Business Administration, Management, and Operations Commons^™

The Repatriation Of Corporate Female Executives : A European Study, Colette Collins-O'Sullivan

Theses

Over the past number of years there has been an increasing recognition that an important element of a successful foreign assignment includes a successful repatriation process. In recent years, empirical studies of women in international management from a European perspective have been carried out, however, the topic of female repatriation still remains a relatively unexplored area. The majority of the existing research on repatriation is taken from a male perspective. The particular focus of this study is the repatriation process from a female perspective. Twenty-seven senior international female managers representing a wide range of industry and service sectors were interviewed. …

Design, Simulation And Fabrication Of A Mems In-Situ Contactless Sensor To Detect Plasma Induced Damage During Reactive Ion Etching, Subramanian Ganesh

Theses

The present trend in the semiconductor industry is towards submicron devices. An inevitable process technique in achieving this is by reactive ion etching of the polysilicon gate. During RIE, the gate oxide may get damaged due to several causes. One of the main causes of the damage is the non-uniformity of the plasma. It is reported that these plasma inconsistencies are mainly due to electrode design and that they create spatial plasma potential fluctuation. These fluctuations are reported to be in the range of 10-20 Volts. By providing an in-situ monitoring of the wafers, the reliability of the device could …

Expert System For The Generation Of A Work Breakdown Structure, Bernard O'Callaghan

Theses

This thesis outlines research work carried out in the Mechanical & Manufacturing Department in Cork Regional Technical College, Ireland. With computers now having an increasingly dominant role in all areas of business, it was inevitable that computer-based project management packages would become more popular. To date however, these packages have concentrated on monitoring and controlling projects. The definition and brainstorming phases required to generate a project plan are still largely manual tasks. Planning a project initially involves generating a complete and organised list of all the tasks needing to be completed in order to achieve a project’s goal. This list …

An Investigation Into The Design & Implementation Of A Customer Service Manual For Laboratories In A Hospital Setting, Fay M. Craft

Theses

The following applied learning expository thesis will focus on the design and implementation of a customer service manual for reference laboratories in a hospital setting.

The purpose of the manual is to provide direction for the reference laboratory customer service employees. Specifically, the manual consists of a series of steps which will enable employees to better service the hospital reference laboratory customers. The manual was broken down into sections which addressed characteristics, order taking, dispatching phlebotomists, proper collection of specimens, phlebotomy notification, registration of patient specimens, processing and reviewing of specimens, hiring, training, customer satisfaction, complaints and expectations.

Three reference …

Integrating Key Functions In Product Development : A Conceptual Product Development Model For The Korean Context, Jong-Wook Kim

Theses

The high-tech market is characterized by market uncertainty, technology uncertainty and rapid change. To survive in this risky high-tech market, a company must create competitively effective product development practices that meet its own unique needs and circumstances.

One effective practice is cross-functional integration in the product development process. The advantages of integration include a shortened time to market, successful transformation of research results to production, productivity improvement, innovation project success, and high-quality problem solutions. However, these advantages are rarely obtained in the current product development practices of Korean companies. Their product development efforts are generally characterized by time consuming sequential …

Nursing Home Management Of The Certified Nurse's Aide: Voluntary Job Turnover, Job Satisfaction, And An Overview Of Industry Challenges With Proven Solutions, Kevin G. Sullivan

Theses

This thesis will focus on the issues surrounding the voluntary turnover rate of the certified nurse's aide population. Research has attributed the high turnover rate to numerous factors such as inadequate monetary compensation, lack of job satisfaction, difficulty in being promoted, inattention of management to the relevant issues, and the failure of management to use proven solutions utilized by other non- health care businesses in attracting and retaining qualified and desirable employees.

With annual turnover rates of the certified nurse's aide population estimated in the 100% to 300% range, the magnitude of the problem cannot be disputed. However, with the …

Achieving Complete Customer Satisfaction, Marilyn K. Haag

Theses

The term customer service has changed in meaning over the years. There was a time when it suggested an unpleasant experience for both the customer and the business. Employees tried to avoid complaints because they weren't educated in how to handle them. Over time, customer service evolved into a much broader meaning as companies noticed that the leaders in their industry provided service as part of the sale. When companies began to change their own way of doing business, they began to see profits associated with offering service with the sale, and they found that it can be the "secret …

House Bill 564, The School Health Initiative: An Implementation Manual For St. Charles County, Anne F. Zerr

Theses

This thesis project will be an Applied Learning Expository Study, creating an Implementation Manual for the provisions set forth in House Bill 564, the School Health Initiative.

