Many American organizations have reported dissatisfaction with the results of their strategic planning, TQM, or other large-scale change efforts. Some have even abandoned their efforts all together. According to the literature, the major problem seems to be with implementation and deployment. One of the major obstacles that organizations face in the implementation and deployment phase of their planning effort is the loss of momentum. They seem to get the ball rolling and generate a lot of initial excitement but then after some period of time, the energy level begins to decline. All of the work: that was put in at the beginning seems to get cast aside in order to "get the job done" or to ''fight fires." In an effort to provide American organizations with some recommendations for successful implementation and deployment, this research addressed two questions: (1) What are the "root causes" leading to an organization's strategic planning effort to lose momentum during implementation and deployment, and (2) Does it appear that ''Hoshin'' organizations struggle with these root causes to a lesser degree than "Non-Hoshin" organizations? / Master of Science

Existing verbal standards accepted in visual resource management (U.S.D.A. Forest Service, 1975 and U.S.D.I., Bureau of Land Management, 1980) as a reference for evaluating the landscape have certain shortcomings. One hypothesis is that visual images of the landscape which are used as a basis or standard along with landscape descriptions for measuring different levels or categories of a landscape attribute (visual standards) will produce more consistent ratings than using verbal standards. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the use of visual standards as a predictive tool to improve landscape assessment. This study involved the development of visual standards and a comparative survey study. One group of survey respondents was asked to rate or evaluate selected landscape variables (complexity and vividness) for a set of 15 landscape scenes. Another group used more traditional verbal standards to evaluate the same variables for the same landscape scenes. The effects of visual standards was compared with the effect of verbal standards on (1) assessing the landscape; (2) people’s attitudes toward landscape ratings; and (3) people’s attitudes toward the rating process. The findings indicate that using visual standards cannot produce more consistent results for rating landscape variables. Further research needs to be conducted for excluding the external variables which may affect the quality of visual standards. In fact, there is evidence to suggest that visual standards are perceived by the user as a more accurate reference. The findings also indicate that using visual standards result in a broader use of the rating scale particularly at the lower end of the scale and cause lower rating results for the tested scenes compared to verbal standards. Although using visual standards to access complexity and vividness cannot improve their predictive relationship to preference, the past research indicating a strong relationship between landscape complexity and visual quality may be influenced or biased by people’s preference for the landscape. In terms of the use of image based visual standards in computer application, this limited research has been unable to find any clear advantages in terms or reliability or validity. However, visual standards do not appear to be any less reliable and valid than verbal standards. / Master of Landscape Architecture

Some asbestiform minerals may cause lung disease in humans such as asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer. Crocidolite, the asbestiform counterpart of the amphibole riebeckite, is particularly dangerous in cases of chronic exposure. Its pathogenic activity may result from the interaction of the fiber surfaces with physiological fluids. Fe removed from the fiber surface by molecular chelators present in the body can promote a series of reactions that yield the hydroxyl radicals (•OH) which are known to cause DNA damage. This breakdown of DNA may be part of the mechanism for crocidolite-induced pathogenesis. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and solution chemistry were used to monitor the changes in surface composition of crocidolite fibers in a 50 mM NaCl solution at pH= 7.5 and 25°C in the presence of Fe chelators (citrate, EDTA, or desferrioxamine) for up to 30 days. The data show that the introduction of Fe chelators dramatically increases the rate at which Fe is released from the surface when compared to a control group where no chelators were added. In particular, XPS shows that Fe(III) is more effectively removed in the presence of the chelators. Past studies of the dissolution of Fe-containing silicates generally indicate that Fe removal is the rate-limiting step. Fe(III) is particularly insoluble under circumneutral conditions. However, our work suggests that crocidolite undergoes enhanced dissolution in the presence of a chelator. Therefore, based on our XPS and solution data, and assuming a typical fiber diameter, we can estimate that a crocidolite fiber will survive on the order of hundreds of years in lung-like conditions. This is at least two orders of magnitude longer than a chrysotile fiber of the same size, and corresponds well with the fiber content observed in human lung tissue. / Master of Science

