Current Search: Wan, Thomas (x)
View All Items
(21 - 40 of 60)
Pages
- Title
- ORGANIZATIONAL SOCIAL CAPITAL AND PERCEIVED PERFORMANCE OF DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENTS: A CASE STUDY IN TURKEY.
- Creator
-
Sahin, Ismail, Wan, Thomas, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Supply reduction efforts by drug law enforcement departments are a significant factor in improving the effectiveness of drug control policies. As with other public organizations, the performance of drug law enforcement departments is one of the most important concerns for policy makers. Therefore, improving the performance of these departments is crucial in order for governments to constrict illegal drug markets and prevent illegal drug distribution. The literature suggests that social...
Show moreSupply reduction efforts by drug law enforcement departments are a significant factor in improving the effectiveness of drug control policies. As with other public organizations, the performance of drug law enforcement departments is one of the most important concerns for policy makers. Therefore, improving the performance of these departments is crucial in order for governments to constrict illegal drug markets and prevent illegal drug distribution. The literature suggests that social capital may have significant implications for policy makers and practitioners in terms of enhancing organizational performance.Social capital has recently been examined at the organizational level. It may contribute to organizational effectiveness by increasing motivation, solving coordination problems, facilitating information flow between individuals and organizations, and developing knowledge within organizations. Because of the nature of the work, drug law enforcement departments or agencies require information sharing, cooperation, and motivation, all possible derivatives of social capital.Using a measurement model of organizational social capital, this study examines relationships among three dimensions of organizational social capital. The influence of social capital on the perceived performance of drug law enforcement departments is investigated using structural equation modeling. Possible correlations among these dimensions or domains of organizational social capital are also empirically tested.Using survey data from 12 city law enforcement departments in Turkey, this study examines three social capital dimensions: (1) the structural dimension, concerning the extent to which officers within a department informally interact with each other; (2) the relational dimension, referring to the normative qualities of relationships among officers, such as trust and reciprocity; and (3) the cognitive dimension, reflected by shared language, shared interpretation, and shared vision.Four research hypotheses were tested and supported by the statistical results. The studyÂÂ's findings indicate that the relational and cognitive social capital variables have a direct and positive relationship with the perceived performance of drug law enforcement departments. Relational and cognitive social capital, as latent constructs, were shown to have a strong relationship with organizational performance. Structural social capital, however, does not have a direct relationship with but may indirectly influence performance. This result indicates that structural social capital may influence organizational performance only indirectly, through its joint influence with two other social capital domains. On the other hand, strong and positive intercorrelations were found among the three dimensions. The results suggest that social capital is essential for drug law enforcement departments because police officers who know, understand, and trust each other are more likely to work together efficiently and effectively towards achieving organizational performance.According to the findings, informal structures shaped by informal relations among officers within the departments may also be an important factor for organizational performance. Investing in the development of social interactions and networks and building trust within organizations is important in order for administrators to improve organizational performance. The results of this conceptually grounded and empirical study suggest that drug law enforcement departments or agencies should pay close attention to promoting social capital among officers in order to fight effectively against drug trafficking.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- CFE0003182, ucf:48601
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003182
- Title
- EVALUATION OF A QUALITY MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE AND HIV AMBULATORY SERVICES PERFORMANCE IN THAILAND.
- Creator
-
Meemon, Natthani, Wan, Thomas, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The accomplishment of pilot implementation of the HIVQUAL-T model, an innovative HIV care quality management tool, has led to an authoritative decision to scale up the use of the model nationwide in Thailand. However, the level of implementing this model varies across target hospitals. Some hospitals have fully adopted the model by conducting quality improvement (QI) activities following performance measurement (PM) results while others have partially adopted only PM or have not used this...
Show moreThe accomplishment of pilot implementation of the HIVQUAL-T model, an innovative HIV care quality management tool, has led to an authoritative decision to scale up the use of the model nationwide in Thailand. However, the level of implementing this model varies across target hospitals. Some hospitals have fully adopted the model by conducting quality improvement (QI) activities following performance measurement (PM) results while others have partially adopted only PM or have not used this model at all. The differential level of implementation could be a contributing factor accounting for discrepancies in the quality of care across different HIV ambulatory care facilities. A cross-sectional study was conducted by using two main datasets, including Thailand's national HIV care performance results and an online survey of all public hospitals nationwide. A total of 382 hospitals responded to the survey, accounting for a response rate of 50%. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) method was performed to examine the validity of latent constructs developed from the diffusion of innovation theory. Structural equation modeling (SEM) approach was employed to investigate the relationship between the determinants of organizational decision-making and their contribution to organizational outcomes, under the context-design-performance framework. Furthermore, using a panel model of hospitals that reported performance results across a 3-year period, the improvement in HIV ambulatory services performance among the adopters was examined. The results indicated that two innovation attributes -relative advantage and simplicity perceived by HIV care practitioners in hospitals- were found to be positively associated with the level of the HIVQUAL-T model implementation. Two structural characteristics -interconnectedness and organizational slack- appeared to be positively associated with the level of model implementation, while rate of adoption in the region also had significant positive contribution. Ultimately, the extensiveness of the HIVQUAL-T model implementation demonstrated a proportionate impact on the variation in hospitals' HIV ambulatory services performance. It was noted that the implementers considerably improved their performance within two years of implementing the model. The study findings imply that adoption is more likely when individual practitioners assess the innovation and find it to be easy to comprehend and operate and also worthwhile to implement. Furthermore, hospitals' decision making is likely influenced by their relations to external environment. The findings suggest more emphasis on individual and hospital-level capacity building for meaningful use of this quality management initiative, accompanied by an adjustment of performance measurement software with valid, reliable, and interpretable indicators.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0003753, ucf:48785
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003753
- Title
- NURSING HOMES' COMPLIANCE WITH STATE NURSE STAFFING STANDARDS AND ITS RELATION TO QUALITY-OF-CARE DEFICIENCIES.
- Creator
-
Paek, Seung Chun, Wan, Thomas, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The purpose of this dissertation is to examine nursing homes' compliance with state minimum nurse staffing standards and its relation to quality-of-care deficiencies. Specifically, this study, reviewing staffing standards from 50 states and the District of Columbia for the year 2007, proposes a unique algorithm to calculate the states' expected nurse staffing levels for individual nursing homes in order to investigate their compliance with the state nurse staffing standards. By using...
