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A DIALECTICAL METHODOLOGY FOR DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DESIGN
Title
A DIALECTICAL METHODOLOGY FOR DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DESIGN.
Creator
Elgarah, Wafa, Courtney, James, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
As organizations continue to grow in size, reaching global proportions, they have ever increasing impacts on their environments. Some believe that a much broader array of concerns should be brought into organizational decision-making processes, including greater consideration of social, political, ethical and aesthetic factors (Mitroff and Linstone, 1993; Courtney, 2001). Decision environments such as these are decidedly "wicked" (Rittel and Webber, 1973). Designing decision support systems...
Show moreAs organizations continue to grow in size, reaching global proportions, they have ever increasing impacts on their environments. Some believe that a much broader array of concerns should be brought into organizational decision-making processes, including greater consideration of social, political, ethical and aesthetic factors (Mitroff and Linstone, 1993; Courtney, 2001). Decision environments such as these are decidedly "wicked" (Rittel and Webber, 1973). Designing decision support systems in such environments where there is a high level of interconnectedness, issues are overlapping and a multiplicity of stakeholders is involved, is a very complex task. In this dissertation a methodology for the development of a DSS for wicked situations is proposed using the design theory building process suggested by Walls et al. (1992). This proposed theory is based on dialectic theory and the multiple perspective approach suggested by Linstone and Mitroff (1993). The design process consists of identifying relevant stakeholders, their respective worldviews, and conflicts in these worldviews. A design (thesis) and "counter design" (antithesis) are created, and a prototype systems based on these designs are developed. These prototypes are then presented to the different stakeholder groups who engage in a dialogue which leads to the development of a synthesized design. The process is repeated until all conflicts are resolved or resources are exhausted, and a final system is produced. Using action research and system development research methodologies, the proposed design theory was applied to zoning decision process in Orange County, Florida. The results of this study led to the following: 1. It is feasible to implement the MPDP methodology proposed in this dissertation. 2. The MPDP methodology resulted in a synthesized design that accommodates the different views of the stakeholders. 3. The MPDP methodology is suitable for contentious situations and may not be feasible for structured decisions. 4. Most of the subjects did achieve a more understanding of the decision process. These results suggest that the MPDP design theory can be effective in developing decision support systems in contentious situations.
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Date Issued
2005
Identifier
CFE0000883, ucf:46637
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000883
The Perceptual and Decisional Basis of Emotion Identification in Creative Writing
Title
The Perceptual and Decisional Basis of Emotion Identification in Creative Writing.
Creator
Williams, Sarah, Bohil, Corey, Hancock, Peter, Smither, Janan, Johnson, Dan, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
The goal of this research was to assess the ability of readers to determine the emotion of a passage of text, be it fictional or non-fictional. The research includes examining how genre (fiction and non-fiction) and emotion (positive emotion, such as happiness, and negative emotion, such as anger) interact to form a reading experience. Reading is an activity that many, if not most, humans undertake in either a professional or leisure capacity. Researchers are thus interested in the effect...
Show moreThe goal of this research was to assess the ability of readers to determine the emotion of a passage of text, be it fictional or non-fictional. The research includes examining how genre (fiction and non-fiction) and emotion (positive emotion, such as happiness, and negative emotion, such as anger) interact to form a reading experience. Reading is an activity that many, if not most, humans undertake in either a professional or leisure capacity. Researchers are thus interested in the effect reading has on the individual, particularly with regards to empathy. Some researchers believe reading fosters empathy; others think empathy might already be present in those who enjoy reading. A greater understanding of this dispute could be provided by general recognition theory (GRT). GRT allows researchers to investigate how stimulus dimensions interact in an observer's mind: on a perceptual or decisional level. In the context of reading, this allows researchers to look at how emotion is tied in with (or inseparable from) genre, or if the ability to determine the emotion of a passage is independent from the genre of the passage. In the reported studies, participants read passages and responded to questions on the passages and their content. Empathy scores significantly predicted discriminability of passage categories, as did reported hours spent reading per week. Non-fiction passages were easier to identify than fiction, and positive emotion classification was affiliated with non-fiction classification.
