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- Title
- A SURVEY OF PROGRESSIVE AND AFFIRMATIVE EMPLOYEE DISCIPLINE SYSTEMS IN FLORIDA'S HOSPITALS.
- Creator
-
Johnson, Mark, Fottler, Myron, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Conflict between managers and employees is inevitable in any organization, whether public or private. Often, the source of the conflict is employee non-compliance. Managers are responsible for disciplining those employees whose performance or conduct is sub-standard or inappropriate. Therefore, the ability to effectively address employee non-compliance is an essential skill for all managers. Most employee discipline systems fall into one of three categories: traditional, progressive, and...
Show moreConflict between managers and employees is inevitable in any organization, whether public or private. Often, the source of the conflict is employee non-compliance. Managers are responsible for disciplining those employees whose performance or conduct is sub-standard or inappropriate. Therefore, the ability to effectively address employee non-compliance is an essential skill for all managers. Most employee discipline systems fall into one of three categories: traditional, progressive, and affirmative. Traditional systems were prevalent in the late-nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. An autocratic, demanding manager would mete out punishment to non-compliant employees both as an action against the employee and as a warning to other employees. Employees were often terminated for their first offense. With the advent of labor unionism and fair labor practices in the first half of the twentieth century, organizational leaders were required to develop more progressive employee discipline systems which protected employee "due process" and which allowed time and opportunity for improvement by the non-compliant employee. Progressive employee discipline systems are the most prevalent discipline systems in America's workforce today. These systems entail three or four steps, with each successive step usually resulting in more severe penalties for the same offense or more severe offenses. Progressive employee discipline allows the employee an opportunity to respond to non-compliance issues and to try to improve it to the extent required to maintain their position. A new employee discipline system, affirmative discipline, has gained adherents in the private sector primarily. Affirmative employee discipline systems do not use punishment to correct employee non-compliance but instead, ask managers to "coach" and "counsel" the non-compliant employee to better behavior and performance. Rehabilitating the employee's non-compliance is the primary goal of affirmative systems. The emphasis is not only upon the non-compliant employee, but on rehabilitating the "marriage" of non-compliant employee and direct supervisor. Little evidence exists to determine the extent to which progressive and affirmative employee discipline systems are being utilized in the modern organization. No evidence exists that indicates the prevalence of these systems in Florida's healthcare institutions. A survey-based analysis of the use of progressive and affirmative employee discipline systems in Florida's hospitals resulted in respondents indicating frequent utilization of formal progressive employee discipline systems. Designed in three or four steps, these progressive systems allow the employee to improve his/her behavior. Two common tools in progressive systems, the verbal warning and the performance counseling statement, are utilized frequently based upon those respondents surveyed. The use of affirmative employee discipline systems, on the other hand, is relatively rare. The use of written behavior contracts to elicit improved employee compliance is also quite rare. The vast majority of respondents appear to be unfamiliar with the use of written behavior contracts to elicit improved employee compliance.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- CFE0000738, ucf:46580
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000738
- Title
- IN THE CRITICAL TRADITION: AN EXAMINATION OF NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHERS IN A CENTRAL FLORIDA SCHOOL DISTRICT.
- Creator
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Flanigan, Jacquelyn, Holt, Larry, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
In 1986, the Carnegie Forum on Education and the Economy published A Nation Prepared: Teachers for the 21st Century in which it recommended that a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) be established to ascertain and institute criteria for teacher excellence (Steiner, 1995). No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) mandated that every classroom employ a "highly qualified teacher" (No Child Left Behind, 2001a); moreover, NCLB articulated the relationship between improving...
Show moreIn 1986, the Carnegie Forum on Education and the Economy published A Nation Prepared: Teachers for the 21st Century in which it recommended that a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) be established to ascertain and institute criteria for teacher excellence (Steiner, 1995). No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) mandated that every classroom employ a "highly qualified teacher" (No Child Left Behind, 2001a); moreover, NCLB articulated the relationship between improving student achievement and higher standards for qualifying classroom teachers (Rotberg, Futrell & Lieberman, 1998). Research conducted in Miami-Dade County supports Florida's use of National Board Certification (NBC) as an "effective signal of teacher quality"(CNA Corporation, 2004, p.1). Critical theorist, Michael Apple, emphasized the role of education as an agent for the maintenance of hegemony (Apple, 2004). However, Apple further posited that the actual bureaucracy of school – the institution of education itself – is reflective of the same consumerist ideology of society, thus making the hegemony even more complete. Using the aforementioned theoretical construct, the researcher examined the development of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), the distribution of Nationally Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) in a central Florida school district, and their professional responsibilities as a means of examining whether this mechanism for identifying "highly qualified teachers" achieves its stated aim of providing every student with access to a "highly qualified" teacher, as is legislated and funded per NCLB.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002366, ucf:47805
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002366
- Title
- DELAY SENSITIVE ROUTING FOR REAL TIME TRAFFIC OVER AD-HOC NETWORKS.
- Creator
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Darshana, Dipika, Chatterjee, Mainak, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Wireless ad hoc network consists of inexpensive nodes that form a mobile communication network. Due to limitations of the transmission range, the nodes rely on each other to forward packets such that messages can be delivered across the network. The selection of the path along which a packet is forwarded from the source node to the destination node is done by the routing algorithm. Most commonly used routing algorithms, though effective for non-real time applications, cannot handle real-time...
