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Articles 541 - 570 of 1164
Full-Text Articles in Business
A Study Of Course Design Factors That Influence E-Learning Course Completion Rates, Edward A. Mathews
A Study Of Course Design Factors That Influence E-Learning Course Completion Rates, Edward A. Mathews
Theses and Dissertations
E-learning has been defined as "the use of network technologies to create, foster, deliver, and facilitate learning, anytime and anywhere" (Linezine, 2000). E-learning is one of the fastest growing services on the Internet today with revenues between 6 billion and 7 billion dollars (Bizreport, 2003). This growth comes with a peculiar problem - many students never complete their e-learning courses. Although there is significant variation among institutions - with some reporting course-completion rates of more than 80 percent and others finding that fewer than 50 percent of distance-education students finish their course...course-completion rates are often 10 to 20 percentage points …
Cross-Sectional Study On The Factors That Influence E-Learning Course Completion Rates, Christopher C. Earnhardt
Cross-Sectional Study On The Factors That Influence E-Learning Course Completion Rates, Christopher C. Earnhardt
Theses and Dissertations
Completion rates for web-based courses tend to lag behind their traditional classroom counterparts, sometimes as much as 40% (Carter, 1996; Phipps and Merisotis, 1999; Zielinski, 2000). Thurston and Reynolds (2002) employed motivational constructs to explain why some people persist while others drop out of web-based courses. Their analysis of 8 web-based courses and response from 497 active duty Air Force students indicated that completion goals, off-task distractions, availability of feedback for self-regulation, and continued confidence were important factors that distinguished those who completed their courses from those who did not. This study addresses the limitations of the previous study and …
Group Performance In Military Scenarios Under Deceptive Conditions, Michael C. Hass
Group Performance In Military Scenarios Under Deceptive Conditions, Michael C. Hass
Theses and Dissertations
The goal of this research was to investigate how changes in modality (communication type) and external conditioning (warnings of player deception) relate to perceptions of deception and task difficulty and in turn how these perceptions relate to the final group game scores in a cooperative effort with conflicting goals. One hundred and eight participants were grouped into teams of three, given similar instructions but different goals, and asked to play a cooperative game called StrikeCOM that mimics the intelligence gathering needed to develop an air tasking order and subsequent air strike on three military targets. The analysis of the post-game …
Air Force Materiel Command: A Survey Of Performance Measures, Marcia Leonard
Air Force Materiel Command: A Survey Of Performance Measures, Marcia Leonard
Theses and Dissertations
Performance measurement has long been a matter of debate in logistics. However, in the recent past, there has been a renewed emphasis as AF leaders continue to seek funding for weapon system spares despite marginal improvements in mission capability. The Chief's Logistics Review, Logistics Transformation Program, AFMC Constraints Assessment Program, the Spares Requirement Review Board, the Spares Campaign, and the Depot Maintenance Reengineering and Transformation all represent efforts to find and implement effective answers (RAND, 2003:ix). And, while there appears to be a consensus that better performance measures are needed, there is little agreement on exactly what should be measured, …
Coming Full Circle With Boyd's Ooda Loop Ideas: An Analysis Of Innovation Diffusion And Evolution, William S. Angerman
Coming Full Circle With Boyd's Ooda Loop Ideas: An Analysis Of Innovation Diffusion And Evolution, William S. Angerman
Theses and Dissertations
The Observe-Orient-Decide-Act (OODA) Loop ideas of Air Force Colonel John Boyd have impacted the Department of Defense (DoD), influenced military thought, paved the way for operational change, and helped to shape fighting doctrines. A wide variety of OODA Loop ideas and interpretations exist in the literature, but are unorganized and have not undergone holistic study to determine how Boyd's ideas have spread or changed over time. As such, this research analyzed a quarter century (1976-2003) sample of the OODA Loop literature to examine the diffusion and evolution of OODA Loop ideas since Boyd's original conceptualizations. This research used qualitative data …
Active Duty Military Deployments: A Respite From Job Stressors And Burnout For Air Force Acquisition Support Personnel, Tonya J. Bronson
Active Duty Military Deployments: A Respite From Job Stressors And Burnout For Air Force Acquisition Support Personnel, Tonya J. Bronson
Theses and Dissertations
To explore the possible respite effects of deployments, active duty Air Force acquisition support personnel who were either scheduled to deploy (n=74), or recently returned from deployment (n=34) were surveyed. Analysis of variance compared the pre- and post-deployment group's perceived levels of burnout, emotional exhaustion, role ambiguity, role conflict, self-efficacy, organizational commitment, contingent rewards, operating conditions, co-worker satisfaction, and overall job satisfaction. Although the results indicated the differences were not large enough to be significant, many of the variables behaved as hypothesized. Specifically, burnout, emotional exhaustion, role conflict, contingent rewards, and co-worker satisfaction were all higher in the post- deployment …
