Business Commons^™

A Process Improvement Study On A Military System Of Clinics To Manage Patient Demand And Resource Utilization Using Discrete-Event Simulation, Sensitivity Analysis, And Cost-Benefit Analysis, Michael Q. Corpuz

Theses and Dissertations

Inefficiencies in the healthcare system are a growing concern. Long wait-times are a concern at military clinics because it takes servicemembers away from performing their duties. Managing wait-times are particularly challenging due to frequent relocations of servicemembers and variable patient demands that are less likely to be experienced by civilian clinics. Military clinics must be capable to meet increasing demand when servicemembers require a Deployment Health Assessment; it also needs to be capable of handling an instantaneous surge of walk-ins when a medical incident occurs in the local area. It must be able to meet these demands in a fiscally …

The Effect Of Stages And Levels Of Automation And Reliability On Workload And Performance For Remotely Piloted Aircraft Operations, Stephen P. Katrein

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates incorporating different stages and levels of automation with varying degrees of reliability into a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) surveillance task in order to determine how automation implementation and reliability affect operator workload and system performance. The study uses IMPRINT discrete event simulation to evaluate three levels of reliability in twelve different baseline automation implementations within a remotely piloted vehicle task. Three stages and four levels are modeled, for a total of twelve combinations, along with a baseline task with no automation. The stages modeled are the information acquisition stage, the decision and action selection stage, and the …

Forecasting Foreign Currency Exchange Rates For Air Force Budgeting, Nicholas R. Gardner

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the current method of forecasting foreign currency exchange rates for the annual US Air Force budget. Using 5 methods against the status quo of a center-weighted average, the paper evaluates the absolute percent error (APE) over three time periods extending from Fiscal Year (FY) 1979 to FY 2014. The results strongly indicate that four of the alternative methods outperform over the short term, and one method for all three time periods. Furthermore, a non-parametric comparison of the median APE demonstrates statistical similarities between the four methods over the short term, and allows for the Air Force to …

Predicting Citizen Satisfaction With Government Services In Belize, Samuel W. Logan

Theses and Dissertations

Assessing the effectiveness of humanitarian assistance and foreign aid has presented a challenge to personnel tasked with these operations. Answering the question "are we winning hearts and minds" has similarly eluded military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan. This research presents a review of humanitarian assistance and foreign aid conducted by the U.S. government and literature on U.S. military doctrine regarding humanitarian assistance and infrastructure investment. The research builds upon expectancy disconfirmation theory to determine the strongest predictors of citizen satisfaction with government services. Case study data was collected in Belize before and after a U.S. military humanitarian and civil assistance …

Pragmatic Divestment Of Kc-135 Navigators In The Special Operations Air Refueling Mission, Andrew P. Nation

Theses and Dissertations

In the late 1990s, the Air Force eliminated over 200 KC-135 navigators, leaving 50 remaining for the aircraft's most complex Special Operations Air Refueling (SOAR) mission. As the Air Force unveils the KC-46 Pegasus, this mission will continue but without a position for the navigator. Instead, navigators will undergo divestment as the SOAR mission transfers to the KC-46. Current plans indicate navigators will not only remain as the KC-46 arrives, but inbound navigators will continue arriving until 2018. This thesis applies the Delphi method, a process eliciting analysis anonymously from a panel of experts, in order to examine the elements …

An Analysis Of Technology Applications In The Restaurant Industry, Muhittin Cavusoglu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the utilization of Front of House and Back of House technology applications by U.S. restaurants across different types of restaurants along with their level of IT management style, and the importance of these technology applications to the restaurants' operations. This study used secondary data. The survey data collected from 500 randomly selected restaurant technology managers who are current subscribers of Hospitality Technology Magazine as of January 2013. Response rate was 27.2% and these sample groups represented 67,299 restaurant units. The data analysis was organized into 3 parts (descriptive, factor analysis and independent …

Modeling And Simulation Of Evacuation Plan For Hancock Stadium, Nirmal Neranjan Weerasekara

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study is to use Modeling and Simulation of Evacuation Plan (MSEP) to support management to execute proper evacuation plan in case of emergency at Hancock Stadium in Illinois State University. Analyses of the research literature and evacuation scenarios are used to build a simulation system that will connect a description of emergency and evacuation situation with its context. It shows how an evacuation plan actually functions. The results of the study will help safety managers to understand the current situations of evacuation according to the specific simulation scenarios. The evacuation simulation is categorized according to the …

Identification Of Employee Engagement Practices Viewed As Critical To Retention: A Cross-Generational Comparison, Sharon R. Floyd

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to identify the employee engagement practices that millennial IT workers perceive as important to retention. The secondary purpose of the study was to determine whether a difference exists between the engagement practices that appeal to millennial IT workers and the engagement practices that appeal to remaining IT working groups, which include the baby boomers and generation X.