Show moreWireless ad hoc network consists of inexpensive nodes that form a mobile communication network. Due to limitations of the transmission range, the nodes rely on each other to forward packets such that messages can be delivered across the network. The selection of the path along which a packet is forwarded from the source node to the destination node is done by the routing algorithm. Most commonly used routing algorithms, though effective for non-real time applications, cannot handle real-time applications that require strict delay bounds on packet delivery. In this thesis, we propose a routing protocol that ensures timely delivery of real time data packets. The idea is to route packets in such a way that irrespective of factors like traffic load and node density, the average delay remains within acceptable bounds. This is done by carefully accessing the resources available to a route before a session is admitted along that route. Each link in the route is checked for sufficient bandwidth not only for the new session to be admitted but also for the sessions that are already using that link. The new session is admitted only if the admission does not violate the delay bounds of any on-going sessions. This method of route selection coupled with per-hop link reservations allows us to provide bounds on the delay performance. Extensive simulation experiments have been conducted that demonstrate the performance of the proposed routing protocol in terms of throughput, session blocking probability, packet drop probability, average path length, and delay.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002355, ucf:47796
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002355
- Title
- THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF CLAIMS-MAKING: BAHAMIAN ANGLERS VS. NON-RESIDENT SPORTS-FISHERMEN.
- Creator
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Neuenschwander, Sara, Lynxwiler, John, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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On January 1, 2007, the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources in the Department of Marine Resources of the Bahamas promulgated significant revisions to their sports-fishing regulations. While the new laws were designed to benefit the Bahamian fisheries, they caused a vociferous uproar among non-resident anglers who frequent the islands of the Bahamas to sports-fish. Of particular concern are the new regulations that limit the maximum weight and number of fish which non-resident anglers...
Show moreOn January 1, 2007, the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources in the Department of Marine Resources of the Bahamas promulgated significant revisions to their sports-fishing regulations. While the new laws were designed to benefit the Bahamian fisheries, they caused a vociferous uproar among non-resident anglers who frequent the islands of the Bahamas to sports-fish. Of particular concern are the new regulations that limit the maximum weight and number of fish which non-resident anglers may keep on their boat. My research examines the claims-making activities made by American anglers on four different sports-fishermen/cruising forums. The analysis focuses on the motifs, rhetorical idioms, counterrhetorical strategies, and styles among sports-fishermen who fish the Bahamas.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002293, ucf:47833
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002293
- Title
- English Language Arts Preservice and Inservice Teacher's Knowledge about How to Use eTextbooks and Open Educational Resources to Support Students' Comprehension: A Case Study.
- Creator
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Smith, Lourdes, Zygouris-Coe, Vassiliki, Roberts, Sherron, Damico, Nicole, Wilson, Nance, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The focus of this qualitative, descriptive case study was to (a) investigate the knowledge English Language Arts preservice and inservice teachers had about eTextbooks and Open Educational Resources (OERs) and (b) how they planned to use that knowledge to develop their current/future 6-12 grade students' comprehension and content knowledge. Included within the study were specifics regarding how eTextbooks and OERs can be used to support adolescent learners and how online comprehension skills...
Show moreThe focus of this qualitative, descriptive case study was to (a) investigate the knowledge English Language Arts preservice and inservice teachers had about eTextbooks and Open Educational Resources (OERs) and (b) how they planned to use that knowledge to develop their current/future 6-12 grade students' comprehension and content knowledge. Included within the study were specifics regarding how eTextbooks and OERs can be used to support adolescent learners and how online comprehension skills can be developed. Data were analyzed in order to determine themes related to the use and planning for eTextbooks and OERs in the secondary ELA classroom. Data sources for this study included the participant interviews, document analysis, and a focus group interview. Findings revealed that participants (N=6) were both excited and apprehensive about using technology and that although they had some personal experiences with eTextbooks and OERs, they would need more specific support in helping their future or current students to develop online reading comprehension skills. Implications and recommendations are offered for preservice teacher educators, classroom teachers and professional developers, researchers, and publishers.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006797, ucf:51922
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006797
- Title
- Implications of groundwater plume transport and analysis of karst aquifer characteristics in central Florida.
- Creator
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Sandhu, Daljit, Singh, Arvind, Wang, Dingbao, Nam, Boo Hyun, Zheng, Qipeng, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Groundwater aquifers make up the primary source of drinking water in Florida. It is imperative to protect and maintain water quality to ensure optimal drinking water conditions. Florida is known for being prone to sinkholes due to karst features. One sinkhole event occurred beneath a phosphogypsum stack, and leaked a large amount of radioactive waste in the Floridan aquifer, raising water quality concerns. To study the behavior of contaminant transport, the radioactive waste plume was modeled...
Show moreGroundwater aquifers make up the primary source of drinking water in Florida. It is imperative to protect and maintain water quality to ensure optimal drinking water conditions. Florida is known for being prone to sinkholes due to karst features. One sinkhole event occurred beneath a phosphogypsum stack, and leaked a large amount of radioactive waste in the Floridan aquifer, raising water quality concerns. To study the behavior of contaminant transport, the radioactive waste plume was modeled by coupling hydraulic and chemistry concepts. Adsorption was studied to see if it can serve as a potential remediation solution to the contaminant waste, using available adsorption knowledge and data from previous studies. Results suggest that simulating mineral adsorption helped limit how far the waste stack would travel in the aquifer, however it would still pose risk in water quality, as drinking water wells are situated along the path of the contaminant plume. Implementation of treatment wells and monitoring would ensure drinking water criteria are met.Acknowledging that the Floridan aquifer contains karst features that consist of limestone fractures and the rock matrix, groundwater flow patterns may be influenced over time. For instance, fractures (or conduits) can conduct larger amounts of groundwater at higher conductivities, which could have implications on groundwater/contaminant transport. To model this process, a karst evolution model utilizing hydraulic and chemistry concepts are applied in a basin in Florida. Results indicate the karst model reproduces head profiles and estimates the age of several conduits. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to investigate how karst evolution is influenced by hydraulic and chemistry parameters. Results show that fracture length has more influence on karst evolution, however other physical parameters show some influence as well.A karst conduit network was simulated for the Silver Springs springshed, based on obtained potentiometric head data. Implementing information on aquifer chemistry and fracture geometry resulted in a unique realization of a karst network. During this process, flow rates change direction, inducing backflow, which can have implications on groundwater resources. Overall, an improved understanding of karst processes can aid in better characterizing conduit flow patterns and improve water resources management.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007723, ucf:52427
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007723
- Title
- BUFFER TECHNIQUES FOR STOCHASTIC RESOURCE CONSTRAINED PROJECT SCHEDULING WITH STOCHASTIC TASK INSERTIONS PROBLEMS.