Military Deployments As A Respite From Burnout: An Analysis Of Gender And Family, Trevor T. Sthultz
Military Deployments As A Respite From Burnout: An Analysis Of Gender And Family, Trevor T. Sthultz
Theses and Dissertations
To explore to possible respite effects of deployments, active duty Air Force acquisition support personnel who were either scheduled to deploy (n=74), or recently returned from deployment (n=34) were surveyed. Analysis of variance compared the pre-deployment male's and female's perceived levels of burnout, emotional exhaustion, role ambiguity, role conflict, self-efficacy, organizational commitment, contingent rewards, operating conditions, co-worker satisfaction, and overall job satisfaction. The same analysis was conducted dividing the pre- and post-deployment groups by whether or not they had children. Several of the findings were as hypothesized. Specifically, post-deployment females reported lower scores for emotional exhaustion, role ambiguity, organizational commitment, …
The Operational Impact Of Mobility Readiness Spares Package Configuration During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Dianna Smith
The Operational Impact Of Mobility Readiness Spares Package Configuration During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Dianna Smith
Theses and Dissertations
Utilizing the Aircraft Sustainability Model (ASM), Air Force logisticians must determine the best possible number and mix of spares and repair parts for each deployable readiness spares package, better known as a mobility readiness spares package (MRSP). By analyzing MRSP support for Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF), Air Force leadership can have a current picture of MRSP operational effectiveness and mission support capabilities. This research focused on determining the current configuration of MRSPs for OIF by selecting a representative array of MRSPs and supported weapon systems actively involved in OIF, and obtaining relevant support effectiveness measures. Measures selected for analysis were …
An Exploration Of Cultural Factors Affecting Use Of Communities Of Practice, Peter L. Hinrichsen
An Exploration Of Cultural Factors Affecting Use Of Communities Of Practice, Peter L. Hinrichsen
Theses and Dissertations
On-line communities of practice are potentially powerful social learning networks that can improve organizational performance. Unfortunately, administrators of on-line communities of practice report that community members do not take full advantage of this potential. This study used Shaw and Tuggle's (2003) factors of knowledge management (KM) culture affecting organizational acceptance of a knowledge management initiative to explore this issue. It was hypothesized that respondents whose communities of practice possessed higher average community use per member would rate KM culture variables higher than respondents whose communities possessed a lower average community use. An analysis of survey data collected from Air Force …
Entrepreneurial Mindset In Department Of Defense (Dod) Organizations: Antecedents And Outcomes, Christopher C. Wood
Entrepreneurial Mindset In Department Of Defense (Dod) Organizations: Antecedents And Outcomes, Christopher C. Wood
Theses and Dissertations
Department of Defense (DoD) and Air Force senior leaders have called for transforming the way the military conducts business. One way to achieve this transformation is by promoting a more entrepreneurial approach. The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent an entrepreneurial mindset exists in DoD organizations and to identify key antecedents and outcomes associated with this mindset. The study participants were seven Air Force organizations, most of which were located on Air Force Bases in the United States. An electronic survey was used to gather data from members of these innovative DoD organizations. Descriptive statistics and …
Organizing To Exploit The Information Domain: A Content Analysis Of The Transformation Literature, Todd S. Schug
Organizing To Exploit The Information Domain: A Content Analysis Of The Transformation Literature, Todd S. Schug
Theses and Dissertations
The US Department of Defense (DoD) has embarked on an ambitious plan to transform itself. A driving force behind this transformation is a realization that society has moved into an information age and that information age warfare will be significantly different from anything that has gone before it. At the heart of the transformation effort is a concept known as Network Centric Warfare (NCW). Transformation, information age warfare, and NCW all depend heavily on how the DoD handles the information domain. Although there are many organization structure/design issues that will derive from the transformation imperatives, one of central concerns is …
Government Venture Capital: A Case Study Of The In-Q-Tel Model, Michael E. Belko
Government Venture Capital: A Case Study Of The In-Q-Tel Model, Michael E. Belko
Theses and Dissertations