Show moreThe purpose of this dissertation is to examine nursing homes' compliance with state minimum nurse staffing standards and its relation to quality-of-care deficiencies. Specifically, this study, reviewing staffing standards from 50 states and the District of Columbia for the year 2007, proposes a unique algorithm to calculate the states' expected nurse staffing levels for individual nursing homes in order to investigate their compliance with the state nurse staffing standards. By using hierarchical linear modeling method, this study attempts to capture the impact of the staffing standards on actual nurse staffing levels under resource dependence perspectives. Path analysis using structural equation modeling was conducted to investigate both direct and indirect effects of the staffing standards on nurse staffing levels and quality-of-care deficiencies. The major findings were as follows: (1) nursing homes in states with higher state staffing standards for the categories of RN, LN, and total nurse were found to have higher RN, LN, and total staffing levels, respectively; (2) higher nurse staffing levels resulting from higher state staffing standards were significantly associated with better quality of care (less quality-of-care deficiencies cited) in nursing homes; and (3) state staffing standards were found to have much stronger contribution to nurse staffing levels than any other organizational or contextual factors while nurse staffing levels, particularly licensed staff, were found to have stronger contribution to quality-of-care deficiencies than any other organizational factors. The study findings suggest that if the goal is to increase nurse staffing levels for better quality, increasing the stringency of both federal and state nurse staffing standards would be the most effective way. However, the staffing standards first need technical changes to reduce their ambiguity and ensure their fairness. If the goal is to achieve better quality, merely increasing nurse staffing levels may not be effective since the variation of the quality-of-care deficiencies explained by exogenous variables was smaller than random variation 5%. If state Medicaid reimbursements can be utilized for financial incentives for better performing nursing homes, nursing homes may improve their productivity by efficiently managing organizational personnel or increasing job satisfaction among nursing practitioners. Lastly, longitudinal analysis, considering variation in length of state staffing policy implementations, is encouraged to investigate the long-term effects of state staffing standards on nurse staffing levels and quality of care.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0003754, ucf:48781
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003754
- Title
- Recidivism Measurement and Sanction Effectiveness in Youth Diversion Programs.
- Creator
-
Maroney, Thomas, Wan, Thomas, Sanborn, Joseph, Wolf, Ross, Zhang, Ning, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
With the rapid growth of juvenile offender diversion programs, which use many non-traditional sanctions, the effectiveness of sanction combinations in juvenile diversion programs and in each individual program needs to be evaluated. Those making sanctioning decisions currently do so based on intuition rather than using an evidence- or theory-based approach. Considerable research has examined the relationship between offender risk factors and recidivism (who is more likely to reoffend?) and...
Show moreWith the rapid growth of juvenile offender diversion programs, which use many non-traditional sanctions, the effectiveness of sanction combinations in juvenile diversion programs and in each individual program needs to be evaluated. Those making sanctioning decisions currently do so based on intuition rather than using an evidence- or theory-based approach. Considerable research has examined the relationship between offender risk factors and recidivism (who is more likely to reoffend?) and between offender risk factors and sanctions (who is more likely to receive what sanctions?), but little is known about the relationship between sanctions and recidivism (which sanctions best reduce recidivism and for whom?). Furthermore, recidivism studies vary drastically in how they measure or quantify recidivism. This variability of approach makes comparing studies difficult and provides a less-than-complete picture of recidivism in general. The present study used data from one specific youth diversion program to test certain hypotheses of sanctioning by developing and testing a model for assigning sanction combinations to certain offenders on the basis of their individual characteristics. The study first developed measurement models for Offender Risk Propensity, Multiplicity of Sanctions, and Recidivism using structural equation modeling (SEM). Then predictive models were developed to test specific relationships. Understanding the effectiveness of certain sanction packages on certain offenders can form the basis for effective sanctioning in youth diversion programs. This study sought to answer three research questions: What is the best way to measure recidivism? Does completion of a restorative justice program reduce recidivism? Which sanctions, if any, reduce recidivism for specific offender types? To answer the first question: a multi-indicator latent construct of recidivism did a very good job of measuring variation in recidivism. Multiple indicators analyzed simultaneously produced a robust tool that can be used in other recidivism studies and help to reduce comparability issues between studies. The recidivism construct, when tested as a function of completion of the restorative justice program, was seen to produce a significant model having an overall good fit with the data. Thus to answer the second research question: offenders' completion status for the restorative justice program was shown to be a significant predictor of the latent construct of recidivism at the 0.05 level (two-tailed), with those who failed to complete (or chose not to participate) having higher recidivism than did those who completed the program. To answer the third research question: the assignment of specific sanctions (both those suggested by research and theory and those traditionally assigned by this and similar programs) on the entire data set (and on various subsets) of this study have no statistically significant impact on recidivism at the 0.05 level (two tailed).The findings suggest many policy implications. Consistency is all but nonexistent in recidivism measurements in the academic literature and in program review studies. A multi-indicator latent construct of recidivism, such as the one proposed and proven effective in this study, provides a more complete picture than simply conceptualizing recidivism by one dummy variable. This recidivism model can be used as the endogenous variable to evaluate programs and their practices and could reduce the problem of study comparability. This could lead to a better understanding of program characteristics and their impact on offender success. This study also found that completion of the Neighborhood Restorative Justice Program was a significant predictor of recidivism, yet none of the eleven most commonly assigned sanctions were seen to have a significant impact on recidivism for any subgroup. Proponents of restorative justice argue that it is the programs' characteristics and not their specific activities that make the programs successful. Reintegrative Shaming Theory and Labeling Theory support this claim and suggest the best approach to address youth criminal behavior is to admonish the act and not the actor, have the offender and community agree on a plan to make the community whole after that criminal act, and prevent repeated interaction with the formal criminal justice system which encourages the youth to see themself as a deviant and engage in further deviant behavior. These characteristics should be further examined and widely employed if confirmed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004406, ucf:49392
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004406
- Title
- Assessment of Information Security Culture in Higher Education.