- Creator
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Grey, Jennifer, Armacost, Robert, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Project managers are faced with the challenging task of managing an environment filled with uncertainties that may lead to multiple disruptions during project execution. In particular, they are frequently confronted with planning for routine and non-routine unplanned work: known, identified, tasks that may or may not occur depending upon various, often unpredictable, factors. This problem is known as the stochastic task insertion problem, where tasks of deterministic duration occur...
Show moreProject managers are faced with the challenging task of managing an environment filled with uncertainties that may lead to multiple disruptions during project execution. In particular, they are frequently confronted with planning for routine and non-routine unplanned work: known, identified, tasks that may or may not occur depending upon various, often unpredictable, factors. This problem is known as the stochastic task insertion problem, where tasks of deterministic duration occur stochastically. Traditionally, project managers may include an extra margin within deterministic task times or an extra time buffer may be allotted at the end of the project schedule to protect the final project completion milestone. Little scientific guidance is available to better integrate buffers strategically into the project schedule. Motivated by the Critical Chain and Buffer Management approach of Goldratt, this research identifies, defines, and demonstrates new buffer sizing techniques to improve project duration and stability metrics associated with the stochastic resource constrained project scheduling problem with stochastic task insertions. Specifically, this research defines and compares partial buffer sizing strategies for projects with varying levels of resource and network complexity factors as well as the level and location of the stochastically occurring tasks. Several project metrics may be impacted by the stochastic occurrence or non-occurrence of a task such as the project makespan and the project stability. New duration and stability metrics are developed in this research and are used to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed buffer sizing techniques. These "robustness measures" are computed through the comparison of the characteristics of the initial schedule (termed the infeasible base schedule), a modified base schedule (or as-run schedule) and an optimized version of the base schedule (or perfect knowledge schedule). Seven new buffer sizing techniques are introduced in this research. Three are based on a fixed percentage of task duration and the remaining four provide variable buffer sizes based upon the location of the stochastic task in the schedule and knowledge of the task stochasticity characteristic. Experimental analysis shows that partial buffering produces improvements in the project stability and duration metrics when compared to other baseline scheduling approaches. Three of the new partial buffering techniques produced improvements in project metrics. One of these partial buffers was based on a fixed percentage of task duration and the other two used a variable buffer size based on knowledge of the location of the task in the project network. This research provides project schedulers with new partial buffering techniques and recommendations for the type of partial buffering technique that should be utilized when project duration and stability performance improvements are desired. When a project scheduler can identify potential unplanned work and where it might occur, the use of these partial buffer techniques will yield a better estimated makespan. Furthermore, it will result in less disruption to the planned schedule and minimize the amount of time that specific tasks will have to move to accommodate the unplanned tasks.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- Identifier
- CFE0001584, ucf:52850
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001584
- Title
- Modeling Mass Care Resource Provision Post Hurricane.
- Creator
-
Muhs, Tammy, Kincaid, John, Rollins, David, Dorman, Teresa, Taylor, Gregory, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Determining the amount of resources needed, specifically food and water, following a hurricane is not a straightforward task. Through this research effort, an estimating tool was developed that takes into account key demographic and evacuation behavioral effects, as well as hurricane storm specifics to estimate the number of meals required for the first fourteen days following a hurricane making landfall in the State of Florida. The Excel based estimating tool was created using data collected...
Show moreDetermining the amount of resources needed, specifically food and water, following a hurricane is not a straightforward task. Through this research effort, an estimating tool was developed that takes into account key demographic and evacuation behavioral effects, as well as hurricane storm specifics to estimate the number of meals required for the first fourteen days following a hurricane making landfall in the State of Florida. The Excel based estimating tool was created using data collected from four hurricanes making landfall in Florida during 2004-2005. The underlying model used in the tool is a Regression Decision Tree with predictor variables including direct impact, poverty level, and hurricane impact score. The hurricane impact score is a hurricane classification system resulting from this research that includes hurricane category, intensity, wind field size, and landfall location. The direct path of a hurricane, a higher than average proportion of residents below the poverty level, and the hurricane impact score were all found to have an effect on the number of meals required during the first fourteen days following a hurricane making landfall in the State of Florida.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0004143, ucf:49053
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004143
- Title
- EXTENDING THE TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE MODEL USING PERCEIVED USER RESOURCES IN HIGHER EDUCATION WEB-BASED ONLINE LEARNING COURSES.
- Creator
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KU, CHENG-HSIN, Sivo, Stephen, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The purpose of this research was to examine students' acceptance of the World Wide Web Course Tools (WebCT) online learning system. The Perceived Resources and Technology Acceptance Model (PRATAM) was created based on previous research to address the factors of perceived resources, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude toward using, behavioral intention to use and actual system use. The aim for this research was to investigate the critical determinants and provide the...