The evolution of information technology (IT) has outpaced the federal acquisition system's ability to keep up. And as the United States security strategy increasingly demands information superiority to defeat its enemies, national security institutions cannot afford to lag behind the advancements in IT. The CIA addressed their inability to procure the cutting-edge technologies needed to meet their mission requirements and adopted an innovative acquisition strategy to bridge the gap. They engaged the IT sector through In-Q-Tel, a venture capital firm that invests Agency money in companies that could produce commercially viable technologies to fill the Intelligence Community's (IC) pressing IT …
An Analysis Of The Air Force Basic Communications Officer Training Course: The Impact Of Trainee And Organization Characteristics On Training Effectiveness, Grace M. Beck
Theses and Dissertations
In 1998, the Aerospace Communications and Information Expertise (ACE) program was implemented to provide a common operational foundation for new Air Force Communications and Information officers. Training's crucial role in providing Air Force effectiveness and efficiency in the officer corps is demonstrated by the formal training courses new officers are required to attend for instruction in their jobs. The importance of training, and subsequent training evaluation, is evident for two significant reasons: the skills required by Air Force Communications and Information officers and the amount of investment in training. Investment in training includes money, time, equipment, and any other significant …
An Investigation Of The Role Of Influence Behaviors In Information System Implementation: A Case Study Of The Air Force Institute Of Technology School Of Engineering And Management Student Academic Support System, Mary M. King
Theses and Dissertations
Organizations implement information systems (IS) for various reasons such as streamlining daily functions and keeping pace with changes in technology. Influence behaviors demonstrated by key leaders in reference to the implementation of such information systems play a key role in their acceptance and success. This research looks at a specific case of IS implementation and the role influence behaviors played in the successfulness of the system. This research is a case study of the Air Force Institute of Technology's (AFIT) implementation of an academic support system called my.afit.edu. Interviews and documentation gathered from key parties involved in the implementation provided …
An Experimental Investigation Of Productivity Stratification And Knowledge Transfer In An Electronically Mediated Environment, Jachin Sakamoto
An Experimental Investigation Of Productivity Stratification And Knowledge Transfer In An Electronically Mediated Environment, Jachin Sakamoto
Theses and Dissertations
The idea of anywhere and anytime learning is enticing from a military standpoint, given the high deployment rates in the current operational environment. Electronic-based learning is seen as an answer to this requirement. Currently there are many variations in electronic-based instructional media, and little has been done to determine which format or combination of formats is most conducive to facilitating knowledge transfer and learning. The research project explores, through the use of an experiment, three primary constructs of media richness, content flexibility, and forced engagement, in their relation to effectiveness or productivity in facilitating learning in the experimental participants. The …
Decision Analysis With Value Focused Thinking As A Methodology To Assess Air Force Officer Retention Alternatives, Sang-Ho Moon
Decision Analysis With Value Focused Thinking As A Methodology To Assess Air Force Officer Retention Alternatives, Sang-Ho Moon
Theses and Dissertations
Many countries realize the importance of the retention of qualified military personnel, and have tried to solve this problem using various methods. Nevertheless, the effects of those methods have not been determined or proven yet. The military retention problem is closely related to each individual's separation decision from the military. The characteristics of this decision are multi-objective and highly subjective. Accordingly, the effectiveness of various methods is heavily dependant on the value set of each individual. Decision Analysis (DA) using Value Focused Thinking (VFT) can be an excellent process to deal with this decision. Also, the data can reflect the …
Establishing A Framework For The Oversight Of Major Defense Acquisition Programs - A Historical Analysis, Diane I. K. Kuderik
Establishing A Framework For The Oversight Of Major Defense Acquisition Programs - A Historical Analysis, Diane I. K. Kuderik
Theses and Dissertations
The Department of Defense (DoD) has budgeted over $134.5 billion for Fiscal Year 2004 for Acquisition, yet little is written about the personnel responsible for managing and evaluating Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAPs) -- those who perform Acquisition Oversight (AO). The AO process has not been studied in a disciplined manner during its 40-year history. Congress, past Administrations, and the DoD Inspector General have commissioned several studies on the AO Process. Recommendations were considered and implemented such that the process evolved to where it stands today. Over 40 years separate the first iteration with the latest version. Commission reports, countless …
Establishing A Foundation To Capture The Cost Of Oversight For A Major Defense Program Within The Information Technology (It) Acquisition Community, Monroe Neal Jr.
Establishing A Foundation To Capture The Cost Of Oversight For A Major Defense Program Within The Information Technology (It) Acquisition Community, Monroe Neal Jr.
