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Articles 241 - 264 of 264
Full-Text Articles in Engineering
Information Retrieval Performance Enhancement Using The Average Standard Estimator And The Multi-Criteria Decision Weighted Set, Tareq Ahram
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Information retrieval is much more challenging than traditional small document collection retrieval. The main difference is the importance of correlations between related concepts in complex data structures. These structures have been studied by several information retrieval systems. This research began by performing a comprehensive review and comparison of several techniques of matrix dimensionality estimation and their respective effects on enhancing retrieval performance using singular value decomposition and latent semantic analysis. Two novel techniques have been introduced in this research to enhance intrinsic dimensionality estimation, the Multi-criteria Decision Weighted model to estimate matrix intrinsic dimensionality for large document collections and the …
Stochastic Resource Constrained Project Scheduling With Stochastic Task Insertion Problems, Sandra Archer
Stochastic Resource Constrained Project Scheduling With Stochastic Task Insertion Problems, Sandra Archer
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The area of focus for this research is the Stochastic Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (SRCPSP) with Stochastic Task Insertion (STI). The STI problem is a specific form of the SRCPSP, which may be considered to be a cross between two types of problems in the general form: the Stochastic Project Scheduling Problem, and the Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problem. The stochastic nature of this problem is in the occurrence/non-occurrence of tasks with deterministic duration. Researchers Selim (2002) and Grey (2007) laid the groundwork for the research on this problem. Selim (2002) developed a set of robustness metrics and used …
Multiobjective Coordination Models For Maintenance And Service Parts Inventory Planning And Control, Oscar Martinez
Multiobjective Coordination Models For Maintenance And Service Parts Inventory Planning And Control, Oscar Martinez
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
In many equipment-intensive organizations in the manufacturing, service and particularly the defense sectors, service parts inventories constitute a significant source of tactical and operational costs and consume a significant portion of capital investment. For instance, the Defense Logistics Agency manages about 4 million consumable service parts and provides about 93% of all consumable service parts used by the military services. These items required about US$1.9 billion over the fiscal years 1999-2002. During the same time, the US General Accountability Office discovered that, in the United States Navy, there were about 3.7 billion ship and submarine parts that were not needed. …
Defining Risk Assessment Confidence Levels For Use In Project Management Communications, Gary Johnson
Defining Risk Assessment Confidence Levels For Use In Project Management Communications, Gary Johnson
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
A review of the literature regarding risk management and effective risk communications identified that very few researchers have addressed risk assessment confidence levels when using risk scoring methods. The focus of this research is to develop a definition of risk assessment confidence levels for use in internal project management communications and to evaluate its usefulness. This research defines risk assessment confidence level as "The degree of certainty that the likelihood or consequence score (assigned by the risk assessor) reflects reality." A specific level of confidence is defined based on the types of analyses that were conducted to determine the risk …
Project Review Maturity And Project Performance: An Empirical Case Study, Catherine Vergopia
Project Review Maturity And Project Performance: An Empirical Case Study, Catherine Vergopia
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Many organizations use project management maturity models to improve their project performance. These systematic and sequential frameworks are designed to help organizations quantify their project management maturity and improve their project management processes. However, these models rarely put enough emphasis on project reviews as tools to improve project performance, because, too often, project reviews are considered as non-productive administrative processes. The lack of emphasis on project reviews in project management maturity models is also illustrated by the limited amount of research published on the relationship between project reviews and project performance. Based on the concept of project management maturity models, …
Developmemnt Of A Modeling And Simulation Training Needs Model For Selected Defense Acquisition Workforce Communities, Lik Chun Peh
Developmemnt Of A Modeling And Simulation Training Needs Model For Selected Defense Acquisition Workforce Communities, Lik Chun Peh
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The DoD Modeling and Simulation Steering Committee (M&S SC) identified Modeling and Simulation (M&S) as an educational objective for the Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (AT&L) workforce. Notably, past usages of M&S in system acquisitions for both DoD and commercial industry have demonstrated improvements in efficiency and effectiveness over traditional acquisition techniques. However, to achieve expected and consistent performance by this workforce in these new techniques, the M&S essential skill requirements for this workforce may be extensive. This research aims to validate the content and level of competency in selected M&S tools and technology necessary for consistent workforce performance. The notion …