The manual will be specific to St. Charles County. It will take into consideration the needs of the St. Charles community relative to the health of its school children.

Passed by the Missouri legislature and signed into law by Governor Mel Carnahan in the summer of 1994, House Bill 564 aims to improve health care access for Missouri's children by creating an innovative infrastructure for primary care delivery. It is a multi-faceted bill …

An Investigation Into The Design And Implementation Of A Policies And Procedures Manual For Collegiate Financial Aid, Pam Jones Williams

Theses

This expository study will focus on the development of a Policies and Procedures Manual for Collegiate Financial Aid.

Collegiate financial aid is a complex, ever-changing field. As such, there is a pressing need for financial aid offices to develop, and adhere to, a set of financial aid policies and procedures which can be uniformly applied and consistently referred to by all staff members.

The total dollars involved in the financial aid process can be staggering: each year billions of dollars are awarded to students in the form of federal, state, and institutional scholarships, grants, and loans. It is no wonder …

Controlling Hazards Associated With Confined Spaces, Srinivas S. Varahabhotla

Theses

Work in Confined Spaces poses special health and safety problems. To avoid the serious consequences which may follow poorly planned or poorly supervised confined space work, a comprehensive program of recognition, evaluation and control of potential dangers must be developed.

The work force should be aware of the extreme dangers associated with confined space and of the procedures and equipment used to overcome these dangers effectively and safely.

The purpose of this thesis is to present the hazardous conditions in a confined space and different means of overcoming these dangers which are not readily apparent. It shows how confined spaces …

Manufacturing Automation Protocol Implementation Guide, Richard H. Infantino

Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to provide a starting point for individuals seeking information on the Manufacturing Automation Protocol (MAP) Specification. This thesis is designed to be as comprehensive as possible, yet, still basic enough to be understood by an individual who may not be familiar with computers and networks, and how they function. The intent is to progress gradually from basic networking concepts and characteristics, to defining network requirements, and finally to network design and installation. At the conclusion of the paper is an Organized Method Approach to MAP network design and installation that could serve as a …

The Impact Of Product Line Management For Women's Services In Healthcare, Jill M. Skyles

Theses

This paper will focus on the problem of poor utilization of resources in women's health care and how product line management may allow for a cost effective means of providing quality care with optimal use of resources.

In the past decade, hospitals have had to adjust to changes in the payment system. This has forced hospital executives to develop and implement innovative management strategies to continue to provide quality patient care, while keeping costs at a minimum.

Research has attributed the lack of product line management in health care to a basic misunderstanding of product line management. In the past, …

Continental Ceramics At Auction: A Statistical Analysis Of The Effects Of Property Designations Upon Final Sale Price, Margaret Scott Wallace

Theses

This study, Continental Ceramics at Auction: A Statistical Analysis of the Effects of Property Designations Upon Final Sale Price by Margaret Scott Wallace, explores the relationship between auction catalogue property designations and the final sale prices of 18th-century continental ceramics. Conducted as part of the Master of Valuation Sciences program at Lindenwood College, the research focuses specifically on sales held by Sotheby’s and Christie’s in New York between 1984 and 1986.

The central hypothesis posits that identifying the seller—especially when associated with prestige or recognizability—positively influences the auction outcomes. The study utilizes statistical methodologies, including crosstabulations and regression analysis, to …

Simulation And Off-Line Programming Of Robotic Workcells, Krishnaprasad V. Kamisetty

Theses

A typical, complex robotic workcell, namely NJIT's Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) cell has been designed, modelled and simulated to bridge the gap between design and its implementation. McDonnell Douglas' (McAuto) PLACE, BUILD, COMMAND and ADJUST have been used to simulate entire cycle of the NJIT's FMS cell. Various aspects such as "Cycle Time Analysis", robot reachability of various positions in the cell and "Collision Detection" have also been studied and analyzed.

The ease of effecting any modifications to the existing workcell design has been demonstrated. The NJIT's FMS cell consists of the GE P-50 robot, the IBM 7535 robot, the …

Management Of Construction Jobsite Productivity : A Self Assessment Approach, Nicos Poliviou Nicolaou

Theses

A critical component of construction project management is the improvement of jobsite productivity. This paper proposes a procedure for use by project managers to assess jobsite productivity performance. The methodology provides a framework which when applied will identify specific aspects of the jobsite where potential productivity improvement is possible. A major feature is its systematic approach which will direct the project manager to the specific resources which when better managed will lead to lower construction costs.

