The following research seeks to understand the effects of competition and regulation on the development of new industries. Specifically, the issue of whether or not laissez faire markets best promote industry growth and good economic performance is investigated. This work challenges prevailing neoclassical economic assumptions regarding the efficacy of competition and unfettered markets. Drawing on lines of research in economic sociology, institutional analysis, and organizational theory, I examine how public and private regulatory agencies, including states and associations, are used by firms to facilitate cooperation and organize economic activity. Contrary to prevailing neoclassical economic assumptions, I find that regulatory institutions are not necessarily a means of denying competitors access to markets, inflating prices, and gouging consumers, but rather a means by which economic actors overcome problems of collective action. Unfettered competition, I find, thwarts the growth and development of new industries that rely upon inputs that possess "collective goods properties", specifically, technical knowledge and a legitimate reputation. This research is historical and comparative. I study the development of America's aviation industry over the period 1903--1938. This period marks the birth of the industry through its rise to early maturity. Competitive pressures to control key technologies and develop appropriate standards for the use of aircraft created problems of collective action that undermined the fledgling industry's ability to establish viable markets for its goods and services. Industry members found they were unable to manage their proprietary activities through unfettered markets and private firms and, thus, turned to more cooperative arrangements to govern their economic affairs. Producers formed an association to pool their patented technology, solve free-rider problems, pursue uniform regulatory measures for the operation of aircraft, and conduct a national campaign to make the public "airminded". Not until these institutional arrangements were established did America's aviation industry move beyond its nascent stage of development and begin to experience good economic performance.

This dissertation examines the use of group support systems (GSS) and cooperative learning techniques to improve classroom productivity. Cooperative learning assumes that learners have prior knowledge they can contribute, that knowledge is expanded, clarified and created as it is shared, participation is critical to learning and learners will participate given necessary and sufficient conditions. GSS were initially developed to support users and analysts in identifying system requirements, a task which satisfies the assumptions of cooperative learning. GSS features such as anonymity and parallel communication can overcome obstacles to cooperative learning such as air-time fragmentation, production blocking, free-riding, evaluation apprehension and dominance. Additional issues examined in this dissertation include the relationship between deindividuation and electronic communication and the effect GSS have on affective reward. The following research questions were identified: (1) What influence can the use of GSS have on classroom participation? (2) How are obstacles to participation such as dominance, free-riding, production blocking, evaluation apprehension and the sucker effect influenced by the use of GSS? (3) What effect can the use of GSS in the classroom have on both self-reported and observed learning? (4) What is the relationship between GSS and both flaming and off-task buffoonery in the classroom? (5) What is the relationship between GSS and affective reward? A longitudinal experiment was conducted comparing two sections of an introductory MIS course held in consecutive semesters. The two sections were identical with respect to lectures and class-activities with the exception that the second class received GSS-support for the course's eight group tasks. In the GSS-supported class, total student participation increased by over 500% with all students engaging in every task. Dominance was cut by 50%. Process losses such as free-riding, production blocking and the sucker effect were substantially reduced. Flaming and off-task buffoonery occurred in the first task and then subsided. Students in the GSS-supported class reported a greater degree of affective reward. Perhaps more impressively, students in the GSS-supported class were more successful in retaining and applying concepts learned during the group tasks.

<p> Many IT projects fail despite the best efforts to keep these projects within budget, schedule, and scope. Few studies have looked at the effect of project risk management tools and techniques on project success. The primary focus of this study was to examine the extent to which utilization of project risk management processes influence project success. A secondary focus of the study was to determine if utilization of project risk management processes correlates with project success more than project manager experience, certification, level of education, and project size, type, or duration. To meet the objectives of the study, a survey instrument was developed and piloted. The final instrument was administered to a group of IT project management practitioners to assess the utilization of specific project risk management tools and techniques on a recently completed project. The answers were combined with the participants' self-reported project success as measured by end-of-project budget, schedule, and scope success metrics. While the results of the study did not point to a specific project risk management tool or technique to predict an IT project's success, valuable insight was gained when stepping back and looking at overall factors that influence project success. When looking at these factors, the researcher found there was a statistical correlation that indicated the use of project risk management processes as a whole are a better predictor of IT project success than a project manager's experience, certification, level of education, and project size, type, or duration in the majority of success areas measured.</p>