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Date Issued
2019
Identifier
CFE0007877, ucf:52760
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007877
Government Responsiveness in Matters of Racial Sensitivity
Title
Government Responsiveness in Matters of Racial Sensitivity.
Creator
Carnegie, Vickie, Bryer, Thomas, Knox, Claire, Kapucu, Naim, Burg, Mary Ann, Fine, Terri, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
This study assesses factors influencing the responsiveness of government officials in Alabama, Mississippi, and South Carolina regarding the public display of the Confederate Flag on state grounds in the aftermath of the Charleston, South Carolina shooting. The purpose of this dissertation research is to understand the factors influencing how government officials make decisions during racially/culturally sensitive events. Two research questions frame this study: 1) What factors are relevant...
Show moreThis study assesses factors influencing the responsiveness of government officials in Alabama, Mississippi, and South Carolina regarding the public display of the Confederate Flag on state grounds in the aftermath of the Charleston, South Carolina shooting. The purpose of this dissertation research is to understand the factors influencing how government officials make decisions during racially/culturally sensitive events. Two research questions frame this study: 1) What factors are relevant to understanding state government officials' decision- making regarding the display of the Confederate Flag on public grounds? 2) Under what conditions of public decision making regarding the Confederate flag is executive authority, vote/referendum, or legislative processes used? Employing grounded theory across newspaper content in Alabama, South Carolina, and Mississippi, 117 articles were examined to provide insight into the research questions. The themes which emerged from this analysis are: 1)Key factors in the decision-making regarding the display of the Confederate Flag on state grounds are: a.The response to a triggering crisis event b.A desire for inclusiveness c.A perception of outside attention or scrutiny d.A concern for the economic well-being of the State e.The political agency of the decision maker 2)Economics, standing law, and political expediency influence decisions of whether executive authority, vote/referendum, or legislative processes are used in decision-making regarding the display of the Confederate Flag on public grounds. This study introduces a detailed model of decision-making for public officials in racially/culturally sensitive matters to navigate the handling of issues with similar schema-forming symbols which can call forth dynamic and polarizing responses. The findings from this research study can be used to foster improved government efforts at responding to matters of a highly charged emotional nature.
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Date Issued
2018
Identifier
CFE0007439, ucf:52734
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007439
DECISION THEORY CLASSIFICATION OF HIGH-DIMENSIONAL VECTORS BASED ON SMALL SAMPLES
Title
DECISION THEORY CLASSIFICATION OF HIGH-DIMENSIONAL VECTORS BASED ON SMALL SAMPLES.
Creator
Bradshaw, David, Pensky, Marianna, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
In this paper, we review existing classification techniques and suggest an entirely new procedure for the classification of high-dimensional vectors on the basis of a few training samples. The proposed method is based on the Bayesian paradigm and provides posterior probabilities that a new vector belongs to each of the classes, therefore it adapts naturally to any number of classes. Our classification technique is based on a small vector which is related to the projection of the observation...
Show moreIn this paper, we review existing classification techniques and suggest an entirely new procedure for the classification of high-dimensional vectors on the basis of a few training samples. The proposed method is based on the Bayesian paradigm and provides posterior probabilities that a new vector belongs to each of the classes, therefore it adapts naturally to any number of classes. Our classification technique is based on a small vector which is related to the projection of the observation onto the space spanned by the training samples. This is achieved by employing matrix-variate distributions in classification, which is an entirely new idea. In addition, our method mimics time-tested classification techniques based on the assumption of normally distributed samples. By assuming that the samples have a matrix-variate normal distribution, we are able to replace classification on the basis of a large covariance matrix with classification on the basis of a smaller matrix that describes the relationship of sample vectors to each other.
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Date Issued
2005
Identifier
CFE0000753, ucf:46593
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000753
Three Studies Examining Accountability in Auditing
Title
Three Studies Examining Accountability in Auditing.
Creator
Donnelly, Amy, Arnold, Vicky, Sutton, Steven, Demek, Kristina, Bedard, Jean, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
This is dissertation consists of three studies investigating accountability in auditing. It is aimed at gaining a better understanding of how auditors make decision in the presence of accountability pressure. The first study is a literature review of the experimental audit research on accountability. It provides a conceptual framework for organizing prior research on this topic and offers opportunities for future research. The second study experimentally investigates accountability as a...
