The decision to select the best Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) technologies from available options has always been a challenging task. The availability of connected vehicle/automated vehicle (CV/AV) technologies in the near future is expected to add to the complexity of the ITS investment decision-making process. The goal of this research is to develop a multi-criteria decision-making analysis (MCDA) framework to support traffic agencies’ decision-making process with consideration of CV/AV technologies. The decision to select between technology alternatives is based on identified performance measures and criteria, and constraints associated with each technology. Methods inspired by the literature were developed for incident/bottleneck detection and back-of-queue (BOQ) estimation and warning based on connected vehicle (CV) technologies. The mobility benefits of incident/bottleneck detection with different technologies were assessed using microscopic simulation. The performance of technology alternatives was assessed using simulated CV and traffic detector data in a microscopic simulation environment to be used in the proposed MCDA method for the purpose of alternative selection. In addition to assessing performance measures, there are a number of constraints and risks that need to be assessed in the alternative selection process. Traditional alternative analyses based on deterministic return on investment analysis are unable to capture the risks and uncertainties associated with the investment problem. This research utilizes a combination of a stochastic return on investment and a multi-criteria decision analysis method referred to as the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to select between ITS deployment alternatives considering emerging technologies. The approach is applied to an ITS investment case study to support freeway bottleneck management. The results of this dissertation indicate that utilizing CV data for freeway segments is significantly more cost-effective than using point detectors in detecting incidents and providing travel time estimates one year after CV technology becomes mandatory for all new vehicles and for corridors with moderate to heavy traffic. However, for corridors with light, there is a probability of CV deployment not being effective in the first few years due to low measurement reliability of travel times and high latency of incident detection, associated with smaller sample sizes of the collected data.

A pesquisa investiga a efetivação do princípio do contraditório no âmbito das ações coletivas e do incidente de resolução de demandas repetitivas (IRDR), por meio da realização do controle judicial da representação adequada, sugerindo possíveis critérios nos quais o magistrado brasileiro poderá se pautar. Também, verifica se há, no Código de Defesa do Consumidor (CDC), na Lei da Ação Civil Pública (LACP) e no Código de Processo Civil (CPC), outras medidas que possibilitam o contraditório. O desenvolvimento do trabalho se divide em cinco etapas. Na primeira, estuda-se o tratamento dos litígios de massa no âmbito do direito processual civil brasileiro, demonstrando o contexto em que estão inseridos as ações coletivas que tutelam os direitos individuais homogêneos e o IRDR. Na segunda, situa-se o princípio constitucional do contraditório, corolário do devido processo legal, como instrumento essencial ao acesso substancial à justiça e imperativo da democracia no âmbito do processo, sem desconsiderar suas distinções no âmbito do processo coletivo. Na terceira, caracteriza-se a representação adequada nas ações coletivas e no IRDR, e se afirma a necessidade da realização de seu controle judicial no direito brasileiro. Na quarta etapa, perquire-se em quais parâmetros o juiz poderá se pautar para aferir a adequação da representatividade, realizando-se uma construção doutrinária a partir dos regramentos das class actions do direito norte-americano e do Musterverfahren do direito alemão, do requisito da pertinência temática e dos quatro Anteprojetos de Código de Processo Civil Coletivo elaborados no país. Na quinta etapa, investiga-se se há outras formas, diversas da representação adequada, dispostas nas leis basilares do microssistema processual coletivo e no CPC, que seriam hábeis a possibilitar a participação democrática das partes e demais interessados nos referidos instrumentos processuais, em atendimento ao princípio do contraditório. Para a construção do raciocínio, levantam-se os dados por meio da técnica de pesquisa bibliográfica em materiais publicados (legislação e doutrina nacionais e estrangeiras, artigos, dissertações, teses, jurisprudência, anuários estatísticos do Conselho Nacional de Justiça, entre outros). Dentre os resultados, verifica-se que, embora não esteja previsto na legislação brasileira, o magistrado tem poderes para aferir a adequação da representatividade. A exigência do requisito da pertinência temática demonstra uma tendência à afirmação do controle judicial no direito brasileiro, não se limitando à abstração da legislação. A despeito da importância da sua expressa previsão e do detalhamento de critérios, deve-se evitar uma legislação desnecessariamente burocrática e uma margem grande de formalismo, que possa obstaculizar a análise do mérito. Apesar da necessidade de alterações em ambos os