Goal of this work was to engage in formal analysis of schedules, i.e. identifying weak spots and consequently design method to correct those weak points. Moreover this thesis addresses method, how from constructed corrections take appropriate set, called portfolio. Resulting software prototype called an Analyzer is integrated into FlowOpt project, which represents complex solution from modeling workflows, creation of schedules to displaying schedules using Gantt diagrams. Analyzer was developed mainly as a prototype application, which illustrates formal process of analysis. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

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Walden University College of Management and Technology This is to certify that the doctoral study by Leanne Heppell has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Carol-Anne Faint, Committee Chairperson, Doctor of Business Administration Faculty Dr. Rocky Dwyer, Committee Member, Doctor of Business Administration Faculty Dr. Kenneth Gossett, University Reviewer, Doctor of Business Administration Faculty Chief Academic Officer Eric Riedel, Ph.D. Walden University 2016

Low-fat cheese faces great challenges associated with its texture being hard and rubbery, desirable flavors being missing, color being undesirably intense and translucent appearing, and melting being improper. In an effort of improving the quality of low-fat cheeses, several strategies have been tried to accomplish three major objectives, 1) improving the melting and baking properties of low-fat Mozzarella cheese, 2) improving the color of low-fat Cheddar cheese, and 3) investigating the feasibilities of enriching low-fat Cheddar cheese with dietary fibers. For objective 1, 4 batches of low-fat Mozzarella cheese with target fat of 6.0%, 4.5%, 3.0%, and 1.5% were made using a stirred curd method, comminuted in a bowl chopper and mixed with different levels of melted butter (0.0, 1.5, 3.0, and 4.5% (wt/wt), respectively) before pressing. This would made the cheese that had increased free oil, increased melting, and improved baking as the level of added butter increased. The added butterfat was present as free fat along the curd particle junctions as shown by laser scanning confocal microscopy while the fat droplets originating from the milk were distributed within the protein matrix of the cheese. In objective 2, consumer tests and flavor profile analysis were performed on 4 commercial brands of full-fat Cheddar cheese and 9 low-fat Cheddar cheeses manufactured at Utah State University with different colors. Low-fat cheeses were rated different (P < 0.05) for their liking by a consumer panel even though they were all made the same way except for addition of color. The only difference in flavor detected by a trained panel was for a slight variation in bitterness. Using a combination of annatto and titanium dioxide produced a cheese that was rated the highest. Annatto when added singly produced a low-fat cheese that was rated the lowest. Moreover, commercial cheeses were also ranked significantly different for liking and buying preference. For objective 3, several trials were conducted to enrich low-fat cheese with inulin, pectin, polydextrose, or resistant-starch either by incorporating them into cheesemilk, mixing with 15-d aged cheese followed by repressing, or by formulating a W/O/W emulsion with inulin and incorporating the emulsion into the milk prior to cheesemaking. Adding fibers directly to milk resulted in less or no retention of fibers in cheese, whereas fibers added to comminuted cheeses were too crumbly. Adding fiber as a W/O/W emulsion improved fiber retention in the cheese and produced an improved texture of low-fat cheese.

A series of experiments was conducted to: 1) investigate how feeding cattle with different amounts of different-sized seeds affects seed passage rate through the digestive tract, and the germinability of passed seeds; 2) examine how the location of seeds in dungpats of different thicknesses influences seedling emergence , development, and survival in cattle dungpats; and 3) characterize seedling emergence in naturally and artificially deposited cattle dungpats . Three perennial , cool-season grasses, bluebunch wheatgrass [Psuedoroegneria spicata (Pursh) A. Love], Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda Presl.), and 'Hycrest' crested wheatgrass [Agropyron desertorum (Fisch. ex Link) X A. cristatum (L.) Gaert.], were used as representative revegetation species for the Intermountain West region. When cattle were fed 60,000, 30,000, 15,000, and 7,500 seeds of bluebunch wheatgrass and Sandberg bluegrass, the recovery of passed seeds for both species declined as seed feeding levels decreased from 60,000 to 7,500 seeds per animal and as time after seed ingestion increased from 1 to 4 days. Sandberg bluegrass seeds had greater germinability than bluebunch wheatgrass seeds at all seed feeding levels and collection dates. In complementary greenhouse studies, artificially prepared cattle dungpats (20 cm diameter) with different thicknesses (1, 2, and 4 cm) were placed on a sandy loam soil (initially at field capacity) in large plastic containers. Pre-germinated seeds of blue bunch wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, and/or Hycrest crested wheatgrass were planted separately in the center and periphery of dungpats at heights (from bottom of dungpats) of 0.5 cm for 1-cm-thick dungpats, 0.5 and 1.5 cm for 2-cm-thick dungpats , and 0.5, 2.0, and 3.5 cm for 4-cm -thick dungpats. Half of the dungpat treatments received no supplemental water while the other half received additional water simulating a wet spring . After 60 days, seedling emergence, development , and survival for all species were greatest at the 0.5 cm planting height , regardless of dungpat thickness , and greatest in 1 cm-thick dungpats , regardless of planting height. Seedling emergence , development , and survival were greatest for Hycrest crested wheatgrass, followed by bluebunch wheatgrass and Sandberg bluegrass. In a field study, cattle dung containing passed seeds of blue bunch wheatgrass, Hycrest crested wheatgrass, and Sandberg bluegrass was formed into artificial dungpats (2 kg in mass) with thicknesses of 1, 2, and 4 cm, and respective diameters of 40, 28, and 20 cm, and deposited on bare soil. Cattle also deposited natural dungpats varying in mass, thickness, and diameter. Seedling emergence for all species decreased as artificial dungpat thickness increased from 1 to 4 cm, and was lowest in natural dungpats. Seedling emergence for all dungpat types was greatest for Hycrest crested wheatgrass, followed by Sandberg bluegrass and bluebunch wheatgrass. These studies indicate that: 1) cattle should be fed about 60,000 seeds ( of these grass species) per animal to pass sufficient germinable seed to establish at least one seedling in a dungpat; and 2) seedling emergence, development, and survival in cattle dungpats are greatly influenced by plant species (seeds) ingested, thickness of dungpats, seed location in dungpats, and moisture content of the soil underlying dungpats.