Feasibiltiy, Planning, And Justification Of Fms : A Case Study, Joo Hwan Kim

Theses

FMS production technology, because of its ability to adjust to changes in product demands and produce at competitive costs even on small runs and at above quality levels, has caused its adoption by the major automobile manufacturers. These attributes are of particular interest to Korean automobile manufacturers who due to a small home market need to manufacture in relative small quantities and to export.

This paper considers how such a technology can be implemented. It discusses the key factors to be considered such as strategy, selection and design of the appropriate hardware and software, required organizational changes, and its economic …

The Effects Of Degraded Indoor Air Quality On Employees Working In High Rise Office Buildings, Richard Patrick Luongo

Theses

An examination of the effects of poor indoor air quality on workers in high rise office buildings was conducted. These effects are manifested physiologically, psychologically and economically and originate from sources inside and outside the building, as well as from the building's ventilation system. These sources include combustion products, microorganisms, volatile organic chemicals, cigarette smoke and miscellaneous chemicals. Lower productivity and higher absenteeism are the initial results of these effects. If the situation becomes chronic, an erosion of trust between employer and employee can occur which may eventually serve as the basis for litigation, such as worker's compensation claims and …

A Research Analysis : Differences Between Contemporary Corporate Management And Entrepreneurial Management, Kevin A. Gugliotta

Theses

A research analysis was conducted to distinguish the differences between contemporary corporate management and entrepreneurial management. A major difference is in the attitude, perception, and priority of the senior management and the organizational mission. Other distinguishing differences are related to individual and organizational leadership, organizational hierarchy and structure, decision-making authority, and compensation systems for employees.

A Study Of Productivity Levels Under Theory X And Theory Y Management Styles, Kevin R. Hranicka

Theses

This thesis will focus on management and the effect of management orientation and style upon work group productivity.

Researchers have attempted to find methods for managers to use to increase employee work output or productivity for decades. As early as the beginning of the nineteenth century industrialists were experimenting with different methods of operation and organization in the hopes of raising output levels and increasing worker satisfaction. In the last fifty years management styles and employee productivity have played an ever increasingly important role in the economy as society has continued to institutionalize its needs and its providers.

This change …

Implementation Of A Robotic Workcell, John J. Rogers

Theses

This thesis is intended to provide the reader with some insight into the implementation of robotics technology into an organization. A seven step approach to implementing robotics into an organization was used. The seven steps consist of the following:

1) Initial familiarization with the technology.

2) Plant survey to identify potential applications.

3) Selection of the application.

4) Selection of the robot.

5) Detailed economic analysis.

6) Planning and engineering the installation.

7) Installation.

These steps were applied in an actual organization, the IBM Corp. Real-life processes and operations were utilized in proceeding with the seven step approach. Included in …

The Strategic Planning Dilemma In American Manufacturing, James Andrew Kiray

Theses

The decline of American manufacturing competitiveness is a highly publicized and controversial issue. This publicity has led to a panacea of solutions being offered to this problem. As a result, many conflicting viewpoints have emerged, which have aided in making any solution to this problem extremely difficult. Top executives have been inundated with recommendations for change, causing confusion at all levels of management.

In an effort to define the underlying problems existing within the American strategic planning process, this author has selected current literature which supports his own views, and has expended upon these views.

Once these underlying problems are …

Development Of A Knowledge-Based System For Human Error Analysis, Bang-Chiang Sung

Theses

Human Factors is one of several essential issues in a discussion of system productivity. Its consideration must be included in the design, development, operation, and maintenance of any human-machine system. In order to maximize the system productivity, humans must perform with their maximum possible efficiency. To achieve this, all human-related activities must be evaluated to determine their possible causes of errors and the consequences. Then, if unable to completely remove, the causes of human errors must be minimized.

This thesis integrates a knowledge of expert system into an analysis of human errors. Its objective is to develop a knowledge-based system …

Team Development Is An Industry Management Tool Whose Time Has Arrived, Jacquelyn Jean Smith

Theses

This study examines the evolution and practice of participative management within the General Motors Wentzville Assembly Center, with a focus on team development, labor–management relations, and organizational communication. The research situates the Wentzville plant as a case study in the broader context of the U.S. automotive industry’s efforts to implement participative programs during the late 20th century, including quality circles, team-based structures, and employee involvement initiatives.