Modeling Lane-Based Traffic Flow In Emergency Situations In The Presence Of Multiple Heterogeneous Flows, Amani Saleh
Modeling Lane-Based Traffic Flow In Emergency Situations In The Presence Of Multiple Heterogeneous Flows, Amani Saleh
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
In recent years, natural, man-made and technological disasters have been increasing in magnitude and frequency of occurrence. Terrorist attacks have increased after the September 11, 2001. Some authorities suggest that global warming is partly the blame for the increase in frequency of natural disasters, such as the series of hurricanes in the early-2000's. Furthermore, there has been noticeable growth in population within many metropolitan areas not only in the US but also worldwide. These and other facts motivate the need for better emergency evacuation route planning (EERP) approaches in order to minimize the loss of human lives and property. This …
A Comprehensive Multi-Faceted Approach For Simultaneously Analyzing Organizational Performance Measures Essential For Company Su, Ana Ferreras
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Profit, ergonomics, safety, employee morale, quality, efficiency, and productivity are critical components that greatly impact company success within manufacturing organizations. Therefore, it is essential that a valid and reliable systematic approach that encompasses all of these factors be developed for use by top management in today's rapidly changing manufacturing environment. Organizational-level decisions made based upon a single goal or narrow perspective that only considers one of the aforementioned components, such as profit, while ignoring others, such as employee morale, have proven harmful to the long term viability and success of manufacturing companies. Often organizational leaders are not adequately equipped to …
A Framework To Align Strategy, Improvement Performance, And Customer Satisfaction Using An Integration Of Six Sigma And Balanced, Adriana Rodriguez
A Framework To Align Strategy, Improvement Performance, And Customer Satisfaction Using An Integration Of Six Sigma And Balanced, Adriana Rodriguez
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This dissertation investigated the development, implementation, and evaluation of a management methodology founded on the alignment among the strategy, performance, and customer to bring value to any organization. A case study/action research in a service organization, called Institution "Z," provided the opportunity to assess the effects of the proposed Six Sigma Scorecard (SSS) methodology in the productivity indicators (measured by cycle time, line capacity, and number of errors). The Case study/action research was conducted in three phases: Model and Concepts Design, Data Collection, and Findings. During the research, validity was pursued by using triangulation and theory to help maintain the …
Mass Customization Strategies And Their Relationship To Lean Production In The Homebuilding Industry, Isabelina Nahmens
Mass Customization Strategies And Their Relationship To Lean Production In The Homebuilding Industry, Isabelina Nahmens
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Current housing trends point to an increasing interest from homebuyers to demand houses that reflect their personal and unique styles, and which are individually configured according to these needs (NAHB, 2004). These homebuyers in turn are unwilling to settle for standard models that sacrifice what they really want in a home. At the same time this creates pressure on builders who are reluctant to sacrifice production efficiencies by deviating from standard models. Such customization desired by demanding customers can disrupt the entire estimating, production, delivery and management process, making it even more difficult to manage homebuilding efficiently and effectively. The …
Optimizing The Design Of Multimodal User Interfaces, Leah Reeves
Optimizing The Design Of Multimodal User Interfaces, Leah Reeves
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Due to a current lack of principle-driven multimodal user interface design guidelines, designers may encounter difficulties when choosing the most appropriate display modality for given users or specific tasks (e.g., verbal versus spatial tasks). The development of multimodal display guidelines from both a user and task domain perspective is thus critical to the achievement of successful human-system interaction. Specifically, there is a need to determine how to design task information presentation (e.g., via which modalities) to capitalize on an individual operator's information processing capabilities and the inherent efficiencies associated with redundant sensory information, thereby alleviating information overload. The present effort …
Optimization Models For Emergency Relief Shelter Planning For Anticipated Hurricane Events, Abeer Tarief Sharawi
Optimization Models For Emergency Relief Shelter Planning For Anticipated Hurricane Events, Abeer Tarief Sharawi
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Natural disasters, specifically hurricanes, can cause catastrophic loss of life and property. In recent years, the United States has endured significant losses due to a series of devastating hurricanes (e.g., Hurricanes Charley and Ivan in 2004, and Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma in 2005). Several Federal authorities report that there are weaknesses in the emergency and disaster planning and response models that are currently employed in practice, thus creating a need for better decision models in emergency situations. The current models not only lack fast communication with emergency responders and the public, but are also inadequate for advising the pre-positioning of …