Show moreThe purpose of this research was to examine students' acceptance of the World Wide Web Course Tools (WebCT) online learning system. The Perceived Resources and Technology Acceptance Model (PRATAM) was created based on previous research to address the factors of perceived resources, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude toward using, behavioral intention to use and actual system use. The aim for this research was to investigate the critical determinants and provide the causal relationships regarding students' acceptance behaviors when using WebCT. While institutions are expecting to adopt online learning to reach more students, there are still many challenges for institutions to retain students in their online courses. The literature review conducted in this research indicated that the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) has successfully explained students' behaviors when they use educational information systems. In addition, the additional perceived resources variable in the PRATAM also showed a significant influence on the other belief and intention variables. The study analyzed a total of 115 students responses in two surveys administered during two WebCT based courses taught at a large southeastern public university. The beliefs, attitudes, intentions, and behavioral constructs of PRATAM showed significant goodness-of-fit indices and coefficient of determination after analyzing the data in both surveys. However, the results indicated several exceptions on PRATAM's constructs and causal relationships. First, the path coefficient between perceived resources to behavioral intention to use in both pre-test and post-test were insignificant. Second, the path coefficient between behavioral intention to use and actual system use in pre-test was insignificant. Third, the path coefficient between perceived resources and perceived usefulness in post-test were insignificant. In addition, the research also suggested an additional link between perceived ease of use and behavioral intention to use at the pre-test data. Overall, this research validated the influences of PRATAM's constructs factors to students' acceptance behaviors toward WebCT. The findings of this research could provide a guideline for future implementations of online learning systems in higher education.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- Identifier
- CFE0002635, ucf:48233
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002635
- Title
- THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS: PERCEIVED DETERRENT EFFECT ON CAMPUS CRIME.
- Creator
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Rhinehart, David, Watkins, R. Cory, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The purpose of this study was to examine student perceptions of the deterrent effect of School Resource Officers on crimes that may occur on school campuses and the factors that may influence those perceptions. The first school resource officer (SRO) program was implemented in 1953 and gained popularity in the 1990s. This study (conducted in 2008) reveals that the majority of students perceive that school resource officers are a deterrent to specific crimes and the overall crime rate on...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to examine student perceptions of the deterrent effect of School Resource Officers on crimes that may occur on school campuses and the factors that may influence those perceptions. The first school resource officer (SRO) program was implemented in 1953 and gained popularity in the 1990s. This study (conducted in 2008) reveals that the majority of students perceive that school resource officers are a deterrent to specific crimes and the overall crime rate on school campuses. The results of the survey indicated that the crimes of rape (74.1%), homicide (73.7%), aggravated assault or threat with a weapon (70.5%), sexual assault (67.0%), robbery (64.9%), and weapon possession (68.4%) had the highest percentage of students who responded agree (strongly agree or agree) that the school resource officer was a perceived deterrent to those crimes on the school campus. The incident with the lowest perceived deterrent effect was truancy with 48.9% of the students responding with strongly agree or agree. Based on a multivariate analysis, this study found that the factors that influenced the students' perceptions of the School Resource Officer as a deterrent to crime were students' age, class standing, school attended, exposure to a SRO, friends' crime history, and family crime history. The students' race, past crimes, income level, and gender were not statistically significant for any of the dependent variables. The examination of the ordinal logistic regression showed the percentage of variance the model explained was low. Based on this research with the limitations presented, the SRO is perceived as a deterrent to crime on school campuses. The deterrent effect was not stronger in any one demographic group. Peer pressure was one factor that was an influence in the majority of studied crimes.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0003765, ucf:48718
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003765
- Title
- On the Back of the Crocodile: Extent, Energetics, and Productivity in Wetland Agricultural Systems, Northern Belize.
- Creator
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Montgomery, Shane, Chase, Arlen, Chase, Diane, Walker, John, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Ancient populations across the globe successfully employed wetland agricultural techniques in a variety of environmentally and climatically diverse landscapes throughout prehistory. Within the Maya Lowlands, these agricultural features figure prominently in the region comprised of northern Belize and southern Quintana Roo, an area supporting low-outflow rivers, large lagoons, and numerous bajo (swamp) features. Along the banks of the Hondo and New Rivers, the Maya effectively utilized wetland...
Show moreAncient populations across the globe successfully employed wetland agricultural techniques in a variety of environmentally and climatically diverse landscapes throughout prehistory. Within the Maya Lowlands, these agricultural features figure prominently in the region comprised of northern Belize and southern Quintana Roo, an area supporting low-outflow rivers, large lagoons, and numerous bajo (swamp) features. Along the banks of the Hondo and New Rivers, the Maya effectively utilized wetland agricultural practices from the Middle Preclassic to the Terminal Classic Periods (1000 B.C.(-)A.D. 950). A number of past archaeological projects have thoroughly examined the construction and impact of these swampland modifications. After four decades of study, a more precise picture has formed in relation to the roles that these ditched field systems played in the regional development of the area. However, a detailed record of the full spatial extent, combined construction costs, and potential agricultural productivity has not been attempted on a larger scale. This thesis highlights these avenues of interest through data obtained from high- and medium-resolution satellite imagery and manipulated through geographic information systems (GIS) technology. The research explores environmental factors and topographic elements dictating the distribution of such entities, the energetic involvement required to construct and maintain the systems, and the efficiency of wetland techniques as compared to traditional milpa agriculture. Spatial analyses reveal a total of 254 distinct wetland field systems within the 6560 square kilometer area of interest, clustered along navigable waterways, seasonal lagoons, and upland landscapes separating the Hondo and New Rivers. Energetic estimates illustrate substantial investment in wetland field construction, spanning several generations based on a locally available workforce. However, productivity calculations associated with the ditched field systems commonly exceed those attributed to milpa techniques, suggesting agricultural surplus far beyond the immediate need. These combined data indicate the potential export of maize and other agricultural commodities to regional centers in northern Belize and further abroad during the Late Preclassic and Late to Terminal Classic Periods through riverine trade networks. Additionally, these data help illustrate participation trends and patterns of connectivity relating to tiered sites within the area of interest. This research contributes to the overall understanding of wetland agriculture within Mesoamerica as well as provides insight into the political management of intensive agricultural production during Maya prehistory.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006360, ucf:51514
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006360
- Title
- Total Ownership Cost Modeling of Technology Adoption Using System Dynamics: Implications for ERP Systems.
