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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
The Nonprofit Sector's Involvement In Prisoner Reentry : A Mixed Methods Analysis, Michael Jay Woods
The Nonprofit Sector's Involvement In Prisoner Reentry : A Mixed Methods Analysis, Michael Jay Woods
Public Affairs Theses
The 1990's were plagued with crime and high recidivism rates, and the State of Texas responded by embarking upon the largest expansion of a criminal justice system in its history. Having served their sentences, record numbers of offenders who were sent to prison in the 1990's are now flooding the streets. At the time of their release, some of these offenders will have unmet needs, such as a lack of food, housing, and clothing. Others may need help enrolling in school or finding a job. Whatever their needs, a host of nonprofit organizations stand ready to assist ex-offenders in their …
Creating A Cohesive Triple Bottom Line: Helping The Urban Planner As A Liaison To The Citizen, Jeffery Earl Bell
Creating A Cohesive Triple Bottom Line: Helping The Urban Planner As A Liaison To The Citizen, Jeffery Earl Bell
Public Affairs Theses
This thesis is an attempt to create a viable liaison tool for the urban planner to create a cohesive idea of the Triple Bottom Line of sustainability between the citizen and the government of the city. By using consistent policy standards and adequate focus upon the new ideas of a sustainable lifestyle, the city should be able to create a viable structure for the future. In order to create a viable Triple Bottom Line, the citizen and the government will need to combine long term planning with current policy and standards of use and compliance in order to dedicate a …
Developers' Perceptions Of Opportunities & Obstacles To Building New Urbanist Communities In Dfw, Luke Jackson
Developers' Perceptions Of Opportunities & Obstacles To Building New Urbanist Communities In Dfw, Luke Jackson
Public Affairs Theses
The recent housing crash has done great damage to the American economy and has affected millions of households. Pre-crash, New Urbanist Communities became more popular to build, yet sprawl development remains the norm. I seek to find out why New Urbanist Communities are being built at their current rates in Dallas-Fort Worth, so to discover whether or not a market failure has occurred regarding this real estate product. This study analyzes supply-side factors affecting the development New Urbanist Communities (i.e. the factors affecting the developers in the Metroplex) through interviews with individuals representing each residential development company. The factors affecting …
Health Information Technology And Nurse Staff Efficiency: An Empirical Test In Residential Care Facilities, Jason D. Smith
Health Information Technology And Nurse Staff Efficiency: An Empirical Test In Residential Care Facilities, Jason D. Smith
Public Affairs Theses
This study examines the effects of health information technology (IT) on nursing staff efficiency. Specifically, the impact of clinical health IT applications on nursing staff efficiency is considered, along with the impact of health information exchange on nursing staff efficiency in those facilities with that utilize clinical IT. In an effort to elucidate these effects, I use data from the 2010 National Survey of Residential Care Facilities (NSRCF) to estimate six ordered logit models. The results indicate that clinical IT sophistication is positively associated with registered nurse (RN) HPPD. The effect on licensed practical nurses (LPN)/licensed vocational nurses (LVN) and …
The Nonprofit Sector's Involvement In Prisoner Reentry : A Mixed Methods Analysis, Michael Jay Woods
The Nonprofit Sector's Involvement In Prisoner Reentry : A Mixed Methods Analysis, Michael Jay Woods
Public Affairs Theses
The 1990's were plagued with crime and high recidivism rates, and the State of Texas responded by embarking upon the largest expansion of a criminal justice system in its history. Having served their sentences, record numbers of offenders who were sent to prison in the 1990's are now flooding the streets. At the time of their release, some of these offenders will have unmet needs, such as a lack of food, housing, and clothing. Others may need help enrolling in school or finding a job. Whatever their needs, a host of nonprofit organizations stand ready to assist ex-offenders in their …
Farmers Markets, Low Income Communities And Government Assistance Programs, Alysha Brady
Farmers Markets, Low Income Communities And Government Assistance Programs, Alysha Brady
Public Affairs Theses
Since the passage in 1976 of the Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing Act, there has been a sharp rise in number of farmers markets in this country, from approximately 600 in the 1970s to over 7,000 today. With this increase, farmers markets began to attract attention not only from farmers and consumers, but also from public policy experts. Some research has suggested that farmers markets may be a way to alleviate the poor access to healthy foods in low-income communities, in areas known as food deserts. The WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) and the Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) are …
Health Information Technology And Nurse Staff Efficiency: An Empirical Test In Residential Care Facilities, Jason D. Smith
Health Information Technology And Nurse Staff Efficiency: An Empirical Test In Residential Care Facilities, Jason D. Smith
Public Affairs Theses
