Digital Commons Network^™

Arkansas Corn And Grain Sorghum Performance Tests 2003, D. G. Dombek, D. K. Ahrent, R. D. Bond, I. L. Eldridge

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Corn and grain sorghum performance tests are conducted each year in Arkansas by the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. The tests provide information to companies marketing seed within the state, and aid the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service in formulating recommendations for producers.

Arkansas Animal Science Department Report 2003, Zelpha B. Johnson, D. Wayne Kellogg

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

The faculty and staff of the Animal Science Program are pleased to present the sixth edition of the Arkansas Animal Science Report. As with virtually all programs in the country, budget constraints presented serious challenges to teaching, research, and extension programming. However, the faculty and staff responded with innovation, good management, and hard work to maintain a productive program designed to benefit the students of the University and the citizens of the state. We are committed to remaining faithful to our Land-Grant mission. A sincere thank you is owed to Dr. Zelpha Johnson and Dr. Wayne Kellogg for editing this …

To Pester Or Leave Alone: Lifetime Value Maximization Through Optimal Communication Timing, Xavier Dreze, Andre Bonfrer

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The marketing literature has long acknowledged the importance of a customer’s lifetime value in customer relationship management. More recently, researchers have turned their attention to the links between satisfaction and both customer acquisition and retention strategies. In this paper, we are interested in understanding the impact of communication frequency on customer retention and ultimately on lifetime value. We develop a theoretical framework for managing a customer database and addressing the tradeoffs between value extraction and customer retention. An empirical application of this framework is conducted for permission-based email marketing in the entertainment industry. This application recognizes the customization ability underlying …

Nurse Rostering Problems: A Bibliographic Survey, Brenda Cheang, Haibing Li, Andrew Lim, Brian Rodrigues

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Hospitals need to repeatedly produce duty rosters for its nursing staff. The good scheduling of nurses has impact on the quality of health care, the recruitment of nurses, the development of budgets and other nursing functions. The nurse rostering problem (NRP) has been the subject of much study. This paper presents a brief overview, in the form of a bibliographic survey, of the many models and methodologies available to solve the NRP.

Displaying Group Cohesiveness: Humour And Laughter In The Public Lectures Of Management Gurus, David Greatbatch, Timothy Adrian Robert Clark

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

As perhaps the highest profile group of management speakers in the world, so-called management gurus use their appearances on the international management lecture circuit todisseminate their ideas and to build their personal reputations with audiences of managers. This article examines the use of humour by management gurus during these public performances. Focusing on video recordings of lectures conducted by four leading management gurus (Tom Peters, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Peter Senge and Gary Hamel), the article explicates the verbal and nonverbal practices that the gurus use when they evoke audience laughter. These practices allow the gurus to project clear message completion …

Crack Detection Technique For Reinforced Concrete Bridge Decks, Indumathi Chera

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study describes the instrumentation and test results of a reinforced concrete bridge deck constructed on 3-span continuous steel girders. The instrumented bridge is located in Evansville, West Virginia at the intersection of US Route 50 East and WV 92 South. An instrumentation system is developed and implemented specifically to measure and monitor the growth of cracks along the wheel path. The system consists of 30 crack-meters embedded in concrete over the bottom layer of the reinforcement. The crack-meter readings are automatically collected every 20 minutes together with the readings from other sensors that were placed in concrete and on …

Relationship Marketing Elements In Radio Station Websites, Mark L. Atkinson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not radio station website designers effectively use relationship marketing to achieve the goals of the stations and their websites. The study is a comparison/content analysis of the websites of 150 radio stations, in three different formats, in the top 50 U.S. population centers. This study compared the results of a content analysis with the results of a 2000 Edison/Arbitron survey which asked respondents to rank 14 website features according to what those replying considered important. This study sought to determine whether the more popular features actually appeared on more websites …

Adding Liveness Detection To The Hand Geometry Scanner, Musat C. Crihalmeanu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In today's dynamic society, the efficiency of the Biometric Systems has an increasing tendency to replace the classic but obsolete keys and passwords. Hand Geometry Readers are popular biometrics used for Access and Control applications. One of their weaknesses is vulnerability to spoofing using fake hands (latex, play-doh or dead-hands).;The objective of this thesis is to design a feature to be added to the Hand Geometry Scanner in order to detect vitality in the hand, reducing spoofing possibilities.;This thesis demonstrates how the Hand Reader was successfully spoofed and shows the implementation of the live detection feature through an inexpensive but …

Gender Stereotypes In Children's Television Commercials And The Effects On Consumer Purchasing Behavior, Joanne G. Asztalos