institutos, para disciplinar a matéria, não se pode afirmar que o procedimento do IRDR padece de inconstitucionalidade por violar o contraditório, pois possibilita a participação democrática de outras formas. Inclusive o faz de modo mais pormenorizado do que está previsto no CDC e na LACP para as ações coletivas. / The research investigates the occurrence of the contradictory principle within the scope of collective actions and the incident of resolution of repetitive demands (IRDR), by means of the judicial control of the appropriate representation, suggesting possible criteria in which the Brazilian magistrate can be guided. It also checks whether there are other measures in the Consumer Protection Code (CDC), the Public Civil Action Law (LACP) and the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC). The development of the work is divided into five stages. In the first one, it studies the treatment of mass litigation at the Brazilian civil procedural law, demonstrating the context in which the collective actions that protect individual homogeneous rights and the IRDR are inserted. In the second stage, it is situated the constitutional principle of the contradictory, a corollary of due process of law, as an essential instrument for substantial access to justice and the imperative of democracy in the collective process, without disregarding its distinctions in the collective process. In the third, it is characterized the adequate representation in the collective actions and in the IRDR, and it is affirmed that the necessity of the realization of its judicial control in the Brazilian law. In the fourth stage, it is investigated which parameters the judge can use to assess the appropriateness of representativeness. A doctrinal construction is carried out from the class actions\' rules of the American law, the Musterverfahren\' rules of German law, the requirement of thematic pertinence and the four Draft of Collective Civil Procedure Code elaborated in the country. In the fifth one, it is investigated if there are other forms, different from the appropriate representation, disposed in the basic laws of the collective process microsystem and in the CPC, that would be able to allow the democratic participation of the parties and other interested parties in the mentioned procedural instruments, in attendance to the principle of the contradictory. For the construction of the reasoning, the data are raised through the technique of bibliographical research in published materials (national and foreign legislation and doctrine, articles, dissertations, theses, jurisprudence, statistical yearbooks of the National Council of Justice, among others). Among the results, it is verified that, although it is not envisaged in the Brazilian legislation, the magistrate can assess the adequacy of representativeness. The thematic pertinence requirement demonstrates a tendency to affirm judicial control in Brazilian law, not limited to the abstraction of the legislation. Despite of the importance of its express provision and detailed criteria, unnecessarily bureaucratic legislation and a large margin of formalism, that could hinder the analysis of merit, should be avoided. Although the need for changes in both institutes, to discipline the matter, it can\'t be said that the IRDR procedure is unconstitutional because it violates the contradictory, since it makes possible democratic participation in other ways. Furthermore, it does more detailed than it is envisaged by the CDC and the LACP for collective actions.

In the island-city state of Singapore, growth and development are very much dependent on global trade. Project management is one of the key competencies that organizations and the government seek to develop to stay relevant and plugged-in to the global community. This research attempts to examine the predictors of project success in the Singapore context. This study uses Pinto's Project Implementation Profile (PIP) instrument as a basis and starting point for further study. It seeks to discover and identify critical success factors (CSFs) in Singaporean project environment. The study also aims to validate whether the PIP, which is commonly used in western societies, is also applicable in the Singapore context. A methodology combining Critical Incident Technique (CIT) has been used to identify possible CSFs, which are subsequently rationalized and validated with the CSFs in the PIP. A questionnaire survey (n= 267), involving project management professionals across several key sectors and industries, provided data for quantitative analysis. Multivariate analyses, which include factor analysis and multiple regression, were applied to identify and validate the CSFs that are significant in predicting project success. The results produce a predictive equation involving five CSFs that are significant in predicting project success in the Singapore context. The study generally supports the applicability of Pinto's PIP in Singapore, although with some differences. It is expected that the findings of this study will provide value to future researchers who are keen to further explore the 'elusive' CSFs of project management. The business community is also expected to leverage on the findings of this study to optimize their scarce project management resources in achieving and sustaining business competencies.

