Business Commons^™

Crop Updates 2006 - Oilseeds, Graham Walton, Fiona Martin, Anne Wilkins, Nathan Hancock, Matthew Nelson, Marieclaire Castello, Linda Thompson, Anouska Cousin, Guijun Yan, Wallace Cowling, Moin Salam, Bill Mcloud, Ravjit Khangura, Jean Galloway, Art Diggle, R. F. Brennan, M. D. A. Bolland, P. M. Damon, Z. Rengel, Terry Rose, Qifu Ma, Dave Eksteen

Crop Updates

This session covers thirteen papers from different authors:

1. INTRODUCTION, Graham Walton, CONVENOR, Department of Agriculture

2. The performance of new TT canola varieties in National Variety Testing (NVT) WA, Fiona Martin, Research Agronomist, Agritech Crop Research

3. Comparison of TT Canola Varieties in Oilseeds WA Trials – 2005, Collated by G.H. Walton, Department of Agriculture, WA, from a collaboration between Oilseeds WA, Seed Companies, Agronomists and Growers

4. An overview of the potential for a Biofuels Industry in Western Australia, Anne Wilkins and Nathan Hancock, Department of Agriculture

5. Retrieval of fertile progeny from interspecific …

Recommended Management Arrangements For The Gascoyne Commercial 'Wetline' Fishery. A Report To The Minister For Fisheries., West Coast And Gascoyne Management Planning Panel.

Fisheries Management Papers

The ‘Wetline Review’ was established to implement an effective management framework for the commercial scalefish sector. It must be stressed at the outset that this review is focussed on the take of scalefish by the commercial sector. The levels of use between the various user groups in the Gascoyne region will be examined under the new IFM initiative.

Text Mining With Exploitation Of User's Background Knowledge : Discovering Novel Association Rules From Text, Xin Chen

Dissertations

The goal of text mining is to find interesting and non-trivial patterns or knowledge from unstructured documents. Both objective and subjective measures have been proposed in the literature to evaluate the interestingness of discovered patterns. However, objective measures alone are insufficient because such measures do not consider knowledge and interests of the users. Subjective measures require explicit input of user expectations which is difficult or even impossible to obtain in text mining environments.

This study proposes a user-oriented text-mining framework and applies it to the problem of discovering novel association rules from documents. The developed system, uMining, consists of two …

Dynamic Measuring Tools For Online Discourse, Jeffrey S. Saltz

Dissertations

When evaluating participation within an Asynchronous Learning Network (ALN), current best practices include counting messages and reviewing participant surveys. To understand the impact of more advanced dynamic measurement tools for use within an ALN, a web-based tool, known as iPET (the integrated Participation Evaluation Tool), was created. iPET, which leverages Social Network Analysis and Information Visualization techniques, was then evaluated via an empirical study. This research demonstrates that using a tool such as iPET increases participation within an ALN without increasing facilitator workload. Due to the fact that active online discussion is a key factor in the success of an …

Using Content And Process Scaffolds For Collaborative Discourse In Asynchronous Learning Networks, Irene Wong-Bushby

Dissertations

Discourse, a form of collaborative learning, is one of the most widely used methods of teaching and learning in the online environment. Particularly, in large courses, discourse needs to be 'structured' to be effective. Historically, technology-mediated learning (TML) research has been inconclusive with often conflicting results. To address this issue, TML research needs greater breadth and depth in pedagogical grounding. The purpose of this research is to build and test an original, technology-mediated, discourse-centered model called the Asynchronous Learning Network Cognitive Discourse Model (ALNCDM) grounded in pedagogy. Cognitive discourse is defined as discourse on conceptual subject matter. The model is …

Using A Digital Library Of Images For Communication: Comparison Of A Card-Based System To Pda Software, Trudi Miller '08, Gondy Leroy, John Huang '05, Serena Chuang '05

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

Autism spectrum disorder has become one of the most prevalent developmental disorders and one of the main impairments is difficulty with communication. One method of augmentative and alternative communication is the use of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) to create messages using a series of images printed on cards and organized in binders. We are developing a digital alternative based on an image library that is displayed on a personal digital assistant (PDA). We conducted an initial user acceptance study that compared the effectiveness and usability of both systems. The study showed that the PDA system was able to …

Health Information Text Characteristics, Gondy Leroy, Evren Eryilmaz '11, Benjamin T. Laroya

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

Millions of people search online for medical text, but these texts are often too complicated to understand. Readability evaluations are mostly based on surface metrics such as character or words counts and sentence syntax, but content is ignored. We compared four types of documents, easy and difficult WebMD documents, patient blogs, and patient educational material, for surface and content-based metrics. The documents differed significantly in reading grade levels and vocabulary used. WebMD pages with high readability also used terminology that was more consumer-friendly. Moreover, difficult documents are harder to understand due to their grammar and word choice and because they …

Evaluating Microsoft .Net Technology: Implementation Online Store, Jie Dou

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this project is to design, develop and implement an e-commerce shopping cart system based on Microsoft.NET technology and to evaluate ASP.NET technology by developing a shopping cart system.