Theses and Dissertations
In 1970 the Department of Defense introduced the Department of Defense Directive 5000 (DoD 5000) to standardize the acquisition process. The directive created oversight forums to ensure the policies and procedures created were followed, to track program progress, and to identify programs in trouble. Although oversight was essentially created to help reduce the cost of acquisitions, there is reason to believe that it may increase the costs. However, because only been a few studies have been conducted to estimate the cost of oversight, no one knows how much "oversight" actually costs individual programs. Numerous oversight processes are being used today, …
An Analysis Of Generational Differences Among Active Duty Members, Stephanie M. Skibo
An Analysis Of Generational Differences Among Active Duty Members, Stephanie M. Skibo
Theses and Dissertations
There seems to be a widely held belief that different generations have different attitudes toward work, organizations, and co-workers. Clearly, these observed differences have implications for managers and leaders. Actions taken by leaders might be misunderstood by junior organizational members, leading to undesirable outcomes. Considering that many generational groups are represented within the Air Force, there is a need to analyze and understand potential generational differences. With the exception of the Smola and Sutton (2002) study, little empirical research has explored the extent to which these differences actually exist and whether differences exist among Air Force members. This research explores …
An Analysis Of Generational Differences Among Civil Servants, Stacey L. Williams
An Analysis Of Generational Differences Among Civil Servants, Stacey L. Williams
Theses and Dissertations
There seems to be a wide held belief that different generations have different attitudes toward work, organizations, and co-workers. Clearly, these observed differences have implications for managers and leaders. Actions taken by leaders (who are often older) might be misunderstood by junior organizational members (who are often younger), leading to undesirable outcomes (i.e., turnover). Considering that many generational groups are represented within government service, there is a need to analyze and understand potential generational differences. With the notable exception of the Smola and Sutton (2002) study, little empirical research has explored the extent to which these differences actually exist and …
A Cost Analysis Of The Military Retirement System, Kyle R. Martin
A Cost Analysis Of The Military Retirement System, Kyle R. Martin
Theses and Dissertations
This research explores possible changes to the current military retirement system. The research contains a detailed explanation of the current military retirement system and its objectives; a summary of the history and past legislation affecting private sector pension plans and the military retirement system; and a discussion of major analytic studies of the military retirement system since 1969 and their impact on the current system. The costs and benefits of three alternatives to the current system are analyzed using a deterministic and stochastic analysis. These alternatives are based on benefit structure changes not explicitly reducing costs. System restructuring would change …
Benefits From Funding The Msd Engineering List: A Fiscal Year 1999 Case Study, David L. Gehrich
Benefits From Funding The Msd Engineering List: A Fiscal Year 1999 Case Study, David L. Gehrich
Theses and Dissertations
Every year the Air Force Material Command (AFMC) funds the MSD Engineering list. The projects on the list are submitted by the Air Logistic Centers in order to address problems with the maintainability or reliability of a reparable part. AFMC funds the projects to determine the root cause of the problem and find the best solution to fix the part. Since the MSD Engineering list is funded in order to improve maintainability and reliability, not as a cost savings initiative, the actual benefits gained from the funds spent on the MSD Engineering list have not been identified. This thesis uses …
Analysis Of The Current Air Force-Specific Status Of Resources And Training System (Sorts) Reporting System, Tia A. Jordan
Analysis Of The Current Air Force-Specific Status Of Resources And Training System (Sorts) Reporting System, Tia A. Jordan
Theses and Dissertations
The status of resources and training system (SORTS) is a process that measures the health of units and wings in day-to-day preparedness and the ability to execute a major theater war or other scenario envisioned in the national security strategy. With talk of the current reporting system not accurately reflecting units readiness, it is time to evaluate the system to identify key problems and re-design the process to better reflect units capabilities. The objective of this thesis was to inform Air Force leadership of the current state of the SORTS system to ensure it was adequate. By surveying current MAJCOM, …
Comparative Functional Analysis Of Air Force And Commercially Available Transportation Information Management Systems, Patrick S. Holland
Comparative Functional Analysis Of Air Force And Commercially Available Transportation Information Management Systems, Patrick S. Holland
Theses and Dissertations
The Air Force currently relies on two transportation information management systems for managing cargo and passenger movements throughout the Defense Transportation System. The two systems are Global Air Transportation Execution System (GATES) and Cargo Movement Operations System (CMOS). Although GATES and CMOS have evolved from legacy systems created during the 1980s, both systems are used to process cargo and passengers while providing the information needed to maintain in-transit visibility (ITV) and manage each movement. The purpose of this research is to identify commercially available logistics software packages and determine whether they provide the same functionality as the two Air Force …
