Large-scale software reuse, such as SAP's R13 Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, has the potential to significantly reduce system implementation timelines. However, most ERP projects fail to deliver on time and within budget. While each implementation faces unique challenges and differing requirements coverage, the management decision to build custom programs instead of reusing the provided software introduces additional risk and effort to an already complex undertaking. The goal of this research is to evaluate the use of an original system dynamics model, combined with a novel approach to function point calculations, as a means to accurately predict the Realization Phase duration of SAP implementations. To achieve this goal, a new function point counting approach to SAP transactions was combined with the development of a system dynamics model that simulates the Realization Phase of SAP Projects. Both the function point approach and dynamic model proved effective in replicating and predicting the behavior and timelines of completed projects across multiple firms. The first firm, Project Alpha, served as the reference baseline for model calibration (MAE=.09 R2=1). Data from a second firm, Project Beta, proved the portability of the model across different organizations (MAE=.07, R2=.98). The model's predictive performance was then tested against the project duration of a third firm. Project Gamma. Using the data from Project Gamma, the model estimated a project duration of 127 days versus the actual 134 days. Given the current level of estimating accuracy within ERP implementations, this research offers significant improvement to professional practice. Finally, the relationship between reuse and productivity was demonstrated by varying the modeled amount of reuse over several simulation runs. Each simulation provided insight on the dynamic relationship between the amount of reuse and project duration.

In this dissertation, the researcher describes a study which led to the design and implementation of a prototype management system for tracking the evolution of Multimedia Electronic Classroom (MMECR) collaborative distance projects over the Web. Although the use of project management systems has been an established practice in business, industry, and large research environments alike, small research environments such as the MMECR currently lack the methodology and the tools for tracking the evolution of their projects. Therefore, in order to address both the needs and capabilities of the MMECR community, this study evaluated the performance of the prototype within the specific context of the MMECR. Although the findings of this study focused on Nova Southeastern University (NSU), the proposed methodology and prototype can be extended to and applied in other small research and business environments. This study began by defining the relevant technical terminology and concepts. A survey of existent literature strongly indicated the need for establishing a project management system within the MMECR environment. Using findings from previous work that have analyzed project management schema and available tools, this study further examined the specific challenges facing the MMECR environment for the tracking of projects. This study then considered a range of related issues--from Internet and PC-based hardware/software technologies and design methodologies to theories of project management, collaboration, and implementation. Next, the researcher considered the various approaches available for developing the proposed tool. In particular, it presented an initial scenario within the current MMECR environment and adapted and applied these approaches to create a model that was especially suitable for NSU. The prototype system included both a Web-accessible database and a Web-based user interface to capture critical data and to generate relevant reports. Upon implementation of the prototype, students were recruited to serve as evaluators. Two mailing lists were employed in order to recruit participants; one of these included students who had participated in previous collaborative projects in the MMECR and the other was composed of students who did not have such experience. A user survey assessing the viability of the prototype was administered to all participants. This study reviews the responses of participants involved in testing the prototype. Finally, the researcher analyzed the responses of evaluators to the survey, attempting to assess the causes for less than universal positive response. Although the response to the prototype was generally positive, the researcher received less than unanimous response to certain features of the prototype. The breakdown of these responses was presented and the reasons behind them were explored. In the conclusion of this study, the researcher employed the information gathered during the development and testing of the prototype in order to offer recommendations for further research in this area.

With the rapid spread of the microcomputer as a business tool, large numbers of people, who may not possess the typical skills of the computer professional, are using the computer to solve business problems. This dissertation explores the extent to which computer aptitude is present in a selected group of college students. A nationally normed test for computer aptitude was administered to upper-level college students in five curricula, Computer Science, Information Management, Business, Music, and Liberal Arts. The computer aptitude measure, CAQ Score, and its subordinate elements were compared across the five curricula. Computer aptitude was also contrasted with measures of math experience, gender, and grade point average. Statistical tests included t-tests, ANOVA, and correlation. The mean computer aptitude score for all students tested was found to be more than one standard deviation above the nationally normed values. CAQ Score and some underlying measures were found to be significantly different between students in Computer Science and Information Management versus those in Liberal Arts. The mean CAQ scores of students who had taken higher level math courses were significantly higher than students who had only high school math courses. The mean scores of male students were significantly higher than those of female students. CAQ Scores varied significantly with GPA. However, the r squared value was less than 0.10. The first conclusion was that college students possess higher computer aptitude than the average population. Second, there are significant differences in computer aptitude among students in the curricula tested. It was concluded that computer aptitude differs by gender, caused by the underlying measure called Logical Structures. It was also concluded that students who complete advanced mathematics courses are apt to possess more computer aptitude than those who terminate their math courses at a lower level. Finally, because of the weak r value of the significant relationship between GPA and CAQ, and the previous math findings, it was concluded that computer aptitude is related to an element of general intelligence that is common to computer and math skills. The study recommends that further research be done into the elements of computer and math skills that may be similar or differ from those of general intelligence. Because of findings related to Music students, it is recommended that research be done on the similarities and Differences in math and music cognitive skills. Finally, the study recommends that research be conducted into the spectrum of computer skills ranging from the technical computer professional to the person who uses the computer as a business tool.