Show moreThis is dissertation consists of three studies investigating accountability in auditing. It is aimed at gaining a better understanding of how auditors make decision in the presence of accountability pressure. The first study is a literature review of the experimental audit research on accountability. It provides a conceptual framework for organizing prior research on this topic and offers opportunities for future research. The second study experimentally investigates accountability as a potential mitigating mechanism for the performance declines caused by ego depletion. Auditors are shown to be susceptible to depletion, but research has yet to consider how a natural element of the audit environment, accountability, influences the relationship between depletion and performance. Study three examines how auditors respond to multiple accountability pressures. It considers how a power level difference between two conflicting parties, as well as a variation in justification timing, impact auditors' decisions.Overall, this dissertation contributes to our understanding of accountability in auditing in three distinct ways. It synthesizes prior research to provide insight into what we have learned thus far and where we should go from here in terms of research. It then considers whether accountability mitigates the negative effects of ego depletion, where it finds that depletion actually improves, rather than hinders, auditor performance. Lastly, it provides insight into how auditors make decisions in the presence of multiple accountability pressures. The results suggest that auditors' decisions are affected by a power level difference between accountability sources. Justification timing is also shown to influence auditors' decisions, but not in the manner expected.
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Date Issued
2017
Identifier
CFE0006587, ucf:51289
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006587
Selective Multivariate Applications in Forensic Science
Title
Selective Multivariate Applications in Forensic Science.
Creator
Rinke, Caitlin, Sigman, Michael, Campiglia, Andres, Yestrebsky, Cherie, Kuebler, Stephen, Richardson, Martin, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
A 2009 report published by the National Research Council addressed the need for improvements in the field of forensic science. In the report emphasis was placed on the need for more rigorous scientific analysis within many forensic science disciplines and for established limitations and determination of error rates from statistical analysis. This research focused on multivariate statistical techniques for the analysis of spectral data obtained for multiple forensic applications which include...
Show moreA 2009 report published by the National Research Council addressed the need for improvements in the field of forensic science. In the report emphasis was placed on the need for more rigorous scientific analysis within many forensic science disciplines and for established limitations and determination of error rates from statistical analysis. This research focused on multivariate statistical techniques for the analysis of spectral data obtained for multiple forensic applications which include samples from: automobile float glasses and paints, bones, metal transfers, ignitable liquids and fire debris, and organic compounds including explosives. The statistical techniques were used for two types of data analysis: classification and discrimination. Statistical methods including linear discriminant analysis and a novel soft classification method were used to provide classification of forensic samples based on a compiled library. The novel soft classification method combined three statistical steps: Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Target Factor Analysis (TFA), and Bayesian Decision Theory (BDT) to provide classification based on posterior probabilities of class membership. The posterior probabilities provide a statistical probability of classification which can aid a forensic analyst in reaching a conclusion. The second analytical approach applied nonparametric methods to provide the means for discrimination between samples. Nonparametric methods are performed as hypothesis test and do not assume normal distribution of the analytical figures of merit. The nonparametric permutation test was applied to forensic applications to determine the similarity between two samples and provide discrimination rates. Both the classification method and discrimination method were applied to data acquired from multiple instrumental methods. The instrumental methods included: Laser Induced-Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Some of these instrumental methods are currently applied to forensic applications, such as GC-MS for the analysis of ignitable liquid and fire debris samples; while others provide new instrumental methods to areas within forensic science which currently lack instrumental analysis techniques, such as LIBS for the analysis of metal transfers. The combination of the instrumental techniques and multivariate statistical techniques is investigated in new approaches to forensic applications in this research to assist in improving the field of forensic science.
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Date Issued
2012
Identifier
CFE0004628, ucf:49942
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004628
TESTING DETERRENCE THEORY WITH OFFENDERS: ASSESSING THE EFFECTS OF PERSONAL AND VICARIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH PUNISHMENT AND PUNISHMENT AVOIDANCE ON INTENTIONS TO REOFFEND
Title
TESTING DETERRENCE THEORY WITH OFFENDERS: ASSESSING THE EFFECTS OF PERSONAL AND VICARIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH PUNISHMENT AND PUNISHMENT AVOIDANCE ON INTENTIONS TO REOFFEND.