The thesis highlights the challenges and opportunities faced by both management and the United Auto Workers (UAW) in adopting cooperative approaches to decision-making and problem-solving. Key themes include the role of trust and transparency …

A Model For The Determination Of Market Based Pricing Of Telecommunication Products, Katherine J. Sullivan

Theses

The deregulation of AT&T, has impacted telecommunication product pricing in the U.S. market. Previously, pricing had been based on cost plus mark-up, as stipulated by regulatory commissions. Now, pricing decisions require consideration of the competitive impact, consumer demand for the product, corporate pricing objectives and marketing strategies. This paper proposes a pricing process that is relevant for this new environment which enables the product manager to price properly.

The method proposed utilizes microeconomic theory and takes into account the product test price, unit cost, opportunity cost, nonprice factor cost and consumer demand. Incorporating a number of different pricing strategies, it …

Utilization Of The Theory Of Constraints Approach For Improving A Manufacturing Enterprise Profitability : A Case Study, Yaron Chaut

Theses

The past two decades have been a difficult period for the U.S. as it lost its dominant position in one manufacturing industry after another to Japan. The American worker was initially blamed for this phenomenon - he was too expensive, was less productive, and produced lower quality products then the Japanese worker. The opening of factories in the U.S. managed by Japanese with American workers proved this claim to be wrong, as their products were competitive and often even better then the original Japanese products. It also indicated that the Japanese production planning and control methods are the primary reason …

A Methodology For Evaluating Prospective Investments In Flexible Automation, Werner A. Eikenbusch

Theses

The flexible automation of production systems (FA) provides the technology necessary for competitive success. However, the use of traditional budgeting methods has proved unsatisfactory when evaluating this type of investment, primarily because of the inadequate consideration being given to the resultant strategic benefits.

A methodology considered suitable for evaluating FA investments is proposed together with an illustrative application. To determine its industrial usefulness, manufacturing managers of North American and West German companies were surveyed both via interviews and via questionnaires. Their response confirms the merit of the procedure, despite the differences in competitive foci found between the American and the …

Micro Cad/Cam System Selection And Implementation, Christian Georg Haas

Theses

The rapid growth of the computer market in the last four decades causes difficulties in evaluating the various systems and configurations of this complex market.

This thesis focuses on graphics capable microcomputers in the computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacturing (CAM) field. The thesis emphasizes the technical possibilities such a system offers in terms of hardware, software and applications. Each hardware and software component is detailed to give a new-comer the opportunity to update him or herself in this high technology field. Technical information, as well as installation and implementation are described. Also, provided are lists of several …

The State And Future Of Televised Professional Training Systems, Robert Michael Brady

Theses

This paper investigates the topic of televised professional training -- that is training and educating managers and technical professionals via live or videotaped television broadcasts. The investigation begins with a description of how some typical educational networks operate; it then goes on to analyze in a strictly theoretical sense, some of the advantages and disadvantages that such a system would have compared with the traditional methods of offering continuing education; it then discusses the results of two specially prepared surveys -- one addressed to the administrator/manager, and one addressed to the student. These areas are then united in a final …

Evaluation Of Word Processing Cost Effectiveness, Nicholas E. Tedesco

Theses

The objective of this thesis is to examine the use of word processing technology to determine if its implementation is a cost effective investment. This will be accomplished by comparing the cost of a typewritten page before and after the implementation or upgrade of word processing equipment. The degree of utilization and the impact of utilization on standard costs will also be examined.

Significant difficulty was encountered attempting to locate and compile statistical information on word processing. Therefore, a questionnaire was developed and distributed to the 100 largest public and 100 largest private companies headquartered in New Jersey, requesting information …

Application Of Robots In Developing Countries, Badi Uddin

Theses

The increasing versatility of robots has led to their use in a widening range of applications. The robot population is growing at a remarkable pace. The increase in the use of robots in industry has changed the standards of productivity and quality. During past years, as labor costs has risen, safety and environmental regulations have been changed to provide more benefits to workers and capabilities of robots became more sophisticated. Therefore, robots became a valuable piece of production equipment.

Now, robots are able to perform all kinds of hazardous and heavy duty jobs which are harmful to human life or …