Evaluation Of Cauliflower And Broccoli Varieties: Summer Planting (November 2005 - February 2006), Department Of Food And Agriculture, Western Australia

Horticulture research reports

This document has been prepared from a cauliflower and broccoli variety evaluation trial conducted at the Manjimup Horticultural Research Institute, South Western Highway, Manjimup WA 6258. The results reflect the growth characteristics, yield, quality and density of the cauliflower and broccoli varieties as recorded at this site during the conditions of the growing period (November 2005 to February 2006).

This report is the first in a series of four produced from the evaluation of cauliflower and broccoli varieties conducted at the Manjimup Horticultural Research Institute.

The results are provided to allow seed suppliers, seedling nurseries, producers, packers and marketers to …

Facilitating The Development Of The Strawberry Industry In Western Australia, Dennis Phillips, Aileen Reid

Horticulture research reports

Horticulture Australia Project No. BS05001 Annual report 2005/06

This is the first of three annual reports for the Horticulture Australia project BS05001 — ‘Facilitating the development of the strawberry industry in Western Australia’. This project is managed by the Strawberry Growers Association of WA Inc. and the work is being done in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Food WA (DAFWA). The project has been funded by voluntary contributions from the W.A. Strawberry Producers Committee, Toolangi Strawberry Runner Growers Co-operative and DAFWA with matching funding from Horticulture Australia Ltd (HAL). The project has been funded for three years, 2005, …

Dynamic Generation Of A Table Of Contents With Consumer-Friendly Labels, Trudi Miller '08, Gondy Leroy, Elizabeth Wood

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

Consumers increasingly look to the Internet for health information, but available resources are too difficult for the majority to understand. Interactive tables of contents (TOC) can help consumers access health information by providing an easy to understand structure. Using natural language processing and the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS), we have automatically generated TOCs for consumer health information. The TOC are categorized according to consumer-friendly labels for the UMLS semantic types and semantic groups. Categorizing phrases by semantic types is significantly more correct and relevant. Greater correctness and relevance was achieved with documents that are difficult to read than with …

Recommended Management Arrangements For The West Coast Commercial 'Wetline' Fishery. A Report To The Minister For Fisheries., West Coast And Gascoyne Management Planning Panel.

Fisheries Management Papers

No abstract provided.

Recommended Access And Allocation Criteria For The West Coast And Gascoyne Commercial 'Wetline' Fisheries. A Report To The Ministry Of Fisheries., The Commercial Access Panel.

Fisheries Management Papers

The CAP’s primary responsibility was to develop criteria for access and allocation within the context of the management framework developed by the MPP. It is therefore important that this management paper is read in conjunction with the papers prepared by the MPP that outline the recommended management arrangements for the Gascoyne (Fisheries Management Paper No. 205) and the West Coast (Fisheries Management Paper No. 206) regions.

Assessment Of Western Rock Lobster Strategic Management Options. An Overview Of Bio-Economic, Sociological And Comparative Analysis. Vol. 1., Department Of Fisheries.

Fisheries Management Papers

The purpose of this review paper is to present the options for managing the fishery and to compare the current fishing effort control system to a more flexible one and to two types of individually transferable quota (ITQ) management systems, one with the current effort controls and the other without or with reduced1 effort controls.

Assessment Of Western Rock Lobster Strategic Management Options. A Bio-Economic Evaluation Of Management Options For The West Coast Rock Lobster Fishery. Vol. 2, Economic Research Associates Pty Ltd

Fisheries Management Papers

Economic Research Associates (ERA) was commissioned to evaluate the relative ‘socio-economic’ benefits of alternative management Scenarios for the Western Rock Lobster Managed Fishery. This study is intended as input into industry’s consideration of the future management policy direction for the fishery.