Creator
Sitren, Alicia, Applegate, Brandon, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Stafford and Warr (1993) reconceptualized general and specific deterrence into a single theory in which individuals' propensities to engage in criminal behavior are based on some combination of personal experiences with being punished and avoiding punishment and vicarious (or indirect) experiences with being punished and avoiding punishment. The researchers make a substantial contribution to the deterrence literature by accounting for the effect of punishment avoidance when assessing...
Show moreStafford and Warr (1993) reconceptualized general and specific deterrence into a single theory in which individuals' propensities to engage in criminal behavior are based on some combination of personal experiences with being punished and avoiding punishment and vicarious (or indirect) experiences with being punished and avoiding punishment. The researchers make a substantial contribution to the deterrence literature by accounting for the effect of punishment avoidance when assessing deterrence theory. Despite the theoretical appeal of this restatement, few studies have tested its empirical merit. The current study tests the applicability of Stafford and Warr's model but also addresses several key limitations that still exist in the deterrence literature. The present study was the first of its kind to directly test Stafford and Warr's (1993) model, blending specific and general deterrence, on an offending population. The majority of perceptual deterrence research examines largely pro-social groups. Evidence suggests that offenders may have unique decision-making processes and may be very different from those typically studied in deterrence research. Identifying the relevant deterrents among non-conventional or offending populations has significant policy implications. Additionally, in order to understand the decision-making process of criminals, this study incorporated alternative sanction forms from a rational choice perspective into the deterrence framework. This is a particularly salient point because non-legal costs may be more influential in criminal decision-making than formal sanctions. By examining the deterrent effects of several other factors (besides the traditional variables studied in deterrence models) among a non-conventional population, findings may suggest methods for designing more effective punishments. Therefore, the present study conducted survey research of high-criminality among an adult sample. This dissertation recruited 326 work release inmates from Orange County, Florida, and asked them to complete a written questionnaire. Results from the bivariate analyses revealed some support for the deterrence doctrine and the rational choice perspective. However, more rigorous tests of these predictions revealed no support for deterrence theory. Even though this study concluded that deterrence alone does not adequately predict future offending, the idea of choice was upheld. The results from this dissertation and from several other studies suggest the need for further analysis of the effect of extralegal sanctions on future criminal activity, especially among non-conventional populations. The current study offers suggestions for effective crime control policies and directions on how future research can clarify the inconsistencies between the theoretical predictions of deterrence theory and empirical reality.
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Date Issued
2007
Identifier
CFE0001586, ucf:47117
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001586
Reconciling Ex Ante Expectations with the Ex Post Reality: A Look at the Effectiveness of Third-Party Diplomatic Interventions in Civil Wars
Title
Reconciling Ex Ante Expectations with the Ex Post Reality: A Look at the Effectiveness of Third-Party Diplomatic Interventions in Civil Wars.
Creator
Benchimol, Matthew, Handberg, Roger, Kinsey, Barbara, Mousseau, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Research has begun to focus on the role third-party diplomatic intervention plays in the length of civil conflicts. Diplomatic interventions by a third-party actor are assumed to help resolve or alleviate violence over time. Is this really the case? Hypotheses relating to these aspects of civil wars are proposed to test this long-standing assumption. This thesis uses statistical analysis to observe the relationship between diplomatic interventions and civil war duration and then observe the...
Show moreResearch has begun to focus on the role third-party diplomatic intervention plays in the length of civil conflicts. Diplomatic interventions by a third-party actor are assumed to help resolve or alleviate violence over time. Is this really the case? Hypotheses relating to these aspects of civil wars are proposed to test this long-standing assumption. This thesis uses statistical analysis to observe the relationship between diplomatic interventions and civil war duration and then observe the relationship between duration and civil war violence. The data incorporates approximately 150 civil wars from 1945 to 1999, 101 of which had outside interventions. This thesis finds that, contrary to ex ante expectations, diplomatic interventions are a significant contributing factor to civil war length. Furthermore, longer civil wars are not associated with more civil war intensity in the aggregate, suggesting that longer civil wars do not mean more violent or intense ones.
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Date Issued
2015
Identifier
CFE0005578, ucf:50253
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005578