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research presents an exploratory investigation on the extent of gender stereotypes portrayed in children's television commercials and the effects on consumer purchasing behavior. The author conducted two studies including a content analysis of viewing 75 children's television commercials, 25 boy, 25 girl, 25 neutral, and documenting evidence of roles, traits, activities, products, speaking parts and settings. Qualitative focus groups were then conducted to correlate the documented gender stereotypes with purchasing behaviors among children between the ages of 6--12. Major findings for this research revealed that there are many gender stereotypes in children's television commercials including the issue that male …

Implementing Software Engineering Practices In Small Industry With A Focus On Requirements Elicitation, James Clifford Fleming

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

I have been involved in small industry for 33 years and I have seen how the evolution of computers and software has affected small companies striving to grow in their market place by trying to take advantage of an evolving technology. Many times an individual is assigned the task of developing software to fit the company's needs and begins the process without any formal training in the practices of Software Engineering. My Thesis will discuss my evolving skills, gained through my Masters in Software Engineering degree work, as a Software Engineer and how I have been able to implement proper …

Ersatz, George M. Horton Jr.

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

My work attempts to develop the relationship between optical and formal painting traditions in modernism via the literal surface of the painting and the object or objects represented. They are arranged to create an effect of simultaneous emergence and dissolution. They represent the falsely temporal aspects of the perceived world, the concretization of which only exists in the mind of the viewer. This thesis statement will address issues of surface and illusionism in modern pictorial theory and the importance of perception verses objectification. In addition I will discuss the subject matter, composition, and techniques employed to create the works. I …

Relational Project Modeling And Risk Projection Framework, Brian D. Gould

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The relational project modeling and risk projection framework enables a projection of the consequences of initial project schedules and schedule changes with respect to risk realization in resource constrained project environments, and the identification of unrecognized schedule risks implied by those schedules.

Characterization Of Exhaust Emissions From Catalyzed Trap-Equipped Non-Road Heavy-Duty Diesel Engines, Vinay Nagendran

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

An emissions and engine performance study was conducted to explore the effects of ultra low sulfur fuels on an off-road, heavy-duty engine retrofitted with catalyzed traps. The study was conducted, on an 8 cylinder, mechanically controlled Caterpillar 3408, rear engine of a Scraper. An in-field transient duty cycle was determined by logging the engine speed and torque using an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) communication adapter on the Scraper. The test fuels included California Air Resources Board (CARB) off-road diesel fuel, Fischer-Tropsch and Emission Control Diesel-1 (ECD1) diesel fuels. The engine was retrofit with two different types of diesel particulate filters …

Architecture-Level Risk Assessment Tool Based On Uml Specification, Tianjian Wang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Most faults in software systems are likely to be found in only a few of components [1]. The early identification of these components allows the project management to focus on remedial actions, such as redesigning the critical components that are likely to cause field failures or optimally allocating resources on implementation and testing [2]. This thesis presents a prototype tool called Architecture-level Risk Assessment Tool (ARAT) to demonstrate the process of risk assessment. The final result of this process is to distinguish those potentially high risk components in the software system. ARAT is built on the risk assessment methodology [3]. …

Plant-Wide Energy Assessment Using A Systems Approach, Rajkumar Selvaraj

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Energy plays a central role in the operation of the industrialized U.S. economy. Industry is historically the largest consuming sector of the economy with more than 60 percent of the energy consumed for manufacturing. The U.S. chemical industry is the world's largest producer of chemicals producing over 25 percent of the total production worldwide. In a chemical industry, the energy is used to supply heat and power for manufacturing processes and for energy feedstock. Due to the energy intensive nature of chemical industries, energy assessments performed could yield huge savings in energy and cost.;The aim of this research is to …

Teachers' Views Of The Impact Of The Good Start, Grow Smart Early Childhood Initiative On Head Start Programs In A Western Maryland Community, Fannie L. Boayue

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As the call for accountability increased, President George W. Bush signed into law the No Child Left Behind Act in January 2002 to reform the Elementary and Secondary Education Act that was reauthorized in 1994. The Good Start, Grow Smart Early Childhood Education Initiative, followed in April 2002. Both of these reform measures have significant implications for school success and achievement of all children in both childcare and public school settings as well as accountability for teachers and administrators.;The purpose of this study was to investigate and analyze the views of Head Start teachers on the impact of the Good …