This study examines the effects of health information technology (IT) on nursing staff efficiency. Specifically, the impact of clinical health IT applications on nursing staff efficiency is considered, along with the impact of health information exchange on nursing staff efficiency in those facilities with that utilize clinical IT. In an effort to elucidate these effects, I use data from the 2010 National Survey of Residential Care Facilities (NSRCF) to estimate six ordered logit models. The results indicate that clinical IT sophistication is positively associated with registered nurse (RN) HPPD. The effect on licensed practical nurses (LPN)/licensed vocational nurses (LVN) and …
Farmers Markets, Low Income Communities And Government Assistance Programs, Alysha Brady
Farmers Markets, Low Income Communities And Government Assistance Programs, Alysha Brady
Public Affairs Theses
Since the passage in 1976 of the Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing Act, there has been a sharp rise in number of farmers markets in this country, from approximately 600 in the 1970s to over 7,000 today. With this increase, farmers markets began to attract attention not only from farmers and consumers, but also from public policy experts. Some research has suggested that farmers markets may be a way to alleviate the poor access to healthy foods in low-income communities, in areas known as food deserts. The WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) and the Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) are …
The Issue Of Governance In Neighborhood Planning Programs, Brian Price
The Issue Of Governance In Neighborhood Planning Programs, Brian Price
Public Affairs Theses
Neighborhood planning programs are a kind of initiative cities all across the country utilize to engage communities in planning processes affecting their own neighborhoods and to target resources and city initiatives within these spaces more effectively. These programs also represent a governance process, where publically relevant affairs are regulated at the interface of public, private, and civic sectors. Because these programs are highly variable between cities and are structured based off of local needs, trends, and agendas exploring governance contexts and relations at the urban and neighborhood level is helpful for explaining these differences in program goals and outcomes. At …
The Children Of Mexican Immigrants In U.S.Public Schools: Exploring Their Parents' And Teachers' Perception And Knowledge Gaps, Uvaldina Janecek
The Children Of Mexican Immigrants In U.S.Public Schools: Exploring Their Parents' And Teachers' Perception And Knowledge Gaps, Uvaldina Janecek
Public Affairs Dissertations
The influx of Mexican immigrants has posed enormous challenges to the nation's public school systems where migration is rapidly increasing. The high Hispanic dropout rate points to a failure in educating Latinos and has received ample attention from researchers, educators, and policymakers; but the achievement disparities persist. Using the lens of critical theory to investigate the presence of a "hidden curriculum" that promotes the dominant ideology in our public school system, this study explores perception gaps between Mexican immigrant parents and the American teachers of their children in a suburban Texas school district where Latinos are in the minority. The …
A Comparison Of Economic Development Between Texas Cities Using The Economic Development Tax 4a/4b And Texas Cities Not Using The Tax, Ravindra Kumar Jain
A Comparison Of Economic Development Between Texas Cities Using The Economic Development Tax 4a/4b And Texas Cities Not Using The Tax, Ravindra Kumar Jain
Public Affairs Dissertations
Over the last three decades, economic development has been a major policy issue in the State of Texas. But after the amendment of the Development Corporation Act of 1979 and subsequent amendments, municipalities are using the provisions of Section 4A and 4B to enhance economic development. The purpose of this research is to determine if the Section 4A/4B adopting cities are doing better in employment and income growth than the non-adopting cities. Methods. Using the employment, income, population, and quality of life variables data for years 1990, 2000, and 2007, this study evaluates the impact of ED policies of Sections …
Knowledge Management In Higher Education In Thailand, Surat Chumjit
Knowledge Management In Higher Education In Thailand, Surat Chumjit
Public Affairs Dissertations
This study examines how knowledge management (KM) is applied to higher education in Thailand, and it will also examine whether higher education in Thailand is ready to combine KM with their educational missions in terms of teaching, research, administration, and strategic planning. Knowledge creation and social networking frameworks are used to help understand approaches that higher education institutions in Thailand have used with KM in their day to day operations. The qualitative method is used to explore and understand KM applications within four autonomous universities in Thailand. In-depth interviews were used in this study and the narrative method is used …
Housing, Capitalism And Underdevelopment In Sub-Saharan Africa: An Analysis Of Sierra Leone's Housing Market And Its Developmental Challenges, Steven Nabieu Rogers
Housing, Capitalism And Underdevelopment In Sub-Saharan Africa: An Analysis Of Sierra Leone's Housing Market And Its Developmental Challenges, Steven Nabieu Rogers
Public Affairs Dissertations
The issue of available and affordable housing in Sub-Saharan Africa poses an overwhelming problem, and yet receives weak policy responses. Since independence, housing policies have shifted from ambitious schemes of state intervention to increasing emphasis on the private market. This shift coincided with the global economic trend that advocated for escalating privatization. The 1993 World Bank's housing "Enablement" policy became the blueprint for planning in developing countries. Despite decades of policy shift, housing outcomes foreshadow derelict housing structures, poorly structured mortgages and increased unaffordability for the urban poor. Critics have highlighted that the approach is biased towards the market, exclusionary …