本文之研究問題在於瞭解：１、現行我國野生動物保育政策之執行情形為何﹖２、如果政策執行情況良好，為何會發生犀牛角事件﹖３、存在於個案之間的關係，例如政策內容、執行體系、第三部門、標的團體，甚至我國與國際間的互動情況為何﹖４、取締持有犀牛角是否為政策執行的主要目標﹖如果不是的話，那麼，真正的政策目標為何及如何落實野生動物保育政策﹖５、事件之後的政策執行幅度及所造成的政策變遷為何﹖ 　　為了對上述之研究問題能有充分的瞭解及論述，本文首先整理政策執行文獻所有的研究變數，並歸納為政策內容、執行主體、標的團體、及環境因素等四項；此外另從環境變項中提出第三部門（本文乃專指以保育為主要議題之國內外保育團體或基金會）加入政策關係人間的互動。 　　最後，為求建立一個解釋性較廣的分析架構，乃融合了林水波等三位教授之「強化執行力」模式，亞歷山大(Alexander)之「政策─方案─執行過程」(PPIP)模式，以及保羅、伯曼(Paul Berman)之「總體個體」執行模式，成為本文之分析架構。並且，基於此一架構，顯示了本文與其他碩士論文不同之特點，包括：１、注重內外環境的剌激。２、提昇第三部門的執行地位。３、兼論總體及個體執行。４、蘊含對結果的評估及政策變遷。

This case study describes the learning capability of a hospital after patient incidents. The theoretical framework is based on Carroll, Rudolph and Hatakenaka’s model of four stages of organisational learning. Ten managers were interviewed and documents such as incident management policy, quality plans and incident reports were examined. The ten participants include five clinical managers who are responsible for investigating incidents and five unit managers who are responsible for signing off incident reports. This study found that incident investigations generated valuable learning for the participants. Being the learning agent, they also appeared to influence and lead team learning and, to some extent, organisational learning. Most of the participants appeared to be practising between the constrained stage and the open stage of learning. This study uncovers the concepts of preparedness, perception and persistence. The application of these exemplary concepts has strengthened the learning capability of some participants and distinguishes them as practising at the open stage of learning. By employing these concepts, The Hospital can also gain leverage to progress from the constrained stage to the open stage of learning that supports a systems approach, advocates double-loop learning and facilitates the culture of safety. This case study has found that The Hospital assumes a controlling-orientation to ensure staff’s compliance with policies and procedures to prevent patient incidents. However, it also advocates a safety culture and attempts to promote learning from patient incidents. This impetus is inhibited by the obstacles in its incident management system, the weak iii modes of transfer of learning and hindering organisational practices. Three propositions are offered to overcome these barriers. Firstly, revolutionise the incident management system to remove obstacles due to the rigid format of Incident Forms, the difficulty in retrieving information and the lack of feedback. Secondly, provide regular, safe, transparent and egalitarian forums for all staff to learn from patient incidents. Facilitated incident meetings have been shown to be more effective platforms for learning than a bureaucratic approach via policies, procedures, training and directive decisions delivered during departmental meetings or by written communications. Thirdly, attain a balance between controlling and learning to mitigate the effects of bureaucratic process and the silo phenomenon.

