Business Commons^™

A Comparison Of Print Advertisements From Egypt, Lebanon, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates And The United States, Gilberto De Los Santos, Caroline Fisher, Salma Ghanem, Morris Kalliny, Anshu Saran

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study examines cultural differences between the United States and the Arab world regarding low/high context, collectivism/individualism, time orientation and man's relationship with nature in print advertising. Study reveals that the main differences between the United States and the Arab world include cultural values that are embedded in religious values and beliefs.

Cultural Values Reflected In Arab And American Television Advertising, Morris Kalliny, Lance Gentry

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study examines cultural values as reflected in U.S. And the Arab world television advertising. A total of 866 television commercials from Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and the United States were analyzed. Contrary to the common notion that the U.S. culture and the Arabic culture are vastly different, we found many similarities between the two cultures regarding TV advertising content and appeal. The findings contribute to the debate of standardization versus adaptation of international advertising.

Best Practices For Implementing Agile Methods: A Guide For Department Of Defense Software Developers, Ann L. Fruhling, Alvin E. Tarrell

Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis Faculty Publications

Traditional plan-driven software development has been widely used in the government because it's considered to be less risky, more consistent, and structured. But there has been a shift from this approach to Agile methods which are more flexible, resulting in fast releases by working in an incremental fashion to adapt to the reality of the changing or unclear requirements.

This report describes the Agile software development philosophy, methods, and best practices in launching software design projects using the Agile approach. It is targeted to Defense Department software developers because they face broad challenges in creating enterprise-wide information systems, where Agile …

An Exploration Of Thresholds Of Tolerance For Changes To Sanctuary Zones Among Repeat Tourists: A Case Of Ningaloo Marine Park, Natasha Nicholson

Theses : Honours

As environmental issues become more prevalent in today' s society, natural area managers must find ways to balance the increased popularity of natural areas for recreation with environmental protection and conservational goals. One popular method to achieve this balance is through restrictions. Sanctuary zones are one type of restriction and are generally designated areas that prohibit extractive uses of natural resources, such as fishing. This study qualitatively explores the issues that affect a repeat tourist's tolerance threshold for changes to their recreational activities caused by restrictions within the Ningaloo Marine Park. This study seeks to assist natural area managers to …

Forecasting Consumer Adoption Of Technological Innovation: Choosing The Appropriate Diffusion Models For New Products And Services Before Launch, Roger Calantone, Lance Gentry

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

There are many good articles on various forecasting models. There is consensus that no single diffusion model is best for every situation. Experts in the field have asked for studies to provide empirical-based guidelines for recommending when various models should be used. This research investigates multiple diffusion models and provides recommendations for which diffusion models are appropriate for radical and really new products and services before the launch of the innovation.

Final Report : Bellevue Sustainable Industry Project, Beth Walker, Janice Redmond, Ute Goeft

Research outputs pre 2011

This report is the result of a grant from the W A Waste Management Board's Waste Management and Recycling Fund to investigate the attitudes and practices of Bellevue business owner-managers to environmental issues and waste management since 2005. In 2005 data was collected to provide baseline information of the level of business interest in the environment and waste management practices in the Bellevue industrial area. After. the analysis of that data was reported, an intervention program was implemented by the Swan Catchment Council. The intervention program included the following...

Comment: Boosting Algorithms: Regularization, Prediction And Model Fitting, A. Buja, David Mease, A. Wyner

Faculty Publications

The authors are doing the readers of Statistical Science a true service with a well-written and up-to-date overview of boosting that originated with the seminal algorithms of Freund and Schapire. Equally, we are grateful for high-level software that will permit a larger readership to experiment with, or simply apply, boosting-inspired model fitting. The authors show us a world of methodology that illustrates how a fundamental innovation can penetrate every nook and cranny of statistical thinking and practice. They introduce the reader to one particular interpretation of boosting and then give a display of its potential with extensions from classification (where …

Value-At-Risk In It Services Contracts, Robert J. Kauffman, Ryan Sougstad

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

As information systems (IS) and technology solutions become increasingly service-driven, managers are faced with the task of choosing parameters such as service-levels, pricing, and contract duration. Information technology (IT) services vendors manage portfolios of contracts in which parameters, decided at inception, are often subject to future risks. The contract profit maximization decision may adversely affect the risk position of the firm's portfolio of services contracts. We propose a model to inform vendors on setting optimal parameters for IS contracts subject to acceptable levels of risk. The analytic model presented draws from IS economics research and the principles of value-at-risk (VaR) …