Cognitive Learning From Computer-Based Information Systems By Incorporating Knowledge Construction Interventions, Wajdi Wazzan
Cognitive Learning From Computer-Based Information Systems By Incorporating Knowledge Construction Interventions, Wajdi Wazzan
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The aim of the present study was to develop and empirically evaluate different categories of instructional activities, which stimulate the generation and construction of knowledge on the part of an individual student. These generative activities are primed by prompts or scaffolds, which can easily be inserted into specific curriculum addressing any domain of knowledge. To assess the manner in which the knowledge construction interventions influence the learning outcomes from computerized information systems, we have developed an online computer-based information system that describes the functions and mechanisms associated with the bus system of the US army Abrams M1A2 tank. Seven versions …
Identification And Suitability Of A Non-Anthropomorphic Meta-Language Framework In Military Applications, Gilbert Cardona
Identification And Suitability Of A Non-Anthropomorphic Meta-Language Framework In Military Applications, Gilbert Cardona
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Humans carry mental models concerning the behaviors, looks, and operation of products, tools, and items used in their daily lives. When these items do not fit a user's conceptual model confusion and inefficiency occur. There are four basic types of mental models based on interactive activities: 1) instructing, 2) conversing, 3) manipulating and navigating, and 4) exploring and browsing. This thesis will focus on the conversing conceptual model and its application to communications between human-agent teams to best fit a user's mental model for that communication. A non-anthropomorphic framework does not exist for use in military applications such as; target …
Developing A Spatial Interface For Information Visualization And Management In A Crisis Response Scenario, Anthony Costello
Developing A Spatial Interface For Information Visualization And Management In A Crisis Response Scenario, Anthony Costello
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The focus of this study was to investigate how a spatial interface can be effectively utilized to support information presentation and information integration via human-centric data visualization, leading to decreased cognitive load, more accurate situation awareness, and subsequently, improved task performance. In high tempo, information intensive environments like those managed by an emergency operations center (EOC), information organization tools are essential. Though users can be trained to use conventional email software applications efficiently, the constraints of the information management paradigms inherent to conventional systems may limit a user's ability to gather context and create an accurate picture of the situation. …
A Framework For The Assessment And Analysis Of Multi-Hazardsinduced Risk Resulting From Space Vehicles Operations, Serge Sala-Diakanda
A Framework For The Assessment And Analysis Of Multi-Hazardsinduced Risk Resulting From Space Vehicles Operations, Serge Sala-Diakanda
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
With the foreseeable increase in traffic frequency to and from orbit, the safe operation of current and future space vehicles at designated spaceports has become a serious concern. Due to their high explosive energy potential, operating those launch vehicles presents a real risk to: (1) the spaceport infrastructure and personnel, (2) the communities surrounding the spaceport and (3) the flying aircrafts whose routes could be relatively close to spaceport launch and reentry routes. Several computer models aimed at modeling the effects of the different hazards generated by the breakup of such vehicles (e.g., fragmentation of debris, release of toxic gases, …
Design For Auditory Displays: Identifying Temporal And Spatial Information Conveyance Principles, Ali Ahmad
Design For Auditory Displays: Identifying Temporal And Spatial Information Conveyance Principles, Ali Ahmad
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Designing auditory interfaces is a challenge for current human-systems developers. This is largely due to a lack of theoretical guidance for directing how best to use sounds in today's visually-rich graphical user interfaces. This dissertation provided a framework for guiding the design of audio interfaces to enhance human-systems performance. This doctoral research involved reviewing the literature on conveying temporal and spatial information using audio, using this knowledge to build three theoretical models to aid the design of auditory interfaces, and empirically validating select components of the models. The three models included an audio integration model that outlines an end-to-end process …
Stress, Fatigue And Workload: Determining The Combined Affect On Human Performance, Jessica Mock-Mclaughlin
Stress, Fatigue And Workload: Determining The Combined Affect On Human Performance, Jessica Mock-Mclaughlin
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This research generated a model that will help to predict, prevent, control and mitigate the occurrence of task related factors that negatively influence stress, fatigue, and workload; thus enhancing human performance. Past research efforts involving stress, fatigue and workload identified factors that influence a change in performance (Lan, Ji and Looney, 2003, and Hancock & Warm, 1989). Also, while some mathematical models have been developed within each respective area, however, there is no evidence of an integrated model describing the combined affect of stress, fatigue and workload. To respond to this research gap, a quantitative model representing the state of …
