Systems Science Commons^™

First Impressions : A Study Of The Relationship Between Presenting Problems And Clinical Perception, Holly Elizabeth Fussell

Dissertations and Theses

Processes involved in clinical perception typically result in tangible outcomes of interest to clients and practitioners (e.g., diagnoses). In developing an overall impression of clients, practitioners integrate information related to target problems clients present. Substance abuse counselors, in particular, are increasingly being asked to assess clients for co-occurring problems. Domestic violence has been identified as a particularly salient co-occurring problem associated with substance abuse.

This dissertation draws on theory by Solomon Asch (1946, 1952) to examine how presenting problems such as domestic violence shape clinical outcomes and processes in substance abuse assessment interviews. Most clinical interactions occur, however, under confidential …

Interpersonal Sensitivity And Information Sharing During Layoffs: Implications For Job Seekers, Rainer Seitz

Dissertations and Theses

Layoffs have become an increasingly common cost reduction strategy implemented by organizations. In addition to affecting those who lose their jobs or remain with the organization after a reduction, layoffs may also affect individuals outside the organization. A systems perspective on layoffs takes into account the various stakeholders who are affected by such an action beyond those traditionally studied. Job applicants are one group of stakeholders for which research on the implications of layoffs is lacking. The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the specific organizational justice factors of interpersonal sensitivity and information sharing in a layoff and their …

A Decision Model For Technology Assessment To Reduce The Internal Digital Divide In Emerging Economies (Case: Costa Rica), Audrey MaríA Alvear BáEz

Dissertations and Theses

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) such as Wireless, the Internet, and e-commerce software are profoundly impacting how business and government are conducted. Digital divide (DD) refers to the gap that opens up between those who have access to, benefit and interact with ICTs and those who can not. ICTs can either accelerate change and thereby increase the DD in developing countries, or, if deployed carefully can be a tool to reduce the DD within a country. This study presents a systematic approach for doing the latter by identifying the ICTs, technology applications and key sectors that most impact the internal …

Globally Convergent Approximate Dynamic Programming Applied To An Autolander, J.J. Murray, Richard Saeks, C.J. Cox, George G. Lendaris

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

A globally convergent nonlinear Approximate Dynamic Programming algorithm is described, and an implementation of the algorithm in the linear case is developed. The resultant linear Approximate Dynamic Programming algorithm is illustrated via the design of an autolander for the NASA X-43 research aircraft, without a priori knowledge of the X-43's flight dynamics.

Distributed Economic Systems With Agents That Learn, Stanley Foster Perry

Dissertations and Theses

Economic systems are distributed in the sense that economic agents make decisions without any central control. Prices, quantities, wealth, and market structure emerge from the interaction of agents acting in their own self interest. The concepts and language of systems science are used to define economic systems in a manner that captures and articulates the distributed nature of economic systems. Further, the systems definition permits multiple views of the economic system, and in addition, allows the agents to "step outside" the system in order to study it.

Economic systems are defined in such a way that it is feasible to …

Identifying Quality Function Deployment's Variables, Outcomes, Their Relationships, And Guidelines For Practitioners In The American Automotive Industry, Geoffrey Paul Gilmore

Dissertations and Theses

American industry is about nine to 12 years behind in utilizing a new product development and introduction process known as Quality Function Deployment (Q.F.D.). American industry must learn to compete internationally; the American automotive industry alone directly and indirectly employs millions of workers and has billions of dollars in annual sales and profits at stake.

With the cooperation of one American automotive company research has been conducted on Q.F.D. The research objectives were to identify: what variables affect Q.F.D., what are the outcomes from Q.F.D., what relationships exist between Q.F.D. variables and outcomes, and what guidelines may be offered to …

An Investigation Into The Elasticity Of Demand For Motor Gasoline, Samy Fouad El-Iskandarany

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis investigates the existence and determinants of the elasticity of demand for motor gasoline.

The research can be divided into four main stages. In the first stage, time series data of fifteen member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) are analyzed.

The ratio of gasoline price per gallon to the per capita GNP is introduced in this research to explain the variability in the size of the price elasticities of demand over the various countries. The ratio is called the "Price Factor" and designated as P.F. The introduction of P.F. established the basis for meaningful …

Bayesian Inquiry: An Approach To The Use Of Experts, King G. Yee

Dissertations and Theses

Subjective information is a valuable resource; however, decisionmakers often ignore it because of difficulties in eliciting it from assessors. This thesis is on Bayesian inquiry and it presents an approach to eliciting subjective information from assessors. Based on the concepts of cascaded inference and Bayesian statistics, the approach is designed to reveal to the decision-maker the way in which the assessor considers his options and the reasons he has for selecting particular alternatives. Unlike previous works on cascaded inferences, the approach here focuses on incoherency. Specifically, it employs the use of additional information to revise and check the estimates. The …

Complex Systems And The Price-Resource Directive Coordination Procedure, Chamberlain Lambros Foes

Dissertations and Theses

In this thesis, the problem considered is that of linear static optimization of a large system which is composed of a finite number of subsystems, each characterized by its own constraint matrix and objective function.

The total system is itself constrained by resource availabilities and other factors, and its objective function is the mathematical linear sum of the objective function of the subsystems. The total system constraints couple together all the subsystems. The total system is first reformulated as a two-level problem by decoupling the total system constraints utilizing an arbitrary partition of the total system resources and other factors …