Towards Efficient Computation Of Quality Bounded Solutions In Pomdps: Expected Value Approximation And Dynamic Disjunctive Beliefs, Pradeep Reddy Varakantham, Rajiv Maheswaran, Tapana Gupta, Milind Tambe

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

While POMDPs (partially observable markov decision problems) are a popular computational model with wide-ranging applications, the computational cost for optimal policy generation is prohibitive. Researchers are investigating ever-more efficient algorithms, yet many applications demand such algorithms bound any loss in policy quality when chasing efficiency. To address this challenge, we present two new techniques. The first approximates in the value space to obtain solutions efficiently for a pre-specified error bound. Unlike existing techniques, our technique guarantees the resulting policy will meet this bound. Furthermore, it does not require costly computations to determine the quality loss of the policy. Our second …

Take Pride In America In Southern Nevada: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Ending December 31, 2006, Margaret N. Rees

Anti-littering Programs

• Don’t Trash Nevada roll-out event held on October 12, 2006.

• Program website launched.

• 74 people have taken the on-line anti-litter and dumping pledge.

• Public-private partnership with Republic Services of Southern Nevada generated $11,917.97 in donations to Don’t Trash Nevada.

• Conducted 3 volunteer and 1 alternative workforce clean-ups this quarter.

• Fulfilled deliverable of 12 clean-ups for 2006 (9 volunteer / 3 alternative workforce).

• 16 volunteer clean-ups scheduled for 2007. • Two tons of agency-generated paper recycled this quarter, saving 14,000 gallons of water, 34 trees, and almost 8 cubic yards of landfill space.

• …

Correlation Of Numerical Ability And Quality Technician Best Performers In Manufacturing Quality Control Applications, Charles Wesley Shelton

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The occupation of Quality Technician has many duties requiring numerical operations. Business and industry place considerable emphasis on numerical ability when evaluating the performance of a Quality Technician. In this study, the numerical ability and performance classification of Quality Technicians were analyzed using a correlation analysis. lll A single case study was used to investigate this relationship. A modified Delphi Method was used to determine characteristics of a Quality Technician. Quality Technicians were evaluated by their direct supervisor and completed a standardized numerical ability test. The evaluations by the supervisor were used to classify each technician based on their performance. …

Inside Unlv, Diane Russell, Cate Weeks, Shane Bevell, Mamie Peers, Lori Bachand

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Online Advertising By The Comparison Challenge Approach, Jae Wong Lee, Jae Kyu Lee

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

To enhance the effectiveness of online comparisons from a manufacturer's point of view, we develop a framework for the comparison challenge approach. To develop the comparison challenge framework, we analyze 12 factors that determine the characteristics of comparison and propose models of valuable comparison challenges using the CompareMe and CompareThem strategies. We demonstrate the approaches with the example of PC selection. To help plan the comparison challenges, we formulate a mathematical programming model that maximizes the total value of comparison under the constraints of comparison opportunity and budgetary limitation. The model is applied to eight comparison scenarios, and its performance …

Reputation Stretching In Online Auctions, Jianqing Chen, Mei Lin, Andrew B. Whinston

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Reputation systems are ubiquitously employed in the online marketplaces to provide information on users’ abilities and trustworthiness. We focus particularly on the problem of reputation stretching, the extension of an established reputation into a new market. By examining various factors—market size, the expected performance in the expanding market, and the risk of performance in the expanding market—we characterize conditions that affect bidder’s stretching decision in the expanding market. Moreover, we analyze both the short-term and the long-term expanding cases, and obtain contrasting results in the two settings.