Decision-Maker Trade-Offs In Multiple Response Surface Optimization, Alicia Hawkins
Decision-Maker Trade-Offs In Multiple Response Surface Optimization, Alicia Hawkins
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The focus of this dissertation is on improving decision-maker trade-offs and the development of a new constrained methodology for multiple response surface optimization. There are three key components of the research: development of the necessary conditions and assumptions associated with constrained multiple response surface optimization methodologies; development of a new constrained multiple response surface methodology; and demonstration of the new method. The necessary conditions for and assumptions associated with constrained multiple response surface optimization methods were identified and found to be less restrictive than requirements previously described in the literature. The conditions and assumptions required for a constrained method to …
Buffer Techniques For Stochastic Resource Constrained Project Scheduling With Stochastic Task Insertions Problems, Jennifer Grey
Buffer Techniques For Stochastic Resource Constrained Project Scheduling With Stochastic Task Insertions Problems, Jennifer Grey
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Project managers are faced with the challenging task of managing an environment filled with uncertainties that may lead to multiple disruptions during project execution. In particular, they are frequently confronted with planning for routine and non-routine unplanned work: known, identified, tasks that may or may not occur depending upon various, often unpredictable, factors. This problem is known as the stochastic task insertion problem, where tasks of deterministic duration occur stochastically. Traditionally, project managers may include an extra margin within deterministic task times or an extra time buffer may be allotted at the end of the project schedule to protect the …
Management Systems Fit For Organizational Performance, Rey Diaz
Management Systems Fit For Organizational Performance, Rey Diaz
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The present study identifies the dimensions and variables using prior research within each of the constructs under the management systems, fit and, organizational strategy, structure, lifecycle and performance. The constructs from the research model were defined with a combination of direct, calculated and coded measures. Context analysis for each case categorized management systems design into either prescriptive or descriptive. The selected performance measures have been extensively investigated in the research fields associated with organizational management. The study uses the multiple case study design with cross-sectional data spanning from 1991 to 2005 and involving 19 aerospace companies in the United States. …
Using Surrogate Measures To Predict Patient Satisfaction In The Emergency Department, Erica Egri
Using Surrogate Measures To Predict Patient Satisfaction In The Emergency Department, Erica Egri
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
With healthcare organizations struggling to remain competitive and financially stable in a market where minimizing costs is a priority, hospital administrators feel the sense of urgency when it comes to keeping patients satisfied with services in order to expand volume and market share. The Emergency Department is considered the front door of a healthcare organization, and keeping its visitors satisfied in order to guarantee a future visit or a referral to a friend or family member is a must. While patient input on the services received in a healthcare facility is essential to improving quality of care, the costs associated …
Investigation Of Nascar Restrictor Plate Manifold Insert Using Wave Engine Simulation And Response Surface Methodology, John Mason Gross Iii
Investigation Of Nascar Restrictor Plate Manifold Insert Using Wave Engine Simulation And Response Surface Methodology, John Mason Gross Iii
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
With the increasing growth in computer processing power, computer based computational fluid dynamics simulations are finding increasing acceptance and use in the field of internal combustion engine development. Once fully developed, such simulations provide detailed and expedient tools for testing existing theories, as well as new ideas. While numerous studies on wave propagation and fluid flow in intakes manifolds exist, most restrict the analysis to a single intake runner and port, examining only the dynamics from the runner-to-plenum junction downstream to the valve. While such analyses provide comprehensive models for wave propagation dynamics in the runner, little is published on …
Decision Support Model For Construction Crew Reassignments, Angela M. Sist
Decision Support Model For Construction Crew Reassignments, Angela M. Sist
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The reassignment of crews on a construction project in response to changes occurs on a frequent basis. The factors that affect the crew reassignment decision can be myriad and most are not known with certainty. This research addresses the need for a decision support model to assist construction managers with the crew reassignment problem. The model design makes use of certainty factors in a decision tree structure. The research helped to determine the elements in the decision tree, the appropriate combination rules to use with the certainty factors, and the method for combining the certainty factors and costs to develop …