Significant portions of the business oriented information processing performed in the commercial market place are headed towards (or already arrived at) a heavy dependence on Database Management Systems. With that movement under way, our ability to measure, evaluate, and compare different Database Management Systems is dramatically limited. This paper examines the underlying design considerations in developing a system and the current as well as previous attempts at measuring performance in this area. Then an evaluation methodology design to measure and compare distributed system is proposed and tested. The methodology developed will support evaluations and comparisons of entire Distributed Relational Database Management Systems or evaluations of the design and performance of various individual components of those systems.

People mentally organize information, attitudes, and images about an environment in so called "cognitive maps." However, no cognitive maps of people's attitudes and perceptions related to online risks have yet been captured. This research initiative studied risk perceptions in the context of e-commerce and attempted to uncover a cognitive map of people's e-commerce-related risk perceptions and attitudes using the psychometric paradigm. A study with 1,119 online shoppers was used to collect data. Analysis of data with regard to current and acceptable levels of risk and desired levels of regulation revealed that highly risky online hazards were not acceptable to consumers; in order for them to be acceptable, these hazards would need to be made safer. At the same time, less risky hazards were more or less acceptable to consumers. In addition, highly risky hazards would need to be regulated more heavily than less risky ones. The most and the least risky hazards were identified. In addition, factor analysis was conducted to identify ecommerce- related risk dimensions and produce a factor space diagram. The latter represented a "cognitive map" of people's e-commerce-related risk perceptions and attitudes. Results suggested that subjects distinguish risks using four dimensions: (a) dread/direness of consequences; (b) knowledge about risk and effects of consequences; (c) ability to control or avoid risks; and (d) willingness to pay to mitigate risks and familiarity with risks. There are numerous potential benefits of this research. First of all, this dissertation produced a cognitive map of people's e-commerce-related risk perceptions and attitudes. The findings would help researchers to understand and predict people's reaction to risks posed by online hazards. Second, this study attempted to transfer a proven and popular methodology of risk perception research, the psychometric paradigm, to a new domain, ecommerce. Third, this study added empirical data regarding online risk perceptions to the existing body of the relevant academic research. Finally, the findings are also relevant to practitioners such as policy makers, management teams of e-commerce firms, and Web designers and developers.

The number of people who are attracted to a life of prayer and to a more complete dedication to God is escalating. The monastic world finds an increasing number of lay people who experience support and nourishment for their spiritual life by establishing a close relationship with a monastic community. Growing participation in oblate programs (i.e., Benedictine spirituality program for the laity, Benedictine oblation) is also common throughout the country. Advances in communications technologies and the proliferation of distance learning opportunities make it increasingly important for institutions that offer enrichment programs to provide distance learning environments that meet the educational needs of the adult learner. Online technologies are becoming the delivery systems of choice for those who are otherwise engaged during traditional contact hours. The challenge for religious institutes is to respond to this interest and to offer a more inclusive way of sharing their spirituality and religious way of life through monastic program offerings specifically designed for the laity. Historically, oblate programs have been remarkably responsive to the spiritual needs of the times and have shown elasticity and creativity in response to the needs of a particular circumstance interpreted through the Benedictine tradition. In response to the growing interest in Benedictine monastic spirituality, this researcher, in collaboration with Sacred Heart Monastery, developed an online oblate program to provide an alternative for laity who desire or require the anytime, anywhere online alternative. The program was created using an iterative methodology that includes five main phases: analysis, design, development, evaluation, and delivery. These phases were supported with: criteria establishment, criteria validation, a product development plan, and a product validation plan. A learner-centered, non-credit bearing, online immersion program in Benedictine spirituality (i.e., Benedictine oblation) for the adult was developed, tested, and validated. The results of the study are generalizable to like populations (i .e., adults who possess computer literacy skills) that are looking for immersion programs in spirituality, humanities, or liberal arts. Recommendations for further research are provided.

American Indians have had the highest dropout rate from school of any ethnic group, regardless of region or tribal affiliation (Sanders, 1987). Lack of cognitive or academic ability has not been seen as a major factor. Several authors have suggested the main factor to be low self-esteem (Lutlig, 1983; Giles, 1985). The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of a cultural awareness software program would increase the self-esteem of third and fourth grade Native American students of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation as measured by the Piers-Harris Children's Self- Concept Scale. Two classes each from the third and fourth grades from the Cherokee School of Cherokee, North Carolina were selected to use a HyperCard stack containing 20 oral legends of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation for a period of 10 school weeks (50 days). A total of 176 students participated in the study. All participants were administered the Harris-Piers Children's Self-Concept Scale before and after the 10 week study. At first there appeared to be no significant difference between the control and the experimental groups, until the post test scores were subtracted from the pre-test scores of the experimental group. Applying the t-test to compare the mean of "increase" yielded an important result. Even though the increased mean was small, it was a statistically significant increase (p < .05; in fact, p is zero to 4 digits). The results support the concept that culturally aware software will help to increase self-esteem. The recommendations drawn from this study were to: increase the length of the study expand the study into the surrounding public school community Improve and develop more culturally aware software, and develop student study materials to accompany the software.

