In this thesis, we explore three critical emergency logistics problems faced by healthcare and humanitarian relief service providers for short-term post-disaster management. In the first manuscript, we investigate various integration mechanisms (fully integrated horizontal-vertical, horizontal, and vertical resource sharing mechanisms) following a natural disaster for a multi-type whole blood-derived platelets, multi-patient logistics network. The goal is to reduce the amount of shortage and wastage of multi-blood-group of platelets in the response phase of relief logistics operations. To solve the logistics model for a large scale problem, we develop a hybrid exact solution approach involving an augmented epsilon-constraint and Lagrangian relaxation algorithms and demonstrate the model's applicability for a case study of an earthquake. Due to uncertainty in the number of injuries needing multi-type blood-derived platelets, we apply a robust optimization version of the proposed model which captures the expected performance of the system. The results show that the performance of the platelets logistics network under coordinated and integrated mechanisms better control the level of shortage and wastage compared with that of a non-integrated network. In the second manuscript, we propose a two-stage casualty evacuation model that involves routing of patients with different injury levels during wildfires. The first stage deals with field hospital selection and the second stage determines the number of patients that can be transferred to the selected hospitals or shelters via different routes of the evacuation network. The goal of this model is to reduce the evacuation response time, which ultimately increase the number of evacuated people from evacuation assembly points under limited time windows. To solve the model for large-scale problems, we develop a two-step meta-heuristic algorithm. To consider multiple sources of uncertainty, a flexible robust approach considering the worst-case and expected performance of the system simultaneously is applied to handle any realization of the uncertain parameters. The results show that the fully coordinated evacuation model in which the vehicles can freely pick up and off-board the patients at different locations and are allowed to start their next operations without being forced to return to the departure point (evacuation assembly points) outperforms the non-coordinated and non-integrated evacuation models in terms of number of evacuated patients. In the third manuscript, we propose an integrated transportation and hospital capacity model to optimize the assignment of relevant medical resources to multi-level-injury patients in the time of a MCI. We develop a finite-horizon MDP to efficiently allocate resources and hospital capacities to injured people in a dynamic fashion under limited time horizon. We solve this model using the linear programming approach to ADP, and by developing a two-phase heuristics based on column generation algorithm. The results show better policies can be derived for allocating limited resources (i.e., vehicles) and hospital capacities to the injured people compared with the benchmark. Each paper makes a worthwhile contribution to the humanitarian relief operations literature and can help relief and healthcare providers optimize resource and service logistics by applying the proposed integration and coordination mechanisms.

Much traditional user interface evaluation is conducted in usability laboratories, where a small number of selected users is directly observed by trained evaluators. However, as the network itself and the remote work setting have become intrinsic parts of usage patterns, evaluators often have limited access to representative users for usability evaluation in the laboratory and the users' work context is difficult or impossible to reproduce in a laboratory setting. These barriers to usability evaluation led to extending the concept of usability evaluation beyond the laboratory, typically using the network itself as a bridge to take interface evaluation to a broad range of users in their natural work settings. The over-arching goal of this work is to develop and evaluate a cost-effective remote usability evaluation method for real-world applications used by real users doing real tasks in real work environments. This thesis reports the development of such a method, and the results of a study to: • investigate feasibility and effectiveness of involving users with to identify and report critical incidents in usage • investigate feasibility and effectiveness of transforming remotely-gathered critical incidents into usability problem descriptions • gain insight into various parameters associated with the method. / Master of Science

In the contemporary landscape of fraternity and sorority life (SFL), where National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) organizations operate alongside Panhellenic and Interfraternity Council (IFC) groups, Black sorority and fraternity life professionals have become essential to the field. However, Black student affairs professionals in sorority and fraternity life encounter incidents of racism’s permanence, embedded into the foundations of the sorority and fraternity life system. Therein lies a struggle for Black SFL professionals who are regularly and systematically harmed by the institutions they are charged with sustaining. This study’s purpose was to examine Black student affairs professionals’ experiences and narratives with racialized incidents and how this informs their perceptions of sorority and fraternity life. The research question that guided this study was: How have Black student affairs professionals’ in sorority and fraternity life experiences and narratives with racialized incidents informed their perceptions of sorority and fraternity life? The literature review focuses on Black student affairs professionals' experiences with racialized incidents and the history of sorority and fraternity life. Critical Race Theory served as this study's theoretical framework, focusing on counter narrative as a theory. The use of a counter narrative amplified the voice of 12 participants to share their narratives of and experiences with racialized incidents in sorority and fraternity life and their perceptions of the field. Four themes presented in this study made participants question a) the disillusionment of trust in a system built to harm; b) the white and racist legacy of sorority and fraternity life; c) the significance of #BlackLivesMatter and the Trump presidency on racialized incidents in sorority and fraternity life; and d) recognition that Black students need Black SFL professionals, and their faith keeps them. Additional research is necessary to address racialized incidents in sorority and fraternity life and find ways to put procedures and policies in place in the aftermath of racialized incidents that harm Black SFL professionals. Black student affairs professionals in sorority and fraternity life did not create this broken system. They should not be the ones expected to fix it on their own.