- Creator
-
Esmaeilian, Behzad, Karwowski, Waldemar, Mollaghasemi, Mansooreh, Xanthopoulos, Petros, Ahram, Tareq, Kincaid, John, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Investment in new technologies is considered by firms as a solution to improve their productivity, product and service quality and their competitive advantages in the global market. Unfortunately, not all technology adoption projects have met their intended objectives. The complexity of technology adoption along with little consideration of the long term cost of the technology, are among the factors that challenge companies while adopting a new technology. Companies often make new technology...
Show moreInvestment in new technologies is considered by firms as a solution to improve their productivity, product and service quality and their competitive advantages in the global market. Unfortunately, not all technology adoption projects have met their intended objectives. The complexity of technology adoption along with little consideration of the long term cost of the technology, are among the factors that challenge companies while adopting a new technology. Companies often make new technology adoption decision without enough attention to the total cost of the technology over its lifecycle. Sometimes poor decision making while adopting a new technology can result in substantial recurring loss impacts. Therefore, estimating the total cost of the technology is an important step in justifying the technology adoption. Total Ownership Cost (TOC) is a wildly-accepted financial metric which can be applied to study the costs associated with the new technology throughout its lifecycle. TOC helps companies analyze not only the acquisition and procurement cost of the technology, but also other cost components occurring over the technology usage and service stage. The point is that, technology adoption cost estimation is a complex process involving consideration of various aspects such as the maintenance cost, technology upgrade cost and the cost related to the human-resource. Assessing the association between the technology characteristics (technology upgrades over its life cycle, compatibility with other systems, technology life span, etc) and the TOC encompasses a high degree of complexity. The complexity exists because there are many factors affecting the cost over time. Sometimes decisions made today can have long lasting impact on the system costs and there is a lag between the time the decision is taken and when outcomes occur. An original contribution of this dissertation is development of a System Dynamics (SD) model to estimate the TOC associated with the new technology adoption. The SD model creates casual linkage and relationships among various aspects of the technology adoption process and allows decision makers to explore the impact of their decisions on the total cost that the technology brings into the company. The SD model presented in this dissertation composes of seven sub-models including (1) technology implementation efforts, (2) workforce training, (3) technology-related workforce hiring process, (4) preventive and corrective maintenance process, (5) technology upgrade, (6) impact of technology on system performance and (7) total ownership cost sub model. A case study of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system adoption has been used to show the application of the SD model. The results of the model show that maintenance, upgrade and workforce hiring costs are among the major cost components in the ERP adoption case study presented in Chapter 4. The simulation SD model developed in this dissertation supports trade-off analysis and provides a tool for technology scenarios evaluation. The SD model presented here can be extended to provide a basis for developing a decision support system for technology evaluation.?
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0004836, ucf:49686
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004836
- Title
- A CONSTRUCTIONIST ANALYSIS OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGE.
- Creator
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Nead, Sandra, Lynxwiler, John, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Same-sex marriage has been heavily debated in academics and in the public sphere. During the 2004 Presidential election same-sex marriage became an issue that polarized the candidates. It has become a lightning rod for public debate. Due to the increasing attention to the controversy of legalizing same-sex marriage, it is an important topic for research. This paper seeks to contribute to the research of same-sex marriage by providing insight into claims-making efforts to define same-sex...
Show moreSame-sex marriage has been heavily debated in academics and in the public sphere. During the 2004 Presidential election same-sex marriage became an issue that polarized the candidates. It has become a lightning rod for public debate. Due to the increasing attention to the controversy of legalizing same-sex marriage, it is an important topic for research. This paper seeks to contribute to the research of same-sex marriage by providing insight into claims-making efforts to define same-sex marriage as a social problem. My findings shed light on this topic from a social constructionist perspective by examining the use of rhetorical idioms of the claims made by opposing parties in the debate over same-sex marriage as it relates to the court ruling in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- CFE0000662, ucf:46552
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000662
- Title
- Identifying Type of Expertise as a Means to Measure CRM Knowledge Structures.
- Creator
-
Jimenez, Camilo, Jentsch, Florian, Shumaker, Randall, Burke, Shawn, Sims, Valerie, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Crew Resource Management (CRM) training has evolved since its inception in the 1980s to better accommodate the operational needs of flight crews. However, even as the aviation and research communities have pointed to the potential benefit of providing CRM training, some criticism continues to emerge periodically which claims that there is no concrete evidence of its impact on flight deck performance and safety. Therefore, it is imperative to develop tools that allow researchers and, more...
