« Le succès de l'implantation du SIA exige un certain degré de flexibilité. Le degré requis serait-il fonction de la nature de l'environnement? Cette relation succès-flexibilité-environnement ne manque pas d'un support théorique. Nous en proposons une vérification empirique. Nous avons voulu confirmer l'existence de la relation pour ensuite en examiner la nature. Pour ce faire, il nous est apparu nécessaire de préciser le sens du concept "flexibilité" et d'observer les conditions nécessaires à sa réalisation. La problématique est ensuite élaborée à partir de la littérature traitant de la conception des SIA et des besoins en information. Les hypothèses de la recherche sont formulées. Elles abordent trois aspects de l'implantation des SIA. La première hypothèse porte sur la relation variété de la mémoire - flexibilité du SIA. L'analyse statistique des données nous amène à conclure qu'une corrélation positive ne peut être infirmée entre les deux variables. Les mêmes conclusions peuvent être tirées de l'examen de la deuxième hypothèse qui vérifie le lien environnement - pressions de changement exercées sur le SIA. La performance du SIA est introduite au niveau de la troisième hypothèse; on y examine le lien performance (satisfaction de l'usager) - flexibilité du SIA à l'intérieur du contexte environnemental. L'analyse statistique permet encore de conclure positivement quant à l'existence de la relation. Les résultats, considérés dans leur ensemble, apportent un degré d'évidence satisfaisant; il devient légitime de soumettre la conception à un choix contingent basé sur la flexibilité requise et la turbulence mesurée dans l'environnement de la décision. La description de l'environnement, celui de la décision, fait l'objet d'un chapitre. Nous empruntons la typologie de Tung (1979). L'instrument de mesure développé par ce chercheur est utilisé. La notion de variété utile de la mémoire est présentée, inspirée de la théorie cybernétique (Ashby, 1956) et de la théorie de la décision statistique (Marschack, 1969). Les données portant sur l'environnement ainsi que sur les autres variables ont été recueillies à l'aide de trois questionnaires administrés sous forme d'entrevues structurées. Plus de cent vingt-cinq cadres des secteurs privés et publics ont accepté de se conformer aux exigences du questionnaire. Les résultats obtenus contribueront, nous l'espérons, au développement du cadre théorique en conception de système. Ils pourront éventuellement être appliqués à l'implantation effective des SIA. Ces résultats font apparaître la nécessité d'accentuer la recherche sur des aspects négligés en conception de SIA. Ils nous amènent à suggérer un choix de conception guidé par la nature de l'environnement perçu. Sur le plan pratique, le cadre que nous proposons vise à diminuer le risque inhérent des investissements que l'organisation consent à la production de son information. »--Pages 2-4

« La présente recherche se propose d'analyser la performance des systèmes, performance que l'on mesure par le degré de satisfaction de l'usager, en mettant en parallèle l'objectif visé par les concepteurs et l'exactitude de l'image que les concepteurs ont des usagers. Il semble légitime de penser que, si les concepteurs ont l'intention de satisfaire l'usager réel et que, de plus, l'image qu'ils s'en font correspond à ce que ces usagers sont réellement, la performance d'un système ainsi conçu devrait être supérieure à celle d'un système où aucune des deux conditions précitées n'aurait été rencontrée. »--Pages17-18

No description available.

The study is primarily concerned with the verification, and subsequent explanation, of the existence of the phenomenon of new issue underpricing. The primary purposes of the research conducted in this study were to: (1) determine if investors may earn excess returns on new issues by purchasing at the prevailing market price in the immediate after-market rather than at the offer price, (2) develop a simultaneous equation model to explain underpricing, percentage cash spread, and the relationship between the two using various firm, issue, and market characteristics, and ( 3) analyze the effects of institutional constraints concerning percentage cash spread on the relationship between underpricing and percentage cash spread. The examination of excess returns indicates that efficiency prevails in the new issues market beginning with the second trading day. Therefore, investors purchasing new issues in the immediate after-market may expect to not earn excess returns. The results of the estimation of the econometric model using the entire sample of new issues does not indicate a simultaneous relationship between underpricing and cash spread. However, in order to analyze the effects of the institutional constraint on percentage cash spread, it is hypothesized that the most severely underpriced issues are most seriously affected by constraint. The sample is divided into quartiles on the basis of magnitude of underpricing and the econometric model is estimated separately for each quartile. The upper quartile exhibits a recursive relationship suggesting that percentage cash spread is first set and underpricing is adjusted accordingly to lessen risk of distribution and thereby compensate for the lower level of percentage cash spread. A simultaneous relationship does occur in the middle quartiles, but the relationship is positive indicating that higher percentage cash spread offerings also experienced greater underpricing. These results furnish evidence that new issues are affected by institutional constraints on percentage cash spread and the guidelines could be the cause of a portion of the underpricing occurring in the new issues market. / Ph. D.