A Study Of Cognition And Willingness Of Hospital Managers On Setting Up Fitness Centers, Tsan-Hon Liou, Po-Wei Lin, Jing-Hwa Wey, Chun-Chieh Chiu, Chung-Pao Lin, Yu-Sheng Liao

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

In the United States, the hospital-based fitness centers were rapidly developed in recent years and, in fact, they have already had over twenty years history. However, the concept is just at beginning stage in Taiwan. This investigation was directed against the managers of the hospital in Taiwan. To collect the interest of cognition and willingness of hospital managers on the issue of setting up a fitness center. One hundred and ninety-eight questionnaires were sent out and 138 reclaimed. The rate of reclaims was 69.7%. They included 78 managers of doctor and 60 managers of non-doctor. The results of the study …

Brook Trout (Salvelinus Fontinalis) Movement And Habitat Use In A Headwater Stream Of The Central Appalachian Mountains Of West Virginia, Marisa Nel Logan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) are the only salmonid native to the Appalachians. They are a resilient species, populating small, low productive streams. Although such streams have historically been abundant in the Appalachians, brook trout populations have been threatened due to habitat degradation such as logging and acidification of waters. The objective of this study was to evaluate brook trout habitat use, home range, and movement patterns in an Appalachian headwater stream during spring and more specifically high flow events. I implanted brook trout with radio tags and tracked their movement for approximately 30 days during late spring 2002 and early …

Population Level Dynamics Of Grasshopper Sparrow Populations Breeding On Reclaimed Mountaintop Mines In West Virginia, Frank K. Ammer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

During 2001 and 2002, I surveyed three mountaintop mining/valley fill (MTMVF) complexes in southern West Virginia to determine vegetation characteristics important to nest site selection and to estimate nest success for Grasshopper Sparrow populations inhabiting these complexes. I also performed genetic analyses to assess overall population structure, mating system, parentage, kinship, and gender of individuals comprising these populations. A total of 415 grasshopper sparrows were captured and systematic searches of study plots produced 75 active nests. Nest survival for 2001--2002 breeding season (33%) is comparable to survival rates previously reported in the literature. Nest survival rates decreased with increased reclamation …

Designing A Scalable Dynamic Load -Balancing Algorithm For Pipelined Single Program Multiple Data Applications On A Non-Dedicated Heterogeneous Network Of Workstations, Ashraf Osman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Dynamic load balancing strategies have been shown to be the most critical part of an efficient implementation of various applications on large distributed computing systems. The need for dynamic load balancing strategies increases when the underlying hardware is a non-dedicated heterogeneous network of workstations (HNOW). This research focuses on the single program multiple data (SPMD) programming model as it has been extensively used in parallel programming for its simplicity and scalability in terms of computational power and memory size.;This dissertation formally defines and addresses the problem of designing a scalable dynamic load-balancing algorithm for pipelined SPMD applications on non-dedicated HNOW. …

National Survey Of Psychological Practices Across Rural And Urban Communities, Craig M. Helbok

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to examine potential differences in the practice of psychology across urban and rural communities. The review of the rural literature suggests that psychologists in rural areas are likely to encounter numerous ethical dilemmas and problems that are related specifically to the characteristics of such communities. To date, however, much of this literature has been based on theory and the individual experiences of practitioners. This study sought to quantify any differences in the practice of psychology across communities for such ethical issues as multiple relationships, competency, burnout, confidentiality, and visibility in the community. A survey …

On The Contribution Of Mmp-2 And Mmp-9 To The Postnatal Cerebellar Corticogenesis, Albert E. Ayoub

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The development of the cerebellar cortex is dependent on orchestrated cell-cell, cell-matrix interactions, as well as intrinsic genetic programs. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are proteolytic enzymes that degrade ECM molecules and are involved in neuronal migration, process extension, and synaptic plasticity. The current study investigated (1) the developmental expression and activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9, and (2) the effect of blocking the activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 by a specific inhibitor on the histogenesis of the cerebellar cortex. Cerebella were collected from rat pups every three days starting at postnatal day 3 (P3) until P25---a period equivalent to the third gestational …

Sport Psychology Strategies, Types Of Social Support, And Adherence To Injury Rehabilitation Among University Student -Athletes, Kenneth Tubilleja

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The present study examined differences between levels of adherence to athletic injury rehabilitation (SIRAS; Brewer, Van Raalte, Petitpas, Sklar, & Ditmar, 1995) among injured student-athletes on their use of sport psychology strategies (TOPS; Thomas, Murphy, & Hardy, 1999) and their perceived social support (SSS-C; Richman, Rosenfeld, & Hardy, 1993). Relationships between adherence to athletic injury rehabilitation and sport psychology strategies and perceived social support were also investigated. In addition, participants' use and training in sport psychology strategies was explored. The sample consisted of 35 student-athletes from 1 NCAA Division I and 3 Division II institutions who sustained athletic injuries that …