Bakgrund: Läkemedelshanteringsfel är en ledande orsak till patientskador i hälso- och sjukvårdssystem över hela världen och utgör ett betydande hot mot patientsäkerheten. Läkemedelshanteringsfel är mer vanligt förekommande på intensivvårdsavdelningar än på lägre vårdnivåer. Det dominerande sättet att arbeta med patientsäkerhet inom hälso- och sjukvård är genom avvikelserapportering och analysering av negativa händelser. Vid efterföljande analys och uppföljning av negativa händelser kan en förbättrad patientsäkerhet uppnås. Syfte: Att beskriva innehållet i de avvikelser beträffande läkemedelshanteringsfel, som rapporterats in på en intensivvårdsenhet under år 2023. Metod: En retrospektiv registerstudie. Datamaterialet analyserades med beskrivande statistik och kvalitativ manifest innehållsanalys. Resultat: Fem kategorier framkom under analysförfarandet: Hållbarhet, ordination, iordningställande, administrering och dokumentation. I kategorin administrering identifierades flest avvikelser. Slutsats: Resultatet i denna studie visar övergripande att ingen avvikelse ledde till en vårdskada men att samtliga var undvikbara. Den kategori som innehöll flest avvikelser var Administrering vilket är ett fynd som stärks av tidigare forskning som visar på att administreringsfasen är den mest kritiska i läkemedelshanteringen. Varför avvikelserna inträffade vore intressant att få svar på, något som kan ges som förslag till vidare forskning. Forskare inom säkerhet hävdar dock att det inte alltid är helt lätt att förstå orsakerna eftersom hälso- och sjukvården är ett komplext sociotekniskt system. / Background: Medication errors are a leading cause of patient injury in healthcare systems worldwide and represent a significant threat to patient safety. Medication errors are more common in intensive care units than at lower levels of care. The dominant way of working with patient safety in healthcare is through deviation reporting and analysis of negative events. In subsequent analysis and follow-up of adverse events, improved patient safety can be achieved. Aim: To describe the content of the deviations regarding medication handling errors, which were reported to an intensive care unit during the year 2023. Method: A retrospective registry study. The data material was analyzed with descriptive statistics and qualitative manifest content analysis. Results: Five categories emerged during the analysis procedure: Durability, prescription, preparation, administration and documentation. Most incident reports were identified in the category administration. Conclusion: The results of this study show overall that no deviation led to a medical injury, but that all were avoidable. The category that contained the most deviations was Administration, which is a finding that is reinforced by previous research that shows that the administration phase is the most critical in drug management. Why the deviations occurred would be interesting to get an answer to, something that can be given as a suggestion for further research. However, security researchers argue that it is not always easy to understand the causes because healthcare is a complex socio-technical system.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Mechanical Engineering / Steven J. Eckels / Byron W. Jones / Poor air quality in commercial aircraft cabins can be caused by volatile organophosphorus (OP) compounds emitted from the jet engine bleed air system during smoke/fume incidents. Tri-cresyl phosphate (TCP), a common anti-wear additive in turbine engine oils, is an important component in today’s global aircraft operations. However, exposure to TCP increases risks of certain adverse health effects. This research analyzed used aircraft cabin air filters for jet engine oil contaminants and designed a jet engine bleed air simulator (BAS) to replicate smoke/fume incidents caused by pyrolysis of jet engine oil. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) with X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and neutron activation analysis (NAA) were used for elemental analysis of filters, and gas chromatography interfaced with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used to analyze used filters to determine TCP isomers. The filter analysis study involved 110 used and 74 incident filters. Clean air filter samples exposed to different bleed air conditions simulating cabin air contamination incidents were also analyzed by FESEM/EDS, NAA, and GC/MS. Experiments were conducted on a BAS at various bleed air conditions typical of an operating jet engine so that the effects of temperature and pressure variations on jet engine oil aerosol formation could be determined. The GC/MS analysis of both used and incident filters characterized tri-m-cresyl phosphate (TmCP) and tri-p-cresyl phosphate (TpCP) by a base peak of an m/z = 368, with corresponding retention times of 21.9 and 23.4 minutes. The hydrocarbons in jet oil were characterized in the filters by a base peak pattern of an m/z = 85, 113. Using retention times and hydrocarbon thermal conductivity peak (TCP) pattern obtained from jet engine oil standards, five out of 110 used filters tested had oil markers. Meanwhile 22 out of 74 incident filters tested positive for oil fingerprints. Probit analysis of jet engine oil aerosols obtained from BAS tests by optical particle counter (OPC) revealed lognormal distributions with the mean (range) of geometric mass mean diameter (GMMD) = 0.41 (0.39, 0.45) [mu]m and geometric standard deviation (GSD), [sigma][subscript]g = 1.92 (1.87, 1.98). FESEM/EDS and NAA techniques found a wide range of elements on filters, and further investigations of used filters are recommended using these techniques. The protocols for air and filter sampling and GC/MS analysis used in this study will increase the options available for detecting jet engine oil on cabin air filters. Such criteria could support policy development for compliance with cabin air quality standards during incidents.

Law firms maintain and store voluminous amounts of highly confidential and proprietary data, such as attorney-client privileged information, intellectual properties, financials, trade secrets, personal, and other sensitive information. There is an ethical obligation to protect law firm client data from unauthorized access. Security breaches jeopardize the reputation of the law firm and could have a substantial financial impact if these confidential data are compromised. Information security policies describe the security goals of a law firm and the acceptable actions and uses of law firm information resources. In this dissertation investigation, the author examined the problem of whether information security policies assist with preventing unauthorized parties from accessing law firm confidential and sensitive information. In 2005, Doherty and Fulford performed an exploratory analysis of security policies and security breach incidents that highlighted the need for research with different target populations. This investigation advanced Doherty and Fulford's research by targeting information security policies and security breach incidents in law firms. The purpose of this dissertation investigation was to determine whether there is a correlation between the timing of security policy development (proactive versus reactive policy development) and the frequency and severity of security breach incidents in law firms of varying sizes. Outcomes of this investigation correlated with Doherty and Fulford's general findings of no evidence of statistically significant relationships between the existence of a written information security policy and the frequency and severity of security breach incidents within law firms. There was also a weak relationship between infrequency of information security policy updates and increase of theft resources. Results demonstrated that, generally, written information security policies in law firms were not created in response to a security breach incident. These findings suggest that information security policies generally are proactively developed by law firms. Important contributions to the body of knowledge from this analysis included the effectiveness of information security policies in reducing the number of computer security breach incidents of law firms, an under represented population, in the information assurance field. Also, the analysis showed the necessity for law firms to become more immersed in state security breach notification law requirements.