Supply Chain Information Sharing In A Macro Prediction Market, Zhiling Guo, Fang Fang, Andrew B. Whinston

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

This paper aims to address supply chain partners' incentives for information sharing from an information systems design perspective. Specifically, we consider a supply chain characterized by N geographically distributed retailers who order a homogeneous product from one manufacturer. Each retailer's demand risk consists of two parts: a systematic risk part that affects all retailers and an idiosyncratic risk part that only has a local effect. We propose a macro prediction market to effectively elicit and aggregate useful information about systematic demand risk. We show that such information can be used to achieve accurate demand forecast sharing and better channel coordination …

2006 Scholars And Artists Bibliography, Daniel J. Simon, Michael Schwartz Library, Cleveland State University, Friends Of The Michael Schwartz Library

Scholars and Artists Bibliographies

This bibliography was created for the annual Friends of the Michael Schwartz Library Scholars and Artists Reception, recognizing scholarly and creative achievements of Cleveland State University faculty, staff and emeriti. Dr. Dan Simon was the guest speaker.

Santa Clara Magazine, Volume 48 Number 2, Fall 2006, Santa Clara University

Santa Clara Magazine

8 - TRUTH, LEGEND, AND JESSE JAMES By Ron Hansen M.A. '95. Jesse James' exploits made him a legend even in his own time. Now the author of the novel The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford reveals what it takes to get beyond coloring book heroes and villains to understanding a charming psychopath and his killer. Plus insights into the making of the forthcoming film starring Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck.

14 - VIOLENCE IN THE MOVIES By Jim Shepard. Movies keep giving us more motion, more mayhem-which is exactly what we want. But what price …

Fisheries Research Contract Report No. 14 - Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: Development Of A National Translocation Policy Using Abalone And Prawns As Templates For Other Aquatic Species (Frdc Project No. 2004/080) Final Report, Brian Jones, Fran Stephens

Fisheries Research Contract Reports

The use of scientifically based hazard identification, risk analysis and risk management is fundamental to managing unwanted effects. Hazards, such as quarantine incursions, will continue to occur despite the use of risk assessment methodologies but the frequency and severity of their occurrence will be reduced.

This was recognised by the Ministerial Council on Forestry, Fisheries and Aquaculture in 1999 when they published the "National policy for the translocation of live aquatic organisms".

This FRDC project provides a simple risk assessment methodology based on the Australian Standard for Risk Management (AS/NZS 4360: 2004) and one that is consistent with the Ministerial …

India’S Rise As A Software Power: Governmental Policy Factors, Tad Drozdowski, Hai Huynh, Brian Lininger, Yicheng Peng, Naruedom Sakulyong

Engineering and Technology Management Student Projects

The Indian government’s policies toward an open, global market, support of educational institutions, and enhancement of appropriate infrastructure helped enable their software industry to become critical components of India’s economic growth in the 1990s. The Technical, Organizational, and Personal perspective (T, O, and P) model is utilized to examine different affects that each perspective, inclusive of government policies, has on a socio-technical system (Software development in India). The Indian government has provided substantial economic liberalization to support their software industries, though continued reform is necessary to ensure that they remain a software superpower.

Fisheries Research Contract Report No. 15 - Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: Pilchard Herpesvirus Infection In Wild Pilchards (Frdc Project No. 2002/044) Final Report, Brian Jones, Melanie Crockford, Richard Whittington, Mark Crane, Graham Wilcox

Fisheries Research Contract Reports

In 1995 and again in 1998/9, millions of pilchards (Sardinops sagax neopilchardus) were found dead or dying off the coast of Australia. Some pilchards in New Zealand were also affected during the 1995 epizootic. The epizootics moved progressively in a "bushfire-like" manner against the prevailing currents at a rapid speed. An uncharacterised herpesvirus, pilchard herpesvirus (PHV), was associated with both mortality events and, based on its occurrence in affected fish and the disease pathogenesis, generally accepted as the causative agent, although experimental evidence of its role was not established. Until recently, rapid and sensitive methods to detect PHV were not …

Critical Success Factors For Erp Implementation And Upgrade, Fiona Fui-Hoon Nah, Santiago Delgado

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Seven categories of critical success factors were identified from the ERP literature: (1) business plan and vision; (2) change management, (3) communication; (4) ERP team composition, skills and compensation; (5) management support and championship; (6) project management, (7) system analysis, selection and technical implementation. We conducted a case study of two organizations that had implemented and upgraded ERP systems. We adopted Markus and Tanis' four-phase model and compared the importance of these critical success factors across the phases of ERP implementation and upgrade. The importance of these factors across the phases of ERP implementation and upgrade is very similar. 'Business …

