Thesis PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Auburn University, 2009. / Abstract. Includes bibliographic references (p.163-175).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Drexel University, 2005. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 192-204).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Texas, May, 2008. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Drexel University, 2009. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 204-212).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Drexel University, 2004. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 124-133).

No description available.

No description available.

There are too many men engaged in plumbing and heating contracting in Virginia. There is little incentive for any contractor to attempt to “elevate” the industry by investing money in a salesroom or showroom. The man in the back-alley competes on equal terms with the man who has a respectable establishment; he pays no more for the material which he installs. The advertising of the manufacturer has been mainly “product advertising”; he has led the public to believe that the make or manufacture of the material determines whether or not it will function properly. The merchant who pays high wages to competent mechanics must thus compete with the handy-man. The contractor who builds up a prospect-list and who adds to his business expense by attempting to properly run a sales department sees the customers in whom he has created a desire for better plumbing or heating, go to his backstreet competitor, where the same equipment can be bought from twenty to thirty percent cheaper. There is volume enough for less than half of the contractors now in business, and what business exists is for the most part done at a loss. The recommendations following apply to the merchant-contractor, not to the repair or maintenance man. There must be, especially in the small towns, small repair shops which may quickly and economically take care of minor repairs and installations. The larger establishments may sometime establish branches to handle minor work in the smaller communities, but until this occurs there will be a proper field for the small shop. However, this will be unable to compete with the contracting shop on installations of any considerable size, on account of the cost of labor-saving power machinery. / M.S.

This qualitative study explored the overall impact of training HVAC technicians using the SightPros-VirTechs system for remote, wireless, internet video assistance at a small HVAC company, Metro Environmental. John Thomason, the president/co-owner developed a website and a new SightPros communication tool that allows wireless, one-on-one, just-in-time, high-quality, video-monitored instructions between an expert at one site and a technician at another site. Metro Environmental successfully used the SightPros-VirTechs system to train a new apprentice remotely. The apprentice and expert changed their normal and routine physical activities because the expert worked remotely and the apprentice worked on-site. Within just a few months, the apprentice proved competent enough to go to customer accounts without more experienced technicians nearby. The technicians express excitement about the SightPros communication tool as a way to contact remote experts whenever needed. The customer and business contacts also give good reviews and suggest other benefits. The expert permanently captures the communications so the company can use the saved video for many applications, especially training. The dissertation provides a list of recommendations to trainers/educators for similar applications.