- Creator
-
Glaspie, Henry, Karwowski, Waldemar, Wan, Thomas, Hancock, Peter, Caulkins, Bruce, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Information security programs are instituted by organizations to provide guidance to their users who handle their data and systems. The main goal of these programs is to protect the organization's information assets through the creation and cultivation of a positive information security culture within the organization. As the collection and use of data expands in all economic sectors, the threat of data breach due to human error increases. Employee's behavior towards information security is...
Show moreInformation security programs are instituted by organizations to provide guidance to their users who handle their data and systems. The main goal of these programs is to protect the organization's information assets through the creation and cultivation of a positive information security culture within the organization. As the collection and use of data expands in all economic sectors, the threat of data breach due to human error increases. Employee's behavior towards information security is influenced by the organizations information security programs and the overall information security culture. This study examines the human factors of an information security program and their effect on the information security culture. These human factors consist of stringency of organizational policies, behavior deterrence, employee attitudes towards information security, training and awareness, and management support of the information security programs. A survey questionnaire was given to employees in the Florida College System to measure the human aspects of the information security programs. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were used to investigate the relationships between the variables in the study using IBM(&)#174; SPSS(&)#174; Amos 24 software. The study results show that management support and behavior deterrence have a significant positive relationship with information security. Additionally, the results show no significant association between information security culture and organization policies, employee commitment and employee awareness. This suggests a need for further refinement of the model and the survey tool design to properly assess human factors of information security programs and their effects on the organizational security culture.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007184, ucf:52272
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007184
- Title
- A Study of Perceptions on Incident Response Exercises, Information Sharing, Situational Awareness, and Incident Response Planning in Power Grid Utilities.
- Creator
-
Garmon, Joseph, Karwowski, Waldemar, Hancock, Peter, Elshennawy, Ahmad, Wan, Thomas, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The power grid is facing increasing risks from a cybersecurity attack. Attacks that shut off electricity in Ukraine have already occurred, and successful compromises of the power grid that did not shut off electricity to customers have been privately disclosed in North America. The objective of this study is to identify how perceptions of various factors emphasized in the electric sector affect incident response planning. Methods used include a survey of 229 power grid personnel and the use...
Show moreThe power grid is facing increasing risks from a cybersecurity attack. Attacks that shut off electricity in Ukraine have already occurred, and successful compromises of the power grid that did not shut off electricity to customers have been privately disclosed in North America. The objective of this study is to identify how perceptions of various factors emphasized in the electric sector affect incident response planning. Methods used include a survey of 229 power grid personnel and the use of partial least squares structural equation modeling to identify causal relationships. This study reveals the relationships between perceptions by personnel responsible for cybersecurity, regarding incident response exercises, information sharing, and situational awareness, and incident response planning. The results confirm that the efforts by the industry on these topics have advanced planning for a potential attack.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007805, ucf:52349
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007805
- Title
- Factors Contributing to Victim Employment, Victim Income Status, and Intimate Partner Violence in Jamaica.
- Creator
-
Fraser, Marsha, Wan, Thomas, Yegidis, Bonnie, Dziegielewski, Sophia, Ross, Lee, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Using 166 IPV police reports in Jamaica, this mixed-methods study (a) explored the utility of routine activities theory and control balance theory for explaining the relationship between victim employment and IPV; (b) explored risk factors for IPV; and (c) examined the relationships between victim employment and victim income status with IPV murder and IPV severity in the Jamaica. Content analysis of the narratives of the police reports supported both theories suggesting an integration of the...
Show moreUsing 166 IPV police reports in Jamaica, this mixed-methods study (a) explored the utility of routine activities theory and control balance theory for explaining the relationship between victim employment and IPV; (b) explored risk factors for IPV; and (c) examined the relationships between victim employment and victim income status with IPV murder and IPV severity in the Jamaica. Content analysis of the narratives of the police reports supported both theories suggesting an integration of the two theories may be most fitting. Estrangement and infidelity emerged as bold themes. Infidelity was identified as an additional risk factor in the Jamaican context. Quantitative analysis revealed that employed victims and victims with income were significantly older than their counterparts. Being unemployed and having no income were associated with being female. Male victims were 4.98 times more likely to be employed and 7.30 times more likely to have income than female victims. Older victims were 2.36 times more likely to have income than younger victims. Victim employment and victim income status failed to predict the odds of IPV murder or to impact the level of IPV severity. However, the offender's weapon emerged as a salient predictor. When an offender used a sharp weapon or a gun, the odds of the victim being murdered was 4.77 greater and .71 greater respectively than if no such weapon was used. Using a sharp weapon magnified the IPV severity (B = 1.20) while using a gun reduced the IPV severity (B = .78). This study is useful for informing public policies addressing IPV in Jamaica.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007632, ucf:52495
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007632
- Title
- INTEGRATING THEORY, PRACTICE AND POLICY: THE TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY OF FLORIDA'S CIRCUIT COURTS.
- Creator
-
Ferrandino, Joseph, Wan, Thomas T.H., University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
In 1998, Florida voters approved Article V, Revision 7, which changed the funding mechanism of the state circuit court system from a county/state mix to state responsibility. The change was implemented as planned in the 2004/05 fiscal year. Although increased efficiency was a key goal of Revision 7, to date no published studies exist on the impacts of Revision 7 on circuit or system efficiency and/or productivity. This work analyzes Revision 7, integrating the larger debate of increasing...
