Both response to intervention (RTI) and recognition and response systems recommend the use of evidence-based teaching strategies and individualized data collection to monitor the students' response to such strategies. In addition to the efficacy of interventions, individual stakeholders should have a voice in which intervention is implemented. Constant prompt delay and progressive prompt delay procedures have been routinely implemented and have been proven to be effective at teaching important skills to a variety populations; however, no objective data has been reported on the stakeholders' preference for such procedures. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to evaluate the relative efficacy of as well as the relative preference for prompt delay procedures. Four preschool children experienced three teaching conditions: constant prompt delay, progressive prompt delay, and a control condition. A multi-element design was used to evaluate the relative efficacy of the prompt delay procedures at teaching pre-academic tasks while a modified concurrent chains arrangement was used to evaluate each child's relative preference for each teaching strategy. The results for efficacy of and preference for prompt delay procedures were idiosyncratic for all participants. These results as well implication of the results are discussed.

I describe an experimental study of the importance of food limitation and predation at three trophic levels in a terrestrial food web. The study system was the herb layer vegetation - arthropod - insectivorous bird food chain in the boreal forest near Kluane Lake, southwestern Yukon. Since little is known about boreal bird communities, I conducted a descriptive study of the community of passerine and piciform birds at Kluane in addition to the main study. Variable circular plot point counts were used to estimate bird populations in 1987 through 1990. Species' habitat preferences, use of foraging substrates and diets were studied in 1988 and 1989. Population densities, species richness and evenness were all low. Yellow-rumped warblers (Dendroica coronata) and dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis) dominated the community. Common species differed markedly in their habitat preferences, and showed generally low overlaps in their use of foraging substrates. There was little evidence of dietary specialization. There was rather little spatial variation in the community, and species composition and total density remained approximately the same through time. However, there were large fluctuations in some species' populations between 1987 and 1989. The experimental study was conducted at two scales. Chemical fertilizer was applied to two 570m x 570m areas in 1987, 1988 and 1989. I compared arthropod populations, bird populations and bird reproductive performance in these areas with those in two control areas. Two experiments using 5m x 5m plots were performed in 1988 to examine the effects of fertilization on plants and arthropods in more detail, and to study the responses of these trophic levels to the exclusion of passerine birds and mammalian herbivores. All three trophic levels responded positively to fertilization, but the results were variable and there were no very large increases in biomass or population size. Dark-eyed juncos nested one week earlier in fertilized areas, which may have enhanced their reproductive success. Passerine exclusion did not increase arthropod biomass, but exclusion of mammalian herbivores increased plant biomass. "Bottom-up" limitation by food appears to dominate this system, but "top-down" limitation also operates at at least one level. More work is needed to fully understand how the system functions. / Science, Faculty of / Zoology, Department of / Graduate

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The thesis explores artificial intelligence (AI) in agricultural (Ag) supply chains (SCs) and presents a new typology to understand artificial intelligence-based solutions in agricultural SCs. The thesis was performed utilizing a research-based review to investigate the current uses of artificial intelligence-based solutions in agricultural SCs. The AI-based solutions were found in case studies that reviewed AI operations in different areas internationally. The typology was formed on the foundation of two dynamics, the location of AI applications in Ag SCs and the driving values to integrate the AI applications. In order to develop the typology, the AI applications were studied in a series of different analyses. The analyses helped to critique and scrutinize the AI applications to gain new perspectives. The series of analyses consists of exploring the AI applications’ location within the supply chain, the value additions to the supply chain from integrating the AI applications, and the resulting depth of the effect of AI application has on the supply chain. Each additional evaluation of the AI applications examining another parameter further exposed more insight and started to build a structured ideology of AI. The proposed typology aims to create a tool of measurement to infer AI technology’s relation in the SCs and create a new viewpoint that will lead investigation and provide insight for predictions of AI’s future in agricultural SCs. In addition, the new typology should aid agriculture firms in understanding and capturing the potential synergies stemming from the driving values of innovation. The study found that AI applications with a strong relationship in the supply chain provide the greatest beneficiary relationship between technology value creation and supply chain logistics. Furthermore, AI applications will have the strongest relationship and implementation when operating in collaboration with other supply chain locations and AI integrated firms. Concluding the thesis, relevant policy and business practice recommendations are proposed.