Die vier Artikel dieser Dissertation betrachten die Relevanz von Zufriedenheit und Identifikation für Kundenbeziehungen. Artikel 1 untersucht den nichtlinearen Zusammenhang von Zufriedenheit und Loyalität. Artikel 2 analysiert den Einfluss kritischer Ereignisse auf die Zufriedenheit und das Vertrauen von Kunden. Artikel 3 geht der Frage nach, ob mit einem Unternehmen identifizierte Kunden eine stärkere Bindung an das Unternehmen haben und zeigt, dass die Identifikation indirekt diverse Verhaltensweisen fördert, die mitunter nicht über eine Steigerung der Zufriedenheit erreicht werden können. Artikel 4 zeigt zudem, dass die Identifikation des Kunden mit dem Unternehmen sein Kaufverhalten begünstigt und vom Unternehmen gefördert werden kann. / This dissertation consists of four articles which analyze the relevance of satisfaction and customer-company identification for customer relationships. Article 1 investigates the nonlinear effects of satisfaction on loyalty. Article 2 examines the influence of critical incidents on building customer trust and satisfaction. Article 3 demonstrates that customer-company identification leads to higher commitment which in turn fosters distinct supportive behaviors towards the company that are sometimes not attainable by increasing satisfaction. Article 4 shows that customers’ purchase behavior is positively influenced by customer-company identification and demonstrates that companies can increase their customers’ level of identification.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T18:39:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Miguel Gazola.pdf: 612555 bytes, checksum: 8dc57c5abfe0ff1f0badcd9f76fe2579 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-01-30 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This research aims to produce a tax planning that can assist in finding an alternative, within legal aspects, to the best or lowest tax burden. Based on this concept, it is necessary to analyze all existing taxation regimes in Brazil and for a better research conclusion, it will be analyzed three companies with distinct branches and areas. Legal entities, within certain rules, will be able to choose from available taxation forms, ie, Taxable Income, National Income Deemed and Simple. Currently taxes in Brazil are very relevant to legal entities cost and expenses composition, regardless the size the company presents itself. Therefore it is necessary to analyze alternatives that would fit better for a given entity, since each tax regime has particular characteristics, are quite different, and will provide advantages or disadvantages for each company given the system chosen. Thus, by the survey raised in the case study, it will be assessed the best taxation way for each type of activity the company plays, being a selling clothes business, an industrial company that manufactures textile products or a services provider in construction / O objetivo desta pesquisa é fazer um Planejamento Tributário que poderá auxiliar na busca de uma alternativa dentro dos aspectos legais à melhor ou à menor carga tributária. A partir desse conceito, é preciso analisar todos os regimes de tributação existentes no Brasil e, para melhor conclusão da pesquisa, serão analisadas três empresas com ramos e áreas distintas. As pessoas jurídicas, dentro de certas regras, poderão optar pelas formas de tributação existentes, ou seja, Lucro Real, Lucro Presumido e Simples Nacional. Atualmente, no Brasil, os tributos são bastante relevantes na composição dos custos e despesas das pessoas jurídicas, independente da empresa ser de pequeno ou médio porte, devendo-se, desse modo, analisar as alternativas, pois cada regime de tributação possui características próprias e bastante diferenciadas, e para determinadas empresas, a escolha do regime de tributação poderá ter vantagens ou desvantagens. Dessa forma, pela pesquisa levantada no estudo comparativo, será avaliada a melhor maneira de tributação para cada tipo de atividade que a empresa desempenha, sendo uma empresa comercial que revende roupas, uma empresa industrial que fabrica papéis e uma empresa de prestação de serviços na área da construção civil

<p><strong>Problem: </strong>The nature of insurances, and indeed the customer-provider relationship in insurance services, lends itself to distinctive characteristics. These characteristics have particular implications on overall perceived service and relationship quality, and thus customer retention. The arguably singular characteristic of mutual mistrust prevalent in insurance service relationships, is a source for costs and lost profitability for insurance companies in Sweden. Bridging the “gap of mistrust”, potentially offered by a seemingly simple service, could entail significant benefits for both parties in an insurance service relationship.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Research Questions: </strong>Does the Aronda Service have the potential to improve a damage adjustment process in a provider-customer insurance service relationship?</p><p><strong> </strong></p><ul><li>Can a more effective damage adjustment process improve an insurance service relation between provider and customer?</li></ul><ul><li>To what extent do the providers perceive that the damage adjustment process is critical to a customer’s stay or switch decisions in an insurance service relationship? </li></ul><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The aim of the thesis is two-fold:</p><ol><li>The aim is to investigate and describe the impact of the damage adjustment process in customer relationships between the privately insured and property insurance companies in Sweden</li><li>And to assess, the potential of the Aronda Service to improve customer relations for insurance companies by improving (in terms of customer satisfaction) the damage adjustment process.