Show moreCrew Resource Management (CRM) training has evolved since its inception in the 1980s to better accommodate the operational needs of flight crews. However, even as the aviation and research communities have pointed to the potential benefit of providing CRM training, some criticism continues to emerge periodically which claims that there is no concrete evidence of its impact on flight deck performance and safety. Therefore, it is imperative to develop tools that allow researchers and, more importantly, practitioners, to more effectively and objectively assess training effectiveness and identify whether or not desired CRM behaviors are being put to practice during line operations.This study focused on evaluating pilots' CRM schemas and identifying differences in CRM knowledge structures among pilots. Differences in CRM knowledge and opinions about training could be an indication of the existence of what Hatano and Inagaki (1986) have described as two distinct types of expertise, namely, routine and adaptive expertise. The study sought to identify differences among routine and adaptive expert pilots in CRM knowledge structures (schemas), their perceptions on the value and efficacy of current CRM training evaluation, along with their opinion on how CRM training effectiveness could be more accurately assessed. Results from over 250 pilots showed that, in general, participants had a positive view of CRM training and training evaluation, regardless of their type of expertise. Some evidence of potential differences in the structural knowledge of CRM between routine and adaptive experts, as well as, differences in their opinions about CRM training, evaluation, and automation on the flight deck was also identified. Additionally, analysis of survey scores and free response items indicate the existence of a third category of experts, between routine and adaptive expertise (whom I call transitional experts). The study results provide evidence that assessment of CRM schemas could potentially be used as a way to evaluate CRM training effectiveness. The results of the study also indicate that identification of specific training needs for each group of expert may be possible through the assessment of CRM schemas and type of expertise. Implications for practice and theory, limitations of the study, and suggestions for future research are also provided.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007200, ucf:52264
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007200
- Title
- LOW-INCOME HEALTH CARE NETWORKS: INITIAL CONDITIONS, EXTENT, AND INTENSITY RELEVANT TO COUNTY GOVERNMENT PARTICIPATION.
- Creator
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Knepper, Hillary, Feldheim, Mary Ann, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Contemporary health care systems in the United States are not equitable. Indeed, as the literature indicates, there are substantial differences in the variety and scope of service delivery based on age, income, and other socio-economic indicators. The recent passage of health care reform in the United States illustrates that Americans are seeking to bring balance and equity to health care. However, as learned in this study, county governments across the country have been working in their...
Show moreContemporary health care systems in the United States are not equitable. Indeed, as the literature indicates, there are substantial differences in the variety and scope of service delivery based on age, income, and other socio-economic indicators. The recent passage of health care reform in the United States illustrates that Americans are seeking to bring balance and equity to health care. However, as learned in this study, county governments across the country have been working in their communities to ensure some balance and equity, by making a safety net available for those citizens who are unable to access health care. Perhaps this is because health care quickly becomes a local government problem. In this current economic climate, county governments are being pinched between declining revenues and rising demands for services (Eaton, 2009; Phaup, 2009). The Orange County Primary Care Access Network is one example studied here that provides clear evidence of how organizations can work together to develop and maintain a sustainable health care safety net for the underinsured and uninsured. This study is the first of its kind to examine county government influences, environmental pressures, and community resources in the context of health care network performance. The methodological research question for this study is what determinants (exogenous constructs) contribute to a health care network and its performance (endogenous construct) within the framework of county government participation? Further, is the model supported by the data and can prediction, direction, and strength of relationships among the variables be identified? The simple answer is yes. For this study, the responses from 123 counties were analyzed with a variety of statistical techniques, culminating in structural equation modeling. The outcome of these analyses provided a reasonable explanation for the variation among the variables leading to network performance improvement in meeting the health care needs of uninsured and underinsured people. These quantitative data were also supported in their results with the inclusion of a case study analysis of a particular health care safety-net, the Orange County Primary Care Access Network in Orange County, Florida. Ultimately, this study learned three valuable lessons that can be used by county government decision-makers and health care providers alike. First, county involvement in community based health care networks results in a benefit that reverberates during economic stress- the leveraging of resources. Second, public-private initiatives are fundamental to reducing disparities in health care access. Third, health care networks improve access to health care for uninsured and underinsured people. Ultimately, county government participation is the largest predictor of network performance in this study.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- CFE0003341, ucf:48475
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003341
- Title
- An Analysis of Undergraduate Creative Writing Students'Writing Processes: Gauging the Workshop Models' Effectiveness Through the Lens of Genre Theories.
- Creator
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Chrisman, John, Marinara, Martha, Roozen, Kevin, Scott, Blake, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Current approaches to teaching creative writers the ways to success in creative writing courses consist largely of workshop style classes. While workshops often vary from class to class in style, generally a workshop will consist of a group of writers, led by a mentor/instructor, who exchange drafts and provide reader and writer focused feedback to the author. Yet because the workshop approach has not been the subject of close empirical study, it is unclear whether it is an effective pedagogy...
Show moreCurrent approaches to teaching creative writers the ways to success in creative writing courses consist largely of workshop style classes. While workshops often vary from class to class in style, generally a workshop will consist of a group of writers, led by a mentor/instructor, who exchange drafts and provide reader and writer focused feedback to the author. Yet because the workshop approach has not been the subject of close empirical study, it is unclear whether it is an effective pedagogy. This thesis serves two purposes. First, it presents an argument for new research into creative writing pedagogy and creative writers' processes and suggests that any future research should take an empirical turn. However, because creative writing has developed few theories or methods useful for the empirical study of creative writing, I suggest adopting theories and methods from the field of rhetoric and composition. The second part of this thesis is an empirical study of three creative writing undergraduate students in an introductory creative writing course over one semester. This study uses qualitative methods: semi-structured retrospective interviews, close textual analysis, and in-class observations to understand how creative writers are enculturated into the creative writing community using Christine Tardy's theories of acquiring genre expertise as a framework for analysis. Based on this research this study concludes that while creative writers enculturate in different ways, based on several factors, all creative writers develop greater awareness of genre complexity, authorial identity, and intermodal influences on their writing. Furthermore, this study recommends further case studies into creative writers writing processes and the effectiveness of various workshop models on student enculturation. ?
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005589, ucf:50235
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005589
- Title
- Virtual Interactions with Real-Agents for Sustainable Natural Resource Management.
- Creator
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Pierce, Tyler, Madani Larijani, Kaveh, Wang, Dingbao, Jacques, Peter, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Common pool resource management systems are complex to manage due to the absence of a clear understanding of the effects of users' behavioral characteristics. Non-cooperative decision making based on individual rationality (as opposed to group rationality) and a tendency to free ride due to lack of trust and information about other users' behavior creates externalities and can lead to tragedy of the commons without intervention by a regulator. Nevertheless, even regulatory institutions often...
