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A Study Of The Establishment Of Cost And Schedule Variance Thresholds On Department Of Defense Major Program Contracts, Tuan A. Hoang, Steven M. Quick

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examined to what extent theoretical threshold models are used to establish cost and schedule variance thresholds on Department of Defense (DoD) major program contracts and identified how these thresholds are actually established. First, numerous theoretical methods for establishing variance threshold including the accounting approach, the statistical process control approach, and the Dyckman and Kaplan models were investigated and assessed. Interviews were then conducted with a sample of DoD and civilian defense contractor personnel who had first-hand knowledge of the establishment of cost and schedule variance thresholds. Findings indicated that none of these methods was being used. Repeatedly, interviewees …

Contracting For Schedule Performance: The Relationship Between Pre- Contract-Award Management Actions By The Dod And The Resultant Schedule Performance, Richard G. Hazeldean, John R. Topfer

Theses and Dissertations

This research focused on the pre-contract-award management actions of small-scale, design and development contracts and the relationship of these actions to schedule performance. Three phases of the contractual process were studied: the planning, specifying, and controlling phases. A sample of 25 contracts from SPOs at Wright-Patterson AFB was obtained. Data on the variables were obtained directly from the contract files and from the contract-management database, AMIS. Regression analysis techniques were used to identify the pre- contract-award management actions that were related to schedule performance. The number of contract modifications was found to be the most significant factor related to schedule …

Benchmark Production Scheduling Problems For Job Shops With Interactive Constraints, Stewart W. James, Bruno A. Mediate Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

United States Air Force (USAF) depots have expressed interest in utilizing DISASTER production scheduling software to schedule their maintenance operations. DISASTER attempts to increase system throughput by building effective schedules for system, constraint resources. However, when a system contains multiple, interactive constraints, DISASTER builds the constraint schedules one at a time. Since each successive schedule must adhere to timing restrictions imposed by previous constraint schedules, the quality of the schedules produced by DISASTER is dependent upon the sequence in which the constraints are scheduled. This thesis first developed a set of benchmark problems which provide a diversity of scheduling scenarios. …

A Study Of The Development Of Planning, Programming And Budgeting System (Ppbs) In The United States Department Of Defense, Sakir S. Kantik

Theses and Dissertations

Having served as the United States Defense Department (DoD)'s primary resource allocation and decision-making process for more than 30 years, Planning-Programming-Budgeting System (PPBS) has kept going its evolution since it was first introduced in 1961. Accordingly, this study examined the development of PPBS in the U.S. DoD from its beginning to the recent past, that is to 1986, focusing on its basic purposes, how it has been modified and to assess the various expert observations made about the system. As originally conceived, the budget process was divided into three phases: Planning, Programming and Budgeting. The Planning phase was concerned with …

An Investigation Of Integrated Product Development Implementation Issues: A Case Study Of Bosma Machine And Tool Corp, F. Paul Khuri, Howard M. Plevyak Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigated Integrated Product Development (IPD) implementation issues. Research emphasis focused on teams used in IPD, particularly self-directed work teams (SDWTs). The areas addressed in the study were: Work Environment, Team Organization, Training and Education, Group Dynamics and Communication, Motivation, Rewards and Incentives, Measurements, and Contracts. Data was collected using interviews and presented as a case study. The most significant findings on work environment were that the organization's leadership should commit to the teaming idea and sell it to the organization's members. Teams should be organized by choosing members carefully and defining all roles. Personnel should be trained in …

An Independent Evaluation Of Information Systems Support Of The Joint Forces Air Component Commander Concept Of Operations, Gregory R. Kincaid, Richard A. Poligala

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines automated Air Tasking Order (ATO) generation and dissemination under the Joint Forces Air Component Commander (JFACC) concept, focusing on an evaluation of information systems support given the differing service philosophies concerning control of tactical air assets. Current Department of Defense doctrine identifies the Contingency Tactical Air Control System Automated System (CTAPS) as the standard automated system for Theater Battle Management planning for the JFACC. To achieve service interoperability, the doctrine requires the use of CTAPS for ATO generation and dissemination when joint operations are conducted under the JFACC concept. A problem arises in that CTAPS is developed …

Implementation Of The Defense Business Operations Fund (Dbof) Policies And Unit Costing In The Air Force Institute Of Technology (Afit), Charles W. Leonard, Rafeal Martinez