Methodology. A quantitative, descriptive, survey-based research method was chosen for this study. The population included information technology workers representing three generations of working adults, including baby boomers, generation Xers, and millennials. The sample included technology workers …

Interpersonal Leadership: The Role Of Perceived Motivation For Self-Disclosure And Self-Disclosure Appropriateness In Employee Affect For Supervisor, Caleb Barrett Malik

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has strongly supported the importance of supervisor leadership style in employee satisfaction and productivity in the workplace. Although the use of referent power is a key factor in successful leadership, little research has been conducted to identify specific communicative behaviors that enable a supervisor to establish a referent power base. Given that positive affect, specifically liking, is the basis for the enactment of referent power, this study examines the relationship between a supervisor's self-disclosure behavior and the extent to which an employee likes his or her supervisor. A sample of working professionals (N=168) was surveyed and asked to …

Technological Forecasting Based On Segmented Rate Of Change, Dong-Joon Lim

Dissertations and Theses

Consider the following questions in the early stage of new product development. What should be the target market for proposed design concepts? Who will be the competitors and how fast are they moving forward in terms of performance improvements? Ultimately, is the current design concept and targeted launch date feasible and competitive?

To answer these questions, there is a need to integrate the product benchmarking with the assessment of performance improvement so that analysts can have a risk measure for their R&D target setting practices. Consequently, this study presents how time series benchmarking analysis can be used to assist scheduling …

Measuring Predictors Of Groupthink: Instrument Development And Validation, Richard Walter Baptist

Theses and Dissertations

Individuals in any organization will often find themselves working in groups, either by force, necessity, or through volunteering. Group work is something everyone must do, and learning how to make the best of every situation and group opportunity can be the difference between a positive or negative experience. This study explores the communication within decision-making groups where a poor outcome or decision occurred. By examining the concept of groupthink, we can enhance our understanding of the factors influencing the group decision-making process and how communication can benefit organizations. This specific study expands the current body of knowledge on groupthink by …

Setting The Standard: A Study Of The Walt Disney Resort Service Model, Kelsey Freeman

Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration

Companies are constantly seeking new ways to keep up with the changing expectations of customers. In the hospitality industry customizing guest service to each individual guest is a step that can be taken to create lasting relationships. The Walt Disney Resorts are worth examining for their high rate of return. The purpose of this study was to analyze the best practices and success of personalizing guest experience at the Walt Disney Resorts. The researcher used a case study checklist to gather information about the efforts Disney makes to customize guest experiences.The study found that allowing guests to customize their vacation, …

Firestone-Walker Brewing Company, Joe Hare, John Fitche, John Mazzilli

Case Studies in Agribusiness

Starting in 1996, Firestone-Walker Brewing Company grew to become the 16th largest craft brewer in the U.S. by 2013. Much of their success can be attributed to taking advantage of opportunities when they present themselves. Their “805” brand is an example of many factors coming together to the company’s benefit.

Heads In Beds: A Best Practices Examination Of Advertising Platforms For Multi-National Hotel Chains, Erika Segal

Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration

Multi-national hotel chains have thousands of hotels and resorts all over the world. Despite their many differences, one thing they all have in common is the need to advertise. The purpose of this study was to research the advertising techniques of each chain in order to determine the best practices for this business sector. The researcher found that many of the chains were inconsistent with their advertising platforms, rendering their efforts ineffective for acquiring and maintaining customers. Key recommendations were that a company only keeps advertising platforms if they are able to maintain and manage them well, to ensure that …

Examining Consumer Preferences Within The Avocado Industry: Does Point Of Origin Matter?, Sheldon Bosio

Agribusiness

The avocado market in the United States has grown immensely over the past two decades, and numerous foreign regions import avocados into the United States in order to keep up with domestic consumer demand. This study was conducted to primarily determine if point of origin is a factor consumers take into consideration when purchasing avocados. As avocado consumption has dramatically increased over the past twenty years, trying to understand consumer preferences within the avocado industry was also an important aspect of this study. A survey was conducted and gathered 290 useable responses. The majority of the respondents resided in California, …

Auditimi Në Sistemin Bankar, Blerta Agushi

Theses and Dissertations

Qëllimi i hartimit të këtij raporti është të kuptuarit e funksionit dhe vlerës së auditimit në mjedisin rregullativ të sistemit bankarë. Ky raport bazohet në vrojtimin dhe kryerjen e kërkimeve mbi efektivitetin e kontrollit dhe ndikimet e saj në besueshmerinë e bankës. Auditimi ka dëshmuar zhvillim të madh në shumë aspekte gjatë dekadave të fundit.Në ushtrimin praktit të funksionit të auditimit, auditimi ishte një aktivitet i kufizuar,në hetimin dhe auditimin e proceseve financiare dhe të kontabilitetit. Më vonë u bë funksion kryesor për të gjitha proceset efektive,madje u bë si sytë dhe veshët e administratës më të lartë.