Show moreCommon pool resource management systems are complex to manage due to the absence of a clear understanding of the effects of users' behavioral characteristics. Non-cooperative decision making based on individual rationality (as opposed to group rationality) and a tendency to free ride due to lack of trust and information about other users' behavior creates externalities and can lead to tragedy of the commons without intervention by a regulator. Nevertheless, even regulatory institutions often fail to sustain natural common pool resources in the absence of clear understanding of the responses of multiple heterogeneous decision makers to different regulation schemes. While modeling can help with our understanding of complex coupled human-natural systems, past research has not been able to realistically simulate these systems for two major limitations: 1) lack of computational capacity and proper mathematical models for solving distributed systems with self-optimizing agents; and 2) lack of enough information about users' characteristics in common pool resource systems due to absence of reliable monitoring information. Recently, different studies have tried to address the first limitation by developing agent-based models, which can be appropriately handled with today's computational capacity. While these models are more realistic than the social planner's models which have been traditionally used in the field, they normally rely on different heuristics for characterizing users' behavior and incorporating heterogeneity. This work is a step-forward in addressing the second limitation, suggesting an efficient method for collecting information on diverse behavioral characteristics of real agents for incorporation in distributed agent-based models. Gaming in interactive virtual environments is suggested as a reliable method for understanding different variables that promote sustainable resource use through observation of decision making and behavior of the resource system beneficiaries under various institutional frameworks and policies. A review of educational or "serious" games for environmental management was undertaken to determine an appropriate game for collecting information on real-agents and also to investigate the state of environmental management games and their potential as an educational tool. A web-based groundwater sharing simulation game(-)Irrigania(-)was selected to analyze the behavior of real agents under different common pool resource management institutions. Participants included graduate and undergraduate students from the University of Central Florida and Lund University. Information was collected on participants' resource use, behavior and mindset under different institutional settings through observation and discussion with participants. Preliminary use of water resources gaming suggests communication, cooperation, information disclosure, trust, credibility and social learning between beneficiaries as factors promoting a shift towards sustainable resource use. Additionally, Irrigania was determined to be an effective tool for complementing traditional lecture-based teaching of complex concepts related to sustainable natural resource management. The different behavioral groups identified in the study can be used for improved simulation of multi-agent groundwater management systems.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0005045, ucf:49953
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005045
- Title
- Investigating the universality and comprehensive ability of measures to assess the state of workload.
- Creator
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Abich, Julian, Reinerman, Lauren, Lackey, Stephanie, Szalma, James, Taylor, Grant, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Measures of workload have been developed on the basis of the various definitions, some are designed to capture the multi-dimensional aspects of a unitary resource pool (Kahneman, 1973) while others are developed on the basis of multiple resource theory (Wickens, 2002). Although many theory based workload measures exist, others have often been constructed to serve the purpose of specific experimental tasks. As a result, it is likely that not every workload measure is reliable and valid for all...
Show moreMeasures of workload have been developed on the basis of the various definitions, some are designed to capture the multi-dimensional aspects of a unitary resource pool (Kahneman, 1973) while others are developed on the basis of multiple resource theory (Wickens, 2002). Although many theory based workload measures exist, others have often been constructed to serve the purpose of specific experimental tasks. As a result, it is likely that not every workload measure is reliable and valid for all tasks, much less each domain. To date, no single measure, systematically tested across experimental tasks, domains, and other measures is considered a universal measure of workload. Most researchers would argue that multiple measures from various categories should be applied to a given task to comprehensively assess workload. The goal for Study 1 to establish task load manipulations for two theoretically different tasks that induce distinct levels of workload assessed by both subjective and performance measures was successful. The results of the subjective responses support standardization and validation of the tasks and demands of that task for investigating workload. After investigating the use of subjective and objective measures of workload to identify a universal and comprehensive measure or set of measures, based on Study 2, it can only be concluded that not one or a set of measures exists. Arguably, it is not to say that one will never be conceived and developed, but at this time, one does not reside in the psychometric catalog. Instead, it appears that a more suitable approach is to customize a set of workload measures based on the task. The novel approach of assessing the sensitivity and comprehensive ability of conjointly utilizing subjective, performance, and physiological workload measures for theoretically different tasks within the same domain contributes to the theory by laying the foundation for improving methodology for researching workload. The applicable contribution of this project is a stepping-stone towards developing complex profiles of workload for use in closed-loop systems, such as human-robot team interaction. Identifying the best combination of workload measures enables human factors practitioners, trainers, and task designers to improve methodology and evaluation of system designs, training requirements, and personnel selection.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0005119, ucf:50675
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005119
- Title
- Investigating New Guaiazulenes and Diketopyrropyrroles for Photonic Applications.
- Creator
-
Ghazvini Zadeh, Ebrahim, Belfield, Kevin, Campiglia, Andres, Yuan, Yu, Zou, Shengli, Cheng, Zixi, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
?-Conjugated systems have been the focus of study in recent years in order to understand their charge transport and optical properties for use in organic electronic devices, fluorescence bioimaging, sensors, and 3D optical data storage (ODS), among others. As a result, several molecular building blocks have been designed, allowing new frontiers to be realized. While various successful building blocks have been fine-tuned at both the electronic and molecular structure level to provide advanced...