Show moreIn 1998, Florida voters approved Article V, Revision 7, which changed the funding mechanism of the state circuit court system from a county/state mix to state responsibility. The change was implemented as planned in the 2004/05 fiscal year. Although increased efficiency was a key goal of Revision 7, to date no published studies exist on the impacts of Revision 7 on circuit or system efficiency and/or productivity. This work analyzes Revision 7, integrating the larger debate of increasing judgeships or improving efficiency.The study is a full performance analysis of the Florida circuit courts from 1993 through 2008 that can benchmark the system's future efficiency and productivity. In that respect, top performers are identified. The study follows the evolution of court studies from their rational origins to the more recent orientation of open-natural systems. Resource dependency and institutional theory, two open-natural system frameworks, are utilized to predict that Florida's circuit courts have become more efficient over the period since the implementation of Revision 7. The efficiency outcomes are expected to be unequal across circuit sizes. Integrating a Florida debate to a larger one that transcends time and culture, productivity changes are expected to be a function of the number of judges that a circuit adds within a given year, controlling for other factors. The results of the study methodologies--data envelopment analysis, Malmquist Productivity Index, hierarchal regression analysis and analysis of covariance--reveal that only 3 of 300 DMU's in Florida are technically efficient; the mean IOTA score is .76. The Florida circuits did not improve efficiency and productivity as expected, in fact becoming significantly less efficient over time as a function of Revision 7. Small and medium-sized circuits lost efficiency, large circuits showed no change and there was a significant interaction between circuit size and Revision 7 period. Within the system overall, productivity fell by 2.7%, most noticeably in the small and medium-sized circuits. The number of judges a circuit added explained 32.2% of the variance in total factor productivity change. The largest system productivity losses followed both Revision 7 intervention years and the addition of the most judges in a single year. Analysis of covariance revealed that productivity increased only when no judges were added to a circuit, regardless of circuit size or time period (+2.6%). The addition of a single judge reduced average productivity by 8.6%; adding two judges reduced productivity by 10.5% and adding 3 or more judges reduced productivity by 16.2%. As judges were added, productivity declined in circuits of all sizes, but the drop was more pronounced in the small and medium-sized circuits. None of the circuits showed an increase in productivity from 1993 to 2008. Revision 7 has not increased circuit court efficiency or productivity in Florida. It is recommended that efficiency and productivity analyses be included in resource allocation decisions such as adding judgeships. More data on court structures and process are needed. Efficiency and productivity measures show that the current level of circuit court judgeships is sufficient.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- CFE0003457, ucf:52888
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003457
- Title
- Factors Influencing the Variability in Social Capital.
- Creator
-
Downing, James, Wan, Thomas, Kapucu, Naim, Zhang, Ning, Ford, Robert, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This research provides insights into three aspects of social capital: the factors that influence its variability; its two-dimensional nature; and the relationship between social capital and membership in a YMCA. These insights have implications for social capital theory, for public policy, for organizational management and for individual well-being. Most social capital research treats the construct as a causal variable and analyzes the implications of different levels of social capital for...
Show moreThis research provides insights into three aspects of social capital: the factors that influence its variability; its two-dimensional nature; and the relationship between social capital and membership in a YMCA. These insights have implications for social capital theory, for public policy, for organizational management and for individual well-being. Most social capital research treats the construct as a causal variable and analyzes the implications of different levels of social capital for certain aspects of individual and community well-being. This treatment implies that levels of social capital vary. Little research has been done to analyze the factors that cause social capital variability and therefore the understanding of social capital variability lacks insight. Before social capital variability can be explored, an intermediate issue must be addressed. Social capital is usually conceived of as a single-dimension construct. In fact social capital has two dimensions: the attitudes of social capital and the behaviors of social capital. Unidimensionality is sufficient when social capital is used exogenously but it is insufficiently nuanced when used for the purpose of recommending policies to increase it. This research analyzes the two-dimensional nature of social capital. Finally, a number of social capital behaviors have been studied but membership in the YMCA is not one of them. This research examines the relationship, ceteris paribus, between membership in the Central Florida YMCA and individual social capital.A survey questionnaire was mailed to 10,000 YMCA members in Central Florida and 21,000 residents who were demographically similar. There were 1,881 completed responses. The results were analyzed using structural equation modeling and were guided by social capital theory and the theory of reasoned action.ivThe results of the study indicate that the two most influential factors of social capital variability are personal educational attainment and the average educational attainment of the community. The study also confirms that social capital is a two-dimensional construct and the two dimensions are iterative. The study results also revealed that members of the Central Florida YMCA had higher levels of social capital ceteris paribus.This study is significant in four areas: social capital theory, public policy, management of social capital-generating organizations and for individuals. At the theoretical level, insight has been gained into both the causes of social capital variability and the two-dimensional nature of social capital. Regarding public policy, this research provides clear evidence that education provides a greater role in building a community than simply creating human capital; it also creates social capital. Both educational institutions and those organizations that create social capital should be supported. Furthermore, social capital promulgation through public policy should target both dimensions of social capital to be most effective. For managers of social capital-generating organizations social capital can be used as a metric for measuring organizational effectiveness and community impact. For individuals, there is now an evidence-based approach for developing a life plan for creating personal social capital. This research is unique because it simultaneously brings insights into four distinct spheres of social capital.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0004103, ucf:49085
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004103
- Title
- Assessing the Impact of Economies of Scale and Uncontrollable Factors on the Performance of U.S. Cities.
- Creator
-
Allaf, Mamoon, Martin, Lawrence, Wan, Thomas, Kapucu, Naim, Baker, Paul, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Despite the increased interest among local governments in collecting data on performance measurement, empirical evidence is still limited regarding the extent to which these data are utilized to assess the impact on efficiency of economies of scale and uncontrollable factors. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is a linear programming method designed to estimate the relative efficiency of decision-making units. In addition to assessing relative efficiency, DEA can estimate scale efficiency and...
Show moreDespite the increased interest among local governments in collecting data on performance measurement, empirical evidence is still limited regarding the extent to which these data are utilized to assess the impact on efficiency of economies of scale and uncontrollable factors. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is a linear programming method designed to estimate the relative efficiency of decision-making units. In addition to assessing relative efficiency, DEA can estimate scale efficiency and incorporate the impact of uncontrollable factors. Using data from the International City/County Association (ICMA), this study utilized DEA to evaluate the impact of economies of scale and uncontrollable factors on the relative efficiency of municipal service delivery in the United States. The findings from this doctoral dissertation show that uncontrollable variables such as population density, unemployment, and household income suppress the relative efficiency of local governments. Moreover, the findings imply that the prevalence of economies of scale in city governments depends on the types of services these governments provide.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004201, ucf:49002
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004201
- Title
- Searching for Meaningful Use of Health Information Technology: A Study of Cardiovascular Disease Care in Veterans General Hospitals.