The study examined (a) which single technique (cover letter sponsorship, personalization, anonymity, or appeal) is most effective in increasing response rates with mail questionnaires, and (b) which combination of these selected techniques is most effective in increasing such response rates. Questionnaires concerning faculty evaluation were sent to a national sample of professors. The present study found that identification of a university as the sponsor of the survey resulted in a significantly higher response rate than that obtained when the survey was sponsored by a private research institute. There was a significant increase in response rates when the cover letter was personalized, as opposed to an unpersonalized form letter. There were no significant differences in response rates attributable to (a) wether respondents were assured anonymity, and (b) the type of appeal used in the cover letter (personal or professional appeal). No significant interactions were found among any of the four techniques investigated. It was concluded from this study that judicious selection of the survey sponsor and use of cover letter personalization can improve the response rates of a mail questionnaire significantly, at least with the type of population and questionnaire significantly, at least with the type of population and questionnaire topic used in this study.

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No description available.

Färggrossen is a warehousing company that was established in 1976. The company has over 400 customers ranging across mid and south Sweden; it stores 5,000 different types of products such as paints, wallpapers, chemicals and tools which are used for painting. Since its establishment, the company has not changed how it manages its warehouse. Decisions are based on the warehouse manager’s personal memory and decisions, and this method worked sufficiently well until the company was bought by Mikael Lindgren in September 2008. Lindgren, the CEO, believed that the company had more potential, which is why the company has eagerly started to make changes in order to improve the warehouse operations as well as to reach its full potential. This thesis is to guide the company to reach this goal. At our first meeting with Färggrossen, improvements regarding different processes as well as the warehouse layout were identified. As a first step, a literature study was conducted in order to gain deeper insight and understanding about warehouse layouts; also we benefited from studying literature regarding different warehouse aspects from a system perspective: inputs, processes and outputs. Subsequent to the literature study, we identified those thesis research questions which needed to be answered in order to improve the warehouse management at Färggrossen. The next step was to decide which methods should be used in order to answer these questions. After researching different methodology options, a meeting with Färggrossen and our supervisor Bengt Ekdahl took place where we, together, decided to use the multiple case study method. Färggrossen suggested that we study two other companies, BSAB and ECO; according to them, these companies had similar warehouses. To be able to benchmark three companies, we needed to understand the warehousing management systems of all three companies, which is why we conducted our interviews. Once we finished gathering the required data, we defined the three companies’ activities in a manner to correspond with the terminology which is used in the literature.  In the analysis chapter we compared the three companies, and also used the information from the literature in order to provide Färggrossen with recommendations on how to improve the warehouse processes and layout. These are categorised as main, secondary and future recommendations; the main recommendations are the most important and inexpensive to implement, which is why we strongly suggest that they are prioritized. The two most important recommendations to improve the outputs of the warehouse system are implementing a serialized locater addressing system and defining a bulk area to support the replenishment process. These particular modifications will improve the overall efficiency of the warehouse system as well as the product availability and the customer satisfaction. The overall efficiency of the warehouse system will be further improved by eliminating manual labour as much as possible and combining the inspections whih are done in the receiving process with the putaway process. The product condition will be improved if the following recommendations are implemented; a small shelf solution which is used in ECO, a fixed slot system in the wallpaper area and the implementation of safety precautions in the company. The purpose of this thesis was to map and analyze Färggrossen in order to improve the inventory, warehouse layout and the methods being used in the warehouse management. With our recommendations, the company will have an improved and new warehouse layout, the processes will be improved and the efficiency will be increased.

ABSTRACT This study examined the effect of holistic practices on anxiety. The study used a pre-experimental design and measured any differences in outcomes in Generalized Anxiety Disorder clients as measured by General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) between the two following groups: 1) the experimental group who received holistic services in addition to traditional treatment such as psychotherapy and/or medication as compared to 2) the control group who received psychotherapy and/or medication alone. Pretest of GAD-7 at intake and post-tests at about 4 months into treatment were measured along with a holistic practice survey and analyzed post-hoc through SPSS data analysis. This study found that GAD-7 scores were improved, with majority of the participants involved in some sort of holistic supplemental practices. However there was no statistical correlation between the two phenomena in this small sample. More research is recommended with larger samples, as well as improved instrumentation that could vet out other possible effects on the GAD scores.