Assessment Of Western Rock Lobster Strategic Management Options. How Do Quota Management Systems Work In Rock Lobster Fisheries? Vol. 4, Tim Bray, Steven Gill, Ron Edwards

Fisheries Management Papers

Quota management systems are now in place for the New Zealand, Tasmanian and South Australian rock lobster fisheries. New Zealand was the first to move to QMS (1989), followed by the Southern Zone of South Australia (1993), Tasmania (1998) and Northern Zone South Australia (2001). As part of a review of the system of management used for the West Coast Rock Lobster Fishery, a West Australian delegation visited New Zealand, Tasmania and South Australia in 2004 to learn more about the management systems in place for their respective rock lobster fisheries.

Evaluation Of Cauliflower And Broccoli Varieties: Autumn Planting (January - May 2006), Kristen Stirling

Horticulture research reports

This document has been prepared from a cauliflower and broccoli variety evaluation trial conducted at the Manjimup Horticultural Research Institute, South Western Highway, Manjimup WA 6258. The results reflect the growth characteristics, yield, quality and density of the cauliflower and broccoli varieties as recorded at this site during the conditions of the growing period (January to May 2006).

This report is the second in a series of four produced from the evaluation of cauliflower and broccoli varieties conducted at the Manjimup Horticultural Research Institute. The results are provided to allow seed suppliers, seedling nurseries, producers, packers and marketers to identify …

Santa Clara Magazine, Volume 48 Number 3, Winter 2006, Santa Clara University

Santa Clara Magazine

8 - WELCOME HOME, STEVE By Steven Boyd Saum. Basketball superstar Steve Nash '96 comes home to Santa Clara for a unique honor: a ceremony retiring his Bronco jersey. In a convocation address, he tells how Santa Clara changed his life. Now he wants the University to take its mission global.

12 - THE SCHOOL OF HOPE By Martha Ellen Stortz. Scholar and teacher Bill Spohn earned deep affection and the respect of the Santa Clara community in his years directing the Bannan Center for Jesuit Education. When he was stricken with cancer, he and his wife, Marty Stortz, looked …

Biometric Security: Are Inexpensive Biometric Devices Reliable Enough To Gain Wide-Spread Security Usage?, Brian Thanh Tran

Inquiry: The University of Arkansas Undergraduate Research Journal

The ever growing need for security in today' s world requires exploring the feasibility of various security methods to ensure the safety of the world's population. With the tremendous growth of technology, e-commerce, and business globalization, society implements new methods to try to battle security problems. Technology advances has resulted in a number of inexpensive biometric devices to the marketplace. Two questions surface regarding this devices-are they reliable enough for general usage and will people be willing to use them? This research conducted a repeated design experiment to determine the effectiveness of four inexpensive biometric devices-three fingerprint readers and an …

Fisheries Occasional Publication No. 33 - Department Of Fisheries Community Survey 2005, Tara Baharthah

Fisheries Occasional Publications

A telephone survey of the Western Australian public was conducted to assess the level of success of programs implemented by the Department of Fisheries. The sample comprised of 700 interviews, 422 in the metropolitan area and 278 in regional areas throughout the State.

This community survey was used to determine the level of recall and awareness of the Department of Fisheries, the understanding and support of the community for the Department of Fisheries' management strategies and to examine key aspects of community participation in recreational fishing.

It is estimated that the overall participation rate for recreational fishing in Western Australia …

University Of Texas At Tyler Catalog, 2006 - 2008, University Of Texas At Tyler

Catalogs

No abstract provided.

The Antecedents Of M-Commerce Adoption, Morris Kalliny, Michael S. Minor

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

The growth of Internet shopping has been attributed to rapid advances in technology and other influences such as convenience. We empirically investigate the relationship between demographics, ease of use, convenience, usefulness and enjoyment and intention to use m-commerce and attitude toward m-commerce. Two studies were conducted where a student and a non student sample was used. Data analysis revealed age, gender and educational level of customers do not play a role in influencing intention to use m-commerce. However, convenience, ease of use, usefulness and enjoyment all play a role in the customer's intention to use m-commerce.

Information Systems And Health Care Xiii: Examining The Critical Requirements, Design Approaches And Evaluation Methods For A Public Health Emergency Response System, Ann L. Fruhling

Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis Faculty Publications

Research pertaining to emergency response systems has accelerated over the past few years, particularly since 9/11 events, and more recently due to Hurricane Katrina and concern over a potential of an avian flu pandemic. This study examines the requirements that are the most demanding with respect to software and hardware, and the associated design strategies for a public health emergency response system (ERS) for electronic laboratory diagnostics consultation. In addition, this study illustrates ways to evaluate the design decisions.