</li></ol><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>A qualitative method with deductive reasoning was used. The highly contextual nature of customer-provider relationships was deemed, for the purpose of the study, best suited using a qualitative method. Data collection comprised of interviewing several professionals pertaining to the field of property insurance and damage adjustment, academic literature, peer-reviewed articles, and Ph.D. Dissertations.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Theoretical Approach: </strong>The theoretical approach is based on consolidation of widely used theories in the field of service and relationship in the “Critical episode on insurance relationships” perspective, presented by Mikael Gidhagen, Senior lecturer at Uppsala University, Sweden. Although the perspective is originally created for B2B relationships, proved great applicability and relevance.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Empirical foundation: </strong>The empirical foundation consisted of a number of interviews with respondents with extensive corporate and private insurance industry experience. The secondary empirical information was gathered from governmental, consumer services, and industry regulatory bodies’ websites and publications.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The uncovered prominent issues in insurance relationships between private individuals and property insurance service providers can at the very least be aided, if not solved, to the benefit of both parties by the proposed digital version of the Aronda “Black Box”. As the importance of documentation in more cases of insurance claims than not are paramount, and by decreasing the coverage knowledge gap of customers, facilitating a matching of service expectations and actual service delivery, customer satisfaction can be more readily achievable for insurance provider. A readily achievable level of customer satisfaction, in turn, means probably prolonged customer retention, and ultimately higher profitability for the insurance companies. As “it cost more to attract a customer, than it does to keep one.”</p><p><strong> </strong></p>

Problem: The nature of insurances, and indeed the customer-provider relationship in insurance services, lends itself to distinctive characteristics. These characteristics have particular implications on overall perceived service and relationship quality, and thus customer retention. The arguably singular characteristic of mutual mistrust prevalent in insurance service relationships, is a source for costs and lost profitability for insurance companies in Sweden. Bridging the “gap of mistrust”, potentially offered by a seemingly simple service, could entail significant benefits for both parties in an insurance service relationship.   Research Questions: Does the Aronda Service have the potential to improve a damage adjustment process in a provider-customer insurance service relationship?   Can a more effective damage adjustment process improve an insurance service relation between provider and customer? To what extent do the providers perceive that the damage adjustment process is critical to a customer’s stay or switch decisions in an insurance service relationship?   Purpose: The aim of the thesis is two-fold: The aim is to investigate and describe the impact of the damage adjustment process in customer relationships between the privately insured and property insurance companies in Sweden And to assess, the potential of the Aronda Service to improve customer relations for insurance companies by improving (in terms of customer satisfaction) the damage adjustment process. Methodology: A qualitative method with deductive reasoning was used. The highly contextual nature of customer-provider relationships was deemed, for the purpose of the study, best suited using a qualitative method. Data collection comprised of interviewing several professionals pertaining to the field of property insurance and damage adjustment, academic literature, peer-reviewed articles, and Ph.D. Dissertations.       Theoretical Approach: The theoretical approach is based on consolidation of widely used theories in the field of service and relationship in the “Critical episode on insurance relationships” perspective, presented by Mikael Gidhagen, Senior lecturer at Uppsala University, Sweden. Although the perspective is originally created for B2B relationships, proved great applicability and relevance.   Empirical foundation: The empirical foundation consisted of a number of interviews with respondents with extensive corporate and private insurance industry experience. The secondary empirical information was gathered from governmental, consumer services, and industry regulatory bodies’ websites and publications. Conclusion: The uncovered prominent issues in insurance relationships between private individuals and property insurance service providers can at the very least be aided, if not solved, to the benefit of both parties by the proposed digital version of the Aronda “Black Box”. As the importance of documentation in more cases of insurance claims than not are paramount, and by decreasing the coverage knowledge gap of customers, facilitating a matching of service expectations and actual service delivery, customer satisfaction can be more readily achievable for insurance provider. A readily achievable level of customer satisfaction, in turn, means probably prolonged customer retention, and ultimately higher profitability for the insurance companies. As “it cost more to attract a customer, than it does to keep one.”