<p>The purpose of this study is to find out if the Swedish Air Force and the military aviation industry, Saab Aerosystems, use an HTO perspective in incident investigations. The research objectives are to explore existing organizational and accident models, analyze the reporting system using the models, and suggest possible improvements to the existing incident investigation system. Fishman’s (1999) model for pragmatic studies was used to describe the study’s theoretical approach. Triangulation by literary review, case study and interviews were used to ensure validity and reliability.</p><p>Three models were chosen: Rollenhagen’s HTO model (1997), Leveson’s STAMP (2002), and Shappell and Wiegmann’s HFACS (2000). The models were further tested in the case study, revealing that their usefulness depends on type of incident, and that they leave a lot up to the investigator.</p><p>Interviews were conducted with key individuals at Saab Aerosystems as well as at the Swedish Armed Forces’ Headquarters. The interviews showed that the incident reporting system in question is a well functioning one, mainly due to the blame-free culture, multidisciplinary investigative teams, good feedback and a generally good knowledge of the HTO concept. Difficulties within the organizations exist due to organizational boundaries between the manufacturer and the operator, and recurring structural reorganizations within the Swedish Armed Forces. Saab acknowledges the emphasis on technical issues. The Flight Safety department at the headquarters is currently working with implementing HFACS into the Flight Safety Database.</p><p>Our recommendations for Saab Aerosystems and the Air Force include:</p><p>For Saab Aerosystems:</p><ul><li>Evaluate and learn from existing HTO work within the organization, and incorporate the results into existing processes and instructions for incident investigations.</li><li>Make use of the theoretical models, where applicable, in the processes as well.</li><li>Focus on HFACS in order to synchronize with the Air Force.</li><li>Consider employing an HTO specialist.</li></ul><p>For the Air Force:</p><ul><li>Consider influences from other HTO models, like Rollenhagen’s or Leveson’s models, while still in the development phase of implementing HFACS.</li><li>Perform risk analyses regarding the effects on flight safety when doing reorganizations.</li></ul><p>For both Saab Aerosystems and the Air Force we recommend:</p><p>Use Leveson’s model STAMP for complex and serious incidents, comprising of organizational, human and technical aspects.</p> / <p>Denna studie har som syfte att ta reda på om det svenska Flygvapnet och den militära flygindustrin, Saab Aerosystems, använder ett MTO-perspektiv vid incidentutredningar. Forskningsmålen är att utforska befintliga organisations- och olycksmodeller, att analysera rapporteringssystemet med hjälp av modellerna, samt att föreslå möjliga förbättringar på det existerande incidentrapporterings- och utredningssystemet. Fishmans (1999) modell för pragmatiska studier användes som teoretisk utgångspunkt. För att säkerställa validitet och reliabilitet användes triangulering, bestående av litteraturstudie, fallstudie, samt intervjuer.</p><p>Tre modeller valdes ut: Rollenhagens MTO-modell (1997), Levesons STAMP (2002) och Shappell och Wiegmanns HFACS (2000). Modellerna användes i fallstudien, med resultatet att modellernas användbarhet bedömdes variera beroende på typ av incident, samt att de lämnar mycket åt utredarens erfarenhet.</p><p>Intervjuer genomfördes med nyckelpersoner på Saab Aerosystems och på Försvarsmaktens Högkvarter. Intervjuerna visade att rapporteringssystemet i fråga är väl fungerande, främst tack vare rapporteringskulturen, de multidisciplinära utredningsgrupperna, god återkoppling och en generellt sett god kännedom om MTO-konceptet. Organisatoriska svårigheter är dels gränsdragningen mellan tillverkare och användare, dels återkommande omstruktureringar inom Försvarsmakten. Saab medger också att deras fokus ligger främst på det tekniska. Flygsäkerhetsavdelningen på Högkvarteret arbetar med att införa HFACS i flyg­säker­hetsdatabasen.</p><p>Våra rekommendationer till Saab Aerosystems och till Flygvapnet inkluderar:</p><p>Till Saab Aerosystems:</p><ul><li>Utvärdera och drag lärdom av befintligt MTO-arbete inom organisationen, inkludera dessa resultat i befintliga processer och instruktioner för incidentutredningar.</li><li>Utnyttja fler teoretiska modeller i processen, där så är lämpligt.</li><li>Fokusera på HFACS för att synkronisera med Flygvapnet. <ul><li>Fundera på att anställa en MTO-specialist.</li></ul></li></ul><p>Till Flygvapnet:</p><ul><li>Fundera på att också införa delar av andra MTO-modeller, som Rollenhagens eller Levesons modeller, under implementeringsfasen av HFACS. </li><li>Genomför riskanalyser av påverkan på flygsäkerhet vid omorganisationer.</li></ul><p>Till både Saab Aerosystems och Flygvapnet rekommenderar vi:</p><p>använd Levesons modell STAMP vid mer komplexa och allvarliga incidenter som innefattar organisatoriska, mänskliga och tekniska aspekter.</p>