The premise of this thesis is that architecture indeed superseded the act of ordinary building. Beyond the idea of shelter or utilitarian accommodation, architecture is the art of embedding or encoding substantial humanist values which result in the form of the man-made architectural object. / Master of Architecture

In this thesis, the complete design, fabrication, and calibration of an instrumented drop weight impact tester is described. Included in this description are all the sketches and drawings that are needed to duplicate this project, if so desired. This impact tester was built for around $23,000 less than it would have cost to buy and modify a commercial tester for the intended research application. This tester, as designed, was intended to be used in the field of impact location detection using artificial neural networks. Even though this impact tester was built for a specific research application, the design concepts that are presented can easily be adapted to a variety of testing needs. This impact tester was built using an non-working milling machine for a base. This provides a rigid, stable base along with a moveable X-Y table. The tester itself has the capability for drop weights ranging from 3.518 Ib up to 15.408 lb, and impact energy levels ranging from 0.6 ft-lb up to 45.6 ft-lb. Also, it is capable of impacting multiple locations of large plates with variable boundary condition sizes up to 12" x 24". Furthermore, it uses a computer program written using a data acquisition software package to provide output plots for the impact event, including the force and energy applied to the specimen versus time and the force versus displacement. Finally, initial experimental results obtained from this tester agree very well with those obtained from a commercially available tester, allowing it to be used in future tests involving intelligent material systems. / Master of Science

The growing need for high quality and reliability of products requires the control of the accuracy of dimensions and shape of product components. Coordinate Measurement Machines (CMM) are now able to measure the dimensions and/or the shape of objects with submicron precision. The desire for high-speed measurement, has stimulated the interest of CMM manufacturers in the use of composite materials for the structure of their machines. Composites are lighter than conventional materials, and are generally less affected by temperature changes. In cooperation with one of the major European CMM manufacturers, the problem of redesigning a steel carriage of a CMM, from composite materials component is considered. A simple strength-of-materials based calculation is used to design a prototype of the carriage, which is built and mounted on the machine to be tested. A NASTRAN finite element model of the composite component is created to analyze more accurately the behavior of the composite structure. Structural optimization is next performed to seek minimum weight and maximum stiffness designs of the structural component. / Master of Science

The behavior and spatial relationships of 7 male and 22 females were described from 56 days of observation from focal and scan samples made between 0830 and 1830 h during May-July, 1993 at the Augusta Canal near Augusta, Georgia. Behavioral observations indicated that females primarily remain stationary (82.6%), while dividing the remainder of their time into travelling (7.7%), overt foraging (1.5%), and social interactions (8.2%). Though territorial, inter-female contacts were rare (0.3%) with more of a female’s time spent interacting with the resident male (3.2%) or in copula (3.9%). Females used three methods to capture prey: (1) sit-and-wait (84%), (2) opportunistic prey captures (11%), and (3) active search (5%). Dewlap extension is primarily used during aggressive interactions with females (60%), but rarely during courtship (2%) or copula (7%). Predation pressure was minimal as only four predator avoidances were observed. Home range volume and area for males averaged 68.5 m³ and 50.5 m², respectively. For females, home range volume and area were considerable smaller than males, averaging 7.8 m³ and 8.2 m², respectively. Intra-sexual overlap averaged 0% for males and 18% for females. Male snout-vent length (SVL) was positively correlated with male home range area and number of females overlapped. Female SVL did not correlate with either volume or area of territory. However, within a male’s territory, the largest female usually controlled the largest home range volume, perched highest, and maintained a green body color most often. Females tended to perch on smaller diameter limbs and to perch higher than males. / Master of Science