E-mail has proven to be an important tool, but the sheer volume of e-mail messages and the emergence of unsolicited e-mail hamper e-mail use. Routing important or urgent e-mail quickly and efficiently can be difficult because common filtering decisions used to separate wanted e-mail from unwanted are based only on information contained in the e-mail, such as the To, From, Subject, and Body portions of the message. This investigation resulted in the design and development of a model, method, and apparatus to apply directory-held information and policies to e-mail filtering and routing decisions. The policies are expressed in Extensible Markup Language (XML) statements and expand filtering and routing decision sources to include information contained in the directory as well as information contained in the e-mail. The prototype apparatus developed, the Message Filtering and Routing Agent (MeFRA), does not replace existing filtering mechanisms but adds an additional means for handling messages. MeFRA policies are stored in a network directory in XML fragments that are assembled by the MeFRA system into a valid XML document. This XML document is then processed using standard XML Document Object Model mechanisms and executed by MeFRA. MeFRA uses the Microsoft Active Directory as the repository for directory information and MeFRA policies. MeFRA operates as an agent program working in conjunction with the Microsoft Outlook 2003 e-mail program and Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 e-mail system. MeFRAiswritteninMicrosoftVisualBasic.NET.

Modern living for today's adolescents includes confronting the risks presented by AIDS, teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and other health issues. To obtain information and make appropriate decisions regarding teenage sexuality, adolescents may depend on adults or friends. However, the potential for discomfort in requesting information of a sensitive nature is viable. In this study, therefore, the researcher designed, developed, and evaluated a prototype decision support system to disseminate information on teenage sexuality. The purpose of the system was to potentially provide an alternative response to inquiries in a confidential manner. The setting of the study was a secondary school in Broward County, Florida. The system was to be accessible through the school library media center and placed in a private location. In designing the system, called Teenage Life Concerns (TLC), the researcher based the methodology on the premise that user participation is essential in producing a system that meets the needs of potential users. Students, faculty members, administrators, and district personnel participated through surveys, interviews, and focus groups. Domain experts were used in the knowledge acquisition process. Comments and opinions obtained from participants were utilized to build a knowledge base, software model, and finally a prototype system. In addition, system design was based on a series of construction phases of decision support system development as suggested by Turban (1993). The TLC system was tested for reliability, validity and usability by domain experts and system users using two questionnaires. Data analysis mainly focused on the knowledge acquisition phase and software construction phase using tables, figures, and anecdotal responses to discuss reactions and perceptions of the utility of the system. Overall, evaluators rated the TLC system high in terms of ease of use, utility of program, and satisfaction with the system based on specific criteria. The researcher chose a hypertext-based authoring tool to develop the system because of the high level of interaction possible through user control of the decision making process. It was evident that users appreciated the ease of use of the system and accessibility rate. Using 'a hypertext-based development tool may have contributed to the satisfaction level of the users. The TLC system can be expanded in the future to include the utilization of laserdisc players and CD-ROM drives to access additional information. The researcher perceives that a major component in the positive feedback obtained from the evaluations occurred because of the active participation of potential users in the development process. The researcher advocates active research processes as coinciding with recent educational theories that emphasize exploratory-centered and process-oriented learning. Students and educators are then empowered to become partners in their own education.

Franklin University, was considering the development of a postgraduate program in business administration. Administrators found that curriculum planners first need to evaluate the changes caused by information systems to competencies and capabilities of the business manager in a highly technical and information intensive business environment. For this study, the competencies were investigated through an analysis of stated information systems course objectives within 160 MBA catalogs and through a survey of 77 Central Ohio management recruiters. Despite the wide range of topics introduced in the MBA curriculum, and the lack of a clear majority for specific topics, a logical pattern was evident. This pattern indicates that a prerequisite information system course introduces the basic concepts of computer technology and computer software, a core course discusses the management of information system resources, and an elective course addresses advanced topics in management information systems. The management recruiters believe that managers should have a basic knowledge of computer-based information systems and be able to demonstrate the following competencies: 1) Know spreadsheet and business application software on a microcomputer; 2) Apply information systems to general business applications within the office environment, and management support for decision making and productivity; 3) Know the social and ethical issues associated with information systems; and 4) Define the data needs and associated user requirements for an information system. Several research questions which tested the relationship of ranked competencies expressed by MBA schools and management recruiters were evaluated using Spearman's Rank Correlation Analysis. The results of this evaluation conclude that MBA programs and Central Ohio management recruiters do not agree upon which topics an MBA graduate should be competent upon entering the workforce. For Franklin University, this author suggests the following recommendations: 1) Develop a goal for business information system competency which spans the undergraduate and graduate business programs; 2) Develop a series of courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels which meet the goals for business information system competency; 3) Integrate information system topics into functional areas of study; 4) Develop a structure for academic computing and instructional computing; 5) Organize an advisory group of business leaders who are integrating information technology; and 6) Support future research into the impact of new technologies and new business procedures on the role of information systems in the MBA program.