Sustainability In The Private And Public Sectors: A Comparison Of Motivators, Actions, Barriers And Reporting Of Results, Lisa London
Public Affairs Dissertations
The concept of sustainability has developed over the past 40 years and continues to advance as organizations implement sustainable practices, quantify sustainability results, and communicate their accomplishments to key stakeholders. Despite these advances, sustainability remains an emerging field in need of clear definitions and goals; development of best practices; and effective tools for measuring, reporting, and benchmarking results. The literature suggests that the private sector is more advanced than the public sector in addressing these challenges. The purpose of this study was to discover if the public sector lags in pursuing sustainability, and if so, to identify some of the …
Monetary Policy In The Organization Of Eastern Caribbean States: How Important Is The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank In Crafting Policy, Moses Pologne
Monetary Policy In The Organization Of Eastern Caribbean States: How Important Is The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank In Crafting Policy, Moses Pologne
Public Affairs Dissertations
The research examines the effectiveness of monetary policy in improving standards of living at the local level in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States. The study postulates that monetary policy should not be viewed strictly as the responsibility of the national government, instead, under specific conditions it can be viewed as a local economic development strategy. A combination of interviews and econometric techniques are applied to determine whether monetary policy is as useful as other more widely discussed variables in urban planning and policy making. The findings support monetary policy as a local economic development strategy in situations where certain …
Variation In Commercial Property Tax Appraisal Accuracy In Texas, James Howard Johnson
Variation In Commercial Property Tax Appraisal Accuracy In Texas, James Howard Johnson
Public Affairs Dissertations
Article 8 of the Texas Constitution requires property taxation to be "equal and uniform," and state law requires nearly all real property to be assessed at 100% of market value. Despite these requirements, evidence exists that the appraisals of some high-value commercial properties, specifically downtown class A office buildings, vary widely from market value. According to the state Comptroller's Property Value Studies, residential property tends to be fully valued for tax purposes. An equity issue arises from the apparent undervaluation of high-value commercial properties, which typically are owned by wealthy individuals and institutional investors.While residential property tends to be homogeneous …
Identifying The Barriers To Collaboration Between Transportation Planning And Public Health Using The Network Model, Lou Kelley Brewer
Identifying The Barriers To Collaboration Between Transportation Planning And Public Health Using The Network Model, Lou Kelley Brewer
Public Affairs Dissertations
Transportation Planning and Public Health worked closely together a century ago but drifted apart over the decades. Today, both groups face enormous challenges. Transportation planning needs to replace aging infrastructures while preparing for population growth and the demands that come with it. Resources are already taxed and new ways of doing business are needed. Public Health successfully addressed communicable diseases during the last century only to be confronted with the high cost of treating chronic diseases including obesity in this century. Prevention in the form of increased physical activity as a key strategy led Public Health to the built environment …
The Children Of Mexican Immigrants In U.S.Public Schools: Exploring Their Parents' And Teachers' Perception And Knowledge Gaps, Uvaldina Janecek
The Children Of Mexican Immigrants In U.S.Public Schools: Exploring Their Parents' And Teachers' Perception And Knowledge Gaps, Uvaldina Janecek
Public Affairs Dissertations
The influx of Mexican immigrants has posed enormous challenges to the nation's public school systems where migration is rapidly increasing. The high Hispanic dropout rate points to a failure in educating Latinos and has received ample attention from researchers, educators, and policymakers; but the achievement disparities persist. Using the lens of critical theory to investigate the presence of a "hidden curriculum" that promotes the dominant ideology in our public school system, this study explores perception gaps between Mexican immigrant parents and the American teachers of their children in a suburban Texas school district where Latinos are in the minority. The …
Impacts Of Transit Oriented Developments (Tod) And Mixed Use Centers (Muc) In Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex On Housing Values And Demographic Composition, Narasimha Pratap Mandapaka
Impacts Of Transit Oriented Developments (Tod) And Mixed Use Centers (Muc) In Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex On Housing Values And Demographic Composition, Narasimha Pratap Mandapaka
Public Affairs Dissertations
Suburban sprawl was attributed to be the cause of number of problems such as traffic congestion, depletion of natural resources, and decreasing air quality. Over the past two decades, policy makers and smart growth proponents encouraged Transit-Oriented Developments (TOD) and Mixed Use Centers (MUC) to increase transit ridership and development density; revitalize inner-city neighborhoods; improve environmental quality and livability; and to counteract suburban sprawl and real estate market forces in various communities in the U.S. Though many policy makers, urban planners, environmentalists see significant opportunities in sustainable development, there have been concerns related to affordability of housing combined with transportation, …