An empirical study of the effects of differential information and the expectations of investors is undertaken to test the differential information theory of Barry and Brown (1983). The theory is tested using the small firm effect. The excess returns found using ex post data are regressed against proxies for differential information and expectations. The residuals from these regressions are then tested to determine if the small firm effect is still observed. The results of this study are: 1. The tests provided empirical evidence that is consistent with the theory of Barry and Brown (1983) when a suitable proxy for differential information is used. 2. For the sample studied, the differential information effect on perceived risk by investors largely explained the small firm effect, when a suitable proxy was used. 3. Evidence was found that the small firm effect is composed of two parts supporting the findings of Keim (1983). One is a January effect, and the other during the remainder of the year, with the January effect still observed. 4. The proxy chosen to represent heterogeneous expectations must be selected with care. In this study the one selected did not prove suitable. Reasons are provided which indicate that the proxy chosen was the principal cause of the failure of these tests to support the theory. / Ph. D.

No description available.

No description available.

Two approaches to smoking cessation were evaluated. One approach, the standard condition, utilized a nicotine fading procedure, group support, and an attendance contingent monetary contract. The other approach, the maintenance condition, utilized nicotine fading, group support, and a smoking-contingent monetary contract. The maintenance condition also received two additional post-cessation sessions and additional instructions for cessation. Both conditions significantly improved over the course of the study. The maintenance condition achieved significantly better outcome on the reported average cigarettes per day, cessation rates, and CO levels for the follow-up periods. The maintenance condition also had significantly lower SCN levels at the three month follow-up. The maintenance condition also had significantly lower diastolic and systolic blood pressure at the six month follow-up when compared to the standard condition. However, few other significant health differences emerged when smoking subjects were compared with reduced smoking or nonsmoking subjects for this study. The maintenance condition was shown to be more cost effective than the standard condition. The results were interpreted as indicating the promise of nicotine fading and behavioral contracting procedures. Limitations of the wide-scale application of these methods was noted, however. In particular, group smoking cessation projects reach limited subjects, successful projects still have only moderate success rates, and the wide-spread application of these methods would strain available resources. It is recommended that further research and clinical efforts continue with nicotine fading, behavioral contracting and rapid smoking cessation programs. In addition, efforts at applying behavioral contracting principles without therapeutic support was suggested. Finally, more research on the functional determinants of tobacco smoking was recommended. / Ph. D.

This thesis examines the multiple factors which have influenced costume design in film history by observing the various representations of the historical figure Cleopatra in motion pictures. Beginning with a brief history of the changing role of the costume designer in film, and a brief history of both the historical and legendary Cleopatra, this paper then analyzes the factors that have influenced costume design in four specific films about Cleopatra: Cleopatra (1917), Cleopatra (1934), Caesar and Cleopatra (1946) and Cleopatra (1963). Criteria for examination of costume design in these films includes previous precedents and contemporary screen conventions, the background and style of both the director and costume designer, the ramifications of the Motion Picture Association Code, studio influence and trends of contemporary fashion. Transcribed drawings of the various costumes which appear in the aforementioned films of Cleopatra, and still photographs from these films are included to supplement written observations. / Master of Fine Arts

Mechanized mining techniques that are commonly used in the coal industry produce a large amount of fine particles. These fines are extremely difficult to recover by conventional flotation methods, mainly because of the large size of the bubbles produced relative to the size of the particles. Hydrodynamic analyses have shown, however, that the use of smaller air bubbles can improve the flotation rate of these fines and, hence, the coal recovery. In the present work, a microbubble generator has been developed that produces bubbles smaller than 100 microns in diameter. Batch flotation tests conducted on samples from five different coal seams have demonstrated that the microbubble flotation process produces improved recoveries and often cleaner products than the conventional flotation process. The higher recoveries are a result of the increased bubble-particle collision efficiencies obtained with smaller bubbles, and also the larger number of bubbles produced in the microbubble process. The improved selectivity has been explained tentatively by the longer froth residence time in the microbubble process, along with the increased bubble loading and the reduced turbulence around the microbubbles. Various techniques have proven successful in further improving the selectivity by reducing the entrainment and/or entrapment of ash in the froth. To better understand the mechanisms of microbubble flotation, basic information regarding surface tension, contact angles, viscosity, streaming currents of microbubbles, electrophoretic mobilities of coal and mineral particles, and the stability of microbubble suspensions has been obtained using two non-ionic frothers. Microbubble flotation results obtained using each of these frothers have also been compared. / Master of Science