- Creator
-
Thaldorf, Carey, Wan, Thomas, Fottler, Myron, Liberman, Aaron, Campbell, Robert, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The cost of healthcare in the United States is on an upward trajectory towards an unsustainable level. In order to address this, Congress and the Obama Administration passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 to begin the process of controlling these costs. Within the ARRA is the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) section which creates financial incentives to invest in Health Information Technology (HIT) and to develop a means to...
Show moreThe cost of healthcare in the United States is on an upward trajectory towards an unsustainable level. In order to address this, Congress and the Obama Administration passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 to begin the process of controlling these costs. Within the ARRA is the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) section which creates financial incentives to invest in Health Information Technology (HIT) and to develop a means to measure the Meaningful Use of specific functions of Electronic Health Records (EHRs). This research examines the widely used Joint Commission datasets to determine their suitability as a basis of meeting the government mandated measuring of Meaningful Use. The datasets used for this study consists of hospital level performance measures with a sample size of 370 hospital samples of HIT Use Intensity and Cardiovascular Performance attained from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). An Organizational Network Theoretical approach was applied to the data in a non-experimental, sample-resample design to data collected in 2007. A Structural Equation Model (SEM) was built to test for the strength of the correlation between HIT Use Intensity and Cardiovascular Performance and a Latent Growth Curve Model (LGM) was built to examine the effect of the trajectory of HIT Use Intensity on the trajectory of Cardiovascular Performance. The SEM found a weak (.18) correlation between HIT Use Intensity and Cardiovascular Performance and the model only captured 12 percent of the variance. The LGM found no convergence between the trajectories of HIT Use Intensity and Cardiovascular Performance. This may have been the result of the data being non-normally distributed and heavily skewed to the high end of the scale. The policy implications of this study indicate that while Joint Commission data capture only a small amount of the variance attributed to HIT Use it does show a weak but positive correlation between increases in HIT Use Intensity and Increases in Cardiovascular Performance at the hospital level. Future research into adjustments to Joint Commission data measures (or others) may prove to be valuable in measuring the Meaningful Use of HIT systems in order to help hospitals make educated decisions on which HIT systems to purchase and the potential benefits associated with them.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0004488, ucf:49319
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004488
- Title
- OCCUPATIONAL STRESS AND WORK-RELATED WELLBEING OF TURKISH NATIONAL POLICE (TNP) MEMBERS.
- Creator
-
Kula, Sedat, T.H. Wan, Thomas, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Previous studies suggest that the organizational dynamics of police organizations and the nature of police work contribute to law enforcement stress, which in turn reduces job satisfaction and increases burnout. It is also well documented that undesirable organizational factors are more hazardous to the well-being of employees than are the stressors due to nature of police work. The present study examines whether, and to what degree, organizational and operational stresses in law enforcement...
Show morePrevious studies suggest that the organizational dynamics of police organizations and the nature of police work contribute to law enforcement stress, which in turn reduces job satisfaction and increases burnout. It is also well documented that undesirable organizational factors are more hazardous to the well-being of employees than are the stressors due to nature of police work. The present study examines whether, and to what degree, organizational and operational stresses in law enforcement are associated with job satisfaction, work-related burnout, and supervisor support, holding the effects of age, rank, education, gender, tenure, and shift type constant in the analysis. A total of 538 Turkish National Police (TNP) employees from seven cities in Turkey, comprising 407 regular police officers and 131 ranked police officers, completed the study survey. The influence of organizational and operational stresses on the work-related well-being of TNP employees as measured by job satisfaction and work-related burnout was analyzed by structural equation modeling (SEM) under the theoretical framework of Kahn and Byosiere's (1992) causal theory. The results of the study indicate that TNP employees' perceived organizational stress has a statistically significant positive effect on work-related burnout and a negative effect on job satisfaction. The more TNP employees experience their organization as stress inducing, the lower their job satisfaction levels and the higher their burnout levels. Perceived operational stress of TNP employees was found to be significantly associated with their work-related burnout, but not with their job satisfaction. This study suggests that there is an indirect causal effect of both organizational and operational stresses on job satisfaction via supervisor support as mediator. Supervisor support fully mediates the relationship between operational stress and job satisfaction, and partially mediates the relationship between organizational stress and job satisfaction. After controlling the influence of several demographic variables, job satisfaction made a statistically significant contribution to predicting work-related burnout. This finding suggests that as job satisfaction of TNP employee increases, their work-related burnout decreases. The findings of the study revealed that among the six demographic variables, only education level of TNP employees and rank make statistically significant contribution to their job satisfaction levels. As rank and education level of TNP employees increase, their job satisfaction also increases. The predictor variables of organizational stress, operational stress, and supervisor support, along with education and rank collectively, explain 56 % of the total variation in job satisfaction. On the other hand, organizational stress, operational stress, job satisfaction, and supervisor support together account for 34 % of the total variance in work-related burnout. Overall, the findings of this study illustrate a need for internal policy reform and managerial change in how the executives of TNP organize their agencies and policies, since organizational stressors are the most prevalent factors determining the work-related well-being of TNP employees.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0003862, ucf:48750
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003862
- Title
- The Impact of Mobbing and Job-related Stress on Burnout and Health-related Quality of Life: The Case of Turkish Territorial State Representatives.
- Creator
-
Yesilbas, Mehmet, Wan, Thomas, Dziegielewski, Sophia, Steen, Julie, Zhang, Ning, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Job-related stress occurs as one of the most serious issues in modern era in developed nations. It has direct and negative effects on employees' productivity and it may have negative impacts on employees' health. One of the potential results of prolonged stressors at work place is burnout and this response may lead to physical, emotional, and psychological exhaustion that can occur at both individual and organizational levels. Burnout is a job related threat that provokes social stress and...