<p> This research study examined the ecological damage in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria for the past over 50 years, which has resulted from oil exploration activities. It presents a detail review and analysis and a partial solution to the crisis that has metamorphosed from the neglect and abject environmental destruction the Niger Delta of Nigeria. The toll of environmental damage brought to the indigenes of the Niger Delta was investigated as well as the clamor of the indigenes against Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of Nigeria. The study&rsquo;s objective was to identify the gap that exists between corporate social responsibility programs (CSR) of SPDC and the needs and aspirations of the indigenes of the oil producing communities of the Niger Delta and the reason that the Niger Delta has become unfriendly with the SPDC. The research unveils this gap as the absence of holistic management and suggests how a holistic concept in management could significantly add to the solution of the existing conflict between the indigenes and SPDC. The researcher conducted a qualitative research that focused on stakeholders&rsquo; perceptions, which succinctly sifted the reasons for the consequential unrest in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria. In order to address the prevailing problems, the researcher used descriptions, interpretations and transparency techniques for the purpose, analysis, and conclusions.</p>

<p> Obesity is a serious global issue and it is increasing in prevalence in the United States. The purpose of this interpretive hermeneutic phenomenological study was to gain insight into the nature of the impact of work on obesity through reflecting on the lived experiences of employed adults. The research study used a van Kaam method as modified by Moustakas with in-depth, semi-structured interviews to explore factors surrounding the impact of work on obesity. Fifteen participants from two industries (Home Health Care and Education) were interviewed for the study. It was theorized that obesity was influenced by an inability to balance the demands and influence of the work environment with healthy weight management practices. The study revealed that the workplace does affect obesity because of food choices available within the organization, lack of health discussions, work hour demands, and lack of streamlined work processes that enables break periods. The most influential factors on the participants&rsquo; state of obesity were external to the workplace. The study also found that unhealthy habits and external relationships influence people&rsquo;s state of obesity. Social policy change leaders should consider the person as the epicenter of the obesity issue because unhealthy habits are passed from generation to generation and a lack of both self-control and motivation exacerbates the obesity issue.</p>

<p> Although diversity training is an $8 billion industry, questions surrounding its utility and impact remain. To address the issue of diversity training effectiveness, the research project goes beyond reviewing workforce diversity as a measurement, and investigates whether diversity training impacts a leader's ability to manage differences and create an inclusive work environment. Data were collected from 44 individuals in leadership roles across multiple organizations in the United States. All participants completed a condensed Diversity Relationship Indicator&trade; assessment, as well as a 6 question interview protocol to gauge their experience with diversity training. The results of the research reflected the utility of diversity training. Specifically, individuals who participated in diversity training (regardless of type) had a significantly higher presence of attributes (self-awareness, accountability, interpersonal-skills, open &amp; inclusive team, diversity management) related to successfully managing differences and creating an inclusive work environment, than those who were diversity training na&iuml;ve.</p>

<p> Universities must retain satisfied employees to enhance productivity and reduce turnover. Leadership represents one of the fundamental factors in job satisfaction. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between perceived academic administrator leadership styles and the satisfaction of faculty members. The independent variables were the transformational, transactional, and passive/avoidant leadership styles of academic administrators as evaluated by faculty members. The dependent variable was job satisfaction of full-time faculty members. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire was used to identify the leadership style of an administrator as perceived by faculty members. Spector's Job Satisfaction Survey was used to assess a faculty member's level of job satisfaction. One hundred four participants from a state university in Florida completed the online survey. A logistic regression model was developed, and the statistically significant correlations indicated that (a) faculty members who identified transformational leadership as dominant had increased job satisfaction, (b) faculty members who identified transactional leadership as dominant had increased job satisfaction, and (c) faculty members who identified passive/avoidant leadership as dominant had decreased job satisfaction. Based on a 95% significance level, there was a significant relationship between the 3 leadership styles and job satisfaction. Using this model, academic leaders can take further action by refining their leadership styles on the basis of their faculty members' indicated preferences. The study results may contribute to social change by making academic administrators aware of effective leadership models that promote higher job satisfaction among faculty in universities.</p>