The polarization-maintaining properties of single crystal sapphire fibers are investigated and a polarimetric optical sensor for high temperature measurements is designed. The polarization-maintaining properties of single crystal sapphire fibers are investigated experimentally for different modal power distributions and different fiber lengths. Experimental results indicate that linearly polarized light launched along one of the principal axes of the birefringence can be partially maintained. The polarization-maintaining ability (PMA) has been measured to be 6 dB and 3 dB for 7 cm and 32 cm long sapphire fibers, respectively. The temperature coefficient of the differential phase delay between the orthogonal polarization modes has been measured to be 0.0208 rad / °C m. A resolution of 2 °C has been obtained over the measurement range of 25 °C to 800 °C. It is also observed that the PMA is strongly dependent on the mode-coupling parameter. The design of the polarimetric sapphire fiber sensor for high temperature measurements is based on the properties of withstanding high temperatures, polarization preservation and temperature dependence of phase delay. Since the temperature dependence of phase delay is proportional to the fiber length, consideration of a similar strain sensor is expected in the near future. / Master of Science

The purpose of this research was to study the human ability to perceive inertia and to investigate the relationship between individual sensitivity to mass discrimination and the accuracy of inertia judgment. The study involved two major experiments, a mass discrimination test to provide a measure of kinesthetic sensitivity and a push/aim task to measure inertia perception. The experimental apparatus allowed for the manipulation of an inertial load for both the mass discrimination test and the push/aim task. The mass discrimination test was based on the method of constant stimuli and involved a standard stimulus of 30 kg and seven comparison stimuli ranging from 24.3 kg to 35.7 kg. It determined Weber fraction values which were used as a measure of sensitivity. The push/aim task simulated a dynamic horizontal pushing task and was restricted to an initial exertion causing the inertial load to travel to a target under its own momentum. Performance was measured by the errors associated with the accuracy of the aimed pushes. These errors were separated into an absolute component representing an overshoot or undershoot, and a relative measure of error representing variability of repeated trials about the absolute error. Distance to the target (2 or 6 m), amount of load (25, 45, or 90 kg), and apparent size of the load (small or large) were manipulated in the dynamic pushing experiment. Hypothesis testing was used to determine whether performance exhibited a consistent overshooting or undershooting of the target. An ANCOVA was used to measure the effects of distance, amount of load, and apparent size on performance given a covariate of mass discrimination sensitivity. Since the ANCOVA showed no significant effect from the covariate, an ANOVA was used to analyze the effects of the independent variables on both measures of error. The hypothesis tests revealed that absolute error in the push/aim task was significant by less than zero for the combined data set and at all levels of independent variables, indicating a consistent undershoot of the target. The ANCOVA results il indicated no significant effect from the covariate, mass discrimination Correlation coefficients (R2) were calculated for the relation between sensitivity to mass discrimination and push/aim task performance with respect to absolute and relative error. These values were 0.004 for the absolute error and 0.008 for the relative error. The ANOVA results revealed that weight, distance, and the weight x distance interaction had significant effects on the absolute measure of error. Increasing the levels of either weight or distance resulted in significant increases in the amount of absolute error. Increasing the distance resulted in significant increases in the amount of relative error. The presence of a distance effect and the absence of a weight effect indicates the importance of rate of force over amount of force in the relative error associated with the push/aim task. Apparent size of the load did not have a significant effect on either absolute or relative error. / Master of Science

The freeze-drying process has been plagued with problems, such as long drying times and inefficiency. Microwave freeze-drying has proven its potential as way of reducing long drying times associated with freeze-drying, and as a result, there has been a considerable amount of work done to increase its use in industrial applications. However, it is not widely utilized for drying of pharmaceuticals, which appear to be better suited to microwave freeze-drying than foods. This paper discusses the results of applying microwave freeze-drying to an aqueous solution, as well as how various freezing rates affect freeze-drying characteristics. Results show that microwave freeze-drying can greatly reduce the time required to freeze-dry an aqueous solution while maintaining a high product quality. The investigation into the effects of different freezing conditions shows that different physical characteristics in the dried product can be achieved through varying the freezing rate. / Master of Science