Show moreJob-related stress occurs as one of the most serious issues in modern era in developed nations. It has direct and negative effects on employees' productivity and it may have negative impacts on employees' health. One of the potential results of prolonged stressors at work place is burnout and this response may lead to physical, emotional, and psychological exhaustion that can occur at both individual and organizational levels. Burnout is a job related threat that provokes social stress and can directly affect an individual's health. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is commonly used to measure an individual's overall/global health and quality of life. Another serious issue, mobbing, usually leads to some individual and organizational complications. It affects the organizational commitment, motivation and efficiency of staff, job satisfaction of employee, and may lead to potential burnout of the employees. The primary objective of this study is to determine whether stress and mobbing are directly related to burnout; and, whether burnout leads to an adverse effect on the HRQoL of Turkish territorial state representatives (TSRs). This study examines four specific research questions: 1) Whether and to what extent do the levels of perceived job related stress and mobbing affect the level of perceived burnout syndrome of TSRs? 2) Whether and to what extent is the level of perceived burnout syndrome associated with HRQoL of TSRs? 3) To what extent does the level of perceived burnout mediate the effects of job-related stress on HRQoL of TSRs? 4) What are the mediating factors between job burnout and HRQoL? This study is expected to offer valuable and insightful information about the role of job burnout factors influencing the variability in TSRs' HRQoL.The study utilized two statistical analyses, which were descriptive analysis and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) which allows for the assessment of the relationships specified in the hypotheses and the SEM was used to validate the theoretically driven model. The findings of the study supported the hypotheses of the study, which asserted that there were correlations between job-related stress and burnout, mobbing and burnout, and burnout and HRQoL. The CFA results established that job-related stress was positively and significantly associated with the burnout of TSRs, while perceived mobbing was positively and significantly related to the burnout of TSRs. Moreover, perceived HRQoL of TSRs was negatively associated with the burnout of TSRs. Further, the findings indicated that the relationship between job-related stress and burnout and the relationship between burnout and HRQoL of TSRs were statistically significant. Thus the variable had a positive effect on burnout and a negative effect on the HRQoL of TSRs. In summary, the findings of the study showed that results and propositions of the theoretical frameworks of the study and literature were consistent with one another.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0006236, ucf:51071
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006236
- Title
- Social Disorganization and Florida Public High School Academic Performance.
- Creator
-
Kanaan, David, Wan, Thomas, Wolf, Ross, Stevenson, Robyne, Mitchell, David, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Failing public high schools are a perpetual limitation to community sustainability. Conversely, economically disadvantaged communities more often produce schools with reduced academic performance. Unfortunately, comprehensive community-based remedies are generally outside the scope of a school district's control. Social disorganization theory attributes variations in crime and delinquency to a breakdown in communal structure and relationships. Applied in a similar manner, social...
Show moreFailing public high schools are a perpetual limitation to community sustainability. Conversely, economically disadvantaged communities more often produce schools with reduced academic performance. Unfortunately, comprehensive community-based remedies are generally outside the scope of a school district's control. Social disorganization theory attributes variations in crime and delinquency to a breakdown in communal structure and relationships. Applied in a similar manner, social disorganization has also been associated with lower student achievement.This research examined how social disorganization is associated with Florida public high school academic performance in a two phase analysis at the community and school district levels. In addition, the research tested a potential moderating effect of receiving the Five Star School Award, recognizing family and community involvement, and Florida public high school academic performance with social disorganization factors simultaneously considered. In the first phase, the study used a cross-sectional, non-experimental design analyzing secondary data by structural equation modeling (SEM) at the community-level. For the second phase, the study used a cross-sectional, non-experimental design analyzing aggregated secondary data in multiple linear regressions assessing statistically significant associations between social disorganization predictors and school academic performance variables at the school district-level. SEM analysis found a statistically significant and large negative association between the social disorganization factors residential mobility, single-parent households, socio-economic status and percentage of divorced or separated persons, and Florida public high school academic performance at the community-level. Also at the community-level, results showed that receiving the Five Star School award for satisfying family and community involvement criteria had a statistically significant but small positive association with Florida public high school performance when social disorganization factors were simultaneously considered. At the district or county level, multiple regression analyses found relevant negative associations between social disorganization predictors low median income and ethnic heterogeneity and school district average FCAT scores and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) percentages. The study results reinforce existing neighborhood deprivation and social disorganization literature and articulate the need for a community-based approach to improve high school academic performance. Finally, the research suggests prominent education policy reforms may exacerbate social disorganization in communities and proposes alternative policy implementations.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006335, ucf:51548
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006335
- Title
- The Effects of Social Support and Working Alliance on Latino-American Male Combat Veterans.
- Creator
-
Duran, Lloyd, Leon, Ana, Steen, Julie, Molina, Olga, Wan, Thomas, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The negative effects of traumatic combat experiences on combatants' psychological functioning is well documented in the literature. The Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) has resulted in many veterans returning from deployments with mental health conditions related to trauma exposure, such as posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, general anxiety, and suicidality. Past researchers found significant ethnic differences in psychological functioning, with Latino-American veterans reporting more...
Show moreThe negative effects of traumatic combat experiences on combatants' psychological functioning is well documented in the literature. The Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) has resulted in many veterans returning from deployments with mental health conditions related to trauma exposure, such as posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, general anxiety, and suicidality. Past researchers found significant ethnic differences in psychological functioning, with Latino-American veterans reporting more symptoms of PTSD. Furthermore, Latino-American cultural values place importance on collective orientation and secrecy of mental health concerns which may affect treatment. Thus, this study built on limited research about Latino-American male combat veterans by focusing on the effects of social support and working therapeutic alliance during mental health treatment. Using a cross-sectional design, a sample of 42 GWOT Latino-American Veterans undergoing mental health treatment at a VA Medical Center in the Southeastern U.S. was recruited and surveyed. Participants completed a set of nine questionnaires (Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation, PTSD Checklist (-) Military Version, Beck Depression Inventory (-) 2nd Edition, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Postdeployment Social Support Scale, Combat Exposure Scale, Working Alliance Inventory (-) Short Form. Network Orientation Scale, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support). Descriptive and bivariate statistics were calculated, and regression models were tested. The results indicate that social support improved overall PTSD and intrusive symptoms, separately, but working therapeutic alliance had a marginal effect on avoidance symptoms. Working alliance was found to exert a negative effect on depressive symptoms. The study did not yield evidence to support significant effects of social support or working alliance on suicidality and generalized anxiety. These results have implications for mental health service systems and for future research. Therapists serving veterans with PTSD should work with the patient/client to increase perceived social support. When serving veterans with depressive symptoms, therapists should place special effort on developing a strong working alliance.?
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006872, ucf:51749
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006872
- Title
- Political, Economic, and Health Determinants of Tuberculosis Incidence.
