. Their usage for providing secure communication between parties became indelible in cryptosystems. In increased access to the Internet network, random sequences are employed for ensuring that personal information remains confidential. To provide completely unpredictable keys in encipherment the usage of a true random number generator is necessary. True random bit streams are required to assure the security provided by the one-time pad encryption algorithm which is provably unbreakable.

The central objective of this research is the production of such random sequences for short key generation in data encryption …

Development Of Pcr Assays To Detect And Characterise Salmonella Isolates From Cheese And Meat Products By Utilizing An Integrated Genomics Approach, Noelle Geraldine Mccarthy

Theses

Salmonella is an extremely important foodborne pathogen which is responsible for millions of cases of gastroenteritis annually. Salmonella outbreaks have been associated with numerous common food stuffs such as meat, dairy and seafood. Traditional culture based methods for the detection Salmonella are labourious and costly. Rapid detection and serovar identification would dramatically decrease the time required to identify Salmonella outbreaks and potential health risks.

In the US 99% of all Salmonella infections are caused by members of Salmonella enterica subspecies 1. Serovars within subspecies 1 can vary due to host specificity and pathogenicity. DNA sequencing projects have provided valuable genomic …

Renovating A Control Engineering Laboratory For Enhanced Learning, David Hamilton

Theses

In an attempt to both place the student at the centre of the learning process and thus improve student engagement with the discipline, and to incorporate professional skills into the engineering curriculum at the module level, an enquiry based learning (EBL) component to enhance teamwork, problem solving skills and the student’s ability to learn independently was developed using current best practice in teaching and learning. As EBL is not widely used in engineering curricula in CIT, a pilot scale three week trial was performed during the academic year 2007-08 to evaluate the appropriateness of the pedagogy and student reactions to …

Structural Behaviour And Analysis Of A Steel-Concrete Balcony Bracket, Sean Carroll

Theses

For commonly used moment connections, such as the various types of beam to column endplates, a large amount of information in relation to testing data and suggested design methods exist. Engineers can use this information to safely design such connections. When developing new and unique types of connections however, usually no prior testing information is available to engineers due to the unique design. At the present time, the most effective method of designing and developing any structural element or connection is through testing. Testing and detailed analysis of the results gives factual information on the behaviour of the structure, which …

Moral Enquiry In A Pluralist Society: From Contention To Conversation, Philip Matthews

Theses

Over the last five hundred years, several conceptually incommensurable theories of ethics have been promulgated. For some moral philosophers, this incommensurability is a matter of deep concern because, in complex cases, there is no tradition-independent method for resolving moral conflict. More recently, a new discipline of applied or practical ethics has emerged. Practical ethics attempts to fill the void between rival moral theories by appealing, first, to the role of reason from an impartial observer perspective and, second, to decision making protocols based on moral principles. This ―first generation‖ attempt at codifying practical ethics failed to bridge the incommensurability gap …

The Meaning And Personal Significance Of The Small Group Experience For A Group Of Recent Graduates From The Bachelor Of Counselling Degree At The University Of Notre Dame Australia, Martin Philpott

Theses

This research is a phenomenological study investigating the meaning and personal significance of the small group experience (personal growth) for a single cohort of eight mature-age graduates (male and female) who completed the Bachelor of Counselling degree at The University of Notre Dame Australia in the years 2005 and 2006. Two facilitators of these personal growth groups were interviewed, as were two agency supervisors who had access to these graduates during their clinical practice.

The research used qualitative methods in the collection of data. A semi-structured interview was conducted with purposefully selected participants to determine their understanding of the significance …

Propellant Tank Pressurization Modeling For A Hybrid Rocket, Margaret Mary Fernandez

Theses

A basic hybrid rocket oxidizer delivery system utilizes the self-pressurizing nature of a liquid oxidizer at ambient temperatures in conjunction with a non-condensable pressurant to provide a high oxidizer tank pressure that drives liquid oxidizer flow to the combustion chamber. In this study, the oxidizer fluid is nitrous oxide which produces high vapor pressures at ambient temperatures, and helium is the pressurant. The goal of this thesis is to provide a theoretical model that predicts the pressure draining history of the oxidizer tank to within ± 5% of experiment. The validity of simple thermodynamically-based models has not been considered for …

Mission Analysis Using Experimental Results From An 8-Cm Ion Thruster, Andre A. Turner Jr.

Theses

No abstract provided.

Numerical Modeling Of Alpha-Particle Deposition In A Field Reversed Configuration, Nilesh B. Dhote

Theses

No abstract provided.

Vibrational Control Of Chaos In Artificial Neural Networks, Ralph Bean

Theses

Neural networks with chaotic baseline behavior are interesting for their experimental bases in both biological relevancy and engineering applicability. In the engineering case, the literature still lacks a robust study of the interrelationship between particular chaotic baseline network dynamics and 'online' or 'driving' inputs. We ask the question, for a particular neural network with chaotic baseline behavior, what periodic inputs of minimal magnitude have a stabilizing effect on network dynamics? A genetic algorithm is developed for the task. A systematic comparison of different genetic operators is carried out where each operator-combination is ranked by the optimality of solutions found. The …

A Study Into The Use Of Business Process Reengineering In Re-Designing Procurement Processes Within The Southern Health Board, Treasa Dempsey

Theses

Prior to undertaking the implementation of an integrated finance and procurement information system, the Southern Health Board (now know as the Health Service Executive - Southern Area) undertook a Business Process Reengineering project to redesign, standardise, streamline, and document their procurement processes. This study examines how useful Business Process Reengineering can be in a public sector environment, using the project undertaken in the Southern Health Board, as a case study. The literature on BPR, in conjunction with the material from the BPR project, and interviews from relevant project team members, is examined. The case study demonstrates that it may be …

Inside All-Optical Networks, Sana Tariq

Theses

Imagine a world where lightning speed Internet is as common as telephones today. Imagine when light, the fastest moving thing in the universe, is the signal-carrying transport medium. Imagine when bandwidth no more remains a constraint for any application. Imagine when imagination is the only limit! This all can be made possible with only one technology and that is optical communication. Optical networks have thus far provided a realization to a greater extent to the unlimited bandwidth dreams of this era, but as the demands are increasing, the electro-optic conversions seem to become bottlenecks in blended optical networks. The only …

Content-Based Addressing In Hierarchical Distributed Hash Tables, Joseph Srebro

Theses

Peer-to-peer networks have drawn their strength from their ability to operate functionally without the use of a central agent. In recent years the development of the structured peer-to-peer network has further increased the distributed nature of p2p systems. These networks take advantage of an underlying distributed data structure, a common one is the distributed hash table (DHT). These peers use this structure to act as equals in a network, sharing the same responsibilities of maintaining and contributing. But herein lays the problem, not all peers are equal in terms of resources and power. And with no central agent to monitor …

Securing Location Discovery In Wireless Sensor Networks, Wisam F. Kadhim

Theses

Providing security for wireless sensor networks in hostile environments has a significant importance. Resilience against malicious attacks during the process of location discovery has an increasing need. There are many applications that rely on sensor nodes' locations to be accurate in order to function correctly. The need to provide secure, attack resistant location discovery schemes has become a challenging research topic. In this thesis, location discovery techniques are discussed and the security threats and attacks are explained. I also present current secure location discovery schemes which are developed for range-based location discovery. The thesis goal is to develop a secure …