Show more?-Conjugated systems have been the focus of study in recent years in order to understand their charge transport and optical properties for use in organic electronic devices, fluorescence bioimaging, sensors, and 3D optical data storage (ODS), among others. As a result, several molecular building blocks have been designed, allowing new frontiers to be realized. While various successful building blocks have been fine-tuned at both the electronic and molecular structure level to provide advanced photophysical and optoelectronic characteristics, the azulene framework has been under-appreciated despite its unique electronic and optical properties. Among several attributes, azulenes are vibrant blue naturally occurring hydrocarbons that exhibit large dipolar character, coupled with stimuli-responsive behavior in acidic environments. Additionally, the non-toxic nature and the accompanying eco-friendly feature of some azulenes, namely guaiazulene, may set the stage to further explore a more (")green(") route towards photonic and conductive materials.The first part of this dissertation focuses on exploiting guaiazulene as a natural building block for the synthesis of chromophores with varying stimuli-responsiveness. Results described in Chapter 1 show that extending the conjugation of guaiazulene through its seven-membered ring methyl group with aromatic substituents dramatically impacts the optical properties of the guaiazulenium carbocation. Study of these ?(-)stabilized tropilium ions enabled establishing photophysical structure-property trends for guaiazulene-terminated ?-conjugated analogs under acidic conditions, including absorption, emission, quantum yield, and optical band gap patterns. These results were exploited in the design of a photosensitive polymeric system with potential application in the field of three dimensional (3D) optical data storage (ODS).Chapter 2 describes the use of guaiazulene reactive sites (C-3 and C-4 methyl group) to generate a series of cyclopenta[ef]heptalenes that exhibit strong stimuli-responsive behavior. The approach presents a versatile route that allows for various substrates to be incorporated into the resulting cyclopenta[ef]heptalenes, especially after optimization that led to devising a one-pot reaction toward such tricyclic systems. Examining the UV-vis absorption profiles in neutral and acidic media showed that the extension of conjugation at C(4) of the cyclopenta[ef]heptalene skeleton results in longer absorption maxima and smaller optical energy gaps. Additionally, it was concluded that these systems act as sensitizers of a UV-activated ((<) 300 nm) photoacid generator (PAG), via intermolecular photoinduced electron transfer (PeT), upon which the PAG undergoes photodecomposition resulting in the generation of acid.In a related study, the guaiazulene methyl group at C-4 was employed to study the linear and nonlinear optical properties of 4-styrylguaiazulenes, having the same ?(-)donor with varying ?-spacer. It was realized that the conjugation length correlates with the extent of bathochromic shift of the protonated species. On the other hand, a trend of decreasing quantum yield was established for this set of 4-styrylguaiazulenes, which can be explained by the increasingly higher degree of flexibility.The second part of this dissertation presents a comprehensive investigation of the linear photophysical, photochemical, and nonlinear optical properties of diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-based derivatives, including two-photon absorption (2PA), femtosecond transient absorption, stimulated emission spectroscopy, and superfluorescence phenomena. The synthetic feasibility, ease of modification, outstanding robustness, and attractive spectroscopic properties of DPPs have motivated their study for fluorescence microscopy applications, concluding that the prepared DPP's are potentially suitable chromophores for high resolution stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0006034, ucf:50986
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006034
- Title
- Impacts of Complexity and Timing of Communication Interruptions on Visual Detection Tasks.
- Creator
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Stader, Sally, Mouloua, Mustapha, Hancock, Peter, Neider, Mark, Kincaid, John, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Auditory preemption theory suggests two competing assumptions for the attention-capturing and performance-altering properties of auditory tasks. In onset preemption, attention is immediately diverted to the auditory channel. Strategic preemption involves a decision process in which the operator maintains focus on more complex auditory messages. The limitation in this process is that the human auditory, or echoic, memory store has a limit of 2 to 5 seconds, after which the message must be...
Show moreAuditory preemption theory suggests two competing assumptions for the attention-capturing and performance-altering properties of auditory tasks. In onset preemption, attention is immediately diverted to the auditory channel. Strategic preemption involves a decision process in which the operator maintains focus on more complex auditory messages. The limitation in this process is that the human auditory, or echoic, memory store has a limit of 2 to 5 seconds, after which the message must be processed or it decays. In contrast, multiple resource theory suggests that visual and auditory tasks may be efficiently time-shared because two different pools of cognitive resources are used. Previous research regarding these competing assumptions has been limited and equivocal. Thus, the current research focused on systematically examining the effects of complexity and timing of communication interruptions on visual detection tasks. It was hypothesized that both timing and complexity levels would impact detection performance in a multi-task environment. Study 1 evaluated the impact of complexity and timing of communications occurring before malfunctions in an ongoing visual detection task. Twenty-four participants were required to complete each of the eight timing blocks that included simple or complex communications occurring simultaneously, and at 2, 5, or 8 seconds before detection events. For simple communications, participants repeated three pre-recorded words. However, for complex communications, they generated three words beginning with the same last letter of a word prompt. Results indicated that complex communications at two seconds or less occurring before a visual detection event significantly impacted response time with a 1.3 to 1.6 second delay compared to all the other timings. Detection accuracy for complex communication tasks under the simultaneous condition was significantly degraded compared to simple communications at five seconds or more prior to the task. This resulted in a 20% decline in detection accuracy. Additionally, participants' workload ratings for complex communications were significantly higher than simple communications. Study 2 examined the timing of communications occurring at the corresponding seconds after the visual detection event. Twenty-four participants were randomly assigned to the communication complexity and timing blocks as in study 1. The results did not find significant performance effects of timing or complexity of communications on detection performance. However the workload ratings for the 2 and 5 second complex communication presentations were higher compared to the same simple communication conditions. Overall, these findings support the strategic preemption assumption for well-defined, complex communications. The onset preemption assumption for simple communications was not supported. These results also suggest that the boundaries of the multiple resource theory assumption may exist up to the limits of the echoic memory store. Figures of merit for task performance under the varying levels of timing and complexity are presented. Several theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005420, ucf:50415
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005420