- Creator
-
Rutherford, Ashley, Unruh, Lynn, Rohde, Kyle, Wan, Thomas, Nobles, Matt, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The epidemiologic transition has shifted major causes of mortality from infectious disease to chronic disease; however, infectious diseases are again re-emerging as a major global concern (Diamond, 1997; Karlen, 1995; McNeil, 1976). This research aimed to identify potential areas of infectious disease influence that are not health-related in order to help governments and policymakers establish new policies, correct current policies, or further address these issues in order to effectively...
Show moreThe epidemiologic transition has shifted major causes of mortality from infectious disease to chronic disease; however, infectious diseases are again re-emerging as a major global concern (Diamond, 1997; Karlen, 1995; McNeil, 1976). This research aimed to identify potential areas of infectious disease influence that are not health-related in order to help governments and policymakers establish new policies, correct current policies, or further address these issues in order to effectively prevent and combat infectious disease. This study employed a retrospective, cross-sectional, non-experimental design via structural equation modeling (SEM) and examined tuberculosis incidence rates at the country-level. Secondary data from open-source, international databases like World Bank's World Development Indicators, World Governance Indicators, and World Health Organization for the year 2014 was utilized. Results revealed that the latent constructs of political stability, health system indicators, and detection policies directly affected tuberculosis incidence rates; they also exhibited an indirect effect due to covariation. Economic stability did not direct affect tuberculosis incidence, but it indirectly influenced incidence through the covariation of political stability, health system indicators, and detection policies. As a country's political stability increased, tuberculosis incidence decreased. As positive health system indicators increased, tuberculosis incidence decreased. Countries with more Xpert detection policies in place experienced an apparent increase in tuberculosis incidence.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006842, ucf:51798
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006842
- Title
- Jail Mental Health Innovations: Factors Influencing Mental Health Services Innovations for Jails.
- Creator
-
Clayton, Orville, Wan, Thomas, Anderson, Kim, Winton, Mark, Zhang, Ning, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
ABSTRACTThe U.S. is recognized for uniquely high incarceration rates. Over recent decades, there has been a concurrent dramatic increase of jail detainees with mental disorders. Provision of adequate mental health services for jail inmates is constitutionally mandated, and has legal, ethical, quality of care, and fiscal implications for jails, families, communities, and detainees. Significant variation exists in the provision of mental health services across jails, and increased understanding...
Show moreABSTRACTThe U.S. is recognized for uniquely high incarceration rates. Over recent decades, there has been a concurrent dramatic increase of jail detainees with mental disorders. Provision of adequate mental health services for jail inmates is constitutionally mandated, and has legal, ethical, quality of care, and fiscal implications for jails, families, communities, and detainees. Significant variation exists in the provision of mental health services across jails, and increased understanding of the factors that influence the adoption of such services may help guide jails to implement beneficial services, and ensure that such services reflect, reflect quality standards. This study used a mixed methods strategy to examine the influence of theoretically determined variables on the adoption of jail mental health services, and the quality assessment of such services. Data was gathered by survey instrumentation, secondary data review, and in-depth interviews with jail leaders. The study found that isomorphism has a significant effect on the structural adequacy of jail mental health services, innovation characteristics have a negligible relationship to structural adequacy and process integrity, structural adequacy mediates the effects of isomorphism on process integrity, and jail size has a significant effect on structural adequacy. This study advances the knowledge base in its specification of the roles of internal, external, and demographic factors in the adoption of jail mental health services, and in the testing and application of Donabedian's healthcare model to assess the quality of such services.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006866, ucf:51755
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006866
- Title
- A study of EEG signature associated with Emotional and stress responses due to cyberbullying.
- Creator
-
Alhujailli, Ashraf, Karwowski, Waldemar, Reinerman, Lauren, Hancock, Peter, Wan, Thomas, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The human brain processes vital information regarding human feelings. Prior research has focused on the problems of underage bullying, workplace bullying, burnout, mobbing and, most recently, cyberbullying. Scholars have traditionally examined the adverse outcomes of cyberbullying using subjective measures of stress and emotion for decades. However, very few studies examined cyberbullying using objective measures like EEG. The main goal of this study was to explore the relationship between...
Show moreThe human brain processes vital information regarding human feelings. Prior research has focused on the problems of underage bullying, workplace bullying, burnout, mobbing and, most recently, cyberbullying. Scholars have traditionally examined the adverse outcomes of cyberbullying using subjective measures of stress and emotion for decades. However, very few studies examined cyberbullying using objective measures like EEG. The main goal of this study was to explore the relationship between the brain's EEG, expressed by the power spectral density, and emotions and stress due to two types of cyberbullying, specifically: 1) social exclusion, and 2) verbal harassment. This research also examined how cyberbullying factors of social interaction and publicity affect the emotional and stress responses. EEG data were collected from twenty-nine undergraduate students, aged 18-22, using 10/5 EEG system with 64 channels. Each cyberbullying experimental condition was treated as an independent study. The first study investigated the effects of social exclusion on EEG activity and the related emotional and stress factors while playing a virtual ball-tossing game known as cyberball. EEG results showed significant differences in alpha and beta power in the right posterior brain regions due to social exclusion. There were also significant differences in beta and gamma power in the left anterior brain regions due to social exclusion. The results suggest that EEG activity in the left anterior brain region may be important to identify social exclusion. The second study utilized a hypothetical scenario presented as impolite or complimentary online comments. EEG results showed marginally significant differences in gamma power at right- and left- anterior and midline brain regions due to verbal harassment. The results suggest that changes in gamma power at anterior brain regions might play an essential role in the processing of verbal harassment information. Self-reported measures confirmed that verbal harassment was more distressing than social exclusion.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0006968, ucf:51628
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006968
- Title
- Examining multi-level and inter-organizational collaborative response to disasters: The case of Pakistan Floods in 2010.
- Creator
-
Khosa, Sana, Kapucu, Naim, Wan, Thomas, Knox, Claire, Sadri, Houman, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Catastrophic disasters are different than routine disasters and managing them requires the mobilization of inter-organizational, inter-governmental, cross-sectoral and international humanitarian support. The role of the international community through International Non-governmental Organizations (INGOs), and multi-lateral organizations such as the United Nations (UN) becomes imperative when the scale of the disaster is unprecedented and difficult for a country to manage on its own. The...