The Mediating Role Of Organizational Learning Between Absorptive Capacity And Performance In Companies Employing Enterprise Resource Planning Software, Edith Galy

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This dissertation focuses on the acquisition of information systems technology and how the acquisition of information systems (IS) can improve the performance of a firm. The central purpose of this dissertation is to contribute to the literature that explains the success of IS projects. It addresses the organizational processes that contribute to the successful implementation of IS, and explains why some organizations achieve financial returns and strategic advantages from their IS efforts while others do not.

The population in this dissertation consists of top level IS executives in the US or Canada employed in firms who have implemented enterprise resource …

A Link With Nature: The Healing Of Soul, Kelly B. Kraehe

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This paper accompanies the Master of Fine Arts exhibition titled A Link With Nature. Art cannot divorce itself from its process, from its artist, and from becoming a product. Like the canopy, trunk and roots of a tree, the parts of art are mysteriously interdependent and would not exist alone. So too in my art, the artist, process, and product are woven together to form a visual tapestry that I have defined throughout the thesis paper. As artist, aesthetic experiences have formed the vision that I portray through painting and sculpture. The process of going places, seeing things and …

The Drivers And Antecedents Of Satisfaction, Trust, Commitment, And Loyalty Among Chinese Customers, Yun Chu

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This dissertation explores the relationship between satisfaction, trust, commitment, and loyalty among Chinese customers. The selection of China as the location for this study is due to a number of factors. China's economic expansion and recent ascension to full membership within the World Trade Association (WTO) has generated “excitement, uncertainty, and fear” (Ghoshal, 2003). In the recent past trade with China has grown at on average of 15 percent a year and foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country has grown even faster (Ghoshal, 2003). This growth may result in an interesting paradox. If China maintains just two thirds of …

The Effect Of Web Interface Features On Consumer Online Shopping Intentions, Jeffrey Sam Siekpe

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Amid the storm of hype over Internet adoption, it is observed that during the past years, organizations have taken considerable interest in eagerly acquiring computer hardware and software to implement electronic commerce (e-commerce) applications mostly to the detriment of human aspects of the information technology (IT) solutions (Freemantle, 2002; Lockwood & Lamp, 2000). Various Internet technologies, mostly the Web, have been implemented to offer online goods and services. Many credible estimates suggest that Internet buying and selling will account for close to $2 trillion of annual economic activity by 2004 (Citrin et al., 2003; Fry, 2000). While the promise of …

Indicators Of Teacher Collaboration In Texas Public High Schools, Michael James Mcclure

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The study employs both quantitative and qualitative data to extend the work of Rosenholtz (1991) with public elementary schools and the work of Hickey (1994) with public secondary schools in trying to assess the extent to which four pre-defined socio-organizational factors predict teacher collaboration in public schools. The four socio-organizational factors include: teacher certainty about a technical culture and their instructional capability; shared instructional goals; teacher involvement in decision making about instructional matters; and teacher involvement in team teaching. The study also investigates the hypothesis that the academic departments in public secondary schools provide structures that more nearly approach the …

The Effect Of Personal And Managerial Capitalism On Firms' Capabilities In Colombia's Grupos Económicos, Carmen Leonor Martinez-Lopez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Researchers have investigated business groups or grupos económicos and personal and managerial capitalism as separate topics. This dissertation integrates these concepts in order to study the effect of personal and managerial capitalism on firms' performance in Colombia's grupos económicos. Colombian grupos económicos were selected as the sample for this study for a number of reasons. For example, Colombian is ranked first in Latin America in the overall ranking for world competitiveness for countries with a population greater than 20 million (The World Competitiveness Year book, 2003). Although small by international standards (Reinhardt and Peres, 2000), since at least the …

Four-Year Longitudinal Study On The Impact Of Migrant Student Identification On Academic Achievement, Graciela Villegas Perez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this research was to study the impact of migrant student identification or non-identification by receiving schools on academic achievement. The relationship between migrant students' achievement and the condition of identification by receiving schools and potential correlates, gender, age, birthplace and language proficiency was also analyzed.

This is a four year longitudinal study on one hundred seventy five migrant students' academic achievement in grades third, fourth, fifth and sixth. The study is divided into two parts. The first part is the data analysis of student records obtained from the New Generation System (NGS), which records the identification or …