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the potential effects of the Defense Business Operations Fund (DBOF) policies on the graduate degree programs at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT). The study examined the Defense Management Review document that provides the implementation and guidance information for DBOF, and Unit Cost. DBOF requires that organizations provide unit cost per output figures as the basis for organizational funding. Unit cost resourcing is expected to change the way federal managers control resources, and is intended to promote quality management practices. In order to achieve the research objective, the researchers surveyed the opinions of HQ AFMC's Graduate …

Scheduling A Medium-Sized Manufacturing Shop: A Simulation Study, Daniel J. Mcfeely

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the application of simple-to-use, low cost scheduling methods to the operating environment of a medium-sized manufacturing shop. Computer simulation was used to evaluate eighteen different scheduling algorithms, each the result of the combination of a loading and a sequencing rule; due date setting was not considered since due dates are exogenously set. The loading rules investigated were Minimum Machine Required, Lowest Average WIP, and Lowest Average Aggregate Priority Level. The sequencing rules investigated were Priority, EDD, FIS, SPT, Slack, and Slack Ratio. The scheduling algorithms were evaluated against performance measures of mean tardiness, mean flowtime, mean percentage …

An Analysis Of The Performance-Risk Trade-Off In Source Selection Decision Making, Richard G. Pierce, Jeffrey E. Wainwright

Theses and Dissertations

Each year the Air Force awards weapon system contracts worth billions of dollars using the source selection process. In the source selection, performance and risk assessments are evaluated to determine the best proposal; the proposal that gives the best overall value. The purpose of this research was to investigate the performance/risk trade-off in the source selection decision making process. The study also examined the effect individual risk propensities and the nature of item being evaluated have on the performance/risk trade-off decisions. Air Force acquisition personnel stationed at Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, who had participated in a source selection …

Analysis Of Cost And Schedule Growth On Sole Source And Competitive Air Force Contracts, Klaes W. Wandland, Gary P. Wickman

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated if differences exist in the cost and schedule growth of competed versus sole source contracts. Prior studies concentrated mainly on estimated savings from competition at the time of contract award. This study expanded prior analysis by investigating the cost and schedule growth over the contract's period of performance. In addition to an analysis between competed and sole source contracts, this study investigated if differences exist between lower and higher risk contracts as well as lower and higher initial priced contracts. When comparing competed and sole source contracts the results were consistent, with sole source contracts exhibiting an …

On The Automation Of Object-Oriented Requirements Analysis, Nancy L. Crowley

Theses and Dissertations

The research investigated the possibility that an object-oriented requirements analysis (OORA) specification model can be represented in a computer system and used as a basis for the elicitation of the information necessary for the development of an object-oriented specification for a particular problem. The proof-of-concept system developed is called the OORA automated Knowledge System (OAKS). OAKS contains a generic domain model that is modified to satisfy a particular problem in the domain. The core of OAKS is a reusable domain model, which represents a domain of interest. The domain model is used as a basis for user changes that are …

Incubation Temperature Affects Body Size, Energy Reserves, And Sex Of Hatchling Alligators, John Allsteadt

Theses and Dissertations

I investigated the effects of incubation temperature, clutch, and sex on the morphometries, mass, and energy reserves of hatchling alligators. The effect of incubation temperature on hatchling genitalia was also studied. I evaluated and tested a method for determining the sex of hatchling alligators. Large scale incubation of alligator eggs allowed a study of inter-clutch variation in sex ratio of hatchlings incubated at the same temperature.

Aingator eggs were collected within several days of laying in June, 1991, at Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, southwestern Louisiana, USA. Three clutches of eggs were incubated over the viable range of temperatures and the resulting …

Integrative Learning From The Student Perspective: A Case Study, Ann Lee Miller Asbeck

Theses and Dissertations

This paper considers the educational concept of integration as it applies to curriculum design and implementation and to the relationship between curriculum integration and integrative experiences of student participants. Three assumptions underlie the study: (a) Integration is a goal of a program called Integrated Studies, (b) the meaning of integration must be defined within the context of a program, and (c) integration in Teaching & Learning is more than a structure designed by a faculty. The Integrated Studies Program at the University of North Dakota, by its own description, seeks to provide a more coherent learning experience for students within …

Multiculturalism In Predominantly White College Composition Classrooms: A Reconsideration Of Teaching Approaches And Rationales, Doreen Staerke-Meyerring

