Single player games with branching narratives are often marketed as having meaningful choices, where the outcome of players’ choices affect the story. But when these games fail to deliver on their promise it allows for frustration and disappointment. To aid in avoiding this phenomenon, this study explores the ways different types of choices affect the narrative agency in non-linear, story-driven games by looking closer at one of them - Detroit: Become Human. By means of formal analysis, a framework is developed for identifying various definitions and prerequisites of different choice types. This framework is applied to the chapter Stormy Night to evaluate and measure gameplay data regarding choices. In addition to this method, an interview with the Lead Game Designer is conducted which gives valuable insight into the actual process behind designing the choices in Detroit: Become Human. The results show that the chapter’s choices are explicit in their design. Furthermore, there is noticeable ambiguity and subjectivity in how choices can be portrayed and perceived as meaningful. The interview suggests that different types of choices are better used at certain parts of a narrative. Noticeable from the interview, but not as detectable in the gameplay data, is that having diversity in choice types promotes meaningfulness. Implications of these findings suggest that the requirements for a game’s choices to be meaningful are choice type diversity and careful placement.

Today, 84% of young adults between the ages of 18-29 use at least one social media site (Pew Research Center, 2020) and are in the stages of emerging adulthood where they are making independent decisions for the first time (Arnett, 2000). As society becomes more technologically advanced, we become further removed from agriculture (Powell & Agnew, 2011; Dale et al., 2017). Thus, resulting in a separation between consumer and producer (Wilson & Lusk, 2020; Holt & Cartmell, 2013). This leaves the opportunity for society to turn to social media for agriculture information leading to negative perceptions of agriculture (Eyck, 2000; Holt & Cartmell, 2013; Howard et al., 2017; Verbeke, 2005). However, little research has been conducted on the impact social media may have on college students’ perceptions of agriculture or their purchasing decisions as a consumer (Howard et al., 2017). Therefore, this study further explores this area of research.

The transitional process to retirement by today's professional women is an issue of great significance. Beginning in the 1960s, these women became the first generation en masse to form long-term careers and to join the professional ranks. Retirement is now affecting over seven million women who are age 55 or older. A void exists in literature concerning these women's experiences as they approach retirement. Their pre-retirement transitions and decision-making process have not been previously addressed. This study addressed the void and through qualitative research, employed a multiple-case study with a phenomenological frame. Through in-depth interviews, the data collected addressed professional women's pre-retirement decision-making. A five-phase working model was developed that illustrates the transitions to retirement of professional women. / Ph. D.

Career choice is governed by what individuals value and their perception of the realities that exist in a given field. Agriculture career education of gifted and talented students, therefore, must begin with an assessment of the values of the students, their assumptions regarding fields within the agriculture industry, and factors that influence their career decisions. This descriptive study summarized values and perceptions held by participants in the 2006 Virginia Governor's School for Agriculture (VGSA). Originally, the VGSA hosted 98 students; one student withdrew from the program. The results of the study confirmed that there is still much controversy and misunderstanding about agriculture and careers in the agriculture arena. The testing process included a survey of career values called the Values Scale. This instrument was developed by Dorothy Nevill and Donald Super and last updated in 1989. The 106-question survey measured 21 personal career values of participants. Follow-up data were collected gauging the students' thoughts on agriculture careers, agriculture companies, their individual career goals, and the influences that shaped their career decisions. The career values of the VGSA Class of 2006 were surprisingly similar to high school student data collected in 1989. There were slight decreases in the value placed on economic rewards and security, but many of the other values mirrored past national data. Most students (n=73) were able to name five agriculture careers with "farmer" garnering most of the responses; however, 29 students did not name a single agriculture company. A majority of the students (n=56) stated that they had made a career decision; however, most of these (n=32) also stated their career was not in the field of agriculture. Half of those having a career goal made their decision prior to their sophomore year in high school. Parents were named by the students as the greatest single influence on career decision among ten choices. School experiences, work experiences, and people who work in the field were also high among influences. Suggestions for further research include identifying effective methods of agricultural career exploration within VGSA and value comparisons between gifted students and the general student population. / Ph. D.