Në kontekstin …

Roli I Liderit Në Menaxhimin E Ndërmarrjeve Të Vogla, Dafina Hasani

Theses and Dissertations

Lidershipi shpesh është menduar si një forcë kryesore prapa suksesit dhe dështimit të ndërmarrjes dhe mirëqenies së personelit. Pavarësisht nga fusha e studimit në lidership, lidershipi në bizneset e vogla ka qenë rrallë në qendër të kërkimit. Rritja e rëndësisë së firmave të vogla në rritjen ekonomike dhe konkurrencës, ka ngritur disa pyetje rreth rolit dhe praktikës së lidershipit në ndërmarrjet e vogla.

Ashtu si suksesi dhe dështimi, ashtu dhe mirëqenia e personelit të kompanive shpesh janë atribuar te lidershipi. Pikëpamjet që kompanitë e vogla ndryshojnë në thelb nga homologët e tyre thekson rëndësinë e njohurive shkencore rreth lidershipit në …

Barrierat E Ndërrmarjeve E Vogla Dhe Mesme Në Kosovë, Arben Hyseni

Theses and Dissertations

Duke pasur parasysh veshtersit e këtij hulumtimi si: mungesa e burimeve, si dhe kufizime të tjera të kësaj natyre imponuan që të dhënat e përdorura të mblidhen kryesisht përmes literaturës, internetit, publikime të ndryshme nga institute për hulumtim raporte te ndyshme si dhe intervista e realizuar me anë të pyetsorëve me disa nga NVM nga e cila kemi marrë informata të cilat edhe i kemi përdorur në këtë hulumtim.

Finalizimi i këtij punimi do të mundëson edhe adresimin adekuat të vështirësive dhe problemeve me të cilat ballafaqohen NVM , si dhe do të mundëson ofrimin e rekomandimeve te masave adekuate …

The Static Future Of The International Financial System, Brad M. Agen

Applied Economics Theses

The international financial system is all the participating economies of the world acting independently, yet bound together by the need for trade and currency exchange. The international floating exchange rate system has been the international financial system since its inception in 1973. Since the inception of the floating exchange rate system there has been constant criticism and questioning over whether it is the best international financial model for the present and future. The purpose of this thesis is to critically examine the history of the international financial system and determine what kind of international system best meets the need of …

Collaborative Creative Climate Study: Using Creative Systems To Improve Organizational Performance., James H. Wardlaw

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

In response to an increasingly complex and fast-moving competitive landscape, organizational creativity is more frequently being identified as an area of potential strategic advantage. Leadership often lacks the knowledge, tools and access necessary to effectively incorporate creativity in a manner that meets the strategic and tactical demands of businesses. The Collaborative Creative Climate Study explores this challenge and proposes a systemic approach to creativity in organizational performance that provides leadership with a comprehensive view of creativity at all levels within the organizational framework that identifies weak dimensions in the creative climate, enhances teamwork and increases employee engagement.

Bicycle Tourism Plan For Economic Development: A Template For Rural Agricultural Towns And A Case Study For The City Of Winters, California, Marisa Rene Lee

Master's Theses

Bicycling is a method of tourism transportation that is healthy, non-invasive, environmentally responsible, and economically sustainable. It allows freedom, mobility, and sightseeing potential that is not made possible by other modes of transit. Thousands of bicycle tourists travel from all over the globe annually to explore California on touring bikes via established cycling routes and robust determination. Thousands of additional domestic and international visitors take weekend trips, plan family vacations, travel for business, or tour California from abroad, many of whom are excellent candidates for local and regional bicycle touring at a more gentle intensity level.

The increasing popularity and …

The Iconic Blue Box: A Semiotic Analysis Of Tiffany & Company Advertisements, Lauren Drewniany

Communication Studies

No abstract provided.

Web Based Marketing: A Best Practices Examination Of Rural Destinations In The American West, Elsie Cline

Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration

In recent years the United States has seen a growing trend in rural travel, which has increased the awareness of rural destinations. However, in order to compete with larger destinations, rural destinations must market themselves through various online outlets. The purpose of this study was to examine the web based marketing practices of five selected rural tourism destinations in the Western United States. The destinations studied were: Tonopah, Nevada; Ajo, Arizona; Creede, Colorado; Taos, New Mexico; and Marfa, Texas. These destinations were analyzed through an examination of destination websites and social media accounts. The results showed that in order to …

Management Styles Within The Graphic Communication Industry, Natalie Duner

Graphic Communication

No abstract provided.