Theses and Dissertations

The thesis explores the problem of multicultural education in predominantly white college composition classrooms. As a rule, proponents of multicultural education in the composition class envision ethnically and racially diverse learning environments. Since multiculturalism in these learning environments tends to reflect the life experiences of the students and thus is likely to enhance their learning experience, multiculturalism is approached as an intrinsic part of the students' experience. The teaching methods for multiculturalism in composition developed on the basis of these ethnically and racially diverse learning environments are then often transferred to predominantly white classrooms. However, this study finds that in …

The Development Of An Interpersonal-Developmental-Existential Assessment Inventory For Determining Therapeutic Focus, Charles A. Pap

Theses and Dissertations

Increasingly, insurance companies, legislators, and funding agencies have examined the efficacy of psychotherapy and counseling, and have moved towards the briefer forms of therapy. Though some clinicians resist a move to greater accountability, the majority are concerned with providing an effective service to individuals, couples, and families experiencing biopsychosocial difficulties. This study involved the development of an instrument that will assist therapists in determining a therapeutic focus, which is seen as an important component in brief psychotherapy.

There were two distinct phases to this study. In Phase One, intake interviews at a large Midwestern university counseling center were audiotaped. Using …

Boson Stars In The Brans-Dicke Gravitational Theories, Mark Gunderson

Theses and Dissertations

Boson stars consist of a system of self gravitating scalar fields (bosons) which form a macroscopic quantum state and is one of several dark matter candidates. When considering cosmological models based on the Brans-Dicke gravitational theories, one question that must be addressed is whether certain types of dark matter candidates, possibly boson stars, can exist in the Brans-Dicke gravitational theories. We show in this paper that at least one type of dark matter - boson stars— can exist in these gravitational theories.

For purposes of comparison, we introduce a boson star model in general relativity with a quartic coupling interaction …

An Investigation Of The Reliability And Validity Of The Enderle-Severson Transition Rating Scale, Susan J. Severson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the technical characteristics of the Enderle-Severson Transition Rating Scale (ESTR; Enderle & Severson, 1991) and to add to the knowledge base about measurement in transition. Validity ;was examined by evaluating the scale's concurrent criterion-related validity, construct validity, and content validity. A measure of reliability was performed by examining the internal consistency of subscales and the entire scale.

The samples studied were special education teachers in North Dakota and Minnesota as well as the students they served. The student subjects had identified disabilities of learning disability, emotional disturbance, or mental retardation. All students …

Adaptions In The Household Environment For Individuals With Low Vision, Colleen M. Sanford

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Representation Of Female Authors And Male Minority Authors In Selected Secondary School American Literature Anthologies Between 1958 And 1993, Julee Ann Hauff Russell

Theses and Dissertations

Although elementary and secondary school textbooks from many subject areas have been studied with regard to issues of gender and ethnic equity, no substantive studies have been conducted which examine the diversity of authors included in American liter3 5ure anthologies commonly used in high schools at the eleventh grade level. This study examined 17 selected American literature anthologies published by nine companies between 1958 and 1993 in terms of their representation/ inclusion of selections by female authors and male minority authors during this 35-year period. Anthologies from the following publishing companies were included: Harcourt, Brace, & World; Scott, Foresman; L. …

Transition Outcomes: The Relationship Between Special Education Services And The Quality Of Life Experienced By Young Adults With Mental Handicaps Who Have Left School, Dixie Eileen Lee Klein

Theses and Dissertations

This North Dakota study was planned in order to relate the school special education training that 107 young adults with mental handicaps experienced prior to 1989 to their employment status and living conditions in 1989. These individuals and their caregivers were surveyed by the Department of Public Instruction’s Division of Special Education and the survey information was tabulated by the Bureau of Educational Services and Applied Research at the University of North Dakota. Resulting data were statistically analyzed utilizing nonparametric methods.

The results of this study indicated that more high school graduates with mental handicaps in North Dakota were employed …

Self-Perceived Leadership Styles Of Department Chairpersons In Baccalaureate And Higher Degree Nursing Programs In The Midwest, Ranae Bohan Womack

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the self-perceived leadership styles of nursing department chairpersons in National League for Nursing accredited schools in ten midwestern states. Hersey and Blanchard's Situational Leadership model was used as the conceptual framework for this descriptive study, and their LEAD-Self instrument was used to determine leadership styles of the 106 respondent nursing department chairpersons. In addition, the Scholarly Productivity Index (SPI) was used to determine the nursing chairpersons' involvement in prepublication and research, publication, editorial, and other scholarly activities.