This dissertation consists of two essays on the impact of managerial entrenchment and ethical corporate citizenship on capital structure decisions of the firm. The first essay examines the impact of managerial entrenchment on financial flexibility and capital structure decisions of firms. Agency conflicts and asymmetric information between managers and shareholders of firms exacerbate managerial entrenchment, which is operationalized using the entrenchment index. The excess cash ratio of a firm over the median cash ratio of firms within the same 3 digits SIC code is the proxy for financial flexibility. Capital structure decisions include the extent and maturity of debt as proxied by debt-to-equity ratio, and average debt maturity respectively. Results indicate that compared to managers who are not entrenched, entrenched managers obtain less rather than more debt, and they use long-term rather than short-term debt maturity. Also, entrenched managers keep more excess cash than managers who are not entrenched. This is especially the case for firms in small and large market value groups compared to medium sized firms. Results do not change before, during, and after the 2008 global economic crisis. The second essay examines the impact of ethical corporate citizenship and CEO power on cost of capital, and firm value in the context of stakeholder theory. Firms listed as World's Most Ethical Companies (WMECs) exemplify ethical corporate citizenship, which is operationalized as a binary variable of 1 for WMECs, and zero for non-WMECs. This paper matches WMECs and non-WMECs control firms in the same 3 digits SIC code, and within 10 percent of total assets. CEO power is primarily measured using CEO pay slice calculated as CEO total compensation as a percentage of top 5 executives of the firm. Powerful CEOs have pay slice above the 50th percentile, and weak CEOs pay slice is below the 50th percentile. Tobin's q is the proxy for firm value, and cost of capital is measured as the market value weighted cost of debt, and cost of equity. Results indicate that WMECs have neither lower cost of capital nor higher Tobin's q than matched control sample of non-WMECs. Firms led by powerful CEOs have significantly lower cost of debt capital, and lower industry-adjusted Tobin's q than firms led by weak CEOs. The negative impact of CEO power on firm value is consistent with agency theory that self-interested CEOs extract firm value for personal advantage, subject to managerial controls. Results have implications for research and practice in capital structure, corporate governance, CEO compensation, and corporate social responsibility. / Doctor of Philosophy / This study consists of two essays. Essay 1 examines the impact of managerial entrenchment on financial flexibility, and leverage decisions of the firm. Managerial entrenchment is measured using the entrenchment index. The excess cash ratio of a firm over the median cash ratio of firms measures financial flexibility. Capital structure decisions include the extent and maturity of debt as measured by debt-to-equity ratio, and average debt maturity respectively. I find that entrenched managers use less debt than managers who are not entrenched. Also, entrenched managers prefer using long-term rather than short-term debt, and they keep more excess cash than managers who are not entrenched. This is especially the case for small and large firms compared to medium sized firms. Essay 2 investigates the impact of ethical corporate citizenship and CEO power on cost of capital, and firm value. Ethical corporate citizenship (ECC) refers to firms' commitment to a culture of ethics, effective governance, leadership, and innovation. ECC is measured as a binary variable of one if a firm is listed on World's Most Ethical Companies (WMEC), and zero otherwise. CEO power is primarily measured using CEO pay slice that is calculated as CEO total compensation as a percentage of top 5 executives of the firm. Powerful CEOs have pay slice above the 50th percentile, and weak CEOs pay slice is below the 50th percentile. WMECs and non-WMECs in the same 3 digits standard industry classification, which have similar total assets as the WMECs are compared. I find that WMECs have neither lower cost of capital nor higher Tobin's q than non-WMECs. Powerful CEOs often utilize their influence to reduce cost of debt capital, but also reduce firm value compared to weak CEOs. Self-interested CEOs who extract firm value for personal advantage partly explains the negative effect of CEO power on firm value.