Video Production For Inaugural Agb Alumni Gala: A Collaborative Project Between The Journalism And Agribusiness Departments, Katheryn Jaymes Mcdermott

Journalism

This project was designed to provide an overview of the Agribusiness department and its history at Cal Poly. It was designed to be used for purposes having to do with alumni relations. The goal of the project was to describe, through the use of video, the history of the department and its impact on the Agriculture department at Cal Poly. Ultimately the project is intended to demonstrate the history of where the department started, where it is now, and where it is headed in the future.

Consumer Perceptions Of Cross Promotional Strategies: Exploratory Research In The Music And Fashion Industries, Nora E. Heally

Journalism

The aim of this study was to explore how cross-promotion and experiential marketing influence brand building within the context of the music and fashion industries.

A-B testing was used to collect data on user perception of different design elements on a point-of-purchase web page. The data was analyzed to determine which design elements were most successful in positively influencing purchase intent of the user.

Overall, the participants is this study favored the treatment websites (58% average) to the control websites (42% average). To appeal to the consumer and begin the experiential marketing process for an event, a website should contain …

A Taxonomy Of Emerging Markets, Alexander A. Assouad

Doctor of Business Administration Dissertations

Focusing on emerging markets is now a significant imperative for business professionals as well as strategy, management, and international business (IB) scholars. However, there are no accepted categorizations of these countries. Furthermore, major international organizations, institutions, scholars, and multinational, all approach classifying these countries from a multitude of different perspectives. Using institutional theory as a framework and drawing on research from multiple disciplines such as IB, sociology, economics, and economic geography, this dissertation proposes a framework by which a more nuanced reclassification of emerging markets into eight subgroups is considered appropriate. The application of this multidimensional and multidisciplinary approach shows …

Fazat Gjatë Procesit Të Auditimit Të Brendshëm, Blerim Hoxha

Theses and Dissertations

Auditimi si formë e kontrollit të ndërrmarrjeve publike dhe private edhe pse i vjetër në botë,në përgjithësi është term relativisht i ri në Kosovë, është shfaqur në përmasa më të gjera pas vitit 1999, pasi që Kosova filloi të administrohej nga administrata ndërkombëtare.Përvojat e ndryshme të shteteve botërore e sidomos asaj amerikane dhe evropiane u inkorporuan ne sistemin e brishtë te kontrollit në Kosovë, me anë të amandamentimit të ligjeve ekzistuese dhe me trajnimin e një numri të konsiderueshëm të stafit lokal me qëllim të rritjes së profesionalitetit të tyre dhe ballafaqimit në praktikë me raste të ndryshme të auditimit …

Impakti I Vlerësimit Të Performancës Në Ngritjen E Cilësisë Në Sektorin Publik, Enver Durmishi

Theses and Dissertations

Vlerësimet për menaxhimin në institucionet publike është një çështje e cila shtron nevojën për qasje shumë serioze. Pёr këto janë bërë më shumë hulumtime dhe studime, shumica e tyre janё përqendruar në vlerësimet e menaxhmentit por edhe në shkaqet që kanë shtyer nevojën për ndryshime, por pak vëmendje u kushtohet burimeve të cilët ndikojnë në ndryshimet. Nga hulumtimi që ne kemi bërë del që një kontribut të rëndësishëm në këtë çështje ka edhe vlerësimi i angazhimit dhe mbështetjes nga ana e menaxhmentit, efektet e këtyre fenomeneve dhe dhёnia e rekomandimeve dhe strategjive që menaxherët në institucionet publike mund t’i përdorin …

Menaxhimi I Politikave Publike Fiskale Dhe Roli I Tyre Në Zhvillimin E Bizneseve Të Kosovës, Ibrahim Krasniqi

Theses and Dissertations

Menaxhimi i politikave publike e fiskale dhe roli i tyre në zhvillimin e Bizneseve është preokupim i të gjitha qeverive të shteteve të ndryshme në përmasa ndërkombëtare pa marrë parasysh sistemin politik, ekonomik dhe nivelin apo shkallën e zhvillimit ekonomik të tyre. Politikë Fiskale kuptojmë aktivitetin e paramenduar në formimin e të hyrave publike dhe financimit të shpenzimeve publike me qëllim të realizimit të funksioneve të ndryshme të shtetit apo të bashkësive shoqërore politike të përcaktuara në kushtetutë dhe me ligj. Menaxhim ose drejtim ekonomik: përfaqëson procesin kompleks të organizimit e të drejtimit të një kompanie, institucioni ose organizate, për …