<p> Higher education institutions (HEIs) could be among organizations without effective programs for preserving tacit knowledge (TK) when knowledge workers retire, quit, take a leave of absence, or are terminated. The theoretical underpinnings of this study were neuroscience related to brain learning physiology, transformational leadership theory, succession planning theory, and knowledge management theory. Research questions addressed (a) what is the level of awareness of the role of tacit knowledge in the administration of higher education, (b) what methods exist for capturing, sharing, and creating tacit knowledge that can be effectively integrated in succession planning, and (c) what unique elements exist in the administration of higher-education that either support or prevent tacit knowledge preservation, sharing, and creation through succession planning initiatives. Data collection involved interviews and document review at a Midwestern college. Findings included the need for trust and open communication and leader behavior to support optimal TK transfer. Participants were aware of TK and its importance and recognized a connection between TK and succession planning. Participants suggested high level activities; emphasized debriefing for verifying TK transfer, transfer of roles and responsibilities over time, continued access to mentors, and allocation of adequate time to deploy these steps in succession planning. The researcher developed a nine-step process model for integrating TK in institutions with a formal succession planning program. This process model includes organization-wide education and communication focused on the concepts of TK and involves steps for capture, measurement, and sustained retention of all forms of TK as part of institutional culture. </p>

<p>This research analyzes the internal capital allocation decisions in Mexican family business groups using a novel approach in which allocation decisions are not only influenced by efficiency (firm performance) but also by the social connections among the managers of the funded firms and the family that controls the group. The results suggest that family ownership and group affiliation have economically large effects on firm performance, meaning that family firms outperform non-family firms and, within family firms, those affiliated with a business group exhibit higher performance than those standing alone. These findings also indicate that professional-managed firms outperform family-managed firms, except when the CEO is the founder of the firm; implying that founders have a personal bias toward their offspring because more competent individuals are not considered to manage the firm. Additional analysis reveals that the internal capital allocation process in Mexico is inefficient because there are strong nepotism practices that favor family managers over non-family managers. These socialist tendencies are aligned with the dark side theories of internal capital allocation, in which weak-performing firms receive too much capital (family-managed firms) and strong-performing firms receive too little (non-family-managed firms). </p><p> Keywords: Capital allocation, family business groups, social connections, corporate governance. </p>

<p> This research investigated a queuing theory known as Erlang-C and its applicability in its use in central sterile supply. Erlang-C was used to calculate human resource needs in real time to encourage effectiveness in preparing trays for surgery. No consistent way of organizing tray preparation for surgery in a hospital currently exists. Efficiency in preparing trays is the goal of this study. Once surgical instruments are used, they need to be organized in sterilizable trays by a sterile processing technician before being sterilized. This study examines the actual versus the predicted output. The current situation can be described in three parts. First, there is no existing system to mathematically define the process of quality when preparing a surgical tray. There is no currently existing system to describe what theoretical productivity (benchmark) in tray preparation consists of. There is no currently existing system to describe how many technicians are needed to complete the surgical trays necessary for one day of surgery. There are several different types of sterilizable trays and the number and complexity of instruments in each of these types of containers (small, medium or large) varies. The current process is facilitated by a program called ABACUS with VIA Embedded software&trade; which provides information to the technician about which instrument to inspect and in what order. The proposed process could easily be integrated into the ABACUS system. This dissertation should improve both quality and productivity to address the three following points: 1) To improve quality, for which new parameters are added called instrument inspection specifications or instrument characteristics (lumen, traction surface, box lock, recess and handling time) introduced to describe what should be inspected during tray preparation (these instrument inspection specifications were assigned an ancillary number of seconds of inspection time for each specific feature of the instrument), 2) A new definition for trays is proposed based on the number of instruments and characteristics per tray (small trays are defined as having between 0 and 18 box locks, medium trays 18 to 75 box locks per tray and large trays 75 to 161 box locks) 3) To optimize manpower, Erlang-C queuing system was used as a simulation tool to describe the needs measured in number of technicians per type of tray per half hour. Further improvement to the Erlang program would be required to generate data for a full day of surgery. </p>