The aim of this thesis is to empirically study challenges and opportunities in the operational work in contract-based R&amp;D alliances in order to increase the understanding of this type of work system and explore how these work systems could be sustainable. Based on the concept of sustainable work systems, this thesis addresses issues of how work in R&amp;D alliance should support both the competitiveness of the firm as well as regeneration of human resources. In the area of product development, the main drivers for creating alliances are often strategic and concern the globalization of today’s business environment. Issues such as increased cost-based competition, shorter product life cycles, and a greater need for flexibility to tackle technological or strategic shifts have all been argued to motivate companies to form R&amp;D alliances. No doubt adopting the firm’s development of new products to an R&amp;D alliance strategy has a substantial impact on the operational work. However, despite the vast research on why companies engage in R&amp;D alliances, the knowledge of operational work and how they are operationally managed is still limited. Several scholars have recently reported that failed operations may be one of the most important reasons for situations where R&amp;D alliances do not reach their goals. An empirical investigation covering 14 R&amp;D alliances has been conducted based on the Critical Incident Technique. The findings – supported by 158 critical incidents, which have been identified by operational leaders – reveal new knowledge about the R&amp;D alliance operational work with implications for both competitiveness and regeneration of human resources. A central contribution stems from the specific insights given to challenges and opportunities that operational leaders face in the R&amp;D alliance work, in five perspectives on the R&amp;D alliance process: Formation, Formal R&amp;D process, Informal relationships, Embeddedness, and Exit. Further examination of the critical incident data showed several implications for operational leaders with direct contributions to both product development and alliance theory. First, four critical roles for operational leaders in R&amp;D alliances have been suggested: Facilitating, Finishing, Ambassadoring, and Trustkeeping. Secondly, a framework of trust formation mechanisms has been applied and tested. This concluded that process-based, characteristic-based, and institutional-based mechanisms represent important aspects in alliance operation; the relevance of these trust formation mechanisms contributes both to the knowledge of micro-processes of trust formation and specific managerial abilities in R&amp;D alliances. Third, we examine the influence of two types of contextual risks that have been addressed in previous alliance research: relational and performance risks. The comparative analysis of a sub-sample of alliances shows that these risks influence the operational work in R&amp;D alliances for which operational leaders could be specifically trained and prepared. Lastly, a framework that addresses support from HRM in inter-organizational context has been developed and analyzed. This has indicated that HRM represents an important, although unexploited, resource when engaging in R&amp;D alliances. Furthermore, we have suggested a tentative framework for the R&amp;D alliance as a sustainable work system. The overall findings from this study have been synthesized from a sustainable work systems perspective, based on three organizational principles that have been drawn from practice-centered product innovation: broadened roles and responsibilities, work as a collaborative process, and decentralization of strategic information. A fourth principle has been incorporated as well: support systems for sustainable work. This concluded that, in order to be sustainable, companies that engage in R&amp;D alliances should carefully manage and reassess the consequences of these organizational principles in order to simultaneously support the goals that are involved in this type of work system: to simultaneously support innovation, inter-organizational relationships, and the regeneration of human resources. / <p>QC 20100813</p>