An Analysis Of The Impact Of Base Support Resources On The Availability Of Air Mobility Command Aircraft, Christian E. Randall
An Analysis Of The Impact Of Base Support Resources On The Availability Of Air Mobility Command Aircraft, Christian E. Randall
Theses and Dissertations
The AMC Directorate of Logistics is responsible for ensuring AMC aircraft are available to accomplish the mission. Currently, however, the organization lacks an objective tool for assessing the impact of proposed operations on the health of the fleet, To improve this process, the Directorate has initiated the development of a Mobility Aircraft Availability Forecast (MAAF) simulation model designed to identify alternatives and associated impacts on aircraft availability, manpower, and cost. This research seeks to assist the MAAF development effort by identifying and demonstrating how different base support factors impact the availability of AMC aircraft. To address this research objective, multiple …
Supply Chain Management In Humanitarian Relief Logistics, William K. Rodman
Supply Chain Management In Humanitarian Relief Logistics, William K. Rodman
Theses and Dissertations
Hundreds of millions of people are affected by disasters each year. This thesis explores the use of supply chain management techniques to overcome the barriers encountered by logistics managers during humanitarian relief operations. Using grounded theory methodology, barriers were analyzed based on academic, organizational, and contemporary literature. Possible solutions to these barriers were selected from available supply chain management literature. This work is different from others in that it marries supply chain principles from different disciplines (including private, nonprofit, and military sectors) to benefit humanitarian operations. It also serves to advance the body of knowledge on this subject so that …
Prepositioned Trailers For Aircraft Battle Damage Support, Scott M. Murray
Prepositioned Trailers For Aircraft Battle Damage Support, Scott M. Murray
Theses and Dissertations
Air superiority is essential in today's wartime environment. Aircraft that are damaged and not returned to combat can have a considerable impact on the quest for dominance in the air. To maintain operational effectiveness, an organization must have the capability to quickly repair damaged aircraft. The purpose of an Aircraft Battle Damage Repair (ABDR) program is to rapidly and effectively repair damaged aircraft to fly additional operational sorties and further contribute to wartime objectives. This capability must consist of providing the necessary tools and equipment for the rapid repair of aircraft. When an ABDR team deploys in support of an …
Location Optimization Of Continental United States Strip Alert Sites Supporting Homeland Defense, Jon A. Eberlan
Location Optimization Of Continental United States Strip Alert Sites Supporting Homeland Defense, Jon A. Eberlan
Theses and Dissertations
With the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact and the fall of the Soviet Union, the number of alert aircraft dwindled to 14 aircraft located at 7 sites on September 11, 2001. After the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center Towers and the Pentagon, the United States could not continue to endorse an outward looking air defense strategy. Terrorism completely changed the landscape of the air defense mission. This research develops a location optimization model to optimally locate alert sites post-11 September to cover areas of interest in the CONUS. The model finds the minimum number of alert sites, minimum …
A Demand Side Requirements Model To Forecast C-17 Mobility Aircraft Availability, Joseph R. Huscroft Jr.
A Demand Side Requirements Model To Forecast C-17 Mobility Aircraft Availability, Joseph R. Huscroft Jr.
Theses and Dissertations
Current aircraft forecasting methods of the Air Mobility Command (AMC) Directorate of Logistics are reliant on the experience of personnel and lead to after the fact, labor-intensive analysis. These deficiencies led AMC to the development of a Mobility Aircraft Availability Forecasting (MAAF) model. The purpose of the MAAF model is threefold: predict aircraft availability in order to provide the Tanker Airlift Control Center (TACC) with a forecast of aircraft that will be available for AMC mission requirements, provide what if capabilities that analyze the effects of tasking and policy changes, and to provide foresight into problems associated with aircraft availability …
Analysis Of Army Reserve Officer Training Corps Cadet Behavioral Leadership And Development, Matthew S. Woodruff
Analysis Of Army Reserve Officer Training Corps Cadet Behavioral Leadership And Development, Matthew S. Woodruff
Theses and Dissertations
The United States Army is continually looking for ways to improve the training of its leaders. FM 22-100, Army Leadership: Be, Know, Do (1999), provides the foundation for the Army's leadership training. Its goal is to train leaders who can both accomplish the mission and take care of soldiers and their families. This project investigates how individuals' leadership opinions may vary according to their year in the Reserve Officer Training Corps program and also compared to non-ROTC students of similar academic standing. Does the leadership training implemented in ROTC effect change in leadership opinions from the MS III (junior) to …