Service Pattern Discovery Of Web Service Mining In Web Service Registry-Repository, Qianhui Althea Liang, Jen-Yao Chung, Steven M. Miller, Yang Ouyang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

This paper presents and elaborates the concept of Web service usage patterns and pattern discovery through service mining. We define three different levels of service usage data: i) user request level, ii) template level and iii) instance level. At each level, we investigate patterns of service usage data and the discovery of these patterns. An algorithm for service pattern discovery at the template level is presented. We show the system architecture of a service-mining enabled service registry repository. Web service patterns, pattern discovery and pattern mining supports the discovery and composition of complex services, which in turn supports the application …

Two-Instant Reallocation In Two-Echelon Spare Parts Inventory Systems, Huawei Song, Hoong Chuin Lau

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In this paper, we study the problem of deciding when and how to perform reallocation of existing spare parts in a multi-echelon reparable item inventory system. We present a mathematical model that solves the problem when there are two reallocation instants, in response to the open challenge post by Cao and Silver(2005) to consider two or more possible reallocations within a replenishment cycle.

Take Pride In America In Southern Nevada: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Ending September 30, 2006, Margaret N. Rees

Anti-littering Programs

• Team members have been meeting regularly with other interagency teams to plan for the upcoming messaging campaign roll-out event, set for October 12, 2006.

• The Interagency Anti-Litter Team recycled over a ton of paper this quarter.

• A task order modification request was completed, submitted, and approved this quarter. The request will make more funds available for the messaging campaign.

• A multi-pronged media buy for the messaging campaign has been planned this quarter and will be initiated in October.

• The Anti-Litter Team worked with the Nevada Division of Forestry to complete Phase Two of a clean-up …

The Growing Together Guide: A Companion Resource To The New England Environmental Finance Center/Melissa Paly Film, New England Environmental Finance Center

Smart Growth

What local leader or public official wants to be faced with an SOS the “same old story” of public discord and confrontation over growth and development in one’s community? That situation has become a problem for efforts to promote smart growth. Investments are needed in the walkable, compact, traditional‐streetscape and mixed use neighborhoods and developments that are more sustainable and healthy than sprawl, for both people and the landscape. Yet attempts at such change all too often end up mired in costly public controversy and stalemate.

The Viability Of Is Enhanced Knowledge Sharing In Mission-Critical Command And Control Centers, Sameh A. Sabet

Dissertations

Engineering processes such as the maintenance of mission-critical infrastructures are highly unpredictable processes that are vital for everyday life, as well as for national security goals. These processes are categorized as Emergent Knowledge Processes (EKP), organizational processes that are characterized by a changing set of actors, distributed knowledge bases, and emergent knowledge sharing activities where the process itself has no predetermined structure. The research described here utilizes the telecommunications network fault diagnosis process as a specific example of an EKP. The field site chosen for this research is a global undersea telecommunication network where nodes are staffed by trained personnel …

Customer Lifetime Value : An Integrated Data Mining Approach, Chen Xu

Lingnan Theses

Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) ---which is a measure of the profit generating potential, or value, of a customer---is increasingly being considered a touchstone for customer relationship management. As the guide and benchmark for Customer Relationship Management (CRM) applications, CLV analysis has received increasing attention from both the marketing practitioners and researchers from different domains. Furthermore, the central challenge in predicting CLV is the precise calculation of customer’s length of service (LOS). There are several statistical approaches for this problem and several researchers have used these approaches to perform survival analysis in different domains. However, classical survival analysis techniques like Kaplan-Meier …

Interview With Ed Mays, Endura Wood Products, 2006 (Audio), Ed Mays

All Sustainability History Project Oral Histories

Interview of Ed Mays by Damon Quint in Portland, Oregon on August 11th, 2006.

The interview index is available for download.

Interview With Marc Gaudin, The Joinery, 2006 (Audio), Marc Gaudin

All Sustainability History Project Oral Histories

Interview of Marc Gaudin by Amber Kinter at The Joinery, Portland, Oregon on August 8th, 2006.

The interview index is available for download.

Interview With Ryan Temple, Hfhc, 2006 (Audio), Ryan Temple

All Sustainability History Project Oral Histories

Interview of Ryan Temple by Amber Kinter at Portland, Oregon on August 4th, 2006.

The interview index is available for download.