Yes / Objective: The adverse impact of supply chain disruptions on the operational performance of supply chains have been suggested to emanate from its existing vulnerabilities. However, empirical studies regarding this proposition remain limited. This study provides empirical evidence of vulnerabilities in the face of dynamic disruptions in the pharmaceutical supply chain. This is geared at developing resilience strategies capable of curbing these forms of disruptions. Research Approach: In seeking to achieve the objective of this study, the mixed method research design in a longitudinal framework was adopted. It involved a two-step procedure where the study began by conducting semi-structured interviews with the downstream stakeholders of the pharmaceutical supply chain. Here the sampling method adopted was both purposive and snowballing. Data collected from this process was analysed using thematic analysis where key variables were coded for further analysis. Findings from the interviews were employed to construct close ended questionnaires. The questionnaires were administered online, approximately nine months after the first data collection process ended and analysed using various statistical techniques. Findings: The themes that emerged from the first phase of the data generation process were classified into five main pillars which include: supply chain characteristics, regulatory framework (schemas), imbalance of market power, managerial decisions and supply chain structures. These themes were further confirmed by the findings from the survey. The study finds that imbalance of market power generates negative welfare such as time consumption and stress on the downstream stakeholders of the pharmaceutical supply chain. In the same vein, dependence on suppliers and consumers in designing the supply chain exacerbates the impact of a dynamic disruption. The findings from the survey complement these pillars by identifying other vulnerabilities: price manipulation, inadequate policies, inefficient manufacturing processes as well as available training in handling these vulnerabilities. Originality/Value: By providing empirical evidence of the vulnerabilities within the pharmaceutical supply chain in the face of a dynamic disruption, this study extends operations management literature by highlighting vulnerability benchmarks against which resilience strategies can be employed in dynamic disruptive scenarios. The innovative aspect of this research is the ability to identify the vulnerabilities peculiar to the pharmaceutical supply chain which is required in order to successfully develop strategies that are resilient to dynamic disruptions. Research Impact: This study extends existing debates on supply chain vulnerabilities as well as supply chain disruptions. Practical Impact: This study contributes to practical managerial decisions, as the identifications of vulnerabilities to dynamic disruptions will aid pharmaceutical and or operations managers in assessing supplier selection and design.