The results suggested that a majority (61 percent) of nursing department chairpersons perceived themselves as having a "participating" leadership style. …

The Dynamics Of Change From The Perspective Of Participants In A Women Studies Course, Michelle Eckart

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the teaching and learning experience in an introductory Women Studies course. It was of specific interest to explore how people acquire and transmit counter-hegemonic information and to describe their perspective regarding the dynamics of change.

Using a conceptual framework of education, anthropology, and feminism, a qualitative research study was conducted over a four-month period. The context of the study was a course in Women Studies. The participants involved in the study included the course instructor and five older-than-average undergraduate students enrolled in the course. Specific methods used were participant observation and audio-taped …

Effects Of Pre- And Post- Trial Caffeine Treatment On Memory For Prose, Malva F. Walters

Theses and Dissertations

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant which is considered part of the normal diet. One approach to understanding whether ingestion of caffeine influences human cognition is to examine the effects of caffeine on memory.

This study examined the effects of caffeine ingested both before and after a prose learning task. Two hundred-forty-five subjects (121 males, 124 females) were divided into two groups. One group received 0, 2, or 4 mg/kg of caffeine before hearing three narrative prose passages. The second group received 0, 2, or 4 mg/kg of caffeine after hearing the prose passages. All subjects returned 24 hours …

Menstrual Hygiene Product Use And The Incidence Of Abnormal Papanicolaou Smear Results, Sue K. Goebel

Theses and Dissertations

Today the majority of females fifteen years and older have used tampons. Since their introduction in 1933, tampons have changed greatly in composition: more absorbent synthetic fibers have replaced natural fibers, plastic applicators have joined cardboard, and some contain a fragrance. While changes in vaginal mucosa including inflammatory changes, lacerations, and micro-ulcerations as a result of tampon use have been documented, no research examining the use of menstrual hygiene products and their effect on cervical cytology was located.

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between menstrual hygiene product use and the incidence of abnormal Pap smear …

A Study To Ascertain The Influence Of A Technological Problem Solving Course On Student Career And Education Goals, Wayne D. Lang

Theses and Dissertations

The problem in this study was to determine the effect that completion of a high-school-level technological problem solving course had on students' future educational and career choices.

An ex post facto, descriptive-analytical design was used to measure the influence of past course content. A survey instrument was distributed to collect both demographic data and Likert-scale data relating to the influence of the topics and activities of an Introduction to Engineering course.

The population of the survey included the 95 students who completed the Introduction to Engineering course between 1986 and 1992. A sample of 78 students completed the survey questionnaire; …

Excited Atomic Bromine Energy Transfer And Quenching Mechanisms, Ray O. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Pulsed and steady-state photolysis experiments have been conducted to determine the rate coefficients for collisional deactivation of the spin-orbit excited state of atomic bromine, Br(²p_1/2). Pulsed lifetime studies for quenching by Br₂ and CO₂, established absolute rate coefficients at room temperature of k_Br2 = 1.2 ± 0.1 x 10^-12 and k_CO2 = 1.5 ± 0.2 x 10^-11 cm³/molecule-s. Steady-state photolysis methods were used to determine the quenching rates for the rare gases, N₂, 0₂, H₂, D₂, NO, …

A Grammar Sketch Of Dəməna, Cindy S. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis provides a description of the morphology and syntax of Dəməna, a Chibchan language of northern Colombia. Dəməna is an SOV language with postpositions and genitive-nominal, noun-adjective word orders.

Unusual features of Dəməna include: case marking suffixes which occur as phrasal affixes, a fusion of person marking and deixis in verbal suffixes, and interaction of temporal and special deixis on question suffixes.

Dəməna exhibits more agreement than would be expected. Causative constructions may contain two different direct object person agreement prefixes side by side on a single verb. In cases of advancement to direct object, the same argument may …

A Descriptive Inquiry Into Collaboration: General Educators And Special Educators In Two Elementary Schools, Noell Hamann Reinhiller

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the nature of collaboration between special educators and general educators in two elementary schools. Using a phenomonological approach and qualitative methods of research, 18 educators were observed in consultative meetings or cooperative teaching arrangements. Fifteen of these teachers were also interviewed. In order to increase the validity of the findings, a constant comparative study was conducted at two similar schools. Twelve themes emerged from analysis of the corpus data.

Several of these themes focused on the collaborative relationships as they presently existed in these research sites. Others centered on educators’ perspectives about their professional roles and beliefs …

Student Generated Mathematical Story Problems, Alice J. Sarzowski

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Advantages Of Affiliation With A Multibank Holding Company, Corey Freije

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.