An important goal of a public health ERS is to improve the communication and notification of life-threatening diseases and harmful agents. …

Journey To The Center Of The Core: Computers And The Internet In The Core Curriculum, Jorge Pérez, Meg C. Murray

Faculty Articles

Computers, digitalization and the Internet have transformed modern society. Commerce, education, communication and socialization will never be the same. Surprisingly, many universities do not require a computing course in the core curriculum. Critical information technology (IT) competencies are often taken for granted, to the detriment of students who lack computing and Internet skills. This paper describes an initiative undertaken by a computer science and information systems department to assess and remediate IT skills needed by all university students, regardless of major. The project is evolving along several dimensions: identification of discipline-independent IT competencies, assessment of IT skills among current and …

Use Of A Classroom Response System To Enhance Classroom Interactivity, Keng Siau, Hong Sheng, Fiona Fui-Hoon Nah

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

Classroom interactivity is a critical component of teaching and learning. This paper reports on the use of a classroom response system to enhance classroom interactivity in a systems analysis and design course. The success of the project was assessed using both quantitative and qualitative data. A pretest/posttest design was used to examine the effects of a classroom response system on interactivity. The results show that a classroom response system can significantly improve classroom interactivity. Qualitative data was also collected to identify the strengths and weaknesses of using a classroom response system to enhance classroom interaction. Based on the quantitative and …

A Dyadic Composition To Foster Virtual Team Effectiveness: An Experimental Study, Gamze Karayaz

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The importance of effectiveness for virtual teamwork continues to gain momentum as technology and globalization of work accelerate. The implementation of virtual teams provides one approach to enhance competitiveness, overcoming the disadvantages of space and time differences through collaborative technologies. The influence of structure to virtual team performance has not been clearly established in the literature. The purpose of this research study was to investigate the effectiveness of a dyad structured approach for virtual teams using a quasi-experimental research design.

This research investigated four questions related to the influence of structure on virtual team effectiveness related to task performance, communication …

The Impact Of Financial Market And Resale Market On Firm Strategies, Zhiling Guo, Andrew B. Whinston

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The ever-increasing use of information technology (IT) in business transactions greatly expands firms? exposure to different electronic markets. This paper provides a framework to understand how firms can leverage different strategies across external financial markets and an internal resale market to improve overall profitability. We develop a model in which a group of risk-averse retailers sell a homogeneous product to their respective uncertain consumer markets. We study a scenario where an internal resale market can be constructed among the retailers and outside financial markets can be used to improve their ability to manage uncertainty. We identify strategies for retailers operating …

Multiagent Teamwork: Hybrid Approaches, Praveen Paruchuri, Emma Bowring, Ranjit Nair, Jonathan Pearce, Nathan Schurr, Milind Tambe, Pradeep Varakantham

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Today within the multiagent community, we see at least four competing methods to building multiagent systems: beliefdesireintention (BDI), distributed constraint optimization (DCOP), distributed POMDPs, and auctions or game-theoretic methods. While there is exciting progress within each approach, there is a lack of cross-cutting research. This article highlights the various hybrid techniques for multiagent teamwork developed by the teamcore group. In particular, for the past decade, the TEAMCORE research group has focused on building agent teams in complex, dynamic domains. While our early work was inspired by BDI, we will present an overview of recent research that uses DCOPs and distributed …

Insurance: A Consumer's Perspective, Elizabeth Ann Nanke

Honors Program Theses

Life insurance is a pivotal part of the world in which we live, and yet most consumers think about it very little. Life insurance started with the Ancient Greeks and continued to develop in Europe, eventually reaching the United States. Throughout history, insurance companies have undergone a number of modifications to match changing consumer needs. ln our modem society, insurance can be best defined as an intermediary that reduces the financial drain caused by the death of an individual by apportioning this loss among a very large group. Today, insurance companies sell a number of diversified products, but most insurance …

Asbestos Litigation And Indemnification, Paul Grammens

Honors Program Theses

Asbestos started out as an amazing product. It was not only easy to manufacture and easy to work with but also fire resistant and a great insulator, asbestos became one of the most common manufacturing products in the United States, especially after World War I. What the public did not know about asbestos at the time is that long-term exposure could lead to sickness. Because of this unforeseen liability, industrial companies and insurance companies were not able to properly prepare for the losses due to asbestos.