Show moreCatastrophic disasters are different than routine disasters and managing them requires the mobilization of inter-organizational, inter-governmental, cross-sectoral and international humanitarian support. The role of the international community through International Non-governmental Organizations (INGOs), and multi-lateral organizations such as the United Nations (UN) becomes imperative when the scale of the disaster is unprecedented and difficult for a country to manage on its own. The initial response and relief phase of managing disasters is one in which many agencies with different expertise, capacities, working mandates, resources, skills, working cultures and norms come together to coordinate and collaborate to provide timely response and relief services. Thus, the terrain of managing catastrophic disasters is complex and requires a deeper study to understand and delineate the factors shaping and facilitating collaborative response and relief efforts.This study examines the multi-level and multi-layered collaborative response networks present at the national-international level, provincial and district/local level of disaster response and interactions. In this research the nature and effectiveness of collaboration is being studied through a relevant case study of a catastrophic natural disaster, the 2010 Pakistan Floods. The phase of immediate response is explored primarily through Network Theory perspectives including supportive theoretical perspectives such as Social Capital, Resource Dependency, and Institutional Collective Action Theory perspectives that help to explain collaborative interactions in disaster response networks. This study explores and describes factors that influence (either facilitate or hinder) collaboration is disaster response networks.The key research questions for this study are: What factors facilitate and impede collaborative response to catastrophic disasters at the local, provincial, national and international levels? What are the differences and similarities in response systems at different levels? Additional questions address how leadership support (attributed to government and political leaders and organizations), institutional support (in the form of plans, international appeals of response, and development of relief funds to manage aid), network capacity of different organizations (programmatic and relational), nature of resource dependencies between responding agencies, and structural configurations of response systems impact the collaborative response in disasters.A case study method has been applied in this research. The 2010 Pakistan Floods response network/system is identified through content analysis of various newspapers, situation reports and after-action reports using the Social Network Analysis (SNA) method via UCINET Software 6.1. The actual response network is analyzed and compared with existing national disaster response plans to examine the effectiveness of collaborative response through centrality measures, clique analysis and visual display. This approach is supplemented with semi-structured interviews of key institutional representatives that responded to the 2010 Floods. These organizations and institutions were primarily identified through the networks formulated via SNA.Findings and results from the analysis reflect that the response networks at each level of analysis differ both in structural aspects and also in functional aspects. The nature of the international-national response system is focused on mobilizing donor support and receiving and managing aid, both in-kind and cash. Also a major role at the international and national level is to mobilize the UN cluster approach and focus on broader aims of response such as providing shelter and food to affected areas. Some of the factors identified as facilitating collaborative response were leadership of both national and international leaders, and availability of donor support and funds.At the provincial level of analysis, the Chief Minister of Punjab is playing a central and influential role and is partnering closely with the Armed Forces and local district administration. Interviews conducted of provincial level officials help to support the hypotheses concerning leadership support's influence on collaborative response and also the role of institutional support in the form of creation of plans, and policies that help to mobilize quick funds and resources for relief. At the local level of response, networks are highly influenced by local conditions and local capacities of the district administration. Thus, there are diverse factors impacting each level of collaborative disaster response. All in all, leadership support, institutional support and network structural aspects are important variables that impact the effectiveness of collaborative response.Today policy makers are trying to figure out ways to collaborate successfully across sector boundaries for better and effective service delivery, both in the mundane operational tasks and in uncertain and complex situations such as disasters and catastrophic events. Thus, this research helps in expanding the literature on collaborative public management, collaborative emergency management, and network management. Also the frequency of natural disasters throughout the world demonstrate the need to study and examine factors that contribute to or hinder the effectiveness of inter-organizational response in disasters
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0005361, ucf:50496
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005361
- Title
- Influence of Personal and State Level Variables on Perception of State Emergency Management Network Resilience In 47 States.
- Creator
-
Jennison, Victoria, Wan, Thomas, Zhang, Ning, Ramirez, Bernardo, Kapucu, Naim, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Emergency management coordination in the United States has fallen victim to over a century of strategies to organize, reorganize, consolidate, or decentralize disaster preparedness, planning and response. Regardless of the agency in charge at the federal level, individual citizens have been responsible for their own well-being immediately after any disaster or emergency event for more than 100 years because it takes time to mobilize and deliver aid. The system most often charged with managing...
Show moreEmergency management coordination in the United States has fallen victim to over a century of strategies to organize, reorganize, consolidate, or decentralize disaster preparedness, planning and response. Regardless of the agency in charge at the federal level, individual citizens have been responsible for their own well-being immediately after any disaster or emergency event for more than 100 years because it takes time to mobilize and deliver aid. The system most often charged with managing that mobilization during an emergency event that exceeds the response capacity of local public safety agencies is the state emergency management network. Many entities in a state emergency management network have different responsibilities during disaster states vs. non-disaster states. Regardless of their role and function, entities need to be able to exchange resources and information with each other, often under time, economic, or other constraints during disasters. This resource exchange generates trust, an essential element of a resilient network. Resilient networks suffer fewer negative impacts from disaster related loss and are more likely to retain collective capacity to respond and help communities recover.The purpose of this study is to explore the ability of individual and state level attributes to explain variability in perception of network resilience. One-hundred fifty one state emergency management agency employees were surveyed regarding their perception of 5 constructs of network resilience (rapidity, redundancy, relationships, resourcefulness, and robustness) and individual level attributes. State level indicators from FEMA, NEMA, American Human Development Index, and Social Vulnerability Index were also analyzed. Overall, it was found that the individual attribute of perception of network integrity had the most influence on perception of network resilience, followed by perception of community resilience and state level attributes including disaster experience, state well-being, and number of full time state emergency management agency employees. These findings can improve network resilience by informing state emergency management network development activity. Networks that increase member opportunities to develop relationships of resource and information exchange will increase their resilience. That increased network resilience impacts community resilience because, as Winston Churchill's wise words during World War II reconstruction advise, (")We shape our communities and then they shape us(").?
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005812, ucf:50040
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005812