The research aim was to gain a more detailed understanding of the operation of different key segments for fresh produce supply chains originating in the Highlands Provinces in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The research investigates a number of supply chain dimensions of effectiveness which include, value creation and integration of processes, logistics, quality, information, relationship/vertical integration and overall effectiveness. These were linked together in SC framework. Two potato chains were investigated, one formal, the other informal. The informal potato chain involves small holder farmers, input suppliers and local markets including kai bars and the urban market. The chain originates and ends within the Western Highlands Province. The formal potato chain has farmers, input suppliers, wholesaler/marker, transport companies (trucking and coastal shipping agents), supermarkets, hotels and kai bars. This chain originates in Mt Hagen, Western Highlands Province and ends in Port Moresby, National Capital District. The effectiveness of both the formal and informal chains was identified, and comparisons were made to see how each chain differed. The informal chain was found to have different problems to the formal chains. However, participants to both chains demonstrate a high entrepreneurial behavior. A key finding of the study was that the chains spread their risk by operating in multiple market segments and this can help to solve issues with variable quality. The marketers in each chain position themselves in these different market segments. It was clear from this work that focusing on functions and not the whole chain can lead to a distorted view of chain performance. For example, for the informal chain, a focus on logistics issues, particularly poor roads and problems with availability of seeds, can misrepresent the effectiveness of this chain. Therefore, it was concluded that it is important to look at the overall performance of each chain rather than looking specifically at particular chain functions in isolation.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Esta pesquisa apresenta uma revisÃo do conceito de cadeia de gÃneros desde sua genealogia em Bakhtin (2000 [1953]) atà a discussÃo dos critÃrios caracterizadores propostos por Fairclough (2001a [1992]; 2003) e por Swales (2004). Para estes autores, uma cadeia de gÃneros diz respeito a um agrupamento sistemÃtico de gÃneros em que hà uma transformaÃÃo regular, necessÃria, previsÃvel e, conseqÃentemente, cronolÃgica de um gÃnero a outro. A partir da anÃlise empÃrica de cadeias de gÃneros situadas no domÃnio institucional universitÃrio-escolar, sugerimos uma distinÃÃo entre cadeias simples e complexas. Nas primeiras, todos os gÃneros que a constituem seriam produzidos em um Ãnico Ãmbito institucional, cuja disposiÃÃo linear revelaria aspectos do funcionamento das atividades de determinada instituiÃÃo. Neste ponto, associamos Ãs cadeias simples a noÃÃo de disciplina pensada por Foucault (2008c [1975]), uma vez que o estabelecimento de uma cadeia simples tem por propÃsito regular as prÃticas institucionais. As cadeias complexas, por sua vez, sÃo desdobramentos de uma cadeia simples por meio de uma ligaÃÃo com gÃneros produzidos em domÃnios institucionais alheios. Nesse caso, por meio da anÃlise de anÃncios escolares, percebemos que cadeias simples de uma determinada instituiÃÃo na verdade sÃo complexificadas pelas prÃticas genÃricas de outra, motivadas pela contÃnua luta hegemÃnica. AlÃm disso, percebemos que a complexificaÃÃo de uma cadeia simples se restringe a domÃnios interinstitucionais que mantÃm entre si uma relaÃÃo de intercontextualidade (MEURER, 2004). Por fim, alegamos que uma cadeia de gÃneros Ã, na verdade, a parte discursiva de uma cadeia de prÃticas em cuja constituiÃÃo entram elementos discursivos e nÃo discursivos. / This research presents a review of the concept of genre chains from their origins in Bakhtin (2000 [1953]) to the discussion of the criteria proposed by Fairclough (2001a [1992], 2003) and Swales (2004) for its characterization. For these authors, genre chains is a systematic grouping of genres that are a regular transformation necessary, predictable and, consequently, chronological one genre to another. From the empirical analysis of genre chains located in the academic-educational range, we suggest a distinction between simple and complex chains. In the first, all the genres that constitute it would be produced in a single institutional framework, the linear arrangement would reveal aspects of the functioning of the activities of individual institutions. At this point, the single chains associate the concept of discipline thought by Foucault (2008c [1975]), since the establishment of a single chain aims at the regular institutional practices. The complex chains, in turn, are offshoots of a single chain through a link with genres produced in areas outside institutions. In this case, through the analysis of school advertisements, we find that single chains of a particular institution are actually complexified by generic practices of others, motivated by the ongoing hegemonic struggle. Also, we realized that the complexity of a single chain is restricted to areas that institutions shall practice mutual relationship of intercontextuality (MEURER, 2004). Finally, we claim that a genre chain is actually a discursive part of a chain practices in which discursive and non-discursive elements enter into its constitution.

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Markov chains offer a rigorous mathematical framework to describe systems that exhibit stochastic behaviour, as they are supported by a plethora of methodologies to analyse their properties. Stochastic process algebras are high-level formalisms, where systems are represented as collections of interacting components. This compositional approach to modelling allows us to describe complex Markov chains using a compact high-level specification. There is an increasing need to investigate the properties of complex systems, not only in the field of computer science, but also in computational biology. To explore the stochastic properties of large Markov chains is a demanding task in terms of computational resources. Approximating the stochastic properties can be an effective way to deal with the complexity of large models. In this thesis, we investigate methodologies to approximate the stochastic behaviour of Markovian process algebra models. The discussion revolves around two main topics: approximate state-space aggregation and stochastic simulation. Although these topics are different in nature, they are both motivated by the need to efficiently handle complex systems. Approximate Markov chain aggregation constitutes the formulation of a smaller Markov chain that approximates the behaviour of the original model. The principal hypothesis is that states that can be characterised as equivalent can be adequately represented as a single state. We discuss different notions of approximate state equivalence, and how each of these can be used as a criterion to partition the state-space accordingly. Nevertheless, approximate aggregation methods typically require an explicit representation of the transition matrix, a fact that renders them impractical for large models. We propose a compositional approach to aggregation, as a means to efficiently approximate complex Markov models that are defined in a process algebra specification, PEPA in particular. Regarding our contributions to Markov chain simulation, we propose an accelerated method that can be characterised as almost exact, in the sense that it can be arbitrarily precise. We discuss how it is possible to sample from the trajectory space rather than the transition space. This approach requires fewer random samples than a typical simulation algorithm. Most importantly, our approach does not rely on particular assumptions with respect to the model properties, in contrast to otherwise more efficient approaches.

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