The purpose of this study is to find out if the Swedish Air Force and the military aviation industry, Saab Aerosystems, use an HTO perspective in incident investigations. The research objectives are to explore existing organizational and accident models, analyze the reporting system using the models, and suggest possible improvements to the existing incident investigation system. Fishman’s (1999) model for pragmatic studies was used to describe the study’s theoretical approach. Triangulation by literary review, case study and interviews were used to ensure validity and reliability. Three models were chosen: Rollenhagen’s HTO model (1997), Leveson’s STAMP (2002), and Shappell and Wiegmann’s HFACS (2000). The models were further tested in the case study, revealing that their usefulness depends on type of incident, and that they leave a lot up to the investigator. Interviews were conducted with key individuals at Saab Aerosystems as well as at the Swedish Armed Forces’ Headquarters. The interviews showed that the incident reporting system in question is a well functioning one, mainly due to the blame-free culture, multidisciplinary investigative teams, good feedback and a generally good knowledge of the HTO concept. Difficulties within the organizations exist due to organizational boundaries between the manufacturer and the operator, and recurring structural reorganizations within the Swedish Armed Forces. Saab acknowledges the emphasis on technical issues. The Flight Safety department at the headquarters is currently working with implementing HFACS into the Flight Safety Database. Our recommendations for Saab Aerosystems and the Air Force include: For Saab Aerosystems: Evaluate and learn from existing HTO work within the organization, and incorporate the results into existing processes and instructions for incident investigations. Make use of the theoretical models, where applicable, in the processes as well. Focus on HFACS in order to synchronize with the Air Force. Consider employing an HTO specialist. For the Air Force: Consider influences from other HTO models, like Rollenhagen’s or Leveson’s models, while still in the development phase of implementing HFACS. Perform risk analyses regarding the effects on flight safety when doing reorganizations. For both Saab Aerosystems and the Air Force we recommend: Use Leveson’s model STAMP for complex and serious incidents, comprising of organizational, human and technical aspects. / Denna studie har som syfte att ta reda på om det svenska Flygvapnet och den militära flygindustrin, Saab Aerosystems, använder ett MTO-perspektiv vid incidentutredningar. Forskningsmålen är att utforska befintliga organisations- och olycksmodeller, att analysera rapporteringssystemet med hjälp av modellerna, samt att föreslå möjliga förbättringar på det existerande incidentrapporterings- och utredningssystemet. Fishmans (1999) modell för pragmatiska studier användes som teoretisk utgångspunkt. För att säkerställa validitet och reliabilitet användes triangulering, bestående av litteraturstudie, fallstudie, samt intervjuer. Tre modeller valdes ut: Rollenhagens MTO-modell (1997), Levesons STAMP (2002) och Shappell och Wiegmanns HFACS (2000). Modellerna användes i fallstudien, med resultatet att modellernas användbarhet bedömdes variera beroende på typ av incident, samt att de lämnar mycket åt utredarens erfarenhet. Intervjuer genomfördes med nyckelpersoner på Saab Aerosystems och på Försvarsmaktens Högkvarter. Intervjuerna visade att rapporteringssystemet i fråga är väl fungerande, främst tack vare rapporteringskulturen, de multidisciplinära utredningsgrupperna, god återkoppling och en generellt sett god kännedom om MTO-konceptet. Organisatoriska svårigheter är dels gränsdragningen mellan tillverkare och användare, dels återkommande omstruktureringar inom Försvarsmakten. Saab medger också att deras fokus ligger främst på det tekniska. Flygsäkerhetsavdelningen på Högkvarteret arbetar med att införa HFACS i flyg­säker­hetsdatabasen. Våra rekommendationer till Saab Aerosystems och till Flygvapnet inkluderar: Till Saab Aerosystems: Utvärdera och drag lärdom av befintligt MTO-arbete inom organisationen, inkludera dessa resultat i befintliga processer och instruktioner för incidentutredningar. Utnyttja fler teoretiska modeller i processen, där så är lämpligt. Fokusera på HFACS för att synkronisera med Flygvapnet. Fundera på att anställa en MTO-specialist. Till Flygvapnet: Fundera på att också införa delar av andra MTO-modeller, som Rollenhagens eller Levesons modeller, under implementeringsfasen av HFACS. Genomför riskanalyser av påverkan på flygsäkerhet vid omorganisationer. Till både Saab Aerosystems och Flygvapnet rekommenderar vi: använd Levesons modell STAMP vid mer komplexa och allvarliga incidenter som innefattar organisatoriska, mänskliga och tekniska aspekter.