A Comparison Of Economic Development Between Texas Cities Using The Economic Development Tax 4a/4b And Texas Cities Not Using The Tax, Ravindra Kumar Jain
A Comparison Of Economic Development Between Texas Cities Using The Economic Development Tax 4a/4b And Texas Cities Not Using The Tax, Ravindra Kumar Jain
Public Affairs Dissertations
Over the last three decades, economic development has been a major policy issue in the State of Texas. But after the amendment of the Development Corporation Act of 1979 and subsequent amendments, municipalities are using the provisions of Section 4A and 4B to enhance economic development. The purpose of this research is to determine if the Section 4A/4B adopting cities are doing better in employment and income growth than the non-adopting cities. Methods. Using the employment, income, population, and quality of life variables data for years 1990, 2000, and 2007, this study evaluates the impact of ED policies of Sections …
The Multi-Campus System's Role In Maintaining Institutional Diversity In Texas, Public Universities, Rebecca J. Lewis
The Multi-Campus System's Role In Maintaining Institutional Diversity In Texas, Public Universities, Rebecca J. Lewis
Public Affairs Dissertations
Institutional diversity is a long-held value in U.S. higher education with origins dating back 300 years to pre-Revolutionary colonial colleges. Institutional diversity is still valued today, but Institutional theory predicts that institutional organizations, such as universities, will homogenize without intervention to prevent loss of diversity. Multi-campus systems should guard against homogenization as their primary function is to define the missions of constituent universities and ensure diversity throughout the system. Working under the assumptions of Institutional theory and the functional tenets of a multi-campus system, the purpose of this study was twofold; to determine if public universities in Texas were homogenizing …
How To Be An Effective City Manager: Narrative Insights From Leaders Within The Profession, Malcolm Khalid Oliver
How To Be An Effective City Manager: Narrative Insights From Leaders Within The Profession, Malcolm Khalid Oliver
Public Affairs Dissertations
The purpose of this dissertation is to analyze what is necessary to be an effective city manager. Based upon a review of the literature that is presented in Chapter 1, a semi-structured survey was developed which allowed the researcher to interview city managers about the primary aspects of managing a city. The theoretical framework of this dissertation rest on the assumption that city managers can articulate for themselves what is necessary to be an effective city manager. In addition, since these professionals operate in an inter-subjective environment, the narrative method was utilized as a mode of inquiry in order to …
The Multi-Campus System's Role In Maintaining Institutional Diversity In Texas, Public Universities, Rebecca J. Lewis
The Multi-Campus System's Role In Maintaining Institutional Diversity In Texas, Public Universities, Rebecca J. Lewis
Public Affairs Dissertations
Institutional diversity is a long-held value in U.S. higher education with origins dating back 300 years to pre-Revolutionary colonial colleges. Institutional diversity is still valued today, but Institutional theory predicts that institutional organizations, such as universities, will homogenize without intervention to prevent loss of diversity. Multi-campus systems should guard against homogenization as their primary function is to define the missions of constituent universities and ensure diversity throughout the system. Working under the assumptions of Institutional theory and the functional tenets of a multi-campus system, the purpose of this study was twofold; to determine if public universities in Texas were homogenizing …
How To Be An Effective City Manager: Narrative Insights From Leaders Within The Profession, Malcolm Khalid Oliver
How To Be An Effective City Manager: Narrative Insights From Leaders Within The Profession, Malcolm Khalid Oliver
Public Affairs Dissertations
The purpose of this dissertation is to analyze what is necessary to be an effective city manager. Based upon a review of the literature that is presented in Chapter 1, a semi-structured survey was developed which allowed the researcher to interview city managers about the primary aspects of managing a city. The theoretical framework of this dissertation rest on the assumption that city managers can articulate for themselves what is necessary to be an effective city manager. In addition, since these professionals operate in an inter-subjective environment, the narrative method was utilized as a mode of inquiry in order to …
Knowledge Management In Higher Education In Thailand, Surat Chumjit
Knowledge Management In Higher Education In Thailand, Surat Chumjit
Public Affairs Dissertations
This study examines how knowledge management (KM) is applied to higher education in Thailand, and it will also examine whether higher education in Thailand is ready to combine KM with their educational missions in terms of teaching, research, administration, and strategic planning. Knowledge creation and social networking frameworks are used to help understand approaches that higher education institutions in Thailand have used with KM in their day to day operations. The qualitative method is used to explore and understand KM applications within four autonomous universities in Thailand. In-depth interviews were used in this study and the narrative method is used …