This research integrates a multi-attribute decision-support tool, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), with a customer-focused design methodology, Quality Function Deployment (QFD). The result is a hybrid methodology more complete than either of the two alone, involving synthesis, analysis, and evaluation activities necessary for completing conceptual system design. An indicator was developed for the overall performance of an organization's product and its competitors’ products using the information in a QFD matrix. In addition, a methodology was developed to determine if essential customer requirements and design-dependent parameters (DDPs) have been adequately identified in the QFD matrix. A mathematical relationship was developed which relates technical and competitive assessments in the QFD matrix and helps test for inconsistencies. Finally, an indicator was developed to assess a new product concept for viability in the marketplace and to be used for accomplishing trade-off analyses. Examples are presented throughout this document to further illustrate the concepts. This research is unique in its application. It adds to the body of knowledge for decision-making in the conceptual design phase of the systems engineering process. / Master of Science

<p dir="ltr">This study investigates healthcare decision-making dynamics among adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) without intellectual disability (ID), focusing on the influence of the egocentric norm concept and comparing it to neurotypical (NT) individuals. Employing a quasi-experimental design and meticulously developed vignettes, the research gathers quantitative and qualitative data from Prolific survey responses, exploring nuances in decision processes. The findings reveal substantial disparities in response patterns between individuals with ASD without ID and NT counterparts, emphasizing the significance of the egocentric norm. Factor analysis and structural equation modeling support the validity of the questions and highlight egocentric norms’ impactful role in health-related decisions.</p><p dir="ltr">Qualitatively, themes within both groups illuminate unique decision-making processes, including enduring support from significant others, autonomy trends, and reliance on digital resources. The study contributes nuanced insights for healthcare practitioners, policymakers, and educators, emphasizing the need for tailored interventions that resonate with the distinctive decision-making dynamics of individuals with ASD without ID. While acknowledging limitations related to sample characteristics and reliance on self-reported data, the study provides an in-depth understanding of the interplay between the egocentric norm, Reasoned Action Approach (RAA) concepts, and other influential factors in healthcare decision-making.</p>

Intertemporal decision-making is that process which establishes the margin between current consumption and investment of available funds. The Department of Defense (DOD) and the Office of Management and the Budget have established a 10 percent discount rate to be used in investment project evaluation. The DOD Planning, Programming, and Budgeting System is described and identified as the system wherein intertemporal decisions are made and reviewed. The incentives of decision-makers in this process are briefly reviewed and it is concluded that intertemporal decisionmaking within the DOD is not based on any clear-cut criteria, but that the investment consumption margin is determined by the interaction of principals and agents on various levels with differing goals and incentives. Available data is analyzed and it is concluded that a consumption function wherein the objective of the consumer is to smooth out the consumption of defense services over time may be the appropriate model to apply to DOD intertemporal decision-making. That model explains the observed data better than a project evaluation model with a uniform discount rate. Policy implications of the findings are described, and it is recommended that an affordability consideration be used in the model to evaluate proposed DOD investment projects. / M.A.

No / Environmental decisions made by individuals, civil society and the state involve questions of economic efficiency, environmental effectiveness, equity and political legitimacy. These four criteria are constitutive of economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development, which has become the dominant rhetorical device of environmental governance. We discuss the tendency for different strands of social science to focus on particular subsets of the four criteria and argue that such a practice promotes solutions that do not acknowledge the dynamics of scale and the heterogeneity of institutional and historical contexts. We propose a more interdisciplinary approach to understanding environmental decisions that seeks to identify legitimate and context-sensitive institutional solutions producing equitable, efficient and effective outcomes. We examine two examples that illustrate the indivisible and integrated nature of the four criteria in actual environmental decisions. The first example relates to international efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the second one to local resource management in the UK. We utilise the example to outline a new agenda for future research on environmental governance and decision-making.

No / The importance of a collaborative approach between the project team, end-users, and stakeholders in managing complex decisions and risks in project environments has long been emphasized. The Porter model emphasizes the need to focus on client needs and competitive advantage. However, a lack of resources and capability development may hinder the project team's ability to provide appropriate services. Supervisors, team members, and end-users can play a supportive role in easing complexity in risk management and decision-making. It is important to understand standards as performance measures for decision-making and the need for detailed knowledge of the project brief. The value of group decision support systems and low-intensity involvements in decision-making would give rise to involving end-users in critical decision-making, the importance of focusing on organizational culture and strategic planning, and the need for a change of mindset to align individual perceptions with the norm. It is also important to gather and analyze information before making a decision. While some project teams see end-users as a threat to their judgment, the research emphasizes the duty to respond to end-users' needs and highlights the value they add to risk assessment.