The purpose of this study was to discover, document, and describe the salient actions, events, beliefs, attitudes, social structures and processes related to professional learning conversations from the perspective of nine assistant principals (APs). The participants were elementary, middle and high school APs, three at each level. Using a modified critical incident technique through participant written response and two in depth interviews with each respondent, this study investigated the lived experiences of these APs related to the practice of professional learning conversations in their schools. The research questions focused on: (1) the participants' beliefs and attitudes about professional learning conversations, (2) their roles in facilitating these conversations, (3) their ability to identify elements of trust within the groups of teachers with whom they work and (4) their roles in building trust. The research literature is clear that teacher collaboration is a key factor in professional growth and self-efficacy, yet often the structure of the school day, a negative emotional environment, and a culture of teacher isolation prohibit meaningful teacher collaboration. Although faced with many obligations and directives, school administrators have considerable influence over the organizational structure within their individual schools. Furthermore, assistant principals often become the face of administration within their schools as they directly supervise teachers and APs are less studied than students, teacher or principals. How these individuals perceive and value professional learning conversations will likely impact the level of collaboration at their individual schools. The findings of this study indicate that professional learning conversations for teacher growth were more prevalent at the elementary school level, that trust may be more difficult to cultivate at the middle and high schools, and that protocols as structures for facilitating conversations and building trust were not widely in use. A better understanding of the opportunities and barriers schools face related to professional learning conversations as well as a better understanding of the dynamics of trust will assist district and school administrators to engage in a problem solving process for better collaboration. Ultimately, administrators have an opportunity and a responsibility to touch the hearts and minds of the individuals on the front line of the work - the teachers in the classrooms working with students. Without teacher confidence, hope, optimism, resilience and self-efficacy, no amount of financial incentive, cajoling, or sanction will improve student learning.

The Road Ranger program is a freeway service patrol (FSP) designed to assist disabled vehicles along congested freeway segments and relieve peak period non-recurring congestion through quick detection, verification and removal of freeway incidents in Florida. It consists of approximately 88 vehicles in fleet and provides free service to about 918 centerline miles. The program is funded by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and its partners, and is bid out to private contractors. The objective of this study is to examine and evaluate the benefits of the Road Ranger service against their operating costs in five of the seven FDOT Districts and Florida Turnpike Enterprise. The five Districts were chosen due to the availability of Road Ranger program data and activity logs for analysis. The Road Ranger program provides direct benefits to the general public in terms of reduced delay, fuel consumption, air pollution and improved safety and security. The benefits would be expected to be more significant during the peak period when demand reaches or exceeds capacity than in the off-peak and the mid-day period where capacity may not be as significant an issue. The costs considered in this analysis include costs of administration, operation, maintenance, employee salaries, and overhead costs. Incident data were obtained from the daily logs maintained by the Road Ranger service provider containing important information about the time, duration, location, and type of service provided. Other data collected for this study include average daily traffic volume, geometric characteristics of the freeways, unit cost of Road Ranger service, etc. The Freeway Service Patrol Evaluation (FSPE) model developed by the University of California-Berkley was calibrated and used to estimate the benefit-cost ratio for the Road Ranger program. The estimated benefit/cost ratios based on delay and fuel savings indicate that the Road Ranger program produces significant benefits in all the five Districts and Turnpike. The range of benefit-cost ratio of the Road Ranger program in different districts is from 2.3:1 to 41.5:1. The benefit -cost ratio of the entire Road Ranger program is estimated to be in excess of 25:1.